Professional Protestor?

There’s a new career opportunity in the United States - professional protestor. Don’t laugh, it’s true. If you check craigslist.org you will find job postings offering to pay between $400 and $600 per week, DOE, during the Congressional summer break. 



The ad on Craig’s List specifies, “Looking for people who want to support President Obama and be a part of history.” This is heady stuff for young people willing to travel around on a bus, live in tacky motel rooms, and stand outside in all kinds of weather conditions. Makes it sound very 1960's, anti-establishment, hippy and cool. There are no medical benefits, of course. You must be a supporter of the proposed health care reform currently under hot debate in the Senate and preferably a registered Democrat.



Ironically, these wages will be paid by, guess who, the taxpayer. So those of us who do not support the health care reform act are inadvertently paying for the protestors to push this bill through Congress. Only in America.



The role of professional protestor is not new. Apparently, Canada has had them for decades. And just as Canada has socialized medicine, with horrendous waits for what we, in the United States, would consider basic care, we too are going the way of years’ long waiting lists. Let me provide you with a perfect example.



I own an antiques store in a town that hosts at least 3 million visitors each year. It is not unusual for our customers to be from Finland, Australia, Canada or Japan, all in the same day. That being said, a lovely couple from Canada came in yesterday. The man was limping and in obvious pain, his knee wrapped in an ace bandage. I asked him why he didn’t get it taken care of. Here is his response.



“I’m a general contractor, am only 57 years old and I need a knee replacement. Our medical system will not replace my knee until I’m 70 years old, because they said they can only afford to do it once and they’re afraid if they replace it now, they’ll have to do it again in 15 years. They offered me all the pain pills I need, to get me through the day. But I’m a contractor, frequently on top of a roof or using power tools. I cannot be on pain pills while I’m working or I could get seriously hurt.”



When I asked him why he didn’t come here to get the replacement, he quietly said he couldn’t afford it. He pays over 55% of his income in some form of taxes, which doesn’t leave much left over.



His wife was quiet during this exchange. When he finished speaking, she added, “You people are crazy for going to socialized medicine. Run from it as quickly as you can or you’ll wind up like us.”



I’m going to advertise a different career path on Craig’s List. Become a Professional Protestor of the Protestors. There’s no salary, no benefits, just your right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, which includes good health care when you need it.