As an independent with nine grandchildren, I have had difficulty during this long season of health care debate. It has not brought out the best of the human condition--Republican, Democrat, or Tea Party variety. Spitting, racial epithets, humiliation of patients who talked about lack of care---these are frightening examples of our right to free expression.
With the insurance and health care industry spending more than $1.4 million dollars a day in a media war based and lies and misinformation, it is no wonder that a greater portion of our population did not want reform. It took that campaign and the 350 former governors and retired political staffers to convince people with no insurance that it was in their best interests to be rejected by insurance companies for pre-existing conditions, to be dumped because they were too sick or had a limit on their care, to have no insurance for their 24 year old living at home, to lose their homes because of their need to pay medical bills.
I have family and former students who fear health care solutions, but most of them have insurance. Most of those complaining have no worries for their personal health care. Their concern is for government debt and taxes. With the Republican prescription drug plan running $1.2 trillion for the current decade, there is a certain amount of hypocracy in those objections. Obama and the Democrats have risked their political futures to gain some small measure of equality for the underclass and unlucky. True, many of these people have poor diets, poor spending habits, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't get their diabetes diagnosed, or get their children's asthma treated.
In this instance a courageous President and 219 Democrats fought to bring some reform to what many Republicans acknowledge was a broken system. Hopefully it is just the beginning of reform and the weak and flawed bill will grow into a system that will not bankrupt our country, but will merely entitle US citizens to the same health care as the other major powers of the world.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
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2 comments:
Hi Grandma!
As one of those 9 grandchildren, I thought I should weigh in.
Firstly, I agree political rhetoric is almost always been ugly. It's not really different the ill-mannered practices of a sporting event. The difference lies in the fact the politics usually affects the everyday lives of so many people, so it seems all the more deplorable.
Secondly, I would really appreciate links to the situation regarding the media war. Plus, I don't think you're being kind to those who were disapproving of the bill even though it directly affects them. I'm not comfortable telling people that I have a better understanding of their deplorable situation than they do.
Thirdly, we all have health insurance. True. And personally, having just signed over a pretty good chunk of change to those spending it on Capital hill, I wish my president and Congregational representatives were more concerned for my 1040 than they are about my insurance premiums. Of course, as of right now, they don't appear to be particularly bother by either.
Fourthly, politics is hypocritical. Period. The ledger is even on both sides of the aisle. But you do have a point.
The Republican prescription plan from 2003 had a 10-year projection of around 1 trillion over the next 10 years. Which means, according to your own math, we can at least expect spending to hit the 2 trillion dollar mark by 2017.
These are real numbers involving real dollars that will need to be payed by real people. Sure, republicans are hypocrites. It's still a 2 trillion dollars proposition. And a charge of hypocrisy does not address the substance of that issue.
Finally, you know I am a compassionate person. You know how much I love people. Therefore, according to your post, my opposition to this piece of leaves two options, either you think I'm selfish or you think I'm inconsistent. Which do you suppose it is?
Love you bunches!
-David
David,
I did not mean to be harsh with uninsured people who oppose the bill. I am sad that people have been manipulated by fear campaigns that relate to emotions like "death committees" more than the actual flaws of this bill which is so similar to Mitt Romney's Massachusetts law (which is no success, by the way). First, the health care bill is a financial disaster, and second, it will do little to contain costs, and any law over 50 pages is suspect.
I wish I could send you links. I did not get my research online and have read a number of newspapers and magazines while flying across the country. I jotted a few notes from time to time, and am now wishing I had included sources. A lesson for the new blogger.
Have I ever told you how proud I am of my erudite grandson David? I think that you have been like that since the age of 4.
Thank you for reading and responding. Hopefully you will get a chance to beat me up in person soon.
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