So I caught Barack Obama's speech the other night on Health Care Reform. Every time I listen to this brother and his speeches I somehow feel guilty for not going to church. I swear when he was done I was ready to get off the couch and kneel before the TV and repent for my sins. Yeah, he was that moving. But you know what stopped me? Good ole South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson. You know he was the guy who shouted and pretty much called Barack Obama a liar during his speech, right?
Well, some people are upset with him right about now, but if it wasn't for him reminding me that
You see, for me, Single Payer Health Care Coverage would be the way to go. But unfortunately Obama backed off from that idea very early in the game. As matter of fact he never invited any proponents for single payer to the very first meeting at the White House earlier this year. Yes, and he did this after meeting with lobbyists for the insurance industry. I'm no wingnut republican, but I'm sorry, this proposed "public option" doesn't sound like the idea of Universal Health Care that motivated many of us to rally behind Obama as he campaigned last year. Yep, and I guess people missed it when Obama said this in his speech the other night:
“There are those on the left who believe that the only way to fix the system is through a single-payer system like Canada’s where we would severely restrict the private insurance market and have the government provide coverage for everyone.” He went on to say such a plan “would represent a radical shift that would disrupt the health care most people currently have.”But here we are two days removed from his great speech and sadly, what has dominated the minds of many were the words of some asshole who called Obama a liar. To me, I think unintentionally it shifts focus from what was actually said in the speech. Sure Joe Wilson was disrespectful with his outburst, but what do you expect from a member of a political party who makes no bones about their hate filled agenda. I don't know about you, but when I envisioned Universal Health Care during the campaign, I never thought it would involve some 48 million people currently without health coverage being put in a “situation” where they're able to "shop" for affordable health care coverage as proposed. Especially at a time when the poverty level in this country has reached an 11yr high.
I never envisioned the now so-called public option being administered by Blue Cross or even having to wait at least 4yrs to see it work or even kick in. But I guess Blue Cross knew something we didn’t know when it took out a full page ad on page A15 of the Wall Street Journal the very next day entitled “Healthcare Reform That Works for Everyone”. Isn’t that
Yeah, Obama told the truth when he said that the gov’t will not kill old people. Yes, and surely he told the truth when he said that it was a false claim that “illegal immigrants” would be covered by gov’t ran health care. But was he telling the truth about being on the side of citizens who are without health care coverage? I don’t know, but I’m trying to not go there and remain optimistic and less cynical when I think of hope and change. But who am I to forget that our society is more plutocratic than it is democratic where “we the people” all have a voice with our vote and ability to affect change. Thanks to Joe Wilson and his childish outburst, not many many people are paying attention, which makes him more of a blessing than a curse I suppose; especially since insurance company stocks have risen since Obama's speech.
I'm sorry, but reform should benefit the insured and uninsured people in this country, and not insurance companies as it's being set up to do. I'm afraid, but I think Obama has the interests of the lobbyists at heart more so than us voters.
I'm pretty sure these people would agree with me:
