Reconciliation. Will it come to this?
I've heard it said, time and again, that the parliamentary move of reconciliation can't be used to pass ObamaCare--that's the legislative power game that would allow Democrats to pass the bill with 51 votes (actually 50 votes, since the vice president acts as the tie-breaker at 51) rather than have to overcome a Republican filibuster with 60 votes. However, ever since the circus sideshow on Thursday, it seems like the lamestream media has pushed and pushed reconciliation as the inevitable next step. Well, not so fast.
Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) is head of the committee that would push for reconciliation, and he says the budgetary process can't be used to pass ObamaCare.
“reconciliation cannot be used to pass comprehensive health care reform. It won’t work. It won’t work because it was never designed for that kind of significant legislation. . . . It will not work because of the Byrd rule which says anything that doesn’t score for budget purposes has to be eliminated. That would eliminate all the delivery system reform, all the insurance market reform, all of those things the experts tell us are really the most important parts of this bill. The only possible role that I can see for reconciliation would be make modest changes in the major package to improve affordability, to deal with what share of Medicaid expansion the federal government pays, those kinds of issues, which is the traditional role for reconciliation in health care.”
Watch CBS News Videos Online
Stay tuned for updates on ObamaCare and reconciliation.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Shock. Shock. Democrats the Party of Mean
It's no suprise to me that the Democrats hate Sarah Palin. They hate this woman with an insane, rabid hatred that's more over the top even than their hatred of "Chimpy McBushitler." Frankly, I hope she doesn't run for anything in 2012, because they will rip her and her family to shreds. A focus group watched a video made by the Family Guy people, a jab at Sarah Palin and her Down Syndrome baby. Democrats believe themselves to be more compassionate than people on the Right. They also, as a group, believe themselves to be smarter. I think they also believe they'll do fine in 2010 and 2012.
Frank Luntz comments: "I approach this without having any political allegiance, and I'm watching those dials go, and I have to tell you candidly that I'm thinking to myself, 'What the hell?' This is not a former Vice Presidential candidate or a governor; this is a mom, talking about a challenge with her children, a baby. . . I don't understand that."
Bill O'Reilly: "They hate her."
Luntz: "But shouldn't we look at the person first?"
O'Reilly: "The surprising part to me, she wasn't talking about herself, she was talking about her baby, and you couldn't get above 50% when she's talking about a special needs baby."
Luntz: "So where's the compassion?"
O'Reilly: "There is none. So the people you wired up couldn't separate what happened from her."
Luntz: "Exactly."
It's no suprise to me that the Democrats hate Sarah Palin. They hate this woman with an insane, rabid hatred that's more over the top even than their hatred of "Chimpy McBushitler." Frankly, I hope she doesn't run for anything in 2012, because they will rip her and her family to shreds. A focus group watched a video made by the Family Guy people, a jab at Sarah Palin and her Down Syndrome baby. Democrats believe themselves to be more compassionate than people on the Right. They also, as a group, believe themselves to be smarter. I think they also believe they'll do fine in 2010 and 2012.
Frank Luntz comments: "I approach this without having any political allegiance, and I'm watching those dials go, and I have to tell you candidly that I'm thinking to myself, 'What the hell?' This is not a former Vice Presidential candidate or a governor; this is a mom, talking about a challenge with her children, a baby. . . I don't understand that."
Bill O'Reilly: "They hate her."
Luntz: "But shouldn't we look at the person first?"
O'Reilly: "The surprising part to me, she wasn't talking about herself, she was talking about her baby, and you couldn't get above 50% when she's talking about a special needs baby."
Luntz: "So where's the compassion?"
O'Reilly: "There is none. So the people you wired up couldn't separate what happened from her."
Luntz: "Exactly."
St. Louis Tea Party Celebrates One Year Anniversary
Be at the St. Louis Arch today, Saturday, February 27, at 1:30 p.m. The rally will last for one hour. Participants will hear from a small group of speakers before dumping tea leaves into the Mississippi River.
We are admonished to remove the tea from, and properly dispose, all bags. We are also told: "No pitchforks." Also, signs cannot have sticks or poles. No problem. My experience of the Tea Party rallies that I've gone to in the past is that people know how to "behave." When the Tea Partiers took their march to Washington, D.C., they left the mall cleaner than when they found it. The weapon of choice for us seems to be the video camera. There will be a lot of those. Hope to see you there.
Update. One of my favorite blogs, Missourah.com, has photos from the rally today. Looks like they had a good crowd.
Gateway Pundit also has a report plus video.
Update. Another one of my favs, SharpElbows, now has video and photos of the event posted on his site. Sharp has been one of the St. Louis Tea Party group's main videographers for the past year. He always has good stuff. The Tea Partiers are here to stay. Deal with it.
Oh, and P.S. The people behind the websites Missourah.com and SharpElbows are young, bright conservatives, as are a lot of other "Tea Party People." What a hopeful sign for our country to see people like these getting involved in government on a grass roots level. Maybe one of these days the lamestream media will start covering these events--start showing up and using their "journalism" skills--and get a clue about what's going on here.
Update. Video from the St. Louis Tea Party site.
We are admonished to remove the tea from, and properly dispose, all bags. We are also told: "No pitchforks." Also, signs cannot have sticks or poles. No problem. My experience of the Tea Party rallies that I've gone to in the past is that people know how to "behave." When the Tea Partiers took their march to Washington, D.C., they left the mall cleaner than when they found it. The weapon of choice for us seems to be the video camera. There will be a lot of those. Hope to see you there.
Update. One of my favorite blogs, Missourah.com, has photos from the rally today. Looks like they had a good crowd.
Gateway Pundit also has a report plus video.
Update. Another one of my favs, SharpElbows, now has video and photos of the event posted on his site. Sharp has been one of the St. Louis Tea Party group's main videographers for the past year. He always has good stuff. The Tea Partiers are here to stay. Deal with it.
Oh, and P.S. The people behind the websites Missourah.com and SharpElbows are young, bright conservatives, as are a lot of other "Tea Party People." What a hopeful sign for our country to see people like these getting involved in government on a grass roots level. Maybe one of these days the lamestream media will start covering these events--start showing up and using their "journalism" skills--and get a clue about what's going on here.
Update. Video from the St. Louis Tea Party site.
Rasmussen Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday, 26 Feb 2010
The number has been lower only once (-21). Go ahead, Barry, make our day. Continue on as you are, trying to jam your crapopalooza Health Care bill down our collective throats. He said on Thursday that the American people don't care about process. Don't bet on it, Champ. Reconciliation will make you a lame duck.
The number has been lower only once (-21). Go ahead, Barry, make our day. Continue on as you are, trying to jam your crapopalooza Health Care bill down our collective throats. He said on Thursday that the American people don't care about process. Don't bet on it, Champ. Reconciliation will make you a lame duck.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Yesterday's Health Care Summit--
Today's Column Fodder
There was a lot written today about yesterday's summit. Here's a sampling.
The Blog at the WeeklyStandard.com: "Today in Health Care Reform," by Matthew Continetti.
From the TimesOnline at the UK News, "Try to stay awake: the President has a healthcare Bill to pass"
Jonah Goldberg, "Health-Care Humdrum"
From Rick Moran at American Thinker, "White House strategy backfires as GOP rules the summit"
At The Daily Beast by Tunku Varadarajan, "What Was Obama Thinking?"
And last but not least, Charles Krauthammer: "Obama has given up the aura of the presidency"
Today's Column Fodder
The Blog at the WeeklyStandard.com: "Today in Health Care Reform," by Matthew Continetti.
The Democrats have a large majority in the House. Until a couple weeks ago, they had a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. Republicans have not stopped them from passing this legislation. A lack of internal Democratic support has. And at the moment, you do not see any House Democrats who voted No in November stepping forward to say they will vote Yes in the coming weeks.Michelle Malkin, "Oba-Kabuki: A box-office bomb"
When he wasn’t cutting off Republicans who stuck to budget specifics and cited legislative page numbers and language instead of treacly, sob-story anecdotes involving dentures and gall stones, President Obama was filibustering the talk-a-thon away by invoking his daughters, rambling on about auto insurance, and sniping at former GOP presidential rival John McCain. “We’re not campaigning anymore,” lectured the perpetual campaigner-in-chief.
From the TimesOnline at the UK News, "Try to stay awake: the President has a healthcare Bill to pass"
Throughout all this, Obama, looking incongruously glamorous in a crisp white shirt and blue tie — like Jamie Foxx chairing a convention of Pittsburgh cement contractors — gave an Oscar-worthy performance as the Concerned Listener.
He listened with his chin raised and his eyes narrowed. His listened with his head resting quizzically in one hand. He listened while scribbling furiously in his notebook. Indeed, it was only when one of his own allies began to speak — the purple-suited Nancy Pelosi, famed for her left-wing politics and fondness for private jets — that Obama’s camera-talent abandoned him, and he allowed himself to be filmed with his middle finger creeping over his lips, as if urging Ms Pelosi to shut the hell up and take the next Gulfstream back to California.
Jonah Goldberg, "Health-Care Humdrum"
It reminded me of that old Monty Python skit where British soldiers are equipped with the world’s funniest joke, a joke so funny that even to hear it guarantees you’ll die laughing. The British army translates the gag into German (different translators for each word so as to prevent their own deaths) and has its troops read the German version as they march through Ardennes forest. Suddenly, Nazi soldiers start falling dead from the trees.
Substitute “boring” for “funny” and you’ll get a vague sense of how dull this summit was. At one point I could swear Mitch McConnell was counting fibers in the carpet just to stay awake.
From Rick Moran at American Thinker, "White House strategy backfires as GOP rules the summit"
Rep. Jack Ryan absolutely took the president to school on how idiotic his statements about health insurance reform cutting the cost of health care truly are. Ryan's 6 minute dissertation on the budget and deficits might be a little too wonky for most, but there is little doubt that this fellow knows his stuff backwards and forwards.
At The Daily Beast by Tunku Varadarajan, "What Was Obama Thinking?"
The marathon TV teach-in—in which Obama was more schoolmarm than president—should be regarded by Democrats as a great disappointment. They made no clear gain, and won no clear argument. It became apparent from the very beginning—when a testy Obama said “Let me finish, Lamar!” to the courtly Lamar Alexander—that this was not to be an open-minded exploration of the issues in question. It was, instead, a simulacrum of a debate, a pretend-conversation, one in which Obama established, yet again, his command over fact and detail, but in which he also revealed reflexive superciliousness, intolerance of different opinions, and a shortness of patience unbecoming of a president. (He also showed that he’s a tedious clock-Nazi, cutting people off all the time, while showing no inclination to edit himself.)
And last but not least, Charles Krauthammer: "Obama has given up the aura of the presidency"
He is so imperious and so self-confident, that he nonetheless acts as the arbiter of what's legitimate and what's not--he would be saying, well, "that's a talking point" and "that's a legitimate point." You know, if you win the presidency, [then] you win the White House, you win Air Force One, you get a personal chef, but you do not become the arbiter of legitimacy in American discourse, and that's what he appointed himself as.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Obama Health Care Summit, afternoon session
A good novel tells us the truth about its hero; but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author. --G.K. Chesterton
I'm fascinated watching this health care meeting. I've learned more about Obama today than I've learned in a year. He's pretty good at leading a meeting. He's lousy at being a team member. He doesn't listen. He has to weigh in after every comment. He doesn't listen. He thinks he's right. Period. Did I say he doesn't listen? He doesn't play fair. He doesn't communicate the rules of the game. He pontificates. He loves the sound of his own voice. He really doesn't seem to get it that reasonable people can disagree. He can be very petty and small--using his positiion to try to intimidate and bully those who don't agree with him. Using his position for anything at all--"Nyah, nyah, John McCain, I Won." Most of what I've observed and read about the man was validated today. This nation is in trouble as long as Obama is POTUS. I believe that with everything in me. The Republicans were punked today, but no matter, they were going to be punked no matter what they did. We learned a whole lot about Obama, watching him at work.
