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Tag: Democrats
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Healthcare, But at what cost to Americans?
The question also is; do Democrats actually care?
Caterpillar Inc. said the health-care overhaul legislation being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives would increase the company’s health-care costs by more than $100 million in the first year alone.
In a letter Thursday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio, Caterpillar urged lawmakers to vote against the plan “because of the substantial cost burdens it would place on our shareholders, employees and retirees.”
Caterpillar, the world’s largest construction machinery manufacturer by sales, said it’s particularly opposed to provisions in the bill that would expand Medicare taxes and mandate insurance coverage. The legislation would require nearly all companies to provide health insurance for their employees or face large fines.
The Peoria-based company said these provisions would increase its insurance costs by at least 20 percent, or more than $100 million, just in the first year of the health-care overhaul program.
“We can ill-afford cost increases that place us at a disadvantage versus our global competitors,” said the letter signed by Gregory Folley, vice president and chief human resources officer of Caterpillar. “We are disappointed that efforts at reform have not addressed the cost concerns we’ve raised throughout the year.”
Business executives have long complained that the options offered for covering 32 million uninsured Americans would result in higher insurance costs for those employers that already provide coverage. Opponents have stepped up their attacks in recent days as the House moves closer toward a vote on the Senate version of the health-care legislation.
via Caterpillar: Health care bill would cost it $100M – Chicago Breaking Business.
The answer I am afraid, is no. The Democrats have backed themselves into a corner and have overreached. Now they have to deliver. But at what cost? My friends over at the Confederate Yankee have summed it up:
If Obama passes:
- Companies that already pay health insurance will have to pay higher rates, meaning less profitability, higher costs, and fewer jobs
- Companies that don’t currently pay health insurance will have to pay high health insurance rates, meaning less profitability, higher costs, and fewer jobs.
- Companies that cannot withstand the high costs of forced health care will simply shut down.
In all three situations, job loss—or at least the absence of job creation—is a certainty.
The Democrat’s attitude is this; “what do we care? It is not our jobs that will be lost.” Their whole, “For the greater good,” is what is wrong with the whole idea of social engineering and progressive politics. “If a few people lose their jobs, so what? We are doing for those who have not; even if we are stealing it for those who do have.” That I am afraid, is what Progressive Politics and Progressive thought is all about. Take from the rich and giving it to the poor. Economic redistribution; and you know something folks? Every time it is done, somebody, somewhere gets the short end of the stick. Which is what will happen, if this travesty of a bill is passed.
By the way, that whole “For the greater good”, has root in historic Democratic Party politics. As some of you might know, that is the same mentality that the Democrats used to promote the idea of slavery. The idea that, “the Negro man must be contained, for the greater good of society,” was and still is, straight out of the Progressive school of thought. For those who are uninformed, Stephen A. Douglas, who debated President Lincoln in 1858, was, in fact, a Democrat. It was no matter that it was inhuman, morally wrong and quite insane; it was for the greater good and besides, them slaves liked being beaten and forced to work! 🙄 Again, more Progressive insanity. “Let’s kill the job market, so everyone can have healthcare!” 🙄
It is quite sad to see, that since 1858, not much has actually changed in the Democratic Party. Oh, sure, they are not longer persecuting blacks; that is because someone finally figured out, that the Democrats could use their votes. So, they give them a little lip service, make promises of more hand outs and proceed to snicker at them behind their backs. All the while ignoring their concerns. That is what Plantation politics is all about. Herd everyone into groups and make them promises, all for their votes.
I think it is about time that the American people woke up and realized that the idea of “for the greater good” is basically for the greater death of America.
Others: Hot Air, GOP Leader Blog, GINA COBB, Maggie’s Notebook and Althouse
What I HATE about this new Healthcare Bill
This is the part that I HATE:
If Congress passes the Senate health-care plan, according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, American families will be required by federal law to buy a federally approved health insurance plan that will cost a minimum of $12,000 per year–and, on average, will cost $15,000 per year — whether their employer or the government helps them with the premium or not.
Beginning in 2014, the Senate plan would require all individuals to buy health insurance. Anyone who does not obtain insurance through an employer would be forced to buy it out of their own pocket. Families of four that make up to 400 percent of poverty level–currently $88,200 per year–would receive a subsidy from the government to help pay for their premiums. That subsidy would attenuate as their income increased and would disappear when their income reached the 400 percent of poverty level.
Families earning more than $88,200 a year (or whatever 400 percent of the poverty level equals in any given year) would be entirely on their own. Under the Senate bill, employers would not be required to purchase health insurance for their workers, and if they decided not to do so, the maximum penalty they would have to pay would be $750 per year for each worker they did not insure who subsequently received a federal subsidy to buy insurance. The $750 penalty on employers who decided not to insure their workers would be far less than they would pay in premiums for the $12,000 minimum required plan.
I highly suggest that you go read the rest of that; because it is very important to read. I do smell a supreme court challenge to the law requiring people to buy insurance. This is one of the reasons why I believe this bill might actually fail; because the idea of the Government forcing the American people to buy insurance goes against the whole idea of freedom and liberty.
I do notice that there will subsidies for those who are in the low-income bracket. I just wonder, what are all the qualifiers for those of us, who are unemployed and cannot afford to get insurance? Are they going to come after me and toss me in jail, if I cannot afford to get insurance? I mean, would I have to put out the money, which I do not have, to get insurance and hope that I get a subsidy at a later day or would I get it up front?
