Family Matters (Politics, Home Style): David & Susan Axelrod and Epilepsy; Bristol & Sarah Palin Interview on Greta (UPDATE 1X: GM Retiree Health Benefits Dropped–the Next “Attached String” Falls into Place?

~~By InsightAnalytical-GRL

Did you see the latest issue of Parade Magazine this past weekend?

Call me a cynic, but are we seeing the first salvo in the next campaign planned by the Obama Administration regarding health care?

I didn’t know who the people were on the cover, but when I took the time to read the story inside, it turned out that the story was about how the daughter of Obama’s guru David Axelrod and his wife Susan discovered and have coped with the serious epilepsy problems of their daughter, Lauren.   It’s part of a “Heroic Parents” series.  And, this story was followed up with an appearance on the Today Show on Monday (which I did not see).

From the web edition of the story:

When her daughter was diagnosed with uncontrollable epilepsy, Susan Axelrod knew:

I Must Save My Child

By Melissa Fay Greene

Publication Date: 02/15/2009

Susan Axelrod and daughter Lauren, 27 (photo by Katherine Lamber for PARADE)

For more on the Axelrods and CURE, tune in to NBC’s TODAY show on Monday, February 16.

When Susan Axelrod tells the story of her daughter, she begins like most parents of children with epilepsy: The baby was adorable, healthy, perfect. Lauren arrived in June 1981, a treasured first-born. Susan Landau had married David Axelrod in 1979, and they lived in Chicago, where Susan pursued an MBA at the University of Chicago and David worked as a political reporter for the Chicago Tribune. (He later would become chief strategist for Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign and now is a senior White House adviser.) They were busy and happy. Susan attended classes while her mother babysat. Then, when Lauren was 7 months old, their lives changed overnight.

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The story goes into great detail about Lauren’s condition and her mother’s efforts to bring the serious problems created by epilepsy into the light and mentions then-First Lady Hillary Clinton’s help as  for the organization  founded by Susan Axelrod, CURE.

Susan began to meet other parents living through similar hells. They agreed that no federal agency or private foundation was acting with the sense of urgency they felt, leaving 3 million American families to suffer in near-silence. In 1998, Susan and a few other mothers founded a nonprofit organization to increase public awareness of the realities of epilepsy and to raise money for research. They named it after the one thing no one offered them: CURE–Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy.

“Epilepsy is not benign and far too often is not treatable,” Susan says. “We wanted the public to be aware of the death and destruction. We wanted the brightest minds to engage with the search for a cure.”

Then-First Lady Hillary Clinton signed on to help; so did other politicians and celebrities. Later, veterans back from Iraq with seizures caused by traumatic brain injuries demanded answers, too. In its first decade, CURE raised $9 million, funded about 75 research projects, and inspired a change in the scientific dialogue about epilepsy.

The efforts by Susan Axelrod are certainly wonderful, but I am so cynical about everything that comes out of anything connected to Obama that I had to wonder if this whole thrust–a big cover story followed up by the Today Show–is part of the campaign to sell the health care changes that are brewing.  First we had Daschle and the house parties, now we have changes to health care that will probably affect many seniors in possibly negative ways, and now this PR effort involving David Axelrod and his family.   But Axelrod isn’t the focus of this story, it is his wife and daughter. My skeptic sensor wonders if this is a way to put a “human face” on the mastermind behind what could be some pretty upsetting changes in the works.  Is it the Obama crowd’s “I feel your pain” moment??

I don’t know if you can call it “exploitation” of Lauren, who is 27 years old. But there is something here that makes me uneasy.  Because we’ve come to learn that there is NOTHING that the Obama crowd does that doesn’t have some purpose.  I think there is something else afoot.

Today I thought about how Obama trotted his girls out at that party which the press attended, and then “realized” after the fact that it might be “too much exposure” for them.  And all through the campaign there were the huge crowds, which we found out were partly due to opening rock bands, food and beer in some cases.  The whole Obama campaign has been one big PR blitz, aided by the mainstream media.

So pardon me if I have mixed feelings about this story on the Axelrods and epilepsy.  It’s great that there is some information put out there, but…

Coincidentally, Greta Van Susteren did another segment up in Alaska on last night which opened with Bristol Palin and her baby.  Sarah Palin came on and the discussion was about the difficulties of raising a child and how they are lucky to have a family willing to pitch in.  It was a very factual and real discussion.  But was it exploitation? All I know is that I didn’t get the creepy feeling I got after I started mulling over the Axelrod article.  The Bristol Palin part of the segment was over and done with fairly quickly(it was only a very small section of the full interview; full video below).

The interview went on to a discussion of the stimulus package which Gov. Palin framed in terms of how the states might be left holding the bag on future costs of expanded programs and how the bill was rushed to the floor even though most people hadn’t read it. She wondered about the rush to vote since the bill signing was delayed until Tuesday.  She said that she thought a bill that hadn’t been read or debated should be vetoed. She commented on the Fairness Doctrine and how someone had to be questioning the Administration and that silencing critics could be bad for our democracy. And she talked about a letter she had sent to Obama about energy policy that apparently has gotten some positive feedback.  She also stressed again about ultimately becoming energy independent and bringing renewable energy sources online and how she’s like Obama to visit to see what really is happening with energy in Alaska.  (This was the longest interview shown last night; see Sarah Palin Interview below.)

