President Barack Obama. Righteous.

by: los anjalis

Wed Jan 21, 2009 at 10:08:25 AM PST

From Barack Obama's inauguration speech:

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.

The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

And from Reverend Lowery's benediction (a loving and powerful civil rights leader and co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Dr. Martin Luther King Junior):

With your hands of power and your heart of love, help us then, now, Lord, to work for that day when nations shall not lift up sword against nation, when tanks will be beaten into tractors, when every man and every woman shall sit under his or her own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid, when justice will roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.
Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around...
(LAUGHTER)
... when yellow will be mellow...
(LAUGHTER)
LOWERY: ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen.

The inauguration ceremonies were beautiful, and attended by over 2 million Americans.  Thankfully, President Obama, on his first day (inauguration day) did not lose sight of his power as President and already halted all pending new regulations that the Bush Administration put forth in its last days, and signed a 120 day suspension of prosecution of Guantanamo Bay detainees.

Americans know that there is much healing to be done, in the United States and abroad.  The work of rebuilding starts now.

Great hope lies ahead; Kennedy brings people together

by: los anjalis

Sat Oct 25, 2008 at 00:12:01 AM PDT

Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) has been organizing and overseeing meetings with members of both parties to draft health care legislation to present to the new president and Congress next year that would extend health insurance to all U.S. residents, the Washington Times reports.

The talks have included 14 roundtable meetings attended by Kennedy aides and staffers for both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate Budget Committee, Senate Finance Committee and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, chaired by Kennedy. Kennedy has monitored the talks, which started in June, through telephone updates from his staff.

The talks also were attended by representatives from a broad array of groups with an interest in health care, including the:

   * AARP;
   * AFL-CIO;
   * American Medical Association;
   * America's Health Insurance Plans;
   * Business Roundtable;
   * Consumers Union,
   * Families USA;
   * Federation of American Hospitals;
   * National Federation of Independent Business; and
   * National Retail Federation.

In addition, Kennedy aides have started meeting regularly with consumers and small groups of people representing each area of the health care industry.

The Times reports that the conversations are "extraordinary" because they are bipartisan and have "managed to put in the same room interests that rarely meet -- let alone agree with one another."

Bold emphasis is mine.  It truly is the beginning of a new era.  I'm going to try to be less cynical too :>

From California Health Line, October 24, 2008.

Obama says health care is a "right", slams McCain's plan

by: los anjalis

Sun Oct 19, 2008 at 16:00:10 PM PDT

The fire quotes of this past week on health care were these two by Senator Obama.  On McCain's health care plan:

It's like those ads for prescription drugs. You know they start off, everybody's running in the fields, everybody's happy. Then there's the fine print that says, "Side effects may include..."

And on right vs privilege:

I think every single american has a right to affordable, accessible health care.

Of note, this statement received the largest roar of support from the crowd he was speaking to.  Some video footage of a speech Obama gave last week:

Some things that Obama mentioned:

Senator McCain wants to pay for his plan by taxing your health benefits for the first time in history...

But the Wall Street Journal recently reported...it turns out Senator McCain would pay for his plan by making drastic cuts in Medicare -- $882 billion worth.  $882 billion dollars in Medicare cuts to pay for an ill conceived, badly thought through health care plan...

Time and again he's opposed Medicare.  In fact, Senator McCain has voted against protecting Medicare 40 times.

When you've worked hard your whole life, and paid into the system, and done everythign right, you shouldn't have the carpet pulled out from under you when you least expect it...

Future Primary Care Shortage

by: jdwolverton

Mon Oct 13, 2008 at 18:23:58 PM PDT

Retail clinics work. They are quick, have long hours and have reasonable quality as long as you don't have anything too exotic and the ARNP knows when they have an inappropriate patient. The only issue is that there's no long term patient/doctor relationship. Then again, there doesn't seem to be a patient/doctor relationship in traditional medical settings anymore either, but that's my point.

These clinics are here to stay

How Edwards advanced the Dems' debate on healthcare

by: los anjalis

Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 00:49:03 AM PST

Most important, the Edwards campaign was a reminder that any true change will not be easy. Some people snickered when he talked of an "epic battle" ahead and declared that he would confront Congress with a declaration of healthcare war ("If you don't pass universal healthcare by July of this year, July of 2009, I will use every power I have to take your healthcare coverage away from you"). Many pundits and politicians wrote off his speeches as too angry.

The more accurate assessment is that Edwards's anger - whether you believed it or not - may have just helped forge a more focused Democratic Party. Why else would Obama and Clinton play nice in the Los Angeles debate?  They got the message that there is much more to lose that is greater than their individual campaigns.

Hopefully this injection of populism and the push towards more accountability to the public's interests will continue past Super Tuesday this week (the day when Americans in over 20 states will vote for a candidate in the Democratic and Republican national primaries).  Hopefully...