Religious Left pushes for healthcare reform
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America’s “Religious Left” is jumping into the healthcare debate with a plan to launch a “40 Days for Health Reform” initiative starting Monday.
The move comes as conservative resistance hardens to President Barack Obama’s attempts to overhaul America’s healthcare system. This has taken the form of angry scenes at townhall meetings and has been driven in part by the ”Religious Right,” which claims on Christian radio stations and on the blogosphere that, among other things, “Obamacare” will result in taxpayer-funded abortion. That’s a point disputed by most Democrats and their allies.
The pro-faith-based healthcare reform campaign is organized by liberal leaning religious groups such as Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good and Faith in Public Life. Borrowing a page from the Religious Right, the conservative Christian movement that rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s as a key base for the Republican Party, the campaign will feature prayer rallies and a national TV ad.
It brings together evangelicals, Catholics and mainline Protestants and includes heavyweights from the Religious Left such as Jim Wallis, president of Sojourners. There are many people of faith in the United States who believe that coverage needs to be extended to the nearly 46 million Americans with no health insurance because of biblical calls to care for the poor and the sick.
In his campaign for the White House Obama had tapped into the religious community and frequently invoked his own Christian faith. It remains to be seen if the faith community can inject some energy into what some see as a faltering drive at health care reform.
One wonders if this part of Obama’s ambitious domestic agenda has a prayer without such help.
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The left is not where the majority of Americans want health care to go. The polls consistently show Americans do not want a government run (or any similar version) health care program.
The American people are speaking loudly and clearly. It really doesn’t matter what the left says, they are the minority voice on this and the other administration and congressional action to force big government control on us.
But to this administration the congress, it doesn’t matter what the majority wants, they are going to try to ram their agenda through. Americans want low taxes and less government.
I feel very strongly that the President is doing the right thing and urge everyone to support.American should really take a strong look at how the Republican Party is handling this issue have hit a all time Low.My wife is German and I lived there for 17.5 years and they had very good healthcare system that really worked great until the Berlin Wall came down at request of then President Reagan.Immigration overloaded the system simular to what the United States is facing today.Yes this can be done.Americans should remember how low the Republican Party have stumped to prevent healthcare in this country.
It is amazing that Americans are finding it hard to understand that Obama’s healthcare plan will help ordinary hardworking families in difficult times. I live in the UK where healthcare is available to all. Yes, we pay extra taxes but it is worth all the extra cash. I realised the benefits when I was unemployed. During that period I had to cancel my life, motor, mortgage premiums temporarily. To top it up I was ill, would I have received free medical care without medical insurance if I was in the US? In the UK, I did. Obama’s healthcare is synonymous to ‘peace of mind in difficult times’. Think again Americans! Support your president, you may not always be well off to afford medical insurance.
15% of GDP.
20% of GDP.
Imperfect solutions.
Government run healthcare (Medicare?, Medicaid?, VA?, Tricare?)
Don’t touch my Medicare! Don’t touch my employer sponsored plan (just lower my copays)! Insure the uninsured! Reduce the deficit! Let the private sector do it! Don’t raise my taxes!
There is no healthcare crisis!
Believe it or not, these problems will resolve themselves over time. The cost of inaction will be measured in lost lives and suffering.
I want Universal Health Care. We have a right to health care, just as we have a right to Police and Fire protection. Insurance is too expensive because the insurance companies make a profit from us.
Interestingly political parities and their likewise self-seeking
compliant and obedient followers, dependents, and fawning parasites continue lie. It has been so for all of recorded history. Be that as it will probably always be, and only speaking for myself, if higher(?) taxes will get health/medical coverage for all legal citizens of the United States of America , I am all for doing so. Though it is not the only way that I look at it, but is one good way of looking at it since I am a veteran, the U.S. Military has a very effective socialistic medical/health system that works well off of tax dollars, and does not need profiteering for the health/medical professionals to do their jobs really well. If such a system is good enough for the greatest military in the world, one that has proven time-and-time again to be so, then it is good enough for all who are legal residents of this nation called the United States of America.
Andrew the republicans are not the ones who are the thorns in this issue. You need to understand that the democrats do not need even one republican vote in the house or senate to pass this horrendous health care plan.
