commentopia

 

 

MARCH 22, 2010  --  MARCH 28, 2010

 

HEALTH CARE REFORM:

YEAS, 219 -- NAYS, 212

 

FOR THE YEAS: "A PEOPLE CAPABLE OF DOING GREAT THINGS"

Is it as historic and as important as Medicare? No, but it's a start towards universal healthcare. For profit health insurance results in a simple problem of incentives, namely shareholders over policyholders. Anyone who doesn't understand that has not done an objective analysis of the problem.

Shareholders suffer when claims are paid. Shareholders suffer if policyholders have chronic conditions. So claims are denied and pre-existing conditions disqualify you from getting a policy. There are very good reasons no other countries have for profit healthcare systems. It doesn't work. Nor does it work here. The US is behind the curve on this.

Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/A historic moment for health care?

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As one of a handful of Americans that witnessed the epic failure of democracy in Chile in 1973, I am convinced that our from of democracy can only survive if we are civil to each other. I don't care what the issue is, or which political philosophy that is espoused, we are risking our freedom when we cross the line of civility.

When Congress is disrupted by angry crowds, we put our very freedoms at risk. When I hear of Congress members egging on angry crowds, I fear for my freedoms.

Read the article WASHINGTON POST/Republican lawmakers stir up the tea party crowd

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My parents worked themselves nearly to death at 2 and sometimes 3 jobs while I was growing up. None of those employers ever provided health benefits and despite working so much we still could not afford insurance. I first visited a dentist when I was 22 and a doctor when I was 25. My parents later lost their home when they became ill and hospitalized. I don't think this legislation is as good as it could be, but I do think it is a first step in the direction of human decency. Given how much the US government already spend on healthcare, I also think it's likely to decrease federal spending despite what right wing hate- and fear mongers would have us believe.

Read the article BBC-HAVE YOUR SAY/How will U.S. healthcare reform affect you?

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I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican, but I do see passage of health care legislation as a victory for the American people and a defeat for the narrow corporate self-interests of the insurance industry and big pharmaceutical.

Republicans placed their own political fortunes ahead of the needs of the American people in a cynical and shameful game of distortion and fear mongering. It was sad to see people who say they love their country act in such a childish and selfish way.

It was even sadder to see the tea party faithful reduced to an ugly mob hurling racial slurs, spitting at, and trying to intimidate passing law makers. This is unAmerican and has no place in a democracy.

Reason won yesterday, let us hope it continues to prevail against the force of corporate greed and totalitarian political tactics.

Read the article BOSTON GLOBE/Historic OK on health

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We already hear the same old conservative Republican argument that that the U.S. Government can't do things well. There is a reason the federal government must carry a big stick. In the recent past, there have been far too many instances where the holy grail of capitalism has resulted in an upward spiral of prices and excesses based on the almighty short-term quarterly statements.

For all the good capitalism may offer, there are also unintended negative consequences periodically. The American health care system of the past 10 years is one such example.

And for everyone who argues that the U.S. government never gets large programs right, ask yourself this: Would you really prefer we turn over our military to the corporation that submitted the lowest bid?

Read the article BBC-HAVE YOUR SAY/How will U.S. healthcare reform affect you?

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America likes winners most of all-- Obama is a winner. Let the haters hate. Thanks, Obama, for bringing this country kicking and screaming into the modern world. The preamble to the Constitution says government is supposed to "promote the general welfare" for future generations. I don't see that it says "promote social darwinism" in there.

Finally the richest country in the world joining all the other first world countries and providing for our citizens. All the fear and hype and radicalism from the right to scare people about this has failed. My bet is that this is no worse than Medicare, and that didn't turn the country into communist socialist nazis either. Neither will this bill. Republicans, stop your whining, you sound like children who don't want to share with anyone else on the playground. Obama is the winner. America likes winners most of all.

Read the article DAILY BEAST/John Boehmer: "Hell No!"

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Every industrialized democracy has figured out a way to provide health care to all of its citizens without bankrupting their future. They provide that health care at 60% of the price we pay for a health care system that does not cover all of our citizens. This is a good day for America. . it's not a perfect bill, but it is the right thing to do and it is long overdue.

One thing that Nancy Pelosi stressed in her speech is that this will tap into untold reserves of productivity as citizens who are for all intents and purposes indentured servants to their jobs for fear of loosing their health care will live in a world with greater health security. We can relegate those concerns to the back burner of how we wish to spend our productive lives. . . that is freedom . . . and many of us do not have it today in this crazy patchwork private sector health care system. . .

This point was brought home to me just recently as I decided whether or not to run for school board in my district, I had to actively contemplate whether my activism on the school board might endanger my wife's job (she teaches in the district) and thus imperil our health care. . . That is not a free country folks . . . it's just not.

