Todd Catlin, 2010 Southeastern Chapter President

Watching Sausage Get Made

If you found yourself like me you were compelled to watch the unsightly events that led up to the historic vote on the “Socialism For All”, er, I mean the Health Care Reform Bill on March 21^st.  It is certainly a sad state of affairs when an overwhelming majority of the United States citizenry is against something but their elected officials decide what is best for them and defy their wishes. Makes you wonder who is working for whom?  Sadder still that in order to defy their constituents wishes it takes the outright bribes of those elected officials to make sure the job gets done.  Gives you the warm and fuzzies about how your tax dollars are being used now doesn’t it?

Although the Health Care Reform bill involves much broader political issues it directly affects those of you who are reading this now.  The bill has been passed so it is now time to deal with it and its aftermath as the likelihood of it being overturned is slim at best.  I guess you have two choices; 1) Figure out your exit strategy from the industry or 2) Dig in, stay engaged and figure where the opportunities lie.  We have two big national elections between now and when the bulk of the problematic portions of the bill are implemented in 2014.  That is a lot of time to try and make a difference not only in the future of our industry, but also in the future of our country.

As for me, I am opting for choice number two. Keep up the good fight.

Todd Catlin, SE Chapter President