A version of this story shows up in my inbox every day: Someone needs a program or service, but there’s not enough money, taxing authority, or political support, or there exist competing priorities that create a barrier between people and the help they need.
The latest iteration came this morning from the Idaho Capital Sun, which presented the story of Ann Kirkwood, who needed to see a doctor to find out if she had kidney cancer. She had an appointment, but she didn’t have a ride to get there.
Reporters love articles like these because they fit a perfect victim-villain-hero storytelling narrative. The victim is the person needing the service. The villain is whoever stands in the way of allowing “proper” funding. The hero is the person who steps in and argues for doing something about it.
The program Kirkwood had been using, Rides2Wellness, a medical transportation service funded by two large hospitals, a city, and the federal government,…
