That's rough. Even though the economy feels like it's coming back, it may be hard for him to find another gig at his age. What's more, even if he can get work, he may find it next to impossible to get health insurance. (His wife is still employed, so that may not be a problem.)
But I can just hear the phone conversations he may be having soon.
Insurance Broker: So how old are you?
Him: 60. Why?
Click!
Or,
IB: Are you a smoker?
Him: As a matter of fact, I am. Why?
Click!
Or,
IB: Do you, or your wife, have any pre-existing conditions?
Him: What do you mean?
IB: Have either of you ever been sick?
Him: Sure; as a matter of fact...
Click!
I think you get the idea. My friend's friend may have to just roll the dice until he turns 65 and can qualify for Medicare.
Which brings me to the picture at the top of this post (and the title of this blog).
My friend's friend, whom I met once, is a lot like me (except taller and with a full head of hair). He's an Irish Catholic who's been married forever to the same woman, with three grown children (I have two), and lives in the suburbs. (He may, or may not, have a white picket fence -- I don't.) The son of a Chicago cop (I'm the great-grandson of one) and the product of Catholic schools (same), he's a college graduate who's worked hard at white collar jobs all his life. I'll bet he's owned a minivan at some point (we just sold ours last year) and was probably involved in Little League, Boy Scouts or other such community activities.
In short, like me, he's a boring old white guy. (And there's nothing wrong with that.)
But, unlike me, I'll bet he hates President Obama. (We didn't talk politics when I met him.) How do I know that? Because all boring old white guys hate President Obama. Why? Because he's just, well ... different; that's why.
But I wish I could tell this guy that the president is a hard-working, college-educated family man just like us. Sure, he went to Harvard; but unlike some other presidents, he earned it. And even though he worked as a community organizer (gasp!), President Obama was a law school professor before he entered public life. (That's a real job, by the way, Mr. Romney.) And just like my father, President Obama's grandfather served his country in World War II.
I could go on and on, but the point is that boring old white guys have a lot more in common with President Obama than they probably realize.
Now, as for that picture and my friend's friend: he should like, not fear, Obamacare. Why? Because it was passed for guys like him. Under Obamacare, 60 year-old white guys no longer have to go without insurance -- even if they or their wives or children have pre-existing conditions. And, because of the Affordable Care Act, insurance will be affordable, because insurance companies will have to spend a certain percentage of their revenue on actual health care. (Kind of like regulated public utilities.) And, because of the ACA, if you get sick (a possibility at any age) your insurance company can't suddenly drop you or raise your rates through the roof.
So, really, fellow boring old white guys: the president is a good guy and his health care plan is a good one.
Now, you can still vote for Mitt Romney and hope and wish and pray that the ACA gets repealed (or that the Supremes find it unconstitutional). But be careful what you wish for. Even though Romney looks like us boring old white guys (except taller and with a full head of hair), he doesn't necessarily represent us.
Bill Maher had it right when he said that he understands why the richest one percent vote Republican. What he doesn't get is why anyone else would.
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