ThinkFast: June 18, 2009
ThinkFast: June 18, 2009
Although Senate Republicans continue to block dozens of key Obama nominees, the President has no plans to give them recess appointments. By bottling up these nominees, Republicans are attempting to delay action on key administration priorities like health care and climate change legislation by consuming precious floor time.
Last night, the Senate passed by unanimous consent a bill that would prevent the release of controversial photos of alleged U.S. abuse of prisoners and detainees. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), was proposed as standalone legislation after it was stripped from a war funding supplemental bill by House Democrats.
“Iran braced for a fourth day of massive protests Thursday by opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in open defiance of the country’s supreme leader, who has urged the nation to unite behind the Islamic state.” Meanwhile, Iran’s Guardian Council announced that it will convene the three major presidential candidates to discuss their grievances.
“A Senate energy bill was voted out of committee yesterday, but not before losing the support of two Democrats and a dozen leading environmental organizations.” Environmental groups dislike the offshore drilling allowances and a weak renewable electricity standard that allows too many exemptions. The bill also subsidizes nuclear power and would “ease restrictions on the federal government’s use of petroleum from Canadian tar sands.”
The American Medical Association ended their annual conference by “signaling they won’t close the door” on one of Obama’s key proposals, a public health insurance plan to compete with private insurers. “The AMA did not close doors. The AMA said we will evaluate all proposals in light of our principles,” said outgoing AMA President Nancy Nielsen.
“President Obama’s push for a bipartisan healthcare overhaul suffered a double blow on Wednesday when Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) announced he would cut $600 billion from his measure while Republicans derided a Democratic markup of an alternative bill as a ‘joke.’” When asked if his massive cuts could mean delaying the bill until after the July 4th recess, Baucus replied, “I hope not, but I can’t guarantee it.”
Former Sens. Bob Dole (R-KS) and Tom Daschle (D-ND) have “launched a bipartisan push for healthcare reform, but they took issue with a central feature of the President’s plan, a public, government-run health insurance program.” “If you want to stop this thing dead in its tracks, or dead on arrival, in my view, you put the public plan in it,” Dole said. Daschle said the public option probably needs to be scrapped.”
President Obama’s special envoy to Sudan, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. J. Scott Gration, said yesterday that “the Sudanese government is no longer engaging in a ‘coordinated’ campaign of mass murder in Darfur, marking a shift in the U.S. characterization of the violence there as an ‘ongoing genocide.’” ”What we see is the remnants of genocide,” Gration said.
The White House told members of the President’s Council on Bioethics last week that “their services were no longer needed” and they should cancel future meetings. The council, which was formed by President Bush to be “a philosophically leaning advisory group,” will be replaced by a new bioethics commission with a new mandate to offer “practical policy options.”
And finally: Earlier this week, the State Department stepped in and asked Twitter to delay its planned maintenance, which would “avoid disrupting communications among tech-savvy Iranian citizens as they took to the streets to protest” the country’s election results. Yesterday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton commented on the move, saying, “We promote the right of free expression. I wouldn’t know a twitter from a tweeter but apparently it is very important.”
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Right wing cowards are scrambling to block any progress at all for America.
Right wingers fear progress like they fear most things.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:06 amIf Republicans continue to stall the appointments till the Recess comes to an end, I wouldn’t expect Obama’s refusal to make recess appointments to last.
What will be REALLY fun will be to hear Republicans try and complain about it when he does. How many recess appointments did Bush make? 30?
June 18th, 2009 at 9:13 amABC noted that even Tom Daschle, “once Obama’s top healthcare adviser, said the public option probably needs to be scrapped.” Daschle: “We’ve come too far and gained too much momentum for our efforts to fail over disagreement on one single issue.”
What exactly is left if there is no ‘public option’?
June 18th, 2009 at 9:16 amSenate Republicans continue to block dozens of key Obama nominees….”
The biggest problem facing Obama’s Adminastration.
