JohnAH's Blog tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843 2009-09-18T18:54:16Z Movable Type Pro 4.21-en Email Reponse from Sen. Mark Warner - VA tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843.291032 2009-09-18T18:47:52Z 2009-09-18T18:54:16Z JohnAH
"Although I do not support a government-run single-payer health care system, I believe we need comprehensive reform to achieve a competitive, cost-effective, and efficient system.  This effort should be primarily focused on ensuring that all Americans can get adequate health coverage, and the coverage must be cost-effective and based upon data-driven medical standards.  We must ensure that competition remains among health care providers because it is precisely that competition that drives innovation and cost reduction in the industry.  Any final reform should also include measures to promote prevention and wellness, senior navigation through the health system, health information technology ("health IT") and telemedicine."

My glass half full side says that he is leaving the door open to support of a good bill with a Public Option; but of course there is another half of that glass and it tells me that he doesn't have the guts to say to one of his constituents that he won't vote how I've asked him to.

Let's all pray that Senator Warner and the other moderate Dems in the Senate step up and do the right thing for the American people and ensure us a final bill with a Strong Public Option.



]]> The Onion: "I'm such a shitty Senator" by Max Baucus tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843.290438 2009-09-16T17:45:07Z 2009-09-16T17:47:11Z JohnAH
Here is a sample:
I've been "serving" the great state of Montana in the U.S. Senate since 1978. You'll notice I put "serving" in quotes, because, let's face it, I suck. My wife has been pleading with me not to say this publicly, insisting that it's not true, that I'm a capable and dedicated public servant, blah, blah, blah. Bless her dear heart, but she's just being nice. Because, folks, I am telling you, I am hands-down the shittiest senator in the history of the Senate. The worst.
]]> Let's Look at GOP Priorities & Their Actions tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843.289518 2009-09-11T18:17:24Z 2009-09-11T18:33:05Z I've been an active voter for about 15 years now and I've always felt that the GOP doesn't really have any interest in solving any of the problems that they campaign on because then they couldn't campaign on them anymore... JohnAH Stated Priorities (not in any particular order):
  • Outlaw Abortion
  • Ban Gay Marriage
  • Privatize Social Security
  • Privatize Medicare
  • Tax Cuts
  • Drill Baby Drill
  • Illegal Immigration
  • End Affirmative Action
  • Prescription Drugs
Now which of these items have they actually focused on and accomplished anything?
  • Tax Cuts
  • Prescription Drugs (and we all know how that turned out = Billions to drug companies)
Wow, that's it?  Please help me out if there is anything else that they actually said they wanted to do domestially and actually did?  This kind of shows where their real priorities are and anyone who thinks that Republicans politicians want to solve these problems is blinded by partisanship or stupidity.  ]]> Why Obama's Speech Was Successful tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843.289092 2009-09-10T02:07:46Z 2009-09-10T02:16:39Z JohnAH
Next enter the Speech tonight!  CNN is already showing at 14 point jump after the speech tonight.  Did Obama win over all of the tea party idiots?  Of course not, but he didn't have to he just had to win back the Progressives who we getting anxious with this reform bill and he nailed that for sure!
]]> Question: How Would Health Care Reform without Public Option Control Costs? tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843.288123 2009-09-04T12:58:37Z 2009-09-04T13:05:56Z This is not one of those blogs where I pose a question and then answer it; I honestly don't know the answer to this and I'm look for some feedback on the matter.My full question is this, if the Congress... JohnAH My full question is this, if the Congress were to pass a bill that offered subsidies for low income people to buy private care, eliminated the preexisting conditions problems and made it illegal to drop coverage of sick people; how would premiums and overall costs come down or even stay flat?  
I would imagine that helping people who don't currently have insurance go to a regular doctors office rather than the emergency room will help; but how much?
Obviously the insurance companies aren't going to take these limitations in how they can "save money" out of their ability to make a profit; so won't they have to increase premiums to pay for actually covering all of there clients through to the end?
I am an advocate of the Public Option, but I'm hoping that someone could explain how we might control costs without a large new competitor.]]> Justice Scalia: Time To Back Up Your Words! tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843.287366 2009-08-31T14:27:47Z 2009-08-31T14:41:49Z Antonin Scalia, in 2006, declared that, in the modern judicial system, there has not been "a single case--not one--in which it is clear that a person was executed for a crime he did not commit. If such an event had... JohnAH a single case--not one--in which it is clear that a person was executed for a crime he did not commit. If such an event had occurred in recent years, we would not have to hunt for it; the innocent's name would be shouted from the rooftops."

Justice Scalia it is time then for you sir to buy a tall ladder, a bull horn and to learn the name Cameron Todd Willingham. 

Mr. Willingham was convicted of arson and murder in a case where one of the top arson scientists concluded before Willingham's execution that there was zero evidence of arson and that there was no scientific basis for the original arson investigator's findings.  In the case of Mr. Willingham, the state of Texas carried out the execution of a legally and factually innocent person.

