MAKING LAW REALLY IS LIKE MAKING "SAUSAGE"!

Yes, making law is ugly, and the GOP is working hard at also making it messier and even more difficult for all Americans.

…Making Sausage….´yuck"

As the old cliché goes, "In a democracy, making law is like making sausage. You may or may not love the final product, but the process for making both of them will probably make you sick."

It is appearing that the White House and the democrats in congress are once again making multiple mistakes in communicating the "real" health care reform process, and the Republicans (as usual) are taking full advantage of those mistakes.

Both Obama and the Dems should have early-on stressed the above "sausage" cliché analogy to the very serious issue of US health care reform.

Unfortunately, they should have started with strongly stressing that there are four distinct parts that are required within the sausage making process, (and therefore, also in making new laws). That process should have been properly described and everyone should continuously be made aware of "where we currently are in the process".

Here is a list of the four distinct parts or actions required in the, "Sausage / Law Making Process":

>>> Part I:

First, decide that you want to make sausage or a new law.

>>> Part II:

Debate on how or where the new sausage or law should fit within the marketplace and then begin discussion and debate on the ingredients or parts for what you want in the sausage or in the new law.

>>> Part III:

The sausage (and the new law) makers must then debate and test the different results or alternatives that they have selected, throwing out what doesn´t taste right (or what doesn´t fit right) in the new sausage (or the new law).

Author´s Note:

Please note that Part II and III of the process will probably be very difficult and confrontational as both the sausage makers (and the law makers) have very strong opinions as to what should be in the sausage, (or the law).

>>> Part VI:

This is the final part after it has been settled as to where it should fit and as to what the sausage, and the law, should taste like (or look like). The ingredients and the recipe will have all been decided, (and as to what will be in the new law), all those involved in the process will have shaken hands and a new name for the sausage product (or law) will have been decided, and the head of the sausage company (or the US chief executive) will then sign off on the new product (or law) and the production will begin, (or the law will then be enacted).

BUT, HERE´S THE PROBLEM:

Unfortunately, as stated, it appears that the president and the Dems have failed to properly continue repeating the rules of the above process over and over again, (as the Republicans have always been successful in doing), for stressing that the process today is still sitting somewhere between Part II and Part III.

And today, during this August Congressional Recess, the GOP, with their coordinated attacks and their lack of having a problem in spouting total untruths, are now talking as if it has already been decided as to what´s going to be in the new "sausage-bill law".

Even though there is no "final law or bill", and only 1 of 3 of the preliminary bills from the House of Representative has been released for review, and there are zero bills to review from the Senate, the Republicans are already talking about what effect the so called new "law" will have on the American public.

Here is a list of the "untruths" that are being stated in the far right´s conservative ads and from the talking heads on Fox News and right-wing radio:

REPUBLICAN UNTRUE COMMENTS & REBUTALS:

Because most American´s health care costs come during the last 30% of a person´s life, to save money, the right wing is incorrectly stating that Obama´s new plan will send elder people to "death camps" where they will be denied health care. (Actually, this kind of comment was also posted on FaceBook by former Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin.)

"There will be a government bureaucrat between you and your doctor and your health care." (Absolutely not)

"Obamacare will hurt small business." (The proposal gives small business the ability to offer lower cost health care.)

"You will lose your current health care." (Only if you want to change your coverage. It´s your choice.)

"The government will be telling your doctors what your acceptable healthcare will be." (Only the doctors will have that say.)

"Health care will be rationed." (Private companies do that today. That rationing will stop.)

"You will be told which doctors you may select." (Total B.S.)

"All private healthcare plans must conform to government rules in the Healthcare Exchange." (Only if they "choose" to participate in the "Exchange".)

"Every five years you will be asked how you want to die, you know, euthanasia." (Every 5 years, you may choose to talk, at no-charge, to a medical professional regarding a "Living Will". It will not be required.)

"Obama´s plan will pay for abortions." (No)

"Government will regulate all rental and purchase of power-driven wheelchairs." (Only the pricing will be lower and regulated in the public option proposal.)

"Illegal Aliens will be covered." (Only "legal" aliens will qualify for coverage.)

"You will be told which hospitals you may use." (No)

"Every person will be issued a National ID card." (It´s called a Social Security card)

"Government will restrict the expansion of hospitals." (This will only be for reviewing them for the expansion meeting normal medical standards.)

"Regardless of their specialties, ALL doctors will be paid the same." (Family Practitioner´s salaries will probably be increased to encourage more doctors to become family doctors.)

"Government will interfere with your marriage through the "family therapy" provision." (Per current proposals, mental health and family counseling will finally be covered, but not to interfere with your family.)

"Private health care companies will be driven out of business." (If they don´t offer competitive health care pricing, yes they could go away.)

"You will either be turned away or you will wait for hours, days or months for your doctor appointments." (Where do they get this stuff?…NO.)

"The government will restrict "special needs" citizens." This was also a comment made by Sarah Palin. (Absolutely Not!, in fact, the new program proposal is for everyone, regardless of their needs.)

Actually if you look closely, some of the above stated restrictions are already required by the current, "private" health care companies.

As stated, the reality is that the new health care plan is somewhere between Part II and Part III.

At this point, the important action in the democratic process with a representative republic is for all the citizens to make sure that their representatives and Senators know what the citizens want regarding their health care coverage. The important action is to NOT listen to the "nay-sayer Republicans", to ignore the so-called above "untrue statements" as to what THEY incorrectly say is in the bill, and to absolutely let your representatives know where you personally stand.

Here are the number or links for contacting the White House, the US Congress and the US Senators:

White House web-site / e-mail Link: http://www.whitehouse.gov/ White House Phone Number: 202-456-1111

Senate Contact e-mail / phone Link: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

House of Representatives Contact e-mail / phone Link: http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/mcapdir.html

Copyright G.Ater 2009-08-10

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