I am writing this letter to help you understand the opposition to your healthcare reform, since your statements make it clear that you “just don’t get it.” Allow me to introduce myself.
I am not a right-wing nut case. I believe that you, President Obama, are an American citizen. I do not think you are the anti-Christ. Nor do I think that any of you are evil. You just have very different ideas about what this country should look like and how our government should work – different from mine and a lot of other people’s, that is.
I graduated summa cum laude from the University of Georgia, so I am not stupid. I taught high school government and economics before I retired last year, so I know a little about how our government works.
I do not believe your reform means that death squads will pull the plug on grandma. I fully understand that the public option in this reform bill is different from a government takeover of health care.
I am not lacking in compassion for the poor. I would like for every person to have access to adequate health care. I realize that there are inequities in our healthcare system that need to be addressed.
What I am is scared – and worried about the future of this country I love so much.
Why am I opposed to this bill? Simple – we cannot afford it. President Obama, you said so yourself; you said that the government has no money. Americans are still reeling from the $780 billion stimulus bill, the bail-out of the auto industry, and the record-breaking 1.2 trillion dollar deficit. Our economy may or may not be recovering from the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, housing prices have fallen as much as 20%, and the jobless rate is still in the double digits. We are worried about our jobs and our investments. In the midst of all this, you propose that the government insure over 40 million people. Your suggestion that this could be done in a “budget-neutral” fashion would be laughable if the situation were not so serious. Absolutely nothing in the government’s past or present programs offers any hope of doing such a thing.
Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and the post office are broke or soon will be. With these great examples of government-run entitlements, why on earth should we trust you to run even more of our healthcare system? You are continually asked this question, and you continue to ignore it because you, of course, have no answer.
Given the government’s past performance, we have every reason to fear a bill with over 1000 pages of legalese few people, including our legislators, can read or understand. There’s just too much room for the devil to hide in the details. And we are not getting details. We hear lots of generalizations about what the reform must do, but very little specifics about how it will be paid for or how it will be administered. You expect us to support something when we don’t even know what it is.
We also feel that a bill of this magnitude, one that will affect all of our lives in matters of life and death, should not be rushed. And you are definitely trying to rush it through, because you feel that is the only chance you have of getting it passed. I want to know that experts from every part of the healthcare industry and the insurance industry have sat down together to talk about ways to reduce costs and make sure people receive the care they need. And I want those experts to come from different sides of the political spectrum so all viewpoints will be considered.
I am tired of the back-and-forth arguments that only touch the surface of this debate. You keep telling people they can keep their insurance. I heard you. I KNOW that is what the bill says. The question you do not answer is, will our insurance policies still be available to us after all this reform takes place? Will insurance companies be able to meet your requirements and compete with the public option? And what will happen to our premiums when insurance companies are forced to cover preexisting conditions?
You argue that costs will be brought down by cutting out waste. Well, for crying out loud, if all that waste could be cut so easily, why haven’t we already done that? We all know that Medicare is wrought with fraud, but no one has been able to stop it. More government insurance will just mean more fraud as unscrupulous people rush to take advantage of “free” money.
You say that Medicare can be reduced by “reallocating” money, but you never explain what that means. Can you blame people for thinking that means less care for old people? What else could it mean?
It is very unwise to dismiss me and others like me as “angry mobs” orchestrated by Republican leaders and FOX News. Of course these town hall meetings are organized; aren’t all meetings? No one forces people to attend; they come because they are concerned. The fear and anger people express at these meetings is genuine, and if you don’t know that, you really are living in a bubble up there in Washington. I hear it everywhere I go – stores, restaurants, and doctors’ offices. It comes up at every social gathering. In fact, I have never seen an issue galvanize public opinion the way this one has. You can listen to us now, or listen to us at the polls come the next election.
