Maybe this blog should be called "it's getting more difficult all the time" because sometimes that is what it seems like.
We just found out a few days ago that our health insurance premium is increasing $30 every month. I just love it when my insurance company sends me a letter: "just to let you know..." There's nothing you can do about it. Except go without health insurance. The kids and I don't get coverage through Jay's work, so we have to buy it privately. Nice, huh? I am not the only person that thinks that our health care system (or lack thereof) is going to destroy the middle class. A survey of people who filed bankruptcy in 2001 and again in 2005 showed that a full half filed because of a serious medical problem. Of those that filed because of health problems, 75% had health insurance. That is how sucky our health insurance problems are. Even if you are covered, if you get really sick, you are SOL. If you don't have a job that pays for insurance, you are screwed as well. Or maybe your boss just doesn't think they should have to shell out for your wife and kids. I'm personally really looking forward to Michael Moore's new movie about our pathetic health care system.
Then, today, we found out that our landlord is increasing our rent $100. That would be a 12% increase. Way more than inflation. And its not like this represents some increase in costs for them. They just want to make more money. Meanwhile, people like us struggle.
Oh, and PGE has announced that electricity rates are going up.
These aren't like luxury items. One kind of needs a roof over one's head. Portland used to be a very affordable city, but I guess that is about to change. Lord knows the houses to buy are way too expensive for the average first-time home buyers now. Basic items like food, shelter and health insurance are becoming expensive at a rate much faster than pay can keep up. Its just another way that people get stuck on the debt treadmill. What was congress' response to this problem? Make it harder, impossible really, for people to use their last resort: bankruptcy. People who have to do this are treated like deadbeats, but really, half of them just got sick.
Its just all so annoying. Sometimes I swear, I wish I didn't have to live in this society. If anyone out there says "love it or leave it!" I will say: ok, leave it. I'm sick of america and its stupid problems that nobody will do anything about. blah! can you tell that i am in a bad mood about all of this? Maybe I should go bomb somebody to make myself feel better. I hear Iran might make a good target.
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3 comments:
I finally had the chance to catch up on your blog. I think I will stop reading it because it makes me feel bad about my choices. j/k. It's nice to have this stuff on the mind. I actually produce very little waste at home because I eat out so much. I wonder what kind of impact that has? Maybe you should write about that. I'm sure my weekend trip to Vegas next week doesn't rank very high on he ecologically responsible things to do list either. One thing I would like to know: How do you reduce junkmail? I am innundated with it daily. Peace.
-Jason (The Carver who still eats meat)
whoa, I didn't realize you had a bunch of blogs earlier in may. They already answered my questions about reducing junk mail and if eating out frequently is not so good. I'm not sure my other comment was posted properly though.
-Jason
I am also reading this one late -- but I have to comment because we just got the news at work that, while our health-care premiums are not going up (at least until Jan., when I'm sure they will), all our co-pays are going up A TON. Like, a specialist's visit that previously had a $20 co-pay will now have a $75 co-pay.
And we got a letter from our mortgage company saying our loan rate is going to go up to 9.99 percent as of Aug. 1, so we are desperately trying to refinance.
So, yeah, I can relate!
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