November 24, 2009
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Still in fashion
The huge clanking figure moving toward me in the News-Press parking lot last Friday was none other than Bag-Head Jheri, the Messanie Street philosopher, wearing a T-shirt that read, “Proud Member of the Reality Based Community.”
He seemed somewhat distraught.
“What’s up? I asked. “Guess it ain’t you, huh?”
“Aw brutha, brutha, brutha don’t know where all this hatin’ be coming from,” Bag said. “You think it was 1930 all over again.”
“What do you mean?” I asked curiously.
“For one, our boy Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize but since the brutha been in office it’s been anything but peace,” Bag said.
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad Obama won the award. I’m just not sure he’s done enough yet to deserve it,” I said.
“Well, he don’t deserve all this hatin’ either. We had the war and the bad economy before he took office, but he’s getting the blame for all of it,” Bag said.
“You’re right. But so would anyone who came into office after the last eight years,” I said.
“You think we’d be having all these tea parties and have Texas wanting outta the union if John McCain and Sarah Palin woulda won?” Bag asked. “Would times be any better?”
“We’ll never know,” I said.
“Another thing — wassup with this judge refusing to marry an interracial couple? Man, that’s so 1930s,” Bag said. “He was talking ’bout it would be bad for the kids. Ain’t he seen our president?”
“Yeah, that is crazy,” I said. “I thought we were beyond all this mess.”
“Peep this, hometown. Stupid ain’t evah going outta fashion,” Bag said. “It’s all some folks got in their wardrobe. Ya heard?”
“Uh ... yeah,” I stammered.
“I know you gonna think I’m wearing stupid now but I think they should let Rush Limbaugh own a team,” Bag said. “What’s he gonna do, not have any bruthas on his team? This ain’t ‘Hoosiers.’ He can’t field an all-white team any more than Jesse Jackson can field an all-black team.”
“Yeah, but many people think he’s racist and divisive,” I answered.
“It ain’t like black folks nevah worked for any racists,” Bag said. “Whadda bout Marge Schott, who used to own the Reds? Shoot, I don’t care if you hate me, just long as you pay me. All those black ball players say they wouldn’t play for Rush are damn liars.”
“Well, he got blackballed out anyway, so to speak,” I answered.
“Now we betta hope Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton or Michael Moore don’t try to buy a team,” Bag said. “Imagine a Michael Moore’s Detroit Lions versus Rush Limbaugh’s St. Louis Rams rivalry.”
“Yeah, that could be a hoot,” I said.
“One more thing and I’ma get back at ya. What’s wit’ all these folks upset about health care reform?” Bag asked. “Everybody think what we got now is cool? What’s wrong with public option? You gotta choice there, don’t you? It’s crazy. We got poor people getting mad because somebody wants to help them with medical bills and that the rich have to pay more taxes. They calling it socialism.”
“I know. These are some crazy times,” I said.
“You know, if all these people that are so upset about government handouts would refuse their Social Security, Medicaid and unemployment benefits, that would greatly help the economy,” Bag reasoned. “Let’s see how many of these folks line up for that.”
Alonzo Weston can be reached at alonzow@npgco.com.
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Kudos Alonzo!!!!
I think "Bag" hit it pretty well on the money.
I would only vary a little when he used the word "hate". I don't think many people "hate" Obama. I know I don't. I merely disagree with him. How could I hate him I don't even know him.
Heck, he probably doesn't hate me either....he doesn't know me.
Our dialog would be much more civilized if we could get those kind of words out of the mix.
We probably never will as long as we have the Jacksons and Sharptons around to jump up and place race cards whenever anything happens.
And we could correct each others "observatons" when we find a possible fault...for instance, "Bag's" conclusion about public choice which I disagree with.....I would opine that the flatass dead certain conclusion of the "option" would be in less than 10 years to destroy the private insurance companies....some 1300 or so.
And, the "public option" would be about as effective as the Energy department that was formed 30+ years ago to wean the United States off foreign oil. They have 140,000 employees....spend billions of dollars each year and they've accomplished nothing.
I think it's fair to conclude the "public option" would be equally efficient and effective (after all, the post office is....social security is.....etc. etc.) So, I have a reasonable posture in this matter and I don't hate anyone.
I have no problem with Obama having a different opinion....he just happens to be wrong.
Hope "Bag" is paying attention.....my wisdom may enhance his thinking.
Without a public option, there is no healthcare reform..period. 1,300 companies are going under if there is a government option? In this bad economy and everyone going broke and needing bailouts, which insurance company has went out of business? NONE. The same amount that would go out of business if people with no insurance and qualified for a public option had one available. Because the same people aren't insured by the big companies now.What they want is mandatory insurance. In Alabama, Blue Cross is the only one you can use..in Kansas it is Blue Cross or Humana. I can see it coming down the pipe. They have lined pockets of politicians to get this done, so everyone will have to buy insurance from them. And because they are exempt from anti trust laws, they will be free to charge whatever they want.
My tax money is used to pay for County workers Insurance, City Workers insurance, Senators insurance and basically any governemnt plan. But when it comes time for me to have access to the same rates the plans offer..it is not allowed.
I have paid for medicare for 35 years, my tax money pays for the VAs, I pay for medicaid to be abused by people at will...but when it comes time for me to have access to reasonable rates for healthcare..I have no option but to just get raped by some Insurance company.
Everyone loves to wave the flag and talk about how small business is the backbone of the country, but when it comes time to come up with an option for them to have health insurance...not so much. Hypocrites.
I've been trying to follow the rhetoric.....
We have a problem with "soaring medical costs".....so we are not looking in to options to reduce costs...like the biggest..."tort reform"
Since we are trying to reduce costs.....it will only cost us a trillion dollars to do so....Huh
A major complaint is lack of "competition" so we don't consider breaking down the state line barrier for 1300 companies.....we just plan to add one more.
Since cost is a factor, we are quietly planning to set up a program to pay for the cost, for 15 or 20 million illegal alliens. That should save us a lot
Could this just be about being another clog in Obama's "take over evrything in this country program"