Why I’m a Democrat

In light of the loss for marriage equality in Maine, and the touting by many on the right of the few off-season races won by Republicans, I’d like to take a moment to remind myself, and everyone else, why I am a Democrat and why being a Democrat is a great thing.

REASONS I AM A DEMOCRAT: (not in any particular order)

1) A Commitment to Affordable Quality Universal Health Care. I truly believe Health Care is part of the Locke-esque social contract we make when we establish a government. I’m personally for a single-payer system, because if a government can’t function to protect the lives of its people, what good is a government at all? Also, a healthier people are a more productive people. Democrats and progressives on the whole, agree with me.

2) Fiscal Responsibility. This is often touted as a virtue of the Republicans, but you’d have to call every Republican from Reagan forward a RINO to make the claim valid. It is the classic argument/smear against the ‘tax and spend’ liberals. Clinton was the only modern president to reduce the national debt and balance the budget – actually producing an annual surplus at the end of his two terms. Carter’s terms were roughly debt-neutral. Republicans – Ford, Reagan, Bush I, and Bush II, each caused sharp spikes in the debt and never once had a balanced budget. It is in fact Democrats who truly understand how to achieve fiscal responsibility in the long term, and that is by investing in America.

3) Regulation! I’m for the free market when it comes to consumer goods like shoes and cars and such. However, every industry must be subject to the sort of regulations that ensure their products are SAFE to the individual consumer and SAFE to the economy as a whole. The whole reason we got into the current mess was deregulation. Democrats on the whole are for strengthening regulation to the benefit of consumers and America as a whole. Big corporations should not be able to do things that hurt workers, consumers, or the economy without repercussions.

4) Taking Care of the Little People. Democrats have a long history of social responsibility. That means making sure that seniors, our veterans, the disabled, and the poor are provided for. Keeping these people from descending into abject poverty not only is our moral obligation, but it keeps our economy strong. These people, if given a chance to move up in society, can become productive members of society who contribute to the economy as workers and consumers. This includes the wealthy paying their fair share of the tax burden. If you have become rich in America through honest means, you almost certainly profited from the collective American workforce or consumer base, and you have a duty to give back to your community.

5) Commitments to Science and the Environment. The administration in which I came of age was vehemently anti-science, ignoring data and even silencing government scientists if the data did not fit with their political view or interest. Democrats increase funding for and promote the basic scientific research that keeps America at the forefront of the global community. Democrats also promote measures to protect the environment and our natural resources, for they are our long-term strength.

6) Education. Democrats support education at all levels. They do not attempt to twist curriculum to religious or ideological ends, and make the spending commitments necessary to educate and train the next generation of Americans – those who will lead America into the future as skilled workers, adept technicians, brilliant scientists, and most importantly enlightened citizens – the cornerstone of any democracy.

7) Anti-War. The Democratic party is cautious about exerting economic might around the world, and is fearful of the military-industrial complex. We pursue military options as a last resort, after intense diplomacy has failed. When we do exert our military strength, we do so in a multilateral way, in conjunction with U.N. and NATO forces in accordance with international law. We do not torture or commit war crimes.

Equal Rights. We accept all comers, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, wealth, etc. We believe in equal rights and protections for all people, so long as those rights do not infringe on the rights and protections of others. Our party is not dominated by any one group of people. We are representative of America as a whole. Discrimination will not be tolerated.

9) Reproductive Rights. Democrats support the right of a woman to choose, as well as access to family planning and contraception. Abstinence-only education does not work.

10) Separation of Church and State. Keep God out of the public sector, please.

11) Adhering to the Constitution. This means no Patriot Act, no warrant-less wiretapping, no violations of our civil liberties, no violations of equal protections and no cherrypicking of phrases – that goes for ALL free speech, even if it promotes something not-so-nice.

12) Gun control. While every American has the right to own a firearm, this can and should be limited. Schools, National Parks, and the like should be able to prohibit firearms when they pose a clear danger to the well-being of others. Gun ownership should be limited for ex-criminals, and the mentally unsound. Waiting lists and background checks and permits are a positive thing.

I’m sure there are dozens more, but these are the ones that most readily came to mind. Hooray for Progressivism!

Billionaires for Wealthcare Strike Again!!!!

You may remember the group “Billionaires for Wealthcare” that satirized the opponents of Health Care Reform during the tea party protests. Well guess what? They’re BACK! And this time, they’ve infiltrated the conference of AHIP – America’s Health Insurance Plans. AHIP is the lobby that put out the bogus study saying that reform would cost waaay more money than it actually will, and that Insurers would jack up their rates if reform was passed. Watch (and listen) to the AMAZING way in which Billionaires for Wealthcare protested the conference – from inside with a SLEEPER CELL OF SINGERS! In my opinion, simply marvelous.

