Visualizing empires decline from Pedro M Cruz on Vimeo.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Health Care Debate
The vote is scheduled for tonight. The Senate is a curious creature, by design. Tonight's historic vote is simply to decide whether or not to debate the bill. The Republicans will threaten to filibuster whether or not there can be a debate. Which will require 60% of the US Senate to vote for debating the bill. This is not voting on voting on whether or not to vote on the bill or voting on whether or not to pass the bill. This is a vote on whether or not to talk about the bill on the Senate floor.
Second thought ,there are reports out that a handful of Senators are still searching for a Compromise, sigh. Mind you these are merely the Democrats compromising among themselves and maybe Olympia Snowe. The debate started public option vs. no public option, add in possible triggers that would never be triggered, opt-in to state wide plans and possible statewide coops. The latest manifestation was the nation public option with the States having the ability to opt out of the plan if they didn't want to be apart.
The most recent discussion is back to triggers this time the triggers would be more stringent and take place in 2013 when the rest of the reforms take place.
Here is my proposed compromise (mind you we have compromised way beyond anything I would truly liked to have seen). Nationwide State Opt-in plus triggers by state.
Setup the plan allow states that want to participate to join in from the beginning do so. There would be a whole slew of states that would likely do so. In addition for those states that do not opt-in would be governed under the trigger mechanism. If insurance coverage in any state does not meet the affordability standards established they would be required to offer the National Plan in their State Insurance Exchange.
This thought occurred to me a couple of weeks ago. I didn't do much with it at the time because the Opt-out option was gaining traction and looked like it had more than a fighting chance. We are getting close to crunch time.
Senator Schumer and Senator Carpenter are reportedly the central figures in working between the Conservative Dems and the rest of the caucus especially the Progressives. They were the duo that came up with the Opt-out compromise. We will see if they are able to patch something together.
Last note on Compromise. The progressives are in a serious bind. First, let's establish there are a large number of them that truly wanted a single payer system akin to something between England and France. There are a large number of people in this country that would jump at such a system. However, the progressives never really brought that to the table. They compromised before they ever started the discussion. Their compromise was the public option. Ok so true single payer is not going to happen we won't fight you on that as long as you give us the Public Option. That will help us swallow the fact that we are not getting what we and many, many of our constituents want.
Then the conservative started chipping away at the public option with opt-in, triggers, co-ops etc. Getting closer to the final voting the progressives were forced to find a compromise that they could live with. That compromise was the National Plan with State Opt-out. This was a big but grudgingly acceptable step away from a National Public Option. Not to mention how far away from their original position of a National Single Payer system. Now that we are on the brink of voting 3 - 4 Senators who have not moved 1 iota from their original position are calling for even greater compromise. The Conservative Dems are in a much stronger position Vi's a vie the Progressives. This going to come down to high wire chicken.
Second thought ,there are reports out that a handful of Senators are still searching for a Compromise, sigh. Mind you these are merely the Democrats compromising among themselves and maybe Olympia Snowe. The debate started public option vs. no public option, add in possible triggers that would never be triggered, opt-in to state wide plans and possible statewide coops. The latest manifestation was the nation public option with the States having the ability to opt out of the plan if they didn't want to be apart.
The most recent discussion is back to triggers this time the triggers would be more stringent and take place in 2013 when the rest of the reforms take place.
Here is my proposed compromise (mind you we have compromised way beyond anything I would truly liked to have seen). Nationwide State Opt-in plus triggers by state.
Setup the plan allow states that want to participate to join in from the beginning do so. There would be a whole slew of states that would likely do so. In addition for those states that do not opt-in would be governed under the trigger mechanism. If insurance coverage in any state does not meet the affordability standards established they would be required to offer the National Plan in their State Insurance Exchange.
This thought occurred to me a couple of weeks ago. I didn't do much with it at the time because the Opt-out option was gaining traction and looked like it had more than a fighting chance. We are getting close to crunch time.
Senator Schumer and Senator Carpenter are reportedly the central figures in working between the Conservative Dems and the rest of the caucus especially the Progressives. They were the duo that came up with the Opt-out compromise. We will see if they are able to patch something together.
Last note on Compromise. The progressives are in a serious bind. First, let's establish there are a large number of them that truly wanted a single payer system akin to something between England and France. There are a large number of people in this country that would jump at such a system. However, the progressives never really brought that to the table. They compromised before they ever started the discussion. Their compromise was the public option. Ok so true single payer is not going to happen we won't fight you on that as long as you give us the Public Option. That will help us swallow the fact that we are not getting what we and many, many of our constituents want.
