Specialist fees will be published and consumers will review their quality of care in a new rate-my-doctor website that has angered the medical profession. Reported by Brisbane Times 2 hours ago.

The Internet of Things (IoT) Revolution is picking up speed and it will change how we live, work, and entertain ourselves in a million ways big and small.

From agriculture to defense, retail to healthcare, everything is going to be impacted by the growing ability of businesses, governments, and consumers to connect to and control their environments:

· “Smart mirrors” will allow consumers to try on clothes digitally, enhancing their shopping experience and reducing returns for the retailer
· Assembly line sensors will detect tiny drops in efficiency that indicate critical equipment is wearing out and schedule down-time maintenance in response
· Agricultural equipment guided by GPS and IoT technology will soon plant, fertilize and harvest vast croplands like a giant Roomba while the “driver” reads a magazine
· Active people will share lifestyle data from their fitness trackers in order to help their doctor make better health care decisions (and capture discounts on health insurance premiums)

No wonder the Internet of Things has been called “the next Industrial Revolution.” It’s so big that it could mean new revenue streams for your company and new opportunities for you. The only question is: Are you fully up to speed on the IoT?

Research analysts John Greenough and Jonathan Camhi of BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, spent months of researching and reporting this exploding trend and have put together a report on the Internet of Things that explains its exciting present and the fascinating future.

It covers how IoT is being implemented today, where the new sources of opportunity will be tomorrow and how 17 separate sectors of the economy will be transformed over the next 20 years, including:

· Agriculture
· Connected Home
· Defense
· Financial services
· Food services
· Healthcare
· Hospitality
· Infrastructure
· Insurance

· Logistics
· Manufacturing
· Oil, gas, and mining
· Retail
· Smart buildings
· Transportation
· Connected Car
· Utilities

 

If you work in any of these sectors, it's important for you to understand how the IoT will change your business and possibly even your career. And if you’re employed in any of the industries that will build out the IoT infrastructure—networking, semiconductors, telecommunications, data storage, cybersecurity—this report is a must-have.

Among the big picture insights you’ll get from *The Internet of Things: Examining How the IoT Will Affect The World*:

· IoT devices connected to the Internet will more than triple by 2020, from 10 billion to 34 billion. IoT devices will account for 24 billion, while traditional computing devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, etc.) will comprise 10 billion.
· Nearly $6 trillion will be spent on IoT solutions over the next five years.
· Businesses will be the top adopter of IoT solutions because they will use IoT to 1) lower operating costs; 2) increase productivity; and 3) expand to new markets or develop new product offerings.
· Governments will be the second-largest adopters, while consumers will be the group least transformed by the IoT.

And when you dig deep into the report, you’ll get the whole story in a clear, no-nonsense presentation:

· The complex infrastructure of the Internet of Things distilled into a single ecosystem
· The most comprehensive breakdown of the benefits and drawbacks of mesh (e.g. ZigBee, Z- Wave, etc.), cellular (e.g. 3G/4G, Sigfox, etc.), and internet (e.g. Wi-Fi, Ethernet, etc.) networks
· The important role analytics systems, including edge analytics, cloud analytics, will play in making the most of IoT investments
· The sizable security challenges presented by the IoT and how they can be overcome
· The four powerful forces driving IoT innovation, plus the four difficult market barriers to IoT adoption
· Complete analysis of the likely future investment in the critical IoT infrastructure: connectivity, security, data storage, system integration, device hardware, and application development
· In-depth analysis of how the IoT ecosystem will change and disrupt 17 different industries

*The Internet of Things: Examining How the IoT Will Affect The World* is how you get the full story on the Internet of Things.

To get your copy of this invaluable guide to the IoT universe, choose one of these options:

1. Subscribe to an ALL-ACCESS Membership with BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report AND over 100 other expertly researched deep-dive reports, subscriptions to all of our daily newsletters, and much more. >> *START A MEMBERSHIP*
2. Purchase the report and download it immediately from our research store. >> *BUY THE REPORT*

The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you’ve given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of the fast-moving world of the IoT.

Join the conversation about this story » Reported by Business Insider 4 hours ago.

Riccardo Savi/Sipa via AP Images

President Barack Obama delivers remarks on the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, on July 27, 2016.

One of the shorthand characterizations of our two political parties that has long had some truth to it has been that the Democrats are the mommy party, and the Republicans, the daddy party. This year, if the two parties’ conventions are any indication, those characterizations have become understatements. The Republicans under Donald Trump have become the swaggering macho bluster party, while the Democrats have become the take-care-of-the-children-and-don’t-bring-that-damned-gun-into-my-house party.

If you’ve watched the entire Democratic convention so far, and not just the big late-hour speeches, you’ve seen a constant drumbeat about Hillary the mom, the children’s advocate, the woman who bounced back after the defeat of Hillary-care to win the enactment of health insurance for children. You’ve seen a multi-night showcasing of her battles for gun control, attested to by a parade of bereaved mothers whose sons or daughters were gunned down by cops, or mothers whose policemen-sons and daughters were gunned down by bad guys. There’s been some presentations on paid family leave and securing equal pay for equal work, but the primary emphasis has been on Hillary and the Democrats as caregivers and comforters of the afflicted.

On Wednesday night, there was an artful segue from the Hillary who cares for us to the Hillary who secures us—the presidential candidate who’s not reckless, who doesn’t shoot from the hip, who’s a cool character in a crisis. She’s the steady hand—unlike you-know-who—not likely to launch the ballistic missiles in a fit of pique. (Indeed, Trump seems ripe for a reprise of the famous “Daisy” ad that Lyndon Johnson’s consultants devised to demonstrate the perils of entrusting nuclear weapons to Barry Goldwater—who, whatever his shortcomings, was a helluva lot more stable than Trump.)

Until Joe Biden let loose against Trump last night, this hasn’t been a convention with many hard edges. There hasn’t been that much focus on the bread and butter issues that are perennial Democratic staples. Last night’s performance by two dozen Broadway stars of “What The World Needs Now Is Love, Sweet Love,” the convention slogan “Love Trumps Hate,” even Tim Kaine’s Mr. Rogers-esque delivery—it’s been as if some deliberate drizzle of gentleness descended over the convention, with a clear strategic purpose in mind.

This Democratic convention is intended to persuade every woman in America that Trump is a dangerous character and Hillary, never mind what you’ve heard about her calculating opportunism, is not just the smartest kid on the block, but the most caring one, too. And if this message—which has the added virtue of being substantially true—persuades some guys, too, well, so much the better.

Virtually the entire thrust of the convention has been directed at the Rising American Electorate—women, immigrants, Latinos, African Americans, Millennials, and professionals, affirming egalitarian values as distinct from Trump’s particularism. But President Obama’s speech last night also touched a different set of values, so effectively it suggests a complementary line of attack on Trump. It’s not enough to assail Trump’s rejection of diversity as fundamentally un-American, Obama said. Just as un-American is Trump’s shaky relation to democracy.

The president jumped on the passage in Trump’s acceptance speech last week in which the Republican nominee declare, “I have joined the political arena so that the powerful can no longer beat up on people who cannot defend themselves. Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it.”

To this, Obama responded, “Our power doesn't come from some self-declared savior promising that he alone can restore order as long as we do things his way. We don't look to be ruled. Our power comes from those immortal declarations first put to paper right here in Philadelphia all those years ago. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that we the people can form a more perfect union. That's who we are. That's our birthright, the capacity to shape our own destiny.”

It should come as no surprise that Obama zeroed in on the most fundamentally menacing line in Trump’s speech, and its implications for a democratic system of government. Obama’s greatness as a speaker has always been his ability to fuse two distinct talents at the highest level: A lawyer’s facility for argumentation, for making a case, with a serious writer’s capacity for composition, for words that affect as well as convince us. Bill Clinton can make a brilliant argument, but eloquence and deep emotion is beyond him. More than any president since that other Illinois lawyer, Lincoln, Obama delivers speeches that both persuade us and move us.

During his valedictory last night, there were a few scattered shouts in the hall of “Four more years!” Obama may not have been a great president, but he surely has been a serious and at times great man—something most Americans sense, if perhaps inchoately. How else to explain the paradox that his approval ratings have exceeded 50 percent for the better part of the past year, at the same time that most Americans still rate the condition of the country as poor? In an arena filled with people looking forward to a Hillary presidency, there was a palpable sadness at the thought of saying farewell to a good man who deserved—as do we all—not so mean a time. Reported by The American Prospect 4 hours ago.

