Collision of Facts : Boehner's HCR Repeal Vs. The PreExisting Conditions Study

First before we start talking Stats and Facts and Studies....or the Odious Repeal Vote, Do look at this photo. This Photo was take at a RAM event, where people lined up over night for Medical Care. They waited in long lines, not knowing if they would get in for care. For some it was their first and ONLY Medical Care in many years.....I can't help but wonder why the Repubs would abandon these people and deny them any hope of Medical Care....So I guess if it was up to Repubs ALL of us would be waiting in this Parking Lot...hoping and praying for any kind of care....
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Here is the Link to the Actual Press Release from the DHHS on their Website on "Pre-Existing Conditions. The information from this study was released BEFORE the Repeal Vote. That the Repubs went ahead with their vote in light of this information is disturbing and worrisome. The Repeal passed in the House, and won't pass in the Senate. But a concern that no one has voiced or raised is that the Repeal could be tagged onto another Bill in the Senate....This is in not way an issue that is now dead in the water.

This " Study " Should have been released and studied and shared and definitely been a part of the Dialogue regarding ANY changes or talk of Repeal. Here is the LINK to the Actual Study, I do encourage that people read it, and I will post important Snippets from it here over the next few days, as it has some information about Employer Covered Care and Older Americans that is new. Insurance Companies did contribute to this study, sharing what they use as criteria, "Conditions" to Charge more,or to cancel or deny coverage. Which means that Insurance Companies are determining Care. Ironically at this point who is the Bigger Death Panel ? The Repealing Republicans or the actual Insurance Companies ?

Many of the Chronic Conditions /Diseases listed below are very treatable, normal Human Conditions where people with adequate Healthcare can go on to lead long healthy productive lives.

The analysis found that:
Anywhere from 50 to 129 million (19 to 50 percent) of Americans under age 65 have some type of pre-existing condition. Examples of what may be considered a pre-existing condition include:
Heart disease
Cancer
Asthma
High blood pressure
Arthritis
Older Americans between ages 55 and 64 are at particular risk; 48 to 86 percent of people in that age bracket live with a pre-existing condition.
15 to 30 percent of people under age 65 in perfectly good health today are likely to develop a pre-existing condition over the next eight years.
Up to one in five Americans under age 65 with a pre-existing condition – 25 million individuals – is uninsured.
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Profits Over People
The bottem line is that we still have 45,000 Americans dying each year with No Medical Care and with No Health Insurance, you need to start asking how many died with disease or Illness that was treatable ? And why are we allowing Insurance Companies to dictate Care for Millions of People ? And why are we Allowing the Government to Enable this Process Further ? Ultimately The Insurance Companies are not just deciding who and how people are treated , they are in essence deciding who will not be treated and who will die....

But the Republicans have now even further empowered this situation, causing more confusion and fear and angst among people who are already suffering....They basically have now sent the message to Millions that they don't deserve Health care. They have Dehumanized a Basic Human Right.

Medical Debt is Being Created by Who is Being Denied Care or Overcharged

Many of these people that have been refused care or canceled in the past 10 years have had to resort to drastic measures to obtain Health Care. They have had to use credit cards or be excessively billed for minimal care. It has been found that Many have suffered huge Medical Debt, up to 62 % of ALL Bankruptcies is from Medical Debt in the U.S. ( Other studies found that more than half of people losing their homes is due or tied to Medical Debt.)

Medical Debt: Only in America from Jon Raymond on Vimeo.

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More on Medical Debt ( And bear in mind these Stats are BEFORE the Economic Meltdown) :
Majority of personal bankruptcies tied to medical bills, study says

by Bobby Caina Calvan, Sacramento Bee
June 5th, 2009
"The cost of health care continues to burden Americans in alarming numbers, with 62 percent of all personal bankruptcies in 2007 blamed on unaffordable medical bills, according to Harvard and Ohio University researchers.What's more, three-fourths of those debtors had health insurance, according to a study to be published in August in the American Journal of Medicine. The study notes that more people are mortgaging their homes in a failed attempt to pay their medical bills.

The report could further underscore the urgency behind policymakers' efforts to overhaul the country's health care system. Congress has begun drafting what health care advocates hope will be comprehensive legislation that addresses the high cost of medicine and diminishing access to quality health care, particularly among the poor and uninsured.

"In 2007, before the current economic downturn, an American family filed for bankruptcy in the aftermath of illness every 90 seconds; three-quarters of them were insured," the study said. The study was conducted by researchers from Harvard medical and law schools, Cambridge Hospital and the Department of Sociology at Ohio University."
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Related Articles and Data :
(1) Wapo article stating that 62% of Bankruptcies tied to medical debt is actually based on 2007 stats.
(2) Even more concerning many of those with Medical Debt have or had Insurance.... LINK for the Sacramento Bee information of above.

IMP :: Another Johnson and Johnson Recall....More Medications to throw out...

This Revised Recall list put out by NPR 1.14.11 is worth checking it contains medications from Arthritis to GI to Respiratory Meds. ( It also brings up questions about Where Johnson and Johnson is now producing their medications that Cleanliness and basic Hygiene are such neglected issues....) Link to the title is the NPR article and more details of what is being recalled.( MSM barely covered this....)

Bill Maher on the Tea Party....

