****
by MadameSoph
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Hi TODers,
I just wrote the President a letter in honor of today being the first day of the ACA. This law and my new coverage is so personally meaningful and life-changing for me. I volunteered for my local OFA this summer helping to get information to the students at our local community college in honor of my father, myself and a late friend of mine. Here is my letter to our President:
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Dear Mr. President:
Today, thanks to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Americans can no longer be turned down for health insurance due to a pre-existing condition.
This law is personal to me and also in memory of my Dad, who went through his entire Cancer battle uninsured. He had just started working for a new company and was waiting the obligatory 3 months for his insurance to take effect. During that time he was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma and, therefore, had a pre-existing condition and no coverage.
My Dad died in 1993 after a seven year, uninsured battle with cancer. But I know that he will rest easier on the other side, knowing that what happened to him can no longer happen to his daughter, thanks to the ACA.
Today I also remember my friend Giselle who died a few years after my father. She worked as an independent contractor and, therefore, couldn’t obtain employer-based insurance. She was young but still couldn’t afford the premiums on the private market so she did without insurance coverage, ignoring some minor symptoms because she couldn’t afford to go to the doctor uninsured. One night, something seemed terribly wrong and she went to the emergency room. They discovered late stage ovarian cancer and she passed away within a few weeks.
I am self-employed and have bought insurance on the private market for years now. Even with my excellent health, every year the coverage got more expensive and covered less. The only plan I could afford had a deductible so high I avoided going to the doctor except for my annual preventative check-ups. Even those appointments filled me with fear that the doctor would order a test that wasn’t covered, since my high deductible plan meant I would have to pay for it in full.
Today, January 1st, 2014, thanks to the ACA and Covered California, I have an insurance policy with a monthly premium that’s a fraction of what I was paying and co-pays that won’t keep me from going to the doctor. I can finally sleep easy at night knowing that if something doesn’t seem right, I can afford to go get it checked out.
Thank you, Mr. President and everyone in Congress who fought for this law’s passage and for continuing to work for its successful implementation.
****
The Obama Diary 
Peace.
Peace!
Let’s keep bt a bit honest.
Yes, but how? I was going to watch the NYC Inaguration. How did the computer installation go for daughter unit? Smoothly I hope.
I wish. Still struggling with m$.
Sorry to hear that.
Where is everybody? 😉
Probably (and unhappily) taking down the Christmas decorations, saying goodbye to family and guests, worrying about weight gained over the holidays and preparing for work tomorrow….. 😦
No, not until the Sixth!
That’s true, and in that case they are preparing for work tomorrow and not in the best of moods doing it.
That’s probably more like it.
Just saw LL’s post. Lol!
Sorry you’re feeling down, HF. I spent hours taking down all the outside decorations and the inside ones and just about every muscle in my body aches. Why do we do this to ourselves? It was so much fun to put things up, but now the outside looks dark and gloomy at night and there’s no cheery tree to look at. Sorry you to have to go to work–this is always the hard part of holidays. I wonder if the president feels that way about going back to DC or if his natural optimism and energy make him one of those people who are always raring to go when they get back to work.
🙂 🙂 Actually I’m not feeling down about tomorrow. I was just speculating/guessing that some folks might be – because that’s the nature of life after a holiday season. As so well articulated by “meeting boy” LOL!
Put a linky to her comment.
Done!
I saw this comment on the ‘Chat Away’ thread and felt it needed to be front paged.
This is what ObamaCare is, does, and is about. This is one more reason I’m thankful that President Obama didn’t give up the fight on behalf of 30M+ people even when the road was tough and others, left and right told him to abandon ship.
Thank you, MadameSoph for sharing your story with us and I’m glad ObamaCare is there for you whenever you need it.
Well done, UT.
Very important contribution by MadameSoph!!
Happy New Year, UT.
Happy New Year to you and yours too, Bob!
Many thanks UT – I read the post as well – it was a wonderful read – should be compulsory for Congress to read one of these letters every day of the year. I hope Boehner is getting many such letters.
MadameSoph – Again, what a beautiful letter! Thank you and Happy New Year!