Links to the videos:

Bristol Palin interview (much longer than the short piece on last night’s On the Record.

***Sarah Palin Interview

Introducing Tripp

So there they are, two back-to-back family stories which lead back to politics. In the case of Palin, it was a straightforward interview with Bristol and then policy talk with the Governor (and a spot on the snowmobile race that Todd Palin finished in 6th place.  In the case of the Axelrod interview, it was full of painful detail with no OBVIOUS politics.

But, be forewarned. I really think it’s part of an unfolding plan…and a sneaky one at that.

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P.S.–I still go with Palin…

UDATE

H/T to The Confluence

Tuesday: GM dumps retiree health care

So, GM gets bailed out…is this one of the “attached strings” for taking the money???   Slots in nicely as the next step in the PR campaign? (Fear, on the heels of “feel your pain”….)

Hidden Health Care Provisions in the “Stimulus Package”: the Ghost of Daschle Lives On and Will Haunt Us All, Especially Seniors…This is BAD NEWS!! (Link to Bill Language Here)

~~By InsightAnalytical-GRL

There are some health care issues buried in the now-passed “stimulus package” that could have very detrimental ramifications for health care in the U.S, particularly for seniors. FOX News has reported on this subject  (but I don’t know if it was on any other “news” outlet) and Betsy McCaughey Ross, former Lt. Governor of NY during George Pataki’s first term (1994-1998), has issued a scathing assessment of the health provisions buried in the bill.

Who is Betsy McCaughey Ross?  Well, she was dumped by Pataki after publicly clashing with him on issues like education and day care and unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination for governor and then on the Liberal line in 1998.

McCaughey Ross spoke at the 1998 Women’s Rights Convention and Vision Summit. Her her bio for the event:

Betsy McCaughey Ross

Currently lieutenant governor of New York, Betsy McCaughey Ross is running for the state governorship in the November elections. During her tenure as second-in-command of the state government, McCaughey Ross has advocated for improvements in the early education system in New York and led the fight for patient rights and increased awareness of HMO abuses. Among her successes were the campaign for full state funding for prekindergarten for all children, effective early reading programs to ensure that all children can read by third grade and the Patient Fair Appeals Act which gives patients a right to appeal outside their insurance company. McCaughey Ross unequivocally supports women’s reproductive freedom, leads the fight against “drive-through” mastectomies and deliveries and champions lesbian and gay rights. She entered public service after successful careers as a university professor at Columbia and as a public policy researcher at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and the Manhattan Institute. McCaughey Ross has many publications, academic awards and prizes, but is most proud of her Mother of the Year Award.

McCaughey Ross left the Manhattan Institute and joined the Hudson Institute in 1999 where she planned to focus on Medicare issues. One thing she gained notoriety for was her criticism of the Clinton health plan. McCaughey Ross is currently an adjunct senior fellow at  the Hudson Institute, according to the squib below her current commentary.

Here an excerpt of McCaughey Ross’ essay that appeared on February 9 at Bloomberg.com: Opinion.:

Ruin Your Health With the Obama Stimulus Plan: Betsy McCaughey

Commentary by Betsy McCaughey

Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) — Republican Senators are questioning whether President Barack Obama’s stimulus bill contains the right mix of tax breaks and cash infusions to jump-start the economy.

Tragically, no one from either party is objecting to the health provisions slipped in without discussion. These provisions reflect the handiwork of Tom Daschle, until recently the nominee to head the Health and Human Services Department.

Senators should read these provisions and vote against them because they are dangerous to your health. (Page numbers refer to H.R. 1 EH, pdf version).

The bill’s health rules will affect “every individual in the United States” (445, 454, 479). Your medical treatments will be tracked electronically by a federal system. Having electronic medical records at your fingertips, easily transferred to a hospital, is beneficial. It will help avoid duplicate tests and errors.

But the bill goes further. One new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective. The goal is to reduce costs and “guide” your doctor’s decisions (442, 446). These provisions in the stimulus bill are virtually identical to what Daschle prescribed in his 2008 book, “Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.” According to Daschle, doctors have to give up autonomy and “learn to operate less like solo practitioners.”

Keeping doctors informed of the newest medical findings is important, but enforcing uniformity goes too far.

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I urge you to read the whole piece to learn about what Daschle has left behind even though he ws dropped as the nominee for HHS. McCaughey Ross includes the specific pages in Daschle’s book that will send chills down your spine.  Bill Clinton began the discussion of  keeping medical records by “electronic” means as a cost-saving measure; and it’s back on steroids as a hidden monster in this bill. Read how all this follows the model of what has happened in the U.K. and the ramifications, including this example:

In 2006, a U.K. health board decreed that elderly patients with macular degeneration had to wait until they went blind in one eye before they could get a costly new drug to save the other eye. It took almost three years of public protests before the board reversed its decision.

