History Was Made: Health Care Reform Passes
Posted by Michelle Moquin on March 22nd, 2010
Good morning!
When Health care reform passed last night, I broke out into tears. I thought about all of the lives that were going to be saved….all of the hardwork that Obama, Pelosi, the administration, myself, all of you put forth over this past year, and most importantly over these past months.
We all know that it is not the best piece of legislation but it is something so remarkable that we can not deny its viability and necessity. So many people, so many families that so desperately needed this to pass, and it did….and of course, it is a journey, it is a something that we can all work toward bettering.
I am so grateful to all of you that participated and were committed to making this happen.
We have truly made history and changed history. What a team Obama, a black man, and Pelosi, a woman. I point this out because it is worth pointing out. We have our first black president: Obama. A president who accomplished what past white presidents could not do in 100 years. It is a historical moment in legislation. A first of many that I see.
Oh, and you know the right, racist, recalcitrant republicans, and their fellow tea party peeps are just seething because they couldn’t make this bill fail…because they couldn’t make Obama fail. Obama kept the hope and inspired all of us to do the same. The ‘party of no’ failed and we prevailed.
And Pelosi? She is an amazing woman, a leader, and an inspiration to all women. Did you know that Pelosi is the only person who has a record of bringing a bill to the floor and ensuring its passage every time? And she has passed some huge legislation to speak of. Talk about being committed to taking it all the way and making it happen.
And did you know Pelosi is going down in history as one of the top two speakers in the last 100 years of the history of the house? And did I mention she is a woman, just in case you need a reminder? To all of those men in congress…you just can’t hang with her; she’s got the edge and the tenacity like no other.
Again, it’s a historical moment. And if I know Obama, (Don’t I wish I personally knew him:), he will continue to make history, and Pelosi will be right there beside him doing what she does best.
I congratulate them both, as well as everyone who worked so hard, including all of you. Thank you. We did it.
Readers: Comments? I so want to hear how you feel about Health care passing. I know we have some readers who really needed this to happen. I would love to hear your personal stories. Blog me.
Anna: Congratulations to Inno Sotto. I have yet to check out his designs but I will try when I have some free time. Will you be attending his show? Thank you for the compliment. Designing is not presently a big part of my life, but expressing my creativity in all areas of my life will always be.
Robert: Welcome back (?) It is good to see your commentary here again. In regards to your comments, you are, as always, very observant and right on. I hope that you’ll continue chatting with us.
Ursla: Loved your article. I think that would be great fun for seniors, and obviously beneficial. Thanks for posting.
Marie: Again a good one. I think these lawyers are so programmed to asking so many questions that they aren’t thinking about the previous answer before they address the next one. That is stupid and scary.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my ‘loyal’(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the ‘Donate’ button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my ‘Donate’ page)
March 22nd, 2010 at 10:06 am
Hafa adai
And the reason a former Republic of Russia, Georgia, is interested in Guam?
___________________________________________
Home > World > CIS
Georgian President: We have good relations with GUAM, we should make use of them
[ 22 Mar 2010 20:03 ]
Marneuli. Nizami Mammadzadeh – APA. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili attended the Nowruz festivities in Marneuli. APA’s Georgia bureau reports that answering journalists’ questions President commented on his visit to Baku and GUAM’s future prospects.
He said visits will always be paid to Baku.
“As regards GUAM’s prospects we will always consult with all the sides. This organization is a good sphere of cooperation. It has prospects. We have close and bilateral relations with this organization. We should make use of the relations with GUAM,” he said.
___________________________________________
What is going on? Any ideas Howie?
Peter
March 22nd, 2010 at 10:12 am
AGAVE HEALTH CLAIM DOESN’T MATCH ITS HYPE
From the same cactus that gives us tequila, we now have a sweetener that is making health-food fanciers kick up their heels in delight — it is a syrup made from agave, a succulent native to Mexico.
Even my supermarket is now selling a variety of products proudly proclaiming that they are “sweetened with agave nectar,” the implication being that this is healthier than regular sugar or high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
It’s easy to understand how agave syrup got its great reputation. The cactus has been cultivated for thousands of years. Even its name, “agave,” has a fine pedigree, coming from the Greek word for noble.
Fresh extracts from the agave plant have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and some antioxidant properties — but unfortunately, there’s zero evidence that any of those compounds are present in the commercially made syrup.
AGAVE CLAIMS
Agave nectar is an amber-colored liquid that pours more easily than honey and is sweeter than white table sugar, according to Jeannette Bessinger, author of Simple Food for Busy Families.
Among the health claims are that it’s gluten-free (but so are all other refined sugars) and suitable for vegan diets (again, just like the rest of the sweeteners) — and, most especially, that it has a relatively low glycemic index.
A large body of research shows that foods with low glycemic indexes, such as vegetables, beans and high-fiber foods in general, tend to be healthier for us than foods that quickly raise our blood sugar.
