Saturday, October 31, 2009
They Are Who We Thought They Were
The Cheneys are immoral and reprehensible people and just a piss poor sychophantic family. Nobody should expect them to ever take the high road. They have not a wit of familiarity with it.
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Friday, October 30, 2009
Did A Light Bulb Come On?
My head is about to explode. After a week where we saw Harry Reid put forth a health care reform bill with a public option in it, then make a video urging people to contact their members of Congress to lobby for keeping the public option, now comes news that last night he guilted Republican Senators into dropping their hold on Surgeon General nominee Regina Benjamin and she was confirmed by a voice vote.
Now the truth of course is that with this H1N1 outbreat she should have been confirmed weeks if not months ago. But still man where the hell has THIS Harry Reid been and what will it take to keep him around?!
He is about to mess around and have me phone banking for him and ish if he keeps this up!!!
Now the truth of course is that with this H1N1 outbreat she should have been confirmed weeks if not months ago. But still man where the hell has THIS Harry Reid been and what will it take to keep him around?!
He is about to mess around and have me phone banking for him and ish if he keeps this up!!!
Somebody Put Something In Her Mouth, My Zippers Stuck
More bullshit from Liz Cheney. This time however she is going to have the unfortunate (for her) consequence of reminding everyone that neither her Daddy or President Bush never, not even once, went to visit our fallen soldiers coming back from the battlefield.
Yeah, have fun with that...
Yeah, have fun with that...
For Fox Sake!!!
I couldn't come up with anything more clever for a title than what Jon Stewart already came up with lol.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| For Fox Sake! | ||||
| ||||
Running Away From Joe Lieberman
Evidently Evan Bayh must noticed everyone on the left starting to dig into his and his wife's financial ties to the health insurance industry because he suddenly is getting himself in check on voting for cloture.
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Once Again Its On
I know the TV show "24" has been hijacked by right wing assholes who want to justify torture, but dammit I STILL love the show! (well not last season...actually not the last season and a half) I can't wait till January comes around...
Thursday, October 29, 2009
It's A Beautiful Day!
Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, unveiled the House version of a healthcare reform bill today. The public option isn't of the most robust variety but there is one in there and it's deficit neutral. Its a lot better bill than whatever is going to come out of the Senate so hopefully when they go to conference the final bill will look more like this one.
Update: The CBO score is in and this bill saves over $100 Billion.
Yes BILLION!!!
Somebody go smack every ConservaDem upside the head with the damn printout.
Update: The CBO score is in and this bill saves over $100 Billion.
Yes BILLION!!!
Somebody go smack every ConservaDem upside the head with the damn printout.
Like I Said, I Have Nothing More To Say About LIEberman...
...but if I did it would go a lot like this Paul Begala piece in The Daily Beast.
Bravo Mr. Begala, Bravo!
Bravo Mr. Begala, Bravo!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Tweety Will NOT Let Facts Get In The Way
This is absolutely remarkable.
I meant to post this video yesterday when I saw it but I couldn't get the embed to work.
I am going to tell you what happened before you watch the video but I don't know if you will actually believe it until you see it.
This segment is what Chris Matthews calls his "Big Number" on his Hardball show. He starts off by pointing out that new polling in a Washington Post poll shows that 70% of respondents in Virginia say that their feelings about President Obama will have no bearing on their vote for governor. He repeats this for effect after noting that the Democrat in the governor's race, Creigh Deeds, is down by double digits in the same poll.
But Tweety just can't help himself. You see Republicans have been saying that this race is a referendum on President Obama and Tweety is the ultimate concern troll. So just before he cuts to commercial he basically says "Damn what that poll says, this race is ALL about Obama".
Seriously.
It makes you wonder why he brought up the poll in the first place.
Chris Matthews is one of the major reasons I get pissed off when folks try to make analogies between FoxNews and MSNBC. If there is one guy who goes out of his way every single day to prove he isn't a liberal or progressive its Tweety. He will carry every drop of water for Republicans even when all evidence points to them being full of shit. Hell just today he was STILL trying to make abortion rights a "big problem" in health care reform when not even most Republicans are telling that lie any more.
In closing, fuck that guy!
I meant to post this video yesterday when I saw it but I couldn't get the embed to work.
I am going to tell you what happened before you watch the video but I don't know if you will actually believe it until you see it.
This segment is what Chris Matthews calls his "Big Number" on his Hardball show. He starts off by pointing out that new polling in a Washington Post poll shows that 70% of respondents in Virginia say that their feelings about President Obama will have no bearing on their vote for governor. He repeats this for effect after noting that the Democrat in the governor's race, Creigh Deeds, is down by double digits in the same poll.
But Tweety just can't help himself. You see Republicans have been saying that this race is a referendum on President Obama and Tweety is the ultimate concern troll. So just before he cuts to commercial he basically says "Damn what that poll says, this race is ALL about Obama".
Seriously.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
It makes you wonder why he brought up the poll in the first place.
Chris Matthews is one of the major reasons I get pissed off when folks try to make analogies between FoxNews and MSNBC. If there is one guy who goes out of his way every single day to prove he isn't a liberal or progressive its Tweety. He will carry every drop of water for Republicans even when all evidence points to them being full of shit. Hell just today he was STILL trying to make abortion rights a "big problem" in health care reform when not even most Republicans are telling that lie any more.
In closing, fuck that guy!
Call Em Out
This ain't a post about the beyatch whose name shall not be spoken on this blog. It is a post about a response to said beyatch from the Obama administration.
Sleeping With The Enemy?
Spencer Ackerman calls for congressional hearings into the revelations about Hamid Karzai's brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, a long suspected drug dealer, being on the CIA's payroll according to yesterday's New York Times piece.
We definitely need to get some answers on this one.
CIA money funds a politically connected drug dealer. Opium funds the Taliban. We are in Afghanistan to fight the Taliban. How much CIA money has indirectly funded the Taliban?
We definitely need to get some answers on this one.
Which Kind Of Public Option Do You Want?
Senator Dick Durbin, part of the Democratic Senatorial leadership team, would like to know which version of the public option Americans would like to see included in health care reform. Please go here and vote.
On The "Its Only 5% Argument"
I keep hearing jack asses like Joke Line downgrading the public option because it only will be available to 5% of the country. Now admittedly if I had my druthers I would want that percentage higher if not a total single payer system. But lets keep some real perspective about this. In real numbers that is 15 million people or more. 15 million people. And those 15 million are by and in large the folks who really need health care the most.
Think about that for a second. A study came out a few weeks back that said 40,000 people die every year from a lack of health care. Now how many of those 40,000 come out of the 15 MILLION that would have access to the public option do you think?
Let me put it in analagous terms. If there was a product on the market that was killing 40,000 people a year against theiri will but didn't affect the rest of us would you think it would be ok for the government not to address that? If there was a product on the market that put 15 Million people a year at risk of not only loss of life but loss of lively hood with bankruptcy and financial ruin, do you think it would be ok for the government to turn a blind eye?
I know we live in a "I got mine" society but surely most people give a damn about 15 million American citizens among us.........don't they?
Also go read this
Think about that for a second. A study came out a few weeks back that said 40,000 people die every year from a lack of health care. Now how many of those 40,000 come out of the 15 MILLION that would have access to the public option do you think?
Let me put it in analagous terms. If there was a product on the market that was killing 40,000 people a year against theiri will but didn't affect the rest of us would you think it would be ok for the government not to address that? If there was a product on the market that put 15 Million people a year at risk of not only loss of life but loss of lively hood with bankruptcy and financial ruin, do you think it would be ok for the government to turn a blind eye?
I know we live in a "I got mine" society but surely most people give a damn about 15 million American citizens among us.........don't they?
