Quickie

Just in case anyone is interested in something different, sometimes lighter, I'd like to invite you to visit my other blog, Masochist of Three. I steer clear of politics and other crap like that there and discuss, instead, what it's like to be a young mom of three young ones. I've got some good stories that should make you at least giggle. There's at least one entry as of tonight where I discuss something of what it means to be a stay-at-home mom and not feel like much else while knowing, in the end, I wouldn't change a thing.

I hope to get back to this blog soon, but it's been a rather busy time - a sick time, as well. The debates are coming up, though, and there are some religious/cultural commentaries I'd like to make and other such things. I hope to get back to that tomorrow.

Thank you for coming by!

Why Universal Healthcare?

I will treat without exception all who seek my ministrations, so long as the treatment of others is not compromised thereby, and I will seek the counsel of particularly skilled physicians where indicated for the benefit of my patient.
-Excerpt from The (modern) Hippocratic Oath, emphasis added.

As much as I want to get into the roadblocks and possible solutions we have to encounter and discover, we have to answer the question of why. The following is a paraphrase of a blog entry I recently read, an entry that unfortunately echoes far too much the sentiments of far too many people.

Why should everyone be insured? I worked hard and sacrificed for what I have. I pay for it out of my own pocket. It’s not my fault some idiot decided to forego college and work at Walmart or my local gas station. If I have to pay for it, so should everyone else.

I hear this kind of statement most often from self-touted Christian people, people who too often forget the so-called Golden Rule: Love thy neighbor as thyself. (Matthew 22:39)

Then there’s this little gem of scripture: Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me. – Matthew 25:41

And if scripture doesn’t matter to you, then certainly being a good person does. Even good non-religious people abide by the Golden Rule, sometimes quoted as "treat others the way you would like to be treated."

But this is America, Capitalist America – it’s a dog eat dog kinda America, where if you want to succeed you can - and if you can't, well, too bad?

Nonono.

Sometimes people don’t know how to, and I hardly think it’s within our authority to assume we know everyone’s situation. Until you’ve walked a mile in a man’s shoes…

Let’s also take a moment to consider what society would be like without those "lowlifes," like the waitress serving you your meal at your important meeting with a client, or those who clean your hotel room (no, not all of them are illegal immigrants), construction workers, your local mechanic, etc. What about people who love to do what I do - what I aspire to do - write your favorite books/columns, and yet be unable to get insurance because of pre-existing conditions? What would the world be like without those working for the small businesses that can’t afford to offer decent health insurance, or the single parents who have to work multiple part time jobs at the local grocery store or hardware store just to pay rent – in case you were unaware, the majority of employers won’t offer insurance to their part time workers.

Blue-collar America may not be as smart as you are, but they're vital to our society, and they deserve some respect for that.

And what of widows or couples who have divorced, leaving the one time stay-at-home mother (the kind conservatives love) without insurance? Sure her kids are probably covered under Dad’s policy, but what of Mom?

People who've lost their job due to the economic crisis?

There is always catastrophe insurance, but this won’t cover everything.

Cancer.

Pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure or cholesterol.

Mental illness – and no, it’s not all as extreme or as obvious as you may believe. You might be surprised, and I guarantee you: you want most these people on their medications.

And what of those people working for companies that are currently suffering due to the economic crisis - hard working people whose job benefits, if not threatened, are probably being cut. They worked hard. What about them?

Before you suggest Medi-cal, I suggest you remember that you're paying for that and, quite frankly, it sucks. Universal health care does not need to equate to more of that. Hopefully I can get back to that at a later time.

Right Versus Privilege
The Hippocratic Oath makes health care a right, not a privilege as so many like to contend. When hospitals are bound by law to reject no one based on ability to pay, it becomes a right.

So where does that right become privilege? The actual insurance? We have a right to be healthy, but not a right to ensure we can afford to stay healthy?

What?