Read the article WASHINGTON POST/Yes, they made history

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It is spring in America. And I feel good again about myself, about my country and about knowing that many millions of my fellow citizens will not have to despair when a member of their family becomes ill. This was long overdue and for hose of us who have lived in other developed countries amazing that it took so long for America to catch up. But I am filled with an anxiety of a different kind. Of realizing how difficult it has become to do the right thing in America. Of realizing how easy it is to get people succumb to the fear of the unknown. On the other hand, I am hoping that success will beget success and will calm the nerves of those who have been truly moved by the fear mongers to the limits of the irrational, will recognize the morality, and the rectitude of this essential public policy.

Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/Fear strikes out

 

FOR THE NAYS: "AN UNCONSCION-ABLE ABUSE OF POWER"

The nitty-gritty of the health care plan appears to be the handing of 30 million people into the clutches of the health insurers, with large subsidies paid to the insurers to cover the insureds' premiums. In return for these 30 million additional customers, the insurance companies have agreed to take all comers, to establish state insurance exchanges (in essence equivalent to the presently existing state insurance pools for drivers unable to acquire auto insurance, at much higher rates, of course) , and a few other minor concessions.

On the face of it, it just doesn't appear to to do anything toward doing away with the greedy and unnecessary middle man in health care, nor does it promote universal health care in the U.S.

The last big snow-job Congress and the Presidency pulled on the American public was the WMD farce as an excuse to invade a country we had no business to be in; before Obama's term is over, I believe we'll look on this "health-care reform" as just another snow job of gullible Americans by it's elected representatives.

Would you believe I voted for Obama?

Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/A historic moment for health care?

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This bill does nothing to address the costs of healthcare. The insurance companies make a 6-7% operating margin while actual costs have soared double digits. The true issues still remain unresolved: (a) malpractice is not addressed, (b) prescription drug costs will increase, (c) hospitals do nothing to reduce costs, (d) primary care doctors will continue to operate under a volume business model. Instead what this bill has achieved is a two-tier system: (1) one for the affluent (that can pay out of pocket) and (2) another for everyone else that cannot afford out-of-pocket care. The sooner people realize that government does not have your best interest in mind the sooner we'll see real CHANGE.

Read the article WALL STREET JOURNAL/House passes historic health bill

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The Post Office, Amtrak, Social Security, Fannie and Freddie... all clear examples of government ineptitude/inability/failure to be able to run ANYTHING profitably, correctly, ethically, legitimately, or to the benefit of the country. It's like they looked at an old Trabant and said "Hey, let's take over Ford and GM and force them to build these!"

Having served in the military, I am fiercely proud of my country... but have no faith that the govt can do 'big and complex' better than the free market. Regulate, yes... mandate and run? God help us, these Marxist leaders have one goal:
USA => USSA => USSR => govt-run-everything

Thank God the 2nd Amendment still exists!

Read the article BBC-HAVE YOUR SAY/How will U.S. healthcare reform affect you?

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Truman's statements have been debunked by peer reviewed studies, I repeat, multiple studies since he made it. It was a statement that appeals to the populist bent in American politics and typical of the current trend of "say it enough times and it will be true".

This is not a chess match and it is a serious issue. Bringing ancedotes into the public debate surely pulls at my heart strings, but for everyone of those there are remedies that are available under our current system of healthcare. I am not saying that changes should not be made, but the Federal Government NEVER knows best in any endeavor EXCEPT those which are stated in the Constitution and reserved for them, as in National Defense etc.

Now as retired Military, let me school you on how this works. The federal government controls my health insurance. It was promised that insurance would be provided after i retired at no cost, well that did not happen. You see, it cost too much so we started to pay premiums, the more you paid, the better care you got. So I pay those premiums, but they have not approved doctors in my local area...so my out-of-pocket expenses are increased. Now if I retired from one of the protected classes like UNIONS, my insurance would be paid until they ran my former company into bakruptcy...read the US auto industry.

So the Government will tell you they know best, promise you the moon, but in the end you will only get what YOU pay for. So how much money do you have?

Read the article WASHINGTON POST/Yes, they made history

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The ignorance of labeling tea baggers, conservatives, independents, or anyone else who oppose THIS bill as greedy, racists, selfish, stupid, etc is the height of hypocrisy. Thanks to the ’60’s and 70’s radicals pushing the “do your own thing, everything is relevant,down with the establishment, live and let live, no rules, it’s the “man” who’s the enemy”, etc etc; our citizens have taken less and less responsibility for their lives and fell for the “victim” lies or justified every wrong in their life as someone else’s fault. They were fed that the US was always wrong because we’re all sexist, racist,selfish, homophobic, greedy, war mongers,etc. They felt justified in not helping themselves.

The results of the ’60’s radicalism has created the majority of social problems we face today – 70% of babies born to single mothers(highest in the world), addictions, obesity, street violence, 50% HS graduation rates, uneducated workforce, underground economy with illegals and others. And we wonder why our healthcare costs are so high and so many aren’t insured? Talk about selfish & greedy!?! Their bad choices subject their children, their parents, their communities and society to needless pain and suffering.

