Health Care

This is an email that Pat sent in response to something he received. I thought it was something worth sharing. Feel free to do the same if you like.

The health care issues at hand have gotten convoluted. We should not get so bogged down in the finger pointing, but focus on simplicity. Just as this country was founded and has evolved into the greatest in the world everyone has actually gotten too far ahead of themselves. Earning, accountability, repercussions and risk have been left to the way side as merely expected actions. In turn, those that take these actions, abide by the rules, and are productive in our society carry this burden everyday to provide for those that are less fortunate and those that do nothing. It is horrible that there are individuals that know someone will provide for them and they think it is their right of passage to get a hand out. I am all for helping those that have fallen on hard times, disabled, retired, etc., but to keep enabling our society is a crime in itself. This is exactly where this health care reform is headed. It’s just down right scary. In my specific situation with my daughter it is perplexing that my government thinks it’s okay for my wife to loose sleep, be a full-time caregiver & nurse, surrender time with her other children, become sequestered to the house, socially reclusive with our other children’s education and activities, a shower and brushing her teeth before noon is a luxury, pay a private caregiver to make doctor visits, and that a visit to the emergency room with Megan is considered a date for us. This is all because my income doesn’t make my daughter quality for the benefits I work so hard to provide others. Why are those that qualify for benefits any better than my wife and I? It’s not okay for them to loose sleep (so give them a nurse), miss spending time with their other children (so give them a nurse), go shopping (so give them a nurse), need to be hospitalized (so provide them insurance, no payment necessary, no haggling with the insurance company) or quit their job (so provide them funding and they don’t have to work), but it is expected of us? It is absolutely wrong that we are being treated like this when we are working to support these other folks that “qualify”. It’s been an adage within our society for many years that it’s more financially rewarding to stay home and collect a check than to get a job. It’s time for the party to be over. Our founding fathers would turn over in their grave. If I am correct the “us” makes up about 90% of the population. It’s pretty simple. When we colonized and built this country everyone worked in some capacity. If they didn’t work, then they starved. No one starved, because they knew they had to work; either with everyone or on their own. There were no hand outs and it was frowned upon not to be a productive individual. Why is today any different? I have a problem with giving, providing and rewarding those that do not contribute and penalizing those that do contribute everyday, every hour and every minute. My particular situation is plainly a text book example of why our system does not work. My government has failed me. My daughter is broken. It is not her fault, nor mine. If she could choose I guarantee she would like to be able to walk, talk, hear, see and be totally cognitive of her surroundings to enable her to excel in society. Instead, she will never run on a playground, drink from a cup, eat at the dinner table, say a prayer, ride a bike, be a cheerleader, read a book, graduate, drive a car, work, or walk down the aisle with me by her side. This is the question, “If we cannot provide the necessities to the producers of this country and we cannot adequately administer our current government programs (SS and Medicare), then why should we GIVE anyone anything when we cannot afford what we already have?” It sounds like the housing crisis, when everyone took out equity lines and lived beyond their means. I know you understand all of this, but it is unconscionable that our nation continues down this path. We have to correct the current system first. Feel free to pass it on