It's all about ME, ME, ME!

All summer my husband has been ranting about politics with one of his old college buddies. This guy used to be moderate but has turned into an obnoxious Neocon. "Smith" is against universal health coverage, taxes and gun control. Smith is a sales rep for a pharmaceutical company (in other words, he works for the devil).

A few days ago we went out to dinner with a group of friends and Smith was with us. Smith and I got into a heated argument over universal health care. He thinks it's awful and horrendous where I think it's necessary in a moral society. Smith probably makes a 6 figure income (if not 6 figures, then close to it) plus full health benefits, retirement benefits and all car expenses are covered by his employer. He bought his home (a condo in a plush building in a highly affluent area of town) over 12 years ago; long before the housing boom. Unless he refinanced, his mortgage and property taxes are less than the current rent of most lower income families. He has no concept of what the lower and middle classes are going through. He thinks all people who are uninsured are lazy welfare recipients who have no interest in bettering themselves.

He actually said that everyone who is uninsured needs to go out and get an education so they can get better jobs. He stated outright that he doesn't want any of his tax money going to support welfare or public entitlement programs. I explained that societies are judged by how they treat their poor. He replied, "According to who?" I'm left wondering what kind of person cannot comprehend such a simple concept.

I tried to explain how my husband and I are struggling to make ends meet in the current economy and how we can barely afford health insurance. We are very lucky my husband is on a group plan with the school district he works for. It was at this point that Smith said something which shredded whatever credibility he had left. His hubris won't allow him to see how wrong he was in making the statement either. He said he is struggling to pay his bills too. The financial decisions he has made since I've known him directly contradict that statement. His cushy job of 13+ years contradicts it too. In a way it was condescending for him to say that.

But it boils down to one thing; he's one of the most self centered and selfish people I know.