Search for Common Ground in Time of War

0.5% Served in Military Since 9/11- Pew Research

The Pew Research Center released a figure this week that only 0.5% of the US population has served in the military since 9/11. Pew points out the past 12+ years is the longest sustained period of conflict in US history. They also state that the connections between the military personnel and the broader population are growing more distant as the armed services grow smaller.

Something not mentioned in the report is how this equation would change if there was a draft. If more civilians were pressed into service, the public would become more involved in the implications of our political actions and the war on terror. During World War II 9% of the US population was on active duty. Add their families and the number becomes significant. A large percentage of the US population was involved in the military during the Vietnam War. Having a greater portion of the population involved in our country's conflicts informs the discussions around the conversations around US policy and political decisions.

I think a better informed and more engaged public involved in the issues that have great impact will make this country stronger. The process can be painful as with the Vietnam War, but, the process is important.
My parents were drawn together for the common good by two events that caused the paradigm shift, The Great Depression and World War II. There was a commonality to the issues that brought about a willingness to bring people together to work things out. We don't have that today. We have extremism brought about by partisan politics reinforced by the large amount of money being spent by super PACs.

There are organizations trying to do something to bring partisan politics under control. It is not going to be easy. If enough of us become active and speak out, change is possible.

There are others who think so too. Robert Reich has a new book called Beyond Outrage. In it he explains, what has gone wrong with our economy and our democracy, and how to fix it.  Robert Reich is also chairman of Common Cause.

Charles Ferguson in an interview with Tom Ashbrook on On-Point talked about how people rose up to change the balance of power away from the monied elite during the Progressive Era and during the Great Depression. Charles Ferguson has a new book, Predator Nation: Corporate Criminals, Political Corruption, and the Hijacking of America.  


Another organization who wants to put an end the gridlock in Washington is called CenterPolitics.org. Their Website will be ready soon. They want to actively support candidates who are willing to work across the aisle and end the gridlock.


The most important element is what you decide to do. We all need to be informed and involved.

Medical Costs and Politics

When the the supreme court heard the case about Obamacare, members of the Tea Party and people who support the bill faced off outside the Supreme Court in dueling protests. There was actually a point of agreement. I'm almost certain it was missed. Both sides think the cost of health care is too high. 


Today there were two stories that caught my attention. The first from NPR about the increasing cost of health insurance. Costs are going up while coverage is going down. The story focused on one family but, what they are experiencing is the same for many families. High deductibles and decreasing coverage. 

Health Insurance Cutbacks Squeeze The Insured


I recently got some quotes for health insurance. We need to get individual insurance . Being underemployed means we have no other option. Deductibles start at $5000 and run as high as $10,000. After that, the plans might cover 80% of the cost. There's a lot that is not covered like office visits.


In the case of the Cooper family in the NPR story, Amber Cooper needs medication for her liver transplant that cost $1000 a month. It is no longer covered. The Cooper's now pay the entire cost of the medication out of pocket.

The second story that caught my attention was in the Huffington Post by Khadeeja Safdar. Medical costs are pushing Americans into credit card debt. According to a survey by a policy center called Demos, 50% of those surveyed paid for out of pocket medical costs with credit cards.  There's more in the article:

• Health care costs rose 6% last year.
• Over 25 percent of Americans ages 16 to 64 went without health coverage for at least some part of last year.
• An ordinary family with a job based plan will pay $20,000 toward health care. That's about 40% of their income.

Right Infighting Over Health Care

Meanwhile, the gridlock in Washington will make the situation worse. According to an article in Politico Republican plans to retool the Obamacare plan as an alternative were shot down by conservatives. They want full repeal. Nothing less. Their stance? Any national health care plan is creeping socialism at its worst. According to Politico's Jake Sherman, the drive to completely repeal is led by groups like Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform to Heritage Action to Club for Growth. Any attempt at compromise is being blocked by people with very deep pockets.  

Can anything be done? Be informed. Speak up. Tell your representatives you want something positive to be done.

There are groups that can help. One is called Center Politics. It's a nonpartisan political action committee.

http://www.centerpolitics.org/

You can find out more about the deceptions and confusion in US politics by going to FactCheck.org. FactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. It is nonpartisan.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0512/76471.html#ixzz1vjVExyZE

Rush to Justice

The Huffington Post has an interesting story about wrongful convictions. Michael McLaughlin reports that
The National Registry of Exoneration released a report today that says over 2000 convicted felons have been released because of DNA evidence and major discrepancies in evidence since 1989. One of the creators of the database, University of Michigan Law School professor Samuel Gross, says this is likely only the tip of the iceberg.


Perjury and false accusations are among the most common causes of bogus convictions. The most common crime is murder followed by sexual assault. 101 of those exonerationed were on death row. Gross hopes their findings can help law enforcement cut down on wrongful convictions.

Did Texas Make A Mistake in Capital Case?

There's news today that another man was wrongfully put to death in Texas. Carlos de Luna was executed for the murder of convenience store clerk, Wanda Lopez, in 1989.

Questions About Another Texas Execution

In a blog from NPR's Mark McDermott is about the de Luna's case. The Columbia Law School's Columbia Human Rights Law Review has posted on-line a 400 page multi-media report that says it was a mistake to have put Carlos de Luna to death. The report concludes the case was based on one eyewitness report and de Luna was not give adequate defense.

The lead prosecutor in the case, Steve Schiwetz, has not read the review. He told the San Antonio Express-News today that he dismisses the authors' conclusions.

When I read about these cases and the reaction of prosecutors I'm always reminded of Pete Seeger performing "What did You Learn In School Today?"

Cutting Taxes in Kansas - Dire Consequences?

John Celock is reporting in the Huffington Post that house Republicans rushed through tax cuts before the issue could be debated by more moderate Republicans in the State Senate. The end result will be sharply reduced revenues and increasing deficits. The likely end game for Governor Brownback and his very conservative cohorts in the State House will be drastic cuts in state funded programs.

Moderates are accusing the House Republicans in Kansas of political thuggery.

At risk will be state funding for non-profits. 67% of income for non-profits is earned income. Earned income includes state funded grants which get cut when budgets are tight.

The tight budget in Kansas will get tighter if the $3.7 billion tax cut is enacted.  An article in the Chicago Tribune points out the cuts in revenue will create a deficit in Kansas in excess of $712 million. KUCR is reporting a shortfall of $2.7 billion. The shortfall is projected by the Legislature's research staff to be $2.7 billion by July, 2017.

One target of the conservative's is funding for women's health issues. The tax cut bill uses misinformation to justify itself. According to the Miami Herald, "The sweeping 70-page bill approved by the Kansas House goes well beyond taxes. It includes a provision that would require physicians to inform women that an abortion poses a risk of breast cancer. The websites of the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society say studies have found no such risk."

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/08/2789089/abortion-becomes-a-tax-issue-in.html#storylink=cpy

***Updated***
Conservatives Move to Squash Debate.
There still may be room for debate.