Insurance, Shminsurance

We long ago established that I'm not the brightest crayon in the box, and I will readily admit to not doing enough research on the subject, but, it seems to me that forcing people to purchase insurance is about on the same par as forcing people to eat Brussel Sprouts. If people don't want to eat Brussel Sprouts, that should be their option.

I am fortunate enough to work somewhere that provides me with insurance. Ditto for my spousal unit. I pay for insurance on my kids. But I know a hell of a lot of people who don't have any insurance. For whatever reason. Some can't afford it. Some don't qualify for it. Some just don't see the need.

Let's take a quick moment to look at the demographic that can't fiscally afford insurance. The Country is in the worst economy since I don't know when (I could probably find out, but really, what's the point?). There are a lot of "displaced" workers who can't find a job, let alone find the money to pay for insurance. What do you think the real chances are of them being able to come up with the $300 a month once it's mandated? Any why would they? "Hey Charlie, get this. Them damn folks in the Gummint want me to pay for sumpin I been getting for free for all this time." That's right folks, this will be the logic.

Here's my prediction. Our fearless (fearful?) leaders are going to once again force some half-baked, dumb-ass idea down our throats, and then realize that "hey, wow! People can't afford to pay for this!" Guess what comes next? You got it! A new payroll tax!

It struck me this morning when I heard the verdict that when it was referred to it as "no more than a tax, similar to Social Security", what they were really telling me, so very subtly, was "get ready Chico, we're fixing to stick it to you again!"

Federal Income tax, Social Security tax, Medicare tax, Big-Brother insurance tax. Before long, I'll be paying the bastards in Congress to take a leak. (urination station tax) What all the people that think this is the best thing since Shiner beer gotta realize is that someone has to pay for this. The Government HAS NO MONEY!!! You can argue with me till you're blue in the face, but the fact remains, the Government HAS NO MONEY!

President Obama can't just go into his wallet and pull out the cash to cover it. Neither can the Congress. And just to keep this politically correct, neither could any of the previous administrations, be they elephants or asses. The ONLY way they have to raise money is by doing what I irreverently refer to as "screwing over the people"!(raising taxes)

I'm not sure what part of this whole healthcare debate makes any sense. (other than to those of you out there who list among their favorite world leaders people with names like Marx, Lenin and Castro) I'm not sure where in the Constitution it says "Jennie from the 'hood is guaranteed health insurance. I'm not sure anyone in this Country has actually read the Healthcare Bill. I'm not sure If anybody in this Country has actually read the Constitution.

Healthcare is NOT a right. It's a privilege. Whether you choose to accept and use this privilege is up to you. If you choose not to, and you don't get the care you desire, tough crap! You die! But in the end, it's still your decision, and nobody made it for you. And THAT my friends, is what this is all about!

Freedom!

Lubbock Texas in my rear view mirror

I discovered something last week. I don't like people. It's not really that I don't like people it's just, well yeah, I don't like people.

I had the distinct honor and privilege to accompany my 18 year old tax deduction to beautiful Lubbock, TX last week where the city motto is "The windiest and possibly dustiest place in the continental United States". I am of course just joking when I say this. El Paso is the windiest and dustiest place in the US.(also the dirtiest and nastiest)

What, you may ask, was the tax deduction wanting to do in Lubbock? What else is there to do in Lubbock but attend an institution of higher learning.(college to my hillbilly friends) That's right, the boy has decided that above all else, he wants to be a Red Raider.(not really above all else)(actually, not even close)(parties and girls would be above all else)(those might be above all else for me too!) God help Texas Tech!

I believe this was the first time that he actually got to experience the "real" Lubbock and college life. We went to get a burger one night and he asked, quite innocently, "what's that smell?". I quickly informed him that logic stated that there are apparently several bovine dining programs nearby, and wherever these are located, there is generally an abundance of nature's best fertilizer, and that he should probably get used to the smell, because the wind blows all the frickin time!

He was also quite concerned the next day that his eyesight was permanently damaged because everything looked red. I, once again, using my superior intellect and logic and reasoning capabilities was able to calm him with the simple words, "don't be a dumb-ass. That's dust in the air. Get used to that too!"

I will interject at this point that the Texas Tech campus is actually quite attractive, and the people, not just at the school, but in the entire city were more than generous and overall fantastic hosts! Especially the people at Chimy's.(if you ever find yourself in Lubbock, head there for a margarita!)

