Mr. Bush's Healthcare "Plan"

Like many Americans, each year I look forward to the annual State of the Union address. There is a coziness and comfort I find in the State of the Union that is paralleled only by Christmas Eve. Even as a child I enjoyed the pomp of seeing our leaders gathered together in one chamber - somehow it harkens back to the days of our founders; somehow it makes the talking-head politicians seem real. Yep, I 'm truly fond of this once-a-year winter chat. Wrapped in a warm blanket and donning my pajamas, I curl up on the couch and watch our elected leaders explain with seriousness why the United States of America is still a group of ragtag explorers endeavoring to do the impossible - govern themselves as equals, yet individuals. Indeed, during the State of the Union we Americans feel unrivaled in our oneness, even when our President is some rich guy named "George" - a guy that has never been held accountable for anything in his life. Even 'ol fumbling, sneaky George comes off as something special during the State of the Union.

But no matter how much nostalgia I may feel, no matter how many honest to goodness everyday heroes are lauded, I cannot acquiesce; I can't just stand by and let our President get away with hawking that piece of crap corporate give-away he called Healthcare reform - not even the sense of awe I had while watching Nancy Pelosi make history can make me turn the other cheek after being slapped in the face by the poo George was throwing (congratulations, Madame Speaker!). There is no way taking away tax incentives for corporations to provide insurance for their employees is going to help the average American! Under the proposed plan not only will this tax incentive be removed, but the average American will pay a penalty in tax for having purchased a comprehensive healthcare plan. However, should this average American choose a less comprehensive and **cough** cheaper plan, they would receive a tax credit worth a fraction of the costs.

My Point: According to the Federal Reserve, Americans carry on average, $5,800 + in credit card debt from month to month while the average household earnings is $46,326 per year (that's roughly $2,895 per month after tax). Do the math - it doesn't present a comfortable economic picture. Add to this bleak monthly budget a large mortgage for a devalued home, new car payments, private schools, etc... And one can hardly place faith in Joe Middle Class to divert his windfall of fluid cash into private insurance when his employer no longer offers the benefit at a reduced pre-tax rate. Even more exasperating is the fact that the President's modest tax incentives to buy mediocre private insurance in no way helps impoverished Americans who need every penny earned monthly just to survive. How will tax breaks for those that can currently afford cheap insurance going to put, as the President was so fond of saying about his tax refunds, "a little cash in the pockets" of the poor?

No, the plan is more than flawed - it is another corporate give-away. The only winners are ... (cue dramatic music) ... large employers that will shy away from a totally non-reimbursed benefit and (gasp!) insurance companies, be they large, small, or shady. INSURANCE! God, the whole business was born from and continues to feed off of humanity's decay! As traditional safety nets such as extended families and villages disintegrate, the more fertile the business environment is for insurance companies. Now there's an idea - let's give incentives to companies that encourage working from home, or, better yet, provide tax incentives for both providing healthcare and allowing employees more time with their families. Maybe over time villages would reappear along with extended family households and, I dare say, personal savings. Maybe, if government would truly stand up for the ragtag individuals instead of Big Money in the form of Big Corporations we wouldn't need insurance. But this tangent begs to be followed some other day.