Five Biggest Lies in the Health Care Debate REVEALED

http://www.newsweek.com/id/214254?GT1=43002

Read the article and remember the facts... then vote out the liars!

There Is a Health Care Bill Ted Kennedy Worked on With Chris Dodd

I just learned that there is a health care bill that Senator Kennedy worked on with Chris Dodd and others. It's called the Kennedy HELP Bill or something like that. Here's a link to it:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/09/kennedy-health-care-refor_n_213509.html

It's a "mere" 600 pages long (half the length of the behemoth I read last month) and if Senator Kennedy was behind it, it's the one I will support. I know he was out to help all Americans -- not just some.

The Republicans who said they "would have been with Kennedy" had he been in the mix are misrepresenting themselves and their intentions: they voted AGAINST this bill. So don't for a moment think they intend to back anything that will actually benefit anyone if it impacts the powers that be in health care (insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, etc. -- their lobbyists are paying more than $1.5 million a day to defeat any health care reform bill) in any way.

Let's get behind this bill and get it done for Senator Kennedy and for our own health care future. I don't think he'll rest peacefully until we do!

One thing I know for sure: the Kennedy brothers transformed our nation in so many positive ways that I totally believe that anything they put their names or their political energies to was intended for our benefit. They had it all -- they coulda sat back on their haunches and sailed their lives away -- but they were raised to give back and contribute to the country.

Whether you believed in their policies or not, their hearts were in the right place: with those less fortunate whose fortunes were hobbled and/or denied by the powers that existed (still exist) in this country, all those are mighty comfortable with the status quo.

And this is my 1000th post. It's on a very, very important matter. How fitting!

My Next Post Will Be #1000! WOO HOO!

I've been riding my bike five miles a day and walking two miles and a little bit more for five days as well. I've lost five pounds and am going to keep it up as long as I continue to see results like this. It takes me forever to lose 5-10 just walking even with weights on. Yeah, I eat too much, but too much for my metabolism is anything over 750 calories a day, so it's kind of hard to toe the line when my metabolism is in the toilet the way it is. (Even on a reduction diet, people with normal metabolisms should consume 1200 calories a day.)

Tomorrow I'm going bike riding with Mary Jo and then to lunch with Mary Jo and Pastor Pat Leksen in Orting. I'm really looking forward to it. It's gonna be a lot of fun.

I have a short project (website for a commercial real estate agency in Costa Rica) and an editing job to do this weekend, and after that I'll be working on the two books again -- the ones I told you about earlier -- for two clients. I'll also be house-horse-and-dog sitting on Monday and Tuesday in Eatonville. The property owners have a PC I can use, so I can do that any keep on working.

It occurs to me that as long as I have an Internet connection, I can work from anywhere in the world, so if I ever get to Australia, Africa, Costa Rica, or anywhere else, I can stay for a while and enjoy the ambiance -- I won't have to rush home! That's pretty cool! I've been giving that some serious thought lately...

I wonder what I'll come up with for Blog #1000? Should be interesting -- or not!

Stay Tuned!

Hey, if anyone local has some free or low cost firewood, Jackie and I could sure use some! Thanks!

Edward Kennedy Passes...

I'm immensely saddened to hear of Ted Kennedy's passing. In his almost 50 years in the Senate he was responsible for much of the most progressive, pro-citizen legislation passed during his long tenure, including bills to provide health insurance for children of the working poor, the landmark 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, Meals on Wheels for the elderly, abortion clinic access, family leave, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Words fail me. While I have always and most-famously adored his brother Bobby, I can't even imagine the pressures on Ted to help raise multiple families (JFK's two and RFK's eleven, plus his own children) and go to work as diligently as he did for other Americans whose precariousness in life bothered him and motivated him.

I hope we'll pass a health care bill that bears his name and that he would wholeheartedly support and vote for. I know what's out there now is "not it," yet, but perhaps Senator Kennedy's passing will encourage all the people who loved him, of all political persuasions and leanings, to set aside their differences and find common ground so that many health care issues can be corrected and every American can feel secure that illness or disability will not bankrupt them.

I know Kennedy had his vitriolic enemies, but I hope it comforted him to know that people without enemies do nothing to either gain or lose approval. It takes guts to stake a claim on an ideal and course of action and make enemies for doing so.

I'm sure he'll be welcomed into heaven with the comment, "Well done!" Like all of us, he wasn't perfect -- far from it -- but he didn't let it stop him from making a huge difference in people's lives for the better.

I have a note that he and his wife Vicki sent me last year in response to an encouraging note I sent to them when I first heard of his diagnosis (identical to Mom's). It has been hanging here near my PC ever since, to remind me to pray daily for the family. Now I'll redouble my efforts, because although we have lost an effective, influential, legendary Senator, they have lost even more.

