Yeah, say what you will about the health care bill, but it isn’t a giveaway to Republicans. Most of my friends are conservative, and they are ready to leave the country. It’s the enormous expansion of the federal government that they hate, and you can’t deny that’s really one of the few things the bill really does- massively expand the political element of health care, as well as universally raise costs.

It’s good for us to remember before we get too convinced that “it’s all going according to plan” for the GOP. It’s a special interest bill, and those depend on whose special interests are being catered to.

And Obama wanted this guy in his cabinet? We were lucky to dodge that bullet. Got hit with a bunch more, though.

The fact that they may be suicidal is the best news in a long time. The fact that Obama thought Gregg worthy of a Cabinet post should not be forgotten anytime soon.

It’s possible that Gregg’s replacement in the Senate could’ve been less wingnutty, but who knows.

For Republics, the debt didn’t matter until Jan 20, 2009. It will stop mattering if a Republic again becomes President. They are consumate con artists.

Yeah, this is why I’m for the HCR. Not so much the stinky thing itself, but how passage undercuts completely the Teabagging Wing/Republicnuts parading up and down my streets, screeching that the gub’mint has to keep its hands off of Medicare. How about we crush them like BUGS with this, then get busy and get rid of louts like Liebercritter, Landry and Lincoln?

“Revenge! Revenge!”
- Ken Pile

Someone tell me…what does is it say about Obama that he selected an ignorant loon to be apart of his Cabinet?

“We can’t sustain the debt we’re adding. Soon we’ll reach banana-republic status.”

He’s lying about the reason but he might be right about us reaching banana-republic status… eventually. We effectively have one corporatist party with two marketing divisions (Democratic and Republican) running the show.

Everything the government does seems to undermine the middle class. Before they’re finished we’ll all be divided into the rich minority or the poor majority.

if we ever do have a”government takeover” of all that stuff… and, you know, a real socialist president… i think gregg judd judd gregg judd judd gregg gregg is near the top of my list of all-time, all-star traitors to the american people, and, you know, lying sacks of shit…

..just sayin’

What a moron. We have been at ‘banana republic’ debt levels for a decade at least. The only reason we can get by with this is because we are the de facto world’s reserve currency. Staggeringly stupid politicians spelled the end of this country long ago. This ass wipe makes just another glaring example.

Harry Reid and Obama were hoping that Maine’s governor would be like every other governor and appoint a member of his own party (in this case, the Democratic party) to fill Gregg’s slot, thus giving them an additional Senator. But Republicans whined so loudly at the unfairness of it all that they cowed the Guv into promising to only appoint another Republican to Gregg’s seat.

“Reagan proved deficits don’t matter.”

Cheney said it, I believe it, that settles it.

Perhaps the problem is that progressives didn’t ask for a Republican replacement. If they had, Reid and Obama surely would have insisted on a Democrat.

Checks and Balances- the only checks and balances we have has been the media. Thank goodness for blogs. Soon newspapers will be out of print for not doing there job. This is my first response ever since reading blogs since 2005 so I just want to say thank you for providing real information since everyone is starting to realize they can’t control the message anymore. Sorry to our elected members of government but you’ll have to be accountable like everyone else since accountability is the new buzz word you’ve enjoyed using.

BT, you transgressed a Village Value when writing about Judd Gregg: one must always, always, always mention that he was an Obama Cabinet pick before his pained conscience forced him to withdraw. This credibility-enhancing moment, more in sorrow than in anger, adds greatly to his bipart-cred among Villagers.

After all, Obama wanted him on the socialist team!

Here you are “Judd”…. BITE ME… You’re a loser.. you’ll always be a loser… and when you go home I’m sure your family and friends think you’re a loser too.. Have a nice holiday… loser…

Yup.

Watching the GOP disrespect both St Ronnie and BigTime makes me sad for them. They need to get with the program their Dear Leaders outlined.

Obviously, given the current Republic deficit fetish, that’s only true when Republics are in charge. I’m sure Cheney pointed that out, but that part of his quote was lost.

The Republicans are elated over this bill. They know that in 2010 they have a good chance to take back the House and the Senate.

And this is the guy Obush wanted in his cabinet.

