Evil Socialist Healthcare Reform...
If you're here visiting, or a Johnny-come-lately, here's a little about me: I am a relatively liberal paramedic working in a very conservative rural geographic region in Northern California. (Yes, there are Conservatives in California, too.) In general, this experience is positive. In tough news weeks, I might downgrade my impression from 'positive' to just 'not harrowing.' However, I would consider the culture clash overall to be healthful and the debates to be spirited. As you might imagine, the recent drama of healthcare reform has been shaking things up in the crew's quarters over coffee.
The most frequent complaint lobbed at the Obama Administration by my co-workers, and the conservative media at large, is that we are risking becoming a socialist society. This particular prophesy is not one that troubles me greatly, since I have traveled a little and I do not find more socialist governmental systems to be grossly inferior to the United States governmental system. Unfortunately, I am not a student of political science and I could not say which method of administration is the best way to manage a country. However, I can conclusively state that North Western European countries are not worse places to live overall. Or, at the very least, life isn't so dire over there as to warrant the constant warnings about the terrors of rampant Socialism. As I say, I am a Liberal. So you can take what I say with a pinch of salt, if you're not.
Anyways, as I was listening to NPR recently (I have to keep my liberal bias informed somehow.), the issue of Congressional recess prior to healthcare reform voting came up. And as I tooled down the road, I thought, "Well, goodness gracious, of course it's easy for them to carry on about the dangers of Socialism, they already live like well-off Europeans." They enjoy generous vacations, pay and healthcare. I'm not the first person to think this, and I don't mean to have sour grapes. I just wish we were a tad more egalitarian about these things.
Feel free to chime in if you agree or disagree. I'm off to watch some Fox News with my co-workers.
The most frequent complaint lobbed at the Obama Administration by my co-workers, and the conservative media at large, is that we are risking becoming a socialist society. This particular prophesy is not one that troubles me greatly, since I have traveled a little and I do not find more socialist governmental systems to be grossly inferior to the United States governmental system. Unfortunately, I am not a student of political science and I could not say which method of administration is the best way to manage a country. However, I can conclusively state that North Western European countries are not worse places to live overall. Or, at the very least, life isn't so dire over there as to warrant the constant warnings about the terrors of rampant Socialism. As I say, I am a Liberal. So you can take what I say with a pinch of salt, if you're not.
Anyways, as I was listening to NPR recently (I have to keep my liberal bias informed somehow.), the issue of Congressional recess prior to healthcare reform voting came up. And as I tooled down the road, I thought, "Well, goodness gracious, of course it's easy for them to carry on about the dangers of Socialism, they already live like well-off Europeans." They enjoy generous vacations, pay and healthcare. I'm not the first person to think this, and I don't mean to have sour grapes. I just wish we were a tad more egalitarian about these things.
Feel free to chime in if you agree or disagree. I'm off to watch some Fox News with my co-workers.