So this little piece of genius just popped up on my facebook feed.
Yeesh. Just had to respond to that.
Here is what I said:
Uhh, hey (name redacted) -- their ruling yesterday was correct...Do you think that the founding fathers (the ones who, ya know, wrote the constitution) mandated that all citizens of the colonies buy a musket and bullets? Well they did, in 1792. And these were the people who WROTE the constitution. They, of all people, should know exactly what they were talking about. All of this tooth gnashing of the health care decision is really starting to make me lose my faith in humanity a little bit. Just what the fuck is wrong with covering more people (mind you there are currently 60 million people uninsured, and another 10 are underinsured or have junk insurance -- 2/3rds the population of Germany) This bill stops all sorts of abuses that these big health insurance companies have been perpetrating on the American people for years. Why is this such a bad thing? In fact, the middle class OVERWHELMINGLY BENEFITS from this bill. Not only that, but even though it is increasing the number of people who have equitable access to health care, but it also addresses the looming COST of the health care. Think about it, any hospital that receives federal funding MUST provide health care to EVERYONE WHO WALKS THROUGH THE ER'S DOOR no matter their ability to pay. That means that hundreds of thousands of people a week receive medical attention with absolutely no way to pay for the extreme costs of the services rendered (1 necessary operation + 2 days of recovery time can often cost upwards of 50,000 dollars). Where do you think the cost of that care goes? Does it disappear? Magick itself away? No. It gets passed on to you, the insured consumer. That is a HUGE part of the reason that health care DELIVERY in this country is so FUCKING EXPENSIVE, because people who are not insured have absolutely no way of paying the astronomical bills. The PPACA addresses this by insuring that EVERYONE has access to health insurance, thus reducing the number of people who have no ability to pay while rolling into the ER effectively to zero. That means the cost doesn't get passed on to you, and your insurance.
And then someone snarkily responded
Adam's a smart guy. America is NOT falling to pieces in front of his eyes.
I was quick to respond with this
No, its falling to pieces, just not because of a law that will ultimately insure millions of Americans. America is falling to pieces because of a right wing that has completely, utterly and totally fallen off an ideological cliff, refuses to negotiate on anything, and regularly REGULARLY violates laws and common sense to further its political goals. This country is falling off a damn cliff because of corporations and their maniacal march to dominate EVERYTHING about this world, including the air we breath, water we drink, and health care we depend on to live. This country is going to the goddamn shitter because we spend more on our MILITARY than our schools, infrastructure, and social safety nets combined. The PPACA ("Obamacare" for all those not in the "know") is not tearing this country to pieces. A maniacal corporate class, propped up by the extremely wealthy upper class and supported by our government at every level is tearing this country apart. Please learn the difference.
And then I got a little help, and this really put the debate to rest. This is the original poster's aunt:
Adam is right. I am a hard working mom of a disabled kid. I am also very sick and I got sick being so hard working and committed. I played by the rules which is what caused me to get sick. I can't afford insurance, but if I dont have state insurance, I am in intense chronic pain that travels thru my body. Without insurance I am not able to be a good citizen or a good parent. How does that fit into the american dream? And my situation is not uncommon. So because you have insurance and i don't, are you saying, "you got yours and fuck me and people like me". I dont think you would do that. I hope not.
bam, kerpow, right in the kisser. She said in 200 words what I struggled to say in 1000. An amazing assist, tbqh.
to which the other RW commenter offered these three inexplicable pieces of intellectual stool:
Which Rapist do you prefer? Look, if you dont vote your Mayor, then get HIM/HER to Govoner, WATCHING them, they wont get to the big seats, and make a difference. Otherwise, why lambast a system WE ALL created??
I dont know wings. I Know America is Broke, and Suits did it, and keep doing it, and we keep having the "lesser of 2 evils" vote. Fuck that. Suits suck, and they are NOT supposed to be running our Country, they're supposed to be SERVING it..
Child Molesters need rehabilitation, right?? ya Fucks. Thats all American too, till YOUR kids get fucked. Then your singing a tune otherwise. OUR COUNTRY is under siege. it's a WAR HERE, and you care about petty underwriting??? wow.
I was quite taken aback by the abrasive tone of these posts, and didn't quite know how to respond. But I found a way:
I care about 74 people who will needlessly die today from lack of health insurance. You?
he thought I was lying about the number
74... are kidding... Thats 1 day in 30 cities in America alone...
and I wasn't. In fact, I underestimated.
Oh ya know what I was wrong. 45,000 people die A YEAR due to lack of health insurance. Divide by 365 and you have 123 people dying a day. http://www.reuters.com/... SOURCE