According to an article in yesterday's Michigan City News-Dispatch, the democrats have realized the tepidity of their "matter of policy" justifications for the proposed health care system, and to prevent Republicans from simply ridiculing it as more meaningless government spending, they will now be attempting to defend the program on moral grounds. Personally, of course, I love any attempt at ethical behavior, even one motivated by self-interest, but to actually reach a driveable stretch of The High Road, democrats should keep a very clear idea of at least three of the concerns of the common citizen in mind:
First, we, or a close relative or friend, have been down to the V.A. hospital, or the emergency room, or the office of the insurance agency chosen by our employer, and the people at that location denied us or our loved ones genuinely needed medical attention but granted seemingly superfluous care to those simply luckier or more able to con the system than ourselves. in light of this, we fear having to pay more than the current drain on our income to receive more of the unacceptable same.
Second, we also fear our own inability to predict the effects of a bill too long to read, memorize or interpret. The thing probably has no specific clause mandating a jail sentence for leaving one's tonsils in place of course, but able and motivated government officials just might be able to find a way to bring some sort of consequence on those refusing procedures. We unfortunately have no way of foreseeing such an outcome, though, and so we live in tension.
Oh yeah, and as a last point, we also fear crafty recipients of health care benefits exploiting this larger system as a form of welfare. Each of us knows at least one person already purposely striving to meeting the letter of the law of current program's requirements to gain some sort of government benefits, and we fear their use of this larger aid program in a similar but more expensive way. This may not be a humane viewpoint of course, but it does reflect the ugly reality before our eyes.
Answering these issues just might give health care supporters the chance to usher in a new and progressive social program into American life, and failing to do so may leave the public at the very least scratching its head. As a citizen, I ask them to try.
Just a few thoughts....
