Musings of a Dumb Ass

Musings of a Dumb Ass........ Domination. We as a free people have willingly given over and accepted what even now we deny, domination. It has been a unified process a step at a time, we applauding the politician as they pass bill after bill regulating every aspect of our lives believing that life would be more equitable and secure when the 'system' was put in place and operating. The opposite is evident. We are counted and studied by ourselves, categorized, serviced and allowed to pay the most extravagant taxes in our history in return for near absolute control. The American scenario is a Karl Marx dream come true, but with some variation. While we have given our souls away in return for what we believed to be a government system that would protect and provide for us until life was over, which is what the bare bones of socialism is, other things have happened along the way. There is little resemblance of the world I grew up in left to enjoy today and its passage is cause for ponderance. I will go to my grave convinced that my father's generation and then mine squandered the greatest opportunity for mankind civilization has ever been offered, and in return, not only robbing future generations of the great experience of true freedom but relegating the children of today and their decendants to servitude in payment for our laziness and greed. 50 years isn't such a long time in overall history as it relates to civilization, in fact it's actually a very short time, but clues to our direction scream when the last 50 of the day to day common person's life is considered. 50 years ago there were no doctors who didn't make house calls, and a minute number of 'specialists. Today it is difficult to see a doctor, and then referral to another one is about the best that can be expected. The government urged us to insure our health, then got into the insurance business themselves through medicare/medicaid and now are in the process of requiring that all Americans have health insurance. The thinking behind this may have logic but in a real world all it really has done is create an insurance industry that now controls when you can see a doctor and how much can be paid in your behalf, and oh yes, a medical community that is guaranteed payment and an open door to take advantage of everyone that comes under their scrutiny while complaining about the cost of the insurance required to protect their interests. If called on about their attitude they get huffy and defensive, reminding us that 'in need' all this criticism will disappear and we will be glad to have their services. This may be true, but never the less, a little over 50 years ago I had a life threatening accident that required surgery, which without it I would have died, and resulted in not walking for months. The total bill for Doctor and hospital services was just over a thousand dollars which pro-rated at $50.00 per week (my step-fathers wages at the time), would tally out at 20 weeks labor. Who knows, but I would guesstimate that services and recuperation for the identical accident today would run most certainly in excess of a hundred grand, which at the 10 buck an hour level that my stepfather would occupy today would figure out at 5 years labor, before taxes, or when todays 35% withholding is considered, in real life terms would be somewhere over 7 years of labor. Of course when interest on a loan is considered it would probably be 12 years labor for the same result I recieved for 20 weeks of my stepfathers sweat. My grandmother died at 92, my father at 85, and they were not victims of pills, nor technology, but instead just simple uneducated and unassuming people. 50 years ago there were no nursing homes either, we all took care of each other. The bill for the nursing home resident today for a five year stay will come in at an approximate $400,000.00 bill when likely medical care and therapies are included, and this occurs after an average 17 year ride on social security benefits. What our real problem is, and what will surely cause our collapse, is that each one in the circle on the ride to oblivion has the mindset that they arent getting enough, and the result is the lack of respect is bred into every crack and crevice until we are all crooks...... those getting..... and those recieving...........