Another entitlement will not strengthen our society. As Margaret Thatcher stated in the ’80’s, socialism is fine until you run out of the other person’s $$. Talk about zapping the incentive to work hard, bust your butt, do the right thing and then pay more taxes and more for healthcare when 50% don’t pay any income taxes at all.

All Americans want HC reform with pre-existing conditions covered, portability, continued coverage regardless of your health status and coverage for all who have major disabilities or catastrophic illness. Most states already cover all children if their parents aren’t insured. Medicaid already covers the poor.

We all want to help those who can’t help themselves, but not those who WON’T help themselves.

Read the article PAJAMAS MEDIA/We've crossed the Rubicon

 

GAIL COLLINS ON LESSONS WE LEARN FROM POLITICAL SEX SCANDALS

I don't know anything about Eric Massa, so I'm speaking only generally. I think it's time we got over being outraged and offended by the sexual escapades of politicians and other public figures, unless -- in the case of politicians anyway -- these activities have a clear and problematic bearing on how they perform their duties.

These folks are, like the rest of us, entirely human, and most of them -- like the rest of us -- wear hats of varying shades of gray. For us to assume otherwise, and then be outraged, is the height of naïveté. The French and Italians seem to handle this stuff much better. They are happily titillated when learning that a politician has a mistress, but don't seem to confuse that with dereliction of duty.

To invest more time and emotion than that on this stuff isn't just a colossal waste of time. It causes us to become confused about which issues are important -- i.e., their resolution has a significant bearing on the rest of us -- and which are not. This gets in the way of intelligent public debate, and god knows that's the last thing we need.

Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/Sex scandals to learn by

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And to think I thought politicians were sent to Washington to do the “American people’s” business. Who knew they were sent there to do what “they” thought was right. Imagine if half these people really got to accomplish what “they” thought was right.

J Edgar would still be prosecuting homosexuality, while wearing a bra and panties under his suit…. Ronald Reagan would still be alive and funneling money to armed insurgents without telling us……..Bill Clinton would have a woman in every bedroom of the Whitehouse and George W. Bush would still be lying about everything except where he was born, still sticking to the story that he is a cowboy even though he grew up on the east coast.

As far as John Edwards is concerned, I’ve heard of living wills before and I have also heard of preparing for the death of a spouse. What I have never heard of is getting the replacement spouse in position while the current spouse is still living. Politicians? Who invented them? Most American politician wouldn’t recognize the truth if it walked into their office wearing a bright red cowboy hat! The truth has become the first casualty of any campaign.

Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/Sex scandals to learn by

COUNT BASICS: MAKING SENSE OF THE CENSUS

 

Quoted -- "The Constitution does not allow for all of those questions to be asked. That is why we choose not the answer them."

The constitution does, if fact, allow for these questions to be asked. Article 1, Section 2, of the Constitution state:

Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct.

Key to the phrase, "in such Manner as they shall by Law direct."

The first census in 1790 asked, "the number of the inhabitants within their respective districts to be taken; omitting in such enumeration Indians not taxed, and distinguishing free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, from all others; distinguishing also the sexes and colours of free persons, and the free males of sixteen years and upwards from those under that age." Additionally, failure to comply with the census was punishable by a $20 fine, in 1790.

Now, tell me what part of the current Census you find unconstitutional.

Read the article CHICAGO TRIBUNE/The U.S. Census and why you should care.

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I find it ironic that a lot of the people who say "Don't fill out the census" are the very same people who complain about government waste.

If you don't fill out the census in the mail, the government will take additional, more expensive, steps to collect that information, which is mandated by the Constitution. That's right. It's not a law. It's part of our Constitution..

"When the 10-question form is mailed, it costs 42 cents in prepaid postage. When a Census worker visits, it's an average $56 per household."

So, if you don't fill out the Census, you are to blame for government waste.

Read the article USA TODAY/Census forms on their way

 

The Census has been in existence since the late 1700's asking the same basic questions. Later year questions included family names than head-of-household and as the years progressed it asked other questions (whether members of the household could read or write, the value of their estate/real estate, etc) but the Census has always been simple.

This has not only allowed the government to make better decisions but has been a treasure trove for genealogists tracing their family roots. When the census arrives in my mailbox, I'll be the first one to complete mine and mail it back. I hope my great-granddaughter learns something from what I write down on the Census form.

Read the article USA TODAY/Hurricanes create a census challenge in New Orleans

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Oh my god! It’s the beginning of the reeducation camps!

They asked:

How many people live in my house
Their names
DOB
Race
If I rent or own

They’re coming for me!

Read the article DALLAS NEWS/Census Bureau director kicks off national count

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Having worked for the SSA for a period of time, I can assure you once you are born and given your SSN the gov't knows what they need to know about you, your siblings, your parents and grandparents. Just fill out the form and send it back. It really isn't that big of a deal and I would think that you really wouldn't want the gobment worker who is "here to help you" at your door.

Filling out the census is like voting, if you don't want to take the time to fill out the form so the proper head count can be made to distribute funding for infrastructure and such you have no right complain when your area doesn't get what funds it needs or you are not represented in Congress. The gobment is going to tax you, you are going to pay, you might as well get something back for your tax dollars: fill out the form and mail it back.

