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From 1776 to 2020: A Vision for a “more perfect Union”

The United States’ healthcare system combines public health efforts with mostly private delivery of health care. Usually they coexist side by side with some but infrequent interaction. The public health emergency created by the pandemic forced them into a “union” that quickly became politicized, and unfortunately diminished the effectiveness of the response.

In ophthalmology, visual acuity is measured by the distance one can see compared to “normal”. A person with 20/80 vision can see at 20 feet what a normal vision person can see from 80 feet. Perfect vision is labeled 20/20.

Maybe you expected 2020 to be a perfect year. I doubt that any of us would say it was. The year brought

  • a contentious presidential election and an unexpected serious pandemic
  • peaceful protests and raucous riots
  • racism confrontations and reconciliation pursuits
  • health inequities battles and healthy community pursuits

This next year 2021 has already had its share of problems, but I think most of us feel calmer, more hopeful, and eager to resume many of the activites we put on hold last year. And that includes a 4th of July celebration.

Statue of Liberty
Lady Liberty lifting her torch in New York harbor
Independence Day, July 4

Every year on July 4th the United States celebrates Independence Day- the day in 1776 the original 13 American colonies established an independent country.

A few years later they established a government as specified in the Constitution of the United States, to “form a more perfect Union”.

The United States Constitution

The Constitution does not specifically mention, establish, create, or endorse a healthcare system. Some phrases in the Preamble hint at it though-

  • establish Justice
  • insure domestic Tranquility
  • provide for the common Defense
  • promote the general Welfare

Government sponsored health care programs

The Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare

The  United States Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 to guarantee basic health insurance to all citizens.  During his term in office, President Trump vowed to “repeal and replace” this law but although it has been modified, it is still in place.

Healthcare for military service members, veterans ,and their families

During the American Revolution the fledgling government extended health care benefits to the soldiers and veterans of that war; that system evolved into the current Department of Defense military health care system which covers service members and the Veterans’ Administration system for veterans.

a Veterans Administration clinic
a Veterans Administration clinic (photo by Dr. Aletha)
American soldiers serving in Afghanistan
American soldiers serving in Afghanistan
Medicare and Medicaid

Two other government healthcare programs- Medicare and Medicaid are over 50 years old. 

Medicaid provides insurance coverage for adults and children who are unemployed or low income.  

Medicare covers disabled children and adults  and persons 65 years and older.

a senior adult couple relaxing in lawn chairs
by Brayden Heath from LIGHTSTOCK.COM

Department of Health and Human Services

Most of the health care activities of the federal government fall under the agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services or HHS. The Secretary of HHS serves in the President’s Cabinet.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve heard more about the HHS in the news than usual; maybe you’ve never heard of these agencies. Generally, management of a pandemic or other public health emergency falls within the work of the CDC.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention–

The CDC’s mission is simple but encompasses many facets of health

“to work 24/7 to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S.”

The CDC website devotes an entire section now to information, guidelines, and news about the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19.

illustration showing the coronavirus which causes COVID-19

The goal of public health is to avoid or prevent health threats from becoming public health emergencies, like the COVID-19 pandemic. If they accomplish the mission, we hardly notice. But when an outbreak occurs, their work suddenly becomes visible, scrutinized, and debated.

The CDC director, Dr. Robert Redfield, spoke to Congress soon after the pandemic started, and his assessment of the response and funding for it were not positive. Lack of funding hampered the federal government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, he told lawmakers on March 10, 2020.

“The truth is we’ve underinvested in the public health labs,There’s not enough equipment, there’s not enough people, there’s not enough internal capacity, there’s no search capacity”

Dr. Robert Redfield, Director, CDC

The Trump administration subsequently enlisted private companies to help cut the difference. The CDC partnered with Integrated DNA Technologies to manufacture the COVID tests under a CDC contract. IDT partnered with commercial labs for the testing.

2021-the Biden Administration

On December 7, 2020 President Biden’s transition team announced that Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D.  was slated to become the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In a 2021 interview she talked about the “big questions that keep her up at night.”

  • How are we going to ensure that the people who are hardest to reach with COVID vaccines receive it?
  • How are we going to ensure that when everyone else is not thinking about COVID we are still leveraging the infrastructure and connections we’ve made and that we address the collateral damage of this pandemic: the hypertension , the pediatric vaccinations that haven’t happened, HIV control?
  • How are we going to address a resurgent opioid crisis that I thought I’d never see again?
  • How are we going to address gun injury prevention?
  • How do we not only protect this nation, as we realize that we need to protect the world, too. Not just for humanitarian purposes, but because we are so integrally linked, as this virus has taught us.

National Institutes of Health– NIH

The National Institutes of Health, part of the Public Health Service,

  • supports biomedical and behavioral research with the United States and abroad,
  • conducts research in its own laboratories and clinics,
  • trains promising young researchers, and
  • promotes collecting and sharing medical knowledge.

