C’mon people, think

Is there a single uninsured person in the newsweekly-reading world who believes health care in this country does not need reform?

Is there a single person in the newsweekly-reading world who believes health care costs are fair for either the physician or the patient?

We’re sure we’ll get a ton of letters from the faux free-market crowd decrying more government intervention into the health-care industry, but we’re also sure those people are arguing from positions of ignorance because they don’t know any better than anyone else what the health-care reform will look like when we finally see a version of it worth commenting on.

So, here’s the problem we’d like to understand: Since very little is known about what the final version will look like, why is the debate being ruled by post-apocalyptic, dystopian insanity?

Look, since taking the reins of government, the Obama administration has created some credibility gaps for all of us, particularly in the handling of the home foreclosure crisis that only protects banks and profligates who gambled their homes and credit ratings out of greed. Or shall we talk about leaving Iraq, or Wall Street bonuses?

Conflicting reports and other credentialed rumors circulated last week that the administration had already sold out the American people to Big Pharma by giving up part of the government’s ability to negotiate lower drug prices for Medicare. And the problem is, even after dueling press conferences, we still don’t know whether there are any facts to this rumor. Maybe somebody will by press time. But don’t bet on it.

The White House last week launched a site designed to rebut some of the most outrageous lies presented by the health care industry and its lickspittle representatives. It’s at www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck. And again, we’re not taking it purely at face value because, well, when have we ever taken something said by the government at face value? “Health Insurance Reform: Reality Check,” debunks six fear-mongering deceits: the idea that government intervention in health-care reform would cause “health-care rationing;” health-care reform would mean euthanasia of seniors; health-care reform would mean veterans would suffer; health-care reform would mean small businesses would suffer; health-care reform would mean people would have to lose their current insurers; and finally, health-care reform would be financed by Medicare cuts.

Come on, people. Think, just think for a second. These lies are primarily aimed at aging people—people who vote. Euthanasia for seniors? This country can’t even agree on death with dignity for terminally ill people who want to die. Make euthanasia mandatory like something out of Logan’s Run or some other science fiction movie? It’s crazy, beyond the bullshit detectors of the most rabid, anti-government nutjobs on the continent.

The health-care industry, including Big Pharma and the health-insurance companies, will tell any lies necessary to maintain its profits. While we don’t know what this reform will look like when it finally takes shape, we do know that the sickness profiteers will fight using any means at their disposal to prevent citizens of the United States of America from getting the benefits of modern medicine that most of the civilized world gets.

All we’re saying is, please, wait until the facts are in before making up your mind. Because we’re way past due for healthy health-care reform.