BLOG.ANTHONYERICGRAVES.COM: Recent Comments

Comment on Goodwill Delegation to Taiwan

2010-01-03T14:06:41Z

This is an incredible summary of a very important journey. Thanks for sharing Anthony. cheers...jamie

Comment on Goodwill Delegation to Taiwan

2010-01-01T01:36:51Z

Anthony,
was an amazing experience.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
I am especially grateful for your sharing your thoughts about Taiwan's health-care system. Italy, where I am from, has also used a single-payer health-care system for decades and decades and I am very familiar with it. It is far from perfect. But one thing I can say: it covers ALL residents (not citizens only), just like the Taiwanese, and it costs about half, on a per-capita basis, than the one we have here in the USA. Throughout the ongoing debate in the public and in the media over the pros and cons of a public option, I have seen the public option described as a socialist (bad) thing, or a European (also bad) thing, or a government take-over plan (worst of all). But I haven't seen an honest debate that would use the actual experience of other countries with the concept. I think that by looking outside of our borders and bench-marking with best practices all over the world, we can get lots of good ideas, and make real progress.

Thanks again, and Happy New Year!!!

Comment on Don't Blink: Health Insurance Reform

2009-09-06T20:35:38Z

We didn't blink... it's the White House that is disappointing as well as many Democratic senators.

Comment on Another Day on Capitol Hill

2009-03-23T15:47:13Z

Recommendation for a must-see movie:

Yesterday I went to see Joshua Tickell's movie "Fuel".
It is playing at the Starz Film Center, 900 Auraria Parkway, Denver CO 80204 until 3/26/2009.

On Thursday, it will move, for one day only, to a Boulder theater.

For information as to show times and locations, you can check out the website: http://thefuelfilm.com.

In my mind, this is a must-see movie for every American citizen, man, woman or child.
It tells us where we are coming from, where we are, what the industry is experimenting with today, and where we can go in the future, if we want to, as far as energy efficiency and alternative energies are concerned.

The picture you get from the movie is very different from the one you get from established energy think-tanks like the Energy Information Administration, the International Energy Agency, and the National Petroleum Council.

And there is a reason for that: these think-tanks are responsible for telling it to us the way it is, not for imagining what could be.

On the other hand, imagination is precisely what we need today, in the field of energy. Our lives and the lives of our children depend on it.

What we need today, in the field of energy, is a JFK "man-on-the-moon" moment. No established think-tank in early 1962 would have told us that by the end of that decade a man would have been walking on the moon...
But still, we made it happen.

I strongly recommend watching this movie, and spreading the word around.

Stefano Chioetto

Comment on Another Day on Capitol Hill

2009-03-02T02:14:13Z

Hi am a member of this informative website thought I would share a positive website.

Dear MoveOn member,
Want to see what change looks like? Real change?

Well, here it is. Last week, President Obama unveiled his budget—his blueprint for America—and it's ambitious, amazing, and unapologetically progressive. As Paul Krugman said, it will set America on a "fundamentally new course."1

President Obama called his budget "a threat to the status quo," and trust me, the status quo noticed. Oil companies, big banks and insurance companies are already mobilizing to stop it.2

Unfortunately, most folks don't realize how far-reaching and progressive the plan is—that's where we all come in.

Here are 10 really incredible things about Obama's plan. Check them out and then send them on to your friends and family so that millions of people will have the information they need to fight to make this vision a reality.

10 things you should know about Obama's plan (but probably don't)
The plan:

Makes a $634 billion down payment on fixing health care that will go a long way toward paying for a more efficient, more affordable health care system that covers every single American.3

Reduces taxes for 95% of working Americans. And if your family makes less than $250,000, your taxes won't go up one dime.4

Invests more than $100 billion in clean energy technology, creating millions of green jobs that can never be outsourced.5

Brings our troops home from Iraq on a firm timetable, finally bringing the war to a close—and freeing up almost ten billion dollars a month for domestic priorities.6

Reverses growing income inequality. The plan lets the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans expire and focuses on strengthening the middle class.7

Closes multi-billion-dollar tax loopholes for big oil companies. 8

Increases grants to help families pay for college—the largest increase ever.9

Halves the deficit by 2013. President Obama inherited a legacy of huge deficits and an economy in shambles, but his plan brings the deficit under control as soon as the economy begins to recover.10

Dramatically increases funding for the SEC and the CFTC—the agencies that police Wall Street.11

Tells it straight. For years, budgets have used accounting tricks to hide the real costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Bush tax cuts, and too many other programs. Obama's budget gets rid of the smokescreens and lays out what America's priorities are, what they cost, and how we're going to pay for them.12
This is the change we voted for. President Obama has done his part, now we need to do ours.

