Among the uninsured

I've read quite a few articles and comments where Republicans and Conservatives say Democrats and Liberals don't want to work for anything and expect the government to foot their bills.

Let me tell you something.

I babysat as a kid.  My first paying job where I needed working papers was a camp counselor at age 14 or 15.  From then until college graduation I worked at the following places:

a pharmacy
a perfume and make-up outlet
a candy store
a clothing store
a mall salon/high-end product retailer
a steel company doing data entry
a prominent medical school screening candidates for healthcare trials
a mental health facility accompanying patients on field trips
a day care center

After graduation I spent the next ten years in Publishing, during which I had a part-time job at Barnes and Noble for about six months so that I can afford my rent. I've now been a consultant at Biz for a year and a half.  While there were definite breaks in between jobs because of school, I've been working for 20 years.

I went to the dentist at 3pm for my toothache.  The good news is nothing was wrong.  He thinks it may be a combination of allergies and my teeth grinding, even though I wear a mouthguard most nights. The bad news is, as I wrote earlier, I no longer have dental working for a small company. 

I was blessed with great medical, dental, and vision coverage in Publishing.  The industry doesn't pay well, but I've always thought they made it up with their insurance package.  Today was the first time in my life I had to say, "I don't have insurance."

You know what?  It was deflating, embarassing, and infuriating.   Why?  I've been a contributing member of society for most my life.  Why shouldn't I have affordable health coverage and care?

This is where I see the difference between the right and left.  The right seem to claim the left feels "entitled" to healthcare.  I don't feel "entitled" to it.  This isn't about MEMEME. I feel EVERYONE should have healthcare coverage.  There's nothing "entitled" about it.

Fortunately, I'm able to afford the $80 worth of x-rays.  I cannot fucking imagine what someone who CAN'T afford their medical bills must think.  Imagine choosing death because you can't afford medicine or treatment?  What about hard working parents with two or three jobs that need to scrape by in order to get their kid antibiotics? 

And I'll say it...what about a woman who gives birth because she can't afford birth control or an abortion?  Do you really think she'll be able to afford pre and post-natal care?  Sure, one could say it's her problem for being irresponsible. I disagree.  It's irresponsible of someone who has the means to prevent getting pregnant, not someone who is poor or uneducated.  SEX IS FREE, PEOPLE.  If you're poor and uneducated, rich with ten degrees or somewhere in between, EVERYONE FUCKS.

I want to read the Affordable Care Act.  Here's where all politicians suck, including Obama...it's friggin 2400 pages long!! Granted it's written double spaced with a big font and margins, but sheesh! If you want the layman to be informed, try a less intimidating language and page count.

There's my political rant for today.  Remember when this blog was fun?  I miss writing about boiling denim and banging whores.