Political Cartoon is by Pat Bagley in the Salt Lake Tribune.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Where's The Public Option ?
Amazingly, the gutless branch of the Democratic Party is still waffling on whether to include a public option for health care insurance in the reform legislation. Even sadder, President Obama is going along with them -- thus abandoning millions of Americans who cannot afford private insurance.
The President has now said he would prefer a "trigger mechanism" that would kick in if the private insurance doesn't meet certain goals after a few years. That's because he thinks "it's the more bipartisan way to go", and he doesn't want to alienate Senator Snowe (who opposes the public option).
I really thought the president was smarter than that. A bill that gets only one Republican vote is not even in the neighborhood of being a bipartisan bill. In addition, it gives that lone Republican way too much power over what goes into the bill. The dream of a bipartisan bill died a long time ago, and the president needs to stop flogging that dead horse.
Democrats need to forget Senator Snowe, and craft a bill with a real public option so all Americans can be covered with insurance. A trigger wouldn't just delay the public option for years, but would probably kill it. Because years from now the Republicans and insurance companies (along with some spineless blue dogs) will just delay it again (and again).
The other idea some Democrats-in-name-only are suggesting is to put a public option in the bill with a provision that each state could kill it if they wanted to. I suspect that more than half the states would kill the public option -- I know Texas would (where one out of four citizens is without private insurance, and would remain that way).
I know some are going to suggest that a government subsidy would help these people to buy insurance. Don't believe it. With the paltry subsidies that have been suggested, most of the working poor and lower middle-class will still be unable to afford private insurance -- at least any policy that covers everything a medical insurance policy needs to cover.
I am starting to get disgusted with the Democratic Party. What is so hard about passing a public option insurance plan that covers everyone with adequate health insurance? Anything less will be going back on their word.
There are those Republicans and spineless blue dogs in Congress who think the public option will drive the rich private insurers out of business. WHO CARES? If they can't compete and provide Americans with inexpensive and adequate health insurance, then they should go out of business.
The purpose of health care reform is to provide all Americans with access to adequate health care -- not to protect the fortunes of the rich private health insurance companies. Congress needs to get it's eyes back on the prize!
Does Rick Perry Even Have A Moral Compass ?
After this latest entry in ethically-challenged politics, I really believe that when it comes to his political career, Rick Perry simply does not see any right or wrong. Anything is OK as long as it results in dollars being funneled into his campaign coffers. How else could this story be explained?Governor Rick Perry told a group of San Antonio realtors that he saw nothing wrong with the chairman of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), Jose Cuevas, Jr. (pictured), soliciting campaign donations for Perry's reelection. After all Perry said, the people donated the money "for no other reason than they think I'm the best person for the job."
If Cuevas had just been soliciting donations from his friends and neighbors, I would have to agree with Perry that there is nothing wrong with it. But that is not what was happening, and Perry knows it.
Cuevas was soliciting donations of $5000 and above from Texas restaurants. The same restaurants who serve alcohol and are subject to the awesome power of Cuevas' agency -- the TABC. They must be licensed by the TABC, and the agency has the power to fine the restaurants thousands of dollars or even close them down completely.
When the chairman of an agency with that much power over your business asks for a donation, how do you turn him down? Even if he didn't say so, there would be the fear or perception that the business could start having TABC problems if it upset the TABC chairman by refusing to donate.
I find it hard to believe that neither Cuevas nor Perry can see the ethical problems here. It is simply wrong for a government agent to solicit funds for any person or cause from those over whom his agency has power. Period. It doesn't matter that he did it as a private citizen instead of as an agency chairman. He's still the agency chairman and the perception by donors that the agency's power could be used against them is implied.
Let me give an example of this. Before my retirement, I was a juvenile parole officer working for the state of Texas. There would be nothing wrong with my soliciting funds for a candidate or cause while I was employed by the state -- as long as I did not solicit the funds from the parents or relatives of any parolee on my caseload.
Approaching these parents or relatives would give the perception that action could be taken against the parolee if they did not contribute. It would not matter that I would never do such a thing, because I simply weilded too much power over these people.
The same is true of Cuevas. His motives may have been pure, but he simply weilds too much power (through his state agency) over these businesses to be soliciting them for funds for any reason (even for a charity).
I and my fellow state employees knew this would be wrong (and could result in disciplinary action). How can the state's Republican leadership, especially Rick Perry, not be able to see it is wrong?
This is just another reason why Rick Perry should be removed as governor.
Are American Cyclists Making A Mistake ?
Lance Armstrong, and many other top American cyclists, competed in the Tour of California in 2009. Then they went to Europe to prepare for and race in the Tour de France. And Lance and many other of the Americans did quite well in France.
Armstrong recently announced, along with Americans George Hincapie, Levi Leipheimer and Dave Zabriskie, that they would again participate in the Tour of California in 2010. Armstrong will be competing with his new Radio Shack team.
But this time it could be a mistake to compete in the Tour of California. The California race has been trying to become more appealing to world-class riders, and they've been told the way to do it is to include a true mountain leg of the race. The only problem with that is the race has been traditionally run in February, and February weather in the mountains is not conducive to bike racing.
So the Tour of California changed the race to a May date and included a mountain stage -- from Pasadena to Big Bear (over 10,000 feet of climbing). That should make the race more attractive to world-class cyclists. But there is another problem that will probably keep all the world-class riders but the Americans out of the race.
May is the traditional date for the Giro d'Italia -- one of the three most famous bicycle races (along with the Tour de France and Spanish Vuelta) held in the entire world each year. It is also the race that most world-class cyclists use to prepare for the Tour de France.
