Angie Coiro and Amy Goodman decided to discuss ObamaCare and, in doing so, explained why the country's in such a sorry state. See if you can catch it on your own.
In disbelief, Angie went on about some woman she'd seen on TV who'd stood up, pointed to a man standing next to her and exclaimed, "Why should I pay his health care?
Angie Coiro: And I guess what I'm thinking in terms of how America came together in the face of adversity before, that's a whole different spirit. And it seems to have come into our society, creeping in on the feet of pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, you can do it, the system is in place for you to be a better person, a self-reliant person, that's the American way.
Amy Goodman: I mean it's just like saying: "Keep the government out of my Medicare." [Laughter.] Right? But you know, we learn from what the media teaches us. And I don't think that's actually the American way -- that everyone's in it for themselves. I don't think that. When you see for example the mining disaster in West Virginia, the whole country cares. The whole country cares about what's happening to people. I think people do care about protecting each other. I do think that's the best of America. And the media doesn't focus on those best of America principals. It really caters to the worst in us and not the best. I think if people saw two children on television -- one born to a wealthy family, one born to a poorer family. I think very few people would say that child who is born to the poor family should not get health care and the person born to the wealthy family deserves it. And if it's put that simply, that we should all start with a level playing field, I think we'd probably have a pretty good consensus in this country. Did you catch it?
A woman on TV is against ObamaCare and she feels it means she has to pay for another person's health care. This means, to Angie and Amy, it's time to express amazement and puzzlement and, for Angie especially, it's time to lie.
This didn't happen, Angie insists, during the Great Depression meaning with Social Security and other programs that came about, there wasn't objection.
Angie's a real idiot. And a liar. But this really takes the cake. Social Security does serve all. ObamaCare?
ObamaCare is not universal health care.
We don't know what the woman -- the mythical woman -- was saying because we didn't see her (and, outside of Angie's head, no one may have) but she might have been noting the fact that taxes would go up (they will) and that this money would be used to cover the extreme poor (it will).
Has our left really gotten that stupid? It apparently has because you heard moanings similar to Angie's as they tried to sell ObamaCare. Why or why did they only care about themselves!!!!
People don't just care about themselves. But there's a world of difference -- and the left should pay attention to this -- to a universal program and what's been offered. What's been offered is dismissed as "hand outs" and the dismissal comes about because it is not universal, it does not serve all. For the working poor and above, you will be forced to buy insurance or pay a legal fine. The extreme poor will get subsidies of some form that will allow for insurance.
So, yes, that woman or 'woman' is paying for 'his' health care. ObamaCare doesn't pay for her expenses. (Nor does it have any cost controls built into it.) So it is not about lifting all of our boats.
Now you can express horror for any number of reasons, but try getting your facts right. That woman's objection may appall you because she does not (or may not) want to pay for the health care for the extreme poor but don't pretend that she's rejecting universal health care or any universal good. She's objecting on the grounds that she doesn't feel she should have to pay for her own expenses and someone else's as well. To her, and to many, when one group foots the bill and sees no direct rewards, it is a problem and if some on the left can't grasp that, we better get used to every social program being referred to as "mooching" since we're failing in advocating for what we believe in (although we excell at spitting on those who disagree with us!).
Again, you can disagree with her (or 'her') opinion but don't be so dishonest to distort what she's saying in order to mock her. The only fool you expose is yourself.
[For more on the conversation, see Ava and C.I.'s "TV: They get paid for this?" this edition.]
