Hey all,
Sorry about missing Monday's blog. Everything got away from me this last Sunday, which is when I usually do it. I hope to make it up to you with today's blog.
Being an American living outside the USA is interesting to say the least. I'm able to meet new people, learn different cultures, as well as see and experience things in a way I never have before. Just waking up each morning can be an adventure.
But that doesn't mean I've forgotten about my homeland. I pay attention to the news, and if we don't get CNN or BBC, I have my online news to keep me informed. And when I do, sometimes I feel like crying when I hear about the politics going on in my country.
Now, in my opinion, it doesn't matter whether you are a republican, democrat, tea-party or any other political party. Most of us just want things to make sense. To be right. And while I understand there are as many shades of right as there are people, there are some things that are just RIGHT with capital letters. And if that is so, then there is also WRONG.
And lately, when I hear about the healthcare law in the USA, the WRONG totally and completely overshadows the right!!!!
I don't claim to understand what the new law says in it's entirety. But there are parts of it that make me want to stay overseas...and one part that makes me ashamed to be an American.
I don't understand how we can pass a law that forces people to have insurance. I've been dirt poor and it wasn't a choice not to have it. I would have loved to have insurance. But, if I had to choose between giving my child his dinner, and insurance, the meal won. It sounds very good and well to ask everyone to get insurance, but what if a person literally can't afford it? How can you legislate that? How will you police it?
I DO understand that a lot of this is in response to all the people who like to game the system. As a taxpayer, I find myself VERY irritated at the woman who has eight children by seven different men, has no job and doesn't intend to get one, yet sees no problem asking me and all the other taxpayers to pay for her children's education, welfare and healthcare.
Or there is the guy who comes into the doctor's office literally dripping in gold, working on his IPAD, talking on his expensive cell phone about his latest drug deal, and then hands the receptionist his Medical card. Seriously? I'm sorry, as a taxpayer I don't want to pay for your illegal moneymaking, your bling or your fancy electronics.
These are both examples of those capitol WRONGS.
These are both examples of those capitol WRONGS.
But I think the thing that made me sick. That made me really ashamed of being an American was when I heard that congress voted themselves exempt from this law.
Excuse me??? How can that be? How can a body of politicians vote on themselves? How can they police themselves without anyone holding them accountable? How is this anything but a capital WRONG???
They've been doing it for years. Voting themselves wage increases while "regular" people are losing their houses. That's like me going up to my publisher and saying, "You know, I've decided the percentage you're giving me for my books isn't enough. And since I make the rules, from now on I want 95% royalties. And oh, by the way, since you signed me into this deal, you have NO WAY OF STOPPING ME!!!!!!"
How is that right????
Now don't get me wrong (in small letters). I love being an American. I still think it's a great country. But our government is fast becoming corrupt--fat and bloated with it's own importance. When did the people and what they want and know is right, stop mattering? Because I'd be very surprised if you could even fill a stadium with voters who think what Congress did voting themselves exempt from a law that EVERY OTHER AMERICAN HAS TO DO is the right thing.
Oh wait...maybe you could fill that stadium. With the government officials themselves!!!!
Feel the same way? Want to drop kick our elected members into the next universe? Tell me all about it in the coments below!!!
See you on Friday with a lighter look at art!
Hugs,
CJ England
http://cjengland.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/
15 comments:
I couldn't agree with you more. Politicians claim to pass laws to benefit the people but it seems to me that for the last 30 years or so (or maybe longer) they are passing laws that benefit them. I've always said it's not the President of the US that has the power - it's our Congress and Senate and they have become a power unto themselves and not it's unfortunately crossing the aisle to the judicial branch. I have to say that I was very disappointed with the Supreme Court and their ruling - when did judges become concerned about being "popular" and decide to vote the popular way? I thought they were supposed to read the law and follow the law - they all need to go back to doing their jobs and nothing else. For years our Congress has been treating itself as if it is the "Golden Goose" and giving themselves all kind of perks (pay raises, free travel, private healthcare better than anyone else in the world)- it's time for the free ride to end.
You go girl!
Exactly, Maria. It's maddening. And what can we do? Vote them out and put someone else in? Sounds easy, but it isn't. And the one you replace them with? There is NO guarantee they'll be any more honest.
LOL Krystal! I love a good rant!
