high hopes for elizabeth warren appointment

I was so stoked when I heard about Obama appointing Elizabeth Warren as interim "special advisor" for the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  This bureau, this protection, is something the American people need desperately, and for once, it appears the right person was selected to put it together.

Warren was assigned originally to track what happened with the millions that the tax payers gave to the banks years ago, and was horrified with what she saw happen there.  She had championed a bill to create the new Bureau to protect the American consumers --- you and me --- against fraudulent credit practices long ago, but only after the banking crisis was it finally taken seriously and passed.



For a while there it looked bleak; the Republicans and their banking lobbyists were really against the idea of someone with a passion getting into that position and telling them what fees they can and cannot slap us with. They threatened all kinds of delays and eventual failure when her appointment went before the senate confirmation process.  The American people protested; I know I sent a couple letters to my Representatives.

Hollywood even had something to say about it:  :D



So Obama got smart and slipped her in as "Interim" special advisor when the committee was in recess, an appointment which didn't require a full confirmation. 

WASHINGTON — Elizabeth Warren, the Harvard law professor who became a darling of the left for her championship of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, was appointed by President Obama on Friday to oversee its establishment by mid-2011, until a director is named later.
The appointment will allow Ms. Warren, “a janitor’s daughter,” as Mr. Obama called her in a Rose Garden introduction, to effectively get the agency up and running without having to go through a contentious confirmation battle in the Senate — a fight that a leading Democrat, Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut, predicted she could not win given opposition from Republicans and the financial industry.

Read the full article here.

Of course, the Republicans are shitting bricks.

Republicans are expressing their dismay over the news that President Obama has tapped Elizabeth Warren as "special adviser" to a new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, arguing that naming her to the post - a move that means she won't have to undergo a potentially lengthy and divisive Senate confirmation process - is "an affront" to transparency that subverts the guiding principles of the agency.
[...]
"By not allowing Ms. Warren's nomination to be considered through the regular order of the full Senate confirmation process, the administration has circumvented one of the very few checks on a big new agency that already has been given an unprecedented concentration of regulatory powers," said the Chamber of Commerce's David Hirschmann, in a statement released this morning. "This maneuver is an affront to the pledge of transparency and consumer protection that's purported to be the focus of this new agency."

Full article here.

What they're not talking about is the the fact that Bush pulled the same stunt all the time. ALL THE TIME. So pitch your fits and foam at the mouth, go on, go on wit' you.
 
For once, Obama didn't let the American people down.  A big hand for that --- let's take it where we can get it --- and best of luck to Elizabeth Warren in her new appointment.  I have the highest of hopes for her, that she will succeed in setting up a strong, independent department that will succeed in reining in the practices of the banks and credit agencies who are profiting off the American people's financial difficulties.

(Which is why, by the way, I pulled all my money out of Chase and started an account with a credit union a year+ ago. Not only do I have the satisfaction of not supporting a for-profit corporation with outrageous fees and condescending advertising, but I am a stakeholder in a not-for-profit credit union which has reasonable fees and every interest in protecting me rather than taking advantage of me. Not to mentioned better online banking than Chase! We're so happy we --- and many other members of the family --- made the move.)

the house healthcare bill sells out women and poor

Why is a Democrat-majority house so happy there were rumored tears of joy when they passed a health care bill that infringed on women's existing rights and absolutely screwed the poor of this country by mandating the purchase of an expensive service? A service that, I imagine, they would probably have purchased before if they could actually afford it in the first place? For instance, my parents. This bill, should it pass the Senate, would completely screw them over, laughable subsidies included. Me? Above the poverty line, sure, but still paying a tenth of my income on health care for my family. It is unacceptable to pretend that you're talking about "Health Care Reform" when you're just demanding that people who can't afford health insurance as it stands now produce sizable penalties when they still can't afford health insurance!

Thanks for nothing.

The subsidiaries are a joke of an amount, when they're discussed at all. I've been googling and googling for a number that means anything, and all I can get are obscure references to obscure percentages or statements to the fact that they're holding that info close to their chest. Hm. Maybe because it's a tease to keep us compliant and hopeful that this "reform" will actually help the poor, but they know that when they actually publish clear statements of what these health care subsidiaries will mean to you and I, they will have a riot on their hands.

Perhaps the tears were relief stemmed from no longer having to deal with the absolutely obnoxious conduct of the Republican party as they tried to conduct their business.



However, relief that you no longer have to deal with heckling doesn't excuse the fact that you, and 64 other Democrats, actually passed this horrible bill through the House. Where were all the progressives from the Progressive Caucus who swore they wouldn't pass anything less than a robust public option?

Cuz, in case you didn't notice, it ain't there.

