Healthcare Part Deux: Republicans taking a siesta?

Okay, the name calling and interruptions were enough. But this….

This is outrageous.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/24/gop-senators-refusing-to_n_511639.html

Republicans: You knew taking this job that you win some, you lose some. It is the very nature of your job. Was the whole election thing not an indication about what you were getting into? You know, the whole campaigning, persuading and voting thing…that gave you no "hint" of how your actual job in the public office would operate? If that wasn’t enough, it had to be in the job description somewhere. Oh wait, maybe you didn’t read the job description. I know Sarah Palin didn’t.

Fact: You win some, you lose some. And when you lose, you do not adopt the demeanor of a two year old by metaphorically crossing your arms, walking away, and refusing to listen. Grow up.

I would hope that being adults, you could lose graciously and still do the job that the people have elected you to do and moreso are paying for you to do. I'm pretty certain the dems did this when we entered an unjust war.

People usually walk out of jobs when they aren’t getting the benefits they deem as fair (or none at all), are underpaid, and when they are suffering from ill treatment in the workplace. Humor me, which category does your current trial fall under? As we have already seen, you tend to sue. Fine, go with that one This is the action you are taking within the scope of your job to express your disagreement. But don’t take a siesta on our watch when we have troops counting on you to pass important legislature/laws that will affect them in a war you voted for them to be in. That is inhumane, immature, irrational, and un-American.

PS- I know a lot of people who are unemployed that would probably love to do your job if you don’t plan on being there. So if you really don’t want to be there, give up your seat so someone who is doing the job can receive a paycheck that we are signing.

Healthcare 'scoreboard'

Fox News' latest opinion piece is titled "Obama to America: I win, you lose." Can someone please explain this to me? How does Healthcare reform amount to an 'Obama: 1 America: 0' scoreboard?

Spoiler Alert to Fox News: Obama has health care. I would go out on a limb here and say that Obama has the best healthcare in America. Hell, Obama's dog Bo probably has better health care than the majority of Americans as I'm sure he is able to have regular check ups; A luxury- most don't get to see the fruits of the inside of a doctor's office, let alone a vet's office. Obama is pretty much set. If anything, this healthcare reform is the opposite of selfishness as he is trying to spread the stethoscope love to make sure we have healthy hearts beating in your chests. How dare he.

On 'The View' this morning, Elisabeth Hasselbeck stated that this is not the will of the majority of the people. Really, because I'm pretty sure that the majority of the people that don't have healthcare and even those that do, try to avoid the doctor like the plague, because of the fear of extreme co-pays for a simple check-up and prescriptions. Problem is, while avoiding the office, they might get the plague (Note: Not the ACTUAL Bubonic plague, I'm being metaphorical for all illnesses, stay with me). What do you think is cheaper Elisabeth, treating a disease after it is in advanced stages or treating it early? Or wait, secret door #3 offers preventing preventative illness altogether by seeing the doctor on a regular basis and staying on top of your health. Yes, I know, in a perfect world, right? I'm pretty sure the best thing that happened on this chat fest was the following:

Elisabeth: Anything that is mandated is a problem.

Whoopi: It's just like any other insurance Elisabeth. Are you upset that you have to have insurance for your car?

Whoopi: 1 Elisabeth: 0

And also, I'm pretty sure the majority (let's revisit: 219-212) voted for this. But not one Republican. When Americans are able to take themselves and their children to the doctor's office and they're reading their 'Highlights' magazine in the waiting room, I hope they remember that not one Republican wanted them to have the right to sit in that seat and read that 'Highlights' magazine at the doctor's office. Well, unless you were just with your 'rich' friend tagging along on their doctor's appointment, because that's how it should be. Duh.

The goal of having healthcare reform is so we can focus on being preventative instead of reactive. It is so much cheaper to fix an ill in our bodies when caught early on rather than in its advanced stages. It's also much less emotional and financial stress when you aren't going through the turmoil of stage 4 cancer than if detected at stage 1. We find ourselves saying "if only we'd known sooner" and "early detection is best" but here we are arguing against something that will help us with this. WTF Republicans?

Can someone please explain this to me??

In conjunction with healthcare reform, people will be educated by being able to go visit a physician. A lot of people eat unhealthy because they don't know the longterm ramifications of saturated fats in their daily diets. They shovel this food in their mouths as well as their childrens and this habit becomes a lifestyle. 75% of people are overweight in this country, are we really not seeing any type of relationship between this and the amount of people who are uninsured?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that this healthcare reform will magically change the way all people think, eat, live, exercise, etc. But I'm saying that it will give people the opportunity that they may not have to live better. And isn't that what this great land is all about?

"This was a vote of common sense." -Obama.

Now this is what I would call Obama: 1 GOP: 0

Census need a Censor?

Let's look at the facts.

I'm 25; born in 1984 so I'll be 26 in June.

I'm African-American.

I'm Female.

I have an advanced degree. Or 2.

