On Veterans Day- Get Out Of Afghanistan

Congressman Eric Massa joins me tonight on my Air America radio show. Since today is Veteran's Day, we'll talk a bit about his career in the Navy, and get his thoughts on Afghanistan. He might surprise you.

Eric Massa also surprised a lot of his colleagues Saturday night, when he joined with Dennis Kucinich as the only two signatories of this letter from the Congressional Progressive Caucus who vowed to vote against any bill without a "robust" public option to actually follow through on that promise!

Progressive Caucus Letter Public Option

View more documents from DocJess.

We need more representatives like Massa and Kucinich. Perhaps if the rest of the 57 held true to their word, as apparently the Blue Dogs and the anti-choice members did, we'd have a better health care bill today.

Last night, Congressman Kucinich joined me and, in discussing the Kucinich amendment, we spoke a bit about ERISA. Tonight, I'll once again be joined by Jeff Metzger, an attorney from Orange County, California who represents clients against insurance companies for unfair denials. Most of those claims are subject to ERISA, which we'll explain again tonight.

As we continue to feature the fight for real health care reform as the primary topic on the show these days, I'll be joined tonight be Joan McCarter. She blogs at DailyKos as McJoan, and has done amazing work. She'll bring us up to date on the latest developments, as Harry Reid has said we'll see the final Senate bill by the end of the week, and debate will begin on Monday.

And we'll also check in with Courtney Scott, a listener from Portland who sent a note asking if I'd consider doing a segment on animal rights. After following the link in her email signature, I saw that she's a film producer, currently finishing up a film called "The War on Animals," so I invited her to tell us a bit about it.

In honor of Veteran's Day, tonight's music will have a message too...

Listen live from 11pm-1am ET by clicking here, and join in the conversation at 866-303-2270.

It Ain't Over Till It's Over

**Updated to include links to the interviews... Click to listen to Dennis Kucinch, Raul Grijalva, and Eleanor Smeal.****


That's a quote from Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who joins me tonight on Air America radio to talk about the reasons why he voted against HR 3962 on Saturday night, but continues to fight to bring real health care reform to the nation.

As I wrote yesterday, I'm truly conflicted. We need reform so badly, but I'm afraid that this bill --while bringing some much needed regulation -- still serves as a massive boondoggle for the for-profit leaches, government sanctioned extortionists known as the for profit health insurance industry.

What would have made Dennis Kucinich vote for it? As he'll explain tonight, if there was any protection for consumers, his vote would have been different.
The Kucinich Amendment (you can read the text here) would make it possible for states to enact their own single payer health care systems, and not be subject to the little known ERISA regulations that would render such systems impotent.

ERISA (The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) is a very complicated topic. I've done two shows on the subject. Jeff Metzger is a listener who happens to be an attorney who represents clients against insurance companies, and contacted me to educate me on the topic. I invited him on the show to explain what it's about. You can listen to that broadcast from August 18 here.

To underscore the importance of the issue, an opposing attorney contacted me, asking to present his side of the issue. So, on August 26, we revisited the subject, with an insurance company attorney, and Richard Johnston, the author of the blog called problemisERISA.blogspot.com. You can listen to that broadcast here.

Anyway, Congressman Kucinich will continue fighting for real reform. Stay up to date with what's going on at www.kucinich.us. And, as he'll tell us tonight, calls and emails to the White House, Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, imploring them to put the Kucinich Amendment back in the final health care bill can only help.

You might be wondering, as I was, what happened to the rest of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, 63 of whom wrote a letter to Nancy Pelosi vowing to vote against any bill that didn't contain a "robust" public option. Tonight, I'll also speak with Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), co-chair of the Progressive Caucus. He'll answer that question for us.

And then there's the question of the Stupak Amendment. The more I think about that piece of shit- er- legislation, the angrier I get. As I was perusing the interwebs today, I came across this piece on HuffPo, "Abortion in Health Care Reform: The Fight Is Far From Over," written by Eleanor Smeal, one of the true heroes of the feminist movement.

Today, in addition to serving as publisher of Ms. magazine, Ms. Smeal is president of the Feminist Majority Foundation, and she'll join us tonight too, to discuss the giant step backwards for human rights foisted upon us by the Stupak amendment.

I hope you'll join us too. Listen live (11pm-1am ET) by clicking here, and call in at 866-303-2270.

Reform... Or Not

***Updated to include links to the interviews. Click the links to hear Howie Klein and John Nichols***

I'm truly conflicted.

