What you should know about Ebola.

A lot of bad information and a lot of panic has swirled around the topic of Ebola. News media has largely been seeking BREAKING NEWS. And some governors have been aching to engage in some overkill, to look more like Alpha Males.

Here's a nice, calm and humorous look at what Ebola is and isn't.

Better than being scared is to be informed. And then we can help.

Who Cares for the American Veteran?

We in the US celebrate our Veterans this weekend and Monday. It's a tradition that we've embraced since the bloody end of World War I. It's about remembering, heralding, and supporting our military veteran.

The trouble comes in when it's more in words than in action.

We sadly don't have the best history of supporting our armed forces outside of wars. We have been slow learners.

by Henry Alexander Ogden

After the American Revolution there was a good deal of discontent in the military. Pay was getting delayed. And there were serious questions about if soldiers would get the pensions they had long been promised. The Treasury was low on cash. Congress was divided on what to do, some eager to renege on the pensions. It lead to a conflict among the army that was stationed in Newburgh, NY. Fear was growing that the Continental Army could pick up arms and go to war against the fledgling government. Some were eager to use the discontent to their ends. George Washington worked to keep things stable and then, with an official end to hostilities, disbanded the army. To an extent pensions were paid, but many were unhappy and many were left without. The focus of support was on those veterans that were disabled. It proved a continuing problem. Twenty some years later new law was made to help homeless veterans of the war, but it proved hard to actually get the aid.

Then in the years after the Civil War veterans again found themselves in need of support. Again, veterans struggled to get aid. In states like New York, there were thousands of homeless veterans. The efforts to help veterans led to the formation of groups like the Grand Army of the Republic, which advocated for veterans. And these groups were needed, as it was a fight to get support. Though Lincoln did get support to form National Asylums for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. -- Also, Confederate veterans were not recognized by the federal government as veterans (But that's the kind of loaded issue you end up with when you have a civil war.).

Things did improve. During the later part of the 19th century some new laws went into place opening up aid to larger numbers of those veterans injured (the burden put on veterans to get help was lessened some). Also a general pension was created to act as a fund for future expansions of pension needs (i.e. future wars). In 1912 the Sherwood Act was passed. This allowed veterans of the Civil War and Mexican-American War to get pensions due to old age.

Then after World War I returning veterans found some aid in slowly expanded laws to help insure them for death. Also $60 discharge allowance was established. Other interest taken was to help rehabilitate and offer job training for veterans that were disabled.

In the years after the war, most of the national veterans service were consolidated into the Veteran's Bureau, then it became Veteran's Affairs.

Then when the Great Depression began, it hit veterans hard, a bonus was created. But it was meant to be paid slowly. Large sums of the money was paid in Certificates of Service, which would mature in 20 years. Veterans found they couldn't survive on it. So 10's of thousands began to march, and began what became known as the Bonus March, or the Bonus Army. They made their way to Washington DC, and then camped. Part of the reason they came was to rally for a bill that would have offered them bonuses to survive. This bills was defeated in Congress. After this, they decided to stay and make there presence and problems known.

There were questions of the health and safety in the camps. But in the camps a level of order was maintained. People needed to register. Those that registered needed to show that they had been honorably discharged from service. The ex-soldiers worked to keep order. And then they built sanitation facilities to try and keep things healthy.

But there was also a dislike of the fact they wouldn't leave and were creating bad publicity for the government. They weren't just dissipating as demanded. So President Hoover authorized General Douglas MacArthur to march on the camps with the 12th Infantry, the 3rd Cavalry, and 6 tanks (under the command of Major George Patton). First the cavalry charged the crowds. Then, firing tear gas into the encampment, the infantry entered, bayonets attached to their rifles. They drove out the veterans and their families (because this camp was full of women and children as well). In the process the camps were burned to the ground, and the property of the protesters was destroyed. (Dwight Eisenhower was MacArthur's aide at this time. He wrote the report on the incident for MacArthur.)

In the years that followed, Congress finally passed law to immediately authorize payment to veterans of World War I. And under the New Deal, many of the veterans found employment and support.

It was at the end of WWII that we found ourselves (as a country) a lot more interested in the futures of our wartime veterans. This is when the GI Bill came into being. This offered a wide range of support and opportunity to returning veterans. Money to buy homes. Support to get an education. Money to start businesses. One year of unemployment support. It had and has a large impact on the veterans, and the country as a whole.


But it took a long road to get to the GI Bill. During the post WWI arguing over bonuses many said, that it was insulting to think you have to pay people to go to war. Apparently, it should be an honor to die or be traumatized for your country. Insulting. But this was the attitude.

Still, it became clear that just offering a small stipend to people who you ask to go fight, kill, and die for you is unacceptable. If we are going to have a military, if we are going to be at war, then the armed services and veterans are due the means to come home, reintegrate, and take a valued part in society.


So, now let's look at ipmacts that some think are acceptable for our service people today.

As we've seen this November, SNAP (food stamp) support has been cut. And additional cuts are being pushed in Congress. Add to this the contempt thrown at SNAP users, by conservatives in the United States, that aren't disabled or dare own things like air conditioning.

