The Central Question, What Differentiates Democrats From Republicans

President Obama went to visit with Senate Democrats today in another #questiontime session. I know quite a few people are panning it because it wasn't quite the high drama of his trip to the GOP retreat last year, but I still think he put on another great performance. Several Corporatist Democrats got up and tried to grand stand, most notably Evan Bayh and Blanche Lincoln. I mean really they sounded more like Republicans than many Republicans at times. But President Obama in albeit a polite fashion, pushed back on their self defeating premises. Maybe the best quote of the day was when he was responding to Blanche Lincoln when she tried to label members of her own party as "extremists" and inferred that Democrats shouldn't do anything to upset Wall Street and the banksters.

Well, if the agenda -- if the price of certainty is essentially for us to adopt the exact same proposals that were in place for eight years leading up to the biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression -- we don't tinker with health care, let the insurance companies do what they want, we don't put in place any insurance reforms, we don't mess with the banks, let them keep on doing what they're doing now because we don't want to stir up Wall Street -- the result is going to be the same.

I don't know why we would expect a different outcome pursuing the exact same policies that got us into this fix in the first place. Michael Bennet articulated it very well. Part of the reason people are feeling anxious right now, it's not just because of this current crisis -- they've been going through this for 10 years. They've been working and not seeing a raise. Their costs have been going up, their spouses going to the workforce -- they work as hard as they can. They're barely keeping their heads above water. They're trying to figure out how to retire. They're seeing more and more of their costs on health care dumped in their lap. College tuition skyrockets.

They are more and more vulnerable, and they have been for the last decade, treading water. And if our response ends up being, because we don't want to -- we don't want to stir things up here, we're just going to do the same thing that was being done before, then I don't know what differentiates us from the other guys. And I don't know why people would say, boy, we really want to make sure that those Democrats are in Washington fighting for us.

That ladies and gentlemen is what this really all boils down to. When you have Democrats who are trying to mimic Republicans like Lincoln and Bayh et al, all they are really doing is making it easier for voters to vote for ACTUAL Republicans. The truth is when it ocmes to the Democratic Platform its the ConservaDems like Lincoln who are the extremists, running far to the right of what most mainstream Democrats both in office and out, want for the country. It was a moment that those of us on the left who haven't lost our damn mind would be wise to continue to point out and promote. Especially as this year goes on and the ConservaDems continue to be a bigger obstacle for progress than the GOP

New Dems, ConservaDems, And Blue Dogs Are Damaging The Democratic Brand

At some point soon in the future the Democratic establishment along with the White House had better figure out that stuff like this is what is going to give the Republicans back the House and possibly the Senate if its allowed to keep happening. Right now we are allowing a small group of Republican light members of Congress to bring all of our legislation so far to the right as to not resemble mainstream Democratic thought. And I can promise you that those select few won't be the ones who really catch hell behind it, it will be the overwhelming majority of elected Democrats who rely on their base to come out in big numbers to vote for them in midterm elections. I truly believe that New Dems, ConservaDems and Blue Dogs wouldn't really mind if the Republicans took over Congress again so long as they keep getting money from their corporatist backers.

If somebody doesn't reign them in soon and stop "compromising" with them on issues that should amount to common sense and DEFINITELY amount to mainstream Democratic thought, we really will have a blood bath next year, no matter how bad the GOP screws themselves. When these folks start getting threatened of being stripped of seniority and or chairmanships then we will see how beholden they are to special interests. Until that day you can expect to see more of this kind of obstruction within our own party.

It is what it is.

But Today I Am Still Just A Bill...

Funny but you won't hear the word filibuster anywhere in this clip...

A Lesson Not Learned

There was a remarkable political lesson last year that wasn't really learned because of subsequent events. However someone should point this lesson out to Harry Reid as we head into a cloture vote tonight just to start debate on health care reform, and then head into a final cloture vote later.

Last year with the financial markets on the edge of collapse the House held a vote for TARP. At the time the people of this country were made aware of how dire of a circumstance we were in and how easily we could have slipped into a depression. A couple of big name financial firms had already essential been vaporized and more were right over the horizon.

