Blind, Deaf, Dumb, Ignorant and Stupid

Yesterday, I watched a video recording of the CSpan broadcast of Tuesday's Senate hearing on single-payer healthcare.  The purpose of the hearing, apparently, was to listen to reports of single-payer healthcare programs in other countries.  Senator Bernie Sanders, (D-VT), was chair and ranking member was, Sen. Richard Burr, (R-NC).  I admit, I'm quite ignorant about these protocols and, quite honestly, I'm quite tired and sick of them.

I found the speakers, who were from academia in the U.S. and administrators of programs in Taiwan, Denmark and Canada; two of whom are physicians.  I found their presentations interesting and informative, although their written remarks have to be downloaded and read to get the entire information.

What was most telling, appeared when the Q and A began and Sen. Burr and Sen. Enzi, (R-WY) asked their questions and made statements.  Neither listened even slightly to the responses they were given.  They are, clear from their behavior, so completely embroiled in their beliefs, that they are unable to hear, or see anything that doesn't conform to those beliefs.  I'm not sure how one gets past the closed minds of such people but they are not thinking in the least.  If such a person believes that a stop sign is round and purple and you tell them it's octagonal and red, you can stand them in front of it forever and they will refuse to see it.

What I doubt that the general public understands, is how statistics are used by a variety of people to make a point.  I know many people believe they are being lied to and stop listening which is a mistake.  Having worked for a significant manufacturer at one point in my career; and having assisted in producing presentation materials for the shareholders of that corporation, I can tell you that the statistics chosen, for any presentation are those that support the point of view of the speaker and they are only a tiny piece of the picture.  They are most often completely accurate but they are selected to create an impression that is often false in the omission of the rest of the facts.  They are not lies, except in those omissions.  Both sides of the argument in the hearing presented statistics that supported their stance; neither side listened to the other.

Another interesting aspect of the hearing was the presence of the speaker, Sally Pipes, who has written a number of books against single-payer healthcare.  You will find little about her qualifications to address the topic.  I have not yet found anything about her education.  She has headed a variety of organizations and, apparently can write (I have read nothing that she's written and have no interest in doing so) and has gained the attention of people in power who have used her organizational and spokesperson skills.  She has suffered a family medical tragedy that is clearly the impetus and basis for her activities and opinions.  I found her to be an unconscious zealot with little background on which to base informed opinions.  Her opinions have, in my mind, no validity or importance whatsoever.

I stopped watching the recording of the broadcast after about 10 minutes of the Q and A which made it obvious that our government is mostly disinterested in facts and problem-solving and is mostly interested in promoting entrenched beliefs and in denying We The People solutions that will enhance and improve our daily lives.

I am truly disgusted and divorce myself from considering anyone in D.C. to be working for my best interests.  I wish almost everyone there would just go home and shut up.