Where’s MY Obama Money?

American healthcare

Couldn’t help myself.

When President Obama was first elected there was this little lady being interviewed on television, she was talking about all the good things that were going to happen for her since Obama was elected. One of the things she kept talking about was how she was going to get a new cell phone and a better apartment ’cause of Obama Money that would be coming to her.

When she was asked where that money actually came from she said she didn’t care, ’cause it was Obama money and Obama was going to make everything alright for her.

Myself and 300 coworkers layoffs were a direct result of President Obama and Congress having a pissing contest in late 2010 and early 2011.

Clearly BOTH sides forget that they are there to represent the PEOPLE not partisan interests.

Here we are in the election cycle again. The only thing that has changed, especially for people like me is that our unemployment is running out, we’re paying obscene prices for COBRA coverage ($600) a month and despite the media spin… things are improving at a snails pace.

WHERES MY OBAMACARE?

Guess what?

As usual, since I’m an American worker that has scrabbled and climbed to the middle class, contributed to the economy, paid my bills, didn’t use my house as a piggy bank, and have been responsible for myself and my shit.

I’m actually NOT ELIGIBLE for Obamacare… and won’t be until long after I’m destitute, homeless, masturbating under a bridge, and a burden on society. Which will happen a lot sooner than later paying out COBRA.

In general even in my 50s I don’t use $7200 of medical care per year. I’m extremely thankful for this. So why am I paying $600 a month to maintain COBRA? An even more interesting question is why does the Obama system make it illegal to not pay for insurance?

Between prescriptions, the occasional MD, Dentist, and Optometrist visit I’d say that if I were paying cash maybe I’d spend $3500 per year.

This is EXACTLY why so many employed folks CHOOSE to forego insurance. I went without insurance for YEARS… I paid out of pocket for services rendered…

And you know what???

Because it was a simple cash transaction I got pretty steep discounts and the same or better care BECAUSE the insurance companies weren’t involved. During those times… the Doc would say you need an antibiotic and hand me a bag full of physician samples. Great! no pharmacy bill.

I’ve been in an emergency room exactly once in my life. That was because I had a broken bone. I’ve been to urgent care twice. If there’s any way I can see my Doctor, I’ll call him drive to his office and wait. I’d rather have him look at me than some stranger anyway. 

So folks not having insurance are taking a risk but they do that every fucking day just driving on the freeways, especially now!

7 grand in my yearly budget would be a whole lot better than paying for coverage that I’m not fully utilizing. I’d imagine that the average American family could do a lot with 7K per year.

7 grand is 4 months of unemployment. Honestly, I’d rather have the cash.

So tell me again why we’re all paying so much?

OH Yeah! it’s to cover all the people who have no insurance, low incomes, and who regularly clog emergency rooms with non-emergency situations because they KNOW they will be seen by a doctor even if they refuse to pay their bill.

The disparity isn’t stacked in favor of the rich and middle class it’s stacked in favor of the poor.

So now here comes Obamacare <insert imperial fanfare here>. It does nothing for me. Insurance costs won’t be lower. My care will probably be degraded, and I’ll most likely end up paying out of packet to see the Doctor I want to see instead of some non-english speaking supposed doctor with whom I have nothing in common and whose instructions for my care, I can’t understand anyway.

The thing that annoys me probably most… is this wonderful debacle will put the country in even more debt and effectively lower the quality of care for everyone. Because after all mediocrity and socialism walk hand in hand don’t they?

I don’t shop a K-Mart for… well anything. I’ll be damned if I’m going to be forced into a K-Mart situation in health care. “We can do that required brain surgery for $500, but for $1500 we’ll sterilize the instruments.”

The liberal elite can’t understand why the middle class is pissed off!

It’s easier for them to call us selfish, and greedy rather than to take all their supposed intellect and actually understand the position they’re placing us in.

 

And my car is done

It’s been a good but very expensive week.

The car turned out very nice.

Before

In the before and after photos, you can see the difference. I also had the front grill changed out from the normal BMW chrome to a Black Chrome. It was one of those situations where since they were going to have the bumper off the car and disassembled to do the repainting, I saved myself the labor charges by having the grills swapped out now rather than waiting to do it later.

I’ve always liked the look of black trim. Before, the only chrome on the car other than the roundels was the grill. The dealer had parked my beastie in the service bay nose out (very nice). And I’m sure that more than a few men dropping off their cars were thinking “Hummmm, I wonder how much that costs?”

Overall I like the look a lot more. Somehow this simple little change makes a big difference in the look of the car. It comes across leaner, & more aggressive. Now I just hope it’s not too aggressive otherwise I’m going to be attracting the attention of the CHP.

 

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One more picture, then it’s off to deal with the rest of the stuff I have to do today.

