THIS BLOG WILL NOW BE HOSTED ON WORDPRESS (don't worry, you can come too!)

Please feel free to continue on with me at www.didntyourmotherevertellyounottoblog.wordpress.com... :)

WordPress: Experiments In Bloggetry

I'm not sure if "bloggetry" is even a word, but it sounds like it should be so I am going to treat it as one!

I have decided to switch over my blog to WordPress, because it has some interesting additional features that would be useful should I ever monetize it and attempt to earn some type of living this way... I'm still kinda feeling this all out, so please bare with me until I get the swing the new site...

The Moral Roots of Liberals and Conservatives

Ever look at someone on the other side of the political spectrum from you and be absolutely baffled as to how they could see all the same information you do and reach such a vastly different conclusion? This is an absolutely FASCINATING video that takes a step back from divisive politics and examines why this is the case. Description below:

Psychologist Jonathan Haidt studies the five moral values that form the basis of our political choices, whether we're left, right or center. In this eye-opening talk, he pinpoints the moral values that liberals and conservatives tend to honor most.

A Shining Example Us All:

Recently protesters demonstrated outside of a Joan Baez concert in Idaho Falls. Pictured is Joan, who asked to go outside and meet face to face with them, and two of the protesters. As with many of my generation, I am only vaguely familiar with Joan Baez and her legacy. This diary, written by a witness to the event and the subsequent conversations between all involved was extremely moving and inspiring. This is why need to heed droogie and be beautiful to one another! What a wonderful woman!

BONUS: YouTube video of Joan Baez singing "We Shall Overcome" in her kitchen. She sings some lyrics in Farsi, in hopes of offering some inspiration and comfort for those in Iran. Thankfully, she has also inspired and comforted me.

STUDY: Income Inequality at an All Time High

Even higher than it was in the Great Depression. Awesome. And by "awesome", I mean WTF?!?

You can read the whole study by University of California, Berkeley Professor Emmanuel Saez HERE, should you choose. Professor Saez was kind enough to offer it in a "Summary for the Broader Public", bless his heart!

Hard Fact To Explain

If Only I'd Found This In March!

I'd ran across this article in the Journal The Democratic Strategist a few weeks ago and thought it very interesting... titled "Get Ready Democrats - Obama's opponents are getting set to 'unleash hell'", it immediately caught my attention. The author, James Vega, lays out the multi pronged approach to attacking the president he expects to see in the near future. I'd read SEVERAL articles on health care that day, and as I scanned through this one I could see glaring examples of Vega's talking points flash through my head in the images and headlines I'd recently read. In my mind, this was yet another piece on media spin and astroturf lobbyist which I book marked to go over more thoroughly later...

Finally today I go back and read the article more closely and two things immediately jumped out at me: 1. this policy referenced in the article was not health care at all, but economic policy and 2. it was written back in MARCH!!! Yikes! I would say that the names have changed but the game is the same, except the names really haven't changed either (Freedom Works)!

And speaking of Freedom Works, I saw Dick Armey on Meet the Press yesterday and that man is (pardon my french) a bitter, lying, sack of dung! He ACTUALLY started out by launching into how the townhall protester's behavior of late may not exactly be shining examples of civility but that their constant comparisons of the President to Adolf Hitler were merely the same type of hyperbolic rhetoric used by the group MoveOn.org against Bush during his administration!!! A charge that has been discredited six ways til Sunday. David Gregory let the statement go unchallenged (because he's useless) but THANKFULLY Rachel Maddow did not. Armey's obvious contempt for Maddow and her outdated use of "facts" was obvious. THEN (because I have to much time on my hands) I went a'googlin' to fact check what he had said and stumbled upon Freedom Works website - wherein a separate blogger repeats the same lie AND I find THIS galling front page story! *SIGH* But I digress... for the sake of my soul and my blood pressure, I will move on from this topic but I will NOT be a David Gregory and allow it to float along unchallenged.

So take a moment to read this wise strategists article and use it as the backdrop on which to set - not just the health care reform "debate" - but oppositions approach to Obama policy in general. And reflect on what I thought was the most chilling part in the piece:

"On the contrary, the scope of his ambition to be a solidly progressive Roosevelt-style president makes him appear as a genuine threat -- not just for committed Republicans, but to a substantial group beyond. For many, this threat is so grave that insuring the defeat of Obama’s political program now takes priority over what might be best for the economy. "

Except you replace the word "economy" with other related policies like "health care", "America", or "our environment"... Same game, different names.

Gardening As Rebellion by Eric B

Eric is a blogger whose articles can often be found at Michigan Liberal, DKos, and most recently at The Detroit Free Press. He currently has series on local food at Freep.com, and I wanted to share with you guys his piece on Gardening As Rebellion specificly. Enjoy!

This Week in Astroturfing: Rachel Connects The Dots

Have a seat...

I came across this video the other night on an astrology blog that really like to read. This short film is described as a 25-minute retrospective (that) asks us to reflect on the state of the world and ourselves, and to listen more closely to what is being asked of us at this time of unprecedented global transformation.

I will admit that at times some of the images made me uncomforable or embarrassed - but I would encourage any of you who find yourself feeling the same way to please hang in there and keep watching! Suspend judgement and the very human desire for an "outcome". As one of the contributors suggests, the challenge is to "NOT fix it, just sit with the truth of it. Just sit with the truth of it and let go of the story of America As Savior..."

For more information on the video, the organization that produced it, or to see other (shorter!) worthwhile videos from them go to GlobalOnenessProject.org.

Say It Aint So O-HI-O!

Two Ohio Police dispatchers have been caught forwarding from their places of work racist emails depicting Air Force One with an aircraft registration number that spelled out the word nigger as N166ER. Nice. I wonder if African Americans in their district feel protected or served...

You can let the Uniontown Police Department (Holli Webb's employer) know what you think with the following information:

Uniontown Police Department
Phone: 330-699-6444
Fax: 330-699-9501
E-mail: uniontownpd@neo.rr.com

After all, it says right there on their website to "If you see something that does not appear right or hear something that we might be able to stop before it takes place, PLEASE do not hesitate to call our department."

