Corrente

PNHP Blog: CBO’s deficient report on analyzing health insurance proposals

What is clear is that each policy decision under this scenario increases the administrative complexities of the financing system, and that the inevitable tradeoffs that must be made can only result in compromises that cause us to fall short on our goals of universality, equity, efficiency, quality, access, and affordability. Once the decision is made that we must build on our current system, there is no possible way to avoid spending more money for reform that would fall so short of a high-performance system.

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Alone among major Western nations, the United States has refused to sign a declaration presented Thursday at the United Nations calling for worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality. ...

U.S. officials expressed concern in private talks that some parts of the declaration might be problematic in committing the federal government on matters that fall under state jurisdiction. In numerous states, landlords and private employers are allowed to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation; on the federal level, gays are not allowed to serve openly in the military. ...

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Useless:

Frank Says Congress to Release $350 Billion in Deal For Homeowner Relief
Dec. 20 (Bloomberg) -- [House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank said in a telephone interview yesterday that] said legislation is being drafted that will set the conditions on spending the cash after Paulson used almost half the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program to boost bank capital. Paulson resisted calls to support foreclosure relief.

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I ventured one more post at DU, to frame how an Obama skeptic might look forward to / at the new presidency:

Why this Obama skeptic is mildly optimistic

Reasons to be optimistic:

1. Even for those of us who found little to like about Obama's candidacy, it's always been clear that he's smart. I like that in a president.

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Billionaires’ Ski Club in Montana Stiffs Florists, Blacksmiths .

Trickle-down economics at work!

And we know exactly what's trickling down, don't we? Read below the fold...

Has anyone noticed that Google's algorithms don't seem to incorporate a sense of irony or humor or metaphor or context?

I mean, I post on "the culture of airbrushing," and I get an ad for Badger Airbrushes. And we get all of those ads for electrical equipment because of CorrenteWire, get it?

Obviously, Google needs training. Does anyone have any idea how that's done? Read below the fold...

Creepy Christianist painter Thomas Kinkade explains how to get that "soft edge" look.

Logos, anyone? Read below the fold...

No Associated Press content was harmed in the writing of this post Read below the fold...

Walter calls in to NPR Read below the fold...

Fur pajamas would be nice tonight - it was 6F last time I looked. A song in honor of the mule deer, on my mountain top*, that stopped just short of coming up the porch steps to nuzzle me tonight. My kind of wild, wildlife.

Peace of mind? It's a piece of cake ... Read below the fold...

Autumn:

And spring: Read below the fold...

(h/t State of Disbelief @ The Confluence)

The passing of Bush's Conscience Rule enables the implementation of laws written decades ago allowing caregivers to refuse services they consider morally objectionable. The laws followed the Supreme Court passage of laws allowing a woman's right to abortion but didn't have the connection to enable them.

The Bush administration announced its "conscience protection" rule for the health care industry yesterday, giving everyone including doctors, hospitals, receptionists and volunteers in medical experiments the right to refuse to participate in medical care they find morally objectionable. Read below the fold...

FYI, I'm "LWCON" on Democratic Underground.

If you have a DU account, please "K&R" this thread. It currently has 25 R's (recommendations), and each K (kick -- i.e., reply) jumps it back to the top of active threads.

So far, this has been one of the most constructive threads I've seen on DU for some time. Any tips, links, etc. that will help influence DUers to get active on this will help draw attention to this critical issue, so please join in!

If you don't have an existing DU account, you can get one and can post replies, though you need to be active for a while before you're allowed to recommend threads. Read below the fold...

well, I signed up to "moderate" a house party on health care. But with a twist -- its going to be a "pot luck" dinner as well.

And only Correntians (or those who are endorsed by correntians) will be invited.

Here is how I answered the survey questions

Date and Time of Event
Monday Dec 29, 6:30PM

Please describe your event
Potluck dinner with health care as the topic

What are the major areas you want to discuss?
Best way to fund health care for all

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Revise, replace, rewrite, do your on as you see fit---okay, just fix it. It sucks. trying to get a one-pager that cracks the whip a little. Our goal is to get press to the house party and to write a story about how single payer/healthcare for all/whatever you want to call it is a real solution and not some half-assed attempt.

(I am pleased with the last quote, I will say.)

Edited based on comments...

Don't stop now.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
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Headline: Locals Agree with Obama: Healthcare Is A Right Read below the fold...