Good on Ya,
Neighbour!

The United States Congress
After months of handwringing, fearmongering and a campaign of lies that would do Dr. Goebbels proud by the greedmongering Insurance Industy, Teabaggers and Republican politicians - Barrack and Nancy managed to squeak a lightweight, imperfect bill to reform healthcare to passage last night in the House of Representatives. Losing the vote would have been disastrous to both the Democratic Party, the President and the ultimate losers the American People. As much of a sell out it is to the still monopoly wielding Insurance Industry, it is a step in the right direction, the opposite direction the BC liaRs, Dr. Brian Day and the usual suspects are trying to force us to travel here in the land that pioneered fair, equal access, public health care in North America.

Perhaps in the next few months the populace will start to understand the real issues, without having to be confused by , John "Armageddon" Boehner, Mitch McConnell, the racist, homophobic and ignorant Teabaggers and the rest of the lying fearmongering status quo defenders of the "Best Health Care" on earth for the RICH. Hopefully we won't have to see or hear them as they will be hiding out from the "death panels" which will (hopefully) be deployed the instant Barrack Obama signs the bill. After all, those death panels have to start somewhere and where better than with the people (?) who have been warning everyone about how some bureaucraat would decide whether grandma lives or dies. (Isn't that what Health Insurance executives do already, based on bottomline, rather than health or the patient's interests?

Michael Moore in his own imitable manner wrote to the Repugnant Party members.

To My Fellow Citizens, the Republicans:

Thanks to last night's vote, that child of yours who has had asthma since birth will now be covered after suffering for her first nine years as an American child with a pre-existing condition.

Thanks to last night's vote, that 23-year-old of yours who will be hit one day by a drunk driver and spend six months recovering in the hospital will now not go bankrupt because you will be able to keep him on your insurance policy.

Thanks to last night's vote, after your cancer returns for the third time -- racking up another $200,000 in costs to keep you alive -- your insurance company will have to commit a criminal act if they even think of dropping you from their rolls.(my bold)

The entire letter is here.

For another early analysis of the historic vote (and lead-up) check out Nobel Economist, Paul Krugman's Fear Strikes Out,which ends:

Without question, the campaign of fear was effective: health reform went from being highly popular to wide disapproval, although the numbers have been improving lately. But the question was, would it actually be enough to block reform?

And the answer is no. The Democrats have done it. The House has passed the Senate version of health reform, and an improved version will be achieved through reconciliation.

This is, of course, a political victory for President Obama, and a triumph for Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker. But it is also a victory for America’s soul. In the end, a vicious, unprincipled fear offensive failed to block reform. This time, fear struck out.

Ding Dong Obfuscates!

Almanac (CBC Radio 1) hosted a call in with Attorney-General Mike DeJong to discuss the notion of cameras in the court room a few minutes ago. Ding Dong spewed the expected "The Justice System should be Transparent" and ours would certainly stand up to scrutiny. But oh golly gee, we just don't have any money to improve either access to justice for people with issues or access to proceedings themselves (other than personal attendence). The very last caller, with almost NO TIME LEFT, specifically suggested that the BC Rail Trial (starting May 3-well maybe) be held in the Air India courtroom which is ALREADY all wired and set up for video broadcast - something that has been brought up more than once at BC Mary's Legislature Raids.

Ding Dong managed to avoid the slightest acknowledgement of the specific trial (which AFTER ALL WAS THE QUESTION), without even having to resort to StoneWally's old tired "It's before the courts." He just regurgitated that the caller knew where his (DeJong's) feelings lie (double entendre alert), and just in case he hadn't succeeded in obfuscating enough on his own the host rhetorically asked if there was enough time before May 3 to set this up.

The caller already said the courtroom was ready to go, I think one can flip a few switches to get the system up and running in a month and a half..........