As I’ve been reading certain items in the press the past several days, I feel shame.
I feel shame for us as a nation, and anger at those who have lost any sense of the lives they touch through their actions. I wonder if they have forgotten the human face that doesn’t benefit from the same sort of life that they lead, and I can only assume they take for granted.
That human face includes children, single parents, the elderly, families, the disenfranchised due to race or mental health or the perpetual low-wage trap or, so it seems, geography.
But then, geography determines everything, doesn’t it? Isn’t that precisely why I once felt so proud and relieved to be an American? To be born in a country that aspires to live ideals of fairness and freedom?
Proud and relieved?
Considering the way the government shut-down has played out, those two adjectives don’t come to mind. The shut-down angers me. Reading about poverty in America angers me. Those who ignore the human face of their neighbors, the needs of their neighbors, the responsibility we all owe to our neighbors as human beings – they anger me, too.
What do I do with my anger?
I’m not sure. Too often, I feel powerless to make any difference whatsoever except with my vote, which doesn’t seem to make a difference. Even my virtual pen seems inadequate to the task of speaking my mind, or opening the minds of others.
Is any one of us “safe” in a country where millions of people are too poor for health care, even under the new Affordable Care Act? Do you really think you aren’t vulnerable – that a few “life events” can’t leave you on your knees financially, and feeling cut off from options and services necessary to leading a decent life?
Do you really think you don’t run the risk of societal implications of poverty in terms of other costs – an angry, ill, or uneducated populace?
Read here, on the New York Times, “Millions of Poor Left Uncovered by Health Law,” though certainly there are plenty of other sources discussing this topic. The Times writes of “poor blacks… single mothers… low-wage workers” and explains:
Because they live in states largely controlled by Republicans that have declined to participate in a vast expansion of Medicaid, the medical insurance program for the poor, they are among the eight million Americans who are impoverished, uninsured and ineligible for help.
But hey, it’s good to know that the poor who fall through the cracks will not be fined for lack of health care insurance.
Read here, again on the Times, “When the Government Shuts, Even Web Sites Go Down.” It’s one aspect, a very public one, of the federal government shut-down.
Read here, at Women’s Voices for Change, “Women’s Poverty by the Numbers,” and I would encourage you to access the PDF that is linked in this article, and read the detail, which does include data on single mothers and poverty, as in:
More than half of all poor children (56.1 percent) lived in families headed by women. Nearly 587,000 single women with children (13.2 percent) who worked full time, year round in 2012 lived in poverty.
I find myself thinking of the famous image of the migrant mother by photojournalist Dorothea Lange. How far we haven’t come in dealing with poverty and its origins.
As a child, I felt such pride in being American. Lucky, too. When I began to travel in my early teens, I saw ways of approaching life that were different, and worth learning from. I came home more aware. We all grow more aware as we mature, and certainly our nation has changed greatly in the past 30 years since the days when I so blindly and naively felt that pride.
Does this make me un-American? I don’t think so. I believe that voicing our dissension makes us quintessentially American. So does – or did – our humanity. No doubt that’s an idealistic (and still naive) viewpoint, but I’d like to think we’re better than this. We, the people – the actual people – are better than this.
But how can we dismiss such obvious obstructionism in Washington? What kind of country do we live in that health is not a human right? Why do we look the other way, turn to clichés like “you make your own luck,” though we know that unemployment or illness can happen to anyone, and in the US that can spell financial devastation?
Why can’t we put a human face to the uninsured, the scared, the isolated?
I can. It isn’t hard. It’s the man on the street a few blocks away. It’s the cashier who looks so tired, ringing up my groceries. At times, it’s been me.
What do you feel about America today? Can’t you sense the despair, not to mention the anger? Why can’t we do better?
Image of Migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange, Wiki, public domain.
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I tread carefully here, as a Canadian. I am baffled though, by the lack of health care and even more so the acceptance of this lack. This is an excellent article pointing out what Americans would rather ignore. Every country has it’s share of ugliness but it’s how we handle it that matters. Those in need should not be ignored. Kudos, DA for bringing up the truth of the matter. The media only seems to want to talk about the economic health or the market impact of Gov’t shutdown, but what about the faces of the people?
I used to get mad about the idea of one demographic level of the population disrespecting another demographic level, but I have mostly gotten used to that, difficult as it has been. What I will not ever get past is the fact that a certain political faction does not have basic respect for the democratic process which is the foundation of our country, and shamelessly manipulates or outright perverts it in order to get its way.
This isn’t about political ideology, it is about whether you respect the American people and form of government. I believe that those who do not respect those things, who think that shutting down government just because they don’t get their way should be put on trial for treason, with death, life imprisonment, or deportation as a penalty. There is nothing more clear cut in my value system.
