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April 15, 2006
Reminder
Me. C-SPAN's Washington Journal. 7:45-8:30am Eastern.
April 15, 2006 | Permalink
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far more scintillating than an easter egg hunt!
good luck tomorrow and enjoy your moment in the span!
Posted by: jacqueline | Apr 15, 2006 11:43:56 PM
Watch out for callers on the Republican line who will ask you why you hate America so much.
Posted by: GWB | Apr 16, 2006 12:09:29 AM
[sounds of me snoring at 4:45 pacific time]
Don't forget to mention the name of your blog.....
Posted by: JimPortlandOR | Apr 16, 2006 2:14:18 AM
Join the campaign for progressive legislation http://www.boycott-republicans.com
Please do not buy products from these Republican contributors.
The Republican Party appears weak and vulnerable at the cash registers of the companies that give money to the Republican Party.
I have seen that many people do not want to call companies and tell them why they will boycott these companies and ask for a progressive agenda, so then you can just avoid buying from these companies and spread the word. I will tell the Speaker of the House and the Senate majority leader and the CEOs of these companies listed below that their profits will silently lessen until an agenda listed below gets acceded to by the Republican Party in a press conference and then passed by congress and signed by the pResident. So just do this and I will do the rest of the work for you. You have no petitions to sign, no phone calls to make, just stop buying products from these Republican contributors and to tell others as well to stop. Thank you.
Do not buy from Dell Computers, Walmart, Wendy's, Outback Steak House, Dominos Pizza, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Eckerd, CVS and Walgreens, Curves for women health clubs, General Electric and Exxon/Mobil.
A progressive agenda for America.
I demand that the Republican Party hold a press conference and accede to these demands. Until such a press conference happens and the legislation and/or actions gets passed I will boycott products from Republican contributors Dell Computers, Walmart, Wendy's, Outback Steak House, Dominos Pizza, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Eckerd, CVS and Walgreens, Curves for women health clubs, General Electric and Exxon/Mobil.
I demand that congress pass legislation ending the war in Iraq and withdraw the troops and arrange with the United Nations to replace US troops with UN troops to defend Iraq until The Iraqi army can defend Iraq.
I demand that the Republican party end their aggressive and hateful action to end a woman's right to choose abortion or not.
I demand that the Republican party end their aggressive and hateful action to harrass immigrants to this country.
I demand that the Congress of the United states and the president of the United States enact a law to increase the minimum wage to TEN dollars an hour and also to extend unemployment benefits to a year or more for all people whose unemployment benefits expired after 6 months even though they still seek work.
I demand that the Congress of the United States to not privatize social security benefits in any form including taking a percentage of the social security tax and placing it in private accounts. People can already create their own pensions with money after taxes in the private sector.
I demand that the congress make all of a person's earned income taxable for social security FICA tax purposes and remove the 88,000 dollar taxable income limit. This will make social security solvent for many years to come.
I demand the congress increase the payroll tax in order to make social security solvent as well.
I demand congress and the president enact a prescription drug benefit under Medicare Part B which covers 80 percent of medication cost, with no extra premium, no extra deductibles, no means test and no coverage gaps, and no penalties for signing up in a succeeding year.
I demand congress repeal the faulty Medicare law HR 1 / S 1 passed by congress in Nov 2003.
I demand congress enact single payer universal health insurance for every citizen as minimum coverage.
I demand that congress and the president enact universal vote by mail throughout the 50 states of the United States of America with paper ballots easy to fill out and difficult to change or invalidate by Republican Party officials. This will prevent Republicans from vote suppression by skin color and political party which happened electronically and in person in the 2000 and 2004 elections.
I demand that congress and the president enact that civil servants on every state payroll keep track of voter registrations and vote counting of mail in votes in each precinct and not companies such as Choicepoint. We need to take the Republican Party out of the business of keeping track of voter registration and counting votes.
I demand that congress and the president ban the secretary of state in each of the 50 states from engaging in politics especially acting as a campaign official for a presidential campaign.
I demand congress enact legislation protecting private pensions from corporations deliberately declaring bankruptcy or ending pensions outright.
Posted by: buckfush | Apr 16, 2006 8:24:31 AM
In order to force the South Dakota legislature to repeal the abortion ban, contact governor Rounds and tell him that you will not go see Mount Rushmore nor will you do business with Dominos Pizza (an anti abortion supporter) or any other business in South Dakota until the SD legislature repeals the abortion ban.
