Long time-no write. This issue, however, is just too important. Health care reform, Insurance reform, or whatever the hell is going on in the label department is far, far too complicated for the public and the politicians to work out. What the hell IS going on? Well, this whole show doesn't have to be so riddled with strife.
The Republicans sow fear. Who didn't know THAT was going to happen? Who could have predicted? Enough said.
The Democrats--who could have believed they would crater and not get an immediate and simple message out? I mean what has the last hundred years taught us about the Dems? Adlai Stevenson, Jimmy Carter, Harry Reid. I mean, really who could have predicted THAT? Again, enough said.
These paradigms exist for a reason, unfortunately, if just out of habit.
Let's try on a real step towards single payer. We all know Single Payer will be the end result, eventually. Just not this turn of the wheel. A certain New York senator, who Hillary replaced, once told his C of S, why don't we just remove the age requirement from Medicare?
Well, why don't we?
This 'reform' isn't going to happen all at once. We all know or should know this. But "Medicare for Everyone"--now there's a program and a slogan that works, that people know, that has a proven track record, and needs much more money.
Here's the deal. Everybody gets in the Medicare pool, and pays a nominal fee, and bingo the program that virtually every doctor's office and hospital knows how to handle is the law of the land. And gets funded.
It is simple, understood, and while not perfect, is a great start down the road to decent Healthcare for every citizen.
Look I have a total and permanent disability caused by our country's incessant need to war on other countries. But I have to admit my VA healthcare is very, very good. This is what SHOULD be, but it will take time for citizens to be informed about the benefits of Single Payer. VA Healthcare is not perfect, but it is a damn site better than the alternatives, especially in this country.
People need to know the truth about the European countries' programs and how superior they are to our current boondoggle. How my health is managed is entirely satisfactory to me. BTW, Europeans just can not conceive of our so called system. People who are not insured fully, as in medical, dental and eye-care, is anathema to them. But that is another story.
"Medicare for Everybody" is the middle path, and will work, for now. At least it is understandable, and widely liked. A second step down a path that will require several more before we progress to what other western societies have known for a long time.
Universal health care is essential to sustain a healthy, happy tax base.