#Paul Wellstone

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Paul Wellstone

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My apartment building has coin-op laundry in the basement, and on the shelf where people store detergent there are also just enough quarters to start one load in the washer. This is the collective “oh shit I forgot my quarters” bank that anyone can borrow from to start laundry without having to climb all the way back up the goddamn stairs first. These quarters have been steadily used and replaced for multiple years now, and every time I see them I think about how upon such small foundations rests all of human society.

protoslacker

[airplanefoodblackmarket]

I can’t believe it’s been 20 years today since Paul Wellstone died. Anyway, I haven’t seen anything about the anniversary yet today, aside from the radio here, so I thought I’d do my own little tribute.

20 years ago today, on a crisp Northern Minnesota fall morning, the United States lost one of its best Senators, Minnesota lost one of her favorite sons, and we all lost some of the best people in politics. Senator Paul Wellstone, his wife Sheila, their daughter Marcia, campaign aides Mary McEvoy, Tom Lapic and Will McLaughlin, and pilots Richard Conroy and Micheal Guess died in a plane crash near Eveleth. Their loss is still deeply felt in my home state, and in the Democratic Party, and we’re still fighting to push forward all the things he believed in.

Rest In Peace, Paul, Sheila and everyone. We’ll remember you.

[proserpine-in-phases]

Today marks 20 years since Minnesota senator paul wellstone died. Sometimes I wonder where we'd be if he hadnt died in that plane crash. The 2002 midterm election was the only one i havent voted in since i became able to vote in 2000, and i still feel pretty shit for not voting, because Mondale, wellstone's replacement on the ballot, lost by less than 40000 votes which. Sure, I couldnt have made up for that with my one vote, but only 60% of minnesotans voted in that election

If more of us had come out and voted, we wouldnt have had norm Coleman in office those 6 years, voting in favor of the patriot act and the iraq invasion and every other dumb thing the Bush administration decided to do

And if wellstone hadnt died, he likely would have won, and he would have continued to vote in favor of the middle and working classes and against the dumb shit bush and the Senate Republicans were doing.

Anyway in 2008 Al Franken won the senate seat by only 300-some votes

So you know. That was close.

Anyway. Fucking vote lol

[zemagltd]

Everyday Poetry - "Sometimes, the only realists are the dreamers." Paul Wellstone

[radiofreederry]

Bumper sticker for former Vice President Mike Gravel’a failed 1996 campaign for President.

While Bill Clinton had served loyally as his brother Ted’s Vice President for eight years, former President Robert Kennedy disliked him both personally and politically, and viewed his campaign for the Democratic nomination in 1996 with dismay. Kennedy felt that Clinton’s conservatism posed a threat to the legacy of the New Deal and subsequent programs such as those of the Great Society and his own New Renaissance. He sought to find an heir to the liberal and progressive wings of the Democratic Party to oppose Clinton. His initial choice was Connecticut Senator Paul Newman, who rejected the idea as he felt he was too old. New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley, Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone, and Ohio Governor Dennis Kucinich were similarly uninterested for various reasons, least of all Clinton’s impressive lead in the polls.

Finally, Kennedy was able to recruit Mike Gravel of Alaska, who had taken over as his Vice President from 1974 to 1977 following George McGovern’s taking responsibility for the Colorado Springs bombing and resigning. Gravel announced his candidacy in September of 1995 and the primary field almost immediately narrowed to himself and Clinton, with former Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder as an also-ran. Gravel ran on a platform of responsible foreign engagement and non-intervention, strengthening of civil rights protections, and finally passing single-payer healthcare; Clinton campaigned on reducing government spending, reforming social programs, and exerting American strength aboard following the USSR’s reformation into the USER. After a bitter and drawn-out primary, Clinton emerged victorious thanks to lopsided wins in the South and Plains states as well as strong support from superdelegates. Rather than extending an olive branch to Gravel’s faction, Clinton snubbed them with his selection of Florida Senator Bob Graham as his running mate, and a resulting drop in liberal support contributed to his loss against New Hampshire governor Steve Merrill in November.

