OK, I am a simple folk. I try not to complicate things and just keep to the facts of what I know or at least understand, but I don't it.
I have suffered through 8 years of Bush. Bush, I believe, will go down as one of the dumbest presidents we ever had.
But everyone is going crazy over a bill that allows every American to be seen by a doctor if they are sick. I don't get it.
We have put up with a lot over the last 8 yrs and for some reason, allowing the ill to be treated, seems to bring massive hysteria. I don't get it.
We got wackodoodles Palin getting major media coverage over all of this, threatening people and their families and she is not being arrested but being cheered on by, guess who, not the terrorists, but the American people. What is going on? I don't get it.
Us Americans have put up with lies for the last 8 years and closed our eyes to it, but now, we are allowing Americans to be treated by a doctor if they are sick, and some Americans are so angry that they are making death threats to folks and their families.
I just don't get it.
I'm with you 200%, I don't get it either. How and why this is causing such a backlash is totally beyond me. We need to take care of people here in this country. This will help millions, and cost less then the inefficient welfare system that gives some medical care. The scare tactics, the lies, the prejudices that are coming out really make me sad. I'm ashamed of people for their actions.
ReplyDeletePeople like Palin truly scare me. And those idiots on radio are actually asking people to do away with our leaders. They should be locked up, not followed.
Bridge and Beyond
From an English point of view, we don't understand the health care fuss. We have had free health care for years. Perfect no, but life saving yes. No civilized society should turn the sick away, it's shameful. We miss Bush though, he gave us so much to laugh at :-)
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I do not agree with you, respectfully. We are all entitled to health care right now. My family is uninsured and has been for years. Being forced to purchase heath care or be fined is wrong. That is not free health care. Not to mention, Americans do not do "health care". We have "sick care". What about preventative care? What about so called alternative care like chiropractic, homeopathy, massage therapy, supplements, etc. There's no mention of things like that. Personally, I think this could have been a good thing, but they have made a terrible decision for the American people in my humble opinion. I am not looking forward to being forced to purchase coverage that I will not be using or see a need for. What's next...forcing me to get tests I don't want or take prescription medications that I don't agree with? It's just not right...
ReplyDeleteTo Tina, I'll answer in a selfish way. I think it's great that you are healthy and are not using health care. But one day something might happen to you like a car wreck or a brain tumor or something that would cost so much to fix that you would likely need government help. At that point "the rest of us" will have to pay for you. And no, you don't get the option of saying "no thanks!" You are too valuable.
ReplyDeleteSo, it's better for you to have to spend a little bit now, just like everyone else, to insure that help is there when you need it. Then, it's not welfare either, you have been contributing.
I am a healthy person too. I never go to the doctor. But I'm happy to pay the insurance.
BTW, I'm American but I live in Germany and participate in the (excellent) national health care they have here.
Tina, you are not being forced to by health insurance. You are going to be taxed. If you buy health insurance, then you are opting out of the tax. It is that simple.
ReplyDeleteIt's not the ends that I don't like, it's the means. What I don't get is why we have a bill that the president/Authoritarian signed into law after opposing the means himself while campaigning.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for those "alternative therapies" you mentioned, they aren't included for a very good reason:
ReplyDeleteThey don't work.
Homeopathy and Chiropractic are both transparent scams. Neither has stood up to any scientific scrutiny whatsoever.
Massage therapy is actually just fine, though. In fact, I'd be pretty shocked if it wasn't covered as part of physical therapy.
I'm not sure what you mean by supplements.
As your northern neighbor observing all this over the past ten years, I too don't get it. As well, it scares me.
ReplyDeleteThere's a few things I don't get as well:
ReplyDeleteRepublicans are blasting the Obama Health Care Reform as being socialist - when their OWN plan, back during the Clinton era was virtually identical
Republicans are filibustering virtually everything Congress tries to do, but 4 years ago, they were complaining when Democrats had the nerve to filibuster THEIR proceedings, calling the Dems everything up to and including 'traitors'.
Republicans are griping about Obama's 15 or so recess appointments, claiming that this bypasses the function of the Congress, while Bush made at least 170 recess appointments, and the Repubs said they were necessary to counter the Democrat's 'obstructionism'.
Just a few things that make me go "Huh?"
I don't know the author of this piece, but I've seen attributed to Rosie O'Donnell---?
ReplyDeleteEight years of Bush and NOW you're mad?
You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President.
You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate energy policy.
You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.
You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.
You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.
You didn't get mad when we spent over 600 billion(and counting) on said illegal war.
You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq.
You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.
You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.
You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.
You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.
You didn't get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans, drown.
You didn't get mad when we gave a 900 billion tax break to the rich.
You didn't get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark.
You finally got mad when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick.
Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all okay with you, but helping other Americans...oh hell no.
With the greatest respect, I submit that you are all missing the point. As Prof. Krugman Mr. Rich, et. al. have pointed out numerous times, this is not about health care - nor is it about having a black president, incidentally. It is about frenzied loosers. The tea bagging phenomena would have happened no matter what. BushCo left us with a massive pile of problems, including time wasted that was needed to resolve dysfunction in environmental, economic, and educational issues. The list is includes but is not limited to health care, vote (not voter) fraud, out of control (unregulated) "banking", gun (out of) control, etcetera and etcetera. . . . which ever of these major issues Obama, et. al. choose to address, the tea-baggers would have been there to scream him down. Had he been white, they would have done just the same. Those of us who remember the Clinton years - when we had an almost republican in the office - ought to keep reminding everyone of this.
ReplyDeletePS I too live in Europe (though I remain a (sometimes) proud (and sometimes ashamed) American, I too have national health insurance. It works. Not perfectly, but it works.
Na shledanou
'We have put up with a lot over the last 8 yrs and for some reason, allowing the ill to be treated, seems to bring massive hysteria. I don't get it.'
ReplyDeleteas a recovering conservative (one who sort of woke up and started asking questions which left him very far away from the right wing nut camp), i love this little blurb. one of the things that can really chap my rear is the sort of mudslinging, hysteria, and fear-mongering that the neo-cons utilize.....no likey...no more...we need more civility...action and not just theory...loved your post...
Hi. I'm only here to answer the question. Not take sides. The reason people are upset is because this "free health care" thing isn't free. Someone has to pay for it and if you already feel taxed to death, it's just one more bill people can hardly pay. I'm pretty sure my premiums will go up and that means I'll have less discretionary funds. I don't know how people who can't afford to buy into a plan are going to afford paying a penalty (tax?) if they don't. Time will tell.
ReplyDelete