I am really enjoying the thoughtful comments y’all have posting on the healthcare debate. Both sides on this issue are making some valid points, and really that is what I’d like to see on the national level. I certainly do not agree with Pelosi and the White House that the protesters constitute an angry un-American mob, but I don’t support tactics intended to drown out legitimate debate either.
You may have noticed that your comments sometimes don’t immediately appear. For some reason, certain comments get captured in my moderation queue. I try and check everyday and will release them for posting when I find them. I do not edit, censor, delete, or otherwise modify any comment. So have at it!
Speaking of commenters, where have you been Dennis?
Profound as always VJ.
John: Well, I guess there is really no debate with Fortunate. When you can make a statement like this: (“The elderly should come last when dispensing resources from the government. Wow that was hard to write and I pray my parents and in-laws don’t see itâ€). That truly says it all. This person is either crazy or a true Socialist/Marxist/Communist. My first question for anyone from the government who wants to give my parents end of life counseling is, have you had yours? It is no wonder that you moved to S. Korea, have stated that is now your home and that you will retire there. I’m afraid that’s what’s happening in the US. If the truth be known this person’s father is probably a military retiree (given our age group). And now we can just throw them out because they are considered non-productive. WOW! Is correct. I don’t care if you are Catholic, Christian, Muslim, Atheist or Agnostic. That is humanly immoral. Jeeeeeezzzz how could anyone have made that statement?
Frank if I said the elderly should not receive health care that would be immoral. I did not say that. The government has a program that helps the elderly with health care which many folks deride as socialism. I see it as a safety net to ensure basic health care although even I agree it needs to over hauled before it taxes the younger generations to death.
You are right my dad is a military retiree and I am Catholic but I am not sure what that has to do with my statement. My point was health care choices should be ours to make but the government should have a say it how it spends government funds. If the government is going to establish a national health care program then they have to figure out what they will pay for. You do realize insurance plans are already set up this way don’t you?
Well, logically speaking I understand where you are coming from Fortuneate. Which is exactly why the government should not be in the health care provider business. As I understand Medicare, the goveernment is in the reimbursement business, they don’t make the call on recommended treatments. Let’s keep it that way.
And oh by the way, what are these “goverment funds” you mention. The only funds the government has are the funds that the taxpayers provide. Hence, it should be OUR call on what will or will not happen regarding healthcare. Which is why the folks are showing up in mass at the townhalls…
Yeah they were our funds until collected by the government at which point it became government funds.
Townhall meetings are a great way for our representatives to let us know what is being proposed. We need to know so we can let them know how we want them to represent us. Not that they always listen.
However, these meetings are being disrupted and deliberately so. I myself was called by the local Republican Party to join in a grass roots effort to denounce the obamacare plan. (I get these calls because their used to be a registered Republican in my household and because I have a friend who is a Republican representative at the local level for whom I have attended several fund raisers.) I have a friend in Denver who called me recently on his way to a meeting and it turned out it was orchestrated in the same manner. Most, actually I think all, of my friends are Republicans. Normally we avoid politics but they are quite fired up on this subject and feel compelled to discuss it with me not as a Republican but as really concerned Americans.
Yes townhall meetings are being a bit rowdy. But, if you see the news both sides are complicit. I read an interview earlier today where a guy went to an A. Specter townhall. They actually used 2 buses and a van to deliver SEIU and ACORN people to the townhall. Now understand that these were not local constituents but people who were bused-in. They get off the bus and start chanting “What do we want? Health Care. When do we want it? Now”. Sometimes you just have to recognize that people can disagree and still remain friends. So, let me propose this: I’ll copy mine and your comments and we will present them to your parents and your in-laws along with my parents. Since these are some of the most affected people (and have contributed their service to this country and paid taxes for years), we can see what they say about the goverment being that involved in these decisions. Just let me know where and when.
Okay Frank you got me on that one. I am not about to share my comments with my folks or my in-laws. You misconstrued them and I am not about to take the chance that they would. I love them.
I will tell you that both of my parents have living wills and yes I encouraged them to do this after my Dad had esophageal cancer and then melanoma back to back–one year apart! Both of my parents have made their funeral arrangements. I am so glad my parents have done this. There will be no misunderstandings between my siblings and I over burial versus cremation or where to place thier remains; no arguments over what measures to take. They have taken responsiblity for it and made all the hard decisions for us. Even my best friend has executed a living will and I am considering doing so myself. Knowing your options is not a bad thing and it is so much better for your children.