Medicare for Everyone

Major revelations and victories this week in Health Care Reform! Simply changing the name of the ‘public option’ to ‘Medicare Part E’ – (the ‘E’ being for ‘everybody’) – has brought yet another Blue Dog Democrat (Mike Ross – AR) behind the push for a public option. Also, the House Judiciary Committee has voted 20-9 to end the Anti-Trust exemption for the Health Insurance Industry! The vote in favor included three Republicans siding with the Democrats to strip the ability of Health Insurers to maintain geographic monopolies. Harry Reid has stated that that provision will almost certainly be in the final Senate bill.

It makes a ton of sense, really, since a huge chunk of those who were vocally opposed to reform during the town halls were scared that their Medicare was going to be taken away. The best way to label reform then would be a Medicare expansion, no?

Nutkin’s Last Stand

Most people I know like squirrels, with the possible exception of bird-feeder enthusiasts. Few Americans realize that the playful Grey Squirrel we know and love is a veritable monster overseas. When the British introduced the Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) from North America to England in the time of Queen Victoria, they had no idea the damage they would be inflicting upon their beloved native Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris). Between the agressiveness of the Grey Squirrel, and its transmission of the deadly Parapoxvirus, the populations of Red Squirrels have been decimated in much of the British Isles. This awesome documentary from the PBS series POV highlights the efforts of those in northeast England to protect the last of their native species.

Wall Street Corruption and the Taxpayer

After the horrendous economic implosion of last year, we were promised that increased regulation and oversight would be put in place, that the financial sector would be reformed to eliminate the reckless behavior and predatory lending that sparked the crisis in the first place. Over a year later, nothing has changed. The Treasury Department, the Congress, and the Federal Reserve have done next to nothing to fix the root of the corruption, even after unloading truckloads of taxpayer dollars on Wall Street. Very little has improved in the housing industry, unemployment, or for ordinary Americans in general; meanwhile, Wall Street has already resumed risky behavior – including a huge investment by Goldman Sachs in the Chinese automotive industry. This Bill Moyers Journal segment, featuring International Monetary Fund chief economist Simon Johnson and U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), delves into the current state of the relationship between Washington and Wall Street, and the rise of “Lemon Socialism”.

Nifty New Fossils Clarify Evolution of Pterosaurs, Hominids

Two new fossil finds published this month have further clarified the outline of the tree of life. I love these kinds of stories!

#1 – Darwinopterus modularis

First, a new transitional pterosaur has provided evidence of the evolutionary connection between the two major groups of Mesozoic flying reptiles: the long-tailed basal ‘rhamphorinchoids’, and the more evolutionarily derived short-tailed ‘pterodactyloids’. The pterodactyloids emerged as a distinct group during the Jurassic, and diversified into many highly specialized forms evocative of diverse life-history strategies, including filter-feeding, mollusk cracking, frugivory, and carrion-feeding. The linkage between the basal rhamphorinchoids and the higher pterodactyloids has been clarified this week by the publication of a paper defining the transitional  pterosaur, Darwinopterus modularis, identified by Lü et al. from a fossil found in northeast China. Darwinopterus, named for the 150th anniversary of the publication of the Origin of Species and Darwin’s 200th birthday, has the distinctive long tail, long fifth toe, and between-the-back-legs-membrane “cruropatagium” of the rhamphorinchoids along with a seemingly fully-developed and specialized pterodactyloid skull. Essentially Darwinopterus looks like a basal pterosaur with a highly derived head. This is the origin of the specific eptihet ‘modularis‘, as the evolutionary pattern exhibited by this creature is modular, with evolution acting at different speeds on different body parts. This fossil is strongly backed up, with around 20 individuals recovered, so we can rule out a brontosaurus-esque mashup. Here’s the head of the type specimen:

#2 – Ardipithecus ramidus

The other fossil find published this month is an early hominid: Ardipithecus ramidus, described from fossils collected in 1992 (!?!) in the Afar Valley of Ethiopia. It has taken over 17 years to properly analyze and evaluate the fossil evidence, consisting of a partial fossil skeleton of a female A. ramidus , along with bits and pieces of around 30 other individuals. Together these remains include the skull, teeth, arms, legs, pelvis, hands, and feet of the species, enough to infer much about the life history of Ardipithecus. This species stood only four feet tall, with pelvic and leg traits indicating bipedalism, although – and this is key – retaining many arboreal adaptations such as grasping toes and a lack of arched feet. This contradicts the long-held notion that hominids evolved bipedalism as an adaptation to living on the African savanna, as here we have a bipedal hominid that clearly was still living in a forested habitat. This would suggest that the hominid line either evolved bipedalism in the trees, perhaps by walking along branches.

