( Congressman Paul Tonko got an earful during his town hall on health care reform yesterday)
I attended some of this town hall meeting. The opponents of the House reform bills were loud and insulting.Their minds are rigid, and they do not want an honest dialogue.Having said that, there are many myths swirling around this debate.It’s important to separate the myths from the reality.Myth 1:There are 50 million uninsured Americans.There are, but this figure blurrs the reality of the segments included in this total.The Census Bureau report “Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2005,” puts the initial number of uninsured people living in the country at 46.577 million.But 10 million are non-citizens. They need health care, and they go to ER for treatment. This costs all of us.“… according to the same Census report, there are 8.3 million uninsured people who make between $50,000 and $74,999 per year and 8.74 million who make more than $75,000 a year. That’s roughly 17 million people who ought to be able to “afford” health insurance because they make substantially more than the median household income of $46,326.”So there are 17 million who could afford their own insurance.That leaves about 20 million that cannot afford health insurance, but may qualify for already existing programs (Medicaid)It is this core that should be the priority in moving to universal care.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
spitzer and the albany coup
(So good government groups and editorial boards rightly demanded that individual legislators be empowered to turn the Assembly and Senate into real deliberative chambers. In an odd way, that is exactly what is happening. With control of the Senate almost perfectly divided between the parties, any one legislator can tip the balance of power, and hence every legislator has something heretofore denied them—great negotiating capacity. After playing the role of sheep for years, legislators are now recognizing they have the power to be coyotes.)Eliot Spitzer, Slate OnLinehttp://www.slate.com/id/2220237/---------------------------In his current Slate column, Spitzer suggests the Albany Senate pusch is a good move. Spitzer argues that it shows non-leader Senate members becoming enboldened...a good sign of backbench democracy.
It's an interesting position, but it seems to ignore many negative elements of the coup.
Espada and Monserrate's independence is hidden in the shadow of the authoritian Golisano. Golisano is a non-elected, wealthy lobbyist directly intervening in the Senate operations.
Espada and Monserrate are not altrustic politicos acting to democratize the system. Instead, they are opportunistic, ethically-challenged men who are seeking the biggest bribe.
Spitzer also slides around the issue of the absence of a lieutenant-governor. It was his personal hubris that has allowed the bandito Espada to be next in line to play governor.
Spitzer can argue that Espada is democratizing the system. It can also be argued that Espada is power- mad and dangerous. Is it good that Gov. Paterson cannot leave the state for the next 18 months, afraid that Espada is holding the only key to the Gov's 2nd floor office? &D
It's an interesting position, but it seems to ignore many negative elements of the coup.
Espada and Monserrate's independence is hidden in the shadow of the authoritian Golisano. Golisano is a non-elected, wealthy lobbyist directly intervening in the Senate operations.
Espada and Monserrate are not altrustic politicos acting to democratize the system. Instead, they are opportunistic, ethically-challenged men who are seeking the biggest bribe.
Spitzer also slides around the issue of the absence of a lieutenant-governor. It was his personal hubris that has allowed the bandito Espada to be next in line to play governor.
Spitzer can argue that Espada is democratizing the system. It can also be argued that Espada is power- mad and dangerous. Is it good that Gov. Paterson cannot leave the state for the next 18 months, afraid that Espada is holding the only key to the Gov's 2nd floor office? &D
Friday, April 17, 2009
(Howard Dean at Union last night)
Schenectady’s Union College’s ambience is human-friendly. The buildings are human-scale, providing an enironment tjhat is conducive to human interaction.
What a contrast to the SUNY-Albany campus and the Empire Mall down the road in Albany.
Union is fortunate that Nelson Rockefeller’s grandiose edifice complex did not infiltrate Union Street.
Howard Dean spoke at Union’s Memorial Chapel last night. The Chapel is one of several attractive buildings surrounding the college’s central square. In front of the Chapel is a plack honoring Union alumni who died in the “great war-1914-18”. It’s an honor of course, but it’s a stretch to call WW I the great war.
Dean filled the Chapel with at least four generations-the millienials, the yuppies, boomers and post-boomers. But he really preached to the choir-the millienials (18-30 yr. olds). Dean believes Obama is the millienials' savior. Obama took the technical tools used by the millienials-the internet, Facebook, MySpace and even the early Twitter, and built networks of support.
The strategy was also employed in Dean’s 50 state ’08 election strategy. Through micro-targeting (marketing), potential Dems. supporters were targeted.
Dean called for the students to combine their internet social sites with their commitment to diversity, fairness and bottom-up organizing. This combination could bring down authoritian governments everywhere, as it did in the former Soviet empire.
Dean spent just a few minutes on health care reform.He favors the inclusion of a public single-payer option in a reform package. But he didn’t elaborate on how this option is being opposed by private insurance interests. I would have liked to see him outline how this option is needed and how the millienials can use their technical tools to guarantee it becomes part of a reform package.
