Fred Hiatt's Crayon Scribble page has a very whiny oped by one of the many conservatives it now employs making it sound as if the HCR bill that just passed is some kind of abortion-mandate machine, while attacking anti-abortion Michigan Rep. Bart Stupak as somehow "unprincipled" for supporting it. In addition to bitching about the limitedness of the Executive Order signed by the President, which was designed to appease anti-abortion Dems, nothing in the oped references the abortion restrictions mandated by the Senate Bill's language on abortion, itself a restriction demanded by anti-abortion Senator Ben Nelson as a requirement for passing the overall bill.
Anyway, all of this is just an excuse for me to post something Matt Ylegias wrote earlier in the process, after the Nuns and other Catholic organizations came out in support of the legislation:
"Some of the efforts to prove that the bill “really” includes federal funding of abortion despite not actually providing federal funding of abortion have gotten a bit silly. I mean it’s true that if we pass universal health care this will probably increase the market demand for those sterile gloves doctors wear during exams, which will increase the earnings of people who deliver boxes of gloves, and some of the glove-deliverers might use that money to pay for abortions. Short of making abortion illegal, and then very rigorously enforcing the law, there’s no way to ensure that no dollars will reach an abortion clinic through some roundabout path. But the exact same consideration holds for any conceivable legislation on any subject."
Conservatives are truly in the midst of their final death throes where it concerns the HCR passage.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
He Signed The Damn Bill
Repeal this, you no talent bunch of teabagging assclowns.
And Richard Cohen, of all people, is surprisingly good this morning. Someone must have spiked his oatmeal with a hefty dose of Progressive Win.
And Richard Cohen, of all people, is surprisingly good this morning. Someone must have spiked his oatmeal with a hefty dose of Progressive Win.
Monday, March 22, 2010
The Morning After
Still feels really good.
Can't help noticing that some of the usual blogs I read don't sound all that excited about last night's historical vote. I know there's no public option. I know the bill still leaves insurance companies in business. I know there is some questionable abortion language, although I can't see this significantly changing current law for the worse.
So, sorry, I'm not having any of the regret soup today. This was a smashing victory. The most significant and progressive piece of legislation to pass in my lifetime. While Obama's victory in 2008 was also historic in a symbolic sense, the ultimate purpose of electoral victory is to accomplish something meaningful. Last night a very large down-payment was made on that pledge. It's like paying 75% of your mortgage the year after you bought your house. There's still some left to pay but doinig so has become much more manageable. And your house feels a lot more like it's really yours than it was before.
Can't help noticing that some of the usual blogs I read don't sound all that excited about last night's historical vote. I know there's no public option. I know the bill still leaves insurance companies in business. I know there is some questionable abortion language, although I can't see this significantly changing current law for the worse.
So, sorry, I'm not having any of the regret soup today. This was a smashing victory. The most significant and progressive piece of legislation to pass in my lifetime. While Obama's victory in 2008 was also historic in a symbolic sense, the ultimate purpose of electoral victory is to accomplish something meaningful. Last night a very large down-payment was made on that pledge. It's like paying 75% of your mortgage the year after you bought your house. There's still some left to pay but doinig so has become much more manageable. And your house feels a lot more like it's really yours than it was before.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
31 No's
While I think Ezra Klein makes a good point here about the level of interest group consensus on HCR, all the stress surrounding final passage would be pretty much moot were it not for a whopping 31 "No" votes looming in the Democratic camp. That's really pretty astounding. And sickening. Not that I ever have, but I couldn't ever justify sending any money to the Democratic Party's Congressional Campaign Committee. Not if any of that money ever went to any of these "No" tools.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Social Justice Christianity
I realize this is so last week, but here's a pretty good riff on Beck's latest attempt to smear those who don't share his regressive views of life.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Obama's a Bad-Ass
Almost forgot this Truth. Took over a year for it to emerge or re-emerge as the case might be. More of this please.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
What Obama should say tonight
Pass. The. Damn. Bill.
