I think this gem from Fiore is apt
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You Won't Believe These Suez Canal Conspiracies
3 years ago
Thursday, December 31, 2009
bonusmas
Mark Fiore strikes again. This is a clever "christmas" take on the wall street bonus to many of the "business" parasites:
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Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Jan,2009 meeting
Hope all had a good holiday season.
On the agenda: talk about "possible" healthcare reform. Also, politics and the politics of gutlessness on the parts of our leaders (time permitting).
Actually gutlessness is nothing new in politics. During most of American history, politicans have been pretty gutless in upholding the rights of individuals and very much in granting special rights of the soul-less corporations and special interests.
Matters not healthcare or civil rights (King was not happy with liberals in Democratic party as a matter of fact prior to his death) or labor/working folks rights and on and on.
That "gutless" policy actually predates the revolutionary war. Corporate giveaways (welfare) is nothing new.
We also will remind folks that if we wish picnic, folks must be on board to help committee. Since we are spread over half the state of Missouri and parts of Il, getting a central point and time will be difficult.
Also, we will discuss somewhat "election year" and the fact that some groups like trotting out the "oldfolks" as props. My political action committee will have the problem of presenting the Democratic Party as the folks that will get things done when most folks have some indication that the dems have been pretty gutless and that some of the dems could be republicans with no problem.
We shall also mention "canco movie" currently being passed around.
On the agenda: talk about "possible" healthcare reform. Also, politics and the politics of gutlessness on the parts of our leaders (time permitting).
Actually gutlessness is nothing new in politics. During most of American history, politicans have been pretty gutless in upholding the rights of individuals and very much in granting special rights of the soul-less corporations and special interests.
Matters not healthcare or civil rights (King was not happy with liberals in Democratic party as a matter of fact prior to his death) or labor/working folks rights and on and on.
That "gutless" policy actually predates the revolutionary war. Corporate giveaways (welfare) is nothing new.
We also will remind folks that if we wish picnic, folks must be on board to help committee. Since we are spread over half the state of Missouri and parts of Il, getting a central point and time will be difficult.
Also, we will discuss somewhat "election year" and the fact that some groups like trotting out the "oldfolks" as props. My political action committee will have the problem of presenting the Democratic Party as the folks that will get things done when most folks have some indication that the dems have been pretty gutless and that some of the dems could be republicans with no problem.
We shall also mention "canco movie" currently being passed around.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
part of history on Continental can company
This is a part history of the continental can company. Part of our Soar group are retirees of this corporation.
Major plant in north St. louis and most of the workers were steelworkers (USWA)
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http://www.library.hbs.edu/hc/lehman/chrono.html?company=continental_can_co_inc
■1945 Continental Can Company, Inc.: 150,000 shares of $3.75 cumulative preferred stock
■1951 Continental Can Company, Inc.: 104,533 shares $4.25 cumulative second preferred stock (without par value) $15,000,000 3 1/4% debentures due October 15,1976
■1960 Continental Can Company, Inc.: $30,000,000 4 5/8% debentures due October 1, 1985
■1970 Continental Can Company, Inc.: $60,000,000 principal amount 8 1/2% sinking fund debentures due August 1, 1990
■1974 Continental Can Company, Inc.: 8.85% sinking fund debentures due May 15, 2004
The Continental Can Company was founded by T.G. Cranwell in 1904, three years after the formation of its greatest rival, American Can Company. Continental acquired the patents of United Machinery Company, one of the few companies producing can-making machinery that had not been bought by American Can. Continental began shipping cans in 1905.
The company bought the Standard Tin Plate Company in 1909 to ensure that they would have a steady supply of tin. Continental's original business consisted only of packers' cans for fruits and vegetables. Given the seasonal nature of this work, the company decided to expand to general canning in 1912. By 1913 the company had acquired all of the interests of a New Jersey corporation also called Continental Can Co., as well as the Export & Domestic Can Co. and the Standard Tin Plate Co. The same year, Continental was incorporated in the state of New York.
During the 1920s Continental expanded rapidly, purchasing almost twenty competing companies. It opened its first West Coast plant in 1926. In 1928 Continental acquired the third-largest can company in the country, the United States Can Company. By 1934 Continental and its rival, American Can, were producing approximately two-thirds of the 10 million cans made annually in the country. At this time, the company was operating thirty-eight plants in the United States and Cuba. Continental suffered a drop in its income during the Depression; even so, by 1932 the company had never reported a money-losing year.
Continental bounced back from the Depression years, and by 1940 its operating revenue had increased to $120.7 million from $80.9 million in 1935. In 1940 the company built plants in Canada as well. Continental continued to expand during the following decade through acquisitions, and the company entered the fields of paper and fiber containers, bottle caps, and synthetic resins. By the end of the 1940s, the company had sixty-five plants, including eight plants producing fiber and paper containers, four plants producing crown caps, and one plant producing plastics. By 1954 the company's gross sales reached $616 million, and its net income was approximately $21 million. At that time, Continental was operating eighty-one plants.
During the company's first fifty years of existence, it had purchased and absorbed twenty-eight independent can companies, as well as other concerns producing fiber drums, paper containers, and bottle tops. In 1956 Continental acquired Hazel-Atlas Glass Co., the third-largest U.S. manufacturer of glass containers. Continental then became the first company with a full line of containers in metal, paper, and glass. It also purchased Cochrane Foil Company, a manufacturer and distributor of aluminum plates and rigid foil packages for the frozen-food industry and other food suppliers. The company also bought Robert Gair Company, a leading producer of paperboard products, that same year. Due to such acquisitions, Continental briefly surpassed American Can's annual sales, topping $1 billion in 1957. By 1960 the company operated 155 plant facilities.
The introduction of the easy-to-open metal can top in 1963 led to an increase in the use of metal cans rather than glass bottles for beverages. By the end of 1966 over 45 percent of U.S. beer and over 15 percent of U.S. soft drinks were packaged in metal cans. That same year Continental introduced the first commercially practical welded can. In 1969 the company acquired Schmalbach-Lubeca-Werke A.G., the largest packaging producer in the European community. By that time, Continental had 228 manufacturing plants.
By 1973 the metal can industry was in a crisis due to oversupply and tough competition. Both Continental and American Can were said to have made the wrong decisions in the previous decade by adding capacity for both tin plate and tin-free steel production while the aluminum can was gaining popularity. Another problem was growing public opposition to throwaway cans. Continental's profits from domestic can-making dropped from $115 million in 1969 to $52 million in 1973. The company then closed many old-style integrated manufacturing plants in favor of large automated metal-processing centers and separate can-assembly operations situated near its customers' plants. In 1973 the company developed a system for the ultraviolet curing of inks and coatings on metal plate, and installed a number of such systems.
Major plant in north St. louis and most of the workers were steelworkers (USWA)
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http://www.library.hbs.edu/hc/lehman/chrono.html?company=continental_can_co_inc
■1945 Continental Can Company, Inc.: 150,000 shares of $3.75 cumulative preferred stock
■1951 Continental Can Company, Inc.: 104,533 shares $4.25 cumulative second preferred stock (without par value) $15,000,000 3 1/4% debentures due October 15,1976
■1960 Continental Can Company, Inc.: $30,000,000 4 5/8% debentures due October 1, 1985
■1970 Continental Can Company, Inc.: $60,000,000 principal amount 8 1/2% sinking fund debentures due August 1, 1990
■1974 Continental Can Company, Inc.: 8.85% sinking fund debentures due May 15, 2004
The Continental Can Company was founded by T.G. Cranwell in 1904, three years after the formation of its greatest rival, American Can Company. Continental acquired the patents of United Machinery Company, one of the few companies producing can-making machinery that had not been bought by American Can. Continental began shipping cans in 1905.
The company bought the Standard Tin Plate Company in 1909 to ensure that they would have a steady supply of tin. Continental's original business consisted only of packers' cans for fruits and vegetables. Given the seasonal nature of this work, the company decided to expand to general canning in 1912. By 1913 the company had acquired all of the interests of a New Jersey corporation also called Continental Can Co., as well as the Export & Domestic Can Co. and the Standard Tin Plate Co. The same year, Continental was incorporated in the state of New York.
During the 1920s Continental expanded rapidly, purchasing almost twenty competing companies. It opened its first West Coast plant in 1926. In 1928 Continental acquired the third-largest can company in the country, the United States Can Company. By 1934 Continental and its rival, American Can, were producing approximately two-thirds of the 10 million cans made annually in the country. At this time, the company was operating thirty-eight plants in the United States and Cuba. Continental suffered a drop in its income during the Depression; even so, by 1932 the company had never reported a money-losing year.
Continental bounced back from the Depression years, and by 1940 its operating revenue had increased to $120.7 million from $80.9 million in 1935. In 1940 the company built plants in Canada as well. Continental continued to expand during the following decade through acquisitions, and the company entered the fields of paper and fiber containers, bottle caps, and synthetic resins. By the end of the 1940s, the company had sixty-five plants, including eight plants producing fiber and paper containers, four plants producing crown caps, and one plant producing plastics. By 1954 the company's gross sales reached $616 million, and its net income was approximately $21 million. At that time, Continental was operating eighty-one plants.
During the company's first fifty years of existence, it had purchased and absorbed twenty-eight independent can companies, as well as other concerns producing fiber drums, paper containers, and bottle tops. In 1956 Continental acquired Hazel-Atlas Glass Co., the third-largest U.S. manufacturer of glass containers. Continental then became the first company with a full line of containers in metal, paper, and glass. It also purchased Cochrane Foil Company, a manufacturer and distributor of aluminum plates and rigid foil packages for the frozen-food industry and other food suppliers. The company also bought Robert Gair Company, a leading producer of paperboard products, that same year. Due to such acquisitions, Continental briefly surpassed American Can's annual sales, topping $1 billion in 1957. By 1960 the company operated 155 plant facilities.
The introduction of the easy-to-open metal can top in 1963 led to an increase in the use of metal cans rather than glass bottles for beverages. By the end of 1966 over 45 percent of U.S. beer and over 15 percent of U.S. soft drinks were packaged in metal cans. That same year Continental introduced the first commercially practical welded can. In 1969 the company acquired Schmalbach-Lubeca-Werke A.G., the largest packaging producer in the European community. By that time, Continental had 228 manufacturing plants.
By 1973 the metal can industry was in a crisis due to oversupply and tough competition. Both Continental and American Can were said to have made the wrong decisions in the previous decade by adding capacity for both tin plate and tin-free steel production while the aluminum can was gaining popularity. Another problem was growing public opposition to throwaway cans. Continental's profits from domestic can-making dropped from $115 million in 1969 to $52 million in 1973. The company then closed many old-style integrated manufacturing plants in favor of large automated metal-processing centers and separate can-assembly operations situated near its customers' plants. In 1973 the company developed a system for the ultraviolet curing of inks and coatings on metal plate, and installed a number of such systems.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
1877 Grand Army of Starvation labor history
The following is part of labor history. Cut into three parts, it deals with topics "not" covered in history being offered to students in Missouri and I suspect elsewhere.
Film is not in the best condition, but will help fill some of the labor history gaps that some folks have. Most folks do not realize that workers in the United States have always been disadvantaged. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzol0ms895k
Note: I had kin working on the railroads during this era. I had some working coal mines as well.
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Film is not in the best condition, but will help fill some of the labor history gaps that some folks have. Most folks do not realize that workers in the United States have always been disadvantaged. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzol0ms895k
Note: I had kin working on the railroads during this era. I had some working coal mines as well.
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Fun Al Gore ad about green
This is an ad that is fun. Al Gore does the magic on recycling and ecology:
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Thursday, November 19, 2009
More stimulus news: good for offshore folks
the following is from the steelworker blog. Appearently the stimulus is working: offshore.
I like the idea of "green energy", however if folks abroad are going to do most of the profiting; I will have to rethink. By the way, both India and China have moved large amounts of cash into wind power. Smart idea
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http://blog.usw.org/2009/11/19/hell-if-d-c-didn%e2%80%99t-offshore-849-million-in-stimulus-for-windmills-already/
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Hell if D.C. Didn’t Offshore $849 Million in Stimulus for Windmills Already
Posted November 19, 2009 at 11:22 am, in From the President
By Leo W. Gerard
USW International President
It turns out a Texas windmill farm developer’s request last month for nearly half a billion in stimulus funds to create 2,000 jobs in China doesn’t rank first on the audacity scale.
Shockingly for American taxpayers, and sadly for the staggering 10.2 percent of Americans who are unemployed, it doesn’t even rank second.
That’s because Washington already has doled out hundreds of millions in stimulus funds to foreign renewable energy firms. Of the $1.05 billion in clean energy grants awarded by D.C., $849 million — 84 percent — went to foreign wind companies, according to an analysis by Russ Choma of the Investigative Reporting Workshop. He wrote:
“The cash grants were given for the installation of 1,763 megawatts of capacity – 1,566 installed by foreign companies. Using the Renewable Energy Policy Project’s own numbers, as many as 4,500 manufacturing jobs may have been created overseas.”
A strong, broad Buy American clause in the stimulus bill could have prevented the off-shoring of U.S. tax dollars intended to create jobs for unemployed Americans. My union, the United Steelworkers, and the AFL-CIO pushed hard for that language, and polls showed 86 percent of Americans supported it. Republicans and lobbyists for multi-national corporations that wanted to spend U.S. tax money overseas opposed Buy American provisions.