"I want you tea partiers out there to understand one thing: while you idolize the Founding Fathers and dress up like them . . . and smell like them . . . it's pretty clear that the Fathers would have despised you. And what's more, you would've felt the same way. They were everything you hate. They studied science, read Plato & Socrates, hung out in Paris, and thought the Bible was mostly bullshit." –Bill Maher

Thwarted Bomb Attack in Spokane on MLK Parade Day along Parade Route....FBI offering Reward

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More Information about Blackpack found along Parade route before Parade in Spokane this morning, (Backpack and two Tshirts shown above). Spokesman Review revealed these details the Spokane Parade Site. The Backpack did not explode, so evidence was obtained at site including the Backpack and it's contents. It was found by 3 workers before the Parade began, some accounts say it Police were alerted, other reports say Military was notified. The Parade was re-routed and no one was harmed. Device was disarmed, and at this point FBI is offering a Reward.

More From the Police Report :
The police report was filed by SGT. John Roys of the Spokane Police Department, and it reads as follows:
"Today at 0926 hours, Spokane Police Officers were called to a suspicious package at the N/E corner of Main and Washington. The package was found and reported by a City of Spokane worker.As per protocol in these circumstances, Officers responded and secured a safety zone. Officers from the Spokane City-County Explosives Disposal Unit (EDU) arrived to investigate the package. The package was rendered safe by the EDU. The FBI has joined in the investigation.
Further details will be made available as the investigation progresses."

More from the Southern Poverty Law Center they present more details of how the attack was thwarted, and why the FBI is concerned about this attack.More Below From Southern Poverty Law Center.

“It was a device that clearly was intended to harm or kill people,’’said Frank Harrill, a senior FBI agent and spokesman for the bureau’s Inland Northwest Joint Terrorism Task Force.The FBI posted a $20,000 reward Tuesday and released three photographs, including one of the black Swiss-Army backpack that contained the destructive device.

Harrill would not discuss the type of explosive or its construction, including whether the backpack contained an explosive shield intended to spray shrapnel toward potential victims. He also declined to say if the device was intended to be detonated remotely or by a timer.
“It was set to detonate during a unity march on the King Holiday, so, obviously it had political or social overtones,’’ Harrill said.

Raw Story is reporting the MLK event as being Investigated by the FBI as "Domestic Terrorism " at this point in time.

Reuters has more details as they emerge and were one of the Media who reported the case very quickly this afternoon.

It will be interesting at this point how The Media National and Local reports these events or will they try to spin the Story, even though it clearly has a Political Motive and is clearly a Hate Crime that was attempted on Martin Luther King Day. Let us hope that All Questionable Groups are questioned and All Threats Made Public from the NorthWest.Evening News did not report on East Coast, but Maddow did.

Details :
"Thе left alone Swiss Army-brand backpack, wіth wires visible, wаѕ unprotected οn the downtown dais bу 3 city workers whο tοld military οf thе device аbουt thirty mins prior to thе march wаѕ scheduled tο ѕtаrt.Thе parade, attended bу аbουt 1,500 people, wаѕ fast rerouted whіlе city’s explosve ordering section wаѕ summoned аnd safely “neutralized thе device,” thе FBI ѕаіd.FBI representative guileless Harrill dеѕсrіbеd thе “improvised explosve device” аѕ carrying the “very fatal design” efficient οf inflicting “multiple casualties.”

( I find it odd that the Military were Notified ? Not the Police ? )
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9:50 PM According to ABC and Yakima Herald the Bomb was a handheld radio Control Pipe Bomb you can read more of the updates here.

More from the Rachel Maddow Show:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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DailyKos has pretty thorough list of Hate Rhetoric and events of past year it is worth a look....really shows we have a Problem.

Estimates of 50 Million up to 129 Million Have Pre-Existing Conditions ( Wapo) About Soon to be released DHHS Study...

(Photo : RAM Free Health Clinic in LA 2008 : This photo symbolizes the Thousands that have had to line up for access to any Free Needed Health Care.... )
So late Monday Night it came across the wires that up to 129 Million People have Health Conditions that can be considered Pre-Existing Conditions by Insurance Companies. DHHS is to release this Study this week...... The Washington Post snuck it out while we were sleeping, like leaving a Toad on my pillow. Waking it and finding it and yelling out, "Ouch". This number as shocking as it is also shows Why Health Care Reform, even in it's most basic form, must begin now as these Numbers Unfold.
From the Article::
((( Or WHO you may ask qualifys as a Pre-Existing Condition? )))
" The study found that one-fifth to one-half of non-elderly people in the United States have ailments that trigger rejection or higher prices in the individual insurance market. They range from cancer to chronic illnesses such as heart disease, asthma and high blood pressure."

And here's More to Consider:::

"The study found that one-fifth to one-half of non-elderly people in the United States have ailments that trigger rejection or higher prices in the individual insurance market. They range from cancer to chronic illnesses such as heart disease, asthma and high blood pressure.

The smaller estimate, by Health and Human Services Department researchers, is based on the number of Americans whose medical problems would make them eligible for states' high-risk pools - special coverage for people denied insurance because of their medical history. The researchers arrived at the larger figure by adding in other ailments that major insurers consider a basis to charge customers higher prices or to exclude coverage for some of the care they need."

***The Important sentence to note, DHHS arrived at that figure when adding in data from Insurance Companies, Major Insurers.****

Other Toads from the HCR Battle that are already Known Facts.....