Also go read this
The REAL Question We Should Be Asking
I know that since Joe LIEberman pissed in the punch yesterday many of us on the left have been apoplectic over it. By in large the questions have been asked over and over again to the effect of "What will they do about Joe LIEberman?". Meaning what will Harry Reid do? Will he threaten LIEberman with his seniority and committee chairmanships? What will President Obama do? Threaten to campaign against him and run him out of the party and politics? Cut off all of his earmarks?
That is all find and good, and if you have read this blog for any period of time you know that I have no problem and in fact encourage Democratic leadership to cut LIEberman off at the knees. And that was before he was threatening a filibuster. But here is the thing, there is another way of looking at this.
It is time to ask what are our progressive leaders in the Senate willing to do to counter LIEberman? He has pledged to join a filibuster if there is a public option in the bill. Is there a Democrat in the Senate who has the courage to now come out and say that THEY will filibuster any bill that does not have one?
This is a very important question and it goes to the heart of whether Joe LIEberman will be allowed to ruin this health care reform bill. You see if our side is not willing to show that we will be just as strong in our advocacy for the public option as he will be in his opposition to the public option just who do you think President Obama and Harry Reid are going to defer to? They will defer to the person or persons that they feel most threaten the passage of the bill. And until we are sitting on that equal platform we will not be taken seriously.
So if you are worried about Joe LIEberman and his opposition to the public option our path should be clear. We need to pressure all of the proponents of a public option in the Senate to come out with their own statements about cloture. Its really that simple. It is time to meet fire with fire and prove that progressives in the Senate are not just all talk. Getting Harry Reid to put a public option in the bill was basically just the first step. Now we have to put pressure on people like Chuck Schumer and Jay Rockerfeller to draw a line in the sand to show that we won't allow it to be removed.
It is what it is.
That is all find and good, and if you have read this blog for any period of time you know that I have no problem and in fact encourage Democratic leadership to cut LIEberman off at the knees. And that was before he was threatening a filibuster. But here is the thing, there is another way of looking at this.
It is time to ask what are our progressive leaders in the Senate willing to do to counter LIEberman? He has pledged to join a filibuster if there is a public option in the bill. Is there a Democrat in the Senate who has the courage to now come out and say that THEY will filibuster any bill that does not have one?
This is a very important question and it goes to the heart of whether Joe LIEberman will be allowed to ruin this health care reform bill. You see if our side is not willing to show that we will be just as strong in our advocacy for the public option as he will be in his opposition to the public option just who do you think President Obama and Harry Reid are going to defer to? They will defer to the person or persons that they feel most threaten the passage of the bill. And until we are sitting on that equal platform we will not be taken seriously.
So if you are worried about Joe LIEberman and his opposition to the public option our path should be clear. We need to pressure all of the proponents of a public option in the Senate to come out with their own statements about cloture. Its really that simple. It is time to meet fire with fire and prove that progressives in the Senate are not just all talk. Getting Harry Reid to put a public option in the bill was basically just the first step. Now we have to put pressure on people like Chuck Schumer and Jay Rockerfeller to draw a line in the sand to show that we won't allow it to be removed.
It is what it is.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Nothing Else To Say...
If you are waiting for me to say something about Joe LIEberman's latest fuckery you are wasting your time. I have said all I have to say about that asshole. Its time for a Democrat in the Senate to actually DO something about him. Period.
Action Needed: Another Health Care Poll
There is a health care poll online for the paper of record in Republican Congressman Adam Putnam's 12 congressional district down here in Florida over whether there should be a public option in the health care reform bills. Please go to the site and vote!
You can find the poll on the bottom right.
You can find the poll on the bottom right.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Breaking: Ladies And Gentlemen WE HAVE A PUBLIC OPTION!!!!!!!
Majority Leader Harry Reid just confirmed that we WILL have a public option with an opt out provision in the health care reform bill that gets voted on in the Senate. A lot of hard work, phone calls and emails have been heard. Remember, this is still not the end game. We still have to make sure all 60 Democrats vote for cloture and the bills in the House and Senate still have to be merged. But this is, to say the least, GREAT news for advocates of health care reform.
As much as I have called him out in the past in this case Leader Reid got it right.
As much as I have called him out in the past in this case Leader Reid got it right.
Opt Out FTW!
Its looking very likely that Harry Reid will be unveiling a unifed Senate health care reform bill today with an "opt out" public option included. Since the day this idea was floated I have made no bones about my very enthusiastic but somewhat conditional support for this option both from a policy and a political stand point. Now for me all it comes down to is how strong they make the public option since states who don't like it or want it can opt out of it. I am hoping Harry Reid sees the opportunity here and goes for a Medicare +5 kind of public option like the House is proposing.
Stay tuned.
Stay tuned.
Coonery For Me But Not For Thee
One thing about social media is that you find out pretty quickly that many times there are opinions, even within demographics which you identify with, that strongly diverge at times over things you might think have close to a consensus view. I for one have been a fan of Tyler Perry for a very long time. Certainly long before he started doing movie and was just doing plays. His material was always funny and over the top but at its root he always had positive messages in his work.
When he started doing movies and TV I liked some of his work and didn't care for other parts but I still recognized the messages he was trying to send. So much of his films are about wounded and "damaged" blacks and other minorities finding a way to make themselves whole again, usually with a touch of Christianity involved.
Now is that for everybody? I imagine not but I also don't think he makes movies for "everybody". Tyler Perry makes movies and TV shows for the people who will enjoy them and judging by his success so far that is a substantial number of people.
But there are a group of what I would describe as bourgeois ass black folks who seem to think that because Tyler Perry isn't making THEIR type of movie then he should be derided or torn down. That is the biggest bunch of bullshit I have ever seen and it burns me up to no end. Hell I don't like all of Michael Bey's movies. Does that mean I think he shouldn't be able to make them? But to hear these folks tell it Perry is "harming" the black community because he includes over the top characters like "Madea" in his projects. This shit would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic. Its like they can't see past their own concern trolling to notice that "Madea" is just the honey to bring folks in before they get a good message from the rest of the show.
The latest clown, and I do mean clown, to trip on Perry is Spike Lee. Lee had the nerve to call what Perry is doing coonery, I guess he is now the voice of black upper crust or some shit. But its amazing that the same asshole that made "School Daze" and "Do The Right Thing" could accuse anybody on earth of coonery. Oh I guess we are supposed to forget about all those Jordan commercials too? Negro please. Girl 6? C'mon Son! Get the fuck outta here with that bullshit.
The truth is, and I hope most folks can see this, that Lee is mad because Perry is getting shine that he thinks is reservered for "guys like him". I think Perry's response is absolutely perfect and I hope he has a face to face "conversation" with Lee real soon to see if he has the nuts to talk that coonery shit to the man's face. Somehow I doubt it.
By the way, somebody should tell Spike Lee that real coonery is running to the media to hate on another black man who is just trying to do their own thing. Seriously.
When he started doing movies and TV I liked some of his work and didn't care for other parts but I still recognized the messages he was trying to send. So much of his films are about wounded and "damaged" blacks and other minorities finding a way to make themselves whole again, usually with a touch of Christianity involved.
Now is that for everybody? I imagine not but I also don't think he makes movies for "everybody". Tyler Perry makes movies and TV shows for the people who will enjoy them and judging by his success so far that is a substantial number of people.
But there are a group of what I would describe as bourgeois ass black folks who seem to think that because Tyler Perry isn't making THEIR type of movie then he should be derided or torn down. That is the biggest bunch of bullshit I have ever seen and it burns me up to no end. Hell I don't like all of Michael Bey's movies. Does that mean I think he shouldn't be able to make them? But to hear these folks tell it Perry is "harming" the black community because he includes over the top characters like "Madea" in his projects. This shit would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic. Its like they can't see past their own concern trolling to notice that "Madea" is just the honey to bring folks in before they get a good message from the rest of the show.
