How I explain to my students what Venn diagram is
You are currently browsing the politics category
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, you lie
The Spokane corridor just got $35m in federal gov’t money to fund a transportation initiative. According to her press release, my House representative, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, calls the project “precisely the type of project the government should be funding.” She goes on to say she voted against the stimulus package because “it didn’t include enough measures to truly stimulate our economy” — yet the $35m grant for this project comes from the stimulus, which she does not mention. (She says the TIGER grant is from the Dept. of Transportation, but fails to acknowledge that that is part of the stimulus package and instead reaffirms her lack of support for the stimulus package.) So essentially, she says she is in favor of and has been a champion of this project…how? By voting against the money for it? Finally, at the bottom of her post, she says, “To date Washington State has provided $555 Million in funding for this project compared to only $18 Million by the federal government.” That new $35m is … where, exactly? Escrow?
Politicians are flat-out lying. If we don’t call them on it, they’re going to keep doing it, and the Big Lie will keep growing.
*
On a related note, see also JD.
In which hell freezes over and I praise Meghan McCain
My descent into post-football depression has been momentarily waylaid: Far be it from me to praise the Huffington Post, which I despise for its muckraking and sensationalism and the way it commits every logical fallacy it accuses Fox News of perpetrating, but I was perusing it this morning (as I do most mornings for my cynicism fix — nearly as important as my caffeine fix) and came across this story with Meghan McCain’s comments on the Tea Party. Apparently she is guest hosting on The View, which I enjoy about as much as Huffington Post. Well, most clouds have a silver lining, and this was theirs:
In a scripted segue that requires Ms. McCain to refer to her notes (thankfully, they were not written on her hand — the horror! [/sarcasm]), she says:
McCain: Congressman Tancredo went on TV and he was the first opening speaker and he said, ‘People who could not even spell the word vote or say it in English put a committed socialist ideologue in the White House whose name is Barack Hussein Obama.’ And then he went on to say that people at the convention should have to pass literacy tests in order to be able to vote in this country, which is the same thing that happened in the 50’s to prevent African Americans from voting. It’s innate racism and I think it’s why young people are turned off by this movement. And I’m sorry, but revolutions start with young people, not with 65-year-old people talking about literacy tests and people who can’t say the word ‘vote’ in English.
Granted, in his speech, Tancredo took some potshots at John McCain, so Meghan was probably pissed off about that. Still, I’m glad to finally see someone within the conservative ranks calling out the Tea Party for what it is: a seclusionist, isolationist, xenophobic, racist, nationalistic movement motivated by fear — not pride or patriotism — and the desire for status quo. Frankly, I hope the producers of The View hire her and jettison that other blond host whose only contributions are talking points from O’Reilly’s show that aired the night before.
*
(I fear that my post-football depression is going to manifest itself in more political rants. Great.)
My fellow Americans
I wonder if there is any truth in my current perception that George Orwell is the last unifier of American politics: it seems conservatives fear America becoming that which was depicted in 1984, whereas liberals believe the Bush administration turned the country into Animal Farm. Perhaps I am wrong. Either way, from him comes the following passage. Both sides should take note:
The word Fascism has now no meaning except in so far as it signifies “something not desirable.” The words democracy, socialism, freedom, patriotic, realistic, justice have each of them several different meanings which cannot be reconciled with one another. In the case of a word like democracy, not only is there no agreed definition, but the attempt to make one is resisted from all sides. It is almost universally felt that when we call a country democratic we are praising it: consequently the defenders of every regime claim that it is a democracy, and fear that they might have to stop using the word if it were tied down to any one meaning. Words of this kind are often used in a consciously dishonest way. That is, the person who uses them has his own private definition, but allows his hearer to think he means something quite different.
From “Politics and the English Language,” 1946 — but really timeless.
In threes: Leaks, batteries, and Conservapedia
I’d never heard the saying that bad things come in threes until I met Matt, and I credit that prior ignorance to having had a pretty good life, all things considered. Since he told me about it, however, I can’t help seeing the pattern. Take this past two-week period, for example: bad things didn’t just come in threes; they poured in threes.
1. For starters, I was roused from my grading one afternoon by the rhythmic plinking coming from the guest bedroom, whereupon I discovered that the leak we thought we had fixed over the summer was not only not fixed, but had worsened. So much so that we shall have to replace drywall, which I’m looking forward to with fervor normally reserved for dentists and having my toenails yanked out. I stopped the immediate leak with a bucket in the attic (and discovered another, albeit much smaller leak) and, two trips to the roof and a couple caulk cans later, we now have no leaks.
