Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Show Me

Man oh man is this health care debate getting on my nerves! All I hear from the right is how unbelieveably horrible it would become if the bill were to pass. Now, I've started to read the thing and here is my challenge to you.

Show me a section of the bill that is flat out bad. Reference it specifically. I want to read it and digest it. Maybe you will turn me. I have thrown this challenge out to my conservative friends and so far have not had ONE SINGLE SPECIFIC RESPONSE. I've heard things like "it will eliminate our right to CHOOSE healthcare". Well show me where it says that. I've heard "it will provide benefits to illegal aliens and we will have to pay for that". Show me where it says that. I've heard "we are becoming a socialist state". That isn't an answer to the question. It's a separate topic which I would be happy to debate, but in the meantime, show me something bad in this bill! Will somebody on the right PLEASE grant me this one request? Show me something bad!

I'll tell you what I am beginning to think. I'm beginning to think there may not be anything bad in this bill. I'm beginning to think that the right just can't stand the fact that a young, bright, African American might be on to something here. I'm beginning to think that if Obama made a proposal that would definitively bring peace to the Middle East, eliminate world hunger, and make everyone in America rich beyond their wildest dreams that the right would do everything in their power (which we already know includes lying, preying on the fears of the masses, and deceiving the less brilliant among us) to discredit the idea. Why? Because THEY DIDN'T THINK OF IT. Rush "I'm a Fat Bastard" Limbaugh already said it! He hopes Obama fails because if he doesn't, it will give credibility to the ideals of the left. The more the left succeeds, the less credibility the right has. If the right wants to regain a position of power, they have NO ALTERNATIVE but to do everything they can to insure the failure of the left. Because let's face it people, after the disaster known as the Bush Administration, any success enjoyed by the left could keep the right surpressed for years and years to come.

So show me something. I want to see a specific reference to a section of the bill that will prove to be disastrous (as the right would have you believe). Show me one. Just one. I will list them in a future post.

2 comments:

  1. Since the proposed legislation is a long way from becoming law, its likely to go through substantial revisions before it comes to a vote. Rather than considering the bill in its current state, I think we should read research and viewpoints on the issues Congress is trying to address.

    One such viewpoint is expressed in economist Arthur Laffer's "The Prognosis for National Health Insurance". http://lafferhealthcarereport.org/files/Laffer-HealthCareReport.pdf

    Its only 28 pages, so I'd encourage everyone to read and consider its points as you form your own opinions on how to make healthcare in the US more affordable and available.

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  2. I read about half of Laffer's "Prognosis". Not sure I like it. For one thing, he throws out a lot of numbers and without reading his sources there is no way to know if they are valid. Also, his "1 out of every 10" dollar analysis doesn't ring true with me. Mine is much higher, when you include my monthly insurance premium. In fact, I might just do the math but I have a feeling I'm paying a LOT more than one out of ten.

    I don't think the bill is perfect in its current form. But it's a start. There is probably way too much to be addressed by one bill. My biggest concern is this bill, or a revision, won't get through and we will go another 10 years or more with NOTHING. I'd rather make a few mistakes and correct them than let this opportunity pass us by and see the problem continuously left on the table.

    But I will say this, THANK YOU for at least presenting a counter point that includes (we will assume for now) factual information!

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