Read the article USA TODAY/Census forms on their way

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I know many of you, as I did, received a letter from the Census Bureau last week telling you that your census forms would be coming soon. Why did they send this to us. Everyone in this country knows that census forms would be mailed to them soon. This last mailing by our government, of a one page letter, was the most blatant misuse of federal funds I have witnessed in my lifetime. It was a total waste of our tax money!

Read the article USA TODAY/Census forms on their way

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Studies show that the rate of return on census forms is significantly higher after a 'warning' letter, which saves money in the long run. Folks, send in your forms promptly, that way the government doesn't have to pay people to come knock on your door. It's not hard, and it saves YOUR tax dollars.

Read the article BOSTON GLOBE/Our dollars at work

 

MARCH 15, 2010 -- MARCH 21, 2010

TEN VOICES, YOUNG AND OLD, SOUNDING OFF ABOUT THE FINAL PUSH FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM

 

The primary drivers of cost increases to health care and insurance costs:

* Cost shifting from other government programs (Medicare, Medicaid) that reimburse at below-market rates
* Existing and ever-increasing state and federal mandates on insurance companies to provide coverage to insured consumers, even for coverages that they may not want or need, and regardless of risk pooling
* Defensive medicine and clinical tests performed to avoid or minimize damage from malpractice claims
* Lack of cost transparency to consumers, due to layers of bureaucracy -- essentially, lack of a free market where the consumer is a direct consumer

All of these drivers are tractably solvable. The reason that they are not at the forefront of the discussion is that the political elite have little to gain from them being solved.

Read the article WALL STREET JOURNAL/Paul D. Ryan: Dissecting the Real Cost of Obamacare

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The medicare buy-in won't work because medicare doesn't pay enough to get physicians to accept, or even be able to accept, a new group of formerly well paying patients.The reason for the haste is the long-term implications of this "Health Care" albatross. As the system melts down under the weight of too many patients wanting too much care for too little money the perceived need for congressional intervention will grow. Who better to promise much, deliver little and blame the doctors, insurance companies and republicans for their mess? You guessed it. In the words of Franklin "Spend and spend and elect and elect. "

Read the article THE HILL/Howard Dean: Health Care bill hangs Dem incumbents and Obama out to dry in elections

I'm a family practice doc for last 20yrs. Medicare Medicaid pay rates are below the overhead cost. I plan to go cash only and further reduce my overhead costs by not seeing Medicare Medicaid patients. Quality of care and patient satisfaction will improve because I don't have to see 40 patients a day to pay the bills- only 10. Get the drift. If you think access to care is an issue now—wait until this bill goes in. We must reduce costs but not with Obamacare.

Read the article THE HILL/Howard Dean: Health Care bill hangs Dem incumbents and Obama out to dry in elections

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Obama is doing what he needed to do a long time ago, show he is the President and it's time to go for change in health care for all in this country, no matter whether he wins or loses the next election?

As an RN I have tried for years to get Public Option for the citizens and my Republican Party is not interested in making health care available to all: To say most Americans are against this is because the anti-campaign has been a lot of lies, from death squads to lose your medicare, to not see your own doctor.

In 8 years I have not seen a doctor but a PA and she has been super. Except that for 15 min I am charged $120. WHY? Why did we have to recently have a Bar B Que to help a local woman in Ga pay her co-pay for lung cancer chemo?

Americans have been made afraid to have any changes. Time to show we care as a country and Obama is doing this. I hope that my old party of 40 years the Republicans show they care in the future but they need to wake up and make a move soon. I now am an Independent. Read the article NPR/Obama launches final push for healthcare overhaul

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The bottom line is that we could have all worked together on this thing and, possibly, made something good come from it. Instead we treated it like a boxing match, two contenders, two hated opponents, two groups of people who would rather be caught dead than be caught shaking hands. Two party politics in the most extreme form is, in essence, dualistic thinking. We should ALWAYS vote based on policy, and never based solely on party affiliation. Only then can we actually hold our elected officials accountable for their actions.

Read the article USA TODAY/Obama does personal lobbying of House democrats, insurance execs

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The biggest obstruction is American exceptionalism, the belief by an island nation that no where else could life possibly be better or problems be solved more efficiently.

Last Sunday the Minneapolis Star-Tribune ran a full page graph showing health care costs and health results of OECD countries, and it wasn't pretty. America has by far the most expensive health care system, one which returns mediocre results.

To accept health care reform is to accept we are mediocre. A lot of people in this country are not willing to face that.

Read the article THE ATLANTIC/Perfect storm nearly killed health care reform; another storm may save it

 

People aren't really having an issue finding care when it's absolutely vital.

The problem we're seeing is that demand is being driven by creating a third party system that masks the true cost of the doctor visit. It's incredible the number of people that end up in doctor's offices just to have the physician tell them everything is perfectly fine. Even worse, the number of people that show up in hospital emergency rooms with non-emergency situations is basically what emergency rooms in hospitals do. Actual emergencies don't even go through that waiting area.