Here a link to an in depth article on Mr. Willingham's story in the New Yorker:  http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/09/07/090907fa_fact_grann?currentPage=all

I've long been conflicted when it comes to the death penalty and even after learning of Mr. Willingham's horrific story I can't honestly say that I'm without conflicting thoughts today; but I can say that I agree with Justice Scalia and that we should all learn the name Cameron Todd Willingham and shout his name.  Not because he is likely to have been the 1st innocent person executed in this country; but because it can be proven and that he should be part of the dialog going forward.

]]> Time to go "all in" for a full Single Payer Plan, Mr. President. tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843.285505 2009-08-18T20:34:13Z 2009-08-18T20:50:10Z Let's get one thing clear, not a single Republican in either house of Congress will vote for any kind of Health Care reform bill even if it was only a slap on the wrist of the insurance companies; they just... JohnAH First it was No on the Public Option and now they are even going to support the Co-Ops (that wouldn't work anyway) either.  So they should be marked as villains and marginalized in the context of what this all means for American families.
So why the hell doesn't Obama just say it clearly to the American people that he wanted a Universal program but in the spirit of unity and bipartisanship he tried to craft something that could have wide support from both parties and did everything he could to bend over backwards for the Republicans. With all of this only two things are clear; Republicans want to protect the insurance companies and Democrats want to protect the American People.  
The President should then outline that the cost of private insurance is greater for American families as well as businesses than Single Payer would be and that while you will be paying a bit more in taxes but it will be a large cut from what we are all paying for private insurance today.  They should also include a provision that the insurance benefits that our employers have been paying for us should be handed over to us employees as pay increases. This won't hurt or help employers and will certainly give the public a much needed boost.
The Right Wing has lost the right to participate in this debate and should be ignored no matter  how loudly the shout down poloticians and how angry fox news gets.  This is about leadership and principals and doing what is right.  Every member of Congress and Obama himself should be willing to loose the next round of elections in order to make Single Payer a reality.  The time is now and it's time to go "all in", Mr. President.]]> Why Co-Ops just aren't good enough! tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843.285221 2009-08-17T16:05:40Z 2009-08-17T17:01:57Z The issue here is very simple; unless we are talking about a single Co-Op that will have buying power approaching the buying power of the private companies than the only price difference for consumers will be the profit margins that... JohnAH
Republicans and apparently some Dems want to water this bill down so that it doesn't have much impact on consumers or the insurance companies either way but looks like they "did something" by creating several co-ops which will have little buying power and not make anywhere near enough of a dent in the cost of insurance to really be a game changer. ]]> Public Option w/ Abortion Funding Question tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843.283209 2009-08-05T17:12:01Z 2009-08-05T17:22:34Z I've noticed that several "blue dogs" have already said that they won't support a public option that includes federal funding for abortions and of course the Republicans are already using this as a reason to be against the public option;... JohnAH
Republicans and conservative Democrats are concerned about letting the Government control medical care and make political based decisions about the care you can be provided in a federally run program.  But isn't their opposition to abortion funding exactly what they say shouldn't happen? 

If my wife's doctor tells her that her life is in danger because of a pregnancy and that the fetus should be aborted; are we going to have to not only deal with this horrific reality but also pay the full price for the procedure because a politicians' likelihood of reelection depends on removing this coverage?  I am pro-choice but I'm not "pro-abortion" by any means and I'd certainly not want to have the public insurance plan cover any abortion someone wanted; but if the doctors say it's medically necessary than by all means it should be covered.

Republicans need to be called on having both sides of this aurgument and the public option shouldn't be held hostage by politicians with wedge issues which obscure the truth and the importance of reforms.

]]> Maddow helped Buchanan Hang Himself tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843.280047 2009-07-17T13:52:13Z 2009-07-17T13:59:43Z JohnAH

