JULY 22, 2011 OBAMACARE

July 22, 2011, two years from today. It's a lovely summer day in Bridgeport, Connecticut, an old "factory town" that has seen its factories shut down and move overseas and its middle class move away. In some ways it's a town that has seen its better days. But things have improved since the 70's and 80's and Bridgeport is coming back in this new year of 2011, life here has been better lately. Like in all of New England as in too much of the country, the citizens of Bridgeport have bought into "hope and change" and helped elect a little known, or "too little is known about" junior Senator from Illinois to become the 44th President of the United States of America. "Life would be even better" after that heady day in November, 2008 they said. Optimism would flourish and after real change "took hold in America" and "after the world loved us again" all would be well. Obama had "audacity", and the citizens of Bridgeport believed him when he promised a tax cut for 95% of the citizens of the U.S. and health care reform resulting in "coverage for all".

As Teddy Kennedy, New England liberal's favorite drunken embarrassment of a son said;

"But quality care shouldn't depend on your financial resources, or the type of job you have, or the medical condition you face. Every American should be able to get the same treatment that U.S. senators are entitled to.
This is the cause of my life. It is a key reason that I defied my illness last summer to speak at the Democratic convention in Denver—to support Barack Obama, but also to make sure, as I said, "that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American…will have decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not just a privilege." Newsweek: July 18, 2009

Of course Teddy didn't have thoughts of "health care for all" or even arrogant self righteousousness brimming in his whiskey addled mind the night of July 18, 1969. He was busy "allegedly" covering up what should have been, at the very least, a charge of manslaughter for driving a car off a bridge and drowning an innocent young woman, Mary Jo Kopechne. Instead, he "allegedly tried to save her" then neglected to call anybody like say, the police, but instead called Kennedy insiders while he was most likely "allegedly" sobering up in a near by hotel and trying to establish a suitable alibi. But I digress.

Eleanor Bigsby is a widow, though only sixty two. Bob Bigsby Sr., her loving husband of forty two years passed away in the late nineties from lung cancer, the scourge of the cigarette smoker. Bob was a tough guy, a factory guy and a Korean War vet who thought of himself as invincible; he wasn't. Eleanor's two children, Bob Jr. and Cassie check in on Mom often and Eleanor has managed her finances wisely and frugally since Bob's passing. Eleanor had begun feeling poorly the last few days and Cassie had been stopping by and keeping her older brother advised.

Finally after three days of feeling "not quite up to snuff" Cassie insisted that her Mother call her doctor and set up an appointment. Eleanor assured her daughter that she would "get right on it". Later that day Eleanor called Cassie and asked her to come over and help her make an appointment. In the year since "Obama-care" had become the "law of the land" neither of them had been sick and neither were aware of the changes beyond the casual mention of "Obama-care" on the local T.V. news. A manual had arrived from the Federal Government the year before, and Cassie went to fetch it. Mom kept it under the phonebook, it rivaled the Bridgeport phonebook in size. Cassie was shocked. After much searching and page flipping they located the "authorized procedure for seeking medical treatment" on page 782. paragraph 3 Sec.(b). Cassie called her mother's doctor. He had just retired. Cassie returned to the "manual" and found the procedure to locate and secure another doctor and an appointment. After two hours on the phone Cassie worked her way through the maze of bureaucracy and red tape to get the name of a local physician. After 40 minutes on hold she was given an appointment date and time when her ailing mother could be seen. Ya, they could "see" her in SIX MONTHS, on December 18, 2011. Is this, she wondered, is the"Hope and Change" for which they had all voted?

Cassie called Bob Jr. and they decided that Mom couldn't wait six months to be seen by a doctor. So they put their mother in the car and drive her to St. Vincent's Medical Center, a local Bridgeport Catholic Hospital run by the Daughters of Charity. Or rather it had been run by the Daughters of Charity. It seems under the auspices"Obama-care" religious orders were "incompatible with the vision of the Administration and it's sub-departments and therefore a violation of the strict separation of Church and State Sec. 6-66, subsection 35; paragraph 2 part (d)". They looked at each other and thought, well regardless, Mom needs to see a doctor. Eleanor's children checked her into "Vincent's Government Health Center"that afternoon.

Several hours pass before Eleanor is assigned a bed on the 6th floor of "Vincent's G.H.C." Finally settled in, Eleanor and her adult kids wait for a doctor come in and give her an examination. The wait has been torture but waiting isn't new when it comes to "things medical" they suppose, so they remain "patient" and chat despite Mom's discomfort and pain.

