in the new year
I haven't seen temperatures above freezing for at least 2 weeks. This is awesome. I love the cold. I do wish that my apartment got more than approximately 0 sunlight, though.
Meanwhile, Obama is selling out, healthcare legislation is taking a few baby amoeba steps. How does the senate sleep at night knowing that
"According to a recent Senate Commerce Committee analysis, the largest for-profit insurance companies spends about 74 cents out of every dollar on medical care in the individual market."
one fucking fourth of every dollar WE spend on health care is NOT going towards health care. The senate bill wants to make it 80%. Why not 99%? They'd still make a killing. off of us. One percent of 2.1 trillion? Not bad. Of course, the logical conclusion of this, supported by a majority of the public, would be some type of single payer system or a complete transformation of the insurance companies into non-profits.
Another glaring "what the fuck?" of the Senate bill:
"The federal government would provide $25 million a year for a “pregnancy assistance fund.” The money could be used for “maternity and baby clothing, baby food, baby furniture and similar items."
So, given a.) that we're pumping billions into Iraq and Afghanistan and bank bailouts, and b) that there are roughly 4.5 MILLION births every year, that $5 a pop from the government (okay, $25 if you consider that about one fifth of these kids will be born into real poverty) seems, at best, to be mocking us.
That reminds me of my previous career with Pizza Hut, when someone would give me a twenty on a $19.51 order and tell me to keep the change. "Oh how gracious of you... are you sure you don't want your 49 cents?" Fuck off.
In good news, I've got two weeks until I'm on the French national healthcare system (with extra benefits for teachers) !!
I hope I can stay here as long as possible.
Afterthough: Ghandi talked about "non-participation in anything you believe is evil."
I think if I do have to go back to the states, I'm just going to have a reserve fund amounting to one return ticket to France to use if I ever get something moderately serious requiring doctors and things. And not buy into any bullshit insurance company plan. Unless I'm a teacher. One of the few cases when that shit's regulated decently well.
Meanwhile, Obama is selling out, healthcare legislation is taking a few baby amoeba steps. How does the senate sleep at night knowing that
"According to a recent Senate Commerce Committee analysis, the largest for-profit insurance companies spends about 74 cents out of every dollar on medical care in the individual market."
one fucking fourth of every dollar WE spend on health care is NOT going towards health care. The senate bill wants to make it 80%. Why not 99%? They'd still make a killing. off of us. One percent of 2.1 trillion? Not bad. Of course, the logical conclusion of this, supported by a majority of the public, would be some type of single payer system or a complete transformation of the insurance companies into non-profits.
Another glaring "what the fuck?" of the Senate bill:
"The federal government would provide $25 million a year for a “pregnancy assistance fund.” The money could be used for “maternity and baby clothing, baby food, baby furniture and similar items."
So, given a.) that we're pumping billions into Iraq and Afghanistan and bank bailouts, and b) that there are roughly 4.5 MILLION births every year, that $5 a pop from the government (okay, $25 if you consider that about one fifth of these kids will be born into real poverty) seems, at best, to be mocking us.
That reminds me of my previous career with Pizza Hut, when someone would give me a twenty on a $19.51 order and tell me to keep the change. "Oh how gracious of you... are you sure you don't want your 49 cents?" Fuck off.
In good news, I've got two weeks until I'm on the French national healthcare system (with extra benefits for teachers) !!
I hope I can stay here as long as possible.
Afterthough: Ghandi talked about "non-participation in anything you believe is evil."
I think if I do have to go back to the states, I'm just going to have a reserve fund amounting to one return ticket to France to use if I ever get something moderately serious requiring doctors and things. And not buy into any bullshit insurance company plan. Unless I'm a teacher. One of the few cases when that shit's regulated decently well.