tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45796027220542630022024-02-08T12:07:15.398-08:00Nessessary Daily NewsNessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-26713729005687267962016-04-05T18:53:00.001-07:002016-04-05T18:53:27.642-07:00Good news: #ListentowomenThe developing rough draft of a project focused on celebrating some of the women in my life:<br />
<br />
https://m.soundcloud.com/ness-white/sets/women<br />
<br />
A special shout out to Jacqueline Anne for the hash tag idea!Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-21945256307010363182016-04-04T06:01:00.002-07:002016-04-04T06:03:05.970-07:00Good news: A poem for your dayLife is a journey,<br />
<br />
And we are all travelers --<br />
<br />
<br />
Inhaling,<br />
<br />
Exhaling<br />
<br />
Stories.<br />
<br />
-Yours TrulyNessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-75747914601363230442016-04-03T11:52:00.000-07:002016-04-03T11:52:19.343-07:00Good news: A quote for your day"News does not have to come from outside of yourself." - Yours Truly<br />
<br />
<br />Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-24873056759167202972016-03-30T16:35:00.000-07:002016-03-30T16:35:33.598-07:00Great news: Kayla got into all her desired colleges!<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">"My high school counselor said I wouldn't get accepted into any of the schools I applied to, but I got accepted into all of them </span><i class="_4-k1 img sp_UkKp2mjPS47 sx_80e3d6" style="background-color: white; background-image: url(https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/v2/yp/r/aeO1ik7i7-T.png); background-position: 0px -2856px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: auto; color: #141823; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 16px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; vertical-align: -3px; width: 16px;"><u style="left: -999999px; position: absolute;">👊</u></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">This was 18-year-young Kayla Harrell's Facebook post on March 23, 2016. Since then, close to 100 people have liked -- or reacted to -- it in some way, and the post has more than 20 supportive comments and a few shares. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">While the excitement of her success is elevating, the high school senior remembers when the discussions with her counselor about college brought her down.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">"I kind of believed her," Kayla told Nessessary Daily News during an exclusive interview, adding that her counselor told her in January that her grades were not good enough for her to gain acceptance into the three schools she applied to. "I was like, 'I'm just gonna hope that I get into these schools anyway.'"</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">And she did. Not only did Kayla get accepted to Forbes list's George Fox University in Oregon, Southern California's Vanguard University, and Seattle's Cornish College of the Arts, but she has also been offered hefty scholarships to two of those three schools.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">"It was because of my talent," said Kayla, who plays and wants to continue studying classic guitar in college. "Your school may try to make you think it's all about your grades. But really, [colleges] want to know who you are, what your work ethic is.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">"Things happen throughout high school, throughout middle school -- you're not always in the best place," she continued. "Schools understand that.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">"It's OK to fall and come back."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span>Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-529919575054615332016-03-26T09:00:00.003-07:002016-03-26T09:00:44.618-07:00To vote or not to vote: Arguments for and against the ballot<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>This article was originally published in the Viet Tide on March 25, 2016. It was written by Ness white and has been edited accordingly.</i></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last week, we covered the topic of voter apathy -- specifically sharing that while there are reports about the mainstream American public not fully participating in its electoral rights, the Vietnamese-American community largely exercises its vote. We also pointed out that the leading presidential candidates’ campaigns that are galvanizing American voters this year do not seem to be aligned with the Vietnamese-American community’s interests.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We raise a question then: If none of the leading presidential candidates seem worthy of the Vietnamese-American vote, will the community that turned out in large numbers in 2012 do the same this year? Should members of the community even vote for the next president if there is not a viable candidate to choose?</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To help us with our dilemma, we offer some arguments for and against voting this year.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Against voting</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a Waking Times article published last week, contributor Stephen Parato laid out the case for not voting, sharing that he is not going to vote this year because he does not want to comply with a “broken system.”</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I choose not to vote, not out of ignorance, nor out of apathy (actually quite the opposite), but out of noncompliance with a broken, fundamentally corrupt and laughably ineffective system,” Parato wrote. “If given the choice between stabbing myself with a knife or stabbing myself with a fork, I would choose neither (after questioning why I would even stab myself in the first place).</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We shape society based on our daily actions, not by hoping someone else will come and save us.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Delving more deeply into his reasoning, Parato wrote that the system is corrupt because the U.S. government is basically controlled by big banks, and U.S. lawmakers are nothing more than “lapdogs” for big business. Rather than support such a system, he opts to use the “power of noncompliance” by peacefully resisting the vote. Instead of voting, he urges, Americans can work to create real changes within themselves before seeking a cure for their woes from the outside.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We’ve been focusing all of our energy on external authority figures for so long that we can’t even fathom what the world would look like if we all stepped into our inherent power,” Parato said. “And that is exactly what needs to happen for any real change to take place.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For voting</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.62; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unlike Parato, Sara AbiBoutros -- a Queens, New York-based community coordinator, activist and law student we interviewed for an article on the importance of open, public space earlier this month -- believes “voting is a real threat to those in power”; and if the right people are voted into office, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">social and political change can be enacted.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The laws that politicians pass really do have an impact on our day-to-day life,” AbiBoutros told the Viet Tide recently, adding that these laws can be life-altering -- as is the case with laws governing abortions and rent increases -- or not so much, like laws that provide free lunch in public schools. “If having the right to vote was not a powerful tool, then those in power would not try to take it away from us.” </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Though, showing some understanding for views against voting, AbiBoutros said that plenty of people feel as though voting is pointless because the people being elected are not truly committed to social and political change. Yet, it’s difficult for well-intentioned politicians to pass progressive laws because of the way the U.S. system of government works. This can be disheartening and lead to people becoming apathetic and disinterested in politics as they feel their voices are not being heard, regardless of who they vote for.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But this election, people are not going silent, AbiBoutros continued, adding that the same fervor was present during President Barack Obama’s first election in 2008. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Eventually people get tired of the status quo and start to raise their voice so loud that it's impossible not to hear it,” she said. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">t's the people who organize and are actively putting pressure on politicians to push a progressive agenda.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“[The people] are the real champions of social and political change.” </span>Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-5183152617683752662016-03-18T10:35:00.002-07:002016-03-18T10:38:21.332-07:00Is 2016 the year of voter resurgence? What this could mean for the Vietnamese-American community<i>This article was originally published in the </i>Viet Tide<i> on March 18, 2016. It was written by Ness White and has been edited accordingly.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
The rise of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders were jokes to political pundits and junkies last year. This year, the mainstream media has begun to take these jokes seriously, as they could dramatically change not just the outcome but the mood of the 2016 presidential elections.<br />
<br />
While business mogul Trump is the frontrunning Republican candidate and independent U.S. Sen. Sanders is running as a Democrat, the support these two polar opposites have gained appears to show that a growing portion of the right and left bases are fed up with the political establishment. As such, this could be the year voter turnout surges, as Americans seek to keep establishment candidates -- notably Hillary Clinton, former<br />
Democratic secretary of state under President Barack Obama -- out of the White House.<br />
<br />
For example, in the March 8 Michigan Primaries -- where Trump and Sanders gained the most votes for their parties -- 2.5 million voters cast their ballots. This is the highest voter turnout in Michigan primary history. Both candidates have been reported to draw record crowds at their campaign rallies; and Sanders has raised the most individual campaign contributions, while Trump has been reported to be responsible for a revolution among Republicans, having created a spike in voter turnout for the party this campaign season.<br />
<br />
The Viet Tide has reported on low voter turnout in the past, particularly during its 2014 midterm elections coverage. Specifically, the magazine shared that some 36 percent of voters nationwide made it to the polls during the general elections in November that year. Historically, midterm elections years -- when only local, statewide and congressional elections are held -- tend to have lower voter turnout than presidential elections years.<br />
<br />
However, even during the 2012 presidential elections voter turnout was considered problematic nationwide, and particularly for states like California and Texas -- where a large portion of our readership resides. Part of what has been called voter apathy in the mainstream and even alternative media has been attributed to the promises President Obama made during the 2008 campaign cycle, but never actualized.<br />
<br />
“Ignoring the fact that Obama was always a well-marketed corporate candidate with moderate conservative (neoliberal) positions, a lot of people got their hopes up that he might be different,” political writer Tim Hjersted wrote in a Films For Action article this month. “It's understandable people don't want to get their hopes up again.<br />
<br />
“It's not surprising that so many people say the game is rigged and elections are pointless.”<br />
<br />
At least, this has been the story for mainstream Americans. But for the Vietnamese-American community, things might be different.<br />
<br />
For example, according to a 2013 National Asian American Survey report, Vietnamese-American voter turnout was at 81 percent nationwide during the 2012 presidential elections, higher than the national average of 57.5 percent. Vietnamese Americans also supported President Obama over rival and former Republican Massachusetts gov. Mitt Romney by 61 percent -- again, higher than the national percentage of 51 percent.<br />
<br />
Remembering a history of political repression in Vietnam, Vietnamese Americans perhaps see voting differently than the average mainstream American. While voter apathy for a mainstream voter might seem an appropriate response to a feeling that one’s voice doesn’t matter, this does not appear to be the case for voters in the Vietnamese-American community.<br />
<br />
But the far-left and far-right leading candidates who are galvanizing the mainstream American public do not seem to hold Vietnamese Americans’ best interest. For example, the Viet Tide has reported that Trump’s immigration proposal released last year and his rhetoric during much of his campaign has been highly anti-immigrant -- which could impact the Vietnamese-American community that is among the largest foreign-born Asian-American communities. Sanders, on the other hand, has been described as a Democratic socialist, which might conjure up images of the very political concept Vietnamese Americans escaped when fleeing Vietnam.<br />
<br />
In essence, what might be driving forces for the mainstream American vote this year could be something of a threat to the Vietnamese-American vote. Further, if Vietnamese-American voters do not back Trump or Sanders, would they put their weight behind Clinton?Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-12575158936383888542016-03-05T13:11:00.001-08:002016-03-05T13:11:39.307-08:00Gather around: An important elections topic is not being addressed<i>This article was originally published on March 4, 2016, in the Viet Tide. It was written by Ness White. It has since been updated and edited accordingly.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
During my nearly one year of 2016 presidential elections coverage, I have reported for the Viet Tide on many issues -- from immigration, the economy and wars abroad to trade deals, race issues and gun control. However, I have been made aware that there is an important issue that has not been discussed -- an issue that greatly impacts the public on a collective scale.<br />
<br />
Sara AbiBoutros, a Queens, New York-based community coordinator, activist and law student, told the Viet Tide that the use of public and private space is not a "sexy" topic and does not resonate with the American public. As such, mainstream candidates are not likely to talk about it much -- if at all.<br />
<br />
"To make the connection about how the dichotomy between public and private space impacts their lives is not so simple," she said. "There is a connection, but when people are worrying about how they are going to pay their rent next month and things like that, the issue doesn't seem so relevant."<br />
<br />
But to readers paying attention to national news, mainstream or otherwise, the issue of public and private space might be considered an important one. Not only are there racial, environmental, labor, pro- and anti-immigration, and anti-war protests happening throughout the country, there are also protests against the potential Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement -- which involves the U.S., Vietnam and 10 other countries, and has been criticized for its possibility to increase human rights abuses, despite the jobs and economic boost it is projected to encourage. Public space is considered to make these protests possible, to make space available to the public so people can voice their concerns and grievances. It can assist in bringing about change.<br />
<br />
AbiBoutros said that the use of public space has a long history in various social movements throughout U.S.<br />
history. In a graduate paper she had published in the CUNY Law Review, "The Issue is not the Issue," she<br />
detailed some of this history, specifically focusing on the 1960s Free Speech Movement (FSM) and the 2011 Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement. In both instances, public space was used as a medium to address social issues that were largely being ignored in the national mainstream discussion, and in both instances the public spaces being used were violently targeted by the government and private institutions that sought to squash the public discourse -- especially as that discourse was directed at their institutions.<br />
