I was surprised at how few locations in my state showed Michael Moore's new movie SiCKO when it first open on June 29th. That's until I remembered that I live in Connecticut, the Insurance Capital of the World. It's impossible to think of a location less welcoming to Mr. Moore's latest offering than here and surely is a contributing reason to the small number of cinemas willing to show his film.
That made me wonder what kind of support for healthcare reform could be found among the elected officials of my state. The legislation currently in the House that proposes Universal Healthcare is H.R. 676, so I searched the websites of the Representatives from Connecticut to see if they sponsored, co-sponsored or even support H.R. 676:
John Larson (D) First Congrssional District...........NO
Joe Courtney (D) Second Congressional District....NO
Rosa Delauro (D) Third Congressional District......NO
Chris Shays (R) Fourth Congressional District.......NO
Chris Murphy (D) Fifth Congressional District......NO
This was very disappointing news and especially so in the case of Chris Murphy who defeated Nancy Johnson in the last election. You see, Nancy earned a notorious role in Moore’s movie as a shill for the medical insurance and big pharma lobbies. Murphy campaigned against Johnson aggressively often referring to her industry contacts so, it seems we should expect his support for this legislation.
I suppose it is difficult for the average individual to realize what pressures can be brought to bear against elected officials by moneyed and powerful lobbyists. Campaigns are not financed by good intentions alone (or at all) and candidates must be sensitive to the concerns of industries if they wish to receive the infusion of cash so vital to their (re)elections.
Perhaps it is precisely because I don’t realize what pressures are exerted upon our Representatives, or perhaps it is in spite of it, that I have no aversion to the application of additional pressure to regain their attention. Why should the lobbyists have all the fun?
I am suggesting lobbying our Representatives for their support of Universal Healthcare legislation, such as H.R. 676, by demanding that they refuse coverage by the Congressional Healthcare Insurance program until all Americans have guaranteed healthcare. Even the homeless and unemployed pay taxes anytime they purchase anything for any amount of money. That makes them employers of the members of Congress elected to represent us in government.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Reality and Bush
There is another excellent diary over on Dailykos regarding "Grerat Moments in Political Realism". Please read this diary by eugene, it is the best insight I have read so far on the reality of our present situation compared to how patriotic Americans faced daunting problems throughout our history.
The standard response to impeachment has been that we do not have the votes. As eugene points out, rarely have we had the votes historically when major events were taking place that would have reshaped life as we know it had people not stood, out-numbered, against powerful forces. eugene used several examples to make this point like the American colonists facing off against the overwhelming power of the British armed forces, Prime Minister Winston Churchill defiant in the face of the German army and President Kennedy facing off with the Russians over the Cuban missile crisis.
One more to consider is that the votes were not there for the impeachment of Richard M. Nixon when several brave members of Congress championed this action. They did so because the knew it was the right thing to do and that America and our Constitution were being devastated by the tyrannical actions of a single man.
For our Democratic leaders to say they will not pursue impeachment because they do not have the votes is weak, but for them to avoid impeachment in the face of the dire events brought about by the administration is cowardice. If the President wants to burn the Constitution during a Rose Garden media event would Speaker Pelosi not challenge him because she does not have the votes, or would she stand up for the Constitution because it is the right and just thing to do? The answer to that question presently is in doubt!
Early in this administration one of Bush's minions stated to Ron Suskind who was writing an article for the New York Times Magazine, that guys like Suskind were “in what we call the reality-based community" which he defined as people who "believe that solutions emerge from your judicious study of discernible reality." ... "That's not the way the world really works anymore," he continued. "We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality—judiciously, as you will—we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors . . . and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do."
This may well become a self-fulfilling prophecy unless Democrats in Congress reclaim reality from the Alice in Wonderland crew in the Whitehouse. It is long past the time for Democrats to prioritize an agenda for impeaching the President and Vice President. They must do so because it is the right thing to do, because they swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution and because America is a reality based community!
I would encourage everyone to keep track of Democrats who fail this test of patriotism and fail their fellow citizens by hiding from the impeachment of Bush and Cheney. When the next election for these folks come around we must hold them accountable for their cowardice, their complicity with this criminal administration and their abdication of their sworn duties to protect and defend the Constitution of this country.
The standard response to impeachment has been that we do not have the votes. As eugene points out, rarely have we had the votes historically when major events were taking place that would have reshaped life as we know it had people not stood, out-numbered, against powerful forces. eugene used several examples to make this point like the American colonists facing off against the overwhelming power of the British armed forces, Prime Minister Winston Churchill defiant in the face of the German army and President Kennedy facing off with the Russians over the Cuban missile crisis.
One more to consider is that the votes were not there for the impeachment of Richard M. Nixon when several brave members of Congress championed this action. They did so because the knew it was the right thing to do and that America and our Constitution were being devastated by the tyrannical actions of a single man.
