All the stories coming out of the Senate are dispiriting, to say the least. The cowardice of too many Senators about creating a real public option to challenge the unregulated costs imposed on us by insurance corporations is very sad to see.
However - Elizabeth Sholes of the California Council of Churches IMPACT reminds us that "this is NOT over!
The House bill, HR 3962, contains a very solid public option, and we have been told by Speaker Pelosi's staff that she and the House are NOT giving this up. The Senate bill, however it's finally written, will have to be reconciled with this House bill in Conference Committee, and the work on behalf of those in need of good coverage is still within our reach."
She reminds us of the work of Faithful Reform in Health Care: www.faithfulreform.org.
There you will find postcards and other resources that you may download, print, ADD A MESSAGE OF YOUR OWN, sign and mail to your Senators and Representatives. By adding a message, you quadruple the impact of the card. Your entire congregation or group can and should send these, also with a brief handwritten message, so that across the nation the light of hope for health care will become familiar to our elected leaders.
Do not give up hope or the willingness to remain committed to this work. . . . We have not lost. We will not back down!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Best Reasons to Send More US Troops to Afghanistan
Rabbi Waskow has compiled a list of best reasons to send more US troops to Afghanistan:
Ten best reasons to send more US troops to Afghanistan
By Rabbi Arthur Waskow | 11/30/2009
10. If you want to breed and train more would-be terrorists who hate the USA, the best way to do so is attacking Afghan villages where key Al Qaeda cells have left to regroup elsewhere.
9. If you want to keep Afghan women powerless, ignore the advice of their own leaders that grass-roots economic development is crucial — and send the Marines instead, to boost the power of macho warlords who gather loyalty by fighting foreign invaders.
8. If you want to make sure that no one is learning that government could do good things like building schools and community health clinics in America, hiring teachers and writers and railroad construction workers, feeding hungry children, or renewing our rotting sewer system — then sink hundred of billions of dollars into this war so as to bankrupt domestic-needs programs.
7. If you want to make even higher profits from burning oil and coal instead of letting America invest in creating a wind/solar renewable energy network that will heal the climate crisis, free us from coal and oil, and make America competitive again — a multi-billion-dollar war is terrific.
6. If you want to stymie all investigations into past use of torture and “extraordinary rendition” by past US governments and utterly negate the closing of Guantanamo, multiplying prisoners in Bagram (Afghanistan) will help a great deal.
5. If you like to knit blankets for legless veterans while making sure the Veterans Administration will be so swamped with the wounded that they have to wait months for treatment despite the best efforts of overworked staff, many many more maimed soldiers are by far the best result of a war.
4. If you are trying to do research on the suicide rate, homeless rate, and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome, there will never be a better milieu for producing experimental subjects.
3. If you want to create a surge of right-wing populist rage that will shatter the Democratic Party and elect Sarah Palin President in 2012, then combine thousands of dead and maimed American soldiers with millions of unemployed American workers.
http://www.theshalomcenter.org/node/1650
What am I missing here?
What is our President missing?
The President's policy is good for our country?
The President's policy will keep us safer -- and the world -- safer?
Please!!!
Ten best reasons to send more US troops to Afghanistan
By Rabbi Arthur Waskow | 11/30/2009
10. If you want to breed and train more would-be terrorists who hate the USA, the best way to do so is attacking Afghan villages where key Al Qaeda cells have left to regroup elsewhere.
9. If you want to keep Afghan women powerless, ignore the advice of their own leaders that grass-roots economic development is crucial — and send the Marines instead, to boost the power of macho warlords who gather loyalty by fighting foreign invaders.
8. If you want to make sure that no one is learning that government could do good things like building schools and community health clinics in America, hiring teachers and writers and railroad construction workers, feeding hungry children, or renewing our rotting sewer system — then sink hundred of billions of dollars into this war so as to bankrupt domestic-needs programs.
7. If you want to make even higher profits from burning oil and coal instead of letting America invest in creating a wind/solar renewable energy network that will heal the climate crisis, free us from coal and oil, and make America competitive again — a multi-billion-dollar war is terrific.
6. If you want to stymie all investigations into past use of torture and “extraordinary rendition” by past US governments and utterly negate the closing of Guantanamo, multiplying prisoners in Bagram (Afghanistan) will help a great deal.
5. If you like to knit blankets for legless veterans while making sure the Veterans Administration will be so swamped with the wounded that they have to wait months for treatment despite the best efforts of overworked staff, many many more maimed soldiers are by far the best result of a war.
4. If you are trying to do research on the suicide rate, homeless rate, and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome, there will never be a better milieu for producing experimental subjects.
3. If you want to create a surge of right-wing populist rage that will shatter the Democratic Party and elect Sarah Palin President in 2012, then combine thousands of dead and maimed American soldiers with millions of unemployed American workers.
http://www.theshalomcenter.org/node/1650
What am I missing here?
What is our President missing?
The President's policy is good for our country?
The President's policy will keep us safer -- and the world -- safer?
Please!!!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The Revelation of Our War President
This is a sad day for America.
The man so many of us thought would usher in a new world with new priorities ultimately shows human frailty.
His promise of change and peace succumb to pressures of the warmongers.
There can no explaining away the hope for change we bought in to.
It is a clear breach of contract.
Nothing has changed.
As our president rallies the world to war, we shake our heads in disappointment.
Perhaps this becomes an Advent reminder: there is one who does offer real peace for the world -- and churches all over the world are talking about reasons why in these days before Christmas.
Maybe this year we can pay attention.
The man so many of us thought would usher in a new world with new priorities ultimately shows human frailty.
His promise of change and peace succumb to pressures of the warmongers.
There can no explaining away the hope for change we bought in to.
It is a clear breach of contract.
Nothing has changed.
As our president rallies the world to war, we shake our heads in disappointment.
Perhaps this becomes an Advent reminder: there is one who does offer real peace for the world -- and churches all over the world are talking about reasons why in these days before Christmas.
Maybe this year we can pay attention.
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