Seen the polls on this issue lately? This is down the list a bit on our priorities. Lets start making jobs, and better jobs than the $12.00 an hour types CNN Money talked about. And lets try to keep some here, like Microsoft.
Posted by peter at June 5, 2009 04:36 AMPeter does the poles? How refreshing. You're right Mary. Healthcare is the single most important economic issue and we MUST push hard on the likes of Max Baucus. He, like most of the Beltway villagers, lives in a privileged and disparate world from those he shamelessly pretends to "represent".
As is rather chillingly demonstrated in a Kos diary by draaron recounting his attendance of a $10,000 a plate "dinner" with Baucus; they, Beltway Boyars, their staff and their lobbyists, can stand at a window watching demonstrators march in the real world while they munch on seared scallops,(and) Chinese soup spoons laden with mango salad and pat themselves on their padded backs for "ONLY" sucking 16% off the top of desperate and needy individuals.
There is such a disconnect between these lifelong members of the political class and ordinary working schlubs that they could be Peter! Perhaps they would be more concerned for their damned JOBS if a few of the protesters were toting pitchforks, rather than polite signs.
As our sometimes inspiring, sometimes infuriating President has restated, WE are the change we've been waiting for. Heavily smeared bathroom tissues like Hoyer and Bachus will never bring change. Expecting Republicans to contribute intelligently to any discourse, would be like a publisher hiring 100 chimpanzees with IBM selectrics, (or Ross Douthat) and stopping the presses while s/he awaits the guaranteed best seller sure to emerge.
Single payer, Peter, is the simplest and BEST answer to your $12 an hour jobs. If we had the health care we deserve, as members of an otherwise advanced society, ALL employers could afford to hire more and pay better wages. Oh, and stop watching CNN money, your business IQ will increase by at least 10 points. That's almost a fifth of the improvement you would need to make average.
Posted by DeminNewJ at June 5, 2009 06:39 AMPeter putz understands as much about the US economy as the last drummer boy in the Kaiser's army. After years of being assured by team conservative that gub'mint can't create jobs, he wants to know when Obama's gonna create some GOOD ones!
The Putzer is a brain dead stooge to whatever daily vomit his clown show ringmasters put out as talking points. Eat your vomit, peter, good doggie!
No rational policy maker WOULD "trust" the health insurance industry---on anything. That our fool senior Dem "leaders" would be delighted to do so shows they have no real interest in "solving" anything, or that they are simply willfully irrational.
"The Cheney Bunch" is apparently now the nation's highest rated TV show! It's on every network to boot! It's literally unprecedented that an ex-VP (and his previously unknown progeny) is permitted daily nationwide news-time on every topic he and daughters care to lie about, three months after the election.
Your Lib'rul Media!
And more proof that we cannot hope to reform ourselves. We're comatose, with the food tube being monitored by the corporate press.....
Posted by euzoius at June 5, 2009 08:12 AMAlso on the "Lib'rul Media" front, ej dionne makes the unassailable point that by refusing to have even the slightest "debate" about a (publicly popular) single payer plan, the idiot Dem leaders play into the hands of the Repubs (and corporate press), who now can argue that Obama is a crazed lib'rul because he simply wants a public plan option.
As if on cue, the GOoPs are today out in force lecturing that Obama's letter supporting such a public plan option (a freaking alternative! More "choice"!) was a train wreck that makes their "bipartisan" cooperation simply and utterly impossible.
Yeah, the GOoPers are the "reasonable" ones, corporate press! Any legislation that doesn't keep the insurance "system" 100% private is "radical!" Thus the only moderate position in health care insurance reform is spun as extremist.
Your Lib'rul Media!
Posted by euzoius at June 5, 2009 08:43 AM"Then he emphasized why the public option is so important: it will "keep the insurance companies honest."
So the most corrupt, inept, ineffecient group of people in the US, the federal government, is supposed to keep the insurance companies honest?
I guess he expects the biggest crook on the block to keep the lessor crooks in check.
The feds can point to the highly successful and efficiently run programs like Social Securty, Medicare and national defense as shining examples of how not to fix health care.
Sigh...are you all so blind to the ways of the feds as to think they will run a fair and efficient single payer system? Try not to look at Canada, France and Britian as to what you think a government run health care system will look like here. Look to what OUR feds have done for the last hundred years to screw up everthing they touch.
Posted by manapp99 at June 5, 2009 08:44 AMMancrapp0 shows his great love of America---it can't do things that Canada, France and GB easily do. Another right wing patriot.
I'd tell you to read a book about Medicare and Social Security, Mancrap, but you can't read anything more than 2 pages long. Plus reality does not compute with you.
