INSURANCE

DO YOU HAVE SOME?  My wife and I grew up in a small town and so we knew each other all our lives.  Went to the same school, church and parties.  Our collective parents had no insurance.  Other than car insurance.  When we had a medical situation, they just paid the bill. Whether it was for medical Dr.s Eye Dr's or Dentist's, our parents just paid what was billed. When my wife and I were married, we were in the same situation.  Even though we were working, we had only car insurance.  When we went to the Dr. we paid the charge for the visit. After we had been married a few years I went to work for the Mining company and we had medical insurance through the company.  After I had been there for a while, the union came in and a contract was negotiated and medical insurance, which I already had, was included in the contract.  I always had insurance through the company,  When I retired after 40 years, I was of so I had Medicare.  Mandated by law. I had to sign up for Medicare. No choice.  Then Barack Obama was elected President and he and the congress decided that every one should have health care. So the ADA or Obama Care was crafted.  It was done behind closed doors and Nancy Pelosi said "We are going to have to pass it to find out what is in it". And they did. And we did.  Premiums went up and now, several years later, there are people who don't have insurance because they can't afford the premiums. Many States, Like Arizona, have pulled out of the market altogether.  Are there some good things in the ACA. Yes there is.  Like Insurance company's can't refuse someone because of pre existing conditions.  There are others.  Now, Donald Trump and Congress are trying to craft a new health care act and come up with something better. And cheaper.  There have been so many conflicting reports on the news about this new health care act, that we have no clue what is in it.  Are they going to have to pass it to see what is in it?  I would like to see a law that said insurance company's couldn't turn someone away. Make insurance actually affordable.  And let the medical professionals charge a fee that could be paid by the general public of they choose not to have insurance at all.  Insurance has turned into a racket, and it is we the people that are paying. One way or another.  It would be better for the government to get out of the way altogether, with the possible exception of an oversight bureau. Or some semblance of such.  And that is the VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK 

WHO, EXACTLY, DO THEY APPLY TO

WHAT EXACTLY, AM I REFERING TO?  WELL, I'LL TELL YOU.   I am referring to traffic laws.  We just got back yesterday afternoon from a 3 day trip to Albuquerque.  The reason for going there is not important to this post.  Or any other post for that matter.  But we cringe every time we have to go to Albuquerque.  We have come so close to being t boned as some little twerp entered the freeway and paid no attention to the oncoming traffic at all.  This trip we saw some people speeding up and down the city streets, running stop signs and red lights, and nearly causing an accident.  More than once.  And we cringed and just hoped it worked out, and somehow it did.  
Leaving Hatch we followed a Grant County Sheriff vehicle out of town.  As I accelerated up to the posted speed, the vehicle was far ahead. By the time I got to a place where visibility was miles in front of me, the sheriff vehicle was nowhere to be seen.  Don't know what he was doing, but whatever it was, he was doing it in a hurry and without emergency lights or siren.  As we crossed the Uvas valley, doing the speed limit, by the way, and following a truck, ( the 18 wheeler kind ) and meeting sufficient oncoming traffic that passing said truck was not feasible, the car behind me pulled into a turning lane on the right. I assume they were turning. Nope, they passed me on the right in a turn lane and then got behind the truck, only to pass it at the top of the rise.  I hope they made it to where they were going.  
We have speed limits here in Grant County.  Speed limits that are broken constantly. What makes it bad is that the police officers, City, County and State all break the speed limit as well.  One just has to wonder how they can do this, and then hand out a speeding ticket to any one.  But they do.  Now, I'm not complaining about a ticket, cause I don't speed, but I just wonder about the mentality it takes to speed down the road and then give a ticket to someone who is only doing the same thing.  
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK