Posted Sat, 24 Jun 2017 19:57:33 by chris in #California

Healthy California Update

While our President and the US Congress are working hard to replace Obamacare with something way better, um, or something, California State Senator Richard Lara introduced Senate Bill 562 in February to create a state-wide single payer, universal health care system which would be called ‘Healthy California’.

The kind folks at the Daily Kos put together a FAQ about SB 562.

Latest reports indicate the bill is in trouble:

• LA Times: California won’t be passing a single-payer healthcare system any time soon the plan is dead for this year
• Mercury News: Single-payer health care put on hold in California as leader calls bill woefully incomplete
• SF Chronicle: California shelves single-payer health bill

Posted Sat, 24 Jun 2017 19:32:27 by chris in #POTUS

Presidential Lies to Date

Dang. Ouch. Wow. The New York Times compiled a list of publicly uttered, written or tweeted lies made by our President since he entered office.

• NYT: Trump’s Lies

Posted Sat, 24 Jun 2017 17:22:00 by chris in #Justice #Women

Bill Cosby Sexual Assault Tour

Heads are exploding and jaws are hitting the ground across America as accused sexual assaulter and hung jury beneficiary Bill Cosby announced plans to … go on a tour of the country holding “town halls” on the subject of sexual assault.

Usually, comedians who are busted for something give humorous remedial driving classes to help work off their debt to society, but Cosby appears to be taking the Teachable Moment to strange new places.

• CNN: Advocacy groups slam Cosby’s ‘outrageous’ tour on sexual assault laws
• HuffPo: Women Arent Going To Just Let Bill Cosby Hold Town Halls On Sexual Assault
• Rolling Stone: Bill Cosby to Teach Young People How to Avoid Sexual Assault Charges
• WaPo:Bill Cosby plans town halls on avoiding sexual assault accusations, his publicists claim

As a public service to our readers, Needful News is pleased to present our own prescription for how to avoid being charged with sexual assault. Ready?

Do not sexually assault people. Ever.

You’re welcome.

Posted Sat, 24 Jun 2017 16:20:27 by chris in #Justice #Media #Race #Spotlight

Spotlight: The San Francisco Chronicle

No matter how you feel about San Francisco, Babylon by the Bay is a test tube for all of the opportunities and afflictions of a city in modern-racing-to-the-future America.

Coverage of how the city responds to homelessness, gentrification, displacement of the poor (anyone who can’t afford skyrocketing housing prices, which is becoming everybody), transportation, crime, education and all the other challenges of the compact urban hive, is provided by the local paper, the San Francisco Chronicle.

The Chron has recently upgraded its web site and really unleashed its stable of columnists and reporters. This has resulted in excellent reporting which both educates and illuminates how the City is moving forward in meeting the needs (or not, in some cases) of its residents.

The storied Herb Caen is long gone, as is the mysterious Night Cabbie, but the excellent Chronicle columnists continue to witness, observe, and put words to a truth or a point of view which resonates with their readers and speaks to their lives.

This is demonstrated by the raw emotion and distress expressed in this column by Otis R. Taylor Jr:

• SF Chronicle: Police fears of black skin grant cops virtual license to kill

Posted Sat, 24 Jun 2017 08:27:42 by chris in #National Politics #POTUS

Obama Sort of Fumbled the Russian Thing

The Washington Post is running an exclusive story today which explores the Obama administration response to Russian attempts to hack our democracy.

• WaPo: Obamas secret struggle to punish Russia for Putins election assault

Posted Sat, 24 Jun 2017 08:13:15 by chris in #National Politics

Senate Health Care Bill Update

The Senate Health Care Bill, drafted in secrecy, is losing support amongst its own party as more GOP senators defect and American voters and the press get to see what’s under the hood of this fine piece of work.

Meanwhile, the knives are out for Republican Senators who do not support the bill, with attack ads ready to hit the airwaves and promises of primary challenges being muttered.

