I know I am a little late with this video, but I love watching James Carville take any Republican to the woodshed - especially Liz Cheney. Enjoy...
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
More Nazi Speak From The Conservative "Media"
Trust me, I use the term media loosely. Here are two videos for Tuesday's Glenn Beck show on FOXNews in which he again equates heath care reform and those who support it to Nazis and their policies.
They will not let this go. They will not let people have an intelligent debate on health care reform. They would rather throw insults and slurs rather than offer real solutions. They do not want a discussion on the issue. They want the issue to go away.
They try to accomplish that by scaring the unsuspecting, ignorant masses that tune in daily to listen to the Apostles of Rush spew lies and hate. It is appalling that they are allowed to call themselves journalists. Journalists report on fact. Beck and others like him do not. They run lie after unadulterated lie and feel no remorse for doing so and I think that it is morally reprehensible. They should be ashamed of themselves, but I doubt that will ever happen.
They will not let this go. They will not let people have an intelligent debate on health care reform. They would rather throw insults and slurs rather than offer real solutions. They do not want a discussion on the issue. They want the issue to go away.
They try to accomplish that by scaring the unsuspecting, ignorant masses that tune in daily to listen to the Apostles of Rush spew lies and hate. It is appalling that they are allowed to call themselves journalists. Journalists report on fact. Beck and others like him do not. They run lie after unadulterated lie and feel no remorse for doing so and I think that it is morally reprehensible. They should be ashamed of themselves, but I doubt that will ever happen.
Drinking Liberally in Cinci!
I went out tonight for the first time with the folks from Drinking Liberally and had a great time. This is a national movement and we have a great group right here in Cincinnati! Great food, great conversation, great to see liberals getting together! Check out their blog at http://dlcinci.blogspot.com/. You can also follow them on twitter at dlcinci ! We meet every Tuesday for dinner, drinks, and great conversation. Come out and join us next week!
Censorship Update....
The last comment has been removed too. I'm honestly not surprised. Most people do not like being corrected, even when what they say is blatantly wrong. That's really too bad.
Censorship...
Please see my last post for the beginning of this discussion.
After posting on that blog, my comment was deleted for no apparent reason. I find it interesting that this individual felt the need to remove this post on the thread. My original one that provoked the conversation is there and he also left up the comments that agreed with him. Censorship at it's best. The comments section on my blog is open for a reason. I want to see what people have to say. The only reason that I would ever remove a comment is if said comment contained something so incredibly inappropriate that I thought for the better of all that it should come down. Then I would post a comment as to why it was removed. I would never remove a comment simply because I don't agree with them or because the proved statements I made to be false. I happen to believe in the first amendment.
Here is a response to my comment and my last comment to this user. I am posting it here because I am sure it will be promptly removed.
August 11, 2009 4:35 PM
Joe said...
Elisabeth, I hope I didn't offend you with my blog. The house bill isn't finished yet, and the Senet hasn't started theirs yet that I know of. The problem is when both the house and senet finish their respected bill, then they have to work out a comprimize, and thats when the Dem leadership will give a deadline, that will make it impossible for anyone to read. I wouldn' be suprised if those new jets weren't hidden in there, and who knows what else. I don't think there is a health CRISES, Health care coverage isn't a right, Those with out it fall in to 3 basic groups, those who don't want it, usally the young, those who are here illeagly who should be sent back to the country they came from, I'm all for leagel immigration, we are all immigrants. and those who want, and need it,but can't get it.I don't see why they can't give the last group voutures to pay, or help pay for their privit insurance, and make them cover excisting conditions, I wouldn't mind paying for that. I was a single parent of 3 for 11years, I know what it's like to take them to the doctor with out insurance. Insurance isn't a freebee, the idea is that you will take less out of it, then you put into it over the life of the policy, like a credit card for medicen, witch is a life saver for anyone with kids. I don't think the insurance companys are evil for making a profit, someone had to put up the money to secure all those policys, why would you put your money somewhere were you have nothing to gain, and everything to lose.
Elizabeth K Wright said...
