If you didn't see Last Week Tonight with John Oliver last night, the Main Story was on abortion rights across the country. And it was excellent. Detailed, pointed and it allowed for them to be scathingly funny throughout.
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As readers of these pages know by now, I go out of my way to praise the fine line of homecare products from Sensitive Home, invented by my friend Dr. Gregory van Buskirk, better known as Dr. Buzz.
Well, today it's not just me praising them. That's because for the third time in their third year of existence, Sensitive Home has been named a Safer Choice Partner of the Year by the EPA! Only 30 companies were so-named, including Apple and Seventh Generation. In fact, Sensitive Home was listed *above* the far-better known (so far...) Seventh Generation. Oh sure, some might say that that's because the list is alphabetical. But I say the list being alphabetical was kismet and God's way of bringing proper attention to what's right. He's ba-ack! After over five months off the air, due to the Writers Guild strike, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver returned to HBO. The Main Story was about Prison Health Care, which I've embedded below, but though it was a good report (not one of their best, but good), what I wish is that instead they had made available the first segment, which I know they never do. But it was a 10-15 look back at some of the major stories they weren't able to cover during the past 5+ months. It was often extremely funny -- most especially their scathing treatment of Lauren Boebert (R-CO) getting kicked out of the musical Beetlejuice. But a lot more topics, as well. Including a wonderful segment on the Writers Guild Strike, while noting that the AMTPT studios could have settled this with those terms five months ago, rather than put many tens of thousands of people throughout all manner of jobs at risk or out of work. Still, this report is, as I said, good. And ultimately, it's great to have the show back. We take a point of personal privilege today, and in doing so also take a blessed, momentary respite from the woes that is Trump. I’m mentioned in the past my cousin Diana Leviton Gondek, who’s a very talented artist back in Chicago. (Actually, she’s a very talented artist wherever she is…) I’ve noted her getting a commission from the City of Chicago to make several large, wonderful horse sculptures to honor fallen Chicago police officers that were placed around the city, including the lobby outside the mayor’s office, when Rahm Emanuel was His Honor. She also was commissioned to design the 50th anniversary poster for the Special Olympics (which I never knew until then began in Chicago). And just received a grant from the State of Illinois. I bring up these few items of many to make clear it’s not just my bias saying what a very talented artist she is. But rather my honesty… Diana is now involved with a project on behalf of epilepsy, the Hidden Truths Project, which is dedicated to engaging and empowering those with epilepsy through the arts. (Founded in 2012, they've raised over $500,000 for epilepsy research. You can read more about the organization here.) And on behalf of that, she was interviewed by the local CBS television station that did a piece on the exhibit. You’ll see her with a painting she had in the show – her new style is one I particularly like. And happily, she sold it, and proceeds will go to the charity. You can see more of her work here. And so, using Squatter's Rights on my own website, here's the two-minute video. It turns out that Republicans have realized that proclaiming themselves “Pro-Life” isn’t resonating with the public anymore, and what’s needed is to “re-brand” themselves. Because, yes, that’s the problem, the brand name – not that their position is to restrict abortions, in some cases no later than after just six weeks when most women don’t even know they’re pregnant, with no exceptions for rape or the health of the woman, and pushing towards a national abortion ban. It’s the brand, apparently that is infuriating women voters -- in fact, voters of both genders and both parties, and by massive majorities. It’s the name! In fairness, there have been instances where a product name did hurt the brand. Most notably the appetite suppressing candy Ayds, which never was able to overcome the unfortunate allusion to a deadly illness, and it went out of business. Other problematic brand names include – IKEA’s Fartfull Workbench, Wack Off! Insect repellant, The Jew’s Ear juice beverage, Reebok Incubus athletic shoes for women, iBeat Blaxx mp3 player, K.U.M. Hair Care and 666 Cold Preparation. (And yes, all these are real.) So, with all these examples supporting them, “Pro-Life” proponents in the Republican Party clearly believe they’re in very good company for pointing to horrific brand-names that pummeled the product. Of course, the hurdle with this thinking is that in these other instances, the companies had perfectly good products, but mind-numbingly awful names. Pro-Lifers have a perfectly excellent name with a crash-and-burn product. The result of all this is that Republicans have been searching around for a new brand that people will like. One possibility I might suggest is “Pro-Choice.” The public seems to love that -- a lot. Unfortunately, it’s been taken. As has another alternative to Pro-Life -- “Live Long and Prosper”. A good brand that’s available might be “Team Pizza.” No, it has zero relation to abortion, but that’s clearly a good thing, and people really love pizza. Or perhaps “Pro-Ceed.” After all, “pro-” has the right connotation that these brands require, “proceed” is forward looking, and “ceed” is a homonym that would remind people of the initial step of procreation and life! However, what the Republican Party seems to have come up with (for now, because – as they say in show biz – it doesn’t seem to have legs. Or thought) is “Pro-Baby.” That’s what the GOP’s ace marketeer Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) came up with. (Interestingly, it’s possible that he was spurred on to this brand by adapting my “Live Long and Prosper” idea. The connection to Star Trek’s Mr. Spock would remind people of Dr. Spock – and he, of course, is beloved as the famous baby doctor! Pro-Baby, indeed.) Despite initial skepticism, one thing I must acknowledge is that there’s something brilliant about this new brand for former Pro-Choice Republicans. Not only does “Pro-Baby” let Republicans appeal to voters on behalf of cute, roly-poly cherubs – but even more, it’s a direct connection to the Republican Party Leader! In fact, they even already have a mascot built in and ready to go! And what brand isn’t improved by an adorable mascot? Pro-Baby! Imagine how impactful this brand-new brand name and flying Trump Baby will be in tandem at anti-abortion rallies for the Republican Party!! Oh, baby! Such excitement. The fevered pitch of proselytizing, outraged speeches on behalf of babies, beautiful wholesome babies, as eyes search the sky in anticipation of that explosive moment when – there it is! -- the blimp soars overhead. And instead of throwing confetti in the air, crowds could bring talcum powder and fling it.
