I've been following the health care debate and I've even read large parts of the house bill HR3200 based on reported false claims as collected and posted at Please...Cut the crap!. (Good job guys!) Ok-I get it, you deathers don't like this bill because you think we gonna kill Granny and Trig. So instead of just screaming, how about you help us out here?
I tried to attend Sen. Ben Cardin's town hall at Towson University in Baltimore yesterday, but arrived too late to get in. I did join the large crowd of somewhere between 500-1000 people who lined both sides of the street in protest for one side or the other. The "just say no" crowd outnumbered us reformers by somewhere between 2-1 and 3-2 so I'd have to say that the progressives made a respectable showing but we need to get out from behind our screens and create our own mobs in the street if we want to see this reform passed.
I talked to lots of anti-reform folks and had several measured conversations and walked away from several shouting matches. Those reasonable people generally had honest and sincere concerns and had obviously studied the plans and had an informed opinion. This I can deal with. It's the deathers and the "government is gonna tap my bank account" and their ilk that have swallowed the lies and misinformation whole that had their panties in the tightest knots.
So here is my question and challenge to them and their republican representatives in congress. Please assume for a minute that I don't want to kill granny and Trig. Assume that Sec. 1233 Advanced Care Planning Consultation (pg. 424) means what we say then answer 2 questions: 1) do you think this is good idea for people to be able to consult with their own doctor, voluntarily and when they decide they are ready, to get all of the information they need to make their own informed choices about these intensely personal and private matters about the final control of their lives and not leave it to the doctors or hospital administrator (and his budget), or some faceless government bureaucrat, and still allow the doctor to be paid for his service?
And 2)forgive us for wording this so poorly and could you please suggest how we could word it better so Granny and Trig can sleep peacefully tonight?
Or how about Sec 1173A Standardize Electronic Administative Transactions (a)(4)(C) enable electronic funds transfers, in order to allow automated reconciliation with the related health care payment and remittance advice;
because we were looking to save transaction costs and make the process as efficient as possible (because everyone knows how inefficient government can be) and allow not only the patient to be able to pay with a credit card for any co-pays or deductibles (does this mean that your doctor already has control of your bank account? McDonalds too?) but that your doctor can accept electronic reimbursement for his services and not have to wait for a check, go to the bank and deposit it, etc. Do you think this is a good idea, and if so, how should we change the wording to make this clearer? I know that you think there is no way government can be improved and made to work for the people, but you're not even gonna try?
These are just two examples out of the literally hundreds of lies, half-truths, and distortions that are out there in emails and blog posts. So in the spirit of true bipartisanship, set up to the plate and help us out. We've penned the first draft and you found a few tiny errors in grammar and syntax so just show us how we can clear up this misunderstanding and move forward.
Or is this all just so much smoke and mirrors to confuse the uninformed and strike fear into the hearts of our citizens who spend every waking moment working their butts off just to scrape by off of their declining middle class wages and Social Security checks? Is it really to fulfill your obligation to the corporate masters who need the status quo defended so they can not only keep theirs, but give you yours when you jump ship to that cushy corporate shill position when you leave politics?
I swear, when I look around at what you've done to my country over the last 30+ years, it makes me want to do and say things that as a Christian would put my immortal soul at risk. Thanks for nothing you lying sacks of shit.