Segmented representation on health care reform

Legislators are generally beholden to a number of constituencies, including just plain  citizens.  But far too often loyalties lie with other segments of constituents, such as lobbyists, party and other special interests.  Thus my  interests go unrepresented unless I belong to a special interest group.  In the case of health care reform legislation, my Republican senators and Republican U.S. Representative ignore my needs.  The Democratic Party, my party is split into liberals and conservatives.  I often feel left out of the Blue Dogs’ stance.  I cannot afford a lobbyist.  But I do belong to some special interest groups:  Democracy for America, Organizing for America, Social Workers, and the AARP.  And I am a part of the liberal blogosphere community.

So who will represent me in this? All my special interest groups are doing a good job so far, but their power is limited.  For example, DFA’s Howard Dean has been unflagging in his optimism regarding the future of truly comprehensive health care reform that includes a public option.  But he is not in the inner circle of legislative power.  Thank goodness, however, he has been seen smiling and firmly pro-reform on several TV news shows recently including Rachel Maddow on the night of August 20.  Rachel’s tweet cited a recent poll supporting the public option that Dean referenced during his interview.

The group at the fulcrum of change right now numbers 6. The only committee with work left to do is the Senate Finance Committee.  What they are considering is some sort of nonprofit cooperative as the public option. The six “negotiators” plan to meet occasionally during the recess.  And these senators represent only a very small number of the American people.  Following are the 2008 estimated state population figures along with the percentage of the total U.S. population (source Wikipedia).  The senators include:

• Finance CommitteeChairman Max Baucus (D-Montana, Est. pop: 967,440 – .31%)
• Charles Grassley (R-Iowa, Est. pop: 3,002,555 -.98%)
• Mike Enzi (R-Wyo, Est. pop: 532,668 – .17%)
• Olympia Snowe (R-Maine, Est. pop: 1,316,456 – .43%
• Kent Conrad (D-N.Dakota, Est. pop: 641,481 – .21%)
• Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mex., Est. pop: 1,984,356 – .64%).

These figures  total only 8,444,956 people or 2.74% of the total estimated population of the entire United States and its territories.  By sheer force of numbers, not to mention politics, there is no way these six could be considered to be representative of all of us or our wishes.  First I do not live in any of these states and second,  nor does 97.26% of the rest of you.

The House of Representatives’ position right now is the closest match to my own views on what reform should look like. Here, courtesy of Michael J.W. Stickings’ tweet, is a Bloomberg story on what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is planning when Congress comes back into session.  To quote: “U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she won’t be able to pass health-care legislation in her chamber if the measure doesn’t include a government-run insurance plan to compete with private insurers.”

So now we wait for Congress to come back in session.  We wait for the next report of a disrupted town-hall meeting.  We wait for President Obama’s next speech to clear up misrepresentations put out by other special interest groups.  We wait for Labor Day.  And we wait to see what the Senate leadership will decide about legislative tactics that will get us health care reform without the Republicans participating.  How about a cool drink while we wait?

Sphere: Related Content

Recommending Investigative Journalists

It is hard work but somebody’s got to do it – Today’s post is a roundup of some of the best investigative journalists you might want to follow:  I include where and what they write, along with a couple of samples of their recent work.

TPMMuckraker is one of the features at Josh Marshall’s Talking Points Memo.  Here’s an interesting example of the kind of good work Zachary Roth does: “In Testimony, Rove Hedged On Role in Siegelman Prosecution” (8/13/09).  See also, “Fran Townsend: We Discussed If Raising The Terror Alert Would Hurt Bush” (8/21/09).

Glenn Greenwald’s “Unclaimed Territory” is at Salon.com.  He was previously a constitutional lawyer and civil rights litigator in New York.  On of a number of collaborators on big investigative stories, he is incredible bright and passionate and tells it like it is without blinking.  Here’s a recent good post: “John Brennan’s dangerous national security advice” (8/14/09).  See also,  “Has Obama lost the trust of progressives, as Krugman says?“  (8/21/09).

ACLU Blog of Rights – “Because Freedom Can’t Blog Itself” is from the American Civil Liberties Union.  Posts are about capital punishment, civil liberties, drug law reform, closing Guantanamo, free speech, government spying, human rights, immigrant rights, LGBT rights, racial justice, religion & belief, reproductive rights, torture and abuse, Supreme Court, voting rights and women’s rights.  On August 20, the ACLU headlined, “Court Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Unconstitutional Spying Law.