Every time you think “Pro-Baby,” you’ll also think of Trump. And every time Trump comes to mind, you won’t be able to help but think immediately “Now, there’s a Pro-Baby.” It’s marketing 101 heaven. There is, however, one major downside to marketing your no-abortion brand as “Pro-Baby.” And unfortunately, it really is a big one. (Well…it’s a really big one when you’re the Republican Party, so maybe they haven’t thought this through all the way.) If you are going to call yourself the “Pro-Baby” Party, then you pretty much have painted yourself into a corner of being obligated to support…well, babies. And that’s never been a major GOP strong point. Being “Pro-Baby” means you have to support accessible and affordable funding for child care. And paid family leave from work -- for both the mother and father. And childhood vaccines. And early pre-K education. And you need to do all this, providing not just basic assistance, but going all-in with full, unfettered support because you are now “Pro-Baby”. There is also one other, more pesky problem for Republicans in switching from being “Pro-Life” to “Pro-Baby.” They will now only be able to address abortion from the standpoint of the baby. No more convoluted arguments trying to convince others about when “life” begins. Or trying to give human rights to a xygote or a fetus. Because we all know what a baby is, and a seed isn’t a baby, a xygote isn’t a baby, even a fetus isn’t a baby. (After all, that’s why it’s called “a fetus.”) And once the fetus does finally become viable as “a baby” – which is now, with its “Pro-Baby” brand, the core of the GOP anti-abortion brand – there is absolutely no political official of any party who is trying to make a case for allowing abortion at that point. None. Zero. Nada. So, Republicans appear to be in a very difficult place. And they’re making it much harder for themselves by choosing to go Pro-Baby. (Or, to put it another way, by taking the pro-choice option to be Pro-Baby.) Mind you, I’m all for Republicans becoming Pro-Baby. It’s about time. It’s just a huge problem for them, both having to drop their old, Pro-Life brand and live with this new Pro-Baby one. My suggestion is that Republicans make things so much easier on themselves and drop the whole "Pro-Baby" idea and, instead, just go with -- The Associated Press did an analysis of government data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the current status of COVID-19, in relation to people who are fully vaccinated and those who refused to get shots. And while the results aren’t surprising, they’re notable.
And that begins with the report showing that COVID deaths in the United States are about 300 a day as of March (it’s down to about 100 per day now, though should go up again next winter). But critically important, it added that almost all of these COVID-19 deaths today in the U.S. are for people who weren’t vaccinated. But, y’know, that whole “personal choice” thing and all. So, life goes on. As does COVID Also, while the data from May shows there have been 853,000 hospitalizations for COVID-19, less than 1,200 of those come from “breakthrough” infections in fully vaccinated people accounted. Which, for those of you without an abacus is 0.1%. In addition, there were more than 18,000 deaths COVID-19 in May, but by comparison, only 150 of those were for people who were fully vaccinated. And that’s 0.8%, which by most mathematical standards is really small. Which means that a lot of people who had the option to make a “personal choice,” did a very tragically bad job choosing. In fairness, the CDC says that some states are more aggressive than others when tracking breakthrough infections, and not every state even does so – five or so don’t. So the data likely understates breakthrough infections. But the trend is clear and emphatic. For instance, Andy Slavitt, who was the Biden Administration adviser on Covid-19, estimated a few weeks ago that 98% to 99% of Americans who are currently dying from COVID-19 are unvaccinated. But then, that’s their personal choice, of course. Further, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky reiterated that very same point this week when discussing the effectiveness of the vaccine, saying that "nearly every death, especially among adults, due to COVID-19, is, at this point, entirely preventable.” And as such, she said that deaths from COVID today are “particularly tragic.” And tragically, that was their personal choice. Unfortunately, it was not the personal choice of the vast majority of Americans who got vaccinated to continue living with an active COVID-19 virus that continues to mutate among so many unvaccinated. |
AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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