Open Thread (12/23/2009)

Interesting civic lessons via C-SPAN programming helping John Q.Public better understand the procedural "high jinks" being played out during all of the health care discussions on both sides of the aisles in both House and Senate. For the politically uneducated, such as myself, the inner workings are totally amazing--never for the health, safety, and welfare of the country as a whole.  :-)

Pattsi Petrie

Is it too much to ask the press to give a liitle more air time to the new disparities on funding Medicare betwen the states?

Welcome to our world.  I was saying the same thing, repeatedly, in the months leading up to the Iraq War.  Where is the press?  Where is the scrutiny?  Is this really happening?

While I don't think health care reform is going to be as big a tragedy as Iraq (in fact, there are some really great things in this legislation) I would humbly suggest you do what we did: protest.  Write letters to the editor.  Engage with local blogs.  Send money to anti-reform organizations.  Do your best to fight the good fight and stand on principle.

Of course, in my opinion the real problem with this legislation (like the stimulus) is that it doesn't go far enough.  It essentially insures that the private insurance industry will rake in insane profits for decades to come.  The real crime here, imo, is that lack of reform.  This legislation will fail to solve the problems of health care in this country because America really needs a universal, single-payer system instead of this hodge-podge of profit taking on the backs of the sick and elderly.

This is the beginning of the, "yeah, but Obama wasn't really a liberal" rationalization that will be used to justify the failure of his policies.  And it is true.

If only somebody in this country had a damned spine.  Sigh.

How about race? There is that nasty word again. Race.

Do you want us to infer that the man walking home was Caucasian because he had been at the bowling alley? Do you expect us to assume that because the thugs that attacked him were violent that they were Black? I am sure that in private you use a different word to describe them. It just goes to show you don't it!

Three Score and Ten Plus One

Keith Hays

I disagree. I think race is relevant. It should never be used to stereotype or assign blame to others in the group, but race holds special significance in our society whether it should or not.

Some will use the information to try to spark bigoted outrage (see above). Others will use the information to actually address some of the many problems in our society.

Without discussion of race, those pushing bigoted values (see above) will merely keep their thoughts in their head as they act rather than share them for the whole world to see and judge (the actions, not the people).

I'm guessing those other fields are filled in once they get first hand confirmation from an ID or apprehending them, but still... the fact that the only description of the subjects are black and male sounds more like a Chris Rock joke about how the police racially profile. My first glance at that had me thinking of the APB going out on the radio, "Suspects are described as black and male... be on the look out..."

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Glock21 Op/Ed

Merry Christmas Keith. My wish for you, as with Xian, is to NEVER EVER call the police,unless your charging them 200.00 per hour for " legal" advice on how to get their pension rights.

And, Officer, my Christmas prayer for you is that you be granted peace and release from torment that you may understand the meaning of God's gift to all men of good will at Christmas time.

Three Score and Ten Plus One

Keith Hays

If those who "settled" the New World had been black, and those brought to the New World as slaves were white, we would be having the same problem today, although with skin colors in reversed roles.

Michael Fuerst       

Race is relevant, because activists in this community maintain that blacks are unfairly targeted by police as perpetrators of crime.

It would be easy to respond in kind; to stereotype all police officers as blustering, bigoted, bullies who chose their occupation to satisfy some psychological need to overcome a sense of inbred inferiority. That would be as inaccurate as claiming an inherent link between pigmentation and criminality. Most police officers have chosen their occupation for more noble reasons and who recognize that their authority must be wielded responsibility in keeping with the most cherished principles of our Republic - fairness and a respect for the rights or each individual regardless of that individuals race or ethnicity.

Your comment seems to suggest that you wish the race of every Black person, identified or not, be loudly trumpeted in the media so as to rebut the perception that it is unfair to target Black citizens as genetically disposed to crime. It seems to suggest that the media has a duty to reinforce the stereotype that any person of color should be regarded as objects of fear and suspicion; that you have preferred that the News-Gazette headlined its article, FIVE BLACK THUGS ATTACK WHITE CITIZEN based upon the vague report that you published here. What purpose would that have served?

Three Score and Ten Plus One

Keith Hays

Notice only two registered users went on arguing here on Christmas.

Notice Dan Fielding yet again has nothing to contribute to the conversation.  Also, not everybody celebrates the imaginary birthdate of your magic friend in the sky's son.

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This last post conclusively proves that Arvid is in fact Laurel Prussing. Sad. - Anonymous on 2009-06-22 @ 9:30am

{oops!!}

What purpose would that have served?

Whatever purpose it might or might not serve, repressing a indisputable factual statement in the press is inappropriate

illinipunditposter

"Don't blame Obama it's so expensive to fly to Hawaii. Hawaii is a state and the Prez should be able to go to all the states..."

Well, usually it is. Once day every century, it's actually part of Kenya. It's kind of like Brigadoon.