Secrecy News is a publication of the Federation of American Scientists.  The FAS Project on Government Secrecy reports on new developments in government secrecy and provides public access to documentary resources on secrecy, intelligence and national security policy. It is written by Steven Aftergood.  Here’s a recent good story: “Information Sharing as a Form of Secrecy” (8/17/09).

Emptywheel (Marcy Wheeler) writes at Firedoglake.  Marcy is the very best at investigative digging, and is a widely respected member of the collaborators that do the major investigative work in the blogosphere.  Here is a typically good piece of work (this time on Dick Cheney): “The crazy man above the garage” (8/18/09).  See also “Scahill on the Blackwater Rent-an-Assassin Service (8/20/09).

Spy Talk at CQ Politics is a daily blog by Jeff Stein.  His slogan is “Intelligence for Thinking People.”  His post, “Interrogator:’Intolerance’ Led to Torture” (8/11/09) is an example of his investigative work using good contacts.  See also, “CIA Furious Over New Secret Site Expose” (8/20/09).

The Washington Independent’s “National Security” section features Spencer Ackerman, one of the most respected sources contributing regularly to the collaborative efforts mentioned above.  His story, “U.S. Prepares for Questions of Legitimacy in Afghan Election” (8/18/09) is subtitled, “United States May Push Winner To Incorporate Losing Factions Into Government.”  See also “Civil Liberties Groups Prepare Delicate Message on CIA Probe” (8/21/09).

Wired: Threat Level is about privacy, crime and security online.  David Kravets often writes the posts.  These are by Kim Zetter is titled “Outspoken Privacy Advocate Joins FTC” (8/17/09).  It is about Christopher Soghoian, an outspoken privacy advocate.  See also, “Guantanamo Defense Lawyers Being Investigated Over CIA Photos (8/21/09).

Suburban Guerilla is by former journalist Susie Madrack.  Her slogan is “Keeping a jaundiced eye on corporate media.” Featured as a moderator at the recent Netroots Nation Convention, she also writes for Crooks and Liars. Her post on Matt Taibbi’s searing article on progressives and health care reform (8/18/09) is worth the read.  See also, ”
The Stress Manifesto (8/20/09).

Sphere: Related Content

The President’s bully pulpit could be powerful; why not use it more?

It looks as if President Obama is reluctantly getting more out in front of the health care debate. Many have been urging a more active role in recent weeks as the congressional recess dramas play out on the 24-hour cable channels. The task has been to clear confusion, allay fears and dispel misinformation. And there is nothing like the written word to do that. (Image: Wordle.net)

So President Obama wrote an op-ed piece in the New York Times Saturday telling the nation “Why We Need Health Care Reform.” Retaining the most frequently made points from his speeches and town hall gatherings, the President laid out his main arguments in what sounded like his own “voice.” He used familiar phrases and stories about people he has told before, Steve Benen notes in his excellent analysis describing what will be the strongest elements of the new op-ed. (Hat Tip to Memeorandum and Mark Knoller’s tweets for this information).

Reinforcing the apparent let-Congress-lead stance of the administration, Secretary of HHS, Kathleen Sebelius, according to Reuters, has revealed what we always suspected, that the government-run health insurance option is not an essential to health care reform. She added that the non-profit member-controlled cooperatives being considered by a Senate Committee could also fulfill the goal of creating robust competition for private health insurers, probably to the utter dismay of liberals.  But, the White House is now insisting that nothing has change, according to reporters riding on Air Force One back from the President’s vacation..

Sticking to enunciated principles, rather than sending up an administration bill to Congress, has made President Obama’s leadership open to question by the chattering class. But he seems determined to stick with the legislative process and, typical of his leadership style, is looking to a less immediate time frame for his strategy to succeed. He seems truly confident that something useful that he can sign will pass. He is using his bully pulpit to give credit for small successes to others, to remind the big stake holders of the obligations of their agreements, and to teach the public what they must learn about complex issues.

As if to emphasize the health care reform issue as front and center, an LA sports arena hosted a health clinic of last resort for thousands seeking free health care. The clinic housed in an old sports arena will continue through Tuesday. The clinic, Reuters reports, is run by the nonprofit Remote Area Medical Volunteer Corps as part of its mission to provide free health, dental and eye care in needy spots around the world.” RAM is best known for its work in Third World countries. People have waited in line for days to attend.

The President’s bully pulpit will be used as necessary to do what Mr. Obama sees as his unique role in the political process. He is well advised by his people and he won the presidency by being good at politics. I remain optimistic about what will happen, even if it is less than the 1000% we assumed it had to be.

Bonus Reference: TPM Photo Gallery carried “Behind the Scenes: Summer 2009 at the White House.”

