Month: January 2010

As I’ve mentioned before, someone’s been signing me up for random conservative and religious distribution lists. I’ve managed to unsubscribe from almost all of them, but there’s one that’s growing on me. Once a week – usually on Saturday evenings – I get something from AmazinglyBlessed.com.

It’s a Christian site of some sort, but sometimes the email blessings are just cute feel-good stories. Tonight’s was a list of Words of Wisdom. Here are the ones I liked:

1. G-d wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.

2. Dear G-d: I have a problem. Sometimes, it’s me.

3. Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional.

4. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.

5. Silence is often misinterpreted, but never misquoted.

6. Do the math. Count your blessings.

7. Faith is the ability to not panic.

8. Laugh every day, it’s like inner jogging.

11. The most important things in our homes are the people.

14. We do not remember days, but moments. Life moves too fast, so enjoy your precious moments.

15. Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.

-Author Unknown

I’m too beat to work out something witty and creative so I give you Emmy’s dramatic interpretation of my mood.

Have a good weekend. Catch you back here Monday.

Here’s HCAN’s official statement on the SOTU:

“President Obama laid to rest tonight any doubt that he intends to keep working to get health care reform done. Now it‘s up to Congress to finish the job it started and finish it right. Congress cannot allow the insurance industry’s greed and political scare tactics to stand in the way of delivering on the promise of health security to every American now.”

And here’s video of our protest outside the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Tuesday. It’s a stark reminder of the personal toll our health crisis takes on people’s everyday lives and should be required viewing for each and every member of Congress even considering not finishing now:

I’ve got CNN on in the background in my office, and the open (the opening video/voiceover sequence) to Rick Sanchez’ new(ish) show is EXACTLY the same as the intros he used to record as the main anchor at WSVN 7 (the Fox affiliate) in Miami when I worked there 13 years ago. WSVN is credited with being the station that pioneered the tabloid-style, fast-paced video and graphics we’re accustomed to seeing more often than not in TV news today.

As I read stories like this about CNN revamping and retooling, I can’t help but note that it’s blatantly obvious to those of us who know TV well that CNN is not just chasing Fox but trying to be Fox…

…in a ridiculous, old school, been there done that sort of way.

Stacie Ritter brought her 4 children to DC today to speak out in front of the Chamber. She’s has been a tremendous advocate for reform, and we are lucky to have her be so brave and so outspoken. She and her twins are going to be on Dylan Ratigan‘s show on MSNBC at 4:30pm today. While we were chatting before they all left for the studio, Stacie’s other daughter Abigail made this sign:

It was supposed to be “Stop CIGNA,” but it reads “Stop! Singa.” She’s so adorable that it’s close enough for me.

UPDATE: Apparently, the Singa is actually something important. I did not know this. I assure you Abigail didn’t either. She does, however, know what CIGNA is. She’s 6. How sad is that?

Here’s Stacie’s story in case you are not yet familiar:

Stacie Ritter, 36, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania is the mother of twin daughters, now 11, who were diagnosed with leukemia when they were four. Both girls needed stem cell transplants and other cancer treatments. The twins survived, but the glands controlling their growth were damaged. Doctors recommended that they receive daily growth-hormone injections. But Stacie’s husband’s company had switched to CIGNA for health insurance, and CIGNA refused to cover the hormone shots. With $30,000 in medical debt, a mortgage, her husband’s brief unemployment and food costs, the family of six filed for bankruptcy in 2003. The twins now get their growth hormone drug free from Eli Lilly. But the family still pays about $2,500 a year in premiums to CIGNA, plus a $650 co-pay for an annual cancer survivorship visit.

Hundreds turned out to stand with the insurance abuse survivors:

The crowd marched while a handful of activists blocked the main entrance:

One creative sign:

We’ve wrapped the HuffPo in our ad today. Go take a look. Then click on the ad and sign up to tell the President and Congress to keep going and get reform done right:

I ripped this from Chez and it’s already been seen 10,815,882 times, but it’s new to me and hysterical so enjoy:

If you’re in the DC area, care about health care reform, and want to send the message to Congress that it’s got to get done now and it’s got to get done right, join us tomorrow at noon. Here’s the scoop:

Insurance Abuse Survivors to Protest 
in Run Up to State of the Union

Health Care Reform Supporters to Protest at U.S. Chamber of Commerce to Show What’s At Stake, Risk Arrest, and Demand Congress Finish Reform Right

Washington, DC – On Tuesday January 26th at noon, more than a dozen families victimized by health insurance abuse will join health care reform supporters for a protest at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce building. Many of the survivors of insurance abuse will be joined by organizational leaders in risking arrest at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce building to show their disgust with the Chamber’s extensive efforts to fight comprehensive health care reform, including its laundering tens of millions of dollars for the health insurance industry. The DC protest, on the day before the State of the Union address Wednesday night, will urge the President and Congressional leaders to continue their fight for health reform that will guarantee good coverage to all.

More than a dozen families from around the country are coming to DC to tell their stories of denied care and atrocious mistreatment by the private health insurance industry. They will press Congress to stand with them no matter the unlimited spending by big corporations and special interests.

As the President prepares his address and Congressional leaders weigh how to fulfill their commitment to fix our broken health care system, the families and the pro-reform community will call on their elected officials to reaffirm their support for doing what’s best for people’s health care needs, standing up to special interests and corporate lobbyists, finishing comprehensive health care reform now, and finishing it right.

WHEN: Tuesday January 26th at 12pm



WHERE: Begin at Lafayette Square Farragut Square at H Street btwn 15th and 17th NW. Protesters march to 1615 H Street NW and speak at Connecticut Ave entrance to U.S. Chamber building.

I’ll write more in a bit when I have a couple of spare moments, but in the meantime, this gets the point across: