Flipping channels tonight after missing most of the Office, deciding to watch the episode of LOST that I missed last night, and discovering that not only did the cat litter box need to be cleaned, but I also needed to procure, sign, and address a few Mother’s Day cards, I ran across a “special” on TV starring Michael J. Fox explaining his disease, his concern for Americans with health issues, and how derelict we’ve been regarding the care and concern we give to Americans with health issues.
It was a very touching few minutes that I kept my thumb from clicking the “source” button of the remote control. Michael J. Fox is concerned about people and he wonders why Universal health care isn’t a foregone conclusion among Americans who claim to care about their fellow Americans. It was an amazing spotlight on the issue. Where is America right now? Are we sleeping? Dow we believe that that the idea of “healthcare as a right” actually oppresses each individual in this nation so much that we can’t have any empathy for those affected by issues of healthcare and its costs?
I don’t think Michael J. Fox believes it. I am almost 100% sure Oprah doesn’t believe it. I would bet that the average American believes that, even if the government shouldn’t universally provide health care for everyone, no American should be bankrupted by their individual needs. No family should lose their home over the cost of treating their Grandfather’s cancer. Should they?
So why is there so much debate on the subject? Why do Americans believe that there are really two sides of this debate that each deserves as much voice, time, and honest consideration as the other? My only guess is the same reason that I guess some Americans have a non-negative impression of Rush Limbaugh: Their memory is short and they must ignorantly believe that all ideas have an equal and opposite “balance idea.”
So I kind of want to just present this reminder of who Rush Limbaugh is right now:
Michale J Fox and Rush Limbaugh
Is that who we are?