I watched much of the "debate" in the House of Representatives on Saturday. I watched some during the early morning hours, presided over by John Dingell - who's spent his entire 28 terms in Congress, and carried on the legacy his father, John Dingell, Sr. started when he first introduced health care legislation in 1943 -- when the Republicans attempted to derail the debate by objecting every time a Democrat spoke.

But it eventually got back on track, and the bill - HR 3962 - Affordable Health Care for America Act, squeaked through by a vote of 220-215.

There's a lot of good in the bill, but way too much bad. Most notably, the horrendous Stupak Amendment, which was introduced and passed in the eleventh hour, which sets women's reproductive rights back to the stone age.

Tonight, John Nichols from The Nation will join me to talk about his piece "Six Smart Progressive Complaints About House Health Bill", and I agree with all of those arguments.

Congressmen Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and Eric Massa (D-NY) both voted against the bill for reasons that we should all heed.

Kucinich:

"We have been led to believe that we must make our health care choices only within the current structure of a predatory, for-profit insurance system which makes money not providing health care. We cannot fault the insurance companies for being what they are. But we can fault legislation in which the government incentivizes the perpetuation, indeed the strengthening, of the for-profit health insurance industry, the very source of the problem. When health insurance companies deny care or raise premiums, co-pays and deductibles they are simply trying to make a profit. That is our system.

"Clearly, the insurance companies are the problem, not the solution. They are driving up the cost of health care. Because their massive bureaucracy avoids paying bills so effectively, they force hospitals and doctors to hire their own bureaucracy to fight the insurance companies to avoid getting stuck with an unfair share of the bills. The result is that since 1970, the number of physicians has increased by less than 200% while the number of administrators has increased by 3000%. It is no wonder that 31 cents of every health care dollar goes to administrative costs, not toward providing care. Even those with insurance are at risk. The single biggest cause of bankruptcies in the U.S. is health insurance policies that do not cover you when you get sick.

"But instead of working toward the elimination of for-profit insurance, H.R. 3962 would put the government in the role of accelerating the privatization of health care. In H.R. 3962, the government is requiring at least 21 million Americans to buy private health insurance from the very industry that causes costs to be so high, which will result in at least $70 billion in new annual revenue, much of which is coming from taxpayers. This inevitably will lead to even more costs, more subsidies, and higher profits for insurance companies-- a bailout under a blue cross.

"By incurring only a new requirement to cover pre-existing conditions, a weakened public option, and a few other important but limited concessions, the health insurance companies are getting quite a deal. The Center for American Progress' blog, Think Progress, states, 'since the President signaled that he is backing away from the public option, health insurance stocks have been on the rise.' Similarly, health care stocks rallied when Senator Max Baucus introduced a bill without a public option. Bloomberg reports that Curtis Lane, a prominent health industry investor, predicted a few weeks ago that 'money will start flowing in again' to health insurance stocks after passage of the legislation. Investors.com last month reported that pharmacy benefit managers share prices are hitting all-time highs, with the only industry worry that the Administration would reverse its decision not to negotiate Medicare Part D drug prices, leaving in place a Bush Administration policy.

"During the debate, when the interests of insurance companies would have been effectively challenged, that challenge was turned back. The 'robust public option' which would have offered a modicum of competition to a monopolistic industry was whittled down from an initial potential enrollment of 129 million Americans to 6 million. An amendment which would have protected the rights of states to pursue single-payer health care was stripped from the bill at the request of the Administration. Looking ahead, we cringe at the prospect of even greater favors for insurance companies.

"Recent rises in unemployment indicate a widening separation between the finance economy and the real economy. The finance economy considers the health of Wall Street, rising corporate profits, and banks' hoarding of cash, much of it from taxpayers, as sign of an economic recovery. However in the real economy-- in which most Americans live - the recession is not over. Rising unemployment, business failures, bankruptcies and foreclosures are still hammering Main Street.

"This health care bill continues the redistribution of wealth to Wall Street at the expense of America's manufacturing and service economies which suffer from costs other countries do not have to bear, especially the cost of health care. America continues to stand out among all industrialized nations for its privatized health care system. As a result, we are less competitive in steel, automotive, aerospace and shipping while other countries subsidize their exports in these areas through socializing the cost of health care.

"Notwithstanding the fate of H.R. 3962, America will someday come to recognize the broad social and economic benefits of a not-for-profit, single-payer health care system, which is good for the American people and good for America's businesses, with of course the notable exceptions being insurance and pharmaceuticals."

