Medicine with a bad aftertaste

The word from Washington late Saturday night was one of a rare victory for the individual citizen over special interests and lobbyists. At long last, a significant step has been taken toward national health care. Something for everyone to be happy about, right? Well . . . I suppose that's true up to a point. I absolutely believe that the nation as a whole needs this program, especially if its implementation brings some sanity to escalating health care costs. My problem is the amount of shrill screaming coming from the Republican side of the house. Representatives Pence of Indiana, Boehner of Ohio, RNC Chariman Steele and Sen. Lieberman of Connecticut have taken carping and whining to levels undreamed of before. Enough, already! If I hear one more announcement about how this plan will bankrupt the country and doom our children to a bad life, I will begin to advocate political assassination as a government improvement tool! (Just in case the FBI is listening in, JUST KIDDING! Please, don't break down my door in the middle of the night and subject me to water boarding or some other such interrogation technique. Vagabond needs his beauty sleep.)

The simple fact is, the country is doomed to bankruptcy and our children to bad lives WITHOUT this plan, or a reasonable facsimile thereof. Has anybody seen the statistics on how much it's costing us now to foot the bill for those who carry no health insurance? What of all of the learned, experienced lawmakers who really believe this plan is bad? The answer is simple: They are the same fat-cats who have always been in the pocket of special interests and their enormous pocket books. They couldn't care less if the average family can afford health insurance. In reality, the only segment of the American population not to benefit from this plan is the HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES!! They will no longer be able extort huge sums from policy holders, will be restricted in how they dictate care methods to actual doctors, and it will be harder for them to cancel coverage on a whim. Someone please tell me, what's wrong with that?

As for the most strident of the doomsayers, your friend and mine Joe Lieberman, what in the hell happened to this guy? He hasn't taken a strong stand on anything except getting his smarmy mug on T.V. and in the papers since he was a Vice-Presidential candidate. His only cause is the furtherance of the Joe Lieberman show, brought to you nightly. Joe, you are singularly disgusting. Have some mercy on yourself and the rest of us, and put an end to the terminal patient that is your morals free political career.

Thank heavens for some sanity in this whole process. Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao, R- LA, was actually quoted as saying he, "Put the interests of my constituents above the interests of my party," when he cast the lone republican "yes" vote in the house. Congressman Cao, you sir are my hero. Of course, given the subject matter, my standards are pretty low.