Article archive / December 1, 2012
Originally published: . Volume 4, No. 4. Source pages: 2.
At Thanksgiving my husband, “Captain Hook,” and I, “The Crocodile,” were incarcerated in The Jail (the back porch of our condo in Navarre) by The Jailors (our 4 year-old granddaughter Samantha and 2 year-old grandson Clark).
Captain Hook proceeded to manipulate his way out of jail, repeatedly lying through his teeth. I accepted my punishment, despite being unfairly held to the human standard of having a superego.
Captain Hook finally signed a document for The Jailors. Even though he refused to sign it in real blood, as I suggested by offering my talents, he still swore to honor it fully. “I agree not to use my hook,” he solemnly pledged and scrawled his signature across the Etch-a-Sketch. Captain Hook, he signed. The impermanence of an Etch-a- Sketch signature notwithstanding, this should have been a clue.
But Sam took him at his word, despite the fact that by this time in the story he had proven himself to be a repeat offender and habitual liar.
Alas, history repeats and destiny dictates. Hook, true to his name, abilities, and job description, escaped again and wreaked more havoc on the countryside, consuming the limited law enforcement resources entirely.
Sam was the optimist who sets out to make a positive change. But like Sam, government’s good intentions don’t always create the results we want.
Watching the ABA Study Commission (and government activity in general now for a while) reminds me that making sausage is troubling to witness.
We have another interesting chapter in the psychology community unfolding, with the behavior analysts, increased prevalence of autism, public awareness and advocacy, and the need for appropriate and cost-effective assistance. Like many other issues in healthcare, there is a challenge for precision, clarity and integrity in leaders. It is very hard and serious work. Commission members must find their way through red tape, human nature, and confusing group process, to something that helps without hurting. Not so easy a task. I admire those with the wisdom and grace to attempt it.
“Quality” outcomes, which include effectiveness, productivity, and cost control, are always harder if the consumer is separated from the vendor. This is a problem with all third party arrangements and so healthcare is vulnerable.
Legislators understandably pass laws to help those in trouble, families and children. Who with any heart at all could vote against the recent bill to remove caps on treatment for autism coverage, including those caps for small businesses? But our troubles are complex. One in 88 or so children will be diagnosed with autism and so one of two or three small businesses will also bear the healthcare cost, or then, the taxpayer. It is not simple.
Heritage tells us that spending on Medicare, Medicaid, the Obamacare subsidies, and Social Security will consume all revenues within the next two generations. In his most recent book, Nicholas Eberstadt, carefully describes the growth of spending. It is a myth that we can “pay-as-we-go” in these healthcare programs, he notes. A political economist and demographer, he writes that the process is unsustainable in any scenario. In reality, he says, these programs are “increasingly financed by the unborn.”
“For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.” Kahlil Gibran writes, in his “On Children.”
“You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.”
There was a slew of new babies in our family recently. Our son Jake and daughter-in-law Amber just had their third child, Oliver. Our daughter Kate is expecting. Our niece Jill just gave birth to Alexander and our niece Sarah gave birth to Tristan last month.
Sam – you should have left us in jail.
Captain Hook (aka M. Dooley) grabs The Jailors (Clark and Samantha) trying to fly away. The Crocodile (Photo by A. Dooley) not shown.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.