[deadpresidents]

What other campaign souvenirs do you have with that badge you shared?

It's actually not a ton of stuff. I wish I'd been better over the years about collecting campaign memorabilia because I'm always jealous whenever I see someone who has a cool collection of things.

I have a ton of buttons and stickers from the Obama campaigns, as well as an Obama '08 yard sign that's signed by Obama. I have a stack of Clinton/Gore bumper stickers that I somehow held on to after all these years.

In 2000, I was young and idealistic and caught up in the excitement of the first Presidential campaign I was of legal voting age for, so I jumped on the Bill Bradley bandwagon very early on in the Democratic primaries. Most of you probably have no idea who Bill Bradley even was, but he was the 2000 version of Bernie Sanders once the legendary Paul Wellstone decided against running for President. Deep down, we all knew that Vice President Gore was going to be the nominee, but there was some excitement for Bradley early on even though he didn't win anything and was basically finished by Super Tuesday. I have some Bradley buttons and stickers, and I have an invitation to a Bill Bradley fundraiser that was going to be held at the home of Geoff Petrie in Granite Bay, a wealthy suburb of Sacramento. At the time, Petrie was the General Manager of the Sacramento Kings and he was a close friend of Bradley, so that was exciting for a 20-year-old basketball fanatic. (Oh...for those who really don't know anything about Bill Bradley, I should also note that not only was he a U.S. Senator from New Jersey, but before that he was star basketball player who won two NBA titles with the New York Knicks and is in the pro and college Basketball Hall of Fame.)

Other than that, I have some posters and a ton of buttons from various campaigns. When I lived in Austin and was regularly going to the @lbjlibrary I would often buy handfuls of the assorted campaign buttons that they sold in their gift shop. I don't know if they still sell them, but it was a huge collection from dozens of different Presidential campaigns from various decades. I think the oldest button I ended up with was for Al Smith's 1928 Democratic Presidential campaign. I'm especially fond of my Wendell Willkie button because it's always fun to mention Wendell Willkie. I got a bunch of Nixon and McGovern buttons and even got a Romney button, but it's not for Mitt -- it's for the unsuccessful campaign for the 1968 GOP nomination by his father, former Michigan Governor George Romney. I have a McGovern/Eagleton button from 1972, which is interesting because Thomas Eagleton was nominated as McGovern's Vice Presidential running mate at the 1972 Democratic Nation Convention and then dropped from the ticket for Sargent Shriver just nineteen days later. And of course, I got a TON of LBJ and LBJ-related buttons -- from the 1964 campaign which sometimes featured LBJ and sometimes featured Hubert Humphrey and sometimes featured both LBJ and HHH, and from the 1960 Kennedy/Johnson campaign.

Here are a few of them (the "We Shall Overcome" button is my favorite:)

The coolest bit of political memorabilia that I have are a set of staff passes from the House Judiciary Committee's impeachment proceedings for President Clinton's impeachment in 1998, including one from the day that the special prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, testified. Former Republican Congressman James E. Rogan, who was one of the thirteen Republicans House Managers who actually acted as prosecutors during the Senate trial following the President's Clinton's impeachment, wrote a really great book called Catching Our Flag: Behind the Scenes of a Presidential Impeachment (BOOK | KINDLE) that I reviewed way back in 2011. In the book, Congressman Rogan (he's a Judge in California now) mentioned that he was a collector of political memorabilia and that he was very cognizant of the fact that he was playing a part in a major historical event -- which I mentioned in the review -- and I also noted that I respected how fair his book was despite the fact that he was a major political player in the impeachment and that he was so clearly from the opposite side of the political tracks than I am. His fairness actually resulted in President Clinton offering to help when Rogan was struggling to win re-election to Congress after the impeachment (which Rogan was grateful for, but turned down because it would hurt him more with his GOP supporters than any Democrats on the fence). ANYWAY...after I posted my review, Congressman Rogan contacted me and thanked me for the review and SENT ME SOME OF THE PASSES THAT HE HAD SAVED FROM THE IMPEACHMENT:

