Dear Missouri voters,
I have always been a proud Missourian. I have defended this state to those who want to write it off as being second rate in regards to its culture and its citizens. I have long sung praises of the beauty of our state. The wildlife, rivers and scenic areas are among the best in the country. It is clear to even the most casual of observers that Missouri is a great sports state. We have top notch Universities and hospitals, and our contributions to the arts are many and varied. I have always felt it an honor and my privilege to call myself a citizen of the state of Missouri.
But no more.
While I can't pretend I am surprised, I am deeply saddened and angered by the approval of Proposition C. The fact that it passed by such an overwhelmingly large number is just alarming. Embarrassing, actually. I am dismayed to know that there are that many selfish, backward, uneducated people in our midst.
As mentioned in my last post, the approval of Prop. C sends the message that we Missourians wouldn't know progress if it came up and bit us. But beyond that, it's just hard for me to believe that there are so many calloused, insensitive and heartless people out there who would deny helping their fellow man. For a party who claims to be the choice of Christianity, the Republicans have really dropped the ball here. I have no problem seeing my money go towards helping other people, but that seems to be what it boils down to for the other side. It just goes to prove the stereotype that all Republicans care about is money. Their own money, not yours or mine. And to see Roy Blunt on television claiming this victory to be the first step in securing freedom for future generations...well, it just made me sick. I actually yelled at the television and suggested he dine on something very rude indeed.
Now, you may be wondering why this upsets me so. Believe it or not, it has nothing to do with party loyalty. In fact, the Democrats have passed an incredibly stupid tax law which we'll explore at a later date. My reasoning for supporting national health care is simple. I believe it makes sense, and I am directly affected. I have a lump in my lung that, thank God, has not tested to be cancerous. But it needs to be monitored just in case. Which means it could turn cancerous at some point. It's unlikely but it could happen. The problem is that due to my job, my insurance has changed three times in five years. "Lumpy" is now a pre-existing condition and not covered by any insurance. Therefore, if I am to continue with the tests that my doctor ordered I have to pay for them myself. I don't know about you, but I don't have $3000.00 every third month to get the tests done. Nationalized health care is my only hope. So this is not just another issue to argue about for me. It's personal.
So, yeah, I'm angry with my fellow Missourians, but this is just the last straw. I've put up with the personal property tax, exclusive to this state. I have lived with the concealed carry law though it makes me uncomfortable. Most of the gun owners I know are fairly responsible, but I'm still a little nervous, even around them. And now people are trying to deny me cancer tests. It's just about as much idiocy as I can take.
The only upside I see is that federal law trumps state law, and there's barely a snowball's chance for this cockamamie idea to succeed. If it does...well, in a few years my family and I are going to need to move to a bigger house in a less expensive neighborhood, and Illinois may well be in the running.
Regretfully yours,
Dave
P.S. I have altered some settings on my blog, and it should be easier to comment now. Bring it.
P.P.S. I promise to return to all the family stuff and general goofiness next time.
2 comments:
A better route for the government to take would be to figure out how to lower health care costs. Those tests you need shouldn't cost $3000. Forcing people to take care of strangers (indirectly by forcing them to by a product they may not want) is morally wrong, though. Do you feel that society owes you health care, and if so how do you justify that and where do you draw the line?
Either way, proposition C said nothing about preexisting conditions.
I do agree that healthcare costs are far too high, and government action would be welcome. You are also correct that Prop. C said nothing about preexisting conditions. However, it is widely agreed that this is just the first step towards the entire state rejecting national healthcare completely (see previous post for my thoughts on this).
I can't disagree more strongly though with your version of morality. It is our social, practical and biblical responsibility to take care of one another, especially those less fortunate. That's what this is all about. I was a supporter of national healthcare back in the 1990s when Hilary Clinton was proposing it...years before it had any personal effect on me. Society doesn't owe me anything-we owe each other. There shouldn't be a line in this case.
I don't personally see a difference between using our tax money for a national healthcare system and using it to pay for any other government service. We pay for public schools whether we use them or not. And there is the option of choosing private school, like there'll be the option of choosing your own healthcare providers. We also pay for public roads, whether we drive them or not, and public sanitation, even if we never leave the house. I just don't understand the argument.
There's still a few years before this whole thing kicks in, and who knows exactly how it will all play out. Once the program gets started it will change and evolve like anything else. Perhaps it will fail, but it's a risk I beleive is worth taking.
Thanks for your comment. I may rant in the blog but I will always try to treat individual commenters with respect. Thank you for doing the same.
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