AL East Champs

It's been a pretty long time since I've had something exciting to say about the Yankees, but as September turns into October I'm feeling optimistic for the first time in many years. As you probably know, over the weekend the Yankees clinched the division by sweeping the Red Sox at home. The question now is who they'll play. If Detroit holds on, then it's possible I'll get to see the Yanks in my new backyard during the first round. I love this video, showing the team in a fun mood last night as they gave Pena the silent treatment after he hit his first career home run. It seems like it's much easier to have fun when you're winning.

8 Years Later

For a week I thought about what I'd want to say on my annual post about 9/11 (can you believe it would have been my 5th year?). Ultimately, the most interesting thing I have to say is that I didn't really have anything interesting to say. Some might see that as emblematic of how quickly we've forgotten the dangers we face and how horrible 9/11 really was, but I see it as a healthy part of the healing process. I didn't feel compelled to search youtube for the worst videos I could find or revisit the photos. I didn't feel the need to cry this year. Even still, the subject almost surprised me in how it found its way into the talk I gave at church on Sunday (in our church, members take turns giving 15-20 minute lectures/sermons on various topics. Each person gets an opportunity every couple years depending on the size of their congregation). I shard my mom's axiom that "only good comes from God," to make the point that God doesn't cause the tragedies in our lives to teach us a lesson, although there are lessons to be learned in each tragedy and He is able to help us learn them. To some this might seem like splitting hairs, but it's an important distinction that liberates me from wanting to blame God for the bad things that happen to me.

If you're interested, you can read my previous 9/11 posts here: 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005.

Pres. Obama's Speech

After reading and watching the speech this morning, I thought Pres. Obama did a great job last night before Congress. I wish I could have watched it with some of my conservative friends so I could have heard their response. My experience has been that once I explain in simple terms what Pres. Obama is actually proposing (compared with what his opponents say he is proposing), they are generally impressed and seemed confused that there is so much controversy. As the President clearly said last night, in no way is he proposing a government take over of the entire health care industry. A Canadian-style single payer system would not work in America. What we want is choice and competition. What Democrats are proposing is that one of these choices include an insurance plan that would receive initial support from government funds but would otherwise be self-sufficient and paid for by premiums. First of all, despite what you'd think from watching Glenn Beck, a majority of Americans actually supports a public option. Even still, some very smart friends of mine have expressed concern that private companies couldn't compete on an even playing field with a government plan and that government would be overstepping it's bounds. I have four responses that usually alleviate these concerns:

1) Are you opposed to state-run public universities? Of course no one is. They provide a fantastic education at a fraction of the cost. Yet those who choose private universities are free to do so. Are you opposed to using a government run mail system to deliver your packages? Often it's cheaper, though you do have the option of using UPS or Fedex to take advantage of their particular services. Not only is there enough room for these private companies, but I suspect that their prices are lower because of the competition with the public company. As a result, consumers are better off.

2) I support a public option because I believe it will lower costs and increase access. Have you ever considered the job of an insurance company? They make money by not paying for services. Plain and simple. This requires tremendous administrative costs and overhead to deny claims, sometimes with disastrous consequences for people whose health care is delayed (as described early in Pres. Obama's speech). I have met many people who work at insurance companies, including some very powerful CEOs and I do not think they are bad people. They are businessmen and women who are doing their job to maximize profits. This is their legal responsibility to shareholders and their primary concern. In principle I am ok with that, but I would love to have an insurance option that operated as a not for profit with the mission of providing care instead of making money.

3) Let me say this third point carefully: A public option is nothing like socialism and not even close to a government takeover of health care. According to Pres Obama's speech, the CBO estimates that only 5% of Americans will sign up. But, if it does work well, and some people switch over from their private plans, that is fine with me. If everyone decided that the US Postal Service provided vastly superior service to UPS or FedEx, and these companies did not innovate, reduce costs, or improve services to compete with the public option, why would we want to protect their profit margins? I don't think we would and I don't think we should in health care either. Put another way, I think the strangest argument I've heard against the public option is that it will work so well that no one will want a private plan. I am not THAT optimistic about the plan, but if it does, why stop it?

4) Finally, I generally don't like to insert religion into these kinds of debates, but it's worth mentioning a scripture that has helped shaped my feelings. It describes a society using its prosperity to ensure that everyone was cared for. "And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need," (Alma 1:30, Book of Mormon).

Obama before Congress

I am so relieved August is over and Congress is coming back into session so we don't have to keep hearing about these town halls in which moderate Senate Democrats are threatened with the judgment of God for wanting to increase access to affordable health care. Pres. Obama is scheduled to speak before a joint session of Congress next week to advocate a more detailed approach. Is it just me or does this sound a little like 1993 when President Clinton spoke to Congress in September of his first year to resurrect support for dwindling support on health reform and shift focus away from the economy. Although I support the creation of a public option, I hope President Obama doesn't wave his pen and threaten to veto any bill that doesn't not include it (that didn't go too well for Clinton).