Rant

I actually wrote this for a comment "awaiting moderation" at another site...but my comments are never approved, so guess I can put whatever I want here where no one reads anything I'm writing anyway ;)

So here we go:

I am really tired of the word “entitlements.” Whatever happened to words like “assistance”? I am an Ivy League-educated woman who cannot fulfill my present dream of working from my computer at home while coping with several serious illnesses including systemic lupus erythematosus…because someone forgot to allow for work incentives in Medicare Part D, and I was moved to Medicare Part D, not of my own choice. I would love to end my since-1988 existence as hated “welfare scum”, but since I am uninsurable as far as health insurance companies are concerned, I would die. And I don’t think anyone should have to die to bring the budget more into balance. There are other things we could slash first before resorting to murder, and I’ll name some gladly if anybody lets me. There are some things in federal disability programs which badly need tweaking, but in the years I have been waiting to be allowed to get out of the poverty that has made my health a lot worse than it ever should have been (and which incidentally stole my life from me, starting at age 23) the options have always been presented as 1) keep the status quo or 2) cut programs with a machete and ignore the collateral damage. I guess what I need is a policy wonk with a heart and a brain. Not more dartboards with the word “entitlements” painted on them…
I know so many brilliant people in the tech field who are now under or unemployed. Maybe we could take a look at the H1Bs we are importing in the tech industry? Just an example. The devil is always in the details.