Is the Health care Reform debate turning Rational Americans into Hate Speech Mongers?

I recently exchanged emails from an childhood friend that I've known for over 45 years (now ex friend and confirmed Redneck) from Fort Worth Texas regarding the health care reform debate. And after expressing my views about what I see as out of control costs in the medical insurance industry and the lawyers that have driven up doctors' mal practice insurance costs, I was sent extremely abusive hate filled angry emails. It totally shocked me as to how hostile this debate is becoming and asking myself if this debate is turning rational people into hate speech mongers.

In Dallas, I started and ran a business employing a small staff and made a nice living. I paid my share of income taxes, property taxes and $1000's in self employment medical insurance premiums for over 20 years.

Now as American guy in my 50's, we need affordable health insurance for everyone especially older people, why should they have to take a menial job making minimum wage just to be eligible for affordable health care insurance? And waste time doing that when they could be going back to school learning a new career or starting a business using their skills do improve their situation instead of operating at a survival level of existence. And this applies for younger workers too, god forbid your boss is a jerk and you want to quit or change jobs, you're stuck, the job controls your life now because of sky rocketing health insurance costs. What kind of system is this, do Flag Waving Americans call this freedom?

I am not asking for free coverage, I am just saying why can't we do something about creating affordable medical insurance, if you want to switch jobs, you are not held hostage by the benefits (especially if you have a pre existing medical condition). If you want to start a business and be self employed or go to school, medical insurance costs will not be a such a huge barrier, especially for older Americans, the costs seem to go up exponentially.

Please, lets try to work together as intelligent Americans for this freedom cause, instead of attacking each other with hate speech.

Paul Rainwater