I have long been a fan of the late, great Theodore Roosevelt.  Two weeks ago, while walking through the streets of Manhattan on a Friday night, we stumbled upon Roosevelt’s place of birth, a nation landmark.  Elated with our discovery, we returned the following day for the tour.

Having read several biographies on TR, there were still many things that I leaned from the tour, such as, he was an avid speed reader who read three books a day. Three books a day, and governed the country at the same time.  He had an amazing intellect, and at the same time was a great humanitarian who believed passionately in “Noblesse oblige”.

“Let the watchwords of all our people be the old familiar watchwords of honesty, decency, fair-dealing, and commonsense.”… “We must treat each man on his worth and merits as a man. We must see that each is given a square deal, because he is entitled to no more and should receive no less.”"The welfare of each of us is dependent fundamentally upon the welfare of all of us.”
New York State Fair, Syracuse, September 7, 1903

He also had a keen understanding of people’s motivation:

“The opposition to reform is generally well led by skilled parliamentarians, and they fight with the vindictiveness natural to men who see a chance of striking at the institution which has baffled their greed. These men have a gift at office-mongering, just as other men have a peculiar knack at picking pockets; and they are joined by all the honest dull men, who vote wrong out of pure ignorance, and by a very few sincere and intelligent, but wholly misguided people.”

(I bolded that last part as it reminded me of our “Tea Party” friends.)

Although Theodore Roosevelt’s platform for universal health care was not raised until his run with the Bull Moose Party in 1912, I read this week that Barack Obama has begun a study of Roosevelt’s rise to power with Edmund Morris’s book.  Morris comments here:

I’m flattered that Obama is reading The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, instead of those fascinating 15,000-page bills Congress keeps sending him. But I’d respectfully suggest that he will learn more about the Rooseveltian executive style in the book’s sequel, Theodore Rex. Perhaps just the opening chapters, Mr. President, describing TR’s first year (1901-1902) in office? They show how, in swift but carefully timed succession, TR—a consummate manipulator of the press—dramatized and identified himself with the major issues of his day: racial prejudice, antitrust power, reclamation policy, Supreme Court reactionism, labor/management strife, and so on. Some of the details are dated now, but what is dateless and of particular relevance to Obama is TR’s karate-chop style. He chose the issue, chose the moment, then struck with all his might. Having struck, he went on to other things, leaving the legislative and the judiciary and a wildly excited press to debate, and maybe push through, the reforms he sought.

Sometimes TR had to settle for less, or even abandon a cause he passionately espoused. But blow after blow established him in the public mind as a man of decisive courage, and the moral superior of those who liked to talk rather than act.

The book that President Obama is currently reading

My hope is that Obama will gain insight and inspiration from our 26th president.  This is the man to emulate, Mr Obama.  When you’re done with “The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt“, pick up “Theodore Rex”

Then, get yourself a big stick.

From CityNews:

County Executive Maggie Brooks will not run for the 29th Congressional District seat.

Brooks announced her decision in a statement this morning.

Former New York City Mayor, Ed Koch

Ed Koch has decided that enough is enough when it comes to the dysfunctional NYS government.  At 85 years young (which just goes to show you that 85 is the new 65) he is launching an anti-incombent initiative in Albany, the New York Times reported yesterday.

“I finally said to myself, somebody’s got to do something,” Mr. Koch recalled. “And if no one else does anything, notwithstanding the fact I’m 85 years old, I’m going to throw myself into it.”

So Mr. Koch is assembling a coalition of powerful civic groups that, starting next week, will plot a purge of the State Legislature by taking aim at incumbents judged to be impediments to change.

“I don’t believe the good ones are good enough,” Mr. Koch said, referring to state lawmakers, “and the bad ones are evil.”

The corruption and waste in Albany’s government is rampant.  Certainly, Sheldon Silver is a force with which to be reckoned.  I credit Koch for having the fortitude to take on this Herculean task.  His timing is right, but he will need, in addition to the groups he is inviting, to engage the netroots of New York State for a powerful, cohesive movement working to establish the change that is so desperately needed.

