thejerry had an interesting question regarding the opposition to health care reform in the comments section of
my last post. I thought I'd repost it here and provide my two cents, as it seems like something worth exploring in more detail.
I'm confused why some of this stuff (like employers required to provide health insurance, or expanding coverage by 30 million) makes people so angry, since that is what we all want for ourselves. . . . So what's with the mobs? Do they even know what they're mad about?
I'm confused about this, too. I just wonder where all of these protesters were when George W. Bush
raised our national debt exponentially, green-lighted domestic wiretapping, etc. But I do believe that a good portion of the anger has been created and encouraged by many Republican lawmakers and conservative commentators, who have been very good at stirring the pot of divisiveness and fear among their constituents and audiences with
over-the-top rhetoric and by loudly parroting scary catchphrases to rebrand aspects of the health care debate that they oppose (or simply just made up: see Sarah Palin and death panels). So the reconciliation process becomes the "nuclear option" and public-funded health care becomes "socialized medicine," just as in a separate example, the federal estate tax becomes the "death tax." Stephen Colbert actually had a good segment on this "define and conquer" tactic on his show a couple weeks ago.
It's disheartening to see such levels of ignorance and poison in the political atmosphere, but now that the health care bill is being signed into law, presumably making it harder to mischaracterize the reform effort, it'll be interesting to see the public reaction to it and what will happen to the Republicans now that they've seemed to bet their whole party against it.
5 comments:
The Bush era did leave a hole and people didn't seem to notice too much when it was being dug. But if this HCR really is history making legislation, maybe Bush deserves part of the credit. In 8 years he managed to stir up so much desire for change that Obama got elected with only one real challenger (Hillary) and the house and senate gave democrats a clear majority. Seeing how close these votes were for HCR, maybe Bush was the tipping point. So will it be Obama's legacy? Yes. But maybe we should thank Bush for part of that.
Like always, I'm hoping we can move past this hate talk now that all this is done. Lets be realistic, if this bill is socialist than what is medicaid, medicare, social security, welfare, food stamps, the bank bailout etc? We have had some socialist policies for a while, and maybe people don't like it but you did not suddenly wake up in a socialist nation this week (we actually still have a ways to go). But honestly, somebody on the right needs to put their head back on straight now and give some substantive arguments. Quit insulting me with this hate talk and nonsense about repeal.
jer, i'm not sure if i really qualify for someone on the right, i'm probably more down the middle, but here is one of my ignorant (since i really haven't read all 2000 pages) concerns.
i'm not one to get into politics, in fact i really don't like the negativity politics promotes and try to stay far away from it, but this bill does worry me a lot. i have friends that have gone into hundreds of thousands worth of debt to become a doctor and now their dreams are squashed. with a sub par salary, they will spend a lifetime paying off their debt and not live the quality of life they expected when they chose their profession. this will not promote the quality of doctors that our nation is used to. we will get the C average doctors. one poll showed that 47% of doctors will retire if this bill goes into affect. even if only half that actually do, it will have a profound affect on the quality of our healthcare. i'm all about us trying to help those without healthcare get the healthcare they deserve, but does it need to damage so many people in the process? there has to be a better way!!! i wish we had the technology the healers have in the book "the host". i can only hope and pray that we all stay healthy and no one has any serious illnesses in the future!
LOL, the hate talk gets us nowhere. I never watch or listen to TV news. I will be very happy if the HCR is all fluffy bunnies. All of america wants to see change. But I have no trust in any of our politicians. Why are all our bills thousands of pages? Why are there so many closed door deals? Too much corruption for me believe it will be good change. (corruption on ALL sides). Someone show me a bill with ONE agenda and 10 pages.
Lastly, our government should not be forcing anyone to do anything...this includes right to bear arms, free speech, FREE INTERNET =). I currently have an amazing health plan. How did I get it you ask??? By working my tail off!!! I will not be happy if that gets taken away. And I have no idea how this HCR will effect me. To me that is a BIG problem. Should I go watch the news? Should I go read the internet? How is the average citizen suppose to know what all this means??? I give up, government can take all my money and run my life.
Maybe i'm all dooms day kind of guy but I still feel like our Oil dependency is a killer. Our whole food system relies on the trucks moving groceries in short supply. No one has gardens anymore. Riots and starvation in all our big cities would occur. My dream is solar cells on my house that can power my house and charge my electric car.
Ah, I always enjoy reading your posts and I agree.
I figure I'd also add my two cents.
I know a lot of my friends are concerned about the HCR and possible issues, but I honestly think it boils down to finding out exactly what it's about because I don't think a lot of people really know the details. That might be what scares them.
The most common thing I hear is the fear of losing your existing health care plan. Obama's plan isn't going to change that.
According to The American Academy of Family Physicians, the National Physicians Alliance, and several other groups, "Having the choice of a public health insurance plan will help make health care more affordable for patients, foster greater competition in the insurance market and guarantee that quality, affordable coverage will be there for our patients no matter what happens." -- which is a good thing, right??
I mean, in comparison to other countries that utilize national health insurance, the United States ranks 50th in life expectancy and 180th in infant mortality (meaning 43 other countries, like France and Sweden actually have lower rates.)
Of course there is room for debate with certain aspects here and there, but the good it can do for those without health insurance and the monetary savings (I think people forget we're in a recession) are great.
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