REALITY TESTING

In reading this morning's newspaper, I noticed that the Taliban are taking control of more territory in Pakistan. They are obviously planning to gradually take over as much of the country as they can. They are moving closer to Islamabad. However, the Pakistani military , which receives one billion a year in subsidies from the United States, is refusing to fight the Taliban. Instead, the military is focusing on its ancient rival India. While the Pakistani army watches India, the Taliban is taking over the country. What is their problem; why are they unable to recognize that their major enemy right now is the Taliban? By the time they wake up and realize who the enemy really is, it will be too late. This is actually a common problem in life. We all tend to focus on an age-old problem and we fail to see the new problem that is ready to destroy us. We have to be alert and sensitive to changing conditions in life.



I also read David Brooks column, "Yanks in Crisis", which is about the "biggest crisis in capitalism in 70 years". Brooks writes that a recent Gallup poll states that 55 percent of Americans said that big government is the biggest threat to the country. Only 32 percent said big business is the biggest threat to the country. This is bizarre, because it is big business that has destroyed our economy and created the devastation that we are now struggling against. Of course the Bush administration helped bring about this destruction by totally deregulating business. Still it was the banks and the financial institutions that created this crisis. The fact that most people still think that big government is more of a problem than big business is another example of people being unable to see where the major problems lie. Is this because the Republican party constantly rails about big government, and so that is what the American people fear? We need to rail more about big business if that is the case. In the past 25 years banks and financial institutions have gone from being somewhat boring to becoming huge risk-takers. Their business is no longer boring. It is exciting to take risks and to hope to make millions of dollars. Many men have made millions, but the rest of us have been left with all the bills. It is big business that has destroyed our economy. Big business is our biggest problem.

Another example of lack of reality regards health care. I have received a letter from a very official sounding group: "The National Center for Public Policy Research". In very small print at the bottom it states that this is not affiliated with the federal government. The letter asks me to "read...with care...Do you want...(medical care) to be put into the hands of Barack Obama and government bureaucrats to determine what doctor you should see, what medicines you should take and how long you should take them?" Since they word it this way they obviously expect me to say no. But I say YES. Right now medical care is in the hands of the insurance companies. It is the insurance companies that determine what doctor you can see, what medicine you are allowed to take, and whether or not you can go to the hospital. If you are sick and feel that it is an emergency you might go to the emergency room. But the hospital may decide that it was not an emergency. In that case, the insurance company will not pay your bill. But if it was an emergency and you do not go to the ER, you just die. What kind of choice is that? The insurance companies have total control of peoples' lives. If you have a pre-existing condition they will not pay your bills. They hire people whose job is to try to deny your medical payments. The government, on the other hand, runs Medicare rather efficiently. It allows patients to see whatever doctor they want to see. They do not need referrals to see a specialist. They are allowed to go to the emergency room and the bill is paid even if the hospital deems it not to be an emergency. They cover pre-existing conditions, and they hire people to process and pay the bills, not to deny them. A similar system for all Americans would be a great improvement in all of our lives. Why should we be at the mercy of the insurance companies. The insurance companies and the Republican party want to frighten us away from "big government." Why? Because insurance companies will lose BIG MONEY if the government takes over health care for everyone. Our Declaration of Independence states that we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If we don't have medical care, we don't have the right to life. What is the reality in this situation? Can't people see that a national health care system is vastly superior to our present system? We have to use our brains!