<br />
"The use of public space was critical for both movements to create a confrontation in which society could no<br />
longer ignore the systemic issues plaguing the country," AbiBoutros, who participated in the OWS movement, wrote. "By centering their issues around public space, the FSM and OWS were able to gain political victories, but most importantly they were able to foster a sense of community.<br />
<br />
"Without a space for people to come together, it would be impossible to engage with one another, to plan, and to make our civil disobedience visible to the public."<br />
<br />
Although mainstream candidates have not focused on the issue of public and private space, AbiBoutros said that of the candidates running, Republican frontrunner and business mogul Donald Trump is the most likely to support reducing public space to expand private space, as he is pro-big business and a land developer whose rhetoric is "public space [is] disposable for the right price, or any price for that matter." While AbiBoutros did not specifically say that Democratic candidate and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders would support the expanding of public space, she did mention that his rhetoric is similar to what OWS focused on: one percent of the population accumulates the wealth in the U.S., while 99 percent of the population's economic situation remains stagnant.<br />
<br />
Added to the probability that mainstream candidates will not likely discuss public and private space this<br />
elections cycle, the mainstream media is not likely to bring it up either. AbiBoutros said that the media seems to view social media presence as more important than physical presence. Not only is everything analyzed by<br />
polling, she said, but if someone wants their viewpoint recognized, they have to sign an online petition or be<br />
part of a poll. Mainstream media outlets, she continued, will show clips of Tweets and have entire discussions about them.<br />
<br />
"All of this has had a negative impact on the importance of public space and the use of it because when the<br />
[public] space is not being used, governments and private entities will try to take it away,"AbiBoutros said.<br />
"Before the internet existed, people took to the streets.<br />
<br />
"The use of public space to peacefully assemble is essential to the success of any social movement fighting for social justice."Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-65002662386702809112016-02-17T17:34:00.001-08:002016-02-17T17:35:12.287-08:00News from my notebook<i>This article comes straight from my notebook. It was written in the fall of 2014. Not new, but definitely newsworthy.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>If I do say so myself ...</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
What object is truly important to me? My notebook.<br />
<br />
It is open, waiting for me to imprint on it, waiting for my mark. Who I am inside meets its pages, its spaces, lines. I write between, within the lines -- revealing the possibilities of being discursive within the box. This notebook, the white pages awaiting my colored ink, reveals the power dynamics outside of it.<br />
<br />
The color working on the white background, doing the work, being the substance, the feeling, giving the white background meaning, even if it is always known as a notebook -- not known by its words, characters.<br />
<br />
This notebook reflects the outside world: the color, the white. The open page awaiting our contribution, waiting to claim it, capture, contain, take credit for what is within us.<br />
<br />Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-5879481656420933342016-02-01T13:48:00.001-08:002016-02-01T13:55:22.543-08:00How the Iowa Caucuses can impact the presidential election<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>This article was originally published in the Viet Tide on Jan. 29, 2016. It was written by Ness White and has since been updated, edited accordingly.</i></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-cadd6e4b-9ec3-4f47-b102-678ff0ca241e" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Readers paying attention to mainstream media elections coverage might be aware that the Iowa Caucuses are happening today. However, they might not be aware of how the caucuses can affect the outcome of the presidential election.</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to various media outlets reporting on the caucuses, in 1972 the Democratic Party took advantage of an Iowan tradition of meeting during the winter to handle politics and held their caucuses there in January that year. The result? A little-known candidate before the caucuses -- former U.S. Sen. George McGovern -- gained recognition and eventually received the Democratic presidential nomination. The same strategy was used four years later -- with Republicans also noticing the effects and implementing the strategy. Again, another little-known Democratic candidate -- Jimmy Carter -- gained his party’s nomination and would later be elected president.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So what exactly happens during the Iowa Caucuses?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Iowa’s Democratic and Republican parties hold their caucuses at the same time, with this year’s taking place today, Monday, Feb. 1, at 8 p.m. EST. The caucuses are being held at more than 1,000 meeting sites -- varying from people’s homes to schools, town halls and other venues -- across the state. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Iowa caucus process is different for Democrats and Republicans, and considered more complicated for Democrats. While Republicans basically cast their vote by ballot for the presidential candidates they feel should be in the lead and win the caucuses, the Democratic process involves caucus-goers breaking up into groups based on their desired candidate, then voting. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although the winners of the caucuses are not automatically guaranteed the presidency, they can gain much-welcomed media attention and campaign donations -- which can help increase their chances of winning the presidency, or at least their party’s nomination.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But there’s more to the Iowa Caucuses -- and caucuses in various states leading up to the presidential nomination. This is arguably the most important aspect of the caucuses and also the most underreported. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While each state and state political party has different methods for their caucus process, the outcome is similar. Based on the caucus voting results, delegates are chosen to represent voters at their party’s local, then state and ultimately national conventions. These delegates have vowed to voters that they would support a particular candidate throughout the convention process. However, depending on the state, this promise is not binding.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the national convention, the delegates who have made it through all of the various conventions will vote on their party’s nominee. The Democratic and Republican nominees will be the main two options for Americans to choose from during the November elections. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Impacts on November’s decision?</span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-cadd6e4b-9ed0-56a5-eea7-6ebe0dcb4c8c" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While mainstream media outlets seem to be betting on Democratic candidate and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton to be the party’s frontrunner, her and independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont have been fluctuating in the Iowa polls. Although Clinton is in the lead today, a previous CNN/ORC poll has shown that Iowa voters support the Sen. Sanders on the issues of the economy and health care, while putting their weight behind Clinton on foreign policy. The senator is also polling higher than Clinton in New Hampshire, where primary debates will be held eight days after the Iowa Caucuses. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the Republican side, business mogul Donald Trump holds a lead over U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. Trump, who has been a frontrunner nationwide, has garnered Iowa Republicans’ support on the issues of the economy, immigration and foreign policy, though falls behind Sen. Cruz with support for social issues -- such as abortion and same-sex marriage.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stay tuned for more coverage on how the candidates placed at the Iowa Caucuses.</span></div>
Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-5304958949521872832016-01-25T06:32:00.000-08:002016-02-06T17:05:14.617-08:00President Obama's legacy and the 2016 presidential elections<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<i>This article was originally published in the </i>Viet Tide<i> on Jan. 22, 2016, and is posted on this site with VT's permission. It was written by Ness white and has been updated, edited accordingly.</i></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-a7817ffb-792f-6d05-f42f-f36541769308" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With President Barack Obama in his final year of office, scholars are pointing to the implications his legacy could have on this year’s presidential and congressional elections. They are also saying his legacy could itself be impacted by the decision made on who assumes the presidency.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Speaking on a Jan. 15 Brookings Institution podcast, Brookings senior fellows in governance studies Bill Galston and Sarah Binder agreed that a Democrat being elected president this year would depend on whether voters view President Obama’s policies as having been beneficial to them overall. However, if voters think the president’s policies have worked against them, a Republican will likely be elected.</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Binder said, specifically, that Democrats will use the president’s record to rally voters and affirm their own platforms on healthcare and financial regulation. Galston added that the president’s two-term job approval ratings would largely shape the political playing field to the Democrats’ advantage or disadvantage. For example, during the 2008 elections -- following former president George W. Bush’s two terms in office -- Republican candidate John McCain failed largely as a result of the public’s perception of Bush’s policies as insufficient. Wishing not to continue such policies, Americans elected President Obama, a Democrat.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“He presented himself as a healer,” Galston said of President Obama, adding that while the president’s push for hope and change has been praised, it might have actually hurt his legacy a bit.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">President Obama’s policy changes in the healthcare field, as well as executive actions to make reforms in the areas of financial regulation and environment were definitely seen as progressive actions, Galston said. However, because of their progressiveness, the changes served to widen the political gap between Republicans and Democrats. </span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Binder agreed, saying that President Obama can be credited with turning around the economy -- which was at its worst since the Great Depression -- after Bush’s two terms. However, policy changes like the federal expansion of healthcare were too big, turning off half of the American public.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The president’s legacy, then, Galston said, will be considered successful if voters elect a Democrat to the office this year but repudiated if they elect a Republican. If a Republican becomes president, and Republicans keep control of the House of Representatives (lower house of Congress) and Senate (upper house of Congress), the party will likely enjoy a full two years of undoing many of the executive actions and policies President Obama put into place during his eight years in office.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whoever, then, becomes the Democratic nominee for president will have to build on President Obama’s legacy, not run away from it or on it, Galston said. Currently, based on surveys, he added, voters are not indicating that they want more of the same when it comes to policy.</span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to a Gallup poll released this month, the U.S. government -- including President Obama himself -- was named the most important problem facing the country. Further, according to a year-end CNN/ORC poll, 75 percent of Americans are not satisfied with how the U.S. is governed, 69 percent are angry at its direction and 52 percent disapprove of the president’s handling of his job responsibilities. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moreover, the president’s approval ratings are at 45 percent, Galston said. If they decrease before the end of the year, Republicans could have a better chance in November; though if they increase, Democrats will hold advantage.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But is there another option? For example, while running as a Democratic candidate, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is an Independent. Could his election be a true win for Democrats or a true blow to Republicans? Would Republicans vote for him as a Democratic candidate? Could he help bridge the gap between the two parties? Might his perspective as a longtime Independent help him bring about the changes President Obama was unable to?</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The government won’t improve until the American people demand with a loud voice that improvement occurs, Galston said. As long as political parties are rewarded with public votes for the status quo, it will persist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remember, this is just what some scholars say. Based on your own experiences and/or research, what do you think?</span>Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-89257621153492344562016-01-21T17:52:00.002-08:002016-01-21T17:53:12.558-08:00So I have the breath key ... how do I use it?By Ness white<br />
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In yesterday's article I wrote about the breath being an important key, a tool the Black Lives Matter organization -- and offshoots -- can use in their fight against oppression. I'd like to broaden my view, opening it to include all people who consider themselves oppressed or part of an oppressed group -- with their oppression particularly resulting in high stress.<br />
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To recap briefly, I wrote a graduate paper in 2013 that talked about how feminists of various races, classes and orientations can use the breath as a tool to fight oppression. Because research shows that oppression of all forms has been directly and unapologetically related to stress and stress has been directly related to breath, my belief is that breath can be used to address and combat stress, therefore addressing and combating the oppression meant to cause it.<br />
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"If focused, directed, breath can be developed, slowed down, relaxed -- even during stress -- enough to aid us in consciously addressing the effects our oppressions have on our entire beings," I wrote. "At its best, unhindered, unstressed, breath flows throughout our bodies, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually promoting life, health, vitality, calm, peace.<br />
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"Upon receiving stress signals from our brain, our breaths -- due to what is considered the natural 'fight or flight' response -- become shallow, quick. While considered to be a natural response to stress, helping us fight or flee immediate danger, if our stressed breathes are prolonged, they can have damaging, adverse effects on our bodies, hearts, minds, spirits.<br />
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"However, interestingly, breath utilizes the only muscle in our bodies that functions voluntarily and involuntarily, allowing it to be controlled: the diaphragm. With this ability to control the diaphragm, we are able to control our breathing -- more specifically its rate and depth -- reducing the harmful effects of stress on our bodies, hearts, minds, spirits."<br />
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<b>Diaphragmatic breathing</b><br />
