Public Option to Health Care NOT Immoderate

I feel a strong need to correct the language being tossed around by our oft idiotic media in regards to "moderate" positions on health care reform. The Dems from such well-known progressive states as Montana are being termed by the media "moderate" in that they disagree with a public option for health care coverage among the most needy five to ten percent of our population. There is nothing "moderate" about a position that willfully refuses to acknowledge the suffering and immediate needs of millions of Americans. I argue that taking a stance against the development of a public option is akin to consciously denying our fellow citizens care that they need and piece of mind that we all deserve.

Recently, I was jogging in my Midwestern neighborhood. Mine is a working and middle class neighborhood where everyone take the time and pride to trim their lawn and paint their house. I am proud to say I live in a place where there is a pride in where one lives, whether it is owned or rented, large or small. We like living here, for the most part, and it shows in our little neighborhood. I passed a woman in her forties with a bandanna covering a bald head, large, homemade signs reading "Help Me Please!" and apparently all of her jewelry neatly organized on pin boards for sale on her lawn.

One sign explained she was trying to get some money together somehow to pay for her cancer treatment. I acknowledged her and kept jogging, but couldn't stop thinking about her. When I turned to jog back, I failed to find her home again or she had taken down her makeshift shop. Either way, I was at a painful loss as to what to do about the very sad situation. I emailed my legislator and hoped for the best.

I find nothing moderate about supporting a status quo that has enabled large companies to take away profits without adding into the system of health care what they have extracted from the public. I find nothing moderate about a system where a woman must sell her modest jewelry collection in front of her home apparently to pay for chemo. There is nothing moderate about a country where some people are cared for, some people are not, and some people gain wealth off that terrible equation.

Changing the status quo is not an extreme measure when the system it seeks to change is corrupt, inefficient and indefensible. One needs only do the briefest review of this country's history to know the large, powerful economic systems we employ are not loath to loose a few on the way to green pastures. And there's nothing moderate about that.