Sign of the Times

Last night, when I drove past the corner where the anti-war protesters show up every Friday night, I saw some new signs. Instead of the usual "US out of Iraq!" anti-war signs, they were now holding up "Health Care For All!" signs. Is health care reform surpassing Afghanistan and Iraq as the most important issue right now? I see this as a good thing. Maybe something will actually get done.

The Only Wrong Way to Go is Staying Put

According to some people, the only possible choices we have for healthcare reform are bad ones. And not just simply bad. Horribly, maniacally, twisted-evil, crimes against Nature bad.

So let's just keep everything the way it is and keep our eyes focused down at the ground and ignore that large boulder rolling down the mountain towards us. Sorry, I meant boulders with an "s" because it's actually an avalanche. But it's too dangerous to run to the left because there's a cliff there and there might be some bears or poison ivy to the right, so let's just stay put and maybe getting crushed won't be as bad as it looks.

This article discusses the generation gap in the healthcare reform debate".

“Obama’s plan is most popular among younger Americans and least popular among senior citizens,” CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said. “A majority of Americans over the age of 50 oppose Obama’s plan; a majority of those under 50 support it.”

This is despite the fact that the largest group of Americans with single payer government-funded health care are those with Medicare. The thought is that those with Medicare are afraid of losing any benefits that they already have. I think it is because older people are naturally risk-averse and uncomfortable with change, even when it may benefit them the most. That's why the lies, no matter how ridiculous, opposing health care reform work to scare people into staying put when they need to move.

Thoughts while packing

Tonight there was a local town hall meeting with my Congressman but I didn't go because I was packing to leave for IMP Camp tomorrow. Hopefully it was a civil affair with thoughtful discourse and respect for differing viewpoints. Not like the scuffle in St. Louis (via Daring Fireball):

Anti-health-care-reform activist, reportedly injured in a fight at a town hall meeting last week, is collecting donations to pay his medical bills because he was recently laid off and lost his health insurance.

It gets even stranger:

UPDATE: The man’s lawyer says he’s just unemployed, but has health insurance through his wife, and that he’s collecting donations to profit from the alleged attack.

Daring Fireball also points out the editorial (before it was edited) that claimed that a physically disabled genius like Stephen Hawking "wouldn't have a chance" had he lived in the UK where their nationalized system rations healthcare. Except that he has lived in the UK. His entire life. And is still alive. At age 67.

Does anyone get the sense that the anti-healthcare reform people are getting desperate? I mean, evil death panels and Nazi-style healthcare reform? Godwin's Law, anyone?

It's as if some people actually like the status quo.

Anyways, time to go to sleep and dream of a better healthcare plan for America. And then go to IMP Camp to help make it come true.

Slice of FP Life

NY Times piece about a day in the life of a family doctor, in this case, Dr. Timothy Malia.

Sounds about right to me. I've had days (and weeks) like that, too.