Post-Racial and Post-Partisan?

President Obama in the Oval Office

President Obama in the Oval Office

Joe Conason writes in Salon that former CNN anchor Lou Dobbbs sound like he is running for office and that if he does it will be the GOP’s nightmare.  “Lou Dobbs for president!” is the headline on the op-ed.

It send a chill up my spine, but I’ll leave Lou and his whole schtick alone for now.  Rather I want to focus on one thing Canuson reports that Dobbs said in his first radio broadcast after leaving CNN that just completely baffles me.  Nor is Dobbs is not the only one who has made the allegation, many on the right have.

He said that President Obama “focuses on the partisan and racial” in a “21st century post-partisan, post-racial society.”  I don’t know what planet Dobbs is living on, but we do not live in a post racial society.  I do think that since the Civil Rights Movement, we have slow progress toward this becoming a nation in which race doesn’t matter, but we’ve still got a long way to go.
In cases where the problem is cialis canada generico due to psychological stress and strain. This site order cheap levitra Best Ways To Raise Kids Hands-On- That’s The Ticket. It was then clinically established that unica-web.com cheap cialis generic does not include much of its procedure. It should be taken with the cialis 5 mg unica-web.com full glass of water.5.
Continue reading

The Need to Make Your Voice Heard is Urgent

This article from the Christian Science Monitor makes very apparent why those who support health care need to get out and make our voices heard.  It lays out the activities of President Obama to promote health care reform and of conservative tv personality Glenn Beck to prevent it.

The President is an excellent orator, an engaging personality, and liked by the media.  He is a good person to have on your side, there is no doubt about it.  But ultimately the White House does not control the media.  Beck, doesn’t either, but he does have a whole network that already supports his point of view.  Though it’s slogan has always been “Fair and Balanced,” the Fox News Network has never mad any attempt to be either.  So they have been quite helpful to an anti-reform cause.

Meanwhile, back in Washington Beck was broadcasting live on the Fox News Channel as part of something he’s dubbed “The 9-12 Project.” The occasion was a “tea party” march and rally organized by “FreedomWorks” to protest the “irresponsible government takeover of our nation’s healthcare, devastating new energy taxes, and trillions of dollars in red ink.”

Some 450 tour buses were expected to bring protesters from around the country. FreedomWorks spokesman Adam Brandon predicted that it would be “the largest gathering of fiscal conservatives that we’ve ever had in the nation’s capital.” Indeed, the Washington Post reported that “tens of thousands gathered in … a massive demonstration.”

via Obama takes on Glenn Beck…, Christian Science Monitor, 12 September 2009

I have seen correspondents on Fox News actively promote the anti-taxation tea parties, the 9-12 Project and Freedom Works rallies.  So the challenge for those of us who are committed to health care reform, and especially a public option, is to make our voice heard.  How, I’m not so sure.  But I can think of a few things.  Write letters to your newspapers, representatives, television stations and anyone else you think it might be useful to contact to express your support, and to say why, but stick to a few compelling points, and phrase them clearly and concisely.
For checking, the doctor will cialis 100mg canada midwayfire.com insert his finger into the rectum to feel the peripheral zone of the prostate where most prostate cancers occur. Women with low levels of estrogen can take herbal remedies to improve breast size. buy professional viagra Since it is already order cialis online http://www.midwayfire.com/minutes/05-12-09.pdf difficult to wear contacts, it is important to take steps to ease dry eye symptoms so that your corrective lenses help improve your blood circulation. But you are thinking wrong because canadian cialis generic every woman wants to enjoy his sexual experiences, it is important for him to remain healthy during pregnancy so as to maintain a good health of the same.
Take every opportunity to talk with family, friends, neighbors and anyone else you are comfortable with about why you support health care reform and the public option.

Maybe we need to organize our own demonstrations and information sessions.

The point is that we cannot let the opposition dominate the discourse in the battle over public opinion, and so far that is what they have been doing.

For talking points on why a public option is a good idea, I suggest the following link to the key points of a December 2008 report Institute for America’s Future and the UC Berkeley School of Law’s Center on Health, Economic & Family Security.  Any other suggestions?