Recentering

You know how you kind of get a thought in your head, but it isn't entirely fully formed... it just kinda clunks around until you can get a good handle on it? Then maybe someone says something to you that brings you back to that thought... or you read something that reminds you that something is gnawing at you and whatever you're reading is somehow related... and then - WHAM! - it all moves sharply into focus? Follow me on a journey...

“Call it fate, call it luck, call it Karma, I believe everything happens for a reason.” — Dr. Peter Venkman

Now, my personality tends to veer toward the obsessive and the whole issue of health care is a prime (if not obvious) example. I have a core belief that becomes almost like a thesis. I dedicate much time and emotional energy into backing up that thesis with as many facts as I can fit in a coherent argument (to, admittedly, mixed results!)...I quickly become frustrated with others who present their own core belief without equal due diligence. I see myself and others with views similar to mine being mocked and belittled by these same people. I argue back by pointing to more facts that blatently contridict their argument. These facts are disregarded and again only met with more insults and generalities. My frustration grows. Next thing I know the positive energy that fostered my original core belief and inspired me to work towards it's fruition has gone 180 degrees in the opposite direction. I am walking around a virtual cloud of negativity, stooping to my own base level of mockery and stereotypes...

Then I stumble across something positive and almost dismiss it out of hand because I am so bogged down in angry...

Exhibit A:

From droogie6655321 "I believe mankind is basically good. I don't believe this because I am ignorant of reality or because my ears and eyes are willfully closed. I believe this in spite of all the evidence to the contrary -- evidence which mounts daily.

To achieve the political changes that we wish to achieve, we must change hearts and minds, to use a tired phrase. To change the hearts and minds of others, our own hearts and minds must be patient, calm and above all compassionate.

If you think me naive, consider the fact that everyone who's ever stood up and told us to get along and love one another, from Jesus to Gandhi to RFK to MLK, has wound up the victim of a violent end. Clearly, there's something in the message of compassion that ugly people with ugly hearts fear.

So while they may be ugly, we must be beautiful. We must do beautiful things. We must act beautifully to each other. We must treat the other side beautifully.

This is just another way I've found to say something I've been saying for years. I hope it has meaning for you. There is strength in compassion. It's a beautiful thing."

Somewhere in the back of my mind, a tiny *click* goes off.

But that was a stupid diary! droogie IS naive! Hasn't droogie SEEN these people? Or heard the absolute sewage they spout? Isn't droogie as INCENSED as I am over how corporations, lobbyists, and corrupt politicans are chipping away at our human rights? Stupid, naive droogie...

But the diary sticks in my craw because somewhere down deep under all my anger, I recognize it's simple truth.

Exhibit B:

blackwaterdog writes in his GBCW (Goodbye Cruel World) diary that "I've seen every president all the way back to Gerald Ford. And i never saw a more hard-working, persistent, smart, cool and full-of-good-intentions president than Barack Obama.
I look at him and i see a man taking a country in one of the most difficult times since World War II. Inheriting a perfect shit-storm.

I see him getting closer than anyone else, ever, to a health care reform. A reform that no matter how it'll look in the end, would be a huge improvement from the current situation.
I see him not being even slightly scared by the threats and the racism and the awful signs and the repulsive hate.
I see a civilized, intellectual, good hearted and so-very-stubborn president trying to do things that his predecessors just ignored for years. Things we all knew will take years to do. Obama himsef said so back in his victory speech: "We may not get there in a year, we may not get there in one term, but we will get there".

And then i come here, and it's all so depressing. It's all doom and gloom. So many bad vibes. Almost zero patience. Almost a complete amnesia about how long it took to get into this mess, and what a super-human effort it would take to get out of it. Effort, and time. Long time. More than 7 months, anyway.

So this is goodbye from me. At least for a while. I wish you all the best and i'll pray for Obama's safety every day, because i've seen first hand how tragic can be the end of a visionary and forward-looking leader, when right wing lunatics decide to eliminate him and the left leaves him all alone."

I grumble, embarassed. I stop blogging for a few days. Sure, I am busy with real life: husband, kids, work, bills, dinner, bedtime fits... Who needs the additional stress of yelling to this empty room?

Exhibit C:

A coworker I adore and respect, and who has been given access to my closely guarded e-life says to me "I think you are getting way too into the politics thing!"

I cringe. How can anyone NOT feel this same level of passion? Look, this has ALWAYS been a passion for me, I say. It's just now there is the internet... and I feel this NEED to educate... to motivate... Of course, I understant her concern isn't my for my interest in politics, it is for the obsession and potential vitriol.

But her words stick in my craw as well. (To be fair, I don't really know what a "craw" is - but for the purposes of this diary it is the place where those unformed thoughts clunk and poke.)

Finally - WHAM! - it comes to me that I am no longer fighting the good fight. I'm throwing mud too. I'm shouting, "I know you are, but what am I?" I'm having a tantrum, throwing stones from my glass house. (Not to mention, devolving into a torrent of figurative language!) I need to be beautiful. I need to do beautiful things. I must act beautifully to others and treat the other side beautifully. Or really, it would be all for nothing. There is strength in compassion. And it IS a beautiful thing.

Thanks to droogie, blackwaterdog, and (coworker's name redacted)! I am recentering.

I think maybe Bill S. Prestion, Esq. said it best:
"Be EXCELLENT to eachother."

MENTAL HEALTH BREAK:

How could anyone hate The Colonel?

Moving On...

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post...

Anyone that knows me, knows that I love me some Whole Foods. So you can only imagine my shock and disappointment when I read THIS recent editorial in the Wall Street Journal by John Mackey, founder of Whole Foods, on health care reform.

Sadly,I will no longer be shopping there. There are only a few businesses that I shop at purely out of love and not necessity and WF was my absolute favorite. My "mecca" (as I have referred to it on several occations), Whole Foods introduced me aromatherapy, homeopathic products,and medicinal extracts. *sigh*

But you know what? This is a wonderful opportunity to shop for some of those specialty items that WF has always offered under one roof at some of the smaller, LOCALLY OWNED health and holistic stores in my community. That is what I should be doing anyway! I will miss my mecca, with it's ridiculous variety of foofoo foods, personal care products, suppliments, wine, and knowledgable staff... but it's time to practice what I preach. So I am voting with my dollars and voting with my feet.

