We lost Ted Kennedy, cornerstone of healthcare reform in the U.S. :-(

Click to view

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHVwrCzRUX0

Personally, I think a public health insurance plan is not going to accomplish anything as long as patients still have to deal with no co-pays, deductibles, out-of-pocket expenses, limited provider networks, and lifetime benefits caps.

Another reason why medical conditions are a major contributor to personal ( Read more... )

"There's an inherent hypocrisy (within the GOP) that they can't reconcile.  They want the government out of their lives and out of their business, but they want to legislate what others can do so they're just like them.  Example: stay out of my life, but make sure two loving men in Nebraska can't get married.  Don't take away my guns but make sure ( Read more... )

"At Obama’s request, House leaders removed a $335 million Medicaid provision funding contraception programs for low-income people." (Source here)

Because those people need to have more children.

Great job, Mr. President.

This morning finds me at the same time elated because Obama won and dismayed because at least two anti-gay constitution amendments passed. I rejoice at the sound defeat of abortion limitations in South Dakota and of the absolutely ridiculous attempt to declare a fertilized egg a person (was that in Colorado? I forgot).

I was saddened to hear the ( Read more... )

Published on Thursday, October 2, 2008 by The Guardian/UK

From Empire to Democracy

Let's not waste $700bn on a bail-out, but use 'big government' for what it's best at - shaping a society that is fair and peaceable

by Howard Zinn

( Read more... )

The 'bums' try for an end run

Garrison Keillor

September 10, 2008
(source here)

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"Maybe market meltdowns are what happen to a country when commentary on matters economic becomes the exclusive province of business thinkers. When labor unions are systematically crushed. When dissent is divorced from matters economic or social and becomes instead a quality of middle-class taste preferences, of 'extreme' cars and 'radical' packaged ( Read more... )

It's another icky, yucky, rainy day here in the Florida panhandle where people are just going on and on about Sarah Palin's visit.

One comment in the regional rag: "She's a strong, everyday person. That's what we need." - No, honey, what we need as leaders for this country is not Sally Sixpack and Joe Blow. We need educated people who don't live in ( Read more... )

I am dead tired but I can't sleep because our local high school has their homecoming game tonight. We live a block down the road from the school but they're making so much noise that it sounds like they're playing in our backyard. And then they're playing that really annoying panther howl/growl really loud until 11 at night. I HATE football season ( Read more... )