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During our interview for yesterday's article, yoga instructor Markedia "Moka" Hinds, brought up the term "diaphragmatic breathing." Other leaders and experts on breathing also call it "abdominal breathing" or "belly breathing," as it involves gently pushing the belly out upon inhalation and gently pulling the belly in when exhaling. This type of breathing is believed to help counter the harmful results of stress, as it induces a relaxing, calming response.<br />
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While the term "diaphragmatic breathing" might sound daunting, there are various articles online that offer insight on this type of breathing, particularly how to do it. For example, a recent article I came across on the Frederick (Maryland) News-Post website, "Ask Doctor K.: Fight Stress with Relaxed Breathing," shares some knowledge for beginners:<br />
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1. Sit down or lie down in a quiet and comfortable place.<br />
2. Close your eyes so you won't be distracted.<br />
3. Relax the muscles in your abdomen.<br />
4. Inhale slowly, deeply. As you do this, allow the air entering your nose to move down into your lower belly. You should then feel your belly expand.<br />
5. Exhale through your mouth. As you do this, your abdomen will become smaller.<br />
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Over the past few years during my own practice with diaphragmatic breathing, I've come across people who visualize images when they breathe in and out -- particularly inhaling life force energy and exhaling the parts of themselves they want to share with the world. Not necessarily necessary during this exercise, it's an added option for those who wish to do so.<br />
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Also, there are plenty of other resources available online. If you happen to come across some, feel free to leave links to them in the comment section for other readers to check out.<br />
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Breathe well.Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-90967284431700354292016-01-20T12:07:00.000-08:002016-01-20T12:55:05.479-08:00Black health matters: Understanding and implementing the key ... the toolBy Ness white<br />
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It's been all over the mainstream news: An offshoot of the Black Lives Matter organization, Black.Seed, shut down the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on Martin Luther King Jr., Day. Their action was reportedly meant to be seen as a "strong, courageous stand in solidarity" with King's message of radical, non-violent protest.<br />
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What has been less reported -- or focused on -- is the message on the banner the protesters' cars were lined in front of. It read "Black health matters."<br />
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Upon reading this statement, it might seem obvious that black health would matter to activists who state that black lives matter. Health is a part of life, so naturally, it would be important. But when the BLM movement has been largely associated with police-related killings and brutality for more than a year, the statement that black health matters greatly expands the discussion.<br />
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For some readers, the discussion on black health might extend as far as pointing out the health disparities between blacks and the general U.S. population. These readers would be correct to name those disparities as studies and statistics have repeatedly done so over the past few years. Because of this, today's article will not delve deeply into said health disparities, but will focus instead on one way in which black health can be maximized.<br />
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<b>The key</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Rooftop yoga instructor and psychology student Markedia "Moka" Hinds recently told me that yoga -- a moving meditation -- allows her to be rejuvenated, livelier, and more balanced and centered. She added that while the exercise is physically and mentally beneficial, pushing her past her limitations, there is another important aspect of it.<br />
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"Awareness of breath is what's key to that whole experience," she said.<br />
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Talking more about breath awareness, Moka explained that we begin to breathe through our chests as we get older -- a completely normal anxiety-ridden response to the daily stresses we experience. However, we don't get much air -- or oxygen -- when breathing this way, and our years on Earth are greatly reduced. Babies, on the other hand, breathe through their bellies -- which is also considered diaphragmatic breathing, and a slower, calmer form of respiration.<br />
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Focusing on and being conscious of our breathing here and there throughout the day is helpful in slowing the pace of our thoughts, Moka said. It can be done anywhere, at any time and is accessible to anyone.<br />
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"Take a step back and breathe," she advised, adding that it is helpful particularly during emotionally charged situations. "As you practice awareness more, awareness becomes more natural.<br />
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"Come back to the breath."<br />
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<b>Now, [what we can do] about those disparities</b><br />
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Remember those aforementioned health disparities? Well, here is where they come into play. Many of the health disparities black people experience are directly related to stress. High blood pressure, heart disease and asthma, for example, are all believed to be worsened by heightened stress levels.<br />
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How far will Black.Seed and, perhaps, other BLM offshoot groups go to promote black health? Will they incorporate breath awareness and breath work into their practices?<br />
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At the end of 2013, I wrote a graduate paper discussing the importance of breath as a tool for feminists of all races, classes and orientations to use against oppression. As the official BLM organization is a partially-feminist group, I believe what I wrote in that paper can apply and add to the movement.<br />
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"The breath has been directly linked to stress and stress has been directly linked to various oppressions," I wrote. "For example, according to the American Psychological Association, racism has been considered a contributor to stress among racial minorities, many of us unaware of the impacts such stress even has on our beings, given that we are even aware of the stress at all.<br />
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"These oppressions, steeped in fear, promote hate, death ... in not just the physical sense, but death to our mental, emotional, as well as spiritual planes of being. One way in which these oppressions continue their long-term effects on us is through stress, targeting the breath as a crucial ingredient of life.<br />
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"Considering its very nature as a life force driving our emotions, thoughts, [and] actions ... I offer a view of the breath as a tool that -- already in use -- we can wield to lessen the deadly effects oppression(s) has/have on our bodies, hearts, minds, [and] spirits, instead of exacerbating them."<br />
<br />Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-1066811418464781992016-01-19T08:19:00.000-08:002016-01-19T08:19:45.602-08:00Not "too old": Presidential candidates help transform aged, old argument<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.6200008392334px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Ness White wrote this article for </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.6200008392334px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Viet Tide</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.6200008392334px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> (published Dec. 18, 2015) with support from the Journalists in Aging Fellows Program, a project of The Gerontological Society of America and </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.6200008392334px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">New America Media</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.6200008392334px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">, supported by the <a href="http://www.silvercentury.org/" style="color: #3d31aa; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Silver Century Foundation</i></a>. It has since been updated and edited accordingly, last posted on the </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.6200008392334px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">New America Media</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.6200008392334px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> website on Jan. 5 as "Too Old to Be President? Ageism a Political Undercurrent in U.S."</i><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.6200008392334px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;">ORLANDO, Fla.-- Ageist comments have been made against three leading 2016 presidential contenders so far -- both of whom are older than what is considered to be the middle-aged bracket.</span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, 68, a Democrat, has been called </span><a href="http://tinyurl.com/k8wl8lw" style="color: #3d31aa; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">“too old to run” </a><span style="font-style: normal;">for president, in the mainstream media. And political independent U. S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, 74, of Vermont, has been called an “unlikely white-haired rock star.” </span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">While Republican frontrunner, and business mogul Donald Trump, 69, has mostly managed to avoid questions based on his age to date, largely because he is so controversial, he has not completely escaped the negative perception of him based on his age.</span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">Trevor Noah on </span><a href="http://tinyurl.com/z6tyy68" style="color: #3d31aa; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The Daily Show</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;"> (Jan. 5) mocked his New Year’s Eve appearance on Fox stating, “Donald Trump is the human embodiment of Times Square: Their both old, loud, flashy and full of garbage.” Why “old”?</span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><b style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Negativity Persist</b><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">How Americans view aging was brought up throughout the five-day 68th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) in Orlando, Fla., in November. The event attracted over 4,000 researchers in aging from around the world.</span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">During one press presentation, for example, </span><a href="http://www.frameworksinstitute.org/" style="color: #3d31aa; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">The FrameWorks Institute </a><span style="font-style: normal;">shared a video of street interviews with people being asked to describe aging. For the most part, people highlighted the negative aspects of aging, focusing on illness and disability.</span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">GSA’s opening keynote speaker, Ezekiel Emanuel, MD, brother of Democratic Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, was key in shaping Obamacare policies. He had shared similar -- though perhaps extreme -- views about aging, particularly the end years. </span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">In October 2014, The Atlantic published his article, </span><a href="http://tinyurl.com/js5pl3x" style="color: #3d31aa; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">“Why I Hope to Die at 75,”</a><span style="font-style: normal;"> in which he focused on some of the horrors of care at the end of life and the difficulties he expects might await him as he ages.</span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">“Doubtless, death is a loss,” he wrote. “Living too long is also a loss. It renders many of us, if not disabled, then faltering and declining, a state that may not be worse than death but is nonetheless deprived. It robs us of our creativity and ability to contribute to work, society, the world.”</span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">Emanuel went on in the article, “We are no longer remembered as vibrant and engaged but as feeble, ineffectual, even pathetic.”</span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">Interestingly, his view might be challenged by the vast amounts of energy emitted by most of the leading presidential contenders during debates and on the campaign trail. More directly, however, various health journalists, experts and academics have criticized Emanuel’s stance, pointing to the larger issue of how Americans view aging.</span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><b style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">A Different View</b><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">Even though Emanuel avoided mentioning his provocative ideas in his keynote speech, a panel of experts on aging zeroed in on his negative views of living beyond age 75 and how his ideas reflect U.S. culture, as well as ways in which to transform such narratives.</span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">Author </span><a href="http://tinyurl.com/43vfufl" style="color: #3d31aa; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Wendy Lustbader</a><span style="font-style: normal;">, a lecturer at the University of Washington’s School of Social Work, said that some of the most important opportunities for growth occur when people are vulnerable, as they age. Further, she added, illness, frailty, disability and the approach of death can be “vehicles for change,” allowing people the opportunity to make sense of the past and make peace with their loved ones as they urgently desire to become complete.</span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">Emmanuel’s article, Lustbader said, “[gave] us a catalogue of fear.” She countered his view by adding that the deprivation some people feel when aging can lead for some to creativity, which “brings up the needs of the soul.”</span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">Jennifer Sasser, who chairs the Department of Human Sciences at Marylhurst University in Portland, Ore., said what Emanuel described in his piece could really apply to people of any age, as all people are subject to frailty and pain. </span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">“We need to shift consciousness,” said Sasser, who directs Maryhurst’s Gerontology Program. “This is about being a human being.” </span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><b style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Expanding on the Positives</b><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">Members of the audience contributed their views, some alluding to a fear and anxiety around death that is pervasive in U.S. culture. One woman mentioned that in dictionaries, the word “geriatric” is defined in negative terms, suggesting nothing about health in older years. </span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">For example, the online </span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/q6j4w3z" style="color: #3d31aa; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Merriam Webster Dictionary </a></i><span style="font-style: normal;">defines “geriatrics” as “the process of growing old and the medical care of old people” and adds the metaphorical definition, “being old and outmoded (geriatric airplanes).”</span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">Even though we might not be able to change those negative terms, Sasser added, we can expand on the positives of aging.</span><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="font-style: normal;">When it comes to the leading presidential candidates, none are showing signs of decline from old age. Despite what voters might think of their views, these candidates are challenging and maybe even changing some stereotypes about aging.</span></i><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.6200008392334px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></i>Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-89253981291354533842016-01-15T10:18:00.000-08:002016-01-15T10:18:06.912-08:00California’s Motor Voter Program creates auto(matic) voter registration<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>This article originally appeared in the </i>Viet Tide<i> on Jan. 15, 2016. It was written by Ness white and has been updated, edited accordingly.