Physician, Heal Thyself...

Have you ever met a mother of spoiled brats who tried to give you parenting advice?

Have you ever known a stingy man who always expected your generosity?

Have you ever known a Doctor who failed to take care of his own health?

I'm sure we all have experienced the teeth-grinding frustration of dealing with a person who does one thing and prescribes another.

And now we come to The Government: the last time it asked citizens to make sacrifices that the government itself was making was probably World War II. Women and men were willing to cut back, to grow Victory Gardens, to do without butter and new winter clothes, all because of the War. The British even more so: getting bombed out of their homes, rationing continued for the Brits for years after the Nazis were routed. They managed.

Being currently laid off, I have no health insurance. Sweet husband has no health insurance. My middle-aged, pastor Mom has no health insurance.

And none of us want Acme Government Health Insurance, wrapped up like a Loony Tunes package that arrives on the doorstep only to explode in your hands when its picked up.

It's highly amusing to me to hear The Government lament Big, Bloated Businesses and Inefficient Care.

Been to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles lately? The Post Office? Your accountant at Tax Time?

Personally - divisive issue as it is - personally, I feel that for American people to invest in a tax-raising, Government-run health care program would be giving our cash for its clunker. (The Cash for Clunkers program, by the way, was a fiasco.)

Do you trust an obsessive spender with going out and doing all the shopping? Or would you trust a careful budgeter to do the shopping? Well, of course, it depends on what the person has done in the past: if she returns home with your groceries, to tell you that she bought things that weren't on the list, forgot some things that were on the list, and bought groceries for your neighbors with the money you'd given her, you'd be frustrated. "Don't let her do the shopping from now on," you'd think to yourself.

So let's think creatively about alternative options for improving health care. Most people acknowledge that health care in the U.S. has problems. What are some ways we could improve it?

Faith-based health insurance

Alliance for Advancing Nonprofit Health Care

Nonprofit health care cooperatives

Now I'm going to direct you to a fantastic video clip....because you see, Republicans and Democrats alike are having kittens over the fact that a Representative from South Carolina interrupted Obama's speech to Congress at one point. And all I could think of was the clips I've seen of the rowdy Parliamentary sessions across the pond, and how thin-skinned we can be over here. So, for a bit of perspective, and for your enjoyment...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHGCz6xxiw