Readers,
President Barack Obama's efforts to reform the U.S. health care system have been received by ululation on the right and often cacophonous suggestions on the left. The far-right has used Obama's push for health care reform as the impetus for an often disoriented attack on big-government. Astro-turf, as opposed to Grassroot organizations, like Freedomworks, initiated rallies that seemed to be a gathering of people who are more apt to secede from the union than respect a president they disagree with. As Texas Governor Rick Perry said: "We've got a great union. There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that ." Governor Perry is referring to Texas seceding from the United States of America, something that many protesters called for when he spoke at the April 12th "tea-party" , aka open treason.
Substantive argument and protest is a fundamental American tradition and rightfully so, however, it seems that yelling at a President while he is speaking to congress (e.g. Joe Wilson), bringing loaded guns to town hall meetings and calling for succession from the U.S. is taking things too far.
Critics of government-run health care should remember that Medicare and the Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA) are government- run and provide vital services to millions of Americans. If the far-right is credent about the need for government to "stop thumbing their nose" at their constituents, then they should openly denounce Medicare, Medicaid, and the VA-I wonder what their elderly and veteran constituents would think of that.
I commend President Obama for his dedication to reforming the U.S. health care system, which is leaving out some 46 million Americans and is leading to the death of some 40,000 Americans annually-those who can't find adequate health insurance. I stand behind President Obama in his efforts and urge his opposition to denounce calls for succession and violence and praise those who offer solutions, not just noise. Godspeed Mr. Obama.
Thank you,
Cameron Morgan
Tri-Care (i.e. Military Health Care) is amazing quality care. Check out the clip on Youtube of Bill Cristol telling Jon Stewart that Tri-Care one of the best health care plans.
ReplyDeleteAs for the carrying of guns at townhall meetings. I think that is perfectly within the rights of the individual who chose to do so. Is it a bit of a cry for attention? Absolutely. A bit idiotic? Definitely. But those who have lambasted this man simply for carrying the gun are on indefensible ground. Legally, he was within his rights.
But good post Cameron, I hope a public option does indeed come about.
As much as I want the public option to go through, I have to say I'm not terribly excited about presenting this to our fellow Utahns through Amnesty International... That said, I did get the facts for it for the meeting on Friday and I hope we can at least show our position- and in a civil manner.
ReplyDeleteThank you both for reading my post. Colby, I agree with you that it is well in one's rights to bring guns to a town-hall meeting-this is well documented. Scary? perhaps. I find it interesting that Kristol said this- far-right reps should follow his example.
ReplyDeleteZach,
Amnesty doesn't endorse a public-option specifically, simply universality-this could be achieved vis a vis the private sector and is,in fact, a bi-partisan proposal. Both Bennett and Obama are both calling for universality of health insurance (meaning everyone is required to have health insurance).
Also, Amnesty backs a plan that will not disciminate based on pre-existing conditions and other inividual differences in race and etc- a bi-partisan proposal.