But back to the reason for this little story. People are stupid. I found myself time and time again wanting to strangle people right to the very edge of death, and then bringing them back, just so I could do it again!

People ask the most inane, idiotic questions. If they had bothered reading any of the 984 pages of correspondence they had received from this fine institution, they could have saved themselves some dignity, and not pushed others of us over that fine line between sanity and, oh, let's say homicidal tendencies.

They separated us out by the college discipline that our childrens would be studying to give us a little pep talk and to go over where, exactly the new cars and houses that you won't be buying the next 4 years would be going. So, off I went with the group to the college of Sportsmanship in Competitive Athletics. We sit, we listen to a group of attractive (and unattractive) people talk to us for 2 hours. Then, just when you think your bladder can't take any more, they open it up to questions. Some of the questions were very technical, and needed asking. Others, well, remember the homicidal tendencies line...

Q - Where will they get to park?

A - Wherever they can find a spot. There's 33,000 students on campus and twelve parking spots!

Q - Will taking this class interfere with the band schedule?

A - Who cares, it's band for God's sake.

Q - If they've already taken some of these classes, will they have to take them again?

A - Huh?

Q - What happens if they don't go to class?

A - They fail.

Q - If they don't show up for class, do you call them?

A - Huh? Tell them to buy an alarm clock.

Q - If they don't go to class, do you call us to let us know?

A - People! This is college! Tell your kids to get off their asses and go to class or you're not paying it! No we're not calling you. If you're that pathetic, YOU call them every morning to wake them out of their alcohol induced slumber!

You get the idea. On and on they went. And on. And on. And on. Finally, I just had to leave. How can these people have children smart enough to get into college? If they had just bothered putting away the "mobile communication device" long enough to listen to what the people were telling them, half of their damn questions would have gotten answered.(and I wouldn't have had to dispose of that body)

I did find out one thing about myself. I realized why I was never a good student. When people start talking and asking these idiotic questions, I totally zone out, and all I can think about is how hard I'll have to stab them to actually reach their heart with a ballpoint pen.

There, wasn't that pleasant?

I've got Spurs, that jingle, jangle, jingle!

I'm pretty sure I've published this blog before, or maybe one just like it. What the Hell is up with the Spurs? Maybe they are trying to be "Casey-at-the-bat". You know, where he's so confident he gets up to bat and doesn't bother swinging at the first two pitches, then, on the 3rd pitch, he takes a huge swing and.............strikes out! I mean, seriously, it didn't even look like they wanted to be there half the game last night. Maybe they just couldn't quite comprehend how anybody could come into their home turf and beat up on them. I've railed about it before, but seriously! How do you miss that many shots without TRYING? I can shoot better and I've only got 4 toes and 1 arm.(actually, I have two arms, but sometimes my left elbow hurts, so it WOULD make shooting difficult)(the part about the toes is just total fabrication)(I have 10 toes, all webbed. I just said that to ensure hilarity) I know before the season started, when all the NBA whiney-asses were sitting at home drinking their Voss water and eating their eel gonad sushi rolls that I said I was done. And I was. Until the season actually got rolling for a couple of weeks. Then I was back on like a meth hooker who'd just scored enough cash for a binge!(not that I know what this is like) It's like when I quit tobacco products for the 231st time. It only took a few weeks for me to decide it was better to have a nicotine fix than spend the next 4 - 7 years saying "shaking the bush, Boss". It wan't until the 518th time I quit tobacco products that I actually succeeded. Im my estimation, I still have about 46 more seasons of Spurs basketball before I truly and officially quit. Not to discount the Thunder. If there is any NBA team I would want to win instead of the Spurs, it's probably them. (in spite of the fact that they have Derrick Fisher on their team, and I still can't get past the fact that he stuck a knife in the heart of the Spurs a few years ago!) They seem to be a quality team with an overall good group of guys. Not like some other NBA teams, who insist on filling every spot on the roster with wife-beaters, druggies, gansters and thugs. I still have the comfort in my heart of knowing that the Mavericks and Mark Cuban were swept in the first round. Arrogant little ass. What do you call 12 millionaires sitting around watching the Western Conference Finals? The Dallas Mavericks! I'm also pretty happy that the Lakers got the boot too! Never has there been a team I root against quite as hard as the Lakers! Unless it's the Heat. Both a bunch of "look-at-me" wanna-be Superhero's. So now, everybody get behind the Spurs and cheer them on! If they lose, IT'S YOUR FAULT!!! And if you happen to be a Thunder fan, Suck it!