The need for an open casket

links to post on daliykosThis is so spot on.

We eventually pay for care, or lack of. In this case, the lack of preventative care ends up costing Americans so much more. But also the care for those uninsured costs insured Americans too. That’s why I support the ACA (Obamacare), which makes general preventative care free, and has allowed so many uninsured to get insurance. There was a need for that in this country.

We shouldn’t be dying, nor allowing others to die.

Removing the “female tax”

hey girl tamponsRight now, there are movements worldwide to remove tax on hygiene products. So called the “tampon tax”.

In Australia, feminine hygiene products are taxed at 10%. This tax contributed to the equivalent of $19 million USD to their government. However, we are talking about a country that does not tax “essential health items”. These items include condoms, lubricants, nicotine patches, and sunscreen. I don’t get how feminine hygiene products are not included as an essential health item.

Canada’s bill to tax-exempt feminine hygiene passed and will begin on July 1st. This will include tampons, pads, and menstrual cups. I’m not sure of the nuances of this law. Like, if I paid $40 for a menstrual cup last year that will last me the next 10 years; I don’t get a tax credit on that, do I? I’m sure the law just applies to new purchases moving forward.

Now, I’m not saying that we need to remove this tax in the US. I get the US does things differently, and by state. Some states don’t tax food at fast food restaurants when you get it ‘to go’; they only charge the tax if you are using their facility to eat. Some states don’t charge tax on clothes, because they say that clothes are essential.

However, I got to thinking about this, and thought – we could use some tax credit just for being female. You feel me? First of all, it’s well-known (& accepted) fact that women make less money than men. How about a tax credit to off-set that? Also, women just have to deal with more *ish than men. Just ask any woman what she goes through in a normal day, and ask a man. It’s dramatically different.

I think you’d have to include the men who transitioned to female. Because I’m sure they go through a lot of *ish too. But I don’t think they should get the equal amount of credit, depending on the age they transitioned. Like, for example, Bruce Jenner led a very fortuned life as a man, and likely benefited more as a man than he would have as a woman. Whereas, maybe someone who transitioned as a teen would have to go through the struggle of the transition WHILST going through the struggle of being a teen. And god knows, the struggle of being a teen is not something anyone would wish on anyone.

Now I’m not belittling what Bruce Jenner went through. I get that he lived his whole life with an inner conflict that weighed on him everyday. I don’t mean to diminish that in any way. I’m just saying, to be a woman in this country, world actually, is not easy.

Let’s talk about the Hobby Lobby situation








kid gets away with murder, literally



pic links to article
pic links to article

standing OUR ground







DOMA. Prop 8. NBD.




So, of course it was going to be struck down.




Fed funding to protect our cities

Ppl complain about how much money our federal govt spends. But so much of it really MUST be spent.

For example, I read an article today about how Boston is one of the most prepared cities for crisis. I think we can all agree now, in retrospect, that the US Govt funneling BILLIONS of dollars into crisis preparedness of major cities was $ well-spent.

You should read the article, b/c it goes into the drills they did.


“What the Urban Shield program does is test it all at the same time – bomb squads working, swat teams working, fire, HazMat, search and rescue, command centers activated, all your radio systems, hospitals activated – everyone’s kind of working together,” says Baker, who worked closely with the city to execute the simulation. “That’s where you start to find your gaps – who can’t speak to whom on the radio. You identify the real problems when you get everyone together.”

This is a good use of money. Especially after what we’ve seen happen this past week in Boston. Those ‘boys in blue’ really knew what they were doing, and KUDOS to that whole city!

On a slightly related note, about the whole federal funds thing. Back when Hurricane Sandy happened, so many Senators voted AGAINST giving funds to those affected by the storm. They needed to rebuild, and get back to work, re-open businesses. But Congress didn’t want to give them money. For a natural disaster.

Two of those who voted against giving them money, were the 2 Senators from TX. Well, now those 2 Texas senators are asking for money for what happened when that private business caught on fire & exploded in West, TX. I’m sympathetic for the city. But why, time & time again, are we against something until it hits us personally. Are we that disillusioned that we are no longer able to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes? I’m looking forward to finding out what happened there as well. That is, if that private company did not follow federal regulations. I’ve heard that there was at least 1 safety mark against them. Let’s see what we get out of this investigation as well.

west tx