So many enjoy talking about how hard they've worked to get where they are today, to get the kind of job that will offer them the kind of insurance they have.

But we are not talking about the size of the house you own, or the number of SUVs you have. We're talking about the right to be kept healthy whenever possible.

My husband is a teacher. Through the past year or so, we visited a number of different school districts within the north state looking for jobs, and let me tell you, the benefits vary in a frightening way. One district could only offer him about $32,000 a year as an intern. After benefits, he would be making about $26,000 a year. For five family members. The premium amounted to about $500/month - a quarter of what would have been his gross monthly payment.

And that wasn't for the best plan on the list.

His father is in a district just across the bridge that requires a $350/month payment - and they pay interns $8,000 more a year than the aforementioned district. My husband's current district takes out $250 a month for 100% coverage.

Thankfully we were lucky. Eric found a district with the ability to offer amazing benefits along with a comparable salary to the grocery store he worked at before. But let me emphasize on the lucky.

Because he's a math teacher and there's a huge shortage, and this particular principal was rather taken with Eric, we're able to live better, health wise, than we were when he worked for a grocery store, which had pretty decent benefits, though they declined over the years (along with available hours, the ability to get promoted, and raises).

We were getting to a point where we were going to take the $26,000/year job, tired of having him work nights, student teach nearly full time, and take classes. It was taking a toll on him, on me, and our family as a whole. Even if it meant having to get on Medi-cal, on WIC (Women, Infants, and Children - get free food), and live out in the middle of nowhere. I'm not kidding.

And some would have me think that we would have somehow "deserved" this? That those teachers out there, teaching migrant worker's kids at a low-income, low performing school somehow asked for it? That if they wanted better, they could get it?

What if they didn't want to? What if they want to be out there helping those kids?

Should we punish them for it?

No. I understand that universal health care isn't something we can implement *now.* There are some serious problems we need to address first before it is a viable option, but the initial hurdle we need to jump over is this elitist attitude that somehow those who don't have enough or any insurance somehow deserve it.

Life doesn't always work out the way we think it ought to - it's not always roses for even the wealthy. Financial and job security can go overnight. You've seen it happen over the last few weeks.

We can get healthcare for everyone. It will take some work, some deliberation, some intelligence - but we can do this, and we should. It's only right.

Church, State, (Polygamy), and Gay Marriage

Oftentimes the stupid, perhaps stupidest, argument against gay marriage is this: if we allow gays to marry, then where do we stop? Bestiality? Polygamy? Adults marrying children? A father marrying his daughter? Where does it stop?

First of all, this argument is easily shut down with this: gay marriage is between two consenting adults.

Animals cannot consent.

(I'm trying my best to refrain from some really good jokes on that)

Children cannot consent.

Adults? Yes. Now, in the case of incest, well - there are reasons...eh, I won't even get into that. I want to discuss the connections between today's gay marriage debate and polygamy.

First I want to ask this: Is it our responsibility to shove our beliefs down non-believers throats? I always thought it was our responsibility to live as we see fit and treat others the way we'd like to be treated - lead the horse to water, at the very least. For my LDS friends out there, I invite you to read the Eleventh Article of Faith which states:

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

Would it be "looking/shooting past the mark" to say this could certainly extend to letting good, moral adults the ability to live in the manner in what they may, in accordance to dictates of their own conscience?

If gay people decide one day that living a gay lifestyle is immoral, they can stop. They may not be able to "straighten themselves out" (pun intended), but they can live a chaste life - if they decide it's immoral.

Now onto that damn P word - and just to clarify, I'm speaking as an LDS woman to LDS people. You might find it interesting anyway if you don't fall into that category.

California's Proposition 8, if passed, will amend the state constitution to say that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

Hmmm. How does this tie into polygamy, you ask? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesn't practice that anymore, after all.

Just humor me a moment, please.

I'd like you to go back to the 1800s, when members of the church practiced polygamy. What do you think their argument would have been when the country rallied against the practice?