Hospital emergency rooms are straining medical resources to cover non-emergency situations like the flu, splinters, even broken arms. A broken arm can be set by a nurse in a clinic for $25 in 10 minutes, but the same person will show up at a hospital, wait around, and flip out an insurance card to pay a co-pay of $30 for a $600 bill for the same thing.

This is the problem. The demand boost caused by reliance on insurance for everything medical related distorts the use of medical resources, driving individuals to use vastly more expensive services when less expensive services are just as effective.

A hospital is grossly overqualified for most of what really goes on in there, meaning that there is no additional value for going there over a neighborhood clinic. Just a higher price tag. This also reduces the ability for hospitals to deal with real emergencies, which is a problem in areas like Southern California.

Read the article WALL STREET JOURNAL/Paul D. Ryan: Dissecting the Real Cost of Obamacare

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Abortion is a legal medical procedure, protected by the Constitution's right to privacy. Most women don't choose it arbitrarily, or use it as a casual means of birth control. It is a difficult and painful choice that is no one's business but the woman whose body it involves. If you don't feel abortion is right, don't have one.

But it should not be up to anyone but a woman, her physician, as to what sort of medical procedure is needed! Stupak wants to make it impossible for anyone to have medical insurance that covers abortions. That is just wrong.

Read the article CNN POLITICAL TICKER/Stupak prepared to vote no on health care

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I am a 24 year old recent college graduate. I have no history of health problems, or any family history of significant health problems. I currently have catastrophic coverage, because for the foreseeable future, the only health concern I have is something along the lines of a sporting or auto-accident. I don't need low co-pays because I rarely need a doctor. I don't need access to expensive meds. I don't even like to take Tylenol for the occasional headache.

So Obama wants me to subsidize the health care of the current crop of over-weight, lack-of-exercising, failed-to-save-for-the-future baby boomers. I already know I can't count on Social Security (the original federal Ponzi scheme). Now Obama wants to steal the economic breath from the youth of America to buy votes from the elderly.

Look around. This already isn't the greatest job market for recent grads. Now they want to FORCE me to pay $8-12 thousand dollars a year for health care that I don't need. I think I'll have no choice but to pay the $649 penalty and go without health care. I'd much rather save the extra $10 thousand per year. I doubt Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, whatever ... will have any money to help me when I reach retirement age. I need to prepare to fend for myself.

Read the article NEW YORK TIMES/For many House Democrats Cost is the Concern

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It's about time. This plan is to the right of what Nixon offered in the 1970s and ideas like the individual mandate were conceived of by Republicans (this particular one under George H.W. Bush), so let's stop the talk of a Marxist takeover (and NPR -- please have your reporters asking if Obama will incorporate any Republican ideas. They are in there in spades).

I'm not 100% happy because I'd like a public OPTION. Alternatively, I'd like health insurance to be private but non-profit (works well in Germany now and worked well for decades here -- costs really began to spike when health insurance became for-profit). But what I really want is to have health care available and affordable: this bill is not perfect but it moves us forward.

Budget reconciliation was used by the Republicans to pass many bills; I have no problem with the Democrats using it now

Read the article NPR/Obama launches final push for healthcare overhaul

 

MARCH 8, 2010 -- MARCH 14, 2010

GROUND ZERO $657MSETTLEMENT FOR SICK WORKERS -- WHAT PRICE HEROISM?

 

Were you there? Have you ever been on site during a disaster? When something like this happens you do what you were trained to do. You rush into buildings that are about to collapse to save as many as you can, and they did. You stay in a cloud of material that has not been identified checking surrounding buildings in the hope of saving those still alive.

The police and fire fighters that died on site received what any public safety worker would. BUT, those that lived through it have an unusual if not unique problem. they have to go on.

This should be carefully administered but it should be done. These men and women are heroes and deserve whatever can be done to ease their pain and the impact on their immediate families.

Read the article WALL STREET JOURNAL/World Trade Center workers reach settlement

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Amongst the thousands of volunteers were all kinds of people, not just firefighters. A lot of these people were not "on their job" or anything like that entitling them to workplace injury insurance.

Of course, we can argue that they did or should have known the dangers and if they weren't eager on risking their health they should have stayed home instead of trying to help people get out of the rubble alive. They arguably don't have a "right" to compensation.

Does that mean they shouldn't get it? Isn't it only good that one gives them a real "thank you for your help, we are sorry that giving it caused you to be disabled for the rest of your life"? It seems you think these people are somehow lucky and getting too much. Would you really want to trade places with the guy that will have trouble breathing and sleeping until he dies but got $100 000 after ten years of struggle and worrying?

Read the article WALL STREET JOURNAL/World Trade Center workers reach settlement

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There is something wrong here. Rescue workers suing. Why are they in the business of "rescue working" if they don't expect to suffer injuries--the work is dangerous, duh. It's a risk they choose to take. Don't get the lawsuit part. Reminiscent of policemen who think that if they lose a life it's more tragic than anyone else dying, while they choose their line of work, are armed to the teeth, and know the work is dangerous.

