On Wednesday doctors around the country got a stinging surprise when a health care reform bill unveiled by Max Baucus revealed little in way of provision for medical malpractice tort reform or for increased Medicare reimbursements, two things that President Obama has been wooing their strong support with for months. In response the President has now moved to accelerate a proposed $25 million program designed to ease the pain of medical malpractice lawsuits.
From the beginning President Obama has been acutely aware of how much support from doctors would help him in his attempt to finally pass a healthcare reform bill. When President Bill Clinton tried in 1992 the AMA, the most powerful doctor’s association in the country launched a $4.5 advertising campaign against his proposals stating that “national health insurance would lead to a federal takeover of healthcare “Sound familiar?
Until the Baucus bill was revealed Obama had been doing a good job with the doctors’ associations. Indeed the AMA endorsed House legislation that included Obama’s plan to increase physician Medicare reimbursement by $230 billion in the next ten years. Their anger at the Baucus proposal now has the President and his administration rushing to try and woo back that hard won confidence.
The malpractice plan in question is a grant of up to $3 million to every state to test new approaches to medical liability. Officials are to conduct a “review of what works” to both improve patient safety and reduce the need for physicians to practice “defensive medicine” for fear of being hit by a crippling lawsuit.
Trial lawyers and doctors have been at odds for decades over the issue off medical malpractice. They vehemently disagree over both how genuinely affected patients should be compensated for their injuries and over how true it really is that a fear of lawsuits causes doctors to order additional testing that may not really be necessary. This practice of “defensive medicine” is estimated to be in the range of hundreds of billions of dollars. Doctor’s associations’ insist that if the medical malpractice tort system were reined in somehow, perhaps the doctors have always argued by capping the dollar amount that can be awarded in such cases, the practice would decrease significantly.
Obama has in the past sided with the trail lawyers who oppose such caps, and he first made public mention of the review project in his speech to a joint session of Congress last week. "I don't believe malpractice reform is a silver bullet," he said at the time, "but I've talked to enough doctors to know that defensive medicine may be contributing to unnecessary costs."
But will the grants, even if they are speedily administered as Obama suggested they would be on Thursday be seen as too little too late to maintain the doctor’s support? According to Peter Levine, who is the president of the Medical Society of the District of Columbia the President’s plan is “just smoke and mirrors” to deflect attention from the snubs of the Baucus plan.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Obama Appeals for Union Support – Especially for his Health Care Plans.
After a tough few weeks President Barack Obama took his healthcare message to a group of men and women who essentially became his employees a few months ago – workers at a General Motors plant in Lordstown , Ohio – and was buoyed by the fact that amongst the blue collar workers there he seemed to find praise and support, and not only just for his health care reforms.
The president’s visit to the Lordstown plant – which primarily manufactures small cars in the GM fleet – was his first to a General Motors facility since he and his government took defacto control of the company as a part of the auto industry bailout earlier this year.
This is a plant that has been doing very well of late. The Cash for Clunkers plan depleted the GM inventory of smaller vehicles and just a day before the President’s arrival 150 laid off workers had returned to work, with a 1,000 more due to clock back in over the next three weeks, to help meet the demand, including getting ready for the launch of the Chevy Cruze, a compact, high mileage vehicle due to be launched next year.
Amid thunderous applause, the President once again made it clear it had never been his intention to end up running a car company as part of his duties as Commander –in –chief "It wasn't on my to-do list. It wasn't even something on my want-to-do list.” he said. However he continued “for me to just let the auto industry collapse, to vanish, would have done unbelievable damage."
But during his speech at Lordstown and another later in the day at an AFL-CIO union convention in Pittsburgh, the President admitted he did need something from the auto workers now in return for his actions to help save their ailing industry and their jobs ; their support for his agenda, especially his health care reform plans.
Sounding far more like the confident man who rallied crowds behind him during the 2008 elections Barack Obama told the union workers assembled in Pittsburgh "As long as you've got an ounce of fight in you, I've got a ton of fight in me. I’ve said it before: I'm skinny, but I'm tough. So give it for me, guys."
And they do seem willing. According to John Sweeney, who is the outgoing president of the AFL-CIO "We in this room are the wind at his back."
The president’s visit to the Lordstown plant – which primarily manufactures small cars in the GM fleet – was his first to a General Motors facility since he and his government took defacto control of the company as a part of the auto industry bailout earlier this year.
This is a plant that has been doing very well of late. The Cash for Clunkers plan depleted the GM inventory of smaller vehicles and just a day before the President’s arrival 150 laid off workers had returned to work, with a 1,000 more due to clock back in over the next three weeks, to help meet the demand, including getting ready for the launch of the Chevy Cruze, a compact, high mileage vehicle due to be launched next year.
Amid thunderous applause, the President once again made it clear it had never been his intention to end up running a car company as part of his duties as Commander –in –chief "It wasn't on my to-do list. It wasn't even something on my want-to-do list.” he said. However he continued “for me to just let the auto industry collapse, to vanish, would have done unbelievable damage."
But during his speech at Lordstown and another later in the day at an AFL-CIO union convention in Pittsburgh, the President admitted he did need something from the auto workers now in return for his actions to help save their ailing industry and their jobs ; their support for his agenda, especially his health care reform plans.
Sounding far more like the confident man who rallied crowds behind him during the 2008 elections Barack Obama told the union workers assembled in Pittsburgh "As long as you've got an ounce of fight in you, I've got a ton of fight in me. I’ve said it before: I'm skinny, but I'm tough. So give it for me, guys."
And they do seem willing. According to John Sweeney, who is the outgoing president of the AFL-CIO "We in this room are the wind at his back."
Monday, September 14, 2009
Tea Party Protestors Hit the Capitol in Force.
The conservative advocacy group the Tea Party Express wrapped up their nationwide tour by staging a huge protest at the Capitol on Saturday.
Protestors who made the trip carried a number of signs and placards that made no bones about their opinions. Some of the slogans read “I didn’t vote for this Obamanation” and “Fire the Czars”. Others carried depicting the President as an African witch doctor and there was great deal of Nazi imagery on display.
Although the march stretched for blocks and was attended by thousands of people, no violence or civil disobedience was reported. The Tea Party Express tour began back in August in Sacramento, CA and has visited 30 cities.
According to the organizers of the Tea Party Express and other related events their movement is currently focusing on three main objectives Defeat President Barack Obama's health care reform efforts, win back the House and Senate in 2010 for the Republican Party and take the White House in 2012.
The movement has no acknowledged leader and organizers will admit that they are still searching for the right person. Some think that former Governor Sarah Palin would make a good choice but others feel that she carries too much negative baggage.
For now the regular speakers at most rallies, including the one in the Capitol on Saturday, are a charismatic activist called Debbie Johns, whose signature cry of “You can have our country when you pry it from our ... cold ... dead ... fingers!" is the common rallying cry for crowds, and a former radio personality, Mark Williams. They both work for Our Country Deserves Better, a political action committee that under wrote the Tea Party Express tour.
The people who gather at the Tea party rallies are often a colorful and eclectic bunch, whose messages and beliefs sometimes border on the extreme. Nazi imagery is abundant which can be off putting to some of the more conservative marchers and it is not unusual to see members carrying weapons in full view of the crowds in the states where open carry is permitted.
While the protestors were voicing their vehement opposition to health care reform in Washington President Obama was hundreds of miles away in Minneapolis, speaking once more at a town hall meeting on the issue.
He raised a laugh when he made a wry mention of his speech on Wednesday before a joint session of Congress, during which Rep Joe Wilson now infamously proclaimed “You Lie”. "I can already see that this crowd is a lot more fun," he told the audience.
Protestors who made the trip carried a number of signs and placards that made no bones about their opinions. Some of the slogans read “I didn’t vote for this Obamanation” and “Fire the Czars”. Others carried depicting the President as an African witch doctor and there was great deal of Nazi imagery on display.
Although the march stretched for blocks and was attended by thousands of people, no violence or civil disobedience was reported. The Tea Party Express tour began back in August in Sacramento, CA and has visited 30 cities.
According to the organizers of the Tea Party Express and other related events their movement is currently focusing on three main objectives Defeat President Barack Obama's health care reform efforts, win back the House and Senate in 2010 for the Republican Party and take the White House in 2012.
The movement has no acknowledged leader and organizers will admit that they are still searching for the right person. Some think that former Governor Sarah Palin would make a good choice but others feel that she carries too much negative baggage.
For now the regular speakers at most rallies, including the one in the Capitol on Saturday, are a charismatic activist called Debbie Johns, whose signature cry of “You can have our country when you pry it from our ... cold ... dead ... fingers!" is the common rallying cry for crowds, and a former radio personality, Mark Williams. They both work for Our Country Deserves Better, a political action committee that under wrote the Tea Party Express tour.