Fox Poll: 59% say drop the bill; 34% say pass the bill without Republican support.
2:00. Afternoon start. Obama speaking, here's what we're gonna do. The question from someone at the table: Mr. President, how fast can we get outta here? Obama: Two hours. That will require more discipline that we had this morning. [Oh yeah? It will probably require less talking from the senators and congressmen, because it's abundantly clear that you, Mr. President, are congentially incapable of shutting your mouth.]
2:04. Sen. Mike Enzi (R, WY). Medicare. Seniors are nervous. They're the ones objecting the most to the program. I appreciate this exchange. It would have been helpful if we'd had this nine months ago. We had no input to the drafting of this bill. He's talking about process--yes, it matters. One of the problems is mandates. We talked about health savings accounts.
2:08. Obama: Thanks for staying succinct.
2:08. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) We're closer together than we think--that's what I've learned today. Another sob story about an Iowa farmer. 30 sob stories start looking manufactured--obviously all these Dems were told to bring a sad, sad story to share. There are no shortages of sad stories, but policy shouldn't be based on sad stories. Harkin is practically in tears over his own story. This is a sorry waste of time. Harkin is making as much sense as all the other Democrat speakers today. "We're very close on this." He said that about 8 times. Oh God, now Harkin is making an analogy to segregation. "Yet we still allow segregation today in America on the basis of your health. Why should we? Why should we?"
Obama is letting this guy drone on and on.
2:19. Obama bloviating again. "Tom's point was . . ." Yeah, Barry, we got it.
2:23. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.VA) Telling the committee that he has a son who doesn't have insurance. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, you're Jay Rockefeller. What is your problem? Blah, blah, blah. I'm about as interested in what Jay is saying as Obama is. "Kathleen Sebelius was a brilliant choice. . . . We're trying to protect consumers." His attitude is nose-in-the-air Leftist we know better than the little people, so just shut up.
2:31. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). Talking about across state lines insurance. Important structural differences in the way we approach this. Says Republicans hava a way to deal with across state line insurance buying without creating a large government bureaucracy.
2:37. Obama is back. He's going to "educate" Blackburn on her issue. Thanks, Professor Maladroit. More fascinating insight into how Obama works. The people around that table, while he's talking, look like they want to find a way to take poison. Now he's going to drone on about Rockefeller's mandate issue. Personal story. He says that once upon a time he was against mandates. Now the makes sense to him. "This is not a Democratic idea." OK, Professor. Now we're going to hear the two-fold reason why he changed his mind and now supports mandates. He's gone into campaign mode. He thinks he's at one of his faux town-hall meetings.
2:44. He actually let Marsha Blackburn speak--but only to shut her down again. "I want to say one thing--hold on guys . . ." and then he continues bloviating again.
2:46. Obama threw it to Joe Biden, who wants to talk about cost. Now we get to listen to the Vice President. He's talking about humility. Really? The Veep is on point--"we all agree." Barry is doodling while Joe speaks. [Barry is using everyone's first name today, like a dog pissing in another dog's face, so I thought I'd use his first name as well.] Joe has said "bend the cost curve" about ten times. I don't know what else he's said because I can't listen to him.
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) is speaking again. He's telling Obama, if you think the American people want this takeover of health care, then you're not listening.
2:56. Obama questioning and contradicting Paul Ryan. And droning on about his own point of view.
OK--I get it that the afternoon is going to be the morning meeting redux. It's no wonder that nothing gets done in Washington, which is probably a good thing. I'm done. I'm outta here.
Update. For video of this circus side show, go to Breitbart.tv. I think the moment of the day was Obama to John McCain: "The election's over," and McCain's reply, "I'm reminded of that every day." Yeah, John McCain, so is the rest of the country.
Update #2. Wow. I didn't stick around for the closer. I found this at one of my favorite sites, Gateway Pundit. Basically, here's what we can conclude from what Obama said at the summit's conclusion:
1. He will not start over, like many of the Republicans asked him today to do.
2. The Republicans need to accept the Democrat's plan.
3. If they don't, then he's going to ram it through Congress without them ("If we can't [resolve something] I think we got to go ahead and make some decisions and that's what elections are for. We have honest disagreements about the vision for the country and we'll go ahead and test those out over the next several months until November. Alright?"
You betcha, Champ. This man is one arrogant SOB. He could have saved people a lot of time if he'd just honestly said this straight out; he didn't need a circus sideshow summit to do that. Enough of all of the talk. Either do the 50 vote reconciliation thing or shut the hell up. My guess is that the bill is headed for reconciliation, and if so, Obama just became a lame duck.
I'm fascinated watching this health care meeting. I've learned more about Obama today than I've learned in a year. He's pretty good at leading a meeting. He's lousy at being a team member. He doesn't listen. He has to weigh in after every comment. He doesn't listen. He thinks he's right. Period. Did I say he doesn't listen? He doesn't play fair. He doesn't communicate the rules of the game. He pontificates. He loves the sound of his own voice. He really doesn't seem to get it that reasonable people can disagree. He can be very petty and small--using his positiion to try to intimidate and bully those who don't agree with him. Using his position for anything at all--"Nyah, nyah, John McCain, I Won." Most of what I've observed and read about the man was validated today. This nation is in trouble as long as Obama is POTUS. I believe that with everything in me. The Republicans were punked today, but no matter, they were going to be punked no matter what they did. We learned a whole lot about Obama, watching him at work.
Fox Poll: 59% say drop the bill; 34% say pass the bill without Republican support.
2:00. Afternoon start. Obama speaking, here's what we're gonna do. The question from someone at the table: Mr. President, how fast can we get outta here? Obama: Two hours. That will require more discipline that we had this morning. [Oh yeah? It will probably require less talking from the senators and congressmen, because it's abundantly clear that you, Mr. President, are congentially incapable of shutting your mouth.]
2:04. Sen. Mike Enzi (R, WY). Medicare. Seniors are nervous. They're the ones objecting the most to the program. I appreciate this exchange. It would have been helpful if we'd had this nine months ago. We had no input to the drafting of this bill. He's talking about process--yes, it matters. One of the problems is mandates. We talked about health savings accounts.
2:08. Obama: Thanks for staying succinct.
2:08. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) We're closer together than we think--that's what I've learned today. Another sob story about an Iowa farmer. 30 sob stories start looking manufactured--obviously all these Dems were told to bring a sad, sad story to share. There are no shortages of sad stories, but policy shouldn't be based on sad stories. Harkin is practically in tears over his own story. This is a sorry waste of time. Harkin is making as much sense as all the other Democrat speakers today. "We're very close on this." He said that about 8 times. Oh God, now Harkin is making an analogy to segregation. "Yet we still allow segregation today in America on the basis of your health. Why should we? Why should we?"
Obama is letting this guy drone on and on.
2:19. Obama bloviating again. "Tom's point was . . ." Yeah, Barry, we got it.
2:23. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.VA) Telling the committee that he has a son who doesn't have insurance. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, you're Jay Rockefeller. What is your problem? Blah, blah, blah. I'm about as interested in what Jay is saying as Obama is. "Kathleen Sebelius was a brilliant choice. . . . We're trying to protect consumers." His attitude is nose-in-the-air Leftist we know better than the little people, so just shut up.
2:31. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). Talking about across state lines insurance. Important structural differences in the way we approach this. Says Republicans hava a way to deal with across state line insurance buying without creating a large government bureaucracy.
2:37. Obama is back. He's going to "educate" Blackburn on her issue. Thanks, Professor Maladroit. More fascinating insight into how Obama works. The people around that table, while he's talking, look like they want to find a way to take poison. Now he's going to drone on about Rockefeller's mandate issue. Personal story. He says that once upon a time he was against mandates. Now the makes sense to him. "This is not a Democratic idea." OK, Professor. Now we're going to hear the two-fold reason why he changed his mind and now supports mandates. He's gone into campaign mode. He thinks he's at one of his faux town-hall meetings.
2:44. He actually let Marsha Blackburn speak--but only to shut her down again. "I want to say one thing--hold on guys . . ." and then he continues bloviating again.
2:46. Obama threw it to Joe Biden, who wants to talk about cost. Now we get to listen to the Vice President. He's talking about humility. Really? The Veep is on point--"we all agree." Barry is doodling while Joe speaks. [Barry is using everyone's first name today, like a dog pissing in another dog's face, so I thought I'd use his first name as well.] Joe has said "bend the cost curve" about ten times. I don't know what else he's said because I can't listen to him.
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) is speaking again. He's telling Obama, if you think the American people want this takeover of health care, then you're not listening.
2:56. Obama questioning and contradicting Paul Ryan. And droning on about his own point of view.
OK--I get it that the afternoon is going to be the morning meeting redux. It's no wonder that nothing gets done in Washington, which is probably a good thing. I'm done. I'm outta here.
Update. For video of this circus side show, go to Breitbart.tv. I think the moment of the day was Obama to John McCain: "The election's over," and McCain's reply, "I'm reminded of that every day." Yeah, John McCain, so is the rest of the country.
Update #2. Wow. I didn't stick around for the closer. I found this at one of my favorite sites, Gateway Pundit. Basically, here's what we can conclude from what Obama said at the summit's conclusion:
1. He will not start over, like many of the Republicans asked him today to do.
2. The Republicans need to accept the Democrat's plan.
3. If they don't, then he's going to ram it through Congress without them ("If we can't [resolve something] I think we got to go ahead and make some decisions and that's what elections are for. We have honest disagreements about the vision for the country and we'll go ahead and test those out over the next several months until November. Alright?"
You betcha, Champ. This man is one arrogant SOB. He could have saved people a lot of time if he'd just honestly said this straight out; he didn't need a circus sideshow summit to do that. Enough of all of the talk. Either do the 50 vote reconciliation thing or shut the hell up. My guess is that the bill is headed for reconciliation, and if so, Obama just became a lame duck.
Updates on Today's Obama Health-Care Summit, morning session
What a treat we're all in for today--six hours of Obama, touting his health crapopalooza bill. I still say the Republicans are being punked and ought to stay away from this thing. We'll see how it goes. The "summit" (let's hope it's actually the "nadir") gets underway at 11:00 a.m. eastern.
10:00. It's started, and The Professor is lecturing. His audience certainly isn't the people in that room. He's promising not to make a long speech--hahaha. Another standup comedian wannabe.
10:20. Obama passed to Mitch McConnell who turned it over to Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN). Alexander is a former governor of Tennessee and he's on the Budget Committee. He's telling Obama he "respectfully" wants to change Obama's direction, since the people have been telling Washington every way they know how that they don't like his direction. He has a friendly, approachable demeanor. Alexander's view is that he'd like to start over: "we don't do comprehensive well." The republicans want a step-by-step plan, which he says has been mentioned 175 times on the Senate floor in the past year.
