The problem with the current health care debate

Although there are numerous problems with the state of the current national debate on health care reform, the biggest problem with the debate is that it rarely has anything to do with health care reform at all. In a move that has been typical of Republican political strategy across a wide range of issues, many Republicans have succeeded in re-framing this issue as one of several typical value issues like euthanasia, abortion, and illegal immigration. As such, instead of hearing about health care reform, we hear claims of death panels, taxpayer funded abortions, and health care for illegal immigrants. Granted, this is an excellent strategy for bringing the crazies out in droves to our townhall meetings, it's not much of a strategy for bringing out a meaningful national debate on health care reform. Nor is it much of a strategy for rallying independents to your cause.

Take the issue of illegal immigration as it relates to health care. Although many seem to be blissfully oblivious to the fact, we already provide health care for illegal immigrants. It's called the emergency room. Anyone, US citizen or otherwise, can show up at an emergency room and receive emergency health care per federal law, care that is funded (at least partially) by your tax dollars. Although I hesitate to think that there may be people out there that believe it to be better policy to allow the illegal immigrant to die on the emergency room floors rather than receive unpaid for treatment, I cannot help but think that there probably are some of those people out there. Regardless, these issues should be dealt with honestly rather than through the meaningless chants of no health care for illegals.

It's about time we started demanding meaningful dialogue on political issues, be it from politicians or the media. Health care reform is not about illegal immigration; it's not about abortion; it's not about euthanasia. It's about millions of people in this country who do not have health insurance and are an accident away from financial ruin. Is an intelligent discussion too much to ask for?