)Jnrtlattò (Observer
Page A4
O pinion
August 26, 2009
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Comprehensive
Means Everyone
Keeping mental health in the equation
o rg a n iz a tio n s and
L inda J aramillo
faith co m m u n ities
There was a time when
have stepped in to
the public h ealth care
provide needed emer­
system could support the
gency services like a
needs of those who were
meal or a bed or just
suffering from mental ill­
som
eone to talk to.
ness. At least that was
These
services
are absolutely
true in some states in this coun­
essential, but we cannot expect
try. But that was long ago.
It is now rare to find a mental them to be the solution to a
health care system in any state much bigger social issue.
We are a wealthy nation and
that is available to those who
have no h e a lth in su ra n c e . a sophisticated society, yet we
W hen did mental health get continue to just talk and do little
dropped from the concept of about this tragic situation. We
now have a chance that we can­
health and wellness?
Our mental health care sys­ not let pass us by. We have a
tem has been broken or com­ chance to influence our Con­
pletely non-existent for years. gress and President while they
We’ve talked and talked about are in the debate about a com ­
it. We complain about the clo- prehensive health care system.
by M .
Any health care proposal
must include coverage for all
persons; access regardless o f
ability to pay.
sure o f state hospitals where
housing and care for the chroni­
cally mentally ill was taking
place.
We are concerned about per­
sons being released onto the
streets of our communities. But,
we do not seem willing to pro­
vide the financial support to
rebuild this system. Instead, we
pay for jails and prisons which
have become the housing cen­
ter for those who are mentally
ill or suffering from addictions.
Jails and prisons are not in­
tended or equipped to be health
care institutions. Yes, some of
the crimes committed do require
incarceration. But, honestly
many of the crimes are petty and
part of a cycle o f repeated of­
fenses that result in long-term
sentences. Some folks have told
me that they simply have no
place else to go.
People who are unable to hold
a job due to ongoing emotional
and mental health issues can­
not afford housing, food, cloth­
ing, or health care. So, they find
themselves living on the streets
and if they’re lucky, they find a
place in a local homeless shel­
ter for a few nights.
Thankfully, human services
Com prehensive means com ­
plete and all-inclusive and that
includes mental health care.
An excerpt from a pastoral
letter on health care reform from
leaders of the United Church of
Christ reads “All parts of cre­
atio n deserv e to be healed
when broken, injured, or sick.
All persons deserve to be ten­
derly touched by concerned
healers. Health care is not only
a basic human right but a hu­
man need. As people of faith,
we believe that it is a moral im­
perative to transform healthcare
so that it is inclusive, accessible,
affordable, and accountable.”
Please contact your lawmak­
ers today and tell them that any
health care proposal must in­
clude coverage for all persons;
access regardless of ability to
pay; a full set o f benefits; a
choice of physicians and other
providers; elimination of racial
and ethnic and other health care
disparities; waiver of pre-exist­
ing condition exclusions with­
out any age limits; and a public
option.
Meaningful Reform Expands Access
Affordability
comes with
public option
by U.S. R ep . M axine W aters
The A m erican people are
strongly in favor of a pub­
lic option as an alternative
competitor to private in­
surance companies. How
can we expect these insur­
ance companies to expand
access and make health care
insurance more affordable with­
out increased competition?
The pressure on Congress
I strongly urge my colleagues
from lobbyists who represent events in my district where
health care reform opponents nonprofit com m unity clinics involved in health care reform
is im m ense: recen t rep o rts offered free health screenings negotiations to jo in me in
suggest there may be as many and other necessary medical standing up in support of the
as six lo b b y is ts fo r e a c h tre a tm e n ts to th o u san d s o f public option and not caving
Member of Congress working people who simply cannot af­ in to insurance company oppo­
sition - w e’ve played their
to defeat m eaningful health ford them.
A fter seeing firsthand the game before and the losers are
care reform.
I cannot and will not o v e rw h e lm in g d em an d for millions of working Americans
sit by and quietly allow these services - com pounded and their families who either
outside o p p o sitio n to by the 14,000 A m ericans los­ spend a disp ro p o rtio n ate
d ism a n tle a p rogram ing th e ir h e a lth in su ra n c e am ount of their income on
m eant to p ro vide the each day and by persistently health insurance or who sim­
American people with an high national unem ploym ent ply cannot afford health insur­
option so that they and their and foreclosure ra te s- I have ance in the first place.
Maxine Waters is a Repre­
families can access quality, af­ never been more convinced of
the immediate need to reform sentative o f Congress from
fordable health care.
1 recently attended several our health insurance system. Los Angeles.
Why the Public Option Gets Dumped
A casualty of playing the game
must be said again and again on their plans on health care and
that Obama quickly morphed taxes and the Iraq War.
The truism in American presi­
the hint th a t it into the archtypical Hollywood
dential
politics is that liberals
can be tossed, it casting lot moderate, centrist
vices Secretary K athleen
and
even
one time progressives
Democrat
who
will
cut
a
politi­
would still likely
Sebelius found out the hard
always
run
to the political left
go.