The latest clown, and I do mean clown, to trip on Perry is Spike Lee. Lee had the nerve to call what Perry is doing coonery, I guess he is now the voice of black upper crust or some shit. But its amazing that the same asshole that made "School Daze" and "Do The Right Thing" could accuse anybody on earth of coonery. Oh I guess we are supposed to forget about all those Jordan commercials too? Negro please. Girl 6? C'mon Son! Get the fuck outta here with that bullshit.
The truth is, and I hope most folks can see this, that Lee is mad because Perry is getting shine that he thinks is reservered for "guys like him". I think Perry's response is absolutely perfect and I hope he has a face to face "conversation" with Lee real soon to see if he has the nuts to talk that coonery shit to the man's face. Somehow I doubt it.
By the way, somebody should tell Spike Lee that real coonery is running to the media to hate on another black man who is just trying to do their own thing. Seriously.
Bypassing Politico
For whatever reason people tend to still pay a lot of attention to Politico (or Politicol like) stories about the fate of the public option. This leads to a lot of hyperventilating and hyperbole from some segments of the left almost every other day even though it should be well known at this point that they and the folks like them are just trying to drum up clicks on their website. Well the White House has taken the opportunity to bypass a filter and any "leaks" and come out with their own "rumor check".
"Absolutely false". Did you see that? Ok so at least for the next couple of the days can we at least TRY to keep our powder dry on any story full of "anonymous" sources and ridiculous premises? Sheesh.
A rumor is making the rounds that the White House and Senator Reid are pursuing different strategies on the public option. Those rumors are absolutely false.
In his September 9th address to Congress, President Obama made clear that he supports the public option because it has the potential to play an essential role in holding insurance companies accountable through choice and competition. That continues to be the President's position.
Senator Reid and his leadership team are now working to get the most effective bill possible approved by the Senate. President Obama completely supports their efforts and has full confidence they will succeed and continue the unprecedented progress that is being made in both the House and Senate.
"Absolutely false". Did you see that? Ok so at least for the next couple of the days can we at least TRY to keep our powder dry on any story full of "anonymous" sources and ridiculous premises? Sheesh.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Why Most People Are Cheering On The Death Of the Mainstream Media
Its because while we have serious issues in this country, people covering up murder by death penalty, health care reform, climate change, unemployment, etc, our mainstream media would rather run stories about whether the President is playing golf or basketball enough with women. What makes it so bad is that they KNOW this isn't a real story. Take Jake Tapper for example.
That is the first sentence in the 6th graph of his posting. Unfortunately he writes 19 or so grafs after that to prove how much this admittedly non story is still a story if you really stretch it far enough.
I swear I can't wait for some of these idiots in the media to lose their jobs and have to find something else to do because right now they are making their profession into a joke.
Oh and by the way fucktards, suck on this...
On one level, this is much ado about nothing.
That is the first sentence in the 6th graph of his posting. Unfortunately he writes 19 or so grafs after that to prove how much this admittedly non story is still a story if you really stretch it far enough.
I swear I can't wait for some of these idiots in the media to lose their jobs and have to find something else to do because right now they are making their profession into a joke.
Oh and by the way fucktards, suck on this...
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Texas Justice
I will let TNC do the commentary but this video is just shocking. Please watch it several times and keep in mind that THAT GUY was the defense attorney. Some fucking lighter fluid and a piece of carpet and he's fucking arson expert?
I am damn near at a loss for words.
I am damn near at a loss for words.
Priorties
Another excellent post from Glenzilla about the Villager, in particular the Washington Post's, position that the deficit doesn't matter when talking about ramping up the war in Afghanistan but its a "major concern" when talking about health care reform.
Hilarity Ensued
I swear man I was laughing my ass off watching this last night. Its like an Onion story come to life!
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Why Conservative "Media" Deserves To Be Ignored
This is the perfect illustration of why FoxNews along with most other conservative "media" outlets should be ignored by real media outlets.
And I just have to say, PEFECT timing too.
And I just have to say, PEFECT timing too.
Friday, October 23, 2009
FoxNews Needs A WAMBALANCEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
You know that story that has been floating around all day about the White House attempting to exclude FoxNews from an interview with the new Wall Street "pay czar"? And the other networks standing up for FoxNews?
Yeah, not so much...
Which proves they can't even do a news story even if they are personally involved.
Yeah, not so much...
Which proves they can't even do a news story even if they are personally involved.
Joe Klein Needs To Read This
Now that Joke Line has beclowned himself over the White House vs FoxNews story perhaps he should read this post from Dan Froomkin. Well actually I am pretty sure that as a Villager in good standing Joke Line won't change his stance because the script says all journos should say the White House is stupid for "picking this fight". But at least he will have some material to site once public sentiment turns and the decision to push back on FoxNews is seen as a smart one in hindsight and as usual he does his usual flip flop with the shift in the journalistic winds.
Are there any good journalists left in the mainstream media?
Are there any good journalists left in the mainstream media?
Y'all Musta Forgot
Video archives kill most wingnut "If Bush woulda done this...." freakouts. Nice move by Ms. Maddow once again exposing their hypocrisy.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Ruth Marcus Should Watch This Video
Maybe if Ruth Marcus actually familiarized herself with what FoxNews has been doing for the last 9 months she wouldn't come off looking like such a spectacular hack.
President Obama's White House didn't start this war, they just finally decided to launch a counter attack. Villagers can keep hitting the fainting couch all they want, this is not only appropriate, its also LONG overdue.
Fuck FoxNews
President Obama's White House didn't start this war, they just finally decided to launch a counter attack. Villagers can keep hitting the fainting couch all they want, this is not only appropriate, its also LONG overdue.
Fuck FoxNews
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Bullet Proof
Raheem Devaughn doing his best Marvin Gaye/Curtis Mayfield impersonation. And I mean that in the best sense imaginable.
Enough Is Enough
House Republicans still haven't learned not to play around with Alan Grayson. Rep. Paul Broun's best move would have been to just refuse to respond. But instead he opened his mouth and removed all doubt as they say.
What a thing of beauty!
What a thing of beauty!
The Appropriate Response
Gibby delivers some pretty sharp snark here to Dick Cheney and the members of the White House press corps trying to carry water for him.
Why Are People Surprised?
Dick Cheney is a loathsome, dishonest, war criminal who probably prays every day that we have a major failure in national security so that his policies will be vindicated or at least forgotten. I don't understand why people keep acting surprised at his irresponsible and unpatriotic speeches. The sooner we stop paying him any serious attention the sooner we can move on with fixing all the messes he helped to leave behind.
It is what it is.
It is what it is.
The Puppet Speaks
Charlie Crist crony and the newly minted junior Senator for Florida, George LeMieux had his first floor speech as a member of Congress recently. The St. Petersburg Times was not amused.
Just remember that whenever LeMieux's lips are moving its really Crist's voice that you are hearing. If you think that Crist will bring any kind of change to the "Party of No" in the Senate you are sadly mistaken. All you have to do for the next 16 months is take note of what his hand picked seat warmer says and you will see all you need to know about how Crist would govern as a Senator.
The choice here is clear. You can have Crist as your Senator serving his party rather than his constituents in petty partisan games, or you can have a strong advocate for Florida with Congressman Kendrick Meek. I report, you decide...
