Sherry Chandler

…we might actually get some stripe of universal health care:

…this morning, in an extraordinary meeting in Washington, the chiefs of Wal-Mart Stores and the Service Employees International Union will stand together and agree on a series of goals for achieving universal health coverage, according to people briefed on the matter.

…

Wal-Mart, which insures fewer than half its workers, has identified health care as potentially the biggest vulnerability to its image and business, and the S.E.I.U., one of the country’s biggest unions, has called it the No. 1 priority for its members.

So during today’s meeting, Mr. Stern and Mr. Scott will announce a campaign to seek public acceptance of several principles of health policy. One goal is universal health coverage by a specific date, somewhere around 2012. Another is the idea of shared responsibility, emphasizing that individuals, businesses and government all play roles in financing health care and expanding coverage.

Link from Washington Monthly.

Another of the fortunate arrivals in my mailbox this winter, Standing on the Mountain is a limited edition publication to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of MACED, the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development in Berea.

It’s a handsome volume printed on heavy cream stock and best of all it contains work from some of my favorite Kentucky poets: Gail Chandler, Steve Rhodes, Dory Hudspeth, and Sam Martin (to name a few).

Sam (who has a fox for his muse) has graciously given me permission to reproduce one of his poems here:

More like that in the book, which sells for $8.00, including shipping. Kristin Stratten of MACED tells me they are just covering costs at that price. To get your copies, call 859-986-2373 or email info@maced.org.

A sidenote: Dory Hudspeth’s first collection of poems, Enduring Wonders, has just been released by WordTech Editions. Follow the link to learn more. Or read some sample poems here.