No matter the challenges, Mr. Koch believes there has never been a more opportune time for such an ambitious endeavor. “There will never be for another 100 years the same kind of environment that we have today that would help us succeed — that is, the disgust people have toward Albany,” he said.

Maybe there still are some heros out there.  He was right about Paterson.  I hope he’s right about this.

For years, when arguing politics to my less engaged friends and acquaintances, I have consistently heard the argument, “They’re all the same.  There’s no difference between the Democrats and the Republicans.  They’re all a bunch of crooks.”

Being the “pie in the sky” optimist that I am, I would talk up the values of the Democrats truly believing that this was the party of the people.  Then came Barack Obama and the Health Care Reform debate, the Climate Change debate, the War in the Middle East debate, the Financial debate and the Civil Liberties debate.

Chris Hedges wrote yesterday:

Obama lies as cravenly, if not as crudely, as George W. Bush. He promised us that the transfer of $12.8 trillion in taxpayer money to Wall Street would open up credit and lending to the average consumer. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), however, admitted last week that banks have reduced lending at the sharpest pace since 1942. As a senator, Obama promised he would filibuster amendments to the FISA Reform Act that retroactively made legal the wiretapping and monitoring of millions of American citizens without warrant; instead he supported passage of the loathsome legislation. He told us he would withdraw American troops from Iraq, close the detention facility at Guantánamo, end torture, restore civil liberties such as habeas corpus and create new jobs. None of this has happened.

He is shoving a health care bill down our throats that would give hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars to the private health insurance industry in the form of subsidies, and force millions of uninsured Americans to buy insurers’ defective products. These policies would come with ever-rising co-pays, deductibles and premiums and see most of the seriously ill left bankrupt and unable to afford medical care. Obama did nothing to halt the collapse of the Copenhagen climate conference, after promising meaningful environmental reform, and has left us at the mercy of corporations such as ExxonMobil. He empowers Israel’s brutal apartheid state. He has expanded the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where hundreds of civilians, including entire families, have been slaughtered by sophisticated weapons systems such as the Hellfire missile, which sucks the air out of victims’ lungs. And he is delivering war and death to Yemen, Somalia and perhaps Iran.

Time after time after time I have applied “hope” to my expectation of presidential, senate or house leadership.  It’s incredible the number of times that my heart has been broken since this Democratic majority has come into power. (I wear my heart on my sleeve, by the way.  Due to the number of breaks, it is no longer identifiable as such.  Looks more like particulate matter, the result of an especially productive sneeze which I forgot to wipe off)

So, the Democratic Party has become unrecognizable to us.  Where do we go from here?  Hedges suggests a different party altogether-

“Here in the United States, at the beginning of the twentieth century, before there was a Soviet Union to spoil it, you see, socialism had a good name,” the late historian and activist Howard Zinn said in a lecture a year ago at Binghamton University. “Millions of people in the United States read socialist newspapers. They elected socialist members of Congress and socialist members of state legislatures. You know, there were like fourteen socialist chapters in Oklahoma. Really. I mean, you know, socialism—who stood for socialism? Eugene Debs, Helen Keller, Emma Goldman, Clarence Darrow, Jack London, Upton Sinclair. Yeah, socialism had a good name. It needs to be restored.”

[snip]

The hypocrisy and ineptitude of the Democrats become, in the eyes of
the wider public, the hypocrisy and ineptitude of the liberal class. We
can continue to tie our own hands and bind our own feet or we can break
free, endure the inevitable opprobrium, and fight back. This means
refusing to support the Democrats. It means undertaking the laborious
work of building a viable socialist movement. It is the only
alternative left to save our embattled open society. We can begin by
sending a message to the Green Party, McKinney and Nader. Let them know
they are no longer alone.

How about that Green Party?

The 10 Key Values of the Green Party

* Grassroots Democracy
* Social and Economic Justice
* Ecological Wisdom
* Nonviolence
* Decentralization
* Community-Based Economics
* Feminism
* Respect for Diversity
* Personal and Global Responsibility
* Future Focus and Sustainability

That’s sounding more like it. You coming, Howard?

The Monroe County Legislature Democratic minority held a news conference where they unveiled a plan to basically cut the size of the Monroe County Legislature in half.  There are 29 seats and the Democratic proposal reduces that number to 15.  The Republican Majority will redraw the districts based on the 2010 census.

