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T
I find it sad that 5 of the 6 people who responded in the above poll would not participate in an action, even if the Lord asked them to do it. Makes me wonder if the people who responded that way are Christians.
Matthew: thank you for reminding us that people do indeed have a voice. It's called ELECTIONS. In a country like the US, we get the government we deserve.
Matthew: thank you for reminding us that people do indeed have a voice. It's called ELECTIONS. In a country like the US, we get the government we deserve.
"Give to Cesear what is Cesear's"
" As a christian single. do you plan on becoming a part of Occupy Wall Street movement?"
um.. No, not even a little bit.
even if the Lord leads? (Loaded) Why would Christ compel me to take part in a protest for wanting more money or benefits or salary in such an abstract place? Are we suppose to want or be envious of those who have more. Is the Kingdom of Heaven like an Occupy Wall Street Protest? I don't see the similarities at all. This has more in common with the first french revolution than the love of Christ.
If I truly believed that elected officials are the best representation of my voice, I would not protest. If I didn't believe that I probably would, but I certainly would not be on the side of people demanding more money for the sake of not having more money.
" As a christian single. do you plan on becoming a part of Occupy Wall Street movement?"
um.. No, not even a little bit.
even if the Lord leads? (Loaded) Why would Christ compel me to take part in a protest for wanting more money or benefits or salary in such an abstract place? Are we suppose to want or be envious of those who have more. Is the Kingdom of Heaven like an Occupy Wall Street Protest? I don't see the similarities at all. This has more in common with the first french revolution than the love of Christ.
If I truly believed that elected officials are the best representation of my voice, I would not protest. If I didn't believe that I probably would, but I certainly would not be on the side of people demanding more money for the sake of not having more money.
G
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Yeah, meh.
It's called indifference, no one caring. No one feeling they can care . ME make a difference ? Indifference.
And....frankly, with unemployment (true unemployment over 20%, including those both underemployed and just plain stopped looking for work plus I would add, those jobs out there without people technically enough qualified to do them), yeah, I understand why OWS is a blip on most's care radar .
And, as the Lord leads me, I would like to be an agent to change that defeatist mindset.
But, where is the victory even viewed in the distance?
I mean, listening to tv today, student debt tops 1 billion, and, don't quité know exact surety of fact on this but overall debt, from, store/car/everything else BUYS but MORTGAGE DEBT tallied 9.7 billion. So, that one área is just enough to make you cry as kids are getting out of school, millions of them, and, they're entering the workforce with 20,000 in loans, or, more. I think 20k is a low # .
Anyway, I went to college and paid around 5 grand per year in tuition and it was the 3rd most expensive college in the state. Now my school's tuition is $20,000+ per year ! I am not sure what average per student for debt that would REALLY be but that's a tremendous strain on LIFE for graduates.
,
I pray for their resilience in God's plan STILL followed as NOW, for w lot of graduates, they either don't have jobs or th jobs they have pay, maybe, 20,000 yearly salary, which is, not so coincidentally, about $13 / hour for a 40 hour work week. 13x8 = 104 104x5days/week=$520 x4 weeks= $2080/month x 12 mo. =24,960 - yalthcare - medicare - Withholding , not to mention, yearly taxes paid on top of ALL that to federal gov't.
Indifference?
Yeah, I don't even hear the Occupy Wall Street talking about that talking point. They should. Education is the foundation of a strong country and the cost to get it is more than most can afford . And, if they do afford it, thru half it paid by Pell Grants, and, other student loans, they still have around $40,000 in DEBT.
YEAH, indifference.
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And, I listen to people of OWS , a girl working two jobs , just to get 40 hours per week, for last 3 years and having no savings because her jobs $13 per hour and after medicare and Withholding and healthcare taken out of her bi-monthly paycheck she has a $700 paycheck....
Well, her rent is $800 per month , her other bills-cable, water, electricity, total $200, and, don't forget FOOD, another $400 per month and that COMPLETLY wipes out her money. NO nothing elsez no shopping, no FUN spending
.... Dear Lord....Amen.
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Meh.
