By Jolene Pohl

It is fantastic that our country’s president has a lot of experience with Constitutional law; since he was the first African-America president of the Harvard Law Review in 1990, the details of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) do not elude him in any manner. He is well-versed on the constitutionality of this legislation, which is probably why he chose in the first place to base his campaign on ensuring mandates on health care.

I must insert some bragging here, because I was in the front row of his Cleveland appearance in 2010 as Congress prepared to vote for this groundbreaking work. The legislation, which was heavily compromised across partisan lines, passed with a very close vote less than a week later. The final vote gave me relief and was overwhelming emotionally because I knew of the many lives that were going to be enhanced in our country, permanently. The Supreme Court can review the details of the mandate all they want, but the tragic decisions that many Americans have had to make, deciding whether to take care of their health needs or pay bills on time, has come to an end. With any luck, this same horrible dilemma will be obsolete for all Americans someday with the use of a public option for affordable insurance similar to what Congress currently has the luxury of purchasing.

The ACA is a collaboration of the industry of health insurance and the role of government to maintain the general welfare of citizens. The Commerce clause is an important detail to some people, I guess. Despite what the Constitution clearly states in black and white, “to regulate Commerce…among the several states,” some like to continue to politicize the ACA mandate. This clause is interpreted as allowing regulation of interstate Commerce which has created widening disparity of costs, such as the current increases in premiums for health insurance across various states.  So, the political uproar about the government trying to force broccoli down people’s throats, a recent Fox network discussion, is inherently meant to confuse and divide the public. The irony of the situation is how unconstitutional it would be for the government not to regulate health insurance commerce when it is obviously at such an unconscionable level of profiteering.

The Supreme Court will do its job, hopefully, and adhere to the regulation powers granted to the government by the Constitution. Those details are really quite boring compared to the significant changes in the lives of people since the ACA was passed. According to the non-partisan group, Doctors for America, the ACA will soon rid insured families of the worry that a pre-existing medical condition, such as a broken bone, hay fever, and depression, is a blockade to health insurance that they can afford. Small businesses will no longer have to carry the burden about whether to insure their youngest employees because coverage for anyone under the age of 26 can be bought on a parent’s insurance plan. Also, small businesses will enjoy an increased tax credit to assist with the costs of coverage.

Doctors for America have a great website about the changes already implemented due in thanks to this legislation. Just as President Obama said he would do with this Act, the donut hole for senior citizens on the Medicare Part D program has been adjusted. An automatic discount occurs now when they pick up their prescriptions, up to 50 percent on covered-brand name drugs, according to DFA.  The after-effects of these types of changes have already been positively working as a boost to our economy. If we do not implement a balanced approach to health insurance the DFA estimates the average family will pay up to $37, 566 in no less than a decade for their coverage per year. This is not a political stage, this is reality.

There are no words to describe the unnecessary suffering of millions of American families as health care costs have steadily increased each year. It seems things can only get better from this point onward. Once regulations are in place to maintain proper use of the money poured into insurance premiums, better the quality of care and attention given to patients will result. The playing field has been leveled for the insured to have a greater stake in the decisions about their own care. There are no politics necessary for understanding that this is nothing but an asset to our country’s future, our security and overall, our success as a nation of leaders.

When I hear feedback from concerned citizens, it is mostly about focusing on the “real” problems in our country. My simple answer back is: Where can we go if we have an unhealthy workforce? Everything begins and ends with providing a decent chance to obtain equal care. The exploitation of the system has gone on long enough. So long in fact, that our own president remembers watching his mother pass away from a cancer that could have been treated, only because she could not afford to pay the cost to live.

The real concern the Supreme Court should focus on is the portion of the Constitution that precedes the commerce clause. Article 1, Section 8 begins: “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States” – thus providing a summary of the dedication our law has to maintaining our welfare before that of any commerce and to doing so with equality in mind. I look forward to what the Supreme Court decides.

Jolene Pohl is a dedicated Dayton democrat volunteer/activist and a WSU grad student. Her favorite past-times include banter, debate and laughing out loud. She can be reached at JolenePohl@DaytonCityPaper.com.

