Thursday - September 10th 2009

homeland security imagesHour One: Did President Obama inspire you or worry you with his healthcare speech?

Hour Two: "Pass or fail - 'The Test of Our Time'?" Thom confronts former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge about back peddling on his own words in his new book "The Test of Our Times".

Hour Three: More on Healthcare plus.....

Geeky Science - Is Global warming the cause of the wildfires? Rolf Skar, www.greenpeace.org

Comments

Food Fascist (not verified) 13 years 28 weeks ago
#1

Hey there Quark -

I have this link but it looks like they want us to send snail mail - that'll take two months to pass- we need a fax number or an email [ I am at work and so not fully able to do the research, maybe between us all, we can figure something out. Perhaps our congresspeople can help us out http://www.supremecourtus.gov/publicinfo/comments.html

Food Fascist (not verified) 13 years 28 weeks ago
#2

Okay- so I called my congressperson and they said they would be getting my comments to the judge. I told them to say that 3 million people of Thom Hartmann's audience would like her to know how pleased we were with her comments regarding whether corporations should be treated as persons. I also mentioned that Thom had played the clip of her comments.

What does your congress person say?

Quark (not verified) 13 years 28 weeks ago
#3

Food Fascist,

LOL!

MY congressman is one of the Republican crazies. No traction there... (He's FINALLY getting around to having a town meeting. Go figure...)

Quark (not verified) 13 years 28 weeks ago
#4

Food Fascist,

Maybe I'll call Keith Ellison's office with the same request. I kind of think of him the same way I think of Bernie Sanders --- he's everyone's (at least in MN) congressman! LOL

Food Fascist (not verified) 13 years 28 weeks ago
#5

Garrison Keillor of A Prairie Home Companion had a stroke today. I am looking for how to lv a comment for him as well! Here is a link to contribute to Prairie Home Show https://contribute.publicradio.org/contribution/public/contributor.do?re...

Many blessing Garrison, you have enlivened our lives and enriched them dearly.

Quark (not verified) 13 years 28 weeks ago
#6

Thom,

I just called Rep. Barrett Gresham's (R-SC) office to ask what the Republicans were waiving during Pres. Obama's speech. She said it was the Republican healthcare plan (!) and referred me to the RNC website. The 2008 platform was all I could find:

www.gopplatform2008.com

DDay (not verified) 13 years 28 weeks ago
#7

Many of us, I suspect, wrestle with the question of how & where to apply whatever talents we possess to advancing our political interests. For some, this is for self-interest(s), for others, it's more public spirited by nature. More often than not, it is a combination of motives, both selfish and altruistic at the same time. Consider a candidate and a volunteer; No matter how public spirited the intent, most of us stand to gain personally in additional ways. Some public servants serve mostly for selfless reasons, (a rare bird), but all seem to love the attention and praise they receive. (Think: Paul Wellstone) Few if any volunteers really know if the candidate, or, even the movement they choose to support will represent their true values. Once elected most grow deaf to our voices unless we sing in a choir of their making and under their batons' direction.

We still don't know what kind of bird Barack is. We can see that he is elegant, and dazzling, but we still can't make out if he is an eagle, peacock, or a turkey. He sure has been doing an elaborate kind of "Fan Dance" during this health care debate. Bit by bit he reveals a little more leg trying to keep all interested if not entranced but never willing to stand and deliver the whole goods. It occurs to me that my description sounds more like a stripper than anything else.
We came to this place expecting to see single payer, but were soon told that public option would substitute, now her little sister is trotted out. I don't want to be cruel to lil sis, but I think it's time to start chanting for single payer again. That way the management might book her sooner.

If I attend Obama's visit here this weekend, perhaps the best thing I could do is try and get people to stand outside with signs supporting universal, comprehensive,single payer, health care. Medicare Part E!! or Medicare for Everyone! or Taking Profits from Suffering is IMMORAL! As usual another brilliant idea from Thom. Almost all informed and compassionate people understand that some form of single payer is the only rational choice. What kind of reaction would there be if Barack arrived at the Target Center in Minneapolis and found as many people standing outside respectfully supporting single payer as inside chanting and snapping photos? It's just another silly pipe dream unless people make it real.

I'll show up with signs if you do. How many could we get?

Food Fascist (not verified) 13 years 28 weeks ago
#8

Ha! Good detective work, Quark-

I note, they did not leave without the paranoia---- nor the huge sale to their buddies in the pharmaceutical industry

To protect the American people from the threats we face in the century ahead, we must develop and stockpile medicines and vaccines so we can deliver them where urgently needed. Our health care infrastructure must have the surge capacity to handle large numbers of patients in times of crisis, whether it is a repeat of Hurricane Katrina, a flu pandemic, or a bioterror attack on multiple cities.

Food Fascist (not verified) 13 years 28 weeks ago
#9

By the way- Joannie Greggins of KGO radio reported one of the fed departments - FDA? was watch dogging to make sure that no herbal supplements made claims that they could rid the flu -

I wrote an article about what was used in the past before penicillin had been invented http://foodfascist.blogspot.com/2009/07/swine-flu-what-has-been-tried-in...

