LiveBlog for Monday, August 17, 2009
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT CNN TO LET THEM KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THEM BANNING TALK RADIO HOSTS FROM THEIR AIR, CALL 404-827-2600 OR SEND THEM A MESSAGE BY CLICKING HERE.
***Call the White House to let them know how you feel about health care reform… 202-456-1111
***Call Congress and let them know how you feel about health care reform. (202)224-3121
• The Rude Pundit (Lee Papa) calls in at 6:30am Pacific to talk about the madness behind the health care reform town halls.
• President Obama’s administration signaled yesterday it is ready to abandon the idea of giving Americans the option of government-run insurance as part of a new health care system. They left open the chance for a compromise with the GOP that would include health insurance cooperatives instead of a government-run plan.
• This weekend in Colorado, President Obama invoked his own anguish over the death his grandmother as he challenged the notion that Dem efforts to overhaul the nation’s health care system would include “death panels” that decided who would get care and who wouldn’t.
• Thousands of people, including many Special Olympians, lined the street Friday outside a Cape Cod church where a private funeral Mass was being held for presidential sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Her only living brother, Sen. Ted Kennedy, who has been battling brain cancer, was not planning to attend his sister’s funeral.
• Hurricane Bill became the first hurricane of the 2009 Atlantic season as it continued to gain strength but remained far from shore this morning. Claudette, on the other hand, became the first tropical storm to hit the U.S. mainland this year when it made landfall in the Florida Panhandle around 1:00 this morning.
Tags: Barack Obama, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Health Care Reform, Lee Papa, Rude Pundit, Ted Kennedy
This entry was posted on Monday, August 17th, 2009 at 2:50 am and is filed under liveblog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/03/10/old-glory-insurance-against-robot-attacks/
Goood mornin…aw who am I kidding, this morning sucks.
Oppressively humid and hot already. Get to work and my passcard STILL won’t let me in the office (they blocked access for all the contractors during the shutdown last week) and I’ve got a client coming in. I’m gonna look like a total idiot. Not looking forward to this at all. For some reason I’m in a real crappy mood, I almost snapped at some co-workers and I’m never like that.
How YOU all doin’
Sorry, I think this is a drive-by.
I’m so mad my teeth hurt. This talk about the democrats now dropping the public option is unacceptable. My party reminds me so much of Charlie Brown or the Stockholm Syndrome it makes me wonder why I donated so much during the last election. Don’t get a bill out before the break and let the republicans control the message and chip away at what could have been a land mark bill. Why did they start negotiating from the middle ground with the public option. Why did we not start at Single Payer. I was hoping they would do what was right, apparently they are too shell shocked to have a spine.
Please change the theme song back to “We’re not going to take it.”
Good morning, my blogging buds! Good morning, Team Steph!
So sad to hear that Ted Kennedy is not well enough to attend his sister’s funeral. It is clear that Sen. Kennedy is fighting for his life at time when the issue of his life is on the ropes. President Obama, shame on you for being willing to let the insurance companies win on the question of a Public Option. Please communicate with your Senators and Representatives that Insurance Co-Ops are not even a half-a-loaf solution.
Please change the theme song back to “We’re not going to take it.”
DITTO #4
4,6
I third that. Please, Stephanie.
The 4th plane should have been allowed to proceed to target.
wow man that’s hardcore…..
bill press is a stutter monster
#2 Hi, trojanrabbit. Sorry that your day is starting out so sucky. My advice to you is to start drinking heavily (not really, but I always liked that line from Animal House).
This will cheer you up (I hope). Wanna know how Peggy and I spent our 28th wedding anniversary (on Saturday)? By inviting seven of our filmmaking friends shoot our team’s 48 Hour Film Project in our home. It was a fun and unique experience. And the best thing was, we were able to finish the project in time for the turn-in deadline (7:30 PM Sunday) while still having a blast. The premiere for all entries is this Wednesday and Thursday in Columbus.
#5 “…Co-Ops are not even a half-a-loaf solution.”
Reminiscent of a Dickens scene. “Please, Mr. HealthInsuranceIndustry, may I have a few crumbs of reform after your banquet? I’m ever so hungry, as my outcast status has been classified as a pre-existing condition.”
Hey Paul, don’t let the turkeys get ya down.
and good morning to the rest of mondee morning early bloggers.
I have to step back from the minutee details of this healthcare debate. I am too emotionally involved. I’m just gonna hum here in the corner, *it’s a new day*
I’m holding on to the image from Barack’s description in his book of his mother at the dest for hours wrangling with the insurance companies in her last month of life. He does understand.
shaf, will you be posting this year’s entry?
he still needs to grow some balls on this …. he is letting far right steer the ship whish is weird cause the dems have the house , senate,and potus… so what dirt do they have on him ?
whish = which (sp)
10
I did drink rather heavily (for me anyway) on my week off, including a Friday morning buzz
12
He might understand. Unfortunately the “Democratic” “Leadership” doe$n’t care. Say what you will about the Rethugs, they knew how to get the rest of the party in line. Obama needs to start threatening Blow Dogs with loss of committee posts and withdrawing of funds … oh I forgot, wussy Reid doesn’t care either.
{Heavy Drum Intro}
WE’RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT
NO, WE AIN’T GONNA TAKE IT
WE’RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE
{Lead Guitar Enters}
WE’VE GOT THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE AND
THERE AIN’T NO WAY WE’LL LOSE IT
THIS IS OUR LIFE, THIS IS OUR SONG
WE’LL FIGHT THE POWERS THAT BE JUST
DON’T PICK OUR DESTINY ‘CAUSE
YOU DON’T KNOW US, YOU DON’T BELONG …
4,6, & 7 – I fourth it. I was fit to be tied.
I watched some of Eunice Shriver’s funeral Friday morning.
Maria looked so healthy (as opposed to too skinny) and she did a fabulous job. I’m thinking she could take over the world.
My favorite part was outside afterwards when Sarg shrugged off Arnold’s help. Wouldn’t look at him, wouldn’t take his help. oh, dear.
Hopefully Teddy only didn’t go because of the vulnerability to infection thing. I hope he hangs on. Ugh, his struggle is another reason this debate is so wrenching.
Rachel Maddow held her own against Army Dick on Meet the Press. Daschle could have been more assertive though with Coburn.
Mornin’ all! Had such a busy weekend I didn’t see any news at all… but judging by your posts, I must agree on the changing of the theme song!
#13 We’ll have a link (somewhere). Our Producer said she is clearing space on one of her sites. I’ll let you know when we have something. Our drawn genre was ‘thriller’ and the required prop was a large plant.
I’m sure Mama will be quoting Krugman’s Op-Ed from yesterday. Here’s the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/17/opinion/17krugman.html?_r=1&src=twt&twt=nytimesopinion
Hallo! In my opinion Harry Reid is the weak link in this chain. Any Majority Leader who has 60 Senators in his caucus but doesn’t also have a cushion of two or three leaners from across the aisle . . . well let’s just say he doesn’t know how to do his job.
Also IMHO, even if an “ideal” bill can’t be passed, it still needs to be marked up and put to a vote. The Dems need a showdown with the Repug bloviators record regarding a public option, i.e. put-up or shut-up. Yeah, maybe it WON’T pass the Senate, but make ‘em go on the record, make ‘em go back to their states and run for re-election after having voted against sweeping healthcare reform. Sure, the RW crazies will seem like heroes to their wingnut base, but it will hurt them with independents and seriously threaten some that are up for re-election in 2010. In other words, if they won’t respond to honey, then make them drink a bottle of vinegar.
This struggle is getting lots of attention in the European press. They just point at the USA and laugh!
Good morning, live blogospherians!
Last four days of vacation. (Why did summer vacations seem three years long when I was a kid, and now they only seem 20 minutes long?)
If the Democrats won’t fight for the public option, just when the ARE they going to fight????? Every one of them can go themselves.
Hmmm…bleep in those little less than and greater than signs doesn’t print here.
#24 That and Obama’s unrealistic desire to produce a bipartisan bill with the party of “no.” Screw the Republicans.
and another problem: it is not ok to wait for YEARS for changes to kick in.
We’re not gonna take it any more starting NOW.
I just played the MTP segment with Rachel ( http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/16/maddow-battles-dick-armey_n_260549.html ) and Dick Armey is, well, a dick.
I can’t believe a few loudmouths have the Democrats cowering like my beagle does when I say, “Bad dog.” Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, grow at least one pair between you!
I had an awkward What Would Hillary Do moment …though not a fan of hers, I do think she’d play hardball instead of this insipid consensus-building.
#31 It’s a proven fact that you can’t build a consensus with people who don’t want to build a consensus with you. Why the bleep don’t the bleeping Democrats learn this?
I just went to my Congresswoman’s web site. She has a health care bill survey. In the comments section I stated unequivocally that no public option was not an option.
Wrong music guys.
if they drop the public option, i will be giving serious consideration to changing my party affiliation to independent.
Um, I think you take the best of each country’s health care system and adapt it to our needs to make it uniquely American.
