Falling through the cracks, and loving it.

I have no health insurance, and I am falling through the cracks. I have severe heart problems, battle depression, and fight chronic shoulder pain. When I say loving it, I mean I love the United States of America. I am very willing to continue to fall through the cracks, and pray for the failure of ObamaCare.

I predict that ObamaCare would be a massive expansion of the federal government, riddled with waste, abuse, fraud, and additional losses of individual freedom, for every citizen. It's not worth it. I am not worth it. To have the nation suffer all that, so I can fill out federal paperwork, is not worth it.

I have wonderful health care. God bless the taxpayers of Cook county, for the stent which saved my life. But please, don't expand the federal government in this sweeping manner. I'll struggle to do better. I'll try to get private insurance. But for now, continue to fall through the cracks. I'll go without medication, regular doctor visits, stress tests, etc. I'll live with pain. My country is worth it.

Obama's speech to schoolchildren

U.S. citizens would typically approve of the president making a speech to schoolchildren. But I think the reason folks are objecting to the Obama speech is that he has broken faith with the American people many times.
1. He broke faith when he questioned the seriousness of the Tea Party movement.
2. He broke faith when he suggested that the concerns of american people, over health care reform were due to misinformation, and lack of a clear briefing on his plan.
3. He broke faith when he asked U.S. citizens to inform on each other at flag@whitehouse.gov
4. He broke faith when he repeatedly, falsely claimed the AARP supported his healtcare reform.
After these and other transgressions, the U.S. citizens do not have confidence in their president. They are concerned that he will, in his speech to the children, break faith.

Progressive Healthcare Reform: The Goal and the Naiveté

I've been wading through progressive postings on line, wondering if there is any common goal in the current healthcare efforts. I think I have found it: The elimination of the (evil) private healthcare industry. I believe this is why progressives are angry about the possibility of both mandated insurance coverage, and no government insurance option. This, in their minds, goes the opposite direction of their desires. Private insurance companies have more insurance policies/money and are stronger, not weaker. I suspect, deep in their heart, they know the federal government will not do a fantastic job of providing healthcare insurance. They do believe, however, that as bad as federal healthcare insurance might be, it would be thousands of times better than "evil" private healthcare insurance. Progressives must liberate the United States from private healthcare insurance, that is the goal.
Their naiveté shows in at least two glaring ways. First, most U.S. citizens are happy with their current health insurance. So they start this fight at a disadvantage. They must convince folks that a radical change is needed to something with which they are satisfied. I don't see any of the propaganda taking this on. I don't even see them admitting folks are okay with their current insurance. I do see numerous stories of individual tragedies, boycotts and threats. But I don't think this strategy is winning many converts.
Second, we live in a capitalist society. The current healthcare reform effort is at odds with a capitalist society. This is especially clear in a "play or pay" reform. If an employer is forced to provide for health insurance, somebody will pay. It will be lost jobs, lower wages, higher costs for the goods or services they will provide. It will not be lower profits. This is a bitter pill for progressives, but it is unrealistic to think the CEO and board will stand before shareholders to tell them they are cutting their dividends to pay for health insurance. The reason the CEO has their job is to increase profits. The federal government cannot force private companies to cut their profits (yet). Therefore the current healthcare reform effort is a threat to small business. To ignore this is to dim the chances for radical healthcare reform.
It seems to me the only way progressives can reach their goal is to change the very nature of this country. And perhaps that is another progressive goal. The strong regulation of every single private (not private for long) business. Bring every employer in line with progressive fairness, as it is defined at that particular point in time. Maybe the current healthcare reform effort was a back door attempt to end capitalism as we know it. Given the freedom loving spirit of the citizens of this country, I don't think progressives have even the tiniest chance of long term success.