But I only knew him as a political analyst type of television news show guest.

I had no idea that he was a television show (The West Wing) writer.  

I watched a few episodes of West Wing, but was never a big fan of the show.

Tonight, however, I followed a link to Four Days in Denver, on the New York Magazine online.

You'll find prior installments HERE.  

See dKos diarist nyceve for the big picture on the Healthcare battlefield.

This series is designed to give you a bird's eye view of healthcare, from the trenches.  

As always, I loathe the insurance companies.  

Let me count the ways, below the fold.

(Just to be honest, I'm kinda para-phrasing a bit I saw last night on television, sadly, I was so tired before falling asleep that I cannot for the life of me recall which show or whom the speaker was).

So, once again it appears that there are two candidates running neck-and-neck, and the voters of the State of Florida may very well cast the deciding vote on who wins the prize.

Nope, it's not 2000, and I don't mean Bush v Gore.

Still, there's more than a bit of 'deja vu' in the air, dontcha think?

You'll find installments #1 and #2 at these links.

I originally wrote this in response to this column by Paul Krugman at the NYTimes.com website, posted there on Feb 4th, 2008.

Although generally this series is designed to give you a bird's eye view of healthcare from a provider's point of view, 'from the trenches' as it were, this go-round, I'm also advocating for a candidate.  

It just so happens that on this particular issue, it is an election related posting.  

Neil Armstrong stepping onto the freaking moon

Martin Luther King, Jr. lead a movement that truely began the era of equality of the races in our divisive culture.

JFK, RFK and MLK, all lost to the insanity of lone gunmen.

The deaths of Elvis, and John Lennon, true giants in their field.

it's what she said on Tuesday evening when I picked her up after work to take her shopping.

I was, literally, struck dumb.  If you knew me, you would be astounded.

What the hell could I say?  This is 67 year-old white woman, born and bred in the lower class in SW Washington.  She comes from a long line of alcholic musicians and rednecks.  She still talks about the 'cuteness' of the rearend of the Chairman of the DNC, for whom she tirelessly worked as a personal champion, attempting to convert every single person she met, from the time of the Summer Tour events of 2003 right up to the manufactured 'scream' imbroglio, into a Howard Dean for Life club member.

A life-long Democrat, never, ever, ever talked about voting Republican in my entire frickin' life, not even for dog catcher.  Until this week.

Here's how we began in issue #1

Since nyceve has been covering the meta-healthcare issue, and since advisor's always say to write what you know about, I'm going to start a new series on Healthcare VS Health Insurance.  

But my diaries will be from the trenches, about the daily cost of insurance (or lack thereof).

What do I know?

I work in healthcare.  In a small primary care office with a single doctor, one certified healthcare assistant, one Biller (who gets to deal with the hell that is Medical Billing), one part-time data entry, and me (front desk-scheduling-healthcare records-everything else).

Below the fold for issue #2

Since nyceve has been covering the meta-healthcare issue, and since advisor's always say to write what you know about, I'm going to start a new series on Healthcare VS Health Insurance.  

But my diaries will be from the trenches, about the daily cost of insurance (or lack thereof).

What do I know?

I work in healthcare.  In a small primary care office with a single doctor, one certified healthcare assistant, one Biller (who gets to deal with the hell that is Medical Billing), one part-time data entry, and me (front desk-scheduling-healthcare records-everything else).

I've had a recent epiphany of sorts, related to 911 and the New Amerikan Mass Transportation™ rules and regulations.

All of the recent security related changes to our mass transportation systems (extensive pre-boarding times, same day ticketing restrictions, baggage restrictions, carry-on restrictions... well, the list goes on and on and ...) are the result of the damage done during the attacks in 2001.

All the extra personnel for security, all the added costs, all of that wasted time at the airport or train-bus depots, waiting, waiting, waiting..

To what end?  To deter the chance of another 911 ever happening again.

No weapons on board, so no way for passengers to overcome flight crew and take over the planes.

I know a much cheaper way to accomplish the same thing.

is, for me, in a nutshell, Healthcare NOT Health Insurance.

Besides, if you just read the Preamble to the US Constitution, you will plainly see that the Healthcare of the Citizenry IS one of the six directives of the founding document of our nation to the federal government.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America

although, I must admit, any system without insurance is my personal preference as it takes the profit out of the pain and suffering of any insured american.

What is Universal enough for me?  John Edwards' Universal Coverage through Shared Responsibility.

The following is a notable item of interest to a single woman whose gross income (from a mostly full-time job) is slightly over $11,000 for this entire year. A year in which I will not be able to claim either of my two children for IRS purposes, as they are now both over 18 with jobs of their own (although the older is at home again with a grandchild and fiance).  I work in healthcare for a four person clinic serving about 95% Medicare and Medicaid patients.  I make $10.00 an hour.  I've asked for a raise, but I'm not sure it's possible, considering we get about 30 to 40 cents on the dollar billed to either Medicare or Medicaid. I currently earn too much to qualify for Medicaid and too little to afford my own healthcare insurance.

This president has 'jumped the shark' one to many times.  

He refuses to make a public statement or to allow his Attorney General to make a public statement on the definition of torture.

Torture.  Unfuckingbelivable.  In These United States.  In the 21st Century.  We are having a national debate on whether or not our government, and it's proxies, our national military branches, are allowing and suborning torture.

It's time to remove this egomaniacal despot from office.  Before he drags us all over the breach and into, by his very own words, WWIII.

Yes, that means you (the House) and you (the Senate).

Since it seems all but inevitable now, that the overarching policy of the current Democratic Majority (of One)™ is to delay, delay, delay, I have a small suggestion to you, all of you.

Delay Everything. Really.  everything.  You can't get any timetables?  Never mind, don't need them.

Just don't let ANY FRICKIN BILLS OUT OF COMMITTE.  None. Zip. Nada. Zilch. Zippo. Get the idea?  

It's that simple.

Why is the presidential race (for both major parties) such a big story, so early in the process?

Is it because for the first time since 1976 there is no sitting President or Vice-President running for the office?

Is it because there is a candidate (of either party) who has so caught the pulse of the electorate that anything they do becomes the lead-in for the local nightly news programs?

No, and No.  

The reason that this presidential election cycle is so very Big New this early in the season is that (We) the people are desperate for a Hero™.

It's if you have the balls to call for the Vote.

Really.  That's what all of us want.  We understand that you may be spinning in the wind on this one.  We know it, truely we do.  What we want is for you to try.

You know.  Like they always told us in grade school. It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.  That was a life lesson those elementary teachers were trying to impart to our hard little heads. A quite important one, as it turns out.  It teaches children that sometimes it is better to try and fail, than not to try at all.

More below the fold.

As another holiday is fast approaching, we here at home in the USA take time to ponder our good luck for the past year, plan parties, shop for gifts for friends and loved ones near and far.  But what about our sons and daughters, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters in uniform stationed overseas?  Who is thinking of their holiday?  

I'm sure their immediate families have already sent holiday care packages.  I know that AnySoldier.com has helped many to connect with a soldier serving overseas.  But what about a kind thought, a supportive message to a random serving soldier overseas?  

Today, I got what appeared to be another of the umpteenth million email chain letter messages that someone whom I work with thinks is appropriate to send out through corporate email.

For the first time, it turns out that someone was right.

Show an American serving overseas in the uniform of the United States that you want to say 'Thank You', in honor of this year's Thanksgiving.

Hit the flip to find out how...

Here is my first catch of any early reporting results.

KEEP IN MIND these are only early results.

While looking for some good election-night coverage websites, I found a news story on early return results in, of all places, Broward County, FL (also Palm Beach and Dade counties).

Remember, these were the counties in the 2000 election that moved GW Bush into the first ever 'selected' presidential seat, via the SCOTUS.