Under my links I added a link to the Post Secret site, which I was tipped off to by the sandwich monkey.
It's an interesting site that posts postcards sent in anonymously of people's deepest darkest secrets.
I'm not saying if I sent one in or not, but it's a unique way to get something off your chest if you've been carrying something heavy around for too long.
Thanks monkey!
Hey all,
I also wanted to share some pictures from Craig's 30th birthday party.
We celebrated at the Casa and a great time was had by all.
I made my first Sangria ever and I must say it ROCKED, nice and fruity and bubbly and refreshing, kind of dangerous since it went down so easily :)
All in all it was a fun celebration of Craig's second 30th birthday, I'm just wondering do we have to celebrate his 30th again NEXT year?
Don't fall out of your chairs, but yes I am actually posting!
We escaped the hazy heat of L.A. today and scampered across the border to Arizona, which is actually COOLER than L.A.!!
We're staying with friends (of BlondeAmbition blog fame) that have kindly accepted us into their home even though I have been off the grid for the past few months and have been incommunicado.
Just so we're clear, my incommunicado life style is still in full swing so if I owe you a phone call or an email please know that I love you and most likely miss you, but need a few months more of hermit time to completely regenerate back into the fun loving person you all know and adore (or at least humour.)
We ate at The Painted Horse and caught up on all the big news.
My thoughts are also with dear L.B. who hopefully kicked booty in tonight's drag BINGO game and had a wonderful birthday, sorry we missed it and please know we send big smooches.
http://www.overthehedgemovie.com/
So far Hedge is at $49,055,612.00
Supposedly this Memorial Day weekend we might pull in another $35,000,000.00
While these numbers sound huge - I have to be honest I thought we would be a little bigger and my hopes for a sequel ride on the number continuing to climb so come on people let's get out there and go see Over the Hedge!
I'm finally getting a chance to focus on these numbers because I am coming up from air from the last month or so of non-stop events is finally wrapping up. (Those of you that are loyal readers of the michaellachance.com blog know about a lot of these events already.)
It all started back in March with the lovely Pruett wedding. My thoughts are with them this weekend as they are currently going through one of life's harder moments and I hope they know that my heart is with them through it all. Their wedding was extremely fitting, a Princess Bride theme (sans the R.O.U.S's) for 2 big dreamers with great senses of humor! They even kept the grins through a rainy day that drove the wedding inside (no one expects hail at their wedding in Southern California.)
Around that same time we were planning the work wedding shower for B. which took place on St. Patrick's Day. Except for the Orange Incident 2 days before the shower it pretty much went off without a hitch. Of course I was called away to a last second meeting right before B. and R. walked into the surprise shower so I didn't get to actually see their expression or laugh at them knocking down the Shrek pinata I got (that we filled with money and wedding tips.) That was another classic hurry up and wait moment at work - get called asap for a mtg and the main person doesn't show up for an hour and a half.
Sorry it's been a long week and I may need to continue this flashback tomorrow...I'm falling asleep as I type.
Yeah, Memorial Day and 3 day wknds!!! I will indulge in cookouts, go see movies, clean, do laundry, and most importantly call friends I have been thinking about every day, but have not had time at home to call!!
More tomorrow,
~ME
The day started out grand with a silverfish pincer thingy in my bra... Luckily my eye caught the beast before I actually got the garment all the way on... DISGUSTING!!!
Work was mostly a mad dash of hurrying to wait moments. We're at the end of the film so there are a ton of transitions and they all come unexpectedly and at inconvenient moments. I lost almost all the support staff currently working with me to other projects today and it sounds like most of them will need to start on their new jobs tomorrow. I have to admit in a way I am grateful, or maybe just relieved, there is a lightness to only having to worry about yourself and answer your own questions and organize your own thoughts and goals and no one else's. I haven't been in that head space for a very long time and I am looking forward to a few solid months of living in my own head.
These severe shifts in the universe seem to be cyclical and happen in groupings. It always feels like everyone reaches a personal cusp at the same time (different cross roads for different people but lots of change all at once.) There are some people making bigger leaps outside our work pond and I think they will be very successful at being big fish in smaller ponds as opposed to abused or ignored fish in a small pond. More power to 'em I say, especially as I am in the middle of my own negotiations and not at all sure about the path that I want to take. This intense questioning of what do I actually want to do with the next 4-5 years of my life has led to frequent panic attacks over the last few weeks. Small ones, moments of feeling like I'm breathing under water or caught in a web and can't get out, that kind of thing.
This general mixture of life-purpose confusing and emotional lightening flashes may explain how my night ended, crying seemingly uncontrollably in front of the Piano Man himself.
For Mike's 30th birthday I took him to see Billy Joel tonight at the Staples Center. We are pretty avid concert goers and very eclectic music listeners. We have been to the Staple Center many times for everything from REM and U2 to the band that scored the horrendous film Titan A.E. In the last few years we've been to Stevie Nicks, Pete Yorn, Ryan Adams, Ben Folds, William Shatner and more. I enjoyed every one of these concerts and was definitely blown away by the energy of some of them. I've never been a star struck person, my job requires me to stay fairly cool no matter who I meet or work with and I don't tend to participate in idol worship or make claims that I must meet so-and-so before I die or my life won't be complete. While I would consider it a privilege to meet Bono or Michael Stipe and would really enjoy talking to them about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness I don't think I would stop breathing if they actually talked back to me. I'm sure I would keep my cool.
