July 17, 2008

Now, I know that RiverMalkin and the Meowists are satisfied that we’ll be just fine with divided government in the form of McCain and a Democratic Congress, no matter how light the Democratic seasoning of that Congress is. Having seen how Oz functions, I have little doubt that McCain will continue in the same vein. The Executive has been gamed, and it will take a generation of dedicated reformers to heal it. McCain is not that reformer. I dearly hope Obama is.

March 7, 2008

It’s also frustrating because it’s assumed that no matter how much cynical bile she spews, come the GE I’ll be ready to support her. Fat freaking chance there.

As ever, it was the people calling out sexism and/or anti-FW policies who were charged with creating division among progressives, as opposed to the people engaging in sexism and their defenders.

Want party unity? lead by example.

Single-Payer Health Care Plan Goes Before Panel in California Legislature

Slipping Through the Donut Hole

CREW has compiled a list of 30 government whistleblower all-stars.

They left out Teresa Chambers.

With the help of U.S. defense contractors, China is building the prototype for a high-tech police state. It is ready for export.

Mayors make good move on health care

Yes I DO want a universal, single payer health care system

Hear Bill Mackey on Single-Payer

Malinda Markowitz: Presidential foes both fall short on reforming health

Healthcare-NOW Position Paper regarding Health Care for America Now and an Open Letter to Elizabeth Edwards

Tom Friedman wouldn’t have a job. Suck on this.

Tom Sherwood

People watching the lengthy council hearing on school-repair costs last week might have been surprised that Chancellor Michelle Rhee never testified before Chairman Vincent Gray.

Rhee arrived before the 1 p.m. hearing on Friday. She had told Chairman Gray that she had an out-of-town appointment and had to leave by 4 p.m. She in fact stayed until 4:30 but gathered her things and left while the council hearing dragged on.

Gray — who probably should have called her up earlier — is frustrated that school officials have been stiffing his hearings. At one in late June, Rhee was absent. Last week, facilities chief Alan Lew — who has all the answers in his head — was absent. His aides say it was laryngitis.

But back to Rhee. The Notebook understands the council’s rule that public citizens testify before public officials, but maybe there ought to be exceptions. If you have to, run through a citizen witness list, then stick to the announced deadlines and urge council members not to showboat by asking questions just to prove they’re there.

In other words, if you drag officials down to the council to answer questions, give them a chance to do so.

I don’t see why the rule should be different for Rhee than any other agency head; particularly in view of her previous failures to answer to council. These kinds of Rovian tactics can’t be punished too severely. As a citizen I expect Council to hold agency heads accountable.

Rhee has been especially high handed. I am not at all impressed by her disaster capitalism, shock doctrine school reform. I think she is sacrificing children to her intellectual theories, to say nothing of the dubious company she keeps.

He was right: During late ’70s energy crisis, president wanted to put brakes on oil imports, explore alternatives.

Oil…. if only Carter had been reelected

Healthcare Workers United in Manhattan Beach

We’re all part of the same healthcare family. Why would SEIU International want to divide us by stripping UHW of its long term care workers, in violation of a vote in which those workers voted 97 percent to stay in UHW? That’s why more than 6,000 of us came to Manhattan Beach for SEIU’s hearing on the issue. It doesn’t make any sense to us that UHW would be torn apart.

Not only is it undemocratic, but it’s inconsistent. In state after state, SEIU is moving toward uniting healthcare workers. Some 22 states, including West Virginia, New York, Florida, and most recently Illinois, have already done so.

I have some ideas about why SEIU International has targeted California, home to one of the largest and most powerful healthcare unions in the country. Maybe it’s because we are too strong, too powerful. Maybe we’re a threat to the International. I know for sure that it’s not for the benefit of the workers. Nor would it benefit the patients and families we care for.

That’s why we came here from across California. That’s why we marched with our children and our patients. We’ve built this union together, achieved better contracts, and improved lives by using our collective power at the bargaining table. We’ve fought for better healthcare for all Californians. We are not about to stop fighting now, when it matters most.

McCain “Mum” on Protecting Equal Opportunity

While McCain opposed a similar effort to end affirmative action in Arizona in 1998, he has refused to take a position on Connerly’s initiatives this year.

Why?

Because if McCain stands by his support for affirmative action and opposition to “divisive ballot initiatives” he will face the wrath of an already skeptical right wing. And if he supports Connerly’s initiatives to end equal opportunity programs he will have flip-flopped on yet another issue this election year in a pander to the right.

Do Democrats still care about affirmative action?