What I am waiting for is a senator, or congressman, (or president for that matter) who can adequately back up their claims about the benefits of the Healthcare Reform bill by citing specific examples in the bill.

 Let’s stop all this nonsense about the debate over the new healthcare reform bill being about whether health care reform is needed. I have heard very few voices on the left, middle, or right claim that there is no need for some degree of healthcare reform. In fact, I can't recall one voice. The real debate is over what KIND of healthcare reform is needed and what effects it will have on our country both inside and outside the realm of healthcare. Some Americans have asked honest questions at town hall meetings and have received the same old one liners that the supporters of this specific bill have thrown around. Now it seems to me the simplest way to calm down some of these people at town hall meetings who have raised their voices is to say something to the effect of, "let me show you here in the bill where we address your specific concern and how it will benefit you," instead of dismissing the person or simply using the usual talking points. This of course would be followed by the congressmen/senators actually using the healthcare bill, citing specific "chapter and verse" and explaining to the people how it is going to work. This might actually cause people to understand the healthcare bill and support it, if indeed it is what it is said to be.

Of course that is not so easily accomplished. My first attempt at deciphering the certain section of the bill concerning "grandfathered health insurance coverage" lead me down the road of needing access to not just one other completely different bill, but also information on 2 different acts of congress. This was just in the span of a few paragraphs. The other bill was the "Public Health Services Act" enacted in 1946. I could not find access to this bill online in its original version which seems to be the version the bill references, even though it has had multiple amendments over the years.

Back to the townhall meetings. It seems that most people at these meetings just want to have their voices heard and it seems to them that the only way to have their voices heard is to yell. Most of these people have genuine fears of what the bill will do to our nation and its future. I have heard some say that they just "fear change." Well, that is an almost true statement, but in reality it is an incomplete statement. The truth is they fear "change" when that "change" is to something that has been seen before in the past to have lead to harmful results. For instance, many horror stories have been mentioned concerning government run healthcare in other countries like Canada and England. How many people realize that socialized medicine was introduced in Germany in 1884 (oddly enough by someone who hated socialism but wanted to "fight fire with fire." go figure)? This moment in history perhaps laying the foundation for some other events that took place in Germany. The effects of this can be argued, but it’s not so crazy to question where similar policies might lead our country. One of the reasons the constitution and American government is set up the way it is, is because the founders did not want to entrust too much power to any one person or government entity. The correlation that cannot be denied is that the more power and control that is given to a government or person, the more likely it is there will be abuse of that power and that power is not easily taken away.

All this to say, don't be too quick to judge someone's fears and where the basis of that fear may come from.

In addition, it is also dangerous for conservatives to make certain claims about the healthcare bill without producing specific evidence. However, one of the important things to consider is the logical effects of this bill on the nation with respect to not only things specifically mentioned in the bill, but where the bill is left open for interpretation and where the foundations of the bill are likely to lead. What is the logical progression of circumstances or events that will take place upon our society (taxes, Insurance companies, Individual liberties, Quality of healthcare...just to name a few)?

 It may seem funny, but I tend to question everything I'm told no matter who it is that said it. The mainstream media typically say Obama good, and the conservative media typically says, Healthcare bill bad, Obama bad. I really, really want to know what is actually in the healthcare bill and will continue to try and read and interpret it. It seems that most of the nation is satisfied with one liners like, "if you like the plan you have now, you can keep it," or "Everyone will have healthcare coverage." I, for one, am not satisfied with the just knowing the surface. I want to know HOW it is going to work.

I think my generation is one that needs straight answers and transparency. I'm not okay with just accepting YOUR word for it, no matter who YOU happen to be. Obama, Rush Limbaugh, MSNBC, CNN, FOXNEWS, I'm still going to check the facts and make sure you know what you’re talking about. I don't want a bunch of fluff thrown in my face. I'm not that stupid.