Contemplating Politics

It has come to my attention, in more ways than one, that in my happy workplace there is one major way in which I do not fit in. Politics. Granted, it's the same with my in-laws, we all get along fine but when it comes to politics I have no one on my side. So what is the best solution in those situations? I just keep my mouth shut. Just as with the in-laws, I keep my mouth shut at work too, though I am overwhelmed by the feeling that they assume that I am of the same political mindset as them, which could not be further from reality.

Conversation of today's historic inauguration happened sporadically today at work, and as we discussed (in very surface, non-specific conversations-- well, at least on my part) the events of the day I was overcome with the strangest feeling. That somehow it is a conflict of interest to both work at a doctor's office or be part of the healthcare industry and be pro-Obama. The feeling was really intense today, and has kind of popped in and out of my radar since shortly before the elections. Perhaps I am not educated enough on the subject, or perhaps my ideology of the importance of the role government can play in bettering everyone's lives for equal opportunity (a fundamental concept for Democrats) overrules any sort of knowledge that I could gain on the subject to change my mind. All I know is that I feel that my political ideology is at odds with my current profession. On the flipside, the profession I aspire to make my lifelong profession- classical music- is perfectly in line with my ideology.

Even as I write this, it feels as though I cannot get the words or thoughts straight in my mind to weed through the reasoning to it. I see where my coworkers are coming from on the business side- current government subsidized healthcare programs pay a measly fraction of what employer provided insurance programs cover. It makes perfect sense for a business to not support government healthcare programs for that reason alone. Yet at the same point, there are people that cannot afford to get the care they need because insurance costs too much and, in some cases, even with insurance their deductibles or copays are so high it deters them from getting the care they desperately need until they are truly in a state of needing "sick"care.

Therein lies the fundamental problem with our "health"care system. It is structured to simply be a "sick"care program and supports simply masking symptoms or issues, rather than dealing with the underlying causes. We pop pills to make the pain stop, but don't actually address what caused the pain in the first place. And why are so many dying of heart disease, or cancer, or other ailments? Poor diet, lack of exercise, chemically-laced/enhanced/fortified foods, smoking, and the list goes on. That is a subject we discuss all the time at my office, but I fail to see how supporting one candidate over the other supports changing our "health"care system to actually be healthcare. The main difference is availability to the masses, so that everyone has the ability to go to the doctor before the symptoms become so severe that they are rushed to the ER. Doesn't just making that small step bring us closer to a true healthcare system? I don't know, but it sure seems like a start to me.

Then again, I'm just a girl who lives in a bubble and has been fortunate enough to be able to have health insurance without lapse these 29 years. For a short while it might have been fudged a little under my parents, but it was the only option when you need constant medical access for allergies and medications and asthma and hives and, well, everything. That's just my experience, and for those people, like my husband, who are fortunate enough to be healthy enough to avoid needing constant access to a doctor that's great. But that hasn't been my experience, and that makes me feel strongly that access to healthcare should be a right, not a privilege.