2.1 and 2.2. The second that was going to be on this list was the toilet handle snapping off, but a quick trip to ACE Hardware for a $10 handle (not the stupid plastic one the house-flippers bought; I am never buying a flipped house again) and ten minutes with a crescent wrench and all is well there. So the second thing is the triangle of death that appeared on our Prius last week. The short story (the long story includes lots of instances of the word “fuck”) is that we’re looking at possibly having to replace the HV battery. Which is the big battery, the one that isn’t available at your local auto parts store. Eek. Needless to say, being able to fix your own roof and toilet is a lot more gratifying than looking at replacing a hybrid battery.
3. But I must say, the third bad thing is not so much something that happened to me (in fact, it is a couple years old) as it is something that has happened to our poor world. Internets, while I have been trying hard to refrain from further prostrating myself before the godlessness of politics (except Focus on the Family, which is very godly in its politicking), I CANNOT RESIST COMMENT ON CONSERVAPEDIA.
I mean, THANK THE GOOD BLOGS that there is a site where REAL AMERICANS can bring their biased opinions knowledge together and WAVE FLAGS OF TRUTH at the unwashed masses. And THANK THE GOOD BLOGS that sockpuppetry is dealt with expediently, that there are conservapedia commandments for the proper dissemenination of disinformation, that the “senseless changing of American to British spellings may result in blocking,” but mostly that there is finally an answer to the godless, anti-American, anti-Christian, and anti-right-winged bias of Wikipedia.
– But see, I wrote that entire paragraph mocking Conservapedia because when I first read it, I was sure it was a joke: sure that no one would really use the American flag in the logo like that (and such a bad font! was this made in MS Word?), sure that the “sockpuppetry” was a joke, sure that the “conservapedia commandments” were mocking the Bible, sure that the feminism article was written as satire — so sure that I joked about it on Facebook, whereupon proper fact-checkers assured me that no, it’s real, even if some of its articles have been somewhat vandalized (or “scandalized!”) by hippie-lefty-pinko-commies, those godless bastards.
Look, if conservatives want to have their own wiki, that’s fine, but let’s be honest — it looks like they’re taking their toys and going home because they can’t play in the big Wikipedia league. Yeah, no, I’m sure they have a good grip on reality. /sarcasm
On why I won’t be inviting anyone over any time in the near future
Earlier today, I was all hacked off about this story in the NYT about parents (many in Texas, surprise surprise) who don’t want their children to listen to Obama’s upcoming speech for high schoolers. Apparently those parts about responsibility, staying in school, and working hard? Those are socialist talking points! “I don’t want our schools turned over to some socialist movement,” said one parent of a child WHO GOES TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL.
And I was thinking, OH MY GODS. You people are close-minded idiots. God forbid anyone runs into an idea that she or he might disagree with. THE WORLD, IT WOULD END — KABLOOEY!
I tell you this to illustrate the type of grumbly mood I was in all afternoon. And then, completely unrelated to politics, tonight happened.
Seriously, you people who have children? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!
You know what my damn dog does when we get her a nice, plush new bed? SHE PEES ON IT. Do you know what she does on the carpet as I’m opening the back door to let her out? SHE PEES ON IT. Do you know what she does when I only let her out onto the deck instead of taking her all the way down the stairs? SHE PEES ON IT.
Have gone through half a liter of Woolite Carpet Stain & Pet Odor Remover (With Oxygen!), gallons of water, and all of my nerves. Currently, Lucy is snoozing in her crate and I’m drinking beer. God bless Wailua Wheat and its Passion Fruity goodness.
Goodnight, and good luck to me.
Democracy, town-hall style: part 2: Q&A
Okay, here’s part two of the Cathy McMorris Rodgers Q&A in Walla Walla on Thursday, Aug. 27. Remember, this is all paraphrase with a moderate dose of interpretation thrown in, unless quotation marks are used. It’s also very condensed — there were several times when CMR just filibustered for time, restating what she’d said in her opening speech, and not answering the question at all. And a bunch of people had long preambles to their questions. I tried to distill, partly for brevity but mostly because, damn, those politicians can yakk you to death. Finally, the questions are loosely color coded, based on whether or not the person was obviously partisan, or just bold if the questioner’s politics were a little more difficult to discern.
Q1: Is healthcare a right or a privilege?
CMR: I believe in getting access to healthcare for everyone.
Q1: But is it a right or a privilege?
CMR: [repeats previous line]
Q2: The bill before Congress includes a line to create another program to monitor Medicare errors. Why do we need a new program?
CMR: In this bill, there are a lot of duplications of effort, new offices doing duplicate activities.
Q3: CEOs are not promising to not drop people [lists stats]. What specifically would you support in a healthcare bill?
CMR: “Part of the solution on this bill…er, issue” includes competition in the marketplace. This bill sets up a “commissioner” who inspects plans. One person deciding what kind of plan you can have.
Q4: You talk about gov’t rationing, but isn’t healthcare already rationed by the private sector?
CMR: I believe there should be more competition.
Q4: What about cooperation among politicians instead of competition?
CMR: (no answer)
Q5, guy with spouse fighting cancer: Asks about tort reform. What can citizens do to get tort reform passed?
CMR: Everyone should write to your reps asking for medical liability reform. [Ed. note: Yeah, and quit suing doctors for adverse outcomes unless unless they're egregious, intentional, or a result of carelessness.]
Q6: Aren’t community and support a factor in this issue, as well as personal responsibility?
CMR: “If you look at my record” you’ll see I support a safety net…. [long filibuster]
Q6: You say you don’t want a gov’t bureaucrat between us and our doctor, but we already have an insurance bureaucrat between us and our doctor.
CMR: [Ed. note: I didn't get response -- I don't recall that she gave one, but I may have missed it.]
Q7: What do you think about living wills and durable power of attorneys?
CMR: They should be “an option, not a mandate.” [Ed. note: I agree.]
Mike Hewitt jumps in, tells crowd about how his dad had all those things but when they went to the hospital the night his dad was dying and it came time to “pull the plug,” his mom changed her mind. [Ed. note: this was pretty obviously a scare story that those documents are worthless and don't make one bit of difference.]
Q8: Small businesses in association health plans are losing their homes and going into debt when costs rise, just trying to give their employees and themselves health insurance. Oversight of insurance companies is essential — these people are buying insurance in good faith — and there is a problem with that type of insurance being sold. The gov’t should help craft state-line-crossing insurance policies.
CMR: There need to be protections in the laws that govern these associations. [Ed. note: Here or shortly before this, she'd spent time decrying how tight the regulations are governing what insurance plans can and can't cover, so....]
Q9: I’m willing to help pay for other people to get health insurance.
CMR: We should have portable health insurance.
Q10: Medicare and VA care are public options.
CMR: “There is an appropriate role for government.” But with these plans, “government doesn’t foot the bill.” [Ed. note: Eh?]
Q11: In the bill, the public option is designed to be self-sustaining. [boos, jeering from audience -- the first of the meeting]
CMR: The bill will cost $1 to 1.5 trillion dollars –
Audience person, yelling: “over ten years!” [glares from other audience members]
CMR: Yes — over ten years. Currently, Medicare is going bankrupt, so ’self-sustaining…’ [applause from audience; Ed. note: this seems like a pretty damn valid point to me]
Q11: You say we should let the free market and innovation drive healthcare. What innovations have health insurance companies brought that help us? [Ed. note: This question seemed to go on, and on -- one guy two rows in front of me stood up and shouted, "You've had your time, now sit down!"]
CMR: In Canada, three years ago there were three MRIs –
Q11: No, talk about America!
CMR: In Canada, three years ago there were three MRIs. I don’t know how many MRIs there are here in Walla Walla — lots, probably. You have access to technology. [very loud applause]
Q11: In Japan – [audience jeering because this woman kept going] people have voluntary access to MRIs. They’re more technologically interested than we are.
CMR: In America, we invest in research and technology. [Ed. note: thought this was a fair point.]
Q12, finally: Insurance companies run healthcare in America. “The only thing I can think of that would be worse than this is if the federal gov’t ran healthcare.” [applause] This bill will bankrupt doctors and hospitals. Are billmakers aware of the consequences?
CMR, clearly grateful to have someone on her side: Good point.
Q13: Who’s going to pay for this bill? Will there be taxes on Medicare benefits?
CMR: “I’ve not heard of anyone opposing that — I’ll keep my eyes open.”
Q14: There is a lack of accuracy in CMR’s information — we need to find the truth and debate on that.
CMR: “I think we can find some common ground in what you said.” Says we need reduction in paperwork and transparency of healthcare costs. “I do not believe that it is true that if you like your insurance, you can keep it.” Here’s why: the plan includes (1) an incentive for employers to drop employees, and (2) there is a commissioner to decide what plans are acceptable and what has to be included in every plan.
Q15, a nurse: What about all the unnecessary tests? all the waste/fraud/abuse in Medicare? What can we do to reduce costs?
CMR: Liability reform, personal responsibility, reduce waste/fraud/abuse in Medicare [illegible notes]
Q16, a doctor: Cites stats given by liberals (U.S. is 37th in healthcare, low in infant mortality, etc.), explaining that different countries use different ways of measuring these factors (e.g. in one country, infant mortality isn’t counted if the baby is < 12 inches; in another, it’s if the baby is a certain weight; in the U.S., all babies are counted). This affects life expectancy. [His point being that the stats are useless, that U.S. healthcare isn't really that bad.]
CMR: “Thank you.”
Q17, a woman in a wheelchair: I love this country and the people who have fought for it. [applause] I’m concerned on where it is headed. I’ve heard that if this bill passes, there’s no way to get rid of it. Is that true?
CMR: “It would be very difficult. Not impossible, but very difficult.”
Q17: “What can we do to keep it from passing in its present form?”
CMR: “I think I need to take you to Washington, D.C.” [applause]
Q18: What type of programs do you support to help people take care of themselves? [audience boos]
CMR: Personal responsibility. [Ed. note: Look, I'm not in shape, but I could still see the irony of the hundreds of obese people in the audience applauding this.] Tells story of joining a local program to track BMI and weight, at least until she got pregnant.
Q19, a recent college grad: Why can’t the federal option compete with private insurance?
CMR: “Let’s see, how can I say this clearer.” [Ed. note: wow, that was condescending.] About 50% of Americans are on gov’t plans, which don’t cover the costs, i.e. they don’t reimburse the providers for the costs incurred. The impact of that is that doctors will leave, so how can the gov’t cover 100 million people [Ed. note: Although there are about 46 million uninsured people in the U.S., CMR stated earlier that she believes enough employers will quit offering health insurance so as to cause the number of people who need/want the gov't option to be about 118 million.] If this happens, then the gov’t becomes the dominating force in healthcare.
Q19: How would you regulate costs? For people like me, recent college grads, we can’t afford the high deductibles.
CMR: Portable healthcare. [Ed. note: WTF? How will that solve the high deductible problem?] Tells about how Basic Health in WA state was started, just covering “the basics,” and how it has been amended and added to so many times that it is now apparently unwieldy and covers too much; she adds that Basic Health covers maternity for everyone, then gestures to Sen. Hewitt, saying, “I don’t think Sen. Hewitt will ever need this.” The point being that if this plan can be enlarged so much, the same thing would happen to a gov’t plan. [Ed. note: my interpretation] And private companies are now tying their reimbursement rates to Medicare’s rates, which are too low and do not cover costs.
Q20: What about people with pre-existing conditions and young people? How do we get insurance?
CMR: We need to have safety nets — that’s part of the solution. [Ed. note: This gets my vote for lamest answer of the meeting.]
Q21: Why can’t you work with people in Congress instead of voting no — not all of these issues (e.g. tort reform) are mutually exclusive. [Ed. note: Best point of the night! Okay, stop there and let her answer it!] Also, [Ed. note: NOOOOOOOOOO!] I have friends in medical school that will graduate with $200k in debt. How will they make that back?
CMR: There is a healthcare personnel shortage in the U.S. We need to expand the WWAMI program, and we need rural care programs that pay off doctors’ loans. “Medicare limits doctor slots in this country.” Have to ask Medicare to increase slots. [Ed. note: Eh? And of course she didn't acknowledge the first question.]
Q22, a woman who lost her 16-month-old to medical malpractice, so she says, and chose not to sue; also a small-business owner with 16 employees: [Ed. note: I couldn't follow her story very well, and I got the sense that others couldn't either, although everyone undoubtedly felt some empathy for mer. However, I got the sense that she was very smug for not having sued a doctor, even though many lawyers apparently assured her it was a winning case. Eventually, she segued into her small business.] I have a payroll of $250k, and under the plan, I will have a 6% tax increase. How am I going to decide which employee to lay off to pay for this? Eenie, meenie, minie, mo?
CMR: Good for you. Small business is what this country was built on, etc.
Q23, named Dick Ingram, a WWII vet [standing ovation]: I’m concerned about the proposed cuts in Medicaid funding. Also Tricare. If Medicare goes bankrupt, what happens to me?
CMR: “Thank you for your service to this country.” You are part of what we call the “greatest generation.” We’ll make sure you have it.
