Rising Health Care Costs and War Spending Are Breaking America

More Americans are making painful choices just to stay alive, and that should alarm all of us. According to USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke, new findings from the West Health–Gallup report show that more than 82 million people have made serious trade offs just to afford health care. That has meant skipping meals, borrowing money, rationing prescriptions, or cutting back on basic bills.

That kind of pressure is not just a private struggle. It is a public failure. When families cannot afford a doctor visit without sacrificing food, heat, or gas, something is deeply wrong. And yet, at the same time, the Pentagon reportedly spent huge sums on luxury food and questionable purchases as the fiscal year closed. Reports on that spending included millions for lobster tail and ribeye steak, which makes the contrast feel even more brutal.

This is why so many people feel betrayed by national priorities. Public money keeps flowing toward war, weapons, and waste, while ordinary people get told to tighten their belts and accept a broken system. That is not fiscal discipline. It is a values problem. It also harms public health, because delaying care often leads to worse illness, more stress, and deeper long term costs for families and communities.

A healthier future should mean investing in people, not rewarding excess. It should mean affordable care, safer communities, and an environment where everyone has a fair shot at living well. If we want a more humane country, we need to push for policies rooted in compassion, justice, and care for the planet. Please keep supporting vegan and environmental values that put life first.

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