I haven’t written anything about the Affordable Health Care Act which, by now, everyone refers to as Obamacare. Frankly, I have never taken time to read the couple of thousand pages of the act … or the umpteen thousand pages that lay out all of its ramifi cations.
Come to think of it, apparently no one in Washington read the thingbefore they rammed it through. Remember what the Speaker of the House, that California woman, is quoted as saying, “We have to pass it so we can find out what’s in it”? Or something like that.
Bet your bottom dollar, if there are a half-dozen Washingtonians who have really read those thousands of pages, it would surprise me.
Anyway, it apparently hasn’t or doesn’t make much difference whether it has been read or not. Much to the consternation of lovers of the Constitution, our president keeps changing the rules by awarding waivers to thousands, postpones deadlines and keeps the pot stirred until no one really knows what will happen in October when the bulk of the mess becomes effective.
We’re apparently stuck with it. And will live with the consequences from now on. Remember, once anything becomes a socalled “law,” no matter who or how anyone interprets it or opposes it, it is there for perpetuity.
There may be an occasional exception, but only when it begins to smell so bad and its effect becomes so nauseating to those who at one time championed it, can a real effort be made to pull the plug.
Now, Obamacare may be the salt of the earth, the bouquet that freshens the bathroom, the chips that fill the till to overfl owing … it may be all of these and more. But….
As a little tyke listening when several adults were sitting around talking about something they called socialized medicine, I wasn’t sure what socialized medicine was but I heard one of the men say, “If they ever pass socialized medicine, it will ruin the country.”
I’m inclined to believe we’re well on our way. I never thought I would become a pessimist and, frankly, I hope I’m not there yet. But, with the malaise and mess that is gripping the country, it surely would be easy to become one.
For generations we have been a nation of laws, not of men. But now we seem to be a nation of laws, the interpretation of which depends on the whim of men and their personal or party agendas - such as getting re-elected, by whatever isnecessary to achieve that end.
Until our leaders - and I use the term loosely - sacrifice by putting their politics, their party and philosophy aside, the country’s condition will not just remain the same but will slip deeper into the mire that is strangling what once was, and should still be, the greatest example of government of, by and for the people ever created.
A cure? Eliminate the above “Ps” and give us an “S” - Statesmanship!
Dodie Evans is the editor emeritus of the Westside Eagle Observer and may be contacted by email at devans@ nwaonline.com.
Opinion, Pages 5 on 09/04/2013