Yeah, indifference, and, I didn't even get to this 76 year óld lady's son crying on national televisión because his mom worked 40 years but now she has health problems very bad and medicare didn't do its job because this óle lady is wiped out financially, her son said.
Yeah, pearldiva, and, I don't blame people for not wanting to say much regarding OWS.
It is not a Christian movement that I can see. I think if it was, and, maybe that's the Lord calling me into the movement, idk, but, Yeah, I think IF O.W.S was a Christian movement it would have an absolutely profound effect on the direction of our socio-economic system in the future.
Yeah, meh.
It's called indifference, no one caring. No one feeling they can care . ME make a difference ? Indifference.
And....frankly, with unemployment (true unemployment over 20%, including those both underemployed and just plain stopped looking for work plus I would add, those jobs out there without people technically enough qualified to do them), yeah, I understand why OWS is a blip on most's care radar .
And, as the Lord leads me, I would like to be an agent to change that defeatist mindset.
But, where is the victory even viewed in the distance?
I mean, listening to tv today, student debt tops 1 billion, and, don't quité know exact surety of fact on this but overall debt, from, store/car/everything else BUYS but MORTGAGE DEBT tallied 9.7 billion. So, that one área is just enough to make you cry as kids are getting out of school, millions of them, and, they're entering the workforce with 20,000 in loans, or, more. I think 20k is a low # .
Anyway, I went to college and paid around 5 grand per year in tuition and it was the 3rd most expensive college in the state. Now my school's tuition is $20,000+ per year ! I am not sure what average per student for debt that would REALLY be but that's a tremendous strain on LIFE for graduates.
,
I pray for their resilience in God's plan STILL followed as NOW, for w lot of graduates, they either don't have jobs or th jobs they have pay, maybe, 20,000 yearly salary, which is, not so coincidentally, about $13 / hour for a 40 hour work week. 13x8 = 104 104x5days/week=$520 x4 weeks= $2080/month x 12 mo. =24,960 - yalthcare - medicare - Withholding , not to mention, yearly taxes paid on top of ALL that to federal gov't.
Indifference?
Yeah, I don't even hear the Occupy Wall Street talking about that talking point. They should. Education is the foundation of a strong country and the cost to get it is more than most can afford . And, if they do afford it, thru half it paid by Pell Grants, and, other student loans, they still have around $40,000 in DEBT.
YEAH, indifference.
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And, I listen to people of OWS , a girl working two jobs , just to get 40 hours per week, for last 3 years and having no savings because her jobs $13 per hour and after medicare and Withholding and healthcare taken out of her bi-monthly paycheck she has a $700 paycheck....
Well, her rent is $800 per month , her other bills-cable, water, electricity, total $200, and, don't forget FOOD, another $400 per month and that COMPLETLY wipes out her money. NO nothing elsez no shopping, no FUN spending
.... Dear Lord....Amen. -------
Meh.
Yeah, indifference, and, I didn't even get to this 76 year óld lady's son crying on national televisión because his mom worked 40 years but now she has health problems very bad and medicare didn't do its job because this óle lady is wiped out financially, her son said.
Yeah, pearldiva, and, I don't blame people for not wanting to say much regarding OWS.
It is not a Christian movement that I can see. I think if it was, and, maybe that's the Lord calling me into the movement, idk, but, Yeah, I think IF O.W.S was a Christian movement it would have an absolutely profound effect on the direction of our socio-economic system in the future.
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Yes, these are hard times. Yes, the system needs an overhaul. But the question is what kind of overhaul? How do you achieve this overhaul? What time-frame is needed for this overhaul?
Perhaps the Christians not occupying Wall Street are not indifferent, but instead understand the nature of hard times and the value of faith within them. That and they are keeping their priorities straight.
Perhaps the Christians not occupying Wall Street are not indifferent, but instead understand the nature of hard times and the value of faith within them. That and they are keeping their priorities straight.
G
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This is just me speaking, ritt, applying the past to predict the future, but God neve. r wanted a ruler for Israel but the Israelites demanded it. And, nothing good ever came of it, killing and war and needless destruction , from the mad minds of men, following God (Saul was a Christian) but still being human and in a position of power made them do AWFUL things (just look at books of Kings).
