At the risk of planting, forever, my personal political flag squarely on the ulnar nerve of the advertising, insurance, corporate medical and drug industries, this whole business of suggesting that the health-reform efforts underway on behalf of the Obama administration will somehow result in an extraordinary "rationing" of health care is absolutely ludicrous. In fact, the only connection any logical person can make to that argument is that "rationing" and "irrational" share the same root.

The plain fact is that we are already rationing health care to about 45 million Americans who don't have health insurance. (Actually, it is more than that if you take into account the various schemes states, including our own, have undertaken to restrict Medicaid). As well, we are rationing health care to those who can pay, but who can't pay enough to get meaningful primary and preventive care.

Folks, it is all about money and how much can be squeezed out of Americans under the threat that they will see reduced "quality" of care, and will have to "stand in line" to get that. It's all about "engaging the free market" and, judging from my observations of those opposing the administration's offerings, the "freer" the better. 

The lamentations, weeping and gnashing of teeth at the hearings on Capitol Hill have been pretty free, as well. In my view, I would put it the way outlaw Henry Starr did many years ago when he was being sentenced by Judge Parker: "Samson with the jawbone of that other noteworthy Ass never did as much damage." (I think Henry also employed another phrase in his line of work that shares a certain commonality with today's arguments about health care. ("Your Money or your Life!" rings throughout the debate, does it not?)

If we lose this opportunity to make America stronger, more economically competitive and physically sound due to the shamelessly disingenuous arguments presented by those industries who would cheerfully do so (to preserve the status quo), we deserve precisely what we will get -- a more expensive system that fewer and fewer people will be able to afford. We will get lowered life-expectancy across all populations, reduced educational competency attendant to poor health, and the moral stigma attached to being so beholden to the Big Lobby (and, consequently, the Big Con) that we are politically paralyzed in the face of a growing national tragedy.

Not me, Brother. Call me a socialist, a radical, a liberal (horrors!), anything you would like. Just don't take me for a rube. Puhleeez! We have heard all of this claptrap before. Try a new line.

"Your Money or your Life!" comes to mind.

Perdue is a delegate from Wayne County.

At the risk of planting, forever, my personal political flag squarely on the ulnar nerve of the advertising, insurance, corporate medical and drug industries, this whole business of suggesting that the health-reform efforts underway on behalf of the Obama administration will somehow result in an extraordinary "rationing" of health care is absolutely ludicrous. In fact, the only connection any logical person can make to that argument is that "rationing" and "irrational" share the same root.

The plain fact is that we are already rationing health care to about 45 million Americans who don't have health insurance. (Actually, it is more than that if you take into account the various schemes states, including our own, have undertaken to restrict Medicaid). As well, we are rationing health care to those who can pay, but who can't pay enough to get meaningful primary and preventive care.

Folks, it is all about money and how much can be squeezed out of Americans under the threat that they will see reduced "quality" of care, and will have to "stand in line" to get that. It's all about "engaging the free market" and, judging from my observations of those opposing the administration's offerings, the "freer" the better. 

The lamentations, weeping and gnashing of teeth at the hearings on Capitol Hill have been pretty free, as well. In my view, I would put it the way outlaw Henry Starr did many years ago when he was being sentenced by Judge Parker: "Samson with the jawbone of that other noteworthy Ass never did as much damage." (I think Henry also employed another phrase in his line of work that shares a certain commonality with today's arguments about health care. ("Your Money or your Life!" rings throughout the debate, does it not?)

If we lose this opportunity to make America stronger, more economically competitive and physically sound due to the shamelessly disingenuous arguments presented by those industries who would cheerfully do so (to preserve the status quo), we deserve precisely what we will get -- a more expensive system that fewer and fewer people will be able to afford. We will get lowered life-expectancy across all populations, reduced educational competency attendant to poor health, and the moral stigma attached to being so beholden to the Big Lobby (and, consequently, the Big Con) that we are politically paralyzed in the face of a growing national tragedy.

Not me, Brother. Call me a socialist, a radical, a liberal (horrors!), anything you would like. Just don't take me for a rube. Puhleeez! We have heard all of this claptrap before. Try a new line.

"Your Money or your Life!" comes to mind.

Perdue is a delegate from Wayne County.