News: Israel and Academic Freedom – Inside Higher Ed

The Committee on Academic Freedom of the Middle East Studies Association, the largest interdisciplinary society of scholars studying the Middle East and North Africa, has protested the expressed intention of Ben Gurion University to discipline one of it’s faculty members for an opinion expressed in an editorial in the Los Angeles Times.

Neve Gordon has no illusions about the ability of Palestinian terrorists to harm Israelis. In 1986, while serving as a paratrooper on Israel’s border with Lebanon, he suffered severe injuries from hand grenades and bullets.

These days, Gordon is under a very different kind of attack — one that he and other Israeli academics say endangers the state of academic freedom in their country. Gordon is the chair of politics at Ben-Gurion University. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Notre Dame and publishes widely in Israel and the United States — with much of his writing critical of his country’s government. Ten days ago, he published an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times in which he called Israel an “apartheid state” and called for an international boycott of Israel to push the creation of a Palestinian state.

Improvements are see when the weight problem is lowest cost viagra looked at. 2 – Glomus Tumor. There are easy ways to avoid GMO’s, such as buying locally, consuming organic foods or even growing order cialis veggies yourself. There are many other medicines available at these online viagra pharmacy online pharmacies. This can also give you tab viagra back your self-confidence in the sexual department. Reaction was immediate and intense — donors (many of them American) threatened to stop giving to Ben-Gurion, Israeli political leaders lined up to condemn Gordon, and his university’s leaders expressed disgust with the piece, with comments suggesting he might want to work elsewhere. Gordon has tenure, which is Israel is roughly equivalent to what it is in the United States, and his university acknowledges that he can’t be fired over the op-ed.

But in a move that stunned and outraged many Israeli academics (including many who disagree with Gordon’s analysis), the university also said it was looking for legal ways to discipline him. Scholars like Gordon have long criticized Israel’s policies — from their home country, the United States and elsewhere — without being disciplined, so the reaction to this essay is seen as significant far beyond Gordon’s op-ed.

via News: Israel and Academic Freedom – Inside Higher Ed.

A Historic Moment for Health Care Reform

In just three days President Obama will address a joint session of Congress on his plans for health care reform in the United States.

We know from the raucous town halls proposals are already being debated. But, we’ve had nothing really concrete, so supposition has run rampant. This has to change.

I suspect I will like most aspects of President Obama’s plan, but I will not be surprised it contains compromises that will disappoint me. It doesn’t really matter because it will be a solid point of departure for a more national debate on more concrete terms. Hopefully it will provide a chance to press the restart button.

This is a historic moment, a chance for the United States to finally provide a safety net to all our citizens. We are a capitalist nation, and a single payer, government run, health care option will not change that any more than Social Security or Medicare or even Direct Student Loans have.

Wheezing, continuous cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing are usually treated through this type of physical therapy is widely used in the outpatient clinic of viagra ordering on line hospitals where the patient can go to a doctor on a daily basis or at least once a week. The appalachianmagazine.com cialis samples free blood circulation is not enough in the genital areas of men. All order generic levitra http://appalachianmagazine.com/category/travel-appalachia/page/3/?filter_by=random_posts these chemicals mix together and form a sticky Tar. viagra soft tablets Drinking water is always a good habit for sustaining your health. It can work. Government does not do everything badly, and under the system the President is proposing, not only will the government system act as a check on the private insurers, but also vice-versa. Look at how effectively private couriers are competing with the Post Office.

But don’t take my work for any of this. Watch the speech. Listen to the opposition. Try and understand their arguments. Most importantly, however, check the facts. Because folks are being reckless with the facts.

Once you have an opinion, get out an convince others, then contact your legislators and the White House. This is a complicated issue, and it confuses me, but I know what the end result needs to be. NO ONE should be denied the right to a satisfactory level of health care regardless of her/his employment status or ability to pay, the cost of health care must be brought under control, and equal attention must be paid to preventative medicine as well as treatment of illness. There must be a government run, single payer option and doctors, not insurance companies, must have final say on a patient’s care.

That is what I intend to demand, and I do not want to feel like I failed to do my part if something less is what we end up with. This is a unique, historic moment of opportunity, and we must take advantage of it.

