There’s something that’s been bothering me lately and I feel like I have to finally mention it here…
I’m disgusted by the fight/battle/pissing contest happening in our country right now over the proposed Health Care plan. I don’t care what side of the argument you’re on. Pro, con, whatever. But when I read/hear/watch/listen to people talk about how they want to see the health care plan fail, NO MATTER WHAT IT CONTAINS, simply because they wish to see our Democratic President fail at his first major policy attempt, I want to vomit.
Vomit all over my shoes, in my purse, in my meal.
How does anyone benefit from childish behavior such as this? Understand this isn’t ‘blind Obama love’ either. If McCain had won the election and I heard that Democrats, or anyone for that mater was banning together to shoot down McCain’s first piece of legislation, no matter what it was, or who it could help, simply because of his political party affiliation, I would still want to vomit. Everywhere.
How does anyone, Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green, or Constitution Party (never heard of them before in my life, but Wiki says they exist!) benefit from childish behavior such as this? If you don’t agree with the plan, FINE. Then lets work together to fix it. Come together and build something that helps Americans, ALL Americans. Build something together that we can ALL be proud of. Something that will make other countries turn their heads and say, “Damn. Look at America! By golly they’ve done it again. I sure wish I was as smart, popular, pretty and fantastic as they are!” This sandbox bickering, this, “I’m not inviting you to my birthday party,” BULLSHIT is pathetic.
I, Ashley, a tax paying, college educated, decent American has not had reliable health insurance/dental insurance/vision insurance since I walked out the door of my parent’s home in September of 2003. I have had moments, mere glances of what it’s like to be covered by a health provider since that day, but only moments. In those fractions of seconds I have felt a feeling of calm and serenity, felt as if FINALLY I could relax and breathe. Then as soon as it has come, it has gone. Or even when I’ve been lucky enough to have insurance, it’s been nearly as bad if I’d had nothing at all.
Does that even make sense? That I might have had to drop out of college just to pay off an ER visit that SHOULD have been covered in the first place? NO. No, it doesn’t make any sense at all.
As the most powerful, influential, and at times most highly admired country in the world, this sort of thing shouldn’t happen to our citizens. Ever. Yet this and worse, so much worse happens each moment thousands of times over.
We need to get our heads out of our asses and WORK TOGETHER. I don’t care what party you belong to, what God you believe in, or what you do at home when no ones looking. All I know is that the topic of health care has hit you. Either as a tap on the shoulder, or a slap in the face. You’ve dealt with it, thought about it, and probably agonized over it. Let’s make something together we can ALL be proud of and set the bullshit aside.
Remember, at the end of the day, these are American lives we’re talking about here people… Not Republicans, or Democrats, or Libertarians, or the Constitution Party, or the Green Party, or the Party of Party Animals. Just Americans.
I’m disgusted by the fight/battle/pissing contest happening in our country right now over the proposed Health Care plan. I don’t care what side of the argument you’re on. Pro, con, whatever. But when I read/hear/watch/listen to people talk about how they want to see the health care plan fail, NO MATTER WHAT IT CONTAINS, simply because they wish to see our Democratic President fail at his first major policy attempt, I want to vomit.
Vomit all over my shoes, in my purse, in my meal.
How does anyone benefit from childish behavior such as this? Understand this isn’t ‘blind Obama love’ either. If McCain had won the election and I heard that Democrats, or anyone for that mater was banning together to shoot down McCain’s first piece of legislation, no matter what it was, or who it could help, simply because of his political party affiliation, I would still want to vomit. Everywhere.
How does anyone, Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green, or Constitution Party (never heard of them before in my life, but Wiki says they exist!) benefit from childish behavior such as this? If you don’t agree with the plan, FINE. Then lets work together to fix it. Come together and build something that helps Americans, ALL Americans. Build something together that we can ALL be proud of. Something that will make other countries turn their heads and say, “Damn. Look at America! By golly they’ve done it again. I sure wish I was as smart, popular, pretty and fantastic as they are!” This sandbox bickering, this, “I’m not inviting you to my birthday party,” BULLSHIT is pathetic.
I, Ashley, a tax paying, college educated, decent American has not had reliable health insurance/dental insurance/vision insurance since I walked out the door of my parent’s home in September of 2003. I have had moments, mere glances of what it’s like to be covered by a health provider since that day, but only moments. In those fractions of seconds I have felt a feeling of calm and serenity, felt as if FINALLY I could relax and breathe. Then as soon as it has come, it has gone. Or even when I’ve been lucky enough to have insurance, it’s been nearly as bad if I’d had nothing at all.