He's enumerating a 6-step plan. "This gets us in the right direction."
He's saying that reconciliation is not appropriate to use for this bill. We have to renounce jamming this bill through; if we don't, then everything we do here today will be irrelevant.
This is fascinating--I've never witnessed Obama sitting and listening to anyone, ever. I think his enormous head is going to explode.
10:35. Back to Obama. "I'm not one to be a hypocrite"--he said that both he and Lamar went beyond their time. [Nixon: "I am not a crook."]
10:35. Ugh. Nancy Pelosi. "I will try to stick to my time because we have much to get here today." She has the most sickening demeanor of any adult woman in politics, maybe of any adult woman in public life. I honestly don't know how people at that table can stand to sit there and listen to her. These stinking "personal" stories are a waste of time--she's presenting a tear jerking story that "made a grown man cry." Boo-hoo, people have to pay their deductible by subtracting it from their food budget. This is typical Leftist "I care more than you" crap.
One commenter is doing a "Nancy cliche count" on HotAir:
kitchen table
grown man crying
end of the line
too proud to say he needed help
can’t hold out much longer
health care a right, not a priviledge
extend a hand of bipartisanship
the urgency that the American people have about this issue
This woman is incomprehensible. Her teeth don't seem to be fitting well today. I'd comment on what she's saying, but it's completely non-substantive.
10:43. Now Harry Reid is speaking. Here's another Leftist sob story--that's the first thing out of his mouth.
Reid: "I say to my friend Lamar: You're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own set of facts. Let's be sure we talk today about facts." And that's why Harry started his time telling a tear-jerking story about a father with a baby with a cleft palate.
Good Lord--Reid just said NO ONE HAS TALKED ABOUT RECONCILIATION. Holy crap. I simply can't believe these lying sacks of shit. I honestly don't think I can stand to listen to this crap. It's seriously frightening how incoherent this man is, trying to speak "on his feet." He's incoherent and repetitive.
Reid: "If you have a better plan for making health insurance more affordable, let's hear it."
Harry ended his remarks by saying he "so admires" Pelosi's "legislative brilliance." Hahahahaha. Actually, I'm sure that's true.
10:50. Professor Moderator Obama retakes the floor. He's freaked out that everyone is going beyond their time. He says he's going to set the example for being "more disciplined." Hahahahaha.
10:55. "As I mentioned earlier"--President Discipline is repeating himself, making a campaign speech. He's talking about how much this plan will lower costs. He's contradicting Larmar Alexander, calling him "Lamar."
Alexander: "Mr. President, if you're going to contradict me, I should have an opportunity to speak."
Obama: "No, no, no"--and cut him off. He again tells "Lamar" he's wrong, and then continues blabbing on.
This is going to be hilarious, since Obama is so in love with the sound of his own voice. But he'll set the example for discipline.
Alexander is about to explode. He keeps trying to speak, and Obama keeps talking over him. Now Obama's telling Alexander that he should say what's good about the bill, not what's bad.
11:01. Alexander finally speaking: "rather than argue in public with you--why not let other members of Congress get a chance to talk."
11:02. Mitch McConnell. It is not irrelevant that the American people are opposed to this bill and opposed to reconciliation.
11:03. Dr. Tom Coburn (Senator, R-OK). We need to incentivize prevention. By doing that we could save 30%--pay people who do a good job with prevention. He says we create more diabetes with the Food Stamp program and the school lunch program than anything. We can fix medical malpractice. We can find ways to eliminate fraud in Medicaid and Medicare. We haven't gone where the money is--let's do that first. We don't need a bunch of new government programs. One out of three dollars isn't helping.
A review of who has spoken so far:
Obama
Alexander
Obama
Pelosi
Obama
Reid
Obama
Alexander (5 seconds)
Obama
Coburn
11:11. President Discipline is speaking again, lecturing Coburn on why his ideas are either covered in the bill or are foolish. Obama is a dismissive jerk. His enormous ego is out of bounds.
11:12. Steny Hoyer, House Democrat Majority Leader (D-MD). Good Lord--another Leftist starts out with a heartbreaking personal story. This is EVERY Democrat, including Obama, dragging out a personal sob story.
One problem that I see for the Dems is that we've all heard, ad nauseam, these Democrats speak about ObamaCare. So everything they say is repetitive crap. The Republicans actually sound like they have some ideas. I think they're doing a good job of presenting some ideas, even with Obama chiming in and contradicting every one of them after they speak.
11:20. Obama is back again. Says he'd be interested in hearing Republican objections for small businesses being able to buy into a large group, so that they have more negotiating power with insurance companies, which would drive down costs.
11:22. Rep. John Kline (R-MN). Presenting a Republican idea for letting small businesses cut their costs.
11:25. Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT). "We are actually quite close. There's not a lot of difference." Is this man on crack? "We are on the verge and the cusp to bridge a lot of gaps here." Seriously, Baucus sounds like there's something wrong with him--is he ill? He's literally stumbling over his words. At least he didn't have a Leftist sob story. I'm trying to listen, but he's literally just rambling on. What is wrong with these Democrats? Are they terrified of Obama? What's going on?
Democrat talking point of the day: we basically agree. There's not much difference here. These Dems are coming off as buffoons.
11:31. Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI). Cost containment. He says he has a concern of an unelected board that will be created (found on page 947--heh). Obama smirked at that comment. And evidently that pissed him off, because about a sentence later he interrupted "Dave."
11:35. Obama. "Dave, I don't mean to interrupt, but. . ." and now Obama's telling him what to say and what he doesn't want to hear. This is bullshit. Camp is a brave guy--he's not backing down. He's well-spoken and he's not going to be shot down, even by Obama. Good job, Michigan.
11:36. Obama throws the floor to Rep. Robert Andrews (D-NJ)--"Feel free to respond to anything Dave said or anything else." So the Dems can speak without interruption while the Republicans are told what they can and can't say and also are interrupted.
Andrews: "I think we agree on a lot of this." Democrat talking point of the day. They certainly all got their marching orders. This is sickening.
Mitch McConnell: Points out that so far the Republicans have had 24 minutes, Democrats 52 minutes. "Let's try to keep the time fair." [Obama later made a snarky crack about "Mitch" keeping him on the clock.]
Obama: "I think we're just trying to go back and forth, Mitch. I don't think that's right, but that's OK. I'm just trying to go back and forth here." I think it's offensive that Barry refers to him as "Mitch" when obviously the Senator can't do the same.
11:42. It's starting to get real--an exchange between--oops, I missed it, but it was between two of the younger legislators who actually are well-spoken and are mixing it up intelligently.
11:44. Obama took over--stopped that exchange dead. Now he's bloviating.
10:47. Obama throws it to Sen. Chuck Schummer (D-NY). Again, the Democrat talking point--I think we agree on most of this. Of course Obama wouldn't think of interrupting Chuck.
10:51. Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ). There are fundamental differences between us that we can't paper over.We don't agree on the fundamental question of who should be in charge. Good, he's pushing back about the crap that "well, we all pretty much agree here" of the Dems. Kyl is charged up,speaking with energy and emotion. The Democrats are mostly coming across as flat and bored--they've talked this thing to death.
10:55. Obama again says he wants to hear about "agreement"--not where they disagree. How do you discuss agreement when you have basic philosophical disagreements? So here he goes again, blah, blah, blah, telling the Republicans what he wants to hear from them.. He isn't moderating; instead, he's taking a turn speaking after each Republican speaker, which is why the time is so lopsided. Someone tried to break in--"No, no, let me finish." This guy uses the bully pulpit quite literally--he's a bully. I would like to see the Republicans refuse to come back after the break. He speaks in terms of "you guys," referring to Republicans; he speaks in terms of "us," referring to Democrats. I thought he was supposed to be the president of all the people.
11:01. He finally threw the discussion to "Jim" Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC). House Majority Whip. You can bet your life that Obama won't interrupt him. Oh my, Clyburn is rambling on about people who can't navigate the system. Well, ObamaCare will sure help them. Obama is trying to look fascinated. Oh here comes the sob story--a gentleman getting ready to have transplant surgery. Now Obama is flipping through a notebook. "This man was very emotional today. What we are doing here fixes that." Oh God.
11:07. Obama. "I think this has actually been a very useful conversation." Now he's "clarifying" what Jon Kyl said. Oh good, Kyl is coming back at him--a fundamental disagreement, does Washington know best? Obama chimed in on that one--"a good talking point, but it doesn't answer the underlying question." Really? Obama's saying again, "I just want to go through areas where we agree." Now he's listing what he thinks they agree on--"we basically agree on that concept."
The Republicans are being punked today. What a surprise. Obama is a world-class bullshitter, and he gets to talk as much as he wants and he gets to interrupt when he wants and gets to define the conversation--after all, "I Won."
11:11. Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA). He's a cardiovascular surgeon. "We all agree we need insurance reform. The question is how we do it. The American people want us to take a step back, and go step by step with a commonsense plan." Obama's body language is incredibly revealing--he's like an 8th grader listening to a teacher explain how a bill becomes a law. I wish this guy sounded less like he was reading from the page. He's talking about "what we all agree"--playing Obama's game. People have turned him off. Now he's talking about his own preexisting medical condition. Snore. This guy is doing a bad job. People are talking over him around the table, including Obama. Oof.
11:18. Obama. "We're gonna have to be more disciplined in our time." Well, then, Obama--shut up.
Boehner: "We haven't been told what the time limits are." Holy cow.
Obama: I'm trying to be flexible.
11:19. Rep. George Miller (D-CA). Uh-oh. He's talking about disagreement. Professor Obama isn't going to like that. Preexisting conditions--a trap for families. He's making some good points. So do something about this issue--do it honestly. But that doesn't mean you need to scrap entire health care system.
11:25. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). Oh--he's gonna talk about process. Well, this might be interesting. "Unfortunately this product was produced behind closed doors, with unsavory (I say that with respect) deal-making." He's talking about the special "carveouts" given to some states over other. "We promised them change in Washington, and what we got was a process that both you and I said would change in Washington." Another example--Pharma's deal, the $2 million-dollar lobbyist who was at the White House--he's listing all the hypocrisies. Obama tried to interrupt--McCain didn't let him--"May I just finish" and talked right over Obama. McCain wants to go back to the beginning "and do what's best for all Americans." Obama is clearly pissed.
11:30. Obama--"Look, let me just make this point. The elections's over."
McCain: (laughs) "You remind me of that every day." Ouch. What a small and petty thing for Obama to say to John McCain in such a public forum. He should be gracious in victory; instead, he's petty.
Obama is visibly agitated, speaking again, telling Republicans again what he wants to hear from them. This is such bullshit.
McCain and Obama getting into it about process. Good for McCain. That was the best exchange yet. Obama ALWAYS has the last word. Narcissist-in-Chief. Obama clearly think "the people" either aren't interested or are too stupid to understand the process--like reconciliation. Well, bring it, Barry, and find out just exactly how much we care and understand.
11:32. Obama turns to "Kathleen." That's Sebelius, Sec of Health and Human Services. And he tells her what to say. She's trying to be the good Girl Scout and talk about agreement. She's not doing too well. More rambling. She's sitting next to Obama, so he has to pretend that he wants to listen to her since he's on camera, but he's doing a bad job. What a twitchy little guy he is. Does he have ADD? Would that be a preexisting condition?
