MOMocrats™

Hear My Story: When an Ear Infection Means Being Uninsurable

My kids and I are uninsured.  I am frustrated, angry and feel utterly helpless because some insurance company gets to decide if I get to back in the club - the "people who have insurance club".

Last month, I has the huge privilege of meeting the venerable Valerie Jarrett with a few other MOMocrats.  I left inspired to do more, but wasn't quite sure until I chatted with the fine folks at People Acting in Community Together. 

Yesterday my kids and I had the opportunity to give testimony on health insurance reform at a rally outside Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren's office.  About 175 clergy and community leaders gathered to add our stories to the health care insurance reform debate.   Representative Lofgren spoke briefly and complimented the group on the peaceful demonstration.  She relayed that the night before she had attended a meeting expecting 40 people.  Instead she was greeted by more than 300 rowdy protesters, and most were not ready to debate civilly. Oy vey! WTF people - aren't there more important things we need to talk about - like how we should pay for this and the details of a plan? 

The afternoon's gathering was hosted by a Rabbi, blessing shared by a Baptist minister and the crowd sang, "This little light of mine".  It was a far cry from the events seen all over the news featuring town halls shut down by angry protestors.  I was proud to be amongst this group of smart and compassionate people. 

When my friends asked me to speak last week, I did not hesitate to volunteer.  But as I watched the news and read online accounts of what was happening at rallies around the country, I began to wonder what I had gotten myself into.  Moreover, when the head organizer mentioned that agitators were seen at other rallies around the country and that a large group off Teabaggers assembled at an event the night before I began to worry about what I had gotten my kids involved with.   But as I stood in a circle surrounded by preachers, community activists and friends, I knew there was no other place I would rather have been.

Valerie Jarrett challenged us to take to streets and get our stories told. I did just that and so have many others. Now it is up to us all to make sure our elected officials stand up too and roll up their sleeves to get it done.  We need access to affordable health are. My kids can't wait.

Check out other stories from people around the country who shared their stories yesterday through PACT and the PICO network.

MOMocrats Meet Valerie Jarrett at BlogHer

At the BlogHer '09 conference, five MOMocrats writers were among a group of women bloggers who met with White House Adviser and Public Liason Valerie Jarrett to talk about health insurance reform. Representing MOMocrats.com were BlogHer Political Director and MOMocrats contributor Erin Kotecki Vest, MOMocrats Founding Editor Stefania Pomponi Butler, PunditMom creator, Huffington Post contributor, and MOMocrats writer Joanne Bamberger, MOMocrats writer Sheila Bernus Dowd, and MOMocrats writer Jaelithe Judy.

Also in attendance were:

• BlogHer Community Manager Denise Tanton and BlogHer co-founder Lisa Stone
• Jenny Prokopi, the founder of an online community for women living with chronic health conditions, ChronicBabe.com
• Kerri Morrone Sparling, author of Six Until Me, a blog about living with diabetes.
• Loolwa Khazoom, journalist and founder of the Dancing with Pain chronic pain management website.
• Kim McAllister, who writes about her life as a nurse at Emergiblog.
• Liz Henry, tech blogger, momblogger, disability rights advocate and BlogHer contributor.
• Kelly Wickham, a public school administrator, writer of the blog Mocha Momma, and BlogHer Content Editor.
• Daphra Holder, Manager of Mobilization Marketing for the charitable organization Donors Choose. 
• Katie, who has written about her experiences as a brain surgery patient at Overflowing Brain.
• Casey Mullins from Moosh in Indy, who has written about her struggles with depression, endometriosis and infertility.
• Loralee from Loralee's Looney Tunes, who has written about her experience being denied insurance coverage for a high risk pregnancy.

Here is the official BlogHer liveblog of the Valerie Jarrett meeting, written by Denise Tanton as the meeting happened.

No, I am NOT pregnant - just sick of wanting Change so badly!

