I have zero doubts that the people writing to the NO side are business owners of some sort. Baring that in mind, i still have to say that employers have an obligation to their employees. I’ve held quite a few jobs in 31 years on this planet. I can think of maybe one or two employers that i could say took their employees wellbeing into account. Sure businesses can argue that they give their employees a paycheck and that should suffice. In a perfect world it would suffice. However, since this world is not perfect, never has been; never will be. The rising cost of health car in this country have become unpayable by most Americans, unless your in the top 1% of the population. Everyone else… get in line and wait your turn. The line is long and your number 1,999,999 at that rate, you might be seen before you die of old age; if you make it that long.
Lets get back to this obligation that employers have to their employees. An employer will speak at great length about the lack of motivation in the work place. Well what did you expect? You give these men and women a meager paycheck that barely covers the minimum cost of living expenses, forbid overtime and at the ultimate symbol of backstabbing… offer no medical insurance to your workers. Let me know when any of this is remotely conducive to a happy work place. Employers expect an employee to show up on time, give until they bleed to the profitability of the business and then when its all said and done expect nothing but a band aid in return. I say NO! Full-time, part-time; it makes no difference the world is hard enough to deal with without having to worry about if your 5 year old gets sick and you have to take them to ER. Employers, you have an obligation to make sure the people you employ can take care of health care costs in this day and age.
It occurs to me that the vast majority of business owners, corperate officers and other high ranking company officials have forgotten what it was like to struggle. You figure that those individuals are in a position where their jobs aren’t so easily taken from them, so they’re safe. Not a single one of them has to worry about life on the cheap side of life. They’ve forgotten what it means to live paycheck to paycheck. The idea of the possibility of not being able meet medical care expenses for their families is so far removed from their current lifestyle that it doesn’t even register a blip on their radar’s anymore. While i understand that running a business isn’t cheap; there’s product to get, there’s employees to pay, there’s advertisement to gain customers, there’s liability insurance to buy incase someone gets hurt on the job. It’s no excuse to forsake your employees and not give them the basics to be productive individuals in the world.
At its core, America is the best country in the world to live in. We praise individuality, hard work and capitolizm. The statue of liberty has an open invitation to the world inscribed on her saying “give me your tired, hudled masses yearning for freedom.” We are a country of individuals working towards a common goal, to help eachother help ourselves. Employer paid medical insurance is a big, huge step in the right direction.