A Conservative View

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO AMERICA?

If you have never read anything I ever wrote please read and share this with every real American possible. This is a factual story of what happened to two Honorably Discharged Veterans of the US military on Wednesday September 16, 2015. One of these individuals happens to be myself and the other I will protect his identity and just call him “Jim”.

Jim and I were both born in 1930 in Texas. I enlisted in the US Navy reserve shortly after my 17th birthday after graduating from high school at 16 in 1947. Jim was born on December 6th and did not finish high school until 1948 and he enlisted in the Army shortly after his 18th birthday. We both went on active duty in 1948. Our lives took different paths but we are both proud and loyal American citizens living out the rest of our lives in Sabine County Texas.

Yesterday we both had medical issues and how these transpired is sad, unfair, biased and should be criminal charges against every member of Congress, the military, the President and it is a reflection of how warped our values have become in America. I hope everyone running for President would be forced to explain what they intend to do about the way our veterans are being treated but only one, Donald Trump, has had the courage to even discuss this issue.

For those who are unaware, all veterans benefits are means tested and because of my successful business life, I am not qualified to get a free aspirin from the Veterans Administration for the four plus years I served a long long time ago. This article is not about me as I can afford to buy supplemental insurance. Just for those of you who have not reached 65, Medicare is not free, in fact my friend “JIM” is also on Medicare. What you may not know is what is not free. Medicare only covers 80% of medical costs and then you pay the other 20% or buy supplemental insurance. As a benchmark the costs of Medicare supplemental insurance for my wife and I is exceeds $700 a month and our deductible costs each year is over $500.

Even Medicare has limitations on extended costs and to make sure a major medical event dos not deplete our entire savings, we pay some $800 a year for a catastrophic $25,000 deductible insurance policy.

Jim had to arise at 5:30am yesterday and his daughter had to drive him to Lufkin Texas, some 60 + miles to catch a Veterans Administration bus to the VA hospital in Houston Texas. He has suffered a mild stroke a few moths ago and this was a followup visit to see the doctor. They picked up other veterans and arrived at the hospital about 10:30am. They had time for lunch before his appointment at 1pm. The Doctor examined him, found no problems and they got back on the VA bus and arrived in Lufkin at 5:30pm, drove home and he does not have to go back for a year. Tomorrow Jim and his daughter have to return to the small VA clinic in Lufkin for a visit with another VA doctor for another unrelated health issue. Another issue that was a shock to me was that he is not reimbursed for any travel as he and his wife’s combined income exceeds the means test. Listening to this story today made me want to throw up.

Yesterday I had to go to our local hospital to have test run on my legs and feet for circulation evaluations as I am experiencing medical issues that involve my balance and two recent falls that were scary. Old age is not for sissies. I left home at 12:30 for a 15 minute trip to the Sabine County Hospital some 8 miles away. They spent two hours ultrasonically testing my legs and feet. I was home by 3:30. You can easily see that my medical situation was a lot easier to take care of.

The part that makes my blood boil is an illegal alien could have gone to the Emergency Room at the local hospital with a hang nail or a hangover and would have been treated as an indigent person and guess what? Jim and I, along with the rest of Sabine County taxpayers, would have to pay for the treatment, as no one can be turned away.

Folks, if you are happy about this true scenario, you are a raving idiot. Why is Donald Trump and Ted Cruz the only ones running for President being attacked for trying to fix this inequity? America is a wreck because of politics. Watching the recap of last nights GOP debate was another disappointing waste of time. I refuse to actually watch these debates as they have become verbal sword fights between adults, well some of them qualify but watching people self-destruct live is not entertaining and no way informative. Well I suppose watching grown people making an ass of themselves may be most entertaining to Demoncrats (not misspelled)?

America has changed so much in my 85 years that is scares me that my grandchildren will not enjoy the freedoms that people like “Jim”, myself and so many other veterans served to protect that have been destroyed by politicians.  C Brewer 9-17-2015