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Thom's Blog Is On the Move
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Hello All
Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.
Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.
By the way- Joannie Greggins of KGO radio reported one of the fed departments - FDA? was watch dogging to make sure that no herbal supplements made claims that they could rid the flu -
I wrote an article about what was used in the past before penicillin had been invented http://foodfascist.blogspot.com/2009/07/swine-flu-what-has-been-tried-in...
Ha! Good detective work, Quark-
I note, they did not leave without the paranoia---- nor the huge sale to their buddies in the pharmaceutical industry
To protect the American people from the threats we face in the century ahead, we must develop and stockpile medicines and vaccines so we can deliver them where urgently needed. Our health care infrastructure must have the surge capacity to handle large numbers of patients in times of crisis, whether it is a repeat of Hurricane Katrina, a flu pandemic, or a bioterror attack on multiple cities.
Many of us, I suspect, wrestle with the question of how & where to apply whatever talents we possess to advancing our political interests. For some, this is for self-interest(s), for others, it's more public spirited by nature. More often than not, it is a combination of motives, both selfish and altruistic at the same time. Consider a candidate and a volunteer; No matter how public spirited the intent, most of us stand to gain personally in additional ways. Some public servants serve mostly for selfless reasons, (a rare bird), but all seem to love the attention and praise they receive. (Think: Paul Wellstone) Few if any volunteers really know if the candidate, or, even the movement they choose to support will represent their true values. Once elected most grow deaf to our voices unless we sing in a choir of their making and under their batons' direction.
We still don't know what kind of bird Barack is. We can see that he is elegant, and dazzling, but we still can't make out if he is an eagle, peacock, or a turkey. He sure has been doing an elaborate kind of "Fan Dance" during this health care debate. Bit by bit he reveals a little more leg trying to keep all interested if not entranced but never willing to stand and deliver the whole goods. It occurs to me that my description sounds more like a stripper than anything else.
We came to this place expecting to see single payer, but were soon told that public option would substitute, now her little sister is trotted out. I don't want to be cruel to lil sis, but I think it's time to start chanting for single payer again. That way the management might book her sooner.
If I attend Obama's visit here this weekend, perhaps the best thing I could do is try and get people to stand outside with signs supporting universal, comprehensive,single payer, health care. Medicare Part E!! or Medicare for Everyone! or Taking Profits from Suffering is IMMORAL! As usual another brilliant idea from Thom. Almost all informed and compassionate people understand that some form of single payer is the only rational choice. What kind of reaction would there be if Barack arrived at the Target Center in Minneapolis and found as many people standing outside respectfully supporting single payer as inside chanting and snapping photos? It's just another silly pipe dream unless people make it real.
I'll show up with signs if you do. How many could we get?
Thom,
I just called Rep. Barrett Gresham's (R-SC) office to ask what the Republicans were waiving during Pres. Obama's speech. She said it was the Republican healthcare plan (!) and referred me to the RNC website. The 2008 platform was all I could find:
www.gopplatform2008.com
Thom,
What the Republicans were waving was a MOCK copy of their (imaginary) healthcare bill.
The "actual" bill can be found at "healthcare.GOP.gov" (or .com?) and is NOT an actually bill, but more of an *outline* of healthcare proposals consisting of roughly seven pages.
To quote one Republican with a sign around his neck last night: "What bill?"
I would implore everyone who gives a dam about health care to call your representatives and let them know that we want to see some price caps on what insurance can charge especially for pre-existing conditions and for people who get ill period but for all people. What many people are not speaking about nor did i hear in the speech is about price caps on what a private insurance company can charge period across the board. If we think a insurance exchange will work we are fools, most insurance is controlled by a few parent companies and they will collude and will price fix. We can not tolerate health insurers doing credit checks or geographical pricing on potential policy holders and pricing many individuals and families out of their coverage! In other words the insurance mafia can get around coverage buy charging far more than the individual or family can afford and they know what your financial situation is.
Couple this thought with a individual mandate. When we pay our and insurance mob boss's and big stock holders our hard earned money and it is getting impossible for most people to keep up, in essence we are paying a tax to a private institution and oh man do fiscal conservatives love taxes, the private kind that flows into there ruling class pockets!
Not to mention the second tax we pay that goes to subsidize health insurers and cover the negative slack space in the system caused by private administration cost and management over billing. Watch the paperwork and administration cost double with a individual mandate.
Man the insurance companies must be licking their chops......single payer could save our country from the pain and misery to come on many levels fiscal and personal, small mid and large business and state deficits could improve and stimulate our over all well being. We know the ruling class does not care about the welfare of this nation and the people behind this are the ruling class.
Garrison Keillor of A Prairie Home Companion had a stroke today. I am looking for how to lv a comment for him as well! Here is a link to contribute to Prairie Home Show https://contribute.publicradio.org/contribution/public/contributor.do?re...
Many blessing Garrison, you have enlivened our lives and enriched them dearly.