11:38. Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA). Obama to Cantor: "Let me just guess, that's the 2400-page health care bill, is that right?" (referring to the huge pile of paper in front of Cantor). What a petty little man. Cantor shot him down--actually this is what we're here for. "We don't care for this bill, I think you know that. The American people don't care for this bill. There is a reason we voted no. It does have to do with a philosophical difference." This guy is excellent--calm, measured, and prepared. I've been looking forward to hearing him speak. The Republicans brought their A Team today--they're informed and engaged.
Obama wants to kill this guy. Obama doesn't know how to control his facial expressions. Now he's talking to an aid. God, someone take a picture of him--he looks diabolical.
Cantor: "Most people have insurance and the overwhelming majority like their coverage. It's just too expensive." Now he's talking about the 8 or 9 million people who may lose their insurance because of the bill.
11:43. Obama--since you asked me a question, let me respond. Point number one, let's be clear about that. Point number two--Obama is pissed that Cantor has the 2400 page bill in front of him. "These are the kind of political things we do that prevent us from actually having a conversation." Now he's trying to refute Cantor with a ridiculous analogy about reducing the cost of meat by doing away with meat inspectors. So now he again has the floor, has shut the Republican up, and is controlling the discussion. Again, I call bullshit. This guy won't listen to anyone--period.
Obama keeps referring to "you guys." Obviously that's how he sees the world--those who agree with him and "you guys" who don't.
11:46. Obama--let me close with this. He's still talking. These people need to break for lunch. Obama is rambling on about their "theoretical" (his word) agreement of preexisting conditions. Now he's Professor Obama.
1149. Obama still talking. "Let's not pretend"--
Cantor now responding. When you start to mandate that everyone in this country have insurance, there are consequences to that. In a perfect world, everyone would have everything they want. We can't afford that. We're asking that you set aside this mandated form of health legislation."
Biden interrupting. We don't have a philosophic disagreement. You're either in or you're out.
Cantor and Obama again. Obama only wants to shout him down.
Obama. We're already over time. I've burned some of it. I apologize. Five speakers and I don't have a lot of time.
11:53. Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY). She points out that 8 states have declared domestic violence as a preexisting condition. She's the best-spoken Democrat yet, passionate and coherent. She's upset because of the disparity between men and women and health insurance. Oh crap, the personal story--a woman who wore her dead sister's teeth. Go to Appalachia, lady, you'll see a whole lot worse than that.
11:57. Obama--he's back. Four remaining speakers. They have to break for a House vote. Great planning.
That wraps up the morning session. Obama does a decent job of running a meeting, except for the fact that he won't let people talk who disagree with him. That plus evidently the ground rules were known only to him. The man doesn't listen, he knows best. Obama is incredibly dismissive of everyone around him, exemplified by the way he uses everyone's first names. For this guy to have so much power is a very scary deal.
Mainly all they did all morning was talk past each other, with the Dems saying we all agree on most everything. No they don't. Democrats want the federal government to control health insurance. Republicans think individuals should decide what they need in their own lives. The Republicans came across as prepared and engaged.
Here's a comment from Rush Limbaugh on his show today: "Once again, folks, we are seeing that without a teleprompter, we have a president who . . . well, it's said very well by a friend of mine: 'Doesn't have a clever or supple enough mind to come at the issues from a different angle than he's done 347 times in the past.'" Heh.
10:00. It's started, and The Professor is lecturing. His audience certainly isn't the people in that room. He's promising not to make a long speech--hahaha. Another standup comedian wannabe.
10:20. Obama passed to Mitch McConnell who turned it over to Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN). Alexander is a former governor of Tennessee and he's on the Budget Committee. He's telling Obama he "respectfully" wants to change Obama's direction, since the people have been telling Washington every way they know how that they don't like his direction. He has a friendly, approachable demeanor. Alexander's view is that he'd like to start over: "we don't do comprehensive well." The republicans want a step-by-step plan, which he says has been mentioned 175 times on the Senate floor in the past year.
He's enumerating a 6-step plan. "This gets us in the right direction."
He's saying that reconciliation is not appropriate to use for this bill. We have to renounce jamming this bill through; if we don't, then everything we do here today will be irrelevant.
This is fascinating--I've never witnessed Obama sitting and listening to anyone, ever. I think his enormous head is going to explode.
10:35. Back to Obama. "I'm not one to be a hypocrite"--he said that both he and Lamar went beyond their time. [Nixon: "I am not a crook."]
10:35. Ugh. Nancy Pelosi. "I will try to stick to my time because we have much to get here today." She has the most sickening demeanor of any adult woman in politics, maybe of any adult woman in public life. I honestly don't know how people at that table can stand to sit there and listen to her. These stinking "personal" stories are a waste of time--she's presenting a tear jerking story that "made a grown man cry." Boo-hoo, people have to pay their deductible by subtracting it from their food budget. This is typical Leftist "I care more than you" crap.
One commenter is doing a "Nancy cliche count" on HotAir:
kitchen table
grown man crying
end of the line
too proud to say he needed help
can’t hold out much longer
health care a right, not a priviledge
extend a hand of bipartisanship
the urgency that the American people have about this issue
This woman is incomprehensible. Her teeth don't seem to be fitting well today. I'd comment on what she's saying, but it's completely non-substantive.
10:43. Now Harry Reid is speaking. Here's another Leftist sob story--that's the first thing out of his mouth.
Reid: "I say to my friend Lamar: You're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own set of facts. Let's be sure we talk today about facts." And that's why Harry started his time telling a tear-jerking story about a father with a baby with a cleft palate.
Good Lord--Reid just said NO ONE HAS TALKED ABOUT RECONCILIATION. Holy crap. I simply can't believe these lying sacks of shit. I honestly don't think I can stand to listen to this crap. It's seriously frightening how incoherent this man is, trying to speak "on his feet." He's incoherent and repetitive.
Reid: "If you have a better plan for making health insurance more affordable, let's hear it."
Harry ended his remarks by saying he "so admires" Pelosi's "legislative brilliance." Hahahahaha. Actually, I'm sure that's true.
10:50. Professor Moderator Obama retakes the floor. He's freaked out that everyone is going beyond their time. He says he's going to set the example for being "more disciplined." Hahahahaha.
10:55. "As I mentioned earlier"--President Discipline is repeating himself, making a campaign speech. He's talking about how much this plan will lower costs. He's contradicting Larmar Alexander, calling him "Lamar."
Alexander: "Mr. President, if you're going to contradict me, I should have an opportunity to speak."
Obama: "No, no, no"--and cut him off. He again tells "Lamar" he's wrong, and then continues blabbing on.
This is going to be hilarious, since Obama is so in love with the sound of his own voice. But he'll set the example for discipline.
Alexander is about to explode. He keeps trying to speak, and Obama keeps talking over him. Now Obama's telling Alexander that he should say what's good about the bill, not what's bad.
11:01. Alexander finally speaking: "rather than argue in public with you--why not let other members of Congress get a chance to talk."
11:02. Mitch McConnell. It is not irrelevant that the American people are opposed to this bill and opposed to reconciliation.
11:03. Dr. Tom Coburn (Senator, R-OK). We need to incentivize prevention. By doing that we could save 30%--pay people who do a good job with prevention. He says we create more diabetes with the Food Stamp program and the school lunch program than anything. We can fix medical malpractice. We can find ways to eliminate fraud in Medicaid and Medicare. We haven't gone where the money is--let's do that first. We don't need a bunch of new government programs. One out of three dollars isn't helping.
A review of who has spoken so far:
Obama
Alexander
Obama
Pelosi
Obama
Reid
Obama
Alexander (5 seconds)
Obama
Coburn
11:11. President Discipline is speaking again, lecturing Coburn on why his ideas are either covered in the bill or are foolish. Obama is a dismissive jerk. His enormous ego is out of bounds.
11:12. Steny Hoyer, House Democrat Majority Leader (D-MD). Good Lord--another Leftist starts out with a heartbreaking personal story. This is EVERY Democrat, including Obama, dragging out a personal sob story.
One problem that I see for the Dems is that we've all heard, ad nauseam, these Democrats speak about ObamaCare. So everything they say is repetitive crap. The Republicans actually sound like they have some ideas. I think they're doing a good job of presenting some ideas, even with Obama chiming in and contradicting every one of them after they speak.
11:20. Obama is back again. Says he'd be interested in hearing Republican objections for small businesses being able to buy into a large group, so that they have more negotiating power with insurance companies, which would drive down costs.
11:22. Rep. John Kline (R-MN). Presenting a Republican idea for letting small businesses cut their costs.
11:25. Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT). "We are actually quite close. There's not a lot of difference." Is this man on crack? "We are on the verge and the cusp to bridge a lot of gaps here." Seriously, Baucus sounds like there's something wrong with him--is he ill? He's literally stumbling over his words. At least he didn't have a Leftist sob story. I'm trying to listen, but he's literally just rambling on. What is wrong with these Democrats? Are they terrified of Obama? What's going on?
Democrat talking point of the day: we basically agree. There's not much difference here. These Dems are coming off as buffoons.
11:31. Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI). Cost containment. He says he has a concern of an unelected board that will be created (found on page 947--heh). Obama smirked at that comment. And evidently that pissed him off, because about a sentence later he interrupted "Dave."
11:35. Obama. "Dave, I don't mean to interrupt, but. . ." and now Obama's telling him what to say and what he doesn't want to hear. This is bullshit. Camp is a brave guy--he's not backing down. He's well-spoken and he's not going to be shot down, even by Obama. Good job, Michigan.
11:36. Obama throws the floor to Rep. Robert Andrews (D-NJ)--"Feel free to respond to anything Dave said or anything else." So the Dems can speak without interruption while the Republicans are told what they can and can't say and also are interrupted.
Andrews: "I think we agree on a lot of this." Democrat talking point of the day. They certainly all got their marching orders. This is sickening.
Mitch McConnell: Points out that so far the Republicans have had 24 minutes, Democrats 52 minutes. "Let's try to keep the time fair." [Obama later made a snarky crack about "Mitch" keeping him on the clock.]
Obama: "I think we're just trying to go back and forth, Mitch. I don't think that's right, but that's OK. I'm just trying to go back and forth here." I think it's offensive that Barry refers to him as "Mitch" when obviously the Senator can't do the same.
11:42. It's starting to get real--an exchange between--oops, I missed it, but it was between two of the younger legislators who actually are well-spoken and are mixing it up intelligently.
11:44. Obama took over--stopped that exchange dead. Now he's bloviating.
10:47. Obama throws it to Sen. Chuck Schummer (D-NY). Again, the Democrat talking point--I think we agree on most of this. Of course Obama wouldn't think of interrupting Chuck.
10:51. Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ). There are fundamental differences between us that we can't paper over.We don't agree on the fundamental question of who should be in charge. Good, he's pushing back about the crap that "well, we all pretty much agree here" of the Dems. Kyl is charged up,speaking with energy and emotion. The Democrats are mostly coming across as flat and bored--they've talked this thing to death.