My heart goes out to all of Ted's survivors and friends.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/32563797#32563797

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/32565583#32565583

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/32565583#32566522

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/32565583#32567265

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/32565583#32567389

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/32565583#32567535

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

from President Obama:

Kristine --

Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy. For nearly five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts. His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives -- in seniors who know new dignity; in families that know new opportunity; in children who know education's promise; and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just, including me. In the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth and good cheer. He battled passionately on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintained warm friendships across party lines. And that's one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy. I personally valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I've benefited as President from his encouragement and wisdom. His fight gave us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say thank you and goodbye. The outpouring of love, gratitude and fond memories to which we've all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives. For America, he was a defender of a dream. For his family, he was a guardian. Our hearts and prayers go out to them today -- to his wonderful wife, Vicki, his children Ted Jr., Patrick and Kara, his grandchildren and his extended family. Today, our country mourns. We say goodbye to a friend and a true leader who challenged us all to live out our noblest values. And we give thanks for his memory, which inspires us still.

Sincerely,

President Barack Obama

Update On My Doings...

Yesterday afternoon I attended a dual birthday cook-out for two friends that my sister and I have known, literally, since we were just out of diapers. Although Jackie is cruising in Alaska, I drove over to Enchanted Island (Spanaway, WA) and had a great time with Mary Jane Cooper (the mom of the two ladies who were celebrating their birthdays and my coach when I was a kid playing baseball on a team called The Ponytails) and another older lady who's related by marriage to the birthday girls Penny and Judi (nee Cooper).

Penny is a teacher and Judi is an x-ray or MRI technician. Judi told me she recently uncovered old photos of Jackie and me attending Judi's and Penny's birthday parties as kids. She had them digitized and is going to send them to me soon, so I'll post some of them here. I have very few photos of myself as a kid; I was usually the one taking the photos! (I'm the family historian, turns out, since I have always been the writer in the family and have taken lots of pictures!)

Mary Jane and I are going to go out in a couple of weeks and do some bird-watching while the prime bird-watching habitat is still so nearby (until a six lane highway goes through in the near future). She has been battling the powers that be for fifty years to try and get them to bypass a particularly wonderful bird and mammal habitat area near Spanaway, but the growing population and their elected officials have decided that access trumps wetlands, so the highway will be going through at some point, sadly...

After dinner, Mary Jane's youngest, Greg (side note: Greg's sisters and I taught him how to hit the center of the toilet bowl as a young boy by "sinking the boat" with pee! How hysterical is that?! Please Note: I didn't bring this up last night in front of his four children -- aren't you proud of me?) took me out on Spanaway Lake for a cruise around its perimeter. His young daughter drove -- she's probably 12 or 13 -- and did a great job.

There are many, many multi-million dollar homes dotting the Lake these days. I'll be visiting one of them soon when I attend a birthday party for a friend named Carol Beitz (pronounced "bites") who's turning 70 real soon. Nancy LeMay (LeMay is a huge transportation company here in Tacoma) has offered her lake house as the gathering place for the party, and Jackie and I are going. I'll try to remember to take my camera and take some pictures... I saw the place from the lake last night and just about swooned. It's fabulous.

Tonight I'm planning to attend a Town Hall meeting on health care in Lakewood. Rep. Adam Smith will be there and the Obama folks encouraged me to print out a sign and attend to show support for health care insurance reform because they're pretty sure the opposition will be there in force and they want our side to show up, too. I'll try to take a camera and will report the evening (if I actually go) to the Huffington Post. I've printed out a sign already. Dr. Mary Jo Robinson would have gone along, too, but she's in Yakima until 5 pm today and can't make it back in time...



Friday Mary Jo and I are going biking on the Orting Trail and then we're linking up with Pastor Pat Leksen to go have lunch somewhere. I'm really looking forward to Friday!

Today I dug around in the garden and harvested some cukes, squash and zucchini. I also rode my bike 5 miles (did that yesterday, too, but went 7 miles then) and am about to take off for another walk until some more work comes in here for me. I'm now working on TWO books with clients (rewriting/editing/copy enhancing) and both clients have several more books after these ones to get out, so it looks like I'll be busy for quite some time with just these two clients. WOO HOO! I'm LOVING IT!

Guess that's about it for this time...

Michael Jackson's Death Ruled a Homicide

Good. Now perhaps justice will be served -- not that it will do Michael or his family any good.

Tragic.

Liz Pulliam Weston's List of the 100 Most Useful New Websites

Worth a look!

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SmartSpending/FindDealsOnline/the-100-most-useful-web-sites.aspx

Nine Posts Away from 1000 Posts!

