The Final Collapse of the American Dream

I do not like the new and proposed policies of our current Government and it has nothing to do with the President....personally. I also hope the current health care legislation dies on the over polished legislative floor.

It sure has nothing to do with race (or sex) and everything to do with the simple fact that under the plans presented in front of this nation – we are looking at uncontrolled spending and it is being rushed too quickly by a very liberal left, of which the President is a member of. They (the liberal left) claim that Republicans ran this country into the ground with war spending and should keep their mouths shut now. That doesn't fly with me. It's quite frankly no argument at all – it's ridiculous. Spending more money – continue the free fall is not something to be proud of continuing. There is NO right war. War is war and if you didn't believe in the cause 2 years ago, it isn't suddenly “right” now. War is a cause. We started fighting a war for a cause – lost the idea of the cause, re-invented the cause and then went to battle with little support for that cause. Enter and new President and a new “cause” was (by some genius) labeled the “right” war “cause.” Same war – different name.

There is also the health care debate. We've heard for decades that the system in America has not worked. Too many people are without health insurance. America was never built on the premise that everything here is suppose to be equal or that wealth belonged to everyone nor does our Constitution support any concept of redistribution. That is called communism and it doesn't exist anywhere in the world despite what you may think. It does not work – nothing is equal, other than in thought.

In the United States the phrase “the American Dream” did not start with an illegal entry and a trip to the welfare and unemployment lines. It meant one thing – that the democratic ideals of the nation gave the promise of prosperity to her people particularly that ability (not right) to bring prosperity to yourself. Lineage can be traced back in many families to someone braving the horrible transatlantic voyage in steerage (recorded that mortality rates were as high as 10% in some records) and in attempt to become a citizen, bringing a life savings (at least $30) and answers to 29 questions at port and the ability to pass an inspection for disease. If they were lucky (and not all were) one might have received a simple “good luck.” People did not complain they had no dinner or made soup from water – they leaned on each other through hard times and bonds were between families and not unions or government. Hand outs were not given without work.

The American Dream is not equality. The American Dream is not redistribution of wealth. The American Dream isn't suppose to be achieved by all. There is a reason - enthusiasm, work ethic, determination, and drive - that people succeed and these are not attributes everyone possesses. That's why it's a dream – only those that strive for excellence should obtain it. Working 37.5 hours a week, taking every possible day off your employer gives you, and all your sick time even when you're not sick... those are not attributes of one who is striving to reach the pinnacle of an organization. It is not the attributes that should be attributed to one who strives for prosperity.

Our current electorate of all shapes and forms has overly used the phrase “common good” in an attempt to justify uncontrolled spending and to demonize the American Dream. The sentence: “We need a public option because people die every year in this country with no insurance” is a perfect example. If one screams back – wait, your numbers don't work... the liberals immediately use the greater good comment and add the question is unethical and the one asking is just a naysayer out to “get” Obama. If you state the current plans will bankrupt the country you are also being cynical – it's done all over the world and no one is bankrupt! If you were to say: “Mr. President, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Reid, with all due respect, in present form – you'd be rushing through an option designed to place so much debt on the citizens who will be forced to give up their liberty to your government and even with doing so will eventually see the collapse of our society under the weight of the debt. You cannot keep printing money. To do so will cause a worse economic situation and eventually could lead us into an era of inflation or worse – hyperinflation” you'd be backhanded by Pelosi. The Democrats had 8 years of Republican leadership to watch the art of bullying and they've not only mastered it – they've surpassed quite joyfully. They have no need to listen to their constituents and if you want to ask Barbara BoxerBarbara Boxer a question, doesn't matter if you voted for her – or not – you need to line up at her book signing and ask her the question as she smiles and signs the book you just bought. Otherwise, shut up. The American Dream has been all but forgotten by a great many members of both parties.

Pushing through health care under a premise of – it is for greater (or common) good, is not American at all. It is a current philosophy of the left. I have no problem with health care reform or health care for all of America's citizens AND for those who are here legally undergoing a far less rigorous naturalization process than in most countries. But, I also feel it is important to take time to make sure the people are heard and the plan can be sustained. The American people are speaking and this administration and the cronies in Washington are not listening. They are filling seats with supporters and shutting doors to those in opposition. It is not a bipartisan Washington that leads this nation, it is a Washington that is selecting the press they will talk to, the meetings they will show, and shutting doors to many more meetings they will not show. It is a Washington that is being applauded by Dictators across the globe that are proud to see the collapse of the American way of life. President Obama promised to have the most transparent administration of all time and he does. They are blatant telling you they have no need to listen to your concerns. They have blatantly told you, their vision is no longer that one should try to achieve the American Dream but rather that if you do – you should somehow be ashamed of your success and for that success, they will tax the hell out of you to pay for others – some of whom refuse to work. The collapse of the American Dream is what you are witnessing.

