Short Term Pain, Long Term Gain
By Steven Osborne | Monday, March 22nd, 2010 | Policy, PoliticsI have heard many statements of despair over the past day in regards to the terrible Healthcare “Reform” Bill that passed Congress last night. This bill is truly a terrible bill and it will likely have immediate consequences on our Constitutional liberties. I am young, however, at no point in recent history can I think of a bill that was more socialistic in nature than the one that passed Congress last night.
The short term pain of this bill is indescribable and the suffering that it will cause is disgusting, however, I would urge my conservative collegues not to despair completely, there is a silver lining to this massive cloud.
First, this increases the likelihood that the newly TEA Party dominated, Republican Party will take control of Congress at the end of this year. This will give us an opportunity to make some real fundamental reforms, in regards to putting our nation on a course of freedom. The American people will get the opportunity to see how well free market reforms work and new and innovative ideas will have the opportunity to blossom. This, of course, comes with the stipulation that the GOP does the right thing and governs from a conservative perspective. If we fail to do so, the Republican Party will likely cease to exist.
Lastly, the progressives have done for the conservatives what the conservatives could not do for themselves; they united conservatives. There has been a deep divide among conservatives who are fiscally focused and between other conservatives that are socially focused. Both often correctly claim that the other side cannot exist without them. These petty fights often came down to a matter of semantics in which one conservative group did not like how another conservative group worded something. The healthcare fight united these two wings of conservatism as they united against a bill that has both fiscal and social ramifications. We should take this lesson and apply it in the future.
Although we are mourning the loss of some of our liberty today, we can take heart in the fact that we have been battle hardened. We must get off of our sackloth and ashes and begin the steep climb toward a repeal of this leviathin. To quote Newt Gingrich, “this will not stand.” we must stand by our Attorney General as he contends in court for our Healthcare Freedom on behalf of the Commonwealth. The next few weeks will be contentious. Let’s avoid the usual infighting that so easily besets us and take the lessons of last week’s fight with us.
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About the author
Steven Osborne is a grassroots conservative activist from Central Virginia. He is currently furthering his education at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. In addition to writing for Bearing Drift he is also a columnist for the Christian Law Journal.
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5 Responses to "Short Term Pain, Long Term Gain"
Hello Steve– I’m not deflated, I’m elated, energized, and looking forward to the 2010 campaign. People think McDonnell was elected by a landslide? Lord, November 2010 is going to be even better. Let the Virginia Dems defend their party’s record. Let them tell the voters how much better things are under their stewardship.
I am SO looking forward to this game. We are going to kick their butts up and down the field, and then we’re going to rip out their heart and shove it in their face.
Your silver lining made me laugh out loud. If you think for one second that the “tea party led” GOP is going to go anywhere come November, let me remind you that the few “bad apples” at the rally on Saturday turned the entire movement into the most backwoods, redneck, racist and homophobic organization ever. It is beyond hope to think that these disgusting behavior and yuk yuk yuk mentality is ever going to help the GOP. The GOP tried their best to be inclusive, but the more they warm up to the Tea Party the worse it will get for them. When will they learn?
To me, the ideals of the Tea Party are beautiful things, but in 2010 they are a distant memory to where we are now and are simply not realistic goals to aspire to. As humanity moves forward, complexities abound and everything is suddenly and magically connected. The Tea Party seems destined to be the “take us back to Dixie” party that the Democrats used to be. We can’t do this. We can’t go backwards. We have to join forces as proud Americans.
So … “this will not stand” said is a stern, stern elderly voice. Let me just throw a few questions your way regarding the “liberties” that are being stripped and then tell me about the chances this year. Tell me what you’d do when pre-existing conditions actually go away and matter naught? I assume you would opt to bring them back?
For folks who can suddenly get insurance, I’m assuming you would strip them of this? Hey, good luck with winning votes that way!
For children who can start taking medication soon — that would not have access before? I assume they’d be left out cold?
You get it. And I’m not saying this to be mean, but repealing what folks have become used to will earn you little friends politically. Medicare and Social Security have already become staples of the U.S. My grandmother (98 this year) would not be able to get by without Social Security (please note: she is healthy as ever so those “death panels” you fine people are talking about are still a ways off).
You might try and scare me into thinking “but Social Security is going bankrupt!” Then you know what? Offer something. Anything. Bring some idea to the table beyond free market reforms. As it stands, I’m a bit intrigued by how this plan will actually reduce the deficit. And I’m willing to give it a shot.
You have to admit, the GOP is in a hard place right now. Maybe it might be a good time not to “repeal” or “replace” but — how about just relax? Some of those good ole boys from our beloved rural areas might actually enjoy having healthcare for the first time. What do you think about that?
…let me remind you that the few “bad apples” at the rally on Saturday turned the entire movement into the most backwoods, redneck, racist and homophobic organization
That charge, of course, has been shown today to be a lie and a smear.
Offer something. Anything. Bring some idea to the table beyond free market reforms.
You need to educate yourself with some of Paul Ryan’s proposals.
Some of those good ole boys from our beloved rural areas might actually enjoy having healthcare for the first time.
Rick Boucher, down amongst the good ole boys in the 9th, voted against ObamaCare. Because he said it’s going to devastate the rural hospitals and clinics used by the good ole boys and their grandparents.
The Tea Party seems destined to be the “take us back to Dixie” party that the Democrats used to be.
Actually, the Dems have transformed their old racist paternalism into modern socialism. And both are based on the idea that the people need to be treated like children by “masters.” Change indeed.
Wow… a wonderful display of maturity and a rigorous academic anthropological classification of some new subclasses of humans… “backwoods, redneck, racist and homophobic”, “disgusting behavior and yuk yuk yuk mentality” in branding the rabble who happened to show up yesterday to voice their concerns. By overlaying what you presented as “should be” over absolute personal hate and disdain for these people, why are you asking questions you obviously already have the answers to? No one could answer these questions in a reasoned and calm dialog because you would filter any answers with blinding hate, disdain and disrespect.
By the way in deference to your dear grandma, why are you making the case to throw her under the bus by having someone other than her or your family make choices that will affect her? Wait until you, your grandmother and the family are required to go through mandatory end of life counseling. I’ve already had to go through this through the Veteran’s Administration, which is being used as a model for everyone.
Yeah, the “good ole boys” have a place in the party/tea party/GOP/ Conservative or whatever name you want to call them, but so do all the other than white folks. In fact, an other than white man is running for the 2nd Congressional District who agrees with the Tea Party, and is a Conservative, so in your vast and expansive collection of epithets and names for these people, what would you call him?
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