This has been a very depressing news cycle for me. Ugh. So much negativity swirling around my head. It means that you’ll probably be seeing a few rants within the next few days on this page.
Iran is still a mess, and people are dying. Of course I’d like the regime to fall, as well as the entire political system. But I feel bad for the Iranians. So much political turmoil, all the time. I guess I should feel lucky I live in the USA, where even in a system plagued by cynicism and inaction, at least we don’t have this in disputes over elections.
Once again, I’ve got a lot on my mind regarding health reform, and boy are we in the thick of things. People are getting worried left and right now that it looks like the Dems will be able to pull the trigger sooner than expected, getting some kind of reform passed within the year. I’m praying that they don’t sacrifice comprehensiveness simply to get something done, because then the plan will fail, and then not only will our health system remain in peril, but the Democrats will definitely take a hit in the ongoing popularity contest.
What’s most important to know right now about the health reform debate, something you might be missing if you follow cable news or read the op-ed pages of your local newspaper, is that 72 percent of the country supports a government-administered insurance plan. That’s a big mandate. If you think it is a good idea, you’re definitely not alone. 
Don’t let your federal representatives tell you that they know better than you and sweet talk you out of thinking it’s a good idea. They are lying, probably so they can get some dolla dolla bills from the fat cats.
Now, of course, a public insurance plan doesn’t solve everyone’s health problems magically, but…that’s…another…story. Let’s just make sure no one goes bankrupt when they have a medical emergency. I’ll take that as a positive outcome of all this.
I haven’t updated you all with any required readings recently. Sorry about that. Also, in order to collect what I may or may not be writing about or pointing to for your reading pleasure, I’ll be posting links to articles under the “What I’m Watchin’” tab. Also, I’m going to try out posting a song that I may or may not have been listening to while crafting the post. I hope you enjoy this feature. I know I will enjoy posting it.
What also is pissing me off right now is that I can’t insert any photos using any mechanism in wordpress. Nice. Issue Resolved.
What you should be reading
Firstly, if you missed Krugman’s column, here’s the gist:
In short, Mr. Obama has a clear vision of what went wrong, but aside from regulating shadow banking — no small thing, to be sure — his plan basically punts on the question of how to keep it from happening all over again, pushing the hard decisions off to future regulators.
I’m aware of the political realities: getting financial reform through Congress won’t be easy. And even as it stands the Obama plan would be a lot better than nothing.
But to live up to its own analysis, the Obama administration needs to come down harder on the rating agencies and, even more important, get much more specific about reforming the way bankers are paid.
He’s right and we should probably listen to him, again.
In a related note,
The Greatest Non-Apology of All Time
Matt Taibbi
Anyone else out there find himself doubled over laughing after reading Goldman, Sachs chief Lloyd Blankfein’s “apology” for his bank’s behavior leading up to the financial crisis? Has an act of contrition ever in history been more worthless and insincere? Even Gary Ridgway did a better job of sounding genuinely sorry at his sentencing hearing — and he was a guy who had sex with dead prostitutes because it was cheaper than paying live ones.
Looking at Blankfein’s one-sentence apology, I’m struck in particular by a couple of phrases:
While we regret that we participated in the market euphoria…
Really, Lloyd? You “participated” in the market euphoria? You didn’t, I don’t know, cause the market euphoria? By almost any measurement, Goldman was a central, leading player in the subprime housing bubble story.
I love Taibbi. He always knows what’s up. Wish he had more time to write.
This one’s fun. It’s the Daily Show from last week mocking House Republicans for comparing their struggles against the tyranny of the Democrats to the struggles of the reformists in Iran.
Okay, back to the dead serious.
That Pesky Little Thing Called An “Election”
georgia10, Daily Kos
Today, 76% of Americans support a public option for all on health care.
So, to all the Democrats who claim that they don’t have the “votes” to pass a public option or that they need Republican support to reform health care, this is just a friendly reminder that the American voters have already weighed the John McCain/GOP plan. They rejected it in 2008, and more than 3 out of 4 Americans reject it today.
In other words, to wobbly Democrats wringing their hands over sacrificing real change at the crumbling alter of “bipartisanship,” to those who worship politics over principle and to those who act as if their constituents are the Republican minority in Congress whining about “socialism” rather than the American majority from coast to coast wishing for a public option, election have consequences.
A righteous rant, though it’s not tagged as one.
GOP Rhetoric On A Downward Spiral: The Political Costs of Ugly
Steve Singiser
One of the most important ingredients of Obama’s political success has been the GOP’s tendency to completely lose their marbles dealing with the President.
That tendency seems to be escalating, not abating, as time has gone on.
What you should be listening to
John O’Callaghan Featuring Sarah Howells, Find Yourself, Cosmic Gate Remix
A State of Trance 2009 by Armin Van Buuren