And within the NIH is the NIAID– the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which has been an invaluable source of guidance as the United States and the world works to understand and manage this new infectious disease.

President Donald Trump Visits NIH
President Donald Trump visited NIH on March 3, 2020 and toured the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ Vaccine Research Center (VRC) to learn about research on a vaccine for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. From left: VRC Deputy Director Dr. Barney Graham, NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins, VRC Director John Mascola, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, President Trump, and VRC Research Fellow Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett.
credit NIH, public domain
Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2
This scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 (orange)—also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19—isolated from a patient in the U.S., emerging from the surface of cells (green) cultured in the lab.
 
Credit: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIH
President Biden Visits NIH Vaccine Research Center
NIH immunologist Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett speaks to President Joe Biden about the fundamental research that contributed to the development of the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines when the President visited NIH’s Vaccine Research Center on February 11, 2021. Credit: NIH/Chiachi Chang

Food and Drug Administration– FDA

The FDA joins the pandemic response by

  • reviewing and approving diagnostic tests for the coronavirus
  • protecting consumers from fraudulent products for COVID-19.
  • issuing Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for ventilators
  • sampling and testing of respirators for importation

Late in 2020 the FDA gave Emergency Use Authorization to 2 vaccines against COVID-19. By December Americans began receiving “shots in arms”, a welcome step in returning to normal.

COVID-19 Diagnostic Test Attire
FDA Commissioned Corps officer RADM Estella Jones, DVM, OCET Deputy Director and Co-Chair of the FDA Animal Welfare Council, oversees Commissioned Corps officers as they practice proper fitting of protective items. Healthcare workers testing patients for COVID-19 novel coronavirus infection must wear specific protective gowns, gloves, ventilation masks, and full facial shields as shown, and must replace these items after each patient is tested. credit FDA, public domain

Occupational Safety and Health administration-OSHA

OSHA is part of the United States Department of Labor. OSHA’s administrator answers to the Secretary of Labor, who is a member of the cabinet of the President of the United States.

Congress created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in 1970 to

ensure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.

For the pandemic response, OSHA offers guidance on

  • returning to work
  • preparing workplaces for COVID-19
  • worker exposure risk to COVID-19
  • for specific industries including airlines, farms, retail, corrections
  • use of respiratory protection equipment

important laws that administer and regulate both private and public healthcare.

The Affordable Care Act- ACA
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-HIPPA
Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act- EMTALA
Americans with Disabilities Act-ADA
Family Medical Leave Act-FMLA
replica of the Liberty Bell at Disney World, Florida, photo by Dr. Aletha

Let Freedom Ring

In the Declaration of Independence, the founders of the United States created a nation based on the “self-evident truths”  of  “Life ,Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” and to promote “Safety and Happiness” . 

They didn’t mention “healthcare” either, maybe because in the late 1700s medical practice was more superstition than science.

Surgery was rudimentary due to no anesthesia and infections frequently proved deadly due to no antibiotics.

No one had even imagined, much less identified the human genome, and viral DNA-what was that??

I wonder if they intended their new government to spend so much time and money providing and regulating health care –most of which was not available or even imagined at that time? 

Public vs Private-not a perfect Union

The United States’ healthcare system combines public health efforts with mostly private delivery of health care. Usually they coexist side by side with some but infrequent interaction.

The public health emergency created by the pandemic forced them into a “union” that quickly became politicized, and unfortunately diminished the effectiveness of the response.

But despite the lack of coordination and cooperation between all levels of government and private citizens, our health care professionals, in both public health and private medical practice stayed true to their calling. Many risked their own lives to care for COVID-19 victims. Others sacrificed time and finances to lead the pandemic response in their communities and on social media- maybe not perfectly, but definitely UNITED in resolve to lead, help, and heal their fellow citizens through this unprecedented health emergency.

Let’s celebrate!

woman holding a sprakler
Let’s celebrate ! This photo and featured image from stock photo site- Lightstock.com (affiliate)

Celebrating the HEART of life, liberty, and the pursuit of HEALTH and happiness

I’d love for you to follow this blog and follow me on social media.

I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha

a woman in a red, white, and blue shirt
Me, a few years ago, showing my patriotic spirit by posing in red, white, and blue
a sketch of various electronic devices
RoboForm Everywhere to manage your passwords

Declaring Independence-July 4, 2026

Read the text of the Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776. Would you have supported the fight for independence?

In Congress, July 4, 1776

“The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

Declaration of Independence: A Transcription

“The previous text is a transcription of the Stone Engraving of the parchment Declaration of Independence (the document on display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum). The spelling and punctuation reflect the original.“

You can learn about the Declaration, its authors and signers, and see high-resolution images of the original at the above link. Read it here in Spanish.