You see, it is all these questions and the Congress’s unwillingness to explain all of this; is what has me a bit upset. But our side is not helping with all of the stupidity. I just want straight answers, and not stupid talking points from robotic partisan parrots.
I want answers and I am not seeing them. This is not good. Not good at all. 😡
Obama Says, Pass Healthcare or I will be lynched by the left
OK. That is not exactly what he said; but he basically conveyed the same thought.
President Barack Obama had exhausted most of his health care reform arguments with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus during a White House meeting last Thursday when he made a more personal pitch that resonated with many skeptics in the room.
One caucus member told POLITICO that Obama won him over by “essentially [saying] that the fate of his presidency” hinged on this week’s health reform vote in the House. The member, who requested anonymity, likened Obama’s remarks to an earlier meeting with progressives when the president said a victory was necessary to keep him “strong” for the next three years of his term.
Another caucus member, Rep. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.), said, “We went in there already knowing his presidency would be weakened if this thing went down, but the president clearly reinforced the impression the presidency would be damaged by a loss.”
Added Serrano: “He was subtle, but that was the underlying theme of the meeting — the importance of passing this for the health of the presidency.
via President Obama’s pitch: Fate of presidency on the line – Glenn Thrush – POLITICO.com.
I tend to believe that President Obama is going to screwed no matter what he does. Because if the bill passes; there are going to be those who are going to be angry that it did pass; especially those on the right. If it passes, and there is no public option; there are going to be those on the left that are going to be mad about that. Either way, I think the President and his Presidency are screwed.
But, honestly? It is his own fault, The President, when he was running, made all sorts of outlandish promises and now he is having to make those promises happen. Sometimes, when trying to do that, one runs up against reality and right now for the President; reality bites.
Sometimes, painting one’s self into a corner, can be a bad thing, and this time; it is a bad thing, for everyone involved.
Yes, there is a such thing as good gun control
….and this is it right here:
An Orange County man is recovering after a shootout in front of his home.
It happened around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 1800 block of Pomegranate Court.
Police said the homeowner, Dave Henry, had just returned home from work and was pulling into his garage when he saw a suspicious car near his home.
That's when they said two suspects got out of the car and tried to rob the homeowner.
However, Henry pulled out his own gun and a shootout started.
One of the suspects, identified as David Lee Butler, 37, was shot and killed by Henry. The other suspect got away.
Police said Henry had a concealed weapons permit and is not facing any charges.
via Homeowners Kills Attempted Robber – Central Florida News 13.
The video that is at this story location says the home owner is in the hospital; but is expected to make a full recovery. If it were left to the liberals, this man would have been robbed or dead; or even maybe both.
Thank the Lord God in Heaven for that wonderful second amendment. 😀
Others: The Jawa Report
President Barack Obama and Fox News’s Bret Baier politely spar over Healthcare and Foreign Policy
Here’s Part 1 and 2 of that:
You can go read the entire transcript of this interview by going here and reading it.
I have to give President Obama credit, after bashing Fox News and calling it “nothing more than a propaganda outlet”; he did show some guts by going into the lion’s den and going head to head with Bret Baier. That took some serious guts. It could help his image too; not with those on the hard right, but the independents, who voted for the guy with the “spine of steel”, as Vice President Joe Biden called it. Truthfully, the President has not been showing that so-called “Spine of Steel” here as of late. Maybe the White House is trying to improve the President’s image a bit, seeing that his poll numbers are down. Hence the interview.
I saw the interview on T.V. myself; I would not call it “combative” as I have seen it called on other blogs. I would call it politely testy, at times. I mean, there was no swearing and no calling the President an out liar, when he was obviously lying. I mean, If I would been running that interview, and he would have started in on the talking points; I would have stopped him and told him he was flat out lying and full of shit and would have demanded short and straight answers out of him. I would have also demanded that he answered the question of just who the hell does he think he is, to just swagger into the White House and start changing the established Heathcare system in this Country. I would have said, “You can do this, why? because you are black and entitled to it?” Which is probably why the interview was not giving by me. It would have lasted all of about five minutes. The next thing I would have asked him, was why he will not produce his original birth certificate and I would have brought up the fact that EVERY last damned President since the United States started keeping birth records has produced a birth certificate; and I would have asked him why the hell he feels exempted from this practice. Again, I would have asked him if he felt it was because he was black that he could bypass such things. I would have also brought up the fact that the so-called document that his campaign produced was, in fact, a forgery, which was pointed out by several well-known bloggers and was proven to be by three different forensic experts. None of whom would publicly identify themselves, for fear of reprisal from Obama’s campaign and from the Government itself.
So, in closing, it was a decent interview, not nearly as tough as it should have been. But it was and still is worth watching.
Another reason why we are losing the Healthcare Battle
As I said yesterday, I have basically washed my hands of the Healthcare debate. We lost the battle. I cited an example.
Here’s another:
Go Here and here follow all the links.
This is why we are losing folks; we are turning into the evil alternative to socialism. We are also being seen by those who are not politically inclined, as the heartless ones. I will not be a part of that, at all. This is not sarcasm or a joke, I am very serious. 😡
I am not a fan of Government-run healthcare at all; but I will not engage in the sort of nonsense that some of the Bloggers on the right are partaking in. I was just raised better than that.
