A study released by the Aflac insurance company shows the real reason that Americans hate the healthcare mandate. It also shows the real reason behind Republicanism. It seems that with exceptions for terrorism, Iran, the Bird Flu and the rapture (which, I guess is a good thing), bad things only happen to other people.

The study showed that 62% of people think they won’t get cancer. 55% think they will never get chronic illnesses like heart disease (the number one killer) or diabetes.

Nothing bad ever happens to me
Nothing bad ever happens to me
Why should I care?

They’re off on cancer, but not by much. One in two men and one in three women will get cancer. Of course, cancer isn’t like Jesus. It doesn’t only show up for the believers. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, as many as half of us might already be sick. We, as a country, are not particularly healthy. About half of us use prescription drugs. We’re fatter than ever. We get less exercise than ever and we eat like there is no tomorrow. We get heart disease. We get diabetes.

Yes, many of these illnesses can be prevented or controlled with lifestyle, but the exact same people who are complaining about the healthcare mandate are also bitching that the First Lady oversteps her bounds simply for suggesting that fruits and veggies could be a good food choice and that people could benefit from a little exercise.

Perhaps even more frightening is that we are woefully unprepared for illnesses. Even for those of us who have insurance, a chronic illness can be a luxury we can’t afford. Insurance companies offer high deductibles and caps on the amount of coverage they offer. The insurance companies control the purse strings. A $30,000 a year admin with a high school diploma might be in charge of telling your doctor that the treatment that would save your life isn’t covered. The bottom line is that our bottom lines can’t handle a medical crisis.

• Half of American workers (51 percent) are trying to reduce debt.
• Nearly six in ten (58 percent) don’t even have a financial plan to handle the unexpected.
• Only eight percent of U.S. workers strongly agree their family will be financially prepared in the event of an unexpected emergency.
• Twenty-eight percent have less than $500 (51 percent have less than $1,000) in savings for emergency expenses.

The “Nothing Bad Ever Happens To Me” attitude isn’t limited to illness.

They hate the idea that their tax money is being used to fight crime that is only happening to that other neighborhood:

A man broke into my neighborhood
He threatened the family with a loaded gun
He tied them all up and beat ‘em real good
He took everything and he got away clean
And I can’t believe that anyone would
Wanna do such a terrible thing
But why should I care?

They hate the idea that their tax dollars should go to help that other guy who lost his job, but only after his company stole his pension:

Did ya hear about Fred, he’s unemployed
They threw him away like a useless toy
He went down the drain after 20 long years
No warning, no pension and nobody’s tears
And I can’t believe that anyone would
Wanna do such a terrible thing
But why should I care?
Why should I care?

They hate that their tax money should help educate the researcher that will cure the cancer that they’ll never get. They hate that their tax dollars should help their neighbor’s house not burn down. They are bothered by the homeless on the streets, but they don’t think that their tax money should go to helping house them.

Republicans live in the here and now. They have jobs. They have homes. They are healthy. Their kids are in school. They have money in savings – or maybe they don’t. Nothing will ever change, which is the point of conservatism.

Every time I look around this place
I see them scream but I hear no sound
And the terrible things happen down the road
To someone else that I don’t even know

Nothing bad ever happens to me
Nothing bad ever happens to me
Nothing bad ever happens to me
Nothing bad ever happens to me
Why should I care?

Have you heard about the Joneses, my, my, my
It happened so quick and no one knows why
Their teenage son, he seemed O.K.
But his suicide ruined everyone’s day
And I can’t believe that anyone would
Wanna do such a terrible thing
But why should I care?

(Nothing bad ever happens to me)
Nothing bad ever happens to me

Here’s the video:

Wendy Gittleson grew up in a political family. Her passion is for social justice and fairness. She is the Senior Editor for Addicting Info. She lives in a union household. In her rare downtime, you’ll find her hiking or exploring the shoreline with her dogs. Follow her on her Facebook page or on Twitter, @wendygittleson

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