This is a website that I have been following for a while and today was very impressed by the illustration of this very talented individual who continues, day in and day out to express his views in a very interesting and amusing at times way. If you have not seen his web site, you must. Go into the link below and see the illustration. I copied and pasted the text below. All women should see this! Thank you Mario Piperni!
http://twurl.nl/2pqhnp
A new low for the party of shame.
It turns out that in eight states, plus the District of Columbia, getting beaten up by your spouse is a pre-existing condition.Under the cold logic of the insurance industry, it makes perfect sense: If you are in a marriage with someone who has beaten you in the past, you’re more likely to get beaten again than the average person and are therefore more expensive to insure.In human terms, it’s a second punishment for a victim of domestic violence.
It turns out that in eight states, plus the District of Columbia, getting beaten up by your spouse is a pre-existing condition.
Under the cold logic of the insurance industry, it makes perfect sense: If you are in a marriage with someone who has beaten you in the past, you’re more likely to get beaten again than the average person and are therefore more expensive to insure.
In human terms, it’s a second punishment for a victim of domestic violence.
Ugly enough…but it gets worse.
In 2006, Democrats tried to end the practice. An amendment introduced by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), now a member of leadership, split the Health Education Labor & Pensions Committee 10-10. The tie meant that the measure failed.All ten no votes were Republicans
In 2006, Democrats tried to end the practice. An amendment introduced by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), now a member of leadership, split the Health Education Labor & Pensions Committee 10-10. The tie meant that the measure failed.
There’s been plenty of opportunities to feel disgust for republicans but today they take me to a new place. Their actions are inexcusable and is another vivid reminder of who they are and what they represent. For all their talk of patriotism and love of country, they once again reveal themselves to be the ugliest part of America. Their callous and cold view of their fellow citizens, devoid of compassion, appears to have no bounds. For Republicans, taking care of the insurance industry takes precedence over the needs of battered women.
If it gets more disgusting than that, I don’t know how.
___
There are not that many people which we happen to call terrorists that have any concrete information that we want or need. Missions are carried out by what we call “terrorists, CIA agents, or our military.” Know that each person carrying out the mission in any of the groups I reference here are not privy to the information of each other. This my friends is where the torture issue breaks down and does not work. Why? We don’t know if Johns’s information is related to Sam’s or if he knows anything at all. These unknown factors make torture an act of trial and error. How on earth are we going to torture people on a trial and error basis? How can we move forward believing that this is an act of self-preservation of a nation? How can we involve ourselves in such grievous and heinous crimes against humans whether they are guilty or not, just because we are out to find the truth? How can we search for the truth employing our own men? Do you think our men will be the same after they torture someone? Do you know that these men that perform the torture are just as victims as the ones they are torturing? Why do we do this to our own?
How, please tell me how, can conservatives that are out there in search of preservation of life, as in the unborn child, risk the adult child’s mind by forcing them to torture others? How, can the conservatives who claim to have such fundamental truths to withhold do such atrocities to other human beings? How, can conservatives claim that life is to be honored and cherished and yet have such double standards for US citizens vs. the rest of the world? Why? I am appalled today and disgusted with this. I am furious that we are even discussing this. How can self-righteousness make us cruel? How? Two wrongs do not make a right! And worse of all when we don’t even know if we are taking our 6th degrees of separation terrorist cousin that grew up in the other side of the word and degrading his human nature to the point of total surrender! Yes, why don’t you conservatives ask McCain? Ask him why he does not agree with torture. Ask McCain why this practice has to be abolished. Ask McCain how he broke down. For what? If Sam is captured, do not fool yourselves, someone else will carry out his mission. There is always a plan B!
Cheney can talk, Rumsfeld can talk, and everyone out there Republican, Democrats, Independents can talk…. But the truth of the matter is that we hurt our own! Why? Why?
Has humanity gone bonkers? Today I am angry at this issue. Angry that we even have to discuss it!
Conservatives, do on to others… does not mean just us, it means humans… wake up people…. Wake up!