Joe - No, you did not offend me. You have every right to believe what you do. I just happen to have a differing opinion, which since my comment was removed, is apparently not welcome here. That's a shame. I was hoping for intellectual discourse, not a censorship exercise.
I find this very interesting... More to come if more of the story unfolds.
After posting on that blog, my comment was deleted for no apparent reason. I find it interesting that this individual felt the need to remove this post on the thread. My original one that provoked the conversation is there and he also left up the comments that agreed with him. Censorship at it's best. The comments section on my blog is open for a reason. I want to see what people have to say. The only reason that I would ever remove a comment is if said comment contained something so incredibly inappropriate that I thought for the better of all that it should come down. Then I would post a comment as to why it was removed. I would never remove a comment simply because I don't agree with them or because the proved statements I made to be false. I happen to believe in the first amendment.
Here is a response to my comment and my last comment to this user. I am posting it here because I am sure it will be promptly removed.
August 11, 2009 4:35 PM
Joe said...
Elisabeth, I hope I didn't offend you with my blog. The house bill isn't finished yet, and the Senet hasn't started theirs yet that I know of. The problem is when both the house and senet finish their respected bill, then they have to work out a comprimize, and thats when the Dem leadership will give a deadline, that will make it impossible for anyone to read. I wouldn' be suprised if those new jets weren't hidden in there, and who knows what else. I don't think there is a health CRISES, Health care coverage isn't a right, Those with out it fall in to 3 basic groups, those who don't want it, usally the young, those who are here illeagly who should be sent back to the country they came from, I'm all for leagel immigration, we are all immigrants. and those who want, and need it,but can't get it.I don't see why they can't give the last group voutures to pay, or help pay for their privit insurance, and make them cover excisting conditions, I wouldn't mind paying for that. I was a single parent of 3 for 11years, I know what it's like to take them to the doctor with out insurance. Insurance isn't a freebee, the idea is that you will take less out of it, then you put into it over the life of the policy, like a credit card for medicen, witch is a life saver for anyone with kids. I don't think the insurance companys are evil for making a profit, someone had to put up the money to secure all those policys, why would you put your money somewhere were you have nothing to gain, and everything to lose.
Elizabeth K Wright said...
Joe - No, you did not offend me. You have every right to believe what you do. I just happen to have a differing opinion, which since my comment was removed, is apparently not welcome here. That's a shame. I was hoping for intellectual discourse, not a censorship exercise.
I find this very interesting... More to come if more of the story unfolds.
Another Example of What We Are Up Against
Here is a post from http://starvingbloggist.blogspot.com/. I stumbled upon this because this person became a follower of mine on Twitter, so I thought I would check his blog out. Here is the most current post on his page, my comment, and the ensuing insanity. This is what we are up against. People who are bent on spreading blatantly wrong information to people who blindly follow their leaders to town hall meetings with pitch forks. They have insults, but no solutions. Sadly, this is very typical.
From The Starving Bloggist
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Petition Against Obamacare
President Obama and Congress are pushing 'reform' that will move America closer to a government run system like Canada and Britain. If they succeed, most Americans will no longer be able to keep the insurance they have. Instead, they will be forced into a government run health insurance market, with most people enrolled into a government run health care plan. - For more information or to sign the petition against Obamacare please go to....www.freeourhealthcarenow.com
5 comments:
Elizabeth K Wright said...
I find so much wrong with this including the fact that a single-payer system is not even on the table. No where in the legislation does it say that people will lose the right to private insurance companies. It is irresponsible to spread incorrect data.
August 10, 2009 10:34 PM
Christine W. said...
Are you saying that you want a single payer system? Are you crazy? Do you know what that would do to our country? All of our doctors will be paid less, which will minimize the amount of doctors that are available, and it will discourage others from going to medical school to become doctors. It will make government the one in control of your health decisions, and will allow them to decide whether or not you should get certain procedures or prescriptions that you need. It's called rationing... Ever heard of it? It is happening right now in Canada and Great Britain. Why do you think so many people from other countries come here to the United States for health care? Because we have the best health care in the world. It is not perfect, it does have its flaws that need to be reformed, but it does NOT need to be totally overhauled... And anybody that says so is just looking for a free handout without even taking into consideration how it would affect our nation as a whole...