It is the fiscally conservative democrats, commonly referred to as “blue dogs”, who are providing the thorns in this issue. The democrat party cannot come to consensus on this. It shows that that democratic process is indeed working. In addition, when the senate appeared to make cosmetic changes in order to bring the blue dogs democrats back (only a few did so), the liberal element in the senate balked and their support waned.
The president is not doing the right thing by trying to force Americans on a health care plan they do not want. His support is falling fast, his policies are against what the American people want (they want lower taxes and less government). He does not know better what we need. All he wants to do is win and to control our lives. That part is obvious.
No government run health care system has ever worked and it not working now. It comes with long delays in treatment leading to severe quality of life issues. Rationing is a fact of life under any socialized government run system and it would be a travesty if it were to take hold here. We still have the best health care system in the world and this government wants to ruin it for the 75 percent who have good health coverage and don’t want to change.
So, please go back to Germany if you like government run health insurance. Your comments on how the system isn’t working there, is proof positive socialized medicine does not work.
The Insurance companies are milking every dollar the can from the insured with decreasing benefits. They are also rationing Medicare to their benefit.
Hey TC (12:12AM) – What do think Medicare is? The VA health care system? They are government systems that people have NEVER proposed eliminating because they don’t want a government run program. Furthermore, polls do NOT show that the majority are opposed to what Congress and Obama are proposing. Please, don’t speak for me by referencing “Americans” as though you you know how everyone in the country feels. Speak for yourself and get your facts straight. The ignorance reverberating from folks that don’t have time for complex information and meaningful consideration is deafening.
Andrew Wilcox: Please return to Germany. Not only will you have better health care, you won’t find any Republicans to bother you (except on the news).
You are totally right TC. The only taxes that we should be paying are the ones that I will have to pay along with my children so that we can be off the hook with China.
What we need to do is keep attacking middle eastern countries because the threat of terrorism is everywhere! In fact, I wouldn’t be suprised if healthcare reform weren’t some kind of huge terrorist plot to destroy our western ideals!
Come on, seriously, where has the conservative right in this country gone? You know I was a registered independent. I’ve voted on both party lines in both local and national elections, but the republican party needs something besides these same old scare tactics. People are tired of being afraid. Makes you wonder why “Hope” worked so well? No not really, because I just told you the answer.
So stop spouting out the same old fox news nonsense and create some real arguements.
Instantaniously, TC gets it wrong. Another blathering moron who supports the insurance industry over the American people. SHAME ON YOU.
First of all, no one suggested that “health care go to the “left”". NO WHERE IS THAT WRITTEN–IT IS YOUR DERANGED ASSuMPTION.
The article says that the “Religious Left” will join in to fight FOR healthcare reform, and against the battle waged by the “religious right” against it.
I say it is about damx time.
As an American citizen and military veteran who lived in Europe for 10 years I can testify that Universal Healthcare works brilliantly, and is the norm in every civilized nation on the planet. It was reported this week that the health insurance companies are spending 1.4 million dollars per day in advertising to defeat President Obama’s health care reform….they are spending a lot of money to defeat this legislation, and one can only imagine how much money they are providing to the “representatives of the people” who seem content to continue selling the American people down the river in order to feather their own pockets. Ask a Canadian if they would give up their National Health Care, or a German, or a Swede. These are not backwards nations, nor enemies of freedom. We must not allow our future to be determined by mercenary corporations who profit from the misery of the poor and the sick………ask yourself, oh people of faith, what would Jesus do?
This is all about money! The insurance companies who have a stranblehold on our economy do not intend to let go. This industry would sooner let America fail than to give up one iota of profit. The politicians who are bought and paid for will be very vocal against anyone else having the same opportunities as themselves. Someone should check into who is paying for these disrupters travel arrangements. They are not local people; they are carpetbaggers who work for the highest bidder. They intentionaly target the easily provoked, less educated person and then sit in the background. Someone should photograph these people; you will see the same faces at all these “meetings.” Those people need to be exposed.
Multiple sections of the proposed health/death bill violate several moral principles of Scriptures. The Bible does mention “caring for the poor and sick,” but not by robbing and pilfering the productive citizens via onerous taxation and massive governmental redistributions. The end does not justify the proposed means. The Religious Left are utopian socialists, charlatans, “white-washed tombs.”
