Tuesday, 8/13/13, Public Square

What we’re losing without noticing.

Civility. Compromise. Discussion.

Remember them? Me too. I feel as if I’ve been a witness to their destruction at the hands of Stridency, Volume, and Exclusion.

Consider the news this week. A man with Parkinson’s disease, engaged in the simple act of letting his opinion in the face a of anti-health care reform protest – shouted at, mocked, humiliated. Was he hit or injured? No. Can you say you didn’t believe it was about to happen the first time you saw that video? Me neither. I feared for him and admire his bravery.

Where was the voice of reason in that crowd? I’d like to think I live in a nation where people are not afraid to protect those who need it, regardless of their political stripe. Yet none of the bystanders raised a hand to stop what was going on. “This is wrong, brother. I don’t agree with him either, but this is wrong.” That is all it would have taken. It didn’t happen.

This morning’s news is that Congressmen in favor of health care reform were spat upon and called hateful names that dredge up shameful portions of our nation’s history. What has become of us when men who are responding to the voices of their constituents can be humiliated for doing their job?

An important principle of our nation gives us all a voice. We’re all blessed by that principle. I’m not sure that principle doesn’t imply that we use that voice responsibly. Who in that crowd on Capitol Hill yesterday said “this is wrong brother. I don’t agree with them either, but this is wrong”?

On social media sites, opinions on health care are often met with strident opposing responses that come across as dismissive of opinions other than what the responder holds. Friends and families become estranged because the political atmosphere calls for not only rejection of opposing opinions, but shaming those who hold them.

My son will vote in his first election in November. After seeing the tone of arguments made on-line by admired friends and family, he has made the choice to speak only with his vote on political matters. I’m proud he’ll stay engaged in the process, but saddened that the tone of discussion these days is driving his voice, and probably others, into silence.

This is wrong, brother. We don’t agree, that’s our right,  but this atmosphere is wrong.

Omawarisan

Wednesday, 11/18/09, Public Square

What makes a friend worthy of the name?

Not asking you to place the friendship before your principles.  A true friend won’t ask you to compromise your principles in the name of your friendship or anything else.  Ever.

A good influence.  A true friend inspires you to live up to your best potential, not to indulge your basest drives.

What do you bloggers think makes a friend?  History?  Common values?  Common interests?  Is it true you need to be the friend you want to have?  How important is friendship?

fnord

Chill, health-care reform is still on

I’ve found myself anxious and maybe even a little depressed over the health-care reform debate recently.  I found this article that is titled, “Take a Chill Pill,” and it worked to calm me down just like the author intended.  Now I know all I really need to do for now is make sure Brownback, Roberts and Tiahrt know reform is needed, and expected.  I can do that.  I can do that often.  I can encourage my friends, neighbors and relatives to do that too.  Read this article, it’s like taking a chill pill.  From a place of reason will come reason.

Whatever your leanings, if (like me) you’re hoping for some kind of major health reform this year, the crucial text at this juncture is from Schoolhouse Rock—where that famous old ditty, “I’m Just A Bill,” lays out how a bill becomes a law. We’re at the point in the process where this is literally all that matters. For health reform to happen this year, something has to pass the House, and something has to pass the Senate. It doesn’t matter exactly what those somethings are, or how offensive big chunks of those somethings may be to some of us. Never forget that when the Clintons convulsed the country over health care in 1993 and 1994, these simple Schoolhouse Rock steps never came close to happening. For all the drama back then, nothing came to a vote.

Only after something passes the House and the Senate will the real work begin. The conference committee to hammer out a final, identical bill will be the mother of all summits. That’s where President Obama must weigh in heavily to shape and then sell the outcome. Contrary to all the carping, what he and the White House do before then on the specifics of the legislation doesn’t much matter. The White House’s only job until we get to conference is to shape the climate of opinion with one simple end in mind. Legislators need to get the message that their constituents want “change” on health care, and will punish them for supporting the status quo. The White House’s mission is to be sure that enough legislators feel they cannot safely oppose Obama’s definition of “change.” That’s it.

fnord

Thursday, 08/06/09, Public Square

At least we can think, and figure out compromises!

Is there any topic you especially want to disucss today?

fnord

Health Care Reform

Everyone has their own stories, their own ideas, and when you get to those we’ve elected to make our laws you find an even bigger quagmire.  That’s because members of Congress think first about being reelected and if they do any more thinking at all, what might improve the lives of most Americans comes far down their list of priorities.

President Obama ran with the proomise of reforming health care.  He plans to address this issue during his first year  and according to The Votemaster Democrats made a strategic decision last week about when and how to get their agenda passed.  They’re probably all shaking in their shoes realizing this could have major implications on the 2010 and 2012 elections.  They decided if agreement on health care reform hadn’t been reached by October 15th, they would attach health care reform to the budget reconciliation.

Budgeting and the budget reconciliation is explained as happening like this:

“In February, the President proposes a budget, which President Obama has already done and which Congress has approved. But this is only step 1. Next the Senate and House committees dealing with taxing and spending hack on the President’s proposal and come up with their own plans, which merely sets general spending limits for each of 19 broad categories of government expenditures. After much arm wrestling, the committee chairman come up with a single proposal in each chamber, which is then brought to the floor for a vote. Since the Senate and House versions invariably differ, a joint Senate-House conference committee then works out a compromise, called the budget resolution, which both chambers then pass. If Congress so desires, language can be inserted into the budget resolution directing one or more committees to produce specific legislation by a specific date. The legislation produced by these committees is generally bundled into a single bill called the reconciliation bill. According to Senate rules, budget resolutions and reconciliation bills are subject to a straight up-or-down votes. Filibusters are not allowed.“

If the Democrats manage to get health care reform through Congress this year, they will be crowing about it in 2010 and 2012 as fulfilling a major campaign promise and Republicans will be dissing it as socialized medicine. But given the public’s desire to see the health insurance system fixed, a bill this year is likely to help the Democrats, hence the decision to put health care reform in the reconciliation bill if all else fails.

fnord