[img]1973|right|Maxine Waters||no_popup[/img]U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Gardena) hosted at a town hall the other day at St. John Church, El Camino Village, Crenshaw Boulevard.
Before she spoke, I debated three liberal activists from Torrance, all armed with “No War in Syria” placards. I agreed with their anti-interventionist stance. Following the redistricting efforts of 2011, residents in east Torrance ended up in the new 43rd Congressional district, where Ms. Waters cruised to re-election against an unprepared Democrat, Bob Flores. They liked the change for the liberal. My neighborhood got stuck with Henry Waxman in the 33rd district. (Click here to learn more).
A gentleman named Brian joined our discussion, content to contend that Obamacare was the first step toward a single-payer system. I calmly objected, pointing out that socialized medicine has failed in Great Britain and Canada. I shared reports I had seen from patients, doctors, and other healthcare professionals who had lived in those countries before the single-payer system emerged. Rationing, long lines, closed clinics, frequent misconduct, underground private facilities resulted. Brian would not hear of this. “You are focusing on the negatives,” he said.
A Time to Flee
Obamacare, due in 12 days, is forcing doctors out of medicine, raising premiums, diminishing access, and raising taxes on Americans. Positives?
“You cannot compare Canada and Britain to the United States,” Brian challenged. “We should try it here first.” I mentioned failures in Massachusetts and Tennessee. Another man defended the Medicare exchanges. I referred to reports from doctors leaving private practice, and the growing exodus of health insurers out of the exchanges, including Kaiser.
“Where is the competition?” I asked. “Just because a law mandates something does not mean that the service will be there. Health insurers are leaving the industry. Law can demand, but it cannot supply.”
One liberal anti-war protestor agreed with me. There has to be profit in the medical profession. Brian stopped listening.
At 2 o’clock, Ms. Waters took the church podium. She blamed conservatives in Congress for holding the budget hostage, for delaying the implementation of Obamacare, for the savage cuts hurting every other victimized interest group created by liberal interests.
Next, healthcare industry experts, lobbyists for small businesses, and a nurse from Cedar-Sinai Medical Center muddled their way through the Affordable Care Act. The two-hour gobbledy-gook-fest would have frightened George Orwell for its insistence on telling people everything will be fine. Denial of the obvious was sickening. The Cedars nurse was “joyful, ecstatic!” about Obamacare, which she personalized as “MaxineCare” or “YouCare.” She misrepresented the length of the bill, claiming that there was gold in the nine hundred pages. The legislation was 2,500 pages.
Growing Old
Aside from one young girl and me, the only elderly people were present. The Young Invincibles representative reminded everyone that young people have to buy insurance.
The presenters recounted banks of statistics baptizing us into the Obamacare kool-aid. I remained unbelieving.
When the audience was invited to comment, a man from Encino said the death panels were not in Obamacare, but in the stimulus. How about that? Someone from outside the district speaking up to Ms. Waters. I felt bolder. A classified employee from L.A. Unified lamented his new, part-time status because of Obamacare. She questioned why illegal aliens would get healthcare but not have to buy insurance, while American citizens were forced into purchasing health insurance. A deranged Iraqi, the liberal anti-war protestors, and then John Wood of Inglewood took to the mike. Mr. Wood is the Republican candidate running against Ms. Waters in 2014. “We've been watching you,” Ms. Waters playfully admitted, then dismissed him after his lengthy question.
When my turn came, I complimented the Congresswoman for seeking to end the War on Drugs. I agreed that insurance companies should not push people off their plans.
I catalogued the rise in premiums reported in the Los Angeles Times and in news affiliates across the country. I mentioned insurance companies leaving the Medicare exchanges. “That is not a shopping mall,” I said. “That is a monopoly.” I talked about a retired teacher in the South Bay who had four doctors because each one retired over Obamacare.
Then the piece de résistance:
“You gotta be tough for this game,” I said. “I am not afraid of anybody. I think that Obamacare should go straight to hell.”
I mimicked Ms. Waters's offensive rhetoric from a 2011 town hall and stormed off, refusing to listen to her monologue from the false premise that “Obamacare is good.”
I left the church with loud boos following.
I don't know if I accomplished much, but I had a good time giving liberals and Congressperson Waters a piece of my mind.
Arthur Christopher Schaper is a teacher-turned-writer on topics both timeless and timely; political, cultural, and eternal. A lifelong Southern California resident, he currently lives in Torrance.
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