Motley Moose – Archive

Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

Basic Cable or Basic Health Care?

Why did I never hear the GOP cry out over the past year?: “Digital television is not a right!”
You mean to tell me that we allocated billions of dollars to switch from analog to digital television signals–including countless hours in House and Senate committees (I was there for a few of them…and fell asleep…)–so that everyone could have television, yet when it comes time to rally around providing basic health care to all Americans, somehow the very thought of that is reprehensible (thanks Rush and Glenn! You hypocrites!)?

WTF?



We are a nation that puts providing basic cable above providing basic health care to our people. Congratulations, America, for choosing HBO and certain death over life.



Rush, Bill, Ann, Glenn and Neil…leading the world in complete and utter idiocy. I’m convinced it’s a conspiracy–we won’t be able to combat the spread of swine flu among the poor and middle class, but at least we’ll be able to watch it on FOXNews!


Categories: Uncategorized.

/ 7 Comments

7 comments

  2. hubiestubert

    From http://www.dtv.gov

    The switch to DTV will offer a host of important public benefits, to include:

    Freeing up parts of the broadcast spectrum for public safety communications (police/fire/rescue).

    Allowing some of the spectrum to be auctioned to companies that will be able to provide consumers with more advanced wireless services (such as wireless broadband).

    Allowing stations to offer improved picture and surround sound (enhanced audio).

    Expanding programming choices for viewers. For example, a broadcaster will be able to offer multiple digital programs simultaneously (multicasting).

    Providing interactive video and data services that are not possible with analog technology.

    The first two are the important ones. Especially #2.

    Broadband service in this country lags behind Europe and Japan. The gap is closing as people expect more, but part of the idea behind the switch was to free up the airwaves.  While emergency services are going to get  a slice of the pie, the FCC is making for damn sure that wireless providers are getting a lion’s share to expand their networks.

    In this, the choice between health care, and decent cell reception and WiFi a better analogy, I think…

  3. John Allen

    Someone is making money off the switch to digital. You didn’t see the Republicans complaining about spending more in 6 years for a war then it would cost for UHC over the next 10 years. That money wasn’t wasted, because Haliburton, Blackwater, KBR, etc… made a lot of money.

  4. Chris Blask

    I’ll put my comment up here:

    A hundred years ago medicine was cheap because there wasn’t any. Now it is expensive (mostly) because huge effort is expended to develop treatments which are rapidly obsoleted. A hundred years (or so) from now healthcare costs will begin to trend downwards as basic research into human biology is completed.

    There is no complete solution to medical costs, we just need to make as much progress as we can. Efficiencies in providing healthcare – particularly in non-medical administrative processes – is going to be key. Single-payer makes me uneasy, but the health insurance industry needs to contract. We just can’t support such a massive industry out of the money we have to provide medicine.

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