I was awake way early in the morning and started downloading and watching Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes off of iTunes. I got to thinking about the nature of a race called the Ferengi. For those of you who know little about the Star Trek universe, the morality of the Ferengi revolves around PROFIT. The acummulation of wealth is of the utmost priority to any right-thinking Ferengi. The brilliant writers of the Star Trek series even gave the Ferengi the "Rules of Aquisition". They are the rules a Ferengi should follow in order to maximize profit.
As I watched one of the main characters, a Ferengi named Quark, scheme and plot for his profit, I couldn't help associating every immoral "Rule of Aquisition" mentioned with the for-profit health insurance scammers that are bleeding Americans dry. One episode in particular, "Nagus", got me going and I looked up the Ferengi rules. For your reading pleasure, I've provided an abbreviated list of the rules below, with appropriate modifications to reflect insurance company attitudes.
The original is listed first, with the modification, if needed, listed below. After compiling this list, it is so much more clear to me that what the insurance companies have done, to turn people's health into the engine for their profit, is a travesty and needs to be stopped.
1- Once you have their money, never give it back.
Once you have their money, never give them care.
2- Never pay more for an acquisition than you have to.
Never pay unless you have to.
3- Never allow family to stand in the way of opportunity.
Never allow a patient to stand in the way of opportunity.
10- Greed is eternal.
17- A contract is a contract is a contract ... but only between Ferengi.
A policy is a policy is a policy ... but only until they get really
sick.
21- Never place friendship above profit.
Never place the patient's health above profit.
23- Nothing is more important than your health ... except for your money.
45- Expand or die.
Deny or die.
74- Knowledge equals profit.
Denials equal profit.
102- Nature decays, but latinum lasts forever.
People die, but money lasts forever.
and my favorite:
211- Employees are the rungs on the ladder of success. Don't hesitate to
step on them.
Patients are the rungs on the ladder of success. Don't hesitate to
step on them.
I'm sure I missed some good ones to convert. Feel free to add in the comments. I doubt many people will read this, so I plan on napping. However, if you add a good one, I'll be happy to update with it later.
Most importantly, keep fighting for a public option. If we fail at this, if the "Ferengi" win, people die. Even if you don't have time to go to town halls or write to congress or make calls, there is someone in your life who has no idea what these insurance companies do to keep making obscene profits. Every opportunity you get, expound on the virtues of public option and the evils of for-profit insurance. Someone will hear you.