Jim Shella: The presidential campaign is over. But issues remain.

I have a thriving relationship with Medicare. We hit it off from the beginning. I became eligible on Aug. 1, 2019, and the federal health insurance program covered an emergency eye surgery that same day.

In fact, without sharing my entire medical history, I can report that Medicare has paid for nine of my surgeries in a little over five years. (Meanwhile, my doctor tells me I’m in good health, so don’t overdo the sympathy.) The last of those surgeries took place a little over a month ago, and I just got the bill from the outpatient surgery center. The tab was over $29,000, and my share was just $320. See why Medicare and I get along so well?

I spell all this out as just one example of how Medicare makes life manageable as a retired American at a time when politicians warn that cuts might be necessary to save both Social Security and Medicare in the future. I believe I’m entitled to take part in both of those programs at current levels because I have paid taxes all my working life. And with politicians from both parties promising tax cuts, somebody needs to figure out some priorities. Quickly.

On a related matter, as I am recovering from surgery, I am unable to drive, and Uber is now a bigger part of my life. I’ve learned that a ride in an Uber is often a terrific opportunity to learn about another pressing national issue, immigration. Three of my last five Uber drivers were immigrants. They have fascinating stories.

There was Riyad from Jordan, who lost his job in Saudi Arabia during the pandemic. He moved his family to New Jersey so he could work with a relative. The relative got in trouble with the law, and when Riyad found himself jobless again, he came to Indianapolis looking for opportunity. His brother in Chicago told him this is a good place to raise a family.

There was Meili from China, whose husband came here 26 years ago—leaving her and a daughter behind. She followed a year later. She and her family (now three daughters) recently moved to Carmel from Indianapolis. She said she drives Uber despite having another job because she likes meeting people. She drives a Tesla.

And there is Fred from Haiti, who now lives in Fishers. He escaped the violence in his home country a year ago and said all of his family now lives in America. He drives a delivery truck for Amazon and does Uber on off days.

Ironically, my last Uber driver was a woman from the west side of Indianapolis. A single mother, born and raised here, she has never been on an airplane. And somehow our conversation led her, without prompting, into a rant about immigration. She is upset about Venezuelan gangs taking over Chicago and Denver, she said. I tried to gently fact-check her on that, and she said it did not matter because she wasn’t going to vote, anyway (this was just before the election.) She said uninformed people should not vote. I disagreed.

I spent a career working to inform voters, and I believe everyone who is eligible should vote.

Don’t let the division in our politics scare you off.

It’s our civic duty to preserve the country that attracted Riyad, Meili and Fred, and that built Medicare and Social Security.•

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Shella hosted WFYI’s “Indiana Week in Review” for 25 years and covered Indiana politics for WISH-TV for more than three decades. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.

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