Religious freedom?
Consenting adults?

Hello? Is this thing on?

According to Utah History to Go: Struggle for Statehood, the Mormon push for Utah (then "Deseret") to become a state "occurred during the Republican party's first presidential campaign featuring a platform plank denouncing the 'twin relics of barbarism,' slavery and polygamy, the latter of which the Latter-day Saint leaders had recently acknowledged to be part of church doctrine and practice."

Interesting. Isn't the LDS church known for being largely Republican?

Polygamy was seen as a "relic of barbarism" - much, I'd assume, like the Republican party sees gay marriage today.

Just for fun right now I'd like us to consider something: What if the stupidest argument in the world is correct? What if allowing gay people to marry means that we'll open the immoral floodgates of sanctioned bestiality, incest, and - gasp - polygamy?

What if one day polygamy was legalized?

While the Church may not practice it today, the Church still believes in it, to such a degree that if you do not accept it, you are believed to be in danger of God denying you the Celestial Kingdom (the highest degree of heaven). This is a huge thing - bigger than I ever thought it was.

So what if it was legalized? I'm going to refrain from asking you if you would practice it if asked (and you'd better - if asked - or risk excommunication. I'm not kidding). It was only stopped because the government threatened the Church. That was really the backdrop to the Manifesto.

I thought this was something interesting to chew on, and what it comes down to is this:

Over a hundred years ago, the government stepped in and shoved their anti-polygamy beliefs down your ancestors' throats, much like what is happening today with gay marriage.

Would you have liked that?

Food for thought.

What ye have done to the least of these...

Especially if you've grown up under the teaching that you shouldn't give to a homeless man or a beggar because that person may (MAY) take your hard-earned cash to perpetuate a substance problem, especially if you rationalize your way out of it by chanting under your breath "I would if I could" or, for any LDS readers out there, that you already do simply by way of fast offering...

I urge you especially to read this blog entry on Dooce.

It's an amazing blog, and this particular entry describes a lesson we all need to learn.

In the meantime, I'm working hard on developing an entry on why I believe universal healthcare is necessary - why it's a right and not a privilege, and why - if you truly consider yourself Christian (or just human), you should think so too. I also intend to recognize why it's not as easy as it sounds to implement, but why it's not impossible. We are smarter and more resourceful than some would have us believe - than we would have ourselves to believe.

We just need to get off our soapbox, high horse, pedestal, etc., and remember the basics of what it means to be a person.


I've got other ideas swirling around in my brain. They have the potential to seriously ruffle some feathers, so I'm sitting on it for a day or two - always a good idea. Especially for me.

Really Quick

If you've read the first entry to this blog, you'll remember (maybe) that I intended to break up some of the solemnity with some of the humor that comes with having a young family.

That didn't set well with me. I want consistency, so I decided to up the ante on my ambition and start another blog called Masochist of Three. There you will be able to read about the chaotic life of a sometimes single GAD mommy of three. Hopefully you'll find it funny, too.

Why Barack Obama?

I'm going to do my best to address the question directly and not go off on McCain or Palin.

That would be a fun separate entry though...hm.

Over the past year or so, I've received e-mails regarding the frightening entity that is Barack Obama. He's a radical Muslim (false), he attended a radical Muslim school known as a "madrassa" (false), his middle name is Hussein (true - but c'mon, are we really going there? let's grasp at another straw, shall we?), his stepfather, Lolo Soetero is a radical Muslim (false)

etc. etc. etc. Check out Snopes.com, people. Even if the email you receive says Snopes has already been checked, do it yourself. The authors of these emails hope you're just stupid enough to trust what they say. Don't let them call you stupid.

I've looked all of this up. I've been looking at Mr. Obama for quite some time - I'd even say a few years, now. At first, I wasn't thrilled with a few of his stances, like those wedge issues (Roe v. Wade, etc), but upon exhaustive introspection, I find I feel the same way. Read the previous entry and its comments to understand why.

