[sunnykerr]

Well, you know what they say, people are intelligent on their own. As a mob, they're panicky and stupid.

The U.S. spends more on health care than any other country in the world. You would think people would welcome the opportunity to look at alternatives...

Anyway, I'm not sure this is the particularly place to put this, but I couldn't find any other thread that felt halfway as appropriate:

Eunice Kennedy Shriver's Relatives Called to Hospital Relatives of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, a sister of President Kennedy, were summoned Monday to a hospital on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, a source close to the family told CNN. "It's minute to minute right now," the source said. Shriver, 88, founder of the Special Olympics, has been in the hospital for several days, her family said, and her relatives were summoned after she suffered a setback, the source said. Some members of the family flew in to Cape Cod Hospital last week to be with Shriver, including her daughter, Maria Shriver, and Maria's husband, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a source said earlier. She was in critical condition then. Eunice Shriver is the founder and honorary chairwoman of the Special Olympics, which helps 3 million people with intellectual disabilities in 170 countries around the world. "The Special Olympics movement is saddened to hear that our founder, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, is hospitalized. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mrs. Shriver and her family at this time," organization President Brady Lum said in a statement last week. "Every day, our Special Olympics family continues to work tirelessly around the world to bring her powerful vision to life to change the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, using sports as the catalyst for respect, acceptance and inclusion."

Eunice Kennedy Shriver's relatives called to hospital - CNN.com

So, it's looking like yet another Kennedy is getting ready to shuffle this mortal coil.

At the least, I am grateful we got to keep this one for as long as we did.

I don't know what it is about that family, but I can't think of another family (in similar circumstances) made up of so many members who all went out of their way to contribute something of real substance and value to society at large. You can actually say that the world is a better place today because the Kennedys exist. And that's a rare thing.

I hope that, should this be her end, it comes without pain for Mrs Shriver. Those she leaves behind are bound to experience profound grief, but I do hope it is painless for her. She more than deserves that.

[ceilirose]

Originally Posted by vc318 (View Post) I know how some of us feel about the grading of presidents but I just read that Obama's rating approval dropped from 75 percent to 56 percent after 200 days. Maybe the healthcare plan took a hit in his numbers?

I don't know but the reports from the town halls on healthcare are just amazing and not in good way. Of course Palin had to open her mouth and bring her child into the whole mix.

The misinformation out there is unbelievable. If I see another sign or person who says they're against health care reform, against Government intervention in health care but don't you dare touch my Medicare I'll scream.

Insurance companies decide everyday who lives and dies, who gets the treatment and who doesn't and people don't have a problem with this?

[vc318]

Originally Posted by sunnykerr (View Post) Eunice Kennedy Shriver's relatives called to hospital - CNN.com So, it's looking like yet another Kennedy is getting ready to shuffle this mortal coil.

It's been reported that JFK's sister has passed away:

Eunice Kennedy Shriver dies at 88 - CNN.com

She outlived her brother - that's for sure. May she rest in peace.

[sunnykerr]

Well, considering JFK died super young (46), she was bound to outlive him. She almost lived twice as long as he did, too. And that's got to be hard for a sister. I mean, three of her four brothers died way, way too young.

At the other end of the spectrum, it's sad to think that she leaves behind a husband with Alzheimer's disease. That poor man is going to be so confused... for the rest of his days, really.

[V-Nessa]

Ted Kennedy dies of brain cancer at age 77 - 8/25/09 - Los Angeles-Southern California-LA Breaking News, Weather, Traffic, Sports - abc7.com

[JustMe2000]

He couldn't make it to see health care reform passed.

[wanderer78]

I'm going to miss him. His passing has made me a little scared for the future. Whatever you thought of him, he did fight passionately for the average American.

[sunnykerr]

Whatever anyone thought about him, you simply cannot argue with nearly half-a-decade of public service. You cannot argue with a man who spent two thirds of his adult life being the patriarch of a huge family. And you cannot argue with his effectiveness. Republicans named him the legislator who was most likely to cross the aisle so as to get things done.

And, personally, I understand that American politics tend to run more conservatively compared to the rest of the Western hemisphere. I get it. And, you know, that's fair enough.

But, from a Canadian perspective? Ted Kennedy spoke nothing but common sense. We are only as strong as the weakest among us, only as strong as our most vulnerable.

[wanderer78]

That's not just a Canadian perspective. I'm American, and I love my country, and I absolutely agree with you. And sometimes I feel our voices get drowned out by hysteria about socialism and such. But then again, the right probably feels the same way.

