Another Progressive Policy Goes Into Effect Today Thanks to the "Non-Progressive" President

[dennis4868]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/01/18/hospital-visitation-regulations-go-effect-today

Hospital Visitation Regulations Go Into Effect Today

"There are few moments in our lives that call for greater compassion and companionship than when a loved one is admitted to the hospital. In these hours of need and moments of pain and anxiety, all of us would hope to have a hand to hold, a shoulder on which to lean – a loved one to be there for us, as we would be there for them."

With those words on April 15, 2010 President Obama directed HHS Secretary Sebelius to initiate rulemaking to ensure that hospitals that participate in Medicare and Medicaid respect the rights of patients to designate visitors. The President further advised that the rule should ensure that participating hospitals may not deny visitation privileges based on factors including sexual orientation or gender identity.

Today the new Hospital Visitation Regulations go into effect.

This policy impacts millions of LGBT Americans and their families. The President saw an injustice and felt very strongly about correcting this and has spoken about it often over the years. I want to thank HHS Secretary Sebelius and her team for their resolve to see this rule implemented. In fact, long before this rule was finalized, back in June, 2010 the Secretary laid the groundwork by reaching out to leaders of major hospital associations asking them to encourage their member hospitals to not wait for the formal rulemaking to run its course regarding patient-centered visitation rights suggested by the President.

This significant policy change is due in no small part to the journeys of two incredibly courageous and passionate women, Janice Langbehn and Charlene Strong. Both lived through unimaginable experiences with the loss of their wives and life partners. While I never had the opportunity to meet Janice’s wife Lisa Pond, or Charlene’s wife Kate Fleming, I have had the honor to meet and work with Janice and Charlene. I want to thank them for bringing us all into their lives and for sharing themselves and their families with us, and for using their

[Botany]

1. Way to go Mr. President

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[Sinistrous]

3. K&R

[leveymg]

4. Gee, this is even better than the Public Option. Thanks, Mr. President.

Not.

[dennis4868]

7. This is why I cannot stand some liberals....

some just dont understand that good policy needs to be taken in baby steps....the most progressive policies have always been enacted that way....even President Johnson, who had supermajority in congress, could not get everything he wanted. And here we have in PBO a president who has to deal with a congress that one one end wants him destroyed and many in his own party are really DINOs....to get done what he has gotten done in just 2 years is REMARKABLE:

www.whatthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com

[Name removed]

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[Arkana]

16. Would you like some cheese with that?

[AtomicKitten]

17. You're welcome.

[DCKit]

5. I hope the hospitals make this policy abundantly clear to the RW fundies on staff. nt

[rapturedbyrobots]

6. false comparison

he is socially liberal, no doubt about that. and this type of socially liberal policies and DADT repeal, etc... should be applauded. but the criticisms of him not being progressive, typically are aimed at his economic policies...which are definitely neo-liberal NOT progressive. so, don't confuse the terms progressive (on economic policy) with socially liberal.

[dennis4868]

8. His Economic policies are very liberal....

not sure what you are talking about.....

[druidity33]

10. Really, they are NOT very liberal...

not sure what you're talking about...

:shrug:

[mkultra]

12. actually, they are Kenesian, which is liberal.

[rapturedbyrobots]

21. definitely not

krugman is a keynesian if there ever was one. and he sure as hell isn't an obama cheerleader. in fact his advice usually flies in the face of what the obama economic team comes up with. obama & co. are neoliberals in action and spirit.

[mkultra]

30. Krugman is more deeply Keynesian

When he criticizes, its almost always about the depth, not the direction. Deficit spending to stop a recession is a pillar of Keynesian economics.

[brentspeak]

27. .

:spray:

[Dawgs]

28. "His economic policies are very liberal...."

::crazy: :wtf: :silly: :eyes: :spray: :yoiks:

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Name removed]

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[Politicub]

9. This is a fantastic regulation and hugely important to the gay community

I went through the fear of not being able to be by my husband's side when we had a medical emergency. Luckily, the hospital didn't stand in my way. But they could have. This is a solution to this very real problem.

[JoePhilly]

14. That bastard!!

Opps ... oh wait ... never mind.

[eridani]

15. Lucky for us that our financial overlords don't care much about this issue n/t

[Enrique]

18. still not as progressive as Dick Cheney

Dick is in favor of gay marriage, for all you haters that keep saying he's not a progressive. :sarcasm:

[jenmito]

19. K&R for the "homophobic" president. n/t

[girl gone mad]

20. So does this mean Dick Cheney is a progressive?

Actually, Cheney must be more progressive than Obama, since Cheney supports full marriage equality where Obama is opposed to marriage equality.

Hmmm...

[Starbucks Anarchist]

22. Wrong -- Cheney thinks it's a states issue, so it's hardly full equality.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31066626/ns/politics/

And he only said this after leaving office.

[girl gone mad]

24. That puts him firmly to the left of Obama on the issue of marriage equality.

So is Cheney a progressive?

[Starbucks Anarchist]

25. No, he's not.

And Obama actually advocated for the visitation policy while in office, unlike Cheney, but go ahead and defend him if you want.

[vaberella]

23. If Cheney believes in this issue then on this topic he's a Progressive. n/t

[slay]

26. Snarky title earns unrec

totally unnecessary.

[wndycty]

29. How come those who diss the President can be as snarky as they want, but those who support/defend...

. . .can't?

[stevenleser]

31. Agreed and the snarky title is COMPLETELY necessary. Just read any of those threads started by

one of the 130 or so anti-OBama folks I have on my ignore list. PLENTY of snark there.

[slay]

33. *yawn*

go ahead and add my to your ignore list too please thnx.

[stevenleser]

34. *yawn* done n/t

[Name removed]

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