The Health Care Debate - Facebook Style

I just wanted to post my response to one of my friends recent posts on facebook. He's a great guy and a hard worker, but I feel like he's the prime target of a lot of misinformation spiraling around regarding healthcare. Now, I don't believe I'm an expert on the subject or anything, but I've heard enough from both sides of the argument to take a position. And, as someone currently without healthcare, I am most definitely an interested party.

Here's his post followed by my response(s).

Mike Robinson Thanks Obama and other various crazy-assed left politicians. The health care "reform" will end up taxing the hell out of us who actually worked hard for a decent job/career that provides health care. Hope you can buy back your senate seat from Blagoi..????..vich.

Charlie Christenson

You're drunk.

Mike Robinson

Not yet...but soon. I'm just worried, because all the big corps that employee all of us college grads, are announcing that they have to cut back on a lot because of new "tax issues" concerning the new legislation on health care.

Charlie Christenson

Oh, Michael. Most likely they're lying to you... Those big companies want to lay you off to try to save a buck and their corporate asses, and poor people who can't afford health care are the ones they blame for it. Don't be mad at the poor people, or the ones trying to help. Be mad at the greed. Be mad at the insurance companies who have denied coverage to sick and dying children for years. Be mad at the financial policy makers of the last 16 years. And know that these "new taxes" will only apply to the disgustingly wealthy (who have ridiculous health care plans), and won't kick in for another two years. Everything else is a lie. The people creating these lies want to maintain the status quo of big big business and are leading us down a path were the middle class (you and I and our parents) no longer exist. There'll be just rich and poor. And I'd rather not be poor... (or poorer) right?

More money to the G-men, screws all of us.

This is in no way to try to humiliate Mike - instead, I thought we could continue the discussion on the blog?

Super.

Fabian Almazan and the LA LA Land

Last week I got a chance to check out the Terence Blanchard Quintet and hang out with one of my favorite people in the world, pianist Fabian Almazan.

While my revue of their venue (Catalina Jazz Club) wasn't on the rosy side, my review of their set(s) definitely was. They played with imagination and energy and were a bit of a breath of fresh air for someone who hasn't heard a high level of live music lately.

The next day we hung out at a great little taco place (which just so happens is owned by the cousin of jazz singer Diane Reeves) and hit up what is probably the final living saint of record stores, Amoeba Music... it's the highlander, there can be only one.

(the great thing about dropping names in a blog is that you can hyperlink all of them - or is that the worst?)

In a related story, Nick, Fabian and I saw one of the ZZ Tops and heard a guy utter what is, so far, probably the worst iPad joke - "Forget iPad, check out my iC@ck!"

Classy, as always.