Friday, March 26, 2010
OCD or ADD
American politics appears extremely dysfuncional these days. Since it is a current meme to use mental health terms to describe events and people, I will join the fray. In their battle over healthcare, both sides became afflicted with OCD--Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. There was no reasoning anywhere by the time it was done, just a constant reiteration of the same arguments and opinions.
Now that the battle is over, will the public remain aware of the issues? On a large scale, with respect to anything other than making their living and attending to their own local world, the American public could be categorized as ADD. We do not concentrate on large issues for any length of time and are readily distracted. As a consequence, anybody that does act in an "OCD" manner takes control of events in our society. Hence, we now have Obamanation in healthcare, and, if the Social Democrats have their way, in environmental legislation and immigration.
[Side note: Many pundits are comparing us to Europe. For us it will be far worse than Europe. They have had centuries of creeping socialism. For us it will be a train wreck. We are being forced into it essentially overnight. Unless it is stopped it well be far faster than anyone anticipates.]
This ADD quality of the American public has come about only in the last half century or so. When the living is easy, there is no need to keep focused on long-term goals. Everything comes quickly. Will the public throw the rascals out in November? Maybe, and maybe not. It will depend on what occurs to catch their attention. Most employer plans are set every October. That could be a real eye-opener when co-pays and employee premiums go up..and up... and up. Let's hope people see them for what they are, response to Obamacare, not "greedy employers wanting to pay less."
Now that the battle is over, will the public remain aware of the issues? On a large scale, with respect to anything other than making their living and attending to their own local world, the American public could be categorized as ADD. We do not concentrate on large issues for any length of time and are readily distracted. As a consequence, anybody that does act in an "OCD" manner takes control of events in our society. Hence, we now have Obamanation in healthcare, and, if the Social Democrats have their way, in environmental legislation and immigration.
[Side note: Many pundits are comparing us to Europe. For us it will be far worse than Europe. They have had centuries of creeping socialism. For us it will be a train wreck. We are being forced into it essentially overnight. Unless it is stopped it well be far faster than anyone anticipates.]
This ADD quality of the American public has come about only in the last half century or so. When the living is easy, there is no need to keep focused on long-term goals. Everything comes quickly. Will the public throw the rascals out in November? Maybe, and maybe not. It will depend on what occurs to catch their attention. Most employer plans are set every October. That could be a real eye-opener when co-pays and employee premiums go up..and up... and up. Let's hope people see them for what they are, response to Obamacare, not "greedy employers wanting to pay less."
// posted by Bill @ 8:57 AM 
