HEALTH CARE CONCERNS

Our newspapers and airwaves have been constantly airing the nation’s concerns regarding President Barack Obama’s demands for immediate passage of his agenda for Health Care reform. We have also been barraged by pundits from both sides of the issue, and still the average Joe on the street does not know the details of the various pieces of legislation moving forward in the Halls of Congress.

Now we are being hammered by television commercials sponsored by public service unions insisting that we call specific Congressmen and demand that they support their version of Health Care. My local newspaper has been running a poll for several days that asks the question, “What do you think of President Obama’s health care proposal?”

Support it 24%
Oppose it 57%
Don’t know enough about it 19%

Two facts become clear in this poll. Almost 20% of our citizens do not know enough about the Health Care Bill to have a clear opinion, and most importantly a majority does not like what they are hearing about Obama’s Health Care plans.

Considering the above, I strongly urge our Washington legislators to go slow and get a Bill that is clearly understood and supported by a majority of the voters before rushing to an unpopular judgment. It is beyond your Commander’s understanding that our elected Officials would heap huge added financial debt obligations on an already over-burdened economy without thorough study.

There was an important article by Dan Balz in the July 26th issue of the Washington Post that carried the headline, “He Promised Change, but Is This Too Much, Too Soon?” I believe that many Americans have growing deep concerns and questions in view of the waste, delays, and debt caused by this administration’s early rush to pass complex legislation.

There is no debate that improvements are required in our health care system, but let us proceed slowly and get it right. America cannot afford to get this legislation wrong, so calm, reasoned decision making should prevail as opposed to the hysterical Chicago-style political strong-arm tactics of our new administration.

COMMANDER GRANGER