Thanksgiving -- For Some

I imagine that a majority of American families are holding traditional Thanksgiving celebrations -- turkey and all the fixings. This is so of my three children and four grandchildren.

But lest we forget, the recent election is going to exacerbate the sufferings of many millions of Americans -- particularly children. We have a huge death rate for people without medical insurance:

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"Death Rate of Uninsured Americans
Nearly 45,000 Die Annually Due to Lack of Health Insurance"

http://www.suite101.com/content/death-rate-of-uninsured-americans-a179646

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Poverty which affects many millions of Americans -- particularly -- children -- is bound to rise with the Republican Congress refusing funds:

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Statistics on poverty &
food wastage in America
By Samana Siddiqi

Poverty in America? One of the richest countries in the world?

Yes, poverty is a reality in America, just as it is for millions of other human beings on the planet. According to the US Census Bureau, 35.9 million people live below the poverty line in America, including 12.9 million children.

http://www.soundvision.com/Info/poor/statistics.asp

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The further horror is that millions are about to run out of government unemployment funding assistance November 30:

GRAND RAPIDS — Once again, Gov. Jennifer Granholm and family advocacy groups are pleading with Congress to extend unemployment benefits set to expire Nov. 30.

“Now is not the time to pull the rug out from those who need assistance to provide for their families,” Granholm wrote in a letter to House and Senate leaders in Washington, D.C.

http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/11/with_unemployment_benefits_to.html

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An old estimate is that private funding can cope with about a tenth of such massive needs. In the midst of our current economic crisis, this calculation may be optimistic.

Our pets will probably do better.
--
"A war is just if there is no alternative, and the resort to arms is legitimate if they represent your last hope." (Livy cited by Machiavelli)
--
Ed Kent [blind copies]