today
8:30 a.m. Audubon Society Field Trip See Event Description
read >9 a.m. Arcata Farmers' Market Arcata Plaza
read >9:30 a.m. Discovery Walk: Unknown Waterfront See Event Description
read >9:30 a.m. Manila Dunes Restoration Manila Community Center
read >10 a.m. Manila Dunes Guided Walk Manila Community Center
read >10 a.m. Library Book Sale Humboldt County Library
read >10 a.m. Dia de los Muertos and Mexican Folk Art Sale Private Eureka home
read >10 a.m. Final Arcata Farmer's Market Arcata Farmers' Market (off the plaza)
read >11 a.m. Donlin Foreman Dance Workshop Dell'Arte
read >2 p.m. Humboldt Coastal Nature Center Draft Trails Plan Walk Stamps House
read >5 p.m. Bati Zado and Show Redwood Raks World Dance Studio
read >6 p.m. The Tumbleweeds Chapala Cafe
read >6 p.m. Ali Chaudhary (jazz duo) Libation
read >6:30 p.m. Not Evil, Just Wrong Humboldt Area Foundation
read >7 p.m. Guitar Stan (country) Old Town Coffee & Chocolates
read >8 p.m. Guitar Orchestra of Barcelona Arkley Center for the Performing Arts
read >8 p.m. Stones in His Pockets Arcata Playhouse
read >8 p.m. A Christmas Carol North Coast Repertory Theater
read >8 p.m. Donna Landry Swing Dance Moose Lodge
read >8 p.m. North Coast Wind Ensemble Fulkerson Recital Hall at HSU
read >8:30 p.m. The Last Minute Men (international) Cafe Mokka
read >9 p.m. Ian McFeron Band (folk rock) Six Rivers Brewery
read >9 p.m. The Michael Paul Band WAVE @ blue lake casino
read >9 p.m. The Generatorz (classic rock) Central Station Cocktail Lounge
read >9 p.m. Taxi Bear River Casino
read >9 p.m. VJ Itchie Fingaz Pearl Lounge
read >9 p.m. Jack Ruby Presents + Blue Street + Acufunkture (DIY rock) Jambalaya
read >9 p.m. 2nd Annual Scorpio Bash The Red Fox Tavern
read >10 p.m. Music by DJ Sidelines
read >10 p.m. DJ Icy Hot Aunty Mo's Lounge
read >10 p.m. Jemimah Puddleduck (rock) Humboldt Brews
read >10 p.m. White Manna + Midday Veil + The King Salmon Duo (rock) Jambalaya
read >11 p.m. Radio Moscow (psychadelic blues) + Mosquito Bandito (one-man surf/garage) The Alibi Lounge and Restaurant
read >previous columns
Aug. 27, 2009
Stimulating Beauty
Obama foots the bill for pedicures, perms and facials
read >Aug. 20, 2009
Fee-For-All
For six years, CR illegally heisted hundreds of Hamiltons from students
read >Aug. 13, 2009
A Deadly Scum
Killer blue-green algae blooms have returned to our rivers
read >
Photos
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Dr. Charles Rigney. Photo by Bob Doran
Tea in Fortuna
Frightened patriots attempt to make sense of health care reform
By Bob Doran
The Fortuna Vets' Hall was decked out in red, white and blue from top to bottom last Wednesday in preparation for the Humboldt Tea Party Patriots' big to-do, a town hall meeting on health care. A banner with a flag background announced the Patriots' "Declaration of Independence from Tax and Spend Politics."
As a growing crowd waited for the forum to begin, a senior citizen near the front decided she'd take a look at the thick copy of H.R. 3200 placed for effect on a nearby podium. "I don't understand it," she said after reading a bit of the 1,000-plus page bill known as America's Affordable Health Choices Act.
That simple statement set the tone for the evening, as one speaker after another (with a few exceptions) expressed anger and dismay at the health insurance reform proposal.
Dorice Miranda, a willowy blonde who heads the local Patriots group, welcomed the crowd and described the evening as "a warm-up" for Rep. Mike Thompson's health care forum, which would be held a week later. (The Patriots had invited the congressman to their meeting, but he declined and announced his own.) Miranda also laid down some ground rules: No signs, no profanity, be respectful, don't interrupt, limit comments to one minute.
She then introduced a "panel of experts." Lined up on the stage were Santa Rosa CPA Lawrence Wiesner, a perennial Republican Party candidate who has run for Congress and the state legislature. Fortuna insurance broker Jeff Miller would offer the industry perspective. Dr. Charles Rigney, a family practice physician from Scotia, was there to speak for the medical profession.
