The big problem with the bill is that so much money and power is being handed to the private health insurance industry, which is the cause of the problem in the first place.
Monday, March 29, 2010
This cure leaves the disease untreated
The law that Barack Obama signed last week will be a terrible disappointment to anyone who correctly sees the medical-insurance-pharmaceutical complex as the source of the problem.
The latest world war
The spreading front of U.S. wars--from Afghanistan to Africa to Latin America--represents a third world war in all but name, waged for capitalism.
"Fascism" is not right, for it invokes lazy historical precedents, conjuring yet again the iconography of German and Italian repression. On the other hand, American authoritarianism, as the cultural critic Henry Giroux pointed out recently, is "more nuance, less theatrical, more cunning, less concerned with repressive modes of control than with manipulative modes of consent."
Washington ratchets up war threats against Iran
The Times reports that US intelligence agencies are revising their 2007 finding that Iran does not have an active nuclear weapons program
The article thus makes no pretense of objective reporting, but puts the Times in its favorite role, as the mouthpiece for the US military-intelligence apparatus, publishing their “disclosures”—i.e., official Washington propaganda—even while admitting that US officials have “no solid clues” and were simply speculating in the absence of actual knowledge.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Big Brand vs. Boutique
Big Brand vs. Boutique
Farpointe Cellar
Tasted Saturday, March 27, 2010
Flight 1
2007 Melville Chardonnay Estate (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills) - 91 Points The nose had fresh squeezed orange juice, lemon peel, cream, and a little melon. The palate had a lot of floral notes upfront. It also had lemon, honey, and a very good orange finish.
2008 Stuhlmuller Vineyards Chardonnay Estate Bottled (USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley) - 89 Points The nose had beeswax and honey, peach, and some crushed rock towards the end. The palate had slight buttered popcorn taste on the front-end, but added pear and stone. It finished with a slight honey flavor.
2008 La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast (USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast) - 88 Points The nose had a heavy dose of cherry, plus some earth, raspberry, and floral notes. The palate was soft, with sour cherry, forest floor, and a tobacco finish.
2009 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough) - 88 Points The nose had tropical fruit and citrus, a little perfume mixed with cat pee. Crisp and clean, the palate had loads of citrus and stone. It finished with a big hit of grass.
2006 Ferrari-Carano Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley) - 87 Points The nose was very jammy, with blackberry and black currant fruit, spice, and a little chocolate. The palate was very rich, and very tannic. It did have blackberry and black currant, spice, and an espresso finish.
Flight 2
2006 Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley) - 90 Points The nose had tea and spice, smoke and blackberry, and a lot of vanilla at the end. The palate was rich and thick, with boysenberry and blackberry, smoke, and a big oak finish.
2007 Philippe Melka Cabernet Sauvignon CJ (USA, California, Napa Valley) - 89 Points The nose had licorice and smoke, black currant and earth. The palate was thick and rich, with black currant and raspberry liqueur, earth, and a licorice finish.
Farpointe Cellar
Tasted Saturday, March 27, 2010
Flight 1
2007 Melville Chardonnay Estate (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills) - 91 Points The nose had fresh squeezed orange juice, lemon peel, cream, and a little melon. The palate had a lot of floral notes upfront. It also had lemon, honey, and a very good orange finish.
2008 Stuhlmuller Vineyards Chardonnay Estate Bottled (USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley) - 89 Points The nose had beeswax and honey, peach, and some crushed rock towards the end. The palate had slight buttered popcorn taste on the front-end, but added pear and stone. It finished with a slight honey flavor.
2008 La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast (USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast) - 88 Points The nose had a heavy dose of cherry, plus some earth, raspberry, and floral notes. The palate was soft, with sour cherry, forest floor, and a tobacco finish.
2009 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough) - 88 Points The nose had tropical fruit and citrus, a little perfume mixed with cat pee. Crisp and clean, the palate had loads of citrus and stone. It finished with a big hit of grass.
2006 Ferrari-Carano Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley) - 87 Points The nose was very jammy, with blackberry and black currant fruit, spice, and a little chocolate. The palate was very rich, and very tannic. It did have blackberry and black currant, spice, and an espresso finish.
Flight 2
2006 Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley) - 90 Points The nose had tea and spice, smoke and blackberry, and a lot of vanilla at the end. The palate was rich and thick, with boysenberry and blackberry, smoke, and a big oak finish.
2007 Philippe Melka Cabernet Sauvignon CJ (USA, California, Napa Valley) - 89 Points The nose had licorice and smoke, black currant and earth. The palate was thick and rich, with black currant and raspberry liqueur, earth, and a licorice finish.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Tea party bigotry on parade
[Nicole Colson looks at the disturbing politics of the tea party fanatics--and how leading Republicans are doing everything they can to encourage them.](http://socialistworker.org/2010/03/25/tea-party-bigotry-parade)
>Such rhetoric is a barely disguised attempt to whip up the worst elements of the right wing. These kinds of tactics are hardly surprising, however. For all the claims that the "tea partiers" are an independent "grassroots" movement, the truth is that they represent, for the most part, the same old reactionary core of the Republican Party.
