Healthcare Reform, My Foot!

There is much intrigue and excitement about what is dubbed "healthcare reform" that is currently being considered by Congress and vigorously pushed by President Obama. But how can one seriously call what is happening in Congress reform?

It goes without saying that changes must be made to our current healthcare system - too many people are denied coverage; too many cannot afford coverage; too many file for bankruptcy after experiencing a bout of illness; etc. There is a desperate need for reform. However, when supposed healthcare reform is shrouded with secrecy, something is fishy in Denmark.

There are too many dark clouds hanging over this Bill to frighten the average Joe:

1. After Senate committees passed their versions of the healthcare reform bill, Harry Reid locked himself away in some dark room to create the Master Healthcare Bill;

2. When Harry Reid needed the votes to pass the Bill he bought Senator Landrieu and Senator Nelson, among others, for millions of dollars - shame on them!

3. On the day that the US Senate voted for healthcare reform, it was argued that most of the Senators had not read what was supposedly good for us;

4. Interestingly, in the wee hours of the morning when the Senate voted for our Bill, the American people had not been given an opportunity to review the Bill;

5. Long before the US Senate voted for Healthcare Reform a majority of the American people were saying, "We do not like your actions to date nor the little of the Bill that we hear about";

6. The Healthcare Reform Bill was passed without the support of one Republican - a Bill for the people was "crafted" in secrecy by one party. Stick a pin - if the Republican opposition to the Bill was pure politics, that's equally unacceptable. However, if the opposition was guided by principles, it is shameful that one party has shut out input from the other to create one big mess of a Bill;

7. Now that the Senate and the House each has a version of healthcare reform, there is an opportunity to allow the American people to watch the process at work that will give we the people healthcare reform, but that may not happen. In fact, the word is that even President Obama is urging Congressional leaders to bypass the normally, public process - didn't he promise transparency while on the campaign trial? - so that he can get a Bill on his desk as quickly as possible.

Shame! Shame! Shame!

How can back room wielding and dealing be considered healthcare reform?

Finally, here is something really interesting - no one can guarantee that the current Bill will reduce healthcare costs and improve the standard of care. What we are hearing is that they hope to control Medicare costs and generate millions to fund portions of the Healthcare Reform Bill.

Two things that we are sure of are: 1. some people among us will be compelled to buy medical insurance - yes, in this land of the free and the home of the brave; and 2. others will see an increase in taxes.

Healthcare reform, my foot!