Trump & Trumbull County, Ohio

On the PBS Newshour this past September 16, 2016, there was a story about Trumbull County, Ohio.  It sickened me to watch it. The title of the story was, “Can Trump Gain With Ohio Democrats on Economic Issues?” This story is part of a PBS series called “Chasing The Dream: Poverty and Opportunity in America.”

The on-screen introduction for the video reads:

Trumbull is one of Ohio’s most reliably Democratic counties. But Republican nominee Donald Trump has paid special attention to the region and voters have listened to his message about the economy. John Yang speaks with some voters who see the New York millionaire as someone who can improve prospects for working class Americans.

Here’s the video that caught my attention.

Trump’s message: “We’re going to bring jobs back to Ohio.”  That’s appealing when 1 out of 4 jobs in this region of Ohio are gone.  The enemy according to Trump: Trade deals like NAFTA have stolen their jobs. Trump is going to “fix it and fix it fast.”

What saddens me is the people placing their hopes and aspirations on Donald Trump are being conned and Trump knows he’s conning them. Trump wants their votes but he doesn’t have a plan to solve this region’s economic woes.  In other parts of the nation like West Virginia, Trump has promised he’s going to restore the coal industry to the luster of its heyday.

Coal isn’t our future. Steel plants in Trumbull County, Ohio, aren’t our future.  You can’t live life looking in your review mirror—you end up with the desperate realities people in Trumbull County are facing.

The economy and structural elements within our economy have changed and are changing.  Longing for a return to the past isn’t sufficient to generate jobs lost in Trumbull County.

What’s next that this region can support economically?  That’s the question! That should be the focus.

Hearing from Donald Trump “I alone can fix it” is disingenuous at best.  If he were to be elected president, I’m not going to hold out hope that these people’s lives will improve one iota.  And, while they believe President Obama didn’t do enough to help them, they will see a similar pattern with Donald Trump. Believe me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Partisan Supreme Court

Today, I see the following on the home page of Reuters.com:

In an event at Reuters headquarters, Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia strongly dismissed the idea that politics influences how the justices make their decisions, saying, “They vote that way because that’s who they are.”

This statement makes me incredulous. A U.S. Supreme Court justice is supposed to rule on the basis of the law as it exists, not as they wish it to be or to fit a particular political ideology.

Too often, we see matters before the court being dispatched with 5-4 decisions. This suggests that personal ideology is a strong influence over the outcome of matters before the court. Can the majority of decisions be that close? It’s why we can often predict outcomes before the evidence has been heard and the matter deliberated by the court. Do we expect more from our citizen juries that we get from the Supreme Court justices?

This is not what the framers of the U.S. constitution had in mind. The framers intended the Supreme Court be the one body in our federal government that could be impartial and look at legal issues brought before it without bias, not make the law but rule based on existing law and certainly not rule “because of who they are.”

It’s not “who they are” that should determine the outcome of matters before the court.  It’s about their oath to uphold the law and consider matters impartially or recuse themselves should they be unable to do so.

Scalia’s comment reveals why there is distrust of the court. All courts should be a politically and ideologically-free zone.  Today’s Supreme Court is not.  How sad for all of us.

It’s sad because we have to worry about who is elected U.S. president as we know that the political ideology will be imparted to the justices they nominate and those justices who don’t deliver according to that ideology will be publicly-chastised for not playing along.

Chief Justice Roberts has opened a rift with Scalia over the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare.”  Scalia feels betrayed by the Chief Justice as do other justices who believed “they could count on Chief Justice Roberts to vote down Obamacare.”

Chief Justice Roberts will likely be on the court for many years to come. I hope he tackles this issue of leaving politics and ideology at the door of the court house. He’ll be doing this nation a great favor.

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

The horror facing Native Americans today

The following blog posting is made available in its entirety due to permission granted by Tim Giago at Native Son News:

Theresa Two Bulls: a lady of distinction

By Tim Giago (Nanwica Kciji)
© Native Sun News

There are those who choose to take jobs that almost immediately make them unpopular, at least unpopular to those factions that are always on the opposing side.

Theresa “Huck” Two Bulls chose to run for the presidency of the Oglala Sioux Tribe knowing full well that it would probably be the most difficult job she has ever undertaken. Politics on the Pine Ridge Reservation can be vicious. There are no opposing political parties because Democrats or Republicans do not figure into the political spectrum. The politicians are homegrown and they come with all of the passion and ferocity that was a part of their personal trials.

