Texas Longhorns with newborn calf in Bluebonnets

Texas Longhorns with newborn calf in Bluebonnets

Please note I have a new phone number...

512-517-2708

Alan Maki

Alan Maki
Doing research at the LBJ Library in Austin, Texas

It's time to claim our Peace Dividend

It's time to claim our Peace Dividend

We need to beat swords into plowshares.

We need to beat swords into plowshares.

A program for real change...

http://peaceandsocialjustice.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-progressive-program-for-real-change.html


What we need is a "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity" which would make it a mandatory requirement that the president and Congress attain and maintain full employment.


"Voting is easy and marginally useful, but it is a poor substitute for democracy, which requires direct action by concerned citizens"

- Ben Franklin

Let's talk...

Let's talk...

Friday, November 6, 2009

Healthcare reform

The struggle being waged by concerned Americans at the grassroots level for real healthcare reform is based upon the fact that the overwhelming majority of the people in Minnesota and across this country want a Canadian style health care system coupled with a vastly expanded public health care system along the lines of VA, the Indian Health Service and the National Public Health Service; not to mention all of the local, city and county health care services some people have access to free of charge or at fees so low it is as good as free on a very limited basis, but better-than-nothing.

Politicians and the insurance companies who have bribed these politicians to oppose a Canadian style health care system and no-fee for service or low fee for service health care provided through the existing networks of socialized health care we already have in this country like VA, the Indian Health Service and National Health Service are now considering what I find to be the most reactionary, most regressive, pro-profit, pro-corporate piece of legislation--- and most draconian with its mandatory enforcement powers to coerce people to purchase health insurance policies at premiums most working people can not afford--- piece of legislation ever to come before the United States Congress with the only exception being the continued expenditures to wage these savage, immoral, unjust, illegal and unconstitutional imperialist wars for oil and Wall Street's regional domination in the Middle East for control of the oil fields, refineries and gas wells and pipelines and the shameful support the United States Congress has given to Israel to carry out its savage and barbaric attacks against the Palestinian people--- especially the children whose bodies are piled like cord-wood.

I just got off the telephone with Representative Collin Peterson's Staff Assistant, Tom Meium; asking, again--- since my calls and letters over the past six years have never once been returned concerning single-payer universal health care--- the Canadian style health care reform endorsed and voted for by an overwhelming 72% majority at the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party's State Convention in 2006 which, a result, is now part of the MN DFL "Action Agenda"... at which time I was an elected member of the MN DFL State Central Committee and the author of the resolution that was voted on.

Now, when I asked Mr. Tom Meium about single-payer universal health care he tells me he has never heard of it and is not aware that it is part of the Minnesota DFL "Action Agenda." Just another dumb donkey or a two-faced, lying hypocrite?

How can this be since previously Collin Peterson's staff insisted the supporters of single-payer stop "bothering" him and his staff.

Here is what the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party's "Action Agenda" states as what it supports in no uncertain terms:

"•Enact a Universal Single Payer Health Care Plan"


There is nothing unclear or ambiguous about this.

The MN DFL "Action Agenda" web site:

Action Agenda

The DFL Action Agenda contains the specific positions adopted by each State Convention on important state and national public policy issues that the party supports in order to enact the principles in the ongoing platform. The DFL Action Agenda is effective until the next State Convention convenes, subject to any modifications or additions adopted by the State Central Committee between state conventions pursuant to the party's bylaws.


What right does Collin Peterson or any other public official elected on the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor ticket have to actively oppose what is in the "Action Agenda."

If Collin Peterson thinks the Republican Party agenda is so great he should join the Republican Party.

Collin Peterson lacked the moral or political courage to stand before the Minnesota DFL delegates to the State Convention to state his opposition to "single-payer universal health care" and he now undermines the very solution to this health care mess which he fully understands the majority of the farmers and workers from his constituency are for.

Collin Peterson began his climb to power in the same very dishonest manner.

It was Mark Froemke a member of the National Committee of the Communist Party U.S.A. and a big-shot in the AFL-CIO who nominated Collin Peterson at the Seventh Congressional District Nominating Convention... even though Mark Froemke was a registered voter in Grand Forks, North Dakota at the time of his participation in the nominating convention.

At every opportunity since his election, Collin Peterson has boasted that he is more conservative than any Republican... strange bed-fellows indeed; a leading member of the Communist Party USA and a Democrat who boasts that he is more conservative that any Republican... neither of which support Canadian style single-payer universal health care and both of whom are supporting the continued profiteering by the health care insurance industry and of doctors to reap extreme and huge profits for performing services that should be free.

Collin Peterson and his Communist friend, Mark Froemke--- a self-serving, conniving, pork-chopper extraordinaire--- both support Barack Obama's dirty wars. Neither one of them have so much as publicly questioned the "cost" of funding these wars or the Israeli killing machine. Not a single public statement from either of these strange bed-fellows; shameful and disgusting.

Tom Meium, Collin Peterson's Staff Assistant told me that Collin Peterson "opposed single-payer universal health care because of its cost."

When I asked why Collin Peterson doesn't apply the same concern for "costs" to funding these dirty wars, Mr. Meium hung up on me.

Even more sickening is what the Democrats are now doing with single-payer universal health care. To evade the issue of the need for a Canadian style health care system to get us out of this health care mess by providing the American people access to health care; instead of seriously considering single-payer legislation, Nancy Pelosi has "allowed" a phony "debate" to take place in which it has been agreed in advance that single-payer will be voted down so the insurance industry's legislation HR 3962 can be considered in its place; a most atrocious, anti-worker piece of legislation being pushed by a slick talking insurance company salesman--- Barack Obama.

Why does anyone continue giving these dumb donkeys their votes?

No peace; no votes.

No Canadian style health care; no votes.


It is all about the very fabric of which democracy is woven: accountability.

Working people are entitled to get something of substance that will improve their lives in return for their votes... if a government that wastes trillions upon trillions of dollars on immoral wars can't even provide its citizens with adequate access to health care, what good is the government?

Make no mistake: Barack Obama's H.R. 3962 should be defeated and real health care reform based upon the example of Canadian style health care is what needs to be considered by the United States Congress... obviously it is going to take massive grassroots pressure to force these Wall Street bribed politicians to do anything that will benefit the American people--- the only thing they want to fund is wars and more wars... the problem is, they are funding these wars with your and my tax-dollars when it is health care we really need.

H.R.3962 is called the Affordable Health Care for America Act... for most working people it is anything but affordable.

For insurance companies, H.R.3962 - Affordable Health Care for America Act, will be a profit bonanza... once again, YOU pay, THEY profit.

Something to think about around the dinner table this evening and the nights get colder and heating costs soar,

Alan L. Maki