"Socialized Medicine"

The health care reform debate goes on....

Working in social services, I know there is a need for reform. Working full-time in a job that supplies my health care for only as long as I work, I know we need reform. Living in one of the richest countries in the world and having some of the worst health care - well, isn't it obvious?

So, we go on with this debate. The lies go on. The "death squads," the socialism, the blah, blah, blah. Fact is, we need reform. Spreading lies only proves more and more the fear that is out there. The same old argument that has been going on for years continues. It is now just padded more with lies and scare tactics, especially for older folks.

So, to quote a great blogger: strongprogressive.blogspot.com, quoting another great blogger: Hunter at DailyKos, this is quite well put:

Three general guidelines for the health care debate:

First, whenever someone is spouting off about "communist fascism", you may ignore everything that person says from that point forward. Fascism and communism are two entirely different things, and a primary tenet of fascism is its opposition to communism.

[...]Second, you cannot be "against socialized medicine" and at the same time think Medicare is good. Medicare is, in no uncertain term, socialized medicine, and government run, and all of that very scary stuff. If the concept of "socialized medicine" outrages you, you are against Medicare. If you are for Medicare, then by definition there is some level of "socialized medicine" you are willing to accept, and at that point you are exactly where the entire rest of the country is, and we're merely arguing about the details.

All of the people who say that they are afraid of socialized medicine but that they support Medicare are liars. All of them. They either secretly don't support Medicare but are unwilling to say such an unpopular thing out loud, for obvious reasons, or they aren't in fact afraid of "socialized medicine" but still want to use the talking point.

[...]The third guideline: the first two guidelines are freaking obvious.

I'd also add a fourth guideline: call them a liar to their face, and walk away. Anyone who says one. some, or all of the above talking points has drunk the kool-aid for far too long to listen to reason.

What else is there to say? It gets funnier and funnier, except it isn't funny anymore. Most of the people debating this are older folks on Medicare! Get real, and see past your own nose. As Craig T. Nelson, a mediocre actor at best (what was that silly show he was on years ago?) said in his incredibly stupid comment last spring on the even more half-baked Glenn Beck show: "I've been on food stamps and welfare. Did anybody help me out? No!"

Really? Didn't help you out at all? What do you think food stamps and welfare are?

Let's face it, these folks aren't only drinking the kool-aid, they are drowning in it.