Obamacare, There Goes My President!

It's exciting enough to see R&B artists like Usher putting out 2010 bangers like "There Goes My Baby," and I blast that song heavily. But last night I went to sleep after watching CNN singing, "There goes Obama. There he go. There he go. There he go. You don't know how good it feels to call you my pres."

At 9:45 p.m. last night, as soon as I saw the "yes" votes for the health care reform bill go over 216, my heart dropped. Finally some change. I have been on the Obama bandwagon since his senatorial days, but I really thought he was going to lose this battle. I don't know why I keep underestimating President Barack Obama because I had the same pessimistic view about him winning the election at all. I walked around Grant Park completely dumbfounded when he won. So when the Republicans tried to have a second vote to change the language in the health care reform bill, I wasn't surprised. But what shocked me was how quickly the "no" votes shot to 216 and ended with 232 votes by 10:07 p.m.

And whoever the Republican was who shouted "baby killer" in Rep. Joe Wilson's notorious and elementary style didn't bother me either. Considering how deadset Republicans were on making sure people continued to get denied health care coverage for preexisting conditions like rape, molestation and being denied health care for getting sick, why would anyone be surprised at the way defeat is handled on the elephant end?

I've yet to hear an intelligent argument against health care reform. The debate about abortion doesn't hold any weight because there was never going to be a time when abortions would be paid for with federal money.

The debate about putting America further in debt is ironic to me because the same people who supported former President Bush taking America into a war with make-believe weapons of mass destruction had no words against Dubbya. Even when millions of money was "lost," still there were no complaints from the elephant side of town. Bush spent $11.5 trillion, and the elephant in the room acted like it didn't know Bush was there screwing up more. But oh boy, when President Obama took the time to try to help people from going bankrupt paying for medical costs since the health care industry has a spending cap, now Republicans are worried about America's balance. Convenient, isn't it?

The debate about how Republicans were interested in helping people with health care is a load of sugar honey ice tea, especially considering all eight years of the worst president ever's shenanigans. I never heard any effort being made for people who were dying, going broke and getting far more ill because of the health care industry playing Hide and Seek with health care.

Getting health care is more difficult than getting Chicago construction workers to fix potholes. I recall resigning from a Chicago newspaper and trying to get health care as an entrepreneur. I was ambushed with questions for two days explaining a headache that I thought was an ear infection. It turned out that my headache was due to stress at the job I'd left, but you would've thought I was HIV positive the way the representatives threw questions at me. (Note: I think everybody, especially those with HIV or AIDS should be able to get health care coverage.) It was almost like they were looking for any reason to turn me down for "preexisting conditions." And I still remember the battle I had paying a health care bill that Blue Cross and Blue Shield tried to drain me out of. But not anymore!

I was already pleased with President Obama for signing the Ryan White CARE Act and for his views on race, women's rights and equal rights for homosexuals, but the win for the health care bill (assuming the Senate doesn't slow anything down) made me finally want to be one of those people who leaves, "God bless America" on my answering machine and hangs flags out of my Suzuki.

I think I'll buy four-one for each car window as I blast Usher's song at the people who are mad that 30 million people will have the ability to get health care coverage. But what I'd love to do is buy four more for Obama's second run as president.