Unfortunately the NH election looks like a victory for another truly revolting republican despite the fact that Paul Hodes is by far the better candidate however from my viewpoint there can only be an improvement over Judd (my dad made scads of money through questionable banking practices) gregg. He refused to return a down payment on a purchase and sale after the potential buyer was diagnosed with cancer, a truly despicable act. He also won $800,000 in the lottery and did not donate it to charity despite being worth bazillions. He is intellectually challenged (perfect for a republican) and is now, with his brother, involved in building a number of unused and unwanted buildings at a closed air force base financed by channeling federal funds.

I’ve had to deal with counter-suggestive people like that. Truly something to keep in mind.

Considering the others obama picked to part of his team, what makes you think he didn’t choose gregg for the very points he was talking about above? obama seems to pick people to give him the view he WANTS to hear.

Unfortunately the Maine governor has no say in New HAmpshire elections. However the “Democratic” Governor of NH, John Lynch, is one of those DLC clintonites that appointed a republican as attorney general, that republican is now running for governor and she is determined to prove that she is a manlier man than a man, is against choice and for state sponsored murder.

If Republicans return to power we’ll have secrecy, corporate handouts, endless war… what’s the difference?

The only substantive difference in the past couple decades is that Democrats haven’t been trying to overturn Roe v. Wade and given the recent fuckery of Stupak and Nelson I don’t think we an even count on that anymore.

a government run by community organizers, has taken over.”

I just knew that damned ACORN was running everything. I’m just glad we got the heads up from FOX News…

Actually gregg wanted to be in the cabinet but would not sign on to the economic program. Oh Bummah! wanted him as it would’ve meant one less republican senator as, at that time, Lynch would have appointed himself.

The Republicans are jealous and angry. They used to date the richest and most popular girls in school (the big corporations), but they’ve been dumped for Rahm and Obama. Unfortunately, their courtship competition does nothing to make life better for the rest of us Napoleon Dynamite and Pedro-type kids.

We effectively have one corporatist party with two marketing divisions (Democratic and Republican) running the show.

Very nicely stated.

hello, the REAL story —

1. thugs continue their incessant quest for the right combination of LIES so they can win,

2. pathetic-o-crats and dim-o-shits wring their hands and wag their fingers,

3. part of the democratic base WILL profit handsomely from this bill! the uber credentialed correctly connected policy legal medical consultant analyst types will be gainfully employed doing what they always do … maintaining and extending the clusterf’k. Since they can’t use spreadsheets or figure out how to model processes or how make things work better – since they can’t even run a goddam hot stand, they’ll be fully employed interpreting and regulating or not regulating …

4. the normal public is NOT gonna give a flying fuck about yet ANOTHER complicated barely working program – the normal public being the people who actually might need COBRA or unemployment or student loans or welfare or food stamps or mortgage relief or help against insurance company scum or or – and the normal people for whom the system does NOT really work!

5. thugs continue their incessant quest for the right combination of LIES so they can win and once they win the thieving will REALLY start,

6. pathetic-o-crats and dim-o-shits wring their hands and wag their fingers, and threaten us peee-ons how the fascists want to wreck everything …

yawn.

rmm.

“And he was almost Obama’s Commerce Secretary.”

You’ll know him by the company he keeps.

The argument that this must be a good bill because the other side hates it so much doesn’t make any sense to me.

I’m waiting for Obush to announce his “reform” of Social Security. Only a “Democrat” could finally destroy one of the last vestiges of FDR’s reforms. Surely Geithner, Summers and the free marketeers have been planting the seed.

Gregg must learn to be patient. How much longer can it be now before he is nominating Barack Obama to be his Commerse Secretary.

Seriously though, Obama has moved a lot closer to the Republican end of the political spectrum than most conservatives will acknowledge. They are on automatic pilot in despising him.

Progressives, on the other hand, have a much more reasoned critique of his administration so far.

I fear you may be correct.

Most of my friends are conservative, and they are ready to leave the country

I’d be happy to give them bus fare for the trip.

Obama is essentially a Republican, pursuing Republican goals. To some extent, the GOP’s criticism provides him with necessary cover, allowing his to tell voters, “See, if they hate me so much, I must be doing something right.”

If only that were the case.

This BILL gives Republicans the BEST OF BOTH WORLDS!

First this is a Republicans Bill.
Health Care Stocks are going sky high!

Second Republicans get talk about how they hate the Bill.

(How many health insurance executives vote progressive?) None! Judd Gregg is doing what other Republicans are going to do when they run against phony Dems act like this is a progressive bill.

This is a Classic Hope A Dope,
by Rahm and the ConservDems against real Progressives.

