Thursday, September 26, 2013

Green Eggs and Ham

I avoid politics on my blogs.  You don't care what my political views are, nor I yours.   However, one thing that I've been passionate about for decades is the sorry state of health care in the US.  50 million people uninsured, the exorbitantly high cost of it, and medical bills being the leading cost of bankruptcy in this country.

I never thought I'd be one of the uninsured.  I was sitting in work one day when my boss came to me to tell me that he couldn't afford to pay for my health insurance anymore.  It seems that when I turned 60, the premium went from $600 a month to $1,150.  Yes, that's legal in Connecticut.

No problem, I thought.  I'll just buy insurance from someone else.  Imagine my surprise when I found out I couldn't buy insurance from anyone at any price.

Things went along fine for three years while Pam and I self-insured.  We took a nice cruise south on Drift Away, filling our prescriptions at Walmart since they're everywhere.  I simply paid my doctor bills and x-rays as I went along.  Obamacare was in sight.  I only had to make it to January 1st, 2014.

I didn't.

So I'm sitting here with $26,000 worth of hospital bills.  So far.

I went online to see what my insurance premiums will be under Obamacare.   $1,259 for the silver plan.  That's not a month, by the way.  That's annually.  If you'd like to see what your premium would be, you can check it on the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation's Subsidy Calculator.

And I'm sorry if you're a Tea Partier, but when I see them hollering to repeal the Affordable Care Act, I want to scream.  Sure, there are plenty of things wrong with the Affordable Care Act, but I think it's a start.

And then what do I hear?  Ted Cruz "filibustering" to repeal Obamacare.  It wasn't a real filibuster because it wouldn't prevent the vote in the Senate.  It was simply Ted grabbing media attention.

And then... Ted reads Green Eggs and Ham to his kids over the TV.  Does Ted have any reading comprehension at all?  Doesn't he realize its a child's story about not liking something you know nothing about, but once you do, you love it!

With apologies to Dr. Seuss and children of all ages...

I am Barack

I am Barack
Barack I am

That Barack-I-am
That Barack-I-am!
I do not like
that Barack-I-am

Do you like
Obamacare

I do not like it,
Barack-I-am.
I do not like
Obamacare.

Would you like it
Here or there?

I would not like it
here or there.
I would not like it
anywhere.
I do not like
Obamacare.
I do not like it,
Barack-I-am

Would you like it
in a house?
Would you like it
with a mouse?

I do not like it
in a house.
I do not like it
with a mouse.
I do not like it
here or there.
I do not like it
anywhere.
I do not like Obamacare.
I do not like it, Barack-I-am.

Would you fund it
in a box?
Would you fund it
with a fox?

Not in a box.
Not with a fox.
Not in a house.
Not with a mouse.
I would not fund it here or there.
I would not fund it anywhere.
I would not fund Obamacare.
I do not like it, Barack-I-am.

Would you? Could you?
in a car?
Fund it! Fund it!
Here they are.

I would not ,
could not,
in a car

You may like it.
You will see.
You may like it
in a tree?
Not in a tree.
I would not, could not in a tree.
Not in a car! You let me be.

I do not like it in a box.
I do not like it with a fox
I do not like it in a house
I do not like it with a mouse
I do not like it here or there.
I do not like it anywhere.
I do not like Obamacare.
I do not like it, Barack-I-am.

A train! A train!
A train! A train!
Could you, would you
on a train?

Not on a train! Not in a tree!
Not in a car! Barack! Let me be!
I would not, could not, in a box.
I could not, would not, with a fox.
I will not fund it with a mouse
I will not fund it in a house.
I will not fund it here or there.
I will not fund it anywhere.
I do not like it, Barack-I-am.

Say!
In the dark?
Here in the dark!
Would you, could you, in the dark?

I would not, could not,
in the dark.

Would you, could you,
in the rain?

I would not, could not, in the rain.
Not in the dark. Not on a train,
Not in a car, Not in a tree.
I do not like it, Barack, you see.
Not in a house. Not in a box.
Not with a mouse. Not with a fox.
I will not fund it here or there.
I do not like it anywhere!

You do not like
Obamacare?

I do not
like it,
Barack-I-am.

Could you, would you,
with a goat?

I would not,
could not.
with a goat!

Would you, could you,
on a boat?

I could not, would not, on a boat.
I will not, will not, with a goat.
I will not fund it in the rain.
I will not fund it on a train.
Not in the dark! Not in a tree!
Not in a car! You let me be!
I do not like it in a box.
I do not like it with a fox.
I will not fund it in a house.
I do not like it with a mouse.
I do not like it here or there.
I do not like it ANYWHERE!

I do not like
Obamacare!

I do not like it,
Barack-I-am.

You do not like it.
SO you say.
Try it! Try it!
And you may.
Try it and you may I say.

Barack!
If you will let me be,
I will try it.
You will see.

Say!
I like Obamacare!
I do!! I like it, Barack-I-am!
And I would fund it in a boat!
And I would fund it with a goat...
And I will fund it in the rain.
And in the dark. And on a train.
And in a car. And in a tree.
It is so good so good you see!

So I will fund it in a box.
And I will fund it with a fox.
And I will fund it in a house.
And I will fund it with a mouse.
And I will fund it here and there.
Say! I will fund it ANYWHERE!

I do so like
Obamacare!
Thank you!
Thank you,
Barack-I-am

5 comments:

  1. Dave, I agree totally! Medical bills are a leading cause for bankruptcy, even when you have insurance. Too much money being pocketed by the health care system. And too many politicians in the pockets of the ones that are making these massive profits. I am certainly not against making a profit but to be skewering the public the way they do is immoral. Have you noticed the size of the CVS's and Walgreens popping up on every corner? Talk about money to burn! My drug company is administered by Caremark, who is terrible to say the least. Guess who owns them? CVS. Whats wrong with that picture? And this clown is fighting till he cant stand anymore? Who's pocket is he in? Ted Cruz, I don't like him on a train, I don't like him on a plane, I don't like him in the grass, Ted Cruz can kiss my .......... !

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  2. Dave, you are spot-on. Cruz's antics are just the most public display of a deeply entrenched belief among our "representatives" that their personal feelings matter to us. They've all lost sight of the fact that they serve us. And we keep rewarding them by reelecting them. Politics aside, I hope you recover quickly and completely. Your blog is part of my morning routine.

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  3. Dave, Hope your feeling better and that you also find relief from the Hospital bill. I hope the government sends Cruz the bill for entertaining his children over the media. We should all demand that Cruz pay that little tab!! It's the same as Christie using the hellicopter to land at his son's ball game.

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  4. Hey Dave.
    Tru dat, my friend.
    Hope you're getting better.
    Thanks for the shout out regarding pics.

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  5. Dave,
    You should send that to The Daily Show...a very astute observation to say the least!
    I really hope you feel better and as you said 'considering the alternative'.
    All our best,
    Dan & Pat
    IRONhORE

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