"Someday" is not a plan to implement healthcare

by: Thurman Hart

Wed Nov 26, 2008 at 12:01:42 PM EST

He couldn't work, lost his job, and with it, his health insurance. Venezio now receives $1,988 a month in disability from Social Security, which he paid into all his adult life. This is not enough to afford private health insurance for him and his wife, Kathy, he said.

The State of New Jersey denied him health insurance under Medicaid, a safety net for the poor.

The maximum income allowed is $1,911 a month.

He's $77 over the limit.

Or, as the Asbury Partisan Press puts it: Put leave on hold.  Because, you know, the one thing that would make it easier for the Venezio's would be if the Mrs. had to go work as a Walmart Greeter to afford a few trinkets from China for the grandkids.

This is the personal face of our national healthcare crisis.  Unfortunately, the "honorable opposition" is offering only to dig in and delay any type of progress towards a more humane and affordable healthcare program.  If healthcare were a car, the engine would be on fire, but the Republican Party, rather than putting out the fire and dropping a new engine, wants to set the emergency brake while they tinker with the transmission and kick a few tires.  It's not only irresponsible, it's immoral.  It sure as hell isn't honorable.

Look, the lack of unversal healthcare is killing our business.  When the Big 3 automakers went to DC for a bailout, conservatives were clammoring for killing union contracts in order to equalize legacy costs between American and Japanese automakers.  But the largest part of those legacy costs are healthcare costs!  Japanese automakers don't face the same healthcare pressures, with government sponsored healthcare for retirees and heavily regulated caps on healthcare costs.

The Republican Party wants to whistle past the graveyard.  Only yesterday we learned that half of the hospitals in NJ are losing money.  The rest have razor-thin profit margins.  Does the GOP think they are suffering because too many people have adequate insurance coverage?

Family medical leave is a small step in the right direction.  It won't address the problem of Mr. Venezio, but it might make his burden a little easier if his wife needs to take off from work to help with his rehab after further surgeries.  Universal healthcare won't make people suddenly become healthier, but if it's done right, it can reduce the legacy costs on employers and give people like the Venezios a way to survive when tragedy strikes.

Too bad the GOP is more concerned with putting principle in front of helping people.  I suppose they have gotten used to being the opposition party...