Thursday, November 21, 2013
Securitized strangers
Along with millions of others, I've been ranting and raving about Romneycare forcing me to pay $200 extra each month for "benefits" that I physically CANNOT EVER USE.
Yesterday I heard that one of my graphics-world acquaintances was more or less begging for help to avoid bankruptcy, because his wife had gall-bladder surgery and they were uninsured. My response was instant and basically unemotional. I paid them some money.
Later I noticed the comparison. Mutual aid is automatic and dutiful, requiring very little thought or emotion, when there's a real mutual connection. I know these folks; they're not exactly friends, but they're members of the tribe. They've been quietly providing a service to the community for a long time, keeping old material for sale while the big vendors practice planned obsolescence. Sort of like the graphics-world equivalent of a Studebaker Parts Dealer.
When helpful members of the tribe need help, help is given automatically. When securitized strangers need help, you'd better make a fucking good case for it. And Obama hasn't made the case.
As always, the MOST infuriating thing is that Obama had a FUCKING GOOD OPPORTUNITY to FIX THE FUCKING SYSTEM. He could have switched to the French system, where everyone contributes 13% of their income, everyone gets the same service, and insurance companies are NOT INVOLVED AT ALL. Instead he kept the horrible American system and made it twice as horrible. If he had gone French, my health insurance would have gone DOWN from 32% of income to 13% of income. Under Romneycare, my health insurance is going UP from 32% of income to 42% of income, with absolutely no improvement in service.
¶ 2:07 AM 
