When I was a young boy, I learned in one night valuable lessons that have serve me well, although at times painfully. Lessons that I wish our politicians had learned.
Chocolate milk used to be my favorite drink and a real treat as an 8 year old. In the house my family lived were two huge white curtains over the sliding glass doors. My mother loved those curtains- white lace. She brought them home from the cleaners one day, hung them, the same day she attended evening choir practice. It was a Monday. Before she left, she told my two beloved older sisters and me not to get near the curtains.
Almost before the door shut for her departure, I decided to make a huge glass of cold chocolate milk. I poured either Nestles Quik or maybe a heap of Bosco syrup into the glass. I took my treasure to the comfy chair, setting it on the nearby table by the window. Drummer, our boxer dog, lay at my feet. Perfect. My sisters watching television in the next room, me undisturbed to have the nectar.
I do not know what happened but within 15 seconds, the glass of chocolate milk even before I took a sip was hurdling towards the window and the white curtains at light speed. A blur but I could visualize every drop spilling. To my horror, the liquid drenched the curtain like black blood.
I raced to tell my sisters. All they could say is “now you are going to get it, Jackie”. I cleaned it up as best I could and cleaned it up like an eight year old would. The stains were not only everywhere but also very noticeable (like from the moon)
I now had 2 hours until my mother returned. How should I approach this? Lie, feign ignorance, run away from home, blame it on poor Drummer? I was prepared for the worst.
My mother returned and I immediately told her before she got in the door and showed her the damage. I was hoping for a beating, it would have made me feel better. Instead, she said “Jackie, go your room and go to bed. (My mother nevered called me Jackie so I knew this was serious) We can discuss this in the morning.”
I learned that night the following:
- Tell the truth
- Do not try to hide what will be found out
- Fess up as soon as possible
- Take responsibility for your actions
I never received any punishment from my mother. She told me I did the right thing in telling her right away even though she was mad. I have to say, my mother earned and had my unwavering love for the rest of her life.
Now for the lessons in political terms: It seems some of our leaders have not been honest at best and probably just plain deceitful.
President Obama had stated and really vowed repeatedly over the last 4 years that under his healthcare initiative, those who like their health insurance plans could keep them. Not only that but a person could keep his doctor and it would not cost any more money under his plan. In addition, after the plan was enacted, there was no mention that full time work world morph into part time as a result.
Seems like none of this is true and the politicians knew it. They not only did not tell us, they continued to tell a fabrication
We now know more than 7 million people will lose their healthcare coverage as a result of ObamaCare's new standards.
Sources told the NBC news a few days ago that 50 to 75 percent of people who buy health plans individually would receive a cancellation letter in the next year.
The NBC report states the Obama administration knew this fact because of an estimate buried in regulations from 2010 that "40 to 67 percent" of customers will lose their healthcare policies. In fact, this figure could be greater because many other plans were not "grandfathered" in by the administration under the healthcare law.
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), the House minority whip, acknowledged on Tuesday the Democrats knew all along that some patients would lose their health insurance plans under the new law. Like Mr. Obama he did not bother to tell any of these people either.
These new revelations about the dysfunction of the health care law are shameful. The deception of trying to hide the consequences of the law is maybe worse than the law itself.
Liberals, media apologists and the Administration are trying to explain all of this. How people will be better off under the new law. It is a bunch of crud, double speak and pure garbage. Who are they to say when a person is better off?
It was the intention all along to destroy the individual insurance market, make people pay for what they do not want or need. To take choice away, to make others subsidize the chosen in the system. There was no mistake here. A mistake is not locking the front door, adding up the column wrong.
It is no wonder the public is distrustful of Washington. Hiding the truth, deception and lying are just wrong. Making up some lame excuses and rationalizing is insulting. Taking away choice is the wrong path to efficiency and low costs.
How did we do this to ourselves? How did we get to this point? Why do our “leaders” think they can get away with this behavior? Do they think we are stupid, sheep and powerless? Do they care? How does the government achieve such arrogance that only it knows what is good for its citizens?
Notwithstanding the substance of the Affordable Care Act, this kind of conduct makes me angry, sad, and disgusted-and I have been around politics for a long long time.