1960's Legacy: exposure of malfeasance trumps Lincoln's 'better angels of our nature' re: NC mental health reform OR What We Can Expect from Cansler

I've been thrown off a few listservs as ssociated with my pointed remarks about the persistent problems associated with NC mental health reform. I think to myself: am I so a child of the 60's that I cannot entertain Lincoln's pleas which more modernly can be framed as, 'why can't we all just get along even though we differ on how it should be done?'

Here is Abe (Obama is going to use his Bible at the upcoming innauguration, I've heard) attempting to soothe the southern states in terms of their concerns that once all their slaves run off, how are they gonna get them back, particularly since the non-Southern states are anti-slavery:

"My countrymen, one and all, think calmly and well upon this whole subject......

Why should there not be a patient confidence in the ultimate justice of the people?

Before entering upon so grave a matter as the destruction of our national fabric, with all its benefits, its memories, and its hopes, would it not be wise to ascertain precisely why we do it?

Will you hazard so desperate a step while there is any possibility that any portion of the ills you fly from have no real existence? Will you, while the certain ills you fly to are greater than all the real ones you fly from, will you risk the commission of so fearful a mistake?....

We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."

http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres31.html

Something has happened to our America culture. Maybe it WAS the 60's that taught us that oppression can be met with force; that disagreements can hot-foot it to conflagration when both parties are dug in.

How we get dug in is perhaps related to a realization that much more quickly people are going to pick their sides rather than be swept along with their fingernails running over the chalk board, mile after mile.

To my mind, when the state of NC set its mind, under Cansler (2000-2001) as the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, with Carmen Hooker Odom as his immediate boss, to eviscerate community mental health and substitute it with the expanded-upon-notion of 'competition !', which would surely promote better mental health care services, the state of NC threw down the gauntlet.

They declared a war on public health policy.

And in the 60's, many people no longer accepted that 'the man' knew best. This set into motion a movement that remains with the American people. Some might say we opened to the door to cynicism.

But cynicism, most efficiently applied, is the last turn-off after one has tried other solutions.

Prior to that, one reads the signs for these turn-offs:

'We know what's best'

'We're too far down that road now'

'Let's be positive as much as possible'

I see no reason to assume that Cansler will do anything other than continue what he did under Hooker Odom. Why should I? Why should I believe that he is now lock, stock, and barrel the property of NC citizens? Because Perdue says so? That's no lady, that's 'the man.'

Under the Republican Bush administration, lying transcended and trumped straight talk to the point that you could predict the direction of something by spinning the official statements 180 degrees.

Just because NC is run by Democrats does not mean that they have some different moral take on how to do things.

Why should I believe that given the evidence that he manipulated that system----as would any savy, go-getter, gotta make that money while I can, upwardly mobile white guy-----who took his contacts and founded a company that massively profited from those contacts and information, be someone to trust as Secretary of NC DHHS?

Sorry, its not me that has to prove my point. My point is simply grounded in Cansler's history which is publicly available. It does not really matter how many editorials talk about what a swell guy he is. Its sickening to hear the sound of journalists' arms being broken in the back rooms which are undoubtedly the result of , 'we gotta a call from the gov'na.'

It's Cansler that has to prove that he is here to work for NC citizens. Meanwhile,I will assume he will continue to act as he has----honing his contacts and anticipating how this will profit him in the future---- and this you can take the bank, my friend:

THE BEST PREDICTOR OF FUTURE BEHAVIOR IS PAST BEHAVIOR.

What can we expect then, based on his past behavior?

Nepotism :

that 'paling around' with people who were in your past and would like to be in your future. Cansler got to make all those millions as associated with his well honed contacts he made while Deputy Secretary of NC DHHS.

Doing the same thing but call it another name:

Since Cansler participated w/ Visingardi and Hooker Odom to 'capitalize'!---on not only his connections he was making at NC DHHS----but as associated w/ the-notion-that-will-not-go-away, namely, 'competition'-----we can expect more brightly packaged investment in that.

Naive student-like public health policy:

The Charlotte Observer, this past week, obliquely (are they that sophisticated?) termed Cansler to have been an avid 'student of public health policy.'

Accounting emphasis:

Cansler has been stated to be a certified public accountant. I imagine that his strong suit will be counting the $$$$$ as they fly out the window on those 'useless' Community Support Services which will continue to be downsized until the Endorsed Provider companies are in shackles. Where you go after that, I can't imagine or don't want to imagine.....since you long ago passed the exit on the freeway entitled, ''We're too far down that road now.'