According to Harvard Studies in 2007/2008 More than 45,000 die per year with NO Health Insurance and No Health Care. (Please do share the Sept 2009 Harvard Study)

It was estimated that at least 51 Million have No Health Insurance and No Health Care and that Wretched Number was estimated before The Huge Economic Collapse and millions more lost jobs and homes ...and Insurance.

More than 42% of ALL Bankruptcies of People Losing Homes are directly related to Medical Debt. (Studies say 42-62% depending on which study is used).People literally losing it all for their Health. And once they are have suffered Financial Damage, they then go on to be considered a Credit Risk, so then they can not qualify for Health Insurance either.

The bottom line is that all along, all during the Health Care Battle of the past two years there were so many of us saying that alot more People than the Estimated 30 Million proposed during the Health Care Reform era have Pre-Existing Conditions. Millions have been denied Care and Insurance and Cancelled.

Now as the HCR goes into effect it is being implemented State by State to provide changes to Care Provision. Yet each State is handling certain issues differently. Each state is setting up the High Risk Pools. Yet in many states High Risk Pools are determined by Insurance Companies setting the new parameters and the Costs and the Plans of Care. So once again they are controlling the Access of Care , for the very people they already denied,cancelled or over Charged.

And as interesting as this Study is supposed to be, WHY would Sebelius wait until the last Final Hours before the Republican Vote to repeal HCR ??? I am left with more questions than answers.... ( as of 1PM it is still not Publicly Available.)
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((Enigma Footnote:::: Personal little story regarding Being Cancelled. I was cancelled in early 2006, I was cancelled after a Doctor ordered BRCA blood work due to Family History : Breast Cancer. I was cancelled because I supposedly did not properly disclose all family History to said company, even though I am pretty sure I did. So low and behold in August I called the State to inquire as to the High Risk Pool. And within Days the High Risk Provider called me back. Ironically the Company that has the Contract is the same Company that Cancelled me. I was paying 440/month in 2006 ( which yes is VERY high for a single mom....) And they "offered" me Insurance this past August " $1150 /month, not including deductibles and Capped Care.....blah blah blah...."At come point during that Conversation I hung up the phone before I heaved it....Everyone who comes to this Blog knows for over 2 years I blogged we have a Health Care Crisis in this Country. $1150 is too much, it is more than Rent and Heat Combined...It is Highway Robbery....And if you like you are welcome to read about my Life as a UnInsured Nurse No Healthcare and No Insurance and M.S,......just my story, one of Millions.))

Martin Luther King.....Remembering

We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King Interview on Mike Douglas ( First of 3 parts, note the Anti War Discussion....I actually remember seeing this...at my granma's....)

"Somehow this madness must cease. We must stop now. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam.I speak for those whose land is being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is being subverted. I speak for the poor in America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes at home and death and corruption in Vietnam. I speak as a citizen of the world, for the world as it stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours. The initiative to stop it must be ours."Martin Luther King, Jr., The Trumpet of Conscience, 1967.

My Original post on Martin Luther King updated ... Memories of a child of the Sixties...growing up in Downtown Baltimore.

Here is the Tape of Bobby Kennedy speaking about Martin Luther King's Death....in Indianapolis,


Robert Kennedy's Daughter Kerry Kennedy wrote about her Dad in this post...and about him speaking to King's Death.

The poor in our countries have been shut out of our minds and driven from the mainstream of our societies, because we have allowed them to become invisible. ~Martin Luther King, Jr., Nobel Prize lecture, 11 December 1968

"I Have a Dream...."



This Summer of 2011 the MLK Memorial will be opening....I hope to take my son...We must keep King's Dream Alive....

Angels in Arizona.....

Christin Gilmour decided that the Funerals needed peaceful protection when she heard that the Westboro Church had planned to protest Christina Green's funeral and the others funerals. Even though a law was passed this week to protect the Funeral of the youngest victim, the Westboro Baptist Church had still planned their hate filled vigils for the other funerals. So she organized people to stand and protect the Funeral Processions and the Grievers from this Hateful group. So they made Angel Wings and others came wearing white. Here is more about her efforts and this article tells of the support she received from far and wide....

(( For those that aren't aware, the Westboro Baptists Church last action was at the Funeral at Elizabeth Edwards and for that event People organized loud singing groups of Christmas Carolers to combat the Protesters.))
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Friends in Arizona posted and blogged and tweeted this week, showing us that the long lines of people that waited to go to the Memorial. They spoke of the long lines of quiet people standing together, being kind to each other, sharing drinks and
tending to each other as they waited many hours. The event held over 20,000 and more than 14,000 had to go to overflow seating at the football stadium. Knowing how many people waited for hours to pay their respects and honor those hurt and killed says that Arizona is not all full of the rhetoric of Jan Brewer and the Tea party. I wish the MSM had shown these long lines of people and even interviewed them so we would know how those living there felt about all that they had experienced in their state. I wish those lines of people had had a Voice.

