Another day in the fight for healthcare reform. This has been a fascinating debate but I agree with Obama we have been talking about healthcare for years, but for the first time I think something is going to get done. What that is I am not sure. I just hope whatever it is leads to universal healthcare, because I don’t think we are going to get that on the first try. We have to get a public option though because that is the only path to universal healthcare. It’s not going to kick in until 2016 we need to put pressure to make the changes take effect sooner. No one is talking about it but I think the timeline for the implementation of this bill are too way off. Particularly because of the timeline, anything less than a bill with a public option to me would be a real failure because in a sense we would still be at square one.
I watched Keith Olberman Special commentary on Healthcare reform last night and I think the hour would have been better if Keith had on a panel of doctors and let them explain what they have to deal with behind the scene with health insurance companies, let them talk about some of the remedies, I don’t know that Keith reached anyone other than his usual audience with his special comment. There were so many other ways to utilize that hour, maybe visiting clinics, or getting some of those people from the town hall meetings that were shouting and letting them tell their stories. I don’t know I love Keith and am an avid viewer but I think he did nothing to further the debate.
Healthcare reform requires a constitutional amendment, the preamble supports it when it speaks of promoting the general welfare, and healthcare has to do with the general welfare of our country and people. Part of the reason why we are having such a hard time getting real changes on healthcare is because people do not think it is a constitutional right. I think it is time for another constitutional amendment. The great thing about the constitution is that the founding fathers made a way for this document to be corrected and include whatever they left out. We have already amended the constitution twenty-eight time to cover such things as amendment (17) senatorial elections, (8) abolish slavery, (2) the right to bear arms, (22) term limit the presidency. The last time we changed it was in 1992 amendment twenty-eight, to deal with the wages of congress. Why can’t we change the constitution to make healthcare a right for all Americans and legal residents.
I do like the idea of having the health clinics, but it should not just be in the senators who are voting against it. It should be in as many states as possible because people are lacking healthcare everywhere. Maybe it could be an alternative to the non bill that might come out of congress. Maybe we can link together and contribute across the country to make it happen. We can call it community sponsored healthcare, it would include gym memberships, nutritionist visit, and herbalists, and routine check ups. It would offer coupons from franchises, and athletic brands to help people purchase bikes, skates, protective gear, etc. It would sponsor neighborhood sports teams and activities. It would hand out free smoking patches and condoms. Is there somewhere like this already? It would be a non-for-profit, and even get some government funding. I don’t know just throwing things out there. If the government won’t give us universal healthcare maybe we can give it to ourselves.
This video highlights Rep. Graysons comments on the Republican Healthcare plan of "Just Don't Get Sick"