OK so I have kept fairly quiet but I'm sick of all the put downs and lies. Lets make things clear. Obama is not a socialist. His plan with a government option is not socialism. A public option will help anchor the cost of health care. Private insurance companies will still exist. So capitalism will still be part of the picture. Capitalism has flaws. Capitalism is based on ones greed. When people are vulnerable and desperate they will do just about anything. Death makes people extremely vulnerable. So health care cost doesn't respond normally in the market. So we need legislation to control the health care market. We have not had that control. So insurance companies do what makes them money. They make money by people enrolling in their plans and not making claims. So the insurance company does what they can to accomplish the goal of profit. We also need that competition of a capitalistic market. So a public option acts as a non profit insurance to bring down and anchor the cost of health care. People without health care who end up in the emergency room often can't afford the cost, so doctors and hospitals don't get paid. Doctors need to cover their expenses so they raise their prices. Health insurance companies raise their premiums and/or cut coverage. More people can not be covered because of health care premiums are too high. So capitalism has not worked for us. A public option makes it possible to control prices and still have competition. Most of the problem with health care is the insurance companies, so its should be called health insurance reform.
I am sick of all the childish bickering. People need to discuss the issue like adults and control our emotions. Politicians and political commentators need to be open minded and discuss solutions. Its understandable that we won't agree on everything. That is what makes America so great. We need another great compromise. Name calling and attacking, attacking others character and negativity is counterproductive.
So on that note I wanted to share a couple of my favorite quotes form Obama's speech last night.
"That is heartbreaking. That is wrong and no one should be treated that way in the United States of America. "
This quote references to victims of our current health care system.
"Our health care problem is our deficit problem"
Health care costs are major factor in our deficit
"The time for bickering is over"
This is funny and true at the same time. We are not arguing effectively to produce solutions.
I like the quotes and you point out some VERY important ideas. you should also remind those reading that the public option is written in legislation so that it will not be subsidized by the government, the way that medicare and medicaid are, which is why it will be able to compete and force insurance companies to be more affordable. Unfortunately, when we watch the news, especially cable news the part of debate that makes the news are the outrageous stories and it seems like that is what the entire debate is. There is much more sensible debate that goes on, I imagine within Congress, but unfortunately, it can easily be distorted for political gains. I imagine that many of the lawmakers know that there characterizations of the parts of the bill are misleading, but it gets groups to rally behind them and create such a distorted debate that the discussion is no longer on real solutions, but the idealogical battles (socialism vs. capitalism)rather than real solutions.
ReplyDeleteso good job for putting out your thoughts in a "civilized" way.