August 18, 2016

His eyes stare coldly into the distance, hardened by thousands of executive decisions

designed to raise value for shareholders without regard to the environment, the community or the customers who depend on his company...

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Meet Mark Bertolini, CEO of Aetna, which has recently pulled out of the Affordable Care Act public exchanges in all but four states, citing 'persistent losses' in the face of overall profit increase of 38% in the final quarter of 2015.

So...what is the REAL REASON Aetna pulled out of ACA, you ask? Heck, they're making plenty of money.

Well, here it is: The real reason Aetna pulled out of the ACA was the big, bad US Justice Department opposed its proposed merger with Humana.

That's right. You heard correctly. IT'S A PISSING CONTEST!!!

Bertolini said, "It is very likely that we would need to leave the public exchange business entirely and plan for additional business efficiencies (euphemism for threatened layoffs - my note) should our deal ultimately be blocked."

Here's the link to the capitalist criminal's profit mongering reasoning behind his company's recent move, which hurts individual Americans like you and me: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/aetna-obamacare-pullout-humana-merger_us_57b3d747e4b04ff883996a13?

August 16, 2016

Aetna drops Obamacare in all but 4 states, citing persistent losses.

Somebody at HuffPo decided to turn off the copy ability from their articles, but here's the link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/aetna-obamacare_us_57b262cbe4b0c75f49d7eb27?section=us_politics

I just have two words to say about this:

Single payer, single payer, single payer, single payer, single payer, single payer, single payer.

Single

Payer

Single payer.

It is the RIGHT thing to do because it removes profit from the healthcare equation. Healthcare is a BASIC RIGHT. That means that ALL AMERICANS should be able to access healthcare. WHEN, do you think, will we rearrange at least our healthcare system around human need rather than human greed?

When???

Single payer.

July 27, 2016

I turned on the convention tonight convinced that we need to get behind Clinton

not because we're excited about her, but because we cannot allow Trump in the WH.

Uh...clearly not allowing Trump near the WH is still a really good idea.

But something else happened.

I listened to those speeches - the first responder from New York, the politician from New York that grew up in Queens who asked 'Where was Trump?' Then there was the sandy haired guy from Nebraska who had a rare form of dwarfism, America Ferrara and Lena Dunham, and finally Bill.

Honestly, I had no idea Hillary Clinton had done so much over her lifetime. So many accomplishments. And I had no idea she cares so deeply about people. Sure, a lot of the convention is for show and this one is real slick and well choreographed. But tonight's speeches showed me a Hillary Clinton I frankly did not know existed. One who calls before a surgery or to offer support before an important event. Someone human who cares maybe more about getting stuff done than about getting elected.

So, I am supporting Clinton now. My vote will not be 'against Trump' but FOR Clinton.

That's new. I'm feeling pretty good after learning what I did tonight.

One other thing: My wife commented that our convention is SO much better because we're talking about love and helping people and positive change and all the Republicans are doing is sowing hatred, racism and divisiveness.

Am I drinking the Kool Aid? I don't think so. This election presents a starker choice than we have ever had in history, and now that I've learned a little more about the humanness of Clinton I'm going to finally say it -

I'm with her.

July 21, 2016

Tim Kaine Calls To Deregulate Banks As He Campaigns To Be Clinton’s VP

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tim-kaine-clinton-vp_us_578fc8e3e4b0bdddc4d2c86c

OK. Kaine is a bit of a neolib. He likes deregulation and 'free' trade. This means that if you are on the left wing of the party, you (and me, for sure) need to fight against these policies being forwarded after Clinton's election to President. But let's get her elected first.

By the way, did you all see Maher last night? Micheal Moore said he thinks Trump will win. God, let's hope not!

July 9, 2016

Clinton Reaffirms Support For Public Option In Bid For Sanders Supporters

In a HuffPo article, "Hillary Clinton reaffirmed her support on Saturday for creating a “public option” within Obamacare and allowing people to enroll in Medicare at age 55.

The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee also called for a substantial increase in funding in medical clinics that serve low-income Americans, fully embracing a proposal from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

While Clinton has long supported the creation of new government-run insurance options and reiterated that support several times this year, Saturday’s statement comes three days before she is scheduled to make her first joint campaign appearance with Sanders ― who has championed government-run insurance and federally financed clinics throughout his career and during his own bid for the presidency."

NOW you're talking! I can sure get behind this!

July 4, 2016

Has decades of corporate propaganda removed the last vestiges of empathy from Americans?

Most of you know that I'm quite to the left. I've said many times that we need to rethink our whole social and economic organization so that addresses our needs as a species and supports human need instead of human greed. I have also often said capitalism sucks and that I believe it is a cancer on the earth. I mean, we're literally destroying the planet we live on for the sake of earning a few shareholders more profits.

OK...so I read something this morning that deeply troubles me. Makes me wonder if empathy around here is so dead that I might as well shut up and not even bother.

Check out this article on Huffpo:

"These 2 Boys Were Born The Same Day In The Same Town, But Their Lives Will Be Dramatically Different"

The story is about two boys in Madagascar and talks about the effects of 'stunting' due to malnutrition. Bad enough, right?

OK. Go into the link and LOOK AT THE COMMENTS.

I quit posting on HP some years ago because I hated their censorship of comments. I tend to think mine through and not worry much about length, I know - maybe a little TOO verbose sometimes. Now I see what they wanted all along. Short and...I just don't have a word to describe the quality of those comments.

