At the latest teabagger grandstanding event, a group of sadly misguided, misinformed and mistaken Republican members of Congress and a few of their supporters gathered at the Capitol Hill to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Rep. Todd Akin self-righteously proclaimed that this affirmation of our collective dedication to our founding fathers’ ideals “drives the liberals crazy.” This declaration was applauded by Minority Leader John Boehner (OH), Minority Whip Eric Cantor (VA), Roy Blunt (MO), Jeb Hensarling (TX), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA), Michele Bachmann (MN) -- who was a key organizer of the event -- Virginia Foxx (NC), Ginny Brown-Waite (FL), Jean Schmidt (OH) and Sue Myrick (NC), who were all in attendance, in addition to many more teabaggers.
It would take far more than one short post on a College Democrats blog to detail just how wrong Rep. Akin and everyone who agrees with him are. This country was founded based on an affirmation that government would fight to provide for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Liberals have been at the forefront of almost every progressive step towards guaranteeing equal opportunity for all in the United States of America. Workers’ rights, womens’ rights, civil rights, Medicare, Medicaid, minimum wage increases, protections for the environment, regulation of irresponsible business practices and so much more have improved our society and enabled every American to lead a more fulfilling, productive life, and liberals have been behind all of these reforms.
It is truly a sad statement about how far we’ve come from the patrician ideals of George Washington and our forefathers that Republicans are once again questioning the patriotism of Democrats. In order to have a fair, cogent debate about issues impacting millions of Americans, we must have if not admiration than at least respect for our political peers. In the past, this type of invective and disrespect has been reserved for Democrats questioning foreign wars like those in Afghanistan and Iraq, and I am very disappointed that Republicans are once again criticizing the motivation of Democrats, especially in the context of health care. This is a base fear tactic that Republicans resort to only because they are out of ideas for this country. The Boehnerites and Bachmannites know that opposing an initiative is far easier than advocating for a real solution, and their favored method of opposition is partisan scare tactics.
Progressive Democrats in the House and the Senate are advocating for strong reform precisely because of their commitment to ensuring the wellbeing of the American people. Their commitment to a robust public option that would keep private insurers honest and lower costs for all Americans reflects a desire to make good on not only their own campaign promises but the very ideals on which our country was founded.
It is time to stand up to these acts of partisan political grandstanding, and to tell Republicans like Todd Akin, John Boehner and Michelle Bachman that enough is enough. We have had enough hate, enough lies, enough bickering and enough invective. It is time for a real debate about health care and other pressing issues, and, above all, it is time for real health care reform.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Heather Graham, the Public Option and other Necessities
The debate over the public option is getting increasingly vigorous on both sides, and Moveon.org, the liberal advocacy organization founded by the Deaniacs in 2004, continues to do excellent work demonstrating why it is so necessary to draw this line in the sand.
If it isn't clear to you yet that large health insurance companies like Cigna, Wellpoint, Bluecross and United Way are the problem, you haven't been paying attention. At our last meeting, a member spoke about his neighbor's treatment at the hands of a greedy insurance company. This person has a son with autism and speech impediments and the corresponding extreme difficulty in social situations and in school. Lucky for this family, they had health insurance through a major provider. However, this provider decreed that speech therapy for the impediments would not be covered under their plan because it was an "elective" procedure. Ask yourself if you think being able to speak coherently is something you could do without. Then ask yourself if you would be all right with you if an insurance company told your son he didn't need to be able to speak.
In the world's most prosperous nation, we should be measured by how we treat the weakest among us, and on my scale, the United States ranks damn near the bottom of first world countries. It is time for us to tell insurance companies that their old tricks aren't going to fly any more. It is time for a public option that will force major providers to provide accessible, affordable care for all. And it is time to start speaking the only language insurance companies are fluent in: that of money. Americans will subscribe to the plan that provides the best coverage for the lowest price, and if the major insurance companies are offering an inferior profit, their bottom line will suffer. And if their precious profits start going down, you can bet your bottom dollar they'll change their ways.
The Moveon ad featuring Heather Graham as the public option illustrates the situation in a wonderful way. Fat, bloated, lazy insurance companies need to be socked right where it hurts: in their wallet. We need more better care and more competition. We need a public option.
