Report me to flag@whitehouse.gov if you must but . . .

I few weeks ago we were at mass at St. Gabe's and during the prayers of the faithful they brought up healthcare and I kind of unconciously rolled my eyes. My wife--always alert--gve me an elbow. Last Saturday we were at mass at Holy Family and again during the prayers of the faithful they brought up healthcare. Wary of receiving an elbow in the ribs again I was careful to control my emotions. Am I wrong to hold back my prayers on something I am against?

Here are my feelings on nationalized heathcare. Have you ever seen the federal government touch anything that isn't jacked up?? The US Post Office isn't known as the model of efficiency. Amtrak?? It would be bankrupt if it was privately owned. President Reagan once said, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'"

I have a good job. I have good health insurance. I was bad enough when the department's health insurance got rolled into the cities health insurance. I surly don't want it having to be mixed up with a national healthcare package.

Am I being selfish because I don't want the goverment to mess up what I have--what I work hard for??? I understand that there are people out there who are in need of healthcare. There are people who, for whatever reason, are uninsured. I understand the plight of the poor. I grew up on welfare, on foodstamps, eating government cheese and peanut butter. I don't think socialized medicine will help out the poor.

I agree that the healthcare system needs some sort of reform and regulation. I've seen friends harmed because insurance won't pay for certain tests. But I strongly disagree that a total overhaul of the health insurance system is what is needed. Before I can trust the federal government to provide an effencient healthcare system, I need to see them provide effecient healthcare at VA hospitals. I need to see them provide efficent healthcare to medicade/medicare recipiants.

When the government can do that then I need to see a system where my taxes aren't going to pay for abortions (doubtful with an admistration with a science czar who believes in forced abortions or that newborns aren't fully human). I don't want my taxes going to euthanazia. I want a system where the the elderly and disabled are treated with respect and not as someone who would be better off dead as was the case in the Northwest were a cancer patient was told by her state run insurance that they would not pay for cancer treatment but would pay for euthanasia.

In the end, I try to maintain a Catholic social teaching out look of caring for the poor and the less fortunate. But am I wrong to pray for a system of socalized medicine that is being paraded in front of us by the president and those in congress that, instead providing the promising medical care for all will give less coverage to all?? Am I wrong not to pray for a heath insurance system that does not provide respect for all human life despite age or physical condition.

Call me unpatriotic for using my constitutional rights to voice my opinion like Speaker of the House Pelosi says I am. Report me to the Party--errrrr, I mean the White House for writing something "fishy" at flag@whitehouse.gov but until a bill is put foward that respect human life and does not affect my insurance now or in the future do not expect me to support it.