All the talk and debate about the Republican House plan to replace ObamaCare seems to leave out one overriding and major principle: Republicans don't want to provide health insurance coverage to everyone.

Now, they will never come out and say that. You will never see House Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanAt indoor rally, Pence says election runs through Wisconsin Juan Williams: Breaking down the debates Peterson faces fight of his career in deep-red Minnesota district MORE (R-Wis.) behind a podium admitting it. But you must never forget that the GOP's guiding philosophy is, "You are on your own."

According to the GOP, the government is not supposed to help or aid those who have not lucked out in life. Nearly 9 percent of Americans — almost 30 million people — don't have any health insurance, even after ObamaCare. But that's their fault, according to Republicans.

Remember, the GOP has a long and ugly history when it comes to providing for the economic well-being of U.S. citizens. Social Security, unemployment compensation, Medicare, Medicaid — to them, these are just big-government programs that smack of socialism.

President Obama's goal to give every American an opportunity to have some form of health insurance? Now, that was going too far.

ADVERTISEMENT

And what bothers Republicans the most? That, with all its flaws, ObamaCare actually started working. Twenty million Americans have health insurance who did not have it before.

You can't deny that number.

The most telling story about this entire situation is the one I recently heard from freshman Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). Recently, Raskin told a group that part of the congressional orientation process was to sign up for federally provided health insurance.

It was one of the first things freshmen members were required to do. And Raskin's incoming Republican colleagues were quite eager and willing to sign up.

The difference between Raskin and the GOP freshmen was that, after signing up, the next thing these Republicans did was go on the House floor and vote to repeal ObamaCare.

See, they were taken care of. They already had their generous, couldn't-be-taken-away health insurance.

The Republican House plan supposedly is all about "freedom." But the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says that if the GOP plan takes effect, 14 million people will be uninsured next year. In 10 more years, 24 million more people will be uninsured.

Uninsured, perhaps, but they would be "free" — according to Republicans.

Now, what kind of country do we live in? And what kind of country do we want to be?

Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersMcConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters Why Democrats must confront extreme left wing incitement to violence MORE (I-Vt.) is right in saying, "Healthcare is a right, not a privilege." I want to live in a country that provides health insurance for everyone, where no one is left out.

Why are we the only advanced country in the world that excludes people from this fundamental and essential human requirement?

And why, in the United States, do you have to be poor or old to qualify (Medicaid and Medicare)? If covering everyone means paying more — yes, more taxes — so be it. I want to live in a country that is proud to provide health insurance for everyone.

Before anyone yells "where's the money?," here's an idea: a penny tax on all shares of stock sold, earmarked for healthcare. That ought to do it.

Because right now, still, millions of Americans don't go to a doctor or don't have needed surgery because they can't afford to.

They delay and then they die.

It doesn't have to be that way. It should not be allowed. "Survival of the fittest" should not be our national mantra.

Out of this current debate, one result should emerge. Everyone — I mean everyone — is covered. And we as a nation will pay to make it happen.

This piece was revised on Friday, March 17, 2017 at 8:55 a.m.

Mark Plotkin is a contributor to the BBC on American politics and a columnist for The Georgetowner. Previously, he was the political analyst for WAMU-FM, Washington's NPR affiliate, where he co-hosted the "D.C. Politics Hour With Mark Plotkin." He later became the political analyst for WTOP-FM, Washington's all-news radio station, where he hosted "The Politics Hour With Mark Plotkin." He is a winner of the Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in writing.

The views of contributors are their own and not the views of The Hill.