Transcript here.
This woman comes across as reasonably articulate and educated, but she is willfully ignorant of both the current health care reform proposals and her own life situation. I don’t fault her for not wanting to discuss her family income on national television, but to (claim to) have no idea what it is is just embarrassing. I really thought the days of “I don’t worry my pretty little head about the family finances” were over, if for no other reason than that shit happens. Death or divorce could leave her and her son in a mess of trouble if she’s really that clueless.
There’s so much that’s wrong here — she couldn’t be bothered with politics back when the US was attacked on 9/11, and she can’t be concerned with wars because there’s always one going on, but the idea that every America could have affordable health coverage is just too much for her.
I agree with her desire for communities to take care of those in need, but I expect she’d change her tune tout suite if her uninsured neighbor asked for hundreds of thousands of dollars to treat breast cancer or to care for a preemie who needed months of inpatient care. And I have to wonder if her neighbors would or could pony up to pay for her son’s upcoming second surgery if her family’s insurer decided to find a “loophole” in their coverage.
Don’t get me wrong. I have no problem with asking questions about the proposed bills (via Left in Alabama, here’s a link to a side-by-side comparison of the major proposals). But this is not informed dissent. Watch the whole thing, and then take a moment to sympathize with lawmakers who sincerely want to have educated discourse with their constituents. (Hint: that doesn’t include Jeff Sessions.)
h/t, Liss
I’m working on a post entitled Wizard’s First Rule, and yes, it’s based on the Terry Goodkind definition. I should have it up later today, but the more I see on this issue, the more it reminds me of the old caste systems and the “keep em dumb” mentality by the ruling classes. There’s a startling similarity there, particularly when you consider that the politicians railing against government run health options are the very ones using them.
Spencer Bachus is holding a health care town hall meeting Monday night, and he’s inviting people to submit questions. I’m going to ask him if he’s willing to give up his government-funded health coverage and take his chances in the private insurance market, seeing as how that’s what he wants his constituents to do. Shall I hold my breath?
Actually, here’s the line of questions I’d ask…
1. Who provides your health care coverage, Rep. Bachus? So then you could say that you’re using a government-run health care option?
2. Who PAYS for that health plan?
3. So then then, if government coverage is so bad, why aren’t you using a private plan?
4. So if it’s possible for the U.S. taxpayers to support a government plan that is of good quality (like yours), and if other countries who have such plans pay less, get better care, and live longer… Why is it that you feel you are entitled to such a plan but the rest of us don’t deserve it?
5. The poor are currently covered under government options, as are the elderly. The rich can afford whatever plan they like. Why do you feel the people who are actually part of the working class shouldn’t feel secure in knowing how a procedure should be payed for? Follow up: Do you not feel that our current system ENCOURAGES us to make LESS money so that we can qualify for government options when private insurers deny coverage?
And if he brings up any of the known misinformation…
6. Rep. Bachus, why do you feel the need to misinform the public about [insert here] when the facts have been reported to show that [insert here]? Do you not feel that opposition to this reform could be carried on its own merits? Do you feel a need to perpetuate a status of willful ignorance among your constituents?
7. Isn’t it true that we have cases of rationing and horror stories of medical malpractice and even leaving life and death decisions out of the hands of patients under our current system?
Those are just a few, of course…
Ooh! I got another one!
8. So is it your stance that the taxpayers shouldn’t be burdened with the health care costs of those who can’t afford insurance? Is it your stance that we the taxpayers should be burdened instead with the health care costs of those who CAN afford private insurance, like yourself? Isn’t that just a little messed up? And if the poor get coverage and the rich get coverage and the congress get coverage… Where does that leave the average working-class taxpayer looking for coverage?
Ooh! And another!
Recently, a few right-wing groups admitted to organizing Astroturf protests– people shouting down others at town halls– for the express purpose of shutting down any discussion on the issue of health care reform and sabotaging efforts of congressmen to explain it. It was also found that some of these groups were actually funded by insurance companies. What are your comments on this? If in fact, we are acting in the best interests of insurance companies, where does that leave the best interests of us, their customers?
Congressman, these people already have lobbyists paid to represent their issues in Washington. They don’t need we the people to do it for them. Isn’t it high time WE represented OUR interests some? If not, who is looking out for our interests?
AlMod, I think you need to be at the town hall.
I’m pretty sure they’d kick me out! lol!
Sadly, I can’t attend. My husband works late, and someone has to watch the munchkin. Course, I could just bring HER and let her run amok. That would cause some havoc, but then I’d just be guilty of doing the exact same thing that some of these folks have been doing at the town halls. At least my questions allow some discussion.
But I would absolutely LOVE to organize some pro-reform rebuttal to all this. If only every single opponent leading a town hall of glassy-eyed sound bite gobblers could have just ONE person stand up and offer to point out the obvious– their own hypocrisy. After all, how can you look out for the interests of constituents dealing with private insurers when you yourself are refusing to use them? I’d like for us all to demand that our congressional representatives opt-out of their government health care to prove their point, should they oppose it. I’m actually thinking of selling t-shirts that say, “Give up of your own government health care option before you ask us to give up ours.”
I wonder if that’s been taken…