It never ceases to fascinate—and disgust—how right-wingers like Dan Gainor feel absolutely no moral or ethical qualms about creating a “ruling” class based on wealth, while leaving working people virtually powerless. It is also useful to note that his attacks on high-paid entertainers and athletes are balderdash; they are paid employees creating a product that people want (or think they want), unlike the CEOs in the automobile industry. Tom Hanks is paid what he is because he is the difference between a $200 million grossing film, as opposed to the same film grossing $20 million with an actor nobody ever heard of or wants to see.

In regard to healthcare reform, I read a story yesterday concerning a woman (a former nurse) who testified before Congress. She explained how her insurance company denied her treatment for breast cancer because she had failed to report a prior condition. The prior condition? Acne. The woman’s congressman intervened with the insurer on her behalf, and her coverage was eventually re-instated. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of a tale like this; it’s too bad that not everyone has a personal congressman to intervene with recalcitrant insurance companies. This scenario is probably what the insurance companies and their Republican backers fear most about the public option: that people will discover that the government is actually on their side—not the profit side.

In regard to the David Letterman issue, Sara Palin and her daughters do just fine embarrassing themselves with their thoughts and behavior. The Palin/Letterman feud, of course, goes back to the presidential campaign. The NOW, forgetting all of Palin’s sins, as usual embarrasses itself by trying to make itself “relevant” by aligning itself with a moral and ethical hypocrite over a joke done in poor taste. Harriet Christian, of “inadequate black male” and “McCain is going to win” infamy, was at a recent anti-Letterman rally (where the press out-numbered the protestors), and manage to expose herself as a ranting buffoon again—although some commentators still insist that she has a “point,” even if it based on her personal gender bigotry. I just wish someone would explain to me the “point” that Sheri Goforth, the legislative aid of Tennessee state senator Diane Black, was trying to make. The only remorse Goforth expressed in sending out an email with a graphic with the portraits of the first 43 American presidents—with the exception of Barack Obama, whose “portrait” was a black box with two cartoonish white eyeballs—was that it was sent to the “wrong” people. No doubt she has had such racist “fun” in the past that didn’t land in the inboxes of the “wrong people,” and this is yet another embarrassing episode to come out of that embarrassing state of Tennessee—the birthplace of the Klan.

On a final note, in Republican Kent, WA there recently opened a small Latino community center. On Tuesday there was some function going on there. I happened to be walking past when I noticed some white guy across the street straddling a bicycle, watching the proceedings closely. What was odd about him was his clothing. Where did I see that outfit before? Oh, yes. He was wearing the same style and color uniform as the thugs who beat-up Michael York in “Cabaret.” The only thing missing was the Nazi insignia. As I walked passed him and crossed the street to a nearby 7-11 I noticed he was training his attention on me; he only averted his eyeballs when I gave him the appropriate “salute.” A few minutes later an African-American female tried to engage him in conversation for some reason; I could tell by her demeanor that she was one of those “I’m not one of ‘them’” types—meaning like other African-Americans. Obviously they don’t teach history in school like they should.

Mark,

I honestly believe that part of the reason "Republics" are against mental health insurance coverage parity legislation is that people with the mental disorders that seem to be prevalent in their party nowadays might be CURED or ameliorated! THEN where would they be?! (There's so much "Republic" dysfunction in your comments, that was my first thought in response.)

Also, as Thom says, civics and American government classes should be reinstated in our school curricula.

BTW, I worked on all 3 of Paul Wellstone's senate campaigns. He was working very hard in his last term (before his "accidental" death) to pass a bill requiring mental health coverage parity, along with Sen. Kennedy. I really miss him --- he would have taken names and kicked butt (besides being the most decent and honorable human being I've ever met.)

BTW EVERYONE :

I've decided that if I misspell any words or names on this blog, too bad! Life (and typing fast) is/are too short! I'll try to be accurate but, if I miss a few, I won't kick myself. I hope everyone else feels that way about his or her writing. If we were writing a piece to be published (or handed in for a grade), that's another issue.

'Just wanted to get that off my chest...'Hope it's OK with everyone.

What --- KEITH died, too, Thom? (You mispoke.) What a family the Carradines are! LOL

mstaggerlee,

OK, point taken! (btw, I just misspelled "misspoke" in my previous post.)

I have noticed that right-wing fanatics often have TERRIBLE spelling and grammar skills!