Judd Gregg, know this is a Republican bill.

The elites are now trying to capture the anger of the TEA PARTY!

We all know if the Republicans get back to office they will screw us just like the Dems.

Someone has better warn Tea Party Leaders they are about to get SCREWED by their phony leaders in 2010.

If that trip is to Somali I’ll chip in as well. They’ll love it in a country with no functioning government and totally open markets. A conservative/libertarians wet dream.

I had a 2010 nightmare – Dems lose majorities and Republicans work to overturn/repeal HCR – POTUS then threatens to vetoe in hopes of scaring the Medical-Insurance Complex in to even larger contributions for 2012

win-win!

I probably need to go bake some more cookies

I forgot to add, it’s a one-way ticket. And yes, Somalia would be a great place to send them.

I’ve finished my cookie baking. I’m hanging out here because the kitchen looks like a hurricane hit it and I’m procrastinating on cleaning up.

And he was almost Obama’s Commerce Secretary

If that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about Obama I don’t know what does.

Grayson/Kucinich 2012

Someone tell me…what does is it say about Obama that he selected an ignorant loon to be apart of his Cabinet?

Considering that the ignorant loon would have been replaced by a Democratic Senator from New Hampshire, I think it makes Obama look pretty smart. Either Nelson or Lieberman could have been told to sod off weeks ago.

This bird needs a shrink. Watch him speak. He doesn’t believe a word he says. Judd is just trying to screw Obama. He should save his breath. Conservative Democrats – whatever the hell that means – have got that job covered.

It’s not as if Obama hasn’t shown his true colors every time he gets a chance. My favorite so far is his PP speech: “War is Peace.”

And how many of the D senators & governors who he tapped will be replaced by Rs in the next election?

right, that was one of the first gargantuan indications that we were being screwed. BTW Media matters sent me an email about selecting their “misinformer of the year”. We here should make sure the Obama gets all due consideration.

But it probably is going to plan. When the current batch are replaced the new guys won’t understand the going rate for getting lobbyist cash. That means there is a bunch of maneuvering room and potential profit.

The winners are the guys that wrote the bill and they were never elected.

Considering that the ignorant loon would have been replaced by a Democratic Senator from New Hampshire,…

Actually, the Democratic governor of NH told Gregg that he would replace him with another Republican if he resigned to become Commerce Secretary.

Well, Obama can always take consolation in knowing the folks from Bilderberg—both Democrats and Republicans—love him, er, his policies, dearly.

There is just something about sharing great wealth and power that brings out the non-partisan Henry Kissingers in all of them. The “realists” who own and operate the global economy.

Oh dear, let’s not let facts get in the way of praising O.

“Republicans are downright suicidal”

How can we help them to put themselves out of their misery? Perhaps they should collectively hold their breath while their colleagues filibuster? Or would that be unacceptable as they’d turn blue?

heh, I just might submit O

In the last week I’ve had some conversations concerning Obama’s “leadership” with people that identify as either independents, “liberals”, progressives, and just old line Democrats and without exception their exressions run from despair through disillusionment all they way to outright loathing. One time supporters now say that when they see him on the tube they turn off the sound.

I never realized “suicidal” could be a synonym for giddy, as in, “The Senate bill makes Republicans giddy at the thought of their prospects in the midterm elections.”

I’ve been in the loathing camp for quite some time now. The fact that the WH is now sending out surrogates to lie shamelessly (“Insurance companies HATE this bill.”) is just icing on the cake.

Ironic how Gregg had no problem ramming through all of Bush’s Legislation, Tax Cuts for the RICH and War Spending for a war we did not need – yet he suddenly finds his checkbook and is concerned about the balance of our debt.

Hey Gregg, last I knew, Clinton left you Republicans a BALANCED BUDGET. Where did it go under YOUR RULE?

What a hypocrite!

Health Care Stocks are going sky high

Well, if you want to call their highest levels in 52 years soaring sky high, then soaring sky high they are indeed.

Which makes it all the more comical when the Democratic and “liberal” apologists for this bill get on the tube and defend the legislation as a “victory against the greedy insurance industry”.

Once I would have declaimed, “have you no shame!!”. But now I am more fully informed that in order to be ashamed you first have to feel it. They don’t. These apologists for crony capitalism were never really intent on “changing Washington as we know it”. That was a lie.

