This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Money's always there, the pockets change.
Before Obamacare, a university student marched in cussing it and socialized medicine. I said, "We have socialized medicine."
"What?!"
"You are 19 with two babies, no job. Who paid?"
"Well, that's different. The state paid."
No," I said, pulling out my pocket, "I paid as a taxpayer/insurance owner."
"Well, I told my wife no more till we pay." I thanked him and explained reality: People who buy insurance carry entitled people who do not. People who are healthy mercifully pay for the sick.
He left university and entered unionized trade — smart in our low-wage, underemployed, right-to-work state. Unionized, he avoids dependence on Utah's well-used entitlement: CHIP — Children's Health Insurance Program.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz's directive to forgo iPhones for health care is self-serving math. Better advice: Sacrifice children until one can afford to birth, feed and provide health care for each without digging into my pocket.
Everyone, stop spewing or believing self-serving math and alternative facts. Social Security, Medicare and health care are not entitlements. The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) took a payroll tax for the 46 years I worked. Please, use real math and socially recognized facts.
Please, change your ideas and solutions, not your voting district lines and pockets.
Until then, how about we pay alternative taxes?!
Joe Wilks
Rockville