O Pinions!

Snake in the Grassley

Snake-in-the Grassley
2009, August 21st

Paige Turner wrote a wonderful rant in her blog "Invalid Entry" 

My response (edited):

Snake-in-the-Grassley

The problem is:

1. Obama is a gentleman and a negotiator interested in consensus coming through consultation. This is a good thing, an admirable thing.

2. However, the senate is not a body of gentleman. Their acquiescence to fear-mongering exposes them as not even having the decency to stand up for truth.

3. Insurance is merely a way of hedging one's bets. It's like gambling. One pays a % in hopes that one is 100% covered in the end. Only the wealthy can afford the private tables/private rooms set aside for the big bucks. We the slot-machine-users are fooled by the idea that somehow we-all will come out ahead. The trick is that some do... while others are left penniless. We are the fools. The insurance industry CEOs skim off the top... all the way to their off-shore bank accounts.

4. If we had fewer people working to deny claims and more nurses to attend to patients in clinics, hospitals or homes... we would all be healthier. But... that would mean a wealthy person... or someone that aspires to wealth... is no better than the homeless diabetic dying on the streets.

5. And that, my dear friend, is unacceptably Un-American.

And then I wrote this here, to expand:

1. Obama is making headway on the international front by being tough only when it is necessary. Otherwise he is sitting back and mending holes torn in the fabric of worldwide opinion towards US (either U.S. or capitalized 'us', whichever works for you, my reader).

Domestically, this isn't as effective. 8 years of bullying by a wannabe despot pulling the strings of the marionette president has left Congress with this idea that they must always be contrary to anything coming out of the White House. Since Congress has historically been partisan and many are interested only in power, this should come as no surprise.

Yes, I'm afraid the gloves must come off.

2. If I tell a lie about someone I can be hauled into court for slander. I can't even write something I know to be true (from my perspective) without running the risk of a lawsuit. If I said anything against the government 4 years ago I could've been on an FBI/CIA list and accused of treason.

But slanderous comments about Obama or his programs are allowed, disseminated by the media and supported by congressmen who know better, but don't want to lose the wedge these lies and those who believe them give them. At some point... someone needs to have their collective-ass hauled into court.

3. When everyone is supported in a public program (like schools) there are always those who feel they deserve better as a birthright that doesn't extend to others. The public programs suffer.

Health care for Native Americans is a good point. It's part of many treaty rights; but, it has been a two-edged sword as the programs themselves have not been administered by Native peoples with Native health in mind. And because most Native peoples are marginalized (Oklahoma being one notable exception) the 'good folks' in states where there are no Native Americans (by decree) lament but don't provide the money nor adhere to the terms of the treaties.

But... at least public programs are there as a social safety net. Not so with gambling. ...And America was founded by gamblers and risk-takers. The insurance industry only exists at the behest of the wealthy and wannabe wealthy to hedge their bets. Actuarial tables are their bible. Unions for years fought for health-care for the masses of workers, but even many of them did not envision health care for everyone outside of their "family" of workers. Some did and still do.

4. Bureaucracies can say yes or no... as they choose fit. There are enough cases of mean-spirited people, who afraid of breaking some law or offending some bosses sense of morality, have denied access to patients by family. (The GBLTIQ community has suffered tremendously) "Regulations" will be cited, as if...

The emphasis is on controlling the monetary damage... not providing care. And once again... it's about CONTROL. Because big-business and hospitals are BIG BIG business with a bottom line, they kowtow to the pharms, the insurance brokers, the lawyers... The concept of providing care is tinged from top to bottom by this. Since the bottom line is money (controlled by insurance CEOs, the money flows to programs that reimburse... like plastic surgery for the CEOs family members. Color me cynical, but find me a CEO who doesn't have a health plan that is the best money can buy. If the premiums go up? Just demand more compensation. After-all $1 million only goes so far...

5. America was founded on an Us versus Them mentality. The first Us = free Caucasian (the whiter the better) male landed gentry. The Them = everyone else, especially those folks who were already here neglecting to rape the land of the resources the Us so desperately greeded (greed+needed); they were slaughtered like vermin or removed like cattle. This concept of Us has been amended throughout history to include larger groups of citizens, but... not everyone. It is important for those included in Us to have someone to look down on. The GBLTIQ community is feeling this at present, as are immigrants who aren't wealthy-and/or-white-enough.

Until America grasps that there should be no Us versus Them in health-care the present War will continue. Odd that poor White-folk should be such a large number of the protesters. But... if you are working-poor... and white (and preferably a non-thinker)... it is culturally important to know that at least you are better than someone... and thankfully not THEM.

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