Top Five Health Care Reform Lies

August 15, 2009 | 8 Comments

Lie #1: President Obama wants to euthanize your grandma!

The truth: These accusations—of “death panels” and forced euthanasia—are, of course, flatly untrue. As an article from the Associated Press puts it: “No ‘death panel’ in health care bill.” What’s the real deal? Reform legislation includes a provision, supported by the AARP, to offer senior citizens access to a professional medical counselor who will provide them with information on preparing a living will and other issues facing older Americans.

SFPD Officer Threatens Healthcare Reformist
With Bodily Harm

August 14, 2009 | 12 Comments

During the rally, French-born rally participant Daniel Cohen was discussing healthcare reform with two anti-reformists when Sgt. J.S. Colla intervened and told Cohen to leave.

“I was talking to two ladies about socialized medicine and the cops came with another guy and said I could not be there,” Cohen said, adding that Colla told him that “he was going to kick my arse if I didn’t get out of there, like I have never had my arse kicked before.”

Herrera, Mirant Reach Accord
to Close Potrero Power Plant in 2010

August 13, 2009 | 17 Comments

Under terms of the agreement signed by Mirant officials today, the company will also pay at least $1 million to the City to help address pediatric asthma in nearby communities and to initiate other mitigations in neighborhoods adjacent to the fossil-fueled facility. Mirant will pay another $100,000 to the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office for legal fees and costs.

Religious Fundamentalism in Israel

August 12, 2009 | 4 Comments

The earlier influence of fundamentalist Rabbi Abraham Kook (1865 – 1935), or Kuk, was significant. He preached Jewish supremacy and said: “The difference between a Jewish soul and souls of non-Jews – all of them in all different levels – is greater and deeper than the difference between a human soul and the souls of cattle.” His teachings helped create the settler movement, and his son, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook, founded the extremist Gush Emunim (GE) under the slogan: “The Land of Israel, for the people of Israel, according to the Torah of Israel.”

Universal Healthcare: A Necessary Headache

August 10, 2009 | 5 Comments

The most frightening thing about the SF Bay Guardian’s article was the leak from a high-level congressional staff member indicating “many lawmakers won’t back a single-payer system in part because they ‘don’t want to have to respond to being accused of being a socialist by the right wing.'” If that is the kind of petty personal-political impediment to the kind of healthcare system this country needs, then we are all doomed.

Executive Director of Pride Steps Down

August 10, 2009 | No Comments

For those of you who don’t know, Lindsey Jones worked tirelessly in the role of Executive Director of San Francisco Pride for the last four years, raising millions of dollars in the process. She leaves us, not without some initial reservations, to go ride horses back in Arizona where she came from. Yes, it’s largely down to her that you all had such a great time at the Pride Festival this year (and last), and didn’t have to pay for it either.

Health Care: A Right, Not a Privilege

August 07, 2009 | 3 Comments

Socialized medicine is coming!! Lock your doors and shutter your windows. Why is the dreaded “S” word used to oppose health care reform? Those who use the dreaded “S” word never really define what they mean by socialism. To some, it is an expansion in government spending. For example, they deemed the stimulus bill socialist – even though the architect of such policies, John Maynard Keynes, advocated a capitalist economic system. Thus, President Obama who is trying to save capitalism from itself must be a socialist.