Dear Obama, I'm Drowning.....

BhagavadGitaBhagavadGita Posts: 1,748
edited August 2009 in A Moving Train
Dear President Obama,

I have an illness I can't afford to treat...it made me lose my job and basically my career period.

I'm drowning in medical debt which causes me to have bad credit, which causes me to not be able to buy a house or rent a home or buy a car or get a job at a bank, or pay for my medication or keep my sanity.

It all seems so hopeless. I feel like the government is thinning the herd of the ill and the old. I'm sure this is not all your fault, but why do you think the people who "have insurance" don't care about the people who "don't have insurance" Our country lacks EMPATHY.

Sincerely,
someone's mother

P.S. I can't get life insurance either because of my non life threatening condition.
P.S.S. When is the asteroid hitting and will it kill us right away or will their be suffering?
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • WoobynabWoobynab Posts: 50
    To say that people who "have insurance" don't care about those who don't have insurance is an extremely ignorant "blanket statement." I sympathize with your situation; however, you must realize that debate and disagreement are all a part of the democratic process. It is this series of checks and balances that lead to better policy. It has nothing to do with these "BLACK and WHITE" statements that you are implying everyone on one side apparently holds.
  • BhagavadGitaBhagavadGita Posts: 1,748
    yea, walk a mile in my shoes.

    it's like i said, it's empathy. do you have some because you felt compelled to dis my rant.

    i love you.
  • JeanwahJeanwah Posts: 6,363
    I'd like to hear your solutions OP, rather than your complaints. Do you have any suggestions for improvement or just the rants?
  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 St. Fuckin Louis Posts: 23,303
    Dear President Obama,

    I have an illness I can't afford to treat...it made me lose my job and basically my career period.

    I'm drowning in medical debt which causes me to have bad credit, which causes me to not be able to buy a house or rent a home or buy a car or get a job at a bank, or pay for my medication or keep my sanity.

    It all seems so hopeless. I feel like the government is thinning the herd of the ill and the old. I'm sure this is not all your fault, but why do you think the people who "have insurance" don't care about the people who "don't have insurance" Our country lacks EMPATHY.

    Sincerely,
    someone's mother

    P.S. I can't get life insurance either because of my non life threatening condition.
    P.S.S. When is the asteroid hitting and will it kill us right away or will their be suffering?
    please explain how and why you feel like the government is thinning the herd. is it the fault of the government and Obama that you have this illness? and what are you talking about with an asteroid? am i missing something here?

    i do have empathy, and i am sorry for you, but you can't go blaming the government for your health situation.
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • BhagavadGitaBhagavadGita Posts: 1,748
    I guess I used the wrong word, empathy.

    I don't want to debate about this and that and the friggin democratic process. Checks and balances won't help me today when I have to go get my medication that costs me $250 that I don't have.

    I feel it's kinda shitty to turn this into some kind intellectual discussion of how wrong my facts are.

    We all know that Obama is going to have a hard time with health care reform and helping people like myself. There are people out there who are hired to shoot down his ideas. That's not a process that's a job. There are also good people who do care about situations like mine.....sadly, I don't often find them on this board. (Except the nice PM I received from a stranger who cared enough just to ask if I'm ok.)

    Maybe I should have used this word.

    Sympathy - 1. A relationship between individuals in which whatever affects one, affects the other in a similar way. 2. The capacity to share another's feelings. 3. A feeling or expression of sorrow for another's distress or loss. 4. COMPASSION. :(

    With Peace.
  • polaris_xpolaris_x Posts: 13,559
    we live in a selfish culture/society ... the cold reality is that people don't really care about you in general - if they did, they would vote in a gov't that believes in helping everyone but we don't because paying less taxes is more important, banning abortion is more important, etc ... there are places in this world where you would have been taken care of but to demand that in the country you live - you shouldn't look to your commander in chief - you must first reach the people around you ...
  • __ Posts: 6,651
    polaris_x wrote:
    we live in a selfish culture/society ... the cold reality is that people don't really care about you in general - if they did, they would vote in a gov't that believes in helping everyone but we don't because paying less taxes is more important, banning abortion is more important, etc ... there are places in this world where you would have been taken care of but to demand that in the country you live - you shouldn't look to your commander in chief - you must first reach the people around you ...

