Healthcare: Make Your Voice Heard

Several weeks ago I wrote a column in relation to some proposed changes to Healthcare in America and my thoughts regarding those changes. Low and behold others must have felt the same. I think we should all take another long hard look at this ‘healthcare proposal’ of Paul Ryan’s and all others that are presented and then we must be prepared to voice our approval or dislike - loudly!

I have said it before, the Boomers have a strong influence and lately with the mortgage fraud and financial manipulation of securitized investments, many of our contemporaries have seen their retirement funds dwindled to nothing or near to nothing.  On top of all that some government leaders, such as Ryan, were thinking of causing those very same Boomer-Seniors to have less health support as they age.

When will ‘the stripping down of middle class Americans’ stop? I am not talking about those persons that have never paid anything into the American system here folks. I am talking about all those hard working, proud and forward striving American people who have seen most of their assets and accumulated wealth vanish. However now, when it seems they may need the most care and support, our government is attempting to let them down.

In a prior article I stated, “50 million Americans remain uninsured because monthly premiums are equal to or more than an average monthly mortgage payment (for those hanging onto their home in this financial tsunami) and most cannot afford to pay the current prices doctors and hospitals are demanding. Change must happen, but it must be inclusive of senior healthcare needs and the average persons ability to pay.”   

Even Newt Gingrich on NBC's Meet the Press criticized Ryan's plan as "Right wing social engineering?" Wow, need I say more?

I think the evidence that voters have had enough was seen last week when a Democrat beat a Republican in NY.  Andy Ostroy from the Huffington Post commented on this upset and said it best, “Imagine a Red Sox fan walking into a Bronx bar on game night and walking out an hour later having convinced the Yankees fans inside to root for the Sox. Pretty unthinkable, right? Well that's essentially what happened last week in New York's 26th Congressional District where the Democrat, Kathy Hochul, defeated her Republican opponent, Jane Corwin, in a special election in one of the state's most conservative bastions.”

Seems to me that this unexpected Republican defeat is the first sign that the 2012 election is beginning to shape up to be a closer contest than first glance had shown. It appears that each party will have to start showing allegiance to the people, voters. Now that’s a novel idea!

It’s time to get on this bandwagon.  People, not parties vote!  People matter and when the government and their parties and lobbyists finally realize this I hope it is too late for them to recoup their power over us.  For too long in this country, the people have been ignored or lied to in most matters, especially in those related to health and finance.  Both are critical to a person’s well-being. It is time to take a stand and make what has happened in this country reversable.

Do not let your voice go unheard. 72+ million boomers are coming of age. That  gives them power, gives them a voice and gives them ‘rule-setting’ capabilities. Vote for what you believe in, not what your party suggests is right.  Educate yourself on the issues and vote your mind, heck speak your mind long before the vote takes place. People matter, people vote. People - not parties.

Take a long hard look at what is going on with health-care in this country. Take a long hard look at what has happened financially in this country over the last few years and ask yourself  how it has affected your way of life. I am sure that after careful consideration many people will realize that most of the hardships they are facing today are not directly of their own making but rather that of the government and those ‘parties’ and politicians  (we elected) and unfortunately put our faith in. Stand up now and make your voice heard. This opportunity is right around the corner. Best we take advantage of it.

It is clear that anyone of our elected politicians can and should suggest a bipartisan measure and realistic commitment to reduce the growth of Medicare spending with real measures to restrain ‘overused’ entitlements (not eliminate stuff real people need) those same ‘elected politicians’ can also insist that tax increases are doled out to the very rich. Those same ‘elected politicians’ can and should insist that an end must come to corporate loopholes. If the above were to happen we might actually have a government that looks like its working for the people!

Let your ‘elected politician’ know you want leadership and from that leadership you want consensus and ‘win-win’ solutions - not ‘political bantering’.  The entitlements we want gone are the ones received by the ‘elected politicians’, courtesy of corporate and non-profit lobbyists and their ‘friends.'