Trusting Government

I’ve been a student of politics most of my life and I’m now well into my 70’s. I’ve had doubts from time to time whether representatives truly understand a topic well enough to make decisions and legislate about them.

In today’s atmosphere of raging public discussion and non civil discourse, my doubts are also raging. What does a congressman know about Medicare, Medicaid, and healthcare in general? Tinkering with any of these opens the possibility for major unintended consequences. And then will they have the moxie to repair or undo the damage later? Not very likely. Even if they do the timing will likely be delayed and very slow.

I suspect the ideological arguments embedded in today’s debate about healthcare are actually this: How big a role ought government play in our lives?

Conservatives feel government should be small and focused only on narrow roles that only a central government can have proper effect on. Such would be national defense.

Liberals feel government should be large enough to control for desired outcomes for the common good of our people. Of course what limits may pertain on this is hazy, and those who doubt the common good provided by a strong central government wince each time the word ‘control’ or ‘regulation’ is mentioned.

Centrists feel borrowing the best of all ideas from right and left makes sense and produces compromises that are workable and manageable. Of course compromise for many is a dirty word meaning principles are traded away for something else. If these are valuable principles – which aren’t? – then any compromise is bad.

It seems to me the rhetoric is so hot at the moment that the entire issue of healthcare ought to be placed on hiatus. Keep the programs in place that are already there, and tinker with them to strengthen them so no one citizen gets hurt in the hullabaloo. The health of each citizen is important. That is a principle upon which I think we can agree.

So, how do we do the least damage to citizens while we attempt to build a program that is just, fair and affordable? The affordability is the crux of the matter to those of us who are of practical mind. We are spending public dollars after all, so we must be careful. But do something we must because of our principles.

Healthcare has become so complex and so costly that vast numbers of people fear they will be excluded from care. Those who have the financial strength feel that’s just a reality of the market place. If you can’t pay, you don’t play.

Only not playing costs the community, our society, lives. Some will argue that not all lives are of equal value; in a purist sort of way such arguments can be made. But they are done in folly because our principles tell us that each and every one of us is worthy of our care and protection. Every religion in human history claims this principle as their own.

If you don’t support the principle, then I understand your distaste for spending your money on others. But then you would be the beneficiary of our ‘charity’ if the roles were reversed. What kind of society do you wish to be a part of? Warm, accepting and valuing others? Or uncaring and disassociating?

Does it really matter what your answer is to that question? It does with regard to your attitude and personality type, I suppose. But as a social concept ascribing a value of zero to another human being demeans all of us. You are allowed to be asocial if that is your wish; but the rest of us answer to a higher standard. Your position will call forth consequences you may not wish; but ours will produce a society and culture of inclusion, diversity and massive creativity for the benefit of all.

Healthcare is one of those topics that begs the cultural value of each of us. Our federal government is attempting to deal with this enormous issue as though it is merely an economic issue. It isn’t.

It is a matter of our humanity. It defines our ability to love and being loved.

“Do this to the least of us and you do it to me.” What we do and feel defines who we are.

Let that sink in. Then let your congressman and senators know your position.

June 27, 2017