=============
Sen. Max Baucus two decades after a mineral mine near Libby, Mont., was shut down because of asbestos contamination, the town’s residents are still suffering from related diseases. EPA declared the whole town a HAZMAT.
And Baucus is going to cut $600 billion from his measure???
I wonder who will pick-up Libby’s big health care bill, as most of the people in that town are sick, poor and dying which most probably can’t even afford private health insurance?
June 18th, 2009 at 9:21 amPresident Obama is seeing how the money interests scurry behind the scenes, trying to defeat a public option in health care before it ever sees the light of day.
He knew this would happen. We knew this would happen. Corporate control of health care costs is not going away without a fight.
Meanwhile, those on the right have their own plan…
June 18th, 2009 at 9:21 amConservative
Republican
American Healthcare
Plan
“If you want to stop this thing dead in its tracks, or dead on arrival, in my view, you put the public plan in it,” Dole said. Daschle said the public option probably needs to be scrapped.”
___________________________________________________________
Yes, any kind of health reform bill without any real reform in it will pass through Congress like sh!t through a goose (isn’t an empty bucket always easier to carry than a full one?). But without a public option, it’s meaningless and won’t change anything.
I can understand Bob Dole’s position — he’s always been in favor of going with the GOP status quo. But I’m really disappointed in Daschle. And to think he was nominated to be HHS Secretary!
June 18th, 2009 at 9:23 amDaschle is getting too much $ from health insurers.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:25 amour government is a joke.
it really is.
iranians have courage and conviction. at least they’re fighting thier corrupt government.
america? not so much.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:27 amOh, heathcare reform is a sham. See, America’s for-profit healthcare system is the best in the world. The ranking at @ #37 is inconsequential when one takes into account american exceptionalism: America is separate from all other countries, and when we don’t use the rest of the world as some sort of yardstick, and just look within, we are #1 out of 1 country.
See? Simple, and not all wound up in the red tape of all those other loser countries that are lesser than America.
And if you can’t afford healthcare, then you probably don’t deserve it anyway. Poor people gum up the system …like, …ummm, …gum. And we all know that gum has no medical advantages, so it is clear by the evidence that if we give poor people gum they will be healthy, and won’t need insurance, and unhealthy people shouldn’t be going to the doctor anyway, because they might spread their unhealthiness to healthy, insured people, who keep the insurance companies in the black.
Doctors need lots of money and less patients in order to be good doctors. Who wants to be around sick people all the time, anyway?
June 18th, 2009 at 9:28 am“The AMA did not close doors. The AMA said we will evaluate all proposals in light of our principles,” said outgoing AMA President Nancy Nielsen.
____________________________________________________________
The AMA found themselves walking an interesting tightrope. They had to come out against any public health plan in order to appease the health insurance and pharmaceutical companies they’re in bed with.
But at the same time, they didn’t want to alienate any Democrats they depend on to prevent cuts to Medicare payments to doctors.
And now they’re having to deal with public reaction to their position.
Any ideas on how long they can keep up this little dance of protecting the health care industry profits while pretending they aren’t?
June 18th, 2009 at 9:29 amShorter AMA: “Ignore the man behind the curtain.”
June 18th, 2009 at 9:30 amSo, by unanimous consent, the United States Senate voted to suppress key evidence in War Crimes trials. Way to go.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:30 amCageyCretin that was excellent!
June 18th, 2009 at 9:31 ambonzo 1958 Says:
CageyCretin that was excellent!
Ummm… thanks?….. have some gum. It’s better than healthcare….
June 18th, 2009 at 9:32 amPut this one down as another Republican victory.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:32 amranus69 Says:
I wonder who will pick-up Libby’s big health care bill, as most of the people in that town are sick, poor and dying which most probably can’t even afford private health insurance?
June 18th, 2009 at 9:21 am
__________
Not the executives of W.R. Grace, who were acquitted of all charges last month on charges of knowingly exposing the town to asbestos contamination.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:33 amBriseadh na Firefly Says:
So, by unanimous consent, the United States Senate voted to suppress key evidence in War Crimes trials. Way to go.
