The heroic Congressional Budget Office has gone through the sexy new health care bills from the House and Senate and, because he is racist against Obama, has determined that neither comes close to doing what they need to do: Bending The Cost Curve down, in the long run, to save the federal government from debt default and apocalypse, in the medium run. This is potentially terrible news for Democrats, many of whom were already scared as the dickens of voting for party-line $1 trillion overhaul that they won't bother justifying to their constituents. So: will the leadership pussy out and just give poor people a few bucks to buy some Advil, or will they get tough and make it work?
At some point, I have to think that the debate over health care reform isn't about cost or whether we're going to turn into Canada or France. No, ultimately I think the debate is really about the kind of country we're going to be. Are we going to be the kind of country that deludes ourselves into thinking we are kind, caring, and compassionate? Or are we going to be the kind of country blinded by talking points, ignorance, and propaganda? Of course, if you've hung 'round these parts for any time at all, you're not going to have to work hard to figure where I'd come down on that question. Sadly, and unfortunately, we are absolutely the sort of people who will see ourselves as kind, caring, and compassionate...all while we rail against "Socialism". Not that most Americans could even define Socialism, of course...other than to opine that we know it when we see it. We're pretty sure that whatever "Socialism" is, it looks a lot like the health care systems in Canada, France, and England...and that's a BAD thing.
We're more than willing to buy into the argument that there shouldn't be a bureaucrat between you and your doctor. Somehow, though, we completely ignore the reality that our current system finds an insurance company between you and your doctor. That's assuming that you even have health care coverage to begin with.
We live in the midst of the strongest, most powerful economy in the world. We feed a good portion of the world. Our military is currently fighting two wars- in Afghanistan and Iraq. For some reason, though, not only cannot we not see our way clear to providing a basic level of health care for ALL Americans, we view any effort to do so as..."Socialism"? WTF? Let me see if I have this straight...we can drop bombs remotely by pushing a button half a world away, and yet untold numbers of Americans are reduced to using emergency rooms as their health care provider? We can occupy and attempt to rebuild two Third World countries simultaneously, but we can't guarantee ALL Americans access to quality, affordable health care?
I love this country, but sometimes it's difficult to understand and process the reality that our priorities are thoroughly (&^%$# up. We seem to have no problem with spending our tax dollars to kill people half a world away, but spending tax dollars to save Americans within our own borders is somehow anti-American and anathema to all that makes this great country what it is. I just don't get it....
Yep, this is what you get when you allow the health care industry to buy Congresscritters, eh (et tu, Max Baucus?)? America has been talking about health care reform since the Truman Administration...and it seems as if we're willing to allow those with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo to continue framing the debate. We should be ashamed...but that would require some honest reflection and critical thinking, not qualities Americans are generally renowned for. No, we're at our "best" when we can simply react...which is how we got to where we are today.
WE DESERVE BETTER. Not that I'm holding my breath on that count....