Amen to everything you say! And you are right. How do we get them out. There should be something that we can do to boot the butts out. Term limits and no bonuses for being in office. You are supposed to be serving the people you represent...not yourself!
From Virginia who can't post for some googly reason. *sigh*
I read it, of course I still can't comment at the blog. I agree about all those "what's wrong with this picture" details. But there's another one that really bugs me. The First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
So, I really need someone to explain to me why it's illegal to force Muslims buy insurance because it violates their religious beliefs, but it's legal to force Christians to violate their religious beliefs against birth control. Don't get me wrong. I realize that birth control pills can be prescribed for reasons other than preventing pregnancies. I'm quite aware that they can actually enhance fertility by stabilizing hormonal imbalances and helping to establish a regular menstrual cycle. I also understand the value of abortion as a safe legal option for those who might not have had a lot of choice about conception.
But I can also understand that both Christianity and Judaism trace a prohibition on preventing pregnancy by means other than abstinence back to the book of Genesis, which is one of the oldest religious texts for both religions. Certainly, it predates Islam by several millennia.
I can understand a public tax that everyone pays at least a little. For Islam, it's charity toward the poor which is a basic principle of the religion. They don't buy their insurance; they help support the healthcare pool for those that don't have other insurance options. The government provides the healthcare coverage for services that private health care won't cover.
And yes, everybody ought to be facing the same odds and waits, ESPECIALLY the people sticking us with their mistakes and bills. I'm going to shut up before I really wind up about how the government can find money to provide services for people who entered the country illegally, but somehow there's no money to provide those services to legal citizens.
Virginia
I so agree, Virgina. With everything you said. I could go off on another rant about funding people who are NOT US citizens...
Phylis, After being in France, and seeing the heads literally roll when government stopped making sense, I can think of a few ideas. LOL
Great post CJ. I completely agree with you. Congress cannot set themselves apart from the American people. I also believe that there has to be a better to bridge the gap for people to afford health insurance.
It is not a fair system for those who have jobs and pay taxes to carry the weight for others and increase the burden. The middle class is sinking into poverty and government doesn't recognize how many people who already pay their share are close to the brink.
100% correct, Suzie. The middle class isn't so middle any more. I remember when we were considered "middle class" yet our income was BELOW poverty level. Come on, Congress, get a clue!!!
First off, I'd like to say that I'm writing this as a supporter of the healthcare act. I obviously am upset about our politicians exempting themselves, but chances are that they already have insurance.
Furthermore, I would like to comment on Virginia's post about it being illegal to require Muslims to buy insurance. I'm not sure where she got that idea, but perhaps it was from an email like this that has been investigated by snopes.com. Here's the link: http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/exemptions.asp
The fact is, there are exemptions for any group of people under the "religious conscience" clause--not one particular group of people.
I hope that no one has taken offense to what I've written, but I've always been a strong believer in making sure that people have correct and complete information.
I am not sure about the information put out about the mandate. Those who were low income would have the a large portion of the money to pay for the insurance as a tax credit and the really poor would have it taken care of. The purpose of the mandate is to prevent people from not buying insurance until the become ill and then enter the insurance pool thus increasing the premiums for everyone.
I think the worst thing about the health care law is that the document is too long and written in a way so that it is hard to understand. So everything that any one person tells you could be just as true as if you were to be told the opposite or just as false.
I do think that had Congress tried to get a good bill working together rather than each side trying to disagree with anything the other side proposed even if it was that side's idea in the first place, not just in health care, but in everything since George Bush became president.
The 2012 and all future elections are going to be based on the Golden Rule, "He who has the gold makes the rules."
Kathryn, While I disagree with your point of view--I still think we should be allowed a CHOICE--I respect your right to share it here on my blog. And I appreciate your info on the Muslim issue. Something to look into.
I have to agree, Ray. There was the potential for so much good, but then egos and money got involved and it all went to Hell.
I certainly hope that I don't appear to be beating a dead horse here, but I kept on thinking about the issue of Congress being exempt from this bill and decided to do a bit of research. I found a factcheck.org article about this, with sources listed at the bottom. They point out that the bill requires Congress members to either enroll in an approved plan (like many of us have through employers) or to go through an exchange (like the ones publicly available).
I'm posting the link below, and once again, I'm not trying to cause issues--I simply want to share information with interested parties.
http://factcheck.org/2010/01/congress-exempt-from-health-bill/
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