Nancy Pelosi says health insurance companies are the villains

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/

Readers of this blog will know that I have been critical of Nancy Pelosi in the past. But I have to say that in this case she is right on.

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday ramped up her criticism of insurance companies, accusing them of unethical behavior and working to kill a plan to create a new government-run health plan.

"It's almost immoral what they are doing," Pelosi said to reporters, referring to insurance companies. "Of course they've been immoral all along in how they have treated the people that they insure," she said, adding, "They are the villains. They have been part of the problem in a major way. They are doing everything in their power to stop a public option from happening."

Those health insurance companies are out for nobody but themselves. They charge you an arm and a leg for their insurance policies, but if you ever get sick and have a claim then they try to come up with some excuse not to pay up. It's just wrong.

If you are even a day late making an insurance premium payment, you sure hear from them about it. They will charge you a hefty late fee or they might cancel you on the spot. But then if you have to use the insurance, it takes them virtually forever to pay up if they do at all.

Who are the greedy bastards who run those companies, and why are they allowed to get away with such highway robbery? Well, for one thing I'll bet you that most of them are Republicans. No wonder that the Republicans in Congress are fighting tooth and nail to stop President Obama's health care reforms.

I wonder how many Americans have died because of the immoral practices of the insurance companies. If we knew that figure we would be shocked. My people, the insurance companies and their Republican friends have got to be stopped.

There is nothing more important than our health. It's just crazy that this country pays more money for health care than just about any other country, yet at the same time the average American is struggling to get decent health care. Someone is making a bundle off from health care in this country, and we know who that is. It's the health insurance companies and the pharmaceutical companies and their Republican friends. It's a total outrage, huh.

Health care is a human right. Everyone deserves quality accessible health care regardless of their ability to pay for it. It's time that everyone got the health care that they deserve. It shouldn't just be for rich people.

Please write your representatives and senators in Congress and let them know that we need health care reform, and we need it now. Quit beating around the bush and get it done or you might not be reelected next time.

White House beer party

Well I was wrong, there will be no Billy Beer at the White House for President Obama's beer drinking party. It has been revealed that Office Crowley will be drinking Blue Moon, while Professor Gates will be drinking either Beck’s or a Red Stripe. Obama is said to prefer Budweiser. So there you have it.

I don't think I have ever tried either Blue Moon or Red Stripe. I have tried both Beck's and Budweiser, but right now my beer of choice is a Liberian pale lager, Club Beer. It's brewed in Monrovia by Monrovia Brewers Inc.

Club Beer in Liberia is a delight, the best beer in Africa so-far. Brewed and bottled in liberia by Monrovia Breweries Inc. 33cl and 65cl. Larger ones are better. Reminds of draught beer.

http://www.thisfabtrek.com/journey/africa/sierra-leone-liberia/

Obama to have two buddies over for a beer

Black scholar agrees to beer with Obama, policeman

That's good. Maybe they can hash tings out over a beer. And I wonder what brand of beer will Obama offer his guests. I have a suggestion. Maybe he can find a few cans of Billy Beer somewhere and they can drink that. Actually, I think you can find it on Ebay. (For those who don't know, Billy Beer was named after President Jimmy Carter's beer drinking late brother Billy.) And since they will be drinking beer in the White House, wouldn't it be appropriate to drink a beer named after a president's brother?

But seriously, I hope that this meeting can help to heal some of the raw wounds that have been exposed since this unfortunate incident happened. I think President Obama was right in saying that two good people got caught up in a bad situation and both had probably used a bit of bad judgment.

I accept that Officer Crowley is probably not a racist, but there are plenty of other racist cops out there and hopefully this whole incident will focus positive attention on this issue. The unnecessary harassment of black men by police officers in this country has got to stop.

The Professor Gates controversy

I guess I had better weigh in on the Professor Gates controversy which is raging right now.

First of all, as a black man I have experienced racial profiling first hand so I can understand the reaction of Professor Gates to this unfortunate incident. I was stopped by a white policeman in Elko, Nevada merely because I was driving an expensive looking new car, and the policeman apparently thought that because I am a young black man I don't belong in a car like that. I had to prove to the officer that it really was my car, and even then the officer didn't apologize to me. So nobody can tell me that racial profiling does not happen in this country because I know first hand that it does.

Now this doesn't mean that all white police officers are racists. I have met many fine white police officers who are not racists. But you know what they always say, "one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel." As long as there are some racist cops, even if not all cops are racists, then we are in for problems.