Like I said before, we lost the battle; because of our own damned stupidity.
God help this Country. 🙁
The Reality Report #36
In this report:
Does Obama want your DNA?
How far will the IRS go to extract the peoples blood?
What the heck is Chris Dodd thinking about the FED’s monetary power? Gary answers those questions and
welcomes SpyChips co-author and RFID expert Katherine Albrecht to the show to discuss the latest in
RFID and implantable human tracking technology.
Cartoon of the Day
Grounded?
Finally: Rielle Hunter speaks
I know, I could write this as a snark filled smarty pants sounding blog posting. But, I do try to be better than that.
It seems that Rielle Hunter has decided to speak. There are some interesting bits to this interview; I highly suggest that you do go read it.
Some excerpts:
Let’s start at the beginning. February 2006. How did you meet him?
I met him on a street corner. [laughs] A lot has been written that I met him inside the
Rielle Hunter - Now tell me you wouldn't tap that! I would!
Regency [hotel in New York City], that I walked over to his table. That is all 100 percent fiction. I saw him in the Regency, in the Library, which is the restaurant-slash-lounge. And he saw me. And it was a mutual unusual staring going on. There was an instant and odd connection that we both felt. Like, “I know you, you know me, who are you?” Anyway, he then got up and left.
So you didn’t approach him in the Regency?
No. One thing I’ve learned about relationships and men is that you can never walk across the room for a man. If a man is attracted to you, he needs to take the first step.
Did you know who he was?
I did not know who he was.Really?
I did not. The John Edwards I saw in 2004 on TV I believed to be a disconnected, two-dimensional-geek kind of guy. And the man sitting across the room was not that at all.Then what happened?
He got up and left, and Josh Brumberger [one of his aides] left with him. But the other person they were with—a donor, a lawyer named Tony—stayed. And when they left, my friend went over and asked Tony if that was John Edwards, and he said yes. And my friend turned to me and said, “See, I told you it was John Edwards.” And then I came over to the table, and I said, “I can’t believe that was John Edwards; he’s so hot. He’s really got it going on. He’s got something unusual about him, and I never would have recognized him.” And Tony said, “Oh, my God, you should have come over and told him that. He would have loved to have heard that.” Anyway, my friend and I stayed there, and we had another friend come join us. And then Josh came back. And when I went to the restroom, I stopped at Josh’s table and gave him a card and got Josh’s card. I did that because my friend really wanted to work for John Edwards. So I gave Josh a card. And my card, by the way, never said truth seeker on it.What did your card say?
It said rielle hunter. being is free.And that was because—
It was the Web site that I had. Which is a whole other topic. Anyway, when my other friend came—she was about to get married, so it was all about that. There was no more talk of John Edwards.
The fact the she is even speaking out, is pretty brave in my opinion and the stuff she goes on to say in the interview about Elisabeth about confirms what I and many others have suspected about the woman. Although, I will be honest with you. Rielle Hunter does tend to seem to be “In the tank” for Edwards, she sees him as a victim in all of this, which is, in this writers opinion; laughable.
All in all though, if you can get past the stupid liberal bullshit of, “Oh I was spiritually attracted to him!” which sounds like some idiotic giggling schoolgirl nonsense; it is not actually a half bad read.
There’s more:
And that president thing, whatever.
Yeah. So I said, “I can help you.” And he said, “I want your help. I need your help.” And he told me how to contact him [at the Regency]. He said, “Please call me.” I said, “How long are you staying?” He said, “Until tomorrow morning. Please, call me. Call me.”What did you mean by “I can help you?”
That I could help him see who he is instead of what he’s not. The person standing in front of me was not the person they were selling, or his public persona. He was completely opposite from his public persona.So it’s not like you were thinking, I can help you by videotaping the campaign?
No.You were thinking—
That I could help him become more integrated so that people could see that he had it going on.And you knew that in the first few seconds?
Upon sight. So I called him about a half hour later. And I got a voice mail in the room, so I hung up. Did not leave a message. Because I did not know what was appropriate. I knew he was married, and I didn’t know if his wife was with him, you know; I didn’t know what was appropriate. And this was not—there was no sexual intention here at all.Really? C’mon.
None. I really just thought I could help him. So I hung up. And about ten minutes later, my cell phone rang. And I looked down, and I said to my friends, “What is this number?” One of my friends said, “That’s the Regency.” And I said, “He’s calling me back? I didn’t even leave a message. How is he calling me back?” And he, you know, star-69’ed or whatever the caller ID was. And he left me this message, “Hi. Call me. I really want to hear what you have to say.”So…
Rielle Hunter - Who obviously did not swallow
So I called him back. And he said that he really wanted to hear what I had to say. Would I mind, um, meeting him in his room? And I said, “No, I wouldn’t mind at all.” And the reason I wouldn’t is because he’s a celebrity. I have a lot of celebrity friends, and I know their rules are different. Also, it felt completely familiar, like I’d known him all my life. Anyway, so I said, “Let me eat my Caesar salad, and I’ll see you in fifteen minutes.” And I said to my friends, “I’m going over there.” And it was funny, because they were like, “You cannot sleep with him! You cannot sleep with him, because you can help him!” And I said, “I am not going to sleep with him.” I gave them my word: “I won’t sleep with him.” [laughs] And so I went over to his room, and I walked in, and I. Was. Terrified.
Why terrified?
