My amazing boy who has a “pre-existing condition”– autism– has insurance thanks to the hard work, and courage of good people like John Boccieri. I will always be thankful to him, his staff and his family for all they had to put up with because of people who didn’t understand the benefit of passing this into law. Thank you!
This means more to me then you’ll ever know…
Asbury University (formerly Asbury College) is playing Fox News in the campus gym and cafeteria. When did Asbury start teaching propaganda instead of truth? When did it lose its compassion?
Shortly after college I married a fellow Asburian who declared his homosexuality a year later. He was told by an Asbury faculty member that if he got married he would be “cured” of his homosexuality. I was the victim of this declaration and yet I was able to forgive the College for its naiveté.
Now, the views espoused are attacks against my son (who is the child of my straight second husband). And that I cannot forgive so easily.
My son is on the autism spectrum. The Republican Party and its mouthpiece, Fox News, have mocked those with autism specifically and those with pre-existing conditions more generally. Leaders in the Republican Party think my son is a wrecked car with “autism”. I cannot—and will not—support a political party who values money over people. I cannot—and will not—support an institution that condones ridiculing “the least of these”.
As a result of Asbury’s shift from a conservative Christian institution to an extension of the political party whose leaders call my son—who is a gift from God, perfect and created in God’s own image—unworthy of equality; I am changing my Will so that it no longer includes your institution.
The Jesus I know doesn’t think little kids with pre-existing conditions should be discriminated against in favor of profits. The Jesus I know doesn’t hate or ridicule people who disagree with him. The Jesus I know teaches compassion and charity.
“I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are not much like your Christ.” –Gandhi
Please call Asbury and tell them to turn off Fox. 1-859-858-3511 (X 2105 alumni office)
Last night my little guy and I went to the final Ohio 16th Congressional debate.
This late in the campaign there really isn’t much new…
Boccieri voted FOR healthcare reform and as a result my son, who has autism, has insurance– Renacci would get rid of it– “Repeal and Replace”– however in a new twist; Renacci says he would keep the provision that gets rid of deniable pre-existing conditions. His website does not reflect this position change: http://www.renacciforcongress.com/Issues/Health_Care
Boccieri cites specific ways that the Stimulus has benefited NE Ohio (http://gis4.oit.ohio.gov/recovery/) while Renacci just stomps his foot and follows Boehner’s lead… NO! NO! NO! (course when the asked what he likes to do in his spare time he said golf…)
On Energy: Boccieri knows that green energy will provide jobs, clean the air and keep money at home. Renacci on the other hand (and the energy companies who fund his campaign) think that global warming is fiction so, he didn’t answer the question and the panel didn’t call him on it.
There was only one real stunner in this debate– when asked about their approval/disapproval of the Supreme Court’s “corporations as people” ruling– Boccieri said resoundingly that he disagreed with the ruling while Renacci did a little dance about how the Supreme Court knows about these things and he trusts them– so finally– he said he does agree with the ruling. (WHOA!!)
The truth is that he does not agree with all Supreme Court rulings… he disagrees for example with Roe vs. Wade… So… apparently he only trusts the Court when their rulings benefit him. (Renacci’s positions per Project Vote Smart : http://votesmart.org/npat.php?can_id=120678#20942 )
My main take-away (since I already thought Renacci is pretty out of touch and self-serving) was that Renacci followers are rude. When J and I arrived, we saw a man putting a Renacci sign on each side of EVERY Boccieri sign along the road into the high school… during the debate, they were out-of-bounds– rude! And, towards the end, when Congressman Boccieri cited my son as an example of someone who directly benefits from healthcare reform, the Renacci supporter behind us said– “Who Cares that it helps that kid?!” Well, Rude Renacci lady, I CARE!
Don’t take my word for it… here is the debate:
I live in Ohio’s 16th Congressional District. I am a voter. I’ve had enough.