Eric Fuller, Shooting Victim Arrested Due Outburst at Poorly Planned ABC Meeting

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Above is the CBS interview with Eric Fuller as he described the Shooting last weekend in Arizona. Please note that this interview shows how traumatic the Shooting was....for the true Victims at the Giffords Event. (This same man went to try to offer comfort to the shooter's parents-I will post that video when I locate it. It shows he is a traumatized, yet thoughtful individual.) I put this at the top so you can see what the Victim went through.
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Now bearing in mind what ALL the Shooting victims have been through. Christine Amanpour and ABC decided to hold a "Gathering" a "Town Hall meeting" and invited Citizens, Victims and "Community Leaders". In light of that, for some reason they included the Tea party Leadership to this meeting. Here is the ABC desciption of their event that they called a conversation. Ms.Amanpour has done interviews and news work for over 20 plus years,most of her work has been of the highest caliber. My concern is that in light of the recent events and the bloody crimes and the fragile state of the victims, that maybe this was not a time to have the Victims sit in a room with the Tea Party to discuss the Deadly attack. Some of these victims had not seen each other since the attack and in a public setting was most likely scary enough, but one has to wonder if they knew any Tea Party Leadership was going to be there.

That Decision led to a very heated Confrontation and the Arrest of Eric Fuller , mostly because The Tea Party Leader is now claiming to be a "Victim". At this point Eric Fuller has been arrested and ordered to have a Psych Eval and obviously he is needing a Lawyer. After all he has been through this week, ABC bears some responsibility for the Confrontation and the Consequences of their poorly made decision. ( I will post Amanpour's tweets in the Comments.Please note as of 1am Sunday I have not seen the show, but I will be watching and taping in AM and posting all related articles.)

Mr Humphries of the Tea Party is now portraying himself and the Tea party as Victims in the shootings, which the people in Arizona would hardly recognize as the situation.Please do see the post below in regards to the AZ Tea Party and also due to the comments Giffords own dad made after the shooting and the Tea Party's Candidate's campaign.

I am still gathering details on this Event and contacting people in an attempt to get Mr.Fuller the proper Journalistic Coverage and also to get him the Help he needs to deal with this New Set of Circumstances. Please read more below.

(1) ABC keeps editing the story, so at this time I posting the HuffingtonPost Linkthat explains the Fuller arrest when supposedly related to Tea Party Leader being threatened. ABC has changed the title of their article three times tonight.
Here are more details from KGUN ( yes that is their call letters..sorry), about the "Town Hall Event" and The arrest, and the events that transpired. ( Please note that their page is already trying to paint Fuller as an "operative", rather than remembering he was and is a Shooting Victim, that has suffered a signifigant trauma. And they also were not present inside the event as ABC did not allow outside media into the event.)

At this time it is important that we fight the MSM Media Spin that is already trying to pain the Tea Party as Victim in this horrendous time in our History, it is time that the Media and the Tea party and the Republican Party start being responsible for the Ugly Violent state of affairs. Otherwise you know that the Liberals and Dems will be targeted and Painted in a whole new light
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(1) Mr Fuller drove himself to hospital to get care after the shooting, and you can read about that here. He was shot in the knee and the back,yet even wounded he went got himself his own medical care.Which just shows what his week has been like...

(2) Perhaps Ms.Amanapour should have read the CNN website about how Giffords had been Targeted by the Tea Party for Many Monthes Even Gabby Giffords own dad when questioned about did Gabby have any enemies, he quickly responded,
"THE WHOLE TEA PARTY".....Did Ms.Amanpour think to speak with Gabby's dad ? This NY post Interview with Gabby Gifford's dad, was where he explained his Concerns regarding the Tea Party targeting his daughter.

(3) Did Ms.Amanpour happen to research Tea Party 's Jesse Kelly's Campaign to "Remove Gabby" ? The Ad with the M16 ? (which has been pulled from his website and Yotube) TPM has more about this Shooting event....

Kelly was the Lying Scheming Tea Party Candidate, here is more....

AND here is more on Mr.Kelly The Tea Party Candidate, ( from Keith Olbermann )

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Here's more from Kelly's Ad campaign In case ABC forgets to show it. Here is more from TPM re. the M16 AD explaining it's purpose last June 2010.

3:30PM Sunday Update... ( My apologies, I just returned home, so I will update this situation...)
As of this afternoon there are reports that Mr.Fuller has been involuntarily committed to an un-named Medical Facility. The concern is is he actually receiving medical care or is he being railroaded and painted as a violent erratic person. One would hope that all the shooting victims have been offered some kind of Victim Counseling. ( Most States do have funds for Victims to receive mental healthcare, now if states have had budget cuts those funds might be diminished.
Monday Jan.17th Update:
So now all that we have learned is that Fuller has been involuntarily committed due to concerns for welfare of others. I find it disturbing and odd that he was so quickly committed Involuntarily , yet Jared Loughner who was the perpretator of the Crimes was not offered such "help" or "care" or "assessement", That boggles me as someone watching far away. As a nurse I find myself wondering were all of the Victims offered proper care,counseling and mental health care ? There should be State Funds offering such care...but ?This man even drove himself to the hospital and then was discharged with large wounds within mere days, clearly he was psychologically wounded as well. The Media has portrayed him as a Liberal with an agenda, and of course also begun the Spin that the Tea Party leader is a "Victim" in these events.

A Bit of Saturday Wisdom.....