Congress adopted weak, limited Buy American language. Now D.C. exports stimulus dollars to create jobs in foreign countries.
Some of the foreign wind firms that got stimulus funds have American subsidiaries. But most of them shipped major components for wind farms to the U.S. That means American stimulus dollars employed foreign workers. One Spanish company, Iberdrola S.A., got $545 million from U.S. taxpayers.
Sen. Charles E. Schumer, a Democrat from New York, denounced the request to use U.S. tax dollars to create jobs in China and demanded the Obama administration deny funding. But it’s too late for the $849 million in stimulus dollars already given away to foreign wind companies. American tax dollars, meant to create jobs and nurture a green energy industry in the U.S., are gone with the wind.
Lavishing stimulus funds on foreign businesses is tragic for another reason: Those overseas companies are competitors to fledgling U.S. firms that were supposed to get the money. President Obama has said he wants the U.S. to be “the world’s leading exporter of renewable energy.” That’s not going to happen if the U.S. pays European and Chinese manufacturers to import wind turbines.
Congress set aside at least $3 billion in the stimulus bill for renewable energy projects. That investment would have two benefits. Growth in renewable energy – from sources such as windmills and solar cells – could reduce dangerous pollution from burning fossil fuels. In addition, the Blue Green Alliance estimated in its report, “Building the Clean Energy Assembly Line,” that U.S. manufacturers could create 850,000 jobs if Congress adopted a national standard requiring 25 percent of electricity to be generated with renewable sources by 2025.
The key, obviously, is that the wind turbines and solar cells constructed to meet that standard couldn’t be imported for the jobs to be created in the U.S. The U.S. industry, however, needs the kind of help foreign governments give their clean energy manufacturers. The Blue Green Alliance report notes:
“Without new policies promoting domestic manufacturing, an unnecessarily large portion of these jobs will remain overseas.”
Keith Bradsher of the New York Times in a July 13 story described China’s policy to protect and promote its renewable energy industries: “China is shielding its clean energy sector while it grows to a point where it can take on the world.” That includes, Bradsher recounted, a competition last spring where China disqualified all foreign bidders on technicalities for 25 contracts to supply wind turbines. Beijing then awarded the contracts to seven Chinese companies, including some that had never built a turbine.
There’s no reason except a desire to shoot itself in the foot for the U.S. not to protect and promote its own renewable energy industries. “The Building the Clean Energy Assembly Line” report provides recommendations for Congress to cultivate American renewable energy industries, including long-term investment tax credits, adopting a national standard requiring a minimum percentage of electricity be generated through renewable energy, passing cap and trade legislation, and providing low-interest financing.
After the Texas windmill incident, I wrote Sen. Schumer asking for bold action to support U.S. clean energy manufacturing. In the letter copied to all members of Congress, I told him we must expand and accelerate the availability of incentives for manufacturing wind turbines and other clean energy technologies – here, in the U.S. One important way to do that is for Congress to extend to the manufacture of components like turbines the funding incentives that are now provided for production of clean energy.
Clearly, another method would be to Buy American. When constructing a wind farm in Texas, why would taxpayers give their money to support importing the turbines from China or Spain when there are perfectly good turbine manufacturers here in the U.S.?
The Texas windmill farm developer announced this week that its Chinese partner plans to construct a $50 million turbine factory in the U.S., according to a story in the New York Times. But that facility won’t supply the turbines for the project that the partnership wants $436 million in stimulus funds to support. Those would come from China. So, in the end, it still means nearly half a billion in U.S. tax dollars would create 2,000 turbine-building jobs in China.
When China passed its $600 billion economic stimulus bill this summer, it adopted “Buy China” provisions. Obviously, as far as wind turbines were concerned, it was implementing a “Buy China” policy before that.
Is the U.S. going to continue thwarting itself and tilting at windmills or is it going to adopt and enforce a robust Buy American policy and build some?
I like the idea of "green energy", however if folks abroad are going to do most of the profiting; I will have to rethink. By the way, both India and China have moved large amounts of cash into wind power. Smart idea
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://blog.usw.org/2009/11/19/hell-if-d-c-didn%e2%80%99t-offshore-849-million-in-stimulus-for-windmills-already/
-----------
Hell if D.C. Didn’t Offshore $849 Million in Stimulus for Windmills Already
Posted November 19, 2009 at 11:22 am, in From the President
By Leo W. Gerard
USW International President
It turns out a Texas windmill farm developer’s request last month for nearly half a billion in stimulus funds to create 2,000 jobs in China doesn’t rank first on the audacity scale.
Shockingly for American taxpayers, and sadly for the staggering 10.2 percent of Americans who are unemployed, it doesn’t even rank second.
That’s because Washington already has doled out hundreds of millions in stimulus funds to foreign renewable energy firms. Of the $1.05 billion in clean energy grants awarded by D.C., $849 million — 84 percent — went to foreign wind companies, according to an analysis by Russ Choma of the Investigative Reporting Workshop. He wrote:
“The cash grants were given for the installation of 1,763 megawatts of capacity – 1,566 installed by foreign companies. Using the Renewable Energy Policy Project’s own numbers, as many as 4,500 manufacturing jobs may have been created overseas.”
A strong, broad Buy American clause in the stimulus bill could have prevented the off-shoring of U.S. tax dollars intended to create jobs for unemployed Americans. My union, the United Steelworkers, and the AFL-CIO pushed hard for that language, and polls showed 86 percent of Americans supported it. Republicans and lobbyists for multi-national corporations that wanted to spend U.S. tax money overseas opposed Buy American provisions.
Congress adopted weak, limited Buy American language. Now D.C. exports stimulus dollars to create jobs in foreign countries.
Some of the foreign wind firms that got stimulus funds have American subsidiaries. But most of them shipped major components for wind farms to the U.S. That means American stimulus dollars employed foreign workers. One Spanish company, Iberdrola S.A., got $545 million from U.S. taxpayers.
Sen. Charles E. Schumer, a Democrat from New York, denounced the request to use U.S. tax dollars to create jobs in China and demanded the Obama administration deny funding. But it’s too late for the $849 million in stimulus dollars already given away to foreign wind companies. American tax dollars, meant to create jobs and nurture a green energy industry in the U.S., are gone with the wind.
Lavishing stimulus funds on foreign businesses is tragic for another reason: Those overseas companies are competitors to fledgling U.S. firms that were supposed to get the money. President Obama has said he wants the U.S. to be “the world’s leading exporter of renewable energy.” That’s not going to happen if the U.S. pays European and Chinese manufacturers to import wind turbines.
Congress set aside at least $3 billion in the stimulus bill for renewable energy projects. That investment would have two benefits. Growth in renewable energy – from sources such as windmills and solar cells – could reduce dangerous pollution from burning fossil fuels. In addition, the Blue Green Alliance estimated in its report, “Building the Clean Energy Assembly Line,” that U.S. manufacturers could create 850,000 jobs if Congress adopted a national standard requiring 25 percent of electricity to be generated with renewable sources by 2025.
The key, obviously, is that the wind turbines and solar cells constructed to meet that standard couldn’t be imported for the jobs to be created in the U.S. The U.S. industry, however, needs the kind of help foreign governments give their clean energy manufacturers. The Blue Green Alliance report notes:
“Without new policies promoting domestic manufacturing, an unnecessarily large portion of these jobs will remain overseas.”
Keith Bradsher of the New York Times in a July 13 story described China’s policy to protect and promote its renewable energy industries: “China is shielding its clean energy sector while it grows to a point where it can take on the world.” That includes, Bradsher recounted, a competition last spring where China disqualified all foreign bidders on technicalities for 25 contracts to supply wind turbines. Beijing then awarded the contracts to seven Chinese companies, including some that had never built a turbine.
There’s no reason except a desire to shoot itself in the foot for the U.S. not to protect and promote its own renewable energy industries. “The Building the Clean Energy Assembly Line” report provides recommendations for Congress to cultivate American renewable energy industries, including long-term investment tax credits, adopting a national standard requiring a minimum percentage of electricity be generated through renewable energy, passing cap and trade legislation, and providing low-interest financing.
After the Texas windmill incident, I wrote Sen. Schumer asking for bold action to support U.S. clean energy manufacturing. In the letter copied to all members of Congress, I told him we must expand and accelerate the availability of incentives for manufacturing wind turbines and other clean energy technologies – here, in the U.S. One important way to do that is for Congress to extend to the manufacture of components like turbines the funding incentives that are now provided for production of clean energy.
Clearly, another method would be to Buy American. When constructing a wind farm in Texas, why would taxpayers give their money to support importing the turbines from China or Spain when there are perfectly good turbine manufacturers here in the U.S.?
The Texas windmill farm developer announced this week that its Chinese partner plans to construct a $50 million turbine factory in the U.S., according to a story in the New York Times. But that facility won’t supply the turbines for the project that the partnership wants $436 million in stimulus funds to support. Those would come from China. So, in the end, it still means nearly half a billion in U.S. tax dollars would create 2,000 turbine-building jobs in China.
When China passed its $600 billion economic stimulus bill this summer, it adopted “Buy China” provisions. Obviously, as far as wind turbines were concerned, it was implementing a “Buy China” policy before that.
Is the U.S. going to continue thwarting itself and tilting at windmills or is it going to adopt and enforce a robust Buy American policy and build some?
senate new healthcare bill
Although this bill is likely to change again, this is a link for folks wishing it.
Over 2000 pages and the index alone is 14 pages:
http://democrats.senate.gov/reform/patient-protection-affordable-care-act.pdf
Although I have not read any but the highlights, I might point out that many things are not in this bill. Single-payer is not there nor is some other things.
Public option is greater than house version, but still lame in my opinion.
Over 2000 pages and the index alone is 14 pages:
http://democrats.senate.gov/reform/patient-protection-affordable-care-act.pdf
Although I have not read any but the highlights, I might point out that many things are not in this bill. Single-payer is not there nor is some other things.
Public option is greater than house version, but still lame in my opinion.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Learn to Speak Tea bag new Fiore cartoon
This is the latest treat from Mark Fiore. Wonder what Mark is doing in 2010?
I know what a few dems are doing in 2011, awaiting unemployment if they do not grow some semblance of a spine in congress.
I find it amazing that the teabaggers have sent so many dems into hiding when the dems won big in 04. That spineless act in the face of Bush made me ill, but to continue this when they have won big; that is gutlessness to the extreme.
By the way, my recommendation to the Soar members in Sam's Missouri district: Get rid of his conservi-dem behind next election day. If he is a republican, let him declare that and vote with his buddies evermore.
I know what a few dems are doing in 2011, awaiting unemployment if they do not grow some semblance of a spine in congress.
I find it amazing that the teabaggers have sent so many dems into hiding when the dems won big in 04. That spineless act in the face of Bush made me ill, but to continue this when they have won big; that is gutlessness to the extreme.
By the way, my recommendation to the Soar members in Sam's Missouri district: Get rid of his conservi-dem behind next election day. If he is a republican, let him declare that and vote with his buddies evermore.
Monday, November 9, 2009
healthcare bill HR3962 voting and passage
Morning folks.
As you know, the healthcare bill HR3962 is not single-payer nor is it universal. We have discussed bits and pieces of this bill at our meetings.
This is the voting on the lame bill in districts we have Soar 11-3 members:
Missouri Il
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Clay: yes Costello: yes
Carnahan: yes Shimkus: no
Akin: no
Emerson: no
Luetmeyer: no
Ike Skelton: no (democrat)
------for the most part: dem: yes, repubs: no-----------------
This bill barely passed with 220 for and 215 against. One republican did vote for the bill by the way and about two score traitor dems voted against. Where are the fearless leaders cracking the whip in congress? Where is number one and who knows the Obama plan? If you do, please contact for it looks pretty leaderless at this point and time.
In Missouri, folks voting against this lame bill will most likely not get an endorsement from SOAR 11-3 and hopefully none will get AFL-CIO support in upcoming 2010 election.
Note: since the senate has yet to pass a bill and the bills combined, look for furture eroding of healthcare for the nation.
Note two: I still have a healache from watching the "soap opera" unfold Saturday on C-Span. I also feel like throwing-up as I read some of the "victory" statements on healthcare. WE WON NO VICTORY. Ask those going to die shortly for they lack access to quality health insurance (over 100 each day by the way).
As you know, the healthcare bill HR3962 is not single-payer nor is it universal. We have discussed bits and pieces of this bill at our meetings.
This is the voting on the lame bill in districts we have Soar 11-3 members:
Missouri Il
------- ---------
Clay: yes Costello: yes
Carnahan: yes Shimkus: no
Akin: no
Emerson: no
Luetmeyer: no
Ike Skelton: no (democrat)
------for the most part: dem: yes, repubs: no-----------------
This bill barely passed with 220 for and 215 against. One republican did vote for the bill by the way and about two score traitor dems voted against. Where are the fearless leaders cracking the whip in congress? Where is number one and who knows the Obama plan? If you do, please contact for it looks pretty leaderless at this point and time.
In Missouri, folks voting against this lame bill will most likely not get an endorsement from SOAR 11-3 and hopefully none will get AFL-CIO support in upcoming 2010 election.
Note: since the senate has yet to pass a bill and the bills combined, look for furture eroding of healthcare for the nation.
Note two: I still have a healache from watching the "soap opera" unfold Saturday on C-Span. I also feel like throwing-up as I read some of the "victory" statements on healthcare. WE WON NO VICTORY. Ask those going to die shortly for they lack access to quality health insurance (over 100 each day by the way).
