Healthcare: We Need Change

50 million, that's the number of American's without health insurance. 9 million, that's the number of children without health insurance. 18,000, that’s the number of people who will die this year because of that lack of insurance. Those are the facts and yet, were is the reform? In the 1990's, President Bill Clinton appointed his wife, then first lady, Hillary Clinton to head the President's Commission on Healthcare Reform. Hillary fought hard for universal coverage, but Newt Gingrich, the rest of the Republican congress, the health care industry, and conservative groups spent 100 million dollars to defeat the plan, and they did. Since the 13 years after the battle over health care, with 18,000 dying each year, about 234,000 people have died because of that lack of insurance. That is about 78 times bigger then the death toll on September 11, 2001. We have spent billions on Iraq and the War on Terror, and George W. Bush and the Republicans in congress choose to protect us against Osama Bin Laden and other terrorists. However, they refuse to protect us against our smallest enemy, bacteria and disease.
Since, Richard Nixon decided to make our health care industry 100% profit driven in 1971, the system has turned into corrupt, greedy, and sickening industry, working against people. We give 100% free universal healthcare to captured terrorists in prison, people who planned September 11, but there are volunteer 9/11 rescue workers who can't afford health insurance. We spend more money on healthcare than any other industrialized in the world, we rank 37th in times of healthcare in the world, barely ahead of Cuba. There are nations who don't even hold a candle to our overall wealth, and have a lower infant mortality rate then we do. We think that universal healthcare would make our healthcare worse. While, nations with universal healthcare exhibit overall better health then those that don't. The unhealthiest people in England, those considered impoverished, statistically are healthier than those with the best healthcare in America. Only, 1 in 10 people in a Canadian hospital wait more than 3 hours in a hospital waiting room. 86% are seen within 30 minutes. On average Canadians live 3 years longer than Americans. A few years ago, I cut my finger, and I waited more than 4 hours in an extremely over crowded waiting room. Where was I? In America's wonderful healthcare system of course!
I take daily a daily medication. Under our insurance plan, we pay 10 dollars for every refill. That's if you have insurance. In England, the most you will ever pay for drugs is 10 dollars. However, my medication is extremely cheap. We spend an average of $7000 per American, Cuba spends 200 per person, however, and Cuba has the lowest HIV/AIDS rate in the Western Hemisphere. An inhaler that will cost over 100 dollars in America costs 5 cents in Cuba.
For all the talk over how universal healthcare is awful, I just don't see it. The facts seem to prove Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, and John McCain wrong. The Republicans will tell you the lie of "access to affordable healthcare" when it really means, more money to the healthcare industry that kills thousands a year. The only way to fix our healthcare industry is universal coverage. What are some benefits? A more productive workforce, which means a booming economy and more jobs. France, which has the best healthcare system in the world, has a higher productivity rate than the United States. Nations with universal coverage have less workers taking off for sick time. On average we would save money with a universal system. More people would be healthy. Our medical industry would finally work for people. 9 million children would be covered. Gone would be the days of the money driven healthcare executives. Our healthcare industry would be the best in the world. America can afford universal coverage. The United Kingdom created their universal system in the wake of WWII when they had little to no economic stability. By easing our national economy on to it over the next 4 years or so, we would be able to easily switch to universal healthcare.
This is the only way we can fix things. The argument that we will be become unhealthier and the healthcare industry will be more expensive if we convert to universal coverage holds no water. The facts are on my side. Our nation won't be remembered on how we treated the best off among us. It will be how we treated the worst among us. The 50 million uninsured. The 18,000 who will die this year.

Rubber Stamp Mike

We have been in Iraq for about 4 years now, and since that time over 3500 young men and women have given their lives for this pointless war. We have spent billions on this war, and essential social programs in the United States have been crippled. In Delaware alone, we could build dozens of new schools, give health insurance to thousands of Delawareans, and provide affordable housing units to Delaware's lower income citizens, with the money we alone have spent on this war. These are vital issues. However, our Congressman, Michael Castle has continued to be a rubber stamp for this administration. Congressman Castle, you are either with the people of Delaware (70% oppose the war) or you are with President Bush. If you chose the second one, you are out of here. I am sick and tired of Mike Castle's indecisiveness and him putting his finger to the wind. He has failed us time after time after time after time. Thank God, we have Joe Biden being one of the greatest voices against President Bush's stupid surge.

