When the Governor’s office was asked by advocates what the Governor planned to do to address the Waiting List for the Physically Disabled(PD) Home and Community Based Services(HCBS) waiver, the answers varied widely and none satisfactorily addressed the concern.

People were told that once the fraud is taken care of within the Medicaid system, Kansans with disabilities who are waiting for services will be able to access the services as the funding will improve. This, of course; does nothing to address the over 3,300 Kansans who are currently on the waiting list, many of them nearing the 3 year mark. When the Governor espouses his passion for Kansas families, why isn’t he including the thousands of families suffering while their loved one goes without services?

In a brilliant display of complete bone-headedness, one advocate was told that she should give more money to the United Way as they can provide services. Seriously?? Exactly what does the Governor’s office think the United Way would provide someone who can’t care for their personal needs in their home?

This Administration confidently asserts that they can completely remodel the Medicaid system in under a year and have that be successful, at the same time displaying  (in glaringly obvious ways) that they don’t understand their OWN programs and services. For instance, the only mention of Centers for Independent Living in the Governor’s proposed budget was in a paragraph lumping them in with CDDOs as providing the same services.

If it’s not bad enough that the Administration doesn’t understand the systems they are trying to overhaul, they make it clear that they don’t value or even accept input or questions from the constituency. Many advocates were told yesterday that “We are not fielding questions on this issue but will pass on your concern.”

The Administration touts the public forums that were held, supposedly, to determine the shape of Medicaid overhaul. These findings were released late last year and indicated that Kansans really wanted Managed Care. Wait, what? As someone who actively participated in all of the different ways to submit ideas and information, Managed Care was brought up by the Administration and the several representatives of Managed Care organizations (for-profit companies) sprinkled throughout the “public”.

It felt much less like a natural progression of public input and much more like a “roadmap” toward what the Administration already envisioned. I feel that this is made very clear when Lt. Gov. Colyer repeatedly claims that January 2013 is not to soon to implement an entire Managed Care system for all of Medicaid because, by then, it will be 2 years worth of work. Really? Because they just wrapped up public input to help craft this colossal mess the latter part of 2011. If public input really mattered, it would seem that the starting off point for Managed Care would be at the end of that time period.

All in all, the fears that the disability community had in the beginning regarding the Medicaid overhaul, and public input being just lip service, seem to have played out accurately. It is past time to hold this Administration accountable for the cavalier way they are restructuring the very lives of Kansans with disabilities and assert that the experts on disability services are those with disabilities and our choice, our independence, and our knowledge needs to not only be integrated into any type of Medicaid reform, but needs to be paramount.

Today though I wanted to come out and express my overwhelming surprise and joy that Prop 8 has been struck down.  Read more about it over at the Bilerico Project.  I also wanted to point out that while I am very happy about this development it still pisses me off that in 2010 we have to hope for court rulings to ensure American citizens get equal rights.  What the fuck.  Anyhow, great news and I highly recommend reading Judge Walker’s Opinion.

I think whoever put this ad together did an excellent job.  Subtle, effective, and well thought out.  While I am personally not super anti-coal like some of my friends I do feel that the clean coal myth needs to be addressed.  My sincere hope is that as alternative ways to produce energy are perfected and implemented we will see less and less coal used.   Actually thats almost a near certanty as alternative energy is both cleaner and cheaper over the long run.

Anyhow, here is another video by the Reality Campaign.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdHuB7Ovl2o[/youtube]

Have a great Christmas everyone, I’ll see you again next week.

We’ve made it past the first vote — and we’re gearing up for round two in the Senate on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which would have a major impact on the lives of women who’ve been subject to pay discrimination.

With 57 Senators voting in our favor, we are now just 3 votes away from moving the bill forward. And we need your help to make fair pay a reality for women.

Here at the National Women’s Law Center, we’re reaching out to Senators in key states who voted the wrong way the first time around. If you live in one of the following states, at least one of your Senators voted against the bill: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, Florida, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia. Please e-mail that Senator now.

If you don’t live in one of those states, please forward this eCard to your friends, family, and contacts who do.

Thank you again for your support on this key bill. We couldn’t have made it this far without you.

Please, if you live in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, Florida, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, or Virginia please email your senator and try to get them to support fair pay for women.  This is one of those issues where our congress has the opportunity to address a serious injustice, we just need to help them along.

I know people who know people in Nebraska and my wife has family in Texas so we will be sending a few of these cards out.  I wish there was more to be done but maybe this little bit will make the difference.  They are only needing 3 more votes.  You never know your call or email may be the one that makes it happen.  Isn’t this what makes our Nation great?

Thanks once again

William ~ WWJV4.com

This was a good ruling that reinforces women’s right to privacy. I wish it was going to be enough to remind Phill Kline that he has an actual job to do other than pursuing his personal vendetta against abortion providers. I would think that after failing to indict Planned Parenthood the taxpayers of Johnson County would have reminded him of that. Guess not.