I worked on ten articles today for one client; twenty more remain. It's rewriting health and wellness news reports (50 of them total). I'm about to lose my ever-lovin' mind. I much prefer writing original articles, but hey... this is only one small part of a much larger commitment that I really enjoy and into each life some rain must fall! And it's stringing words together, so I won't complain (more than I just did, that is!)...

Tomorrow Jackie and three of her friends leave on a cruise to Alaska for a week. I envy them. I went five years ago and will go again sometime -- just not this year (even though it's dirt cheap to go). I'm driving them to the ship in Seattle and picking them up next Saturday.

Next Friday Mary Jo Robinson and I are going bike riding on the Orting Trail, weather permitting. I love doing that, and MJ has never been there. She'll flip!

I had to take Archie (one of my 13 year old cats) to the vet today for an allergy shot and another 3 months worth of pills. A couple years ago he developed some kind of allergic dermatitis, and he licks himself almost bald (itching) if I don't keep him on pills and occasional shots. Oatmeal baths and hydrocortisone spray don't alleviate the itching. He feels so much better tonight! (I have to give him a month or so break in between pills and the next shot because constant coverage can cause liver damage on the meds he's on... and we don't want that. It's some kind of steroid he's on, I think. So I have to watch him itch and lick for almost a month every three months. That's when I use the oatmeal baths and hydrocortisone spray to help as much as I can until he can get the shot again.

I've finished the first round of the book editing I was doing and the manuscript is back with the author so she can make a few more nips and tucks and reorganize it a bit more; then it'll come back to me (I think) for a final look-see and run through. It's gonna be great -- I know that much!

Our garden is bursting with produce -- I'll pick my first ear of corn from it sometime this week, I think. We've already eaten all the peas and are harvesting squash, zucchini and cucumbers like mad. We're giving a lot of it away to neighbors and Jackie's co-workers because she planted way too many bushes of each! That's okay! In a couple more months we'll have grapes and before that we'll have apples and plums. WOO HOO!

Guess that's all for now!

Obama Health Care Plan EXPOSED!

Don't you just love the dramatic flare of today's blog title?

I figure if I write a scandalous title, someone will search on exactly that string of words and discover the TRUTH for once! How's that for a strategy?!

I "attended" (virtually) President Obama's Organizing For America grassroots meeting today from 11:30 to 1:00. Fabulous. Just fabulous! I don't think anyone who sees it (here's a link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdrXh7wunMM) will have any remaining doubts or worries about the health care plan.

Of course, those who refuse even to watch it after I've posted it because of their particular political viewpoint are doing themselves and everyone else they talk to a disservice, because they won't be armed with the facts and will continue to spout all the false rumors about the plan. (I expect that, people being people and all.)

But for those who really want to know exactly what the health plan is all about, this meeting today was a FABULOUS thing to see. I feel confident now that I can talk about the plan and have all the facts about it, so I can de-fang the worries and offset the lies that are so rampant right now.

I was mighty miffed that Obama seemed (a few days ago) to be backing down on the idea of a public option, but that's not his plan at all. In an attempt, I think, to be a gentleman and appear open-minded and thoughtful, I think he misled the reporters (or they misinterpreted what he meant) into thinking he'd feel fine about dropping the public option. That isn't what he said at all -- he's just leaving the door open to see if anyone can up with something different that would work as well as or better than the public option. So far, it doesn't sound like he's heard anything better.

At any rate, I'm back on board wholeheartedly. Obama is still offering change I can believe in. I don't know anyone who does it better, or who offers more hope to millions of people who have been without it for so long.

A new day is dawning and I want to be a part of "making it so" so I'll have something to brag about when I'm older and greyer! This is a cause we have to win -- for everyone -- even those who are scared spitless right now. They're scared because they've been fed lies by powerful interests who want to keep the status quo because it works best for them.

It has been so many years since Americans have lived under an administration that was truly for their wellbeing that it's hard to believe it's happening now.

Good news! It is happening now! These people are in this fight FOR US! AMAZING BUT TRUE!!!

And I'm smiling again.

Busy Weekend, Busy Day...

Saturday we had a back yard party for Jackie's two bank branches. It was a hoot, a total hoot. We played dodge ball and volleyball (part of the time with a big exercise ball because we couldn't keep the regular ball in the air long enough to count for anything).

I also worked part of Saturday and most of Sunday on an editing project for a client I've written four e-books with. I worked all day today on the same project and will be at it tomorrow and the next day, too... and for days after that, probably.

It's a 250 page book and my name will go on the cover alongside the clinician's/author's. It's going to be a terrific book. I'll tell you more about it when it's ready to announce. If you're a parent -- especially if you're a parent with a difficult child -- you'll want to read it. This parenting method is revolutionary, tried-and-true for over a dozen years with thousands of kids (including kids in challenging classrooms), and very, very effective.

