Springer Break

I'm of two minds about TV show host Jerry Springer, and so, apparently, is Springer.  He recently said, somewhat in jest. "I am the father of the destruction of Western civilization."  He claims his show was "stupid" and had "no redeeming social value."

Springer got a little more animated when discussing politics.  He did, after all, start out as a politician, and served as Mayor of Cincinnati.  Here's some of what he said:

We didn’t hold hearings and say, ‘how much is this going to cost?’ We just went to war. But then you talk about something that’s real, the diseases that would affect us all, and somehow it’s okay 30 million Americans don’t have health insurance? [...] How can you say you love America, and not give a damn about Americans?

So there's a good Springer and a bad Springer.  Unfortunately, Jerry has it backwards. His show brought entertainment to millions.  It's as a political thinker that he has no redeeming social value.

He's wrong about the war stuff.  Take Iraq--we discussed it for over a year (including the cost), held hearings, and took a vote in Congress. But let's forget that and concentrate on health care.  Rather than listen to the national conversation, the Democrats decided to ignore what the majority was saying and force a plan on the public which, no matter how much they lectured us, the people didn't want. The new regime will likely lead to less choice in health care for most Americans (the vast majority of whom, let's not forget, were happy with their health care before the new law was passed) and has a decent chance of slowing down innovation in a way that could negatively effect billions of people.

Jerry, you may love America, but we'd be a lot better off if you didn't give a damn.