Dear Readers,
Normally when I write about something other than food or farm weddings, it’s about something I have found amusing or curious. So this is your fair warning — I’m going to be serious. This Tuesday, I went to my first town hall –ever! I went to express my concerns to Iowa Senator Grassley about a number of things, but mostly about the dangers of repealing the ACA without an adequate and quick replacement. Who knew that before the end of the day I would have people sending me clips of me on Greta and in the morning I’d wake up and see myself on Morning Joe — Wow — that was surreal !!! And boy I am glad I managed to comb my hair, put on a little lipstick and throw on a clean sweater.
Upfront I want to say “I AM NOT A PAID ACTIVIST”. I don’t even know how you could get a paid gig and dang, if I was going to do it for money, I sure would try to do it in a warmer location than Iowa. I love living on our century family farm in Iowa, but I think I would lobby for somewhere with white sand and beaches.
I may not be a paid activist, but I have discovered my activist roots. I was recently reminded of several stories about my maternal grandmother, Mame. During the depression she was the first woman Democratic Chairperson for our county. I find this pretty amazing since it was only about 15 years earlier women got the vote. Oh, ok, there were only five Democrats in a sea of Republican farm families — but it was still cool. It was also told that she had what was called a “marked” house. Hobos and homeless men out of work who were walking through the area in search for jobs, marked her house to let the next to come know they would be fed if they stopped. Growing up in this household helped my mom develop a strong sense of doing what you could to help people. She was an Irish Democrat her entire life, despite being married to my Eisenhower Republican dad for more than fifty years. Mom worked the polls every election that she was able, watched every minute of the Watergate hearings and raised twelve children with strong independent minds and a sense of doing the right thing. The women in my life were unpaid activists in their own ways, I see now.
I have done some flirting with activism in the past. I did have bit of a rough start voting for Nixon in 1972, but I’ve recovered. When my brother ran for County Attorney, I helped out by baking, what seems like thousands of cookies, for campaign coffees where voters get to know the candidates, mailed letters, walked in parades and helped build a garage in a day to raise money. I’ve also knocked on some doors for an election or two and even made some phone calls. But it took the election of Donald J. Trump to convert me to a real activist. Rather than just posting every political Facebook post that came my way, I decided I’d create my own Facebook group of family and friends who are learning with me to find ways to fight for our causes. I was also feeling like I was bombarding my non-political friends with things they just didn’t want to see. We are mostly all inexperienced, not affiliated with a specific group and just trying to do simple things, like write letters, make phone calls and now go to town hall meetings. We are definitely not organized! Attending Grassley’s town hall was very empowering — I highly recommend attending one even if you just watch from the corner.
Healthcare has been my cause for years before Obamacare was even a thought. I’m sure it started in the 90’s when I applied to put my newly laid off husband on my work insurance — they denied him because he had a pre-existing condition, high blood pressure and of course he needed the most expensive medications for his condition. I was angry, shocked and we were in a precarious financial position with his layoff. Despite my pleading he wouldn’t spend the money on his pills in lieu of feeding our family. I was concerned because his family had a history of heart attacks, he had lost his brother who was 39 just a few years before. Two year later at 49 he died of a massive heart attack. I was 42 with a 12 year old and 16 year old to raise and put through college. So when they talk about death panels, I think about insurance companies.
Long story short — oops too late for that — I am passionate that no one should have to make those choices in life. I see my daughter, who has a college education, works three jobs, of which none provide an opportunity to even buy insurance. She is a Library Director for a small Iowa town 30 hours a week, a children’s librarian at another library 10 hours a week and works with families to provide respite care in her spare time. Until the ACA, she had no affordable, good options to purchase health insurance, putting her at a bigger risk with her paternal family’s heart issues.
And now suddenly I am faced with my own insurance challenges. I was fortunate to teach college technology courses for 20 years, but state budget cuts hit and BANG my program was cut and me too. I landed in a local software company, where I thought I’d ride out my time until I retired. However, to my surprise, one morning I walked in to find out the company had been sold and half of the employees laid off. At almost 62, insurance was my biggest concern, the job market was swamped with Information Technology professionals, and chances were I probably would not find a position with full-time benefits. My backup plan– stay on COBRA as long as necessary, move to the ACA when COBRA ran out, get to 65 and I’d have Medicare.
I was not concerned until the election in November when it hit me — I probably was not going to be able to purchase from the ACA exchange when my COBRA expired. Worse yet, if the ACA was repealed without a replacement I may not even be able to purchase insurance at any price due to my pre-existing diabetes. This isn’t just about me, there are many more heart wrenching stories out there of people making very difficult choices. When I read the portion of the Declaration of Independence below, it confirms my belief that the government helping us all have safe, healthy lives with affordable, accessible healthcare is a right.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
So, no I’m not a paid activist — my neighbors, friends, and family are not paid, but like a sleeping bear, we’ve been poked. We are passionate about what we believe in and getting ready for the fights of our lives.
I AM AN ACTIVIST — now can someone pay me?
— Mary
Mary, that is awesome! I can relate to your story since I have become an activist as well. Who knew at our age this would happen, right?
I have been following your posts also — it’s good to have support!
Mary, I am in awe! Cheering you on from Canada!
