Okay, let me get this out first: I think having health care is a right. And NO ONE is having that right taken from them. However, just because it is a right, doesn't mean the government has to pay for it.
I have the right to own property, so should I get it free? Of course not. The same goes with health care. Actually, health care is available in every hospital emergency room to every person in this country. You can't be refused care if you do not have insurance or the inability to pay, so it looks like the United States is protecting everyone's right to health care just fine. The issue is paying for it.
Another thing I need to get out there is I believe there should be some form of government option when it comes to helping people who can't afford health insurance get coverage. If the government were run by people with brains and not in the pockets of special interests, something could be done. I know, that's a big dream. As it stands now, the people in government want to overspend and not control waste so any plan to insure people would be a fiasco for the people and line the pockets of the big contributors to the political parties.
What bugs me about the health care debate
In a word: EVERYTHING!
The problem is everyone seems to be shouting and not listening; using scare tactics; outright lying; making up their "facts"; and claiming racism is behind the objections to President Barack Obama's plan.
The Classic Liberal has a good information on the misuse of race and few other things in his post: This Day in Right-Wing Conspiracy Theory.
I am a fan of Sarah Palin, but I think her comment on "Death Panels" was irresponsible. I think if the United States ends up with a single-payer insurance option - like President Obama supports and has admitted to - we will end up rationing health care and someone, sometime, somewhere will decide if a sick person lives or dies. However, Palin's ramping up the controversy didn't do much to get people seriously talking about the issue of reform.
President Obama also has been very irresponsible by saying doctors would rather remove tonsils and cut of diabetics' feet than offer preventive care. Those comments were not only outright lies, they are very disparaging to the people in the medical field. The President should be ashamed of himself and it's too bad no one in the media held his feet to the fire on those comments - other than Glenn Beck.
The media has been their usual disgrace to the profession while covering the health care debate. The 90% of the media that is Liberal has painted anyone who does not like the current plans as idiots, un-American, terrorists, racists, political lackeys, and misinformed rubes.
The Left-Wing media also says their protests are "not real." However, they have yet to explain why these people attend meetings if they don't care.
I agree with some of the Right-Wing medias' coverage of the health care debate, I am dissapointed they refuse to admit some of the protestors are loud-mouthed idiots and have racist motives. I know the percentage of those morons is small, but the fact they exist can't be ignored.
I've watched hours and hours of news coverage and the most fair coverage belongs to Bill O'Reilly. (Some will like that opinion, others will hate it. Either way, please post your response to it.)
I could also rant about how Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank and the rest of the Democrats in Congress have shown their true hatred for the people they are supposed to represent by calling them names and attacking them in the media for having the "nerve" to come against the President, but I just don't have the stamina to tackle that now. Read TheCL's Web site for more on those wacky Liberals.
What I am waiting for - but won't get
I am waiting for the politicians to stop pretending they want health care for the good of the people and not their own political parties. The Democrats have all the control so they can pass any bill they want without the help of the Republicans. If the Dems truly believed their plan would be a great boon for this country, they would just pass it. If they are correct, the people would benefit and the Democratic Party would rule this country for decades.
But they won't do that because they have little faith this will work. The plan is to demonize the Republicans so when some bill is passed - and if it fails - they can blame the Republicans for not cooperating when their cooperation is not needed.
As for the Republicans, they are distancing themselves from health care so if the Dems pass a plan is it bombs, they can deny any responsibility. That's a good political strategy but it is also keeping the Republicans from seriously presenting any health care option that could help the regular people.
It's a mess.
Both parties need to get together with each other and people in the medical field and the financial world to create a real plan that helps people get health insurance without disproportionately taxing the rich and business owners and/or bankrupting this country.
I don't have a plan to do that, but you think the people in power could do their JOBS and work on a serious plan without all this name-calling, lying and political posturing.
I am living in a dream world if I believe that will happen.
