I Heard it Downtown

I already posted that New York Times story on facebook, but I didn’t really think about the other side of the coin. Women pay higher health care premiums than men because women take on greater risks. This is primarily due to the fact that women get pregnant, but also because women are more health concious than men and make greater efforts to see the doctor. So, in a sense, an entire class of citizens (a majority of the country) is being discriminated against because they are making wise decisions. That’s just stupid, but it’s legal. There is no equivalent to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate discrimination in insurance.

But take a step back. Comprehend the whole picture. Women also get paid less for doing the same work as men. On average, for every dollar a man earns, a woman makes twenty-three cents less. When race is factored the disparity is even worse.

So women, who make less money than men, have to pay more for health care. Single mothers make less money than married husbands with children, and, that’s right, they have to pay more money for health insurance. Covering their children is probably no less costly (it may even be cheaper due to Medicaid), but there’s a hidden risk here. Children are more susceptible to illness if their parents are uninsured.

Truthfully, most places in the world are sexist. I don’t think Americans are any more or less sexist than the French or British, and in terms of public policy, women can find certain advantages here they can’t find in many other countries (the U.S. has relatively liberal abortion laws, for example, like Canada and France but unlike the UK and Germany). The problem is we have a system that incentivizes sexism. Gender and sex issues haven’t factored into the discussion of the financial crisis thus far, but when Alan Greenspan confessed that he had been wrong to believe that the self-interest of groups would yield desirable outcomes in our economy, he’s stating something appears totally obvious when you look at how our system discriminates against women. Insurance companies discriminate against women because they have an interesting in doing so: women carry bigger risks simply for being women.

There’s a solution to this problem: make it illegal. That requires more regulation. Conservatives will wine. And here is where I fly off the cuff. I don’t get that. I just don’t understand why conservatives have for a century thought certain principles like federalism and unfettered free markets were loftier goals than Civil Rights and abolishing child labor. That makes no sense whatsoever. Conservatives want to privatize Social Security. Why? To give individuals (apparently) more control over their money. That’s just a principle, though. There’s no guarantee that society will be better off, and there’s no consideration of potentially loftier principles like social justice and equal opportunity.

But I digress. We’ve heard a lot of nonsense from the McCain campaign about how Obama wants to redistribute wealth. Well, so does McCain. If you’re president, you redistribute wealth. You’re taking other people’s money and spending it on somebody else. Obama wants to take a little bit more money from wealthy Americans and spend a lot on social services. McCain wants to reduce taxes, but there’ll still be taxes, and he’ll still be spending money impulsively on whatever enemy he feels the need to fight that particular week.

I’m not saying any of this to be particularly left-wing. This isn’t a left-right issue anywhere else. We have a psychology in the United States that has many admirable factors: our free speech laws are the most liberal in the world. Despite the NSA program and other recent surveillance activities, these are still nothing compared to what exists in other countries. We’re a society that strongly values the right to privacy. Personal, individual liberty is a good thing, but we need to learn that the unbridled free market does not always facilitate individual liberty. Is a woman really more free when she has to pay more for health care simply because she’s a woman? Please…

My solution is just have the government pay for everyone’s health care, but maybe that isn’t politically feasible or maybe there are actual problems in doing that. But can’t we all agree that regulating insurance companies so they at least ensure equity in their coverage is fair enough?

We pretty much took over The Lantern today.

Matt Brown on the economy: http://media.www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2008/10/29/Opinion/Wall-Street.More.Than.Fiscally.Bankrupt-3512182.shtml

Matt Struhar on John McCain: http://www.thelantern.com/user/index.cfm?event=displayregistrationprompt&requiredregistration=1&thereferer=http%3A//www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2008/10/29/Opinion/Mccains.Record.Leaves.Something.To.Be.Desired-3512189.shtml

I hate losing. I hate losing to Penn State even more than losing to most teams (but not Michigan).

Be that as it may, I am compelled to talk about something that happened on Thursday. There was an event at the Mershon Center on Neil Avenue that featured Dutch journalists (and a few other Europeans) asking college students, members of the College Democrats and the College Republicans, various quesitons regarding the election.

I am tempermentally unsuited to be involved in these things.

People say nonsensical stuff. Usually, they are Republicans. Some Democrats, too – I think the Fairness Doctrine is awful. But generally, Repubilcans. And boy, did they same some absolutely far out things at this event.