Wow TC! where did you get those “facts”? I guess from your butt. Polls consistently show a sizeable majority want a public option in reform. As to being “the minority” I guess you werent around on November 4th 2008. Only wingnuts can deny reality to the point of insanity. Have fun with that! Not being one to publish “facts” without proof like you, see the links that back them up below. Of course you will deny those facts too, and yell as loud as you can: LIBERAL MEDIA!!!!!! .http://www.time.com/time/politics/artic le/0,8599,1913426,00.htmlhttp://www.cbsn ews.com/stories/2009/06/19/opinion/polls /main5098517.shtml
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/health /policy/21poll.html
Contrary to the opinion expressed by TC, the public does support a public plan.
http://www.harrisi.org/harris_poll/Harri sPollByDate2009.asp
July 30, 2009
http://www.harrisi.org/harris_poll/pubs/ Harris_Poll_2009_07_29.pdf
•?A 68% majority thought a public plan would be a valuable alternative to private insurance;
• A 63% majority thought that it would help to keep insurance costs down; and
• A 55% majority thought it would help patients to get better care.
• A 55% majority agreed it would reduce the freedom of patients to choose the doctors and treatments they want, but
• A 54% majority disagreed that it would be “too much like socialism,” and
• A 56% majority disagreed that it would drive insurance companies out of business.
Health Care Resource Index
http://www.aarp.org/community/edsilha/jo urnals/
As a physician, I can say that the present patchwork “system” fails to provide effective, efficient and ethical care to all, even those with insurance coverage. The insurance companies should be held financially responsible for their interference with complete and compassionate care, and the bad events that have occurred to those under their contracts. There is now a large disease and frustration burden in the population due to their malignant and short-sighted behavior. The whole point of insurance is to spread out risk over a population and this can be satisfied by a single-payer system.
Physicians would be in charge of managing cases and since there would be no way to hide or “dump” high risk cases and bad outcomes, the system would have to become more effective and ethical. No one would be denied care for any reason. The present system does not allow for timely and effective oversight. Physicians, hospitals, insurance companies and the for-profit motive in general, do not serve individual patients or the population at large. Systemic problems such as psychopathic providers, healthcare fraud, emotional and physical abuse, and failed safety cultures are allowed to persist now. In the present system, even those with insurance are subjected to risk. Malpractice reform will need to include health courts to better assess and mitigate bad outcomes, and to increase reporting which at present occurs only in limited cases, often with retaliation to the patient.
Enact a single-payer, “Americare” system now for all those in Medicaid, Medicare, VA and other government programs. Proceed with a gradual, planned obsolescence of the insurance contracts with the goal of a single-payer system that truly serves everyone.
This is why people who “Use the Bible” should not be allowed in Politics.
“because of biblical calls to care for the poor and the sick”
What of the biblical calls for slavery, even sex slaves, in Deuteronomy?
Or reasons and laws calling for Killing anyone who dares to question a “priest”?
The problem with the “Bible” is people pick and chose the parts in it that help them get what they want, using God and the bible for their wishes, Cherry picking passages so to speak. Fundamentalist Islams do the same thing, Cults do the same thing, pick passages out of a book to used and exploit God and his love.
Statements like “The polls consistently show Americans do not want a government run (or any similar version) health care program,” would carry more weight if it weren’t also true that many of the people expressing this perspective love Medicare and are completely ignorant of the fact that it is a government-run program. After 30 years of anti-government propaganda and efforts to privatize EVERYTHING, from K-12 education to Social Security (based on the misguided assumption that the private sector is trustworthy and does everything better) it’s no wonder so many people are confused.
The NeoCons and right wing propagandists have been following Joseph Goebbels’ advice, with great effectiveness, for over 30 years—and getting away with implementation of policies that have nearly devastated this nation. (Goebbels was Germany’s Reich Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda from 1933-1945, for those who are unfamiliar with the name.)
Goebbels said, “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie.” (Keep in mind that Geobbels’ “State” had nothing to do with government of the people, by the people, for the people, but was a Fascist state in which the people served the combined power of autocratic leadership working closely with a business/military-industrial complex.)