August 10, 2009 10:58 PM
The Starving Bloggist said...
Elizabeth you are 100% wrong. President Obama's plan does not allow you to keep your private insurance after five years. Get your facts straight tutz.
August 11, 2009 6:30 AM
Joe said...
My Rep. cosponsored the adminment that would require everyone to be on medicare. I've haven't heard if it was voted down or just stuck somewhere we can't find it until it's to late. Witch is the problem, like the Bailout, Stimulus, and Cap&trade, we will not know what's really in it until it's to late. That's why everyone is so upset at these town meetings. I do believe we can, and should help those with out heath insurance who want it to get it. But to make us all suffer or redo the system is a wast of time, money.
August 11, 2009 9:07 AM
Elizabeth K Wright said...
In response...
Christine W.-
No where in my comment did I say that I wanted a single-payer system and no I am not crazy. Yes, I do know what health care reform will do for America - it will help to insure the 45 million Americans that do not have access to regular health care. The statement that lowering the cost of health care will decrease the numbers of doctors, which has not proven to be true in any other country that has attempted health care reform. What it will do is decrease the enormous profit that insurance companies are making off of sick people.Let's talk about rationing for a moment. It is happening here, in America, at this very moment. It is happening because decisions are NOT being made by you and your doctor. They ARE being made by insurance companies that dictate what tests and procedures can be done and what they will pay for. Yes, that is rationing and the new plan will help to eliminate this current problem.I also feel the need to correct you when you say that people come here from all over the world because we have the best health care system. They come here for many reasons, but that is surely not in the top 10. America is ranked 37th in the world in health care and we pay the highest cost. France (God forbid) happens to be ranked number one and they have a public/private hybrid system in place that seems to be working very well.People who are against health care reform also seem to forget that we have 2 very socialistic, widely successful health care programs in this country. - Medicare and VA Health/TriCare. If you loathe the idea of socialized medicine so much, should we repeal those programs as well?I take offense when you state that I am looking for a free handout because I believe the system needs to be overhauled. I work for a small business and we pay extremely high premiums for our health care. Under this plan, our small business would benefit but I would like you to know that I am a hard working individual and am, under no uncertain terms, not looking for a hand out of any kind.
The Starving Bloggist -
If you can point out to me chapter and verse where that is listed in the proposed bill, I will eat my hat. Linda Douglass, the White House Office of Health Reform, has a video at this link - http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/3 - in which shows President Obama specifically states that if you have insurance and doctors that you like, you will not be required to change them. We are not trying to fix what is working in the system - only what is broken.Also, just for your information, it is rather in appropriate to use a derogatory term in referring to someone who simply disagrees with you.
Joe -
I will agree with you that the bill is complicated, but it is also available to be read in its entirety. The people that you see at town hall meetings are not just angry citizens. They have been lied to and given incorrect information by people who have something significant to gain by maintaining the status quot. When someone makes an outrageous claim, like Sarah Palin and her "death panel" comment, people should question the legitimacy of it and not just blindly follow the false thinking.I happen to think that we can insure the people that are not insured and reform the system to take some of the burden off of everyone.
Feel free to read my blog and comment there as well. I am open to alternatives and other ideas. I want an open discussion based on facts, not on misconceptions that have been propagated by people that have far too much to gain in this discussion, or lack thereof as the case may be.
August 11, 2009 3:32 PM
From The Starving Bloggist
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Petition Against Obamacare
President Obama and Congress are pushing 'reform' that will move America closer to a government run system like Canada and Britain. If they succeed, most Americans will no longer be able to keep the insurance they have. Instead, they will be forced into a government run health insurance market, with most people enrolled into a government run health care plan. - For more information or to sign the petition against Obamacare please go to....www.freeourhealthcarenow.com
5 comments:
Elizabeth K Wright said...