"This is America, "a white Catholic male Republican judge was murdered on his way to greet a Democratic Jewish woman member of Congress, who was his friend. Her life was saved initially by a 20-year old Mexican-American gay college student, and eventually by a Korean-American combat surgeon, all eulogized by our African-American President." Mark Shields, PBS
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I am working on new post for tomorrow "Hidden Heros and Random Angels".....More tomorrow...
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Carlos Gonzalez Native American Blessing at the Memorial...shares his soulful heritage...Mexican and Native American...

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Daniel Hernandez the Brave Intern speaks at the Memorial ...

Enough Is Enough....

‎"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - MLK

Praying for Wisdom, For Strength, For Light, For Compassion.....For Healing.
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31 Bullets, 20 People shot, 6 Dead, a Congresswoman fighting for her Life... and the little girl who won't see 10...A Little girl who went to see and meet her Congresswoman....Americans, Liberals and Dems Shot , Targeted at Safeway Parking Lot. The past two years have been full of Hate Rhetoric and so many had worried that the Hate Rhetoric would end in Violence. Any of us that worked on the Obama Campaign or Health Care Battle will tell you it was as bad as anything from the Sixties. That Hate is Alive and Well, and that Racism is not just about Color, it is about Ideals and Politics. Being Targeted with Hate Mail and Threats for being a Democrat or a Liberal is Not what makes a Healthy Democracy.

Many of our Leaders and Reps have had Threats, not like any other Era in Our History. Yet any of us that survived and lived through the Sixties we know that Threats lead to Violence, not sometimes...But Always.Just say the Names, John F.Kennedy, Robert F.Kennedy, Martin Luther King.....Blood was shed, Lives Lost, Lives Shattered. I wish I could say Lessons Learned. All of us that grew up as Children of Sixties dreamed, prayed of not having to revisit these Lessons with Our Children.

Some of the Right Wing and Some of the Media has been out in force saying that Rhetoric and Palins Crosshairs Map are not to blame for what a sick troubled young man did. It would be easy, a convenient Ostrich in the Sand Moment for everyone to just blame a Young Man's Sickness....I can not agree....The Hatefilled Climate in this Country has been dangerous...Even Gabby Giffords warned about the Hate Rhetoric especially of Palin during the HCR battle last March, we even have her profound prophetic words on March 25th after her office was vandalized. Please do read this Raw Story post and share the link- I will post Link in Comments We need to listen to Gabby, now more than ever. And share this video, Gabby Gifford's Words, Thoughts, Worries.

How Do we Fight Hate. We have to stand up for What Matters, we have to make sure to Teach Each Other and Our Children What Matters. We have to show the Right, The Media and the World that we still have Some Compassion, that we can come together when Our World is Broken. That we can pray for Wounded Victims and their families, and for the Dead. That we are brave enough to Talk of What Matters. For the First Time in Our History not only was an Elected Political Leader Shot, Targeted in an attempted Assassination, BUT her Constituents were also Targeted as they went to meet with her at Public Place. The Media has Not Focused on This Critical Change in Our History.....otherwise it becomes Accepted, Commonplace ?

For Two years the Right Wing and the Tea Party and the Repubs used words like "Lock and Load" Reload" "Come Armed and Dangerous" "2nd Amendment Remedies" "Death Panels" Calling Dems "Dangerous, Take'em Out" "Bury Obamacare with Kennedy" " Are You Willing to Die for Healthcare".....The Signs the Heated ugly Rhetoric. And if Media was confronted that they were enabling this Ballistic Language, that they were giving Air Time to this Dangerous Violent Inciting Language we were dismissed. I do blame CNN and FOX for Enabling and Coddling the Tea Party Anger, fueling an out of Control fire that started during the 2008 Campaign season with Palin and then carrying forth during the HCR Battle.( I even wrote to the Media and was told that the Tea party was exciting new patriotic party. I responded then and do now, They ARE Dangerous.Period).

We also know that under the Bush years anyone could be targeted, maligned, threatened and it was all done under the guise of "Patriotism". It heralded an age of Embracing Bullys. Muslims, Hispanics, Any Immigrants, Gays, Gay Military, Women, Divorced Women, Any Kids who were Different, Dems,Liberals, Bloggers etc etc. ALL were allowed to Labeled and attacked under the Free Speech Banner. It set up the Breeding Ground for the Birth and Seedlings planted by the Teaparty and the Birthers, it birthed a whole new level of Racism ,of Hate. Anyone could be Hated, Anyone.

‎"What is objectionable, what is dangerous about extremists, is not that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant. The evil is not what they say about their cause, but what they say about their opponents." ~Robert Kennedy

With the Election of Obama many of us were hoping and praying for a return to a Civil Dialogue, and Critical Thinking and Working on problems together. A Time for people to come together, and after 8 years of Bush maligning and mistreating Dems, we thought that this was a New Era. But instead Dems and Liberals have been tarred and feathered , especially our New President. It has been a time of incredible worry, angst. It has been fueled by Anger, Joblessness and Homelessness. But for some reason the Repubs and TeaParty decided that Dems could and would be blamed for ALL of these Problems. ( Not once identifying two Costly Wars that Bush propagated and prolonged based on lies....and war crimes...).

