Epic Dem Fail.

Now it's not like we didn't see this kinda stuff coming... oh, wait, we apparently didn't. But seeing this article in the NYT simply made me want to cry, vomit, laugh, punch somebody, etc. Greece, one of the most social of nations over there, needs bailout money. Why? The usual suspects... big unions, bloated beaurocracies and socialized healthcare. Go read that article and tell me with a straight face that all the things we have JUST voted in aren't going to be the ruin of us all? We're currently broke and have already done our bailout deal which we won't recover from for over 10 years. Europe, of whom our latest polices are based on, is struggling mightily from within economically, and there's a pretty dark cloud looming over it all... they might not see economic sunlight for decades. There's a good take on it over at hotair, which sums up this nicely. Seriously, and we're just starting to do this sh*t?

Another thing to keep in mind. The IMF, which is an international conglomerate of nation states, includes the good ol' USA. They are participating in the 138 billion bailout for Greece. Guess who's the biggest contributor? That would be the US of course. So get this, WE have to shell out like 8 billion of OUR TAX MONEY to bail out Greece.

Sigh. Better get outside and plant the victory garden.

Healthcare solutions?

I certainly don't want to ruffle any more feathers, but here's my take on the deal...

Yes, poor people need health care too. No argument there. Quite frankly, I don't want to pay for it. There is no way in hell I really want a good chunk of my tax dollars to pay for the poor. I'm sorry, but if I want to contribute to it, put a checkbox at the bottom of my tax return requesting I give 20 bucks to the government insurance option (more on that in a bit). This way, I can choose to be a good guy when I want to, not when the government says I must. The reason I don't want them playing with my tax dollars for government programs to pay for the poor is simple... there is no way in hell the government could provide the services necessary within budgetary concerns. Think about it. 400 dollar band aids.

We do need a solution that addresses the insurance racket greed. I mean, I pay 6k a year. I've had insurance for a long freaking time (with a gazillion providers). So say in 10 years, that's more than 50k I've paid to various companies when I've needed a total of about 120 bucks in actual doctor care. Sure, it cost like 600 dollars for that 120 dollars worth of work, but hey, I only had to pay them 35 dollars for the visit. How does THAT math add up, anyway? If I pay for 6k worth of coverage per year, I shouldn't have to pay a freaking CENT when I go for a checkup. What I'm saying here is I am for a government option to provide insurance. This will force competition, and may allow change in the system, along the lines for health insurance to become more like life or auto insurance, which can be taken with you from job to job, state to state. Competition increases, costs for the insurance companies will actually drop because the equity invested by a lifetime subscriber will translate into lower costs as the individual keeps his healthcare for ten years, not one or two, so if you don't "make claims", you're not costing them anything and over a long period the money you invest will become your 'healthcare retirement fund'. Lots of little things too, especially to lower overhead for the businesses, and a more complete ease of use for the client. Lots of win-win to be had around here, but people are stubborn. Myself included. I mean, I want my option to choose my insurer, just as much as my provider. I don't like my choices now as much as I would if I could watch funny Geico commercials about health insurance.

Oh, the death panel thing? I do think if we get to a single payer option that would be a very real possibility. If the government takes the competition out of health care, we're doomed. I don't care about the reality of healthcare for socialized medicine in the UK or Canada. We aren't the UK or Canada. I know the DMV reference is tired, but Americans can be incredibly lazy when they want to be. If we seriously take out the individual success achieved by becoming a doctor, which is a giant house in the suburbs apparently, who's going to want to be the healthcare providers? There will always be a calling for some, but I think a lot of the talent that is attracted by financial security will dry up if there is no drive to be the best doctor you can be. The really good doctors and surgeons should make a lot of money in my opinion, and I would be willing to subscribe to the insurance provider that has access to the best. Choice is the American way. I also wonder what happens to all the University hospitals... do they get absorbed into the system? How about the religiously affiliated? "I'm sorry, you can only be treated here if you're Catholic... separation of church and state and all..." Just wondering.

Tort reform is something that needs to be addressed as well, but I don't know enough about that to yap about it. Doctor Burke and I had a discussion on that very subject about 7 years ago, but I've had a lot of beer since then, so I'm a bit fuzzy on the details. I can imagine it would only be worse now. I'll leave that one up to the Doctors and the useless jerks up on the Hill.

It can be done. There can be a way to get everybody to get along on this issue, just not out of my pocket. Unless I want to of course. Paying for 47 million other people's insurance pisses me off since I still have a stupid co-pay, with more taxes to boot? Nope. Throw out this bill and get something hammered out that de-regulates and fixes, not changes a system that could work if just given the proper steerage.