So. The Americans got their Health reform care bill passed in the House and off to the Senate it goes. After what happened this past week in the three elections (which were absurdly spun by some as a "big picture" victory for Democrats even though they lost. It's like saying a team who out-shot their opponent and lost still won) this was a welcomed victory for the Democrats.
Anyway, it passed by the slimmest of margins and according to one Democratic Senator it will not pass:
“The House bill is dead on arrival in the Senate,” said Graham. “Just look at how it passed. It passed 220-215. It passed by two votes. You had 40 — 39 Democrats vote against the bill. They come from red states, moderate Democrats from swing districts. They bailed out on this bill. It was a bill written by liberals for liberals.”
Welcome to the world of the new government world order where the public comes above the individual at all cost. Always remember: There's no "I" in publuc.
I keep hearing how "America has joined all industrialized and civilized nations." I'm not so sure that's a fair assertion but hey, if that's how some feel so be it. We're so convinced Europe and Canada are more "civilized" so be it. Personally, I feel America has its own path to follow.
Once upon a time, we relied on one another and the community at large for our well-being. Now, the point guard to all things is your local government office.
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Meanwhile, back at the bat cave, President Obama ordered 120 million vaccines promised to be delivered by October. As of now, 30 million have been delivered. Get used to it. Yes, everyone will get covered but it quality will be sacrificed. It's just the way it is when bureaucrats get involved. Shortages (and runaway costs) are the primary result of government run programs.Canada too, not surprisingly, has shortages.
Pinning blame has begun. Is it the fault of suppliers? The government? Some regulatory issue? It may be all of that but you know what? What would the hue and cry be like had this error been orchestrated by Bush?
Not so easy to be a leader, eh?
People will blame different elements for the cause of any problems or difficulties. It all depends on their point of view. Is it the government's fault for the lack of vaccines? The medical distributors? The medical companies that are creating them?
ReplyDeleteIt all depends on how you look at the problem. Maybe all are to blame, contributing to the problem one piece at a time...
Dear Alesssandro,
ReplyDeleteyou have to be a reincarnation of the early 19th century pioneers. When people lived in hamlets of no more than 10 or 12 families with 15 to 20 children each, caring for each other was natural and a survival factor.
Now we have towns over 1 million people, many without a family nearby or a very small one. If we keep up the individual "uber alls" mentality, we are collectively doomed and back to survival of the fittest.
And anyhow the Bill adopted by the representatives is a considerably watered down version of the original intent...and it has not been through the Senate that has it's own bill and then to the bicameral committee that will submit it's own "compromise" to be debated again by both chambers and in a year or two whatever will be left could be sent to the president to be signed...or vetoed because it will have become useless. But the individual and the insurance companies will be happy. Damn the poor as usual south of the border and in conservative circles.
The name is The Commentator, buster.
ReplyDeleteI posted, as you may or may not know, about that very thing: We have to be careful on how we criticize the growth of government. If it's proportion to population, it's natural. Size of government is not a problem per se; the scope of it is. To me anyway.
However, the bigger picture is, and I think you could agree, we have lost our sense of community. That's obvious and government agencies have replaced them.
DC, yes. There have been 1200 deaths in the interim and some have given to blaming Obama. Even though he makes promises difficult to fulfill, I think blaming him is unfair; if not dreadful.
ReplyDeletePaul,
ReplyDeleteAlways keep in mind, and you should know me by now, I've never suggested we go the "Ayn Rand" route and as I've repeatedly said, government has a role to play.
Watered down? The public option was back on and reached 2000 pages. I don't agree with that assessment. It's a monster of a bill.
Last, the insurance companies, always keep in mind, are more regulated than you think. That's a dirty secret the government don't admit or tell people: They sleep with corporate interests.
And to suggest this is the route the Americans take to "fix" health care is somewhat off in my opinion. They can offer something more palpable to the American mindset.
OK COMMENTATOR, however the so called public option has been watered down to some type of mutual insurance cooperative to compete with the private sector and it will still leave out about 4% of the population, better than now but not enough.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes we need some government intervention in our modern depersonalized context, not big I agree but it has to be there at a cost, of course.