Why Do Americans Consistently Cast Their Votes In Opposition To Things Which Are Beneficial To Them?
I just finished reading an extremely interesting story about the reasons why many Americans will vote against something which benefits them. Health care reform is the buzz phrase right now. While it has never had the support of the Republican leaders because Republican leaders vowed to fight Obama on the issue, many rank and file Republicans also don’t support it even though they are the people who the policy change would help the most.
Texas has the highest number of uninsured individuals in the country, yet Texas is a Republican stronghold. 87% of Texans, according to one Gallup poll, are against the health care bill. Why? Why aren’t more Republicans who don’t have health insurance, who would get health insurance under the health care bill, not care that their leaders are basically ensuring that they will not get health care? Why are they seemingly mindlessly defending the insurance companies who routinely deny claims? The answer is as complicated as the issue itself.
I think that some of it has to do with politics, some of it has to do with race, but most of it has to do with the mindless follow-the-herd mentality that many rank and file political members seem to have. It is almost as if they don’t realize that the political leaders they follow ALL have health insurance. If the bill doesn’t pass, do you think that John McCain won’t be able to go to the doctor’s office? Do you think he is going to go broke if he has to have heart surgery? Do you think his world will be devastated and he will possibly have to declare bankruptcy because of an emergency medical problem? Of course not! Yet, many of the people who support the Republicans will face this problem and will have these issues - yet they vote against the one thing that can help them!
It is all so very stupid.
Tags: americans, health care reform