Politics Stand between Americans and Health Care

While lawmakers and the public are busy arguing over the finer points of Obama’s plans for overhauling America’s health care system, providing health care for those who cannot afford it, history suggest the chances of the president’s health care reform bill passing are slim to none.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2…_TIMELINE.html

The above time line is very enlightening and illuminating, but also disturbing. For almost 100 years, beginning with Theodore Roosevelt’s campaign for president in 1912, ideas, plans and suggestions for health care reform and universal health care by American government have been met with resounding defeat.

Meanwhile, the cost of health care continues to spiral out of control. Here are two staggering facts: in 2008, one in six dollars was spent on health care, and 46 million people were without health care coverage.

At least there is one thing we can all agree on: something must be done. However, as has been true throughout American history, it appears that politics, personalities, and core differences in beliefs are choking any chance of major health care reform.

So the question remains; what is to be done about health care? When president Obama exclaimed in his televised speech on September 10, 2009, that he was determined to deal with the issue of health care on his watch, and bring about change, he asked that lawmakers and voters put aside their differences and come together to find a solution to the critical issue of American health care.

Unfortunately, if you were watching the president’s speech it was impossible not to be keenly aware of the great divide on the floor of Congress between Democrats and Republicans on this issue. Words such as “stalemate,” “stranglehold” and “catch-22” come to mind.

But let’s put a positive spin on the situation. Are the above words “bad” words? Not really. For sprinkled over those words are words like “passion” and “conviction.” After so many years of apathy in and toward the American government, it is refreshing to see Americans and lawmakers come alive over issues. The fire in the belly of America has been rekindled. As a matter of fact, as strongly as each side feels about the issue of health care reform, it is surprising that outbursts like “You lie!” from Republican Senator Wilson are all that has happened on the floor of Congress. Actually, we need to give our lawmakers credit for so much decorum in the face of such strong differences.

This renewed enthusiasm is all fine and good. It’s even great. Unfortunately, while our lawmakers and voters are arguing over ideals, people are dying. Obama was dead-on when he said that we must come together. Whether Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal, we all know without a doubt that major changes in our health care system must occur, and they must occur posthaste.