"Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction."
This is funny in a 'wanna beat my head against my desk and cry' kind of way. In one sense, I'm actually kind of hopeful. We really could be a the precipice of big changes in our health care system. But I know that change is not gonna be easy and it damn sure won't be pretty. Insurance companies are not gonna give up the golden teat without a fight and they have lots of resources with which to do battle.
I'm not sure a more frustrating industry exists. These are people who will make your child suffer through six bouts of strep throat before they will cover a tonsillectomy. Miss the mark and only get strep five times? Too bad, little fella. Maybe next year.
I see this kind of nonsense day after day in my job. My boss once actually said "Insurance trumps all ladies." I still feel sick just thinking about that statement.
There just has to be a better way...
We've been talking about this at home lately. (I have no idea why. That's just how we roll.) I find it strange Kevin and I have randomly memorized most of this monologue. Kenneth puts us both to shame with this definitive version. It's just so damn awesome...
Imagine, for a moment, what we could have done in those days, and months, and years after 9/11.
We could have deployed the full force of American power to hunt down and destroy Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda, the Taliban, and all of the terrorists responsible for 9/11, while supporting real security in Afghanistan.
We could have secured loose nuclear materials around the world, and updated a 20th century non-proliferation framework to meet the challenges of the 21st.
We could have invested hundreds of billions of dollars in alternative sources of energy to grow our economy, save our planet, and end the tyranny of oil.
We could have strengthened old alliances, formed new partnerships, and renewed international institutions to advance peace and prosperity.
We could have called on a new generation to step into the strong currents of history, and to serve their country as troops and teachers, Peace Corps volunteers and police officers.
We could have secured our homeland—investing in sophisticated new protection for our ports, our trains and our power plants.
We could have rebuilt our roads and bridges, laid down new rail and broadband and electricity systems, and made college affordable for every American to strengthen our ability to compete.
We could have done that.
Instead, we have lost thousands of American lives, spent nearly a trillion dollars, alienated allies and neglected emerging threats – all in the cause of fighting a war for well over five years in a country that had absolutely nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks.
Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants.
- William Pitt