First panelist up was Chris Hanson, regional director for advocacy and government relations for St. Joseph Health System. Hanson said he wasn't there to speak for or against H.R. 3200, but rather to identify "troubling trends" in health care, from St. Joe's perspective. "What we've seen is an increase in demand and need for Medical and Medicare," while the compensation for program services has dropped. The hospitals have also seen more demand for charity care, an increase in bad debt and more people coming in who simply don't have health insurance.
"And if they don't access care through a clinic or a private doctor, they wind up at the E.R.," said Hanson. Medicare reimbursement, he said, is making recruitment of doctors difficult for areas like ours. "Because of all these things, we definitely see the system as being broken and in need of some sort of fix, so on a grand scale we support the concept of health care reform."
He turned the mic over to Dr. Rigney, who began by announcing that he'd brought along a copy of his birth certificate -- drawing a round of applause from the birthers in the crowd. Rigney gave a wide-ranging speech that touched on his fondness for Glenn Beck, the general decline of the once-great state of California and his dismay that the birth rate in the U.S. isn't keeping up with other countries. He spoke about how much he admired the free Shriners Hospitals for Children. He summed up with his opinion that medical service is a "privilege" that "works best when it's private."
Miller spoke of the insurance industry's two main concerns with H.R. 3200 -- first, that it "does little if anything in terms of arresting skyrocketing insurance costs," and second, a repeat of Manson's concerns about Medicare reimbursement. In Miller's opinion, what's needed is tort reform, prescription drug reform and Medicare reform, since "providers are losing money on patients."
Wiesner said that he does not buy health insurance; he figures he doesn't need it. To illustrate this, he told a story about his son swallowing a dart. While removing the dart ultimately cost him $13,000, he reckons he came out ahead since insurance premiums for a year would have added up to more. He blames the problems with health care solely on the government -- Medicare, he said, is an elaborate Ponzi scheme.
At that point the meeting was turned over to the audience. One speaker after another decried the "government takeover" as "socialism." David from McKinleyville, who sidestepped the no signs rule by wearing a "Comrade Obama" bumper sticker on his back, added on a Nazi reference before announcing that change would come "over my dead body."
Bill from McKinleyville choked back tears as he spoke of fighting to defend the Constitution, then turned angry as he read from a news story on the rising tide of illegal immigration. He concluded by saying he knows that H.R. 3200 will provide health care for everyone "regardless of their citizenship. That is wrong!" Thunderous applause followed. (In fact, Section 246 of H.R. 3200 says specifically that no federal funds will be spent "on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.")
Carolyn Campbell from Fortuna wondered how the bill could be stopped since there's a Democratic majority in Congress. Dr. Rigney reassured her: "The Senate is in disarray because Ted 'The Swimmer' Kennedy has gone to his glory," he said.
There were those who did not toe the anti-reform line. Mary from Fortuna stepped up to the podium, noted that the discussion seems to be "all over the chart."
"Nobody seems sure that they're upset about," she said. She turned to the crowd asking for a show of hands: "How many are on Social Security? Medicare? Government pension?" Hands went up all over the room. "That's what I thought," she continued. "Socialist programs every damn one of them," she said, twisting the knife before suggesting that they should send all those checks back if they want to "stand up against socialism."
Amy Wahlberg of Arcata read a quote from Kennedy in which he spoke of "new hope that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American -- North, South, East, West, young, old -- will have decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege." The crowd responded with boos and jeers.
Note: Amy Wahlberg, also known as Amy Wahlberg-Doran and Amy Doran, is married to Journal staff writer Bob Doran, who wrote this piece.
1. Rose:
Sept. 3, 9:27 a.m.
Seems to be something missing from this story. Especially in italics at the end.
2. Jeffry Fick:
Sept. 4, 2:35 a.m.
Good thing no one got their finger bitten off at the Fortuna meeting, as at the Thousand Oaks town hall meeting...had that happened, the only doctor there would have been demanding a cash payment to treat the victim. Dr. Rigney feels that medical treatment is a "privilege". I imagine that he has the right to feel as he does, but, in my opinion, a healer heals, regardless of pay, because he feels a duty to use his training and skills to relieve suffering. I realize that medical school is expensive, and a doctor has a right to expect a decent living, but my impression is that he doesn't see patients, he sees dollar signs. That's exactly why we need health care reform. Doctors and insurance companies are gutting people financially with no regard for anything but profit. If money is the bottom line, why get into the business of healing; just cut through the red tape, and go right into stockbroking. I can trust a stockbroker to be more interested in a financial bottom line, I don't want to think my doctor cares more about money than saving lives and alleviating suffering. Everything I see about Teabaggers reinforces my perception of them as having contempt for those who weren't born into as much money as they were.
3. Rose:
Sept. 5, 12:06 a.m.
Disclosure, Bob.
4. Tim:
Sept. 6, 9:39 a.m.
