Health care is a thorn in every small business owner’s side. Personally speaking, I spend thousands of dollars every month for the opportunity for my staff to visit a doctor when they get sick to pay a hefty co-pay. My husband and I pay for our health insurance through my husband’s business. The other day, I went to the dermatologist to get a skin tag removed to find out that it was a $50 co-pay plus $10 each removal. I was totally taken aback! A co-pay plus plus! What?
The health care situation in this country is out of hand. Doctors are losing, patients are losing and the only ones really making out here are the insurance companies.
When Greg Sleter, an old friend who used to work at the Long Beach Herald when I first started my business, asked if he could write a guest blog on health care reform, I thought the topic was relevant.
I wanted to see if I could get someone from the other side to post a blog and then I would have both sides represented. Unfortunately, I was unable. But, I decided to post Greg’s blog anyway to start the conversation going. Please note these are the sole opinions of Greg Sleter, Guest Blogger and Owner of the West Islip Tribune. They may not necessarily be the opinion of HilaryTopper.com or HJMT COMMUNIATIONS, LLC.
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Greg Sleter’s Blog Post:
So it appears as if the fear mongers have come off the unemployment list and are working at full strength.
In recent days, we’ve seen coverage of health care forums from around the country that have showed small groups of alleged angry folks shouting down their congressperson who was trying to conduct a civil discussion on health care reform. In any discussion, the party that is usually the loud talker is the one that is ill-informed.
Most people are uncomfortable with change, but change is necessary and happens daily. It would be difficult for anyone to argue that the nation’s health care system is not a mess and in dire need of reform. And while Congress and the Obama Administration are working to push reform, there is a small but boisterous group of right wingers that are working not to be part of the process, but merely scare folks.
The fear mongers are screaming that Obama is a socialist and wants the government to run everything short of breathing. But aren’t these the same folks chastising the President for bailing out major corporations. What kind of socialist is this man who wants to give billions of taxpayer dollars to capitalistic corporations such as Goldman-Sachs and Citigroup?
But I guess these are the same folks who during the 2008 campaign claimed that Obama was a — shhh, don’t say it too loud — a Muslim, while using the Christian minister of the President’s one-time Chicago church he attended as a way to prove the then Presidential-candidate was anti-white. Can you be an Islamic Christian? I have enough trouble working to be a non-practicing Catholic, but I digress.
We can all draw conclusions at who is fueling this supposed anger over heath care reform, but the blame for this should fall in the laps of the GOP, who are standing on the sidelines hoping reform dies and the status quo remains. If one of these by-standers were my representative in the house — wait one of them is (I’m talking to you Peter King) — I would be annoyed that they are not earning their salary that comes from my tax dollars. Those opposing reform have dug up the Reagan anti drug theme “Just Say No.” That was the Reagan administration‘s answer to the nation’s drug problem of the 1980s, but translated really meant; “please stop because if you do, then I won’t have to actually work to develop anti-drug programs and act presidential.”
But when you “Just Say No” you’re not looking for a way to say yes at some point, or help improve a given situation. If the Republicans want to be known as the party of no, fine by me. The six years in which they controlled the White House and Congress earlier this decade proved disastrous for this country, so perhaps it’s best for everyone if they sit this one out.
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Greg Sleter has been a journalist for 15 years. He currently owns WestIslipTribune.com.
