self reliance

There is a nice guy, from across the pond, who used to be a pretty decent RnR Jock on one of ATL's radio stations....And this dude got into a pretty serious accident in his Mini Cooper.

Predictably, a 'benefit' is being set up as he carried no personal insurance outside of what is legally needed to drive his 26,000$ car.

Now, don't get me wrong: I'm glad his friends are willing to help, but there's no way I am going to send this guy any cash.

When I was 26 years old, I carried catastrophic insurance, and I did not own a car, nor was I a part time employee of a local radio station....Just as my dying father has always carried life insurance to make sure his wife doesn't get screwed after he checks out.

I am sorry this guy is seriously injured, but the dude could have bought some additional insurance, especially if he likes to drink and party and drive a small car real fast. Who or what did he hit? Nobody knows.

So here's my prediction: after he recovers, he will split back to jolly Ol England, stiffing us with the bill. His fans will moan and complain that our 'healthcare system' failed him, and had he been overseas he would be in better shape.

I haven't been sold on our system being 'the best', as my dealings with my own child and my fathers declining health have served a huge wake up call to me. Our system is broken. The argument is that if we cede control over basic healthcare to the Govt, then they will screw it up worse. I disagree. There is virtually no way they can screw it up more then the 'private sector' is now.....And I've now seen it from 3 different viewpoints: from an immigrant with no insurance, to my father with some insurance and medicaid/medicare, and my own child who is insured to the hilt with the best policy going. All three times, the healthcare providers dropped the ball. Again and again.

So let's let the 47 million uninsured get Govt healthcare. It wont eliminate my wife's job: she will just sell supplemental insurance, and hopefully the private sector will do better then the free Govt hand out, as is the case in Jolly Ol England. The smart chaps over there use the free system when they want to, and use the private sector when they wish as well.

Were already bankrupting ourselves daily, so we might as well cover these poor schlubs before this house of cards falls in on itself.