artist's rendering of the state of healthcare in America

Do you ever wonder how we here at yr Wonket can bring you such high-quality posts day in and day out? It is because we are utterly and completely fueled by rage. Rage over the endless bullshit of senseless shootings and kicking poor people in the teeth and America turning into a theocracy -- all of these things conspire to keep us running at full strength all day long. Take, for example, this little tidbit about how, between GOP governors being dickwads and corporations being stone cold evil, millions of people work like crazy but get no healthcare.

As many as five million Americans remain not only poor but also uninsured, despite an array of state and federal policies specifically intended to help them get health care.

These people are caught in a health care netherworld. Their employers classify them as part-time workers or independent contractors, therefore avoiding any obligation to provide health care. Their state governments have not expanded Medicaid to include low-wage earners. And government mandates set a standard for “affordable” coverage that is not affordable at all for these families.

Neat!

It's old news by now to talk about how GOP states are run by garbage people who refuse to expand Medicaid even when it is functionally a low or zero cost to them. But we haven't spent nearly enough time talking about how corporations are also run by human trash fires who will pretty much go to any length to ensure their employees don't have coverage. USA Today's look into the issue found that (1) companies use contract workers because they aren't required to provide insurance to contract workers; (2) companies cut hours to avoid paying healthcare benefits; (3) places like McDonalds leave their insurance decisions up to each franchisee, and if that franchisee doesn't have 50 or more workers, they don't have to provide insurance.

See? Trash fire. USA Today scared up a business owner who explained that blah blah blah too much money to pay people healthcare, intermittent scheduling, blah blah blah, and said business owner also puked out this justification.

Redfern also argues there’s a place for independent contractors who cobble together a living from several jobs.

Yeah, about that? Fuck you. Anyone who has ever gotten by only by scrambling from freelance job to part-time job to casual labor job knows that doesn't somehow magically add up to enough money for decent healthcare. It also doesn't add up to any paid vacation, sick days, or all those things that employees are unduly fond of. It does add up to sleep deprivation, a constant worry about money, and a constant hustle to line up new work in case one of your employers decides to chop your hours. Weirdly enough, people do not find satisfaction in this sort of lifestyle and instead covet silly things like "a regular schedule" and "affordable healthcare." But this is 'Merica and the poors deserve to be poor, so fuck 'em.

[USA Today]