Friday, August 28, 2009

Health Care Reform Telephone Call

While minding my own business this week ( actually it was the day my PC crashed this week ) I received a phone call of a solicitation/pole taking nature. I will tell you right from the get-go here I hate to talk on the phone. I have joined the many that live by email, text messaging, and voice mail. I have even gone as far as several years ago disconnecting the home answering machine as I really despised the force that is placed when someone leaves a message, as to not appear rude you have to call them back even if you wished to not take the time to talk to them. I still have voice on my mobile phone. When my friends, colleagues, or family give me grief I always remind them, the people that need to reach can always reach me as they know how to find me if I do not answer my phones.

I absolutely lack the patience to contend with solicitation/pole phone calls as I added our number many years ago to a " Do Not Call List " for some reason that is disregarded by those that can't seem to find better use of their time in my eyes.

Back to point here... I was already having a horrible day ( as mentioned my PC had died unexpectedly that morning and I was not taking it well at all ). The phone rang and most irritating was that my caller I.D. came up as an unknown number. I only get phone calls from a few people that are registered as "unknown" to my I.D. service, they are all Law Enforcement Officials that have their number blocked to the public. I did not hesitate to answer the phone.

When I answered the phone a soft spoken women was the other end of the phone. She did not give her name nor address me with mine. She stated that she was with "The Republican Party Against the Obama Heath Care Reform Bill". In most cases a person calling my home under solicitation venues will if I am in a pleasant mood be told " please do not call here again" if I am not in a friendly mood they get....dial tone. I lack the time or a realistic understanding of what they are attempting to accomplish. A one sided/viewed conversation with a total stranger is not my idea of a productive conversation. Frankly, even if one takes the time to listen/converse, what is the actual outcome? Nothing has changed in the " real world" you just took your time to chat with someone on a topic they want you to listen to.

My mother had mentioned a couple of weeks ago that she herself has received a call from, I am unsure at this time, if it was the "pro for" or "con against side". She mentioned that she said only a couple of sentences to them that went something like this- "I am going to listen to both sides and then
make a decision". That seemed to be the end of that and all moved on. I did however after listening to my mom mention this to me was to soften a bit and re-think how I would handle this call should it arrive at our home? As I mentioned I am unsure what side called her. I looked at it this way, I have a 25% chance of taking a call from the Republican side of this issue. Jim answers the phone in our home also so only a 50% chance I would take the call. Toss in the rest for both sides you have 25% of a chance.

Maybe I have been to harsh on people who call for a solicitation purpose, I thought? I should be willing to listen to the opinion of another and politely state to the person wishing to sell me new windows or a roof to my home " no thank you, have a nice day". It made me think I might be just a bit of a crab when calls came that I did not wish to have.

I made a decision a couple of weeks ago that if I got "the health care" call I would listen and be objective no matter what side it came from. To be bold, I have questions for both the "pro" and "con" side of this issue as I believe most do.

Back to the "soft spoken" Republican. I listened for the first couple of seconds and instantly was mad. I was having a crisis at this time with my PC crash and was in a dire panic about so many things, I did not have time for this "junk" ( trust me I used a kind word instead of the one I really wanted to use). As quick as the thought ran across my mind I firmly reminded myself that I have made a commitment to no matter what side called ( if they did ) that I would be objective and listen to what they had to say. I gritted my teeth and went to my desk to talk and take some notes.

I was an excellent listener for the first 2-3 minutes. She had what I have to assume is a scripted speech that each caller receives. I could tell she was reading something and only when out of breath, took another deep one to continue on. I continued to listen and was fine just being a "listener" to their cause. She ended her "speech" with quoting a dollar amount that "Obama" was going to spend of my
"American Hard Earned Money"? The way she presented the closing of her speech, most anyone is left with the only option to say "no". She presented it as if "Obama" himself was coming to my front door and would be demanding a personal check from me written out directly to him to fund the bill. She then said "you do not support the heath care bill and you are unwilling to be the one to fund it"? Again, one if left with only the answer of "no" unless you plan to be at your front door...check in hand for "Obama" when he rang my doorbell to "pick it up" and take it to Washington, D.C. for deposit.

