Health Care Reform Passes.

I wanted to write and share the great news I am sure you have already heard. Health care reform is law. This is a historical day for our country. No longer can the insurance companies abuse the citizens of this nation for profit. This has essentially been the point of the entire health care battle.

For far too long have the Insurance companies been allowed to drop coverage for getting sick. For far too long they have been able to exclude people from coverage for being born sick. 32 million more people will have insurance coverage. This is not a government take over of health care. It is a government fix to a huge budgetary and public health problem facing the people of this nation. This reform saves the government 138 billion dollars over ten years, and $1.2 trillion over 20 years according to the non partisan Congressional Budgeting Office. This bill also helps seniors on Medicare who will now pay less for prescriptions with the closing of the donut hole gap in coverage. Seniors will now have preventative care at no cost to them with Medicare. This bill provides significant tax breaks for small businesses that provide health insurance for their employees. This reform is expected to create 2.5 million jobs over ten years due to reduction of health care costs to businesses.

This battle for health care has shown just how dysfunctional and powerful the special interest have become, and how entrenched they have become in Washington. The Republicans and some Democrats have been absolute obstructionists simply for political purposes. Many are well paid by health insurance and other special interests. They were elected to do the work of the people. Yet they chose to vote no. They chose to let another 45,000 people die this year due to a lack of health coverage. The chose to let millions more live one illness away from bankruptcy. They chose to support insurance company profits over their constituents well being. Fortunately 60 Senators and 219 Representatives had the courage to pass this reform.

The Republicans continued to drag their feet in the Senate, using more stall tactics to slow the reconciliation bill of fixes that the House of Representatives demanded from the Senate in order to pass the Senates bill. It is an exercise in futility. Many are now vowing repeal. There are several state attorney generals that are suing merely to score political points from their far right base. Again an exercise in futility. By some accounts, this bill that passed is more conservative than the compromise bill the Republicans offered in 1994 during Bill Clinton's try at health care reform, and the one that Nixon tried to get passed in his first term. My thought is that if one has an employee that refuses to do their job, one fires them. It is time for these obstructionists to be voted out of office.

There is a small minority on the far right fringe of American politics, who is being extremely vocal and violent and they are being whipped up by these same far right politicians as well as media personalities like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. Since health care reform passed a number of offices of Democrats around the country have been vandalized by wing nuts who think they speak for the rest of us. Things are likely to get ugly over the next few months as these wing-nuts gear up for their "revolution." It is my belief that we will see more acts of domestic terrorism over the next few months. April 19th is especially significant in American history. April 19, 1775 beheld the battle of Lexington and Concord, the first battle of the American Revolution. This also the day of the tragedy in Waco in 1993. It was also April 19, 1995 when Timothy McVey bombed The Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

I ask my friends who are on the right of the political spectrum, please do not endorse this insanity. Form a new party. Those who are left in Washington want only one thing. Absolute dictatorial theocratic power. They care not for the American people nor those of you who voted for them. They care about the hundreds of thousands of dollars they get from special interests. They care about holding on to power, despite scandal, and criminal behavior. The entire Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee has been subpoenaed in a possible election fraud case involving Nevada Senator John Ensign and possibly others. The Republican Party is dying. We need those on the right in the dialog of American politics. What we don't need are those who would seek violence for dislike of our president. We don't need those who would seek violence because their narrow vision for America includes only them. We don't need those who rail against a mostly successful stimulus package and voted against it, but get excited for a campaign photo op at a project in their district funded by stimulus money. It is time for the hypocrisy to leave Washington. Please get involved and bring some moderation to the politics. As an independent voter, a post I saw on Twitter says it best, "Democrats, the party that gets s@%t done."

Next up on the list of Congress-Do's for the American people is financial and corporate reform. It is time to reign in the to big to fail banks and the wall street firms that drove our economy to the brink of depression. Anybody in Congress or other political office needs to hear that you support strong financial regulation and bank reform. It is time they heard from you about supporting the public financing of elections. If we want fair elections we have to pay for them. If we continue we will lose more and more freedom to those who have the money to buy the power. The Supreme Court ruled that corporations have the right of free speech and effectively said that they may spend as much as they like in elections. The corporations do not have our interests in mind. They care only for shareholder profit at whatever expense to people and the environment.

We still have much work to do to take back this country from lobbyist and special interests. We have much work to do to rebuild our infrastructure and refresh our military strength. Our country has been mismanaged by politics for far too long. Health care reform is what the change we voted for looks like. Hopefully we won't have to fight so hard for it on every thing that needs to be done.

Follow this link to read:

10 THINGS EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HEALTH CARE REFORM



Pass it on.

Have a great day.

Rep. Doug Lamborn Has Health Care Town Hall Meeting in Colorado Springs.

I went to a health care centered town hall by tea bagging Colorado 5th district Rep. Doug Lamborn(R). As promised by Mr. Lamborn's congressional website, the town hall meeting was a spirited mix of scared seniors ready to be scared some more, and the more vocal progressives, ready to call Mr. Lamborn out for his lies.

