2013 Government Shutdown : Time to Get Serious

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"Time is Broken"

"Time is Broken"        photo © by rakukkee

 

Squabbling Children  or Government?

It's time to get serious.  It will ultimately cost the economy billions.   Viewed from elsewhere and far away, the 2013 government shutdown of the United States of America might only appear to be an expensive and unnecessary exercise in exercising democracy, but is also  incomprehensible. It looks like  government  has recklessly abandoned it's responsibility and no longer represents the people. Wanting coffee, we marvel that  obligations of governance can  be used as a lever in partisan political games; the  implications of  the  US not paying it's bills and defaulting on it's debt is unimaginable. When examined,  the current spat  resembles a childish, bitter disagreement in a doddering old-boy's coffee club. Red-faced, stodgy &dodgy  politicians and power-mongers finger-wagging, hot under the collar. Foul invectives are hurled about the best way to exchange one flat tire on their mutually driven, gold-plated limo for another equally flat, useless tire.  How unfortunate. How sad. How useless.   As an aside, it kind of reminds us of the scandalous, tired and useless Canadian Senate which Canadians want abolished. No matter.  Arbitrarily "shutting down" government services is  wrong, illogical, and  unacceptable to taxpayers. Wasted time. Wasted money.  Failure by stupidity and stubbornness. Congress will not approve funding. How clever.  Perhaps everyone should resign in shame at their  failure to communicate with reason?

 Government is Broken

There is little doubt the current manipulated 'crisis' was  precipitated  by the  enactment of "Obamacare",  a legislated system considered to be unconstitutional by rightist opponents.  By any standard, partisan government is broken. Obamacare does appear to be poorly-designed, preliminary and desperate attempt to do something, anything to improve the  insurance-based healthcare system even at the risk of using unconstitutional law. The enactment of Obamacare  forces  Americans to pour profit into  rich insurance companies  buying  "health insurance products", — a strange and  predictably hated attempt to force individuals and families to buy  coverage "of their choice". "Of their choice" Raucous laughter and rage erupts.   "Insurance products" that are outrageously priced, complete with 'penalties' levied by the government  for 'opting out', i.e. not participating in a legislated, overpriced,  mandatory program.    This questionable and hot firecracker was also clearly designed  to mollify whining corporate interests  that already harvest billions of dollars  from the multi-trillion dollar business of health. Make no mistake about it; from the beginning,  the profiteering insurance industry  was not about to bow out politely in any health reform plan put forward by the administration, so the PTB  felt obligated to sell out compromise in the back room.  No matter that  millions of Americans suffer poverty, often unable to afford decent food and housing, let alone buy legislated, extremely overpriced health care insurance "products". Let's give our heads a shake for comic relief, grab another coffee, and then nod solemnly. Let's  pretend understanding of the stubborn mindset, rhetoric, and foot-dragging of all parties concerned.  Cooperation and creating a workable universal system is somehow frightening;  it is, after all, challenging the mindset of political ideology. The  contradictions. Government may be shattered in the process,obligations unfulfilled,  but no matter. We're right because we're Right, after all, we're Republicans.  No, we're right because we're Democrats.  How sublime. How out of control.  The paid plethora of politicians in geriatric gridlock no longer serves the people.

Health Care Costs Reality Check

In reality,  the  per capita costs of  the  US  business/profit-based approach to health care vastly exceed that of universal health care models  in countries such as Canada, Great Britain, and Scandinavian countries. Business, greed, and profit are only part of the root problem.  The fact that profit should not even be a part of the equation of access to health care—which is a basic human right—is politely given a withering stare and ignored to keep 'the ideology of profit'  pure. Curiously, alternative systems worldwide have functioned well for many years but no. Ideology is at issue.

Ideology Rules over Common Sense

From afar we may hypothesize that Americans, as traditional capitalists, practice iron-laced ideology, for pure capitalism is  treasured  in  the heart of the richest nation on earth.  Perhaps that model has served the most technologically advanced country in the world adequately, but insatiable greed has injected poison, dry rot and dysfunction into the vision. Regardless, Americans  continue to pursue the American Dream; profit is good. Ideology rules over common sense.

Buying  health  insurance coverage at $600.00/month with a $14,000.00 deductible  somehow MUST be 'better' than paying $300.00 or  $600.00 a year to a universal plan because THAT would be considered 'socialist'. 

Unfortunately for many Americans, the potential spectre of a universal health care system is too much to digest or even think about.  We must wonder if it is collective blind paranoia,  an abnormal fear of encroaching fascism or communism, the fear of being 'branded' as socialist  —or  the festering,  blatant lessening of personal freedoms experienced since 9/11 ? The reality check is that at times, slavishly following straight-jacket-cast iron ideology not only seems  inexplicable, but frankly, more than ridiculous. Is this the home of the brave or not? Is there never leeway for improvement in ideological models? You decide. That's not all.  There's a matter of hypocrisy.  Let's face it, the current suggestion  that  a government health care system somehow gives the government control of everyone's body raises concern.  Would doctors suddenly not have any say in treatment of their patients?  Logically, of course not. In blatant juxtaposition,  control  of everyone's health, mind and body by rich CEO's and their  profit-driven corporate proxy-government  is apparently  ideologically correct.  Other than being more expensive, is that status  really any different than "encouraging"  elected government to get to work and fulfill it's mandate to serve the people properly?  From within, ideological,  partisan  justification and excuses are always impeccable; "We,  the people,  don't want government to operate any health care system."  Can we argue with that? Well, yes. In truth,  the status quo is:   "We, the sheeple happily surrender to our proxy corporate government which consists of unelected, profiteering, pilfering corporate interests,—which shall forthwith and forever own and control our bodies and our bank accounts." Go figure.  Doesn't that impeccable logic make you  feel all warm and fuzzy and ideologically correct?  We encourage everyone, brainwashed or not,  to begin thinking for themselves

No matter:  it's the American way.

Bottom line,  the arrogance of  Republicans will likely receive the greatest share of the  blame for the costly backlash. The mandate of government continues to be unfulfilled. The cost of this shutdown may ultimately be calculated in the millions of dollars per hour, ultimately a hit of billions to an economy already struggling.  Mom & Pop corner stores, supermarkets and businesses  won't have to ponder why auto, appliance and and grocery-shoppers alike window-shop,  tighten their belts and walk away,  forced to pour more billions in profit  into "health insurance" products to enable  corporate "health business"  profiteering happiness.  It's the American way.

The True Mandate of Government

Let's cut to the chase. The true mandate of government, regardless of ideology — is to do cooperatively for the country  what people cannot undertake to do individually.  Being honest with ourselves, it may be recognized as  the only genuine mandate, —the only reason government is tolerated--or for that fact, needed at all.  Cooperation and logic are now absent.   Shut down, the government  is dysfunctional.  Is it not just a tad embarrassing?  A new model is needed. As we scratch our heads and head for coffee, we're guessing all politicians might benefit by remembering what the real mandate of government is and gear up;  it's time to get serious. Much bigger problems lie ahead. From this point of view, far away, with coffee in hand—it's great to be Canadian.   Is that Incoming I hear?   +FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail

About Raymond Alexander Kukkee

A published author and freelance writing professional, Raymond lives and writes in Northwestern Ontario.
This entry was posted in Economic issues, Humanity, Major Issues and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

6 Responses to 2013 Government Shutdown : Time to Get Serious

  1. Julie Helms says:

    Hey Raymond,
    It is always interesting to hear a non-American’s POV on what is going on in America! There is something that you mentioned that I must respectfully disagree with.

    “The true mandate of government, regardless of ideology — is to do cooperatively for the country what people cannot undertake to do individually.”

