You may already know about an editorial in Investor’s Business Daily that read, in part:
“People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn’t have a chance in the U.K., where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless.”
Hawking, born, raised and still living in the U.K., has not yet commented on the editorial. But right-wing magazine Human Events did comment, commending the editorial for having "exposed the Achilles' heel of Obamacare."
That’s the battle Americans face. Lies and ignorance make their way into news media. People and organizations who support the status quo swiftly repeat and amplify them. Some significant portion of our populace believes the nonsense, with nary a bit of skepticism, because they want to believe all things Democrat are wrong or evil. But this is not a problem for Democrats only: Republicans (voters, not pols) swallow these bitter pills of deceit and ferociously defend the current health care system—despite an inflation rate that has been triple the inflation pace of the rest of our economy since Hillarycare was proposed 16 years ago. The only segment of our health care that has had a slightly lower inflation rate is Medicare.
“If you like the Post Office and the Department of Motor Vehicles and you think they’re run well, just wait till you see Medicare, Medicaid, and health care done by the government.” – Art Laffer, a member of President Ronald Reagan’s Economic Policy Advisory Board.
With Medicare being the only shining star in health care, I can almost see Laffer’s point. We don’t want government to get in there and take control of Medicare and muck it up. Just one problem: Exactly who does Laffer think is running Medicare?
Apparently, a close relative of mine believes Medicare is a private insurance program: She recently whispered “Obama wants all the old people dead.” I know for a fact she’s not a racist, so I have to assume she fears our president because he’s a Dem. She's a Dittohead (Rush Limbaugh fan). Too many other people follow Rush for me to ignore. So tomorrow I’m going to Colorado Senator Michael Bennett’s office to tell his staff why I support a version of the current bills proposed. For the record, here’s why:
- A system that requires almost all employers to provide health coverage or money compensation, together with
- A system that requires insurance companies to cover everyone for the same price regardless of current health, together with
- A system that forbids insurance providers from dropping clients due to a deterioration in their health, together with
- A system that provides financial aid to people who cannot afford health coverage, together with
- A system that offers a public alternative to private insurance providers, will drive down total costs in three interrelated ways:
- Healthy people who, under the current system, choose to roll the dice and forgo health insurance will now be covered and paying into the system. These people are least likely to burden the system, which should reduce costs for everyone else;
- The impoverished and people who become chronically ill and who, under the current system, have no health coverage, will no longer postpone seeking medical attention until they face life-threatening circumstances, which statistics show result in the highest unpaid expenses incurred by hospitals. These expenses will be greatly reduced instead of passed along to the rest of us; and
- Insurance companies will face direct competition from the federal government—the same government that for 16 years has kept better check on health care costs through Medicare than private industry has managed.
Since Hillarycare was defeated, however, Insurance companies have enjoyed over 500% growth in profits. We should have passed reform then. Instead, we let Republicans (pols, not voters), whose campaigns are financed by Big Pharma and private insurance lobbyists, scare us into taking no action at all.
Please take action now. Support health care change with me. Call, email, or even better, go to your representative’s office and tell them what you think.
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With internet, PDAs and phones that do everything, one might think the West continues to set the pace of civilization. NOT! Alas, they only make intentional, made up BS more widely available and the ensuing hysteria more inflamed. Never mind the "death panel" -- for which Palin must be energetically rebuked. Limbaugh (a well paid shill for conservative media) must also be taken to task for every wrong headed, inflamatory remark he makes. Yes, there are "truth squads" on both sides (the sides no less intense than North vs South in the mid 1800s), but they often are less interested in truth and more interested in affirming partisan positions.
ReplyDeleteWhat ever happened to not shouting "Fire," in a crowded theater? Government grants licenses to electronic media outlets and as such might censure them when maliciously incorrect information is broadcast with the sole intent of inciting hysteria among a misinformed minority. Our President as Hitler?? Please, give me a break. As for the 1st Amendment, the "fire" test already makes clear that there are limits to free speech. Ah, but slinging BS is a time honored American tradition. Too bad that our schools are failing to education people TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES!