April 19: A call to boycott Fox News in Public-Private Spaces

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Monday April 19, 2010 · 3:23 PM PDT

2010/04/19 · 15:23

As a non-political career federal government worker whose office is in a federal building, and with a with a wife and kids, I really really don't like coming to work on April 19. But of course I did. The violent pro-terrirism anti-government rhetoric that used to be just from those from Rush on to the further right, has of course now completely infected most of Fox "News" and much of the Republican Party.

Last year I ran wrote a diary about boycotting companies that use their public-private space to push Fox "News." Today I am calling for a boycott of that company: It is the The Hudson Group, which runs the the Hudson News stands found in many airports and rail terminals.

I wrote to them today and urge others to do the same. Here is their contact page.

DrSteveB

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Friday April 16, 2010 · 2:35 PM PDT

2010/04/16 · 14:35

I have been scanning the political blogs in vain for an actual answer for this.

Yes, the argument against them is mostly being pushed by reactionary, partisan, often racist, creeps and hacks.
Yes, the Obama administration and Democrats are for them.

But is there another example of the Federal government requiring people to buy a product from a private company?

DrSteveB

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Tuesday March 16, 2010 · 12:47 PM PDT

2010/03/16 · 12:47

There have been numerous diaries in the past few days on this subject, but I am simply urging one action step, which is to sign sign this petition, supporting the Obama administration stance regarding the Netanyahu administration’s policies regarding peacemaking.

This petition is addressed to Congress and is especially important with AIPAC and Netanyahu all coming to town to lobby Congress against the White House. We need to help Congress keep their spine and stick-up for real peace making.

DrSteveB

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Monday March 15, 2010 · 5:26 AM PDT

2010/03/15 · 05:26

I hope that American Jews, and others who support a real two-state solution between Israel and the Arab world, will take a moment to support the current J-Street petition:

Israel’s recent announcement of 1,600 new housing units in East Jerusalem wasn't just a slap in the face to Vice President Joe Biden.

It was a wake-up call to us all that business-as-usual peace processing is bringing us no closer to ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And now it may derail or delay the proximity talks just announced by Special Envoy Mitchell.

The alarm bells couldn’t be ringing more loudly, telling us that hope is fading for a future where a Jewish, democratic Israel lives side-by-side in peace and security with the state of the Palestinian people.

DrSteveB

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Thursday February 25, 2010 · 1:22 PM PST

2010/02/25 · 13:22

As is we all know, candidate Obama ran on a health reform proposal that had a form of public option but no individual mandates for adults. We now are likely to have a program with mandates and no public option.

One item that came up today is Obama's story about how he came to accept the "need" for individual mandates.

Let me take a moment to explain what the health policy rationale for mandates is, and why getting rid of them should continue to be a progressive agenda item, and one we could in theory get support from conservatives.

And could be a step to getting single payer.

DrSteveB

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Tuesday February 23, 2010 · 8:16 AM PST

2010/02/23 · 08:16

Blue Dog Democratic congressman Scott Murphy (D-NY-20) -- who was one of those Democratic Blue Dog votes against the original health bill in the House, hinted today on the New York NPR radio Brian Lehrer show, that he would be a switch to being a "Yes" vote.

One of the questions has been whether Pelosi and Clyburn really have the votes in the House to pass the Senate bill, given that some Yes votes have gone away (e.g., Wexler's retirement), the anti-choice folks not liking the less bad Senate provisions, and the potential for increased ass-protection No-votes among Blue Dogs, cowards and corporate hacks (but I repeat myself).

Murphy is a potentially indicative case of a soft Blue Dog who will probably change from his earlier No vote (when he was not absolutely needed), to a Yes vote when the Democratic leadership needs him.

DrSteveB

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Saturday February 06, 2010 · 6:08 PM PST

2010/02/06 · 18:08

I will be attending the annual National Health Policy Conference this Monday and Tuesday in Washington, DC. If anybody else here is going, please feel free to contact me at email: dr DOT steveb AT verizon DOT net and perhaps we can meet-up in person.

This is put on by the more or less academic association of people who do health services research and the journal Health Affairs, but has become a meeting where politicians, congressional aides, think tankers, advocates... and a lot of representatives from insurance companies and other private sector folks, talk and mingle.

DrSteveB

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Friday November 13, 2009 · 6:15 AM PST

2009/11/13 · 06:15

From the Washington Post comes the pathetically absured yet inevetible news that:

Former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice and former National Security Council chief Stephen Hadley are teaming up as the latest big-time entrants in the endless battle of the groups -- as in the Kissinger Group, the Scowcroft Group, the Chertoff Group (with former CIA director Mike Hayden) and so many other strategery outfits.

The official launch of the RiceHadley Group, which styles itself as a "strategic advisory firm" for international companies, is to be in the next week or so.

Here are my first suggestions for some marketing slogans:

Strategic Advice: "Because, nobody could have predicted"

Strategic Advice: "Wrong stratergy, wrong tactics, all wrong all-the-time."

Got War?

So, if you have some strategic advice for RiceHadley please put them in comments:

Pro-Life? How About Real Universal Health Care?

DrSteveB

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Wednesday November 04, 2009 · 7:50 PM PST

2009/11/04 · 19:50

Some of our ever ready to compromise friends have accused single payer advocates of being spoilers who would put the best in place of the politically feasible. Needless to say this was never true, and as always the real problem are conservative Democrats. Earlier it was corporate hacks masquerading as fiscal conservatives (aka: Blue Dogs) and now moving to the publicize foreffront are those conservative Democrats opposed to even indirect support of abortion rights and the possiblity of choice.

Of course if they were REALLY Pro-Life, then they would be in the forefront of supporting real universal health care access.

May I remind them that lack of health insurance KILLS.
Despite what the ignorant or partisan or paid for like claim Emergency Rooms and charity care is not a substitue for having real coverage. Whether it was the Institute of Medicine Study that found 18,000 death per year, the Urban Institute Study that found 22,000 deaths per year, or the Harvard study that found 45,000 death per year associated with lack of insurance coverage, the fact is that if you are REALLY PRO-LIFE you would support universal health care coverage and access

DrSteveB

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Thursday October 29, 2009 · 3:32 PM PDT

2009/10/29 · 15:32

If anybody is interested in something other than health care reform today, I offer below the fold, via the J-Street post-conference wrap-up, a series of 8 or so embeded recorded videos (this time without autorun which we were stuck with for the livefeed during the conference) of some of the sessions:

Don't go by second hand hearsay.
Here is what was acutally said.
Hear it yourself:

(video embeds via vimeo on the flip; be patient, it takes a moment for them to appear).

DrSteveB

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Tuesday October 27, 2009 · 9:59 AM PDT

2009/10/27 · 09:59

This is my last day of blogging from the J-Street Conference. Tomorrow morning the other 1,500 attendees will be going to lobby their congresscritters. And I'll be back on the health reform beat.

Meanwhile, below the fold is thelivestream of the J-Street conference plenary session: "Why Two States? Why Now?" featuring:

Introduction: Representative Robert Wexler (FL-19)

Keynote Speaker: General James L. Jones, U.S. National Security Advisor

Israeli Interests:
Bernard Avishai, Business Consultant; Author
Ami Ayalon, Former Member of Knesset (Labor); Former Head of the Shin Bet
Haim Ramon, Former Member of Knesset (Kadima); Former Vice Prime Minister

American Interests:
Martin Indyk, Director of Foreign Policy-Brookings Inst & Fmr U.S Ambassador to Israel
Mel Levine, Former Member of Congress (D-CA)

Moderator:
Richard Wolffe, Author, Renegade: The Making of a President; Former Senior White House Correspondent, Newsweek

(continued below fold)

DrSteveB

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday October 26, 2009 · 2:08 PM PDT

2009/10/26 · 14:08

I am delighted to bring to DKos, tonight's plenary J-Street Conference session:

"View from the Hill: Congress & the U.S.-Israel Relationship" featuring:

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09)
Rep. Bob Filner (CA-51)
Rep. Geoff Davis (KY-04)
Rep. Charles Boustany (LA-07) as speakers.

April 19: A call to boycott Fox News in Public-Private Spaces

Is Federal individual mandate to buy private insurance legal?

Stand with Obama Adminstration (& J-Street) on Israel

A Wake-Up Call in Jerusalem: Support J-Street Petition

Obama's come-to-Jesus moment with Mandates

House Blue Dog Dem Murphy (NY20) switch to Yes on Health?

National Health Policy Conference Mon & Tues (meet-up?)

Condi Inc.: Let's suggest some marketing slogans

Pro-Life? How About Real Universal Health Care?

Israel-Palestinian Peace: J-Street Conference Videos (NOT autorun!)

Live Webcast of Gen Jones-NSA at J-Street Conference

Live Webcast of House Members at J-Street Conference