Have fun with this.

My highest score was 300. Don't tell Mark I'm gonna play it all day at work tomorrow.

Click here

Mash those potatoes

As JD has advocated for years the news business is becoming uniquely synthesized. When I started yammering about stuff like this in the last century dedicated news professionals would look at me with glazed eyes as though I had a truly screwy, marginally insane, perspective.

But the marketplace is dictating the necessity of hybridization. Frankly its fun to watch and be a part of even if JD's role is marginal. Print, electronics, opinion, aural, pictorial, analysis, video, internet, revenue gathering et. al. are becoming interwoven. The consumer is the winner. As an example, here is a print guy, Casey Seiler of the Albany Times Union, doing a quality video analysis of the gay marriage vote in the State Senate.

Here is a newspaper guy's strong analysis (which also appeared in traditional print) combined with a top quality video production on a co-promoted newspaper's website that is co-promoted by the newspaper's well read daily blog. All of which is supported by advertising in the paper, on the website and on the blog. Advertisers are given multiple levels of audience. Cool. Create it and sell it TU.

GREAT PICTURE

June O'Neill and granddaughter at a White House reception on 12/4. You two look wonderful.

I stole the pic from your facebook wall.

What a beautiful present to be able to give your granddaughter JO'N.

What is and what isn't in the two versions of the healthcare bill

Of course, there is the one that squeaked by in the House and the one that is pending in the Senate.

Here is Justin Reuben's brief analysis of what is in what and what needs to be fixed.

Overall, both pieces of legislation would do four major things:

• Create a "Health Insurance Exchange." The bills create a one-stop marketplace where people can choose from various insurance plans, including the public option. The details aren't set yet, but initially the Exchange would likely be open to the self-employed, people without insurance at work, and small businesses.The key with the Exchange is that it brings "the bargaining power and scale that's generally accessible only to large employers" to individuals—and with that, lower costs and better options.

• Provide insurance to over 30 million more people. The House bill would expand coverage to 36 million people by 2019. The Senate bill extends coverage to 31 million.

• Outlaw discrimination based on pre-existing conditions and gender. Insurance companies will have to stop denying coverage to people with "pre-existing conditions." And they won't be allowed to charge women more than men for the same coverage.
  


• Eliminate coverage limits and price-gouging. The bills differ on some details, but in general would place limits on how much people have to pay for health care beyond their premiums. They both cap out-of-pocket costs and ban insurance companies from setting limits on how much health care they'll cover for a person each year.

Of course, the devil is in the details, and much in these bills still needs work.

Here's what still needs to be fixed:

• Both bills leave millions uninsured. The House bill leaves 18 million without insurance in 2019; the Senate bill, 24 million. Neither comes close to the vision for universal coverage so many of us fought for for years. We'll all need to fight to continue to expand coverage in the bills this year, and in the years to come.

• The Senate public option is weak, and conservatives are pushing to make it weaker. The public option is a core piece of reform that will create real accountability and competition for private insurance—and that's why it's at the center of such a huge fight. While the House bill creates a national public option, the Senate lets states opt out, denying their residents access to it. Plus, conservatives are working to weaken it even more. We're all going to have to fight hard for the strongest version possible.

• Many reforms don't start quickly enough. While some pieces of reform go into effect right away, the larger structural changes are not scheduled to go into effect until 2013 (House bill) or 2014 (Senate bill). This includes the Exchange, the public option, and subsidies—the major ways coverage will be expanded.

• Required insurance could still be too expensive for many. Both bills require virtually all Americans to have insurance. But the caps on how much we're expected to pay are way too high, and the subsidies are way too low. Many progressives are working to fix this, but it's going to be a significant fight.
  

• Reproductive rights are severely restricted in the House bill. An egregious anti-choice amendment in the bill virtually prohibits anyone purchasing insurance in the Exchange from buying a plan that covers abortion—even if paid for with their own money. We need to make sure the final bill doesn't include this rollback of reproductive rights.

• The Senate bill could discriminate against lower income workers. The current Senate legislation retains a version of what's called the "free rider" provision, which essentially penalizes employers for hiring lower income workers. This provision needs to be fixed before the bill is finalized.

Ho Ho Hoing for dollars

It was just about a month ago that the traditional political season lapsed into the traditional holiday season, but not for this guy. He is attempting to merge the two seasons of giving.

Matt Doheny, the guy Dede Scozzafava beat out for the Republican

Party's nod for Congress, is holding a fundraiser. A fundraiser? Ten days before Christmas? Yes he is hanging up his elephant size stocking December 15th at the Italian American Club in Watertown apparently hoping for his own Santa drop.

Matt wants to be the dude to run against the now incumbent Congressman Bill Owens next fall.

It'll cost you $30 to take your partner to meet Matt. Maybe he'll be there with some of the other well known Republican elves. Wonder if Dede will go? I'm guessing not.

Harry Reid blisters the backsides of the health insurance industry

Just in case you somehow have the very mistaken idea that the public option is a bad deal heeeeres

Harry.

Your weekly address

Take this--you'll like it

Here is a short news quizzy from the Pew Research Center. Answer the 12 questions and see how you stack up against everybody else who took it. Odds are you'll be shocked. I was. Click here

From firedoglake.com a different perspective--see what you think

A fellow North Country progressive blog, Jefferson's Leaning Left, regularly assaults the offshore windmill blowhards. His premise recently is that they are schmoozing, wooing and actively courting our core of Jefferson County Legislators. Here is his Friday post. http://jeffersonleaningleft.blogspot.com/2009/12/all-kings-horses-and-all-kings-men.html

No impound for Hiram

NY Progressive blogger Andrew White wrote this late this afternoon. If you choose to comment on Andrew's comment feel free.