DDay (not verified) 13 years 28 weeks ago
#10

Darn it I was experimenting with something mathboy was teaching about recently here on Thom's blog. You Know.....> and < and I ended up getting a two toned post! I was hoping for bolder type! For all I know this will be messed up too. I need a drink.

Gerald Socha (not verified) 13 years 28 weeks ago
#11

Quark, let me share with you my one third theory. 33% are the GOP (we are talking hardcore), 33% are the Dems (we are talking the hardcore), and 33% are in the middle. The 33% in the middle are fluid in their backing of politicians and issues. As crazy as the reichwingers are, they will have 33% of their base backing them on the issues. We see it in the polls. Some polls will say 25% or so but the question may be the problem in answering it. A real good article to read is written by Ray McGovern, "Christians are largely mum on torture." Torture is one issue but there are other issues where the Christians do not follow moral principles, such as health care. There is a divide on global warming, alternative energy sources, expansion of our empire, being stewards of our environment, etc.

Quark, if 25% were only the crazies, we would have many reforms in this country beside health care, as an example. We would also be less quick to go to war.

DDay (not verified) 13 years 28 weeks ago
#12

I'll let you in on two secrets about Garrison. He had his stroke on Monday and expected home from the Mayo tomorrow. He's doing well. If you want to cut out the middle man when leaving him a message, try searching out a thing called Prairie Home Productions in St. Paul, MN. That's his hangout when he's feeling good. His secretary will enjoy the extra attention and besides he owns it, his own little radio station, near his home.

Garrison is a national treasure though I'm fairly sure he wouldn't like that description. I love the man. Send him cards and emails but don't bug him. He's bashful and I think enjoys his privacy a lot.

Nelson (not verified) 13 years 28 weeks ago
#13

I loved President Obama's speech last night. I think he definitely hit the home run that we needed. Put the Republicans back on their heels. Thanks to Joe Wilson, the Republicans have not been able to immediately resume their scare tactics and instead have to deal with this issue now.

However... I am a bit concerned, as well, about the Presidents description of the Public Option. I agree with Thom that this option would not be available for all Americans and I think that this defeats the purpose of the option. It needs to be available to everyone. I should have the choice to choose my employer plans, as well as the Public Plan.

But, based on one of the house bills that I read, on day one all grandfathered plans would be required (within a certain time period) to adjust their plans to meet the minimum requirements that would be set forth by the United States. This means that any plan you are in must meet the minimum standards that the Public Option would provide. This could be good or bad depending on the details and minimums that are set.

So with the above understanding anyone who is forced to stay in their plan because they cannot choose the public option, that plan will have to be brought up to meet the new minimum standards. So that would imply hope for those that may have sub-par plans today that they may be forced to keep.

The other catch-22 that I can see is for those 95% of Small Businesses that will not be required to provide Health Insurance and/or be required to pay the mandate fee. Those individuals that work for those companies should be available to buy in to the public option. With Small Businesses being the primary creator of new jobs in the US, this may be a boon for the public option.

Goner (not verified) 13 years 28 weeks ago
#14

The fix is in. Congress is owned. Our president has sold out to political expediency. Our nation is in its final descent into the Hall of Failed Nations.

Last month, I finally accepted these Truths and decided to leave the U.S. This is a decision made reluctantly. I have spent much of the past eight years working within our political system, trying to take back our nation from the dark forces that have taken over. Obama gave me hope, but I now see that my hope was misplaced.

If I am going to live in a third-rate country, I might as well go to a third world country where I can get health care (I have a heart condition. I've been unemployed for a year. I just filed for bankruptcy. Lost my house. ) I know that I will miss the U.S. in many ways, and I will sorely miss my family. But I can't take this nightmare anymore.

Thom's Blog Is On the Move

Hello All

Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.

Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.

From Unequal Protection, 2nd Edition:
"If you wonder why and when giant corporations got the power to reign supreme over us, here’s the story."
Jim Hightower, national radio commentator and author of Swim Against the Current
From Cracking the Code:
"No one communicates more thoughtfully or effectively on the radio airwaves than Thom Hartmann. He gets inside the arguments and helps people to think them through—to understand how to respond when they’re talking about public issues with coworkers, neighbors, and friends. This book explores some of the key perspectives behind his approach, teaching us not just how to find the facts, but to talk about what they mean in a way that people will hear."
to understand how to respond when they’re talking about public issues with coworkers, neighbors, and friends. This book explores some of the key perspectives behind his approach, teaching us not just how to find the facts, but to talk about what they mean in a way that people will hear."
From Unequal Protection, 2nd Edition:
"Hartmann combines a remarkable piece of historical research with a brilliant literary style to tell the grand story of corporate corruption and its consequences for society with the force and readability of a great novel."
David C. Korten, author of When Corporations Rule the World and Agenda for A New Economy