Curmudgeon's Corner

Are We Communicating?

Posted by Al Campbell on Aug. 11, 2009

Healthcare, Political, Quality of Life, Taxes, U.S.

What seems to be passing for communication on national issues reminds me of times gone by when important and/or passion-raising issues have been at the forefront of the nation.

I am developing the feeling that we may well have forgotten how it is we go about communicating.  The absence of adult discussion during congressional "listening sessions" is very disturbing.  It seems to have become a part of the current culture.  Health care is very near and very dear to the hearts of most of us; I can understand the passion that is aroused; I, too, am passionate about this subject.

There seems enough blame to go around on this front although, in the past, we were able to rely upon our leaders for the rational approach to calming us so that discussion could replace angry epithets.  Today, our leaders appear to be fomenting the anger by their characterization of those asking the questions; by their disdain for sharing details with the public; by their disregard for that which the majority of people polled today want.

We are, I believe, rightly concerned with where we seem to be headed so far as health care is concerned.  We are, I believe, rightly concerned with the carbon tax plans.  We are, I believe, rightly concerned with many of the day's issues.

The words are flowing in both directions but are being heard only on one end.  The Administration and the Congress have told us what is good for us, and we are trying to tell them we're not convinced they know what is good for us; and, they are telling us , in so many words, to mind our own business and to let them get the job done for which they were elected.

This is not communication; this is a lecture being delivered to an audience.  There is no give and take; there is only give.  There is no discussion following the give.

I fear, that ultimately, the TAKE is going to carry an enormous cost to us all...and that it may be too late to reverse course when the truth becomes known to all.

And, finally, the pace with which this is all being driven suggests to me that the Administration knows, and has known all along, that it will lose in its race to move health care to a new place if it gives us the time to digest just where we'll be when the dust settles.

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The Curmudgeon Blog today is titled "One-Way Communication".