Can we fight back?

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Thursday October 24, 2013 · 11:20 AM PDT

2013/10/24 · 11:20

A Republican group has started a website "I can't enroll" (www.icantenroll.com) and is collecting names of people who are having problems with enrolling in the ACA. I have a simple question for all of you who care about getting the uninsured some coverage -- why can't WE start a website that is called "I did enroll" or "I can enroll"? Techies, get to it!

Poll

7 votes Show Results

Have you enrolled in a state or federal exchange?

7 votes Vote Now!

Have you enrolled in a state or federal exchange?

Yes

2 votes

1 vote

I tried but failed to sign up

4 votes

Now, should football be banned?

Obamagrandma

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Tuesday October 08, 2013 · 7:17 PM PDT

2013/10/08 · 19:17

October 8, 2013:
Watching Frontline PBS tonight "League of Denial" about the impact of concussion in football players, I decided to repost this update on a diary I wrote in 2009. I fear the problem is the same and the solutions may not be what we need. See what you think.

Oct 20, 2009:
I posted this update today to a post I wrote nearly 3 years ago about the impact of football on depression and brain injury. ( http://www.dailykos.com/.... ) In the past three years, there has been more consciousness about what happens to young athletes when they get concussions and bang their heads on the ground over and over. The results are not encouraging. While we can't prove that the recent suicides were "caused" by their participation in the sport, there is beginning to be enough evidence to prove that there is a link between concussions, depression, suicide and diseases like Parkinson's and Lou Gehrig's disease. So read the post and see what you think? Banning football is not at all realistic. But what are the options?

Wed May 02, 2012 at 12:30 PM PT: With the suicide of two more former NFL players in the past few weeks, this article becomes even more relevant -- and poignant. Will we continue to play football as we do? Are we ready to deal with the consequences of our willingness to send young men out to bash each other's brains out?

Poll

126 votes Show Results

What should we do to fix concussion issue in football?

126 votes Vote Now!

What should we do to fix concussion issue in football?

Ban football

39 votes

Ban football for players younger than 18

20 votes

Keep doing research on concussions

31 votes

Hold NFL accountable for injuries

7 votes

Change the rules about tackles

29 votes

Update on football and brain injury

Obamagrandma

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday May 02, 2012 · 12:39 PM PDT

2012/05/02 · 12:39

October 8, 2013:
Watching Frontline PBS tonight "League of Denial", I decided to repost this repost of a diary I wrote in 2009. I fear the problem is the same and the solutions may not be what we need. See what you think.
Oct 20, 2009:
I posted this update today to a post I wrote nearly 3 years ago about the impact of football on depression and brain injury. ( http://www.dailykos.com/... ) In the past three years, there has been more consciousness about what happens to young athletes when they get concussions and bang their heads on the ground over and over. The results are not encouraging. While we can't prove that the recent suicides were "caused" by their participation in the sport, there is beginning to be enough evidence to prove that there is a link between concussions, depression, suicide and diseases like Parkinson's and Lou Gehrig's disease. So read the post and see what you think? Banning football is not at all realistic. But what are the options?

Beware the Republican Talking Points on Health Reform!

Obamagrandma

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday October 16, 2010 · 8:33 AM PDT

2010/10/16 · 08:33

Last week in the Coons-O'Donnell debate in Delaware, we heard the Republican candidate, Christine O'Donnell, lay out her answer to health reform -- or "Obamacare" as she and the Republicans so sarcastically call it. She cranked out two of the three talking points that Republicans have been spouting for over two decades: 1) Malpractice reform 2) Selling insurance across state lines and 3) Personal responsibility for care (translated means more of the "consumer driven" plans that have high deductibles up front.)

It's time to call them out. Since the Clinton health reform effort failed in the early 1990s, Republicans have been making these same points. They had eight years during the Bush Administration to show that these three talking points or "solutions" could make a difference. They did nothing about it. Why? Because these three talking points would make little to no impact on the real problems health reform is trying to solve. Here's why.

Obamagrandma

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday October 11, 2010 · 12:59 PM PDT

2010/10/11 · 12:59

Betsy Burton owns a small independent bookstore in Salt Lake City called The King's English Bookshop. Her business will literally be saved by the tax credit for small businesses offered through health reform. But she is frustrated. No one seems to know about the tax credit that has helped her, and the media doesn't seem to be covering it much.

This is Betsy's story and I tell it so that if you own a small business or know someone who does, you can help her spread the story.

Poll

87 votes Show Results

How much did you know about the small business tax credit and health reform?

87 votes Vote Now!

How much did you know about the small business tax credit and health reform?

Nothing at all

47 votes

A little - I might have read one article somewhere

26 votes

A fair amount - I have seen some media coverage of this issue

4 votes

A lot - I follow health reform pretty closely

9 votes

I actually know someone who applied for a tax credit

1 vote

In defense of Don Berwick

Obamagrandma

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday June 04, 2010 · 8:35 AM PDT

2010/06/04 · 08:35

President Obama's nominee to head up the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) is a Harvard physician named Dr. Donald Berwick.

You will hear about him more and more in the coming days, because the Republicans have stated they intend to use his nomination to "relitigate" health reform. Who is this man whom the Republicans are calling a radical but almost everyhealth professional seems to love? (And don't we need a radical at CMS anyway!!) One of the major accusations is that he "loves" the NHS, Britain's National Health Service. Ergo, he loves socialism, ergo he is a Marxist. Oh no, not that again!