Also contact your local Dominos pizza restaurant and tell them until the SD legislature repeals the abortion ban you will not do business with Dominos pizza.
We need to boycott Republican contributors. Tell as many people as you can to boycott South Dakota.
Posted by: buckfush | Apr 16, 2006 8:28:47 AM
Outstanding job on Washington Journal!
Posted by: KathyP | Apr 16, 2006 8:33:37 AM
The Republicans will attempt to run on National Security this fall.
Tell everyone you can that Republican competence on National Defense and National Security EXPLODED with the first plane that hit the world trade center on Sept 11, 2001.
Also tell Republicans to get their noses out of women's panties and men's jockstraps and that Republicans do not act anything resembling Christian. I do not consider Republicans Christians.
Republican economic policies have destroyed more marriages than any two women who want to marry each other ever did.
http://www.boycott-republicans.com
http://www.zazzle.com/maximus7
http://www.redambition.ws
http://www.cafepress.com/revolution09
Posted by: buckfush | Apr 16, 2006 8:34:59 AM
Nice job on Washington Journal. You and other young liberal bloggers keep alive my waning hopes for the future of this country.
Posted by: 64 years old | Apr 16, 2006 8:40:00 AM
What a pleasure to see you on CSPAN this morning! I very much appreciate your informed and articulate commentary. Thank you for the work you are doing.
Posted by: Bob Sandidge | Apr 16, 2006 8:40:27 AM
Terrific job on C-Span. You raised the level of discourse and as a long-time reader (I remember when you were a mere student) I am proud that young voices are getting an audience. There are only so many years left that I can hope to affect where this country is going.
Posted by: 59 years old | Apr 16, 2006 8:48:34 AM
I just watched Ezra on Washington Journal, and was so impressed, it triggered a compulsive Googling fit.
What an articulate and well-mannered guy! I concur with the Republican caller that you should not shy away from stating your age, cause for all of out here old enough to be your parents, it would give us hope for the future of progressive politics.
And bless you for all the props to our next President, Al Gore. I tried calling in to talk about exactly that, but my modem had my phoneline, and I had important Googling to do.
Posted by: blucaller | Apr 16, 2006 8:50:20 AM
I would prefer this to be a more private response to watching you on CSPAN this morning. But let me say this...
I, too, am a graduate of UCLA...in this case Law School, Class of 1975, and UC Berkeley, Class of 1972. I share your last name, and being Jewish, and I am very glad to have discovered your blog and your writings this morning. I was very impressed with your presentation, underestanding of the issues, succinctness, and courage. I agree with one or two callers that you should not be ashamed of your age, but proud of your accomplishments at this point in your life.
I am one of the rare people who is more radically liberal, or progressive, 30 years after leaving the education process, although when I was in school I was a radical liberal at the time, too. The last five years have been the most difficult I have ever lived through. People who were around in the sixties and seventies, and who believe they helped stop an autrocious war and a scandalous Nixon administration, never felt we would see the likes of this again. But having to see even more incompetence, cruelty, inhumanity, and corruptuion than we saw thirty years ago, has been heartbreaking. I hope you will continue to bring issues to the public, and somehow find a way to reach the closeminded Republicans who believe all liberals are Communists. I also believe that the immigration issue is an example of using a minority as a scapegoat for all of out problems, not too far from Germany in the 1930's. Does anyone believe our foreign policy is affected by Mexican Americans...or our national debt, etc. You will probably note that during the last two weeks the only two topics being written about and talked about are Iran and immigration. The Republicans have managed to take Iraq, the economy (which is weak for most Americans), corruption, scandal, and George Bush off the front pages. For that matter, where is George Bush and Dick Cheney, other than raising money for Republicans?
I am sorry for rambling on (its either to you or my wife), so feel free to edit or not post this on the blog. But you should know, if you don't already, that you made me and a lot of others very proud today. I say this without trying to sound paternal, though I have a son who is getting his Masters in a month from Cornell, and you share a resemblance, so a paternal pride just sifts its way in.
I will look forward to reading more of your writings and hopefully seeing you on television, etc. Thank you.
Steve Klein
San Mateo, CA
Posted by: Steven Klein | Apr 16, 2006 8:50:24 AM
Saw you on Washington Journal today. It was a refreshing and great program. Wish your time on air had been longer. Also, really liked your article on Al Gore.
Posted by: Su | Apr 16, 2006 8:52:51 AM
I watched this morning on C-Span and I totally agree with you on the subject of nationalized health care.
As background, I am a small business owner and fiscally conservative in nature, but moderate on most other social issues.
