15 October 2009

Watching Babies Sleep - Social Security COLA & Health Care Reform

Some random thoughts:

Since the Baucus Bill is so badly flawed the main advantage of getting it out of the Finance Committee lies in the fact that at last the wait is over and Congress can get on with the business of crafting health care reform that includes; a strong public option, closing the Medicare donut hole, reducing prescription drug costs for older Americans by allowing Medicare to bid in bulk for lower prices as now does the V.A., extending the Medicare option to people aged 55-64, and assisting working and middle class Americans with long term health care costs.

No COLA increase for Social Security recipients. Fine. The consumer price index is down and a cost-of-living adjustment is not warranted. BUT! The real issue for older Americans lies with health care reform. See above.

I guess it's a sign of growing "maturity" (ahem), but I'm noticing that every generation that comes along seems to think that they've "discovered" the one true perfect and best way to raise children. I look at today's parents and all the expensive plastic contraptions they use to tote around their little offspring. What ever happened to just carrying your baby in your arms so you can smell its sweet breath on your cheek, feel its warmth as it snuggles in to keep warm, or the little whispering breaths and odd little gurgles it makes as it sleeps.

As a parent I would have felt deprived without that experience and wonder about what sort of people babies who do not get that nurturing early human contact will become.

And, I really wonder if these "sanitised" hands-off parents ever slip into baby's room late at night and watch in wonderment as baby sleeps. If not, they're depriving themselves of one of life's sweetest experiences.

1 comment:

Shane Fox said...

Messed up? Would you like to explain?