Today in Under-insurance

Kristof does it again in today's Times (it's still today on the West Coast, leave me alone):

So, for those of you inclined to believe the worst about President Obama, think it through. Suppose he is indeed a secret, foreign-born Muslim agent who is scheming to undermine American family values while killing off as many grandmothers as possible.

If all that were true, why on earth would he be trying so hard to reform our health care system? We already know how to prod families into divorce and take a life unnecessarily every 30 minutes — all we need to do is reject reform and stick with exactly what we have.

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN NY

NEW YORKERS!

One of my top causes is getting my friends to vote in the district where they live, especially in New York. Local elected officials are the ones that affect your day to day life and the ones who will actually listen when you call, write, email. None of this "I'm still registered in my home state even though I live and pay taxes in New York." It's just foolish.

The primaries are MORE important than the November elections for locals because in NYC, the democrat almost always wins. SO, the important thing is getting the RIGHT Democrat on the ballot. The only time to do this is in the Primary Election on 9/15, and you must be registered with the Democratic party to cast this vote. While I respect the philosophy of registering Independent, guess what? It's a waste of your vote in New York, it just is. So make your vote count and register Dem today and SHOW UP at the polls on 9/15. I'll post my endorsements in a week or two.

From Freelancers Union:

Are you registered to vote in the primary election on September 15? Odds are you aren’t.

Today’s the last day to register to vote (PDF).

Yes, voting’s the “civic-minded” thing to do, but it’s also in your best interest. The right candidate can make a difference in your life and on your bottom line. Plus, NYC’s primary elections typically have low turn-out, which means that together, as a group, we can really make a splash.

Right this very second, print out this registration form (PDF) and stick it in the mail. No stamp necessary. Today is the postmark deadline.

Because $49,000 is More Than $2.50

Pretty airtight argument against the Three Strikes rule and the high rate of incarceration in general in Kristof's editorial today.

The United States incarcerates people at nearly five times the world average. Of those sentenced to state prisons, 82 percent were convicted of nonviolent crimes, according to one study... California spends $216,000 annually on each inmate in the juvenile justice system. In contrast, it spends only $8,000 on each child attending the troubled Oakland public school system, according to the Urban Strategies Council.

I think we can all agree that there are better ways of spending this money (health care? education? bronze statue of The Mayoress?), and that we simply throw a lot of people in jail too easily. Another evidence of our country's under-attention to prevention over temporary cure.

Flaunt It If You've Got It

Maj props to Latoya Peterson for her hilarious open letters re Diva Michelle wearing shorts. REAL NEWS PEOPLE!!

Dear Americans who actually voted in these polls/tuned into specifically watch shorts commentary:

You better not be the same mofos forwarding around emails about Muslim invasions forcing everyone to cover up and wear burkinis. Check yourself: You are asking if it is appropriate for a woman to wear shorts. She's a grown ass woman! She covered her arms, what more do you want? I am sick of this madness. Don't let me see you in the street, because I'm smacking people on principle.

-Latoya

Double props because she mentions Cary Fukunaga's brilliant movie Sin Nombre. Netflix queue that shiz.

In Which The Mayoress Has Doubts

If only the Health Care issue were simple. It's not. Witness the most commented-on ever status on my Facebook page, 20+ comments about my support of the bill. Everyone makes good points.

And yesterday's editorial by Bob Herbert seriously depressed me. Lately I've been more aware than ever how much capitalism decides everything in this country. It honestly makes me nauseous.

And even though I believe the elderly are woefully undervalued in our culture, I do agree with some of the points in this editorial on the ridiculousness of late-life care:

I’m just wondering why the nation continues incurring enormous debt to pay for bypass surgery and titanium-knee replacements for octogenarians and nonagenarians, when for just a small fraction of those costs we could provide children with preventive health care and nutrition. Eight million children have no health insurance, but their parents pay 3 percent of their salaries to Medicare to make sure that seniors get the very best money can buy in prescription drugs for everything from restless leg syndrome to erectile dysfunction, scooters and end-of-life intensive care.

So, while yes, I support *a* health care bill, I support one with a public option, and one that is open to improvement in the months and years ahead. To be continued.

Where Comparisons Are Due

The brilliant Paul Krugman, economist extraordinaire, breaks down just who we're modeling our Health Plan after - don't miss this article.

Investor’s Business Daily would like you to believe that Obamacare would turn America into Britain — or, rather, a dystopian fantasy version of Britain. The screamers on talk radio and Fox News would have you believe that the plan is to turn America into the Soviet Union. But the truth is that the plans on the table would, roughly speaking, turn America into Switzerland — which may be occupied by lederhosen-wearing holey-cheese eaters, but wasn’t a socialist hellhole the last time I looked.

CALL TO ACTION!

It's rare that The Mayoress asks her dear readers to do more than click on a link or comment on a post, but some things are more important than blog readership.

We need to get this health care bill through. Not a watered-down, fear-laden, politicians-getting-paid-by-insurers version, a version that actually gets our country on track to caring for its people.

I appeal to you as someone whose health care will run out at the end of this month. As someone who once paid $3000 out of pocket for a cervical cancer test. As someone who has friends who were bankrupted by catching pneumonia. As someone who realizes that any one of you could lose your job and thus your health care, that $400+/month out of pocket is too much to afford for private care, that many of my friends simply opt out of having insurance at all.

Here's how to take action - each of these items will take you less than 3 minutes. If crazy fear-driven Limbaugh disciples can take half a day to go to a town hall and scare everyone, can't you take 3 minutes to ensure a better future for yourself, for me, for our friends, kids, fellow Americans?

Contact your Representative. Just visit https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml and enter your zip code. Tell your Congressperson that you support health care for everyone, and that you hope he/she will stand against the misinformation out there and support those who elected him/her to office. Here's what I wrote:


First, thank you for your service to our community and nation.

I'm writing to encourage you to support Obama's Health Care Bill INCLUDING the public option. I will lose my insurance at the end of this month due to lay-offs, and I can't afford to pay out of pocket for a private plan. Many of my friends are uninsured because our jobs don't provide insurance and/or we can't afford private care.

I do wish the bill included more steps supporting prevention, but I believe the bill is a step in the right direction and we can further improve it once passed.

Again, thank you, and I urge you to support the health of your constituents.


Contact your Senator. http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?State=NY

Contact Obama. Tell him NOT to drop the public option. http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/

Post this on your Facebook Wall. Just link to http://meetthepressler.blogspot.com/2009/08/call-to-action.html or put your story in a note and post it to your wall.

Email your friends and family. Tell them your story, or mine, or go watch Michael Moore's Sicko and be in utter disbelief at what insurance companies currently get away with.

I just did all of the above and wrote this post in less than 15 minutes. Highly worth it. I hope you agree.


Learn more about the health care plan here:
Read the bill
Obama's editorial in the New York Times
Comprehensive online guide on Slate
How it affects women
Governor and Doctor Howard Dean explains it all

A Civilized Town Hall Meeting

Watching Howard Dean kill it on CSPAN at the Netroots Nation Conference Town Hall Mtg, a most adult gathering of hundreds, where questions are intelligently submitted via FB and Twitter and the audience is actually listening instead of yelling. I'll try to fing a video or transcript; everything Dean's saying is smart, progressive, based on fact, and absent of fear tactics. Imagine.

The Dallas Cowboys Just Became My Favorite Team

Since my professional industry is arts/entertainment and my religion is running, I'm particularly interested in the intersection of arts and sports. It's a rare one, to be sure. Back in '04 I wrote and produced a play about training for my first NYC Marathon, but since then, the arts/sports world has been quiet (who can blame them, I'm a hard act to follow)... until now.

The Dallas Cowboys are updating their stadium with contributions from a handful of artists. Says Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in Artnet news: "Football is full of the unexpected and the spontaneous -- it can make two strangers into friends. Art has the power to do that too, to get people talking, and looking, and interacting."

Beautifully put. Listen up, struggling arts organizations: the money may not be on stage, but it's still flowing on the fields.