From the Daily Beast:

At least 166 former congressional staffers now working as health-industry lobbyists got their old bosses to give their new bosses big breaks in the pending health-care reform legislation, according to a new report.

In addition to the former aides, at least 13 former lawmakers are registered to represent a total of 338 health-care clients since the beginning of last year. Since then, those clients spent $635 million lobbying.

george:

This is Washington.

Obama is just its latest caretaker.

Yes they have and didn’t you hear bernanake saying that SS and Medicare are where the money are?

I have to confess that I know more about what’s NOT in the senate bill than what IS in it. Wonder if even this will survive conference et al.
os
Was never a big private option fan. Seemed like a Rube Goldberg method of controlling costs. The best way to control costs is to just get out there and control em- publish a schedule that states the maximum that can be charged for various procedures, various drugs, various types of insurance, etc. That’s what most civilized nations do- and it works.

“Republithugs are downright suicidal”?

If only…

Yeah, caretaker for the ruling elites and undertaker for the rest of the country.

Gregg’s huffing and puffing seems designed to let the White House claim victory after having sliced the baby in half. The realization that Solomon used the threat of doing that as a gambit, in order to reveal the true mother, so as to render a wise and correct judgment, seems lost on Villagers.

No Republicans will vote for the Senate or House versions of this health insurance “reform”, but that’s not the game here. It’s so that Rahma and Bahma can pretend to be statesmen.

The elections in 2010 and 2012 will be either four or two years before this bill’s benefits kick in. They cannot be real referenda on this insurance enhancement legislation. Still, the Dems are likely to be shocked at how little the public likes it.

Rahm, like Rove, has no intention of being around when the shit hits the fan, that is, after the legislation comes into force and the public sees how little they got for how much they will be made to give and give. Meanwhile, what a great platform for the GOP – or a progressive party – to claim how much this bill needs to be withdrawn – or made into real reform. Until the latter happens, if ever, the insuresters will get fatter and fatter.

Did you miss the part of that story where the GOP got the Democratic governor to promise, promise, promise that he would appoint a GOP to replace Judd Gregg so as not to upset their delicate control?

Uh, yeah. I did forget that part. Oops/

He looks like he really has to pee, or already did.

Ahh!!!

A hearty chuckle, much needed!

Thank you!

It says he wanted a Senate he might have been able to work with.

a place with no recognizable government, disorder, violence? Why not D.C. then? heh

I was just reading the comments over at RS and they are frothing at the mouth, but there is some schadenfreude that the left is feeling betrayed on this one. Like a bad poker player I personally think Obama is over playing his hand. In trying not to offend his corporate masters to ensure those big campaign donations for the DNC. He’s ended up pissing everybody off. Just like the force in Star Wars I think our politics needs balance. Letting one side or the other run away with everything is not good. Balance helps keep both sides honest. Now it seems we have another route the corporate middle. Our laws will be decided on the grounds of if it’s good for profits then we’ll let it pass. Our laws are now made with secret deals, by a few people in back rooms. Our founding fathers are rolling in their graves right now. This cannot be what they envisioned when they set about making this whole system of checks and balances. To ensure that one person, or one party would not have absolute control. I guess they never envisioned the corporate lobbyist. Or all the money that has become the black rot in the apple that was once our political system.

the kitchen looks like a hurricane hit it and I’m procrastinating on cleaning up

eCHAN, give us your address, and we’ll be right over to help. We’re all socialists here, and that’s what we do!!

We’ll probably bring ACORN with us!!

Seriously, congrats for the cookies.

One time supporters now say that when they see him on the tube they turn off the sound

That’s ME!!!!

BTW, it just shows how dim-witted the Repubs are if they are “suicidal” over this bill. This is gonna kill support for Democrats in so many ways, they’re gonna have trouble keeping track!

So either they’re REALLY dim, or really good actors. I envision them high-fiving and toasting with the champagne the health insurance companies sent over. ‘Cause the health insurance folks aren’t going to be “going steady” with the Dems for any too long.

That has been the one bright spot today…….. watching Republicans turn purple with self-induced outrage. Actually, that’s why I’ve been torn about killing the bill outright. Mind you, I think it’s a POS and I want my elected official to vote ‘no’ if substantial changes aren’t made. I haven’t changed my position on that.

But I will admit that a small part of me is almost tempted to back the bill only because I can’t stand the idea of giving those smug, assholes in the Republican party one whiff of victory.