Some key points in McCaughey Ross’ essay:

• “Hospitals and doctors that are not “meaningful users” of the new system will face penalties”
• “The vagueness is intentional. In his book, Daschle proposed an appointed body with vast powers to make the “tough” decisions elected politicians won’t make. The stimulus bill does that, and calls it the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research (190-192). The goal, Daschle’s book explained, is to slow the development and use of new medications and technologies because they are driving up costs.”
• “Daschle says health-care reform “will not be pain free.” Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that come with age instead of treating them. That means the elderly will bear the brunt. Medicare now pays for treatments deemed safe and effective. The stimulus bill would change that and apply a cost- effectiveness standard set by the Federal Council (464).”
• “Hidden Provisions: If the Obama administration’s economic stimulus bill passes the Senate in its current form, seniors in the U.S. will face similar rationing. Defenders of the system say that individuals benefit in younger years and sacrifice later. The stimulus bill will affect every part of health care, from medical and nursing education, to how patients are treated and how much hospitals get paid. The bill allocates more funding for this bureaucracy than for the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force combined (90-92, 174-177, 181). Hiding health legislation in a stimulus bill is intentional.“

Well, the Senate passed the bill and now it goes to reconciliation with the House version.  Get ready for rationing…

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New York Times archive of articles — Betsy McCaughey Ross

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12/8/08  “Healthcare Reform” PR Blitz, Screw Job on the Way–And YOU Can Join In!

ATTENTION ALL DOGS!…My 3 Discuss the Issues, Decide to Endorse Hillary! (and pose for pics, too!)

This morning my 3 sons dogs collared me during breakfast for a family meeting. Expecting a group request for some of the egg yolk that I can’t eat, I was totally surprised when it turned out that their attention was focused on politics!

Slicker, being the most streetwise and brave, decided to talk first.

You know, Mom, me and the two squirts have been having some serious discussions while we’ve been out sunning on the patio lately. We think you ought to know that we are committed to making Hillary Clinton the Democratic Party’s nominee!!

As I picked my jaw up from the floor, Slick continued:

I’m was an orphan when you picked me up off the street, so I know all about needing a home. I’m really glad Hillary helped move a law that has made adoptions easier (and that includes gay adoption, too!). Hillary says on her website that she advocates “for adoption and for abused and neglected children — as First Lady, Hillary pushed legislation that more than doubled adoptions out of foster care.” Wow! Mom, I know you did some investigating and you think I came from a place where there was a man who abused me and that is why I ran away. Well, that’s true, you finally figured it out! That’s why I’m so glad Hillary wants to get some attention toward helping abused or neglected kids! There are so many neglected kids and dogs where we live, we could use the help!

Not to mention that, in dog years, I would have been a little too old to be included in Obama’s “universal coverage” for all children! Lucky for me, you pay for my healthcare out-of-pocket, Mom! But for other older dogs, it sure would be nice to have universal coverage like in HIllary’s plan, so that even if they were ONE DAY older than being what Obama calls a kid, they could have good health care, too! When I was found, I had bad skin and a limp so I really needed health care then, remember? (I love you, Mom!)

Tico then chimed in.

I agree with Slick TOTALLY. Remember how you adopted me after I was left outside at the Animal Shelter? Luckily, you adopted me the same day I was dumped there. But after awhile, I had some troubles because I’m built sort of long and stocky with short legs. I had a problem going to the bathroom, so you made sure I had anal gland surgery! OUCH! If I had been covered under Hillary’s universal plan it would have been less painful for your bank account, too!

Toro, at this point, finally decided to voice his opinion.

Being the oldest dog here, I really understand some of the key issues that affect me! First of all, being the Number 1 dog, I was pretty upset when Slicker arrived–especially with my being a chihuahua with a lot of rat terrier in me….well, I get along with Tico OK because he’s a chi, too, but Slicker? He’s a min pin and, well, he made me nervous wreck! I know, Mom, that you try to treat me extra special but I think I could use more mental health care. If we had Hillary’s health care plan maybe I could get some psychological therapy because Hillary says that “The new array of choices offered in the Menu will provide benefits at least as good as the typical plan offered to Members of Congress, which includes mental health parity and usually dental coverage.

Get that last bit about dental coverage??? Me and you, Mom, are in the same boat…bad teeth! Well, mine are still actually OK but they get very dirty real fast, so that means I have to get them cleaned which is pretty expensive! You’ve had implants and crowns and just finished a root canal, so you’re even worse off than ME! I approve of Hillary’s plan, because I know you could sure use some dental insurance! Mom, go visit http://www.hillaryclinton.com/ to find out more!

Well, with that it was time for their morning walk. They were in a rush because after coming back, they planned to make some phone calls for Hillary. According to Toro, it’s up to the dogs of America to get Hillary into the White House! Dogs, he claims, know all sorts of ways to get their people to do what dogs want them to do!

So, I guess this dog-mom is going to keep blogging until Toro tells me I can stop!