The thing they are choosing to be oblivious of is that of those using SNAP, 5000 are active duty military with family. As well, up to 900,000 veterans are in need of SNAP in any given month. In discussing the impact earlier, we could see that families on SNAP were often struggling. And the new cuts are making things far rougher. In 2012, $99 million in SNAP support was used by military families and disabled veterans

These SNAP recipients, as active duty personnel with family and homes, are exactly the people that conservatives consider as scroungers and cheats. These are the people that opponents of social aid are eager to shame and ostracize.

And the reality that conservatives sadly choose to ignore is that all the social programs they abhor are programs that many veterans need, as do many active duty personnel (not to mention conservative voters). Medicaid, social security, food stamps, cuts to all these and more impact and hurt American veterans. All the conservative states that are currently refusing to expand Medicaid are dealing a blow to all the veterans who struggle to get by in their states. It's shameful.

Another area in which US service personnel are being hit is in access to military benefits. This year the Department of Defense finally agreed that gay married couples should receive the same benefits as heterosexual married couples. It was a long time in coming

But conservative state governments are working to keep these benefits from gay members of the National Guard. Specifically, 6 governors are. Oklahoma. Texas. Mississippi. Georgia. West Virginia. Louisiana. These are largely federal funds. But they are attempting to block the payments from being made. At this point, the money coming directly from the federal government will have to be processed specially for gay couples. But money and people tied to the state government will be denied. The idea they are embracing is that they have a right to discriminate and deny support to families based on their sexual orientation, even if they are in the armed services. So the National Guard is being used as a political football by these Republican governors.


Suicides are a continuing issue in the  military. There were 350 suicides throughout the armed services last year. Around 8,000 veterans committed suicide last year. Those in and out of service struggle with the stress and impact of their service. There are personal issues at work, dealing with infirmity, and other stressors. And the VA struggles to stay on top of these issues, as does the Pentagon.


And I also wanted to come back to the specter of homelessness. The plight of the homeless veteran persists. This is an ongoing issue that our society is struggling with. Let's look at some of the facts:

• Veterans between 18 and 30 are twice as likely as the rest of the population to find themselves homeless. (8% of the overall population versus 17% of all veterans)
• Over half of homeless veterans are disabled.
• Half suffer from some form of mental illness.
• Two thirds deal with substance abuse.
• Veterans on average find themselves homeless longer than the rest of the population.
• At any time there are around 76,000 homeless veterans sleeping on the streets.
• 1.5 million veterans are deemed to be at-risk of homelessness.

In a country that likes to talk about exceptionalism, about being the greatest country, about supporting the troops, this is unacceptable and interminable. And too many of us just accept this, and other social troubles. We need to work to make things better.




We have improved how we treat and view our veterans and soldier. But we can still do far far better.

REBLOGGING: Veterans Day / Remembrance Day - What's it all about?

Let's look back and remember a post about why we pause to look back and remember veterans and those lost in war.

Later today, I look at some of the ways that veterans and those in service are "remembered" this year.

Veterans Day / Remembrance Day - What's it all about?

November 11th is almost upon us. In the United States we talk about Veterans Day, come November. In the United Kingdom, and it's commonwealth, they talk about Remembrance Day.

Now on programs and at many events people often say, when talking to veterans, that "they honor their service." Which is a thoughtful and good thing to say, but it seems to have become a rote response. A formality before moving on. Say the magic words and think no more on it.

Veterans Day in the US can be the same, have the day out, go to a parade, and move on with little thought. Though hopefully for those of us with family still serving, or having finished, we think on it more.

So, while we do have many large issues to deal with, it is important to understand why we have this day set aside. To remember, and to not ignore lessons and obligations we have as a nation and as a people.

This day of remembrance comes out of the end of World War I. Then it was called Armistice Day. To celebrate the Armistice, an end of hostilities, that was agreed to in 1918. It would fall on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of that year (Someone was in love with some symbolism.).

So a peace was struck. It came in the wake of a global war. It came after the deaths of around 20 million. The war, unsurprisingly shook many. It was a maddening experience. And then there was peace.

In November of 1919, the year after Armistice, President Woodrow Wilson declared the first Armistice Day. And in 1938 Congress to passed law to make every November 11th Armistice Day, to promote world peace. And this, in 1954, was rename Veterans Day to expand those remembered to all veterans, including those that had just served in World War II.

And the tradition continued on from there. Date has shifted back and forth. Laws and proclamations were made. But from the start, this has been an act of remembering those that lost their lives fighting for their country, and those that return home.

REUTERS/Chris Roussakis

In the United Kingdom the traditions hold more to the original Armistice Day. King George V in November of 1919, like it was in the United States. England has taken on a number of continuing traditions to this day. Among those most notable is the image of the poppy. The red poppy is commonly worn, as a lead up to Remembrance Sunday, which was set as the 2nd Sunday of November (This was meant to prevent disrupting the war time services during World War II.). The poppy use is tied to the poem, by John McCrae:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow 

Between the crosses, row on row, 

That mark our place; and in the sky 

The larks, still bravely singing, fly 

Scarce heard amid the guns below. 

