Health Care - The Nature of the Conundrum in a snapshot -

Americans polled say it's too little, too late from both sides

...Republicans may run political risks if they just say no.
A new Washington Post-ABC News poll found that most
Americans want Congress and the president to keep working on
a comprehensive health care overhaul. Two-thirds supported
the goal in the survey, released Tuesday. Nearly 6 in 10
said Republicans aren't doing enough to find compromise with
Obama, while more than 4 in 10 said Obama is doing too
little to get GOP support... - Associated Press

While the debate in the nation's capital oozes along at
stalemate and the primary battles rage across the country,
Americans are starting to wonder why the wheels can't work
something out.

Obama has signalled that he's ready to take a little less
than that for which his party originally bargained.
Republicans won't budge because of what it will cost them.

Meanwhile, millions upon millions of people face a life with
no health care coverage whatsoever. Even if they had the
money, in a lot of cases it would not matter because it's
not for sale, no matter what they would pay. They're obese
or diabetic, have heart conditions or a history of cancer in
the family. Therefore, there is no way an insurance carrier
is going to take the risk.

And what is the risk? Timothy Delasandro, a Republican
candidate for Congress in District 17, has described the
health care system as a pre-paid plan that would compare to
an automotive policy that covers the cost of gas and oil,
tires, lubrication, filters and washing, waxing and the odd
tune-up, clutch job and engine change.

A Registered Nurse who works Intensive Care Wards in the
Bryan-College Station area, he says the health care industry
is hampered by an unwillingness to let nurse practitioners
dispense a lot of health care options in pharmacies and
clinics completely removed from the hospital setting.

This is a pitiful mess to witness, troops. Everyone gets
sick sooner or later - mostly sooner. It's hard to stand by
and watch friends and family suffer when there is no relief
in sight and the wheels won't budge on either side because
they've got their hemorrhoids painfully wrapped around the
axles.

Ouch!

jim@downdirtyword.com