First though, I feel morally obliged to publicly refute John Mackey's suggestions on health care:

SUGGESTION:  Remove the legal obstacles that slow the creation of high-deductible health insurance plans and health savings accounts (HSAs).

What obsticles? I have access to a HSA through my employer. In fact, MOST of my friends do too! Of course, most of my friends have good high paying jobs that offer health care benefits in addition to HSAs and dependent care spending accounts... unfortunately I dont' know a single unemployed or underemployed person that has this option and even if they did, by definition, they are likely not in the position to take advantage of it!

It's worth going to the original article to hear Mackey describe his "generous" benefits to WF employees... and as I was reading it, I was thinking "big effin' deal, his employees are what? 22? With strong personal interests in healthy lifestyles? Their average health care costs are unusually low! And few of those employees make enough to afford out of pocket costs for preventative care with a $2,500 deductable!" Then, I can across this highly critical article on WF business practices that confirmed and fleshed out my speculations:

"For nearly 2 decades Whole Foods CEO and co-founder John Mackey has managed to maintain his multimillionaire status while Whole Foods employees remain in the $8 - $13 hourly wage. With a turnover rate of 25% per year and an average employee span of only 4 years, most “team members” will never reap the benefits of seniority."

Yep, that sounds about right.

SUGGESTION:  Repeal all state laws which prevent insurance companies from competing across state lines.

Now, while I TOTALLY understand why people say such laws are "anti-free market", blah, blah, blah... I will tell you that personally I think limiting insurance companies from competing nationwide has a tangible upside because it keeps all the insurance companies from identifying a single state with overly sympathetic (weak)representatives to all pile into (and to pour money into). While I know this rule can also be pointed to as the reason so many markets are essentially dominated by a monopoly, I would worry that health insurance would end up like the banking and credit card industries - with all the big companies fleeing to the state with the weakest regulation so as to maximize their profits. Yes Delaware, I'm looking at to you...

SUGGESTION: Enact tort reform to end the ruinous lawsuits that force doctors to pay insurance costs of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. These costs are passed back to us through much higher prices for health care.
I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this because it was debunked several times during the last administration, but businesses love to claim that if you just stopped holding them accountable and dipping into their profits, they will stop charging you so much. Bullshit. Tort reform has no correlation to the cost of health insurance. Quick examples can be found here and here and here.

SUGGESTION: Make costs transparent so that consumers understand what health-care treatments cost. How many people know the total cost of their last doctor’s visit and how that total breaks down? What other goods or services do we buy without knowing how much they will cost us?

What does this even mean? I know how much my last doctor visit cost! I get a statement from my insurance company about my visit AND one from my doctors office confirming what the insurance company was billed, what they paid, and what my copay was. How hard is it to open and read a bill? If I am somehow missing Mackey's point, I appologize. Maybe he is looking for a broader sort of transparency? Well, I found THIS great website that allows users to "analyze their health care spending and make smarter decisions"! Sounds perfect! Maybe Mackey just isn't good with the google...

SUGGESTION:Enact Medicare reform. We need to face up to the actuarial fact that Medicare is heading towards bankruptcy and enact reforms that create greater patient empowerment, choice and responsibility.

Um... yep... The problem with this overly simplistic "solution" is that it treats Medicare like some kind of compartmentalized program, seperate and unique from the problems in the private health care sector. To reform Medicare IS to reform health care! The same unsustainable system responsible for the impending bankrupcy of Medicare is just as responsible for the sky rocketing insurance premiums in private health care! True "patient empowerment, choice and responsibility" are impossible without a total overhaul of the health care industry as a whole.

And last, but not least, my favorite of all his suggestions:

SUGGESTION: Finally, revise tax forms to make it easier for individuals to make a voluntary, tax-deductible donation to help the millions of people who have no insurance and aren’t covered by Medicare, Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Uh huh. Really? Sure, I'll mention this to the folks I know that have paid taxes into this system for years and years and years - only to now find themselves without employer based insurance and a preexisting condition they can not afford to treat out of pocket but are also unable to qualify for affordable private plans. "Sorry about your luck but I'm sure the generous citizens of this fine country will be willing to check a box on their tax forms and throw some spare change your way..." Mackey should be embarrassed and ashamed.

As an added bonus, Mackey goes on to state:

"All countries with socialized medicine ration health care by forcing their citizens to wait in lines to receive scarce treatments."

How is this different from what is going on HERE, now? Maybe he couldn't see the line from his mansion.



And so I have found that my "mecca" was no mecca at all... I was willing to turn a blind eye to suspicious behavior in the past. I didn't realize the extent of our differences. And as is often the case, I am confronted with the reality that my mecca is ME. The practices of WholeFoods and the beliefs of it's founder are not supportive of me and I am no longer supportive of them. Peace.

If you feel the same and would like to make those feelings heard at:

World Headquarters
Whole Foods Market, Inc.
550 Bowie Street
Austin, TX 78703-4644
512.477.4455
512.477.5566 voicemail
512.482.7000 fax

Or on their newly established Health Care Forum on their website.

Hasn't It Become Obvious Enough Yet?

Simple proof that these protests have nothing to do with the protesters "having there voices heard"...

Because it's not about getting more information about the bill because there are a zillion different places they can go online for that. It's not about offering suggestions because certainly they have not contributed to a solution. It's not about reforming a broken health care system because they say ours is the "best in the world" and they just want to keep what they've got. Or even a moral opposition to a public plan, as many of these protesters openly admit to being on Medicare or receiving VA health coverage. It's not about health care at all! It's a tantrum. They want to shame, intimidate, and shock. If it were about simply having their voices heard, a meeting with representative seems to be IDEAL, but they don't want that either. They've been instructed to make a fuss (preferably on video)and an actual conversation between two individuals will not suffice. They will not be happy until they (bullying white conservative christians) are back in power. When Bush proposed the single biggest expansion of public health care since Medicare was created in 1965, AND PASSED IT with no plan on how to fund it, they were no where to be seen. Crickets. Tumbleweeds. I am sick with the hypocrisy of it all.