We are the Dead. Short days ago 

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, 

Loved and were loved, and now we lie 

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe: 

To you from failing hands we throw 

The torch; be yours to hold it high. 

If ye break faith with us who die 

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow 

In Flanders fields.

The image conjures the image of the dead across the battlefield. The image of blood. The image of the cost paid in war. A cost that must be remembered, and learned from.

So at 11 AM on Remembrance Sunday, their are two minutes of silence through the country, to remember the costs of war. This is initiated by the of a field gun firing on the Horse Guard Parade, then ended by firing again. Then the Royal Marines have buglers play out "Last Post."

And at Cenotaph in London a ritual of laying flowers:

Wreaths are laid by Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, the Princess Royal, the Duke of Kent, the Earl of Wessex, the Duke of Cambridge, the Prime Minister, leaders of major political parties and former Prime Ministers, the Foreign Secretary, the Commonwealth High Commissioners and representatives from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets and the civilian services....After the ceremony, a parade of veterans, organised by the Royal British Legion, marches past the Cenotaph, each section of which lays a wreath as it passes.

This procession means a lot to those that have served and suffered for their countries. Also for those that mourn family and friends that have passed.

These rituals can be important to supporting us to remembering what has come to past. WWI was a horrible scaring event. It was an event that should leave anyone with a loathing of going to war. But we still have seen war come, and those who to eagerly call for it. And those that returned from WWI, and other conflicts, have many times not gotten the treatment or respect they deserve from government (The GI Bill was a major change to the treatment veterans received for service.).

So I can only hope as we go into Veterans Day and Remembrance Sunday tomorrow, we think about why we do have veterans, what has been asked from them, and how we look at them (How we really look at them, not what we say for appearance.) and how we treat them (How many think about the Veterans Administration or the related services much?).

And also learn. Stats and facts to think on for Veterans Day:

• Veterans are 50% more likely to be homeless than other Americans.
• 75,000 veterans are homeless on any various night in the years.
• 1% of Americans serve in the military, and 20% of all US suicides are veterans.

Get more informed:

• Department of Veteran's Affairs
• VA - Veteran's Day Information
• VA - Homeless Veterans
• National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
• National Alliance on Mental Illness - Veterans and Military Resource Center

The Religious Exemption. It's Principle, Except When It's Not.

There have been some constant battles since the latest effort to create a more comprehensive access to health insurance began. But one has been increasingly annoying, galling, and disingenuous. The demand for a religious exemption for businesses.

The idea is that some businesses are owned by religious people, and those people may oppose abortion and/or birth control, or common sense. Comprehensive health insurance would help pay for things like those listed. So, they should not have to offer comprehensive health insurance to their workers. They should be exempt from part of the law.

And many people love the idea of a "compromise" on this. The compromise being that you just let religious institutions deny people basic preventative health care...cause [holy writing of your choice]. And you let businesses with religious owners do the same. And in exchange, nonreligious owners can actually take care of their employees. It is interesting how saying you want to deny someone something for religious reasons sound reasonable to so many people...But that's for another post.

In July two federal appeals courts decided that it was ridiculous for a business to have a religion, as opposed to it's owners. But that is not where the story ended. Last week the federal appeals court decided to agree on how unfair comprehensive health insurance is on the pious.

... 

Requiring companies to cover their employees’ contraception, the court ruled, is unduly burdensome for business owners who oppose birth control on religious grounds, even if they are not purchasing the contraception directly. 

“The burden on religious exercise does not occur at the point of contraceptive purchase; instead, it occurs when a company’s owners fill the basket of goods and services that constitute a healthcare plan,” Judge Janice Rogers Brown wrote on behalf of the court.  

...

It is an interesting point, I grant you. Is it unfair/unconscionable/unacceptable to force people of religious faith to fund and pay money into services that they feel contravene their religious tenets?

Should people be forced to pay for sinful stuff?


Well, I tried to think if there were any other good examples I could draw on for legal rulings. Then I recalled religious pacifism. For some war and fighting is unconscionable, a violation of the will of their god. And, as many point out, tax dollars go to many places in the government, including to the military.

MPR Photo/Elizabeth Stawicki

So, when a pacifist pays taxes, they pay for the ability to go to war. And during a war, they fund that war. So, should religious pacifist be exempt from taxes? Or, should special means be put in place to assure that their tax dollars cannot be used by the military? Should steps be taken to respect and maintain their religious concerns.

Lucky for us, a Quaker, Priscilla Adams, brought the question to court.

Back in 2003, you may remember it (we were at war), her fight with the government came to a head. Going back to 1996 she had been suing the government, saying that she and others had valid religious grounds to have protections against their money being used to fund the military. As part of her religious convictions. Adams for years had been refusing to pay part of her federal taxes.

The response from the government was to demand that she pay her back taxes, and a 50% penalty. She fought this, and worked to try and keep them from placing a lean on her wages to put money towards wars.