And any speech that fails to make this point Loud and Clear will be a failure.
And any speech that fails to make this point Loud and Clear will be a failure.
Lessons Learned
So let me see if I understand this correctly:
1. In November 2008 the nation gave Democrat Barack Obama 53% of the popular vote, a pretty big electoral vote, too, and won states such as Indiana, North Carolina, and Virginia, that Democrats haven't won since Andrew Jackson.
2. The other side responded to this by angrily stamping its collective foot, shouting No, No, No, sending its mobs out to disrupt discussion and yell at town hall meetings and on CNNMSNBCFOX "news", and generally voting in unison against even a watered down stimulus bill and health care reform bills in both houses of Congress.
3. This strategery essentially works. Only a one-third tax cut stimulus bill passes with two Republican Senate votes. Health care passes with no Republican votes. The other side wins gubernatorial elections in NJ and VA and a special senatorial election in MA.
4. The political class, including DLC'er, failed Tennessee Senatorial candidate now NY Senate carpetbagger candidate Harold Ford in this spectacularly shi$ty op-ed piece, declare that as a result of these three elections that Democrats must now bow down graciously and do whatever the new political mood demands.
But if the lesson is that elections don't mean anything because the best path back to political power for the minority is to yell, scream, disrupt and vote No, No, No, doesn't this then also imply that the election losers in NJ, VA and now MA should also in turn adopt a No, No, No strategery?
Conservatives were in their right, of course, to react as they did to Obama's election, in this an open, democratic society.
But this political class should also understand the meaning of "What you sow, that shall you also reap."
Conservatives and their disgruntlees have sowed the wind and will reap the whirlwind. Expect cooperation now? No fackin way.
1. In November 2008 the nation gave Democrat Barack Obama 53% of the popular vote, a pretty big electoral vote, too, and won states such as Indiana, North Carolina, and Virginia, that Democrats haven't won since Andrew Jackson.
2. The other side responded to this by angrily stamping its collective foot, shouting No, No, No, sending its mobs out to disrupt discussion and yell at town hall meetings and on CNNMSNBCFOX "news", and generally voting in unison against even a watered down stimulus bill and health care reform bills in both houses of Congress.
3. This strategery essentially works. Only a one-third tax cut stimulus bill passes with two Republican Senate votes. Health care passes with no Republican votes. The other side wins gubernatorial elections in NJ and VA and a special senatorial election in MA.
4. The political class, including DLC'er, failed Tennessee Senatorial candidate now NY Senate carpetbagger candidate Harold Ford in this spectacularly shi$ty op-ed piece, declare that as a result of these three elections that Democrats must now bow down graciously and do whatever the new political mood demands.
But if the lesson is that elections don't mean anything because the best path back to political power for the minority is to yell, scream, disrupt and vote No, No, No, doesn't this then also imply that the election losers in NJ, VA and now MA should also in turn adopt a No, No, No strategery?
Conservatives were in their right, of course, to react as they did to Obama's election, in this an open, democratic society.
But this political class should also understand the meaning of "What you sow, that shall you also reap."
Conservatives and their disgruntlees have sowed the wind and will reap the whirlwind. Expect cooperation now? No fackin way.
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Republicans' 178-256 Majority, Part I
You might not know it, but Democrats control the House of Representatives with 256 votes (218 constituting a majority of the 435-member chamber). And yet, 256 votes notwithstanding, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she doesn't have the votes to pass the Senate's health care reform bill. This would be a critical move towards health care reform because it would avoid another Senate vote, which thanks to last week's Massachusett's Senate special election, no longer contains a filibuster-proof, 60 vote supermajority.
But even with a 38-vote majority House Democrats still can't pull themselves together to pass a bill that expands Medicaid and prohibits insurance companies from disqualifying people for pre-existing conditions.
This is just some very sorry crapola. It means that the Democratic Party's governing majority is dysfunctional and non-existent.