I suppose we can see the current economic debacle as part of the breaking of Goebbels’ shield. AIG, Worldcom, Merrill Lynch, etc., were the inevitable result of implementing the belief that government can’t be trusted, that we can rely on the private sector and “market forces” to make everything work for everyone, and other bizarre ideas that run counter to common sense and most people’s experience. And the increasing number of uninsured and underinsured, the steep rise in insurance rates, the decline in American’s overall health, etc., are all common sense indicators that our for-profit, private insurance model does not serve us and, therefore, must be changed.
In a nation where government is designed to be “of the people, by the people, for the people,” we each have the responsibility to question the ideas being presented to us by leaders, experts, the media, and each other; to test them against our real life experience; and to challenge those that do not ring true. Extremists of all kinds may forget how to engage in this kind of public discourse, but I believe most of us will continue to talk with each other, and find our way through all these lies—no matter how much money is put into the propaganda effort to promote them. The shield against the consequences of a healthcare system that primarily serves industry executives is breaking. Through questioning and discussion, we will find our way to a answers to our shared problems that “establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence,(and) promote the general Welfare…”
What do we need to be strong country? Shoutting like third world country politician. A true Citzen dont make noise around .
My brother is a cardiologist who has worked both for a public hospital and is now employed at a VA hospital, and I have spoken at length with him on the differences between the two. Hands down the VA system is the gold standard.
At the VA, if a patient needs a pacemaker, it is simply scheduled for him/her and done. In a public hospital, he has to “justify” to the insurance company that the patient is in need of such treatment.
So, for those of you under the delusion that currently doctors are in control of your treatment, think again. It is hands down without a doubt the insurance industry that is rationing out medicine based on its goals (of for profit).
Look at the Rasmussen polls and you will clearly see the majority of Americans do not want this “government” health care plan. It is a fiasco and the majority of Americans do not want it.
I have a lot of family who are part of the Canadian system. They don’t like it and warn us against it. They wait in line and are told at the government will not cover certain procedures (rationing), especially when they reach a certain age. Often it is in the 50′s. So don’t fool yourself, the socialized health systems are not so great. If you think they are, then move there and see for yourself.
I have an Aunt who needs surgery. She was told by the doctor, once she got a long awaited appointment, that it would be a 4 year wait for the free surgery. In the meantime, she will suffer with pain. So, she is likely going to come to the United States to get treatment. This is the rule and not the exception. If we get a system like Canada, people from other countries won’t have anywhere else to go. Anyone who thinks they will get quality care for their ailments is going to be rudely awakened if you ever need a procedures to eliminate pain. Your quality of life will suffer. I hope you are happy…I know I won’t be.
Anyway, I speak from experience from those who have socialized medicine in their lives. But I know you paid progressives are only now coming out of the woodwork and making it seem you are speaking for the majority, when in fact, you are speaking for the minority. This is what Obama meant when he said he was going to respond. It won’t work.
hi TC you are going to get attacked so be prepared,the enlightened one has decreed that his follows attack any one that shows decent.i lived in england most of my life.In england EVERY ONE PAYS,every one has a percentage taken out their wages.it is like a child support garnish,the rich don,t pay it all.The system is not run with government interference. The rich have private health care because they what a better quality of service,But they see the same doctors and are treated in the same hospitals but are given preferential treatment,meaning they don,t have to wait for treatment and are given private rooms etc,it is like the VIP queue at disney land.There are decisions as to who gets treatment and one consideration is age.the cost to run this system is a tremendous financial burden on the country, unlike how the democrats are trying to confuse americans, that our system would be self financing.
Religious political bantering has bee going on for centuries within the United States. The Civil War slavery and anti-slavery movements used religious dogmas to advance their cases. Fortunately, our Constitution does n not encourage religious-political debates. It’s amazing how narrow minded people (Democrats and Republicans) use religious dogma to advance their political agendas. The fact of the matter is that our political system has been so corrupted by lobbyist and big business that it is no wonder that frustrated people turn to religion to try to solve the problem. However, corporate entities are more than likely agents of evil which makes for an interesting paradox.
