Albatross' Blurty

Inside the Mind? of Newt Gingrich

I read the headline of Gingrich's commentary with profound confusion, that only intensified when I continued into the article.

"Newt Gingrich: Alzheimer's: The fight that matters. Subheading: We could save -- lives and money -- by funding brain science research."

I mean, don't get me wrong - yes, let's fund Alzheimer's research and find a cure! But as the Republicans have been standing four-square against any kind of health care reform, Gingrich's comments and justifications are weirdly at odds with his party's platform. His call for Alzheimer's research dollars contrasts with his party's long-standing opposition to stem cell research, which many predict will yield advances in that field.

While you plan for retirement, checking your 401(k)s, do you consider the costs of long-term care? With Alzheimer's, the cost of life is staggering. In 2008, the economic value of the care provided by family and other unpaid caregivers of people with Alzheimer's and other dementias was roughly 9.9 million people at a cost of $94 billion -- not to mention the devastating emotional impact.

While curing Alzheimer's disease will be a wonder when it happens, the approved course of treatment will follow years of clinical studies following the discovery of a cure. Between then and now, how are we supposed to survive unless we have - what do they call it? - health care insurance?

Imagine the savings to you, your family, and quite frankly the entire country, if we could slow the rate of Alzheimer's.

Uh, okay, now let's generalize that...

Imagine the savings to you, your family, and quite frankly the entire country, if we could slow the rate of all diseases.

I'm sorry, is it just me, or does this sound a LOT like a call for universal health insurance coverage, so that EVERYBODY can see a doctor and EVERYBODY can get healthier?

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