Health Care in America

When it comes to political parties, I am as a-political as they come. Better yet, I am Trans-political, a term that means I can think beyond the rhetoric that so many politicians, so-called pundits, and naive American citizens fall prey to. It's disgusting really how so many politicians on both sides of the aisle twist the facts. In turn, the Bill O'Reillys and Keith Olbermanns of the world escalate the misinformation through the media, and then the ignorance of so many people becomes blatantly obvious in daily conversation. So many, both Republicans and Democrats, don't know what they are talking about. What's worse, there are those who do have an inkling of knowledge, but instead of concerning themselves with trying to improve the country's predicaments, they either use scare tactics to manipulate the ignorant or they stay stubbornly opposed to the other party, just because it is the opposition party. I say to those people, "You are not an American; you are a Republican." I say to those people, "You are not an American; you are a Democrat."

That long tirade leads to my point: if America is ever to become a powerful and respected country again, EVERYONE!!!!! needs to start focusing on the issues and WORK TOGETHER to get things done! I mean, WORK TOGETHER TO GET THINGS DONE, not just pay it the proverbial "lip service" while attending a Joint Session of Congress. Not just to look good in front of the country, but then play their rhetorical scare games tomorrow morning.

This leads me to President Obama's address tonight. For all the detractors of the proposed health care bill, if they actually sat long enough tonight to listen to what he said and NOT just "recline comfortably" on their preconceived notions and political parties, they will have heard that if you currently ahve healthcare, you do NOT have to give it up. By the way, this will NOT be Socialized Medicine, folks! This will NOT be government controlled (Sorry, Canada). There will be something that Democracy has thrived on for centuries: CHOICE!! To be more specific, "Quality choices." With choice comes competition - from my understanding of economics, choice is a prime quality of CAPITALISM, not Socialism. You know, Capitalism - The American Way, don't you?

It was particularly pleasing to hear the president call the accusations of "death panels" - "a lie, plain and simple." A death panel is the epitome of scare tactics and how dare any politician of any party or any media figure use that to manipulate the American people. And shame on any American citizen who falls for such manipulation. It's time to ditch the Ostrich Method - get you "head out of the sand" and start to think for yourself.

Next, in an economy where so many people fear the loss of money and everything else financial, opposition (many Republicans and some Democrats) ask how much healthcare will cost and from where the money will come. The president answered that AGAIN tonight: $900 million and MOST OF THE MONEY IS ALREADY IN THE SYSTEM. It will just be rechanneled from the wastefulness and fraud that currently gluts the healthcare system.

As an American, I listened carefully to this speech. Unfortunately. some others did not. One, in particular, offered the Republican response. His name is Dr. Charles Boustary, a representative from Louisiana who also happens to be a surgeon. Now, Boustary either did not listen or the response was written prior to the president's speech. For instance, the president says that helathcare will not be government controlled AND EXPLAINS WHY. Boustary says it will be government controlled, but offers no explanation as to why he feels that way. He then offers a four-step Republican plan that is SUPPOSED to be an alternative to the Obama plan. But it's not an alternative: IT'S THE OBAMA PLAN IN DIFFERENT WORDS!!

Lastly, I think it was sneaky of the Republicans to put up a virtual political "nobody" to offer this empty response. Nobody of any "stature" in the party had the guts to possibly commit political suicide.

I conclude here with two brief comments: if this president were of the Republican party and put forth a comparable bill, I would be applauding him or her and criticizing Democrats who opposed it. Secondly, if it seems that I am angry with the political games, well then, you have been paying attention -

Now if we could ALL just pay attention to the issues and be Americans, not Democrats and not Republicans.