Here's the review of Congressman Rogan's book from 2011 (go buy it). Here's a post where I wrote a little more detail about getting the passes sent to me (and about the whole idea of tickets to impeachment proceedings in general). Also, as I noted in that post, if you are a stalker or a hater, don't go to the address on the letter that Congressman Rogan sent me in that photo because I haven't lived in Texas since 2011. (Also, if you're a stalker who looks like Shakira or Tessa Thompson, just send me a message and I'll give you my address.)

[mariacallous]

...

Wellstone, who became well-known for his big green bus, activism and passion for improving people's lives, was born in Washington, D.C. in 1944. After earning his B.A. from UNC Chapel Hill, Wellstone took a teaching job at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, where he taught for 21 years.

In 1990, the underdog Democrat won a seat in Congress, a role he served in for another 11 years until his death.

...

A monument now marks the wooded area where the plane came down and draws thousands of visitors each year. This year, the Wellstone family plan to launch a 3D virtual tour of the Wellstone Memorial and Historic Site in Eveleth. “The Wellstone Memorial and Historic Site in Eveleth is a beautiful moving tribute to my dad, mom, sister, Will, Tom and Mary, and I encourage Minnesotans who are in the area to visit, learn more, and pay their respects," Dave Wellstone said in a statement. 

“While the Wellstone Memorial is near the site of the plane crash, it is about so much more than that tragic day in 2002. The memorial tells the story of my dad’s life, his career in public service, and his incredible devotion to improving the lives of Minnesotans everywhere. Paul was a remarkable person and we can still learn so much from the passion and dedication to service that he brought to everything he did," Mark Wellstone added.

...

"I remember the first classes I took from him was on movements and social organizing, and I remember one of the first things he said in one of his early classes was, 'you can't separate the life you live from the words that you speak,'" Dan Cramer told KARE 11 political John Croman in 2017, 15 years after Wellstone's death.

Cramer was first a student of Wellstone's before becoming a volunteer and staffer, who said he was drawn to Wellstone's approach to politics. "The idea that politics wasn't about left, right or center, wasn't about big money or power game, it was about the improvement of people's lives," Cramer said.

[chrissorensen]

This summer I had the pleasure of photographing psychologist Gayle Berg for @bostonu. In addition to her practice in rehabilitative psychology, she has worked for decades as a mental health advocate to improve and expand access to quality mental health care. She and others lobbied Congress for equal treatment of mental health conditions and substance use disorders in insurance plans and in 2008, Congress passed the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equality Act. Her work and dedication has made mental illness less stigmatized and less discriminated against in the workplace and in insurance. Thanks to @cherrylhanson_bull for the assignment and to Gayle for being great to work with. . #gayleberg #bostonuniversity #portraiture #portraitoftheday #portraitphotography #portraitphotographer #portraitperfection #makeportraits #makeportraitsnotwar #editorial #editorialphotography #editorialphotographer #editorialshoot #mediumformat #portraitvision #portraitmood #portrait_vision #portrait_mood #portrait_planet #portrait_mf #myfujifilm #fuji #fujifilm #fujifeed #fujifilm_us #gfx100s #gf3264mm #onassignment #onlocation https://www.instagram.com/p/ClTxRESAOFX/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[swisshealth24]

Mental Health Parity: Ensuring Equal Access to Mental and Physical Healthcare

Mental health parity refers to the principle of ensuring equal access to mental health and substance use disorder services in healthcare coverage compared to physical health services. Historically, mental health services have been subject to discrimination and disparities in coverage, resulting in barriers to access and inadequate treatment for individuals with mental health conditions. Mental health parity laws aim to address these disparities by mandating equal coverage for mental health and physical health services in insurance plans. This article explores the importance of mental health parity, the evolution of mental health parity laws, and the ongoing efforts to achieve equitable access to mental healthcare.

