I Can't Help It

I don't want to be judgmental. I want to treat myself and others with kindness. I want to have empathy. I want to be able to accept other people's points of view. I was making a lot of progress in this department until the political primaries last year.

For example, I get it if you're anti-choice. If you really believe that life begins at conception, then of course abortion is a tragedy. Hell, even if you don't believe that, abortion is pretty tragic. But so many of the people who see stopping abortion as their number one issue don't see access to birth control and sex education and good public education and food stamps and affordable day care and affordable health care as their next most important issues. That's what I don't get. 

Also, I get that we should all do what we can for ourselves. But when I want to drive a long distance? I would like a nicely maintained interstate. And if a disaster strikes my home? I might need a FEMA trailer or other aid from the Federal government. When I start my small business? I'd love a grant or a loan - like many Republicans have gotten. When my kids go to college? They're going to need some Pell grants. When there's an outbreak of a scary virus? I want the CDC all over that shit. When there's a war, I would like an army, with officers trained at a famous service academy. I like National Parks. I like to know that new foods and medicines are tested before I give them to my kids. When I look at my utility and grocery bills?  I like that the government gives subsidies to utility companies and farmers so that my utilities and my food are cheaper.  None of us have been successful completely on our own, folks. Unless you grew up off the grid and never left the compound or bought anything from a store (shipping on the national highways, you know). . .shut up about the government's entitlement programs and how you did everything yourself. 

I think the bootstraps mentality is really just a way to bitch about so-called entitlement programs. Over 90% of "entitlement" funds go to the disabled, the old or the already working. If your belief is that they should all die or starve or be supported by their families, then fine. Hate the programs. Just be honest about it, okay? Don't bitch about 'welfare queens' who comprise less than 1 percent of this group, bitch about your Aunt Doris who gets disability because she's paralyzed. I have heard - more than once - people on disability complain about entitlement programs.  I have also heard this from people living in FEMA trailers because their homes flooded and they didn't have enough insurance to rebuild. And I've certainly heard it from people receiving social security benefits. It's like they don't see that they're receiving benefits. . . and the government will have to slash their benefits too if it wants to save money. I can't accept that their point of view is as valid as mine. 

And then we've got the people who are against Obamacare. Since Mitt actually instituted a similar program when he was governor of Massachusetts, I'm especially confused. Maybe people think it's a states' rights issue? Except that the state governments rely on Federal money to pay for Medicare, Medicaid and uninsured people anyway so. . .shouldn't the Feds get a say? Some people claim that giving everyone health care is socialist. I hope those people are also against social security, unemployment and disability payments - those were all called "socialist" once too. I also hope those people can explain what socialism is and realize that it has nothing to do with the government owning doctors, medications, hospitals or any other parts of the health care system. I have also heard that Obamacare will cost the virtuous American tax payer more because of all those lazy people who don't have jobs that provide health insurance. First of all, that's not true. Uninsured people use emergency rooms, which cost more and also hold up the people with real emergencies. Uninsured people are more likely to have healthcare issues become serious, which means they can't work. (But maybe they can go on disability - that's okay, right?) Uninsured people are usually working, because they can't qualify for Medicaid.

I'm okay if you disagree with me. Just make sure your viewpoint is consistent. And not hypocritical.