Prairie Populists on YouTube

Hello there.

This is my first post to iggydonnelly.wordpress.com, although I also happen to be the teenage daughter of Iggy himself.

So hi. =)

I’ve decided to help out my Dear Old Dad by helping him branch out to other networking sites, such as YouTube. For all of you tech-savvy folks out there who already happen to have YT accounts, please feel free to add the group and post away, and for those of you who are less savvy and more along the lines of challenged, please create a YouTube account (youtube can be found here: http://www.youtube.com, information on youtube can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youtube) and join in on all the fun.

The Channel name is: http://www.youtube.com/group/forwardthinkers
The Group name is: Prairie Populists and Progressives on YouTube

Thank you and goodnight.
LoverNotAFighter

Missing Richard Nixon . . .

Paul Krugman seldom misses a non-breaking curve ball, but he really slams the 08-30-09 editoral by the same name as this post into the upper decks.  Nixon a saint?  Well not exactly, but he did govern at a time when seeking biparisan support was not a capital offense.

As Krugman points out Nixon proposed “health care reform that looks a lot like Democratic proposals today.”  Nixon recommended tighter regulation of insurers.  As Krugman states “no illusions there about the magic of the marketplace solves all problems.”

Krugman misses the day when insane right wing factions had less control over the GOP and national debate.  Ultimately Krugman believes the massive control corporate interests now exert on Washington makes reasonable change in policy nearly impossible.  Surprise, surpise — it’s all about the money.

As a parting note, Krugman says “turning this country around is going to take years of siege warfare against deeply entrenched interests, defending a deeply dysfunctional political system.”

Is it as bad as he says?  Read more here.

Monday, 08/31/09, Public Square

Hope your Monday doesn’t bring challenges you can’t handle!  Sometimes getting beyond the rough patches is harder than others but leaves good lessons.

Is this about the loveliest weather you could ever hope for!?  Maybe this weather will take us to winter, winter will be late in coming and short in duration, taking us into spring.  A girl can dream!

fnord

Conservatives — personal attack & reflexive stonewalling

I read a review for a new book written by Sam Tanenhaus (editor of The New York Times Book Review and that paper’s Week in Review) titled, “The Death of Conservatism.”

The reviewer stated the author writes about Conservatives who identify government itself as being with the ‘forces of evil.’  Then the book delves into the obvious question of  what their strategy will be since political power can only operate through government.

Good question!

He concludes that rigid absolutism, personal attacks and reflexive stonewalling will be the death of the Party.

fnord

Sunday, 08/30/09, Public Square

Does the early bird still get the worm?  Seems our world has changed so much, I just need to be reassured some things can still be counted on!

What’s on for your day?

fnord

Our Stats are Looking Good…

It is true, they are.  Wednesday was over 700,;  Thursday was over 600;  Today, who knows.

Thanks for all your work, each and every one of you…

iggy donnelly

Baggin’ it.

You all remember school lunches? The ones you brought to school, and how they entwined themselves into our daily routines?  First, the brown paper sack. Remember the sound it made when opened at the table with all the other kids? Opening the sandwiches neatly wrapped in wax paper; looking around at what the other kids had. Jimmy’s got strawberry jam; you got grape. He hates strawberry, you love it, so you trade. When you’re done, you carefully fold the sack up and put it in your back pocket, because mom wants to use it again. Even has your name on it.

Then came the rectangular lunch boxes, bright, shiny and new. Mine had Hoppalong Cassidy on it, because Cassidy land was three blocks from where I lived, so he was my hero. Remember the smell wafting out as you opened it up? I think that smell has long gone from this world, and I miss it.

Then you graduated to the big lunch boxes, with the thermos in it. Most of the time it had milk, but once and awhile you snuck in some orange juice instead. Or maybe tried a soda, which turned flat, so you didn’t do that again. Mine was basic black, but had Flash Gorden on it, because he was the intergalactic hero with the beautiful girl at his side, and I was starting to notice such things. Then, suddenly, it was gone, and the cafeteria, mystery meat and all, became the center of the school universe, and your youth slowly faded into the past

What are your memories of lunch at school? Did you bring your own? Make it yourself, or did mom make it for you? Buy it at school? Do you even want to go there? Hungry minds want to know.

jammer5

Saturday, 08/29/09, Public Square

Source: images.huffingtonpost.com

Look closely at the tall man in the center of the group.  How many of the protesters have read his sign? 

It’s Saturday!  Will it be a day of play, rest, work, a bit of all?

fnord

Friday, 08/28/09, Public Square

Talk about persistent!  When women decide to form picket lines, they don’t give up easily!

Ten suffragists were arrested on August 28, 1917, as they picketed the White House.  Daily picketing began on January 10, 1917. During that year, more than 1,000 women from across the country joined the picket line outside the White House.  Between June and November, 218 protesters from 26 states were arrested and charged with “obstructing sidewalk traffic.”

Women achieved the right to vote with the August 18, 1920, ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, which is commemorated by Women’s Equality Day.

And, ya know what?  We are still fighting for equality! 

fnord

A tribute to Senator Kennedy

Here is a stirring tribute song to my good friend, Senator Ted Kennedy called ‘Headed Home.’ I wrote this song with the great Phil Springer. Take a moment to listen to the words. You don’t have to agree with everyone’s politics…none of us agree 100% of the time. But you have to admire a lifetime dedicated to public service and improving the lives of others — and that is just one of the many things that made Ted great. I think this song captures a small part of Ted’s legacy of service. Listen to it and see what you think.

Senator Orrin Hatch

Lyrics:

Through the darkness
We can find a pathway
That will take us half way
To the stars.

Through the rain and fog
We can find a clear day
Shoo the shadows and doubts away
And touch the legacy that is ours.

Yours and mine
And our children’s
For all time.

Just honor him
Honor him
And every fear
Will be a thing of the past.

America, America
We’re headed home
We’re headed home
At last.

Just honor him
Honor him
And on the reefs of despair
We shall not crash.

America
America
We’re sailing home
Sailing home
America
America
We’re headed home
Headed home
At last.

Written by: Orrin Hatch and Phil Springer

Comments?

Thursday, 08/27/09, Public Square

Most days it’s a good idea to hold hands when you go out in the world.

What’s going on, Prairie P&Ps?  How about anyone who may be visiting and not stopping to say hi — how are you today?

fnord

Monica: Would you Guys do it with her?

Another poll to boost our numbers.  I don’t think I would.  But I also don’t think I would ever get the opportunity.  What do you folk think?

Close to a Record Tonight…

Given that we are close to beating a record, thanks to the very great work of one fnord, I have a poll shamelessly devoted to that goal:  Would you bloggers rather 1) see Dick “Darth” Cheney violently sodomized by an angry alien, or 2) all U.S. citizens having healthcare?  One or two?

Love you all…

The Senate’s great lion

In a recent article written by Senator Edward M. Kennedy and published in Newsweek, he explains why he fought to make health care available for every mother or father who hears a sick child cry in the night.

In 1973, when I was first fighting in the Senate for universal coverage, we learned that my 12-year-old son Teddy had bone cancer. He had to have his right leg amputated above the knee. Even then, the pathology report showed that some of the cancer cells were very aggressive. There were only a few long-shot options to stop it from spreading further. I decided his best chance for survival was a clinical trial involving massive doses of chemotherapy. Every three weeks, at Children’s Hospital Boston, he had to lie still for six hours while the fluid dripped into his arm. I remember watching and praying for him, all the while knowing how sick he would be for days afterward.

During those many hours at the hospital, I came to know other parents whose children had been stricken with the same deadly disease. We all hoped that our child’s life would be saved by this experimental treatment. Because we were part of a clinical trial, none of us paid for it. Then the trial was declared a success and terminated before some patients had completed their treatments. That meant families had to have insurance to cover the rest or pay for them out of pocket. Our family had the necessary resources as well as excellent insurance coverage. But other heartbroken parents pleaded with the doctors: What chance does my child have if I can only afford half of the prescribed treatments? Or two thirds? I’ve sold everything. I’ve mortgaged as much as possible. No parent should suffer that torment. Not in this country. Not in the richest country in the world.

fnord