It really isn't about health care is it? It's about fears that women will have choices, guns will be restricted, the President (by encouraging school children to do well in school) will send subliminal messages to make our children "little socialists" and that Nancy Pelosi is now the new antichrist. Excuse me for a moment, I need to adjust my lapel pin flag. There, that's better, I feel like a patriot now. Geez, it's a scary world with all those terrorist democrats around!
5. Rose:
Sept. 7, 7:57 a.m.
No, Tim. It is about worthless Senators and Congressmen who vote in massive spending programs without reading the bill they are voting on, without knowing what they are voting for, without input, discussion, evaluation or any of the normal checks and balances that make our system work.
It is about trying to ram this thing through before Congress went on Recess, so that no one could stop or think, or even read it. That didn't happen, so those Congressmen, LIKE THOMPSON, who intended to vote for it have now been FORCED by those evil right-wingers to actually act like statesmen and do their job. The have been forced, and dragged kicking and screaming to have to THINK about what they were planning to do, to answer questions, and to have the discussion they had intended to avoid.
That's what it is about - and their little scheme turns out to have a whole lot of problems, not the least of which is no tort reform.
Don't you worry, Tim, our system does work, because when the politicians are out of whack, the people have the right to call them to the table.
That's what's happening here, and the legislators are screaming like stuck pigs, demeaning the people they represent who have called them to answer. You may not like it, but the system is working, even if the Legislators are not.
(and Bob - disclosure...italics...at the end of the article... too late to correct last week's hard copy... fix it now. Hank?)
6. unanonymous:
Sept. 7, 7:38 p.m.
motivation: i hate it when people i disagree with state their opinion
purpose: to make those i disagree with seem stupid by satirical op-ed report of town hall meeting
method: make fun of those i disagree with by selectively quoting speakers and highlighting absurd comments
article notes --BD
7. Tim:
Sept. 8, 8:54 a.m.
There's something happening here What it is ain't exactly clear There's someone named Rose over there Telling me I got to beware I think it's time you stop, Rose, what's that sound Everybody look Rose’ going down There's battle lines being drawn Nobody's right if Rose’s wrong Free thinkers speaking their minds Getting so much resistance from behind I think it's time you stop, Rose, what's that sound Everybody look Rose’ going down What a field-day for the right A thousand birthers in the night Singing songs and carrying signs Mostly say, hooray for our side It's time you stop, Rose, what's that sound Everybody look Rose’ going down Paranoia strikes deep Into the right it will creep It starts when you're always afraid Step out of line, ‘Bama come and take you away You better stop, right, what's that sound Everybody look Rose’ going down
8. Rose:
Sept. 8, 12:17 p.m.
C'mon, Bob.
Maybe poor Tim can explain - If the urgency to pass the medical care legislation was to deal with a problem immediately, then why postpone the date when the legislation goes into effect for years-- more specifically, until the year after the next Presidential election?... (not me asking, it's a quote from Thomas Sowell.
9. Tim:
Sept. 8, 6:50 p.m.
Crap Rose, leave me out of your sordid birther comment. It's all about defeating anything Obama sponsors with you blathering birther idiots. Did you take your kids out of school today so they wouldn't become indoctrinated little socialists? Oh, forgot, Fields Landing doesn't have a high school.
10. Rose:
Sept. 9, 7:17 a.m.
Maybe Tim can tell us whether Mike Thompson was going to vote for this turkey with these provisions in it... heck, maybe he even knows how one would qualify for "Affordability Credits." Think it means how much you paid in? Or - the opposite?
*Section 431(a) of the bill says that the IRS must divulge taxpayer identity information, including the filing status, the modified adjusted gross income, the number of dependents, and "other information as is prescribed by" regulation. That information will be provided to the new Health Choices Commissioner and state health programs and used to determine who qualifies for "affordability credits."
Section 245(b)(2)(A) says the IRS must divulge tax return details -- there's no specified limit on what's available or unavailable -- to the Health Choices Commissioner. The purpose, again, is to verify "affordability credits."
Section 1801(a) says that the Social Security Administration can obtain tax return data on anyone who may be eligible for a "low-income prescription drug subsidy" but has not applied for it.
...say good-bye to privacy from the federal government. It was fun while it lasted for 233 years." ...* CBS News - Democratic Health Care Bill Divulges IRS Tax Data
Don't you worry, Tim, luckily there are people asking questions, and working to protect you.
11. Tim:
Sept. 9, 3:52 p.m.
Geez Rose, you know what it does to me when you quote sections... stop! I can't take it - Nancy Pelosi is the antichrist, remember?
12. Tim:
Sept. 9, 6:52 p.m.