As far as the lawyer discussion goes, without lawyers people wouldn't be so quick, to sue but they (supposedly) do all the leg work, went to law school, and know all the legalities; that's why they are paid (i.e., get their cut) for their services. We are a very litigious culture: the altruism of rescue goes right down the drain when they are injured--and then they sue, sue, sue.

Read the article DAILY BEAST/$657M ground zero settlement

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I helped clean up the site as a volunteer. I will not apply for the fund as I knew my activities would involve some risk. If you were there, and were breathing in the noxious fumes, well, only the iQ challenged would think there might not be some health consequences.( I have developed a hacking cough in the mornings my husband swears is related to this). People were clamoring to help for a variety of reasons (some of them selfish, as in bragging rights) and many of us signed waivers. To me, that's informed consent. The memory of it still haunts me and it seems somehow wrong to profit.

Read the article WALL STREET JOURNAL/World Trade Center workers reach settlement

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I live in Queens. I watched the WTC burn for 12 days from my front doorstep. I went to the Pile on the 15th, and I coughed, and spat, and puked from the stench and the toxic atmosphere. And there were the electricians and the iron workers, my heroes, who spent 20 hours a day working to bring up just one more body, or part of a body. Now, their heroism is costing them their health and in many cases their lives. This strikes me as too little too late.

Read the article HUFFINGTON POST/Up to $657M for sick Ground Zero workers

THOSE MAGNIFICENT WOMEN.....SOARING HONORS FOR THE WASPS OF WORLD WAR II

WINGS ACROSS AMERICA - WASPS

Back in 2001 I was lucky enough to see a notice on the cafeteria bulletin board where I was working in Washington DC that two WASPS would speak over our lunch break. With no more thought than "Well my dad flew in WWII, my mom served in WWII, so I would like to hear this," off I went to listen spellbound for an hour to the two ladies speak about their experiences.

Both had ferried planes all over, and had landed at almost every base in the Continental US. One had flown lend lease planes on the route across Canada to Alaska to give to the Russians. The other had ferried planes across the Atlantic to Britain. Both were understandably proud of their achievements.

The lady who ferried planes across the Atlantic told us she had flown every type of plane the US built during WWII. Bombers, fighters, transport planes--you name, she flew it. I asked her which plane was her favorite. She laughed, and said without thinking very hard. "The P-47 Thunderbolt, I always knew no matter what happened it would bring me home."

Along with the rest of their generation, these ladies put their lives on hold to serve their nation. It is fitting that we finally honor them.

Read the article WALL STREET JOURNAL/World War II's unsung woman pilots.

I can't thank these brave women enough. Now my daughter can follow her dream of flying for her country and no one tells her 'no, you're a girl'. They tell her to study and work hard! She automatically assumes she can do it but I always show her the women who paved the way. We salute you! As a female vet this is a long time coming.

Read the article CNN/Women flyers honored 65 years after World War II service

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The "greatest generation" strikes again. I truly believe that their sense of duty to country and their work ethic is something this country is sorely lacking and needs to reclaim in order for us to survive.

Too many in my generation and those younger (I'm 26) are so spoiled with a ridiculous sense of entitlement and a horrible lazy streak that I'm afraid this may never happen.

My one glimmer of hope is the men and WOMEN I have had the privilege of serving with these last 9 years. God Bless you, WASPS!!! And all you GIs, Marines, Squids, Flyboys (girls too), and, at least as important if not more, those who held down the fort at home. Truly the greatest! Read the article CNN/Women flyers honored 65 years after World War II service

When you think of all the women who stepped out of their daily lives to help in the war effort. All the Rosie the Riveters, Wasps, Nurses. And filling any job the men had to leave behind so they could feed their families while their men went off to war. And when it was all over they were told to put back on their aprons and get back into the kitchen with out a Thank You or a Good Job Ladies given.

Shame on all the people that didn't let these women know how much all their work and effort kept America running while our boys fought to keep our life and liberty in tact with their lives.

Read the article USA TODAY/Female WW2 pilots to get medals

THE CHIEF JUSTICE PROTESTS A "VERY TROUBLING" MOMENT

 

Justice Roberts, President Obama was informing us of the state of the union, the condition of our nation if you will. Your ruling has a far reaching effect on our democracy and is probably the most significant change that has occurred over President Obama's first year in office. That ruling will have a devastating effect on the power of the people.

For President Obama to not have commented on this disaster would have been blatant dereliction of duty. On the other hand, for the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to make the comment, "the State of the Union has degenerated into a political pep rally" can only be interpreted as a direct insult to our president, but even more, it severely degrades the respect we Americans would normally hold for the office of the Justice of the Supreme Court.

Read the article WASHINGTON POST/Chief Justice John Roberts: Scene at State of Union was "very troubling"

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We might not like what the Supremes come up with sometimes but there has to be a buck and the legal buck stops with them. They are human and therefore political by nature. Their nomination and Congressional vetting is political. When they are sworn in the game is up and what they say goes. The end. To dis them personally is an affront to dignity and respect.

I would have expected more from the White House being he is an attorney but I guess that is not to be either. Ruth Ginsberg worked hard to get where she is and though I don't like her rulings she is certainly qualified to make legal judgments. I respect that. Scalia should receive the same respect for his views and rulings as well.

Obama was arrogant to mock them to their faces in a proceeding where they are defenseless and shows he has no respect for the law of the land. Big Surprise! We might have to fight taxation because Co2 is a pollutant but we certainly will not have the influence field leveled to one party! I take comfort in that.

Read the article DAILY BEAST/Roberts troubled by State of the Union

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Theodore Roosevelt observed in his 1906 State of the Union address, “just and temperate criticism” of the judiciary helps to prevent “that intemperate antagonism towards the judiciary which...if it became widespread among the people...would constitute a dire menace to the Republic.” Criticism of Obama for doing EXACTLY what many presidents before him have done is clearly a part of the "thousand cuts" strategy employed by the right.

A careful reading of Obama's comments show simply a respectful disagreement, which is the right of any citizen, president or no. Compare that to the somewhat less than temperate criticism of the first President Bush when the Court nullified the law against flag burning, or worse yet, to President Jackson completely ignoring and disobeying Court orders regarding the Cherokee nation. Methinks Roberts doth protest too much, and his protest smacks of politics from one who is supposed to be removed from politics.

Read the article WASHINGTON POST/Chief Justice John Roberts: Scene at State of Union was "very troubling"

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I agree, amusingly, with Roberts, and I think he was referring to the recent history, including Bush, that has turned the State of the Union into a farce. Jumping up and down every eighteen words to applaud and cheer? Michele Bachmann's inability to stop touching the President? Members of Congress requesting the President to autograph things? It's a circus, and I am glad someone is willing to be honest about it.

But that's the majority of dialogue in Washington: screaming, yelling, name-calling. If the substance of the State of the Union doesn't address the state of the nation, then the ridiculous players on the stage inform us of plenty through their (lack of) style.

Read the article DAILY BEAST/Roberts troubled by State of the Union

 

MARCH 1, 2010 -- MARCH 7, 2010

 

DAWN AND TILIKUM, THE ORCA: THOUGHTS ON THE TRAGEDY AT SEAWORLD

Dawn was a lovely person and really cared about the animals she trained and brightened people's lives. She was one of the few people I've known who as a young high school teenager knew what she wanted to do and achieved it: study marine mammals and work at SeaWorld.

I fully prefer to enjoy all forms of life in a natural environment. For some, though, places such as zoos and aquariums are one of the few places where they can connect with these and other great species - educating and inspiring them to consider a cleaner environment, conservation, responsible use of resources, and development that supports humans, fauna, and flora.

Dawn was fully aware of the risks, and unfortunately died doing what she loved to do. It's a time to remember her and those she left behind as well as the boys and girls she inspired to be the next biologists, ecologists, researchers, or philanthropists who will ensure killer whales and all creatures - great and small - will have a place to live in the wild.

Both Dawn and the whales she trained have sacrificed for the betterment of many and have contributed to something greater than themselves.( US Marine writing from Haiti.)

Read the article ORLANDO SENTINEL/SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau dies in killer-whale attack

This is very, very sad but the plain fact remains that, even if the animals are born in captivity, they are still for all intents and purposes wild animals. Their instincts and behaviors have developed over thousands if not millions of years. Apparently there have been other incidents involving this orca; why not release it into the wild where it can hunt prey naturally, if possible; why risk having it in such close contact with humans?

Read the article ORLANDO SENTINEL/SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau dies in killer-whale attack

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1. You cannot release Tilly. He's been in captivity more than 20 years. He wouldn't survive and it would actually be cruel to let him loose now.

2. They actually DON'T ever "force" a whale to perform -- or any animal for that matter. I know firsthand from working there. I've seen dozens of shows "cancelled" because the animals don't feel like performing behaviors. They might try once or twice, or stall for 10 minutes and try once more, but then they will cancel the show with apologies to the guests.

3. If you think SeaWorld is just in this for profit, you should take a good hard look at everything they actually do for conservation & education. Don't just make rash judgments and claim they are just for profit when they actually do tons in the way of research, conservation, rescue/rehab and education.

Read the article ORLANDO SENTINEL/Trainer death in SeaWorld attack gets international attention

 

I've spent 16 years studying killer whales - in the wild I might add - in Australia, the US and Norway.

They are gentle, highly intelligent animals that live in matrilineal groups. An orca (killer whale) has a life-span similar to that of a human being and there are many we know of that live to be over 100 years old in their natural habitat - Granny of 'J' pod on the Pacific Northwest Coast being one.

To keep a creature like this in captivity is like confining a human being to a 6 x 6 cell for the term of their natural life. And the fact is - a captive orca has nothing like the lifespan of their wild counterparts - for large creatures they have small immune systems and captivity compromises this - 10-15 years in captivity would be a maximum.

I would also add that there has never been a single documented case of a wild orca attacking a human - only captive ones and this is most probably due to psychosis brought about by their captivity.

It is illegal to take wild orcas from US and Canadian waters and Sea World can only source them from countries such as Russia, Iceland etc. However, we can argue that a public boycott of these institutions would result in their need to turn a wild creature into a Disneyesque animatronic puppet for our amusement - would no longer need to exist.

Read the article U.K. GUARDIAN/Seaworld to decide whales fate after trainer's death.

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The vast majority of sea mammals have no business being kept in pools that are tiny by comparison to their natural migratory paths in the open sea. It is no small wonder a few 'go postal' from time to time. They are intelligent creatures, and just like the occasional trained elephant (also intelligent), or any other animal, they do lash out at the humans closest to them.

The problem here is not the whale acting like a whale, its humans expecting to be a trained circus animal and then being confused and horrified when it acts as it should. And for those of you saying they cannot be set free, they can. It is a documented fact that killer whales can be rehabilitated to the wild and live out their natural lives successfully and will find others of their kind to ‘live’ with.

I love seeing these animals up close, but the sad truth is, we just have no business turning them into a trained act, no matter how educational.

Read the article ABC NEWS/SeaWorld curator: Ponytail likely caused fatal killer-whale attack

AYES ON SENATOR BROWN: "A STRONG STEP TOWARD RESTORING BIPARTISANSHIP"

SENATOR BROWN'S BLOG

Though on the surface I am not particularly happy with the outcome, he too has expressed reservations in his comments. I AM from Massachusetts unlike many who are commenting here. I am not "one of those Massachusetts lunatics" either.

I want nothing more than to see the outrageous behavior of the public servants in DC stopped and make sure that the president is not able to put in place the progressive and dangerous agenda he so ruthlessly pursues. But I did as did many of you spend countless hours working for Scott's election.

We in Massachusetts are grateful for the assistance and support we received from the entire nation to help us send him to Washington. I continue to have faith that he knows he is there to represent the people and to see that the Constitution is the guide for decisions affecting our country, not czars, lobbyists, unions special interest groups or greedy politicians.

Read the article BROWN BRIGADE BLOG/Jobs Bill by Scott Brown

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I’m amazed at the ignorance in the comments…

Creates government jobs?

The bulk of the bill is tax cuts for small businesses who hire previously unemployed people. None of that will create government jobs. Where did you get that idea?

Deficit spending?

No, the bill is paid for by cracking down on offshore tax shelters. It is IN the dang article. This bill is exactly what we want – effective measures that have sources for funding!

Lastly, it provides cheap loans to states for funding infrastructure projects. We all get to use new (or rebuilt/repaired) bridges, roads, and highways, and commerce and our economy would grind to a halt without them.

Before Reid stripped out all sorts of gifts, like rolling back the Paris Hilton Millionaires Estate Tax, then yeah, this bill was loaded with crap. Reid did the right thing by stripping out billions in tax cuts for the wealthy, and Brown (and Collins, Snowe, Bond, and Voinovich) did the right things by voting for it.

Read the article REUTERS/New U.S. Senator helps Democrats advance jobs bill

I am extremely disheartened to read all of the negative comments on this page describing Scott Brown as a “RINO,” as if that means anything.

Read this sentence:

“The bill includes a tax credit for businesses that hire unemployed workers, subsidies for state and local construction bonds and $19.5 billion to shore up a highway-construction fund.”

What is wrong with giving businesses tax cuts for creating jobs? What is wrong with infrastructure spending that will create jobs? What is wrong with creating jobs? Since when was that not something that Republicans are for?

These are serious times. Please think through what you are writing and save the acronyms.

Scott Brown was simply voting for common sense.

Read the article REUTERS/New U.S. Senator helps Democrats advance jobs bill

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Ok, Mr. Brown, we thought you were a conservative. You don't have to get elected again. People are smarter these days and pay attention. You cannot sneak one by us. Do not be fooled by Democrats, they are like serpents in the garden of Eden.

Read the article FOX NEWS NATION/Brown sides with Reid

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Headline could also read "Reid moves towards center" as much as "Brown moves towards left".

Good to see anyone not kow-tow to the Party - party politics is the great impediment to people holding the government accountable. They have been using fear of the other party to support any kind of corrupt behavior or bad bill. Both parties have been doing this - taking the politics to pure negative. In the process, the voters have lost so much leverage. They didn't have to justify the good of anything they did, just say they were getting the other guy, or sticking it to the other guy, and somehow the voting public just was letting really corrupt sneaky stuff go through unchallenged.

Hopefully Brown and Reid are both starting the break out of that pattern. When parties lose, voters win. Because the politicians will need to appeal to the voter again, rather than just slam the other party in a negative fashion.

Read the article  DAILY BEAST/Jobs bill passes hurdle

 

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