NORTON META TAG

29 May 2010

AMERICANS MORE CONFUSED THAN ANGRY ABOUT HEALTHCARE REFORM, Americans Remain Divided on Health Reform But Are Confused About The Law And How And When It Will Affect Them, Many Provisions That Take Effect in 2010 Are Popular And Have Bipartisan Support 22APR10

Kaiser Health Tracking Poll — April 2010
The first Kaiser Health Tracking Poll fielded since the passage of health reform last month finds that 8 in 10 Americans know that President Obama signed the legislation into law. But 55 percent say they are confused about the law and more than half (56%) say they don’t yet have enough information to understand how it will affect them personally.  

The poll finds that the public supports many of the provisions of health reform that are set to be implemented in the short term.  When asked about 11 specific provisions scheduled to take effect this year, in each case a majority of Americans viewed them favorably, often with bipartisan support.

Still, the public remains divided on the law overall, with 46 percent viewing it favorably, 40 percent unfavorably and 14 percent undecided. Similarly, 31 percent of Americans say they expect personally to be better off because of the law, while 32 percent say they will be worse off and 30 percent say they don’t expect to be affected.

The April poll is the latest in a series designed and analyzed by the Foundation’s public opinion survey research team.
News Release
Surveys 
Icon Findings (.pdf)
Surveys 
Icon Chartpack (.pdf)
Surveys 
Icon Toplines (.pdf)


Information provided by the Public Opinion and Survey Research Program
Publish Date: 2010-04-22
Americans Remain Divided on Health Reform But Are Confused
About The Law And How And When It Will Affect Them

 Many Provisions That Take Effect in 2010 Are Popular
And Have Bipartisan Support
Cable News Tops List of the Public’s “Most Important” Information Sources
               
MENLO PARK, CA –The first Kaiser Health Tracking Poll fielded since the passage of health reform last month finds that 8 in 10 Americans know that President Obama signed the legislation  into law.  But 55 percent say they are confused about the law and more than half (56%) say they don’t yet have enough information to understand how it will affect them personally.   
The April poll finds that the public supports many of the provisions of health reform that are set to be implemented in the short term.  When asked about 11 specific provisions scheduled to take effect this year, in each case a majority of Americans viewed them favorably, often with bipartisan support.
Still, the public remains divided on the law overall, with 46 percent viewing it favorably, 40 percent unfavorably and 14 percent undecided.  Similarly, 31 percent of Americans say they expect personally to be better off because of the law, while 32 percent say they will be worse off and 30 percent say they don’t expect to be affected.
“People are struggling to understand how the law will affect them and their families and to separate fact from political spin,” said Kaiser President and CEO Drew Altman.
Many Reform Provisions That Take Effect in 2010 Are Popular With Bipartisan Support
The new law was constructed to include some provisions that take effect in the first year so that the public would feel tangible results in the short term.  The poll tested the popularity of many of these early measures and finds widespread support for them across the political spectrum, including among Republicans and independents
Nearly 9 in 10 Americans favor providing tax credits to small businesses that want to provide coverage for their workers, for instance. And roughly 8 in 10 have favorable views of provisions that would offer access to basic preventive care with no copayments, provide financial help to seniors who hit the gap in Medicare drug coverage known as the “doughnut hole,” and end insurance companies’ practice of dropping coverage if a person has a major health problem.  
In each of these cases, at least two-thirds of Republicans and independents join most Democrats in viewing the provisions favorably.
042010_chart2
Americans Are More Confused Than Angry About Health Reform
Although anger grabs the headlines, the only emotion shared by more than half of the public when it comes to the health reform law is confusion.  Overall, 55 percent say they are confused, an emotion more deeply rooted among those who feel unfavorably toward reform (61% of whom feel confused) than among those who favor it (44% of whom feel confused).
Minorities of Americans report feeling other emotions, including 45 percent each who say they are “pleased” or “disappointed,” 42 percent who are “anxious,” and 40 percent who are “relieved.”  Anger is at the bottom of the list, a feeling reported by 30 percent of the public, including 16 percent who say they are “very angry.”  Asked what about health reform made them angry, that 30 percent divided as follows: 9 percent did not like the way the policymaking process worked, 7 percent did not like the final content, and 12 percent did not approve of either.
Cable TV News Is The “Most Important” Source of Information About Reform Law
Americans of all political leanings pointed to cable television news more than any other source when they were asked to choose their most important source of news and information about the law.  More than a third (36%) cited cable TV news stations and their websites as their most important outlet, followed by network news (16%), newspapers (12%), friends and family (10%) and the radio (9%). There were some differences along party lines, however. Republicans were more likely to name cable TV as their most important news source, with 45 percent saying so compared to 30 percent of Democrats.  On the other hand, Democrats were twice as likely as Republicans and independents to say that they got most of their information from network news (23% of Democrats compared to 12% of the other two groups).
Overall sentiment about the new law still breaks sharply along partisan lines. Nearly 8 in 10 Democrats (77%) favor the new law, while about as many Republicans (79%) view it unfavorably, a mix very similar to that seen before the bill’s passage in March.  Political independents tilt against the law (46 percent opposed compared to 37 percent in favor), while self-described moderates favor the measure 55 percent to 31 percent.
Methodology
               