>Such rhetoric is a barely disguised attempt to whip up the worst elements of the right wing. These kinds of tactics are hardly surprising, however. For all the claims that the "tea partiers" are an independent "grassroots" movement, the truth is that they represent, for the most part, the same old reactionary core of the Republican Party.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Obama signs anti-abortion executive order
[The signing of the order and its reactionary content demonstrate not only the shameless pandering of the White House to this right-wing anti-abortion bloc, but also the regressive character of the health care plan as a whole.](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/mar2010/abor-m25.shtml)
>This assault on a vital democratic right puts the lie to the longstanding argument of liberal and middle class “left” organizations that it is necessary to vote for the Democrats because a Republican president will appoint anti-abortion judges and Supreme Court justices who will weaken or eliminate abortion rights.
>This assault on a vital democratic right puts the lie to the longstanding argument of liberal and middle class “left” organizations that it is necessary to vote for the Democrats because a Republican president will appoint anti-abortion judges and Supreme Court justices who will weaken or eliminate abortion rights.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
A cause for celebration?
[So the Republicans lost. But the problem is that the Democrats won--and in this case, that means the passage of a piece of legislation that will do more harm than good for most people in the U.S.](http://socialistworker.org/2010/03/24/cause-for-celebration)
>If you followed the media coverage about health care in the last few days, you've heard one person after another point out that some 30 million people will be covered by health insurance as a result of this law. That sounds like a step forward, but the real question is how much they'll have to pay, and what they'll get for their money. There's nothing to guarantee that the insurance they'll have to obtain will be affordable or adequate.
>If you followed the media coverage about health care in the last few days, you've heard one person after another point out that some 30 million people will be covered by health insurance as a result of this law. That sounds like a step forward, but the real question is how much they'll have to pay, and what they'll get for their money. There's nothing to guarantee that the insurance they'll have to obtain will be affordable or adequate.
When the going gets tough, the tough cave
[But the real lesson here is how the Democratic Party effectively shuts out the left, time and time again.](http://socialistworker.org/2010/03/23/the-tough-cave-in)
>The Obama administration made an effort to turn Kucinich. No doubt the White House figured it needed every last vote to get the measure approved, but there was another purpose as well: The administration wanted to demonstrate that it could corral liberals
>The Obama administration made an effort to turn Kucinich. No doubt the White House figured it needed every last vote to get the measure approved, but there was another purpose as well: The administration wanted to demonstrate that it could corral liberals
Creep of staff
[Obama endorses Emanuel's politics, and liberals have no alternative but to get in line.](http://socialistworker.org/2010/03/24/creep-of-staff)
>What does these facts say about to the narratives that developed in February and March about "Rahmism"? At the most basic level, they severely challenge the idea that Obama is a left-of-center Democrat whose chief of staff is pushing him off the path of righteousness.
>What does these facts say about to the narratives that developed in February and March about "Rahmism"? At the most basic level, they severely challenge the idea that Obama is a left-of-center Democrat whose chief of staff is pushing him off the path of righteousness.
Obama health bill sets the stage for assault on Medicare and Social Security
[Amidst the official jubilation, no one has asked an obvious question](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/mar2010/pers-m24.shtml)
>If the Obama administration dropped all of those provisions deemed “progressive” and “liberal”—such as the public option—in order to gain Republican support, why were they not restored when it became clear that the Republicans would offer no support and the final bill would be a purely Democratic measure?
>If the Obama administration dropped all of those provisions deemed “progressive” and “liberal”—such as the public option—in order to gain Republican support, why were they not restored when it became clear that the Republicans would offer no support and the final bill would be a purely Democratic measure?
Washington dictates terms to devastated Haiti
[Bush, Clinton visit Port-au-Prince](http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/mar2010/hait-m24.shtml)
>The attitude of the Haitian people to the visitors was a mixture of hostility and indifference. Bush, in particular, is hated for the US role in the 2004 coup that removed President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and exiled him to South Africa. Clinton, while posturing as a “friend” of Haiti, is identified with a policy of opening the Haitian market to foreign competition that devastated the country’s agriculture. He is now the UN special envoy to Haiti.
>The attitude of the Haitian people to the visitors was a mixture of hostility and indifference. Bush, in particular, is hated for the US role in the 2004 coup that removed President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and exiled him to South Africa. Clinton, while posturing as a “friend” of Haiti, is identified with a policy of opening the Haitian market to foreign competition that devastated the country’s agriculture. He is now the UN special envoy to Haiti.
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