Dear Senator Cardin,

I have emailed you before about health care reform. Please continue to stand firm on enacting the eight health insurance consumer protections as outlined by the President (http://www.whitehouse.gov/health-insurance-consumer-protections/). Please stand firm on the inclusion of a public option, with the ultimate goal being single-payer insurance coverage.

I would suggest you announce at the start of your next town meeting on health care reform that the purpose is discussion and civilized discourse. Those who attend for the sole purpose of disrupting the meeting with disorderly or dangerous conduct should be warned and then removed from the premises if they do not desist. Please don't be intimidated by a bunch of naysayers and idiots.* These "plants" bussed in by right-wingers and the health care industry aren't your constituents who vote for you. Real health care reform should benefit all the people, not health care CEOs. A country as rich as ours should be able to spend money and compassion on the less fortunate. In the end we all benefit.

*In a word: L.O.S.E.R.S. (this part not sent to Cardin).

It amazes me that the people who will most benefit from health care reform (the poor, the elderly, those with no, lousy, or too expensive health insurance) are the ones fighting against their own best interest.

Just registered my opinion via email with Senators Cardin and Mikulski:

Dear Senator,

Please continue to support health care reform legislation that includes a public option. Please ensure that this option is not watered down or dropped. Please do your utmost to move our country to single-payer coverage.

Thank you for all your hard work on this and many other issues.

Update, 01/22/06. According to the folks at Moveon.org, Congress has passed the following legislation in accordance with Speaker Pelosi's "100-hour plan":

The '100 Hours Agenda'
Already Done:

* Restricting lobbyists
* No new deficit spending
* 9/11 Commission security recommendations
* Increase the minimum wage
* Support stem cell research
* Lower-cost prescription drugs
* Cut student loan interest rates
* Cut oil company subsidies and invest in safe alternatives

Next Up:
Passing them all in the Senate!

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We can't decide which is more beautiful, the changing colors of fall or the headlines that greeted us on "the internets" this post-election morning. Harrumph: comments italicized in pink are ours, and we approved this blog post. Please note that our tongue was ensconced clearly in cheek, and nowhere else, while writing said comments.

Overheard: ""It's not that the Democrats won, it's that the Republicans lost." (Heard on Air America Radio election coverage attributed to Tom Delay, but can't find source.)

In local news:

• Ehrlich concedes governor's race (O'Malley's March to Annapolis)
• Cardin tops Steele in key contest (Cardin vanquishes Man of Steele)

In national news:

• New! Dems sees big changes as Senate secured (11-09-06)
  • Webb promises 'diplomatic solution' in Iraq
• Rumsfeld resigns as Democrats triumph
  • Defence secretary first top casualty
  • Republicans lose control of House
  • Senate hangs in balance
• Rumsfeld steps down (Rummy folds)
• Hastert bows out of GOP leadership (Turning a fresh page)
• Pelosi set to become first woman to lead House (A woman's place is in the House)
• Democrats take control of the Senate (and in the Senate)
• Democrats win House, promise new direction
  • NEW: Democratic pick-ups projected to be 29 seats
  • Democrats sweep to power in House
  • Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-California, set to become first female House speaker
  • Ex-House Majority Leader DeLay: "We took a whipping last night
• Democrats win control of Senate, AP reports
  • NEW: Webb wins Virginia, Democrats win Senate, AP says
  • Bush invites Democrats to White House, promises "new era of cooperation"
  • Control of the Senate hinges on results in the Virginia race
  • House speaker-to-be says Americans have called for "new direction
• Conyers Hones A Case Against President (The new head of the Judiciary Committee can actually conduct investigations and convene hearings! What a concept!)
• Minnesota voters send first Muslim to Capitol (Dummysfeld thought they all looked alike, at least at Abu Ghraib)
• South Dakota rejects tough abortion law (the people want choice)
• Ariz. won't ban gay marriage (uh oh, now all those Arizona homos willl run for office and try to ban straight marriage)
• Mo. OKs measure backing stem cell research (oh, those fetus-tossing liberals!)
• Voters ok minimum wage hikes (Uh oh, the liberal agenda rears its ugly head)
• Pelosi: 'Tonight We Have Made History; Now Let Us Make Progress' (let us be 'progressives!')
• Nancy Pelosi's 100-hour plan (that's the good news; the bad news is that it's going to take 100 YEARS to clean up after BushCheneyRoveCo.)
• Democrat wins Montana Senate seat, CNN projects (whew, that race was a real Corker)
  • Montana Democrat Jon Tester claims victory in tight Senate race
  • Democrat Jim Webb says he won in Virginia, but a recount is likely
  • Republican Sen. Jim Talent concedes in Missouri
  • Republican Bob Corker wins the Senate race in Tennessee

National and international reaction:

• World reaction: Democratic win welcomed (world tips on axis heaving collective sigh of relief)
• NYT Editorial: The Democratic House: "An Angry Shout Of Repudiation" ("this isn't an election, it's an intervention"--unknown source on Democratic Underground)
• Smackdown! By Independents & Moderates ("send out the clowns"--quote from Air America Radio election coverage)
  • Dick Meyer: Exit Polls Show They Held The Key To 2006's Election Result
• Scandals Scorch House GOP (Founders of the [G]reedy [O]ld [P]erverts party)
  • Democrats Take At Least 13 Seats From Scandal-Tainted Republicans
• GWB 11/8 press conference (in his own words--"that's all folks!")
• PFAW: The Radical Right's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day ("we took a thumpin'"--GWB, Nov. 8 press conference)

Related links of interest:

• CBS News 2006 election results (interactive)
• Maryland State Board of Elections (2006 results)
• Rep. Foley resigns in disgrace (Too much page-turning)
• Church forces out Haggard for 'sexually immoral conduct' (Jesus commanded us to "love one another," but he didn't say anything about coveting your neighbor's crystal meth)
• Fox Responds To Limbaugh Accusation (and we don't mean Fox News)
• Sample Ballots in Pr. George's Misidentify Candidates (we're just behaving like Democrats)
• Video Reveals Steele's Use Of Philadelphia Poll Workers

At least it's not Monday. Today was a slow day at work. Being in-between quarters, there are not a lot of new orders coming in to be requested, nor electronic documents to be sent. One of my colleagues seems to have spent the better part of the afternoon wrangling with the IRS. I think he said they received his payment but not his tax forms. Yes, our tax dollars (and post offal) at work.

Which reminds me of yet another one of the thousand-and-one reasons I cannot stand George Bush:

From the Baltimore Sun [excerpt]:

Bush detainee plan OK'd by Senate

Bill creates military tribunals, offers leeway on interrogation tactics

By Anne Plummer Flaherty

The Associated Press

Originally published September 28, 2006, 7:47 PM EDT

WASHINGTON // The Senate today endorsed President Bush's plans to prosecute and interrogate terror suspects, all but sealing congressional approval for legislation that Republicans intend to use on the campaign trail to assert their toughness on terrorism.

The 65-34 vote means the bill could reach the president's desk by week's end. The House passed nearly identical legislation on Wednesday and was expected to approve the Senate bill on Friday, sending it on to the White House.

The bill would create military commissions to prosecute terrorism suspects. It also would prohibit some of the worst abuses of detainees like mutilation and rape, but grant the president leeway to decide which other interrogation techniques are permissible.

A New Game! Where in the World is Osama bin-Laden? I'm not a lawyer, and I don't think I'm "soft" on terrorism (the continuation of the human race would in no way be jeopardized by the permanent removal of Osama bin Laden's DNA from the gene pool--that is, if somebody would actually LOOK for him), but I think the phrases "innocent until proven guilty" and "right to a fair trial" are fairly self-explanatory. Except maybe to Donald Rumsfeld and the cowardly rat-finks in Congress who are too easily bought or arm-twisted.

But back to work (pun intended). There will be no more quarters after the fall quarter. When the current contract ends by Dec. 31, our funding ends. While the bureaucrats tell us that, ostensibly, the funding runs through the end of the next fiscal year (June 30), and they can probably find a temporary place for us back at the main library, and while we MAY get a new contract in the meantime, we are all being "strongly encouraged" to look for new jobs. I may stick it out as long as possible; however, all the colleagues I like best have either left or are leaving soon. A few years ago I "jumped ship" at one job before the proverbial boat sank; now it feels (again) as if the rodents are leaving the deck of the Titanic en masse. My enthusiasm is underwhelming.

My Life as a God. And to the patron who called complaining because he actually had to PAY SHIPPING COSTS in order to return his books, I'm sorry that you don't like our policies, but every other patron has to abide by the same policies. I'm sorry you didn't like my suggestion that you use USPS instead of UPS but use tracking for your own protection--you just kept ranting and barely let me get two words in. I'm sorry you think that the cost of return postage is enough to deter you from borrowing any more books through Interlibrary Loan. I can only wonder what colorful excuses you offered to the student billing office when you received your last tuition bill. I don't write the rules, and I can't control what UPS and the USPS charge for shipping. I'm only a library assistant. And, BTW, you sound just like Elmer Fudd over the phone. Maybe I'll write a nice satirical novel someday, "My Life as a God."

The Early Bird Gets The Boot. When I left for work this morning, once again the bus arrived early. By "early" I mean the bus consistently arrives at my stop at the time it is supposed to be LEAVING the first stop on the route. Then the bus driver SLOWS DOWN along the rest of the route. My bus stop at Roland and Somerset is 2 miles down the road from the origination stop at Roland and Bellemore. Ten+ years of catching the bus has taught me that it usually takes 5-10 minutes for the bus to get to my stop from Roland and Bellemore. Even if there's no one boarding the bus for the first two miles, there 's no freakin' way the bus should arrive at the same time he's leaving, unless the bus itself is a TARDIS. I've seen too many people on this route run for the bus, and there are some regulars I haven't seen lately--I'm sure they missed the bus on more than one occasion. So today I complained yet again to the MTA (Maryland Transit Administration). And, for the first time, they took my name and address and promised to get back to me.

Two weeks ago:

(Me) "According to the schedule you're supposed to be leaving Roland and Bellemore at 11:50, 2 miles down the road. I believe you're too early." (Driver arrived at my stop at 11:50).

(Driver) "Well, the bus before me broke down so they moved all the other buses up." (CYA time.)

Of course, the MTA confirmed that they don't operate that way. And this particular bus driver won't talk to me when I get on the bus, even if I say "good morning" or "thanks." MTA changes drivers the way Captain Kirk changes girlfriends; the bad part is, good bus drivers get replaced by idiots who can't tell time; conversely, if the same trend holds, in a few months Mr. Illiterate will be busy screwing up a different bus route.

And one other suggestion to the MTA. Make the benches at the bus stops a little sturdier. Today a woman plopped down next to me, blithely yakking away on her cell phone. The benches shake when contact is made with derrieres over a certain size.

That pesky "F-word." Our two cats typically beg for canned food when we get up in the morning. Inky especially gets underfoot and meows pitifully. She's a solid cat and, once she plants herself in one place, she doesn't dislodge easily. One look at Inky will convince the most devout skeptic that she's in no danger of starving. If you try to ignore Inky, her meows increase in volume and she favors you with a look that says, "I don't want no more of this boring dry-food shit!" Inky loves canned food; Selene likes canned food, but I think she prefers "people food." When the canned food comes out of the pantry, the volume control on Inky's purr-box cranks into overdrive.

A few days ago, my husband and I were having coffee and Inky was begging vociferously. My husband asked, "Should I give Inky some food?" I said, "Don't say the F-word!"

A Letter to my State Senators

Please vote "no" on any proposed constitutional amendment to permanently deny marriage equality to same-sex couples. Sexual orientation is a private, personal matter and same-sex marriage is a civil rights issue. Denying marriage equality to same-sex couples is an outrageous attack upon human dignity and an unspeakable violation of civil rights. Such a constitutional amendment would be a national disgrace and a miscarriage of justice no different than discrimination on the basis of skin color.

