By now, most of us are sick of the health care debate raging here in the U.S. I think it’s finally dawned on everyone that something has to be done, even if only for political reasons. Here in America if you work for a company large enough to have some clout in negotiating health insurance rates, you’re golden. And if you are poor enough, you may qualify for programs. The squeeze is in between: the self-employed, or those who work for small businesses.

There is something wrong when: families face foreclosure because they had to borrow money from their home to support an ailing parent; small business owners have to pay over $2,000.00 monthly for one family’s insurance; a retired person on fixed income has to debate whether or not to continue paying for her $800/month insurance; an uninsured individual has to file for bankruptcy to get out from under the debt created when he had cancer.

Well, it appears that we are getting closer to a health care overhaul. But we still have our stumbling blocks, including the public option. People are afraid it will lead to socialized medicine, and take away from their current health care options. Never mind that the insurance companies have been placing limits on us and our doctors for years, and that the public option is merely an alternative (but that’s another topic).

Critics of the major overhaul cite anecdotes of a failed health care system abroad where the elderly are denied care and health care in general is more restrictive. But I have to wonder whether this is true, given that they are the same persons who accused Obama of wanting to create death panels for the elderly. I thought it appropriate to hear from our readers, since I know our Cassidy people hail from Canada and England, among other places. Please write and tell us: What country are you from? What has your experience been? Do you like the health care you currently have? Encourage others you know to write and inform us. We will report back to you in a future post. And thank you for weighing in.

Staingirlz.com was not intended to be a political blog, and in general we will stick with the important stuff like blogging for money and reviewing bras. But after this week’s madness, I can no longer bite my apolitical (well, not really) tongue. President Obama is going on national television to indoctrinate our children into socialism? And, watch out Granny – that socialist power grabber is setting up death panels for old people? SERIOUSLY???

We all know that politics can be a blood sport and that political grandstanding and hyperbole is as old as the hills. Both Republicans and Democrats can certainly go at it. And yes, I know that very often those who know better use scare tactics and other major and minor deceptions to manipulate their constituency. But education and health care are important issues, people.

It saddened me to watch people crying on national television because they thought our president was going to pump socialist propaganda into our schools. Anybody that listens to President Obama knows that he has always preached personal responsibility. He has gotten in trouble with leaders of the African-American community when he tells the baby daddies to step up to the plate. He has always told us that getting out of this economic recession would be an uphill battle, and would include efforts by everyone. And, that tired old story of his Mom making him study? Who didn’t hear that several times during the campaign?

Personal responsibility is the man’s mantra. And yet, when he trotted out his “work hard, see what you can be” speech, we are informed that it is thanks to our loving Republican friends who made him change his original indoctrination plans. We believe this because someone leaked his original commie, pinko propaganda? No, we believe it because our gracious Republican leaders told us so.

Worse yet, we have people going into bankruptcy and foreclosure because of debts run up with health care woes. Others are trying to decide whether to keep paying the astronomical premiums that eat into their limited income, or whether to use the money for more pressing family needs. Finally, we have someone trying to tackle that dragon. Is there room for reasonable and occasionally heated discussion? Hell yea, there are legitimate concerns about how the country will pay for any new health care plans, how legislation will affect those who are happy with their current plans, and any number of other questions. The devil is in the details.

But to knowingly whip up mass hysteria with socialist bogeymen, death panels for Granny, government run health care that would threaten our health, tales of crucial health care denied, threats of a free-for-all for illegal aliens, etc.? Just to score cheap points for a future election? When people are going without treatment or losing their homes to pay for treatment? When these congressmen enjoy better (government-run) health benefits than the rest of the country who pays for their salary and health care?

A dear friend told me recently that the difference between us is that I am too trusting and that I trust government to do the right thing, and she doesn’t trust. And I have to say that I disagree. My friend is trusting, too. The difference is in whom we choose to trust. I trust the straight shooter, who told us before being elected of what he intended to do, and who is pursuing this course of action although it may cost him his re-election. And I’m not completely sure that he can lick this, but I do trust that he is smart, trying to do the right thing, and willing to bend a little in order to make sure help is on the way for our many uninsured. My friend trusts the persons who would protect their special interests by crying socialism and death panels for Granny at the expense of our citizens, including Granny!  I can only pray that the country survives this madness.