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 War in Iraq, Poverty in AmericaPosted on Aug 14, 2007They’re closing a hospital in my city, but I’m sure nobody in the rest of the country gives a damn. If Robert F. Kennedy were alive and running for president, he’d tell America about the demise of Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital in South Los Angeles and what it means to America. He’d make Americans give a damn. If Martin Luther King Jr. were alive, he’d be speaking at the hospital. After hearing his words, people across the country would realize Los Angeles’ loss was also their own. Dr. King would make them give a damn. One of the most important, now forgotten, aspects of the tragic year of 1968 was the way Sen. Kennedy and Dr. King saw the relationship between the Vietnam War and poverty at home. If the war continued, poverty would too. They carried this message throughout the country. It was not popular. Even some of those who loved him thought Dr. King should stick to his subject: civil rights. And too many opponents of the war thought Kennedy was muddying up the antiwar campaign by diving into the complexities of poor brown and black America. But the two persisted, and if Kennedy had been elected in 1968, more Americans would have been persuaded to care. Assassination—King in April and then Kennedy in June—silenced them.
Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital is located around 120th Street and Wilmington Avenue in the heart of South Los Angeles, where the population, once almost all African American, now is also heavily Latino.
King was built by the county to remedy the situation. But over the years, it became a victim of the dysfunctional politics of poor areas. The hospital offered jobs and was a boon to the then-dominant black population. After a time, jobs became more important than standards. First in the 1980s and then in 2004, the Los Angeles Times exposed bad conditions in a hospital that had become known as “Killer King.” An incompetent county Board of Supervisors did nothing. Federal authorities investigated. Last week they cut off federal aid, and now the hospital is closing. This is the kind of issue that John Edwards is talking about in his presidential campaign, just as Robert Kennedy did in 1968. Edwards speaks out more strongly than any of the other Democratic presidential candidates on the direct link between the Iraq war and the increasingly desperate plight of the poor, as well as the growing financial troubles of the middle class. In July Edwards replicated a tour Kennedy took in 1968 through an Appalachia that remains impoverished. The national political reporters and commentators greeted him with the cynicism, scorn and irony so popular in a mainstream media trying desperately to sound up to date. They commented on his tactics: They were so irrelevant, so outmoded, so 1968. Newsweek’s Jonathan Darman said, “By the time the tour reached its halfway point, Edwards was barely making the national papers.” In the bored and world-weary tone of many American political journalists, he commented, “[T]o a weary nation worried about the war in Iraq, the threat of terror and the health of the planet, his words sound like more empty promises from a politician.” I think reporters such as Darman should be required to spend several days exploring the area around Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital. It is an area where “the threat of terror” is daily and immediate—gang bullets, uninsured drunken hit-run drivers, and drug dealers in control of streets. To people in South Los Angeles, “the health of the planet” is a somewhat vague concept compared with immediate health concerns of diabetes, poor nutrition, high rates of cancer, high blood pressure, gunshot wounds and other afflictions associated with poor neighborhoods. And if the reporters don’t want to travel to California, let them visit Grady hospital in Atlanta, where my daughter, a nurse, encountered the same conditions as she worked in the emergency ward. Or they could go to any other public hospital and the surrounding poor neighborhood in urban America. I am not dumb enough to believe poverty is curable. But it can be ameliorated, and a big step toward helping the poor would be some sort national health insurance—preferably Medicare for everyone. Edwards was the first to come out with a comprehensive healthcare plan and, while not perfect, it’s the best that’s been offered. With patients covered by national health insurance, public hospitals like King could become private or community hospitals run by independent administrators, not captives of a government bureaucracy. They could impose strict standards on doctors, nurses and the other caregivers, free from interference by bureaucrats and their politician bosses. And national health insurance, with everyone carrying a Medicare card, would permit the poor to get the examinations—breast, colon, prostate, heart and the rest—that help prevent long-term and severe illness. The ill could go to any hospital. Those suffering from cancer, for example, could choose the hospital with the most experienced cancer specialists. We can’t do this unless the war ends. There isn’t enough money. Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. saw the connection. If they had been around today, their words would have been so powerful that the political journalists couldn’t ignore them. Kennedy and King would have led, and the country would have followed. Previous item: Charisma Isn't Everything Next item: Rove's Science of Dirty Tricks Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig. Add Your Comment |
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Washington’s Overrated ‘Old Hands’
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By purplewolf, August 20, 2007 at 1:08 am #
I cannot take credit for the following,however it was posted in my local newspaper and thought that our elected officials could all use a refresher course in the following. I will give the highlights:
MAYBE WE NEED BASIC REFRESHER ON MORALITY
By Brenda Brissette Mata
bmata at flintjournal dot com
August 19,2007
When my son was in elementary school, he was taught building blocks of character. There were six core ethical values: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.
