Archive for December, 2009
What Our State’s New Year’s Resolution Should Be: Fix DHS
Dec 31, 2009 No Comments ›› ARDemMax Brantley gives us the details of a truly heartbreaking story.News coverage has hinted at further stories about the child welfare system underlying the death of Hannah Grace Dowdie, the 23-month-old whose burned body was found with that of her father Michael Palmer earlier this month in a pickup truck near Sweet Home in rural ...
Continue ReadingHealth Insurance Industry Aiming to Kill Reform at the State Level
Dec 31, 2009 No Comments ›› ARDemApparently the health insurance industry sees the writing on the wall because instead of focusing on killing the health care bill in Congress they have now turned to focus on the state level.As Congress prepares to pass the final health care reform legislation early next year, health care lobbyists are mobilizing legislatures in approximately 14 ...
Continue ReadingRandom Thought-Terrorism Addition
Dec 29, 2009 No Comments ›› ARDemHappened to catch a little bit of Larry King last night and found former Homeland Security secretary Tom Ridge discussing the thwarted terrorist attack and Obama's and Secretary Napolitano's handling of it. Now can someone explain to me why the guy who's solution for dealing with terrorism was to tell Americans to go buy ...
Continue ReadingDraft Halter!-Letter Writing Campaign
Dec 27, 2009 No Comments ›› ARDemWant Bill Halter to challenge Blanche Lincoln? Then let's convince him that the support is there. Let's start sending letters to the editors of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, the Arkansas Times, and even your local paper laying out the case against Blanche Lincoln and why Bill Halter should challenge her. If Halter ...
Continue ReadingIs the healthcare bill worth supporting now? part 2-Wendell Potter on Huffington Post
Dec 27, 2009 No Comments ›› ARDemBack when we were pushing for the public option, I had the chance to interview Mr. Wendell Potter, a former health insurance executive turned advocate for reform. Now, as part 2 in my series of blogs on whether or not the healthcare bill is worth supporting now, I'd suggest reading Mr. Potter's thoughtful peice ...
Continue ReadingAfter Killing the Public Option, Conservative Senate Democrats Gun for Cap and Trade
Dec 27, 2009 No Comments ›› ARDemFresh off their successful slaughter of the public option and gleefully dashing the hopes of millions in need for the sake of the insurance industry, the Republicans in drag in the Democratic Senate caucus have set their sites on killing the next bit of good legislation, cap and trade.“I am communicating that in every way ...
Continue ReadingFollow the Draft Bill Halter for Senate Effort on Twitter!
Dec 27, 2009 No Comments ›› ARDemFull disclosure-I don't tweet myself. I know nothing about Twitter, but then again I'm a Luddite anyway. But I'm still excited about this bit of news. The good folks at Progressive PST are helping to tweet news from the draft effort.So if you're on Twitter, keep up with the draft effort: http://twitter.com/DraftHalter4Sen
Continue ReadingHappy Holidays
Dec 24, 2009 No Comments ›› ARDemWill be out of the game for a couple of days while I celibrate Christmas with my folks. Everyone take care and have a safe and happy holiday. I'll be back after Christmas.-ARDem
Continue ReadingWe will be revisiting the public option.
Dec 24, 2009 No Comments ›› ARDemFirst off, let me say that despite the fact that it's seriously weakened, I am glad the Senate finally passed a healthcare bill. I hope the bill will be made stronger in the conference committee and we can get something better to President Obama's desk. Particularly, I'd like to see that individual mandate ...
Continue ReadingThe Narrative For Primarying Blanche Lincoln-Make It All About Blanche
Dec 22, 2009 1 Comment ›› ARDemNarratives are important in politics. Think about the presidential races in 2004 and 2008. In 2004, John Kerry couldn't tell you what he was running on or why other than he was against Bush. Yet he had voted the President's way on the most significant issue that year-the war-and thus was constantly ...
Continue ReadingProof The Teabaggers Are Crazy (as if you needed anymore)
Dec 22, 2009 No Comments ›› ARDemOkay, this takes the cake:UPDATE: Apparently, this is a hoax. Teabaggers are still crazy though:
Continue ReadingKos goes on Meet the Press-mentions primarying Blanche Lincoln
Dec 20, 2009 No Comments ›› ARDemMention of a potential primary to Lincoln came up in Markos's interview on Meet the Press. He mentioned it only in passing, but what he did say comes across loud and clear.Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economyMark my words, if Halter goes for this, the money will be ...
Continue ReadingInterview With Lisa Burks
Dec 20, 2009 1 Comment ›› ARDemTonight I had the privilege to sit down to a phone interview with Lisa Burks, a leading voice for change and reform in Arkansas and Blanche Lincoln's 2004 primary opponent. In that race, Lisa was underfunded and running at a time when Blanche Lincoln was in a far less perilous political situation than she is ...
Continue ReadingBlanche’s Emerging Narrative Is Baloney
Dec 20, 2009 No Comments ›› ARDemThis was from the comments on Arkansas Blog:This lady is tougher than most of the men in Arkansas's government. While the tea partiers, moveon.org, and other special interest groups have spent millions pressuring her to vote one way or another on health care, she didn't let it bother her. She did the honorable thing and ...
Continue Reading