In the midst of this some of the Republicans in the House decided to vote against TARP. At the time I don't know if their leadership had miscounted or were stabbed in the back by some of their caucus but the result was the bill came up short of the votes needed to pass and chaos on the floor of the House ensued. What happened next was utterly predictable.

The markets fell sharply and GOP members of the House were raked over the coals for being insufficiently serious about the problem our nation was facing. In the end this episode probably as much as anything else helped to sweep Democrats into both halls of Congress in major majorities last year. When push came to shove it appeared to most anyone that these Republicans were more interested in playing politics than fixing a problem, and they paid for it.

Now the problem of course is that TARP has been such a PR disaster on a lot of fronts and Democrats have been so fucking inept at defending it even at all that nobody really wants to look back at the days that led up to its actual passage. If they did then they would remember that Republicans were so surprised but the country's reaction to their fuckery on the first vote that they panicked. All of a sudden McCain was suspending his campaign and on the second vote some off those Republicans who just couldn't find their way to voting for it the first time got on board to take the heat off. What that means is that when there is a crisis in this country and people play games like not voting to at least attempt to fix the problem, the American people are not going to be happy. The important thing is that in the end the fix actualy works and can be sold on an ongoing basis.

Which brings us to health care reform and a few corporatist Democratic Senators who are holding out for sweeteners.

Here is what Harry Reid should say to each and every one of them: "Fuck you, pay me!"

What I mean is he should literally tell them to step the fuck off and bring the bill up for a cloture vote tonight and dare them to vote against cloture. Dare them to put their careers in the Senate on the line by refusing to even allow the Senate to debate health care reform, a reform that an overwhelming majority of Americans agree we need even if they don't agree what it should entail. Dare the sorry muthafuckas to totally abandon the base of their party and join with the Republicans.

Matter of fact, double dare them.

See the thing of it is, this can be what they like to call these days a "teachable moment". There is no rule that says Harry Reid can't bring the bill back again in the next few days and put it up for debate again. Basically the bill has to truly be defeated for that to happen and he still has to the power to keep bringing it back. But what some of these assholes need to see is what will happen to their poll numbers if they should happen to vote against cloture.

I am thinking specifically of Blanche Lincoln who is fighting to get reelected next year, but her poll numbers would also be an example to her corporatist bretheren like Mary Landrieu and Ben Nelson. Its about time we stopped caving these assholes and instead putting their ass on the spot and making THEM cave. Fuck it, if they have the balls to say no when the bill is up for cloture then so be it, let them live with the consequences for a few days.

But my money is on them folding like a bad hand and from that point on they will be dealing fom a point of weakness.

If Harry Reid never stands up to them you can expect that every single item on the Democratic agenda will go through the same bunch of bullshit. And we already have seen what the result is when that happens, just take a look at the stimulus bill. Had we punched their asses in the throat earlier this year and rammed through a better bill then its highly likely that all the economic numbers, including unemployment, would look substantially better. Instead we gave them practically everything they wanted, fucked up the bill, and now the Democratic brand is damaged because of it.

So Harry Reid just go back and google the headlines after that House vote last year. The get on the floor tonight with confidence and put the bright lights on the ConservaDems and make them follow through on their hollow threats while the world is watching.

Trust me on this, they wont be able to take the heat.

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.

Moving The Goalposts In Our Favor On The Public Option

Sherrod Brown is at it again putting pressure on the ConservaDems to come in on the public option.



I really think if we can get more Democrats to echo his sentiments we can finally get the message back for our side. And his rhetoric essentially mimics the talking points I put forth a week or so ago:

1. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, has already said a health care reform bill will not pass the House if it doesn't include a public option.

2. The Blue Dogs in the House have already negotiated on a public option and have not blocked any bill from coming out of committee which includes one.

3. So far there have not been ten Democrats in the Senate who have come out and said they would vote against a bill which includes a public option so any speculation that it wouldn't pass in the Senate is just that, speculation.

4. Ted Kennedy's committee passed a bill out of committee in the Senate with a robust public option.

5. The question really should be would ten or so Democrats would really be willing to vote against a bill with a public option that the overwhelming majority of people in America support and the overwhelming majority of Democrats in Congress and the President support?

