Doris O'Brien is a retired college Speech teacher and banker. She has published two books of humor (Up or Down With Women's Liberation and Humor Me a Little) and for many years contributed light verse to the Pepper 'n Salt column of the Wall Street Journal. She is an avid writer of letters to the editors.
Doris celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary in the same year she welcomed her first grandchild. She now lives in Pasadena with a great view of the San Gabriel mountains — and the annual Tournament of Roses Parade.
She can be reached by e-mail: witsendob at (@) gmail.com
Ten Ways That the House American Health Care Act Could Affect Women
On May 4, 2017, the House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA), to repeal and replace elements of the ACA (Appendix Table 1). It would eliminate individual and employer insurance mandates, effectively end the ACA Medicaid expansion, cap federal funds for the Medicaid program, make major changes to the federal tax subsidies available to assist individuals who purchase private insurance, and ban federal Medicaid funds from going to Planned Parenthood. It would also allow states to waive the ACA’s Essential Health Benefits requirements and permit health status as a factor in insurance rating for individuals who do not maintain continuous coverage with the goal of reducing insurance costs. more »
Congressional Bills Introduced, Resolutions and Investigations: Did You Know that May 5 Was the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls?
Among other issues: Homicide is a leading cause of death among American Indian and Alaska Native women and that little data exist on the number of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women in the United States; The TARGET Act would authorize the State Department’s rewards program to target transnational organized crime rings that engage in severe forms of human trafficking; Iincreasing efforts to prevent girls in the foster care system from becoming victims of sex trafficking; Overview of the Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies. more »
Senate Subcommittee Hearing on Crime and Terrorism: Sally Yates and James Clapper, Testifying
" 'We're not the Department of Prosecutions or even the Department of Public Safety,' " Yates said in May 2015, the week after she was confirmed as deputy attorney general, the second-highest-ranking position in the Justice Department. 'We are the Department of Justice.' In a news release, the White House said Yates had 'betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States.' more »
Elaine Soloway's Rookie Widow Series: Leaving Home, My Magic Act and The Gold Line to South Pasadena
"Well, I could see you struggling with your decision to leave Chicago for Los Angeles. I watched you tossing each night, and wrestling with second thoughts. It was painful for me to witness that, so I thought it wise to reappear and help you out. It's called 'separation anxiety. " "It's not really second thoughts," I told her. "I know I want to be closer to my daughters, and it's important to do it now, when I'm untethered and in good health. But after I enjoyed lunches and dinners with close friends, I felt sad, and wondered how I'd get along without these people in my day-to-day life." more »
