December 20, 2009
The Honorable Ron Wyden
The Honorable Jeff Merkley
Dear Senator Wyden and Senator Merkley:
As leaders of faith communities in Oregon deeply concerned with the needs of homeless children, we are writing to ask you both to sign-on as co-sponsors of S. 2800 and S. 2801. These two pieces of legislation would provide critically needed [...]
It is expected that later today the United States Senate will take a key vote on health care reform. If 60 senators vote “aye” debate on the bill can continue and the package should be passed sometime around Christmas Eve. A "no" vote today would doom the entire health care [...]
The United Methodist General Board of Church and Society is asking UMC Nebraskans to reach out to their fellow United Methodist Ben Nelson, the U.S. Senator holding up health care reform. Here's what the church agency has to say:
The need to reform our health-care system has struck extremely [...]John Podesta:
Since Joe Lieberman demanded stripping the public option and Medicare buy-in provisions from the merged Senate bill, some strong progressives like Howard Deanhave argued that without a public option or a Medicare buy-in provision, the bill is a giveaway to private insurers and should be killed. Other progressive leaders like [...]
The Senate may actually be on the verge of creating a health care reform bill that should be killed. AP reports:
WASHINGTON — Former Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean argued Wednesday that the health care overhaul bill taking shape in the Senate further empowers private insurers at the expense of [...]
This afternoon the White House held a reception that they very kindly invited me to. Both the President and Mrs. Obama were there. President Obama made a few brief remarks about the spirit of the season. He acknowledged the difficulties being faced by the country (two [...]
34Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger [...]
Abortion, the Church and Health Care Reform
As Congress debates health care reform the most divisive issue is not the public option or a single payer style health care system. Unfortunately, abortion has become the defining issue.
People of faith are as divided as the [...]
I wanted to make you aware of this health care vigil set to occur in downtown Portland this coming Tuesday at 5:30 pm. As you know, the Senate is debating health care reform right now. Please pass this information around to your friends, family, congregation members, and contacts. I've been' [...]
Tonight President Obama out lined his plans to send an additional 30,000 troops to stop the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan. He also stated his desire to remove all U.S. forces starting in mid-2011. As the president noted in his address to the nation from West Point, [...]
Mega-church pastor Rick Warren said recently that abortion was a “holocaust” that needed to be ended. But at the same time he’s remaining largely silent as a former protégé seeks to enact a law in Uganda that would impose the death penalty against gays and lesbians.
Let Pastor Rick know before [...]
Today Portland City Commissioner Dan Saltzman reinstated Officer Chris Humphreys of the Portland Police Bureau to active duty after first suspending him pending an investigation into excessive use of force.
The decision only serves to underscore this simple truth: the Portland Police Bureau is not under the control of the [...]
"For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too" [...]
Anna Griffin gets it right in The Oregonian:
A bit of friendly advice to the fine men and women of the Portland Police Bureau:U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy announced this weekend that he had been barred from communion by Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas J. Tobin because of the congressman's position on abortion.
Communion shouldn't be used as a political weapon. It's God's table. All are welcome.But Bishop Tobin's actions' [...]
Steve Duin outlines the litany of recent complaints about the Portland Police Bureau in an article for The Oregonian:
In the brutal chain of personalities and events that have licensed Portland police to turn a beanbag shotgun on a 12-year-old girl, the aloof commissioner, absentee mayor and anything-goes police chief aren't' [...]Today the Portland Police Bureau announced that Officer Christopher Humphreys had been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into an incident this weekend – caught on video tape – that showed Humphreys’ shooting a 12-year old girl with a bean bag gun at a MAX stop. The girl [...]
The Senate may vote as soon as Saturday on health care reform. The New York Times reports:
WASHINGTON — Democratic leaders in the Senate on Wednesday unveiled their proposal for overhauling the health care system, outlining legislation that they said would cover most of the uninsured while reducing the [...]
Someone needs to explain why CafePress.com allows death threats against the president of the United States to be sold on their website. Or why in the world this website - run by the folks selling products that clearly call for the death of the president - is allowed [...]
Religious leaders are praying that Joe Lieberman's heart softens. The LA Times reports:
...an interfaith group of clergy is lobbying him to drop his plans to filibuster any healthcare bill that contains a public option. Their strategy: prayers.During a Sunday night vigil, a crowd walked from Stamford High School, Lieberman's alma [...]
