Given Republicans' emphasis on public opinion lately, falsely claiming that a majority of the American people were against health-care reform (when they were really just against the bill as it wound its way in ugly fashion through Congress, and when much of the opposition to it was coming from the left, which didn't think it went nearly far enough), I wonder what they'll say … [Read more...] about The Surging Popularity of Health-Care Reform
Quote of the Day: Did Health Care Reform Victory Reflect Major Obama Political Style Change?
Our political Quote of the Day comes from New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd who suggests that the health care reform battle reflects an important shift in President Barack Obama. Dowd starts out detailing how the Dems were shocked that after being counted out, viewed as legisitively ineffectual and stalemated, and basically a bunch of political wimps they sat in the … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Did Health Care Reform Victory Reflect Major Obama Political Style Change?
Liberty, Community and the “Blue Beast”
A very liberal colleague of mine opined recently on Facebook if God was more concerned about budget issues which in his view only affected the rich, or in making sure that health care was expanded. I tend to think that most of my pastor friends, who tend to be liberal are thinking the same thing. They tend to believe that making sure that people have health care is not only … [Read more...] about Liberty, Community and the “Blue Beast”
Voters already shifting on healthcare reform?
As Elrod pointed out, a post-showdown poll on healthcare shows that 49% percent of the public supported passage of the bill. One day earlier, CNN released a poll showing that the public (pre-showdown) disapproved of Obama's record on healthcare by a margin of 58-40. It was also the first CNN poll that showed a majority of the public (51%) disapproving of Obama's overall … [Read more...] about Voters already shifting on healthcare reform?
It Depends On What the Meaning of “Repeal and Start Over” Is
A trend? Georgia Rep. Phil Gingrey (R): “When we say start over, we don’t mean throw everything out – throw out the baby with the bath water. We mean, take the best of this bill and combine it with our ideas like buying insurance across state lines and equalizing the tax treatment and creating high-risk pools. “Of course, all of the language regarding electronic medical … [Read more...] about It Depends On What the Meaning of “Repeal and Start Over” Is
Professional counterinsurgency blogging
If you want to hear from some of the smartest men and women on the front lines in Afghanistan and around the globe, visit the official blog of the Army and Marine Corps Counterinsurgency (COIN) Center at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. The COIN Center also has its own page on Facebook and its own feed on Twitter. For starters, read this post on the importance of even the … [Read more...] about Professional counterinsurgency blogging
Obama Gets Chance to Earn His Nobel Peace Prize: Gazeta of Russia
Will the current crisis in relations between the U.S. and Israel push the Jewish State into a corner - causing it to attack Iran, and forcing the U.S. to 'fall into line'? With the Kremlin having just hosted talks among 'the world's leading diplomats', Gazeta columnist Fyodor Lukyanov gives a Russian view of the Middle East landscape, and warns of some of the land mines laying … [Read more...] about Obama Gets Chance to Earn His Nobel Peace Prize: Gazeta of Russia
If I Keep My Heart Out of Sight
From James Taylor's JT album: … [Read more...] about If I Keep My Heart Out of Sight
Short-term benefits, long-term shortfalls of health care passage
In the media afterglow of the historic signing of the health care reform bill, the immediate advantages of the legislation's passage are rightfully being highlighted in news reports and analyses. Children cannot now be denied coverage based on pre-existing conditions, and insurers cannot drop their clients because they get sick. No matter how you felt about the bill's passage, … [Read more...] about Short-term benefits, long-term shortfalls of health care passage
Palin: “Don’t Retreat, Instead RELOAD!”
Seeing is believing... Er, okay. So I mosey on over to her facebook page: With the president signing this [blah, blah, blah] takeover of our health care system [blah, blah, blah] We’re going to reclaim the power of the people [blah, blah, blah] We’re going to fire them [blah, blah, blah] thanks to their destructive government-growing policies. [blah, blah, blah] [blah, … [Read more...] about Palin: “Don’t Retreat, Instead RELOAD!”
Health Care Reform Passes
John Cole, The Scranton Times-Tribune This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to appear on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Health Care Reform Passes
Will True Conservatives Stand Up? (Guest Voice)
WASHINGTON -- Every nation needs an intelligent and constructive form of conservatism. The debate over the health care bill, which mercifully came to a close on Sunday night, was not American conservatism's finest hour. In its current incarnation, conservatism has taken on an angry crankiness. It is caught up in a pseudo-populism that true conservatism should mistrust … [Read more...] about Will True Conservatives Stand Up? (Guest Voice)
Health Care Reform Passes
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to appear on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Health Care Reform Passes
Health Care Reform is a Tough Call (Guest Voice)
Health Care Reform is a Tough Call by Martha Randolph Carr The health care bill has finally passed and will move on to President Obama for a signature. Whether or not this is good news or creates a creeping sense of dread depends on a few variables. Doctors who treat Medicare or Medicaid patients will be seeing a decrease in payouts without something to replace the … [Read more...] about Health Care Reform is a Tough Call (Guest Voice)
Obama’s Moderate Health Care Plan
Jonathan Chait at TNR argues that the health care reform legislation turned out moderate in substance (a point that I tried to make in yesterday's post here): Obama's plan closely mirrors three proposals that have attracted the support of Republicans who reside within their party's mainstream: The first is the 1993 Senate Republican health plan, which is compared with … [Read more...] about Obama’s Moderate Health Care Plan
Thread On Nature Of Morality And Its Role In Politics
There was clamoring on another thread for starting a discussion about the nature of morality. I don't really have much to say upfront other than that the topic is really complicated and been talked about for thousands of years. I would like to point to Jonathan Haidt's framework for talking about the facets of morality as expressed here, and in a TED talk. Of course another … [Read more...] about Thread On Nature Of Morality And Its Role In Politics
Yes Mr. Vice President, You’re Right
LATER: The market at work -- t-shirts featuring the VP's quote are now available. No word yet of one featuring the press secretary's tweet... The Caucus Blog reports on VP Joe Biden's "overly effusive aside to President Obama." On an open mic: “Mr. President, this is a big … deal,” he said, adding an adjective between big and deal, that begins with ‘f.’ ... For whatever … [Read more...] about Yes Mr. Vice President, You’re Right
A Moderate Christian Response to the Health Care Debate
I host a daily talk radio program in the Seattle area. Yesterday's show was dedicated to how Christians communicate in the political spectrum. I enjoyed the dialogue and the moderate callers. Yes, there are moderate Christians who actually don't believe President Obama is the anti-Christ nor the second coming of Christ. Seems like there might be hope for the less extreme … [Read more...] about A Moderate Christian Response to the Health Care Debate
It’s Law! Let The Games Begin
As President Barack Obama signed the health reform bill into law today, I couldn't help remembering Robert Redford after winning a U.S. Senate seat in the movie "The Candidate," asking his political adviser "what do we do now?" For Democrats: Don't gloat and overestimate your success for the fight has just begun. For Republicans: Your gamble of pushing all your chips into … [Read more...] about It’s Law! Let The Games Begin
Growing Evidence That High Fructose Corn Syrup Plays A Role In Obesity
Princeton releases a study about HFC effects on rats. The primary argument that HFC doesn't contain have that much of a fructose/glucose balance difference than sucrose is addressed by "as a result of the manufacturing process for high-fructose corn syrup, the fructose molecules in the sweetener are free and unbound, ready for absorption and utilization. In contrast, every … [Read more...] about Growing Evidence That High Fructose Corn Syrup Plays A Role In Obesity