A few days ago I received an email from President Obama (okay, it was just a computer generated email, but still...it had his name on it!) He informed me that there was going to be a big healthcare rally at the Austin Capitol this afternoon, and that I should attend to show my support for reform.
Normally, and regrettably, I rarely attend these kind of things. I'm not a very political person, although I do have very strong opinions and often voice them (as I have on this blog numerous times.) But as for going to some big rally and holding signs and shouting...well, that's just not me. This time, though, since we're only about 15 minutes from the capitol building, and because I do feel very strongly in favor of healthcare reform, we decided to go.
To be honest, I was expecting massive crowds there. I was expecting maybe 20,000 to 40,000 people. I even parked about a mile away from the capitol, since I assumed it would be crazy as we got closer.
Man, was I wrong. So very wrong. There were maybe, at most, 1,000 people. There was ample parking everywhere. Either this thing just wasn't advertised very well, or Austin isn't quite the liberal mecca it's made out to be.
Still, it was interesting listening to people rip into Governor Rick Perry, Senator (and traitor) Joe Lieberman, and all the tea-baggers going around protesting the public option. Why do people hate the idea of a public option so much? Because they don't like the idea of government running healthcare? Well, if that bothers you, don't buy into it. It's just that simple. Keep whatever crap health insurance you have, like Humana (the one I have). Then there are those who think it will cost too much money, yet have no problem with the continuing wars we have going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. My God, if we took all the money we've spent on these two pointless wars, and put it into healthcare instead, there wouldn't be a single living soul in this country without health coverage.
(Pictures: The sparsely attended healthcare rally)
Normally, and regrettably, I rarely attend these kind of things. I'm not a very political person, although I do have very strong opinions and often voice them (as I have on this blog numerous times.) But as for going to some big rally and holding signs and shouting...well, that's just not me. This time, though, since we're only about 15 minutes from the capitol building, and because I do feel very strongly in favor of healthcare reform, we decided to go.
To be honest, I was expecting massive crowds there. I was expecting maybe 20,000 to 40,000 people. I even parked about a mile away from the capitol, since I assumed it would be crazy as we got closer.
Man, was I wrong. So very wrong. There were maybe, at most, 1,000 people. There was ample parking everywhere. Either this thing just wasn't advertised very well, or Austin isn't quite the liberal mecca it's made out to be.
Still, it was interesting listening to people rip into Governor Rick Perry, Senator (and traitor) Joe Lieberman, and all the tea-baggers going around protesting the public option. Why do people hate the idea of a public option so much? Because they don't like the idea of government running healthcare? Well, if that bothers you, don't buy into it. It's just that simple. Keep whatever crap health insurance you have, like Humana (the one I have). Then there are those who think it will cost too much money, yet have no problem with the continuing wars we have going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. My God, if we took all the money we've spent on these two pointless wars, and put it into healthcare instead, there wouldn't be a single living soul in this country without health coverage.
(Pictures: The sparsely attended healthcare rally)
I know, it boggles the mind how people reason away health care reform. They use bad reasoning and lies. Some are just plain scared and too selfish to try it, because they say it works as it is. Well, it works for them, not anyone else.
ReplyDeleteAs for not many people showing up. Maybe in some cities in the midwest they would, I don't know. But it seems like it is sometimes hard to light a fire under people in the midwest for some reason.
this health care reform thing too is so controversial that maybe people didn't want to be seen there because their bosses are against it, and they are worried about their jobs.
Small towns, though, sometimes have the attitude of any excuse for a parade. And that's wonderful! And most of the town turns out to see a parade.
Very cool! It's always good to see participation in American democracy. I completely agree with you on the need for health care reform, as well as the exaggerated importance of Iraq and Afghanistan. I do believe that certain aspects of both of those countries either are or have been threats to our national security, but certainly not to the extent of justifying a full-blown counterinsurgency effort. It will be interesting to see what Obama decides about troop levels in the coming weeks.
