SCOTUS 5-4: OBAMACARE

Today's 5-4 SCOTUS split decision brings to light the primary issue with the entirety surrounding healthcare reform. Political misperceptions, false claims made by those that oppose it, and unsubstantiated beliefs play an integral role in how you perceive what has been commonly dubbed Obamacare, but is also affectionately known as Romneycare. If you read research papers written on government programs what surfaces is that Americans in general are much more reactive than proactive. In 1999, 33% of Americans believed that Social Security would run out of money.  How many times did we hear that the program would go bankrupt? Ad infinitum! Your political persuasion helps in shaping and molding your perceptions of the world. That's one of the reasons the TSB household does not watch any talking heads from either party. Don't believe it? First we had the government 9/11 conspiracy theory that Bush had planned this event.  How many of you believed that Saddam Hussein had WMD's? Recently, the man with Cousin It on his head, Da Donald, ran his mouth off about the POTUS' birth certificate. Now does anyone believe that the POTUS is not an American? Wait, don't answer that, because TSB would have more respect for those readers that hate the man if you just admitted its a racial thing. We have become a shameful and disrespectful society, haven't we?

How objective can you be when you seek out opinions that substantiate your beliefs? It's human nature. Wonder why we have become a polarized society? Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and MSM, and that's not MusculoSkeletal Man that TSB is talking about. That acronym stands for Main Stream Media. 24 hour opinions. Whether it is the internet, television, or radio, 24 hours news has given those that sit behind the microphone the license to stretch the truth. As viewers, many of you don't appreciate journalism because you would rather be entertained. We have developed a tabloid mentality. Ever wonder why there is dilution?  Its easier to control you, when you drink their kool-aid, and you buy into it willfully. Don't believe it?  Recently, TSB was at a meeting with a surgeon in Boston, and this doc was railing about how Obamacare had affected his ability to earn a living. TSB almost felt like asking him if it wasn't Romney who helped legislate the current state of affairs in the Bay State? Since I was the host of this dinner, I deferred to being the gracious host. How do we know whether or not something is going to work, or not going to work, if we base our opinions on ideology? How manipulated were you by the cry of "Death Panels," or the absurdity of Senior Citizens crying out, "government stay away from my Medicare?" Duh? Isn't Medicare a government funded program? Have you ever attempted to formulate your own opinions based on facts, rather than conjecture? When Clinton attempted to address healthcare during his term, the public outcry was that you would not be able to see the doctor of your choice. Fortunately, it was myth rather than fact, but people like Rush Limbaugh railed about the plan. It must had been the Oxycodone that he was buying from Consuela his illegal immigrant housekeeper. Oh, but how insensitive of TSB, didn't he have back problems? Now there's a fusion case if ever one existed. Just give anyone a platform and they can manipulate your beliefs. Wasn't it Mama Grizzly who obfuscated the truth when she claimed that the current healthcare plan was downright evil resulting in death panels?  How irresponsible as she rides off into the sunset maximizing her profitability on your vulnerabilities.  Everyone has a right to their opinion, but no one has a right to make up the facts.

The bottom line: no one has a crystal ball. TSB doesn't know whether or not this plan is a panacea to the current state of affairs, but I'm willing to take the ride. It's not perfect, it needs tweaking and adjustments. If it works, great. If it doesn't, we'll adapt. Either way, something has to be done, regardless whether you agree with the decision or not.  The bottom line is that things have to change, and not just in healthcare, but in America. We were once a proud nation, today we are nothing more than a mere image of our former selves. Will this be the stimulus that is needed to bring back innovation in spine? If you believe Alex Lukianov, no.  But if you believe in the many hard working people that make up spine, TSB believes. We've gone from analog to digital. We place more value on social networking than we do on industry's that actually make products. We use to fight the war on poverty, today we attack the poor.  Insanity?  You can answer that question yourselves.  But you know what Joe Walsh says,

Turn on the tube watch until dawn, one hundred channels nothing is on
endless commercials, endless commercials, endless commercials,
the whole world's glued to cable TV, it looks so real on the big LCD
murder and violence are rated PG, too bad for the children they are what they see.