Burning Issues and Embers

Most major legislative issues will not be addressed until they become "Burning Issues" or a crisis. That is why we have so many "Embers." Here is a list of bills i would at best call "Embers." Some are just stuff. "The Religious Viewpoint, Anti-discrimination Act." "Barber Pole Prohibition." "Allowing concealed handguns on college campuses." "Clean Campaign Act." (Enacting an oxymoron)."Stealing Dimensional Stone Products." "Banks and Cemeteries Act." "Ten Commandments Act."

Compare any of these with Health Care. Indigent Care is a burning issue, cost of care is a burning issue and indigent care costs are a big part of the cost of health care since that cost is shifted by the provider to paying patients and your insurance goes up. Most times it is difficult to explain to the overage guy how this happens because he is generally unschooled in the health insurance business.

By the time of the presidential election in 1992 we all thought that health care was a burning issue but the Clinton's smothering actions, turned off supporters and the insurance industry was able to win the day. Clinton never tried again. Of course there was a Republican controlled Congress and the "Free Market" prevailed.

Eight years of George Bush allowed this issue to smolder as big insurance and the doctors made financial hay.

Maybe now, the issue is burning enough to overcome greed, stupidity and free market ideology and supplant that with a common sense approach to funding health care.

The point I want to make is this. It is far easier to introduce and pass "Embers" than it is to address "Burning Issues." Oklahoma has failed to address these issues for over ten years and that is why we are last in just about everything.