Monday, November 2, 2009
New Bill of Rights
I have discussed with folks what is needed for the American people is a "new bill" of rights. This was a concept that FDR had in 1944 and some of the Obama folks picked up on the idea.
If "Healthcare is a Right", our leaders are going about promoting that right in the wrong direction.
This might be of interest to some, click the link to the story. Note, in those nations that have universal healthcare; the average citizens of those nations are closer to these rights than most Americans. Forget that nonsense of "Blame America first, for in some cases it is true that other lands have it better in some areas than most Americans.:
Barack Obama and "The Second Bill of Rights"
What is the "Second Bill of Rights?" The idea, that seems to be forming as part of the Barack Obama Agenda of redistributing wealth, was first articulated by none other than President Franklin Roosevelt during his 1944 State of the Union Address.
Read More
If "Healthcare is a Right", our leaders are going about promoting that right in the wrong direction.
This might be of interest to some, click the link to the story. Note, in those nations that have universal healthcare; the average citizens of those nations are closer to these rights than most Americans. Forget that nonsense of "Blame America first, for in some cases it is true that other lands have it better in some areas than most Americans.:
Barack Obama and "The Second Bill of Rights"
What is the "Second Bill of Rights?" The idea, that seems to be forming as part of the Barack Obama Agenda of redistributing wealth, was first articulated by none other than President Franklin Roosevelt during his 1944 State of the Union Address.
Read More
Saturday, October 31, 2009
yet another Halloween treat--Health care Now folks
Another healthcare treat: Please do not try to dance this tune, might not be covered by insurance. ------------
Halloween treat from last year's election
Some of you might have missed this little Gem. It was before the last election. ------
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BOO
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BOO
ARA's new Senior to Senior vid
The Alliance for Retired Americans are promoting this new "Senior to Senior" vid.
Worth watching:
Worth watching:
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Keith Obermann healthcare commentary
This was Keith's comment on healthcare this evening. Well worth review and I hope I put these in the correct order.
My opinion: Keith's presentation equals Sicko movie and this will be a topic at next meeting. Yes, we are still onboard with single-payer health care, HR676.
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My opinion: Keith's presentation equals Sicko movie and this will be a topic at next meeting. Yes, we are still onboard with single-payer health care, HR676.
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Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
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Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
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Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
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Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Saturday, September 26, 2009
World Dominatiion--a Fiore comment on politics and Global Warming
This is yet another Fiore comment. Global Warming and American politics with a comment about American business:
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Indeed, the primary focus of our government is "business" and not the people. Look at the health care debate or look at the stilus.
I am still awaiting my bailout, how about you?
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Indeed, the primary focus of our government is "business" and not the people. Look at the health care debate or look at the stilus.
I am still awaiting my bailout, how about you?
crashiversary, a little cartoon on the economic recovery
I think Fiore has hit upon truth once again with this little piece:
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Note, in some areas of Missouri the lack of jobs is not noticed. That is because the folks were already unemployed. some folks lost one of their two part time jobs as well.
As for the umemployment being down: they do not figure into that stat the simple fact that many of the folks have ran out of benefits.
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Note, in some areas of Missouri the lack of jobs is not noticed. That is because the folks were already unemployed. some folks lost one of their two part time jobs as well.
As for the umemployment being down: they do not figure into that stat the simple fact that many of the folks have ran out of benefits.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Jobs for Justice/HCAN healthcare rally
I attended the healthcare rally downtown yesterday. There was an estimate from Amy S of the Jobs for Justice that 200 pro-reform healthcare folks were in attendance. Several speakers and they knew their stuff. Healthcare horror stories abound and just within our own little group; scores of these tragic tales could be honestly told.
Teabaggers had a dozen folks. Think perhaps the teabaggers loosing steam in St. Louis?
I will give a more detailed account at our next meeting.
so far, no good photos or vids on internet of the occasion. Believe it or not, media did not cover the event.
Seems media does not care to cover healthcare stuff. Nothing changed. This is the sixth healthcare demonstration/rally I have attended in the last three years that media did not care to cover.
Cops? A lot more friendly than those at the Sicko premiere rally by the way.
Unions? not as many in attendance as I would have prefered. Note: If unions cannot or will not support positive social policies, who then will do the job? Think that might be one reason that things in the toilet across the nation?
Teabaggers had a dozen folks. Think perhaps the teabaggers loosing steam in St. Louis?
I will give a more detailed account at our next meeting.
so far, no good photos or vids on internet of the occasion. Believe it or not, media did not cover the event.
Seems media does not care to cover healthcare stuff. Nothing changed. This is the sixth healthcare demonstration/rally I have attended in the last three years that media did not care to cover.
Cops? A lot more friendly than those at the Sicko premiere rally by the way.
Unions? not as many in attendance as I would have prefered. Note: If unions cannot or will not support positive social policies, who then will do the job? Think that might be one reason that things in the toilet across the nation?
Monday, September 21, 2009
healthcare demonstration tomorrow
This is an e-mail sent to me by Jobs for Justice in St. Louis. I will try to be there, but note: not fond of the Healthcare-now folks whom thought disallowing single-payer healthcare folks from the table was a good idea.
Some of the organizations within this group may well feel some of our wrath no matter what healthcare proposal is passed. Remarks made at the Forrest Park Community college (some in earlier posts) are still in effect.
Healthcare proposals that have passed committee are too lame to do more than scratch the surface of the healthcare problems of the nation.:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an urgent message.
Date: Sunday, September 20, 2009 6:21 PM
From: Amy Smoucha
To: 'Amy Smoucha'
Subject: Urgent Health Care ACTION, Tuesday 9/22, Noon, 1831 Chestnut Street, downtown St. Louis
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Jobs with Justice Leaders and Health Care Activists:
Health care reform is within reach! We must have health insurance reform that guarantees access to health insurance and brings down costs! And we want a PUBLIC OPTION!
The time for consistent and powerful action is now!!!! Jobs with Justice is supporting the HCAN rally to draw attention to BIG INSURANCE because WE’RE SICK OF IT.
BE THERE! RSVP your attendance to Health Care Organizer Amy Smoucha amys@stl-jwj.org or 314-608-3917. Please leave your name, phone number and how many people you will bring.
Let A Big Corporate Insurance Company, Wellpoint (Blue Cross Blue Shield),
know we are SICK of skyrocketing premiums and poor coverage!
BIG INSURANCE
SICK OF IT!
Tuesday, Sept 22
NOON
1831 Chestnut St.
North of Market
Across from Union Station
www.healthcareforamericanow.org
Amy
Amy Smoucha
Health Care Organizer
Missouri Jobs with Justice
NEW CELL #: 314-Removed by me. We do not share phone numbers as a rule
office: 314-644-0466
email: amys@mojwj.org
websites: www.mojwj.org -- www.stl-jwj.org -- www.kcjwj.org
fax: 314-647-9910
"I don't think Dr. King would endorse any of us. What he would call upon the American people to do is to hold us accountable . . . Change does not happen from the top down. It happens from the bottom up. Dr. King understood that. It was those women who were willing to walk instead of ride the bus, union workers who are willing to take on violence and intimidation to get the right to organize . . . arguing, mobilizing, agitating, and ultimately forcing elected officials to be accountable, that's the key. . . . That's how we're going to bring about change." ----Barack Obama, CBC Debate 1/21/2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some of the organizations within this group may well feel some of our wrath no matter what healthcare proposal is passed. Remarks made at the Forrest Park Community college (some in earlier posts) are still in effect.
Healthcare proposals that have passed committee are too lame to do more than scratch the surface of the healthcare problems of the nation.:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an urgent message.
Date: Sunday, September 20, 2009 6:21 PM
From: Amy Smoucha
To: 'Amy Smoucha'
Subject: Urgent Health Care ACTION, Tuesday 9/22, Noon, 1831 Chestnut Street, downtown St. Louis
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Jobs with Justice Leaders and Health Care Activists:
Health care reform is within reach! We must have health insurance reform that guarantees access to health insurance and brings down costs! And we want a PUBLIC OPTION!
The time for consistent and powerful action is now!!!! Jobs with Justice is supporting the HCAN rally to draw attention to BIG INSURANCE because WE’RE SICK OF IT.
BE THERE! RSVP your attendance to Health Care Organizer Amy Smoucha amys@stl-jwj.org or 314-608-3917. Please leave your name, phone number and how many people you will bring.
Let A Big Corporate Insurance Company, Wellpoint (Blue Cross Blue Shield),
know we are SICK of skyrocketing premiums and poor coverage!
BIG INSURANCE
SICK OF IT!
Tuesday, Sept 22
NOON
1831 Chestnut St.
North of Market
Across from Union Station
www.healthcareforamericanow.org
Amy
Amy Smoucha
Health Care Organizer
Missouri Jobs with Justice
NEW CELL #: 314-Removed by me. We do not share phone numbers as a rule
office: 314-644-0466
email: amys@mojwj.org
websites: www.mojwj.org -- www.stl-jwj.org -- www.kcjwj.org
fax: 314-647-9910
"I don't think Dr. King would endorse any of us. What he would call upon the American people to do is to hold us accountable . . . Change does not happen from the top down. It happens from the bottom up. Dr. King understood that. It was those women who were willing to walk instead of ride the bus, union workers who are willing to take on violence and intimidation to get the right to organize . . . arguing, mobilizing, agitating, and ultimately forcing elected officials to be accountable, that's the key. . . . That's how we're going to bring about change." ----Barack Obama, CBC Debate 1/21/2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, August 31, 2009
How can you tell this congressman is lying?
Answer, his lips are moving.
Like many a politician rejecting healthcare reform, lyies and mistruths, spin and bull. Beware fools speaking for the public.
Like many a politician rejecting healthcare reform, lyies and mistruths, spin and bull. Beware fools speaking for the public.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Nixon-unions-Kennedy healthcare fight 1971
When folks talk about the Nixon/Kennedy healthcare fight, this short film shows part of that debate:
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some of the "concerns" were the same in 71 as now. Alas, some of these "concerns" were argued over by the Bull Moose Party in 1912. Very little progress.
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some of the "concerns" were the same in 71 as now. Alas, some of these "concerns" were argued over by the Bull Moose Party in 1912. Very little progress.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Barney Frank and townhall meeting MSNBC clip
Dissing Barney was not wise idea in attempted townhall disruption. Kudos to Barney:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
single payer upcoming debate in house Weiner admendment
Charlie A posted this on his blog and is of interest to the folks. C-span snip
Keith Obermann more of the healthcare story
Keith has some interesting comments and interview on this segment about healthcare:
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During the show, this was also of interest to the folks:
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Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
----------------------
During the show, this was also of interest to the folks:
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Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Rachel Maddows and Richard Trumka
Interesting vids on Msnbc, healthcare topics. PBS and MSNBC doing fine job of covering the mess. CNN--so, so and Fox? :
1 Aug. 18: Republicans oppose single-payer, public option, and co-op insurance options in the healthcare reform bill, so what do they actually support? After an enlightening TRMS skit on ordering dinner, Rachel Maddow is joined by Richard Trumka, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO.
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1 Aug. 18: Republicans oppose single-payer, public option, and co-op insurance options in the healthcare reform bill, so what do they actually support? After an enlightening TRMS skit on ordering dinner, Rachel Maddow is joined by Richard Trumka, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO.
------------------------
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
--------------
Confusion on healthcare
Alas, with all the sound and furor over healthcare; it is understandable that some of the folks are confused. Some are believing lies, others are quoting slanted stats, still others are afraid of change and total chaos.
All are asking, where is the leadership?
Yes, were is the leadership for change? We still do not know the details of an "Obamacare" bill. We see the talking bubbleheads of media ranting/raving about this or that and generally confusing folks with bull.
for me, it does not matter. The best bill I have seen for both money and coverage concerns is HR676. HR3200 is a poor substitute and except for the Bernie Sanders S703, none of the other bills worth the paper to print (bonanza bills for insurance companies they should be called for they do gurantee trillions of dollars for protits).
Your offices at Soar 11-3 have not "switched" to other healthcare bills. HR676 or something simular or nothing. Yes, nothing; for any bill will tie up the healthcare reform debate for decades and that is not acceptable
In any case, no matter how the healthcare debate and bills turn out; we will hold some folks accountble for their actions or lack therefore. Some folks might have some surprizes during reelection time. Others might have some surprizes in general.
All are asking, where is the leadership?
Yes, were is the leadership for change? We still do not know the details of an "Obamacare" bill. We see the talking bubbleheads of media ranting/raving about this or that and generally confusing folks with bull.
for me, it does not matter. The best bill I have seen for both money and coverage concerns is HR676. HR3200 is a poor substitute and except for the Bernie Sanders S703, none of the other bills worth the paper to print (bonanza bills for insurance companies they should be called for they do gurantee trillions of dollars for protits).
Your offices at Soar 11-3 have not "switched" to other healthcare bills. HR676 or something simular or nothing. Yes, nothing; for any bill will tie up the healthcare reform debate for decades and that is not acceptable
In any case, no matter how the healthcare debate and bills turn out; we will hold some folks accountble for their actions or lack therefore. Some folks might have some surprizes during reelection time. Others might have some surprizes in general.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Nifty Obama protest signs
This vid is fantastic. Love some of the protest signs. From the Young Turk folks.
Steel: From Start to Finish
This is a vid about steelmaking. Good quality and interesting.
