Thanks, Diana!

AAHCA – Health Care Bill - however, there is much, much more to be done before the public needs to even think about reacting. They need to learn 5th grade civics!

 Re:   http://docs.house.gov/edlabor/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf The Internet is full of mind-boggling amounts about a proposed health care law. However, if you know anything about how Washington works, this is not out of the ordinary.  Every legislator tries to legislate his/her point of view, and has staff members who labor mightily to get everything in and keep all the loopholes closed. I don’t pretend to be expert on any of this—however a few points are worth making. — The document referred to is NOT a final law.  It is one of several House of Representatives proposals.  There are other proposals from the House and from the Senate.  So do not take this as a law.  The final bill (if there is one) will be MUCH different. — The starting point for all these proposals is that everyone seems to agree that our current health care system is inadequate, leaves out millions of uninsured (who cost extra when they seek treatment in emergency rooms, or are not cared sufficiently or at all), is increasingly unaffordable by companies who are cutting benefits, and increasingly expensive for those who are lucky enough to be insured.  People with pre-existing conditions, people who lose their jobs and their health care are SOL under the present "system" – which is a "for-profit" system, after all, and of course insurance companies don’t want to insure high-risk patients. — So, politicians are trying to figure out a way to cover all (or most) individuals, which will improve the nation’s health and welfare and economy.  But one has to remember that this is a POLITICAL process, which means many different points of view have to be accommodated.  The result is bound to be an unsatisfactory compromise.  — The writer of a summary of the H.R. Bill is a self-described "common man," Peter Fleckenstein, a right-wing blogger.  He has an axe to grind; people who read his summary should be aware of his biases.  The internet is full of self-appointed "experts."  Always try to check facts and sources. — Not everything he says is correct, and much is "spun" to reflect his biases.  For example, he claims that the "government has a say in how your life ends."  This is nonsense.  The section of the Bill he refers to merely permits payment to physicians for CONSULTING with patients about "advance care planning."  As is the case now, a physician can consult or counsel you about living wills, appropriate care for you in terminal illness, hospice alternatives, etc.  The "order" that Fleckenstein refers to is merely a (deliberate?) misunderstanding of a common term used in hospitals – that is, for example, if you request that no extreme measures be taken to sustain your life (ventilator, etc.), that is known as a "do not resuscitate order."  That is, it is an "order" that YOU (or if you are incapacitated, your spouse/family/or other designed person) have notified your physician and the hospital of your wishes.  There is no "government order" controlling how your life ends. Do you really believe anyone (those darned liberals?) wants to institute euthanasia?  (First, they’d have to look up the word.)  Euthanasia is ILLEGAL.  Period.  This is just right-wing scare tactics — which you will hear stated as fact again and again. — Incidentally, even Fleckenstein says "There’s been an mass/chain email going around about my tweets on the Health Care Bill.  The problem with this email is that it misquotes what I actually said.  It also makes things up that were never in my tweets as well." 

— So, you have to read everything you get with a skeptical mind.  Who wrote it?  Why was it written?  As I have said before, ALWAYS be skeptical.  Think for yourself.  Be politically aware.  Don’t take things at face value.

I think the worst thing that I’ve ever heard was Dick Armey on Meet the Press today. Everything he yelled out was untrue! Absolutely false! How that man can stay in Office is beyond me. We’ve had enough of him ‘up to here’ for years in Texas, and he should be removed, now.