Unity! A word that is on the lips of almost every Dutch politician (and some old school straight edge bands too). Governments come and go, but they all have as their main goal to unite us cheeseheads into one big happy family. All this talk about how everyone should take part and join in gives me a foggy feeling in my head, the same feeling I get after reading too many ‘personal’ columns in emo-fanzines. Because this unity talk is just empty words, the policies of all Dutch governments of the last 15 years or so have only divided people. The basic assumption of those governments was and is that all citizens are calculating individuals. Now humans have been selfish since the dawn of time, but I always had the naive idea that this should not be stimulated. Yet this is exactly what politicians have been doing. They have worked like busy bees to give us the opportunity to calculate from morning to night. We are now supposed to buy health, electricity or other basic necessities, just as we choose apples or oranges on the market. Now if we could just choose not to be ill, that would be a choice worth fighting for. Former health care minister Hoogervorst seemed to think we have that choice. According to him, ill people should show some solidarity with the healthy ones. He therefore introduced the No-Claim discount that gave healthy people 250 euros a year. This system, that was an insult to everybody unlucky enough to be ill (and a small blessing for those punkrockers that are to scared to visit a doctor when they have a disease) , is now being replaced by a more hidden way to punish sick people. The damage is already done though, now people have started complaining about having to pay insurance for all those ill people, as if they can help it. So politicians from left to right can talk all they want about all their christian, liberal or social-democrat principles, I just wish my health insurance would be as cheap as their talk.
lyrics
Verdeeld
Marktfundamentalisten, de kliek die ons regeert
Wat jarenlang is opgebouwd is opeens verkeerd
Slopers zonder weerga van zekerheid in het bestaan
Ze jagen ons de markt op
Daar is je euro geen stuiver waard!
Geen cent, geen stuiver waard
Op de markt is je euro geen stuiver waard!
Vader Staat, het kon niet uit
En er viel niks te kiezen
Nu betalen arm en rijk
Voor alles evenveel
Aan monopolisten, waardeloos
Is voor hen ons leven
Gezondheid, licht, het is te koop
Van zorg zijn ze ontheven
Verdeeld, we zijn verdeeld
In Koning Klant en risico
Wie het goed heeft krijgt het nu kado
De rest betaalt teveel
Verdeeld!
Wie niet kopen kan verdient geen huis
Wie ziek is wordt gestraft
Elke twijfel of kritiek
Wordt angstig weggeblaft
Waar is toch de naaste lief,
De verworpenen der aarde?
Verbannen uit dat mooie land
Van normen en van waarden
Verdeeld!
Divided (Verdeeld)
Fundamentalists of the Market
The bunch that is governing us
What was built up for years and years
Is wrong all of a sudden
A wrecking crew, unequaled
Of security of existence
They chase us unto the market
But there your euro is not worth a dime
Not a cent, not a dime’s worth
On the market your euro is not worth a dime!
Father State, it was unaffordable
And there was no freedom of choice
Now the poor and the rich pay the same for everything
To monopolists, our life has no value for them
Health and light they are for sale
They are relieved of the responsibility to care
Divided, we are divided
In King Customer and risk
Those who are well off, have it easy now
The rest pays too much
Divided!
If you can’t afford to buy
You don’t deserve a house
You are punished if you are ill
Every doubt or criticism
Is silenced with a nervous bark
Now where are our beloved fellow-men,
The downtrodden of the earth
They are banned in this beautiful country
Of norms and values
Divided!
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