The film clip on TV news of President Harry Truman (“The buck stops here”) making the case for health care for Americans was poignant. NBC aired the Truman clip following President Barack Obama’s news conference on the same subject, health care.
If I remember history correctly, President Teddy Roosevelt (“Speak softly and carry a big stick”) was the first president to call for health care for Americans.
More recently there was the ill-fated effort of President Bill Clinton.
Teddy Roosevelt’s presidency was more than a century ago. Harry Truman was a half-century ago. Bill Clinton’s effort foundered 17 years ago.
How much delay do the Republicans want? The Grand Old Party is now just The Old Party, reduced to a feeble minority, fighting a mindless rear-guard action against change.
Advances in social justice, history teaches us, do not come quickly or easily. Resistance is fierce. Societies persist in denial of injustice for a long time.
But when understanding of injustice becomes widespread, the situation is ripe for change. Health care has arrived at that juncture, I think. Perhaps President Barack Obama will accomplish the change that Teddy Roosevelt and Harry Truman and Bill Clinton could only envision.
No need for unseemly hurry. Sen. Max Baucus and his Senate Finance Committee don’t have to finish a health care bill this week. Next week will be OK.
The House of Representatives is ready, and the dog days of summer lie before the Senate. The upper chamber may proceed calmly, at a deliberative pace. Take another three or four weeks, if you like.
Only get it done. – Bernie Hayden
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6 Comments
July 22, 2009 at 11:20 pm
Delay the Republicans want? Sorry, but the people holding up health care reform are the democrats. Nice try on the spin job, though.
July 31, 2009 at 2:40 pm
“How much delay do the Republicans want?”
Well if your plan includes tearing apart the constitution and trampling the individual rights of Americans by creating a “Public Option” then I would say an indefinite delay. There are many things we can do to rescue our medical system and be able to treat more and more Americans, the plans put forth in the last 30 or so years by the Democrats all have the same answer, Government takeover. That’s not an option.
August 9, 2009 at 1:31 pm
If in the face of change, which is never greeted lightly, people bring up “tearing up” the constitution, then you have no real argument. I suppose it would be easier to do nothing, and watch health insurance premiums rise to unfathomable levels. I’m sure people would be happy then. In this country, we spend more money on a health care system that does not work. How can other nations spend less money and have better long-term care? Why do we have the 17th ranked life expectancy of all industrialized nations? What is your solution to this problem? Right, you have none. You wish for us to continue doing what we’re doing, giving insurance companies free reign to do what they want, charge any fee they choose, and deny anyone coverage. You are scared of change, and you hide behind the constitution to mask your fear. If you are not a leader, then get out of the way. Get out of the beds of the insurance companies and open your eyes. Times are changing.
August 17, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Contrary to the GOP bozos who posted opposition to national health care reform in the guise of “protecting the Constitution”, it is clear by now the GOP and the insurance industry see a dire threat to civilization as they have known it.
That is to say, overpriced and scarce (rationed) health care administered by a select number of physicians, group practices and hospitals on the insurer’s approved list.
Ironically enough, the GOP is also the party pleading only private insurance will prevent rationing, provide health care for all, and provide it affordably.
Yet, in the past two decades, they have kept none of those promises. By now, they have so little respect for fact and context, K Street buzzes with the evil glow of conspiracy to kill true health care reform.
As poster “Adam” lives to collect his Medicare check, he will wonder what youthful naivete led him to parrot GOP and insurance industry FUD about “government takeover”.
Adam does not understand it, yet, but he has become the unwitting tool of the same industry and GOP conspiracy that, in 1965, labeled Medicare “creeping socialism”.
August 17, 2009 at 11:52 pm
PS: Beautifully written paean to national health care insurance reform. Thanks for reminding us of its importance.
As you note, a true progressive is not a wishful dreamer, but one who expects continuous and often arduous effort.
History demonstrates only that formula can win.
Why are so many surprised when it does?
October 23, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Beautiful article….Thanks!