I'm getting irked that the public option may be dropped from the health care bill. The GOP isn't going to support the bill no matter how many concessions are made, so why don't the DEMS just move ahead and do what needs to be done to protect Americans? I don't get it...

It's frustrating as hell to vote people in and then have them bend over backward to reconcile with pols across the aisle whose primary goal is to hand the new Administration its Waterloo. Silly me -- I think we should actually follow the lead of the leaders we elect as long as they're making sense and transparently trying to help us. I'm not afraid of the consequences of passing a formidable health care bill. I would love to see a Medicare-like system in place for everyone who wants to sign on for it, and for those who can't get health coverage any other way. Having the option will get the insurance companies to mend their rapacious ways. We're the only industrialized nation on earth that doesn't take care of all of its citizens when it comes to health care. It's nuts to be so vulnerable. One major illness and a family can lose everything.

Take 25 Minutes, Refresh, Recoup and Think

This is a wonderful little documentary that takes less than 25 minutes to watch.

http://www.globalonenessproject.org/videos/whatwoulditlooklike

What does transformation look like? How important is it in the world we now live in? How can we survive without it?

Thought-provoking...

I'd love to hear your thoughts after you see and hear it.

Newsweek Takes On the Health Care Myths and Lies...

Enjoy!

http://www.newsweek.com/id/211981?GT1=43002

Amen to This!

People will soon forget what you said.

People will forget what you did.

But people will NEVER forget how you made them feel.

INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!

UNBELIEVABLE!

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1137883380?bctid=21337502001

Kris

Hear Big, Bad Obama on His ObamaCare Plan!

I think -- and reiterate- he's awesome!

LISTEN!!!


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp=32376078&#32376078

What part of what he's proposing DON'T you like?

Bill Moyers Weighs in on Health Care Reform

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/05222009/watch2.html

Lisa Hamner's LAS VEGAS TREK CONVENTION Report

Lisa emailed the following to me:

I was at the Star Trek convention and there are a few 'De' lightful, De-related things to mention:

One of the theatres at this year's convention was called the "DeForest Kelley Theatre." It sported a beautiful banner.

I asked a question of actor Lawrence Luckinbill (Sybok) what he could share with us about his memories of working on the very intense patricide/euthanasia scene with De. He hesitated for a few moments and got very emotional (we both were) and said that De was one of the most wonderful gentlemen actors that he ever had the pleasure of knowing/working with.

He went on to say that De was very ill around the time of the shooting of that scene and he looked at Larry and asked,"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" and Larry said "I sure am" So De said "Let's just do this."

There were quite a few tears in the audience when he answered my question about De.

Where To Find Full Text of Health Care Reform Bill Online...

Here's an URL that will take you to the full text of the Health Care Reform Bill, for those who are interested in reading it. Remember, changes will be made to it, and if you see anything you think should be changed, bring it to the attention of your Senators and Congresspeople. They want our help, insights, and input!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/15/house-health-care-bill-fu_n_234372.html

The Only Kennedy I Ever Met Has Died -- Eunice Kennedy Shriver

I'm very saddened to hear of the passing of Eunice Kennedy Shriver. She is the only Kennedy I ever met and I cherish the memory.

She founded the Special Olympics. A Special Olympics was scheduled for almost my back yard in the early 80's, at Fort Lewis, and I knew I had to be there to support and celebrate it.

As luck would have it, I was seated in a row immediately in front of Eunice. Because of this, I took the opportunity to briefly thank her for the service of her entire family to our country and noted that I had recently read her mother's book, TIMES TO REMEMBER -- twice. She lit up when I said that and smiled broadly, "I'll have to be sure and let my mother know that you've read it twice!"

I told her I especially loved Bobby. My voice cracked a little bit when I said it. She nodded, smiled, and said, "Oh, yes... Bobby was very special," in that distinctive Boston accent.

It was hard to believe that I was sitting within arm's length of a Kennedy. For all I know, Maria may have been along, too. Eunice had several close friends or relatives with her, some of them young, but I wasn't looking at anyone beyond Eunice. I remember feeling almost "anointed" to be sitting so close to her... not in a fannish way, but in a sacred way.

The rest of the day is lost to memory except for the faces of the guards who were allowing cars into Fort Lewis for the event. They had their jobs to do, but the one who looked me over and permitted me to drive in smiled when I told him what I was at the Fort for, and said, "Thank you."

It's time for me to say "Thank you" again to a lady who worked tirelessly on behalf of disadvantaged children to give them hope, love, and better lives. The country is a better place because she dedicated her life in such a way.