The people who gather at the Tea party rallies are often a colorful and eclectic bunch, whose messages and beliefs sometimes border on the extreme. Nazi imagery is abundant which can be off putting to some of the more conservative marchers and it is not unusual to see members carrying weapons in full view of the crowds in the states where open carry is permitted.
While the protestors were voicing their vehement opposition to health care reform in Washington President Obama was hundreds of miles away in Minneapolis, speaking once more at a town hall meeting on the issue.
He raised a laugh when he made a wry mention of his speech on Wednesday before a joint session of Congress, during which Rep Joe Wilson now infamously proclaimed “You Lie”. "I can already see that this crowd is a lot more fun," he told the audience.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
South Carolina Rep Shouts “You Lie” as Obama Speaks on Health Care.
President Barack Obama’s advisors had promised that his speech to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday evening to address the state of his healthcare reform plans would be an impassioned and powerful one and there are few that would say that he did not deliver.
One major point he made was his desire that the opposing sides of the debate could “disagree without being disagreeable.” At least one member of the audience did not seem to agree with that statement though.
Rep. Joe Wilson, who is from South Carolina, interrupted the speech when he shouted “ You Lie!” and punctuated his point with an aggressive looking finger point when President Obama said that his healthcare reforms would not include coverage for illegal aliens. The tantrum caused the President to pause and direct his attention to the heckler, responding “That’s not true” before carrying on with his prepared remarks.
Seated behind the President both Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi looked visibly shocked by the outburst and after the speech was over Senator John McCain, the man defeated in the Presidential election by Obama, called for Rep. Wilson to make an immediate public apology.
Rep Wilson did make a formal statement some time later saying that "While I disagree with the president's statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the president for this lack of civility." It is reported that he also called the White House personally to apologize. The man who took the call, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, accepted the apology on behalf of the President according to senior Obama aides.
Although his was the most noticeable act of displeasure Rep Wilson was not the only one to resort to some less than civil behavior during the President’s 45 minute speech.
Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas wore a sign fastened around his neck for the course of the speech which read “What Bill?” and when President Obama called on Republicans in the audience to share their reform ideas with him a small group of them raised stacks of paper above their heads.
Online reaction to Rep Wilson’s action by the public was swift and mainly derogatory. Within just a few minutes of his being identified as the heckler someone altered his Wikipedia entry to read "He is a [expletive] that called the President of the United States a liar on national television and has no respect for the office he holds." The site’s editors quickly removed the entry only for it to be replaced by another, even harsher one. They then decided to disable the editing feature for the entry for the time being.
On Twitter user after user posted Tweets encouraging the public to contact Rep. Wilson’s office to express their displeasure. However very quickly visitors to the official http://www.joewilson.house.gov/ website found it disabled and the phone lines to his office either rang busy or rang on and on without the usual voicemail message cutting in.
One major point he made was his desire that the opposing sides of the debate could “disagree without being disagreeable.” At least one member of the audience did not seem to agree with that statement though.
Rep. Joe Wilson, who is from South Carolina, interrupted the speech when he shouted “ You Lie!” and punctuated his point with an aggressive looking finger point when President Obama said that his healthcare reforms would not include coverage for illegal aliens. The tantrum caused the President to pause and direct his attention to the heckler, responding “That’s not true” before carrying on with his prepared remarks.
Seated behind the President both Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi looked visibly shocked by the outburst and after the speech was over Senator John McCain, the man defeated in the Presidential election by Obama, called for Rep. Wilson to make an immediate public apology.
Rep Wilson did make a formal statement some time later saying that "While I disagree with the president's statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the president for this lack of civility." It is reported that he also called the White House personally to apologize. The man who took the call, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, accepted the apology on behalf of the President according to senior Obama aides.
Although his was the most noticeable act of displeasure Rep Wilson was not the only one to resort to some less than civil behavior during the President’s 45 minute speech.
Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas wore a sign fastened around his neck for the course of the speech which read “What Bill?” and when President Obama called on Republicans in the audience to share their reform ideas with him a small group of them raised stacks of paper above their heads.
Online reaction to Rep Wilson’s action by the public was swift and mainly derogatory. Within just a few minutes of his being identified as the heckler someone altered his Wikipedia entry to read "He is a [expletive] that called the President of the United States a liar on national television and has no respect for the office he holds." The site’s editors quickly removed the entry only for it to be replaced by another, even harsher one. They then decided to disable the editing feature for the entry for the time being.
On Twitter user after user posted Tweets encouraging the public to contact Rep. Wilson’s office to express their displeasure. However very quickly visitors to the official http://www.joewilson.house.gov/ website found it disabled and the phone lines to his office either rang busy or rang on and on without the usual voicemail message cutting in.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Laura Bush Says Obama is “Doing a Good Job” in Tough Times
In spite of all the problems he has been facing in the last couple of weeks President Barack Obama has gained praise from quite an unusual source – former First Lady Laura Bush. Speaking to CNN from Paris she surprised many republicans by saying that she believes that Obama is doing a good job in some very tough times.
The normally understated Mrs. Bush was most vociferous in her support of the President’s plan to address the nation’s schoolchildren on Tuesday. She did not completely dismiss Conservative concerns but was quick to point out that the original lesson plan that began the controversy, which had suggested that children be asked to write letters about how they could “help the President’ had been changed and that the point of the speech was encourage children to stay in school.
"I think there is a place for the president ... to talk to schoolchildren and encourage them” she said “Parents should follow his example and encourage their own children to stay in school and to study hard and to try to achieve the dream that they have."
As a former educator herself, education is a subject dear to Laura Bush’s heart. She was speaking to CNN whilst in Paris to promote global literacy, an issue she spoke of a great deal while she still resided in the White House herself.
After he gives his speech to the nation’s schoolchildren Obama will return to preparations for yet another crucial speech he is to deliver on Wednesday, this time returning to the debate over health care reform. He will be taking the unusual step of addressing a joint session of Congress and his aides told press that they can expect to see the President take a far more aggressive stance on the issue than he has in recent weeks.
Although he was given a great deal of input from advisors as to the content of his address, which will be televised nationwide in prime time, his aides say that he spent most of his weekend at Camp David writing the actual body of the speech himself.
The one thing that aides in the Obama administration did admit was that it is crucial that Obama “come up big” on Wednesday in order to salvage his reform efforts, but according to one "he's at his best" in difficult situations and they believe that the same fire and passion that got him elected in the first place will be fully in evidence on Wednesday evening.
The normally understated Mrs. Bush was most vociferous in her support of the President’s plan to address the nation’s schoolchildren on Tuesday. She did not completely dismiss Conservative concerns but was quick to point out that the original lesson plan that began the controversy, which had suggested that children be asked to write letters about how they could “help the President’ had been changed and that the point of the speech was encourage children to stay in school.
"I think there is a place for the president ... to talk to schoolchildren and encourage them” she said “Parents should follow his example and encourage their own children to stay in school and to study hard and to try to achieve the dream that they have."
As a former educator herself, education is a subject dear to Laura Bush’s heart. She was speaking to CNN whilst in Paris to promote global literacy, an issue she spoke of a great deal while she still resided in the White House herself.
After he gives his speech to the nation’s schoolchildren Obama will return to preparations for yet another crucial speech he is to deliver on Wednesday, this time returning to the debate over health care reform. He will be taking the unusual step of addressing a joint session of Congress and his aides told press that they can expect to see the President take a far more aggressive stance on the issue than he has in recent weeks.
Although he was given a great deal of input from advisors as to the content of his address, which will be televised nationwide in prime time, his aides say that he spent most of his weekend at Camp David writing the actual body of the speech himself.
The one thing that aides in the Obama administration did admit was that it is crucial that Obama “come up big” on Wednesday in order to salvage his reform efforts, but according to one "he's at his best" in difficult situations and they believe that the same fire and passion that got him elected in the first place will be fully in evidence on Wednesday evening.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Obama Expands Ron Bloom’s Power, Appoints Him Manufacturing Czar.
Like millions of other Americans President Barack Obama was at work on Labor Day, although a picnic was amongst his plans.
He was due to attend a worker’s picnic in Cincinnati, Ohio and at that event he was scheduled to announce the appointment of Ron Bloom to the post of “Manufacturing Czar”.
Bloom is already a member of the Obama administration as he is a Senior Advisor to treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, serving as a member of the “President’s Task Force on the Automotive Industry”. Apparently he will continue in this capacity in addition to his new duties.
Bloom was a key member of the team who negotiated both the auto industry “bailout” while negotiating a restructuring plan with both auto industry executives and labor unions. He also helped engineer a plan to restructure the US steel industry when he was privately employed as a vice president at Lazard Freres & Co. LLC. It is believed that in his new role he will be working with the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, Energy, and Labor as well as the National Economic Council.
In a statement released Monday President Obama said “Last week we learned that our manufacturing sector expanded for the first time in 18 months and had the highest monthly output in two years. It’s a sign that we’re on the right track to economic recovery, but that we still have a long way to go. That’s why I’ve asked Ron Bloom to help coordinate my Administration’s manufacturing policy.”
