American Idiots....
August 13th 2009 22:20
When we listen to the reasons many Americans don't support current proposals for health care reform, what do we hear most often? We are going to have "death panels" that decide when and if the elderly will get life saving treatments. We will have long lines and denials of needed care. We will be paying alot more for our health care. Taxes will be going way up.
Never mind that none of those concerns are reflected in the realities of any of the proposals currently being considered. Alot of people are riled up, and they believe what they hear from their "news sources." When a deeper look is taken, a different picture emerges.
But first, don't get me wrong - everyone in America very much has the right to express views and to have them heard. On the other hand, when those views are expressing a lack of knowledge and/or facts, the people making the claims should have every expectation that someone is going to call them out on those claims.
When I protested the Iraq War I didn't do it by saying we shouldn't go into Iraq because if we did the government would draft all the liberals and make them go into battle first, and only armed with BB guns. I researched the issue and made a conclusion based on facts. Of course my position was challenged, but I formed my opinion from available knowledge, not fairy tales. Anyone can argue any point - but at least start with basic facts and go from there!
We all have heard about the town hall in Texas where the Congressman asked for a show of hands of those against "government health care." He then asked who was on Medicare. Many of the same hands. Today on the Glenn Beck Show I heard a woman who just epitomized this kind of disconnect.
She came on screaming about the health care plans being proposed, so full of venom that she said she "couldn't even say the president's name" and she "couldn't even call him president." When the idiot on point (Glenn Beck) asked her if she had insurance, she said yes, she had good health care, thanks to her husband being in the military for 25 years. Huh, government program through and through, honey. But it gets better.
She then talked about her daughter with a heart condition who needs 1200.00 a month worth of medicine. Yes, you guessed it, her daughter is on Medicaid. So what the hell was the woman so angry about? Government health care! Her big fear she expressed was about electronic record keeping. She said "all that information will go to Washington D.C., and they will decide who gets what care!"
OK lady - there are not going to be any "death panels." There aren't going to be people trying to kill those who need care. And yes, we do have that now - insurance company profits are directly related to the amount of care they deny.
Then there was the guy screaming at Arlen Specter that "one day he would stand before God, and God would judge him." Apparently for supporting health care reform. I wonder, is that the same God as Jesus, who called upon people to care for the sick? I also would like to know if this guy's God had anything to say about going to war?
What the conservatives have shown is that they are not willing to engage in a real discussion about health care reform or to offer any alternative ideas of any import. It's time President Obama and Congress stop even trying to be bipartisan and move ahead with the best plan for Americans.
Never mind that none of those concerns are reflected in the realities of any of the proposals currently being considered. Alot of people are riled up, and they believe what they hear from their "news sources." When a deeper look is taken, a different picture emerges.
But first, don't get me wrong - everyone in America very much has the right to express views and to have them heard. On the other hand, when those views are expressing a lack of knowledge and/or facts, the people making the claims should have every expectation that someone is going to call them out on those claims.
When I protested the Iraq War I didn't do it by saying we shouldn't go into Iraq because if we did the government would draft all the liberals and make them go into battle first, and only armed with BB guns. I researched the issue and made a conclusion based on facts. Of course my position was challenged, but I formed my opinion from available knowledge, not fairy tales. Anyone can argue any point - but at least start with basic facts and go from there!
We all have heard about the town hall in Texas where the Congressman asked for a show of hands of those against "government health care." He then asked who was on Medicare. Many of the same hands. Today on the Glenn Beck Show I heard a woman who just epitomized this kind of disconnect.
She came on screaming about the health care plans being proposed, so full of venom that she said she "couldn't even say the president's name" and she "couldn't even call him president." When the idiot on point (Glenn Beck) asked her if she had insurance, she said yes, she had good health care, thanks to her husband being in the military for 25 years. Huh, government program through and through, honey. But it gets better.
She then talked about her daughter with a heart condition who needs 1200.00 a month worth of medicine. Yes, you guessed it, her daughter is on Medicaid. So what the hell was the woman so angry about? Government health care! Her big fear she expressed was about electronic record keeping. She said "all that information will go to Washington D.C., and they will decide who gets what care!"
OK lady - there are not going to be any "death panels." There aren't going to be people trying to kill those who need care. And yes, we do have that now - insurance company profits are directly related to the amount of care they deny.
Then there was the guy screaming at Arlen Specter that "one day he would stand before God, and God would judge him." Apparently for supporting health care reform. I wonder, is that the same God as Jesus, who called upon people to care for the sick? I also would like to know if this guy's God had anything to say about going to war?
What the conservatives have shown is that they are not willing to engage in a real discussion about health care reform or to offer any alternative ideas of any import. It's time President Obama and Congress stop even trying to be bipartisan and move ahead with the best plan for Americans.
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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great analogy, Jeff . . . funny too
i cant get my head around where people are getting this "death panel" idea from, so many people are saying it, its absurd
Comment by Morgan Bell
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Movie Train
Artist Quirk
Comment by Jeff Musall