In Part II of this series I will expound upon some reasons why the Democrats, despite their clear House majority, can't pass health care reform.
Update: Andrew Sullivan has several posts calling for the Democratic House Majority to Pass. The. Damn. Bill.
But even with a 38-vote majority House Democrats still can't pull themselves together to pass a bill that expands Medicaid and prohibits insurance companies from disqualifying people for pre-existing conditions.
This is just some very sorry crapola. It means that the Democratic Party's governing majority is dysfunctional and non-existent.
In Part II of this series I will expound upon some reasons why the Democrats, despite their clear House majority, can't pass health care reform.
Update: Andrew Sullivan has several posts calling for the Democratic House Majority to Pass. The. Damn. Bill.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Going Galt
I'm about ready to Go Galt. I mean, what the Eff is this supposed to mean?
I also have no idea what JM is talking about here:
What the Democrats -- and a lot of this is on the White House -- have done is get so deep into the inside game of legislative maneuvering, this and that 'gang' of senators and a lot of other nonsense that they've let themselves out of sync with the public mood and the people's needs.
The president needs to find way to say, we've heard you. We've gotten so focused on working the Washington channels to get this thing done and we need to be more focused on the public's mood and urgency. Well, we've heard you. We're going to stop playing around and get this thing done. And then we're going to work on getting Americans back to work. We know the urgency of the moment and we know you expect results.
And Barney Frank apparently isn't helping matters.
Andrew Sullivan has about the best take, or at least the closest approximate to my own feelings.
What's doubly bad about this development is not just losing a safe Dem seat to an R but losing such a seat--a Kennedy seat no less--to an R party that has gone to bed with teaparty nation, disrupted town hall meetings, attempted to shut down debate and any meaningful sense of responsible discourse. It's an insult.
I wouldn't blame Obama right about now for saying Fuck It. His party has betrayed him. The voters don't care.
I also have no idea what JM is talking about here:
What the Democrats -- and a lot of this is on the White House -- have done is get so deep into the inside game of legislative maneuvering, this and that 'gang' of senators and a lot of other nonsense that they've let themselves out of sync with the public mood and the people's needs.
The president needs to find way to say, we've heard you. We've gotten so focused on working the Washington channels to get this thing done and we need to be more focused on the public's mood and urgency. Well, we've heard you. We're going to stop playing around and get this thing done. And then we're going to work on getting Americans back to work. We know the urgency of the moment and we know you expect results.
And Barney Frank apparently isn't helping matters.
Andrew Sullivan has about the best take, or at least the closest approximate to my own feelings.
What's doubly bad about this development is not just losing a safe Dem seat to an R but losing such a seat--a Kennedy seat no less--to an R party that has gone to bed with teaparty nation, disrupted town hall meetings, attempted to shut down debate and any meaningful sense of responsible discourse. It's an insult.
I wouldn't blame Obama right about now for saying Fuck It. His party has betrayed him. The voters don't care.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Because the cab drivers tell me so
Harold Ford, late of the confederate state of Tennessee, recently citizen of Wall Street, New York, is dipping his toe in the Empire State's senatorial waters.
Mr. Ford said he had been emboldened by the response he had received from the public in recent days. Everyone — from the cabdrivers who shuttle him around the city to the executives with whom he rubs elbows on Wall Street — has urged him to run, he said.
During a trip from New York to Palm Beach on Thursday, flight attendants and passengers stopped in the aisle to cheer him on, he said. “I didn’t hear anyone say, you better not run against that Kirsten Gillibrand,” he said.
Amazingly, the Wall Street folks he's been hobnobbing with--and working for--for the past year are all thump-up on the idea, too. And the cab drivers. They're almost like real people. Who knew?
What about the issues? Ah, I'm glad you asked.
[Ford] blasted [Gillibrand's] support for the proposed health care overhaul, which is expected to cost New York an extra $1 billion a year, and for opposing the taxpayer bailout of the financial industry.