Apparently, Sarah Palin appeals to average people. Well, what about below average people? Or above average people? Is this a dictatorship of the average voter or something? And don’t most political scientists think it’s the median voter, not the average voter, who gets to final say anyway? But I digress. Barack Obama will get more votes this year than John McCain, but John McCain has a slim chance of winning the Electoral College vote and, thus, the presidency. So upon hearing about Sarah Palin’s mythic appeal to average voters – God, I HATE THAT TERM – I exploded.

But so did the College Republicans, none of whom could admit the patently obvious: that their ticket is a joke. That no citizen in their right mind could take it seriously. That the only cause for voting for that abomination of a ticket is that it has a slim chance of advancing conservative principles in an emerging age of liberalism. But, really, who in their right mind would want that?

I calmed down toward the end, deciding instead to dispute the framework most of the College Democrats and Republicans chose to employ when addressing global climate change. They treated it like a contest. I think it will take massive global cooperation to really treat the problem, and that our good friends the Dutch have helped lead the way. Americans can’t be leaders on every issue – perhaps we are better off following Europe’s lead on climate change as we lead the world in combatting terrorism, nuclear proliferation and global poverty. Maybe we’ll see the Doha round pass in the current WTO talks under an Obama administration.

First things first, thoughl, and that’s to get the man elected. We live in a democracy, so not everyone will be on board, fair enough. But College Republicans should look themselves in the mirror and admit that Sarah Palin is a joke who has no business being Vice President of the United States.

This isn’t because she’s from a small town, went to the University of Idaho and is mayor of a small state. It’s because she’s a phony who has shown little curiosity about the major events that shape the world. That and her nefarious ties to the traitorous Alaska Independence Party, whose allegiance is to the ironically named U.S. Constitution Party, who understand as much about the Constitution as I do about quantum mechanics and cosmology.

An atheist friend of mine says that I’m only a Christian because I was told that all those crazy things in the Bible (like that whole love thy neighbor nonsense) were true and if I were a truly enlightened, independent thinker, I would reject Christianity.

Uh-huh.

The atheist is right, however. I was told that Christianity is true by my mother. This is the same woman who told me to buckle my seatbelt, to not smoke cigarettes, that I should eat my vegetables every day, that there were no monsters underneath my bed or in my closet so there was no reason to be afraid but that there was no shame in being afraid either, that I should do my homework, be kind to my peers, be respectful to my elders, be wise with my money, practice the damn piano, who taught me how to play Scrabble, how to ride a bike, how to drive, probably how to walk and talk, and certainly everything I’ve ever known about the professional ethics of the insurance business.

My mother raised three kids almost entirely on her own, put herself through college and wanted to make sure her kids had all the same opportunities. Yes, I am only going to college because she told me I could go to college.

Clearly, my mother is crazy. After all, she continues to believe that a virgin-born son of a carpenter with a small religious following (historical fact) performed miracles (widely believed to be possible at the time), committed sedition (historical fact), was crucified (historical fact), died (historical fact) and was buried (historically probable), and three days later rose from the dead (impossible!). Yes, that last thing is impossible! I proclaim a faith in impossible things. It’d hardly be faith if I believed otherwise, right?

So, I will go to church tomorrow, and I will go next week, and I will keep going to church until my mother gives me a reason to doubt anything she’s ever told me. Hasn’t happened yet.

After the last two fairly depressing debates, I really wasn’t planning on watching this one. My plan was to sit down with a mason jar  full of root beer, (Its a fact. Root beer tastes better when consumed from a mason jar. I just read about it in Nature) a bag of chips, and perhaps the Phillies/Dodgers playoff game…or a book…maybe some Spanish homework. In the end though, like a moth is drawn to the deadly glare of the bug zapper, I was drawn in.

And so, the final chapter of our 4 part political theater begins. Let the stupid fly.

John McCain was kind enough to let college students everywhere know what today’s debate drinking codeword is going to be right from the start. Me and my buddies were counting, and he said
a) voters are angry
b) he’s a reformer

maybe 8 times total in his opening statement. Drink up!

The ritual song and dance about the candidate’s tax plans is next (I’ll cut taxes for 95% of workers. Obama will raise your taxes. Nuh uh. Yes huh. You’re stupid. I’m taking my kickball and going home. etc.) was changed up a little bit with the inclusion of “Joe the Plumber” from Ohio…who seemed to get more face time than the poor moderator.