So, ritt, maybe THIS IS IT soon. I truly try not to predict Jesus' coming but, pethaps, this worldwide rebellion will discover within the majority of humans that what we really want and need is God's rule.
Wouldn't that be a beautiful thing
This is just me speaking, ritt, applying the past to predict the future, but God neve. r wanted a ruler for Israel but the Israelites demanded it. And, nothing good ever came of it, killing and war and needless destruction , from the mad minds of men, following God (Saul was a Christian) but still being human and in a position of power made them do AWFUL things (just look at books of Kings).
So, ritt, maybe THIS IS IT soon. I truly try not to predict Jesus' coming but, pethaps, this worldwide rebellion will discover within the majority of humans that what we really want and need is God's rule.
Wouldn't that be a beautiful thing
That is true, and in it you more or less contradict your previous appraisal of OWS. Making peace with "the establishment" is a vital barometer for maturity as it comes with the recognition of two things.
1. That the best change is more often brought by reform, not revolution.
2. God's unconditional sovereignty.
1. That the best change is more often brought by reform, not revolution.
2. God's unconditional sovereignty.
Occupy Wall Street Demands:
Expand education: cut class sizes and provide free university for all;
Expand healthcare and provide free healthcare for all (single payer system);
Build housing, guarantee decent housing for all;
Expand mass transit, provided for free;
Rebuild the infrastructure—bridges, flood control, roads;
Research and implement clean energy alternatives; and
Clean up the environment.
These jobs are to be open to all, regardless of documentation/immigration status or criminal record.
99%!? ...my hindquarters. These people do not represent me or anyone I know personally. I realize that 99% is referring to some tax bracket but, "the masses" are the policeman and the fireman and the small business owner/employee trying to protect their communities against these people.
This is Socialism. We can't even pay for Social Security and we already have the highest Corporate tax in the world (tied with Japan).
What ever happened to hard work, determination, and Family values. Small business is the largest portion of our economy. The corporations are not the problem, the Govt is. Bailouts for banks, Bailouts for Corporations and Bailouts for Countries all silly.
I'm with the Tea Party on this one. We need to allow the economy to breathe.
There is no such thing as a free lunch. Someone has to work so that these freebooters can go camping on the street, poo on police cars, get arrested and stir up general nonsense.
Expand education: cut class sizes and provide free university for all;
Expand healthcare and provide free healthcare for all (single payer system);
Build housing, guarantee decent housing for all;
Expand mass transit, provided for free;
Rebuild the infrastructure—bridges, flood control, roads;
Research and implement clean energy alternatives; and
Clean up the environment.
These jobs are to be open to all, regardless of documentation/immigration status or criminal record.
99%!? ...my hindquarters. These people do not represent me or anyone I know personally. I realize that 99% is referring to some tax bracket but, "the masses" are the policeman and the fireman and the small business owner/employee trying to protect their communities against these people.
This is Socialism. We can't even pay for Social Security and we already have the highest Corporate tax in the world (tied with Japan).
What ever happened to hard work, determination, and Family values. Small business is the largest portion of our economy. The corporations are not the problem, the Govt is. Bailouts for banks, Bailouts for Corporations and Bailouts for Countries all silly.
I'm with the Tea Party on this one. We need to allow the economy to breathe.
There is no such thing as a free lunch. Someone has to work so that these freebooters can go camping on the street, poo on police cars, get arrested and stir up general nonsense.
G
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You might not agree by what I said, liam, but I'm definitely capitalist, and, my income is a capitalist's . I totally believe in free enterprize and working HARD for what I get, but, I draw the line when I'm cozy and others are not so well off.
At that point, when these protests are not just going on in NYC, but also in Los Angeles, Seattle, anf 247 other U.S. cities something is telling me, A. Something is grossly wrong with all these people. B. Something is not right feeling for someone.and to.multiply the latter as true, which I believe is true, then yI come up with a need to voice change. The Lord leads.
Ideas from a Christian perspective for change, and, sympathy , were main reasons for thread.
I personally try to look at past success, like Clinton, getting our budget to q balanced point during js presidency and how that happened.