I have felt ill all week - nauseous, anxious and tired. I have felt this pit in my stomach and have had no idea what the deal was- but I am a mom and we go on.  So I have - I have worked at my more that full-time business, sat at soccer practice/games, volunteered at school and read bed time stories. Like many of you , I have volunteered to phone bank, talked to my republican neighbors about the election and have done what I can with limited time.

To be honest, I was beginning to think that I was pregnant and that has scared the shit out of me.  What kind of world would I be bringing a new baby into?  Geez, we barely have health care and I am our family's main bread winner right now.

But now that I have a few moments, I am realizing that this illness must be due to this election. (Mom, I am NOT pregnant - really!) My anxiety is visceral.  I just can't imagine raising my children in a world where the all the positive energy of the entire Obama campaign nationally and locally meant nothing. When I think about what is at stake, it gives me chills.  This week I have been brought to tears several times. 

It makes no sense to me - I have never been this "caught up", but this time it just doesn't seem like there could be anything more important than saying NO to policies that do more harm than good, are fundamentally racist, classist and sexist and ignore the poorest among us.

Other MOMocrats are more eloquent than I, and have been able to articulate better than I just why we all need to give it  our all today and tomorrow. I just know that I want to know that I put it all on the line and that Obama's win is truly a win for ALL of us. 

Go out my friends, vote. Take your elderly neighbors to vote. Check with your parents and sibling and make sure they cast their votes.   Bring the kids - they need to see us do it. They need to know why we have all been anxious - why we have been so angry and why we believe that this country can be so much more than the it is today.

A musical interlude to inspire you..

Even if you are not a Hip Hop fan, check this out. Big Hit Buda hits a home run in my book for inspiring lyrics and a great beat. It had my 5 year old groovin' and attempting her mama's cool dance moves ala "cabbage patch" and "running man". Maybe I should post that video?

Alaskans Rally to Hold Palin Accountable

Calling all Alaskan Mamas and everyone else! This came to the us from our friend Celtic Diva. Also check out Mudflats here for more details.

Angry Alaskans are holding a "Hold Palin Accountable Rally" this Saturday. Demanding the open, honest and transparent government that Gov. Palin promised.

Hmmm... seems that if she was actually doing her job and providing the kind of government she outlined in her campaign speeches then there wouldn't be a need for a rally? Get your pitchforks ready! Now imagine her and McCain actually winning - rallies like this would be just the beginning. FUGLY!

If you are anywhere close to AK, be sure to be there. Moose burgers for everyone, Sarah's cooking 'em up.

Saturday, September 27
noon until 2:00 PM
Delaney Park Strip Veteran's Memorial, 9th and I

For more info email: [email protected]

Monday Morning Fun: Palin Name Generator

Can't fault Sarah Palin for not being "creative" in the baby naming category. With names like Trig, Track, Bristol and Willow she is certainly on the cutting edge...ever wonder what your name would be if you were a Palin - check out the Sarah Palin Name Generator here. Go ahead - you wanna know. Wonder if Bristol will go with something more traditional. hmmm?

Happy Monday from Sheila
AKA - Moose Roadster Palin - ugh!

Sheila also muses about other names associated with Sarah Palin at xiaolinmama.

Palin in Comparison: Sex Education

Given today's announcement the Sarah Palin's daughter is pregnant at the age of 17, it seems appropriate to shed some light on the differences between candidates when it comes to sex education.

It is simple, Sarah Palin and John Mc Cain support only "abstinence based sex education programs", while Barack Obama and Joe Biden support "sensible, community-driven education for children because, among other things, he believes it could help protect them from pedophiles. A child's knowledge of the difference between appropriate and inappropriate touching is crucial to keeping them safe from predators." Get that folks, age appropriate science based information that keeps kids safe. Materials that have been created by public health educators are used all over the country and have been proven to work. When more than half of the STDs and HIV in this country is contracted by people under the age of 25, comprehensive sex education is a must.