God bless you, Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

I have zero doubt He is...

"Enter into your rest, good and faithful servant."

Dr. Mary Jo Robinson Weighs In on the Health Care Bill

Kris,

My view is that they are doing a good job of trying to inform the populace, while the Republicans, insurance companies and other interests are doing their best to steamroll it under, which is what happened with Hillary Clinton's attempt back in the late 80's.

Yes, we need health care reform...but it won't all be addressed at once...

A major stumbling block is how will reimbursement of care provided by physicians be handled? In countries with socialized medicine (Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, etc.) primary care physicians cannot make a living wage; some have to work at other jobs in order to make a living.

Of course this is already an issue in our country where a family practice doctor may not be able to pull in enough money to pay his/her staff, pay rent on the office, pay himself and also pay off his/her medical school debt. I see some of my students having to declare bankruptcy after only a few years in practice.

That is the major issue I see as a physician in practice. I have posted this question onto the WhiteHouse.gov gov website. The question has been asked by other physicians in sessions with Obama, and has yet to be properly addressed.

MJ

Response From My Aunt... Re Health Care Reform...

I am hand carrying a petition to my Senator, Hutchington, tomorrow to tell her exactly why we NEED health care reform. Tamera cannot get health insurance because she has had breast cancer eight years ago. Is that fair? I think not.

Love
EMB

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fy2010_key_healthcare/

On the Lighter, Proactive Side.... from Mary Doman...

Kris...

Here's another site that helps to feed hungry people, at no cost to the person clicking on the site. (Sponsors pay for the clicks.) The site is called "FreeRice" (www.freerice.com).

Here's how it works. A word is presented with four possible definitions. For every correct answer, 10 grains of rice is donated to the UN World Food Program!

The site has 60 vocabulary levels, and the level goes higher or lower depending on the correctness of the answer.

A person can play as often or as little as they want to throughout the day, every day.

I like the site because not only do I get to help feed hungry people, I also increase my vocabulary!

If you like it, I hope you'll put it on your blog! [I do, indeed!]

Mary

Follow Up On The Health Care Plan

The health care plan is not socialism. That word really grates on me and comes from far ring wing Republicans. The plan is very Christian in nature; forget politics entirely.

Consider: We're the only nation in the industrialized nations where getting ill can -- and often does -- bankrupt families. Medicare is "socialized" medicine (by the Republican definition of socialism, Stalin's era would clue them in on actual Socialism), and Medicare seems to work well for older folks except for the "donut hole" which the new plan would fix.

The fact that people presently have to remain in jobs, even if they don't want to, because of its health care coverage if they have preexisting conditions (which would get them denied coverage on an individual or other plan) should concern us all, because insurance companies can (and do in many cases) cancel health coverage if too many claims are made or the insured has additional health issues. So what we have now is an an illusion of health care coverage -- not the real deal. There are limits it will pay and when it can refuse you because of too many claims, it will. Because the way it's designed now, only healthy people can get and keep it. It has happened to a lot of families. I know some of them. Just because it may not be affecting your family right now should not make you feel any more secure.

The only reason the administration is eager to push the bill through so fast is because with every passing day there is so much more misinformation and garbage being put out about it by special interests just to SCARE people. The hope is that the lies will cause people to vote against their best interests based on amorphous fears alone.

Obama doesn't want to run health care, the car business, the banking business, or anything else we've been told he's dying to do. He's trying to bail us out of years of deregulation and selfish profiteering to a point where no one thinks about anyone other than themselves anymore.

He campaigned to help us. We voted for him by a surprisingly wide margin to lead us. I believe, to the core of my being, that leading us to a better day is his honest intention. He is not even a liberal, let alone a socialist. He's a Robert Kennedy kind of Democrat.

The only thing he wants in the health care bill are the following guarantees:

No discrimination for pre-existing conditions; all should receive coverage (because all people are of equal value as God's children)

No exorbitant out-of-pocket expenses, deductibles or co-pays

No cost-sharing for preventive care

No dropping of coverage for the seriously ill

No gender discrimination

No annual or lifetime caps on coverage

Extended coverage for young adults

Guaranteed coinsurance renewal.

We elected Obama to lead us forward. If we want to throw roadblocks in front of everything he's trying to do, it's important to know why.

None of what "the sky is falling" folks have shared with me passes the smell test. I think a lot of people are buying into scare tactics without studying the subject carefully. I have been.

I didn't vote for many years because I was so disgusted with politics and the political system -- and I'm getting disgusted again, but not because of what Obama is trying to do -- because of how deeply-entrenched the special interests have become, to a point where we will swallow their crap whole and not even gag as it goes down.