I am not sure how O.W.S should act, but those themes seem extreme but how extreme does our country need to become to remove the great debt students must usurp , to get the housing market humming, and, to provide affordable healthcare for all (who deserve it.). I think this 'deserve it' part is like ritt says, hard to know the solution, or, 'overhaul' as ritt puts it.
I guess that's the million dollar question and I just think the Lord is doing something small now with O.W.S. to help leaders understand that the world is not working right now and this is a gentle reminder by God to WAKE US UP !
You might not agree by what I said, liam, but I'm definitely capitalist, and, my income is a capitalist's . I totally believe in free enterprize and working HARD for what I get, but, I draw the line when I'm cozy and others are not so well off.
At that point, when these protests are not just going on in NYC, but also in Los Angeles, Seattle, anf 247 other U.S. cities something is telling me, A. Something is grossly wrong with all these people. B. Something is not right feeling for someone.and to.multiply the latter as true, which I believe is true, then yI come up with a need to voice change. The Lord leads.
Ideas from a Christian perspective for change, and, sympathy , were main reasons for thread.
I personally try to look at past success, like Clinton, getting our budget to q balanced point during js presidency and how that happened.
I am not sure how O.W.S should act, but those themes seem extreme but how extreme does our country need to become to remove the great debt students must usurp , to get the housing market humming, and, to provide affordable healthcare for all (who deserve it.). I think this 'deserve it' part is like ritt says, hard to know the solution, or, 'overhaul' as ritt puts it.
I guess that's the million dollar question and I just think the Lord is doing something small now with O.W.S. to help leaders understand that the world is not working right now and this is a gentle reminder by God to WAKE US UP !
J
I have to agree with Liamson that the incomplete manifesto I've found is nothing short of socialism. I am also extremely concerned about the similarities and ties I found between the organization behind OWS and a far more violent extremist group listed on the FBI's counterterrorism site.
We don't need more social programs. What we need is greater accountability. The programs themselves are not bad. The abuse of them is. I'm absolutely for caring for the sick, challenged, elderly, orphans, homeless, etc., but those who can work, should work.
We also need greater accountability in our government and financial system, but how to make that happen at this point is the question. I would like to think that the ballot box is the best way to do that rather that jeopardizing human life in the streets. I agree with Ritter in this area.
Many of the looming changes are going to affect one group more than any other - our seniors/Baby Boomers. Talk about a powerful group! I know that the medical community in particular has been doing a tremendous amount of evaluation and preplanning in this regard. This group won't be taking to the streets, but they are going to have a tremendous impact upon the outcome of the pending elections. They have the knowledge, wisdom and resources to make it happen. Many of them lived through the protests and riots of the 70s. They know what works and what doesn't.
We don't need more social programs. What we need is greater accountability. The programs themselves are not bad. The abuse of them is. I'm absolutely for caring for the sick, challenged, elderly, orphans, homeless, etc., but those who can work, should work.
We also need greater accountability in our government and financial system, but how to make that happen at this point is the question. I would like to think that the ballot box is the best way to do that rather that jeopardizing human life in the streets. I agree with Ritter in this area.
Many of the looming changes are going to affect one group more than any other - our seniors/Baby Boomers. Talk about a powerful group! I know that the medical community in particular has been doing a tremendous amount of evaluation and preplanning in this regard. This group won't be taking to the streets, but they are going to have a tremendous impact upon the outcome of the pending elections. They have the knowledge, wisdom and resources to make it happen. Many of them lived through the protests and riots of the 70s. They know what works and what doesn't.
I think this has to do with a fundamental difference between your philosophy/theology and mine.
Nothing is ever equal, no one and no thing is equivalent to another thing. Jacob and Esau were not equal. Cain and Abel were not equal. Saul and David were not equal. I do not believe in egalitarianism. I do not treat things of inequality as if they were they same. I do not try to enforce a system of equality upon people, so as to make them equal.
See the proverb of the of the Talents: The master doles out 5, 2, 1. Also Not equal.
I believe in Love, Faith, Charity, Hope and Righteousness. I treat things with apportioned attention. I give generously, fairly, lovingly.