HELP STOP ELDER ABUSE AND GUARDIANSHIP SYSTEM ABUSE - CALLING FOR NATIONAL EFFORTS TO CONFRONT THE ABUSE AND FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION OF OUR ELDERLY AND VULNERABLE CITIZENS."It was once said that the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped." - Hubert H. Humphrey - PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITION FOR CHANGE
ELDER ABUSE IS ON THE RISE AND THE GUARDIANSHIP SYSTEMS IN OUR STATE COURTS INTENDED TO PROTECT THE VULNERABLE, ALL TOO OFTEN, FAIL TO DO SO. CASES CAN ULTIMATELY COST A VULNERABLE PERSON, AND THEIR FAMILY, TENS, IF NOT HUNDREDS, OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS; SOMETIMES, FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN GREED. THERE SEEMS TO BE TOO LITTLE CONCERN ABOUT THE COST TO THE WARD. AFTER ALL, WHEN THE MONEY RUNS OUT, YOU AND I (THE AMERICAN TAXPAYERS) WILL JUST PICK UP THE TAB IN MEDICAID AND SOCIAL SECURITY DOLLARS.THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET RICH QUICK IS TEMPTING FOR PERPETRATORS WHO KNOW HOW TO PLAY THE GAME. PROFESSIONALS AND PETITIONERS WHO ABUSE THE SYSTEM GIVE A BAD NAME TO THOSE WHO ARE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING. STRANGERS ARE OFTEN APPOINTED TO TAKE OVER THE PERSON'S LIFE AND FAMILY MEMBERS, WHO END UP SEPARATED FROM THEIR OWN LOVED ONES, DARE NOT SPEAK OUT FOR FEAR OF LOSING THE RIGHT TO EVEN VISIT THEM AT A TIME WHEN THEY ARE MOST VULNERABLE. IN THE MEANTIME THESE DEAR CITIZENS CAN LOSE ALL OF THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS AND COULD END UP WITH FEWER RIGHTS THAN A PRISONER ON DEATH ROW.THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE FOR THE OUTRAGEOUSLY HIGH COST THAT CAN FLEECE THE ESTATES OF OUR VULNERABLE CITIZENS AND THERE IS SIMPLY NO EXCUSE FOR THE ABUSE THAT CAN BE DOLED OUT - BY UNSCRUPULOUS ATTORNEYS, UNPROFESSIONAL GUARDIANS AND DYSFUNCTIONAL UNDERFUNDED COURTS - TO FAMILY MEMBERS WHO TRULY CARE AND ARE DESPERATELY TRYING TO HELP SOMEONE DEAR TO THEM WHO IS IN NEED. WE NEED CHANGE AND TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN !YES WE CAN !PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITION FOR CHANGE ! TOGETHER WE CAN !
Every time we torture someone we open the door for someone to torture our kids. It is the universal law of karma. Besides this holistic interpretation of same, you can also say, "what you put out you will get back multipled (good or bad)!"
We cannot lose ourselves as citizens of USA and this world attempting to equate our actions with the people we named as "terrorists!"
We need to learn from them, we need to familiarize ourselves with their beliefs, as we would do with any child in our home that was experiencing difficulties relating to the rest of the family... with careful attention and an open mind. Tit for tat is not going to cut it... not at this moment in history. Our president is not perfect but he is attempting to rise above policies which come from a fear based center.
Never, never, never, never, let them see you sweat! Fear based attacks on people we do not understand, is just that, attacks without fundamental basic respect, seeking our commonalities rather than our differences, just as we do with our inner circle of friends and others around us.
[WARNING- WHINE ATTACK FOLLOWS] HMMMMMMM Looking at my profile page i see right there in bold blue in large type, for everyone to see and judge me. for every one to make decisions on whether or not i am worthy to join their action group. for me to look at and feel guilty because i dont do enough, call enough, give enough. to shame me into doing more, giving more. to mmark me as a political slacker, a poseur, a wanna-be. a non-entity.
In my defense- I am mostly homebound disabled person, and i did try very hard to attend houseparties, but so many were NOT accessible. i did hold two house parties myself in my b uilding's commons room. And, while my donations page only shows 5 "official" dollars, i bought 6 bumper stickers and plastered them on my wheelchair; and 3 t shirts @ 25 each, and, at my small income- 600/month, that's a large contribution.
I didnt go door to door. I tried one afternoon and between lack of sidewalks, sidewalk ramps, steps, and low battery yield, it was just not feasible. I didn't make many calls. i made some, unofficial- to friends, family, contacts, but they didn'yt count. i have no home phone and very limited cel minutes, and use most of those for drs and social service business. i could not justify the extra expense of gpoing over my basic plan by 40 cents a minute. i do have free broadband with my rent, so i forwarded videos and emails and speeches and news articles instead.
What DO/DID i do? i talk to everybody i know, online and in person, discussing events as they come up, i pray. i kept and keep myself and others around me informed. i voted and i email my reps in gov from mr obama on down to keep them on their toes. i do whatever i can whenever i can and i consider myself very active politically. to hell with the 1/10 judgement call!</whine>
I was so proud of him. I watched and heard him at the office via NBC6. It was really nice to hear the military band play for about half an hour prior to Barack coming out. I was happy for him and for our nation… that he is getting around and getting this country running! Love him and believe in him!
I am 51 years and I got hurt on my job three years ago and I am still waiting for social security disability. Workman’s compensation in New York needs to be revamped. I am guilty of working for the home depot and all I do is fight for my rights. Workman’s comp was in litigation for 8 months with no money from May 2008 to today I have not received a penny. Social security disability is in an appeal process and I never received a penny. Even my long term disability which I paid for is in an appeals process in witch they closed my case on 12/19/2008 without my knowledge and I was advised that claim was in effect until July 2022. I can not afford my meds, I have a mortgage and a family and I have never been so frightened. Is there help for us?
The military is now investigating its own senior officers, who are suspected of trading contracts for huge bribes. The New York Times reports an investigation is focused on two officers in Iraq who held top positions in distributing reconstruction funds shortly after the invasion—Lt. Col. Ronald W. Hirtle of the Air Force and retired Col. Anthony B. Bell of the Army.
YEAH THAT IS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!
[update- march 4, 2009- there is evidently a 250 extra payment for some persons on ssi and veterans- i've tried to find out exact details but kinda hazy. at least its not in mixed up tax refund and my estranged husband can't get his hands on it, like he took my stimulus in 2008.... but, alas, i am not holding my breath. i know it sounds greedy of me, but the rise in inflation and decrease in non-profit ngo help available, including decreasing amounts in food box contents- due to reduced amounts of people who can manage to donate and increased amount of people needing extra help- have made things very difficult. i've been against gambling all my life but i find myself buying scratch tickets when i get groceries, as an investment, not an entertainment....the only chance to get anything extra...] I have loooked and loooked at the stimulus package and there is help for ppl able to work and have jobs, ppl able to work who are unemployed, ppl in school, but no direct help for the disabled who cannot wolrk and are on SSI, SSD, or VA Disability. looks like you have to earn a certain amount before you are "really" affected by the recession/depression... No refund or refundable credit on taxes, as it says a percentage of taxes or 500, whichever is LESS, and i guess "zero" is less. i dunno bout the rest of the ppl on disability, but the folks i know living at a fraction of the poverty level are smacked down by this recession/depression pretty darn bad, especially w state benefit and assistance cuts, shortages at foodbanks and depletion of community sources of assistance
i guess we just don't really matter to the new pres and dems... after all my partner and i make a combined total of 900 a month and only were able to donate about 70 dollars over the course of the campaigns, so we don't count...
Letter to General Assembly
I’m a disabled Virginia citizen. I’m 29 and have Cerebral Palsy. I’m a smart and active member in my community.
Please support Independent Living Centers. I’m glad the Southeastern Virginia Training Center state has been shut down. I want to see more people with disabilities living in their community. The statewide Independent Living Centers can help people with disabilities be independent. Independent Living Centers (CIL) provides services to people with disabilities. They help find homes, facilitate waivers such as for attendants, teach the in and outs of Medicaid and Social Security, plus much more.
Please support the personal care attendant pay raise. (Item Number: FFF) To get more people out of nursing homes, living independently and in the workplace our attendants need to be paid more. It is cheaper to care for somebody in his or her home than in an institution or nursing home in my opinion.
Please do not support changes to waivers to ensure that the actual cost of services for an individual does not exceed the average annual cost of the alternative institutional setting. (Item Number: AAA)
Please support the cigarette tax. Every cent is needed to keep people out of nursing homes and the waivers available. I would support a gas tax if there were one.
Please do not support the ED/CD wavier to have a waiting list. (Item Number: III) People shouldn’t have to wait to have a personal care attendant. Long waiting list would force people into nursing homes and institution, which is the exact opposite of our goal. Goal: Keep people in their community. I use the ED/CD wavier. It pays my attendants. It is vital to my independence.
www.ivykennedy.com
You see I know from personal experience that things often don’t end the way they do in the movies. I did everything right, went to college, worked for over thirty years, had good credit, paid my bills on time etc. Unfortunately I got sick in America. After a freak accident, I almost died, had to have brain surgery, and now have several incurable autoimmune diseases. That was hard enough to deal with, but when I filed a claim to get a government insurance policy (Social Security Disability Insurance) that I paid for every week out of my wages, just like many of you do, my life was permanently destroyed with the stroke of a pen, by a government worker to whom I was just an SS number, and who did not do their job properly. I lost all my life savings, and pension money while fighting for my benefits, and will never be able to recover from the emotional, physical and financial devastation that had on my life.