As far as the Gates incident goes, I think I tend to agree with President Obama that the officer used bad judgment and that at the same time Professor Gates overreacted. But based upon my own experience as a black man in America I can fully understand where Gates was coming from. If you are a black man and you have a confrontation with a white police officer you are fully justified in being suspicious. So I am not going to criticize Professor Gates one bit. If it turns out that the white police officer did nothing wrong this time, that's great, but it doesn't change the fact that there still are racist cops out there who will harass black men for no reason, like what has happened to me personally.

President Obama said today that he "should have chosen his words more carefully when he said the police 'acted stupidly' in arresting a prominent black Harvard scholar, touching off a debate over race." I think that is really big of Obama to say that. What a contrast with George Bush who never admitted making any mistakes. Obama said today that maybe he should have both Officer Crowley and Professor Gates over to the White House to have a beer. That's good. I think that's what we need, to back off from this racially explosive issue and try to work to come together as a nation.

Harry Reid agrees to delay health care reform

It looks like Dirty Harry has caved in to the Republicans again.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said today that the Senate would not attempt to pass sweeping health care reform until after returning from the August recess.

“It’s better to get a product that’s based on quality and thoughtfulness than on trying to just get something through,” Reid told reporters.

Reid said the Senate would try to complete a package in the fall.

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin said Wednesday that he expected that a bill would not be passed before the upper chamber breaks for recess on August 7.

“All this is no surprise to anyone,” Reid said.

Way to go Harry. Don't you have sixty votes in the Senate? Why are you falling for the games that the Republicans are playing? President Obama wants health care reform passed before the August recess, and for good reason. The American people have waited long enough and they want health care reform now.

I wonder how many people will die in the mean time waiting for health care reform?

And of course we all know why the Republicans are stalling on this. They represent their rich friends in the health insurance industry, and they don't want any reform at all. After all, most rich Republicans have good health care already because they can afford it. And if you and I can't afford life saving health care, that's just tough shit I guess.

Why is Harry Reid playing into the Republicans' hands, and why is he defying President Obama? Maybe Uncle harry should remember that he is up for reelection next time and there have already been rumblings that he might face credible opposition in the Nevada Democratic Primary in 2010.

It would serve him right in my opinion. Reid is supposed to be representing the best interests of the American people, not just the special interests. I wonder how many political contributions Reid has got from the big boys in the health care and health insurance and pharmaceutical industries. Huh.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25331.html

Will Obama's health care reform pass?

There is a big fight right now in Washington over health care reform. Unless you just arrived on a rocket ship from Mars you know that. So what is this all about?

Well my people, it comes down to money. Where are we going to get the billions of dollars that reform will cost? The Democrats in the House want to tax the rich to pay for it, but the Republicans who are for rich people say no. And there lies the crux of the problem.

It depends on whom you want to believe. The Democrats say it's only fair that rich people who have benefited so much from this country have a moral obligation to give some back. The Republicans counter that it's rich people who are responsible for creating most private sector jobs and if you raise their taxes they won't be able to continue providing so many jobs.

I don't know what to think about this whole mess. We need health care reform for sure, but will it happen, or will the Republicans and their rich friends be able to block it just like they did to Hillary Clinton's proposed health care reform during the last decade?

What do you think? Will health care reform make it this time? The American people definitely want some kind of reform, but will President Obama and Democrats in Congress be able to deliver? Will President Obama be able to use his popularity to push this through? Let's hope so. We need to bring down health care costs and cover the uninsured. We need to give Americans quality low cost health care just like they have in Europe and in other industrialized countries. We have got to stop the health insurance companies from denying coverage to people with preexisting conditions.

In most of Europe they spend a lot less on health care than we do, yet they have a longer life expectancy than we do. Why is that? Is it the fault of the greedy American health insurance companies, or are doctors too greedy, or both? And by the way, just how much should doctors be allowed to earn anyway? Is it Ok for doctors to get rich while the poor suffer with no health care?

Something needs to be done my people. I don't have all the answers, and I doubt if anyone else does either. But this problem has got to somehow be fixed, and the sooner the better. That's why I support President Obama's call to get health care reform passed by the end of next month before Congress goes into recess.

We have a lot to do, huh.

Historical videos from Liberia, West Africa

This video is very interesting. It shows a visit by then Liberian President William R. Tolbert Jr. to the town of Yekepa, located in the northeastern part of the country.



