I don't  know about you, but I am so worn out by this health care debate in Washington that I can hardly stand to hear the words "heath care" anymore.  Republicans are outraged about the bill being signed yesterday, but I'm not sure what they are outraged about.  Other than the cost of the legislation, which is, of couse, a great concern, what is in that bill that has conservatives so upset.  Let's see:

1)  No lifetime limits on health care.  I think that's a great thing!  I had a cousin who had a lifetime $2 million limit on his health insurance.  He surpassed that in a couple of months and had to go on Medicaid for seven years until he passed away.  Who do you think paid for those Medicaid expenses?  We, the taxpayer, that's who.

2)  Children cannot be denied coverage.  It's about time.!  I've seen those pictures on TV of children who receive a death sentence because they cannot get health care.  Parents who bankrupt themselves to get their children the medicine and care that they need.  Who is so heartless that they would deny a child medical care?

3) Students can remain on their parents health care until they are 26 years old.  I would rather that these young people have insurance than pay for their care at clinics, which, by the way, we the taxpayers pay for anyway.  The good news is that adding these people to the heath care roster may actually bring down the overall cost of health care because as a group they are in good health.

So where is the bad stuff?  I hear good, upstanding people screaming about paying for the health care of others.  Who do you think is paying for that health care now?  We, the taxpayers are paying.  We are just paying exhorbitant prices for substandard care.  Why not pay for quality health care that actually helps people.  Let's put our dollars to good use.   I haven't heard one, concrete example of how this is going to change the way I interact with my doctor or any substantiation of the stories of the fearmongers about putting granny out on an ice floe rather than getting her medical treatment.

Many of us who already have health care don't want to pay for others who don't.  The current recession should have proven that most of us are only one pink slip away from losing that health care that we are clutching so tightly.   You may not need the help right now, but inevitably you or someone you love will need that help.  I hope it's there for you.  Americans have a reputation for helping others.  It's not always easy, but we do it because it's the right thing to do.

I listen to our elected officials who seem more concerned about winning than about what they are winning.  John McCain is not going to cooperate with the President on any of his programs because he didn't get his way on this one.  Way to be a grown up, Mr. McCain.  Why not just hold your breath and stomp your feet until you get your own way.   Who will suffer with this kind of attitude.  We the American taxpayer will.  Mr. McCain doesn't seem to care whether future legislation is any good or not.  He just knows that he is voting "no."  I'm sorry to hear this.  I used to have a very high opinion of John McCain, even considered voting for him until the Sarah Palin debacle.  I'm sure the current legislation isn't perfect.  I've waited for months for the opposition to propose something better, but they didn't, they just shouted "no".

Let's give this legislation a chance.  There will be amendments, tweaks and twists over the years, but this is a step in the right direction.  I don't think there is any right-thinking person who would dispute the fact that we need health care reform.  Health care costs are on a runaway course.  My own health care went from $298/month to $505/month this year for the same level of coverage. 

We need to stop listening to these talk show hosts...on either side.  How many of them have actually read the health care bill?  And yet, we are letting them set the agenda for our country.  The right wing needs to get over the fact that they lost the last election and do something constructive, stop shouting for a couple of minutes and start listening.  We might all actually learn something.