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Health Care Reform

Everyone is buzzing about the new health care bill. Most people know very little about our health care system and the people who are really pissed probably get their ‘news’ from Fox. There is so much I’d like to say, but I don’t have the time right now to write the post that this topic deserves. This bill is so watered down that it will not fix the worst of our health care problems. Specifically, the for-profit insurance companies will continue to grow and thrive while our health care just gets more expensive. Bottom line: it is unethical to make money off the backs of sick people.

That’s it for now. I’ll take the small victory for health care and a big symbolic victory for President Obama. But as far as fixing our health care system, this bill is just a beginning. We still have a long way to go.

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‘Snail Mail’ to Senator Brown

March 17, 2010

Dear Senator Brown,

Is this really your official website: http://scottbrown.senate.gov/public/? “Welcome to my temporary website”. I can understand not having much information online, since you are new to the Senate, but there is no excuse for not having an email address under ‘contact’. That is unacceptable for a US Senator in the year 2010!

That said, I feel strongly enough about the importance of the separation of church and state to send you an old-fashion ‘snail mail’.

I am extremely disappointed with your vote to extend the DC voucher program. By voting yes on Lieberman Amendment No. 3456, you did not give public schools the support they need. I believe that school vouchers are a threat to both public education and religious liberty, and that they are not an appropriate solution to educational problems in DC or beyond.

I am glad that this bill did not pass, despite your yea vote. However, as one of your constituents, I would urge you to rethink your position on this issue in the future.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Bissell
Grafton, Massachusetts

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Grafton Democratic Caucus

Governor Deval Patrick and Aaron

 

Aaron’s Letter to the Editor, Grafton News February 17, 2010.

To the Editor,

I was excited to be invited to the Democratic meeting that was held at the Historical Society in Grafton on Saturday. I have been interested in politics for quite a few years and volunteered on both John F. Kerry’s and Barrack Obama’s presidential campaigns. I also held signs in front of the high school for Deval Patrick in 2006 and Michael Moore in the 2008 elections.

I like politics and consider myself a Democrat. I think it is important for young people to get involved in the elections because I have two brothers who have disabilities. I feel that the Democrats are more concerned about people with disabilities, as well as the homeless.

I was very upset when Scott Brown was elected to the Senate and that is why I felt I should get more involved in politics.

I was so happy to meet Governor Deval Patrick. He gave a speech and did a great job. He talked about how he is actually doing some positive things about the economy and that we need to get the word out that things are getting better. He said that our state was in better shape than a lot of states, but the job is not done yet.

State Senator Michael Moore was also at the meeting. I met him back in 2008.

In my opinion we need to use our tax dollars to help those who are homeless and struggling. Of course I also think we should care about people with disabilities and accept all people even if they are different. I believe that the Democratic Party will do a better job at this than Republicans. Deval Patrick said that we sometimes need a helping hand to be the best we can be and that is one of the roles of government. He did say that government can not solve all our problems (like math in school!).

I have been invited to attend the monthly democratic meetings and am in hopes of getting a ride to the meetings with Kim Edgren and Lisa Kelly who are good friends of mine. They were both elected as delegates on Saturday. I was also invited by Ms. Saxe to be a student volunteer at the Democratic Campaign Institute meeting at the end of the month. I am in hopes of meeting John F. Kerry and telling him to keep advocating for my brothers.

Aaron Bissell
Sophomore at Grafton High School

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Creation of Adam or Creation of God?

Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam” is a famous section of the Sistine Chapel ceiling painted in 1511. It illustrates the biblical story from the Book of Genesis in which God breathes life into Adam, the first man. But was Michelangelo hinting at a different story?

Take a closer look at this painting. First, Adam is very much alive. Is he reaching to God or is God reaching to him?

If you know anything about human anatomy, the depiction of God inside the human brain is unmistakable. I would speculate that Michelangelo was actually saying that God is a creation of man. Man created God in his own image.

Michelangelo was a well educated, multi-talented genius. He no doubt realized that there is nothing outside of the human imagination to prove anything written in the Book of Genesis. Of course he could never admit these ideas in his time, but was this painting a clever way to speak his own mind?

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Grafton275.org

My latest web project:

This year marks the 275th anniversary of the incorporation of the Town of Grafton Massachusetts. As part of this yearlong celebration, the Grafton News is compiling a virtual scrapbook of the towns history at www.grafton275.org. The site will include ‘then and now’ photos, old historic photos, documents, videos and events celebrating this milestone in our towns history. Grafton275.org is a volunteer project through the Grafton News to help celebrate Grafton’s Birthday. This site will be a work-in-progress throughout the coming year.

I’m having lots of fun learning about our towns long and interesting history. Grafton, MA is a perfect example of a quaint New England town with it’s Native American roots, and town history dating back before the American Revolution. The Grafton News has been a part of the towns history for over 50 years and we have lots of historic documents and photos to share.

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