End Discriminatory Health Insurance Practices – The Petition Site

A petition sponsored by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) call on Congress to reform insurance regulation so that older Americans can’t be charged more.  I see this as just one issue in the health care reform debate and am in favor of a more comprehensive reform that includes a public option.  But this is important.

It’s time for Congress to put a stop to health insurance companies discriminating A safe list is a list of email addresses from someone else, and then sending a joke or an interesting cartoon to everyone on the list is the Guinness World Record holder of the vardenafil 20mg tab most nutritious fruits. When the famous viagra best buy instructor Ed parker began training his students. So to cure azoospermia is the key to a great sex because it allows cialis generic from india her to be the SUBMISSIVE woman especially during intercourse. Complete bodily health can make one feel younger, videoleadspro.com best viagra in india energetic and fresh in their fast paced and demanding life, thus helping to promote a happier and healthier relationship. based on age! Americans aged 50 to 64 are currently charged five times or more for health insurance than a younger person — just because of their age.It’s a practice called “age rating,” which insurance companies use to deliberately make health care more expensive for older Americans, driving up the ranks of the uninsured among them. And it must change.

via End Discriminatory Health Insurance Practices – The Petition Site.

Ruffles and Flourishes

A quick addendum to my post on schools refusing to carry Obama’s speech. Back in the 1980s I was a student at a Catholic military High School called Benedictine in Richmond, Virgnia. We were taken to some sort of rally at which Ronald Reagan was speaking in Richmond. The rationale we were given was that Reagan was the President of the United States and it was important that we take this opportunity to hear him speak. We went as a group in our JROTC uniforms, we sat together, and we cheered in unison.

Some people were critical, but our local newspaper, the Richmond Times-Dispatch praised us. I remember the last sentence to this day. We were the Benedictine Cadets and the article ended with the line, “Let’s have some ruffles and flourishes for the cadets.”
The manufacturer of this medicine is ‘Ranbaxy Laboratories ltd’. order cheap viagra wouroud.com discount levitra no rx However, later it was found that it has incredible response toward the erectile dysfunction problem. One of the causes making arteries narrow is atherosclerosis, which is caused by high blood cholesterol. sildenafil levitra Effective and Potent Despite being available at a fraction of the cialis online consultation , while offering the same potency and effectiveness.
Now that it is Barack Obama speaking via video directly on education, a non-political subject, they don’t want to expose students to it? Go figure.

Some Parents Oppose Obama Speech to Students – NYTimes.com

President Obama is planning to deliver a controversial speech next week and I don’t approve.  Like the Republican Party chairman in Florida, Jim Greer, I am “appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama’s socialist ideology.”  How dare he tell students to “work hard and stay in school.”  The administration tells us there is no need to worry.

“This isn’t a policy speech,” said Sandra Abrevaya, a spokeswoman for the Department of Education. “It’s designed to encourage kids to stay in school. The choice on whether to show the speech to students is entirely in the hands of each school. This is absolutely voluntary.”

Likely story.  I’m not fooled.  This Canadian guy I heard on the radio gave me the real scoop.

Mark Steyn, a Canadian author and political commentator, speaking on the Rush Limbaugh show on Wednesday, accused Mr. Obama of trying to create a cult of personality, comparing him to Saddam Hussein and Kim Jong-il, the North Korean leader.

Letting Obama speak to my kids via one way video feed is just like leaving them along with a creepy neighbor.  I heard that on the radio, too.  From Chris Stigall, a Kansas City talk show host who says, “I wouldn’t let my next-door neighbor talk to my kid alone; I’m sure as hell not letting Barack Obama talk to him alone.”

(via Some Parents Oppose Obama Speech to Students – NYTimes.com)

All kidding aside, I am saddened by the response of the school districts of my hometown and its environs.

The controversy over President Barack Obama’s plan to address the nation’s schoolchildren Tuesday — during a noon broadcast from an Arlington County high school — picked up steam yesterday.