KNOW MORE

OpenCongress.org is working hard to provide voters with an easily accessible version of the health care bill. READ IT for yourself...

Straight From The Source: How Health Care Reform Will Benefit The Currently Insured

My New Favorite Thing!

One of the reoccurring struggles in my life is to walk that fine line between keeping my body at a healthy weight and eat/live as naturally as I can... That being said, I want to share with everyone one of my new favorite things: SPLENDA FLAVOR PACKETS! Currently I am loving the Carmel one. I keep a box in my car and a handful in my purse and diaperbag so that when I'm on the move I can enjoy a fufu drink (latte, iced coffee, cappuccino) with all the flavor and drastically less calories. "But can't you already get sugar free flavored syrups?" you ask? Well yes, but generally I find that they have a funky after taste and you are fairly limited in flavors available (i.e. vanilla and that's it). Now don't come back after me if 20 years from now we find out that Splenda causes cancer cause weirder things have happened, but right now these little packets make my days a bit brighter.

Let's Hope Nate Is Right...

Now, I love Nate Silver. And generally he is pretty dead on, which gives me the closest thing to real hope on the end of the recession that I have had yet... Obviously it's too late for Michigan, but if the nation can start to pull this thing out of the nosedive we've been in for what feels like forever (ESPECIALLY IN THESE PARTS) than all I can say is "YAY!"...

Why Unemployment (Probably) Won't Hit 10%

Shared via AddThis

Blackwater Heir Wants to Keep State Dept. Security Contract

Of course they do...



Shared via AddThis

Ten Important Points On Our Current System Of Health Care:

1.When you need life-saving care, private insurance companies only profit by denying you and letting you die. If you have paid your premiums on time all your life, you're as likely to be dropped by your private insurance company when you need life-saving care as you are to get treated. A public option gives you a lifeline.

2.Private insurance companies are spending over a million dollars a day to kill the public option by inventing phony citizen groups trying to scare the elderly about euthanasia and pro-lifers with abortion; they know the only way to kill reform is to get people of good conscience fighting each other over misinformation, while they laugh all the way to the bank. They don't think very highly of our intelligence.

3.We pay more than any other country to be 24th in life expectancy: while the average Canadian family spends less than $2000 a year on health care with no waiting periods for life-saving care, the average American family spends $16,800 a year, waiting for private insurance companies to approve life-saving treatments.

4. Fourteen thousand Americans lose their health insurance every day; over forty-six million are currently uninsured.

5. Eighteen thousand Americans DIE each year due to lack of health care: THAT'S 50 A DAY.

6. Nearly two-thirds of American personal bankruptcies are related to health care costs.

7. Businesses - particularly small businesses - cannot afford to provide health insurance for their employees under the current employer based private insurance system, and will be forced to either drop their coverage or go out of business unless a public option is passed.

8. One-sixth of all our government spending is on health care, twice as much as any other country spends out of its budget. Our nation pays $2.5 trillion for care costing $912 billion.

9. Every independent estimate says the public option will save us money, from saving 150 billion dollars (CBO) to saving 265 billion dollars (Commonwealth). The Congressional Budget Office estimates the current bill in the House would actually leave a 6 billion dollar surplus.

10. So - if you'd rather spend more taxpayer money, bankrupt businesses, AND pay $16,800 a year for your family's private insurance coverage in exchange for a policy that can be dumped the second you actually need it, then the current system is great for you. If you'd rather spend less, wait less, have less of a chance of dying, and want to remove the corporate bureaucrat from between you and your doctor, then a public option is the way to go. Right now, even if you're lucky enough not to be dropped by your provider when you need urgent medical care, your private insurance company can overrule your doctor's advice for life-saving treatment and only offer to cover something cheaper; a public option would remove that middleman and leave these decisions where they belong, between the patient and doctor.

According to the author, it's worth noting: The numbers are purposefully lowballed/rounded down in order to avoid a subsequent conversation devolving into bickering that distracts from the main points being made. In that spirit, the one big change from the earlier posting of this top ten list is the $16,800 figure being added as the average American family's health care costs, instead of a higher estimate. Lastly, the statistic about the average Canadian family paying less than $2000/yr is based on a single Canadian paying $40 a month, times 12 months ($480/yr) times a family of four ($1920/yr).Thank you to ShadowSD at Dkos for creating and sourcing this information, and for providing it in a word document for easy copying and printing. Download the word document HERE.

Take these FACTS to folks that have been repeatedly fed misinformation from FauxNews... Spread the word, spread the TRUTH!

Americans on Health Care Reform In Hard Economic Times

The Security Available Through Health Care Reform

THE SECURITY YOU GET from health insurance reform:

No Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions
Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing you coverage because of your
medical history.

No Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays
Insurance companies will have to abide by yearly caps on how much they can charge for
out-of-pocket expenses.

No Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care
Insurance companies must fully cover, without charge, regular checkups and tests that help
you prevent illness, such as mammograms or eye and foot exams for diabetics.

No Dropping of Coverage for Seriously Ill
Insurance companies will be prohibited from dropping or watering down insurance
coverage for those who become seriously ill.

No Gender Discrimination
Insurance companies will be prohibited from charging you more because of your gender.

No Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage
Insurance companies will be prevented from placing annual or lifetime caps on the coverage
you receive.

Extended Coverage for Young Adults

Children would continue to be eligible for family coverage through the age of 26.

Guaranteed Insurance Renewal
Insurance companies will be required to renew any policy as long as the policyholder pays their
premium in full. Insurance companies won’t be allowed to refuse renewal because someone
became sick.

What does health insurance reform mean to you?

ORIGINAL POST AVAILABLE HERE@WWW.WH I T E H O U S E . G O V

Mike Roger's Inadequate Position on Health Care Reform

Not sure who your representative is, but mine is Mike Rogers... here is his completely inadequate take on health care reform, per last weeks "newsletter":

There is no question that Americans want and need real health care reform. Too many American families do not have, or struggle to afford, health insurance. That is why I am working with Republicans and Democrats to produce common-sense health care reforms that will lower costs and make health care accessible to more Americans. But, as Congress works to solve this complicated problem we should follow the same oath as a doctor, "First, do no harm."

