Great illustration of the absurdity of opposition to national healthcare.

[Pacifist Patriot]

A friend of mine wrote to our mutual Rep. Pinhead regarding HR 676. The response he received was predictably opposed to the measure. After all, it would provide healthcare to human beings who have actually drawn their first breath of air. So my brilliant friend took the response and replaced the concept of public medicine with public education. First his explanation than his rewrite. Perhaps it will help someone who is having a discussion about this with the many who truly do not understand.


Written either by him or his staff, it <their response> extolled the dangers of a
one-size-fits-all healthcare system. Funny, that term, one-size-fits-all
has become a catch-phrase much like "cut and run" has. Any suggestion of a
federal health care system and it is instantly one-size-fits-all.

I have taken the words health care and removed them, having them replaced
with learning, education or tuition depending on the sense of the sentence.

After all, we do have nationalized systems in this country which pretends to
be fully capitalist. We have a national free education system that mandates
much and leaves much up to the states but, regardless of the state's role,
it is a national system and used to great success by many. If you ask me,
it needs to be expanded to college so people can choose, regardless of funds
to seek higher education based on their desire and ability both, as
Jefferson wanted, not on ideas of aspiration for all and ability to pay now
or be saddled with student loans later.

And for those who do not want to participate, private schools, home schools
and other options are there.

We have a national postal system. I have no complaints. I have had one
piece of mail lost in my entire time as a customer.

For those who don't want to participate, other options are available.

We have socialized library systems. They work. I can even ask to be on the
library board, if I like.

For those who don't want to participate, there are bookstores.

We can have a national health care system as well. This does not destroy
private care: those who want private care can still get it. Those who wish
to purchase insurance can still get it.

Simply making sure all Americans and afford private insurance will be just
one more cooperate welfare scheme, putting money from the government, to
cover the poorer of us, in the pockets of the insurance industry, giving
them the profits from the thirty percent of us they could not profit from
before so they can run healthcare like a business, as they have been,
leaving insured and uninsured, alike, in the cold.

And now the parody rewrite. To get the gist of the original just switch it back from education to healthcare.



December 11, 2007

Dear Mr. __________________:

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for establishing free public education. It is good to hear from you.

I believe that we should do all we can to ensure that every American has the opportunity to have affordable education. It is also important that we do not undermine the quality education that the majority of Americans currently enjoy. This is one of the reasons why I do not support a system of public education. When this proposal has been put before the American people before, they have rejected it. Most Americans simply do not want a one-size-fits-all government run public education system in which the government tells them what services they can and cannot have. Cost concerns will ultimately lead to inefficiencies and rationing and delay of learning. I believe there is a better way of ensuring broader education.

Fortunately, there are many things that we can do that will extend the availability of education for those currently lacking. I continue to support expansion of community education centers as a cost effective way to provide a primary education to millions of lower and lower-middle income Americans. We should expand the deductibility of tuition for all Americans - regardless of whether they are self-employed or whether they are employed by a large or small business. We must also expand the education tax credit for the purchase of tuition and make it refundable to help lower- and middle income Americans. I have cosponsored legislation to do this.

We must approve Association Education Plan (AEP) legislation to make it easier for small employers to pool together and purchase tuition for their employees. We must expand Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), which enable individuals to put money aside to cover tuition and education expenses. For many people, this would be a more affordable alternative to traditional public education.

We can do a better job of ensuring that the State Children's Health Education Program (SHEP) is focused on serving lower- and lower-middle income children rather than subsidizing education for those making over $75,000 a year as it does in some communities.

Thank you again for contacting me. While we may not be in agreement on the idea of a single national public education plan, I am glad that we agree on the desire to expand affordable education for those currently lacking educational opportunity or having difficulty paying for their current tuition. It is an honor to serve you in Congress.

Sincerely,

Dave Weldon
Member of Congress

[ramapo]

1. Logic and sense are not applicable

Your post is a wonderful illustration of how absurdly dysfunctional our system and citizenry have become.

[Pacifist Patriot]

2. I hope more people get a chance to see this. Although I already support...

the measure it still gave me a new way of thinking about it and discussing it in a way resistant folks might understand.

[Bandit]

3. Health Care is the Republicans Achille's heel

The sole purpose of Government is to maintain the health and welfare of the nation. It is a sorry nation that does not heed this...

[unpossibles]

4. sadly there are already many on the right who wish to see our public education system destroyed

I wish I were joking. Look at Ron Paul supporters who want to privatize everything and "encourage" homeschooling for those who cannot afford private schools. Scary stuff. They point to the failures of public education and refuse to admit that not only does it work for many, but that the problems can be fixed without throwing out the baby, so to speak.

I often wonder if, when their cars break down, Republicans simply say "cars suck!" and abandon them or if they make an attempt to fix the actual problem.

[Pacifist Patriot]

5. Too true. After all, our Great Decider passes out a homeschool number to....

folks seeking mortgage relief. :)

[sandnsea]

6. That actually is the right's education argument

In case anybody was confused about what they're trying to do.