Bottling Begins on Five14 Brewing Co.’s Zombie Pale Ale

Brewing My First Beer – Zombie Pale Ale

After getting some basic brewing equipment this December, my friends and I started brewing our first batch of beer today. We started on a Pale Ale. I hope it turns out great! We just have to wait awhile for the beer to ferment. Here is the label we chose for the first batch:

Broken Democracy: Healthcare Fight Shows America Needs Campaign Finance Reform

The intensity of the 2008 elections seems like a distant memory; overshadowed by the exhausting battle for healthcare reform since Barack Obama took office earlier this year. The Democrats started the year from a strong position with majorities in the House, Senate, and holding the Presidency. Yet despite starting talks about a “robust” public option that could cover 126 million Americans, the public option has been whittled down to covering 2 to 5 million Americans. Democrats even sabotaged an amendment that would allow states to pursue single-payer healthcare.

Why is it that a bill with support from three-quarters of American voters is gutted before it can just barely pass the House? Why is it that a party with control of Congress and the Presidency must compromise so many key aspects of reform? Why is it that all the compromises made to appease Republicans only lead to a single Republican, out of 177, to vote in favor of healthcare reform?

I wish all the problems with healthcare reform could be blamed on the Tea Party, a relatively small group of anti-reform Americans masquerading as a populist movement. It would be easier to take to the streets and drown out their chants of “socialism” and “Marxism.” Unfortunately the real specter in this debate in much more difficult to confront.

It all comes down to the money. The healthcare industry has spent over $360 million lobbying Congress in 2009 against healthcare reform. That is on top of the $391 million they spent lobbying Congress in 2008. The insurance and pharmaceutical industries have spent more money in lobbying than any other industry in the last decade.

Almost everyone, even the hard-line “free-market” Republicans, that I have spoken with agrees that American healthcare needs reform. Almost everyone agrees that healthcare costs too much, and that insurance industry rules are unfair. And despite concentrated attacks on government healthcare, most people (72 percent) agree that the U.S. government should provide a public option for its citizens that do not have access to private insurance. And yet, despite the overwhelming support from the American public, meaningful healthcare reform seems like a pipe-dream.

All this leads me to one conclusion: if the support of over 70 percent of Americans, over 70 percent of doctors, the majority of Congress, and the American President is not enough to pass meaningful healthcare reform, democracy in America has a problem. It has become abundantly clear that fighting for healthcare reform begins with getting money out of the system. We can fight the little battles for reform, or we can win the war by cutting off corporate America’s influence.

The Rumored “Republican Revolution” and Why It Won’t Happen

I keep hearing media pundits talk about this so-called Republican come-back in the 2010 election. All this talk about the “new” Republican Party got me wondering how in the world they were going to accomplish this miraculous rebound. One of the most oft-cited reasons to believe the Republicans might take back Congressional seats is their 1994 election victories two years after Clinton took office. This comparison is out-of-touch with the reality of the current political climate.

Political analysts have pointed out the “rough summer” that the Democrats had when the Republican Party launched an all-out offensive against healthcare reform. These “experts” cite the energy of the Tea Parties as evidence for a reviving the GOP, but what effect did these “populist activists” have on the healthcare debate? In June 2009, 72 percent of Americans favored a government health plan to compete with private insurers, and now after five months of Republican attacks on healthcare reform and the public option 72 percent of Americans support a government health plan to compete with private insurers.

And who is supposed to lead this Republican Revolution? Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele? With one ridiculous statement after another Steele has been nothing short of a national embarrassment. It was clear from the day that he was elected that Steele’s presence on the national stage would be an interesting one, to say the very least. The Baltimore Sun didn’t think Steele was even qualified to be Lt. Governor of Maryland, let alone run the Republican Party. Comparing Steele to his Democratic counterpart the Sun said:

By contrast, Mr. Ehrlich’s running mate, state GOP chairman Michael S. Steele, brings little to the team but the color of his skin.

Even seven years later, Steele doesn’t seem to have much more to offer (if he has anything to offer). And who else to the Republicans have? Mitt Romney?  Sarah Palin?

Perhaps people think the Republicans will recover because they will utilize the Internet to organize their supporters? One look at the new GOP.com shows little hope for the Grand Ol’ Party. Among the posts are inspiring, fresh new ideas like: Offshore Drilling is an Essential Step Towards Energy Independence, I Have Lost 45 Pounds in About 4.5 Months (w/ Pictures and Data), Give Bush a Break, and You Should be Carefull Who You Make Mad. And yes, that last post is someone paranoid that Obama is going to take his guns away.

The Republicans are pointing to a couple gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey as evidence of their come-back, but CNN picked up on the real trend in the 2009 elections. The Republican Party isn’t getting stronger, rather they are driving away independents and moderate Republicans. The party is blinded by its rightwing ideology, and it isn’t appealing to anyone except their dwindling, tea-bagging base. The Republicans have no healthcare plan, no environmental plan, no plan to jump-start the economy, and no plan to create jobs. They have become a party consumed by one thing: opposing Barack Obama and the Democrats. The Republican Party has nothing to offer, and their only hope for winning elections in 2010 is to sit back and hope the Democrats screw up… unfortunately, the Democrats have shown an affinity for doing just that.