And since I accidentally just posted this on the previous thread, thought I’d repeat it – in honor of the snow that’s falling outside, in my neck of the woods, AGAIN.
This is just beautiful MadameSoph, thank you so much for sharing your story with us – wishing you good health and happiness.
Thanks a million for posting this UT.
Beautiful letter MadameSoph. ACA is about peace of mind and you can’t put a price on that. Thanks for sharing with us, and thanks UT for front-paging.
(a carryover) – SoS Kerry continues his unrelenting efforts to stir movement in ME.
Hardest working SOS EVAH! Thank you Secretary Kerry for your peace efforts.
Thanks, indeed, SoS Kerry! His determination has been so evident; I hope everyone, especially middle easterners will reap good results from his persistence. Like the first tweet said ‘Feeling it will be a busy year!’
Happy New Year, everyone!
As I said in my year-end roundup, 2014 will be the year of the Obamacare voter.
Now back to getting over my hangover.
😆 You feeling delicate LL? Happy New Year!!!!
Woke up at noon. Had breakfast. Went back to bed. Got up, showered, went and stocked up on doggie food. Went back to bed. Am now having dinner. Will probably go back to bed.
To keep this a bit on topic, I had a NYE gathering last night. One of my guests is a self-employed book dealer, so of course the first question I asked him was “Have you signed up for Obamacare?” It turns out he was able to get pretty good insurance on the private market, but is definitely looking to see what Ocare offers. So he has a lot of time until March to fully look at his options.
Chips, you’re not alone. . .
Ha! Not the pic I thought I was posting. That ones about ME! Tonight is my last night alone while Hubby works. I’m sure he’ll think of something to get himself out of the house, like visiting his Mother. 😉
The invisible man: Bill Burns and the secret Iran talks………….by Arshad Mohammed…………….Jan 1, 2014 .
(Reuters) – The night before a round of high-stakes nuclear talks with Iran, U.S. President Barack Obama told his chief of staff he had “absolute confidence we have the right team on the field.”
Obama was not referring to his public negotiating team, led by senior State Department official Wendy Sherman, nor even to his secretary of state, John Kerry, who was soon to sweep in from Tel Aviv to join the early November discussions in Geneva.
Rather, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough recalled, Obama was talking about a secret group led by Bill Burns, Kerry’s discreet, disciplined and self-effacing deputy.
At times using U.S. military aircraft, hotel side entrances and service elevators to keep his role under wraps, Burns undertook arguably the most sensitive diplomatic mission of Obama’s presidency: secret talks with Iran to persuade it to curb its nuclear program.
In picking Burns, seen by his peers as a leading U.S. diplomat of his generation, Obama gave the envoy, who speaks Arabic, French and Russian, a chance to ease more than 30 years of estrangement between the United States and Iran.
If it ensures Tehran does not build a nuclear bomb, the Iran deal could stand as the capstone to Burns’ 31-year diplomatic career.
…………………………………….//
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/01/us-iran-nuclear-burns-idUSBREA000AD20140101
Thanks for sharing VC.
MP
Thanks for sharing your private letter to the President, MadameSoph – what a wonderful tribute to the President and everyone who worked hard for Obamacare (and continues to do so).
Apologies for this extreme OTness:
You know that tree that crashed through the garden wall at Christmas? Well, next door isn’t in too much of a hurry to get it fixed. But …… Danny is now carrying out nightly raids on their garden, and each time he returns he has a new (empty) flower pot in his mouth. 😕
I think they may speed up the fixing process very soon.
😆
Chips, once he’s gotten the seedlings started, please let DannyO know that he is more than welcome to plant flowers in my garden as soon as the weather here allows. There’s enough room for him to plant a variety of flowers, if he so desires, and I would be quite appreciative were he to do a vegetable garden as well. O, this will be such fun!
I’ll certainly pass on your request to your nephew VC, but he’s waaaaaay more skilled at uprooting than planting. Do you need any uprooting done?
Drat, I paid quite a bit last fall to have 1 tree and a huge shrub uprooted! If only I’d thought to wait a bit longer! 😦
Danny, the supreme negotiator.
