Same old rhetoric

Health care reform will mean “the beginning of socialized medicine,” is “a cruel hoax and a delusion,” will lead to “deteriorating service” and invade “the privacy of the examination room.” Patients will lose the “freedom to choose their own doctor.” Sound familiar? Those were sound bites in newspaper ads in the early 1960s railing against the passage of Medicare. (Thanks, Nicholas Kristof.)

Passage of Social Security met similar frightening threats. Today, the same party of “no” is joined by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the insurance industry and right-wing talking heads to deny adequate health care to everyone.

Letters in the Spokesman on Nov. 15 contain the same rhetoric. But even worse, these writers appear to hate anyone not like them. The common good is of no concern to them. They must have no relatives receiving Social Security or Medicare, never travel public highways, visit public libraries, national parks or airports.

They spout “freedom!” Surely freedom isn’t dying in an emergency room because you can’t afford to pay for health care. Is freedom only for the rich?

“We the people …, in order to form a more perfect union … promote the general welfare … .”

Janet Callen

Coeur d’Alene