Hear ye, hear ye, the healthcare bill is available for ye to hear. The healthcare reform bill which has saturated the news with drama, heroes, villains, and a sundry of elected officials is now available online in audio format. Diane Havens of Wyckoff, a professional voice-over artist, has coordinated over 100 other artists from the political spectrum to help in this colossal project. Those interested in hearing the bill online can visit http://www.dianehavensvo.com/.
The healthcare reform bill, which when printed out weighs approximately 20 pounds and is almost 9 inches tall, may eventually be the longest pieces of legislation in American history. It stands now at 1990 pages, but chances are that number will most likely rise as politicians are more inclined to add rather than subtract.
Providing an audio format of this massive bill serves several purposes. Obviously, those with diminished eye sight would benefit from being able to take part in the national conversation in an informed manner by having access to this valuable resource. Then, the mere magnitude of the undertaking raises awareness of the whole healthcare issue and encourages people to pay attention to the debate, even if the whole bill is too formidable a task.
Listening to such a massive, dry, detail orientated document that is overflowing with legalese and run on sentences, is somewhat surreal. The professionalism of the voice-over artists actually bring to life words that would normally induce a slumber within minutes. While not overly dramatic, the artists bring a human quality to subject matter that has been beaten and broken by a massive media onslaught. They bring the words to life, be that good or bad. It is a testament to the talent of these artists that their recordings can bring a human element to what must certainly be the most boring piece of literature in the history of the world.
The undertaking of Diane Havens is a non-partisan effort, but other artists have produced works available on the Internet which reflect their own ideologies. Music, always a powerful tool, has been brought into the mix and some productions from both sides of the debate provide a little humor while putting forth their message. http://www.dianehavensvo.com/
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