Be honest. Treat others with respect. Consider the consequences before you act. Playby the rules. Be kind. Obey laws and rules.
Following by Purplewolf:
Such simple rules to live by,but,too often ignored by this administration.Perhaps if these rules had been applied several years ago we would not find ourselves in the mess we have now. One would think that these traits would be seen in action everyday by our elected officials. Instead of trustworthiness we have deceit. Respect,well that seems to be gone too,from the destroying of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights to the V.P. giving the people of America the middle finger and the comment “f--k you!” Is this the type of behaviour our V.P. should be saying in public and on camera? I don’t think so. Responsibility,seems no one wants to take this one on. Everytime things went wrong G.W. blames everyone but himself. Fairness,gone. Thanks to all the new “rules” G.W. has signed into law,you have no more rights and fairness,well ain’t that where all those “fairy” tales come from? Caring,what me care? If we had polititions who cared,these ill-fated warmachines would be torn down and scraped.Instead of destroying we would be correcting the problems that we as people of the world now face. Citizenship.The decider has been documented on numerous occassions that he wants America to be a dictatorship with him as the dictator, doesn’t speak very well as far as citizenship goes either.Comments and dates can be found in Truthdigs interview section, You Have No Rights, #95958 Purplewolf 8-19-11:43pm.
Report thisBy Louise, August 19, 2007 at 8:33 pm #
#95756 by the 1Sgt on 8/18 at 2:00 am
“THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THIS SITE HAVE ERASED MY POSTS AND FURTHER PREVENTED ME FROM POSTING. SPECIAL MEASURES HAD TO BE TAKEN FOR ME TO POST THIS MESSAGE.”
I doubt it’s the administrators of this site. I think it’s a certain poster who wants to dominate or destroy the site.
Hint: totally dominating Scheers last article!
I’m not sure this will post, have been unable to post lately, but I’m going to try.
Report thisBy the 1Sgt, August 18, 2007 at 2:00 am #
THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THIS SITE HAVE ERASED MY POSTS AND FURTHER PREVENTED ME FROM POSTING. SPECIAL MEASURES HAD TO BE TAKEN FOR ME TO POST THIS MESSAGE.
WELCOME TO THE POLICE STATE!
Report thisBy Debra Istvanik-Strotman, August 17, 2007 at 9:26 pm #
Everyone wants to be responsible and pay for their own way; Unfortunately, health insurance is over priced, prescriptions in the United States are ridiculously priced.
I’ve heard doctors speak of quitting the profession or moving to places like Canada, where they can treat patients without insurance companies interfering and refusing to pay for tests ordered
. It is the CEO’s making the big bucks. It is the wealthy getting the best health care, and to hell with the middle class and poor.
Politicians hold their hands out, insisting we the american people give them and their families free medical care, generous pensions “they are to good to pay into and accept medicare, medicade,” and yet we are not to aske for universal healthcare..Give me a break! It works in other countries and our government knows it does but the would rather squander our tax dollars away on pet projects, a war of choice, etc.
Dishonesty in government is the reason we can not take care of our own citizens.
Report thisBy lilmamzer, August 17, 2007 at 8:02 pm #
#95608 by the 1Sgt
U.S., Israel sign record-high military aid deal
What are we going to do about it?
Well, what can you do about it?
Why not make a list of options?
Report thisBy mackTN, August 17, 2007 at 11:05 am #
If it weren’t for celebrities, the victims of Hurricane Katrina would be in even worse conditions. There are so many inequities--bad schools (underfunded), bad hospitals (underfunded)--that it’ll take more than a celebrity’s pocketbook to fix them all.
The smart investment is in leadership. If Barack Obama had been president, both the communities in Florida and New Orleans/Gulf Coast would have been assisted promptly and equally.
Report thisBy Rogelio, August 17, 2007 at 6:45 am #
The inept conditions of the King-Drew hospital has been around for many years. What is upsetting, is why no celebretites/wealthy (Opera, Magic, etc..) stepped up to the plate. They, along with other prominent African-Americans claim to support the African-American community, but when push comes to shove, they are nowhere to be seen.
Agree or disagree, the closing of King-Drew has more to do with the location of the hospital being in an impoverished area. Would a hospital close in the Whilshire District (affluent area of LA)? If it did close, it would quickly be replaced by another.
Hurricane Katrina is a perfect example of the lack of empathy that our so-called political leaders feel about the “poor.” The previous year a hurricane hit “w’s” little brothers place in Florida and you would have thought the world had come to an end.
How much race was involved in the media’s disregard of this event will never be known. Simply stated the place was neglected because it was in an impoverished area!
Report thisBy the 1Sgt, August 17, 2007 at 2:38 am #
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-08-16-us-is rael_N.htm
U.S., Israel sign record-high military aid deal
What are we going to do about it?
Report thisBy the 1Sgt, August 17, 2007 at 1:41 am #
A few of my comments have disappeared and I just wrote you Macktn a response which did not post.
Report thisBy mackTN, August 16, 2007 at 10:37 pm #
1Sgt, with all respect, I don’t believe our problems exist because the American worker is lazy or irresponsible. Nor do I think the cost of medical care and prescription drugs can be attributed to people who don’t take good care of themselves.
We have 12-20 million illegal aliens in this country, most of whom work in low-skilled jobs that don’t pay benefits. They get sick, they go to the hospital. Their employers don’t pick up the tab--taxpayers do. Hospitals and doctors are for-profit enterprises, corporate entities--and they will recover their losses at the taxpayers’ expense.
Businesses no longer want the burden of distributing health care to its workers. They are now complaining its too expensive and eats into their profits. More and more corporations are reneging on retirement plans by filing bankruptcy so that they can divest themselves of their commitments.
The Iraq War will cost us a trillion dollars. It is soaking up our resources and affecting our quality of life here in the U.S. Even soldiers and veterans are having problems getting quality health care.
Report thisBy Stephen Smoliar, August 16, 2007 at 5:38 pm #
1Sgt, I appreciate your work ethic. It is the ethic under which I was raised and to which I subscribed for a very long time. When I used to advise undergraduates, I had no trouble using it as a baseline; but the last time I taught undergraduates was thirty years ago.
Today I believe that our life-world is so volatile that “preparing for the future” is more nostalgic ideal than hard-core reality. Furthermore, this is as much the case for middle-class workers as for those earning lower wages. I would recommend that you read the two books by Barbara Ehrenreich that examine in painfully readable detail both of these sectors. NICKEL AND DIMED examines the low-wage workers; and BAIT AND SWITCH deals with middle-class employment. Please feel free to let me know if these books have any effect on your world view!
Report thisBy DHFabian, August 16, 2007 at 3:57 pm #
To ChicanoWobbly, regarding your statement, “...the system has absolutely NO regard for the welfare of impoverished African Americans and Latinos! Who said racism is dead?” What gives you any notion that the system has any more concern for poor white people??? They don’t. I can promise you that the wealthy are just as eager to exploit poor whites. This could probably be seen most strikingly in the old welfare programs. The lowest benefits went to counties that are predominantly rural white. These people still have the least access to such basic things as adult education and skills training programs/tech ed, which is vital to securing family-supporting jobs. Jobs are scarce, transportation is scarcer, and it can be impossible to earn enough money to cover rent while somehow putting aside enough money to afford to move to a city. In short, they’re often trapped. They always received just the crumbs of what little aid was made available to the poor. Often, precisely because they’re white, social service workers lecture them about “having no good excuse” for being poor, denying them access to those programs that could enable people to work their way out of poverty.
The bottom line is that although minorities are disproportionately poor, most people in poverty in the US are white. Today, the worth of an American is determined strictly by his economic status, regardless of color.
Report thisBy Skruff, August 16, 2007 at 2:38 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
95514 by the 1Sgt on 8/16 at 2:15 pm
“But, you really should understand much of the issue revolves around the choices people make. If you are working a minimum wage job after you are in your 30s, well...that’s kind of on you isn’t it?”
How right you are! The 70-IQ-old-man bagging groceries at your local puke&screw;should find something better!
Exactly what I’ve been saying!!
God Damn leeches!
Report thisBy the 1Sgt, August 16, 2007 at 2:15 pm #
#95375 by gopindrag on 8/16 at 6:33 am
(Unregistered commenter)
So 1sgt, let me see if I understand you. You calculate how much money you have available to purchase health care for you and your family, then you start shopping for the best health care that $100 a month can buy, right? I work at a hospital and I talk to people who have $100 a month health care and one ER visit can leave them owing thousands after their “health care plan” pays. Are you naive or coy?
===================================================
I’m not saying it is easy to live on the low end of the economy, at slightly higher than minimum wage and having to afford health care co-pays.
But, you really should understand much of the issue revolves around the choices people make. If you are working a minimum wage job after you are in your 30s, well...that’s kind of on you isn’t it?
