Flaming Torches

It’s hard to ignore the rowdy town hall meetings lately regarding health care. There’s no doubt both Republicans and Democrats are playing politics, and have bused in their own plants, to either stir the pot or sing praises for the changes – even when neither knows exactly what the changes are. I don’t have a clue what kind of changes congress is planning, however there’s some things I’m fairly certain of: Universal care is pretty much off the table; mandated coverage seems more likely. Much like drivers are required to carry liability insurance for their vehicles, Americans may have to purchase health insurance for themselves – whether they want it or not. The only thing I can be sure of: insurance companies are going to get richer because they’re rooting for the plan. That should tell us something right there.

I don’t know if it’s more entertaining or scary watching the sideshow tactics and paranoia as the health care battle rages on. Some people are tossing out ridiculous claims anywhere from Obama being the Anti-Christ, with universal health care being his first step in his diabolical plan to take over our minds and bodies, to eventual death camps for old people, fat people and the disabled. I think most people find those claims ridiculous but there are serious questions to be asked and answered and that’s what has most people upset.

There’s something very creepy about government creating legislation about our bodies. That why abortion is legal. There are privacy issues but more than that, we all know how persuasive the mighty dollar is. When Grandma begins costing more than she’s worth, do we cut off her health care and put her out the pasture? What about babies born with severe disabilities, who will never be productive in society? If an abortion is medically necessary to save the life of the mother, will government funded programs pay for the procedure or not? What if we are found to carry a cancer gene – will we be forced to pay more? What if we’re overweight? Will we be forced to lose weight to keep our coverage? That’s why it’s so creepy and that’s why people get a little crazy about government playing a major role in our health care coverage – though Medicare and Medicaid, both government funded insurance programs, have been around for ages and there’s enough HMO horror stories to fill a library the size of Texas. None of this is necessarily new nor something we haven’t seen before.

It makes me wonder: Why are Europeans so much more accepting of government run health care while we Americans are ready to pick up flaming torches and pitchforks to thwart it off? Because we’re Americans! It’s because our Constitution is at odds with many proposed changes needed to implement a government run insurance system. We have our rights to privacy and a Bill of Rights ensuring that we can live unhealthy lifestyles – if it makes us happy. Just like we didn’t want British soldiers marching in our homes and staying the night in colonial times; we don’t much care for big brother checking our Body Mass Index to ensure we aren’t costing taxpayers too much or being a burden to society. Independence means just that. Being American carries a price. Those who are able have to fend for themselves must do so. However, if we are to be any semblance to a civilized and yes, Christian nation, we have to care for those who can’t care for themselves. Creating a health care system that can cater to both is the task before us. We just need to be a little more reasonable and quiet to do so.