P rotesting is all the rage these days. It seems as though the kind of passion that drives people out of their homes with signs and slogans, which was so prevalent during the 1960s, lay dormant for about 50 years, finally reemerging today in the form of conservatives who claim that the federal government wastes our money.

This past weekend, a number of the area's conservatives descended on the Town of Shawangunk, where the Grasslands Nature Preserve will soon be utilizing a federal grant of about $800,000 to cover up the remnants of the old airbase runway, thereby increasing scant habitat for migratory birds. Protesters claimed that the money was just another example of the wasteful spending coming out of Washington, putting the country into so much debt.

Of course, the Pentagon spends the same amount every 40 seconds. That's $72 million per hour, or more than $1.7 billion per day. Yet we don't hear members of this protest group decrying the wastefulness of our bloated military budget. The sheer volume of cash the Pentagon receives from taxpayers — and that has almost nothing to do with our everyday lives — is staggering. These protestors seem to be concerned about some kinds of spending but not others.

There have also been vocal — some might say over the top — conservative protests about the newly enacted healthcare legislation. These protesters were claiming, among other unsubstantiated assertions, that providing healthcare coverage to those Americans who cannot afford it is an equally wasteful endeavor. "If you can't afford healthcare, get a better job," they seem to be saying. "And, if you can't get a better job, tough luck. I have health insurance; why should I care if you don't?"

But we should care, if only because we're human beings and we should not turn our backs on the suffering of others. But there is also an important financial reason why we should care. When people have no access to a regular doctor, they tend to ignore medical problems. Worried about the bills — which are costly, and which they will have to pay out of pocket — many of these individuals wait until the situation becomes acute, which then entails a visit to the emergency room. These costs then add up, sometimes to tens-of-thousands of dollars. Bankruptcy often follows and the hospital is left holding the bag. It then passes these costs along to the rest of its customers. If you've ever wondered why that aspirin you took during a brief hospital stay cost nine dollars, this is at least part of your answer. And, of course, these costs are then passed along to the insurance companies of those who can afford coverage, thereby raising everyone's rates.

So, now we have a new law that will provide health insurance to 32 million Americans who cannot afford coverage. In the district of Congressman Hinchey, alone, 415,000 people will see improved coverage. 68,000 young people in the district will now be able to keep their parents' healthcare until the age of 26, and another 10,900 residents will no longer be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions under the recently passed legislation. There are real lives. Many are our relatives, friends, and neighbors.

It all comes down to priorities. And making a priority of those things that affect lives of real people is sound morally — and fiscally. The passage of the healthcare bill reminds us of our collective humanity, while at the same time reigning-in spiraling costs.

As for those protesters, whether they be of the local or the national variety, they would be better served by rechecking their own priorities, as well as their facts.