Evidently something in my subconscious doesn't feel the same way about Billy Joel. The lights went down and before he even made it on stage I felt a sob well up. Not just a tear, a sob. I tried to hold it back and my eyes started leaking like a drain pipe made out of a sieve. My first thought was, wow I didn't know I felt so strongly about being here tonight, this is pretty cool. And then the tears kept coming... Almost every song, some worse than others, caused some deep emotional reaction in me that I could not contain. I have never in my life reacted to a concert or event like this. I have seen other people swoon and cry and always thought it quite cheap and cheesy and fake. Well sign me up for some Gouda cause I guess I'm one of them now.
The show was very much his normal stage show. I've never been to B.J. concert before but it seemed very much by the numbers and even the patter between songs was the same as quoted in articles from other concerts. But none of that took away from how deeply (and again, unexpectedly) special the connection was I had with the music and the man. I think the combination of the memory's of these songs dating back longer than almost any other music (other than the Beatles) and the personal connection I must of formed with the man singing those songs when I was young (maybe a father figure thing...) caused my reaction.
With the way I have been feeling lately, a little lost in life, the chords (excuse the pun) that Billy Joel hit were also reminiscent of feeling safe in childhood listening to my Innocent Man tape over and over on my little purple boombox.
The release of crying while singing along with 1000's of other people felt better than any tear jerker film I've ever been to and was probably very cathartic. In fact I feel stronger now and slightly more resolute in making a stand for what I want at work and in life and as Billy says at the end of every concert "Don't take any shit from anybody!"
Thanks Billy, for the songs and the melodic cocoon you gave me as a kid. Thanks for creating memories that last through 20 years and the loss of many brain cells. Thanks for the tears and for tonight. I know Mike was just as touched as I was, but I'm glad we could both enjoy his present so completely.
http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=21634 - Positive review from Over the Hedge's test screenings (full article at the bottom of this post.)
http://www.canmag.com/news/4/3/2254 - Over the Hedge screened
http://www.animationnation.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=010799 - Positive first look at Over the Hedge
http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/entertainment/12972641.htm - Wanda Sykes is voicing Stella the Skunk in Over the Hedge
http://animation.dreamworksfansite.com/fullstory.php?id=846 - Over the Hedge daily comics
FULL TEXT from the Ain't It Cool News Article:
OVER THE HEDGE Screens In The OC... And How Did It Do?!
Published at Ain't It Cool News on Sunday, October 23rd, 2005 at 06:58:16 PM CST
I love the site and have contributed before – I posted a Return of the King review way back. Anyway, today I got to see Over the Hedge here in Orange County. It was like other reviewers have said – lots of metal detectors, no cell phones, etc.
I didn’t know what to expect with this film; the trailer looks good and I loved the first Shrek film. I thought Shark Tale was pretty weak, didn’t see Madagascar after hearing it was terrible, and was disappointed in Shrek 2. But I love animation, especially of the computer variety. I am pleased to say that this film is a winner.
Now the film was by no means finished. Only about 30% of the film was completed as far as lighting and full animation. The rest was very rough color animation and about half of the film was storyboards.
But the parts that were finished were truly amazing! The animation was better than anything I’ve seen DreamWorks do thus far. The colors were brilliant and vibrant, and the backgrounds (trees, grass, etc.) were simply stunning. They were going for photo realism (on everything but the animals) and I think they pulled it off with flying colors. Actually, it made me mad when they switched to storyboards since I wanted to see the next beautifully drawn scene. The animals’ fur was unlike anything I’d seen before – much better than Shrek or Monsters Inc. Animation and technology-wise, this thing was awesome. Too bad I only got to see about 20 minutes of such.
The story is not totally original, but it’s fun and light and quick and is just fine for a movie like this. I don’t want to give away too much of what happens, but the initial scene is great and sets up the main characters and the central motivation for the story right away. I think that kids will get into the adventure/quest/mission aspect of the story and there are other underlying themes that adults will find interesting as well.
The characters and voice acting is top notch. Each character acts somewhat like you’d expect each animal to act – the squirrel is hyper, the turtle slow, thinking and methodical, etc. Each actor gives great performances, however – the standouts were Steve Carell as Hammy the ADD/hyper-kinetic squirrel and William Shatner as the blustery opossum. Shatner’s running joke of constantly playing dead got some big laughs. But Hammy is the one that people are going to love – he’s the one kids will want to buy the toys for, he’s the one who people will want to see more of in a sequel – he’s basically the Donkey. And he’s actually pretty darn funny. Bruce Willis is essentially the straight man, and I actually thought his performance was the least engaging. Gary Shandling as the turtle, and leader of the animal “family,” does an able job with his role – he’s got some funny moments but is the grounded character amid his family of funny misfits. I really loved hearing Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara as the porcupine couple – hearing those voices together makes any movie better (Mitch and Mickey anyone?). But they have relatively small roles, but have some funny lines. Wanda Sykes does herself, and it fits her skunk character nicely; she’ll be another fan favorite – some of the best sight/scatological gags are hers. Also, Nick Nolte as the menacing bear is simply outstanding – they could NOT have picked a better voice – he owns that freaking bear. You will love this bear. Awesome.
There are some truly exciting action and chase scenes that I found myself surprisingly in to. The last big action payoff on board a speeding semi involving the bear and each of the main characters should play fantastic in the final version – all we got to see was the storyboards, and it was even exciting then.
The songs by Ben Folds, which we were told at the start were “works in progress,” were actually quite good – they were of the same vibe as the songs used in the Shrek films. There were a few musical montages that were all storyboarded, but the songs were effective and catchy and fit well within the story.
I was also happy to see they did not borrow as heavily from pop culture as in the Shrek films. There are few very funny references to media and pop culture, one in particular involving a certain TV celebrity that got a HUGE laugh, but they were few and far between and I thought that was a good thing. So this played more like a Pixar film, more of a movie about its characters and its story then about winking at the audience with pop references to keep the adults engaged.
The film did not by any means break new ground (cute characters, chases, toilet humor, happy ending), and the ending was pretty abrupt and more heartwarming and saccharine than I would have liked to see; most of the group interviewed at the end had the same reaction. And the Bruce Willis character, RJ the raccoon is not all that interesting, he comes across as a little too Poochy from the Simpson’s, almost trying to hard to be hip. The film also takes place in quite a limited number of locations – basically the woods, the neighborhood backyards and one house. Needless to say, it wasn’t the same as the amazing and ever-changing locations in the Incredibles, Finding Nemo, or even the Shrek films.
But all in all, I think Steve and the DreamWorks guys have a hit. And this is coming from a guy who hasn’t really thought much of DreamWorks’ animation projects. It won’t be the phenomenon as Shrek 2, but I think audiences and critics will like it much better than Shark Tale and Madagascar. There are some big laughs, some really impressive animation (better than anything Fox or DreamWorks has done previously), good music, fun characters, and enough action, humor, suspense and solid character moments to keep both kids and adults happy. Even the teenagers in the discussion group at the end liked it. It ain’t quite Pixar, but what is in that genre? So with this and Cars, audiences have some quality animated fare to choose from next year.
I've actually expected this phone call for about a year, so there is no shock, only sadness, sadness, sadness.
Garnie passed away in her sleep last night.
I learned from Mom this morning that we have a history of not actually having funerals. (Garnie will be cremated and sent to Indiana to be placed in her plot.)
And since we're not a particularly religious bunch, it is more important than ever that we remember each other in our own way as we pass on to whatever is next.
Garnie, I am sorry you will be alone for that journey and want you to know that we are all thinking of you every second of the way.
Garnie was, for years, the aunt we visited in Arkansas. We flew on tiny plans with actual propellers (that I couldn't take my eyes off the entire time in case they stopped) over the Ozarks to get to her town. Mom and I shared a room with 2 twin beds and I can still remember her massive TV encased in wood and the heat, it was extremely hot there in the summer. I remember walking down the street to a small house where she got her hair done. (Similar to Dolly Parton's beauty shop in Steel Magnolia's if that helps.) There was the odd shed out back filled with Al's military gear and the garage filled with lots of cabinets.
Anyway, some time around 1995? Mom moved Garnie, ALL her belongings - furniture, dolls, romance novels and a car as big as a boat, full of Diet Cherry coke (that's another story) - up to 54 West Rock to live.
These years blend into each other, but Garnie became a fixture in our living room, sitting in her favorite chair (moved from Arkansas, of course) and surrounded by chocolate boxes, books, and opened boxes from QVC.
Every visit Garnie would show up downstairs, open her hands, which held 10-15 rings, and tell me to pipck 5. The next night she would appear with 10 different rings and tell me to pick 5. I now have these gorgeous, incredibly gaudy rings that I will wear, alone in my house, in her honor :)
Regardless of the hard times it was always a joy for me to come home for Christmas to both Mom and Garnie, Garnie has... had...... a sharp mind and an incredible sense of humor. I know Mom will say it's because I wasn't around enough, but I didn't see as much of the memory loss and change in personality as Mom did, so the last 2 years it was easier for me to believe that the same "Babe" (as she was known in her hey day) was still alive and well.
2 Xmas's ago I got her a stuffed Donkey from Shrek, which she loved. It really makes me smile that I was able to bring Donkey to her in person at Sea Crest this April, she had so few of her own things around her there, that I think she probably enjoyed him a little.
We love you. I love you. Chris loves you. Mr. C loved having the same birthday as you. Ros loved you and Sandra loved you. I think this shows that everyone you met was captured by your smile, your heart and your spirit.
I hope that spirit has found a beautiful place, somewhere that Elvis can visit often and sing to her, filled with Godiva chocolates, and racy books.
Bye Babe.
There’s a space inside all of us that wants to know its purpose
It’s the most brilliant space of all, set aside with one true focus
When most of us is built for speed, for work and friends and duties
This space is built for love, for hope, for magic, and for beauty
Best understood not when it’s found, but in the constant searching
It wants only to be remembered when the darkest moments come lurking
Then its light will do the rest and restore you to your best
When the journey seems too long a road
Look inside and find this piece
It’s there to help us carry the load; it’s power will never cease
Nutso ... this one's for you ... and fyi, in the future, ALWAYS put back the button down shirt and buy the green t-shirt with clovers on it! Also fyi, you are one of the strongest most inspiring people I have ever known and you make me want to be a better friend, person, woman. LOVE YOU!
Been a while since I've blogged.
Ah, how life gets in the way of how we want to ... live our lives.
While I was uplifted slightly by last Thursday's Presidential Debate.... strong, strong showing on Kerry's part and creepy, petulant showing on Bush's part ... tonight's Vice-Presidential Debate was a different story.
Both Kerry and Cheney stretched the truth.
I was impressed by Cheney's calm, compelling arguments - content almost didn't matter he was so smooth in his delivery.
However, I assume they debated sitting down due to Cheney's heart issues, which should disqualify him right off the bat.
They both seemed so intent on getting out their soundbites that they avoided ever solidly answering a single question.
Edwards came across stronger than he has in the past, but there were key things that made me wonder why he didn't stand up for the truth in a clearer way - I mean after Edwards said that 50% of African-Americans and 50% of Latinos are dropping out of high school - 50%!!!! - and then Cheney said again that test scores in minorities are getting "closer to the majority" I kept thinking that must be because they have LOST 50% of the students so of COURSE the test scores are going to get higher!
And at one point Cheney tried to use the scare tactic of people in our cities with nuclear bombs ready to use - and I thought if the administration in any way believes that's true then they sure as hell should be doing a better job at ports, airports, etc. As well as tracking down all the random bomb-building materials floating all over the world!
Thanks to Bethany for spreading the word -
The history of voting as women- "The women were innocent and defenseless. And by the end of the night, they were barely alive...
Forty prison guards wielding clubs and with their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of "obstructing sidewalk traffic." They beat Lucy Burn, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air. They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.
Thus unfolded the "Night of Terror" on November 15, 1917 (only 87 years ago), when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote.
For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms. When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.
So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because--why,exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work? Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining? Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new movie, "Iron Jawed Angels." It is a graphic depiction of the battle these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.
All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the actual act of voting had become less personal for me. Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege. Sometimes it was inconvenient. My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history, saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk about it, she looked angry. She was--with herself. "One thought kept coming back to me as I watched that movie," she said. "What would those women think of the way I use--or don't use--my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn. "The right to vote," she said, had become valuable to her all over again.
It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy. The doctor admonished the men: "Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity."
This right was not given to us as it was to the men. Many courageous women had to fight and suffer in order for us to cast a vote. Let's honor them."
Ex-Lawmaker Says He Helped Bush With Guard
By BOBBY ROSS JR
DALLAS (AP) - Former Texas House Speaker Ben Barnes said he is ``more ashamed at myself than I've ever been'' because he helped President Bush and the sons of other wealthy families get into the Texas National Guard so they could avoid serving in Vietnam.
``I got a young man named George W. Bush into the National Guard ... and I'm not necessarily proud of that, but I did it,'' Barnes, a Democrat, said in a video clip recorded May 27 before a group of John Kerry supporters in Austin.
Barnes, who was House speaker when Bush entered the Guard, later became lieutenant governor.
Bush joined the National Guard in 1968, at the height of the Vietnam War, and served until 1973. He has said he received no special treatment.
Barnes said he became ashamed after walking through the Vietnam Memorial and looking at the names of the dead.
``I became more ashamed of myself than I've ever been because it was the worst thing I did - help a lot of wealthy supporters and a lot of people who had family names of importance get in the National Guard,'' he said. ``I'm very sorry of that and I'm very ashamed of it and I apologize to the voters of Texas for that.''
Brilliance from the Sandwich Monkey:
"It's the greatest thing when your bottle caps impart wisdom to you (and cite their sources).
Yesterday, the bottle cap on my iced tea said:
"There is more to life than increasing its speed." - Ghandi
This morning, one of mine said:
"A person is not old until regrets take the place of dreams." - John Barrymore
Food for thought from the drinks I got."
Visit the ACT site for some good info and a great video by Will Ferrell as George Bush on his Crawford Texas Ranch.
See a penny, pick it up...
And all day you'll have good luck
Leave the penny where it lays
Prepare all day to pay and pay
I should have picked that friggin' penny up yesterday morning, but I stepped right over and kept walking.
Although the day ended better with a Grove dinner and a cat named Gilmore.
:)
Had a great dinner with some lovely, funny, talented Gals tonight.
I definitely needed the laughs (and the blackberry margarita didn't hurt!)
Every now and then when I take the time to stop and look, I realize how lucky I am to know such smart, challenging people.. (You all know who are and if you don't, shame on me for not telling you more often.)
To this day I am always surprised that these people are my friends...
Yes I know, old issues of trust and cliques, etc.
I think I am still learning what being a friend means - it is so different in so many situations. It's just that over the years I became so good at building the walls and protecting myself; that is so much easier than learning how to break them down, you know?
Anyhoo, I will continue to see where life takes me and what service I may be to the guys and gals I am lucky enough to call my friends... And I will strive to follow the advice of a very wise woman...
Be cool.
July 23rd, 2004 12:59 pm
The September 11 Commission's 567-page final report has confirmed key facts presented in Fahrenheit 9/11. These include:
Attorney General John Ashcroft told acting FBI director Thomas Pickard that he did not want to hear anything more about terrorist threats. Confirmed, Commission Report at p. 265
After Bush was informed of the first plane hitting the World Trade Center, he went ahead with his classroom event. After Bush was informed that the nation was under attack after the second plane hit, Bush stayed in the classroom for nearly seven more minutes, continuing to read with the children. Confirmed, Commission Report at pp. 35, 38-39.