And since they're such totally failed ineffecient and obviously deeply unpopular programs, however did the rump Dems at the nadir of their power in early 2005 save them from privatization under the triumphant Repub Empire?
Oh, that's right, the public doesn't agree with your crazed wingnut extremism! A pity for you, as always. Have you thought about emigrating since you despise the country, its government and people so deeply?
Posted by at June 5, 2009 08:54 AMsorry above by me.
Posted by euzoius at June 5, 2009 08:56 AM"And since they're such totally failed ineffecient and obviously deeply unpopular programs, however did the rump Dems at the nadir of their power in early 2005 save them from privatization under the triumphant Repub Empire?"
By lying to the public saying there is no looming crises with SS and the other entitlement programs.
Obama is on record as acknowleging the looming crises in SS, didn't you get the memo?
Obama is on record as acknowleging the looming crises in SS, didn't you get the memo?
It's gotta be tough for you assclowns to be around a President who says we need to address Social Security issues BEFORE there is a problem. Forethought. Something you silly fucks aren't very good at. Quaking in your boots around brown and black people, you got that down pat. Pissing yourself over "terra" is another of your hallmarks. Fear is all you've got. You would be pitiable if republi-KKKons mattered. But you don't matter. Our Founding Fathers would have sent your type of "person" back to England.
Posted by phidipides at June 5, 2009 09:31 AM"It's gotta be tough for you assclowns to be around a President who says we need to address Social Security issues BEFORE there is a problem."
Which is exactly what President Bush was trying to do but was derailed by the Democrat party of no. As in "there is no problem with social security so we do not need to fix it"
Weren't you paying attention to politics way back in 2006?
Posted by manapp99 at June 5, 2009 09:56 AManything the manape is capable of grasping is "filtered" thru the standard right wing filter:
he has his head as far up his ass as possible, which considering the quality of his comments and observations is about 8 meters.....
oh and manape the feds that have completely fucked up everthing they touched were: say it together now REPUBLIKKKONS
Posted by headxray at June 5, 2009 11:15 AMThe economy has really gone down the tubes since Obama became President. He's running this country like he's running GM and Chrysler, and those companies are now in bankruptcy, plants are shutting down and workers are being let go. Now you morons want to let Obama do the same to healthcare that he's done to GM and Chrysler. Great, when hospitals shut down and nurses and doctors are let go, are we supposed to fly to India or China for a doctor appointment?
Anyway we can get President Bush back?
Posted by Obama is worse than Bush at June 5, 2009 03:24 PMThe economy has really gone down the tubes since Obama became President.
...yep, everything went in the shitter after Nov 6....amazing how that happened...the collpase of Bear Stearns, the Paulson-Fauld pissing contest that allowed Lehman Brothers to fail and take AIG with it, couldn't have had anything to do with it...fuck no.... blowing the budget chasing Saddam Hussein...not even a factor...how does America have some of the smartest people in the world and the absolute fucking dumbest morons on the planet?
When god gave out brains you idiots thought he said trains and missed it.
Posted by at June 5, 2009 04:48 PMJan 20, 2009 Oil per barrel: $32.75
Jun 05, 2009 Oil per barrel: $68.44
Jan 20, 2009 unemployment rate: 7.6%
Jun 05, 2009 unemployment rate: 9.4%
Jan 20, 2009 price of GM stock: $3.50
Jun 05, 2009 price of GM stock: $0.86*
* GM is currently trading on the pink sheets, and will go to $0 during bankruptcy.
The numbers don't lie! Obama SUCKS!
Posted by Obama is worse than Bush at June 5, 2009 05:06 PM* GM is currently trading on the pink sheets, and will go to $0 during bankruptcy.
Well aren't you the dumbest fucker on the planet...see above...your dufus lapdog, G W Bonehead was brain dead (you can relate) for 8 years during which the American economy rotted from the inside out....the GM problems were exacerbated by the credit crunch which was caused by your pal's "unfettered by regulation" economic model....how about we try oil at $157/barrel in July 2008..wonder if that had anything to do with the steep drop in GM sales....
Sorry man, you're just too fucking stupid to have a conversation with...but please, economic calamity did not start on Nov 9, 2008...put the pipe away!
How about trying GM at $59.50 when Bubbles became preznit, but you are right moronboy, numbers don't lie...Republicans do!!!
Posted by Goyo at June 5, 2009 05:23 PMHey brain fart, I was using Jan 20th through Jun 5th to get OBAMA's numbers. I'm not going back to a previous administration. Not Bush or Clinton or Reagan or Teddy Rosevelt.
