Sicko

My health insurance benefits ended roughly two weeks ago, so for the past month I have been seeking a new health insurance provider. Ironically the day after I saw this movie, I was informed by Blue Anthem that my application was denied due to an expensive medication I require. I was then told that no insurance company in my state would take me because of this, and that my only option would be to get a job offering a group plan, but there would still be a chance of being declined here as well.

I left the movie completely aghast at how not subtle the differences between public and private health care are, and with many seeming myths about public health care debunked. I do know that Moore’s movies aren’t known for being a modest middle-ground voice of neutrality. However, even I was convinced that my typical 5-week waiting period to see my doctor was a blessing compared to the months I would have to wait to see doctors in Canada or the UK. After seeing the movie I asked some friends I know in Canada who confirmed that they almost never have to wait more than an hour. One person who needed to see the only dermatologist at the clinic she visits informed me she waited about an hour and a half. Though, she could have probably gotten in earlier, but she told them it wasn’t urgent and that she wouldn’t mind waiting.

Unfortunately for as many people as this movie may touch, I have my doubts that it will have any actual effect. Health care and pharma companies are too well entrenched with too much money and too many lobbyists for us, We The People, to intervene at this late date.

I’m not sure why people have been so apprehensive about socialized health care. I would like to think people have moved past this “communist” fear thing. The cold war is long over and was ridiculous enough on it’s own. Why can’t we adopt this mindset of taking care of each other and letting doctors regain their dignity and humanity? When did we all start believing that health should only be available to the wealthy?

It all reminds me of a poll I participated in not too long ago that asked if I would rather be granted health or wealth? I was saddened to have to select wealth, because I knew that wealth is the only way to claim AND maintain health.

May 15th: The Sheep (and Oil Companies) Will Have Their Day

Apparently the social network websites are crawling with calls to boycott gasoline on May 15th.  As it turns out, environmentalism and sticking it to “the man” are still sexy and people will be doing their part to be sexy.  For a day.

The idea that if the entire nation, or even all of North America decides not buy gasoline on the 15th the oil companies and gas station owners will “choke” on the reserve and be forced to lower gas prices. Sounds good, right? I will probably participate in this event without even realizing it.  I buy gas at a rate of about three times a month, so the odds of me buying gas on the 15th are already fairly low. This will likely be the case with most people.  However, some people will hit a quarter tank on the 14th and decide not to tempt fate and fill up on the 14th.  Some people will chance it, and fill up on the 16th.  Regardless, the gas will still be used and the money will still be spent.  It’s just a matter of the day before or the day after the “gas-out.”  There is no reduction in usage or consumption – people will still drive on the 15th, heat their homes, and fly airplanes on the 15th.  A one-day boycott will have effect on long-term or even short-term gas prices.  The best case scenario would be a few cent decline on the 16th to rid of the “excess.”

More likely though, the surge of people purchasing on the 14th will result in higher gas prices on the 14th, then the sudden drop out on the 15th will make prices fall a few cents below par. Of course, no one will buy gas on the 15th to enjoy the brief $3.05 prices (down from $3.09).  Then, on the 16th, people will buy again and prices will probably go up a few cents to $3.12 or so.  So in reality, people will be spending more money on gas than if they just bought as normal and let the price stay stable at 3.09.  Not that a few cents really matters when it’s already over $3.

The only way to successfully boycott gasoline is to simply consume less.  A very, very minimal start for the 15th could be to walk that day, or bike, or get around in some fashion that doesn’t use any gasoline.  Better yet, we could consume just a little bit less every single day instead of consuming none on one day of the year.  So next time you want to drive to the bank or the grocery store or to whatever minor errand you are running, think about this…

• If 10% of Americans aged 18 or more walked/biked/whatever-ed a half a mile every week instead of driving, we would save over 29 million gallons of gas per year.
• If we did it every day, it could be over 203 gallons a year.
• If half of Americans 18 or over did it, it would save over a billion gallons a year.
• If 3/4 of 18+ Americans did it for a mile each day, it would save 3.05 billion (3,045,000,000) gallons a year.

So get out there and walk.

The Cost of War

 

The Senate recently passed a bill approving President Bush’s request for funding to continue the war at a taxpayer cost of $124,000,000,000. There was, however, a stipulation that troop withdrawal would commence in the coming months and all troops would be out by this time next year. The idea is that the President will have to make concessions in regard to removing military presence to be given the money he requested.

It went without saying that he would veto the bill (though, he did have a staffer say he will reject it on principle).

The amount of money being spent on the war is absurd, and to request 124 BILLION dollars additionally is ridiculous. The only way to get that amount of money from us, the taxpayers is to put some stipulations on the remainder of this war, something that we, the people, want. I certainly can’t say this for everyone, but I believe a majority of Americans see the need for change and a different approach. Letting the war become a money, energy, and human life sink is not what we have in mind when we say we want victory.

Needless to say, it is a lot of money, and as such, it should come with strings. Perhaps negotiation is still needed, but it is insane to think that we should willingly hand over such an amount of money knowing that without considerations for the future of the war, we could be signing another appropriations bill 12 months from now for a similar or perhaps grossly higher figure.

Just so you know just how big 124 billion dollars is here are some breakdowns:

• Every person in the US 18 years or older is footing $571.43
• If stretched over an entire year, we would be spending $3,932.01 every. single. second.
  • There is a significant number of Americans who make less than this amount in 6 months of work.
• Instead of spending this money in Iraq, we could give every single person on the planet $18.49
• In one-dollar bills, this amount would weigh 273,373,205 lbs.
  • In $20 amounts, it would weigh 13,668,660 lbs.
  • In $100 amounts, it would weigh (obviously) 2,733,732 lbs.
    • 2.7 million lbs is more than 411 Ford F150 pick-up trucks.
    • If all 124 Billion were stacked in $100 bills, it would be 444,333 feet tall.
      • 444,333 feet is over 84. miles. tall.
      • The Sears tower reigns in at a meager 1,730 feet, less than 0.4% the height of the $100 bills.
• We would be spending 117% the entire GDP of New Zealand in a single piece of legislation.

It is worth thinking about where your money goes.