    I think your use of the phrase "more important" hits the nail on the head. So many times in these health care debates people argue on and on against systems that will provide care for everyone but then assert that they have just as much compassion for others as those against whom they are arguing. I can't deny that this is true; I know some many really good people who are against systems that would provide care for everyone. So how can they care about the problem and still work against its solution? It's because everything's relative; it's not about what you care about, but where your priorities are. The hardships of others really are important to them - it's just that their money is MORE important.
  • AnonAnon Posts: 11,175
    I've said it before, I'd be more inclined to support a health care program if they would rid this country of certain problems first.

    Cut wasteful spending
    Deport illegal aliens
    Deny illegal aliens social services

    Then I'd be happy to support a system that I was sure was helping American citizens. Take the funds that are being thrown at these criminals in our country and use them to help our law abiding citizens first.
  • AP261236AP261236 Posts: 30
    Is it fair to deny health care to anyone?
    Is it fair to give people without green cards, insurance, social security (cards) health care?

    Example: My Grandmother worked her whole life, became a teacher and retired. She has insurance. Grandma developed kidney failure. Her doctor wanted her to have 2 iron injections a month so she could survive. She has to fight with her insurance to receive one iron injection a month.

    But "illegal" people who have no insurance or money can get free health care.

    Is it fair?
    when does survival of the fittest kick in?
  • __ Posts: 6,651
    I agree with the OP that we lack empathy and compassion. And I think empathy and compassion exist only when we care for ALL people - not just those people who are like us.
  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 St. Fuckin Louis Posts: 23,303
    JB811 wrote:
    I've said it before, I'd be more inclined to support a health care program if they would rid this country of certain problems first.

    Cut wasteful spending
    Deport illegal aliens
    Deny illegal aliens social services

    Then I'd be happy to support a system that I was sure was helping American citizens. Take the funds that are being thrown at these criminals in our country and use them to help our law abiding citizens first.
    wow lou dobbs, hate much??????

    not all mexican immigrants are illegal aliens. if you feel that that they are then you are not my countryman.

    this argument is complete bullshit. it is quite arrogant to ask for your tax dollars to support ceratin things and not fund certain things. i did not want any dime of my taxes to pay for anything having to to with any war but it did. if your tax money funds health care for a mexican then so be it..
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • IamBETELIamBETEL Posts: 110
    Jeanwah wrote:
    I'd like to hear your solutions OP, rather than your complaints. Do you have any suggestions for improvement or just the rants?

    Comments like this is pretty annoying.

    She obviously was looking to release some built up stress and anxiety due to her life struggles. Maybe not the best place. (Reality is people online are pretty cold and could careless.)

    She feels the current system isn't working and is failing her. Your comment is like bringing in your car because it's making a weird noise and the repair man says "I'll fix it and have it running like new!". After he's finished you drive home and it's still making the weird noise so you bring it back complaining to the repair man and his response is "I'd like to hear your solution rather than yoru complaints. Do you have any suggestions on how to fix it or just going to complain?" .....

    She didn't run for president to fix the 'problem' that's what Obama was elected for. She just sees it as being broken and Obama had promised to nationalize healthcare.

    I feel for her on a level of feeling trapped and helpless. I may have not gone through the same conditions but it really sucks waking up to another gloomy day of shit that you can't exactly clean off.
  • BhagavadGitaBhagavadGita Posts: 1,748
    Got Some wrote:
    Jeanwah wrote:
    I'd like to hear your solutions OP, rather than your complaints. Do you have any suggestions for improvement or just the rants?

    Comments like this is pretty annoying.

    She obviously was looking to release some built up stress and anxiety due to her life struggles. Maybe not the best place. (Reality is people online are pretty cold and could careless.)

    She feels the current system isn't working and is failing her. Your comment is like bringing in your car because it's making a weird noise and the repair man says "I'll fix it and have it running like new!". After he's finished you drive home and it's still making the weird noise so you bring it back complaining to the repair man and his response is "I'd like to hear your solution rather than yoru complaints. Do you have any suggestions on how to fix it or just going to complain?" .....

    She didn't run for president to fix the 'problem' that's what Obama was elected for. She just sees it as being broken and Obama had promised to nationalize healthcare.

