WALK AWAY FROM THE MONITOR!
Don't let FaceBook ruin your life.
(Suggested by Jean Peelen)
Domingo Soto's Personal Blog https://domsoto.blogspot.com/
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Wright on Health: Americans Don't Believe Congress Should Be Exempt From Health Care Reform
FOR GOOSE AND GANDER
"If this health reform is so great, why is Congress exempt from it?" That question has had a bit of resonance for me. Last week I happened on an interview of Rep. Anthony Weiner of New York on, of all things, Joe Scarborough. (Posted below) I wrote to Weiner congratulating him on his presentation but also taking him to task for having, I thought, cavalierly glossed over that point.
"If this health reform is so great, why is Congress exempt from it?" That question has had a bit of resonance for me. Last week I happened on an interview of Rep. Anthony Weiner of New York on, of all things, Joe Scarborough. (Posted below) I wrote to Weiner congratulating him on his presentation but also taking him to task for having, I thought, cavalierly glossed over that point.
Here, at last, someone takes the time to answer it:
The coverage isn't unique to Congress. Congress participates in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), along with 2.7 other federal employees.
The FEHBP is a form of managed competition--a way to make sure that private insurers compete on the basis of price and quality through regulation--an idea that was the center piece of the proposed Clinton reform, and that is essentially what is being proposed now in the form of the public option and the insurance exchange.
It's not free. The FEHBP works just like any other employer-based coverage: the employer and the employee both pay a portion of the costs.
(Health Policy Analysis, suggested by TOMMY BEALLE)
WHO NEEDS COPS?
I don't disagree with the criticisms of insurance companies. But rather than vilify an entire industry maybe we should recognize that there are things that are endemic to it and that oversight is necessary. Who needs cops? We do. I've encountered cops in Mexico, Cuba, Finland, Russia, China, France, Spain, Portugal, Honduras, and, of course, here and in Puerto Rico. Cops - regardless of what political system they operate in - are by the very nature of their work, authoritarian. The difference in the really horrible encounters I've had in the States and in other countries - especially a very nightmarish scene in Cuba - is that where there is oversight and regulation, and, if necessary, sanctions, bad behavior is less likely to happen. That's the same thing with the insurance industry. They're supposed to be making money! That's not necessarily a bad thing. But where inefficiency or greed can be corrected, then they need to be policed.
I don't disagree with the criticisms of insurance companies. But rather than vilify an entire industry maybe we should recognize that there are things that are endemic to it and that oversight is necessary. Who needs cops? We do. I've encountered cops in Mexico, Cuba, Finland, Russia, China, France, Spain, Portugal, Honduras, and, of course, here and in Puerto Rico. Cops - regardless of what political system they operate in - are by the very nature of their work, authoritarian. The difference in the really horrible encounters I've had in the States and in other countries - especially a very nightmarish scene in Cuba - is that where there is oversight and regulation, and, if necessary, sanctions, bad behavior is less likely to happen. That's the same thing with the insurance industry. They're supposed to be making money! That's not necessarily a bad thing. But where inefficiency or greed can be corrected, then they need to be policed.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Former Palms KFC Now Serving Weed, Not Wings - KNBC-TV- msnbc.com
SPECIAL HERBS AND SPICES
If you have a hankering for some Original Recipe chicken with its 11 herbs and spices while you're in California, make sure you pull into a real Kentucky Fried Chicken store. Because if you stumble into this KFC, you’ll find a different kind of herb altogether – the kind you need a prescription to buy.
(MSNBC, suggested by ERIC KREMER)
If you have a hankering for some Original Recipe chicken with its 11 herbs and spices while you're in California, make sure you pull into a real Kentucky Fried Chicken store. Because if you stumble into this KFC, you’ll find a different kind of herb altogether – the kind you need a prescription to buy.
(MSNBC, suggested by ERIC KREMER)
DOGS GUARD THE BACON
The Democratic Party’s Blue Dog political-action committee was receiving more than half of its $1.1 million in campaign contributions from the pharmaceutical, health care and health insurance industries, according to the Center for Public Integrity. The amount outstrips contributions to other congressional political-action committees during the same period, the watchdog group said.
(Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, suggested by TRUTHOUT)
The Democratic Party’s Blue Dog political-action committee was receiving more than half of its $1.1 million in campaign contributions from the pharmaceutical, health care and health insurance industries, according to the Center for Public Integrity. The amount outstrips contributions to other congressional political-action committees during the same period, the watchdog group said.
(Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, suggested by TRUTHOUT)
Online NewsHour: Recent Programs | PBS
FACTS, FICTION, FRICTION
Rather than "debate" someone who is dead set upon not listening, I have been putting things out there that actually seem to address the issue, even including things that I don't think are necessarily helpful to "my" side but which seem to bear discussion. If someone wants to bother to read them, great. Otherwise, well, otherwise. This segment from last night's News Hour is yet another effort to parse out the truth in the health care debate.
(PBS)
Rather than "debate" someone who is dead set upon not listening, I have been putting things out there that actually seem to address the issue, even including things that I don't think are necessarily helpful to "my" side but which seem to bear discussion. If someone wants to bother to read them, great. Otherwise, well, otherwise. This segment from last night's News Hour is yet another effort to parse out the truth in the health care debate.
(PBS)
Thursday, August 27, 2009
IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
Some of my, err, well let us call them "less progressive" friends, are passing this around as some sort of put down. But any time you can be "accused" of being for Hope and having accomplished what he did, well all I can say is sign me up as a fellow traveler.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Rush Limbaugh Warns Jay-Z Obama Is Going After His Penis | PEEK | AlterNet
SPEAKING FROM HIS HEAD
Rush Limbaugh:
Rush Limbaugh:
It is President Obama who wants mandated circumcision. We had that yesterday. That means if we need to save our penises from anybody, it's Obama. I did not know I was on anybody's balls.
(ALTERNET)
Monday, August 24, 2009
CQ Politics | House Race Ratings Map for 2010
FIRST POLLS
Most of the 435 congressional districts have well-entrenched incumbents. CQ Politics has preliminarily identified 100 districts, 59 of which are held by Democrats, where the contests should be highly or mildly competitive. Of these, CQ Politics rates three districts, all now held by Republicans, as leaning toward takeover by the challenging party.
(CQ POLITICS)
Most of the 435 congressional districts have well-entrenched incumbents. CQ Politics has preliminarily identified 100 districts, 59 of which are held by Democrats, where the contests should be highly or mildly competitive. Of these, CQ Politics rates three districts, all now held by Republicans, as leaning toward takeover by the challenging party.
(CQ POLITICS)
Sunday, August 23, 2009
HEY MR TAMBORINE MAN, SHOW ME YOUR ID
"What is your name, sir?" the officer asked.
"What is your name, sir?" the officer asked.
"Bob Dylan," he said.
"OK, what are you doing here?" the officer asked.
"I'm on tour," the singer replied.
A second backup officer arrived and the officers escorted the singer to the precinct when he couldn't produce an ID.
Once there, tour staff vouched for Dylan.
The officers thanked him for his cooperation.
(ACCESSATLANTA, suggested by BEHIND THE LINES)
The GOP Has Become a Party of Nihilists - TIME
JUST SAYIN', NO
The conservatives who make their arguments based on facts have been overwhelmed by nihilists and hypocrites more interested in destroying the opposition and gaining power than in the public weal. The philosophically supple party that existed as recently as George H.W. Bush's presidency has been obliterated. The party's putative intellectuals are prosaic tacticians who make precious few substantive arguments but oppose health-care reform mostly because passage would help Barack Obama's political prospects.
(TIME)
The conservatives who make their arguments based on facts have been overwhelmed by nihilists and hypocrites more interested in destroying the opposition and gaining power than in the public weal. The philosophically supple party that existed as recently as George H.W. Bush's presidency has been obliterated. The party's putative intellectuals are prosaic tacticians who make precious few substantive arguments but oppose health-care reform mostly because passage would help Barack Obama's political prospects.
(TIME)
Joe Scarborough Is Shocked, Yet Awed by Single-Payer Logic
OH NO! SAY IT AIN'T SO, JOE, II
Okay, what the hell is going on here? First, there was this Morning Joe SEGMENT, with a New York Congressman.
Okay, what the hell is going on here? First, there was this Morning Joe SEGMENT, with a New York Congressman.
And, then, there's THIS STORY about Lou Dobbs' nation-a-night health care series.
Online NewsHour: The Healthcare Debate leading up to Clinton's Healthcare Address to Congress
DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN
"August 9, 1992 - Clinton is warned by campaign aides that his 'position on health care is too unstructured' and too unclear to be easily defended."
(PBS)
"August 9, 1992 - Clinton is warned by campaign aides that his 'position on health care is too unstructured' and too unclear to be easily defended."
(PBS)
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