This Kaiser Health Tracking Poll was designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation.  The survey was conducted April 9 through April 14, 2010, among a nationally representative random sample of 1,208 adults ages 18 and older.  Telephone interviews conducted by landline (801) and cell phone (407, including 171 who had no landline telephone) were carried out in English and Spanish. The margin of sampling error for the total sample is plus or minus 3 percentage points.  For results based on subgroups, the margin of sampling error may be higher. The full question wording, results, charts and a brief on the poll can be viewed online at http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls.

               
The Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit private operating foundation, based in Menlo Park, California, dedicated to producing and communicating the best possible information and analysis on health issues.

List of U.S. Fatalities in Afghanistan as of May 28, 2010 from iCasualties.org: Operation Enduring Freedom

Coalition Military Fatalities By Year

YearUSUKOtherTotal
2001120012
20024931769
2003480957
2004521760
200599131131
2006983954191
20071174273232
20081555189295
200931610896520
20101404338221
Total10862884141788


Filter Deaths By Year

U.S. Fatalities in and around Afghanistan

Country of DeathFatalities
Afghanistan957
Germany (from wounds in theatre)14
Pakistan15
USA (from wounds in theatre)20
Uzbekistan1
Total1007
View Details: U.S. Fatalities In and Around Afghanistan

IED Fatalities


PeriodIEDTotalPct
2001040.00
200242516.00
200332611.54
2004122744.44
2005207327.40
20064113031.54
20077818442.39
200815226357.79
200927545061.11
201011420256.44


Coalition Military Fatalities By Year and Month

CoalitionU.S.
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
200100000000035412
2002101214101303161869
2003471222724268157
2004112339524487260
200523619429233121074131
200611713517221929381794191
20072181020252429342415229232
200814720142346304637191227295
2009252528142738767770743234520
201045553934480000000221

Filter Deaths By Month   

Fatalities By Country

Click graph to view details

View Fatalities By Nationality Details


Fatalities by Province

View Fatalities By Province Details

CASUALTIES IN IRAQ:THE HUMAN COST OF OCCUPATION from ANTI-WAR.COM

Casualties in Iraq

The Human Cost of Occupation
Edited by Margaret Griffis :: Contact
American Military Casualties in Iraq
Date
Total
In Combat
American Deaths
Since war began (3/19/03):44003488
Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03) (the list)
4261
3381
Since Capture of Saddam (12/13/03):39383183
Since Handover (6/29/04):35412855
Since Obama Inauguration (1/20/09):17284
American WoundedOfficialEstimated
Total Wounded:31822Over 100000
Latest Fatality May 24, 2010

Page last updated 05/26/10 12:08 pm EDT

U.S. Wounded
Others
Just 
Foreign Policy Iraqi Death Estimator
Other Coalition Troops - Iraq
318
US Military Deaths - Afghanistan
1,083
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan
702
Contractor Employee Deaths - Iraq
1,457
Journalists - Iraq
338
Academics Killed - Iraq
437
Sources: DoD, MNF, and iCasualties.org

U.S. lacks mechanism to accurately track troops wounded in Iraq
Also see The Missing Wounded.
American Count
Dates and sources of Americans killed in Iraq since 5/1/03 are documented in this file. Admittedly the file is incomplete, for the Department of Defense does not maintain old records. All data was compiled from http://www.defenselink.mil. If something is amiss in the data collection, please contact Margaret Griffis.
Iraqi Civilian Count
We maintain a daily count based on news reports. It is not intended to be complete. There is no agency that keeps track of accurate numbers of Iraqis killed. JustForeignPolicy maintains a running estimate based on the Lancet study with the rate of increase derived from the Iraq Body Count.
Comparing Civilian Casualty Studies
Robert Naiman of Just Foreign Policy explains the similarities between the Lancet and the the Orb estimates. Numbers from the Iraq Body Count site and the study published in the Lancet are compared at OpenDemocracy.net. The BBC published an article, which includes a response from IBC, that criticizes the large Lancet figures. Middle East expert Juan Cole also gives his opinion on the Lancet study here.