“It was a mistake,” he said, noting that most Wall Street firms had already paid back the money. “How can you be against ensuring that the lifeblood of your city and of your state survives?”
But look what else we learn:
Mr. Ford declined to discuss what he is paid by the bank, but publicly available data suggests that he earns at least $1 million a year. Asked what role outsize pay packages played in fueling the financial crisis, Mr. Ford said he objected to capping executive compensation on Wall Street. “I am a capitalist,” he said. “I believe that people take risk, and there are rewards if they do well; they should lose if they don’t.”
He's a what? He's a "capitalist". A capitalist who believes capitalists who take risks should be rewarded--and if they fail the gubmit should bail them out.
What else?
Mr. Ford twice voted for legislation in the House that would make same-sex marriage illegal. In 2006, when Tennessee voters considered a ballot initiative to outlaw the practice, he vowed to support it. “I oppose gay marriage,” he said at the time.
But in the interview, he said he had changed his mind. He said that he had endorsed civil unions since entering Congress, and that, after watching the debate about marriage unfold in state legislatures and courtrooms, his position had evolved.
And:
He supported Congressional legislation in 2006 to allow local police officers to investigate and arrest illegal immigrants, despite the objections of many advocates and lawmakers, like Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who said it would discourage people from cooperating with the police. He says his views on the subject have changed.
“I have come to better understand the issue,” he said. “Empowering local enforcement to do what federal law enforcement was not doing seemed to make sense in my state,” he said, referring to Tennessee. Mr. Ford, a member of the National Rifle Association, also voted for legislation to limit lawsuits against gun makers, and he cast one of the few Democratic votes for a bill to repeal the District of Columbia’s restrictions on guns.
When asked about the tough restrictions that mayors in New York and Newark have put in place, however, he said, “All of Mayor Bloomberg and Mayor Booker’s efforts in the region, I support.”
OK. But fear not. Ford's no softy. He likes to shoot small, harmless animals that can't shoot back. Really.
Asked about his own experience with guns, he said he was an occasional bird hunter. “I shoot at things that can’t shoot back,” he said with a smile, “and will continue to do that."
Or until his next limo driver objects.
Mr. Ford said he had been emboldened by the response he had received from the public in recent days. Everyone — from the cabdrivers who shuttle him around the city to the executives with whom he rubs elbows on Wall Street — has urged him to run, he said.
During a trip from New York to Palm Beach on Thursday, flight attendants and passengers stopped in the aisle to cheer him on, he said. “I didn’t hear anyone say, you better not run against that Kirsten Gillibrand,” he said.
Amazingly, the Wall Street folks he's been hobnobbing with--and working for--for the past year are all thump-up on the idea, too. And the cab drivers. They're almost like real people. Who knew?
What about the issues? Ah, I'm glad you asked.
[Ford] blasted [Gillibrand's] support for the proposed health care overhaul, which is expected to cost New York an extra $1 billion a year, and for opposing the taxpayer bailout of the financial industry.
“It was a mistake,” he said, noting that most Wall Street firms had already paid back the money. “How can you be against ensuring that the lifeblood of your city and of your state survives?”
But look what else we learn:
Mr. Ford declined to discuss what he is paid by the bank, but publicly available data suggests that he earns at least $1 million a year. Asked what role outsize pay packages played in fueling the financial crisis, Mr. Ford said he objected to capping executive compensation on Wall Street. “I am a capitalist,” he said. “I believe that people take risk, and there are rewards if they do well; they should lose if they don’t.”
He's a what? He's a "capitalist". A capitalist who believes capitalists who take risks should be rewarded--and if they fail the gubmit should bail them out.
What else?
Mr. Ford twice voted for legislation in the House that would make same-sex marriage illegal. In 2006, when Tennessee voters considered a ballot initiative to outlaw the practice, he vowed to support it. “I oppose gay marriage,” he said at the time.
But in the interview, he said he had changed his mind. He said that he had endorsed civil unions since entering Congress, and that, after watching the debate about marriage unfold in state legislatures and courtrooms, his position had evolved.