Two Bulls, like all of her predecessors, inherited a tribal government deep in debt. She inherited all of the problems that have plagued Pine Ridge for 100 years. All of the problems can be measured as extreme. There is perpetual poverty, crumbling schools; a law enforcement system short on manpower and funds. She inherited a dominion where gangs one would expect to find in Chicago are now growing their form of crime and violence on her turf.

She inherited a housing problem one can only describe as disastrous. Her housing director, Paul Iron Cloud, an honest and dedicated civil servant, has struggled, pleaded and begged the Housing and Urban Development Administration to step in and provide the financial assistance needed to construct new homes and repair those that are in such bad disrepair that they would be condemned as uninhabitable in any community outside of the reservation. You will find homes in horrible condition that are housing two and even three families. The shortage of homes is a disaster.

Two Bulls inherited an administration that faces an unemployment rate that hovers at nearly 80 percent. There are more than 20,000 residents of Pine Ridge and most of the available jobs are with the tribal government, the schools, or the Bureau of Indian Affairs. There are small businesses scattered throughout the reservations nine districts, but none that employ the reservation’s residents in large numbers. The 1980 U. S. Census named Shannon County, the heart of the Pine Ridge Reservation, as the single poorest county in America.

She inherited a health care system through the Indian Health Service that barely survives each year because of inadequate funding. Thus the rampant, epidemic diseases of diabetes and heart conditions that have helped to reduce the life expectancy on the reservation the lowest in America and the equivalent of the worst Third World countries. The death of newborns and the number of stillborns are so high that at one time in 2009 as many eight per month were reported. If this was happening in any other community in America there would be a horrendous outcry.

Two Bulls is the second woman to ever serve as President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Her predecessor, Cecilia Fire Thunder, was impeached because of her pro-stance on abortion .There are those who still believe that she was impeached because she was a woman. Four months into her administration Two Bulls faced rumors of impeachment that never materialized. It is still a factor that lurks in the shadows in her political life, but she is determined not to let it color her ability to make sound decisions for the people.

When an epidemic of teen-suicides erupted on the reservation, she declared a state of emergency to address and, hopefully, solve the recurring problem. When a severe blizzard struck last week Two Bulls set emergency measures in motion in order to get propane, wood and food, to the many residents stranded in their homes far out on the reservation.

When Native American veterans of the Korean War were honored recently in Rapid City, Theresa Two Bulls was the only tribal president to show up and to walk down the row of veterans shaking their hands and placing a kiss on the cheek of all 41 veterans being honored. Many of the veterans felt privileged that she would take the time out of her busy schedule to honor them.

Two Bulls still has a tall hill to climb. The myriad of problems on Pine Ridge would appear to be insurmountable, but she chose to run for the office of the president and she won. Having served as vice president a few years ago, she knew exactly what she was getting into and said after the election, “Every day I have people come to my office because my door is always open and they are the young and the elderly and many people in the middle, and the tell me over and over that they are praying for me and it scared me at first, but now I accept it and it really helps me.”

She has said she did not win this job in order to be in a popularity contest, but instead she took the job in order to; in the best of her ability, improve the lives of the people of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and therein lays her motivation. Anyone wishing to let Two Bulls know how they feel can reach her at theresatb@oglala.org.

She deserves and needs the support of everyone.

(Tim Giago, an Oglala Lakota, is the publisher of Native Sun News. He was the founder and first president of the Native American Journalists Association, the 1985 recipient of the H. L. Mencken Award, and a Nieman Fellow at Harvard with the Class of 1991. Giago was inducted into the South Dakota Newspaper Hall of Fame in 2008. He can be reached at editor@nsweekly.com)

I agree that Theresa Two Bulls deserves everyone’s support and thanks for stepping up to take this leadership position.

In asking Tim for permission to make this available, I hope my readers would think about:

• With the billions of dollars the U.S. spends on stimulus, war, etc., I am most perplexed about why Native Americans suffer like this?
• How is it special interests thrive and the Native Americans suffer?
• Where are their elected representatives in Washington providing assistance?

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

Limbaugh released; no heart trouble found

Rush Limbaugh was released from the hospital in Hawaii today with reports that no heart trouble was found.

As with the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz, I’m not surprised…I do not believe that he has a heart.

What do you think?

