August 2009 Archives

Here are some items collected over the past week..

Letter written by Dennis Kucinich some 40 years ago ..

Dear Friends, 

I wanted to share with you a comment that I wrote and subsequently was published in Time Magazine, some 40 years ago. I wrote this comment about Ted Kennedy as a private citizen before I began my public career. 

Time News Magazine, January 24, 1969, Vol. 93, No. 4: Ted v. Teddy - Sir: Senator Edward Kennedy’s victory in the contest for Democratic majority whip (Jan. 10) is a significant event in the Democratic Party’s move toward effecting a liberal stance in the formulation of party positions on key issues. As majority whip, Kennedy will do much to accomplish arapprochement of liberal factions alienated in the travesty at Chicago. This is a good Ted Kennedy, for the Democratic Party, for the people. Dennis J. Kucinich - Cleveland 

Sincerely. 

Kerry on Kennedy

Excerpt (received from his office):

“Without him, there might still be a military draft.  The war in Vietnam might have lasted longer.  There might have been delays in passing the Voting Rights Act or Medicare and Medicaid.  Soviet Jewish refuseniks might have been ignored—and who would have been there to help them as Ted did?  Without him we might not have stood up against the apartheid government in South Africa.  The barriers to fair immigration might be higher. 

“If everyone only knew…

“Without Ted, 18-year-olds might not be able to vote.  There might not be a Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, Meals on Wheels,  student loans, increases in the minimum wage, equal funding for women’s college sports, , health insurance portability, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the first billions for AIDS research, workplace safety, Americorps, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

“If everyone only knew…

“He stood against judges who would turn back the clock on constitutional rights.  He stood against the war in Iraq. For nearly four decades, and all through his final days, he labored with all his might to make health care a right for all Americans.

 

Letter From the President / Cool Artwork

Slugbug -- Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy. For nearly five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts. His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives -- in seniors who know new dignity; in families that know new opportunity; in children who know education's promise; and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just, including me. In the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth and good cheer. He battled passionately on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintained warm friendships across party lines. And that's one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy. I personally valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I've benefited as President from his encouragement and wisdom. His fight gave us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say thank you and goodbye. The outpouring of love, gratitude and fond memories to which we've all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives. For America, he was a defender of a dream. For his family, he was a guardian. Our hearts and prayers go out to them today -- to his wonderful wife, Vicki, his children Ted Jr., Patrick and Kara, his grandchildren and his extended family. Today, our country mourns. We say goodbye to a friend and a true leader who challenged us all to live out our noblest values. And we give thanks for his memory, which inspires us still. Sincerely, President Barack Obama 

(artwork suggested by Robin, seen at Daily Kos: A Special Tribute by Editorial Cartoonists: "The Dream Lives On"

All items published in the last week at Silenced Majority Portal blog by Slugbug, Nyc & Kayakbiker

.. a little more ..

This is from when there was actually news on television - with content.  This debate occurred in 1971 and the plans were relatively progressive compared to now, and we STILL haven't done anything.  Imagine all the human misery because of our massive FAIL for healthcare, just as we have delayed decent mass transport until it's far more expensive.  Some complain about our trillions in deficits but decent health and education are a drop in the bucket compared to what we spend on defending the corporations and their profits.

They don't make television debate like that any more.

We printed this in July of 2008.  Silenced Majority Portal: Ted Kennedy Supports Health Care in America AND Sings Mexican Music

I supported Kerry and Obama first because of the Ted Kennedy endorsement.  Here's Ted Kennedy on Healthcare (he has nine lives, I think!) and singing Mexican music.

"Edward M. Kennedy, the husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle we loved so deeply, died late Tuesday night at home in Hyannis Port (Massachusetts)," the Kennedy family said in a statement early on Wednesday.

Rest in Peace, Senator Kennedy.

Eek, eek! monkey here, throwin' a thread out to the masses in hopes of creating a technicolor dreamcoat!

As ya know, I've been harping endlessly on the hypocrisy of the religious right for years as it applies to some pretty important national issues, not the least of which has been war and torture, and how their positions on such matters just doesn't fall in line with the basic teachings that are central to their claims of who they model their lives after.

I see the health care reform "debate", and I use the term loosely, as no different.

Finally yesterday, the president made an attempt to appeal to not just the religious right, but to a wide swath of faith-based groups.

My question to Believers in a higher power, of which I consider myself one, is... do you/We put country first, personal interests first, or do you/We indeed act as the Good Book guides us to act?

Metaphorically speaking, do we as a nation simply walk past the Samaritan woman drawing water from the well in the searing heat of the mid-day sun?

Is that the "christian" thing to do?

Grace Matters!

Cue the Prez...
President Obama appealed Wednesday to faith-based groups to help garner support for his plan to overhaul the nation's health care system.