In Tallahassee, LeMieux, Gov. Charlie Crist's former chief of staff, was credited with helping the governor's populist appeal. But Wednesday, he sacrificed candor in a predictable play to a partisan constituency. He reasonably equated Congress to a family who recklessly relies on credit cards to pay the bills. But he implied the runaway spending stems from Democratic control, ignoring that it began under President George W. Bush.
LeMieux really lost the high ground when he bragged that Crist and the Florida Legislature have cut spending by nearly 10 percent, or $7 billion, to balance the budget. LeMieux's omission: This year's state budget was balanced only because of $5 billion in federal stimulus dollars and $2.2 billion in new taxes and fees. Florida didn't live within its means. In fact, it was more like the spoiled offspring of a wealthy family who called Mom or Dad for a bailout.
Just remember that whenever LeMieux's lips are moving its really Crist's voice that you are hearing. If you think that Crist will bring any kind of change to the "Party of No" in the Senate you are sadly mistaken. All you have to do for the next 16 months is take note of what his hand picked seat warmer says and you will see all you need to know about how Crist would govern as a Senator.
The choice here is clear. You can have Crist as your Senator serving his party rather than his constituents in petty partisan games, or you can have a strong advocate for Florida with Congressman Kendrick Meek. I report, you decide...
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Wait, You Mean We DON'T Have To Bomb Iran?
If Iran really agrees to ship out their nuclear material for higher enrichment then I personally would say that President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize was well deserved.
She Picked The Wrong One
I imagine that when it was Senator Al Franken's turn to question Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Diana Furchtgott-Roth she probably thought it would be a piece of cake considering his former career as a comedian. Turns out she was wrong...
Considering how he pretty much discredited everything she had to say I doubt that Furchtgott-Roth will every underestimate Franken again lol.
Considering how he pretty much discredited everything she had to say I doubt that Furchtgott-Roth will every underestimate Franken again lol.
Speaker Pelosi Shows Harry Reid How Its Done
Its about time people start giving Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi her due on health care reform. Hyperbolic jack asses on the left have come after her time and time again with little to no evidence that she was anything but pushing for the strongest form of reform. And all this time she just kept her head down and worked to get the best bill possible. And don't think that her job is all that much easier than Harry Reid's either. She has so many different caucuses to manage in the party that I imagine at time she loses count. But she isn't hiding behind fear of the Blue Dogs as a reason to water down the bill. Instead she is letting the numbers from the strong bill she is putting together speak for themselves and there is no way the House bill doesn't blow away the Senate version. And what is really going to piss them off is that she made it deficit neutral.
Think about how stupid this is for a moment. The House has put together what is sure to be the better bill. It will likely cost less, be deficit neutral, provide coverage to more people and grant more consumer protections. Why in the hell should there even be a debate about what we are going to do going forward? Oh wait, its because a few paid of Democrats in the Senate aren't sure what side they are on. Well as President Obama said this evening, sometimes we are our own worst enemies but let me amend that for him. Right now Harry Reid is our own worst enemy and he had better get his shit together. If he can't find a way to count to 60 with a public option then after next years election we will find someone who knows how to count to 59 and still push through and up and down vote.
It is what it is.
A preliminary analysis from CBO may have sealed the deal. Speaker Nancy Pelosi is preparing to move ahead with a "robust" public option--one that reimburses hospitals and providers at Medicare rates, plus five percent--in the House's health care bill. She is briefing her caucus about the plan's savings tonight, and, pending the approval of a sufficient majority of members, will adopt the measure as part of the complete reform package.
The analysis finds the reconstituted House proposal to be deficit neutral, and require about $870 billion in new spending, over ten years.
The bill remains nominally more expensive than the Senate Finance Committee proposal, but would cover 96 percent of all Americans, providing greater bang for each federal dollar spent. And, aides note, the bill that comes to the floor of the Senate will be a hybrid of the Finance and more expensive HELP Committee bills, so the price is expected to rise.
The move is sure to make progressives ecstatic, and puts Senate leaders, who have been unable to reach any decisions about a public option in their own bill, in an uncomfortable position.
Think about how stupid this is for a moment. The House has put together what is sure to be the better bill. It will likely cost less, be deficit neutral, provide coverage to more people and grant more consumer protections. Why in the hell should there even be a debate about what we are going to do going forward? Oh wait, its because a few paid of Democrats in the Senate aren't sure what side they are on. Well as President Obama said this evening, sometimes we are our own worst enemies but let me amend that for him. Right now Harry Reid is our own worst enemy and he had better get his shit together. If he can't find a way to count to 60 with a public option then after next years election we will find someone who knows how to count to 59 and still push through and up and down vote.
It is what it is.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
I Was Wrong......Sort Of
Ok so I was wrong about the South Carolina GOP lawmakers who inserted an antisemetic stereotype in their op-ed in praise of Senator Jim DeMint not apologizing for their transgression. But this is what you call the classic form of Republican apologizery.
So they didn't really mean it, they always abhorred the kind of thing that they said, and nobody should say another word to them about it.
Got that?
I have no words....
Ulmer, the Orangeburg County chairman, said the remark was "truly in admiration for a method of bettering one's lot in life" and he meant nothing derogatory.
Added Merwin, the Bamberg County chair: "I have always abhorred in the past, and shall continue to do so in the future, anti-Semitism in any form whatsoever. I ... beg that any and all who were offended will accept my deep felt apology."
State GOP Chairwoman Karen Floyd called the comment absolutely unacceptable, but said the apologies should end the matter.
So they didn't really mean it, they always abhorred the kind of thing that they said, and nobody should say another word to them about it.
Got that?
I have no words....
Fugazi?
There is something fishy going on in the state of Florida and it has to do with then entrance of former Miami mayor Maurice Ferre into the Democratic primary opposing Congressman Kendrick Meek.
Now I am not saying for sure that Ferre is up to no good, and he did in fact have a somewhat decent run as the mayor of Miami at one point. But that was way back in the 80s and this seems to be something totally out of the blue. What would make a person who couldn't even win the Miami mayor's office again as recently as 2004 think they are a viable candidate for the U.S. Senate. Who exactly is whispering in his ear?
I don't know the answer to these questions and I don't want to jump to any conclusions. But I will be checking Mr Ferre out very closely and see where he goes with his primary bid. If he looks to be anything but on the up and up you will definitely hear about it from me.
No, there's more than badly written emails here. For one thing, Maurice has an influential friend in longtime Republican strategist Roger Stone, a resident of Miami. Stone, the architect of (among other things) the infamous "Willie Horton" ads for George H.W. Bush in 1988 that effectively derailed Michael Dukakis' candidacy, actually is an old pal of mine, too -- I neglected to follow up on it here at the blog (and I wish I had), but a year ago when I did my on-air pre-election pundit gig for the European cable network Sky News, I went mano-a-mano (psst, Maurice ... that's Spanish, too!) with the estimable Stone on continent-wide television, analyzing political advertising -- a bit of a David vs. Goliath scenario, sure, but I didn't totally crap my pants or anything.
Anyway, Adam Smith of The Buzz delved into the Stone-Ferre connection a few days ago:I didn't take Miami resident Stone especially seriously when he predicted months ago that another Democratic U.S. Senate candidate would emerge and very likely beat Kendrick Meek for the nomination. So when former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre jumped in, I wondered about his relationship with Stone, who has a reputation for being in the middle of bizarre political theatrics- from the "Brooks Brothers riots" that shut down the Miami-Dade recount in 2000 to the Al Sharpton presidential campaign in 2004.
"Roger Stone is a friend of mine for many, many years, and he has been for many years an adviser...He talked to me about this race about a year ago and said you need to keep an eye on this race,'' said Ferre, who also stressed that Stone is not advising or directly involved in his campaign.