Here is what I want: Slow down. See if there are other ways to address inequities without so much government control or expense. Work together with the Republicans. This is so important that we truly need a bipartisan plan. Find ways to bring down medical costs, since these rising costs are what will break the system eventually, whether it is public or private. Do everything in your power to take the politics out of this; stop the rhetoric. Tell us the truth; we can handle it. Please listen to our concerns.
Sincerely,
Paula Canup, Hayesville, NC
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Insurance companies - do they deserve to die?
Normally, I write my own material. Sometimes, however, I find an article that already says exactly what I wanted to say! I am reprinting one here from Investors Business Daily, a newspaper my father subscribes to. It explains the situation with insurance companies better than I ever could.
Real Debate Is Individualism Vs. Collectivism
By ROBERT TRACINSKI | Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2009 4:20 PM PT
The goal of the Democrats' plan for health care reform is coming more and more out into the open: They want to eliminate health insurance.
This is the line of attack the Democrats have chosen as they've gone into the August recess:
Private health insurance companies are evil, and big government is here to save us from them.
According to the New York Times, President Obama is planning an "August offensive against the insurance industry." It is "a campaign of increasingly harsh rhetoric" that is "intended to drive home the message that revamping the health care system will protect consumers by ending unpopular insurance industry practices, like refusing patients with pre-existing conditions."
That part about pre-existing conditions gives the game away. Health insurance companies refuse to cover pre-existing conditions for the same reason that you can't insure your automobile after you crash it.
Insurance is a form of financing for the unexpected and unpredictable. It is not a mechanism to force somebody else to pick up the tab for expenses you have already incurred.
Do the Democrats even understand what insurance is? Insurance is a form of financing. It is a contract under which a health insurance company agrees to pay for medical bills that could run into the tens of thousands of dollars, if you are hit by a bus or are diagnosed with cancer, so that you don't have to pay for those bills out of your income or savings.
So let's ask the question the left never asks: How is it possible for an insurance company to pay for these giant medical bills?
Welfare, Not Insurance
For every person who needs open-heart surgery or chemotherapy, there have to be a certain number of other people who are paying their premiums but haven't gotten seriously ill. If the insurance company has gotten its calculations right, the expenses for any one person's catastrophic care are balanced out by the premiums other people pay "just in case."
You can see how Obama's demands undermine all of these calculations. To ask insurance companies to cover a patient after the tumor is diagnosed is to ask them to take on a known expense. Combine that with another of the president's demands — that insurance companies can't charge higher rates for those who are at higher risk of getting sick.
So if insurance companies have to take on a known expense and can't charge a higher rate for it, how are they going to pay for it? By raising everyone else's premiums, redistributing their wealth to the new freeloaders.
This isn't insurance, it's welfare. And that's the whole point.
Government regulations and enormous government spending have already distorted the health care market for decades, but the current legislation is the coup de grace. Its whole point is to force insurance companies to act as if they are government welfare agencies.
And when the insurance companies collapse under that artificial burden, the government will drop the pretense and have the welfare agencies, under the banner of the "public option," take over.
Don't be fooled by labels. The "public option" is not insurance, because it is deliberately designed not to balance premiums against risk.
Precious Right
And instead of choosing how much coverage you are willing to pay for, everyone is forced into a plan designed by an Orwellian "Health Choices Commissioner." When you get sick, you don't have a contract with a private company that you can enforce. You are dependent on benefits that are doled out uniformly to everyone by the government.
There are no independent individuals in this system. It is designed to make everyone dependent on the collective will of the government — which can decide to reduce your care or pay less for it when costs spiral.
The Democrats oppose health insurance because it's based on an opposite idea: that people are independent individuals who should be expected — and have the right — to pay their own way. It is a system in which people decide what level of coverage they want and how much they are willing to pay for it, and insurance companies balance an individual's premiums against his health risks.
Paying your own way is a demanding responsibility, but it is also a precious right that few people want to give up. He who pays the piper calls the tune, and when it comes to health care, our lives depend on being able to call the tune.
