Me, With Thoughts on Medicare

Rarely in my 82 years have I been deeply worried about my waining years on this earth. Relegated to sitting in front of a TV set is the staple activity during my waking hours of the day. Watch TV these days and it's nearly impossible not get wrapped up in our past election and now the hearings on our new president's appointments engages me. This morning I watched the second senate panel question Rep. Price, the president's desire for Health and Human Services Secretary. From his replies, Price gave me a chill up the middle of my spine since I'm so dependent on the assistance of Medicare to pay medical costs both doctor and hospital and, especially, prescriptions.

Take Medicare away and President Trump may as well add me to the roll of the "too old", of "good riddance", of "only a sickly hanger on".

If fear was the template mounted daily on to our public discourse during the election cycle it has manifested itself in my mind now that the election is over. I fear for the disabled, for the disenfranchised, and for those of different lifestyles. Also, I fear for women kind who will be challenged mightily to remain subservient to males.

The poor, I fear, having never felt part of our great system will remain downtrodden and still won't realize much help from their new masters. In feudal times the serfs rarely knew which court controlled their kingdom and, I imagine, most could care less. Nothing added to nothing is still nothing.

Ronald C. Downie