Hypodermics, Pills and Stethoscopes...OH MY!!!

There is a lot of talk recently of Health Care Reform and supplying health care to everyone in this country. Some talking heads in the media and Washington have even gone so far as to say that Health Care needs to be as mandatory as Car Insurance. (S'cuse me sir/ma'am, what if I don't drive or have a car?) Here are some of my thoughts on this issue. I am going to warn you though, if you find this sort of thing boring or you don't care about it (I can't blame you) stop reading now. I have been known to start these kind of talks and not stop until the proverbial horse is not just dog chow and glue but also being bought at the local Mega-Mart Discount Store as a school supply.

First let me say this, Health Care in America is not a quick fix problem. The Health care system as it is now is a Stage 4 Cancerous Brain Tumor that can't truly be removed from the codified American Physche as easily as what is being force fed WE THE PEOPLE by the idiots on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and all the Congressmen and Congresswomen in the united states of America. The system has become almost Lovecraftian in it's ability to invade every aspect of our daily lives and control what we do, see, hear and think. A Hydra of power that when one head gets cut off another quickly grows inexplicably to take the withering bloody stump of rotten and corruption lying at the feet of the Taxpayers place.

It is one truly goofed up system. For instance, Drug Manufacturing companies send out Drug Representatives to all the Doctor offices in America to give the Doctor's FREE samples of the Drugs they make. (Yes, this includes Viagra, Imatrex, Maxalt, Cialis and just about any other non narcotic class of drug. I have even heard that some folks can even get samples of Diabetes medicine.) Crazy. So, pretend your a Doctor with a patient and this patient suffers from Migraines but cant afford the 150 dollar prescription for 10 pills a month, you say to yourself, "Doc, I can just give him a handful of these free samples. Then the patient will come back in a month and I will give the sad, pitiful, sick, poor, transient excuse of a human being more free samples. The patient will be CURED!!! I will be a HERO!!! I AM AMAZING!!!" And the Doc will go on his merry way thinking he has done his country, his state, his profession and this person a good deed. Um, Not so fast Mr. Quick Fix! I call FOUL! For one thing as many of you know there is no real cure for Migraines. I wish there were, I suffer from them. I have been able to control them a bit through diet and stress management but there is still no known cure for those painful hiatus's into sensory overload.

So, this Doc is now finished with his day of work by dispensing free sample drugs to cure everything from warts to Male Pattern Baldness and the Common Cold. He is getting ready to close up shop for the day and head home but he wants to check his email and wouldn't you know it, one of the drug companies that gave him free samples is having a Public Offering of their stock. He thinks, "hmm, if I buy some of this and then I prescribe it I can get some money out of it. Sweet deal!" so he clicks on one of the internet stock sites and purchases 1100 shares of stock at 20 bucks a share. Can't say as I would blame him, you know, what with Capitalism being our mode of income and core value in our country.

Meanwhile back in Washington an airplane is touching down at JFK and onboard this plane are what as known as "LOBBYIST" and they work for the highest bidder. Kind of like hired guns in the old west, but in this day and age they don't use guns, they use money from the deep pockets of the Pharmaceutical Companies to grease the cogs and gears of the Washington Fast Track Political Raceway. Seriously, these guys are taking our elected officials to lunch and dinner and breakfast at some of the most expensive and posh restaurants and hotels in the country. Sometimes these politicians even get trips to foreign countries by these companies through their Lobbyists to see the kindly act of charity and Samaritan-hood they are performing for these poor nations that can't afford the drugs they need to fight off things like Dysentery, HIV, Malaria, H1N1 (Swine Flu), Chicken Pox, Mumps, Measles and a plethora of other ailments we in America seem oblivious to because we are worried about our "Restless Leg Syndrome."

Now, Mr. or Mrs Conrgressman/woman is now overseas and staying in the finest hovel of some village in the middle of no-where and eating the finest free range chicken on the sarenghetti plains of Tibet and he/she sees that this company is trying to do a good thing so when he/she gets back to the good 'ol u.s. of A they end up saying to their constituents "This company is not a bad company, they are trying to do good. Let's let them do whatever it is they want to do to capitalize on what they need to help improve the living style of everyone one the planet." The other congressmen/women agree with this now "Pocketed" Congressman/woman. Why? Because THEY need his/her Vote on a new Dam or Wild Life Refuge or a Job Bill or a GUN LAW or whatever else it is they want or feel they need.

Oh, please remember, there are no term limits for congressional positions so all these "Leaders" are in a continuous race to keep their jobs by being re-elected at whatever price. So if an Insurance Company wants new legislation passed and is headquartered in the state of the commonwealth of WisCaliLaskaSoroui they then seek out the Congressional Representatives for that state, ply them with food, drink, promises of Gianormous donations to their re-election campaign and to a charity or charities of their choice and BINGO you have another "Pocketed" DC insider.

Ok, lets take count of what we have so far;

1. Doctors in the pockets of Pharmaceutical Companies.
2. Congressmen/women in the pockets of Lobbyists.
3. Congressmen/women in the pockets of Insurance Companies.
4. Congressmen/women looking to get re-elected.

I know I am forgetting something, I am not sure what. Oh, yeah, I know, a General Public force fed pablum by the media that is owned by a multi-national conglomeration of corporations that include both Pharmaceutical and Insurance Companies. DAT DER IS NUMERO 5!!!!

Yup, we need reform but not the type the united states Government is talking about. Look people, I LOVE MY COUNTRY and I RESPECT MY COUNTRY, but that does not mean I LOVE MY GOVERNMENT or even RESPECT MY GOVERNMENT. I do not follow blindly anymore, I gave up being a blind follower when I left the USN so many years ago. Now I question things, maybe not all the time but I do question the big things. Issues that will affect my and my loved ones for years to come.

If our elected leaders were so serious about truly changing health care in this country they would start by getting rid of the lobbyists for the pharmaceutical and the insurance companies. Wait, that is a brilliant idea, let us take it one step further and get rid of all lobbyists with the exception and approval by a vote from WE THE PEOPLE! A revolution of sorts. One that will give the power back to US THE PEOPLE. That is the only true way to reform this system.

I know I am not even touching on other areas of the health care reform that is being forced onto us by the current powers in America such as Illegal Immigrant care and the removal of the PRIVATE Hospital by making them all PUBLIC domain so that all Hospitals now have to accept all who walk through the door to the emergency room whether they have a splinter or a coronary embolism it does not matter, THET HAVE TO TREAT YOU. Even if you can't pay.

Hold on a second, I need to go back and read this and see what I have wrote.

Wow, I am cynical today, but you know what, I don't care and I don't trust our Government to do what is right. I just don't. I wish I could trust them but I can't. I have tried to speak with our representatives here in Virginia, I have sent an email or 3 to them with no response. I have signed online petitions I have even had a conversation or two with people I respect and admire. (One will eventually be a Blog so stay tuned) I have done what I can with the tools that I have but I just don't see things changing. Our system of care in this country is better than most and we do have a decent care on our worst days for most people. Do most people deserve that care? Don't know right now and I don't really care. (Hint; BLOG topic)

I gotta wrap this up so, in conclusion;

Don't trust what they say and only accept what you can afford. No one person can in the position of power can truly say what you need unless they are working your job and paying your bills and dealing with YOUR issues. Just remember you get what you vote for. Now, I am taking my soap box and going home to drown my sorrows and woes in a vat of ICB Root Beer!