If it isn't clear to you yet that large health insurance companies like Cigna, Wellpoint, Bluecross and United Way are the problem, you haven't been paying attention. At our last meeting, a member spoke about his neighbor's treatment at the hands of a greedy insurance company. This person has a son with autism and speech impediments and the corresponding extreme difficulty in social situations and in school. Lucky for this family, they had health insurance through a major provider. However, this provider decreed that speech therapy for the impediments would not be covered under their plan because it was an "elective" procedure. Ask yourself if you think being able to speak coherently is something you could do without. Then ask yourself if you would be all right with you if an insurance company told your son he didn't need to be able to speak.
In the world's most prosperous nation, we should be measured by how we treat the weakest among us, and on my scale, the United States ranks damn near the bottom of first world countries. It is time for us to tell insurance companies that their old tricks aren't going to fly any more. It is time for a public option that will force major providers to provide accessible, affordable care for all. And it is time to start speaking the only language insurance companies are fluent in: that of money. Americans will subscribe to the plan that provides the best coverage for the lowest price, and if the major insurance companies are offering an inferior profit, their bottom line will suffer. And if their precious profits start going down, you can bet your bottom dollar they'll change their ways.
The Moveon ad featuring Heather Graham as the public option illustrates the situation in a wonderful way. Fat, bloated, lazy insurance companies need to be socked right where it hurts: in their wallet. We need more better care and more competition. We need a public option.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Much Ado about Health Care
We all worked hard to elect President Obama, and now it's time to show him that we're behind his efforts to reform health care. It is simply a travesty that in the world's wealthiest nation, so many are wanting for basic health care that could add years to their life. So, what can you do to help meaningful reform be signed into law this year?
1) Sign the Democracy for America petition for health care reform at http://standwithdrdean.com/.
2) If you're in favor of reform, but not sure you support a public option, or if you just want to sign another petition, this is the official Organizing for America health care petition: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hcsignon?source=vic.
3) Write and call your members of congress. If they support reform with a strong public option, tell them that you stand with them, and if they don't, add your voice to the millions demanding real change. Look up your legislators here: http://capwiz.com/iqexpress/dbq/officials/.
4) Come to the weekly Health Care Phone Banks at the Democratic Party of Evanston, 821 Chicago Avenue, Evanston Il 60201 right by the Main El stop. The inner-campus shuttle stops right by the DPOE office.
5) Talk to your friends. Tell them that there are 46 million uninsured people in this country and that tens of millions more are underinsured. Remind them that the election of Barack Obama was not the change we seek but the chance to make that change. When we're out campaigning in 2012, how great would it be to be able to say that we helped millions of Americans get the health care they deserve? It won't happen without us.
1) Sign the Democracy for America petition for health care reform at http://standwithdrdean.com/.
2) If you're in favor of reform, but not sure you support a public option, or if you just want to sign another petition, this is the official Organizing for America health care petition: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hcsignon?source=vic.
3) Write and call your members of congress. If they support reform with a strong public option, tell them that you stand with them, and if they don't, add your voice to the millions demanding real change. Look up your legislators here: http://capwiz.com/iqexpress/dbq/officials/.
4) Come to the weekly Health Care Phone Banks at the Democratic Party of Evanston, 821 Chicago Avenue, Evanston Il 60201 right by the Main El stop. The inner-campus shuttle stops right by the DPOE office.
5) Talk to your friends. Tell them that there are 46 million uninsured people in this country and that tens of millions more are underinsured. Remind them that the election of Barack Obama was not the change we seek but the chance to make that change. When we're out campaigning in 2012, how great would it be to be able to say that we helped millions of Americans get the health care they deserve? It won't happen without us.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Purple Heart Liberals Inaugural Post
Welcome, one and all, to official blog of the Northwestern University College Democrats. Every week, one of our wonderful executive board members (Mira, Adam, Jeremiah, Jonathan, Tyler, Lauren, Jeremiah, Dan, Mac and myself, Jordan) will post an entry related to the week’s meeting topic. I can imagine you all now, sad because there will only be one entry per week. Don’t despair! There will be more posts whenever Democrats do something we like, or don’t like, or if John Boehner says something stupid, or if Tom Delay goes back on Dancing with the Stars, or if Michael Steele makes a racist comment…well, you get the point.
This week at the meeting (October 11 in University 101 from 7-8pm), the topic is “President Obama: a 9-Month Checkup.” As the Republicans well know, it’s easy to find ways to criticize a leader with as much responsibility as the President of the United States. And don’t get me wrong, Obama and his administration have done some things that I disagree with. Chief among these are the escalation in Afghanistan, the failure to take immediate action on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and other gay rights issues and of course there’s the unfortunate fact that Guantanamo Bay is still home to hundreds of “enemy combatants.”
