Health Care Legislation

I finally have to respond to the WSJ’s running (seems like daily) diatribe on what they term Obamacare. Obamacare is the federal health care legislation written largely by Senator Max Baucus and Speaker Nancy Pelosi with the President rarely taking a stand on anything within the legislation itself. In a Thursday op-ed piece the Journal stated: “…Mrs. Pelosi, who would lose her speakership and perhaps resign if Democrats lose their majority. But we suspect she has long believed that losing was possible but worth the risk to pass Obamacare. You have to break a few careers to make a European entitlement state.”

As I read the constant vitriol spewing from the right regarding this seriously flawed health care legislation there is virtually never a mention of the many Americans who go bankrupt, die and suffer under our current health insurance system. When the Journal tosses off a phrase like: “You have to break a few careers to make a European entitlement state’ they forget that behind that offhand and divisive phrase stand tens of thousands of suffering American citizens. I would ask them to contemplate and respond to their fellow citizens who have the health care that is worse than that found in some 3rd world countries (the World Health Organization rates us 37 below Costa Rica, Dominica & Chile).

I completely understand and sympathize with folks concern over the economic cost of this new entitlement, especially in light of the overwhelming anxiety over our growing deficit, but health care for US citizens is a moral issue much the way civil rights was and a solution must be found.

Two incidents have always stood out to me as road markers for the almost complete screw job Americans got in the federal health care legislation. The first was Rahm Emanuel’s deal with the pharmaceutical companies BEFORE the crafting of the legislation even began. The second was the forced removal by congressional security police of supporters of “single payer” health coverage from the “public” hearings of Senator Max Baucus. All the while he had a phalanx of health insurance lobbyists sitting behind him at these hearings. This shameful incident was covered by (the much missed) Bill Moyers on one of his Friday news shows on PBS. In retrospect I think this was in fact a metaphor for the American people, who were summarily ejected from the health care debate in its entirety (no wonder people were pissed off!).

As we watch the fascinating experiment by the British in their newly embraced austerity it is interesting to note that the only aspect of public service to NOT be subjected to the austerity knife is public health care. Every other civilized country (and some un-civilized ones too) have come up with solutions to public health care. Many in congress had other schemes, ones that included much needed cost containment, tort reform, greater efficiencies and an emphasis on personal responsibility but they were pushed aside for this mammoth, complex and costly plan does virtually nothing to address the core problems in the American system.

Clearly operating within the confines or out debased, corrupt and morally bankrupt government is not the answer. I think a solution will only be found when the American people conjure up the moral fortitude to demand of itself a solution that gives all citizens proper healthcare. We simply cannot call ourselves civilized and ethical, much less Christian when our citizens die for lack of proper healthcare.