Comments on current events

Several things that I view as of consequence having recently transpired, I am moved to put out my commentary. I realize there is a good bit of diversity among our community of progressives right now and frankly a number of my views are moving targets. I would love to hear more of others.'

The elections. In response to all the pundits' wee wee saying the Democrats need to pander to the wimps in the middle, a cross post I made on The Week: http://www.theweek.com/article/index/102421/Where_did_Obamas_voters_go

"Nope. The right wingers and their media are dead wrong. The Obama voters remain highly energized and engaged. They are almost single handedly preserving some modicum of fairness in the versions of health care legislation. They stayed home because they are not going to vote for corporate conservative DINOs. And they are becoming restive at Obama's dilly dally approach to governing."

I remain hopeful and supportive but struggle from day to day with wishes to see more affirmative embracing the nation as a frightened suffering people and not so much as driven by moneyed aspirations.

Civil liberties. As an Obama convert to hope it has been frustrating to observe what seem to be so many missed opportunities to reverse Bush policies, especially in regard to civil liberties. For example, I find it shameful that it is the Italians that must prove the awful rendition policies of the CIA are criminal. It appears the Patriot act will not undergo significant modification to restore liberties suspended by the Bush administration. And so many more. Then there is the conduct of the wars. In particular the use of mindless drone aircraft in Pakistan manipulated by a serviceman back in the U.S. A Pakistani woman's recent question to Secretary Clinton was embarrassing.

"Is it the killing of people in drone attacks?" the woman asked. Then she asked if Clinton considered both the U.S. missile strikes and militant bombings like the one that killed more than 100 civilians in the city of Peshawar earlier in the week as acts of terrorism.

"No, I do not," Clinton replied.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33548966/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/

Now yesterday the killings by this tormented murderous man of Arabic descent. I fear it may result in even more restrictions of our liberties. And it cannot fail to bring more paranoid knee-jerk hysteria and hatred for those of the Muslim faith. I do agree this man should have never been in the Army. He was likely there to get an education not available to one of his financial status otherwise. At age forty he had been in the Army since high school. As he matured into his fundamentalist religious beliefs he tried to get out but was locked in.

I can certainly be proven wrong but I believe the likely cause of his dementia was the fundamentalist nature of his beliefs not what religion they were tied to. It is simply impossible for fundamentalists of any ilk to integrate into secular institutions, such as national identity. That is what drives our Christian fundamentalists to their extraordinary efforts to rewrite the history of this nation.

Be that as it may I fully expect to see all kinds of new restrictions on our freedoms and of course the hideous din of the fundamentalist "patriots" claiming treason by the Democrats will be escalated one more notch.

Today more killings. There will be more as the desperation of unemployment and poverty become chronic among larger segments of our citizens. It is a dangerous combination, for this culture that embraces violence and trains its young to kill, a
population that has easy access to arms.

Health insurance legislation, if it is to survive, seems to be nearing passage. The long public discussion has been good in educating the people bringing some solidarity all but the paranoid wingnuts. The most important consequence of the debate is that as we all learn more, the clearer it is that the only enduring solution will be s a Federal single payer insurance plan. The firmness of the publics support for significant government participation in the health care safety net has been impressive.

Beyond that, if the so called left wing gain inclusion of some of their initiatives it cannot fail to be proof of their rising power. I think it is good that, if belatedly, the AMA and the AARP have decided to endorse the House version.

I am torn as to whether any of the provisions I can tell much about will actually improve the health of the nation. Worth noting however is a little publicized but vital amendment put into the House version by Anna Eshoo. http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/11/05/video-amsa-medical-students-me-visit-senate-to-stop-anna-eshoophrma-bill/ It is one of the more egregious "fine print" provisions.

My fear is that the plan once implemented will fail so miserably that it will delay realistically addressing the needs. However my guess is the burgeoning unemployment and poverty levels will ultimately force the radical changes in how we do all our business including health care.

Otherwise I really feel I have little of substance to offer regarding current proposals.. I do believe to treat it as an economic problem will always be enfeebling and divisive. The relief of the pain and suffering of our selves and our neighbors should always be a collaborative project. It is defining of civilization.

Most difficult for me personally has been confronting how quickly the quality of what medical care is available to most of us is plummeting.

Nicholas Kristoff has a terrific op ed in Thursday's NYT. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/opinion/05kristof.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
There are lots of good figures, most of which we are already familiar with. But he says it all here:

"Opponents of reform assert that the wretched statistics in the United States are simply a consequence of unhealthy lifestyles and a diverse population with pockets of poverty. It's true that America suffers more from obesity than other countries. But McKinsey found that over all, the disease burden in Europe is higher than in the United States, probably because Americans smoke less and because the American population is younger.

Moreover, there is one American health statistic that is strikingly above average: life expectancy for Americans who have already reached the age of 65. At that point, they can expect to live longer than the average in industrialized countries. That's because Americans above age 65 actually have universal health care coverage: Medicare. Suddenly, a diverse population with pockets of poverty is no longer such a drawback."

The cause? Money and corruption. A heavy read between the lines gives some clue. which I will be commenting on shortly http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9407E2D9113DF936A15753C1A96F9C8B63 is a beginning. Clue: There is no lack of volunteers. There is a lack of studies because they are not profitable.