Unfortunately, the bill approved Friday night by the Energy and Commerce Committee will do harm and it also broke a crucial promise of President Obama. Under this bill, if you like your health plan, you are almost certainly not going to be able to keep it. More than 100 million Americans with health insurance through their employers will be forced onto a government plan. Over 10 million seniors could lose their high-quality Medicare Advantage plans. Over 8 million Americans with Health Savings Accounts will surely see their plans outlawed by the Federal government. The bill will even ban most private insurance plans within five years unless it is a government-approved plan.

Worse, this legislation hurts seniors by cutting more than $400 billion from critical Medicare benefits including hospitals, home health services, nursing homes and hospice. It also gives government bureaucrats the authority to come between you and your doctor. I offered common sense amendments to protect seniors and patients, but my amendments were rejected by the Democrat majority.

I hope that over the August recess the American people will have a chance to actually read what is in this bill. What they will find is an unprecedented government takeover of American health care that will do nothing to improve access to high quality, affordable care. I believe Congress should start from scratch in the fall and use American innovation and ingenuity to come up with a real solution that lowers costs for everyone and provides assistance to the truly uninsured. Personally, I wish that the Republican's would offer up an alternative if this one is so distasteful, instead of just sitting around telling everyone how bad the purposed bill is... Trust me, come 2010 what they are doing now will be seen as nothing short of inadequate!

UPDATE: Michigan's League of Woman Voters August Newsletter

MICHIGAN VOTER POWER CAMPAIGN

Voting Reforms Approved by the House of RepresentativesNo Reason Absentee Voting
The League of Women Voters has long supported allowing all voters to apply for an absentee ballot without giving a reason, to promote easy and accessible voting. Recently, the issue has gained bi-partisan support in the House and has some interest in the Senate.

On April 30th, the MI House of Representatives passed HB 4367, which allows any registered voter to request an absentee ballot. The bill enables voters to apply for and deliver the absentee ballot to their clerk in person, by mail, fax or email. Current law requires voters to check one of six reasons when applying for an absentee ballot (see box), which disqualifies most voters.

Click here to find out if your Representative voted for or against the bill.

Universal access to the absentee ballot – no reason absentee voting – is an important part of improving Michigan’s election system. Demands of everyday life can make it difficult for people to vote in person on Election Day. Workers with schedules that conflict with poll times, parents juggling work and children’s activities, caretakers unable to leave the person in their care – these are just some of the circumstances that prevent people from voting. Long voting lines also pose a problem for people who need to return to work or other responsibilities.

Sponsored by Rep. Woodrow Stanley (D-Flint), the bill passed the House on a 79-30 vote.
In a joint response, several opposing legislators stated, “Allowing no-reason absentee voting greatly increases the potential for voter fraud and undermines confidence in our election results…If we want to increase early voting, the proper way to do it is to allow voters to vote at their clerk’s office before the election, in person, where their identity can be verified.”

Who Can Vote Absentee in Michigan?

Under current law, to obtain an absentee ballot, a
registered voter must give one of the following
reasons:

• 60 years of age or older
• Physical disability that requires assistance
• Religious reasons
• Appointed to be an election precinct inspector
in another precinct
• Expect to be out of town when the polls are open
• Confined to jail awaiting arraignment or trial

Making a false statement in the absentee ballot
application is a misdemeanor offense.

Twenty-eight states allow no-reason absentee voting, including neighbors Ohio and Wisconsin, and a recent public opinion survey found that 60% of Michigan’s citizens support no excuse absentee voting. Among the supporters are Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and Michigan’s county and municipal clerk associations.

According to Macomb County Clerk Carmella Sabaugh, “Voting should be as easy as paying taxes: we allow residents to pay taxes by mail without giving a reason. Surely the same convenience could be extended to our residents when voting.”

HB 4367 awaits action in the Senate Government Operations and Reform Committee.

Voter Registration

Bills that expand options for voter registration and identity verification passed the House in June by substantial majorities. The changes would make registering and voting easier for people who temporarily live, work, or study in communities other than their hometowns.

HB 4383, approved by a 93-16 vote, allows any clerk to verify the identity of a person who registered to vote by mail, regardless of where the person resides. The clerk who verifies the identity notifies the clerk in the place of residence that the identification requirement has been satisfied. HB 4993, approved by a vote of 80-28, allows an individual to register to vote at any clerk’s office in the state. Current law requires individuals to register at the county or locality in which they live. Both bills were sent to the Senate Committee on Campaign and Election Oversight on July 15 and await action.

LWVMI Submits Comments to MI Supreme Court on Recusal Standards

The League of Women Voters of Michigan (LWVMI) and seven endorsing organizations submitted comments to the Michigan Supreme Court in July regarding proposed judicial recusal standards. Michigan is the only state in the nation that lacks rules to disqualify a justice from participating in a case due to conflict of interest, bias, or other improprieties. In March, the Court published three different proposals for disqualification standards and accepted public comment until August 1st.

Campaign Money Threatens Public Confidence in the Court
A recent survey of Michigan voters found:
• 93% believe it is important for judges to be
independent of the influence of campaign
supporters.
• 67% doubt a judge’s ability to be fair and
impartial when one of the parties spent
$50,000 to support the judge’s election.
• 77% doubt a judge’s ability to be fair and
impartial when one of the parties spent
$1,000,000 to support the judge’s election.
• 85% believe that a judge should ask another
judge to hear a case in which a party has
spent $50,000 to support the first judge’s
election.
Source: MI Campaign Finance Network

Signing onto the comments were AAUW of MI, Common Cause MI, MI Campaign Finance Network, MI Environmental Council, MI League of Conservation Voters, MI NOW, and MI State Conference NAACP.

The organizations urged the Court to provide for recusal when a case involves a significant financial supporter of a justice's election campaign. Michigan Supreme Court elections have become multi-million dollar campaigns, exemplified by the $7.5 million spent in 2008. The U.S. Supreme Court recently determined that election spending can be a source of perceived bias in judicial decision-making (Caperton v. Massey Coal Company) but left it to states to set standards for justices to step aside.

