The Day the Music Died

Note: This is just a random collection of thoughts going through my head. It may not make much sense. Then again, does anything make much sense anymore?

The day the music died. That phrase keeps going through my head. Except in most instances, the words "the music" have been replaced by "my country"

I sat and watched the takeover of many of my freedoms yesterday, as did many of my friends. Someone asked me this morning "how are you feeling today"...to that I can only answer shattered.

Am I angry? Hell YES I'm angry. Enough to get up off of my lazy butt on Saturday and attend a very impromptu TEA party. It was cold, it was windy, but a little over a hundred of us wanted to make our voices heard. Among those were my friends and a few of the best bloggers I know, Patrick, Fred and Steve.

But more than that, I'm frightened. I'm frightened for this country. We have an administration so dead set on passing legislation that the majority of Americans don't want, they have to make secret deals and bribe legislators to vote for it. I'm frightened because we have elected officials who are blatently NOT serving those who elected them to their positions. I'm frightened because our freedoms are being stripped away before our very eyes; our constitution is in tatters.

And don't kid yourselves - it's not all about health care reform. Our government has been getting into our business for YEARS. Whether it's seat belt laws, or telling business owners that they cannot allow smoking in a privately owned business. Whether it's banning salt, or telling us how to raise our children. If the government doesn't like it, they will ban, tax or regulate it. And we've been sitting complacently by. THIS is what happens when we sit complacently and don't get involved. The government takeover of health care is the most far reaching effort to take over this country to date. And if you think it will stop with health care, I have a bridge to sell you. Don't think this is taking over freedoms? Fred has quite a list over at his place. A few examples:

You are young and healthy and want to pay for insurance that reflects that status? Tough. You’ll have to pay for premiums that cover not only you, but also the guy who smokes three packs a day, drink a gallon of whiskey and eats chicken fat off the floor. That’s because insurance companies will no longer be able to underwrite on the basis of a person’s health status. (Section 2701).

You must buy a policy that covers ambulatory patient services, emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment; prescription drugs; rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices; laboratory services; preventive and wellness services; chronic disease management; and pediatric services, including oral and vision care.

You’re a single guy without children? Tough, your policy must cover pediatric services. You’re a woman who can’t have children? Tough, your policy must cover maternity services. You’re a teetotaler? Tough, your policy must cover substance abuse treatment. (Add your own violation of personal freedom here.) (Section 1302).

That's just a couple of examples. So what do we do? We keep the momentum going. Attend TEA parties, sign petitions (I'll have a few up in short order) and most importantly, VOTE IN NOVEMBER!!! Vote for those people who you believe will be working for you, not the other way around. Vote for those who believe in personal liberty, not government entitlement. Vote for those who believe in our constitution, for it is those beliefs that made us the great country we were. Let's try to get that country back, shall we?