The NBPA made history by providing health insurance for ex-players.

 
 
 
 
 
 
  Reported by USATODAY.com 4 hours ago.

As an Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield healthcare provider, as well as having been both an Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield customer over the past three years, I have a very specific list of holiday wishes for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield executives.

Firstly, I wish that they are fruitful and multiply.

And I wish that their children are healthy, noble, intelligent and righteous.

I wish that these children receive the finest educations available in America.

And I wish that when they graduate from university these children want to make the world a better place and believe they can make the greatest contributions by becoming healthcare practitioners.

And I wish that they go to the finest graduate schools to learn all of the necessary and most effective skills to become the best healthcare practitioners possible.

And I hope that doing their 3000 hours of unpaid or underpaid internships serving underprivileged communities is not too arduous on their spirits.

And I hope that the months spent studying for their state licensure exams are educational and inspiring.

And then I wish that all of these noble and righteous and good and just and loving and compassionate and well-intentioned and well-educated children become Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield *healthcare providers.*

Because this is what those noble and righteous and good and just and loving and compassionate and well-intentioned and well-educated children would recount to their parents at Thanksgiving dinner:

*Mom, Dad, thank you for spending $200,000 on my undergraduate education and $90,000 on my graduate education. And thank you for subsidizing me while I did my mandatory unpaid or under-paid internship(s). And thank you for paying for the additional courses I needed to take after my internship to pass the state licensure exams. And thank you for all of the money it took to rent and furnish an office and pay for my licenses, my internet service, phone line, liability insurance, slip and fall insurance, and other myriad expenses needed to establish a business so that I can help other people.

Now I treat patients who are insured by your company, so please let me tell what my experience has been as an Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield healthcare provider:

1. Many times when I call Anthem Blue Cross or Blue Shield healthcare provider support to inquire about mental health benefits for your customers, after waiting on hold for up to 20 minutes and entering my National Provider and Tax ID numbers multiple times, I am told that I have dialed the wrong number. This is because some of your customers (but not all) have had their mental health benefits (unbeknownst to them) subcontracted to other insurance companies such as Magellan (a company with outstanding healthcare provider support) and Optum Behavioral Health; however, this is not indicated on your customers' identification cards so I have to spend many hours on the phone figuring out what company actually insures your customers even though their insurance cards clearly state Anthem Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield.

2. Your telephone healthcare provider support service was devised by engineers who give five or six options that seldom include the reason why I am calling or the opportunity to communicate with a human being. After I finally figure out which button might get me to the next level of questions, the recorded voice usually tells me to consult your website and hangs up on me. I consult your website but cannot log in without first getting a code or password or at least guidance from a representative via telephone. This is the first of many Catch-22s that leave me speechless.

3. Every time I call healthcare provider support the first message I hear is "Due to unusually heavy call volume..." I have called at 6am, 7am and sometimes even at 3am. All of which times your outgoing message states that "Due to unusually heavy call volume, your wait to speak to someone might take longer than usual." Are there really that many healthcare professionals calling at 3am? And after I enter my NPI and Tax ID numbers as well as my birthdate and several other bits of vital information, your healthcare provider support service informs me that your offices are now closed and that I should call back between 7am and 5pm in another time zone (and enter 5-10 minutes of information all over again). Instead of telling me that you are experiencing heavy call volume and then taking all of my information, why don't your systems just tell me that the offices are closed in the first place?

4. In an effort to save money, you have outsourced your live telephone healthcare provider support to the Philippines, which has sub-par digital telephone connections and representatives who read scripts giving answers to questions that I did not ask. If you recall studying Kafka in college, Mom, Dad, trying to discern why an insurance claim was denied by listening to a Filipino reading a script over a bad telephone connection is something that can only be described by the word 'Kafkaesque.'

5. Speaking of which, your company has denied all of the claims that I have submitted. Usually I receive computer generated Explanation of Benefits reports with literally $0 benefits, or I receive letters signed by nobody, with no telephone number, that have a box checked stating that I did not submit my NPI number on the CMS1500 form that I submitted. This always turns out to be inaccurate since I have purchased a $500 computer program that automatically fills in all of the necessary boxes before submitting the CMS1500 forms electronically to your company. Finally, after hours of tapping digits into my phone to get through your maze of computerized questions, if I somehow manage to get a native English speaking representative with a good phone connection, he or she informs me that I did in fact submit my NPI number properly, but that your company no longer accepts the code 90837 for 55 minute hours and that I have to resubmit all claims using the 90834 code (or some other code) for 45 minute hours (even though your customer spent 80 minutes in my office because they were in an extremely serious life-threatening crisis).

6. And for those 45 or 55 minute hours you have "negotiated" a rate that is 1/3 the market rate for healthcare my area and this flat non-negotiable rate includes the additional time needed to diagnose the patients and write adequate treatment plans and progress notes, and also must include the time spent on the phone learning the client's co-pay, deductible, how many sessions are covered, as well as all future phone calls to the Philippines when I will be trying to learn why the claim was denied.

Mom, Dad, I truly love helping other people. And you have helped me so much by investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in my education and internship to become a healthcare practitioner. But by accepting your company's "negotiated" rates on claims that are consistently denied, my income (or lack thereof) requires me to move back in with you.

But that's not the bad news.

The bad news is that now that I am 26 years-old I am no longer on your health insurance policy, but as a healthcare practitioner and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield healthcare provider - get this - I CANNOT AFFORD TO PURCHASE ADEQUATE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR MYSELF.

That's right.

The only policies that I may be able to afford are "catastrophic" - i.e. completely useless without a major catastrophe - due to $6,000 in-network and $12,000 out-of-network deductibles. But those policies that I will never use unless I am hit by a bus will still cost me over $4,000 dollars per year. And that is if I am 100% healthy and do not see any physicians besides my annual physical examination which still has a $70 co-pay. (Obviously any dental check-ups and eye exams would cost extra - maybe those can be Christmas presents that you put under the tree for me?)

So in 2016, as a well-educated, well-intentioned adult working as a healthcare practitioner, I am functionally uninsured. Which means that if I need an appendectomy, a HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY LIKE YOURS WILL PAY THE HOSPITAL, but that I will have to declare bankruptcy because the $6,000-$12,000 deductible will tank me.

By denying claims so that you can reward shareholders with more dividends, by making the submission process so insufferable that you won't have to pay a decent percentage of claims due to sheer attrition, by outsourcing your healthcare provider support services to the Philippines, and by having computers make decisions regarding the lives and deaths of fellow human beings, you have created a completely dysfunctional system. And until insurance corporations place the priority back on healthcare instead of profits, more and more people will suffer. Maybe even people in your own family.

Happy Thanksgiving!
*

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 1 day ago.

NBA Players Break New Ground by Choosing to Fund Health Insurance for Retired NBA Players -- https://t.co/RxdTselkuH pic.twitter.com/sTETzZM9Ms

— NBPA (@TheNBPA) July 27, 2016

The NBA Players Association (NBAPA) announced Wednesday that their player representatives unanimously voted to fund health insurance for all retired players who have been part of the league for at least three years. 

The average NBA player retires from the league after four seasons, which means that most players will qualify for at least some coverage. 

The vote took place during the NBAPA Summer Meeting on June 26 in New York, according to the NBAPA. In a press release, the* *NBAPA called the change in policy “the first of its kind among North American professional sports.” 

The Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul, who is president of the Players Association, issued a statement saying he believes it’s important for present-day players to help take care of their extended NBA family, past and present, to ensure their well-being. He also acknowledged that the success today’s NBA players experience is an outcome of the hard work and dedication of those who came before them.

The game has never before been more popular, and all the players in our league today recognize that we’re only in this position because of the hard work and dedication of the men who came before us, It’s important that we take care of our entire extended NBA family, and I’m proud of my fellow players for taking this unprecedented step to ensure the health and well-being of our predecessors.

The NBAPA will partner with UnitedHealthCare for the program. The amount of coverage a retired player receives will be proportional to the number of years he played in the league.

For example, retired players who played between three and six years in the NBA but are not yet eligible for Medicare would be offered a plan that would include “modest out-of-pocket costs for deductibles and co-pays.” A player with at least 10 years of service, however, would be offered the same coverage but with “lower out-of-pocket costs” extending to their entire family.

