To our respected political servants...

Senator Ted Kennedy's passing saddens us all. Let us pay tribute to him the best way possible...

Those of us who prefer to not come across as screaming lunatics at “town hall” meetings hope such noise (some viral, much contrived) does not distract you from the well-considered, judicious, yet near-ready-to-boil-over anger about your seeming inability to be utterly courageous and do what’s utterly right.

Single Payer

No Excuses—no delay.

Saying that Single Payer is "not politically viable" is not an explanation—it is subterfuge.

Saying that converting to Single Payer would be "too disruptive" is pure obfuscation. While not independent from one another, health care delivery and payment for health care services are both logically and practically separable... There is simply no reason why Single Payer payment services processing could not be set up while a one year transfer of payments processing goes on (maintaining the status quo on all payment levels during the transition) as the insurance companies divest themselves of their vampire hostage hold on all Americans. No one need change GP's, specialists, hospitals, triage services, scheduled health services, etc. Conflating health care delivery and payment for health care services and then saying, "See! Single Payer would be too disruptive!" is like turning a cow and a calf into one dead goat as proof that a dead goat is "too dead."

We know where the real pressure comes from. You know where the real pressure comes from. Get the insurance middle-man out of the mix—this is the ONLY way to bring down cost.

If you truly believe in health care for all for America... Single Payer

Period!

Whether it’s a nonprofit with direct government oversight, or the government per se. Single Payer—period.

By the way, running blindly away from adequately supporting teachers, schools and our entire educational system over the years has left political leaders with a vicious circle—a growing electorate comprising the undereducated and misinformed who pressure you further to divert funds from education, further pulling down the overall reasoning capacity of voters. This dog has big teeth and is at your heels now. And this time when you kick it it won’t let loose, won’t run away. And the dog catcher is off at a Town Meeting screaming down a Senator about how health care reform is like the rise of the Nazis and the death panels are coming to get us and bye-bye Grandma where’s-that-plug-gimme-that-plug!

For cryin' out loud—if you can't see that what's happening is evidence of a broader, deeper crisis in America than just health care... well, let's just say by the time the dog catcher gets to you you're not gonna need a dog catcher—you're probably going to need an ambulance. And a new job.

Ray Bartkowech
Woburn, MA