Senator Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) has been in the spotlight lately for her cross-the-aisle stance on health care reform. The Washington Post published a Q&A with the Senator, reprinted in the Sunday, October 18 Maine Sunday Telegram. The article showcased insight into Sen. Snowe’s thinking. It’s a good read if you’re interested in the thinking behind health care reform.
When you search Maine Seniors on Twitter, you get all sorts of insulting messages about Sen. Snowe, her vote, and the mental capacity of Mainers. Generally, these are published by men from Texas who use eagles, guns and the American flag as backdrops for their posts, but can’t seem to come up with words that rise to the occasion. Thank Goodness, Twitter didn’t exist at the time of the founding of our country. Every Tom, Ben and George would have been lambasted in 140 characters, though no other good thoughts would surface from the limited discourse!
As Sen. Snowe points out, this is just the first step in health care reform. The AARP Bulletin has an article on this proposal, but it’s surely a long way from what will be sent to President Obama’s desk. By keeping in mind the general long-term goal (health care coverage for everyone, so that no family goes broke paying for it, and no child or elder dies without it) we can weigh the different paths for getting there thoughtfully.