After a horrifying medical emergency in 2004 landed me in the ER with an almost life threatening head injury I was hit with a 5,000 dollar medical bill. When I asked my insurance provider why I had a staggering bill since I HAD INSURANCE after all, they told me that because my ambulance chose to take me to the closest ER to save my life, instead of taking me to the ER my shit insurance provider covered, now I would need to pay up. Oh, and also bend over and take it with a smile on my face.
Tell me how that’s acceptable? Tell me how that helps anyone? Tell me how that's right?
There I am, healing from a head injury, trying to put myself through college, and now I have a 5,000 dollar medical bill, all because the EMT chose to save my life instead of check with my provider first. I was UNCONSCIOUS. How in the HELL was I supposed to provide my ambulance driver with my insurance companies lengthy requests while simultaneously suffering from a brain hemorrhage? In the end, had I not been lucky enough to have been blessed with dedicated and amazing parents financially able to step in, I can’t even tell you where I’d be today. I could have NEVER paid that bill and also still gone to college. One would have had to go, and it would have been my education.Does that even make sense? That I might have had to drop out of college just to pay off an ER visit that SHOULD have been covered in the first place? NO. No, it doesn’t make any sense at all.
As the most powerful, influential, and at times most highly admired country in the world, this sort of thing shouldn’t happen to our citizens. Ever. Yet this and worse, so much worse happens each moment thousands of times over.
We need to get our heads out of our asses and WORK TOGETHER. I don’t care what party you belong to, what God you believe in, or what you do at home when no ones looking. All I know is that the topic of health care has hit you. Either as a tap on the shoulder, or a slap in the face. You’ve dealt with it, thought about it, and probably agonized over it. Let’s make something together we can ALL be proud of and set the bullshit aside.
Remember, at the end of the day, these are American lives we’re talking about here people… Not Republicans, or Democrats, or Libertarians, or the Constitution Party, or the Green Party, or the Party of Party Animals. Just Americans.
Think about it. After you've thought long and hard, tell your Congress-person exactly how you feel.
Thanks for writing this. I am inspired to write about my own college-insurance-hell. ARGH!
Posted by: mona | 07/31/2009 at 07:30 AM
The people arguing against it are the ones who already have decent insurance, since they have the money to make themselves heard. It's insane. Oh, and:
http://www.snuggiefordog.com/
Posted by: Drea | 07/31/2009 at 09:20 AM
Oh my gosh! I cannot believe your ER health insurance story! What a complete joke! I hope you sent your insurance company a nice little note. I believe that healthcare and insurance companies need to be reformed. Not in the time frame that Obama wanted though. I am sick of Congress passing bills they are not even reading. Take your time to pass such massive legislation!
Kudos to your folks. My Dad has helped me out of a jam or two (or three) and I know how you feel.
Posted by: Carmie | 07/31/2009 at 02:02 PM
MONA; thank you for the kind words. It means a lot.
DREA; I CANNOT BELIEVE THERE IS A SNUGGIE FOR MY DOG. Oly is getting one. If I can somehow sneak it in the door without Adam seeing it.
CARMIE; I agree that hasty decisions are not the key to solving this issue. I just worry that people are getting stuck on one concept, 'seeing obama fail,' or 'excluding abortion,' or 'socialized medicine,' etc etc and they are missing the bigger picture. If at the end of the day we're unable yet again (lets all remember Clinton's attempt) to find a solution to our horrible health care system I will be devastated.
My ER story is tragic, but what's sad is that's not even my whole history... How about the time in college when I only had ER insurance so I had to wait until my tonsillitis was so bad I could hardly breathe before they would admit me. Or how now I am paying nearly $200 a month out of pocket for health insurance because I'm not technically a full time employee at my job. And even then I have no dental (girl needs her teeth cleaned!), or vision insurance.
Arrg. I need a cocktail.
Posted by: The Accidental Olympian | 07/31/2009 at 04:14 PM
Amen.
I'm counting down the days till I'm a full-time employee and can get the oh-so-coveted insurance coverage.
This sista hasn't had coverage in many moons also (luckily I haven't had anything more than a snotty face) - Not even working full-time in Oregon did I get any coverage.
It's a new world we're living in. So long the lovely '50s and their cookie cutter lifestyle.
I can't wait for you to be full-time in WA. And I still need to do my searching for your product out in the VA.
I'll prep the martini shaker, what's your poison?
Posted by: Ashley | 08/01/2009 at 04:59 AM