Monday, March 22, 2010

Headlines - Monday March 22

 
Now it only seems fair that all Republicans in Congress and elsewhere should not be entitled to any of the benefits this bill will bring. 
 
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h/t Dick:
 
Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled. - Michael Crichton
 
Working Families Party.  What a novel idea.  Maybe a bit like 'Labor Union'? That's gonna attract some wingnut attention.
 
Slut Puppy vs. Governor Moonbeam.  Oughta be interesting out there in LaLa Land.
 
 Winning the war on drugs.
 
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Paul Krugman dissects the politics surrounding the health care debate -and the GOP strategy of fear.
 
Fear, it's all the GOP had. It's all they still have. The Republican motto should be, to paraphrase FDR, the only thing we have is fear itself.
 
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Good thing Stupak took such a hard line on abortion, otherwise the GOP might be mean to him.
 
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Republicans make asses of themselves.
 
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House Passes Health Care Reform
President Applauds
World Ends
 
 
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The Gospel According to Hate - A voice crying out in the darkness that is religious hypocrisy.
 
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The "postpartisan" meme
 
Does anyone outside the Beltway really care about "bipartisanship"? Yesterday, as it began to look like health care reform was going to pass without a single Republican vote, it started -- the talk at how Barack Obama has failed at his mission to break the partisan gridlock in Washington.

This President has been reaching out to Republicans for the last year. He's met with them, talked to them, thrown the foot soldiers who raised money and canvassed and held car washes and bake sales to get him elected under bus on women's right to control their own bodies, on equal marriage rights for everyone, on the rights of everyone to serve in the military if they so choose. There is not a single issue where Barack Obama hasn't turned his back on his base in an effort to woo Republicans. It's his nature to do so, and it has given us fits that even when the Republicans kept smacking him down, he kept coming back for more like Charlie Brown believing that THIS TIME Lucy won't pull away the football.
 
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Nancy Pelosi walks up the hill with Civil Rights Icon Congressman John Lewis (who was called the n-word yesterday by the Teabaggers) carrying the gavel that was used in the 1965 Medicare Act.

The GOP/Teabagger heads will commence to explode NOW. This is one of those things where Nancy Pelosi really rocks – she knows how to get under their skins and do it with positive messages.

Video here.
 
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Senate Republicans are planning "a wide assault" on Sen. Chris Dodd's (D-CT) financial reform bill today when the Senate Banking Committee convenes to discuss the legislation. Reuters reports that "about 300 amendments from Republicans will seek to weaken or kill key provisions of legislation."
 
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Health care reform shocker: American Indians are not subject to the Hitlerous insurance mandate. Why does Barack Obama not want Indians vaccinated against smallpox? New York Times

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Hillary Clinton is going to tell AIPAC to stuff it, politely. Haaretz

 
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Rep. Devin Nunes: Dems Brought Anti-Gay And Racist Slurs Upon Themselves

Because it's the Democrats' "totalitarian tactics" that are making people "act crazy" and shout racist and anti-gay slurs against members of Congress. And totally not because the teabaggers actually are the kissing-cousins of the KKK.

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Last night after months of GOP outright lies and scare tactics, and strategic mistakes by the White House, the Obama administration and the House Democratic leadership showed real grit in doing something that eluded presidents over the last fifty years. The House of Representatives passed the Senate health care reform bill by a 219-212 vote, with 34 Democrats abandoning Main Street to vote for the insurance industry.

Not one House Republican voted for the bill. A significant number of Blue Dog DINOs voted for the industry tonight.

During the president's media statement after the vote, with an almost tearful Joe Biden by his side, the word "bipartisanship" never passed Obama's lips. It was a welcome development.

On the extended entry, I have the full list of the worthless Democratic whores who voted "No." Please note that three of these "No" votes tonight (highlighted in bold) have taken over $600,000 from the health industry just in 2009 alone.

All three of them represent districts with more than 15% uninsured:

Robert Berry, Arkansas 1st district (with more than $630,000 in 2009 industry money and 21.7% uninsured) Frederick Boucher, Virginia 9th district (with more than $640,000 in 2009 industry money) John Tanner, Tennessee 8th district (with more than $1.2 million in 2009 industry money)

So who is worse: An anti-abortion Democrat who found a way to vote for the bill, or an alleged Democrat from a district with over 15% uninsured who took thousands of dollars in industry money in 2009, and then voted "No" last night ?

Adler (NJ)
Altmire
Arcuri
Barrow
Berry
Boren
Boucher
Bright
Chandler
Childers
Davis (AL)
Davis (TN)
Edwards (TX)
Herseth Sandlin
Holden
Kissell
Kratovil
Lipinski
Lynch
Marshall
Matheson
McIntyre
McMahon
Melancon
Minnick
Nye
Peterson
Ross
Shuler
Skelton
Space
Tanner
Taylor
Teague

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Taegan reminds us. I'm sure there are plenty more out there.

"The health care bill, ObamaCare, is dead with not the slightest prospect of resurrection."

-- Fred Barnes, writing in the Weekly Standard in January.