So the fight went up the judicial ladder. And, in 2003, the federal appeals courts rules against her. And then the Supreme Court chose to pass on offering an opinion. The courts had spoken.

The result, you may have religious grounds to not pay a portion of your taxes, but the courts, Congress, and the federal government don't care. Pay the taxes and pray for forgiveness.

That is quite a different view from what we are seeing now. Now when we consider should religious people be forced to fund services that may go to things like birth control, the courts say that it's wrong. (wag a finger) These people cannot be placed in this position. The law says everyone should be able to access the full array of preventative health. But, screw that...Religion. Religion trumps all...now.

Funny.

I wonder if religious pacifist should go to court again? They might have a chance now. Doesn't it follow? Shouldn't these grounds be sound enough for them to fight against tax paying? It does seem like the same strain of argument. Or, do supporters of ACA religious exemptions still hold the old opinion that if religion is getting in the way of funding the military, you should suck it up and fund the military?

I do get a feeling that many might have this attitude. That abortion and birth control are the legit religious concerns, the respectable ones. I'd like to think that's wrong, but at a minimum, I don't see religious conservatives as bothered by the Quaker's plight. They seem like they'd be first in line to condemn the Quakers.

But this ruling may not stand. This will be going to the Supreme Court...hmm. Okay, I' not feeling better with that thought. Will the court have their 90's attitude to religious exemptions? Or, will they have the oppose President Obama attitude?

Half the court is already friendly to attacking access to education, voting rights, and the ACA as a whole. That group will most likely be happy to further establish religious prominence over law. As it is, I think there is already a case coming up that may do this in one way.

I guess we will see. Because we are stuck waiting while conservatives play their petty games. And religious exemptions are such a petty game.

Conservatism in power. The UK example.

Sang Tan - AP

When Americans talk about British politics there is one refrain I hear again and again, "The Conservative Party is like the Republican Party, but more liberal, like how Democratic Party acts." I hear that a lot. And it is amusing, as it sticks it, in some way, to Republicans about how far to the right they've gone.

The trouble is, it isn't the best representation of what's happening in the United Kingdom. Under the modern Conservative Party, lead by David Cameron, they've continued many of the agenda bullet points of the old Thatcher era.

The main one I want to bring up is the old term, privatization. (Yes, I know, the British spell it differently.) Privatization has continued to be a part of the Conservative agenda for the British Isles. What have they been going after? What has been tried, though thankfully, not always successful for Cameron?

Tearing down the public infrastructure can be fun.

• Privatizing many road.
• Privatizing parts of the police force. (All part of opening up the public services to business, To end "the state's monopoly over public services"...that is the point of being a public service. But Cameron and the Conservatives know this well.)
• Selling off forest.
• Privatizing the libraries.
• Privatizing the postal service. They said you, the average person could buy shares in the new company, but uh oh. Looks like Cameron's, and the Conservative Party's, powerful friends got most of the loot. Funny that.
• Next up on the agenda, the National Health Service. When the NHS stumbles, the Conservatives will announce that it's time to put the old girl done, and sell her for parts. Just like the rest of the infrastructure.

THIS is what British Conservatism is up to. Yes! They are more openly friendly to gay people and Muslims. Yes! They are not being guided by the likes of the Tea Party and Rush Limbaugh. (But they do have Rupert Murdoch around. -- But he's not having the best time in the UK these days.)

But we sometimes forget the other side of the grander conservative agenda. The economic side. We do see it hear in the United States. The push to prevent the ACA from coming online. The fight over the survival of the US Postal Service. And then we get to the states! See what is happening in Detroit? And across Michigan? They are selling off chunks of it. And other Republican governors are acting much the same. They are mini David Camerons...without the years at Eton. (I don't want to leave out the Democratic mayors of Chicago in all of this. The sale of the parking meters in the city was a stunning act of personal greed, bolstering the conservative viewpoint.)

The country is under pressure and threat. And ideas that go back to Margaret Thatcher, and on back to the first angry conservative opposition to the social safety net, are at the root. Conservatives foster these ideas. And they then ignore the repercussions of these ideas.

But in the UK...The Conservatives seem to be winning that economic fight. People are pissed about a lot of it. But they aren't tossing them out, yet. (It would be nice if Labour was currently more competent and could actually lead a proper revolt in debates in the Commons.) I can only hope Brits are able to preserve their nation against the grabby hands of David Cameron's friends. 

And here in the US, let's realize what comes if the GOP does get the White House, or full control of the Congress. Heck, the power they swing in the courts is damaging enough as it is. We need to push them out before they do too much damage to this country.

And it pissed me off when I see Democrats or pundits forget this reality. They often get chummy with the idea of bolstering some

____


And if you wonder, yes, the UK has it's own weird characters that look almost destined to rise to power they should never have. Meet Boris. Or, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London.

It blithers and dithers. And when he isn't doing that, he's off quoting things in Latin. Then he races off on his bicycle to his latest affair. ...And some think he could be a future leader of the Conservatives, and Prime Minister.