Then there are a few issues on which I feel a little bit more neutral. The economic stimulus package and attendant bailouts of banks and the Big Three automakers are one such issue. On the one hand, Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act pumped money back into a struggling economy through road, highway and other infrastructure projects, increased funding for teachers, seniors and low-income Americans. It undoubtedly prevented a much more damaging recession. However, many of the billions of dollars shipped off to AIG, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and other institutions went with no strings attached. They were spent on private jets and CEO bonuses instead of delivered into the pool of funds available for lending to the American people, which would really have gotten the economy back on track.
Health care is another ambiguous issue. I couldn’t be happier with the Administration’s stated goals of providing affordable health care for all, bending the cost curve and preserving patient choice, but I’m somewhat confused by the way in which they’re going about doing this. There are five different proposals being debated in Congress, and Democratic leaders like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi need more direction from the President. Moderate Democrats will only sign on to the more controversial parts of reform, such as the public option, if the President supports them. Obama has not even said which cost-cutting methods he supports. A surtax on the wealthiest Americans? Removing the tax loophole on employer-provided health insurance? We just don’t know. There is time, however, for Obama to turn health care around and guide a strong bill to his desk to be signed into law. And I think he can do it.
As a dyed-in-the-wool purple heart liberal, I see problems with the President’s first term. But it is so important to think about all the positive steps Obama has taken, and how far we have come since the dark days of the Bush administration. Federal funding for stem cell research, fair pay for women, the expansion of health care for children in the CHIP program, new emissions standards, the prohibition of torture, credit card reform and more seemed impossible ten months ago, but are a reality now.
Oh yeah, and he just won a Nobel Peace Prize. Not bad for nine months.
And, what you’ve all been waiting for, a reminder of why we’re all fighting so hard for real change in America.
He’s sorry. He just loves his country. But guess what, Glenn? So do we. So look out.
I’ll see everyone at the meeting!
This week at the meeting (October 11 in University 101 from 7-8pm), the topic is “President Obama: a 9-Month Checkup.” As the Republicans well know, it’s easy to find ways to criticize a leader with as much responsibility as the President of the United States. And don’t get me wrong, Obama and his administration have done some things that I disagree with. Chief among these are the escalation in Afghanistan, the failure to take immediate action on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and other gay rights issues and of course there’s the unfortunate fact that Guantanamo Bay is still home to hundreds of “enemy combatants.”
Then there are a few issues on which I feel a little bit more neutral. The economic stimulus package and attendant bailouts of banks and the Big Three automakers are one such issue. On the one hand, Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act pumped money back into a struggling economy through road, highway and other infrastructure projects, increased funding for teachers, seniors and low-income Americans. It undoubtedly prevented a much more damaging recession. However, many of the billions of dollars shipped off to AIG, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and other institutions went with no strings attached. They were spent on private jets and CEO bonuses instead of delivered into the pool of funds available for lending to the American people, which would really have gotten the economy back on track.
Health care is another ambiguous issue. I couldn’t be happier with the Administration’s stated goals of providing affordable health care for all, bending the cost curve and preserving patient choice, but I’m somewhat confused by the way in which they’re going about doing this. There are five different proposals being debated in Congress, and Democratic leaders like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi need more direction from the President. Moderate Democrats will only sign on to the more controversial parts of reform, such as the public option, if the President supports them. Obama has not even said which cost-cutting methods he supports. A surtax on the wealthiest Americans? Removing the tax loophole on employer-provided health insurance? We just don’t know. There is time, however, for Obama to turn health care around and guide a strong bill to his desk to be signed into law. And I think he can do it.
As a dyed-in-the-wool purple heart liberal, I see problems with the President’s first term. But it is so important to think about all the positive steps Obama has taken, and how far we have come since the dark days of the Bush administration. Federal funding for stem cell research, fair pay for women, the expansion of health care for children in the CHIP program, new emissions standards, the prohibition of torture, credit card reform and more seemed impossible ten months ago, but are a reality now.
Oh yeah, and he just won a Nobel Peace Prize. Not bad for nine months.
And, what you’ve all been waiting for, a reminder of why we’re all fighting so hard for real change in America.
He’s sorry. He just loves his country. But guess what, Glenn? So do we. So look out.
I’ll see everyone at the meeting!
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