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A new law that has taken effect in California this month could have interesting implications for this year’s local and state elections. It could even impact federal elections if similar or identical laws spread to other states.</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-165fd990-467c-66b4-8301-4b13489834b4" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The result of Gov. Jerry Brown’s signing of the California State Legislature’s Assembly Bill (A.B.) 1461 in October, the California New Motor Voter Program went into effect on Jan. 1 and is expected to be fully implemented in time for the state’s June primaries. In short, under the program people are automatically registered to vote when they visit the DMV to apply for, renew or change their address on their driver’s licenses. Prior to the law’s implementation, drivers had to opt-in to be registered to vote.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">California is the second state to have implemented such a law, following Oregon, and advocates say it will help give more Californians easier access to the voting process. Critics, however, say the law will contribute to voter fraud as people who are not eligible to vote but are eligible to drive could easily slip into the state’s voter rolls. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For example, critics -- including organizations like the conservative-leaning True the Vote and liberal-leaning American Civil Liberties Union -- have said that non-naturalized immigrants eligible to receive driver’s licenses in California could accidentally be automatically registered to vote, which they are not legally allowed to do. While AB 1461’s language reflects that the California Secretary of State’s Office and DMV will be collaborating to ensure that only people eligible to vote will be registered and state officials will be held responsible for anyone participating in illegal voting, critics do not believe the state has the capabilities to avoid making a mistake.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Additionally, critics believe that the Democratic-controlled state legislature and Democratic governor have pushed the law forward in efforts to further lessen the influence Republicans have in the state. As a result, some critics believe citizens will give up on voting because the process will be corrupted by an influx of ineligible voters.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“[AB 1461] will effectively change the form of governance in California from a Republic whose elected officials are determined by United States citizens and will guarantee that non-citizens will participate in all California elections going forward,” Election Integrity Project of California President Linda Paine has said.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 18pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Critics’ fears are not completely unfounded. During the summer of 2014, we reported on the changing political demographics of Orange County, Calif. -- a longtime Republican stronghold and home to largely immigrant communities. For example, in the Viet Tide's July 11 article, “Orange County stands on the cusp of social, political change,” we reported on the Republican Party losing its influence in the county as the ethnic minority population has been increasing in the OC. More specifically, we reported on the OC Vietnamese-American community’s support for Democratic policies lauded by President Barack Obama and Gov. Brown. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In contrast, advocates of the law -- like Democratic state lawmakers -- have said it will help more people have access to voting. It seems to be something of a counteraction against various Republican-backed voter-related laws throughout the country that Democrats have said restrict voter rights for millions of people, particularly racial, ethnic and language minorities, women, younger and elderly individuals, people who are considered disabled and people who have little to no income. These individuals are considered to have less time to register to vote and fewer locations available for them to do so. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“In a free society, the right to vote is fundamental,” California Secretary of State Alex Padilla has said. “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Citizens should not be required to opt in to their fundamental right to vote.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The New Motor Voter Act will make our democracy stronger by removing a key barrier to voting for millions of California citizens.”</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When it comes to voters, it seems the law has support as a Public Policy Institute of California poll conducted last year shows two thirds of Californians surveyed were in favor of automatic voter registration at the DMV.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But what do readers feel, think and believe? Can California’s Motor Voter law increase voter turnout in a state the Pew Charitable Trust Elections Performance Index rated the third-lowest in electoral performance in 2014? Or is the law a setup to give non-citizens an opportunity to participate in the voting process?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Could it be both -- and how might that possibility change conversations about voting and immigration?</span></div>
Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-83024888590562406302016-01-14T08:56:00.000-08:002016-01-14T08:56:50.671-08:00We, (some of) the people: Supreme Court case raises questions on electoral representation<div class="qowt-stl-Para0" id="E24" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E24" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<span class="qowt-stl-Character5" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E25" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>This article was originally published in the </i>Viet Tide<i> on Jan. 1, 2016. It was written by Ness white and has been updated, edited accordingly.</i></span></div>
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<span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E25" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E25" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Readers are probably aware that Republicans and Democrats have been historically and </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E26" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E26" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">ideologically divided on a number of issues. What readers might not know is that a recently </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E27" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E27" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">heard Supreme Court case could not only prove to keep that divide in tact, but it could pit the </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E28" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E28" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">two parties more strongly against each other just in time for the scheduled 2022 mid-terms </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E29" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E29" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">elections. </span></div>
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<div class="qowt-stl-Para0" id="E31" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E31" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E32" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E32" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">On Dec. 8, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the Evenwel vs. Abbott case </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E33" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E33" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">regarding redistricting in Texas. Redistricting is done after the U.S. Census is taken every 10 </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E34" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E34" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">years and is meant to ensure that local, state and federal voting districts are created for all </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E35" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E35" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Americans to be fairly represented as populations increase, decrease, shift and change. The </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E36" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E36" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">plaintiffs -- Sue Evenwel and Edward Pfenninger -- are arguing that only registered voters </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E37" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E37" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">should be considered when redistricting lines are redrawn, not the currently used total </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E38" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E38" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">populations. They argue against the State of Texas that considering the total population when </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E39" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E39" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">redrawing districts makes districts with large populations of non-voters more electorally </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E40" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E40" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">powerful than districts with smaller populations of more eligible voters.</span></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0 hideBullet" id="E41" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E41" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0" id="E42" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E42" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E43" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E43" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The case could impact urban cities, where Democrats tend to be localized, critics have said, </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E44" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E44" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">as these areas tend to have higher populations of non-voters. If these districts were redrawn to </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E45" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E45" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">reflect eligible voters rather than total population, could Republicans see some gains?</span></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0 hideBullet" id="E46" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E46" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0" id="E47" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E47" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<span class="qowt-stl-Character4" id="E48" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E48" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who are the eligible voters? Are there ineligible ones?</span></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0 hideBullet" id="E49" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E49" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0" id="E50" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E50" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E51" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E51" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Evenwel and Pfenninger argue that non-residents, undocumented immigrants and children are </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E52" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E52" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">among those who should not be counted in redistricting tallies, as they are not eligible to vote. </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E53" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E53" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">All others who are eligible to vote should be counted.</span></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0 hideBullet" id="E54" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E54" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0" id="E55" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E55" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E56" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E56" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, as media outlets have sporadically reported over the past few years, there are </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E57" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E57" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">obstacles that can keep people from registering to vote -- which is required for anyone to </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E58" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E58" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">become an eligible voter -- and obstacles that can keep people from remaining recognized as </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E59" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E59" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">eligible voters. For example, registered voters in Indiana who are considered to be inactive </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E60" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E60" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">are stripped from voter rolls; and in Tennessee, voters who have been deemed potential non-</span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E61" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E61" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">citizens by a database check are required to prove they are citizens in order to register to vote. </span></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0 hideBullet" id="E62" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E62" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0" id="E63" is="qowt-para" named-flow="FLOW-13" qowt-eid="E63" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E64" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E64" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Obtaining the required documents for such proof can be costly, time-consuming and </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E65" is="qowt-run" named-flow="FLOW-14" qowt-eid="E65" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">inconvenient -- </span></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0" is="qowt-para" named-flow="FLOW-13" qowt-eid="E63" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<span class="qowt-stl-Character5" is="qowt-run" named-flow="FLOW-14" qowt-eid="E65" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">similar to what critics have said about voter ID laws, which require voters to </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E66" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E66" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">present state-issued, photo ID in order to vote. Several states, including Texas, have </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E67" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E67" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">implemented such laws, which have been considered to disproportionately impact lower-</span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E68" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E68" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">income individuals who depend on public services and transportation -- namely people of </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E69" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E69" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">color, language minorities, women, young people, the elderly and those considered disabled. </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E70" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E70" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">These people also tend to be located collectively in larger, urban cities and vote Democrat.