Bad American

Well here we are.

Yesterday, thanks to the George W. Bush Economic Miracle, the general state of the local and national economy and the fact that Americans are reading less and less, I canceled my health insurance.

With that, I joined the 45 million who are well and truly fucked in the Land of the Free should something medically happen to us.

Of course Rush Limbaugh and the rest of the ‘bootstrap’ crowd could care less. The mere fact that you haven’t gamed the system for enough money is proof positive you lack enough moral gumption to be entitled to health care.

To those people I say: fuck you.

Here I am, a small business owner, having given my town something most of them said they desperately wanted: offered a great product selection for a great price, advertised, got involved in my community and, in general, made my store a welcoming and attractive asset to my community.

And one year later, I have to drop my health insurance.

And why not? I pay $150 every month for a policy which pays nothing for drugs and doctor visits but has a $10,000 ( you read that right) yearly deductible.

I love this post from Big Ass Belle

Seriously, our health care system is totally fucked. The “self administered medication” in question? Two 2.5 mg Percocets I took in recovery, post-surgery. How could it possibly cost $72.63 for a nurse to shake two pills from her bottle, walk five steps, hand me a cup of water and two tablets.

My insurance company will undoubtedly bargain this down significantly. But what of those who have no insurance? How can any single uninsured working person possibly afford to pay $8,900 for the facility fee

George Bush’s solution is “health care savings accounts,” whereby American can surely pay for . . . I don’t know, maybe a typical prescription which, without insurance, generally runs at least $100 and often as much as $400-500. With the US savings rate in the negative, can anyone besides the ultra rich save money at a pace which could easily cover an unexpected health event like this one? only for a 90 minute outpatient surgery? That’s not even counting the pathologist’s fee, the anesthesiologist, the surgeon’s hefty pound of flesh, or any of the assorted radiology or lab fees that always fill the mailbox after an encounter with a hospital. Ninety minutes in the hospital. Ninety. Minutes. Two. Pills. $8,900 and more to come. It’s madness.

George W. Bush could CARE LESS about the people who can’t afford it. He’s the president of the “have mores” you understand. If you can’t afford health insurance or medical care, it’s probably your own moral failing and you deserve to die so the ‘winners’ can access the resources they deserve.

Well, I don’t know how much longer I can run my bookstore in this environment. I talked today with the lady who runs the bakery next door. She hasn’t had health insurance in years. And my friend who brought his fossil collection to display in my store for the local kids - who drives a bus for Geauga County and plows snow in the winter, doesn’t have health insurance and neither does his wife.

If I get another surprise medical condition, like my January 2006 gall bladder surgery, I’d lose my store to the $25,000 medical cost anyway.

I worked for the Federal government for 11 years. I have re-employment eligible rights. Which means if I work at it enough, I can probably get back into the US civil service which I left BECAUSE I didn’t feel it was fair to get paid $35,000 yearly of taxpayer’s money to lightly shuffle paper for 8 hours a day. And get all that paid annual and sick leave and health insurance and job security and, and, and. . .

I can’t believe what 11 years in the private sector have done to my attitude. Now if I could get back into the civil service I would feel no compunction whatsoever when I get my paycheck and bennies. None. The little guy, minus the rich family, cannot make it in the current economic climate. And a progressive who speaks his mind can’t make it in the so-called ‘liberal’ media.

Work somewhere else? I’m 45 with the dreaded “gaps” in my resume. Good luck with that. At least the Federal civil service forgives and I’d get credited back my previous 11 years.

So give me my back my little cubicle and computer and I’ll get back to it. I’ll massage my dashed dreams with wondering what I’ll do again with all that paid time off, affordable health insurance, and job security.

And Chardon loses the bookstore and another light goes out in the American heartland. Another bookstore, another small business (among many hanging by a hair in my town), another dream dies.

And a few miles away, blissfully unaware consumers wander aimlessly through the aisles at Wal-Mart.

The American Dream is ending - for all of us.