Bush failed to have even one meeting to discuss the threat of terrorism with his head of counterterrorism Richard Clarke. Confirmed, Commission Report at p. 201.
Bush failed to react to the August 6, 2001 security briefing, “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.” Confirmed, Commission Report at pp. 260-262.
142 Saudis, including 24 members of the bin Laden family, were allowed to leave the country after September 13. Confirmed, Commission Report at p. 556, n. 25 [Note that Fahrenheit 9/11 understates the number of Saudis who left.]
Individuals were interviewed by the FBI before being allowed to leave (although the report confirms that most individuals on these flights were not interviewed.) Confirmed, Commission Report at p. 557, n. 28.
White House former counterterrorism chief Richard Clarke approved these flights. Confirmed, Commission Report at p. 329.
My good friend, proud owner of the Hacieyenta, had a point about my earlier blog about smokers getting more breaks at work.
She said what about all the single folks in the work place? They get the short end of the party stick...
True, when you think about it there's all the baby showers, wedding showers, and often people have more than one of both!
Perhaps we should institute a yearly single folks day where they all get presents and cake and we celebrate their accomplishments and successes, which mean just as much as the chick in the next cubicle getting knocked up... :)
For myself then we would also have to institute the, not single, but Together Day, where us smart ones that avoided the white dress and the lot get just as much recognition for riding the relationship roller coaster as the people who spent 20,000 dollars on one day with unhappy/insane/distant relatives and co-workers of their fathers they have never met before in their lives...
Where's my Together Day Shower, huh?
Just finished reading The Time Traveler's Wife. Excellent book! I'm sure if you wait it will show up in theatres in a few years with Kirsten Dunst and ... maybe Mark Ruffalo, but I think the flow of the story works better as a book - allows for the jumping all over in time and being in two places at once. Really heart wrenching moments and some great characters.
Well that's my review for today. Ciao.
BUSH-CHENEY FACT CHECK: Support for Our Veterans
Response to the 8/2/04 “Open Letter to Iowa Veterans from Twenty-four Medal of Honor Recipients”
BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP: Funding for VA Health Care
CLAIM: “Since 2001, President Bush has increased veterans funding by over $20 billion, and funding for veterans' health care has increased by 40 percent since he took office. Funding for veterans has gone up twice as fast under President Bush as it did under President Clinton, and those who accuse the President of cutting funding are simply not being honest with veterans.”
THE RECORD: Bush Has Turned His Back on America’s Veterans & Has Allowed Waiting Lines & Costs to Grow on His Watch
Bush Failed to Fully Fund Veterans Health Care. Bush's 2005 budget falls more than $2.6 billion short of the amount needed to fully fund quality veterans' health care, according to The Independent Budget, an annual collective assessment by four veterans’ service organizations of the funding levels and policy changes needed at VA. [AMVETS Release, 2/3/04; VFW Release, 2/2/04]
Bush Administration Calls For Total Closure of Three Veterans Hospitals, Partial Closure of Eight Others. In May 2004, the Administration decided to push for the closure of hospitals in Brecksville, OH; Gulfport, MS; and, Highland Drive, PA. Eight VA hospitals will be partially closed. In most cases, inpatient care will move to larger hospitals, leaving behind an outpatient clinic or long-term-care beds. The Administration is planning partial closures in Knoxville, IA; Canandaigua, NY; Livermore, CA; Montrose, NY; Kerrville, TX; Saginaw, MI; Ft. Wayne, IN; and Butler, PA. In 2003, the Bush Administration proposed the closure of seven hospitals in its efforts to “restructure” the Department of Veterans Affairs. [USA Today, 5/7/04; AP, 8/4/03, 10/28/03, 12/16/03]
Spending on Prescription Drugs Has More than Doubled Over Five Years. The amount spent on prescription drugs has more than doubled over the past five years, from $87 billion in 1998 to $184 billion in 2003. Americans are spending more on prescription drugs today than ever before. [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, National Health Expenditure Projections, Feb. 2004]
Bush Cut Waiting List By Eliminating Veterans. The Bush Administration boasts of cutting waitlists for VA health care, but they have done so by excluding nearly 500,000 veterans (Priority 7 and 8) from enrolling in VA health care. [Federal Register, Part 4 – CFR Part 17, 1/17/03]
Bush Tried to Impose New Costs on Middle-Income Vets. Bush’s 2005 budget will institute a new annual $250 enrollment fee and an increase in prescription drug co-pays from $7 to $15 for middle-income veterans. In 2003, The Bush Administration publicly opposed Senate efforts to block increases in health care costs for veterans, including a new $250 annual enrollment fee for VA medical care, a proposed increase in pharmaceutical co-pays, and the Senate's addition of $1.3 billion in emergency funding for medical benefits. And in December 2001, Bush more than tripled the prescription co-payments for nonservice-connected veterans from $2 to $7. [CQ, 2/2/04; Statement of Administrative Policy, 11/12/03; The Times Leader, 10/9/03]
Bush Refused to Help Out Veterans with Rising Health Care Costs. The Bush Administration publicly opposed Senate efforts to block increases in health care costs for veterans, including a new $250 annual enrollment fee for VA medical care, a proposed increase in pharmaceutical co-pays, and the Senate's addition of $1.3 billion in emergency funding for medical benefits. The letter is dated Nov. 12, less than 24 hours after Bush laid a wreath in Arlington. [Statement of Administrative Policy, 11/12/03]
Future Vets Cuts Planned: Recently a leaked OMB memo showed that the Bush Administration plans to cut veterans funding after the election. The secret memo showed that the VA should expect $900 million in cuts in FY2006.
BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP: Concurrent Receipt & Funding for Troops in Iraq & Afghanistan
CLAIM: “Meanwhile, John Kerry voted against a $1.3 billion increase in veterans health care, skipped votes on concurrent receipt and voted against funding for our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.”
THE RECORD: John Kerry Is The Only Candidate Who Will Make VA Funding MANDATORY & Will FULLY FUND Concurrent Receipt to End the Disabled Veterans Tax
Bush Threatened to Veto $87 Billion for Troops in Iraq & Afghanistan.
“The White House threatened Tuesday to veto its own spending bill for Iraq and Afghanistan if Congress made reconstruction aid a loan, taking its most forceful stand on the issue even as more lawmakers supported a reimbursement by Iraq. After declining to threaten a veto last week before the Senate voted to lend up to $10 billion to Iraq, the White House surprised many people on Capitol Hill with its warning…Last week, without using the word "veto," Mr. Bush called on a series of wavering lawmakers and made it clear that he would not appreciate a vote for a loan. The statement on Tuesday, after eight Republican senators defied him last week and helped form a majority in favor of a $10 billion loan, was the strongest threat to date. "If this provision is not removed, the president's senior advisers would recommend that he veto the bill," Joshua B. Bolten, the White House budget director, wrote in a letter to Congressional leaders.” [Firestone, New York Times, 10/22/03]
Only John Kerry Will Ensure Mandatory Funding To Assure Quality Health Care.
“Over the last three years, whole classes of veterans have been locked out of the VA health care system. Decisions by the Bush administration will, at the current rate, exclude approximately 500,000 veterans by 2005. That's nothing more than rationed health care. As president, John Kerry will insist on mandatory funding for veterans' health care to ensure that no veteran's health need ever goes unmet.” [http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/veterans/served.html]
Only John Kerry Will Fully Eliminate The "Disabled Veterans" Tax.
Today, hundreds of thousands of disabled military retirees are being taxed on their disabilities. Under an 1891 law, retirees who receive both pensions and disability compensation must surrender one dollar from their military retirement pay for every dollar they receive in disability compensation - so their disability pay is actually being subtracted from their retirement fund. Military retirees with disabilities are the only category of Federal employees that lose some of their retirement simply because they are disabled. John Kerry thinks this policy needs to end. As president, he will enact "full concurrent receipt," a policy that would do away with the archaic 1891 law and allow veterans with disabilities to receive both the retirement they've earned and the disability payments they are due. [http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/veterans/served.html]
Bush Opposed Fixing The Disabled Veterans Tax. Secretary Donald Rumsfeld recommended that Bush veto the defense appropriations bill if it contained a fix to the concurrent receipt problem that penalizes military retirees who also receive disability assistance. The concurrent receipt ban stops a veteran who receives disability compensation from also receiving military retirement pay, effectively punishing disabled military retirees. Rumsfeld wrote that if the bill, “authorizes concurrent receipt of military retirement pay and veterans’ disability compensation benefits, or expands TRICARE, then I would join other senior advisors to the President in recommending that he veto the bill.” [Rumsfeld Letter to Rep. Duncan Hunter, 7/8/03]
John Kerry Has a Long History of Supporting Greater Funding for Veterans Health Care
John Kerry has a long history of supporting better veterans’ health and he has worked in the Senate to increase spending on veteran health care. In 2001, Kerry voted to increase funding for veterans health care by $1.7 billion. In 1999, Kerry also voted to increase medical care for Veterans Health Administration and to give another $1.3 billion for overall veterans’ health care. Kerry is continuing to work for veterans and, “in calling for greater access to health care for veterans, cited estimates of nearly 235,000 veterans on a waiting list for Veterans Administration services, with tens of thousands waiting to access their prescription drug benefit. Kerry is sponsoring legislation that would permit veterans already on the waiting list to fill a prescription written by a private physician at a VA hospital.” Kerry repeated his commitment to veterans’ health recently during a trip to Iowa: “Co-founder of the Vietnam Veterans of America and a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Kerry made frequent reference to his war service. Thousands of veterans are now being denied promised health care benefits, he said. "I'm particularly sensitive that we keep faith with those who have worn the uniform of their country." [Senate Roll Call Vote 1999, #285, #286; 2001, # 84; AP 5/30/03; The Hawk Eye, 6/1/03]
BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP: Support for ‘Old Glory’
CLAIM: “And while he talks a good game, Kerry's record shows he is out of the mainstream. The American Flag symbolizes our ideals, our history and our values. President Bush shares this belief and supports a Constitutional Amendment banning desecration of the Flag. John Kerry believes this is ‘an attack on free speech’.”
THE REALITY: John Kerry Fought For & Under ‘Old Glory’
John Kerry’s Statement About “Old Glory” From His Nomination Acceptance Speech: “You see that flag up there. We call her Old Glory. The stars and stripes forever. I fought under that flag, as did so many of you here and all across our country. That flag flew from the gun turret right behind my head. It was shot through and through and tattered, but it never ceased to wave in the wind. It draped the caskets of men I served with and friends I grew up with. For us, that flag is the most powerful symbol of who we are and what we believe in. Our strength. Our diversity. Our love of country. All that makes America both great and good. That flag doesn't belong to any president. It doesn't belong to any ideology and it doesn't belong to any political party. It belongs to all the American people.” [http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2004_0729.html]
John Kerry’s Thoughts on Flag Burning: “As I've said before, if I saw someone burning the flag, I'd punch them in the mouth because I love the flag, but the Constitution that I fought for preserves the right of free expression.” – John Kerry [AP, 11/11/03]
John Kerry Shares View of Colin Powell & John Glenn on a Constitutional Amendment:
Colin Powell: Current Bush Secretary of State, Vietnam Veteran, Retired Four Star General, Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: “We are rightfully outraged when anyone attacks or desecrates our flag. They may be destroying a piece of cloth, but they do no damage to our system of freedom which tolerates such desecration. I really don’t want to amend the Constitution to prosecute someone for foolishly desecrating their own property. We should condemn them and pity them instead. I understand the powerful sentiment in state legislatures for such an amendment. I feel the same sense of outrage. But I step back from amending the Constitution to relieve that outrage. The First Amendment exists to insure that freedom of speech and expression applies not just to that with which we agree or disagree, but also that which we find outrageous. I would not amend that great shield of democracy to hammer a few miscreants. Finally, I shudder to think of the legal morass we will create trying to implement the body of law that will emerge from such an amendment. I would not vote for the proposed amendment.” – (Ret.) General Colin Powell [Letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy, 5/18/99]
John Glenn: Former Marine Test Pilot, World War II & Korean War Veteran, Mercury Astronaut, First American to Orbit the Earth and Retired Ohio Senator: “For those who served in the armed services, we risked our lives because we believed it was our duty to defend our nation. I can tell you that in combat you do not start out thinking about the philosophy of our nation. When you start a run on a ground position from the air, through antiaircraft, or lead a patrol where people are getting shot, you do not think about those philosophical thoughts. It is the survival of the moment that holds your attention. Only later do you think about some of these great philosophical thoughts. But every last tiny fiber in our flag stands for someone who has given his or her life to defend what it stands for. Many of us here have as many friends in Arlington Cemetery, bearing silent witness to our flag, as we do bearing public witness to it in the world of the living. Maybe that is why I have so little patience, and even less sympathy, for those pathetic and insensitive few who would demean and defile our nation's greatest symbol of sacrifice. They deserve harsh censure. This amendment should be defeated. The dangers from it far outweigh the threat that we have to the flag. I simply do not believe that this is a major problem for this country requiring an amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. Our most revered symbol stands for freedom but is not freedom itself. We must not let those who revile our way of life trick us into diminishing our great gift or even take a chance of diminishing our freedoms. ”—John Glenn [Testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee, 4/28/99]
BUSH-CHENEY CREDIBILITY GAP: Supporting Troops
CLAIM: “Please join us in setting the record straight and showing your support for President Bush -- a leader who has proven his support for those who have served, backs our troops defending our nation and shares our values.”
THE REALITY: Bush Sent Troops to Iraq Under-prepared for War
Bush’s Own Army Secretary Said They Were “Not Prepared” for Prolonged Involvement in Iraq: “When the Saddam Hussein government collapsed, U.S. troops in Iraq figured the war was over, except for some mopping up. But as the acting secretary of the Army, Les Brownlee, acknowledged to Congress last week, ‘we simply were not prepared’ for the insurgency that developed in early summer, prolonging the war and taking the lives of hundreds of American soldiers. One 3rd Infantry soldier, Sgt. 1st Class Eric Wright, put it this way in Iraq last June: ‘What was told to us was that we would fight and win and go home.’ It's not that simple.” [Associated Press, 3/13/04]
Bush Forcing Military to Face Back to Back Deployments: “The Army is spread so thin around the globe that when it needs fresh combat troops for Iraq this fall it will have little choice but to call on the same soldiers who led the charge into Baghdad last spring. The 3rd Infantry Division already has been given an official "warning order" to prepare to return to Iraq as soon as Thanksgiving. When those soldiers flew home from Iraq last summer to their bases in Georgia, few of them could have known they were, in effect, on a roundtrip ticket. They are not alone in facing back-to-back deployments to Iraq. Some of the same Marines who teamed up with the 3rd Infantry to topple Baghdad are already assembling again in Kuwait, only a matter of months after returning home, and more Marines will go next year.” [Associated Press, 3/13/04]
Bush Sent Troops to Iraq Without Body Armor: “But it's also true that as many as 40,000 US troops were sent to Iraq without the best-grade body armor. Frontline troops had the new vests, containing ceramic plates that can stop assault-rifle bullets, while others had only older designs that offered protection mainly against shrapnel and lower-velocity projectiles. At a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing Sept. 24, 2003, Army Gen. John Abizaid, chief of the U.S. Central Command, did not dispute the estimate that 40,000 troops were without the newer design, and said the $300 million was needed to buy more of the vests.” Abizaid: “Now, I can't answer for the record why we started this war with protective vests that were in short supply. But I can tell you that by November, every soldier that's serving in Iraq will have one. It's very important.” [www.FactCheck.org]
Click on the header to download the full book "Our Plan for America"
Overview of the Plan:
Restore America's Respect in the World and Make us Independent of Mideast Oil
Today, we face four great challenges above all others - First, to win the global war against terror; Second, to stop the spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons; Third, to promote democracy, freedom, and opportunity around the world, starting by winning the peace in Iraq; Fourth, end our dependence on Mideast oil. To meet these challenges, Kerry and Edwards will:
Launch and Lead A New Era Of Alliances.
