If we are going to have this conversation we should start off with what we should all be talking about health care. That has stirred up all the other conversations about racism, Socialism, why the Republicans fear this and why the the Democrats are not doing more to get this passed.
Health Care
I have posted a link just below about the public option and why this is issue that everyone is fighting about. The public option would drive down cost, hopefully. The whole point of having a national health care program is to infuse competition into the mix and drive down the cost of health care as we know it today. Only competition can do this. The insurance company has had a great run and obviously will not change
unless its hand is forced to change.
The health insurance issue has been the juggernaut that has kept business from hiring more, or the cost per employee that we all hear so much about has been the reason why people are laid off. This is not really a issue for big companies but for mid-size businesses it is a big cost. The pubic option would help drive down cost. Look what happen when Wal-mart decided to offer generic drugs at $4 a shot. Then Target followed, now for these two companies it resulted in increase consumer traffic and it help drive down cost of generic prescription drugs. The generic pricing for those with insurance was no big deal, but for those on a fixed income or no income it made a world of difference, it meant some extra money in their pockets at the end of the month. This was a big shift. This is not exactly a perfect fix but for many it made a difference. Which begs me to ask the question, why are Seniors against this national health care? In all bills that I have seen they all mention overall hauling the Medicaid program, making it better not worse. This is the big issues that seniors complain about the most is prescription drug cost. One would think that the Seniors would be in lock step with the President on this issue. A national health care insurance program with a public option could only result in lower cost for seniors.
Socialism/ Socialist replacing the N-word? No
I did some research on the things that were said about FDR when he was attempting to get the New deal passed, more importantly the Social Security Insurance(SSI). In 1935 FDR endured the same name calling, "an ultimate socialist", and how he would ruin the country by enacting such a program. In fact as we are all aware of SSI has single handedly saved the elderly from poverty. Republican's have for years been calling Democrats socialist every time they want to do something that will help many Americans. So, I reject the stories that have been floating around that somehow by calling President Obama a socialist you really want to call him a nigger. Now, the difference in how FDR was able to get his SSI passed was that he started a committee in 1934 and presented it to congress in 1935. Obama did the opposite, Probably because of the backlash that Hillary Clinton suffered for closed door meeting, he thought that he would lay out the framework of what he wanted and let congress do the rest. So, we would have probably had a vocal debate no matter how the plan was presented. More importantly he needs to get this passed before mid-term election. When FDR was attempting to get SSI passed they kept telling him to wait he said "... We have to get started or it will never start..."
Racism and President Carter
Are some of the images and rhetoric we are hearing and seeing Racism? Yes! Was President Carter right in his statement about what is being played out across the country? Yes! Now for the reading and viewing public I am usually the last to go to the race card, however I know it when I see it because I am BLACK. You can't tell me when Rush limbo says" ObamaNation" or images of President Obama with a bone through his nose, that's not racism? Now I know for some white people this is a hard pill to swallow but trust me on this one. Not only is racial tension being stirred up but, somewhere in a small mind perhaps even the idea of violence. Words are powerful.
Why now are politicians and political pundits now down playing the whole racism issue? For me, I have sensed a shift with in the last couple of months. However, I don't think the Wilson incident was the starting point. I have sensed that since President Obama has been sworn in Democrats, Republicans, conservatives, and Radio talk show host across the country have acted as if they need to control this President. Some how placing him under public criticism for everything he does. I understand "Checks and balances," I understand the media's role. But, somehow it appears that this President is held to a higher standard. Many African-Americans across this great country will and can understand this, the concept that we have to work twice as hard to get anything done or to get the same credit for a job that the previous person did far less. When George Bush got a shoe thrown at him at an Iran press conference many people across the world were wishing that had happen a long time ago. A shoe upside the head of President Bush would have maybe knocked some sense into him, maybe.
So, is this a correction in play?
The Republicans have got themselves into a mess by rubber stamping everything that President Bush sent to them, which ultimately has driven this country into the mess Obama is now trying to get us out of. I get the Republicans fear, Mid-term elections are right around the corner and they need to do something sway Americans their way, I get that. Racist rhetoric may not be the best way.
The media for not asking the right questions when President Bush was in office. Still all these years later we are asking ourselves, Had the media did their job would the country be in the mess that it is in today?
