Ashley’s Mom
Last week I ran into my friend, Marie, Ashley’s mom. Marie and Ashley’s story is so inspirational I wanted to share it with you.
When Ashley was nine years old, Marie got cancer. Because Marie had to miss days of work, she was let go and lost her health care. With no way to pay for her health care, they had to file for bankruptcy -- and that's when 9-year-old Ashley decided that she had to do something to help her mom.
As Barack Obama told the story in 2008, Ashley knew that food was expensive, and so she convinced her mother that what she really liked and really wanted to eat more than anything else was mustard and relish sandwiches. Because that was the cheapest way to eat. She did this for a year until her mom got better. Marie says no child at that age should have to make that kind of sacrifice.
More than a decade later, Ashley volunteered to help Barack Obama win his election in 2008. She said she joined Obama’s campaign to help the millions of other children in the country who want and need to help their parents too. It was clear to Ashley then, and is clear today, that fixing our health care system is essential.
It is essential to help the millions of families bankrupted by health care costs -- and to help the many more who can not regain their health because it costs too much. President Obama is committed to doing that. He understands the plight of those who can’t get health insurance due to pre-existing conditions, can’t afford insurance because they have lost their jobs, and can’t afford the cost of the health care they need to stay alive. President Obama understands we can not go backwards on this. We must go forward to make health care accessible and affordable for all.
After telling her personal story, Marie went on to talk about her personal commitment to re-elect President Obama. “We are the ones to decide our future,” she said. “We will decide what America will be like.”
President Obama was the first one, after so many tries, to pass significant health care reform. He understands why it’s needed to help people like Marie and her daughter Ashley. And now we need to help him. “We must work together,” Marie said, or risk losing our freedoms and the progress we have made.
Marie is right. We must work together. We must re-elect President Obama, a President who understands the needs of Americans.
Jack Wetherson
10:36 am on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
It emphasizes the importance of making health care available to all Americans.
Restless Knight
5:03 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
We are the only remaining country in the civilized world where the human right to healthcare is in question. This story is so sad, but it's only one of thousands like it. How can we be proud of our country if it lets people down as was described in this story? We need to keep the current healthcare law, and improve it by adding the public option. That would stop the naysayers who label universal healthcare as "job killing," such as our Congressman Buchanan has just done.
Asher King
6:27 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Health care is more available in the U.S than in any other country in the world. Further more nothing comes from nothing. So to expect health care to be free is liberal a.k.a. stupid. The concept of everyone pooling their money to make something cheaper is a short term solution. Eventually liberalism a.k.a. fraud sets in and prices sky rocket. That or quality drops through the floor like in Cuba, Canada, or North Korea. Good, Fast or Cheap. Only two out of the three are possible. That's just the way the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob created things.
America was the greatest Country on Earth due to the fact that we were the only civilized country not to have forced a
universal health care mandate on it's citizens. Now that honor goes to Isreal. Go Isreal. Stay strong and follow the one true God. The God of your ancestors. Do not succumb to liberalism in America. American liberals hate Isreal. It's true. They all agree in lock step. It's actually fascinating.
Also it's deplorable to use a little girls sickness to promote your filthy liberalism.
Restless Knight
6:39 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Asher. When I first read your comments, I thought you were a jerk. Now, I no longer think it. I know it.
Sober up, and read about how the rest of the First World deals with healthcare.
drd
8:11 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Asher King, I shudder to think what it means for our nation if your comments represent the thinking of today's Republican Party.
And, for your information, it wasn't the young girl who had cancer. It was her mother. The least you could do is read the article.
Asher King
10:41 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
As if Obama didn't parade children around when he was trying to pass Obama Care.
If you like the rest of the first world so much, move there.
Being persecuted by the likes of you liberals is an honor. I am trying love you both anyway. Did you know Jesus, who is worthy, loves us who are not.
Becky Gabriel
7:57 am on Friday, June 22, 2012
Has this story been fact checked? It sounds as though Ashley and Marie would have qualified for Food Stamps, Free Lunch/Breakfast/Dinner @ school, Section 8 Housing, Medicaid for both which would have taken care of cancer treatments and any health issues that Ashley may have from eating mustard and relish with bread for a year. Perhaps other benefits would have been available as well. The programs already in place would have assisted them. Is Marie still alive? Did she recover and return to being a productive citizen? What kind of career did Ashley choose for herself? Every "season", Canadians flock to Sarasota for the exceptional weather, recreation and to receive medical services that are not readily available to them in their home country. Before you jump on the "single payer system" band wagon, you may want to actually talk to people who have lived with its limitations and unintended consequences.
drd
9:56 am on Friday, June 22, 2012
It sounds, Becky, like you have bought the Romney line hook, line and sinker, that we don't need to worry about the poor because "we have a safety net for that." That would be the currently inadequate safety net that Romney and his GOP friends want to eliminate. That attitude shows a callous disregard for the plight of people who are bankrupted by the need to care for their families.
Your other questions suggest a failure to read -- or comprehend -- the article. It is obvious from the very first line that Marie is still alive, and the story has been "fact checked." After all, that first line indicates she is a friend of the author. And just because Marie and her daughter survived -- does that make what happened to them ok? I think not.
And finally, this article has nothing to do with advocating for single-payer health care. It's about making health care accessible and affordable for everyone. There's a difference.
Asher King
5:54 pm on Friday, June 29, 2012
Becky, it's important to understand the patch rarely puts out anything factual. It's a liberal based newspaper. Most stories from this columnist hack are anecdotal at best.
Charles Schelle
8:54 pm on Friday, June 29, 2012
Asher, you're a very active commenter and I've encouraged you to blog on here to provide yourself a larger platform and would love to see you on here writing a blog.
There appears to be a misunderstanding here of what Patch is. There's a lot to this website as you'll scroll along the navigation at the top.
What you are reading of Rita's is a blog — which is open to anyone and time and time again we've offered all parties the opportunity to leverage the site and you will see more coming closer to both the Republican National Convention and this fall's elections. Blogs are different content than a column and an article because the point of the blog is really to give your feelings and opinions. The blogs are not a replacement to journalism from our staff and freelancers.
Our blogging platform is open to anyone. There's no application process. Go to the home page and click "Start a blog" below the main four stories and get started.