Unlike Frank Capra’s character George Bailey, there are no bailouts for me, or others like me. While family and friends have good intentions, they are not much better off either, so they really can’t help like they might want to, and I don’t qualify for Social Service programs. I don’t know how I am going to survive without some miracle like winning the lottery. I am now doomed to spend what’s left of my days here on earth, living in poverty, in addition to all my medical concerns. I will never be able to own a home, or get another car. My current vehicle which is on death’s door, is the only method of transportation I have for survival. Then there is always the struggle of deciding whether I should buy food, or get medicine, that much needed medical test, or see the doctor instead. When things break down now, I cannot fix them and have to do without. This totally unbearable, continuing source of stress and frustration, is killing me. I tell you this not for pity but to warn you that anyone of you reading this could end up just like me, and have your life changed forever by an unfortunate illness, accident, vicious act, service to our country or natural disaster. Remember that disease and tragedy do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex or race, and if you think this could not happen to you – you could be dead wrong, just like over 16,000 Americans in the last two years who did not survive the wait to get their Social Security Disability benefits.
Since most of our elected officials will probably never experience this scenario personally, because they usually have a nice financial cushion to fall back on, I don’t see any hope for change in regards to this problem, no matter who is in office. Let’s be brutally honest here. The first thing to get cut in local, state and federal budgets is always the money to fund programs that help the people who need it most. This problem has festered for decades and nobody is going to convince me that they don’t want us to give up or die. They continually talk about helping the upper class and the middle class. What about the millions of Americans that do not fit either of those categories? Thanks to their neglect of our situations, they continue to prove that they have no class. The only thing that ever trickles down to us is too nasty a word to mention, and the only light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train! Buildings are not built from the top down, and a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link. You can judge a country by how it treats it’s most vulnerable citizens, and we have been left to die in the streets, and on hospital waiting room floors. Based on what I have seen, heard, and personally experienced, America should hang its head in shame! Unfortunately for myself, and others like me it’s not such a wonderful life. There is no possibility of the American dream, only the reality of the American nightmare. My only hope is that it never happens to you.
Dear Barack,
If you ever read these things, and I highly doubt that you will ever see this, we really need to talk!
The rest of my horror story can be found on my website “A Bump On The Head” at:
http://www.frontiernet.net/~lindaf1/bump.html
LJ Fullerton - Social Security Disability Coalition
GOD IS REALLY AWESOME, AMAZING AND UNBELIEVABLE. ONLY HE CAN DO THINGS LIKE THIS.
OPEN PEOPLE'S HEARTS AND MINDS TO WHAT IS RIGHT, REAL AND TRUE.
GLORY BE TO GOD. !!! AMEN.
WE HAVE TRULY ARRIVED!!! OBAMA ON THE METRO CARD !!!!
Metro Expands Hours for Inauguration, Expects Record Rail and Bus Ridership
Metro's commemorative SmarTrip card for Jan. 20.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced today that it will run rush hour service for 15 consecutive hours from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Inauguration Day Jan. 20, but the authority will charge riders off-peak holiday fares, the Post's Lena Sun reports. Metro will be open from 4 a.m. Jan. 20 until 2 a.m. Jan. 21, to handle commuters after the inaugural balls, General Manager John B. Catoe Jr. announced at a board meeting. (Here is the full announcement from Metro.)
Metro's Archives Station and the Mall entrance of the Smithsonian Station will be closed on Jan. 20. Public restrooms also will be closed, but portable units will be set up outside. Parking at Metro stations will be free for automobiles on Jan. 20, but buses must pay. The authority expects all 60,000 parking spaces to be used that day.
Metro will offer regular weekend service on Jan. 17 and 18, Catoe said, and holiday service on Jan. 19, which is Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.
Catoe said he will ask transit authorities in Maryland and Virginia to add bus-only lanes on highways into the District on Jan. 20 to move crowds more quickly.
Notes: Newseum, which fronts the inaugural parade route along Pennsylvania Ave. NW, will also expand its hours on Jan. 20, from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., with inauguration-themed exhibits.