</span></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0 hideBullet" id="E71" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E71" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0" id="E72" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E72" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E73" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E73" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is the Evenwel vs. Abbott case currently awaiting decision in the Supreme Court an extension </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E74" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E74" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">of the voter ID push that the Republican Party has been a part of since at least 2011? While </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E75" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E75" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Republicans -- including 2016 presidential candidates -- supporting the IDs have argued they </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E76" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E76" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">decrease voter fraud, Democrats have argued they keep people who would otherwise be </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E77" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E77" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">considered eligible from voting.</span></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0 hideBullet" id="E78" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E78" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0" id="E79" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E79" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E80" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E80" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">In other words, such laws could be considered to make certain voters ineligible -- therefore </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E81" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E81" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">keeping them from being part of the eligible voter pool that would be counted if the plaintiffs </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E82" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E82" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">in the Evenwel vs. Abbott case win.</span></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0 hideBullet" id="E83" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E83" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0" id="E84" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E84" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E85" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E85" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">But, do the plaintiffs have a case? Should marginalized groups of eligible voters have their </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E86" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E86" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">voices silenced or not well heard because their representatives are working on behalf of a </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E87" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E87" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">larger population that did not even vote for them?</span></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0 hideBullet" id="E88" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E88" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<span class="qowt-stl-Character5" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E90" style="display: inline; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.56; text-indent: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="qowt-stl-Para0 hideBullet" id="E88" is="qowt-para" qowt-eid="E88" style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Tinos, 'Baskerville Old Face', 'Bell MT', serif; line-height: 1.56; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0pt; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0pt;">
<span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E90" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E90" style="display: inline; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.56; text-indent: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The high court is not expected to decide the case for months, though the court of public </span><span class="qowt-stl-Character5" id="E91" is="qowt-run" qowt-eid="E91" style="display: inline; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.56; text-indent: 0pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">opinion could begin ruling at any time.</span></div>
Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-36945049225707628602016-01-13T10:49:00.003-08:002016-01-13T10:49:24.321-08:00Presidential presence: Are 2016 presidential candidates present?<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.56; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>This article originally appeared in the Viet Tide on Dec. 4, 2015. It was written by Ness white and has since been updated, edited accordingly.</i></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-0db2198e-3c50-e1fd-e11e-0a94ad41872c" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's become something of a catch phrase: being present.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Often the phrase is mentioned in spiritual circles that are focused on enlightenment, or even among people who are interested in health and wellness -- it usually means something along the lines of directing one's attention to whatever is happening in the moment. Rarely, if ever, is the phrase applied to conversations about politics and U.S. presidential candidates. Instead, mainstream news reports mention candidates' stage presence, pointing out which of them is commanding enough for voters to rally behind. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For example, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Texas gov. Rick Perry, who have dropped out of the Republican presidential race with low poll numbers, were reported to have weaker stage presence when compared to former business mogul Donald Trump and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina following the September presidential primary debate. Similarly, Democratic candidates U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton have both been credited with having tremendous stage presence and have experienced the gap closing between them in public opinion polls.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While having stage presence is considered a valuable resource, especially to voters, various writers and experts have revealed how invaluable being present is. For example, in a recent Huff Post blog, Karen Trepte, international businesses coach, wrote that being present has significant benefits -- among them is managing stress. After citing a few spiritual teachers, including Thich Nhat Hahn, she shared that it is wise to live in the present moment, as that is all we truly have.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Getting carried away with thoughts of the past or the future only serves to stir up our emotions," Trepte shares. "Regardless of the nature of the emotion, thoughts like this remove us from the present moment and what is truly going on for us.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"When a negative emotion is triggered by them, these thoughts take us out of what is emotionally true for us in that moment, too.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trepte's words might remind our readers of what we reported in a recent article, "A breath of fresh air? None of the presidential candidates are even close," where we explained that presidential candidates might not be relieving voters' stresses, but might instead be creating more stress for them by using fear-mongering tactics. When watching the presidential debates, our readers might notice that the candidates speak heavily about what they will do to tackle issues in the future and what they have done to solve problems in the past, usually mentioning the present moment only to discuss what is wrong with it -- again, something that will be fixed when they are elected … in the future</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have also made a connection between the importance of breathing -- particularly when it comes to easing stress -- and the fact that none of the mainstream presidential candidates discuss this necessary aspect of daily life on the campaign trail. It is interesting to note that Trepte relates being present with stress relief and breathing.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"So much of the time, especially when we are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, we are wracked with worry or thinking ahead, which can create emotions that feed the stress," Trepte says. "If we would only pause, take a breath, and look out the window, we'd see we were actually feeling fine before those thoughts rolled in."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our readers who have watched the debates, or who might have interacted with the candidates firsthand, can answer for themselves whether they believe the candidates are fully present on stage or in person. Further, do the candidates' words take us out of the present moment?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It might behoove us to be present ourselves as we witness the candidates talk and gesticulate during debates, rallies and news interviews. Then, we might determine for ourselves which ones are present, on stage or not.</span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We might also have a better understanding of whose presence matches our own.</span>Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-20513147375554965032016-01-11T13:09:00.002-08:002016-01-11T13:09:41.310-08:00A breath of fresh air? None of the presidential candidates are even close<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.295; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>This article originally appeared in the </i>Viet Tide<i> on Nov. 20, 2015. It was written by Ness White and has since been updated accordingly.</i></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-5cac5087-3281-7050-11ab-31b0787e7c57" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Along the campaign trail over the past few months, some of the mainstream presidential candidates from either side of the aisle have been called a “breath of fresh air.” Let’s take a look at that word “breath” for a moment.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Recent mainstream news articles have looked at the importance of breathing in our everyday lives, particularly highlighting how we breathe. For example, a Yahoo health article published in November detailed how breathing is one of the most important things we can do, yet most of us do it wrong — when stressed we tend to breathe quickly and shallowly from our chest, which actually increases the stress, rather than taking slow breaths through our abdomens and calming ourselves down — and don’t focus much of our attention on it during our day-to-day activities. Another article published on AOL news takes a different approach on breathing, focusing more on the fact that people who work in stuffy office settings aren’t breathing enough oxygen and are therefore not able to use their brains to capacity.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What does any of this have to do with the presidential election? Well, if breathing — particularly the way we breathe in what has often been called a “high-stress” American culture — is as important as it is, why are none of the candidates talking about it? Shouldn’t such an important topic be a campaign platform? If breathing correctly can make such an impact in our lives, shouldn’t our candidates be helping us figure out how to do it? Are they even able to do it themselves?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And what about the candidates’ campaign staffs that help the candidates make critical decisions — like which platforms the candidates should focus on? Are they stuck in offices most of the day unable to get adequate air and thus not thinking as effectively as they could? And what about the stress the staffs and their candidates might be under during campaign season? Are the staffs and their candidates able to regulate their breathing as to remain calm and not perpetuate the stress they encounter?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Going even further than the candidates and their campaign staffs, what about the stress candidates cause among voters? A Truth Media article published earlier this month details how candidates tend to focus on issues that arouse fear and anger in voters. Studies have shown that fear can trigger the fight, flight or freeze stress responses that can have detrimental effects on our health if prolonged. These responses are characterized by quick and shallow breathing, among other effects. While fear is one of the triggers of stress, it is also considered one of the ingredients to get people to the voting booth where they will vote for the candidate who promises to alleviate their fears and, therefore, their stresses — helping voters to breathe a bit easier, we might say.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But after the voting is done, does our stress go away? Do the promises our candidates make actually come to fruition or do we still have the same fears — or more, worse ones — as before they took office? </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the upcoming presidential debates, let’s see if we can observe the candidates and how they’re breathing. Before talking, do they take quick, shallow breaths to respond to a question or do they appear to pause and become calm before responding? While responding, do they give themselves enough time to breathe in between words and phrases or are they talking too quickly for a breath to sneak by?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Further, let’s observe our own breaths as we listen to the candidates’ words. Are we becoming more stressed or are we calming down? Maybe this exercise can help give us a better idea about which candidate(s) can actually help us breathe a bit easier.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That is, if any of them can. </span>Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-43227357694790300152012-05-23T16:59:00.000-07:002012-05-23T16:59:07.007-07:00Abuse under health coverage plans amid upcoming high court decisionThis article was originally published by the <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em>Viễn Đông</em></span> on May 21, 2012. It was written by Vanessa White.<br />