The threat of terrorism demands alliances on a global scale - to utilize every available resource to get the terrorists before they can strike us. Kerry-Edwards will lead a coalition of the able - because no force on earth is more able than the United States and its Allies.
Modernize The World's Most Powerful Military To Meet New Threats.
Kerry-Edwards will ensure that our forces are fully prepared for the dangerous and vital missions they may face, and that America's military always remains second to none. We must extend our capabilities to better face new threats of terrorism, failed states and homeland defense.
Deploy All That Is In America's Arsenal.
The war on terror cannot be won by military might alone. Kerry - Edwards will deploy all the forces in America's arsenal - our diplomacy, our intelligence system, our economic power, and the appeal of our values and ideas - to make America more secure and prevent a new generation of terrorists from emerging.
Free America From Its Dangerous Dependence On Mideast Oil.
To secure our full independence and freedom, we must free America from its dangerous dependence on Mideast oil. By tapping American ingenuity, we can achieve that goal while growing our economy and protecting our environment. Kerry-Edwards will create a new energy and conservation trust fund to accelerate the development of innovative technologies, such as more efficient cars and trucks, the development of biofuels, and creating clean, secure, hydrogen-based energy. Kerry-Edwards will also expand the supply of natural gas, assure 20% of electricity comes from renewable sources by 2020, and make clean coal part of our energy solution.
Create New Jobs, Strengthen the Middle Class, and Ensure Educational Opportunity
Reward Companies that Create Jobs in America.
The Kerry-Edwards plan will end tax breaks for companies that move jobs overseas and use the savings to reduce the corporate tax rate by 5 percent, cutting taxes for 99 percent of corporations. The Kerry-Edwards plan also includes a New Jobs Tax Credit for new hiring in manufacturing, other businesses affected by outsourcing, and small businesses.
Strengthen the Middle Class.
As incomes decline and costs rise, families are having a hard time paying their bills, let alone saving for tomorrow. Health care costs are up by nearly 50 percent, college tuition has increased by 35 percent, and gas prices have skyrocketed. A Kerry-Edwards administration will provide relief to middle class families by cutting taxes and investing in health care and education.
Invest in the Jobs of the Future.
To keep America competitive for the future, a Kerry-Edwards administration will invest in research and technology and provide tax credits to unleash innovation in broadband, energy and small business. They will also provide a tax credit on up to $4,000 for each of four years of college tuition. And they will work for responsible immigration laws that honor America's promise and strengthen America's economy and security.
Restore Fiscal Discipline to Washington.
Kerry and Edwards have a record of fiscal discipline that is absent in this administration, and they have promised to live within the budget principles that helped lead this nation to balance the budget. Their plan will cut the deficit in half in four years, increasing economic confidence and keep interest rates from rising.
Provide High-Quality Health Care, Improve Education, and Strengthen Families
Up to $1,000 of Health Care Premium Relief
The Kerry-Edwards plan will provide relief for employers who offer their employees quality health coverage by helping out with certain high cost health cases - saving families up to $1,000 per year.
A Health Plan for Every Child
The Kerry-Edwards plan will pick up the full cost of the more than 20 million children enrolled in Medicaid. In exchange, states will expand eligibility for children's health coverage and low-income adults and enroll every child automatically.
Manage Skyrocketing Health Care Costs
The Kerry-Edwards plan will improve health outcomes while reducing health care costs by cutting administrative costs, waste, fraud, and abuse; enhancing disease management efforts; and reforming malpractice insurance.
World Class Education
The Kerry-Edwards plan will support more resources and more reform in our schools. The plan will fully fund the No Child Left Behind Act so students have smaller classes and more textbooks. The plan will make reform work for our schools, supporting innovations in public schools like smaller schools, all-girls schools focused on math and science, and charter schools. And the plan will invest in afterschool programs so that 3.5 million children have a safe, quality place to go after school.
Every Classroom Has a Great Teacher
The Kerry-Edwards plan will raise teacher pay, especially in the schools and subjects where great teachers are in the shortest supply, and will improve teachers' professional development and training opportunities. At the same time, the plan will create rigorous new tests for new teachers; provide higher pay for teachers who have extra skills and excel in helping children learn; and ensure fast, fair procedures for improving or removing teachers who do not perform well on the job, while preserving protections from arbitrary dismissal.
Every Young Person Graduates
Today 3 in 10 young people do not finish high school, and half of Hispanics, African Americans, Native Americans don't graduate. Kerry-Edwards will keep better track of graduation rates to hold schools accountable for raising them; will offer more tutoring and mentoring to at-risk youth; will make big high schools smaller when they are not working for their students; and will strengthen the high school curriculum so all students can graduate with a meaningful diploma.
