The Pennsylvania Progressive

Where The Rubber Meets the Road in Healthcare

There’s an old saying in politics: don’t rely on what a politician says he’ll do, look at what they’re actually funding if you want to know their real priorities. Let’s look at Ed Rendell’s real priorities for Cover All Pennsylvanians, since he represents this as “universal” health care. To do this we need to look at his budgets because this is where the rubber meets the road.

 
What you’re willing to actually fund is this place. It’s where the rubber meets the road. In his 2007-2008 budget Rendell allocated enough money projected to cover 411,507 Pennsylvanians with his healthcare plan in 2012. Interestingly, his new budget only projects Covering 260,023 Pennsylvanians in 2013. Included in this number are 49,000 people currently covered by Adult Basic so he is only funding coverage for 211,000. Hardly “universal.” 

 
Estimates are that between now and then 240,000 more Pennsylvanians will lose their health insurance. Therefore Rendell’s actual budget priorities, i.e. where the rubber meets the road, leaves a net decrease of 29,000 more Pennsylvanians without basic health care.

 
Cover All Pennsylvanians, based on Gov. Rendell’s own budgets, will leave more of us NOT covered in 2012 than there are today. This is in addition to the 1.2 million Pennsylvanians currently uninsured (according to U.S. Census numbers).

 
When it comes to actual funding Rendell’s Cover All Pennsylvania doesn’t. The tires are bald.

Mike Waltner's "Walk For Change"

From 3rd Congressional District candidate Mike Waltner:

Erie, PA – The 3^rd district Democratic congressional primary race will enter a new phase of intense competition this Saturday, March 1^st when Democratic Congressional Candidate Mike Waltner rallies supporters at noon to kick off his weekly volunteer “Walk for Change” grassroots campaign targeting voters throughout the district.

 

Immediately after the rally, Waltner will join his volunteer supporters to go door-to-door to talk to voters in Erie. Separately, but simultaneously, his supporters in Crawford County will also Walk for Change.

 

“I am grateful for the enthusiastic support of the people in our district for my grassroots campaign for effective representation and positive change in Washington,” Waltner said. “As Congressman, I will work tirelessly for change to restore our local economy, make healthcare affordable and available to every American family, and end our involvement in the costly civil war in Iraq.”

 

WHAT:

Mike Waltner’s “Walk for Change”

Rally, Meet-and-Greet at Diner and Door-to-Door Canvass

 

WHERE:

Outside of Park Diner, 4019 Main Street, Erie

 

WHEN:

Saturday, March 1, 12:00 PM

 

WHO:

Mike Waltner, Democratic Candidate for 3^rd Congressional District

And Dozens of Supporters

 

SPECIAL PRESS INVITATION:

Members of the press are invited to also join the candidate for the door-to-door canvass. Please contact David Kirk at the campaign to RSVP.

 

“Walk for Change”

 

These “Walks for Change” will take place every Saturday through the Democratic Primary on April 22^nd. During this period, the Waltner campaign expects to organize hundreds of volunteer shifts throughout the district to communicate his message of positive change to tens of thousands of voters.

 

About Mike Waltner

 

As a community organizer and Erie native, Mike Waltner has faced many of the hardships facing the people of Northwest Pennsylvania. He does not have health care because he can not afford it, he worries about how he and his wife will pay for their new-born daughter’s college education, and his mother still works the graveyard shift at a gas station because she can not afford to retire. His personal experience and professional background, helping ordinary Americans meet the extraordinary challenges that they face every day, make him a new type of leader to represent the people of his district and bring positive change to Washington.

Ah sheez...the Pope is coming (not that way)!

So I hear Pope Nazi the 1st is coming. A point was made that the dates where chosen to avoid influence on the American election, of course if that were true he wouldn't visit until after November.

The Pope will be touring in his bullet-proof Pope-mobile...not exactly an overwhelming expression of faith and trust in his God if you ask me.

Already he is beginning to talk about important issues to him...he has been praising Americans who oppose abortion (a legal right in this country) and Americans who oppose gay marriage (color me shocked). I'm sure he'd like concentration camps back so we can all be branded with pink triangles and legally killed.

Oh yes I know somehow I'm going to become the big baddie here. Tough. I'm getting a little tired of people telling me I'm bad and I'm wrong and I'm perverted because I don't conform to some religion-based moral structure that I don't even subcribe to and more than that...I'm not REQUIRED to subscribe to. And if you push me enough eventually I'm going to start pushing back. This is me pushing...let that Pope stay in Pope-land.

