Last week, she posted a link to an article on the ACLU website about sheriff Joe Arpaio denying inmates the right to have an abortion. She said she doesn't remember anywhere in the constitution where it says you have a right to an abortion. The comments section devolved into name-calling and insults between the pro-lifers and the pro-choicers. I am sad to say I was compelled to contribute and things got pretty heated. I get that nowhere in the Constitution does it grant abortion rights. But I also understand that due to Roe v. Wade we now are legally allowed to have an abortion if we want/need to. I also think that being pregnant and in prison is not a good way to live, nor is it good for a baby to be born to an imprisoned mother.
Today she posted an article about a woman who is currently in the 600-lb range and would like to get up to 1000. My friend's comment was, "If the healthcare bill passes, we will all be paying for this woman's medical treatment." Yes, and if it passes, SHE will also be paying for YOUR healthcare. Not to mention she could already be on Medicare, so we're already paying for it. Why should I pay for other people's healthcare and get nothing out of it? I'd like some too, please. The weirdest part is, my friend has NEVER taken her baby to a doctor. She had the kid at home in her living room, overseen by a midwife. For the first three months of the child's life, the midwife checked up on the baby. But now that he's the better part of a year old, the midwife is no longer coming to visit since you know, the baby is already born. I don't know for sure if she is avoiding the doctor for insurance purposes or just on the principle (what principle that would be, I don't know), but...isn't that a form of child neglect? I mean, the baby is alive and appears to be healthy and normal, but I think it'd be great if say, a LICENSED PROFESSIONAL made that diagnosis. Call me crazy!
She has also posted another article about how universal healthcare goes against the Constitution. I did read the article but it doesn't appear to contain any supportive evidence for its opinion. Granted, I am not the most politically savvy person. This is probably a dumb question, and if I thought I could get it answered without getting into an argument I would probably ask her. But WHAT IS SO BAD ABOUT EVERYONE BEING ABLE TO GO TO THE DOCTOR?
I broke my ankle a few years ago, and I was (and continue to be) uninsured. The ambulance ride was $700. Yep, just for a ride to the hospital! I couldn't drive myself since I drive a manual transmission and you need both feet for that. The emergency room visit was another $800, for them to do an X-ray and confirm what I already knew (yes, you can hear it when a bone breaks, not to mention FEEL it). I cried the whole time, not just from the pain, but from thinking, "I can't afford this!" On my way out, in a wheelchair, I was asked for money. While I was still crying. The surgery to repair my bone and ligaments was almost $4,000. I didn't have that kind of money, and had my parents not been able to spot me I would still have a jacked-up ankle to this day. Even though you need treatment for a break (in my case a 6-inch steel plate and 8 screws), it is still considered an elective surgery. I guess because theoretically your bone would heal with no intervention? Again, I am LUCKY because my parents had the money. Had I not had them, I would have been refused treatment and be on crutches or worse to this day.
How can anyone think that's a good way to do things? How can you say we're one of the greatest countries in the world, while this is the way our healthcare is being run? I guess I can understand that some people do not want to pay for other people's mistakes. But being born and then subsequently injuring yourself or falling ill isn't a mistake. It's life. If we had healthcare for everyone, part of my income could help pay for this friend's baby to see an actual doctor. It could have saved my parents thousands of dollars out-of-pocket. From my understanding, the Libertarian way of thinking is, basically, "It's my money, I'll spend it how I want." And while at first glance that seems acceptable, it becomes incredibly short-sighted and selfish the more you think about it. Do you use roads? Did you ever attend a public school? Stop at a traffic light? Call the cops for help? THAT IS YOUR MONEY BEING WASTED! OH NO!
Living in a civilized society means the government gets some of your money. They need it to do those things I listed and MANY MANY more. Believe me, I'd love a little less government intervention in my life. I'd love to be able to smoke pot without worrying about getting arrested. I'd like to drive faster than 55 on the highway. I'd like to keep my entire paycheck that I earned. But, I also want to live in America. Where we have clean water and somewhat clean air and plenty of food to eat. Part of being privileged enough to live here is helping to pay for it. Part of being a good citizen is being kind to other people. I personally think being a good American means making sure that not only do we have that clean water to drink, but also making sure we are doing all we can to have a healthy nation. Why should going to the doctor be a privilege and not a right? Why should people have to worry when they get sick, about anything more than their health? Do you really want people to be terrified to go to the doctor because they can't pay for it, so they avoid going, so they get worse, and possibly spread it to you? Is it really so angering that a poor person or a Mexican or even a double-whammy poor Mexican be able to go to the doctor and not pay money? Let's be honest, we already pay for other people's healthcare and well-being. Have you heard of Social Security? Welfare? Medicare/Medicaid? Guess what! You're helping other people already. Why not keep up with your selfish beliefs and get a little something for yourself too?
I really don't get it. I wish I did, so I could stop being pissed off at a formerly-good friend.
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