Skip to content

A town square for an unsquare town

redbankgreen

Standing for the vitality of Red Bank, its community, and the fun we have together.

Government

TWO VIEWS ON ‘OBAMACARE’

COMMENT8

The national debate on healthcare insurance flooded redbankgreen‘s comments section last week, providing an abundance of strong candidates for this week’s spotlight.

The back-and-forth was spirited and civil, and perhaps surprisingly, not completely partisan. But there was no mistaking the passions on the various sides, including several commenters who called for less partisanship.

We’re splitting the ideological baby by making two selections for this edition of Comment of the Week.

This one, from ‘Bill;’

Why is it that anyone who opposes Obamacare is automatically labeled as a republican political operative, who doesn’t want to debate the issues?

First of all, what is there to debate? The Obama administration and supporters of a healthcare bill, have not yet provided a single specific plan that can be debated. Also, do the healthcare supporters who are calling for a debate on the issues, really want to debate? Or do they just want to give lip service and just push this through, without regard to the will of the people? The anger of those opposed to this “plan” stems from the fact that it is obvious that the liberals in Congress, plan to ram this through, whether we like it or not. The checks and balances that were built into the constitution no longer exist. The houses of Congress, have merged with the White House in order to impose their will on the people.

Perhaps our representatives on Capitol Hill, should be listening to what their constituents really want, then going back to Capitol hill to debate the issue, based on the will of those who elected them. What a novel idea…
.
Furthermore, why can’t some people just accept the fact that other people’s, common sense, and life experience tells them that the federal government is incapable of administering any large program efficiently? That healthcare is a private matter that the government should stay out of.

Obama promised to bring change, but so far it’s just more of the same, wasteful spending, and further intrusion on the freedoms granted to every citizen under the US Constitution.

The other was by ‘Susan:’

Ask people who actually know something about civilized countries with healthcare for citizens. They do not fight with insurance companies for coverage… they get the care they need!

That whole scare tactic about rationing of healthcare is nonsense. “Sandra” is right, it is the standard, not the exception for what is happening now, with insurors who profit when they DON’T approve care. I spent 26 solid years as COO of a healthcare company – don’t even get me started on examples of the top insurance companies denying reasonable care.

Howzabout “Managed Care” where they discharge a 94 year old man to the sole care of his 93 year old wife just 36 hours after heart surgery and expect to teach her to administer push meds(into the heart)?

How about the women they discharge after radical mastectomies by the busload and ask their loved ones to do the wound care just a day or so after surgery? You would pass out at the sight of this wound. The insurance company will approve ONE “Teaching visit” at home for an RN to TEACH a petrified family member to do the sterile wound care and then don’t want to cover the correct wound care supplies and discharge the patient empty handed! Then someone (usually the patient or a distraught family member) has to get on the phone and, assuming they can get past the automated system, beg for additional wound care visits. This is the rule, not the exception, friends.

How much time do you have? I have ten thousand cases to tell you about and every nurse I know that doesn’t have the time to take care of all her patients or has patients who were discharged when they really should be in the hospital will back me up.

And we are not even delving into the people who don’t go the hospital when they need to because they don’t have coverage or seniors whose medical conditions deteriorate because they have to choose between food and meds. Have you seen empty refrigerators and shaking elderly hands breaking pills in half to stretch them out?

THAT is rationing health care and that’s why we need a reasonable plan. I pray that we get universal care, and I’m a Republican.

Thank you to Bill, Susan and all who commented, with a special nod to Sandra Talarico for using her real name.

If you see a comment this week that you think stands out from the pack, feel free to say so in a comment of your own, or give redbankgreen a nudge.

Remember: Nothing makes a Red Bank friend happier than to hear "I saw you on Red Bank Green!"
redbankgreen Classics
Partyline
MANTIS (PRAYING) AT CHURCH
Partyliner films praying mantis at church.
SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW
Stunning rainbow over Red Bank as a big weekend storm approaches.
“FESTIVA” YACHT DOCKED AT MARINE PARK
Festiva, an 85-foot yacht, was docked at Marine Park on Friday night. Red Bank Green spoke to the owner, Everett Moore, who said that it was ...
OH NO! ELMO LOST!
A lost Elmo appears to be reaching out for help through the redbankgreen Partyline.
NAVESINK SPILLS OVER
Nor'easter stacks tides up in the Navesink, pushing the river over its (Red) banks.
BUZZ LIGHTYEAR WATCHES LINE DANCERS
redbankgreen Partyline captures Buzz Lighyear watching the line dancers on Broadwalk Monday night. 
EGRET-FUL END TO SUMMER
A great egret patrols the shallows of the Swimming River in front of the Red Bank Primary School last week. Submitted by Brian Donohue
COMMUNITY MESSAGE BOARD NOW OPEN ON HUDSON AVENUE
Community message board open! The RBPD has placed a mobile display board on Hudson Avenue. Send captions and messages you’d like to se ...
A CHIEF’S FAREWELL
Funeral services at St. James church and a large American flag suspended over Broad Street from an RBFD hook and ladder for former Red Bank ...
COIFFING GUARD
redbankgreen Partyline captures super cool crossing guard just chilllin'.
SURF TACO RE-OPENS NEW LOOK DINING ROOM
Partyliner captures Surf Taco's new look dining room.
STEEPLETOP RAVEN
redbankgreen Partyline: a raven calls out from atop the steeple of St. James Church.
CARPENTER OR COMPETITOR? HOT DOG TRUCK RIVALS EMERGE IN RED BANK
On the redbankgreen Partyline: with two new hot dog vendors opening this summer, even a carpenter's box truck makes one wonder.
BOONDOCKS SWAN
redbankgreen Partyline: Swan on the Navesink River as seen from Boondocks restaurant.
9/11 TRIBUTE
Bailey Bryce Holiday and her father Bobby Holiday Jr. paint the lawn at Riverside Gardens Park Tuesday in preparation for the upcoming comme ...
PILGRIM BAPTIST TO JAMAICA
Recently, Pilgrim Baptist Church of Red Bank traveled to Trelawny Parish of Jamaica on a Relief & Recovery Mission Trip.  The Mission T ...
SNAIL WEATHER
Overnight rains and warm humid temperatures brought out a parade of snails along the access path to the Red Bank Primary School near Locust ...
ECHOES OF THE PAST IN TILE
Next to Playa Bowls. Always fascinated how this has stood here this long. (Submitted by Joseph Jakub)
VIVA LA ELSIE’S
redbankgreen Partyline captures French visitor enjoying a pickle sub from Elsie's.
Truck strike downs pole
A truck struck a utility pole at the intersection of Catherine Street and Shrewsbury Avenue at about 8 am Monday morning. The pole wss compl ...