The current bills as presented have no real success strategy. The American people are not wrong to suggest the government first come up with a revenue source other than one which is already government run and failing, as a way to pay for the huge revenue necessary for the government health care plans. As elected officials, they should elaborate to me and my fellow Americans how this plan will be run (will there be a set budget and will you NOT exceed it and if you run out of money – what's the backup plan -where WILL you pull the additional funds from?) This is not an absurd question. If you think this could be done by anyone in the private sector you're nuts...this can only be done by government who can push through anything it wants without a plan A, a plan B, a plan C and a backup for all three.

I would also question exactly how this government is going to keep existing insurance companies alive and in business. Insurance companies employ a lot of Americans and I want to know that these people will not lose their jobs in addition to my losing a good policy that covers my family. Exactly, HOW will I keep my current employer based insurance when having employer based insurance has nothing to do with me? My insurance is based on the economic decision of a CFO (or a boss of some sort) who has only one duty to keep his job – to maximize profit. When facing a small fine to throw me to your government plan or a much greater cost to allow me to keep my private insurance, I have a feeling the CFO (or boss) even if he doesn't like your idea, will certainly dislikes the unemployment line more.

I think you're hypocritical to tell me I can keep my insurance when you know this will not happen. It's also hypocritical and down right wrong that the government will not place federal employees on the public option if it is passed.

Let's also address tort reform and mandatory coverage that States and governments will place on policy requirements. Pre-existing conditions. Yes, they may be excluded now, but how exactly will the public option handle pre-existing conditions? Will all insurance companies be forced to do away with them completely regardless of what the pre-existing condition is? What if that pre-existing condition is self inflicted? That's a valid question!

I see the point for a person with cancer, a pregnant woman, Parkinson's, etc... but, what about rehab? If a person has been in and out of rehab 15 times, has cirrhosis of the liver, has no intention to stop drinking and just uses the rehab to sober up, make their body feel better enough to walk, and when discharged – beelines to the pub next door to start all over again – and blatantly looks you in the eyes and says – I'm living the way I want....Will there be limits on how far we, as taxpayer's will have to go to foot the bill for rehab, for hospital stays of drug addicts, surgeries that come from complications that set in and more?

What about fertility treatments? They cost thousands of dollars. $10,000 - $20,000 a month for in-veto. Will you limit that? If a woman is 45, but decided to wait to have kids to rack up a huge savings verses having kids during an age when in-veto was not necessary, and in-vitro statistical analysis gives her less than a 15% chance of conceiving through in vitro fertilization....how many times should we allow that woman to undergo treatments – or should it be denied completely? See, I'm mean for even suggesting that we deny coverage for this – but facts are facts – we know women should have children before the age of 35 for a reason. If one ignores statistical data – is it that wrong for me as a taxpayer to suggest that person should thus be responsible for this expensive treatment? Since, I'm a taxpayer, I think there should be a limit.

What about acupuncture, massage therapy, erectile dysfunction medication, anti-depression medication prescribed without therapy... are there going to be limits on this as well?

I could care less if a man cannot get a “strong muscle” going – and I don't want to pay for it.

I don't want to pay for anti depression medication that isn't followed up with a course of treatment to determine if anti-depression medication is needed.

I don't want to pay for Ambien because people are stressed out. I will pay for actual sleep disorders that are diagnosed in sleep labs, not Matt LauerMatt Lauer's nightly Ambien because he needs a drug to knock him out because he needs to get up at 2 am. That's not my fault. Make him pay it out of his pocket, not my pocket. As for needles to control pain (acupuncture) – it should be a floater. So too should chiropractic care unless needed due to a motor vehicle accident (scratch that-MV insurance should cover that) or a fall at work (scratch that – WC insurance covers that) ... so I guess I'd make that a floater as well.

My point is without regulations to limit what a insurance company HAS to pay for – how do you limit the costs and, or, the abuse?

Tort reform is also not a joke. It is needed. I am not quite in tune with the “greater good” argument (once again, I think it devalues the principles of this nation and I'm not afraid to say so) so let's put it on the table. Tort reform is needed to control the millions of ridiculous lawsuits filed every year that cause insurance companies to settle for a fixed dollar amount where a minimum of 30% goes into the pockets of an attorney. There is a ridiculous amount of abuse there and if you're going to raise my taxes, and you are, and I am going to lose my private insurance, and I will – I want you to address the gold pockets of attorneys. I also want you to address class action suits where a million people get one dollar and 6 attorneys get 6 million each. Reform there too please.

I want to see reform that does not destroy our core principles as a nation. To me these are as core to my way of life and my family - Fiscal responsibility, individual accountability, and moral and ethical obligation ... not to a political affiliation, but rather to society as a society, not as forced by government.

And, last but not least – the ability to succeed if I work hard, remain dedicated and strive for excellence without paying 99% back in taxes for your redistribution of wealth.

Only with all of the above will we see the regeneration of the American Dream.

Peace -

Maryann