By Jolene Pohl

I am sure that Mr. Rush Limbaugh is a nice guy who opens doors for elderly folks, eats with the proper utensils and maybe he even gets his own mail. His life doesn’t affect mine in any way and he certainly has no connection to my family or friends. His ill behavior is his own making, just like with anyone else. This is a country full of people who are free to express themselves however they choose. I afford everyone the chance in life to portray themselves in whichever light they make, but I get the feeling Mr. Limbaugh doesn’t feel the same way about me. So now I am forced to type out a few paragraphs about his ill behavior.

An apology from someone like Limbaugh, who continually makes illogical and slanderous statements, is meaningless. His comments aren’t going to ruin Sandra Fluke’s life or any other woman’s life, yet he was pushed to apologize. Was his apology made in an effort to keep his supporting audience happy? If the listeners (apparently enough supporters to buy him a gold plated microphone) have been willing to support the racist, sexist, homophobic and xenophobic commentary thus far, what difference would an apology make to this particular demographic? Limbaugh certainly was not going to win the hearts of new listeners who disagreed with his skewed logic. Therefore, that leaves us to imagine that the advertisers who have recently abandoned his program were actually pretty integral to his show. Like any good capitalist, Limbaugh must follow the money, even if it means he must humble himself, even lower himself, to apologizing for his unfettered misogyny. This is where it gets interesting in terms of dissecting why advertisers suddenly jumped this poorly maintained ship.

It occurred to me that the amount of attention the Sandra Fluke comments received was a great deal more than other insidious comments made by Limbaugh in the past. Where was the outcry for advertisers to leave when Limbaugh degraded minority women, including First Lady Michelle Obama, or when he defended the right to keep marriage away from same sex couples in California? Surely these Americans deserve the same attention in defense of their right to exist as Sandra Fluke does, but only now has the public been able to motivate a mass exodus of dollars. It seems Limbaugh struck a nerve when he attacked a white female law student who was speaking on behalf of reproductive rights, not the right to get federal funding for reproductive products as the public has been misled to believe. She spoke out for women whose simple request was to be given equal opportunity. This is the line Limbaugh crossed, which in turn prevented any further defense of his position. The Grand Old Party seems to have a perplexing situation now that one of their most loyal advocates has become encumbered in a mess of his own making.

It is pretty amazing that this man, who has no real effect on my daily life, has somehow changed the behavior of half of the Republican Party. Even those who say they don’t care about him still have to come up with some sort of reply about his position against women’s rights to health care. So I guess he does play a part in my life. I am amused watching Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum dance around the details of Limbaugh’s exile, which is ironic considering each candidate touts the capitalist mantra so eloquently. If they don’t approve of his comments then what is the harm in stating so? Obviously capitalism has worked in this situation, and they should be more than happy to highlight its achievement. Yet they remain silent. It may have something to do with the similar stance they take on women’s right to contraception. Santorum has clearly stated his disregard for the purpose of contraception, so condemning Limbaugh would be a bit contradictory. Both candidates may think a “duck and run” strategy is the best way to avoid the Limbaugh fiasco, but the interpretation by some women is that they have no supporters in the Republican Party. The GOP truly is a good ol’ boys club. This is a harsh reality that is just beginning to sink in with Republican women. Even Sarah Palin is beginning to get the message.

When Limbaugh leaves his golden microphone behind, there will be another loudmouth self-righteous jerk to follow in his giant footsteps, I have no doubt. The energy wasted on condemning his predictable actions could be spent on focusing on the overwhelming distaste by our Congress to support women’s equal rights to access affordable healthcare. There are stirrings of grassroots action taking place, but as long as the public keeps its fingers pointed at Limbaugh and other over-blown gas bags like him, nothing will change for women. As Sandra Fluke discussed when she was asked to present her testimony to the Democrats on Capitol Hill, there are real women suffering right now. She was motivated to speak on their behalf because they have lost their faith in the belief that we all have a right to be heard. Her young friends who lost their ability to have their own babies, who didn’t receive treatment after being raped, who almost died because their access to reproductive care was blocked, are the reasons she stood before Congress. Standing up against such preventable atrocities is my reason too. Limbaugh means nothing to me. Ending the suffering of women means everything.