Then the conservative started chipping away at the public option with opt-in, triggers, co-ops etc. Getting closer to the final voting the progressives were forced to find a compromise that they could live with. That compromise was the National Plan with State Opt-out. This was a big but grudgingly acceptable step away from a National Public Option. Not to mention how far away from their original position of a National Single Payer system. Now that we are on the brink of voting 3 - 4 Senators who have not moved 1 iota from their original position are calling for even greater compromise. The Conservative Dems are in a much stronger position Vi's a vie the Progressives. This going to come down to high wire chicken.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
I love maps - flu edition
I have linked to this previously. However, that was prior to the Swine Flu outbreak. Click on the link to go to Google's Flu Trends page. Google provides a measure of flu activity by utilizing searches that are flu related. Their results have proven accurate. The page allows you check the world the US and even down to the State Level dating back to 2003.
Beware the ides of November
The 15th has come and gone and with a glut of new polling information has been released. With out having taken a full look, I have come to a couple of thoughts. I will attempt to flesh them out in further detail later.
The one area that strikes me first is Health Care Reform and the Public Option. The Public Option has consistently out polled the President and the complete Reform program. I am seeing reports between 61 - 72%. The stat that struck is from the CBS poll showing that voters under 65 years old prefer the Public Option 63 - 27%. That is a 36 point shelacking. That should be a pretty clear cut message.
The one area that strikes me first is Health Care Reform and the Public Option. The Public Option has consistently out polled the President and the complete Reform program. I am seeing reports between 61 - 72%. The stat that struck is from the CBS poll showing that voters under 65 years old prefer the Public Option 63 - 27%. That is a 36 point shelacking. That should be a pretty clear cut message.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Required Viewing
I was just saying yesterday that the Daily Show should be required viewing for everyone. There is currently no one who cuts to the core of today's world as the daily show does. Last night he does a great job of highlighting the snake oil salesman Glen Beck.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| The 11/3 Project | ||||
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Shame
News is breaking that Citi and Goldman Sachs received several hundred doses of Sine flu Vac. This could be the most damaging event the Obama admin has faced. It might go away quickly. This is the cross roads of gov involvement in health care, the "evils" of Wall Street, and political tone deafness. There is no way to react other than complete horror a this story.
There is no where to point but at HHS. It is not in Obama's nature to over react. It willbe intresting to watch this unfold. They are Going to need to handle this every bit as deftly As they did the bitter comments in last years campaign and the Rev. Wright situation.
The commanding story of the tragedy at Ft. Hood may keep peoples attention away from story.
There is no where to point but at HHS. It is not in Obama's nature to over react. It willbe intresting to watch this unfold. They are Going to need to handle this every bit as deftly As they did the bitter comments in last years campaign and the Rev. Wright situation.
The commanding story of the tragedy at Ft. Hood may keep peoples attention away from story.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Go West Gay Man (and Husband)
Below I have diaried my thoughts on the loss of the right to marriage in Maine. There is good news in that Washington State passed a law last night allowing same sex couples to have absolute equality as Hetero couples minus the title Married.
Mixed feelings on this.
While I do believe as a nation we are heading toward a day when Gays and Lesbian are allowed to marry in peace. Some times I am pleased with the progress and sometimes disturbed by the slowness.
Mixed feelings on this.
While I do believe as a nation we are heading toward a day when Gays and Lesbian are allowed to marry in peace. Some times I am pleased with the progress and sometimes disturbed by the slowness.
Carpetbaggers
The simple take on NY-23. Carpetbaggers. People do not like others coming from outside and tell them how to do things. It was bad enough that Hoffman was an outsider to begin with. However, when National outsiders from Palin to Pawlenty start second guessing them that was enough. In order for the Democrat to recieve 50% of vote in this district means an awful lot of people who consider themselves to be Republicans decided to vote for the democrat to send a message to the outsiders. Think about it, they very easily could have decided to go ahead and vote for the Republican.
This is a lesson that should be learned by progressives, conservatives, dems and repubs alike.
This is a lesson that should be learned by progressives, conservatives, dems and repubs alike.
Black Wednesday
People in Maine had the ability to walk into a voting booth and cast a vote on someone else's marriage.
When you put it that way it seems kind of strange. Of all people, Jesse Ventura former wrestler former Governor of Minnesota said it best. You can't put peoples rights up for a vote, if you did we would still have slavery in certain parts of the country.
People went into the voting booth yesterday and passed judgement on people they don't know and they won't meet. They voted to tell their neighbor what they could and couldn't do and with whom they could and couldn't do it with.
Over the last nine months there has been so much hyperventilating over Obama being a fascist socialist tyrant taking away our freedoms and our future. What was yesterday's vote about if not about the freedom to tell the person you love that you want to be together forever and you want the world to know.