Here is the difference. Much like the parable of the Prodigal Son, there is a system in place which rewards loyalty, hard word, faithfulness, justice and in general doing the right thing. However IN ADDITION, I believe in grace, forgiveness, compassion, mercy, ransom and all manner of things unbecoming of the person who receives them.
Do you see?
If I start with the latter, I reward mistrust, dishonor, disloyalty, and irresponsibility by trying to make things equal in outcome, when fundamentally they could never be.
I believe in equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. But I also believe in forgiveness however, forgiveness cannot be the foundational principal upon which I start from.
So in essence I believe in fairness, justice, and mercy but, not equality.
Nothing is ever equal, no one and no thing is equivalent to another thing. Jacob and Esau were not equal. Cain and Abel were not equal. Saul and David were not equal. I do not believe in egalitarianism. I do not treat things of inequality as if they were they same. I do not try to enforce a system of equality upon people, so as to make them equal.
See the proverb of the of the Talents: The master doles out 5, 2, 1. Also Not equal.
I believe in Love, Faith, Charity, Hope and Righteousness. I treat things with apportioned attention. I give generously, fairly, lovingly.
Here is the difference. Much like the parable of the Prodigal Son, there is a system in place which rewards loyalty, hard word, faithfulness, justice and in general doing the right thing. However IN ADDITION, I believe in grace, forgiveness, compassion, mercy, ransom and all manner of things unbecoming of the person who receives them.
Do you see?
If I start with the latter, I reward mistrust, dishonor, disloyalty, and irresponsibility by trying to make things equal in outcome, when fundamentally they could never be.
I believe in equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. But I also believe in forgiveness however, forgiveness cannot be the foundational principal upon which I start from.
So in essence I believe in fairness, justice, and mercy but, not equality.
J
It’s not as simple and/or selfish as a “haves/have nots” economic theory.
While finishing college and raising a small child, I repaired electronics and cleaned houses while my ex-military husband (who was terminally ill) worked as an associate financial advisor during the day and drove an oil truck in the evenings. Once I got my degree and became an officer, having two full-time incomes made things much easier, but we both still worked very demanding schedules. Now I’m a widow who works 10-12 hours a day to support myself and my son until he finishes college, who pays 38% of my income in taxes. I try so very hard to be compassionate and non-judgmental, but it is VERY tough to swallow sometimes when I know that there are a lot of single moms who don’t eat so their kids can and sick/elderly people who can only afford to eat every other day while:
1. A guy who won’t marry his “wife” and the mother (who doesn’t work) of his 4 teen kids because she wouldn’t receive assistance for them, while he does drugs and odd jobs, who bragged about receiving an income credit on his taxes this past year of 400% of his income;
2. A guy who has been declared blind and is on disability who regularly abuses his wife, drives all over without a license and does odd jobs for cash to support his alcoholism;
3. A guy who lays in bed all day who receives disability due to his “nerves” because he fried himself on drugs; and
4. A corporation to the north of where I live is going to be building a facility to house 200 migrant farm workers because they can’t find people who are willing to do an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. Somehow we’ve become too proud to break a sweat or work at MickeyDs, but we want to complain about those who come from other countries who are willing to do so while we profit from their labors at Walmart. Low income? Yes. But are we really entitled to $50,000 weddings, two new cars, a $200,000 house, a free college education and all of the newest bells and whistles on the market when we are first starting out?
As long as this sort of thing is tolerated, it will continue to be difficult for those who truly need help to receive it and it will remain difficult for those who are willing to work for what they have to be willing to fork it over to those who really could be working. Most people really don’t mind helping to care for those who truly need help, even to those who don’t even live in this country, but waste and being taken advantage of is a whole other thing and people are tired of it.
The reins need to be tightened now because the Baby Boomers are retiring, which means that more will be paid out in the way of Social Security, Medicaid, etc. than probably ever before. MOST of them have earned it. It’s unacceptable for it not to be there for those who have worked so hard for so very long due to mismanagement and abuse.
So what does OWS mean to me? I think that just about covers it..