I was fortunate enough to be called to ask representative Lamborn a question. So I asked a two part question: A. Why does he continue to quote the now discredited Price Waterhouse Coopers report, and B. How much money has he taken from health industry & insurance lobbyist. Rep Lamborn answered that he didn't know that the PWC report was discredited. Secondly he said he didn't think that he had taken that much from health and insurance interests, " maybe a few thousand dollars."

I think Mr. Lamborn would be interested to know that he has taken more than $200,000 in money from health and insurance industries. The health sector has donated $44,000 to Mr. Lamborn during his political career. The finance, insurance, and real estate sector has given $159,000 during Mr. Lamborn's political career. It is no wonder Mr Lamborn that you are against reform. You have been paid for by the big industry.

One thing I can say for sure is that it is going to be a long day at the Country Buffet. The large majority of the audience was seniors who couldn't believe that free speech should apply to people like me because I was calling out the lies they were being told by an elected leader, who has been paid to tell these lies.

It is time to call out the traitors in Washington, whether they be Republican or Democrat. If you take money from the health and insurance lobby to derail and lie about health reform, then you work for the insurance companies and not the American people. It is time Mr. Lamborn for you to step down. You have refused to call down the violent rhetoric of the tea baggers. You refuse to call down the violent rhetoric of Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh.

It is time for a health care reform for the American people, with a strong and robust public option that provides competition to Mr. Lamborn's insurance bosses. It is time for Mr Lamborn and his colleagues to do what is best for America and resign. By your lies you have shown your intent toward serving the American people. You will rule by who pays you the most. It is ironic that your views and your donors coincide Mr. Lamborn.

Hot Tea Bagging Action in Washington and Across the Nation!

If you haven't seen this it is a brilliant piece about the tea party movement on the right.  They're mad because they lost and now all they can do is teabag Democrats in Congress and President Obama.  FYI Tea bagging is referenced 36 times including one reference to hot tea bagging action.  With out further ado......

Rachel Maddow Brilliantly Mocks GOP 'Teabagging' 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/30145811#30145811

For those who haven't heard the slang term tea bagging click here to look it up.  To my Conservative friends who asked me to have more respect for the Office of the President  when George W. was criminal in chief, I ask you to make to sure you know what you are doing before you tea bag President Obama.

Let's Hold Our Elected Officials to a Higher Standard!

Greetings all,

I am posting copies of letters I sent to one of Colorado's state senators.  It is an ongoing discussion, but I wanted to share this as I feel it is important that no matter what our differing political beliefs, we can work to solve our problems with a little civility and decency.  It is time to put the partisan era behind us and move on to rebuilding this great country.  

There are many reading this who live in Senator Shultheis' district on the north side of El Paso County.  Please contact senator Shultheis and hold him accountable for his actions.  We must hold all of our elected officials to a higher standard.  They sought out the responsibility to govern and must accept responsibility for their actions both good and bad.  For those others reading this to you as an example that we do not have to stand idly by while our elected leaders continue to perform their jobs poorly.  Please take time to contact your elected officials regularly.  The more we all stay in their in boxes, the more they have to listen to the will of We the People.

"What I'm hoping is that, yes, that person may have AIDS... as a baby and when they grow up, but the mother will begin to feel guilt as a result of that." --David Schultheis Colorado State Senator

Mr. Schultheis,

It sickens me to read that you actually would prefer that a baby be born with AIDS so that the mother may feel guilty about her behaviors that caused the problem.  As best as I can tell you are the only person in the Colorado State Senate who voted against this bill.  

I am writing to tell you that I am sickened by your behavior as a legislator.  You along with many of your Republican colleagues ran out of good ideas a long time ago.  In case you hadn't noticed Senator, The people of Colorado and the United States have voted for progressive change.  We the people have demanded change.  We are tired of the negative politics of hate and dogma that the Republican party has become associated with.  You sir continue to move this image forward for your party along with many of your other Republican colleagues around the country.

I believe that you must make a public apology for this statement.  It is time to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem sir.  If you cannot bring your self to apologize for this insensitive and hateful statement then I think it will be time for you to go.

Sincerely a registered Independent voter from Colorado Springs.

-- 
Jeremy Cook

XXX XXXXX XXXX

Colorado Springs, CO XXXXX

XXX-XXX-XXXX

Ravenlaughing@gmail.com 

Jeremy:

 

These words were taken entirely out of context

____________________________________________________________________________________________

This was the complete reply to my first letter.  So I wrote Senator Schultheis the following:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Senator Shultheis,

I find it entirely unacceptable that you are a legislator in this great state.  As you can see I received your reply to my letter.  I have also managed to find your blog and this has cemented my view that you are not fit for public office in Colorado or any other body of government.  Unfortunately or maybe fortunately you are not my Senator.  If you were my Senator, we would be discussing recall procedures.

