JESUS AND SAUSAGE

Human beings have a love affair with sausage. The tasty utility of various meat scraps spiced-up and processed into a multitude of shapes and sizes has served to help sustain our survival as a species for thousands of years. Unfortunately, (like anything abused)eating too much of it can make you sick. So what does sausage have to do with healhcare a Lyndon LaRouche?

Nothing. However, there is some connection between two prominent Weiners. Successful talk radio host Michael Savage, who changed his name from the diminutively Jewish Weiner, to the notoriously fierce Savage. I imagine he did this in a effort to upgrade his appeal to an audience which may have otherwise inherantly questioned the legitamcy of just another "Jewish" opinion. This is not some veiled accusation of self-loathing on his part for changing his name- it may be arguably understandable given the extreme right-wing views he presents to his happily receptive fan base. Ironically, Savage is famous for his anti- gay, muslim and immigrant stance and like all great war hawks is quick to thrust other peoples children into battle while his son Russell is the CEO of his soft-drink company Rockstar energy drink.

The other Weiner of which I speak is named Anthony. Anthony Weiner is a Representative for the 9th district of New York and his relevance to this monologue (all facile witticisms aside)is key. This democrat is a staunch supporter of a single-pay option for health care. He is plain-speaking and makes extremely powerful arguments for a system of medical care that would be funded by the federal government. I hate to over-simplify his proposal but essentially he argues for an expansion and refinement of the Medicare system that is already in place.

Medicare is a system of univeral coverage for those over the age of 65 that is paid for by the federal government. It is not socialist or communist, it is merely humanist and does not destroy the nations capitalist tradition. It may, however, force some reconfiguration for insurance and pharmacutical companies and their well storied penchant for profit. The real problem lies in the political lobbying power of these companies and the campaigns that are beholden to them.

The sad irony is that certain debasers of our airwaves have chosen to villify a president over attempting to help his nation and rather than have a cogent debate regarding the ways and means of coverage they would play to the extreme fears of the populace by attempting to conjure images of Hitler and Stalin. The references are laughable upon any reasoned analysis, however, when your stuck in traffic or out of work, a persons otherwise unreasonable fears may be somewhat more accessible. This is exactly what the ridiculously impractical and morally indefensible less government infringement argument banks on.

Savage argues that government-run healthcare is an anathema to our traditional values as a capitalist society. He fervantly blasts any suggestion of universal coverage (like most other so-called conservatives)as some blind march down the plank of Marxism into the tumultuous, treacherous RED sea that is socialism. He chums the waters of fear with talk of death councils and euthanasia, this is inaccuarate, immature and irresponsible. He knows this, but like the insurance and pharmacutical companies prayer for profit- he begs for ratings, and it is much more difficult to sustain your market share without the wonders of Yellow journalism and hyperbole.

Lyndon LaRouche, like Michael Savage, is another intelligent, priveledged, ultra-conservative who disguises his opinions in easily digestible highly processed bite-sized morsels, of sausage. For LaRouche (who was once a socialist)entittlement is intertwined with the Mayflower (it is claimed his great-grandmother was aboard). He sees our salvation as a nation only in partnership with Russia and China. LaRouche would have us "break-away" from the grasp of the money-changers (arguably some crude anti-semetic reference)that ARE England. In the LaRouche world, Britain runs the United States and we are obviously still pawns of the crown.

This is relevant because the main thrust of disinformation at these laughably raucous town-hall meetings comes from the LaRouche machine. The nazi references, the demonizing of President Obama. Michael Savage attacks Obama and universal health coverage with the same tack from a different flank. I'm not sure who cherry-picks from whom, but at the end of the day, it's still JUST sausage.

Division of a populace is an old tactic (made famously successful by the British Mr. LaRouche), but not a sustainable one, and more importantly NOT an American one. This countries supreme contribution to humanity is her Constitution. It stands as an incredible testiment to the Founding Fathers and their desire to build on Hammurabic Code, the strides of the Magna Carter and the efforts of French political philosophy. These men and women fashioned a secular mode of governance that allowed for growth and elasticity because they had the forethought to think beyond themselves. Perhaps it is time we all start to do the same.

This is a nation approaching over three-hundred million people, the vast majority of which are not wealthy. With only slight regard for the arithmatic of human suffering I think reasonable people can agree that some form of simple, governmentally guaranteed provision for those masses must be established. If the backs of middle-class and working poor continue to be broken over the basic moral necessities of life I fear for the duration of any union.

So I ask you, what would Jesus do?