The appointment comes as political pundits are still speculating that the President had a hand in the resignation of Van Jones, something that White House advisor David Axelrod denied on Obama’s behalf during a Sunday appearance on “Meet the Press”. "Absolutely not -- this was Van Jones' own decision," he told host David Gregory. Jones resigned after it surfaced that he had been a signatory on a petition that called for an investigation into whether or not the government allowed the 2001 9/11 terrorist attacks to occur.
Van Jones was often referred to as the “czar for green jobs” and his exit has led some republicans to call for a halt to the appointment of any more “czars” until the thirty in place have both their credentials and previous political experience examined in detail. By appointing Ron Bloom just a few days after Jones’ abrupt resignation the president is obviously demonstrating that he has no intention to bow to such outside pressure when it comes to staffing and running his administration.
He was due to attend a worker’s picnic in Cincinnati, Ohio and at that event he was scheduled to announce the appointment of Ron Bloom to the post of “Manufacturing Czar”.
Bloom is already a member of the Obama administration as he is a Senior Advisor to treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, serving as a member of the “President’s Task Force on the Automotive Industry”. Apparently he will continue in this capacity in addition to his new duties.
Bloom was a key member of the team who negotiated both the auto industry “bailout” while negotiating a restructuring plan with both auto industry executives and labor unions. He also helped engineer a plan to restructure the US steel industry when he was privately employed as a vice president at Lazard Freres & Co. LLC. It is believed that in his new role he will be working with the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, Energy, and Labor as well as the National Economic Council.
In a statement released Monday President Obama said “Last week we learned that our manufacturing sector expanded for the first time in 18 months and had the highest monthly output in two years. It’s a sign that we’re on the right track to economic recovery, but that we still have a long way to go. That’s why I’ve asked Ron Bloom to help coordinate my Administration’s manufacturing policy.”
The appointment comes as political pundits are still speculating that the President had a hand in the resignation of Van Jones, something that White House advisor David Axelrod denied on Obama’s behalf during a Sunday appearance on “Meet the Press”. "Absolutely not -- this was Van Jones' own decision," he told host David Gregory. Jones resigned after it surfaced that he had been a signatory on a petition that called for an investigation into whether or not the government allowed the 2001 9/11 terrorist attacks to occur.
Van Jones was often referred to as the “czar for green jobs” and his exit has led some republicans to call for a halt to the appointment of any more “czars” until the thirty in place have both their credentials and previous political experience examined in detail. By appointing Ron Bloom just a few days after Jones’ abrupt resignation the president is obviously demonstrating that he has no intention to bow to such outside pressure when it comes to staffing and running his administration.
Obama Expands Ron Bloom’s Power, Appoints Him Manufacturing Czar.
Like millions of other Americans President Barack Obama was at work on Labor Day, although a picnic was amongst his plans.
He was due to attend a worker’s picnic in Cincinnati, Ohio and at that event he was scheduled to announce the appointment of Ron Bloom to the post of “Manufacturing Czar”.
Bloom is already a member of the Obama administration as he is a Senior Advisor to treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, serving as a member of the “President’s Task Force on the Automotive Industry”. Apparently he will continue in this capacity in addition to his new duties.
Bloom was a key member of the team who negotiated both the auto industry “bailout” while negotiating a restructuring plan with both auto industry executives and labor unions. He also helped engineer a plan to restructure the US steel industry when he was privately employed as a vice president at Lazard Freres & Co. LLC. It is believed that in his new role he will be working with the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, Energy, and Labor as well as the National Economic Council.
In a statement released Monday President Obama said “Last week we learned that our manufacturing sector expanded for the first time in 18 months and had the highest monthly output in two years. It’s a sign that we’re on the right track to economic recovery, but that we still have a long way to go. That’s why I’ve asked Ron Bloom to help coordinate my Administration’s manufacturing policy.”
The appointment comes as political pundits are still speculating that the President had a hand in the resignation of Van Jones, something that White House advisor David Axelrod denied on Obama’s behalf during a Sunday appearance on “Meet the Press”. "Absolutely not -- this was Van Jones' own decision," he told host David Gregory. Jones resigned after it surfaced that he had been a signatory on a petition that called for an investigation into whether or not the government allowed the 2001 9/11 terrorist attacks to occur.
Van Jones was often referred to as the “czar for green jobs” and his exit has led some republicans to call for a halt to the appointment of any more “czars” until the thirty in place have both their credentials and previous political experience examined in detail. By appointing Ron Bloom just a few days after Jones’ abrupt resignation the president is obviously demonstrating that he has no intention to bow to such outside pressure when it comes to staffing and running his administration.
He was due to attend a worker’s picnic in Cincinnati, Ohio and at that event he was scheduled to announce the appointment of Ron Bloom to the post of “Manufacturing Czar”.
Bloom is already a member of the Obama administration as he is a Senior Advisor to treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, serving as a member of the “President’s Task Force on the Automotive Industry”. Apparently he will continue in this capacity in addition to his new duties.
Bloom was a key member of the team who negotiated both the auto industry “bailout” while negotiating a restructuring plan with both auto industry executives and labor unions. He also helped engineer a plan to restructure the US steel industry when he was privately employed as a vice president at Lazard Freres & Co. LLC. It is believed that in his new role he will be working with the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, Energy, and Labor as well as the National Economic Council.
In a statement released Monday President Obama said “Last week we learned that our manufacturing sector expanded for the first time in 18 months and had the highest monthly output in two years. It’s a sign that we’re on the right track to economic recovery, but that we still have a long way to go. That’s why I’ve asked Ron Bloom to help coordinate my Administration’s manufacturing policy.”
The appointment comes as political pundits are still speculating that the President had a hand in the resignation of Van Jones, something that White House advisor David Axelrod denied on Obama’s behalf during a Sunday appearance on “Meet the Press”. "Absolutely not -- this was Van Jones' own decision," he told host David Gregory. Jones resigned after it surfaced that he had been a signatory on a petition that called for an investigation into whether or not the government allowed the 2001 9/11 terrorist attacks to occur.
Van Jones was often referred to as the “czar for green jobs” and his exit has led some republicans to call for a halt to the appointment of any more “czars” until the thirty in place have both their credentials and previous political experience examined in detail. By appointing Ron Bloom just a few days after Jones’ abrupt resignation the president is obviously demonstrating that he has no intention to bow to such outside pressure when it comes to staffing and running his administration.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Where is the President Obama We Elected?
Back in 2008 Barack Obama was a fresh face, full of energy and new ideas, inspiring voters to elect the first African American Commander in Chief of the United States. He gave hope to millions that his drive and energy could help turn an ailing and depressed country around.
Where has that man gone? The Barack Obama many of us feel we know and love has not been in evidence that often recently. At recent town hall meetings the bright white Barack smile looked forced and the arm pumping and fake jogging a tired political cliché that has run its course.
It appears that life in the lion’s den that is Washington is more than Obama had ever bargained for, and perhaps is only now realizing the true scope of the task he has undertaken.
Take for instance the recent e mail campaign that he launched to encourage his supporters to report "health care rumors" to a special website for review by his administration. One can only imagine what one of his most vocal supporters in the music world, rapper Young Jeezy, might have made of that. The man has made a career out of promoting the phrase "Don't Snitch".
On a more serious note, the fact is that more and more Americans seemed to be growing tired of the Obama show. They are disenchanted with the massive piles of debt that still exist, the jobs that are still being lost and the expansion of government. Obama keeps talking though, seemingly in the hope that if he keeps talking, keeps selling the "bigger is better" concept that his supporters will calm down again and listen. The fact that a recent poll showed that nearly half the people questioned thought the President was now on television too much seems to burst that particular bubble.
There is little doubt that the current health care "crisis" may be doing the most damage to the President's image. Another poll, this time conducted by the New York Times and CBS had some findings that should have alarm bells ringing in Obama's head. Sixty-nine percent believe Obamacare will hurt the quality of their own health care, while a huge seventy-six percent believe Obama's changes will mean higher taxes for them. And those are just two of the lowlights.
There are still wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to contend with and the economy is still a mess. Barack Obama will be doing himself and his country a serious injustice if he continues to allow the health care "debate" to ruin his image and his country's faith in him for good.
Where has that man gone? The Barack Obama many of us feel we know and love has not been in evidence that often recently. At recent town hall meetings the bright white Barack smile looked forced and the arm pumping and fake jogging a tired political cliché that has run its course.
It appears that life in the lion’s den that is Washington is more than Obama had ever bargained for, and perhaps is only now realizing the true scope of the task he has undertaken.
Take for instance the recent e mail campaign that he launched to encourage his supporters to report "health care rumors" to a special website for review by his administration. One can only imagine what one of his most vocal supporters in the music world, rapper Young Jeezy, might have made of that. The man has made a career out of promoting the phrase "Don't Snitch".