While Dean preached to the millienials, there were also three other generations present. The interests of all these generations may not always be compatible. Millienials are strong libertarians, living in the Now. The issues of interest to the latter groups, such as SS ,Medicare, and retirement security, may be incidental to the y generation.
The millienials are strongly individualistic and independent. They form networks through the internet, but this networking is done alone with a computer or Blackberry.
I would have liked Dean to have urged the building of bridges between the generations..bridges built with motar that would create solidarity, that would have all the generations believing that we are all in this together.
Schenectady’s Union College’s ambience is human-friendly. The buildings are human-scale, providing an enironment tjhat is conducive to human interaction.
What a contrast to the SUNY-Albany campus and the Empire Mall down the road in Albany.
Union is fortunate that Nelson Rockefeller’s grandiose edifice complex did not infiltrate Union Street.
Howard Dean spoke at Union’s Memorial Chapel last night. The Chapel is one of several attractive buildings surrounding the college’s central square. In front of the Chapel is a plack honoring Union alumni who died in the “great war-1914-18”. It’s an honor of course, but it’s a stretch to call WW I the great war.
Dean filled the Chapel with at least four generations-the millienials, the yuppies, boomers and post-boomers. But he really preached to the choir-the millienials (18-30 yr. olds). Dean believes Obama is the millienials' savior. Obama took the technical tools used by the millienials-the internet, Facebook, MySpace and even the early Twitter, and built networks of support.
The strategy was also employed in Dean’s 50 state ’08 election strategy. Through micro-targeting (marketing), potential Dems. supporters were targeted.
Dean called for the students to combine their internet social sites with their commitment to diversity, fairness and bottom-up organizing. This combination could bring down authoritian governments everywhere, as it did in the former Soviet empire.
Dean spent just a few minutes on health care reform.He favors the inclusion of a public single-payer option in a reform package. But he didn’t elaborate on how this option is being opposed by private insurance interests. I would have liked to see him outline how this option is needed and how the millienials can use their technical tools to guarantee it becomes part of a reform package.
While Dean preached to the millienials, there were also three other generations present. The interests of all these generations may not always be compatible. Millienials are strong libertarians, living in the Now. The issues of interest to the latter groups, such as SS ,Medicare, and retirement security, may be incidental to the y generation.
The millienials are strongly individualistic and independent. They form networks through the internet, but this networking is done alone with a computer or Blackberry.
I would have liked Dean to have urged the building of bridges between the generations..bridges built with motar that would create solidarity, that would have all the generations believing that we are all in this together.
Friday, March 13, 2009
the cramer-stewart and rush-keillor feuds
You can listen to some of the fabulous radio feud between Fred Allen and Jack Benny. One of Allen's best lines was announcing that Benny was named the chairman of the March of Dimes, but that no dime has ever been minted that could march pass Benny.
The feud made for great radio comedy ratings.Allen was an original wit, and wrote most of this humor and program dialogue. Benny needed writers, and, in fact, once told Allen that he couldn't talk to him that way if he had his writers present.
The Jim Cramer-Jon Stewart feud is also media hype, and makes for good ratings.Cramer is a kinda of dangerous kook, and Stewart is sorta of a bargain basement Fred Allen.The feud is helpful in that Cramer is attacking Obama, and along with Fox cable, is sowing deep seeds of cynicism
Speaking of feuds, we have now reached the ultimate.Garrison Keillor is going after Rush Limbaugh:
"...When it comes to disability pensions, you ought to include congressmen, especially these remarkable Republicans who, in the midst of a serious banking crisis, are recycling Herbert Hoover and decrying socialism and paying homage to a fat sweaty guy living alone with his cat in a five-mansion compound in West Palm Beach. At the moment, he seems to be steering the Republican Party like it's his personal power boat and Mitch McConnell is the girl in the bikini on water skis.
"I am at the top of the mountain of what I do. Everybody underneath it wants what I've got," Rush said on his show the other day. "As such, they'll do what they can to take me down or to criticize me or what have you. It is beneath my dignity to be critical of those beneath me. It's just a waste of time."
For similar delusional megalomania, you have to go back to the rock stars of yesteryear, but they were 30 or so, and Rush is somewhat north of there. You have to wonder if the man doesn't need to get out of the compound more and converse with real people and not just talk to his cat. Has he ever sat at a bar and talked to other men over a beer? One of the problems with OxyContin is that it's such a lonely drug: Guys don't get together to toss back a few pills and tell jokes, so an Oxhead like Rush is missing the social skills that one might develop over beer and bourbon. At the bar, a man can rant and rave about Obama and hope he will fail, but when he stops for breath, he has to listen to someone else point out that we are in an economic crisis and the country seems to want a change of course....."
http://www.salon.com/opinion/keillor/2009/03/11/disability/index.html?source=newsletter
The feud made for great radio comedy ratings.Allen was an original wit, and wrote most of this humor and program dialogue. Benny needed writers, and, in fact, once told Allen that he couldn't talk to him that way if he had his writers present.