Thanks Diane — we need you guys to hang in there with us!!!
We have something in common. My late aunt Mary lived in Fairfield in years- she ran for office as a Democrat and lost. She was a social worker and would be heartbroken to know what so many have gone through re health care and what you and your husband went through.
Thanks Alana — I find it so interesting to see how small the world is and how interconnected we are…
You go girl! Like you, I’ve also been more inspired. Just today, I received a letter from my representative about all the terrible things with the ACA. This was personal letter following up on contact I’d made with his office regarding an appeal of it prior to finding a better solution. It has left me disheartened, but perhaps, more motivated.
Thanks Pam — it is very frustrating that people don’t understand what the ACA does for them and many people. The only thing that I took away from the conversation with Sen. Grassley was that he was convinced no insurance company was going to be able to deny anyone with a pre-existing condition, but he didn’t seem to understand what the other GOP people like Steven King were talking about.
Amazing post. Valid points throughout.
Thanks
I feel the same way. I almost died in 2011 because my husband was laid off and we had no insurance. My husband finally took me to the ER and after 3 weeks in ICU and another 3 weeks in a regular room we were financially ruined. I was diagnosed with Felty’s syndrome which is a rare form of RA. We moved 400 miles away from the only home we’d ever known so that my husband could take a job with the insurance we needed. After getting the insurance we were devasted to learn that they wouldn’t cover me for a year because of the pre-existing. It was awful.
Awesome !!!
Mary, wow from me too. Chuck Grassley. He started the death panels talk and I saw on the news that a short
guy in a gray sweatshirt threw that at him. I screamed, I was so happy. Grassley lives by what others can do to
keep him powerful. I hate that. Met him twice. Once when he was visiting a powerful guy across the street from
us and it was all about the gun lobby. Lining their pockets.
Of course you are not a paid actitvist. None of us are. 1500 a week, some are saying. Where would DEMS get
the coin for that. Thanks for your fight, for heart-felt desire to publish a cookbook. And your story made me sad too. Sending a hug and thanking you again. Each one of us is powerful, Beth
Thank you so much Beth! Every time I think he does something decent, the next minute he makes me soooo mad! I laugh when they think Democrats could figure out how to paid or be organized…it is an oxymoron to say Democrats and organized in the same sentence. Thanks for your support — Keep in touch! Mary
Considering that the prez said he would create jobs he should be bragging about the “paid protestors” and commending them. As for Grassley, I have found that he has given up listening to his constituents and gone “full Grassley” into telling us what to think. Thank you for voicing your opinion. My husband got cancer when we were just married and my whole life has been spent living in fear of no health insurance. I took a job that was somewhat low paying but had good benefits and find myself now being forced into a high deductible plan by that same employer. My employer encourages savings but it costs me thousands each year just to make sure that my husband can keep his cancer at bay. Our healthcare system is cruel at best.
You are so right — he could count paid activists in his jobs numbers — lol. I’m sorry to hear about your husband and struggles. It is terrifying to think that many just see healthcare in terms of dollars and not lives. Wishing you the best in the future. Mary
Clearly you come from a line of strong women! Cheers from Canada!!!
Yup — pretty tough stock!
Thanks!
I am so happy to read your story because it was fascinating, heartbreaking and real. I am sorry about the loss of your husband. Too young. And about job loss and worrying about insurance and the future. Oh, before I forget….12 children? Wow!!!
I hear you about becoming an activist. I, and many others, became lazy about being involved in government. That’s all changed with the orange man. We must be resolved in being active, having our say, and doing all we can to keep America great.
How cool that you were on TV? Grassley? He angers me to no end…
Thanks Cathy – I am in a position to figure it out — many are not and the orange man pretends he knows, but it is all show — the smoke and mirrors of a showman. I got my phone calls in this morning — and interestingly I actually talked to someone in Grassley and Ernsts office — I’ve kind of given up on Steven King — he’s just an idiot…
Like so many others who’ve commented, I feel you are mirroring my re-born activism. Takes a Trump to get us off our duffs and fighting for what we once assumed was solid and proper. Unpaid, of course. We’ve got the passion. Now let’s hope our aroused strength can make something happen–or rather, prevent some things from happening.
I hope to hell we can stop bad things from happening…. I normally go door to door at Election time, but the Hillary people and Dems didn’t even bother in Iowa this time. Sad
Your story and commitment are motivating. Time to move off our blogs and into the community. Protesting is one thing (and important), engaging in community work is another. I encourage all your readers to look for community organizations where they can volunteer – helping to advocate for better schools (and libraries), supporting publicly funded health centers and welcoming the immigrants who are already in the states.
Thanks Anne — that is so true — all politics is local and we so often forget we can make a difference right at home.
Glad you reposted this, Mary. Unfortunately, even more timely today. But as my favorite sign at the women’s march said: “Watch out. Now you’ve pissed off Grandma!”
That is my favorite too! Thanks!
Every year health ins gets worse but the premium goes up and the deductibles every year I think ins companies are richer then banks and in sure they get free insurance for themselves otherwise they wouldn’t be doing this
Agreed — Insurance companies get rich when they don’t cover people. That is why I think the argument that single payer insurance will be worse is totally bogus…Insurance companies are already making our healthcare decisions!