As if reading about the Baucus healthcare “reform” bill making it out of committee in the Senate wasn’t depressing enough for one day, I was paying my bills this evening, and made the mistake of reading the “newsletter” that the electricity company sends with the bill. Apparently, the state legislature passed a law requiring electricity companies to decrease consumption in their areas by 1% in the next year, and 3% in the next three years.
I ask you: how is the electricity company supposed to decrease consumption? Aren’t I the one doing the consuming? How can the government mandate a third party to change what I’m doing? Personally, I already try to keep my electricity consumption down, simply because I hate spending money unnecessarily. Now that I’m the one writing the checks, I’m a worse fanatic than my mother ever was for turning off every light except the one I’m using, and keeping the heat or air conditioning as low as possible (to tell you how crazy I am: I wear a jacket nearly all the time at home because it saves $50/month in the winter).
The newsletter went on to explain various programs that the company is enacting to reach this goal. Blah blah, very nice, not applicable to me, and wouldn’t make much difference to me if I were a bigger consumer. Then the punchline: these programs are going to be paid for by an extra charge on the bill. So despite the fact that I already use a minimal amount of electricity, and will not be using any of these programs to encourage decreased consumption, the state legislature just increased my electricity bill. Basically, in the name of saving the environment (which doesn’t need saving, and I’m not the one hurting it), they just took some more of my money; in addition to the property tax and income tax bills that arrived in the same mail, and the school taxes, and the gas taxes. . .
I can’t win. The harder I work, the more of my money the government wants. Even if I live frugally and try to conserve resources on my own, I still end up paying for the people who don’t. Seriously, folks, if Obamacare passes, I’m not going to waste money on getting my license once I finish residency. The amount of impending paperwork for decreasing monetary returns is soul-crushing. . . One of the residents is reading Atlas Shrugged, and was raving about it to me today. . . I think I would only get more depressed if I read it: the vision of an unattainable, unrealistic ideal of personal responsibility and freedom would be so far from the European-style socialist morass that our country is devolving into.
October 13, 2009 at 6:50 pm
The government itself is deeply in red, hence the tax this and tax that.
Surprisingly, “European-style socialism” is actually an welcomed addition on top of existing capitalism and democracy. American government/society/mentality stopped evolving since the end of the Cold War a decade ago.
Perceptual, and perhaps habitual, red ink and inefficiency are the sources of the problem.
October 13, 2009 at 6:52 pm
perpetual’ (not perceptual’) – oops, typo!
October 13, 2009 at 11:35 pm
You know you will pursue your license regardless of what happens with health care. The manager at McDonalds working arguably harder than you do will also pay the same increase. Luckily, it’s less than the percentage of his total income than yours.
October 14, 2009 at 12:22 am
Dr. Alice,
What are you going to do about becoming a medical missionary? I thought your medical training was going to be applied there.
Pat
October 14, 2009 at 8:47 am
Wow, I know I didn’t just read that the manager at McDonald’s is working harder than a surgical resident. Last I checked, 80 hour work weeks weren’t commonplace among McDonald’s managers, nor on-call hours, oh and how about those life or death decisions. Am I disappointed when my sandwich has pickles on it, or my french fries are cold? Certainly, but am I likely to sue, or worse, die because of it? Not so much. I have to agree with a resounding DITTO to Dr. Alice, with the exception of contemplating not obtaining your license. You have worked far too hard, for far too long to give up because of the backwards notion that those who do not work for it, should be rewarded by those who have, and do. The only thing worse than having to hand over your hard earned dollars to those who have not earned it, would be becoming one of those not earning it, or giving up on a dream over ridiculous, punitive, socialistic ideals. Though, as an undergrad student, getting ready to apply, I have to admit that the whole Obamacare non-sense has made me seriously consider PA school, instead of medical school. I have a true love of medicine, and I’m certainly not in it for the money, but I don’t want to sacrifice 12 years of my life, and upwards of $250,000, along with all that time with my beautiful children, and STILL be concerned about how to pay my bills each month. Not to mention having a bureaucracy tell me how to treat my patients rather than my own medical training, and instinct.
October 14, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Alan. Seriously?
October 14, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Of course. You guys are forgetting that they are also working another job or two! And since when have physicians in this country been able to practice medicine without having someone look over their shoulder? My hospital and insurance companies have been telling me what drugs are covered and what tests I can order and in what situations since I finished residency!!
Do I drive a Ferrari? No, a Honda van actually. Am I able to provide more than enough for my family and take them on vacation every year? Yes. Would I take a pay cut to improve health care in the US? In a heartbeat. Is any health care solution going to make everyone happy? Never, but something should be done. We spend more on health care than many countries who have healthier populations and provide equal if not better medical care. Will that happen in my lifetime here the US? Probably not, but I hope that things can change now so my kids and grandchildren and their friends can live healthier lives.
Kelley and Chris, not sure what specialty you guys practice, but over here in ENT I’m constantly working around the clock to ensure that my patients are able to get the best medical care possible. Too bad insurance companies don’t want the same! And no, I don’t think I work harder than a low income single (or married) parent struggling to raise and educate their kids while working two or more jobs. I’m just lucky I was born to parents who valued education and had the resources to ensure I was educated, not everyone in our country is as lucky as you or I.
October 14, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Also, Everything is relative. Am I overly stressed and worried every time I do a tympanoplasty? Not quite; I have the knowledge and training to do it confidently. Would I be able to manage a fast food restaurant without breaking a sweat? No way, I’d be too overwhelmed and shaking in my boots. Anyone could do what I do if they had the same opportunities and training I’ve had. It doesn’t make me any better than them.
October 14, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Alan – It’s good for doctors (perhaps especially residents) to remember that there are indeed many people working as many hours as we are, just on different jobs.
I also would sacrifice a good deal if I thought it would actually improve healthcare in America. However, I fear that further government intervention will only make a bad situation irreparably worse (since a government entitlement, once enacted, can never be withdrawn). There is not a single example of government interference in private enterprise improving matters: medicare: on the verge of bankruptcy; post office: ditto; social security: ditto, and riddled with fraud; CA energy fiasco; healthcare in Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Washington.
Thanks all for the comments. I guess I’d better discuss politics more often.
October 15, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Alice, are you referencing Washington state or Washington, DC? Just curious!
October 16, 2009 at 7:39 pm
State.