Stone - who has previously worked alongside several of Ferre's Democratic consultants - said the same thing: "I'm a Republican. I'm not switching sides." Stone said he backs Charlie Crist, even if it doesn't always seem that way. "Maurice Ferre is a very old friend of mine with whom I have strong regard. I urged him to start looking at this race before Charlie Crist was a canddiate...I have always believed that Democratic nomination could be worth having for a candidate for broad appeal."
"Stone is not advising or directly involved in his campaign." Okay. Indirectly, though? It would be irresponsible not to speculate....
But wait -- there's more. Ferre's campaign manager, Todd Wilder, had worked on Rod Smith's unsuccessful bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2006, but after Jim Davis won the primary, Wilder switched over to support Charlie Crist through a 527 (in Florida, they're known as "ECOs, " or "electioneering communications organization") called the "Coalition for Bipartisan Progress" (CBP) However, not only did Wilder's group support the GOP candidate -- Crist -- in 2006, but subsequently they've been in bed with a lot of other right-wing groups with oxymoronic names like "Families for Conservative Values" and "People for Integrity in Government." So Wilder raised money for Charlie Crist and now he's managing Ferre's campaign for the Democratic Senate nomination ... where the GOP nominee is none other than Charlie Crist? Where there's smoke ....
Now I am not saying for sure that Ferre is up to no good, and he did in fact have a somewhat decent run as the mayor of Miami at one point. But that was way back in the 80s and this seems to be something totally out of the blue. What would make a person who couldn't even win the Miami mayor's office again as recently as 2004 think they are a viable candidate for the U.S. Senate. Who exactly is whispering in his ear?
I don't know the answer to these questions and I don't want to jump to any conclusions. But I will be checking Mr Ferre out very closely and see where he goes with his primary bid. If he looks to be anything but on the up and up you will definitely hear about it from me.
If You Skurred, Say You Skurred
The apple certainly doesn't fall very far from the tree when it comes to Liz Cheney does it? Talking all that smack but scared to go on Rachel Maddow's show because she know she will get her brains beat in. Yeah keep on going on Faux News and preaching to the choir, we know you don't really have the courage of your convictions.
Just like your sorry ass daddy.
Just like your sorry ass daddy.
They Don't Wanna See Him
Alan Grayson is the kind of Democrat that we should all hope for to represent us in Congress. There is no way in hell we can let these upstarts come close to touching him next year!
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Demand Joe Scarborough Apologize to Anita Dunn
Last week Joe Scarborough played lap dog, sucking up to Rush Limbaugh and bashing other journalists for attributing a fake quote to him without checking it out. He went so far as to say they should be ashamed and apologize. Didn't matter to him that Limbaugh has said numerous OTHER racist remarks over his career. Nope, Limbaugh had been defamed and somebody had to pay!
Well Joe Scarborough just blatantly lied, probably due to his propensity to read wingnut blogs and watch FoxNews, and said White House communications director Anita Dunn said that Chairman Mao and Mother Teresa were her "two favorite philosophers". Here is what she actually said in context.
Now even if you were to believe that she was serious in saying that Mother Teresa was a political philospher, the context clearly shows that Dunn did not say they were her two favorite and in fact she used their quotes only because they both made the same point about making choices. But you see Scarborough doesn't have the intellectual integrity that he demanded last week of everyone criticizing Limbaugh.
The right wing blogosphere went after blood last week because of the fake Limbaugh quote, are progressives and liberals prepared to do the same? All it takes is for Scarborough and some of these other asshats to repeat this a few times and then it becomes conventional wisdom. We really shouldn't allow this to happen, especially when it is in direct response to Dunn calling out FoxNews for the ideologically driven faux journalism outlet that it is. We can keep on sitting on our hands and keeping our mouth clothes but if we do and we lose more good people because guys like Joe Scarborough are allowed to smear them with impunity then we deserve exactly what we get.
Well Joe Scarborough just blatantly lied, probably due to his propensity to read wingnut blogs and watch FoxNews, and said White House communications director Anita Dunn said that Chairman Mao and Mother Teresa were her "two favorite philosophers". Here is what she actually said in context.
And then the third lesson and tip actually come from two of my favorite political philosophers, Mao Zedong and Mother Teresa -- not often coupled with each together, but the two people that I turn to most to basically deliver a simple point, which is, you're going to make choices. You're going to challenge. You're going to say, "Why not?" You're going to figure out how to do things that have never been done before. But here's the deal: These are your choices. They are no one else's.
Now even if you were to believe that she was serious in saying that Mother Teresa was a political philospher, the context clearly shows that Dunn did not say they were her two favorite and in fact she used their quotes only because they both made the same point about making choices. But you see Scarborough doesn't have the intellectual integrity that he demanded last week of everyone criticizing Limbaugh.
The right wing blogosphere went after blood last week because of the fake Limbaugh quote, are progressives and liberals prepared to do the same? All it takes is for Scarborough and some of these other asshats to repeat this a few times and then it becomes conventional wisdom. We really shouldn't allow this to happen, especially when it is in direct response to Dunn calling out FoxNews for the ideologically driven faux journalism outlet that it is. We can keep on sitting on our hands and keeping our mouth clothes but if we do and we lose more good people because guys like Joe Scarborough are allowed to smear them with impunity then we deserve exactly what we get.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Racial Stereotypes As Praise
I am going to make a prediction here. These two South Carolina GOP bozos who used a racial stereotype about Jewish people to try to heap praise on Senator Jim DeMint in an op-ed will NOT be apologizing anytime soon.
I wouldn't be surprised if they say they are the victim in fact. When it happens remember that I predicted it here first. Such is the state of the Republican Party these days.
I wouldn't be surprised if they say they are the victim in fact. When it happens remember that I predicted it here first. Such is the state of the Republican Party these days.
Charlie Crist Hopes His CRS Is Contagious
Evidently Charlie Crist has a severe case of CRS, Can't Remember Shit. And he is REALLY hoping that not only his base but also general election voters will come down with the same ailment.
LMAOOOOO This is getting increasingly comical from that guy. Its also another sign of why I think all these predictions of a Republican resurgence next year are totally bogus. The early polling totally discounts just how far to the right most Republicans will have to run next year just to win a primary. So far to the right in fact that they totally discredit themselves and any prior "bipartisan" stance they have ever taken. Its the same reason why John McCain was able to win the Republican nomination for President only by denouncing some of his best bipartisan work. And while that might work in a primary, people don't forget that kind of blatant pandering in general elections. Charlie Crist was at least the second most prominent Republican elected official in the country to publicly back President Obama on the stimulus and it really was and is a good move. But because his base is full now the fringe of America and because Crist never met an issue he wouldn't willingly flip on if the political winds shifted, this is what you end up with. Classic memory hole stuff in those ads.
The people of Florida are a lot smarter than this and they for damn sure deserve better. Agree or disagree with him on policy issues, Kendrick Meek is going to stand for what he believes it. That is the TRUE sign of leadership and that is what we need in our next junior Senator representing we the people.
There was a time not so long ago when Gov. Charlie Crist (R) and President Obama saw eye-to-eye on economic policy. But that was before Crist announced his bid for Senate.
Crist's first radio ads slam Obama over his plan to, as Crist says in the script, "spend our way into prosperity." The popular Florida governor once (literally) embraced the stimulus package and the Obama plan to, well, spend America back into prosperity. But a summer of attacks from the right, led by former state House Speaker Marco Rubio, appear to have brought that bipartisan spirit to an end.
The pair of radio spots are actually running in the very same market where Crist's stimulus-support summit with Obama took place back in February. The rally took place as other GOP governors that, like Crist, were considered on the short list for 2012 presidential runs were fighting the stimulus plan and even promising to refuse the funds. Crist bucked the trend and welcomed the money, a move seen by readers of political tea leaves as an attempt to appeal to a moderate national base.