6. Majority rules in this country as Judd Gregg reminded us a few years back when he was fighitng for reconciliation, so what is wrong with Democrats using it?

7. If over 200 Democrats in the House and over 50 Democrats in the Senate are willing to vote for a health care reform bill with a public option in it, then wouldn't a bill without a public option actually be the fringe ideal?

8. Ask the question of any one interviewing, name ten Democrats in the Senate who have committed to vote against a health care reform bill that includes a public option. Make them name names or admit they don't know of ten Democrats who have committed to do such a thing.

Democrats, Liberals, and Progressives who support a public option should be pushing these talking points relentlessly. The fringe position has to be defined as opposing the public option in the Democratic caucus in order to put the pressure where it rightly belongs. Lets see how many ConservaDems want to answer the question "Are you willing to kill health care reform just to oppose a public option". And whe I say lets see, I mean send letters, emails, tweets, and leave voicemails asking that very question to any Democrats in the Senate who are oppose a public option.

Let's turn up the heat!

Doctors Heart The Public Option

It turns out that three quarters of doctors surveyed actually support a public option. And yet Max Baucus and his merry band of ConservaDems have taken it off the table in the Senate Finance Committee. We simply can not let this stand. Lets change the conversation and turn up the heat on the ConservaDems in the Senate!

The Politics Of The Public Option: Concern Troll Edition

I keep hearing from folks and seeing comments on blogs from people who supported President Obama in the general election, but who aren't self described liberals or progressives, voicing their concern that "the left" is pressing too hard for the inclusion of a public option in health care reform. The consensus from these concern trolls seems to be that the DFHs are going to hurt President Obama and the Democrats if they push too hard for a public option and health care reform collapses. Now the truth is, most of these people haven't even educated themselves on what a public option is or why it is vital for health care reform if real reform is what we are after. Because of this I won't even go there with them on the importance of a public option in general, I'll just direct them here for a pretty good explanation of it. But what I will do is now talk about the political implications of a public option whether its included in health care reform or not.

First of all who wins and who loses if a public option isn't included in health care reform? The winners to me are obvious. The health insurance companies who won't have to compete with a public plan are winners, the right wingers who have been disrupting townhalls and generally acting like assholes can also put a notch on their belts and maybe the biggest winners will be Republicans in Congress. You see its pretty much a foregone conclusion at this point that some kind of health care reform bill will be passed. So Republicans almost from the start have instead focused on defining winning or losing by whether or not a public option is included in the final bill. Mind you in 4 out of 5 committees in Congress they really didn't have a say in whether or not there was a public option and thus in those 4 out of 5 committees one was included. But Max Baucus in his infinite wisdom (snark) decided to even the playing field for Republicans in his committee which is about as undemocratic as it gets. And they took full advantage with Chuck Grassley coming out early and often against a public plan. So you had better believe that if a public option is dropped the GOP will plant its flag and claim victory over "ObamaCare".

On the other hand who loses if a public option isn't included. Well the American people first of all who in poll after poll overwhelmingly support a public option. The liberal and progressive base of the party also loses because we worked our asses off to help get President Obama and other Democrats elected at least partially because he campaigned on health care reform with a public option included. We have also vigorously defended him and fact checked his opponents just so we could keep the public option in the final bill. But the biggest losers of all will be President Obama and Congressional Democrats. Please allow me to explain.

First and foremost the Democrats in Congress, no matter what district or state they represent, have to have their base to vote for them in order for them to win elections. If they lose their liberal and progressive base or we decide not to come out and vote for the midterms then no matter how many "independents" they attract they have no shot of winning reelection. As I have said before its not "independents" who go out and hand out flyers, and hold online fundraisers, and phone bank, and do GOTV campaigns. Its the face painting DFH base who does the majority of those things. Good luck trying to get some "centrist" Democrats to do that kind of dirty work for the party.

Now ask yourself who exactly is energized on either side of the coin of the public option? If President Obama comes out and drops a public option next week who is going to get excited? Will "independents" now flock to him and the rest of the Democrats because he has shown he is willing to negotiate? Not likely. Especially when at this point it is going to appear as if he got punked into dropping it. Independents who lean either way like to see a decisive leader and for President Obama to have come out strongly for a public option up until this time over and over again just to let it go will not look to them like strength.