How many of them would be implicated in complicity with any war crimes?
June 18th, 2009 at 9:33 amFormer Sens. Bob Dole (R-KS) and Tom Daschle (D-ND) have “launched a bipartisan push for healthcare reform, but they took issue with a central feature of the President’s plan, a public, government-run health insurance program.” “If you want to stop this thing dead in its tracks, or dead on arrival, in my view, you put the public plan in it,” Dole said. Daschle said the public option probably needs to be scrapped.”
And two more Republican victories.
We elected Democrats – why?
June 18th, 2009 at 9:35 ammary lacewing Says
June 18th, 2009 at 9:16 am
What exactly is left if there is no ‘public option’?
____________________________________________________________
My guess is that without a public plan option, the bill will just have a lot of language in it about “increasing competition in the marketplace” — in other words, leaving everything the way it is.
This will allow everybody who voted for it to go into the 2010 election campaign crowing about how they “worked for health care reform”. It will have no other benefit.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:37 amSuppressing war crimes evidence, bowing down to the insurance masters rather than helping uninsured Americans, two never ending wars… Hum, just another day in the American Empire.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:37 amWhat exactly is left if there is no ‘public option’?
Higher Premiums. Higher deductibles and co-pays. Less coverage. In other words, same-old sameold.
In the end, they’ll deregulate the Health Care Industry and call it an improvement. Five years later, it will collapse, as has done every deregulated industry, and we, the taxpayers, will have to shell out billions to prop up the system after the ruling class has looted it.
Stick of gum, anyone?
June 18th, 2009 at 9:45 amSurprise surprise – more Republican racism:
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/6/18/headlines
June 18th, 2009 at 9:48 amBriseadh na Firefly Says:
“A Senate energy bill was voted out of committee yesterday, but not before losing the support of two Democrats and a dozen leading environmental organizations.” Environmental groups dislike the offshore drilling allowances and a weak renewable electricity standard that allows too many exemptions. The bill also subsidizes nuclear power and would “ease restrictions on the federal government’s use of petroleum from Canadian tar sands.”
Put this one down as another Republican victory.
That so-called energy bill was a very weak and watered-down bill that would have done very little to “reform” our energy systems. Being liberal with offshore drilling, and using petroleum from Canadian tar sands (even dirtier than regular oil) does nothing to reduce the overload of CO2 into the atmosphere. Neither does the renewable electricity standards with so many exemptions, it’s self-defeating. Subsidizing the construction of new nuclear plants means less assistance to the creation of TRUE green energy…and where the heck are we supposed to store all that great spent (radioactive) fuel? A bad bill is no better than no bill at all. And if it actually passes the full Senate and House, it will NOT be a victory for the American people. It will, however, be a great victory for the energy companies and the politicians who have been bought off.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:49 amBriseadh na Firefly Says:
In the end, they’ll deregulate the Health Care Industry and call it an improvement. Five years later, it will collapse, as has done every deregulated industry, and we, the taxpayers, will have to shell out billions to prop up the system after the ruling class has looted it.
what a bleak and completley believable scenerio.
Now I’m depressed. …..oh… my insurance doesn’t cover that….
I’m going out to buy a pallatte of gum. I’ll be back later.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:50 amchiroptera toasterhead,
And that’s what is so troubling that they contanminated a whole town and got away with killing the whole town. Why don’t the people of Libby and Montana vote these self-interest politicians out of office?
This has got my blood boiling.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:56 amObama must change his mind — recess appointments wherever he can is in order at this time.
June 18th, 2009 at 10:01 amMaybe he is waiting for Minnesota to finally seat Franken, and he thinks he can get his 50 votes, but that is no guarantee with the DINOs in the Senate — so recess appointments — YES!
Daschle said the public option probably needs to be scrapped.”
