Acceptable Loss

January 13, 2017

It’s been sixty-six days since the Donald was thrust upon an unsuspecting majority by an angry relentless minority. In keeping with the exceptional American expectation that “if you ignore it, it will go away”, forty percent of us sat out the selection process. And they were right, things are going away.

Obama Care, for sure, dead as Paul Ryan’s soul. Congressional ethics, oh please – it’s only merciful to kill off anything already that weak. Free speech, hold on partner – what about the white guy’s free speech right to tell everyone else to shut the fuck up! Gender related anything – shut the fuck up!

Some would call this phenomenon collateral damage. But, that would be an understandable mistake. Collateral damage refers to what is inflicted upon an unintended target. But in this case, the deliberation and remarkable accuracy indicates only intended targets. The ruin is intentional, not collateral.

Perhaps, acceptable loss, is a more properly descriptive choice. You know, like when Speaker Ryan, tells a cancer survivor that republicans will replace the Obama Care that saved the man’s life with something better, he means it.

It will be better for the top income people who won’t be spending so much or their money on health care that is unnecessary, for them. And if a small number of people suffer in some nonspecific way as a result of righting this horrible economic wrong… Well, that’s an acceptable loss.

Paul looked right at the guy and danced around the issue throwing out terms like “high risk pools” (commonly referred to “high cost pools”) to obfuscate the fact that the insurance business is only interested in low risk customers.

The insurance lords don’t want the high-risk cases. So, the public would be compelled cover them, but that would take tax dollars. Taxing to help the sick, a minority group, is not interesting to Paul and the austerity orthodox.

So, more likely, they would create a program, but not fund it. Then, make the rules to participate so complex that no one qualifies. The formula gives the appearance of social responsibility without the cost and has worked nicely before.

There would be some acceptable loss, but the cost saving will be worth it. Just ask Paul.

The republic stands because we all accept loss in favor of the common good. Well, everyone except our leadership. Can’t expect them to take any collateral damage.

In Peace and Justice,
osv