From the American Manufacturing folks (used to be the ReUnion folks)
From the American Manufacturing folks (used to be the ReUnion folks)
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Move-on Shark Week
Moveon.org released a new vid dealing with healthcare companies. I think most will find of interest:
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Thursday, August 13, 2009
msnbc rachel maddow's comments on teabaggers
Am off this morning to the townhall meeting in Hazelwood. Wonder if any of the yellow teabaggers will be around. Kinda hope the yellows are there if truth be told
This is a union event and in the past in St. Louis, teabaggers gone after "soft targets". Today's affair will have many retired union folks, not the more timid old folks they are used to pushing around.
Enough said and folks should watch what Rachel has to say on the teabaggers:
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-----------------------
Note: far too much media attention given to "potential" violence by the teabaggers. These yellow dogs are candies, cowards that hide and showing up if cameras are rolling and they can push around folks. Shut off those cameras and the teabaggers scurry for cover like cockroaches.
This is a union event and in the past in St. Louis, teabaggers gone after "soft targets". Today's affair will have many retired union folks, not the more timid old folks they are used to pushing around.
Enough said and folks should watch what Rachel has to say on the teabaggers:
---------------------
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
-----------------------
Note: far too much media attention given to "potential" violence by the teabaggers. These yellow dogs are candies, cowards that hide and showing up if cameras are rolling and they can push around folks. Shut off those cameras and the teabaggers scurry for cover like cockroaches.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Unions big doners last election
This is a story from MSNBC/CQ on campaign donations by unions. Did we get our "money's worth" is a fair question.
Value of time and other resources given by unions is not in this, but easily worth millions.
Copyrighted article and I will remove if objections made:
-------------
MSNBC.com
CQ: Campaign cash: Unions big givers in 2009
Labor strongly supports a government-run insurance health insurance plan
By Bennett Roth and Alex Knott, CQ staff
CQ Politics
updated 11:32 a.m. CT, Mon., Aug 10, 2009
WASHINGTON - Organized labor gave more money to congressional campaigns than any other interest group at a time when overhauling health care and easing the ability of unions to organize sit atop Congress’ agenda.
Union political action committees shelled out $11 million to lawmakers during the first six months of this year. Ranking second were health care interests, which gave $9.5 million from Jan. 1 through June 30, according to a CQ MoneyLine analysis of the latest filings with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
While labor PACs were the top contributors in the previous election cycle, the health care industry jumped to second place in the first half of the year from fourth in the 2007-08 cycle. Revamping health care is the top priority of President Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress as lawmakers struggle to fashion an overhaul proposal.
Labor strongly supports a government-run insurance plan that is part of legislation (HR 3200) that three House panels and one Senate committee have approved. Insurance companies and many parts of the business community oppose the so-called public option.
Finance and insurance company PACs contributed $9.2 million to lawmakers and ranked just after those representing health care in donations to lawmakers during the six-month period.
Trevor Potter, president of the Campaign Legal Center and a former FEC chairman, said it is not surprising that labor leads the pack in giving this year.
“The unions have an agenda in this Congress, and they are trying to move legislation,” Potter said. He added that unions, which give overwhelmingly to Democrats, also may be trying early in the election cycle to shore up the majority party in Congress, particularly its vulnerable members.
Aside from the health care issue, unions have mounted a major push for legislation that would make it easier for workers to organize workplaces. The measure (S 560) has been aggressively opposed by business interests. Senate sponsors have signaled that they may have to drop a controversial labor-backed provision that would allow workers to agree to unionize when a majority sign a card, rather than voting by secret ballot.
The CQ analysis includes PAC contributions to campaign and leadership committees of all House candidates and contributions to campaign committees of Senate candidates. Not all Senate leadership PAC contributions are included because of varying filing deadlines.
The top recipient of labor money was Rep. Scott Murphy, D-N.Y., whose campaign committee received $171,000 from union PACs. Murphy won a special election on March 31 to replace Kirsten Gillibrand, who was tapped to become New York’s junior senator.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’s campaign committee received the second-largest amount of labor PAC cash, getting $144,000. The California Democrat was followed by another, Rep. George Miller, the Education and Labor chairman, who received $119,540. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., was next. His campaign committee collected $115,500.
The health care industry opened its wallets to leaders in the health care debate, including Reid, who was the top recipient of health care PAC money to candidates’ campaign committees. In the first half of this year, Reid received $168,500 from health care interests, amounting to almost a quarter of the PAC contributions his campaign received. The money represented the interests of a range of medical associations, hospitals, drug companies and other providers.
Notably absent among the top Democratic recipients of health care money was Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and a leading figure on health care for years. Kennedy has been fighting brain cancer and has not been in Washington for most of this session. The industry donated $4,000 to his campaign committee in the first half of the year.
The leading GOP recipient of health care contributions was Sen. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, top Republican on the Finance Committee and part of a bipartisan coalition struggling to come up with a compromise health care bill. His campaign committee got $118,400 from health care interests, about a quarter of his total PAC contributions.
One of Grassley’s largest contributions was $10,000 from WellPoint, an Indiana-based health insurance company that oversees Blue Cross plans in 14 states. As with many in the health insurance industry, WellPoint opposes the public option. The legislation discussed by the Finance Committee does not include such a government-run health plan.
Democrats, led by Pelosi, have singled out health insurance companies for criticism, suggesting they are trying to undermine health care legislation during the August recess. Pelosi received $139,500 in health care contributions to her campaign committee. That figure includes $2,500 from the political action arm of America’s Health Insurance Plans, which represents 1,300 health insurance companies.
Karen Ignagni, president of America’s Health Insurance Plans, responded earlier this week to Democratic criticism of her industry by complaining that “a campaign has been launched to demonize health plans and the men and women who work hard every day to provide health insurance coverage to more than 300 million Americans.”
The latest filings also show that the top industries are continuing their trend of favoring Democrats, who now control both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.
Overall, the PACs gave about 62 percent of their money to Democrats and about 38 percent to Republicans in the first half of this year.
Health care-related PACs gave more than 62 percent of contributions to Democrats in the first six months of 2009 and more than 37 percent to Republicans. And now that Democrats have the lion’s share of incumbents, even the traditionally GOP-leaning energy and natural resources companies gave slightly more of their PAC money, about 51 percent, to Democrats. Republicans got about 49 percent.
Organized labor, as it has in past years, gave most of its contributions, 92 percent, to Democrats.
CQ © 2009 All Rights Reserved | Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1255 22nd Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037 | 202-419-8500
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32358502/ns/politics-cq_politics/
MSN Privacy . Legal
© 2009 MSNBC.com
------------------------------------------
Personally speaking: if the folks in congress cannot pass some pro-labor agenda items like real healthcare reform/real employee free choice act and more; time to rethink giving massive amounts of money to Democratic Party. In fact, labor should run some "pro-labor" folks for congress themselves and they would win in some districts.
Value of time and other resources given by unions is not in this, but easily worth millions.
Copyrighted article and I will remove if objections made:
-------------
MSNBC.com
CQ: Campaign cash: Unions big givers in 2009
Labor strongly supports a government-run insurance health insurance plan
By Bennett Roth and Alex Knott, CQ staff
CQ Politics
updated 11:32 a.m. CT, Mon., Aug 10, 2009
WASHINGTON - Organized labor gave more money to congressional campaigns than any other interest group at a time when overhauling health care and easing the ability of unions to organize sit atop Congress’ agenda.
Union political action committees shelled out $11 million to lawmakers during the first six months of this year. Ranking second were health care interests, which gave $9.5 million from Jan. 1 through June 30, according to a CQ MoneyLine analysis of the latest filings with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
While labor PACs were the top contributors in the previous election cycle, the health care industry jumped to second place in the first half of the year from fourth in the 2007-08 cycle. Revamping health care is the top priority of President Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress as lawmakers struggle to fashion an overhaul proposal.
Labor strongly supports a government-run insurance plan that is part of legislation (HR 3200) that three House panels and one Senate committee have approved. Insurance companies and many parts of the business community oppose the so-called public option.
Finance and insurance company PACs contributed $9.2 million to lawmakers and ranked just after those representing health care in donations to lawmakers during the six-month period.
Trevor Potter, president of the Campaign Legal Center and a former FEC chairman, said it is not surprising that labor leads the pack in giving this year.
“The unions have an agenda in this Congress, and they are trying to move legislation,” Potter said. He added that unions, which give overwhelmingly to Democrats, also may be trying early in the election cycle to shore up the majority party in Congress, particularly its vulnerable members.
Aside from the health care issue, unions have mounted a major push for legislation that would make it easier for workers to organize workplaces. The measure (S 560) has been aggressively opposed by business interests. Senate sponsors have signaled that they may have to drop a controversial labor-backed provision that would allow workers to agree to unionize when a majority sign a card, rather than voting by secret ballot.
The CQ analysis includes PAC contributions to campaign and leadership committees of all House candidates and contributions to campaign committees of Senate candidates. Not all Senate leadership PAC contributions are included because of varying filing deadlines.
The top recipient of labor money was Rep. Scott Murphy, D-N.Y., whose campaign committee received $171,000 from union PACs. Murphy won a special election on March 31 to replace Kirsten Gillibrand, who was tapped to become New York’s junior senator.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’s campaign committee received the second-largest amount of labor PAC cash, getting $144,000. The California Democrat was followed by another, Rep. George Miller, the Education and Labor chairman, who received $119,540. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., was next. His campaign committee collected $115,500.
The health care industry opened its wallets to leaders in the health care debate, including Reid, who was the top recipient of health care PAC money to candidates’ campaign committees. In the first half of this year, Reid received $168,500 from health care interests, amounting to almost a quarter of the PAC contributions his campaign received. The money represented the interests of a range of medical associations, hospitals, drug companies and other providers.
Notably absent among the top Democratic recipients of health care money was Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and a leading figure on health care for years. Kennedy has been fighting brain cancer and has not been in Washington for most of this session. The industry donated $4,000 to his campaign committee in the first half of the year.
The leading GOP recipient of health care contributions was Sen. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, top Republican on the Finance Committee and part of a bipartisan coalition struggling to come up with a compromise health care bill. His campaign committee got $118,400 from health care interests, about a quarter of his total PAC contributions.
One of Grassley’s largest contributions was $10,000 from WellPoint, an Indiana-based health insurance company that oversees Blue Cross plans in 14 states. As with many in the health insurance industry, WellPoint opposes the public option. The legislation discussed by the Finance Committee does not include such a government-run health plan.
Democrats, led by Pelosi, have singled out health insurance companies for criticism, suggesting they are trying to undermine health care legislation during the August recess. Pelosi received $139,500 in health care contributions to her campaign committee. That figure includes $2,500 from the political action arm of America’s Health Insurance Plans, which represents 1,300 health insurance companies.
Karen Ignagni, president of America’s Health Insurance Plans, responded earlier this week to Democratic criticism of her industry by complaining that “a campaign has been launched to demonize health plans and the men and women who work hard every day to provide health insurance coverage to more than 300 million Americans.”
The latest filings also show that the top industries are continuing their trend of favoring Democrats, who now control both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.
Overall, the PACs gave about 62 percent of their money to Democrats and about 38 percent to Republicans in the first half of this year.
Health care-related PACs gave more than 62 percent of contributions to Democrats in the first six months of 2009 and more than 37 percent to Republicans. And now that Democrats have the lion’s share of incumbents, even the traditionally GOP-leaning energy and natural resources companies gave slightly more of their PAC money, about 51 percent, to Democrats. Republicans got about 49 percent.
Organized labor, as it has in past years, gave most of its contributions, 92 percent, to Democrats.
CQ © 2009 All Rights Reserved | Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1255 22nd Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037 | 202-419-8500
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32358502/ns/politics-cq_politics/
MSN Privacy . Legal
© 2009 MSNBC.com
------------------------------------------
Personally speaking: if the folks in congress cannot pass some pro-labor agenda items like real healthcare reform/real employee free choice act and more; time to rethink giving massive amounts of money to Democratic Party. In fact, labor should run some "pro-labor" folks for congress themselves and they would win in some districts.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Brave New Films
The following vid might be of interest to the folks: http://sickforprofit.com/
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Tea Party St. Louis twitter memo
This is from Firedup! Missouri and is "twitter" communications on tea party website:
http://firedupmissouri.com/
http://firedupmissouri.com/
Keith on Countdown update St. Louis teabagger injury
St. Louis makes an honerable mention on Countdown today. Appears the teabagger injured has no insurance and collections being made:
------------------------------------------
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
------------------------------------------
Healthcare CEO pay
This is from: http://sickforprofit.com/ceos/
some folks might find it of interest. I did not copy the photos of the individuals.
UnitedHealth CEO
Stephen J. Hemsley
2007 Compensation
$13.2 million
2008 Compensation (Forbes)
$3,241,042
Former Managing Partner and CFO of Arthur Andersen (BusinessWeek)
Total Value of Unexercised Stock Options (Forbes)
$744,232,068
2009 Options Exercise
$127,001,281
Value of Wayzata, Minnesota Home (Hennepin County Assessor)
$6,640,000
Articles:
Hemsley returns $190 million in stock options acquired as a result of practices found to be fraudulent by the SEC (American Medical News)
----------------------
CIGNA CEO
Edward Hanway
Five-Year Compensation, as of April 30, 2008 (Forbes)
$120.51 million
Total Value of Unexercised Stock Options (Forbes)
$28,881,000
Value of New Jersey Beach Home (Cape May County Assessor)
$13,607,400
Articles:
The family of a 17-year-old girl who died hours after CIGNA reversed a decision and said it would pay for a liver transplant plans to sue the company, their attorney said Friday.
Hundreds of entertainment industry workers in California and New Jersey who buy health insurance as a group are being hit with a rate increase that will raise some family-plan premiums to more than $44,000 a year.
--------------------
Humana CEO
Michael McCallister
2007 Compensation
$10.3 million
2008 Compensation (Forbes)
$1,017,308
Five-Year Compensation Total (Forbes)
$15.1 million
Total Value of Unexercised Stock Options (Forbes)
$60,865,194
2006 Options Exercise (SECForm4)
$22,294,710
Value of Park City, Utah Home (County Assessor)
$6,978,380
Articles:
Humana abandons senior citizens in Florida, returns after Republicans pass new Medicare law, upping HMO payments by ~ 25% (NY Times)
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Aetna CEO
Ronald A. Williams
2007 Compensation
$23 million
2008 Compensation (Forbes)
$24,300,112
Total Value of Unexercised Options (Forbes)
$194,496,797
Williams is in the top
ten of Forbes'
"$100 Million CEO Club."
Articles:
Health insurance giants Aetna and CIGNA, along with others, became the latest targets of a wide-ranging probe launched by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, according to USA Today. (source)
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Coventry CEO
Allen Wise
CEO from 1996-2004, and from January 2009-Present
2004 Compensation (Forbes)
$13,052,799
2006 Sale of Stock
$14,458,251
2006 Options Exercised
$2,895,000
2005 Sale of Stock
$46,410,695
2005 Options Exercised
$6,709,564
2004 Sale of Stock
$12,826,756
2004 Options Exercised
$4,798,000
Value of Hilton Head, SC Home (Beaufort County Assessor)
$3,275,500
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WellPoint CEO
Angela Braly
2007 Compensation (secinfo)
$9,094,271
2008 Compensation (Forbes)
$9,844,212
2006 Sale of Stock (SECForm4)
$4,858,585
2006 Options Excerise (SECForm4)
$4,566,124
Value of Indianapolis Home
$1,987,700
Brave New Films / 10510 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232 / info@bravenewfilms.org
© 2009 Brave New Films. All Rights Reserved.
Note: any wonder these guys do not wish reform? Any wonder where some of the funding for the teabaggers?
some folks might find it of interest. I did not copy the photos of the individuals.
UnitedHealth CEO
Stephen J. Hemsley
2007 Compensation
$13.2 million
2008 Compensation (Forbes)
$3,241,042
Former Managing Partner and CFO of Arthur Andersen (BusinessWeek)
Total Value of Unexercised Stock Options (Forbes)
$744,232,068
2009 Options Exercise
$127,001,281
Value of Wayzata, Minnesota Home (Hennepin County Assessor)
$6,640,000
Articles:
Hemsley returns $190 million in stock options acquired as a result of practices found to be fraudulent by the SEC (American Medical News)
----------------------
CIGNA CEO
Edward Hanway
Five-Year Compensation, as of April 30, 2008 (Forbes)
$120.51 million
Total Value of Unexercised Stock Options (Forbes)
$28,881,000
Value of New Jersey Beach Home (Cape May County Assessor)
$13,607,400
Articles:
The family of a 17-year-old girl who died hours after CIGNA reversed a decision and said it would pay for a liver transplant plans to sue the company, their attorney said Friday.
Hundreds of entertainment industry workers in California and New Jersey who buy health insurance as a group are being hit with a rate increase that will raise some family-plan premiums to more than $44,000 a year.
--------------------
Humana CEO
Michael McCallister
2007 Compensation
$10.3 million
2008 Compensation (Forbes)
$1,017,308
Five-Year Compensation Total (Forbes)
$15.1 million
Total Value of Unexercised Stock Options (Forbes)
$60,865,194
2006 Options Exercise (SECForm4)
$22,294,710
Value of Park City, Utah Home (County Assessor)
$6,978,380
Articles:
Humana abandons senior citizens in Florida, returns after Republicans pass new Medicare law, upping HMO payments by ~ 25% (NY Times)
-----------------
Aetna CEO
Ronald A. Williams
2007 Compensation
$23 million
2008 Compensation (Forbes)
$24,300,112
Total Value of Unexercised Options (Forbes)
$194,496,797
Williams is in the top
ten of Forbes'
"$100 Million CEO Club."
Articles:
Health insurance giants Aetna and CIGNA, along with others, became the latest targets of a wide-ranging probe launched by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, according to USA Today. (source)
--------------------------
Coventry CEO
Allen Wise
CEO from 1996-2004, and from January 2009-Present
2004 Compensation (Forbes)
$13,052,799
2006 Sale of Stock
$14,458,251
2006 Options Exercised
$2,895,000
2005 Sale of Stock
$46,410,695
2005 Options Exercised
$6,709,564
2004 Sale of Stock
$12,826,756
2004 Options Exercised
$4,798,000
Value of Hilton Head, SC Home (Beaufort County Assessor)
$3,275,500
---------------------
WellPoint CEO
Angela Braly
2007 Compensation (secinfo)
$9,094,271
2008 Compensation (Forbes)
$9,844,212
2006 Sale of Stock (SECForm4)
$4,858,585
2006 Options Excerise (SECForm4)
$4,566,124
Value of Indianapolis Home
$1,987,700
Brave New Films / 10510 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232 / info@bravenewfilms.org
© 2009 Brave New Films. All Rights Reserved.
Note: any wonder these guys do not wish reform? Any wonder where some of the funding for the teabaggers?
Sunday, August 9, 2009
St. Louis Tea Part protesters in front of SEIU office argue with counter-protesters
SEIU headquarters in St. Louis was the scene yesterday of a demonstration by Tea baggers. A little hot weatherwise in St. Louis at noon, but these folks were out in force.
Tea Party folks got out a couple hundred protesters. SEIU got out a handful it appears with most of the counterdemonstrators coming from the liberal West End neighbors (looked like some Washington University folks, some whom live in neighborhood).
Sad about the SEIU and others, I warned them late Friday afternoon myself and left word with several folks. Guess no one in the offices when I left messages. Even sadder, no one appears to have organized a counter demonstration, fully knowing these teabaggers would respond to events of Thursday eveining . On the vids, one of the speakers ask "Where are they At?"; a valid question.
West end area is very liberal and from looking at the varied vids, these counter-demonstrators are the folks of the community; not SEIU folks. Speculation on my part.
In any case, Tea Party organized 200 or so folks in less than 24 hours to demonstrate with full press coverage (and folks posting vids on youtube and other sites). That is better than many union/social agency organizations can do and personally speaking, hats off to them for that feat of organizing.
SEIU is the largest union in the US with over 2 million members. They are part of the Change to Win (as opposed to the AFL-CIO). Teabaggers hitting SEIU headquarters with protests was a clever move on the Teabaggers for a variety of reasons. Will go over some of this politics next meeting if folks wish.
Note: After Obama victory many unions and other dismantled "rapid response" type systems. Perhaps this incident will cause a few to rebuild those response organizations.
------------------------------
gh
--------------------------------------------------------
note: Tea Bagger's blog again is at: http://stlouisteaparty.com/
They are proclaimning a victory that one of the Senator's townhalls have been cancelled. At their calender site, they list another of Claire's townhalls; targeted for demonstration tuesday.
-----------------------------------------------------
Tea Party folks got out a couple hundred protesters. SEIU got out a handful it appears with most of the counterdemonstrators coming from the liberal West End neighbors (looked like some Washington University folks, some whom live in neighborhood).
Sad about the SEIU and others, I warned them late Friday afternoon myself and left word with several folks. Guess no one in the offices when I left messages. Even sadder, no one appears to have organized a counter demonstration, fully knowing these teabaggers would respond to events of Thursday eveining . On the vids, one of the speakers ask "Where are they At?"; a valid question.
West end area is very liberal and from looking at the varied vids, these counter-demonstrators are the folks of the community; not SEIU folks. Speculation on my part.
In any case, Tea Party organized 200 or so folks in less than 24 hours to demonstrate with full press coverage (and folks posting vids on youtube and other sites). That is better than many union/social agency organizations can do and personally speaking, hats off to them for that feat of organizing.
SEIU is the largest union in the US with over 2 million members. They are part of the Change to Win (as opposed to the AFL-CIO). Teabaggers hitting SEIU headquarters with protests was a clever move on the Teabaggers for a variety of reasons. Will go over some of this politics next meeting if folks wish.
Note: After Obama victory many unions and other dismantled "rapid response" type systems. Perhaps this incident will cause a few to rebuild those response organizations.
------------------------------
gh
--------------------------------------------------------
note: Tea Bagger's blog again is at: http://stlouisteaparty.com/
They are proclaimning a victory that one of the Senator's townhalls have been cancelled. At their calender site, they list another of Claire's townhalls; targeted for demonstration tuesday.
-----------------------------------------------------
Friday, August 7, 2009
Sen Claire McCaskill cancels first townhall Tuesday
Those whom said they might attend this will be notified.
-------------------------------------------------------------
KSDK -- An upcoming town hall meeting on health care reform has been cancelled due to security precautions.
Sen. Claire McCaskill's meeting had been scheduled for Tuesday, August 11 at University City High School.
The school district said Friday it has cancelled the event due to concerns for the safety and security of its staff, community members attending the meeting, and for any students who would be on campus at the time of the meeting.
A rescheduling date has not been announced.
The cancellation comes on the heels of a number of disruptions at various town hall meetings across the country.
KSDK
-----------------
this meeting was targeted for demonstrations. The other meeting that day has also been targeted. We do not know about Thursday's meeting as of yet
-------------------------------------------------------------
KSDK -- An upcoming town hall meeting on health care reform has been cancelled due to security precautions.
Sen. Claire McCaskill's meeting had been scheduled for Tuesday, August 11 at University City High School.
The school district said Friday it has cancelled the event due to concerns for the safety and security of its staff, community members attending the meeting, and for any students who would be on campus at the time of the meeting.
A rescheduling date has not been announced.
The cancellation comes on the heels of a number of disruptions at various town hall meetings across the country.
KSDK
-----------------
this meeting was targeted for demonstrations. The other meeting that day has also been targeted. We do not know about Thursday's meeting as of yet
Teabag demonstration against SEIU tomorrow
The following is of note: demonstration against SEIU planned for noon tomorrow.
-----------
Demand Justice! Denounce Violence! Saturday at SEIU Office
by admin on August 7, 2009
in ACTION
9 Comments
DATE: Saturday, August 8, 2009 (tomorrow)
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: SEIU Headquarters, 5585 Pershing Ave., Suite 130, St. Louis, MO 63112
The St. Louis Tea Party will hold a press conference and peaceable protest at SEIU Headquarters
5585 Pershing Ave., Suite 130, St. Louis, MO 63112 at Noon Saturday, August 8, 2009.
The protest is to demand justice for Kenneth Gladney, an African-American conservative who was brutally beaten by 4 individuals, at least 2 of whom were identified as SEIU representatives. The beatings included racial slurs and required hospitalization of Mr. Gladney.
As videos show, the attack was unprovoked and no one retaliated against the union thugs.
This attack followed hours of taunts and verbal assaults by SEIU and ACORN members upon citizens gathered to express their views under the First Amendment. We believe this brutal beating is part of an organized plan to suppress dissent to the Administration’s planned seizure of the medical industry in the United States.
Anyone who believes in non-violent protest, in the rule of law, in the right of black men and women to express conservative political views, in the right to peaceably assemble, to speak freely, and to petition Congress for a redress of grievances is invited to attend.
The Tea Party specifically requests the NAACP and the ACLU to come out in support of Kenneth Gladney’s rights which were trampled by these hooligans. We call on Representative Russ Carnahan to denounce the beating. We call on President Obama to denounce the beatings. We call on St. Louis County to prosecute the assailants to fullest extent of the law.
-----------
Demand Justice! Denounce Violence! Saturday at SEIU Office
by admin on August 7, 2009
in ACTION
9 Comments
DATE: Saturday, August 8, 2009 (tomorrow)
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: SEIU Headquarters, 5585 Pershing Ave., Suite 130, St. Louis, MO 63112
The St. Louis Tea Party will hold a press conference and peaceable protest at SEIU Headquarters
5585 Pershing Ave., Suite 130, St. Louis, MO 63112 at Noon Saturday, August 8, 2009.
The protest is to demand justice for Kenneth Gladney, an African-American conservative who was brutally beaten by 4 individuals, at least 2 of whom were identified as SEIU representatives. The beatings included racial slurs and required hospitalization of Mr. Gladney.
As videos show, the attack was unprovoked and no one retaliated against the union thugs.
This attack followed hours of taunts and verbal assaults by SEIU and ACORN members upon citizens gathered to express their views under the First Amendment. We believe this brutal beating is part of an organized plan to suppress dissent to the Administration’s planned seizure of the medical industry in the United States.
Anyone who believes in non-violent protest, in the rule of law, in the right of black men and women to express conservative political views, in the right to peaceably assemble, to speak freely, and to petition Congress for a redress of grievances is invited to attend.