Religous left? This is the first time I have ever heard the term, or there was any such thing as a religous left. We always hear of the Religous right in this country, and they always get front page headlines and direct quotes on all sorts of political issues; although the Religous left is mentioned not a single quote is made of the leaders in the article. The new industry is supposed to be balanced and unbiased in its coverage of the news.
Health care is a HUMAN RIGHT.
Well I certainly don’t agree with the war OR spending the money to jail marijuana offenders but it still comes out of my tax money. So Pro-Pregnancy-as-punishment-for-having-s ex, butt out and YOU guys deal with something YOU don’t like for once. So what if abortion was funded by the government? What business is it of yours anyways? Are you god? Who are you to judge? Isn’t that a sin??? Worry about your OWN life and keep your nose out of others.
I don’t care either way. I think health care reform is a good idea. The U.S. does have a lot of money it is just in the wrong hands. But on the other side the U.S. is becoming overpopulated so more people without care will equal less people. A plus. Also, with the rise of health care cost, more people will be struggling financially, especially those with families. That in turn would give people like me, single and child free, more leverage economically. So, go ahead and fight it.
the whole health care reform doc is about taking away more…..(yes more again)…
of our liberties, our rights and freedom
…..there are so many “compulsory”…items contained in it…..
who guards what is good for us if it is not ourselves in the end
there is not much that comes out of Washington now days that is not one more restraint on our freedom…..this health care bill is one more tightening of the government on us……
I’m not surprised that the health insurance lobby has spent hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of dollars on ginning up astroturf resistance to health insurance reform. I’m not surprised that the Republican party is making up lie after lie about health insurance reform. I’m not even surprised at how many people have been taken in by all the outrageous stories told by those mentioned above. I am, however, pleasantly surprised that Reuters actually paid a little attention to Jim Wallis and others of the religious left; I’d like to read more about this. How about actually giving some of these folks an interview?
the american interpretation of the canadian system suggests to me a misunderstanding. my wife has had a very unhealthy life – has had to do some waiting but never to the extent that you hear, especially from some of the discussions of Obamas plan. You have a good President. HELP HIM.
It is incredible how the health insurance industry has
distorted the healthcare debate. All of Europe, Canada and
the UK have had public healthcare for decades. But capitalist greed do not really care about people, it is all
about money, profit.
How many thousands of Americans go abroad to get a medical
operation??? so humiliating!
I strongly believe that no matter how health care system is
reformed in this country, there will always be a big group of bureaucrats who will take advantage of this for financial reasons. The president may have good intentions but even the current health care system cannot sustain itself under all the expenditures. But I really am baffled by all the lobbying ( in millions) from insurance and pharmaceutical companies. It is greed that unfortunately makes our current health care system so complicated.
People from Canada, we appreciate your concerns but please stay in your own business. There is a reason why we are the most powerful, respected country in the world and you are..Canada…you get my jist.
Regards
First of all, just reminding everyone to act like people. The debate is getting a little bit, um, heated. Arguing doesn’t change anything.
Now, I don’t want to make generalizations, and I respect that republicans are taking a stand against what they see as dangerous, but the arguments against it “There’s going to be forced euthanasia.” “Medicare cuts.” “People will die in masses.” tend to be fear-mongering tactics, not debate points. When thought about rationally, this should work out well for people. But even if this is terrible, the rioting tactics used by the extreme right (the ones that are booing town hall meetings so that no one can hear anything that the people are saying) are ineffective.
Of course, think what you like. Majority will rule.
Re: TC, all I can say is that is pure lies…. no one waits 4 years for anything….Socialized healthcare does have some drawbacks, but it is about the greater good….equality for all citizens, whether they can pay or not…preventative care, follow-up…emergency care at ANY hospital by the physician of CHOICE.
American healthcare companies are bashing Canadian healthcare because they won’t make money off of it.
Come on guy, healthcare is a right, not a COMMODITY.
Richard Brown, Most powerful? definately. Most Respected? Highly unlikely.
The United states spends the most money on healthcare out of all the G8 nations, however you have the lowest life expectancy and the least access to care….
Go figure
To Richard Brown- America: Powerful? possibly, but China seems more so – that is debatable. Respected? not a chance. I speak for most Australians when I say I would have more respect for a Canadian any day.
