Bush’s regulation didn’t go far enough
Feb 28, 2009 News
On the day that Barack Obama became president, a rule quietly went into affect that basically gave all health care workers the right to refuse to give a patient information or care if it involved anything the provider had a moral objection against. If your pediatrician were anti-vaccine, he could refuse to vaccinate your child, or even tell you about vaccines. Want to fill your birth control prescription at your local drugstore but the pharmacist is Catholic? He wouldn’t have to fill your prescription.
President Obama is moving to reverse the rule, but I think that’s a mistake. I think it should go the other way. Things are headed in that direction anyway, so we’ll get there quicker with federal help. There are Muslim cabbies refusing to take fares who are carrying alcohol. Hell, if that’s OK, then why do some racist white cabbies in NYC have to pick up black fares? Does it work for bus drivers too? Can they refuse to let ugly people on the bus?
If it goes against a health-conscious waitress’ morals to serve french fries, her job should be protected. Same for the frugal bank teller who refuses to give money to the customer wearing Prada. Movie theater employees shouldn’t have to sell tickets for movies that offend them. And if your black child goes swimming at a public pool with a white supremacist for a lifeguard, you’d better hope your baby can swim, because that lifeguard won’t have to save anybody who offends his morals. He won’t even be required to yell for another lifeguard.
Oh Bush, you had so many good ideas. I’m sorry you couldn’t achieve all you wanted in eight short years. Damn term limits.
Originally posted on Selfish Mom
White House set to reverse health care conscious clause [CNN]
Tags: President Bush, President Obama, Provider Refusal Rule
Negotiate this, Republicans.
Feb 3, 2009 What's Going On
For the past few days, Republicans – especially John McCain – have been all over TV, talking about how President Obama 
needs to negotiate his stimulus bill in the Senate if he wants bipartisan support, which he does. He didn’t get it in the House. And he negotiated in the House. He took things out of the bill that Republicans didn’t like, knowing that they were inconsequential anyway and that Republicans were just looking for easy fights (Abortion! Abortion! Obama’s paying for Abortions! Look, everybody!). The bill passed anyway, even if it didn’t get a single Republican vote (there are some reasonable Republicans out there, so I have a feeling some pets and small children were being held hostage until after the vote).
It all reminded me of a quote I read a couple years ago, and with my husband’s help I was able to find it:
It is no big scoop that the majority party in Congress has always found ways of giving the shaft to the minority. But there is a marked difference in the size and the length of the shaft the Republicans have given the Democrats in the past six years...it is a one-party town — and congressional business is conducted accordingly, as though the half of the country that the Democrats represent simply does not exist.
So far, President Obama has shown a determination to act the way I’m sure he would have liked to be treated when he was in the Senate under Finally Former President Bush. He’s trying to embody the golden rule in the face of amazingly short-sighted behavior by Republicans. They’re asking for things that they not only denied Democrats for six years, but denied them in a spectacularly blunt fashion, as if Republicans would be in power forever (an attitude that sped up their demise – talk about screwing yourself!).
If you do only one thing today, please read the article that the above quote came from: The Worst Congress Ever, by Matt Taibbi. It appeared in Rolling Stone in 2006 and yes, it is long, but it’s worth it (and funny, in an “I can’t believe grown people – our leaders! – are acting like that” kind of way). After you read it, think about it every time a Republican asks for negotiation, fairness, and consideration. And then watch in wonder as President Obama probably gives it to them.
Originally posted on Selfish Mom
Tags: Democrats, House, John McCain, MattTaibbi, President Bush, President Obama, Republicans, Rolling Stone, Senate, Worst Congress Ever
Dreaming of warm weather
Jan 14, 2009 Amy in the Morning
Thanks Maria!
Originally posted on Selfish Mom
Tags: Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line, Hurricane Katrina, Iraq War, President Bush, The Bahamas