Obamagrandma

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Wednesday January 27, 2010 · 8:04 PM PST

2010/01/27 · 20:04

In his State of the Union speech Wednesday night, President Obama strongly reaffirmed his campaign and presidential promise to support "comprehensive" health reform. "I will not walk away from these Americans. And neither should the people in this chamber." And he continued, "Here's what I ask of Congress, though: Do not walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close. Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people."

Poll

70 votes Show Results

Does Obama support comprehensive health reform?

70 votes Vote Now!

Does Obama support comprehensive health reform?

Not at all

9 votes

He was waffling

14 votes

He sounded positive but not sure what he meant

17 votes

He reaffirmed his earlier support for comprehensive reform

30 votes

Public Option Redux

Obamagrandma

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Tuesday December 08, 2009 · 6:23 PM PST

2009/12/08 · 18:23

In the last few days, there has been strong rumors of yet another attempt to frame a"public option" for health care that could pass the Senate. It's not really a public option. It's not really new. But it just might do the job. It's essentially an expansion of an established program, the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program(FEHBP), run by the government's Office of Personnel Management. It would open this program to some part of the population nationally. A government agency (OPM) would administer it but the plans competing for your business would be private nonprofits.

Poll

24 votes Show Results

Can the new Medicare at 55 and FEHBP proposals pass the Senate?

24 votes Vote Now!

Can the new Medicare at 55 and FEHBP proposals pass the Senate?

No, because not even the moderate Democrats will all support it

5 votes

No, because the Republicans will kill this option too

1 vote

Maybe, because it would be better than the weak public option in the bill now

5 votes

Yes, because it's the best we can do with the Senate we have

10 votes

Yes, because it's actually a good idea

3 votes

The New Scarlet Letter - A is for Abortion

Obamagrandma

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Tuesday November 10, 2009 · 1:51 PM PST

2009/11/10 · 13:51

Many bloggers have explained what the Stupak-Pitts amendment to the House health reform bill could mean for abortion rights in this country. Women in Congress are assuring us that this amendment will not survive the Senate bill, and we trust that they are correct. But as a mother and grandmother of a daughter, daughter in law and a granddaughter, this means more to me than just statistics. This takes me back to the days when abortion was not legal and the shame of an abortion was very much like wearing a big red letter A on your forehead.

Cross posted at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...

Obamagrandma

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Saturday November 07, 2009 · 1:28 PM PST

2009/11/07 · 13:28

Saturday in the Wall Street Journal, Betsy McCaughey, well known for her distortion of health reform in 1993 as well as recently, made the following points about the health reform bill, HR 3962, which is being debated and voted on as I write this. As usual, she sprinkles some truth in among her assertions, which give them the patina of authenticity.

As I have done before, I am analyzing her points, one by one, so that you can better understand some of what is REALLY in this bill and what is misleading.

My rebuttal comments are in block format below.

Poll

30 votes Show Results

Will the House Pass HR 3962?

30 votes Vote Now!

Will the House Pass HR 3962?

Yes and it will happen before midnight today, Saturday

15 votes

Yes, but it may not happen for a few more days

7 votes

Not sure if it will happen or not

4 votes

No, the Blue Dogs will kill it

1 vote

No, the progressives will kill it

3 votes

No, the Republicans will scare people so much it won't pass

0 votes

The Surgeon General is confirmed!!

Obamagrandma

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Thursday October 29, 2009 · 2:57 PM PDT

2009/10/29 · 14:57

BREAKING! SURGEON GENERAL NOMINEE REGINA BENJAMIN CONFIRMED BY SENATE TONIGHT BY VOICE VOTE!

We have been asking for weeks now, why don't we have a Surgeon General? Rachel Maddowstarted up the quest again on her show on Monday night, October 26, and Dr. Nancy Snyderman of MSNBC continued it on her show Thursday October 29th.

The answers to the delay have been varied, contradictory, and byzantine. Apparently it's not because of Dr. Regina Benjamin herself, say the Republicans. They think she's qualified (more or less -- not all will state their position). And she is, indeed, anamazingly qualified family physician who practices in rural Alabama. And apparently there is NO secret hold on her nomination.

So what are the reasons? If I had a lifetime, I probably could not explain that exactly, but I"ll give it a try.

Poll

125 votes Show Results

Should the Republicans delay the confirmation of the Surgeon General?

125 votes Vote Now!

Should the Republicans delay the confirmation of the Surgeon General?

No, because we need a Surgeon GEneral now more than ever

63 votes

No, because it's just politics

58 votes

Yes, because there are issues yet to be resolved

3 votes

Yes, because there's probably fault on both sides of the aisle

1 vote

Still No Surgeon General

Obamagrandma

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday October 27, 2009 · 7:46 AM PDT

2009/10/27 · 07:46

We don't have a Surgeon General, but we have a potential flu pandemic facing us. The President nominated Dr. Regina Benjamin in early July to be the Surgeon General. The Senate HELP committee unanimously approved her earlier this month. Her nomination is being held up by Republicans over actions taken by the Adminstration to hold Humanaaccountable for sending messages to seniors scaring them about health reform.

UPDATE: Nancy Snyderman of MSNBC is doing an interview with me tomorrow (Wed) about why we don't have a Surgeon General. Hopefully, this will help get the message out.

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Can we fight back?

Now, should football be banned?

Update on football and brain injury

Beware the Republican Talking Points on Health Reform!

What the press doesn't tell us about health reform

In defense of Don Berwick

Obama (sort of) comes out swinging on health reform

Public Option Redux

The New Scarlet Letter - A is for Abortion

Betsy McCaughey is Wrong about Health Reform -- Again!

The Surgeon General is confirmed!!

Still No Surgeon General