From Eric Massa's office:

Today Congressman Eric Massa outlined his reasons for voting against H.R. 3962 on Saturday night. To summarize the specific votes: Rep. Massa voted for the rule of debate, against the Stupak Amendment and against final passage of the bill.

When H.R. 3962 was first introduced on Thursday, October 29th, Rep. Massa canceled his weekend schedule to read and review the legislation. Following seven days of studying the bill, consulting with experts and speaking with constituents, Rep. Massa announced his intention to vote against the bill.

Rep. Massa had several concerns because the legislation did not meet several of his key objectives, including guaranteed universal access for all Americans and an assurance of individual affordability. While this bill does contain a public option, it is far from a "robust" one and Rep. Massa pledged, in a letter months ago, to vote against anything less than that. The public option in this bill is available for only about 2% of the American population and its premium rates will match private health insurance, guaranteeing no effective competition in the marketplace.

Additionally, he thinks that this bill, if signed into law, will not do enough to regulate the private for-profit health insurance industry and will actually empower them further. This is a major problem with the legislation as far as he is concerned. During the months of public debate on this topic, Rep. Massa called for the health insurance industry to be able to write plans across state lines and, while this bill partially addresses this, it does not lift this exemption outright. As such, he views this as a half measure rather than true interstate competition and believes that the goals of interstate competition will not be realized.

Rep. Massa also expressed concerns about the constitutionality of the individual mandate. While the Constitution empowers the Congress to raise and levy taxes, there is no clear indication that it allows for Congress to require the public to purchase insurance plans if they can afford them.

Detailed careful reading and understanding of the bill shows that should this become law, property taxes in New York State must increase by a minimum of 3%. By increasing Medicaid availability to citizens with an income of 150% of the federal poverty level, the federal government passes to New York State and its counties a cost sharing increase of at least 3% at the county level. Rep. Massa views this as being exceptionally counterproductive to our economy at this time.

During the closing hours of the debate, Rep. Massa voted against the Stupak Amendment which he viewed as a significant universal increase of current federal law. For the first time, if passed, the federal government would have prohibited a private citizen from using private funding to buy an insurance policy that covered elements of reproductive rights. The bill as written is clear, no federal funding for abortion procedures is allowed. Rep. Massa agrees with that but does not support an increase in federal law on this matter. This amendment passed and became part of the final legislation.

While there are several provisions that he did like in the bill, such as the elimination of patient rejections on the basis of pre-existing conditions, and the closing of the Medicare Part D Donut hole, members of Congress cannot vote for one part of a bill and against another.

"There are several reasons why I voted 'no' on H.R. 3962," said Congressman Eric Massa. "I have always said that I will vote 'no' on a bad bill to try and get a better one and that's what I did. Reforming our health care system is critical to our economy and our nation, but I had some serious concerns regarding the bill that we voted on Saturday night. If the Senate is able to move forward, I hope we can get a better bill back for a conference version."

I love that these two men are standing firm on their principles. Some progressives have very short memories. We cheered the Congressional Progressive Caucus when 62 of them sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi in which they vowed to vote against any bill that did not contain a "robust" public option. Kucinich and Massa are the last men standing.

And the despicable Stupid, er, Stupak Amendment just made this bill reprehensible. So, how could anyone who cares about women's rights vote for this bill with that amendment in it? To move it forward. This is NOT the final bill.

From the NY Times:

Some Democrats said they voted for the legislation so they could seek improvements in it. “This bill will get better in the Senate,” said Representative Jim Cooper, a Tennessee Democrat who has been outspoken in his criticism of some provisions of the bill but decided to support it. “If we kill it here, it won’t have a chance to get better.”

We can only hope!

Is there enough good in this bill, as it stands today, to outweigh the bad? I honestly don't know. But I can support these measures that ARE included:

• Ending the insurance companies' anti-trust exemption
• Extending coverage for kids to remain on their parents plans up to their 27th birthday
• Creating a new voluntary, public long term insurance program
• Begins closing the Medicare Part D Donut Hole immediately
• Immediate help for the uninsured

I know that if we held out for what I'd consider acceptable, we'd never get anything done.

Down With Tyranny's Howie Klein will join me for the first hour tonight to break down the vote, and look at who voted for what, and consider the ramifications.

Listen live (11pm-1am ET) by clicking here, and add your thoughts by calling in at 866-303-2270.

It's Friday Night,, Do You Know Where Your Health Care Bill Is?

