Ms. Cluckingly :
Well, I'm new here and couldn't care less what anyone here thinks of me, so I'll add how I feel and take it or leave it or ignore it. I am a Liberal, I am athiest, I drive two Toyotas and am a white american married to an asian. I think that Univeral Heathcare is the way to go. I have one life to live and I work my butt off, really I do. But aside from the lazy people out there who don't want to work and who go on welfare and get medicaid and crap, there are those who work so hard but can't afford medical coverage. Like some of my family members. I have a great uncle who has worked all his life and is barely scraping by. He can't afford health insurance through his employment, because if he did that, he couldn't pay his rent or put food on the table. So he goes without. Last year he was shoveling snow and and slipped on ice and fell and broke his ankle. Mind you, he WORKS.. but he can't afford health care. It is either feed his wife and kids, pay for their apartment, put gas in their clunker they are still driving, and pay utilities, or have healthcare. SO, he goes to the ER and of course they saw him, set his ankle in a cast and sent him home. It wasn't a week or so later the bills started coming in. For a broken ankle, x-rays and such, his bills amounted to over 9,000 dollars! He is paying it as much as he can monthly, and still working. His wife (my aunt) works too. My whole family has been pitching in to help out. It is what you are supposed to do not only as Christians (I'm not, but I'm sure most of you are), but as decent human beings. Yeah, there will always be those who will take advantage of the system, but there are those that Universal Healthcare could SAVE! Don't you understand? You are holding your fist around your dollar bill so tightly, but then you go to
WAL-MART and spend it on crap made in China and Bangladesh, and U.S.A. (which is NOT USA, btw) anyway that you didn't need!! So what is better? Taking a chance and helping a fellow human being trying to get by in this economy.. A mom who can't take her kid to the ER or Urgent Care because she can't afford the co-pay.. Someone like my Uncle who is a hard worker but just can't afford healthcare period... or go spend your hard earned money on crap you don't need at
Wal-Mart or Target... some box store somewhere, where all the stuff comes from china.. whom apparently no one here cares for either. Why blame the Chinese? YOU ALL BUY THEIR STUFF!! Look at the tag on your shirt right now! Where was it made? Where was your laptop made? Where was your TV made?? DOn't sit here and BS about foreign made cars when your whole house is full of junk from CHina! Get real... I buy Toyota because they are reliable, dependable vehicles, good gas mileage (I have a hybrid), because they are well made. You talk about your American cars... well.. they are the ones sitting on the side of the road because they broke down!!! I pick and choose what to support. I look at where things are made and think about how many hands have touched this item before it got to me, before I buy it. My car was a purchase made because I didn't want to be in the shop with it a year later. My 2005 Toyota Tacoma has NEVER had a problem. Neither has my 2008 Toyota Hybrid Camry. The car we had before these was also a Toyota and it served my husband and I AND his parents before us, and NEVER had issues. So, I may drive a "foreign" car, but I would open my wallet with my hard earned money in it to American citizens in need because that is what we are supposed to do. As human beings. Compassion breeds compassion, and well, you know the rest. So, call me what you want. I may be a walking contradiction, and that's ok.... but most Canadians I know feel the same way. "If we don't take care of our citizens, who will?"
ALSO.. all the parts for all these wonderful American made cars... well LOOK IT UP! The parts are made over seas all over the world then are shipped to Canada and Mexico to be put together. My best friend's husband USED to work for Ford in the parts and manufacturing department. When you go to Napa or wherever to buy parts for your american cars, read the label to find where it is made.
If you don't want to support overseas people, don't buy clothing, don't buy shoes, don't buy furniture, don't buy toys for your kids, don't buy ANYTHING and become Amish. How about that?
ETA: I didn't vote for Obama or the other guy. When someone runs who isn't a crook PERIOD, I'll vote for him or her. Until then, they are ALL CROOKS regardless. If McCain had won, we'd be sitting here b*tching about him too.
edited to correct grammar/syntax error
You make some very good points with this. and I agree to an extent.
We basically are forced to buy what is available, sadly most of what is available is made elsewhere.
As for spending out of control on whats not need seems to be a rampant lifestyle that has been going on for decades and likely will never change.
Personally I did not fall for the cash for clunkers deal as my 2000 GMC pick up gets 20 mpg, and my Chevy Taho gets about the same milage. why add on another car payment for something smaller that isnt going to be able to handle the jobs I need it to do?
Now my VW Gulf I had 5 years back got great gas milage, something like 30 + and could be used as a mini pick up. that was one tough little car, but the constant brake issues, front end issues had me out and looking for a bigger pickup.
I can handle the 10 less mpg's for less issues and less car payments.