Will we be independent individuals with some control over our own fate — or will we be cogs in the collective, forced to be dependent on government for the most important needs of our lives?
Tracinski writes daily commentary at TIADaily.com. He is the editor of The Intellectual Activist and TIADaily.com.
.
Real Debate Is Individualism Vs. Collectivism
By ROBERT TRACINSKI | Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2009 4:20 PM PT
The goal of the Democrats' plan for health care reform is coming more and more out into the open: They want to eliminate health insurance.
This is the line of attack the Democrats have chosen as they've gone into the August recess:
Private health insurance companies are evil, and big government is here to save us from them.
According to the New York Times, President Obama is planning an "August offensive against the insurance industry." It is "a campaign of increasingly harsh rhetoric" that is "intended to drive home the message that revamping the health care system will protect consumers by ending unpopular insurance industry practices, like refusing patients with pre-existing conditions."
That part about pre-existing conditions gives the game away. Health insurance companies refuse to cover pre-existing conditions for the same reason that you can't insure your automobile after you crash it.
Insurance is a form of financing for the unexpected and unpredictable. It is not a mechanism to force somebody else to pick up the tab for expenses you have already incurred.
Do the Democrats even understand what insurance is? Insurance is a form of financing. It is a contract under which a health insurance company agrees to pay for medical bills that could run into the tens of thousands of dollars, if you are hit by a bus or are diagnosed with cancer, so that you don't have to pay for those bills out of your income or savings.
So let's ask the question the left never asks: How is it possible for an insurance company to pay for these giant medical bills?
Welfare, Not Insurance
For every person who needs open-heart surgery or chemotherapy, there have to be a certain number of other people who are paying their premiums but haven't gotten seriously ill. If the insurance company has gotten its calculations right, the expenses for any one person's catastrophic care are balanced out by the premiums other people pay "just in case."
You can see how Obama's demands undermine all of these calculations. To ask insurance companies to cover a patient after the tumor is diagnosed is to ask them to take on a known expense. Combine that with another of the president's demands — that insurance companies can't charge higher rates for those who are at higher risk of getting sick.
So if insurance companies have to take on a known expense and can't charge a higher rate for it, how are they going to pay for it? By raising everyone else's premiums, redistributing their wealth to the new freeloaders.
This isn't insurance, it's welfare. And that's the whole point.
Government regulations and enormous government spending have already distorted the health care market for decades, but the current legislation is the coup de grace. Its whole point is to force insurance companies to act as if they are government welfare agencies.
And when the insurance companies collapse under that artificial burden, the government will drop the pretense and have the welfare agencies, under the banner of the "public option," take over.
Don't be fooled by labels. The "public option" is not insurance, because it is deliberately designed not to balance premiums against risk.
Precious Right
And instead of choosing how much coverage you are willing to pay for, everyone is forced into a plan designed by an Orwellian "Health Choices Commissioner." When you get sick, you don't have a contract with a private company that you can enforce. You are dependent on benefits that are doled out uniformly to everyone by the government.
There are no independent individuals in this system. It is designed to make everyone dependent on the collective will of the government — which can decide to reduce your care or pay less for it when costs spiral.
The Democrats oppose health insurance because it's based on an opposite idea: that people are independent individuals who should be expected — and have the right — to pay their own way. It is a system in which people decide what level of coverage they want and how much they are willing to pay for it, and insurance companies balance an individual's premiums against his health risks.
Paying your own way is a demanding responsibility, but it is also a precious right that few people want to give up. He who pays the piper calls the tune, and when it comes to health care, our lives depend on being able to call the tune.
Will we be independent individuals with some control over our own fate — or will we be cogs in the collective, forced to be dependent on government for the most important needs of our lives?
Tracinski writes daily commentary at TIADaily.com. He is the editor of The Intellectual Activist and TIADaily.com.
.
