Sunday, July 19, 2009

TEA PARTIES ATTACK OBAMA ON HEALTH CARE

Acadiana Tea Party member and spokesperson Sandy Hindelang, of Lafayette, said that “There are other plans. But Congress is trying to force this one". (See: "Inside Politics for July 19, 2009; Tea Party members present petitions").

Mrs. Hindeland was talking about Pres. Obama's health care reform initiative. "Hindelang said the efforts in Louisiana have attracted adherents, including herself, who never before have participated in politics." id.

But that does not appear to be the actual truth. Hindeland was a last years delegate to the Republican National Convention. (See: "Louisiana delegates worry about home"). She was also a contributor to the Jenkins For Senate 1996 on August 27, 1996, and the Republican Party Of Louisiana from July 26, 1994 to February 10, 1998. (See: "Watchdog.net"). Hindeland also is said to be "Sandy Hindelang, of the Louisiana Coalition against Government Rationed Health Care called upon Congress today to preserve the best health care system in the world." (See: "Bayou Perspective").

This subverted Republican anti-Obama TEA party movement, which is also against his mixed public and private health care proposals, is no doubt also one of the topics of the Cenla Republican TEA party which is led by Republican Wayne Ryan. (See: "THE ANTI-OBAMA TEA PARTIES").

You are perfectly free to be opposed to Pres. Obama's health care proposals, but at least do not be Republican pawns and be opposed to health care reform just because it is supported by Pres. Obama and the Democrats. Take a look at health care reform without any regard over who proposed it.

See Also:

THE ANTI-OBAMA TEA PARTIES and the posts on this blog thereunder

MORE ON HEALTH CARE REFORM NOW

KSYL ON HEALTH INSURANCE FACTS
PRO-BIG BUSINESS HEALTH INSURANCE AD and the links posted thereunder

GRANT ON THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE

Saturday, July 18, 2009

MORE ON HEALTH CARE REFORM NOW

Perhaps it has not been said better than Pres. Obama when he spoke on the need for health care reform now. I must admit that I am not a big fan on Obama's stances on gun control, abortion, homosexual rights or even Judge Sotomayor as his choice for the U.S. Supreme Court. But I am a major supporter of Obama's health reforms.

See Pres. Obama's words on why we need reform now.



Back in October, 2008, I was hospitalized for a day and a half for a stoke and it cost almost $12,000 dollars. I had a surgical policy but I was still charged over $7,000 out of my own pocket expense. Having had a heart attack in 2004, and a TIA in 2006, I was unable to get any other insurance due to those pre-existing conditions. Yet, I still made enough money back then that even if I had gone to Charity Hospital, I still would have been charged almost the same as if I had gone to a regular hospital anyway.

Perhaps if I could have afforded it, my wellness care would have prevented my catastrophic problems.

Look at this parody video from SEIU's Change That Works campaign which it jokingly calls HAARM (Healthy Americans Against Reforming Medicine):



There is no rational basis for the United States to be ranked 37th in the World for health care. There is no excuse for the U.S. to put off universal health care just because we find illegal immigrants who don't deserve it, when we must address those problems. There is no excuse for lying about foreign health care, or that it is a long wait to get it when you do have something. And there is no excuse for millions of U.S. citizens who cannot get insurance at any rate because of pre-existing conditions, cannot find affordable health insurance or insurance that will cover everything, health insurance when you loose your job during these times of high unemployment, and the large number of workers who do not have any health insurance through their jobs.

See Also:
PRO-BIG BUSINESS HEALTH INSURANCE AD and the links posted thereunder

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON THE RISE IN LOUISIANA

"Incidents of domestic violence in Louisiana are on the rise as families deal with a poor economy, say directors of family violence programs throughout the state." (See: "Domestic violence increasing in La.; Economic factor cited as significant").

When I was practicing law, I represented both women and men who were victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence is a crime that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. But the prosecution of it is biased towards women and is anti-men.

Up until a few years ago, I don't know if it is the same today, while we had battered women shelters here, we had no such facilities for men.

When a man and a woman desire to press charges against the other for domestic violence, law enforcement is likely to charge only the man. It often calls a man who later charges a woman retaliatory charges instead of treating men equally with women and actually investigating the crimes.

The system also hands out temporary retraining orders like candy. They only take a victim swearing out a complaint on a perpetrator and they automatically get one on a temporary basis. Temporary restraining orders are often used in divorce actions to bolster the cause.