Importance of Mental Health Parity

Mental health parity is essential for promoting equitable access to healthcare and addressing the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness. Mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, Hyperthermia Therapy in Frankfurt and substance use disorders, are prevalent and can have significant impacts on individuals' well-being, functioning, and quality of life. Access to timely and effective mental healthcare is crucial for individuals with mental health conditions to receive appropriate diagnosis, treatment, and support. Mental health parity ensures that individuals have access to the same level of care for mental health conditions as they do for physical health conditions, promoting better health outcomes and reducing disparities in healthcare access.

Evolution of Mental Health Parity Laws

The journey towards mental health parity has been marked by legislative efforts at the federal and state levels to eliminate disparities in insurance coverage for mental health and substance use disorder services. The Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 was the first federal law aimed at prohibiting discrimination in insurance coverage for mental health benefits. However, this law had limited impact due to loopholes and exemptions, leading to continued disparities in coverage. In response to growing recognition of the need for comprehensive mental health parity, the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) was enacted, which expanded protections for mental health and substance use disorder benefits in group health plans. The MHPAEA requires parity in financial requirements (such as copayments and deductibles), treatment limitations (such as visit limits and prior authorization requirements), and nonquantitative treatment limitations (such as medical management criteria) between mental health/substance use disorder benefits and medical/surgical benefits.

Challenges and Ongoing Efforts

Despite the passage of federal and state mental health parity laws, challenges remain in ensuring full compliance and enforcement of parity requirements. Insurers and employers may still impose discriminatory practices or limitations on mental health benefits, such as higher copayments, stricter utilization management, or narrower provider networks for mental health services. Additionally, disparities in access to Biological Immunotherapy in Cancer, particularly for underserved populations, such as racial and ethnic minorities, low-income individuals, and rural communities. Ongoing efforts are needed to address these challenges and promote full implementation of mental health parity laws, including:

Education and Awareness: Increasing awareness among consumers, healthcare providers, insurers, and policymakers about mental health parity laws and their rights and responsibilities under these laws.

Enforcement and Oversight: Strengthening enforcement mechanisms and oversight of mental health parity compliance at the federal and state levels to ensure that insurers and employers adhere to parity requirements.

Expanding Access to Care: Improving access to mental healthcare services, particularly in underserved communities, through initiatives such as telehealth, integrated care models, and workforce development programs.

Reducing Stigma and Discrimination: Combatting stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness through public education campaigns, anti-stigma initiatives, and advocacy efforts to promote understanding and acceptance of mental health conditions.

Conclusion

Mental health parity is essential for ensuring equal access to mental health and substance use disorder services and reducing disparities in healthcare coverage. The passage of federal and state mental health parity laws represents significant progress in addressing discrimination and inequities in insurance coverage for mental health benefits. However, challenges remain in achieving full compliance and enforcement of parity requirements, as well as in reducing barriers to access to mental healthcare services. By continuing to advocate for mental health parity, raising awareness, and implementing policies and initiatives to expand access to care, we can work towards a healthcare system where individuals receive equitable treatment for both their mental and physical health needs.

[livinginhisgratefulness]

Gun control opponents recognize prevention bills may pass this session as St. Paul recovers from a deadly weekend

