It's still prejudice

Oh, the conservatives are so gleeful that the California State Supreme Court has upheld Proposition 8, which bans same sex marriage in California. But let me ask the court this question:

Suppose the question on the Prop 8 ballet had been to ban marriage between races, specifically black and white? Suppose the question on Prop 8 had been to ban marriage between different religions, say Christians and Muslims? Suppose the question on Prop 8 had been to ban marriages based on age, perhaps requiring that there could not be more than 15 years difference in age between the couple? Would you have recognized such ludicrous propositions as the prejudice they are? Then why didn't you recognize Prop 8 for the prejudice it was?

The "majority" may have the right to amend the state constitution, but it does NOT have the right to use that constitution to legalize prejudice

Bean-counters making medical decisions

The Democrats are supposedly looking for a message to counter the Republicans criticism of health care reform. Apparently the Republicans theme is going to be: "You don't want the government to come between you and your doctor."

In the first place, it's another one of the Republicans favorite tricks, The Big Lie. Repeat it over and over until people start to believe it.

Second, it is yet another classic anti-critical thinking trick, a distraction from the real issue.

Because the real issue is that under the system we've got now it is ACCOUNTANTS who are always more concerned about increasing the profits of their insurance company employers than they are about your family's health who are making your medeical decisions for you, with refusals cover certain people, with limits on what they will cover, with limits on what they will pay, with limits on which hsopitals and which doctors you can go to.

So here's my suggestion for the Democrats' counter-message: "Do you want a bean-counter between you and yoour doctor?"