If you haven’t prepared for the future, then you live by those mistakes. The system we have is not hard--ask all of those who come here with nothing and own businesses within 5 years.
Report thisBy DHFabian, August 16, 2007 at 12:10 pm #
America’s Great Divide today is economic. Race is no longer the central issue. Some minorities are disproportionately poor, and the majority of America’s poor are white. Does anyone think for even a moment that those in power hesitate to disrespect or exploit a white person who is poor? This is a class war. The issue of race does, however, effectively keep the poor divided, and weak as a result. As long as America’s poor can continue to be divided by race, those in power are happy.
Report thisBy LBB, August 16, 2007 at 12:05 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Anyone who thinks that GOVERNMENT can provide affordable, quality health care just isn’t thinking. Do you realize that it will be like having the IRS or your local DMV, who aren’t known for their efficiency or competency in charge of your health care? Is this what you really want??
Isn’t the fact that socialized health care has been a disaster whenever it’s been tried reason enough to avoid it?
Please, Americans, inform yourselves on this situation before you support something that is only going to end up hurting you and your families.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul400.html
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul339.html
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul345.html
Report thisBy mackTN, August 16, 2007 at 11:10 am #
You are right about the cost of health care being out of reach for the typical American. And only the most healthy corporations will offer health care benefits to its workers. As you age or if you have a chronic health problem, any company that offers health care benefits will not hire you.
Now even businesses are pleading for “socialized health care” because they no longer want the burden of insuring its workers. Now that we have business on our side, reform should be easier.
We are all a step away, those of us lucky to be covered, from not being insured. Imagine the kind of cancer treatment you’d get without means to pay for it? Or if you had a chronic problem like lupus? Not only could you not pay for the treatment, you couldn’t pay for the prescriptions.
And we fight on in Iraq, in a country that had nothing to do with the war on terror, investing our human and financial resources for what? Al quaeda is there only because Bush left the borders unprotected, permitting outsiders to infiltrate the country. And let’s not forget that we have created terrorists from desperate, outraged Iraquis who live without basic services, employment, peace and stability.
Remind me again--why are we in Iraq?
Report thisBy 1drees, August 16, 2007 at 10:24 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Speaking of poverty, i hope you guys did see the news today that iraqi women are being forced into prostitution so as to feed the kids & treat them medically ( to the wise, IRAQ was never like that ever, seems this liberation has really liberated them into death & prostitution, Compliments of the American IDIOTS who claim themselves of being the champions of “freedom” and/or “democracy") I wish all involved Americans to get the same in return from GOD, (and the GOD i talk about is not GOLD, OIL & DOLLARS)
Report thisAlso last year 99 veterans commited suicide which is a 26 year high. so seems that Criminals are actually paying in the court of the real Almighty GOD.
Also with the stock markets crashing and its effects, seems the Americans will soon be able to enjoy the luxuries that you guys been exporting to the whole world since a long time, too bad that your leaders will never taste the same medicine coz they definately have covered themselves well against any kind of actions of justice ( Bush reiterated the American Govt’s commitment to staying absent from all the war crimes treaties of the UNO, WOW, that should make any american real proud and make you understand that all this never was a misunderstanding or an accident BUT a Israeli-Zionist plot to rid the world of the GOYIMI)
All those who keep defending AmeroZionistic Actions even now are definately hardcore Zionists trying to save themselves from the troubles of being accused of a conspiracy which is in exact accordance with the “protocols of ZION”. but its rally hard to hide the truth for a long long time. Maybe Zionists should actually think about moving to their one love, ISRAEL.
Israel just got $30 billion military aid, which is kind of like “we can see that you americans are going to be worthless real soon , so before you die, why dont you arm us to the teeth so that we can completely ignore you in the near future”
BUT the Zionist need to Understand that although they got a certain stupid view of the world in which they think that the rest of the world ( of goyimis) have memories that only span 1 week and hence the world will never ever be able to guess who rigged who. Well, i do not think that that is the case & all those arms being supplied under the american military aid might prolong the conflict BUT “AS YOU HAVE SOWED, SO SHALL YOU ALL REAP” that is a general rule that is usually very valid everywhere.
AmeroZionists should be real proud of the Genocides they been carrying out since ages so that their Zionist corporations can keep robbing the people of other nations and make Israel richer and maybe more secure in some ways, but Israel being stolen land might never ever be secure, so what if the Israeli text books give an untruthful view of Israel to the young jews and brainwash them into killing everything in sight BUT still others, eg GOYIMIs, do KNOW the TRUTH. Brainwashes only work in Europe, North America & Israel. The rest of the world does have the better means of education about reality due to its nonZionist backgrounds which actually help the media to transmit the truth & the real news to the world.
A few days ago te Israeli govt released 4 palestinain journalists after holding them in prison for 25 years. so much for the truth in Israel & freedoms in Israel.
THE BIGGEST THREAT TO WORLD PEACE & EXISTANCE OF THE WORLD IS ZIONISM & I DO HOPE IT DIES VERY VERY SOON.
AND I DO HOPE THAT that that average american enjoys this era of darkness where lies are prevailent all over USA
By ChicanoWobbly, August 16, 2007 at 9:33 am #
The closing down of King hospital in Los Angeles is just another example of how the system has absolutely NO regard for the welfare of impoverished African Americans and Latinos! Who said racism is dead?
The war in Iraq is costing us needed economic resources as well as the lives of both Iraqis and U.S. troops. It must end!
I disagree with the author, there is money to fund a national healthcare program; Reinstate the tax cuts given to the wealthy by Bush! Cut the war budget! Make the corporattions pay a fair share of taxes!
Report thisBy ocjim, August 16, 2007 at 9:28 am #
The poverty we have is not just of the body. It is also of the mind. The prime example, of course, is Bush. Not only is his thinking impoverished, also his sense of reality. He doesn’t believe he was born on third base. He believes he hit a home run. And the same armchair, right wing nuts who support the mess in Iraq could never understand how the terrors of Iraq could impact our soldiers emotionally and psychologically. Or they could never understand the opportunities at home we have lost. The poverty of thought begins with the disabilities of our leadership and touches all who blindly subscribe to the Neanderthal decisions of BuschCo.
Report thisBy gopindrag, August 16, 2007 at 6:33 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
So 1sgt, let me see if I understand you. You calculate how much money you have available to purchase health care for you and your family, then you start shopping for the best health care that $100 a month can buy, right? I work at a hospital and I talk to people who have $100 a month health care and one ER visit can leave them owing thousands after their “health care plan” pays. Are you naive or coy?
Report thisBy farmertx, August 16, 2007 at 4:59 am #
1Sgt
Report thisSounds like a good starting point.
By the 1Sgt, August 16, 2007 at 3:22 am #
#95305 by farmertx on 8/15 at 9:02 pm
(207 comments total)
RE:#95233 by the 1Sgt on 8/15 at 3:04 pm
(89 comments total)
I totally agree that no one should expect to have things given to them. But the cost of health care has gotten out of hand.
Socialized medicine as practiced in Great Britain is not the answer. But something has got to be changed.
Too many employer’s cannot afford to offer coverage. A lot of self-employed can’t afford current rates.
Again, I don’t have the answer. I just know that it is a problem that has to be addressed, not ignored.
====================================================
With the current government the only issue on the table is more profits for corporations, the War on Iraq and support of Israel. So don’t expect much from the GOP.
The high costs of medical care are in large part because the rest who pay with employer covered health care are forced to pay the cost of those receiving care and not paying.
Two choices...the current system or socialized medicine, employers will want to drop this from their benefit plans (maybe more) if we go to socialized medicine.
Personally, I don’t like government to run anything, especially the federal government. They tax us enough.
But, it could be medicine could be viewed as a local public service, provided by the local government like police protection, schools, fire rescue, street maintenance, etc.
Report thisBy shz, August 15, 2007 at 10:36 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Chuckwagon.........It’s not the “Government” who’s to blame.....It’s the corporate owners of the politicians who have messed it up for all but the wealthy. “We” have no government...all we do is support their government and obey it’s laws, unlike the captains of politics and business who have no need to obey laws.
Elder Earl.........You would like to see the author of the “New Preamble to the Constitution” run for the presidency. Well, we have his clone in there now, and that’s not working out very well.
And there’s nothing new about the new preamble, it’s called “the survival of the fittest” and has been with us since cave man days. Our original Constitution was an effort to create a civilized society, where life meant more than merely surviving. It was a marvelous, inspired idea. I hope it comes to fruition one of these days.
Report thisBy Dan Uu Noel, August 15, 2007 at 9:22 pm #
The sad story of King-Harbor hospital is largely due to the political apathy of poor blacks and Hispanics. It would be unthinkable for a hospital in an affluent zone of LA to be this badly and this deliberately mismanaged.
About 10 years ago, the LA Times reported an epidemic of Workers’ Comp cases at King-Harbor: many employees would fall off a chair, get officially injured and collect an order of magnitude of $300,000 in compensation...And physicians would mysteriously clock in and out while shopping, relaxing at home or working in their private practices…
The true problem is that many poor, black and Hispanic people have resigned themselves to a gang-like behavior by the government, reinforced by the phony and seemingly endless war on terror.
Love,
Report thisBy farmertx, August 15, 2007 at 9:02 pm #
RE:#95233 by the 1Sgt on 8/15 at 3:04 pm
(89 comments total)
I totally agree that no one should expect to have things given to them. But the cost of health care has gotten out of hand.
Report thisSocialized medicine as practiced in Great Britain is not the answer. But something has got to be changed.
Too many employer’s cannot afford to offer coverage. A lot of self-employed can’t afford current rates.
Again, I don’t have the answer. I just know that it is a problem that has to be addressed, not ignored.
By Andre Dotseth, August 15, 2007 at 9:00 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
We need public health care for everyone.. The longer we wait the harder it will be to step into the 21st century. the money coorperations are already spending on benifit packages will cover the tax burdon anyhow and people can focus on their work preformance whether they bag groceries or find the cure for aids. Every developed nation has public health care benifits, only good people are being excluded for the most part.
How many times have you heard the facts? The wealth will loose profits. MEGA. thats why it has not happened. That what wars are faught for in the first place. PROFIT sometimes I wonder why I find this a social oulet at all. We all know the bottom line.
Its still fun to dream about a world where people live together in peace. Its not going to happen in the middle east
Report thisBy Enemy of State, August 15, 2007 at 7:52 pm #
erin #95015 is right (and his namesake is about to drench Texas).
War=poverty is a pretty tough sell these days. Since we were told we could best support it by shopping, and the Chinese are willingly lending us the money (aquired from the people buying the large-screen TVs on credit) for the war. So everyone (except the poor soldiers & citizens of Iraq) thinks they are better off. Looks like free lunches all the way around. Too bad Thermodynamics (and Economics) don’t allow for free lunches.
Report thisBy Elder Earl, August 15, 2007 at 5:27 pm #
NEW PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION
Report this1. This is probably the best e-mail I’ve seen in a long, long time. The following was written by Lewis Napper and was used by State Representative Mitchell Kaye from GA. This guy should run for President one day…
“We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt-free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden, delusional, and other liberal bed-wetters. We hold these truths to be self evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim they require a Bill of NON-Rights.”
ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.
ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone—not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc.; but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.
ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful; do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.
ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes. (This one is my pet peeve...get an education and go to work....don’t expect everyone else to take care of you!)
ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we’re just not interested in public health care.
ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don’t be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair.
ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don’t be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won’t have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of leisure.
ARTICLE VIII: You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have a job, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful. (AMEN!)
ARTICLE IX: You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to PURSUE happiness, which by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an over abundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.
ARTICLE X: This is an English speaking country. We don’t care where you are from, English is our language. Learn it or go back to wherever you came from! (Lastly....)
ARTICLE XI: You do not have the right to change our country’s history or heritage. This country was founded on the belief in one true God. And yet, you are given the freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all; with no fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is part of our heritage and history, and if you are uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!
By Elder Earl, August 15, 2007 at 3:07 pm #
Were is the Great Governer of Calf. has he gone some where or has old Ron told the people, “I’ll be back”
Report thisBy the 1Sgt, August 15, 2007 at 3:04 pm #
#95024 by farmertx on 8/15 at 3:38 am
(201 comments total)
1Sgt
I am irresponsible not to be able to afford health insurance and buy gas and food.
Last year, I had a kidney stone for the first time. My regular doctor was in a hurry to leave the office (this was at 4pm on a Friday) and suggested that I go to the ER “as what you describe sounds serious”.
I was prepared to have to spend close to $1000.
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Farmertx,
Sorry to hear about your medical troubles. I guess what I mean by “responsibility” with respect to this discussion is having employment that offers medical coverage. I know this is not possible in all cases, especially when people are starting out. Today, if you are not working for an employer who provides these benefits and are not covering the cost of health insurance on your own (self insure), then obviously this means you are shifting the burden of the cost on to others who do live by the design of the system our society has.
After I retired from the US military I sought my next employer carefully and I again made a wise choice.
I am blessed to have a GREAT job, GREAT benefits and GREAT, EASY way of life.
But, NO ONE GAVE IT TO ME. And, I don’t ask for anything from anyone.
Report thisBy vet240, August 15, 2007 at 1:15 pm #
This article should have been titled “War and Wealth in Iraq, Poverty and suffering in America”.
