You Better Call Me A Doctor!

Sometimes this (voluntary) job breaks my heart. I know I'm just preaching to the choir, but I'd like to point out a few things, in the form of Republicans v. reality.

Republicans: The health care bill says ...

reality: THERE IS NO FINAL HEALTH CARE BILL!

Sorry for shouting, but there was no debate in the full Senate and what debate there was was being stifled in the Senate committees. It has yet to make it thru the House committees, and the multiple versions being offered change from committee to committee. Those have to be reconciled, then the House and Senate bills will have to be reconciled. And the way it's going the bastards who take the most money from health care corporations are going to kill it.

Republicans: Death Panels will decide whether you, your child or your parents will die.

reality: Getting medical advice when you have a terminal condition, (and life itself is a terminal condition), on how much you want to put up with when it's still your choice is a sign, the ultimate sign, of freedom and freewill.
It's only advice, the government doesn't get to make the decision. Unlike in Texas.
BTW, many Republicans, including Gov. Palin, have either authored or signed bills for this very choice.

Republicans: You'll be forced into ObamaCare!

reality: Nope. If you like your health care insurance and providers, keep 'em! If you don't or you are uninsured, the gov't plan may turn out to be an option for you. (See above, there isn't a final bill yet.)

Republicans: Obama's gonna cut Medicare!

reality: This is true, but in a way that only Republicans can spin it. Obama's plan cuts bureaucratic waste but benefits won't decrease. Let me repeat that, YOUR BENEFITS WON'T DECREASE.
That means more money can go to your health care.

Republicans: Your taxes will increase!

reality: Not unless you make over a quarter of a million dollars per year. Not that your business makes that, but that you make that personally. And even then the higher tax rate only applies to how much you make after you make 1/4 million dollars per year. Even then it's a pittance compared to what you make.
If the 'public option' is included and passes it means there is a wider insurance pool that includes younger people. Then everyone's taxes can go down.

Republicans: We already have the best health care system in the world.

reality: No, we don't. We rank 37th in the world. Our life expectancy is 24th. And we pay the 2nd highest percentage of GDP of any nation in the world for our 37th best corporate health care.

Republicans: It's socialism!

reality: I don't even know what that means when they say that. We already have gov't funded health care.
If any republicans actually believe that then they should get off our gov't funded health care, our gov't funded health care, our VA, our Medicare, our Medicaid, our CHIPS and try to find a private insurer that will accept you and do it cheaper. e.g.

Michigan insurance regulators have approved a 22 percent increase for group and individual Blue Cross Blue Shield health policies in the state
[...]
Blue Cross originally sought to raise individual rates by 56 percent and group rates by 41 percent.

Republicans: It would be unfair competition between private and public health insurance.

reality: So what? Corporations already decide what health care we deserve. Sure, an emergency room might have to treat you, in some places, but they don't have to provide medicine or aftercare or wheel chairs or crutches or dialysis. A faceless bureaucrat decides whether you 'deserve' that treatment. After paying in thousands of dollars over the years, their paycheck depends on your dying before you can collect.

Republicans: This isn't what the founders of our country envisioned.

reality: The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution say different:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

It's kind of hard to promote the general welfare, have life and pursue happiness if you're sick and can't afford health care.

Somebody get me a doctor!





Cross posted at VidiotSpeak