I appreciate it DaCheech. I really do. I even appreciate it when you choose to consume instead of paying taxes, because both actions help all of us. My brother is in a similiar situation. He pays thousands for his taxes, along with half his employee's employment tax. But somehow he still sees the bigger picture. Maybe because his business is infrastructure--he is paid with tax dollars and passes that on to his workers. He still manages to be a pretty staunch liberal and democrat. I asked him how he was able to continue with his political views. He said not everybody is as strong as he is. Part of the price of living here is realizing that capitalism leaves some behind. He knows so many people that benefit from government social programs, and they are often the same people that speak against them. It baffles him that in the pursuit of profit we would leave others behind. He pays for his employees health insurance, dental insurance, and vision. He believes in what he does. He makes a lot of money. He has every reason to be a Republican. But ideologically it doesn't sit well with him. He lost his leg 10 years ago, and he realizes he is only one infection away from needing services. He respects that and pays his tax bills willingly.
This is a very healthy and motivated man, but he has nothing but difficulty trying to get health insurance. Because he is an amputee. He has employees of different ages, and struggles constantly paying premiiums for his older workers. He realizes this system is broken and supports the government taking a more active role in the health care crisis. He has seen first hand how this broken, profit driven system works. He sees me struggle with the knowledge that I will never be able to buy health insurance on the open market. This worries him a great deal. He can't personally pay for my health care. But I guess it's his unique ability to look around and see things through the eyes of those that struggle. He doesn't automatically chalk everything up to something being deficient in the person in need. He sees this cold system and realizes that even strong and motivated people sometimes get left behind.
He believes in this country and loves it. He doesn't want it to be a country that shoots it's wounded. Because that would make us NOT great in his eyes. His enjoyment of life is enriched by knowing people are taken care of when they need it. It is not enriched by knowing seniors have been given vouchers to buy health insurance on the same market that regularly denies him because of an injury.
We can argue economics and politics all we want. The divide is ideological. One side just can't bring themselves to run over the weak with a capitalistic steam roller. The other side feels that the burden of supporting services is unfair and impedes on their pursuit of happiness. The struggle will continue.
NC