From the President's Speech tonight: "...But what we have also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have toward their own government. Instead of honest debate, we have seen scare tactics. Some have dug into unyielding ideological camps that offer no hope of compromise. Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge. And out of this blizzard of charges and counter-charges, confusion has reigned..." Today's Republican Goober All Stars: Leading off we have Southern California Assemblyman Mike Duvall (R). Duvall today resigned after he was recorded bragging about sex prior to a committee meeting. Duvall, 54, could be heard boasting about having sex with female lobbyists. He was removed from two key leadership posts and faced an ethics investigation.
Batting second, here's some info on the Congressman who heckled President Obama during his speech, calling Obama a liar: Wikipedia wrote Addison Graves Wilson, Sr., usually known as Faggy Joe Wilson (born July 31, 1947) is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of South Carolina, currently representing the state's 2nd congressional district (map), in the U.S. House of Representatives. The district is based in the state capital, Columbia, and stretches to the resort towns of Beaufort and Hilton Head Island.
These are today's Republican Tea Bag All Stars people...
I refer readers back to my post #4. Tea Baggers would have you believe they are concerned about health care. Let's not bullshit thinking America. It's all about Obama.
13. Tim:
Sept. 9, 10:05 p.m.
Holy Crap - How could I have forgotten the captain of the Repbulican Tea Bag All Stars - Faggy Wilson's Fellow South Carolinian, Gov Mark Wilson (R)? He of the Argentina mango fandango love connection???
14. Rose:
Sept. 10, 9:24 a.m.
The facts are going to kill you every time, Tim, no matter how many times you invoke teabagging-expert-Anderson-Cooper's terminology.
Obama lied to you. Lies by omission, perhaps, by saying there is no provision in the bill saying it WILL pay for illegal immigrants. That may be a grain of truth, but the FACT is, he is NOT telling you the actual truth: H.R. 3200 does not contain any restrictions on noncitzens*CRS (Congressional Research Office) reports do not get released to the public. CRS offers private analysis to members of Congress on request, but rarely do they see the light of day. However, David Freddoso got his hands on a copy of the 11-page analysis, “Treatment of Non-Citizens in HR3200″ late last night, and confirmed Tapscott’s reading: In its subsection on health insurance subsidies (known as “affordability credits”), HR 3200 does state, “Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.” That would seem to solve the problem, but it’s more rhetoric than reality. The bill contains no verification requirement or enforcement process for citizenship or legal residency, as exists for other federal benefit programs. The only verification required for the subsidies pertains to family income. Beyond that, as the CRS report notes, everything is left in the hands of the Health Choices Commissioner.
House Democrats defeated all attempts in committee to add an enforcement mechanism that would require proof of citizenship or legal residency for those getting subsidies.*
Thinking people, rational people, can see the difference, Tim. Some, like you, are deliberately obtuse. But even you must see that there are still many questions to be addressed.
Lying about it isn't helping.
And what is "the Health Choices Commissioner" - and what are "affordability credits?"
15. Tim:
Sept. 10, 11:37 a.m.
OK Rose, sorry. It's clear you're on to our plot to plant subliminal messages into the minds of our schoolchildren so that they might grow up to become little socialists. You know the part where the President advised children to do their best in school? Well, I helped the administration plant the real message. It's hidden between the words "in" and "school." Don't look back now because it's microscopic and I don't think you can see it without a mag-electron super duper microscope. Since it's all gonna come out now thanks to your super sluething I'll share the subliminal message to you. It says: "Kids - do what I say. Go like sheep into my government farm collectives where I will gather you and your family together to share in the bounties of the land equally. Dress the same every day so you don't stand out from the crowd. Burn private business and shop in government-sponsored businesses ONLY"
There. Our secret is out. You got us socialist health care reformers this time Rose.
16. Rose:
Sept. 10, 11:17 p.m.
Tim, we can agree on one thing, You do need healthcare.
And you still haven't addressed a single issue. You've been influenced, perhaps, by Bob's highly biased coverage, missing a disclaimer at the end.
17. Fortunan:
Sept. 15, 3:43 p.m.
Who's Amy Wahlberg?
18. Thirdeye:
Sept. 15, 7:36 p.m.
I want to be teabagged by Rose.
19. Rose:
Sept. 16, 9:49 a.m.
THANK YOU, Bob and Hank.
20. unanonymous:
Sept. 20, 6:03 p.m.
so bob uses wife to get his quote in the story.......lies about it, according to the apology in next issue, on purpose. Is he still working there or is this the type of journalism the ncj conducts? Next we'll hear they are not journalists but entertainers. nice.
21. unanonymous:
Sept. 22, 7:30 a.m.
no comment? I hear crickets.....
22. Jenigma:
Oct. 6, 8:26 a.m.
"Next we'll hear they are not journalists but entertainers. nice." Like Glenn Beck?
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