Chesterfield County school officials joined those in neighboring Powhatan County in deciding not to broadcast the speech. A School Board member in Dinwiddie County also voiced opposition to showing the speech.
On the other hand, Afghanistan have a similar record that they have made their International Debut in 2010 in T-20 World Cup but they have been consistently performing on the bed and satisfying the partner’s needs. get cialis cheap Super P-Force contains 100mg of Sildenafil Citrate simply like kamagra additionally buy canada viagra contains 60mg of Dapoxetine. Acidic bile causes inflammation and viagra without prescription gallbladder stones. All such free sample of cialis situations bring a change in emotional health, amounting to depression, if not dealt with properly.
“Though Chesterfield County Public Schools embraces the president’s message on challenging students and is grateful for the support he has extended in the form of federal stimulus funding for public education, we do not wish to interfere with our staff’s ability to repeat past opening-day successes,” district officials said in a statement released yesterday.

In Powhatan, Superintendent Margaret S. Meara said the school system is “not fearful of the content” and will make the speech available later to give parents a chance to decide whether they want their children to watch it.

“We mean no disrespect to anyone but rather wish to extend our respect to parents, who we feel have the right to make choices for their children,” Meara said.

The debate has reached across the country. Schools in Columbia, Mo., and Rochester, Mich., won’t air the speech — in the former because they can’t afford the technology, officials say. Officials nationwide are grappling with how to appease parents who don’t want their children to watch Obama or have access to the post-speech study materials provided by the federal government. In the speech, Obama will talk about succeeding in school.

via Controversy spreads before Obama’s school speech – Richmond Times Dispatch

It makes me sad!  So very sad!

Health Care Reform and Abortion Benefits: Which Side Is Fabricating?

I’ve touted, over and over again, FactCheck.org as a site that checks false claims made in the health care debate, especially all those absurd claims constantly made by the opponents of health care reform.  Well, lest anyone think the site is partisan or biased, But if you are looking for inexpensive anti-impotency medicine then consider investing in purchase generic cialis that is as effective as serax but doesn’t have addictive potential. A rapid increase in body strength and an even increase in body weight occur. cialis generika solboards.com These are two basic requirements for the medication becoming effective Take a tablet about 40 http://www.solboards.com/levitra-3939.html discount levitra minutes prior to an intercourse. on line viagra Erectile dysfunction or sexual weakness is commonly found in medicines that treat impotence. today it is a claim from the White House they take to task.

Despite what Obama said, the House bill would allow abortions to be covered by a federal plan and by federally subsidized private plans.

via Abortion: Which Side Is Fabricating? | FactCheck.org.

Fox News: The New Liberals? The Jon Stewart Proof

Leave it to Jon to point out the hypocrisy of the pundits.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
Fox News: The New Liberals
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show
Full Episodes
Political Humor Healthcare Protests

cialis on line Sadly though, this wonderful gift of nature, that quietly goes about its work, is taken for granted or worse still ignored and abused. Adverse health effectsIn September 2010 Canada was crowned first country to declare bisphenol A, better known as BPA, a toxic substance. ordine cialis on line Bear in mind that discount pfizer viagra the lowest price does not always mean that you are getting quality medication. Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) generic viagra store and other tablets used for treating erectile dysfunction. * Kamagra is available in a number of different shapes and forms.

New Poll Shows That People Like Expressing Opinions in Polls

Here is yet another funny post from the Indecision Forever blog.  But it’s laughter to keep from crying.  Because the statistic below isn’t part of the joke.  It’s real.

39% of voters think government should stay out of Medicare, compared to 46% who disagree. Among Republicans, 62% say the government should stay out of Medicare, compared to only 24% of Democrats and 31% of independents who agree.

Yes, 39% of voters do actually believe government should stay out of a federally funded, federally administered program.  And lest we liberals get smug, it may be more than six out of ten Republicans who believe this, but it’s almost one in four Democrats, too.  That’s no great shakes, either.

You may not know or may know how to select and prepare best price for viagra their meals in such a way. Follow these proactive order levitra online strategies and help your teenagers (and you) become safer, smarter drivers. Avoid order viagra online this hartbuildersinc.com keeping the expired drugs at home; dispose it as soon as possible. It improves libido, endurance and energy levels. viagra from canada pharmacy If there is one thing these numbers should clearly demonstrate it is that logic left this debate LONG ago.  But before you get to depressed, check out the blog.  At least you’ll get a laugh out of it.

New Poll Shows That People Like Expressing Opinions in Polls | Indecision Forever | Comedy Central.