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<a href="http://www.viendongdaily.com/nhung-vu-lam-dung-ke-hoach-bao-hiem-y-te-gay-ton-kem-cho-tieu-SP2TkqN7.html">http://www.viendongdaily.com/nhung-vu-lam-dung-ke-hoach-bao-hiem-y-te-gay-ton-kem-cho-tieu-SP2TkqN7.html</a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">WESTMINSTER, California—A patient might be given a year’s worth refill on medication and sent away, told it is unnecessary to return for another visit in a month. <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">The doctor, then, might go on a vacation.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Or, a doctor might have a sicker patient visit monthly, receiving more money than if the patient were healthy and visited less.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">It all depends on the plan, Garden Grove’s Tran Pharmacy Pharmacist Thư-Hằng Trần told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> in a 12 May 2012 phone interview explaining some of the differences between increasingly pushed managed care health coverage plans and fee-for-service health coverage plans. Aside from having a doctor as a close family member, Pharmacist Trần said that her knowledge on health coverage plans was gained from her own research and experiences.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">After a “very bad” accident that put her in the hospital ten years ago, she said, she had to wait for approval from her health maintenance organization (HMO) each time she needed to see a specialist for follow-up treatment. An HMO provides or arranges managed care health coverage plans.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Fortunately, she added, her HMO quickly approved the requests and referrals that her family doctor wrote. Though, not all patients are so fortunate, she continued, adding that there are times when HMOs will take too long to approve a referral or request, upon which she advises the patients to demand approval.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">“For some patients, if you don’t fight you don’t get the service,” she said. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">ACA, Managed care vs. fee-for-service<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), awaiting a June or July 2012 U.S. Supreme Court decision on its constitutionality, Medicaid will expand coverage to uninsured Americans who will be required to have health insurance by 2014. Medi-Cal is California’s version of Medicaid, which covers lower-income families with children, seniors, foster children, pregnant women, and people with specific diseases including breast cancer and HIV/AIDS.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> has learned that the upcoming court decision could extend managed care plans to more patients, as more states are reportedly moving towards these types of plans. Such managed care plans are private, with the state paying the private HMO a fixed monthly payment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">When doctors actually receive payment for their services, they get about $120-130 monthly, even if their patients do not visit the doctors, Pharmacist Trần told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i>. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Pharmacist Trần said that she generally likes the idea of managed care plans because they can save the state money if a patient’s care is adequately managed.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Though, she has a problem when the health care system is abused. <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">For example, Pharmacist Trần said that HMOs can take advantage of the system by denying certain patient referrals and requests for services or choosing the route that costs less, regardless of the patient’s need. For example, if a patient feels in need of a wheelchair, an HMO might approve a $500 manual wheelchair for the patient instead of a $5,000 electric powered wheelchair. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Pharmacist Trần added that under managed care plans, doctors also will sometimes withhold services from patients who really need them because the doctors will have to spend more time and energy providing the services, while feeling like they are losing out on money they might have made from fee-for-service payments. With fee-for-service health coverage plans, doctors are paid per service.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Under Medicaid fee-for-service health coverage plans, Pharmacist Trần continued, patients can abuse the system by claiming to need an earlier mentioned $5,000 electric powered wheelchair or other treatment and medication that stay at the patient’s home, unused.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Or, she added, a patient might go to one doctor that prescribes a medication or treatment the patient does not want, so the patient will go to a different doctor. That doctor might prescribe another medication the patient does not want and the cycle continues, all the while costing the state money.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Both programs have their weaknesses and strengths, Pharmacist Trần suggested, with managed care plans being good for helping patients decide what care they need and fee-for-service plans allowing the patients a different level of flexibility in choosing services.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">There are problems, she said, when the systems are abused. <o:p></o:p></span></span>Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-9211735302963301132012-05-23T16:51:00.000-07:002012-05-23T16:51:19.157-07:00Electronic prescriptions not federally mandated, local pharmacist saysThis article was originally published by the <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em>Viễn Đông</em> on May 19, 2012. It was written by Vanessa White.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.viendongdaily.com/phone/chinh-phu-hoa-ky-khong-bat-buoc-bac-si-ke-toa-thuoc-dien-tu-h8xYnS8I.html">http://www.viendongdaily.com/phone/chinh-phu-hoa-ky-khong-bat-buoc-bac-si-ke-toa-thuoc-dien-tu-h8xYnS8I.html</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">WESTMINSTER, California—A newer form of prescribing medication has been touted as helping reduce errors and speed up delivery time, though the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> has learned that the process might be slower.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">E-prescribe is a system that allows doctors to “electronically send an accurate, error-free and understandable prescription directly to a pharmacy from the point-of-care,” according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website. Included in the 2003 federal Medicare Modernization Act, e-prescribing has become considerably popular and aligned with the government’s plans to make medical records electronic.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Garden Grove’s Tran Pharmacy Pharmacist Thư-Hằng Trần told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> in a May 12, 2012 phone interview that the e-prescribe process involves a doctor inputting prescriptions into a laptop instead of using a notepad. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">To some extent, the e-prescribe system does reduce error, Pharmacist Trần </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"> said. For example, if done correctly, the pharmacy will receive the prescription right away and the patient can pick it up sooner than if the patient had brought in the prescription. <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Also, if a doctor has poor handwriting, Pharmacist Trần added, electronically submitting the prescription can ensure that the pharmacist reads the prescription correctly and does not make a mistake with the order. Though, aside from ensuring patients receive their prescriptions in a timely and accurate manner, Medicare gives doctors bonuses for using e-prescribe.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Doctors who do not use e-prescribe, Pharmacist Trần continued, experience a 1-2 percent reduction in payments, even though the program is not federally mandated.<o:p></o:p></span></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">E-prescribe myths<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Pharmacist </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Trần told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> that some doctors who use e-prescribe will tell their patients that they can only send prescriptions to certain pharmacies that accept e-prescribe. <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">A common trick, she said, is for doctors to say that the patient must pick up a prescription from one particular pharmacy and nowhere else. Though in reality, the doctor might have a wife or brother-in-law operating that pharmacy and the doctor is helping to benefit others in the business, she added.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Pharmacist Trần suggested to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> that she is not one of those pharmacists with connections, as some doctors do not send her prescriptions right away. When the patient shows up looking for their prescription and she has not yet received it, she said that she calls the doctors and they tell her that there must be a problem with her receiver.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Some doctors even tell their patients not to go to her pharmacy, she continued, adding that she shares with her patients that some doctors offer misleading information.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Another e-prescribe trick involves pharmacists who do not give their patients the entire prescriptions, she said. For example, if a patient is to pick up 10 medications, some pharmacists will give the patients eight or nine, because the pharmacists might be short on medication or even because they might want to keep it for themselves.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Though, one of the most upsetting tricks or <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“lies,” Pharmacist Trần said, is for doctors to tell their patients that because they are using e-prescribe, the federal government has mandated that they cannot write out a prescription for the patient. Not only is it misleading the patient regarding their prescription, she added, but it leads to a dislike toward the federal government.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">“Many doctors take advantage,” she said. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Fight for the prescription<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Pharmacist Trần told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> that patients have the right to ask their doctors for hand-written prescriptions. In fact, they should do so before leaving the doctor’s office, even if the doctor uses e-prescribe, she added.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">With a handwritten copy of their prescriptions, she continued, the patient will know if the pharmacist is withholding medication or if the doctor has failed to electronically send the prescription to the pharmacy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Some patients will have to fight for their prescriptions, she said, adding that this has been the case with some of her patients and she feels sorry for them having to fight for their right.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Medicare does not mandate that doctors and pharmacists use e-prescribe, she reiterated. <o:p></o:p></span></span>Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-89392031713963891102012-05-15T10:31:00.000-07:002012-05-15T10:31:44.200-07:00Haiti’s rainy season brings floods, more cholera cases amid U.S. efforts to feedThis article was originally published in the <em><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Viễn Đông</span> Daily News </em>on May 13, 2012. It was written by <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Bạch Vân</span>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.viendongdaily.com/mua-mua-cua-haiti-gay-ra-lu-lut-dich-ta-lam-nhieu-nguoi-chet-VlDgx5by.html">http://www.viendongdaily.com/mua-mua-cua-haiti-gay-ra-lu-lut-dich-ta-lam-nhieu-nguoi-chet-VlDgx5by.html</a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti—The annual rainy season has begun, already causing floods that have reportedly killed a dozen and displaced thousands while damaging crops and soil in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Haiti’s rainy season, from May-October, has heightened concern since after the 7.0 earthquake that hit the country in January 2010. Aside from the more than 316,000 people dying as a result of the quake, according to disputed Haitian government figures, more than 1.5 million people were left homeless with little if any stable shelter from the rains or flooding.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Contributing to the concern, in October 2010 cholera broke out in the country, reportedly killing at least 7,000 people and inflicting more than 500,000 more. As cholera is known to spread through water, floods serve as a heavy breeding ground for the bacteria, described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an “intestinal infection” that results in “watery diarrhea,” and vomiting, quickly leading to “severe dehydration” and death if not treated. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">While mainstream news outlets report that cholera-related deaths have been decreasing, a Haiti-based media outlet, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Haiti Libre</i>, reports that Haiti’s cholera-related fatality rate is increasing along with the number of cholera patients. Treatment centers in some areas have reached capacity while some medical staff members have not been paid since January 2012, the outlet adds.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Haiti Libre</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> continues, reporting that when the rainy season is over, the funding recedes and there is little, if any, emphasis on cholera prevention, leaving the population vulnerable when the epidemic begins again.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Inside tent camps, where nearly 500,000 people displaced by the 2010 earthquake still reportedly live, less than one third have adequate drinking water and 1 percent of them have received soap, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Haiti Libre</i> reports. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">“It is worrying that the authorities are not better prepared and keep reassuring speeches that do not correspond to reality,” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Haiti Libre</i> quotes Gaëtan Drossart,</span><span style="font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">head of the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) humanitarian aid mission in Haiti. “There are many meetings between the government, the UN and its humanitarian partners, but few concrete solutions.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Brief history of Haiti<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Haiti is located in the Caribbean Sea, west of the Dominican Republic. Both countries share an island, which was called Hispaniola upon Spanish colonization. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The 1492 Spanish colonization killed off much of Hispaniola’s Taino Indigenous population by introducing foreign disease, warfare, and slavery to the island. To supplement the work of building a colony, the Spaniards brought Africans to Hispaniola as slaves. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The French also came to the western part of Hispaniola, breeding competition with the Spanish. In 1697, the island was divided in two: the western, or French, part of the territory was the area now known as Haiti, while the eastern, or Spanish, part is the area now called the Dominican Republic.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Uprisings among free and enslaved Blacks in the area now known as Haiti reportedly caused all French colonies to abolish slavery in 1794. While the French attempted to reestablish slavery in the area now known as Haiti, the country declared its independence in 1804, the French not recognizing the independence until 1825. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Part of France’s acknowledgement would mean that Haiti had to pay retribution to France for the French loss of “property,” including slaves, land, and equipment, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">While the retribution Haiti paid lifted a trade embargo placed on the country by France, Britain, and the United States, Haiti had to take out high interest loans to fully pay the retribution. This took the country until 1947 and Haiti is still plagued by perpetuated debt.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Help from U.S.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Upon the 2010 earthquake, humanitarian aid organizations from throughout the world rushed into Haiti, bringing dry foods, hygiene kits, school supplies and more.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Though, as Haiti was an impoverished country since before the earthquake, there were villages that were not hit by the quake yet the village people insisted otherwise so they could have access to aid they had needed for years, a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> reporter learned from humanitarian aid organizations during a trip to Haiti in March 2010.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Before Fountain Valley’s Coastal Community Fellowship Pastor Kene Panas had heard of such stories, he was already helping to set up a food packing event for Haiti’s children through the organization Kids Around The World (KATW).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Pastor Panas told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> during an in-person interview that his congregation is one of many that is hosting such an event, contributing to 1 million packaged meals in May 2012. <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The event will consist of a single two-hour shift, with about 200 people helping to package $25,000 worth of dried food stuff including protein and dehydrated vegetables, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pastor Panas said. He added that the food will be packaged into bags that will go into boxes, each box holding 36 bags, enough to feed a single child for about seven months. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">While</span><span style="font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Pastor Panas said that his church will think through their humanitarian aid plans more thoroughly in the future, he feels that packing up dry food and sending it to Haiti will help the people in his congregation and the general community to “think outside of themselves.