Adaptive Strategies Blog

Brad Shorr

Hi Bill, No question about it: partisan politics now dominate our party system and there seems to be no end in sight. I don’t know if this is typical of all party systems at all times, but I certainly don’t feel as though our politicians share much if any common ground. Even within the two parties, factionalism is pronounced. However, blaming our politicians is perhaps a bit misguided. I believe in the old adage that in a democracy, you get the kind of government you deserve. It is we, the people who have become mentally lazy, unwilling (unable?) to look at situations critically. We have lost the patience to methodically hammer out solutions and prefer to watch people scream at each other on cable news programs. Yes, our politicians are awful. But we can correct that every couple years. Why don’t we?
Brad Shorr´s last blog ..Public Relations and the Holidays | Keeping Your PR Plan Active

Zeke

Yes, we Republicans see this as a win-lose situation. We see it that way, because its is obvious that the aim of the radical left is a complete takeover (a nationalization) of health care. President Obama has said so himself!!!

Republicans can’t engage in debate with the Dems about health care.. As you and every other American who pays attention to this issue knows, Republicans are not allowed to participate in health care deliberations which are being conducted behind closed doors. Republicans need not apply!

Is there any doubt in your mind that if they had not run up against strong, united opposition from Republicans in Congress and also (perhaps especially) from those much-maligned millions of us who are staging rallies across this country in opposition, we would have a nationalized, complete government takeover of health care in place right now?

We Republicans are willing to risk our reputations for the “good of the country”. We are being blasted (from some quarters) as money grubbing, selfish bullies who are uninterested in providing health care for millions of uninsured. However, we realize what the other side is up to. Their goal is the nationalizaton of a large portion of our economy. How will that improve things? Nationalized health care will not be free. Someone will have to pay for all of its inherent inefficiencies, cost overruns, bureaucratic red tape, rationing, and inevitable abortion and euthanasia. How on earth will such a system fit into your’s or any other business thinker’s idea of economic efficiency?

Today’s Democrat Party is controlled by committed ideologues. They are people of the hard left who are anti-capitalist and, in many respects, anti-American in that they are committed to destroying the very Americn traditions (the Judeo-Christian basis upon which this country was founded to include the sanctity of human life, Christianity itself, traditional marriage, strong national defense, the ethic of patriotism) that have been the very bedrock of this nation. In fact, they resent their own country’s success.

How do you engage in reasoned debate with people like that? You can’t. They won’t allow such debate and their unwillingness to engage Republicans in debate during these health care deliberations is a perfect example of their attitude.

In your perfect world reasonable people should be able to engage in reasoned debate. But you cannot engage in debate with determined political zealots. Today’s Democratic Party is led by such zealots. This is no longer the party of Truman and JFK. This is a party whose leaders have pledged to transform America into their vision of a secular, Christianity-free, corporate-statist society at best and a socialist society at worst. A complete takeover of the nation’s health care system is the tip of their ideological iceberg.

Zeke

Yes, both sides have dug in their heels. That is because this (and I know that you will probably cringe when I say this once again) is not about health care; this is about ideology.

I am convinced, and so are many Republicans, that the current health care debate is a proxy for the real issue. That issue concerns whether we Americans want the kind of socialism which pervades Europe, or whether we want less government intrusion into our lives.

I believe that the American people are speaking loud and clear. They are scared to death of Obama and the Dems ambitions for our nation. That is why, even in the bluest of blue states, they came out strong against those ambitions.

There will be more cooperation from the Dems after this Massachusetts debacle only because they have been hit over the head with a sledge hammer by the voters of MA. They will angrily accept the fact that their socialist agenda is something that the American people find unpalatable. So their cooperation will only come because they have no choice. In that respect, we have shown the world what a wonderful free society we are in that the Dems in the White House and in Congress must accept that the people have spoken.

Now, that does not mean that they, including the president, believe in free enterprise, the entreprenurial spirit, and the original American idea that the government exists to provide the opportunity and rule of law which enables people to pursue happiness. No, they believe that the government is the provider of that happiness.

