With all the Health Care Reform brouhaha about losing the public option (which I want 100 %!) it may seem that we Democrats are losing the Health Care Reform battle – that’s not true. Don’t believe the hype.
No, we are not getting everything we want (neither is anyone else) but the chances of us getting everything we wanted with hundreds of law makers voting in Congress and needing 60 votes in the Senate was never realistic…it wasn’t going to happen; not ever. There are too many politicians with specific political interests and geographical interests to make any one group or region completely happy.
But let us not forget the prize — Health Care Reform. Let us re-focus. I know we’re in the middle of Hanukkah and Christmas is next week but we must get this done.
Even without the public option an additional 33 million Americans will receive health care benefits – we want that. Even without the public option all insurance companies will legally have to cover you and me and our families and friends and neighbors regardless of pre-existing conditions – we want that. We have NEVER had that in American health care before. That is major!!! That is worth it to me. Plus there are other benefits even without the public option.
Don’t forget that when Health Care Reform is passed it WILL be tweaked in the upcoming months and even years to come so that things that seem to be lost now can be added later.
The important thing is to PASS HEALTH CARE REFORM NOW so that we have a foundation to build on; we can always make the bill better later. If we don’t pass Health Care Reform now the precedence will be set that says we really don’t care about Health Care Reform and we will probably never see health care pass in the next 30 years — we can’t wait 30 more years!!! Remember that this fight has been going on for over 60 years!!! This is the closest we have ever been so let’s get this done in 2009.
Please contact your elected officials and tell them to PASS AMERICA’S HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL BEFORE CHRISTMAS!!!
You’ll find links to e-mail, tweet, postal addresses, and phone numbers for key elected officials from our President to State Legislators at http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml. All you have to do is enter your zip code and your elected officials’ information will pop up.
Keep your eyes on the prize. Call your elected officials today!!!
Happy Holidays!
Let Us Talk 
You are right. This is a great reality check. And thank you for providing a way to get involved as well as speaking knowledge on this issue. I want the public option too, and it is easy to get trapped in the sheer craziness of what has been going on with this debate, and becoming also unreasonable in response to the stubborn unreasonableness of politicians.
We can want 100% reform so bad that we rationalize nothing is better than something, because something signifies you were weak and compromised, and nothing means you were defiant and stood on principle. But this logic is indeed dangerous.
Comment by SpkTruth2Pwr — December 16, 2009 @ 9:30 pm |
SpkTruth2Pwr – Happy Holidays to you!
As much as I want a public option I am not willing to lose all options — that would make no sense whatsoever. Like you said now is not the time to be stubborn. Many of our politicians are straight up azzholes who care about NO ONE but themselves.
They are willing to risk our healthcare while they and their families enjoy the best healthcare options in the world. That does not seem fair to me so I want ALL we can get now and we can ammend the bill later.
Comment by Paulette — December 16, 2009 @ 10:48 pm |
…nothing means you were defiant and stood on principle
When Mt St Helen’s exploded, there were people that refused to leave the area because they were defiant and stood on principle. Too bad for these people because they didn’t escape the toxic gasses.
Your point is well taken. Something is better than nothing.
Thanks for posting this, Paulette. I’m tired of hearing people whining about concessions. I will hold my opinion until the bill is ready for President Obama’s signature.
Comment by Cats r Flyfishn — December 20, 2009 @ 11:09 pm |
Merry Christmas Cats!!!
How much snow did you get by you?
Cats I am not entirely ‘pleased’ with some of the Democratic wimps we have in office who allowed themselves to be bullied by the idiot Republicans — and that’s what the Republicans are.
But this is politics and I am glad to see they got it together and have 60 votes from the Senate.
History will look on this kindly. This is HUGE.
I have every confidence in President Obama and know that he will make sure we get some ‘tweaks’ to this bill in the future.
What has happened here is powerful and monumental and anyone who doubted President Obama’s managerial abilities should sit down with their tail between their legs.
Comment by Paulette — December 21, 2009 @ 2:16 pm
Paulette,
Well said … the House-Senate reconciliation process will be interesting to watch.
I had to make sure I stopped by to say Merry Christmas! Thanks for your continual gift of your grounded perspective.
Comment by afrankangle — December 24, 2009 @ 1:55 pm |