Wow! I can’t believe you posted my letter! I’m soooo honored! This place is such a sanctuary for me. I found you earlier this year, when I saw MSNBC and others starting the circular firing squad again, just like they did before the 2010 elections. I was so frustrated because I see how hard this President works and I follow the news and the laws and it just frustrates me to no end that only a fraction of the incredible accomplishments get talked about in the usual media sources. He is the most liberal, intelligent, good-hearted President I have seen in my lifetime (and the finest :-)) Anyway…. I could go on and on…
Thank you TOD, Chips and everyone else for providing this place of support and refuge for those of us who see this great man for who he truly is.
And thank you again for this unbelievable surprise and honor! What a New Year it is already! Yay!
It’s a fantastic letter, MadameSoph. Thank you for sharing it with us!!
Happy New (& Healthful) Year
I’m sure the President appreciates your letter.
beautiful letter from a beautiful soul–thanks for sharing this painful story with us.
Bless your heart for writing such an eloquent letter to President Obama and sharing it with us. These personal testimonies are the most powerful way to spread the good that Obamacare is doing for Americans. Be well!
Thank you for sharing your letter, MadameSoph, with us. And thank you UT for highlighting it in thi new thread.
MadameSoph, your story is the story of millions, mine included. I lost my brother to the fact he had no access to health care, working for small businesses his entire life, chronic kidney problems making insurance impossible. He died 4 months after finally receiving the peace of mind of Medicare, but by then it was too late. I am self employed as well and know your fear . You tell the personal story that speaks for millions. Thank you.
MadameSophs letter is so inspiring. Somewhere I thought about 3.1 million young people were signing up. It was a couple days ago. Hope it’s true.
Chips, this is for you, you’re not alone in your struggle with toys for Danny. . .
😆 Carol, my life is a sea of toy stuffing these days, that photo is oh so familiar!!
We still pick up stuffing. I can’t resist those cute toys at Christmas. You know what Bear likes to rip apart every morning? A yogurt cup!
Somebody is in trouble.
😉
Yes We Can
sooooo nice to see. haven’t seen it anywhere else, however….
Hope the Mittbot goes down in court despite the best lawyers his money can buy.
Back after an after Christmas jaunt to see my two daughters. Went to Chicago where my youngest daughter lives as a Newly Wed with her law student husband. My other daughter flew from Munich where she now lives and works to Chicago too. My new son-in-law gave me a customized Obama tour to my delight. His law school is the same one Obama taught at complete with plaques outside the lecture hall he taught Constitutional Law in and the library room he spent time writing Audacity of Hope in. Got a glimpse of the Obamas’ house, ate in the Art Museum lunchroom as Michelle and Barack did on their first date. My daughter and son researched those and more tour spots they took me to on my visit. I am impressed they wanted to please me and figured out how to do it!
How wonderful!
What a great family you have, OG. Glad you got to experience so much goodness. Have a great new year.
Sounds nice Obama Grandmama. Nice time tell them we want to go to Hawaii, okay. 🙂
I meant to say next time. 🙂
That’s what I call a real treat, OG! One needn’t ask if you had fun. 😀
OG – impressive. They truly love and respect you and proved it with a very special gift. Thank you for sharing the story with us and Happy New Year to you and your family!!
Thanks! My two sons were spending this year’s holidays with their spouses family as we were all together last year. I feel like all of you are my family too. Thanks to Chips for giving us this place to meet to support the best President in my lifetime.
“Thanks to Chips for giving us this place to meet to support the best President in my lifetime.”
Could not agree more with you OG, in both expressions of gratitude – to Chips and our President.
#FORWARD Together
Wow – that’s a thoughtful gift indeed! So happy for you.
so glad you were in my city at Christmas. Enough snow and cold for you? The PBO tour warmed your heart I’m sure.
What a great present for an Obama supporter mother-in-law – this son-in-law shall go far 🙂 🙂
Oh Obama Grandmama, I am as happy for you as I am jealous! What a thoughtful gift! You’ve clearly raised some fine young’uns : )
Niceeeeee!!
UT, I was so excited to be the subject of a TOD post that I forgot to thank you specifically for posting it. Thanks for helping me share my story. My dad is smiling from the other side of the veil, I know.
O.k., back to football and dinner 🙂
You’re welcome, MadameSoph and thanks again for sharing your story with us.
MadameSoph, thank you for this post. Like you I have insurance for myself and my family as of today!! I am still pinching myself that it is real as it will change my life after many years of struggling with health care. Today I am saying prayers of gratitude and prayers of remembrance for those, people like your dad, who didn’t live to see this day. I wish you all the best – health, happiness, love and joy this new year.
Thanks, MomSense! I’m pinching myself too! To quote someone I greatly admire, “Change has come to America!”
You know Bob, if this keeps up, it’s just a matter of time before they drag President Obama in to this foolishness. A beer summit for the President and MHarris-Perry for a teachable moment. They want to drag him down as we start the New Year.
Zero chance of that happening, Cindy. ZERO!
Happy New Year
G’Night, everyone! Off to see if I can set a New Year pattern by actually getting a full night’s sleep.
Sweet Dreams!
Rest well ‘oh quiet one’!!!! 🙂
😉
Yes We Can
bbl … time to prepare a New Year’s Dinner!!!!
This is so shameful, Walmart is scum and I wish America would just boycott the hell out of this store until they treat employees like human beings. I don’t shop there and refuse to spend my money in a place that do not value their workers. Good for Costco, they know the meaning of decency.
Agree.
this is central to our recovery, but somehow the common ‘wisdom’ continues that you only make money by cutting staff and wages and benefits.
i linked to an article earlier today on the forecast for our economy in 2014. all the signs are positive, and economists are upbeat, but the article’s title is ‘Most Economists Say Happy New Year — Really’. just making sure you know the author knows this is not possible. then it lists a number of the indicators we constantly tout here on tod, successes of our president and democratic leadership.
the obligatory ‘yes, but…’ paragraph is most interesting to me. it says the economy cannot actually be improving because: ‘ the consumer remains under pressure from a lack of quality job creation and minimal wage growth’ !!! so the economy would be robust EXCEPT WAGES ARE LOW AND PEOPLE ARE STILL GETTING FIRED TO JUICE THE BOTTOM LINE. (sorry–i just get frustrated).
(chorus of tod voices): well, duh!
For the first 20 years of my life – the family tradition was to turn on the radio – 7pm Christmas night – and listen to the “Queen’s Christmas Message”. Across the world in many countries this was happening in millions of homes in countries that were/are part of the British Commonwealth.
When I saw in the US Press – and the Australian Press that Snowden had recorded “a Christmas message” – I literally threw up. Never have I seen such narcissism – and I have seen quite a few who tended that way.
He is surely “the man who would be King” – except that he has ended up in Russia – and they haven’t had much time for Kings since 1917.
A year from now, I don’t think many will remember the name “Snowden”. Let him have his moment – that’s all he’ll ever have.
He has earned no moment theo – not from where I see
If you have some time tonight this is so fun to watch. All of it is great – his is SOOOO well spoken even back then. I also enjoyed the end with his Q&A and interaction with people as he signs his book for them. You may recall one of the people who saw one of these book signings was a Chicago politician who was instrumental in convincing him to run for president because he saw his unique charisma interacting with strangers one on one in the book signings.
argh. typo. Not “his”. He is sooo…
spent New Year’s Eve and the New Year in bed with the flu. Not looking forward to trying to catch up at work tomorrow.
Peace and Progress to my TOD family in 2014. Let’s take back the House and see the best progressive second half of PBO’s second term that will return our country to its true roots.
I hope you feel better soon, 57.
Take care of yourself. Happy New Year to you. Take care of you.
I’m so excited about ObamaCare coming live today! What a wonderful achievement. I just got on Medicare this year so don’t know the ins and outs of ACA but just ran across this info that could be helpful for people who are choosing bronze plans because they are cheaper, but which have a higher deductible. The Silver Plan can actually be a ‘almost’ gold plan because of a little known subsidy. I don’t deal with it so the math is beyond me, but it’s quite detailed.
I’ve just found the What If site, but I saw some commenters discussing it on BooMan and so far it looks like it has good solid info. Twitter feed
@whatifpost
appears to be a great site. thanks
My son, who lives in New York City, chose a silver plan because he qualified for the subsidy.