Wrong on Every Level

I'm beginning the arduous task of getting through the articles I saved on my awesome iPhone NY Times app that I want to share with you. Promise not to get too ridiculous with yesterday's news, but I really hope you guys saw this - I dare you to get through this article without vomiting:

Nisan is part of a thriving subculture of men and women in Japan who indulge in real relationships with imaginary characters. These 2-D lovers, as they are called, are a subset of otaku culture— the obsessive fandom that has surrounded anime, manga and video games in Japan in the last decade... Unlike most otaku, though, they have real romantic feelings for their toys. The less extreme might have a hidden collection of figurines based on anime characters that they go on “dates” with during off hours. A more serious 2-D lover, like Nisan, actually believes that a lumpy pillow with a drawing of a prepubescent anime character on it is his girlfriend.

I don't know what the laws are in Japan, but how is this not child pornography? Or just culturally shunned? How would you feel if you and your children were out at a restaurant and some middle-aged man was romancing a pillow with a naked 13-year-old on it? Dis-gus-ting.

Fort Greene: The Gritty Underbelly

Watch out, Nicolle, Lisa & Meghan! Your hood isn't as safe as we thought...

Apparently, five teenagers jumped a Pratt student for his wallet. Man. Bad economy --> more crime, always.

Full article.

MSNBC: Bad Boy for Life

I would like to congratulate MSNBC for two outstanding journalistic choices today:

Strongly hinting that all the lawyers in New Hampshire should be filing an emergency injunction to change whatever law allowed some idiot to be waiting at the Obama speech venue with an unconcealed handgun, and

Playing "All About the Benjamins" as the outro music after the financial report teaser.

Art Report

I had to share this stunning piece at the notable new modern wing at Chicago's Art Institute. Each paper is a page of The New York Times in the days following September 11, 2001.

What Passes for Front Page News in Oregon

But in The Oregonian's defense, it's not like there's a war, health care crisis, new Supreme Court justice, flu pandemic, catastrophic typhoon, or anything.

YDA Style Awards

It was widely agreed that fashion sense was a distant second to political sense, but kudos to these Democrats with style:

Colorful accessories - easy way to pump up the classic wrap dress.

Three-piece seersucker suit - not just for plantation owners anymore!

At the Women's Caucus, no less!

2011 Conference... Style Caucus formation? Possibilities = endless.

YDA Summary & Call to Action

Attending the Young Democrats of America conference was certainly a learning experience. I'm grateful to have met so many smart, interesting, and truly passionate people, including the incredible New York delegation, a diverse group with a bright future.

My pride in being affiliated with the Democratic party is also reinforced. I simply cannot understand why any thinking, feeling person would not want to be affiliated with the party that believes everyone has a right to getting help when they're sick, positive global relations, long-term view on taking care of our earth, that people of all backgrounds and circumstances deserve choices, and above all, that everyone is equal and deserves to be treated as such.

[I'll link to the YDA statement of values as soon as I can find it online]

But my primary complaint with the conference, and concern with the organization and its future, is this: so much time was spent and so much energy was focused on elections, titles, rules, beaurocracy, and comparatively little on action, strategy, training, and recruitment. It's both lucky and comfortable to be the party in power, but we're not going to stay here for long if all the incredible youth energy in this country is plundered on old-school processes and stroking egos by awarding titles. Just because something is the tradition doesn't make it the best way to do something. A four-hour voting session for national officers could have been much better spent voting online and then staging a rally for marriage equality or phone/email campaign in support of Obama's health care plan. What's more, I heard this exact sentiment from everyone else except those running for or holding office. The YDA is going to lose active members if it doesn't conduct itself as a youth organization of the 21st century.

I'm excited about the newly elected officers, including President Crystal Strait, EVP Rod Snyder, VP Coleman Elridge, VP Isaac Robinson, VP Renee Hartley, Secretary Emily Robinson, and Treasurer Mark Newman; they all seem to have a track record of action and those I talked to were very smart and poised. I hope they will turn some of that incredible energy and intelligence outward and work to not be swallowed by the organizational bubble, that their dedication will be to leadership, not titles; action, not activity; service, not self-service.

Here's to a strong party, promising leadership, and the passion of youth in America.

F the FAA

The Mayoress has absolutely had it with airport security. My problem is not being checked, or that there are rules, but that the rules change at every airport and sometimes even by agent. And then when the agent has a problem with your belongings (even though they were exactly right in the city that's actually had a terrorist attack), they condescend like you've never flown before. Meanwhile, if I were flying first class I could probably check in a missile and they'd smile and wish me a nice flight. Dammit people, where is my private jet?!

This Morning at YDA

Great speeches on the state of liberal/progressive values and the global inspiration from the US youth mobilization and corresponding election of Barack Obama from the lovely Paola De Silva of Columbia, Prez of IFLRY, and the debonaire Aloys Rigaut of Belgium.

NE Represent

At the NE region meeting hearing updates from our neighbor states. Particularly impressed with New Hampshire, who did significant work this year to secure marriage equality and continues to actively support getting young people in office.

The Young Dem Agenda

Tonight at YDA...

A very enthusiastic crowd, welcomed by outgoing prez David Hardt... Speech by NY prez Matt Silverstein... NY delegation properly seated at the front, holla.

The buzz issues are marriage equality, passing Obama's health care bill, sustainable energy, women in leadership.

Most moving were speeches by two exceptional soldiers that were forced out by Don't Ask Don't Tell - Stacy Vasquez, who fought her case all the way to the Supreme Court and lost, and Alex Nicholson, who speaks 5 languages including Arabic and was kicked out six months after 9/11 just because he's gay. Guys, this is so wrong; this bullshit should not be going on in 2009, I hope you actively agree.

Pelosi Power

At the women's caucus where the very charming Christine Pelosi, daughter of Nancy, is talking to us about women in politics and running for office. Her new book is Campaign Boot Camp, and being in politics since birth definitely qualifies her on the subject. Plus she's a super-delegate!

Today in Fox News Stupidity

Conservative media launches new culture war over NEA grants
From Artnet News, August 4, 2009

Could the right wing be trying to launch a new culture war, demonizing those pervert art groups out there in San Francisco? Sure they could! According to MediaMatters, Fox News' Glenn Beck and Greta Van Susteren, the Wall Street Journal's Stephen Moore and Fox Business' Eric Bolling have singled out a few recipients of federal economic stimulus grants recently awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts. The conservative commentators have focused on the well-respected Frameline, the organization that produces the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival. The Fox hosts seemed especially stirred up by the fact that Frameline sponsored a screening of the campy 1975 film Thundercrack!, which combines a murder mystery with hard-core sex content. The film was shown for one night during the most recent festival, [which] screened a total of 226 films. A second touchstone is a $20,000 grant for CounterPULSE, a dance and performance art space that hosts among other things, a cabaret dubbed -- wait for it -- Perverts Put Out! On its website, the cabaret says that it does not, in fact, receive any stimulus money, though cabaret "co-host Simon Sheppard sure does have a major chubby for studly Glenn Beck!" Other admirable events that CounterPULSE organizes or hosts -- not mentioned by Fox -- are a labor history bicycle tour and Performing Diaspora, a festival and residency program dedicated to artists from diverse cultures who want to expand or explore traditional forms. MediaMatters points out that government funding for such groups is hardly new -- both Frameline and CounterPULSE were regular recipients of grants during the administration of George W. Bush.

NYSYD Breakfast

Meeting the other NY Dems and hearing from some of the candidates for national YDA office. Particularly impressed with with Coleman Eldridge, a Kentucky Dem who I predict will have a bright future in politics...

YDA Intro

Imagine college, in a hotel, with no homework. Welcome to the Young Dems of America conference.

Checked into Hyatt (paid for by various NY elected officials), dinner w the NY Delegation, health care Q&A with Howard Dean, now drinking Jameson w five other delegates. Cue Annie tune: I think I'm gonna like it here...

And to answer your most press(ler)ing question, yes, I am dying to makeover 90% of these people. Holla at your Mayoress.

Legally Brunette

Meet the Presslerians, get ready for some action. I'm packing right now for the Young Democrats of America conference in Chicago, which I will of course cover with the same dedication as last August's DNC. Windy City, here I come!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OBAMA!!

He's a Leo, I should have known.

Less 'Ronery'

Bill Clinton met with Kim Jong Il? Why? Doesn't that sound like a job for, oh, I don't know, the Secretary of State?? I'm guessing he has access to her, you know, since they're married.