Thursday, January 6, 2011

January 6, 2011: What to say...

This morning a cashier told me to be happy and that things could always be worse. I told her that that thought wasn't at all comforting because I KNOW things can be a lot worse.

A simple "I'm so sorry for what you are going through." is a whole lot better. It is the truth and doesn't make you think of how much more pain is possible in your life.

Today someone else told me that you can always purchase health insurance if you're not employed. I guess that's true - if you don't have any major pre-existing conditions and if you're independently wealthy. The republicans are busily promoting the idea that our country doesn't need a health insurance plan. I understand why they say that - the wealthy people funding the republicans want to continue to be excused from paying taxes. Many of them own shares of insurance companies. What I don't understand is why regular non-mega rich Americans believe them.

Universal health insurance would give people the opportunity to start small businesses or continue to be employed by them. Small businesses cannot afford to offer their employees health insurance. Have you noticed all the small companies disappearing and being replaced by Walmart, FedEx, Barnes & Noble, etc.? Many Americans are forced to stay at jobs with poor working conditions to keep their health insurance benefit. Large companies have way too much power over their employees' freedoms.

Top executives in the US often make 200 times the income of their employees. In decades past it was 20 times. In Japan top executives still make just 20 times the salary of their average employee.

I do not want to supplement the income of people earning BILLIONS per year by denying health insurance to the middle and lower classes. We need universal health care in this country!

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