It's time for Mike Castle to go. We can't afford for him to be another rubber stamp for this administration. Mike Castle can be a moderate voice to end the war. However, he seems to be lock step with this president. When asked he said he "couldn't make up his mind" on what was best. Your constituents are calling on you to end this war, 70 percent in fact. Take a hint Mike. He doesn't get it. He can't end this war, because he is a loyal Republican. He has failed this state, this country, and the world as a whole. He doesn't have the judgment to lead anymore. I say, someone qualified run and beat this guy. I can't understand why we elect him. He hasn't done one thing for this state. Oh, wait, I think I am being unfair, he got the national state quarter thing up and going. Way to go Mike! Now, channel that energy into ending the Iraq War. Or are you to busy waiting for the Alaska quarter to come out. Take that quarter to buy an one way ticket out of town, and don't let the door hit you on the way out. For a guy who has been in congress for over a decade, a quarter program isn't a lot to show. Be the man you should be and vote against this president or we will beat you.

Political Activism: An Endangered Species

For too long now our political process has been an area of society where the elite are more important. Our process has become something that only a few participate in. However, whose fault is this? How did we get here? The people are not to blame for this. Our elections have been the choice between two mediocre candidates. The phrase “the lesser of two evils” has become the most popular way to describe our elections. Our system is more about money and power then people and political ideas. Political consultants have tried to divide and wedge the voters apart. Politics has become taboo. Here is the cause of this problem. People do not participate in politics and the political process because politics and politicians have become less in touch with people and have lost the true meaning of America.
Our government today is more interested in things that help their rich donors than the issues that matter in this country. They have in the past couple of years; proposed tax cuts for the wealthy, tax cuts for oil companies, and allowed loose business ethics laws. However, they have (in the past) refused to raise the minimum wage and give tax cuts to the middle class to strengthen the economy. They have refused to improve our healthcare and public school systems. All on loose arguments. Moreover, because of this, voter percentages have dropped to all time lows. In 2000, and 2004 under half of registered voters voted. In 1960 about 60% voted. Voters no longer trust politicians therefore; they have no incentive to vote. Moreover, the politicians of our country have ignored the issues that affect real people. Politics has been lost from national discussions.
Candidates for various offices in these nations are no longer guided by a sense of public service. They rely on polls and money to dictate they actions. Our system is no longer regarded as prestigious as it was. Our system doesn’t work for us. Those who participate in politics and politicians were once regarded as high in society. They were looked up to and respected. Now, politics is considered a dirty business. People who enter politics seem to be slimy and dishonest. As a result, people do not choose politics as a career, but instead they avoid it like a bad cold. The word “Washington” has become synonymous with corruption. People regard politicians as the worst kind of people. It doesn’t matter how much good politicians do, they are almost always considered deceitful. This is a result of many political leaders who have deceived the public and have taken advantage of our system. Many public officials have made a mockery of the office they hold. Therefore, it seems impossible to rebuild the tainted image of politics. People no longer trust authority. They feel they will just be hurt again, because of the actions of past leaders.
Today, elections, politics, and the American democracy has become about wedge issues, dividing America in two, pitting one against another. Our system used to be about an honest and open discussion of the issues and about making the lives of people better. g Although politicians try to imitate, the people know they are insincere. Since our leaders have treated their offices with such disrespect, the people have become political cynics who cringe when the word “politics” is said. Public service and democracy no longer has the meaning it used to. People do not want to hear what politicians have to say. People just don’t care anymore. They have given up on our public servants. This is because our public servants no longer care about us, and this is evident through the pork barrel spending and sloppy legislation that has come through in the past years. Political participation is at an all time low. People do not read the newspaper or watch the news, as much as they used too. People no longer have taken an interest in our nation’s leaders.
Our political system is something that is extremely important. However, our leaders have made a mockery of it. They have turned our nation’s government into a place to advocate for thing they believe is important, not what the people think is important. They think with their wallet, not a sense of public service and patriotism. People often run for office as a means to make money for themselves and corporate interests. Politicians believe in what’s best for them, not best for the people. Now, the American people are disenchanted with political leaders. Politics is taboo. Politicians are thought if as slimy, dishonest, and insincere. Government is a line of business that is regarded as dirty. People no longer go into politics for the right reasons. Our system doesn’t work for us. As a result, our people do not take part in the political process and vote. People don’t exercise their civic duty. People do not write their congressman, call their senator, or volunteer for campaigns because they believe that government doesn’t work for them.