About the Supreme court decision re DNA. Why do we never year from law and order types? Not only without DNA testing does an innocent man get prosecuted for rape, but a rapist goes free?

Just sent an email to Tom Daschle, suggest that you do as well. tom.daschle@alston.com

For your hard work to take away the public option for health care I gladly include you in my list.

http://democratichealthcareturncoats.webs.com/

You know what? Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe the epigenetic material is considered part of the DNA molecule.

Who can we get to sponsor THE INSURANCE BROKERS & WORKERS JOB REASSIGNMENT ACT? Let them build windmills for peet sake

Thom,

Why didn't you ask your animal psychic if Higgins worships you?

You probably would have liked her answer.

I wonder if she could tell me what's going on with my bird. It lives in a small wooden box and every hour it comes out and says, "Cuckoo".

DRichards,

'Sounds like you took the red pill, while so many of us are still suffering from the lingering effects of the red one!

re: dna evidence this really is the party of DEATH they seem to miss no opportunity to destroy or kill can this ruling be " rescinded" have we no recourse here i hate to imagine people, innocent of the crime, living out their lives in cages ..

DRichards,

I agree that the general public agrees with Roosevelt's sentiments. But that's because they're uniformed. They been misinformed by our media and educational systems. But they've also willingly taken part in the violence perpetrated in the interests of the elites and in their own interest.

There weren't enough economic elites in this country to take the land away from the American Indians or to enslave Africans kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Americas. And American aggression around the world has been supported by the general public who've been misinformed by the media that they were under threat from people in other lands.

That's a major point in Stephen Kinzer's book "Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change From Hawaii to Iraq". But Kinzer's book only deals with the time from the late 19th Century to the early 21st Century. The process began with the arrival of Europeans in this hemisphere. The Europeans have morphed into the white governments and populations of the Americas and continue to oppress and displace the native populations to get access to the wealth of their lands. If you don't know about what's going on in Peru at this time, you might want to look into it. You can Google "democracy now peru 2009" as a start.

I was disappointed during the 2006 senatorial campaign of Jon Tester of Montana that some "progressive" talkers pointed to his family roots as "homesteaders" in Montana as a sign of his authenticity, but never even noted that the land they homesteaded was taken from the Indians by force and threat of force. It wouldn't make Tester and evil person, but I think it's sad that "progressive" talkers used his homesteader roots as a way to authenticate his "Americanism".

My comment was directed toward Thom, who I often criticize for presenting the American mythology I referred to. And Thom isn't as uniformed as the general public. He simply chooses to believe in the inherent goodness of this country and ignore our brutal history. That's why I said that I'm sure Thom could provide many examples. He occasionally mentions these examples but as unrelated events rather than as what this country has been fashioned into by the ruling elites over a period of hundreds of years.

I think Thom (in fact, I know) is a much better person than this, but he seems to need to believe in the essentially goodness of this country.

I didn't get to listen to your show today because I was working on the docks driving foreign cars around to get them ready to be sold. I feel like a traitor, but at least Americans get work that way! And some of the pay is union, too! (Not mine, though) But I will answer your question. What a question!

No questions asked--call 911 and get the person help immediately. Although the help might not be all that great, which is a huge problem. I would also visit the person in the hospital to help him or her find some decent support with that $100,000.

Mental health care is a f... nightmare, and everyone needs at least one very caring advocate to help get them through the maze of nutcases, who call themselves psychiatrists and therapists, in order to find a good match.

I hope the person who received the suicide note and check did the right thing. What a sad sad cry for help.

I also want to add that as much as I dislike Sarah Palin, she has become an excuse for pretty outrageous, horrifying sexism and I don't hear anyone talking about this aspect of the continuing saga. I found David Letterman's comments way out of line, and if it would have been my daughter, the lioness would have erupted from me as well. I respected her for her outrage even though I do not respect her politics.

Even though Sarah Palin is an ignorant mouthpiece for the right, I really think that men need to take a close look at their reactions to Sarah Palin, and use it as a tool for facing their own sexism and the need for some serious, deep thought on what feminism means, and how very important feminism is to leftist politics. David Letterman's jokes about Palin's daughter are a perfect example of how Sarah Palin has become an excuse for inexcusable behavior,
and from my own team, which I find terribly heartbreaking.

At one point in his life, Ronald Reagan was a Democrat and spoke eloquently about the needs of the middle class. Was there a defining moment in his life that caused him to start to hate American ideals?