10:55. Obama again says he wants to hear about "agreement"--not where they disagree. How do you discuss agreement when you have basic philosophical disagreements? So here he goes again, blah, blah, blah, telling the Republicans what he wants to hear from them.. He isn't moderating; instead, he's taking a turn speaking after each Republican speaker, which is why the time is so lopsided. Someone tried to break in--"No, no, let me finish." This guy uses the bully pulpit quite literally--he's a bully. I would like to see the Republicans refuse to come back after the break. He speaks in terms of "you guys," referring to Republicans; he speaks in terms of "us," referring to Democrats. I thought he was supposed to be the president of all the people.
11:01. He finally threw the discussion to "Jim" Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC). House Majority Whip. You can bet your life that Obama won't interrupt him. Oh my, Clyburn is rambling on about people who can't navigate the system. Well, ObamaCare will sure help them. Obama is trying to look fascinated. Oh here comes the sob story--a gentleman getting ready to have transplant surgery. Now Obama is flipping through a notebook. "This man was very emotional today. What we are doing here fixes that." Oh God.
11:07. Obama. "I think this has actually been a very useful conversation." Now he's "clarifying" what Jon Kyl said. Oh good, Kyl is coming back at him--a fundamental disagreement, does Washington know best? Obama chimed in on that one--"a good talking point, but it doesn't answer the underlying question." Really? Obama's saying again, "I just want to go through areas where we agree." Now he's listing what he thinks they agree on--"we basically agree on that concept."
The Republicans are being punked today. What a surprise. Obama is a world-class bullshitter, and he gets to talk as much as he wants and he gets to interrupt when he wants and gets to define the conversation--after all, "I Won."
11:11. Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA). He's a cardiovascular surgeon. "We all agree we need insurance reform. The question is how we do it. The American people want us to take a step back, and go step by step with a commonsense plan." Obama's body language is incredibly revealing--he's like an 8th grader listening to a teacher explain how a bill becomes a law. I wish this guy sounded less like he was reading from the page. He's talking about "what we all agree"--playing Obama's game. People have turned him off. Now he's talking about his own preexisting medical condition. Snore. This guy is doing a bad job. People are talking over him around the table, including Obama. Oof.
11:18. Obama. "We're gonna have to be more disciplined in our time." Well, then, Obama--shut up.
Boehner: "We haven't been told what the time limits are." Holy cow.
Obama: I'm trying to be flexible.
11:19. Rep. George Miller (D-CA). Uh-oh. He's talking about disagreement. Professor Obama isn't going to like that. Preexisting conditions--a trap for families. He's making some good points. So do something about this issue--do it honestly. But that doesn't mean you need to scrap entire health care system.
11:25. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). Oh--he's gonna talk about process. Well, this might be interesting. "Unfortunately this product was produced behind closed doors, with unsavory (I say that with respect) deal-making." He's talking about the special "carveouts" given to some states over other. "We promised them change in Washington, and what we got was a process that both you and I said would change in Washington." Another example--Pharma's deal, the $2 million-dollar lobbyist who was at the White House--he's listing all the hypocrisies. Obama tried to interrupt--McCain didn't let him--"May I just finish" and talked right over Obama. McCain wants to go back to the beginning "and do what's best for all Americans." Obama is clearly pissed.
11:30. Obama--"Look, let me just make this point. The elections's over."
McCain: (laughs) "You remind me of that every day." Ouch. What a small and petty thing for Obama to say to John McCain in such a public forum. He should be gracious in victory; instead, he's petty.
Obama is visibly agitated, speaking again, telling Republicans again what he wants to hear from them. This is such bullshit.
McCain and Obama getting into it about process. Good for McCain. That was the best exchange yet. Obama ALWAYS has the last word. Narcissist-in-Chief. Obama clearly think "the people" either aren't interested or are too stupid to understand the process--like reconciliation. Well, bring it, Barry, and find out just exactly how much we care and understand.
11:32. Obama turns to "Kathleen." That's Sebelius, Sec of Health and Human Services. And he tells her what to say. She's trying to be the good Girl Scout and talk about agreement. She's not doing too well. More rambling. She's sitting next to Obama, so he has to pretend that he wants to listen to her since he's on camera, but he's doing a bad job. What a twitchy little guy he is. Does he have ADD? Would that be a preexisting condition?
11:38. Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA). Obama to Cantor: "Let me just guess, that's the 2400-page health care bill, is that right?" (referring to the huge pile of paper in front of Cantor). What a petty little man. Cantor shot him down--actually this is what we're here for. "We don't care for this bill, I think you know that. The American people don't care for this bill. There is a reason we voted no. It does have to do with a philosophical difference." This guy is excellent--calm, measured, and prepared. I've been looking forward to hearing him speak. The Republicans brought their A Team today--they're informed and engaged.
Obama wants to kill this guy. Obama doesn't know how to control his facial expressions. Now he's talking to an aid. God, someone take a picture of him--he looks diabolical.
Cantor: "Most people have insurance and the overwhelming majority like their coverage. It's just too expensive." Now he's talking about the 8 or 9 million people who may lose their insurance because of the bill.
11:43. Obama--since you asked me a question, let me respond. Point number one, let's be clear about that. Point number two--Obama is pissed that Cantor has the 2400 page bill in front of him. "These are the kind of political things we do that prevent us from actually having a conversation." Now he's trying to refute Cantor with a ridiculous analogy about reducing the cost of meat by doing away with meat inspectors. So now he again has the floor, has shut the Republican up, and is controlling the discussion. Again, I call bullshit. This guy won't listen to anyone--period.
Obama keeps referring to "you guys." Obviously that's how he sees the world--those who agree with him and "you guys" who don't.
11:46. Obama--let me close with this. He's still talking. These people need to break for lunch. Obama is rambling on about their "theoretical" (his word) agreement of preexisting conditions. Now he's Professor Obama.
1149. Obama still talking. "Let's not pretend"--
Cantor now responding. When you start to mandate that everyone in this country have insurance, there are consequences to that. In a perfect world, everyone would have everything they want. We can't afford that. We're asking that you set aside this mandated form of health legislation."
Biden interrupting. We don't have a philosophic disagreement. You're either in or you're out.
Cantor and Obama again. Obama only wants to shout him down.
Obama. We're already over time. I've burned some of it. I apologize. Five speakers and I don't have a lot of time.
11:53. Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY). She points out that 8 states have declared domestic violence as a preexisting condition. She's the best-spoken Democrat yet, passionate and coherent. She's upset because of the disparity between men and women and health insurance. Oh crap, the personal story--a woman who wore her dead sister's teeth. Go to Appalachia, lady, you'll see a whole lot worse than that.
11:57. Obama--he's back. Four remaining speakers. They have to break for a House vote. Great planning.
That wraps up the morning session. Obama does a decent job of running a meeting, except for the fact that he won't let people talk who disagree with him. That plus evidently the ground rules were known only to him. The man doesn't listen, he knows best. Obama is incredibly dismissive of everyone around him, exemplified by the way he uses everyone's first names. For this guy to have so much power is a very scary deal.
Mainly all they did all morning was talk past each other, with the Dems saying we all agree on most everything. No they don't. Democrats want the federal government to control health insurance. Republicans think individuals should decide what they need in their own lives. The Republicans came across as prepared and engaged.
Here's a comment from Rush Limbaugh on his show today: "Once again, folks, we are seeing that without a teleprompter, we have a president who . . . well, it's said very well by a friend of mine: 'Doesn't have a clever or supple enough mind to come at the issues from a different angle than he's done 347 times in the past.'" Heh.
Kabuki Theater Today in Washington
Today's the day for Obama's marathon C-SPAN infomercial about the health crap bill. Some are calling it the ShamWow Summit.
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R, Ohio) says he may "crash the party." Boehner said, "We shouldn't let the White House have a six-hour taxpayer-funded infomercial on ObamaCare," suggesting the meeting with the White House will be little more than a publicity stunt.
It's not clear to me how the meeting will be run or who will attend. I found this at Fox News, the only reporting on the nuts and bolts of the meeting that I've found so far. The White House said three dozen lawmakers plus several administration officials will sit at a hollow square table with name placards. Leaders of both parties will speak. Obama will lead discussion on controlling health care costs and expanding coverage. Vice President Joe Biden will head a discussion on deficit reduction. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will lead talks on insurance reform.
The star of this Kabuki Theater will of course be Obama. The event starts at 10:00 a.m. eastern time with remarks from--Obama.
Carl Cameron at "The Speaker's Lobby" ("Fox News Covers the Congress") says that the House Democrat to watch is Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN), a fiscally conservative Blue Dog who has broken ranks with the administration at times. His prognosis is expected to send a signal to Democrat centrists and independents.
The House Republican to watch is Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI). Cameron describes him as "encyclopedic" when it comes to health care reform and the potential impact on taxes, discretionary spending, entitlements, the deficit, etc.
To Obama and other Democrats who have been saying that the Republicans are the party of NO and the party of no ideas about health care reform, Congressional Republicans say, look at their web page: GOP Solutions for America.
Major Garrett, Fox's Chief White House Correspondent, has the White House take on the summit. Having been on defense for months on his signature domestic initiative, Obama has decided to play offense. "The summit, as White House advisors readily admit, is not about cobbling together a bi-partisan deal to break the health care logjam. The point is to show voters that Obama will sit with Republicans for six hours and . . . engage in a 'robust debate' with 'open minds'" (quotes from White House spokesman Robot Gibbs).
A senior white house offical told Fox: "The summit is us on offense. We're always better when we're on offense. At the end it will be painfully clear to Americans that Republicans have absolutely no intention of cooperating on health care."
Wow, glad to see the White House is starting out with such "open minds."
On the Republican side, it's being reported that House Minority Leader John Boehner will have a "truth squad" group of House physicians and others standing by to fact check the Democrat plan. So, for example, when Obama says that physicians would rather cut off their patients feet than treat diabetes because "cutting off feet" puts more money in doctors' pockets, maybe someone from this group will be available to speak up and tell Obama that he's full of $hit. That's my hope, anyway.
P.S. From the pollsters.
Rasmussen: 63% of all voters say a better strategy to reform the health care system would be to pass smaller bills that address problems individually (aka "health care reform"); 27% of voters think passing a comprehensive bill that covers all aspects of the health care system is a better idea; 11% are still undecided.
CNN: 73% of the public want the Congress either to start from scratch (48%) or stop work completely (25%) on health care reform.
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R, Ohio) says he may "crash the party." Boehner said, "We shouldn't let the White House have a six-hour taxpayer-funded infomercial on ObamaCare," suggesting the meeting with the White House will be little more than a publicity stunt.
It's not clear to me how the meeting will be run or who will attend. I found this at Fox News, the only reporting on the nuts and bolts of the meeting that I've found so far. The White House said three dozen lawmakers plus several administration officials will sit at a hollow square table with name placards. Leaders of both parties will speak. Obama will lead discussion on controlling health care costs and expanding coverage. Vice President Joe Biden will head a discussion on deficit reduction. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will lead talks on insurance reform.
The star of this Kabuki Theater will of course be Obama. The event starts at 10:00 a.m. eastern time with remarks from--Obama.
Carl Cameron at "The Speaker's Lobby" ("Fox News Covers the Congress") says that the House Democrat to watch is Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN), a fiscally conservative Blue Dog who has broken ranks with the administration at times. His prognosis is expected to send a signal to Democrat centrists and independents.
The House Republican to watch is Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI). Cameron describes him as "encyclopedic" when it comes to health care reform and the potential impact on taxes, discretionary spending, entitlements, the deficit, etc.
To Obama and other Democrats who have been saying that the Republicans are the party of NO and the party of no ideas about health care reform, Congressional Republicans say, look at their web page: GOP Solutions for America.
Major Garrett, Fox's Chief White House Correspondent, has the White House take on the summit. Having been on defense for months on his signature domestic initiative, Obama has decided to play offense. "The summit, as White House advisors readily admit, is not about cobbling together a bi-partisan deal to break the health care logjam. The point is to show voters that Obama will sit with Republicans for six hours and . . . engage in a 'robust debate' with 'open minds'" (quotes from White House spokesman Robot Gibbs).
A senior white house offical told Fox: "The summit is us on offense. We're always better when we're on offense. At the end it will be painfully clear to Americans that Republicans have absolutely no intention of cooperating on health care."
Wow, glad to see the White House is starting out with such "open minds."
On the Republican side, it's being reported that House Minority Leader John Boehner will have a "truth squad" group of House physicians and others standing by to fact check the Democrat plan. So, for example, when Obama says that physicians would rather cut off their patients feet than treat diabetes because "cutting off feet" puts more money in doctors' pockets, maybe someone from this group will be available to speak up and tell Obama that he's full of $hit. That's my hope, anyway.
P.S. From the pollsters.
Rasmussen: 63% of all voters say a better strategy to reform the health care system would be to pass smaller bills that address problems individually (aka "health care reform"); 27% of voters think passing a comprehensive bill that covers all aspects of the health care system is a better idea; 11% are still undecided.
CNN: 73% of the public want the Congress either to start from scratch (48%) or stop work completely (25%) on health care reform.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
What the hell is this?
From today's Drudge Report, here's the new Missile Defense Agency logo--that's United States missile defense agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, just to clear up any confusion. The website Big Government discusses the new logo: "Can this possibly be true? New Obama missile defense logo includes a crescent." Another discussion is found at Loganswarning.
This new logo may be nothing more than a childish prank to make the Right's collective head explode, much like Obama "scratching his nose" with his middle finger during a debate or bowing to the Saudi king; alternately, it may be an indication of something more sinister. I simply don't know. What I think it that it's probably a good idea to keep an eye on this kind of stuff.
Here's the group that created the new logo: tmpgovernment.
Obama Logo
Islamic crescent
Why is it I feel like ObamaTeam is being run by a bunch of 14-year-olds, constantly doing shit like this and then snickering up their sleeves?
From today's Drudge Report, here's the new Missile Defense Agency logo--that's United States missile defense agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, just to clear up any confusion. The website Big Government discusses the new logo: "Can this possibly be true? New Obama missile defense logo includes a crescent." Another discussion is found at Loganswarning.
This new logo may be nothing more than a childish prank to make the Right's collective head explode, much like Obama "scratching his nose" with his middle finger during a debate or bowing to the Saudi king; alternately, it may be an indication of something more sinister. I simply don't know. What I think it that it's probably a good idea to keep an eye on this kind of stuff.
Here's the group that created the new logo: tmpgovernment.
Obama Logo
Islamic crescent
Why is it I feel like ObamaTeam is being run by a bunch of 14-year-olds, constantly doing shit like this and then snickering up their sleeves?
Hilariously Predictable:
White House Privately Plotting 2012 Campaign
From Politico, Obama's top advisors have begun laying the groundwork for the 2012 reelection campaign. Poltico says it will likely be run out of Chicago and managed by White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina.
This week Rasmussen's Daily Presidential Tracking poll hit rock bottom for Obama's year in office, at -19, for three days in a row. Today it's climbed back up to -16.
White House Privately Plotting 2012 Campaign
From Politico, Obama's top advisors have begun laying the groundwork for the 2012 reelection campaign. Poltico says it will likely be run out of Chicago and managed by White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina.
In related news, this just out from Rasmussen:
This week Rasmussen's Daily Presidential Tracking poll hit rock bottom for Obama's year in office, at -19, for three days in a row. Today it's climbed back up to -16.
Frankly, I'm fine with Obama going into permanent campaign mode. Campaigning, not governing, is what he's good at. I think his priorities are exactly where they should be. He wasted the good will of the people that he came into office with who believed his Big Lie of hope and change, wasted a year trying to pass a crappapalooza government takeover of health insurance bill that the majority of the voters don't want. Why not waste the next two years campaigning?
My vote for a campaign slogan: "More of the same."
My vote for a campaign theme song--this golden oldie from Carly Simon. Go, Champ.
"That's Obama. . . Barack Obama"
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Rep. Eric Cantor (R, Virginia): Obama's Latest Health Care Bill Is a Non-Starter
Cantor was talking to Good Morning America.
Cantor: "I'm hoping that the president will answer the question, why does he want to continue to push a bill that the American people have rejected? And will he join us, in a bipartisan way, to try and accomplish the things that most Americans can support, which is focusing on bringing down healthcare costs."
Why, oh why do the Republicans insist on attending Obama's circus freak show on Thursday?
h/t GatewayPundit
Cantor was talking to Good Morning America.
Cantor: "I'm hoping that the president will answer the question, why does he want to continue to push a bill that the American people have rejected? And will he join us, in a bipartisan way, to try and accomplish the things that most Americans can support, which is focusing on bringing down healthcare costs."
Why, oh why do the Republicans insist on attending Obama's circus freak show on Thursday?
h/t GatewayPundit
Valerie Jarrett and "The burden of being bright"
This is such a typical nose-in-the-air Leftist pose--"we're so much smarter--just get out of the way and let us fix it for you." As Allahpundit writes on HotAir today: these morons who make up ObamaTeam believe that the problem with ObamaCare isn't due to the fact that the majority of the voting population really, really hates this bill; rather, Leftists, including Obama, believe it's because of the failure of The Won to properly explain the bill "the first 8,000 times he talked about it on camera."
Jarrett: "I think probably 'hope and change' were so catchy because it was really very simple, and it was something that everyone understood the definition of."
Really, Valerie? You want to know what I think? The whole concept of "hope and change" was so deliberately vague, it allowed everyone to define it however they wanted. How convenient for ObamaCampaign2008.
Jarrett: That's why "death panels" were so catchy. Everybody didn't necessarily know what it meant but they knew it was really bad.
This woman is a Harvard grad? Huh. I guess they don't teach public speaking at Harvard. They don't seem to teach critical thinking, either. They also don't seem to teach subject/verb agreement. Is that for everyone, or is it just for their affirmative action students? She's not exactly doing Harvard proud here--just sayin'.
Jarrett: So I think part of what our challenge is is to find a very simple way of communicating, and it's hard to even understand what people are talking about. When I first got there, they kept talking about "cloture" and "reconciliation"--people don't know what's that talking about. They know what a preexisting condition is when they've been dropped from their insurance company. . .
Somehow I'm not surprised that the big words "cloture" and "reconciliation" were hard for you, Valerie. Try a dic-tion-ary.
Jarrett: Even if they are in favor of, let's say, a different health care insurance reform, fine. But what's happening is it's an anti-government, I mean, that's the Tea Party. They really are, um, are, uh, trying to rebel against government at all, and I think that that's, again, it's an extreme. . . . And it's always a lot easier to scare people and to get them angry when they're already scared and they're already uncertain, and I think that's what the Tea Party is trying to capture. . . ."
Let me submit, Valerie, that you wouldn't know what the THE TEA PARTY as you call it is trying to capture if it bit you on your big behind. I don't know if her way of speaking indicates she's a fuzzy thinker or if she's just talking down to her audience. However, since she is speaking at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, I can only surmise it's the former. This is the individual who is probably closest of anyone to Barack Obama--she has his ear on a daily basis. If she's this clueless, then it's no wonder The Won is having a hard time figuring out where he's going wrong.
Jarrett: There's nobody more self-critical than President Obama. Part of the burden of being so bright is that he sees his error immediately. . . .
Hahahahahahaha. Oh Valerie, woman, you should do stand-up comedy.
Jarrett: "I think probably 'hope and change' were so catchy because it was really very simple, and it was something that everyone understood the definition of."
Really, Valerie? You want to know what I think? The whole concept of "hope and change" was so deliberately vague, it allowed everyone to define it however they wanted. How convenient for ObamaCampaign2008.
Jarrett: That's why "death panels" were so catchy. Everybody didn't necessarily know what it meant but they knew it was really bad.
This woman is a Harvard grad? Huh. I guess they don't teach public speaking at Harvard. They don't seem to teach critical thinking, either. They also don't seem to teach subject/verb agreement. Is that for everyone, or is it just for their affirmative action students? She's not exactly doing Harvard proud here--just sayin'.
Jarrett: So I think part of what our challenge is is to find a very simple way of communicating, and it's hard to even understand what people are talking about. When I first got there, they kept talking about "cloture" and "reconciliation"--people don't know what's that talking about. They know what a preexisting condition is when they've been dropped from their insurance company. . .
Somehow I'm not surprised that the big words "cloture" and "reconciliation" were hard for you, Valerie. Try a dic-tion-ary.
Jarrett: Even if they are in favor of, let's say, a different health care insurance reform, fine. But what's happening is it's an anti-government, I mean, that's the Tea Party. They really are, um, are, uh, trying to rebel against government at all, and I think that that's, again, it's an extreme. . . . And it's always a lot easier to scare people and to get them angry when they're already scared and they're already uncertain, and I think that's what the Tea Party is trying to capture. . . ."
Let me submit, Valerie, that you wouldn't know what the THE TEA PARTY as you call it is trying to capture if it bit you on your big behind. I don't know if her way of speaking indicates she's a fuzzy thinker or if she's just talking down to her audience. However, since she is speaking at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, I can only surmise it's the former. This is the individual who is probably closest of anyone to Barack Obama--she has his ear on a daily basis. If she's this clueless, then it's no wonder The Won is having a hard time figuring out where he's going wrong.
Jarrett: There's nobody more self-critical than President Obama. Part of the burden of being so bright is that he sees his error immediately. . . .
Hahahahahahaha. Oh Valerie, woman, you should do stand-up comedy.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Bill Bennett on Glenn Beck's CPAC
remarks about the Republican Party
I love Bill Bennett. He makes so much sense, all the time, as far as I'm concerned. He posted an article today at "the corner," a blog for NRO (National Review Online). He's pretty much not too happy that Glenn Beck is bashing the Republicans as some kind of "Democrat-lite" group. I saw Beck's speech at CPAC--twice. He is a hugely talented guy, so comfortable talking in front of an audience. He also reads a lot and has educated himself--and that's laudable. However, as Bennett says in the article, he doesn't seem to be very good at listening to people around him. Hey Beck--take a breath. Maybe even take a month or so off.
The entire article, "Saturday Night Beck," is worth the read. Here are some quotes from it.
Glenn is among the best talkers in the business of broadcast. I am not sure he’s a very good listener.
Does Glenn truly believe there is no difference between a Tom Coburn, for example, and a Harry Reid or a Charles Schumer or a Barbara Boxer? Between a Paul Ryan or Michele Bachmann and a Nancy Pelosi or Barney Frank?
A year ago, we were told the Republican party and the conservative movement were moribund. Today they are ascendant, and it is the left and the Democratic party that are on defense — even while they are in control. That’s quite an amazing achievement. But anyone who knows the history of this country and its political movements should not be surprised. America has a long tradition of antibodies that kick in. From Carter we got Reagan. And from Ted Kennedy and Barack Obama we took back a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, with midterm elections on the horizon that Republicans and conservatives are actually excited about, not afraid of.
