History was made this past Sunday, March 21, 2010 with the passing of the largest health care bill in this country
Although I was not physically present at the Capitol when the actual voting took place, during the weeks that I have been working on the Hill, it seems that little else has been the focus of so much attention. As I watched the online streaming video of the voting on Sunday night, the array of emotions that I’ve felt everyday to a subdued degree became stronger and stronger. The thoughts that I experienced, however, were largely shaped by the day’s earlier event. Participating in the Immigration Reform Rally on Sunday afternoon was an emotional whirlwind. I was inspired by the masses that demanded change from President Obama and I felt both pride and awe at the sheer magnitude and power in numbers of the Latino community. As we chanted pro-immigrant and reform towards the Capitol, we saw the masses protesting the Health Care Bill across the mall. Seeing the crowd waving the Gadsden flag (the historical yellow flag with the slogan ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ at the bottom), which has been adopted by the Tea Party movement as a contemporary symbol of government discontent, triggered memories of the week’s atmosphere in the office. While I am a strong believer of individual participation in the governmental process, I don’t believe that violence, including verbal aggression, is a responsible or respectful means of communicating a message or opinion. While some of the publics’ concerns regarding the controversial health care bill may have been well founded, this did not justify any type of hostile approach to discussing their concerns with office staff. Rude language, disrespectful phone calls, and unprofessional tone of voice does not validate or contribute to a constituent’s message or opinion. Based on my experience, it seems that most of those complaining about the government health care reform were those who did not in fact fall under a socioeconomic group that suffers any injustices under the current system. Historically, the United States is not a ‘welfare state’, but time and time again it has proven to be dedicated to strides towards equality. This Robin Hood approach of “taking from the rich to give to the poor” is a morally superior response that permits for equal opportunity and equal protection to all. Those who are vulnerable due to their socioeconomic status and to their health conditions should not be subject to greater disadvantages and exemption from the best services available. When the health care reform bill was successfully passed, I felt a sense of satisfaction and most importantly, of hope that President Barack Obama and those present at the immigration rally evoked.