Via the D&C

Democrats, who hold 13 of 29 seats, claimed the proposal, which would reduce the legislature to 15 seats, would save $500,000 per year when lawmakers’ salaries, benefits and resources are calculated.

The legislature’s total budget is $2.1 million, which the Brooks administration classifies as a “mandated expense.” Rank-and-file lawmakers earn $18,000 per year, meaning that cutting 14 legislative seats would trim $252,000 in salaries alone.

Via press release from minority leader Harry Bronson’s office

The proposal will bring Monroe County in line with peer counties in terms of the number of constituents per legislative district. Currently there are about 25,000 people  living in each district, whereas Monroe’s peer counties average slightly more than 50,000 per district. After enactment, Monroe would have roughly 50,000 people living in each district. Upon voter approval in November 2010, this proposal would take effect on January 1, 2012, following the redistricting process.

Not that it is going to ever happen because

Republican Majority Leader Dan Quatro, R-Webster, called the proposal “a thinly veiled attempt” by Democrats to regain control of the legislature.

See Dan Quatro assumes that the secret plan depends on he the Republicans to redistrict themselves out of power.  Funny that.

If anything his comments once again highlights that the Republican majority does not engage the Democratic minority in County governance.

Nevertheless, what do you think of the proposal?

If the number of legislators is reduced the cost of governing is also reduced.  On the flip side, the number of constituents served per legislator is increased. There is a higher concentration of power I suppose.  Probably the cost ot get elected increases reducing the number of people who would/could run for office.

So good or bad idea?

Welcome to another week that was on Rochesterturning.  The MCDC volunteer dinner is shut down, the Regional Market Authority might be, Governor Paterson was in town, and a proposal to dump fracking waste was denied.

Let’s get started.

Local Scene

Mayoral Control - MCDC volunteer dinner was a casualty of the  mayoral control of schools debate.  The teachers union with other union support planned a picket and after Monroe County Democratic Chairman Morelle canceled the dinner,  they held a Press Conference instead.   So, the next question is, will the Mayor or one of his events, like say the Mayors Ball, be the target of some action?

County Exec Brooks locks her self in the dressing room and disses the downtown theater proposal.  If only there were downtown development that includes an Arts Theater called RenSquare.   All that is missing is the feet stomping as she exists stage wrong.

The Genesee valley Regional Market Authority - should it stay, or should it go?   An Authority is a quasi governmental entity that has special powers or more specifically, plays by different rules.  In this case,  it is able to offer businesses below market property use rates.   Sounds great if you are a small business just getting started and all, but not all businesses in the market  are small start up businesses.    Maggie Brooks is against it, as expected, and we poke at some of the talking screaming points.

A view from the State

Katies Law:  Assemblyman Joe Morelle is sponsoring a bill to extract DNA samples if you are arrested (not convicted, just arrested).  Currently DNA samples are obtained if you are convicted.  Seems a wee bit unconstitutional.

Maggie Brooks endorses Rick Lazio for Governor - no kidding.   Speaking of Governor - Governor Paterson kicked off his campaign at stops across the State.  One of those stops was Rochester.  We were there and will have more as time permits.   The very short version is, there were few elected Democrats at the kick off - no Mayor for example, so not a lot of elected support which highlights a party rift.   Paterson was a powerful speaker and made a strong case for his reelection.

Now, assuming Cuomo tosses his hat in the Governor’s race  - who wants to be Attorney General?

Meanwhile, there is a plan to delay State tax refunds - a plan, if implemented, will surely backfire.

Frack that - Remember all that water that gets pumped into the ground to extract natrual gas?  The water surry with hazardous chemicals?  Well it has to go somewhere - and guess what? -What if it were put into an underground well near Keuka lake?   What could possibility go wrong?   Well, the application to do just that was withdrawn by an out of state energy concern.  This is a huge victory for the Residents of the 29th and Congressman Massa who listened to them.

Federal level

Who else wants to be U.S. Senator - Add Mort Zuckerman to the list for the seat currently occupied by Kirsten Gillibrand.  Meanwhile, Harold Ford came to Rochester to make his case.

