Monday, April 29, 2019

Extinction Level Stupidity



You've almost certainly seen these types of donation jars sitting on the counter of a convenience store or some other business. They're all pretty standard, these donation jars have a picture of the person in need, a brief but heart wrenching biography, and a plea for help in the form of asking for loose change or a couple of bucks. For me personally, when it involves kids I try to avoid looking at the picture or reading the story.

The world is incredibly cruel to children and if I think too much about it my thoughts go to unhappy and dark places. No, I'm not talking about hurting anyone or myself. My dark places are philosophical in nature with me wondering about human stupidity and other metaphysical ideas.

Without delving too deeply into my ruminations, one aspect that I find darkly hilarious involves how many of these people who deploy donation jars as a way to pay medical bills are totally against any form of government-run healthcare. When I write “these people” I naturally mean poor working class folks who either have crappy health insurance or none at all. It's strange world, so there might be an exception or two but rich folks don't have to deploy donation jars to pay medical bills.

Several years ago I watched a documentary about a nonprofit medical organization that went into poor towns in places like Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina to provided much needed health services. This organization went beyond basic checkups to include simple surgeries to making dentures and providing artificial limbs.

If this nonprofit organization was operating as a business then they would have been making money hand over fist. Because these good old country folks would stand in incredibly long lines for days for a chance to get the medical care they desperately needed. During this documentary the filmmakers showed several examples of folks who had traveled long distances to see a doctor or dentist because they had no other means to pay for those services back home.

Here's where my normal compassion and empathy breaks down. While this documentary was made five to ten years ago, the people in these regions voted overwhelmingly for that bastard Trump. We're also talking about folks who are overwhelmingly white and live off welfare or Social Security disability. These simple people – and I don't mean that in a good way – like to believe they are rugged individualist who mistrust, but more than likely outright hate, the federal government. Even when they depend on Uncle Sam for the money to run down to WalMart, Dollar General, or Family Dollar.

No, they cringe at the idea of the government being in charge of healthcare and the possibility some atheistic, liberal bureaucratic bean counter “death panel” might want to kill grandma because of her failing health. The nasty little secret these working class and even middle class conservatives refuse to understand is that for-profit health insurance companies regularly decided which patients get medical services and who doesn't. Contrary to the Alaskan Trailer Trash Mama (Sarah Palin for those who don't remember) her Death Panels are pure capitalistic affairs. She did at least get the bureaucratic bean counter part right.

But despite all the evidence that its better to have some form of government intervention to provide healthcare to everyone, these good old folks will continue to enlist the aid of convenience store donation jars and nonprofit organizations to get basic medical care. Because it's better to stick it to elitist liberals and suffer than even try what all the other developed nations have had for decades.

9 comments:

The Bug said...

Well you have certainly hit the nail on this head. My dad once wrote a scathing letter to the editor talking about sheep who voted against their own interests because someone convinced them that Democrats are evil.

Ranch Chimp said...

Great points yo made. I alwayz seen children as about the most abused segment of our society, and when they revolt against this system we have, it's in order. Trump is lousy and the most habitual lying politician I've ever seen, but not the only problem, this whole problem is systemic, and a culture. Sure, I vote democrat, and democrats today are better than republicans, but I honestly don't like either of the parties, or their games and cult mentality ... kind of like religions to me ... I would flush them both down the toilet. Recently here in Dallas (suburban Dallas), these folks that are against taxation started bitching about the new toll roads and the prices they have to pay, etc. ... what was so odd about it, is these are the same folks that voted against the 30 cent a gallon gasoline tax for building roads, which would have amounted to $3 bucks per 10 gallons (most drive these damn vehicles that are the size of small buses, then they bitch about gas prices! ... I drive a small 4-cyl 2010 Honda Fit). The stupidity of this cultural mindset, is now they are paying out the ass because they were so against a petty gas tax ... now their whining like babies. I think I may have seen the same video you have a few years back, or similar (seen so many) ... yes, it's actually embarrassing as a country of our wealth status that boasts of democracy and a bunch of popular cliches and meaningless platitudes, that we have a condition like this. Sadly Bum, I have lost much respect for this country over the last decade, as far as how this country is governed, and I loathe saying this to a veteran, but if I said otherwise, I would be less than truthful. I'll shut up, because it would be improper here to elaborate frankly.

SmartCric live said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
sage said...

Even with decent insurance, every time I hear someone say they don't want government in charge of our health care, I think of my insurance company issues and battles. I think insurance companies, when enough people have had horrible experiences with them, may be the way to a universal health system. How can a doctor in the same office or hospital in which your insurance covers, not be a part of your insurance coverage...

www.thepulpitandthepen.com

W. Hackwhacker said...

There's more than a little "cutting off your nose to spite your face" attitude among these people that puts a higher priority on holding to tribal myths and hatreds than on voting in your best interests. It's lucky for them cutting off your nose is covered under Obamacare or Medicare/Medicaid.

Pixel Peeper said...

You said it! Who ever thought that making money off people's health problems would be a good idea?

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