Together We Stand Strong

Today, I would like to take a brake from my usual rants about Republicans and offer thoughts what I believe could be the greatest silent issue that we face. Today, we have an attitude, all of us, Democrat, Republican, and Independent, that it's everyone for themselves. No longer do we look out for our fellow man. Gone are the days of I am my brother or sister's "keeper." If someone is suffering we do not help him. If someone is struggling, we say "tough luck" and walk away. We only look out for ourselves and no one else. Some would say its enough work to look after yourself, but I believe strongly in what America used to stand for. We used to be a nation of compassion, of lending a helping hand, and of looking out for our neighbors. Take for example one of the worst times in American history the 1930's. There was the Great Depression and the loom of war from fascists. However, our president, Franklin D. Roosevelt called on our nation to stand up and fight back against these things. He kept an optimistic outlook and said the famous words, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." He lead us to the greatest American recovery ever. However, today, we fear doing anything about major issues, such as healthcare, Iraq, the environment, and poverty. We think that it is too hard to deal with these things. We don't feel the obligation we used to, to help others. We can face these things head on, by uniting and keeping our head held high, and fighting for change.
Why lay down our sword when the fighting gets tough? Why stop now? There are millions suffering and I feel if I stop, I will be turning my back on my fellow man. We need to stop being selfish. There are millions of people who aren't in the position to help themselves, and it is time we step up as a nation. Do we want to be remembered as a thug nation that bullies people or a compassionate nation that helps others and takes good care of it's citizens. There are people out there who are selfless, who fight the good fight. Firefighters, police officers, the men and women of our armed forces, veterans, and volunteers across our country. They step up without asking. Today I ask my fellow Americans to join in this fight for our nations future. Although, what lies ahead might seem tough, and scary, remember what FDR said. We can do this, if we unite. Divided we fall, united we will stand. If we don't compromise, if we don't work together, and reach across the barrier of politics and race and culture, then we will never succeed. I say this today not to call anyone out. We have all failed America, but we have look forward to the future. Lets keep our government accountable and lets fight for open government. Lets do something about Iraq. Lets stop poverty and insure every American. Lets fight those who say we can't. We shall overcome those who wish to hinder the awesome power of America and it's people. I love this country. This is why I say this today. The attitude of we are all on our own should be done. We are in this together. Remember it is the UNITED States.

Money: The Disease that is Killing our Politics

Recently, all the news networks in the United States reported on the fundraising efforts of all the candidates for 2008. Barack Obama raised 25 million, 1 million short of Hillary Clinton's 26 million. This was the big story of the week. Although I am 100 percent for Barack Obama for president, I must say that money is not what makes presidential candidates. Tom Vilsack, a good man dropped out of the 2008 field, because he couldn't raise enough money. This is what our politics have come to. We are more interested in who raises how much, then who is going to do what for what issue. Campaigns are about the people, ideas, and the future of our country. They are not about money, money, and did I mention money. I propose today that all campaigns be publically financed. If we want money and influence to be taken out of our politics and be returned to the people, we can't have the system we have today. We must change our ways and say to the candidates: SAY SOMETHING. Tell us about your ideas on national security, the economy, and education. Let that be what you campaign is ALL about. It's time they start talking. Candidates are spending most of their time dialing for dollars. Money for breakfast, money for lunch, and money for dinner.
Democracy and politics isn't about money, it's about your hopes, dreams, and fears. However, our system is a game that only the rich can pay to play. Our pay to play system must end. Therefore, in accordance with this belief, I will not give one cent to campaigns. Instead my contribution to democracy will not be 2300 dollars, but volunteer hours, knocking on doors, passing out literature, and talking about the issues. I am going to draw attention to this problem. McCain-Feingold is a crock of bull. It's time we take the money. Let's rebuild democracy, one person at a time. Let's make our democracy be about what it should be: people. And to all those who say money is speech, I say: NO IT ISN'T! Money does not equal speech then only the rich can speak and the rest of us are left behind. You want to know what speech is: it's writing to the editoral board of your local paper, writing your own blog, writing and calling your elected officials, attending rallies, and VOTING! Money is the farthest thing from speech. Democracy is speech. People are speech. America is speech. So if you agree with me leave me a comment and go to www.house.gov or www.senate.gov and look up your congressmen and senators and tell them you want publically financed campaigns.

