The Big Show
Forget about the New York Yankees or the imminent opening of the NFL season. The most intriguing game in town is the current battle in the United States Congress over health care. What do you like in your sports entertainment? A contest too close to call? The unexpected rise of an underdog? Last minute heroics? Passion? This fight has all that and more.
Last night I watched President Obama’s speech to congress and it didn’t take long to see the passion evoked by the issue. (www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/09/obama.speech/index.html)
Of course, it helps that I am a Canadian and don’t have to necessarily live and die with the results, no pun intended. I can watch the drama safely form the sidelines. This is life and death stuff. Both sides have put forth massive amounts of money intent on representing (or mis-representing as the case may be) the central issues of their cause. Could it be any different? Medical care represents 12% of the GDP of the United States. We’re talking about a massive amount of money at stake here.
South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson’s “You lie!” catcall at the President reflected the passion if not the accuracy of both sides of the aisle.
Forget about who wins or loses. The drama alone is worth the price of a ticket. And this show is free!
By Myron Gushlak