This first thing that stands out in what I have seen, read, and heard about is that you refuse to take responsibility for your actions or what you say.  If you said, "What I'm hoping is that, yes, that person may have AIDS... as a baby and when they grow up, but the mother will begin to feel guilt as a result of that,"

be a man and own it.  

You write in your blog

 "Unfortunately, I made a comment to a reporter in haste that misspoke my position on this issue. That happens. It’s a risk for all those who work in the public eye."

Yet in your reply to me all you can say is that your comment was taken out of context.   Which is it an unfortunate mistake, or a comment that you made that which was taken out of context by a reporter?

I'm sorry Senator, but you can't talk out both sides of your mouth and eat your cake too.  If you don't mean it don't say it.  That's the values I was raised with.  

The next thing I noticed is that you are one of these politicians who likes to "be for it, before you were against it."  The following is also taken directly from your blog :

"When I first heard of the bill in the Health and Human Services Committee several days earlier, I was quite moved by testimony as to how such testing could assist an unborn baby, mitigating effects of his or her mother’s HIV/AIDS condition. As a result, I voted “Yes” in supporting the bill along with the rest of the committee."

"Subsequent to the committee vote, and prior to my vote of “NO” on the floor, I wrestled with a number of issues regarding the bill. I sought counsel from quite a number of people for whom I have great respect. The primary question and the one I apply whenever any issue is brought up for discussion is: “Is this a proper role for government?” '

I am not taking this out of context am I Senator?  I think not.  I think you are talking out of both sides of your mouth again.

Next up in our discussion I would like to comment on the following also from your blog:

"Long-standing stigmas against out-of-wedlock sexual activity were put in place by societies to slow the spread of disease and deal with challenges of raising children without full family units. Our nation has walked away from those stigmas over the past half century…illegitimate birth rates are through the roof…some argue the true cause of poverty, criminal or substance abuse in our society can be primarily tied to the ills of out-of-wedlock births. It is a serious issue, but, as a caring nation, we try not to impose the mistakes of the parents on their children."

While I agree that many of the ills of society are aggravated by unwanted pregnancies, I would not say that they are the cause of poverty, crime and drug abuse in our society.  Was poverty in the middle ages caused by illegitimate births?  I doubt it.  I believe that as a caring nation we must figure out how to break this cycle of poverty and crime and substance abuse etc, by helping people up, not kicking them when they are down.

Also from your blog Senator:

But the question still remains, “Is this a proper role for government?” 

If you believe it is right and fitting to require testing for any particular health situation, should we then require it for other conditions or issues? Assuming we should test in all circumstances for HIV/AIDS, perhaps one could argue the legislature should require testing by physicians of any patient for any other variety of issues. How about residual cocaine use? Marijuana? Alcohol? I’m certain some could argue such testing would achieve lofty and compelling societal objectives, enabling doctors, health care providers, and others to know when to prescribe or direct intervention efforts. Should we then share those required test results with Children’s Protective Services? With law enforcement? Insurance companies? Our banks and credit unions? How about requiring testing for other conditions? Pregnancy for any female regardless of age? For cholesterol problems? High blood pressure? DNA testing to create a database to clear any person of alleged crime, or identify perpetrators? Should we use the results of any test to deny health care to patients deemed undeserving under any proposed national health care scheme where rationing takes place because of resource limits?

The answer to your first question is yes.  We should be able to test new mothers and everyone for medical conditions.  It is time that we have quality affordable health care for each and every person in this country.  And while this is an issue for another arena, it is your party and your parties values that keep people with out health care.  Drug testing is already done on a grand scale in this country.  Sir if you feel that we should not be testing for HIV in pregnant mother, then you must believe that we don't need drug testing when a worker is injured on the job, because it is not governments responsibility, and there are privacy issues.  In response to your question about denying health care  based on test results shows the ludicrous nature of you argument.  The purpose  in having a national health care plan is to ensure that all Americans have quality health care.

Senator, while I understand how the sins of the parents pass on to the next generations, I don't believe it is a proper role for government to ensure that the children suffer from those sins.  I am willing to guess that you are against abortion, though I didn't bother to check, and yet you would hope for a baby to be born with HIV/AIDS so that the mother can suffer guilt.  Again, I am sure you are talking out of both sides of your mouth sir.  

I am now asking you to resign your position sir and to make a public apology.  You must either stand by your statement or take it back and apologize.

-- 
Jeremy Cook

XXX XXXX XXXX

Colorado Springs, CO XXXXX

XXX-XXX-XXXX

ravenlaughing@gmail.com 

Wodhof Urban Farmstead 

Decriminalize Common Sense 

"The cause of all our personal problems and nearly all the problems of the world can be summed up in a single sentence:

Human life is very deep, and our modern dominant lifestyle is not."

-Bo Lozoff

One can educate ignorance, but it is futile to argue with stupidity!