A coworker leaned over the cubicle at me yesterday and said “I wish they’d stop that honking out there!” Well, all day we heard honks and it turns out we’re just across the street from a Sacramento County facility, and there were strikers out there. The honks were for support.

I do have to admit, though, that my own day to day existence was not excessively affected by striking county workers–other than the honking. I’m not a homeowner, I didn’t have to go to court, and, thankfully, I didn’t have any business with the county (like getting my baby’s birth certificate–woops! better put that on the TO DO list AFTER the strike!)

I went to the Bee website, though and read a bit about the issues surrounding the strike, as well as the comments Bee readers had left. There is a lot of contention out there over whether the county is in the wrong or the workers are. The driving arguments are that “I have to pay for it in the private sector so why can’t you?” Sure, we should all suffer…or not. I personally think the bigger issue is the outrageous cost of healthcare in California and throughout the United States. It’s not a local issue. It’s a moral one.

The county is trying to pass on the rising cost of healthcare to its employees, who have, in the last few years, already taken pay cuts to help avoid layoffs and program cessation. Increasing the cost of folks’ healthcare amounts to another pay cut. How many pay cuts should a working family have to take?

Would you, as a working parent, choose to go without healthcare for your children? Not likely. And please don’t tell me the private sector is more rigorous than the civil service. It truly depends on where a person works and what he or she does. Granted, there are some protections against improper layoffs and seniority has its privileges in the public sector. In the private sector, you’re not necessarily guaranteed anything other than a heart attack if you stay in a position for many years.

But let’s look at the healthcare issue again. Is it moral to make money off someone’s illness? Is it moral to charge someone three times what they would pay in Canada or Mexico for the same drug formulation? Is it moral to drive someone into bankruptcy so a family member can be given treatment?

It reminds me of Rhett Butler’s gun running in Gone with the Wind. His activities were questioned in the story, but who’s questioning the health industry? Certainly not our political system–our leaders are supporting the continued greed of this industry, as well as the greed of those who are feeding off the destruction of war.

Immorality is making money off of someone else’s suffering. I wish this country would get a clue. Our county workers are getting a taste of the great democracy as we speak. Pay more into the gaping maw of the health industry, and heaven forbid you complain about it. The brainwashed masses who think “because I pay, you should pay too” are quick to criticize anyone who appears to have a ‘better deal.’ Whatever happened to “United we stand”??? If we were united, if we cared about the working poor, the underinsured, the families that make up this country -we might actually make a difference.

I’ve just about had enough of this poor treatment. I’m also tired of listening to my FOX-brainwashed neighbor. Get up, and make a difference! If we don’t, then who will?