The Cove Ditch splits my pasture.
A couple decades ago, Cenex tunneled an oil
pipeline under this ditch and used switch ties to
cross the Cove during the construction process.
(Standing Rock protesters were in
kindergarten at the time, so offered no opinion.)
Once this bridge rotted, I poured two large
concrete support pads and snaked four massive beams
across the ditch.
With new bridge planking, my structure looked
spiffy until two young, distracted, coyote hunters
missed the wheel treads and splintered through an
unsupported section of decking.
The bridge was still useable, so I suggested
they leave it be and help me repair it come spring.
They were long on guilt and enthusiasm, so
they immediately began tearing out and replacing
bridge planks until the bridge was restored.
Last summer, my father-in-law was motoring to
my back pasture, when I heard the sickening sound of
splintering bridge planks.
He too missed the treads.
Unlike my coyote hunters who were able to
back off the bridge, his pickup was stuck teetering
precariously on its front and rear differentials.
Two hours of hard labor freed his pickup,
once again leaving me a functional bridge missing
large sections of planking.
Apparently, 83 year-old men do not share the
guilt or enthusiasm of 26 year-olds, so the bridge
remained unrepaired until last weekend when I
trenched and inserted eight new support beams and
planking.
This widened my bridge by 28 inches and when
I told my father-in-law of this improvement he
barked, “Did you make it idiot proof?”
I froze.
My brain instantly fired off dozens of
cleverly sarcastic quips, but I dare not open my
mouth for fear what I might blurt.
Self-control is not my long suit, which
brings me to my point.
Congressional Republicans have released their
Obamacare repeal and replace plan and once again, I
am frozen speechless.
Their 123
page bill is mostly amendments, so its language must
be inserted into the original 2,700 page bill to be
understood.
Doing such is an unsurmountable task, so
consider this:
Providing healthcare to citizens is not a
necessary and proper function of government and the
GOP plan versus Obamacare is little different than
choosing a diet allowing chocolate ice cream over
one only allowing strawberry.
Neither will work.
When the ruling class decrees something a
right and then creates a mechanism to deliver said
commodity, the quality of the product plummets as
fast as its price skyrockets.
Health care costs are cheaper and quality
improves only in the free-market arena.
Medicaid, Medicare, Obamacare and GOP Care
all promote dependency, empower the ruling class and
all need repealed.
There, I said it.
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