On a more serious note, the fact is that more and more Americans seemed to be growing tired of the Obama show. They are disenchanted with the massive piles of debt that still exist, the jobs that are still being lost and the expansion of government. Obama keeps talking though, seemingly in the hope that if he keeps talking, keeps selling the "bigger is better" concept that his supporters will calm down again and listen. The fact that a recent poll showed that nearly half the people questioned thought the President was now on television too much seems to burst that particular bubble.
There is little doubt that the current health care "crisis" may be doing the most damage to the President's image. Another poll, this time conducted by the New York Times and CBS had some findings that should have alarm bells ringing in Obama's head. Sixty-nine percent believe Obamacare will hurt the quality of their own health care, while a huge seventy-six percent believe Obama's changes will mean higher taxes for them. And those are just two of the lowlights.
There are still wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to contend with and the economy is still a mess. Barack Obama will be doing himself and his country a serious injustice if he continues to allow the health care "debate" to ruin his image and his country's faith in him for good.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Eczema in Children is Rising. Are You Taking Good CARE of Their Diet?
Childhood eczema is on the increase, and the number of cases of the skin condition reported in toddlers and young children has risen to one in five. Researchers are still unable to identify the cause of eczema, which results in itchiness and redness of the skin, but allergies have often been cited as a contributor to the growing condition.
Recent years have seen an increase in people reporting allergic reactions, with eczema been a common symptom. Irritants like woolen clothing, soap or allergens like pollen can heighten eczema, but the common myth that diet is a major contributing factor has been dispelled.
Many parents blame certain foods for the onset of eczema or for making it worse, and have omitted several foods from their children’s diets. However, the latest research published by the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care have warned parents to be wary of denying their children important foods like milk unless these have been identified by doctors as causing allergies.
The Institute advices that although eczema can become a lifetime problem, most children will grow out of it by the time they are teenagers and parents may not need to change their family’s diets. The Institute’s director Professor Sawicki said eliminating certain foods from children’s diets should only be undertaken after consultation with a doctor: "Restricting children's diets can harm their health and growth, so parents need to be careful about acting on unproven theories about diet and eczema."
"Trials have shown that eliminating foods like milk or eggs from the diet of small children with eczema probably only helps if they have proven food sensitivities. Formal allergy tests like skin prick and challenge tests done with your doctor can help you get a more reliable picture of whether or not a suspected food really is causing the problem."
He also encouraged parents to stay abreast of up to date developments in research and treatments in the field as new discoveries about childhood allergies are been made, and to only rely on evidence-based advice. One example of current research still in its early stages is the role of probiotics in the development of child allergies.
The Institute also stated that parents can reduce their child's risk of allergies by not smoking. More information about eczema and allergies can be found on the Institute’s website www.informedhealthonline.org which features easy-to-understand information about current medical developments and research on important health issues.
Recent years have seen an increase in people reporting allergic reactions, with eczema been a common symptom. Irritants like woolen clothing, soap or allergens like pollen can heighten eczema, but the common myth that diet is a major contributing factor has been dispelled.
Many parents blame certain foods for the onset of eczema or for making it worse, and have omitted several foods from their children’s diets. However, the latest research published by the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care have warned parents to be wary of denying their children important foods like milk unless these have been identified by doctors as causing allergies.
The Institute advices that although eczema can become a lifetime problem, most children will grow out of it by the time they are teenagers and parents may not need to change their family’s diets. The Institute’s director Professor Sawicki said eliminating certain foods from children’s diets should only be undertaken after consultation with a doctor: "Restricting children's diets can harm their health and growth, so parents need to be careful about acting on unproven theories about diet and eczema."
"Trials have shown that eliminating foods like milk or eggs from the diet of small children with eczema probably only helps if they have proven food sensitivities. Formal allergy tests like skin prick and challenge tests done with your doctor can help you get a more reliable picture of whether or not a suspected food really is causing the problem."
He also encouraged parents to stay abreast of up to date developments in research and treatments in the field as new discoveries about childhood allergies are been made, and to only rely on evidence-based advice. One example of current research still in its early stages is the role of probiotics in the development of child allergies.
The Institute also stated that parents can reduce their child's risk of allergies by not smoking. More information about eczema and allergies can be found on the Institute’s website www.informedhealthonline.org which features easy-to-understand information about current medical developments and research on important health issues.
Health Care Reforms: So Democrats are You Ready to GO Alone?
In order to get their health care reforms passed it seems that Democrats may be considering making use of a little known political tactic called reconciliation, which would make the need for strong Republican support unnecessary.
It would certainly be a risky move, as it would almost certainly be seen as a hostile act by Republicans. But some top Democrats think it may just be a drastic move worth making.
Reconciliation, which has been used to pass budget measures in the past, requires only a simple majority of 51 votes to pass, something the Democrats should be able to achieve fairly easily.
An unnamed White House source told CNN “If we have to push it through this way, no one is going to remember how messy it was. At the end of the day, they'll remember we got health care reform done. A win is a win."
This all comes as a reaction to Democratic belief that Republicans involved in the negotiations to create a bill that can achieve bi partisan support are not at all serious about getting a deal done any time soon. They are especially concerned about Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa who is a key player in the debate, as he is one of the six members of the Senate Finance Committee, the body most involved in the health care debate.
In fact Grassley warned as recently as this weekend that it may be many months before a bill he could agree to support could be worked out.
"I've said all year that something as big and important as health care legislation should have broad-based support," Grassley said "So far, no one has developed that kind of support, either in Congress or at the White House. That doesn't mean we should quit. It means we should keep working until we can put something together that gets that widespread support."
If the Democrats do decide to go it alone the public insurance option that has been in question for days could be put squarely back on the table. The issue had become cloudy when Obama himself said on Saturday that the "public option, whether we have it or we don't have it, is not the entirety of health care reform.” On Tuesday Kathleen Sibelius said at a Medicare conference that nothing has changed. She told the audience "We continue to support the public option. That will help lower costs, give American consumers more choice and keep private insurers honest. If people have other ideas about how to accomplish these goals, we'll look at those, too. But the public option is a very good way to do this."
It would certainly be a risky move, as it would almost certainly be seen as a hostile act by Republicans. But some top Democrats think it may just be a drastic move worth making.
Reconciliation, which has been used to pass budget measures in the past, requires only a simple majority of 51 votes to pass, something the Democrats should be able to achieve fairly easily.
An unnamed White House source told CNN “If we have to push it through this way, no one is going to remember how messy it was. At the end of the day, they'll remember we got health care reform done. A win is a win."
This all comes as a reaction to Democratic belief that Republicans involved in the negotiations to create a bill that can achieve bi partisan support are not at all serious about getting a deal done any time soon. They are especially concerned about Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa who is a key player in the debate, as he is one of the six members of the Senate Finance Committee, the body most involved in the health care debate.
In fact Grassley warned as recently as this weekend that it may be many months before a bill he could agree to support could be worked out.
"I've said all year that something as big and important as health care legislation should have broad-based support," Grassley said "So far, no one has developed that kind of support, either in Congress or at the White House. That doesn't mean we should quit. It means we should keep working until we can put something together that gets that widespread support."
If the Democrats do decide to go it alone the public insurance option that has been in question for days could be put squarely back on the table. The issue had become cloudy when Obama himself said on Saturday that the "public option, whether we have it or we don't have it, is not the entirety of health care reform.” On Tuesday Kathleen Sibelius said at a Medicare conference that nothing has changed. She told the audience "We continue to support the public option. That will help lower costs, give American consumers more choice and keep private insurers honest. If people have other ideas about how to accomplish these goals, we'll look at those, too. But the public option is a very good way to do this."
Health Care Reform: So Democrats are You Ready to GO Alone?
In order to get their health care reforms passed it seems that Democrats may be considering making use of a little known political tactic called reconciliation, which would make the need for strong Republican support unnecessary.
It would certainly be a risky move, as it would almost certainly be seen as a hostile act by Republicans. But some top Democrats think it may just be a drastic move worth making.
Reconciliation, which has been used to pass budget measures in the past, requires only a simple majority of 51 votes to pass, something the Democrats should be able to achieve fairly easily.
An unnamed White House source told CNN “If we have to push it through this way, no one is going to remember how messy it was. At the end of the day, they'll remember we got health care reform done. A win is a win."
This all comes as a reaction to Democratic belief that Republicans involved in the negotiations to create a bill that can achieve bi partisan support are not at all serious about getting a deal done any time soon. They are especially concerned about Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa who is a key player in the debate, as he is one of the six members of the Senate Finance Committee, the body most involved in the health care debate.
In fact Grassley warned as recently as this weekend that it may be many months before a bill he could agree to support could be worked out.
"I've said all year that something as big and important as health care legislation should have broad-based support," Grassley said "So far, no one has developed that kind of support, either in Congress or at the White House. That doesn't mean we should quit. It means we should keep working until we can put something together that gets that widespread support."
If the Democrats do decide to go it alone the public insurance option that has been in question for days could be put squarely back on the table. The issue had become cloudy when Obama himself said on Saturday that the "public option, whether we have it or we don't have it, is not the entirety of health care reform.” On Tuesday Kathleen Sibelius said at a Medicare conference that nothing has changed. She told the audience "We continue to support the public option. That will help lower costs, give American consumers more choice and keep private insurers honest. If people have other ideas about how to accomplish these goals, we'll look at those, too. But the public option is a very good way to do this."
It would certainly be a risky move, as it would almost certainly be seen as a hostile act by Republicans. But some top Democrats think it may just be a drastic move worth making.
Reconciliation, which has been used to pass budget measures in the past, requires only a simple majority of 51 votes to pass, something the Democrats should be able to achieve fairly easily.
An unnamed White House source told CNN “If we have to push it through this way, no one is going to remember how messy it was. At the end of the day, they'll remember we got health care reform done. A win is a win."
This all comes as a reaction to Democratic belief that Republicans involved in the negotiations to create a bill that can achieve bi partisan support are not at all serious about getting a deal done any time soon. They are especially concerned about Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa who is a key player in the debate, as he is one of the six members of the Senate Finance Committee, the body most involved in the health care debate.
In fact Grassley warned as recently as this weekend that it may be many months before a bill he could agree to support could be worked out.
"I've said all year that something as big and important as health care legislation should have broad-based support," Grassley said "So far, no one has developed that kind of support, either in Congress or at the White House. That doesn't mean we should quit. It means we should keep working until we can put something together that gets that widespread support."
If the Democrats do decide to go it alone the public insurance option that has been in question for days could be put squarely back on the table. The issue had become cloudy when Obama himself said on Saturday that the "public option, whether we have it or we don't have it, is not the entirety of health care reform.” On Tuesday Kathleen Sibelius said at a Medicare conference that nothing has changed. She told the audience "We continue to support the public option. That will help lower costs, give American consumers more choice and keep private insurers honest. If people have other ideas about how to accomplish these goals, we'll look at those, too. But the public option is a very good way to do this."
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
White House did not send Unsolicited Emails say Officals.
The White House wants you to know that they are not in the spam business. Instead they are blaming as yet to be identified political groups for unsolicited e mails that the administration had previously suggested no one was receiving.
Until Monday evening. White House had insisted that reports of people not signed up to their mailing lists receiving communications from them were false. They have now admitted that such e mails do indeed seem to have been sent but not by them.
In a blog posted on Monday evening White House online director Macon Phillips wrote" “We’re certainly not interested in anyone receiving e-mails from the White House who don’t want them." He said that groups outside the White House had signed up members from their own mailing lists to receive the updates about President Barack Obama's daily activities and policies. Macon added that taking names and e mail addresses from commercially available mailing lists was certainly not a part of White House policy. "We regret any inconvenience caused by receiving an unexpected message.” he wrote.
A few weeks ago White House officials began encouraging the general public to begin sending them critic's e mails so that the administration could respond to any false allegations or misconceptions that were floating around in cyberspace about the President's proposed health care reforms. Just like any other correspondence by law each of these e mails must be saved, as any official White House correspondence must be, for eventual inclusion in the Public Archives.
One recent e mail was sent by a top Obama advisor, David Axelrod encouraging support for his bosses health care reforms. That message brought a question on Monday from Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and the ranking member on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
“I am concerned about the possibility that political e-mail address lists are being used for official purposes,” Mr Issa wrote to Greg Craig, who is White House counsel “This, again, raises questions about this administration blurring the lines between political and official business.”
Issa went out to ask exactly how the White House was using the separate e mail account that was set up to investigate and respond to the so called "fishy health care claims" although that e mail account has now been disabled.
“The fear has been expressed that the White House was asking neighbors to inform on neighbors in a government-led data collection effort,” Issa wrote.
As has become common practice a reply came via the official White House blog, although it did not mention Rep. Issa by name.
“An ironic development is that the launch of an online program meant to provide facts about health insurance reform has itself become the target of fear-mongering and online rumors that are the tactics of choice for the defenders of the status quo”.
Until Monday evening. White House had insisted that reports of people not signed up to their mailing lists receiving communications from them were false. They have now admitted that such e mails do indeed seem to have been sent but not by them.
In a blog posted on Monday evening White House online director Macon Phillips wrote" “We’re certainly not interested in anyone receiving e-mails from the White House who don’t want them." He said that groups outside the White House had signed up members from their own mailing lists to receive the updates about President Barack Obama's daily activities and policies. Macon added that taking names and e mail addresses from commercially available mailing lists was certainly not a part of White House policy. "We regret any inconvenience caused by receiving an unexpected message.” he wrote.
A few weeks ago White House officials began encouraging the general public to begin sending them critic's e mails so that the administration could respond to any false allegations or misconceptions that were floating around in cyberspace about the President's proposed health care reforms. Just like any other correspondence by law each of these e mails must be saved, as any official White House correspondence must be, for eventual inclusion in the Public Archives.
One recent e mail was sent by a top Obama advisor, David Axelrod encouraging support for his bosses health care reforms. That message brought a question on Monday from Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and the ranking member on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
“I am concerned about the possibility that political e-mail address lists are being used for official purposes,” Mr Issa wrote to Greg Craig, who is White House counsel “This, again, raises questions about this administration blurring the lines between political and official business.”
Issa went out to ask exactly how the White House was using the separate e mail account that was set up to investigate and respond to the so called "fishy health care claims" although that e mail account has now been disabled.
“The fear has been expressed that the White House was asking neighbors to inform on neighbors in a government-led data collection effort,” Issa wrote.
As has become common practice a reply came via the official White House blog, although it did not mention Rep. Issa by name.
“An ironic development is that the launch of an online program meant to provide facts about health insurance reform has itself become the target of fear-mongering and online rumors that are the tactics of choice for the defenders of the status quo”.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
More "Legal" guns Greet Obama in Arizona.
At least ten people stood outside the convention center in Phoenix, Arizona where President Barack Obama was speaking on Monday carrying guns, one of which was a military type assault rifle. According to state law they were doing nothing illegal but it certainly made for a chilling sight. This is the second time in a week that such a display of arms has greeted the President at a public appearance and some people worry that a dangerous precedent is being set.
In Arizona it is legal to carry a firearm as long as it is not concealed, just as it is in New Hampshire where a man was observed to be standing in church grounds near the Portsmouth high school where the President held a town hall meeting to discuss his health care reforms.
The display in Arizona had, to many observers, a far more menacing tone than the display in New Hampshire. The man who was carrying the powerful AR-15 semi-automatic rifle slung over one shoulder refused to give his name when he was approached by Arizona Republic journalists but he did tell them that he was carrying his gun simple because the law states that he can "In Arizona, I still have some freedoms," he said.
Phoenix police detective J. Oliver said that they were monitored the man and his fellow gun-toters carefully, both for the President's safety and their own. "Just by his presence and people seeing the rifle and people knowing the president was in town, it sparked a lot of emotions," Oliver said. "We were keeping peace on both ends."
Fred Solop, who is a political scientist at Northern Arizona University, is concerned about the apparently growing trend. "When you start to bring guns to political rallies, it does layer on another level of concern and significance," Solop said. "It actually becomes quite scary for many people. It creates a chilling effect in the ability of our society to carry on honest communication."
He added that he had never before heard of anyone actually bringing a gun as powerful as an assault rifle anywhere near a presidential appearance before, "The larger the gun, the more menacing the situation," he said.
Paul Helmke who is president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, a program named for James Brady, former White House press secretary to Ronald Reagan who was paralyzed by a would be assassin's bullet, agrees.
"To me, this is craziness," he said. "When you bring a loaded gun, particularly a loaded assault rifle, to any political event, but particularly to one where the president is appearing, you're just making the situation dangerous for everyone."
In Arizona it is legal to carry a firearm as long as it is not concealed, just as it is in New Hampshire where a man was observed to be standing in church grounds near the Portsmouth high school where the President held a town hall meeting to discuss his health care reforms.
The display in Arizona had, to many observers, a far more menacing tone than the display in New Hampshire. The man who was carrying the powerful AR-15 semi-automatic rifle slung over one shoulder refused to give his name when he was approached by Arizona Republic journalists but he did tell them that he was carrying his gun simple because the law states that he can "In Arizona, I still have some freedoms," he said.
Phoenix police detective J. Oliver said that they were monitored the man and his fellow gun-toters carefully, both for the President's safety and their own. "Just by his presence and people seeing the rifle and people knowing the president was in town, it sparked a lot of emotions," Oliver said. "We were keeping peace on both ends."