We'd heard that the House of Representatives would be voting on HR 3962 - Affordable Health Care For America Act - tomorrow, sometime around 6pm. Or not...

It's now looking like the vote may not happen tomorrow at all. Perhaps Sunday, or Monday, or Tuesday... The Obstructionist Party is trying to delay things, as usual. But the Blue Dogs are throwing their own wrenches in the works too.

Tonight, we'll check in with Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), the co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus to find out how she and the other progressives will vote on the bill, and get an update about what's actually in the final House bill.

We're all still reeling from yesterday's massacre at Ft. Hood, while those on the other side of the aisle seem to be dealing with it by ratcheting up the hatred toward Muslims. Larisa Alexandrovna (Raw Story), has written very eloquently, as usual, about this topic on her blog, atlargely.com, and will join me in the first hour tonight to talk about the insanity of it all.

And since it's the Friday night, we'll end the week with a fun interview with Jo Maeder. Radio listeners from South Florida and NYC might remember her from Y100, K-Rock and Z-100. The former "Rock & Roll Madam" left radio to care for her ailing mother, and wrote about it in the book When I Married My Mother: A Daughter's Search for What Really Matters --and How She Found It Caring for Mama Jo.

The Miami Book Fair International is coming up next weekend, and I've been fortunate to be able to speak with a number of the author's who'll be appearing, including Jo. She'll be reading Saturday afternoon, 11/14.

If It Were Up To Me....

A wonderful singer songwriter named Cheryl Wheeler has a song called "If It Were Up To Me." I play it on the radio too often. And I will, unfortunately, be playing it tonight.

I first played it on the air in 1999, after two kids opened fire on their fellow classmates, killing 12 of them and a teacher, and injuring many more, at Columbine High School in Littleton, CO.

I played it eight years later, almost to the day, when a mentally unstable student at Virgina Tech terrorized a building on campus, and killing 32 people and wounding many others before killing himself.

Although music is one of my greatest joys, I've never taken pleasure in playing "If It Were Up To Me," as it's always in response to a crazed person with a gun.

Today, at the "soldier readiness facility" inside the world's largest military base, Ft. Hood in Texas, US Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan allegedly began shooting. At last count, 12 of his victims have died; 31 more are wounded.

I don't know if it's irony or somehow related to his alleged actions today, the fact that Hasan is a graduate of Virginia Tech. So many thoughts spinning through my mind, and I'm sure yours too. We'll talk about it tonight.

Initial reports said that one shooter was killed, and two or three other suspects were either in custody or at large. We've now learned that Hasan likely acted alone and that he is still very much alive. Perhaps we'll be able to get some idea of what goes on inside the crazed mind of a person who'd do such a thing.

Hasan might be able to give us more answers into his own state of mind. He's an Army psychiatrist, who spent many hours counseling soldiers upon their return from Iraq and Afghanistan, suffering from post traumatic stress disorder at Walter Reed Medical Center.

If It Were Up to Me
Words and Lyrics by:
Cheryl Wheeler

Maybe it's the movies, maybe it's the books
Maybe it's the bullets, maybe it's the real crooks
Maybe it's the drugs, maybe it's the parents
Maybe it's the colors everybody's wearin
Maybe it's the President, maybe it's the last one
Maybe it's the one before that, what he done
Maybe it's the high schools, maybe it's the teachers
Maybe it's the tattooed children in the bleachers
Maybe it's the Bible, maybe it's the lack
Maybe it's the music, maybe it's the crack
Maybe it's the hairdos, maybe it's the TV
Maybe it's the cigarettes, maybe it's the family
Maybe it's the fast food, maybe it's the news
Maybe it's divorce, maybe it's abuse
Maybe it's the lawyers, maybe it's the prisons
Maybe it's the Senators, maybe it's the system
Maybe it's the fathers, maybe it's the sons
Maybe it's the sisters, maybe it's the moms
Maybe it's the radio, maybe it's road rage
Maybe El Nino, or UV rays
Maybe it's the army, maybe it's the liquor
Maybe it's the papers, maybe the militia
Maybe it's the athletes, maybe it's the ads
Maybe it's the sports fans, maybe it's a fad
Maybe it's the magazines, maybe it's the internet
Maybe it's the lottery, maybe it's the immigrants
Maybe it's taxes, big business
Maybe it's the KKK and the skinheads
Maybe it's the communists, maybe it's the Catholics
Maybe it's the hippies, maybe it's the addicts
Maybe it's the art, maybe it's the sex
Maybe it's the homeless, maybe it's the banks
Maybe it's the clearcut, maybe it's the ozone
Maybe it's the chemicals, maybe it's the car phones
Maybe it's the fertilizer, maybe it's the nose rings
Maybe it's the end, but I know one thing.
If it were up to me, I'd take away the guns.