The Tea Party specifically requests the NAACP and the ACLU to come out in support of Kenneth Gladney’s rights which were trampled by these hooligans. We call on Representative Russ Carnahan to denounce the beating. We call on President Obama to denounce the beatings. We call on St. Louis County to prosecute the assailants to fullest extent of the law.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
More teabag disruptions St. Louis Missouri
Today, the Carnahan townhall in South county was disrupted by teabaggers opposing healthcare reform. Looks like Russ had long day.:
DEMS SNEAK UNION THUGS INTO CARNAHAN TOWN HALL-- Tea Party Taxpayers Locked Out!
(title of vid)
---------------------------------------------------
Fox St. Louis news had this vid as did other stations on today's cash-for clunkers:
---------------
ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) - One of St. Louis' best
known Congressmen was met by an angry mob in South City Tuesday. Russ Carnahan was talking about the Cash for Clunker's program that's looking more and more like it will be extended, but his news conference took a relatively odd turn. Carnahan is urging the Senate to allocate additional funding for the "Cash for Clunkers" program. As Congressman Carnahan tried to speak about three dozen demonstrators, who had been locked out of a South City auto showroom, tried to shout him down. They pressed signs against the glass in an effort to get the attention of media inside.
Carnahan said, "We have some nay-sayers here today, and it's their right to do that."
The nay-sayers were vocal, but appear to be fighting an uphill battle as more signs were coming from Washington that the Cash for Clunkers program will get through the Senate. The House on Friday voted overwhelmingly in support of continuing the program. The Senate has come under increasing pressure to continue the initiative.
Carnahan's only answer to his critics on the other side of the glass:
"I support the program, that's well known."
Carnahan says Cash for Clunkers will help expand the clean-energy economy, cut down on pollution, and save money on gasoline consumption as more Americans turn in older cars for more efficient models.
The Obama administration pushed for an additional $2 billion after saying over the weekend that the program could expire as early as this week unless the Senate acts.
------------------------------------
Also from Fox St. Louis news:
Related links
Health Care Town Hall Expected to Have Fireworks Video
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO (FOX2now.com) - The debate over health care reform has moved to South County, and the Town Hall forum held by Congressman Russ Carnahan generated plenty of fireworks. The town hall meeting was scheduled months ago by Carnahan's office. The intent was initially to educate senior citizens about Medicaid and Medicare issues, but Thursday the Democratic Party sent out releases encouraging people to show up and show support for President Obama's health care reform plan.
So there is a mixed crowd, of vocal opponents to the plan and others supporters. The two sides spent much of the evening attempting to shout one another down. Many showed up with signs which were not allowed into the gymnasium where the meeting was held.
In recent weeks, town hall forums like this have been overtaken by opposition groups who have heckled and mocked supporters of the President's health care reform plan including Congressman Carnahan.
Congressman Carnahan's office said health care reform wasn't to be the main issue, Thursday, but that topic got plenty of attention. There were speakers from AARP, Medicaid, and Medicare who will answer questions from senior citizens.
Opposition groups showed up around 4:30pm with signs in hand, some claiming health care reform is the start of socialism, but there were just as many in favor of reform.
By evening's end, Carnahan hastily departed without comment. His staff said the meeting did not turn out the way the congressman had intended.
Copyright © 2009, KTVI-TV
-------------------------
---------------------------------------------------
DEMS SNEAK UNION THUGS INTO CARNAHAN TOWN HALL-- Tea Party Taxpayers Locked Out!
(title of vid)
---------------------------------------------------
Fox St. Louis news had this vid as did other stations on today's cash-for clunkers:
---------------
ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) - One of St. Louis' best
known Congressmen was met by an angry mob in South City Tuesday. Russ Carnahan was talking about the Cash for Clunker's program that's looking more and more like it will be extended, but his news conference took a relatively odd turn. Carnahan is urging the Senate to allocate additional funding for the "Cash for Clunkers" program. As Congressman Carnahan tried to speak about three dozen demonstrators, who had been locked out of a South City auto showroom, tried to shout him down. They pressed signs against the glass in an effort to get the attention of media inside.
Carnahan said, "We have some nay-sayers here today, and it's their right to do that."
The nay-sayers were vocal, but appear to be fighting an uphill battle as more signs were coming from Washington that the Cash for Clunkers program will get through the Senate. The House on Friday voted overwhelmingly in support of continuing the program. The Senate has come under increasing pressure to continue the initiative.
Carnahan's only answer to his critics on the other side of the glass:
"I support the program, that's well known."
Carnahan says Cash for Clunkers will help expand the clean-energy economy, cut down on pollution, and save money on gasoline consumption as more Americans turn in older cars for more efficient models.
The Obama administration pushed for an additional $2 billion after saying over the weekend that the program could expire as early as this week unless the Senate acts.
------------------------------------
Also from Fox St. Louis news:
Related links
Health Care Town Hall Expected to Have Fireworks Video
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO (FOX2now.com) - The debate over health care reform has moved to South County, and the Town Hall forum held by Congressman Russ Carnahan generated plenty of fireworks. The town hall meeting was scheduled months ago by Carnahan's office. The intent was initially to educate senior citizens about Medicaid and Medicare issues, but Thursday the Democratic Party sent out releases encouraging people to show up and show support for President Obama's health care reform plan.
So there is a mixed crowd, of vocal opponents to the plan and others supporters. The two sides spent much of the evening attempting to shout one another down. Many showed up with signs which were not allowed into the gymnasium where the meeting was held.
In recent weeks, town hall forums like this have been overtaken by opposition groups who have heckled and mocked supporters of the President's health care reform plan including Congressman Carnahan.
Congressman Carnahan's office said health care reform wasn't to be the main issue, Thursday, but that topic got plenty of attention. There were speakers from AARP, Medicaid, and Medicare who will answer questions from senior citizens.
Opposition groups showed up around 4:30pm with signs in hand, some claiming health care reform is the start of socialism, but there were just as many in favor of reform.
By evening's end, Carnahan hastily departed without comment. His staff said the meeting did not turn out the way the congressman had intended.
Copyright © 2009, KTVI-TV
-------------------------
---------------------------------------------------
Teabaggers--St. Louis Missouri
------------------------------------
Teabaggers are going to do their stuff at the Russ rally in South county today. Their respective website is at: http://stlouisteaparty.com/
These folks intend to disrupt Carnahan and other dems across the state this month. Carnahan tops the list for potential disruptions by the way. Carnahan has also been targeted by Rush Lindbaugh.
Akin up north was cheered by these folks at a recient meeting. Wonder how they would like their "buddies" townhalls and meeting disrupted?
Personally speaking, Carnahan's have been good for the citizens of Missouri and although I do not agree 100% of the time with Russ; he is a pretty good representative and deserves a better crowd reception.
Picture from the teabagger's site.
----------------------
another clip from disruption on Claire's healthcare talk from youtube (Fox news clip):
---------------------
I wonder if these folks know that most citizens in Missouri believe their disruptions the work of cranks?
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Keith Obermann continue healthcare story
Yesterday, one of the top stories on Countdown was a continuation of healthcare talk.
Very informative:
--------------------
----------------------------
I agree with the "devil's advocate" comment, single-payers have already lost; defeated by our friends and supposed allies. Our "buddies" stacked the healthcare reform early on and excluded single payer folks from talks.
Now our "buddies" have a problem for the conservatives are going to block meaningful healthcare reform.
Very informative:
--------------------
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
----------------------------
I agree with the "devil's advocate" comment, single-payers have already lost; defeated by our friends and supposed allies. Our "buddies" stacked the healthcare reform early on and excluded single payer folks from talks.
Now our "buddies" have a problem for the conservatives are going to block meaningful healthcare reform.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Senator McCaskill hecklers
Right wing folks busy disrupting town-hall meetings in St. Louis area. Again, local media giving very little attention and these vids come from youtube and this is a couple of them.
I wonder if the protesters are aware their disruptions might cause public to rally behind Claire? ----------------------
--------------------------------------
------------------------------------
-----------------
Note: planned disruptions of democratic townhalls and meetings, that is stupid.
I wonder if the protesters are aware their disruptions might cause public to rally behind Claire? ----------------------
--------------------------------------
------------------------------------
-----------------
Note: planned disruptions of democratic townhalls and meetings, that is stupid.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Representative Carnahan hecked at townhall meeting on healthcare
Russ Carnahan felt the wrath of some on the right at his townhall meeting. Forrest Park Community Collage was the site of a recient healthcare meeting. Alas, this is one I missed:
----------------------
right wing folks have plans for democrats wishing to pass healthcare reform. Some of the townhall meetings should be interesting.
----------------------
right wing folks have plans for democrats wishing to pass healthcare reform. Some of the townhall meetings should be interesting.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Hulu copy of CNBC healthcare program
This is a link to Hulu presentation of the healthcare program mentioned in previous post:
Meeting of the Minds CNBC healthcare
An excellent vid on healthcare reform and the problems at CNBC:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?play=1&video=1199148604
-------------------------------------------
Snip from program from youtube. Again, this is copyrighted materials and I shall withdraw if objections made:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?play=1&video=1199148604
-------------------------------------------
Snip from program from youtube. Again, this is copyrighted materials and I shall withdraw if objections made:
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Acorn/teaparty demonstration last week
This is a snip of the demonstration and counter-protests in St. Louis at Senator's McCaskill's office last week.
Note: Soar 11-3 supports HR676 and consider the rest of the prosals lame in comparison. We would have attended, but supporting "lame" measures for such an important issue is not our cup of tea.
---------------------------
Note: Soar 11-3 supports HR676 and consider the rest of the prosals lame in comparison. We would have attended, but supporting "lame" measures for such an important issue is not our cup of tea.
---------------------------
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
jobs for justice rally in st. Louis against social program cuts in Missouri
I attended the rally/demonstration today. Democratic State Representative Jeanette Mott Oxford was the only politican whom attended this rally. Ms Oxford is a very progressive leader in the St. Louis area.
Below is from KSDK on the subject: http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=181370
Demonstrators protest proposed Missouri budget cuts
Posted By: Mike Garrity Date last updated: 7/29/2009 8:49:16 PM
There's new concern among many Missouri state workers as well as people who depend on state social or health services. They're worried proposed budget cuts could mean vital services will be eliminated.
By Mike Garrity
KSDK -- There's new concern among many Missouri state workers as well as people who depend on state social or health services. They're worried proposed budget cuts could mean vital services will be eliminated.
In south St. Louis on Wednesday, a crowd of more than 100 state workers and people who depend on state services demonstrated outside the Missouri Department of Social Services office on South Broadway.
It was an effort to draw attention to proposed budget cuts.
The union that represents state social services workers says Governor Jay Nixon has asked state departments to cut an additional $60 million from their budgets. That's on top of $425 million that's already been cut.
The union says nearly half of the Governor's newly requested cuts are to come from the Missouri Department of Social Services and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
And the people at Wednesday's demonstration say in this economy, more and more Missourians are turning to those agencies for assistance.
Meanwhile the governor's office is only saying that Governor Nixon has asked each state agency to review it's budget and submit recommendations for proposed cuts.
Nixon's office says each recommendation is being reviewed, but no decisions have been made.
The governor expects those decisions, "within the next few weeks", his press secretary tells us.
But the state workers' union says sunshine law requests show numerous programs on the proposed chopping block.
"Foster care services, crisis nursery services, child abuse and neglect prevention services, emergency child care, inspections at residential care facilities, long term care facilities, basic stuff, this is not like eliminating the cream and getting skim milk," says Bradley Harmon, a Missouri Department of Social Services Employee who is also the president of the state workers' union.
Among the people at Wednesday's demonstration was Melanie Shouse.
She's a struggling small business owner who could only afford a catastrophic insurance policy.
So ever since she was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago, she's become dependant on the state, specifically Missouri Medicaid to assist her with chemotherapy treatments.
Melanie is now concerned that the health services that she now depends on could be on the chopping block as well.
"Well it will affect people like myself all over the state who are really counting on Missouri Medicaid to fill the gaps in their health coverage," Shouse worries.
"The cuts that are being proposed now are cutting bone, there's no fat left, there's no muscle left, we are dismantling our social safety net system," says Harmon.
These proposed cuts also put Governor Nixon in a tough spot politically.
Many of the people demonstrating Wednesday, including those with the state workers union worked to get Nixon elected.
They are now asking for a meeting with the Governor, and are suggesting things like a proposal to change the state's tax structure to bring in more revenue.
"I'm counting on him (Nixon) to do what he said he was going to do when he was running for office, which would put the needs of ordinary working Missourians first," says Harmon.
Democratic State Representative Jeanette Mott Oxford was also at Wednesday's demonstration.
She thinks the Governor should at the very least postpone any cuts to social, senior, or health services.
Mott Oxford believes the proposed cuts would end up costing the state in the long run.
"I can't believe it will save money, because if you take money out of crisis nurseries, (for instance), you put kids into foster care which is very expensive," Mott Oxford says. "One of the easiest places to look is when you cut money in the mental health budget. It means that people who could get medication and services in their neighborhood don't get treated, and they wind up making stupid choices that get them in jail, which is expensive."
And while it wouldn't be on the table until the next legislative session Mott Oxford is the one behind a proposal to change in the way the Missouri tax system works.
She wants to adjust the state's tax brackets so the wealthiest 20 percent of the population would be forced to contribute more, and the poor would not have to pay as much.
Below is the statement from Governor Nixon's office in its entirety:
"The Governor has asked each state agency to review their budgets for fiscal year 2010 and submit recommendations to the state budget office for proposed cuts. With the challenging budget picture for the foreseeable future, it is vital that Missouri's state government live within its means so we do not find ourselves having to cut core essential services as other states have been forced to do. Each of the recommendations from the agencies is being reviewed, but there have been no decisions made. We expect those decisions to be made within the next few weeks."
- Scott Holste, Press Secretary to Missouri Governor Jay Nixon
KSDK
Below is from KSDK on the subject: http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=181370
Demonstrators protest proposed Missouri budget cuts
Posted By: Mike Garrity Date last updated: 7/29/2009 8:49:16 PM
There's new concern among many Missouri state workers as well as people who depend on state social or health services. They're worried proposed budget cuts could mean vital services will be eliminated.
By Mike Garrity
KSDK -- There's new concern among many Missouri state workers as well as people who depend on state social or health services. They're worried proposed budget cuts could mean vital services will be eliminated.
In south St. Louis on Wednesday, a crowd of more than 100 state workers and people who depend on state services demonstrated outside the Missouri Department of Social Services office on South Broadway.
It was an effort to draw attention to proposed budget cuts.
The union that represents state social services workers says Governor Jay Nixon has asked state departments to cut an additional $60 million from their budgets. That's on top of $425 million that's already been cut.
The union says nearly half of the Governor's newly requested cuts are to come from the Missouri Department of Social Services and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
And the people at Wednesday's demonstration say in this economy, more and more Missourians are turning to those agencies for assistance.
Meanwhile the governor's office is only saying that Governor Nixon has asked each state agency to review it's budget and submit recommendations for proposed cuts.
Nixon's office says each recommendation is being reviewed, but no decisions have been made.
The governor expects those decisions, "within the next few weeks", his press secretary tells us.
But the state workers' union says sunshine law requests show numerous programs on the proposed chopping block.
"Foster care services, crisis nursery services, child abuse and neglect prevention services, emergency child care, inspections at residential care facilities, long term care facilities, basic stuff, this is not like eliminating the cream and getting skim milk," says Bradley Harmon, a Missouri Department of Social Services Employee who is also the president of the state workers' union.
Among the people at Wednesday's demonstration was Melanie Shouse.
She's a struggling small business owner who could only afford a catastrophic insurance policy.
So ever since she was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago, she's become dependant on the state, specifically Missouri Medicaid to assist her with chemotherapy treatments.
Melanie is now concerned that the health services that she now depends on could be on the chopping block as well.
"Well it will affect people like myself all over the state who are really counting on Missouri Medicaid to fill the gaps in their health coverage," Shouse worries.
"The cuts that are being proposed now are cutting bone, there's no fat left, there's no muscle left, we are dismantling our social safety net system," says Harmon.
These proposed cuts also put Governor Nixon in a tough spot politically.
Many of the people demonstrating Wednesday, including those with the state workers union worked to get Nixon elected.
They are now asking for a meeting with the Governor, and are suggesting things like a proposal to change the state's tax structure to bring in more revenue.
"I'm counting on him (Nixon) to do what he said he was going to do when he was running for office, which would put the needs of ordinary working Missourians first," says Harmon.
Democratic State Representative Jeanette Mott Oxford was also at Wednesday's demonstration.
She thinks the Governor should at the very least postpone any cuts to social, senior, or health services.
Mott Oxford believes the proposed cuts would end up costing the state in the long run.
"I can't believe it will save money, because if you take money out of crisis nurseries, (for instance), you put kids into foster care which is very expensive," Mott Oxford says. "One of the easiest places to look is when you cut money in the mental health budget. It means that people who could get medication and services in their neighborhood don't get treated, and they wind up making stupid choices that get them in jail, which is expensive."
And while it wouldn't be on the table until the next legislative session Mott Oxford is the one behind a proposal to change in the way the Missouri tax system works.
She wants to adjust the state's tax brackets so the wealthiest 20 percent of the population would be forced to contribute more, and the poor would not have to pay as much.
Below is the statement from Governor Nixon's office in its entirety:
"The Governor has asked each state agency to review their budgets for fiscal year 2010 and submit recommendations to the state budget office for proposed cuts. With the challenging budget picture for the foreseeable future, it is vital that Missouri's state government live within its means so we do not find ourselves having to cut core essential services as other states have been forced to do. Each of the recommendations from the agencies is being reviewed, but there have been no decisions made. We expect those decisions to be made within the next few weeks."
- Scott Holste, Press Secretary to Missouri Governor Jay Nixon
KSDK
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Fiore cartoon Dr Decline
This is a Fiore cartoon dealing with healthcare. About two minutes and worth watching:
--------------------
-----------------
I posted this on another of our blogs, but some folks could not open the vid. It is copyrighted and I shall withdraw if objections made
--------------------
-----------------
I posted this on another of our blogs, but some folks could not open the vid. It is copyrighted and I shall withdraw if objections made
Conyers: Obama Suffers from "Rahm Emanuel Factor"
Good for Representative Conyers, he has blasted administration on the healthcare issue. The article below and vids are of note to folks supporting HR676 Conyers:
Obama Suffers from ‘Rahm Emanuel Factor’--On Health Care, White House is Willing to ‘Make a Deal About Anything' Monday, July 27, 2009 By Nicholas Ballasy, Video Reporter
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=51625 (snip of article): CNSNews.com) –
When it comes to health care reform, President Barack Obama has succumbed to the “Rahm Emanuel factor," meaning he will make a deal about anything, House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) told reporters at the National Press Club on Friday. Rahm Emanuel is the White House chief of staff and a top political adviser to the president.
Conyers was complaining about President Obama not pursuing a "single-payer" health care system as the goal of his health-care reform efforts. This is a system that Conyers supports and that he says Obama also used to support.
----------------------------------
-----------------------------
This is what Conyers said about the 1000 page plus heathcare (HR3200, I believe and note, even with admendment; it is no where close to being a bill like HR676)
------------------------
------------------------------------
Obama Suffers from ‘Rahm Emanuel Factor’--On Health Care, White House is Willing to ‘Make a Deal About Anything' Monday, July 27, 2009 By Nicholas Ballasy, Video Reporter
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=51625 (snip of article): CNSNews.com) –
When it comes to health care reform, President Barack Obama has succumbed to the “Rahm Emanuel factor," meaning he will make a deal about anything, House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) told reporters at the National Press Club on Friday. Rahm Emanuel is the White House chief of staff and a top political adviser to the president.
Conyers was complaining about President Obama not pursuing a "single-payer" health care system as the goal of his health-care reform efforts. This is a system that Conyers supports and that he says Obama also used to support.
----------------------------------
-----------------------------
This is what Conyers said about the 1000 page plus heathcare (HR3200, I believe and note, even with admendment; it is no where close to being a bill like HR676)
------------------------
------------------------------------
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Bill Moyer's vid
Bill Moyer's Journal aired this last Friday, 7-24-09. It is excellent overview of healthcare political mess in congress.
Note: This clip is copyrighted and I shall withdraw if objections made.
Note: This clip is copyrighted and I shall withdraw if objections made.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Doctor Decline: Hold Tight (healthcare cartoon)
Doctor Decline: Hold Tight is a Mark Fiore short cartoon. This deals with healthcare mess explination and politics. http://www.markfiore.com/ has a new Fiore cartoon every week
Borrowed from: http://www.clipal.com/video/doctor_decline_hold_tight
Borrowed from: http://www.clipal.com/video/doctor_decline_hold_tight
Friday, June 26, 2009
side by side healthcare proposal comparison
This site has a side by side comparision of the major competing healthcare proposals:
http://www.kff.org/healthreform/sidebyside.cfm
The Kaiser Family Foundation does a lot of good work in this field. Unfortunately, they are not a supporter of HR676
http://www.kff.org/healthreform/sidebyside.cfm
The Kaiser Family Foundation does a lot of good work in this field. Unfortunately, they are not a supporter of HR676
Thursday, June 18, 2009
GOP 4 page healthcare brief of June 18th, 2009
Below is the document that the talking heads are making a fuss over from yesterday. I urge folks to read.
http://camp.house.gov/UploadedFiles/House_GOP_Solutions_Group_Outline_Health_Care_Plan.pdf
I believe GOP is mistaking insurance reform (very much needed) with healthcare reform. I do not believe this plan is a good one, but read for yourself and this will be gone over at next meeting in July.
--------------------------------
House GOP Solutions Group Outlines Health Care Plan
to Increase Affordability, Accessibility, Availability
Commonsense Health Care Reform to Lower Costs and Increase
Access and Quality at a Price Our Country Can Afford
Republicans believe there are a number of potential areas for common ground to work
with President Obama to improve health care for all Americans. Republicans are
promoting commonsense reforms that make health care more affordable, reduce the
number of uninsured Americans, and increase quality at a price our country can afford---
while making sure that Americans who like their health care coverage can keep it.
The House Republican Health Care Solutions Group has been working for months on a plan, listening to the American people, talking to doctors and patients, collecting input, and studying and debating ideas. This process has resulted in the broad outline of a health care reform plan that the solutions group hopes will receive bipartisan support.
The health care reforms outlined are designed to:
1. Make quality health care coverage affordable and accessible for every American,
regardless of pre-existing health conditions.
2. Protect Americans from being forced into a new government-run health care plan
that would: a) eliminate the health care coverage that more than 100 million
Americans currently receive through their job; b) limit your choice of doctors and
medical treatment options; and c) result in the federal government taking control
of your health care.
3. Let Americans who like their health care coverage keep it, and give all Americans
the freedom to choose the health plan that best meets their needs.
4. Ensure that medical decisions are made by patients and their doctors, not
government bureaucrats.
5. Improve Americans’ lives through effective prevention, wellness, and disease
management programs, while developing new treatments and cures for life-
threatening diseases.
Making Health Care More Affordable for All Americans:
More Americans will gain access to quality health care once its costs are brought under control. The first step in lowering health care costs is to eliminate the unnecessary overspending in our current system.
Doctors order unnecessary tests to avoid being sued and every insurance company has its own codes and forms patients and doctors need to fill out. The Chief Counsel to the
Health and Human Services Inspector General even went so far as to say that “building a Medicare fraud scam is far safer than dealing in crack or dealing in stolen cars, and it’s
far more lucrative.”
To lower the costs of health care, the Republican plan:
• Brings greater fairness to the tax code by extending tax savings to those who
currently do not have employer-provided insurance but purchase health insurance on their own. This provision would provide an “above the line” deduction that is equal to the cost of an individual’s or family’s insurance premiums.
• Provides immediate substantial financial assistance, through new refundable and
advanceable tax credits, to low- and modest-income Americans.
• Recognizes that many Americans who have not yet hit retirement age but may be
changing jobs or have lost a job often face higher health care costs. To help those
aged 55 to 64, the plan increases support for pre- and early-retirees with low- and
modest-incomes.
• Recognizes that one of the largest obstacles for many small businesses when it comes to
retaining current employees or creating new jobs is the cost of health insurance. The
plan allows states, small businesses, associations, and other organizations to band
together and offer health insurance at lower costs.
• Implements comprehensive medical liability reform that will reduce costly,
unnecessary defensive medicine practiced by doctors trying to protect themselves from overzealous trial lawyers.
• Provides Medicare and Medicaid with additional authority and resources to stop
waste, fraud, and abuse that costs taxpayers billions of dollars every year.
• Creates incentives to save now for future and long-term health care needs by
improving health savings accounts and flexible spending arrangements as well as creating new tax benefits to offset the cost of long-term care premiums.
• Gives financial help to caregivers who provide in-home care for a loved one.
Making Health Care More Available & Accessible for All Americans:
The Republican plan reduces the number of uninsured Americans by wisely targeting this population and helping Americans keep health care coverage regardless of a change in or loss of a job.
To expand availability and accessibility of health care coverage, the Republican plan:
• Makes it easier for Americans to keep health care coverage regardless of a change in
or loss of a job.
• Encourages states to create a Universal Access Program by establishing and/or
reforming existing programs to guarantee all Americans, regardless of pre-existing conditions or past illnesses, have access to affordable coverage.
• Strengthens employer-provided health coverage by helping the 10 million uninsured
Americans who are eligible, but not enrolled in, an employer-sponsored plan get
health care coverage. The plan does this by encouraging employers to move to opt-
out, rather than opt-in rules.
• Helps employers offer health care coverage to their workers by reducing their
administrative costs through a new small business tax credit.
• Recognizes that not all high school and college graduates are able to find a job that
offers health care coverage after graduation. By allowing dependents to remain on
their parents’ health policies up to the age of 25, the number of uninsured Americans
could be reduced by up to 7 million.
• Provides flexibility to Medicaid and SCHIP beneficiaries by allowing them to apply
the value of their benefit to a health plan that better meets their needs than the one-
size-fits-all government program.
Promoting Healthy Living and Quality Care for All Americans Now and Tomorrow:
Innovations in treatment and access to quality health care information are critical to
ensuring Americans receive the best possible care. It’s no secret that patients in other
countries are often denied care or die waiting to get access to the top treatments.
To promote prevention and wellness while ensuring every American has access to high quality health care, the Republican plan:
• Promotes prevention and wellness by giving employers and insurers greater flexibility
to financially reward employees who seek to achieve or maintain a healthy weight,
quit smoking, and manage chronic illnesses like diabetes.
• Rewards high-quality care, instead of encouraging health care providers to order more
and unnecessary services.
• Uses new and innovative treatment programs to better coordinate care between health
care providers, ensuring that those with chronic disease receive the care they need and
do not continue to fall through the cracks.