"Progress is a nice word. But change is its motivator. And change has its enemies." ~Robert Kennedy

We are at a Turning Point, a Crossroads, where we go from here, how we get there, it us up to all of us. But we can not stay silent, we can not let the Right Wing Propaganda Machine and the Corporate Media Control how this Crisis is handled. It is up to all of us to speak up that there are many factors to look at in this Violent Tragedy. And many Questions to be answered. Were the Threats and Violent Rhetoric a part of this Bloody Mess ? Did the Young Boy have access to Proper Mental Health Care and Medical Care ? What is Wrong with Our Gun Laws that would allow such a young man to be able with ease to shoot down People in a Safeway Parking Lot with a Gun that had 33 Rounds ? There are so many Questions that we must navigate with Clarity, Wisdom, Critical Thinking. And we have to be able to Talk to Each Other, and Listen. And we have to find Compassion in Our Hearts for all Effected and in Pain over this Event. But we must also recognize There is Something Wrong in Our Country.

For the Patient to Heal, Any Patient, The Depth and Extent of the Wounds must be recognized and acknowledged, or there can be No Healing. And that is how I see Our Country right now. Very Wounded. We Must Heal....Together. It Starts Right Here, Right Now. Enough Is Enough. Amen.
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A Little girl went with her neighbor excited to see and meet Her Congresswoman...a little girl who wanted to be part of the Political Process....
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Gabby's husband sits and holds her hand. We send him and all the victims our prayers....
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A young man, her community outreach rep shot dead, he will never marry his young fiance...30 years is too young.
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I too am sorry if I ever in any way contributed to the Climate of Hate we have in this Country.....I know as a Nurse I fought hard for HCR, and I apologize for any hurt or pain that I caused in that time. I send only Condolences to All that are in pain at this moment. I give you my compassion, Tonight during the Memorial Service I will be lighting Candles and praying for all........1.11.11

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"Teach Your Children Well" CSNY

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Imagine....John Lennon ( and yoko ono...)

IMAGINE.....live 1972 John Lennon and Yoko...

I have blogpost I am trying to finish...should be done by 6PM...but in the Meantime I thought...I know we need some John Lennon..( especially after Sarah's latest stunt....) we NEED peace..understanding....love...No more Hate...

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4PM 1.11.11

All day in Arizona people are lining up to be part of the Memorial. As of 2PM the line was over 2 miles long to get in. ( on Twitter DawnTeo is livetweeting the event.)
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1.12.11
We have been playing alot of music...and talking...6-6 and I realized we both were listening to alot of Beatles and CSNY,
here is mine Teach Your Children Well...

My son 6-6 asked me to play this song...OHIO by CSNY, he said it is about the lessons of the past....

And then it was Monday...Jan10,2010

Working on Updating the Giffords Post below and also two new posts regarding Hate Rhetoric,HateMongering and Our Loss of Compassion ....In mean time we all need to keep the Shooting Victims in our Prayers.....More later...namaste

BREAKING NEWS:Arizona CongressWoman Giffords shot at Political Event in Arizona, Mass Shooting Please stay tuned....

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First Reports coming out about this Shooting and Congresswoman Giffords was gravely wounded, as she was shot in the Head as of this post she is still in Surgery.

Democratic Congresswoman Giffords was at a Speaking Event in front of a grocery store, and a Mass Shooting has occurrred, Bystanders say they heard atleast 20 shots. It is estimated that atleast 5 are dead and multiple people are wounded. More details are emerging. Please keep her husband and step children in your prayers....Please note she was speaking at an Event with her Constituents, so there are many that are effected by this Violent Tragedy.

( There have been protests and threats previously I will post the links and background information )
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Hatemongering can Kill....We have been trying to tell the MSM that for Months...

For Many many monthes all of us have been trying to get the MSM to cover the Hatemongering with Clarity, because all of us that went to the Health Care Town Hall Meetings can tell you the Angry Violent Rhetoric Was heading in a Direction of NO Return. Any of us that went to Events and had to deal with the Teaparty Irrational Anger have been very worried. And Remember when Sarah Palin put out her CrossHairs Map ? Well.. Damnit Do Note that Arizona is on the Map.....

Please note that Giffords was one of the Reps that recieved Vandalism and Death Threats due to her Health Care Vote.....

Saturday Blog Round Up #1: House Weeper Era Begins,New Math Explained,And Mark Twain gets Hucked...

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Teddy Roosevelt
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Its a Snowy Bitter Cold Saturday here by Lake Erie, I am going to sit here drinking huge Mugs of Hot Tea and read. (Let's be real there is nothing better than burrowing down with lots of blankets and the critters and reading when it is This Cold).I have decided in Light of Recent Political Happenings to bring back my Blog Round Ups this year....and if you haven't noticed I am trying to Blog more.....Hope you don't mind if I share some good stuff with you.
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First Something Arty and Amazing .....Curious about This photo up above? Does it remind you of the Greats? Like Dorthea Lange ? Do Look up Vivian Maier...This amazing woman is a Nanny who took thousands and thousands of photos from the 50s-70s and never showed them to anyone....but a Flea Market Hound found them by Accident. Read more about How he acquired her Art and what happens next since Jon Maloof found her works, her story and her art is an amazing Find.
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First Blog Round Up of the New Year. It would be easy to glide into a Slump right now especially watching the Republican Antics this week under the Weeper of the House. But Most of us Blogged the Bush years, it was Our Way of Fighting Back....and Amazingly enough it is time to Fight Back Again....Even harder this time.So Every week I will do my best to help you with the Battle, we need to Be Smarter than the Tea baggers and the Repugs, and there is only One Way to Do That. READ and Share and pay Attention and Speak Out....If a "Hard Rain is Gonna Fall"...we Just Need Bigger and Better Umbrellas....I will walk with you...and Share my Umbrella. But I will not stay Home and Hide from what Comes Next.

