Archive for November 18th, 2009

JESSICA BADER: For those of us who believe in both universal healthcare and a woman’s right to choose, the passage of the Affordable Health Care for America Act brought on a case of emotional whiplash, as an amendment passed in the hours leading up to the final vote threatens to place further restrictions on access to abortion. The Stupak-Pitts Amendment would prohibit anyone receiving affordability credits (subsidies to help those with incomes between 150% and 400% of the poverty line pay their insurance premiums) from purchasing an insurance plan that, like most insurance plans currently sold, covers abortion (with the standard exceptions for rape, incest, and danger to the woman’s life). This amendment goes beyond current law and is significantly more restrictive than the Capps Amendment that was considered in an earlier version of the bill (where federal funds could not be used to pay for abortions but a woman could purchase an insurance plan that covered abortion with her own money, with a mechanism in place to segregate the federal and private funds).

HOWARD MEGDAL: Jessica makes some great points on the Stupak bill, but I want to discuss the serious political miscalculation John Adler (D-NJ) made by voting against the bill itself.

CHRIS PUMMER: Teams in need of a third baseman with payroll room should be more than willing to take a chance on Figgins at his rumored asking price.

HOWARD MEGDAL: I think the argument is pretty simple: Chone Figgins has a career OPS+ of 99, and is entering his age-32 season, making it likely that it will go down over the life of a contract that covers, say, his age 32-36 seasons. But at current level even, Figgins simply isn’t worth a 5 year/$50 million, no matter what position he plays.

HOWARD MEGDAL: fdsafdsa fdsafdsafsd.

JILLIAN LOVEJOY LOWERY: For whatever reason, I’ve been made to endure a fair amount of sexual harassment in my lifetime. And I could’ve boo-hooed about it, or contacted human resources, or told my mom, or something. But I didn’t, because, if not for all of this sexual harassment, I wouldn’t have nearly as many funny stories to share. Besides, it’s probably my own fault anyway, because I kind of look like I’d put out (or so they tell me).

TED BERG: Look: Sexual harassment in the workplace is probably a pretty terrible thing, and it’s not something I’m aiming to excuse.

But sexual harassment training in the workplace is a hilarious and unintentionally awesome thing, not to mention a counterproductive one.

MOLLY SCHOEMANN: Nothing in any of my workplaces has ever made me feel as uncomfortable as sexual harassment training. I think I might sue it for damages.