"Tis the season to be Jolly" This was the sentiment expressed by President Barack Obama. The actual words were, the health care Bill passed on Christmas Eve was "the most important piece of social legislation since the Social Security Act passed in the 1930s." Together with the proposed regulations our Representatives approved weeks ago, citizens of this country can rest assured "the toughest measures ever taken to hold the insurance industry accountable" will soon be law. This would be wondrous news if only the legislation brought joy to the land or authentic health care coverage to the American people.
Millions muse; it will not. The American people are reminded of the professionally wrapped gift boxes left under the tree or stashed on a shelf near a Menorah, Kinara, or near the Fanouz, These too, may glitter like gold. Still, the contents can be as lackluster as the new directive, meant to better manage America's medical system, would seem to be. Whether we celebrate traditional holidays or only observe those who do, most of us have learned, all is not as it appears to be.
On the eve of what was thought to be, perhaps, a sign of progress in the six-decade long health care reform debate, joblessness mounts. Depression increases. The intensity of illness is on the rise. Few if any can afford to visit a doctor. People are unemployed, under-employed, and if an individual has an income, hours are reduced. There is barely enough to pay the most basic bills. let alone insurance premiums. Yet, staffers have been asked, no told, by business owners, workers must pay a larger portion of their health care coverage. Bosses bellow in unison; with profits down, certainly the corporations cannot continue to offer perks. Medical indemnities are a privilege, not a guarantee. If you feel ill, if you are injured, take two pills and call no one in the morning.
Do not dare telephone the Democrats. They have made their peace with the health care crisis. Republicans will not respond to the cries of a public, and Independents are, as you know independent! The decree; health care reform was dead on arrival.
The mail arrived. It was from MoveOn.org. Overwhelmed with work, I thought to delete it. I noticed the surname of the sender was the same as a friend of mine. Only that [cosmic] coincidence led me to open the message and peruse. I read Daniel Mintz's words with interest, for he spoke of what I miss in the news. Mister Mintz did not focus on the folly of a few executives at American International Group, Incorporated (AIG). The representative from MoveOn offered what is more real to me, an average American.
As we've seen with AIG this week, the powerful don't give up their special treatment without a fight. They're spending millions on lobbyists to quietly kill the provisions that would make them help pay for America's priorities. 1 And despite all the posturing in Congress over AIG's bonuses, too many senators are still listening to the banking and insurance lobbyists on the issues that aren't in the headlines.
So we need to speak louder than the lobbyists . . .
Today's Washington Post calls it "a populist budget" 2 because it cuts taxes for most Americans while ending unfair tax advantages for the richest among us. The best part is that it takes all the money we'll save and invests it in critical national priorities that will help build and strengthen the middle class.
Obama's budget gives tax breaks to working families instead of CEOs. And it closes the tax loopholes for special interests that cost us billions, like:
The loophole that lets companies take tax breaks for sending jobs overseas. This will save us more than $200 billion over the next decade. 3
The loophole that lets hedge fund managers pay a 15% tax rate on their income, instead of regular income tax like the rest of us. That will save us more than $20 billion. 4
The loophole for big oil companies that gives them huge tax breaks even when they're posting record profits, saving us more than $30 billion over the next decade. 5
The loophole that gives the richest Americans bigger tax breaks for their deductions. Right now, a teacher who contributes $1,000 to the Red Cross gets a $150 tax break. A Wall Street executive making the same contribution gets a $350 tax break. 6
Quality references were offered for each claim. Research for me is more real than rhetoric. Almost as an automaton might, as I read, I reached for the telephone. I smiled at the thought that I might respond as directed. I called my Senator in Washington, District of Columbia.
On Tuesday, February 24, 2008 the Earth moved. The shaking began in America, specifically in Washington, District of Columbia. In the United States Capitol, the ground swelled. The seas parted. People who thought they would never come together, in a joint session Congressmen and women, concluded, perchance, it was time to unify, to work for a common cause. Indeed, throughout America, the quake of an address delivered by President Barack Obama reminded citizens that they could, and perhaps should, consider that America is powerful when the people are one.
There was a break in the news. On Cable News Network Wolf Blitzer was noticeably moved. He excitedly reported; Dick Cheney confessed. Broadcaster Blitzer's words were a bit more tempered. He said, "This just coming into The Situation Room. The Vice President, Dick Cheney, has given ABC News an interview and confirming now publicly that the Bush administration did engage in the very controversial interrogation tactic of waterboarding." The Commentator then asked America to listen to the clip. ABC News Correspondent Jonathan Karl inquired of the outgoing high-level government official, "Did you authorize the tactics that were used against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed?" Without hesitation, the Vice President responded. "I was aware of the program, certainly, and involved in helping get the -- the process cleared, as the agency, in effect, came in and wanted to know what they could and couldn't do. . . . (T)hey talked to me, as well as others, to explain what they wanted to do. And I supported it.
