Health Care Terrorism

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1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.
2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.
3. a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.
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On 9/11/2001, a group of men caused the deaths of 2976 innocent people using horrible means. They were labeled terrorists. The terror they caused struck fear into the heart of America. We have been fearful of terrorists beyond our borders ever since that date.

Fear is an extremely powerful emotion. It is an innate basic survival mechanism. Fear can instantly override other emotions. Fear can also be affected by social influences and can become mass hysteria.

The fear engendered by the events of 9/11 was cynically used to manipulate people into supporting certain actions such as the invasion of Iraq, and the passage of the Patriot Act. Both of these actions made a lot of people feel safer at the time. Anybody opposing these actions were denounced as unpatriotic for a long time.
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However while the focus of our fear was aimed at actions coming from outside forces, we never stopped to consider the fear being engendered by people within our own borders. I have thought about this since Obama was nominated, and a serious effort was started to reform health care.

Since a real effort to reform health care was started, Republicans have used every means to try to defeat it or shape into a useless bill. Because President Obama has always made this a priority, they are using their opposition to reform as a way to defeat him and deal a serious blow to the Democratic Party.

The health care system in this country is broken. There are horror stories every day about people who cannot afford decent care or are overwhelmed by their bills. 45,000 people die every year because they don't have health care. The Republicans know this, but they have ignored the problems that so many of their constituents have in order to play a political game.

If they were offering a serious plan that might really work, this would be very different. If the Republicans were trying to amend the bills presented by the Democrats using productive suggestions, they would be in acceptable opposition. Instead they have chosen to obstruct every part of reform using every negative they can.

The tactics they use most are designed to scare people, and make them fearful of any change that is presented. The Republicans boldly lie about health care reform bills and make the provisions in it seem as dangerous as possible. They have scared people to death about a change that would help them and a lot of other people.

These aren't minor changes. What is being proposed is an overhaul of health care that could truly make everybody's lives better. A change this big is somewhat scary in and of itself. In order for it to truly be accepted, everybody needs to present it in generally a positive way. If true reform doesn't happen, people's lives will get worse across the board.

If people then realize that reform needs to happen, the task left is how to reform the system. The Republicans refuse to offer any meaningful suggestions. There have been private health care reforms that have worked for a while. However, because the insurance companies weren't regulated in any way, they were able to eventually sandbag those efforts. They would cherry-pick the healthiest people from the new group, and leave them with the people who needed the most care. That was unsustainable.

The Republicans are using fear to control people in order to maximize the possible gains of their party. They have terrorized people into opposing something that is in their best interests. The insurance companies have terrorized politicians by threatening to withhold contributions to them unless thay back the companies.

A lot of Democrats appear to have terrorized themselves. They are scared of fighting and doing anything evn though they are the majority. Whenever a Republican boos at them, they get the vapors over the loud noise and threats. The Republicans used reconciliation to pass a lot of bills, but they have scared the Democrats silly about using the tactic. Since Teddy died, their is no strong voice demanding action and leading the way.

The Democrats are petrified of giving it all they have got because they are scared to lose. You very rarely win if you are worrying about losing. It is time. If this isn't a cause worth fighting with every ounce of energy thay have, then there is no cause that will ever truly be a real victory. I don't care if they pass lesser measures with some cojones because they didn't show up when they were needed most.

Make no mistake about it. This is a war, and health care reform has become a pivotal moment. If the Democrats do not pass meaningful reform, they won't cease to be a factor. They will however be diminished.

The Republicans are generally the party of those people who are the unreconstructed South. They are mimicking that region in more ways than one. They are outnumbered badly and should not be such a force. However, they have bolluxed up the Dems with their tactics, and Reid might as well be McClellan. It is time to cut the bullshit, and go after them with overwhelming force. Their will be casualties, but there is no other way to defeat a smaller, well-organized, and dedicated force in a timely manner. This is heresy coming from a Southerner, but we need a Grant and a Sherman.

America has been terrorized long enough by the bigoted, narrow-minded, and deceitful people who want no change. This group is now pared down to its esesential core. There are very few moderates left, and this is the group that deserves to be trounced.

On 9/11, 2976 innocent lives were lost. Everybody saw the horror and it is part of the American psyche. They deserve to be remembered, and those that were responsible need to answer for what they did.

However, the 45,000 people who are left to die every year deserve to be recognized too. Their deaths cannot be attributed to foreign influences. They are on our heads. Everybody knows them in some way. Letting this continue is unthinkable and immoral.