Because I had never experienced anything like what was flowing between us. I sat on the other side of the room. I wouldn’t go near him. And he kept saying [she mimics his southern drawl], “What are you doin’ over there? Come over here. I can’t even see you. Come closer. I won’t bite you.” I was just—there was sooo much attraction and sooo much… I want to say love, but it wasn’t love at that point. You know, it was just this, this magnetic force field like I had never experienced. It terrified me. Absolutely terrified me. And, um, I eventually walked over to his side of the room. [laughs] He was pretty relentless. And that’s all I’m gonna say on that! Now fade to black!Oh, don’t fade to black now.
I used to make a joke that I could have helped save the world, but I had to sleep with him. You know? It was kind of like that.
So there you have it. The crux of what this woman is about. Fell in love with him, had his kid and now is the “Third Woman.” It is good work, if you can get it. I bet Edwards is thinking, “If only she had swallowed…” 😯
I must confess, I’d hit it; hell yes, But I would wear about 5 condoms, and she would be on the pill.
Also, there is a great deal of talk about “Poor Elisabeth” and such. I must confess, I have zero sympathy for her at all. Because it is quite obvious that Elisabeth was not keeping her man happy. That relationship had broken down, somewhere along the line, and John was looking for some tail, because he was not getting it from his wife. That is quite clear. So, While I do pity her, that she is dying at all. But this whole thing could have and would have been avoided, if Elisabeth had been treating John right. Just that simple. I make zero apologies for feeling that way.
It is a fact of human nature, if a woman is getting her due share of sex from her husband, she will see it elsewhere. Same goes for women, they will do the same thing; and please, do not try and hand me that crap about Christians not doing much things, or Conservatives either. Because I happen to know, that is a bunch of bull as well. In fact, the man who was my youth Pastor back in the 1980’s, when I was growing up in Southwest Detroit; did the same thing. She was not getting it from her husband and she sought out another man. Ended up marrying him too. So, that line is out with me. As far as Conservatives go, Newt Gingrich is perfect example.
The Thrill is Gone says Howard Fineman
Wow! 😯
So Saith Howard Fineman:
Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, was 50 minutes late for his briefing, apparently a record for tardiness, but few reporters in the White House press room bothered to feign outrage; they didn’t seem all that eager to ask him questions anyway. When his boss flew to Missouri to give another of his “high octane” (The New York Times), “impassioned” (The Washington Post) health-care speeches, no cable channel covered the event. If you are president, the only thing worse than criticism is not being covered. And the truth is, we in the press are bored with Barack.
The “mainstream media” are losing patience with, and even interest in, their erstwhile hero. President Barack Obama never had a chance with the Ailes-Murdoch crowd, of course, and it didn’t take the president long to offend the fierce left wing of the blogosphere. But now, finally, the MSM, which views itself as ideologically neutral, has found ideologically neutral reasons to lose patience with him: that he may be ineffectual; that he doesn’t know how to play the game; that he can’t get anything done. Exhibit A: the health-care bill. The Times‘s Frank Rich, the astute dean of the commentariat, wrote recently that Obama has failed to “communicate a compelling narrative” in office and, as a result, “could be toast if he doesn’t make good on a year’s worth of false starts.”
Cue the music!
Only thing I can really say is, when you oversell a man, what do you expect? 🙄
Touchy…Touchy…Touchy….
E-mail a guy and get your…ahem, cut off. (ouch!) 😯
I am referring to Donald Douglas. I e-mailed him, He is, like me, a Hendrix Fan.Which is an awesome thing, Hendrix was awesome player. He also inspired me to learn how to play guitar.
I guess he thought I was angry, which I wasn’t. He has in his sidebar over at America Power, a version of Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” done on a British TV show; Jimi’s all turned down, his Marshall sounds horrible. I begged Don to change the video. I guess he thought I was angry or something. I was not at all. I was teasing the guy. Guess I should have dropped in a smiley or two. 😀
To respond to his posting:
Actually, I’m quite open to suggestions for music posts. But why Patrick’s “shock” at seeing a Hendrix video in the sidebar? It’s no big deal. The dude obviously should spend some time visiting AmPow before going off!
1. I was not going off, 2. I do come over there, when I see link from Memeorandum. I don’t have time to read everyone else’s blog. I’m usually too busy running my own. Sorry. 😀
I’ve been around the rock-and-roll block a few times, eh?
Which is another way of saying, “I’m old…” 😉 😛 😀 😆
Not only that, I can’t stand paleocons, actually. So, advance demerits for that.
Um, I guess I’ll have to clear that one up too. 🙄 I am not, any longer, calling myself a Paleo-Con or Paleo-Pat. Why? It become quite apparent to me that the whole Paleo-Con/Neo-Con thing is really about a bunch of sour pusses, who really just resented former Democrats coming over to the Conservative, not to mention monolithic hatred of Jews and other Minorities. While I have mad respect for the Paleo-Cons/Libertarians on fiscal issues; the good majority of which are just not grounded in reality. The Paleo-Cons and libertarians or Ron Paul people, if you wanna call them that; want to live in a Utopian society. Some of them a Non-Jewish, all white society. Having said all that, Yes, I disagree with Bush’s Wilsonian foreign policy. Something that is, admittedly, progressive in nature; as Glenn Beck rightly points out on his show. But, unlike the Paleo-Con’s and libertarians, I do believe that the war on terror is quite the reality. However, I highly dislike the idea of nation building. But I am not overly ideological about it. I believe pragmatism goes a long way in dealing with the issues of the World, than does being a stubborn ideologue. That’s the whole problem of the Paleo-Con and libertarian crowd. They’re just too damn rooted in a isolationist and protectionist ideology. So, to Donald, Richard Spencer I am not! 😀
That said, Patrick whines a lot about not getting FMJA links, so I’ll toss him a bone. Nice videos as well, although I quite dig that one at the sidebar — obviously an early rendition of “Purple Haze,” raw in its styling and percussion.
