Just Because I love my dogs
Not that it should REALLY matter, but I did want to state that I am a Bernie Sanders supporter.
I have been on ‘hiatus’ for the last couple years. Almost entirely for ‘personal’ reasons.
Personal Life
Our Perfectly Black Cat Midnite Puss Kitty Meowzers
Shortly before my last comment here in December, 2013 our cat Midnite died. We had heard that someone in the neighborhood was poisoning cats, and that is perhaps what happened. Midnite happened upon us while we were watching long into the wee hours of the morning of the 2006 Midterm elections.
The day after my last comment here — on Christmas eve day, we went to the local SPCA and picked up Chester — and he has been a handful ever since. The friendliest sweetest scruff ball.
In the meantime, we have gotten another Dog, Macy and another Cat, Schrodinger.
Chester and Macy in the Fore and Schrodinger in back
This first part is just by way of saying — I have been otherwise occupied with stuff that frustrates me less and gives me much more love and enjoyment than the US political environment.
Political Cynicism
In the 2008 election cycle, I was definitely an Obama supporter. We donated to the Obama Campaign, We bought Obama buttons, t shirts and bumper stickers and handed those out. I canvassed for Obama. I wept with tears of relief and joy on election night. The disappointment came seeping in even before he was sworn in as President when he named Rick Warren to perform the Inaugural Invocation. I thought the ACA was a giant disappointing compromise that turned the political alliances in this country on its head. The ACA was at it’s fundamental a Republican idea put forward by Bob Dole and accepted as the core of the Republican approach to healthcare right up through 2008. Republicans by and large supported it and Democrats by and large opposed it. And for mind numbing reasons (and a grossly dysfunctional political system) Democrats now supported it and Republicans opposed it. I pretty much called it done when Obama signed the extension of the Bush Tax cuts. I had officially gone from Obama Rox to Obama Sux.
Because I no longer wanted to argue about it and I really wanted to enjoy other parts of my life, I moved on with other things.
But, like Michael Corleone in Godfather 3, this current political environment has sucked me back in.
Single Payer
Like Ted Cruz, I was born in Calgary, Alberta Canada. Like him, I moved down to the US (I moved here about a decade and a half ago). Unlike him, I have kept my Canadian citizenship (I was really hoping that Obama would inspire me to apply for US citizenship, but, alas ...) When I first moved here, I was baffled by the US health care ‘system’ — an incomprehensible patchwork quilt of astounding complexity to try and navigate. That hasn’t changed. Did You know that if You go to the Emergency Room and You didn’t check with the Insurance company first and they subsequently decide You should have gone to an ‘Urgent Care’ facility instead, that You can be on the hook for the costs of that visit? I didn’t, until relatively recently. Did You know that in the throws of distress and at Your most vulnerable, You are still expected to ‘shop around’ for medical care? I didn’t, until relatively recently. Have You ever looked at an itemized bill for a hospital stay? I didn’t, until relatively recently.
I have talked with friends here who are both advocates and skeptics of Single Payer Health Care, and I am left with the conclusion that “Y’all don’t know shit about what Single Payer Health Care actually is” Now, I am going to assume that some people on DKos actually do, but, in general, most Americans don’t have the slightest idea.
Which brings me to a recent AP poll that included a question on Single Payer (You can find it : Here ) Reading this poll has ended my 2+ year silence here. The dishonesty of this poll is stunning. Irrespective of which candidate You support, or whether or not You support Single Payer — the raw dishonesty of this poll should bother You.
Stunning Dishonesty — Written by the Health Insurance Companies?
It is the lower half of this that is such a shock to my system, that I will address point by point.
Your taxes will Increase — Anyone telling You that Your taxes won’t increase under single payer is either lying, deluded or doesn’t understand. But, let me be clear — You are already paying an EFFECTIVE tax rate of 30% for health insurance premiums alone (US average family premium: $16, 000; US median household income: $52, 000 ) — and this doesn’t address deductibles / copays etc. So, You are likely to pay less in increased taxes than You presently do with Your combined health care costs.
Switching Doctors - You know, I had no idea that I had to contact my Insurance company to tell them that I was going to go to a different Doctor, until I moved down here. It is a heck of a lot easier to go to a new/different doctor under single payer than the ‘freedom’ of the US health system.
Access to New Treatments — They may as well have asked if Your support would change if it meant that Flying Monkeys would emerge from Your butt . There is absolutely no correlative data between access to treatments and single payer systems.
Wait Times - NEWSFLASH Americans. You already have wait times. Ever tried to schedule a non-emergency appointment with a specialist? Even just trying to schedule the extra length “annual exam” can be a challenge. As if Americans don’t already experience wait times!!!
Giving up other Coverage — Did You know that Canadians, with Single Payer also typically have Supplemental Insurance through their employer as an added benefit? It’s true. The only difference is that the cost to the employer for this supplemental insurance is minuscule compared to the health insurance costs that they bear down here.
Replace Medicare — Yes, Medicare for All is going to replace Medicare for Seniors. I don’t even know what to say to this.
In Conclusion
It has been over 2 years that I wrote a diary. Much has changed. Perhaps I goofed the formatting — in which case, I am sorry.
However, which ever candidate You are supporting or whatever position that You take on Single Payer, I hope that we can all try and agree on the idea that facts matter. And this AP poll is beyond dishonest. And, it should bother us all that it is.