La Declaración de Independencia

Remember and Research

Signing the Declaration and supporting the Revolution were costly for those who chose independence. Most paid with their property, money, family, and some paid with their lives.

Do you have ancestors who were part of the Revolution and know what happened to them? If you don’t know, consider researching your history. FamilySearch and the DAR Genealogical Research System are free and available to anyone wanting to find their Patriot ancestors.

Exploring the HEART of Health

I’d love for you to follow this blog and follow me on social media.

I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha

I joined the DAR when I found my Patriot ancestor.

The Magic of Normal- Book Review

In this post I review Dr. Maky Zanganeh’s memoir, “The Magic of Normal,” which chronicles her journey from fleeing the Iranian Revolution to becoming a successful executive in robotics and cancer research. While the book highlights her professional achievements, it maintains an emotional distance, offering insights into corporate life more than personal struggles. Still, it is a compelling narrative.

The Magic of Normal

Hope, Love, and Beyond

by Maky Zanganeh

Published by Forbes Books January 2025

2025 Global Book Awards Gold Medalist in Biographies & Memoirs – Women

Thank you, NetGalley and publisher, for sending this book for review consideration.

A Driven Life Told at Arm’s Length: My Take on Dr. Zanganeh’s Memoir

A Story That Begins in Revolution

Dr. Zanganeh describes her book as a chronicle of her private and professional journey, though at times it feels more like a book‑length résumé than a personal memoir. She begins in Iran, which she fled after the Iranian Revolution. (Ironically, while I was reading this, the United States—my own country—was in a military conflict with Iran.)

Her family initially supported the revolution, but the country soon descended into war with Iraq. With the means to do so, her parents sent her and her sisters to France, where they lived with relatives, attended college, and where she eventually trained as a dentist.

From Dentistry to Robotics and Beyond

Then her life pivoted sharply. Instead of practicing dentistry, she entered the business world and rose quickly, becoming a high‑level executive at a budding robotics company. She led the team that created the first long‑distance robotic surgery, and later founded another company that developed a breakthrough cancer drug.

A Personal Life Mostly Offstage

Her personal life stays mostly in the background until, almost abruptly, she mentions becoming pregnant. Because of her demanding career, she sent her son to live with her parents, who raised him while she continued traveling the world for work—a lifestyle that sounded exhausting to me, though she seemed energized by it.

Illness, Resilience, and the Pandemic

Everything shifted when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, a disease she had previously encountered only from the vantage point of a medical business executive. The timing was terrible, arriving just as the COVID‑19 pandemic began. Still, she approached her illness with the same determination that fueled her career, and she survived.

Testimonials, Business Lessons, and a Sudden Genre Shift

Throughout the book, Dr. Zanganeh seems to have a knack for meeting the right people at the right time, many of whom offer glowing testimonials in the final chapter. That chapter also includes a lengthy, detailed guide to starting and running a successful company. It felt like it belonged in a separate book and landed a bit flat after the more personal sections.

Admiration, Achievement, and an Emotional Distance

She speaks with deep affection for her family and credits them with much of her success. She also praises her business partners and colleagues, describing their strengths in detail. As someone who has worked in the medical field, I found her accounts of robotic surgery and cancer‑drug development genuinely interesting.

Still, I finished the book feeling that I didn’t truly know her. She is clearly driven by success, validation, and recognition, without exploring the source of that drive.

Her Most Human Moments

One of the most compelling moments comes when she writes passionately about the assault on women’s rights—especially in Iran—and about the suffering in Gaza following the Hamas attack on Israel. She questions why the world continues to fight wars and what it will take for that cycle to end.

My Thoughts: A Memoir for a Specific Audience

While I found parts of her journey interesting, I wouldn’t call this a universal must‑read. It feels best suited for people who are curious about the corporate world or who want insight into how high‑powered executives build companies and careers. Since it’s a Forbes publication, that audience seems intentional. Readers looking for a more intimate memoir will come away wanting more. You may find such insights in the articles on her website.

A Deeper Look

Dr. Zanganeh addressed several personal, health, and professional issues in her book. Based on this review, what else do you want to know about her and her work?

She experienced

  • political unrest and war
  • separation from family
  • personal illness from COVID-19 and breast cancer
  • Her father’s terminal illness and death
  • high-pressure professional life

Which of these resonates with you? If you read her book, which might be of most help to you?

From the halls of MD Anderson Cancer Center as a patient & care giver to her father battling cancer,
to groundbreaking work in medical research,
she illustrates how science, innovation, and community can illuminate the path to recovery.

From Dr. Zanganeh’s website

Photos of Dr. Maky Zanganeh

The cover image of this post was created by JetPackAI available with WordPress.

Exploring the HEART of Health

I’d love for you to follow this blog and follow me on social media.

I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha