Reaction to the death of Margaret Thatcher in Britain has been among the most mixed I have ever seen for any public figure in my lifetime. American media has painted Mrs. Thatcher as some sort of unquestioned leader who took a country deep in the throes of economic woes and returned them to their rightful place among nations.

But the British who had to live through her reign have an entirely different view. I had never heard of “death parties” before, but now I have. Parties celebrating the death of Margaret Thatcher broke out all over the British islands. It appears that Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland had special reasons to celebrate her death. She can no longer harm them.

Thatcher’s reign included such little reported in America items as taking milk from poor children in school, major union busting and a form of a poll tax. In other words she would fit right in with America’s current crop of crazy tea baggers who see poverty as a sin which much be punished with even more government sponsored deprivation and wealth should be rewarded with government sponsored treasury transfers.

The 1980s are a blur for me due to personal problems. I was aware of some of Thatcher’s problems but never really understood the effect she was having on her country. Apparently not many in America were listening because America voted for Bush 2 in such numbers that his group could have the SCOTUS steal the Presidency for him. Then we found out what an out of control leader can do to their own country. Thatcher has been out of power for nearly 25 years and the pain and the problems linger. We can easily expect the Bush legacy to haunt America at least that long.

I have a couple of major take-aways from the death of Margaret Thatcher.
First her reign shows just how necessary a truly free press is in a democracy. My memory is that, especially in America, coverage of Thatcher was fairly one-sided and favorable. This was at a time when competiton in the press was on the way out and most media was in the process of being consolidated into corporations.

And second,especially in right leaning governments there needs to be viable opposition against the corruption of wealth and corporations working with those in power. Viable opposition does not mean just another party, but opposition in the media and from other organized groups. Probably the best check against out of control government entanglement with the monied interests are workers unions. Notice that breaking unions has been one of the trademark processes that right wing governments employ to destroy opposition. Even at the state level we see politicians like Terry Branstad and Scott Walker aiming at busting unions in what seems to be  obeisance to the wealthy and corporate powers.

Branstad’s Alternate to Medicaid Expansion
Branstad appears to be so proud of his alternate proposal to Medicaid Expansion that he slipped it in in the middle of the night. It is hard to find any analysis of it. Basically all I have heard is that it covers far less people and they will have to pay something. Lack of money is the reason that most of these people are not covered now. Think about it, Mister Branstad. Plus we still pay taxes for Medicaid we won’t get. Heck of a bargain you drive there, Terry.

My representative, Tom Sands, says medicaid Expansion is welfare. I say it is a matter of health policy. Having a substantial bloc of people unable to access health care is bad policy and leaves us open for epidemics. Somehow, I will bet Mr. Sands doesn’t see things like tax abatements and free utilities for businesses as welfare. I do.

Mr. Branstad, you have carried the water big time for the corporations and wealthy in your return. How about thinking of the people of Iowa for once?

Is Vander Plaats 15 minutes up yet?
I see he was crying over one of his underlings (Robert Cramer) being kicked off the Board of Regents. My question is why would any reputable news agency give Vander Plaats any time at all. His 15 minutes of fame is long gone and his claim as a king maker in Iowa is believed only by him. Here is hoping Iowa’s news media decides to cover news from now on. Like, just what is in Branstad’s medicaid proposal?