I have a high deductible health insurance plan (10K) because we (my family) are healthy and don't really visit the doctor much. We do need some type of insurance to prevent bankruptcy in case of severe illness or injury.
This year we get the premium notice and it's up a whopping 17%! We have had this insurance company (American Medical Security) for two years with $0 paid by AMS and yet they want to raise rates 17% in one year.
Private health insurance in the USA sucks. They require you to fill out 3 years of detailed medical history just to apply for a policy. And AMS also calls you and records the same questions over the phone to make sure you are not lying. It is definitely a sellers' market in this stupid and inefficient game of private health insurance.
Some might argue that private health insurance is an efficient alternative to socialized medicine run by the government (Medicare). I have to disagree with this based on my experience. For example, AMS was bought out by PacifiCare which then merged with UnitedHealth Group. You would think this larger entity would become more efficient by eliminating duplication and thus lower our premiums. Obviously this is not the case. Give me a Medicare $10K deductible plan with only 1% of premiums spent on administration costs and I will sign up tomorrow!
Waste abounds in the health care delivery system. The local hospitals advertise on the T.V., radio, and the internet that they are open for business. DUH! If I am in a severe accident, just take me to the closest one!
$10 and $20 copays are fine for poor citizens who can't afford the real price of a medical visit, but are unecessary and promote waste when applied to middle and upper income individuals who can afford the $80 office visit.
How about the big drug companies? Every other western nation regulates medicine costs but we can't? Talk about a competitive disadvantage for our citizens and their health.
I will vote for the candidate who is in favor of an efficient, well-run nationalized health care system.
Posted by: Joe Dwyer | Apr 16, 2006 9:10:29 AM
Tried to call in on C-span. No luck. I am a new Independent, former Republican. First, I liked your demeanor..you would be a good son :-)
Now, let me tell you about people like me. 59 years old, lifelong Republican, conservative at heart but who has been abandoned by Republicans but in no way leaps to Democrat philosophy. We are baby boomers who worked hard for a living, paid high taxes, but did it. When I say "it" I mean, we saved, didn't buy the latest electronic, paid off our mortgage instead of getting a second mortgage, instilled these values in our children, wished we had a VIABLE national health care system (we realize a catastrophic illness can wipe out everything we or our children have), adamantly are against wholesale illegal immigration or freebies for deadbeats, are getting tired of Iraq..realize they may not want our form of democracy. Realized that every decade of life, values change somewhat, fear Godless society..don't ram it down our throats but we will allow you your beliefs. Now, that sounds like a third party doesn't it. It's not Republican, it's not Democrat. At first blush, I'm quite impressed with Romney. Jury is still out but overall, kinda like him. We (the baby boomers) are a force to reckon with. We are demonstrating in the street, but we're watching, carefully. Best regards, Dianne
Posted by: dianne | Apr 16, 2006 9:31:13 AM
sorry, "we are NOT demonstrating in the street"..above post.
Dianen
Posted by: Dianne | Apr 16, 2006 9:33:06 AM
Mr. Klein:
I believe you made an inquiring appearance on C-span and many of your points were respectful of many lasting and noble American ideals. Thank You.
However, on Universal Health Care or health care programs in America, I believe you and everyone else misses the reality that we are trying to manage and provide health care based upon an 18th century model.
Nobody discusses the lack of "competition" at the health care provider bottom. Physicians monopoly and controlled supply. Similarly with hospitals. Any Universal Health Care plan or morphing the current system must start there. That is, the government should open many more medical schools which provide new programs for more than just MD programs. That is, the providing of different degrees of health care should be extended to other and new categories of health care providers which can asses,diagnose, treat and prescribe short of being a full MD. Such as RNs with continuued working experience and additional Medical School education running clinics...Similarly, the federal government would build, equip and staff mini hospitals and sophisticated clinics where (primarily in outlying areas, provide regional care. I have worked out some preliminary provider categories, care limitation parameters, facility numbers, costs and the like.
The fact is there is no competition in the medical provider field and nobody ever discusses this aspect of health care. Similarly, there is under utilization of MD skills and RN skills in how health care is provided. The MD charges the same for an office visit for a flu vacination as the MD charges for diagnosing MS. An experienced RN with perhaps a year or two of additional training can be an economically viable alternative to filter the cost increases as the patient makes any move up the health care cost chain to Deneral practice MDs, Specialist MDs, and the huge high tech hospital setting. Similarly more training more MDs and specialists will both the baby-boom aging population, create competition and create resarchers.
