American Blues

I called Senator Dick Durbin today to press his office staff on his position regarding HCR and the "Public Option."  I wasn't expecting them to tell me anything new and they didn't, but I asked them to put my remarks down and pass them on to wherever they get passed. (Can you say "paper shredder"? I knew you could).

I know I'm a liberal commie American-hating progressive socialist double-liberal freak. Always have been. It's just the way television made me, I guess. (Thanks, Archie! Thanks, Hawkeye! Thank you, Cookie Monster!)

BUT...I cannot understand why having a public health insurance option available to the American people would upset anyone at all. Excepting the gold and diamond dust encrusted CEO's of our beloved corporate health insurance providers. May Raptor Jesus bite them all with his blessings!

One example: I spent two hours recently consoling the damaged parent of one of my students who has done nothing but try to do good by his family, including moving from one state to another to take care of aging parents (leaving two good jobs, his and his wife's, in the process), because he felt that was what one does when family needs you.

Misfortune befell him and his family though. Unexpected illness and accidents struck both elderly parents and they are in a care facility now and probably for the rest of their lives.

They didn't have the right kind of insurance to cover this situation because they couldn't afford the right kind of insurance to cover this situation.

Now, every penny of the household income, including the savings of the grandparents, is going to pay for the care facility. And the wife of the man who just wanted to help his parents like a good son should - she has been disabled by an accident and will not be able to work for many, many months.

They are broke. They are desperate. They are slowly crumbling beneath the weight of the world. And all of that would be different if we had a public health and care insurance option available. Those with need would no longer suffer.

My America doesn't want people to suffer. My America wants people to prosper. My America doesn't let you live if you are rich and die if you are poor. My American gives a damn.

How about your America?

PS - I forgot to mention another vile horde that would be upset by a public option in health care - our for-profit hospital system! They probably stand to lose more instant revenue than the insurance companies do, if they are force to control their costs.