#5SmartReads - September 19, 2022

Marisa is a corporate account executive by day, a freelance writer and #5SmartReads contributor by night, and a mom 24/7. Right now she is smack dab in the middle of her busiest season at work but is still focused on supporting The Brigid Alliance and Sandy Hook Promise, as well as finding a way to work an early-morning wake-up to watch the Queen's funeral into her currently relentless schedule.

Many Preventive Medical Services Cost Patients Nothing. Will A Texas Court Decision Change That? (KHN)

Two things that are bothering me on the domestic politics front: first, THIS.

For anyone who has followed me for awhile (or knows me IRL), you know that I work in insurance. What you may not know is that I got started working in insurance doing Affordable Care Act compliance, and that I am a huge proponent of the ACA market reforms as a political compromise win.

One of the most significant of those reforms for the average person is 100% coverage for preventive care, meaning the part where you don't pay a dime for annual physicals or well woman/well child visits. This lawsuit threatens that and I will just say... I am getting really tired of an activist judiciary stepping in on settled law that is good for the American people.

Almost Half Of US Governors Ask Joe Biden To Cut Student Loan Forgiveness Plan (NPR)

And second, THIS.

Stay the heck in your lane Republican governors of America. You know where you actually have power? Your own states.

Last year, in my home state of Missouri, Gov. Mike Parson signed a bill into law that eliminated a tuition ceiling that would have previously limited how much public colleges and universities could raise tuition each year. So why don't you come home and deal with that, mmmmkay, and leave federal student loan business to the feds?

Want To See Political Change? Look To The Margins (The Guardian)

Speaking of student loan forgiveness, a great reminder that despite what Republican governors and The Wall Street Journal may want you to believe, this is a political outcome not only hugely approved of by the populace but grown out of the long, hard work of the populace.

A powerful quote that we should remember and apply elsewhere as needed: "we need to remember that we can learn from and repeat the successes of our past." Reproductive rights, anyone?

Queens Funeral ignites TV Coverage Battle: Inside The Scramble For $60,000 Hotel Suites And More (Variety)

Gosh this is interesting.

If you read my bio this month you already saw that I am planning (hoping?) to be one of the millions of international viewers taking in the spectacle of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral.

Perhaps you are, as well, but if you're anything like me, you probably haven't given much thought to how much planning goes into producing a live broadcast of this nature. UK editorial director Chris Shaw from ITN is even quoted as saying that he has rehearsed this several times each decade for the past 35 years - crazy!

An interesting read and behind the scenes look into what goes into giving all of us live access to these huge moments in history.

King Charles Is Too Political For The USA (Politico)

This was an interesting take on Americans' potential reactions to King Charles III. As an American with a shall we say "stylistic" interest in what the Monarchy does, I will be honest and say that I've paid very little attention to the former Prince of Wales outside of broadly disapproving of how he and others in his family treated Diana, and his role on the sidelines of Kate/Megan/Wills/Harry's lives. After reading this, I for one hope to be as pleased by his embrace of progressive policy ideas as I am with the fashion choices coming out of the House of Windsor.