...why am I a "Communist"?

One of the members of our synagogue recently passed away, and today we had a very-well attended and very, very nice memorial service. Afterward, everyone gathered in the room where my catering partner and friend, Victoria, and I usually setup our fancy stuff when we cater events there. Anyhow, one of the women came over to where Vicky and I were sitting and we had a little chat. She informed us that she was becoming politically active. Well, that's nice...I think everyone should be involved in their community. I have worked as an election observer since my early 20s back in Chicago, and as an election judge for many years. I have been involved in several civic organizations, and (I am proud to say) I was a member of S.E.P.T.I.A.--(the Society to End Pay Toilets in America) -- an organization that all of you can thank for the removal of pay toilets in public facilities in Chicago. I have been volunteering every year for Virginia Beach's annual Neptune Festival, which I am sure I have mentioned before. So I was thinking that this friend is doing something like this. After all, the elections are over, and we have a great new President with a clear vision for what needs to be done to counteract the effects of eight years of a Republican adminstration.
I found out, much to my surprise, that this friend is virulently against the proposed changes/corrections/inclusions in this country's health care system. I asked her if she had read this bill--I know it is around 1,500 pages long...about 500 pages longer than a historical account of the Crusades that I read several years ago. She had said, "No, do you have any idea how long it is?" Yes. I do. I began reading it on line once my granddaughters relinquished possession of my computer and went back to Florida a week ago. I wanted to know what everybody I see disrupting town hall meetings, was reading that has their collective panties in a bunch, so I started reading. I haven't seen anything yet.
So to get back to this conversation, my acquaintance sounded very much like these people I see on the news. She said that the government has no business getting involved in people's health care. I beg to differ...I have yet to hear any medicare/medicaid recipients I know (and I do know quite a few) protest when their doctor and drugs are paid for by "the government." She said that the government should stay OUT of people's lives. I asked, "What about Social Security? I haven't heard anyone complaining about receiving social security checks." (And, I wonder if she will be writing, "Return to Sender," on her checks when they start arriving in the mail.) "And what about the insurance that we (the government) pay for for these Republican congressmen and senators? Is it so bad that they would prefer to go and talk to a private insurer?" No answer. "And my husband and I have Champus, the government's benefit to military active duty and retirees--my husband is a Navy retiree. Is this wrong or bad? He has a service-related disability--a pre-existing condition--and would probably be unable to get private insurance to cover that."
Her response..."I am on the right, the others are on the left." I asked, "Well, what does that mean?" She responded, "I am conservative. Everybody else is Communist." So, I guess this is one reason I am a communist. I think everybody should have basic, minimum health insurance. So, I understand this means that somewhere along the way, we will all be taxed to pay for this coverage. To me, it really doesn't frigging make a difference if it comes out of my taxes...in fact I'd prefer that...or out of our wallets when the hospitals and doctors pass on higher costs to us for treating "doctor visits" done in emergency rooms because people don't have the health insurance coverage to go see a doctor.
My daughter, Meeghan, is one reason I believe everyone has the basic right to health care. When she turned 21, and was no longer considered a dependent and therefore ineligible for coverage under my husband's military insurance, she began working for a company that offered health insurance...once the employee had been on the job for six months. During that waiting period, she developed gall bladder disease, and was in extreme pain. She eliminated all foods from her diet that contained even the most microscopic amount of fat. Eventually, she could only eat small amounts of plain rice. She lost an incredible amount of weight, and looked anorexic. One bout of pain was so bad that her dad and I rushed her to the local emergency room, where the first question asked was not "where is your pain?" but rather, "who is your insurance carrier?" They sent her home without treating her. The second time she doubled over in excrutiating pain was when she was behind the wheel of her car with her infant daughter in the back seat. She said she thought of crashing her car into a lightpost to kill herself and end the pain. I contacted all of the local hospitals (most of which were part of the same corporation that owned the hospital that turned her away). I contact Johns-Hopkins in Baltimore, and Duke, down in North Carolina. Both wanted cash in lieu of insurance coverage. We did not have that kind of money, I explained. "Sorry," was the answer. Finally, her insurance kicked in...and she rushed to the doctor. "Sorry, this is a pre-existing condition," said the insurance company. The surgeon ultimately donated his services, but the anesthesiologist and the hospital all wanted their money up front.
Right now, I'm thinking (without having read the bill before the House from cover to cover) that the biggest problem is the size and the language. If it was written in simple language, and cut down to the size of a decent paperback with chapters, maybe everyone could get a copy to read. At the end of each chapter, there could be a couple of pages for comments. In the end, we could send our comments to our congressmen. I don't think that qualifies me for the title "Communist."
And when I asked where she got her information from, she said, "They are all talking about it..." I'm thinking maybe she gets her mis-info from "FIX News."