Liberals have been quick to allege racist motivations recently when someone disagrees with President Obama and his policies. From outraged Congressmen in the House of Representatives to a former Democratic President of the United States, we’re hearing a lot of suggestions that Mr. Obama is only being so vehemently disagreed with because he is black.
I’m going to go ahead and call bullshit on this one.
When South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson shouted, “You lie!” during the President’s speech to Congress about health care, Representative Hank Johnson from the state of Georgia remarked that this has only happened to “a president of color” and wouldn’t have happened to a white president. He went on to say that Wilson’s remarks “did not help the cause of diversity and tolerance” and that this might instigate “more racist sentiment that it’s okay – you don’t have to bury it now.”
Rep. Johnson even went so far as to say that he guesses now we’ll “probably have folks putting on white hoods and white uniforms again riding through the countryside intimidating people. That’s the logical conclusion if this kind of attitude is not rebuked…”
Give me a freakin’ break.
Former President Jimmy Carter weighed in on the subject also. “I think people who are guilty of that kind of personal attack against Obama have been influenced to a major degree by a belief that he should not be president because he happens to be African American,” he said. “It’s a racist attitude, and my hope is and my expectation is that in the future both Democratic leaders and Republican leaders will take the initiative in condemning that kind of unprecedented attack on the president of the United States.”
Okay, hold up there, Mr. President. Do I think that there are plenty of conservatives and Republicans that may have racist leanings against African Americans? Sure. Do I think there are people around the country that resent a black man standing in the highest elected office in the country? Absolutely. Do I think the color of his skin adds to their animosity towards him? In many cases, probably.
Do I think they’d behave any differently on these politically-charged subjects if Obama was a white man? Not in the least. They’d be just as vehemently opposed to his policies, and probably equally vocal about it.
Don’t get me wrong — I think there are legitimate arguments to be made that many people on both sides of this debate are largely adopting their political party’s stance on the health care reform proposals. Many liberals are probably firmly in support of the reforms proposed in Congress and by the President without really understanding them, but they came from liberal politicians and liberal citizens are supposed to support them. Many conservatives are probably firmly opposed to the proposed reforms without really understanding them, because they came from liberal politicians and conservatives are supposed to oppose them.
Many of the conservative opponents of these health care reforms have based their vocal opposition on rhetoric, exaggerations, and outright scare-tactics. (Claims of “Death panels” pulling the plug on grandma come to mind) Many liberal supporters of the health care reforms have based their vocal opposition primarily on how close-minded and ignorant they think the conservatives are being, but without laying out a comprehensive rebuttal that explains what’s so great about the proposals in the first place.
It’s become such a clusterfuck of “us vs. them” over the years that substantive debate about the merits of the proposals gets shouted over, and we’re left with a mob. We keep getting away from looking at the proposals in detail, and debating individual portions of them and their likely results. Instead we succumb to name-calling, personal attacks on both sides, and incendiary rhetoric that doesn’t promote a real understanding of the issues. And before my conservative friends accuse me of being biased on this, let me unequivocally say that both liberals and conservatives do it, and we all need to stop.
This shouldn’t be about racism. It shouldn’t be about politics. It should be about what will get comprehensive, affordable health care for citizens of the United States, without bankrupting individual citizens who are sick, and without bankrupting the federal government.
Let’s get back to that discussion and leave the rest behind, shall we?
Democrats have made a gross error in allowing this to become a race issue. At a critical time in health care reform, the media is covering more about this issue than the one that will effect our lives in a very personal manner in the very near future. Why?
Hello! President Carter! Did you not get the memo? the President doesnt want to talk about race, we’re working on health care.
Wake up folks. History has demonstrated time and time again, when the health or well fare of the consumer is directly related to the business and product being offered, the industry in question has in the past, and will continue to make maximal profit at the maximal cost of the consumer. Take a look at our history. Business is business, and quiet frankly -if the governement isn’t looking after our best interest, who is? One argument is, “vote with your dollar.” Okay, ya great. So when it comes to health care that means I don’t have health insurance, because when it comes to voting with my dollar I don’t really have much of a choice. I either take what my employer gives me (if I qualify) or I get a cobra that cost way more than I can afford. hmmmm. Capitalism is great, competition is good, but when it concerns my health, I’m losing and the insurance companies are winning.
Wait a minute. You don’t disagree with that, but to offer a public option is too expensive and is a highway to government run health care. Well I have a couple of thoughts on that. May be if you your health was in the hands of the governement you get your ass out there and vote. May be more of us would take time to learn more about the issues and where the politicians we vote for stand on those issues.
Too expensive. It’s too expensive not to do something. It was too damn expensive to go to war with Iraq, but I didn’t see any “tea parties” for that.
Let me roll back a little here. Conflict of interest. That’s what comes to mind when I think of health care as a business. How can I trust the CEO of any company: insurance, Hospitals, GP offices, etc. to keep my best interest at the top of their list. why because I or most Americans won’t know the difference between one choice or another and the cost of either until it’s too late. Health care is NOT like any other product. These are not shoes or computers we are talking about here. The product is a service that has a direct and oftern severe impact on our lives. Do I want my representatives, Senator, and other elected official to help keep my best interest and health at the top of any Doctors list of priorities. Hell ya I do. why? because right now insurance companies make these dicisions. I don’t get to vote for the insurance conpany’s CEO. Don’t you dare tell me to get a different insurance company, because you know damn well I can’t afford to -I’m stuck with what my employer chooses for me, and I don’t get to vote for that either.
I agree that, in this case, accusations of racism are either misguided or a political scare tactic.
Part of the problem with debates like this is that the “common sense” that works at the level of the individual or family doesn’t always neatly scale to governing a nation. On the surface, it doesn’t seem to make sense to spend money on a costly new program during a recession the same way it wouldn’t make sense for somebody who just lost their job to buy a new car. The thing is, that kind of thinking isn’t appropriate to the conditions. In the case of healthcare, if the government invested money to prevent citizens bankrupting themselves or being burdened with an enormous amount of debt to pay for healthcare, then the government would receive more tax revenue from people’s increased wealth without even having to raise taxes. If done correctly, such a thing could in fact be budget neutral. I’m speaking hypothetically, because I have my doubts that the current healthcare proposals will be budget neutral as the President promises.
[...] vs. Racism Remember last week, when I ranted about allegations of racism in the healthcare debate? Well, former President Bill Clinton weighed in on the matter Monday night on Larry King Live. When [...]