According to NOW:

The Stupak Amendment, if incorporated into the final version of health insurance reform legislation, will:

• Prevent women receiving tax subsidies from using their own money to purchase private insurance that covers abortion;
• Prevent women participating in the public health insurance exchange, administered by private insurance companies, from using 100 percent of their own money to purchase private insurance that covers abortion;
• Prevent low-income women from accessing abortion entirely, in many cases.

And as Joe Walsh succinctly states in his article at Red Green and Blue:

A New Enemy Within? Greens, Gay Rights, Pro-Choicers and Peaceniks

More than in 1994 though, Democrats in Congress might be facing backlash from both sides as 2010 advances. The climate bill’s “giveaways” alone would not have been enough to energize hardcore progressives to unseat sitting Democrats, but add in the escalation in Afghanistan; a lack of progress on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell;” and, now the health care vote and its abortion amendment and Democratic leaders may have done just enough to instigate a mutiny that unites the four most active and important political power players within the party: greens, gay rights groups, anti-war advocates and pro-choice women’s interests.

In other words, it is not inconceivable that by splitting the baby (turning John Kerry’s famous phrase on its head, many Dems from deep blue states voted against the anti-abortion amendment before they voted for the bill), Democrats who were already vulnerable have made themselves beatable.

You said it. I'm ready to vote the Democrats out (including and especially Obama and Pelosi, prime sell-outs), and vote in someone who actually knows what the term "progressive" stands for.

war is always the wrong choice

There are more here, here, here, here and here.

Under no circumstances is war ever a justifiable choice. This is only a small example of one of the latest. There is always another choice, which we are simply too lazy, self-interested or short-sighted to find. Unacceptable, enraging, futile, evil and shameful. We should be ashamed of ourselves.

I am ashamed. I protested, we continue to protest. The US's invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq and their continued and illegal occupation have engendered more war protests in America then any other time in US history, and the media doesn't report that, doesn't report what that means.

They want 40,000 more troops or we will lose this war? We 'lost' it before it began. Obama, do not give in to these bullying tactics. Do what is right, and listen to the American people, if not the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. End these wars, now.

this last week in adhd

If you only read one, read #6. It's the most fascinating.

1. My entire family--and my sister's family who also went to the expo with us--got the swine flu from PAX. Everyone will live (though in the case of my brother-in-law, it's developed into pneumonia). Hail to the freak who failed to wash his hands (ewww) and then handled all the game controllers (the two 13-year-olds were hit the hardest).
2. I obsessed on my single good find from PAX: Bejeweled. Which is why my son considers my geekhood to be a fail. HA. I'm not the one who infected the entire family with H1N1. *sniff*
3. I helped John fix up a free lawnmower someone had put out by the road to give away. "Needs a little help." (Ok, ok, I fetched things and admired his muscles and fantastically long eyelashes. So sue me.) All those toasters he picked apart in pubescence continue to serve us very well.
   
4. The biggest, hairiest spider invaded our studio and sent John into a fit. We overdid the Raid and I went to bed with a headache behind my eyes. I think when they designated it as "indoor", they did not take into account our rabid--and yes, hysterical--enthusiasm. Edited 10/26 to say: we now have a 'bigger' spider story. Meet the Giant House Spider. Non-poisonous and deeply terrifying. Try it fried in tempura for extra, extra protein hit.
   
5. I took this picture of the moon one Friday morning (click for a larger view).
6. Speaking of spiders, a new volcanic crater was found in Papua New Guinea, in which you can find such new species as fanged frogs, giant rats the size of cats and grunting fish; your basic proof of evolution. Yet the number of American's who believe in evolution hovers around... 40%. Which might explain why this fascinating story is not all over the regular news the way it deserves to be... they're afraid of pissing off the fundies.
7. The first song on the album John is working on with his brothers is just about complete. He's finalizing the last mix down (as long as the spiders aren't out to play). I wish you could hear it, but that will have to wait.
8. My daughter started her first year of high school. And dyed her hair blond, hot pink, blue and purple... in spots.
9. I watched Obama gut his public option and water down his "health-care reform bill" to a health-insurance reform bill and was extremely, extremely disappointed. And even a little pissed off.
   
10. I've started on my aforementioned art project for the bathroom. It will be joining several other projects I've been putting together, which I'll post in entirety later (lucky you).
11. And in conclusion, John and I had an awesome date on Saturday. I won't bore you with the details. But I will say it's nice to be within walking distance of a restaurant with great food and great Scotch.
    

summertime

It's summer... summer, summer, summer. You won't see much of me during this time of year--I prefer to be out and about in the sun, while I can. My physician diagnosed me as deficient in vitamin D, which is--ha!--a fact of life for pretty much every person in the Pacific Northwest. We simply don't get enough sun. So when we do, I love it.

I am apparently alone in my sun-worship.

Bento box + bonus fan service
We had weather a couple weeks ago ranging between the 80's - 90's, topping off a day or two at 100+ degrees. Stuck in a bus full of people who consider the 80's too hot, without any air-conditioning, and it's too much. Granted. :) But overall, I've loved it.