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Busy day today

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Dropping the car off to have the front end repainted AGAIN!

Then off to EDD to stand in line so that I can actually speak with a human being instead of playing in their  telephone system and never getting anywhere.

I still can’t believe that after 5 hours of dialing, the best I could get was into their automated system only far enough for them to say they couldn’t talk to my right now and then they hung up.

It’s an effective system if you don’t want to deal with the public.

I’m planning to have the laptop with me so If there’s any time I’ll be trying to write. that is as long as the hives keep clearing and I’m not being driven mad by the itching.

Yesterday, there was a “Come to Jesus” meeting with the godbrat. He’s been doing shit like starting a load of clothing then saying that he’s going on an errand, Only to be gone all night leaving wet clothes sitting in the washer. It’s gotten under the other halfs skin because it’s just plan rude. 

I don’t like the saying “I’m going on an errand” which leaves the expectation that he’ll be back in an hour or two only to have him show up the next day. To me that’s on the raggedy edge of lying. It’s not fair, not acceptable, and honestly… if he was doing stuff like this at home I totally get why his step-mom was getting pissed off about it.

I honestly don’t think it’s malicious, the kid has all the attention span of a gnat. I can see how it would piss someone off because it’s essentially a cock block situation.

SO we’ll see if the “Come to Jesus” meeting has any effect.

Frankly I didn’t feel up to having the talk… I was itchy and irritated. That would have been a bad combination especially since I already have trouble knowing when to stop.

Hope everyones day is a good one.

Off to the races…

It Sucks getting old…

The Doc decided to add a medication to my regimen.

I took the first dose Friday morning and have discovered something that I never knew about before.

Hives!

Within 10 hours I’d broken out all over and I’m so itchy I’m loosing my mind. 

I will never ever tease my dog about having to wear the “Cone Of Shame” again.

All I want to do is scrub myself with steel wool, or just peel my skin off completely

My wrists, hands, feet were swollen and my hands hurt in a way I never knew was possible.

Forget water boarding give me one of these little pills and I’ll tell you ANYTHING.

The large welts on my arms are starting to go away but the itching on my legs is driving me crazy. I am frankly amazed that only little pill could cause this kind of annoyance for going on 3 days.

The itching has messed up my concentration so bad that I haven’t been able to read, write, or much of anything since Friday. I spent yesterday dozing with the assistance of Benadryl every 6 hours.

Problem is, there’s a lot of stuff I needed to get done this weekend.

So guys, before your Doc gives you some drug… as him if he’s ever taken it and what it did to him.

This sounds terrible…

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I have the entire house to myself, and the weekend to myself too!

For two whole days I can turn the house into my man cave… 

I don’t have to be embarrassed that I’m watching a really bad “b” or “c” grade scifi movie. I can stay in my boxers if that’s what I want to do. And I can eat what I want… when I want and nobody can say shit about it.

I’m on antibiotics again so I really shouldn’t be drinking… but I think I can sneak a Jack Daniels without the world coming to an end.

I do have to do some things, but those chores are actually chores that I like doing. The plan is to wash and wax my car and do a little detailing without endless interruptions. Then start pre-packing for a trip so I know everything I need and want is in the luggage and ready to go.

I don’t have to fix anyones technology but my own. If I don’t feel like fixin stuff, the shit can stay broken and there’s no-one to whine at me about when it’s going to be fixed.

I can walk around nude, stoke my dick and most blissfully of all… I can sleep the sleep of the dead without earplugs. I won’t be awaked 3 times a night.

And in further news… I knew as I typed it that I wouldn’t be home alone… The Godson showed up!

OK so no naked debauchery and I won’t be watching porn on the big screen. 

I can’t complain… he’s good company and tends to spend his time with his friends on the rare days off he has. He’s going to be looking after the house while I’m on a couple of trips. 

I do find myself wondering why his schedule is so erratic. It’s like he has no defined workweek and That has to be really tough given that he is a very social animal. He comes in and has to often do at least one week if not two of laundry and fit in his banking or other personal business affairs into a very few business hours.

For example he got off work yesterday at 5:00, the week is shot since it’s Friday and him raising anyone to do business is pretty unlikely, he goes back to work Sunday morning.

Just when the fuck is he supposed to deal with banking, his bills, or any of the other stuff that modern life entails.

I personally think the management where he’s working hasn’t ever managed a crew of people. They’re completely oblivious to the realities of their employee needs.

But it’s not my business. I can say I’d do it differently, but then again… I’ve managed crews of 20+ folks and have a bit of a clue about how to schedule folks.

On the plus side, he’s making pretty decent bank for someone his age. 

So my plans change a little bit… but I love the kid and wouldn’t have it any other way.

Humm man cave time on Sunday?