He's that annoying sort of affable. He looks like such an idiot, so people think he's charming and harmless. Look at him, at the London Olympics.

First they laugh at him. Then they love him. It's terrifying. Because he's a rich, privileged, highly connected, highly educated conservative. But he manages to camouflage it. (His full name is Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. -- Not that we should judge people based on their name.) He's developed a look and style.

Let's hope Conservatives in the United States don't learn from him. But, say, does he at all remind you of Chris Christie. In Christie's case, conservatism masked under a few moderate position, and an angry "in your face" demeanor. It seems to sell somewhat in the United States. People do seem to ignore his troubling side, and troubling ideas. Perhaps in another post.

Get to know your Obamacare.

Healthcare Triage is a new YouTube show, looking at medicine.

For their first show, Obamacare and October 1st.

COMING SOON! Republicans Shutdown The Government...I hate tired retread sequels. *UPDATED*

UPDATED:

It is official now. The Federal Government is closed.

...Unfortunately, we do not have a clear indication that Congress will act in time for the President to sign a Continuing Resolution before the end of the day tomorrow, October 1, 2013. Therefore, agencies should now execute plans for an orderly shutdown due to the absence of appropriations....

____

Also I should note that while 800,000 are being sent home today. Another 1,000,000 will be asked to stay on the job and receive no pay (The Republican dream.).

Also the House GOP last night, in the closing minutes of government started pushing to go to a conference committee. There they would fight/"negotiate" out the House and Senate bill.

This could sound good. The trouble is that the Democrats have been pushing for this on this matter for months now (It's been on the table since April.). But Republicans wanted to push to a late night showdown. But at the end, they wanted the conference.

And Reid said no. This is because a last minute conference where Republicans will continue to push ancillary issues, like the "Conscious Clause" on to Democrats as the government sits in shut down is just unacceptable. They can't win an election on their bad ideas, so they want a budget crisis to force their ideas on the country instead.

Republicans seems eager to disable government until they get all their wants. And they aren't getting their way.

GOP needs to grow up.

____

So we quickly race to a government shutdown, and Republicans are hard at work, getting on Twitter, getting on TV, making speeches they hope will make great campaign ads...You know, the important things.

So what is some of the impact of these efforts by Republicans to kill the Obamacare, block access to birth control, etc?

• Small Business Administration stops loaning to business.
• Student loans slow down.
• Home loans slow down.
• Clinical trials by National Health Institute will stop.
• EPA and other regulators slow down or just stop.
• Slowdown in passport processing.
• National Guard will hold off in aiding in disaster relief.
• Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program stops.
• The quick service at airports via E-Verify stops. (I imagine this will be quickly restarted. As last time.)

And along this, it will impact our economy. Because, despite the Republican mantra, government/public jobs ARE REAL JOBS. They may like to pretend otherwise, but all these people not working, not getting paid, and all the services out of function will hurt the country. We will look at 800,000 people going to work tomorrow morning to be told to go home, without pay.

Shutdowns remind us how much we rely on and need government. Republican never learn this lesson. So it is up to us voters to teach it to them at the ballot box.

Be pissed. Be registered.  Be ready to vote.

If it was a Conscious Clause, the GOP would be embarrassed by themselves.

As we've seen this weekend, the House Republicans introduced a "conscious clause" into the ongoing budget debate.

This isn't a matter where they want to address a budgetary expense, to claim something, like the ACA, is a fiscal burden for the country. No. This is just an addendum on their other crazy ideas, to take away access to birth control from as many women as they can.

The idea is that if you, the business owner, decide that preventative health care for women is morally or religiously objectionable, you get to opt out. So you, as a business owner, have an out to slash your health care expenses...while taking a religious/moral stand...of course.

But even if you are taking some stand, call this a conscious clause or a matter of Religious Freedom, it is the same thing. This is putting women in a separate and inferior category. This is saying that the preventative health needs of women do not stack up as worthwhile or acceptable as those of men. Sexual health issues of men are clean. The sexual health issues of women aren't clean, and actually troubling. So when someone wants to boot out women's access to The Pill, or other contraception, we'll allow it. I mean, they have "moral objections". How can we not acquiesce to someone having a moral objection. Sure, contraception is medically valid...but I know a church that doesn't like it.

Their are a number of religions opposed to blood transfusions. There are people who morally object to vaccination. No one cares. No one will take access to this stuff away.


Already we've seen a ridiculous exemption given to religious institutions to not have to have any cover even allowed in their health care coverage. Many don't only hire people of their faith. They can't directly control what they do on their own time (have unacceptable relationships, dress unacceptably, say unacceptable things), but they can control this. And the government gave them that power over people.

The Koch Brothers want to be sure they have that power. So does Hobby Lobby, Chick Fil-A, and many others.

The end result that conservatives hope for in this is a stigmatization of birth control. To convince us that birth control or abortion it's all evil.  They want women to struggle. They want society to look in fear at sex.


Did I mention this was a budget battle?

Because we are currently looking at a budget battle, and the risk that the government will shut down.

And the House GOP decided to lob this into the strife we are already besot by. Unbelievable.

