by David Van Risseghem -
Under Senator David Bullard's bill, not the employee donating the life-giving blood, but his boss; would get $20 per pint, from the state. SB1113 was filed early, and will be considered in the February start of the 2020 session of the Oklahoma legislature. This sets up an added pressure for employees to give regularly, and stipulates that the employee cannot receive any compensation for the blood. But the employers will monitor and report each employee's donation, when it was made, and to which blood distributor. Those employees who do not produce for the employer's benefit, will be apparent and it could be yet another endangerment to that employee's job security. This social coercion effectively punishes employees who refuse, or are unable to donate blood. Some employees may have diseases or any of several health issues that make their blood unsafe for others. Other employees may have philosophical & religious objections to sharing blood with distributors. We already see the social pressures put on individuals who object to forced drug injections in the name of vaccinating against dozens of diseases. |
No, the bill doesn't raise taxes for non-participants, but the net effect is exactly that! The state has to make up the money somewhere else.
If a corporation has 1000 employees, each donating 5 times per year, that's a 6-figure cash subsidy each year, which can be used to pay any taxes due by the employer. It will potentially cost tens on millions and has to be made up for by things like perhaps taxing groceries more, and increasing the employee's income tax rates. Something the boss would be all to willing to do, because the boss now gets a state check for drawing the employee's blood! Perhaps Senator Bullard is trying to help the blood distributors get the higher volumes of blood for mass distribution to medical corporations? Call me a cynic, but the legislature is full of individuals who have been sold a rationale for all sorts of bad ideas. This happens to be one of them. Some lawmakers have delusions they made up all by themselves, but most have had lots of help from entities who stand to reap massive cash from the schemes. |
Oklahoma currently has two prominent corporations already competing for our citizens' blood. Expect a whole bunch more to set up shop when this is enacted. Each local hospital will likely start their own blood venture when all the corporate employers go after this cash blood crop. You've heard that the mineral rights under your home don't belong to you? Well, your boss may soon act like your blood belongs to the stockholders!
The American Red Cross and The Oklahoma Blood Institute spend vast sums on promotions and public relations. They receive millions from medical services providers for the blood, but they refute the notion that they 'sell blood'. The annual operating budgets are mostly funded by the 'processing charges' they collect from distributing donated blood. Yes, many of us see this as 'laundered' selling of blood, by charging nothing for the product but adding massive 'shipping & handling charges'.
The American Red Cross and The Oklahoma Blood Institute spend vast sums on promotions and public relations. They receive millions from medical services providers for the blood, but they refute the notion that they 'sell blood'. The annual operating budgets are mostly funded by the 'processing charges' they collect from distributing donated blood. Yes, many of us see this as 'laundered' selling of blood, by charging nothing for the product but adding massive 'shipping & handling charges'.