WE NEED A PUBLIC HEALTH OPTION

THE DOCTOR IS IN
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LAS VEGAS- Hello America, and how is the world treating you?

We're currently spending 2.5 Trillion dollars for United States health care but we are ranked 50th, in the world for quality health care. What a shame. We squander our dollars on other countries needs and projects but fail to address our own health system.

At this point in time our Congress is fighting for a public option in American health care but a few Blue Dog Democrats are refusing to agree with the majority of the Democrats and at least one Independent, Senator Joe Lieberman (I) flatly said that he will vote against the public option.

This is the guy that said he would support the Democratic agenda when he was reelected and President Obama stuck up for him and told the Congress not to demote him or remove him from a powerful seat. Well, pay back is a bitch! However, Lieberman's beholden to the Insurance companies and is taking mounds of money from this industry in return for his opposition to the public option plan.

Then, there is Senator Evan Bayh (D) Indiana, whose wife is associated and aligned with the pharma and/or insurance industry and has received millions of dollars from these companies. The Bayh's own stock in these same industries worth millions of dollars and when the stock prices of the insurance and health care companies surged a few days ago it added kazillions of dollars to their financial accounts.

It seems to me that there is political corruption running throughout this entire health plan. Even though approximately 67% of the people in the United States want and demand a public option politicians like Lieberman and Bayh and all the other group of wanna be Democrats insist on ignoring the will of the people and their own constituents so as to improve their own personal gain.

The Democratic members of Congress should remove Senator Lieberman from his powerful seat and let him know that actions like his are not appreciated and they should also seriously counsel Bayh and point out the glaring conflict and money grab he is enjoying for his own benefit.

It amazes me how these politicians look the voter in the eye and flat out lie. We voters should make these politicians put their commitments in writing prior to electing them to office. At least then, we would have something in writing to hold their feet to the fire with.

The Democrats crying and whining prior to the election said that if we put them into office their majority would be powerful enough to get those changes made and they would vote together as one to realize President Obama's agenda. The only change being seen is the change of dollars from the pharma and insurance companies right into certain Democrats pockets. So much for the will of the people, right? We tired of the bad shake we got from the Republicans over eight years and now the Democrats reneged on their promises.

My feeling is that President Obama should stand up and take a strong stand and insist that he wants a robust public option. He has been sitting back and his milk toast approach is really disappointing. I can see now why in the Illinois Senate he voted "present" often rather than vote "yes or no" on a number of legislative matters. It appears he doesn't like to take a firm stand on issues. During his campaign he sounded great and he gave the impression that would take a strong and firm stand on issues but that didn't turn out to be the case.- And, that's my opinion.

Bradley Kuhns, Ph.D., O.M.D.
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Dr. Kuhns can be reached by e-mail at:
bradleykuhns@gmail.com