Sphere: Related Content

On the road again…

This bitch is traveling to Boston today for the WAM! Conference.

Bags?

Check!

Sister Girl MacBook?

Check!

Bitchitude?

Check!

Looks like everything is in order (wink).

Toodles till we land…

Sphere: Related Content

Solidarity against Gitmo

“They’re living in the tropics… They’ve got everything they could possibly want.”
- Dick Cheney

Torture and indefinite detention are shamefully un-American, inhumane, unconscionable.

WEAR ORANGE January 11 and protest the shame that is Guantánamo Bay.

www.aclu.org/closegitmo

To me, the guantanamo prison is an especially low spot in US history. What would be the need to have a prison housed in another country, that does not follow our own laws of due process, other than to circumvent the law? Denying Habeus Corpus rights- to even present the reason why a prisoner is in jail– what they are charged with. The US has not declared war in Iraq, and calls the prisoners “detainees”, so that they don’t have to follow prisoner of war protocol. We don’t even know the extent of abuse & torture that goes on there.
Enough!

JANUARY 11, 2008, is the six-year anniversary of the first arrival of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay.

On January 11, we are calling on everyone opposed to torture and indefinite detention to WEAR ORANGE to symbolize their sadness and disgust with the national shame that is Guantánamo Bay.

January 11, 2008 will mark six years since the first 20 prisoners arrived at Guantánamo Bay Cuba. Since then, 775 prisoners have passed through the gates and no trials have been completed.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

THIS Is Why Insurance-Based Healthcare Has to Go

As I’ve said a few times before, private insurance in this country has every reason in the world to drag their feet on (or flat-out deny) requests for treatment. If they wait long enough, the people in desperate need of treatments will die, saving the insurers millions that they can then use as bonuses for their CEOs. Executives of health insurance companies literally make a killing by making a killing.I don’t think that there’s a better example of the way private insurance in this country works than the example of Nataline Sarkisyan. CIGNA undoubtedly knew that if they stood firm, that nature would take its course and a big claim they might have had to pay would conveniently disappear. And of course, that’s exactly what happened.

Treatment decisions cannot be made by bean counters if a decent and just healthcare system is to exist. Healthcare decisions must be made by healthcare professionals. Now the wingtards always argue that this will just drive costs though the roof, and yet…… this country spends more per person on healthcare than any in the industrialized world, and we get far LESS value for our healthcare dollars than any “socialized” industrialized country gets. And right here, in front of you, is the answer as to why this works the way it does. Treatment decisions are made based on what is best for the INSURER, not what is best for the patient. We know of Nataline because of her family, but I guarantee you that day in and day out, every single day, many others will quietly DIE because treating them isn’t as cost-efficient as killing them is. Hell, the end of the year is coming up, and this might have shaved a bunch of money out of that bonus pool. What’s more important-one family that spends this Christmas grieving over the loss of a child, or a bunch of executives not getting to collect that extra swag at the end of the year? You don’t have to be a psychologist to figure out how the folks in charge at CIGNA would see it, do you?

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Help Save Pretty Bird Woman House…

Shark Fu has a simple but very important request. Please help save this important place by giving what ever you can. Visit AngryBlackBitch’s blog here.
According to a recent Amnesty International report, more than one in three American Indian and Alaskan Native women will be raped or sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Domestic violence is also a serious problem. Often victims have nowhere to turn due to poverty, remote geography and tangled legal jurisdictions.

Local women’s shelters can make a dramatic difference in helping women cope with the effects of violence, and helping them escape from situations where further violence is likely.

Too often, these shelters are chronically under funded.

Zintkala Waste Win Oti (“Pretty Bird Woman House”) has run out of funding and will be forced to close in May if new resources can’t be found to fund it. It serves the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, which is on the border of North and South Dakota. The shelter was founded by Jackie Brown Otter after the kidnapping, rape and murder of her sister (whose Lakota name means Pretty Bird Woman).

As a shelter volunteer in my home town of St. Louis Missouri, I know how important local shelters are and I know how hard it is to keep the doors open.

Please help Pretty Bird Woman House keep the door open if you can.

Pretty Bird Woman House Chip In

Related Post by Andy Ternay over at Shakesville

Pretty Bird Woman House

Thanks.