The first task of a serious political analyst is to see things as they are. There is a difference between morning and night. There is a difference between drunk and sober. And there is a difference between the Republican and Democratic parties. To ignore these differences, or propagate the myth that they don’t exist, is not only discouraging, it is dangerous.
Excellent article. Beck's thesis of late, the drum he keeps incessantly banging, especially on his television show, is this one: a pox on all your houses. Frankly, I don't think that's terribly helpful. Yes, the Republicans and Bush made mistakes. However, to lump all Washington politicians together into the same wrong-headed group seems like lazy thinking. Beck, I love ya, but you need to sharpen up.
remarks about the Republican Party
The entire article, "Saturday Night Beck," is worth the read. Here are some quotes from it.
Glenn is among the best talkers in the business of broadcast. I am not sure he’s a very good listener.
Does Glenn truly believe there is no difference between a Tom Coburn, for example, and a Harry Reid or a Charles Schumer or a Barbara Boxer? Between a Paul Ryan or Michele Bachmann and a Nancy Pelosi or Barney Frank?
A year ago, we were told the Republican party and the conservative movement were moribund. Today they are ascendant, and it is the left and the Democratic party that are on defense — even while they are in control. That’s quite an amazing achievement. But anyone who knows the history of this country and its political movements should not be surprised. America has a long tradition of antibodies that kick in. From Carter we got Reagan. And from Ted Kennedy and Barack Obama we took back a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, with midterm elections on the horizon that Republicans and conservatives are actually excited about, not afraid of.
The first task of a serious political analyst is to see things as they are. There is a difference between morning and night. There is a difference between drunk and sober. And there is a difference between the Republican and Democratic parties. To ignore these differences, or propagate the myth that they don’t exist, is not only discouraging, it is dangerous.
Excellent article. Beck's thesis of late, the drum he keeps incessantly banging, especially on his television show, is this one: a pox on all your houses. Frankly, I don't think that's terribly helpful. Yes, the Republicans and Bush made mistakes. However, to lump all Washington politicians together into the same wrong-headed group seems like lazy thinking. Beck, I love ya, but you need to sharpen up.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Newt Gingrich: "My position was Reagan's position: trust, but verify."
Here's Newt Gingrich speaking at CPAC.
"Let's test the president's willingness to be bipartisan," said Gingrich. I'm sure Obama would give himself a solid B+. I would give him a fat F.
Why test Obama on bipartisanship yet again? I don't understand why Gingrich is willing to give Obama another chance at proving his plans to make a sick joke out of bipartisanship. How many chances should Obama get?
I honestly don't think Gingrich has much to say to conservatives anymore.
Update. So while Obama is planning his circus sideshow with the Republicans about the health crap bill, Harry Reid says he'll ram Obamacare down the country's collective throat in 60 days with 51 votes.
Reported at The Hill in the Blog Briefing Room: "Reid: Dems will use 50-vote tactic to finish healthcare in 60 days." Reid said in an interview, "I've had many conversations this week with the president, his chief of staff, and Speaker Pelosi. And we're trying to move forward on this."
So excuse me, but WHY would Republicans agree to meet with Obama next week on the health crapapalooza bill? Anyone?
Update #2: Here's The Hill's "Blog Briefing Room" with a discussion of the healthcrap bill and reconciliation: "Healthcare reform and reconciliation a bad mix, ex-parliamentarian says."
Here's a quote from Robert Dove, former chief Senate parliamentarian. Dove is now a professor George Washington University. "This process is not designed to do a lot of policy making and it would be very difficult to achieve a number of things that people want to achieve" in the healthcare reform legislation, Dove said. "This could be a very long, exhausting process."
Here's Newt Gingrich speaking at CPAC.
"Let's test the president's willingness to be bipartisan," said Gingrich. I'm sure Obama would give himself a solid B+. I would give him a fat F.
Why test Obama on bipartisanship yet again? I don't understand why Gingrich is willing to give Obama another chance at proving his plans to make a sick joke out of bipartisanship. How many chances should Obama get?
I honestly don't think Gingrich has much to say to conservatives anymore.
Reported at The Hill in the Blog Briefing Room: "Reid: Dems will use 50-vote tactic to finish healthcare in 60 days." Reid said in an interview, "I've had many conversations this week with the president, his chief of staff, and Speaker Pelosi. And we're trying to move forward on this."
So excuse me, but WHY would Republicans agree to meet with Obama next week on the health crapapalooza bill? Anyone?
Update #2: Here's The Hill's "Blog Briefing Room" with a discussion of the healthcrap bill and reconciliation: "Healthcare reform and reconciliation a bad mix, ex-parliamentarian says."
Here's a quote from Robert Dove, former chief Senate parliamentarian. Dove is now a professor George Washington University. "This process is not designed to do a lot of policy making and it would be very difficult to achieve a number of things that people want to achieve" in the healthcare reform legislation, Dove said. "This could be a very long, exhausting process."
Obama's Flippity-flip-flop
Why don't we hear this anymore--any reporting about the flip-flops of our currently in-charge administration. Oh, why ask why, since the answer is so obvious: In-the-tank journalistic malpractice.
However, Byron York in an opinion piece at washingtonexaminer.com is willing to look at Obama's latest flip about the effectiveness of Congress.
Here's what The Won said in a campaign fundraising speech in Denver on Thursday:
"Look, something you got to understand -- for those who don't believe in government, those who don't believe that we have obligations to each other, it's a lot easier task. If you can gum up the works, if you make things broken, if the Senate doesn't get anything done, well, that's consistent with their philosophy. It's a whole lot easier to say no to everything. It's a whole lot easier to blame somebody else. That politics that feeds on peoples' insecurities, especially during tough political times -- that's the easiest kind of politics. There's a long, storied history of that kind of politics."
Oh, this is hilarious on so many levels. How many votes "NO" did Obama make during his 147 days' career as the Junior Senator for Illinois? But now that he's president, evidently voting "No" as part of the loyal opposition is "gumming up the works" and "making things broken." Not to mention his swipe at the Congress "blaming somebody else"--has he actually not heard himself, about 10,000 times in the past year, blaming Bush for everything that's gone wrong in his own administration? Has he somehow forgotten that for the entire first year of his term, the Democrats had the majority in both the House and the Senate? You'd never know that from his statement.
As Byron York points out in his opinion piece, Obama's words in Denver are a striking flip-flop from his earlier statements praising Congress' ability to get things done. At a campaign speech fundraiser in California last October, Obama said this: "If we stopped today, this legislative session would have been one of the most productive in a generation."
Really? So which is it, Champ? York's opinion about the 180-degree flip-flop in Obama's complaint about the Congress not being able to get anything done is that Obama is talking about one thing: the inability of Congress to pass the health crap bill.
The fact is, when you hear the president and Democrats in Congress complain about not being able to get anything done, or about Washington being broken, they're talking about one thing: their inability to pass a national health care reform bill. Congress can do, and is doing, lots of things -- just not sprawling, omnibus "comprehensive" bills that are unpopular with the American people. (The same can be said for cap-and-trade legislation, now dead in the Senate.) If you put aside enormous bills that would re-order the American economy in ways the public does not want, Congress can do things just fine.
Why don't we hear this anymore--any reporting about the flip-flops of our currently in-charge administration. Oh, why ask why, since the answer is so obvious: In-the-tank journalistic malpractice.
However, Byron York in an opinion piece at washingtonexaminer.com is willing to look at Obama's latest flip about the effectiveness of Congress.
"Look, something you got to understand -- for those who don't believe in government, those who don't believe that we have obligations to each other, it's a lot easier task. If you can gum up the works, if you make things broken, if the Senate doesn't get anything done, well, that's consistent with their philosophy. It's a whole lot easier to say no to everything. It's a whole lot easier to blame somebody else. That politics that feeds on peoples' insecurities, especially during tough political times -- that's the easiest kind of politics. There's a long, storied history of that kind of politics."
Oh, this is hilarious on so many levels. How many votes "NO" did Obama make during his 147 days' career as the Junior Senator for Illinois? But now that he's president, evidently voting "No" as part of the loyal opposition is "gumming up the works" and "making things broken." Not to mention his swipe at the Congress "blaming somebody else"--has he actually not heard himself, about 10,000 times in the past year, blaming Bush for everything that's gone wrong in his own administration? Has he somehow forgotten that for the entire first year of his term, the Democrats had the majority in both the House and the Senate? You'd never know that from his statement.
Really? So which is it, Champ? York's opinion about the 180-degree flip-flop in Obama's complaint about the Congress not being able to get anything done is that Obama is talking about one thing: the inability of Congress to pass the health crap bill.
The fact is, when you hear the president and Democrats in Congress complain about not being able to get anything done, or about Washington being broken, they're talking about one thing: their inability to pass a national health care reform bill. Congress can do, and is doing, lots of things -- just not sprawling, omnibus "comprehensive" bills that are unpopular with the American people. (The same can be said for cap-and-trade legislation, now dead in the Senate.) If you put aside enormous bills that would re-order the American economy in ways the public does not want, Congress can do things just fine.
"Health Care Is Obama's Iraq"
Charlie Cook, editor, Cook Political Report. This comes from NationalJournal.com, "Insider Interviews."
Interviewer: If Obama has a communications problem as you suggest, then what should he do to reach out to the American people? Should he try to appear more populist?
[Good Lord, what an in-the-bag question--should he try to appear? Why doesn't Obama just try being who he is and then let the people vote him up or down--but I digress.]
Cook: I sort of reject the notion that there is a communications problem with President Obama. I think it's just fundamental, total miscalculations from the very, very beginning. Of proportions comparable to President George W. Bush's decision to go into Iraq. . . . when unemployment numbers started proving to be much, much tougher and it started becoming more clear that the stimulus package hadn't worked properly, they just kept plowing ahead on health care. And this isn't a communications problem. This is a reality problem. And I think they just made some grave miscalculations and as it became more clear that they had screwed up, they just kept doubling down their bet. And so I think, no, this is one of the biggest miscalculations that we've seen in modern political history.
Charlie Cook, editor, Cook Political Report. This comes from NationalJournal.com, "Insider Interviews."
Interviewer: If Obama has a communications problem as you suggest, then what should he do to reach out to the American people? Should he try to appear more populist?
[Good Lord, what an in-the-bag question--should he try to appear? Why doesn't Obama just try being who he is and then let the people vote him up or down--but I digress.]
Cook: I sort of reject the notion that there is a communications problem with President Obama. I think it's just fundamental, total miscalculations from the very, very beginning. Of proportions comparable to President George W. Bush's decision to go into Iraq. . . . when unemployment numbers started proving to be much, much tougher and it started becoming more clear that the stimulus package hadn't worked properly, they just kept plowing ahead on health care. And this isn't a communications problem. This is a reality problem. And I think they just made some grave miscalculations and as it became more clear that they had screwed up, they just kept doubling down their bet. And so I think, no, this is one of the biggest miscalculations that we've seen in modern political history.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Andrew Breitbart Destroys the Lamestream Media
“The tea party movement and the rebellion that you’ve seen in Massachusetts and across the country, is not because Barack Obama stinks as bad as he does. It’s because you oversold him and you undersold the last president. In the era of new media there’s checks and balances for the type of propaganda you serve up and if you think you can unring this bell… you’re wrong.”