William ~ WWJV4.com

As predicted the story has spread quickly on both sides of the pro-choice debate. The response from the anti-choicers has been as predictable as always, but not so on the pro-choice side. Thats to be expected though from a group that sees the world in many shades of grey and not in absolutes. One advantage of this approach is you don’t look so foolish when things aren’t as they first appear. That seems to be the case here.

First the school came out with a statement saying that the art piece was performance art and wasn’t real.

Ms. Shvarts is engaged in performance art. Her art project includes visual representations, a press release and other narrative materials. She stated to three senior Yale University officials today, including two deans, that she did not impregnate herself and that she did not induce any miscarriages. The entire project is an art piece, a creative fiction designed to draw attention to the ambiguity surrounding form and function of a woman’s body.

She is an artist and has the right to express herself through performance art.

Had these acts been real, they would have violated basic ethical standards and raised serious mental and physical health concerns.
Helaine S. Klasky — Yale University, Spokesperson

Aliza Schvarts is standing by her original claim that she did in fact artificially inseminate herself while taking herbs to induce miscarriage.  Personally I would say that the most likely scenareo at this point is that it is in fact a performance art piece.  As such the contradictions and vague message makes perfect sense.

The debate and response to the performance is part of the art and while some may disagree I think it has great value.  As I clarified in a comment to my earlier post there is value in forcing people to ponder whether their support of womens rights and reproductive freedom is absolute or if its just theoretical.  Real or not her art project has accomplished that.

As we seldom get many comments (though the quality has recently improved greatly) I suggest heading over to Feministing as the discussion there is very good.  Of course I love hearing your thoughts too so please dont hesitate to post a comment.

William ~ WWJV4.com

Support The Fair Pay Restoration Act

Equal pay day is the day of the year in which women catch up to men in earnings from the year before. This year Equal Pay Day is recognized on Tuesday, April 22nd. Currently in America white women working full time jobs make on average make only 77 cents to the males dollar. For minorities the disparity is even greater. African American women earn 63 cents per dollar while Hispanic women are making a mere 53 cents on the dollar.

At WWJV4.com Summer and I strongly believe that our nation needs to recognize this difference and work to correct it. In its recent Ledbetter v. Goodyear ruling the Supreme Court made it virtually impossible for women to fight against this pay discrimination.

This ruling imposed the unreasonable requirement that women discover pay discrimination and file suit within 180 days. Sadly Pay is almost always confidential and the effects of pay discrimination are generally incurred over a long period of time. Therefore this ruling effectively eliminates any possibility of a successful legal solution to pay discrimination.

This is why we are supporting The Fair Pay Restoration Act (S. 1843) which will return women’s ability to fight for fair pay. Please join us in supporting equal pay for women by contacting your Senators and spreading the word about this bill.

Thanks.
William and Summer
WWJV4.com

The goal in creating the art exhibition, Shvarts said, was to spark conversation and debate on the relationship between art and the human body. But her project has already provoked more than just debate, inciting, for instance, outcry at a forum for fellow senior art majors held last week. And when told about Shvarts’ project, students on both ends of the abortion debate have expressed shock — saying the project does everything from violate moral code to trivialize abortion.

But Shvarts insists her concept was not designed for “shock value.”

“I hope it inspires some sort of discourse,” Shvarts said. “Sure, some people will be upset with the message and will not agree with it, but it’s not the intention of the piece to scandalize anyone.”

For senior, abortion a medium for art, political discourse by Martine Powers – Yale Daily News

Like I said, I dont understand art.  I am sure that her exhibit will do exactly what Aliza Shvarts wants though, create discourse.  I personally have always felt that there is great value in challenging peoples opinions and beliefs in this fashon so I look forward to watching this play out.

While I sympathize with those who feel that this trivilizes the pain of an unwanted miscarriage I applaud Aliza Shvarts for the courage to make such a bold statement.  Hopefully we can all learn a little more about ourselves and our society through this.

The exhibit is open to the public from April 22nd to May 1st at the gallery of Holcombe T. Green Jr. Hall.  I’m sure by then everyone will know about this story so expect to hear more about this here.  If anyone has pictures I would be interested.  Thanks in advance and please feel free to leave comments.

[youtube width="500" height="394"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suNqiAgE1kw[/youtube]

You know the problem with buying anything on an installment plan is that you end up paying way more than its worth and by the time you own it the thing is broken and worthless.  I say we return it and cut our losses while we still can.

My own expectations were surpassed and the level of excitement and unity was amazing. I know that I am gushing a bit but I am really happy about the way that the whole thing turned out. Now it’s time to start preparing for next year’s march. lol

The one thing that I did want to say is that while this was an amazing way to show support for equality and to speak out against hatred and bigotry, these are things that need to be done every day not just once a year. My challenge to myself and to our readers is to find ways, every day if possible, to promote that message. Even if it’s something small, do it. Real change happens when we live it.