Remember the Harry and Louise ads the drug companies financed during the last health care reform debate:
The health system is so unstable that even the drug industry and the insurance companies are worried that it will crash on top of them.
The insurance companies and the drug companies that paid for the ads know that Louise's employer has probably restricted her health coverage or dropped her altogether. And who knows if Harry still has a job? Chris Jennings, who was a senior adviser on health issues in the Clinton administration, says that all participants in the health care system see a vicious cycle at work unless government intervenes. It involves "more and more uninsured, which means more and more premium increases, which means more uninsured, which means more premium increases."
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/06/08/harry_and_louise_need_health_reform_96888.html
He was awesome and they loved him.
Michelle was great too. Her speech at the girls school bought me to tears.
Awesome!!!!
I can only hope!!!!
Watch:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/09/obama-on-investigating-bu_n_165455.html
He has a 'bottom line' with the stimulus bill and is willing to reach across the aisle on different parts of the bill as long as the Bill creates 4 million jobs.
Obama has not disappointed me at all. I haven't been 100% behind everything he has done, but I never did support every single postion he held. That's politics. Choose your battles wisely.
I was able to catch some of the Q and A today from the Town Hall meeting.
I have to admit...this was exactly what I expected from Obama. He has the where with all to tell us the truth of exactly where we are how bad it can get. No rose colored glasses...he said ho hard it will be. One of the questons asked of him was the problems he has had with a few of his cabinet appointments. He didn't pass the buck, he said he made a mistake.
What really intrigued me about this Town Hall was his mentioning other packages that were coming.
Stay Tuned.
A very proud Obama supporter.
Had to post this....now we really nkow the GOP is out of ideas, since they are turning to Joe the Plumber for help:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/04/BADA15NE2M.DTL
Obama is heading for the road for townhall meetings to sell the stimulus package to the American people. In addition there were thosands of House Meetings this past weekend.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/07/AR2009020701892.html
Take it to the people, get it passed!
The lack of government oversight is EXACTLY what got us into this mess. We have collapased with these failed policies. The free for all that the GOP has supported has made the margin between the very rich and the majority the largest gap in history.
Enough! The GOP has to be stopped from continuing the failed policy that only looked out for the 'haves' nd left the 'have nots' to fen for themselves.
Talk to people, call your elected offcals, write letters to the editor insupport of the stimulus bill.
"
By Krishna Guha in Washington
Published: January 30 2009 23:31 | Last updated: January 31 2009 00:19
The Obama administration is gearing up for a “big bang” announcement within the next two weeks that will combine a bank clean-up with measures to reduce home foreclosures and probably steps to kick-start credit markets.
The plan will involve an overhaul of the troubled asset relief programme – the $700bn bail-out fund – including strict curbs on compensation at banks receiving public aid. The Tarp overhaul is intended to restore public confidence in what is a deeply unpopular programme and ensure that taxpayer money is not used to fund excessive pay, bonuses and dividends to shareholders."
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/15f37800-ef05-11dd-bbb5-0000779fd2ac.html
Think this might work? It's getting pretty scary out there.
House Republicans dogmatically refused to vote for any stimulus program that permitted states to fund contraception for Medicaid eligible citizens and those living off incomes just above the poverty level. This policy will lead to more unplanned pregnancies (with the associated abortions) and will block billions of dollars in savings.
To understand how this works, it is helpful to look at California's experience with a state-funded contraception and family planning initiative for women with incomes between 100% and 200% of the poverty level:
Four years after implementing the program, California saved an estimated $500 million in public health care spending, net of what they spent on the program itself. In fact, for every dollar invested in the program, the state of California saved an estimated $5.33, over a period of five years. These are conservative estimates that do not include money saved through increased productivity and cost savings from reductions in paid medical leave and sick days that result from unplanned pregnancies. Few other public spending plans can boast such a positive return on investment.
While I respect the opinions of those who oppose abortion, I do not understand why those same leaders would oppose policies proven to reduce abortions. Modest estimates put the number of undesired pregnancies averted in California at over 108,000 with over 41,000 abortions prevented within the first 4 years after expanding access to contraceptive options. Over a quarter of those pregnancies would have been in adolescents under the age of 20, accounting for over 11,000 prevented abortions.
A proven path to fewer abortions and marked reductions in federal spending, what is a conservative not to like? Perhaps it is the mistaken belief that the availability of contraceptive access will increase premarital sexual activity. This belief simply fails to stand up to the evidence. In 2002, the Department of Health and Human Services (under Republican Secretary Tommy Thompson), released a report documenting an increase in contraceptive use with a decrease in sexual activity between 1995 and 2002. Supplying contraceptives and educating adolescents about sex during the late 1990s did not increase their likelihood to engage in sexual activities; it did keep them from getting pregnant. Even supplying emergency contraception to adolescents, prior to sexual activity, has been proven not to affect sexual behaviors.
