Progressive Nashville

Election problems in Florida

From the Orlando Sentinel:

On Florida Primary day, voters are reporting problems across Central Florida from Daytona Beach to Hunter's Creek. Among the precincts experiencing glitches was one in Orange County where voters were told by poll workers early on there was no Democratic primary today.

Phil Marjason said poll workers at precinct 145 in Hunter's Creek would not give him a Democratic ballot ...

At least a dozen voters in Orange, Lake, Seminole and Osceola counties claimed they had problems receiving the correct ballots.

ACLU files lawsuit over Ohio voting machines

The ACLU has gone to court to force Cuyahoga County to abandon plans to use a new voting machine in the March 4 presidential primary election because it does not provide a way of notifying voters about ballot errors. Voters in other Ohio counties will use equipment that does alert voters to errors and the ACLU says that puts Cleveland-area voters at a disadvantage.

A General Accounting Office study has determined that there are flaws in voting machines that make them susceptible to error and fraud. Ohio has been singled out as a state with huge voting discrepancies in the 2004 election, including charges that the election was stolen in that state.

    - Jim Grinstead

FEMA fails Katrina victims again

Federal Emergency Management Agency officials apparently gave only scant warnings to victims of Hurricane Katrina about the possible chemical dangers posed by trailers provided by the agency as temporary housing.

The agency also failed to test the trailers to see what level of danger existed.

Salon.com this morning reports that not only did the agency put off testing of the units to avoid possible lawsuits, but that "FEMA also pressured scientists to water down a report on the health risks of formaldehyde. FEMA officials instructed the scientists to omit any references to cancer or other long-term health risks from exposure to formaldehyde in FEMA trailers."

About 40,000 FEMA trailers are still in use and Salon says "Almost immediately, hundreds of families called FEMA to complain of illnesses, from breathing difficulties, bloody noses and rashes to more serious problems, and even deaths, possibly connected to high levels of formaldehyde gas permeating the trailers. Formaldehyde is a nearly colorless gas with a pungent, irritating odor even at low levels. It is used in many products and manufacturing procedures, notably as an adhesive in plywood used to make trailers. Health reports reveal that exposure to formaldehyde can impact fertility and the developing fetus, leading to spontaneous abortion or physical malformations."

In a letter sent to Dr. Howard Frumkin, chief of the National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Reps. Brad Miller, chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee's Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, and Nick Lampson, chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, wrote "... even after you were specifically told about the scientifically flawed and potentially misleading information in this report and apparently agreed that it should be amended, your agency did not revise this Health Consultation until seven months later in October 2007. Your lack of urgency in this matter is remarkable."

    - Jim Grinstead

Where America stands - Health care

In the days before the primary election on Feb. 5, Progressive Nashville takes a look at where America stands on some important issues and, on Friday, where we should be going.

Today we look at health care.

Health Care

America is said to have the best health care system in the world, yet more than 45 million people -- about 15 percent of our population -- don't have health insurance and, thus, don't have full access to the system. Most Americans, according to a recent survey, say they expect to eventually be cut out of the health care system because they cannot afford insurance.

We have the second highest rate of infant mortality in the world.

We've seen people's financial lives ruined when they try to get the health care they need.

Many older Americans are choosing between medicine and food.

This was not the case 40 years ago, according to research by Dr. Rosemary Stephens. At that time, more than 70 percent of the population had some form of hospital insurance by 1965 (though less than one-half of the elderly population did), 67 percent had surgical insurance, and there was a growing market for major medical insurance.

Medicare was created to provide care elderly because their needs were great and private insurance was not available. It was also the first insurance to be available to people regardless or class or other status in society. Private insurance was not as egalitarian and there were large numbers of poor people who, like today, did not have access to health care.

Among the uninsured today, children are more likely to have coverage than adults because of government programs, but that doesn't mean they are safe.

Nearly twenty percent of uninsured Americans – 8.7 million individuals – are children. While children are more likely to be insured than non-elderly adults, health insurance is particularly important for children. Uninsured children are more likely than insured children to lack a usual source of health care, to go without needed care and to experience worse health outcomes.

It should also be noted that in 1960, health insurance covered 36 percent of private health spending, while individuals covered the remaining 64 percent out of their own pocket. By 2005, health insurance accounted for 77 percent of private health spending, while out-of-pocket spending accounted for 23 percent of spending.

