The Native Iowan

My elder brother just went into hospice.

A career in the US Navy, a life time of substance abuse, by the age of 75 he’s reaching the end of his road. No wife or kids. He spent the past many years caring for our parents who lived into their 90s.

Emphysema, lots of motor-skill issues, more substance abuse… he has ceased being able to care for himself. He was taken to the ER, hospitalised. It was determined he could not go “home”. So the System went to work for him…

His military service, his years of private sector work, all made him eligible to go into care at no financial burden to the family. He spent a life time pre-paying, preparing for this. He gets to stay in the community where he lives. He has family close. He is not being isolated or forgotten. He keeps much of his freedom.

They even let him enjoy a cigarette, but he has to wheel himself across the street, “off campus”. The System is working.

And color me shocked, amazed, gob smacked… The System works. Damn!

This is the System(s) that we Citizens have paid for.

Paid for throughout all our working lives.

This is the System that the Liberal Left side of politics, our Social Democrats, has worked to dismantle. Worked hard to dilute.

The System(s) we Americans have invested in, paid for, supported throughout our working careers, are close to collapse.

I suggest that we, We Americans, fight to ensure the System(s) we have invested in all our lives, and expect to be available “when the time comes” are maintained, supported, funded.

Not dismantled by social working, do-gooder, left leaning socialist ideals. It is a worthy fight.

More later