Monday, November 9, 2009

Health Care Reform passes US House

In a historic vote, the House of Representatives has passed a health care reform bill. This vote has been a century in the making. The bill now goes to the Senate. Its prospects there are not clear.

A single House Republican voted for the bill.
The action of the Republicans on the floor last Friday were shameful in my opinion
Watch

The Senate is also being completely gummed up by delaying tactics. It took five weeks and three filibuster cloture votes to get a unemployment benefit extension to the floor of the Senate where it was passed unanimously. Meanwhile, tens of thousands saw their benefits expire. Like I said, shanmeful.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bill, there are rules for the House and Senate. The Republicans were abiding by the rules as the Dems tried to force legislation down their throats against the rules. If anyone was "acting stupidly" ( Obama's words) it was the Dems.

Anonymous said...

another know nothing....2:44

Anonymous said...

No H1N1 Vaccine Public Clinic for the Town of Dartmouth despite getting 3 shipments??

I was concerned to read that Dartmouth's Board of Health has received three shipments of the H1N1 vaccine in just over one week yet has not held a public clinic. An article in the Standard Times writes that the Director of Public Health, Wendy Henderson, has stated that she hasn't received "enough" of the vaccine to hold a clinic and has given all of the vaccine stock to local family and pediatric practitioners. I want to know how and why Wendy Henderson decided to do this. Why couldn't she organize a public clinic with whatever stock she had to distribute to "high risk" groups? Anything is better than nothing.
Citizens of Dartmouth might be upset about the limited supply but they couldn't fault the Board of Health because they don't control the supply. However, since the Board of Health "passed" on holding any clinic whatsoever despite receiving three shipments, citizens can and should be angry. My tax dollars pay for Wendy Henderson's near six-figure salary. She is known for being notoriously lazy and not working more than her 35 hours a week, but this is ridiculous. As someone in the "high risk" group (I am a caregiver for two children under 6 months) I am in the high risk group but my PCP and pediatrician state they don't have access to the vaccine.
Also, how did Wendy Henderson decide which practitioners got the H1N1 vaccine? The Standard-Times article stated that Wendy Henderson did not give to any local OB-GYN's stating they were "in pretty good shape." However, I know of several pregnant women (the group listed as the most at risk for H1N1) who cannot get the vaccine from their practitioners. I would like to know which treatment providers got the vaccine and how they were chosen. The process seems very random and unfair. What a powerful position Wendy Henderson is in that she could "choose" which practitioners to give the vaccine to.
Finally, I would like Wendy Henderson to answer if she and her staff have received the H1N1 vaccine. Although they "passed" on holding a public clinic, I bet they didn't "pass on getting vaccinated themselves.

Anonymous said...

The dems will get their payback in due time. The people will not stand for it.

Bill Trimble said...

Rules are rules and they can be applied in good order. The behavior in the video is rude and had the effect of preventing democratic (small d) debate, not promoting it.

Anonymous said...

Bill, If what 6:53 says is true then maybe you and the rest of the SB members should look into what and where the H1N1 vaccine went. There are many at risk in people in Dartmouth who need the vaccine.

Anonymous said...

I was stunned at Wendy Henderson's comments and reasoning and single-handed decision to bypass our residents here in Dartmouth.

How and why does one person wield so much control?

So what if the vaccine is in limited supply or we did not get "enough" of it? Use and give out what you've got to as many people who need it that you can reach.

It's that simple.

Also, good question - - did she and her staff get the vaccine?? Someone from the Select Board SHOULD ask.

Anonymous said...

another know nothing....2:44

You are clearly brilliant. Thanks so much for the input, or lack thereof.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe that Wendy Henderson would "give" away 3 shipments of H1N1 vaccine away. If this is true and she did this without holding a public clinic for the people of Dartmouth she should be removed from her position. Her job is to look out for the Townspeople and not line the pockets of local Doctors. Bill, your Selectboard really needs to look into what happened. I had to jump through hoops to get my son and daughter vaccinated and here is our Health Director giving away vaccine. This is a shameful way to conduct Town business. If she is not able to do the job, find someone who can. I hope I am not the only one who is outraged to hear this.

Anonymous said...

I am very outraged. Perhaps someone should notified the Standard Times to do some investigating and reporting on this. Let the public and Dartmouth residents know what is going on.

Anonymous said...

Wendy Henderson has made no posts here. Relax here everyone. You're getting all worked up over anonmous bloggers postings. It would be like taking as fact everything that anyone has ever said. Let's be a lttle smarter.

Anonymous said...

Anon. bloggers are posting about the situation with Wendy Henderson because the Standard-Times wrote the article about her response to the small supply of H1N1 vaccine she got, which the public (residents of Dartmouth) should have received as needed. She gave it away to the doctors (who, it would seem to me, would be qualified to get their own supply, limited in number or not, without getting ours as well.)

If their wasn't enough to go around, why not as a first-come, first-served basis, as with our flu shots when available to the public, although you would have to qualify as high-risk to get the H1N1 vaccine? But, isn't there possibly some way of identifying these individuals in some data bank or something? Maybe not, but, with so many people worrying about getting it, and the pandemic it has become, deaths (of children) and all, what a shame we had the chance but were not given it because it slipped through our fingers as a result of one woman's action.

Anonymous said...

6:53, no one said she had done any postings.

Anonymous said...

Bill, Do you know anything about what is happening with the H1N1 vaccine? I am sure you must know what is happening. Why not enlighten the residents. Is what is being said on your blog the truth or rumor? Please set us straight. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Why not call the Board of Health and ask Ms. Henderson these questions? Ask if she and her staff have had the vaccine. Ask how she justifies her decision.

How does it hurt to ask anyone in our government any question that is on our mind? Isn't that what our servicemen and women have fought for? Isn't that one of our rights?

Do these people hold such power or are so intimidating that they are above questioning and reproach or criticism?

Seems like our residents have been asking for more transparency in government and have taken steps to see its implementation. Let's not drop the ball now. All it takes is one call.

Anonymous said...

to 8:09 am, Amen to your post. People need to grow a set and not be afraid to ask questions instead of expecting other people to do it for them.