Random Thoughts

15 states (including, sadly, my own) have pending resolutions to deny global climate change. It's weird and sad; when I hear that a state legislature has a resolution to outlaw a scientific theory or fact, I think that's got to be a story about something that happened in 1891. But no, it's happening right now. Shit, it might as well be 1607 for all that people have advanced. Our toys get better, but America is still sinking in its own idiocy.

:: Speaking of problems in Illinois, things are just getting worse for teachers. Here in DeKalb, there's been another round of teacher layoffs, which makes the competition for work that much harder for us subs. Besides that, this nearly-bankrupt state is now proposing borrowing $5 billion, raising income tax, and cutting even more education. It looks like about 13,000 school workers are going to lose their jobs in Illinois. Plus, a lot of sports programs are being cut. You know things are bad for schools when they're finally cutting the sports programs, too. (And--surprise, surprise--it's the cutting of sports that are really bringing parents out to protest.)

It's like I said the last time I did one of these: I'm worried we're getting to a point where actually finishing high school is considered something of a luxury. This country is decimating its education system while corporations go unregulated and unchecked, destroying this country's economy. And given President Obama's recent spoken approval of the mass teacher firings in Rhode Island, I don't think he or his Secretary of Education (who actually praised the firings) are interested in fixing the problem.

To paraphrase The American President, Obama is so busy trying to keep his job that he's too busy to do his job.

Speaking of Obama and financial problems in Illinois, insurance companies here plan on raising their rates by as much as 60% per person, I guess just because they can. After all, a new study by Health Care for America Now [pdf] just announced that the premium increases that are now epidemic in America have nothing to do with the cost of health care. The study shows that premium rates have nearly doubled in the last 8 years, while medical costs have only gone up 40% and wages have only gone up 29%. Blue Shield is raising its rates by as much as 75%.

Boy, aren't you glad we don't have a public option? Not extorting people for money in the event that they ever need a hospital is wrong.

President Obama actually weighed in on this one, sending a letter to health insurance CEOs and giving a speech where he asked “How much higher do premiums have to rise before we do something about it?”

Great question, Mr. President. Here's another great question: If the health insurance industry is fleecing Americans out of their money, why are you supporting a health care bill that would force every American to become their customers?


Dennis Kucinich sums up EXACTLY what the problem is in this country and why this health bill shouldn't be passed. I wish more people who say they feel like he does would actually vote the way he does.

:: Virginia State Delegate Bob Marshall said at a rally against Planned Parenthood funding that handicapped children are God's punishment to women who have previously had abortions. I don't understand what the thinking of these people is. It's the same idiot thinking that gives us the sadly mainstream impression that Planned Parenthood is an abortion clinic, when abortion accounts for 3% of the services they provide. Are Republicans really just against low-cost health care for poor people? No, that's probably crazy... if that were true, we'd have some kind of pending federal health care bill that forced people to become insurance customers.

:: Rush Limbaugh said that if the health care bill passes, he'll leave the country. Quit trying to sweeten the deal, Rush.

I hate people who say shit like that. They never mean it. Besides, where the fuck is he going to go? To a country which does have single-payer health care?

:: Sarah Palin recently had to go to Canada to take advantage of their evil, inefficient national health care. She said it was "ironic." I like to think she just mispronounced "hypocritical."

Also, regarding the crib notes written on her hand: she says she was following God's example. I don't remember anything in the bible about God writing down his notes on his hand, but maybe I missed that part when I was actually reading it.

:: Good idea: they're finally upgrading the air traffic control system by putting a GPS in the planes and using satellites instead of ground-based radar. Wow, welcome to the late 20th century, airlines.

Predictable: the airlines are whining to the government for federal money to do it, because it's somehow unfair for them to have to pay for anything. I ask again: can we just nationalize the airline services in this country? The government is always funding them, anyway, so let's just take the final step, already. You can't claim to be a capitalist enterprise when you've constantly got your hand out to the government.

The Itawamba County school board in Mississippi decided to cancel the prom rather than let Constance McMillen attend in a tuxedo with her girlfriend. The ACLU got involved, so as retaliation the school board decided to make McMillen the bad guy and cancel the entire prom. So a whole senior class doesn't get their prom because Itawamba County would rather have no prom at all than not be allowed to discriminate against gay people. There's really no other way to look at that.

Great country we've got here.