I reviously defended and sued hospitals and doctors for my entire legal career. I met many nurses with more medical knowledge than many physicians. I have discussed this rough idea with medical-legal professionals, including legal counsels for hospitals and doctors. All are intrigued by the potential economic savings and expanded health care availability.
By the by, All the talk about medical malpractice verdicts, etc. is BS. I have yet to meeet, hear of or learn of any doctor who quit practicing medicine to work in a factory, car wash or other middle class job. Similarly, with recent reform, I guess there will be a precipitous decline in health care costs. NOT!
In any event, a new system of providers and facilities must be considered to bring health care into and through the current century. While my proposals a rough in my notations, I believe a man with your interests and connections could explore such a revamp more thoroughly for the reduction of cost, expansion of providers of all types, and new facilities and clinics for low cost and adequate care to fill the gaps. What you say?
Posted by: Edward Kreski | Apr 16, 2006 9:49:31 AM
Caught you on C-SPAN this AM – good show! Never heard of you, but very gratified you are bending your razor-sharp intellect (like porn, I know it when I see it) to the service of justice and the redemption of this pivotal nation’s soul
You may feel honored to know that I have, today, added your blog to my 60-odd, “Daily” Favorites (of 553 “Media” bookmarks, among 12,000-odd, total Favorites bookmarks, in 443 folders) – in short, I intend to keep an eye on you – I collect, among other things, interesting minds. It is the same reason I check in with Horowitz and the Freepers (both in my “Fortnight” folder)
As you may have guessed, I am a true freethinker. Good Luck in all you attempt to do.
Take Care,
Nigel j Watson
Posted by: Nigel j Watson | Apr 16, 2006 10:05:37 AM
Mr. Klein,
Saw you on C-SPAN. Very good show. I also have never heard of you before but very impressed. I am 55 and encouraged by your display of intelligence and understanding at such a young age. Please continue to stay involved.
Sincerely, R. Horvat
Posted by: R. Horvat | Apr 16, 2006 10:39:30 AM
Enjoyed your comments on C-SPAN. Re your current interests in happiness, wellbeing and behavioral research that I believe has invalidated the core tenet of economics : the rational man hypothesis. I have been de-contructing economics for 30 years, and finally hitting paydirt with my new TV series,ETHICAL MARKETS , now airing on PBS stations in 44 m.households with the companion book coming out soon from Chelse Green Publishers. Click through to the TV show's website www.EthicalMarkets.com from my site , as well as my commentaries on Current Issues at www.Calvert-Henderson.com where I regularly update the Calvert-Henderson Quality of Life Indicators.
I have tried to get Bob Kuttner to do a story on these alternative, systems-based, multi-disciplinary Indicators since the Calvert Group and I launched them in 2000. Please ask Bob to get Tod Gitlin to do a review of my TV series. I will send you a set of all 13 shows on DVD if you like. Michael Adams, author of American Backlash, loves the series and is helping me bring the show into Canada. It is already starting in Brasil and soon in Australia ,China and EU. I'm old enough to be your mother and I toil on for my 15 year old grandson now. Good luck !
Posted by: Hazel Henderson | Apr 16, 2006 10:57:35 AM
Mr. Klein,
I am 18 years old and will be starting college soon. I caught your appearance on C-SPAN this morning and really enjoyed hearing your comments. I will definitely be back to read more from your blog.
Happy Easter!
Casey
Posted by: Casey | Apr 16, 2006 11:40:27 AM
Great job on C-Span today! Listening to a calm, thoughtful conversation from you on the Washington Journal is so much more preferable to the head-spinning argumentative soundbytes from the likes of Fox news.
What was up with the callers' fixation about finding out your age? Listening to you finding new ways to rebuff those questions almost became a sport.
Posted by: John Furie Zacharias | Apr 16, 2006 11:48:42 AM
Ezra,
Thank you for brightening my Sunday Morning via your CSpan interview. Your breadth and depth of knowledge, common sense, and especially your ability to articulate your views with intellectual honesty & courage give me hope on this rainy day in Minnesota.
I concur with blogging masses that you should be proud of your age - or at least not be embarrassed to divulge it.
I concur with everything else I heard this morning too - including your analysis of the health care debacle and the state of our two party system (it's imperfect but functional, and bemoaning it does none of any good).
I am an IT project manager working for Blue Cross in MN, and I'm both attracted and repulsed by their financial health. I support a single payer system but man, does BC offer a secure employment opportunity with way more money to spend on projects than they have people (like me) to spend it on.