Looking forward from 1960, researcher Stephens notes, "...many of the problems in medicine that were observed in the 1960s are still with us: lack of insurance (now chiefly among those of working age and children), and instances of professional or bureaucratic carelessness, inhumanity, economic misbehavior, excessive expectations, and still a general bias toward superspecialist rather than primary care."

Despite the lack of real progress in providing more health care, the cost has gone up. In 1960, health care was about five percent of gross national product. By 2005, the number had gone up to nearly 16 percent. While technology has been given credited for the increase, research says that it is responsible only for about half the cost. Costs for hospital stays and physician visits have declined while the cost of prescription medicines have increased.

In more than 40 years, we have extended health care coverage to the elderly and children, but a large percentage of our population still is at risk to a catastrophic health care event. Costs have shifted to private insurers and those costs have increased far faster than the economy has grown.

While costs have shifted to private insurers, there is also evidence that private management has resulted in lower costs. According to a report by Public Citizen, "Studies by both the Congressional Budget Office and the General Accounting Office have repeatedly shown that single-payer universal health care would save significant dollars in administrative costs. As early as 1991, the GAO concluded that if the universal coverage and single-payer features of the Canadian system had been applied in the United States that year, the total savings (then estimated at $66.9 billion) 'would have been more than enough to finance insurance coverage for the millions of American who are currently uninsured.'"

If we are to improve the public health, protect people from catastrophic health care events, and rein in health care costs, we need a new approach to providing care. Private insurance has not been a solution, so it will be up to government to find a way to provide coverage in an affordable way. Medicare and the veterans health care system have already proven that government systems can work.

    - Jim Grinstead

Republicans, Christians battle in Iowa

From the Des Moines Register:

An Iowa Republican activist has filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission accusing the Iowa Christian Alliance of trying to influence the campaign for Iowa's Republican presidential caucuses.

Stacey Cargill of West Des Moines accused Iowa Christian Alliance President Steve Scheffler of allowing a supporter of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney to use the alliance's office and membership database in December. She claimed the activity was aimed at influencing social conservatives to back Romney over former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Counting votes, not electors

From the Progressive States Network:

Earlier this month, New Jersey Governor John Corzine signed a bill, S2695/A4225, making New Jersey the second state after Maryland to adopt the National Popular Vote interstate compact, an agreement to allocate the state's Presidential electors to whoever wins the popular vote nationally once a sufficient number of states adopt the compact.  The Illinois legislature also approved National Popular Vote this month and the bill awaits the governor's signature.

Along with both chambers in New Jersey, Maryland and Illinois, seven other legislative chambers have adopted National Popular Vote, including Arkansas House, California Senate, California Assembly, Colorado Senate, Hawaii House, Hawaii Senate, and the North Carolina Senate. In fact, 391 state legislators in 47 states have sponsored National Popular Vote legislation, so many other states are considering the reform this year. Given the overwhelming 70% plus support in polls for having the President elected by a majority of the nation's votes, this is welcome progress.

Where America stands - The Truth

In the days before the primary election on Feb. 5, Progressive Nashville takes a look at where America stands on some important issues and, on Friday, where we should be going.

Today we look at perhaps the greatest casualty of the past 30 years, the truth.

The Truth

Last week we learned that President Bush and the nation's top leaders lied 935 times about the threat Iraq posed to the United States and that's just in the time leading up to the invasion. We've learned as early as 2004 that Iran has no program, yet the Bush administration continued to claim up to last November that it did. Even then, the administration paused only briefly before starting up again with its claims that Iran is a threat.

America had learned before that the administration had told lies., but the response to the volume of the lies that were told was understated. The news did not make The Tennessean and many other newspapers in America. Nor did it become the buzz around office water coolers, bars or other gathering spots. The news that the nation's leaders, the people we trust with our future, repeatedly lied to us, was accepted as not newsworthy.

Starting with Ronald Reagan, the definition of truth became a moving target. Reagan deservedly earned the title of "Great Communicator." Reagan was a larger than life figure who innately knew how to speak about issues in ways that connected with America at large. That skill was paired with a new effort in media management that used Reagan where he was at his strongest and employed spin control when they wished to separate the leader from less positive news.