While finishing college and raising a small child, I repaired electronics and cleaned houses while my ex-military husband (who was terminally ill) worked as an associate financial advisor during the day and drove an oil truck in the evenings. Once I got my degree and became an officer, having two full-time incomes made things much easier, but we both still worked very demanding schedules. Now I’m a widow who works 10-12 hours a day to support myself and my son until he finishes college, who pays 38% of my income in taxes. I try so very hard to be compassionate and non-judgmental, but it is VERY tough to swallow sometimes when I know that there are a lot of single moms who don’t eat so their kids can and sick/elderly people who can only afford to eat every other day while:
1. A guy who won’t marry his “wife” and the mother (who doesn’t work) of his 4 teen kids because she wouldn’t receive assistance for them, while he does drugs and odd jobs, who bragged about receiving an income credit on his taxes this past year of 400% of his income;
2. A guy who has been declared blind and is on disability who regularly abuses his wife, drives all over without a license and does odd jobs for cash to support his alcoholism;
3. A guy who lays in bed all day who receives disability due to his “nerves” because he fried himself on drugs; and
4. A corporation to the north of where I live is going to be building a facility to house 200 migrant farm workers because they can’t find people who are willing to do an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. Somehow we’ve become too proud to break a sweat or work at MickeyDs, but we want to complain about those who come from other countries who are willing to do so while we profit from their labors at Walmart. Low income? Yes. But are we really entitled to $50,000 weddings, two new cars, a $200,000 house, a free college education and all of the newest bells and whistles on the market when we are first starting out?
As long as this sort of thing is tolerated, it will continue to be difficult for those who truly need help to receive it and it will remain difficult for those who are willing to work for what they have to be willing to fork it over to those who really could be working. Most people really don’t mind helping to care for those who truly need help, even to those who don’t even live in this country, but waste and being taken advantage of is a whole other thing and people are tired of it.
The reins need to be tightened now because the Baby Boomers are retiring, which means that more will be paid out in the way of Social Security, Medicaid, etc. than probably ever before. MOST of them have earned it. It’s unacceptable for it not to be there for those who have worked so hard for so very long due to mismanagement and abuse.
So what does OWS mean to me? I think that just about covers it..
S
i think the biggest problem of this movement is the people protesting who are completely uneducated about what they are protesting about.
now in some places peaceful protesters are being harmed. keep them in your prayers.
watch the video on the page below.
Veteran Scott Olsen Could Be The First Person To Die At A Wall Street Protest
now in some places peaceful protesters are being harmed. keep them in your prayers.
watch the video on the page below.
Veteran Scott Olsen Could Be The First Person To Die At A Wall Street Protest
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1,2.
Yes, but, I think, this reform is very in danger of not satisfying the masses, and, that will lead to rebellion. O.W.S. is a massive movement and to quote some famous conqueror, it has only just begun . The Lord leads, hopefully, we follow.
1,2.
Yes, but, I think, this reform is very in danger of not satisfying the masses, and, that will lead to rebellion. O.W.S. is a massive movement and to quote some famous conqueror, it has only just begun . The Lord leads, hopefully, we follow.
Liamson is right; the difference seems to be in our theology. Quite frankly, I do not understand the endgame in your thought process (unless of course you are speaking to some sort of odd dialectic).
Even if your assessment was dialectically true, that we should look upon OWS with hope because it signals a dismantling of the system that will bring about yet another worse system and the final intervention of Christ, fine that makes a degree of sense.
But asking Christians to even nominally support the movement, dream of appropriating it, or using slightly different means to achieve the same ends is ridiculous. It is like asking the following: "What if Christians took control of the Hippie protest in the 60's." "What if Christians took charge of National Socialist movements in Germany before Hitler?" "What if Pol Pot attended Mass every Wednesday evening?"
Christianity can mix with politics and political thought. It has to. But asking Christians to touch a completely different worldview is another story entirely. The eschatology of OWS is the eschatology of Marx, not the eschatology of the Bible.
T
For me, it's not JUST a matter of justice, mercy, etc. My political / economic views are partially a sense of "commie pinko" to all according to their need, from all according to their ability.
But it's also kind of selfish.
