More on Sunday, but today has been riddled with upsides & downsides.
Upside: I dropped off some toys I had in reserve for the two boys, who live in a home without so much as a refrigerator, in anticipation of the youngest leaving hospital. César is also signing the contract to own his humble apartment tomorrow.
Downside: Although César's contract starts Feb 1, his boys won't be covered until Feb 15. The last treatments will be out of pocket too.
I am tired & angry at non-universal healthcare.
US citizens, HOW has there not been a general strike against this BS on your home front? HOW?!
@MLClark Probably because we don't have the necessary union organization for a general strike after years of anti-union government and business policies. It sucks.
@stephen_a_allen It is agonizing to see the layers of state policy that have created such a noose around the necks of struggling US citizens. It's really tough to imagine how such a highly litigious culture is going to break free of it.
@MLClark @stephen_a_allen Adam Hochschild's book American Midnight explains the origins of the exceptionally strong anti-union movement in the U.S.. The turn towards fascism under Woodrow Wilson in the period 1917-1921 saw the rise of vigilante groups that destroyed the IWW (the "Wobblies") for their presumed association with the revolutionaries in Russia. The vigilantes (The American Protective League) also rounded up or persecuted immigrants, draft-dodgers, and Jews. We've never recovered.
Immediately added to my "to-read" pile. I've listened to a lot of reporting on that period, but I would absolutely love a solid textual summary - which this certainly looks like it will be. Thank you, Peter!
@MLClark @stephen_a_allen You can get a fast start by listening to Terri Gross interview him.
https://www.npr.org/2022/12/13/1142474637/woodrow-wilson-led-the-u-s-into-wwi-he-also-waged-war-on-democracy-at-home
@MLClark @stephen_a_allen Follow that with Terri's interview with Rachel Maddow about a related period in WW II.
https://www.npr.org/2022/12/15/1143078657/rachel-maddow-uncovers-a-wwii-era-plot-against-america-in-ultra
Oh, I've already listened to Ultra, which built on a lot of historical detail I'd already gained from related episodes on Behind the Bastards, Throughline, and other historical podcasts. Hochschild's points about the early 20th century aren't new to me - but the presentation will be useful. Cheers!
@MLClark @stephen_a_allen I'll check out those episodes too.
Thanks!