The technique served Reagan well when the news of Iran-Contra scandal surfaced and it allowed Reagan to claim no knowledge of the events resulting in a public that was both willing to accept the explanation and not to question how the commander-in-chief could allow such activities to happen without his knowledge.

This time was also the beginning of the media's lackluster efforts to be a government watchdog. The Reagan administration was successful in managing the news in a way that met reporters' deadline demands without the need to dig for stories. The press was a willing accomplice and as future administrations honed the techniques developed under Reagan, the press became more comfortable with the relationship.

The first Bush administration gave America its first televised war with dramatic images literally delivered from the nosecones of missiles. The lackluster administration drew little media scrutiny and little information beyond the ability to read George H.W. Bush's lips.

Truth fared no better in the first Clinton administration with the words "I did not have sex with that woman." Clinton clearly hoped to dodge the obvious question of what happened in a private White House office by narrowly defining the definition of sex. Clinton's intent was anything but honesty.

Truth received the equivalent of a back-alley beating during the George W. Bush administration with repeated lies about threats posed by Iraq and Iran. Vice President Cheney, with a straight face, claimed he was a member of the legislative branch. After accidentally shooting a friend during a hunting trip, Cheney notified the White House hours later. The White House press secretary didn't find out until the next day, only shortly before the American public learned of the incident.

Disregard for the truth took its most dangerous turn with Alberto Gonzalez's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee when he claimed 64 times that he could not recall or remember incidents relating to the firing of federal prosecutors. The market value of truth reached its lowest level during this hearing with the attorney general, the nation's top law enforcement officer, using legal technicalities to avoid telling the truth.

Truth is an essential requirement for a free society to function. In business, government, personal relations and any situation that involves more than one person, truth is the basic commodity upon which all others are based. When truth has no value, peace, justice and freedom itself are in jeopardy.

If America is to move forward both domestically and internationally, we must be a credible nation, whose leaders can be trusted to value truth, even if its policies are suspect.

    - Jim Grinstead

See also:

Keith Olberman on the 935 Lies

Sunday liberal blog round-up

Courtesy of TennViews

The Sunday "Palmetto pummeling with rejoicing in the streets and mournful rending of garments" edition of the TennViews weekly liberal blog roundup showcasing the best and brightest bloggers in Tennessee and what they are talking about...

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: SC exit poll results here and here

• 55-40 Memphis (a new addition to the blogroll and roundup): Dilemma: So, short of something drastic happening to make me wrong, I predict it's going to be a long, painful slog to November -- and (at best) a nailbiter election night.

• Andy Axel (at TennViews): America 2001-2008: Enter The Bush Leagues: Not even the Reagan Revolution or the Contract On America was as successful at creating so much ruin in such little time:

• Aunt B. (another new addition to the blogroll and roundup): Who Owns Tennessee’s Women?: Do we have the right to decide for ourselves what happens to our bodies or are we just walking condos, with the State acting as mostly-absentee landlords.

• BlountViews: Blount GOP to back Ron Paul?: What's not to like?

• The Crone Speaks: Are TN’eans/All Progressives Falling for the Symbolic Vote, or Do They Want a Real Leader?: The current state of our union does not afford voters the luxury for a symbolic vote. Voters should be considering the state our country is in, and which candidate has the most progressive platform to lead us out of the dire straights the previous administrations have placed us.

• Cup of Joe Powell: TV News Covers 'Baloney' In Campaign For President: Does the news matter to anyone anymore?, and Your Communication Is Not Yours Anyway: The argument that only the guilty need be concerned about this type of constant surveillance is an argument which has neither merit nor logic., and A Vast Database of Deception: And sadly, the general response to the report is a rather exhausted yawn. "It doesn't even matter anymore," said a friend of mine.

• The Donkey's Mouth: The $9 Trillion Bear in the Room: The fact of the matter is, however, that were it not for Democrats at the table there would not be a stimulus package.