“I couldn’t be more proud of Chris, our executive committee and our entire membership,” Michele Roberts, the executive director of the NBAPA*, *said in the press release. “Providing health care security for players who came before them has been on the players’ minds for the past year and they worked closely with us to make it happen.”

The open enrollment period for retired players has been scheduled to begin on Jan. 1, 2017. 

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 23 hours ago.

With Hillary Clinton clinching the Democratic nomination for President, it might seem like Senator Bernie Sanders' universal healthcare plan has bitten the dust.

However, the United States may still see single-payer healthcare in the near future. Two states--Alaska and Colorado--could be the first to move away from the third-party payer system.

First, what's the difference between third-party payer and single-payer healthcare? It has to do with who pays for healthcare. In the U.S.'s third-party system, private insurance companies--think BlueCross BlueShield--or public programs, like Medicare, pay on behalf of patients. In single-payer arrangements, just one entity--the government--pays for healthcare.

In the first scenario, consumers pay premiums for membership in a health plan, which pays a portion of their medical bills. In the second scenario, consumers typically pay higher taxes for the government to cover their medical expenses. The U.S. has the first system, and nations like Canada and the United Kingdom have the second kind of system.

Alaska and Colorado could both be the first states in the nation to move to single-payer, though their reasons are quite different. One is intentional--Colorado citizens will be able to vote on the issue this November. The other is out of necessity. Alaska is down to one commercial insurer in the under-65 individual market, creating expensive problems with the state's health system.

Let's look at both states to see how and why they might move to a single-payer system.

*Alaska*

Last month, the state government in Alaska passed a bill establishing a fund to stabilize and subsidize health insurance in the region.

Three insurers have left the Alaska market since 2015, and the remaining insurer--Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield--was planning a significant rate hike in order to remain in operation.

The new fund subsidizes the cost of high-risk patients for insurers, creating a pool of money covered by a tax on carriers, to cover costs created by the most expensive patients. Without this fund, insurers would have to raise their prices dramatically to cover their costs.

Alaska's isolated region and small population make it unattractive to insurers, who need a lot of people to balance their risk pools and cover costs. Now that Alaska is down to a single carrier, that carrier has a lot of leverage to ask the state's insurance department for a big rate increases.

*Colorado*

Under very different circumstances, Colorado could also be the first state to do away with the third-party payer system. Unlike Alaska and many other states, Colorado's population is quite healthy. It consistently ranks in the top ten healthiest states in the country.

That could be a driving factor for why legislators in the state have proposed Amendment 69--a bill creating a single-payer health system in the state.

The estimated $38 billion proposal will be paid for through tax increases on workers and businesses. The bill will be voted on in November, and would do away with premiums in favor of higher taxes to cover all health and dental care costs.

But a few problems could arise with Colorado's proposal. For example, what would stop sick people from other states from moving to the state just to reap the benefit of their universal healthcare? If this happened, it would raise costs in the state.

Further, the proposal is already very expensive. According to the New York Times, "the proposed health system would have a budget bigger than that of Colorado's entire state government."

It isn't clear what approach either state will end up taking, but it is interesting to consider that two very different states, with very different insurance markets, could both wind up with single-payer healthcare.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 20 hours ago.

Pilots for Allegiant Air voted to ratify their first contract agreement with the carrier, bringing three years of protracted labor negotiations to an end. The pilots, represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Local 1224, will immediately receive up to 31 percent in pay increases, high quality health insurance and greater job security. The union called the new contract "a major victory" saying they received "substantial improvements in compensation, benefits, and scheduling." More… Reported by bizjournals 20 hours ago.

Anyone who is following Alabama's ongoing budget crisis knows that the state is slashing funds for basic human services to try and make ends meet. Despite borrowing $437 million in 2012 to close budget shortfalls for the ensuing three years, Gov. Robert Bentley still hasn't managed to solve Alabama's budget problems, which are having an economic ripple effect throughout the state.

Bentley has sought to close the budget gap signing tax increases that disproportionately affect low-income taxpayers in Alabama. He coupled those tax increases with cuts to Medicaid and education funding. The Medicaid cuts, in particular, threaten to trigger a health crisis in the state. According to the Montgomery Advertiser, medical providers in the state are extremely concerned:
In a joint statement on April 8, the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, the Academy of Pediatrics and the Alabama Academy of Family Physicians warned that without full funding, "charity care needs could skyrocket, crippling the health care delivery system and potentially placing the burden on those with private health insurance through higher premiums and co-pays."

"Alabama Medicaid is the backbone of our state, supporting the health and welfare of the young and elderly citizens that physicians have pledged to protect during their medical careers," the statement said. "Consequently, we cannot support any solution other than fully funding a program that touches so many lives."
On top of all these cuts, the state's budget crisis is preventing it from fixing its crumbling infrastructure. State transportation officials have classified 20 percent of Alabama's 15,986 bridges as either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. And, the problem is only getting worse. According to the 2015 "Report Card for Alabama's Infrastructure" prepared by the American Society of Civil Engineers, future roadway needs in Alabama are projected to cost almost $37 billion by 2035, and the funding shortfall for state roadways is projected to be between $6.5 billion and $10 billion by 2035.

Despite this bleak statewide budgetary picture, some local officials in southern Alabama have proposed a plan to build a new road and bridge to a vacation home community at a cost of $30 million to taxpayers.

The bridge would span the Intracoastal Waterway into the Gulf Coast resort communities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores in Baldwin County. There are already two bridges that take traffic across the waterway to the Gulf Coast: I-59, a toll-free bridge built and maintained by the state, and a privately owned and operated toll bridge.

Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon has taken a hard-line approach, proposing two approaches. Either the company operating the toll bridge expands it and slashes tolls in half, or Baldwin County borrows $30 million to build its own free bridge. Cutting tolls is good politics but not likely to compel the bridge company to act; the existing toll rates of $3.50 for out-of-state drivers and $1.50 for locals is in line with peer structures and allows the bridge operator to maintain the property while making a profit on its investment. But most importantly, the existing toll bridge is currently being paid for by the people who drive on it, and a higher proportion of revenue comes from out-of-state drivers. Efforts to build another, redundant bridge to a wealthy vacation community, or to cut tolls to save rich tourists a buck as proposed by one local mayor, are utterly shortsighted. Alabama's richest already get plenty of special treatment as it is.

It is no secret that poverty is rampant throughout Alabama. Gov. Bentley lamented this fact in a 2014 address to legislators, saying "Everyone in this room knows Alabama is one of the poorest states in America, where one in four children live in poverty. Nearly one million of our fellow Alabamians are dependent on Food Stamps."

However, Baldwin County is one of only seven counties in the state with a poverty rate below 15 percent, while boasting the sixth highest median income in the state.

At a time when Alabama's fiscal situation borders on disaster, and those who are most vulnerable are paying the price, the state's leaders should not be pushing pet projects that favor wealthy vacation communities.

This is an issue that should unite both parties. Republicans who preach fiscal responsibility and eliminating wasteful government spending should join with Democrats who don't want to see necessary public services cut in favor of a pet project that benefits the rich.

State leaders have a choice. They can either build a bridge that deepens the state's budget woes or they can build a bridge to fiscal responsibility. One hopes they choose the latter.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 20 hours ago.

Jill Stein is gaining ground.

Appealing directly to the "Bernie or Bust" crowd, the Green Party's Presidential nominee is rising in the polls. She's earned the endorsements of top Bernie Sanders surrogates, including Cornel West. She's raising record sums of money for a third-party candidacy.

And she has a simple message to disaffected Bernie Sanders supporters that seems to be resonating: I represent your progressive values. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump do not.

So far, Democrats have sought to temper enthusiasm for Stein by referencing the "Nader spoiler effect," the real risk that Stein could siphon off Democratic votes and bolster Trump. While undoubtedly true, there's a much more important argument to be made against Stein.

Jill Stein doesn't share core progressive values.

Rather than articulating a compelling progressive vision for America, Stein elevates conspiracy theories. She traffics in fear and paranoia. And she panders to the fringe.

Take Brexit. Brexit was a terrible loss for progressives. An explicitly xenophobic, dishonest campaign triumphed over international cooperation and unity. In both American and British politics, it emboldened far-right reactionary politics.

How did Stein respond to this unequivocal setback?

"The vote in Britain to exit the European Union (EU) is a victory for those who believe in the right of self-determination and who reject the pro-corporate, austerity policies of the political elites in EU," she wrote. "The vote says no to the EU's vision of a world run by and for big business. It is also a rejection of the European political elite and their contempt for ordinary people."

