Lessons Learned in Healthcare Reform

 On Friday, after I picked my son up from school, we quickly walked home and had a quick snack. The kids knew we were headed to the library so they ate fast and then started collecting the library books that were due. Then I changed my shirt to one with a U.S. Flag on it. The kids asked why I had changed. I told them because we were going somewhere else before the library. We were going to a rally.

I was taking the kids to their first real rally in support of health care reform. Our neighboring Congressman over in Pleasanton, Jerry McNerney, is one of the members of Congress who had yet to decide whether he would be voting for or against the health care bill. Members of both sides of the debate were coming out to let the congressman know how we felt.

My kids are certainly no strangers to politico talk. They hear it a lot around the house and are no strangers to C-span, but taking them to a rally was something I’d never done before. Passing healthcare reform is an important moment in our country’s history and I wanted my kids to be able to say they were part of it.

In the car I gave them the very simplified version of the health care debate and let them draw their own conclusions. My son instantly was confused and wanted to know why people don’t want other people to be able to go to the doctor. I didn’t have to push my own political opinions on him. Because even at 7 he gets the very basic bottom line of the debate. Which is that everyone should be able to go to the doctor when they need to.

When we joined the crowd my son quickly got into it. He held up his sign, chanted and even took a pen from my purse to write “pass the bill” and “helf cer now” on his sign.  

The following night Congressman McNerney announced that he would indeed be voting yes on the bill. My son was over the moon, “See mom,“ he said “Good guys always win.”

Then tonight Congressman McNerney, along with 218 other members of Congress, passed health care reform.

Of all the things that will come from the passing of this bill the one I will always remember most is the lesson my son learned. Because he learned that sometimes when you use your voice to speak out strong and speak out loud, people listen.

And sometimes those people who heard you will go to Washington and vote to give your family their healthcare back.

And he learned that, yea; sometimes the good guys do win.

Meghan Harvey like to talks about herself and her kids, maybe too much, over at Meg's Idle Chatter.

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