WARNING: You may not like this post. That's fine. These are my opinions, to which I am entitled.

I received the e-mail below from my Dad today. I was in the midst of forwarding it to my address book, along with the rant that follows, when I realized maybe people would prefer reading this on my blog of their own free will, rather than me filling up their inboxes with more forwards... That being said, here is the e-mail I just received:

Young physicians opinion
Pictured below is a young physician by the name of Dr.. Starner Jones. His short two-paragraph letter to the White House accurately puts the blame on a "Culture Crisis" insteadof a "Health Care Crisis". It's worth a quick read:


Dear Mr. President:
During my shift in the Emergency Room last night, I had the pleasure of evaluating a patient whose smile revealed an expensive shiny gold tooth, whose body was adorned with a wide assortment of elaborate and costly tattoos, who wore a very expensive brand of tennis shoes and who chatted on a new cellular telephone equipped with a popular R&B ringtone.
While glancing over her patient chart, I happened to notice that her payer status was listed as "Medicaid"! During my examination of her, the patient informed me that she smokes more than one costly pack of cigarettes every day and somehow still has money to buy pretzels and beer.
And, you and our Congress expect me to pay for this woman's health care? I contend that our nation's "health care crisis" is not the result of a shortage of quality hospitals, doctors or nurses. Rather, it is the result of a "crisis of culture", a culture in which it is perfectly acceptable to spend money on luxuries and vices while refusing to take care of one's self or, heaven forbid, purchase health insurance. It is a culture based in the irresponsible credo that "I can do whatever I want to because someone else will always take care of me".
Once you fix this "culture crisis" that rewards irresponsibility and dependency, you'll be amazed at how quickly our nation's health care difficulties will disappear.
Respectfully,
STARNER JONES, MD

And here is my rant on the matter:

Although Snopes.com attributes this to an actual "Letter to the Editor" rather than a letter to the President, it still raises the point... Why should I have to pay for your bad choices and refusal to pay for your own health insurance, only to allow you to continue your "pack a day" habit (or whatever other vice one chooses).

And just to do the math. A pack of cigarettes at an average of $4.50, every day, comes to $135.00 per month. That is currently $38/month MORE than my husband's private health insurance premiums. Don't tell me you can't afford health insurance. Rule of thumb: Pay your bills first, then spend the rest however the heck you want. Housing, insurance, and food should come before alcohol, lotto tickets and cigarettes. If you're on Medicaid and food stamps, you shouldn't be driving an Escalade, wearing Rock and Republic jeans... Now don't get me wrong. I am not against any and all government assistance. My belief is simply this: LEARN TO LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS. If you are getting assistance from the government (aka ME and my husband), then you should be working to get a job, saving as much money as you can, and trying to get yourself educated. I don't want to see you up at the Winstar Casino buying drinks for the ladies and betting it all on red. Save that for when it's your own hard-earned money.