The LuLac Edition #1429, Jan. 8th, 2011

PHOTO INDEX: OUR "INTERVIEW" LOGO.

INTERVIEW

This week the GOP in Congress said they will defund health care. This week I talked to a veteran who frequently uses the Veteran’s Hospital in Wilkes Barre.
Q: How is the care at the VA?
A: I have never had a problem. I think the VA has gotten a bad rap over the years.
Q: Why do you think that?
A: It’s kind of like an uneventful air plane ride, you never say to the pilot, “Thanks for not getting me killed”.
Q: I’ve heard horror stories about people having to wait hours for care and then not being properly diagnosed.
A: In today’s society, a patient or a person accompanying the patient has to be vocal. They have to explain their symptoms. It does happen I’m sure but never to me.
Q: During the health care debate, why do you think the opposition didn’t take the VA to task?
A: It would be political suicide. The GOP wraps themselves in the cloak of patriotism every chance they get. It makes me laugh because this non war they got us into has so many people injured and maimed for the rest of their lives. Plus they don’t want to confuse anyone with the facts. Kind of like the lady who said to someone, “Don’t you touch my Medicare”. Turned out that……
Q: Medicare is a government program.
A: Right.
Q: Would you feel comfortable with the current health care bill?
A: You mean having government have a hand in it?
Q: Yeah.
A: I’d be okay with it. I think though the bill never went far enough. They all lost their nerve. 75% of the American people thought the public option was a good thing. But the President’s team fumbled on the message. Like you say, health care isn’t free. We all pay copays but they have to be reasonable.
Q: Have any examples?
A: Yes, I take a drug that costs $1200.00. A private drug store will sell it to me for $300.00. I get it from the VA for 12 bucks.
Q: Hell of an example.
A: Yep.
Q: If the GOP tries to fool with the health care bill, do you concede there might be a few things in there that can be tweaked?
A: Oh sure but that would take compromise and these guys don’t seem to want to do that. But it’s early.
Q: What do you say to those people who say we are losing our freedoms, our liberty by letting government take care of health care, that we are on the road to socialism?
Interview subject opens up his lap top.
A: Where did you family members recently move to?
I tell him the address.
A: I’m googling them right now. See, here’s their house. Privacy went out the window with technology. I was alive when the GOP had Joe McCarthy saying there was a commie under every bed.
Q: The commies said, Khrushchev in particular said “We will bury you”.
A: Yeah and how’s that working out for them?