Ok... this isn't about quilting or cleaning or remodeling... it's about good ol' American stupidity. I'm so sick of the partisanism that is dividing this country (I know, it's not all that new or anything), and the ridiculous claims that having a public option for health care is socialism and that all socialism is evil.
What do these protestors think their public school systems are, but who would be at the front of the line protesting if someone tried to take publically funded education away and make them all pay for their kids' private schooling out of their own pockets. I suspect most of the protestors would have to watch their kids drop out of elementary school, or not attend at all, and work menial jobs for the rest of their lives.
Early in this country's history it was recognized that a democratic society requires we have an educated and informed electorate. It's time we also realized we need to have a healthy electorate too - mentally and physically.
Socialism isn't bad... we are humans and humans are social creatures. Yes, individualism is good too, but you can't run a country on it. We can be democratic and still have a public OPTION for health care.
I'm sorry, but a lot of countries have public health care - Chile, England, Canada, Australia - all successful and their health care costs are lower than ours (and not because our health care is better).
These people who claim that our government can't afford to fund a public option for health care - what do they think we're doing now? Medi-Cal and Medicare are forms of public health care.
If we had a public OPTION, then the poor, disenfranchised, uninsured and underinsured would have health insurance. They would be able to see a doctor for normal illnesses. Right now, they go untreated, or they go to the emergency room or trauma center with the flu. They spread what they have while they walk around sick, or they require government expenditure of thousands for treating minor problems like the flu or small injuries in our trauma centers.
Note the stress on the word OPTION - those of you with health insurance already get to keep what you have. Since the existing health insurance companies aren't being required to offer plans to anyone for free, our rates shouldn't go up and our insurance should remain in effect. If these companies raise their rates or cancel people for no reason or if employers stop offering health insurance, then that is a case of corporate greed, not socialized medicine.
These same protestors I'll bet would be the first in line for free care if they lost their jobs and insurance...
And claiming it's not a partisan issue is bogus too... while there may be people on both sides of the fence waffling, the push to resist any kind of public health is coming from a propoganda of fear spread to the undereducated and the uneducated by conservative factions.
And no matter what you think of our president and his goals, respect for the office should require some civility. No matter how ridiculous and hateful the policies of some of our recent office-holders... the opposition party at least treated the office and the individual who held it with public respect.
I am very sad when I watch the news, almost to the point of finding it unwatchable.
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