Health-care debate needs an injection of common sense
Washington’s political system seems to have no middle ground, no ability to compromise. Issue after issue is Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative. Moderates in either party are far and few between. Elected officials seem to see every issue as black or white, in absolutes with votes cast on an all or nothing mentality. Oklahoma’s Dan Boren, like his father, is often the exception to this rule and Sen. Tom Coburn challenges the Republican right with his common sense and realistic views on wasteful government spending.
Health care is the latest topic that both sides see as a problem but not one with a solution. The arguments rest with the fact about 50 million Americans don’t have health insurance. The Republicans, blue dog Democrats and moderates on both sides argue not everyone without health insurance needs it. The left wing Democrats argue that most who don’t have insurance absolutely need it.
Somewhere around 75 percent of American’s have health insurance and like it. Given that, common sense should tell us health care is not the biggest problem facing the nation at this moment. Housing, unemployment, banking, the deficit would all seem to be more immediate matters of concern. However, far left Democrats insist the government should get in the health insurance business, left, right and center Republicans believe the private sector is a better solution.
Years ago when Congress decided to fight poverty and hunger they created the food stamp program. We give the poor food stamps and let them shop at any grocery store but the government didn’t get into the grocery store business.
Common sense should tell us there might be a similar solution for health care. Provide the uninsured who really need insurance vouchers to buy any health insurance they want from the same insurance companies that 75 percent of us who have insurance like. Common sense — the government doesn’t need to compete and rarely has done so in a more efficient manner than the private sector.
The latest no compromise issue is “death panels.” To hear the Republicans screaming about this, there will be a group of government employees sitting around a table saying let her die, let him live. Voters know it’s worse than that. All too many of us have had to make the decision ourselves with elderly parents or grandparents who are at the end of life and someone has to make the final decision to disconnect the life support. End of life health-care accounts for about 30 percent of the cost of insurance. Like it or not, resources are limited and families and doctors make end-of-life decisions everyday not because of the cost but because they come to the realistic understanding it is best for their loved one. That may seem cold and uncaring but it’s real. I would guess most of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation would support families deciding the fate of their loved ones.
Then there’s the issue of abortion. Most voters have feelings one way or another on abortion but more importantly poll after poll shows no matter what they believe, most don’t want the government involved. Common sense tells them they don’t need the government telling them what they can or cannot, should or should not do. People are more comfortable discussing this issue with their priests or ministers, family, doctors, God, rather than with some politician.
Fighting for the life of the unborn is a noble cause but a poor unwed pregnant woman with no job or health insurance has to face the realities of paying for food, clothing, shelter, education of her children. The battle between pro life and pro choice politicos ignores the who will pay for the child, where will the child live, will the child be adopted, live in a foster home, have any real prospect of a decent life if or when they are born. These are the real issues facing pregnant women. To his credit Sen. “Dr. Coburn” provides free health care in his district so he at least deserves to be heard since he’s helping to pay for some of the solutions he proposes.
Oklahoma has had some brilliant leaders in Washington. Think Carl Albert, David Boren, the late Henry Bellmon, men who were respected leaders able to compromise to accomplish something. As we head into the next election cycle we should remember that candidates who spout off absolutes don’t really deserve much attention because life isn’t that simple. George H.W. Bush vowed “no new taxes” and has never been forgiven for supporting a tax increase. Would-be leaders labeling health care opponents as Nazi’s lessens the real meaning and tragedy of Hitler killing 6 million Jews. It’s not exactly the same as government health care!
Talk radio and cable TV hate mongering are destroying our political system. Too many conversations revolve around Republican or Democrat, left or right, conservative or liberal, rather than about America. Our nation was built by people from all walks of life working together for the greater good not the perfect. Common sense and compromise accomplish more than all or nothing.
