We are our own worst enemy

We had a drink fest last night with my son and his wife (though she limited herself to two chardonnays). It was his 31st birthday and we were celebrating he was alive. Last year he had a brain tumor removed, underwent extensive chemo and radiation and now is supposedly cancer free. Today, he is a shadow of himself, underemployed (going from $65k to $14k), has a stack of medical bills, and his COBRA is going to run out. His beautiful body is ravaged from chemo, his teeth are rotting out from radiation (after spending a fortune on those teeth when his was a kid). Now he and his wife are considering separation. Stress does that to you.

Anyway, the beers flowed, the laughter began to build and we talked of old times. Even the teeth couldn't destroy that beautiful smile. I was feeling good. Hopeful.

Then, in the middle of the evening, they brought up the "government take over of health care" and its plot to run our lives. We needed to be aware and fight it. I was shocked.

Here was a classic example of why we need health reform, and these two have swallowed the fear mongering rhetoric and were staunchly opposed to the President's plan.

My son was a hard working man in the East Texas oilfield when he collapsed from convulsions brought on by a brain tumor. Because a few months earlier, he left a job for a better one, at the time he collapsed he was in the waiting period before his new health insurance would take effect.

He purchased COBRA insurance from his last job. When his new insurance started to take effect, it wouldn't cover the pre-existing condition. But never the less, when COBRA ran out and the new employer's insurance would have to kick in, he was let go for a driving infraction. It could be a coincidence. The oil patch has been shutting down anyway. A lot of hard working people are out of work.

My son has not been able to find serious work, and of course this being Texas, he was denied unemployment insurance. I told him to appeal, but he is too proud.

Now his wife has insurance. She asked her employer to enroll her husband during open enrollment. That was denied because of pre-existing conditions.

These two have fought a hard fight to put dinner on the table for their three children and put off creditors. But they work. They work hard when they can find it. They really don't seek handouts. They just want to be treated fairly.

These people are opposed to health care reform because their oilfield friends told them that it was a way to control their lives. We are our own worst enemy.

We changed the subject and started to laugh about my prostrate cancer.

Tired of the Fight; ergo You Lose

One time I had two secretaries that were fighting. Their disdain for each other was going on for weeks. The problem seemed to be one was a seasoned old secretary that had the personality of an alligator and the other was an inexperienced young secretary with enthusiasm and a smile. One made a lot of mistakes. The other just pissed you off.

In my infinite wisdom, as a young manager (this was many years ago), I brought both of them into a conference room to put the issues on the table and work through them. The theory was that if they articulated their concerns some empathy would develop on both sides and they would work toward common ground. Boy was I wrong. The old bitch ate her alive. The young one limped out of the room, probably psychologically damaged forever. I let it happen.

That same feeling came over me today. We had an election for President. Barak Obama won hands down. There were a lot of reasons for that victory. I like to think of myself as mainstream in an unorthodox kind of way. I couldn't vote for McCain because I felt that Bush and the Republicans did us a lot of damage internationally and at the end, here domestically, bringing the economy down around our knees. I couldn't vote for Hilary because she would be an overreaction in the other direction. She would lead the Democratic Party in a scathing burnt ground, take no prisoners campaign across the national landscape, slaying anything that smelled conservative or Republican. I am really tired of the fighting. I want national leaders that will work together for the national good and work in a respectful way that allows differences with dignity. But that is what I thought about the two secretaries.

Anyway, I voted for Obama. I was sceptical of the charisma thing, but the ideas were good and he sounded like he would work toward reconciliation and work for a better USA.

So far, he has proven true to my wish. But unfortunately he is coming to remind me of the young secretary. The Republican machine is certainly reminding me of the sour old bitch that would have choked the young thing if I wasn't in the room.

I'm tired of it all. I don't have the will to fight. Obama's polls are falling like a rock. I understand his position on health care reform and I think it is sound and good. The Republican machine is obfuscating the message with incredible fearful misinformation. The seniors are abandoning reform. Independents are showing their disillusionment in the polls. No one is quite sure what is on the table anymore. Everyone is tired. If peace means no reform, than by God, drop it.

We lose. We all lose.

Today, I don't think health reform is salvageable. Let's hope tomorrow we all get a second wind and start thinking clearly. Certainly we are a sophisticated enough country that can provide health care for all and reign in control of rich insurance companies and health care costs. Certainly we are wise enough and generous enough to do that.