Finally a short, thin man in a lab coat, not a typical white lab coat, but a medium brown lab coat with a red armband enters the room. He has a gaunt face and pencil thin moustache. His slicked back, dark black hair gives him the look of an actor from a thirties era film, a bit of an odd look for 21st century American Eleanor thinks, but she keeps it to herself, besides she feels too bad to quibble about details. "I'm Paul Joesph Goebbels III, I'm from your Collaborative Referral and Assessment Program, you can vill me Paul Joesph, how are you?" "Well, um...Paul, uh... Joesph, not to well I'm afraid" said Eleanor as she manages a pained smile. "OK then, let's get started" "Do you..." "Are you a doctor?", Eleanor interrupts. " No, I assess your situation then I consult with the doctors about your case, I'm you Assessor" says Goebbels with an sharp air of authority that Eleanor and her kids find eerily unsettling.

Goebbels begins his assessment; "Do you smoke?" he asks. "Well, not in many years. I stopped when the kids came along." He shoots her a glance over his clipboard. "Do you drink?" "Not much, a beer here and there". "Did your husband smoke?" "Yes he did, he died of..." "Mom, can I talk to you?"interrupts Bob Jr. "Is there a problem, Sir?" barks Goebbels in Bob's direction. Bob, a solid guy at six feet one and 210 pounds stands up and takes a step toward Goebbels. "I advise that you stand down, Sir" Goebbels barks as he takes a whistle from his pocket. He gives it two loud, sharp blasts. In burst three "security personnel" with strangely vintage looking Luger handguns drawn. Bob steps back, a odd look on his face. "Who are these guys?" "They are from the Civilian National Security Force" says Goebbels calmly as he wheels about and orders "Take him away, SCHNELL!" In an instant Bob Jr. is dragged out of the room and down the hall, his loud protestations ignored. Bob had forgotten about Obama’s pledge to build a separate security force. He is harshly reminded of that old campaign promise from three years ago, but "nobody keeps that kind of campaign promise" he thinks to himself as he sits handcuffed in the hospital brig, chained to a wall.

"We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded." B.H. Obama July 2, 2008 Colorado Springs, CO.

Eleanor and Cassie are horrified and both begin to complain and demand an explanation. "This is America! Where are you taking my son?" demands Eleanor as Cassie starts to quietly cry. "What kind of care is this?" she asks imploringly. "I voted for CHANGE Sir, this is not change!" " "It's not?" says Goebbels as he continues to write notes on the pad he carries on his clipboard. "What kind of change did you expect, hmmm?" "Well, you know change...Bush, he was,... he was...you know, Iraq and stuff!" "Well, it's CHANGE YOU GOT, YA?" sneers the Assessor. "But Bush was kind and he helped Africa and he was only tough on our enemies, I thought, right?" Besides, she continues "Leno and Letterman said he was dumb, and wrong...and you know Texans, they like to fight..." her voice trailing off in despair and pain.

Goebbels then declares "I believe I am done with you, ya?" He clicks his heels and turns to leave. "What about my assessment?" ask Eleanor, "When do I see a doctor?" Goebbels turns slowly, a wry sarcastic look coming over his face, his thin lips curled into a cruel smile...."Doctor?, see a DOCTOR?" A deep, evil laugh erupts from what seems like his bowels, the very bowels of HELL..."You VILL SEE NO DOCTOR!" "You have lived a life that I deem unworthy of living. There will be NO medical intervention, ya?" "You may not buy the right to see a doctor, ya?" "Furthermore the database will identify you and you vill not be admitted in any U.S. medical facility!" "Do you understand me?" "You have smoked, you have been a drinker, you have not met the standards set forth by C.R.A.P. and the Obama Administration!" "Please get dressed and leave this facility AT ONCE!"

In stunned silence Eleanor and Cassie return to home. "But I believed in Obama..." "He said everything was broken...it was all Bush's fault, and the Republicans...all the comedians and news guys like that Stewart and ya know, Saturday Night Live,...they said Palin was stupid and a whore...what happened?" Eleanor thought some more, then said "But I had my doctor, he would see the next day or that week...if I was sick like I am now he would see me right away...what happened?" "My taxes are higher, I thought it would be OK because I would get universal health care and we wouldn't invade, you know, the Arabs or whatever...people in the world would like us better...Obama, he said that..he did." "I know Mom, me too." " I mean John Stewart has the news every night, he said that Republicans were all stupid, not smart as he is..." she says her voice trailing off...

Two days later Eleanor Bigsby received a letter from the C.R.A.P./Obama-Regime Administrator for National Health Disbursement. It was actually a bill for her assessment, it read:

"Dear Comrade Mrs. Bigsby, a sum of $500 a month in addition to your 'contribution through federal mandate' will be appropriated from your retirement income. It will be DEDUCTED as a means of penalty for your use of tobacco and alcohol. There is NO APPEAL. Failure to comply will result in a mandatory hearing before the Civilian National Security Force."

Eleanor thought of her son Bob who was summarily sentenced to three months hard labor for his run-in with the "Assessor". She laid down the letter and began to cry..."Where is the America I grew up in?" "What happened to my country...?" Sorry Eleanor, it "CHANGED"...