The Australian healthcare system (Medicare)generally trumps both the Canadian and the American system.
could TC clarify this :
“No government run health care system has ever worked and it not working now. It comes with long delays in treatment leading to severe quality of life issues. Rationing is a fact of life under any socialized government run system and it would be a travesty if it were to take hold here. We still have the best health care system in the world and this government wants to ruin it for the 75 percent who have good health coverage and don’t want to change ”
So 25 percent who have good health coverage do want a change and would be happy to use substandard health coverage,is that your point?
Substandard? No, I don’t have superb health care. I have earned it and want to keep it. For those who think the military Tricare and VA hospitals are so great, then join the military and earn your way to health care rather than off the backs of the hard working people of this country who earn their way to good benefits.
The 4 YEAR wait for a procedure in Canada is a fact. The only lies and misinformation are coming from the liberal left. I have been debating this issue on here for months and only now, after Obama gave his marching orders to ACORN and their ilk, is the debate on here becoming heated with lies and distortions from you paid goons. It is truly scary what this government is doing to the United States.
It only goes to show the progressive left is desperate to break down democracy and pass their socialist agenda on the majority of people who do not want anything they have to offer. If this weren’t true, then this current onslaught wouldn’t be happening. I have been on here for awhile and the last time it happened was in the last months of the 2008 election. The left was vicsious and when the election was over, they (you) all went away. But now you are back.
We live in scary times and if this health care fiasco becomes a part of our lives, the we are doomed as a nation and will live in servitude. Hope you are happy. I won’t be.
Steve K’s point is well taken. My son is a specialist ing private practice for 10 years. He is appalled by insurance control of medical care (“lucrative machine”) & control of legislative process dooming true reform.
People disrupting townhall meetings are STOOGES whipped into a frenzy by the TV/Radio talk shows who are paid handsomely by corporations with a vested interest in the outcome. The organizers are also handsomely paid by organizations funded by the foundations of those same corporations & their executives.
It would be funny if it were not so sad.
Attn Richard Brown!!!
I am a dual citizen of the US and CANADA.
DO NOT tell me to mind my own business.
Healthcare IS my business. HEALTH CARE affects me.
As someone who has personally experienced both the existing health care system in the US and in Canada and READ the entire HC Bill – I WILL offer up my opinion, thoughts, insights. And every other Canadian can feel free to do the same FULL STOP.
As for your BS about America being the most respected country in the world… what friggin bizarro world do you live in?
When I travel around the world including the Middle East, Europe,Africa, the UK and I mention I m Canadian, I am treated with tremendous respect. When I mention I m American .. I have been insulted & berated, treated with contempt.
Richard Brown’s arrogance has proven WHY the reaction to Americans is so negative and vitriolic.
It is interesting to see Canadians so interested in the US health care debate and our religious/political system. Regardless of progressive liberals who want to rewrite history, American was indeed founded by Puritans escaping the UK to be able to worship as they wanted w/o government dictates….so the simple fact is that separation of church is state is SOLELY designed to keep government from establishing a religion, which certainly leave people of religion fully within their right and obligation to become involved in politics.
As for heath care, we have fully funded health care for all American today and there is no need for reform. Hospitals are require by federal law to treat indigents, and there is Medicare for the elderly. People do NOT have the right to equality of care, if I have insurance because I am a contributing member of society I SHOULD have access to better care and more options. A noncontributing member of society, (i.e. a lazy good for nothing hack) should NOT have the same access to services period, be it the same type car I drive, the house I live in OR the health care I receive. Equality in health care is not more a ‘right’ than equality in automobile ownership.
I have to take issue with the statements that ‘most Americans’ are opposed to this idea. Overwhelmingly, polls have shown that most people want Health Care Reform. Most people also don’t understand the plan that’s going though congress now, and that is to a certain extent inevitable with a bill this complex and with so many things still undecided.
There is so much misinformation floating around about this. How do people read the idea of a public insurance option open to everyone and infer that there will be bureaucrats in charge of deciding who is a productive enough member of society to survive? How do people read that the new plan will insure people with pre-existing conditions and infer that the new plan will not provide care for the sick or the elderly? They jump to these conclusions the same way they come to pass judgement on health care in Germany, Canada, the UK, and other places they’ve never been to a doctor in. They lie, then others hear these lies, and they spread the lies.