Happy New Year…Democrat Dave

A different Christmas poem

Don’t forget the brave men and women who serve this nation so valiantly and with such courage.

Democrat Dave

MoveOn.org, Lieberman and Health Care Reform

This ad sums up Lieberman pretty well.

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

Critical Insights about Obama Presidency

Please read the following post from Dr. Alan Weiss, the world’s preeminent independent management consultant, about the Obama presidency:

http://www.contrarianconsulting.com/my-report-to-the-president/

Wonderful advice that President Obama would be well advised to apply.

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

Grave concerns about Cap and Tax treaty

I am in favor of engaging in practices that protect our environment. I urge great caution signing a treaty that undermines the U.S. Constitution and our ability to be agile in the world economy.

I’ve been pretty distracted with many other important issues as of late and have not kept up with this particular issue. Many Americans are equally distracted and lack insight into this proposed treaty.

Today, I received a message from a good friend asking me to look at this 4-minute long YouTube video:

The Obama Administration needs to be very careful about “doing the right thing for America” with respect to this opportunity. If it does not meet our needs and/or undermines the US in any way, we should reject this treaty unless it is appropriately modified.

A huge signing party is apparently planned for next month in Copenhagen. The US need not get caught up in the moment. If it isn’t right, don’t bind us to it. As it stands right now, it should not be ratified by the U.S.

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

70% Say Sarah Palin Not Qualified

Seventy percent of “those polled” say Sarah Palin is not qualified to be President of the United States.

What’s wrong with thirty percent? Should the figure not be 100%?

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

GOP Health Reform Plan Revealed

This sums it up real well! What do you think?

Democrat Dave

Speaker Pelosi: Focus on our business, not Joe Wilson

Speaker Pelosi: Drop the issue with Rep. Joe Wilson. There is nothing to be gained from pursuing apologies, censure, reprimand, etc. A year from now, Rep. Joe Wilson will be in the fight of his life to keep his job in the House. That is sufficient.

While decorum may be important to you and the other 434 House members, at the end of the day, the American people really don’t care. It is more important that you demonstrate leadership for our business and forget about Rep. Wilson’s reprehensible behavior.

There is a lot to be gained from focusing on the People’s business; our business. Please focus the House and don’t let unnecessary distractions divert attention from where it needs to be.

Democrat Dave

To the Cheney’s: please go away

I’m not looking for your opinions on terrorism, the actions of certain CIA operatives during the Bush Administration, or anything else.

I, along with half the American population and 80% of the world’s population, endured 8 years of your crap.

I don’t want to hear or read about any one with the last name of Cheney in the news.

We know your positions. Please go away and stay away. Thanks!

Enough!

Democrat Dave

R.I.P. Senator Kennedy

What a horribly sad day for me and for America.  Today, we lost one of our great Americans:  Senator Ted Kennedy.

I knew his health situation had to be very bad when he missed his sister Eunice’s funeral quite recently.  I had no idea his death was so imminent. I gasped out loud when I heard the news about Ted Kennedy’s passing this morning. Stunning news for me.

I’m a huge fan of Ted Kennedy. While some will remember him for a few flaws, I will remember him for the giant he was in the Senate and for America over the course of nearly 50 years of public service. 

America would be benefiting right now from his calm, cool, collaborative style to negotiate the health care reform under discussion right now.

It has been said that there isn’t a single piece of major legislation passed in the last 40 years that doesn’t have his finger prints all over it.  That’s impact.  He knew how to reach across the aisle to get things done, something today’s politicians seem to have never learned.

I lived in Massachusetts for 3 years and had the pleasure of voting to send him back to the US Senate.  He won with 75-85% of the vote as I remember it.  The GOP wouldn’t even run a viable candidate against him.

Here’s a story about Ted Kennedy you probably won’t hear about during all the tributes:

While I lived in Massachusetts, there was a nursing strike that went on for a number of weeks. Nurses and families were very concerned about the lack of continuity of care for the terminally-ill patients. When the situation appeared to be at its greatest point of impasse, Senator Kennedy intervened to bring the parties together to resolve the issue in just a few days. Why did a U.S. Senator intervene? Because people were hurting and he thought he could help. While I remember great adulation at the issue being resolved, I don’t remember Ted Kennedy going before the media to get his much-deserved praise.

Shortly before Ted Kennedy’s death, he wrote the following words for Newsweek in a piece called “The Cause of My Life:”

This is the cause of my life. It is a key reason that I defied my illness last summer to speak at the Democratic convention in Denver–to support Barack Obama, but also to make sure, as I said, “that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American…will have decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not just a privilege.” For four decades I have carried this cause–from the floor of the United States Senate to every part of this country. It has never been merely a question of policy; it goes to the heart of my belief in a just society. Now the issue has more meaning for me–and more urgency–than ever before. But it’s always been deeply personal, because the importance of health care has been a recurrent lesson throughout most of my 77 years.

I’d rather celebrate Senator Kennedy’s life than mourn his passing. Thank you, Senator Kennedy, for your contribution to America. May you rest in peace knowing the profound contribution you’ve made.

Democrat Dave

Boehner to Drug Makers: Stop Appeasing Obama

The GOP House Minority Leader is telling a former GOP house member, Billy Tauzin, a lobbyist for big pharma, to quit negotiating with Barack Obama as Barack attempts to lower America’s health care costs.

It seems the President is playing the GOP’s sand box.  Oh, my.

If you want to understand the party of FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) and the status quo, the GOP, read the following post available at Huffington Post.

Make sure you take your blood pressure medicine first.

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

Death Panels and Health Care Reform

The GOP, the party of FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) and the status quo,  is doing everything it can to undermine health care reform.  The GOP considers that any health care reform that passes will be a defeat for the party rather than a win for America.

The GOP knows that by employing FUD they have a formula to maintain the status quo and give themselves a shot at being relevant again.  The GOP has announced that any health care legislation passed would undermine their stated mission of retaking Congress and the White House.

The GOP is serious when they say they want President Obama (and, by inference, the United States) to fail so the GOP will look more appealing in the 2010 and 2012 elections.  The GOP believes that if everyone has access to health care, the GOP will become an even more irrelevant, inconsequential minority party and remain there for years to come. 

Public Option

This morning I learned why the “public option” is so intimidating to the GOP:  if there was a public health care insurance option that is cheaper than what is presently available, businesses might migrate to the less expensive plans leaving the current insurance industry in shambles. But, isn’t it also a possibility that a more level playing field would be created for consumers resulting in lower prices across the board?

What is the insurance industry’s incentive to be more competitive today?  There really isn’t one.  Competition is certainly an incentive.

• A colleague of mine in Maine (who is in the insurance field as an independent consultant) stated that not too many years ago, there were 40 health insurance companies competing there.  Now, there are 3.  And, what’s happened to insurance costs?  They consistently exceed the rate of inflation.

• My health insurance went up 18% this year.  Explanation?  None.  Value-add to me?  None.

• I just spoke with a business owner in Massachusetts who said her business health insurance is going up 30% this year.  No change in coverage, risk, number of employees, etc.  The bill is simply going up 30%.

So, the really big concern about a “public option” isn’t so much the “public option” as it is a concern that the present health insurers won’t be able to compete with the public option.  Isn’t that interesting!  Just who do our Congressional representatives work for?  Their constituents or insurance companies who held them fund their reelection campaigns?

And, the GOP says we don’t have a problem?  Where are their facts that counter what I’ve just stated above?  Oh, they don’t need facts–they just need FUD and status quo.

Death Panels

The notion of death panels was invented by a woman who is a paid advocate for the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries to scare the heck out of people–FUD.  She’s done her job–earned her fee.  Her lies have fueled vast quantities of FUD.

It is clear a lot of people aren’t thinking–they are just reacting. The GOP loves to go after the more gullible in our midst–that is who the “death panel” message was intended for.  Apparently, the most gullible in our midst include Sarah Palin and her supporters as they jumped on the “death panel” bandwagon like a moth to a bug light.  Yes, Sarah, it would be appalling to think that your parents and Trig might be put to death by President Obama’s “Death Panels.”  And, that’s why such a plan has never been raised except in the minds of those who love to create FUD.

Does the GOP think that Death Panels would be more like “America’s Got Talent” where an individual in need of health care would get up on stage,  a panel would hear an individual’s case and render a decision about whether they get health care or not–a thumbs up or thumbs down verdict right then and there?  Or, does the GOP think it would work more like American Idol where actual viewers would get to decide overnight and we’d get a decision the very next evening?

Are people really stupid enough to think that the greatest nation on earth would indulge in such reprehensible bull crap as death panels?  Seriously?  Wake up!!