So-called "differences" such as sexual orientation, skin color, etc. are entirely superficial. Our founding fathers envisioned all citizens as equal in the eyes of the law, enjoying the same rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness--the ability to love, marry, raise a family, serve in the military, work, worship, play--and to have equal participation in all aspects and institutions of society without fear of retribution. It is the government's mandate to uphold individual liberties and civil rights, not take them away. Love, marriage, and sexuality between consenting adults and defining what constitutes a family is not the business of Congress, the President, or the Supreme Court.

The timing of this issue is nothing more than a blatant attempt by the GOP to distract Americans from real, important issues such as the illegal invasion of Iraq, the "extraordinary rendition" of terror suspects, and detainment of prisoners without legal rights, the illegal wiretapping of American citizens, and the bureaucratic bungling that killed hundreds in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Instead of worrying about sexuality, Congress should turn its attention to investigating whether top-level administrators from the President on down deserve impeachment for war and other high crimes.

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Link to Letters to the Editor, Baltimore Sun, Saturday, June 10. 2006 (Couples and the Constitution).

Rat Fink

Main Entry: miscreant
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: evildoer
Synonyms: bad egg, bastard, black sheep, blackguard, bootlegger, bully, caitiff, convict, criminal, culprit, delinquent, drunkard, evildoer, felon, fink, heel, hoodlum, jailbird, knave, loafer, louse, lowlife, malefactor, outcast, outlaw, pickpocket, racketeer, rapscallion, rascal, rat, rat fink, reprobate, rogue, rowdy, ruffian, scalawag, scamp, scoundrel, sinner, sleazeball, sneak, SOB, stinker, vagabond, villain, wretch, wrongdoer
Source: Roget's New Millennium Thesaurus, First Edition (v 1.1.1)Copyright © 2005 by Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. All rights reserved.

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A letter to my Senate and Congressional representatives (click link to locate & contact your own representatives)

Please vote "no" on confirming Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. I believe he is telling the Senate confirmation committee what he thinks they want to hear, and is not being forthright. I am afraid if confirmed he will act to curtail civil liberties and rights to privacy, and will allow the current administration to run unchecked in its continued violations of Constitutional law, such as:

• eavesdropping on American citizens without obtaining the proper permits from the FISA court;


• allowing searches and seizures of private property without a warrant;


• holding people in prison indefinitely without charging them with a crime or allowing them a fair trial and legal representation;


• allowing the use of torture on prisoners in direct violation of the Geneva Convention and allowing the admission of information obtained under torture into judiciary proceedings;


• upholding the legitimacy of the invasion of Iraq, an invasion that was based on faulty intelligence and outright lies ("Saddam Hussein had WMDS" and "Saddam Hussein was connected to Al Quaeda and the bombing of the World Trade Center.") While Saddam Hussein was an evil dictator, he was also a more convenient target than Osama bin Laden.

I think Samuel Alito would support such such outrageous, egregious and impeachable violations of law and privacy as outlined above. I think he supports the concept of a "unitary president" rather than the three-tiered, egalitarian model of government so wisely laid out by our founding fathers to assure "checks and balances" (and not excesses) of power among the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches. I also think Samuel Alito would work to overturn Roe v. Wade, as well as permit such travesties as "intelligent design" (creationism in new clothes, much like the Emperor) to be taught in our classrooms rather than science, further undermining our children's capacity to live, understand, and compete in our technologically-complex world as concerned, contributing global citizens.

Please don't allow our society to move back into the "Dark Ages." Please do whatever is necessary--please filibuster as long as needed--to prevent Alito from being appointed to the Supreme Court.

Finally, when Alito's confirmation hearings are over, one way or the other, I urge you to immediately turn your attention to investigating if impeachment proceedings are warranted against the current administration for its continued corruption and felonious actions.

Thank you for standing firm.

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Updated 02/22/206-Harrumph: Well, 25 Senators voted for a filibuster.

The final vote to confirm Alito was 54 to 42. If the 17 additional Senators who voted against Alito had joined the 25 Senators in the filibuster, Alito would not be on the Supreme Court today.