Health Care - Questions For All Our Representatives

I believe I speak for the majority of people that none of our representatives should have voted (for or against) the health care bill unless that representative can inform us of the specific sections of the bill (by paragraph and section) that everyone knows is important to us. Each and every representative should explain how this will be paid for considering financial issues with other federal programs (Social Security, US Postal Service, Medicare,etc).

Additionally, all representatives should hold Town Hall Meetings during the session break to show that this was about doing it right. This process should not have been about forcing a bill through before it can be properly discussed with the people that not only elected these representatives, but who are most affected by the impacts that will come with the health care bill.

We need this bill explained and then and only then will it be decided by all of the people of this country that this was the best that could have been done.

Healthcare - What To Do If We Want It Done Right!

With all the press about the far left, the far right, moral imperatives and whether we can afford it or we can't afford not to "reform" it, I hope that the vast majority of people can be reasonable on the health care issue. What I believe most people will agree on includes:

1. Health care costs are out of control.
2. Providing health care to all is a reasonable moral goal.
3. Cost does matter.
4. Our representatives are responsible for understanding a bill that they will vote on.
5. We are all entitled to our opinion.

Although I will expand on each of the above issues separately in future blogs, let's see where the questions will lead us and ultimately what the answers should be. The two basic questions that will clarify a direction for the majority of the "reasonable" people in the country are:

1. Can we implement a health care bill no matter what the cost will be.
2. Do we allow politics, fear or blind faith to replace rational, objective sound judgment in crafting a historic congressional bill.

Let me briefly explain why I have focused only on people who belong to the "reasonable" segment of society.

• The word reasonable means sensible, rational and realistic. Hopefully this applies to the average person, which also constitutes the majority of the people in our country.
• Our laws and culture have always used the mindset of the "average" or "reasonable" person in determining what is right or wrong.
• Both the extreme right and the extreme left wings find all sorts of justification to support their views, no matter how many "reasonable" people may object or be hurt by those views.

So how to we put this all together so we can move forward on the decision making process. Well, let's say you go to a doctor complaining about pain in both your knees. After a short physical examine the doctor says he believes you have extensive damage in both knees and he wants to admit you right away and replace both your knees. You say "wait a minute, aren't there some tests that you can do before I have both my knees replaced?" The doctor says "who's the doctor here! If I say you need to replace your knees, you need to replace your knees. How dare you question my judgment!"

I am sure that you would be finding another doctor. You would have some tests done, have the doctor show you the test results, fully explain your knee problem and the "choices" you can make. Why would we not do the same for an event that will have a major impact not only on your health, but on the health 0f everyone in the United States. So where does that take us to - what can we do. Start by using the KISS method (that's right - KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID). Ask yourself who are the people that are responsible to review all the information, create reasonable solutions to resolve the problems and EXPLAIN THESE SOLUTIONS AND THE CHOICES WE CAN MAKE! You guessed right - our Congressional Representatives are our legislative "doctors".

I know that some of you want to give up already, but we can't because we have too many people that are counting on the majority of citizens that are reasonable and will ask the right questions. Here is what we can do. Demand of all our representatives/leaders to respond to the following:

1. Have you read the entire bill so that you can provide us with an thorough understanding on what the bill will do and how it will do it.
2. Provide us with a summary explaining what sections of the bill do what (if a cop can reference the sections of the traffic law that apply to a ticket that they write, our representatives should be able to cite the sections of the bill that will have tremendous impacts on our lives.)
3. Explain the "year to year cost impacts" that the bill will have (you wouldn't let anyone buy a house because they saved their money for years and then would predictable run out of money based on their annual income - why would we let anyone run a country like that!)
4. Represent that there are no provisions or lack of provisions that will allow a future interpretation to change the regulations and thereby changing the original intent of the bill.
5. Demand that this information be put into writing so that it is part of the representatives formal record.

If you write, call and email as many of the country's representatives demanding this information we will find out who the "good doctors" are.

Republican Message Problem- Avoid the Car Alarm Syndrome

As we listen to the debate on health care, cap & trade and other issues, I hope that the Republican message can avoid the "car alarm syndrome."

For those of you that don't remember when car alarms were becoming popular, when a car alarm sounded this sound was not common and you could not help but to check what was going on with that car. Unfortunately, now when a car alarm goes off we often do not even look. We assume that someone brushed up against the car, a loud sound set it off or the owner pushed the wrong button on the remote key. The reason for the alarm (theft protection) was lost in the consistent repetition of alarms going off on a daily basis.

To have a proper debate we need to evaluate both sides of the debate. The information from the Democratic side comes from many different sources (The White House, Congressional Bill sponsors, analysts, etc.). Republicans need to respond in a way that doesn't come across in the same way each time. Americans need to choose and must be careful not to ignore important information that seems at times to be very repetitive.

Republicans - provide information in a way that will not be drowned out by the same "alarms" every day.

The Reality of Our Opinions

It seems many interested parties these days are taking advantage of the lack of communication that exists between us as a governing group of citizens. We are of course entitled to our own opinions, but it seems that we do not focus on the difference between a opinion and an informed opinion.

Lets not put down each other for having an opinion, but ask ourselves if that opinion is a fully informed one or simply an opinion based on a immediate reaction to an issue. Our leaders are expected to be "informed" and we should be more demanding of those that "share" their opinions with us in an effort to secure our support or vote.

What do you think?