please keep in mind that the republican controlled congress under ex-president bush backed a constitution for Iraq that included health care for all.

chapter 2, article 9 of the Iraq constitution:
Iraqi citizens have the right to enjoy security and free health care. It is the responsibility of the
central Iraqi state and the regional, provincial, local, and municipal governments to provide [health
care] and to expand [it] in the fields of prevention, treatment, and protection of children, pregnant
women, school students, workers, the disable, and the aged.

if Iraqi citizens deserve health care, why is it that American citizens do not?

Got any predictions?

Yes.
1. Rahmbama twists arms.
2. In the long run, we’re all rescissed dead.

Is it health care, or health insurance?

I think that we need to copy the far right that formed up and challenged Specter. We need to let the blue dogs know that if they are not supportive of the PO they better make sure that slots are available to them at the health insurance industry in 2011.

Washington Post, let me fix that headline for you:

Obama May Turn to GOP on War

For once BT no predictions

Mika channeling M-Joe this morning and feigning ignorance about how the rightwing Wurlitzer and Astroturf Society works. Talking to Rolling Stone guy.

And since I split my time between MN and ND, can I trade one Conrad for one Frankensenator?

Ok Prediction Rahm will fail thats a safe bet no wins for him since NAFTA granted that was a huge loose for us but its been decades since Rahm won one.

Mika feigning ignorance naw she is just reading the cue cards. I doubt she can explain on her own any issue she talks about a week later.

double standards liars and bullshit……………….

Did my usual weekly contact WH and Critters, ” NO Strong Public Option, No Second Term!”

On NPR headlines this morning the newsreader said a vote is contemplated before the end of the week. Lessee now, today’s Thursday so…

No, no predictions. I’d rather hide and watch. That way the result shows me which direction to go in the next stage. It’s not a chess match, it’s a struggle for the well being of our country and its people.

Uh, how about later in the day.

The New York Times reported over the weekend that Reid has decided that the package merged from bills passed by the HELP and Finance committees would not include a public option so as to make it more attractive to swing votes such as Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.).

A senior Democratic aide, however, disputed that the issue has been resolved: “He has not made a final decision yet.”

So who do you think fed the Times the Leak that the senior Democratic aide disputes?
hint he thinks he’s Machiavelli

Agreed I’m not sure who is dumber her, Morning Joe, or Mika’s dad for not blaming the milkman.

Republican Gomorrah arrived yesterday. Five chapters in and I recommend everybody read this book. There is so much fuel here for next year’s elections.

Mika and Kookie Cokie should team up and take their show on the road. The road to nowhere.

i predict that we get a really shitty health care bill (harry reid’s doing an encore performance of his FISA bullshit).

I further predict surprising losses for the democrats in 2010. and I predict the GOP immediately ramps up for another fraudulent game of “impeach the president”.

Tell us more!

here’s my prediction;

some dems will try budget reconciliation, the repubs will rant and rave just as I did when they did it

the dems will fold even though the repubs did not, then the repubs will use this PLUS the nuclear option to undo anything and everything progressive we passed

we are losing even though we won and it’s getting disheartening

do tell!

“Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) said he would offer an amendment on the floor with Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) that would require health insurance companies to spend 85 to 95 percent of federal subsidies on healthcare services, a proposal designed to limit their profits.”

Presumably Rockefeller & Franken wants to insure that “administrative” costs do not reach the 30% that is common with private insurance plans. Medicare administrative costs are, I understand it, 10% or less. Administrative costs are not “health care” they include staff salaries, perks etc. They also are not considered “profit,” e.g., stock dividends.

Limiting “profits” is of little value if “administrative costs” that include huge executive salaries are left unchecked. The amendment is worthwhile only if “health care services” are defined in a way that would exclude these adminsitrative costs.

Your Conclusion does follow from the Premise to which I will add if your Premise is valid then we blame Rahm!

So you’re saying that if the Dems can’t get a heath care bill through Congress people are gonna vote for Rethugs, the majority of whom won’t even consider voting for health care reform, much less single payer or its bastard son PO? The logic escapes me.

please keep in mind that the republican controlled congress under ex-president bush backed a constitution for Iraq that included health care for all.

really?

I did NOT know this, why aren’et the dems SLAMMING them with that?`

AND they will dismantle medicare, they will disnatle the epa even further

they will privitize the entire armed forces and they might even sell off the congress and the senate

oh

wait

And for perris.