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">He invites the community to the packing event on May 19, 2012 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Coastal Community Fellowship church lawn, located next to the Fountain Valley City Hall at 10460 Slater Ave., Fountain Valley, CA 92708. <o:p></o:p></span>Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-82766967843670865202012-05-14T19:54:00.001-07:002012-05-14T19:55:51.981-07:00Proposed Medi-Cal, Medicare partnership causing local confusion*This article was originally published in the <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Viễn Đông Daily News on May 14, 2012. It was written by Vanessa White.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">ORANGE, California—Orange County is among the first four California counties chosen to participate in a proposed demonstration project expected to integrate care for lower-income seniors and people considered to be disabled. <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">People eligible under both the state’s Medi-Cal program and the federal Medicare program, living in Orange County (OC), Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Mateo counties, could have coordinated care and services beginning on 1 January 2013, pending federal approval. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> has learned that California is among 15 others states that could participate in the proposed program.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Also part of Governor Jerry Brown’s Coordinated Care Initiative (CCI), the proposed project could include 10 other California counties aiming to improve health outcomes, promote more efficient health care, and allow more beneficiaries to stay in their homes and communities for as long as possible, according to an April 2012 California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) press release about the project.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">“Currently, most dual eligible beneficiaries access services through a complex system of disconnected programs that often leads to beneficiary confusion, delayed care, poor care coordination, inappropriate utilization and unnecessary costs, issues we are addressing with this proposal,” DHCS Director Toby Douglas was quoted in the press release. “The goal is to design a seamless system that helps dual eligible beneficiaries get the health care services they need and improve health outcomes in a more fiscally efficient manner.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">California has more than 1 million people enrolled in both Medicare and Medi-Cal, according to the press release, which adds that these people are among California’s “highest-need and highest-cost users of health care services” and account for nearly 25 percent of Medi-Cal spending. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Funded through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), which is pending a U.S. Supreme Court decision on its constitutionality, the proposed project is expected to save California more than $678 million during the fiscal year (FY) 2012-2013 and $1 billion in FY 2013-2014.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">“We will build upon California’s existing structure of managed care health plans, county mental health programs and home- and community-based social services to achieve the financial and service integration necessary to accomplish this goal,” Mr. Douglas was quoted.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">CalOptima managed care plans</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Under the proposed project, OC’s public health plan, CalOptima, would receive a combined monthly payment from Medicare and Medi-Cal to provide their enrollees all needed services, according to the DHCS press release. Beneficiaries would have a single health plan membership card and one care team that will help coordinate their services.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">All medical and long-term services and supports are expected to be integrated as managed care benefits, the press release continues, though adds that Medicare beneficiaries who do not wish to participate in the proposed dual eligibility project could opt out. However, beneficiaries who do not choose to opt out by 1 January 2013 would be phased-in throughout 2013.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Garden Grove’s Tran Pharmacy Pharmacist Thư-Hằng Trần told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> in a 12 May 2012 phone interview that beneficiaries will receive notices in the mail, informing them of the proposed changes in September 2012. Until then, she added, beneficiaries are not required to sign any forms regarding the proposed project.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Pharmacist Trần continued, saying that some doctors will try and have been trying to mislead their Medicare patients, telling them that they must fill out an “opt out” form right away. Really, she adds, the doctors are having their patients fill out managed care applications because doctors tend to benefit from that type of plan.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">“I don’t like the way they lie to the patients,” she said. “It’s totally wrong.” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Under managed care, doctors receive a single fixed payment of $120-130 monthly, even if the patient does not visit the doctor, Pharmacist Trần continued. If a patient is healthy, doctors typically try to convince them to enroll into a managed care plan because the patient rarely visits and doctors profit by doing the least amount of work.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Pharmacist Trần said that she generally likes the idea of managed care plans if doctors adequately manage their patients’ care, though she has a problem when doctors, and even patients, abuse the system.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Be careful,” she said. <o:p></o:p></span></span>Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-73230425347108424312012-04-03T13:29:00.000-07:002012-04-03T13:29:48.367-07:00One year anniversary of G.I. Joe Foundation: reflections on progress, hopesThis article was originally published in the <em>Viễn Đông Daily News </em>on 3 April 2012. It was reported by Vanessa White<br />
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<a href="http://www.viendongdaily.com/ky-niem-mot-nam-thanh-lap-gi-joe-foundation-to-chuc-tim-cuu-nguoi-rr3cv5Jj.html">http://www.viendongdaily.com/ky-niem-mot-nam-thanh-lap-gi-joe-foundation-to-chuc-tim-cuu-nguoi-rr3cv5Jj.html</a><br />
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ANAHEIM, California--<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Victoria Lê breathes deeply before telling the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> about what she has experienced during the past year, from about ten rescue missions to charity work and award nominations.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Still, she feels the pain of loss, her sadness unchanging despite the passing time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">On 1 April 2011, Victoria ate dinner with her parents, waiting for her brother to return from a hike, but he never did. Instead, police officers showed up at their door, informing them that Joe Lê had fallen into the San Gabriel River in the Angeles National Forest while attempting to cross a bridge.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">After law enforcement called off its rescue, Victoria was supported by over 150 people during a two day recovery search for Joe’s body. On 3 April 2011, it was found, age 20 and lifeless.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">On the one year anniversary weekend, Victoria tells the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông </i>that rather than eat at home, her family decided to go out for dinner. It is not that they wanted to forget Joe, it is just difficult to revisit the evening when they discovered he was missing. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">“It still feels like it was yesterday no matter how long it has been,” Victoria says, adding that she lights candles in Joe’s room daily and has kept everything exactly in its place. “The only thing is he’s not here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">G.I. Joe S&R<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">While Joe is not physically present, Victoria and others keep his memory alive through the G.I. Joe Search and Rescue: Joe Le Foundation, a nonprofit organization mainly known for assisting families and law enforcement on search and rescue missions. Responding only by request, these volunteers continue searching for lost loved ones after law enforcement lacks time and resources. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Recognized for its commitment and time, G.I. Joe S&R was honored in March 2012 for the 2012 OC One Spirit of Volunteerism Award in the Human and Community Category, labeled an “outstanding community volunteer team” on the OC One website.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Victoria tells the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> that G.I. Joe S&R has revamped the organization over the past year, creating more specific departments and leadership positions while focusing more on training. All of these efforts are putting the foundation on the path to becoming nationally certified, she adds, giving it more credibility and access to a broader network of volunteers outside of California.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Yet, aside from its search and rescue efforts, the foundation has also volunteered its time and money to help people outside of the United States, consistently raising funds to provide food and hygiene products for poor and ill people, as well as orphaned children in Vietnam. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">In February 2012, Victoria’s parents, Hoang Lê and Thu Ha Ngo personally packaged and delivered the supplies to shelters, hospitals, and foster homes in Ho Chi Minh City.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">“We’re just there trying to help whenever we possibly can,” Victoria says, adding that her desire to help others is a reflection of what Joe would want. “This organization is all by heart.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Despite the efforts G.I. Joe S&R is making to reach out to the community at home and abroad, there are various obstacles hindering higher levels of success. For example, while the foundation has received an abundance of support from local Asian communities, Victoria says it has had trouble gaining such support from the mainstream.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Other barriers involve a thought among some people that nonprofits are not to be trusted, while further barriers include the lack of governmental grants available for less popular organizations, Victoria says.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">“It’s just hard to get our names out there,” she continues, though adds that G.I. Joe S&R persists, attempts to becoming more noticed by making visibility its priority.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">On 7 April 2012, G.I. Joe S&R will hold a social fundraiser commemorating its one year anniversary at the The Pint House in downtown Fullerton at 4:30 p.m. Attendees can meet with volunteers, ask questions, and donate a fraction of their dinner bill to the foundation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">For more information on the fundraiser and G.I. Joe S&R in general, visit <a href="http://www.gij411.org/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.gij411.org/</span></a> online.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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</div>Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-34154153308706291842012-01-06T10:25:00.000-08:002012-01-06T10:25:09.681-08:00National Defense Authorization Act could violate U.S. citizens’ rightsThis article was originally published by the <em>Viễn Đông</em> on 6 January 2012. It was reported by Vanessa White.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><a href="http://www.viendongdaily.com/dao-luat-tham-quyen-quoc-phong-vi-pham-quyen-cong-dan-my-28n30vft.html">http://www.viendongdaily.com/dao-luat-tham-quyen-quoc-phong-vi-pham-quyen-cong-dan-my-28n30vft.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">WASHINGTON D.C.—President Barack Obama has agreed to possibly take away any U.S. citizens’ constitutional rights to a fair trial.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">On 31 December 2011, President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 (NDAA), which-based on the interpretation of the acting president- could give the government power to militarily and indefinitely detain U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents on U.S. soil, if such people are suspected of terrorism or aiding a terrorist.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">The 14 December 2011 House of Representatives vote for the NDAA was equally split among Democrats yet overwhelmingly supported by Republicans. Though, California’s Congressional District (CD) 40 Republican Representative Ed Royce opposed the legislation while the State’s CD 47 Democrat Representative Loretta Sanchez did not vote. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">At the time of this article’s publication, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> did not receive comment from either Representative Royce or Representative Sanchez as to why they voted the way they did.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">The Senate passed the NDAA, or HR 1540, on 15 December 2011, both California's U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer supporting it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">“The statute is particularly dangerous because it has no temporal or geographic limitations, and can be used by this and future presidents to militarily detain people captured far from any battlefield,” an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) blog reads. “Any military detention of American citizens or others within the United States is unconstitutional and illegal, including under the NDAA.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Citizen fears</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Ms. Sara AbiBoutros, who has been involved with the international, political and socioeconomic Occupy Movement, told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> that under the NDAA and according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) definition of “terrorist,” her role as an Occupy protester could lead to her being indefinitely detained.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Since November 2011, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Dông</i> has covered the Occupy Movement, which began in New York City (NYC) and San Francisco in September 2011, culminating into international civic disobedient acts including marches, city hall and home occupations, as well as port shutdowns.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">“My biggest concern is the vague language in defining what constitutes being a terrorist,” Ms. AbiBoutros told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông </i>of the NDAA’s language, adding that though the NDAA does not necessarily define terrorist, as the FBI does, it gives the government permission on how to treat such people. “The FBI’s definition of a terrorist is laughable.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Although the FBI recognizes that “there is no single, universally accepted, definition of terrorism,” it defines terrorism as “the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof in furtherance of political or social objectives.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Anyone participating in such activities is considered a “terrorist.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Ms. AbiBoutros added that the NDAA is also unclear about what it means for someone to “aid terrorists.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">For example, she continued, if she were to create a blog and a terrorist organization saw it and decided to use the information she displayed, she could be considered as aiding a terrorist.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Further bills</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Although California's U.S. Senator Feinstein, who is also Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, supported the NDAA, she had objections with its indefinite detention provisions and offered an amendment that would clearly state that military detention is only applicable to suspected terrorists captured outside of the United States.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Her amendment was struck down by a 55-45 vote in the Senate.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">On 14 December 2011, she introduced legislation to Congress that could keep U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents who are seized domestically from being detained indefinitely by the military.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Her bill, “Due Process Guarantee Act”, or S. 2003, could ensure that U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents have their right to a fair trial.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">“The argument is not whether citizens such as Yaser Esam Hamdi and Jose Padilla-or others who would do us harm-should be captured, interrogated, incarcerated and severely punished. They should be,” she was quoted in a press release. “But what about an innocent American? What about someone in the wrong place at the wrong time?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Congress has yet to vote on S. 2003.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Regarding the NDAA, the ACLU is depending on an eventual U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the authority Congress has to indefinitely detain U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, arrested in the United States.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"></div>Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-26860937284536206712012-01-04T18:37:00.000-08:002012-01-04T18:37:54.233-08:00What is democracy to the minority among the majority?*This article was originally published by the <em>Viễn Đông</em> on 4 January 2012. It was reported by Vanessa White.<br />