These Round Ups I try to bring you some Voices of Reason, Some Wisdom and A Bit of Humor and Some Surprises. If it makes you think and smile...and feel smarter I have done my job. And yes to those waiting for my post on the Arkansas BlackBird Mystery, that post will be up tomorrow night.
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(1) First Some Wisdom from Paul Krugman, his blog for the NYT. Do read the posts from this week about JOBS and do take a look at some of the Graphs- they really explain the Economic Picture in a way that will make perfect sense. It puts the "Numbers" in context.

(2) Next up David Cay Johnston has a Must Read Post about State Economies that will stun your sensibilities. He carefully explains how States are really taking care of Corporations, and the Working Families are suffering the consequences. As all of us hear Our States begroaning Budget Issues, and the Media reports record losses, ask yourself if they point out Anything that David Kay Johnston points out to ask ?

(3) Robert Reich has two posts this week that are worth the Read, The first one from his blog and reposted over on Huffington Post about The Shameful attack on Public Employees is a must read, especially if you read the post above by David Cay Johnston, it will haunt you..... And then his other post is about the Repugs attack on the HCR could actually Backfire on Them, this post actually made me smile and also made some great points that some of the MSM has missed this week.

(4)Jon Raymond Filmmaker and Writer, has a great blog that covers a variety of issues, Anti War concerns to Healthcare, politically active and aware....really beautifully done, including an update this week on RAM and their continued efforts to help those in this country without Healthcare. ( There will be more next week on the HCR Round Up Blogpost and his Documentary on the Health Care Crisis in America "Got Healthcare").

(5) Have you read Jolly Roger recently ? No....you need to. Many of us used to read Reconstitution and Jolly Roger always made us feel smarter, and even laugh during some very dark times. Now he has Plutocrap Up and running and educating us about the New Absurd Republican Era in Congress.....

(6) And on another note,another Stop the Damn Insanity Note, this week we learned that Mark Twain's Huck Finn is being Censored, ReWritten so that it is more acceptable ? More Palatable ? For WHO ? More Polite ? It was kind of the final rotten Cherry on the Sundae of a Bizarre wacko week. Thank Heavens the Rude Pundit blasts this issue the way it needs to be blasted in a way that only he can.....
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Saturday Add On ( sent via email from loyal readers )::::
(1) So you think that Dioxin went out in the 80s as a Potent Dangerous Toxin ? Think again, this Huffington Post article about Dioxin Feed Contamination will give you chills. They have had to shut down farms that were producing eggs, poultry and pork due to contaminated feed....4700 farms.
(2) Democratic Congresswoman calls Afghanistan an "Embarrassment" , must see video.....

Friday Night Music.....Eddie Vedder( Pearl Jam ) Does the WHO "Reign O'r Me"

Sean Penn introduces this song the way it needs to be done...and then Eddie does the most amazing Tribute Ever....

Your Feel Good Moment of the Day : Flash Mob Wedding in Boston....

Do watch this carefully especially 2 Minutes into it you will quickly realize that this is a Real Wedding...yes, at a Mall with hundreds of unsuspecting folks...beautiful and touching...Do have Kleenex ready....really Touching...(Huge Hat Tip and thank you to Pink Granite for finding this gem)

Homeless Man with Pipes....Ted Williams...

( ITN version of original tape has his story....how he ended up on the Streets. The Reason this story is so profound is that usually we drive past Homeless people it is So Rare to HEAR their Stories....Ted in an odd way has Given Voice To Homelessness....So Next Time you drive by, remember ALL Homeless People have a Story....) Doral Chenowith from the Columbus Dispatch is who "found" Ted and has been covering all of the story and the situation, please do read the full page that Columbus Dispatch has now dedicated to following Ted's 2nd Chance....
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" If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down but the staying down. "~Mary Pickford
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(NOTE*** The Original video has now been pulled.,but this Jan 6th CBS story has part of the original video and also has full 5 minute interview with Ted Williams and his newfound internet fame....)
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So this story has been all over the internet for the past few days and since it is a real Heartening Feel Good Story from Ohio I have to share it. For anyone who believes in 2nd Chances and the Opportunity for anyone to start over....please do read this and share. The man in the story is named Ted Williams for many years he was a Radio Personality, right here in Cleveland, but then his life declined and he lost it all and ended up with a Substance Abuse problem and a scattered lengthy criminal record. For years he has been homeless and living on the streets and he claims to now be clean for over 2 years, and just wants a 2nd Chance. (His life hit the skids in the 90s, and he has been homeless off and on since 1993). A reporter shot an interview with him and the rest is history, because once people saw and heard him, he was more than memorable....Below are the Updates on the Situation and as of late Wednesday Night he was trying to get home to NYC to see his mom and be on NBC Morning program. He is also seriously considering a Job as an announcer with the Cleveland Cavaliers ( and they also offered him housing).

Here is more from the Original Story ( that was run on local news stations and on Countdown ) The Columbus Dispatch posted a YouTube video that quickly got millions of hits....

