Health insurer Humana to test Arizona job applicants for tobacco, says it won’t hire smokers - The Washington Post

Health insurer Humana to test Arizona job applicants for tobacco, says it won’t hire smokers - The Washington Post

I guess it says something about my creep towards libertarianism that this makes me mad. Frankly, I don't care what substances people are using, be it nicotine, alcohol, fatty foods, or whatever they have laying around. If you can't prove that it's effecting their work and/or causing direct harm to another human, how is it okay to deny them employment? I may not be a smoker, but I don't want anybody, be they a company or a government, telling me what I can and cannot consume.

Calling the meeting

Get ready, people. Yours truly will make a guest appearance in the RAC's official call to have the next URJ Biennial. This is a fun place to work. I highly encourage trying it out.

FDR... homeless?

I do not get the apparent maze of fountains. Among the beautiful Greco-Roman temples and monuments, we have this series of fountains, water pouring out between giant dark bricks. It's like the ruins of the Second Temple, but brownish purple, instead of white. This feels less like a monument to a President of the United States and more like a Holocaust Memorial.

Breakfast with Jeffy

Turns out a long walk is better for the head than more sleep.

Church, State, and Discrimination

There's a fundamental issue here. Nobody should ever be forced to pay for something which then discriminates against them. If a church accepts federal tax money as part of a "faith based initiative" they should not be allowed to choose who that money goes to on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, or orientation.

I guess the more time I spend here, the more I realize that that is my main issue. I'm pretty moderate on most issues, and fairly conservative on some (I'm lookin' at you, IR), but I just can't get over the systemic discrimination in this country.

If wanting equal rights for women, and African-Americans, and Latinos, and any other group here in America makes me a liberal, than I guess that's what I am, because if we were all made by G-d to be able to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, then everyone deserves an equal chance, just like G-d intended. And I am not being sarcastic.

A tale of two birthdays.

As I write, we interns are about to head to a press conference commemorating the 70th birthday of an executive order regarding church and state. This will be the first time we've "gone to the Hill."

While we prep for this legislative b-day, one of the girls in the program is turning 20, and our coordinator is baking a cake.

A press conference on the Hill, and cake. I think today is a good day.

Week 2, Day 1

The city is packed. A friend told me recently that that's why she loves intern season. During the year, DC, and Foggy Bottom in particular, are weirdly empty. Most of the workers are commuters, so the only folks around in these neighborhoods are students. Then the summer comes and its packed. All the apartments and dorms are full,the bars and restaurants rake in the business, and the excitement is palpable.

And so here I am, at the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism, surrounded by fellow interns, as we learn about networking and how to be a good intern. We're all here on a program where we will take these classes and work at different lobby groups and non-profits. My internship is actually at the RAC, so I'm here all day.

It's funny, coming from Rochester where people wear whatever will keep them warm, seeing everybody my age sweating in their business attire feels like an act. Like we're all here in our Sunday Best, uncomfortably jogging to the nearest air conditioner.

As the days go on, I'll try to get this on the subject of what it is that I am doing, and how we're all fairing. For now, see you soon.