My Friend the Unemployed Teabagger Was in a Car Accident

[AnnieBW]

My friend, "R", who I know from a non-political organization, is a rabid right-winger. He used to work for a wingnut version of the Huffington Post, which does stories from their perspective. He got laid off last year - I guess bashing Obama isn't as profitable as one would think. Anyway, he's on unemployment and COBRA. He's diabetic, too. But yet he rails against "socialism" while taking government money.

Anyway, I found out that "R" was in a serious car accident on Monday. He's in the hospital with a broken hip and broken ribs. I don't know the details of the accident, or who was at fault. His brother, who sent out the information, is just concentrating on letting us know his condition. On one hand, I'm worried about my friend, and how it will impact his already-stressed finances. On the other hand, I'm feeling guilty for my schadenfreude. I'm just hoping that this experience will change his (and his brother's) mind about the need for government-run health care for those who are falling through the cracks.

[gateley]

1. We've always been told that experience is the best teacher... nt

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. bet he blames Obama for the accident

[DebbieCDC]

3. I hope he has a change of heart too

But my cynical side says probably not.

[Ikonoklast]

4. He needs to get off the taxpayer teat, and pull himself up by his bootstraps.

'Car accident', eh?

Sounds like he's trying to scam some poor insurance company out of their hard-earned dollars, raising the rates for the rest of us.

People like your friend will never accept that it's just not all there for them, and no one else.

[virgogal]

5. He's covered. Doesn't sound like the type that would worry about others.

That said,I hope he gets well soon.

[Make7]

6. I hope he fully recovers. Sounds like he was hurt pretty bad. ( n/t )

[proud patriot]

7. this is what we in Preschool call a Teachable moment

I hope your friend is able to recover both
physically and Finacially .

[bertman]

8. Don't get your hopes too high, Annie. But please do let us know if he sees the light.

[Cleita]

9. Hopefully he and the other party have liability insurance.

That should help with the medical bills.

[jwirr]

10. Very likely he will just be angry that they are asking him to verify his

income etc. in order to qualify. One of the myths of government programs for the poor is that they just give them assistance and never check up on them.

[Demobrat]

11. Don't count on him getting a clue as a result of this.

If he has COBRA he's covered and has no need of a public option. In fact, depending on what kind of insurance he had at his job don't be surprised if you have to listen to him brag about how great private insurance is. It's the people without COBRA or anything else who need government-run health care. Your friend is, I'm afraid, still one of the lucky ones - lucky for him.

[pnwmom]

12. He's on COBRA, so he's probably patting himself on the back for making

the payments. I doubt that this experience will change his mind.

[704wipes]

19. Laid off in a reduction of force? then his Cobras are 80% less

thanks to Barrack Obama and the Democratic Congress !!
And if he is not too old then since he is paying only around 20% of what he would have paid for Cobra before the law was changed for those laid off through no fault of their own. Think it took effect back in February or so. If he had to pay the old Cobra rate then his 'self-sufficiency' would have probably already run out.

[prolesunited]

20. The reduction is 60%

it only lasts 9 months and you had to be laid off *after* Sept. 1., 2008. Lots of people got left behind on this.

[704wipes]

21. Thanks for helping me with the correct %

60 or 80 won't matter to that guy since he is such a rich Repuke, no doubt.

[ScreamingMeemie]

25. Just so you know...my COBRA cost was $2400/month. I was lucky

to be able to afford it. I'm guessing, with being unemployed, he may not have been.

[aquart]

13. Will the COBRA cover this?

[AnnieBW]

14. Don't know

In fact, I'm not even sure that he has COBRA.

[Demobrat]

18. If he doesn't have COBRA

he should be covered by the auto insurance of whoever was at fault. He'll be alright.

[Demobrat]

17. It should.

COBRA is just a means of extending the insurance he had at his last job before he lost it. He's covered by private insurance just like he would be if he was working.

[cherish44]

15. Those "haves" who like to call the "have nots" lazy or just leeches

need to realize the fortunes can change in a split second. Anyway I hope your friend is ok and recovering and that yeah this experience teaches him compassion for those who are down on their luck.

[mitchum]

16. Fuck him

[Kickin_Donkey]

22. +1

[WVRICK13]

23. You Are Way

more tolerant than I am. First, I could never be friends with someone who is far RW. Second, I would not worry about the well being of someone who, as a R winger, doesn't care about anyone else's well being.

[AnnieBW]

26. Thanks.

We've known these brothers for a long time. Lately, R has really been getting on my nerves because he's been taking advantage of those of us in our club who ARE employed. I don't mind paying for dinners of people who are unemployed. Hubby and I did that for two of the women in our group who are out of work this past Saturday night. But R was really getting obnoxious about things.

Maybe this will change his mind. Right now, he's still my friend and I'm worried about him.

[WVRICK13]

29. You Are A Good Person

with a kind heart. Your friend is lucky to have you.

[southerncrone]

24. There are no coincidences. Maybe this is EXACTLY what will change his mind.

Let's hope so.

When the shoe is on YOUR foot, it seems to feel different. Something about personal experience that will spin your head right around.

This will be the true test of his ability to think logically.

Please update us when he returns to work.

[ddeclue]

27. You live you learn...

I recommend biting off more than you can chew
I recommend getting your heart trampled on
The caution blocks you from the wind
Hold on till the dust settles
You bleed, you learn
You scream, you learn
The fire trucks are coming up around the bend.

[NNN0LHI]

28. Wonder if he knows he is not eligible to collect unemployment while he is disabled?

Should be interesting to see how that will work out for him?

Don

[annabanana]

30. Nothing else except direct experience EVER seems to have an

impact on people like this.

When something bad happens to them, or a member of their family, the scales fall from their eyes and they see the other side of the story.

I chalk it up to an inability to empathize.