posted October 8, 2008
As a Social Security recipient due to being disabled with multiple sclerosis at 33 years of age, my attention to the Presidential election has reached fever pitch. I am a conservative Republican, unlike most of other persons in my situation. I depend on the government for my financial support, prescription coverage, and almost every other aspect of my life. This was not my choice. I was in an upper management position with a leader in the Rental Truck industry and was covering five states. I was a recipient of Tenncare and depended on it for my prescription coverage before the advent of Medicare D.
Our illustrious governor killed Tenncare, except for Hurricane victims and other "special" situations. And contrary to popular belief, I paid a premium every month to the Tenncare bureau. The mismanagement that the State exhibited during my years as a "customer" of Tenncare was best demonstrated by the amount of my premiums. One month it might be $ 75, the next $305. There was such a maze within the system that no one could give you a straight answer about anything. If you did make the mistake of really getting a question looked at, you would receive a letter stating your "appeal was being reviewed and you would not lose your coverage right now." That really makes you want to ask a question. I finally just decided to shut up.
Social Security needs an overhaul. Each of us has paid into this system. It is a safety net for those of us who have a calamity such as myself. Last year, we received a 2.3% increase in pay. Now each of you, do you think that we have seen more than a 2.3% increase in the cost of living this year? Even if you are for or against me, you know this is wrong. Now I know the argument will be I should be grateful, and I am for living in the greatest nation in the world. But, I am in the position I am. I did not choose this. If we do not receive a correctly figured raise in benefits this year, I do not know what we are going to do. The old wisdom was the Democratic Party was for persons as myself. That was a long time ago. I feel much more comfortable with McCain/Palin and that is where I am going. I am pushing their election as an emergency, it must be done. I cannot see them allowing the Social Security/federal government throw us to the wolves.
We do not live extravagantly. A treat is going to the Chinese buffett once a month. Now I worry about it after the problems China has had exporting tainted contaminated products. Also, I tried the "ticket to work" that SSDI pushed to allow persons as myself to go out and try to earn extra income, on a good day. Not digging ditches or roofing, my choice was Emergency Communications (911) based on my prior experience. I did have an attack one night and that ended that. But, I received a letter from SSDI about six months later wanting to know why I was working? I had to write a lengthy letter explaining I was trying to save our home, which I did have to sell, and that I was done. That satisfied them. But they were the ones that encouraged me to go out and try, "it won't hurt your benefits, don't be locked up in the house, as long as you don't earn more than $ 800." Well, like I said, that was a crock and I am done. Their letter scared me to death.
Now I can put my efforts into local affairs, such as Chattanoogan.com. I may not always get posted because I get so fired up about the Hamilton County School System, but that is for another day.
I am 52-years-old. This is the most important election of my lifetime, my children's, the grandkids, and all the others that will follow. I fear this nation instead of uniting as stated, is going to develop a much, much, deeper racial divide, regardless of the outcome of this election.
I support John and Sarah. There are people in this world that want to kill us, period. I remember a joke someone had out that showed a diplomat talking to a terrorist. The negotiator said, I am going to give you a million dollars, the terrorist says, thank you, I am still going to kill you. I will make you an American citizen, thank you, I am still going to kill you. It went on and on. The moral is, you can talk to these people all day, but they have a religious war against us, period. You cannot negotiate with a religious terrorist, all you can do is send them to their just reward before they get us.
Can anyone imagine, the reaction in the stock market, national security, everyday life, if a homicide bomber walked into a big box store in small town America, in the heartland, a very small area, and blew himself up, killing 500 with him.
Americans have forgotten the terror of 9-11 too soon. It's not going to happen in my home town, New York is a different world for a lot of small town Americans. But let something like this happen in that small rural area and the reaction would push us into a depression faster than any other reason.
We have got to have a warrior and a pit bull with lipstick, ready to grab this potential, not a community activist whose preacher has pushed hate for 20 years.
Wake up everybody, please
Mitchell Thurmer
Signal Mountain
mthurmer4300@comcast.net
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