An article in the Kansas City Star on Saturday reported the latest studies done on life expectancy on the planet for males.
America was ranked 41st in the world, behind all other developed nations.
There was also a Pro-Con op-ed piece on National health coverage. I had to laugh at the Con article which stated that the best approach to health care problems in America should be addressed by an open market system using competitive inovation to solve our current situation.
I was bum-fuzzled by the self-serving arrogance of that writer who obviously workd to maintain the current system no doubt for big fees.
The audacity of that writer is simply explained. The argument from the non-national health care advocates is to suggest we use the system that has put us in this dismal position to extricate ourselves from that by continuing to rely on them!
I guess some people have been convinced of our stupidity based on our past gullabilities. Well, maybe they’re right.
Report thisBy carlito paquito, August 15, 2007 at 12:31 pm #
self educated MLK scholar i am, why am i talking like Yoda? anyways, MLK was on the verge of galvanizing our nation to balance things out and MLK coined the phrase the triple evils, war, poverty & classism were inescapably tied into each other--Hence they shot him before he got this grass roots, Poor Peoples Campaign, going.
Report thisBy 1drees, August 15, 2007 at 10:54 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
WEll the way the AmeroZionists see it, with more profits comming in form the stolen iraqi oil & the afghan opium profits atleast they will be richer and better. the Average american can get to a warzone as a combatant and make some money for himself, like when in two known cash shipments to iraq totalling 21 billion dollars ( NOTE no receipt “required")was shipped & distributed in iraq the soldiers would get cash bonuses whenever the Comanding officer wanted to hand out cash bonuses.
If the Americans are poor or inproblems they should heed to the governements call to go out and “liberate” people and hence they will be richer from the LOOT. if you got no health insurance, or market that is crashing, so what, the people that count are ok and who cares about the people that never did count.
America has been in perpetual wars since WW2 ( IRAQ PANAMA, ELSALVADOR, SOMALIA, AFGHANISTAN, NICARAGUA, SUDAN, IRAN, VIETNAM, KOREA, etc etc) each war was started on reasons shaky and ambigious and ( now known to be false reasons according to the Declassified CIA reports) So much for the Honesty of “the good ol’ USofA” and then the American people cannot fathom why and who would despise them so much, NOW that is perfect example of IGNORANCE IS AN AMERICAN BLISS.
Report thisBy S. Tolbert, August 15, 2007 at 9:50 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
As well, they closed a hospital in my city, Detroit, a place i worked as a nurse, and I am sure nobody in the rest of the country noticed or cared. And i would guess that many hospitals in many, many cities in this country have closed and nobody noticed that while these city hospitals are closing their doors, brand new hospitals with marble floors and fancy towers are sprouting up in the wealthier suburbs.
On that day, the day they closed my unit, they told us the bottom line was the budget. But on that day, I watched my patient struggle with phantom pains from their amputated limb, and huge dialysis machines that purified their blood every other day, and strokes that silenced their throats.
Report thisI guess on that day, i didn’t care about the budget, when I watched how easily the sick were rearranged. reallocated, put in place, put out of the way when the budget failed.
By steve, August 15, 2007 at 8:27 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
I don’t consider myself to be an irresponsible person but I also had a similar experience to farmertx although not, fortunately, with kidney stones. I was working two jobs with normally 68 to 80 hours a week (a 40 hour a week full time job and another part time job with 28 hours a week) but neither job offered benefits. No health insurance. Neither job paid well either and health insurance with a low deductable on the outside was simply beyond my budget. To make a long story short I lost my home after falling into debt due to medical bills. But I have always felt the responsibility to provide for my own health insurance although sometimes this is simply impossible due to ones immediate financial situation.
Report thisBy Stephen Smoliar, August 15, 2007 at 8:15 am #
I think Skruff (#95040) may have homed in on the REAL story here, which is the shift that has taken place, over the last forty years, from the War on Poverty under the Great Society to a WAR AGAINST THE POOR as one of the long poles in the neoconservative tent. For at least half of that forty-year period, the distribution of wealth has become bimodal (affectionately known as the “dumbbell curve"), with the separation between the modal points growing ever larger. It is as if, under a zero-sum-game mentality, the rich, not satisfied with taking all of the marbles away from the middle class, now want to clean up on the few marbles left to the poor. In this light our whole Middle East policy is just an excuse to deallocate funds for the poor that both addressed immediate needs (such as health care) and supported opportunities to get out of poverty (such as education). These marbles eventually find their way into the piles of those who see war as a source of wealth and see a CAUSA BELLI as relevant only in terms of its anticipated “return on investment.” This is the country of Lewis Lapham’s “American Ruling Class.”
http://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2007/07/can-any one-do-anything-about-pathology.html
Furthermore, while the robber barons of a hundred years ago eventually started relinquishing their marbles to philanthropy, there is little sign of such a mood swing among today’s marble-holders.