• Enclave: Infrastructure? Who Needs Infrastructure?: Cost to fix these hazards: $1.6 trillion., and Bredesen's TDOT Welcomes Bush Transportation Chief in Support of Toll Roads: The traveling medicine show designed to pull public funds to private coffers (George W. Bush's prime directive) has come to Tennessee, and our so-called Democratic administration is embracing it with open arms., also Bubba's Brutality and Obama's Egotism

• Fletch: The Sand Man, and Afternoon Walk

• KnoxViews: Milestones unnoticed... (on KnoxViews anniversary), and a funny flashback from a reader (and RoaneViews co-conspirator), plus mark your calendars, Seymour Hersh Speaking at UT, Feb 6th

• Lean Left: Lean Left: The question now is where are the front runners? Why are they not in DC, right now, holding a press conference where they clearly state that they will be supporting the filibuster of this cowardly provision., and They're just politicians: They aren’t going to save us all with a well timed legislative victory and a cheery wave to the camera. Every single one of them will, at one point or another, betray something you consider vitally important to get something else, usually something you think is ridiculously over-valued. (as they say, read the whole thing...)

• Left of the Dial: Maybe in South Carolina...: But something tells me that unless Oprah campaigns in Tennessee and starts giving out new cars, he won’t see the same numbers here., and an Information Highway Road Trip

• Left Wing Cracker: THIS is why I'm for John Edwards , and in case you missed it at TennViews, A tale of two legislators

• Liberadio (another new addition to the blogroll and roundup): We use these too: If "ES&S iVotronic" and "paperless touchscreen voting machines" sound familiar to some of you it’s because 17 out of 95 counties in Tennessee use these machines and, if things don’t go well next week, we’ll be using them again in the November election., plus Our Money’s Already Spent

• Loose TN Canon: The albatross of Iraq around McCain's neck: John McCain is a hypocrite. During Clinton's presidency, he argued vehemently to bring the troops home from Haiti and Somalia - regardless of the consequences.

• NewsComa: Anthem Of Change: It backfired. The whole Hillary/Bill wrassling tag team blew up in their faces yesterday when Barack Obama beat the tar out of the two. , and I Have Some Time To Figure Super Tuesday Out: I only have one vote. And it’s mine.

• Pesky Fly: Clinton Destroying the Party: If our three Democratic candidate were steaks, they would be ribeye, t-bone, and porterhouse. Saying one cut of meat from the same cow will destroy the party is - there's no gentle way to say this - f***ing nuts., also Lost in the Funhouse: Obama's been misrepresented. ... And I really don't care much about this beyond the fact that I worry how, should they reach the general, the whiners will deal with an attack machine that took down John McCain for a lack of patriotism.

• Progressive Nashville: The right time for health care reform?: It's easy for the rich and powerful to ignore the problems of the poor, but now health care costs are tapping into profits and that means everyone's well-being is at stake., and Who will speak for the poor?: So divided has the Democratic Party become from wedge issues generated by the GOP, that its vision of prosperity for all has been all but abandoned.

• Resonance: Potpourri: I report, you decide., plus an interesting survey at TennViews: How much do political TV or radio ads affect your voting decisions?

• RoaneViews: Connected Tennessee: On the home page there is a place where you can check your Internet connection speed. There are also maps of the state by county that show that counties connectivity., and Green Development Conference

• Russ McBee: Congressional Dems cave to Bush twice in one day: The Democrats were not handed control of Congress last year just for the purpose of caving to every whim of the most unpopular president in recent history., plus: The clueless Michael Chertoff speaks: Showing your papers, removing your shoes in airports, and that Real ID nonsense do not foster security; they merely provide what Bruce Schneier calls "security theater:" the illusion of security, intended to foster a feeling of well-being, whether deserved or not.

• Sean Braisted: "You People": I knew the Clintons would attempt to dismiss the results in South Carolina as a hollow victory because South Carolina had a high black population; I didn't see Obama do the same thing because New Hampshire is one of the whitest states in the union., also: The Challenge: ...to list 10 things I like about Hillary...I'll start, and perhaps get to ten.

• Sharon Cobb: Subdued Republican Debate Allows Romney To Perform Well.: By his looks and family, Mitt Romney is straight out of central casting for the role of President. However, his acting skills have been less than up to par. ... Then there was the obligatory Hillary bashing. I guess a bunch of old, conservative white guys can't conceive that their opponent in the general election might be a black man.

• Silence Isn't Golden: South Carolina Results Live-Blog: No word yet on whether or not she'll address the loss, although she already released a statement mentioning the Super Tuesday states, and also Florida. Unsurprising, since she's already indicated that she will undermine the DNC and Howard Dean by pushing for Florida and Michigan delegates to count., also in case you missed it at TennViews, GoldnI's analysis of the WSMV Tennessee presidential primary poll.