Run for the Hills - 10% of the GOP House Caucus is leaving.  5% of the Democratic caucus is leaving.    Bill Owens (D, NY-23) isn’t one of them, but if  conservative Doug Hoffman has is way - he will be.  Seems like Hoffman is pandering - saying no to entitlement cuts.  Do you believe him?

Health Care - there is a move a foot for the Public Option. How is that defined this time, because last time it wasn’t so public nor was it an option.

It was retro amateur hour from the Tom Reed campaign.  Publishing a Press Release linking Congressman Massa with the communist party policies - ergo Massa is a ____.   Reed’s actions are taken down by WETM-TV.

Meanwhile - Massa’s office kept their focus on constituents by keeping the lights on during the recent D.C.  snowstorm.

Quick Clicks

Bringing War home.  There is a cost of war - any war - and this movie shows it.

Praising the Kennedy family.

Wingnuts continues- Scarborough, Cannots, and Global Warming.

That’s it - see you next week…

Assuming Andrew Cuomo runs for governor who would run for AG?  the D&C had a article that covered the Democrats running or considering.  They are former Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo, Nassau DA Kathleeen Rice, Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, Sean Coffey, Sen. Eric Schneiderman or Denise O’Donnell.  Who got the most ink?  Well, Dinallo - comments about Rice were lost in the article in my opinion.  Have a look at the extracted content below.

Dinallo

Former Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo, who has raised $1.8 million, has told donors he will return their contributions if Cuomo stays put.

… Dinallo came in January, one of four visits to the Flower City since leaving the Paterson administration in July.

Dinallo, of New York City, became close with Monroe County Democratic Chairman Joseph Morelle through Morelle’s chairmanship of the Assembly Insurance Committee, though Morelle has not made an endorsement. By the end of next week, Dinallo will have met in person with 35 Democratic county chairs, according to a spokesman.
…
Dinallo worked in the attorney general’s office under Eliot Spitzer and in the Manhattan district attorney’s office.

Rice

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice was in Rochester last week, …

Rice has raised $1.4 million and has $2.4 million on hand.

…

On her trip last week, Rice said the “distinctions are very clear.”

“The choices are a wealthy corporate attorney, career Albany politicians and me, a career prosecutor,” she said.

Coffey and Schneiderman

Two other people exploring a run are Democrat Sean Coffey of Westchester County, a former corporate lawyer and assistant U.S. attorney, who has raised $1.7 million, and Sen. Eric Schneiderman, D-Manhattan, who has $1 million on hand.

Brodsky

Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, D-Westchester County, is another potential candidate and has $1.3 million on hand.

O’Donnell

Another possible Democratic candidate is Denise O’Donnell of Buffalo, commissioner of the Division of Criminal Justice Services in Paterson’s administration. She campaigned for attorney general in 2006 but lost the endorsement to Cuomo.

Any opinions?  What do you want in an Attorney General?

County Executive Maggie Brooks should know all about money grabs - she was the architect for the so called F.A.I.R. plan where she unilaterally decided to seize contingency funds set aside by schools in order to close her County budget gap.

One of the memes at the time was that the schools could afford it.   Well, she has come out against Governor Paterson’s proposal to  merge the Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority with another entity and apply its $12 million dollar surplus to the State Budget.  (via the D&C)

“It’s a money grab at best,” Brooks said at a news conference in a chilly market warehouse. “You can argue the pros and cons of (public) authorities … but if you look at the success of this authority, it’s creating jobs.”

There was also this comment in the article

Don Robinson, a vice president at Benderson Development, which operates Market Square retail mall next to the Regional Market, said the authority is a “good neighbor” that has done a “marvelous job” accommodating small businesses that otherwise could not afford to be in the area. “All that being said, the authority absolutely has a competitive advantage because it also has tenants who could afford to be in the area,” he said. “That’s not fair.”

This is a complicated issue that, in my opinion, doesn’t need to be politicized.   I find it interesting that each side has its little screaming points which don’t ask the right questions.  For example.

