Laura Flanders

Long neglect of federal infrastructure by governments more concerned with tax cuts than human safety is not a phenomenon limited to New Orleans. The NOLA negligence verdict makes the case for national infrastructure spending now.

Palin Palin all the time, and never a peep of complaint. That's the long and short of the news cycle these past few day but there are just a few stories on which I'd like to see some follow up.

I just don't get it. When Congress approves gifts worth billions of dollars to exactly the people who don't deserve it, why isn't it front page news?

Armistice Day reminds us that when wars end, the winners and losers are supposed to make peace. For the first time, in 2009, leaders of World War II enemies, Germany and France, commemorated the date together as a sign of new mutual respect. But this week also marked the ten-year anniversary of a different kind of war -- a war on Americans' assets and the poor. Ten years later, while the winners and losers are obvious, there's no armistice in sight.

"If women are denied a chance to develop their full human potential, including their potential to lead healthier and at least somewhat happier lives, is society as a whole really healthy? "

The House passed its version of health-care legislation Saturday night by a vote of 220 to 215 after the approval of an amendment which amounts to a not-very-back door abortion ban for everyone but the very rich. Presented by Democrat Bart Stupak of Michigan with the strong backing of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the amendment would prohibit abortion coverage in the government-run plan and any private plan on the new marketplace that accepts people who are using government subsidies to buy coverage.

The Catholic Church's stance on reproductive choice has been unyielding; in 2004 the Pope struck out and said that pro-choice Catholic politicians (like then-Presidential candidate John Kerry) should be denied communion. Even birth control is too much for the new Pope Benedict, formerly known by the nickname “God's Rottweiler.”

Heath care only for those who are rich and healthy enough? And voting only for those who are persistent enough? The test based approach is about as good for our health as it is for our democracy. So bravo to Feingold and Ellison.

One week before Election Day, the special election to fill a vacant House seat in New York’s North Country is heating up. It's a three-way split, pitting a Republican, a Democrat, and a Conservative against one another. It's close.

Now some good news. The public option's alive and kicking -- it may not be what you dreamed of -- but it's worth a cheer that it's not plain dead.