Viewers vented. Some shifted nervously in their seats. However, The Judicial Watch was not amused. Nor were they elated. The answer was not the one this Conservative organization, hoped for, groped for, and searched for though the courts, for all these many years. Vice President Cheney did not confess to sins conceived long before September 11, 2001. He told said nothing of the maps and charts of Iraqi oil fields. Foreign suitors for Iraqi oilfield contracts were not discussed as they had been in March 5, 2001, six months and six days before the infamous September 11 attacks.
Weeks ago House Representatives refused to award the auto industry a blanket bailout or even a bridge loan. Policymakers insisted they must see a reasonable plan to revamp a business near bankruptcy. The legislators set a deadline for delivery of the proposal, December 2, 2008. This same date was reserved for another auto review; in Florida a delayed vote on emission regulations would finally be realized. The two tales may seem separate; certainly, the cities where Congresspersons will meet are far apart. Nonetheless, the sagas are inexorably connected.
I was planning to write a lengthy commentary piece to go with this week's toon, pointing out several other "blast from the recent past" headlines that were in the news these last few days. But then I went to the dentist today. I was expecting a root canal but ended up getting something called a pulp cap. The upside is that it leaves the nerve alive, which is good for the tooth in the long run. The downside is that it leaves the nerve alive, which is bad for me tonight. That's one pissed off nerve. Oww.
So check out my latest, circa October 1, 2007, toon, "Reruns," [Archive 0732] and let me know what you think. Me? I'm going to try to get some sleep.
In an region filled with inert sand, in the Southern most State of Florida, there is an oasis. This breath of fresh air moves through the trees in Palm Beach County and in the halls of Congress in Washington, District of Columbia. A man who envisions "a more perfect Union" emanates enthusiasm for the ethical principles that define the democracy he loves. He stands solid in his belief; a nation founded in freedom for all its people cannot let a corrupt authority take these liberties away. This spirited being has a name and a title, Congressman Robert Wexler.
On July 26, 2008, Representative Wexler once again expressed his worry for what has remained "off the table." When asked is impeachment too little, too late, he said, "The crimes of this Administration must be revealed and Bush and Cheney must be held accountable." The Congressman fears a commitment to the Constitution has waned amongst his fellow legislators, and perhaps within the citizenry. Hence, Robert Wexler submitted a call to action. He requests Americans consider the history of censure and what occurs when Executive power is abused.
The Courts and Congress have come to believe there is reason for fear. Enemies are everywhere. Those who wish to do us harm are in our homes. They talk to us on our telephones. Some sashay in through our computers. "Evil doers" are ubiquitous in the United States. Our open society places the public at risk. We, the people, must defend ourselves. Thus, the Supreme Court and Congress have given the government and us the means. The highest judicial body in the nation has made it possible for the common man to protect himself with a pistol; Legislators provided the President ethereal firearms. Indeed, individuals and the Commander-In-Chief were bequeathed more than either had asked for. In 2008, we have entered the Summer of Separation. In the United States we say, "Farewell to privacy. Hello to arms."
We, the people of the twenty-first century may not have been present when the original Constitutional Congress met; still, we feel the depth of distress our forefathers did. Today, we express as our ancestors had. It is time to submit our own Declaration of Independence. Perchance, this statement of duress is long overdue.
When in the course of human events the government becomes destructive of the ends for which it was established, it is the Right of the People to alter it and demand restoration of those Constitutional Principles that have so long assured their Liberty, Safety, and Happiness. Therefore, on the anniversary of our Independence, we offer this new declaration for our times.
On this the day, the Fourth of July, we celebrate our own Independence. Citizens revel in our love of freedom and tranquility. Today, may we take a moment to reflect upon how an unwarranted, or unnecessary war might have a profound effect on our lives and those of all mankind throughout the globe.
I offer a correspondence intended for the person we hope will be our next President, Senator Barack Obama. Please ponder the possibilities, and if you choose, I invite you to add your signature. You fellow Americans appreciate your consideration.
We the undersigned may have different views on U.S. foreign policy with respect to Iran. We all, however, are deeply concerned about the stories in the press in the past few weeks suggesting that the Bush administration might be considering a military strike on Iran, that it might give a green light to such an attack by Israel, or that it might engage in other acts of war, such as imposing a blockade against Iran.
We welcomed your stand against the war on Iraq in 2002. And we were encouraged by your early campaign statements emphasizing diplomacy over military action against Iran. Today, you have an opportunity to forestall a repeat of the tragic Iraq war. We hope you will use that opportunity.
We agree with the conclusion of Muhammed ElBaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, that "A military strike ... would be worse than anything possible. It would turn the region into a fireball..." A military attack, he said, "will mean that Iran, if it is not already making nuclear weapons, will launch a crash course to build nuclear weapons with the blessing of all Iranians, even those in the West." (Reuters, June 20, 2008.)