Q24: Out of pocket costs are high, and much of that money goes out of state. Insurance doesn’t cover a lot, and doctors don’t take a lot of plans. You say we can always go to the ER for care, but if we do, we also get stuck with the bill for it. And if we don’t pay it, it goes to collections, and then it’s with us for the rest of our lives.
CMR: Something about how car insurance is required, and we pay a premium for people who don’t have it. [Ed. note: Eh?] Also, you should have access to choices.
Q25: People who are here illegally should not receive medical care. [applause; Ed. note: WTF, LADY. Do YOU want to be the doctor who says, "Oh, I see you're bleeding to death. Well, we'll get to that. But first, I see you have dark skin and a funny accent -- let me see your papers!" Yeah, THAT'S SUCH A GREAT IDEA. Make healthcare providers -- who have sworn an oath to "first, do no harm" -- law enforcement officers. How could that possibly go wrong?! Lady, you get my vote for dumbest person here, and that pretty much goes for all you classists and racists who applauded.] I pay $500/mo for medical care — we are losing our freedoms in this country! [applause]
CMR: “America is worth fighting for.” [Ed. note: While I wish she'd called out the lady on her crazy, a polite response and moving on seemed like an okay way to handle it, too.
Q26: I notice we didn't begin this meeting with the pledge of allegiance, and I'm concerned. It's being taken out of schools -- why has it disappeared? [applause]
CMR: Good point, and I’ll have you know that I was at Edison Elementary School this morning where I presented them a flag that had flown over the Capitol, and we started our day with the pledge. But that would be a good way to close this program. Thanks for coming everyone. [everyone stands; "Tea Party Official" in front row unfurls flag; audience repeats the pledge]
Democracy, town-hall style: part 1
Following is what happened at the town-hall meeting with Cathy McMorris Rodgers at Walla Walla Community College today, Thursday, Aug. 27. All quotations are imprecise, inexact unless quotation marks are used. Hey, I’m not being paid to do this.
I arrived at WWCC at about 2:30 p.m., camera and reporter’s notebook in hand. And coffee — iced coffee. Outside the building was a small Planned Parenthood demonstration; I saw no right-wing demonstrators. I was interviewed by a reporter at Whitman, so I’ve got my fingers crossed tight that I make it into the Pioneer. I heard a few people say that the demonstrators were bused in from Seattle, but a reliable source said they’re a local group.
Inside, the gym was covered with sound-proofing fabric. A small stage was set up, and in front of it were two long rows of chairs (approx. 50 chairs per row), and then bleachers. I’d say there were roughly 400 people there.
Audience observations:
- Probably 66% of the audience was seniors.
- Definitely 99.9% of the audience was white, and I mean pasty white — I think I may have been one of the few with dark hair and skin (thanks, sunshine! I has a tan!). I saw two other people who may have been ethnic minorities.
- The first two rows of chairs filled quickly, and let me say that it was poor thinking to have seniors sitting on bleachers. Bad, bad planning.
- Probably 75% of the audience was politically conservative and/or Republican, but there was a very vocal, albeit much smaller, liberal crowd.
- My initial thought was that the questions were evenly weighted, with perhaps slightly more (55%?) questions from pro-public-healthcare constituents.
- The constituents who asked questions seemed to range in age from about 20 to precisely 92 (a charming WWII vet), with a large number under age 65, rather disproportionate to the audience age range.
Anyway, that’s what I saw. I could be mistaken in some observations — I was sitting quite in the middle, so couldn’t see everyone well. Oh, I should add — it wasn’t ever referenced, but on stage was that crazy flowchart Republicans have been using to mislead — er, inform? — constituents:
It was also available in handout form, although god bless the conservatives, they save money by printing in black and white. Anyway, the women in front of me were looking at it and one said, “This is how our healthcare is gonna flow.” (Actually, ladies, by the looks of it, you’re on Medicare, so I’d say no, your healthcare won’t flow that way. In fact I rather doubt that anyone’s will.) She went on: “Look, Medicaid is up here, and Medicare is all the way down here.” (Because yeah, that spatial relationship is a reliable indicator….)
The meeting opened with a welcome from some person, followed by some remarks from Mike Hewitt, who first told some joke about how he and CMR aren’t politicians, they’re just “lawmakers” because they haven’t been to jail yet (ba dum-dum ching?), and who wanted people to know the following:
- There is currently no check and balance in Congress. (I think that he thought this was a bad thing?)
- Washington state is outspending the money that is coming in, and that, too, is a bad thing. Federal stimulus money helped stopper that this year, but we can’t expect that in years to come.
- Apparently, this state is moving toward a “one-payer” health system, which is news to me since I tried to get on Basic Health but can’t because there’s a wait list.
