A Reasonable Debate

I don’t want to pre-suppose the precise power the state should have to force changes. The bill we filed,” the governor said, “is to provoke a debate, not to conclude it.”

Massachussetts Governor Patrick Deval, on proposed changes in his state's health insurance program.

Perhaps Deval's debate will be a true debate, unlike much of the so-called "debate" in this country, where the conservatives and reactionaries do indeed want to conclude the matter. On their own terms. What passes for debate in America is primarily arguing about which how far to the right policy will move. Whether the matter be finance, war or personal liberty, the debate is always on the Right. Alternative ideas need not apply.

More disturbing is that after 30 years of Conservative-Republican-Unrestrained Free Market economic, social and military policies that polarized wealth, exported jobs and wasted $1 trillion dollars on just the last two wars (not to mention the military expenditures beginning with Reagan), the nation still buys that shit. Americans still believe in "job creators", trickle down economics, no taxes and permanent war.

Maybe a real debate about real facts will wake people up. That's why I am active in the Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation "Bring Our Billions Home" campaign.

It's worth a try.