#35, fester, please consider what Dr. chairman governor Dean said last week: those who do not support meaningful health care reform can expect challenges in their primaries.
Not for profit does NOT mean they can’t make a profit.
They are ‘limited’ to the percentage.
BCBS of NC is a non-profit and yet they managed to give their CEO a 250% raise because they had to do something with the profits.
Blue Cross started as a co-op. The for profit insurance co.’s killed them until BC/BS turned itself into a for profit.
Dems act like battered wives.
Mama, I think we should take a deep breath. The Senate Finance bill is DOA. But it’s not the only bill. There are four others that will be merged. Baucus’ bill will be flushed down the toilet.
My daughter the nurse echoes this caller…but then there’d be fewer hospital beds filled…
Morning Blog! I’m in a mood too Steph.
It’s raining. I had a weird dream the other night that Katie Holmes was acting like a complete beyotch to me and Tom Cruise was being very consoling and trying to convert me to Scientology.
Happy Birthday to Robert DeNiro (66) and Sean Penn (49). Never knew that Madame Cicone had “robbed the cradle” so many years ago.
Nonprofit organizations may put substantial funds into hiring leadership and management personnel.
… since the late 1980s there has been a growing consensus that nonprofits can achieve their missions more effectively by using some of the same methods developed in for-profit enterprises.
Never believe AP. AP is Fox-in-print. It lies.
41 – Agreed this is what’s not being said in the media or town halls. It’s just one proposed bill.
Perhaps we should allow CAnadian-run co-ops in the US. That’s all global-markety and would get us lower-priced drugs and care…
We’re giving up so soon because we’re Democrats. We’re liked whipped puppies.
If we can’t win with 60 friggin’ votes in the goddamn Senate, this party is worthless. I’ll go back to being an independent, and the Dems will get zero money from me.
60 votes in the Senate isn’t the problem. In the end, cloture will be achieved under the threat of reconciliation. The problem is Baucus holding things up. But word is, he’s about to be bypassed.
There’s also the argument that because the Blue Dogs and Senate Conservadems are raking in money the longer this drags out, they’re dragging it out solely for the money. They may vote with us, they may vote against us, but as long as industry thinks they might go against us, they keep flooding them with money.
This is our call to arms. Obama is forcing our hand and is hoping the masses rise to the occasion like they did during the election. He wants us to get “mad as hell and we’re not going to take it any more”!! This is his next chess move in a game of strategy. The question is, will we cover his back??
#51 – not just a few. The same few, bussed from town hall to town hall.
Okay… I love this show normally., but ENOUGH with the negativity…
NOTHING has worked yet… the End of Life thing has NOT been dropped from any bill yet, given that Congress is on recess…
Obama doesn’t have much of a say as to what is or is not included in the health care plan. I know that sounds strange, but it’s true. What he’s trying to do is rouse the sleeping giant — progressives. He’s trying to make us pissed off enough to get out there and start demanding a public option. Instead, when you read liberal blogs, you hear whining and defeatism. Enough!
The co-op plan is, ironically, pretty much the Clinton Health Care Plan. In other words, it is better than nothing, but not good enough…
This isn’t over… instead of everyone whining about what they hear in the press, get off your asses, and call and write your Congressperson. They can only drown us out if we’re silent…
The public option isn’t dead, no matter what Nate Silver says. What will defeat us is all the whining…
A blog that doesn’t whine… http://www.pleasecutthecrap.com
#53 I wish ProducerChris would just shut up.
btw, good morning
The Sunday talk shows were SO depresssing. And WTF with discussion panels stacked with conservatives? It was worse then ever this week. Why does a party with about 30% popular support get 3/4 representation in every damn argument?
#58, because that 30% (generously) is the party of the people who run the media.
#58 Look at who runs the networks and who advertises on the networks.
If it was a trial balloon it worked for me. I’ve already contacted my Congressperson (again) and both Senators (again).
Caller has an EXCELLENT point. The MEDIA says public option is dead. The media lies.
Obama has backed off talking about the Public Option by name, but then goes and describes it in detail in his speeches and town halls. Sounds to me like he’s still pushing for it.
Single payer was off the table because it would have killed the bill immediately. It’s too expensive to do all at once. The public option will lead to single payer. And one of the reasons the right looks like it’s winning, is because a large swath of Democrats and progressives won’t get behind the public option, because they will only accept the brass ring. If we want a public option, we have to get fully behind the public option. PERIOD.
We are our own worst enemy…
Do something 101…sounds like a web site Democratic representatives and senators should visit.
#60, yeah, what part of cable news’ viewership is going to do business with Lockheed-Martin or Archer-Daniels-Midland? Those ads are there to maintain content control.
#55 I’ve called, almost everday; Baucus,WH,Susan Collins ’cause she co-sponsored the Compassionate Care Act, Burr, Hagan, Pelosi,Grassley
The same people that bus those losers around to townhalls probably have phone banks to call Congress too.
#63, yes, and when you’re selling a 2000 rupee rug in an Mumbai bazzar, you still start by asking 10,000 rupees knowing full well you’ll never get that.
Are they giving hearing tests over the stream?
Hiya, Bloggoes!
What public option?
#62
Absolutely. Obama’s strategy is to get us pissed off enough to get involved. Instead, all I hear is whining… it’s really frustrating. Obama only said that because he’s trying to get us to stop tilting at the single payer windmill, and get fully behind the public option. Instead, we cry “defeat” and retreat to the corner to suck our thumbs. Only six Democratic Senators have expressed negativity on the public option; that’s still 54 votes in the Senate…hmm… that sounds like enough…
I voted for the Dems to have a public option and have worked overtime to make sure my thoughts were known to all of my elected officials. I feel like I’m being sold to United Healthcare, Aetna, Humana. Yeech!
Dear President Obama: No public option because the GOP objects to it? Then good luck getting money and votes out of the GOP. You’ve gotten my last dime and my last vote.
TINITIS!
I can’t hear you, peter. There’s this ringing in my ears.
SPARTOON!
I blogged a while ago about why the insurance companies don’t want the public option. They’ve got monopolies in many cases. You can read about this here.
It’s all about protecting their market share. They will have to compete with a public option and they don’t like it.
And I just keep on laughing about those who say in one sentence that the public option will suck because the government can’t do anything and that it will destroy private insurers in the next. Which is it? If it really sucks, then nobody will take it. And if it’s going to destroy private insurers, then it won’t suck.
Did mama spill wine over the control board again?
#69, no, what you’re hearing is called “the stick”. It goes with the carrot. Gabby gives an example of “the stick” in #71.
69 — I think we should be being more activist about the health care we want, but Obama’s buckling. No need to suggest some “deeper game.” We do need to get out there & advocate for the change we want, though.
#75, I finally agree with one of Tony’s posts in full.
Surely a sign of the end-times.
parenthood is a life sentence.
#67
That’s not a valid analogy. Getting a bill through Congress is not like an Arabian bazaar. You can’t get the bill into a Committee without co-sponsors and a modicum of support. In other words, if you can’t get a rug made in the first place, it doesn’t matter how much you bid on it. You submit a bill that transfers $2.4 trillion of the economy to the government, and no one will ever see it, let alone offer amendments and compromise.
62/69: this is the same frutration mccain experienced, while running out of crazy old demented wastoid tactics. – “holy crap, what do i have to do to get the pods to vote for the young guy ?”
Anyway, I say ram it down their throats. They are not going to go along with you anyway, so do what you want, use whatever that process is to get bills approved without 60 votes in the Senate, and do it.
If someone constantly puts roadblocks up, then you go around those roadblocks or bulldoze them. You stop trying to get them to take them down.
And there needs to be some payback for bucking the President on this. Don’t direct your fire at democrats, because you need them. Direct it at republicans in even the most slightly vulnerable districts. Bring a dozen of them in, and say, if you don’t vote with me, you can kiss all stimulus funds goodbye. You won’t miss them since you voted against it anyway. So back me on this, or kiss it goodbye. And I’ll call the mayors and county execs in your area up and explain to them why they’re not getting their money.
Tony, your use of logic frightens and annoys me…or maybe that’s just the ringing, hard to say…
Is chris drunk?
not harm a hair on your head – it worked out fine for sampson.
76: Chris cut the live stream cable…local radio stations seem to work (KTNF is working for me)
77 — that’s my theory and I’m schtickin’ to it!
What the hell happened to the live feed? Just a screeching sound.
Hey, what happened to the online feed? Mama brought her box of wine into work this morning?
************# 55is right! We have to organize and fight back. We have to go and saturate the same way THEY are if we want to be heard. Bitching about it on our in forums to each other gets us nothing. We need to find a way to not give up and make ourselves heard. Our base hears it but we should all be posting or calling outside of our box. I just about ready to march…
#87 Yeah, I switched to WCPTs web site and it’s working fine.
60% of the overcharging in our system vs. the rest of the world is the excess overhead of Private Insurance. Not overpriced medical equipment, not medicare fraud, none of that crap.
the football analogy was perfect. – the instant the umpire failed to call a foul and allow a freethrow, they were admiting that the medium is the message.
The audio feed is so weird today. I can see some newbie engineer in front of a board saying: “I wonder what THIS switch does?”
They want universal coverage with all private companies which is the MA plan, that “has not achieved universal healthcare, although the reform has been a boon to the private insurance industry”
(http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/03/02/mass_healthcare_reform_is_failing_us/)
90/95: screeching on the live feed is listed as tactic number 34 in the town hall manual.
Is the feed going to get fixed? This is the only way I can listen to the show!
obama was “nazi-ing” the political value … ?
The StephStream problems are only with the StephStream. You can try Green960.com and try their stream. The affiliate streams and on-air signal are still okay.
And the next person who curses on this board will get banned.
ProducerChris
I think someone at Stephanie Miller Central is trying to teach us what it would be like to have tinnitus so we’ll stop complaining about the tinnitus commercial.
Here’s something a little bit of research turned up for me: Canada’s government run single payer system subsidized 70% of all health care costs. Here in capitalist, rugged individualist America, we subsidize much less — only about 46%. We already have government-run health care. What th’ heck is everybody so afraid of?
“I wonder if THIS is the switch chris told me never to touch.”
Here’s the thing: since the Republicans started carrying on cranky at the town halls, Obama’s and the Dems’ poll numbers have been RISING – and the Republicans’ have been FALLING. Small amound, but things are going our way. The Repubs are being very successful in increasing the noise level, but not successful in swaying the people.
Here’s the bottom line in all of this, in a nutshell…
Obama did NOT say that the public option was off the table. He said that he wasn’t married to it.
He’s challenging you to fight for the public option. Instead, what I’m seeing from progressives is a cry of “I’m gonna take my ball and go home.” Is that how we meet a challenge? No wonder we’re getting our asses handed to us by the right.
We still have three weeks before Congress even goes back in session. We can either be men and women, or we can be jellyfish. The choice is ours. Somehow, we think having a numerical majority in Congress is some sort of magical thing, and it’s not. We have to fight for what’s right. So let’s fight. Give it to them.
they dredge up reagan in order to focus on a “president” who strengthened the iranian mullahs AND the taliban. – they’re not certain dubya deserves both of those credits.
98 Close out the feed window; refresh the website and open feed window again. Got mine to work ok.
This is a test of the Spilled Box Wine System.
we’re just teasin’ chris. ktlk keeps inserting commercials in the middle of the stream.
who swore?
105 — Milt: How do you know what Obama’s thinking?
I wonder why so many people act as if there is no government run system. I think that McCaskill got it right. She asked people to raise their hands if they had Medicare. And then she asked them to raise their hands if they wanted to get off Medicare.
Guess how many hands came up for the second question?
Well, if the government can’t provide health insurance that’s worth a lick, then why didn’t everyone’s hand shoot up when they were asked if the wanted to get off a government program, Medicare?
studying yoga so I can be like a jellyfish. in search of peanutbutterfish.
Whoever producing for KTLK is suckin’. trying to squeeze in too much commercials & cutting off the reason to listen.
#111 — because he’s demonstrating a pattern, if you look at it closely. He’s been doing this all along…
He doesn’t have any POWER to order the public option dropped. The bill’s in Congress’ hands… He’s challenging everyone to get out there and work for change…
100/110: i was curious too – looked back to see if there was anything that resembled cursing… – maybe it was chris’ chance to be pivotal.
ah, but there’s a time and there’s a place.
#116 As I was venting, I said “gd” is so many words. I think that might be it.
The right is using the infighting on the left against us.
Democrats muddle a message? NEVER!
In the interest of fairness, we could provide the No Party with affadavits that state that they will not take the public option, accept social security, medicaid, or medicare. We could adjust their taxes so they don’t participate in the savings that result from the public option. That should make everyone happy.
Another thing that would be good is a mandatory limit on medical loss ratio (which is 100% minus overhead percentage). Medicare and the VA have medicare loss ratios of 97%. Private insurance between 67% and 80%.
Private insurance, when it went to for-profit, was more like 95%.
I understand that this cap is in some of the bills, but don’t know what the limit is.
Hello people
I just called the WH. Lines are packed. It is better to call the switchboard and ask for the comments line.
Switchboard is 202-456-1414
Perhaps we should send a message to Dems and change party afffiliation to Independent “en masse” this month. Maybe that will scare them into growing some balls and getting them to do what we elected them to do.
Health Care is a Civil right!!!
Just like in the fifties with the voting rights for blacks.
Blacks didn’t get their rights with the election of Roosevelt.
We are not going to get Universal health care with the election of Obama.
Universal Health Care will happen. We can pay 1 trillion dollars today or 3.5 trillion dollars in 2013 but it will happen.
It is not the time to get discouraged!!!
It is the time to get organized and energized!!!
Did blacks give up on civil right in the forties and fifties?
Yes! That’s the best call of the day!!!! Stop whining and start fighting!!
If we put all of our energy into pushing the public option, we can kick their butts. (is that better, Chris?)
Studies have been conducted that revealed that cursing actually reduces the pain that caused the cursing. If you hit yourself on the thumb with a hammer, cursing will reduce the pain. As a sailor, I’ve known this for a long time. I’m glad that science has finally caught up.
We shall overcome, we shall overcome,
We shall overcome someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall overcome today.
120 — and then we could give them vouchers to send their kids to private schools!
We are not afraid, we are not afraid,
We are not afraid today;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We are not afraid today.
HARRY REID IS WORTHLESS!
I called and asked for the address I could send some kitty litter ’cause the floor of the Senate has got to be a real mess with all the Democratic PUSSIES over there. UGHHHH!!!!
120: that could work. – just like the devout nazis who decline the benefits of the salk vaccine for poliomyelitis and other “jewish science”.
#118
That’s exactly what it is. Single payer isn’t happening. It’s off the table. But the public option can lead to a single payer system, so it’s the best option available. If we put all of our energy into that, we’re unbeatable. But we have to be 100% behind it…
Hi, ramaci! welcoe to liveblog land!
HR3200 is not hard to read.
And you should notice that in a 1017 page bill (with HUGE margins and a very very large font ….
The right has come up with only a very small number of LIES about what’s in it.
Each of the lies is EASY to refute … the pdf is searchable … so when they LIE … just ask which page … read that section … then DEBUNK AWAY.
It is not hard.
Anyone remember Blue Cross Blue shield? There’s the example of not-for-profit health care organizations.
134 — HR 676 will come up for vote when congress comes back in session — I think it can’t hurt to call your congressperson repeatedly and emphatically and tell them that’s what you want. lt is what I want.
128: it gets problematic thoe, if sailors just keep wielding hammers with insufficient co-oridination. – a much more constructive approach would be to just mainline a fix of spinach and go unleash a twisker-punch on bluto.
131: it especially gets messy when logan and francis get to fighting.
Nobody cares what your Facebok profile says. IT’S A WEBSITE! What matters is the calls you make, the disinformation you dispel, the actions you take.
You see, this is why the Democrats are a joke. Filibuster-proof majority, and you still get pushed around like schoolyard nerds, told what to do by the minority bullies…
#138, I understand that there is not one, but many, companies calling themselves BCBS – you can usually tell this because they’ve got some additional qualifying name. Some are non-profit, some are for-profit, some are the scummy kind of non-profit.
#136
I have debunked most of the lies on my blog. It was a long, hard slog, but it’s all over the media now… check it out…
http://www.pleasecutthecrap.com
Thom Hartmann plugs it almost every day…
We may have to accept incremental change. Let’s face it, fixing the health care system is a multi-tiered process. Maybe we attack the problem the same way we’ve attacked the economic downturn.
First get everyone insured. That’s got to be priority number one. Once that is done, then we can address the issue of WHO provides the insurance. First we need everyone to have it. That will cut costs out of the system right there. Of course, it will goose the insurance company’s margins because they won’t pass the $1K a year on to consumers. But at least they won’t be able to say take this ten percent increase in premiums and like it because there will be data that shows their costs did not rise at that rate.
141: i’m still glad that “the democrat party” is my friend on myspace.
#2—Hi Paul and all. Paul you’re probably suffering from Conservative Manipulation Syndrome. It’s what happens to people when they have consumed too much media which has been manipulated by the RW.
How many people read your blog vs. how many watch Fox News… Posting online will not change the world. The Internet is NOT mainstream media. You have to call Fox News and tell them to stop lying. You have to go before their cameras and debunk their lies. You have to challenge the right-wing teabaggers and make them choke on their lies.
I’m in favor of civility, so don’t get me wrong. But it does seem odd that a show that uses the bleep button like 100 times per day would demand that its biggest fans avoid all swearing. Just sayin’.
The bill LIMITS the use of end of life counseling to every five years; it doesn’t mandate anything…
Just saying…
#147, Fox News isn’t mainstream either. Broadcast news clobbers cable news.
148 — I’m in favor of the no swearing policy, it aids keeping the discourse civil. If you need to swear, go right ahead. just don’t type while you’re doing it.