http://tpmtv.talkingpointsmemo.com/?id=2973685&ref=fpblg


I doubt it will change anything, but I do hope that MSNBC can finally decide that enough is enough and politely ask Pat to retire.  They can do it quietly and they don't have to make a public event out of it; but his views don't have a place on such a platform unless the company believes in those views.  He has every right to say what he believes of course but free speech only protects us from our Government; not from our employer finally saying enough is enough Pat and showing him the door.]]> Attention Blue Dogs tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843.278968 2009-07-10T14:20:40Z 2009-07-10T14:36:00Z JohnAH http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/documents/2009/07/blue-dogs-we-cant-support-health-care-reform-without-significant-changes.php?page=1&ref=fpblg
In this they actually demand "Bipartisanship" and state that "The American Public is looking for us to work together, regardless of party affiliation, to pass comprehensive health care reform".
Now, I'm completely over this idea that even though the American people in the last two election cycles have overwelmingly chosen to put Democrats in office in both houses of Congress that Democrats are supposed to allow the minority party which has absolutely no desire to meet in the middle on this or any bill like it to water it down to the point it no longer does was the American People need it to do.  Simply put just like the stimulus package, Republicans want to change the bill but then won't vote for it anyway; so what's the point?
This country NEEDS a public option if not full Universal Coverage and needs it fast!  Families are drowning in medical premium costs that may or may not actually cover us if God forbid we suffer from a catastrophic illness or injury.  If I wasn't spending over 10K a year just in premiums for my family; I would almost certainly be stimulating the economy with a lot more spending and so would you and again that's just my premium (I'm an independent contractor).
Blue Dogs, I know you think that you are securing your votes in your conservative districts back home but health care is an issue that you need to rise above getting reelected and consider that we are in a unique position where we can finally make this happen in our country and if this Congress can save the American People from this Health Care monster we are currently facing then it will be an historic Congress.  Over 75% of the American People want a Public option; don't let the small percent of partisans that would never support the bill to control the agenda and more importantly to water down a bill that is worthless if if doesn't get us the coverage that we so desperately need.
Sincerely,John Hodson]]> It's the Hypocricy Stupid tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843.276915 2009-06-25T18:30:30Z 2009-06-25T18:40:11Z JohnAH
  • I believe that Republicans are greater targets for journalist or the general public because of the hypocrisy involved.  If I see a "promise keeper" at a hotel with a young woman I'm probably more likely to find it news worthy than someone who had not made a living by demonizing others moral values and claiming the high road.
  • I also believe that Republicans are more likely to do really stupid things to try to avoid attention again because they don't want to get caught in their hypocrisy; which of course in the end brings much more attention on themselves (example: vanishing for 5 days).
Please don't take this as a "poor Republican's" post, I'm not the least bit sympathetic because they are complete hypocrits and have and will continue to do this to themselves.  As long as the are the party of the Christian Right and pretty much nothing else this will continue to be the cycle we see.


]]> Not For Profit Health Care tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843.275483 2009-06-17T17:02:17Z 2009-06-17T17:16:56Z JohnAH
  • Great Service
  • Very Good Food
  • Total Bill for two sandwiches, fries and 2 draft beers about $3.50
I liked the facility and service there so much that when it came time to plan my wedding we decided to have our reception there.  Here is a simple breakdown of that lovely event:
  • Great Service Again
  • Excellent Food including Prime Rib, Salmon, Wine & Champagne
  • Cost per Person about $19.00
We have all eaten lunch and most of use have been married at least once so this is something we can all relate to.  Does that turkey club sandwich you had today from the deli in teh basement of your office building really cost $6.00 or does it cost about $1.50 like mine did?

So think about that when Republicans and Health Care Industry talking heads talk about the cost of public health care.  If I'm paying a few thousand dollars a year for just my portion of my insurance premium; how much cheaper would it be if profit was taken out of the equasion and insurance was managed for everyone as a service.  My taxes would probably have to increase of course; but would they increase more than what I'm paying today premiums? 

That is how I think we should be talking about Health Care; how much would it cost each family in taxes verses paying their current premiums.

]]> "La Raza" = The Race... right? tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843.272989 2009-06-01T19:14:23Z 2009-06-01T19:38:07Z Well that would be what pretty much every conservative talking point dittohead is spouting these last few days. She is a member of "La Raza" which means "the race" that must mean that theya are a racist organization... right?  They... JohnAH
They have also been saying that the motto is "Por La Raza todo. Fuera de La Raza nada" ("For the race everything, outside the race nothing"); As well as the idea that they support "Reconquista" which is the idea that some southwestern US territory should be returned to Mexico.

So let's set the record straight! 
  • Latinos & Hispanics are not a single race and therefore they don't use the word "raza" to directly mean race as in skin color.  They are referring to "the people" and not "the race" as the dittoheads are saying. 
  • The Motto "Por La Raza todo. Fuera de La Raza nada" belonged to a 60s/70s radical Mexican/American student organization which did believe in returning land to Mexico.  This group is not "La Raza" and has no affiliation with "La Raza".  This group was known as "M.E.Ch.A." (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan).
  • La Raza is not a Mexican organization but rather an organization for all Latinos in this country similar to the NAACP.  I'm sure that there are many who are not always fans of the NAACP, I don't think there are many of sound mind who would claim that they are racist because their name doesn't say "& we don't hate white people too".
The craziness over aspects like "La Raza" are litterally drivining me nuts and by the way and not that this is important at all; I am a 30 something year old white guy.
]]> Obama Reserves the Right to Torture... tag:tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com,2009:/talk/blogs/johnah//1843.271571 2009-05-22T17:37:11Z 2009-05-22T17:43:50Z David Kurtz commented on the idea that Cheney could be right that Obama has reserved the right to order tortureLink: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/05/could_cheney_be_gulp_right.php?ref=fpblgI would respond with, of course he has this right.  We all have the right to break the law; but the... JohnAH

I would respond with, of course he has this right.  We all have the right to break the law; but the law also has the right to arrest us, charge us and convict us.  Thomas Jefferson left a door open to a President committing a crime in the name of our nations best interest; but he believed that should a President commit such a crime he needed to stand up, admit the crime and be judged legally and in the court of public opinion. 

Of course Obama can order torture if he feels like he must; but afterward Congress, the courts & the public should be able to decide if his breaking of the law should remove him from office or even further convict him of a crime. The greatest problem that I have with Bush/Cheney is that they didn't stand up and say yes we did it, here is why not judge us.  No they hid it from us and then blamed the New York Times for releasing it.
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