Friday, May 5, 2017

Hollow Victories

Why do I feel like I am living in an insane asylum?  I feel Like I am a bobblehead, I shake my head all the time.  I can't get over the soullessness of the GOP in the House.  I truly don't get it.  And where is the outrage from those that supported POTUS and the Republicans?  Don't you  see what they are doing?  Do I think that Obamacare was the greatest?  Absolutely not, but the Republicans should have spent the past 7 years tweaking it and improving it, instead of just being obstructionist dicks.  There are some incredibly important items in the Affordable Care Act that voters take for granted or just don't understand.  Young adults can be covered until they're 26 on their parents' insurance plans. Pre-existing conditions are covered.  Does everyone understand pre-existing conditions?  Do you really?  Everyone that I know and everyone that I love over 40 has a pre-existing condition.  That's why ACA needed a lot of young healthy people to sign up.  That's actually how insurance works, which seemed to elude Speaker of the House Ryan.  It's true for home insurance, car insurance, liability insurance, etc.  It's insurance.  That means that you hope you never need to use it, but if you do, it's there.  If I pay $5000/year for car insurance and never have an accident, I am alleviating the costs for others that do get into an accident.  

So, yesterday, the thoroughly dark, soulless, and hypocritical GOP in the House passed a bill that will take away pre-existing conditions, hurt the poor and needy, help the rich, and hurt the elderly (and by elderly, I mean people over 50).  Now, if the members of Congress had skin in the game and were going to partake in their shitty, evil health plan, I'd be mad, but somewhat assuaged of anger, but....That's certainly not how this works.  Congress has incredible health insurance and so any decisions they make won't effect them in any way, shape or form.  It's f**king outrageous.  

Here's a list of pre-existing conditions lost under #Trumpcare:
AIDS/HIV, acid reflux, acne, ADD, addiction, Alzheimer's/dementia, anemia, aneurysm, angioplasty, anorexia, anxiety, arrhythmia, arthritis, asthma, atrial fibrillation, autism, bariatric surgery, basal cell carcinoma, ipolar disorder, blood clot, breast cancer, bulimia, bypass surgery, celiac disease, cerebral aneurysm, cerebral embolism, cerebral palsy, cerebral thrombosis, cervical cancer, colon cancer, colon polyps, congestive heart failure, COPD, Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, DMD, depression, diabetes, disabilities, Down syndrome, eating disorder, enlarged prostate, epilepsy, glaucoma, gout, heart disease, heart murmur, heartburn, hemophilia, hepatitis C, herpes, high cholesterol, hypertension, hysterectomy, kidney disease, kidney stones, kidney transplant, leukemia, lung cancer, lupus, lymphoma, mental health issues, migraines, MS, muscular dystrophy, narcolepsy, nasal polyps, obesity, OCD, organ transplant, osteoporosis, pacemaker, panic disorder, paralysis, paraplegia, Parkinson's disease, pregnancy, restless leg syndrome, schizophrenia, seasonal affective disorder, seizures, sickle cell disease, skin cancer, sleep apnea, sleep disorders, stent, stroke, thyroid issues, tooth disease, tuberculosis, ulcers. Pretty much everyone that I know. I have half of these, my husband the other.  It doesn't cover anything, so what's the point?  Really, sit down and read the list. Look around at your friends and family. Pretty sure you can tick a bunch of these off.

I don't understand their supporters at all.  Who do you think this plan will help?  Why would you cheer for this?  This will hurt you like everything else they have done since POTUS took office.  Nothing is hurting the rich. Nothing.  This will only take down the people that need assistance and coverage. Why don't you see it?  Again, it's indicative of their hypocritical feelings.  Many of these GOPers are "good" Christians, but they have no idea what Jesus would do.  Maybe that's what they should ask themselves when they vote.  What would Jesus do? Right now, you are doing the opposite in every way.  

And again, why are we allowing all the conflicts of interests to infiltrate our government?  Why don't the Republican voters/Tr**p lovers care about all the money that's being made by the First Family and friends?  Why don't they care to find out the truth about the Russia hacking and influence?  Why?  Shouldn't we know FACTS???  If we found out that there was no wrong doing, we, who feel that there has been and may continue to be, would have to move on and get over it.  If we found out there was wrong doing, shouldn't we know?  Aren't we Americans first?  I don't think either side of the aisle can be successful without total transparency, investigations, and facts. POTUS and Congress just wish to undo everything that President and Mrs. Obama did just because they did it.  It's asinine and B.S. that that's what's going on, but that's how it looks and feels.  Come on, rolling back healthy lunches for kids and school?  Really??  Why?  

My brain is imploding or exploding everyday, but writing all the time has felt redundant.  So much has been said and written, but I couldn't be silent anymore.  You can tell that this punched me right in the gut.

                                      ******************

Sidebars:  Happier things:  the NBA playoffs. Go Warriors!  Baseball:  early but still fun for distracting.  ** Amazing Race is back.  The Voice has only a couple more weeks to go. Survivor has been one blindside after another. More good distractions. **  Stephen Colbert is on fire in his late night monologues. DVR it every night for morning viewing.  Much better than any news.  Much better to begin the day laughing.  **  Tony nominations were announced this week.  No huge surprises that I am fully invested in all things Dear Evan Hanson.  Still the best show by far.  Great book, lyrics, music, cast, set design, orchestrations, and Ben Platt!!!  Can't say it enough. If you still haven't seen it, you best get tickets.  ** NYC is getting the Midwest rain.  Torrents and flooding all around. If you're in the Northeast, be safe.  We are going to have a very rainy weekend. 

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@Diana Podolsky