ReplyDeleteKen, look at your own home state of California. That's what the entire nation would look like if tax-and-spend Liberals are allowed to take over everything.
ReplyDeleteWith Obama's plan, health care will be rationed! This fact cannot be denied.
You would have to explain to some low-grade government bureaucrat why you 'deserve' to see a doctor.
Also, if you want to talk about wasting money, here is a news story from today (Nov. 14, 2009): Govt: Medicare paid $47 billion in suspect claims
By HOPE YEN (AP) WASHINGTON — The government paid more than $47 billion in questionable Medicare claims including medical treatment showing little relation to a patient's condition, wasting taxpayer dollars at a rate nearly three times the previous year.
When we consider the government's performance in Medicare, Medicaid and the Veteran's Administration Hospitals, it's not hard to imagine the mess that will result if Washington D.C. is in charge of health care, hospitals, and potentially pharmaceuticals.
Taylor,
ReplyDeleteHere's a quote from Businessweek (June 4, 2009):
"Medical problems caused 62% of all personal bankruptcies filed in the U.S. in 2007, according to a study by Harvard researchers. And in a finding that surprised even the researchers, 78% of those filers had medical insurance at the start of their illness, including 60.3% who had private coverage, not Medicare or Medicaid"
Do you think this is fair? All it's going to take for my family to go bankrupt will be one major health problem. Even though we have insurance, they try to find any reason they can to avoid paying. I got a bill recently for a series of shots that my daughter had to have. Humana didn't pay for any of them.
Another example: My wife paid $30 to get a flu shot. Humana told her to send in her bill for reimbursement. They didn't pay. Then she called them and they said, "Oh, you need to go back to the health clinic you got the shot from and ask them for the money." They just totally gave her the runaround.
You really think the government can do worse than this?
Taylor, health care is already rationed. It is also abused. We have insurance. When my husband had by-pass surgery, he got through it quite well. It wasn't until the day they were sending him home that the doctor tried to give him a blood transfusion. He did NOT need it. His blood was rebuilding just fine.
ReplyDeleteMy husband said No, my daughter and I backed him up. The doctor got very angry with us. My husband came home and recovered incredibly well, without the transfusion.
I have a friend who has been unable to get treatment for her diabetes. She is unemployed with no health coverage, barely able to scrape by herself. She also has diabetic retinopathy. Without care, she will go blind. She has looked into so many avenues, and there has been no help for her.
Finally she found a group that will help her. She will get treated for her diabetes and her eyes. BUT, she was put on a waiting list, because funds are limited and there were people in line in front of her.
Another friend, breast cancer. She did find a doctor to do the needed mastectomy. But she needed intensive radiation and chemo. When the doctor who laid out her treatment plan found out she didn't have insurance, suddenly her treatment plan changed to hormone shots, no radiation, no chemo. She's dead now, btw.
If those examples aren't rationing, what is?
The rationing part is one of those lies the naysayers are trying to scare people with. For one thing, as I pointed out, we absolutely already do have rationed health care. It might even out a bit if we can get reform through.
Those bogus medicare payments are one thing they have talked about addressing.
The new plans may not be perfect, but they are something. Right now too many people are suffering. Too many are quietly going untreated for deadly things, like diabetes.
Hi Ken, thanks for your reply. In all honesty, I do believe that the government will make the current situation worse.
ReplyDeleteIf we look at the story that I quoted, the number was $47 billion. That adds up to $130 million dollars every single day that was spent just on the 'questionable' payouts.
I certainly think it's unfair that you pay for insurance--and then have to argue with them about what they should pay. However, there's no assurance that the situation will be any better with Uncle Sam in charge.
To sum up for now, I'll say that Health Care begins at the Supermarket!
Taylor, you seem to be falling for the fear mongering that the Republicans are dishing out. The government won't be in charge, but will open more options for people without adequate coverage.