Sources and Links
Faces of the Fallen Department of Defense Central Command
JustForeignPolicy Icasualties.org Count BBC Figures
Juan Cole Journalist Deaths in Iraq Cost of War

ARIZONA'S LAW & BORDER from the JON STEWART SHOW 27APR10

The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Law & Border
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full EpisodesPolitical HumorTea Party

Obama Puts a Silencer on Assault Weapons Ban 21MAI10

| Fri May. 21, 2010 7:11 AM PDT

When Mexican President Felipe Calderon addressed the US Congress on Thursday, he called for the United States to reinstate the ban on assault weapons that expired in 2004 under the Bush administration. Calderon noted that a ban on these weapons, which are flowing south across the border to violent drug cartels, could help Mexico reduce the horrific violence that has seized parts of that country.
Calderon might be forgiven for assuming that this would be a reasonable request to make to the Obama administration. While campaigning for the presidency, candidate Barack Obama backed permanently reinstating the ban. After he assumed office, his administration quickly announced it would proceed on this front. On February 25, 2009, Attorney General Eric Holder declared,
As President Obama indicated during the campaign, there are just a few gun-related changes that we would like to make, and among them would be to reinstitute the ban on the sale of assault weapons.
Holder specifically noted that resurrecting the ban would reduce the number of guns pouring into Mexico and fueling the violence there.
Compare Holder's unequivocal statement to how the White House these days addresses the matter. Hours after Calderon's appearance on Capitol Hill, press secretary Robert Gibbs was asked about this issue. Here's the full exchange:
Q: Robert, speaking of President Calderón, this morning in his address to Congress, he asked lawmakers to reinstate the assault weapons ban, something the President has supported in the past.  Does the President still support that and does he plan to lean on Congress to make progress?
GIBBS:  I would — because the President largely got asked this question yesterday about both drugs and weapons moving across the border, I’d point you to the answer that he gave about increased inspections on cargo that’s moving from the north to the south.
You know the rest. At Obama's joint press conference with Calderon the previous day, this is what the president said,
Through increased law enforcement on our side of the border, we’re putting unprecedented pressure on those who traffic in drugs, guns, and people.  We’re working to stem the southbound flow of American guns and money, which is why, for the first time, we are now screening 100 percent of southbound rail cargo.
Nothing about an assault weapons ban. A Mexican journalist followed up and asked Obama, "Shouldn’t there be an initiative that will regulate guns as they are sold? Is there going to be a ban?" Obama again talked about interdiction efforts and didn't address the assault weapons ban.
Not only will the White House not make good on candidate Obama's promise to revive the ban or Holder's announced decision to do so, it won't even talk about the assault weapons ban. Not a word. The reason is obvious: Obama and his aides don't want to spark a backlash from the NRA and voters who cling to their guns—especially as Democrats ride toward a difficult mid-term election. On this dicey topic, Obama cares most about ducking a political bullet.

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S NEWS CONFERENCE ON THE BP OIL SPILL 27MAI10

The White House, Washington


Good afternoon,
Today I am travelling to Louisiana with President Obama to review the efforts currently underway to respond to the massive oil spill and to lend support to the region. The Administration's efforts have been relentless from Day 1, and I know the President is eager to return to the region to check up on the progress and meet with those most directly affected by this tragedy.
Yesterday, the President briefed the press and the American people on this disaster. You can watch the video of his press conference here:


Join the Discussion
To give you a sense of where we are today: We have about 20,000 people in the region who are working around the clock to contain and clean up this oil, approximately 1,300 vessels are responding on site, over 11 million gallons of oil-water mix have been recovered, and over 3 million feet of boom have been deployed to the Gulf region.
Earlier this week, the Federal Government gave BP the approval to attempt a "top kill" procedure – plugging the well with densely packed mud to prevent oil from escaping. It's too soon to tell whether this approach will be successful at reducing or eliminating the flow of oil, so we are exploring every reasonable strategy to try to stop this leak before the relief wells are finished.
For people living in the Gulf Coast region, for Americans across the country, and for the Obama Administration, the only thing that really matters is stopping the leak, cleaning up the mess, and restoring the Gulf Coast's environment and the livelihoods of the people who live there. We will not rest until we've done just that.
Those who are responsible will be held accountable. That includes not only the obligations BP and other responsible parties have, but also the commitment we have, as public servants, to build an effective framework for regulation that protects the American people and guards this country's natural splendor.
In case you don't have time to watch the video from yesterday's press conference, I want to reiterate a key point the President made, because while stopping the leak remains priority #1 at the White House, it's also important to recognize the need for longer-term solutions. He said:
Let me make one final point. More than anything else, this economic and environmental tragedy – and it's a tragedy – underscores the urgent need for this nation to develop clean, renewable sources of energy. Doing so will not only reduce threats to our environment, it will create a new, homegrown, American industry that can lead to countless new businesses and new jobs.
Here are two important resources to keep track of the situation:
The first is the website of the coalition of groups, led by the National Incident Commander for the BP oil spill, Admiral Thad Allen of the Coast Guard. It has a number of links to assistance for those affected by the spill and many other resources:
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/
In order to keep the Nation aware of everything its government is doing in response to the spill, the White House has also created a web page that includes a daily report of the ongoing Administration-wide response to the Deepwater BP Oil Spill:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/deepwater-bp-oil-spill/
As the President also said, we are going to make sure this leak is stopped -- but our work doesn't end there. This Administration will use everything in its power to protect the safety and livelihoods of our fellow Americans in the Gulf Coast.
Sincerely,
Carol Browner
Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change

COSTOFWAR.COM - The Cost of War

Click the link to go to the Cost of War site ans see the counters spinning and for more information of the real cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001. 

