The Senate and Hot Air…
Posted on Nov 21, 2009 - 10:12pm by Marshall J. Gruskin in Politics
I mean healthcare. I don’t know who I have more contempt for – the Republicans or the Democrats. I spent all day listening to C-Span, Fox, CNN and POTUS on both XM and terrestrial driving from, of all places, Washington DC on my way down to Ft. Lauderdale with a load of Canadian lumber. I’ve got to tell ya’ll, crossing the I-95 bridge over the Potomac from Maryland to Virginia was mighty treacherous with all the hot air blowing from “our” Congress. As I write this, the Senate just voted (60 – 39 along party lines) to continue the “debate” on the health care bill. After Thanksgiving “recess” that is. Bless their leetle hearts.
Let me just remind you of my situation as an employed underpaid overworked not-appreciated over-the-road flatbed driver who gets no respect. Right now I hate the company I’ve worked at for over five years. Their stupid stick has become a stupid tree and they’re annoying the heck out of me. I’ve had it with tarping, chaining and the whole flatbed world. I know of a juice tanker outfit that I think would be a nice change of pace for my beat up rapidly decomposing body. If you don’t already know, I can hardly walk because of bum knees and, well, trust me, the rest of me is so bad that it almost gave my doctor a heart attack when she read my blood test results. I need health insurance, badly.
Yes, I do have coverage through my present employer and as such, the treatment I receive and the drugs I can take are at the whim of the company. The president of my company and – or the benefits manager dictate what level of health care I receive and no job, no healthcare. If I leave this company, as I want to, I not only lose the coverage, but will be uninsured for 3-6 months until my new employer’s coverage kicks in. And right now I have no idea what that is. I could be dead by then. And all this makes me and my wife, very unhappy. And COBRA is still not affordable when I’m sit’n at home and not driving the miles.
So today, in the Senate, the biggest bunch of gas bags in our country, argued back and forth across the “aisle” whether or not 2000 pages of health care “reform” is worth debating further. The Republicans, whining like truck drivers claiming the bill is arrogant and would lead to rationing and the end of our society as we know it. The Democrats, claiming it is going to solve EVERYTHING. All BS. McCain, who I lost any confidence in when he chose Sara Palin as his VP candidate, did seem to make some sense. But then, he talks a good game, but NEVER delivers. McConnell, who reminds me of every corporate dimwit I ever encountered, is worthless and wouldn’t know change if it hit him on the side of the head.
The Republicans want me to burn my AARP card while the Democrats want me to renew my membership. Grassley from Iowa is quoting Andrew Jackson. He reminds me of the dude who wears coveralls and gives you really bad directions. Every Senator seems to expect me to care about grandchildren I don’t have. And the Democrats all take too much time shamelessly thanking themselves for their hard work – especially Reid – and not enough time explaining how this is all going to work. Ever hear of the term mealy-mouthed? That’s our Senate.
Let’s face it, the Republican’s weren’t about to do ANYTHING about health care reform until the Democrats shoved their 2000 page trillion dollar unintelligible “bill” right up their bureaucratic we had eight years but did nothing posteriors. It was easier for Bush to invade Iraq and spend billions there than to address something as “hard” as health care reform. Have you seen that boondoggle of an embassy he built over there? And on the sidelines were the Democrats quietly screwing up the economy with Reid, Pelosi and Frank at the helm.
Listen, what we need – what I need – is this. I want “Cadillac” health insurance – just like the blowhards in Congress have – independent of my job. I want it efficient. I want it affordable. I don’t care if illegal aliens have health insurance or not – it’s not my problem and I refuse to pay for it. I want to choose my own doctor. I do not want a “public” option. I don’t want the “government” involved in any way, shape or form other than legislatively. I do not want to pay for abortions unless the poor woman was raped. And I want the “bill” to be readable and understandable in plain English – no more than 100 pages with a simple cover sheet. And I want it to be effective 90 days after passage. And, read my lips, NO NEW TAXES!
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never underestimate sarah. the men have totally screwed things up. I think a common sence plain speaking person with good ol hard working non elitest viewpoints is just what this country needs now.
Obama,Reid,Pelosi have no and don’t care about average people..
You a good point, and a long list of things I would like to see as well. We have problems in this country when it comes to health insurance, but when it comes to medical talent we are on top of things. No one cares about the people of the United States anymore they are chasing the next election. At least in my opinion.
So now I believe we will witness the medical talent we have had in the country to go off shore. They are not going to want to stick around for the down fall, this whole things wasn’t plan but a mess. It was just a part of Obama’s false advertising, all that hope and change hah. This whole thing is nothing but a huge joke, and a large chunk of taxes someone somewhere will have to foot the bill for.
Where offshore is this medical talent going to go? Europe? Mexico? Canada? Socialized medicine already exists and its a failure especially for the doctors.
The Island of Man comes to mind, as that is where the off shore banking has gone to. Just follow the trails of the gambling, and off shore bankers, and you most likely will find the medical centers if this is given a shot.
I have to tell you, this is one of the best rants I’ve read in a long, long time. You’re obviously more than a little ticked off by both the health care industry status quo and government “efforts to alter” the current state of the industry.
I don’t necessarily disagree with anything that you’ve written but, when I read your last paragraph, it seems as though you have a long list of wants coupled with a desire to remain disconnected from the primary responsibility for meeting those wants. This could be a misunderstanding on my part but that’s the way it comes across, to me.
The government is involved in health care for one reason and one reason only; they see an opportunity to seize a higher level of control over the people than the Constitution would otherwise allow.
Health care is a huge issue. Most of our rights to self-determination are intertwined within the question of health care responsibility. Individual rights come packaged with individual responsibilities. If individuals abdicate responsibility then the group or entity, whether it be government or business, accepting said responsibility will, sooner or later, insist on control of the corresponding individual right.
I don’t believe that health care problems and issues can’t be solved and I can see some room for certain regulations but, at the same time, I think we all need to rethink the means and methods employed to meet individual needs.
Still, I go back to my original statement regarding this post, this is one of the best rants I’ve ever read. I could almost say it’s one of the best rants I’ve ever heard because it seemed as though I could actually hear your voice rising and falling in ire and emotion. Great. Just great.