Whines Alot?!?! Why I oughta… 😉 😛 😀
Worry about your own blog circling the drain, buddy.
Ha! 😛 😀 😉 Lemmie tell you something there Neo-Con boy! When you get off that suck-ass Blogger, which is, by the way, owned by the very liberal GOOGLE ( 😮 ) and could shut you down at any moment’s notice, like they did Hillary people and some Conservatives, for criticizing “The One”; and get you some real hosting and a WordPress Blog —- then you can criticize me and my blog. 😉 😛 😀 😆
Otherwise, put a sock in it Podhartz lackey! 😮 😉 😛 😀 😆
Guess I told him… Harrumph… 😉 😛 😀 😮
The Democrats are scamming the American People with Obamacare, So says, Gary Greenwald?!?!?!
I could not believe this one… but hey, I give him props for standing up and speaking the truth:
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about what seemed to be a glaring (and quite typical) scam perpetrated by Congressional Democrats: all year long, they insisted that the White House and a majority of Democratic Senators vigorously supported a public option, but the only thing oh-so-unfortunately preventing its enactment was the filibuster: sadly, we have 50 but not 60 votes for it, they insisted. Democratic pundits used that claim to push for “filibuster reform,” arguing that if only majority rule were required in the Senate, then the noble Democrats would be able to deliver all sorts of wonderful progressive reforms that they were truly eager to enact but which the evil filibuster now prevents. In response, advocates of the public option kept arguing that the public option could be accomplished by reconciliation — where only 50 votes, not 60, would be required — but Obama loyalists scorned that reconciliation proposal, insisting (at least before the Senate passed a bill with 60 votes) that using reconciliation was Unserious, naive, procedurally impossible, and politically disastrous. — Via Glenn Greenwald – Salon.com
Head on over and read that. It is a very interesting read. If this is any indication what might just happen, if Obamacare passes. The poop stinky is about hit the turbine. (So to speak….)
Wow. 😮 😯
Sean Penn is still a tool
Well, he is:
A Yeas & Nays reporter was publicly berated and threatened to be escorted out by police on Thursday night when the reporter asked actor Sean Penn a controversial question about his humanitarian work in Haiti.
Penn, who recently has been criticized for his motivations in helping to rebuilding Haiti, recently told CBS News he hopes his critics “die screaming of rectal cancer.”
Members of the media were invited to a gala hosted at the Washington Hebrew Congregation and were allowed to ask one question each of the actor in a closed-door news briefing.
When the Yeas & Nays reporter asked, “How have you seen your critics change since you mentioned that they should die of rectal cancer?” publicity coordinator C.J. Jordan interrupted to say the reporter was only allowed to talk about the Haitian benefit.
“You know, I think that you are investing in a culture that I am not interested in. And you should go your way,” Penn said to the reporter, when she said her question was related to his involvement in Haiti.
via Yeas & Nays reporter booted from Sean Penn event | Washington Examiner.
The Video:
What a tool. 🙄 😡
The Political Reality of Obamacare sets in for the Democrats
It is not everyday that you see this sort of candor and honesty in the Washington Post, mark this day on your calendar:
Bluntly put, this is the political reality:
First, the battle for public opinion has been lost. Comprehensive health care has been lost. If it fails, as appears possible, Democrats will face the brunt of the electorate’s reaction. If it passes, however, Democrats will face a far greater calamitous reaction at the polls. Wishing, praying or pretending will not change these outcomes.
Nothing has been more disconcerting than to watch Democratic politicians and their media supporters deceive themselves into believing that the public favors the Democrats current health-care plan. Yes, most Americans believe, as we do, that real health-care reform is needed. And yes, certain proposals in the plan are supported by the public.
However, a solid majority of Americans opposes the massive health-reform plan. Four-fifths of those who oppose the plan strongly oppose it, according to Rasmussen polling this week, while only half of those who support the plan do so strongly. Many more Americans believe the legislation will worsen their health care, cost them more personally and add significantly to the national deficit. Never in our experience as pollsters can we recall such self-deluding misconstruction of survey data.
This was a the fetal flaw in the Democrats little plan; they just assumed that the American people would be accepting of the healthcare reform bill. They did not plan on opposition. Well, guess what? There are people in this Country; Conservatives and yes, even some Democrats, that do care about what happens to the medicare and their Healthcare. So, this was a fool hearty plan. It was, as always, a classic overreach by the left. Something that they are most infamous for.
Honest Journalists? Surely you jest!
This a bit funny:
One question has tugged at my professional conscience throughout the year-long congressional debate over health-care reform, and it has nothing to do with the public option, portability or medical malpractice. It is this: Why haven’t America’s old-school news organizations blown the whistle on Roger Ailes, chief of Fox News, for using the network to conduct a propaganda campaign against the Obama administration — a campaign without precedent in our modern political history?
via Howell Raines: Why don’t honest journalists take on Roger Ailes and Fox News? – washingtonpost.com.
