LEADERSHIP CULTIVATION

Health Care Reform is GOP's Waterloo, Not President Obama's

Senator Jim DeMint and his Republican cronies would have you believe that health care reform will be a Waterloo moment for President Barack Obama. It is quite the contrary. The Waterloo moment belongs to Republicans who have everything to lose.  After having maintained a 24/7 assault upon President Obama in an attempt to weaken his presidency, Republicans now perceive they have a winner with their organized opposition to health care reform.  Imagine that, the GOP for political gain has no shame in their game nor any reservation to sticking it to everyday Americans. Republicans are desperate for a victory and see a defeat of health care reform as the Promised Land.  Anything less than their total defeat of health care reform means farewell to the Republican Party as a major political force in America, but the demise of the GOP is eminent.

America has changed and is not excited about reversing course on a movement away from political gridlock.  Sensible Americans want progress to continue and are smart enough to understand that helping a neighbor who is less fortunate is not Socialism, but a principle of compassion taught and advocated by Jesus Christ. You would think that Bible-thumping Republicans would know better. A question I hear posed repeatedly is whether an individual is satisfied with their insurance plan.  More times than not the answer has been yes.  But health care reform is biggest than looking out for number one. It is needed to help the 48 million Americans whose insurance coverages are inadequate or nonexistence.  

It defies logic how right-wing Republicans can be so selfish or how Blue Dog Democrats can so easily check their spines at the door in order to retain Congressional seats. Dedicated servants of the people would rather lose their precious seats than lose their integrity by being a sellout.  It is a pathetic situation to witness. Some of these good men and women sing "When We All Get to Heaven" in church on Sunday morning, then exit the church doors and proceed to make life a living hell for many others who are less fortunate. For some, even Christian values are not sacred.  But there is another song sung entitled "They Will Know We Are Christians" by our love. It is not a selfish love for ourselves or our possessions, but refers to the love we demonstrate to others by our actions.

In the end, it is by our love that we show people we care about their problems. Every American should have access to adequate health care.  It is a need that is everyone's responsibility to ensure that it becomes a reality. We cannot leave that humanitarian act to chance or allow complacency to result in a self-serving GOP victory enabled by faux Democrats or the mainstream media that long ago lost its way.  It is time for compassionate people to mount up and join the fight for health care reform.  I think that President Obama will make it clear in his Wednesday night speech that he will lead that charge. I predict the eventual outcome will not favor the opposition.

Win One For Teddy, Pass Health Care Reform

America lost a genuine hero and champion of everyday people with the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy.  Teddy showed us how much we can achieve when we refuse to succumb to personal failings.  It's a known fact we can be our worst enemy and the biggest hindrance to personal success. But Teddy after experiencing so many bumps in the road, recovered to become maybe the greatest Senator in the history of the United States. His many detractors unwittingly may have been his biggest motivators.

Teddy had a problem with alcohol abuse and who can blame him after having to deal with the loss of all his brothers and a sister early in his life.  What an awesome burden?  I think I can cut him some slack.  Yet I am amazed that so many people with weaknesses (that would be everybody) hold Kennedy and others like Michael Vick to hypocritical standards that lack empathy or compassion.

A major lesson we can learn from Teddy's life is never delegate responsibility for personal success or failure to others. This week as television fed us a steady diet of Teddy's successes and failures, I couldn't help but think about Senator Jim DeMint's proclamation that "passage (or the lack thereof) of health care reform would be President Obama's watershed moment." If DeMint was paying attention, surely he came to the realization that life and political careers are full of watershed moments. Using DeMint's rationale, it could be said that health care reform is a Teddy Kennedy watershed moment as well. But given the obvious respect and affection that Democrat and Republican lawmakers had for Teddy, I hope they will put partisan politics on hold and pass a comprehensive health care reform bill.  What better opportunity exists to solidify the legacy of a friend. The "Gipper" aside, I hope they do it for Teddy.  May he find rest from his labor.