Heath Care Reform: New Civil War

Brother against brother. Families torn apart. Blood — lots and lots of blood. The American Civil War was a great tragedy. According to the New York Times, there’s a new civil war brewing.

Brad Woodhouse is one of the leaders in favor of Obama health care reform. Dallas Woodhouse, Brad’s brother, is one of the leaders against Obama health care reform. The Woodhouses are taking things personally as they go on the airwaves to shout each other down.

We’re told that the debate over health care reform is democracy in action. The people are speaking their minds on one side or the other. I’m always in favor of that. Elections are also described as democracy in action as the candidates speak their minds. The problem with an election is that you can’t believe what the candidates say. And that’s fast becoming the case in the debate on health care reform.

As both sides shout, protest, and predict Armageddon, health care reform is being forgotten. It’s about one side winning and the other losing. Reform will be an accident, if it occurs at all. The Civil War is said to have saved the union. It’ll be interesting to see what is said about what this new civil war saves.

In the meantime, employers and employees struggle mightily to keep health insurance and to pay for it. I’m doubtful that the brothers Woodhouse will help much. They’re not shooting each other like brothers did in the Civil War, but “blood” is being shed unnecessarily every day — in hospitals, homes, schools, doctors’ offices, insurance companies, and workplaces.

Depending on who you read, it’s said that the Civil War was over land, slavery, states’ rights, even the Constitution. Those things could’ve easily worked people up in the 19th century. The new civil war is over health care. I guess we can’t agree on anything.