Bryan W. Alaspa 1The art of compromise
August 14th 2009 00:00
I am trying to pinpoint where it happened. When did fear become the predominant motivator for things in the world and, in particular, this country. I know many would like to place it at the feet of George W. Bush and the events of 9/11, but I think the fear was in the air, simmering the pollution in the air on a summer’s day, long before then. Let us not forge the hysteria over Y2K and Dubya wasn’t to blame for that. No, I think the fear started when the tech bubble burst back in the late 90s. The fear started then after so much hope and prosperity and then, when 9/11 did happen, people were able to throw up their hands and say, SEE! I was right to be afraid!
The problem is that we have lost the ability to actually debate. Do people think that debating actually means showing up at a town hall meeting and screaming and screeching and never letting the people with an opposing opinion express their opinion? That’s not debating. That is screaming. It’s rude and, quite frankly, it IS un-American.
If you have read this blog you know that I am a believer in the idea of socialized healthcare. I think that the poorest of us should be able to see a doctor and get medication without having to go deep into debt or choose not to seek help. I think society should take care of its people. However, there is no denying the fact that such a thing costs money.
See, this is where “debating” comes in. I have a position (socialized healthcare) but realize that it is unlikely. If America was experiencing unprecedented prosperity and dollar bills were falling out of our ears, I would say go for it. That isn’t happening, so obviously I just cannot get what I want.
To some this means I should then show up and scream. Some think that I should stand outside Republican offices and scream at them until my vocal cords explode. That isn’t how it works. That doesn’t solve anything. Just because I admit that my cause is not viable does not profoundly shake my confidence in my beliefs. I think this is the fear. People feel that their beliefs have to be justified. So conservatives just listen to other conservatives and then tune into conservative radio and TV talk show hosts who just affirm to them that they are right in fearing things. Then they invent terms like “death panels” and add to the fear. Liberals do the same thing and just watch MSNBC and Keith Olbermann and watch their Michael Moore movies and no one does any THINKING!!!!! They let others think for them.
OK, so, my dream of socialized healthcare is probably not feasible. So, I did what others should do. I went out looking for other alternatives. I found one from a conservative person writing an opinion column for the Washington Post named Charles Krauthammer (Really Long Link) He says that you can eliminate the frivolous malpractice lawsuits that hamper doctors and cause them to prescribe expensive and needless tests and procedures. To then make sure doctors don’t just start not caring, make it so if they are negligent, they lose their license. He also suggests making it so insurance companies in various states can compete with each other and, thus, reduce premiums and costs (turns out this is an initiative put forth by John McCain).
All in all, those are ideas with merit. See, this is how you listen to the other side and take pieces that work there and then reach a compromise. Does this mean I give up on the idea of socialized healthcare? No, but it means there are alternatives that might work better for now. Now, see, I come forward with a few ideas of my own.
First, I am not sure just pure competition makes it possible for everyone to afford their medical insurance. At some point an insurance company would have to go so low to cover the poorest of us that it would be cost-prohibitive. Something should be done that would encourage them to go as low as they can. Also, something should be done to prevent them from raising their premiums seemingly at will and without limit.
Second, there needs to be something that eliminates a health insurance company’s ability to remove coverage due to pre-existing conditions. People who are sick need healthcare more than anyone else. If they are denied because they are sick, then the entire idea is useless.
Third something should be done to lower prescription drug costs. I, personally, have been without any kind of prescription drug benefits since 2006. It would be nice not to have to worry about going broke to get medicine.
See, that is how you debate. No screaming. No shouting-down. You listen, you talk, you throw ideas around. Then, you come up with a compromise. It’s a good thing. It’s the right thing. It’s the American thing.
The problem is that we have lost the ability to actually debate. Do people think that debating actually means showing up at a town hall meeting and screaming and screeching and never letting the people with an opposing opinion express their opinion? That’s not debating. That is screaming. It’s rude and, quite frankly, it IS un-American.
If you have read this blog you know that I am a believer in the idea of socialized healthcare. I think that the poorest of us should be able to see a doctor and get medication without having to go deep into debt or choose not to seek help. I think society should take care of its people. However, there is no denying the fact that such a thing costs money.
See, this is where “debating” comes in. I have a position (socialized healthcare) but realize that it is unlikely. If America was experiencing unprecedented prosperity and dollar bills were falling out of our ears, I would say go for it. That isn’t happening, so obviously I just cannot get what I want.
To some this means I should then show up and scream. Some think that I should stand outside Republican offices and scream at them until my vocal cords explode. That isn’t how it works. That doesn’t solve anything. Just because I admit that my cause is not viable does not profoundly shake my confidence in my beliefs. I think this is the fear. People feel that their beliefs have to be justified. So conservatives just listen to other conservatives and then tune into conservative radio and TV talk show hosts who just affirm to them that they are right in fearing things. Then they invent terms like “death panels” and add to the fear. Liberals do the same thing and just watch MSNBC and Keith Olbermann and watch their Michael Moore movies and no one does any THINKING!!!!! They let others think for them.
OK, so, my dream of socialized healthcare is probably not feasible. So, I did what others should do. I went out looking for other alternatives. I found one from a conservative person writing an opinion column for the Washington Post named Charles Krauthammer (Really Long Link) He says that you can eliminate the frivolous malpractice lawsuits that hamper doctors and cause them to prescribe expensive and needless tests and procedures. To then make sure doctors don’t just start not caring, make it so if they are negligent, they lose their license. He also suggests making it so insurance companies in various states can compete with each other and, thus, reduce premiums and costs (turns out this is an initiative put forth by John McCain).
All in all, those are ideas with merit. See, this is how you listen to the other side and take pieces that work there and then reach a compromise. Does this mean I give up on the idea of socialized healthcare? No, but it means there are alternatives that might work better for now. Now, see, I come forward with a few ideas of my own.
First, I am not sure just pure competition makes it possible for everyone to afford their medical insurance. At some point an insurance company would have to go so low to cover the poorest of us that it would be cost-prohibitive. Something should be done that would encourage them to go as low as they can. Also, something should be done to prevent them from raising their premiums seemingly at will and without limit.
Second, there needs to be something that eliminates a health insurance company’s ability to remove coverage due to pre-existing conditions. People who are sick need healthcare more than anyone else. If they are denied because they are sick, then the entire idea is useless.
Third something should be done to lower prescription drug costs. I, personally, have been without any kind of prescription drug benefits since 2006. It would be nice not to have to worry about going broke to get medicine.
See, that is how you debate. No screaming. No shouting-down. You listen, you talk, you throw ideas around. Then, you come up with a compromise. It’s a good thing. It’s the right thing. It’s the American thing.
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