    I feel for her on a level of feeling trapped and helpless. I may have not gone through the same conditions but it really sucks waking up to another gloomy day of shit that you can't exactly clean off.

    Wow. Now there's the Pearl Jam fan I was looking for.....it feels good to have someone understand. Thank you. It also feels good to know there are people who care about others in a genuine way.

    My eyes watered while reading this post, but I'm laughing at your example of the car repair man asking me what I should do to fix my own car. Well said.....Creative way of describing my situation. Thanks kind friend.
  • Pepe SilviaPepe Silvia Posts: 3,758
    Got Some wrote:
    Jeanwah wrote:
    I'd like to hear your solutions OP, rather than your complaints. Do you have any suggestions for improvement or just the rants?

    Comments like this is pretty annoying.

    She obviously was looking to release some built up stress and anxiety due to her life struggles. Maybe not the best place. (Reality is people online are pretty cold and could careless.)

    She feels the current system isn't working and is failing her. Your comment is like bringing in your car because it's making a weird noise and the repair man says "I'll fix it and have it running like new!". After he's finished you drive home and it's still making the weird noise so you bring it back complaining to the repair man and his response is "I'd like to hear your solution rather than yoru complaints. Do you have any suggestions on how to fix it or just going to complain?" .....

    She didn't run for president to fix the 'problem' that's what Obama was elected for. She just sees it as being broken and Obama had promised to nationalize healthcare.

    I feel for her on a level of feeling trapped and helpless. I may have not gone through the same conditions but it really sucks waking up to another gloomy day of shit that you can't exactly clean off.


    well said!

    except Obama never promised to nationalize healthcare. he was for that when he ran for senate but when running for president he remarked the support for a nationalized system was 'propaganda'. his plan has always been pretty much if you can't buy insurance from your employer or elsewhere there be a certain system/whatever where you could buy it, like a medicaid for the public you can purchase yourself. which is different from a nationalized health plan where you pay for it through taxes, his plan you'd have monthly premiums, deductibles, copays.....

    and now he's seemed to have promised the drug companies to not overturn the ban on buying drugs from Canada and other things in return for the pharmaceutical industry agreeing to drop their price increases up to 2% over 10 years. and that isn't even up to 2% from what prices are now but 2% from how much they plan on increasing them over the 10 year period.

    oh, and he also had these meetings in private, which he promised he'd never do if elected president vowing these things to be broadcast on C-Span unlike Cheney when he met with energy execs and lobbyists in private when creating the energy policy....
    don't compete; coexist

    what are you but my reflection? who am i to judge or strike you down?

    "I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank." - Barack Obama

    when you told me 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'
    i was thinkin 'death before dishonor'
  • IamBETELIamBETEL Posts: 110
    Yeah, I'm not a big fan of politics I hardly keep up. It was a big misuse of words. I simply ment he had talked a lot about making healthcare easier accessible to all citizens.
  • AnonAnon Posts: 11,175
    wow lou dobbs, hate much??????

    not all mexican immigrants are illegal aliens. if you feel that that they are then you are not my countryman.

    this argument is complete bullshit. it is quite arrogant to ask for your tax dollars to support ceratin things and not fund certain things. i did not want any dime of my taxes to pay for anything having to to with any war but it did. if your tax money funds health care for a mexican then so be it..


    I never said one word about any nationality, and I suppose if you would have actually read and thought about what I said you may not have had a knee-jerk so bad.

    You sit back and let your tax dollars fund whatever you want, I'll continue to contact my politicians and let them know that my vote depends on them stopping the bleeding.
  • know1know1 Posts: 6,794
    Dear President Obama,

    I have an illness I can't afford to treat...it made me lose my job and basically my career period.

    I'm drowning in medical debt which causes me to have bad credit, which causes me to not be able to buy a house or rent a home or buy a car or get a job at a bank, or pay for my medication or keep my sanity.

    It all seems so hopeless. I feel like the government is thinning the herd of the ill and the old. I'm sure this is not all your fault, but why do you think the people who "have insurance" don't care about the people who "don't have insurance" Our country lacks EMPATHY.