ReplyDeleteAs for the massive payouts from medicare, that is one reason to have health care reform, to prevent those ridiculous charges, to prevent unneeded testing and unnecessary treatments.
Reform is badly needed, this is a good start.
The Republicans have been in power many more years than Democrats in the past 40 years. They've stopped democrat efforts at reform in the past, and have never come up with health care reform themselves. Yet, they are so quick to criticize this reform and try to ruin it.
Please, go look at it again and see. We are in a mess, and we need reform, and what they are coming up with has a lot of good, will help.
Why would the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend that women start screening for breast cancer at age 50, instead of age 40?
ReplyDeleteThe "conspiracy theorist" in me thinks that it's part of a massive campaign to start changing people's minds and expectations about health care--and lowering costs, of course.
Any comments?
Taylor, I thought of that, but if they didn't believe what they are saying, then why would they want to miss early breast cancers and have to treat more advanced cases? It would cost far more.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention, there has been a school of thought for quite some time that mammograms caused more problems than they cured by starting at 40.
I really don't have an answer, but am not ready to say there's a conspiracy in the gov't to either cut costs that way or to kill women.
Ken --
ReplyDeleteAs we head into the final stretch on health reform, big insurance company lobbyists and their partisan allies hope that their relentless attacks and millions of dollars can intimidate us into accepting the status quo.
So I have a message for them, from all of us: Not this time. We have come too far. We will not turn back. We will not back down.
But do not doubt -- the opponents of reform will not rest. So I need you, the members of Organizing for America, to fight alongside me.
We must continue to build out our campaign -- to spread the facts on the air and on the ground, and to bring in more volunteers and train them to join the fight. I urgently need your help to keep Organizing for America's 50-state movement for reform going strong.
Please donate $5 or whatever you can afford today:
https://donate.barackobama.com/FinalStretch
Let's win this together,
President Barack Obama
Ken --
ReplyDeleteEarly this morning, the Senate made history and health reform cleared its most important hurdle yet -- garnering the 60 votes needed to move toward a final vote in that chamber later this week.
This marks the first time in our nation's history that comprehensive health reform has come to this point. And it appears that the American people will soon realize the genuine reform that offers security to those who have health insurance and affordable options to those who do not.
I'm grateful to Senator Harry Reid and every senator who's been working around the clock to make this happen. And I'm grateful to you, and every member of the Organizing for America community, for all the work you have done to make this progress possible.
After a nearly century-long struggle, we are now on the cusp of making health insurance reform a reality in the United States of America.
As with any legislation, compromise is part of the process. But I'm pleased that recently added provisions have made this landmark bill even stronger. Between the time when the bill passes and the time when the insurance exchanges get up and running, insurance companies that try to jack up their rates do so at their own peril. Those who hike their prices may be barred from selling plans on the exchanges.
And while insurance companies will be prevented from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions once the exchanges are open, in the meantime there will be a high-risk pool where people with pre-existing conditions can purchase affordable coverage.
A recent amendment has made these protections even stronger. Insurance companies will now be prohibited from denying coverage to children immediately after this bill passes. There's also explicit language in this bill that will protect a patient's choice of doctor. And small businesses will get additional assistance as well.
These protections are in addition to the ones we've been talking about for some time. No longer will insurance companies be able to drop your coverage if you become sick and no longer will you have to pay unlimited amounts out of your own pocket for treatments that you need.
Under this bill families will save on their premiums; businesses that would see their costs rise if we don't act will save money now and in the future. This bill will strengthen Medicare and extend the life of the program. Because it's paid for and gets rid of waste and inefficiency in our health care system, this will be the largest deficit reduction plan in over a decade.
Finally, this reform will extend coverage to more than 30 million Americans who don't have it.
These are not small changes. These are big changes. They're fundamental reforms. They will save money. They will save lives.
And your passion, your work, your organizing helped make all of this possible. Now it's time to finish the job.
Thank you,
President Barack Obama