These are OBAMA's numbers. Jan 20th to Jun 5th. THIS YEAR. Because in the future voters will have to decide if Obama has made their lives better or if Obama should be "Jimmy Cartered" out of office after one term.
Are you better off than you were on January 20th?
Ask a GM worker. Ask a California state worker. Ask a motorist filling up his gas tank.
Obama SUCKS!
In 2010, voters can put the adults back in charge of Congress. In 2012, voters can get rid of this crappy Obama hope-and-change disaster!
Posted by Obama is worse than Bush at June 5, 2009 05:41 PMI was using Jan 20th through Jun 5th to get OBAMA's numbers.
Are you really as stupid as you seem...I'll take your argument and tell you that on January 20th, 2009 Ford Motors was trading at $2.13...today it closed at $6.36...by your logic Obama is doing swimmingly...once you learn the alphabet look up specious in a dictionary as that describes your argument....come on big boy admit it, you're a racist moron without a clue of the world outside your trailer park...piss off!!
Posted by Goyo at June 5, 2009 07:18 PMI have to note that Ford refused Obama's "help" and bailout money while GM and Chrysler have been run by the Obama team.
Goyo, if you are making the point that the free market and capitalism are far superior to Obama-style governance, I agree.
Posted by Dennis at June 5, 2009 07:50 PMFord isn't under Government Motor's control. They fore saw what was coming and positioned themselves for the down turn. Everyone thought they were crazy doing what they did. Now, they are the light, the only light on for our auto industry to find it's way back to prominence.
That being said, "Obama doesn't suck", completely inappropriate.
What we're finding out is our government doesn't do to well when running anything. They can "guide", but to actually run...nope. Democrats aren't doing much different than Republicans. Before Obama, we held up the Clinton times and those 22 million jobs created. With the coming of our present admin., Clinton's accomplishments have been cast in another light, dimmed.
My NJ friend, let's see the fix on Medicare. that's a program already under federal control. Leave health care alone for now, single payer sounds fine to me if it's along a Swiss model, otherwise, we've got along way to go. And BTW, I'm not a watcher of CNN's Money, I just saw this article about $12 jobs.
I thought K-Street was being shunned by the Obama administration and all those aligned with him? It seems K-Street is doing ever better with this administration and Democrats in charge. So much for his words...
e.j. dionne also saws Cheney and Rush are winning the battle for the people's hearts and minds, Euz. He makes a good case, but, I don't believe it for a second. Maybe the Gallup poll finds that two of the leading officials on either side of the torture argument — Cheney and Nancy Pelosi — have equally poor favorability ratings. But here’s the key point: They are at parity because Cheney’s ratings have gone up and Pelosi’s have dropped during the period that both were heavily identified with the torture issue.
Oh, and Euz, what did NBC air tonight for two hours? A very nice look into the Obama WH. Well done, well shot, nice! When did NBC ever air a program like that about President Bush? Either of them?
***
Senator Alexander proposed the "Auto Stock for Every Taxpayer Act" today, which would "require the Treasury to distribute to individual taxpayers all its stock in General Motors (GM) and Chrysler within one year following the emergence of the companies from bankruptcy proceedings. You know, the old Colin Powell, "you break it, you own it" thing. Well, we brought it. Where are our shares?
***
"President Barack Obama has tapped an anti-abortion activist to a senior Health and Human Services "faith-based" position just a week after the murder of prominent abortion doctor George Tiller.
Alexia Kelley is executive director of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good (CACG), and will head the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the Department of Health and Human Services."
Another Catholic??? Let's get Sotomayor approved and send Justice Souter home.
Posted by peter at June 5, 2009 08:22 PM
"Rift With Germany Is Next on Diplomatic Agenda
Published: Friday, June 5, 2009 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, June 5, 2009 at 5:09 a.m.
By NICHOLAS KULISH
The New York Times
DRESDEN, Germany — After mending fences with the Muslim world in Cairo on Thursday, President Obama might want to keep his diplomatic tools handy for his stopover here, to repair his increasingly strained relationship with Chancellor Angela Merkel."
and
"Timesonline.com
Charles Bremner in Paris
The Obamas turn up in Paris this evening, but have declined a dinner invitation from the couple next door: the Sarkozys.
President Obama’s reluctance to spend more than minimum time with the French leader on his visit for the D-Day anniversary has come as an embarrassment to the Elysée Palace."
I thought this president was supposed to mend all those fences Bush broke? Seems to me he's breaking what wasn't broke before. These guys are our friends...
Posted by peter at June 5, 2009 08:55 PMas always shit brain pete remains impressed with himself....you'll always be an idiot shit brains....
Posted by headxray at June 5, 2009 09:50 PM