    Sincerely,
    someone's mother

    P.S. I can't get life insurance either because of my non life threatening condition.
    P.S.S. When is the asteroid hitting and will it kill us right away or will their be suffering?

    I'm curious why you think the government is thinning the herd. Currently, the government doesn't have much to do with health insurance other than medicare.

    Thinking that the government controls the fates of all of us - good or bad - is a defeatist attitude.
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • know1know1 Posts: 6,794
    polaris_x wrote:
    we live in a selfish culture/society ... the cold reality is that people don't really care about you in general - if they did, they would vote in a gov't that believes in helping everyone but we don't because paying less taxes is more important, banning abortion is more important, etc ... there are places in this world where you would have been taken care of but to demand that in the country you live - you shouldn't look to your commander in chief - you must first reach the people around you ...


    I believe very strongly in helping other people, but my ability to do is is severely limited by the government stealing my money (taxes) and wasting it on lots of things that don't help people.
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • polaris_xpolaris_x Posts: 13,559
    know1 wrote:
    polaris_x wrote:
    we live in a selfish culture/society ... the cold reality is that people don't really care about you in general - if they did, they would vote in a gov't that believes in helping everyone but we don't because paying less taxes is more important, banning abortion is more important, etc ... there are places in this world where you would have been taken care of but to demand that in the country you live - you shouldn't look to your commander in chief - you must first reach the people around you ...


    I believe very strongly in helping other people, but my ability to do is is severely limited by the government stealing my money (taxes) and wasting it on lots of things that don't help people.

    the truth is that gov't in theory is the best way to achieve nationalistic goals - the reality tho is that gov't has been corrupted by special interests which ultimately kills any efficiencies ...

    the other thing is that you may want to help people but we all know that if we were not taxed - that the suffering would be worse ... and the disparity in standard of living would be massive
  • know1know1 Posts: 6,794
    polaris_x wrote:
    the truth is that gov't in theory is the best way to achieve nationalistic goals - the reality tho is that gov't has been corrupted by special interests which ultimately kills any efficiencies ...

    the other thing is that you may want to help people but we all know that if we were not taxed - that the suffering would be worse ... and the disparity in standard of living would be massive

    I disagree. I know lots and lots of people who truly want to help others - and do - who could do so much more if they had more control of their resources.
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • cincybearcatcincybearcat Posts: 16,500
    it is quite arrogant to ask for your tax dollars to support ceratin things and not fund certain things. i did not want any dime of my taxes to pay for anything having to to with any war but it did. if your tax money funds health care for a mexican then so be it..


    How exactly is that arrogant? It's exactly what you do when you vote. Is voting arrogant?
    hippiemom = goodness
  • polaris_xpolaris_x Posts: 13,559
    know1 wrote:
    I disagree. I know lots and lots of people who truly want to help others - and do - who could do so much more if they had more control of their resources.

    i'm sorry but you can know thousands of people and you would still be wrong ... just look at all the countries with the highest standard of living index ... they are all socialized countries where taxation is highest ...

    also look at things the gov't has deregulated and you see there is no self-policing ... big companies pollute and dump at will because they are supposed to "volunatarily" do the right thing ... people are selfish in nature - it's why we have wars and exploitation ... if people actually cared about other people - they would be paying $2 for a cup made by people in their own country instead of paying 50 cents for one made in china ...
  • know1know1 Posts: 6,794
    polaris_x wrote:
    ... if people actually cared about other people - they would be paying $2 for a cup made by people in their own country instead of paying 50 cents for one made in china ...

    I don't have good arguments for much of the rest of your post, but this I'll disagree with.

    It's a very limiting, nationalistic view to care about people in your own county and not those in other countries. What if the people making that cup in China NEED the money more than the people in your own country?

    Other than my family and friends, someone living two states away that I do not know shouldn't mean more to me than someone living on the other side of the world who likely isn't as fortunate as us over here and probably needs help much worse.
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • polaris_xpolaris_x Posts: 13,559
    know1 wrote:
    I don't have good arguments for much of the rest of your post, but this I'll disagree with.

    It's a very limiting, nationalistic view to care about people in your own county and not those in other countries. What if the people making that cup in China NEED the money more than the people in your own country?