Can you pass this on to your personal network and then click here to let us know how many people you told, so we can track our impact together:

http://pol.moveon.org/budget10/?id=15687-11102543-oRhueOx&t=1
Thanks for all you do.

–Daniel, Tanya, Peter, Justin and the rest of the team

Comment on Have You Achieved Your Full Potential?

2009-02-26T03:23:20Z

Thank you very much for your post. I value a healthy exchange and diverse opinions. And in fact, I agree with your assessment of Vietnam. I think that it was a tragic loss of both American and Cambodian life - especially with the merciless napalm bombings that were not necessary by many historic accounts. Similarly in Iraq, there has been a high cost to pay in American and Iraqi lives and amputees. Neither war result is acceptable. In both conflicts, American men and women in uniform served bravely and did what their country called them to do - with honor. The reason I listed the Vietnam and Iraq wars as undesirable moments in American History, is because we did not think though the implications of our entry into the conflicts, nor did we have clear exit strategies. I believe this demonstrates a lapse of judgment by the Presidents at the time, and it had a demoralizing effect on our nation. In both cases, our government did not act in a manner that was representative of the desires of the people, and that is contrary to the efforts of our country's founders to establish a representative democracy. There are also questions as to whether or not we had a legitimate cause to enter in to the wars, i.e. in the case of Iraq, no WMDs were ever discovered.

Please continue to participate in this conversation, I enjoyed your comments. I am sure others will also contribute to this string about your observations on the economy. Thanks again.

Anthony

Comment on Have You Achieved Your Full Potential?

2009-02-26T02:45:20Z

I just stumbled across your blog. Your write very well, but I have to disagree. The most recent stimulus package under the current administration has rolled back the welfare reforms that took place under the Clinton administration (that did so much good) and has spent a large amount of the people's money on a laundry list of liberal special interest group projects. A fairly large portion of the package will have very little impact on the economy, and the part that is touted as doing so, has a very long absorption rate that will do little to help the current economy.

The other thing that I wonder about is what you (or your readers) think about the comparison between the Californian economy and where the current administration promises to take the national economy with increased entitlement spending, more anti-business policies, increased government, harsher environmental standards and higher taxes on the wealthy. These have made California a place that most business want to leave and most people can't afford. We watch as California pays the price for these policies and yet most people cheer as Obama promises the same for the nation as a whole?

I make no defense of the previous administrations prodigal fiscal policy, but the current administration seems to be continuing that trend. The things it is spending the money on have changed, but loose fiscal policy hasn't.

Additionally, with regards to your pejorative reference to Vietnam ... liberals railed against it and eventually we withdrew, but none of the people who called for the withdrawal ever seemed to care about the one out of ever four Cambodians (!!) who were slaughtered after we left under the rule of Pol Pot. People cheer as Obama promises withdrawal from Iraq, but who is talking about the risk we are taking with the lives of the Iraqi population. Will they take the blame if another Pol Pot comes to power? I'm not defending the war, I'm only asking for an honest discussion about the risks that Obama does not seem to consider as he rushes to please his Moveon.org base.

Thanks for the post. Your writing sounds good, but don't seem to discuss the other side of the issues you raise. I will check back for any replies. Thank you.

Comment on As the Ink Dries...

2009-02-19T07:42:07Z

Overwhelmed with joy that America now has the resources to create new jobs is what I feel. I count my blessings each day and now I can count the blessings that will soon be given to my fellow Americans. Change is such a cool thing!

Comment on As the Ink Dries...

2009-02-19T06:38:04Z

I liked your comments. And certainly I too will forever recall where I was when President Obama accepted the presidency, and each step thereafter. My hopes for Colorado: A rebirth of tourism, perhaps bringing back reproductions of the street cars, and the rebuilding of a replica of the Mineral palace with local artists creating faux finishes but a museum containing actual minerals. For Leadville: the restoration of the Tabor Opera House and Hotel, and its scenery - in which I can assist as a theatrical artist with two upper degrees, Then the start of a summer company there, housed in the Hotel, performing opera and Shakespeare in repertory/alternation. Carl Schaefer, a close, personal friend has at times been caretaker of the Tabor, and having seen the Opera House and its scenery, I KNOW it just cries out for restoration and use to help revive the arts. His email address is: cschaefer@co.lake.co.us
and he is on the city council there. Let's get Colorado FULLY revived to become the princess of ALL mountain states in the USA!

Charles L. Riccillo

Comment on The Rest of My Inauguration Photos

2009-01-26T05:56:57Z

Man, I wish I could have been there. I am glad that you went though because you are so great at capturing and relaying the moment.