"I need you to knock on doors, talk to neighbors, spread the facts and speak the truth," he told religious leaders and reporters on a conference call that was streamed over the Web at faithforhealth.org.

"This debate over health care goes to the heart of who we are as a people," he said. "I believe that nobody in America should be denied basic health care because he or she lacks health insurance."

Some 140,000 people participated in the call, the coalition of more than 30 faith-based groups that organized the event said in a written statement.

Obama urged the listeners to reject misinformation about his plans, noting, "There are some folks out there who are, frankly, bearing false witness."

He referred to some assertions as "ludicrous," and cited as an example rumors that the government is planning to set up "death panels" to determine the fate of the nation's elderly.

"That is just an extraordinary lie," he said, adding that it was based on a provision in the House legislation that would allow Medicare to reimburse someone who voluntarily sought counseling on how to set up a living will for the end of life.

"It gives an option that people who can afford fancy lawyers already experience," the Harvard-trained lawyer said.

In addition, the plan does not provide health insurance to illegal aliens, it does not represent a government takeover of health care and it would not lead to government funding of abortion, he said.

"These are all fabrications that have been put out there in order to discourage people from meeting what I consider to be a core ethical and moral obligation: that is, that we look out for one another; that is, I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper. And in the wealthiest nation in the world right now we are neglecting to live up to that call."

Obama, who took no questions, said the opposition was no surprise. "Throughout history, whenever we have sought to change this country for the better, there have always been those who wanted to preserve the status quo," he said. "These always boil down to a contest between hope and fear."

Lately, the debate over health care insurance reform has lost it's way in policy wonk and disagreements over the myths and lies from the media and some standard bearers of the Republican party. Lost in the lies is the basic truth about medical insurance reform and why we need it.

• Fifty people a day will die due to lack of insurance and early intervention.
• More than half of US bankruptcies are caused by medical problems, even amongst those who have insurance.
• A large portion of our countrymen do not have insurance and/or are under insured, and more are losing it each day as businesses eliminate full-time jobs with benefits for temp workers or part timers.

So what are we to do?

Ministry of Truth and War on Error at Daily Kos beseech all of us to tell our health care horror stories, and they will have a repository reflecting the human pain and suffering to this issue and not only the wonky side.

I encourage you to create an account there and share your horror story if you have one to share. It's simple. I've mashed their ideas together to describe what they want you to do. Here goes...:

My Health Care Horror Story

In the spirit and tradition of the IGTNT series and the GUS series, among other and many fine DKos traditions, I propose a series of diaries that detail the very personal costs that our for-profit health care system takes from American families in order to give profits to the Medical/Insurance/Complex. (snip)We should share our stories and e-mail them to the White House and our Congressmembers.

Simply begin your diary with the words My Health Care Horror Story

And then share your tale. Let the Intro be a brief overview of how the insured has been abused and suffers. The Body can be a brief listing of their out of pocket expenses or something, and state how reform can help you and your loved ones, as well as our nation.

The more personal a story is, the more others can relate to it.

In the meantime, I want to share a few stories of my own. I have been working on this for a few weeks already but never felt like it was quite ready to publish. The original idea was to share my own personal health insurance nightmare, but I discovered that I couldn't comfortably share it in such a public forum.

So instead, I have permission to share a few of my friends' stories.

Hattip to IndyBend for this video.

A woman who is a cancer survivor thanks Lyndon Johnson for government run health care. This video says it all.

.... along with Barack Obama, William Clinton & myself! (DiAnne Grieser)

Submitted by Wendy Lohse and reprinted with much thanks!!!

This is not about nurturing the intellect. It’s not for politics or education or health or economics. Nope. Not even climate change and the environment are of special consequence with regard to this piece.

This one is to nourish the spirit. Please don’t leave me to embarrass myself all alone here.

I invite you to drop in to the DCP and share a coffee or a tea; a chat and a laugh; a poem or a story. I’ll try and keep the biscuit tin refilled. I might do the same with a “cookie jar” if I had one.

There will be no intellectual value in anecdotes or poems that I contribute. But please, feel free to up the tone if you wish. My intention is to laugh and have fun. It’s been really hard to choose a piece because I have truckloads of dreadful writing from my early life.

Some guys gave my Liberal Beetle three thumbs down during the commute, so it was refreshing to see this car when I got to Seattle. (This car art is not meant to represent this site in general or any other, just me and anyone else who resonates with it.)

(photo D. Grieser)

Welcome to August, folks. What we are doing on our summer vacation (?) is writing, thinking, walking in the woods, picking up trash on the almost-pristine beach at the end of our road, and eating a lot of lobsters and cinnamon-strawberry rhubarb buns.

We surely wish we could share the lobsters, buns, and beach with you, but you’ll have to get yourselves up here to Musquodoboit Harbour (45 minutes from Halifax!) for that. In the meantime, let me share what we have been researching and writing about.

Legibility. Change. And heat.