LWVMI is especially concerned that the influence of money in judicial elections is eroding public trust and confidence in the Court, threatening one of the foundations of our democracy. A recent public opinion survey by the Michigan Campaign Finance Network found that Michigan voters doubt that a judge can remain impartial in cases that involve a significant contributor (see box).

LWVMI and endorsing organizations recommended that the Court’s recusal standards address all forms of campaign spending, including funds given to third parties for television advertisements and similar election communications. More than half of the 2008 expenditures were used for television ads sponsored by special interest groups, rather than contributed directly to a judge’s campaign.

The Court will hold a public hearing on the proposed standards on September 2nd.

21st Century Voter Conference Videos Available

LWVMI’s April 24th conference on election-related issues was recorded in full by Detroit Public Television and DVDs are now available. The conference featured a speech by Chief Justice Marilyn Kelly and a panel discussion on Michigan Supreme Court elections; a panel of current and former legislators and academic experts on the impacts of term limits; a speech on innovations in state elections laws and a panel discussion on ways to make voting more convenient and accessible. Contact faircourts@lwvmi.org for copies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michigan Voter Power Campaign is a project of the League of Women Voters of Michigan.
MICHIGAN VOTER POWER CAMPAIGN
League of Women Voters of Michigan
200 Museum Drive, Suite 104
Lansing, MI 48933
517-484-5383
faircourts@lwvmi.org
www.lvwmi.org

How Health Care Reform Will Benefit YOU:

IF YOU CAN'T GET INSURANCE BECAUSE OF A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION:

The insurance companies will no longer be allowed to exclude you. You will be able to get comprehensive health care coverage that will include existing health conditions.

IF YOU CAN'T GET INSURANCE BECAUSE YOU ARE UNEMPLOYED AND CAN'T AFFORD AN INDIVIDUAL POLICY:

Health care reform will

1.Make insurance more affordable,
2.Provide subsidies for those who can't afford it, and
3.Provide an "exchange" (a selection of public and private health care plans) from which you can choose the plan that you prefer.
Bottom line: you will be able to get affordable, meaningful health care coverage even if you are unemployed.

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE THAT YOU ARE HAPPY WITH:

1.Your insurance company won't be able to drop you because you develop cancer or some other chronic illness as they can and do now;
2.You won't lose your coverage because you change jobs; and
3.The cost of your coverage will not double in the next decade as it is likely to do if we don't enact reform. So . . . your employer will have more money available to continue paying you, and possibly even give you a raise!

IF YOU ARE A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO CAN'T AFFORD HEALTH INSURANCE FOR YOUR FAMILY AND/OR FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES:

You will be able to include your business in much larger coverage pools so that you can purchase employee coverage at rates that are currently available only to large employers.

IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY AN EMPLOYEE WHO HAS HEALTH INSURANCE, BUT YOU WANT TO CHANGE JOBS, RETIRE, OR START YOUR OWN BUSINESS, BUT YOU CAN'T BECAUSE YOU WILL LOSE YOUR HEALTH COVERAGE:

You can now make your economic and career decisions on the basis of economic and career considerations, because regardless of your employment situation you will be able to acquire or maintain affordable health care coverage.

IF YOU ARE A SENIOR WHO IS COVERED BY MEDICARE:

You will maintain the broad coverage you have now, including the unfettered relationship between you and the doctor of your choosing. The main thing that will change for you is that the "donut hole" for prescriptions will be either eliminated or greatly reduced, so you will not have to spend your life savings on medications.

IF YOU ARE NOT YET ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE:

Health care reform will lower costs of medical care, thus enabling Medicare to remain solvent and be available at the time that you reach retirement age.

Health Care Debate -- Michigan Edition

I'm sorry I haven't had much time to update these last few days... Busy work day Thursday, furloughed and home with kids, and then it was the weekend... but I feel compelled to get this out there:

IMPORTANT diary for all interested and involved in the health care debate here in Michigan!

What can YOU do? Better yet, what WILL you do?

OUCH! Math!

Unconscionable Math is a great post that delves into the true number of individuals whose claims are being denied health insurers, with a break down of why .5% is an illusion.

*shameless plug for Taunter Media btw, he does a great job with economic issues and is adept at taking complicated financial information and breaking it down in digestible bits...

Erik Prince Alleged Involvement In Murdering Government Witnesses

From THIS shocking article published at The Nation today, Erik Prince is alleged to have murdered or facilitated the murder of individuals who were cooperating with federal authorities investigating Blackwater/Xe. (I would HIGHLY suggest you read up on Prince and Blackwater via the wiki links, then proceed...

Reread the top paragraph and let that sink in for a moment.

According to one of the remaining unnamed witnesses, now under government protection for fear of his safety:

Prince "views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe":


To that end, Mr. Prince intentionally deployed to Iraq certain men who shared his vision of Christian supremacy, knowing and wanting these men to take every available opportunity to murder Iraqis. Many of these men used call signs based on the Knights of the Templar, the warriors who fought the Crusades.


Mr. Prince operated his companies in a manner that encouraged and rewarded the destruction of Iraqi life. For example, Mr. Prince's executives would openly speak about going over to Iraq to "lay Hajiis out on cardboard." Going to Iraq to shoot and kill Iraqis was viewed as a sport or game. Mr. Prince's employees openly and consistently used racist and derogatory terms for Iraqis and other Arabs, such as "ragheads" or "hajiis."

Yep. Your tax dollars at work folks, funding America's Mullahs. Seperation of church and state my ass. This is publicly funded christian terrorism (lowercase "c" intended). After reading up on Prince and Blackwater (how did I survive before Wikipedia?), a few things jumped out at me:

*90% of Blackwater's revenue is from government contracts, 2/3 of which are no-bid contracts

*how much OTHER stuff Blackwater is heavily involved in (Hurrican Katrina??? Gawd forbid Bush pass up an opportunity to allow his cronies to profit from human misery...)

