Massachusetts Voters Deep-Six Healthcare Reform

Dear Massachusetts Voters: I realize you already have "universal" healthcare in your state, so you aren't all that concerned about the rest of the country, but still...fuck you.* The rest of the country now hates you even more.

Yeah, it hasn't happened yet. Healthcare reform hasn't been killed. I'm guessing it probably will be now that Scott "I drive a truck" Brown is headed to DC. (I hope he's not driving that truck to DC. I'd suggest a more fuel efficient car. A smartcar perhaps.)

While I am incredibly disappointed by the voters of Massachusetts, the healthcare bill has already been neutered of most of its real goodies. The biggest loss was the government-run alternative, which would have forced private insurers to keep costs, and thus prices, low, because what insurance companies do for around 30 cents on the dollar, the government can do it for about four. Or something like that. I didn't check that, but it sounds about right. Funny thing about that competition-inducing aspect of the bill getting cut; last time I checked, Republicans were all about letting every business fail because this is a capitalist country, and in a capitalist country, the weak and poorly-run businesses fail. It's all part of the competition! They don't get bailouts and they don't get special breaks just because they are huge mega-companies that employ thousands and generate huge revenues and whatnot.

Except for when those companies are health insurance providers. In that case, competition must be stymied. Lest the government do a better job than private insurers at their own specialty and run them out of business. Yeah, I know. It's the principle of the matter: Government is already too huge and spending too much money** and should stay out of the private relationships between doctors, patients and insurance companies. I don't buy that argument for a single moment. My reasoning is twofold: health insurance companies pump money into politicians like food manufacturers pump high fructose corn syrup into everything they manufacture. AND it seems to be a bit hypocritical for Republicans to be so concerned with the privacy of my relationship with my doctor, but have absolutely no concern with invading the privacy of homosexual couples who try to wed/adopt a baby/express their love for each other. OR the privacy of someone who decides to get an abortion. But, I digress.

The bigger question out of all of this is, who honestly thought Coakley was a good bet for the Democrats? From what I've heard, she's about as fun to work with as a rabid wolverine and has the personality of a bag of garbage. Then again, what politician really is fun to work with?

And another thing: Way to continue the legacy of Ted Kennedy and his fight for affordable health insurance coverage for all Americans, citizens of Massachusetts. The guy spent his entire political career trying to pass affordable, universal healthcare for all citizens of the US, and you hand the filibuster-proof vote to a Republican who will not only vote against healthcare reform, but also thinks hospitals should NOT provide any emergency contraceptive care to rape victims.

Woo-hoo regressive politics.

*Apologies to a) my friends who live in Massachusetts & b) those who voted for Coakley

**Don't get me started on that bullshit

This about sums up how I feel about you, Massachusetts voters who elected Scott Brown.