Fred Solop, who is a political scientist at Northern Arizona University, is concerned about the apparently growing trend. "When you start to bring guns to political rallies, it does layer on another level of concern and significance," Solop said. "It actually becomes quite scary for many people. It creates a chilling effect in the ability of our society to carry on honest communication."
He added that he had never before heard of anyone actually bringing a gun as powerful as an assault rifle anywhere near a presidential appearance before, "The larger the gun, the more menacing the situation," he said.
Paul Helmke who is president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, a program named for James Brady, former White House press secretary to Ronald Reagan who was paralyzed by a would be assassin's bullet, agrees.
"To me, this is craziness," he said. "When you bring a loaded gun, particularly a loaded assault rifle, to any political event, but particularly to one where the president is appearing, you're just making the situation dangerous for everyone."
Monday, August 17, 2009
Is Barack Backing Down on Healthcare Reform?
President Barack Obama has been very vocal about his plans for health care reform ever since he took office and in January and the battle to get them passed has become a heated one over the course of the last few weeks. Now it seems that Obama may be willing to drop one of the more controversial aspects of his plan - the public insurance option - to ensure that the rest of his reforms go through.
The "public option" a program that many envisioned as somewhat similar to the Medicare system that is already in place for seniors, has always been an important part of Obama's health care reform plans but it has also been the flash point for anger, opposition and rumor.
The first sign that the President may be willing to back away from the public health care option came when Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told CNN that the public option was "not an essential element" of the President's overhaul plans and that they may consider the idea of a nonprofit health insurance co-op instead, an idea that has been around in the Senate for weeks.
The shift was also confirmed by White House press secretary Robert Gibbs who said the "bottom line" for Mr. Obama was competition and choice.
To back track know may prove to be a significant setback for the president. He campaigned on the issue, gaining votes from the uninsured that saw him as their potential savior. Originally he made the issue a corner stone of his domestic policy and if he does take the public option of the table he may have to face losing the support of several liberal democrats, whose votes and support he does need to get his reforms passed.
On Sunday Senator Jay Rockerfeller spoke of his personal belief in the public option “I believe the inclusion of a strong public plan option in health reform legislation is a must,’’ he said in a statement. “It is the only proven way to guarantee that all consumers have affordable, meaningful, and accountable options available in the health insurance marketplace.’
Former Democratic Party Chairman and one time Presidential candidate Howard Dean argued during an appearance on the Today show that without the public option there will be no real health care reform at all."You can't really do health care reform without it." he told the television audience.
The "public option" a program that many envisioned as somewhat similar to the Medicare system that is already in place for seniors, has always been an important part of Obama's health care reform plans but it has also been the flash point for anger, opposition and rumor.
The first sign that the President may be willing to back away from the public health care option came when Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told CNN that the public option was "not an essential element" of the President's overhaul plans and that they may consider the idea of a nonprofit health insurance co-op instead, an idea that has been around in the Senate for weeks.
The shift was also confirmed by White House press secretary Robert Gibbs who said the "bottom line" for Mr. Obama was competition and choice.
To back track know may prove to be a significant setback for the president. He campaigned on the issue, gaining votes from the uninsured that saw him as their potential savior. Originally he made the issue a corner stone of his domestic policy and if he does take the public option of the table he may have to face losing the support of several liberal democrats, whose votes and support he does need to get his reforms passed.
On Sunday Senator Jay Rockerfeller spoke of his personal belief in the public option “I believe the inclusion of a strong public plan option in health reform legislation is a must,’’ he said in a statement. “It is the only proven way to guarantee that all consumers have affordable, meaningful, and accountable options available in the health insurance marketplace.’
Former Democratic Party Chairman and one time Presidential candidate Howard Dean argued during an appearance on the Today show that without the public option there will be no real health care reform at all."You can't really do health care reform without it." he told the television audience.
Why Obama Gets Emotional At Latest Town Hall Debate?
Another day, another town and another town hall meeting to try to convince people that his health care reforms will work for everyone. On Saturday President Barack Obama was in Grand Junction, Colorado speaking to yet another group of people who still have questions about his policies and intended reforms.
However one comment from the audience elicited a surprisingly personal reaction from the Commander - in - Chief. The question was about the increasingly contentious and vicious tone that the whole health care debate has been taking in recent weeks. ""I just lost my grandmother last year. I know what it's like to watch somebody you love, who's aging, deteriorate, and have to struggle with that," Obama stated, pausing between words and seeming to struggle to finish his thoughts "What you can't do -- or you can, but you shouldn't -- is start saying things like we want to set up 'death panels' to pull the plug on grandma,". He was referring to rumors and allegations made by opponents that a bill passed a House Committee included the setting up of "death panels" to decide which senior citizens should continue to receive medical treatment.
Obama finished his reply by stating "So the notion that somehow I ran for public office or members of Congress are in this so that they can go around pulling the plug on grandma ... when you start making arguments like that, it's simply dishonest,"
Barack Obama was perhaps closer to his grandmother than many people are. She was very active in raising him after his parents divorced when he was two, as his mother Ann Durham was often traveling in connection with her work as an anthropological field worker.
Ironically Madelyn Payne Durham died after a long illness on November 2nd 2009, just two days before her beloved grandson won his historic victory in the November 4th Presidential election. She was rarely seen during his campaign efforts due to her ill health. She did however get to cast her vote for his presidency, as she voted by mail from her home in Hawaii on October 27th.
The meeting in Grand Junction was the last of a three state tour that the President undertook this week. None of the meetings have been as contentious as some had expected, on the whole they have been fairly civil affairs with audiences appearing to be supportive of the President in general.
However one comment from the audience elicited a surprisingly personal reaction from the Commander - in - Chief. The question was about the increasingly contentious and vicious tone that the whole health care debate has been taking in recent weeks. ""I just lost my grandmother last year. I know what it's like to watch somebody you love, who's aging, deteriorate, and have to struggle with that," Obama stated, pausing between words and seeming to struggle to finish his thoughts "What you can't do -- or you can, but you shouldn't -- is start saying things like we want to set up 'death panels' to pull the plug on grandma,". He was referring to rumors and allegations made by opponents that a bill passed a House Committee included the setting up of "death panels" to decide which senior citizens should continue to receive medical treatment.
Obama finished his reply by stating "So the notion that somehow I ran for public office or members of Congress are in this so that they can go around pulling the plug on grandma ... when you start making arguments like that, it's simply dishonest,"
Barack Obama was perhaps closer to his grandmother than many people are. She was very active in raising him after his parents divorced when he was two, as his mother Ann Durham was often traveling in connection with her work as an anthropological field worker.
Ironically Madelyn Payne Durham died after a long illness on November 2nd 2009, just two days before her beloved grandson won his historic victory in the November 4th Presidential election. She was rarely seen during his campaign efforts due to her ill health. She did however get to cast her vote for his presidency, as she voted by mail from her home in Hawaii on October 27th.
The meeting in Grand Junction was the last of a three state tour that the President undertook this week. None of the meetings have been as contentious as some had expected, on the whole they have been fairly civil affairs with audiences appearing to be supportive of the President in general.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Mammography and Sonography Findings in Men with Breast Cancer.
Most people consider breast cancer to be strictly a feminine concern. However, although they account for only 1% of the diagnosed breast cancer cases each year, breast cancer in men does exist. In the most recent figures available, for 2005, 1,764 men were diagnosed with the disease and 375 died as a result.
Diagnosing male breast cancer can be challenging, especially given the stigma that affected men may feel will accompany such a diagnosis. But a study conducted by scientists at the University of Texas MD Cancer Center in Houston, Texas traditional mammography and sonography techniques are effective in diagnosing men with breast cancer.
Imaging taken of 57 male patients were analyzed by the study “The findings show that breast cancer in men most commonly presents itself as a mass with an irregular shape and spiculated (spiky or pointy) margins that may or may not have calcifications. Many men in the study, 47%, also had cancer which had spread to the armpit,” said Wei Tse Yang, MD, who was the lead author of the study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.
According to Dr Yang almost 100% of men who develop breast cancer have a lump that they can feel, much the same as women with the disease. And just as women who notice a new lump or mass occurs in their breast he encourages that men who discover such a thing should consult with their physician as soon as possible. Mammography and sonography are key to aiding primary care physicians with making a quick and accurate diagnosis. They allow for full interrogation of the involved breast and allow for screening of the opposite breast,”says the doctor.
Why some men should develop breast cancer is unclear. Doctors do know however that 1 in 6 male breast cancer sufferers have a relative, including females, who have been diagnosed with the disease. This is in comparison to the 5 - 10% of inherited breast cancers in women. Some doctors also feel that chest radiation therapy as a child may also be a risk factor for men.
However such men may face far more difficulty in obtaining the treatment that they need than female patients do. Many family practitioners themselves are not aware of the fact that male breast cancer does indeed exist and may not be looking for such a thing. Add to that the fact that breast cancer is considered by most people to be female disease and the fact is that early detection is far less common in the case of male breast cancer. Dr Yang and his team hope that the publication of their study will raise awareness both in the medical community and with men in general.