ARE THESE DEMOCRATS, DO YOU WONDER?

July 2, 2016

Trump’s Vegas Hotel Spent Half A Million Dollars To Stop Maids From Unionizing

This guy is SO not a friend to the working class. His hypocrisy knows NO bounds.

Here's an excerpt from the Huffpo article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-union-vegas-hotel_us_5776b0dee4b09b4c43c05424?c9i6yldi

(Added link to article on edit)

"Before entering the voting booth, those union members might want to know how much money one of Trump’s businesses has spent in an effort to persuade low-wage workers not to unionize. The Culinary Workers Union recently organized housekeepers and other service workers at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. The union won the election in December — but not without a fight from hotel owners Trump Ruffin Commercial LLC. That’s a joint venture between the likely GOP nominee and casino magnate Phil Ruffin, himself a major financial backer of Trump’s presidential run.

According to Labor Department disclosure forms reviewed by The Huffington Post, Trump Ruffin shelled out more than half a million dollars last year to a consulting firm that combats union organizing efforts. The money was paid from Trump Ruffin to Cruz & Associates in a series of seven payments between July and December, totaling $560,631. Nearly $285,000 of that money was paid over the course of two weeks in December, shortly after the hotel held its union election."

So there it is. Not only is he unqualified to be president at every level, the guy is virulently anti-union.

Not acceptable!

June 12, 2016

Something good about Hillary Clinton.

In an article published yesterday in HuffPo titled, "Hillary Clinton Spoke About Reproductive Justice In A Genuinely Intersectional Way," Clinton comes out unabashedly pro abortion access. Here's a short excerpt:

Clinton’s speech was a powerful reminder that the concept of “choice” is hollow for low-income people who may not actually have a choice when it comes to terminating their pregnancies because they can’t afford an abortion.

“Let’s repeal laws like the Hyde Amendment that make it nearly impossible for low-income women — disproportionately women of color — to exercise their full reproductive rights,” she said.

I can get behind that, because I am unabashedly pro abortion access.

June 4, 2016

You know, I can understand, sort of, how I got blocked from the HRC group.

But I've recently found out that I have been banned from the Obama group. I do not think this fair, as I have never said anything that would warrant that. Yes, I disagree with Obama on the TPP, and I have talked about that, and I'm still a bit uptight about him putting 'entitlement's on the table for the so-called 'Grand Bargain.' And I wasn't thrilled with the way we got the ACA instead of single payer in 2009, and no one ever actually told us the truth - that we can't have it because it is against provisions in the GATS agreement of 1995. I'm not a big drone guy either.

Those things said, Obama has accomplished a great deal of good. I believe history will paint him as a good, likely great president. I'm especially happy he has now lent his considerable political weight to the idea that we should be expanding Social Security, not cutting it. I also like his stance on gun controls.

My point here is that banning me from the Obama room was and is unfair. The pinned thread stating the purpose of the Obama room to provide a safe haven for basically Obama fans says nothing at all about people not being able to post their disagreements with Obama.

Those times when I've pointed out what I think are weaknesses in Obama positions, I have NEVER resorted to any name calling, personal attacks or anything like that. Rather, I usually cite studies or other data in support of my positions. But to kick me out? I mean there was no notification or anything - one day I just couldn't post there.

Don't you think this is kind of a mixed message because you've allowed so much free and constructive debate in the General Primaries room? I mean, this is the Democratic Underground and I am and have been a registered Democrat since the mid-80s. Don't I get a voice when I disagree? Do I always have to agree? And, if so, why? Are those in the room so sensitive that they cannot stand a reasoned argument against a policy stance?

Because I LIKE Obama and I've never, ever done anything but issue reasoned arguments on those things with which I disagree.

You don't have to answer. I guess I don't expect one. But what I want is for you to consider the things I've said. If we take away debate, then we are little more than an echo chamber, and we've seen with Fox 'news' what an unrestrained echo chamber can 'accomplish.'

June 2, 2016

There was a post to which I really wanted to reply. This post had a video of President Obama

debunking Fox 'news' lies in a speech he gave in Indiana. But when I hit the 'reply' key, I found I had been blocked from that group by some mysterious Obama Group host.

Now, I am in disagreement with Obama's trade policies. Virulent disagreement in fact, and I have been vocal about my disagreement with so-called 'free' trade and the horrible ramifications it has had on the economy.

I have been just as vocal in saying Obama has done some really good stuff policy wise. Because he has. Obama has had to push the river because he came into office in a hole where we had just done the TARP bailout and he had to do ARRA and ACA because we were losing 750K jobs a month.

Yes, under Obama this economy has more or less come back. It is not Obama's fault that wages of middle class workers are still stagnating. Yet it is true due to neoliberal economic philosophies being propagated, flogged in fact, by virtually all the corporate owned politicians and media.

But Obama has done a good job and he's a good guy. I have also repeatedly pointed out that he is a moral man, a good husband and father, and that his administration hasn't had ANY scandals to even speak of. He is a good president and I feel reassured with him in office, unlike I felt when W was in there.

But I've been blocked from the Obama room.

SO I'M GONNA MAKE MY POST HERE AND IN GENERAL DISCUSSION. HERE IT IS:

When the general election begins after the primaries are over, the three most powerful voices on the side of sanity will be Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, who I believe will all campaign tirelessly for Clinton.

So....gosh. That was horrible, awful, terrible wasn't it???