Jolene Pohl is a dedicated Dayton democrat volunteer/activist and a WSU grad student. Her favorite past-times include banter, debate and laughing out loud. She can be reached at JolenePohl@DaytonCityPaper.com.

I know I am not alone and I know there are a lot of Americans who have no back-up plan which is why I am sharing this little personal crisis with my readers. I hope to document my experience for you on this blog as the weeks pass and things start to get heavier. So far I have spoken with the free services at the Homeownership Center of Dayton ( Here is the link: http://www.homeownershipdayton.org/ ) I highly recommend speaking with them if you are in a similar situation. This week I received a letter from the mortgage company letting me know they have lawyered up and consider my account in foreclosure….yikes. The bank never lets me forget that I am failing to meet my responsibilities by sending people to my front porch with late notices. Thanks…I got it.

So — here we go! I know I have a strong family who will not let me fall back too far and for that I am truly blessed. I wish as much for any person or family going through the same thing. Sometimes life just keeps creeping in on you whether you are ready or not.

I have more studying to do so I can finish school with straight A’s but I will keep this blog updated as to the status of the house situation. I love my little house and hope a buyer will offer me a reasonable rate but as far as I can see the market is at an all time low.

Peace and Love,

J. Pohl

Mi Casa es Su Casa!

If women were on the same level of respect as men there would be a lot more representation at the highest level of world governments. I am very encouraged to see that President Obama is acknowledging this important missing piece of discussion. Validation by a powerful man is unfortunately a necessity in the movement for women’s equality.

Women are all different when it comes to goals and methods of achieving those goals. It would be nice, at the very least, to hear what they have to say.

*Peace*

Women hold up half the sky!

http://www.halftheskymovement.org/

“The goal is as simple as it is profound: to empower half the world’s population as equal partners in preventing conflict and building peace in countries threatened and affected by war, violence and insecurity. Achieving this goal is critical to our national and global security.”

–The U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/12/19/fact-sheet-united-states-national-action-plan-women-peace-and-security

Youngstown, Ohio Fracking problems-

http://ohiofracktion.wordpress.com/

Tomorrow in West Chester,  Ohio -

http://ecowatch.org/2011/stand-up-to-big-oil-at-action-in-west-chester-ohio/

Recognition:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/12/10/nobel-peace-prize-winners-leymah-gbowee-and-ellen-johnson-sirleaf-recognized.html

Their story: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/women-war-and-peace/uncategorized/pray-the-devil-back-to-hell-promo/

PBS link:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/women-war-and-peace/

“The justices said Monday they will review a federal appeals court ruling that blocked several tough provisions in the Arizona law. One of those requires that police, while enforcing other laws, question a person’s immigration status if officers suspect he is in the country illegally.”
Read more:High court to look at state immigration laws – The Denver Posthttp://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_19527895#ixzz1gKp8qmGb
Read The Denver Post’s Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

http://www.whitehouse.gov/economy/jobs/we-cant-wait

Rome is burning….

I wish every WWII Vet would have the chance to go to Washington D.C. to see their memorial. I am thankful that Dayton offers the opportunity to Veterans to visit D.C.

Today is a date that truly lives in infamy. Greatness is found in the simple places.

*PEACE*

Raton, New Mexico Veterans have their own WWII memorial thanks to the hard work of some very dedicated people:

http://ratonnewmexico.wordpress.com/category/world-war-ii-statue-dedication/

Dayton, Ohio offers a great program for Veterans to visit D.C.:

http://www.honorflight.org/about/index.cfm

The speech we will never forget:

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5166

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/06/elian-gonzalez-2011_n_1132982.html

“Elian Gonzalez, the Cuban boy who survived a perilous raft journey that killed his mother and became a symbol of troubled relations between the United States and Cuba, is now an adult.”