AnnieBW
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Wed Sep-23-09 10:18 PM
Original message |
My Friend the Unemployed Teabagger Was in a Car Accident |
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My friend, "R", who I know from a non-political organization, is a rabid right-winger. He used to work for a wingnut version of the Huffington Post, which does stories from their perspective. He got laid off last year - I guess bashing Obama isn't as profitable as one would think. Anyway, he's on unemployment and COBRA. He's diabetic, too. But yet he rails against "socialism" while taking government money.
Anyway, I found out that "R" was in a serious car accident on Monday. He's in the hospital with a broken hip and broken ribs. I don't know the details of the accident, or who was at fault. His brother, who sent out the information, is just concentrating on letting us know his condition. On one hand, I'm worried about my friend, and how it will impact his already-stressed finances. On the other hand, I'm feeling guilty for my schadenfreude. I'm just hoping that this experience will change his (and his brother's) mind about the need for government-run health care for those who are falling through the cracks.
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gateley
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Wed Sep-23-09 10:21 PM
Response to Original message |
1. We've always been told that experience is the best teacher... nt |
Liberal_in_LA
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Wed Sep-23-09 10:23 PM
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2. bet he blames Obama for the accident |
DebbieCDC
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Wed Sep-23-09 10:23 PM
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3. I hope he has a change of heart too |
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But my cynical side says probably not.
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Ikonoklast
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Wed Sep-23-09 10:26 PM
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4. He needs to get off the taxpayer teat, and pull himself up by his bootstraps. |
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'Car accident', eh?
Sounds like he's trying to scam some poor insurance company out of their hard-earned dollars, raising the rates for the rest of us.
People like your friend will never accept that it's just not all there for them, and no one else.
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virgogal
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Wed Sep-23-09 10:28 PM
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5. He's covered. Doesn't sound like the type that would worry about others. |
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That said,I hope he gets well soon.
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Make7
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Wed Sep-23-09 10:29 PM
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6. I hope he fully recovers. Sounds like he was hurt pretty bad. ( n/t ) |
proud patriot
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Wed Sep-23-09 10:32 PM
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7. this is what we in Preschool call a Teachable moment |
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I hope your friend is able to recover both physically and Finacially .
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bertman
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Wed Sep-23-09 10:33 PM
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8. Don't get your hopes too high, Annie. But please do let us know if he sees the light. |
Cleita
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Wed Sep-23-09 10:35 PM
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9. Hopefully he and the other party have liability insurance. |
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That should help with the medical bills.
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jwirr
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Wed Sep-23-09 10:40 PM
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10. Very likely he will just be angry that they are asking him to verify his |
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income etc. in order to qualify. One of the myths of government programs for the poor is that they just give them assistance and never check up on them.
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Demobrat
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Wed Sep-23-09 10:43 PM
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11. Don't count on him getting a clue as a result of this. |
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If he has COBRA he's covered and has no need of a public option. In fact, depending on what kind of insurance he had at his job don't be surprised if you have to listen to him brag about how great private insurance is. It's the people without COBRA or anything else who need government-run health care. Your friend is, I'm afraid, still one of the lucky ones - lucky for him.
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pnwmom
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Wed Sep-23-09 10:44 PM
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12. He's on COBRA, so he's probably patting himself on the back for making |
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the payments. I doubt that this experience will change his mind.
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704wipes
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Wed Sep-23-09 11:54 PM
Response to Reply #12 |
19. Laid off in a reduction of force? then his Cobras are 80% less |
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thanks to Barrack Obama and the Democratic Congress !! And if he is not too old then since he is paying only around 20% of what he would have paid for Cobra before the law was changed for those laid off through no fault of their own. Think it took effect back in February or so. If he had to pay the old Cobra rate then his 'self-sufficiency' would have probably already run out.
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prolesunited
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Wed Sep-23-09 11:59 PM
Response to Reply #19 |
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it only lasts 9 months and you had to be laid off *after* Sept. 1., 2008. Lots of people got left behind on this.
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704wipes
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Thu Sep-24-09 12:15 AM
Response to Reply #20 |
21. Thanks for helping me with the correct % |
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60 or 80 won't matter to that guy since he is such a rich Repuke, no doubt.
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ScreamingMeemie
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Thu Sep-24-09 06:15 PM
Response to Reply #12 |
25. Just so you know...my COBRA cost was $2400/month. I was lucky |
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to be able to afford it. I'm guessing, with being unemployed, he may not have been.
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aquart
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Wed Sep-23-09 10:46 PM
Response to Original message |
13. Will the COBRA cover this? |
AnnieBW
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Wed Sep-23-09 10:54 PM
Response to Reply #13 |
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In fact, I'm not even sure that he has COBRA.
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Demobrat
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Wed Sep-23-09 11:27 PM
Response to Reply #14 |
18. If he doesn't have COBRA |
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Edited on Wed Sep-23-09 11:27 PM by Demobrat
he should be covered by the auto insurance of whoever was at fault. He'll be alright.
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Demobrat
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Wed Sep-23-09 11:23 PM
Response to Reply #13 |
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COBRA is just a means of extending the insurance he had at his last job before he lost it. He's covered by private insurance just like he would be if he was working.
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cherish44
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Wed Sep-23-09 11:00 PM
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15. Those "haves" who like to call the "have nots" lazy or just leeches |
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need to realize the fortunes can change in a split second. Anyway I hope your friend is ok and recovering and that yeah this experience teaches him compassion for those who are down on their luck.
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mitchum
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Wed Sep-23-09 11:06 PM
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Kickin_Donkey
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Thu Sep-24-09 04:03 AM
Response to Reply #16 |
WVRICK13
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Thu Sep-24-09 06:26 AM
Response to Original message |
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more tolerant than I am. First, I could never be friends with someone who is far RW. Second, I would not worry about the well being of someone who, as a R winger, doesn't care about anyone else's well being.
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AnnieBW
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Thu Sep-24-09 08:14 PM
Response to Reply #23 |
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We've known these brothers for a long time. Lately, R has really been getting on my nerves because he's been taking advantage of those of us in our club who ARE employed. I don't mind paying for dinners of people who are unemployed. Hubby and I did that for two of the women in our group who are out of work this past Saturday night. But R was really getting obnoxious about things.
Maybe this will change his mind. Right now, he's still my friend and I'm worried about him.
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WVRICK13
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Fri Sep-25-09 06:21 AM
Response to Reply #26 |
29. You Are A Good Person |
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with a kind heart. Your friend is lucky to have you.
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southerncrone
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Thu Sep-24-09 06:12 PM
Response to Original message |
24. There are no coincidences. Maybe this is EXACTLY what will change his mind. |
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Let's hope so.
When the shoe is on YOUR foot, it seems to feel different. Something about personal experience that will spin your head right around.
This will be the true test of his ability to think logically.
Please update us when he returns to work.
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ddeclue
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Thu Sep-24-09 08:16 PM
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27. You live you learn... |
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I recommend biting off more than you can chew I recommend getting your heart trampled on The caution blocks you from the wind Hold on till the dust settles You bleed, you learn You scream, you learn The fire trucks are coming up around the bend.
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NNN0LHI
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Thu Sep-24-09 08:22 PM
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28. Wonder if he knows he is not eligible to collect unemployment while he is disabled? |
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Edited on Thu Sep-24-09 08:25 PM by NNN0LHI
Should be interesting to see how that will work out for him?
Don
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annabanana
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Fri Sep-25-09 06:24 AM
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30. Nothing else except direct experience EVER seems to have an |
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Edited on Fri Sep-25-09 06:25 AM by annabanana
impact on people like this.
When something bad happens to them, or a member of their family, the scales fall from their eyes and they see the other side of the story.
I chalk it up to an inability to empathize.
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