    This is not the mandate of the US govt. The federal govt is to provide for the protection and defense of the people. The rest is supposed to be left up to the governing power of the states. The Constitution was carefully crafted to limit the federal govt. Our founders knew, and experience has shown, that the more govt intervenes the less people do for themselves. Anecdotally there are always happy stories to tell of the govt solving this or that, but in the long run the people overall become more dependent and more entrenched in the mire (whether it’s poverty, illiteracy whatever). The desire to succeed and be self-reliant fades.

    Also the larger and more powerful the govt becomes, the more you get the crossover with corporations and the corruption and greed that leads to. If the govt weren’t in a position to grant favors at will then corporations would not buy into it and gain power over the people.

    Many of our govt programs are unconstitutional–welfare, social security, etc and now socialized health care. It isn’t that “arrogant Republicans” don’t want people to be healthy, wealthy or happy….it’s that THIS is NOT the way to accomplish it.

    Now I will apologize because you always leave very sweet comments on my blog! But I guess chickens just aren’t as controversial! 🙂

    • Hi, Julie, chickens can be controversial too..haha! Too funny.
      NO apology is necessary, and your comments don’t offend me at all.
      Health care is a universal problem regardless of ideology. It seems to me there has to be a better way, considered to be ‘part of any government mandate’ or not. I agree totally with your ” THIS is NOT the way to accomplish it.”

      I sympathize with ordinary people who have NO say in this fiasco–the whole thing is incomprehensible, reprehensible and unnecessary.

      About the “mandate”, yes, I concur, you have ‘States’ that also have a specific mandate to serve the people, just as we have Provincial mandates.
      For the record, ‘Government mandate ‘ in my statement refers to Feds and/or State governments –whichever jurisdiction applies. The fact that the Feds aren’t supposed to be interfering in this instance makes the situation even worse–I have to agree. I hope it’s all resolved soon. We have similar squabbles between the federal and provincial governments; we wonder why they exist at all at times. “:))
      Thanks for commenting! I hope those little peeps and sheeps are all happy “:)

  2. ah, raymond, you are at your best when angriest…and so does your language reflect..clever use of logic and perspective.
    it will hurt to adjust to the new economic models–the poor will have less far to fall and will recover IF they are healthy–
    health “products” yes a marketing ploy well planned…i personally have never been insured in my life..that is to say..i may have had national guarantee of instant health coverage if i had needed it in France..anyone does, local or not –no-one is turned away in an emergency or apparent need. at NO Cost (unless you count taxes) every item purchased carries its own surtax to care for all in its ratio.
    for those who cannot afford INSURANCE as it erroneously is coined..i wish you a garden full of veges and a sympathetic community..be careful who you vote for next..

  3. Hi, Nadine! Yes, the shutdown is unacceptable by any standard. The powers that be simply refuse logic in governance and continue to squabble about health care in spite of the blatantly clear dysfunction it eternally displays. With the shutdown we must suggest they are abdicating responsibility. They are deeply entrenched in the fog and mire of brainwash of big money, and/or their arrogance has completely negated their marginal interest in their duties to Americans. Which is it?
    The poor -a constant, no change there, and it may be a long time before the anger and muddied constitutional issues clear. France, Canada, Scandinavian countries, and who knows how many others– handle these problem smartly, if imperfectly at times. “Health insurance” is a farce. Why is the US so far behind ? The question must be asked in all quarters, and soon. “Be careful who you vote for next time” is the understatement of the year. Thank you for commenting, Nadine –and the garden did just fine this season, how about yours? “:)

  4. Ray, I had certainly wondered about your opinions on this matter. I’m glad you speak up and how interesting it is to hear your views as a Canadian. It strikes me as so ridiculous, the way the sections have had to be shut down. Dysfunction indeed. I hope nothing along these lines happens in Canada. Take care, dear friend, and thank-you for your honest, open opinions.

    • Hi Christyb, I’m always happy to see you here on IB “:) I’m guessing everyone should speak up and let their opinions be known. Governance is failing partially because of apathy; Canada is not immune to this problem at all, that’s why it’s a great idea to pay attention. The American shutdown will affect Canadians, it’s just a matter of time. Thank you for commenting ~R “:)

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