The spin machine is working overtime, let’s see what the horses are talking about on the Merry-Go-Round:

• CNN: Trump’s previous promises on health care
• CNN:Deep cuts to Medicaid put rural hospitals in the crosshairs
• Fox:Clinton: GOP will become the ‘death party’ if Senate bill passes
• Fox: Pro-Trump group launches $1M ad campaign against Sen. Heller over ObamaCare stance
• NYT: Senate Health Plan Falls Short of Promise for Cheaper Care, Experts Say
• NYT: Senate Health Care Bill: How the Right and Left Reacted

Posted Fri, 23 Jun 2017 18:53:16 by chris in #LGBT #Youth

Adults Are Lame, Though Sometimes Not So Much

It’s no secret to the youth of America that adults can be dim, lumbering beasts of mean intelligence and belligerent attitude. This is especially demonstrated in a recent round of kids being shut down by their elders for reasons.

• NYT: A 12-Year-Old Came Out to Her Mormon Church. Then Her Mike Was Cut Off.
• WaPo: A valedictorian went rogue in his final speech. His school tried to shut him down.
• WaPo: Graduating senior refused to read speech written by administrators, so they withheld his diploma.

On the other hand, sometimes kids and adults get along, and the results are beautiful.

• SF Chronicle: Finding Himself

Posted Fri, 23 Jun 2017 09:50:40 by chris in #Economy #Media

Late One Night in Coal Country

Late night serious comedy guy and prominent Olsen Twin Denier John Oliver is being sued for … well… just see for yourself, then check out what the press is reporting about it, below.

Didn’t expect the talking squirrel thing, right?

Behold the headlines:

• CNN:John Oliver sued by coal CEO claiming ‘character assassination’
• Fox: HBO’s John Oliver sued by coal magnate over ‘Last Week Tonight’ segment
• WaPo: HBOs John Oliver sued by Murray Energy CEO over anti-coal segment

Comedy and pointed remarks about a coal king aside, it should be noted the John Oliver bit presented a thoughtful, sympathetic look at the people of coal country and the challenges to the coal economy upon which they depend.

The decline of the US coal industry as an economic trend was recently explored by the press:

• Fox: White House adviser differs with coal-loving president
• Forbes: Economics Are Transitioning America From Coal To Clean
• USNews: The Real Cause of Coal’s Collapse

Posted Fri, 23 Jun 2017 08:31:40 by chris in #National Politics #POTUS

Today in Trump Town

The Tapes:

Okay, our President admitted he, personally, did not tape his conversations with then FBI Director Comey but somebody, somebody, could’ve might’ve.

• CNN: Trump ends his self-made crisis where it started: Twitter
• CNN: No tapes? Trump has us through the looking glass
• Fox: Pres. Trump on the ‘Tapes’ Tweet: Comey’s ‘Story May Have Changed’
• NYT: Trump Indicates Tweet on Tapes Was Meant to Affect Comey Testimony

Terrorism:

Now, this might be interesting:

• Fox:Trump considering Camp David-style summit to unite Arab leaders to fight terrorism

That Investigation Thing:

More shade is being thrown on the former FBI Director and the current Special Counsel and the investigation into who-knows-where-this-will-end-up:

• Fox: Trump says Comey-Mueller friendship ‘bothersome’
• Fox: Can Robert Mueller be trusted?
• Breitbart: James Comey Spotted Entering New York Times Building

Posted Fri, 23 Jun 2017 07:42:13 by chris in #National Politics

Senate Health Care Bill Roundup

The reaction to the (finally) released text of the Senate “Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017” was swift in manifesting along mostly party lines.

Democrats remain opposed and outraged, outraged, at the massive shift in dollars from the poor to the rich. Meanwhile, a ripple of unease is becoming apparent in GOP ranks, though Republicans remain adamant that Obamacare must be replaced, and soon! to ssSHHH! (in part correct the massive redistribution of dollars from the rich to the poor).

Thus spaketh the usual suspects:

• CNN:Obama on Senate bill: It’s ‘not a health care bill’
• CNN:Who gets hurt and who gets helped by the Senate health care bill
• Fox: Unhealthy outlook for repealing ObamaCare as some GOP senators defect from bill
• Fox: Tom Price: ObamaCare replacement ‘has to be done’
• NYT: Shifting Dollars From Poor to Rich Is a Key Part of the Senate Health Bill
• WaPo: What the Senate bill changes about Obamacare