Carrying on the Movement: A Tribute to Paul Wellstone

“In the last analysis, politics is not predictions and politics is not observations. Politics is what we do. Politics is what we do, politics is what we create, by what we work for, by what we hope for and what we dare to imagine.”
-Fm. Senator Paul Wellstone, 1944-2002

I recently finshed a book called Paul Wellstone: the Life of a Passionate Progressive by Bill Lofy. Let me first say it was one of the greatest books I have ever read. I knew little to nothing about Paul Wellstone previous to reading this book. However, through reading this fantastic book, I have gained a new hero in Paul Wellstone. Paul Wellstone was our nation's last great progressive. He was extremely committed to the progressive movement in this country. He worked his entire life to give a voice to the voiceless. He stood with working families, minorities, and those left behind by government and big companies. He was someone who stood with everybody. He fought corruption and was able to work accross the asile. He had this ability to make friends in the senate even with those who are his polar opposite. LIke Roberty Kennedy before him, he took a tour around the country, going to the poorest areas in the nation. He put a public face on poverty. He cared about everybody in this nation. He loved this country. He was one of the last men or women in Washington who was truly and utterly a good person. He stood for what he believed in, no matter what. Sadly, he was killed in a plane crash in 2002 a few days short of election day. So I am writing this post simply to tell all those reading this, that we must carry on Paul Wellstone's work and keep the progressive movement in America going. We must stand for the progressive ideals we love. So lets stand up for the poor, the working family, and the little guy. Lets go back to the days of Roosevelt, Kennedy, and Wellstone. Lets kick that conservative movement and the Reagan Revolution and replace it with the progressive movement and the Wellstone Revolution. Wellstone was a strong believer in community organizing and grassroots politics. He believed you could make a national difference through the grassroots. Let's continue his legacy. Wellstone might be gone, but his message lives on. As John F. Kennedy said, "A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on."

Say No to the Surge

The War in Iraq is the worst foreign policy blunder in American history. The American death toll is well over 3000. Innocent Iraqi
death tolls are in the 10,000s and climbing. There is more violence today then there was when Saddam Hussein was in power. George W. Bush has advocated a reckless policy of “stay the course” for 3 years and has furthered American debt. Now, George W. Bush is proposing a surge of more than 20,000 troops to Iraq. This policy, like previous policies, comes too late. We should have gone in with more troops when we invaded Iraq. In terms of foreign policy, you cannot make up for your mistakes this late in the game. Bush should’ve admitted failure earlier, and taken action then. This surge is irresponsible, reckless, and sloppy. It seems to be a “quick fix.” Bush hasn’t thought this out and has ignored the recommendations of more experienced and better foreign policy experts. James Baker and Lee Hamilton are arguably some of the best foreign policy experts in the nation. Both have held important positions. Jim Baker was President Bush Sr.’s secretary of state and Lee Hamilton is a former congressman (D-IN) and former co-chairman of the 9/11 Commission. This, past year they headed the Iraq Study Group, which recommends several courses of action to find a peaceful solution to Iraq. Bush has ignored every one. Moreover, he has ignored the recommendations of the chairman of the foreign relation committee and senator from Delaware for the past 32 years, Joe Biden. Biden proposed cutting Iraq into 3 states for the 3 religious groups in Iraq fighting each other. However, President Bush would rather take the advice of those were wrong from the start. He wants to lengthen and escalate the war for a cause that has already been lost. What this nation needs to do is reject this reckless course of action. Write your congressman and senators. Say you oppose this irresponsible course of action and this surge. We must support a phased withdrawal plan that would put pressure on the Iraqi government to take action and stand up for their country. We cannot escalate this war. We cannot continue this violence. We must end this war as soon as possible and start rebuilding the little international credibility we have left.