Hewitt also had the distinction of making the following joke about how much we agree or disagree with politicians, saying that it’s kind of like marriage: maybe you only agree 70% of the time, or 80% of the time. To illustrate this, he added, It’s like your wife saying (and quotes here are word-for-word), “Honey, I don’t like the way you voted,” and me telling her, “Well I don’t like the way you do your hair.”
[chelsey's jaw falls open as she tries to swallow the irony in that particular line of reasoning]
This was followed by CMR giving a speech, and I wish we were playing Right-Wing Talking Point Bingo because I would’ve won in one minute. Following are some highlights:
- We do need healthcare reform, but we need to do it right.
- You want to do the right thing, not just “something.”
- Current plan will “jeopardize doctor/patient relationship”
- It will “put a bureaucrat between you and your doctor”
- We don’t want to ask bureaucrats to make our decisions
- The plan increases costs and will cause $400 billion in cuts to Medicare
- The plan will force millions off their private insurance
- The plan will be paid for in one of two ways: (1) raising taxes, and/or (2) rationing care.
- The federal gov’t is cutting reimbursements to providers
- Something about how medical liability costs need to be reined in (tort reform, I think)
- We need to help small businesses afford health insurance for their workers
- We need portable health insurance you can carry from job to job and state to state
- We need to take personal responsibility for ourselves
And now, Lucy needs the bathroom and Matt wants to work on the fence. One of these things will happen. I’ll publish a second installment with the Q&A in a bit.
On politics: The timeliness/timelessness of Jon Stewart’s ‘Crossfire’ interview
About this time last year, I remember wondering, “Hey, will Jon Stewart have anything to talk about when Obama gets elected?”, thereby effectively eliminating myself as a contender for America’s Top Prognosticator. Suffice it to say, I did not imagine that conservatives — who so decried liberals’ furor over Bush 43 — would themselves turn into the angry, irrational scrum that they have become. You see, I grew up among conservatives — smart, thoughtful ones, people whom I admired. And I have no idea what the hell happened to them. I’m not old enough to have a huge frame of reference, but I see this country becoming more and more polarized, and it’s despicable. Rational debate? Pfft, forget that — let’s take up arms instead!
So I have this to say: If you believe the smirking Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, and Michelle Malkin are voices of reason and thoughtfulness, get the hell out of my life. Similarly, if you like the snarkiness of Keith Olbermann or Maureen Dowd for anything other than humor, you are too far gone. In either case, I don’t think you exist as a contributing member of society. I’ll still recognize your right to exist, and your fucking good luck we’ve got a constitution that guarantees that right.
I do believe in listening to what others have to say, and trying to understand different points of view — it’s how we learn and how we relate to others. But there has to be something rational to begin with, as well as a willingness to listen, and people who are solely interested in their ratings and the shock value of their words are not people interested in civil discourse. They’re talking heads, and if you parrot them and their beliefs, you’re pathetic. That brain you have? Use it.
Remember Jon Stewart on Crossfire? Remember what he said about the sniping between the left and the right?
Some timely highlights:
“You are part of their [politicians'] strategies.”
“We need help from the media, and they’re hurting us.”
“You’re doing theatre when you should be doing debate.”
“You have a responsibility to the public discourse, and you fail miserably.”
“The absurdity of the system provides us with the most material, and that is best served by sort of the theatre of it all, y’know, which, by the way, thank you both, because it’s helped.”
Remember that? Good stuff. It’s still applicable. Crossfire may have been canceled as a result, but Begala and the Bowtie are doing guest commentator stints, and there’s a whole horde of other hosts wasting brains and energy.
I know it’s idealistic, but I’d like just one show — just one! — that didn’t worry about the ratings and did concern itself with meaningful debate. So far, the only place I ever see something even resembling that is on the The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer because there is a moderator who keeps things in check, and the guests manage to exhibit self-control that is totally lacking on other shows — yes, including the Sunday talking-head programs such as Meet the Press and that ilk. The moderator model should be used on other shows, and the print media should encourage point/counterpoint columns where there is thoughtful, engaged debate — not a competition to see who can talk louder or whose soundbite is repeated most often.
Lies, and the lying congresswoman of mine who perpetuates them
I rather make a point of e-mailing my congresswoman every time she does something stupid, like espousing birther beliefs. And you can usually count on her [office] being weeks late in replying (aside: as a party who touts big government inefficiencies, they seem to have the same problems themselves). So today, I finally got a canned response from her when I e-mailed months ago about healthcare. It was not the best, methinks, mainly because of its lack of, well, facts and stuff.