This coming from a guy who allowed a reporter to plagiarize, and he bitches about Fox News? Now that’s funny. 😀
I mean, this coming from the same bunch of people, who get on MSNBC and call the American people, who oppose President Obama, “White Racist Bigots.”
Pluueeeeze! 🙄
The Liberals hate Fox News for two reasons. Because they speak the truth about the Democrats and because oppose the liberal agenda. Plain and Simple.
Oh, and because we have taken back control of the conversation and…we’re winning the battle and their anointed leader is losing badly.
Poor babies! 😛
Want to see why I have grown to hate the left?
Check out the story, which is just rife with hatred towards Conservative Bloggers, Race Baiting and has a rather horrible photo-shop of Michelle Malkin.
I mean, even HotAir covered this and dismissed it. Did they bother to mention that? Nope. Which is why I never bothered blogging about it. Most usually, if a story doesn’t pass AllahPundit’s or Ed’s smell test, I usually refrain.
I seem to remember that on March 4, 2010, word came that a liberal satirist blogger, Al Weisel AKA as Jon Swift passed away. I, thinking that no one on my side of political aisle cared, wrote a rather harsh piece. Well, it turned out that many Bloggers on the Conservative side of the aisle liked the guy and went out of their way to remember the guy. I even dedicated a music video to the damned guy. Much class was shown that day, and I had hoped that my actions would be the start of the beginning of civility in this Blogosphere. Maybe that was too lofty of a goal.
The point I am trying to make is this; why the hell does someone have to die in the blogosphere or anywhere else for that matter; for anyone to even remotely try and show any respect to that person?
I say all this, because I have flogged time and time again for some of the stuff that I have said on here. I have even lost advertisers because of something I did once on this blog. But, yet, this guy gets a free pass? Unbelievable. 🙄
Remember folks, THIS is your Democratic Party of today. Do you really want to vote for people that promote this sort of vile filth? Think about it.
Democrats hit a snag, right?
Well, Yes and No….
The Good News:
The Senate Parliamentarian has ruled that President Barack Obama must sign Congress’ original health care reform bill before the Senate can act on a companion reconciliation package, senior GOP sources said Thursday.
The Senate Parliamentarian’s Office was responding to questions posed by the Republican leadership. The answers were provided verbally, sources said.
House Democratic leaders have been searching for a way to ensure that any move they make to approve the Senate-passed $871 billion health care reform bill is followed by Senate action on a reconciliation package of adjustments to the original bill. One idea is to have the House and Senate act on reconciliation prior to House action on the Senate’s original health care bill.
Information Republicans say they have received from the Senate Parliamentarian’s Office eliminates that option. House Democratic leaders last week began looking at crafting a legislative rule that would allow the House to approve the Senate health care bill, but not forward it to Obama for his signature until the Senate clears the reconciliation package.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) moved Thursday to put Senate Republicans on the defensive over health care, sending a letter to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in which he dared the GOP to vote against reform.
Reid also defended the Democrats’ use of reconciliation to get a final health care reform bill to the president’s desk, noting that the bulk of health care reform was approved under regular order via the package that cleared the Senate on Christmas Eve. Reid also emphasized that Republicans have used the procedure several times over the years.
via RollCall.com.
The Bad News:
Rep. Paul Ryan says that Democrats are ready to ram a “shell” health care bill through the Budget Committee, on which he serves as ranking Republican member, to use as a vehicle to impose national health care.
In a phone interview with TAS Thursday afternoon, Ryan said that he expects Democrats to begin the complex process on Monday, under which they would have the Budget Committee approve a phantom bill by midnight, which they will then send over to the Rules Committee. At that point, the Rules Committee will strip out all of the language in the phantom bill, and insert the changes to the Senate bill that Democrats have negotiated.
“They don’t have the votes right now, but they’re creating the vehicle so that they can airdrop in whatever changes they want,” Ryan said.
He said that Republicans are outnumbered 2-to-1 on his committee and don’t have the votes to stop the bill there. Democrats will also be able to prevent Republicans from offering any amendments, but GOP members will be able to offer “motions to instruct” the Rules Committee, that Ryan said will be used highlight problems with the “unprecedented” step that Democrats are taking. – Source: AmSpec Blog
You see why I have not been writing about this? Because it is an exercise in abject stupidity. The way Fox News is hyping it, you would think that there was going to by a nuclear attack. But, it is much ado about nothing. They not going to try and vote until Monday and something tells me, that it will die there. I could be wrong, but, I believe that will happen.
President Obama losing his base because he was oversold
I knew this was coming, long ago..:
Is President Obama losing his base?
Liberal and progressive organizations that helped propel him to the White House are turning on him now, little more than a year after he took office. Their collective discontent, on issues from health care to nuclear energy to the handling of terrorism suspects, could mean bad news for Democrats during this fall’s congressional elections.
Polls show that liberals and blacks still approve of the job Obama’s doing. That approval, however, doesn’t necessarily mean they will make the effort to vote, and many of the activists and groups that worked to get people to the polls in 2008 say they’re not inclined right now to help Democrats in the fall.
“The energized base which transformed the nation and elected our first black president (is) now disengaged,” Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile says. “If this was September, I would hit the panic button.”
