Humpday Happenings...
Amazing how Wednesday seems to get here a bit quicker when Monday is a holiday, doesn't it?
Of course, it will be fun to watch and see HOW MANY people in my area can't figure out the holiday-trash/recycling moved back one day thing, and will still put out their trash bins today, instead of tomorrow. The amusement never gets old...(dumbasses).
** Tonight, it's yet another speech from our "fearless leader", the PREZ, and for some strange reason, I don't think THIS speech will go over as well as the one he gave yesterday to our nation's SCHOOL KIDS...
Tonight, the topic is this health care bill being ram-rodded through Congress and the Senate...without having been read.
Granted, it was over 1100 PAGES in length, and just has to contain numerous "other" items mean to fleece our pockets while nicely lining the politicians' in the process.
Now, I'll admit that many people don't have ANY health care plan, and many others have plans that suck, but way too many others have plans that are just fine and dandy.
Personally, I'm on my wife's plan (and she's a teacher), and I've yet to avail myself of any aspect OF that plan (eyeglasses being an exception...and a necessity)...but I am getting older (aren't we all?), so the thought of using it to some degree in the future is staring at me daily.
But one has to take into account the vast number of people getting FREE health care.
Any emergency ward cannot (by law) deny care to anyone in need of it (they'll just make you wait for hours), and you HAVE to admit that all the illegal aliens here have been a growing burden on an already fragile system, meant to serve the LEGAL POPULATION of this country (first).
Our health care system isn't "broke" (per se), but it has seen it's share of dings and dents over the years...and it could use a few days in the "body shop" to hammer them all out.
Add to that the ever-growing number of baby-boomers retiring, who will most likely be the recipients of ANY health care, because, as we all know...when things get older, they need fixin' from time to time. Doesn't matter if it's a house, a car, or the human body. Things wear out, or need replacing, or at least a more closely-monitored "maintenance-schedule".
If I were to change or amend ANY part of our current system, it would be to sit down with ALL the pharmaceutical makers, read them the "riot-act", and tell them straight up to STOP GOUGING THE PUBLIC. Cripes, they act like a "big-oil" company most days, with the manner in which they charge for their stinking pills. Must be a "futures" market for drugs on Wall St.
And I would have definitely gotten together with the AMA, and took stock of the NUMBER of health care professionals (mostly the number of DOCTORS), and see what the real IMPACT of any type of "coverage for all" would do to what we already have in place.
We know for a fact, that we have TOO FEW doctors and specialists (actually more specialists than GPs these days) to go around. And we can't all suddenly wave a magic wand and DOUBLE the number of docs, can we?
And that's only at the front-end of the medical crisis we might have.
On the back-end is all the long-term health care workers that wail be monitoring our elderly, either in a hospice setting, or our nursing homes. Don't have enough of them to go around, should this current incarnation of a flawed health care plan get passed.
I do know that ANY solution to these and other issues will never be solved with any type of SOCIALIZED medical plan.
We've got the BEST damn system already in place in the whole frigging WORLD, and politicians would like to fundamentally "change" it so everyone can get on the medical radar?
We want to "make sure" all people have access to adequate health care...and by "adequate", do you mean that people get put onto rationing lists for meds? Or maybe they are denied a hip replacement, simply because they're too damn old, and it would better to stick that hip in a younger person? Are we wanting to write off the elderly for the sake of the young (who will wind up paying out the nose for generations to come for this change anyway)?
I mean...we ARE OK with all that, right?
I...somehow don't think so.
We need to definitely reform the lawsuit mentality of a lot of folks, and stop busting doctors asses with ALL that damn insurance so they can get cracking doing what they went to medical school for...healing the sick and infirm (and not worrying about being sued all the time, which no doubt affects their ability to perform at 100%).
THAT would be a "big-ticket" item for me.
Used to be a time when you'd see doctors VISITING sick people AT THEIR HOMES. Most any day, some doctor would be stopping somewhere, with his black bag and nice ride (only time we ever saw a new car on OUR street).
Well, it WAS a lot cheaper than going to the hospital all the time (and yes, I spent more than MY share in them growing up, thank you very much). Doctor Miller (reminded me of Raymond Burr) would give Mom some "sample" meds for what was ailing me...either for free or for really cheap. And that method seemed to work for a LOT of us nicely.
Returning to THAT bedside venue worked damn well...
But we have to correct the flaws we already have with the system...CORRECT...not necessarily change them...there IS a difference.
Solve THAT problem, and more people can get health care they require...for less money.
Let's stop chasing OUR citizens to other nations for their meds...that's not the American way.
Lastly, being healthy to ANY degree requires something you've heard here all too many times...PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
Granted, not many of us are the picture of health. We love our fast food, and those other nasty edibles that do about as much good to our systems as Pepsi on a car's paint job.
When many of our citizens who claim to be poor put DOWN the crack...and the pot...and the meth...and the *E*...and whatever other poisons they're dumping into their bodies, then perhaps we can more properly address healthiness...not before.
When these people can promote being healthy to their CHILDREN (as many of our parents did, regardless of how they grew up), then maybe we can make progress to a healthier America.
When kids get off their damn asses and pursue things that require more than a quick thumb on the *A* button, or iPhone keyboard, maybe we'll have a healthier America.
When people practice MODERATION with foods and drink...perhaps we'll all do better as a society.
But giving away everything to irresponsible people says little and does nothing to promote better lifestyle choices...it only reinforces the need for even more entitlements.
And an entitled society is a socialized society.
Just read Lenin...or Marx.
Americans have always earned what they've received, with few exceptions, and did damn well in the process.
Real Americans might even have to ask for a hand UP from time to time. And others will gladly assist. That's who we are, as a people.
But we should never be standing in some line, with out hands OUT...waiting for someone to do everything FOR us.
We're not beggars, and should never become that.
We're Americans, and, given our history as a prosperous and philanthropic nation, that should suffice.
Stay safe out there, America.