The Brocus Family supports Barack Obama, that is no secret. But I have yet to share exactly why we are such staunch supporters of the Democratic Party. First of all, our financial livelihood. Our grandfathers were proud union members, our fathers were proud union members, and now Louis makes it possible for me to stay home with our children because he is a proud union member. I'm not saying that the union isn't flawed, that it hasn't been tainted by organized crime afiliation, that people haven't hidden behind it for selfish reasons, but what organization run by humans ISN'T flawed. Look at the church for crying out loud! We've managed to even do a number on that one. But I think people have forgotten why the union was so important to American history. Because of the union people FINALLY got safe working conditions, fair hours, and fair wages. Is there a prosperous country in the world that doesn't have organized workers?We also feel that people should never have to be without health care. Someone should not have to decide whether to take their child to the doctor or buy groceries that week. My best friend in high school almost died from an intestinal birth defect because her family didn't have health insurance and she was too afraid of the costs for her mother if she went to the emergency room. If I help out one deserving poor family, but 6 lazy families, with my tax dollars by paying for their health care so be it.
There are many other reasons why I'm a Democrat, but maybe I'll continue on in another post so that I don't bore you, my gentle readers...
6 comments:
LOVE that yard sign! :)
I agree, our current health care system is flawed. However, I do not believe providing universal health care to everyone is going to solve our problems either. I have a problem with illegal immigrants earning the same privileges that I am afforded. Did you know that the US has 15 million immigrants? Do you think the US has enough doctor's to cover EVERYONE? I cannot disagree that there are situations (like your friend's) where the system has failed. That being said, we have enough people living off "the system", and I believe universal health care would only make that worse. I agree that something needs to change, but putting everyone on equal ground, for me, is just plain crazy.
You go Athena, keep putting up those yard signs!
I agree on Healthcare, I especially believe ALL children under the age of 18 should have health care. Period. No child should ever have to go without that.
That's what I want. ALL KIDS to have health care. They can't help themselves, they're not mooching because they are lazy or abusing the system.
I want all kids to have healthcare, I just believe in different means to achieving that end.
I see Medicare and Medicaid patients regularly. If you'd like, I can tell you about the "quality" of care they are entitled to by the government vs. patients with private insurance. That's why I think we're all better off by making private insurance affordable, and by driving down the costs of actual medical procedures and healthcare.
Healthcare is a right, health insurance is a responsibility. In this case, a responsibility of the parents. I believe kids should have access to quality healthcare; it's not their fault if they happen to be sick and their parents, for whatever reason, cannot afford their healthcare. But subsidized coverage has been proven detrimental both economically, and with regard to the quality of care administered.
If you believe that health insurance is a right, I say a person's right to swing their fist ends where my nose begins. "Free" health insurance is not free. It's easy to say you'd be willing to pay for everyone else's health insurance when neither you nor I would actually be the financially responsible party. When we make $250,000 by, say, owning a small business or by going to school to become the doctor that would treat these patients, then we can talk about how willing we are to pay for others' healthcare.
As for unions, your husband is in a craft union. Unfortunately, (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), craft unions get lumped with industrial unions since the merger of the AFL-CIO. I, personally, have never had an issue with craft unions.
What I have had an issue with:
*Closed shops. Working in a major hospital in Toledo, I was forced to pay dues to a union that I did not want to be part of. Healthcare workers and things like our safety are controlled by the local, state, and federal governments, by organizations such as OSHA. I did not and do not need a union to protect me from working in unsafe conditions. The government also mandates how many hours a healthcare professional can work, in order to prevent malpractice due to fatigue. (Actually, I think my malpractice insurance policy also dictates such things.)
*That union would often bargain for things which I thought were unethical. I particularly took issue with some pay demands. It's no wonder to me why healthcare is so expensive.
*People would pull some major bullshit at work (repeatedly), and know they wouldn't get fired. There was nothing management could do, the worker was "protected" by the union. They were like the little guy at the bar who starts a fight, then calls over his big, buff friend to take care of matters.
*That union would endorse political candidates that did not represent the views of all the union members. I've heard some of my friends who are Republican union workers complain of this, as well.
I want Nate to write a guest post on my blog about the effects of the union on The Big 3. Do you think foreign auto makers are doing better in America simply because they make more fuel-efficient cars? No. It's because they're not unionized. The Big 3 has issues with the quality of their product going down as the pay rate of their employees goes up. And, generally speaking, when you raise the wage rate above market value in any industry, the unemployment rate also rises. Unionized companies can't keep up with their own pay rates, let alone non-union companies trying to compete.
Industrial unions benefit the insiders at the cost of the outsiders. Their demands not only cost jobs, but also lead to inflation. The cost of their goods and services increases with their demands.
Not to mention the rippling effect on society when they strike. Thankfully, most craft unions have a no-strike clause. That doesn't stop them from being heckled for union scabbing. Heck, I'm not even in a union and I've been heckled for crossing picket lines.
Okay, just wanted you to know that we both want healthy, cared-for kids, and protected workers' rights. But we have different ideas for achieving those things.
You said stay home with your children, plural...are you having another?
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