#144—-Tony, the insurance companies are like OPEC. They will be happy to insure everyone, for a price.
Did you like $4 a gallon gas? No, of course not. But OPEC and the oil companies loved it. That’s how the insurance companies will happily give insurance to all. They won’t cut their bonuses. They will keep their bonuses and make more people like us pay for them.
148– I haven’t even seen any swearing… sorry I missed it…
What I learned at Camp O Saturday –
3 reasons I think the public option is still on the table:
To my concern I received a psssst and a ‘we are going to get health care reform’ this year. I asked…well what percentage of Americans are like those we are seeing on tv at the town hall meetings.
-The same fellow and now more of his colleagues looked at me ….’the percentage is almost negligable’….I said, so it will be like the protest against Sonya Sotomeyer…when the same sort called her a racist and then at the end, were just made to feel like fools – and watched her be sworn in anyway?’ ‘Yes.’
Another insider I heard speak but not at this event hinted that we were going to get health care reform, its just that we might change what it is called and we will get in no matter what, its just that we might take over the meaning of say the word…’Co-op.’
We know that now the drug companies are on ‘our side’ because the deal has been made, just like Obama’s presidency with Wall St in that Wall St backed the President…and so now the drug company…..
148: that was a prank. nobody ever located the implicit swearing.
” . . . love Hal Sparks . . .”
Uh, speak for yourself honey!
a voucher to send your kid to private school is like receiving a $5 coupon toward the purchase of a BMW.
151: one can certainly see where that benefits you more than it does people.
149—The bill merely says Medicare will PAY for such an appointment. It doesn’t say the person must have that kind of appointment with their Dr.
I read it. Page 425 of HR3200. Do a Google search for it and you’ll find a PDF version.
#147 — you can call Fox News until you’re blue in the face; they don’t care.
And I am not under the delusion that millions of people read any blog, especially mine. But if every blog started fighting the lies instead of taking a defeatest attitude, we could drown out Fox News…
1) Tasers can cause death
2) Despite how they’re billed (an alternative to lethal force), Tasers are primarily used to obtain compliance and to punish perceived disrespect. They are instruments of torture. Use in non-self-defense circumstances should have mandatory 10 year prison sentences.
149—and quite frankly, because that section was installed by a Republican, I am more and more certain that it is a Trojan Horse. The Dems writing the bill thought it was a gift. It’s not. Pg. 425 is a weapon.
New Brunswick, Canada is not an island. It borders the state of Maine!
the “christian-creationism” will only work until people are reminded of the vast variety of propaant DNA formats, thru oh, say…. animals.
159 …. exactly … AND that section LIMITS such consultations to one every 5 years.
The right LOVES to lie and claim such counseling is mandatory.
They are amazing LIARS.
#157, yeah, vouchers for private schools are nothing more than a give-away to people who ALREADY have their kids there.
/private school brat
OK, here is some news to cheer everyone up: Tom Delay is going to be on “Dancing With the Stars” this year!
164: actually, propagant, not propaant. i’m fine with hank hill making a living and all, but i meant “propagant”.
Has anyone every explained why there were no dinosaurs mentioned in the bible?? You’d think a T-Rex would have received a shout out!!
#165, limits REIMBURSEMENT for the consultation, not even limiting the consultation.
161–I have to agree. tasers can be used as a defensive weapon, but are almost used to humiliate people who demand to be treated with regard and dignity by the police. I think clothing with microfibers made of aluminum would short out the probe before it hits your skin.
There was an interesting article in the Sunday Washington Post Outlook section regarding the genius of the Republican party over the decades of being better at spreading lies via the media than the Democrats.
#162 — read the link I posted above. I actually debunk hundreds of right wing lies on HR 3200. If it hadn’t been page 425, it would have been something else.
By the way, cooperatives were what were at the heart of the Clinton Health Care plan… just sayin…
#20—Rachel was great. I only saw a few minutes of it but I loved the expression on her face of “You guys are nuts but I’ll wait my turn” as she waited to hear what the other side said.
167 — no way. not funny.
#169 Not to mention some of those large herbivores.
#169, the Bible does mention giants. But it mentions people who bred with them. Which might explain the Lizard People!
in genesis, it states “there were giants in the land in those days,” which some interpret to mean large people and others interpret to mean large predators, but could mean dinosaurs.
#169 — and why were there seemingly no dinosaurs on the Ark??
167: that IS delightful – tom delay being chased by ninjas. – any chance of rush limbaugh on “so you think you can float” ?
#165—They are amazing liars is correct.
#169 – the real loons claim that Behemoth was a dinosaur
174 …. It was GREAT!!!
I loved how she STARED at Penis Air force, I mean Dick Army, ever time he spoke.
slesaks were obviously the cross between humans and dinosaurs.
#178 — Of course, Genesis also has God creating woman twice…
just to correct the comment on the Canadian province of New Brunswick…it is not an island. The province of Prince Edward Island is – an island!
175- Come on- how can that not be funny? I can’t wait to see him lumbering around to music.
Dick did his best, but he couldn’t open his mouth without lying and her stare underscored that and seemed to turn him into a quivering mess.
While I’m a big supporter of end-of-life counseling options, I think they are expendable in this case. A public option is more important in order to bring health care coverage to more people, and to help keep health care cost lower.
169: in some hypermodern translation, there is a “snake” mentioned where there ott have been a serpent. serpents are dragons.
is rhode island an island?
169—There are no kangaroos, Wooly Mammoths, or beavers mentioned in the Bible either. And yet science tells us they all exist or existed.
Science. It’s evil!
brunswick island is in the north carolina outer banks.
It’s not the Senate dropping it, it’s the Senate Finance Committee bill (which hasn’t even been released yet, because Baucus is being a turd).
IIRC there’s one more Senate bill, as well as at least two House bills (including the tri-committee bill).
178 … that’s it?
You’d think God would have gotten angry just once and had a heard of Aptosauraus crush a village or something.
And no Dinos on the ark? not even little ones??
#172—That’s not a quality any person or party should aspire to imitate.
187 — I am a fan of the show, but I may not watch this season until after that drunken slime bucket is voted off.
189 … true … you could drop the end of life counseling coverage, that entire section is about 10 pages, but the LIE about it became 95% of the “debate”.
Add it back later
#185, it also has God creating the world twice, in different orders. And it has two different sets of Ten Commandments.
That’s because it’s several religious traditions merged into one – the oldest portions are Samaritan (which was a literate state over 100 years before Judah was), and on top of that, it’s further complicated by the fact that two distinct deities, El (the universal Semitic father-sky deity) and Yahweh (the “outsider” national deity, cognate with Ba’al & Marduk) were combined into one, leading to the distinct “E” and “J” texts.
Box-o-wine
fruit of the vine
when you gonna let me get sober?
Leave me alone
Let me go home
Wake me up when it’s all over.
There is no definitive list of creatures on the ark. there might have been dinosaurs both large and small. But why did Noah bring mosquitoes, small pox, ebola, nematodes, and republicans along?
Actually, once those vouchers went through, I saw a boon in pre-K to 8 ’schools’ being set up. So the impact went much further.
I love Creedence!
#195
Well, the carnivores would have eaten every other animal, and the herbivores probably would have eaten the ark itself; a boat that size would never have had enough food for that many dinosaurs for 40 days…
And that’s why it should be dropped, so the old folk, who are covered by medicare, don’t have a hissy about it, and a real debate can take place. Yep, bring it back as a senior services benefit later, with support from the AARP.
#195, there were green alligators and long-necked geese, humpty-backed camels and chimpanzees, rats and cats and elephants as sure as you’re born – but neither dinosaurs or unicorns.
177: you mean perhaps the nephalim ? – if so, it;s a classic problem. a nephala was the ancient mediterranean parallel to the modern repugnican. – they were never meant as literal giants. – in any and all passages about them, they were giant consumers of reasources. – noah had to ask for concensus on whether one of his own kin was a nephala. – it would have been bizarre if noah had to ask whether that person was a literal giant – a bit like steve martin’s police test with the baloon to see if you’re small.
Why do they torture us with John from Amherst? ick.
Spiffy, let’s not act like the insurance companies aren’t giving up anything. Keep in mind that they will no longer be able to drop people when they get too expensive and that they will no longer be able to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions.
That last one is huge. Right now, we’ve got things like adult onset diabetes and other medical conditions that insurance companies use to deny coverage. Taking that away from them is big.
199 … I’m just impressed that God created heaven and earth in the DARK. He creates light only after creating everything else. What a show off.
197, I am guessing he’ll be the first to go. I wonder which scantily dressed female they’ll pair him up with?
#204 So, the story of Noah is not a historical account? Now I know how the Thermians (from Galaxy Quest) must have felt.
179: the velociraptors were securely staged in acacia wood cages, right next to the unicorns.
There’s a “definitive” collector’s edition of Woodstock that includes a very good CCR set.
#206… I’m wracking my brain trying to remember the title of that song… help me here…
Oh shuddup, John!
Oh, get I wish this RW fool would shut his pie-hole!
195—-according to the OT when God got angry he either wiped out people himself, or sent the Israelites over in war to wipe out a people.
That is the justification Bush used to invade Iraq and haphazardly kill civilians. They are just Muslims, therefore God is not on their side and God wants them gone, according to the RW advisers to the WH.
Where that is written in the New Testament I don’t really know, but Bush was wrong about everything so it’s pretty easy to assume he’s wrong about killing Muslims too.
I don’t pretend that insurance companies won’t use the drop in costs due to not having to pay for the uninsured to do anything but to goose their margins. But forcing them to cover everyone is a start.
The Dems will be fine.
A bill will pass that will prevent insurers from dropping you when you are sick, and stop them from excluding you for preexisting conditions.
Most American will cheer those aspects because those are what scare the masses.
The GOP will still vote NO.
The DEMS will run on this in 2010 and 2012 … and win.
189: the main problem with end-of-life counseling is how many people should use it as an alternative to kindergarten.
198—Just drop it. Don’t most people prefer to discuss that with their families instead anyway?
I’m telling ya, it was a Trojan Horse.
Universal Health care will happen; the only difference is how much we are going to pay for it, 1 trillion now or 2.5 trillion later.
#153 After re-reading all the posts, I think an early remark by LeftCenter probably prompted ProducerChris’s warning.
BTW, in his wonderful comedy bits our hero Jim often includes German words that if said by a child in Frankfurt might win them a trip to their room. I find this delightful.
In a related matter, Der Spiegel has an article today about free speech. Under German law it is illegal to slur your political opponents by calling then “Nazis” or invoking related imagery. But because this practice has become so common in places like the USA, it is OK to report on this activity as long as it is expressed in English.
215, I think its Unicorn Song, Shel Silverstein.
Hillary not give up? That’s a pile!
Most of Obama’s loss of approval from his inauguration has been among Republicans.
When new presidents come in, the opposing party gives him a brief grace period. But that support quickly erodes.
Obama had almost 50% approval among Republicans. He now has like 10%. That translates to a 7-8% national approval rating drop – most of the drop. His support among Dems and Indies is almost the same as on inauguration day.
oh dear, my once-transient What Would Hillary Do retrospective musing is turning into REGRET…I really hope Obama and crew STEP UP. or SLAP DOWN
The Nazi party left Germany and set up shop in the USA.
#224 If it’s the early message, please not that not one expletive was typed. In fact I put the word bleep between greater than and less than signs, but apparently that doesn’t print. So, no I did not curse.
What Dems have to be made to realize is that, if they pass that thing, they will have performed a veritable social trifecta. Health insurance reform is the Civil Rights Act of the 21st Century.
222 — agreed, it’s not that big a deal in the long run, though it’s a nice idea.
#215, it’s just “The Unicorn Song”. A staple at Irish pubs with crappy music.
#230 should read “please note.”
Food for thought: whether they are telling lies or not, they are organized, and we are not. Who really cares about whats on your FB or Twitter? I was at the Michigan Dream Cruise over the weekend, were people drive their souped up old cars down Woodward Ave. There were people driving around with signs about how Public Option leads to Abortion, which kills, blah, blah, blah, drives up trillions, “kill granny” pay for illegals… They were everywhere…. There were no “supporters” even passing out flyers in support of anything.
We can’t give up on our team, because it is who we have, but we have to find a way to stay ahead of this ugly game.
Wasn’t it the group the Irish Rovers that inflicted “The Unicorn Song” on our culture circa 1973?
220 – The insurance company doesn’t have to drop you, but they can charge you a higher premium for converge.
Okay, folks, I am out. Later, skaters!
Hey Dems … while we fall apart … the right falls in line.
The right knows that to get what you want on any time scale, you need to be in control of the government … so they line up … they rarely bicker … and if they get control, they hang on.
We don’t seem to have the discipline to do the same.
BS less than 1% goes toward paying malpractice. BS BS BS BS!!!!!
#236 They had the “big” recording of it.
195: obviously, much of the emphasis after genesis was on yahweh (who was very redy-made for TMZ ["make sure you spell my name right - MY NAME IS YAHWEH, AND I AM AN ALCOHOLIC !!!]). – and yahweh did not so much GET angry as stay angry and avoid the rush.
You pay a copay!
#219—can’t force them without also regulating what they pay their executives. Do you think that kind of a bill will pass Congress? No way in h*ll. Rush and his goons would be on the radio yelling “Communists, Communists”. Therefore, to avoid that whole mess, Dems need a workaround and that workaround is a public option.
My friend works in a hospital as an administrator. Do you know that at her hospital they serve about 60 insurance companies and each company has about 10 plans.
That is 600 plans at this hospital that have to be billed correctly. THAT is part of what drives up costs: administrative workers shuffling the details of 600+ plans.
The public option would be much simpler and that would drive costs down and increase payments to providers. That scares the crap out of the insurance companies. They WANT to keep it complex. They LOVE the complexity!
I don’t like to brush groups with a large brush, but right now I can’t see anything but selfishness and greed when I look at any Republican.
201: the reason for bringing along the repugs and the ebola is as yet confidential, but trust me, this is going to be fun to watch.
It is not the time to get discouraged!!!
It is the time to get organized and energized!!!
#230 No complaints from me about your language, LC, but I wonder if it was post #49?
242 — yahweh is angry all the time because humans are so STUPID.
“Colonel Tom Edwards: …Why, a particle of sunlight can’t even be seen or measured.
Eros: Can you see or measure an atom? Yet you can *explode* one. A ray of sunlight is made up of *many* atoms!
Jeff Trent: So what if we *do* develop this Solanite bomb? We’d be even a stronger nation than now.
Eros: [with disgust] Stronger. You see? You see? Your stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!
Jeff Trent: That’s all I’m taking from you!
[pistol-whips Eros upside the head] “
dennis miller may sue over the premature chuckling a bit at one’s own remark, if obama starts doing it when nothing is funny.
Bill Moyers Interview Wrap up is best solution is to extend Medicare to Age 55
TRUDY LIEBERMAN: We are having the same debate, almost, that we had in ‘93-’94. And it’s something I’ve written about for the Columbia Journalism Review. It’s actually the same debate we’ve had decades before. And it’s the unwillingness to look at what we could learn from other systems. Single payer, multiple payers, as they have in Germany and Japan. Or even in the Netherlands, where there are private payers. What’s really happening there?
So, I think there’s an unwillingness on the part of politicians– on the part of advocacy groups, some advocacy groups, to really educate Americans on what the possibilities are. And we at C.J.R. have been saying we really have not had a vibrant discussion about other possibilities.
MARCIA ANGELL: I think we have to start all over on this. I really do. I think we have to go for a single payer system. You could institute that gradually. You could do it state by state. You could do it decade by decade. You could improve Medicare. That is, make it nonprofit. But extend it down to age 55 and age 45 and age 35. It would give the private insurance industry a chance to go into hurricanes, earthquakes or something. To get out of the health business. It could be done gradually. I think that has to be done. And it’s the only thing that can be done.
BILL MOYERS: The story goes on and we’ll continue to talk about it in the months to come, alright? Marcia Angell, Trudy Lieberman, thanks for being with me on the Journal
See this Bill Moyers interview
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07242009/watch.html
once again i think somebody has something on the Obama admin .. why else would they be acting like this???
caio
243 — No, you!
#248 That’s kind of what I’m assuming…the “gd” explicity stated.
America, America, God shed his “Jerry Springer show participants” on thee…
“end of life counseling” only allows the doctor to apply for reimbursement if the patient brings it up. The alternative would be for the doctor to do it free or to refused to do it because it’s not reimbursed. It doesn’t require counseling. Obviously, you should discuss it with your family as well, but families hardly ever can tell you what options there are for pain control (for example) or what body systems are likely to fail. That’s why you need to involve a doctor in the mix. My family knows that I want to be cut up with a chainsaw and fed to the wolves when I die and I’m not going to discuss it with my doctor because it’s probably illegal.
And another thing: If we let the insurance companies have their way with us, and we regulate their costs, how do you think they can then sabotage that kind of coverage? Let me count the ways:
1. They can reduce payouts to providers to increase profits. Then the Right will say “Obamacare is a failure”. People will die because their specialist won’t take the low payment from their insurer.
2. They can increase profits by increasing copays each year.
3. They will still be in charge of deciding who gets coverage for what. If one child dies because “Obamacare” won’t grant her a bone marrow transplant (because they will blame Obama and the Dems for any resulting deaths), then the Right will use that against Dems in elections to come.
President Obama needs to do more than signal a public option is still possible. He needs to fire Sebelius and then come out and make a very pissed off speach outlining what he expects from congress. TAKE A STAND MR. PRESIDENT!
#247
“ramaci says:
August 17, 2009 at 6:38 am
It is not the time to get discouraged!!!
It is the time to get organized and energized!!! ”
about what ? 30 cents off your next doc visit cupons?
Obama has to make a stand .. just like cameron did in ferris beuler ’s day off..
204: much as human travel to jupiter or beyond would depend on some (as yet unattained) feasible form of suspended animation – much of the time spent on the ark was made feasible by the witch of endor, who used a special tactic to temporarily turn them into newts. – okay you tricked it out of me – this is one of the reasons they had to have repugs.
Chris, consider the New Brunswick comment to be the caller’s ‘Lincoln Log’ issue and cut him some slack, ‘kay?
#262 Chris seems to be a little edgy today.
210: hmmm….. a cat as creator. – that would explain why there’s so much schadenfreude in the universe.
235—-You have to go to MoveOn.org or to healthcare.barackobama.com . There are many ways to get involved.
Chris – you gotta play the drunken DeLay clip
Okay people…
Calm down…..
Obama hasn’t said anything about dropping the public option…
What he has said is that he would not sign a bill without a puublic option……Until he comes out with a statement that changes this tenet we need to stop getting upset and treating these LIES as if they are the truth…
Lawrence O’Donell had it right on Friday when he wouldn’t listen to that demon Senator’s LIES and demanded to stick with the point and the truth….
We are taking something that is vitally important to this country and treating it as if it were a game… the Republicans have been in this mode of winning and losing for years. Everylthing has to be a win for them or a loss for the Democrats and we are getting distracted by their drive for revenge from that Azzzz kicking they took in Nov and the 1 they are going to take next year….
a ray of sunlight is made up of photons. These particles are released when an electron moves from a higher level of energy to a lower level of energy. photons have mass but are known as “wavicles” because if you try to prove scientifically that they are waves, they will behave like waves. If you try to prove scientifically that they are particles, they will behave like particles.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Terri_Schiavo_protest.jpg
these are the same people out there today yelling.. i dont see any hitlers …..
#245—That’s what I see too. That’s the only kind of Republican I’ve ever met.
Obama is good for speaking on high ideals
but when it comes to putting them to practice he’s helplesss
Why doesn’t he let Michelle handle this turn some heads or other
It now becomes clear that he doesn’t have “it” – which means being a fighter, that’s why more or less he doesn’t take the aggressive stance
#266 Sav-sav-ver-re-gy
212: it is historical, but the very best accounts of the impressive rescue efforts of dubya during and IMMEDIATELY after hurricane katrina are, like those accounts, written on very sawgy papyrus, or held by dead witnesses.
short for “cat’s ass”
267#
”
Okay people…
Calm down…..
Obama hasn’t said anything about dropping the public option…
What he has said is that he would not sign a bill without a puublic option……Until he comes out with a statement that changes this tenet we need to stop getting upset and treating these LIES as if they are the truth…”
ok .. he still needs to take control of all of this …
“L” yeah!
#268, photons don’t have mass – though the energy they carry bends spacetime as well.
My cats never do that kind of thing.
My cats are nice.
That’s an L of a story.
268 & 277 — are you guys arguing the science of Plan 9 From Outer Space?
OMG! The Bug-killing Dwarf King on Dancing? I hate reality teevee!
This version of “Healthcare with the stars” brought to you by the letter “L.”
Jim isn’t understating. There’s a bacterium in cats’ mouths that can collect in your heart valves, release toxins, and KILL you. Something like 5% of cat bites require hospitalization. This is in addition to the bacteria on the claws that cause “cat scratch fever”.
A former member of my reenactment group recently died from a cat bite.
If a cat bites you, and breaks the skin, go to a doctor who understands the issue immediately.
#279 *rimshot*
#268/277 PeterW is correct. Photons do not have mass. If they had mass, they would be matter. In fact when mass is converted into energy, much of that is in the form of photons. That’s the flash when the nuclear weapon explodes.
#251 I brought up that Bill Moyers interview last week and agree that it is a great resource. I’ve had about 10 days to think about the idea of gradually lowering the age for Medicaire eligibility and the more I think about it the more sense it makes. Thanks for the link.
can obama describe the ruckus ?
Somehow I thought in a back room in Washington somebody would have said “Either we get healthcare reform or Cheney gets a special prosecutor to look into torture and other charges.”
BTW… message for Steph… ALSO on DWTS… Donny Osmond!
Not that I will EVER watch that crap, of course…
#283 Yes! Ask my wife about blood poisoning caused by a cat bite. The mother of the litter that we rescued bit her. Took her several weeks of antibiotics to clear up.
#289 Let’s hope he does better than Marie did.
The Sparta option is still on the table!!
292 — Donny moves pretty good. He was the white mormon Michael Jackson, after all.
Or they’ll just spread that cost over all of us. Until the medical loss ratio is capped, or until we get a public option, insurance companies will continue to gouge us.
#291.., but according to the loons on the right… if you’re under 30 and don’t WANT health insurance… the rest of us should pick up the tab….
How do you email secretary of HHS Sebelius?
Now is the time for the quick brown fox to jump over the lazy SPARTA!
for centuries before the stories of the bible were written out by scribes, or before there was a written hebrew language, these tales were passed along from one levite to another, similar to the “books” in Fahrenheit 451–people who memorize books and then pass them along in old age to younger people. Parts get forgotten, issues that seem dramatic to an individual get punched up and issues of lesser importance get abbreviated. At last, a man lost at sea for three days is change to a man in the belly of a great fish for three days. A man who was castrated and lost his strength is said to have had his hair cut. An essential truth about mortality gets converted into a fruit of a tree. Pubic hair gets changed to fig leaves. The marshes along the Euphrates are converted into a Garden of Eden. A fire during a drought is turned into a flaming sword driving them out of the garden. There’s a lot of truth in the historical passages of the bible, but it begs you to interpret them with all your intellect.
Sparta!
Sparta!
Sparta!
spartoon
283—I’m sorry about your friend. Yes, cat and dog bites can be dangerous.
Sparta is an asteroid. It falls to earth, explodes into 300 pieces, and brings THE FIRE!!!
way to go, shane-o… I just missed it… damn…
218: it’s in there in too many places to name. much mo betta, rabbi hillel summed it up in saying that the golden rule (goes back at least to confucias) is the whole basis of conscientious living, and that the entire mishnah and gemara (yes, the one who fott against godzilla !) are merely attempts to codify them for application to more specific situations. WWHD
Congrats, Shane-O!
I like the idea of tort reform myself.
Caller is correct. I’ve called; Baucus, WH, Conrad, Sherrod Brown, and emailed WH.
Mr President,
Please, please, please do NOT give up on the public option!
The MA plan relies on private insurance companies and “it has not achieved universal healthcare, although the reform has been a boon to the private insurance industry.” (http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/03/02/mass_healthcare_reform_is_failing_us/)
The REpubliTARDS have been wrong on: 1) AUG 6th PDB that led to 9-11 ; 2) Iraq War; 3) Leave no child behind; 4) Hurricane Katrina response; 5) tax cuts for the rich did NOT stimulate job creation or economy; 6) torture; 7) Medicare prescription drug benefit for the insurance companies and pharma; etc….
Please don’t let the tens of millions that voted for you be held hostage to the few that show up at townhalls, which are even fewer than showed up to the Bailin’ Palin rallies.
#306 – that was my first Sparta… finally broke my Sparta cherry
223: a welcome and a kudos to ramaci. well said.
#299, this presumes that the stories are ancient. Instead, much of the Bible dates to the 7th century BCE, and was a conscious attempt to invent a Judahite claim over Samaria, which was ripe for the taking with the decline of the Assyrian Empire. This the myth of the “united Davidic kingdom”.
Similarly, you scenario imagines a single tradition, when the textual and historical evidence indicates several traditions merged at a very late date.
Shane-O! Congrats!
Shane-O gets the crown!
224: so you mean cock-ring on his breath is just coincidence ? – again ???
I already feel sorry for DeLay’s partner; Terrible Tom can’t NOT step on people’s toes.
To get that gig on ‘Dancing with “Stars”/Bores’ he must have one heck of an agent. Wonder if Bergeron will bring up his role in sweatshops, sex trade and forced abortions in the Mariana Islands? Of course his racist friend Jack Abramoff will be in the audience to explain. Oh, wait, he’s in a federal pen. Maybe they can link to him via satellite so we can see how he looks in an orange jumpsuit.
anyone who favors tort reform is welcome not to sue when the doctor cuts off the wrong leg or removes the wrong ovary.
#310—the MA plan stinks. There are still uninsured in MA.
See, this is what I mean…
Obama decides to be squishy on the public option, and people call the WH. NOW, he can go to Senators and call them liars when they try to claim there’s no support for the public option.
The key is to NOT give up. The key is to fight harder..
#265 I belong to move on…. The event is over now but I guess that’s what I am saying. Move on and other progressive groups aredoing what to get the truth out? Donate so we can put out a commercial. We need tables at fairs, billboards, door knockers, fact checkers all around. It’s like when we “won” we closed shop and THEY just got rabid. I urge you all to contact you local progrssive branch and see what you can do to help to right these wrongs, fax your local congess person, blog your local paper. We have to do this.
