Health care reform is coming around again with the Supreme Court addressing the recently passed law. The Republican Party wants to repeal Obamacare, although no alternative has been suggested other than letting the market run free and wild. As we all can see, that has worked oh so well in the past.
With congressional approval ratings at an all-time low, I would hope that we could see a 2012 Congress that would tone down the health care rhetoric and look at what is best for the nation rather than special interests.
Because I am a Republican elected official, I know more than most about how outrageous the discourse became over the past two or three years.
Is President Barack Obama a socialist “health care Antichrist”? As ridiculous as it may be, I got an email from a fellow Southern Republican last year saying he is. The insulting “you lie” treatment that Obama received during one of his 2010 addresses to Congress reflects the unfortunate fact that some Republican elected officials must agree.
Another email stated that the reason European countries had more effective health care at a lower cost was that they had fewer “minorities.” A single-payer system apparently has nothing to do with the fact that Europeans have higher-quality health care than we do and at a lower cost.
From another: “The new health reform ... is a death wish for us” given “the age that we both are,” and that “every citizen has access to health coverage.” I do not believe that the 50 million residents without insurance would agree with him. Neither does the AARP.
Another writer, who works for a major pharmaceutical company no less, sent me an email alleging that Obamacare will “kill old people.” We are “like the Jews at Auschwitz.”
I really appreciated that one, in that all of my father’s grandparents died in the ovens.
Further, the AMA endorsed health reform because “the AMA have [sic] always been leftist.” I will have to remember to inform my two sons, who are practicing physicians.
Sen. Johnny Isakson stated in an email to me that the reform “will put the federal government in an unfair competition with private health insurers and managed care providers.” And exactly how does that hurt me and other patients? Isakson also fails to mention that he has received $600,000 from health and insurance firms since his election.
With this level of rhetoric by health-reform opponents, it is easy to see why there were many serious threats made against members of Congress over the past few years.
This has got to stop and the first step is for leaders in my party to condemn the use of violent language and symbols.
It should be obvious to the public that Obama is not the socialist Antichrist that fanatics believe him to be. He is also not the passionate idealist and tough reformer that progressives thought he was. He is just a moderate trying to get something done in a politically charged environment.
Is it too much to ask that Congress stays with analysis of the facts rather than character assassination and extremist language?
There are major problems, especially regarding cost, with the health care bill that was passed.
Let’s concentrate on correcting these flaws, not demonizing the other party.
Jack Bernard, a Republican, was a senior health care executive with for-profit firms for 25 years. He currently serves on the Jasper County Board of Commissioners.
About the Author