Diagnosing male breast cancer can be challenging, especially given the stigma that affected men may feel will accompany such a diagnosis. But a study conducted by scientists at the University of Texas MD Cancer Center in Houston, Texas traditional mammography and sonography techniques are effective in diagnosing men with breast cancer.
Imaging taken of 57 male patients were analyzed by the study “The findings show that breast cancer in men most commonly presents itself as a mass with an irregular shape and spiculated (spiky or pointy) margins that may or may not have calcifications. Many men in the study, 47%, also had cancer which had spread to the armpit,” said Wei Tse Yang, MD, who was the lead author of the study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.
According to Dr Yang almost 100% of men who develop breast cancer have a lump that they can feel, much the same as women with the disease. And just as women who notice a new lump or mass occurs in their breast he encourages that men who discover such a thing should consult with their physician as soon as possible. Mammography and sonography are key to aiding primary care physicians with making a quick and accurate diagnosis. They allow for full interrogation of the involved breast and allow for screening of the opposite breast,”says the doctor.
Why some men should develop breast cancer is unclear. Doctors do know however that 1 in 6 male breast cancer sufferers have a relative, including females, who have been diagnosed with the disease. This is in comparison to the 5 - 10% of inherited breast cancers in women. Some doctors also feel that chest radiation therapy as a child may also be a risk factor for men.
However such men may face far more difficulty in obtaining the treatment that they need than female patients do. Many family practitioners themselves are not aware of the fact that male breast cancer does indeed exist and may not be looking for such a thing. Add to that the fact that breast cancer is considered by most people to be female disease and the fact is that early detection is far less common in the case of male breast cancer. Dr Yang and his team hope that the publication of their study will raise awareness both in the medical community and with men in general.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Why US Home Foreclosures in July 09 are 32% Higher than Last Year.
The month of July saw U.S. home foreclosures hit record high figures with 360,000 fillings, up 32% from the same time last year. One in every 335 homes received a foreclosure notice, a rise of 7% from June according to RealtyTrac.inc.
Despite ongoing government intervention at both federal and state level, the housing crisis continued to deepen as over 87,000 homes were repossessed, up from 79,000 in June taking it to the highest level since the foreclosure-listing firm began publishing data four years ago. Growing unemployment and falling property prices are also exacerbating the failures in home loans with default notices, auction and bank repossession on the rise across many states.
“July marks the third time in the last five months where we've seen a new record set for foreclosure activity" said RealtyTrac's chief executive, James J. Saccacio in a statement. "Despite continued efforts by the federal government and state governments will patch together a net of safety for troubled homeowners, we are seeing significant development in both the initial notices of default and in the bank repossessions."
Since April last year, home prices in 20 major US cities dropped 18% according to the S&P/Case-Shiller index, and the unemployment rate rose to 9.5% in June bringing the total number of unemployed Americans to 6.5 million, the highest figures since 1983.
Defaults by subprime mortgage borrowers with poor credit helped escalate the housing crisis which spread to prime borrowers as property prices fell. One in eight Americans are now behind on their mortgage payments or already facing foreclosure according to The Mortgage Bankers Association.
Nevada had the highest rate of foreclosures for the 31st month in a row with one in 13 households receiving a filling- more than six times the national average. California, Arizona, Florida, Utah, Idaho, Georgia, Illinois, Colorado and Oregon were the other states in the top ten for high foreclosure rates.
Despite ongoing government intervention at both federal and state level, the housing crisis continued to deepen as over 87,000 homes were repossessed, up from 79,000 in June taking it to the highest level since the foreclosure-listing firm began publishing data four years ago. Growing unemployment and falling property prices are also exacerbating the failures in home loans with default notices, auction and bank repossession on the rise across many states.
“July marks the third time in the last five months where we've seen a new record set for foreclosure activity" said RealtyTrac's chief executive, James J. Saccacio in a statement. "Despite continued efforts by the federal government and state governments will patch together a net of safety for troubled homeowners, we are seeing significant development in both the initial notices of default and in the bank repossessions."
Since April last year, home prices in 20 major US cities dropped 18% according to the S&P/Case-Shiller index, and the unemployment rate rose to 9.5% in June bringing the total number of unemployed Americans to 6.5 million, the highest figures since 1983.
Defaults by subprime mortgage borrowers with poor credit helped escalate the housing crisis which spread to prime borrowers as property prices fell. One in eight Americans are now behind on their mortgage payments or already facing foreclosure according to The Mortgage Bankers Association.
Nevada had the highest rate of foreclosures for the 31st month in a row with one in 13 households receiving a filling- more than six times the national average. California, Arizona, Florida, Utah, Idaho, Georgia, Illinois, Colorado and Oregon were the other states in the top ten for high foreclosure rates.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Alzheimers Brain Disease
Alzheimer’s brain disease is a state in which brain cells that are wearing off, cause a destructive mental relapse for a period of time. This disease gradually wrecks havoc on the brain of its victims and causes a distortion in their thoughts and memory. This disease was named after the man who was the first to describe the disease in the year 1906. His name was Alois Alzheimer, a German.
Causes of Alzheimer’s Brain Disease
There is no yet identifiable cause of Alzheimer’s disease. However, some risk factors associated with this brain disease include aging factor, trauma caused by head injury and also gene mutations. If a number of the family members experience the disorder, it is termed Familial Alzheimer’s disease; this is perceived to be an altered gene issue.
Also, metal aluminum is being explored by scientists, as a likely toxic agent that takes part in Alzheimer’s disease development. The role of neurotransmitter acetylcholine is also being studied; since its declining levels causes more severe symptoms.
Preventive Measures
It has been discovered that those that are involved in active intellectual and mental activities are at less risk of experiencing decline in memory function and also developing Alzheimer’s disease in comparison with mentally inactive people. Such mental activities can take different forms such as reading, puzzles, reading and writing, woodworking, knitting, printing and playing board games. Also, another study shows that those who are engaged in mentally demanding jobs are less likely to experience a decline in memory as they grow older.
The Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Brain Disease
Early Symptoms: Alzheimer brain disease shows forth with the initial symptoms of gradual loss of memory, lack of attention to personal hygiene, poor memory, loss of concentration and distorted perception and judgment.
Later Symptoms: confused state, restiveness, irritability and confusion. These stated conditions continue to deteriorate until patients are not able to perform normal activities and functions such as speaking, reading and writing. And the worst situation sets in when patients are not able to recognize people they know any longer and can barely take care of themselves.
Survival of Alzheimer’s brain victims after the initial and later symptoms is more often than not, 5 to 10 years; though the period could extend to 20 years at some instances. Alzheimer patients are susceptible to infections which is normally the major reason for their death. Such infection that easily ravages the Alzheimer patients is pneumonia.
Tests and Examination for Alzheimer Brain Disease
The simple test procedure such as blood test that is obtainable with most ailments is not applicable in the case of Alzheimer’s brain disease test and diagnosis. A definite diagnosis done as autopsy is rather carried out on the brain tissues. Any diagnosis carried out on living patients is usually based on physical examination, medical history and laboratory tests; this is to cancel out other likely causes of the symptoms. Also neurological exams are carried out to test mental performance.
Treatment for Alzheimer Brain Disease
There is no effective treatment or cure yet for this disease, however, medications can work in the early stages to reduce the symptoms. However, there is hope for effective treatment of this ailment as scientific researches are bringing us closer to cure for this ailment each day; there has been excellent progress in the research to unravel the mystery behind this ailment including its causes and possible treatments. There is much to learn about this ailment and its development.
Causes of Alzheimer’s Brain Disease
There is no yet identifiable cause of Alzheimer’s disease. However, some risk factors associated with this brain disease include aging factor, trauma caused by head injury and also gene mutations. If a number of the family members experience the disorder, it is termed Familial Alzheimer’s disease; this is perceived to be an altered gene issue.
Also, metal aluminum is being explored by scientists, as a likely toxic agent that takes part in Alzheimer’s disease development. The role of neurotransmitter acetylcholine is also being studied; since its declining levels causes more severe symptoms.
Preventive Measures
It has been discovered that those that are involved in active intellectual and mental activities are at less risk of experiencing decline in memory function and also developing Alzheimer’s disease in comparison with mentally inactive people. Such mental activities can take different forms such as reading, puzzles, reading and writing, woodworking, knitting, printing and playing board games. Also, another study shows that those who are engaged in mentally demanding jobs are less likely to experience a decline in memory as they grow older.
The Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Brain Disease
Early Symptoms: Alzheimer brain disease shows forth with the initial symptoms of gradual loss of memory, lack of attention to personal hygiene, poor memory, loss of concentration and distorted perception and judgment.
