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Hart Bochner

Hart Bochner

Posted: August 26, 2009 02:18 PM

It's About Time


With the passing last night of perhaps the greatest senator this country has ever known, it marks a legacy in dire need of reward. Teddy Kennedy spent the better part of his five decades in public service fighting for the less fortunate. Up front and center was universal health care. Following in the footsteps of his brothers, Teddy recognized that by being born into privilege he was able focus his power into making a better society, lifting those who didn't have the opportunities he had. That was the central objective in his quest for health care, and asked for nothing more than affording the same coverage for all that he and his constituents received in government.

I have never seen such an hideous display of demagoguery than during these past months over this debate in Congress. We live in extremely uncertain times, the masses being more vulnerable and, sadly, more easily manipulated than ever before. It's an outrage for the right to make up the garbage they're feeding the public, merely to win an argument like schoolyard bullies, regardless of impact. Never mind we could actually move our culture forward in the 21st Century. Lie, distort, cheat. None of it matters. Just don't let the other side win. Perhaps if The Right had a valid argument, it might be a debate worth entertaining. But, of course, it isn't, because health care should be a God-given right. Any sane minded person can't argue that. Therein lies the problem.

As a tribute to Teddy, Congress should once and for all unite in what they know is doing the right thing.

 
 
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02:57 PM on 09/01/2009
Hart, thanks for a well-written piece. I share your sentiments, especially the part about Ted being perhaps the greatest Senator of all time. Doris Kearns Goodwin said the same thing on Meet the Press this past Sunday.

Now a very different topic. I have a daughter, grown now. Her name is Hadley. Does that name ring a bell? I expect you might know who her namesake is. Hadley Richardson Hemingway, Ernest's first wife, and the the woman to whom he penned the heartbreakingly lovely valentine, A Moveable Feast.

In any case, I have a deep respect for the real Hemingway (so unlike the media caricature). I thought that the miniseries of The Sun Also Rises was superb and powerful. You played Jake Barnes to poignant perfection, and deserved an Emmy for your performance. Pues, ni modo.

Do you know of any source for obtaining the miniseries in digital format? I live in Mexico, but purchasing,and shipping internationally is generally not a problem.

Thanks in advance if you can help me obtain a copy of this wonderful, sadly underappreciated miniseries.
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05:35 PM on 08/27/2009
Yeah, its amazing isnt it? This stuff makes swift-boating seem sanitary.
04:30 PM on 08/27/2009
If you are concerned about receiving "real" health care reform in this country, please take the time to watch a video on our current system. The video was created by Oregon physicians who are advocating for the single-payer option. The video is very informative and helped me to gain a better understanding of various aspect of health care, as we know now it.

https://www.madashelldoctorstour.com/Mad_as_Hell_Video.html

These Oregon physicians are in the process of organizing a caravan designed to inform the public about the benefits of the single-payer option. At last count they will be stopping in approximately 23 states, on their way to demonstrate in Washington. They need volunteers and our support. Please spread the word.
03:49 PM on 08/27/2009
Great post, Hart. Thanks
HUFFPOST PUNDIT
Freesia2
I'm nicer than I appear in print. :-)
02:37 PM on 08/26/2009
It has been hideous, hasn't? That's the word. And they have been school yard bullies. Using the soldiers (the soldiers!) in their latest lie about death books, joined with their scaring little old ladies I begin to believe that there's some deep parasitic rot going on in the Republican party. This isn't about policy. It's about immorality.

I hope that one positive that might come from the passing of Sen. Kennedy is that the people who are in charge of fighting off this kind of scourge will now join forces and walk right past them. They're on the wrong side of history and the bad side too. Leave them there. Let's move on now and take our country, and our discourse, back. America is great country and a decent one. We can't give in to people like that.