Be Engaged, not Entertained, by the National Healthcare Debate

Posted on | February 28, 2010 | Comments Off on Be Engaged, not Entertained, by the National Healthcare Debate

Eric Dishman

I’ve been sneaking in and out of meetings all day to catch snippets of the President’s “Healthcare Summit” (insert flying graphics and dramatic theme music here!) with Congressional members at Blair House. Colleagues in D.C.—some of them in the actual room—have been sending me texts and emails with juicy one-liners from the wit combat of quotable zingers that our politicians have so mastered. (I sometimes wonder if they spend more time thinking up catchy phrases than crafting legislation). I’ve devoured quick blog bites of controversial headlines and “fact checks” on the internet and TV. (I seem to be watching a frightening amount of C-span these days.) For a moment (okay, for most of the morning, actually), I am a conflict-addicted spectator…a ticket-buying fanatic at the partisan sparring competition…an eye-witness to the ideological Olympics…a blood-thirsty citizen shouting from the rafter seats of the governmental gladiator match but unable to see the action down below, to know what the score is, or to really know what team I am pulling for; but man, this crowded rage and comfortable yelling feels good! (CONTINUE …)