Legal Commentary

Reasonable Debate

By Big Tent Democrat

As regular readers know, I never have had a strong opinion on health care reform. I think it sounds like a good idea but I can't pretend to have studied the issue in detail. But, I have reacted to the Tea Party "arguments," such as they are, against health care reform, and they make me want to be on the other side of the issue from them. Again, from the NYTimes report on the Arlen Specter town hall:

“This is about the dismantling of this country,” Katy Abram, 35, shouted at Mr. Specter, drawing one of the most prolonged rounds of applause. “We don’t want this country to turn into Russia.”

(Emphasis supplied.) What does this mean? Health care reform would "dismantle the country?" Like Medicare did? Or Social Security? It sounds like a time warp hit these folks and sent them back to fight against the New Deal. Which leads me to my next question - what is this supposed to mean? "Standing two feet from the senator, Craig Anthony Miller, 59, shouted, “You are trampling on our Constitution!” (Emphasis supplied.) How would health care reform "trample on our Constitution?" This must have some connection to the Constitution In Exile people, who want to roll back the New Deal (except for their Medicare of course.) More. . .

Of course these folks are not un-American. Being stupid and ignorant is as American as apple pie. But it hardly makes for a persuasive argument against health care reform.

The problem is where is the persuasive argument for health care reform? Is the Obama Administration making it?

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on August 12, 2009 (boomark / email).