The Lion has Fallen

The Liberal Lion is dead at 77. Ted Kennedy died at his home in Massachusetts shortly before midnight Tuesday after a year of battling brain cancer. The staunchly liberal senator served four decades in the Senate, beginning in 1962. Though he led a tumultuous life filled with both personal and family tragedies, he remained a strong advocate for liberal ideals and bi-partisan relations. Through the loss of his brothers, sisters, sister-in-law, son, all his alleged indiscretions and the fatal 1969 car crash he endured as the center of the family affectionally known as America's Royalty. He will be missed.
This does however beg the question of what Obama will do in the absence of this fervent and popular supporter for healthcare reform. It does take some of the wind out of his sails, hypothetically speaking. It may not though, depending on how he plays the issue. It all depends on the spin the White House will inevitably exert on the story. Using the famous senators constituents as a rallying point to rebuild the crumbling reform proposal, Obama may be able to use this tragedy as a catalyst. Not that any event of this gravity should be used as leverage, but the silver lining on this American rain cloud could be renewed interest and support for healthcare reform in the Lions memory. Time will tell.
May the youngest Kennedy finally find peace at rest with his family.

Senator Ted Kennedy Dies of Brain Cancer at 77 - ABC News

Health Cared

I remember a time when my doctor cared. Her name was Doctor Morales. She was the most engaged and caring person I had ever been treated by. Since the beginning she remembered everything about my health problems, my family, even my birthday. Whether she briefed herself on it before every appointment or not, it made me feel important. Like I mattered. Like this person would actually take care of me. I have since relocated and had to move doctors and change hospitals, but I have never forgotten that most compassionate woman.

These days medical life is much different. Granted I am one of the lucky few to actually have health insurance and access to a trained professional, my doctor is cold. He is a somewhat grumpy Iranian man with a thick accent and clumsy hands. Any time I go to him it is as if I am imposing. A quick few questions and he checks me out, prescribes some meds, and sends me on my way. There is no care given. Just drugs. This is not the type of healthcare I want. I am not asking for a cheery Mary Poppins with a stethoscope, just some compassion and a job done correctly.

People already pay companies for insurance, yet get dropped when they get sick? We have plans that pay for the doctor, but when we need medicine we go broke? This is not right. It is one group taking advantage of another. Healthcare is not something to be feared. Regulation will make things better for the people, even if it doesn't buy a few CEOs new jets. It is not socialism. It is just prudent thinking. Healthcare is essential to a country based on the pursuit of happiness. Money makes some happy, but good health benefits everyone.

It is a terrible truth that big pharmaceutical companies essentially run healthcare. With the new plans proposed, I think the possibility for improvement is great. Especially with so many uninsured Americans now out of work. If we can give trillions of dollars to finance companies and banks that deceived the public for their own gain, we can spend a little money revamping our system so doctors get paid, patience get better and our country gets healthier.

A Day After

     Today, 64 years ago, the world got it's first glimpse of the aftermath left by the first nuclear weapon. It was horrifying.
     Yesterday was the 64th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. A survivor, who was a 10 year old girl at school during the explosion, described it as "the end of the world." By all means that should be a glaring reminder of the evil unleashed on the world through nuclear proliferation and its very real possibilities. In an age where our weapons are hundreds of times more powerful and we have thousands more of them, we need to take this remembrance to heart. We are in the midst of a new Cold Era, though it is hot when considering Iraq (US use of depleted Uranium muntions) and the Taliban (actively seeking atomic weapons through the use of dirty bombs). Iran and other hostile middle eastern countries are dead set on obtaining nuclear weapons. Israel already has them, will not leave Gaza alone and is making every possible effort to take the hard line against its opponents. North Korea has just restarted it's nuclear program; they will soon have a new leader, with his own agenda, own politics and who knows what his temperament will be like. Needless to say, though Obama has called for a world without nuclear weapons, he is resigned to say it may be out of reach during our lifetime. 

     This time 64 years ago survivors were looking at the smoldering wreckage of what was once their homes, or at least what was left. Fires still burning. Buildings shattered or nonexistent. Shadows burned into the pavement, the last remnants of friends and family. Mutilated bodies lying scattered around their places of refuge. People still trapped in the rubble, protruding bones, skin sloughing off, screaming for help. Those that died in the blast were the lucky ones.

     Is this the world we wish to live in? Where atrocities like this are seen as victories, triumphs of modern science, justified as wartime necessities? The US is responsible for those first attacks. Though it was provoked, how much force can truly be justified? Over a 250,000 people died as a result of those two atomic attacks. Combined casualties from the initial blasts, resulting fire storms and radiation poisoning make a terrifying picture of atomic repercussions. The areas are still contaminated with radiation today. I never want to see this happen again. We need an COMPLETE END to ALL NUCLEAR WEAPONS, and we need it NOW! Conventional weapons are bad enough, but do we ever want to see another day after?

Happy and confused

As a journalist, I am extremely elated to hear about the release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee to former president Clinton. It just seems odd to me that it took a former president to actually bridge the gap enough to bring the 4 month ordeal to an end. Why is it that his wife, current Secretary of State or any other of our ambassadors could not have accomplished this. Why was it that they saw right through master politician Obamas constant posturing and hardline approach and refused to negotiate. I won't even comment on why the hell our most recent abomination of a president or his ogre of a VP were not the emissaries needed to free these noble professionals. If indeed the US government and his former VP, as well as the women's employer, Al Gore asked Clinton to go on this "private" trip to talk to the hostile reclusive communist leader of a nuclear armed nation.

I still can't figure out who is allowed to save face though. Is it the ineffective politician president? The ice queen insincere Secretary of State? The deathbed communist? Or the employer who somehow avoided all scrutiny in his treatment of the situation regarding his top notch reporters. Or, to play devils advocate, was it all one big nuclear conspiracy for some random reason to push our nation further into paranoia and fear of a radioactive WWIII? I offer no explanation. Merely a look at several different aspects. We must take this development in stride and not forget our critical eye. We must ask, who stood to gain from all this? And what was it?