No. Unacceptable.

And the Right Wing clowns cheer this on, even lauding a debt default by the United States. They are fools giddily dancing their way through a raging fire.

Good News! Even if the fall does kill you, Ted Cruz will be fine.

There's a classic line from Douglas Adams:

"It's not the fall that kills you; it's the sudden stop at the end."

In the last several years, the Republican Party has proven itself eager to engage in a scientific study to see if this is true. They've cut aid and support, leaving vital funding often plummeting. And, as we seen already, Republicans are all too ready to bring the government, country, and economy to a grinding stop.

Following on the conservative experimentation of last week, the effort to take away funding from Obamacare in the House, we now move to the Senate. In the House there was a line of Republicans eager to crow and call out for ending the program and shutting down government. Those voices are far less loud or numerous in the Senate. So does the deadly game change?

In the Senate, we have Ted Cruz, of Texas. He’s been in office for 9 months. And comes from Texas, where is crazy rhetoric already won him office. So he’s been revving up for a fight for awhile.

He’s the bargain lawyer from your late night TV watching. Really he is. If you watch enough TV, you've probably seen his ads come on again and again. And like so many of these ads, he’s been selling a lousy and dubious product, the idea that Obamacare should be defunded.

"Call in the next 10 minutes and receive a free Brazilian Power Crystal."

But while he is a sort of slick TV lawyer, he shouldn't be underestimated. He is a lawyer who has argued before the Supreme Court. He isn't a small town kid new to the bright lights of the big city. He has been around. He just talks to his audience usually, angry hostile Tea Party conservatives.

To do this work and stir up his audience, he’s needed more than the president for a baddie in his pantomime play. He’s been also hitting the House Republicans. For awhile he’s been mocking the House for not putting out a serious enough effort to defund Obamacare. He’s tried to turn conservative ire on them.

So, finally, the House acted and is throwing him just what he wants. Which means he’ll either have to lead a losing fight against changing the House bill, or shut up. A possibility a number of Republicans would enjoy.

But he’s hoping to throw this back again on to House Republicans. He wants the House to respond to a blocking of the House plan with a new strategy. First, refuse to pass a complete continuing resolution to fund the government. Then, pass small parts of it, to send to the Senate. That way Republicans can just fund the parts of government they value. (You’ll remember this was their approach to the Farm Bill, where they funded corporate farms, but later cut food stamp funding.)

And what I am interested in with Cruz is that he thinks if they send the Senate just the military funding, the Senate will have to fund it, or take all the blame for the shutdown.

I know FOX News will try to sell this. I know Right Wing radio and Murdoch will peddle it. But, as history suggests, the country never buys it.

But it seems clear that Cruz is uninterested in the impact these little experiments have on his party, his country, his economy, or his fellow citizens. So what is he out for?

It boggles the mind.

Why are the Republicans screaming at their own reflection.

I'm unsure, but I think Republicans, like cats and dogs sometimes, don't know it's their own reflection in the mirror. It's true. I think they look in mirrors and don't know what they are looking at.

At least that is the only explanation I can think of to explain the latest ad coming from the GOP.

In the ad a women visits a doctor's office.

And that seems nice. ...Except...she's on...OBAMACARE!!!

That's horrible! Cause you not what that means!

GOVERNMENT INTRUSION IN THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE!!!

You may feel a tiny bit insulted and talked down to
by Republicans.

Yeah. Republicans are warning you about someone trying and force themselves into your medical decisions...the duplicity is so rife I struggle with what to say. It is just amazing.

If you've forgotten, somehow, Republicans have spent years trying to take away women's access to abortion. And long the way they've worked to step in the way of access to birth control, the Pill, and just getting honest forthright information from doctors.

These Republicans are the lot that have put laws on the books to silence doctors from using or offering their considerable medical knowledge, if it offends the dubious morals of conservatives. Republicans have been none too kind to rape victims. And in the last year, they've at least once tried to force women who suffer a miscarriage to go into the police, so they can be investigated.

These are the people now trying to tell us about the dangers of liberal government intervention in medicine. And by intervention, they means having guaranteed access to insurance to make it possible for millions to access needed health services.

They are the cat staring in the mirror, thinking its seeing another cat. Republicans say racist statements, and thinks it's the other cat doing it. They see attacks on women's rights, and see the other side doing it all. They see efforts to destabilize government, and think they have to stop it. They keep hissing and jumping at the mirror, and don't get that it's their own reflection.

How else do you explain this?

Well, they could also just be dishonest pricks, throwing their faults, crimes, and mistakes at the other side and hoping they'll stick...But have we ever seen them do that...regularly since the turn of the century...

And with that cats freaked by their reflection.

Another Banner Day for Cantor

JACQUELYN MARTIN/AP

Just last night I was marveling at how Eric Cantor was so eager to take a lead in going after food that ought to be in the hands of children (and the elderly and veterans and anyone in need). You might think such an endeavor would sate one for the week.

But not our Eric.

