How to wake up lawmakers about health care.

::::::::

            Strike another flip-flop for the ever waning compassionate conservative.

Mitt Romney, promptly pounded Hillary Clinton’s health care plan, even when he suggested many of its features for his own state of Massachusetts.  Senator McCain pandered his discontent to anyone still willing to listen.  But the short and the sweet of it is that Republicans don’t think government should be involved in your health care.

If you’ve got a disqualifying, preexisting condition -- they don’t care.  If a catastrophic illness puts your home on the chopping block -- get over it.   They have tons of rentals for you to choose from –  if you can still pass the credit check . Say your premiums are getting higher for less coverage?  Well buck it up, Mister, this is America.  Where else can you find lawmakers sitting pretty, on your tax dollar provided healthcare package, while you pray for a mild flu season and a free flu shot from Wal-Mart.

Statistics confirm each year our representatives kick 18,000 unfortunate souls to the curb to die just because they don’t have access to health care.  The folks in Washington don’t whine about it either – some are even quite proud.   Am I the only one confused here?

When enemies attacked our country and killed 3000 people Capital Hill went ballistic over the death toll, even offering millions in compensation.  But then let them make a conscience decision to let 18,000 Americans die each and every year and no one seems to care.  Why doesn’t our government fight for these dead?  Aren’t they worthy enough?

Perhaps in the grand scheme of things we’re all just numbers attached to demographics and votes.  Small children they can pat on the head with a tax break and send on our merry way to the nearest candy store.

If that’s the case let me take our elected officials to task.  I understand they are busy kissing babies and doing their best to avoid airport restrooms so I’ll make this challenge easy.  All they need is a day calendar and a pen.  Make sure the calendar has one page for each day. 

On today’s date, read whatever witty wisdom it has to offer and then do the following.

Make a small X on the page.  Then follow that X with 49 others on the same page.  Below each X write a different name and say it out loud.  Mike, Mary, John, Jason, etc. You might want to use a baby naming book for this part, they’re going to mount up. 

Do this every day for one full year.   Before you tear off the page each day realize these names represent real people that died on that day –  because you didn’t care enough about your fellow man.    

If at the end of the year you still can’t bring yourself to approve government involvement in our health care system perhaps you need another calendar.

That’s OK, I’ll gladly provide one for you.

But you’ll have to provide the deaths on your own.

Authors Bio:

Former Sun Newspaper Group correspondet, occasional Op-Ed and essays in The Orlando Sentinel. Recognized short fiction winner and former library president. Professional photographer and co-owner of an internationally heard music production company.