Look. I want EVERY CITIZEN to have free health care. That's not just because I'm a nice person. Or because I'm greedy, and I don't want to have to pay for it myself. It's because when I get on the bus, I want to know that the person who sits next to me doesn't have some infectious disease. It's because when my son plays on the swing set at the park, I need to know that the last kid who played on that swing set didn't cough some horrible germs all over it.
Furthermore, I know that the #1 reason for high health care costs today ... outshining the #2 cause by a factor of 10, is uninsured patients. My husband's employer has to pay thousands and thousands of dollars for my family's health care. This means he hasn't had a raise in 2 years. This means less money for me and my family. Yes, I'm kinda selfish. I'd like to have more money. And the reason my husband's employer has had to pay so much for health care is because insurance costs have gone up10%-30% more than anything else over the past several decades. And the ONLY reason health ***insurance*** has gone up that much is because hospitals have had to raise their rates to cover the costs of those who AREN'T insured. And the reason they've had to raise the rates to cover those who AREN'T insured is because more and more people are dropped from insurance, either because they can't afford insurance any more (because the rates went up) or because they were dropped from insurance (due to stupid rules that an insurance company is allowed to drop you if you ever had a pre-existing condition, and these days having a heart-beat is a pre-existing condition). So it's a vicious cycle that NEEDED to be stopped. Because if my husband's employer decided that it was just too much to keep providing health care for its employees, I would be SOL. Before I was married, I couldn't buy insurance for love or money, no company would take me because I had afore-mentioned pre-existing conditions.
I fully support Obama's health care plan. Universal health care would have been better, but the stupid SOB's who wouldn't support that made it clear that had no way of passing, so what did pass is a suitable compromise. It won't really affect me much. I have excellent coverage through my husband's employment. But it will help my friends. It will keep rates down for my husband's employer, which means maybe my hubby will get a raise. It will mean people who weren't going in for regular check-ups now maybe will, and will get put on maintenance drugs, rather than waiting until it's an emergency and go to the ER, which costs thousands of times more -- at taxpayer expense.
It's just plain common sense, and I honestly don't understand why anyone with more than 2 brain cells to rub together is against it.
But it's also kind of selfish.
Look. I want EVERY CITIZEN to have free health care. That's not just because I'm a nice person. Or because I'm greedy, and I don't want to have to pay for it myself. It's because when I get on the bus, I want to know that the person who sits next to me doesn't have some infectious disease. It's because when my son plays on the swing set at the park, I need to know that the last kid who played on that swing set didn't cough some horrible germs all over it.
Furthermore, I know that the #1 reason for high health care costs today ... outshining the #2 cause by a factor of 10, is uninsured patients. My husband's employer has to pay thousands and thousands of dollars for my family's health care. This means he hasn't had a raise in 2 years. This means less money for me and my family. Yes, I'm kinda selfish. I'd like to have more money. And the reason my husband's employer has had to pay so much for health care is because insurance costs have gone up10%-30% more than anything else over the past several decades. And the ONLY reason health ***insurance*** has gone up that much is because hospitals have had to raise their rates to cover the costs of those who AREN'T insured. And the reason they've had to raise the rates to cover those who AREN'T insured is because more and more people are dropped from insurance, either because they can't afford insurance any more (because the rates went up) or because they were dropped from insurance (due to stupid rules that an insurance company is allowed to drop you if you ever had a pre-existing condition, and these days having a heart-beat is a pre-existing condition). So it's a vicious cycle that NEEDED to be stopped. Because if my husband's employer decided that it was just too much to keep providing health care for its employees, I would be SOL. Before I was married, I couldn't buy insurance for love or money, no company would take me because I had afore-mentioned pre-existing conditions.
I fully support Obama's health care plan. Universal health care would have been better, but the stupid SOB's who wouldn't support that made it clear that had no way of passing, so what did pass is a suitable compromise. It won't really affect me much. I have excellent coverage through my husband's employment. But it will help my friends. It will keep rates down for my husband's employer, which means maybe my hubby will get a raise. It will mean people who weren't going in for regular check-ups now maybe will, and will get put on maintenance drugs, rather than waiting until it's an emergency and go to the ER, which costs thousands of times more -- at taxpayer expense.
It's just plain common sense, and I honestly don't understand why anyone with more than 2 brain cells to rub together is against it.