This second video was filmed during the administration of the president who preceded Tolbert, President William V. S. Tubman. It shows a state visit to Liberia by Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom on 23 November 1961.

These videos show the way it used to be in the beautiful country of Liberia before they had a civil war that destroyed the country. But now of course the country is coming back strong under the leadership of President Johnson and Attorney General Tah.

Americans lend a hand to new Liberia

Robert Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television, who was recently rated as the third richest African American in the United States by Forbes Magazine, is investing heavily in rebuilding civil war ravaged Liberia, a small country in West Africa with historic ties to the United States.

Johnson has recently opened a lavish four star resort on the outskirts of Monrovia, Liberia's capital city. The resort is providing much needed employment and income for Liberians. It's called "Kendeja Resort and Villas." The resort has become very popular among the many Europeans and Americans and others who have flocked to Liberia to get in on the country's rebuilding. It is Mr. Johnson's belief that Liberia is a great place to invest, and it is hoped that other investors will follow Johnson's lead.

Liberia is a beautiful country rich with numerous natural resources and a great climate. The country boasts a long coastline on the Atlantic Ocean with beautiful sandy beaches. There is great potential in this country, and as Liberians continue to recover from their years long destructive civil war, the future for Liberia looks great.

The democratically elected governemt of Liberia is working very hard on many fronts to repair the damage wrought by years of war. Under President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and Attorney General Chritiana Tah, great progress has already been made and more is on the immediate horizon. And it couldn't happen to a greater place.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-07-14-liberia_N.htm

Liberia, West Africa has a new Attorney General/Minster of Justice

Chritiana Tah has been confirmed and inducted into the office of the Attorney General of the Republic of Liberia.

The government announced a short while ago that President Ellen Johnson has relieved Justice Minister Philip A.Z. Banks of his post and replaced him with Christiana Tah, a professor of Sociology at Montgomery County in Maryland, the United States.

Tah received a BA degree in Sociology from Carson-Newman College, an MA degree in Sociology (with specialization in Corrections) from Kent State University, a LLB degree from the University of Liberia and an LLM degree from Yale Law School. She has taught sociology at the University of Liberia, a course in Comparative Justice Systems in the Department of Public Affairs at the American University and sociology, criminology and criminal law at Morgan State University. In 2000, Professor Tah received an Outstanding Teacher Award from the University of Maryland.

http://www.frontpageafrica.com/Newsmanager/anmviewer.asp?a=9101

http://www.frontpageafrica.com/newsmanager/anmviewer.asp?a=9404&z=2

Latina, black, white, Asian, etc, its alright who is associate justice as long as they are for all

It is great to have another female judge up there, but not a Latina just because there isn't one up there yet. Obama's appointee should be given the chance to bring justice to all. I think that what she said about white men was harsh, but not racist. There are some stupid white men out there who have lead this country into the deepest mess ever, however there are many blacks, Asians, and Latinos who have done major misjustice to this country also.

It's like African Americans who think Obama should treat them special because he is an African American like them. Been there done that. Obama is not an African American. His mother was a white woman and she should be given credit also.

Do you think that the best qualified persons should be given jobs they qualify for or just because? Maybe we should have a president, vice president, secretary of state, and so on of every race and while we're at it maybe every nationality. That way we all will have someone up there who we think will spend their time working for us rather filling their pockets. Oh wait a minute, lots of whites have been up there for years and it seems like lots of them are still living in trailer parks, and catching hell on earth. They did not have to die to find out what hell is; they are living it.

We are all one from the same place my people, all the same human beings. Let's love each other and respect each other for humanity's sake.

Lets give Sotomayor a chance. Freedom of speech should not be considered racist.

We complain about everything being racist. Have you ever been in a gathering and someone let out a nasty fart? Someone yells out "My lord oh that is terrible." It smells like a Chinese fart, or a black fart or white. Huh.

We are all one, even farts from different races are farts and come from the same place, humans. Well goats and chickens too.

Random thoughts

Who decided that dandelions are the bad guys? Why do we want to kill them? I think they are pretty bright yellow flowers. Some of what we call flowers are not as pretty as dandelions. They are discriminated against for just for being what they are.

The health benefits of dandelions

Why is it when an animal like a tiger or lion or cougar kills a human, we all get so bent out of shape? We kill them all the time and eat them and it's okay so why is it not okay for them to do the same to us? Aren't we all animals and fair game for food?

Why do women kill their babies? Dogs and other animals do too. When a woman kills her baby we try to find some medical reason why it happened.

Traveling to different parts of the world, I have found that humans eat almost everything, I think more so than any other animal except for rats. Yet we say we are the smart ones.

I watch programs about how plastic is not good for our planet. Stop using plastic bags to save the planet. But if you have to pay 15¢ to get one at the grocery store, if it is so bad for this planet, why not just stop making them?

This one keeps me going. The economy melted down just few moths ago. Millions lost all of what they will ever own such as stocks, homes, jobs, loved ones, etc. The banks still have the same fools running them, yet they are saying that the economy is getting back on track, Huh, oh yeah. With whose money, the taxpayer's money? Okay, I got it taken from me, so while you are at it don't forget my toilet paper and used soap in the bathroom. You got it all. Let me slink away somewhere safe. Now tell me everything will be alright, in fact things seem to be getting leveled out. Put your money back into the market, those of you I didn't get to rip off, and those who are just starting off. In the next fifteen to twenty years I will take it all from you just like how I did to your parents, grandparents and friends of yours. Things are coming back, huh.

Why do we do the same thing over and again most of our life and then either we drop dead or live not knowing who we are, sometimes not knowing if we are even alive? Why? Maybe we should be allowed to retire in our late twenties so we can enjoy something out of life before we die or become a living vegetable.

Why do they call someone who is incapacitated a vegetable? Maybe it should be a withered veggie because when at that stage one is sure not a fresh veggie.

My cat learned to use the toilet in my bathroom all on her own. I think that is smart of her. Dogs like to do what they see humans do. That's smart too. And humans have learned to lick and smell each other's privates just like a dog, cat or other animals that we humans claim to be smarter than.

America wants all other countries to get rid of their nuclear weapons because they are not responsible people. Lots of crazies over there. You be the judge.

As a human we should eat healthy food daily and exercise to live long while being healthy. If you do, you will have a very long healthy life. It sounds great, but do you know anyone who does all of the right things and still looks like hell? Well, you can have plastic surgery to pull back the extra old fresh. Do you know anyone who had those things done that looks like an ET from another planet? And then we have the example of Michael Jackson. He had so much plastic surgery on his face that it made him look like a freak. It looked like part of his nose fell off.

This one I must say. The Vatican says "people should all confess." It sounds great my people. I know I sin everyday. Hurry so you can get a place in line. The pope, priests, brothers, and nuns need two earth lives time to have enough time to confess.

As a kid, did you and your siblings ever fight over your toys? Mama, mama, John took my stick. It's mine, it's mine. That's my bottle stopper.

Why do parents never say the child is dumb? You can see that the child is a wasted nine month idiot, yet they are special to the parents. Are the parents stupid? Or is it real love? This one I think is real love and that's how it should be for everyone. Love, love, love.

Have you heard the expression "can steal the cream out of coffee?" Do you think the government falls under that?

We are short of soldiers, yet they get rid of the gays in the military. They can do the job just like so called straights. Lets be short handed, no gays can serve openly.

When they say "until death do we part," what does that mean? Should you die too when your partner dies? What about even sickness? Should you continue to do the things you do when not sick?

Do you think that like how earth is to man, our bodies are the same thing to insects? We walk, dig, destroy, and think we own the planet the same as ants and bugs that crawl on our bodies. When they bite us, are they doing anything wrong?

Hate so powerful, love can overcome

Eighty-eight years of waste. I can image how the family of James Von Brunn feels to have their loved one and family member all over the news for being such a hateful person. Should there be some law to ban someone from sharing and expressing such hate to others? Oh, I forgot freedom of speech. The ones who were there and went through this horrible experience must be torn in shock, especially since a security guard lost his life.

My people, how can anyone live a life of hate for eighty-eight years? Eighty-eight years of life is a blessing that so many would give so much to have and yet this man blessed with long life and good health may continue for the rest of his life hating others for who they are. To hate is a lot of work my people. One cannot be happy spending time disliking everything because it is different from them or how they want things to be. Of course, it is very disturbing on the other end to be hated for having the right to be born just like all people.

Do you think that all humans as well as animals and plants have a right to exist? I think everything on earth, once conceived in any form, has been given the right to be here. No two people can be the same. Even identical twins are different in some ways. Children from the same parents could look and be completely the opposite of each other. Shouldn't it be beautiful to be different in that respect? There is something very amazing about how things from the same source are the same on the inside, but put out so much individuality. Life is amazing, beautiful, and should be loved, not hated.

