Congress Misses the Boat . . . Wants Planes!

[change_notfinetuning]

It's been reported that Congress is considering the purchase of more aircraft for use on official business. With its members seemingly ready, at the drop of a hat, to traipse anywhere in the world to check things our first-hand, who's surprised? What is surprising is that, despite their penchant for travel, we've not heard of even one single junket, er . . . I mean fact-finding mission, to check out health care in other countries. If ever there were an issue that justifies the cost of overseas, Congressional trips, health care is it. After all, there are countries that spend one third to one half less than we spend per person and achieve equal, if not better, results. Whether these systems would work in the United States is another matter, but shouldn't we, at the very least, take a look?

They could have checked out reports of rationing and long delays. They could have talked to health care providers to see how they are being compensated and if they are satisfied, as well as what parts of their systems they think are working and what parts are not. They could have checked out the benefits and pitfalls of health care that is not tied to employment and not run by for-profit insurance companies, two aspects that are uniquely American, to see if the rest of the world is using a better model. They could have looked at how the systems are funded and how the cost savings are achieved. In short, Congress could have done its job with real fact finding and an attempt to solve one of the most vexing problems we face.

Unfortunately, facts to Congress are like Kryptonite to Superman. The only thing that seems to matter is re-election. We hear much talk about bringing health care costs down, but let's be honest. Health care costs are going in one direction and one direction only - and that's up. To deny that fact is fantasy. This is not a Democratic fact. This is not a Republican fact. This is a FACT!

We have an aging population. And the only thing keeping up with our aging population is our amazing technology and the ability to keep people alive who, in time, will develop additional budget-stretching, medical problems. That's not a bad thing, but it is a costly thing. Unless we "pull the plug on Grandma", the skyrocketing heath care costs cannot be reversed with just the tweaking and fine tuning being proposed. Other countries have an aging problem, too, and some are facing a much bigger impact already. Wouldn't it behoove us to find out how are they dealing with it?

Affordable health care for all Americans is the primary issue of the day and the defining issue of the Obama administration. Debate over health care reform, excuse me, health insurance reform as the White House now calls it - how many meetings did that re-branding take? - has become so heated that it just might be adding to global warming. A little bit of intellectual curiosity could have gone a long way in determining why other countries are getting so much more bang for the buck, and may have led to meaningful, bi-partisan health care reform.

An August working vacation should have been a no-brainer. Congress already takes the month off, anyway. This year, they could have combined investigating health care systems with fishing in Canada, golfing in Scotland, fine dining in Paris, sightseeing in Italy, etc. A little work, a little fun, and a great opportunity to find out if what works elsewhere could work here, too.

Instead, our representatives opted to stay home and hold town hall meetings at which they would be abused by rude, misinformed mobs screaming cable TV talking points at them. More importantly, this also kept them close to the army of anti-reform lobbyists for the health care industry, of which there are six for each member of Congress. Voters are a dime a dozen, but a half dozen lobbyists: priceless.

Usually, members of Congress are on board faster than you could say, "Cleared for takeoff." But on this, the number one issue of the day, where other countries have systems we can learn from, it seems that Congress had already made up its mind. If finding a real solution to health care reform didn't inspire such a trip, I don't think they need any more airplanes. No matter how many planes, trains or automobiles we give them, they'll still keep missing the boat.

[thunder rising]

1. Well that's two minute's I'll never get back...

:hi:
The last sentence was cool.