Unless you live in a cave (and if you're reading this from a cave, I would really like the name of your ISP), you know that the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act yesterday. The gist is that all Americans need to have health insurance. I knew what my own reaction would be to this decision. I did not know what my reaction to other people's reactions would be.
I found myself understanding the "fiscally conservative" argument: that this country can't afford to provide healthcare for every one who needs it but can't pay for it. I don't agree with that. I believe that we're paying for it now. A doctor cannot turn away someone at the ER because they don't have health insurance. Therefore, the cost of emergency care is spread across the people who actually are paying the bills. If we're paying for their health care in the first place, I would much rather pay for preventative care than emergency care. $1000 for getting your mole removed doesn't make my wallet cry as much as $50,000 for your chemo treatment for skin cancer. So, while I don't agree with the fiscally conservative argument, if you don't believe anything I just said, I get why you are worried about the cost of the ACA.
What I do not understand is the argument that "the government is taking our rights away". Wouldn't that be government taking away access to health care? You do know that health care is a good thing, right? Like it's something that you want if you don't have. Even if you characterize the ACA as forcing someone to have health care...what exactly is wrong with that? Practically speaking, it's not like these people are going to pay the tax penalty if they can't afford healthcare. Poverty level Americans don't file taxes anyway. Is the IRS really going to chase people down when they don't have any money? No, they're going after the Willie Nelsons and Wesley Snipes of the world. That's where the cash is! But, there needs to be some mechanism in place to make sure that people don't take advantage of ACA. If people are allowed to just not have any health care, we're right back where we started in paying for everyone's ER costs. Then, really what's the point?
Of course these "damn big government forcing me to buy something" soap-boxers are the same people that are threatening to move to Canada because the US is upholding "socialized medicine". So, you know...how rational are they to begin with?
Friday, June 29, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Lists...it's what I do.
In thinking of the type of blog that I want this to be and what kind of entries I would like to post, I came to the conclusion that there is going to be no rhyme or reason related to it. It will be completely random, verbally diarrhetic, filterless nonsense. Much different from other blogs. That thought led me to a second conclusion: I'm sarcastic even when talking to myself. And since I was coming up with more conclusions, I came to a third conclusion: sometimes things work better in list form.
For example, right back there...I could have said, "What I want this blog to be: 1.) random nonsense; 2.) sarcastic; 3.) in list form sometimes." So, here's my first list. It seemed appropriate to tell anyone who's reading a little bit about me. And it go a little something like this:
What's my story?
1. I think I'm a great actress and should absolutely be on a sitcom.
2. I auditioned for RENT, but did not land a part--unlike acting, my singing is not so great.
3. Sometimes I annoy myself with my habits such as having to read my book list in order, and always saying "Don't do that in prison." when I drop soap in the shower.
4. I think that if Sam Adams were still alive today, I may want to boink him. But, I'm not sure if I'm confusing him with the model for the Boston Beer Company's Sam Adams logo?
5. I've met a lot of famous people and have had drunken conversations with at least three. Eventually, I will tell the story of how I met and annoyed Dan Aykroyd. I will then follow up with how 1992 Olympic Figure Skating Silver Medalist Paul Wylie bought me a drink on my 21st birthday and proceeded to get really really mad at me. However, my encounter with Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind will remain in the vault.
6. I love having new clothes to wear, but I abhor shopping.
7. Although the craze is more or less over, I aspire to play Guitar Hero at the expert level.
8. I'm completely addicted to Nancy Drew Computer Games and they are the reason that I know Morse Code.
9. In my retirement, I would like to own a bookstore.
10. For a split second this year, I contemplated not paying taxes.
11. I think I'm addicted to speed dating.
Anyway, that is me in the proverbial nutshell. I think that I will be able to stay consistent with my mission statement and remain random, sarcastic, and sometimes list-forming. I hope you will stick with me and agree.
For example, right back there...I could have said, "What I want this blog to be: 1.) random nonsense; 2.) sarcastic; 3.) in list form sometimes." So, here's my first list. It seemed appropriate to tell anyone who's reading a little bit about me. And it go a little something like this:
What's my story?
1. I think I'm a great actress and should absolutely be on a sitcom.
2. I auditioned for RENT, but did not land a part--unlike acting, my singing is not so great.
3. Sometimes I annoy myself with my habits such as having to read my book list in order, and always saying "Don't do that in prison." when I drop soap in the shower.
4. I think that if Sam Adams were still alive today, I may want to boink him. But, I'm not sure if I'm confusing him with the model for the Boston Beer Company's Sam Adams logo?
5. I've met a lot of famous people and have had drunken conversations with at least three. Eventually, I will tell the story of how I met and annoyed Dan Aykroyd. I will then follow up with how 1992 Olympic Figure Skating Silver Medalist Paul Wylie bought me a drink on my 21st birthday and proceeded to get really really mad at me. However, my encounter with Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind will remain in the vault.
6. I love having new clothes to wear, but I abhor shopping.
7. Although the craze is more or less over, I aspire to play Guitar Hero at the expert level.
8. I'm completely addicted to Nancy Drew Computer Games and they are the reason that I know Morse Code.
9. In my retirement, I would like to own a bookstore.
10. For a split second this year, I contemplated not paying taxes.
11. I think I'm addicted to speed dating.
Anyway, that is me in the proverbial nutshell. I think that I will be able to stay consistent with my mission statement and remain random, sarcastic, and sometimes list-forming. I hope you will stick with me and agree.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Melly J., P.B. (Professional Blogger)
A random stranger came up to me in my office building a few months ago and said, "I really like what you had to say on Tim Thomas's facebook fan page." It was at the beginning of the catholic employer/birth control debate and Tim Thomas had likened the "first they came for..." poem about the Holocaust to his unwillingness to stay silent about the struggles and persecution of the Catholic Church and the gall of the evil Obama adminstration who suggested that non-Catholic employees be allowed to have health care coverage that is unrelated to their Catholic employers' feelings. How dare they??
I debated the issue for a while with some die-hard Tim Thomas fans before realizing that pucks to the head really can cause brain damage. Then, I gave up. I figured the discussion had been lost in the facebook comment cemetary forever and that would be it. Until that random stranger.
I mentioned this encounter to my friend, the Other MJ, who has been listening to my incessant diatribes for years now and who sounds like I made him up, but truly truly exists. Other MJ's response "You should write a blog...seriously." Now, while I'm sure he had purely selfish reasons for offering that resolution (directing my comments away from "IMs to MJ" to a different medium), I immediately thought, "Yes! Brilliant! I have some pretty interesting shit to say that I know people will want to hear".
I began to think about whether I have what it takes to become a professional blogger. And whether that's actually a thing. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I'm gonna find out! Starting now...
I debated the issue for a while with some die-hard Tim Thomas fans before realizing that pucks to the head really can cause brain damage. Then, I gave up. I figured the discussion had been lost in the facebook comment cemetary forever and that would be it. Until that random stranger.
I mentioned this encounter to my friend, the Other MJ, who has been listening to my incessant diatribes for years now and who sounds like I made him up, but truly truly exists. Other MJ's response "You should write a blog...seriously." Now, while I'm sure he had purely selfish reasons for offering that resolution (directing my comments away from "IMs to MJ" to a different medium), I immediately thought, "Yes! Brilliant! I have some pretty interesting shit to say that I know people will want to hear".
I began to think about whether I have what it takes to become a professional blogger. And whether that's actually a thing. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I'm gonna find out! Starting now...
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