I spend so much time on wishing that my parents, the mother of my children, my siblings, grandparents, and other loved ones who have died were here to enjoy my success. I think they left too soon and to see someone who has been blessed with eight-eight years using all of that time to try to get others to hate is unbearable for my soul.

My people, I can't help but wonder what did his parents do that caused him to be so far off from love, peace and respect for others. Now his children and loved ones have to live their life suffering for his actions. Is this when children pay for the sins of their parents?

Stop the hate my people. Try love. Forgive those who do you wrong. It is so much more easy to love than to hate.

Be able to walk up to anyone and say "hi, how are you today? Have a nice day. Good luck in all you do. I love you lots." Try to see the goodness in everything. For those of you who hate so much, try love. Give love some time in your life. It is so beautiful. It is a beautiful feeling to feel that your spirit is happy. Yeah, a happy spirit.

Wow, eighty-eight years wasted. What a shame.

No Liberian dies of natural causes

Do you know of any Liberian who has died of a natural causes? I don't. The woman was fine this morning, laughing with her friends, and the next thing you know she dropped. By the time they got her to the hospital she was dead. Somebody bewitched her.

You see so so person walking like that. They used to be a very good looking strong healthy person. But now he or she needs a cane to get around. You fool, he or she is ninety years old. Get a clue.

She was taking a shower and felt a lump on her breast. Since that time she has been very sick even with the medication and treatment the doctors have been giving her. Somebody bewitched her. You asshole, the woman has breast cancer.

She is a young lady with a lot to live for. She wanted to have a child, got pregnant, and had the baby. The doctor said she died because she had no blood. Someone bewitched her. She died because all she ate was dry rice you fool.

Did you know so so person? He died this morning. He was walking down the road and just dropped dead. Someone bewitched him. Look here you asshole, no one bewitched anybody. He had a heart attack, you idiot.

Do you know anyone who dies from a natural death in West Africa? No, they all die from witchcraft.

Silly, but that's their belief.

We are the world

Happy Independence Day everybody!

The late Michael Jackson still seems the main topic of conversation on many blogs. Here is a great video featuring Michael and too many other top artists of the 80's to list here who were billed as "USA for Africa."

We are the World grew out of a fund raising effort to help poor starving people of the continent of Africa. It was quite an event at the time, and here is the video.

Abortion comes with many mixed feelings

I do not believe in abortion. It is taking away a life. Look around. Everything is alive whether we can see it or not. My people, I believe that it all is for a reason, a reason we cannot and will never understand. Life is so beautiful with all the everyday bustling and hassling we have to deal with. Sperm and the egg have to be alive to give life to the ovum. So then a fetus is life. It is before it becomes a fetus that is a gray area. This is just my silly thought.

However, it is not anyone's place to take another life because they choose to have an abortion. Have you noticed it is always some big time Christian who kills or harms someone because of this? They believe in life, but take away a life. It is senseless in all aspects my people. These people are crazy and do not believe in life at all. A woman should have the right to make her own decision to keep or not keep her pregnancy.

Look around. There are so many unfit parents out there. Some have children to use to get money from the government and some to get someone hooked on them, etc.

Life is beautiful, but if one knows they cannot care for this life they should be allowed to make the right decision.

On the other hand women these days have no excuse getting pregnant and than wanting to get rid of it. These are irresponsible men and women. The men should have the responsibility also to take all precautions to not cause a pregnancy knowing that they don't want a child, can't take care of a child, or are just out there for sex.

Maybe there should be a law against irresponsible pregnancies. Maybe people will think some before spreading their legs or pulling off their pants or whatever they do that leads to an unwanted pregnancy.

Should sex education start as earlier as the fifth grade? No my people, at the third grade. It is that important.

We all need to stop blaming men by saying men are dogs. Women are too. We all should be responsible when it comes to sex.

If you do not want a baby both men and women or teen aged boys and teen aged girls should take precautions before getting into sex with anyone.

Is birth control and even using condoms a form of termination of life? Maybe if life is from before the fetus if sperm and eggs have some form of life.

What if a life is at stake like the mother's or the baby's life or both? Why bring into this world someone who will not be able to care for themselves as an adult? Why? Do you think that those who spend so much time on walking up and down the streets, killing doctors or trying to stop someone from having an abortion should offer to adopt one of those unwanted babies? What about forming some sort of organization that will take in funds for unwanted babies? Something like the adoption agency accepts adopting these babies from these people who do not want them before they are born. Maybe there would be less abortions. Maybe.