8.12.2009

Making it clear: Case 6

“But, his youthful fire was all composed of sparks from the grindstone; and as the sparks flew off, went out, and never warmed anything …”
- Charles Dickens, “Our Mutual Friend.”

Since I began this series on healthcare reform, visitors to DemWit have fallen off. Numbers aren’t important to me. On a good day I’m thrilled with 30 or so visitors. Sure makes the research and the writing worthwhile.

So, why do I have my nose to the grindstone on this issue?

In a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll conducted July 24-27 (LINK), 36 percent of Americans thought healthcare reform was “a good idea.”

Now, here’s the interesting part:

“When given several details of the proposal, 56 percent said they favored the plan …”

A 20-percent jump!

All it took was a little information, a few facts!

Then, this from Gallup (LINK) yesterday:

“About as many Americans – 35 percent - say they would tell their member of Congress to vote for a new healthcare reform bill when Congress reconvenes in September as say they would tell their member to vote against such a bill – 36 percent. The rest – 29 pecent - have no opinion either way at this time.”

29 percent have no opinion either way at this time!

And, this morning, this from Gallup (LINK):

“More Americans disapprove (49 percent) than approve (43 percent) of Barack Obama’s handling of healthcare policy, hardly changed from views expressed in mid-July.”

So, do we have our president's back on this or not?

If we truly want healthcare reform in this country, we cannot afford to sit on our butts and do nothing. We have to reach that percentage of Americans who don’t seem to have a clue. Never mind that they don’t know we are working in their behalf.

In an email this morning, a dear friend asked:

“Really, BJ, what does it take to get human beings to exercise actual intelligence?”

I responded: “That, my dear, is the $64,000 question.”

Back to the grindstone.

5 comments:

Frodo, confident, again said...

"22 Men, pulling together, cannot lose."
---late football coach of the Washington Redskins, George Allen (and father of a moron).

Debra said...

Keep up the good work. You will reach numbers of people and help enlighten all of us on the healthcare matter. I think the "breakdown" between the American people and the elected officials is a trust issue. We just don't trust what is coming out of their mouths-whether it be lies or truth- it is hard to tell-because of their past actions. Also we are fed up with outlandish insurance premiums that just keep getting higher and pricing us out of the market and yet we are still wary about change, for better or worse, just not 100% sure because of that TRUST factor again. It is really scary.

Sue said...

BJ I wonder if 49% disapprove of Obamas handling of this issue is because of him not being MORE FORCEFUL on his stand. In otherwords, 49% do want reform and want the president to hurry up and give it to us and stop pandering to the repubs!

B.J. said...

Frodo: Obama asked bloggers to help him on this issue. Don’t be too comfortable in the garden of the Shire, my hobbit friend.

Debra: I put my TRUST in my ability to research and reason. One thing’s for certain: the time to do something about healthcare in this country is NOW, and every citizen with the potential for benefit should be studying this diligently. With me it’s more a matter of FAITH. I have put my faith in leaders like Ted Kennedy, Dick Durbin, John Kerry, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Bill Clinton and now Barack Obama, who really believe in healthcare for all Americans and do not put the medical industry’s priorities before those of citizens.

Sue: I agree with you. Obama campaigned and took office with great hopes for a united America. He has made every effort to try to work in a bi-partisan way on healthcare reform. But, with every major poll showing this issue divided along partisan lines, it’s time for him to use his bully pulpit and appeal directly to those who will benefit – the American people.

Bill Sumrall said...

Glad to see you're getting something useful out of "Our Mutual Friend."
IMHO, the reason many are staying quiet is to avoid the type of confrontation we've seen in town hall meetings.
No one wants to end up in a hospital because they got clobbered talking about healthcare.
Just the other day, I asked a couple of guys I know who were playing chess in a library why, if the Canadian and British healthcare systems are so bad, why aren't they complaining like the Americans?
Suddenly, the library wasn't so quiet anymore.
Again, IMHO, healthcare reform is coming, like it or not, because if for no other reason, the Democrats have the votes in Congress.