• Encourages the creation of health plan finders to provide patients with the tools to
easily find the right health plan that best meets their needs.
• Gives patients access to health care information so that they can identify and select
health care providers who deliver high-quality care at a lower cost.
• Makes health care more convenient by eliminating bureaucratic red tape to expand
access to Community Health Centers that are so critical to underserved areas, both in
large cities and in rural America.
• Encourages home care and independence for patients rather than forcing individuals
into institutionalized settings.
• Promotes seniors' access to the doctors they need by modernizing Medicare
reimbursements.
• Provides incentives to physicians who enter the field of primary care, helping to
ensure all Americans have access to the doctors they need.
------------
note, the picture did not copy, but Roy Blunt is listed atop. Also, one might note the number of Frank Luntz's talking points included in their short work. Frank's piece is on our blogs by the way
http://camp.house.gov/UploadedFiles/House_GOP_Solutions_Group_Outline_Health_Care_Plan.pdf
I believe GOP is mistaking insurance reform (very much needed) with healthcare reform. I do not believe this plan is a good one, but read for yourself and this will be gone over at next meeting in July.
--------------------------------
House GOP Solutions Group Outlines Health Care Plan
to Increase Affordability, Accessibility, Availability
Commonsense Health Care Reform to Lower Costs and Increase
Access and Quality at a Price Our Country Can Afford
Republicans believe there are a number of potential areas for common ground to work
with President Obama to improve health care for all Americans. Republicans are
promoting commonsense reforms that make health care more affordable, reduce the
number of uninsured Americans, and increase quality at a price our country can afford---
while making sure that Americans who like their health care coverage can keep it.
The House Republican Health Care Solutions Group has been working for months on a plan, listening to the American people, talking to doctors and patients, collecting input, and studying and debating ideas. This process has resulted in the broad outline of a health care reform plan that the solutions group hopes will receive bipartisan support.
The health care reforms outlined are designed to:
1. Make quality health care coverage affordable and accessible for every American,
regardless of pre-existing health conditions.
2. Protect Americans from being forced into a new government-run health care plan
that would: a) eliminate the health care coverage that more than 100 million
Americans currently receive through their job; b) limit your choice of doctors and
medical treatment options; and c) result in the federal government taking control
of your health care.
3. Let Americans who like their health care coverage keep it, and give all Americans
the freedom to choose the health plan that best meets their needs.
4. Ensure that medical decisions are made by patients and their doctors, not
government bureaucrats.
5. Improve Americans’ lives through effective prevention, wellness, and disease
management programs, while developing new treatments and cures for life-
threatening diseases.
Making Health Care More Affordable for All Americans:
More Americans will gain access to quality health care once its costs are brought under control. The first step in lowering health care costs is to eliminate the unnecessary overspending in our current system.
Doctors order unnecessary tests to avoid being sued and every insurance company has its own codes and forms patients and doctors need to fill out. The Chief Counsel to the
Health and Human Services Inspector General even went so far as to say that “building a Medicare fraud scam is far safer than dealing in crack or dealing in stolen cars, and it’s
far more lucrative.”
To lower the costs of health care, the Republican plan:
• Brings greater fairness to the tax code by extending tax savings to those who
currently do not have employer-provided insurance but purchase health insurance on their own. This provision would provide an “above the line” deduction that is equal to the cost of an individual’s or family’s insurance premiums.
• Provides immediate substantial financial assistance, through new refundable and
advanceable tax credits, to low- and modest-income Americans.
• Recognizes that many Americans who have not yet hit retirement age but may be
changing jobs or have lost a job often face higher health care costs. To help those
aged 55 to 64, the plan increases support for pre- and early-retirees with low- and
modest-incomes.
• Recognizes that one of the largest obstacles for many small businesses when it comes to
retaining current employees or creating new jobs is the cost of health insurance. The
plan allows states, small businesses, associations, and other organizations to band
together and offer health insurance at lower costs.
• Implements comprehensive medical liability reform that will reduce costly,
unnecessary defensive medicine practiced by doctors trying to protect themselves from overzealous trial lawyers.
• Provides Medicare and Medicaid with additional authority and resources to stop
waste, fraud, and abuse that costs taxpayers billions of dollars every year.
• Creates incentives to save now for future and long-term health care needs by
improving health savings accounts and flexible spending arrangements as well as creating new tax benefits to offset the cost of long-term care premiums.
• Gives financial help to caregivers who provide in-home care for a loved one.
Making Health Care More Available & Accessible for All Americans:
The Republican plan reduces the number of uninsured Americans by wisely targeting this population and helping Americans keep health care coverage regardless of a change in or loss of a job.
To expand availability and accessibility of health care coverage, the Republican plan:
• Makes it easier for Americans to keep health care coverage regardless of a change in
or loss of a job.
• Encourages states to create a Universal Access Program by establishing and/or
reforming existing programs to guarantee all Americans, regardless of pre-existing conditions or past illnesses, have access to affordable coverage.
• Strengthens employer-provided health coverage by helping the 10 million uninsured
Americans who are eligible, but not enrolled in, an employer-sponsored plan get
health care coverage. The plan does this by encouraging employers to move to opt-
out, rather than opt-in rules.
• Helps employers offer health care coverage to their workers by reducing their
administrative costs through a new small business tax credit.
• Recognizes that not all high school and college graduates are able to find a job that
offers health care coverage after graduation. By allowing dependents to remain on
their parents’ health policies up to the age of 25, the number of uninsured Americans
could be reduced by up to 7 million.
• Provides flexibility to Medicaid and SCHIP beneficiaries by allowing them to apply
the value of their benefit to a health plan that better meets their needs than the one-
size-fits-all government program.
Promoting Healthy Living and Quality Care for All Americans Now and Tomorrow:
Innovations in treatment and access to quality health care information are critical to
ensuring Americans receive the best possible care. It’s no secret that patients in other
countries are often denied care or die waiting to get access to the top treatments.
To promote prevention and wellness while ensuring every American has access to high quality health care, the Republican plan:
• Promotes prevention and wellness by giving employers and insurers greater flexibility
to financially reward employees who seek to achieve or maintain a healthy weight,
quit smoking, and manage chronic illnesses like diabetes.
• Rewards high-quality care, instead of encouraging health care providers to order more
and unnecessary services.
• Uses new and innovative treatment programs to better coordinate care between health
care providers, ensuring that those with chronic disease receive the care they need and
do not continue to fall through the cracks.
• Encourages the creation of health plan finders to provide patients with the tools to
easily find the right health plan that best meets their needs.
• Gives patients access to health care information so that they can identify and select
health care providers who deliver high-quality care at a lower cost.
• Makes health care more convenient by eliminating bureaucratic red tape to expand
access to Community Health Centers that are so critical to underserved areas, both in
large cities and in rural America.
• Encourages home care and independence for patients rather than forcing individuals
into institutionalized settings.
• Promotes seniors' access to the doctors they need by modernizing Medicare
reimbursements.
• Provides incentives to physicians who enter the field of primary care, helping to
ensure all Americans have access to the doctors they need.
------------
note, the picture did not copy, but Roy Blunt is listed atop. Also, one might note the number of Frank Luntz's talking points included in their short work. Frank's piece is on our blogs by the way
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Beware of stats and facts on healthcare uninsured
-------------------------------
I know that many of you folks argue politically some of the points brought forward at our meetings.
I wish to say, no one really knows how broken the healthcare system is in the nation. Most of the studies have one or more flaws and the stats vary. For instance:
Right now, some on the right are saying that the 45.7 million estimate of folks having no healthcare included 10 million illegial aliens. Others argue that there are 50 million, not 45.7. Estimates vary by 30 million.
Technically speaking, anyone who has any sort of insurance (no matter how limited) is counted as having insurance. No real estimate of how many Americans are underinsured but guesses range from 25 million to 80 million.
I would argue that folks on "present" canco insurance and or Medicare/Medicaid are underinstured compared to the "old time" Canco insurance. Beware the source of the information, beware how the spin the "facts".
Personally, when I answer the census; I am going to truthfully say I have partial insurance if there is a box for that. If not, I am going to list myself as uninsured because I cannot afford to use the insurance unless there is an emergency.
I suggest others do the same
This is from CNN (and before the destruction of the auto industry and related folks)
-------------------------------------
Study: 86.7 million Americans uninsured over last two years
Story Highlights
Study: One out of three Americans without health insurance at some point in 2007-08
Study is released day before White House health care summit
U.S. Census Bureau reports lower numbers, only counts those uninsured for full year
Critic says Families USA exaggerated numbers to make a political point
By Jennifer Pifer-Bixler
CNN Senior Medical Producer
(CNN) -- One out of three Americans under 65 were without health insurance at some point during 2007 and 2008, according to a report released Wednesday.
The study, commissioned by the consumer health advocacy group Families USA, found 86.7 million Americans were uninsured at one point during the past two years.
Among the report's key findings:
• Nearly three out of four uninsured Americans were without health insurance for at least six months.
• Almost two-thirds were uninsured for nine months or more.
• Four out of five of the uninsured were in working families.
• People without health insurance are less likely to have a usual doctor and often go without screenings or preventative care.
"The huge number of people without health coverage is worse than an epidemic," Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, said in a press release. "Inaction on health care reform in 2009 cannot be an option for the tens of millions of people who lack or lose health coverage each year ... the cost of doing nothing is too high."
The study came out the day before President Obama plans to hold a health care summit at the White House. The President says reforming health care is one of his top priorities.
The number of Americans without health insurance reported by Families USA is much higher than those reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. According to the census numbers, in 2007 there were 45.7 million uninsured Americans.
Families USA says those numbers tell only part of the story. The Census bureau counts only people who were uninsured for the full calendar year. For its own study, Families USA commissioned The Lewin Group to analyze data from the Census Bureau and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Its study includes people who did not have health insurance for all or for part of the past two years.
Critics say the number of uninsured Americans cited in the Families USA report is misleading. "No one disagrees we have a problem with the uninsured," says Douglas Holtz-Eakin, who advised Sen. John McCain on domestic and economic policy during the 2008 election.
But Holtz-Eakin thinks Families USA is exaggerating the numbers to make a political point the day before the White House summit. "They are simply choosing to report over a two-year window a measure that always gives you a larger number."
Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/04/uninsured.epidemic.obama
© 2008 Cable News Network
--------------------
this is a copyrighted article and I will withdraw if objections made
I know that many of you folks argue politically some of the points brought forward at our meetings.
I wish to say, no one really knows how broken the healthcare system is in the nation. Most of the studies have one or more flaws and the stats vary. For instance:
Right now, some on the right are saying that the 45.7 million estimate of folks having no healthcare included 10 million illegial aliens. Others argue that there are 50 million, not 45.7. Estimates vary by 30 million.
Technically speaking, anyone who has any sort of insurance (no matter how limited) is counted as having insurance. No real estimate of how many Americans are underinsured but guesses range from 25 million to 80 million.
I would argue that folks on "present" canco insurance and or Medicare/Medicaid are underinstured compared to the "old time" Canco insurance. Beware the source of the information, beware how the spin the "facts".
Personally, when I answer the census; I am going to truthfully say I have partial insurance if there is a box for that. If not, I am going to list myself as uninsured because I cannot afford to use the insurance unless there is an emergency.
I suggest others do the same
This is from CNN (and before the destruction of the auto industry and related folks)
-------------------------------------
Study: 86.7 million Americans uninsured over last two years
Story Highlights
Study: One out of three Americans without health insurance at some point in 2007-08
Study is released day before White House health care summit
U.S. Census Bureau reports lower numbers, only counts those uninsured for full year
Critic says Families USA exaggerated numbers to make a political point
By Jennifer Pifer-Bixler
CNN Senior Medical Producer
(CNN) -- One out of three Americans under 65 were without health insurance at some point during 2007 and 2008, according to a report released Wednesday.
The study, commissioned by the consumer health advocacy group Families USA, found 86.7 million Americans were uninsured at one point during the past two years.
Among the report's key findings:
• Nearly three out of four uninsured Americans were without health insurance for at least six months.
• Almost two-thirds were uninsured for nine months or more.
• Four out of five of the uninsured were in working families.
• People without health insurance are less likely to have a usual doctor and often go without screenings or preventative care.
"The huge number of people without health coverage is worse than an epidemic," Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, said in a press release. "Inaction on health care reform in 2009 cannot be an option for the tens of millions of people who lack or lose health coverage each year ... the cost of doing nothing is too high."
The study came out the day before President Obama plans to hold a health care summit at the White House. The President says reforming health care is one of his top priorities.
The number of Americans without health insurance reported by Families USA is much higher than those reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. According to the census numbers, in 2007 there were 45.7 million uninsured Americans.
Families USA says those numbers tell only part of the story. The Census bureau counts only people who were uninsured for the full calendar year. For its own study, Families USA commissioned The Lewin Group to analyze data from the Census Bureau and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Its study includes people who did not have health insurance for all or for part of the past two years.
Critics say the number of uninsured Americans cited in the Families USA report is misleading. "No one disagrees we have a problem with the uninsured," says Douglas Holtz-Eakin, who advised Sen. John McCain on domestic and economic policy during the 2008 election.
But Holtz-Eakin thinks Families USA is exaggerating the numbers to make a political point the day before the White House summit. "They are simply choosing to report over a two-year window a measure that always gives you a larger number."
Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/04/uninsured.epidemic.obama
© 2008 Cable News Network
--------------------
this is a copyrighted article and I will withdraw if objections made
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