Fat Need Not Apply

An article published last week on the Wall Street Journal's Health Blog quotes Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove as lamenting the fact that he cannot legally refuse to hire morbidly obese individuals and as supporting stigmatization of, and discrimination against, overweight individuals.

The Cleveland Clinic has deemed smokers to be unsuitable for employment. New employees are required to undergo a cotinine test and are refused employment if testing indicates that they smoke or use smokeless tobacco.

Now, it appears that smokers may be just the first group that the Cleveland Clinic is trying to purge from its work force. The overweight and obese appear to be next, as soon as Cosgrove gets word that it is only the morbidly obese who are protected by federal law.

While the Americans with Disabilities Act protects individuals who are morbidly obese, it does not protect those who are merely obese or overweight. Thus, there is nothing to stop the Cleveland Clinic from refusing to hire anyone who is overweight or obese. The Cleveland Clinic is perfectly free to make being thin a requirement for employment. And it's frightening to know that its CEO is even thinking about doing so.

To be clear, what the Cleveland Clinic is doing is discriminating against smokers in employment. They are justifying this selective and targeted employment discrimination on the grounds that it is important to promote a healthy workforce. Yet they show no desire to actually promote a healthy workforce by making sure that prospective employees are actually healthy. They can be as unhealthy as they want to be, as long as they don't smoke and are not over weight.

What's next? Refusal to give smokers and obese/over weight people health care at the Cleveland Clinic?

http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/2009/08/cleveland-clinic-ceo-quoted-as.html

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Show Everyone Real Freedom of Speech

In Arizona alone: At Democratic congress woman Gabrielle Giffords healthcare meeting a rabid protester dropped a gun out of his pocket. Anne Kirkpatrick couldn't get hers started... The meeting was shut down, republi-cons bragged, calling it "recess roastings". Harry Mitchell's meeting was a farce, with "screamers" everywhere... no respect shown. Threats of violence were issued to Union members if they showed up to voice their opinions.

Last night, republi-con Jeff Flake held his meeting... it was civil and orderly, people outside joked with the media that they were "the angry mob". At Trent Franks meeting they were disappointed there wasn't enough room... again, very subdued and joking about being "the angry mob". John Shadegg's meeting was similar. All three republi-con congress members had one thing in common, respect shown.

Guns, screaming, threats of violence... no respect at the Democratic congress members meetings. Orderly, civil, subdued, and jokes about being "the angry mob" at all the Republican member meetings. That describes Arizona and the rest of the USA currently.

It's evident in Arizona, on FAUX News, right wing radio and through out America, free speech exists for the Republican party. Especially when it resorts to outlandish behavior, inciting violence and preying on people's fear.

Taking August off has once again played into the hands of the party of NO. The Democratic Party is reeling during this recess. The repukes had a strategy... absurd and idiotic as it is... it's effective, and it's taking the voice from the healthcare discussion. Democrats need to be smart about this right now... get organized... this could be a significant political turning point... time to stop fucking around. Democrats won majorities in both Houses, the Presidency... in other words, the vote... time to immediately pass effective healthcare legislation, show everyone real Freedom of Speech!!

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Thirteen Days

The world, for thirteen straight days, has been mourning Michael Jackson's death. As the world mourns, NBC and others feed the grieving masses with such topics as flying Bubbles to the funeral, or keeping the bad news from Bubbles as to not harm the emotional well being of the chimp. It is as though the world stopped thirteen days ago and then collectively went insane.

Is something wrong with me when the world seems to be grieving so? Here I am searching the channels for real news about the economy, health care, etc., only to find that Michael Jackson's life and death transcends all such mundane topics.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm sorry that Michael died at such a young age. I like Michael's music, and cannot deny that MJ was a true genius. But being subjected to non-stop tabloid news for thirteen days is more than I can take.

That sound you just heard was me turning off the TV for another six months.

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Leave it to Sarah

Since it's a different point of view, here's the Iowa paper of record on Moose Killer's resignation.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's decision to leave office this month could help her begin laying the groundwork for Iowa's 2012 Republican presidential caucuses, influential Iowa and national party insiders said Friday.

. .Dave Roederer, top Iowa adviser to former President George W. Bush and Sen. John McCain, said it would be difficult for Palin to begin making contacts in Iowa next year in anticipation of a bid for the leadoff caucuses were she still governor.

. . "Geographically, I just don't know if she could do both jobs. The distance is huge," said Roederer, who was McCain's 2008 Iowa campaign chairman. "You can't just give a speech and fly home the next day."

Remember what I said the other day about the GOP gubernatorial hopefuls? Guess which county also weighs in.

Sac County Republican Ann Trimble-Ray, who was a strong supporter of Palin last year, said she would be disappointed if Palin were stepping down in order to get a jump on a 2012 campaign.

"If she is thinking of running for higher office, she's not done the right thing," said Trimble-Ray, who is county party vice chairwoman and was a delegate to the 2008 Republican National Convention. "You need to be loyal to the people who elected you. It shakes my faith in her judgment, which I had thought was very good."

Sarah will be forgiven, especially if Huckabee decides not to run or won't walk away from his less-than-ideologically pure positions.

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If its July 4th, its time to think of traitors

How do you know it's a holiday? It's because I crawled out of the woodwork.

Anyway, something to consider from This American Life that was broadcast last month: Turncoats

Brandon Darby was a radical activist and one of the founders of the incredibly effective relief organization Common Ground. Michael May reports on how Darby changed from a revolutionary who wanted the overthrow of the U.S. government into an informant working with the FBI against his former radical allies.

The event in question is related to the RNC Welcoming Committee that was formed in opposition to the August 2008 Republican Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. One of the things that protest groups struggle with is the presence of police or federal provocateurs whom insinuate themselves undercover into the groups and then either provoke or initiate violent or destructive acts. The assumption is that the agents are working with the knowledge of their superiors or handlers. I think that's probably too clear cut - with the extreme personalities attracted to these roles or missions, how often do they go out on their own either to inflate their own self-importance or so they can be heroes and kick ass?

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Follow Up to the Republicans Without Rhythm

Deeth - History of the recent Iowa Gub contests and speculation from the Iowa BlogFather.
Early odds on the GOP Race for Governor at Bleeding Heartland
Enter Dennis Fong - from Radio Iowa

I know no one paid attention, but remember - this will all shake out 2 hours before the 2012 caucus campaign begins on November 3rd, 2010. This will be a proxy war, and whomever wins will articulate the early message in the presidential campaigns.

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My annual Fourth of July whine

Why are we the only Americans? If you've taken Spanish, you might be aware that our continental neighbors to the South bristle a bit at our arrogance in claiming sole ownership of being American. We're obliquely referred as norteamericanos, as much as we may address them as Latin Americans or South Americans; to the rest of the Spanish speaking hemisphere any citizen of the Americas is called americano.

The architect (and ego) Frank Lloyd Wright proposed the use of the adjective Usonian in place of American to describe the particular New World character of the American landscape as distinct and free of previous architectural conventions. Wright also thought that the post-WWI war America, known to Europe now as US, Uncle Sam, USA from its army initials, should be USonian. Although rarely used in the sense of "U.S. citizen", Usonian is more common than the alternatives.

It'll never happen of course. Too many of our contemporaries are wrapped up in the identity of being American. To these people, using Usonian is about as Socialist as Single-Payer health care or the public option.

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