Hopelessly Hopeful or Hopefully Hopeless

Now that the Senate Finance Committee has voted out its health care finance bill, the bargaining and deal making move to the floor of each house where I expect the process will be as ugly as before and the results equally disappointing. At this point I don't expect the final bill to be much of an improvement--just another jury-rig to a ponderous and inefficient system. No bill may be better than what this congress and president can come up with. When I read about health care in Germany with a public-private system that provides universal I wonder in amazement that any of the grotesquely complex proposals considered possible are the best America can do.

When I express my disappointment in Obama's leadership, I am told that he's cleaning up after eight years of CheneyBush, that I don't know his game, to wait and see, that we aren't out in the streets pushing back against the teabaggers and wingnuts. It's true that I don't know the inside details but I am speaking out. I've written letters, attended demonstrations and signed petitions. (I'll bet if I had enough money to hire Dick Gephardt, someone would listen to me.) Perhaps my greatest disappointment is in the many who voted for Obama not insisting loudly and strongly that he keep his promises.

I still hope something good will come of the US government--my government--in the coming years. I want the wars, economic exploitation, the waste of our national treasure to the benefit of a few to end but I see nothing in Obama's actions or in the Democratic congress that leaves me with much expectation. "Health care reform", as practiced in Washington is nothing of the sort. It's divvying up markets, resources and responsibilities with the advantage going to those with the most money to buy influence. So far neither this Democratic president or congress has shown any inclination to challenge the militarism of American foreign policy or militarization of domestic life.

Makes me wonder sometimes why I bother to vote. For hope? For the future? For show?