The Jim Cramer-Jon Stewart feud is also media hype, and makes for good ratings.Cramer is a kinda of dangerous kook, and Stewart is sorta of a bargain basement Fred Allen.The feud is helpful in that Cramer is attacking Obama, and along with Fox cable, is sowing deep seeds of cynicism
Speaking of feuds, we have now reached the ultimate.Garrison Keillor is going after Rush Limbaugh:
"...When it comes to disability pensions, you ought to include congressmen, especially these remarkable Republicans who, in the midst of a serious banking crisis, are recycling Herbert Hoover and decrying socialism and paying homage to a fat sweaty guy living alone with his cat in a five-mansion compound in West Palm Beach. At the moment, he seems to be steering the Republican Party like it's his personal power boat and Mitch McConnell is the girl in the bikini on water skis.
"I am at the top of the mountain of what I do. Everybody underneath it wants what I've got," Rush said on his show the other day. "As such, they'll do what they can to take me down or to criticize me or what have you. It is beneath my dignity to be critical of those beneath me. It's just a waste of time."
For similar delusional megalomania, you have to go back to the rock stars of yesteryear, but they were 30 or so, and Rush is somewhat north of there. You have to wonder if the man doesn't need to get out of the compound more and converse with real people and not just talk to his cat. Has he ever sat at a bar and talked to other men over a beer? One of the problems with OxyContin is that it's such a lonely drug: Guys don't get together to toss back a few pills and tell jokes, so an Oxhead like Rush is missing the social skills that one might develop over beer and bourbon. At the bar, a man can rant and rave about Obama and hope he will fail, but when he stops for breath, he has to listen to someone else point out that we are in an economic crisis and the country seems to want a change of course....."
http://www.salon.com/opinion/keillor/2009/03/11/disability/index.html?source=newsletter
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Pres. Obama's budget proposal is audacious
Two impeccable liberals, Robert Kuttner (the American Prospect co-editor) and NYT's oped economist, Paul Krugman, like the proposals.
Kuttner:
President Obama's new budget is, well, audacious -- not just because it includes several big, audacious initiatives (universally affordable health care, and a cap-and-trade system for coping with global warming, for starters) but also because it represents the biggest redistribution of income from the wealthy to the middle class and poor this nation has seen in more than forty years. In order to see the whole, you need to look both at where revenues will come from and at where they’ll go:
Come from: By allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire, the marginal income tax on the highest earners goes back to 39.6 percent (from 35 percent, now), and capital gains rates to 20 percent (from 15, now). The budget also limits the amount highest earners can claim for mortgage-interest and charitable deductions (from 35 percent now down to 28 percent), raising an estimated $318 billion over ten years. Finally, wealthier Medicare beneficiaries will have to pay higher premiums for prescription drugs. http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/tapped_archive?month=02&year=2009&base_name=finally_a_progressive_budget
Krugman:Op-Ed ColumnistClimate of Change Published: February 27, 2009
Elections have consequences. President Obama’s new budget represents a huge break, not just with the policies of the past eight years, but with policy trends over the past 30 years. If he can get anything like the plan he announced on Thursday through Congress, he will set America on a fundamentally new course
Kuttner:
President Obama's new budget is, well, audacious -- not just because it includes several big, audacious initiatives (universally affordable health care, and a cap-and-trade system for coping with global warming, for starters) but also because it represents the biggest redistribution of income from the wealthy to the middle class and poor this nation has seen in more than forty years. In order to see the whole, you need to look both at where revenues will come from and at where they’ll go:
Come from: By allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire, the marginal income tax on the highest earners goes back to 39.6 percent (from 35 percent, now), and capital gains rates to 20 percent (from 15, now). The budget also limits the amount highest earners can claim for mortgage-interest and charitable deductions (from 35 percent now down to 28 percent), raising an estimated $318 billion over ten years. Finally, wealthier Medicare beneficiaries will have to pay higher premiums for prescription drugs. http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/tapped_archive?month=02&year=2009&base_name=finally_a_progressive_budget
Krugman:Op-Ed ColumnistClimate of Change Published: February 27, 2009
Elections have consequences. President Obama’s new budget represents a huge break, not just with the policies of the past eight years, but with policy trends over the past 30 years. If he can get anything like the plan he announced on Thursday through Congress, he will set America on a fundamentally new course
(President Obama said the end is in sight for the Iraq War)
Our soldiers performed at the highest level in Iraq, and there should be unconditional support for whatever services they need- medical, rehab. or anything else.