There are a few thoughts that I have here about this situation:
First off; Obama was mostly elected, because Conservatives stayed home and did not vote, because they felt that John McCain was a lousy candidate — many of these same people disliked Sarah Palin as well. I happen to be one of those people. Also some of the more elitist Conservatives and libertarians voted for Obama, because of his charm and charisma. Many of those same Conservatives and libertarians are now kicking themselves for that. Because they have painfully figured out, that President Obama is nothing more than a slick talking Chicago politician and it has become painfully aware to these people that they voted for an outright socialist.
Second of all; Many upper middle class and wealthy class white liberals voted for Obama, because they saw this a change to atone for the sins of the of the past of the white race here in America. These same people were tricked into believing that Obama somehow or another would magically solve the problems that are plaguing America right now. This is because Obama was marketed as some sort of Messianic figure that would change the political landscape in America, all because of his black skin, because he was the one that America needed and so on and so forth. Which was nothing more than a slick marketing tactic, this has become painfully aware to the moderates and Independents that voted for him. The question is, did Obama actually do all that? Oh He did alright! Obama successfully managed to get elected and proceeded to turn moderates, Conservative Democrats, and Independents against him! All in six months time; now that my friends takes talent.
Third of all; the far left base has turned against President Obama for basically the same reason listed above. Because the far left liberals thought that Obama was going to beckon to their every whim and pet cause. The far left was under this strange impression that Obama would end the war in Iraq, the very day he was sworn into office and would quickly end the war in Afghanistan. Again, this can be attributed to good marketing or in Obama’s case; excessive marketing of an image. The problem is, that image was not grounded in reality, because for one; the Iraq war could not have been ended until the date set by the “Status of force agreement” with Iraq and the coalition forces and ending the Afghanistan war would be a threat to National security; Obama might be a socialist Democrat, but he is not a fool. Obama was not about to stop the Afghanistan war and open the floodgates of National Security threats on our Country. Even Obama is not that stupid.
Lastly; what this article does not take into account is the fact that Politics and the political winds do shift, ebb and flow. People get their impression of a man and it usually sticks. Sometimes this works to the advantage of the person in office —- and sometimes it does not. In Obama’s case, because of some of the early failures and because Obama did not kowtow to the far left in his Party, that impression has, so far, not been a good one.
Others: Shot in the Dark
It’s official, Eric Massa is a freaking fruit loop
As I said before, I am really not too keen on writing about stuff like this….But, it’s news.. So, here we go:
A couple years ago, I got a tip about Eric Massa. It involved his aggrieved former campaign manager, Sanford Dickert, who was involved in an ugly dispute. Dickert claimed Massa had fired him and refused to pay him for work he’d done on Massa’s unsuccessful 2006 run for Congress. Massa, he said, had retaliated by issuing a series of salacious charges against him, which Dickert denied, including that he had hired, and then given alcohol to, underage staffers, and also that he had made a pass at Massa’s teenage son. This seemed like a personal dispute that didn;t have much news value and was, furthermore, impossible for me to adjudicate. I didn’t write about it. Dickert wound up filing a libel suit against Massa, and in the court documents, which you can read here, the strange and bizarre charges are all laid out.
….and if you happen to be interested in such stuff, had on over there and read the stuff. I have zero interest in even commenting on this stuff. It just is not my, um, “thing”.
Head on over, I’m sure it is interesting…. Just not to me. 😛
BREAKING NEWS: Former Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers Sentanced to 37 months in prison for bribe scandal
Hallelujah! There is justice in America!
Former Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers was just sentenced to 37 months with two years supervised probation and no fine.
The 37 months is the top of the sentencing guidelines recommended by the probation department.
Going to Jail! Loudmouth Monica Conyers
Before the sentencing was announced, a strange series of events transpired, highlighted by Conyers’s; request to withdraw her guilty plea. She was screaming that she had her own tapes that would exonerate her before the sentence was announced. She also yelled “What about my children? They did nothing to cause this!” before the sentence announced.
“I would like to withdraw my plea…I shouldn’t go to jail for something I didn’t do,” she said.
She told Judge Avern Cohn that he should read the report from a doctor, where she was sent by the court, and how susceptible she was to badgering. She repeated that this was a doctor that she saw at the direction of the court.
She then repeated: “I’m just not going to jail for something I did not do.”
Cohn said he was satisfied that the guilty plea was voluntary and knowingly given.
via Conyers gets 37 months in prison for Synagro bribe scandal -Detroit Free Press.
If Mrs. Conyers was so worried about her children, she should of thought about them, when she accepted that bribe! I can only imagine what John Conyers is thinking right about now.
But this is the wild part:
Via WXYZ’s live Blog:
Monica Conyers has just been sentenced to 37 months in prison. She also received 2 years of supervised probation. Just before sentencing, Conyers screamed “If they have their tapes, I have my tapes too. I taped Rayford, I taped Riddle. You’ll be fair to me or I want to withdraw my plea.”
You gotta know than Ken Cockrel Jr. is somewhere…. laughing his ass off! 😀 😆
Just a little refresher:
Oh yeah, you know he is loving this, big time! 😀
Update: Other Bloggers now weighing in: TheBlogProf, Ace…. more to come, I’m sure…
Dan Rather explains himself
I am, of course, referring to this little poor choice of words.
