ok…a good riesling to start the rant…and off we go!

this is one thing that drives me crazy and i’m sure i’ve ranted about it before.  taking information that on it’s face value seems to support your point but which is really taken out of it’s context and true meaning.

there is a story about a poll that was analyzed.  it says that 70% of americans are behind the health care reform. that’s health care reform as a whole.  i can believe that.

republicans however keep trotting out the stale, tired statement that the overwhelming majority of the public is against health care reform.  if you look at certain poll numbers it looks that way.

however, this is different than the 70% above although they would seem to be conflicting.  it seems as if you cannot have the two side by side; either they’re for it or they’re against it.  right?

WRONG…if you look at the number of americans against health care reform right now, they form two distinct groups.  one group is opposed to it on it’s face.  they think health care in the US is fine…nothing broken…let us keep the status quo.  the other group believes the system is broken…our premiums are going up…our amount of care is going down…we need change.

so…what does this mean?

simply this, if you look at the path that this recent health care debate has taken it has taken the path to piss off the most people possible:

if you’re a conservative, you’re mad it started in the first place; after all, you hadn’t done anything in the previous 8 years to fix it and you wouldn’t be doing anything now if you were in charge.  you think that each state can handle it on their own.  you think that businesses need to be protected even at the cost of their employees.  overall, you think we should hold steady at our current place or even go backward; remove medicare entirely.  you’ve argued that insurance be able to be sold across state lines; a good idea.  but you are unwilling to allow there to be any central oversight; a bad idea.  you wish to include tort reform; a good idea.  but you think this is a central policy which it’s not.  tort reform has overwhelmingly been shown to be such a small portion of overall costs that this is like swatting at flies!  what are your other ideas…i’m not sure.  i haven’t been able to get any coherent list of conservative ideas that make any sense.  conservatives seem to be hinging it all on those two things.

now if you’re a liberal, you’re mad now that everything you thought was worth fighting for has been stripped from the bills presented.  i, as a liberal, would like to see one public option; one national health care system.  i think this best cares for the population as a whole.  that was dashed against the rocks very quickly.  ok…onto the public option.  this seems fantastic…the best of all worlds.  those that already have insurance through employers will stay with those policies.  those that can afford to purchase their own will keep those but for those who are such severe risks or financially incapable of buying their own insurance would be able to have government support.  awesome!  no…that wasn’t acceptable either.  ok, what next, here is where i’m unclear.  liberals want everyone to be covered.  we want preexisting condition policies off of the table (i’m a victim of that one).  we want straight forward care with no games.  but what have we gotten in the end?  i’m not sure, to be honest.  the final bill was so laden with holes that i can’t figure out what it would have done for me.

so with all of that being said, look at the poll numbers.  if you were to go deeper into what the majority means, you would find people on both sides.  it’s not that the overwhelming majority of americans are against health care reform.  it’s that the numbers are  split.  one portion doesn’t want reform at all and the other thinks the reform should be tougher.  i would like to see the pollsters cover this completely and fairly for once.  one number cannot be taken on face value.

so yes, i believe that 70% of americans want health care reform.  do i believe that a majority are against it…again, yes i do but that’s split into the gone to far and not far enough groups.

whew….i need another drink!