The site for ranting and reporting by John Masters
This category is for posts related to actions by the Congress of the United States (House and/or Senate), and any member’s of Congress.
While members of the Kennedy family, to this day, continue to enter public service, the death last night of Senator Ted Kennedy brings to an end that original family dynasty. Perhaps the final tragedy suffered by this family is that Ted Kennedy didn’t live to see his life’s goal of heathcare insurance for all come to pass. Requiem eternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Read moreEd Schultz of The Ed Show interviews Robert Greenwald about an investigative report on the CEO of United Health Care Group. Turns out the guy is making about $102,000 per hour. At one point a few years ago his salary alone accounted for $1 in every $700 spent on healthcare in America. The fact is, in this country we have always recognized that some things are not best left to the marketplace.
Read moreEd Schultz of The Ed Show interviews Robert Greenwald about an investigative report on the CEO of United Health Care Group. Turns out the guy is making about $102,000 per hour. At one point a few years ago his salary alone accounted for $1 in every $700 spent on healthcare in America. The fact is, in this country we have always recognized that some things are not best left to the marketplace.
Read moreAs is so often the case, Bill Moyers does another outstanding job of pointing out the differences in how healthcare is viewed. I continued to be amazed at the absolute stupidity of people who can’t understand that their version of “free market” healthcare is not, and will not work. In the free-market, companies are out to make a profit. They don’t make a profit by paying for your care.
Read moreSen. Ensign missed some votes this week, including an important one for Nevada. He had to fly home to hold the usual Republican press conference to disclose his nine month affair with a campaign worker back in 2007-2008.
Read moreLeave it to Bill Moyers to be the voice of sanity in an otherwise insane discussion about healthcare reform. A recent report showing the majority of bankruptcies in America are healthcare related (and most of those people have healthcare insurance) should be causing Americans to demand that our Congress Critters take a serious look at single payer as the only real way to reform healthcare.
Read moreI continue to be baffled by the arguments in favor of torture, and the justifications that are made for America’s use of torture. I have heard one justification after another, and each falls with daily revelations of what really happened. Most disturbing though is a recent Pew Survey finding that the more people attend church, the more accepting they are of these torture justifications. That, my friends, causes me crisis of faith. I fear for what is to become of us as a people and a Republic.
Read moreThe ink is barely dry on Justice David Souter’s letter of resignation from the Supreme Court, and the wingnuts in Rush Limbaugh’s Republican party are already complaining about Obama’s nominee for his replacement. The talking points are all so similar, it’s clear the effort is coordinated.
Read moreU.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx represents the congressional district that includes my alma mater, and she has attended ASU events and activities to advance her political career and give her an undeserved credibility. Over the past several days, Rep. Foxx has made a number of inflammatory statements during the House’s consideration of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act. Today, Rep. Foxx crossed a line when she took to the floor of the House, claimed that Shepard was killed as part of a robbery, and called the hate aspect of the crime “a hoax.”
Read moreCongresswoman Michele Bachman, Congresswoman from Minnesota, made the following comments to Sean Hannity: “At this point the American people – it’s like Thomas Jefferson said, a revolution every now and then is a good thing. We are at the point, Sean, of revolution. And by that, what I mean, an orderly revolution — where the people of this country wake up get up and make a decision that this is not going to happen on their watch. It won’t be our children and grandchildren that are in debt. It is we who are in debt, we who will be bankrupting this country, inside of ten years, if we don’t get a grip. And we can’t let the Democrats achieve their ends any longer.” I believe this may constitute a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2385. Advocating overthrow of Government.
Read moreChoose your poison. I don’t know the final best answer to the healthcare crisis in this country, but I know it’s a mess, and it has to be fixed. I know one thing that is an absolute certainty. This problem will never be solved until the insurance companies and their influence are removed completely from the process.
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