And:
He supported Congressional legislation in 2006 to allow local police officers to investigate and arrest illegal immigrants, despite the objections of many advocates and lawmakers, like Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who said it would discourage people from cooperating with the police. He says his views on the subject have changed.
“I have come to better understand the issue,” he said. “Empowering local enforcement to do what federal law enforcement was not doing seemed to make sense in my state,” he said, referring to Tennessee. Mr. Ford, a member of the National Rifle Association, also voted for legislation to limit lawsuits against gun makers, and he cast one of the few Democratic votes for a bill to repeal the District of Columbia’s restrictions on guns.
When asked about the tough restrictions that mayors in New York and Newark have put in place, however, he said, “All of Mayor Bloomberg and Mayor Booker’s efforts in the region, I support.”
OK. But fear not. Ford's no softy. He likes to shoot small, harmless animals that can't shoot back. Really.
Asked about his own experience with guns, he said he was an occasional bird hunter. “I shoot at things that can’t shoot back,” he said with a smile, “and will continue to do that."
Or until his next limo driver objects.
Monday, January 04, 2010
The True Face of Evangelical Christianity
Whether it's the smiley face on the TV screen or the well-dressed young men knocking on your door, or that shiny brochure you got in the mail, this is what lies not far below the surface of fundamentalist Christian doctrine. They might give to the poor, they might provide a temporarily accepting refuge for the lonely and down-trodden. But this is ultimately the kind of society conservative Christianity is seeking, or would result in, if its claims about needing to create "Bible-based society" were implemented.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Redskins behaving badly
In a season of bizzareness, this is really weird and generally sucky. Does any other team behave this way? Not surprising the team has mailed it in the past two weeks. What a mess the next coach will have to clean up. And it doesn't say much for the ownership and management the new coach will be agreeing to team up with.
Monday, December 28, 2009
17-0
So, how do you feel about Coach Zorn's decision to pull his starters just so the team could be healthy for the playoffs?
At least our long national Vinny Cerato nightmare is about over and a rebuilding job can soon begin.
At least our long national Vinny Cerato nightmare is about over and a rebuilding job can soon begin.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Only so much sympathy for Zorn
I'm not sure I completely follow what Mike Wise is getting at here, regarding the nonsensicle fake field goal the Redskins tried at the end of the first half of last night's beatdown at the hands of the New York football Giants. Maybe that with his play-calling duties stripped, special teams remains one area the coach could exercise his authoritay? I don't know.
As much as Zorn has weathered this season with something approaching dignity and calm, and as much as the catastrophe that has become this season is not all Zorn's fault, I'm only willing to cut Zorn so much slack.
In terms of his (shabby) treatment by management, the fact remains that Zorn interviewed and accepted the offer to become the team's offensive coordinator before a head coach was in place, giving him some indication of what he was walking into. Then of course he agreed to interview for and ultimately accept the head coaching offer knowing that his defensive coordinator and much of the remaining staff had already been assembled for him. So, he willingly entered into a working environment that was, at best, unconventional, and at worst, dysfunctional.
At least with Bruce Allen now at the GM helm, the next coach should feel better about the conditions at Redskins Park.
As much as Zorn has weathered this season with something approaching dignity and calm, and as much as the catastrophe that has become this season is not all Zorn's fault, I'm only willing to cut Zorn so much slack.
In terms of his (shabby) treatment by management, the fact remains that Zorn interviewed and accepted the offer to become the team's offensive coordinator before a head coach was in place, giving him some indication of what he was walking into. Then of course he agreed to interview for and ultimately accept the head coaching offer knowing that his defensive coordinator and much of the remaining staff had already been assembled for him. So, he willingly entered into a working environment that was, at best, unconventional, and at worst, dysfunctional.
At least with Bruce Allen now at the GM helm, the next coach should feel better about the conditions at Redskins Park.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
On the Eighth Day, God Said Let There Be No Health Care
The Republican Party's Prophets of Baal (Family Research Council branch) try to call fire down from heaven to prevent an expansion of health insurance coverage for the poor.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Sports Break - Good for Brian Kelly, and Wow, what happened to the Steelers?