A common thread among Americans is that we are self-starters, and like you said, we “make our own luck.” It’s unfortunate to think this way since it puts nearly 100% of our circumstances on our shoulders, when very often, things just happen. Even the hardest working people get assed out. It really is a shame.
Very well said, Nina.
I work in health care, as a Hospice nurse and as a Homecare nurse. Hospice patients are lucky to have the medicare Hospice benefit that pays for services to help achieve a comfortable death at home and medications for comfort. The Homecare patients are not so lucky. More than once I have been to see patients who have had to choose between buying their medications and food. What do you think they choose? So we have people with diabetes out of control and skyrocketing blood pressures because they can’t afford their medications. For a civilized country with our kind of wealth, this is absurd.
I had hoped Obama care, the compromise that it is, would finally address these and other issues. I am back to placing my (remaining) flag stamps on my envelopes upside down.
Lunaboogie, Your words make my heart ache.
I too am Canadian, but I have not tread lightly over the past couple of years in writing about American politics. Why is a Canadian interested in what happens south of the border? Friends, but more importantly family.
My sister married a former American serviceman (wonderful guy). He tends to be Conservative. My sister had a lump on her right breast. She had it removed. Her right breast is no longer covered. She had an issue with her cervix. Now, her cervix is no longer covered. My Conservative brother-in-law? Because he’s a veteran, he’s covered… gloriously and fully. My final argument to him: “Wouldn’t you like to see your wife with the same health coverage you enjoy?” That got him. He is now voting for Obamacare.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Being healthy should be the right of all citizens, not a privilege for those who can afford to pay for it.
Self-starters? Every man (and woman) for themselves? Get a job and make something of yourself? What about electricity, water, sewage, roads, and even welfare and food stamps? We all contribute to the common good so the collective we can support all of us as individuals. The better off extend a helping hand to the not so well off and raise all of us up. United we stand. Entitlement? A healthy nation is a productive nation. A “right” is not an entitlement. It is basic human decency. Nobody wants to be poor. And given half a chance, the poor will do their best to rise above their status.
You’ve got my vote, Mr. Belle.
Thank you for expressing these issues so beautifully. Of course, Canadians care because what happens to our neighbors happens to us.
This is a very complex issue, but healthcare alone is mind boggling. That said it will only change when the populace require it change. Until this point that has not happened. There is a general fear of change, the unknown and a little of the grass is greener in all countries. I have extensive experience in the US healthcare, and have a working knowledge of the systems in Canada and some of western Europe. While all healthcare systems have pros and cons each country needs to have a system that works for them. While I am a fan of the Swedish and French systems they just would not work in the United States or Canada.
While the US and Canada are so similar, share many of the same issues and there is information readily available I am always astounded at the ignorance of most Americans and Canadians thinking their system is better or the other system is better. I could go into the differences but I have limited time. One example is that many Americans think getting into a GP is like Soviet breadlines is “socialized medicine” when in reality without HMOs etc it is quicker than the US most of the time.
Canadians define themselves apart from the rest of the world because of their healthcare system that at times takes on a religious fervor, when they do not realize there is not access to care or drugs that many Americans would access at major County hospitals, and that there are protections for Americans under COBRA and EMTALA that Canadians do not believe exist.
At the end of the day where is the willpower of the American people and where are the political leaders? There is a funny comedy called “Dave” starring Kevin Kline, where at the end of the movie he says as President of the United States “I oughta care more about you than I do about myself.” I agree. Where are these politicians?
FYI
“IMF managing director Christine Lagarde says failure to raise the US debt ceiling would be a far worse threat to the global economy than the current shutdown.”
BBC UK / Business – US Debt Ceiling
Oct 17 should be interesting
Thanks for this, Curtis.
I am beyond frustrated! I don’t care what your politics are, and I have long since stopped paying attention – except when there is no way to avoid it. When did our representatives become enemies – so polarized in their perspectives that they cannot compromise?
I like the idea of providing affordable health care for everyone who wants it and needs it. I have to say that the fact that it is mandatory and people are penalized for not having health insurance seems unconstitutional. That seems like it should be a personal choice. I am sorry if that is not politically correct, but I do not like BIG BROTHER government, even if the intentions are good.
By the way D.A., I wasn’t speaking about your personal political position – I was using the general “you” as “everyone”, “anyone”, “everybody”.
I only want to hear news and facts about what is going on politically. I don’t want to watch talking heads opinionating (I made up a word) all day and night, and I don’t.
I can’t believe that the very point of contention – the Affordable Care Act – is already law and still our Congress can’t get our government up and running.
Angry? Yes.