Jack on Death Panels

I followed Jack to Trolley's the other night. We were having some beers, watching ESPN, when some older guy started getting loud about death panels. Then some woman joined in. The bar was busy, not packed, but busy. No one said anything, just let them go.

I could tell that Jack was going to say something. He was holding back, shutting up, until the loudest of the death panelers came over to the bar, to order a beer, ad slapped Jack on the back. "So, what do you say about government death panels?" he nearly hollered. He was drunk.

"Oh, I'm al against them," said Jack. "I'm against government and corporate panels." The guy narrowed his eyes at Jack, asked what Jack meant by that. Jack explained that corporate death panels are in full bloom now, today, pronouncing death sentences on thousands of Americans each year. Maybe millions.

Before the guy could bluster, Jack said, "Why is it OK for corporate bean counters to decide who lives and dies, but to allow government any oversight over said bean counters is sacrilege?"

The guy said that corporations need to be able to conduct business. "That's fine," said Jack, But, insurance corporations and HMOs do not care about people. They care about profit. It is their only guiding principle and logic. They are no different from credit card corporations, who look only to the next quarter's revenue, and will do whatever they can get away with to

maximize that revenue."

Other people started to saunter over to hear better what Jack was saying.

"Corporations are like teenagers," he said. "Some keep their hormones in check
better than others. Some not at all. The function of government, I believe, is to act as the wise parent, overseeing the actions and behaviors of its teens, meddling as little as possible, but insuring that they do not hurt themselves . . . or others. Parents who allow their teens to run the family budget and make their own rules are asking for chaos and a corrupt household. I believe that our Founding Fathers agreed, and tried to provide for that oversight."

A third guy suggested that Jack is anti-business.

"I am not anti-business," said Jack. "I am anti-oligarchy. I am, in all earnestness,
pro-business. As such, I believe that any business that is bad for people is bad business."

"It has also to do with honor," said Jack. "Anyone here against honor?" No one answered. "Good," sad Jack, "Because every man is, I believe, bound by honor in his dealings with any other man. But no man is bound by honor to any corporation, as corporations
are not men, and do not recognize honor."

Jack slammed his beer down in the bar. No one said anything. He turned to me, said, "I'm outa here." I sat there a while, watching the other people, breathing in their shifting scents, hearing their changing heart beats. The guy who fired up Jack had a pulse that was nearly one long beat.

Then I thought, "Shit! I gotta get home before Jack!"

More of the same this weekend, I am sure. Except, I did hear them talking about haunted houses. Maybe Jack and Shelly will stick around here this weekend. Wish I could go to the haunted house, with them. In years past I have gone down and kept eyes on them in human form, and in weredog form. Last year I was lurking around at The Beast in weredog form and was pulled aside by one of the managers and bitched out for having a bad costume. Not scary enough, he said. I growled at him and his face went pale. "But, great vocal effects," he said.