On the other hand should President Obama come out strong and demands a public option next week what will be the aftermath. Well for one he is going to fire up the base as he has not done to date. Any efforts at promoting health care reform has still been restrained because for months we have been hearing he is going to sell us out and not a lot has been done to refute that sentiment. That move would be a unifying event which would shift the momentum for sure and you would see a new level of engagement from the base that has been lacking here of late.

Not only that but for any independents who may move away because they are against the public option, President Obama and the Democrats will pick up those independents who have just been waiting to see Obama to get his swagger back. Say what you will about George W. Bush, the guy had swag. And honestly, if he was fighting for the right kinds of policies most of us would have a lot of admiration for the guy and how self assured he came off. For all of his oratory skills, lately President Obama just hasn't seemed to exude the confidence he had last year during this time. Coming out strong for an initiative that he campaigned on would definitely give him that swagger back.

The other benefit of coming out strong for a public option is that it puts all the pressure exactly where it should be right now and thats on the Conserva Dems in the Senate. A lot of pundits aren't speaking on this but the Blue Dogs in the House have already essentially endorsed a public option before the break started. Every bill coming out of the house includes a public option and there really is no way that anything passed over there won't have one in it. But in the Senate, even though the only bill to come out of committee also includes a public option, the media framing has been that its the liberals and progressives in the Senate who would be the obstructionist if they insisted on a public option.

Think on that for a moment. Four out of five committees have produced a bill with a public option, the overwhelming majority of the Democrats in Congress endorse a public option, President Obama himself has campaigned on and pushed for a public option, and yet because a handful, and I mean a handful, of Democratic Senators are bought and paid for by the health insurance industry, every one of the Democrats who are for a public option are now seen as the obstructionists. How ass backwards is that? That isn't balance and that isn't Democracy. That is Orwellian governance and it should not stand.

So President Obama demands a public option. Now the spotlight is on the ConservaDems. Should we go through reconciliation (which of course I feel is the best option) ten Democrats would have to side with the Republicans against health care reform and sign their name to history. Do you REALLY think there are 10 Democrats in the Senate with that kind of spine? Do you really think there are 10 Democrats in the Senate who are willing to be the footnotes of history in such fashion?

I certainly don't.

But lets say there are. Lets say the ConservaDems roll everyone else and vote down a health care reform bill. Who do you think pays in that situation? I can tell you who won't catch hell and thats President Obama and any Democrat in Congress that voted for health care reform. Not only that because he would have showed leadership on the issue President Obama would probably make gains in his approval ratings. No "independents" are going to go running to Blanche Lincoln or Evan Bayh or Ben Nelson because they "stood up to the libruls". Those cats might as well bend over and kiss their Senate seats goodbye if they vote against health care reform. Thats not even to speak about the kind of threats they should be getting behind the scenes from Rahmbo. If these folks could muster up the courage to vote down health care reform then if you ask me what we would be seeing is the end of the ConservaDems in the Senate. And I for one wouldn't blink an eye about it. If we can't get a Democratic health care reform bill with 59 Democratic Senators then maybe what we need is better Democratic Senators. Failing that 50 Democrats in the Senate would seem to wield the same power as the 59 we have right now. (Vice Presidents break a tie)

Im just sayin.

Now I could be wrong about the poltics on this, maybe someone out there can explain to me the down side of President Obama putting his foot down on a public option next week, or better yet they can show me the upside of him walking away from it, politically. If you can I am here to listen with an open mind. But if you can't maybe its time you got with the program and added your voice to those calling for a public option. That is, if you are really concerned about how it all plays out and not just trolling off what the media is telling you.

President Nelson Isn't Happy

Centrist Dem Senator Ben Nelson, who’s drawing fire from the left over his refusal to clearly state a position on the public option, now seems to have settled on one: Keeping the public option will destroy health care reform.

Nelson made the surprising comments in an interview with Nebraska’s Lincoln Journal-Star.
“I see two endings,” Nelson said when asked by the paper what’s next for reform. “One is we find areas we can agree upon and we begin to do things incrementally, taking more of an insurance approach, not a government approach. Or it implodes.”

The context leaves no doubt that by “government approach” he means the public option, and this statement would seem to be pretty definitive. How can Nelson support the public plan if it will destroy reform?

What’s curious about this is Nelson’s suggestion that he has little control over whether keeping the public option will in fact cause reform to “implode.” He seems to suggest it will just happen of its own accord.

This just sounds all so familiar, anybody remember the stimulus bill fight?

I'm going to put this as gently as possible.

FUCK BEN NELSON!

This guy is one vote out of 59 right now and he feels like everybody should bow to his ever whim. Well if he wants to hold that kind of power then I say he should run for President so the country can collectively laugh his dumb ass out of polite company. But until such time as he grows those kind of balls he should just shut the fuck up when grown folks are talking.

I am sick and tired of small men with huge egos from bumfuck states trying to dictate their minority opinions to the overwhelming majority. Its time to push health care reform through with reconciliaiton and make this muthafucka just as irrelevant as his stature and policy positions should make him. If he wants to be a Republican let him run as one next time. He isn't doing a damn thing to help Democrats at this point anyway. Hell I don't need any Democrat to be a DFH but you do at least need to be a damn Democrat.

Its time for some leadership, anybody know where we can find some?

(via Greg Sargent)

Let's Turn ALL Of Our Attention On Harry Reid

Yesterday Majority Leader Harry Reid muddied the waters on his support for a public option:

During a tele-townhall with constituents today, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he supports a public option...but then he added an extremely important caveat. Reid said he doesn't think the public option ought to be a government run program like Medicare, but instead favors a "private entity that has direction from the federal government so people that don't fall within the parameters of being able to get insurance from their employers, they would have a place to go. "

That sounds suspiciously like Reid would prefer a so-called co-op system, which almost all reformers regard with suspicion, and many regard as a non-starter. Reid is ultimately more than just one vote, too. If the Senate passes a health care bill through the regular legislative process, he'll be the one marrying two different pieces of legislation: one which creates a public option, and one which creates co-ops.

Having read this breakdown from TPM yesterday I was upset of course but kind of shrugged it off. The reason being is that this is part for the course for Harry Reid. I can't think of anyone on the left, not one single person, who is happy with Reid's performance as Majority Leader. Time and time again he has failed to bring bills to the floor for up and down votes and its because of his lack of leadership why so many of President Obama's appointments still have yet to be confirmed by the Senate (anybody seen Dawn Johnsen lately?). But just now watching the funeral of Senator Edward M. "Teddy" Kennedy, and marvelling at his life's work, I had something of a lightbulb moment.

The grassroots left has been outstanding this year in terms of advocating for progressive legislation. There have been attack ads funded to run against both Republicans AND Democrats to try to bring pressure on them to support health care reform. Many of these projects have been very remarkable in that just a few people came together to produce and fund them and they have actually made a difference on several Democratic members of Congress.

Having said that, the one thing that has been a hinderance has been the fact that we have had to divide all our resources to attack these people individually in their home states. This is because with a so called "super majority" we needed every single Democrat to vote for cloture in order to get a health care reform bill to the floor for an up and down vote. But while I think those were worthwhile efforts, I think the time has come to pool all of our resources to bring to bear the full force or progressives against one member of Congress.

Harry Reid.

Many of the ConservaDems in the Senate feel safe because they aren't up for reelection next year anyway. And several of the ones that are come from very conservative states. Ironically enough Harry Reid himself may be the most vulnerable Democrat in the Senate running for reelection next year. So it is time we gave him a choice, either we get health care reform with a public option or he doesn't get to be Senator any more.

I know some people will see this as a purity purge, I however disagree. Universal health care has been a plank of the Democratic platform for over half a century. If a person decides that they want to be elected as a Democrat then there should be at least some level of expectation that goes with that with support for universal health care being the lowest of bars. Otherwise what use is it to have a party or a platform in the first place?

