Well the Tea Baggers have won and Massachusetts voters have spoken and voted in a Republican to replace Ted Kennedy. So now the message is clear: “If you have your own employer paid health insurance, we don’t give a rat’s-ass if you die for lack of medical care, or go bankrupt over medical bills”. This country is increasing all about - “I got mine – go get your own”. The Republicans can now block any health care reform proposed by the Democrats. This will be a slam-dunk as keeping Democrats on the same page is like trying to herd cats. Republicans, on the other hand, are like The Borg – They think in unison like the collective. Independent thinking is frowned on in the GOP.
Republican mouthpiece, Senator John Andrew Boehner is continually parroting “Americans don’t want Washington-Run health care.” I really want to ask him; ” …you mean like the Washington Run health care YOU enjoy, John?” Really, I think there is an opportunity here for the Republicans to make a clear statement about what the American people want really want – Republicans should all give up their government “Washington Run” health care and self-pay their own insurance. That way we Americans could be confident that the Republicans are not just mouthing support for the insurance industry and really believe their own rhetoric. I’m waiting!
The same thing for these dumb-ass Tea Baggers who don’t want “Obama Care” or “Socialized” medicine; let’s put all their names into a database so that when they turn age 65 they are denied Medicare. Well hey; we don’t want you guys compromising your ethics. Uh, just be aware that private insurance companies do want customers of Medicare age except under “supplemental” policies. So be sure to save your pennies to cover that that coronary bypass surgery because you sure as hell don’t want “Washington Run” Government to be involved in your health care.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and speculate, but I am guessing roughly around 100% of these Tea Baggers have completely subsidized medial insurance through an employer or other patron. We Americans never get charged up about an issue until it affects us personally. As much as I admire Candice Lightner, founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), she didn’t become an activist until her daughter was killed by one.
When my daughters were young, they asked me what the difference was between a Republican and a Democrat. I responded that a Republican wants America to be a place of opportunity for their family, their friends and other deserving people like them. A Democrat wants the same thing… but for everyone.
5 comments:
I actually hope that losing the magic number 60 shakes the Democrats up enough to actually stick it to the Republicans. Last I checked 51 was still a majority. Let the Republicans get up there and filibuster until they are tired of blowing hot air.
The comparison between herding cats and trying to keep the Democrats on the same page is apt -- and very funny.
Americans who don't support health care reform are either shooting themselves in the foot or rich enough not to have to care. It's maddening. Medicare works pretty well, why not a national health service?
No comment. [Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in ...]
I'm sure you must have seen the movie "Sicko." Having lived in Europe for 25 years, I loved two things about this movie: 1) When Michael Moore interviewed a British NHS doctor in London and asked him whether he owned a house, a car, a flat screen TV, vacations etc. The doctor answered yes, and that he had 2 kids and a very nice house in London. When asked, "How much do you make a year?" he said, $200,000. "And that's enough to own a house, etc. in London?" Micheal asked. "Yes, we live a very comfortable life," he replied. "So what's wrong with the system in the U.S.?" Michael asked. "The doctors aren't happy with one house and two cars, they want 4 houses around the world, and several luxury cars and boats." (Although I can't remember the exact numbers, it was something like that.) Now some can argue that this isn't every doctor, but there's still a lot of truth to this.
2). We say Europeans are socialists paying tons of taxes. Well here in the U.S. we have to pay for health insurance, (very expensive if you have a family,) and University costs, (even more expensive if you have 2-3 kids,) but if we called them taxes, which they are, cause we have to pay them, then the U.S. would be paying higher taxes than in Europe with fewer benefits.
P.S. Thanks for the tip on travel with Orbitz. I've used it for my trip to Europe in May. It was cheaper than the airlines website with the exact same flights.
Deinol: Unfortunately what the Republicans have going for them is unity.. it may be lock-step, but it is still unity. They seldom break ranks. The Dems, on the other hand, seem to be easily distracted by brightly colored objects.
Mary: I can't for the life of me understand why businesses want to have the additional overhead expense of providing health care to their workers? Why don't employers pay for their employee's kids education or provide paved roads for their workers to come to work? We have been conditioned to not trust government.. and really, our government works pretty well.
Charlie: Easy my friend, it will only raise your blood pressure.
Gutsy: yes, I saw "Sicko" and remember well the segment you quote. Yes, Americans don't see the connection between taxes and paying for things yourself. Yes, my taxes would go up if we had a national health care, but I am already paying premiums of $1,200 per month... I am damn sure any tax increase to cover a single-payer health plan would not increase my taxes by THAT much. The way it will get fixed is to have it reach crisis levels. Americans respond well to crisis; not so well to strategic planning.
Thanks to everyone for their comments!! Love It!
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