ST. PAUL (Minn.) – Anguish and fear have erupted following a violent weekend that saw five people injured and two killed in St. Paul. Two separate celebrations of life were opened to the elements by someone who set fire to them. One was for Devon Scott (15-year-old boy who was stabbed to death at Harding High School). Residents living near shooting locations are often anxious. One resident said, “There are just too many young children running around with guns. I just don’t get it.” Troy Kennedy, 37, of St. Paul and Larry Jiles Jr., 34, were both killed on Saturday. Jiles was also known as “Chef Hot Hands”. After the second incident, Melvin Carter, a visibly shaken mayor, spoke. Three teens sustained non-life-threatening injuries in a drive by shooting at a Scott Wellstone Center service. The shooting took place less than 24 hours later. Carter issued a new call for gun restrictions. Carter stated that “we continue to see some common sense gun violence prevention Reforms that the vast majority Minnesotans and vast majority Americans support.” “Any celebration, any community organization, any space, can be violated in this heartbreaking manner.” Mayor Melvin Carter Gov. Tim Walz tweeted, “The gun violence in St. Paul is unacceptable.” Four major gun proposals are currently making their way through Congress. Two of the most important are a stronger background check and red flag law. Legislators are also facing a stricter requirement for gun storage and a bill that requires the reporting of stolen handguns. Rob Doar, of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, says that none of these measures would have prevented the weekend’s tragedy. However, he believes this year could see the passing of one or more of these bills. “I believe it’s probable that some of these bill will be passed. Doar stated that the Senate’s narrow margin will be a determining factor. “These particular measures have not received the same strong commitments from the Greater Minnesota senators as they have on other controversial items that have been moved forward.” Doar is the face against Minnesota gun control measures. The caucus has a lot of power, so for him to claim that there’s a chance of one these bills passing after all the years of being introduced but going nowhere is quite an accomplishment. What must happen in the DFL-controlled legislature to allow one of these to be passed? It would be necessary for the Senate and House to retain their very small DFL majority. With just one vote, the Senate majority could not have been narrower. Despite all odds, the DFL held St. Paul together for two months. This is why opponents such as Doar admit that this could be the year. Source

[deprived-gay]

Gun control opponents recognize prevention bills may pass this session as St. Paul recovers from a deadly weekend

ST. PAUL (Minn.) – Anguish and fear have erupted following a violent weekend that saw five people injured and two killed in St. Paul. Two separate celebrations of life were opened to the elements by someone who set fire to them. One was for Devon Scott (15-year-old boy who was stabbed to death at Harding High School). Residents living near shooting locations are often anxious. One resident said, “There are just too many young children running around with guns. I just don’t get it.” Troy Kennedy, 37, of St. Paul and Larry Jiles Jr., 34, were both killed on Saturday. Jiles was also known as “Chef Hot Hands”. After the second incident, Melvin Carter, a visibly shaken mayor, spoke. Three teens sustained non-life-threatening injuries in a drive by shooting at a Scott Wellstone Center service. The shooting took place less than 24 hours later. Carter issued a new call for gun restrictions. Carter stated that “we continue to see some common sense gun violence prevention Reforms that the vast majority Minnesotans and vast majority Americans support.” “Any celebration, any community organization, any space, can be violated in this heartbreaking manner.” Mayor Melvin Carter Gov. Tim Walz tweeted, “The gun violence in St. Paul is unacceptable.” Four major gun proposals are currently making their way through Congress. Two of the most important are a stronger background check and red flag law. Legislators are also facing a stricter requirement for gun storage and a bill that requires the reporting of stolen handguns. Rob Doar, of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, says that none of these measures would have prevented the weekend’s tragedy. However, he believes this year could see the passing of one or more of these bills. “I believe it’s probable that some of these bill will be passed. Doar stated that the Senate’s narrow margin will be a determining factor. “These particular measures have not received the same strong commitments from the Greater Minnesota senators as they have on other controversial items that have been moved forward.” Doar is the face against Minnesota gun control measures. The caucus has a lot of power, so for him to claim that there’s a chance of one these bills passing after all the years of being introduced but going nowhere is quite an accomplishment. What must happen in the DFL-controlled legislature to allow one of these to be passed? It would be necessary for the Senate and House to retain their very small DFL majority. With just one vote, the Senate majority could not have been narrower. Despite all odds, the DFL held St. Paul together for two months. This is why opponents such as Doar admit that this could be the year. Source

[strangertooplay]

Broadway World: New Play 'I Was A Stranger Too' To Open in St. Paul

BROADWAY WORLD

www.broadwayworld.com/minneapolis

New Play I WAS A STRANGER TOO Highlights Hope Amid Danger In Asylum System

Asylum seekers and refugee needs in the U.S. and around the world fill the news. But what can one person do?

by A.A. Cristi Jan. 10, 2023  

Asylum seekers and refugee needs in the U.S. and around the world fill the news. But what can one person do?