But back to the issue at hand with this article, I think it’s great that there are religious people on the left standing up to the wack-jobs on the right that constantly want to drag the entire Christian faith down with them. I’m not religious myself, but I know plenty of people who are, and they cover as wide of a spectrum of political ideologies as non-believers. For years now the religious right has been skewing that diversity amongst people of faith in terms of public perspective by being so vocal, and the perception has been that the church and the republican party are inherently similar entities. This is not at all the case. I’m glad to hear there are people taking a stand on this issue to bring the public opinion back to the freedom of religion this country was founded on: that we should choose our faith and our opinions on government separately.
I have been involved directly or as a volunteer advocate for family and friends dealing with health care issues for the last 15 years. I have experienced many different health care provider – insurance combinations. These have included group insurance (all private), group insurance (public-private partnership), private payer insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, and no insurance. By far the most bureaucratic and the most controlling in terms of dictating and restricting care has been with the completely private group insurance companies. Additionally I can confirm that the error rate in billing and insurance coverage is unusually high with the private sector insurance plans. My most recent experience has had an error rate of 90%.
There was an article recently in the New York Times that resonates with my experiences. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/08/health /08patient.html?scp=1&sq=health%20care% 20advocates&st=cse
The article describes a “new” profession one that wades through the current health care morass. Unfortunately most people who could use this type of help can not afford these services. Health care reform is needed not only for those who can not afford insurance but also those who do not have or can not afford a “medical billing advocate”. Our current system is a competitive system, unfortunately the system not only competes between companies but also with the severely sick or injured. Those who are seriously sick/injured or poor are easy to compete against and often lose unless a strong advocate volunteers or is employed. We need Health Care Reform now and not another 15 years in the future.
All of you anti-socialist right wingers, I would hope you realize that the Highway system in America is a government ran socialistic system that has worked well for over 50 years. Or do you drive your pickups only down toll roads. Yes our socialistic highway system isn’t perfect, has some potholes and sometimes get neglected. But it is also constantly being improved and maintained. Anyone with a tank of gas, tags and a license is free to use it. Sometimes traffic is bad but with a little patience you will get where you want to go. Same with national health care. It may not be perfect, but what is on this planet. You right wingers need to quit acting like hysterical uneducated fools and turn off Fox news.
Thanks to Juliana Leblanc, Steve K, SM (physician), and others who post thoughtful, reasoned, and informative comments. Such comments in news forums are providing insight into millions of citizens that are not attending public meetings only to be shouted down.
Actually, TC seems very unhappy. Too much time with Rush, Glenn, Lou & Bill O. will do that to most people.
Actually, Richard Brown displays more ignorance than arrogance. Too much time in the bubble of talk shows.
“am a dual citizen of the US and CANADA. DO NOT tell me to mind my own business. Healthcare IS my business. HEALTH CARE affects me.”
Health care affects everybody. That doesn’t mean that it’s the government’s responsibility to give you everything you want.
“I mention I m Canadian, I am treated with tremendous respect”
It’s easy for a country of 33 million people, enormous natural resources, and a strong democratic neighbor to its south to keep out of other people’s business. But the US doesn’t have that choice; it was dragged into world affairs in the 20th century by the utter failure of Europeans to get their own house in order and has been trapped in that role ever since.
I think the Canadian model of health care is wrong and I don’t want it in the US. The US should have a public/private model (similar to Germany). That is: everybody is required to have very basic health care coverage, but everybody also has the choice of buying additional coverage if they like. Basic health care coverage should generally only cover preventive care, generic drugs, and the most basic surgery. Anything else, people should have a choice whether they want it and whether they want to pay for it.
“Socialized healthcare does have some drawbacks, but it is about the greater good….equality for all citizens, whether they can pay or not…preventative care, follow-up…emergency care at ANY hospital by the physician of CHOICE.”
What greater good would that be? Why should there be “equality” in medical treatments when we don’t have equality in anything else?
Your health depends much more on how you live, what you eat, how you work, etc., than on any expensive medical interventions. Are you going to demand “equality” for every aspect of life that might affect health?
And why should I be required to pay for your expensive choices in health care if I don’t even want those choices myself?