Light a Candle Today

Yesterday, I blogged about the new health care laws and the emotions that go with this new law.  Today Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is in the hospital with a head wound due to a bullet from an assassination attempt that killed six other people, including a nine year old.  Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, a Democrat, is on the tea party's (i.e., Sarah Palin's)  "target" list due to her supporting the health care law and the talk is that this may very well have been what  motivated the gunman.  

We have to remove the emotions surrounding this law -- emotions that have nothing to do with supportable facts and figures, but rather are created by a group of people who use words to inflame the public so that the public can be manipulated and controlled for their personal benefit. 

I will light a candle today and will pray that our Congress now understands the damage they have done by reaching so low as to stir emotions based on their personal ambitions and need for power, rather than caring for the people who need medical care - the same people who voted for them.

I will also light a candle for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.  I know she has good health care, so she is in good hands, something we all need and deserve. 

New Health Care Law

I just read a blog on Obama's health care entitled "Republicans Draw a Bead on Obama Health Care Law."  When I read these emotionally charged comments, without any sort of facts or figures supporting them, I just shake my head and wonder if the ones for the new health care law are Democrats and if the ones against it are Republicans.  Could it really be that simple? 

I personally believe that every United States citizen has the right to good health care.  Actually, I believe that every human being on this planet deserves decent health care. Do I have all the answer about how we can get there?  Not yet. Maybe never.  I don't understand all the facts and figures any better than those who comment on the new health care law.  However, to say that we should go back to the way we were before the new health care law appears wrong to me.

Young women should not be denied coverage or pay extremely high premiums because they are in the child-bearing years.  People who need health insurance the most, due to pre-existing conditions, should also not be denied coverage.  Older Americans who have paid taxes and into social security their whole lives should not have to pay thousands of dollars a month for medicine due to the "donut hole."

Before we all start shouting about what is right and wrong, let's take the issue to a personal level.  If your daughter was denied insurance and had to go without prenatal care because of the high bills for doctor office visits, would you be so fast to say no to the new health care law, especially if the baby was at risk of being born sickly due to inadequate prenatal care?  If you had a pre-existing condition, say prostrate cancer, and could not get insurance coverage, would you say these new laws have no place in America?  I know I would not. I would want my daughter and her unborn baby to have the best care possible.  And if I had cancer and could not get health insurance because of that, I would want someone in Congress to fight for me, even if the first round of the new law isn't perfect.

With the advance of Republicans this last election, I truly hope that the balance will encourage everyone to work together on good health care reform.  It is what we pay them to do, isn't it?

Take care,

Kay