It creates jobs.  Does it create jobs?  I mean it allows businesses to locate and operate in an area for low rents or fees.   I’m sure this is very helpful  for start up businesses that are at the root of our economy.  How many of these businesses are really small start up types that need a little help until their business is flush and their business takes off?  Why should the Authority get credit “creating jobs”  for such established brands as Holiday Inn, Tim Horton’s, and Chase bank to name a few.

The Authority makes a profit. What exactly does that mean?  Sure, it does but doesn’t it play by different rules?  Should these rules apply to name brands like Tim Horton’s?, Chase?  Holiday Inn?  I suppose Excellus doesn’t make a profit because it is classified as a non-profit but it is because it is a non-profit and exempt from anti-trust laws.  Why does the Authority make a “profit” ?  Because it is “well run” or is playing with a stacked deck?

It’s a money grab. - no kidding.  But what is an Authority doing with a $12 million dollar surplus or a better question is how much is enough?   What are its plans for the budget surplus?

1600 jobs are going to be lost.  Really?  Why?  Is the “job” a result of the low rent offsets or a viable business model?  I’m certain that low property costs are helpful for start up businesses but how many businesses in the market are really start-ups?

What about all the other authorities and special districts throughout New York State?  Wilmorite recently lost its 3.1 million dollar tax break because it failed to create jobs or otherwise met the rules of the Empire Zone.  This an annual break of 3.1 million dollars per year so it has been awarded for some period of years.    Is New York State going to recoup the losses or just let it go?

The concept of streamlining Authorities, and redirecting surplus revenues from State formed entities into State coffers is a good one but only if we are doing it in the name of governmental reform, level playing field for all business,  everyone contributing the resolve the States budget woes.  If this is simply one of a series of one-shot wonders  that aren’t coupled with any reform in how we got here in the first place - then there is no difference between Monroe County Executive Brooks and Governor Paterson.

And so it begins…

Tom Reed, mayor of Corning and NY29th Republican  congressional candidate has already stooped to campaigning, Joe McCarthy style.  From WETM TV comes this commentary by Dr Stephen Coleman:

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE TWIN TIERS…I AGREE WITH JOE DUNNING OF THE LEADER…REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE TOM REED IS GUILTY OF MCCARTHYISM.

HIS CAMPAIGN RECENTLY PUT OUT A PRESS RELEASE NOTING THAT DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN ERIC MASSA WAS APPLAUDED BY THE COMMUNIST PARTY FOR OPPOSING THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN. CONNECTING ERIC MASSA WITH THE COMMUNIST PARTY IS A CHEAP AND PATHETIC POLITICAL TRICK TO SMEAR ERIC MASSA…A MAN WHO SERVED AMERICA WITH HONOR AND DISTINCTION AS A NAVAL OFFICER.

Yes, with honor and distinction for 24 years.  How long did you wear a uniform, Mayor Reed? 

Funny, my new, other favorite blog, The Rant was just talking about how McCarthyism is alive and doing well in the United States.  The likes of Mt Rushmoron and O’Reilly are brandishing that sword and now we have Tom Reed joining in.

Well done, Mr Reed, you have now solidified the liberal base around Eric Massa, and we will work to defeat you with everything we have. Just this week, I said to Stlo7 that I was not out to destroy you and crush you, as I was out to destroy Kuhl.  That has just been altered.  Your thoughtless comment is the game changer and we will be loaded for bear.

Thanks for the inspiration.

As the curtain opens on the Second Act, the stage is unusually quiet (cue: sound effect crickets).  Our former heroine, Maggie Brooks, is no longer a part of this scene.  Having her advances denied by leading man, Robert Duffy and supporting cast of the city of Rochester, she has exited stage right from the first Act, not to return.

RenSquare did not go down as the good lady had intended.  The unfunded theatre project was never popular with voters as people are sick of the  “money holes” like Frontier Field which continue to be paid for by the tax-payers without any clear view of when revenue will outpace expenditures.   So, the former Diva has sour grapes on the menu for today. Stlo7 wrote about this on Friday. Yesterday, channel 13 News reported this:

Rochester, N.Y. - Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks says she’s staying out of the decision on where to build a new performing arts center.

Developers pitched a $70 million theater at Midtown Plaza on Friday.