Sen. Hiram Monserrate was sentenced to 3 years probation, 250 hours of community service and 52 weeks of domestic abuse counseling in Queens County Supreme Court today.

The sentencing shows both the privileges that come along with holding a position of power and the difficulties that women and courts face in dealing with domestic violence cases.

Assistant District Attorney Scott Kessler recommended 60 days in jail along with three years probation, domestic violence counseling and a $1,000 fine. Kessler argued correctly that Monserrate has shown no understanding of the seriousness of his actions or underlying problems, nor has he taken any responsibility for his actions.

Their remains little doubt that on the night of Dec. 19, 2008, Hiram Monserrate in a jealous rage took a broken drinking glass and slashed his girlfriend, Karla Giraldo, across the face causing 40 stitches worth of damage. Giraldo, in a situation all too common in domestic abuse cases, told the truth to health care providers while being treated in the emergency room but later recanted and told a whopper of a story to cover up for her abuser.

There were a number of wonderful speeches on the floor of the NY State Senate regarding

Marriage Equality legislation yesterday. One of the best was delivered by Senator Diane Savino. See what you think.

Here you go--pick a side

Addie Russell discusses the 'allnighter' last night in the Assembly

“Early this morning, the Assembly passed a deficit reduction package that cut $2.7 billion from this year's state budget and I voted to support this package. Over the past few weeks I have stressed the need for us to take action to close our budget deficit and while today's actions will not completely eliminate the deficit, it was a necessary procedure.

“The Assembly made several painful cuts today, but did so very carefully, including making targeted cuts to health care so as to avoid a devastating loss of federal reimbursable aid. We also limited the cuts the governor proposed in aid to local municipalities that would have shifted the burden on to the backs of local property taxpayers. However, we did cut the legislative budget and member items.

“In addition, the Assembly did not make mid-year school aid cuts but are informing districts that there will be $391 million less in federal stimulus funds to education that were to be used in the 2010-11 budget and thus schools should plan their budgets accordingly. But we did reject the governor's proposed cut to the school lunch and breakfast program. Our working families are in difficult times and it did not make sense to hurt them any more by cutting food programs for their children.

“We also rejected the governor's proposed $26.2 million cut to the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), because working families cannot afford to dig deeper to afford a college education for their children. In addition, we mitigated the proposed SUNY and CUNY cuts from 12.5% to 5%.

“The Assembly rejected the governor's proposal of an $11.4 million cut to Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a program that helps aged, blind, and disabled people who have little or no income to meet their most basic needs, like food, clothing, and shelter.

“The governor will need to address the remaining deficit with cash management actions. I have already begun contacting my local school districts and local governments to urge caution in spending for the rest of this fiscal year as the governor has warned of the possibility of withholding local assistance funding.

“The Assembly also passed pension reform legislation, establishing a new Tier V, which will significantly save taxpayers money in the long run.

“Although we have made progress, the hard work is far from over. I will continue my proactive approach, addressing the existing deficit and next year's budget. I will propose real and recurring solutions to help the state regain fiscal health such as increases to out-of-state tuition, changing the way the state purchases information technology, and shrinking the overall size of state government. I was elected to work for my constituents and for the betterment of New York State and the North Country. Be assured that I will continue to be engaged and work hard on behalf of all the families in the North Country.”

Hey, Hey come out and play.

Where did PIV go? We need an antithesis for our thesis. We need some barkback. We need

some validation. Knowing PIV heartily disapproved of practically all of the JD philosophy cheered our heart. Nobody rained on your parade did they?

Now you can comment back at us on the new and improved JD.

So comment on anthing

OK--Comment away

Hello out there. We JDites are a small, exclusive band of North Country political junkies. Here are our numbers for the past week.

Average per Day ................. 83                                     

            This Week ...................... 580                                                             

23 of you kindhearted souls indicated in our poll that you wanted to have the

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Great.  We'll break the 'no comment' ban with the understanding that anything

libelous, obscene and not germain to the original post won't make it.     

He is right you know

Dr. Howard Dean, Yale class of '71, addresses some of the student body and fellow alums at an annual campus event called the Master's Tea.

In the air--everywhere

During one of the quadzillion football games broadcast over the past few days one of the announcers cheerfully said to me right in my own family room in LaFargeville that he would like to send greetings to our US military in 177 nations across the world. It seems the game was being carried on Armed Forces Television. One hundred and seventy seven! And we are opposed to colonialism right?

Yeah right.

On the subject of even more military stuff here is Michael Moore. You know, that hated progressive geek that is uncannily right all the time wrote a letter to President Obama on the eve of his address at West Point. Here it is.

Chuck Schumer is JD's hero today. Remember back in 2006 when Dubai World was trying to take over the management and security detail for 22 US maritime ports. Enter Chuck. It was pretty much a done deal until Senator Chuckie started waving his arms and hollering. When the rhetorical smoke cleared Dubai backed out and AIG (and Haliburton) got the job. We all know that Dubai World is now falling flat on its financial fanny. Good work Chuck.