LMAOOOOO This is getting increasingly comical from that guy. Its also another sign of why I think all these predictions of a Republican resurgence next year are totally bogus. The early polling totally discounts just how far to the right most Republicans will have to run next year just to win a primary. So far to the right in fact that they totally discredit themselves and any prior "bipartisan" stance they have ever taken. Its the same reason why John McCain was able to win the Republican nomination for President only by denouncing some of his best bipartisan work. And while that might work in a primary, people don't forget that kind of blatant pandering in general elections. Charlie Crist was at least the second most prominent Republican elected official in the country to publicly back President Obama on the stimulus and it really was and is a good move. But because his base is full now the fringe of America and because Crist never met an issue he wouldn't willingly flip on if the political winds shifted, this is what you end up with. Classic memory hole stuff in those ads.
The people of Florida are a lot smarter than this and they for damn sure deserve better. Agree or disagree with him on policy issues, Kendrick Meek is going to stand for what he believes it. That is the TRUE sign of leadership and that is what we need in our next junior Senator representing we the people.
Where Are Your Balls Mr Majority Leader?
I love and fully endorse this ad hitting Harry Reid on health care reform and the public option in Nevada. Having a woman ask if Reid is "strong" enough is powerful powerful stuff. He won't like it and that's even more of a reason to run it in my opinion!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
But I Thought They Had Said It Wasn't About Racism
Somebody tell Carville and Greenberg to take that study and shove it up their ass!
snip
I can't wait to hear these fucknuts try to explain this away as just "fear of big government".
WASHINGTON - The unprecedented number of death threats against President Obama, a rise in racist hate groups, and a new wave of antigovernment fervor threaten to overwhelm the US Secret Service, according to government officials and reports, raising new questions about the 144-year-old agency’s overall mission.
snip
The domestic threat is also growing, fueled in part by Obama’s election as the nation’s first black president, according to specialists who study homegrown radical movements.
Obama, who was given Secret Service protection 18 months before the election - the earliest ever for a presidential candidate - has been the target of more threats since his inauguration than his predecessors.
Two days before Obama’s appearance at San Francisco fund-raisers on Thursday, a 59-year-old Northern California man was indicted on charges of sending a racist, profanity-filled e-mail threatening to kill Obama and his family. The rambling e-mail included specific references to Michelle Obama and the phrase, “do it to his children and family first in front of him,’’ according to the indictment.
The Southern Poverty Law Center says that antigovernment militias and white supremacist groups have strengthened in recent years, responding to an increasingly diverse population and what they see as an expanding government.
A center study released in August found a nearly 35 percent growth in racially based domestic hate groups since 2000 - from 602 to 926. The center concluded that opposition to Obama’s election has only increased the phenomenon.
“A key difference this time is that the federal government - the entity that almost the entire radical right views as its primary enemy - is headed by a black man,’’ the report said. “One result has been a remarkable rash of domestic terror incidents since the presidential campaign, most of them related to anger over the election of Barack Obama.’’
Threatening language has also found its way into talk radio broadcasts and social networking websites, raising fears that individuals not normally considered threats to the president could be incited to violence.
For example, the Secret Service in recent months has investigated a poll posted on Facebook about whether Obama should be killed. It has interviewed a Florida radio talk show host after a caller mentioned ammunition, target practice, and the president, and federal officials have raised concerns about several instances in which protesters carrying weapons showed up at Obama events, including a man at an August town hall in New Hampshire.
“The racist extremist fringe is exploiting themes that strike a chord in the mainstream more than we have seen in the recent past,’’ said Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University-San Bernardino, citing several elected leaders who have questioned whether Obama is a US citizen eligible to be president.
I can't wait to hear these fucknuts try to explain this away as just "fear of big government".
Singing A New Tune
Arlen Specter is starting to sound like more of a Democrat than half of the Democrats in the Senate. Hell I am not exactly sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing, honestly.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Stop The Name Calling You "Sick Puppies"
George H. W. Bush needs to sit his ass down somewhere. Just because you are old don't mean we forgot about Willie Horton asshole.
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Shots Fired
I have to say, its gotta scare the shit out of the health insurance industry when the President of the United States starts threatening their anti trust exemption. I don't think it will necessarily make them stop the bogus ads but it is going to give them a LOT to think about.
Friday, October 16, 2009
MSNBC's Blatantly Dishonest Editing Of President Obama
This morning whilst watching Morning Joe I happened to catch a clip of President Obama's townhall yesterday. Curiously the actual clip that they played never actually made it into the cutups of the show that are available online but they DID include the discussion that followed the clip.
Now since the clip itself wasn't included I will just do my best to explain it to you as it was run on MSNBC several times throughout the day. First you see an audience member talking about how FEMA has not been forthcoming in paying to rebuild certain important elements of New Orleans after Katrina, in particular a hospital that there is a big dispute about. In the clip after the man asks his question President Obama is seen saying, and I am paraphrasing here, that he wishes he could just write a check and the questioner responds I guess something to the effect of "Why can't you?" and then, in a moment of levity President Obama says "Well there is this whole thing about the Constitution and Congress..." And you can actually hear the audience members laugh. But you saw from the clip that Joe Scarborough and crew decided that this was beyond the pale to "make fun" of this guy's legitimate concern. Well you know what, I agree. If that WAS President Obama's response then that pretty much would have been a legitimate gaffe.
But of course it wasn't. Here is the full exchange filmed by someone in the crowd.
I am used to cable networks doing some shady editing but this shit went wayyyyyyyyy beyond the pale. And I am sure that is probably why you can't even find that edited clip on any part of MSNBC's site. Hell if people are rushing to apologize to Rush Limbaugh for misquoting him then the whole Morning Joe panel should have to apologize to President Obama for totally misrepresenting what he said in New Orleans.
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Now since the clip itself wasn't included I will just do my best to explain it to you as it was run on MSNBC several times throughout the day. First you see an audience member talking about how FEMA has not been forthcoming in paying to rebuild certain important elements of New Orleans after Katrina, in particular a hospital that there is a big dispute about. In the clip after the man asks his question President Obama is seen saying, and I am paraphrasing here, that he wishes he could just write a check and the questioner responds I guess something to the effect of "Why can't you?" and then, in a moment of levity President Obama says "Well there is this whole thing about the Constitution and Congress..." And you can actually hear the audience members laugh. But you saw from the clip that Joe Scarborough and crew decided that this was beyond the pale to "make fun" of this guy's legitimate concern. Well you know what, I agree. If that WAS President Obama's response then that pretty much would have been a legitimate gaffe.
But of course it wasn't. Here is the full exchange filmed by someone in the crowd.
I am used to cable networks doing some shady editing but this shit went wayyyyyyyyy beyond the pale. And I am sure that is probably why you can't even find that edited clip on any part of MSNBC's site. Hell if people are rushing to apologize to Rush Limbaugh for misquoting him then the whole Morning Joe panel should have to apologize to President Obama for totally misrepresenting what he said in New Orleans.
Freely Giving Cover For Racists
So James Carville and Stan Greenberg have come out with a study on the opposition that purports to prove that they are against President Obama because of ideological differences and not because of racism. An exact quote:
Yeah, because you know how racists just LOVE to admit their racism.
What an epic fucking fail from those two. I have no idea how they think this helps President Obama or Democrats for everybody to put their head in the sand about racism in this country but it does prove yet again that Attorney General Eric Holder was absolutely right earlier this year when he said when it comes to matter of race we are a nation of cowards. Good white liberals tend to run for the hills whenever the topic of racism comes up, quick to try to dismiss it and get it out of the public conversation. We saw it just a little while ago. As soon as Jimmy Carter said what should be obvious to anybody,that much of the most ferverent opposition to President Obama stemmed from racism those same good white liberals were falling all over themselves to hurry up and rush to a mic and disagree.