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<a href="http://www.viendongdaily.com/dan-chu-la-gi-doi-voi-nhom-thieu-so-giua-long-da-so-57FaBCA9.html">http://www.viendongdaily.com/dan-chu-la-gi-doi-voi-nhom-thieu-so-giua-long-da-so-57FaBCA9.html</a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">WASHINGTON D.C.—The GOP 2012 Presidential primaries and caucuses have given “the minority” some chances at making their issues heard on the national level.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">As Democrat President Barack Obama was elected in 2008, he represented the majority of Americans who voted him into office.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">The Republicans represented the minority.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">However, since the summer 2011, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> has reported on Republican-corporate alliances, like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), that are believed to support bills promoting business success at the expense of the American people-the majority.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Since fall 2011, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> has also consistently reported on the Occupy Movement, its protesters working toward what they feel democracy should look like: rule by the 99 percent, or the masses-the majority, as opposed to rule by the 1 percent, or the wealthy and corporations-the minority.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Yet, as the election of President Obama supposedly proved, their vision for democracy is already in effect.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Although the democratic election of President Obama represented the majority of U.S. voters, the Occupy Movement and ALEC exposure have led to insight into how much weight the minority actually holds.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">The term “democracy” commonly meaning “rule by the people” comes from the ancient Greeks, who only gave one in five people the right to vote, University of California Irvine (UCI) Director for the Center of the Study of Democracy and Sociology Professor David Meyer told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">“In contemporary discourse, democracy is supposed to allow the majority to rule,” he continued, adding that it is also supposed to protect the rights of all minorities as they try to become majorities by using their civil liberties and persuading others to join and push for their cause.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Though, he also told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> that it is common for democracies to “stomp on the rights and well-being of minorities.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">“Look, virtually all of the elected officials in the American South supported segregation,” he added, mentioning pre-1964 Civil Rights practices, including separating people’s meeting places by their race. “They had to if they wanted to be elected.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">American slavery, institutionally ending in 1865, resulted in a system where Blacks were viewed as the “minority,” submissive to Whites. Especially prevalent in the American South, the rights of Whites were considered more important than the rights of Blacks and Whites representing the “majority” did not want to give up their privilege or perceived entitlement.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Civil Rights legislation only resulted from the federal government intervening and “imposing solutions over the objections of the majority,” Professor Meyer continued.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Minority-majority coalition</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Mr. David Ajasin, who graduated from the State University of New York (SUNY) Plattsburgh with a Political Science degree, told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> that minorities have historically been represented by gaining support from the majority.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">“The Civil Rights movement may not have been as successful, as it turned out, had it only included minorities,” he continued.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">However, the motives for including minorities into democratic representation are not always pure, he added, like when politicians do everything they can to gain support in minority neighborhoods just so they can get elected.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">He used another example of a Black woman’s, the late Ms. Rosa Parks, arrest for sitting in the front of a Montgomery, Alabama bus and refusing to give up her seat to a White person.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">In 1955, the Montgomery Bus Service was legally segregated, designating the back of the bus for Blacks and the front of the bus for Whites. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Ms. Parks’ arrest spurred a mass protest called the Montgomery Bus Boycott, resulting in Blacks choosing not to ride the city busses.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">After city officials realized the boycott was causing the city to lose money, as Blacks were the majority of the people riding the busses, they allowed Black people to sit anywhere they wanted on city buses.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">However, Mr. Ajasin told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> that unlike what inspired the city of Montgomery’s decision, there have been more pure motives behind majority support of minority causes, like the mixture of White and Black supporters in the crowd at Civil Rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speeches.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">“It seems like minority representation is based on uniformity between all communities,” he added.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Minority wins majority</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">As a Black male in the United States, Mr. Ajasin recognizes his gained opportunity for civic engagement though “it’s almost numerically impossible for a Black male to win a majority decision, especially on issues pertaining almost exclusively to Black Folks,” he told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">“It’s similar to feeling somewhat left out within an arguably ‘inclusive’ governmental system,” he added.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Though, President Obama was elected as the first Black President to the United States of America.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">“People wanted change and voted him in,” Mr. Ajasin told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i>, though, “unfortunately, he is frequently used as a reference to ‘prove’ that racism does not exist” and the minority is being sufficiently represented.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Although President Obama’s election “brings minorities a step closer, we still have a long way to go,” he added.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Mr. Ajasin shared with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> a common phrase he remembers children yelling when he was a youngster, “majority rules!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">He laughed, “How ironic for a minority.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Asian American community: minority or majority?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">In September 2011, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> reported on the Republican National Convention (RNC), including comments California Board of Equalization (BOE) Vice Chair Michelle Park Steel made about the Asian American community’s seemingly natural alliance with the GOP party.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">She told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> that most first generation Asian Americans do not want the government handling their money and want less government involvement in their lives, typically views also shared by GOP party members.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">As Asian American community members are considered to be ethnic “minorities” in the United States, their mostly GOP membership could position them to be in the “majority” depending on the results of this year’s Presidential election.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Or, like ALEC and the Occupy Movement appear to reveal, the Asian American community might already be among the majority when it comes to U.S. democracy.</span></div>Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4579602722054263002.post-23657999583264200232012-01-03T15:20:00.000-08:002012-01-03T15:20:36.860-08:00No cuts to Medi-Cal provider rates for now*This article was originally published by the <em>Viễn Đông</em> on 3 January 2012. It was reported by Vanessa White.<br />
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<a href="http://viendongdaily.com/tam-thoi-van-chua-cat-giam-10-muc-chi-tra-cho-medi-cal-quPBeMTD.html">http://viendongdaily.com/tam-thoi-van-chua-cat-giam-10-muc-chi-tra-cho-medi-cal-quPBeMTD.html</a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">GARDEN GROVE, California—A recent court decision has helped save Pharamcist Thư-Hằng Trần's pharmacy, along with others across the state. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">At least for now.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">On 29 December 2011,</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">the U.S. District Court, Central District of California, in Los Angeles (LA) granted an injunction-or stop- to plaintiffs opposing the 2011-2012 State budget trailer bill, Assembly Bill (AB) 97, which would have made 10 percent cuts to Medi-Cal provider rates statewide.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Pharmacist Trần told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> that providing the proper medication for her patients under AB 97, could have eventually led to her closing down her pharmacy, as she would not have received enough State funding to break even.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">To keep her pharmacy open, she would have had to offer her patients less expensive, generic medications, rather than provide quality medication for them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Since the summer 2011, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> has reported on proposed cuts to Medi-Cal, California’s version of the federal Medicaid program. It covers low-income families with children, seniors, foster children, pregnant women, and people with specific diseases including breast cancer and HIV/AIDS.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">The State provides funding to Medi-Cal providers so they can offer less expensive, yet quality services to such individuals.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Passed in March 2011, AB 97 cuts were supposed to go into effect on 1 June 2011 as a way to help the State balance its budget, however the State had to wait for federal approval to enact them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">On 27 October 2011, the federal government approved over $623 million in cuts to Medi-Cal provider rates, spurring a lawsuit from plaintiffs, including the Medicaid Defense Fund which represented Pharmacist Trần's pharmacy, Tran Pharmacy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">AB 97 would have made cuts to more than just pharmacy services, including adult physicians and clinics, therapy, optometry, and dental. Nursing home nurses and adult sub-acute care nursing home facilities would have also experienced 10 percent reductions in provider payments, while acute care nursing facilities would have received 10 percent reductions in provider payments as well as a rate freeze.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">However provider cuts would not have applied to child physician and clinic services, home health services, hospital based sub-acute care facilities, or outpatient hospital services.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">“It affects everybody,” Pharmacist Trần said of AB 97, adding that many employees working at outpatient services experiencing the cuts would have lost their jobs as their employers would not have had enough money to pay them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">She continued, saying that the AB 97 injunction is similar to the 2008, 2009, and 2010 court decisions that also blocked cuts to Medi-Cal provider rates, originally passed by the California legislature for the 2007-2008 budget.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">As a response to the U.S. District Court in LA block in 2008, California appealed the decision with the U.S. Supreme Court in 2009 and 2010, losing both times.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">However, the AB 97 injunction case is different from those past cases because California did not have federal government support then as it does now.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Pharmacist Trần told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> that California will probably appeal the newest AB 97 injunction, which will only spur appeals from plaintiffs seeking to block cuts.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">“It will go back and forth,” she said.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Though, the Ping-Pong-like drama could be stopped if a pending U.S. Supreme Court decision to be decided by June 2012 rules against plaintiffs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Douglas vs. Independent Living Center of Southern California</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">In October 2011, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> reported on first U.S. Supreme Court case of its new 2011-2012 term, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Douglas vs. Independent Living Center of Southern California.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">The case focused on whether or not people receiving Medi-Cal, their providers, and their advocates can sue California and stop its cuts to Medi-Cal provider rates.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Pharmacist Trần was a plaintiff in the case and traveled to Washington D.C. to offer her presence as support.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">“If you don’t have the right to sue, the court will not accept your case,” Pharmacist Trần told the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Viễn Đông</i> in October 2011, adding that this case will affect decisions regarding similar lawsuits in the future.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">She continued, saying that if the plaintiffs win the case, there will be similar lawsuits against states throughout the country. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">However, if the plaintiffs lose, doctors and patients may never be able to sue the government again.</span></div>Nessessaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02690553069842210210noreply@blogger.com0