My Tax Dollars Hard At Work

Supposedly in President Bush’s speech tomorrow night he’s going to talk about a plan to make health insurance more affordable. According to a story from Reuters, “Bush is proposing to make health insurance premiums taxable income, with people who get employer-provided plans that cost more than $15,000 a year facing a tax hike if they do not get cheaper insurance, the White House said.” Excuse me? Let me get this straight…because I decided to actually apply myself, take student loans to finish college, and work for what I have, I might face a tax hike to pay for someone else’s health insurance??? It’s not MY fault someone can’t afford it, so why in the heck would I be penalized? If I want to help someone out I will, but do NOT force me to do it.

When I was 19 I worked at Burger King. Guess what, they had a health insurance plan for people who worked more than 30 hours a week. And because I was out of school at the time, I no longer qualified to fall under my parents’ plan so I signed up for it. My next job at a record store offered a similar plan and I signed up for that one as well. My point is, if you are employed then you probably have access to some kind of health insurance. The only way I can see someone doesn’t have health insurance from an employer is if two conditions exist - 1) You are self-employed and are probably smart enough to have some kind of insurance, or 2) Have no job.

If you fall under reason number one and don’t have insurance, then you might want to take on a job that offers it if you have a family. If you fall under reason number two then get off your butt and go get a job. I didn’t borrow all the money I did and keep trying to improve myself so I can pay for some lazy bum’s health insurance. What…do I sound cold-blooded? Too bad because it’s exactly how I feel. If I choose to give I will, but I DO NOT want the government penalizing me because I actually tried to improve my life. I can’t believe that this President is actually considering this. Well, then again I guess I can considering illegals get free healthcare which is one of the TOP contributing factors to rising costs. That and the ridiculous lawsuits…which John Edwards got rich off of.

I just love getting up every day, going to work, paying my bills on time, and then being penalized because I actually try my best to play by the rules. I’ve got a great idea on how to make health insurance more affordable - just renounce your citizenship. That way every time you even get a cold just go to a nearby ER and get free treatment that the rest of us will have to pay for.

I hope this story is wrong and Bush won’t talk about this. If he does, then he will once again lose any respect I had…and there isn’t much left.