Got damn its frustrating.
This has nothing to do with "most" Republicans or "most" Conservatives. But if you don't think there is a blatant element of racism in the tea bagging movement and in many of these townhall shouters and random protestors bring guns to President Obama's speeches then you are nucking futs. Its really that simple.
But I so look forward to the next big story where a Republican/Conservative says something racist about President Obama and then in defending themselves they say "even the liberal study by Carville and Greenberg...."
You already know its gonna happen. Its just a matter of when.
"Instead of focusing on these intense ideological divisions, the press and elites continue to look for a racial element that drives these voters' beliefs - but they need to get over it. Conducted on the heels of Joe Wilson's incendiary comments at the president's joint session address, we gave these groups of older, white Republican base voters in Georgia full opportunity to bring race into their discussion - but it did not ever become a central element, and indeed, was almost beside the point."
Yeah, because you know how racists just LOVE to admit their racism.
What an epic fucking fail from those two. I have no idea how they think this helps President Obama or Democrats for everybody to put their head in the sand about racism in this country but it does prove yet again that Attorney General Eric Holder was absolutely right earlier this year when he said when it comes to matter of race we are a nation of cowards. Good white liberals tend to run for the hills whenever the topic of racism comes up, quick to try to dismiss it and get it out of the public conversation. We saw it just a little while ago. As soon as Jimmy Carter said what should be obvious to anybody,that much of the most ferverent opposition to President Obama stemmed from racism those same good white liberals were falling all over themselves to hurry up and rush to a mic and disagree.
Got damn its frustrating.
This has nothing to do with "most" Republicans or "most" Conservatives. But if you don't think there is a blatant element of racism in the tea bagging movement and in many of these townhall shouters and random protestors bring guns to President Obama's speeches then you are nucking futs. Its really that simple.
But I so look forward to the next big story where a Republican/Conservative says something racist about President Obama and then in defending themselves they say "even the liberal study by Carville and Greenberg...."
You already know its gonna happen. Its just a matter of when.
How You Handle A Loud, Know Nothing, Jack Ass Interviewer
Dylan Ratigan has to be one of the most transparently ignorant cable news hosts not on FoxNews. Barney Frank does a masterful job of exposing him and putting him in his place.
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Thursday, October 15, 2009
Shawty Get It In, Rachel Go Hard
Rachel Maddow straight melted Tim Phillips' face tonight on her show. She didn't have to yell scream and holla either. She just told this cat to his face EXACTLY how she felt about him after she exposed his sleazy ways. Damn, I need a cigarette!
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Rev Al Still Got It
I don't care where you come down on Al Sharpton, there is no denying the fact that he straight dominated Chris Matthews and the racist Pat Buchanon in this conversation on Rush Limbaugh. It wasn't even close!
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State Senator Ted Deutch Is In
The following statement was released by Florida State Senator Ted Deutch announcing his candidacy for the US House of Representatives seat being vacated by Robert Wexler.
Here is his website.
“It is with great excitement and humility that I announce my candidacy for Congress in Florida’s 19th Congressional District.
“This is a time of extraordinary challenges both at home and abroad. The economy is in crisis, with rising unemployment and skyrocketing foreclosures putting tremendous pressure on our families and seniors. Global concerns are at the forefront with U.S. troops on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq, the threat of terrorism, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and Israel’s essential need for security.
“Much like we face today, my father also lived in a time of extraordinary challenges. As a teenager, my father volunteered for World War II where he bravely fought at the Battle of the Bulge and won a purple heart. My father was the most patriotic man I ever met. He and my mother taught me when your nation faces challenges, you step up and you serve. It is for this reason that I am running for Congress - to continue this legacy of service and to give back to my community.
“I am running for Congress because I want to work hard every day to help solve the difficult challenges that the citizens of South Florida are currently facing. I will bring to Congress the same strong work ethic and common sense that I brought to Tallahassee. I am proud of the results that I have delivered in the Florida State Senate on education and seniors, health care, and through my successful efforts to ensure that the retirement funds of Florida’s workers do not support development of a nuclear weapons program in Iran or aid genocide in Darfur.
“My leadership and proven success as a State Senator is based on simple hard work and remembering that the people always come first. This is the same commitment that I will bring to Congress.”
Here is his website.
One Step Closer To Closing GITMO
The House did their part today to pave the way for the closing of GITMO, and the vote was even bipartisan. Now we just have to hope the Senate follows suit.
Rape Nuts
This might be funny, if it wasn't so fucking disgusting. Stay classy GOP
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Rape-Nuts | ||||
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The "Librul" CNN
CNN has some 'splainin to do!
To me this is a function of CNN concerted effort to take a move to the right. With their lagging ratings and worsening credibility this is the LAST thing they could have wanted at a time like this. To have a guy who has a financial stake in health care failing on their network talk about health care with out full disclosure is a major no no especially for a network that tries to sell itself as a "real" news outlet.
The CNN contributor, well-known GOP consultant Alex Castellanos, is best known for producing the racially-charged “Hands” ad, has repeatedly appeared on the network attacking Dem health care plans and the public option, which is strongly opposed by AHIP.
Castellanos’s consulting firm, National Media, also recently placed over $1 million of TV advertising for AHIP, according to info obtained by Media Matters. AHIP’s most recent $1 million ad buy attacks the health care plan as a threat to Medicare.
This connection, you’d think, should be disclosed whenever Castellanos appears on CNN discussing health care. Asked for comment, CNN spokesperson Edie Emery acknowledged the tie and promised full disclosure in the future. She emailed:“When Alex Castellano returns from his vacation and next appears on CNN, we will clearly disclose to our viewers relevant information including his firm’s relationship with AHIP.”
CNN doesn’t appear to have known about Castellano’s work, and this is not the first time outside help retained by AHIP in the health care wars has created a PR mess. AHIP took heavy criticism after the firm it retained to release a study faulting the reform proposals publicly undercut its own findings.
To me this is a function of CNN concerted effort to take a move to the right. With their lagging ratings and worsening credibility this is the LAST thing they could have wanted at a time like this. To have a guy who has a financial stake in health care failing on their network talk about health care with out full disclosure is a major no no especially for a network that tries to sell itself as a "real" news outlet.
Mary Landrieu Thinks You're Stupid
Yesterday Democratic Senator for Lousianna Mary Landrieu appeared on MSNBC. She was questioned by Tamron Hall and David Schuster about her lack of support for a public option. To their credit Hall and Schuster pressed her on the issue and asked her about the repeated polling that shows the American people want a public option in health care reform. Her response? She said that people hear public option and think free lunch and the only reason people want it is because they think it means free health care.
Seriously.
Doesn't matter that President Obama himself has given numerous speeches fully explaining a public option. Doesn't matter that its pretty much the number one issue inside the health care debate. Doesn't matter that these polling firms explain the concept of a public option when they ask people whether they support it or not.
Nah none of that matters.
For Mary Landrieu its just a sign that people want free government handouts. Hmmm where have I heard that before?
I am not a fan of purity tests for political parties but dammit if you are more Republican than some Republicans then its time to find a new Democrat for seat.
I'm just sayin.
Seriously.
Doesn't matter that President Obama himself has given numerous speeches fully explaining a public option. Doesn't matter that its pretty much the number one issue inside the health care debate. Doesn't matter that these polling firms explain the concept of a public option when they ask people whether they support it or not.
Nah none of that matters.
For Mary Landrieu its just a sign that people want free government handouts. Hmmm where have I heard that before?