Go back to Max’s book salon here couple weeks ago. Short version is the connection between the religious/racist reichwing and Rethug pols. We all know they’re connected but Blumenthal puts the history together. Heavy shit.

we should get him back now that his book is out and beng read.

I think the danger is progressive voters will either 1) stay at home and not vote, or 2) go third party again. Either avenue improves the chances of a Rethug resurgence.

If the Dems fail to deliver this reform who could blame them? We’ve been told they need to control Congress. Now they are in total control of COngress. They need the White House. They got the White house.

It is time for the Democrats to give the voters who have supported them what the voters need.

More Info please. Checked with my library. They don’t have the book

Time to use the way-back machine and just see who Zbig was really looking at when he made that comment about shallowness?

Having turned into Morning Town Hall complete with teabaggers, time to watch the nature channel.

Maybe they’re prepping for the takeover by their new Comcast overlord.

work, c all L8tr

That might run the risk of appearing “too partisan.”

Who thought it was a good idea to elect a conservative into office just because he (or she) had a D by their name?

What good is having a majority if nothing gets done?

Methinks you misunderestimate progressive voters, particularly those under 30.

Sorry for the Shrubism but I don’t get the chance very often. *g*

DLC.

I predict ,on average ,there are 120 former citizens who don’t need health insurance today because they died to instill fear in the rest of us to insure unending profitable death policies.I’ll go out on a limb and predict another 120 citizens, on average, die tomorrow for the sin of not providing profits to the INSURANCE CORPORATIONS..

He is saying we will get depressed and stay home. But will we stay home in enough numbers to counter a GOP congressional approval at 20%?
Newt lost GOP seats at left the Speakers job with a personal approval rating in the 40s. We don’t have any experience predicting elections with numbers this low.
Still we can lose healthcare and Obama will get the African American vote to turn out in record numbers something the poll guys are not counting on.

It’s just been released. I had to wait 2 weeks to get it from Amazon. I can’t really do it justice here but B&N’s page has the Publisher’s Review synopsis.

So you’re saying that if the Dems can’t get a heath care bill through Congress people are gonna vote for Rethugs, the majority of whom won’t even consider voting for health care reform, much less single payer or its bastard son PO? The logic escapes me.

Both sides have a base. The side that can get their own base out on Election Day in the largest numbers, wins. The trick is to energize your own base and to deflate the energy in your opponents’ base. In this case, the Republicans – with the help of Cluster Fox et al – are doing a GREAT job of energizing their base, while the Democrats are doing the Republicans’ job for them by betraying all the people who worked their asses off to get Obama elected and to give them majorities in both the House and Senate. The 2008 election was the first when young people – under 35 – voted in higher numbers than did seniors – over 65. The base of the Democratic Party was on fire, motivated by the mantras of CHANGE and YES, WE CAN! Obama has the opportunity to be a truly great President, but the Democrats are throwing it all away.

we will get depressed and stay home

I don’t agree with that premise. What I’m seeing on the ground does not substantiate it.

agreed!

I think too much emphasis is being put on “the base.” I’ve always thought that.

Anyone have any idea what changes Comcast will make?

Hmmm. ‘Tis a puzzlement that those masters of empathy…especially when it comes to brown people…would have supported something like that. Must have had to do with some single source no-bid contracts.

WJ has a question up should Grayson be sanctioned. Calls are about 8 to 1 saying he is a hero.

Trigger.

Which is, as we know, is useless.

i am not hopeful unless Obama gets aggressive.

If a Healthcare failure doesn’t wreck our poll numbers nothing will and the GOP is doomed.
If your Premise is correct:)

Which Idea will prove true I’ll lean toward SD. Still prepare for the worse but be prepared to be wrong.

Always prepare for the worst and work that much harder. Representative democracy is not a spectator or keyboard warrior sport.

Off to swim in the great capitalist cesspool.

US KIA Irak: 4347

US KIA Afghanistan: 853

US MBS 2009: 33,579

Be good to yourselves, and all other living things.

Namaste

I think too much emphasis is being put on “the base.” I’ve always thought that.

You’re right that too much emphasis shouldn’t be put on the base by politicians, but this is the new reality thanks to Karl Rove, 50% + 1. We’re still stuck in it, and that’s the way you win or lose national debates on Election Day.