Visit the new Yes on Measures 66 & 67 website at [www.voteyesfororegon.org] .
[...]My grandfather Rock Bright with his dog "Mac." Today Rock was honored during a program at his nursing home for his service in the Navy during WWII. He helped to build ships. My mother and I are in South Carolina with him this week.
Happy Veteran's Day to all.
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, suggested today in an op-ed on Politico.com that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops should lose their tax exempt status because of their advocacy for the Stupak amendment, which was added to the Affordable Health Care for [...]
This evening the U.S. House of Representatives passed the historic Affordable Health Care for America Act. I offer this podcast reflection on an evening when the House has taken a huge step forward in addressing one of America's most fundamental moral problems - the lack of [...]
Who are the opponents of health care reform? People like Andrew Beacham, who at a protest today said that reform would start a new "civil war" and called President Obama a "tyrant" at a protest led by Republican congressman. The New York Times reports:
Mr. Beacham, his hair in a [...]
As a minister in the United Church of Christ, I support this important letter to Congress.
Open Letter from Religious Leaders to
Members of Congress Supporting
Inclusion of Abortion Services in Health Care Reform
Dear Members of Congress,
As religious leaders, we support public policies that are just and compassionate and prioritize the needs of [...]
This afternoon a tragic and horrifying act of violence occurred at Ft. Hood in Texas. Many are dead after an individual, apparently a soldier, opened fire at the base. Media reports state the suspect, also dead, is Major Malik Nadal Hasan. He has been described as a mental health [...]
The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote this Saturday on the Affordable Health Care for America Act - our nation's first real chance to move toward universal health care.
But the outcome is uncertain. Members of the House need to be contacted immediately. You can reach your member [...]
Republicans had a good night in Virginia – where the Democratic candidate ran a weak campaign – and New Jersey, where they knocked off an incumbent closely tied with Wall Street. But thanks to Sarah Palin the Democrats have one victory to cheer about: New York’s 23rd Congressional district.
This was [...]
As noted in The Circuit Rider, the newsletter of Portland’s First United Methodist Church, Dr. William Connor passed away last Sunday after a battle with cancer. Oregon lost a giant that day.
Many people will spend time between now and the memorial (which is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14th at [...]
MoveOn.org sent me the following plea today:
Rep. Alan Grayson has been a progressive champion and a leader in fighting for strong health care reform. Let's help him win re-election with a donation to his one-day fundraiser. Can you chip in $20?
Not a chance.
Congressman Grayson is a loud mouth whose' [...]
Joe Lieberman has announced that he will not vote to stop the filibuster of any for a health care bill that contains the public option. He justifies this position by saying that a government-run health insurance option will cost taxpayers and increase the National Debt even though the Congressional Budget [...]
We stand closer to passing meaningful health care reform than at any other time in our nation's history. Both the House and Senate are ready to vote on bills that - while not perfect - would represent real change. Tens of millions of Americans would benefit and the accomplishment would' [...]
We're pretty much ready for the hoards of child who will soon descend on our house. Frances and Katherine got their costumes back in the summer. They've been ready for months.
The Yes on 66 and 67 message on Liz's' [...]
The White House announced today that first daughters Sasha and Malia Obama have been given the H1N1 vaccine. Our daughters, Frances and Katherine, have been given the vaccine as well. In this pandemic - that is targeting children, the young and those with serious health problems - it is [...]
It isn’t every day you get mentioned in a book (at least not for me) but the pages of Bill Donahue’s “Secular Sabotage: How Liberals Are Destroying Religion and Culture in America” is the last place I wanted my name published.
Donahue is the president of the Catholic League, a [...]
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made it official today and announced that he would move a health care reform bill to the senate floor that includes a public option - with an opt-out for those states that decide through a legislative process that they wish not to participate. [...]
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid appears to be moving toward including a public option as part of the senate's health care reform package. The New York Times reports:
After more than a week of deliberations, the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, is leaning toward including a government-run insurance plan [...]With poll numbers showing strong support for a public option in health care reform the Speaker of the U.S. House seems to be holding firm in her support. Politico reports:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi appears to be moving forward with the more liberal version of House health care [...]
chuck.currie@gmail.com (Chuck Currie, M.Div.)
