As the debate over healthcare rages on, I wanted to share this write-up I did with the OFA Community. What I find especially disturbing is how everyone who opposes healthcare reform seems to essentially say that healthcare is a privilege. Congressman Grayson dramatized it so well when he spoke up for the stark choices. The question is whether all leaders will have the courage and not hide behind tired, old arguments...
Source: http://www.outsiderviews, retrieved 11/27/2009
Turkey has been on the march over the last few years. It has worked to help mediate in the Arab-Israeli Conflict, has worked to mend fences with Armenia and has also been flexing its muscles in other ways. Turkey is a fasincating country to watch because it has been able to live up to the Ataturk tradition of secularism while embracing the best of what Islam has to offer. The governing Justice and Development Party has been making its mark in a major way. I have just been reading about Turkey's work on Healthcare reform. Back in 2005, the IMF sought out changes necessary to deal with Social Security System and broaden access to quality healthcare. One of the things the Government has apparently done is to rein in the cost of drugs. Although the policy in question is going to apparently be revised, at least there is a realization that the costs will have to be brought under control to help mitigate the effect on the average population. I wonder if anyone has even studied what Turkey to achieve reform. The Turkish Model has profound implications for the United States. If Turkey is able to work on overcoming the difficulties in insuring access to all, it is a national shame that the United States cannot get its act together. It is bothersome to see the insurance cartel's lobbyists and their supporters in Congress and the media seem to buy off on the cartel's talking points. The people who have been pushing for healthcare reform should get a "A" for effort. Although Mr. Reid, Ms. Pelosi and the Adminstration have tried, I submit that trying is simply not good enough. We need to go beyond "trying". I wonder if all who raise objections in the name of free enterprise understand it. As Gordon Brown, the UK Prime Minister once said, Markets have to have morals. The question is whether what is going on in America right now is Moral or not?
When President Bush and his Republican-dominated Congressional DEFICIT SPENDERS came into office, they were left with a HEFTY budget surplus in the trillions from the Clinton Administration, and what did they do? They took that surplus and drove us into a near depression in eight years by…
Outsourcing American jobs to foreign countries
Big time tax breaks for the wealthy
Reckless borrowing from China
The Iraq Invasion
Billions to Halliburtin
Prescription Drug legislation in the billions with NO budgeted funding
Now that they no longer hold the purse strings, Republican Congressional BIG SPENDERS and their ‘roguey’, FOXY and other Right Wing radio/television puppets have SUDDENLY become fiscally sane and blame all the woes THEY CREATED on President Obama.!
Why can't the naysayers face the truth and work WITH the President to clean up the mess instead of pecking and wallowing in the chicken coop?
Spread the word!
The Republican Party is AFRAID of taking Health Care Reform through the debate process. They have taken their racist, hate-filled, bully pulpit, polarizing, “Tea Party” scare tactics to the Internet against moderate Democrat Senators who voted to move the Health Care issue to the debate process.
Is the Republican Party afraid because they have NO VALID arguments to fight quality, affordable health care for ALL Americans” on the Senate floor? Is the Republican Party afraid because they have NO LIE PROOF arguments to fight quality, affordable health care for ALL Americans on the Senate floor? Is the Republican Party afraid because they have no NON-CHICKEN LITTLE “SKY IS FALLING” arguments to fight quality, affordable health care for ALL Americans on the Senate floor? Is the Republican Party afraid because they have no GREED FREE health insurance contributions in the millions arguments to fight quality, affordable health care for ALL Americans on the Senate floor? Or is it the case that the Republican Party JUST DOESN’T CARE about quality, affordable health care rights for ALL Americans?
The SILENT MAJORITY must fight back. Show your INTERNET SUPPORT’ for moderate Democrat Senators who had the GUTS to care!
Tell them to vote “YEA” and pass the word.
In her column today, The Washington Post's Ruth Marcus did a great job of highlighting some of the misrepresentations from Republicans during the health care reform debate Saturday. Check it out at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/10/AR2009111013406.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
The SILENT MAJORITY must not be blind-sided by Republican, ‘Blue Dog’ Democrat and the Independent Senators’ hype about abortion and the public option when it comes to their pledge to STOP Health Care Reform. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE ‘BENJAMINS’!
Senate Anti-Reform representatives will receive OVER A MILLION DOLLARS in contributions from the health insurance industry. (House Anti-Reform representatives received OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS in contributions from the health insurance industry - 15% more than Pro-Health Care Reform House representatives.) Go to The Center for Responsive Politics at www.opensecrets.org/ to find out more.
The SILENT MAJORITY must let Republican, ‘Blue Dog’ Democrat and the Independent Senators know how we feel about their placing a BOUNTY on our health care rights.
You know the drill.
www.senate.gov/general/contact information/senators cfm.cfm
www.congress.org
Shortly after the House of Representatives concluded tonight's vote on health insurance reform, President Obama released the following statement:
Tonight, in an historic vote, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would finally make real the promise of quality, affordable health care for the American people.The Affordable Health Care for America Act is a piece of legislation that will provide stability and security for Americans who have insurance; quality affordable options for those who don’t; and bring down the cost of health care for families, businesses, and the government while strengthening the financial health of Medicare. And it is legislation that is fully paid for and will reduce our long-term federal deficit.Thanks to the hard work of the House, we are just two steps away from achieving health insurance reform in America. Now the United States Senate must follow suit and pass its version of the legislation. I am absolutely confident it will, and I look forward to signing comprehensive health insurance reform into law by the end of the year.
The House Health Care Reform Bill has passed. The SILENT MAJORITY’S “public option” train has left the station.
Next stop – the US SENATE at...
Republican Senatorial ‘conductors’ have pledged to DELAY our ‘arrival’ at the Universal Health Care Reform station.
Get on board. It’s going to be a bumpy ride, BUT don’t let them stop us from getting to our “public option” destination BEFORE 2010!
Members of the SILENT MAJORITY, we’re almost there! Write and call “Blue Dog” Democrats and ALL Congressional House representatives ALL DAY AND NIGHT. The public option is up for a vote in the House. Go to…www.house.gov/writer and/or www.congress.org
Yesterday the House Minority Leader quoted words from the Declaration of Independence as words from the “Constitution” at an Anti- Health Care Reform rally. Today Republican “Break Obama” Lawmakers are conducting a media blitz declaring that they WILL NOT vote for the Health Care Reform Bill and equating the public option with a loss of freedom. Since they don’t know the difference between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, it’s not surprising that they don’t know the definition of “Option” which is associated with having a choice. "Freedom" of choice is what the "public OPTION" is all about! Functional illiteracy is no excuse for throwing the wishes of 62% of Americans under the bus.
62% of Americans WANT THE PUBLIC OPTION. Don’t let the public option suffer the same fate as Virginia and New Jersey. New York and California election results proved that you can lose the battle, but not the war! The SILENT MAJORITY must act now, or suffer the consequences later!
1. Expose and challenge “BLUE DOG” DEMOCRAT Congressional Representatives who do not support the public option on ALL Internet venues, in local newspaper letters to the editor and on CONSERVATIVE and MAINSTREAM radio and television talk shows.
2. WRITE to ALL Congressional Representatives! Flood their Congressional mailboxes with letters and e mails detailing your health care woes, your family’s health care woes, and your friend’s health care woes. Send them the DOLLAR FIGURES of your health care physician and hospital balances. WRITING is proven to be the most effective way to make your point when it comes to influencing Congressional representatives. Contact Congressional representatives at…
If we blow this one, we can’t blame Obama, we can only blame ourselves!