Today he lead a ridiculous event. (I know, I know. It's his specialty.) With great aplomb and revelry, the US House of Representatives voted to cut funding to Obamacare (The Affordable Care Act. But I think almost everyone has given up calling it this.). Yeah. Woo! They did it! They voted on this!

I'll give you a moment to recover from the stirring and historic news from this morning.


Better?

Yeah, it's quite ridiculous. How many times have they voted to repeal the Obamacare law now? Is it over 50? Because I thought I'd heard that when they get to the fiftieth vote, everyone in the House gets a free lobbyist. Really at this point they've done this enough to acquire a repetitive strain injury.

AP PHOTO  - j. SCOTT APPLEWHITE

Having successfully voted on this one more time, they raced to a camera to cheer their great victory...Which at best will lead to a short filibuster in the Senate before vanishing. It may make the effort to fund the government, keep the lights on, keep millions of Americans getting their paychecks, etc, a bit harder. It may help amp up the fight over the debt ceiling. It may be just that little bit of bull crude needed to tip us into debt default later this year. But other than that, it isn't going to change the implementation of Obamacare. It is still coming later this year. That is unchanged

So in that regard, the Republican stunt today is meaningless, unless you spend your day listening to Right Wing Radio. In that case, we are marching to end the socialist blight of Islam...Or something. Is will also be made into campaign brochures, ads, and speeches, and bring in some more cash. But it is just theater.

Most of what's happen in the House these days centers around making an art out doing nothing, and getting paid handsomely for it. Time and again, they push out bills that will go nowhere, but will get them on TV, or make a good bit of red meat for the most rabid of the base. But this last week they've worked hard, to take away food and health care access from millions.

But none of this is important. What's important is the illusion...I think I may be comparing Eric Cantor to Gob Bluth...

But, actually, Gob may be a good example of Cantor and the joke of an event this morning.

That's because today was a joke. They want to try and pretend it was a success. They want to have everyone think things have changed. They want to act like they are strutting around with confidence, but really they want to sneak away and cry. I mean they had people there to cheer them on as they threw out their anemic talking points. It was just sad.

And Eric Cantor wants to make himself the center of attention in it all. The brave hero. The mastermind. But he's just a pathetic attention getter.

Sadly, when this is all done, I wonder if Eric Cantor has the temerity to even admit to himself, "I've made a huge mistake"?

I wonder if he knows what he really wants to do, and what price everyone will pay for him to achieve that?


A little tribute in honor Cantor's showmanship.

Us and guns, quite a culture.

Another tragic series of deaths at the hands of a gunman. It happens so regularly, you could be tempted to be glib. But their is nothing funny in these acts.

Yet their is something distinctly ridiculous in how some choose to look at the aftermath.

Tucker Carlson (Who doesn't wear a bow tie anymore,  because THEY ARE COOL NOW.) thinks the answer to people taking up firearms to massacre people is to be afraid of people dealing with mental illness.

These liberals. They don't know an AR-15 from . But mental illness? That's something we can all get around demonizing. Right?

He isn't alone in this as other across FOX News also are eager to point away from gun access to attack people in need of treatment, stigmatizing them.

Many would be happy to see complete databases of mental health data, as long as gun ownership won't be part of the record.

Ridiculous.

But let's be clear. Mental health is an important issue. And should be of interest. People in need of aid should get it, just like with all aspects of health care. But when Republicans bring it up it feels truly hollow. The likes of Mitt Romney and Ronald Reagan always saw mental health as a place to cut, leaving many in need out on the streets.

If only Republicans actually cared about this issue. It's easier for them to demagogue it then care.

But more was going on at FOX News. Over at Fox and Friends they seemed to be coming up with a Video Game Registry. They saw value in seeing how often people buy violent video games.

Yeah. That could be a warning sign.

Someone stockpiling AR-15's? Eh. That's nothing odd. Someone who's played all the Call of Duty games, all the Splinter Cell games, and all the Halo games? That is a warning sign.

Yet, as others have pointed out, so many countries have avid video game playing populations. But they don't see the same levels of violence, and particularly gun violence. Somehow it isn't happening there.

But some people like to have something they can point at and send the angry mob after.

"Come out, Mario!"
"...Mario is in another castle...?"

But the guns? Heaven forfend if we bring up extended clips, armor piercing rounds, or guns that are better suited to assaulting your hometown bank, then taking down a stag! That would be beyond the pale.

Once this country was open to having reasonable limits on gun ownership. Some things were acceptable. Some things only a nut would try and own. But the gun industry saw another path. Paranoia. Fear. Hate. And, lo, their came the Preppers. And it's proven to be quite a racket.

So, yeah, if we had fewer of the "not" full automatic weapons around we would be safer. And if guys would stop trying to walk into department stores with giant knives strapped to their thighs, we'd all feel a little safer.

WARNING to Conservatives, this video may cause you to learn - Plan B pills

Came across this video. It gives a simple explanation of what the Plan B pill does and doesn't do. Let's get passed the misinformation.


It is not an abortion (Not that abortion should be an anathema.). And when people want to tell you, or someone you know, it is, correct them.

