wallet and stethoscope

I feel like I’ve been taken hostage by the new terrorists: the banking industry and health insurers. Normal, hard working people are being terrorized out of their wits, their homes and their health. Lowering credit limits and raising interests rates to 25 or 30 percent is common now. Health insurers routinely rescind coverage just when a person really needs it. That is to say, when they begin to cost money. Unconscionable Math is an excellent analysis that explains insurance companies’ deception to hide the truth about the numbers of people they have rescinded.

My anti-virus software overtook my computer screen before I could print the confirmation of my home equity line of credit payment. Wanting to be sure, I called the bank and chatted with Frank, a personable young man. The voice maze had alerted me that I could participate in a survey to gauge my satisfaction. Frank reminded me with the tip off that 10 was the highest possible rating. After listening to the prompts, I gave Frank the highest rating and the well-known bank the lowest rating. Why do they even pretend to care?

These industries have no idea of the power of an enraged populace. Janis Joplin said that freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose. Lots of people are in that boat now. I hope that we see the power of an engaged populace long before it is enraged.

We are at a tipping point. Whether we tip forward to the light or backward to the dark depends on the individual and collective actions of millions of people. On the surface, it looks like the health insurance and banking industries aren’t helping. But maybe they are the foil that wakes us up and brings us together to create positive change.

One way to tip toward the light is to look to your community to give and receive support. The universal challenges of housing, food, nutrition, employment, child and elder care keep us scrambling, the most durable solutions are within our neighborhoods. Addressing our pressing problems as a community gives the advantage of creating solutions that weave together the communities’ needs and resources. Intentionally gather with your friends and neighbors to brainstorm for durable solutions. As we rely on each other, our lives will be fuller, more satisfying, sustainable and fun! Contact us to get your neighborhood percolating as a genuine community. Unified communities are resilient and terror resistant.

Tags: banking, domestic terror, health insurance, resilient communities