Really, though, these issues distract from what would be true substance. I like Barack for a number of reasons:

1) He won't be intimidated.
I'm going to say this once, because I know everyone's heard it so often our ears flinch: he was against the Iraq war on the onset and spoke out against it. I heard that speech, and it took guts.

Not only that, though, but when Bush wanted yet more funds to support this war last fall, Barack spoke out against it when many were afraid to. Bush likes to put the fear of God into people by warning of the world crumbling to bits if we don't do what he says. Barack didn't take the bait and stuck by his principles. His quote:

I will not support funding for a failed policy. It is long past time for the Republicans to stop filibustering a responsible removal of our troops from Iraq, and for the President to stop threatening to veto anything that is not a blank check for his failed strategy.

Our troops must not bear the burden for the failure of Iraq's leaders to reconcile, nor should they be kept in Iraq to counter Iran.

For his entire statement, visit the page at Project Vote Smart


2) One of the greatest characteristics of this country is that you can succeed, even when working from the ground up. Obama has done this.
A major part of what pulls so many to America is that it is known as "the land of opportunity." Anyone, if they work hard enough, can accomplish whatever it is they want to here.

By basic definition, Barack came from a broken family. He never knew his father. His grandparents raised him for some time. He rebelled. He struggled. He had ill and confused feelings toward many things.

BUT.

He overcame. This man went to Harvard, became the first African-American Harvard Law Review president. He's practiced as a civil rights lawyer and taught Constitutional Law in Chicago, IL.

This man has tenacity and is unafraid (many have expressed their discomfort at having a President who very well may be the victim of an assasination - Barack is undoubtedly aware of this danger, but he presses forward).

Either way, he's a wonderful example to disadvantaged and otherwise advantaged youth alike. I'm going to speak to any Christian people reading right now and say that Barack's time in Chicago is more Christ-like than anything I've seen in other politicians.


3) He cares about the "little" people.
He put law school and corporate life on hold to work with a church in Chicago, IL to better the lives and living conditions in poor Chicago neighborhoods. When he concluded he could do more for them if he held office, he went into politics.

If he cares about them, to the tune of living in poverty himself to do it, then he'll remember the poor when he is in office. I'm tired of hearing about the rich getting richer. I understand the Republican doctrine of helping corporations to have more money so they can create more jobs, etc, but that just isn't happening. Everyone else is being forgotten. (I'll get more into this later).


4) He hasn't forgotten where he came from.
Granted, he was not born in Illinois, but that's where he put so much of his efforts. After he earned his Harvard degree, he returned to Chicago. Not many decide to take their education back to their neighborhoods - instead, many may decide to swim in their own newfound riches and intelligence. Academic learning does not intelligence make (have you heard Bush speak?), but this kind of compassion is what is needed in our country, if nothing else but for an example.

Barack also intends to make it easier for many to attend college, but if they are to receive a financial "free ride," he wants them to agree to 100 hours of community service.

Makes sense to me.


5) He didn't wear the lapel pin.
This was, by far, the stupidest thing I'd ever heard...well, maybe a close second to the Republicans' insistence to remind everyone what his middle name is. Seriously though? We're really going to question a man's patriotism because he chose to not wear a pin?

Peer pressure, anyone?

On a humorous note, this always reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Cosmo Kramer wouldn't "wear the ribbon" in a race for a cure...can't remember which one, but the point stands.

Come on.


6) Tax cuts people.
I know, I know - tax cuts when the economy is flushing? We'll have to see what we're able to do, here, but if Barack can't cut taxes, McCain won't either. This may be beyond any good intentions and promises each candidate may make.

However, I do like what he wants to do. He wants to give tax credits to companies that maintain or exceed the number of employees in America relative to employees working internationally, maintain American headquarters, pay well, support their military employees, provide decent health insurance, and prepare workers for retirement.

