Friday, June 16, 2017

Get Off Your Butts, Liberals

This is a mini-rant, I suppose.

I keep hearing whispers about the U.S. Senate's version of the new healthcare plan. Most of what I hear is about how secretive it is. How the Republicans have shut out the Democrats, and thus no one knows what is really in the plan.

Someone fussed about how it is being put together by a bunch of white men who don't know what women need to do to keep their hoo-has in good shape.

Or that certain races of people have genetic disorders unique to them.

That contraception can't be covered but erectile dysfunction can (but that has always been the case).

That pre-existing conditions won't be part of the process.

That old people will pay 75 percent more than young people.

Or whatever.

I hear they will hold no public hearings, that they will toss their plan out on the table and say vote or not, expecting the Republican majority to march in lock-step, arms joined as they sing "No Health Care For You" and vote for the thing.

What I do not hear is that the Democrats are doing anything. Oh, they are asking questions in committees that really don't have anything to do with health care sometimes. They wonder aloud to some higher-up senator if the public will get to know what the health care bill says.

Is there some rule that says a bunch of Democrats can't get together, take the House's piece of crap AHCA, and make up their own version of what they want, and toss it out on the floor at the same time as the Republicans throw theirs out?

Can they do nothing more than rail against a process that they themselves set up?

Can't the Democrats create their version of what we really need, which is a single payer health care plan (Medicare for all), and then take it, now, to the American people? Can't they call their constituents with their little phone bots that work overtime during elections and actually offer up real information?

And while we're at it, can't the Democrats actually be Democrats, instead of Republican lite? Because there isn't a real left in this country, you know. Not a real one. Not one that advocates for everybody. Not one that believes in the power of you and me. Mostly they just believe in the power of "I" and there isn't an "I" in TEAM. But a team requires you and me, and maybe tea, meat, mate, tame and whatever other anagrams one can make from the word. But it doesn't require an "I" and it doesn't require corporate noses stuck in the business of the public or the Republic, for that matter.

Also, please stop with the memes and photos and other stuff about how stupid President Trump looks. When you demean him, you demean the office, and thus you become part of the process that has turned the United States into nothing more than King Kong with a banana in his hand, thrashing about in search of something he will never find again. So stop it already. You don't have to do anything. The man is going to do what he is going to do, and all you are doing is antagonizing "the other side," whatever that is.

Next, find some courtesy and morality. I say this to all sides, because the discourse in this country has reached the pitch of a high screech and absolutely no one is listening because all they hear is "AHHHHHHHHH" at decibels that mean nothing to anyone at all, not even an insect with super powered hearing.

And another thing, all of you, everyone of you, go read the U.S. Constitution. The Republicans or the Tea Party some years ago made a big deal about doing that on the congressional floor - so now, Democrats, you do it. I don't care if you have some junior member read it at the dead of midnight while C-Span films it, just do it. Contemplate it, discuss it, maybe even create a pamphlet that you send out to every single voter in your district that explains how government actually works. Something that says we have executive power, congressional powers, and judicial powers - the three legs of government - and that we are not a dictatorship and neither of the three parts of government is higher than the other.

Because obviously many people in this country have no idea how government works. Since that is the case, explain it to them. Enlighten. Offer free civics courses all over the country.

Be the good you say you want to be and actually do something besides kowtow to a lobbyist.

I am looking for adults to run the country. Should I put out an ad?

1 comment:

  1. That's a pretty good post Sis. While I will admit I have not read up on anything with the AHCA (I can't find a news source I trust to tell me the truth), eliminating pre-existing conditions is a huge negative in my Republican eyes. I'm not versed on a single payer system, but I will read up on it. I worry about health care as well, so thanks for this mind stimulating read. Any suggestions on where to get some details? Email me some link is you don't mind.

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