I find so much wrong with this including the fact that a single-payer system is not even on the table. No where in the legislation does it say that people will lose the right to private insurance companies. It is irresponsible to spread incorrect data.
August 10, 2009 10:34 PM
Christine W. said...
Are you saying that you want a single payer system? Are you crazy? Do you know what that would do to our country? All of our doctors will be paid less, which will minimize the amount of doctors that are available, and it will discourage others from going to medical school to become doctors. It will make government the one in control of your health decisions, and will allow them to decide whether or not you should get certain procedures or prescriptions that you need. It's called rationing... Ever heard of it? It is happening right now in Canada and Great Britain. Why do you think so many people from other countries come here to the United States for health care? Because we have the best health care in the world. It is not perfect, it does have its flaws that need to be reformed, but it does NOT need to be totally overhauled... And anybody that says so is just looking for a free handout without even taking into consideration how it would affect our nation as a whole...
August 10, 2009 10:58 PM
The Starving Bloggist said...
Elizabeth you are 100% wrong. President Obama's plan does not allow you to keep your private insurance after five years. Get your facts straight tutz.
August 11, 2009 6:30 AM
Joe said...
My Rep. cosponsored the adminment that would require everyone to be on medicare. I've haven't heard if it was voted down or just stuck somewhere we can't find it until it's to late. Witch is the problem, like the Bailout, Stimulus, and Cap&trade, we will not know what's really in it until it's to late. That's why everyone is so upset at these town meetings. I do believe we can, and should help those with out heath insurance who want it to get it. But to make us all suffer or redo the system is a wast of time, money.
August 11, 2009 9:07 AM
Elizabeth K Wright said...
In response...
Christine W.-
No where in my comment did I say that I wanted a single-payer system and no I am not crazy. Yes, I do know what health care reform will do for America - it will help to insure the 45 million Americans that do not have access to regular health care. The statement that lowering the cost of health care will decrease the numbers of doctors, which has not proven to be true in any other country that has attempted health care reform. What it will do is decrease the enormous profit that insurance companies are making off of sick people.Let's talk about rationing for a moment. It is happening here, in America, at this very moment. It is happening because decisions are NOT being made by you and your doctor. They ARE being made by insurance companies that dictate what tests and procedures can be done and what they will pay for. Yes, that is rationing and the new plan will help to eliminate this current problem.I also feel the need to correct you when you say that people come here from all over the world because we have the best health care system. They come here for many reasons, but that is surely not in the top 10. America is ranked 37th in the world in health care and we pay the highest cost. France (God forbid) happens to be ranked number one and they have a public/private hybrid system in place that seems to be working very well.People who are against health care reform also seem to forget that we have 2 very socialistic, widely successful health care programs in this country. - Medicare and VA Health/TriCare. If you loathe the idea of socialized medicine so much, should we repeal those programs as well?I take offense when you state that I am looking for a free handout because I believe the system needs to be overhauled. I work for a small business and we pay extremely high premiums for our health care. Under this plan, our small business would benefit but I would like you to know that I am a hard working individual and am, under no uncertain terms, not looking for a hand out of any kind.
The Starving Bloggist -
If you can point out to me chapter and verse where that is listed in the proposed bill, I will eat my hat. Linda Douglass, the White House Office of Health Reform, has a video at this link - http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/3 - in which shows President Obama specifically states that if you have insurance and doctors that you like, you will not be required to change them. We are not trying to fix what is working in the system - only what is broken.Also, just for your information, it is rather in appropriate to use a derogatory term in referring to someone who simply disagrees with you.
Joe -
I will agree with you that the bill is complicated, but it is also available to be read in its entirety. The people that you see at town hall meetings are not just angry citizens. They have been lied to and given incorrect information by people who have something significant to gain by maintaining the status quot. When someone makes an outrageous claim, like Sarah Palin and her "death panel" comment, people should question the legitimacy of it and not just blindly follow the false thinking.I happen to think that we can insure the people that are not insured and reform the system to take some of the burden off of everyone.