The dynamics have changed dramatically since the 90s and I think the elections in 06 and 08 have shown that. Can anyone really accurately define “the base” of either party today? What we’re presented with are the definitions of pundits who are predominately from the right.

thats Meek Mikka..and Kookie Cokie….must use my lines complete………”G”

the vet wanted 350$ to lance Harrys ear
i paid for 5 neuters last month…no can do
my not for profit has gone through however
begin the fundraisers

yes and more videos on the way

The dynamics have changed dramatically since the 90s and I think the elections in 06 and 08 have shown that. Can anyone really accurately define “the base” of either party today? What we’re presented with are the definitions of pundits who are predominately from the right.

Republican base are people, some very ignorant and some very intelligent, who are driven by emotion – fear of losing their America and hate for whomever they’re told to hate – and who then produce a structure of ideas (often totally illogical and filled with half-truths and complete fabrications) to support their positions.

Democratic base are people who want to solve real problems and try their best to think toward solutions, but who can be very energized and stirred emotionally as a group by great leaders like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

I like Rockefeller but I like Grayson too.
“Got any predictions?”
We are going to get Health Care Reform done this time. If anyone can direct me please do…..

Let us prepare for the worst and hope for the Best. Smile

Thanks

As has been pointed out by commentators on the left, the fate of the PO rests with those that want it to become part of health reform, and that is as it should be.

The most effective way to pressure legislators who oppose the PO would seem to be to make them aware that they stand to lose their seat. This would involve supporting and funding an alternative candidate that is commited to the inclusion of the PO. That’s where the line should be drawn because the PO is indispensable.

To exert this pressure there needs to be a vehicle to channel the effort and funds to oust these compromised elected officials for their position agains the PO and thankfully they have been flushed out this week.

The senators who should face a primary challenger include Conrad, Baucus, Lincoln thus far. Again they should receive emails letting them know what they will face on their next election. This campaign against these senators should begin at once and not let up. It is in our self interest to vanquish these people from Congress.

And the only thing that the 2006 election showed is that the Republicans are masters at twisting and spinning and fueling hate AND WINNING ELECTIONS (1994, 2000, 2002 & 2004), but that they can’t govern for shit. Their base got deflated by Bush’s failures.

no, what i am saying is that when the dems pass a shitty bill, one that mandates the purchase of expensive junk insurance with no public option to control costs, the base will lose all enthusiasm for the democrats.

This in turn will depress turnout substantially (and turnout for midterm elections is always lower than for presidential elections).

meanwhile the GOP base, while small, is highly energized and will vote in large numbers because they think they’re fighting off the islamocommunofascist negro.

if the democrats, and more importantly independents, stay home in 2010, we could lose the house.

see knoxville’s comment at 40.

Iraq had a high functioning universal health care system for decades, but the recent damage to the infrastructure caused by American interventions in the politics of the country (Gulf War and aftermath, W’s war, still ongoing on Obama’s watch), including septic systems, hospitals, and the countries lack of access to the vital materials they depended on for their relatively sophisticated medical care system has led to rapid deterioration of the delivery system, with concomitant rise of serious although preventable infectious disease. The language in the 2005 constitution is a legacy that was already in place before the Americans basically destroyed the country in order to seize it.

Citizen foothillsmike:

“I think we need to copy the far right that formed up and challenged Spector.”

Your call to organize is right on, Brother Mike, but your words imply that “we” are the linear opposite of “far right”, meaning we are far left. This is the result of 60 years of fascist yammering that has warped our political depth perception…we are NOT far left, we are the vital center of American political thought and experience. We stand for all the values of the American experience,: community, individual freedom, equality under law, and social justice. These values do not make us left wing, they put us in the center of American history…the current corporate oligarchy that has captured the engine of American politics and economy is so far to the right as to make these centerist values radical but that is what slavemasters do, they justify their tyranny over all others by claiming the legitimacy of power over values.

So, Brother Mike, I’ll follow your call to organize but I want you to see yourself as a leader among many leaders from the very center of human history and experience.

Peace Brother…fear is just a four letter word.

CONSTITUTION OF IRAQ
DRAFT BILL OF RIGHTS
UPDATED JULY 27, 2005
COMMENTARY AND TRANSLATION BY NATHAN J. BROWN

Available as a pdf at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. This was a draft, almost certainly this isn’t the final wording, but the important point is that, the US govt under George W Bush wanted the Iraqi people to have universal, single payer, health care.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller and Sen. Al Franken have not surrendered, why should we? I predict we will get some kind of public option, or the Democrats will take all the blame when the new system turns out to be almost as bad, but much more expensive.

Progressives, the bottom line is: we don’t believe you. We don’t think your proposals will do any good, and maneuvers like this just help convince us that you don’t think so, either — you’re just playing politics for your own aggrandizement.