For our Democratic leaders to say they will not pursue impeachment because they do not have the votes is weak, but for them to avoid impeachment in the face of the dire events brought about by the administration is cowardice. If the President wants to burn the Constitution during a Rose Garden media event would Speaker Pelosi not challenge him because she does not have the votes, or would she stand up for the Constitution because it is the right and just thing to do? The answer to that question presently is in doubt!
Early in this administration one of Bush's minions stated to Ron Suskind who was writing an article for the New York Times Magazine, that guys like Suskind were “in what we call the reality-based community" which he defined as people who "believe that solutions emerge from your judicious study of discernible reality." ... "That's not the way the world really works anymore," he continued. "We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality—judiciously, as you will—we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors . . . and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do."
This may well become a self-fulfilling prophecy unless Democrats in Congress reclaim reality from the Alice in Wonderland crew in the Whitehouse. It is long past the time for Democrats to prioritize an agenda for impeaching the President and Vice President. They must do so because it is the right thing to do, because they swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution and because America is a reality based community!
I would encourage everyone to keep track of Democrats who fail this test of patriotism and fail their fellow citizens by hiding from the impeachment of Bush and Cheney. When the next election for these folks come around we must hold them accountable for their cowardice, their complicity with this criminal administration and their abdication of their sworn duties to protect and defend the Constitution of this country.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Speaker Pelosi, Take Action or Take Your Leave!
When the leader of the Democratic Party in the People’s House of Representatives demonstrates she does not have the moral courage nor patriotic fortitude to stand up for the Constitution, which she swore to “Protect and Defend”, then it is her obligation to step down and surrender the reins of power to someone willing and able to carry out the job for which they were elected.
There is a diary over at DailyKos about a conversation with Speaker Pelosi by Mike Stark and Dave Johnson. They report that the speaker told them she had decided "at least a year ago," before Democrats had even taken control of the House and Senate, "that impeachment was something that we could not be successful with, and that would take up the time we needed to do some positive things to establish a record of our priorities and [Republican] short-comings."
She reportedly added, "The President isn’t worth it...he’s not worth impeaching. We’ve got important work to do." Mr. Stark asked if the Speaker believed that the “Constitution was worth it” to which she replied "Well, yeah, the constitution is worth it if you can succeed."
This is a stunningly ignorant view and one that most Americans will find totally unacceptable. What the hell does Pelosi think Democrats were empowered to do when voters swept them into office in 06? Does she really believe that anyone gives a tinker's damn about the insignificant toady occupying the Oval office? Or his worth or that of his hell bound minions? If so, she vastly misses the point. For 6 years we have been railing against the administration for butchering the Constitution, stripping our hard won liberties and trading in our freedoms for higher and higher doses of fear.
Perhaps most Americans loath this president and wish him the worst possible ending, I don't care. The Constitution is now and always has been the issue. It is a document that embodies the ideals of our Democracy and as such it is open to abuse and misinterpretation by those who consider themselves above the law it imposes on all citizens. Every member of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branch of government are required to swear an oath to protect and defend this document because it is susceptible to attacks by such people as George Bush and Dick Cheney.
If Speaker Pelosi is really unwilling to put impeachment back on the table than we must make her aware that MOST Americans do not agree with her and she must comply with the wishes of the majority or leave office.
There is a diary over at DailyKos about a conversation with Speaker Pelosi by Mike Stark and Dave Johnson. They report that the speaker told them she had decided "at least a year ago," before Democrats had even taken control of the House and Senate, "that impeachment was something that we could not be successful with, and that would take up the time we needed to do some positive things to establish a record of our priorities and [Republican] short-comings."
She reportedly added, "The President isn’t worth it...he’s not worth impeaching. We’ve got important work to do." Mr. Stark asked if the Speaker believed that the “Constitution was worth it” to which she replied "Well, yeah, the constitution is worth it if you can succeed."
This is a stunningly ignorant view and one that most Americans will find totally unacceptable. What the hell does Pelosi think Democrats were empowered to do when voters swept them into office in 06? Does she really believe that anyone gives a tinker's damn about the insignificant toady occupying the Oval office? Or his worth or that of his hell bound minions? If so, she vastly misses the point. For 6 years we have been railing against the administration for butchering the Constitution, stripping our hard won liberties and trading in our freedoms for higher and higher doses of fear.
Perhaps most Americans loath this president and wish him the worst possible ending, I don't care. The Constitution is now and always has been the issue. It is a document that embodies the ideals of our Democracy and as such it is open to abuse and misinterpretation by those who consider themselves above the law it imposes on all citizens. Every member of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branch of government are required to swear an oath to protect and defend this document because it is susceptible to attacks by such people as George Bush and Dick Cheney.
If Speaker Pelosi is really unwilling to put impeachment back on the table than we must make her aware that MOST Americans do not agree with her and she must comply with the wishes of the majority or leave office.
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