Feel free to read my blog and comment there as well. I am open to alternatives and other ideas. I want an open discussion based on facts, not on misconceptions that have been propagated by people that have far too much to gain in this discussion, or lack thereof as the case may be.
August 11, 2009 3:32 PM
Monday, August 10, 2009
You know you're a conservative if...
- You can call yourself pro-life but have no problem denying health care to actual people that are actually living.
- You are pro-life but support the death penalty.
- You believe that "all men were created equal" - as long as they aren't gay.
- You think that only women are pro-choice.
- You think that those women also only support choice for selfish reasons.
- You have ever compared Obama to Hitler.
- You listen to Beck or Limbaugh and think they actually make sense.
- You love the second amendment, but the first and fourth are negotiable.
- You tell kids to say no to drugs, unless that drug is tobacco.
- You think that everyone on public assistance is lazy and doesn't work.
- You think that people should pull themselves up by their bootstraps - even when they don't have boots.
- You think that America has nothing to apologize for - never mind the extermination of Native Americans, slavery, or World War II interment camps.
- You think that cutting education spending is better for our children.
- You think Clarence Thomas was more qualified for the Supreme Court than Sonia Sotomayor.
- You think that you shouldn't have to step down after being caught with your Argentinian mistress, even though you believed the President Clinton should. Thanks Mark!
- You think that the "liberal media" is out to get your family, even when you are parading them around like show ponies.
- You honestly think that things were better under Reagan and Bush.
- You believe in "Don't ask - Don't tell".
- You believe that Sarah Palin has actually done something good for women in politics.
- You honestly believe that liberals are tree hugging, homo-lovin', baby killers.
- You try to convince people that God was a capitalist and Jesus was a Republican.
- You love using free speech to promote Christianity, but not any other religion.
- You ignore the clause about separation of church and state.
- You complain about violence on television but have no problem plastering pictures of aborted fetuses all over.
- You think that liberals automatically hate soldiers because we do not approve of the war they have been tasked to fight.
- You actually believe that there is no sexism and no racism in this country.
- You want to ban sex education, even when your daughter is an unwed teenage mother that received "abstinence only" education.
- You think that everyone should stand of their own two feet - unless they have a rich, well connected daddy.
- You think everyone should stand on their own two feet - unless that involves workers unionizing.
- You are the governor of a state that has the worst heath care system in the country and the most uninsured people and you are threatening to secede from the union if Obama's health care plan gets passed because health care is a states rights issue and you can fix it better than the federal government even though you have been the governor for 9 YEARS ALREADY! (Thanks Texas!)
- You didn't make it this far because you can't stand someone pointing out your faults.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Rush Limbaugh's Comments Are Disgusting... More So Than Usual
I have been trying to decide how to address this and every time I think about it, my blood pressure raises to dangerously high levels.
This week, Rush made it comparisons between modern day Democrats and the Nazis. I will go on record right now and say that I find him to be absolutely disgusting. Nazism is not a political persuasion to be thrown around lightly. When people do or say something that you do not believe in or agree with, it is not acceptable to compare them to Nazis. It is not acceptable to compare President Obama to Adolf Hitler under any circumstances for any reason.
There are a few people alive today that barely survived the Holocaust. There many people alive today that lost most, if not all, of their family in the Holocaust. I find it to be sick and disgusting that Rush is getting some perverse joy out of exploiting the horror of that time in world history for a gain in ratings.
He said on his radio show Friday, "Isn't it fascinating how no one can have an honest disagreement with statists? How no one can have an honest disagreement with Barack Obama or Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi? Because if you disagree, you're a Nazi." He then went on to say that President Obama was a Nazi because he was pushing for people to get out to local town hall meetings and talk to their representatives about health care reform. He equated the mobilization of these supporters to sending the "brown shirts" out to quash opposition.
