SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
June 26, 2015
Sullivan’s
Salvos 6/30/15
In this edition:
*Same Sex Marriage
*Obamacare lives!
*Happy Independence Day!
*Think Big!
*TPP
*Did You Know?
*Same Sex Marriage
The
US Supreme Court weighed in on the topic of same sex marriage, and Love won!
The
Court hates this type of ruling. The argument is always that the Court should
not “get ahead of public opinion”. Additionally, the SCOTUS typically prefers
that Congress act before the Court weighs in.
But
Obergefell v. Hodges forced the hand of the Court. Public opinion has changed
at a rapid pace. More and more judicial decisions had come down. And thousands
of Americans had become snagged in a legal limbo.
Two different issues were at stake: First, do States have a right
to define marriage as between a man and a woman, or is this a matter of the
Constitutional rights of the individuals? Secondly, if states do not allow same
sex marriages, must they still acknowledge same sex marriages performed in
other states? Obviously, since the first issue prevailed, the second was moot.
There
is a great deal of injustice in our society today. Too many people are
systematically excluded. Powerful economic interests manipulate our government,
and pit people against each other. I often struggle to stay positive in the
face of all this.
But the Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges restores some
hope. It seemed like a no-brainer to me, but we all know that the powerful
interests I mentioned earlier own four Justices. Nothing is a given with this
Court.
Meanwhile, congrats! Celebrate the day!
*Obamacare Lives!
The
US Supreme Court recently ruled 6-3 in the case of King v. Burwell, leaving in
place the Affordable Care Act (ACA), otherwise known as Obamacare.
This
whole case was a joke from the very beginning, and everyone knew it. Chief
Justice John Roberts said as much when he wrote in his majority opinion: “Congress passed the Affordable Care Act to improve health
insurance markets, not to destroy them.”
And
the ACA HAS improved health care markets. Let’s look at a few facts on the ACA:
1.)
The
number of uninsured in the US has fallen by as much as 12 million people.
(Source: Congressional Budget Office.)
2.)
There
has been no “government takeover” of healthcare. The ACA is run by private
health insurance companies.
3.)
Obamacare
has not cost the US jobs. Job growth has actually increased since the ACA
became law. (Source: Congressional Budget Office.)
4.)
While
insurance rates have increased since the passage of the ACA, they have
increased at a much slower rate since its’ passage. (Source: Congressional
Budget Office.)
5.)
While
some people did see rate increases, they also got better coverage. Meanwhile,
the net number of people who now pay less for healthcare (because of tax
credits and expanded Medicaid) is greater than the number that pays more.
(Source: Manhattan Institute.)
6.)
The
overall cost of healthcare is rising at the slowest rate in years. (Source:
Congressional Budget Office.)
7.)
The
overall budget impact of Obamacare has been to lower the federal deficit.
(Source: Congressional Budget Office.)
If you consider yourself a fiscal conservative yet still feel the
ACA has been a terrible thing? I don’t think you are being intellectually
honest.
*Happy Independence Day!
Happy
Birthday to the USA! 239 years old and going strong! I hope you and yours enjoy
a great Independence Day!
Looking
for ways to celebrate? The Jazz Festival is in downtown Iowa City, and the 4th
has parades in Coralville, Sharon Center, Oxford, and Hills.
*Think Big!
What
better way to celebrate our Independence than by talking a little politics?
As
I have mentioned in this space before, I plan on caucusing for Bernie Sanders.
Other candidates and their supporters have taken notice of Bernie’s grassroots
support, and they are beginning to attempt to explain why Senator Sanders is
“not viable.” I’d like to address this for a moment.
You
are going to hear a lot of elected officials and political operatives giving
lectures on pragmatism. They are going to offer up some version of, “I agree
with you, but…”
Look
– I am an elected official. I know how this stuff works. The things Bernie
Sanders talks about are doable. Lots of people are campaigning on messages of,
“We can’t. Not yet. Wait.”
We
cannot improve Social Security; we can only hope to protect it. We cannot have
single payer health insurance; we must tweak the ACA. We cannot end our
military involvements in the Middle East; we must move more slowly. We cannot
end NSA spying on American citizens; we must protect ourselves from terrorists.
We cannot require billionaires to pay their share in taxes; the billionaires
might take our jobs elsewhere.
Readers,
you are smart people. Which side do you believe?
It
is precisely this defeatist attitude that has hurt the Democratic Party SO
badly over the past 30 years. We CAN improve things. And the first step on that
road is adopting a more positive attitude.
I
would urge you to do exactly what Bernie asked us to do when he spoke in Iowa
City: Think Big.
We
can do this. We can address all our problems. But we need to begin with one
simple step – Think Big!
*TPP
You
have probably heard of the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal, otherwise
known as the TPP. I am no fan.
First,
you have “Investor-State Dispute
Settlement,” or ISDS. ISDS would allow foreign companies to challenge U.S. laws
— and potentially to pick up huge payouts from taxpayers — without ever
stepping foot in a U.S. court.
That
is not even the #1 reason that I know the TPP is a REALLY bad deal for the US.
You know how I know that? Because those in power will not allow us to read it.
How
DARE any person sitting in or seeking public office claim that such secrecy is
OK? It is appalling!
No
TPP for me, thanks! I prefer legislation that I have a right to read!
*DID YOU KNOW?
One US President was born on the 4th of July: Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president, in 1872. Three of the first five US Presidents
died on the 4th of July, including Thomas Jefferson and John Adams,
who both died on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the
Declaration of Independence.
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---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 3:01 PM
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