The Pope (or anyone for that matter) doesn't have to accept my life or my lifestyle but if I'm a citizen then I should have the same civil rights as every other citizen. It really is that simple.

Happy Leap Day

February 29th, leap day, is a unique opportunity for women to do something once thought truly liberating:  propose to their boyfriends.  It's one sign of how much we've progressed that this custom seems sort of quaint now.  For me leap day means my late mother would have celebrated her 22nd birthday today, along with my late aunt.  You're both in my thoughts today.

Clinton Volunteers Meetings

Hillary Clinton's campaign is also in Pennsylvania and they are also holding training sessions here.  One is in Lancaster and one in Richland. There are other meetings today in South Bethlehem, Hawley and Stroudsburg.  Find the details here.  I have to admit the Obama campaign and his volunteers have been in regular contact with me, some of it formal, some informal.  I hear nothing from Hillary's camp.  I contacted them today so I'm hoping that can begin a dialogue.  I'm looking forward to covering both campaigns as they arrive and hold exciting events for Pennsylvanians.

Obama Campaign On the Ground

Barack Obama's ground game has arrived in Pennsylvania.  They begin holding trainings tomorrow all around the Commonwealth for volunteers and others interested in assisting the effort.  In addition to the several paid staffers who have been here their vaunted field operation is launching for the April 22nd primary.  Between March 11th and April 22nd we're the only game in town and expect to see both Hillary Clinton and Obama throughout Pennsylvania.

McCain's Iran Policy

Bomb, bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran....

Housing Relief Dies In Senate By GOP Filibuster

The relief package for homeowners died another death by Republican filibuster in the Senate yesterday.  Almost all legislation this session has gone there to die due to this maneuver.  Republicans, if you recall, are the ones who condemned the filibuster when we tried using it against their extreme Supreme Court appointments.  "Give us an up or down vote," they cried.  These same folks used the tactic to kill 73 bills last year and numerous others in 2008.  It will cost them several more Senate seats this year because voters are fed up.

While blocking relief for homeowners the fed continues giving huge aid to banks and the financial sector.  Ben Bernanke indicated they will lower the federal discount rate again next week.  Banks stopped lowering their loan rates so they can cash in on the margins.  This has become a bailout.

Random Thoughts

Now that the writers strike is over television can stop airing all these terrible reality shows polluting the airwaves.  I heard one network got so desperate they were about to relaunch "Queen For A Day."  It featured Larry Craig hustling through mens rooms.  The kept running into the same problem however:  the other men kept being Republican lawmakers.

Why is it Americans don't send phony scam emails to people in Africa? 

Who is this Amanda who keeps emailing me to watch her webcam?  Why is her father asking me to watch?  How creepy can the internet get?

I also get unsolicited emails encouraging me to get breast enhancement.  Dear they need to get smaller, not larger!

I watched a movie this afternoon called "Farce of the Penguins."  Hilarious.

Republican FISA Lies

How many times have you seen the new advertisement Republicans are running on television about FISA?  I think I can recite it verbatim by now.  It's full of lies however.  The law allowing Washington to eavesdrop on Al Qaeda communications DID NOT EXPIRE on February 16th.  The FISA law is alive and well.  What did expire was a temporary extension of a law allowing George W. Bush to violate your constitutional civil rights (which, by the way, Congress cannot do) by spying on Americans.

Why did it expire?  Because George W. Bush wouldn't sign another temporary extension.  So, why can't the spoiled brat continue to intercept your phone calls, emails and financial transactions?  Because he refused to sign an extension.  How is this Democrats fault?

Since we're on the subject let's ask why Democrats would ever allow such constitutional violations any way?  Well, see it's an election year and they're more concerned with being painted as soft on terrorism than upholding their oaths of office.  Our civil rights are secondary.  Unfortunately it isn't possible to bypass the constitution this easily.  Congress cannot simply pass legislation giving retroactive immunity to corporations which conspired with the government to tap our phones, constitutional amendments are necessary.

The alternative, obviously, is to pack the Supreme Court with ideologues who would uphold any intrusion of our civil rights and we know Democrats would never allow that don't we?  What's that you say, how then do I explain John Roberts and Samual Alito?   Hmmmm, you've got me there.