Wait. Back up one minute. Your argument is actually that you can't disagree without being called a Nazi and we disagree with you, therefore we are Nazis??????? How does that make any sense????? I cannot believe that people actually listen to this man spew hate and continue to follow him like the Messiah - the term he so lovingly uses for Obama. Have the Republicans never mobilized their supporters to gain leverage on the issue? See my previous post about Recess Rally. In this same rant, he accuses Obama and Democrats of “astroturfing”, which he obviously doesn’t understand the meaning of. Mobilizing actual voting citizens to speak out if they do not agree is not “astroturfing”. “Astroturfing” is the practice of businesses and other corporately interested parties in packing meetings and events with people that are specifically there to act as non-interested parties who are outraged with whatever the meeting is about. The Republicans who endorse the Recess Rally movement are the ones that are “astroturfing”!
In the same interview, he equates Democrats to Nazis again by noting that the Nazi Party were vehement environmentalists. Listening to him actually makes my brain hurt. He cited laws enacted by Hitler on how to humanely cook lobster and then posed the question 'Have you ever heard of a conservative posing legislation like that?' No, frankly I haven't, but then again I have never heard a liberal do it either! Hitler was a vegetarian. Are all vegetarians evil? Hitler was an artist. Are all artists Nazis? This is the most ridiculous argument that I have ever heard.
Earlier in the week, Rush also drew the same connections from Nazi iconography to the new heath care logo. "Obama's health care logo looks damn like the Nazi logo! I'm sorry, but it does! I didn't create either logo, but I have two eyes and I can see!" Then, on his website, he actually posted the two of them next to one another to prove his point. Rush, perhaps this is what you see because this is what you want to see.
People follow this egomaniacal maniac with a fervor that cannot be described in words. His ignorance is unfathomable. The fact that he continues to spew unadulterated hate is amazing to me. People listen to him and actually believe what he has to say. People listen to him and genuinely believe in this garbage. It is a very sad time when the only argument that they can come up with is that the logo looks like the Nazi’s and Obama has “brown shirts” working for him.
I wonder why more and more people are leaving the Republican Party every day? Could it be the fact that they champion people like Rush Limbaugh as a leader? Could it be that people want to hear actual intellectual discussion instead of ignorant, belligerent ranting? Could it be that people are actually starting to pay attention to what is going on in the media and are putting their foot down?
I sincerely hope so.
OK... I just have to comment on this...
"The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama’s “death panel” so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their “level of productivity in society,” whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil." - Sarah Palin via Facebook - Friday @ 4:26pm.
Seriously? This is what you bring to the debate on health care? She is referring to a part of the bill in which it states that the program will fund efforts to talk to people and educate them about living wills and end of life decisions once they reach the age of medicare eligibility- something that the government has been advocating for over 20 years!
How is this constructive? How is this relevant? How did she ever get elected to public office? This lying and fear mongering must stop! This is a blatant attempt to scare the uninformed public into thinking that Obama's health care plan is a secret plot to kill old people and special needs children. This is ridiculous. This is offensive and it is our duty to bring this ignorance to light.
This is what we are up against. Let's stand together and tell the conservative right that we will not stand for this.
Seriously? This is what you bring to the debate on health care? She is referring to a part of the bill in which it states that the program will fund efforts to talk to people and educate them about living wills and end of life decisions once they reach the age of medicare eligibility- something that the government has been advocating for over 20 years!
How is this constructive? How is this relevant? How did she ever get elected to public office? This lying and fear mongering must stop! This is a blatant attempt to scare the uninformed public into thinking that Obama's health care plan is a secret plot to kill old people and special needs children. This is ridiculous. This is offensive and it is our duty to bring this ignorance to light.
This is what we are up against. Let's stand together and tell the conservative right that we will not stand for this.
Just Another Hot, Steamy August Sunday...
This morning, well I suppose it was technically this afternoon as I slept in, I took a short drive to downtown Cincinnati to go shopping at Findley Market. For those of you that don't know, it is the oldest farmers market in Ohio. I love it because you get to hear the sounds of the city and the people while you support local growers and artisans.