And the CBS Evening news had more on him and his situation tonight, explaining how the Offers have been pouring in the past few days....

And here is an update from Yahoo Music News and shows new video of him with clean clothes and a haircut...talking about all the offers and his gratitude, literally showing how his life is turning around.

Update as of Late Wednesday Night....1.5.11
As of late Wed. Night the Cavs offer still stands even though they have learned fully of his Drug and Substance Abuse History and his Criminal Record.

""Williams was contacted Wednesday by the Cavaliers, who have offered him a position that could include announcing work at Quicken Loans Arena, the team's downtown facility. Williams said the team has offered him a two-year contract and said they would pay his living expenses."I can't believe what's going on," said Williams, a father of nine, adding he feels like Susan Boyle, the Scottish singing sensation who became an overnight star. "God gave me a million-dollar voice, and I just hope I can do right by him."

It's been a whirlwind for the golden-voiced man, who was recently living in a tent and whose past includes a lengthy list of arrests. He has served time in prison for theft and forgery and has been cited with numerous misdemeanors, including drug abuse.Williams was most recently arrested on May 14. He pleaded guilty to a first-degree misdemeanor theft charge. In court records, his address is listed as "Streets of Columbus."

Upon learning of Williams' criminal history, the Cavaliers said their offer still stands.
"We believe in second chances and second opportunities," said Tracy Marek, the team's senior vice president of marketing. "The gentleman deserves an opportunity to explain certain situations. We're not jumping to conclusions. It's not fair."Cavaliers spokesman Tad Carper said exact details of the team's offer and their plans to help Williams with housing were still being worked out."

Stay Tuned for Updates....I will update when I find more...very curious and oddly hopeful for this man...
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(Photo of Ted Williams seeing his mom, who is 90 and had been praying for him all of these years. She is from Brooklyn and had not seen him in over 10 years. He went to NYC today for the AM shows, and also to see her. Photo by Doral Chenowith , note this photographer is the one that found Ted and originally filmed him and is still filming his journey....)
Thursday Updates:
So today Ted Williams did make it to NYC he was on both the NBC Today show and he also did make it on the CBS show as well. Kraft has hired him to do Voice Over work for the Fight Hunger Bowl this weekend and on CBS he did get to see his Mom finally in a conference room. Here is more from the Columbus Dispatch that has been traveling with him.

Today Ted Williams Introduced the Today Show, look how good he looks and so happy Working doing what he does best....
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Thursday Jan 6th Updates.
(1) For us Ohio folks we are waiting to see if he takes the Cavs job, still no word as of Thursday Eve, but this article does outline what he would/could have as a job for the Cavs and that the offer still is open, and he must be weighing alot of offers....
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Friday Jan 7th Update:
Here is the Kraft video/ad that he worked on this week, and they have offered him VoiceOver work on 4 commercials. The one Kraft Commercial will air during the Hunger Bowl this weekend.
And here is Ted on Jimmy Fallon last night talking about his Kraft Commercial and his whole situation,

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If you want to send Ted Williams a message of Hope and Best Wishes as he starts his new life I have been telling people to forward them to Doral Chenoworth the Columbus Dispatch Photographer. C/O Columbus Dispatch. 34 South Street,Columbus OH. 43215

UnHealthy News....Updates on Our Health Care Crisis (Insurance Greed to GOP Idiots)

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(1) Dailykos posted the first story ( via National Nurses Union ) about how the CEOs make sickening Bonuses while all of us are Dying for care... I want Someone to tell me WHAT they do that deserves Millions of Dollars while I have friends and neighbors with NO Healthcare at all....dying in their homes....How can that be OK with Anyone ????

(2) Here is the actual Link from Kaiser Health News that has the actual information about the Bonuses and who and how it effects us.....

(3) Meanwhile Blue Cross of California jumps on the Greed Wagon and decides that it is now planning a 59% Increase for Individual Policies that will surely make sure that MORE people go UnInsured or unable to afford even just basic care. It is amazing after watching the Economic hell that so many are experiencing that Big Companies find more and more ways to screw Middle Class Working Poor in this country.....Stunning.

(4) Meanwhile Wendell Potter tweeted this great Eugene Robinson Article that is a Must Read about the HCR battle that Dems SHOULD want to take on.....

(5) And now adding to the Health Care Mess we have in this Country, the Repugs want to REPEAL the HCR, and low and behold they say it is to Save Money, but the joke is their actual Repeal will cost well over 230 Billion Dollars by CBO estimates.......(TPM story linked here)
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Enigma Note: For those that are new Followers, I am an RN of over 20+ years and I also am UnInsured due to being cancelled in 2006 due to family Cancer History (Breast Cancer), and I worked for over 2 years blogging and trying to educate all of us about our Health Care Crisis, and worked very hard on HCR. I am not happy with the Bill we got, but it is a Start....in the End I know as many do that we NEED HCR for ALL, Medicare for All, even a Buy In Program would benifit the more than 60 Million that are uninsured. More than 47,000 People die each year with NO health Insurance and No healthcare......So yeah, as an UnInsured RN, I am rather Opinionated about this issue, No One should be dying for healthcare....No One.

Update on Our Iraqi Refugee Family...."Story Interrupted" ( on my other Blog)

Please click the link, it will take you directly to the Story of the Iraqi Refugee Family and explain what has happened over the past two months and why no updates are posted here any longer...