Okay, I had no idea of the extent of the cynicism until I heard from some Twitter friends about the “debate” on the “left” about US health care reform.
So here's my challenge to all those of you with fervent beliefs that prevent you from endorsing Obama's health care reform in any sense.
I want you to look my daughter in the eye and tell her: “Sorry Claire, but you'll be off your dad's insurance when you're eighteen. Because it hurts our feelings that Obama's health care reform wasn't perfect.”
Still unsure? Try it with my eighteen month old son.
Bracketing the emotive rhetoric, aren't you mischaracterising the criticism? I'm not aware of anyone criticising the healthcare bill from the left who is also arguing for the status quo ante.
ReplyDeleteBut that's the whole point, Josh. The OBJECTIVE result of their criticism, especially if they refuse to vote, is that we go back to that.
ReplyDeleteAnother thought, Josh. The rhetoric of the haters is NEVER “Well it's quite good actually but we wish it had been different.” It's “He should never have tried / It shouldn't have passed.” So my daughter gets zip. To preserve feelings of ideological purity.
ReplyDeleteIf the rhetoric WAS “Well it's quite good,” then their argument fails. Because the content of their argument is, “It's a total scam.”
ReplyDeleteMy understanding of the bill is that it makes many concessions to entities that have a vested interest in not providing healthcare to anyone's children: entities to whom the government and the public owe no obligations we don't choose to fork over. Many people (including children) will sicken and die as a result of these concessions, and as for what few little milktoasty demands are made, many insurance companies have openly announced that they will simply stop offering their health plans for children since doing so would render moot the question of preexisting conditions. Is that objectively better than what we had before? Are you aware of this? You don't even have to look for it on Democracy Now; it's all over the news, even on CNN! The bottom line is that we owe these companies NOTHING. We asked Obama to give them NOTHING. He chose to offer completely unnecessary benefits and lack of regulation to these companies, and they flounce petulantly out of the room and announce that they will abandon our children because that's not good enough for them. There is a cutoff point between "better than nothing" & "worse than useless". I never voted for Obama, but even those who did should be having at least some doubts about his intentions by now. If we ever want things to be better, we have to take our government back from the people Obama capitulates to. I think he's capable of doing the right thing...but so is anyone.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on this one Tim. Every single f*$%ing day I feel sick and in pain. I'm counting down the days until I get see the doctor and actually afford to. Not that I'm pleased by how deeply compromised the bill is, but the fact that it exists at all is a big deal and one I am very grateful for.
ReplyDeleteNow we must make it better!