Ardipithecus is the oldest near-complete fossil hominid known, at 4.4 million years old, trumping the famous Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis) who clocks in at a mere 3.2 million years ago. The discovery of this fossil has been touted by many as bringing us one step closer to finding the last common ancestor between ourselves and chimpanzees, which is undoubtedly true. However, Ardipithecus also presents an interesting conundrum, as its highly derived characteristics (which are not present in modern-day apes) also push the timeline for that divergence back to between seven and nine million years ago.

Health Insurers: “We Will Raise Rates, Regardless”

On the Eve of the final committee vote on Health Care Reform in the Senate Finance Committee, the Health Insurance lobby (AHIP – America’s Health Insurance Plans) has released a propaganda-esque ‘report’ in conjunction with PriceWaterHouseCoopers. In an attempt to sway the vote, the report states that Insurance Companies will dramatically raise their rates by 40% over the next four years, 73% by 2016, and 11% by 2019. After fighting hard for a personal mandate to buy insurance, the industry now feels that the mandate is not strong enough, and that not enough people will be forced to buy their sub-par product at a jacked-up price. As Representative Anthony Weiner (NY) points out, the Insurance Companies themselves have made probably the best argument for a Public Option we have seen! Regardless of the concessions lawmakers have made to appease the Insurance Companies, they are STILL attempting to scare/threaten/bully us into giving them still more money and customers. The only acceptable solution short of Single Payer (and doing away with these greedy, extortionist corporations altogether) is a vigorous Public Option to provide competition and a cheap, efficient alternative for the American people.

For more information, please visit Rep. Anthony Weiner’s website.

If Not Now, When?

The National Equality March this past Sunday highlighted a growing frustration among the LGBT community. Many in the community have begun to criticize President Obama’s unwillingness to act on his campaign promises to gay Americans, namely on those issues which lie under control of the President. For one, the President has the authority to suspend the implementation of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” until its formal repeal, and the power to extend full rights and priveledges to federal employees. While he has made a modicum of progress on the second front, he has not suspended DADT, nor given any timeline for his plans to push for its repeal. In his address to the black-tie HRC fundraiser on Saturday, President Obama did little more than repeat his campaign promises, without a mention of timetables or action plans. Columnist Dan Savage puts it best: “If not now, when?” – with huge majorities in both chambers of Congress and overwhelming support of the public, this is the BEST time in DECADES to move forward on the repeals of DADT and DOMA, and the passage of ENDA. If these goals are not accomplished now, many in the LGBT community (including myself) fear that the political calendar will kick in, and achieving equality will no longer be viewed as a “politically feasible” by the administration. I wholeheartedly agree with Dan Savage on this one – Democrats, if you aren’t going to act in our interests, we’ll stop giving you our money and our votes.

A nifty reminder of the state of State-level employment protections in America, and the need for ENDA:

Obama speaks at HRC

This is Obama’s address to the annual HRC black-tie fundraising dinner tonight in Washington. He addressed a wide variety of topics, beginning with a spate of apologetics for why he has failed to make much progress on the issues that matter to LGBTQ Americans. He addressed marriage and employment equality, HIV/AIDS, hate crimes legislation, and a slew of other .

Some high points:

• promising to sign the Matthew Shepard Act, which is expected to pass Congress soon.
• promising to champion ENDA – the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
• repealing the ban on immigration for those with HIV.
• “I will end Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”
• promising to extend as many equal rights as possible to committed couples regardless of the legality of ‘marriage’
• strongly supporting the repeal of DOMA

This speech comes during the weekend of the National Equality March on the national mall, an event which a number of my close friends are attending (hi Andrew!). Barney Frank was recently quoted as calling the march “useless”, because “Barack Obama does not need pressure [from the gays]“. He recommended that activists stay home and lobby their own representatives, because “nobody in Congress even knows they’re there”.

I personally disagree – STRONGLY – because apparently Obama seems to think that addressing any social issues would derail his efforts to fix the economy, reform health care, and address climate change. He has appointed an openly gay ambassador, David Heubner (to New Zealand and Samoa), and extended certain federal rights and privileges to government employees, but has done little to champion issues on which Congress must take action.

A History of “In-Progress” Peace Prizes

Amidst the recent surprise, shock, disbelief, confusion, and all-around general puzzlement surrounding the awarding of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, many commentators and regular folks (including myself) have expressed feelings of ambivalence over whether Obama’s achievements to date really warrant the top international honor in peace, diplomacy, and international relations. As the Prize is given only once per year and has been given every year since 1901, it is often hard to compare the full breadth of winners and the circumstances surrounding them with any accuracy, particularly for those of us who are not historians or journalists. Thankfully, Rachel Maddow is here to point out that the Peace Prize is regularly given to those in the midst of their struggle toward a noble goal (no pun intended).

Based on the history of the prize, I now feel much more comfortable with Obama receiving the award, though even he still agrees it is a teensy bit premature.

What do you think?