tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post1684325909537475956..comments2024-03-14T17:59:30.786-04:00Comments on [Birth Mother] First Mother Forum: The Man Trump and the right to control my body! Lorraine Duskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18285341379272250245noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-83204984201362214292016-04-06T14:11:40.422-04:002016-04-06T14:11:40.422-04:00Mashka, I was going to say something about that, t...Mashka, I was going to say something about that, the huge debt that student loans put on people, and those for an MD are astronomical, it takes many years to pay them off and contrary to popular belief doctors are not all rich. I do not know how other countries fund medical education, but I think this is a factor in so many doctors coming from other countries and less in training here. There has to be a better way than years of crushing debt.maryannenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-47170417063884375192016-04-06T11:56:57.195-04:002016-04-06T11:56:57.195-04:00I was considering med school, was actually premed ...I was considering med school, was actually premed for first year of undergrad. I switched to biotechnology because I didn't want to incur nearly $200,000 in debt before my first real job. Mashkanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-81728483571254558262016-04-06T10:00:37.560-04:002016-04-06T10:00:37.560-04:00Publishing, mostly educational, some trade, and no...Publishing, mostly educational, some trade, and now I offer editorial services to people going the self-publishing route because it's one of the few growing markets. Jessnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-23002297823245231912016-04-05T11:18:48.342-04:002016-04-05T11:18:48.342-04:00Megan--Yes, that is a great story about immigrants...Megan--Yes, that is a great story about immigrants. As for the need for family physicians in rural areas, it has been a problem in American (and probably Canada) for decades. I first wrote about it some 35 years ago (I used to write about health and medicine for a newspaper) and I can only imagine that the situation is much more dire now. <br /><br />Anonymous seems to have drifted away. Lorraine Duskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18285341379272250245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-39385829036539511592016-04-05T08:13:26.477-04:002016-04-05T08:13:26.477-04:00Thank you for relating this story, Megan. It's...Thank you for relating this story, Megan. It's detailed explanations like this about how the system actually works, who is actually at risk and what the consequences are of certain policies, that may help some uncommitted people out there decide how to vote as well. Jessnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-49791544163558250362016-04-04T23:12:15.001-04:002016-04-04T23:12:15.001-04:00One more comment about "good paying jobs"...One more comment about "good paying jobs" in America. Yes, some LEGAL immigrants get good paying jobs here, because they have skills and knowledge that not enough Americans possess. If you want to get "good paying jobs" for more Americans, the answer is not to deport illegals, because they don't have those jobs either. If you want a good job, then go learn how to code in several different computer languages. Or go get a medical degree. <br /><br />I personally have assisted in applying for visas for foreign physicians. Why do we hire doctors from other countries? Because there are not enough young Americans who want to put in the study and hard work to become a doctor. And many that do go through medical school don't want to practice where we need them most. I recently helped obtain a J-1 Visa for a foreign doctor to work in a poor, rural community in the Midwest. The healthcare system in the area tried recruiting a primary care physician for over a year, but nobody wanted to practice there. We didn't even get inquiries about the job after extensive advertising and courting of new med school grads. We finally recruited a foreign physician with the surname of Khan. I played a part in helping him obtain his Visa. We rejoiced when we got word the Visa was approved. He seems like a very humble, dedicated physician, and we feel blessed to have him. The children in the community are particularly under served, and he will fill a much needed void. We incurred a lot of administrative costs to hire this guy. Several people from my company were involved with preparing his Visa application. We would have been happy to fill that job vacancy with an American citizen. But we could not find a qualified US citizen willing to even consider taking the job.