Her belief that Brexit was a "victory" should sound familiar. It mirrors the rhetoric of Donald Trump, who asserted that Brexit as "great" and "beautiful" victory of ordinary people over the corrupt political elites.

After Brexit, Stein said Brexit re-affirmed the "right of self-determination." After Brexit, Trump said, "self-determination is the sacred right of all free people's and the people of the UK have exercised that right for all the world to see."

To Stein and Trump, Brexit symbolized "self-determination," not the corrosion of democracy by bigotry and fear-mongering.

"[Brexit supporters] took their country back, just like we will take America back," Trump said. Perhaps Stein could add that line to her stump speech.

Unfortunately, Brexit is not a blip. Stein deviates from progressive values across the board.

Consider pandering to the anti-vaccine fringe. Across America, epidemiologists are warning about the grave consequences of falling vaccination rates. As noted by Slate's Jordan Weissmann, Stein has pandered the anti-vax fringe even while personally recognizing the value of vaccines.

Ultimately, Stein's willingness to pander to fanatics fits with the climate deniers in the GOP, not with progressives.

Supporters of Stein often criticize Hillary Clinton for being "dishonest" and "deceptive." Yet Stein's attempt to minimize the meaningful progressive accomplishments of President Obama is truly deceptive.

Take the President's Affordable Care Act. Thanks to the ACA, 20 million Americans have gained access to health care. The law is not perfect, but moved America towards a more egalitarian and just health care system.

Stein, unsurprisingly, disagrees. She told the New York Times that the President's actions on health care and other issues were "small time" accomplishments and "minor improvements." She added that the Obama Administration was "business as usual on steroids" and "we're certainly not more secure, more equitable, more healthy or safer internationally, with what Obama has brought."

Ask the 20 million Americans who gained health insurance if they are more "secure" or "healthy" as a result of what Obama has brought. Asks Americans with pre-existing conditions who now have insurance if the ACA is a "minor improvement." Ask poor women who now don't face gendered price discrimination in insurance markets if the ACA is "business as usual."

Finally, liberal supporters of Jill Stein often argue they are supporting her because she is "elevating the dialogue." Hardly.

When asked whether President Obama is a "war criminal," Stein suggested he was, noting his "illegal wars" have "violated international law." She launched an ad hominem attack on Hillary Clinton's mothering skills and parroted Fox News talking points that Clinton should be prosecuted.

Are those examples of progressives elevating the dialogue?

For liberals, voting for Stein does not allow you to opt out of a crooked, two-party system. It does not boost your moral credibility. It rewards an irresponsible candidate who does not share progressive values.

Follow Duncan Hosie on Twitter and Instagram.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 20 hours ago.

AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton wave as they appear on stage together on the third day session of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Wednesday, July 27, 2016. 

HAROLD MEYERSON

*Obama Confronts Trump's Shaky Grasp of Democracy*

One of the shorthand characterizations of our two political parties that has long had some truth to it has been that the Democrats are the mommy party, and the Republicans, the daddy party. This year, if the two parties’ conventions are any indication, those characterizations have become understatements. The Republicans under Donald Trump have become the swaggering macho bluster party, while the Democrats have become the take-care-of-the-children-and-don’t-bring-that-damned-gun-into-my-house party.

If you’ve watched the entire Democratic convention so far, and not just the big late-hour speeches, you’ve seen a constant drumbeat about Hillary the mom, the children’s advocate, the woman who bounced back after the defeat of Hillary-care to win the enactment of health insurance for children. You’ve seen a multi-night showcasing of her battles for gun control, attested to by a parade of bereaved mothers whose sons or daughters were gunned down by cops, or mothers whose policemen-sons and daughters were gunned down by bad guys. There’s been some presentations on paid family leave and securing equal pay for equal work, but the primary emphasis has been on Hillary and the Democrats as caregivers and comforters of the afflicted. *Read More.*

 

RACHEL M. COHEN

*Q&A: The Education Stakes in Election 2016*

Last October, the National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers union, gave Hillary Clinton one of her earliest organized labor endorsements. Since then, the powerful group has been one of Clinton’s most vocal supporters. Neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump have spent much time discussing public K-12 education issues during the primary season. But recently, elementary and secondary education topics have attracted more attention. Clinton began articulating her education policy ideas at union conventions this month and Republican leaders championed school choice at their national convention last week.

The American Prospect’s Rachel Cohen sat down in Philadelphia with Lily Eskelsen García, the president of the three million-member NEA*, *to discuss the upcoming election, and what’s at stake for teachers and students. What follows is an edited and condensed transcript of that conversation. *Read More**.*

 

NATHALIE BAPTISTE

*Black Lives Matter Movement Splintering at DNC*

While Democratic delegates were busy nominating the first woman to lead a major-party presidential ticket, Black Lives Matter protesters were downtown outside Philadelphia City Hall driving home a message their own: “Don’t vote for Hillary, she’s killing black people.”

The contrast between the chanting activists outside on the gritty, hot Philadelphia streets and the cheering delegates inside the festive, air-conditioned convention hall are the starkest indications yet that that the Black Lives Matter movement is poised to split between people who support more vigorous protests and those who favor working within the political system.

Tuesday’s Black DNC Resistance March attracted hundreds of people of all ages and races. Marchers wore “Stop Killing Black People” T-shirts and waved signs depicting the names of the scores of black men and women killed by police in recent years. Some protesters carried large white banners that read, “Hillary, Delete Yourself,” (a reference to the email scandal that engulfed the former secretary of state) and “Hillary has blood on her hands.” *Read More.* Reported by The American Prospect 18 hours ago.

*Athens:* Greek football supporters will be obligated to carry special identification cards starting September 30, Deputy Minister of Sports Stavros Kontonis announced on Wednesday.

He said the new measure is being taken to combat the violence which has plagued the country's stadiums in recent years.

The identification cards must be shown for entry to the stadiums and will include the name, photograph, police identification number, health insurance identification and the address of the card holder. Without the cards fans cannot purchase tickets.

Spectators will have to pay two euros for each card and it will be valid for two years. Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by adults.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/29Antonio-D-Souza-s.jpg*'Keeper tripper: Antonio D'Souza's (Byculla) Kedar Mithil gets past Colaba Municipal goalkeeper Vikesh Chavan to score during their Mumbai Schools Sports Association boys' U-16 Division II match at Azad Maidan yesterday. Pic/Atul Kamble*

ANZA made short work of Colaba Municipal, who just couldn't match the physicality of the Byculla outfit. Karan Yadav made it 1-0 in the third minute. Kedar Mithil doubled the lead in the 24th minute. Kazi Murtuza made it 3-0 in the 37th minute before goalkeeper Siddhesh More made it four in the 41st minute after he switched to the role of a forward. Sunil Rathod pulled one back for Colaba in the 48th minute with a brilliant free-kick.

*Ugly DSO U-17 final*
ANZA earned a bad name during the District Sports Office U-17 final against KC College recently, where their players and some ex-students got into a fight with the KC boys while they were trailing 0-3. And coach Sajid Sabir is keen to make amends with a good, clean performance on the pitch. "That was a match between school kids and college boys.

The KC boys riled us up and were pretty rough on our players during the game. Our ex-students didn't like that and got involved. This was the first time in my coaching career of four years that such an incident occurred. Sometimes things go out of control, but I assure my boys will not repeat that ever again," said Sabir, who is confident his boys belong to the superior division.

"This team has the skill and caliber to match Division-I teams. I hope this time we can earn a promotion to the top division," said ANZA coach Sajid Sabir.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/29Soumyajit-Ghosh-s.jpg*Soumyajit Ghosh*

Ghosh is currently India's highest ranked player at World No 68. The incident happened yesterday at a TT championship in Jaipur, where Ghosh turned up for his employers Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) and gave a walk-over in the individual event after playing the team event.

The reason being the use of GKI balls and not the DHS balls that will be used in Rio.

*Loss of match practice*
However, veteran Sharath Kamal due to play his third Olympics had no problems with the ball. This left the TTFI bigwigs and national coach Mukherjee angry as it means of loss crucial match practice ahead of team's departure to Rio in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

"I am not happy at all with Ghosh's attitude. When a big player like Sharath has no problem in playing, he should also be playing with Rio just round the corner. Anyway the ball issue is not a big one as different balls are used all around the world and you need to adjust to the bounce as professionals," Mukherjee said.

Ghosh, in his defence, said , "I did play with the GKI ball in the team event but then thought it might affect my rhythm later on.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/29Tainsh-Shiriskar-s.jpghttp://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/29Neil-Wagner-s.jpg*NZ Seamer Neil Wagner*

On a surface offering little to the bowlers, Wagner bent his back and used the short ball to good effect to take career-best figures of 6 for 41, bowling Zimbabwe out for just 164 after they had won the toss and elected to bat first. New Zealand closed the day on 32 without loss, with Tom Latham on 16 and Martin Guptill on 14.

Zimbabwe had not played a Test since November 2014, and the hiatus showed in their inability to occupy the crease on a pitch that held no demons. Opener Brian Chari fell to the second ball of the day, and after Chamu Chibhabha and Hamilton Masakadza offered some stability with an hour-long stand, Wagner got stuck into the hosts.

In a 13-over spell either side of the lunch break, the 30-year-old removed Chibhabha and Sean Williams before the interval and then struck three times in one over to reduce the hosts to 72 for eight. All but one of his first five dismissals came from short deliveries, as Zimbabwe's batsmen had no answer to the ploy.

"Tactically it's one of my strengths, trying to get players off the front foot and see if we can get a wicket that way," Wagner explained. "Maybe get some doubt in their footwork. With the wicket being flat, you have to try some options to create results."

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/jul/29UK-United-s.jpg*Champions: UK United*

Raynier Fernandes scored a brace for UK United, while Shanon Pereira added the third goal. Tyson Pereira scored for Kalina. UK United were richer by Rs 15,000, while Millat FC received Rs 10,000. Reported by Mid-Day 7 hours ago.

Thanks to Donald Trump, Democrats can now show America that they are the party of family values, business, patriotism, and national pride.

An unintended and at least for the GOP, an unexpected consequence, of having Donald Trump as the Republican nominee for president is that the Democrats seem to be poaching themes normally used by the right.

Poaching themes is not unique to the Democrats. I sat dumbfounded as Ivanka Trump, the republican nominee's daughter, delivered her speech to the screaming, frothing crowd at the RNC.

"As President, my father will change the labor laws that were put into place at a time when women were not a significant portion of the workforce," she said. "And he will focus on making quality childcare affordable and accessible for all."

Wait, what? I thought for sure she'd be pulled from the stage and locked away, but instead the crowd just got frothier as she talked about equal pay, health insurance, student debt, and even empathy and generosity. It was seemingly stripped from the DNC platform and because the daughter of a RINO was presenting it, the crowd went nuts.

Ivanka's speech was an oasis in the midst of a tsunami of ego, hate, destruction, imminent violence, and dire warnings of the inevitable apocalypse.

The usual rhetoric of the GOP was conspicuously missing from the convention, allowing the Democrats to swoop is and call them their own.

Patriotism, American greatness, exceptionalism, references to founding documents and even the "shining city on a hill," have all appeared in speeches at this year's Democratic National Convention, and Republicans are noticing.

On Wednesday the editor of National Review, Rich Lowry tweeted:


American exceptionalism and greatness, shining city on hill, founding documents, etc--they're trying to take all our stuff

— Rich Lowry (@RichLowry) July 28, 2016

Trump, sticking to fear, hate, xenophobia, and racism has left the ripe fruit of family values, American exceptionalism, and patriotism up for grabs. And democrats grabbed it, massaged it, redefined it and threw it back, better, stronger, and kinder - they've taken this unique opportunity to show that they've always believed the very same things and that these values and beliefs aren't uniquely republican.


Watching Democrats talk about America the way Republican candidates used to talk about America. #DemsInPhilly

— Tony Fratto (@TonyFratto) July 28, 2016


Text just now from a senior House Republican who gave me permission to tweet this: "We were supposed to make that sort of speech."

— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) July 28, 2016

In 2008, self-appointed Tea Party Queen, Sarah Palin and the rest of the right-wing loons, tried to convince the country that there was a "real America" somewhere in the middle of the country and that the evil Democrats on the coasts weren't part of that America. Now, twelve years later, thanks to Trump, Democrats have been able to pick up the discarded baton and claim it as their own.

Michelle Obama's speech was, at many times, a conversation about family values, but rather than presenting it in tight evangelical Christian moral codes the way Republicans do, Obama emphasized community and togetherness. That family values are about setting a good example and providing a better life for your kids.It is about leaving something better for our kids. That is how we have always moved this country forward -- by all of us coming together on behalf of our children. Volunteering to coach the team, teach the Sunday school class, because they know it takes a village.Former New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, made a case for business, which is usually a part of the GOP playbook. They like to argue that a businessman is better suited for running a government because they know how to get things done. As Bloomberg put it, America needs "a problem solver, not a bomb thrower."

President Obama's speech was rife with Republican themes, with references to Ronald Reagan and the "city on a hill," as well as reminders of the founding documents and their importance, offering by their mention, praise to American democracy.

Obama wasn't alone in his mention of the founding documents. Partly because the convention took place in Philadelphia, speaker after speaker mentioned the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and to the Declaration of Independence, the latter of which was written in Philadelphia.

Since Republicans had left these metaphors on the cutting room floor Obama was free to sprinkle them liberally throughout his speech without appearing trite or unoriginal.

And then there was Vice President Joe Biden.We have the finest fighting force in the world. Not only do we have the largest economy in the world, we have the strongest economy in the world. We have the most productive workers in the world. And given a fair shot, given a fair chance, Americans have never, ever, ever, ever, ever let the country down. Never!Many Democrats at the convention and prior to the convention have alluded to America's implicit greatness and unlike Trump and his followers, recognize that it's already great. But until recently, Democrats have been relegated to the quiet job of Patriotic understudies, waiting in the wings for an opportunity to show what they can do. That they too can shout U.S.A., U.S.A. That they too can paint their faces red, white, and blue. That they too can show unfettered and unabashed pride in their country.

Biden delivered this message of an already great America in pure unadulterated expression on Wednesday night, offering a full-throated argument for a proud, liberal nationalism specifically offered to the working-class, who have always considered themselves "real Americans."

Prior to Trump, the Democrats have been relegated to the back seat of patriotism and nationalism. Democrats have had to, until now, argue that they too were patriotic, that they too stood for family, that they too were the party of business, that they too supported veterans, the military, and the police. Values that Republicans have previously managed to claim as their own.

Thanks to Donald Trump, the Democrats can now take the lead. And the Republican party, thanks to Donald Trump, is left with little more than Donald Trump.
*Subscribe and listen to more of Richard Zombeck and Tony Trupiano
on
T&Z Talk*-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 13 hours ago.

NEW YORK — The National Basketball Players Association’s player representatives have voted unanimously to fund health insurance for all retired NBA players with at least three years of service. Reported by Harrison Daily 10 hours ago.

Optimal Wealth Advisors founder receives honor for second consecutive year

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) July 29, 2016

Optimal Wealth Advisors is proud to announce today that founder Lance Riddle, CFP, has been designated a Five Star Wealth Manager for the second consecutive year.

“I’m honored and humbled to be recognized with this award,” said Riddle. “It is truly a reflection of the entire team here at Optimal Wealth Advisors.”

Riddle, a 25-year veteran of financial services, spent time at Bear Sterns and Merrill Lynch before launching Optimal Wealth Advisors, a full-service retirement planning and insurance firm, in 2001. Optimal is guided by a client service philosophy rooted in complete objectivity and transparency, values Riddle credits for Optimal’s success.

“We do things the right way at Optimal,” said Riddle. “Our clients have goals, and we see our-selves as their partners in achieving them efficiently and ethically.”

Riddle is a part-time faculty member at Brookhaven College where he teaches classes on In-vestments and retirement planning. Riddle holds series 65 securities licenses as well as life and health insurance licenses. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and the College for Financial Planning in Denver, Colorado.

The Five Star Wealth Manager distinction is awarded by Five Star Professional. For more infor-mation on the Five Star award and the research/selection methodology, visit http://www.fivestarprofessional.com.

###

ABOUT OPTIMAL WEALTH ADVISORS

Optimal Wealth Advisors is a full service Retirement Planning and Insurance firm founded in 2001 to provide a better alternative to the traditional Wall Street firm, with the belief that expert advice can only be provided with complete objectivity and transparency. For more information visit http://www.optimalwealth.com. Reported by PRWeb 10 hours ago.

ez1095 Affordable Care Act form software now offers a new XML data import feature to process correction forms. Download and try it at no obligation by visiting http://www.halfpricesoft.com.

Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) July 29, 2016

Developers at Halfpricesoft.com make ACA form correction easy with a new XML file data import feature in ez1095 ACA (Affordable Care Act) software. The software application is so easy to use that any business owner and CPA can use it successfully.

“The latest Ez1095 software includes an XML data import feature to process correction forms more quickly and easily.” said Dr. Ge, the founder of Halfpricesoft.com.

This newly released software application offers efile (additional cost) or print and mail versions. With the new guidelines for the healthcare the law requires all employers with 50 or more full-time employees or equivalents to file an annual return in 2016 reporting health insurance they offered employees.

ez1095 software is compatible Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP and other Windows systems. Potential customers can download and try this software at no obligation by visiting http://www.halfpricesoft.com/aca-1095/form-1095-software-free-download.asp

ez1095 offers business owners the following features:· Prepare form 1095-B, 1094-B, 1095-C & 1094-C
· Print 1095-C or 1095-B paper forms for recipients
· Print paper form 1095-C & 1094-C or 1095-B & 1094-B forms for IRS
· PDF Print forms for recipients in digital format
· Efile feature: Generate XML document that customers can upload to IRS site. (This efile feature is approved by IRS.)
· Efile 1095B/C Correction using the same process of regular Efile
· Support unlimited accounts, recipients and ACA forms
· Free customer support for software application

Priced at just $195 for a single user version, ($295 for new efile and PDF version) this ACA forms filing software saves employers time and money by processing forms, in-house. To learn more about ez1095 ACA software, customers can visit http://www.halfpricesoft.com/aca-1095/aca-1095-software.asp

About halfpricesoft.com
Founded in 2003, Halfpricesoft.com has established itself as a leader in meeting the software needs of small businesses around the world with its payroll software, employee attendance tracking software, check printing software, W2 software, 1099 software and barcode generating software. It continues to grow with its philosophy that small business owners need affordable, user friendly, super simple, and totally risk-free software. Reported by PRWeb 9 hours ago.

Scripting history at the Democratic convention by becoming the first woman to be nominated by a major political party for the US presidential elections, Hillary Clinton said that when there are no ceilings, the sky's the limit and roundly criticised her Republican opponent Donald Trump over his policy promises.

Clinton was welcomed with loud cheers as she entered the arena and embraced her daughter Chelsea, who introduced her as the next President of the United States.

-*Here is the full text and video of Hillary Clinton's speech at DNC:*-

Thank you! Thank you for that amazing welcome. 

Thank you all for the great convention that we’ve had.

And Chelsea, thank you. I'm so proud to be your mother and so proud of the woman you've become. Thanks for bringing Marc into our family, and Charlotte and Aidan into the world. 

And Bill, that conversation we started in the law library 45 years ago is still going strong. It's lasted through good times that filled us with joy, and hard times that tested us. 

And I've even gotten a few words in along the way.

On Tuesday night, I was so happy to see that my Explainer-in-Chief is still on the job. I'm also grateful to the rest of my family and the friends of a lifetime. To all of you whose hard work brought us here tonight. And to those of you who joined our campaign this week.  And what a remarkable week it's been.

We heard the man from Hope, Bill Clinton. And the man of Hope, Barack Obama. America is stronger because of President Obama's leadership, and I'm better because of his friendship.  

We heard from our terrific vice president, the one-and-only Joe Biden. He spoke from his big heart about our party's commitment to working people, as only he can do.

First Lady Michelle Obama reminded us that our children are watching, and the president we elect is going to be their president, too. 

And for those of you out there who are just getting to know Tim Kaine – you're soon going to understand why the people of Virginia keep promoting him: from city council and mayor, to Governor, and now Senator.  He'll make the whole country proud as our Vice President.  

And I want to thank Bernie Sanders. Bernie, your campaign inspired millions of Americans, particularly the young people who threw their hearts and souls into our primary.  You've put economic and social justice issues front and center, where they belong. 

 And to all of your supporters here and around the country:  I want you to know, I've heard you.  Your cause is our cause. Our country needs your ideas, energy, and passion.  That's the only way we can turn our progressive platform into real change for America.  We wrote it together – now let's go out there and make it happen together.

My friends, we've come to Philadelphia – the birthplace of our nation – because what happened in this city 240 years ago still has something to teach us today. 

We all know the story. But we usually focus on how it turned out - and not enough on how close that story came to never being written at all.  

When representatives from 13 unruly colonies met just down the road from here, some wanted to stick with the King. Some wanted to stick it to the king, and go their own way. The revolution hung in the balance. Then somehow they began listening to each other … compromising … finding common purpose.   

And by the time they left Philadelphia, they had begun to see themselves as one nation.

That's what made it possible to stand up to a King. That took courage. They had courage. Our Founders embraced the enduring truth that we are stronger together.  

America is once again at a moment of reckoning. Powerful forces are threatening to pull us apart. Bonds of trust and respect are fraying. 

And just as with our founders, there are no guarantees. It truly is up to us.  We have to decide whether we all will work together so we all can rise together.

Our country's motto is e pluribus unum: out of many, we are one.  Will we stay true to that motto?  

Well, we heard Donald Trump's answer last week at his convention.  He wants to divide us - from the rest of the world, and from each other. 

He's betting that the perils of today's world will blind us to its unlimited promise. He's taken the Republican Party a long way...  from "Morning in America" to  "Midnight in America." He wants us to fear the future and fear each other.  

Well, a great Democratic President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, came up with the perfect rebuke to Trump more than eighty years ago, during a much more perilous time.  “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” 

Now we are clear-eyed about what our country is up against. But we are not afraid. We will rise to the challenge, just as we always have. We will not build a wall. Instead, we will build an economy where everyone who wants a good paying job can get one.

And we'll build a path to citizenship for millions of immigrants who are already contributing to our economy! 

We will not ban a religion. We will work with all Americans and our allies to fight and defeat terrorism. 

Yet we know there is a lot to do. 

Too many people haven't had a pay raise since the crash. 

There's too much inequality. Too little social mobility. Too much paralysis in Washington. Too many threats at home and abroad. 

But just look at the strengths we bring as Americans to meet these challenges. We have the most dynamic and diverse people in the world. We have the most tolerant and generous young people we've ever had. We have the most powerful military. The most innovative entrepreneurs. The most enduring values.

Freedom and equality, justice and opportunity. We should be so proud that these words are associated with us.  I have to tell you, as your Secretary of State, I went to 112 countries, and when people hear those words – they hear America.

So don't let anyone tell you that our country is weak. We're not. Don't let anyone tell you we don't have what it takes. We do. 

And most of all, don't believe anyone who says: “I alone can fix it.”  

Those were actually Donald Trump's words in Cleveland. And they should set off alarm bells for all of us.  

Really? I alone can fix it? Isn't he forgetting? Troops on the front lines.

Police officers and fire fighters who run toward danger. Doctors and nurses who care for us. Teachers who change lives. 

Entrepreneurs who see possibilities in every problem.  Mothers who lost children to violence and are building a movement to keep other kids safe.

He's forgetting every last one of us.  Americans don't say: “I alone can fix it.” We say: “We'll fix it together.” 

Remember: Our Founders fought a revolution and wrote a Constitution so America would never be a nation where one person had all the power. Two hundred and forty years later, we still put our faith in each other.    

Look at what happened in Dallas after the assassinations of five brave police officers. Chief David Brown asked the community to support his force, maybe even join them. 

And you know how the community responded? Nearly 500 people applied in just 12 days. That's how Americans answer when the call for help goes out.  

20 years ago I wrote a book called “It Takes a Village.”  A lot of people looked at the title and asked, what the heck do you mean by that?   

This is what I mean. None of us can raise a family, build a business, heal a community or lift a country totally alone.     

America needs every one of us to lend our energy, our talents, our ambition to making our nation better and stronger. I believe that with all my heart. 

That's why “Stronger Together” is not just a lesson from our history. It's not just a slogan for our campaign.

It's a guiding principle for the country we've always been and the future we're going to build.  

A country where the economy works for everyone, not just those at the top. Where you can get a good job and send your kids to a good school, no matter what zip code you live in. 

A country where all our children can dream, and those dreams are within reach. Where families are strong… communities are safe…  And yes, love trumps hate. 

That's the country we're fighting for. That's the future we're working toward…  And so it is with humility. . . determination . . .  and boundless confidence in America's promise… that I accept your nomination for President of the United States!

Now, sometimes the people at this podium are new to the national stage.

As you know, I'm not one of those people. I've been your First Lady. Served 8 years as a Senator from the great State of New York.

Then I represented all of you as Secretary of State.

But my job titles only tell you what I've done. They don't tell you why.

The truth is, through all these years of public service, the “service” part has always come easier to me than the “public” part.

I get it that some people just don't know what to make of me. So let me tell you.

The family I'm from . . . well, no one had their name on big buildings. My family were builders of a different kind. Builders in the way most American families are.

They used whatever tools they had – whatever God gave them – and whatever life in America provided – and built better lives and better futures for their kids.

My grandfather worked in the same Scranton lace mill for 50 years. Because he believed that if he gave everything he had, his children would have a better life than he did. And he was right.

My dad, Hugh, made it to college. He played football at Penn State and enlisted in the Navy after Pearl Harbor.  

When the war was over he started his own small business, printing fabric for draperies.  I remember watching him stand for hours over silk screens.   

He wanted to give my brothers and me opportunities he never had.  And he did.

My mother, Dorothy, was abandoned by her parents as a young girl.  She ended up on her own at 14, working as a house maid.  She was saved by the kindness of others.  

Her first grade teacher saw she had nothing to eat at lunch, and brought extra food to share.  The lesson she passed on to me years later stuck with me:  No one gets through life alone.  We have to look out for each other and lift each other up.  

She made sure I learned the words of our Methodist faith: “Do all the good you can, for all the people you can, in all the ways you can, as long as ever you can.” 

I went to work for the Children's Defense Fund, going door-to-door in New Bedford, Massachusetts on behalf of children with disabilities who were denied the chance to go to school. 

I remember meeting a young girl in a wheelchair on the small back porch of her house. She told me how badly she wanted to go to school – it just didn't seem possible. And I couldn't stop thinking of my mother and what she went through as a child.  

It became clear to me that simply caring is not enough. To drive real progress, you have to change both hearts and laws. You need both understanding and action. 

So we gathered facts. We built a coalition. And our work helped convince Congress to ensure access to education for all students with disabilities.

It's a big idea, isn't it?  Every kid with a disability has the right to go to school.   

But how do you make an idea like that real?  You do it step-by-step, year-by-year… sometimes even door-by-door.   

And my heart just swelled when I saw Anastasia Somoza on this stage, representing millions of young people who – because of those changes to our laws – are able to get an education.  

It's true... I sweat the details of policy – whether we're talking about the exact level of lead in the drinking water in Flint, Michigan, the number of mental health facilities in Iowa, or the cost of your prescription drugs.   

Because it's not just a detail if it's your kid - if it's your family. It's a big deal.  And it should be a big deal to your president.   

Over the last three days, you've seen some of the people who've inspired me. People who let me into their lives, and became a part of mine.    

People like Ryan Moore and Lauren Manning. They told their stories Tuesday night.  

I first met Ryan as a 7-year-old. He was wearing a full body brace that must have weighed forty pounds because I leaned over to lift him up.  

Children like Ryan kept me going when our plan for universal health care failed…and kept me working with leaders of both parties to help create the Children's Health Insurance Program that covers 8 million kids every year.   

Lauren Manning, who stood here with such grace and power, was gravely injured on 9/11. It was the thought of her, and Debbie St. John, and John Dolan and Joe Sweeney, and all the victims and survivors, that kept me working as hard as I could in the Senate on behalf of 9/11 families, and our first responders who got sick from their time at Ground Zero. 

I was still thinking of Lauren, Debbie and all the others ten years later in the White House Situation Room when President Obama made the courageous decision that finally brought Osama bin Laden to justice.  

In this campaign, I've met so many people who motivate me to keep fighting for change. And, with your help, I will carry all of your voices and stories with me to the White House.  

And you heard, you heard from Republicans and Independents who are supporting our campaign. I will be a President for Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. For the struggling, the striving and the successful. For those who vote for me and those who don't. For all Americans. Together.

Tonight, we've reached a milestone in our nation's march toward a more perfect union:  the first time that a major party has nominated a woman for President.   

Standing here as my mother's daughter, and my daughter's mother, I'm so happy this day has come. Happy for grandmothers and little girls and everyone in between.   

Happy for boys and men, too – because when any barrier falls in America, for anyone, it clears the way for everyone.  When there are no ceilings, the sky's the limit.  So let's keep going, until every one of the 161 million women and girls across America has the opportunity she deserves. 

Because even more important than the history we make tonight, is the history we will write together in the years ahead. Let's begin with what we're going to do to help working people in our country get ahead and stay ahead. 

Now, I don't think President Obama and Vice President Biden get the credit they deserve for saving us from the worst economic crisis of our lifetimes.   

Our economy is so much stronger than when they took office.  Nearly 15 million new private-sector jobs. Twenty million more Americans with health insurance. And an auto industry that just had its best year ever. That's real progress.

But none of us can be satisfied with the status quo. Not by a long shot.

We're still facing deep-seated problems that developed long before the recession and have stayed with us through the recovery.

I've gone around our country talking to working families. And I've heard from so many of you who feel like the economy just isn't working.

Some of you are frustrated – even furious. And you know what??? You're right. It's not yet working the way it should.

Americans are willing to work – and work hard. But right now, an awful lot of people feel there is less and less respect for the work they do. And less respect for them, period.

Democrats are the party of working people. But we haven't done a good enough job showing that we get what you're going through, and that we're going to do something about it.

So I want to tell you tonight how we will empower Americans to live better lives.

My primary mission as President will be to create more opportunity and more good jobs with rising wages right here in the United States... From my first day in office to my last! Especially in places that for too long have been left out and left behind.

From our inner cities to our small towns, from Indian Country to Coal Country. From communities ravaged by addiction to regions hollowed out by plant closures.

And here's what I believe. I believe America thrives when the middle class thrives. I believe that our economy isn't working the way it should because our democracy isn't working the way it should.

That's why we need to appoint Supreme Court justices who will get money out of politics and expand voting rights, not restrict them. And if necessary we'll pass a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United!

I believe American corporations that have gotten so much from our country should be just as patriotic in return. Many of them are. But too many aren't. It's wrong to take tax breaks with one hand and give out pink slips with the other.

And I believe Wall Street can never, ever be allowed to wreck Main Street again. I believe in science. I believe that climate change is real and that we can save our planet while creating millions of good-paying clean energy jobs.

I believe that when we have millions of hardworking immigrants contributing to our economy, it would be self-defeating and inhumane to try to kick them out. Comprehensive immigration reform will grow our economy and keep families together - and it's the right thing to do.

Whatever party you belong to, or if you belong to no party at all, if you share these beliefs, this is your campaign.  

If you believe that companies should share profits, not pad executive bonuses, join us.  If you believe the minimum wage should be a living wage… and no one working full time should have to raise their children in poverty… join us.

If you believe that every man, woman, and child in America has the right to affordable health care…join us. If you believe that we should say “no” to unfair trade deals... that we should stand up to China... that we should support our steelworkers and autoworkers and homegrown manufacturers…join us.  

If you believe we should expand Social Security and protect a woman's right to make her own health care decisions… join us.  

And yes, if you believe that your working mother, wife, sister, or daughter deserves equal pay… join us...  Let's make sure this economy works for everyone, not just those at the top.

Now, you didn't hear any of this from Donald Trump at his convention.   He spoke for 70-odd minutes – and I do mean odd.  And he offered zero solutions.

But we already know he doesn't believe these things.  No wonder he doesn't like talking about his plans. You might have noticed, I love talking about mine.

In my first 100 days, we will work with both parties to pass the biggest investment in new, good-paying jobs since World War II.  Jobs in manufacturing, clean energy, technology and innovation, small business, and infrastructure.

If we invest in infrastructure now, we'll not only create jobs today, but lay the foundation for the jobs of the future. And we will transform the way we prepare our young people for those jobs.

Bernie Sanders and I will work together to make college tuition-free for the middle class and debt-free for all!   We will also liberate millions of people who already have student debt.

It's just not right that Donald Trump can ignore his debts, but students and families can't refinance theirs. 

And here's something we don't say often enough: College is crucial, but a four-year degree should not be the only path to a good job. 

We're going to help more people learn a skill or practice a trade and make a good living doing it.  We're going to give small businesses a boost.  Make it easier to get credit. Way too many dreams die in the parking lots of banks.

