[Oe List ...] FW: OE Digest, Vol 65, Issue 65

Bill Schlesinger pvida at whc.net
Fri Sep 11 14:03:01 CDT 2009


The problem of a 'useful representation of facts' is that ideology trumps
facts.  The suspicions that the current federal bills are a 'camel's nose'
for socialism, rampant or otherwise, for 'back dooring' care for
undocumented immigrants, or panels judging the worth of a person aren't
based on specific facts.  They're based on ideological presuppositions.  Any
attempt to argue on a factual basis means that the argument itself is
invalid because it is assumed to have chosen facts that don't reflect the
ideology.  'Facts' are assumed to be being used to twist reality rather than
reflecting it.  

 

'Action will remove the doubt that theory cannot solve.'  The only way
through this impasse is through a rather political messy process that is yet
preferable to violence.  The side supporting the models represented in
legislation will either succeed or fail in passing them.  If they fail,
doubts will remain.  If they succeed, we will then know the results of
implementing them.  You pays your money and you takes your pick.

 

My pick - based on my experience for almost 20 years in indigent health care
- is for the proposals as currently formulated as a feasible first step.  I
think we're better off with something in place on the order of social
security, Medicaid and Medicare that we can then tweak than we are with no
action.  If the 'conservatives' wanted the changes they now proclaim as an
alternative, they certainly had plenty of time to enact them. 

 

Time to move on this stuff.

 

Bill Schlesinger
Project Vida
3607 Rivera Ave
El Paso, TX 79905
(915) 533-7057 x 207
(915) 490-6148 mobile
(915) 533-7158 fax
bschlesinger.pv at tachc.org
www.projectvidaelpaso.org

 

  _____  

From: oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net [mailto:oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf
Of PSchrijnen at aol.com
Sent: Friday, September 11, 2009 10:20 AM
To: oe at wedgeblade.net
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] FW: OE Digest, Vol 65, Issue 65

 

I am a little bothered about people communicating some of their opinions
about what is wrong with others or what is right about them as a way to
include or exclude their arguments. On that basis, no one would ever listen
to me if they knew all the mistakes I had made, all the wrong judgements I
had ever expressed on school boards, community meetings, work engagements
etc.  On that basis, we would still have all Germans above a certain age in
jail, or all Irish, or all British, or all colonialists, or Southeners, or
all Palestinians etc, etc. Having just returned from South Africa I feel
refreshed by their  wisdom. Reconciliation, forgiveness is a fact of life.
Today is a new day is a fact of life. 

 

The move towards getting useful representations of facts helps. Difficult to
do in this topic. And important. So, who has the email addresses of the
Order youth medics. What do Dr Bob and Dr Ken think?

 

Maybe that will help. 

 

Paul

 

PS I just got back from the hospital for some free blood tests. I have more
than 20% chance of getting a heart attack so my blood is being checked
regularly. 

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