Sphere: Related Content

Focused on Impeachment-H.RES.799

This is from Fran over at Ramblings. All the info you need to get in touch with your elected officials. – Dusty

Portland Indy Media reports:

Impeach Cheney
author: Mollie
Time to pressure Rep. John Conyers and other members of the Judiciary Committee:
Call toll free: 1-800-828-0498, 1-800-862-5530; email: http://judiciary.house.gov/contact.aspx

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

Now is their moment in history to stand up for Democracy, to restore the Constitution, and to tell future Presidents that we will no longer tolerate abuses of power and lying to take us into illegal wars and occupations. It is their moment to tell the world that no one in America is above the law.

The Judiciary Committee represents all of us, so they do not have the screeners like some of the Congress people. Email the Judiciary Committee: http://judiciary.house.gov/contact.aspx
Website: http://judiciary.house.gov/
Here are their names and contact information. Those with * by name are either co-signers of HRes 333 or believed to be supportive of impeachment. It now has a new bill number: .RES.799

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

do the right thing

take a moment and sign the petition- and send it to 10 more people.  if we can spread the word and put some pressure on pelosi and conyers- we may be able to finally get back some of our democracy.  the gop obviously doesn’t want this- as they have obstructed anything that pelosi and reid have had any balls to introduce- and cheney isn’t pleased with having his bizness aired.  let’s take cheney out- he’s the real brains behind the dynamic duo anyway.  worry about the bushling later and let’s get darth!

wexler’s call for impeachment of cheney- sign today!!

there’s a reason the msm hasn’t picked this up– someone is afraid!  i mean the white house is now publicly telling the nytimes how to print their stories.  let’s do this!

Sphere: Related Content

Help the Judiciary Comm. IMPEACH CHENEY

ny texan at Bluebloggin has a very detailed post up today, about what many of us want for Xmas. And how we can make it happen. Yes Virginia there is a Santa “clause” The post on BB has the same title as this one. It is a must read. – lots of case details, excepts etc. Now is absolutely the time for us to come to the aid of our Country.Henry Wexler, Tammy Baldwin and others at this time have over 89,000 signatures, on the on line petition. The House Judiciary Committee wanted to run op eds in major newspapers, across the country and were turned down ! ! ! – some free press eh ?
I remind everyone that Impeachment is not a constitutional crisis. NO , it is the only “medicine” built into the Constitution, for a constitutional crisis. Having a secret government, “a unitary executive” being lied into war, the loss of Habeas Corpus, The Patriot Act. – have subverted the foundations of our “great experiment” , our democracy.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Ron Paul ‘Money Bomb’ hits the motherload..

Ron Paul, according to Politico, possibly surpassed the record for filling campaign coffers in a single day Sunday. The record: $5.7 million that John Kerry raised the day after he” locked up” the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination – he largest single-day fundraising haul in U.S. political history per the Politico writeup.

The article just freaking blew my mind in the dollar department:

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) raised an astounding $5.58 million and counting on Sunday, almost certainly guaranteeing he’ll out-raise his rivals for the Republican nomination in the fourth quarter and likely will be able to fund a presence in many of states that vote Feb. 5.

What if Ronnie gets the votes on Super Tuesday and thereby gets the
Rethug nomination?

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Call the Des Moines Register today!

The morons have decided NOT to include Kucinich in todays final Iowa debate. The reason is pretty petty; he did not have paid staff in his offices in Iowa..only volunteers.

This is total bs in my opinion. Its a way to silence the progessives, nothing more. From NYTexan, we get the phone numbers for those in charge of this Gannet-owned Rag:

the Des Moines Register’s top officials, including editor Carolyn Washburn (515) 284-8502.

Laura Hollingsworth President and Publisher (515) 284-8041
Randy Brubaker Managing Editor (515) 284-8590
Randy Evans Assistant Managing Editor (515) 284-8118

The Des Moines Register letters to the editor e-mail: letters@dmreg.com
Telephone switchboard
Local: (515) 284-8000
Iowa: (800) 532-1455
Outside Iowa: (800) 247-5346

Call and voice your displeasure with these fuckwits. Its their only way to silence the progressive voice, but we must NOT be silent on this! Also, stop by NYTexans blog and show her some love for providing this phone numbers.

EDIT: from one of our commenters Bill we get info on their advertisers:

CALL advertisers off their web site. Be polite, ask to speak to the sales, general
manager or person in charge of advertising. Object to their advertising in
a paper that would include Keyes in the Republican debate, but exclude
Kucinich.

Des Moines Chrysler Plymouth (515) 270-8100
Charles Gabus Ford 800 742 6403
Karl Chevrolet, Ankeny, Iowa 800 622 8264
Business Furniture Warehouse 515.254.9091
Prudential First Realty Phone: (515) 453-7200
Village of Pondersa 515.440.2222
McGowen, Hurst, Clark & Smith, P.C. (CPA’s)
515-288-3279 – 515-462-1882

If you are feeling REALLY frisky, go into classified ads and contact people who have something for sale and object to them advertising in the paper. IT WORKS. They call the paper back and say WTF?