We need someone looking out for us. I think this bill establishes accountability where our health care is concerned, and that scares a lot of people who have been making big bucks while the voiceless, weak and underserved (who works their butts off at multiple jobs and also pay into our system) suffer. I will be their voice. They matter to me as much as they matter to God. They're HIS kids, too.

If any of those reading this disagree with the bill in legitimate, line-by-line ways that you can show me, please don't take any of this as anything against you. I respect your right to disagree if you can show me what you're actually talking about. Believe me: I'm not against you! I believe this bill will help you every bit as much as it helps the others it needs to help.

This is one hill I'm willing to die on: Every human being in America should be able to get sick and find compassionate professionals and entities standing in the gap for them so they don't lose everything. Anything less is Darwinism -- survival of the fittest and the rest be damned.

Our present health care system is a black eye to our nation and to our system of government. THAT'S why it needs to change and as long as people stand and scream at each other or assign labels like Socialism to worthy attempts to find answers, something is very, very wrong...

This Will Make It Even Easier For You to Research the Health Care Bill Issue....

This just came to me from David Axelrod. Since he's an Obama Administration guy, many of you wll discard what he says out of hand, so you should bypass it and go straight to snopes.com or factcheck.org. to get the scoop. But for those who like to get things straight from the horse's mouth, here you go! Pass both recent blogs along. I think everyone should research the matter carefully. Maybe it will lower some of the heatedness of the town hall meetings to be discussing the same set of information and facts about the bill that's before Congress right now.



Dear Friend,



Anyone that's watched the news in the past few days knows that health insurance reform is a hot topic — and that rumors and scare tactics have only increased as more people engage with the issue. Given a lot of the outrageous claims floating around, it’s time to make sure everyone knows the facts about the security and stability you get with health insurance reform.

That’s why we’ve launched a new online resource — WhiteHouse.gov/RealityCheck — to help you separate fact from fiction and share the truth about health insurance reform.

Here's a few of the reality check videos you can find on the site:
CEA Chair Christina Romer details how health insurance reform will impact small businesses.

Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes tackles a nasty rumor about euthanasia and clearly describes how reform helps families.

Matt Flavin, the White House's Director of Veterans and Wounded Warrior Policy, clears the air about Veteran's benefits.

Kavita Patel, M.D., a doctor serving in the White House's Office of Public Engagement, explains that health care rationing is happening right now and how reform gives control back to patients and doctors.

Bob Kocher, M.D., a doctor serving on the National Economic Council, debunks the myth that health insurance reform will be financed by cutting Medicare benefits.

There's more information and a number of online tools you can use to spread the truth among your family, friends and other social networks. Take a look.

We knew, going into this effort that accomplishing comprehensive health insurance reform wasn't going to be easy. Achieving real change never is. The entrenched interests that benefit from the status quo always use their influence in Washington to try and keep things just as they are.

But don't be misled. We know the status quo is unsustainable.

If we do nothing, millions more Americans will be denied insurance because of pre-existing conditions, or see their coverage suddenly dropped if they become seriously ill.

Out-of-pocket expenses will continue to soar, and more and more families and businesses will be forced to deal with health insurance costs they can’t afford.

That's the reality. Americans deserve better.

You deserve a health care system that works as well for you as it does for the status quo; one you can depend on — that won't deny you coverage when you need it most or charge you crippling out-of-pocket co-pays.

Health insurance reform means guaranteeing the health care security and stability you deserve.

President Barack Obama promised he'd bring change to Washington and fix our broken, unsustainable health insurance system. You can help deliver that change.

Visit WhiteHouse.gov/RealityCheck, get the facts and spread the truth.

The stakes are just too high to do nothing.

Thank you,
David

David Axelrod
Senior Advisor to the President

Health Care Plan -- What Are We Afraid Of?

I've been hearing and reading the scare tactics about the Health Care Plan before Congress. I've also been researching every scary thing that had been put out that that "should" concern me.

I encourage anyone who's concerned to go to snopes.com, factcheck.org, The Annenberg Foundation, and AARP websites and do some research yourself on the health care plan. I'm sure the only question you'll be left asking is "How are we going to pay for it?"

Here's the bottom line: If we don't get health care right real soon, the system we have now is going to bankrupt every other system we have, millions more families will lose their homes and their lives because of catastrophic health care challenges that are not being properly addressed or covered, and we will become the only major nation in the world that doesn't have a health care system that covers all of its citizens, and will remain #18 (behind all the others) in health care quality. How's THAT for scary?

I encourage you to take 30 minutes of your sacred, scarce minutes, go to snopes.com (the Urban Legends website, not affiliated with any political party), and type in "Health Care bill" in the search field. You'll find all the facts, right down the line, about the bogus claims made about the Canadian and European health care systems (tweaked to scare the beejeezus out of us) and all of the other fables that the "opposition" (drug and insurance companies and their political allies in Congress) is putting out there about the Health Care bill.