Brooks said the plan looks a lot like the proposed theater she supported but the city criticized, at Renaissance Square.

“I look at the plan and I see it’s very similar to what we had at Main and Clinton. So I think at some point the community will want to see… what is different about what was on the table before and what’s on the table now.”

Although acknowledging a need for improved theatre conditions for the RBTL, and appreciating the importance of the arts,  in these tough economic times every penny spent has to be watched.  Our county executive needs to understand that it is not the theatre to which people object.  It is  the way RenSquare was crammed down their throats without a clear vision of it’s benefit vs risk.  Who was paying for it?

Our Prima Donna no longer likes the plot.  You will find her in her dressing room, packing up her things.

Shocking.  $83 million was the total projected RenSquare theater cost so when Wham13 reports

Three people who have seen the plans tell 13WHAM News that Christa Development and Bob Morgan have designed a theater that faces Main Street. It would cost $70 million and the sources say funding has not been identified.

Remember - the RenSquare Theater wasn’t fully funded and consisted of some public money and private investment.

The question is the $13 million dollar “gap” between the current midtown proposal and RenSquare projection - means less of some kind of funding is required.

So, will it be less public taxpayer money or less private financing?

Reich has a way of explaining things so even a Tea-bagger could understand it.  Tuesday he wrote about Anthem, his insurance carrier, who feels (apparently this corporation feels?) that it needs to raise it’s rates by 39%.  It used to be Blue Cross, now it has merged to become Anthem Blue Cross. The supposed reason for the increase being that the pool of insured has decreased while it’s needs have increased.  Hmmm, interesting.

This argument sounds logical until you look more closely. First, Anthem and its corporate parent, WellPoint, are enormously profitable. WellPoint’s profits rose to $2.7 billion last quarter. Even if you subtract one-time-only financial maneuvers, WellPoint is still fat and happy, which makes Anthem fat and happy. Everyone is fat and happy except Anthem’s policy holders, who are being skewered.

Anthem’s argument is even more questionable when you consider that Anthem has been among the most aggressive opponents of the health-care bills passed by the House and Senate. If Anthem were sincere about why it’s raising its rates, it would be embracing the legislation. The Senate and House bills would add tens of millions of Americans to insurance pools – thereby spreading the costs over more people and avoiding the very problem Anthem says is now forcing it to raise its rates so much.

Ah, big insurance corporations, can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em.

So, maybe it’s time for that Kumbaya, group hug moment with the Republicans to move health care reform forward, because, regardless of our political affiliation, what is best for the people is our goal, *right?  No one is heartless enough to put politics over people, *right?

Obama says he’s open to any new ideas from Republicans for how to control health care costs and expand coverage. The problem is Republicans don’t want to play this game. They don’t care about controlling costs or expanding coverage. They care only about taking back the House and/or the Senate next November. And they believe a means toward attaining this goal is to prevent Obama from achieving a victory on health care. The sooner the President accepts that undeniable fact — and gets the House to pass the Senate’s bill, and then uses the reconciliation process (that requires only 51 votes in the Senate) to deal with any remaining irreconcilable differences between the House and Senate — the better.

*Wrong

Read new York Times columnist Frank Rich’s column today.

A teaser

Good thing, too, since our union is not strong. It is paralyzed. Many Americans were more eagerly anticipating Steve Jobs’s address in San Francisco on Wednesday morning than the president’s that night because they have far more confidence in Apple than Washington to produce concrete change. One year into Obama’s term we still don’t know whether he has what it takes to get American governance functioning again. But we do know that no speech can do the job. The president must act. Only body blows to the legislative branch can move the country forward.

and the summary

Americans like Obama far more than they like any Congressional leader. They might even like more of his policies if he spelled them out. But none of that matters if no Democrat fears him enough to do any of his bidding and no Republican believes there’s any price to be paid for always saying no.

A year in, we have learned that all the conciliatory rhetoric won’t cut it. But a president with a big megaphone and large legislative majorities has more powerful strings to pull, no matter what happened in one special election in Massachusetts. If he can’t get a working government, at least he can shake things up in November.

All the stuff in the middle in on target.

