DEFENSE MODE

Yesterday, June 28, 2012, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was upheld by the Supreme Court after states lined up to file suit the minute it was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010.  At long last, every human in this country has access to affordable healthcare.  I no longer fear for my cancer-survivor/epileptic daughter's ability to maintain her innumerable future healthcare needs.  Millions of other families like mine have reason to release a long-held sigh of relief.  This historic event might have felt just like that except for the immediate mass attack by the GOP and its pundits.  Instead of helping people understand the basics of the PPACA, they've begun a campaign of outright lies to again deceive their base, the TEA party and their white-bred Christian followers.  And those folks take it to heart like gospel from the pulpit.  The clown show has been quite amusing to watch, as usual, but infuriating nevertheless.  Response to the ruling has been passionate for and against, and I have gotten into a few debates on social media.  Well-educated, thinking people have already begun defending their stand with non-fact about the law; joyful as they may have been, the last two days have been quite frustrating.  It seems you either love Obama or hate him.  Bush 43 before him deserved the hatred a thousand times more than Barack.  Bush's consuming lust for power brought this country to its knees.  Bush's VP, Dick Cheney, should be in prison for his crimes.  Instead, he recently got a new heart, and gets to continue living scott-free on the millions he made at the expense of humanity.  How did these two men get away with what they did, and nobody noticed or cared, but Obama is attacked, called names and disrespected because he wants to bring the basic human right of healthcare to all the people of this great nation?  Bush and Cheney are glorified while Obama is vilified.  Unbelievable.  And unacceptable.    

I love President Obama, and deeply admire his fortitude.  The way he has handled the response to his election shows an iron will, and incredible strength of character.  He is the first president that I fully trust to do only what is good and right for our people.  I had no love or trust for President Bush, but I never let that eclipse my respect for the office he held.  With a little reading and learning and paying attention, I understand the impact of the eight years of Bush/Cheney.  If every citizen had been watching what Bush and Cheney were doing, they wouldn't have been able to get away with the atrocities they did or the human suffering and destruction they caused in Iraq.  Listen to some of the conspiracy theories surrounding 9/11 sometime, and see what you think.  If we the people had noticed, we would have demanded Bush not deregulate the banking industry and Wall Street.  His actions nearly crashed our economy into a depression.  And what remains of the middle class is left to pick up the pieces.         

So now that this landmark decision is final, and we all have access to affordable healthcare, the Republican candidate says he will repeal the law on day one of his presidency.  Of course, Mr. Romney cannot actually do that like he means, but it sounds good to the White-breds and the other people who hate Obama.  Funny thing is, Romney enacted the same healthcare plan, almost exactly like the PPACA, as governor of Massachusetts.  The sad thing is, what Romney is really saying is that he will allow the insurance industry to go back to denying claims for any number of reasons, shunning patients that may pose risk to profit (my daughter), and dropping  patient coverage at will.  These practices have long since been the norm for insurance companies and are immoral and unacceptable.  I want my government standing up for me against these egregious practices.  Thank God President Obama had the courage to stand up for me and my family.  I want him to continue to work hard to change the status quo.  We once accepted that women and minorities were excluded from voting until we stopped accepting it.  Let's stand up as one people and stop accepting the obstruction and deceit of the Republican party.

The Democratic party is fighting to secure families, and preserve the middle class.  The party held universal healthcare as part of the platform for years.  How thrilling it is that this Democratic president was finally able to get health reform on the books.  We will continue to work for an efficient, patient-centered healthcare community.  Most importantly, we will continue to loudly speak out against the corporate takeover of our democracy.  We will not let the few rich and powerful own this country.  This country belongs to all of us, so all of us better start paying attention, standing up and saying enough.  A good place to begin is the demand that Citizen's United be overturned.  And if the Republicans won't work with us, then they had better get out of the way.  Unless you are one of the twenty or so billionaires in this country, there is no reason for allegiance to the Republican party.  They have only the interest of their corporate donors in mind.  Wake up, watch what they do, and keep them honest. 

Peace, Love, Solidarity to ALL my fellow humans
~ Martha