Where I Stand
In yesterday’s blog, I made the comment that I was probably more moderate than many of my ultraconservative students. I thought I would explain exactly where I stand in today’s blog.
I do not wish to be a member of any political party. I consider myself independent, though I have voted Republican in every presidential election I have voted in – and that’s all of them since I turned eighteen. I am not inclined to join political action groups of any stripe, primarily because they are almost always more radical in their beliefs than I am.
I consider myself moderately conservative. As a Christian, I hold certain family values that are extremely important to me, and as a rule, Republicans have tended to uphold those values more than Democrats have.
I also value my freedom and feel that the less government control we HAVE to have, the better. However, I also know that some control is absolutely necessary for an orderly and functioning society. It is a matter of degree. It is not a question of all regulations or none at all, but a question of how much regulation is needed to provide for an efficient economy and a fair society. It is this belief that makes me more moderate than many.
I am a firm believer in capitalism and free enterprise, but I recognize the evils of unrestrained greed. Wall Street has demonstrated that quite well in the past decade. Clearly, more oversight and regulation could have prevented the housing debacle. The trick now is to institute enough control to prevent another crash without stifling growth. It won’t be easy, and it will require reasonable minds willing to work together and compromise to make it work.
I do not put stock in conspiracy theories. There are well-known and respected conservatives in the media who would reveal such nefarious goings-on if they did, in fact, exist.
I also get frustrated with people who see devils behind every tree. To them, everything the opposition does has some sinister meaning. For example, much has been made in the past week about the President asking people to forward emails to the White House if they contain criticism of his healthcare reform. Suddenly people are convinced that he is creating some kind of enemy list, red-flagging American citizens who need “watching.” A far more likely explanation is that he simply wants to know what people are saying so he can refute it, and that is exactly what he is doing with his “reality check” web site.
I do not hate Barack Obama. I do not think he is evil, nor do I believe he is the anti-Christ. That alone places me squarely to the left of many of my friends and family. I feel he is quite genuine in his liberal beliefs and honestly thinks he is changing this country for the better. I just don’t agree with him.
I do not get my kicks from bashing the President. I was appalled by the vitriolic hatred directed at President Bush by the left, and find it just as appalling when such hatred is directed at Obama. I still have the old-fashioned belief that we should respect the office even if we don’t respect the man himself.
While humor is an acceptable way to make political points, many of the off-color jokes, especially the racial ones, directed at Obama are inappropriate. I don’t appreciate it when they show up in my email box. A good, clean joke is another matter. I happen to think that “Obamanation” is a very clever play on words.
I do think that Obama is much more liberal than the average American and, therefore, does not represent us well, even if we did elect him. (That can be explained by demographics and the anger towards Bush.) He also has no real experience in governing, and none whatsoever in business or the military. Because I believe a person CAN be judged by the company he keeps, I have serious concerns about many of his past associations. I cannot believe that he sat under the teachings of the radical Reverend Wright without being influenced by him. I know I would not stay in a church for over twenty years if I did not agree with the pastor on important matters. I also wonder how a man without big money and connections rose to the top of the Chicago political machine, which is historically one of the most corrupt governments in the United States.
I also do not feel that Obama can be trusted to do what he says he will do. He has already done a complete about-face on several issues. I think he has a very liberal agenda and will do whatever it takes to put it into action.
I, like many Americans, am frightened by the huge deficit Obama is creating. I love my country, but I am very, very worried about its future. We are naïve if we think that our economy cannot come crashing down – it can. And then who knows what would happen? I can’t even go there.
I do not like the way crucial legislation is being rushed through Congress. Issues such as healthcare reform are much too important to get wrong.
My final point is that we have very real and serious issues that need to be addressed in a reasonable fashion. The hatred, unfounded suspicions, and name-calling get us nowhere.
Let’s get past all that and start talking to one another, no matter what our political leaning.
