As much as everyone thinks the microblogging on Facebook and Twitter are leading to the demise of regular blogging… sometimes you see something on a Facebook status update that sparks an idea for an entire column.
Two weeks ago NWOW presented an idea for government health insurance funding issues by proposing it be designed as a tax deductible tax so those of us who itemize our tax returns can get something out of it by writing off the tax. Last Saturday Night, the health bill moved closer to reality when the House of Representatives passed its version and now it is off to the US Senate.
I already see Facebook emails from people concerned about the Senate version keeping a provision involving a $750 excise tax imposed on American citizens living outside the USA. This does not exist in the House version, but many are concerned that if it is included in the Senate version and becomes part of the law, that many Americans living overseas who get insurance there, will still have to pay into this program too. This affects a lot of Americans who made Aliya and relocated to Israel but retained their American citizenship. I guess it probably makes more sense that the bill applies to American “residents” and not citizens.
Of course the new benefits exclude illegal immigrants. And I guess we won’t be hearing as much about this topic on CNN now that Lou Dobbs has left the network. Is he starting a new space website just like the last time he bolted away from CNN? However, you can call me a liberal on this particular issue, but I disagree about barring illegals from getting car insurance. Talk to somebody whose car got smacked by an illegal and you will understand the logic on this one. What happens if an illegal immigrant hits you? How are you supposed to pay for the repairs? Who pays your damages if your car gets totaled?
Anyway, I was reading FB on Sunday morning after the House vote, and I was mortified to see that a friend of mine who I will call Willis had posted a status update along the lines of ….”Health Care Reform 1, Women’s Reproductive Rights 0”… leading me to loudly proclaim…”Whatchu talking about Willis?” Indeed his friends comments started to pile on and virtually all of them were agreeing with him!
As it turned out, there was a bit of a misunderstanding among some of Willis’s friends whether the House version allowed government funding for abortions for women who are rape or incest victims or whose lives are in danger. I decided to chime in and correct the assumption that all abortions were banned by the health bill. One woman subsequently posted that that it’s a good thing she never plans to hook up with a man because it is unlikely she will ever get pregnant and need an abortion. .
At that point, Willis came up with his 2nd “Watcha talking about Willis” moment! Sayeth The Willis: "What happens if she becomes artificially inseminated and then changes her mind?"
And its moments like this that make me realize that normal thinking people like myself… non liberal Democrats… are really the only sane people left in this world! How crazy is that scenario that an “I changed my mind” abortion should be paid for by anybody other than the mind changer? Taxpayers should be paying for that?? If the fetus was prescreened for some illness, it’s understandable… but the Willis “oh I changed my mind” scenario? Of course, there are situations involving “poor people” who can’t afford an abortion. Hopefully those who are forced to keep those babies will have provisions in this bill for prenatal care and arrangements after the baby is born that it gets medical care or an adoptive home.
And its too bad that just when the Republicans start to move to the center and think like normal Democrats like myself, their party then decides to move farther to the extreme right. Why else was a no name like Sarah Palin on the 2008 GOP ticket instead of somebody more experienced like Rudy Giuliani? Oh yeah, Rudy is pro choice… just like a lot of decent Republicans like former NJ Governor Christie Todd Whitman. But the Republicans want to move further away from the normal Democrats while the liberals wrongly assume that their branch of the Democratic party is more representative of how my peeps think.
Even this week, when the Washington sniper was executed… that was an event that brought the Democrats and Republicans together. I am against the death penalty but when it comes to certain cases, its impossible to feel sympathetic towards somebody like John Muhammad or Timothy McVeigh. Yet there was a fringe of law students who were upset about the Muhammad execution because they felt he didn’t have enough time to prepare his appeal! Hellooooooooo.. he was arrested in 2002.. that’s plenty of time to figure out an appeal!
And its hard to tell if Willis was serious or just being sarcastic. But one thing my fellow pro choicers need to accept is that the pro lifers are entitled to their opinion, and we need to respect them even though we think they are wrong. And as long as the Pro Lifers don’t shove it down my throat… (or shoot abortion doctors) they are entitled to disagree with me. I really think that most Republicans are moving towards the middle of the road on this issue and are not represented by the crazy extremists in that party… just as I feel that the liberals are not the face of the Democrats!
But the Liberals are not the only ones who embrace bizarre causes…The Republicans do it too. Carrie Prejean was a no name beauty pageant contestant who was asked an irrelevant (to the pageant) question by the no talent Perez Hilton about gay marriage. She answered the question honestly and now that she has been dethroned for an “unrelated” reason, she is the poster child for the future Young Republicans… She appeared on Larry King the other night… got a little flustered by the line of questions… and then threatened to walk off the show AND claimed Larry broke a pre interview deal by allowing a live phone caller to call in…(who by the way had a heckuva tough question that never got answered). I have watched his TV show and listened to his radio show for years and I never ever heard a guest say Larry King violated a no live phone call rule… but every time the not so slick Prejean is criticized on a non Fox News show, the Republicans blame the liberal media. I don’t care that she is against gay marriage (I have a similar opinion covered in last week’s column), but just because nutjobs criticize her does not mean that this 22 year old beauty queen is the future hope of Republicans.
Its too bad we live in a society that has so many extreme right wingers who want ALL abortions to be outlawed… including victims of rape and incest and women whose lives are in danger. Its that fringe group that has me on the pro choice team… even though I am not a particular fan of abortion. Nonetheless, as long as woman has the right to choose… that is entirely up to her.. as long as she pays for it. But to have taxpayer money fund certain abortions? I think the liberals are just asking too much.
PUMPSTRADAMUS PICK OF THE WEEK
Last week Pumpy improved to 4-5 by accurately picking the Chargers. This week we go to Washington which is a lot safer today now that the Sniper has been executed. The Redskins are home against Denver and are 3 1/2 point doggies. Sayeth the Pump: "I like Red Skin Potato Salad... so take the Redskins!"
UNBIASED GIANTS FAN PICKS OF THE WEEK
Last week we went 2-1 for a year to date record of 12-15. Is this the week that we run the table and reach .500?
GREEN BAY 3 doggies over Dallas - I'm still not accepting that the Cowboys might finish with a better record than the Giants.
SAN DIEGO 1 1/2 faves over The Eagles - Maybe that win last week gave the Chargers some momentum to knock the Eagles down a notch.
CAROLINA 1/2 doggies over Atlanta - If these games all work out, the Giants would come back from the bye week in a much better position to get to the playoffs!
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