Sacrifice For Country

The argument over the public healthcare option is reaching a fever pitch and coming to a head.  The health industry lobby is working overtime and pulling out all the stops to keep the public option from ever becoming an option for the public.  The industry claims that the government plan would destroy the very fabric of the space time continuum.  All would be lost for our nation if we let people purchase healthcare through a government option.  These people contend that it would be better if we simply stay the course and let people lose their homes and their lives because of the cost of healthcare and health insurance.  The fact that people are being denied claims under the pretense of preexisting conditions is nothing to worry about.  Just pay your premiums, don’t ever make a claim, and you’ll do just fine.

In his push to make change that the people can believe in President Barack Obama is putting a serious effort behind the public healthcare plan.  On the surface at least, it looks like Mr. Obama wants to provide healthcare to the people.  It just might be nothing more than a push for some kind f legacy as the first black President.  But irregardless of that, there is an effort by the executive branch to provide the public option to the people.

One of the claims about the public option that the healthcare industry makes was to convince the people that they don’t want a government official in between them and their healthcare.  But the fact that we have so many people’s claims for healthcare coverage being denied after they have religiously paid their premiums for years for the most minor of reasons by corporate personnel who are willing to do anything management demands in order to protect their bonuses, let alone their jobs, is never mentioned.  If the corporate bureaucrat wasn’t a real and immediate problem for so many people wouldn’t be clamoring for a change in the system.

The industry is fighting back and fighting back hard.  The commercials to convince the public that the public option isn’t in their best interest is being complimented with claims of horrendous tax increases, the threat of loss of healthcare options (as if we have options), and a lobbying effort to leverage as many politicians and other public figures as possible.  And all these efforts are wearing away our resolve to do something to change the system.

The conservative politicians are voting as a bloc to deny the public option.  Whatever their individual reasons may be, these politicians are moving as a single unified group without exception.  The conservative politicians know that their conservative base favor a hard stance against any social program with possibly the sole exception of an exceptionally strong military machine.  These people think that the healthcare system is fine and if some people are losing everything they worked for because of a medical condition then that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.  These are the same people that were working to convince me that Sarah Palin was the best choice to sit at the ready to replace the President in case of emergency.

But there are a number of politicians who have a bigger idea of what is at stake and yet are still unwilling to take the plunge and support the President’s effort.  These people know that there are simply too many conservative constituents in the districts that they represent to take a chance on their political career.  These politicians might recognize the fact that universal healthcare or a public option might be a good idea.  But if these politicians vote to support the President and his social program, they can kiss reelection goodbye.  So goes the cowardice of political office.

Right now America is embroiled in two wars.  These wars have demanded the ultimate sacrifice from well over four thousands American troops.  We thank these people for the sacrifice that they voluntarily make on behalf of their country and the greater good.  But the American public constantly works with politicians who refuse to lay their political careers on the line for the benefit of the American people.  It’s okay for us to sacrifice our children and our future and our fellow citizens.  But the idea of a politician sacrificing their career for the benefit of the American people is something much too strange a fruit for the American people to pick.  That should help to put things into some perspective.

We keep talking about the sacrifice our men and women in uniform make in our military services on behalf of their country.  Everyday these people are dying in service to their country.  However politicians can’t even think about sacrificing their job to help their country.  But then again, many of us fellow Americans refuse to pay an extra dime in taxes as a service to our fellow countrymen.  Way to sacrifice America.