curious cat

BRIC Is for Real

the american people do not have the time or the inclination to be informed. jeez, they barely have time to read people magazine. besides, lots of americans are sacrificing, or rather, are sacrificed all the time. they are called the middle class. they work their butts off and have all their efforts diverted into supporting undeserving social misfits.

i know 'cause i am related to a few misfits. they can't help themselves either. they see people on tv getting free prizes on game shows, other people in sports or the movies getting paid handsomely for doing nothing, casinos advertising winners on the side of the road, etc. then they compare that to all the hard work, extra school and the financial burden of becoming a doctor or engineer. they decide whether they want to wake up for emergencies in the middle of the night or hit the snooze button. they decide whether they want to worry about being sued or pretend they were injured in a car accident.

i can't always fault them for their decisions. (excuse me while i take an antacid for my ulcer.) we need a better school system, one that teaches rational and legal behavior and reminds kids that they are part of a larger system, a structure that functions on capitalism, the way the real world does. pay teachers more when their students advance and pass standard exams. put police in schools, put metal detectors at the doors, create courses that are related to the real world, so students can think, read, write and balance a checkbook when they get out.

we need a better legal system, one that has fewer lawyers, screening of law suits and tort reform.

we need a fairer tax system, one that remembers that small business cannot fill out as many forms as large business, even better, one form for all the taxing entities. we have computers now, that should be possible and mandated. one tax that the city, county, state and federal gov't share-just one.

we need to help doctors perform the best medicine without worrying about being sued. that's right, no fault medicine. if they make a mistake, you get a predetermined flat amount for the injury, pain and suffering. i don't want my doctor losing sleep because they are being sued. i don't want them worried, nervous, sleepy, anxious, bitter, traumatized, delusional when they are deciding my diagnosis or getting me ready for surgery. maybe it's just me, but i'd rather they got all their school loans paid by the state in which they were going to practice. i'd rather they got a house, a maid, a gardener and a masseuse for putting in the extra 12-20 years of study.

now, some of you think that all doctors are rich and come from rich families and have perfect lives. that's because there are some, and some that do unnecessary procedures and some that abuse the insurance system. i would guess there are very few, cause most of the doctors i know were not.

i do know that half of all doctor's offices are embezzled and that many get divorced, become drug users or have other problems.

we need a police force that is trained and allowed to use modern surveillance techniques. we need to compensate them well for risking their lives every day. we need to thank them when we see them and buy them a lunch when the opportunity arises.

we need to put ourselves in each other's shoes every once in a while. thanks for putting yourselves in mine.