Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Legal extortion

Yep, that's what I'd call insurance: legalized extortion. The premise works like this: if you don't pay exorbitant rates for insurance, you'll just end up screwing up your entire financial future if you decide to live uninsured, and so much as get a flu and end up in the emergency room. Now, exactly how is that any different than somebody coming up to me and saying, "Now, you pay me some money now, and you don't get hurt. Or, you don't pay me, and get REALLY hurt".
I've gone back and forth with the whole "universal health care" debate. Honestly, I'm tired of paying for everybody else. I gotta take care of old people by paying into social security, and I'm helping contribute to public education even though I don't have any kids. When you think about it, most of the things that you pay for through taxes are usually pretty worthless to you. And, don't give me the "roads and bridges" garbage. Sure, I see the occasional roadwork being done, but the second I see a pothole, I'm calling b.s. on that whole argument.
But, at least I'm BENEFITING when I'm paying into a universal healthcare plan. At least I'm getting something out of it, which is more than I can say for everything else that comes out of my taxes.
It really true. When you're young, don't have any debt and a ton of disposable income, you're about as liberal as a bra-burning hippie. As soon as you have some debt, and you're working to make your living, suddenly your fist tightens around your money like a vicegrip. Happens to all of us. It's called Adulthood. Bottom line, working Americans pay exorbitant taxes, and reap hardly any benefits.
In truth, I could probably get decent healthcare if I were unemployed. If I decided one day to go crazy at work, say some insane stuff and somehow get the police involved, I'd end up unemployed, and receiving unemployment benefits, like healthcare. Instead, now, I'm working my a$$ off, and paying ridiculously high taxes, and I don't benefit at all.
Sometimes, it just feels like it's not worth trying to work hard and elevate yourself, when all you do is pay a large share of the taxes in the process.