It Is Not About Health Care, Stupid

As the right-wing attacks on health care reform drone on, it is becoming obvious that is not the real issue.

Heath care is simply the mechanism the far right leadership is using to mobilize a frustrated and angry constituency that refuse to accept the results of the 2008 presidential election, and the fact that Sarah Palin will never hold an elected office outside of Alaska.

Coddled by Ronald Reagan, humored by the first George Bush, and courted by the second, the social conservatives find that when they destroyed the Republican Party over the past six years, they lost.

As the New York Times reported on the town hall meeting in Pennsylvania held by Senator Arlen Specter, Senator Goes Face to Face With Dissent

They got up before dawn in large numbers with angry signs and American flag T-shirts, and many were seething with frustration at issues that went far beyond overhauling health care...This isn’t just about health care,” said Carolyn Doric of Harrisburg, “it’s about political power and a means to regain political power.”

This makes life difficult for Democrats, but it makes life miserable for the moderates within the Republican Party.

The right wing, the social conservatives, have no more regard for the well-being of the economy than many of my friends on the left who believe that if something is good for the business community, it must be bad for everyone else.

The concept of a stimulus package to save the economy was not a Democratic plan but a Republican plan introduced by the economic advisers to President George W. Bush and supported by most Republican members of Congress. Just ask Paul Ryan.

Bailouts, whether they be for the financial services industry or the automobile industry, are difficult to stomach.

I have no love for banks that charge outrageous interest rates and fee after fee for virtually every service that costs them fifty cents or less. In many ways the American automobile industry got what it had coming. Going back to the 1970's it failed to respond to foreign competition and refused to market rational vehicles.

Supporting a bailout for industries lead by  morons and thieves is not easy. It was a matter of balancing values - saving industries run by thugs or letting the economy worsen.

Do we sit and do nothing and allow the economy to further unravel sending the U.S. and probably the world into a depression worse than the 1930's, or do we adopt a rational plan that will correct the problem, which in many instances is also 'rewarding' some of the worst of the villains?

The Obama Administration will survive this chaos and go on to lead a strong America. In the meantime the Republican Party will continue to self-destruct as the moderates lack the muscle and the numbers and the extreme right is more concerned about their indignation than contributing to the discussion.

Notice that the Neocons are absent from the discussion.

Comments

[Michael J. Cheaney]

Saving industries run by thugs or letting the economy worsen....

The problem here though Paul is that unless you run the thugs out AND THEN save the industries by throwing money at them you are only throwing taxpayer money at the problem and doing nothing to solve the problem.

Then it just becomes an industry run by thugs with help from the Federal Government.

And that is something of a view that ALL Politicians fail to see.

[Democurmudgeon]

On this same subject, I have a clip of comments from town hall protesters that support the claim this isn't really about health care. It's even more extreme than the Republican Party's position on small government. It's a move toward libertarianism.

http://democurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2009/08/town-hall-psychos-using-health-care-as.html

[Brad Clark]

One of your better posts, Paul. Now about those Cubs...

[antpoppa]

Munchausen Syndrome

First, Paul, as I viewed the gatherings of tea-baggers and old ladies I was imagining a convention of serial bully ‘s but a larger percentage of the group seemed to be women. This opens the possibility of my favorite Syndrome, yes, The Munchausen Syndrome.

Munchausen Syndrome is an attention-seeking personality disorder which is more common than statistics suggest. Munchausen Syndrome, named after a German soldier renowned for exaggerated tales, is a predominantly female disorder in which an emotionally immature person with narcissistic tendencies, low self-esteem and a fragile ego has an overwhelming need to draw attention to themselves and to be the center of attention.
Fortunately, Munchausen requires an ancillary in support of the main role of the ‘victim’. This ancillary is the Republican Party. With these Munchausen’s in charge the R.P. shall be beaten, starved, pushed down stairs and poisoned. The Munchausen’s hope to be praised for how well they have tried to put the R.P. (and the country) back to health. Not infrequently, the ancillary dies.

Deo Volente

[Teabagger]

Keep your Negro government hands off my Medicare!

[froggyprager]

I agree that there is a lot of anger (and racism) that is built up and this rage is about more than health care. Yesterday's Talk of the Nation made it sound like there is a lot of anger about the Auto and Wall Street bailout and the Recovery Act.

The media is giving too much attention to a few loony angry people. I think that the congressmen should have stricter rules and some security at these events to keep out the people intent on disturbing the sessions.

While I am upset to see them getting all the attention and some of the most angry are very unreasonable and will never be happy, there are many on the right who have legitimate questions and concerns about the health care reform and if the left says that all the opposition are crazy libertarian liars, that will further divide us on this issue.

[nonheroicvet]

"Going back to the 1970's it failed to respond to foreigh competition and refused to market rational vehicles."

Both Ford and GM have marketed wonderful vehicles -- in Europe. Vehicles that I couldn't buy for love or money.

[John Guequierre, Merrimac]

I fear your assessment is accurate. As someone who once referred to himself as a conservative Republican, I'm now forced to consider myself "moderate." I may even try out "Progressive Republican." It's always been Lincoln's devotion to government sponsorship of a level playing field that motivated my loyalty.

[Chuck]

Political positioning in a two party system is really painful for people like myself who don't much care for identifying with particular teams. I vote for the guy who seems most likely to do a good job, regardless of what letter, color or team he's on. I can't be a Democrat, I like limited government. I can't be a Republican either, same reason. I can't be a big-L Libertarian because those people are just nuts. What's the party for people who want to help the sick but make a living developing health care, help the poor but want Section 8 closed down because it does way more harm than good, dislike drug abuse and the war on drugs about equally, and want the government out of the bedroom and the boardroom unless they're making arrests? I don't think there is one.