Monday Musings: November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009 at 18:10 Are you waiting as breathlessly as I am to hear what Obama has to say on Tuesday, when he lets us in on the bold new plan to win the hearts and minds of the people of Afghanistan? The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is certainly all ears, having released a report outlining how the thing was irretrievably lost while that pack of jackasses (AKA the Bush administration) let it go to the back burner while they played oil games in Iraq.
Our adventure in Afghanistan is doomed. There are few real experts on the region that haven’t declared it so. But, I fear, the generals have Obama’s ear and the voices of reason are being drowned out.
It’s now costing us $1 million dollars per soldier to fight that war over there. And, we can’t afford to reform the broken health care insurance system.
My ass.
Meanwhile, back here at home … a gunman walks into a coffee shop and blasts four police officers away.
We don’t need any gun control measures either. Do you hear the NRA coming up with any solutions for tragedies like this?
Being just a simply housewife, I’m confused by the so-called conservative right.
They seem to be afraid of a lot of things, just not the things that would scare the living shit right out of me.
The conservative right - which I’ll refer to as Teabaggers since that’s who’s taken the GOP over - is afraid of the insurance and pharmaceutical industries not making big enough profits. They lay awake at night worrying over the profits of the oil companies. They almost can’t eat due to angst over any sort of sensible regulation of the financial industry. And, worst of all, they fear the lack of prayer in schools, a woman’s right to choose, and stable, legal marriages between gays.
Holy shit, Batman! I’m laying there awake at night over this crap too!
NOT.
I fear a country taken over by lobbyists and corporate interests. I fear more dead soldiers and civilians in Afghanistan. I fear an unregulated financial services industry. I fear a failing educational system. I fear going bankrupt due to medical bills.
Sigh.
Right here in dear old Nevada, I would most fear filing for unemployment benefits.
It seems that the State of Nevada was caught napping when the jobs left. Bottom line: people filed for benefits, employers weren’t held to an 11 day period to contest it, once the employers got around to contesting it - sometimes months later, after payments had been made - the unemployed were blindsided and asked to repay the benefits.
Are we fucked up here in Nevada or what?
Want the whole sad story in detail? Read the Reno Gazette-Journal, who’s actually woken up and done some fine investigative reporting. Kudos to Francis X. Mullen on his superb work.
But lest you think the RGJ has completely reformed, worry not. I just went to the website to get the link to the story and what are they crowding the main page with: the story of the bitter divorce proceedings between the Guv and Mrs Guv … as told by Mrs Guv. I had to really look for the substantive ‘news’.
On a brighter note: Mike Huckabee is leaning against running for anything in 2012. Whew! Let’s hope he spends some well deserved kick back time with a book on critical thinking … ala global climate change, evolution. You know … those things that are just mere ‘theories’.
Sarah Palin quits again: this time it’s a 5K Turkey Trot. Damn, there were just so many people waiting at the end for book signings! There seems to be a pattern emerging here.
Let’s end this with a cute note to start the week ahead:
Reader Comments (1)
Hi, Mave. One more thing add to your Republican-Party-leave-a-scorched-earth-policy-behind-in-the-never-ending-search-for-money-and-fame tirade.
Here's a link to a re-cap of a radio interview with that asshole Ensign that was just done down here in Las Vegas. Paste that link to read (you'll see my comments at the bottom of that article too).
http://blogs.lasvegascitylife.com/various-things-and-stuff/2009/11/30/ensign-says-words-on-radio-show/#comments
Another interesting sidenote is what I got in the mail today. I thought it was interesting that I got a letter from AARP (who I am a member of). And this letter just wanted to clear the air about the rumors that AARP does not sanction health care reform. They represent us and DO want this to happen. And here is what they would like to see (quoted from the letter):
-Prevent insurance companies from denying affordable coverage to anyone because of their age.
-Stop insurance companies from denying you coverage if you have a pre-existing condition or dropping your coverage if you get sick.
-Ensure that people who already have coverage through their employers don't lose coverage.
-Provide a choice of insurance plans for those who don't have coverage now.
-Put limits on how much insurance companies can make you pay in out-of-pocket costs each year.
-Prevent insurance companies from limiting the amount of health care benefits you can receive in any one year or over the course of your life, so no one will ever have to declare bankruptcy due to health care costs.
-Require insurance companies to cover routine checkups and preventive care (like screening for diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis) free of charge.
-Protect Medicare so that you, your children, and grandchildren have the health coverage you need when you retire.
and
-Provide extra help to those who cannot afford to pay their premiums.
All those talking points are sanctioned by AARP and is what they want to see. Suffice it to say that Joe Lieberman don't like it. Nor do any representative of the Republican Party. Actually, they rather side with 60 Plus, which is just an organization that spouts what they want to hear, but could care less about the health of anyone.
Thought I would share that stuff with you.
Take heart, Maven. It's going to happen. The hard part is done. The cloture vote. They will debate now and get something out. Don't need any stupid Republicans anymore. It's rather dumb to hold a hand out to them when they continually slap it away or spit on it. Harry Reid knows that and he's working with it accordingly.