Health Care Reform-Lieberman's Way
I have been reading in the news accounts on the web and television stations and it now comes down to one lone senator which states that he will not support healthcare reform bill pending before the U.S. Senate unless it is stripped of its provisions to give senior citizens, ages 55 to 64, who presently do not qualify for Medicare to buy into Medicare; a position that the Senator has in the past supported. Yes I am talking about Joe Lieberman and his power play move in the Senate; to which, it appears that Harry Reid and Barack Obama are poised to acquiesce to. So much for government by the people and for the people when one lone Senator can derail legislation that most logical people would say is long overdue. It is time for real healthcare reform in this country and it is time for anyone with another hidden agenda to step aside or be pushed aside in the name of the greater good. The only way to achieve real healthcare reform is to have a public option available to all those that want one because it is the only way to hold the for profit insurance companies accountable and to get them to play fair.
First, let me say I have no personal agenda in this matter. You see I am already receiving the benefits of a single payer system called Medicare, parts A, B and D and I will received these benefits for as long as I receive Social Security; since my premiums are automatically deducted from my check every month and I cannot be cancelled for any pre-existing condition or change in my health. So you see I have nothing to gain in this fight. In fact, I may lose something if we add millions more to Medicare, so be it. However, the millions of Americans who either cannot afford healthcare, cannot get it because their health conditions precludes them from getting insurance in the private sector have a great deal to loose in this struggle. I would venture to say that this struggle waged by one man with a personal agenda is a matter of life or death to them. But Mr. Lieberman and the republicans poised to vote against this bill don't care about them. I guess they are saying to themselves, I got my you get yours the best way you can so long as it does not affect my political contributions and interests. America this is not what we should be about and this is not what we are about. Special interests should not dictate this matter. What is right and fair to all Americans should.
As for Mr. Lieberman, it seems that his hands in this matter are not clean. His agenda is not for the people it is for Joe Lieberman. If not, how would you explain his about face on the very legislation he says would be an obstacle to his voting for cloture (a procedural move to end debate on a piece of legislation) of the Healthcare legislation. The truth of the matter you cannot. Joe Lieberman has stated from the beginning that he was going to side with the republicans on healthcare and on that issue he has not done an about face. No matter what the democrats give Lieberman, he will not side with the democrats on this or any issue. He has shown his true colors. Did he not participate in the Republican National Convention? Did he not campaign for the Republican Nominee for President of the United States of America? Did he not run as an independent to retain his seat as the Senator from Connecticut after the Democratic Party rejected him in favor of another Democrat? Come on people Joe Lieberman is not for the good of the people of Connecticut, United States of America or anyone or anything else other than Joe Lieberman. The leadership of the Senate and the President of the United States of America should send Joe Lieberman packing to the party of his choice, the Republican Party and strip him of his chairmanship and let him caucus with the party whose luggage he is carrying, the party of NO. Furthermore, it would seem that Mr. Lieberman maybe carrying the luggage of the insurance industry since he has received considerable amounts from them since 2005.
So why doesn't Harry Reid just send the legislation to conference now since it is obvious whatever bill passes the Senate will be in opposition to the one passed by the House of Representatives and have to go to conference committee anyway? Unless, the House of Representatives do a complete about face and agree to a final bill without the public option in it; we will be right back where we are now debating in the Senate over public option in the final bill. So unless the conference report comes back without a public option in it; according to Mr. Lieberman it's dead on arrival anyway because he will not vote for it. At least, what goes to the conference committee will not be a watered down version of a bill and Mr. Lieberman and the Republicans could no longer hold up the process unless there has to be a cloture vote on the Conference Committee Legislation and/or need sixty (60) votes to pass the Conference Committee Legislation.
I would dare to say that had Lyndon Johnson caved into the conventional wisdom of his day, there would have been no Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts passed. In fact, had Mr. Johnson not used the power of his office, these landmark legislation would still be sitting on the drawing board and there would have been no way the United States of America could have ever gotten to the point where it elected its first African-American president. Mr. Obama, the people of the United States of America gave you a mandate in November, 2008 don't relinquish that mandate to the likes of Joe Lieberman and the party of NO.
Now that's my two cents worth, Leonard.
