Healthcare has been my #1 concern for too many years

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

as a businessperson, as someone with chronically/catastrophically ill relatives, as someone who has been self-employed much of my life, and as just a human being who cares for the welfare of others as well as myself.

I'm not looking for the system to be tweaked with all the same a@#holes who destroyed the system in the first place left in place, making their grudging concessions concerning efficiencies and economizing along with their empty promises to contain "growth".

They could have done all those things years ago if they had wanted to. They could have chosen to provide comprehensive coverage and not focused their energies on how to deny care to increase profits or how to exclude millions from any care due to cherry-picking, pre-existing condition exclusions, and wait periods. But they didn't. They didn't want to. They chose a business model that placed profits over people. People have literally died due to their choices.

Was this your issue too? Will you be satisfied with the crumbs thrown to assuage you from those on high who don't have a worry in the world with their government provided healthcare and pensions? I won't be. I don't want to "settle". I want the same kind of government underwriting of healthcare that so many other countries have been able to provide for their citizens while they shake their heads in amazement at us- at our docility, at our lack of priorities, at our ability to be victimized by moneyed interests.

If not now, when we have the President, both houses of Congress and the will of the American people, then we will never have it.
It will become very clear in a short time who the constituency actually is that Congress serves. I think we all know the answer already. I am literally PRAYING to be wrong.

[Nite Owl]

1. Things that are being let out

about their plans don't sound encouraging. They seem to be making it quite clear that this really isn't about us at all and they don't seem to have any clue about what WE really need to be done. I so hope I am wrong too.

[CrispyQ]

2. This would be an excellent LTTE

or a good letter to send to your rep & senators.

[Laelth]

3. Well said. Too long, indeed. k&r n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[Ocracoker16]

4. We have been waiting for too long already

I am getting the sneaking suspicion that what we will end up with is the same old healthcare system repackaged to look great when it is hardly better than the current plan. Reform doesn't mean making superficial changes. The healthcare system in this country needs a serious overhaul. I don't get the impression that lawmakers are engaged at that level.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

5. Wondering how many share my opinion in this poll.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8403017&mesg_id=8403017

[Fireweed247]

6. K&R