Man, I have been on parade this week. Maybe it has to do with my birthday coming up. You know, being born, letting it all hang out.
All I know is, it’s been rough. This health care thing touches some kind of primal nerve, for certain. I think it’s the abandonment issue: so many millions needing care, while greedy politicians scurry to protect the insurance companies! Nothing pushes my buttons faster than that, and I turn blacker than your darkest fear. It’s easy for me, I slot right in, because I was abandoned, essentially. All my siblings were. In many respects, my parents suffered growing up, too. A cascade of parenting failure, howling torrents of pain. Fun stuff, chilluns. So it bothers me especially hard that the richest goddamn country on the face of the earth is actually debating whether we should all take care of each other. It seems to me to be a given: stop building atom bombs, pay the doctors, save the children. Is this so hard?
Apparently so.
When it comes right down to it, though, this is the only thing I want my country to do. That’s it, give us health care. If they have to stop building multi-million dollar remotely piloted high-tech drones to blow up brown people in mud huts on the other side of the world, so be it. Steal us blind. Lie to us. Have however many mistresses you want.
But give the people health care, by God, or fail the test of basic humanity and never talk to me again.
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Amen.
Good to see you here, ese. I’ve been goin’ NUTS with this, barkin’ my shins all over the goddamn internet.
I need a vacation.
Good morning John,
The moon is Waxing Gibbous at 74.64 illumination. ObamaCare is also waxing Gibbous. God (If the present Admin. allows its existence) help us if your birthday falls on the day of the next full moon! We will receive a progressive tirade like none before. I am looking forward to it. My juices need stirring!
Cratering in your direction, Joseph
Joseph, it’s hard to tell which fence you’re straddling here, but I’m just happy you dropped by. Not gonna argue, anyway.
John,
Why take a side? I tend to worry about only the things I can do something about. A plague on all their houses! I just hope they don’t screw up my medicare coverage.
“Hello, I am from the government and am here to help you.” John, be careful what you wish for – you may get it.
Your lunar friend, Joseph
Just want to say that I feel your pain here. I won’t go into a tirade about caring or the lack there of in our government, or in our populace, ( or even the shortsightedness of not caring for in the beginning and then paying for on the other end….) but I will say that Massachusetts has mandatory insurance now, they sign you up as soon as you go to a hospital or doctors office -my daughter a self-employed musician, lives in Mass and has just gotten free health insurance. It is a better policy than I can buy in Maine and it focuses on wellness care, proactive is so much better than a pail and shovel later on…It seems to be working. I am grateful she is covered and I have one less thing to think about. Not sure why this doesn’t translate to a broader program.
I hear you. They just might, too, from what I hear. Yes, it’s all quite evil. What I want them to do is simply extend Medicare to everyone. If people under 65 knew how GOOD Medicare is, they’d be screaming for it. I get mine next year and will have my first physical in over 12 years…
Interesting that one says “I just hope they don’t screw up my medicare coverage.” followed by “Hello, I am from the government and am here to help you. John, be careful what you wish for – you may get it.”
Interesting.
I know.
That seems to be a very prevalent contradiction. The commenter you cite is actually a retired politician and a very smart fellow, too. And I read of a town hall meeting somewhere where the Democratic representative who was speaking tried without success to convince an agitated audience member that Medicare was truly a “government program.”
Maybe people think, “Oh, sure, MEDICARE is okay, but everything else the government does is crap.” Beats me!
It is not unAmerican to be selfish. Everyone is, they just have the good taste to hide it.
I think the point is that dissing a government program because it’s “the government” behind it is kinda silly, what with so many people loving their medicare… I mean, I don’t see selfishness behind this, unless you mean that crying socialism is a way to hide being selfish.
I don’t think that’s it, though.
John, I haven’t been by your place in a while. I dig the re-model job! Anyhow, my wife is from New Zealand, and she managed to survive the socialist dread of full free healthcare for all. I was over there for a month – needed to see a doctor – no godddddamned problem! We are hoping to sell this fine place at the beach and get moved over to the North of the North Island before we get too much older…STAY ANGRY – it helps get things done!
Peace, eh?
my blogs:
http://informiorium.blogspot.com
http://leftedgenorth.blogspot.com
http://beachhouseforsale.blogspot.com
http://joesbank.blogspot.com
Love your sites, dude! (For any other readers, consider this a recommendation.)
I could use a damn island, myself. Still hanging on to the razor’s edge here. Kinda hard on the hands!
Sometimes when I stop by here it almost seems like we are some sort of bro’s, know what I mean?
Thanks for the compliments on the blogs!
I DID blog this entry at Left Edge North.
I do know what you mean, and that’s a great comfort. There may be some quantifiable similarities or maybe none, and we’re just lucky!
Yes, I saw the post and commented. Thanks!