When I caught the stinky wind that the 2010...let me say that again...2010 census still had the word 'Negro' on it, I was a bit taken aback. We just turned our clocks the other day for daylight savings, but did I miss the memo to swap out my calendar for a 1960's one as well?

For a young, Black woman, I take this word as an offensive term, which was used from slavery to the 1960's in order to give superiority to another race. Language is so powerful. The way we phrase things, the jargon we use, carries with it so much strength. And correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Peter Parker's uncle tell us that 'with great power comes great responsibility?' Sorry, I digress...I just love 'Spiderman.'

I believe it is the responsibility of the government to use phrases and words that reflect its current time and the progression that our country has made. I understand that there are people still alive that grew up in the tumultuous time that this word was used, but they were also alive when we gained equal rights. With equality comes respect, and I don't think this word exemplifies that in the slightest; its origination was for the entirely opposite purpose. I wonder if people that identify with the term would feel differently if someone of another race referred to them as such or if it's more of an in group term only to be used with others that they consider like them? Let's take it to another level. If a news anchor referred to our president as a 'Negro' instead of 'African-American' or 'Black' would this be considered offensive?

So call me naive if you want since I am a young African-American that was so lucky to not be apart of this struggle of Civil Rights, so therefore I might not completely understand the use of the word except for what I read about and my first-hand accounts with older African-Americans (like both of my living Grandmothers that grew up in the South at this time). However, I highly doubt that an African-American would refuse to select a box on the census that just had "Black" and "African-American" next to it as these are the terms we use now.

Times...they are changin.

Our language should reflect this.

When is it okay to 'be'?

Sometimes life feels like you’re in the midst of a back-to-back-to-back 400 m sprint. For a former sprinter, this is completely exhausting. I only can go for short distances before I need a breather, some fresh air. A drink of water to rehydrate.

How come life doesn’t afford you these times to take a break and to catch up with your oxygen intake? It seems as though each time you hit a milestone or accomplish something, there is some force out there asking you what our next step is, when you plan to achieve it by and how you will go about that plan.

The minute you walk in the door at freshman orientation for high school, you are already seeing brochures of how to plan for college: What grades you need to make, how much your parents should be saving, guides of how to succeed on your SAT’s. Quick sign up for the P-SAT...you only have 4 years to prepare! Forget after football game dances and assemblies, you should be studying for your SAT.

They quickly usher you out of this 4 year institution into the college you have been steadily preparing for these last 4 years. You check into your dorm, go to see your advisor to make your course plan. They then ask you the million dollar question: “What do you want to do with your life?”

Life? I just turned 18 and I thought this is life. Going to school, moving away, new experiences, love, loss, education, friendships. I have no idea what I am going to eat for dinner tomorrow night, let alone know what career I would choose to wake up and go to every single day until the gold watch of retirement glimmers.

So you choose something that sounds like what you’re interested in learning more about and you pray that in 4 years you won’t hate it and can make a career or at least get hired somewhere. You know, if the economy doesn't suck.

You have a few beers, you go to some football games, you casually date, and before you know it you’re sitting in a sea of Josten’s caps n gowns yet again listening to a speech about your future and tomorrow. What about the now? The right now in that moment?

You’re now in your mid twenties, working at a job that is satisfying for the moment thinking about this dreary future "thing" that everyone is constantly reminding you about. Save your money, invest, buy! Make a plan. For what? I could wake up dead tomorrow.

You drift toward your thirties, still single with the constant reminder that you are: “Are you seeing anyone?” No, should I be? I’m enjoying being single, strengthening friendships, learning more about who I am, and enjoying the freedom of the moment. But for some reason, the world tells you that you aren’t and that you must hurry to find someone. As if the world is running out of people. I'm quite sure the opposite is occurring.

You finally meet this person that you believe to be amazing. He makes you laugh, he is sincere when he tells you that you’re beautiful, and you feel that this is real companionship. This isn't like the others. Love.

“When are you going to get engaged?” I don’t know…I’m not sure what marriage is all about. Is there a test drive route I can take?

You get engaged.

“When is the wedding?”

You wed.

“When is the baby coming?”

Pretty soon the future is so crammed down your esophagus that you are unable to focus on the present, to enjoy the beautiful moments of extraordinary days that only seem ordinary because you are too busy to pay attention. Too busy writing in your planner, stressing about this unknown future.

There might not be a tomorrow for you or me. How many of them do you want to look back at and find unrecognizable because you were too busy to look around and enjoy this amazing world we have at our fingertips?

You can see the finish line. With every step you take though, it seems to be pulled further and further away from you, a cruel tease, and you have to keep running or you might never catch it.

Stop. Let them pass you if this really is in fact a race to them. Literally, stop and smell the roses or daisies or hydrangeas, whatever it is you enjoy the scent of. Lay your back flat on the surface of the Earth and make shapes out of the clouds until they fade into a magnificent dark sky only lit by the stars that dance in it and the moons light cast upon it. Then lay there longer.

Rehydrate.

Be.