While I was wondering through the market in the 90 plus degree heat, I couldn't help but look around at the people surrounding me. This market is in the Over-The-Rhine district of the city, a socioeconomically depressed area on the edge of the worst part of the city for violence. Looking around, I loosely categorized people into locals and non-locals. The locals we out in force, buying groceries for the week. This is one of the few places in downtown that people have access to fresh fruits and vegetables and quality meats and cheeses.
The non-locals, myself included, like to shop there for a couple of reasons. First, I prefer to support local growers and craftspeople rather than large chains (and I consider myself lucky that I have an option). Secondly, I love the atmosphere of the market. The crowds, artists, music, and people of the city have a certain liveliness in them the I love.
Now, why am I writing about this in my political blog? The reason is simple. The people I were surrounded by today, for the most part, are the reason that I am doing this. I was busy picking out locally grown organic honey while the person next to me was trying to figure out how much food she could afford to buy for her two small children. I have no issue paying a couple of bucks extra for something that I really enjoy. She was buying the bruised fruit because the vendor gave it to her at half cost. This would let her buy more food, although not as high quality food, for her family. She is the epitome of the average American that is struggling to support her family. She is the average American that somehow gets lost in the noise that is so often focused on in Washington.
Now, I do not know this woman personally and will not make assumptions about her as an individual, but while the debate on health care is raging on, she is bartering for lower prices on bruised fruit. Let's assume that she lives in the area, probably within walking distance to the market. Let's assume that if she does, she is most likely undereducated, as is a large majority of the population in this part of the city. On that assumption, let's say that she works a menial job to support herself and her children, again very indicative of this area. Do you think if she can't pay full price for fresh fruit (which is significantly cheaper than most supermarkets) that she can afford ridiculously high insurance premiums?
This is not about this one, specific woman with two adorable little boys. This is about the 500 other people shopping in the market today. This is about people that live in impoverished areas, not only in Cincinnati, but all over the country. This is about all of the people who work hard every day. They show up on time, do their job, and go home without enough money in their pockets to make ends meet. They have to choose between school clothes for their kids or fixing their car so that they can get to work and keep that job. These are the people that are struggling and hurting. These are the people that do not have access to medical care on a regular basis. These are the people that we are trying to help.
Now, let's look at the opposition to health care reform. For those of you interested, check out www.recessrally.com . This website lists town hall meetings all across the country that are going to take place while the Congress is on their August recess. Their tag line is "We the people say NO to socialized health care". Perhaps we should be focusing our energies on education and not health care reform because apparently there is a large population that have no idea what the word 'socialized' means. We'll get to that in a second.
This is the site that people have been referring to in order to get information and are showing up en mass to town hall meetings on health care. Their website says "The Nationwide Recess Rally takes place on Saturday, August 22nd, 2009. If you believe your liberty, your hard earned money and your way of life is under attack through dangerous health care legislation currently being proposed, get to your local Representative office on August 22nd and make sure he/she knows." They are pushing people to show up and accost their representatives to make their voices heard. They "will not stand for socialized, government controlled health care". Fantastic! Everyone can stay home and watch their favorite FOX News program because there is no need to protest since this is not at all what is being proposed!
Speaking of FOX News, their anchors have been encouraging people to go to this website to get the specific locations for their representatives and to go "give them a piece of your mind". I won't even touch that one. Let's look at who is sponsoring the Recess Rally site.
While I was wondering through the market in the 90 plus degree heat, I couldn't help but look around at the people surrounding me. This market is in the Over-The-Rhine district of the city, a socioeconomically depressed area on the edge of the worst part of the city for violence. Looking around, I loosely categorized people into locals and non-locals. The locals we out in force, buying groceries for the week. This is one of the few places in downtown that people have access to fresh fruits and vegetables and quality meats and cheeses.
The non-locals, myself included, like to shop there for a couple of reasons. First, I prefer to support local growers and craftspeople rather than large chains (and I consider myself lucky that I have an option). Secondly, I love the atmosphere of the market. The crowds, artists, music, and people of the city have a certain liveliness in them the I love.
