Posted by
Patrol Base Activities on Friday, July 24, 2009 3:22:16 PM
My lawyer father-in law forwarded Ann Coulter's article from yesterday and I summed up my thoughts on it in my reply back to him. He responded back with,"spot on!". This all sort of spurred me on to offer my opinion more publicly, and I started this blog. I'll probably get smacked in the back of the head somehow for doing so, but what hell. Here are my thoughts on how best to handle healthcare and the millions of uninsured, and getting some of the hardest hit groups back to work...
"This whole thing is lunacy. Everyone wants something without having to give anything in return.
If you want to be told what to do and be given everything you need to get through life the answer is just a quick walk over to the local US Military recruiters. The age limit for enlistment was raised to 42 in 2007. You get base pay ($1399.50/mo for E-1 w/no prior service or college), uniforms, 3 meals a day and a bunk, and TRICARE. After 3 years an average soldier makes just under $3K/mo before allowances and special duty pay. That should just about cover everybody that isn't about to qualify for Social Security and Medicare, and give people jobs with a decent wage.
Some would say that option is draconian and dooms a person to continuous rotations to a combat zone. Yes but, I had to work at it to qualify as a combat arms soldier so I could participate in the festivities. I had to volunteer for service, volunteer for the Airborne, and then volunteer for special training. The same is true for Rangers, Infantry, even military police have requirements that must be met and more importantly, requested by the prospective soldier. Most everybody that applies for enlistment in their 30s and 40s, isn't going to physically qualify to be assigned to a combat unit, and if they do they have to ask for it. They (Those not in the combat arms or combat support) may go to a combat zone but they will sit behind more security than imaginable and watch the combat with the rest of America, on CNN.
And hell, don't join the everyday military. Even the National Guard offers Tricare Standard to it's "weekend" soldiers on a cost share basis where you get your whole family insured for $170/mo with only 20% co-pays. Everytime the Guardsman volunteers to go to a combat zone co-pays are dropped and coverage is bumped to Tricare Prime.
If you don't have health insurance in this country and you are 42 or under then it's time to take that "perp" walk over to the "Uncle Sam Wants You!" office.
I'm just sayin',"