Report thisBy Hank Van den Berg, August 15, 2007 at 6:58 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Edwards’ health plan is the best that has been offered? Please look at Kucinich’s plan. Edwards’ plan still refuses to go all the way to public health for everyone. That’s the only way we can get quality and equality at a manageable cost.
Report thisWhile I agree with the basic ideas in this piece, it does appear to be rather biased towards Edwards. A little more impartial objectivity would be nice.
By Chuckwagonchuckie, August 15, 2007 at 6:42 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Interesting comment on universal insurance for all the people. Sounds like throwing gas on the fire. The problem is Government so adding another layer of GOVERNMENT managed insurance into the situation just compounds the situation.
Report thisThe Managers of poverty want more to manage so the POOR People have a problem created in part by Government. The answer is to fix it with MORE Government MANAGERS for the poor.
It seems Lyndon B.Johnson’s WAR on POVERTY failed. We still have poverty along with MORE Government MANAGERS. The issue is not about insurance but more GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT.
By GW=MCHammered, August 15, 2007 at 6:16 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Any family affected by chronic disease or mental illness knows the healthcare system is all about the war of cost-shifting between InsurCo, city, state and federal governments. But it’s real people caught in this crossfire and it’s American families that ultimately pay twice (or more) for government ineptitude, including their War in Iraq.
The honest solution: http://www.pnhp.org
Report thisBy Skruff, August 15, 2007 at 5:12 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
How about this?
In the 1980’s when the “powers” closed the Worcester City Hospital in the desperately poor, but mostly white Main South section of the old Massachusetts mill town, No one said shit! There was no war, and actually the city was doing better economically than it had done in the 70’s. Of course there isn’t much profit (politially) in discussing the plight of non-Appalachian white folks.
At some point we must address the sectarian nature of our national discussion of poverty. In place of saying “Inner city” as code for poor black folks, we need to just say “poor. Combining numbers frightens politicians. “The poor” (City, Rural, Suburban, Black Chalk, Hispanic, Jewish, christian, muslim) as a solitary voting block would be formatable, but preachers,clerics politicians, and pundants (like Bill Boyarsky) and anchor-people, have been dividing the “grass-roots” for so long, they probably do not even realize they are doing it.
Report thisBy kenback, August 15, 2007 at 4:50 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Pretty blatant that those are the facts erin…
Report thisBy farmertx, August 15, 2007 at 3:38 am #
1Sgt
Report thisI am irresponsible not to be able to afford health insurance and buy gas and food.
Last year, I had a kidney stone for the first time. My regular doctor was in a hurry to leave the office (this was at 4pm on a Friday) and suggested that I go to the ER “as what you describe sounds serious”.
I was prepared to have to spend close to $1000.
I was diagnosed initially by a nurse practitioner as having kidney stones. They knew I had no insurance, but I was given no option other than having tests run.
In the end, they gave me a ‘scriptfor pain pills and told to see a urologist.
For this I was billed $4300.
I felt this was a tad excessive.
They told me that it wasn’t.
Knowing that I was uninsured, they wouldn’t give me the option of accepting the initial diagnosis, signing a waiver and leaving. No, they had to run tests, including a Cat Scan, knowing that I would be put in one hell of a bind to pay them off.
This is because of all the malpractice lawsuits. Rather than getting rid of the Doctor’s that don’t know what they are doing, they protect them, then complain about the high cost of insurance caused by the trial lawyer’s.
Hmm, if the lawyer’s had no one to sue, the insurance wouldn’t be so high, would it?
Naw, that makes sense, so that can’t be the answer.
By the 1Sgt, August 15, 2007 at 2:24 am #
There is no doubt the Iraq War is draining what little is left of our wealth. Just today even Walmart is worried we are not spending towards the end of the month due to problems stretching the dollar. Medical care though is a problem also caused high/excessive costs charged by the medical community. These high medical costs are the result of non-payers and non-insured entering the medical system for care. This is due to irresponsibility. Some people just don’t seem to think they are responsible for their health care. By default, this makes the rest of us responsible. In the end, this is the culture of the United States--you are expected to carry your own weight here for the majority of your life. Some Americans seem to have a problem with doing just that.
Report thisBy erin, August 15, 2007 at 1:36 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
blatant campaigning for john edwards . . . why not just give me the facts??
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