America’s Health Care System

The US health care system is ranked #19 in the world.  It’s not #1 in the world as some politicians would have you believe. So, the next time you hear that we have the best there is, know that it’s not true and not even close.  It’s got systemic problems that need to be fixed.

The US cannot continue to live with the status quo.  If you need to understand why we need to fix it, read Barack Obama’s Op-Ed piece in the New York Times published 16AUG09.

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

Top 5 health care reform lies

Courtesy of MoveOn.org:

The health care fight has turned ugly, fast. Right-wing mobs are crashing congressional town halls,¹ lies are spreading via anonymous email chains,² and Sarah Palin bizarrely said that President Obama was going to set up a “death panel,” whatever that is.³

Many of these claims are just incredible—but if we don’t fight back with the truth, the right will continue to poison the health care debate. So as part of our Real Voices for Change campaign this August, we’re working to set the record straight.

Check out the list below: “Top Five Health Care Lies—and How to Fight Back.” Can you spread the word by passing this email along to 10 of your friends today?

Also, if you’re on Facebook, please post the list today by clicking here: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51746. If you’re on Twitter, retweet: @MoveOn Check out the Top 5 Health Care Lies—and How to Fight Back. http://bit.ly/Bncs5

Top Five Health Care Reform Lies—and How to Fight Back

Lie #1: President Obama wants to euthanize your grandma!!!

The truth: These accusations—of “death panels” and forced euthanasia—are, of course, flatly untrue. As an article from the Associated Press puts it: “No ‘death panel’ in health care bill.”⁴ What’s the real deal? Reform legislation includes a provision, supported by the AARP, to offer senior citizens access to a professional medical counselor who will provide them with information on preparing a living will and other issues facing older Americans.⁵

Lie #2: Democrats are going to outlaw private insurance and force you into a government plan!!!

The truth: With reform, choices will increase, not decrease. Obama’s reform plans will create a health insurance exchange, a one-stop shopping marketplace for affordable, high-quality insurance options.⁶ Included in the exchange is the public health insurance option—a nationwide plan with a broad network of providers—that will operate alongside private insurance companies, injecting competition into the market to drive quality up and costs down.⁷

If you’re happy with your coverage and doctors, you can keep them.⁸ But the new public plan will expand choices to millions of businesses or individuals who choose to opt into it, including many who simply can’t afford health care now.

Lie #3: President Obama wants to implement Soviet-style rationing!!!

The truth: Health care reform will expand access to high-quality health insurance, and give individuals, families, and businesses more choices for coverage. Right now, big corporations decide whether to give you coverage, what doctors you get to see, and whether a particular procedure or medicine is covered—that is rationed care. And a big part of reform is to stop that.

Health care reform will do away with some of the most nefarious aspects of this rationing: discrimination for pre-existing conditions, insurers that cancel coverage when you get sick, gender discrimination, and lifetime and yearly limits on coverage.⁹ And outside of that, as noted above, reform will increase insurance options, not force anyone into a rationed situation. 

Lie #4: Obama is secretly plotting to cut senior citizens’ Medicare benefits!!!

The truth: Health care reform plans will not reduce Medicare benefits.¹⁰ Reform includes savings from Medicare that are unrelated to patient care—in fact, the savings comes from cutting billions of dollars in overpayments to insurance companies and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse.¹¹

Lie #5: Obama’s health care plan will bankrupt America!!!

The truth: We need health care reform now in order to prevent bankruptcy—to control spiraling costs that affect individuals, families, small businesses, and the American economy.

Right now, we spend more than $2 trillion dollars a year on health care.¹² The average family premium is projected to rise to over $22,000 in the next decade¹³—and each year, nearly a million people face bankruptcy because of medical expenses.¹⁴ Reform, with an affordable, high-quality public option that can spur competition, is necessary to bring down skyrocketing costs. Also, President Obama’s reform plans would be fully paid for over 10 years and not add a penny to the deficit.¹⁵

We’re closer to real health care reform than we’ve ever been—and the next few weeks will decide whether it happens. We need to make sure the truth about health care reform is spread far and wide to combat right wing lies.

Can you forward this email to your friends today? And remember, also post it on Facebook by clicking here: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51746. And on Twitter, by retweeting: @MoveOn Check out the Top 5 Health Care Lies—and How to Fight Back. http://bit.ly/Bncs5

Thanks for all you do.

