Chatter With Kate: ARE YOU SICK OF THE PESKY POLITICIANS?

I am! Someone said recently ‘how did politics become so wretched?’ and ‘will the politicians ever be known as nice folk?’ Well I think that if you search through time you will find that each age has had its share of corrupt politicians and even more corrupt political aides. What I have found difficult to take recently is the blanket disregard for the Constitution. I have said before, that each generation has different things to sort out and things to change but the Founding Fathers put the basics in place to help us, we the people. How on earth can you attempt to pass a bill in the manner that this wretched healthcare bill has been done? Once again, do the folk at the Capitol think we are all nuts that we cant see their devious ways of doing things. Do they really care that the public have such a low opinion of all their comings and goings? It is going to be very interesting to see who retains their seat in Congress (in both parts). Here in the desert southwest, there are a few who, in their support of this idiocy going on in Washington, are unlikely to go back to the corridors of power there. It gets back to a previously written column; there is NO RESPECT – none at all. They have no respect for us and no respect for themselves. As far as the Health Reform is concerned. I have no issues with a universal type of health care. I have lived and worked and paid my taxes in 4 countries that have public health options. For the most part, it worked very well, particularly in Ontario, Canada and in England. I see ads slamming the health care in England. Well I just wonder if those people doing the slamming have ever lived there. If I needed health care (thank God, it was rarely) there, then it was no problem to get attention. In Ontario, Canada we paid into OHIP. You paid a little, your employer paid a little and in came the Provincial Government as well. I was blinded by accident, in my right eye. So off I went to see my doctor, who sent me on to an eye specialist. The OHIP paid for all the fees and everything was worked out in a professional manner – administrative stuff (I love that word!) included. The problem (currently) is, leave the Feds out of it. Let the states create their own systems. In this day and age, when the Feds get involved everything goes to hell because they are too corrupt to run things properly. Oh I agree with our President that something needs to be done about health insurance company’s but is it just political posturing coming out of Washington – are they trying to be seen to do something about this issue to retain their powerbases etc. Oh I don’t know – the whole thing is, as my English Dad would say, a giant pickle! I don’t see any solutions right now that make any sense to me either – sadly. Just before I sign off this week, I would like to say this. How can you say that you will reveal what is in a bill once you have passed it. We have the right to know what is in a bill BEFORE it is passed.

Well I guess we will all see what happens this coming Sunday. Take care out there.

Cheers, Kate.