I don’t know all the gory details… something like “trust us– we have a system” is about all that we can get out of those who are throwing cash at republicans like the Shriners do at community parades… What I do know is that the American Chamber of Congress has a number of foreign members* and that the president of this organization has said that there are benefits to outsourcing jobs and work overseas. (That sure makes me want to trust them…)
These are the people funding Republican candidates in 2010.
Mr. Renacci received $1,383,840 in funding through 6/30/10.
In the organizations category,one of Renacci’s biggest funders is Freedomworks** who believes that public schools need competition from the private sector, the only thing wrong with our former healthcare system is that people sue too much and that both medicare and social security should be privatized.. energy? It’s the fault of regulation that fuel costs so much.
The individual donations (anybody who gives over $250 has to disclose who they work for) have come overwhelmingly from attorneys, and those who work for healthcare and insurance companies– Renacci wants to get rid of healthcare reform and replace it with the opening of state lines and Tort Reform… WHO does that benefit?!
Healthcare Reform is my favorite issue as any who have read my blog before already know. In a recent debate Congressman John Boccieri all but dared Renacci to take away the insurance card of a child with autism who was in the audience. Renacci talks about a “safety net” but refuses to define it. He refuses to say that children with developmental disabilities should be insured. He refuses to say that autism shouldn’t be a deniable pre-existing condition.
John Boccieri first voted against healthcare reform because the first draft was fiscally irresponsible and left doubt about funding of abortion. He voted for the second version because it IS fiscally responsible and assures that abortions are not publicly funded. He stood beside a child with autism when he announced his support of the second version. (http://www.cbo.gov/publications/collections/health.cfm)
Of course insurance companies don’t like healthcare reform! It forces them to be humane. In a perfect world business would do the right thing… they would forgo that third billion in profit to be compassionate… they would recognize that LIFE is a right as proclaimed by the Declaration of Independence.
Don’t take my word for it. Read through Renacci’s funders–
http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_give/2009_H0OH16097
Check out the limited position he holds on issues–
http://www.renacciforcongress.com/Issues/
For the sake of comparison– here is John Boccieri’s FEC filings:
*International members of the American Chamber of Commerce:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/worklife/travelcenter/resources/article40332.html
**Freedomworks:
I am not nostalgic for the days the Tea-GOP seem to long for.
It’s easy to think that government should stay out of our lives– we are a culture that deeply values privacy– but do we really want government to cease its protections?
Do you like the idea equal rights for women, persons with disabilities, persons of every race, creed, color and culture? Do you like knowing that there isn’t rat poison in your Cheerios? Do you like weekends? Do you like public education? Social Security benefits? Do you like public works– water? sewage treatment? roads? Do you think minimum wage protects workers from sweat-shop-like treatment? 40-hour work weeks? Overtime? Breaks during your work day? How do you like IEPs and IDEA? ADA? The end of legal discrimination by insurance companies against children with disabilities?
I want government to continue to protect my son from discrimination by schools, insurance companies, public bus drivers, diner owners, employers and bullies. I want water delivered to my home– and sewage removed. I want to know that the food I serve my family is safe.
Two years ago I voted for change and, although slow in coming, there have been victories! My son has insurance and my credit cards can’t abuse me. That’s not bad!
I don’t want to return to the good old days– they really weren’t good.
Here is the link to write Ms. Angle a little note:
http://sharronangle.com/contact
Here is the link to contribute to Harry Reid:
https://secure.harryreid.com/ee/index.php/contribute
This woman has picked a fight with the wrong people… let’s let her know!
Today it became illegal for children with developmental disabilities to be discriminated against by health insurance companies– Yes! Mr. Biden! This IS a big F*#@%ing deal!!
But, where is the parade? Families celebrate silently and politicians who voted for it shy away from the topic unless they are defending their vote… the President has taken 6 months to start talking about it in earnest and republicans are lying about it.
Insurance companies are having tantrums and refusing to play– that gets the attention of the media. Republicans are proclaiming they will repeal healthcare reform– that gets the attention of the media.