The geopolitical question is whether our invasion of Iraq was necessary, proper or legal. I vote NO.
The neo-cons posed the argument that Iraq's Hussein was a threat to the US, Israel and the oil-producing states in the Mideast. And 9/11 was allowed to happen to prepare the public for the invasion of Iraq.
Hussein was not a direct threat to us; posed a hyperthetical, perhaps existential, threat to Israel; and was contained within the Middle East.
The real reason for our Iraq invasion was oil. It was another oil war.Hussein was moving to freeze out the private international oil giants. He was opening oil contracts to French,Russian and other European companies. He was moving to trade oil in euros, instead of petrodollars.He was also a petty, psycho tyrant. The Iraqies deserved better.
It is illegal to go to war to control national resources.
It is now necessary to have Obama go further than his speech/announcement of yesterday. He needs to declare the goal of total separation of oil and the state.
The geopolitical question is whether our invasion of Iraq was necessary, proper or legal. I vote NO.
The neo-cons posed the argument that Iraq's Hussein was a threat to the US, Israel and the oil-producing states in the Mideast. And 9/11 was allowed to happen to prepare the public for the invasion of Iraq.
Hussein was not a direct threat to us; posed a hyperthetical, perhaps existential, threat to Israel; and was contained within the Middle East.
The real reason for our Iraq invasion was oil. It was another oil war.Hussein was moving to freeze out the private international oil giants. He was opening oil contracts to French,Russian and other European companies. He was moving to trade oil in euros, instead of petrodollars.He was also a petty, psycho tyrant. The Iraqies deserved better.
It is illegal to go to war to control national resources.
It is now necessary to have Obama go further than his speech/announcement of yesterday. He needs to declare the goal of total separation of oil and the state.
Monday, February 16, 2009
The death penalty, fair trials, and Nancy (witch bitch) Grace
I’m opposed to the death penalty. I’m concerned about media,particularly cable sensationalism.I believe everyone is entitled to a fair trial.These are cosmic issues, and they’re all relevant in the Anthony family tragedy.
CNN’s Headline News Nancy Grace had extensive film coverage of last week’s Caylee Anthony’s memorial service. She also had home movies. I assume CNN bought the rights to these and the money will be used for Caylee’s mother’s (Casey) defense.
I have followed this case, and have posted earlier comments.
Grace has already declared Casey guilty. If there is a mistrial, Grace will be one of the reasons. It will be impossible for Casey to get any semblance of a fair trial. A change of venue will be necessary, but not helpful.
Grace has hammered Casey hard, and comes across as a witchy bitch. She has an obvious anti-Casey bias, and her guests are tilted in the same way
I have followed this case because I’m not convinced Casey murdered her daughter, certainly not intentionally. Mothers are not hardwired to do that. Prosecutors do not have to show a motive, but what would Casey’s motive have been? She doesn’t have a history of violence. She may be immature, but she does have a moral core, although undeveloped. She gave birth to Caylee, rather than aborting.
Her parents are giving Casey unconditional love. Dr. Phil has an interest (although it may be totally opportunistic). The forensic anthropogist for Fox’s Bones has been a member of Casey’s defense team. An opportunistic Texas bounty hunter put up early bail for Casey, but only to get close to her to gather information. At least 150 threats were received leading up to the memorial service, most likely motivated by witchy Grace’s sensationalism. The Casey family is living through a perfect emotional storm.
So many questions; so few answers.
CNN’s Headline News Nancy Grace had extensive film coverage of last week’s Caylee Anthony’s memorial service. She also had home movies. I assume CNN bought the rights to these and the money will be used for Caylee’s mother’s (Casey) defense.
I have followed this case, and have posted earlier comments.
Grace has already declared Casey guilty. If there is a mistrial, Grace will be one of the reasons. It will be impossible for Casey to get any semblance of a fair trial. A change of venue will be necessary, but not helpful.
Grace has hammered Casey hard, and comes across as a witchy bitch. She has an obvious anti-Casey bias, and her guests are tilted in the same way
I have followed this case because I’m not convinced Casey murdered her daughter, certainly not intentionally. Mothers are not hardwired to do that. Prosecutors do not have to show a motive, but what would Casey’s motive have been? She doesn’t have a history of violence. She may be immature, but she does have a moral core, although undeveloped. She gave birth to Caylee, rather than aborting.
Her parents are giving Casey unconditional love. Dr. Phil has an interest (although it may be totally opportunistic). The forensic anthropogist for Fox’s Bones has been a member of Casey’s defense team. An opportunistic Texas bounty hunter put up early bail for Casey, but only to get close to her to gather information. At least 150 threats were received leading up to the memorial service, most likely motivated by witchy Grace’s sensationalism. The Casey family is living through a perfect emotional storm.
So many questions; so few answers.
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