Lastly, the criminal justice system seems to be more apt to believe the woman then the man.

Something must be done to make our necessary abhorrence to domestic violence more fair toward men.

MEDIA DAY AT CLECO

Before Cleco's Rodemacher 3 power plant was even completed yet, Cleco held yesterday a media day.


I have several questions about this. Why did Cleco hold a media day at the plant before it was even completed?

Does this have anything to do with the current negotiations with the City of Alexandria?

Watch the video clip:




See Also:




PRES. OBAMA'S WEEKLY ADDRESS FOR JULY 18, 2009


The weekly address for July 18, 2009 by President Barack Obama on health care:



See Also:

Friday, July 17, 2009

PRES. OBAMA ADDRESSES THE NAACP

In what NBC called the "No Excuses Speech", they touted Pres. Obama's speech given to the 100th anniversary of the N.A.A.C.P. NBC News, once again, called Pres. Obama a Black man. In truth, he is the product of a Black father and a White mother, which makes him a half-breed. He is just as much White as he is Black. So why isn't he referred to as a White president or at least, more accurately, and half-breed president?


It is called the "No Excuses Speech" for what Pres. Obama told the mostly Black audience that education was the most important goal of the 21st Century of the NAACP and that Black parents, remembering the words spoken by Dr. Bill Cosby, must take responsibility for their children.


Although many Blacks want President Obama to be the cheerleader for the Civil Rights movement, or whatever flavor of the week you want to put on it, look at this poll conducted by the New York Daily News:



Watch this NBC News report on Pres. Obama's address of the NAACP:



Or you can see the full speech, and a written transcript of it, at Obama's remarks at NAACP centennial.

Watch Dr. Bill Cosby talk about racial matters here:



and here:



See Also:
NAACP on this blog
&

KSYL ON HEALTH INSURANCE FACTS


I must agree with Dave Graichen and Steve Coco on Health Insurance today, for the most part.

The lawyer part I disagree with, because that is doctors and their supporters saying that they do not feel that they should be subject to the jury system or our judges on what constitutes negligence like every other person in this country has to. Our medical malpractice system in Louisiana already makes a plaintiff go through a panel first, which decides whether or not the physician committed negligence, unlike everyone else in this state. What the doctors are actually saying is that they do not want others to decide if they were negligent or not.

As of May 28, 2009, 54 out of 100 or 54% members of the U.S. Senate hold law degrees, and the number of lawyers in the House of Representatives are 162 out of 441 or 36%. (See: "List of Lawyers in the 111th Congress"). These are senators with law degrees and not all practice law, and not all are plaintiff attorneys, as some of them are corporate, criminal, were public attorneys and etc. Some of them are even Republicans. So it is NOT a fact that lawyers run Congress.

I do however personally agree with lawyer advertising, which I do not care for and have never participated in. In fact, the vast majority of lawyers DO NOT advertise.

But I do agree with what Dave had to say this morning on health insurance.
Listen to that portion of the broadcast HERE

Dave correctly pointed out that employer based health insurance costs too much, there is a need for wellness care, and the United States is ranked 37th in the World on health care, not near the top by any extent.

I would also like to point out that millions of Americans cannot afford health insurance, either privately or through COBRA, and cannot even get any health insurance due to pre-existing conditions. In fact, the only people who dislike public health insurance are the people who have it, for now.

Lastly, the KSYL boys were absolutely correct that our Congressmen should never vote on anything that they haven't read.

See Also:


PRO-BIG BUSINESS HEALTH INSURANCE AD and the links posted thereunder


OLD PHOTOS OF ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA

Here are some old Alexandria, Louisiana photos off of the City of Alexandria public acccess Channel 4:

LOUISIANA LAWYER SENTENCED IN BRIBERY CASE

A Louisiana lawyer, William Bradley, 45, of Hammond, "pleaded guilty to conspiring to bribe a former Louisiana film commissioner for tax breaks was sentenced Thursday to 10 months in prison." (See: "Lawyer sentenced to 10 months in bribery case").

U.S. District Judge Lance Africk said this is:


"another chapter in a whole history of public corruption that has plagued our state." "Shame on you," the judge told Bradley, whom prosecutors said was the middleman for bribe money paid to former film commissioner Mark Smith. "This is a terrible price that you and your family will pay for being part of this cancer that plagues our community." id.