I do not wish to be a member of any political party. I consider myself independent, though I have voted Republican in every presidential election I have voted in – and that’s all of them since I turned eighteen. I am not inclined to join political action groups of any stripe, primarily because they are almost always more radical in their beliefs than I am.
I consider myself moderately conservative. As a Christian, I hold certain family values that are extremely important to me, and as a rule, Republicans have tended to uphold those values more than Democrats have.
I also value my freedom and feel that the less government control we HAVE to have, the better. However, I also know that some control is absolutely necessary for an orderly and functioning society. It is a matter of degree. It is not a question of all regulations or none at all, but a question of how much regulation is needed to provide for an efficient economy and a fair society. It is this belief that makes me more moderate than many.
I am a firm believer in capitalism and free enterprise, but I recognize the evils of unrestrained greed. Wall Street has demonstrated that quite well in the past decade. Clearly, more oversight and regulation could have prevented the housing debacle. The trick now is to institute enough control to prevent another crash without stifling growth. It won’t be easy, and it will require reasonable minds willing to work together and compromise to make it work.
I do not put stock in conspiracy theories. There are well-known and respected conservatives in the media who would reveal such nefarious goings-on if they did, in fact, exist.
I also get frustrated with people who see devils behind every tree. To them, everything the opposition does has some sinister meaning. For example, much has been made in the past week about the President asking people to forward emails to the White House if they contain criticism of his healthcare reform. Suddenly people are convinced that he is creating some kind of enemy list, red-flagging American citizens who need “watching.” A far more likely explanation is that he simply wants to know what people are saying so he can refute it, and that is exactly what he is doing with his “reality check” web site.
I do not hate Barack Obama. I do not think he is evil, nor do I believe he is the anti-Christ. That alone places me squarely to the left of many of my friends and family. I feel he is quite genuine in his liberal beliefs and honestly thinks he is changing this country for the better. I just don’t agree with him.
I do not get my kicks from bashing the President. I was appalled by the vitriolic hatred directed at President Bush by the left, and find it just as appalling when such hatred is directed at Obama. I still have the old-fashioned belief that we should respect the office even if we don’t respect the man himself.
While humor is an acceptable way to make political points, many of the off-color jokes, especially the racial ones, directed at Obama are inappropriate. I don’t appreciate it when they show up in my email box. A good, clean joke is another matter. I happen to think that “Obamanation” is a very clever play on words.
I do think that Obama is much more liberal than the average American and, therefore, does not represent us well, even if we did elect him. (That can be explained by demographics and the anger towards Bush.) He also has no real experience in governing, and none whatsoever in business or the military. Because I believe a person CAN be judged by the company he keeps, I have serious concerns about many of his past associations. I cannot believe that he sat under the teachings of the radical Reverend Wright without being influenced by him. I know I would not stay in a church for over twenty years if I did not agree with the pastor on important matters. I also wonder how a man without big money and connections rose to the top of the Chicago political machine, which is historically one of the most corrupt governments in the United States.
I also do not feel that Obama can be trusted to do what he says he will do. He has already done a complete about-face on several issues. I think he has a very liberal agenda and will do whatever it takes to put it into action.
I, like many Americans, am frightened by the huge deficit Obama is creating. I love my country, but I am very, very worried about its future. We are naïve if we think that our economy cannot come crashing down – it can. And then who knows what would happen? I can’t even go there.
I do not like the way crucial legislation is being rushed through Congress. Issues such as healthcare reform are much too important to get wrong.
My final point is that we have very real and serious issues that need to be addressed in a reasonable fashion. The hatred, unfounded suspicions, and name-calling get us nowhere.
Let’s get past all that and start talking to one another, no matter what our political leaning.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Now That We’ve Got Everyone’s Attention…
I taught government and economics to high school seniors for about ten years. There were always a few students who were up on current events and ready for lively debate. Needless to say, I enjoyed those students most of all, even if they didn’t always behave or make the highest grades. What caused me great despair were those students who just didn’t care about anything outside of their own little teenage world, and there were way too many of those. But they were not alone. I found that most of the adults I conversed with knew little about how our government works and didn’t care to learn. Economics was a giant bore to almost everyone I knew. I have always been interested in current events, politics, and economics, thanks in large part to my Dad’s influence and watching Walter Cronkite every night as a child. I learned, however, that while I had opinions on many issues, most people were not really interested in hearing them. I learned to talk shopping and football.
All of that has changed. All it took was the election of a controversial President and an issue that people are genuinely upset about – health care reform. It’s all people are talking about, and I hear it everywhere I go – the stores, restaurants, and, of course, doctors’ offices. I waited in line in one store while the cashier carried on a rant with several customers gathered round the counter. Complete strangers bring it up when I am out and about. It is amazing how much people are finally paying attention to a political issue.
And well they should. Our current health care system is probably unsustainable and does need reform, but if we don’t do it right, the “cure” could be much worse than the disease. This is an issue that affects every single American, and one that will hit us where it hurts – in the pocketbook. Whatever Congress and our President decide to do will have a tremendous impact on our lives, and not just financially. Our health and well-being are at stake. An issue this important and potentially life-changing needs to be studied, debated, and weighed very carefully before any kind of action is taken. American citizens need to be informed about the changes that will take place and should have the opportunity to voice their concerns. Particularly when our economy is in such a precarious state, we need to proceed with caution and not rush through legislation where the “devil is in the details.”
What we need is a calm, deliberate, and factual conversation between all interested parties – and that pretty much includes everybody. Unfortunately, that is not what we are getting. This issue, like every other, is thoroughly politicized, and people on both extremes of the liberal-conservative spectrum are throwing out all sorts of disinformation, making it almost impossible for people to know what is really going on. Without correct information, how can any of us know how to voice an opinion to our leaders? The White House has responded by establishing a web site, www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck, that purports to lay out all the facts, but of course, it is biased toward the more liberal, Democratic view. You can read it and then get the opposite, Republican-biased view from the Limbaugh crowd and wind up not having a clue what the actual truth is.
As a teacher in a small Christian school in the South, most of my students came from quite conservative backgrounds. They, like most young people, believed what they had been taught all their lives and gave their opinions very little real thought, nor did they question their own beliefs. As a conservative myself, though perhaps more moderate than some, I generally tended to agree with them. However, I wanted them to seek truth, think for themselves, and form their own opinions. Getting them to do that was not easy. I often told them that when people argue from two extreme positions, the truth is usually somewhere in the middle. I designed projects where they would have to gather and study opposing opinions on various issues and write reports giving both sides before reaching their conclusions. Then they would report their findings before the whole class and take questions. Very seldom did anyone change their original viewpoint, but they always came away with a better understanding of where those that differed with them were coming from. If they learned to research and think, I felt the project had been a success. American citizens need to do that now.
Doing the research on healthcare reform is difficult. Oh, there is a wealth of information out there, but much of it is biased and/or inaccurate. You have to look for the impartial and knowledgeable sites that have good information. If all you have are the letters flooding your email box, you probably aren’t getting a very good picture of things. We all need to check out the information that comes our way at such sites as Factcheck.org, Truthorfiction.com, or Snopes.com. I try to do this with any email I receive before forwarding it on.
Our Congressmen are back home where they are currently holding the now-infamous town hall meetings to try to inform us and answer questions about healthcare reform. They have been shocked by the numbers of people and the passion of the crowds that have turned out. Some Democrats have unwisely tried to dismiss the dissenters as “angry mobs” whose protests has been orchestrated by those who wish to “destroy the President.” That is almost laughable when you see the videos of halls filled with senior citizens. They, especially, are frightened and upset about the reform. They have many questions and concerns and deserve to be heard – you know, free speech and all that.
