Healthcare Redux: Ashley

I would like to take some time to address what Anya mentioned in her previous posts. I would like to amend my earlier statement that the government would be a business. This is because they wouldn’t be getting a profit from any insurance they would be selling; they would probably be using that money to pay for the people who can’t afford Healthcare. But, it just seems to me like private insurers, with some direction from the government, could go down a better path if there was incentive to do so. I suppose, to me, that’s how the government should act; they should get involved the least amount as possible. That’s just a truth for me.

I’ve already said my piece on why I don’t like the public option but it’s becoming clearer to me that I have no idea what will work. Could the public option work? Or would it throw off the delicate balance of government and the private sector and wreak havoc on private insurers and small businesses? What about the trigger option? Would it be effective? Or would it just keep things at the status quo because the insurance companies wouldn’t reform? And what about the votes? Will we ever be able to get a majority on this? Let’s take into consideration the makeup of the Senate. There are the people who wouldn’t vote for the Bill at all, even if Christ showed up to persuade them, there are people who won’t vote for it if it allows tax money to fund abortions and vice versa, there are people who won’t vote for it if it cuts Medicare, and vice versa, there are people who will always vote for it, there are people who won’t vote if it doesn’t have a public option and vice versa, and there are people who won’t vote for it if it has a trigger option, and vice versa. How can all these different people ever agree on one succinct Bill that is actually effective? Sure, they might come out with something, but it might be completely watered down, cost more than any benefits people could get from it, and god help us, it could make the healthcare system worse.

However, even though the bill isn’t turning out the way any of us thought, this is the way we are supposed to decide things: through thoughtful debate and discussion. If people can’t be persuaded on something, then maybe it’s not right for the country yet. Also, in something as important as healthcare, the majority should really consult the minority. Something as big as this should not fall on party lines, all Americans should be represented and included. Senator Mitch McConnell stated after the “victory” in the Senate for the Healthcare bill, “This debate was supposed to produce a bill that reformed health care in America. Instead, we're left with party-line votes in the middle of the night, a couple of sweetheart deals to get it over the finish line, and a public that's in outrage"(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091225/ap_on_bi_ge/us_health_care_overhaul_361).

To sum up my thoughts, I don’t know where Healthcare is headed and I don’t know what will or won’t be passed. It seems safe to say anything too controversial or “out there” will be cast aside, but who knows where we’ll be in the future. Some fundamental things I do know are: this should be debated fully and said debate should have both parties participate, the people in Congress should be listening to their constituents and making decisions based on them (after all, we’re the one’s this healthcare overhaul is for), and we should all be informed citizens and listen and read about what’s going on about this topic because we’re the future and we’re the one’s who vote. I know this brought up a lot of questions and hopefully we’ll find some more conclusive answers as we come into the New Year. I say keep-asking questions and eventually answers will materialize.