Health Care

Political summit or theater?

Sheila Liaugminas | 26 February 2010

Before the health care ’summit’ began Thursday morning, there was plenty of media skepticism over whether Washington politicians, in the Congress and the administration, can actually put bitter partisanship aside and finally and responsibly deliberate over the people’s business. Consensus is that it’s doubtful.

‘The persistent issue of abortion’

Sheila Liaugminas | 25 February 2010

The pivotal Washington health care summit is about many things and much of it is political posturing. Maybe most. By both parties. What’s getting little attention is the persistent issue of abortion at the core of both House and Senate versions, and how the policians in Congress are handling it.

Health care summit: Pros and cons

Sheila Liaugminas | 21 February 2010

The embattled president is taking the embattled debate over health care reform to the American people, which he promised to do throughout his campaign but failed to follow through on until the Democrats lost a pivotal Senate seat. He was called out on that lack of transparency and abject lack of bipartisanship which he also promised in his presidency, so he called this upcoming health care summit for Democrats to meet with Republicans and it will be televised. He is a pro at turning crisis into opportunity, to apply a phrase his chief of staff likes to use.

Hospitals and “Choice”

Sheila Liaugminas | 10 February 2010

They keep moving the goal posts, re-defining life and death and disability and what constitutes care. Look at this full-page article the Chicago Tribune ran today on Catholic hospitals and choice, as they put it. The centerpiece of the story is the bishops’ directives on the care of impaired human beings while they still have life.

It got him elected

Sheila Liaugminas | 21 December 2009

Regrettable if it turns out to be “a parody of leadership”.

Check-mark medicine

Sheila Liaugminas | 23 November 2009

When the diagnosis is lack of human attention.