T
h
is
has
cal
deal
with
legislation
to
get
way that when you say what
in
the
early
stages of a cam ­
much
less
to
do
something,
anything,
out
of
it
your boss m ay really be
with angry town that can be sold as a win. This paign. They then move quickly
thinking or worse yet doing
hall loudmouths, is nothing new, let alone a sign to the center or even rightward
it on a crucial piece of legis­
as victory becomes a real pos­
la tio n you get q u ick ly the drum beat Fox Network, of duplicity, with Obama.
A cursory read of his record, sibility.
Limbaugh, and the legion of
smacked down.
Even when O bam a spoke
M. Linda Jaramillo is execu­
Sibelius in an unscripted right shrill blogger attacks, and as well as a fine comb of his
tive minister fo r Justice Minis­
and unvetted moment said G OP orchestrated Senate at­ speeches, statements, and in­ m o st p a ssio n a te ly about
tries in the United Church of
that President Obama’s pub­ tacks on the public option, than terviews, that the talk during change he kept the door wide
the campaign of Obama as an open to reshape, massage, and
Christ.
lic option in the health care Obama the politician.
contour policy issues to con­
reform
war
could
go
by
the
r ————————
form to what was pragmatic,
wayside if that’s what it takes
doable
and acceptable. Obama's
to
get
Senate
obstructionists
Attn: Subscriptions, The
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I
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reform
bill.
y ju s t $60 p e r yea r Portland Observer, PO Box |
state
legislature
gave a strong
Sebelius
d
id
n
't
say
any­
3137, Portland OR 97208.
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I (please include check)
hint that his liberal record was
thing that Obama point man,
I N ame :
_______________ I Rahm Emanuel didn’t hint at
hazier than it appeared.
I
I
He got high marks from lib­
weeks earlier, and that Obama
T elephone :.
I
eral groups on votes on envi­
--------------------------- I him self has hinted at. The
ronm ental, gun control, abor­
I A ddress :__
--------------------------- I public option is not only ex­
tion, and civil liberties protec­
pendable
but
likely
will
go.
I _______________
________________ I
tions, and ethics reform. But
Even
if
Sibelius,
Emanuel,
I or email subscriptions® portlandobserver.com I
Obama wants, no desperately unreconstructed far out liberal he also deftly ducked taking
and Obama hadn't dropped
L
_ — _ — —
J
needs to win a big victory on was mostly talk by first Hillary positions on some of the same
healthcare or at least the ap­ Clinton, and later by conserva­ issues when they could stir
pearance of a victory, even if tive talk jocks, Sarah Palin and rancor and were potentially
polarizing. During his stint in
the victory means scrapping the the GOP attack teams.
If he even remotely resembled the legislature, Obam a used
only thing in the health care re­
form package that really repre­ what the attack hounds claimed the ta c tic m ore o fte n than
he was he could never have most senators and rarely gave
sents true health care reform.
Put another way, a govern­ gotten the stamp of approval a reason why.
W hatever O bam a's motive
ment health insurance option is from top Democrats, beat down
for
not taking a firm stand on
the only real lever to make the the Clinton machine, gotten the
these
issues, and not sp ell­
parade
of
endorsements
from
pharmaceuticals and health care
ing
o
u
t the reaso n w hy, it
former
Reagan
and
Bush
Sr.,
and
insurers lower drug costs, re­
Every tim e we a rra n g e a perso n alized fu n eral service, w e take special p rid e going
duce their obscene profit rake even W. Bush officials. And helped burnish his credentials
the e x tra mile W ith o u r o n lin e M em orial O bituary, n o w w e can do even m ore
offs, deliver better services, most important, broken the cash w ith co nservative R epubli­
cans and right leaning Dem o­
eliminate the endless dodges registers on fund raising.
Friends an d fam ily can find o u t service in form ation, view photos, read obituary,
O bam a's centrist bent was crats as a man willing to com ­
that insurers use to cherry pick
o rd e r flow ers an d leave perso n al m essages o f condolences from anyw here, anytim e.
only the most healthy and prof­ plainly evident during the cam­ prom ise even conciliate on
S im p ly go to o u r w ebsite.
itable patients, and make some paign when he and McCain at big ticket issues that conser­
dent in the 45 to 50 million un­ times sounded like they were vatives routinely support or
more agreement than not on the oppose.
insured.
That hasn’t changed. And all
If private health insurers and issues of expansion of stem-cell
"Dedicated to providing excellent service
the pharmaceuticals had done research, immigration, faith- signs past and present point to
and superior care o f your loved one "
that decades ago without a gov­ b ased so cial se rv ic e s, e x ­ the public option as the latest
ernment lever, the whole health panded government w iretap­ casualty in the routine compro­
care debate and crisis would ping, building more nuclear mises that politicians make in
have long since been a moot power plants, global warming, playing the political game. And
Dwight A. Terry
point. Obama well knows this, fair trade, and the death pen­ Obama has played the game far
Oregon I Ícense CO-3644
and
has said as much in his ear­ alty. The similarity between the better than most.
Amy S. Terry
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an
two was more glaring when
lier political days.
Oregon l icense FS-0395
But that was then, and now it Obama edged closer to McCain author and political analyst.
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Obama wants, no,
desperately needs, to win
a big victory on health­
care or at least the
appearance o f a victory.