    Other than my family and friends, someone living two states away that I do not know shouldn't mean more to me than someone living on the other side of the world who likely isn't as fortunate as us over here and probably needs help much worse.

    if that was the case - then people would pay $3 for the cup so that the people in china could get a fair wage ... plus the cost of shipping it to their country ... it's pretty obvious the motivation is getting "stuff" as cheap as possible ...
  • BhagavadGitaBhagavadGita Posts: 1,748
    know1 wrote:


    I'm curious why you think the government is thinning the herd. Currently, the government doesn't have much to do with health insurance other than medicare.

    Thinking that the government controls the fates of all of us - good or bad - is a defeatist attitude.

    I'm sorry you don't care for my defeatist attitude. However, I am defeated. If you want to know why, pm me. Otherwise, your making an assumption that I still have hope for my financial future when it comes to paying for this disease.

    I am on Medicare so the government IS telling me what I have to pay for my medication, my doctor's visits, hospitalizations. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for at least the coverage I have.

    I don't have an debate on thinning the herd, it's just a intuitive thought regarding the future of senior citizens.
  • know1know1 Posts: 6,794
    polaris_x wrote:
    if that was the case - then people would pay $3 for the cup so that the people in china could get a fair wage ... plus the cost of shipping it to their country ... it's pretty obvious the motivation is getting "stuff" as cheap as possible ...

    That's totally not the point. I'm asking why I should care about someone who is a citizen of my country more than I should care about someone who is a citizen of another country.

    My personal opinion is care about them all, but there may be people in other countries who need our money and help more than some who just happen to share the same citizenship as me.

    (this goes back to your post where you said that if we cared we'd buy stuff from our own country or locally)
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • polaris_xpolaris_x Posts: 13,559
    know1 wrote:
    That's totally not the point. I'm asking why I should care about someone who is a citizen of my country more than I should care about someone who is a citizen of another country.

    My personal opinion is care about them all, but there may be people in other countries who need our money and help more than some who just happen to share the same citizenship as me.

    (this goes back to your post where you said that if we cared we'd buy stuff from our own country or locally)

    well ... the topic is about caring for people in your community/country ... of course - if you believe that everyone in the world shold be cared for equally - that is great ... my point to that is that if that was the motivation for buying from china - people would pay more but it's clear that isn't the motivation ... it's about buying "stuff" cheap
  • know1know1 Posts: 6,794
    I'm sorry you don't care for my defeatist attitude. However, I am defeated. If you want to know why, pm me. Otherwise, your making an assumption that I still have hope for my financial future when it comes to paying for this disease.

    I am on Medicare so the government IS telling me what I have to pay for my medication, my doctor's visits, hospitalizations. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for at least the coverage I have.

    I don't have an debate on thinning the herd, it's just a intuitive thought regarding the future of senior citizens.

    So if you're on Medicare (ie. government run health insurance) and it's not working, isn't it more evidence that this government has no business trying to run health insurance for us?

    I'll bet the answer - or at least help - for your situation lies somewhere outside the realm of government.
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • pjfan021pjfan021 Posts: 684
    I never said one word about any nationality, and I suppose if you would have actually read and thought about what I said you may not have had a knee-jerk so bad.

    You sit back and let your tax dollars fund whatever you want, I'll continue to contact my politicians and let them know that my vote depends on them stopping the bleeding.[/quote]

    ironic that you say stopping the bleeding about illegal immigrants but not about one of the worst health care systems in the world that costs the most...if you think that this country loses more money on illegal immigrants than this ridiculously corrupt "health care system" that we currently have then you're a little mistaken. If this policy passed the amount of money this country would save would blow your mind more than building a giant fence along the border to keep out them there illegals...and before you make a comment about how you're not referring to just mexico just stop right there.
  • pjfan021pjfan021 Posts: 684
    So if you're on Medicare (ie. government run health insurance) and it's not working, isn't it more evidence that this government has no business trying to run health insurance for us?

    I'll bet the answer - or at least help - for your situation lies somewhere outside the realm of government.[/quote]

    i highly doubt that less govt intervention with this system would help anything. If you think that private insurance companies will change anything to make their customer's spending and treatment better you're wrong. People need it regardless and if there's even less oversight why would they lower costs when they're not even doing it now?
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