A Parable

The US Republican led Senate is planning to vote on a ‘simple repeal of The Affordable Care Act ‘ also known as Obamacare.

It is of course as I had earlier referred to in a previous musing, called this to ensure that the words affordable ( a benign positive word) care(another word that twinges with the affections of Florence Nightingale or Mother Teresa) are substituted by a possessive or better still possessed noun. It now reads like you will be in the care of, the thrall of Satan himself!

Anyway this motion to repeal by the Senate,leader exhorted by the President ,got me thinking.

This would effectively mean that there would be no legislation active in this area . Insurance companies could go back to charging want they wanted and refuse who they didn’t want.

I was reminded of a story. I guess it’s a parable.

Once upon a time there were two cloth merchants. They had shops directly opposite each other.
They also hated each other.
If one brought in something new, the other would too and charge less.
If one put something on discount, the other would slash his prices.
One would bad mouth the other to his customers. The other would reply with equal in not more vitriol.
This went on for years. It got worse and worse.
Till even God couldn’t take this anymore.

So fed up with his squabbling children he sent his best negotiator-angel, his Secretary of State as it were, to fix this!

The Angel let’s call him John, descended on Market Street and met the two merchants. After due introductions accompanied by oohs and ‘awes’ and supplications to the Presence (after all both merchants were God fearing and religious faithfuls) they were admonished by John.
They of course had their arguments prepared against each other.
John realised he needed a solution befitting of him and his Master.

He said to them: If you stop this fighting and hate, I will grant you both anything you desire. Anything at all, over and above reason itself.

They both nodded with enthusiasm. Who wouldn’t?

But, said John, there is a condition. Whatever one person chooses, the other will get double of that. You both get one wish each.

Let’s toss for it .

Heads or tails?
It came up tails.

The winning merchant beamed.
And John reminded him once again, whatever you wish for the other will get double of that.

The first merchant scowled at his rival.

Then without blinking he said, Put one of my eyes out!

Therein endeth the lesson.