'I Was A Stranger Too,' a new play by Cynthia L. Cooper and directed by Carolyn Levy, tells the stories of people who are seeking asylum and those who help them. The play will have four performances, Jan 26 -29, at The Neighborhood House (Wellstone Center) in St. Paul.

Drawn from dozens of interviews, 'I Was A Stranger Too,' is set in Minnesota, where refugee resettlement is among the nation's highest per capita. The play follows a woman who, propelled by the memory of her mother's rescue from the Holocaust, is drawn to help asylum seekers. In unfolding monologues, she encounters a rich mosaic of people who are fleeing persecution, anti-LGBTI violence, civil strife and other threats, and individuals determined to welcome them.

"The play takes audience members beyond stereotypes to the power and capacity of the human spirit, sharing the hopes that can emerge from a single act of caring," said Carolyn Levy, director.

Featured in the play are Bethmari Márquez Barreto, Kirby Bennett, Nicole Frethem, Mahmoud Hakima, Megan Kim, Jasmine Porter, Shona Ramchandani, Abigail Ramsay, and Phasoua Vang; Karina Hunt is the Production Manager and music is by Leslie Steinweiss.

Carolyn Levy, director, is a former professor of theatre at Hamline University, where she founded a Social Justice Theatre program. She has worked at Theatre Unbound, Park Square, Penumbra Theatre Summer Institute and the Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company.

Playwright Cynthia L. Cooper is a two-time Jerome fellow at the Playwrights Center. An award-winning playwright with productions off-Broadway and across the country and plays in 17 volumes, Cooper lives and is active in the theater in New York.

'I Was A Stranger Too' was selected as a finalist in the Jewish Plays Project, for the Trish Vrandenberg Prize, a semi-finalist at the O'Neill National Playwrights Conference, and is a grant recipient of Rimon (Minnesota Jewish Arts Council), and the Alliance of Jewish Theatres.

Performances will be Thursday January 26 and Friday January 27 at 7 pm, Saturday January 28 and Sunday January 29 at 2 pm at the Neighborhood House (Wellstone Center), 179 Robie Street East in St. Paul. Tickets are pay what you wish (suggested $10).

Performances will be followed by talk backs with experts and community activists in the field.

Info:

Click Here to Buy Tickets

[recentlyheardcom]

20 years after his death, efforts to maintain Paul Wellstone’s legacy continue

20 years after his death, efforts to maintain Paul Wellstone’s legacy continue

Twenty years after U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash on the Iron Range — along with his wife, Sheila, daughter Marcia, three campaign staffers and the two pilots — there are new efforts to keep his name and legacy alive. For years, there has been a secluded memorial and historic site located outside Eveleth, Minn., near where the plane went down, that features a quiet path through…

[unitedfact]

Paul Wellstone Died 20 Years Ago in Minnesota

Paul Wellstone Died 20 Years Ago in Minnesota

On October 25, 2002, the Minnesota Democrat who was known for his large green bus, activism, and zeal for improving people’s lives was taken from this world when he was murdered in an aircraft crash. Today marks the anniversary of the horrific aircraft accident on the Iron Range in Minnesota that took the lives of seven people, including U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, his wife, daughter, and five…

[zemagltd]

Everyday Poetry - "Sometimes, the only realists are the dreamers." Paul Wellstone

[saidesignart]

Politics is not about power.

— Paul Wellstone