Philadelphia Scientology Protest – Photo Flashback

Philadelphia protest outside the Church of Scientology building February 10, 2008.

Health industry lobbyists are a powerful force behind Congress

Bill Moyers Journal airs on PBS.

Bill Moyers Journal on October 9th highlighted the close relationship that health-industry lobbyists have with the U.S. Congress. Have you ever wondered why healthcare reform is so difficult even though 66 percent of Americans support a government-run program like Medicare and 73 percent of doctors support the public option?

Bill Moyers tells us:

Because, the medicine has been poisoned from day one. … Movers and shakers rotate between government and the lucrative private sector at a speed so dizzying they forget who they’re working for.

Moyers is right, the influence of health industry lobbyists is massive. He points out that there are six lobbyists for every member of Congress, and so far this year the pharmaceutical and insurance industries have spent over $216 million lobbying Congress. Moyers directs our attention to the infamous Senate Finance Committee, where the public option was voted down twice:

Over the last two decades, the current members of the Senate Finance Committee – you’re looking at them — have collected nearly 50 million dollars from the health sector. A long-term investment that’s now paying off like a busted slot machine.

Although Republicans have historically been the largest benefactors of health sector lobbyists, in recent years the money has poured in for Democrats as well. Until 2008 Republicans were netting close to 70 percent of donations from the pharmaceutical and insurance industries every election cycle since 2000. However, the money has been redirected to Democratic candidates in the current election cycle, and they are now receiving 56 percent of donations from both industries.

Opposing the public option isn’t about supporting freedom, it’s about protecting the profits of some of the largest and most powerful corporations in the country. The methods that they use undermine the effectiveness and legitimacy of our democratic government.

“So how about calling it what it is: a friendly takeover of government. A leveraged buyout of democracy. Outrageous? You bet. But don’t just get mad. Get busy.” ~ Bill Moyers

History will show if Obama earned his Peace Prize

Last Friday, Oct. 7, President Obama won the world’s most prestigious award, the Nobel Peace Prize, and 10 seconds later debate erupted about whether or not he deserves it. Honestly I’m not too sure what to think; it may be that only history will show if Barack Obama truly earned this honor.

The presidency cannot just be judged on its first 100 days, but on its actions throughout all the years. Although many progressives are frustrated at the slow pace of change, we must remember that this is a marathon not a sprint to the finish. We can look at his actions these first months to see if he is a president that is willing to stand up for change and promote peace around the world. When I look at Obama’s accomplishments I am filled with more hope for the future than I have had in the last eight years.

First and foremost, upon taking office in January President Obama promptly announced that the US would completely withdraw from Iraq. If calling an end to a war doesn’t at least get you in the running for a Peace Prize, I don’t know what would.

He has also peeled back the archaic restrictions on travel to Cuba. These were imposed by Kennedy and Reagan, and can hardly be said to have fostered good relations between our two nations. Hopefully removing these restrictions is the first step towards promoting peace with Cuba.

Obama has also reached out to develop diplomatic relations with countries that Bush had ignored. In addition Obama has pushed for nuclear non-proliferation around the world.

At the moment it is difficult to put these accomplishments into context; however, what I do know is that listening to President Obama’s critics is almost laughable. Republicans complain that President Obama has not done anything to earn the Nobel Prize, but what they don’t want you to think about is how they have worked tirelessly to stall government and judicial nominees, protect the interests of their campaign donors, and prevent vital reform. For their part, Congressional Democrats haven’t been too helpful either. It is disingenuous, at best, to work against the President at every opportunity, but then complain he hasn’t gotten anything done.

Imagine for a moment that the Republicans are right, and President Obama really has not earned his Nobel Peace Prize. This only highlights that you don’t have to be exceptional to be better than the Republican Party.

It isn’t clear just yet if the President has truly “earned” his Peace Prize, but he is certainly indicating that we’re headed in the right direction, even if it is a little slower than we would like.

I’m Alive!

That was a long break, but I’m back! It was impossible to keep up my blog posts while I was in Prague, and after returning in August I was either too busy catching up with family and friends, too lazy, or too busy catching up with schoolwork to post… at all.

I had a fantastic time in Prague. The people I met were all amazing, every beer was amazing, the city was beautiful, and my classes were fun.

I took my first class on documentary filmmaking, and another on the history of Central European film. I watched a lot of fantastic Czech, German, Austrian, Hungarian, and Polish films. I even made a few short films myself. It really is a shame that our equipment was so limited, the quality of these videos could have been better, but I am proud of it none-the-less.

Well I hope you enjoyed that. I know the sound is a bit poor in a few spots, or rather… the whole thing. Well, we worked with what we had I guess. I would like to do some more filmmaking in the future. Perhaps I will be posting more videos? Regardless, I will definitely be writing more. See you around!

Cool Czech Graffiti – Prague Picture(s) Of The Day

I have noticed in my travels that the Czechs are mighty fond of their graffiti, and so far it has been much better than the stuff I’ve seen around Philadelphia. There is random ugly graffiti everywhere in Prague, but some of it is art. I haven’t made it to the Lennon Wall yet, but I will be sure to post that once I do. Take a look at some of what I’ve found so far:

Prague Picture Of The Day – Incredible View Of The City