WOSU 08162011

http://beta.wosu.org/news/category/opinion/

Judith Kelch is a freedom fighter – at least according to The Ohio Project website – which lists her story among many about collecting signatures for an Ohio constitutional amendment to overturn the Federal health care bill.

As of right now the Ohio Secretary of State has certified the petition signatures to place the amendment on the ballot; however, the opposing group, Progress Ohio, has vowed to challenge the petition signatures.

When I hear the stories from people like Ms. Kelch as to why they believe Americans need to be free not to have health care, well, most often all I can think is – wait, that’s an argument against health coverage?

For example, Ms. Kelch is quoted as saying, “Last night I recruited a couple that has a mentally retarded daughter. She’s probably about 6 or 7, cute little girl, and I cringe to think of their outcome under Obamacare. I have Dystonia but I could live without the Botox injections I get in the back of my neck. I would just be in agony. The list can go on, elderly, MS, multiple dystrophy.”

Well, my first response to Ms. Kelch and other “freedom fighters” using this illogical argument is that using words like Obamacare precludes dialogue because it is inflamatory. Saying Obamacare is a declaration of ignorance to the reality of how the health care reform was crafted and what it actually does.

The Federal health care reform bill is a compromise that began as a conversation about universal health care – something almost every other developed nation in the world already has (and was originally championed here by President Nixon). What the health care reform bill ended up being is this watered down bill that is even less extensive than what current Republican leaders were originally arguing for.

So please, first and foremost, let’s start talking about health care reform, instead of using platitudes that keep any of us from having constructive conversation.

However, I also want to respond to Ms. Kelch about what happens to someone with MS under government mandated health care. Fortunately, I don’t have to answer in the abstract; like Ms. Kelch, I too have friends and family suffering with health issues.

One friend is Cy Culpin, who has always wanted to live in the US. Cy’s a very successful web developer but he has MS, and because of this he can’t afford to move to the US. First, his pre-existing condition precludes him from getting health insurance and second, his British-government-run, universal health care, provides him with better treatment options than what would be available to him if he could get insurance in the US.

And where would he be without health care? Probably dead, cut down in the prime of his life by MS.

So what about it, freedom fighters, are you ready to lead by example? Before trying to free others from health care coverage, have you tried living without it yourself?