And as far as this crap about him raising taxes on everyone: FALSE.

I get my information from sources such as Fact Check and Project Vote Smart, by the way.

Fact Check states that two conditions have to be present if your taxes will be raised under an Obama Administration:

1) You make more than $200k single/$250k family

And

2) You receive dividend and capital gains income.

Now, it is true that under an Obama Administration the national debt will rise. I won't lie and say I don't know if it'll go down in time, if these are just initial operating costs, but lets also consider this:

Under an Obama Administration, the national debt will rise to $5.9 trillion dollars over the next ten years.

Under a McCain Administration, the national debt will rise to $7.4 trillion over the next ten years.

Both suck, but at this point I don't know what can be done. 5.9 sounds better than 7.4, though.


7) He didn't choose Hillary.
I'm not saying this because I'm anti-Hillary. What I am saying is that he didn't give into the vice-like pressure to ask this woman to be his running mate. Instead, he went for old white guy Joe Biden. That says volumes to me. He could've asked another African American, an African-American woman, or a woman/person of any minority ethnicity.

Instead, he chose based on merits and the person. Think what you will of Biden, but he's not afraid to speak his mind either.


8) Will not resort to scare tactics.
Every time something happens, Bush gets on the TV and describes with great urgency how this world will come to a crashing end if we don't do what he says.

Each time, he's been wrong - most recently on this bail out plan. Congress passed it, and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) continues to plummet.


9) I like his optimism
We could really use some anymore. Call it unrealistic, whatever, anyone who can rally us together, who can inspire us is someone we need right now. He's, as they say, "cool, calm, and collected."

I also like that he's thoughtful and for the most part (I hesitate to use an absolute here as I haven't watched everything), he's prepared.


10) He wants to modify No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Speak with any teacher - my husband is one, my FIL is another, and they will tell you NCLB is a joke. Teaching to the tests doesn't accomplish near what it should.

As for FMLA, Barack wants to modify that to allow family leave for employees who need to care for their elderly relatives, attend their children's events, and allow time for victims of domestic violence.


11) I like what he wants to do for the elderly.
Barack wants to eliminate taxes for any elderly people making less than $50,000 a year.

For more on this, see Barack's Seniors and Social Security page.


12) He's not war hungry, and he wants to talk.
*gasp* I know. Talk? To...the Iranian president? Awful people like that?

Yeah. Why not?

Not talking to them is doing us soooo good right now, isn't it?

That said, our military is overstretched right now. To even hint at a war with a place like Iran is extremely irresponsible. We also have Russia preening their feathers right now. We have to be careful, we have to be thoughtful, and leave war as a last resort.

13) Universal Health Care

We need it, and Barack wants us to have it. This isn't beyond our ability to solve, here, everyone. Too many people either think it is or don't think we need it, that people without health insurance somehow deserve it.

That's a narrow-minded conclusion to come to. My family was without insurance for just a month when he switched jobs (from grocery store clerk to middle school math teacher), and it was honestly a frightening month.

*adding this topic to list of issues to tackle* I won't bore you any further, but this is sorely needed.

And I like his plan. Call me a Socialist if you want to (it seems to be the insult du jour) but his plan resounds with me. It may not be perfect, but he's got the right idea. Just remember that we need Congress, too. The President isn't the end all be all, folks.

For a short list, though, and you can read more about his plans at his official website, here is what we're looking at with Obama as quoted on his site:

• Require insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions so all Americans regardless of their health status or history can get comprehensive benefits at fair and stable premiums.
• Create a new Small Business Health Tax Credit to help small businesses provide affordable health insurance to their employees.
• Lower costs for businesses by covering a portion of the catastrophic health costs they pay in return for lower premiums for employees.
• Prevent insurers from overcharging doctors for their malpractice insurance and invest in proven strategies to reduce preventable medical errors.
• Make employer contributions more fair by requiring large employers that do not offer coverage or make a meaningful contribution to the cost of quality health coverage for their employees to contribute a percentage of payroll toward the costs of their employees health care.
• Establish a National Health Insurance Exchange with a range of private insurance options as well as a new public plan based on benefits available to members of Congress that will allow individuals and small businesses to buy affordable health coverage.
• Ensure everyone who needs it will receive a tax credit for their premiums.
• Reduce Costs and Save a Typical American Family up to $2,500 as reforms phase