There is much to discuss about what all the other races mean, but no other question will have as direct of an impact as yesterday's vote in Maine.
When you put it that way it seems kind of strange. Of all people, Jesse Ventura former wrestler former Governor of Minnesota said it best. You can't put peoples rights up for a vote, if you did we would still have slavery in certain parts of the country.
People went into the voting booth yesterday and passed judgement on people they don't know and they won't meet. They voted to tell their neighbor what they could and couldn't do and with whom they could and couldn't do it with.
Over the last nine months there has been so much hyperventilating over Obama being a fascist socialist tyrant taking away our freedoms and our future. What was yesterday's vote about if not about the freedom to tell the person you love that you want to be together forever and you want the world to know.
There is much to discuss about what all the other races mean, but no other question will have as direct of an impact as yesterday's vote in Maine.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Election Day 2009 Edition
There are 4 races that I have paid modest attention to. My biggest care at this time is the Question 1 issue on the ballot in Maine. To recap, the State of Maine passed a law legalizing same sex Marriage. There is a measure on the ballot today asking the people of Maine if they want to overturn this new law. A NO vote is in favor of keeping Same Sex Marriage legal.
This is the election that will have the most immediate impact on people's lives. Therefore this is the one that I will be most rooting for, while it may not get as much attention as the other races. To be clear I am strongly in favor of allowing the law to stand and let people marry who they want.
Regarding what this evening's election means to President Obama's Presidency, the answer is nothing. This will be a one - two day story and then onto bigger better things. The final outcome of the Healthcare Debate, Jobs, and the economy will weigh much heavier and longer on the assessment of his efforts in office.
For pure sideshow entertainment I will being keeping an eye out for the NY-23. My guess is that the Conservative Hoffman will win narrowly. My hope of course would be for the Democrat to pull out a razor thin victory. (I am still holding out hope that the sense of New Yorkers will reject the carpetbagger like campaign the Hoffman candidacy has turned into)
This is the election that will have the most immediate impact on people's lives. Therefore this is the one that I will be most rooting for, while it may not get as much attention as the other races. To be clear I am strongly in favor of allowing the law to stand and let people marry who they want.
Regarding what this evening's election means to President Obama's Presidency, the answer is nothing. This will be a one - two day story and then onto bigger better things. The final outcome of the Healthcare Debate, Jobs, and the economy will weigh much heavier and longer on the assessment of his efforts in office.
For pure sideshow entertainment I will being keeping an eye out for the NY-23. My guess is that the Conservative Hoffman will win narrowly. My hope of course would be for the Democrat to pull out a razor thin victory. (I am still holding out hope that the sense of New Yorkers will reject the carpetbagger like campaign the Hoffman candidacy has turned into)
Monday, November 2, 2009
The Silent Successes
The Wall Street Journal discusses unheralded accomplishments of the Obama Administration. They mean it to be a wake up call or a warning shot. I call it the will of the people.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
New York State of ?
Quick Recap
NY-23 is New York Congressional District that has been Republican and should be Republican for as long as it last.
There is an election on Tuesday with a New York Democrat and New York Republican (Read: Moderate) and a New York Conservative (read Wing Nut)
Along the Way to the Republican winning like usual the Tea Partiers (baggers, you choose) decided a New York Republican wasn't good enouth. Sarah Palin et al gets behind the Conservative candidate. The Republican Candidate drops out. The Democrat is gracious the Conservative Candidate is a dick. Now the the Republican Candidate is endorsing the Democrat.
Read for a local's perspective.
"What happened in NY-23 is that a bunch of confederate pukes came in and told a perfectly nice, socially moderate, Republican Albany hack (and I mean that affectionately) to go get bent.
As you can imagine there is great speculation on how this will play out on Tuesday. The above quote sums up what I think and hope will be the general reaction in New York.
NY-23 is New York Congressional District that has been Republican and should be Republican for as long as it last.
There is an election on Tuesday with a New York Democrat and New York Republican (Read: Moderate) and a New York Conservative (read Wing Nut)
Along the Way to the Republican winning like usual the Tea Partiers (baggers, you choose) decided a New York Republican wasn't good enouth. Sarah Palin et al gets behind the Conservative candidate. The Republican Candidate drops out. The Democrat is gracious the Conservative Candidate is a dick. Now the the Republican Candidate is endorsing the Democrat.
Read for a local's perspective.
"What happened in NY-23 is that a bunch of confederate pukes came in and told a perfectly nice, socially moderate, Republican Albany hack (and I mean that affectionately) to go get bent.
And, and as a New Yorker, that pisses me off."
As you can imagine there is great speculation on how this will play out on Tuesday. The above quote sums up what I think and hope will be the general reaction in New York.
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