I urge you to educate yourself and not be afraid. If you see something in the bill that scares you, check it out at snopes.com or factcheck.org, and if it's legitimate, bring it to my attention and I PROMISE to publish it here, so we can get it kicked out of the bill before the final one gets voted on. How's THAT for fair and balanced???

Please, people: this is important. Let's get this one right. Stop shouting at one another in town hall meetings and at each other and find out what the bill actually SAYS before supporting or rejecting it.

It's time to take the matter into the court of sane logic and look at it.

http://healthreform.gov/forums/whatpeoplearesaying.html#20090726

This is My 970th Post -- 30 to Go to Reach 1K Posts!

A milestone approacheth -- the 1000th blog post! It's just 30 posts away! That's pretty amazing when you consider that I started this in February of 2007. That's more than a post per day by quite a lot!

Today I'll be bathing and grooming a dog for a friend of a friend. They're gonna pay me for it, too. I'm not a professional groomer, but have been a dog bather and brusher before, so it's something I'm very comfortable with. And I groom and bathe my sister's dog. I'm also slated to de-mat another friend's Persian by shaving her, but haven't convinced myself to tackle that one yet. I don't know how the kitty is going to react, and getting bitten and kicked doesn't really appeal to me a whole lot! But the kitty obviously needs some help, so I said I'll try...

The last day of August and first day of September I'm scheduled to house/horse/dog sit again for an Eatonville couple (salt of the earth folks) who are going away for a wedding. I can still work from their home so won't be taking any time off work -- I'll just be doubling up and earning extra income while watching over their place and feeding and caring for their nine critters.

Yesterday I created a 70th birthday party invitation for a friend. She's living with a prototype of the invite (which she wrote: I added George Eliot's musings "Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort...") overnight to be sure it's exactly the way she wants it before I go out and buy the card stock and print off 60 copies of it. It's really an adorable invitation: the first page has a photo of her as a less-than-year old; the second (first inside) page has a current photo of her; the third has the party particulars, and the fourth contains the George Eliot quote. It turned out very nice. I was rather proud of it. I don't consider myself a graphic designer, never having trained in it at all, but I do have a good eye for it... unschooled as it is!

There is a commenter who's Japanese and keeps trying to post to my blogs in the Japanese language. I took several of the offered postings to a translation site and found out the posts are about astrology, so I have been declining them. I WISH THE PERSON DOING THIS WOULD STOP, but I think she (or he) is being paid to post to blogs and is just "doing their job." I wish the person paying this person would CEASE AND DESIST since none of the postings are making it to publication. I have to reject six or seven of them a day, so someone is spending money very foolishly on this blog poster! I have no other way to ask this poster to STOP, so I'm publishing it here so perhaps she or her employer will see it and STOP!!! STOP!!! STOP!!! I don't think any of my followers reads Japanese anyway, so what's the point?

ASININE, SCARE TACTIC EMAIL ABOUT HEALTH CARE REFORM BEING DISTRIBUTED WIDELY --

There's A COMPLETELY FALSE AND ERRONEOUS EMAIL going around that's claiming that Page 425 of the health care reform bill is mandating euthanasia training for seniors and that they'll be encouraged to commit suicide if they get too sick because their health care will be cut off!!!

THE EMAIL IS UTTERLY AND COMPLETELY FALSE AND ANYONE DISTRIBUTING IT PROBABLY KNOWS IT IS. IT'S SIMPLY MORE OF THE SAME REPUBLICAN SCARE TACTICS THAT HAVE BEEN USED TO FRIGHTEN PEOPLE AGAINST VOTING FOR THEIR OWN WELLBEING.

PLEASE CHECK OUT ANYTHNG THAT SEEMS OUTRAGEOUS TO YOU AT SNOPES.COM BEFORE YOU POST IT OR FORWARD IT AS FACT.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/euthanasia.asp

IT'S UNCONSCIONABLE THAT THOUGHTFUL PEOPLE WOULD FORWARD SOMETHING THIS SICK AND DEFAMATORY WITHOUT CHECKING IT OUT FIRST. AND IT TICKS ME OFF.

IF THE EMAIL IN QUESTION WAS SENT TO YOU AND YOU FORWARDED IT ON, PLEASE SEND AN IMMEDIATE RETRACTION TO EVERYONE YOU SENT IT TO. THANK YOU!

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

P.S. SARAH PALIN FELL FOR IT!! THAT FIGURES!!!