I am not a fan of purity tests for political parties but dammit if you are more Republican than some Republicans then its time to find a new Democrat for seat.
I'm just sayin.
The Congressional Asshat Caucus
Several members of the GOP Congressional Anti Terrorism Anti Muslim Caucus decided to hold a big news conference yesterday and accuse the group CAIR with a conspiracy to "infiltrate" the government with Muslims. Their evidence? A book written by wingnut World Net Daily author Dave Gaubatz who made this statement last year.
Please for the love God keep giving these people microphones so the rest of the nation can see what the Republican Party has become.
“a vote for Hussein Obama is a vote for Sharia Law.”
Please for the love God keep giving these people microphones so the rest of the nation can see what the Republican Party has become.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The Drum Beat Is Getting Louder
Texas Governor Republican Rick Perry better get himself a very good lawyer.
Update: As is their new norm, instead of backing away from this controversy, Republicans are doubling down on their support of the death penalty.
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Update: As is their new norm, instead of backing away from this controversy, Republicans are doubling down on their support of the death penalty.
Back Channels
I have been scratching my head over Congressman Robert Wexler's decision to resign his seat and take over as President of the Center for Mideast Peace and Economic Cooperation, but it seems like Spencer Ackerman is on to something.
A Method To The Madness?
Wow, if Chuck Schumer is right about how this works then if Harry Reid has any balls at all, even ones from Rent A Center, we WILL get a public option.
Now again I am not 100% on this yet, but I don't see a reason why Chuck Schumer would lie. And if its on the up and up Harry Reid had better get this shit done or he can bend over and kiss his ass good by.
And that's real.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) threw down the gauntlet on the public option for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) last night. Appearing on The Rachel Maddow Show, Schumer essentially put the fate of the public option in Reid's hands -- saying that while the bill passed Tuesday by the Senate Finance Committee doesn't include a public health insurance option, it's up to Reid to decide whether to include a public option in the bill that merges the Senate Finance Committee bill with the bills passed by others committees -- all of which do include a public option.
"Leader Reid has the option of putting it in the final bill," Schumer said of the public option. "If he puts it in the final bill, in the combined bill, then you would need 60 votes to remove it. And there clearly are not 60 votes against the public option. And so we're urging him to do that, and he's seriously considering it."
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Now again I am not 100% on this yet, but I don't see a reason why Chuck Schumer would lie. And if its on the up and up Harry Reid had better get this shit done or he can bend over and kiss his ass good by.
And that's real.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Breaking News: Olympia Snowe Will Vote Yes
Republican Senator Olympia Snowe has announced that she will vote yes to bring the Senate Finance Committee health care reform bill to the floor for a vote. While this is good news in the name of bipartisanship I am a little worried that she might have been bought off. But we will see eventually when we get a look at the final bill.
BTW I expect Snowe may end up changing parties very soon. No way the GOP allows her to stay after this.
BTW I expect Snowe may end up changing parties very soon. No way the GOP allows her to stay after this.
English Contest
Michael Steele is at it again with a blog post entitled (no bullshit) "What Up?" Please take a few moments to look through the post and take out your red pen to correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling. LOL
(h/t Attackerman)
The Internet has been around a while, now. But, I still find it an amazing platform for innovation, not just in technology, but in life. Beyond admiring the way it powers so many inventions and businesses, it has become a personal thing for me. I love the fact that, wherever I might be, I can use technology to see my family and chat with them, and Social Media to tap into what my friends are doing.
Today, I want to begin to better connect with Republicans everywhere.
My first blog entry, therefore, is really a couple of questions for you; use the comment button to send me replies. We will run as many questions as we can, which I will answer.
Why are you are Republican? Think about that for a minute.
(h/t Attackerman)
CNN Just Keeps On "Leaving It There"
Jon Stewart PWNS CNN for fact checking a SNL skit.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| CNN Leaves It There | ||||
| ||||
Counter Point
Ezra Klein highlights MIT economist Jon Gruber's counter point to the insurance industry's propaganda piece put out yesterday to try to derail health care reform.
Hey AHIP, 1994 called and they want their dirty tactics back.
Hey AHIP, 1994 called and they want their dirty tactics back.
Monday, October 12, 2009
If You Wanna Go To War...
The White House ain't playing about calling folks out for lying in the health care reform debate. Linda Douglass takes on the new AHIP propaganda study.
Do yourself a favor and click on the link to get the extended version of the debunking.
The White House is not taking this kinda crap laying down any more and it is about time!
"It comes on the eve of a vote that will reduce the industry's profits," Douglass told TPMDC. "It is hard to take it seriously. The analysis completely ignores critical policies will lower costs for those who have insurance, expand coverage and provide affordable health insurance options to millions of Americans who are priced out of today's health insurance market or are locked out by unfair insurance company practices."
Do yourself a favor and click on the link to get the extended version of the debunking.
The White House is not taking this kinda crap laying down any more and it is about time!
Covering Up A State Sanctioned Murder?
No, this story isn't about our war on terror. Its actually about Texas Governor Rick Perry trying to avoid a probe into whether he signed off on the execution of an innocent man.
Me thinks its time for the feds to take over thta investigation.
Me thinks its time for the feds to take over thta investigation.
AHIP's Slip Is Showing
I am not a fan of the Senate Finance committee's version of a health care reform bill but AHIP's transparently dishonest attempt to discredit it gives me even more reason to believe that health care reform will get done this year. Now the question is will how much of it will be REAL reform?
Bob McDonnell Has A Joe Biden Problem
Bob McDonnell has been furiously trying to rebrand himself as a moderate as he tries to win the Virginia governors race. Unfortunately for him his ticket mate for attorney general Ken Cuccinelli sounds like a blogger at Red State. Here is what he had to say about President Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
It will be interesting to see how McConnell tries to spin himself away from this kind of over the top right wing rhetoric. I am pretty sure that the people of Virginia do not share Cuccinelli's partisan views on the Nobel Peace Prize and if enough of them start to notice that this is the company McConnell is keeping they may wake up and realize that he is selling them a false bill of goods. If and when that happens you can expect those lofty numbers of his to take a preciptious slide but it is still up to Creigh Deeds to show himself to be something more than just "not McConnell". Unfortunately as weak kneed Democrats often do Deeds tried to put some air between himself and a very popular President at the first sign of President Obama's poll numbers slipping a little. If he was smart he would go running back like a prodigal sun and hug the hell out of Obama for the rest of his campaign.
"Well, it's official, the Nobel Peace Prize is officially meaningless," Cuccinelli opened his Cuccinelli Compass newsletter to supporters Friday. He went on to quote commentator John Podhoretz about what Cuccinelli termed the "Nobel hilarity." Podhoretz argued that the win is not surprising because Obama represents the Nobel committee's highest ideals because he is "an American President queasy about the projection of American power."
"I suspect that whoever nominated him actually did it as a joke. And how about that, it really did turn out to be a joke," Cuccinelli concluded on the subject.
It will be interesting to see how McConnell tries to spin himself away from this kind of over the top right wing rhetoric. I am pretty sure that the people of Virginia do not share Cuccinelli's partisan views on the Nobel Peace Prize and if enough of them start to notice that this is the company McConnell is keeping they may wake up and realize that he is selling them a false bill of goods. If and when that happens you can expect those lofty numbers of his to take a preciptious slide but it is still up to Creigh Deeds to show himself to be something more than just "not McConnell". Unfortunately as weak kneed Democrats often do Deeds tried to put some air between himself and a very popular President at the first sign of President Obama's poll numbers slipping a little. If he was smart he would go running back like a prodigal sun and hug the hell out of Obama for the rest of his campaign.
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