But in the case of agave nectar, you have to ask, why does this sugar have a low-glycemic index? And the answer is that agave nectar is made largely of fructose, which, even though it has a low glycemic index, is being implicated in many long-term health problems.
With the exception of pure liquid fructose, agave nectar has the highest fructose content of any commercial sweetener.
It’s worth knowing that all sugars, from white table sugar to high-fructose corn syrup and even honey, include some mixture of fructose and glucose.
For example, table sugar is 50% fructose/50% glucose and HFCS is 55/45. Agave nectar is a whopping 70% to 90% fructose.
“Fructose, which is basically the sugar found in fruit, is perfectly fine when it is ingested in whole foods like apples,” said nutritionist Jonny Bowden, CNS, author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth.
“That’s because it also comes with a host of vitamins, antioxidants and fiber, so you are getting good stuff along with it. But, when fructose is extracted from fruit, concentrated and made into a sweetener, it plays havoc with the metabolism.”
Research shows that fructose, more than other kinds of sugars, contributes to insulin resistance and often significantly raises blood levels of triglycerides (a risk factor for heart disease) in both obese and healthy people.
It also has a greater propensity than other sugars to increase fat around the middle, which elevates risk for diabetes, heart disease and metabolic syndrome.
And it’s the sweetener most often linked to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. (To learn more about the dangers of fructose, see Daily Health News, May 12, 2008.)
SPUN SUGAR
So, in the end, it’s all spin. “Agave nectar syrup ends up being a triumph of marketing over science,” said Bowden.
Agave nectar is not poison — it’s okay to enjoy it from time to time, says Bowden. But don’t believe the hype that it’s a health food — that’s just food-industry sweet talk.
Source(s):
Jonny Bowden, CNS, board certified nutritionist, member American Society for Nutrition and American College of Nutrition, and author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth (Fair Winds Press). http://www.jonnybowden.com.
Jeannette Bessinger, board certified holistic health counselor, chef and author of Simple Food for Busy Families (Celestial Arts), based in Newport, Rhode Island. http://www.balanceforlifellc.com.
March 22nd, 2010 at 10:15 am
Pick the correct Penny
I cannot believe how many people did not choose the correct one!
Take a look, and see if you can choose the right penny. No cheating;
do not look at a real penny first. I know you’ve seen a real one!
See if you can pick the correct one here.
Click on the line below to take the test.
Click on the common cents below.
Common Cents
March 22nd, 2010 at 10:22 am
I’ve learned that it takes years
to build up trust, and it only take
suspicion, not proof, to destroy it.
March 22nd, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Hi Mischa,
I am quite excited by this, this is huge and even more than this bill being passed, this indictaes to me that he will definitely have a good shot at re-election, without this he’d have been a lame duck pressie till election time. I’m totally stoked for this bill, this president and Ms Pelosi, we’re making some serious strides much to the chagrin of the repugs and the general population of (name your -ist, racist, etc…) bigots/-ists…yippee…!
Howie, Al, all good out there in FL?
Cheers, Zen Lill
March 23rd, 2010 at 12:33 am
Well Michelle, It feels good to have gotten the Health Care Reform to pass. It shows that your blog has helped make a positive change in U.S. Politics.
I believe that the knowledge and the links that we sent to our Representatives has made something real happen that will benefit most U.S. Citizens regarding Health Care.
I must give you kudos for showing me the way to e-mail my Politicians to vote the way I wanted them to and then thanking them for doing so. I could not have communicated with them without the information I received from your blog.
Thank you. You and I do not meet eye to eye on many issues, but we do on the important ones.
I received my 2010 Census packet and sent it out today. I had not choice but to call myself a White Man since it was either that or Hispanic, Black, or Native American. They didn’t have a box to check for Kike or Jew.
This is for all the Jew haters, Skinheads and Racists like George: According to the United States Government Census, a Jewish man is also a White Man.
No one can change the heritage they were born into, so one must be proud of it. If you are any kind of OTW, be proud of it. That is what you are.
We must make the Government accept us all as equals. Men, Women, and all OTW’s. If we fight with our voting power, changes can be made. Just be patient and consistent and it will come. Fight for equality just as you fought for Health Reform. That is the way it works here in the USA. Even with sick Republicans trying to scare you into voting their way.
I feel good about this and so should everyone who made some effort to support our President and his Health care Reform. It certainly was not easy and neither will the fight5 for equality, but it is possible.
Zen Lill:
I am having my last test on Thursday. It will be a PET Scan to search for any tumors that might still be hiding. Then the Surgery where my breastplate will be sawed open will take place the first week of April. I will let you know how I am doing afterward. If, for some reason, I do not make it out alive, I am happy to have met and heard the opinions of all different types of people on thiws blog — both positive and negative. I couldn’t help but learn from it.
HOWIE