Following conversations with republican leaders, President Obama requested that the contraceptive waiver, which would allow states to fund such programs through Medicaid, be removed from the stimulus package. While I appreciate the President's attempt to find a bipartisan compromise and show goodwill, only evidence-based health policies should be supported. Access to contraception is proven to decrease unintended pregnancies, abortions, and reduce overall health expenditures."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-pete-klatsky/why-contraception-saves-m_b_162520.html
This was too good not to post. Today not one Republican voted for the stimulus bill. Well...they have a majority of obstructionsist.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
On anther note, The GOP has their winter meeting this wekend to vote for their chairman. Guess who's the leader? Same old Bush crony that was the leader of the big losses in the past 2 elections. The same party leader that came out with the 'negro' add. That would be Mike Duncan.
Some things never change and I guess a Republican must have thick elephant skin. They just keep taking beatings and coming back for more.
The Obama's are bringing their chef, Sam Kass with them to work alongside the cheff Bush had.
"
A spokeswoman for Michelle Obama, Katie McCormick Lelyveld, said Mr. Kass will not be the only cook preparing the family's meals, but "he knows what they like and he happens to have a particular interest in healthy food and local food." He will work alongside the White House executive chef, Cristeta Comerford, who was promoted to that job by the Bushes and is being kept on in that role by the Obamas.Mr. Kass's appointment signals changes at the White House that should please chefs like Alice Waters, who have lobbied the Obamas to set an example for the rest of the country by emphasizing food that is healthy, local and sustainable. It further suggests that a vegetable garden on the White House grounds, another of Ms. Waters' dreams, could be on the horizon."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/28/sam-kass-will-accompany-t_n_161664.html
I am sooo for setting an example to eat local, green and sustainable food!
Not one Republican vote.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/28/obama-im-confident-stimul_n_161654.html
Is the bill perfect? Most likely not. But it will stimulate the economy.
Cross your fingers, toes and anything else that you can cross. And pray.
I am copying and pasting this because you need to register to read the Times online.
"By SAM DILLON
Published: January 27, 2009 WASHINGTON —
The economic stimulus plan that Congress has scheduled for a vote on Wednesday would shower the nation’s school districts, child care centers and university campuses with $150 billion in new federal spending, a vast two-year investment that would more than double the Department of Education’s current budget.
The proposed emergency expenditures on nearly every realm of education, including school renovation, special education, Head Start and grants to needy college students, would amount to the largest increase in federal aid since Washington began to spend significantly on education after World War II.
Critics and supporters alike said that by its sheer scope, the measure could profoundly change the federal government’s role in education, which has traditionally been the responsibility of state and local government.
Responding in part to a plea from Democratic governors earlier this month, Congress allocated $79 billion to help states facing large fiscal shortfalls maintain government services, and especially to avoid cuts to education programs, from pre-kindergarten through higher education.
Obama administration officials, teachers unions and associations representing school boards, colleges and other institutions in American education said the aid would bring crucial financial relief to the nation’s 15,000 school districts and to thousands of campuses otherwise threatened with severe cutbacks.
“This is going to avert literally hundreds of thousands of teacher layoffs,” Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Tuesday.
Read More »A few days I ago I posted that I had thought NY Governor Patterson was the big loser in the apppointment of Hillary's Senate Seat. I made this statement because I thought the process was drawn out and ended in mudslinging. Sadly, now that some of the facts are out, I was right.
"ALBANY - Gov. Paterson yesterday insisted he had no idea who did the slime job on Caroline Kennedy - although the source of the information is about as close to him during the day as his wife is at night.
He's a liar.
The person responsible for the smear was an individual whose identity is well known to the press, whose full-time job is to do the governor's bidding, and who is intelligent enough not to call reporters to damage Kennedy's reputation without approval from the top - and that means Paterson."
http://www.nypost.com/seven/01272009/news/columnists/paterson_lyin_king_of_state_152202.htm
So now we have an appointed governor, not a governor that chosen by the good people of NY, who has engaged in a personal mud slinging campaign directed at a prominent and good Democratic family that has served this country well over the years.
I am happy that this is now out. The Kennedy family have always been faithful Democrats and deserve better than what Governor Patterson gave them.
Patterson is the BIG LOSER in this. The good people of New York will not forget how this was handled.
What I find the most troubling aspect of this whole ordeal is the effect this has on Senator Ted Kennedy......I think we all can agree that is was out of bounds.
Sad....very sad.....
AMY DIXON-KOLAR HAS RECORDED A BEAUTIFUL SONG CALLED "ROSA SAT" WHICH IS SWEEPING THE INTERNET.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-0NvkuPHZI
her website:
HArd to watch without a few tears of pride and joy.
Interesting read listing their choices of the 'top 25 people' who had something to do with the mess we're in:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jan/26/road-ruin-recession-individuals-economy
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