Health Care Reform Will Not Cure Ignorance

I recently had breakfast with Jim McGovern, Democrat from Massachusetts’ 3rd District by Worcester. He told a story of how he stopped by a McDonald’s near his home and five old men in a booth yelled at him to come over. They then accosted and berated him on the new health care bills in Congress, screaming how they didn’t want the government to get into the health care business (only in terms more crude than that).

McGovern then asked how many of them were on Medicare. They all said they were. He then asked if they had any major problems with it. Nope, they said, and they wanted it to stay that way. McGovern then asked, “Did you know Medicare is a government-run, single-payer health care system?” Blank stares were the only reply.

I know plenty of liberal partisans who blindly repeat whatever the New York Times says, but at least most of the Times’ articles and editorials are well-written and have a cursory basis in facts. But McGovern’s Mickey Dee’s moment, which is being played in town halls across the country, shows what happens when the opposing army sends their soldiers into battle without a plan or at least a few talking points. It doesn’t help when the topic is as byzantine and esoteric as health care, and there are currently three different health care bills circulating in Congress to confuse people who are actually trying to pay attention.

As with the prior phony “tea party” anti-tax protests in April, I like the whole idea of asking Congressmen and women tough, challenging questions at town hall meetings – Jefferson himself would have loved the concept. But Jefferson would also be floored at the lack of civility and utter ignorance showcased at these events. The irony of old people on Medicare hollering against a government-run health care system is to put it mildly, bizarre, and those who are just regurgitating whatever the so-called conservative firebrands tell them are going to miss that forest for the trees. It’s also interesting as an observer who watched liberals and progressives shriek apoplectically about anything George W. Bush did for eight years see the exact opposite crowd doing the exact same thing about Obama. Both types of these people seem so driven by rage that they can’t even think straight.

It’s a shame because there is a problem with health care in this country and a civil dialogue could get some important steps accomplished. Both sides could probably agree quickly to get something done about costs, particularly malpractice tort reform, excessive outlays and tests charged by hospitals, and how each state has a few dominant healthcare providers that charge what they want and extort fees from insurance companies and consumers alike. If the Republicans wanted to battle Obama on reining in health care costs instead of sending clowns and seniors to spew nonsense about euthanizing old people, then they’d actually be on to something. I also know far too many Canadians and Europeans who moved here for health reasons because of bureaucratic boondoggles in the foreign, single-payer health care systems Obama spotlights. But that would require arming foot soldiers and Congressmen alike with a plan and encourage them to discuss things rationally, so don’t hold your breath waiting for it to happen.

More Info: Now this is how the Republicans should argue.