TO THE EDITOR: THE NORTHFIELD NEWS ON THE SURFACE the January 7 editorial attacking Senator Bernie Sanders appears to be a defense of the solitary, principled individual standing up for that in which he (or she) believes, even if the consequences include certain defeat. The editor writes,

“It makes no difference to me whether that principle is one of the right or the left or whether I happen to consider it right or wrong.”

That is a noble viewpoint, but the consistent drumbeat of right-wing rhetoric which frequents the News editorials leads me to conclude that the attack on Senator Sanders is actually inspired by politics. Citing the noble principle is nothing more than a very clever smokescreen.

The bill before the Senate that day would move the nation toward the reality of health care as a public good and a public responsibility. That may sound radical, but it is a radical notion that has proven successful around the world. It provides better health care to more people and at less cost than our profit driven model.

The exact shape that such a system could take in this country is not known. There are at least a dozen, distinct examples of such systems in advanced industrial nations with which we have much in common. They range from Great Britain’s government owned and run health care system to the systems in Germany and the Netherlands where the delivery of health care remains in private hands, but the government exercises strong regulatory powers.

The public television program “Frontline” has reviewed these alternative health care delivery systems in a program that has aired at least twice. It is a national embarrassment that the power of money in the U.S. political system prevents us from looking objectively at these alternatives.

Senator Sanders’ withdrawal of his amendment was in response to a principle which is no less valid than the principle of the lonely individual standing up for his (or her) beliefs. It reads as follows: “We must not allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good.”

Requiring perfection in anything would ensure that nothing ever gets done. And this includes the publication of newspapers, the Northfield News included.

Moving immediately to a single payer system in this political environment is clearly not possible. In fact, it may not even be desirable. What we need to do is to look rationally at the alternatives which are out there and build on the great strengths of the U.S. health care system while making it more affordable and more widely available. In those respects, we can learn a lot from other nations.

Senator Sanders’ amendment made the point that there are alternatives which we should be looking at. He was right to offer that amendment in order to make the point. And he was right to withdraw it in order to allow the political process to move forward.

BRAD DENNY

Northfield