–Nita, Kat, Ilya, Michael and the rest of the team

P.S. Want more? Check out this great new White House “Reality Check” website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/ or this excellent piece from Health Care for America Now on some of the most outrageous lies: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51729&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=1

Sources:

1. “More ‘Town Halls Gone Wild’: Angry Far Right Protesters Disrupt Events With ‘Incomprehensible’ Yelling,” Think Progress, August 4, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51733&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=2

2. “Fight the smears,” Health Care for America NOW, accessed August 10, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51729&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=3

3. “Palin Paints Picture of ‘Obama Death Panel’ Giving Thumbs Down to Trig,” ABC News, August 7, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51728&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=4

4. “No ‘death panel’ in health care bill,” The Associated Press, August 10, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51747&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=5

5. “Stop Distorting the Truth about End of Life Care,” The Huffington Post, July 24, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51730&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=6

6. “Reality Check FAQs,” WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 11, 2009.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#i1

7. “Why We Need a Public Health-Care Plan,” The Wall Street Journal, June 24, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51737&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=7

8. “Obama: ‘If You Like Your Doctor, You Can Keep Your Doctor,'” The Wall Street Journal, 15, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51736&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=8

9. “Reality Check FAQs,” WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 10, 2009.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#r1

10. “Obama: No reduced Medicare benefits in health care reform,” CNN, July 28, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51748&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=9

11. “Reality Check FAQs,” WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 10, 2009.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#s1

12. “Reality Check FAQs,” WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 10, 2009.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#c1

13. “Premiums Run Amok,” Center for American Progress, July 24, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51667&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=10

14. “Medical bills prompt more than 60 percent of U.S. bankruptcies,” CNN, June 5, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51735&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=11

15. “Reality Check FAQs,” WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 10, 2009.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#c1

Sources for the Five Lies:

#1: “A euthanasia mandate,” The Washington Times, July 29, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51732&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=12

#2: “It’s Not An Option,” Investor’s Business Daily, July 15, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51743&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=13

#3: “Rationing Health Care,” The Washington Times, April 21, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51742&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=14

#4: “60 Plus Ad Is Chock Full Of Misinformation,” Media Matters for America, August 8, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51734&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=15

#5: “Obama’s ‘Public’ Health Plan Will Bankrupt the Nation,” The National Review, May 13, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51744&id=16778-7179639-h3aVIex&t=16

Want to support our work? We’re entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

Bill Clinton’s North Korea victory

I don’t know how Bill Clinton was able to negotiate the release of 2 American journalists who were captured, tried, convicted and sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for crimes against the government of North Korea, but I am so very glad his mission succeeded.

I’m delighted for the families of Laura Ling and Euna Lee that they are now safely winging their way to Los Angeles to be reunited with their families.

I must tell you–few Americans can imagine the horror and likely death sentence they were facing in prison.   How do I know this?  I did some research here at this URL to better understand what they might be facing.

I literally lost a few nights sleep thinking about the absolute horror inflicted on the human beings imprisoned in these camps.  The odds of surviving for 12 years would be quite slim.  If you want to learn more, click the link above.

My understanding is that Laura and Euna never actually got to the actual prison where they were sentenced to go–they were held under house arrest.

I’m grateful that this has ended this way.

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

Birther movement can stand down

There are still a couple of people who question whether or not Barack Obama meets the citizenship requirements necessary to be President of the United States of America.

He does meet the requirements.  Check out this video clip (double-click the word “video”).

Is John Stewart the only reliable source for journalistic investigation?

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

Screw the GOP on universal health care

The Republican party as the party of  “no” (as in “no ideas,” “no solutions other than the status quo”)  is doing everything they can to undermine universal health care.   You can sense the fear in them that the status quo they created is about to be history.

These buffoons led by Michael Steele and Rush Limbaugh really don’t care about America–they care about power and doing everything they can to undermine Barack Obama to give the GOP a chance to win in 2012.  It’s not going to work.  The American people are smarter than that.

We have all the frickin’ money to pay for wars that the last Republican administration got us into to yet we can’t take care of  ourselves with respect to health care?  I think not.

This isn’t an issue of money; it’s an issue of priorities.

The GOP has the wrong priorities for America.

