Blue Cross Blue Shield to cut up to 1,000 jobs

The company hinted at possible layoffs last year after the Michigan Legislature did not pass changes to insurance rules sought by the company. Blue Cross says it wants law changes because it is losing millions of dollars each year on health insurance policies that cover individuals.

Just pass HR 676 and put these parasites out of their misery.

Medicare works and should be made available to us all

Here is my suggestion: Instead of months of head scratching and position papers, simply extend Medicare to everyone, a 40-year-old program that works.

There is a bill (HR 676 in the last Congress with 90 members of Congress as cosponsors) that will be offered to do exactly that -- Medicare for everyone -- and more. The total cost will be less than what is being paid out now.

Have you written a letter to the editor yet?

Residents to send health-care statement to Obama

PORTAGE -- Residents concerned about the state of the nation's health care gathered at the Westminster Presbyterian Church Monday in Portage to construct a statement to send to the transition team of President-elect Barack Obama.

The group of about 15 people agreed that the United States is in need of a single-payer health-care system.

After starring in "Sicko," Hartland woman jumps on political stage

Now married and a dedicated public speaker, Adrian Campbell Montgomery, 26, is cancer-free and ready to make her first longshot foray into politics.

She is running as a Democrat for Livingston County commissioner, challenging a Republican who has held the seat for 14 of the last 16 years. The area is considered heavily Republican.

Montgomery, a Hartland High School graduate, says her "Sicko" experience charged her to take action in her hometown. The district covers Hartland and Tyrone townships in northern Livingston County.

The “Magic Number” is still 2025, or 2209. But its not 2118.

That’s because, in violation of the DNC charter, a secret meeting was held, and secret votes were taken -- violations of specific Charter “sunshine rules” provisions. A deal was struck among Obama supporters on the committee to completely ignore what is known as the “fair reflection” rule (see note below), and to treat the constituency groups that had provided Hillary Clinton with considerable margins in two states (Hispanic/Latino voters, older voters, women, Jewish voters in Florida, older voters, working class voters, rural voters, and women in Michigan) as “half voters”.

SAN FRANCISCO BOARD OF SUPES TO VOTE ON HR 676-JUNE 10TH

Sharon Renier is one of two Democratic candidates for Congress from Michigan's 7th district. I don’t know when the primary takes place. Renier supports a single payer system:

The Democratic voters of Michigan and Florida are unhappy, or so we read. They, or if you will, their representatives, moved up their primary dates and drew a punishment from the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee. Since then, what have the voters of Michigan and Florida actually done to try and reverse or repair their problem? Nothing but complain.

Greg Sargent doesn't get it:

Bloomberg News takes a look at what Hillary needs to do to earn a popular vote win, and finds that she basically needs to do the political equivalent of pitching a no-hitter, hitting for the cycle, and pulling an unassisted triple play -- all in one game:

What these geniuses forget is that Florida and Michigan were stripped of their delegates, but not their votes.

Michigan Messenger

Sen. Hillary Clinton came to Michigan Wednesday and publicly urged Sen. Barack Obama to get on board plans for a proposed do-over Democratic primary.

Clinton visited the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees building in downtown Detroit in a last-minute appearance designed to pressure Obama and state lawmakers who have said they don't think the do-over proposal, which calls for a privately funded state-run primary on June 3, can or should pass the Legislature.

"I believe the families of Michigan are just as important as the families of any of any other state," The Detroit News quoted Clinton saying during her visit.

Xavier and Judy report that Clinton will be in Detroit tomorrow. I don't get it, I would think she would be living in Pennsylvania.

When is she going to do the roof top bbq at the big E?

UPDATE: Obviously, news out of MI has already been discussed in a previous thread. My apologies for my inability to read. Now go back to being awed by the sheer genius of our DNC. I know I will.

Michigan do-over depends on Obama's backing:

Legislation to set a second Democratic presidential primary for June 3 won’t be acted upon until and unless it wins the endorsement of the Barack Obama campaign, state Senate leaders said Tuesday morning.

snip

Just got in from one of those "public's opportunity to comment on an ongoing government action" thingees, and I'm both uplifted and disheartened. Uplifted to realize how many people really do care enough to show up for a boring, unsexy three hour gov't hearing, and to speak out for the environment. Disheartened to realize that corporations really do run our government, no matter how much we want to believe otherwise. Mining is a "hot" news topic these days, and this post is being filed away for a future 'I told you so' moment I have no doubt we'll someday have over the mine in question. It won't surprise you at all to hear that essentially, it's yet another case of short term corporate profit winning out over logic, common sense, science, popular will, and long term environmental concerns. And economic concerns, as that is understood to affect all, and not a few, people in this state.

Here's the deal: a pristine, and undeveloped (except logging decades ago) area of northern Michigan is the target, and a very bad company wants to put in a sulfide mine. The supporting view is that it will "bring jobs and tax revenue to Michigan." But that isn't really grounded in fact, and the citizens of this state know it. Too bad one of the bureaucrats told me that he didn't really care and that the mine would likely go in anyway.