Food Fascist,
Maybe I'll call Keith Ellison's office with the same request. I kind of think of him the same way I think of Bernie Sanders --- he's everyone's (at least in MN) congressman! LOL
Food Fascist,
LOL!
MY congressman is one of the Republican crazies. No traction there... (He's FINALLY getting around to having a town meeting. Go figure...)
Okay- so I called my congressperson and they said they would be getting my comments to the judge. I told them to say that 3 million people of Thom Hartmann's audience would like her to know how pleased we were with her comments regarding whether corporations should be treated as persons. I also mentioned that Thom had played the clip of her comments.
What does your congress person say?
Hey there Quark -
I have this link but it looks like they want us to send snail mail - that'll take two months to pass- we need a fax number or an email [ I am at work and so not fully able to do the research, maybe between us all, we can figure something out. Perhaps our congresspeople can help us out http://www.supremecourtus.gov/publicinfo/comments.html
Food Fascist,
RE: "I am with Lore- we should let Sonya know that we are out here and that she Rocks!"
How can we do that? I've tried to leave comments for Supreme Court justices in the past and couldn't find a mechanism through which to do that. Do you know of a way?
Gerald Socha,
Please enlighten my fevered brain --- to which divides do you refer (the crazies on the right --- 25%? --- and everyone else?)
I don't share your pessimism about the speech. in fact, I heard 3 things I never expected to hear last night, and that gave me great hope. First, he gave concrete examples of insurance company abuse. Second, he singled out the profit motive as the reason for the abuse. And third, he stressed that the public option must be non profit. I think that paves the way for single payer somewhere down the road, and I'll take any compromise that moves us in that direction.
This caller --- supposedly an ER doc --- doesn't ring true.
Pres Obama did stress some of the factors that were agreed to by both sides.
that rescission will not be allowed ( in 2012)
that ceilings will be removed from policies (not the cost of the policy)
that people will have limits to out of pocket (not sure who pays for that)
I think "Medicare for all" is an eventuality -why bother creating another program when all we've got to do is slightly alter the one we've already got? It's just a matter of when in my opinion.
Besides -I notice that nobody (on the Left) has tried to nip the idea in the bud -that's a good sign it's in the works already.
Last night during Obama's speech I was yelling "YES!!" and pumping my fist in the air. "Obamacare" seemed 1000% better than "con-care".
Now Thom and his callers are trying to convince me that Obama's speech was one level-better than dog crap -- if we are lucky!
And Thom wonders why Democratic leadership has not embraced progressive media!
Good to hear some recycked stuff. Happy holiday!
Wow -maybe she's more then we knew...
Couldn't healthcare for all Americans be considered as being in the interest of national defense?
Think of the next 9/11 not involving hijacking airplanes, blowing up buildings or shipping anthrax through the mail.
Terrorists could be exposed to vaccine-resistant and antibiotic-resistant infectious diseases and sent to high-traffic public areas such as airports, shopping malls, college campuses, etc. exposing many Americans to the disease. It may be a matter of weeks before the infected people become symptomatic, and the meantime, they may have infected many more people.
The disease would spread rapidly among the low income, uninsured and underinsured victims who would not go to a doctor to receive treatment. And by the time that the country realized what was happening, panic would ensue and the emergency rooms would be overwhelmed causing even more people to remain untreated.
And by that time, it would be difficult to trace the epidemic back to the source.
What actions would have to be taken to get the outbreak under control? Martial law? Isolation of entire areas with high infection rates?
Our (lack of) healthcare system could be used to the terrorists advantage.
South Carolina Congressman Who Screamed at President Obama Fought to Keep Confederate Flag
http://firedoglake.com/2009/09/10/south-carolina-congressman-who-screame...
Quark, what greatly concerns me, we are a nation divided.
DRichards, thank you for the info from Dennis Kucunch!
Oh yes, why can we bailout the crooks and banksters with $12 trillion but we cannot afford to save God's children with decent health care?
Is Obama a total fraud with brilliant verbal skills? I believe that he is a fraud.
Thom says a Republican president in three years would be a disaster for our country. He is right. Personally, our country is now in a state of total disaster. We have slid into the abyss of hell and there is no getting out. No chance! Never a chance to escape!
I believe that Obama will not seek re-election in 2012. Why should he? He has around $150 million of unspent campaign money. He and his wife will receive a wonderful pension with a huge stipend to pay for office space, hire staff to carry out various duties, etc. Obama will be only 50 years of age with another 30 to 40 years to live the good life. OBAMA WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION IN 2012!!!
Re: Where did the movement go
It seems to me that Obama (like Clinton) campaigned on the left, and governs from the right of center.
When Pres Obama chastised the Left and the Right, I figured that he was not willing to support single payer healthcare. When Pres Obama said lets go with what works, I expected him to say he would add Medicare for All. The Public Option -- should be Medicare for All. Anyone who wants at a reasonable price. We need to push that.
Can you just see someone tossed into jail for lack of health insurance? Die in Jail!!!???
Forcing people into health insurance is not a good idea. We have many people that can't afford car insurance. It will be the same. People hoping they don't get caught!