Later Symptoms: confused state, restiveness, irritability and confusion. These stated conditions continue to deteriorate until patients are not able to perform normal activities and functions such as speaking, reading and writing. And the worst situation sets in when patients are not able to recognize people they know any longer and can barely take care of themselves.
Survival of Alzheimer’s brain victims after the initial and later symptoms is more often than not, 5 to 10 years; though the period could extend to 20 years at some instances. Alzheimer patients are susceptible to infections which is normally the major reason for their death. Such infection that easily ravages the Alzheimer patients is pneumonia.
Tests and Examination for Alzheimer Brain Disease
The simple test procedure such as blood test that is obtainable with most ailments is not applicable in the case of Alzheimer’s brain disease test and diagnosis. A definite diagnosis done as autopsy is rather carried out on the brain tissues. Any diagnosis carried out on living patients is usually based on physical examination, medical history and laboratory tests; this is to cancel out other likely causes of the symptoms. Also neurological exams are carried out to test mental performance.
Treatment for Alzheimer Brain Disease
There is no effective treatment or cure yet for this disease, however, medications can work in the early stages to reduce the symptoms. However, there is hope for effective treatment of this ailment as scientific researches are bringing us closer to cure for this ailment each day; there has been excellent progress in the research to unravel the mystery behind this ailment including its causes and possible treatments. There is much to learn about this ailment and its development.
Barack Obama Awards First 16 Medals of Freedom.
In his few short months in office Barack Obama has played host to all kinds of different people at the White House. But the group assembled in the East Room on Wednesday was possibly the most diverse.
The group was a representation of the first sixteen people to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom during Obama's term as President. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civil award that can be attained in the US.
Among the sixteen were a British scientist, the last living High Plains Indian Chief and one of the best known clergyman in the world.
The British scientist was Stephen Hawking, about whom Obama joked was "a brilliant man but a mediocre student. Obama went on to praise the author of the ground breaking " A Brief History of Time saying he was a man who "from his wheelchair has led us on a journey to the farthest and strangest reaches of to the furthest corners of the cosmos. In so doing, he has stirred our imagination and shown us the power of the human spirit here on earth." He then bent to affix the white and blue ribbon around Hawking's neck.
Also amongst the honorees was Bishop Desmond Tutu, the South African clergyman who has devoted his life to a fight against apartheid and racism in his country. Other recipients included the former Irish Premier Mary Robinson who was honored for her many contributions to women's rights, Sandra Day O'Connor, the first female Supreme Court Judge, Billie Jean King, tennis champion and advocate of gay rights and the Reverend Joseph Lowery, who led the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.
The most striking figure present was the ninety something Joseph Medicine Crow. Medicine Crow is a noted historian and champion of the American Indian culture, whose grandfather was a scout for General Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn.
From the entertainment world actor and director Sidney Poiter and Chita Rivera, famous for his performance in West Side story were honored. Also on the list was breast cancer advocate Nancy Goodman Brinker and a Florida doctor, Pedro Jose Greer who helped provide health care for the poor in Florida. Also on hand to receive their awards were oncologist Janet Davison Rowley and Muhammad Yunus, who helps alleviate poverty by extending credit to the most needy.
Not all of the sixteen honorees were present however. The award to Harvey Milk is posthumous, the gay rights advocate was shot to death in 1978. His award was accepted by his nephew Stuart. Another posthumous award was presented to the family of Jack Kemp, former Republican congressman and football player.
Senator Ted Kennedy was also a recipient, but is still to ill to make the trip to Washington. Kennedy has spent much of his political career fighting for health care reform, a subject of course very much on the President's mind at the moment. His daughter Kara accepted his award in his absence.
The group was a representation of the first sixteen people to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom during Obama's term as President. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civil award that can be attained in the US.
Among the sixteen were a British scientist, the last living High Plains Indian Chief and one of the best known clergyman in the world.
The British scientist was Stephen Hawking, about whom Obama joked was "a brilliant man but a mediocre student. Obama went on to praise the author of the ground breaking " A Brief History of Time saying he was a man who "from his wheelchair has led us on a journey to the farthest and strangest reaches of to the furthest corners of the cosmos. In so doing, he has stirred our imagination and shown us the power of the human spirit here on earth." He then bent to affix the white and blue ribbon around Hawking's neck.
Also amongst the honorees was Bishop Desmond Tutu, the South African clergyman who has devoted his life to a fight against apartheid and racism in his country. Other recipients included the former Irish Premier Mary Robinson who was honored for her many contributions to women's rights, Sandra Day O'Connor, the first female Supreme Court Judge, Billie Jean King, tennis champion and advocate of gay rights and the Reverend Joseph Lowery, who led the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.
The most striking figure present was the ninety something Joseph Medicine Crow. Medicine Crow is a noted historian and champion of the American Indian culture, whose grandfather was a scout for General Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn.
From the entertainment world actor and director Sidney Poiter and Chita Rivera, famous for his performance in West Side story were honored. Also on the list was breast cancer advocate Nancy Goodman Brinker and a Florida doctor, Pedro Jose Greer who helped provide health care for the poor in Florida. Also on hand to receive their awards were oncologist Janet Davison Rowley and Muhammad Yunus, who helps alleviate poverty by extending credit to the most needy.
Not all of the sixteen honorees were present however. The award to Harvey Milk is posthumous, the gay rights advocate was shot to death in 1978. His award was accepted by his nephew Stuart. Another posthumous award was presented to the family of Jack Kemp, former Republican congressman and football player.
Senator Ted Kennedy was also a recipient, but is still to ill to make the trip to Washington. Kennedy has spent much of his political career fighting for health care reform, a subject of course very much on the President's mind at the moment. His daughter Kara accepted his award in his absence.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Obama: Health Reform not about Government Takeover
During what was a rather calm and friendly town hall meeting on Tuesday night in Portsmouth, New Hampshire President Barack Obama sought to reassure both the assembled audience and the country at large that his health care reforms will leave doctors and their patients in charge, not the big health insurance companies or government agencies.
"This is not about putting the government in charge of your health insurance," Obama told the assembled audience at an area high school "I don't believe anyone should be in charge of your health insurance decisions except you and your doctor."
He added" I don't think government bureaucrats should be meddling but I don't think insurance company bureaucrats should be meddling. Your health insurance will be there for you when it counts, not just when you're paying premiums," Those remarks drew him a sustained round of applause from the majority of the spectators.
Still, Obama has a long way to go. A national telephone survey conducted by Rasmussen reports showed that support for the President's plans has fallen to an all time low of 42%, while opposition has grown to 53%, a full 9 point increase since the end of June.
Although things inside the Portsmouth high school were relatively calm, cordial and Obama friendly at points during the day the mood of some of the crowd outside the hall was less conciliatory.
Outside, earlier in the day, reporters and members of the media covering the event spotted something that surprised even the most seasoned of them. William Kostnic, carrying a placard that read "It’s time to Water the Tree of Liberty" waited for the President to arrive in the grounds of a nearby church. Strapped to his leg observers noticed was a 9mm pistol. As New Hampshire state law decrees that a person may carry a weapon as long as it is not concealed the police declined to take any action against the man.
A bemused MSNBC anchor, in a live interview asked a local reporter on the scene "Just to be clear, You’re saying a guy has a gun in the open - where we already know there are concerns about every president's safety, but certainly this president... and the guy's just being allowed to stay there? Is that right?" The reporter replied that the law did allow Kostnic to do that and that the police were well aware of both his presence and the weapon he was carrying.
"This is not about putting the government in charge of your health insurance," Obama told the assembled audience at an area high school "I don't believe anyone should be in charge of your health insurance decisions except you and your doctor."
He added" I don't think government bureaucrats should be meddling but I don't think insurance company bureaucrats should be meddling. Your health insurance will be there for you when it counts, not just when you're paying premiums," Those remarks drew him a sustained round of applause from the majority of the spectators.
Still, Obama has a long way to go. A national telephone survey conducted by Rasmussen reports showed that support for the President's plans has fallen to an all time low of 42%, while opposition has grown to 53%, a full 9 point increase since the end of June.
Although things inside the Portsmouth high school were relatively calm, cordial and Obama friendly at points during the day the mood of some of the crowd outside the hall was less conciliatory.
Outside, earlier in the day, reporters and members of the media covering the event spotted something that surprised even the most seasoned of them. William Kostnic, carrying a placard that read "It’s time to Water the Tree of Liberty" waited for the President to arrive in the grounds of a nearby church. Strapped to his leg observers noticed was a 9mm pistol. As New Hampshire state law decrees that a person may carry a weapon as long as it is not concealed the police declined to take any action against the man.
A bemused MSNBC anchor, in a live interview asked a local reporter on the scene "Just to be clear, You’re saying a guy has a gun in the open - where we already know there are concerns about every president's safety, but certainly this president... and the guy's just being allowed to stay there? Is that right?" The reporter replied that the law did allow Kostnic to do that and that the police were well aware of both his presence and the weapon he was carrying.
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