In America, if you can dream it, you should be able to build it.  We're going to help you balance family and work.  And you know what, if fighting for affordable child care and paid family leave is playing the “woman card,” then Deal Me In!

Now, here's the thing, we're not only going to make all these investments, we're going to pay for every single one of them. And here's how: Wall Street, corporations, and the super-rich are going to start paying their fair share of taxes.

Not because we resent success. Because when more than 90% of the gains have gone to the top 1%, that's where the money is. And we are going to follow the money. And if companies take tax breaks and then ship jobs overseas, we'll make them pay us back. And we'll put that money to work where it belongs … creating jobs here at home!

Now I know some of you are sitting at home thinking, well that all sounds pretty good. But how are you going to get it done?  How are you going to break through the gridlock in Washington?

Look at my record.  I’ve worked across the aisle to pass laws and treaties and to launch new programs that help millions of people.  And if you give me the chance, that’s what I’ll do as President.

But Trump, he's a businessman.  He must know something about the economy. 

Well, let's take a closer look.  In Atlantic City, 60 miles from here, you'll find contractors and small businesses who lost everything because Donald Trump refused to pay his bills. Now remember what the President said last night -- don't boo, vote.

People who did the work and needed the money, and didn't get it – not because he couldn't pay them, but because he wouldn't pay them. He just stiffed them. That sales pitch he's making to be your president? Put your faith in him – and you'll win big?  That's the same sales pitch he made to all those small businesses.

Then Trump walked away, and left working people holding the bag.

He also talks a big game about putting America First. Please explain to me what part of America First leads him to make Trump ties in China, not Colorado. Trump suits in Mexico, not Michigan. Trump furniture in Turkey, not Ohio. Trump picture frames in India, not Wisconsin.

Donald Trump says he wants to make America great again – well, he could start by actually making things in America again.

The choice we face is just as stark when it comes to our national security. Anyone reading the news can see the threats and turbulence we face.

From Baghdad and Kabul, to Nice and Paris and Brussels, to San Bernardino and Orlando, we're dealing with determined enemies that must be defeated. No wonder people are anxious and looking for reassurance. Looking for steady leadership. You want a leader who understands we are stronger when we work with our allies around the world and care for our veterans here at home. Keeping our nation safe and honoring the people who do it will be my highest priority.

I'm proud that we put a lid on Iran's nuclear program without firing a single shot – now we have to enforce it, and keep supporting Israel's security.

I'm proud that we shaped a global climate agreement – now we have to hold every country accountable to their commitments, including ourselves.

I'm proud to stand by our allies in NATO against any threat they face, including from Russia.

I've laid out my strategy for defeating ISIS. We will strike their sanctuaries from the air, and support local forces taking them out on the ground. We will surge our intelligence so that we detect and prevent attacks before they happen. We will disrupt their efforts online to reach and radicalize young people in our country. It won't be easy or quick, but make no mistake – we will prevail.    

Now Donald Trump says, and this is a quote, “I know more about ISIS than the generals do….”

No, Donald, you don't. He thinks that he knows more than our military because he claimed our armed forces are “a disaster.”

Well, I've had the privilege to work closely with our troops and our veterans for many years, including as a Senator on the Armed Services Committee. I know how wrong he is.

Our military is a national treasure. We entrust our commander-in-chief to make the hardest decisions our nation faces. Decisions about war and peace. Life and death.

A president should respect the men and women who risk their lives to serve our country – including Captain Khan and the sons of Tim Kaine and Mike Pence, both Marines.

Ask yourself:  Does Donald Trump have the temperament to be Commander-in-Chief?  Donald Trump can't even handle the rough-and-tumble of a presidential campaign.  He loses his cool at the slightest provocation.  When he's gotten a tough question from a reporter.  When he's challenged in a debate.  When he sees a protestor at a rally.  Imagine him in the Oval Office facing a real crisis. A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons. 

I can't put it any better than Jackie Kennedy did after the Cuban Missile Crisis. She said that what worried President Kennedy during that very dangerous time was that a war might be started – not by big men with self-control and restraint, but by little men – the ones moved by fear and pride.

America's strength doesn't come from lashing out. Strength relies on smarts, judgment, cool resolve, and the precise and strategic application of power. That's the kind of Commander-in-Chief I pledge to be.  

And if we're serious about keeping our country safe, we also can't afford to have a President who's in the pocket of the gun lobby.  I'm not here to repeal the 2nd Amendment. I'm not here to take away your guns. I just don't want you to be shot by someone who shouldn't have a gun in the first place. 

We should be working with responsible gun owners to pass common-sense reforms and keep guns out of the hands of criminals, terrorists and all others who would do us harm.    

For decades, people have said this issue was too hard to solve and the politics were too hot to touch. But I ask you: how can we just stand by and do nothing? You heard, you saw, family members of people killed by gun violence. You heard, you saw, family members of police officers killed in the line of duty because they were outgunned by criminals. I refuse to believe we can't find common ground here. 

We have to heal the divides in our country. Not just on guns. But on race. Immigration. And more. That starts with listening to each other. Hearing each other. Trying, as best we can, to walk in each other's shoes.  

So let's put ourselves in the shoes of young black and Latino men and women who face the effects of systemic racism, and are made to feel like their lives are disposable.

Let's put ourselves in the shoes of police officers, kissing their kids and spouses goodbye every day and heading off to do a dangerous and necessary job. We will reform our criminal justice system from end-to-end, and rebuild trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. 

We will defend all our rights – civil rights, human rights and voting rights… women's rights and workers' rights… LGBT rights and the rights of people with disabilities! 

And we will stand up against mean and divisive rhetoric wherever it comes from. You know, for the past year, many people made the mistake of laughing off Donald Trump's comments – excusing him as an entertainer just putting on a show. They think he couldn't possibly mean all the horrible things he says – like when he called women “pigs.”

Or said that an American judge couldn't be fair because of his Mexican heritage. Or when he mocks and mimics a reporter with a disability.  Or insults prisoners of war like John McCain –a true hero and patriot who deserves our respect.

At first, I admit, I couldn't believe he meant it either. It was just too hard to fathom – that someone who wants to lead our nation could say those things. Could be like that.   

But here's the sad truth: There is no other Donald Trump...This is it. And in the end, it comes down to what Donald Trump doesn't get: that America is great – because America is good.  

So enough with the bigotry and bombast. Donald Trump's not offering real change. He's offering empty promises. What are we offering? A bold agenda to improve the lives of people across our country - to keep you safe, to get you good jobs, and to give your kids the opportunities they deserve. The choice is clear, my friends.

Every generation of Americans has come together to make our country freer, fairer, and stronger. None of us ever have or can do it alone.     

I know that at a time when so much seems to be pulling us apart, it can be hard to imagine how we'll ever pull together again. But I'm here to tell you tonight – progress is possible.  I know because I've seen it in the lives of people across America who get knocked down and get right back up. And I know it from my own life.

More than a few times, I've had to pick myself up and get back in the game. Like so much else, I got this from my mother.  She never let me back down from any challenge. When I tried to hide from a neighborhood bully, she literally blocked the door. “Go back out there,” she said. And she was right. You have to stand up to bullies.

You have to keep working to make things better, even when the odds are long and the opposition is fierce.  

We lost our mother a few years ago but I miss her every day.  And I still hear her voice urging me to keep working and to keep fighting for right, no matter what. That's what we need to do together as a nation.

And though "we may not live to see the glory," as the song from the musical Hamilton goes, "let us gladly join the fight." Let our legacy be about "planting seeds in a garden you never get to see."

That's why we're here...not just in this hall, but on this Earth. The Founders showed us that. And so have many others since. They were drawn together by love of country and the selfless passion to build something better for all who follow. That is the story of America. And we begin a new chapter tonight.

Yes, the world is watching what we do. Yes, America's destiny is ours to choose. So let's be stronger together, my fellow Americans. Let’s look to the future with courage and confidence. Let’s build a better tomorrow for our beloved children and our beloved country. And when we do, America will be greater than ever.

Thank you and may God bless you and the United States of America!

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· Hillary Clinton
· Democratic National Convention (DNC)
· US Presidential Elections 2016
· Democratic National Committee
· Donald Trump
· Web Exclusive

Fri, 29 Jul 2016-02:45pm
Date updated: 
Friday, 29 July 2016 - 2:45pm
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