The GOP doesn’t want government involvement in health care as they don’t want government making decisions for Americans yet they forget that, for those who are fortunate enough the have health insurance, insurance companies make decisions ever day with no oversight from anyone.  Who do you think is benefiting from that?

The World Health Organization has US Quality at 37th and ON PAR with CUBA and Slovenia and below Chile and Costa Rica !

Rank Country

1 France
2 Italy
3 San Marino
4 Andorra
5 Malta
6 Singapore
7 Spain
8 Oman
9 Austria
10 Japan
11 Norway
12 Portugal
13 Monaco
14 Greece
15 Iceland
16 Luxembourg
17 Netherlands
18 United Kingdom
19 Ireland
20 Switzerland
21 Belgium
22 Colombia
23 Sweden
24 Cyprus
25 Germany
26 Saudi Arabia
27 United Arab Emirates
28 Israel
29 Morocco
30 Canada
31 Finland
32 Australia
33 Chile
34 Denmark
35 Dominica
36 Costa Rica
37 United States of America
38 Slovenia
39 Cuba

The GOP needs to take a sabbatical and quit blocking and tackling merely in the hope that they will look more attractive in the next election cycle.

The GOP continues to be the party of FUD: fear, uncertainty and doubt.  They aren’t the party of ideas–they just want to throw stones at anyone and everything that doesn’t think like they do.  They think that “doing the right thing” such as providing health care for our citizen is “socialism.” As far as I’m concerned, they are guilty of ignoramus-ism and buffoonery.

It’s important to remember that only about 21% of Americans identify themselves as Republicans.  Let’s not let that small minority undermine something this important to American.

I urge the Democrats to fashion the best program they can and vote it in.  Don’t wait for the GOP to get on board.

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

Sarah Palin not leaving politics

The Associated Press is reporting today that Sarah Palin is not leaving politics. Now, I can truly say my prayer has been answered.

I can’t begin to tell you how happy this news makes me.  Ever since the ambiguities in her stunning July 3rd announcement, I’ve felt a lot of trepidation that she might be leaving politics all together.

Thankfully, we’ve learned today, that that is not the case.

Let’s do some quick math to really understand the impact of this news.  70% of Republicans like Sarah.  Impressive.

However, only 21% of the US population today identifies themselves as a Republican.  So, that means Sarah has the support of a little less than 15% of the US population.

Hmmm.  She’s going to need to pick up a few votes from Democrats to pull this off.   But, with her charm, charisma, eloquence and interviewing skills, it should be a piece of cake.  She’s magnetic.  All she needs to do is avoid contact with that mean ol’ main stream media, and, everything should be just fine.

Sarah’s staying in politics is great news for the US taxpayers as well. The comedy industry won’t be in need of stimulus package for the foreseeable future.

The contrast Sarah provides against the Democrats is dramatic!  Sarah Palin in 2012!!

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

Ahmadinejad Likens Obama to Bush

Right.  I have to laugh at the utter foolishness of this sentiment.

It shows what an out of control mad man Ahmadinejad really is.

After Barack Obama’s speech in the Middle East, just about every Islamic group understands that there is a significant difference between Bush and Obama.  Even Hammas is saying that the situation is different now.

In order for people like Ahmadinejad to survive, he needs to create the image of the “evil empire” (that would be the USA) being anti-Iran and anti-Islamic.

This metaphor isn’t going to work.  People are smarter than that.

It’s time for the will of the people to be heard in Iran.  It’s time for the people to thank the clerics for what they do, but, to separate church and state.

Is this a pro-Iranian position?  Yes.  Yet, I’d bet Ahmadinejad would suggest otherwise.  He’d probably accuse me of being like George Bush.  Sure.

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

Welcome home, Senator Specter

I’ve always admired the integrity and courage of Senator Arlen Specter…today my admiration for him has never been higher.

It is rare that a politician changes parties.  I changed parties.  I used to be a staunch Republican.  But, no more.

I’m a proud Democrat and I welcome Arlen Specter to our party.  He, too, has finally seen the light.

The Republican party is on the wrong side of issues and Republicans can continue to ignore that fact to their own peril.  They have become the party of “no ideas” and are catering to a smaller and smaller base.

As long as the Republicans associate themselves with Rush Limbaugh, Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, Sean Hannity, Sarah Palin, et. al., their fortunes will erode further.  Senator Specter gets it!  John McCain’s daughter, Meghan, gets it!