Dear Chelsey,
Thank you for contacting me regarding health care reform. It is an honor to represent the people of Eastern Washington and I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me.
I’ll bet. I also love the “Thank you for contacting me regarding” part because, just like my name in the greeting, I know the next part, “health care reform” is the field I had to choose when I sent the e-mail. Hooray for form letters! And databases!
Access to quality and affordable health care is one of my top priorities in Congress. In rural areas like Eastern Washington, access is even more difficult due to geographical challenges and a shortage of medical professionals in rural areas. I am working hard to ensure that Congress increases funding to train additional nurses, doctors and allied health care professionals.
Citation needed.
Also, *yawn*
Although, there are a number of serious issues that must be addressed to ensure affordability and access, we should not sacrifice what has been the best health care system in the world for the frustrations and weaknesses of a one-sized fits all [sic] government-run health care delivery system.
Best? Citation needed.
But don’t let me miss the next good stuff: How, exactly, Ms. McMorris Rodgers, is it a one-size-fits-all system? Creating another option is not one-size-fits-all. Nor is the government going to deliver healthcare — I believe they will “administer” it — oh, hey — LIKE THE ONES THEY’RE ALREADY RUNNING: Medicare, Medicaid, and VA. Which is to say, it’s not perfect but at least it’s accessible (…for the people who qualify). Perhaps instead of misleading your constituents about the type of care being offered, you work on improving the one on the table so it doesn’t have the pitfalls of the current gov’t options.
I recognize that sky-rocketing insurance costs are causing more and more people to forego such coverage. These individuals face significant obstacles in the health insurance marketplace such as increasing costs, limited choices of insurers and inflexible benefit options. Almost two-thirds of the uninsured are the working poor, who cite the high cost of insurance as the main hurdle to health care coverage. One of the problems that drive insurance coverage to unreachable costs is excessive state regulation.
How is that, exactly?
Some believe the government has the answers to America’s health care problems. They believe these issues can be solved by spending more money and greatly expanding the role of federal government; however, this is not the answer. Americans value choice and control over their health care decisions and greater government involvement in our health sector would lead to higher costs, fewer medical discoveries and treatments, delays in access to care, and excessive and expensive increase in paperwork and bureaucracy. Last year, more than 800,000 Canadians were waiting for health procedures for nearly 18 weeks on average and in a 2003 study far more Americans were satisfied with their health care than Canadians.
Okay, a couple things: One, I am so tired of the mischaracterization that people who aren’t Republicans want to “spend money.” It’s not true. I don’t like spending money myself, but I like things to work well and efficiently. Sometimes, such as when buying a computer to research and write, or a dishwasher to clean my plates, efficiency and access cost money. That is why we spend money. And sometimes — often, even — it is not money well spent. That is when we can use fiscal conservativism to check and balance what is working and what isn’t.You should be checking and balancing, not actively preventing people like me from being able to afford health insurance. Personally, I’m no fan of the plan — I need to keep reading up on it, but it seems very unwieldy — and I’d prefer you to spend your time improving it, not killing it.
Two, as to greater gov’t involvement leading to higher costs, fewer discoveries, delays in access, etc., I’d like to know first of all what evidence you have of that, and then I’d like to point out that you’re making an assumption about it because you don’t want it to work.
Three, it’s insulting to me that you think I’d fall for comparing the Democrats’ plan to the Canadian single-payer system. That is not what’s being proposed — it’s not even an option, though I think it’s a good one, because we could improve on the Canadians’ plan. This is entirely misleading — actually, no, it’s a lie.Quit lying to us. That’s not what we elected you to do.
I have introduced legislation to improve access, affordability, quality, accountability and choice, while reducing costs in health care as a viable alternative to a government-run all health care system for America. Since coming to Congress, I have supported legislation to allow individuals to purchase health insurance from other states, to allow small businesses to band together to offer health coverage to their employees and to eliminate tax code discrimination against people who do not get health insurance from their employer. The bill makes refundable tax credits available to all Americans, regardless of job status.
Uh-huh? And how has that worked out?
The bills I have supported in the past, and those I will continue to support, will increase access to quality and affordable health care, without expanding the federal government’s role. To create a governmental single payer system perhaps may allow more people to be covered; but I believe that it could seriously jeopardize the quality of care delivered.
OMG IT’S NOT A SINGLE-PAYER SYSTEM being proposed.
