Health care is not a God-given right, said the lady behind me at Lynn Woolsey’s town hall meeting on health reform at the Vet’s Bldg this week. Her friend beside her yelled at a quadriplegic that he was “a mental case.” That did it for my good manners. I turned around and said with I’m sure an angry look “That is just plain mean.” Seemed to startle him; maybe he didn’t think calling helpless people names is mean?

The people behind me and many others scattered about the room seemed to hate immigrants and anyone who doesn’t currently have health care through their jobs. What? Unemployment is higher than during my entire lifetime! This is the FAULT of people without jobs? Really hard to not blow up and just scream at some of the mean statements coming out of right field.

Would prefer laughing ironically as does Stephen Colbert on Colbert Nation or Rachel Maddow on her commentary show. I do see how even these shows divide us – that people who live in fear of their neighbors and THE GOVERNMENT could also fear – humor. In an earlier age, they might have feared Groucho Marx. Evidently, he was pro-labor and kinda sour about what was doled out to the average joe. Groucho was an advocate for social justice you might say; me too!

Seriously, folks, health care reform is SERIOUS. If we don’t fix this system before the baby boomers hit the hospitals, bankruptcy for the good ol’ US of A can’t be that far behind. And it is such a shame. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, the Frontline film, Sick Around The World (Google it), gives a half dozen examples of health care done well. Japan; average visits to the doc per year: 15. You can go any day and pick up your meds, get a blood pressure check. Longevity climbing.

Switzerland decided health care for all would be a good deal economically and for their sense of well being – so they legislated that in, what was it? 1995? Not long ago – nobody can be denied care – and it includes insurance companies for those who want special care or extra whatever. Canada and Great Britain? Yes, you have long waits for surgery that address symptoms that aren’t life threatening. But generally people like what they get. Ironic that those-who-watch-exclusively Fox News kept saying famed British Physicist, Stephen Hawking “would have died” under the British health care system – when he states that system saved his life many times over.

I’m not a naysayer as regards the quality of care we can get in our land – we’ve got fine machines and fine docs to call for tests – but so many don’t get what they need and they die miserably and too soon – and we as a nation can’t afford THAT – it is way too sad. Depression can be a way of life – and not just economic depression. Knowing how many people aren’t OK with their health care is very depressing to me! This is why we need genuine reform, not a bandaid.

So I urge you to check out – Lynn Woolsey’s town hall this week at the Vet’s Bldg. She was a real lady – a diplomat and I was glad she’s representing us even though us included some extraordinarily rude and uninformed people! And if you haven’t watched, check the Frontline Sick Around the World .