First off, Dan explains in his own way, that he is from the pre-internet generation. This is understandable. The man is just old. You have to remember, he was one of the reporters in the trenches in Vietnam. He did work under Walter Cronkite. So, he is old, as in almost my dad’s age. Even I can understand that.
He explains his rather “off the cuff” remark:
All this is the backdrop for what I said on the Matthews show. I was talking about Obama and health care and I used the analogy of selling watermelons by the side of the road. It’s an expression that stretches to my boyhood roots in Southeast Texas, when country highways were lined with stands manned by sellers of all races. Now of course watermelons have become a stereotype for African Americans and so my analogy entered a charged environment. I’m sorry people took offense. – Source Huffington Post
He goes on to say, and I believe this is important:
But anyone who knows me personally or knows my professional career would know that race was not on my mind. Reporting on the injustices of race was part of the reason I became a reporter. I grew up in segregated Texas on the same side of the tracks as the African American community. At the time, enlightened people called them Negros. Many people called them much worse. When I covered the Civil Rights movement, I saw sheer hatred in ways that still haunt and shock me. For doing my small part in reporting on the South in the 1960s, I was called a traitor to my roots and other names not fit for print. I was threatened with death by people who would have welcomed me to their church on Sunday on account of my white skin if they didn’t know what I was there to do. I do not take this issue lightly.
I am inclined to believe him here, as I do agree with his position on the subject. Also too, I believe it is important to understand the framing of the comment as well. He did just say, in his own southern style that President Obama is, in fact, a lousy salesman. Now he said something to the effect of, “That Obama isn’t nothing more than a stupid Watermelon eatin’ so and so…” it would be quite different. But it was not said in that matter. Yes, I know, Rush Limbaugh and we Conservative Bloggers did raise the “If a Conservative have said that” flag up; Which I believe is valid. There is a double standard in this country when it comes to race and political party affiliation, I know that. However, I believe this one here was just a tad bit blown out of proportion.
Finally, Dan Rather makes this very important point:
What saddens me is what this experience has made all too clear. Much of what we call news, isn’t. Much of what we Tweet, or post, or chat away at under the guise of news, are distractions.
[…]
The optimist in me believes that we are not as polarized as the partisans on the left and right would want us to believe. They make money on division. I have gotten dozens of letters from viewers for my HDNet show saying that they thought I was a left-wing partisan hack until they sat down and watched our reports. This is not meant to be self-aggrandizing. It is just evidence that if we stopped worrying about political point-scoring and sat and listened to the issues that matter, we would be less distracted and more focused on the problems that we all face and must solve together.
Sorry folks, I cannot argue with that. Thanks Dan for the clarification. I know I might take heat for highlighting the above, but you know what? I do not care. I think if both sides would simply work together and stop with the decisive nonsense; we might just be able to fix the Nation’s problems; like Healthcare, like Jobs and many of the other problems that are hurting Nation right now.
Cartoon of the Day
Big Brother is Talking?
The managing editor of Townhall Magazine called Diversity Lane “very, very well done.” And Michigan Review described it as “laugh out loud funny.” Why not make this the day you discover the best in conservative comedy today at Diversity Lane?
For more fun visit the website/blog at www.diversitylane.com or go directly to the blog at www.diversitylane.wordpress.com.
The Obligatory Eric Massa gets his gay gay on posting
Bleh. I HATE writing about this stuff! I hate it, I hate it, I HATE IT!
Via Washington Post:
Former representative. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) has been under investigation for allegations that he groped multiple male staffers working in his office, according to three sources familiar with the probe.
The allegations surrounding the former lawmaker date back at least a year, and involve “a pattern of behavior and physical harassment,” according to one source. The new claims of alleged groping contradict statements by Massa, who resigned his office on Monday after it became public that he was the subject of a House ethics committee investigation for possible harassment.
Massa had said that the allegations were limited to his use of “salty language” with his staff. He apologized for making some inappropriate comments and argued he was being unfairly vilified.
Days later, Massa accused the White House and Democratic congressional leaders of trying to oust him from office to improve their chances of passing health-care reform legislation — a charge that the House majority leader, Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), called “absurd.”
Massa could not be reached for comment Tuesday, and no one answered the phone at his campaign office or at his home in Corning, N.Y., where he lives with his wife, Beverly, and a son and daughter. Staff at his former congressional offices declined to relay messages to him and said they did not know how to reach him.
According to two sources familiar with the probe, Massa’s former deputy chief of staff Ron Hikel provided the information about the staffers’ allegations to the House ethics committee three weeks ago. Hikel had earlier sought advice from Hoyer’s office about brewing internal complaints, the sources said, and had been urged to report the allegations to the committee.
Hikel, reached at his home Tuesday, declined to comment on the ethics investigation.
Oh, But Massa says it was not sexual. I’m sorry, but when you walk up to a guy, stoke his hair and say something to the effect of, “Hey Big Boy, Would you like me to push in your stool?” It’s sexual, Okay? So, Please, Massa, get off the dumb crap already. You are gay, why hide it? Just go with it and be done with it! I mean, you are in the right party for all that sort of stuff. I mean, the Democrats are all down with the gay people anyways. So, why hide it?
Sorry, but this all leaves me about ready to freakin’ puke! I mean, I am just not really ready for “All Gay, All The time”. unlike SOME Conservative blogs! 😛 😉 😀
Anyhow, here’s the round up, go take a look. As for me, I will be over here lifting weights or something or another manly. 🙄