Day 16: I'd Love to Be a Fly on the Wall

Like most of us, I got up this morning wondering how the Supreme Court would fall on the health care bill. I woke up and grabbed breakfast before studying for a few hours on Agency/Partnerships and then the verdict was announced. Like most Americans, I just resumed what I was already doing. Life moves on.

However, when I went for my 6-mile run, I kept recalling a conversation I had with out community's priest a few years ago. It was just a few weeks after then Senator Obama had been elected and my priest was asking me about my time as a reporter in Washington and how it was covering the 2008 election. "I don't think 7 years ago in high school I would have thought I'd be flying to Denver and St. Paul to cover this race," I said. He mentioned how the local bishops were meeting that week to discuss their agenda with the new White House. (You know the usual, against same-sex marriage, abortion, etc.) He said "I'd love to be a fly on the wall for that one." "Why?" I asked. "I guess, I'd love to see them tackle other Christian principles too," he replied. "Like how we have so many people in poverty, how so many people can't even afford health care in our nation." (Ding Ding Ding. A lightbulb went on. Why is that?) I then read this today article and I thought - well I guess there goes that theory. Here's a passage: “If the Supreme Court decision lacks clarity, the Catholic response will be anything but ambiguous: the battle lines between the bishops and the Obama administration are now brighter than ever,” said the Catholic League’s William Donohue. Thanks Will.

One last thing on the health care thing: people spraying out there opinion. Its quite interesting listening to people discuss their opinion about the results, whether its positive or negative, especially when reading their distaste or pleasure on the Internet. My question, and its been this way since I covered Obama's inauguration, is his legacy should be whether people not only spout out their opinions but follow through with actions. If you are against expansion of health care, then spend two nights a week volunteering as nurse at a local hospital to show that we don't need public mandates, or a tax as its now called. And if you are for the expansion then volunteer on the weekends at local community centers giving health check ups, showing that some people simply need all the help they can get to survive. (Yes, it might take some time to acquire such licenses.)

My aunt then took me to Sault Sainte Marie, an old Steel, port city, where we went to Valley Camp. It was amazing sitting inside this 60 footer and see what shipmen even had to work with when it was decommissioned in the 1960s. As the evening approached, I took a few more quizzes before enjoying an amazing whitefish dinner. Not a bad way to spend a Thursday.