LiveBlog for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, December 21, 22, and 23, 2009

Merry Christmas, live blog!

Merry war on Christmas all

Hey Nick and anyone else checking in... Happy Christmahannukwanzika!

I have to work half a day today and thought I'd dick around for the first hour since nobody else is here!

Yippee.

Nope guess not. Happy Christmas. Every one!

Senator John McCain: Democrats' Health Care Vote 'One of the Great Bernie Madoff Gimmicks'
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/HealthCare/democrats-uni...

Hellooooo. Is there anybody in here? Just nod if you can hear me. Is there anyone at all?

Hey Producer Chris, I know you're on vacation & all, but can we get the Stephcast up toot sweet? Thanks!
Merry Christmahanakwanzika!

Facts are oogie things.

351: Of course not. But it doesn't take a genius to not appoint the likes of geithner and summers. Any my commment just goes to show things are NOT on the right track and they are NOT getting better.

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL!!!!!!!

That was awesome! Have a wonderful Holiday, everyone!

Merry Christmas (where applicable)!

Free Bird!

352-That's what I've been missing, shāf!

Re: The Teabaggers prayers, they were canceled-out by the Wiccan chants. They just wanted it more. ;)

332---Obama is not a King.

Hi, dear live bloggers! It's been weeks since I logged on, and I've missed your brainy humor. Happy Holidays! One thing I wanted to talk about is Cindy's hilarious song parody. I'm so proud of her! How do we get it posted?

Hi all. Busy last night, up until 1:30 making stuff and doing stuff. I think Graham has stated precisely why the Right doesn't want health care for all. They don't want to have to care for anyone.

They preach that life is all about choices but man oh man, choices are based on education vs. ignorance, finding people who tell you the truth vs. people who lie to you and deceive you into folly; choices are about whether you were born male or female and whether you were born to rich, middle class or poor parents.

THEY say it's all about personal responsibility but NONE of us is an island free from influence from all we come in contact with.

Phooey on Graham and all their false beliefs.

LONDON - For a priest in northern England, the commandment that dictates "thou shalt not steal" isn't exactly written in stone.

The Rev. Tim Jones caused an uproar by telling his congregation that it is sometimes acceptable for desperate people to shoplift — as long as they do it at large national chain stores, rather than small, family businesses.

Jones' Robin Hood-like sermon drew rebukes Tuesday from fellow clergy, shop owners and police.

From his pulpit at the Church of St. Lawrence in York, about 220 miles (355 kilometers) north of London, Jones said in his sermon Sunday that shoplifting can be justified if a person in real need is not greedy and does not take more than he or she really needs to get by.

The remarks drew a summons from Archdeacon Richard Seed, who said on his Web site that the church rejects the view that shoplifting can be acceptable.

"The Church of England does not advise anyone to shoplift, or break the law in any way," he said.

"Father Tim Jones is raising important issues about the difficulties people face when benefits are not forthcoming, but shoplifting is not the way to overcome these difficulties. There are many organizations and charities working with people in need, and the Citizens' Advice Bureau is a good first place to call," Seed's statement said.

‘It simply doesn't help people’
Eleanor Course, a spokeswoman for Seed, said the archdeacon wants to meet with Jones to discuss the "appropriateness" of his sermon.

"The point we are most concerned about is that shoplifting is simply not a blameless, victimless crime," she said. "We want to make clear that it simply doesn't help people. And the last thing a desperate person wants is to be caught for shoplifting, so we feel this advice is very unwise."

Jones told The Associated Press that he stands by his comments. He said he regretted only that the media is focusing on his view on shoplifting rather than the underlying problem he wanted to address.

"The point I'm making is that when we shut down every socially acceptable avenue for people in need, then the only avenue left is the socially unacceptable one," he said, adding that people are often released from prison without any means of support, leading them back into crime.

"What I'm against is the way society has become ever more comfortable with the people at the very bottom, and blinded to their needs," he said.

He said shoplifting could help people who are legally entitled to government welfare benefits but have the benefits delayed for bureaucratic reasons.

‘No excuses for stealing’
This approach was quickly rejected by members of the British Retail Consortium, a prominent trade organization trying to reduce theft.

"It's the job of our welfare system, which retailers support with the billions they pay each year in tax, to help vulnerable people," said spokesman Richard Dodd. "There are no excuses for stealing."

The North Yorkshire Police also condemned Jones' approach as counterproductive because people already in marginal conditions would find themselves in trouble with the law if they resorted to shoplifting.

whenever a republican lies, an angel loses her wings. But when that lie is exposed, the angel is provided with a powerful helicopter, allowing her to fly at will. And it arms that truthocopter with arrays of rockets, cannons, and machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, and a flame thrower, which can be used to burn the republican lies to fine ash. That's why angels and fine ashes have always been closely connected.

dust and soot tend to reduce albedo--much more effectively than any greenhouse gas. Soot is 900 times more warming than carbon gases like C02 or HC4. Darken the snow just a little bit and it starts warming the earth rather than reflecting the sun's infrared rays back into space.

