I had an interesting experience phonebanking for OFA in Ann Arbor this week. One of the names that popped up on my list of calls was Weston Vivian, male, age 85. It was probably the most inspirational call I made all week. Weston Vivian was a U.S. Congressman from Michigan’s 2nd District from 1965-1967. As he told me during our […]

A Democrat-sponsored bill before the House of Representatives represents the most sweeping effort at deficit reduction in over a decade. Said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer: It is the largest deficit reduction measure…since Clinton’s budget in 1993, which ushered in the great economy of the 1990s. This historic move to lower the US deficit reduces it by $138 billion in […]

The Republicans and their brethren on the right are in the final stages of desperation. Yesterday, Mitch McConnell may have won the award for the most lies told in a single sentence: “This is how they’ll try to keep their fingerprints off a bill that forces taxpayers to cover the cost of abortions, that cuts Medicare by half a trillion […]

Deem and Pass. Demon Pass. The most unprecedented legislative tactic to ever be totally and completely precendented. The GOP is all adither. The conservative freak-out has begun. Grab the popcorn, kids, this is gonna be a doozy. My first reaction to the news that House Dems might use the “Deem and Pass” procedure to pass the Senate health insurance reform […]

I’m pretty puzzled why House Democrats are going the route of using the “Deem and Pass” procedure to pass the Senate’s version of the health insurance reform package + the sidecar bill to “fix” it. Seems like they just looo-ooove to hand the Republicans brickbats to clobber them over the head with. And one that sounds like “Demon Pass”? Are […]

I find myself seething with frustration at two of the people I admire most in the realm of progressive issues and politics: Michael Moore and Dennis Kucinich. Watching Countdown on MSNBC last night brought it all to a head. I listened to President Obama tell the story of Natoma Canfield, a woman priced out of the health insurance market only […]

In case you’re ever talking to Bart Stupak or someone else concerned about the abortion language in the health insurance reform bill, simply commend their attention to pages 118-124. I have put them into a convenient pdf file HERE. It falls collectively under a section titled: “SPECIAL RULES RELATING TO COVERAGE OF ABORTION SERVICES — PROHIBITION ON THE USE OF […]

Let’s start with a visual: Sorry, Mr. Beck. Jesus preached social justice. Then there’s this: Pro-life group urges Congress to pass Senate health care bill Twenty-five pro-life Catholic theologians and Evangelical leaders yesterday sent letters to members of Congress urging them not to let misleading information about abortion provisions in the Senate health care bill block passage of sorely-needed reform. […]

One of the most frequent claims I hear from people opposed to health insurance reform is that “we can’t afford this” and “this will our raise taxes”. The fact of the matter is that this country can’t afford not to do this. What’s more, not only does this not cost the country more, it actually will cost us LESS, lowering […]

It must be tough being an MI-07 Republican these days. After organizing a “CODE RED!!!” protest against Rep. Mark Schauer, they ended up being out-numbered by Schauer supporters at least five-to-one on the day of the event. I think this sign says it all:Michigan OFA Director, Garrett Arwa and friend Yes, folks, it was “CODE RED!!!” “On the verge of […]

First off, let me say that if I could, I would grab Bart Stupak by the lapels and shake him silly for his obscene obstruction of health insurance reform and his inflicting his religious views on the rest of the country. I find it offensive and enraging and, as a Michigander, he’s a tragic embarrassment to me on this issue. […]