Thursday, March 25, 2010

Obamacare and Danville

Thank God For Danville to put health care in perspective!

Big surprise the other day—demonstration against Obamacare on one of the local freeway overpasses slowing traffic, and the protester pictured is from Danville. I'd have been pissed that my commute was once again slowed by the nuts, but it came at the end of a fun filled day listening to the radio filled with public opinion; some sane opinion on both sides of the debate occasionally punctured by comic relief when some would hysterically yell that “This is communistic.”
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Never mind that the federal government via the Veterans Administration provides direct medical care to veterans. Which conservative wants to end the VA?? At least we aren’t as communistic as when the government, though Public Health Service hospitals, provided direct medical care to Merchant Seamen. The first US Public Health Service Hospital started being communistic in 1798, under Premier John Adams. This foolishness ended under Saint Reagan in order to control federal spending and balanced the budget. Oh—neither happened but closing USPHS may have allowed for lower taxes on the good citizens of Danville.

Now, other opponents of Obamacare do point out that a government program will be costly and inefficient, and they are probably right. If the Anthem (lets raise premiums 30%) Blue Cross’ of the world provided affordable health insurance to young folks forced off of their parent's policy and to people with pre existing conditions, kept skyrocketing copays and drug prices in check, and offered policies that people could afford when they were out of work we wouldn’t need a government program. But they don’t, President Cheney had 8 years to correct the health insurance problem and he didn't, so this is the option we have.
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Now I pick on Danville as every time there is some wacky protest, a person from Danville is featured in the paper. This time its Monty of Danville. Last time, when Bill Ayers came to a local college to speak it was Rosanne of Danville, who was outraged by Ayers' selection as a speaker.

"I'm for free speech, but I'm not for a terrorist. The college is drifting from its values."

For those out of the area—the median income in Danville is 60% MORE than Beverly Hills, 25% more than Palo Alto's. They do have poverty in Danville, 2% (California as a whole 14%) so Monty and Rosanne may be from the underclass, and then I apologize to them for assuming they are from the leisure class.
























If you can afford and can access the opulent heath providers around Danville, you don't need Obamacare.










Speaking of costs, I did see a staggering figure for this program, and it will probably wind up costing more. But then I took the $10 billion a month spent in Iraqi, multiplied it out, and the Bush-a-lie Iraqi boondoggle costs much more, which of course the good citizens of Danville don’t protest.


So I understand it must be hard to think there is a health crisis in this Country when you have your choice of cosmetic surgeons, and a tax increase to help other people get basic health care will cut into the fourth week in Paris.

Some of the rich citizens of Danville do some public service protesting against the important issues of the day. A few years ago they protested a youth baseball field (“Not in their backyard--Little League baseball practice field under fire for lack of permit, SFC August 28, 2007) Public vigilance is the price of liberty-or something like that. It must be shocking not having a president who just represents the rich.

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(Thanks to Ward Industries helping us photo healthcare facilities in Danville, and Calif---waii Mike, the closet progressive of Danville, for the tour of Blackhawk's Public Health Plastic Surgery Clinic, with the marble facade)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Danville, California: Home of the nation's highest number of boob jobs, tummy tucks, and face lifts per square mile. We don't need/want to pay for no stinkin' health care reform, just the latest technology in liposuction.
You tell 'em, you communistic pumpkin-lover. But, please, no more defacing statues of the Virgin Mary with cycling helmets. There are limits, you know.

Anonymous said...

What A GREAT ARTICLE YOU WROTE! I'm passing it around to my friends. Humor is a great tool.
John