Okay, this just dawned on me, thanks to my new glorious HDTV. WHERE IS JOHN MCCAIN’S FLAG PIN?!? I see Obama’s, but McCain doesn’t have one. I’m sure Bill Ayers stole it on the way in or something.

Also, I’m being really distracted by John Mccain’s body language here. When Obama mentioned a Fox News focus group, McCain jumped like somebody grabbed his depends. He interrupts, grins nervously, rolls his eyes, and is basically a big, jittery mess. I’ve been trying to try this to Gore’s eye rolls in the 2000 debates, but I don’t think anybody here remembers the body language from a presidential debate 8 years ago. I need a hobby, or a girlfriend, or something.

I’m enjoying this discussion of the ugly catcalls at McCain events. McCain calls his attendees “great citizens”. Well…except for the racist and hateful ones I guess. Kill him!

Okay, now we’re getting up to my absolute favorite moment of the debate. Bob asks the two to defend their VP choices. Obama goes on and discusses the experience of Biden, his credentials, etc.

John McCain called Sarah Palin “A breast of fresh air”. er, “I mean a breath of fresh ass”. I mean..er..crap. I don’t even think McCain believes in Palin anymore. Bring back Dan Quayle!

Also, seriously, who the crap says “Cockamamie”? That word went extinct like 30 years ago. I’m praying that McCain does a PSA trying to appeal to young voters and says things like “Rad”.

The two continue the blah blah dance on free trade, education, health care, etc…but I honestly can’t focus. I can’t take my eyes off McCain’s facial expressions. He’s a non-stop comedy show. Forget anything I’ve ever written…if you want some great political humor, watch tonight’s debate with the sound off. His eyes bugged out so much after Obama started talking about Columbia Free Trade, I thought I had switched to the Cartoon Network by mistake.  Craaaaap…he really does know about Latin America….

If you were looking for insight, you turned to the wrong place (both in the debate, which is always an exercise in talking points, and this note). By this point, anybody who is only *kind* of paying attention ought to have a basic understanding of where both of these guys stand on the important issues. I honestly can’t understand why anybody would be undecided at this point. Where do they keep getting people for focus groups?

At any rate, we have all the ammo we need. Time to follow ol’ Bob’s advice…and go vote. It’ll make you big and strong. Or something.

So, WordPress had added this new handy poll feature. I figured I’d try a little test poll, and then add a new one twice a week.

Second, my esteemed colleague and fellow writer Matt Struhar had an editorial published in The Ohio State Lantern today. I invite you all to check it out here.

Finally, I’ve noticed that the little graphic and tagline at the top of the sceen are customizable. I’m an even worse artist than I am web designer, so it doesn’t look I’ll be coming up with any new art for it…but if any of you guys have a brilliant idea, I will gladly take suggestions/submissions. If I end up using it, I’ll be happy to pay in nominal amounts of cash/writing space/a limited edition Aces High CD/something else. The email is seriousprofessional@gmail.com

The final debate is today, and I’m flip flopping on whether I’ll watch it today or not. Either way, expect some sort of political update in the next day or two.

Matt Brown would rather have Brady Quinn starting than DA, it seems, even knowing DA has Brett Favre’s arm on a 6 and a half feet tall body and absolutely aviscerated the Giants’ secondary last night. Brady Quinn couldn’t handle that pressure. How many big games did he win at Notre Dame? Exactly.

Granted, DA choked at the end of last year, but who is to say nobody else would have? When nobody expects crap from you, and all of a sudden you’re good, interesting things happen. The Browns have serious potential, and nobody signifies that more than DA.

DA went to the Pro Bowl last year and was voted the team’s MVP. I mean, what does he have to do to get people to be a little patient with a team that, frankly, has lacked a few key pieces this season.

Cleveland’s receiving corps has never been at full strength. Braylon was dropping perfect passes all year. Jurevicius has been hurt. Stalworth didn’t play until last night. Now, if Braylon is consistent, if Stalworth stays healthy and if we get Winslow back soon enough, the Browns could save the season.

Or we could put Brady Quinn in and, you know, see what happens.

My main man Derek Anderson has been throwing rockets on Monday Night Football.  225 passing in the first half.

I feel bad for bashing him a few weeks ago, but in my defnese, I have never EVER hopped on the Brady Quinn bandwagon. I believe with another solid back to complement Jamal Lewis and our receiving corps at full strength, then DA can lead Cleveland to the glory she so richly deserves!