COSTOFWAR.COM - The Cost of War

Total Cost of Wars Since 2001
$999,621,398,756
Cost of War in Iraq
$725,306,396,772
Cost of War in Afghanistan
$274,315,001,984

28 May 2010

WINTER SOLDIER TESTIMONY from IRAQ VETERENS AGAINST THE WAR

This is the Winter Soldier testimony from 22MAI08 before an unofficial Congressional committee. One commentator, a teacher at West Point,  suggest that war crimes may have been committed and there should be investigations. If anyone is to be charged, it should be george w bush and his cabal of war pigs, cheney, rice, tenent, pearl, powell, and all the other neo-nazi fascist neo-cons from the bush pentagon and bush white house and the bush state department because they deceived the American people and the world to start an illegal and immoral war in Iraq.



Click on any of the links below for more Winter Soldier testimony

http://www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier/testimony

Winter Soldier Testimony

HONOR THE WARRIOR, NOT THE WAR from IRAQ VETERENS AGAINST THE WAR 28MAI10

Iraq Veterans
 Against the War Join 
IVAW


IVAW 
Online Follow us on Twitter Friends us on Facebook Watch us on Youtube Recieve 
IVAW txtDonate Online
IVAW 
Newsletter Donate 
Online





On this Memorial Day, we honor the thousands of soldiers and hundreds of thousands of civilians who have died in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  We also remember that the war lives on in soldiers, even after they leave the battlefield, and war lives on in the lives of those civilians who survive.  The costs of these wars will impact families and communities for generations.

We mourn the lives of John Thomas "J.T." White of IVAW's Ohio chapter, and Lisa Morris, member of the Fort Hood chapter.  Both died this year after surviving tours of duty in Iraq.  Our hearts are with their families and friends.  Our work to end the occupations continues in their spirit.


     R.I.P. Lisa Morris 6/09/1981 - 5/26/2010
Take a moment this Memorial Day to light a candle, say a prayer, or have a minute of silent reflection on the costs of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Re-commit yourself to working toward their end.

Here are things you can do:

  • Have a sit-down with any veteran you know.  Ask them how they are doing, learn about their experience, and listen.  Find out if they need any help (counseling services, discharge issues, educational access) and connect them to appropriate services.  See if they are connected with any veterans' groups or might want to connect with other vets in IVAW.
  • Connect with a local IVAW chapter in your area.  Meet with chapter leaders for coffee or dinner to learn what their local needs are and see how you might plug in.  What can you do to help build an IVAW chapter in your area?  Contact an IVAW Field Organizer to get connected to a chapter in your region: Aaron Hughes (Central and Midwest) aarhughes@ivaw.org, Chantelle Bateman (Northeast) chantellebateman@ivaw.org, Joe Callan (Southwest and West Coast) zkjcallan@ivaw.org, Jason Hurd (Southeast and Deep South) jehurd@gmail.com.
  • Host an event to watch IVAW's Winter Soldier testimony footage, start a Winter Soldier book reading group, or use Winter Soldier in your classroom.  Footage is available online at www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier.
  • Help keep the loss of life, the number of Killed In Action Wounded In Action, and civilian deaths in the headlines of your local news by writing letters-to-the-editor, petitioning your local radio station to acknowledge the dead and wounded on a regular basis, or sending  blurbs to your local community papers.
  • Volunteer with the GI Rights Hotline 877-447-4487 www.girightshotline.org and/or get GI Rights cards to pass out to GIs and Veterans by emailing: haber.jim@gmail.com.
  • Make your town or city a sanctuary for war resisters (AWOL soldiers).  Learn about the efforts of others to do this: http://open.salon.com/blog/washingtonpeacecenter/2010/04/05/keeping_gis_safe
  • Ask any mental health counselors or alternative health practitioners (massage therapists, acupuncturists, Reiki healers, etc.) to provide free services for veterans.  Hans Buwalda, VVAW counselor, is developing a national network of providers, so add to her list by contacting her at 773-370-4789 info@storiesandart.com.
  • Make a donation to IVAW.  Any amount helps.
In Solidarity,

Iraq Veterans Against the War







Thank You 
From IVAW Send This 
Newsletter to a Friend
Donate 
Today!