It is very probable that most foreign riders will choose the Giro d'Italia over the much less prestigious Tour of California, leaving only the Americans to race in California. So while the Americans prepare for the Tour de France by racing each other, the other top riders will be preparing by racing against top riders from all over the world.
Frankly, I think this is a mistake. Except for four or five riders, the California race simply does not have the top competition that will be featured in Italy. That could well mean the Americans will not be properly prepared to race in the grueling Tour de France, and that would truly be a shame considering how well they have done recently in France.
I really hope I'm wrong. But isn't competing against the best the way to beat the best?
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Franken Exposes Health Care Lies
Far too many Democrats in Congress allow right-wing and corporate apologists to get away with telling outrageous lies. I don't know if it's because they don't know the real truth, or because they just don't have enough of a spine to call these people on their lies. Fortunately, there are a few Democrats who aren't afraid to point out these obvious lies.
One of these brave Democrats was elected to the Senate in the last election by the good people of Minnesota -- Al Franken. I thought he would make a good senator, and he proves that belief was justified with each day he spends in the Senate.
It is a well-known fact that around 62% of all bankruptcies in the United States are caused by medical bills, and 78% of those people had private health insurance (which still left them with enormous unpaid medical bills). It is a shameful situation, and one the private insurance companies would rather not talk about.
A couple of days ago, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on medical debt and bankruptcy. After several people testified how medical bills (unpaid by their insurance) had forced them into bankruptcy, right-wingers called a witness of their own.
That witness was Diana Furchtgott-Roth, a senior fellow at the right-wing Hudson Institute. She tried to tell the committee that moving toward a European-style single payer insurance system would actually increase the number of medical bankruptcies. This outrageous lie was too much for Sen. Franken, and he had the following exchange with Furchtgott-Roth:
FRANKEN: I think we disagree on whether health care reform, the health care reform that we’re talking about in Congress now should pass. You said that the way we’re going will increase bankruptcies. I want to ask you, how many medical bankruptcies because of medical crises were there last year in Switzerland?
FURCHTGOTT-ROTT: I don’t have that number in front of me, but I can find out and get back to you.
FRANKEN: I can tell you how many it was. It’s zero. Do you know how many medical bankruptcies there were last year in France?
FURCHTGOTT-ROTT: I don’t have that number, but I can get back to you if I like.
FRANKEN: Yeah, the number is zero. Do you know how many were in Germany?
FURCHTGOTT-ROTT: From the trend of your questions, I’m assuming the number is zero. But I don’t know the precise number and would have to get back to you.
FRANKEN: Well, you’re very good. Very fast. The point is, I think we need to go in that direction, not the opposite direction. Thank you.
Although he made quickly made his point that Furchtgott-Roth either didn't know what she was talking about or was telling an outright lie, Sen. Franken could have gone on listing many other countries. Great Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Canada and many other countries also have ZERO medical bankruptcies.
The fact that the United States has any medical bankruptcies at all should be a source of great embarrassment to all Americans. Thank you Senator Franken, for standing tall and exposing the right-wing lies.
And thank you Minnesota, for giving America Senator Al Franken.
Kinky's Platform For 2010 Governor's Race
Is this a picture of the candidates in the 2010 governor's race in Texas? Kinky Friedman and Kay Bailey Hutchison crossed paths in a Texas airport recently, and stopped for a photo and a brief chat.
Hutchison has a good chance of being the Republican nominee. A few months ago, she was trailing Rick Perry in the polls, but as Perry gets nuttier and nuttier the polls have closed. It's now anybody's race.
Kinky Friedman is running in the Democratic primary, and has two main opponents -- Hank Gilbert and Tom Schieffer. In the 2006 election, Kinky ran as an independent and drew votes from a wide range of voters. He attracted not only independents, but also an equal number of both Democrats and Republicans.
It is expected that Gilbert will draw votes from progressive Democrats, while Schieffer will attract conservative Democrats. While Friedman also has his Democratic supporters (like me), his best chance of getting the nomination is if he can bring new voters to the Democratic primary -- both independents and Republicans.
Kinky appeals to those of us in all three groups who are tired of one professional politician replacing another. We think it's time for an independent voice who's not beholden to "things as they are". If you are looking for a new and fresh voice who'll put the interests of ordinary Texans first, then Kinky Friedman might be your candidate. Here is his platform:
CREATE JOBS & DEVELOP THE ECONOMY
End Perry’s Business Income Tax
Empty Perry’s Piggy Bank (the Enterprise Fund). Give that money in block grants to local economic
development corporations to expand existing businesses and attract new
IMPROVE EDUCATION
End the T AKS test
$3,000 teacher pay raise
Require a minimum level of after-school programs to keep kids safe during the danger hours (3-6pm)
between kids getting out of school and parents getting home from work
ETHICS REFORM
20-year term limits in the House and Senate, respectively
Campaign Contribution Caps: Legislature $100,000 per person, per cycle
Statewide $1 million per person, per cycle
Drug test, criminal background, & Federal, State & Local tax proof of good standing required for application
for ballot and each year with Personal Financial Statement
Pass a constitutional amendment prohibiting anyone that owes state or local taxes from seeking state office.
If they don’t pay their taxes, they shouldn’t be able to spend our taxes
JUSTICE REFORM
Timothy Cole Commission to establish guilt or innocence
Double community service for juvenile offenders
Institute a $0.25 fee for each can of spray paint to fund a statewide graffiti abatement program
INSURANCE REFORM
Create a statewide elected position for Insurance Commissioner
Impose a 3-year moratorium on rate increases
Eliminate redlining and discrimination in insurance coverage and premiums
TOLL ROADS
Ban all future toll roads.
Buy-back all current toll roads using the proceeds generated from casino gambling
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
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