Rain Delay

Well here it is--the promised response to the comments on my blog called Privilege. I was in Washington DC (of all places) for a training. It was a wonderful trip, but the internet was not free and I'm kind of miserly that way. A great shout out to my sisters who did a great job representing.

I heard a pundit describe the disconnect between liberals and conservatives in this country as both sides believe that 2 + 2 = 4 and that the other side believes that 2 + 2 = a duck. It is hard to compromise with someone who thinks that 2 + 2 = a duck. That's the best description that I have ever heard. Still it is hard to wrap my mind around the concept that there are people out there who think that I think 2 + 2 = a duck. To my mind, that is where the shouting comes in. My response to someone who acts like I think that 2 + 2 = a duck is to scream--"it's a 4 you *explitive*"

Shouting doesn't make a better argument, but it does release some of the frustration.

Uncle John had an illuminating comment. He was absolutely correct. I was speaking about health care and the legislation is about health insurance. But I would think that a conservative would approve of a public option for health insurance, because it is, in effect, a use tax. You can choose not to pay it and to have your own private insurance. It is not mandatory like medicare tax or social security tax. Are conservatives calling for an end to medicare and social security--both socialist programs and both slated to be seriously short of money over the next 20 years such that the "tax" will not cover the cost? [Uncle John, thanks for the e-mail with the link to specific problems in the health care bill--I wish that I had time to go through all of the points, but all I can do is hope that my congressman does. My impression of a bill in congress is that it is made up like saugage--it's not perfect. My feeling is that these provisions come from other legislation that works, like medicare or a state plan, but I don't have time to research it further.]

I agree that the health care bill is not perfect and before the President's speech I believed that anything short of a bill including a public option was fatally flawed. But health care is in crisis and we must address it. [I debated sharing my own horror stories of dealing with the complexity of obtaining health care and my own insurance woes, but I think Gretchen highlighted the issues really well in her comment.]

Yes, Aunt Pat, I am so in love with President Obama, but my eyes are wide open. I am wise enough to understand that my adoration is the result of excellant packaging (gosh, he's cute and so smart!). I fully expect some terrible flaw to be revealed, because we are all human beings, no matter what expectations are built around us. I hope the terrible flaw is not a sex scandal--I've become somewhat of a prude in my old spinster age. I do hope that the terrible flaw will be a money scandal--that's as American as apple pie.

Human beings, I must keep reminding myself are not perfect. There's good and bad in everyone. Keep talking. 2 + 2 = 4. I'll try not to shout and I'll try to back up my statement with facts. The President's speech did that. He laid out concrete reforms that are needed. Yes, they are not free (he's leaning toward a plan with no public option, but that requires all of us to purchase insurance--I have no idea how uninsured people can possibly afford that), but our choice of doing nothing or doing a little bit at a time is not a realistic choice. I'm not willing to sit in my ivy covered tower while other people suffer. This is not really altruistic, I know that I am one illness away from being bankrupt and uninsurable myself under the current laws. My health insurance is very expensive and it stinks. Adrienne had a blog about dealing with health care with no insurance. My own experience with health insurance wasn't all that. It is time to act congress.

Meanwhile, I'm holding my breath for my Nadal. I hope he is so rich that he doesn't need to worry about health insurance. Gonzo is enough of a threat. And who will I root for between Kim and Serena. Maybe a little rain is not so bad.