The “How-Eva-Is-Wrong-About-the-
1. Your Comments: The Lady Begs To Differ
2. Your Comments: Stop Pussyfooting Around!
3. Ellen Shaffer Sets The Record Straight
4. Your Comments: A Catholic Scientist Weighs In
5. Your Comments: A Physical Therapist Says “Get Back On Topic!”
6. Your Pictures: Spelling “Thank You” to Pelosi on Thursday at lunch
7. Essential Listening: T.R. Reid’s Take on the House Bill
Your Comments: I Beg To Differ!
Some of my favorite anonymous Feinstein 1200’ers wrote in to correct my defense of the Catholic Bishops and my focus on the evangelical C-Street. Here is the first of many:
“Dear Eva: Your point re Evangelicals is well taken, I will add, however, that while American Catholics are known to be pro-choice, the Bishops and higher do finance pro-life candidates. Are they killing doctors who perform abortions? No. Are they financially supporting Congressmen who are pro-life? Maybe. Yes, give Catholics credit for all they do in healthcare, all the support they give to help the uninsured, but recognize the pressure they might be putting on parishioners and lawmakers.”
An excellent point, thank you!
Your Comments: Stop Pussyfooting Around!
To reinforce the previous writer's point, another Feinstein 1200'er wrote in:
“We can no longer pussyfoot around on this. There are hardly any doctors left who will do abortions. Yet overwhelmingly, the people favor freedom of choice… I will read the Bishops' letter. I can tell you this: I have been a pro-choice advocate since I found myself in a backstreet situation as a teenager. I have watched the Roe decision go under attack since it came out in '73. In my view it is wrong not to call a spade a spade. Religious extremism drives just as much on this issue, as it does on issues in the Middle East.
“But let's not quarrel over this. I am in the same camp as you: Pro-choice.”
Agreed. I truly believe that abortion should be a last resort – especially given the finely-tuned, low-dose oral contraceptives (which can now also be used as morning-after pills.) But we still need to be extremely vigilant about protecting a woman's right to choose.
Ellen Shaffer Sets The Record Straight
I still don’t know if I agree with Ellen Shaffer on exactly what the Stupak Amendment might achieve, but let’s face it, only one of us has a Ph.D. (from Johns Hopkins, no less), and it’s not me! Shaffer has decades of experience as a policy expert and advocate, and she obviously looks at the issue on a broader and more complex level than I am able to. You can read her critical analysis of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment here. There is, as she puts it, a credible threat posed by Stupak-Pitts, which she carefully outlines in that analysis.
I hope you will take the time to meet Ellen Shaffer at her December 6 EQUAL Health fundraiser in San Francisco. I had the privilege of hearing her speak to the League of Women Voters, and I was amazed by the breadth of information she had compiled, by the wisdom she employed in interpreting that data, and by her speaking ability. I feel strongly that we should support our local health care reform advocates who have built a national network and presence, and this event will let you interact with her directly.
Your Comments: A Catholic Scientist Weighs In on the Importance of the Separation of Church and State
"Dear Eva: I admire the focused dedication you have brought to this effort. By comparison I feel like I’m flitting from one issue to the next in the few minutes I can spare between work and school."
(Editor’s note: That's because our Catholic scientist, like our readers, has a life, unlike yours truly. But onward…)
"Rest assured the Stupak amendment and the role of the US Catholic Bishops in pushing it is distressing for many of us. The Catholic Church is fraught with division and I know there are many Catholics, lay and clergy alike, who find the level of pressure applied by the Bishops distressing. While I personally find the term “no apologies abortion” an egregious disrespect to life, that has no bearing on my opinion that the more we permit the government to be influenced on the basis of religious views, the more we risk sacrificing the freedom to worship (or not) enjoyed in this country by all of our citizens. One of our friends wrote a scathing letter to our Pastor after he read the letter sent out by the Bishops. The Bishops’ letter contained some very significant components stressing the need for health care reform, but pushed the anti-abortion agenda as well. I think our parish priests walk a thin line regarding how they express their generally progressive views at Mass and the criticism from both ends of the spectrum among parishioners.
"Let’s hope that the Stupak amendment gets toned down in the final version."
My comment: Let’s do more than hope, let’s get to work. We have two tasks - to voice our opposition to Stupak-Pitts, and to make sure that the focus isn't taken off the public option during this time.
Your Comments: A Physical Therapist Says “Get Back On Topic!”
I met this charming woman early in the week of August 10. If I recall correctly, she had in tow her beautiful young children, who did their best imitation of not being insanely bored while sitting in Dianne Feinstein's lobby for over an hour. (I could relate!) She recently wrote in response to the passage of the House Bill:
"I have to say that I'm out of step with all the self-congratulation going on. I have not read the 2000 page document, who has?"
(Editor's note: Who has? Ellen Shaffer has. Several times. I'm serious!)
"Has someone come up with a condensed version? It would be helpful."
(Editor’s Note: I don’t have a condensed version, but will provide links for various synopses in tomorrow’s newsletter. Back to the letter:)
"As a Physical Therapist, I am plunged into crisis at the PT-owned clinic where I work, as Anthem Blue Cross just issued an edict which they plan to put into effect Feb 1st 2010, capping treatment for PT at $75! And if you have a $30 co-pay, they will only put in the difference to bring it up to $75, i.e. $45. We have an office staff of five just to track the insurance people down their own particular rabbit holes!
"Why did they send this information to PT offices on November 1st. Why? Open enrollment closed October 31st! And this way they don't have to announce it to their clients, as there is no change in the deductible or total cap. Why would anyone sign up for a plan that will creep by $45 per treatment towards that never obtained $3500 deductible? NO OTHER OPTION!
"Maybe my cynicism is blinding me, but from where I sit, the people in power, those holding the purse strings, cannot be trusted to do the 'right' thing. They haven't up until now, so without oversight and enforcement, it will be business as usual for Health Insurance Corporations and the Congress they own.
"General Strike Anyone?
"This is like when the credit card companies put their prices up just before the new legislation went into effect.
"One last thing, would be great if you can suggest that people who have Anthem/Blue Cross Insurance write letters or call them about this. Seems this will affect most state employees, so they should contact their PERS administrator."
People? You've heard the lady - get out that letter-writing set!
Your Pictures: Spelling “Thanks” to Pelosi on Thursday at lunch
So funny, I’m dying to know how they came up with this idea – are they ex-cheerleaders? Leslie set up another thank you to Pete Stark on Friday, which was well-attended.
Essential Listening: T.R. Reid’s Take on the House Bill
I’ll write more about this tomorrow, but in the meantime, it was enlightening to hear T.R. Reid on WNYC talk about his response to the passage of the House bill.
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