*the sick irony of reading that Prince serves as a board member of Christian Freedom International, a non-profit group with a mission of helping "Christians who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ", in light of above quotes about his alleged treatment of muslims

For more background, you might want to listen to THIS interview with the article's author, Jeremy Sachill, on The Diane Rehm Show about 2 years ago when he was promoting his book "Blackwater". I remember coming in half way and being so blown away that I got online and bookmarked it to listen to once they'd posted it. Great way to get up to speed on the topic while cleaning your house or doing work on your computer...

MENTAL HEALTH BREAK:

And now for something we hope you'll REALLY like...

Good Gawd, It's About Time!

DKos Diary: Umm, GOP...

... You got a second? I want to show you something:

Posted using ShareThis

Townhall Meetings, Leaked Memos, and Coincidences

THIS flyer was leaked by a volunteer with Freedom Works and got all kinds of attention on the blogosphere yesterday... Personally, I don't find anything terribly offensive or shocking about encouraging folks to be more active in their local politics. I know of several liberal action groups that are also fervently trying to rally grassroots level support at townhall meetings themselves, so the outrage is rings a tad false. What I do take offense to though is this implicit encouragement to manipulate the conversation and ridicule representatives. The whole purpose of a townhall meeting is to have a discussion and exchange information - these people are turning them into a chance to get attention (as apposed to a chance to listen to what the bill entails, ask questions, register educated question ABOUT HEALTH CARE REFORM, or make any constructive suggestions) from the media.

Now, I can not prove it - but I am willing to bet it's not a coincidence that the author of the leaked memo happens to have a penchant for video taping himself cornering his local representative and suddenly TODAY OperationEmbarassYourCongressman.com is launched. Wanna know what else seems like quite a coincedence? No videos of Republican reps on the site (they claim no one has sent them any).

UPDATE: The latest in what feels like a string of coincidences... on the OperationEmbarrass homepage they provide a link to a listing of townhall meetings and suspiciously includes the phrase "(hosted on another website I don't manage)". That site? TeaPartyPatriots.com. Guess who is a member at TeaPartyPatriots.com...

"Health Care for Dummies"

Interesting "Health Care for Dummies" article at TheHill.org detailing the intricacies of the Health Care debate.

HERE is a little something else to keep in mindwhile you are reading about how health care is "too expensive" for your government to provide.

How would you feel if YOUR child died because they could not get the medical/prescription coverage they needed? How would the dollars spent on these wars seem to you if YOUR child could be helped or saved for a few hundred dollars a year in prescription or medical interventions?

NUTTERS

You might be "a nutter" if...

*you think our president is not an American citizen despite evidence to the contrary. lots of it. seriously, tons.

*you bought a gun before the election because Obama was going to ban guns.

*you think teaching children only abstinence works.

*you don't believe global warming is real.

*you can admit global warming is real, but don't believe it has anything to do with how we humans (particularly Americans) live our lives here on the earth.

*you think it is justifiable to kill doctors willing to perform abortions.

*you are seriously and actively posting and reading on the Free Republic website. Or read WorldNetDaily. (sorry, i refuse to link to them and give them traffic)

*you believe a public health care insurance option will lead to the government euthanizing the elderly to cut costs.

*you made (had, let, whatever...) your kid pose for this picture.

SEE ALSO:
Ann Coulter
Sarah Palin
Glenn Beck
Sean Hannity
Michelle Bauchman
Orly Taitz
Pamela Pilger

AND THERE'S MORE! Just puruse the results of a google image search on "right wing extremists"... that's where I found this little gem. Charming.

America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009

Well here you go, the House has released "America's Affordable
Health Choices Act of 2009". It's just a scant 1,017 pages of insomnia relief. Or I guess insomnia-inducing, depending on your take... Regardless, it's good to have a copy of the actual bill so when some talking head starts going on and on about how page gives President Obama personal permission to kill your grandma, you can read up on exactly how he plans to do it...

Grassroots or Astroturf (oh, and a word on "nutters"...)

In the next couple months this health care debate is going to get ugly. These are big changes involving LOTS of cash, and everyone with resources and a vested interest is going to be spinning "facts" in the media... Don't take any one's words at face value until you know who they are and where they are coming from! If you hear something that sounds shocking or terrible or wonderful or unbelievable - write down the quote and source and when you get the time RESEARCH THEM!

And, if you start seeing coverage on the news about disruptions in town hall meetings or constituents demonstrating their opinions by hanging effigies of their congressional representatives... keep in mind that stories like these are just distractions. Media loves the crazies. And stories about the crazies so much easier (and more entertaining) than unraveling the tangle of special interests in health care. Or reporting on a 1,017 page bill.

Educate yourself, communicate with your representatives, be mindful of their voting record, and hold them accountable for their actions.

** Actually, I want to be sure to clarify that last point there - hold your representatives accountable at the ballot box and ABSOLUTELY NOT through violence. This is what it means to live in a democracy. This is what separates us intelligent Americans from "the nutters". The ones crying how they need to take back their country... go for it! On the 2nd Tuesday in November. See you there.

My Chart

I have been having fun reading up more atrology lately... I got a "free birth chart" today from some astrology website and have since been mulling over my results. Some of it is dead on, some of it I don't want to admit is dead on, and some of it I am unsure of... What do YOU think? Does it sound like me?


From the site:

"You will notice at certain places in the reading that contradictory information seems to be given. This is to be expected, because the personality of most people is extremely complex. For example, at times we are quite shy and at other times we are very aggressive, and so forth. You will also notice that, at certain points in the reading, certain patterns may be repeated over and over, especially in a longer more detailed report than this one. This is also to be expected. This simply means that your horoscope has an extremely strong focus on this particular pattern and that you should pay extra close attention to what is said about it. Now, on with your Report!