<br /><br />And Trump wants to block this guy's Visa simply because he might be Muslim!!! This physician will be saving American lives and ensuring kids grow up healthy. Megannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-78123641484630450052016-04-04T18:47:02.963-04:002016-04-04T18:47:02.963-04:00Yes, Earl Warren was one of the best Chief Justice...Yes, Earl Warren was one of the best Chief Justice's we've ever had. He went to UC Berkley law school and had never been a judge. He had common sense, real world experience, and knew how to bring people to his side. The Warren Court was one of the best things that ever happened in the US, ended legal racial discrimination, protected the rights of people accused of crimes, and protected the right of free speech. If it hadn't been for Warren and his gang of eight, we'd be living in a police state and people of color would be far worse off than they are today.Jane Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09715622112694146946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-65985765543919928502016-04-04T18:31:24.984-04:002016-04-04T18:31:24.984-04:00Megan, brilliant analysis and you sound like the R...Megan, brilliant analysis and you sound like the Republicans I know. There are good and compassionate and reasonable people among both conservatives and liberals, who can have a reasonable discussion without resorting to ad hominem attacks on their opponents, or to outright repetition of lies.<br /><br />Anonymous, you have proved my point about the motivation of Trump supporters and the fears he plays to.<br /><br />Lorraine, interesting stuff about your Dad supporting Wallace. My dad had said when he was very young he went into NYC to see Al Smith speak, the first Catholic candidate for president when Catholics were the subject of much prejudice as recent immigrants to the US. We all came from immigrants, except Native Americans. Some were legal, some not, but all made this country what it is. It is time to stop the cycle of those already here turning against the next wave from another place. Welcoming the stranger is one of the major tenets of the Judeao-Christian and other religious traditions.maryannenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-4128373236950617212016-04-04T18:20:04.521-04:002016-04-04T18:20:04.521-04:00As well as governor, of course.
As well as governor, of course.<br />Lorraine Duskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18285341379272250245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-18992861091873887562016-04-04T18:19:26.842-04:002016-04-04T18:19:26.842-04:00Didn't know the Earl Warren story, but I did k...Didn't know the Earl Warren story, but I did know that Warren turned out to be Eisenhower's and the GOP's big disappointment! He never served as a judge prior to his appointment, but had been Attorney General of California. <br /><br />We have the most interesting readers!Lorraine Duskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18285341379272250245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-30041523513384417312016-04-04T16:23:54.911-04:002016-04-04T16:23:54.911-04:00Here are some interesting details about Truman and...Here are some interesting details about Truman and Wallace and that era. This is a very interesting chapter in American history. It raises a great "what if" question about different scenarios that might have played out. What if FDR had not dropped Wallace? What if questions are fascinating, kind of like "what if the Mongols had invaded Western Europe?" <br /><br />FDR's first vice-president was John Nance Garner of Texas, who had previously been Speaker of the House. He broke with FDR in his second term over Roosevelt's plan to pack the Supreme Court. He ran for president in 2040, but the convention overwhelmingly drafted Roosevelt for an unprecedented third term.<br /><br />That left FDR in need of a new VP and he chose Henry Wallace. But a lot of Democrats, especially conservative southern Democrats, didn't like Wallace. So in 1944 they made a move to have him replaced. Eventually they convinced Roosevelt to make a change. He picked Senator Harry Truman of Missouri. It was widely believed by insiders at the time that whoever FDR picked as VP would ascend to the presidency in the next four years, since Roosevelt was in poor health.<br /><br />In 1948 Wallace ran for president, along with Strom Thurmond and Thomas Dewey, against Truman. Dewey was overwhelmingly favored to win the presidency and Truman's upset victory was arguably the biggest shock in American political history. Many FMF readers might be familiar with the Chicago Tribune headline the day after the election: "Dewey defeats Truman."<br /><br />On a happier note, Dewey's running-mate was Earl Warren, the governor of California. By losing the race Warren was in a position to be appointed as the Chief Justice in 1953. Dwight Eisenhower would later regret the appointment, but it was a wonderful thing for our society. IMO Warren was the greatest Chief Justice the nation ever had.Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-87889170235673609212016-04-04T15:30:32.914-04:002016-04-04T15:30:32.914-04:00Anon Anonymous, please see Megan's comment bel...Anon Anonymous, please see Megan's comment below. She is not a liberal, but she is also not full of the hate you espouse. Lorraine Duskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18285341379272250245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-9464475250221528002016-04-04T15:28:53.400-04:002016-04-04T15:28:53.400-04:00Because I knew people would reply, because it is f...Because I knew people would reply, because it is full of absurd opinion as you state Jess, I decided to publish it. And BTW Anonymous, Maryanne's comments were cogent and intelligent. Lorraine Duskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18285341379272250245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-76383887196608011402016-04-04T13:36:52.610-04:002016-04-04T13:36:52.610-04:00This is hate speech. Please remove it. This is hate speech. Please remove it. Jessnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-80927905680658958562016-04-04T13:10:45.056-04:002016-04-04T13:10:45.056-04:00Anon 10:23 - Here are some things to think about. ...Anon 10:23 - Here are some things to think about. First, do you believe that the types of jobs worked by illegal immigrants are jobs that 2nd generation Americans would do? Generally no, they are not. Many of the millions of unemployed Americans are not even healthy enough to do immigrant work, even if they had the work ethic for it. Illegals are not "stealing all the jobs from people who were born here." Illegals aren't taking away nearly as many jobs as alarmist think. Candidates keep promising "good paying jobs." Illegal immigrants don't have those kinds of jobs. Instead of pointing the finger at illegal immigrants, it would be smarter to go after businesses that employ them. Enforce the laws requiring businesses to obtain work visas for immigrants employees, and then we'd get taxes out of them. Employers hire illegals to get out of paying taxes and fair wages, and to avoid bringing workplace conditions up to the code that legal Americans enjoy. Employers get rich off the backs of illegal immigrants.<br /><br />Trump's tactic is to point a finger, to find a group to blame our economic woes on. His targeting immigrants has been convincing for some because it appeals to the baser instincts of some to mistrust those who are different racially, culturally and religiously. It has not worked out well for other nations who have put leaders in power who talks the way Trump does.<br /><br />To say that there are too many people and not enough jobs to go around shows an ignorance on the subject of economics. People with jobs consume -- food, housing, clothing, services, etc. Consumption creates jobs. If we took away consumers in this country, the job market would shrink, not expand.<br /><br />By the way, I am not a liberal, not by any stretch of the imagination. I have voted Republican for years. Meganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01386268512599829234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-3641504613494502882016-04-04T12:49:38.104-04:002016-04-04T12:49:38.104-04:00Jess--may I ask what industry you are in? Jess--may I ask what industry you are in? Lorraine Duskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18285341379272250245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-44924538370052935592016-04-04T12:47:58.212-04:002016-04-04T12:47:58.212-04:00My close family including step-children are libera...My close family including step-children are liberals, progressives, Democrats. My father voted for the first socialist on the presidential ballot, Henry Wallace, who favored a liberal agenda that included universal health care and rapid desegregation. When the Democrats dropped him in favor of Harry Truman in the 1948 election, Wallace formed the Progressive Party and ran as a...fourth party candidate, as Strom Thumond also ran as the candidate under the "States Rights" party, which sounds like another name for "Continued Segregation, Dixie forever!" My father was one of the 2.4 percent of the voting public who pulled the lever for Wallace. (I have always been inordinately proud of this, and love to mention it. See smiley face here.)<br /><br />Some in the immediate and step family are for Bernie; others like me for Hillary. But cousins and friends--in Michigan--well, that's another story! Facebook reveals allLorraine Duskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18285341379272250245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-13420076028125390972016-04-04T10:23:54.555-04:002016-04-04T10:23:54.555-04:00What kind of hate is Trump encouraging maryanne? T...What kind of hate is Trump encouraging maryanne? That is a ridiculous statement. He does not want illegal aliens here. So what? He is respecting the law. THAT makes him a racist? This country is so grotesquely over populated, there are way to many people here, including children from countries like Brazil and Haiti that stupid AP's adopted, that here are just not enough jobs at all, nor will there be in the future. We had a big enough problem with this before so many other people came over here, including illegal aliens thanks to Obama and now it is a 100 times worse. America should of helped poorer countries financially and by providing food instead of letting them live here and steal all the jobs from people who were born here. You liberals are what is wrong with this country and you liberals started closed adoption to. Catholic clergy is gay, including most nuns, Tann was gay and Lehman was a liberal democrat to. All you ever do is whine maryanne while you refuse to see how much pain people like yourself cause. Even to yourselves.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-44544005529953887272016-04-04T08:55:33.402-04:002016-04-04T08:55:33.402-04:00Anon, perhaps my sister could be considered an egg...Anon, perhaps my sister could be considered an egghead liberal. She earned a PhD. in the scientific world. And she did it all on government grants and loans! She had no money and so she worked as a waitress for years, and studied the rest of the time. It took her many more years to achieve this goal than it would have her fellow students, whose parents were able to send their kids to college. I think it took her 8 years to finish her dissertation (the norm I think is 2 or 3 years?), but she did it. Slowly but surely; this is big government at work. Government's role should be to help people who don't have the advantages of the more well-to-do. And the loans are paid back to the US Government - with no interest rate, like the banks would charge.