I’m sure many Republicans will be at the bar tonight hanging their heads thinking, “Arlen Specter never was one of us.”   Sure.

Welcome home, Senator Specter–welcome home.

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

The Limbaugh culture & the true cost of Iraq war

I was out of town for a consulting conference this past week and got into a direct and terse conversation with a McCain-Palin voter.  She seemed only able to spit out Limbaugh/Fox News/GOP talking points about the contributions Bush and Cheney made during their time in office.  This story would be laughable if it weren’t true.

This woman lives in Virginia, not too far from Washington D.C., is in her 60’s, and continues to be fearful about the events surrounding 9/11.   She believes that:

• Whatever Bush/Cheney did, it was warranted because we’ve not suffered an attack on U.S. soil since 9/11
• She doesn’t think that Bush/Cheney should be charged with war crimes
• She stated “the only reason Barack Obama was elected was because he was black”
• That Barack Obama has to be corrupt because he comes from Chicago
• That we were fully justified going into Iraq
• That Presidents no longer need a Declaration of War from Congress–that has become passe’
• She blamed Bush’s  and the McCain-Palin ticket’s problems on the “main stream media”

I’d had enough.  As my wife says, you don’t want to get in my cross-hairs on issues I feel strongly about.  While it is uncommon to have such a  discussion in the midst of 10 colleagues, I had to confront her on what I feel is complete B.S.  And, I’m not sorry I did.

You see, one of the women in our group was a Captain in the Army who supported the medical mission in Iraq.  She and her husband both served in Iraq concurrently.  It just so happened this woman’s mother was in our group as well.

I oppose putting any American soldiers in harms way:

• Under false pretenses (WMD)
• To support nation building
• To support a police action
• For anything less than full-on military battle to win a stated objective

To commit as much money, resources, dead and wounded Americans as a result of an undeclared war is not only unconstitutional but wrong.

This woman seemed disinterested in hearing that (while we focus on the over 4,000 service men and women who have lost their lives in this conflict) about 30,000 have suffered injuries, some so catastrophic that their lives are changed forever.  My sense is that she felt entitled to this benefit because it made her feel safer.

The Captain’s mother told us she had been to San Antonio to visit the troops in a rehabilitation center treating some of the most traumatic injuries.  She said she went up to one person who was disfigured beyond belief including missing limbs, looked at him and said, “Thank you for your service.”  His reply:  “Thank you for looking me in the eyes.”   We knew what she meant–his injuries were so horrific that most could not even look at him.  Oh, my God.  What have we done and for what?

I pointed out that America’s standing in the world increased immensely the day Barack Obama was elected.  My colleague asked how our standing in the world had changed merely because of the election?  She did not seem to understand that Bush/Cheney had diminished our standing in the world. How can anyone be so disconnected from reality?

She didn’t know that back when Bush was re-elected, 80% of the world’s population had wanted Bush to not be re-elected.  She didn’t seem to understand that, even with an outstanding individual such as Colin Powell as Secretary of State, the U.S. forgot how to use diplomacy to explore solutions.

This woman believes that torture is okay as long as it keeps us safe.  How naive!

This woman is in that 30% minority of Americans whose thoughts bewilder me beyond belief.

The key insight I got from this is that it is her personal fear that drives these beliefs.  How sad for us all.

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

Palin’s sexiness hurt her vote getting

From the L.A. Times blog “Top of the Ticket” comes the following:

“Newly released academic research suggests that Sarah Palin’s sexiness, while great for selling copies of Vogue magazine and political buttons about the hottest governor from the coldest state last fall, may actually have hurt her vote-getting ability, which seems to be what elections are about.”

Really?  I’d attribute her vote getting problems to her inability to put together coherent thoughts as evidenced by her media interviews.

Of course, Sarah blames the MSM for all her problems.  But, that’s a pretty consistent GOP trait as of late.   It’s a lot easier to blame “the evil MSM” than admit that America wanted someone with more than a fifth grade problem-solving level running the U.S.A.

I’m so grateful John McCain and Sarah Palin didn’t fool the American people. After 8 long years, we got one election right!

What do you think?

Democrat Dave

GOP Governors want stimulus funds

How interesting the “party of principle” can’t seem to get on the same page.

The GOP governors largely want the stimulus funds while Congressional House GOP members have rejected it unanimously.

What is Rush Limbaugh going to say now?  Are you as confused as the Republican party is?

Democrat Dave