We don't know, of course, whether an attack on Iran is in fact being considered, or if there are serious plans to initiate other acts of war, such as a blockade of the country. But we call on you to issue a public statement warning of the grave dangers that any of these actions would entail, and pointing out how inappropriate and undemocratic it would be for the Bush administration to undertake them, or encourage Israel to do so, in its closing months in office.
An attack on Iran would violate the UN Charter's prohibition against the use or threat of force and the Congress's authority to declare war. Moreover, the public right to decide should not be foreclosed by last-minute actions of the Bush administration, which will set U.S. policy in stone now.
We were heartened by your earlier comments suggesting that an Obama administration would act on the understanding that genuine security requires a willingness to talk without preconditions (something Iran has offered several times to no avail), and that threats and military action are counterproductive. We hope you will follow through on these commitments once in office, but also that you will speak out now against any acts of war by the Bush administration.
Sincerely,
Please review the list of signatories below or follow the path provided . . . Impressive!!!!!!!! Please join the signatories by traveling through this link
Trend-setter and teacher Congressman Robert Wexler may have mentored many a freshmen class of Representatives. Well into the future, the newest Congressmen and women will study the mistakes that might define an earlier Wexler performance. Certainly, Robert Wexler did. Upon reflection, his trials helped him to acquire great knowledge. The Democrat from Boca Raton, Florida learned his lessons well. He illustrates why, as retired Major League Pitcher Vernon Law attests, "Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward."
In a nation, where appeasement is condemned, Americans are anxious. The people have been pacified for so long they can no longer recall what it means to be other than indulged. On June 6, 2008, Congresspersons, uncomfortable with the notion that they might have to use the rod, concluded, for now, it is better to spoil the already pampered Americans. Lawmakers said, as they have so often, "Let them eat oil!" After all, the people love petroleum.
A few days ago I wrote about my interaction with the American Legion. I wrote at first to complain about the organizational support of FISA revision to include telecom amnesty. The ongoing correspondence between myself and Mr. Steve Robertson of the AL continued into today. While the correspondence has been amicable, we reached a cavernous divide in our thinking. As of this moment much of my original and continuing concerns is not addressed. The entire discussion is too lengthy for a diary, but I will try not to slant my coverage. Representative parts are being chosen to the best of my ability.
My first comments to the AL were brief and spoke to the erosion of Constitutional rights if we allow retroactive amnesty for illegal acts in addition to the continued erosion of our right to privacy included in the bill. The initial reply was soon revealed to be a form letter sent to all of us veterans who sent a reply in accordance with McJoan's first posting.
The American Legion is asking its members to use their power in moving Congress to pass the Bush legislation giving full telecom immunity from prosecution for their cooperation in illegal wiretaps. McJoan had a front page post at Daily Kos telling the sad tale. In accordance with McJoan's suggestion we veterans contact the American Legion, I sent an e-mail letter outlining my objections to the bill and requesting a reconsideration of their position. A reply came to my mailbox moments ago. Excerpts from their letter along with my thoughts and observations follow over the fold.
Today, in hearings on Capitol Hill, I confronted Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on her role in the lies, exaggerations, and misdirection that led us into the Iraq war.
During my questioning, Secretary Rice falsely stated that she never saw intelligence casting doubt on the Bush Administration claims that Saddam possessed weapons of mass destruction. This unbelievable statement is flatly contradicted by numerous government reports and CIA testimonials.
Sources such as the 2006 Senate Intelligence Report, a January 2004 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace report as well as former CIA agents (including Tyler Drumheller) have disclosed that there was contrary intelligence to the information provided to the Bush Administration in the lead up to the Iraq war.
In this a Presidential election year, citizens of this country are intensely aware, every vote counts. The world witnessed, in State after State people scrambled to the polls. Voters of every age have turned out in large numbers. The sprint to the White House is on. Most every electorate wants to join in. the people wish to return to power. Much is at stake. The people want to participate in the process.
The big day finally arrived. Delaware is one of the Super Tuesday states this year. As a member of the Democratic Party and a staunch supporter, I volunteered to be a poll greeter this year. The polling place is about 200 yards from home so the task did not involve any travel or troublesome arrangements.
You'll never meet these folks. They represent the hundreds of thousands who have been kicked to the curb these past years (from Clinton's NAFTA in '94 until the current time). A 'restructuring' company (better known as hatchet men) took over their company in 2004 with lofty promises of Jobs etc. Fact is - these companies buy and resale companies. They were informed right before Christmas that they (122 people) no longer had a job by Watermill (International) Ventures. The company only decided to give two weeks severance pay due to the Governor's intervention. Naturally, all their health benefits etc went out the window. Some of these folks had worked at this DECENT paying Modular Home Company for decades. They bought homes here (Claremont) and have children in college. These employees were highly skilled.
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