Now, why am I writing about this in my political blog? The reason is simple. The people I were surrounded by today, for the most part, are the reason that I am doing this. I was busy picking out locally grown organic honey while the person next to me was trying to figure out how much food she could afford to buy for her two small children. I have no issue paying a couple of bucks extra for something that I really enjoy. She was buying the bruised fruit because the vendor gave it to her at half cost. This would let her buy more food, although not as high quality food, for her family. She is the epitome of the average American that is struggling to support her family. She is the average American that somehow gets lost in the noise that is so often focused on in Washington.
Now, I do not know this woman personally and will not make assumptions about her as an individual, but while the debate on health care is raging on, she is bartering for lower prices on bruised fruit. Let's assume that she lives in the area, probably within walking distance to the market. Let's assume that if she does, she is most likely undereducated, as is a large majority of the population in this part of the city. On that assumption, let's say that she works a menial job to support herself and her children, again very indicative of this area. Do you think if she can't pay full price for fresh fruit (which is significantly cheaper than most supermarkets) that she can afford ridiculously high insurance premiums?
This is not about this one, specific woman with two adorable little boys. This is about the 500 other people shopping in the market today. This is about people that live in impoverished areas, not only in Cincinnati, but all over the country. This is about all of the people who work hard every day. They show up on time, do their job, and go home without enough money in their pockets to make ends meet. They have to choose between school clothes for their kids or fixing their car so that they can get to work and keep that job. These are the people that are struggling and hurting. These are the people that do not have access to medical care on a regular basis. These are the people that we are trying to help.
Now, let's look at the opposition to health care reform. For those of you interested, check out www.recessrally.com . This website lists town hall meetings all across the country that are going to take place while the Congress is on their August recess. Their tag line is "We the people say NO to socialized health care". Perhaps we should be focusing our energies on education and not health care reform because apparently there is a large population that have no idea what the word 'socialized' means. We'll get to that in a second.
This is the site that people have been referring to in order to get information and are showing up en mass to town hall meetings on health care. Their website says "The Nationwide Recess Rally takes place on Saturday, August 22nd, 2009. If you believe your liberty, your hard earned money and your way of life is under attack through dangerous health care legislation currently being proposed, get to your local Representative office on August 22nd and make sure he/she knows." They are pushing people to show up and accost their representatives to make their voices heard. They "will not stand for socialized, government controlled health care". Fantastic! Everyone can stay home and watch their favorite FOX News program because there is no need to protest since this is not at all what is being proposed!
Speaking of FOX News, their anchors have been encouraging people to go to this website to get the specific locations for their representatives and to go "give them a piece of your mind". I won't even touch that one. Let's look at who is sponsoring the Recess Rally site.
- Michelle Malkin - contributor for FOX News and author of "Culture of Corruption" (a book on Obama that was released before he had 200 days under his belt)
- American Majority - They call themselves a "non-profit, non-partisan political training institute". Their President is Ned Ryun - a former Bush speech writer.
- Sam Adams Alliance - They are "leading a new revolution for liberty." Their President is John Tsarpalas, who was most recently the Executive Director of the Illinois Republican Party.
- Patients First - They are a project of American for Prosperity.
- American for Prosperity - They are "are committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates". Their President is Tim Phillips. He is a professional political strategist. One of their Directors is is James C. Miller, a former Budget Director under President Reagan.
This list goes on and on. These people profess to be average, angry Americans, just like you and me, who are fed up with the corruption of the Obama administration and want to let their voices be heard. In all reality, this is a corporately funded group of very savvy political professionals that are using the ignorance of the American people to implant ludicrous ideas into their heads and giving them the ammunition, hopefully only metaphorically, to show up and disrupt any attempt at an open and informed discussion about the policy at hand.
This is the strategy at the moment and it will get progressively worse through August. They are pushing people to show up at events and cause such a disruption nothing gets accomplished. They do not want an informed debate; they want the debate to stop all together. We cannot allow this to happen. We cannot allow the corporate influences to overrun the democratic process. We cannot allow the status quot to remain. We must, as an educated, reform seeking public, stand up and speak out against this blatant attempt at influencing the discussion. If we don't, who will?
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