On the other hand, the representatives also deserve to be heard, and crowds that boo and hiss and drown out the speakers are denying THEM free speech and accomplishing nothing except making themselves look bad. Everyone just needs to chill out. We don’t need shouting matches; we need reasoned conversation that can actually lead to understanding. I urge each of you to do your homework and then join in such a conversation.
All of that has changed. All it took was the election of a controversial President and an issue that people are genuinely upset about – health care reform. It’s all people are talking about, and I hear it everywhere I go – the stores, restaurants, and, of course, doctors’ offices. I waited in line in one store while the cashier carried on a rant with several customers gathered round the counter. Complete strangers bring it up when I am out and about. It is amazing how much people are finally paying attention to a political issue.
And well they should. Our current health care system is probably unsustainable and does need reform, but if we don’t do it right, the “cure” could be much worse than the disease. This is an issue that affects every single American, and one that will hit us where it hurts – in the pocketbook. Whatever Congress and our President decide to do will have a tremendous impact on our lives, and not just financially. Our health and well-being are at stake. An issue this important and potentially life-changing needs to be studied, debated, and weighed very carefully before any kind of action is taken. American citizens need to be informed about the changes that will take place and should have the opportunity to voice their concerns. Particularly when our economy is in such a precarious state, we need to proceed with caution and not rush through legislation where the “devil is in the details.”
What we need is a calm, deliberate, and factual conversation between all interested parties – and that pretty much includes everybody. Unfortunately, that is not what we are getting. This issue, like every other, is thoroughly politicized, and people on both extremes of the liberal-conservative spectrum are throwing out all sorts of disinformation, making it almost impossible for people to know what is really going on. Without correct information, how can any of us know how to voice an opinion to our leaders? The White House has responded by establishing a web site, www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck, that purports to lay out all the facts, but of course, it is biased toward the more liberal, Democratic view. You can read it and then get the opposite, Republican-biased view from the Limbaugh crowd and wind up not having a clue what the actual truth is.
As a teacher in a small Christian school in the South, most of my students came from quite conservative backgrounds. They, like most young people, believed what they had been taught all their lives and gave their opinions very little real thought, nor did they question their own beliefs. As a conservative myself, though perhaps more moderate than some, I generally tended to agree with them. However, I wanted them to seek truth, think for themselves, and form their own opinions. Getting them to do that was not easy. I often told them that when people argue from two extreme positions, the truth is usually somewhere in the middle. I designed projects where they would have to gather and study opposing opinions on various issues and write reports giving both sides before reaching their conclusions. Then they would report their findings before the whole class and take questions. Very seldom did anyone change their original viewpoint, but they always came away with a better understanding of where those that differed with them were coming from. If they learned to research and think, I felt the project had been a success. American citizens need to do that now.
Doing the research on healthcare reform is difficult. Oh, there is a wealth of information out there, but much of it is biased and/or inaccurate. You have to look for the impartial and knowledgeable sites that have good information. If all you have are the letters flooding your email box, you probably aren’t getting a very good picture of things. We all need to check out the information that comes our way at such sites as Factcheck.org, Truthorfiction.com, or Snopes.com. I try to do this with any email I receive before forwarding it on.
Our Congressmen are back home where they are currently holding the now-infamous town hall meetings to try to inform us and answer questions about healthcare reform. They have been shocked by the numbers of people and the passion of the crowds that have turned out. Some Democrats have unwisely tried to dismiss the dissenters as “angry mobs” whose protests has been orchestrated by those who wish to “destroy the President.” That is almost laughable when you see the videos of halls filled with senior citizens. They, especially, are frightened and upset about the reform. They have many questions and concerns and deserve to be heard – you know, free speech and all that.
On the other hand, the representatives also deserve to be heard, and crowds that boo and hiss and drown out the speakers are denying THEM free speech and accomplishing nothing except making themselves look bad. Everyone just needs to chill out. We don’t need shouting matches; we need reasoned conversation that can actually lead to understanding. I urge each of you to do your homework and then join in such a conversation.
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