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Conner discusses the two sides of the healthcare debate; he focuses on the "public option".

I agree with you Conner. I believe that a public option would not ultimately be the best solution. Aside from the fact that its unsettling to me to have the government involved in my personal health*, I feel like we don't have the money right now to initiate such a program.

The main agruement behind the public option is that it would drive down costs because of competition. States hold a virtual monopoly on healthcare, and currently you cannot insure people across state lines, but what if we changed that? If we had national competition for healthcare wouldn't that drive down the costs too? If we simply allowed insurance companies to sell health insurance across state lines like they do auto insurance, we could drive down costs and insure low income Americans without involving the government. Conservatives are happy because of more capitialism and less government, and liberals should be happy because we provide the public with low cost healthcare.

*I realize it is an option I don't have to choose, but it has the potential to drive private insurers out of business and then I could be forced to take on a government option.

Chelsea wrote and intriguing post on a favorite song of hers, and in that post she discusses the importance of cliches.

Great post Chel! I agree, I think that as corny as cliches are, they hold some meaning. Before they were thrown in the washing machine we like to call "society" they held value. At some point they were someone's clever joke. Over time, their reputations tarnish, and they become the punch lines of bad sitcoms, but most of them are true life lessons. For example, "money doesn't grow on trees". A classic cliche but it gets at the importance of understanding the value of money. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," tells us that healthy habits keep us out of the doctors.
Although many people associate cliches with stupidity, I enjoy them. The have a sense of nostalgic value. How else do you teach children basic life lessons without ruining their innocence?

Blogging Around

Lindsay's Connection: The Kite Runner and Jacob I Have Loved

Lindsay wrote an entry on how trying to fill the expectations other people set for us is a dangerous practice.

I completely agree with your point Lindsay. "Expectations can destroy us if we limit ourselves by them." It is dangerous for someone to define themselves by what other people think of them or want them to be. It can lead to a plethora of negative side effects like lack of self confidence and bullying to regain the confidence. Both of your examples beautifully illustrate the destruction caused by these molds.
I wonder if they person setting the mold ever realizes that they are even creating a mold? Do they subconsciously know, or is it more of something that society sets as a whole? It could even be as simple as a parent wanting the best for you and in the process losing sight of your best interest.

Chelsea's "Best of Week: nature. nurture. or maybe a mixture."

Chelsea wrote a blog entry about the concept of nature vs. nurture and consulted experts on both sides of the issue.

I love this debate, it is so fascinating. I also love how you've pulled ideas from leading experts to back up your arguments and to better explore this question of nature vs. nurture. One point that I found really intriguing was, “If environment didn't play a part in determining an individual's traits and behaviors, then identical twins should, theoretically, be exactly the same in all respects, even if reared apart. But a number of studies show that they are never exactly alike, even though they are remarkably similar in most respects” (Powell). This simple life experiment proves that your environment must have some sort of effect on who or what you become. Your friends, family, relationships, and experiences all contribute a little part to the greater you.