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Wally: You are a lucky fellow. My son lives in the Liberal enclave of Portland Oregon and we traversedthe costal highway down past the redwoods. Unhappily we stopped in Eureka. You live in a paradise,I live just outside Buffalo, New York--ugh!
You did not lie–you changed your mind. Now we just have to get your mind right.Medicare and Medicaid are, like Social Security are guaranteed to all eligible Americans--they werepassed by Congress, signed by the President and are the law. You have the RIGHT to demand that these services be provided to you if you qualify under the rules. They are a right--not a luxury.Mandated Universal single payer government health insurance is coming--you know it, I know it, we all know it--it is just a matter of time. When it comes it will be supported by a wide coalition of interests including businesses that realize that it is better to have all pay for all then to have them pay for their workers. Labour unions will of course burn effigies of right wing mossbacks.Now you also know that all these programs were opposed by those right of center and some deemed them Socialistic or even Communistic. This battle has been going on since Teddy was President andwhen it finally arrives I predict that it will be like a completed root canal on a big molar--it was not as bad as we thought, we are glad it is all over and now we just have to be concerned how we are going to pay the dentist.Life is unfair--civilized and compassionate societies try to lessen the pain--do you not think this praiseworthy?
Best of Luck–where in California? I lived in Imperial Beach for a year long ago–wonderful place.War story:I too deviated while teaching. I was covering the middle ages and there was some confusion about theefficacy of armour worn by knights and some soldiers. To bring history to life I brought in several pieces of flat steel plates and provided a rock hammer that has a blunt head and a tapered end. Each studentbashed on the plates and some got through and some did not--they loved it--these were College freshmanand their eyes were shining! I got some complaints about the noise which was considerable. Those were the days!WillyD
Then perhaps it time to grasp the beast by the neck and mandate a single payer system. If this requires a few institutions be altered, laws changed and our ethos altered so be it! I believe that it is inevitable and business will buy into it so as to level the playing field with their overseas competitors in many nations that do provide health insurance for all–either free or at a minimal cost. China does not.
Promote:Let me wax Rankean and choose a definition that, if slightly warped, may well make my point palatable:promote: --To contribute to the progress or growth of something. It does not suggest free food, but ........................................................................would include land grants, canal and road construction, anticipating Ike's great road building gift tothe nation and contractors in 1956, land for schools--all things designed to promote the general welfare--why not health care--is this not easily included under the same rubric?WillyD
Does this seem apropos these days?that the greatest threat to democracy is the political polarisation and gamesmanship being played by political parties and interests across the spectrum.People may get really fed up with the process and look to a man on a black horse (or tank) as hashappened so many times when people become disgusted with the chicanery of politicians--Weimarmight be a good example--it allowed Hitler to slip into the Chancellorship assisted by the grease of frustration and the venality of right wing politicians such as von Papen, Bismarck and their bankers.
Candide!!!!Yes--The Church had a list of banned books. It was on the list. I read it as soon as possible--loved it andsaw something of Heller's Catch 22 in the absurdity--loved Pangloss--what a wonderful myopic fool!
Scout–I got lucky:Another such account had it that at another such encounter Khrushchev shook Zhou?s hand, then pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his hands. Zhou then pulled out his handkerchief, wiped his hands, and put the handkerchief in the nearest wastebasket.[12] This is especially interesting since apparently Richard Nixon told a similar story. He recalled that in 1954 Undersecretary of State, Walter B. Smith did not want to "break... discipline" but also did not want to slight the Chinese blatantly. Therefore, Smith held a cup of coffee in his right hand when shaking hands with Zhou. Zhou took out a white handkerchief, wiped his hand and threw the handkerchief into the garbage.When asked for his assessment of the 1789 French Revolution, he is remembered for saying, "It is too early to say."[13].WillyD
Wally–sorry to say I never used lesson, plans or notes or aid books–It provably would have been better if I hadWillyD
I heard differently–but I shall check–you may well be right–I am learning to live with incipient mental decrepitude.
You are absolutely correct–he has been demonized like Barry Goldwater, Dalton Trumbo, Attila,Alaric, Cromwell, Robespierre, and Jane Fonda.
QuoteNot that hard really... besides the money spent on bankrolling the AmRev, the French Crown had a rep for wasteful spending. Versailles which had started out as a hunting lodge (rather plush but a lodge none-the-less) becomes, in reality, a advert for the craftsmanship of the French workers that designed and built it. To show just what the peasants and lower middle class were saddled with I used to use a simulation game from a group called History Alive (c). After some factual groundwork the class was divided up by Estate, alone with a King, Queen, and Controller General; the majority being Third Estate...First thing was to produce food; the peasant made food coupons, while their manor lord encouraged them. The Clergy wander about the room blessing the peasants and wencouraging them also. The Nobles (K,Q&C-G) sit in front and visit... occasionally adding a bit of encouragement as well. The kids know there will need to be 20 coupons per each to survive the winter.The strategy varies widely among a group of 10th graders, as you can imagine, but most play along as this is an experiential activity they aren't accustomed too. Those that buy in really learn the lesson... those that don't are left behind ( ).Next step (2nd day) is count and divide the food. Some questions arise when people (absent the day before) are added to a group and others have fewer (absent today). Fairness is questioned but population varies with births and deaths. Grumbles aside the count is concluded and most think they are in...Next step; Church takes 10% off top, Crown 50% of the remaining, Manor Lord 50% of remaining... now we divide by # of peasants. At least one group is toast at this point. One or two groups are gloating since the have managed to keep 20-25 coupons each. Oh by the way... bad crop year prices double with inflation... you need 40 to survive.After the hissing and moaning stops there is usually one group that survives, barely. Like I said if they were playing along they get the idea. Also when you tie this to the exercise (extension of this one) on the meeting of the Estates-General they are as ready to revolt as if they were there themselves.One of those things that doesn't look like teaching to some but gets more results that lots of other ploys.Most excellent--I never thought of this whilst teaching it.
