September 2009 Archives

It's funny, but most of us thought there would be less anger after the election of Barack Obama. As a group we are angry people. We see it all of the hate speech. We see it in the Tea parties around the country, and we see it among people that are angry that are health care debate has been bought and sold by the insurance industry. As a group we are all hopping mad, but...

Yet another Republican with a hotline to God. This time it's that old Appalachian Trail hiker himself, Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina: "Mr. Sanford vowed not to quit despite growing pressure from South Carolina lawmakers and Republican Party officials to resign or face impeachment. He said he intends to complete his term, not to hold on to power but to fight for conservative principles of governance."I feel absolutely committed to the cause, to what God...

Political science has always fascinated me going back to my days at TCU where I got my undergraduate degree. When you meld in the little bit of psychology I got in my masters you really get some interesting things. Right now, the nation is focused on health care, but when you combine those two subjects (politics and psychology) you get a blueprint on just about every issue. Our two party system is fairly unique and...

Now that September is here and the Congressional recess is about to end, the next few weeks should answer some very important questions about our elected representatives in Washington, not the least of which is, who do they really represent, the people or the corporate interests? According to Brain Beutler at TPMDC the Senate Democrats are on the horns of the proverbial dilemma. Finally realizing that there will be no Republican support for any health...

As the nation engages in vigorous health insurance debate, there is, perhaps no greater example of why we need a public option than the example of Wal-Mart's health insurance offerings. Employees of the conglomerate are no longer treated in the manner in which Sam Walton wished them to be treated - fairly, with honest compensation for honest work. Instead, Wal-Mart's benefit system is an intricate spider-web of rules and caveats designed to discourage employees...

I've known the Cavnars for five years or so, but I didn't know anything about Bob's brother Bill until his recent post.  I do know a lot about health reform though, and Bill's story ought to stiffen the spine of wavering Democrats on reform.Bill Cavnar's story is a common one.  20,000 really ill Americans who had health insurance were removed from the roles over the last three years because Insurance companies knew that they could...

As the public continues to focus on health care reform, there is one piece of reform Congress could pass that would have a much larger impact on the political process and society at large. The health care debate is a good start. Everyone should know by now about the huge political contrubutions from the health insurance industry. That is only the tip of the iceberg. Just like health care reform, campaign finance reform is a...