The Southern Christian Leadership Conference has elected it’s new president, Bernice King, the daughter of the groups founder Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And that may not be such a good thing.

Bernice King has been pretty rough on the LGBT community, so much so that it caused a rift with her wonderful mother and her sister. Now, while I understand the feelings on homosexuality among some in the black community I do have to say this is a disappointment that the SCLC would elect someone who has a record of supporting civil rights for some but not everyone, even if she is the founders daughter. And it’s not like there wasn’t a better choice-Arkansas’ own Wendell Griffin was in the running and lost, and I know for a fact he’d be a much better advocate for civil and human rights for EVERYONE.

Once again, Blanche Lincoln shows that she hasn’t got our interests at heart.

The battle on the public option is heating up. The chamber of commerce is going to be running ads in favor of the big insurance companies. Communities of color are now being mobilized in the battle. (Special thanks to reader Angie for the links.) 2010 for Blanche is now all about which side she wants to be on in the end-does she want to vote against our interests, the economic interests of the people of Arkansas, our health and wellbeing even while defending big business?

Let me put this simply-if Blanche votes against the healthcare bill, her base will not turn out. I certainly won’t vote for-I’m not going to dirty my hands voting for a Republican either, but I’m willing to trade the enemy in tent for a neutered enemy outside the tent, and with Republicans having no chance of regaining a majority it might be the better deal. Maybe I’m wrong, but at this point the only way Blanche is getting my vote is if she does some serious work earning it (or if the nominee is someone as crazy as Jim Holt I guess).

Then there’s the other option: a primary challenge.

Now the primary challenge from Bob Johnson has already been discussed and dismissed. There’s no room to run to Blanche’s right, and I’m not about to trade her for that bonehead anyway. At least with Blanche, she occassionally votes our way-voting for Johnson would be like trading the witch for the devil.

But is there a chance at a primary on the left? Besides Drew Pritt’s?

Some sources have floated Lt. Gov Bill Halter’s name out there. Halter’s office suggests he’s not running-probably because he wants to be governor down the line. But the more I think about the idea of him running, the more I like it…

Now, yeah, Halter’s got his faults. If you’ve ever met the man, you know he’s no sweetheart to say the least. In fact, he comes off as being arrogant. There’s also some lingering anger over how he won the Lt. Gov primary in ‘06. But that aside, he’s probably the most progressive guy we’ve got statewide, and he clearly doesn’t think like the rest of our politicians, which is a good thing. Remember, Halter was pushing the lottery when everyone else was running from it. He won that fight and the naysayers, after their attempts to kill it failed, swooped in to pat each other on the back for “their” accomplishment. Halter’s also waded into the healthcare debate in a good way with his free clinic in Little Rock. That provides a great contrast to Blanche and the likes of Mike Ross.

So if Halter wants it, I’ll back him a hundred percent. Primaries have a history of success in Arkansas-Hattie Caraway lost to Fulbright who lost to Dale Bumpers. Blanche ran out Bill Alexander to win in the first district. So yeah, this could work out great for us if it were to happen. I doubt Halter would do it. This is more likely the product of the talking heads spouting out their “wisdom”, but I am very much thrilled with the idea.

We learned I was ahead of the curve on calling Mike Ross corrupt.

We learned that we will be getting a public option. One way or another.

It was confirmed again that Joe Lieberman is a jackass.

We learned that Republicans are assholes.

And we learned that the world loves us again.

Any questions?

Ok, I used to live in Forrest City. My family still does. It’s my adopted home town and I’m thinking of settling there when I’m done with law school. That said, this makes me sick…not to mention pissed. Warning: This video is graphic.

A little while back, before this story broke, my mom’s dog got picked up when she got loose and we had to bail her out. If my mom had seen this stuff, I’d have been bailing out her along with the dog I’m sure.

Cruelty like this can’t be tolerated-I want to see some people fired. I admit I don’t have everything on this, but I’m going to keep everyone up to date and this WILL NOT be the last thing you read on it here.

It’s been a lont time since the last post here. I’ve been kind of weighed down with my grad school assignments and work (It’s all Dr. Joseph Key’s fault!). I’m also having some problems with my “tech guy” and his busy schedule right now, so the new and improved blog hasn’t happened yet…

For awhile there, I thought I might give up on this, then Laura sent me a link that reminded me why I’m doing this again.

The Arellaneses, both retired AT&T workers and members of the Communications Workers of America union, considered the pitiful payment only the latest indignity in a long battle with United Healthcare. It started with a horseback riding accident on June 13, 2004, when Kelly Arellanes, now 50, fell out of her saddle and hit her head on a rock, severely injuring her brain. She was airlifted from the campground where the accident happened to a hospital in Fort Smith, Ark.

David recalls the doctor telling him they could do surgery to remove part of Kelly’s skull, a risky operation she might not survive. Otherwise, she would die within an hour. “Honestly, I said a quick prayer, and in my head I heard these words: do it.”

The doctor turned around without saying a word. David said he recalled taking his health insurance card out of his wallet and calling the 800 number on his cell phone to report what had happened to his insurer. But weeks later, after Kelly had come out of her coma unable to walk, talk, or even remember her family, David got a bill from the hospital for tens of thousands of dollars.

“The hospital said they hadn’t received any payment from United Healthcare yet,” said David. “That’s when the argument started.”

There were also two nearly-identical letters from the insurer. One said the company received word of Kelly’s inpatient admission on the 15th of June; the other said notification arrived on the 30th. David said he couldn’t make sense of the letters until he got on the phone with United.

“A representative over the phone said I didn’t report it within the guidelines. I said no, I reported it on the 13th,” David said. A few days later, it occurred to him that he had a record of his call. He got back on the phone with United Healthcare. “I’m sitting here looking at my cell phone and I’m looking at the time I called you. If you’d like, I could mail you a copy of this phone bill. He said, ‘I don’t know if that’d be necessary.’”

David said United Healthcare then claimed that the hospital his wife had been taken to was “out of network.” He said the insurer agreed to pay for some parts of his wife’s treatment, but the bills piled up.

“There was no consistency in what they would pay and what they refused to pay.”

For instance, United covered $38,511.64 for Kelly’s second hospital room after she left intensive care, leaving the Arellaneses on the hook for $21,702.79.

Heartbreaking. Sadly though, it’s the norm. Blanche Lincoln even acknowledged that much:

“Unfortunately, as Kelly told me herself, their story is often the rule, and not the exception,” said Sen. Lincoln in a statement. “That’s why it is important we enact common-sense reforms to change the way insurance companies do business that will make a real difference in the lives of Arkansans and all Americans.”

Really Blanche? So why are you fighting those reforms? That’s why I’m doing this, because until progressives are organized in Arkansas to hold our elected representatives’ feet to the fire, people like Blanche Lincoln will still cry their crocodile tears over these horrible tragedies and then vote against the interests of people like the Arellaneses the moment Blue Cross or Wal-Mart wave a big fat contribution at them. That’s why I’m doing this-that’s why progressives have got to get organized here-and I want to thank Laura so much for reminding me of that.