Morning all! In case this hasn’t been mentioned, here’s a link to email the WH
http://www.whitehouse.gov
Congrats Shane-O! Is this your first Sparta?
321. why bother? Just move to canada. let the americans destroy themselves.
318—Well it was up to the patient to write directions on their leg or tummy with a permanent marker. Geez people! Take some responsibility for your health!
(I think I will talk like a Republican for the rest of my time here today. I am Elizabeth from The View.)
#318 I reserve the right to sue, I’ll give up the ability to be stupid greedy.
#319 Not only is there 2.6% uninsured, the state subsidizes the poor to pay for premiums which means insurance companies get the money, but then they raise the copays so poor end up not going to doctors ’cause they can’t afford copays = insurance companies get money but don’t have to pay on any claims. BS BS BS!
224: one of the greatest names of all time is “horst fascher”.
i love that name. – it is also the name of the only person to urinate upon a beatle in public. – and rightly so. – the man was a bouncer for the beatles. john lennon, in heat of a disagreement, called horst a nazi. bad move; horst family had at great risk, hidden people from the nazis. as a result, horst became one of the very first people to flood the beatle phenomenon with liquid assets.
#275: Take control of what????
Congress has the responsiblity of writing the Insurance/Healthcare reform bill. THAT IS WHAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW. Several committees are drafting a bill from several previously developed artifacts and some new stuff. They do not have the bill developed yet. Much to the surprise of many skeptics out there. The GOVERNMENT is really working. This is the 1st time in many years that our Congress has worked so hard in such a small time. THIS TIS THE LEADERSHIP of Barack Obama… He gave them a SHORT FUSE (which was impossible to achieve)… and he has them to the point where a final proposal will be coming out soon…
All of this other shiggidy are distractions designed to influence what is in the final bill and it isn’t working…. Obama knows that if he gives in to his tenet that he will be a one term president and the Democrats know that they will be starting another 12 year struggle to get back in power.. He also realizes that 3 million FOX viewers pale in comparison to 309 million Americans out there, many millions of them needing insurance/healthcare reform…
Only FOX viewers are dumb enough to believe that 3 million of them are going to dictate to 309 million…
Calm down and make sure your legislatures understand that no bill shall come out from congress without the 8 tenets defined by the president which include the public option…
#327—(Me channeling Elizabeth again): But that supports business and business give people jobs! It’s OK for the gov’t to give money to businesses. That’s American!
one great story about removing the wrong leg. At one hospital, the leg to be removed was marked with a big X in magic marker so the doctor would know which leg to remove. Across town at another hospital, the leg NOT to be removed was marked with a big X in magic marker so the doctor would know which leg to leave alone. Almost all the surgeons in town had privileges in both hospitals and so they had to have a notepad with them to keep track of which hospital put X’s on which leg. This effort at quality control resulted in exactly the same number of errors as no effort at quality control.
#321 — You’re right. I’ve been fact checking the bejesus out of the RW claptrap on the health care bill, and it’s being passed around everywhere… I’ve been on a couple of radio shows to talk about it, and Thom Hartmann mentions me every day lately. The word is out there, but we ALL have to do out part. I don’t care if people go to my blog, print it out and hand it out at Town Halls… just get the word out, and get everyone to call Congresscritters…
330 — so true — hate people, love money pumps.
Orrin Hatch sound like he just finished a meal of drywall
249: that’s the causality ? – so do you really imagine that if humans were not such stupid mimes, yahweh would suddenly become as gentle as a kitchen ?
Ewe, Orin Hatch.. leaves a spackel or paste on my ear canals. What an asshole!
Oh, yeah, good morning fine BloggonMookenators!
Orrin Hatch. IJTUIMMALB.
326–the amount of money awarded in a tort case is determined by the jury, not by the lawyers or the plaintiff or defendant.
255: you cant seriously think that lavort is that puppyhumping lame.
#332—Well I just think most Americans are happy with their American health care system and the minority should not dictate to the majority of Americans. So there.
(Don’t you feel like Elizabeth could add ’so there’ to everything she says?)
#339 The way he was going on about how a public option was dead because of whatever he heard from whomever, yeah, I think he might have meant it.
Anyone notice that Mick live is way more staccato than in the studio? He shouts the songs.
That was John’s quip (on Posh).
“gentle as a kitchen”. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a gentle kitchen.
Our kitchen is downright rough.
All right, I must depart. Have a good day. Thanks for your blog MiltHussein.
The Repubs favorite whine about tort reform is a diversion. Lawsuit awards amount to a fraction of 1 percent of health care costs..
344 — what’s a kitchen without knives and fire?
338 Just think when you look at the big picture, a cap on the amount that the jury can award is good policy.
Hey, How about Mama on American Idol?
#348 Dripping water.
I saw The Greencards, Willie Nelson, and Bob Dylan like 2 years back at the Pittsfield High School baseball field. Awesome.
The Whitehouse response is weak. Sebelius is weak, Reid and Pelosi are weak. There is no unified message. Yes, the Republican noise machine works well, but this administration seems unable to counter it.
Bob should have asked if that was Positively Fourth Street.
Flavin!
350 — THis sounds like a mean thing to say (it’s not) but I doubt Steph has the necessary music knowledge.
Okay, Dylan is officially an old fart, walking through neighborhoods and looking at houses.
#347, and malpractice insurance is so expensive for the same reason as health insurance – near monopolies in almost every market. Not big pay-outs.
356 — either that or he’s on the mushrooms. All folk singers need to get on the mushrooms.
(Can I get banned for saying “fart”?
#329
LEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When the corporate lawyers give up their rights to sue, I’ll be in favor of tort reform..
UK Twitter campaign defends National Health
Thousands Twitter to defend UK’s National Health Service against attacks from American right
http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=4123
283: sorry for the loss of a friend – believe me, i am thoroely decent, and i fully realize that i ott not have laffed hard enuff to slide out of my chair and down the stairs… but this IS why hollywood uses rabbits to attack gangs of knights.
i heart mushrooms.. the magic ones too
First showing on the weekend is reduced price. Mama’s being thrifty, which is smart in this economy.
355. Oh, didn’t know that was required. I don’t watch, but I WOULD if Mama was a judge.
285: no pun intended, but the difference in packagings of matter-energy is spectral.
The way I see this whole mess is. We as a country are coming up to a fork in the road of our democracy. Go to the right and we have the best government money can buy. Go to the left and the people take back control of our democracy and government works for the people again. I hope for the countries sake we take the correct fork.
The way I understand it (or at least the way I teach it because it’s how I learned it) is that matter is essentially electromagnetic energy with so short a wavelength (or high a frequency) that it has mass.
#349 Sorry, but you are wrong. Big awards are vital to getting rid of bad doctors and only the bad doctors get big awards.
Doctors that make minor mistakes sometimes get sued, but they don’t have big payouts and they, more often than not, get off completely.
Regardless, malpractice insurers will continue to raise rates because they can.
#361, indeed, the overwhelming majority of torts are filed by corporations, against corporations.
test
early movie viewing – all I can stand, since the screaming kids and cell phones always seem to taint the experience. That and close crowds of people talking during the movie.
A 42″ HDTV provides a superior movie viewing experience for me, at less cost and hassle.
299: of course, it’s fortunate that the authors of the bible had such vastly better understanding of english than ray bradbury. – the guy types steaming crappage. – one can surely expect that the movie of the bible will be better than bradbury’s rip-off of michael moore also.
368 — I like those forks with the bamboo pattern. They’re nicely balanced, and they have a thin handle but a nice heft.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/assets/product_images/230/31443105431CZ.JPG
#363, I actually never met the guy; he left our group about 2 years before I joined, and mainly did F&I reenacting thereafter. But most of the guys in my group knew him.
#349
A cap is always a bad policy, because you never know what can happen. The problem isn’t as bad as malpractice insurance carriers say, anyway. Keep this in mind… malpractice carriers are INSURANCE Companies… you don’t think there’s a degree of gouging going on?
The problem isn’t the lawsuits; it’s the exploitation of the lawsuits.
Shane-O, your coming through five by five, but you avatar is overexposed and unreadable to me.. Is it cartoon dog?
Rock on, Jim!
Fun fact:
Siemens has one of its main offices in the town of Stains in England.
313: you mean the treatment of “traditional values” has a tradition ? – excellent.
‘Scuse me while I kiss this guy!
#369, no, mass has nothing to do with EM wavelength. Mass is acquired through the interaction of a particle with the Higgs field. If it couples strongly to the Higgs field, it has a lot of mass. If it doesn’t couple at all, it’s massless.
#378 – that’s what I’m trying to fix (thus, test)
Jim Ward’s sassy azzz sucks….
Shane-O is that Brian?
#378 Looks like Family Guy’s Brian to me.
Aerosmith finally cancelled. Beastie Boys. Who’s next, Depeche Mode? their tour started this with the lead singer having stomach tumors, then he fell, now they cancelled some dates last week because he had to rest his voice. Age is real.
