President Obama Signs Health Care Reform Bill

Final Blog

Part 1:
I believe that my mind is very much a disciplined mind. I sometimes feel as though I think in a way that is nothing like anyone else. I almost feel a certain distance between myself and other simply because I feel that I just think so much differently than others. I like to take things slowly in order to absorb all that is in front of me. I often concentrate on small details that others may not even notice. My disciplined mind and I like to think about things in a certain way and we don't like to stray from that method. I feel as though I have nearly perfected my mode of thinking in that I have grown faster and faster at comprehending and retaining information.

Part 2:
See other points of view - In doing my research over the bill, I encountered many people that favored the bill and even more people that did not favor the bill. Either way, there were factually-validated arguments on each side. Both Republicans and Democrats debate daily over this bill and it was interesting to see the bill from their points of view.

Ask provocative questions - The new health care bill brings forth many lasting issues. At some point in time, those questions must be answered and decisions have to be made. There is no way to make everyone happy and something will have to be compromised. These sometimes sensitive issues can be tough to discuss and even tougher to come to sensible conclusions.

Exhibit curiosity - I exhibited a lot of curiosity in the topic because of all the hype surrounding the bill, positive and negative. I did not know a lot about politics and I was even more clueless in regards to the bill itself and all that comes with it. Although I was not interested in politics to begin with, I must say that this blog really did entice my curiosity.

Part 3:
Since I was already pretty well learned in regards to using the computer and its many technologies, there was not much that I learned about making a blog. However, I learned a lot about the health care bill and also some about Obama and government in general. I even learned a little bit about myself in that even I, someone who really is indifferent when it comes to government, can become interested in politics.

Mock Congress

Today, I was lucky enough to take part in a mock Congress in my government class. Many of my fellow seniors of this great class of 2010 know exactly what I am referring to as they were some of my fellow senators, or perhaps some members of the House. Either way, the bill discussed in the senate just happened to be the Health Care Bill. I was a Republican in the discussion, Senator Jim Bunning from the great state of Kentucky to be exact. As a Republican, I was opposed to the passage of the bill and had some strong arguements to back me up. However, there were an equal number of good points made on the Democrats side. In the end, there were few things that we agreed on, but one thing we did agree on was that reform was needed. As great as America's current health care system may seem to us privelaged Americans, there are far too many people that are not so lucky. In my opinion, I do not see a better option at this point in time. With politics the way they are today, there are compromises that must be made in order to make both parties as satisfied as possible. There will most always be aspects that a certain group of people may disagree with. In conclusion, I am down to try out this new health care thing, and if it doesn't work out then we will just have to try again.

Facebook Shmacebook

I simply can't understand where all of the hype has come from in the Facebook craze that is sweeping the world. I was once foolishly talked into making a Myspace and I quickly realized how stupid it was. Now I'm sure you can tell me all about how much better Facebook is than Myspace, but I just don't care. I don't need other people to tell me what I need to do because if I have lived for this long without a Facebook, it is obvious that I do not need one. Another thing is that it would seem to me that Facebook is just becoming another way for parents and teachers to spy on kids and catch them doing something wrong. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that my fellow senior Alex Anderson and myself are the only two people in the school without a Facebook. Simply put, Alex and I have had enough of poeple getting on their knees and praising Facebook. I have had enough of Facebook and I am prepared to do something about it once and for all, I'm just not sure what I will do yet.

The Good Old Days

There are far too many wonderful memories I have from childhood that I would give anything to be able to live all over again. I was a totally different person as a younger kid and I could have so much fun doing things that I look back on now and realize how dumb they really were. These are some of my favorite memories from my childhood:
-Playing laser tag, which then became airsoft, then paintball (It kept getting more painful)
-Getting ice cream from the ice cream truck, even though my mom would always tell me that he only played music if he was out of ice cream, then he was not the ice cream truck but the music truck
-Riding the school bus
-Watching Adam Sandler movies over and over
-Climbing trees
-Driving go karts and almost running over Mitchell Barnhill's head (its okay he had a helmet on... I think)
-Saturday morning cartoons
-Riding my bike
-Not breaking my arm, thats always good
I know that there are lots that I am missing so if you think of any great childhood memories you shared with me or have a favorite memory of your own, please share!

Other Contemplations

Wow! I honestly have no idea why I initially picked a topic about something that I really do not have much interest in at all. Although the Health Care Bill is very important and will affect the rest of our lives and blah blah blah, there are plenty of other much more interesting topics to discuss.
Let us begin with some of the things I love most in this world:
-Roncalli cookies (the good ones too, not those stale broken ones)
-Seeing people trip up or down the stairs (both are usually equally hilarious)
-Chill Chillin wit da homies (and Brooke and Alle)
-Hooters (every Wednesday)
-Chocolate milk
-Roller Coasters
-CYO Basketball
-Monkeys (my future pet, I'm thinking probably a chimp)
-I love you! (yes you)
-Money is always good too

What do you love most in this world?

The Gist

Now I have never been one to follow politics in any way. I have no clue whether I am Republican or Democrat, mostly because I just really don't have any interest in the subject, and I only recently learned the difference between the two in Government (that doesn't mean that I still know what the difference is though). When I heard about Obama's health care plan I was not sure what all that would affect. Even after a few minutes of looking, there are no short summaries of what all is contained within the bill. However, I will try to inform you on some of the main or even lesser known topics disscussed within the bill.
One small perk of the new plan is that any dependant can stay on their parent or guardian's plan until they reach the age of 26. Any employer with more than 50 employees must provide coverage for its workers. The new health care plan will have a cheaper public option that will allow insurees to have most all of the same rights and privelages as with the private companies. People with preexisting conditions were often turned away by insurance companies but now the insurance companies are not allowed to deny coverage for such issues. Also, the insurance companies are not allowed to trade, drop, or fiddle around with a person's coverage simply for their health. There are too many to fit into this one blog so wait around for part 2...

What Does a Trillion Dollars Look Like?

If you would like to see just exactly how much money would be put into the health care system, here is a link where you are able to see what $1 trillion looks like. Afterwards, try to imagine two of those being used solely for health care.

www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=12754

Positives and Negatives of Health Care Reform

Feel free to comment on this post and add to either of the categories.

Positives

-There will be a nationalized health care system!
-Health insurance will be a more affordable and more accessible benefit of life to everyone rather than a luxury to some.
-Many more employees will receive health insurance coverage from their employer.
-A nationalized health care system would open lots, I mean lots, of jobs for Americans.


Negatives

-Some people do not want to be forced to pay for something they do not need or want.
-If a company has more than 30 employees, the employers will be forced to cough up extra money to cover the health insurance of their employees.
-Many occupations in the medical field will lose a large portion of their wages and the jobs will not be as desireable.
-Although it is not for certain, the quality of the health care system in the United States will likely be lower because it is providing for so many more people.
-To support such a system, expenses for the government will pile up to about $2 trillion over 10 years.

Is it necessary?

The simple fact that the United States still exists today is proof that the Health Care Bill has not been completely necessary. However, there are plenty of other countries such as Canada, Germany, and Italy that function perfectly with universal health care. However, times are changing and the United States' citizens have many more different needs today than they did before. Maybe it is time for a change to universal health care and maybe not. Even after all the analyzing of data and theorizing, there is ultimately only one way to find out how Americans would react and how well the new system would be able to be integrated into society. If the day comes when universal health care is established in the US, all the world will know just how necessary it is.