To that end Harry Reid is uniquely positioned to bring as strong health care reform bill across the finish line. If he decides he wants to start twisting some arms and snatching some chairmanships the votes will inevitably come. But as long as he keeps this "just vote your conscious" attitude then we will continue to see every single progressive bill that makes it to the Senate be filibuster and therefore for them to pass just about every single one of them will have to be watered down. He has given all the power of Congress over to the rump Republican Minority without so much as a whimper let alone the roar we will now miss with Senator Kennedy. He can't even make the Senate Finance Chairman, Max Baucus, negotiate a health care bill in the full committee where the ratio of Democrats to Republicans is reflective of how the citizens of this country have voted in the last two cycles.

ENOUGH!

What we should do is simple. All of the money put together for ads should now be used to produce ads against Harry Reid. I would call them warning shots to get his attention both in Washington and in Nevada. The next step will be setting up fundraisers for which ever Republican decides to run against Reid next year. Third we should pledge to phone bank Nevada against Harry Reid next summer. We won't have to campaign for his opponent but just remind the people of Nevada how Reid has failed them over the last 3 years as Majority Leader.

Now I know that many will say that Democrats in Congress aren't afraid of the Netroots, but recent events have shown just how wrong they are. If Ben Nelson wasn't worried about the netroots he wouldn't be calling up people who appeared in attack ads against him. But Nelson himself is actually the little fish in a little pond. It is now time that we go big game hunting.

If there is one thing Harry Reid wants in this world its to continue being a Senator. We need to use that against him in order to get this health care bill done. Im sick and tired of complaining about Reid. I am sick and tired of wishing we had a better Majority Leader. Its time we stand up and DEMAND that he gets his shit together or we will all make sure to send him packing after next year's midterms. What damned difference does it make anyway to have 60 Democratic members of the Senate if we still can't pass progressive legislation?

I would much rather have 55 Democrats in the Senate with Dick Durbin, Chuck Schumer or Pat Leahy as Majority Leader than continue on with 60 or more and have Harry Reid continue on in that role. Sometimes you have to add by subtracting.

Now, whose coming with me?

When will Claire McCaskill Apologize?

Here is what Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill had to say to Anderson Cooper about the incident where the woman with the Rosa Parks poster was escorted out forcefully by the police after a teabagger snatched it and tore it up.




Here is what actually happened along with a contrast in what happened to some white attendees who were holding their own signs.





I just want to know at what point will Senator McCaskill apologize to those women who were thrown out, to Representative Scott for calling him irresponsible and to all of us for the way she tried to dismiss the claims of racism so flippantly?

And if she doesn't, at what point do we start looking for a progressive alternative in a Democratic primary against her in a few years? She doesn't seem to understand that she is now representing a blue state anyway. It might be time to put a real Democrat from Missouri in office.

No Excuses

Check out the average approval ratings for President Obama going state by state.

click to enlarge

To be sure, the southern states lag in his approval ratings but notice that quite a few states have his approval rating at above 60%. So then you have to ask why some of the Democratic members of Congress from those states are acting like cowards whenever one of President Obama's legislative priorities come up. He ran on a platform and he is now implementing that platform and the people are still with him. Its time for Democrats to grow a spine and follow the will of their constituents.

We can no longer give blue dogs or conservaDems a pass because they represent a traditionally red state or district. The country is turning blue and dammit our Congress needs to follow suit!

Claire McCaskill's Weaksauce

I am generally a fan of Claire McCaskill. She did a great job advocating for then candidate Barack Obama last year and her voting record, while conservative, had been pretty decent on the major issues. But now she is really starting to tick me off.

Its not just that she seems to be losing her spine, something Democrats are historically known for, its also that she seems to think liberals and progressives, ie traditional Democrats, are fools. Not only are her votes starting become an issue, so is some of her pandering rhetoric. Pandering not to the Democratic base, but to right wing conservatives.

Two recent issues stick out like a sore thumb. The first being the issue of these townhall disruptions. It has been well established at this point that these protestors are straight up teabagging astroturf thugs egged on by the GOP and special interests. And finally we have the Democratic Party standing up and calling them out for what they are, but here is Claire McCaskill totally undercutting the message in two different tweets.

Yesterday she said:

I disagree that the people showing concern over some healthcare proposals are "manufactured" Real folks, strong opinions.

