Sicko

Whatever you think of Michael Moore’s documentaries (“Fahrenheit 9/11”, “Bowling for Columbine”), they do get you to think about important issues that affect our country.

I just finished watching “Sicko” and I am fuming over the inadequate healthcare system we have in America. Why are we so afraid of a national healthcare program, similar to the ones in all the developed countries? We have a socialized fire department, a socialized police department, government provided education, free library – so why can’t we have socialized medicine.

Moore interviews Tony Benn, a former member of the UK Parliament.

Benn:
I think democracy is the most revolutionary thing in the world. Far more revolutionary than socialist ideas, or anyone else’s idea. Because if you have power, you use it to meet the needs of your community. And this idea of choice which capital talks about, “you’ve got to have a choice,” choice depends on the freedom to choose. If you’re shackled with debt, you don’t have a freedom to choose.

Moore:
It seems it benefits the system if the average working person is shackled with debt.

Benn:
People in debt become hopeless, and hopeless people don’t vote. They always say everyone should vote. But I think if the poor in Britain or the United States turned out and voted for people who represented their interests, it would be a real democratic revolution. So they don’t want it to happen. So keeping people hopeless and pessimistic . . . See, I think there are two ways in which people are controlled. First of all, frighten people, and secondly, demoralize them. An educated, healthy and confident nation is harder to govern. And I think there’s an element in the thinking of some people, “We don’t want people to be educated, healthy and confident, because they would get out of control.” The top 1% of the world’s population own 80% of the world’s wealth. It’s incredible that people put up with it, but they’re poor, they’re demoralized, they’re frightened. And therefore, they think perhaps the safest thing to do is to take orders and hope for the best.

Moore interviews some Americas living in France about the free healthcare they are receiving. One woman says, “ One of the things that keeps everything running here is that the government is afraid of the people. They’re afraid of protests, they’re afraid of reactions from the people. Whereas, in the States, people are afraid of the government. They’re afraid of acting up. They’re afraid of protesting, afraid of getting out. In France, that’s what people do.”

If you want free healthcare, you might consider crossing the border and marrying a Canadian. Check out: http://www.hook-a-canuck.com/

Personally, I keep hoping for change. Just another reason to vote for Barack Obama.

(NOT paid for by Obama for America)

Payson Day Trip

We felt the need to get out of the city. Now that we have a car that can handle dirt roads, we're excited about discovering new back roads in Arizona. So we decided to drive a route recommended by the newspaper's Car section on Thursdays, "Dirt road winds beneath Mogollon Rim." From Payson we took AZ 260 to Forest Road 64 to Tonto Village. We drove to Diamond Point where we hiked up to the fire lookout. We had a great view.

Then we drove to Washington Park, where we hiked on the Arizona Trail for about 2 hours. It was hot, with just a little shade. Not too exciting, but we got our exercise. We were amazed at how many cabins are tucked away where you'd never imagine. And were happy with the way the car handled rough dirt roads. Forest road 64 connected with 87, which headed back to Phoenix. It was great to get away.

Our neighbor, Jane (2)

After we got home yesterday, I noticed that Jane was in her driveway. I decided to walk over and ask her about all the stuff she had laid out in her back yard. She explained that her hot water heater had a leak and the whole utility room flooded. Someone came over this week and replaced the hot water heater and had pumped out the water, but now the stuff was drying out.

I asked if I could help her throw things out or put things back for her. We worked for a while, me trying to convince her to throw old boxes away, her saying she might need it. The back of the old dryer went in the trash, but she didn't want to throw away the screws - "someone could use them." I put the screws in my pocket and told her we could use them. (I threw the old screws away at home.) After we took care of half the stuff, she said she was hot and tired. So we stopped.

Making small talk, I asked Jane if she had watched the Democratic or Republican national conventions. She said she had watched all of it. Then she said, "I can't stand him." Not sure if she was referring to Obama or McCain, I waited. "I can't stand McCain, and don't get me started on that woman." "Sarah Palin?" I asked. "That's the one. Can't stand her either," Jane said. I didn't probe further. "I'll be voting for Obama," she said. "Me, too," I said.

hurricane with no name

The storm hit Phoenix on Thursday night. It was fierce - with wind, rain and hail. In the morning, we found that the only damage we sustained was a few broken limbs off a tree. But some neighborhoods faired far worse.

Our friend, Jamie, emailed us and others in our (Irreverent Thinkers) group that she was kept up all night long by the storm. She had no electricity, a fence and a tree fell over and one large branch broke from a tree in the front yard. Her neighborhood looked like a hurricane came through it.

On Saturday morning some of us went over to Jamie's to help with the clean up. Here are some pictures:

When I said, "Good fences make good neighbors," Jeannette replied, "Good neighbors make good fences."