• Southern Beale: Fred Watch: Democratic voters don’t tend to blame their candidates when they don’t win primaries; at least, I don’t hear anyone blaming Dennis Kucinich or John Edwards for underperforming this primary season. , also Not That There's Anything Wong With That: Obama's not Muslim, people.

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: Media Bias Against Clintons Borders on Mental Illness: I don't recall ever seeing so much overt and shameless media bias in any previous election. I may as well be watching Fox News., also Everybody But Obama Knew About Rezko, and Nashville: Hillary Congratulates Obama & Says 'We Have Only Just Begun'

• TennViews TN GOP coming unhinged on abortion amendment: The bottom line is that this is a pathetically transparent political stunt to get yet another wedge issue on the ballot for the 2010 gubernatorial election in an effort to get right-wing extremists out to the polls. Tennessee deserves better leadership than this., also Sasser: As iron sharpens iron

• Vibinc: Real life intervenes, blogging will resume shortly...

• Whites Creek Journal: Who do I vote for? (a celebrity endorsement roundup): So ultimately, the burning question of the day boils down to , "Can that fat oatmeal guy beat both fake blondes, Rick Flair and Anne Coulter?", and Oh, Great! (on not being stimulated by the stimulus package): Republicans repeatedly demonstrate that they are ethically unequipped to do anything except serve rich people, and our Democratic Congressional leadership repeatedly proves that they are ill equipped to do anything except let them and whine about it.

• Women's Health News: Best Cities to Have a Baby: This year’s winner was Portland, followed by Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle, and Denver. My own city ranked 33rd, just below D.C. Among the factors weighing Nashville down...

 

Knox County citizens seek reforms

A government reform committee is asking the Knox County Commission to place nine charter amendments on the ballots for the August election and says if the commission declines, it may seek access to voters through a referendum.

The committee's formation and action comes after various commission actions that included back room dealings in appointing new members -- an activity that a court ruled to be illegal.

In a letter to commissioners, the commission said, ""Over the past year, the citizens of Knox County have become increasingly mistrustful of Knox County Government as a result of backroom politics, nepotism, conflicts of interest, and financial mismanagement, but in this crisis, we have an opportunity to positively change and prepare our government to face the challenges of the 21st century."

According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, the charter amendments would:

• Reduce commission from 19 to 11 members, with nine representatives elected by district and two elected countywide. The races would be nonpartisan. Currently, voters get to select two commissioners per district, with the exception of the 5th District, which covers Southwest Knox County and has three seats. The proposed change would give all voters a say on three of 11 seats - one in district plus two at-large - as opposed to the two of 19 that most residents vote on now.
• Change eligibility requirements for commission, prohibiting county employees or people "whose compensation is required to be funded directly or indirectly by Knox County" from serving on the body.
• Make it a violation for elected or appointed officials to "advocate, recommend, supervise, manage or cause the employment, appointment, promotion, transfer, or advancement of his or her relative."
• Require elected officials or employees who vote on measures to disclose possible conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from discussions and votes.
• Create the position of inspector general, which would be chosen through a purchasing department process and appointed by commission.
• Reduce the number of petition signatures necessary for charter amendments from 15 percent of registered Knox County voters to 15 percent of those who voted in the last gubernatorial election.
• Make the county mayor responsible for the appointment of the trustee, county clerk, property assessor, register of deeds and law director. Those appointments would be subject to commission approval. Those positions are currently elected positions. The commission report said the change would eliminate "unnecessary separate fiefdoms" and bring $8.9 million annually into the mayor and commission's discussion of budget priorities.
• Clarify that the amended charter supersedes other regulations.
• Provide a form for Knox County employees or elected officials to disclose personal interests in non-voting matters over which they have discretion.

    - Jim Grinstead

GOP happy with voting machine results in Ohio

A survey released Thursday by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner found Republican and Democratic election officials disagree over how secure electronic voting machines are and that about 61 percent of Republican Board of Elections officials are not concerned about Brunner’s study that found “serious risks.”

But 71 percent of the Democratic election officials are concerned.

Ohio Republicans put out a press release accusing Brunner, a Democrat, of arrogance and trying to intimidate county election officials.

Republicans, who have been blamed for manipulating Ohio elections in recent years to their favor, also held a secret meeting to work out their plans.