I keep including pictures of my bento boxes, packed in the morning for me by my husband, because they're pretty, it amuses me and I like to brag about how he spoils me. Because he's good at that. :) But more than his cooking and compulsive nurturing, I love his mind. You can find his insightful political posts here, under "John Lindsey."

As for Obama's "Bold Action" (as pictured above), I have to go on record with my disappointment in the lack thereof just now. The White House's waffling on the subject of a public option is terribly disheartening. Without a viable public option, this is not any kind of "Health care Reform", it's just a waste of every one's time, money and general indignation. Health care is a right, not a privilege. I thought I was done being embarrassed to be an American when Obama was elected, but it's aaaallll coming back to me now.

Can we do something right, something for the people, with this democracy? Just look at the polls. People want health care reform, they want health care, period! Why does the democracy apply only to companies-registered-as-people, and not the people-who-are-people? Where did we go wrong? Because this is wrong. Democracy is fueled by what what the people want, and the people want health care reform, not to protect the insurance company's bankroll. Democracy that actually provides the people with what they're asking for is being incorrectly-and-intentionally mislabeled as socialism by people who don't have your best interests at heart, and they're getting away with it.

How? Why?

Obama's Supreme Court nominee: Sonia Sotomayor

A Hispanic woman nominated to the Supreme Court? Finally! I'm happy to see that Obama's weak decision-making with regards to Afghanistan or Iraq doesn't extend to internal issues such as these.

Speaking of good decisions, I am also pleased to report that Obama has stated his intent to enable a two-state solution for Israeli/Palestine, a solution our previous presidents of the past 50 years or so have done less than lip service to.

"President Obama offers the best chance yet to set new terms. He has acknowledged the legitimacy of both sides more than have previous presidents. Despite Netanyahu’s bluster, Obama knows that Israel cannot afford an altered relationship with the U.S. If ever there was a time to exert our diplomatic muscle, it is now. The entire region depends upon this most delicate and difficult dance towards peace. If the Netanyahu government cannot be brought to a saner place and fast, Israel stands to find itself in a dangerous and self-inflicted isolation from which it will be difficult to emerge."

Read the entire article by Marji Mendelsohn here.

America wants single payer healthcare

"And what do we know so far about what middle class Americans can expect from the legislation being privately crafted?

First, no matter what percentage of your take home pay it takes, you will be legally required to buy private health insurance. Second, if all you can afford is a policy that leaves you financially exposed to bankruptcy and foreclosure, then you will still be legally required to purchase that private insurance product. Third, should you fail to buy a policy, you will pay a fine.

Like it so far? Feeling free and protected? Like the choices so far? It gets better.

The private, for-profit insurance industry has made concessions we are asked to celebrate. First, they'll issue every one of us a policy provided every one of us is legally forced to buy coverage. Second, they stop discriminating against women because they have uteruses and child-bearing capacity, provided we all have to buy their product. And third, and this was a real coup according to our leaders, the insurance companies, medical equipment folks and providers will slow the rate of increase in charging for their products to charge just a bit less in terms of percentages of overall costs than they had planned to do and as is predicted. Laughable concessions sold as real compromise." -- Donna Smith

If this is true, then I wonder why Obama even bothered to make a stink about addressing healthcare reform this year. Sure, it was part of his campaign, but such a paltry change would be more a slap in the face of the american people who need this healthcare reform so badly than if he hadn't bothered to do anything at all. Because a faux reform will only mean it'll be that much longer before we can expect anything of substance to happen.

Don't bother if you can't do it right, Obama. I can kinda understand if you've taken on too much to do this first year and as a result are too distracted by sending more soldiers into countries we illegally invaded. That would weigh on my mind, too. But don't give the american people short shift by--again!-- letting the people who got us into our current health care joke of a system lead the way and make the decisions on how they're supposedly going to fix that.

The american people want a single payer healthcare system. Nothing half or a quarter thereof.

"There are 50 million people without insurance in this country. That's equivalent to 24 state populations. If we had 24 states where nobody had insurance they would be out in the streets raising all kinds of hell," said Phil Campbell, spokesman for the group Montanans for Single-Payer and the former political director of the Montana Education Association before it merged with the Montana Federation of teachers. "We're just frustrated with Baucus because all the players are at the table, all the insurance companies and other folks, except advocates for single-payer. We think it's the solution to the problem. It's a system that will pay for itself rather than figure out how we're going to pay for the system."

With some polls showing approximately 60 percent of Americans in support of single-payer health insurance, advocates say Congress is excluding the majority of Americans from a critical national debate. Single-payer supporters say politicians are unfairly criticizing the idea as politically unfeasible without even having an open and public dialogue on its merits.

Read the rest of this excellent article by John S. Adams here.