My dad is your "average joe" southern working man.

[daedalus_dude]

He has done construction work most of his life. He is self-employed. Yes, he gets listens to right-wing radio and gets wound up. Yes he makes racist jokes sometimes. He also thinks that it's good that Obama is president and is pro-union. He said that the only thing he didn't like about the democrats is that they "might let the guard down". He owns guns. He was in Vietnam. He works with handicapped poor people and also does a load of voluntary installation work. And I mean tons, and mostly in districts that are mostly black. He probably single handedly did more to help impoverished people than your average democratic senator. And he is polite and respectful towards anyone. He also thinks that universal health-care is "socialism and government meddling in our business".

To me he represents much of whats wrong in america and much of what is right.

He is also a heavy smoker and hasn't seen a doctor in years. And he is way too proud to ever admit that he needs help.

If "the government" was to force health-care on my dad against his will, in any way shape or form, I would be a happy person....

[customerserviceguy]

1. Ok, you'd be happy

but would he be?

Also, nobody has a plan that would kidnap your father, strap him to a table, and perform all sorts of routine medical tests on him. All he's going to see is someone forcing some money out of his pocket, so that "whiners" can fill doctors' waiting rooms with silly crap that they should just "tough out".

There's nothing that will cause him to seek medical help until the day when he can no longer get out of bed in the morning under his own steam. I'm going to guess that any kind of 'intervention' put together by you and your family would not be effective, either.

[kenfrequed]

2. How about if they gave him the option

The Baucus bill doesn't provide healthcare it forces the purchase of insurance. Insurance does not equal healthcare.

A public option for healthcare would provide healthcare and it would provide it at a far more forgivable rate.

Taking back the stupid Bush tax cuts would go a long way towards paying for this. Ending the occuption in Iraq and cancelling mercenary and halliburton contracts would finish that loop.

[Old Codger]

3. your dad

Sounds like a pretty decent person, I hope we get decent health care reform, I also hope he doesn't do like a lot do and wait too long to get checkups and take care of any health problems that arise.


Oh YA WELCOME TO DU :hi: