Voices of MainStreet: April Lee

The Cuts We Can’t Make

Feb. 28, 2011

I don’t envy the people hired to manage the budget for millions of people. It’s a tough job and I’m beginning to think people who choose to run for government positions might have an insanity wish.  The proposed question to me this week was basically, “What would you do with the budget?” I looked at the diagram and explanations on the White House website.

The biggest criticism I continue to hear is not enough cuts were made to the entitlement programs, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
I agree with those criticisms and yet I’m not sure what to do either. What can I say to this? Yes, I want the giant health care costs the government is paying cut back but I also know that it isn’t right to swipe the care they depend on out from under their feet. Baby boomers are in trouble. Most of them don’t have the savings necessary to survive without Social Security, which leaves them out in the workforce, still, when some shouldn’t be anymore. There are many, many people who cannot afford health insurance. America is one of the wealthiest and most powerful nations in the world and we can’t afford health care (in this thought I am including the surprises of all the things health care doesn’t cover when poor people “can afford it”)? This is an old topic but it astounds me. Now that I am older and out on my own to face these topics, I am beginning to feel the impact. This is wrong.

How did we get here? How did we get to a point where we can’t afford antibiotics? I’m angry the government is in this position. I don’t feel the government should be involved with my health care. The market is supposed to take care of this. Business is supposed to take care of this in my eyes. I’m wary of government having too much money. Once the taxes begin it doesn’t want to let go so I depend on the market but the health market is filthy right now.  What happened to responsibility and honest business ethics?

Last week I bought Starbuck’s RED African Blend coffee beans. $1 of that purchase goes to the Global Fund to aid people living with AIDS in Africa. I’m happy to be a contributor to help people in other countries but I’d like to see more donations like that happening for Americans, too. It doesn’t matter that we are a powerful, rich country. We still, still have people to aid here.

Truly, I’m disappointed with the market and its lack of forethought. I’m disappointed the government can’t manage money. I’m disappointed it won’t make the cuts needed to survive but even more so than that I’m disappointed the government can’t make those cuts. It’s easy to say “slash the entitlement programs.” What will happen to those people in desperate need of health care that only the government seems to be able to provide? Someone please step up and do the right thing. Take care of your fellow countrymen.

—April is a well-traveled young woman planting her roots in sunny Seattle, or well, just Seattle. Her writing covers whatever piques her interest and curiousity. Check out her blog here.