It’s tough to argue that President Barak Obama came into office as an idealist.
He was full of hope and change and so were his millions of admirers. He exuded a type of passion that has inspired scores of Americans.  So, it’s easy to understand why so many on the idealist side (or perhaps the liberal side) of the Democratic party have expected so much out of his presidency.
     They wanted change.
     And they wanted it immediately.
     This included a reform of the United States health care system.
     So, Obama came up with, let’s be honest, a radical bill that included a complete overhaul of the system. In the original version, which Obama originally wanted passed into law last summer, called for the federal government to play a major role in the health insurance industry.
     For those who wanted such a bill, it was along time coming.
     For those who feared such a bill, it was time to fight.
     Months after the bill was first proposed and seven months after Obama originally wanted it passed, those who loved the bill have managed to push it through Congress.  However, those who hated the bill have temporarily stalled it, changed it and cut portions of it.   
     But many on the right still don’t like the bill because of the perceived governmental take over of the system. With that fundamental aspect of the bill still intacted, many Republicans will never get on board.
     Now, however, many of the far left want nothing to do with it, either. Too much of the original bill has changed.
     For many on the left, the bill is no longer the idealistic piece of legislation that it once was.   Yet, it’s still alive. And Obama is still trying to push through a much modified version of the original Health Care Bill.
     The question is: Why?
     This isn’t what he wanted.
     This isn’t what his base wanted.
     This isn’t what the right wanted.
     And it confuses millions.
     Yet, the bill not only still has a pulse, but as I’m writing this Obama is praising the new additions that have recently been added to the bill.
     So, I ask the question, again: Why?
Is it pride? Is it stubbornness? Maybe it’s just politics?
     What ever the reason, if the Health Care Bill finally becomes law all it will create is a massive bureaucracy, full of governmental regulations and half-hearted attempts to stop health care fraud and drive down overall costs.
     With little stretch of the imagination, all the bill will do is overcomplicate an already over- complicated system.
     It’s a monster.
     Months ago, when the bill was first proposed, I welcomed it. On a basic level, insurance costs are just too high for many people. Some reform to drive costs down while promoting competition and reigning in abusive insurance hikes seemed like a good idea.
     But today, I’m not sure what the bill will do?  And I have the strange feeling that Obama doesn’t know either.
     If this bill dies, then it dies. It must not be remembered as yet another failed attempt at reforming our troubled health care system. It started off with good intentions, perhaps unrealistic intentions, but has morphed into a bill no one wants. Obama has to admit that.
When learning how to write, many instructors will tell their students that some writing, no matter how well loved by its author, is bad and should be tossed. Not reworked. Not redesigned.
     This bill is such a case.


        
 

 
   


  

 
 
 
     
    
 
             
 

  
   
 
  

  


  



 




     
 
 
 

    

 
   
        
  
 
 

Slice of Life

by Troy Koester

(Click on the Slice of Life link to comment) 

 
Imagine if you will... was that Bigfoot?

       HENDERSON, MN – Residents of Henderson, Minnesota and surrounding communities flooded to the state HWY 19 bridge on the eastern edge of Henderson early this week to get a glimpse of the river’s swollen waters.  The river is expected to wreak havoc on commuters heading east and south out of Henderson by mid-week.
Already on Tuesday morning the waters of Rush River, backed up because the Minnesota is filled to capacity, ran over the Number 93 heading south of town towards 169.
     As gawkers lined up on the bridge, camera crews from the Metropolis nearly one-hour north of this little river community shot footage of people staring into the river. “It was standing room only,” announced one news anchor, “as residents rushed to see the river’s rising tide.”
     Crews worked hard on Saturday morning at both 93 and 19 where the “flood gates” could very well be installed. Crews used shovels to dig debris from the tracks on which the flood gate would sit and connect to the dike.
     One resident saw the river early Sunday morning and was surprised at how much it had risen by early afternoon.  Others were bringing children in droves to see if they could get a glimpse of the river rising an inch.
     “I thought it was Sauerkraut Days,” said one woman pushing a stroller. “There are so many people out and about.”
     It is clear that the flooded waters of the Minnesota, coupled with the warm temperatures, have brought the community from hibernation.
     Numerous helicopters fluttered overhead on Monday, each looking to get the best glimpse of a large, 2-mile ice damn that is backing up the river south of Henderson towards LeSueur.  Local celebrities have earned considerable face time on the news networks.
     The site of flashing lights was common place along the river for much of the weekend, as pick-up trucks with lights monitored the situation closely.
     Lost in much of the hype was a possible sighting of Bigfoot in the background of the one of the news broadcasts. Bigfoot, known in these parts as the “Buck’s Lake Beast,” has not been seen or heard from since an unsuccessful attempt at Henderson’s Mayoral seat last fall.
     There were some reports that the Beast was visible behind a news anchor skipping rocks across the swollen waters. (The idea of bigfoot is not this author’s. The concept was shared on a local chatter website and stolen because it was funny. Imitation is the best form of flattery).
     Would that not get the folks talking?   There is Jane Anchorwoman live in Henderson … “and the people are coming from miles to get a look at the river, which is flowing very rapidly and there are ice chunks and tree trunks … wait, what is that? And there’s a possible bigfoot skipping rocks. Did you get a shot of that?”
     Maybe the Sauerkraut committee will entertain purchasing a Bigfoot suit that could be used whenever we get the news channels to visit our small river town.
     Maybe the chamber could sell Dike Doggs and Flood Fries just south of the Minnesota New Country School to raise some funds for the community?