Those who read this blog with some regularity will not be surprised to read that on Wednesday I was frustrated. I was frustrated because nothing was happening, even though less than twenty-four hours earlier the HEDGEAnswers December call was a great success. But on Wednesday morning nothing was happening. The phone was not ringing, the emails were not arriving and basically I was standing still waiting for something to happen.
The frustration stemmed from my inability to close anything. A number of exciting things are in the air, but at that point, nothing was happening and I was frustrated, frustrated because I had to wait. And again, those of you who know me know that I am not someone who can sit patiently. Sitting patiently is not, has never, will never be my strong suit. I just cannot do well. The reality is, though, that I really have nothing to be frustrated or angry about. And unfortunately for me, it took a trip to the optometrist with my wife to figure it out.
When we arrived at the optometrist, there was a bit of a line. It seems that a number of recent veterans who had been hurt pretty severely had recently completed their eye exams and where being outfitted with glasses. One in particular was a quadriplegic who had served, I think, in Afghanistan and had been in rehab for some time. The family was staying in a hotel near the Kessler Rehabilitation Center and had been referred to this eye doctor because of his expertise in dealing with brain-damaged individuals. The soldier was not able to communicate and his wife was discussing the paperwork that needed to be completed. The glasses were quite expensive and she wanted to make sure she would be reimbursed.
When they left, the optometrist told me that the government requires a mountain of paperwork and often the families grow too frustrated to complete it correctly. And here I was a few short hours earlier complaining that I couldn’t get anything done? What was wrong with me? My problems and frustrations are nothing of consequence compared to the thousands of people who lives have permanently been affected by the horrors of war and terrorism.
On the other hand, my frustration, like theirs, lies with the government. News about health care legislation is everywhere and will be well into the New Year and while I hear and read reports about coverage for the unborn to illegal aliens, I don’t hear or haven’t seen any stories about how veterans and their families are going to be affected by this radical change in health care. Shouldn’t we be focused on making sure veterans have the easy access to the best health care? Isn’t the least we can do for these brave men and women who have given so much for us. Is it too much to ask to do something for them?
I don’t think so.
While I was sitting here waiting for Felice to pick out her glasses, I kept thinking to myself that I have nothing to be angry about. No matter how bad things have been in the last few months or weeks, or how bad they may even be in the upcoming weeks or months for me or any of my colleagues, things are nowhere near as bad as they are for this gentleman and his family and the countless other veterans who seem to have been left behind by their government– the government which has said thank you for their sacrifices by making it difficult to get the care they need and frankly deserve.
My question to President Obama, Congress, and the rest of the powers that be and all Americans is why we aren’t doing more for the men and the women who served so valiantly to protect the freedoms that we hold so dear? If Congress and President Obama really make a difference in health care then they will make sure that all veterans are taken care of and are given whatever they need to make them whole again.
This is my last blog post for 2009.
In my mind, I was going to write it about where I thought the hedge fund industry was heading in 2010 and comment on some of the “interesting” news coverage that hedge funds have received in the last week or so, but sitting in the optometrist’s office last Wednesday, I realized that would be a waste. Not because I have nothing to say, but because those comments can wait for next year.
As the last days of 2009 slip by, we all should just take a step back and think about what’s really important: family, friends and that we need to be thankful that these men and women who are fighting and dying for us and our children in order to protect our way of life. So nothing about hedge funds, markets or investments in this post but rather a reminder to do something good for those who you hold near and dear and do something good for those you don’t know and, most important, call or write your congressman or congresswoman (click here for contact details) and demand that they do something good for veterans.
If we don’t, who will?