Oh yes, I'm taking this on. And honestly, I'm still trying to determine what I think about this whole debacle and am trying to decipher what all the changes really MEAN. Especially when it's being politicized so much and the message on both sides is being twisted with partisan embellishments (and I mean both sides).
It makes me very upset that Fox News and other right-slanted bodies are using their usual scare tactics to stir up partisan opposition. Someone/some group (probably Fox News, which I would love to dismantle with a jackhammer, because it's such a prime source of these scare tactics) has scared the crap out of my senior citizen parents with all kinds of twisted messages about what to expect. I guess they're telling seniors that once they reach a certain age, if they get sick, they'll receive "end of life counseling" instead of treatment and that they'll just have to die. This is just the beginning of the madness that has my parents absolutely freaking out... I could go on and on.
You know, I guess if you're freaking out about what kind of care you're going to get (or not get), you can pay for private insurance. Sure, it'll be pricy, but if it's that important to you, make it happen! Done.
And getting back to the topic of seniors, I have a tough time with the 65+ set using Medicare and cashing Social Security checks with gusto, but opposing government assistance with healthcare because they don't want to "live in a socialized country" like "Nazi Germany" (other fun phrases I learned from Fox News). I mean, do I even need to explain the hypocrisy here?
And lastly (and I feel, most importantly)... This plan is designed to help provide health care to ALL AMERICANS - rich, poor, black, white, Asian, Latino, purple, green, etc. Yes, you might have healthcare already and be happy with your coverage. Good for you, really! However, do you realize that there are millions of people in America - kids, adults, seniors alike - that do not have healthcare because either they can't afford it or are not able to obtain it? Especially as millions of Americans are unemployed right now during this time of economic challenge... we need to consider helping others, not just whether or not we, ourselves, are happy with our coverage. Please consider how (un)happy people are that don't have or can't get health coverage!
Two years ago, I was dealing with a medical issue and was working as a contractor, so my job didn't offer benefits. Therefore, I was looking at thousands and thousands of dollars in medical bills to start treatment... I was beside myself, because I could hardly pay my spendy San Diego rent - how was I going to deal with this? I could have made room in the budget for coverage, but was denied by several insurance companies for "pre-existing conditions". So there I was, stuck with no medical coverage, up a stream without a paddle. Fortunately, the great state of California saved my ass with a special program for those that didn't have or couldn't obtain insurance. Thank God for the government providing assistance to me in my time of need!!!
So I guess, for me, this debate has a personal meaning to it. I hope that you'll consider that poor and needy people also get cancer, break bones, and need all kinds of treatment just like those that are perfectly happy with the way things are now. Maybe it doesn't mean socializing medicine for everyone or what the current bill has in mind - maybe there's another solution. But I really do believe that if we can figure out a solution to provide care to ALL Americans, we'd be a better country.
Just my $.02! Mer
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