Taking care of others...

To my fellow Americans: I was sitting on the throne today, just thinking, when a thought popped into my head about the Health Care issue. An issue, may I honestly state, too overwhelming for the two brain cells that I have left floating around in the gray matter in my skull to totally comprehend. I have a theory ideas are floating around our world, they pop in and out of brains, floating, landing, perhaps holding on to one brain, where the person runs with the idea, perhaps they will succeed, maybe even fail, but they run with the idea. It takes courage nonetheless, to act on a idea.

Part of my thinking has to do with the sermon in church today, though the topic has been brewing for some time now. Although, I don't totally agree with the Pastor's exegesis of the passage, I do believe we should look out for the interests of others, not only are own (Philippians 2). I think the passage is speaking directly to the church (brothers and sisters) and not necessarily the world at large. Even so, the Good Samaritan is an example of loving your neighbor, so I took hold of that idea as more on line about taking care of others.

So, here is my proposal, for those that do have health insurance, if we were somehow, able to share our coverage with another family or individual for one year? This would give enough time until the powers that be, have more discussions/fights/confrontations to figure this mess out and not be so concerned about getting something passed before they take a break or whatever it is they have to do? It would fulfil the moral/spiritual obligation pressed upon me, if would not upset the tax payers (taking from their pocket), but it would be volunteerism at its finest, because we are the land of givers. Yes, I said it, the people of the US, we are a giving country. Of course, we would have to convince the insurance companies to go along with this (somehow), but it would be something to provide the basic coverage. I would then ask the IRS to give us volunteers a tax break of the equivalent of the one year premium that we pay. Let's say you pay for your insurance coverage $6,000 a year, your work may pay the equivalent or more, that doesn't count your out of pocket expenses (co pay), but you and your workplace would get a break, somehow on the additional health care costs, whether it be up front or on the back end. As I think about this through though, perhaps I'm upsetting the tax payers, since I'm asking about a tax break. That isn't my point though, my point is getting care to the millions that can't afford it right now, adults and children! We'll discuss the tax issues later, as we always do as Americans. Let me add if we can fund for wars, we should be able to fund for health care in our own country.

I, admittedly, am an idealist, a foolish heart and a product of my environment. All you need is love, was the rallying cry when I grew up. Dang, what an idiot I was in believing it. Well, I still do. People helping people. It wouldn't be for a life time, but time enough to give the lawmakers and the President to really get around the issue, from tort reform to costs. Perhaps even time for that fellow American to afford their own insurance.

I don't want more government control. I lived through it the last few months. The rules change, you get shackled and are afraid to do business. Don't get me wrong, government is good, but too much can be derailing (if you are wondering which side of the fence I'm on, I think like a Republican sometimes, I'm a registered Democrat, so you can say I'm mixed up or a centrist). I'm for what works.

So, perhaps this idea was floating around for awhile, from brain to brain, people waived it away thinking it absurd. Obviously, I don't have it well developed, but there has to be someway to find a solution right now and work on a long range plan without selling ourselves to the devil and regretting it in years to come.