[sunnykerr]

McCarthy sure did a number on the American psyche. It's the only place I can think of where "socialism" is seen as a negative thing.

But, be that as it may, I have hope. Surely the deep-seated spiritual values of the country will lead its citizens to the natural conclusion: universal health care is a moral obligation.

There's a bagillion rational arguments for it, but the fact is that it's all rooted in basic morality. You cannot uphold the principle of universal equality while denying a significant portion of your citizenry health care.

[2old2care]

Originally Posted by sunnykerr (View Post) McCarthy sure did a number on the American psyche. It's the only place I can think of where "socialism" is seen as a negative thing. But, be that as it may, I have hope. Surely the deep-seated spiritual values of the country will lead its citizens to the natural conclusion: universal health care is a moral obligation. There's a bagillion rational arguments for it, but the fact is that it's all rooted in basic morality. You cannot uphold the principle of universal equality while denying a significant portion of your citizenry health care.

Hi guys, I'm new to this thread but I have an interest in American politics despite of being an Aussie living in London.

I agree with your point. In matter of fact, I found it amusing when the American rightwingers start to call the NHS here in the UK a scheme that demostrates the failing of a universal health care system. They pretty much shot themselves in the foot by making the Americans aware of the NHS and letting them see beyond the rightwingers rhetoric.

By the way, I'm sorry to hear about Ted Kennedy. He was one of the shining lights of American politics particularly during the Bush years.

[ceilirose]

Originally Posted by sunnykerr (View Post) McCarthy sure did a number on the American psyche. It's the only place I can think of where "socialism" is seen as a negative thing. But, be that as it may, I have hope. Surely the deep-seated spiritual values of the country will lead its citizens to the natural conclusion: universal health care is a moral obligation. There's a bagillion rational arguments for it, but the fact is that it's all rooted in basic morality. You cannot uphold the principle of universal equality while denying a significant portion of your citizenry health care.

I don't think it's going to happen. It looks like the screamers have won this battle barring a complete turnaround. The lack of knowledge about what even Medicare actually is among people in this country is astounding - even people who are on it.

Our Senators and Congress people are some of worst informed. Grassley goes back and forth making up things, Bachman is talking about sliting wrists and being blood brothers to keep from passing HC reform and the Democrats are quiet.

It will just be status quo again - the wealthy will be fine and everyone else will struggle along.

[2old2care]

I can't understand why the Democrats would be quiet about this? Healthcare reform should be a winner especially with the working class who would consist a vast majority of the American electorate and you have a Democrat President who is pushing for it and is still popular figure amongst the Americans.

I'm sure that any polls would would show the public being in support of the reforms?

[ceilirose]

A good number of Democrats come from conservative districts where health care reform isn't an issue because the idea of "we have the best health care in the world" exists. These politicians get big donations from insurance companies who don't want to change things and they're influenced by lobbyists who work for these same interests.

The Senate committee that is in charge of getting a bill out is run by senior Senators from some of the smallest states (population wise) in this country. It's not the country's interests - it their interests.

Obama really blew it on this one. He really did believe in bi-partisanship and it's blown up in his face. His numbers are down in the 50 percentile. In general the WH sat on it's hands which is surprising considering how well he ran his campaign. Maybe he can turn it around but I doubt it.

Plus add all the misinformation out there, people in hysterics about socialism, Nazism, fascism coming to America because of this and you have a big mess. In general people hate or fear change and this has played right into their worst fears. Yet I have no doubt that if the powers that be in this country decided we needed to go to war with country "X" tomorrow we would and there would be no discussion about the money needed to do that.

I don't even know what to say about it anymore. I just hope I can keep my insurance and don't have to change or get really sick because then I'll be screwed. *Shrug*

[sunnykerr]

Well, Obama isn't Superman. If so many people oppose health-care reform, then you can't blame him for not being able to carry it through on the sheer force of his will. The Founding Fathers went out of their wait to curtail the Commander-in-Chief's powers so as to avoid another monarchical system.

And, with the illness and then passing of Ted Kennedy, health-care reform has indeed lost not only one of its strongest defenders, but also one who was well known for his willingness to work with the opposition. So that's definitely a huge hurdle.

But you guys are heading for disaster. You already have the most expensive health-care system in the world and your population, like ours, like almost everyone's in the developed world, is aging. Something's gonna have to give eventually. And, sooner or later, it's gonna dawn on more and more people that the system you guys have currently isn't actually the best in the world so much as it is perhaps one of the worst, second only to places where there is no actual system to speak of.

And the fear of death panels that Sarah Palin so successfully created of her own two hands will become the realization that this is in fact what all of your HMOs and insurance companies are.