By David A Nakamura | November 20, 2008; 12:41 PM ET | Category: Transportation Previous: Will Montgomery County Close Schools? The Plot Thickens... | Next: Estimated 1,300 Groups Apply for Inaugural Parade
I AM SENDING THIS TO ALL OBAMA NITES.
THIS IS A VIDEO SET OF 22 CLIPS ABOUT OBAMA AND THE CAMPAGIN AND ELECTION.
I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THESE, BUT IF YOU HAVE, PLEASE STILL SHARE WITH OTHERS.
THIS LINK SHOULD TAKE YOU TO IT. FROM MSNBC, THE DIFFERENT SHOWS, ETC.
I HOPE YOU ENJOY.
IF IT DOES NOT WORK, THIS LINK, LET ME KNOW AND I'LL SEND IT ANOTHER WAY.
THANKS,
WILLA FOR OBAMA, DC
cajunqueen44@verizon.net
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27548114#27548114
SHARING VIDEOS TO MEMBERS AS PROMISED.
I am learning to live without my mother and without my son at home but it is something I have to get used to… same as we have to do with the new president who is bringing change to America. Change is not easily accepted and it takes work and determination to make peace with it.
I miss this website and do not know what if anything they will be doing with it. Maybe we will get an email that this is not longer it. Maybe we can run the White House with Barack. Well we actually will be doing that because the man listens.
Just wanted to say it has been a pleasure to be on this website and I have been away and not writing and I have missed doing so. To all of you may you have a great holiday season. I will continue to write as long as they will have us.
First congratulations to everyone!
Now, the hard works starts in clearing up this mess. How can I work with the disability team some? I could not move to DC to work with the team, but I could over the Internet.
The first thing that must be done is to look at the SSA Rules for SSDI and how people with disabilities can make money without bring punished. I cannot make over $940.00 and as a teacher assistant for my University I am making a little over $1000.00 a month. The SSA have over paid me for 07 to the $6000.00, and they want the money back. Working for a University as a TA should not count against me as substantial work!
If I was blind I could make $1,570 before I was cut off. It does not make since to have two different numbers and rules for different groups. Since I am on Texas Medicaid also, I cannot have over $2000.00 in my bank account, so I don't have the money to pay back without doing payment plan.
Either raised the amount people with all disabilities to a high same amount that they can make on a job like $2000.00 a month! or college students that are working for the University should not be held to the same standards.
How can I save any money if the SSA and state medicaid count any types of the usual way of saving money as income?
Before we can put people with disabilities to work that really mean something, these rules must be straighten out and may fair for all!
Thanks,
Tom Roome
Thank you for running a smart campaign. Stay safe!
I was floored when Obama won. I didn’t think it was going to happen.Then on top of that he mentioned people with disabilities in his speech in Chicago. I was ecstatic!
Thank you to his staff for running a smart, no nonsense campaign.
Obama means hope. …. The American dream is a little easier to achieve for me because of Barack.
I will pray for his safety and the safety of his family each night.
_____________________
How I almost voted for McCain
On the first debate Obama promised too many things. BS he can’t fix everything. He’s dumb to even say he could.
When Sarah was picked, before the press really dug their hooks in I decided I didn’t like her. It felt McCain was making an obvious play for Hilary supporters. Sarah seemed like a puppet. It felt obvious to me she’d say anything the Republications told her.I liked McCain until he picked her but was really turned off when his campaign hit the gutter.
I didn’t like Obama’s lack of foreign experience. It seemed McCain had plenty.
Obama’s site had a corner of his website for people with disabilities. Sarah had a son with Down Syndrome. She seemed not to be an involved mother to her 5 kids. I felt as a new advocate for people with disabilities, thanks to her son, she had no clue what it meant to be a disability advocate. She would be learning, not an experienced advocate.
I liked Obama’s promise to help the middle class.McCain would help the rich. Republicans will always help the rich first.
Obama didn’t fight dirty. He was always having to correct the Republicans because they made up things about his policies.
McCain’s navy pilot history came out. He looked like a poor leader to me because of his wildness. He would do whatever he pleased like Bush.
Overall, Obama ran a cleaner campaign. That and his open ear for people with disabilities won my vote and respect.
www.geocities.com/ivykennedy
We WON! Barack Obama will be the 44th President of the United States. I'm SO happy. When I learned that Obama had won the election, I cried tears of joy. I'm hoarse from joyful yelling. Happy, Happy Historic Day!
Kathleen