Ok, Jim, time for a new macho cat character named Sassy!
Why do all Republicans sound the same? That whiny voice?
It’s Brian the Dog, yes — will take a few minutes for the edited avatar to kick in…
He mentions BULL because Obama said it was good to get out of DC and see Moose, Bear, Elk, etc.. instead of just the BULL he sees in DC. Hee Hee He is funny!!!!
To hell with “bi-partisanship”. The last 8 years show how stupid Reich-publican ideas are…why does anyone listen to these people?
#370 Tort reform can also decouple big payoffs and loss of medical license.
I’d say it’s more likely that AP mischaracterized what Sibelius said.
348: maybe he’s just as gentle as hell’s kitchen.
#394, state medical boards are the ones that handle licensing, not courts, IIRC.
SPARTASP!
#395 And there’s another difference between Republicans and Democrats. Democrats, when their statements are mischaracterized by the media, assume that they said something wrong and say they “misspoke.” Republicans, if they ever get called on anything they say, blame it on liberal media bias and say they were quoted out of context (even if the tape is played for them).
I’d say it’s more likely that AP mischaracterized what Sibelius said.
Her comment sounds like either a trial balloon or a way to fire up the base.
The other side is well acquainted with pleading “I was taken out of context”. Why don’t they recognize that when someone with a D after their names says it?
Shane-O I didn’t mean to be overly critical. People have asked me what my sleeping polar bear avatar is..
I’d rather spend my bacon
369: that is essentially correct.
the universe is literally infinite in all directions, not just four.
“event horizons” are just descriptions of the limits of refinement for measuring apparata.
- “der physik for dumbkopfs”
Save my bacon, Mama!
Once more… no one has dropped anything… they’re on recess…
What I find hilarious is the the advert on Thom Hartmann show for his new book. The ad states, “Get Screwed, by Thom Hartmann”.
I will not rest until I have the right to consult with my death panel!
bipartisanship with Republicans is a cover for lack of guts.
375 This fork only has two tangs and whatever way you go there’s no turning back and it will dictate the future of this country. I don’t know how balanced that is.
Urge to choke Orin Hatch..
the operative word is minds.
therefore, the townhall disorderly conduct is not necessary.
#402 – no worries – I agreed with you Ivan! – it was washed out before.
#404; incorrect. Event horizons are a rather real prediction of GR. It has nothing of measuring apparata. A Schwarzschild singularity very much has a real event horizon.
The “visible edge of the universe” is not an event horizon, rather, it’s simply a measure of the finite age of the universe (or at least, this region of it), or rather, a finite time since the inflationary epoch.
Urge to choke current screaming right wing tool..
Helium kills, Terry Jeffries. In fact, your end-of-life counselor will bring you a tank and a mask and instructions.
I don’t think she misspoke.. I agree that this is Chicago Street Politics… they’re trying to get us to help shape this legislation through our congress folks….
Remember that IDIOT soldier (stefan cook) who followed that IDIOT birther lawyer (orly taitz) over a cliff… or that IDIOT Senator (jon kyl) who proclaimed the government should cancel the rest of the stimulus funds… you remember what happened in those 2 cases.. Chicago Street Politics…
It’s amazing how THEY fluctuate the price of regular gasoline from $.99/gal. during the Christmas holiday season of 2001, to just under $5.00/gal. during the summer of 2008, to $1.69/gal. this past Christmas season, to the current $2.89/gal!
Who’s Tom’s dance partner? Larry Craig?
414: i cant personally relate to having something to prove, but i wish you the best with that.
Dean/Kucinich 2012
Event Horizon was a particularly terrible movie, IMO.. ;->
419
The next economic bubble that will burst will be the health care lobby bubble. It was reported that there are 6 lobbists for every congressman. After healthcare light passes the money flowing to DC will dry up leading to economic bubble burst in Washington.
422: did you manage to save yourself ?
I’m sooooo out of date these days… I found out this weekend that mushrooms are call shrooms….
I was in a conversation with someone for about 15 minutes before I knew what the hell he was talking about….
Call the White House? – We need to call the First Lady and have her get the Presidents ball out of her J.Crew handbag! – This is rediculous! – George W. Bush marched the country into war with a Republican minority in congress. Obama has total domnination in Washington and he can’t get health care reform puched through? – I don’t want to hear about bitartisanship, transparency, I want him to just do it! – DO IT! – DO IT! – DO IT!
Chico Brisbane
Regarding the caller: I’ve heard more than once of people who get dropped because they should have known they had a (previously undiagnosed) pre-existing condition.
#420, I have nothing to prove; I have professional knowledge on the subject. I am a physicist by profession, so when people bring up misunderstandings of the subject in conversation, it’s not showing off to correct.
Flombaye, I ejected early.
I wish I would have had a GOOD high school physics teacher so I would have gotten interested in it a few more years before I actually did….
pre-existing condition — addiction to nitrogen/oxygen/argon.
I’m pretty sure the universe folds back on itself and we’re justing riding a large molecule in a policeman’s badge.
419/423: there’s a youtubery somewhere of dennis miller on the bill oreilly show, with them discussing “dancing with the stars” – dennis very hilariously (he was trying to do the laffesque sound effects) suggested that a good dance partner for bill would be – get ready. this is very brilliantly funny with a gay implication on bill oreilly – this is like MEGA funny, you could tell, by dennis trying to do the chuckle – a good dance partner for bill would be BARNEY FRANK (!!!) – bill, strangely, didnt bust a gut laffing. – just smiled and said that no thanks, he would have to hold out for ann margaret. good for bill.
433 — fold in those egg whites carefully — gently, one might almost say.
Whole Foods – high prices, spoiled produce, expired food. I’m done with them.
#426 In my experience, mushrooms are mushrooms, shrooms are mushrooms containing psylocibin. All shrooms are mushrooms (illegal and lots of fun) but not all mushrooms are shrooms.
Are Unions and churches organizing a march on Washington D.C. for health care reform on Sunday, September 13th, 2009?
This world thrives on misconceptions. Whole Foods is a great company. THis country’s food culture is far, far better than it would be without them.
Rachel Maddow makes me want to become a lesbian..
Peter Navy?
I thought his name in the original German was Schwanz Bundeswehr.
434.
– NOT
Oh, Dick Armey almost had a stroke when Rachel went after him with the facts. ha ha
440: is that why your icon is pulling a cartman on the carpet ?
That was actually his post-war name. He was born Schwanz Wehrgemacht.
441: vas deferens census bureau ?
Rachel is so damned cute. And smart. And the more I know about lesbians, the more I think I might be one.
#445, or Wehrmacht, even.
/turning in my German card
446 — leggy penis?
#440 Ditto. Facts with humor, she makes me feel warm and fuzzy, just like good sex!
449: i only wear these bellbottm jeans out of modesty.
I saw that ass whoopin Rachel Maddow gave Dick Army, Rachel is the BEST!
Half a full load? *Scooby ‘duh!’*
Half a full loaf is better than none?
A Full Half Loaf is the name of my next CD
Also, those blaming Clinton for DADT – it’s Congress, not the President, that regulates the military.
See? The Preamble – to promote the general Welfare……
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Wanker Cub Scout (as a boy)
I like pain – both giving and receiving it. I want Rachel to hurt me, real bad. I want to bear her children. I want to mind meld with her. I want our souls to join and travel to the event horizon, whatever the hell it is..
See ya when I come back and post stuff here again, whenever that is.
Love you bloggoes!
buh Bye!
#457 – The preamble has no legal weight, sadly.
But Article I Section 8 does: The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
Good show folks! See you tomorrow!
457: sounds french. dont fall for it.
End of the fastest three hours on radio. See you tomorrow (possibly the last time this summer, depending on circumstances).
459: sounds like you found a way to bring paschen-back.
Have a great day, peeps!
Buh bye beloved Bloggies! Don’t you ever change a thing. Hasta manana.
L.
461. So no general welfare = no taxes needed. Let the corporations pay for THEIR government.
bye all!
468: free enterprise ? – no wonder the borg is screaming about you communists.
hey, madduane, are you heading to Texas?
good traveling and come back safe.
Hey where’s Frangela? Was there a break-up? What did Stephanie do now….. Don’t get me wrong, I like the boys but I also love to hear from Frangela too.
Frangela got busy, I think.
Here’s what I wrote to CNN:
How arbitrary and anti-free speech is the plan to ban all radio talk show hosts from your punditry. The ones I listen to do immense research and talk to hundreds of people every week. The radio shows I listen to are stimulating and mostly accurate.
Perhaps your intention is to increase civility…why not have rules about interrupting and language, for example, instead?
Perhaps your intention is to stop false information from being peddled…why should the host not challenge EVERY lie told on air?
I feel you lose and we all lose without seeing and hearing the brilliance of Stephanie Miller. Or is that the intention? I hope not.
Sincerely,
Maybe I’m getting here too late to tell you, but Frangela is guest hosting on Randi Rhodes’s show today and Tuesday. Tune in!
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