I took a deep breath and began to ask a few questions. I was as soft spoken as she was to me. My first questions was "will I loose the options to keep my current health care, that I am pleased with"? Her answer was "Oh, absolutely Yes, you will loose what you have, happy or not with it" "they are going to take that from you and force you to receive what type of care "Obama" thinks you should have and if you are entitled to receive that care". Her answer lead right to my next question like a bee to honey. "Can you explain to me what these "death panel" statements truly mean to the public? Her answer was "sure, I can explain that to you". She skipped the explanation and jumped right to a question for me. "Do you have a loved one over the age of 70 years old"? My answer was "yes" I do. Her response was "Obama is going to decide after a person reaches the age of 70 years old, if certain conditions and illness are realistic to the nature of the person's age to obtain medical treatment. Many people after the age of 70 will be denied health care and will die at a time when they need the health care more then anyone. How do you feel about that? You do not want to see your loved one suffer and die do you"? I then brought her back to my question that she said she would answer. I again asked, will there be so called
" death panels"? Her answer to me was " if Obama gets this bill passed Americans are going to start to die because of him".

I again brought her back to the "death panel" statement. I really wanted her to say the words, not just dance to the implication's of it- rather take the bull by the horn and say it the way Republicans are stating it to the public. She did not. In her defense, say the words "death panel" once in our conversation.

My next soft spoken question was "what about the Americans who can not afford the high cost of health care coverage or are denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions? What about all of the American children who do not have health coverage"?

All of a sudden my soft spoken Republican had a change of heart. She hung up on me.

I can not say I am surprised. I was not angry either. I have hung up on enough pole takers in my life, I was due this as payback.

I took a bit of time to reflect on my conversation with my soft spoken Republican. What I have to say is this.

When referring to "My" President of this United States of America you will address him as President Obama, not "Obama" as was done countless times in this conversation. He is the Commander in Chief of our country. Show some respect.

Secondly, get your facts strait. It just amazes me how ignorant the Republican Party has become. If you cry wolf as you have been, a time will come when you have as a party some actual truth to tell, no one is going to believe you. Democrat or Republican. Have some respect for yourself, and the party you support. It appears that respect is more then lacking across the board with the Republican Party.

In closing, for all of the Republicans in US Government whom voted "Yes" for the end of life counseling and now have named it a "death panel". You supported it - yes that means you- to the now former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin". You have two options to the intelligent American here Republican or Democrat.
Did you not have a clear understanding of what you voted "yes" for when it was "end of life counseling"? Have you re-written in your mind what the definition now is? As I understand it nothing has changed, only a Democrat in office not a Republican.

I understand more and more each day why former Governor Palin quit. She cried wolf to many times and no longer holds any creditability to her state, party or the American people. She knew when to put those running shoes on once again. Aside from her social network "Facebook" where little posts by her are made, she has all but disappeared from the public eye.

I have discovered by writing this I do have something connected to the Republican Party to be thankful for....thanks Sarah for the disappearing act.

I have to assume that I shall receive more calls from both sides of the health care issue. I will be fare to both sides and ask the same questions. It really is not about what party you support it is about quality of life for all Americans. If a time comes that I or a loved one is face with an illness, life and death could be at stake not what party I support. I support America and the people who are citizens of America. I want people to have a good quality of life and our health is at the top of that list. As my father said to me after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer at the age of 54. "I look around at all I have worked for and have - it means nothing to me without my health" " I would give it all up for time and it is something I do not have".
My father died shortly after this conversation and had great health coverage and the best of care. It is now 10 years he had been gone. It was the hardest thing outside of Mike's autism I have had to face in my 40 years. As awful and heart wrenching as it was, I can not comprehend what it would have been like to watch him suffer because his country did not find him, my father, an American, worthy of dignified, quality medical care and would rather have watched him, an American Citizen die a painful death because he was not worthy of health coverage he could afford let alone compassion. I am so thankful for his health care but think more and more about the daughter who watched her her father die without it. I pray for those families and our Government as a whole to find a better way.

In my 40 years I have never not had health insurance. I have never been denied anything where health care is concerned. I have had the best care when I needed it that was available. As all of have learned these past few years more so now then ever. What you have today, you may not have tomorrow. It will come without warning, it will just be gone. I am wise enough to prepare for what may happen to myself or our family. One illness and I or my family could be dropped and without coverage. Then it will all change and I the insured will become one of them, the un-insured. I am a consummate planner, always have been. I am wise enough to plan for what my life and my families future could bring.

As Americans we deserve better. We need to demand it.

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