Somethings Never Change: A Rant From A Proud Liberal

George W. Bush said this week that he would veto any Iraq War spending bill that contained a timetable and criticized the Democratic Party or as he likes to say the "Democrat" Party for "playing politics" with war funding. Well, Mr. President obviously your new to reality, so let me refresh your memory. There was this event that we Americans like to call an election in 2006 and the party that overwhelmingly won was the Democratic Party. We won because we said we would bring an end to this war. We are doing exactly what we were elected to do. So, my hat goes off to Senator Harry Reid and Speaker Nancy Pelosi to keeping their promise to the American people. Last week, a bill passed in the U.S. House and Senate that was a spending bill but it also contained a timetable that would call for America to start withdrawing troops in 2008. This bill sums up the overwhelming public opinion of nearly 65 or more percent of our population. So, Mr. President, if you veto this bill, you will be vetoing the OVERWHELMING belief of the United States that this war must end. Wake up and see with don't stand with you. We want an end to this war. There is a difference Mr. Bush to being like President Truman and making the right decisions that weren't popular and totally and utterly screwing up and creating the worst foreign policy blunder in American history. There is one big difference between President Bush and President Truman: Truman was a man whose leadership in the long run helped this country, he was smart. Mr. Bush what you are doing ceases to amaze me. You have overstepped the realm of political sanity and have gone nuts. I can no longer hold in my feelings and allow this president to disgrace this land I love so much. Oh, yes and another thing: don’t question our patriotism. You Mr. Bush and you Mr. Cheney are traitors. You have disgraced your office. Therefore, you have to be pretty damn audacious to question the Democrat's patriotism. You might not say it explicitly but I know you think it. You have led America into a classic catch-22. So I just have one thing to say to the Republican Party: I will NEVER vote for ONE GOP candidate unless you change your way. How you have conducted yourself over the past years, shows me that you have no respect for democracy, no respect for the world, and I seriously question your motives. However, I do not question your patriotism. I believe you are a blind patriot. You rap yourself in the American flag and cut yourself off to the world. You think that supporting our president is more patriotic than exercising freedom of speech to protest him. And one more thing, before I step off my soapbox, this week Mr. Bush, you said that Nancy Pelosi's trip to Syria was a mistake and undermined U.S. foreign policy. However, what you fail to see is that what Nancy Pelosi is doing is new to you, it's called DIPLOMACY. She is sitting down with a government we don't agree with and is trying to help our country. Any good solider will tell you, you have to talk to your enemies. We must exercise diplomacy. So, Madame Speaker I applaud you. So, the next time you Republican's open your mouth, remember this: the Democrats are for people. We are doing this because we were voted in office to do so. We are going to fix this country. And to America, don't vote Republican in 2008; they still haven't learned their lesson.

This can also be seen on www.ydmovement.org

The Case for Obama

Barack Obama is currently weighing a race for president. At first I was skeptical of Barack Obama. Of course I felt that Barack Obama was a political genius. I thought he was articulate, smart, and had all the right ideas. However, I look for one of two things in a candidate for president. One, I look for experience. This lead me to skeptical of Obama. He had only been a senator for a year now, and will only have been a senator for 4 years in 2008. If you don't have experience, you need to have a lot of good ideas. And I feel that Obama had good ideas, however I didn't truly understand great Obama is. When I think of how I was skeptical of Obama, I am reminded of Bobby Kennedy, who, out of the candidates for the Democratic nomination in 1968, he made the most sense, and was a different kind of candidate who understood America, and the challenges we face. And, like Obama, Bobby Kennedy was a diplomat, who didn't make every nation in the world angry. He is a different kind of politician. Bobby Kennedy was a senator for only 3 years. Some people are meant to be president. Whether this election or the next, we must nominate and elect Barack Obama as president of the United States. However, I am a Joe Biden supporter for president, I feel if not Biden, then Obama. Obama can carry on what my political hero Bobby Kennedy couldn't do, because we all know the tragedy that happened, Boddy Kennedy departed this earth too early from a bullet of a coward. Obama is my generation's John or Robert Kennedy. We need Obama. We can't pass him up.

Democrats Leading on 2 of the 3 major issues.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS POLL IS FROM WWW.CNN.COM/POLITICS amd was done by the Opinion Research Corporation on August 18-20, 2006.


A poll recently posted on www.cnn.com/POLITICS showed that Americans believe out of the three major issues, terrorism, the war in Iraq, and the economy those polled believed that Democrats would do a better job in Iraq and the economy. The President and the Republicans hoped that they could make Iraq an issue that worked in their favor for this up and coming election. However, as the Republicans are quickly finding out, they can't win in November. We the Democrats have finally succeeded in convincing Americans that we are better. This country is sick and tired of this President and his stay the course attitude. President Bush thinks that everything he does is right and everybody who disagrees with him is wrong. President Bush was quoted saying on Monday in a news conference, "There are a lot of people in the Democratic Party who believe that the best course of action is to leave Iraq before the job is done. Period. And they're wrong," Are we Mr. President? Figuring a vast majority of Americans believe your war was bullshit from the begining, are we all wrong or maybe it is you who is wrong? Oh, and look above Mr. P, and see for yourself, you are loosing on Iraq and so are the American troops. If you truly supported them you would change your course. We support them and want to bring them home soon. And on the economy, the President and his failed policy of tax cuts for the wealthiest one percent of Americans have made this economy fail time after time, and these polls show this.

(Thanks to www.cnn.com/POLITICS and the Opinion Research Corporation)