Toys and Other Healthcare Subjects

OK, I know, seemingly unrelated subjects but it's Christmas and the Senate it now embroiled in a political pissing contest over healthcare. These are subjects that are near and dear to my heart: toys and healthcare. Both things to chew on. LOL.

I am a lucky dog. Russell and John provide me with insurance. I know, dog insurance, it's not part of the big healthcare debate but work with me here. My owners are well off. They are able to provide myself and Zara health insurance. Many dogs are not in the same boat. Some have owners who have lost their jobs, some are owned by the newly underemployed. And believe it or not some are simply street dogs living on their wits alone, shunned by society and spoken about in the most negative of terms. These dogs are the forgotten majority. Every little sneeze or ache is a source of worry. "Can I stay out of the vet's office this time?" What a wretched way to live life. All worry and no joy. I could not be any luckier. I am truly blessed.

Humans, as I understand it, are going through the same thing. The majority have insurance but many, some 40 million souls, have none. How, with all that this nation stands for, is it that so many are left to struggle, just waiting for the next shoe to drop? For the next health disaster. For the next vet visit that you can't afford. Many talk of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness being guaranteed by the Constitution. That there is no guarantee of healthcare. But, hey, isn't "life" in there. Shouldn't there be some assumption of what "life" includes. There are programs for food stamps so you can eat, rental assistance so you can keep a roof over your head, even bus and train discounts so you can get around town. Why isn't there help to keep you healthy? I mean, am I the only one who sees how basic of a problem you have here?

Oh, I hear some of you, "everyone has access to healthcare in the US. All you have to do is go to the emergency room." Yes, and I'm going to sit here and pretend you're not all idiots. Statements like this one are always spewed by those who haven't actually seen an emergency room bill. John's last emergency room bill, and there were many of them in 2008, was at least $5000.00.  That's an expensive visit if you only have the flu. Let alone the fact that it pretty much clogs up the system for real emergencies. I've heard that it is so bad that they actually have persons to triage the emergency room. On top of all of the other expenses generated by an emergency room they have people who talk to you and decide where in the grand scheme of things you fall. "You we will see soon, you will wait until the calendar changes." Who thinks this is a good idea? Really, who? The waste of this one resource is frightening.

Then you get the, "What am I going to lose in the bargain," people. For God's sake isn't this just the height of hypocrisy? I mean here we are a good, God fearing people hell bent to force our moral standards on the rest of the world and we would first look at what we had to lose instead of what the other person had to gain. Has anyone ever read the Ten Commandments lately? This just makes me want to crap myself. How dare you set foot in a house of worship and then come out of it more worried about yourself than others. I want to send Zara out to bit you in your private parts! Should you be worried about your insurance benefits? Yes, absolutely. But you should be at LEAST as concerned about your fellow man. (Or is it fellow dog? I keep forgetting who I talking too.)

Now here's a part that I really don't understand. "I've worked hard for my benefits, why should someone else get them for free?" My opinion is that everyone should get them for free. No where else in the developed or even the developing world are your health care benefits tied to your choice of career or employer but the US. Health care is just a given. Just like life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; you get healthcare. Why is this a bad idea? Yes, your taxes are going to be higher. But you get what you pay for. And think of the benefits: far less utilization of emergency room services, the ability to offer everyone preventative care, etc. And yes, I fully understand that those who don't work would be getting the same benefits as those who were working but isn't this a good thing? Wouldn't it be nice to know if, God forbid, you lost your job, you would still have your health insurance? And wouldn't it be a good thing to know that your fellow man was being taken care of also? Isn't that the moral way to think?

I am a firm believer in socialized medicine. If I had my way, I would insure everyone and it would be one massive, government run organization. Yeah, probably not an idea that would fly in the US. But to tell the truth I don't know how else to do it. Private enterprise is great at competing but when it comes to treating everyone as equals...not so good. The truth is, our free enterprise system is designed to treat everyone as unequals. You can shop at Walmart or Bloomingdales. You can drive a Chevrolet or a Cadillac. You can live in a small house or a mansion. We are a society of unequals. But healthcare is a different subject. Everyone needs their health. But I do see room, even in health care, for competition. The government should offer the basics and competition should offer the upgrades. Do you want only private hospital rooms? How about no co-pays? Maybe expanded dental or vision care? All of these things could be packaged and sold.

OK, that's my rant for today. You humans are just out of your minds. Stop just saying no for the sake of saying no. Put it out there that health care is a right and work until you get it done. My God you travel back and forth into space but you can't insure everyone? Idiots!