I'm a jewish convert, and with 2 Seders behind me my wife and I will be hosting a family get-together including some Easter traditions today. Thanks for brightening what for me (an introvert) will otherwise be a stressful day.
Stay Cool!!! - Tim
Posted by: Tim Schultheis | Apr 16, 2006 12:27:42 PM
O Perspicacious One! Ezra, your acuity, eloquence and dauntlessness were so shockingly gripping this morning I couldn't even snack during C-SPAN. Inspired me to write the following to a bunch of friends before I discovered this response page:
Just saw Ezra Klein on C-SPAN. Finally, I understand the meaning of the word messiah (haha). I'm not even going to look up the etymology--on second thought, maybe I will--but before I do that, let me just say that, to me, "messiah" simply means messenger. And not just one messenger either. Every once in a while (more often than we notice, usually), someone comes along with phenomenal intellect and compassion and wisdom to boot. Except in Ezra Klein all of that is wrapped up in a sublime gift of precocity--mostly a gift to us--that is damn astounding. Perhaps that's why he won't reveal his age (who cares?). But it could easily be, and not possibly be, 18---and that does make sense. Amazingly literate and well read, awesome at political sharpshooting, articulate (sorta like two Barak Obamas at once), direct, attentive, fearless---those are just a few of the virtues he applies to the infinity of impossible issues facing us, Earth, and everything. I tuned in halfway through his bit on Washington Journal, so I don't know if he weighed in on foreign policy or not. But his views on health care, the Right's amazingly nefarious mischaracterization of poverty as "a behavioral problem" (which doesn't sit too well with the disabled, I can tell you), his defense of government and the common good vs. privatization and social Darwinism (and that includes his counterpunch against the gluttons' cries of "socialism")---his views on all those issues really resonated. I barely missed his argument on taxation, but I feel fairly certain his thoughts on the matter conform with mine, as his take on every other issue sure did. I'm on his blog right now (www.ezraklein.com), but so far I find his writing, though very good, much less advanced than his rhetorical persona, which is incredibly precise and penetrating, speaking at once to heart and mind.
Rambling retrograde through the Euro etymology of "messiah" leads to Aramaic and Hebrew, of course, so the meanings behind the Semitic root "Msh" are instructive:
m.: To anoint. 1. Messiah, from Aramaic mi, anointed (one) (from ma, to anoint) or Hebrew mîa, anointed (one) (from ma, to anoint). 2. massage, masseur, from Arabic masaa, to anoint, stroke, rub (or massa, to touch; see m).
O.K. I was wrong—incredibly wrong (haha). But I was speaking figuratively, not literally. And besides, they didn't anoint an "Anointed One" because he had a hard day at work and needed a rub-down. Rather, it must have been a metaphor for someone who had great ideas and good presentation. Anyway, the above etymology represents only the deadend that backwards-reconstructing linguists reached. The idea of someone coming along with a very effective message and good delivery is a very old one and certainly predates Judaism, as old as that mindset is. Check out PBS's Kingdom of David, if you can. It's a fascinating history of the Jews, based on the lastest scholarship, that ties Judaism and Christianity together in strange new ways---ways that reveal religion's inarguably massive flaws as well as its equally influential successes. The argument over how to order society continues.
Did I mention that Ezra Klein can think on his feet? Like practically no other I have ever seen before. It's a bit outdated, but here's one of his articles (I gave them the link to your article on optimism vs. determination):
Like I said, his writing isn't nearly as impressive as his speaking style. O.K., so he's not a messiah. But keep an eye out for this guy. He's definitely worth a listen. I do wish Biden would read the above Klein article, though. Biden has a nice smile—when it's genuine. When it's not, it's just plain irritating. Now I know why every politician thinks he has to start smiling all over the place the moment he declares for the presidency. It's too bad. Biden is definitely a substantive, progressive thinker. All the phony smiling just gives the media its chance to refocus the American public on his aging shell rather than his true substance.
Posted by: Rob | Apr 16, 2006 1:40:01 PM
Wow...
I liked you too, and as an aging gay guy, kinda wish I had a poster, but I yield to Rob on this one.
"Messiah...?" fer crissakes (oops!) it's Easter!
Please keep up the great work and get out there more!
Looks like a new cult in the making.
Posted by: blucaller | Apr 16, 2006 3:06:37 PM
Aw, I missed it! Any chance it's online?
Posted by: Amanda Marcotte | Apr 16, 2006 3:07:33 PM