But where are the families who benefit from this law? Why are newspapers burying the story on page 5 when full page covers were given to protests prior to passage? Why are politicians campaign websites missing the healthcare link under “issues”? The silence is deafening.
MY SON HAS INSURANCE TODAY BECAUSE OF HEALTHCARE REFORM!! Children with developmental disabilities– autism, down syndrome ( Sarah, that includes your son!)– can no longer be discriminated against! Short of a cure for autism, or truely effective treatment, the end to healthcare discrimination is the biggest thing that can be done for children with autism (Autism Speaks)! So– where’s the parade?
I call upon those who voted for this law (Sherrod Brown and John Boccieri– MY SON’S representatives)– for families who spent years fighting for this day– for teachers, doctors,therapists and advocates of children with developmental disabilities– for the media who championed this law– CELEBRATE! This IS a Big F*#@%ing Deal!!
Autism is no longer an uninsurable pre-existing condition
For well over a year we fought for the opportunity to pay for insurance for our son who has, until this month– been denied on the basis of his “pre-existing condition”. Jay has autism. He’s healthy and happy. And now… he has insurance!
I am thankful to so many who had a part in making this happen… to family and friends… to politicians and insurance companies who gave me lip service and made me angry… but, it really came down to our Congressman– John Boccieri, who took a big political chance… whose family endured threats and as recently as last week was on the front page of the NY Times with a man’s finger in his face… He voted for healthcare reform.
I don’t believe that when President Obama signed HCR he had any thought of the children with autism who were denied this often taken for granted thing– but, his signature gave my son a little piece of normalcy. For that I will always be thankful.
The Republicans have sworn to work for the repeal of HCR… This would be a huge step backwards… and, we can not allow it to happen. Vote. Stand up for those who, like Congressman Boccieri, have stood up for our kids!
Tonight, my son goes to bed with insurance. And, I can sleep knowing that what I did mattered.
Let’s get the candidates talking about Autism. If you are reading this you most likely are a family or friend of a family with Autism. With the statistics skyrocketing we have to deal with it now. Please consider Autism in your candidate choosing process and ask your candidate– or all of them– to start talking about it.
To make it really easy for you– below are the links for contact pages for the top 10 candidates. Please ask them to start talking about Autism.
Democrats:
John Edwards: http://www.johnedwards.com/about/contact/form/
Barack Obama: http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/contact2
Hillary Clinton: http://www.hillaryclinton.com/help/contact/
Dennis Kucinich: http://www.dennis4president.com/ (I couldn’t find anything beyond newsletter sign up)
Republicans:
John McCain: http://www.johnmccain.com/Contact/
Ron Paul: http://www.ronpaul2008.com/contact/form
Mitt Romney: http://www.mittromney.com/CommentForm
Mike Huckabee: information@explorehuckabee.com (I couldn’t find a fill out form for him– so, here’s the email address.)
I don’t like Hillary Clinton. It’s everything and nothing about her. Maybe I’m too old fashioned… maybe she seemed like a big phony… maybe she “stood by her (lying, cheating, SOB) man”… whatever it is– was– I’m starting to re-think my position.
Her contained, lady-like, emotional display earlier this week made me look at her as if she is human for the first time. I lived in Washington DC when the Clintons arrived– at the time of the very suspicious suicide, at the time when their investments were questioned and there were all kinds of rumors circling about her having an affair of her own… by the time Monica came along I was gone from there and no longer privy to inside the beltway gossip– I’ll bet it was fun at the RNC!!
I have friends who are big Hillary supporters and know her personally. They say that in person she is a real human being– funny, passionate and smart. I’ve never met her and don’t have a personal experience to draw upon.
Anyway, I’m going to take a new look at her Health Care and Autism Plans and see where that leads me. Economically– I think she has as good of a shot at fixing things as any of the other top candidates. These are the issues that matter the most to me and will weigh much heavier than their like-ability or what they think about immigration or abortion. I’ll keep you informed of my progress.
