Washington, U.S.A. — In an engaging new historical book published by APHA Press, “The Quest for Health Reform: A Satirical History” recounts the chronology of efforts to reform the U.S. Health System through the lens of political cartoons published as early as the 19th century through passage of the Affordable Care Act.

Co-authored by American Public Health Association Executive Director Georges C. Benjamin, MD; medical historian Theodore M. Brown, PhD; Susan Ladwig, MPH; and Elyse Berkman, “The Quest for Health Reform” adds narrative to more than 100 years of selected caricatures, extending from famous 1870s editorial cartoonist Thomas Nast — who drew the elephant that remains a symbol for the Republican Party — to modern artists such as Mike Luckovich, who parodies U.S. Presidents Harry S. Truman, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

“I’ve always appreciated how editorial cartoons can tell a story so succinctly, in a way the written word cannot,” Benjamin said. “Health reform in America has repeated a cycle of themes, falsehoods and criticisms. The imagery in this book explains how these beliefs and ideologies evolved over time with sentiments that words struggle to convey.”

The cartoons show the evolution of American health reform ideologies, specifically concentrating on leading political figures and institutions. Recognized events throughout U.S. History are chronicled throughout the book, including the American Medical Association’s critique of “state medicine” in the 1920s and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act in 2012.

Notable editorial cartoonist Clay Bennett of the Chattanooga Times Free Press provided a foreword for the book and is one of five Pulitzer Prize winners whose works are featured, including Nick Anderson, Luckovich, Joel Pett and Matt Wuerker.

“You see, unlike most journalists, we cartoonists aren’t held to the same standards of objectivity and impartiality. One part reporter and one part advocate, an editorial cartoonist isn’t merely an observer of the public debate, but an active participant in it, as well,” Bennett wrote in the foreword.

In the book’s preface, Benjamin described his inspiration for the book as a moment he sat in the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute in New York City — where former President Franklin D. Roosevelt began conceiving the Social Security Act of 1935. At the time, Benjamin was serving as the Joan H. Tisch Distinguished Fellow in Public Health at Hunter College.

“The Affordable Care Act was in its earliest stages of implementation and I was concerned that people did not seem to understand what the benefits were, but, most importantly, I was often surprised to hear people refer to health reform as though it was a new idea. I thought we needed a new way to tell the story,” Benjamin said.

For book ordering information, visit http://www.aphabookstore.org/.

Share This

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

About the author

TP Newswire
To suggest a news story or press release please send an email to newsroom@toonaripost.com.

Related Posts

American RTL Launches RepublicansAgainstRomney.com

Denver, U.S.A. -- "Mitt Romney is the architect of Obamacare," said Jefferson George, president of the conservative tax-exempt group American Right To Life Action. "Romney has already implemented what Barack Obama and Hillary...

2/3 of Americans Can’t Name Any U.S. Supreme Court Justices

Minnesota, U.S.A. -- Despite all the recent controversy surrounding U.S. Supreme Court decisions on health care, immigration and other issues, nearly two-thirds of Americans can't name even a single member of the Supreme...

Affordable Care Act: A Milestone for U.S. Women

New York, U.S.A. -- August 1 marks an important milestone for the Affordable Care Act and, more importantly, for women across the U.S. New insurance plans will be required to cover eight critical women's preventive health...

1 Comment for The Quest for Health Reform: A Satirical History

beats by dre

Performing Respiration ExercisesWhen you actual feeling stress, your material substance reacts physically. Some race actual feeling an increased organ of circulation fixed measure, sweating, headaches, or shallow, quickened breathing. Respiration exercises can take the closeness out of a stressful station to help you think more calmly and clearly. A uncombined breathing application includes inhaling slowly for five seconds through the nose and exhaling slowly for five seconds through the chaps. Point of concentration your breathing on seeing your box mount and sink versus seeing your stomach go in and out. It should not be used as a commute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or usage. LIVESTRONG is a registered trademark of the LIVESTRONG Base. Moreover, we do not pitch upon every advertiser or observation|proclamation|trumpeting|advertisement} that appears on the web website-many of the advertisements are served by third league advertising companies.

Reply