Sphere: Related Content

Kucinich 2008

weepin’ jesus on the cross! i have had it! i am beyond crabby because i am sick and tired of lying, cheating, stealing, corruption and most of all– greed. why does everything have to be corrupt and underhanded? why can’t we have real debates for real people who really want to represent the people of america? if there were any republicans or democrats in this room right now with me- i would rip them not only new assholes- but any other holes that needed widening or just make new ones. fucking ridiculous. these ‘people’ pay lip service to change and saving democracy and all of that happy horseshit- meanwhile they laugh behind the scenes as they work to maintain the status quo with the entire planet hanging in the balance. nice priorities. what pray tell has gotten my panties all in a bunch? reading in my google reader again. since i am on a self imposed news blackout (and now you see why) i catch up on fellow bloggers- who are apparently the reason that the world has gone to hell not bush and cheney- and i happened upon this gem at blue bloggin’

“Today in Iowa, Dennis Kucinich was informed by the Des Moines Register that he will not be invited to attend the final Iowa debate before the caucus.”

why? you may ask- as i did- well, because of the stupidest reason i have encountered yet-

“because Dennis did not formally open an office with paid staff in Iowa.”

so- this is democracy in action. kick out a viable candidate because he relied on volunteers who believed in his vision- not because he did anything untoward or wrong. nice. so- i got pissed and decided i would post about dennis kucinich in spite of him not being on the air to be heard. i am asking that today and tomorrow each blogger out there do the same- whether you endorse him as a candidate or not. stand up for freedom of speech and democracy by getting out the platforms and issues. if we don’t, who will?

• Dennis Kucinich is the only democrat running for President who has voted against authorizing the war in Iraq and against funding its continuation.

• Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate for President with a plan for a Universal, Single-Payer, Not-for-Profit health care system.

• Dennis Kucinich will lead America into expanding opportunities, universal health care, restore our schools and strengthen Social Security and protections for private pensions.

• A corrupt campaign finance system, coupled with vulnerable electronic voting have eroded America’s confidence in our elections. The USA Patriot Act and secret strategy meetings to set policy tear into the very concept of We the People. As President, Dennis will protect individual liberty and privacy and restore balance and fairness in America’s electoral system.

• As the world population soars towards eight billion, critical issues of survival face all of us. Living on a planet of finite resources means that human life can not be sustained indefinitely without careful thought and compassion coupled with political courage.

• Huge, multi-national corporations ship American jobs overseas, turn a blind eye to human rights abuses and hide behind their lobbyists in Washington. Read more about Dennis’ plan to instill ethics, accountability and fairness in global trade and big business.

dennis kucinich for president 2008

addendum: thanks to proud progressive for reminding me that what i think doesn’t always translate exactly to the printed form.  i have added a link above to clarify my sarcasm that bloggers are blamed for dividing the country.  thanks pp

Sphere: Related Content

Blackwater, the recall election and democracy in action.

EDIT: They lost their..ahem..seats..all five were recalled. Read about the vote count here.

The old grey lady, otherwise known as the New York Times has a piece up about the attempt by Blackwater to move in and set up shop in the tiny town of Potrero, CA and what happens to the planning board members that supported Blackwaters effort . Five members of the planning board are being recalled because of their support for the Blackwater base. Three of the group’s nine members have already been removed because Blackwater opponents revealed they had been improperly appointed.

This is how democracy should work imho. If your leaders fuck you over, you recall their worthless asses. There are a total of 509 registered voters in Potrero. Over 50% of them voted in the recall election held Monday. The county Registar began counting the votes Monday evening around 8pm. Since it was a mail-in vote, they must validate all votes prior to releasing the results.

Blackwater thought it would be a cakewalk to stroll into the tiny town and set up “800 acres of rifle ranges, dormitories, classrooms and an armory”.

Guess they found out different. In an era where city planners rarely listen to the desires of their constituents, this is very refreshing I think.

I will report the results when they are released.

tags: Potrero, Blackwater, recall election

Sphere: Related Content

The People of Italy Speak Out Against Tibet Occupation

Associazione Italy-Tibet have staged a protest on the 10th by hanging banners from large buildings in the Coliseum in Rome, the Milan Cathedral and the Asinelli Tower in Bologna which read: “Tibet Libero” (Free Tibet, for the uncultured); in celebration of 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Next Page »