The real scandal isn't that a southern man is a racist and instantly reverts to racist language to justify any enormity, but that the Today show let such comments go past without comment. If you ever listen to BBC, the commentators and interviewers there are very knowledgeable--they pin their victim down and insist on a straight answer, even if it takes the rest of the interview to get it.

Hal -- actually, right now, aerial pollutants have been helping reduce the effects of global warming by the "albedo" or atmospheric reflection effects.

Of course, this is countered by their low-lying effects on humans, animals, and plants via disease.

so I'll be dancing on all ya'll's graves, HEATHENS!

God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son that we should not die, but have everlasting life.

At least he didn't point out that SC is among the states with the largest percentage of illegal aliens in it. Or that everyone is cousins with everyone else--even their moms, sons, and twins.

Ask Graham how much it now costs his state to provide free care for these folks when they walk into emergency rooms. I’ll bet it’s a multiple of a billion dollars.

Graham would prefer they just choose to die or leave.

Ask Graham how much it now costs his state to provide free care for these folks when they walk into emergency rooms. I'll bet it's a multiple of a billion dollars.

I'd be as valuable as a teacher who can help japanese people pronounce "L" like Tom Brokaw.

I can help canadians avoid saying the syllable "Eh?" at the end of every sentence.

Hal -- did you see where South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham says he can't support Democratic health care reform BECAUSE HIS STATE HAS TOO MANY BLACK PEOPLE???

"Throughout the nation there are going to be thousands more people enrolled in Medicaid and every state except one is going to have to come up with matching money," Graham remarks.

"I have 12 percent unemployment in South Carolina. My state's on its knees. I have 31 percent African-American population in South Carolina."

"We've got it tough," he adds. "We're on our knees. 12 percent of our people are unemployed and 31 percent of our people are black."

Graham later says: "My state, with 30 percent African-American citizens, a lot of low income people in South Carolina is going to cost my state a billion dollars, that's the same old stuff that I object to. That's not change we can believe in. That's sleazy."

Rachel Maddow, who found the clip, commented:'

"The argument here appears to be that Sen. Graham believes it is sleazy to expect a state with lots of black people in it, to have health reform," Maddow says. "Because you know, black people. Maybe he meant something other than what it seemed like with those remarks. But it should be noted he did use the same inexplicable argument twice. Once on the Senate floor and once on The Today Show. We contacted Sen. Graham's office today for an explanation. We'll let you know when and if we hear back."

Because I have a partner there and will marry him.

332 and other who say the same thing:

Why do you believe we Canadians will take you?

Why is the truth now equated with "whining" or "talking Obama down?" Just be truthful here.

Sorry, Hal, but you're dead wrong. Obama...has done a few good things, but on the whole, he has been a disaster. The economy IS NOT getting better. That 3.5% growth in the third quarter, revised down to 2.8. That 2.8% growth, just revised again down to 2.2%. As I write this, I really wonder why I even try any more. You know what...never mind. As I said yesterday, I've given up and am heading to Canada. Love you all, though.

Hal Sparks -- your imitation of the C-Span TeaBag caller is making me hurt from laughing!!! KEEP IT UP!!!

OMG, I didn't hear that Teabagger call to C-SPAN. Lunacy!

Morning all! This spot is interesting.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/23/obama-acc...

#322: well as long as ya don't have to put your friend into da wood chipper, don't ya know, for da fire.

Oh so tru Bill

I LOVE YOU HAL! I am sick as well with the cry baby democrats who run whenever they don't get everything they want. Jesus Christ we can't please everyone. We as a party need to learn from the Republicans and grow some balls!

Hal is so right that last caller was a slacker. This can't be done all at once and it won't be. It is going to take time

BTW...funny review of "The Star Wars Holiday Special"...

http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatgu...

Not safe for work, big time....for language.

I hear the caller's frustration. But, we need to focus our attention on the reconciliation with the House Bill. It's not over yet, and it's still possible to have something good to build upon.

Good things (in either or both bills) include:
- Closing the Medicare Part D 'doughnut hole'
- Raising the Poverty Limit
- Ban of Preexisting Conditions coverage exclusion
- Exchanges (and in Senate Bill a framework for possible addition of a Public Option as one of the Exchanges)
- Caps on premiums (albeit, 2x - 3x base premium) Hoping for 2x or better.

Oh, ja...We get some real doozies here in Wisconsin. But the cheese more than makes up for the weather.

#319: Hmmmmm...y'know I've never heard about large snowfalls in WI before.
--->sarcasm ends here :)

I am visiting St.Pete's...hope to miss the blizzard back home. Go Big Red!

Nick, I live in Wisconsin. Go figure. Snow.

#316: Hah! I was just thinking of "Parker Lewis Can't Lose" the other day.

did I miss the cocoa?

Parker Griffith can't win