“The tea party movement and the rebellion that you’ve seen in Massachusetts and across the country, is not because Barack Obama stinks as bad as he does. It’s because you oversold him and you undersold the last president. In the era of new media there’s checks and balances for the type of propaganda you serve up and if you think you can unring this bell… you’re wrong.”
Thursday, February 18, 2010
"Knock It Off!"
Today at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference), Dick Cheney made a surprise appearance.
"2010 is going to be a phenomenal year for the conservative cause. And I think Barack Obama is a one-term president." You go, Dick!
Cheney continued, "It's a remarkable time to be an American [when is the last time you heard that from anyone on ObamaTeam?] and a remarkable time to be a conservative." I love this guy because he absolutely makes the leftists heads explode--even more than George W. Bush. And I think Liz Cheney is definitely going places.
Today at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference), Dick Cheney made a surprise appearance.
"2010 is going to be a phenomenal year for the conservative cause. And I think Barack Obama is a one-term president." You go, Dick!
Cheney continued, "It's a remarkable time to be an American [when is the last time you heard that from anyone on ObamaTeam?] and a remarkable time to be a conservative." I love this guy because he absolutely makes the leftists heads explode--even more than George W. Bush. And I think Liz Cheney is definitely going places.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
What might have been--what they intended--
but then the American people woke up
Yet who could have guessed that a guy with no executive experience and a completely undistinguished 147 days as a U.S. Senator wouldn't have made a great president? If only we'd had a clue.
Frankly, I think this video is brilliant, although I don't know who put it together. It would make a great ad for the 2010 and 2012 campaigns.
I'm thinking The Won is looking pretty poorly these days. Just sayin'.
but then the American people woke up
Yet who could have guessed that a guy with no executive experience and a completely undistinguished 147 days as a U.S. Senator wouldn't have made a great president? If only we'd had a clue.
Frankly, I think this video is brilliant, although I don't know who put it together. It would make a great ad for the 2010 and 2012 campaigns.
I'm thinking The Won is looking pretty poorly these days. Just sayin'.
Update. In related news, this CNN poll just out (CNN? Wow): 52% of Americans* said Obama "doesn't deserve" a second term.
*This comes from a CNN Opinion Research Poll, conducted Feb. 12-15, 2010. It was an interview of 1,023 "adult Americans," including 954 registered voters. The poll was conducted by telephone, so maybe Pookie couldn't get off the couch to answer the phone. I'm only guessing.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Bye-bye, Brennan (You Dangerous Lunatic)
John Brennan (let's get his full title in here), Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Adviser for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism. It's time for this idiot to go. Although if ObamaTeam insists on keeping the guy around, then I guess we will be treated to more of his weakminded, jawdropping public comments about terrorism. And if Obama refuses to distance himself from this assclown, then at some point (like now, as far as I'm concerned), the statements coming out of Brennan's mouth belong as much to Obama as they do to Brennan.
On Saturday, Brennan told an audience at the Islamic Center at New York University that 20% recidivism rate for former Gitmo detainees is not that bad, comparing it to the 50% rate of U.S. prisoners. So evidently Brennan compares a terrorist who wants to blow himself up in an airplane over U.S. soil with someone who holds up a 7-11. Are we clear, Brennan? Crystal.
ObamaTeam had to put a muzzle on Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano for her impolitic public statements about the Underwear Bomber. They need to do more than just put a leash on Brennan. He should be fired. Although would that change anything but the public posture of ObamaTeam about criminalizing terrorism? Almost assuredly not. So maybe this guy ought to stay and keep speaking publicly.
Update. I was curious why John Brennan was speaking at ICNYU (the Islamic Center at New York University). According to the ICNYU website, "the White House" was invited to speak at "A Dialogue on Our Nation's Security" held at NYU. The video is posted on YouTube: "John Brennan Speaks on National Security at NYU."
Brennan thanks Dr. Ingrid Mattson, President of the Islamic Society of North America: "You have been a voice for the tolerance and diversity that defines Islam." Really? Tolerance that defines Islam. Wow. That came at about 00:45 on the video. I didn't go farther than that. Coming from the Deputy National Security Advisor, that's almost criminal stupidity.
John Brennan (let's get his full title in here), Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Adviser for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism. It's time for this idiot to go. Although if ObamaTeam insists on keeping the guy around, then I guess we will be treated to more of his weakminded, jawdropping public comments about terrorism. And if Obama refuses to distance himself from this assclown, then at some point (like now, as far as I'm concerned), the statements coming out of Brennan's mouth belong as much to Obama as they do to Brennan.
On Saturday, Brennan told an audience at the Islamic Center at New York University that 20% recidivism rate for former Gitmo detainees is not that bad, comparing it to the 50% rate of U.S. prisoners. So evidently Brennan compares a terrorist who wants to blow himself up in an airplane over U.S. soil with someone who holds up a 7-11. Are we clear, Brennan? Crystal.
ObamaTeam had to put a muzzle on Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano for her impolitic public statements about the Underwear Bomber. They need to do more than just put a leash on Brennan. He should be fired. Although would that change anything but the public posture of ObamaTeam about criminalizing terrorism? Almost assuredly not. So maybe this guy ought to stay and keep speaking publicly.
Update. I was curious why John Brennan was speaking at ICNYU (the Islamic Center at New York University). According to the ICNYU website, "the White House" was invited to speak at "A Dialogue on Our Nation's Security" held at NYU. The video is posted on YouTube: "John Brennan Speaks on National Security at NYU."
Brennan thanks Dr. Ingrid Mattson, President of the Islamic Society of North America: "You have been a voice for the tolerance and diversity that defines Islam." Really? Tolerance that defines Islam. Wow. That came at about 00:45 on the video. I didn't go farther than that. Coming from the Deputy National Security Advisor, that's almost criminal stupidity.
Health Care: They're Not Backing Down, Not By a Long Shot
If you think Barack Obama is backing off of the idea of jamming his health care crapopalooza down the American people's throats in 2010, then think again.
I have a spy who receives emails from BarackObama.com, sent by a guy named Mitch Stewart. This group calls themselves "Organizing for America."
From 6 Feb 2010: We're incredibly close. But too many in Washington are now saying that we should delay or give up on reform entirely. So we need to make it crystal clear that Americans understand the stakes for our economy and our lives, and that we want action. The email suggests that people get involved: write a letter to their local paper; post "this note" on Facebook [heh--believe me, Mitch, nobody I know on facebook gives a flying flip about politics]. Mitch tells his email buddies that they're in the fight of their lives to "pass real reform. . . . As President Obama reminded us all in his State of the Onion address, we're fighting for our families and our country--and we don't quit."
From 9 Feb 2010: Congress is weighing options and hearing plenty of special interest voices telling them to give up. They need to understand that their constituents want them to keep fighting.
Yes, Organizing, let's look at that. Rasmussen, who polls real voters, says that 61% of the American public wants Congress to start all over again on this craptastic health care bill. Fifty-eight percent of likely voters oppose the plan that's before Congress. You did get one thing right--you're in the fight of your lives to see this thing through.
Mitch at Organizing says that today, Feb 9, they are relaunching their health care action center "to give people all the tools they need to fight for reform"--link provided.
These leftists are like Whac-a-Mole--they just never go away. The 9 Feb email from Mitch and friends continues: "Many of our senators and representatives are working overtime to gather support for a final bill and pass reform, and they should know we're standing with them. And the rest need to understand their constituents [all 29% of them] still demand action."
From 11 Feb 2010: "As we head into an election year, the new strategy for killing reform is claiming that members of Congress who vote for it will suffer at the polls." Well, let's review, Mitch--say it with me: New Jersey, Virginia, Massachusetts. But if you want to believe that leftists who want to shove this crap bill through Congress are going to do well at the polls in 2010 and 2012, well, then, buddy--please, please keep suffering under that delusion.
Mitch continues to inform us: "The question is, come November, will the voters know the facts? OFA supporters have asked for a way to show every member of Congress that if they fight for reform now, we'll back them up this election season. . . . We're shooting for 1,000,000 hours pledged to spread the word to fellow voters. And if we get there, we'll publish the total hours pledged in USA Today so there will be no doubt that health reform is both good policy and good politics."
Meaning. . . they'll take out an ad in the paper? Or they'll get their leftist lapdogs in the lamestream press to publish their story? Will they publish anything if they don't make their million hours? Probably not. Something tells me, Mitch, it ain't gonna happen--you're just not gonna be able to "get Pookie off the couch" this time.
"President Obama has made it crystal clear [yeah, crystal] that he has no intention of walking away from health reform. . . . We've certainly faced setbacks in this fight ["setbacks" like the American people, who DON'T WANT this crap bill]. But as President Obama told OFA supporters last week, that only means we need to work that much harder."
I have a spy who receives emails from BarackObama.com, sent by a guy named Mitch Stewart. This group calls themselves "Organizing for America."
From 6 Feb 2010: We're incredibly close. But too many in Washington are now saying that we should delay or give up on reform entirely. So we need to make it crystal clear that Americans understand the stakes for our economy and our lives, and that we want action. The email suggests that people get involved: write a letter to their local paper; post "this note" on Facebook [heh--believe me, Mitch, nobody I know on facebook gives a flying flip about politics]. Mitch tells his email buddies that they're in the fight of their lives to "pass real reform. . . . As President Obama reminded us all in his State of the Onion address, we're fighting for our families and our country--and we don't quit."
From 9 Feb 2010: Congress is weighing options and hearing plenty of special interest voices telling them to give up. They need to understand that their constituents want them to keep fighting.
Yes, Organizing, let's look at that. Rasmussen, who polls real voters, says that 61% of the American public wants Congress to start all over again on this craptastic health care bill. Fifty-eight percent of likely voters oppose the plan that's before Congress. You did get one thing right--you're in the fight of your lives to see this thing through.
Mitch at Organizing says that today, Feb 9, they are relaunching their health care action center "to give people all the tools they need to fight for reform"--link provided.
From 11 Feb 2010: "As we head into an election year, the new strategy for killing reform is claiming that members of Congress who vote for it will suffer at the polls." Well, let's review, Mitch--say it with me: New Jersey, Virginia, Massachusetts. But if you want to believe that leftists who want to shove this crap bill through Congress are going to do well at the polls in 2010 and 2012, well, then, buddy--please, please keep suffering under that delusion.
Mitch continues to inform us: "The question is, come November, will the voters know the facts? OFA supporters have asked for a way to show every member of Congress that if they fight for reform now, we'll back them up this election season. . . . We're shooting for 1,000,000 hours pledged to spread the word to fellow voters. And if we get there, we'll publish the total hours pledged in USA Today so there will be no doubt that health reform is both good policy and good politics."
Meaning. . . they'll take out an ad in the paper? Or they'll get their leftist lapdogs in the lamestream press to publish their story? Will they publish anything if they don't make their million hours? Probably not. Something tells me, Mitch, it ain't gonna happen--you're just not gonna be able to "get Pookie off the couch" this time.
"President Obama has made it crystal clear [yeah, crystal] that he has no intention of walking away from health reform. . . . We've certainly faced setbacks in this fight ["setbacks" like the American people, who DON'T WANT this crap bill]. But as President Obama told OFA supporters last week, that only means we need to work that much harder."
Image from MoveOn.org (oops, that's OrganizingForAmerica.com)
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