Guest Post on Lewes Health Care Forum
Aug 15th, 2009 by David Anderson
Dear Editor,
I have just returned from a health care forum in Lewes. It had been advertised in the Cape Gazette as open to the Public, but we were told at the start that this meeting it was not intended for the public. It had been planned as an information gathering session of the Delaware Small Business Health Care Coalition. I was amazed that only the CEO from Nanticoke Hospital, even mentioned any of the current proposed legislation. We heard from two consumers of health care. Of note, they both are very active supporters for the single payer system. This would have been fine if we had heard from someone who had another view. One of these speaker’s kept saying move to Maryland where they have better insurance. That is because the State of Delaware has set up our laws to favor lawsuits and the insurance companies have gone to greener pastures. I was very proud of the people who remained silent while they disagreed with what this panel was selling. There was no outbreak, no shouting, no one was dragged from the room. We politely listened, even though we knew the whole picture was not being presented.
I would now like to give my reflections. I would like to know why the Cape Gazette cosponsored this forum? Was it a public meeting that deserved the full page ad, or a private meeting that really should not need a sponsor? I guess I am still under the illusion that newspapers should print news, without special treatment to one side of a debate. Does the Cape Gazette want to go on record as being a voice for the liberal left? I also wonder what was accomplished? Did the people who gave up their time really learn anything that will help them understand the debate on health care reform? No, would be my answer. I think they would of learned more with an open discussion. The Delaware Tea Party is in favor of Health care reform. We just think the legislation should actually make health care better and more affordable. We do not believe you have to give up your privacy and freedoms to the government to get it. I will always be in favor of the exchange of ideas, but I will never again ask one side to remain quiet while the other presents useless, one-sided information. I will also never stay quiet while a news organization presents only one side of a debate as being the facts. I expect more from a news organization. I think Ben Franklin did too. The Delaware Tea Party will be at every forum on health care we know about. We will present more than one side of the debate, and we will continue to demand our government remember they work for the people and the news organizations should report events fairly.
Thank you
Chris Shirey
Delaware Tea Party
State Coordinator
Submitted as a guest opinion/letter to the editor and does not represent the official opinion of the blog.
This PR stunt was a serial monologue that was pimping ObamaCare.
None of our local hacks were present but their lackeys were there.
I have to say that several of the 9-12 Delaware Patriots attended the meeting with their 9-12 shirts on. They were polite, respectfull, and did not inturrupt. However, they all left knowing that they had been standing on astroturf.
Unfortunately, due to a last minute problem, I was not able to attend, so I cannot comment on the alleged contents or slant portrayed here by Chris.
That said, I can offer several corrections:
“I have just returned from a health care forum in Lewes. It had been advertised in the Cape Gazette as open to the Public, but we were told at the start that this meeting it was not intended for the public.”
A public meeting does not necessarily involve input from the public. This was a public meeting in the sense that it was open to any member of the public wishing to attend.
“We do not believe you have to give up your privacy and freedoms to the government to get it.”
The House Bill, which has been voted out of committee but has not yet had a floor vote, does not require anyone to give up privacy or freedoms to the government. If a public option ends up in the bill, it will be optional. As I understand it, it will resemble Medicare, in which I, a Medicare recipient, have given up no privacy or freedoms that I am aware of. And, I can choose whatever doctor I want. I have yet to encounter rationing, as any test or procedure that my doctor has ordered for me has been reimbursed according to the reimbursement schedule.
Regarding public input, unfortunately our two Senators and our one Representative have opted not to hold any town halls. I would advise you, Chris, and any others who want to publicly express their views, to contact these three and request a town hall. I agree with you completely, that public input is important, and that town halls are better than writing letters or making phone calls.
Unfortunately those who have misbehaved at town halls across the nation have set up a hostile environment, the fear of which may be having an impact on whether or not to have town halls. I am not excusing our political leaders, I’m just trying to explain what the dynamic might be in our state at this time. It’s unfortunate!
Congressman Castle has held town halls and DP has reported on them. The most recent post was by Tim and can be accessed thru either the Healthcare or Mike Castle categories.
Perry you are quite correct. Neither Carper nor Kauffman have held Town Halls of any sort.
The ‘dynamic’ is one of extreme arrogance on the part of many elected officials. They have been ignoring voices of the people for far too long.
Town hall meetings are all too often monologues and celebrations of the most recent handout of pork.
The people are getting tired of a self-serving aristocracy that has the cash to ward off any challenge at the polls.
Put every candidate to a simple ‘sniff test’. Subtract their net worth when they entered politics from their present reported net worth. Then add up their government salary. Subtract the latter number from the former. Ask them to explain a substantial positive number.
For some people, ‘public service’ may be a euphemism for ‘servicing the public’.