People shouldn't be shamed, or lied, away from their valid medical choices.

Being Boldly Wrong: The GOP isn't moving, it's just moving the furniture around the office...and SMASHING it.

Incredible Hulk V.2 #315 John Byrne, Keith Williams,
Andy Yunchus Dennis O'Neil

The GOP has been trying for months now to say it is a party of the future. New ideas. New voters. New acceptance of the nation around them. But it seems that is all such a huge lie that they struggle to keep up the facade. It will always come down.

Luckily the media isn't watching, most always.

So when candidates aren't racing to a camera to talk about women and their rape myths, or getting caught on film making racist statements, it is pretty smooth sailing  And the GOP has become very accustomed to this arrangement.

They pass their regressive laws, dismantle regulation, and go after the disenfranchised.

Like last week, when the Republican National Committee unanimously agreed that marriage equality was bad, and they would oppose it. Unanimous agreement, no debate. Marriage is between a man and a woman (Who are doing it.). Yes, we all know the blatant flaw in logic right there. This is the RNC, logic is considered liberal (and possible a homosexual). And they made sure to include the point that traditional marriage is where kids belong. So you know they are implying opposition to gay couples parenting. How does a serious modern party do this? By having unserious leaders, and a legion of unserious voters.

As was noted here, this resolution they voted on is just garbage dressed as science and serious policy. But it fits their ideology and they will continue to peddle the inferiority of gay people as some scientific truth.

And Paul Ryan and others in the party are eager to rally the social conservatives to push harder. Continue to push back access to abortion. Push against access to contraception. Push back the definition of rape. Push to make a zygote a being with full rights. (They don't even want gay people to have full rights!)

We've been seeing this for months now. Push after push to make it impossible to access abortion. Moves to limit voting access. Then someone goes on TV and says, as a conservative, the party needs to change, and is changing (earnest smile).

So just remember, as yet a another representative or flak goes on TV, just what lies beneath the surface.

Incredible Hulk V.2 # 375 Peter David, Dale Keown, Bob McLeod,
Glynis Oliver, Bobbie Chase

Standing up to the Religious Right: Katelyn Campbell

We can loose sight of the people who are putting up the hard fights. People who stand up to authority and peer pressure in places where there is just not much cover, and standing out can mean your life will be made hell.

But once in a while we see someone stand up, and refuse to sit back down and be silent. One such person is Katelyn Campbell of West Virginia. She is standing up to abstinence education with blatant religious content.

A religious spurred speaker came in and began to spout to students. Condoms are bad, and don't work. If you have sex, you will get a disease. If you take birth control, your mom hates you. And that the speaker could tell if you would be promiscuous.

Campbell opted out of the event, but was given a recording of it. Hearing it she was outraged and spoke out, and sought those who would listen.

For speaking out, and talking to the media and the ACLU, the principal threatened her. He told her that he may contact the university that she was going to in the fall, and tell them she was of bad character.

In response, she's called for him to resign.

So there she was, taking a stand, having her future threatened, and she did not back down. Good for her. Thank you. Thank you for standing up and trying to make a difference. For science. For education. For the separation of church and state.

And her future university had some thoughts to.

Smart move Wellesley College. Smarter than that principal.

And, again, thank you Katelyn Campbell. People like you can make a difference, and help make the world a better place. We should all try as hard.

It's a TRAP...law. The Anti-Choice Empire and the ongoing War on Women. *UPDATED*

Before now I was unaware of the term TRAP laws. Now, I have seen them at work, but didn't know they had a name. (ThinkProgress looks at the states leading the charge on them.)

TRAP means Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers. It is a legal trick to ban abortion in a state, without actually openly creating a ban. Red tape and regulation. Yes, it is curious how conservatives seem eager to embrace regulation here, while EVERYWHERE ELSE they are violently dyspeptic about it.

Pressing. A cruel and barbaric
punishment.

But conservatives are regularly open to the idea that the ends justifying means, so I'm not agape. With TRAP, they get to micromanage facilities that offer abortions. How big are your closets? What medical machinery do you have on hand? What privileges do you have at hospitals? They just keep stacking on the regs.

It could almost sound sensible. The layering on of regs can seem benign. Safe and sound is good in medicine. But they don't care about making these facilities safe. This is just concern trolling. The rules are not meant to make things better or help the women of a state. These are meant to be just strict enough to make it impossible to have abortion providers stay open.

If one regulation doesn't do it, add another. And if that doesn't do it, keep adding them until they can't function. It reminds me of the old punishment known as pressing. In it weight is added on top of a person until it finally kills a person. When it comes to reproductive rights, conservatives have decided to add the weight of regulation, bit by bit, until those rights slip out of reach.

So, at long we can say the efforts by Republicans to shut down abortion access are, yes, a TRAP.

Yeah...I already know what it is.

So, to keep with the Star Wars imagery, we can't retreat now. We have to push on and fight. ...And we may also have to concentrate all fire on that Super Star Destroyer...I don't know why for sure...But it is really important. Okay?

__________
UPDATED:

Rachel Maddow looked at the TRAP laws last night:

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