President Barack Obama announced today that he will donate the entirety of his $1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize money to charity. The majority of the money will go to education-related causes. Among them are the College Summit, the United Negro College Fund, the Posse Foundation and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.
"These organizations do extraordinary work in the United States and abroad helping students, veterans and countless others in need," Obama said. "I'm proud to support their work."
More...
March 12, 2010
March 9, 2010
Rupert Murdoch Nails it: Media is Alive
There is no way around it: I like the way Rupert Murdoch thinks, and today at the opening of the Abu Dhabi Media Summit, as reported by Paid Content, he nails it:
"These days our homes and offices are cluttered with the latest electronic devices. It is easy to be dazzled by this new technology. But the bright and shiny wonders that technology gives us can be like the desert sun - they can blind us to what is real and valuable. Amid the digital dazzle, we risk missing the magic: the creative content that brings these devices to life."
More...
"These days our homes and offices are cluttered with the latest electronic devices. It is easy to be dazzled by this new technology. But the bright and shiny wonders that technology gives us can be like the desert sun - they can blind us to what is real and valuable. Amid the digital dazzle, we risk missing the magic: the creative content that brings these devices to life."
More...
March 8, 2010
Pundits and think tanks are giving me nightmares
Recently, Fox News pundit, the perpetually inaccurate Bill Kristol admitted that he didn't watch President Obama's healthcare summit with Republicans claiming that "he has a life."
However, this didn't preclude him from giving his opinion in regards to the effectiveness of the summit.
More...
However, this didn't preclude him from giving his opinion in regards to the effectiveness of the summit.
More...
March 4, 2010
Throw the Bums Out: Day 4
Bravo to President Obama. I am really proud of him. He tried to engage Congress and the country in the televised Health Care Summit. As proud as I am of the President, I am equally frustrated and disappointed in what went on at the summit. At the end of the day, cooperation in congress continues to be impossible. I don't even know if the Democrats can get health care legislation passed. The President let Republicans know starting over is not an option and "baby steps" won't cut it. "Americans don't want us to wait," he said. Americans do not want to wait and more importantly, we cannot and must not wait. We must go for the gusto.
Think about this: If health care is provided to the 30 million-plus uninsured individuals, there will be an immediate increase in the GDP. There will be more hospitals, doctors, nurses, janitors, and other administrative and support staff. This will provide increased dollars for even the smallest communities in the country. With increased income, people can buy homes, go out to dinner, buy cars, and finally improve our economy. Also it would provide more opportunities for people to concentrate on wellness and the ability to stay healthy, once we get companies like Anthem Blue Cross to either lower their rates and play fair with us, or thrown out of California and the rest of the country.
More...
Think about this: If health care is provided to the 30 million-plus uninsured individuals, there will be an immediate increase in the GDP. There will be more hospitals, doctors, nurses, janitors, and other administrative and support staff. This will provide increased dollars for even the smallest communities in the country. With increased income, people can buy homes, go out to dinner, buy cars, and finally improve our economy. Also it would provide more opportunities for people to concentrate on wellness and the ability to stay healthy, once we get companies like Anthem Blue Cross to either lower their rates and play fair with us, or thrown out of California and the rest of the country.
More...
March 3, 2010
The Tyranny of the Polarized: There’s No More Us in the U.S.
If you're one of the growing number of alarmed folks who fear our government is hopelessly polarized, dysfunctional, ungovernable and ripe for something other than representative democracy - then you should stop reading this now because, well, you might get depressed.
The recent Blair House Healthcare summit reminded us that bipartisanship is an elusive mythical fantasy like Brigadoon. So, how bad is it?
More...
The recent Blair House Healthcare summit reminded us that bipartisanship is an elusive mythical fantasy like Brigadoon. So, how bad is it?
More...
March 2, 2010
Extend Section 1011 Funding for America’s Emergency Rooms
At last week's healthcare summit between President Obama and members of Congress, a range of important issues were discussed, but a key matter plaguing our system went unmentioned: emergency care in many of our nation's hospitals is in bad shape, and doctors and patients are paying the price.
While the debate on healthcare reform legislation continues, there is very little discussion about the federal government's responsibility to extend a critical funding stream for emergency care in our nation's hospitals.
More...
While the debate on healthcare reform legislation continues, there is very little discussion about the federal government's responsibility to extend a critical funding stream for emergency care in our nation's hospitals.
More...
Big, Fat, Rich White Guys…
It's been almost a week now and I still remain haunted by the images of that Health Care Summit that was called by the White House last week. Thankfully the images have faded a bit. -- the massive tables with all those important representatives. The blue and yellow bunting. Who put up all that bunting? Used all those tacks? Was it done the night before? The morning of? It reminded me a bit of the Oscars. A really big show, folks, with lots of speeches. I can't remember really what came of the whole thing: various hands were shaken in photos; people frowned, smiled, looked important...
But one thing sticks. I can't get it out of my head. Almost everyone there at the tables was a big, fat, white guy. Most of them had white hair. White on white. And the other thing that kept hitting me was, yes, everyone of those big fat white-white guys has got a really good Health Care Plan, paid fully by his government: total Health Care coverage. (And then there was the news earlier in the week about Dick Cheney and his fifth heart attack and how his survival proved - according to his proud doctors - what great Health Care the former VP had. Were these doctors just laughing at the rest of us because that's all that can be done at this point?)
More...
But one thing sticks. I can't get it out of my head. Almost everyone there at the tables was a big, fat, white guy. Most of them had white hair. White on white. And the other thing that kept hitting me was, yes, everyone of those big fat white-white guys has got a really good Health Care Plan, paid fully by his government: total Health Care coverage. (And then there was the news earlier in the week about Dick Cheney and his fifth heart attack and how his survival proved - according to his proud doctors - what great Health Care the former VP had. Were these doctors just laughing at the rest of us because that's all that can be done at this point?)
More...
March 1, 2010
Right. Because It’s So Simple Now.
The big health care summit happened last week. Literally dozens of Americans were glued to their televisions to watch it. The President has released a plan--which is basically a guide for the House and Senate to push reform through using reconciliation--and it strikes a pretty fair balance between the two chambers' bills. I'll be writing up a more detailed overview of that later. But for now, I want--no, I need--to vent a bit.
It seems that a lot of people are threatened by the idea that they will lose their freedom, pay more themselves so that "the other guy" can have coverage, and generally suffer horribly at the hands of the socialicommunazis (because all three things are synonymous if you didn't pay attention in--or attend--school) who will institute "government-run" health care. I get that people are afraid of change, that they are distrustful of government, that they are inherently individualistic. These things are understandable. I happen to think that the hyperbolic assaults on reform aren't really necessary, though. You can state your position without fearmongering. Honestly, sometimes I think Rush Limbaugh is just a big, fat, blinding light for a nation full of moths. Okay, I'm getting off track. See, I told you I needed to vent. **Breathe, Brad. Breathe.**
More...
It seems that a lot of people are threatened by the idea that they will lose their freedom, pay more themselves so that "the other guy" can have coverage, and generally suffer horribly at the hands of the socialicommunazis (because all three things are synonymous if you didn't pay attention in--or attend--school) who will institute "government-run" health care. I get that people are afraid of change, that they are distrustful of government, that they are inherently individualistic. These things are understandable. I happen to think that the hyperbolic assaults on reform aren't really necessary, though. You can state your position without fearmongering. Honestly, sometimes I think Rush Limbaugh is just a big, fat, blinding light for a nation full of moths. Okay, I'm getting off track. See, I told you I needed to vent. **Breathe, Brad. Breathe.**
More...
February 28, 2010
February 27, 2010
The Health Summit and Single-Payer Medicare for All
Having watched the entirety of President Obama's televised health summit Thursday, I was struck by several things.
The president's Republican opponents once again revealed their deep-seated, single-minded commitment to enhancing the profit margins of the insurance and drug monopolies. There were no surprises - and next to no useful additions to the debate - from the GOP's stalwarts, only a repetition of their shopworn proposals for tort reform, the ability to sell health insurance across state lines (read as: eliminating state consumer protections) and the like.
More...
The president's Republican opponents once again revealed their deep-seated, single-minded commitment to enhancing the profit margins of the insurance and drug monopolies. There were no surprises - and next to no useful additions to the debate - from the GOP's stalwarts, only a repetition of their shopworn proposals for tort reform, the ability to sell health insurance across state lines (read as: eliminating state consumer protections) and the like.
More...