<br /><br />Where we are going to visit my younger son, it will be gun-and-Trump country for sure. We'll just have to try not to get into a confrontational political argument with anyone. But we are good at being humorous, but still making a good point. Believe it or not, we have relatives in Brooklyn who (at least the husband) will be voting Trump. The wife may also, as she is a fiscal conservative, and she has become so since they got together. This year it seems many people who are otherwise reasonable have a little "crazy" in them. "Maybe our country needs someone like him" is what I hear from Brooklyn (??) of all places? We have another good friend in Brooklyn who is a screaming liberal :) and his 21-year old son is voting Trump! Our friend is very upset, but hey his son is an adult. What can you do about it, except keep talking?<br /><br />As to abortion, I'm in a similar boat as Maryanne. I chose not to abort my second son and I am so glad I didn't. It was not the right decision for me. But I can't make that decision for any other women, and I'm so glad that women today have a choice (although efforts are being made to erode that possibility, that's what we need to remember.) Trump of course is not equipped to tell women what to do. Neither are any of the other candidates, if we must answer yes or no. But definitely the destruction that's ongoing now, to roll-back the times and harass abortion clinics and women, has got to be stopped.new and oldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17362285131091164702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-72022773376383988562016-04-04T06:11:07.399-04:002016-04-04T06:11:07.399-04:00No, we liberals are just as diverse a lot as conse...No, we liberals are just as diverse a lot as conservatives, not "cookie-cutter egg head liberals". You need to turn off Fox News and talk radio and actually meet and talk to some people like us with different views. My parents and my husband's parents were hardly "egg-head liberals", they were working class people whose Union jobs gave them a better life than my grandparents had. Not all who are concerned about jobs for everyone, and the outsourcing of so many industries to other countries think that Trump has realistic answers to this or other issues. Trump has no connection to manufacturing, and his service industry jobs, such as at his non-union casino, are the lowest paying and have the least security or benefits. He did not work his way up but inherited considerable wealth. He is not the friend of the working person, but is using the frustration of people whose lives have caused them to give up hope by providing an easy scapegoat in immigrants , the poor, and minorities. A lot is wrong with this country, especially for the shrinking middle class, but Trump does not have workable answers to those real problems.<br /><br />By the way rather than putting us all in boxes, I am a life-long democrat, and would say I am a democratic socialist like Bernie, but I am not enthusiastic about unrestricted abortion, pro-life in my personal beliefs but uneasy about telling other women what to do when faced with that awful choice. I have a very racially and ethnically diverse family in my children's generation, and am very concerned about the kind of hatred that Trump is encouraging. It is of course your choice whom to vote for, and if Trump's agenda seems right to you, go for it. As to your brother, I would not be flattered by anyone asking me who to vote for, and would say "do your own research and make up your own mind." As I have mentioned before, even my very conservative friends who always vote Republican do not like Trump. Things must be very different where you are.maryannenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-69064318521735518352016-04-03T15:37:52.233-04:002016-04-03T15:37:52.233-04:00And - I kept my two children as long as I was able...And - I kept my two children as long as I was able. In the 70's I changed jobs while the 3 of us were together. For insurance coverage at the new job, I had to sign an acknowledgement, that the insurance would not cover my older son for a pre-existing condition (sinus inflammation or something like that - something that kids get, which was easily treated by a doctor). A 3 year old child, who an insurance company agrees to cover, except for the one thing he had prior to date of new insurance. This made an impression on me, which has lasted life-long. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, no-one, including children, will ever be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition. We liberals have reasons for our views, it is not that we are in ivory towers - in fact, quite the opposite. Some of us have lived with exclusionary politics, and policies which support the corporate desire to be rich and richer at the expense of the public, and we therefore would like to make things better for everybody.new and oldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17362285131091164702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-57330211793143361512016-04-03T15:11:44.584-04:002016-04-03T15:11:44.584-04:00Anon, I don't view liberals the way you do - S...Anon, I don't view liberals the way you do - Since I am one. The reason I have liberal point of view is that I grew up on welfare with a single mother who was unable to work, and a father who left the state to avoid paying child support. Soon thereafter I found myself in a similar situation. Singles mothers are blamed for all the ills of the world, and no-one ever mentions deadbeat dads - and the public is not kind to fatherless children. <br /><br />But I have always been a Democrat, even as a teenager before I was old enough to vote. I campaigned for George McGovern as a teenager. My mom had a job as a civilian employee on a military base. When Nixon came in, he cut the budget and all the civilians were laid off. I've always been against budget-cutting for its own sake, and I have supported for programs that will help women and children. It is based on my lifetime experience. You're not the only Democrat birthmother out there, I'm sure. I certainly don't have any eggs to throw, and I don't look down on others, unless they express hatred and just want someone to shoot. My younger son, who I'll visit with in about 2 weeks (we are less than 2 years in reunion), spoke to me about how the IRS should be dismantled, etc., etc. while he visited me in November. I don't think that is practical, but I am so glad to hear his views, whatever they may be. He and his wife are fiscal conservatives, and my son may be a Libertarian, I'm not sure. Maybe he was afraid to say so, for fear of offending me. When I see him, I'll tell him the same thing that I say here. They are aware that my husband and I are Democrats.<br /><br />Remember your vote is your own, and you have the right to vote for whoever you want to, and that's why the voting booth has a curtain - It is a highly personal decision. Your brother, well some people are not political at all. That was me at one time. Now that I'm older, if Medicare is dismantled or whatever, it would directly affect me (although I can't retire for 5 or 10 years, the way things look like now). If your brother trusts your judgment, don't be afraid to give him any comments you have, with a disclaimer that it is his vote so it should be who he thinks would be the right choice. Do what your common sense and conscience tell you. I personally don't think Trump is qualified for the office of President, and I will say no more than that. I hope he will disappear before November, and then - Que sera, sera.new and oldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17362285131091164702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-65921432929747992152016-04-03T14:43:32.321-04:002016-04-03T14:43:32.321-04:00Jane has a post, I finished my work, and I'll ...Jane has a post, I finished my work, and I'll get to a discussion of the event later in the week. <br />Lorraine Duskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18285341379272250245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-53854263985919150462016-04-03T14:17:32.336-04:002016-04-03T14:17:32.336-04:00I don't like to comment here- but maybe this w...I don't like to comment here- but maybe this will be the last time-since I am not a cookie-cutter talking egghead liberal who looks down on anyone who has actually done something besides just talk and look down on everyone else. Also, I am a pro-life Democrat birthmother(uh-oh-start throwing the eggs and rotten tomatoes). Sometimes, I do vote Republican I am not a one issue person as Maryanne implies I like Bernie except for his extreme position on abortion I also like Trump although I wouldn't want to meet him because I am not a 10(not even a 5 anymore). However, I might just hold my nose and vote for him because he has a curious mix of positions that I like At first I thought he was in it for more tax cuts for the rich and no estate tax(He has a lot of kids and grandkids) but I really think he wants to do good for this country and might just have the right mix of business knowledge, intuition and financial independence so he doesn't have to cave in to the lobbyists. He's so over-the-top he makes me laugh- and I used to be depressed Yeah, he probably was a sexist jerk in his younger years, but he doesn't seem like that anymore(oh well,not much anyway) One of the reasons the establishment is against him- he wants to have a one-time tax of 14% on wealthy people who have more than 10 million dollars-to pay off the deficit . Also there is a big credit derivative bubble of trillions of dollars about to burst(if the markets are not carefully manipulated) and the establishment wants to make sure they don't lose. Everyone I know feels the same as me about the candidates They like Bernie and Trump although one of my brothers said he might be forced to vote for Hillary. The other thinks Hillary wants to do good but also likes Trump He usually votes Republican but says he'll vote for whoever I tell him to Imagine that(no one else cares what I think) What a brother! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-574300303008890516.post-82314704960841760622016-04-03T13:48:45.775-04:002016-04-03T13:48:45.775-04:00No rush, no worries as all. We are all Netizens ou...No rush, no worries as all. We are all Netizens out here, and will be hanging around for a long time, I imagine :) Do the paying work first! Important to meet your deadline.new and oldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17362285131091164702noreply@blogger.com