I was rambling around yesterday and ran across candidate Obama’s speech at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Dinner. I think this was on Oct 17, 2008. He roasts McCain and others is hilarious!!
Very touching letter.
Matt Tabbi, Rolling Stone
“But this sudden decision by the party’s Washington establishment to reverse course and blame their failures on “fools” out there in the heartland is a joke. If you spend a decade treating your constituents like morons, you can’t point the finger at them when your party gets a reputation for being stupid.
You’re going to make George “Is our children learning?” Bush the face of your party for eight years and then turn around and call your voters stupid? Jesus. No wonder they decided to make the move during Christmas. “
if only 50% of Americans understood what you understand about American politics, this country would not be the ignorant mess it is.
That’s kind of you 57 – but we currently have George W Bush’s next best friend as our Prime Minister – lots of stupid down under as well
Oops, Matt Taibbi
Use’um when they’re on target; disregard them, otherwise 🙂
I don’t know why I found this on youtube – but a little laughter to end the day 🙂
I avoid predictions, except when I’m doing hard core systems science, and have an unassailable basis for making such.
With that caveat, the following is my one 2014 ‘political’ prediction (note: I did predict in 2007-2008 and throughout 2010-2012 that PBO would be elected & re-elected, respectively – to substantial annoyance to many 🙂 ):
Before 2014 ends a sizable majority of Americans will be in favor of repealing the 22nd Amendment.
Despite my admiration for President Obama I would oppose the repeal.
I’m a staunch advocate of term limits because in a democracy the dialectic is supposed to be fluid and ‘majorities’ are supposed to flux to ‘minority status’ and back again.
In fact, I think SCOTUS and Federal District Court appointments should be for ONE 12 year term.
I think the term limit for US Senators should be 12 years (two consecutive terms) with a hiatus of 8 years before running again for the Senate. Similarly, term limit for US House of Representatives should be 6 years (3 consecutive terms) with a hiatus of 8 years before running again for the House. And, time in the House or Senate should count in the limit of when one could run for the other Congressional body, i.e., one could not serve in the House for six years or the Senate for 12 years and then run for the other body without a hiatus.
That said, I think by the end of 2014 lots of folk are going to want President Obama to stay at the helm well beyond 2016.
#FORWARD Together
… time for some rest …
Very interesting. Do you think Dems can retake the House and keep the Senate?
Yes – if we all VOTE!!!
I agree. 2010 would never have happened if we had kept on voting. I did, and I am encouraging everyone I can to vote for Dems EVERYWHERE, so we can win the House and keep the Senate, and in the states, so everyone has better access to Obamacare, women’s rights, unions, etc.
In my world Judges have to retire at 70 – used to be appointed for life but someone got smart. I know there are some people who function very well into their later years – but the majority slow down, take longer to comprehend and do not always see a changing world to be of benefit to anyone. There is no such limitation for Senators but few stay beyond that age – those that do usually lose the party nomination the next time around.
I think the 2 term rule for a president is a good one – imagine if GWB could have served a third term. Changing the rule for one good President could create a disaster at another time.
My opinion only – the problem with congress members is not term limits – but is the need to continually raise money for re-election – and support those who will provide money for re-election. In my world elections are government funded – for all candidates that receive above a specified vote level – most in the US congress seem to spend an inordinate amount of time raising money. I get fundraising mail once or twice in the month before an election – I’m on my local member’s mailing list – have never had a fundraising email.
Thank you 99 for those insights. I think term limits are crucial and I also think State and National Elections should be funded exclusively through ‘public funds,’ i.e., a portion of State and Federal taxes are set aside to fund elections and use of other funds would be a criminal offense. Candidates would have to qualify for the funds (for the primary and general election) based on the number of signatures they could gather either electronically or via mail-in forms. The two Candidates within a Party receiving the most signatures for a particular office would be on the ballot representing that Party for the primary. Winning candidates would then compete in the general election.
Harold Ford says cutting entitlements will lead to jobs and more equality!
He just said that, I shit you not.
Isn’t he a lobbyist for K Street?
LOL!
Moooooooorning Early Birds!
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/01/02/early-bird-chat-114/