Thanks again for contacting me on this very important issue. As your Representative in Congress, I am committed to putting the best interests of Eastern Washington first, working to restore trust, solving our growing energy needs with American energy sources and innovation, challenging each one of us to make healthy choices, and ensuring we have an education system which maximizes the potential of every child. I invite you to visit my website at www.mcmorrisrodgers.house.gov for additional information or to sign up to be kept up to date on these issues. Please do not hesitate to contact my office if I can be of further assistance.
*yawn* Filler.
Best Wishes,
Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Member of Congress
The thing that gets to me is that for as many valid pitfalls and loopholes and issues as there are with the current plan, my representative’s method of trying to sway my opinion is misinformation, not valid argument. It’s insulting, really.
Hitting the fan, deconstruct’d
The following assertion was made on a discussion on racism and immigration I’ve been active in:
I think the word “racist” should be banned. Apparently only white’s [sic] can be racist. Blacks and [L]atinos can call whites all kinds of names and disparaging remarks but it is only racist when white folks use those kind of words. It is time we move on.
Let’s break this down a little bit, just for funsies:
I think the word “racist” should be banned.
With one of those necessary laws of which there are not too many in America? One which would counter that freedom we were given in the constitution . . . dammit, which one was that, now? the right to bear arms . . . no, that’s not it . . . speedy trial? well, there might be a trial involved . . . Oh! I remember! FREEDOM OF SPEECH. Which you are EXERCISING by making that ridiculous statement.
Apparently only white’s [sic] can be racist.
Er, sure. See, I thought you were being sarcastic until you followed it with such compelling evidence:
Blacks and [L]atinos can call whites all kinds of names and disparaging remarks but it is only racist when white folks use those kind of words.
Here’s the thing, lady: You’re white. I’m white. It’s pretty fucking easy being white in America: we get our own neighborhoods, our own cities and towns, our own states, almost. We walk around and everyone looks like us. We talk and everyone sounds like us. We think and, well, that is where we diverge, because if I ever think the way you do, I hope it’ll be followed by a long walk off a short plank.
Suffice it to say, I vehemently disagree. Racism is racism, and it is wrong, no matter who perpetrates it. It’s just a helluva lot easier to dismiss it when you’re rarely, if ever, the victim of it and when you may have, however unintentionally, benefited from it.
It is time we move on.
I don’t think you mean “move on” so much as you mean “ignore this.” You only want to “move on” because this is uncomfortable and you don’t want to let it penetrate your tiny little world. These issues must be addressed — we have to understand racism in its many forms — in order to move on in a productive manner. That is what I tried to do when I agonized over how to clearly and succinctly explain what I thought and engage others in what they thought — however clumsy, however useless, however pointless my efforts may have been.
*
Unfortunately, I know snarkiness will get me nowhere, and my ethos is exhausted, so I’ve bowed out of the conversation. I did not respond to her, or those who followed and expressed their agreement. I’m not sure I can convey how disappointed I am in people who hold views such as hers, and even moreso in my own inability to get through to them.
Spoiling for a fight
Some days, I feel like I’m just an angry fifth-grader looking for a fight. It’s a stage I never had, looking for schoolyard fights, but now I’d sure love to give it a try. I blame my brother, the only person capable of provoking me with the merest twitch of an eyebrow. What I wouldn’t give to . . .
Ahem.
Never mind.
Today, however, I find myself restless and angry, restless because I have all this pent up argumentation and no one to share it with (tangent: while intelligent and an excellent, thoughtful person in general, the husband avoids all types of argument, so I usually have no one on which to vent my spleen), and angry because of the utter inability of so many people in this world to have a rational discussion. Here’s what I envision a rational discussion looking like:
Person 1: I believe X
Person 2: Why?
Person 1: Because A, B, C . . .
Person 2: I can see A and C, but I disagree with B. Here’s why . . .
Person 1: Ah, but you are misconstruing B because . . .
In other words, YOU ACTUALLY FUCKING ENGAGE EACH OTHER. None of this avoidance shit, this stuff where you deflect and purposefully misconstrue and pretend to take offense, hoping that the other person will back off. None of the condescending “You missed the point . . .” or the watery attempt at common ground — and by the way it’s a hell of a lot easier to find common ground after you’ve figured out how far apart you are from each other, IMHO.
What happened to debate? Where has the ability to engage and rationalize gone? Are we so sensitive that a direct question is too uncomfortable? I’ll admit my skills are rusty — I come off far too strongly, even when I restrain myself — but with a little practice, I could get back into shape. I believe we can debate, and argue, and come to understand each other better, if we’d at least give it a fucking try.