President Obama's "Health Care Reform" speech

"President Obama’s “health care reform” address, at least to me, seemed more like a “consumer protection” speech."


Dear friends,

President Obama’s “health care reform” address, at least to me, seemed more like a “consumer protection” speech. He even used the words “market” and “business” a number of times. Therefore, it was very confusing when he called the public option a “means” to an end. After all, are we not, as consumers, means to ends (i.e., profits) for businesses like insurance companies and banks?

In other words, is having access to health care to be viewed in the same context as buying a car? Most members of the Congress as well as President Obama, apparently, believe that it is. As a matter of fact, I suggest that we “reform” the method that is currently used for purchasing automobiles, based upon Obama’s “health care reform” plan. To be sure, just as the drug companies, insurance companies, and banks will now have greater access to government dollars/profits for “health care”, the Big Three auto companies, along with Big Oil, will “make a killing”, as it were.

Why not “reform” the educational system, by making certain aspects of health care part of the curricula for our schools? For example, emergency first aid can be taught to all sixth-graders. That will save a lot of emergency room visits, by allowing more people to use out-patience services, if anything, instead of running to emergency rooms for every injury or ailment. Additionally, we need to have mandatory grade school classes about personal hygiene that, for example, teach children to expel mucus, by blowing their noses into either handkerchiefs or paper products, when they have a runny nose, as opposed to making disgusting snorting noises and swallowing the viscous matter - which often leads to, or maintains, asthma (a far too prevalent and largely un-necessary health problem for today’s North American youth).

At any rate, Brother Obama mentioned that some people are acting “irresponsibly”, regarding their lack of consideration for others having to cover the health costs of the former. Unfortunately, our president fails to see the connection between a person’s responsibility to both his or her own welfare (e.g., health and education) and the well-being of his or her community, as opposed to relying upon for-profit enterprises or governmental largesse to deliver what he or she needs. For instance, as they should for other aspects of their lives, people should be taught by parents at a very young age, to take responsibility for their own education, as well as their health. That is, education is not something that someone gives to you; rather, it is something that one gets for one’s self. Dig? Likewise, one should be in charge of his or her own health – not a doctor or other health professional. Of course, in a market-driven, possession-oriented society such as ours, that message is taboo.

One Love,
G. Djata Bumpus