Abstinence sex ed programs tell kids that saying no is their ONLY option. Having gone all my life to Catholic school, even WE were given more information than that. Thank goodness. Comprehensive programs address issues like what are appropriate touches, birth control, the dangers of HIV and consequences of sexual behaviors. Geez, I know plenty of ADULTS who could use a refresher on that! Is having those kind of discussions with folks who are trained to have these discussions with kids a bad thing? It seems it only can help them in the real world, when "No, really means NO! or when teens really do "love each other". 85% of Americans said they support sex education programs.

More over, most sex education programs have opt-out options. If a parent is opposed, then they can pull their child from the program. So if you feel that you can do a better job and talking about the bird and the bees with your kids, then feel free. It's your choice. I know that after my kids have that talk, I'll be following up the session to make sure all their questions were answered and to advise them to wait. But that is MY job as a parent. Schools are there to ensure to that my child gets the basic facts, right?

Sarah Palin and John McCain with their screwed up values don't get to take that choice away from me.

The DNC: My Favorite Photos, Favorite Memories

Ten MOMocrats spent the last week at the DNC, attending events, meeting politicians and celebrities, writing, videoing, twittering, and watching.  We experienced the highest highs and some of the lowest lows.  We were conflicted when the duties of motherhood called, when a little one tumbled down the stairs, several others started school, and all of our kids missed our hugs and our presence and we missed them.  We had to check our emotions many times, and other times let them flow.

We were a part of history, bearing witness to the fruit of Dr. King's dream so long ago, when some of us were children, and others weren't even born yet.  Barack Obama may not have been our first choice, but we rallied around him, our party, and our nation.  He likes to say that his "is an impossible story" and so, too, is the story of the MOMocrats.

I can't say what my favorite moment was.  There are too many.  I can't describe it adequately in words; words fail me.  All I know is that I was surrounded by a group of women I adore more every second, and cannot imagine the experience without any one of them.  I wished that the other MOMocrats--Stefania, Jen, Joanne, Jenn, and Christine--who planned to come but couldn't make, had been there.  We carried their strength and humor with us, and tried hard to do them proud.

These are some of my favorite people and moments of the Convention. I wish you could have been there.

Illinois Secretary of Veteran's Affairs, Iraq War heroine, and triple amputee, Tammy Duckworth at the Asian-Pacific Islander Caucus.  The Caucus featured a panel moderated by Yul Kwon, Survivor Cook Islands Winner, and in true API fashion, singing.  It was wonderful to see so many APIs, from so many different cultures and circumstances, all in one place.  Growing up in Ohio, we were the only Asian family in our town for many years.  It was wonderful to see so many successful Asian-Americans together with a common goal.

MOMocrats around the web

• Check out our very own Sheila Bernus Dowd's interview with Patrick May of the San Jose Mercury News on McCain's puzzling VP pick, Sarah Palin.
• Start subscribing to Stefania Pomponi Butler's picks for 10 Political Blogs Every Progressive Mother Should Read (with suggestions from MOMocrats) as featured on Blogs.com.
• And lastly, read about our very own MOMocrat and Obama delegate, Julie Lythcott-Haims, whose thoughts about Hillary Clinton's speech at the DNC were picked up by Wired's blog.

I tried to pin Maya Sotero-Ng!

Yes, me and Barack Obama's sister! She came into the Big Tent to greet all the bloggers. That's me all sweaty and her all perfect. doh! While the Big Tent has had a slew of politicians trying to outreach to bloggers, few have been so fantastic that computers stopped. This girl had folks paused and heads lifted from their computer screens. You go girl!

When I told her I was with MOMocrats, she said, "I already have a MOMocrats pin - actually two pins. I've been pinned twice by the MOMocrats. Love what you do!" No Maya, we LOVE what you do! Glennia and Stefania met her a few months back in San Francisco. Oh well, even if I wasn't her first, it was equally fun and honor.