Name: Lisa
May 4 1975
3:52 AM Time Zone is EDT
Warren, OH

Rising Sign is in 10 Degrees Pisces
Very sensitive to your surroundings, other people's feelings become your feelings. Try to avoid negative people because your tendency to empathize with them will make you negative also. An idealist, you must believe in something beyond your normal everyday existence. A dreamer, you like to escape to a world of your own creation. As such, you are known for the vividness of your imagination and should try to share your inner visions with others. Very self-sacrificial by nature, beware of others becoming overly dependent on you or vice versa. Allow yourself to live for yourself once in a while -- you deserve it. Don't be so envious of those who are more aggressive than you -- your gentle charity and true humility are indeed wonderful gifts. on the tenth house cusp (MIDHEAVEN).

Sun is in 13 Degrees Taurus.
You are known for being patient, slow moving and careful -- you love to prolong and savor enjoyable times. You appreciate and need comfort, ease and warm surroundings. Be careful of a tendency to become placid and self-satisfied and to overeat (especially sweets). You require strenuous situations in order to grow and mature properly, even though you try to avoid them. Affectionate, even-tempered and slow to anger -- when you do become emotionally upset, you are also slow to forgive and time must pass before your calm returns. You demand real results from any situation -- abstractions are very difficult for you to comprehend. Very artistic, your hands love to mold and shape things. You portray an earthy, physical sexiness that others find quite seductive.

Moon is in 25 Degrees Aquarius.
Very freedom-oriented, you must always be able to do what you wish, no matter what. You become stubborn and recalcitrant when others try to force you into a mold. You are a true democrat -- you are not a follower, but you enjoy being with those who are like-minded. You appreciate emotional self-control -- you practice it yourself and you look for it in others. You solve problems, including emotional ones, with your brains and intellect, not your feelings. Try to be tolerant of those who have powerful and obvious emotional responses -- not everyone is as objective, cool, dispassionate and detached as you are.

Mercury is in 29 Degrees Taurus.
A slow and careful thinker, you like to present ideas visually and concretely. Abstractions are quite difficult for you to understand. For you, everything must be practical and useful in order to merit your attention. You are a perfectionist -- you enjoy being skillful enough to handle the dexterity required of fine craftsmanship. Cautious and conservative in your thinking, you are very slow to change your opinions. You are more apt to respond to an appeal to your feelings than to an appeal to logic or reason.

Venus is in 23 Degrees Gemini.
You are friendly, warm, open and tolerant toward others. You love variety in relationships, indeed you may even prefer to maintain more than one relationship at a time! Very witty and humorous, you have the ability to amuse and please others. This makes you quite popular. You love to play the field and thus find it difficult to settle down and make any deep emotional commitments. Your innate charm and vivacity makes you welcome most everywhere you go.

Mars is in 17 Degrees Pisces.
Very sensitive and vulnerable, it is difficult for you to assert yourself. At times, you feel quite tired and you will require a lot of sleep in order to maintain your health and your strength. You are at your best when you act without your ego being important. You can be very unselfish and considerate of the needs of others. You get the most satisfaction by giving to others when you expect nothing in return. Beware of a tendency to want always to work behind the scenes or to become overly deceptive by doing things behind others' backs.

Jupiter is in 11 Degrees Aries.
The way that you grow and develop is by being an uncompromising individualist. You have a great need to be yourself and to explore your latent talents and abilities. Do not be afraid to let yourself go and develop self-confidence and pride in your accomplishments. But try not to become so self-centered that you ignore the needs of others. Also, you may have to build up your self-discipline in order to focus your energies properly.

Saturn is in 14 Degrees Cancer.
The most important issue for you is emotional security. You have a deep and gnawing fear that those on whom you depend for emotional support will prove to be unreliable in the long run. When you are unloved and insecure, you distrust others and tend to feel isolated and lonely. Very cool, detached and objective, you can be counted on -- in situations that are inherently stressful or full of tension -- not to lose your self- control. That is a great and welcome gift at such times.

Uranus is in 29 Degrees Libra.
You, as well as your entire peer group, have a very free, unstable and unconventional approach to relationships and emotional commitments. You will be attracted to experiments in marriage and shared lifestyles. Personal freedom is more important to you than entangling emotional bonds. In the realm of art and aesthetics, you are attracted to the bizarre, shocking and unusual.

Neptune is in 11 Degrees Sagittarius.
You, and your entire generation, are heavily involved in investigating and idealizing foreign and exotic intellectual systems and religious philosophies. The most extreme ideals will be pursued with gusto. You will be at the forefront of humanitarian attempts to improve the lot of those who are in need of assistance. You will be comfortable with the concept of the "global village."

Pluto is in 06 Degrees Libra.
For your entire generation, this is a time of radical changes in society's attitude toward marriage and interpersonal relationships. There is a general fear and awe at the power inherent in making emotional or contractual commitments -- they will not be entered into lightly.

N. Node is in 01 Degrees Sagittarius.
You will probably have many different contacts and acquaintances throughout your life. You're quite gregarious by nature and your natural curiosity about others lets you take the lead in forming new relationships. You'll form close ties with those who have similarly idealistic ideas -- especially those who can stimulate you intellectually in your chosen field of interest. Your enthusiasm for learning new things may also cause you to do quite a bit of traveling. Because you probably will have many wide-ranging interests and concerns, you most likely will have contacts and connections in various parts of the country (or world)."

Or, if you feel the need to take it one step further...

In case you want to get even more worked up over the health care debate, buhdydharma, diarist over at DailyKos goes meta.

Screen the source...

This topic has come up in my conversations with people on political topics in the past and I think it is incredibly important in the upcoming media coverage of the "Health Care debate" to be sure to screen your source. Please feel free to use these same tactics anytime you find yourself faces with a "news story" or (gawd forbid) a PAC ad...

If a "professional in the medical field", a politician, or a pundit makes a comment regarding proposed changes to health care that seem shocking: 1) reflect on what you just heard, 2) grab paper and pen and write down the quote that struck a nerve, 3) reread the quote and scrutinize the viability of the statement in its own right, 4) get online and research the person that made the statement.

Good sites to check out a person or topic: Media Matters, FactCheck.org, and (yes) Wikipedia. Or for funzies, just google them and keep track of the type of websites that quote that individual. Or google the "think tank" or "patients rights advocate" or the "grassroots organization" they represent. You deserve the broader picture and sadly, in modern media we have been left to do our own research. Don't allow yourself to be spoonfed "facts".