I was able to catch the president’s SOTU address in bits and pieces, streaming it live while I was at work.  Fortunately, I was watching when the president invited anyone with a better health care plan to let him know.

As temperatures cool, I want everyone to take another look at the plan we’ve proposed. There’s a reason why many doctors, nurses and health care experts who know our system best consider this approach a vast improvement over the status quo.

But if anyone from either party has a better approach that will bring down premiums, bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured, strengthen Medicare for seniors, and stop insurance company abuses, let me know.

Let me know. Let me know.

I’m eager to see it.

I was watching, and listening and I thought to myself, “Universal Single Payer, HR676.”  Fortunately, the PNHP was listening too and John Nichols, from The Nation has written about it here.

Dr. Margaret Flowers, a pediatrician and congressional fellow for PNHP, went to the White House today to deliver an open letter to the president calling on him to meet with her and other Medicare-for-All advocates.

Here’s the letter:

January 28, 2010President Barack Obama 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Obama,

I was overjoyed to hear you say in your State of the Union address last night:

“But if anyone from either party has a better approach that will bring down premiums, bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured, strengthen Medicare for seniors, and stop insurance company abuses, let me know.”

My colleagues, fellow health advocates and I have been trying to meet with you for over a year now because we have an approach which will meet all of your goals and more.

More is explained in this letter to the president, and I hope you will link to it and read the article in it’s entirety.

We all want health care reform, Mr President, but we want real reform that works.

Here’s the solution.

The Observer followed Harold Ford throughout his day, on his first stop in Buffalo, Sunday.  I don’t think that anyone believes that he is not running against Senator Gillibrand , but he has yet to announce.  He’s making the rounds, stopping in the “Mom and Pop” places with a gold buffalo lapel pin, trying to look like “one of the guys”

… with appointed incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand stuck in the polls and seemingly unable to do anything about it, Mr. Ford’s early maneuvering has been taken very seriously by a number of high-profile donors and party officials and, perhaps most crucially, the press. And so here he was in Buffalo, embarking on a listening tour.

Maybe, not too excited about the Observer’s presence, this interchange was noted:

Waiting for his ride in the concourse, Mr. Ford told The Observer he had been to Buffalo before, and met the mayor, but this was just a first stop like any other.

“There was no conspiracy behind it, where to start,” he said.

“They drove up yesterday, from New York City,” Mr. Goldin told his boss of The Observer. “Six hours.”

“I know how long it is,” Mr. Ford quickly replied.

To be perfectly blunt, I don’t like him running.  We’ve got wayyyy too many Blue Dogs in the Senate already.  Although I agree with Stlo7 who says primaries are good for the party, as it forces issues that might not ordinarily make it to the table to be discussed and debated-this guy is far too smooth.  I don’t believe he can win in New York State, but I wouldn’t have believed that Scott Brown could have won in Massachusetts.

Though Mr. Ford is winning the daily news cycle—and, perhaps, doing real damage to Ms. Gillibrand—he has a long way to go before establishing himself with New York’s voters in his own right. In the week before his Buffalo trip, two polls had him trailing Ms. Gillibrand by 20 points. So while the sitting senator’s approval rating remains at an enticingly low 31 percent, the bad news for Mr. Ford is that he’s still more effective as a troublemaker than as a candidate, and that he’s more likely to cost Ms. Gillibrand the seat than he is to win it himself. One gets the feeling that if he so much as fails to be in the press for a couple of days, the ground could shift under his feet, and that someone else—maybe one of the Democrats who had previously taken a pass on the race—might find it too tempting not to take advantage of the cover now provided by Mr. Ford to declare his or her own challenge to Ms. Gillibrand. Mr. Ford’s very presence, if he sticks around for a bit, could also entice new Republicans into the race, too, throwing the general election into doubt for whichever Democrat emerges. It will be easier for him to turn her into Martha Coakley than to transform himself into Scott Brown.

The message here is for Kirsten: Run as if your life depended on it.  Talk to your liberal base.  Let them know that you will represent them and then continue to follow through with those commitments.  Don’t vacation while on the campaign trail.  Don’t cloister yourself.  Make the people your priority and that means Universal Health Care.

Yes, you have Schumer as your protector, but that is no longer enough.