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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 After losing several weeks of sleep from worrying, Bob starting searching for a new job. He was given a month’s notice to find a job within the company before he was let go. Also, the family was given a severance package that would last them around six to eight months, and would help them survive. “The package includes training and support for looking for a new job,” Bob said. “And it helps the grieving process that I went through from shock, to disbelief, anger, then acceptance.” Julie was upset by the fact that her job as a teacher’s aide would cover only about half of all the family’s expenses. She said she cried to her friends at work multiple times. But at home, she helped try to calm the family down and show everything was okay underneath her worries.
“I made us remember the most important part,” Julie said. “That we are a family and we would get through it.” The family was grateful that state law gave them healthcare under Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) after the first six months of insurance with his old company ended. It was extended under the current administration to provide a discount to them throughout the year. Considering he was out of work for eleven months, the coverage helped drastically. Kelly ended up contracting Swine Flu, so the insurance alleviated much of the cost. Bob said that the current healthcare reform in Congress is in need of fixing things in its system before it continues. He said healthcare reform should wait until the economy improves more.
“We are hurting a lot more from not having a job, than by not having health insurance,” Bob said. “If the current healthcare reform accepts a lot more patients into the system, but does nothing to provide for more medical resources, then we will all be much worse off than we are today.” Bob said that after 11 months of searching for another job, he accepted one on Nov. 2, and was eager to start up again. While the search was hard, he said he tried as hard as he could to provide for his family’s future. As the new job kicks into play, some things will go back to the way they were before, but their finances will take a while to recover. “Financially things are tough, until the new income flows into the bank account,” Bob said. “Right now, we are still living day by day.”
Parent’s occupation gives student unique view STORY BYJASMINE SACHAR
P
ublic options, threats of socialism, big government and deficits are all words that senior Nathan Boyne hears the second he opens his front door coming home from school. No matter what news network his mother has turned on--- Fox News, CSPAN or CNN--- the topic these days seem to revolve around one thing: the debate over the new healthcare reform. Since his mother is a Republican activist, politics is often discussed in the Boyne household. In fact, health care reform is often broached and the family collectively opposes it. “Obviously, there are disadvantages to the health care that we have now,” Nathan said. “But when you look at the health care in other countries, it also has its disadvantages. Even though it may be easier to access, doctors may be less willing to work and having being paid less, it’s sort of like a negative incentive.” Nathan’s mom Adryana Boyne is an official national representative for the Republican National Committee and the National Director of VOCES action, an organization that helps inform Latinos about conservatism and encourage them to take political action. Along with a
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blog and bi-weekly commentary on a radio talk show, she has been in numerous RNC commercials in English and Spanish regarding health care reform. “We do need a health reform, but certainly it’s not the health reform that the president and his administration wants,” Mrs. Boyne said. At the beginning of November, after many hours spent in revision, the House narrowly passed a health care reform bill which includes a non-for-profit public option for those individuals who don’t have health insurance. This particular option would be available to all and the government will be runnig it. “Socialized medicine is not the answer,” Mrs. Boyne said. “We need to look for competition so we can see if there are opportunities of buying from any state, not necessarily only from one state. I believe that it’s a choice of the people to see what doctor is taking care of them and which type of care and coverage they want to have.” Since this summer, health care reform has been a prime topic for all media outlets and a source of great controversy. Because the health care reform bill is speculated to
increase government involvement in what many believe is a free-market business, Republicans and other opposers say the bill goes against the basic principles of the country and--- limited government input. “I believe in personal responsibility and in physical responsibility,” Mrs. Boyne said. “I believe a small government is better. The government should not have power in every single issue. This is a capitalist republic, so I believe that to continue being a capitalist republic hopefully we can recover our values.” One disadvantage of the current health care system, according to Nathan, is the difficulty accessing the system. However, he still firmly believes that Congress should take a different approach in changing it. “Honestly, I’m a fan of capitalism, and I do not believe health care is a right,” Nathan said. “I think that people should earn money in order to be able to get health care and that way the doctors have incentive to work. I know that in other countries, people say that (socialized) health care is efficient but then overall, the doctors are not getting paid as much.”
PHOTO BY MARK TURNBULL Senior Nathan Boyne and his mother Adryana Boyne stand infront of her “wall of fame” at their home in Highland Village on Monday Nov. 9.
{the marquee} NOVEMBER 20, 2009