(P) October 1, 1997

Penrod And Higgins Music / Amachrist Music ACF Music Group International Copyright Reserved

Unfortunately, I have the song ready to play, once again, tonight.

Also on tonight's program, I'll be joined by Christy Harvey of the Center for American Progress with a look at some of the other stories of the day.

And I'll talk with Diane Havens, one of the co-founders of HearTheBill.org, a place you can go to hear volunteer voiceover artists read the text of HR 3962 "The Affordable Health Care for America Act".

As always, I hope you'll listen tonight (11pm-1am ET) by clicking here. And participate in the conversation by calling 866-303-2270.

One Big Day, Two Big Shows!

It's a busy day today. The country is reflecting on President Barack Obama, one year after we made history by electing him our nation's 44th leader. I'm celebrating my 50th birthday today with two shows on this auspicious anniversary.

From 3-6pm ET, I'll be guest hosting The Randi Rhodes Show. What an honor, and a great birthday gift from a woman who inspired me to enter the realm of talk radio.

I'll be taking your calls at 866-87-RANDI throughout the three hours, during which we'll be joined by various guests weighing in too.

DC insider and The Hill columnist Brent Budowsky penned two columns this week, both taking a hard look at Obama then vs. now. Check out yesterday's "Come Home, Mr. President" and Monday's "Voters Are Not Stupid."

Howie Klein, the man behind DownWithTyranny.com and the Blue America PAC, will join in for a look at yesterday's off-year election day, and we'll discuss whether or not the outcomes are a reflection of Obama's performance.

And Ryan Grim will check in from Huffington Post with the latest in the fight for health care reform. Is the president doing enough to enact real change? Did Nancy Pelosi reinstate the Kucinich amendment when she released the "manager's amendment" late last night?

I look forward to your thoughts this afternoon too!

Tonight, we'll end the day with my regular Air America radio program, from 11pm-1am ET. I've pre-recorded it so I can celebrate my 50th with some friends and family. But I hope you'll tune in for an in-depth and spirited conversation with Ralph Nader about his new book, "Only the Super Rich Can Save Us" and how his work of fiction could, possibly, become reality!

And we'll wrap up the day with Russ Baker, who explained in "What Obama is Up Against" on truthout.org some of the hidden factors affecting the Obama - and every- presidency.

You can actually listen to both shows today on the AAR stream, as Air America carries the Randi Rhodes show on their Washington DC station.

Thanks for making my 50th a very happy birthday indeed!

Election Day 2009 and God

What do those two things have in common? Other than the fact that all wining candidates will probably thank the man in the sky, they'll both be discussed on my show tonight!

Let's start with election day. OK, it's an off year, but there are a few important contests. The gubernatorial races in both VA and NJ might signal a resurgence for Republicans. The VA race was called almost immediately after the polls closed, as Republican Bob McDonnell handily defeated Democrat Creigh Deeds. Perhaps it was Deeds' name that sunk him.

NJ, at the time of this writing, is still too close to call.

Maine voted today on medical marijuana and marriage equality. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will find out if he will win a third term (money has it's advantages), and the nation's eyes are, unfortunately focused on the strange race in the 23rd District, where the teabaggers endorsed a carpetbagger right winger instead of the Republican candidate, who finally dropped out of the race and endorsed the Democrat!

Ahh, politics. Jack Rice, my Air America colleague will join me at the top of the show to bring us all the latest returns.

Then I'll be joined by one of my favorite guests. Frank Schaeffer's new book, Patience With God --Faith for People Who Don't Like Religion (or Atheism) hit stores last week.

Frank's father, Francis Schaeffer was the founder of the religious right movement, and Frank was right by his side... until he saw the light, so to speak. He wrote of that experience in his last book, Crazy For God-- How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) Of It Back.

And, if time permits, we'll take a listen down memory lane, with an interview I did with Shirley Maclaine two years ago. She had just written a book which contained a brief passage about Dennis Kucinich and UFO's. Tim Russert had asked Kucinich about it in a presidential debate, and I asked her about that question!

Join us tonight from 11pm-1am ET on Air America! Click here to listen live, and call in at 866-303-2270!