I've enjoyed watching the before unheard of Cincinnati Bearcats go full throttle in college football these last couple of years and am glad Brian Kelly was able to leaverage that resurrection performance into the Notre Dame head coaching job. His players at Cincy seemed upset, for now, but I hope they'll eventually be happy for him.
I watched the entire Steelers-Browns game on the NFL Network last night. I usually check out of these Sunday night, Monday night games because they end too late, but stuck around for this one. Partly because I couldn't believe what I was watching. The Browns actually looked like a real football team. Have been hearing about how good this Josh Cribbs is returning kicks. And the Browns, recognizing what a weapon he is, have put him in the offense running the Wild Cat, mostly successfully. Not sure what has happened to the Steelers. The Browns D got to Rothlisberger for 8 sacks. Incredible. But for the Steelers to only put up 6 points on a 1-11 team, particularly a division rival they had beat 12 straight times, is pretty remarkable. Can't be a good day in Steelers country.
I watched the entire Steelers-Browns game on the NFL Network last night. I usually check out of these Sunday night, Monday night games because they end too late, but stuck around for this one. Partly because I couldn't believe what I was watching. The Browns actually looked like a real football team. Have been hearing about how good this Josh Cribbs is returning kicks. And the Browns, recognizing what a weapon he is, have put him in the offense running the Wild Cat, mostly successfully. Not sure what has happened to the Steelers. The Browns D got to Rothlisberger for 8 sacks. Incredible. But for the Steelers to only put up 6 points on a 1-11 team, particularly a division rival they had beat 12 straight times, is pretty remarkable. Can't be a good day in Steelers country.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Deal or No Deal
Forgive me for not getting all into the latest "deal" being talked about in the Senate regarding health care reform and the public option, Medicare, etc. Seems like we've had a number of deals over the past several months--it reminds me of the multiple number of occasions in which it was announced that we had killed the #2 leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq a few years ago. Just get the thing done and voted on, please. Thank you.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Christianist Double Speak
Andrew Sullivan flags this interesting post from a graduate of the Christianist Patrick Henry College, but I most appreciated this particular quote from it:
The first argument the letter-writers are likely to hurl back at me will insist that this is about America, about its future as a moral nation. This is politics, not our personal lives. Yes it is, and that’s the problem. It is why, on my darker days, I hardly want anything to do with the American church: as a national political force, it is about a highly politicized view of the United States, and not about God, people, or love. It assumes that the church can be a political force apart from the very principles it supposedly exists to defend—that it can preach institutional hate in the political arena and expect individuals to believe it really wants to love them. (This double-mindedness is apparent throughout the PHC letter, which one moment assures that Christians just want to be left alone to “remain faithful,” then pooh-poohs “small, behind-the-scenes actions” in favor of combative politics the next.)
I'm glad someone else is picking up on this Christianist dishonest gobbledygook. That it comes from a graduate of one of Christianism's "warrior" training bastions is especially reassuring.
The first argument the letter-writers are likely to hurl back at me will insist that this is about America, about its future as a moral nation. This is politics, not our personal lives. Yes it is, and that’s the problem. It is why, on my darker days, I hardly want anything to do with the American church: as a national political force, it is about a highly politicized view of the United States, and not about God, people, or love. It assumes that the church can be a political force apart from the very principles it supposedly exists to defend—that it can preach institutional hate in the political arena and expect individuals to believe it really wants to love them. (This double-mindedness is apparent throughout the PHC letter, which one moment assures that Christians just want to be left alone to “remain faithful,” then pooh-poohs “small, behind-the-scenes actions” in favor of combative politics the next.)
I'm glad someone else is picking up on this Christianist dishonest gobbledygook. That it comes from a graduate of one of Christianism's "warrior" training bastions is especially reassuring.
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