As detailed in my inaugural post, this blog was created as an outlet for all my NON-political thoughts. I've decided to break that rule however. It's my blog and I can do whatever the hell I want. The NEW rule is that all posts will be quick off-the-top-of-my-head affairs for which no research will be done. I may claim that a "fact" is just that, a FACT, but I will do no research to be certain of it or provide any links to confirm that anything I'm claiming isn't simply made up.
Politics will be brought up in this post. And possibly others. On my politically themed blog I've been largely discussing healthcare and my support for a public option. Although what I really believe the US should adopt is a single-payer system.
I truly believe that the adoption of such a system would be good for our economy. Small businesses would no longer be burdened by the rising cost of providing healthcare for their employees. According to this website "Medicare for all would be a windfall for businesses". Workman's comp claims would be "cut in half". People wouldn't be tied to their jobs, or be scared to leave because they wanted to change jobs - or start their own businesses.
There are a bunch more reasons. I encourage you to check out the website. See the link I provided earlier - a link I said (even earlier) that I wouldn't provide, but decided to anyway. I'm still typing this directly into blogger however, and don't plan on spending a lot of time composing this, or any other post. Unlike my other blog where I do a lot of research.
Anyway, the reason for me, personally, wanting a national healthcare system is because I do not have healthcare insurance. And I have a pre-existing condition. A chronic disease that is currently untreated, makes my life miserable, but probably won't kill me (anytime soon, in any case). The health care reform bill we eventually end up with may or may not include a public option, although it appears that exclusions for "pre-existing" conditions WILL be one of the issues addressed. The healthcare companies are running TV spots saying so. But I'll believe it when I see it. Not that it will help me at the moment. My current economic circumstances are such that I could not afford to pay even if they would accept me.
I have largely been without healthcare insurance for most of my adult life. During the period I last had health care insurance I went to see a specialist several times. The medicines prescribed, while very expensive, were otherwise completely useless. My out-of-pocket was only a small co-pay, but I still felt ripped-off because huge amounts of money were paid for medicines that had no effect what-so-ever. The insurance company paid for something that may have as well been a placebo (who cares, screw them), but the drug company (screw them too) was very well compensated for a product that would have most likely cost a lot less in Canada. Or any other country where the Government negotiates for lower prices.
This is bullcrap and I'm sick of it. Soak the rich I say. The lives of everyone will be improved greatly. The likelihood of that happening is, however, quite low, IMO. The class war is winding down, and it is the wealthy who have prevailed. Not a surprise really, although we did beat them back several times over the course of our nation's history. Barack Obama doesn't appear to be a an FDR type president. Although FDR wasn't the transformation kind of liberal that we need now when he first was elected president.
Even though I'm not an optimist I haven't given up yet. I'm not dead yet and my health has deteriorated to a point where I wish I was. Although I can foresee a time where that will be the case, that time isn't here yet.
