Is There Something in my Ear?

I feel like I need to constantly clean my ears out. I can't possibly be hearing the clearly misinformed, spurious, and, let's just say it, crazy shit that is being bandied about concerning health care reform.

The opening paragraph of the health care bill in the Senate is the following:

"To make quality, affordable health care available to all Americans, reduce costs, improve health care quality, enhance disease prevention, and strengthen the health care workforce."

What part of that sounds frightening? What part of that was ever offered by the Nazis? Maybe there is something hidden in the particulars of the bill that scares the beejesus out of these rightwing fallacy repeaters? Of course the fact that neither this bill, nor the ones in the house are the final bill. This is how legislation works, people. Didn't you sing "I'm just a bill" along with Schoolhouse Rock? There are committees, then there are votes, then there are joint committees, more votes and all along the way changes are made to the final bill. Then final vote.

Yes, express your opinion to help craft the final legislation, that's what town halls, letters to your Reps and Senators are for. But stop screaming uninformed craziness. The basic definition of Nazism includes 'racist nationalism, national expansion, and state control of the economy.' The only racists here are the ones who are using the health care debate to express displeasure at having a black President. Obama is not trying to expand our national borders. And, while there have been bailouts (started by W, not Obama) I sincerely don't consider that the state controlling the economy. If they could, or would, it might be in better shape, but that's not what is going on.

And certainly, the health care bills, any of them, look nothing like Nazi policies. No gas chambers, no one being singled out due to race, nothing like that at all. Mostly, just measure, reasoned policies that's entire goal is to provide adequate health care to all. How can you compare regulating the bloated insurance industry to guarantee people aren't excluded due to pre-existing conditions or dropped because of illness to Nazi policies? I defy any of these crazed shouters to find a true comparison in writing. Not just assertion, IN WRITING.

The screamers also have confused the concept of public option with Communism. Really? Does our government hold all property? Is our government totalitarian? Really, it isn't. It doesn't hold our property, it isn't controlled by one party or we wouldn't have to hear from you yahoos. I mean there are days, I'd be all for everyone who disagrees with the party in power (the one I like) to be silenced. But you aren't, as is evidenced by your constant shouting of nonsense.

Finally, your favorite thing to shout about (besides truly bizarre crap like death panels) is socialism. So concerned we will adopt a health care system like the extremely successful ones in Canada, United Kingdom, France and others (God forbid, we'd want the successful option) and become some socialist state. Trust me, one little public option couldn't effect this kind of change. I'd be happy as a socialist but I understand that level of change is so anathema to you detractors that it makes you hyperventilate. Don't worry, we won't change too much, too fast. Your little heads won't spin off your tiny, stupid necks.

Two anti-reform ads have been running a lot in my market. One wants you to be very frightened of Obama's plan (of which there really isn't one, just his suggestions, again, not finished, you pack of idiots) because if suddenly all 50 million uninsured have the ability to visit a doctor, they will pack the waiting rooms like so many sniffling sardines, forcing the oldsters to not get the care they need and PROBABLY DIE. CARE WILL BE RATIONED, it practically screams. Do none of you understand what insurance companies do now? They ration care. They force doctors to endlessly justify why you need that knee replacement, or new medicine before they will pay the claim. All these frightening words based on facts from City Journal. Guess what? City Journal is a rightwing scare publication, barely considered journalism, that gives written "facts" to back up what the right wants to say.

The second anti-reform ad features a breast cancer survivor who has clearly been convinced that under any reform she would have been denied life-saving drugs and treatment like in the UK. People in the UK live almost 10 years longer than those in the US. No one is denied life-saving drugs. This is twisting of statistics and outright lies.

I just still feel amazed at how unreasonable and uninformed these protesters sound. I'm proud of Barney Frank for calling out the woman who asked him why he would support Nazi policies. He's a Jew you bint. That is the most offensive thing you could ask him. He said you are like arguing with a dining table. I wish I could just dismiss all of you as furniture, but you are much louder than my furniture and frankly my furniture would probably hold liberal, reasoned opinions could they talk.