And therein lies the difference between us. I believe that the vision of Republicans is very much that of the founding fathers. The vision of the Democrats is a vision of a European socialism which drains initiative, creativity, ambition, and innovation. That is why discussions of the various ways we can reform health care and still leave decisions in the hands of the people (e.g. health savings accounts tied to high deductible health insurance policies, allowing insurance companies to compete across state lines, tax deductibility for health insurance premium costs for individuals, etc., etc.) are anathema to Democrats. These ideas actually put responsibliity for health care decisions in the hands of individuals and families. This is inconsistent with the Democrat vision of a society in which government makes the important decisions for us.

So, this fight isn’t about innovative and creativie ways to arrive at cost effective solutions. You know better than I do that such solutions are out there. They exist in abundance. I have cited just a few. This is, rather, about political ideology. And the Democrats will not rest until they have forced their unimaginitive, inefficient, wasteful, bureaucratic socialized medical system upon us.

I believe, as has been demonstrated in MA yesterday, and in rallies of millions of people everywhere in this country over the past year, that the American people will not allow that to happen. In that respect (and I mean this with every fiber of my being), we are, indeed, the last, best hope for mankind

Zeke

I did not respond to your January 23d reply in our continuing dialogue. I was surprised that you agreed with me that this whole issue is about ideology. Perhaps I did not convey the true meaning of my remarks. So please allow me to rephrase.

When I refer to ideology, I refer to the Democrats, whose leadership does not care one iota about health care. This push for “health insurance reform” (their latest catch phrase for what they are trying to do) is nothing more than one more step (a giant one) in their effort to force the Amerian people to become wards of the federal government. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with providing affordable health care to all Americans. It has everything to do with a bald atttempt to infiltrate another area of American life which they can control.

And once that happens, any attempt to make suggestions or innovations by you or any other businees oriented critical thinkers about the most cost efficient ways to properly manage health care will not be considered. In fact, you will be laughed at by the bureaucrats who will control our very bodies. They will not care about efficiencies of any kind. They won’t have to care just as the NHS in the United Kingdom does not care. After all, they will have limitless access to the public trough. We taxpayers will be faced with feeding an enlessly ravenous money monster whose appetite for dollars will never be satisfied. Efficiencies be damned!! Full speed ahead!!

Let me repeat. From the Democrat perspective (I.e. the President, Harry Reid, Pelosi, et al) this issue has nothing at all to do about health care. They don’t care one whit about the health of the American people or our affordabe access to it. If they did, they certainly would not have cobbled together one of the most outrageously flawed pieces of bankruptcy-inducing, inefficiency-creating, private- enterprise destroying pieces of legislaion in our history. No, this is about central control our our lives!!! Now, have I made you cringe? Good! I speak the truth.

Zeke

One more comment, if I may. Why do you suppose that the Democrats will not allow the Republicans to participate in their health care deliberations? The fact that they have banned Republicans from any of their deliberations ought to be an obvious clue that they are not interested in ideas which would enhance affordable access to good health care.

Surely, the Republican have some good ideas which ought to be considered. I am certain you are familiar with Paul Ryan, the dynamic young Republican congressman from Wisconsin, who stole the show at the recent so-called White House summit on health care. He presented very cogent arguments. Will any of his ideas or those of any other Republicans about how we can improve health care be considered by the Democrats? No. Neither Ryan nor any other Republican law-maker have been allowed to be a part of health care deliberations. That event at the White House was a mere show designed to fake the America people into beleiving that the Democrats were open to various perspectives. Nothing that Paul Ryan and the other Republican said will be considered by the Democrats..

And why? Because the Democrats are not interested in health care. That is not their goal. They do not give a rat’s patoot about you or me or whether we live or die. If they were really interested in looking for solutions they would not have closed the door to non-Democrat suggestions. Their aim is not affordable health care or any health care per se. Their aim is control. They want central control of our lives and what better way to get it than to control our access to doctors, nurses, and hositals?

Zeke

I detect that I have raised your hackles a bit. Good, that was my intention. It caused you to reply with a brief, but very interesting message with valuable intimations about your perceptions and just where you are coming from.

I intend to reply, but not immediately. I am ruminating over your remarks because they deserve a well considered reply. So unless you tell me you are sick and tired of this dialogue, you will hear from me.

Zeke

Zeke

Ooh, I love the use of the parentheses around “well considered”, and you followed that with “volley”. Excellent, Mr. Welter! You will hear from me. I am loading the musket.

Zeke