The Power of Power...

I was looking back over the last few post titles and noticed a theme - "power". It struck me that I should post something about the role of power in our lives - specifically our quest for it and our worship of it.

It is a well known aphorism that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely". My younger son read "Lord of the Flies" in the fall, and I once again confronted this truth. He missed the point, at 14 years of age, but maybe it will stick with him as it has stuck with me since I read that book some 35 years ago. Social truths like this one about how power, and our love of it, wrecks the social fabric of our communities are potent. They need to be honored and respected, because when we lose sight of them (the truths) we fall into the same traps and suffer needlessly.

Why is it, do you suppose, that more than 45 million persons in the U.S. are living below the poverty line? Why is it that African American males in some areas of the country have a life expectancy the same as in sub-Saharan Africa? Why is it that in South Dakota a Native American has a life expectancy of 58 years on average, whereas an Asian female in New Jersey has a life expectancy of 91 years on average?

Love of power corrupts...look at the debate about whether or not there needs to be health insurance reform. In an article by Carolina Reid on the RWJF website, she notes that for those persons at the Federal poverty level, insurance premiums have risen 87%, while income has risen just 18%. Thus, most poor are priced out of health insurance. Perhaps your Senators could use this information as they look to make "informed" decisions, not just "popular" or powerful ones.

The Constitution was written in a manner that understood that no branch of government should be more powerful than anyother. Checks and balances are important, as is the input of the "common person". Ending health disparities begins with health insurance reform, but it doesn't stop there. There needs to be Tort Reform and a realization that the current "Episodic Intervention Portal" (my term for our healthcare system) needs to be scrapped for one that is more responsive to the needs of those served. With the percent of lawyers in government currently, is it any wonder that Tort Reform is not even considered an option? With powerful and well monied lobbies in healthcare, is it any wonder that true reform of the "system" isn't on anyone's radar screen?

Our love of power corrupts our best intentions. Look to something more powerful than us in order to get a handle on where to go from here. The game is not lost - far from it. However, the time is now to refocus on that which can truly make all things new.

Peace,
Dan