From Rich Garratt:

Re: Lagging U.S. life expectancy ranking blamed on health system (Oct. 9): I found the conclusions of the scientists strange because within the Wellness industry in the Western Hemisphere, the S. A. D. (Standard American Diet) is used as an almost benchmark for how to kill yourself via sickness, regardless of your body fat percentage. As well as that, ethically reprehensible activities of the FDA and AMA are renowned for killing Americans before their time. (I am not saying that all doctors are evil. Please do not take that message from this email. ) Some levels of the United States Government may be elected by the people, but there are many documented cases of "leaders" and amply funded organizations working against the wellbeing of the general population. It is sad, because whatever we do affects every other person, even if we don't get to see the affects, directly, so the people in positions of political or wealth grounded authority, when driven by their own greed or their own fear of losing (or not gaining) perceived power, have often sentenced their own descendants to a less then ideal lifestyle. Although the article was somewhat interesting, due to their being no mention of environmental toxicity that has increased over years of ecologically negligent and even destructive policies; no mention of the increased use of drugs per capita; and no mention of other similar concepts that I am sure seem obvious to thousands of Americans; I wonder if the Commonwealth Fund have censored some of the scientists' work.