"A spokesman for Mrs Palin said she was referring to a clause on page 425 of the bill drawn up by majority Democrats in the House of Representatives concerning an "advance care planning consultation" that could include discussion of "living wills" and "end-of-life services".

Such sessions, however, would not be mandatory and even conservative thinkers implacably opposed to Democratic health care plans have not interpreted the clause in the way Mrs Palin did. "

EVEN THE AARP CONTRADICTED THE ALLEGATIONS MADE ABOUT PAGE 425 OF THE HEALTH CARE BILL...

End-of-life services include hospice, nursing homes, DNR orders, living wills, and all sorts of things. They do not include the government deciding who's to live and who's to die...

Happy 48th Birthday, Mr. Prez! Plus, A New Chair.

"Barry" Obama is 48 today. This is his first birthday as President of the United States. He's a puppy. I'm ten years, five months his senior. No wonder he listens to me! (HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!) He doesn't know me from Adam -- but if he stood us side by side and was told both of our names, I bet he'd get it right...

I bought a new work chair today. The one I had was a $50 Wal-Mart 0-3 hours chair. It worked fine for 0-3 hours but after that it became a (literal) pain in the neck/shoulder/lower back, so I knew my next major purchase ($200 plus) was going to have to be a really good, all hours chair.

I found the new one at Office Max after visiting several stores. As soon as I sat down in it, I knew it was The One. It fits, has lumbar support, is made of leather and cherry wood, and is oh so handsome looking. I sat in it all day and feel fine. It's a Broyhill brand. Top notch. The right tool for the right job. I feel reborn.

Email From Mary Doman.... Thanks, Mary!

Kris,

Your entry about the hellacious temperatures up where you are got me to thinking about some web sites that try, in their own small way, to help correct the imbalances caused by global warming.

These are the sites I click on every day...they are free to the clicker, being completely paid for by advertisers. I think they're helping (and not just global warming but other real concerns). If you think they're worthwhile, maybe you can mention them on your blog:

www.ecologyfund.com

www.thehungersite.com (which also has "tabs" for breast cancer, child health, literacy, the rainforest and shelter animals)

www.freekibble.com (a site to give to shelter dogs, which also has a "tab" to give to shelter cats)

WOO HOO!!! MORE MOOLAH!!!

I wrote two press releases and an additional blog for two clients over the weekend. These were totally unexpected projects. So that's an extra $180 for the weekend. Things are lookin' up!

The absolute best thing about all three tasks was that the clients LOVED what I wrote immediately. That usually happens but I was a little hesitant about the newest client (a Michigan fisherman with a new website) because I didn't know him well enough to discern his personality type and write to it. No matter. I just did the best I could with the material I had, submitted it as a first draft, and let him know that if it was off in any way, or missing the mark entirely, I would go back to the drawing with a little more direction from him and make it right. But that t'warn't necessary at all. He loved it. (I did, too, or wouldn't have sent it, of course. I got to use a bunch of fishing terms in the PR, which really helped it come alive.) And now, because I did such a good job on his first project, he may have me copy enhance other things he writes. He may even have me write a monthly humor column!

I only bid on projects that I know I'm going to enjoy doing, that I know I'll do a good job on, and that I wouldn't mind working on longer term, because very often a new client stays right with me for their other writing needs. So I turn down some work that I know could end up boring me to tears if I ended up doing it longer term. (Real estate, insurance, forex, IT, etc.) I'm a person-to-person, conversational writer and some subjects are too dry, technical or just plain uninteresting to me.

I attended church at Life Center again this morning. I've been there three times in four weeks. If you'll wait about 24 hours and then logon to its website (http://www.life-center.org/) , you'll be able to see and hear this morning's sermon, which will convince you COMPLETELY about why I'm going there so frequently. The pastor has it going on! He's fabulous. He's relational, humble, Biblical, and extremely knowledgeable. Most of all, he gets to my heart and spirit in a way that hasn't truly happened since I left Southern California six years ago and had to part from Pastor Alan Meenan (http://www.wordisout.com/; www.churchforthenations.org). The two are as different as can be, but they both love God every bit as much as He loves them -- which is saying a lot and may actually be hyperbole since I'm not sure any human being can love as passionately and resolutely as God can and does.

Anyway, check out the sermons. And if you live far away, that doesn't mean you have to miss either of these amazing pastors: You can catch them on-line every week!

Beyond the Pale with Palin -- As Recited by William Shatner

If this doesn't crack you up, nothing else on earth will...

http://www.popeater.com/television/article/william-shatner-sarah-palin/596519

Aint'cha deleriously delighted that she isn't second-in-command right now?

What is that woman thinking? I can never follow her train (wreck) of thought...

Suggestion for Sarah: When you're in a very deep hole and want to get out, STOP DIGGING!