The Health Care Bill has passed the House -- Hooray!
[The above is the complete text of my post. It did not even include the graphic I have added here.
The following are the comments it elicited. I enjoyed the exchange of opinions.]
Comments:
Janice Shaw Crouse
See article in WSJ listing all the provisions -- hardly a cause for rejoicing.
Terrell Shaw
Once again we disagree. Love ya, Jan!
Sher Hendrix Townsell
It is indeed scary how much control they already have over our medical...between the gov't and insurance....will have no choice....and the middle class group will STILL be the group that pays the price. Haven't seen anything to convince me otherwise.
Stephen Baker
So we can taxed to death, the government cannot run anything right
Warren Lathem
Terry, I love you, brother. But I could not disagree more.
Terrell Shaw
Thanks for all the comments.
No government "control" here, my friends, but increased personal choice. Insurance companies are making health care choices for the citizens of Rome GA and Canton, and Washington DC, and Lindale, and wherever my commenters live, today, Nov. 8, 2009. Health care, like national security, police protection, and several other aspects of our health and safety, should be a joint responsibility of all of us together. This bill increases my freedom and yours. You will now have more say-so rather than less in your health care.
I do not believe this bill is strong enough but it is a move in the right direction. The profit motive should be removed (as much as possible) from police protection, national security and health care.
To put it another way: I much prefer that "they" be "We the People" rather than insurance companies.
Betty Smith Franklin
Well said! Good for my grandchildren and everyone elses
Craig Brewer
pretty naive.....you can't legislate utopia
Terrell Shaw
Stephen, the government often screws up, but overall we the people have managed to create a pretty good military, a postal service that reliably delivers mail to my door-step day after day, police forces that manage to protect us pretty well, a universal public education system that manages despite many missteps to teach kids from a melting pot of backgrounds and a plethora of abilities and disabilities.
We the People have a civic duty to scream bloody-murder when elements of the military get too cosy with business or violate civil liberties. We the People should hold the postal service's feet to the fire if they get sloppy or arrogant. If our police become corrupt or abusive we should send them to the prisons where they have sent others. When our school systems get lazy or incompetent we should vote out the board members and elect someone to clean house.
Terrell Shaw
Great to hear from you Craig & Betty!
I certainly agree that you cannot legislate Utopia, Craig. That is why a good citizen must stay active and vigilant in holding OUR government responsible for doing a good job. I have a vote and a voice. I can at least make a little commotion if my government screws up. I have very little control over the insurance companies, especially if I am sick. The insurance companies are in it for the money, by definition. That is a big part of the cause of the current health care mess.
I believe that the free enterprise system is absolutely the preferred system for production and distribution of goods (with safeguards against monopoly and safety hazards). It is totally unsuited to equitable distribution of health care.
Adam, I have been a politician, and I agree I am good evidence of the fallen nature of Man. That is why we need democratic government with constitutional guarantees of basic rights. I have greatly admired many politicians, despite their flaws... George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, LBJ. I have known several local politicians that I greatly admire as well. Buddy Childers was the most conscientious politician I have ever known, but even he was far from perfect.
Politicians are people. People are selfish, greedy, provincial, prejudiced, --- well we all know ourselves, don't we.
People have always and will always be in charge of the earth (well until the aliens come, I guess :-)) Therefore, if we believe in democracy, we need to be active, vigilant citizens.
I prefer nasty old reprobate politicians that I can vote out of office to other reprobates, like insurance folk, over whom I have no control.
Thanks, Lori.
Abortion seems barbaric to me. Except in cases of rape, incest, or real danger to the life of the mother I will always advise against it. If a woman and a man have been so irresponsible as to get into the family way when they shouldn't be they should go ahead and see it through. Once that baby is in your arms you'll love him/her. And there are folks who would love to adopt if you absolutely cannot handle the situation.
But I think it is absolutely wrong to legislate control over a woman's right to make that choice.
Please, young women reading this: do not make that choice. I think you will eventually regret it.
Please politicians, let the churches and consciences influence that decision. It is not one you need to make for them.
Spencer Musick
it passed by the skin of its teeth though. Will be interesting to see how Reid handles this, since he dosen't have the votes to get the house version of the bill passed.
Terrell Shaw
Yes, Spencer, we've a way to go yet. But we've not been this close in the 100 years since it was first proposed.
Yep, I'm with ya, Lori!
Janice Shaw Crouse
I love you, too, Terry -- unconditionally. I wish, however, that you were among those Democrats who recognize that the government should not force those of us who oppose abortion to pay for abortions. I wish you were among those Democrats who don't want to see their party ram a bill through Congress that the American public overwhelmingly rejects. As you note, we disagree -- rather emphatically.
Terrell Shaw
Jan, you have a doctorate in speech, what would you call the following paragraph:
"I wish, however, that you were among those Republicans who recognize that the government should not force little girls to carry to term the pregnancies resulting from rape. I wish you were among those Republicans who don't want to see their party stonewall health care reform that the American people overwhelmingly support."
Christie Hufstedler Boyd
I am thankful for the health care bill. I too think it is not enough but better than it has been. I love Facebook as a place where we can carry on friendly debate. We the People rule!
Justina Gordon
Extraordinary exchange of comments! I’m with Mr. Shaw. We must remember that the government isn't taking over health care, they are providing a choice. If you choose not to participate in the program, it will be your choice.
What do you think about the part that will allow children to stay on the parent’s insurance policy until they are 27? If the kids do it right they could get a Master's Degree before they have to start working a full time job in order to get benefits.
Janice Shaw Crouse
1. Some wonderful people were born of rape and their mothers love them fervently.
2. 71 percent of Americans do not want ObamaCare.
But I recognize I won't change your opinion and you won't change mine -- so you have the last word and I regret chiming in when I know that we are poles apart.
Terrell Shaw
Other polls have shown strong majorities supporting universal health care.
"In an extensive ABCNEWS/Washington Post poll, Americans by a 2-1 margin, 62-32 percent, prefer a universal health insurance program over the current employer-based system. " - ABC News, Nov. 9, 2009
Of course noone wants the caricature of socialistic-government-dictated-"rammed"-through-evil that the right wing has invented out of whole cloth. In a reasoned debate we will come up with a universal health care reform that a majority of Americans will support. Unfortunately there have already been so many compromises with the right that what is left may not be what I want. Just about anything will be better than the status quo, however. (IMHACO).
Thanks Justina for your comment and also for the update on Justin. Tell him Hi! for me when you see him. Somewhere I have a great picture of that first McHenry class that he was in. Maybe I'll scan it and upload it one of these days.
Thanks, Christie. It was good to see you at the CRBI Fish Fry.
Christie Hufstedler Boyd
Justina, I have a daughter that just turned 25 and aged out of our job-based health care system. Now we have to find a policy we can afford. So far it looks like we can only afford catastrophic insurance and she has some persistant health problems.
I saw a favorite British actor on TV the other day, can't remember his name, he said even though he was old, he was in excellent health because of the health care he recieved as a British citizen. He played Gandolf in the Lord of the Rings series.
Christie Hufstedler Boyd
I think our representatives have the opportunity of taking the best from other nation's national health care and giving it to us. I miss Teddy Kennedy's presence in these debates.
Janice Shaw Crouse
"right wing invented out of whole cloth”
Justina Gordon
Christie I understand what you're saying. It's very difficult to find insurance that will cover your child in transition to a full time job and is affordable.
Mr. Shaw, I will tell Justin you said hello. I think I'll scan some of my old year books. I have one from McHenry too. I'm not sure of the year.
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