The Alexander City Outlook

Political leanings change

Health care seems to be on everybody’s mind these days. In fact, it’s hard not to think about it considering the intense media coverage the issue has received over the past month. This is not surprising considering how health care touches our lives in so many ways. It’s simply an important issue that affects us all.

The current debate stems from a belief our current system is broken due to increasing costs that effectively prohibit millions of Americans from accessing the care they desperately need. What is required is a complete overhaul of the entire system in order to ensure everyone gets access to health care regardless of their financial position.

Others believe there is nothing fundamentally wrong with our current system. In fact, the best health care in the world is right here in America. No one leaves the U.S. seeking medical attention. Rather, people come here in order to receive the best available treatment in a number of fields.

Listening to this debate I’ve found myself analyzing my own thoughts about this and other related issues. As a young man, whenever I considered a subject like health care, taxes, and government entitlement programs, I always seemed to advocate radical change. This is not surprising since young people want to make a difference in the world. Like others I believed changing the tax structure in order to provide the poor with food, shelter, and health care was a noble, even Christian, thing to do.

However, my positions have changed somewhat over the years. As I have matured and taken on the responsibility of raising a family, my priorities have shifted. It’s still important to me that we take care of the poor, but not at the expense of my family.

My earlier beliefs about social programs have been modified over the years due to my life experiences. I have benefited from living in America and I can say with confidence our system is not terrible; in fact it’s rather good. This doesn’t mean, however, there’s no room for improvement.

Fundamentally, I believe our current health care system is sound. Without a doubt the best health care in the world is available in the U.S. Proof of this fact is right here in Alexander City. Just think about the great doctors and medical facilities we have right here. You cannot find similar services in rural areas of other countries.

In many ways both sides of the health care debate are right. It’s true health care costs are increasing and if they continue to do so, many of us will be unable to afford coverage in the future. We need to find ways to control costs.

Yet, we don’t need to throw away our current system to address these challenges. Advocates of radical change in the current health care debate are like teenagers yearning to change the world for the better. It’s a noble sentiment, but it’s not smart, especially when you really don’t understand what these changes will bring.

The wise thing to do is to slow down and get it right.

Roger Steele is general manager of The Outlook. His column appears on Thursdays.