Nov. 4 2008 was a historical day that will forever be in the history books as the barrier breaking election, but why?
At the time it looked to be the end of a heavily divided era in American politics. Most of the world was thinking good riddance to bad leadership. With a well read, well spoken, and heavily ambitious president, there would accountability in the White House. The goal will become to bring Americans together not to draw battle lines between the right and the left.
America has been in dire need of health care reform for years. According to the National Coalition on Healthcare 18 percent (46 million) of Americans under the age of 65 are without any type of health insurance. To me this seems more like a national crisis than a democratic initiative.
Protest after protest at town hall meetings across America gives the impression that the government has plans to take over every aspect of the lives of American citizens. It has become a cavalcade of shouting and drowning out any information the town hall meetings intended on clearing up. Religious fanatics are shouting the democrats judgement day will come. The crowds reciting the pledge of allegiance in attempts to drown out any information being relayed. Those of whom clearly don’t know what the word indivisible means: “one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” They scream as they turn the debate into a divisive screaming match.
Of course it’s also good to meet this weeks Joe the Plumber: William Kostrick. This man loves the country so much that he thought to bring a loaded gun to a town hall meeting with Barack Obama in Portsmith, New Hampshire. I can’t possibly understand what this man hoped to accomplish. If someone brings a gun to a debate, then that’s a pretty good indication that person doesn’t plan to listen to any arguments.
I would love to imagine the conversation between Kostrick and a sane observer.
Kostrick: “F**k Obama. He can’t control my life. No to death panels.”
Sane Observer: “Well I’m not sure you have all the facts. In fact I don’t think anyone does. Let’s listen to what the President has to say, then think about how this plan can be improved if necessary.”
Kostrick: “F**k you. You F**king commie. I’ll bust a cap in your ass!”
Sane Observer: “Oh, I see you have a gun. Never mind, I’m going run off somewhere. I can’t afford to be shot without any health care.”
President Obama and his staff are attempting to reach the people with these town hall meetings. The majority of Americans seem to agree that something has to be done to health care. After all they voted
Obama into office and this was part of his platform. Imagine that, a politician doing what he said he would do if elected–weird.
It’s as though Americans don’t want to be talked to at there own level. Perhaps we need another ‘Decider‘ in the White House. Someone who ignores popular opinion and does what god tells him to do.
Now I respect that these yahoos coming to the meetings with the sole intentions of making a disruption are the vocal minority, despite the claims that one lady said to Obama that these people were the silent majority.
I sympathise with the US president because he’s trying to do what many want there politicians to do– listen to the public. This only works if the public listens to the government. Clearly many are using these debates as a tool to make there public appear so divided over this issue that this plan cannot work in America. Public health care may work, though not without some problems, in Canada, England, Germany, Sweden, etc., but not in America.
Americans don’t want the fictitious death panels that private citizen Sarah Palin is up in arms against.
They can’t handle the idea that no matter what a citizen’s health can be taken care of. The invisible hand should take care of the motivated and punish the lazy. At least that’s what this small group of loud, uninformed, hyper conservative, easily terrified people want the public to believe. Oh, and of course the insurance companies who have enjoyed the advantages of being near unregulated essential service for decades.
Although that may be true for this small eardrum busting group. But I can think of at least 46 million individuals who couldn’t possibly disagree more.
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