Talk about stepping on the message. She basically legitimizes the teabaggers and their outbursts shutting down debate.

But she wasn't finished.

She went further today and basically sounded like was tweeting from an RNC press release.

Real grassroots on both sides of the healthcare issue, both sides organizing. Yay to both, yay for democracy,hope both are civil and polite.

I read that and had to wonder what fucking planet is this woman on? Is she smoking something? Nothing about these teabag disruptions has been either civil nor polite. And its not like she doesn't know this, hell they shouted her down just last week. And yet here she is legitimizing these assholes like they are working in good faith.

Sounds to me like somebody needs to see how much money health insurance companies are shoving her way.

But wait, im not done.

Yesterday Senator McCaskill was one of only 4 Democrats in the Senate to vote against Cash 4 Clunkers.

Here is how she explained it on tumblr

Of course the cash for clunkers program is popular, we’re giving away money. My concerns are first, that we are just moving demand around, and that the sales in this program are robbing sales from 2, 3, or 12 months from now when we are going to still need sustained growth in our economy. Remember, around 60,000 to 70,000 people are trading their cars in for new ones every month without this program. Second, I haven’t yet gotten clear answers on how many deals are currently in the pipeline and how they will wind this program down in a way that will give certainty to buyers and dealers. Third, I’m worried that an extension right now will penalize the two companies that we just made huge taxpayer invesments in. I’m trying to verify, but I believe, based on my conversations with dealers and other research, that Chrylser and GM both have inventory issues with the cars that qualify for this program. Seems weird we would invest billions of taxpayer dollars in two American companies in an effort to save them, and then extend a program that could penalize them. I realize all car sales, both foreign and domestic, are good for the economy, but I hate the idea that there may not be a level playing field for the next few weeks because of inventory issues.

This is a tough call, but at least wanted to let eveyone know that I’m studying all of it and trying to make a decision that is not rushed, but thoughtful.

Nothing in that whole diatribe makes any fucking sense. GM and Chrysler are one of the two major beneficiaries of Cash 4 Clunkers. Notice that even the Republicans from car industry heavy places like Michigan voted to extend the program. Hell union busting asshat Bob Corker even voted for it. And when you have lost Bob Corker...

Here is what is particularly stressing. Missouri has already turned blue. They already have 50% of the voting population that self identifies as Democrats. So its not like Senator McCaskill is voting her constituency, so what, exactly, is her motivation?

I can tell you this much, if she keeps this kind of shit up we need to be looking for a progressive option in Missouri to primary her ass when she goes up for reelection. At this point in history there should be no such thing as a centrist Democrat running unopposed in a primary. Its time we made these people earn their seat and truly represent their constituency by showing them the consequences if the don't.

It is what it is.

Bought And Paid For

Keith Olbermann's special comment on those members of Congress who are representing the health insurance companies rather than their constituents.

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Frog, Meet Scorpions

BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I just LOVE that Max Baucus comes out of this looking like the worlds biggest chump. Thats what his "centrist" ass gets for trusting Republicans yet again. Can somebody send this jackass the story of the scorpion and the frog?

(CNN) — Two of the three Senate Republicans negotiating a bipartisan deal on health care reform said they consider an agreement out of reach before the Senate goes on its August recess.

That likely dashes the hopes of Democratic leaders and President Barack Obama for a deal among the so-called Gang of Six negotiators that could deliver critical momentum for the stalled health care overhaul.

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Michael Enzi, R-Wyoming, dropped the bombshell news to CNN and two other reporters in Capitol hallways Wednesday night. They have spent weeks behind closed doors, trying to hammer out an agreement with their Democratic counterparts on the Senate Finance Committee but said too many issues remain unresolved, making it virtually impossible for them to sign on to a deal before the break.

“There are a lot of tough decisions to make and they aren’t going to be made real quickly,” Grassley said late Wednesday when asked whether negotiators should kick their talks over to September.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, had already postponed Senate floor action on health care legislation until the fall, but Democrats had hoped the Senate Finance Committee could finish its work before the summer break. In fact, one senior Democratic source said meeting that deadline was the central thrust of the president’s meeting with Reid and Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Montana, last Friday.

snip

Enzi, who spoke while leaving the Capitol on Wednesday night, echoed Grassley’s desire for more time before he’d agree to a deal.