Bradley was sentenced to 10 months in a federal pen, ordered to pay a $5,000 fine, and awaits a trial in New York on unrelated federal charges that he participated in a scheme to fraudulently obtain referral fees on the sale of a tax shelter. id. He also lost his license to practice law. id.

Few other licensing agencies do as good a job at policing its own members that the Louisiana Office of Disciplinary Board.

See Also:





ADVOCATE POLL ON THE "THUGGIN IT AND LOVIN IT" VIDEO

This is the Baton Rouge Advocate's poll today on the "Thuggin It and Lovin It" video.




Also see this video of "Big Bud" and Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden's response:



See Also:

THUGGIN IT AND LOVIN IT" VIDEO IN BATON ROUGE

LOUISIANA HOME FORECLOSURES INCREASE

"The number of Louisiana households threatened with the loss of their homes increased 34 percent over the first half of 2009." (See: "Louisiana foreclosures jump").

We may not notice it here in Cenla, but statewide foreclosures are increasing. For the first six months of the year, Louisiana ranked 39th in the number of foreclosures but in June, the state ranked 34th. id.

"About 325,000 homeowners have been offered mortgage modifications since the Obama administration launched its housing rescue program in March — far fewer than the number who have fallen into foreclosure in that time, officials said Thursday." (See: "Housing rescue plan gets slow start as loan modifications drag").

See the January-June foreclosures from all 50 states.

The Obama administration began the most ambitious effort since the 1930s to help troubled homeowners, offering lenders and borrowers big incentives and subsidies to try to stem the wave of foreclosures. (See: "U.S. Sets Big Incentives to Head Off Foreclosures"). See Pres. Obama's home rescue plan details here:

BLACK TEST SCORES IMPROVE BUT NOT ENOUGH TO CATCH UP TO WHITES

"A new government study shows black students in many Southern states are improving test scores in math and reading, but not enough to narrow an achievement gap with their white classmates." (See: "Black students in South performing better on tests").

See the Gap between blacks and whites in achievement tests.

Black students, since our 40 years of racial desegregation, now have their study, have qualified teachers, and come from homes with traditional values and a work ethic, will do better on test scores.

As to the gap that exists between White and Black students, only time will tell if that gap will narrow or it it is related to a mental inferiority. I believe that it will eventually narrow for those Blacks that no longer live the life of drugs, guns, ignorance and thuggery. The gap may also narrow as more and more White kids follow in the ghetto lifestyle.

See Also:

Thursday, July 16, 2009

40 YEARS AGO TODAY MAN WENT TO THE MOON

It was 40 years ago today that man went to the moon. David Brinkley of NBC News talked about the event too, the night before the launch. Watch here:

FIREFIGHTERS TESTIFY AT SOTOMAYOR HEARING TODAY

Frank Ricci, the white firefighter who recently won his reverse discrimination case at the Supreme Court and his fellow firefighter, a Hispanic and a plaintiff in the same case, Ben Vargas testified today at the Senate hearing on Judge Sonia Sotomayor's U.S. Supreme Court confirmation. (See: "Ricci, Vargas Testify at Sotomayor Hearing").

While I have said that Judge Sotomayor is likely to be confirmed, listen to this testimony by Ricci and Vargas to their winning of a reverse discrimination case and the evils of that practice:





See Also:

JINDAL STRIKES DOWN THE PARADE GUN LAW

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal issued a veto last Friday for HB 523, introduced by State Representative Gregory Ernst (R-94), which would have banned the holders of handguns from carrying guns to parades. (See: "Governor Jindal Vetoes Anti-Gun Parade Bill in Louisiana!").

The veto came saying that "criminal penalties posed "far too grave a risk" for inadvertent violations by law-abiding citizens entitled to carry a gun with a permit." (See: "Gov. Bobby Jindal vetoes bill to ban guns near parade routes"). Besides, we already have a law against the discharge of firearms along a parade route.

Congratulations to Gov. Jindal for this veto. It was a move by the Legislature to clearly get around the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and a right guaranteed to individual citizens by the U.S. Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller. It also violated the provisions of ARTICLE I Sec. 11 of the Louisiana Constitution, which says that "The right of each citizen to keep and bear arms shall not be abridged, but this provision shall not prevent the passage of laws to prohibit the carrying of weapons concealed on the person."

See Also: