www.nationalview.org and Note From a Madman brought to you by
for your Information Technology needs
owned and operated by Noah "The Madman" Greenberg
This Is What Democracy Looks Like
Inauguration Day Madman
February 11, 2009
Why Single Payer Universal Health Care will
Never Happen
Single Payer Universal Health Care (SPUHC) is a pipe dream. It's especially true
for those of us who believe that it's the only true way to make sure every
single American can see a doctor when they're sick. It's just unfortunate, even
in today's climate where almost every American is fearful of losing their job -
and their health care coverage - that SPUHC couldn't get past the talking points
presented by those only on the furthest Left.
Former presidential candidate and sitting US Congressman Dennis Kucinich
(DEMOCRAT-OH) was the only candidate to even talk about Single Payer Universal
Health Care coverage. And - let's face it - he was never really a serious
challenger to the White House anyway.
The objection to SPUHC is the connotation of socialized medicine. Those on the
Right, acting as agents of Big Health Care, know that fear is the only way to
get regular Americans to agree with their side in the health care argument. They
spend millions of dollars to "inform" us that those other nations with health
care for all (which include every other western nation on the planet) are wrong
and that we - the United States - have the best of everything right here at
home.
And that includes health care.
When those of us who are paying attention bring up nations such as Canada and
their health care plan, they tell us things like "Canadians have to wait months
before seeing a doctor," or "Canadians come here for good health care services."
Those are just bold-faced lies.
In fact, Canada's health care plan is not socialized medicine - it's smart
medicine which treats everyone with health care coverage the same. And since
health care is mandatory, everyone is treated the same.
Big health care in the US can find a Canadian or two who doesn't like their
current health care system. They quote some of our neighbors up north as having
to wait for months before seeing a doctor in an emergency situation. But when
those accusations are investigated, they turn out to be false.
Those without emergency medical need in Canada will have to wait their turn. But
is that so different than how we see our doctors here in the US? How long does
it take you to get an appointment for a "well visit" for your child or for a
complete physical for yourself?
It's health care that's the impediment for fixing our economy. While many of us
have jobs with health care, it certainly has become more expensive. Health care
takes up our time as well with many of us less-than-healthy Americans having to
juggle work (sometimes two or three jobs), time with our families and the
obligatory argument with a paper-pusher at our health care provider's home
office.
Even our employer isn't immune from the plight of their employees' health care
dilemmas. Many employers have to have someone who can take care of all health
related issues on staff or use their own precious time and do so for themselves.
Even with all of these reasons to install a Single Payer Universal Health Care
Plan in the United States, we will never have one - at least not soon enough.
The reason is simple: too much money is being spent by those who profit from our
health care system as it stands today to make the change. And with that money,
they've been able to instill upon us a fear of Socialism/ Communism; a fear of
losing the ability to see OUR doctor; and worst of all, the fear of not being
better than those less fortunate than ourselves.
It's the last item mentioned which is the most troubling. Many Americans like to
believe that they're (we're) special, even at the expense of someone else. And
being "special", like they (we) are, they (we) have to have the best health care
coverage available... and for the best price. If someone else were to have
health care - especially someone not their (our) perceived equal, then "special"
becomes "ordinary".
And the health care lobby and Industry need us to be "special".
Until we get out of the "Anything American is the best" mindset which had been
promoted ad nauseum by the Bush administration and the likes of Big Health Care,
we will suffer through a system of health care which treats the rich and the
lucky differently from the poor and the "ordinary".
In short, we need "ordinary" to be the norm.
-Noah Greenberg
In response to the passage of the Economic Stimulus and Recovery Act, Denise
writes:
If the Democrats are smart, they will leave the Senate plan intact and bring it
to the floor of the House immediately for a vote. The House has enough votes
without any Republicans to pass the legislation and the Senate should have the
same number of votes it did on the passage of the Senate version. I can't see
how three Republicans would not vote for something they worked diligently to
work out and pass the first time around. The longer Congress stews on any
legislation the worse it gets. It is way past time for the stimulus package to
be brought for it's final votes on the floors of each body and Obama to sign it
into law. To heck with the next election and the obstructionists.
In response to President Obama's first press conference, Victoria Brownworth
writes:
In his press conference Professor Obama reminded us what it's like to have a
president who not only went to Harvard, but actually studied there. Alas, while
he was working with the press on the economy, behind the scenes he was signing
on to one of the most loathsome aspects of the Bush Administration-- State
Secrets privilege. Obama has spent a great deal of time wooing Republicans. It
would be nice if he remembered those of us who voted him into office and also
remembered some of the promises he made to us. One being that he would never
invoke this and would in fact overturn it. But that post on his website--once
referred to as "The Problem"--is now part of the Obama Administration. Or as the
ACLU called it today, "A stunning blow for civil liberties."
Send your comments to: NationalView@aol.com
-Noah Greenberg