“We have huge parts that have not been discussed yet. We have other parts that we asked questions on that we haven’t gotten answer back yet. I don’t know how we make decisions on those parts — they’re pretty big issues,” Enzi said.

“You can’t say you got to do it in a week, you got to do it in a month,” he said. “You got to do it in the amount of time it takes.”

Enzi, a soft-spoken conservative, was furious about headlines Wednesday morning that suggested he was close to reaching a deal with the Democrats.

“I felt my reputation was in danger,” he said.

He issued a statement batting down the stories and insisted any deal he might ultimately sign onto would have to be preserved by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and Reid when it is merged with other more liberal legislation in the Senate and House.

“I’m not interested in lending credibility to disaster,” Enzi said.

See for Senator Enzi, its all about his "reputation". You stupid muthafucka you Baucus. Hopefully this teaches you a lesson and we can drop this charade and get shit done now!

Told Ya So

You know that CBO agency that the GOP keeps hyping up whenever they have less than stellar reviews of the health care reform bills? Yeah well those guys have just come out with another report and it says that a public option will not drive private insurers out of business.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new government health insurance plan sought by President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats could coexist with private insurers without driving them out of business, an analysis by nonpartisan budget experts suggests.

The estimate by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office — seen as good news by Democrats — comes as leaders pushed Monday to make progress on health care overhaul before lawmakers go home for their August recess.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., says a floor vote is still possible in the next few days, and Democrats called a meeting of all their House members late Monday afternoon. In the Senate, a small group of lawmakers from both parties were resuming negotiations in search of an elusive compromise.

I can't wait to see the hypocrisy from the Republicans who will now assail CBO because they don't agree with their analysis.

Of course all of this really is a moot point when you have a dick head like Max Baucus chairing the Senate Finance committee who is bound and determined not to include a public option in his bill anyway.

I need a frikkin drink!

Shorter President Obama

Shorter President Obama minutes ago.

"Hey ConservaDems, NO SLOWING DOWN, BITCHES!!!"

Video will follow shortly.

Update: As promised

ENOUGH!

That's it dammit! It is high time that President Obama started kicking some ConservaDem ass. These are the same assholes who a few weeks ago were bitching and moaning about liberal and progressive groups running ads against them. Well FUCK THAT! Its time for those liberal and progressive groups to get some help from the Oval office. Its time to make those Democrats' names mud in their states. I don't give a damn where they hail from. Give me a simple majority of all REAL Democrats over a supermajority full of DINOs any damn day! I am so tired of these sorry muthafuckas working against Democratic priorities and principles and then enjoying the backing of the Democratic establishment when its time to for reelection. Cut off the muthafucking money. Let them sink or swim with the Republican constituents and special interests they seem to court so fervently. Obviously it doesn't help that we have a pus...hover as a frikking Majority Leader. But dammit its not just Republicans who need to pay a price now for stepping out of line. With the shit they are trying to pull on health care reform this needs to be the death throes of the ConservaDems! Primary all of their asses and get them the hell out of Congress ASAP!

I apologize for all the exclamation points but I am pissed off right now.

Hogwash!

You have to love Democratic Represenative Joe Courtney for calling out his collegues on the hill who oppose a public option in health care reform on their hypocrisy!

Of Shameless Self Promotion

I got into blogging after commenting on blogs all over the web. The thing about it is some days my blogging will be slow because I still love to leave comments and debate all over the net. One of the places I comment the most is Greg Sargent's The Plum Line blog and it just so happens that I got a shout out in a post today. I had been arguing since last week that President Obama wasn't really trying to call of the dogs, ie liberal and progressive groups, from attacking ConservaDems on the public option. It turns out that yesterday Organizing For America which is President Obama's own activist group ALSO started targeting Senators from both sides of the aisle on health care reform including a public option. And I just so happened to point that out in a comment last night which earned me a hat tip this morning in a new post. So I am feeling pretty full of win today!

Lets see if I can't keep it going all day.