Conclusion:
I know Barack isn't perfect. He's not a messiah as so many like to joke. I do think he's exactly what this country needs right now. I also realize Barack makes promises upon promises upon promises, but I don't mind. I know that he won't be able to fulfill all them, perhaps even most of them. I'll be happy if he's able to follow through on just a few.

Just before anyone assumes anything (by the way, we all know what happens when we assume, right?) I don't agree or like everything Barack stands for or says.

But what I do like overrides the things I don't like.

And in the end, I trust him. I don't trust McCain.


(Sources not cited here: CNN.com)

It Doesn't Take Much...

...To be a lefty if you're LDS.

My blog has just been accused of not exactly being "liberal" - or, at least, not exactly portraying a very liberal point of view. Instead, at least one person expressed that most, if not all, what I have written has conservative undertones to it. I knew this would come up, especially after my post yesterday that dealt with my take on the economic crisis.

I don't claim to be some raging lib. Really. I lean that way, but yes I do have some conservative viewpoints as well. That's the wonderment that is being a "decline to state."

But for anyone who is curious, here's the cliffs notes version of a few things I believe:

- While I don't know much about the bailout plan and its ramifications, I have this sneaking suspicion that it was a horrible idea. I'm really not sure who's fault this is or who really wanted it to pass or not, and I don't care. The idea of it sucks, but I also realize that sometimes we have to suck it up and sacrifice when we screw up. And I think we all screwed up.

- I don't think the government should be sticking its nose into private lives unless reason states it will severely harm those around us. Gay marriage will not hurt us, for example. I haven't heard one decent argument yet to say it will.

- I believe in regulation for a few - not many - industries.

- This crap about the trickle down theory? Make the rich richer and those of us on the bottom rungs will get some of it too? I don't buy it. I also don't think it's perfect the other way around, either. Just don't punish my family because my husband is a teacher. We'll never make enough to be considered "rich" - but our contribution to society is far greater than, say, the CEO of ExxonMobil's contribution. Just not in a good little Capitalist way.

- I am pro-choice. This does not mean I think we should all be getting abortions, but I believe there are potential situations in women's (AND MEN'S - family, here) lives where it should be an option. This should not be a decision to come to lightly, but it should be an option in the case of rape, incest, or potential fatal harm to the mother (no, I don't believe every mom should feel she has to give up her life in order to save her unborn child's if she has other children at home). I mean, can you imagine growing up and discovering your daddy is your uncle? Or that you were the product of a horrible, violent rape? Imagine how that would shape your life. I'm not saying this is a definite "yes" in the abortion category, but it is certainly food for thought.

And the poor mom, too. Damn.

- I want universal health care. Note I did not say "socialized" health care. Are we really so plagued with tunnel vision to insist its one way or the other?

I might get into this later. If I try to now, I'll go off on a horrible tangent.

- I'm voting for Barack Obama. Sarah Palin scares the crap out of me and John McCain has lost my respect over the past few years (particularly when he gave into Bush on the torture bill).

- I think border control is fine and dandy but will hardly solve the problem. People, put yourselves into the illegal immigrant's shoes for a moment. Life in Mexico sucks, and America has a reputation of hope and opportunity. If you needed to take care of your family and you couldn't, you'd sneak across border lines too. The right thing to do here is to invest in Mexico, help make it a better place so people won't want to come here in droves under cloak of night. Border control can then take care of the real criminals: the smugglers and any terrorists, for example.

There's just a slice of my pie.

I hope that helps things out a bit.