I’ll admit it seems impossible to keep up with current developments in the health insurance reform movement.  In fact I’m nearly lost on the current state of reform.  I feel the need to state some facts that people just don’t seem to understand.  Health care and the health insurance industry in particular need fixing.  It seems to me from what I’m watching, the Republican right is far more interested in having Obama fail than helping the country.  They would rather our country go down a shit hole than have anything positive come from a Democratic administration.

The problem I see with insurance companies is that they aren’t providing a product in return for payment. It’s an institution of gambling. They are gambling you won’t get sick, you gamble you will. It’s not a typical brick and mortar business that provides a service. It’s a model that’s inherently flawed and biased against the consumer. I just don’t believe medical insurance should be a for-profit endeavor because it’s always going to be against the best interest of those that have the need. Insurance companies’ products and business model are a conflict of interest by nature.

Selling health insurance for profit is inherently wrong, socially immoral, and evil. Insurance evolved out of the idea to pool risk for large groups of people, in order to dampen the blow for the individual. Of course, over time it evolved, they continued to drive people out of their ranks who got sicker or older, because it impacted the bottom line.   It is a bet by both sides of the deal. However, when the insurance company bets wrong, they just raise your rates or drop you. When the customer bets wrong, the insurance company pays a dividend.

So the right says that the problem is tort reform.  Tort reform would make up less than 1% of insurance costs.  The amount would be minuscule compared to the whole problem.  Compared to much of the rest of the world the U.S. spends more in health-care expenditures with less favorable results.  Our whole system is broken.  I don’t claim to have the answers but we cannot continue to make politics more important than helping people in need.

I have a particular interest in this process because I’m personally effected.  I’m effectively without health insurance beginning February 1st, having been priced out of ever being able to afford the cost.  I am confounded that the right cares so little for the health and well being of their fellow humans.  They care more about their own agendas than helping others.  Their philosophy seems to be one of “Hurry up and die already.”

I’m still technically unemployed.  It’s strange to think I’m 43 years old and can’t really decide what career to pursue.  The old one was getting a bit musty and uninspiring.  I’ve found that after doing the same basic type of work for so many years I’m basically unqualified for most things.  I find myself looking at ALL of the available jobs on craigslist.  I’m on career connection, monster and get daily updates for searches based on my qualifications and search criteria.  I have no real apprehension about changing careers but I wonder what the cost/benefit ratio will be in the end.  At the moment there is some income from clients while I work as a freelancer – if I take a low paying job that’ll limit or eliminate the amount of time for freelance work.

I’m toying with the idea of starting a new blog that will allow me a little creative freedom.  I even have the domain name picked out.  I have serious doubts about monetizing a blog.  There are too many fish in the sea, but perhaps it will give me some insights and ideas about where to take my future.  What exactly do people do at this point?  Go back to school for some new professional career?  What’s the real possibility of breaking into a new career at this age?  I’d imagine the possibilities are quite limited given the lack of experience in other fields.

The Salvation Army is NOT a charity group. It is a religious organization  The Salvation Army is exempt under Internal Revenue Code from filing the Form 990. As a result, their financial status and financial health are not available.  They also discriminate against gays [more].  Always, always research charitable organizations before donating, and DO NOT donate to the Salvation Army.

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If you can get past the evil ‘atheist’ word in the title without your retinas burning out this is pretty funny and enlightening.

I pulled the plug today on the suck-ass job. I hope it was the right thing to do. I’ll admit I’m nervous about being able to make ends meet but things usually seem to come together when needed.