If one needs to place blame on our current political system, llok no further that Daschle. He was the template for democratic spinelessness. I wish his predecessor was still in the House, kicking republican ass. Tip O’Neill would never have allowed such cowardice to influence his decisions.
June 18th, 2009 at 10:08 amI just poked around the White House web site to find any particulars on this so-called Health Care Reform.
I literally found nothing that will help someone like me.
Here’s one of the “eight principles” that Obama will “adhere to” during this “reform”:
Make Health Coverage Affordable. The plan must reduce waste and fraud, high administrative costs, unnecessary tests and services, and other inefficiencies that drive up costs with no added health benefits.
Seriously? That’s how they plan to make health coverage more affordable?
June 18th, 2009 at 10:08 amIf you’re interested, the fax number for Sen. Baucus’ office is 202-224-9412. It is pretty simple to send a fax right from the computer. The office kept me on hold too long this morning.
June 18th, 2009 at 10:11 am?
June 18th, 2009 at 10:19 amwho is that in the photo above?
?
more irrelevant spam from watchpuppy
what a sad little dog
June 18th, 2009 at 10:32 amjust flag the spammer
June 18th, 2009 at 10:44 amLast night, the Senate passed by unanimous consent a bill that would prevent the release of controversial photos of alleged U.S. abuse of prisoners and detainees.
Unanimous consent?!? WTF?
Everything that might help the country is this huge battle facing walls of obstructionism, but this sails through without even one dissenting vote?
I guess the Republicans still do control everything.
.
Iran braced for a fourth day of massive protests Thursday…
There was this guy on Maddow yesterday explaining how this works. Apparently a lot of the people behind these protests were involved in ‘79 and they used the same method. What you do is once they’ve shot some people you have a “mourning” rally. This brings out even bigger numbers since mourning is viewed as apolitical. Then if they shoot more people you do a new one for the victims the next day, which gets even bigger. Wash, rinse, repeat.
.
watchdog Says:
‘Hamas helping Iran crush dissent’
Palestinian Hamas members are helping the Iranian authorities crush street protests in support of reformist presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousav
I heard it was probably Hezbollah, since they’re adjacent (Lebanon) and they have direct ties to Iran already. People have been trying to get some kind of confirmation on this though. Video of militia members speaking Arabic would at least narrow it down.
But let’s check your source:
Ah, yes. I see. Two unientified protestors. The Jerusalem Post.
Well, I won’t say it’s impossible, but my money would be on it being Hezbollah. But then again, maybe both. Or maybe neither. It’s certainly something to keep an eye on ether way.
June 18th, 2009 at 10:55 amWhat we are seeing now is a bunch of wealthy, well fed and insured polatician’s on both side’s paying back their drug dealer’s…Nearly all in polatics are just like drunk’s and junkies….They do anything to keep their booz, money and or drug’s from corporate america coming their way…Drunk on power like bull shit bush was, demanding power and privledge like cheney do’s and on it go’s ….Sadly I don’t see it changing much…They all will hash over bill’s, strip the good stuff, leave in stuff that do’s no good and then vote the bill’s in or out…We are at their playful will and they all run the government to suit themselves and their dealers…What we need iis a massive intervention, kick out all the druggies on both sides out and put in a new party for the people…..P. B. & J
June 18th, 2009 at 11:03 amSorry for 2 out’s…..Not enough coffee,,,Blessings
June 18th, 2009 at 11:07 amso nobody knows who that is in the photo above?
June 18th, 2009 at 11:24 amThe insanity is spreading like the plague. It isn’t infecting our society anymore, it has become our society. Slap a band-aid on the gaping wound and turn with a grin to your audience as they applaud your deft handling of the problem. It’s at every level, from workplace to federal government.
The problems are legion, the ’solutions’ useless. We are on the verge of collapse with our burgeoning debt, crumbling infrastructure, gridlocked freeways, ridiculous pay inequities, and most of all our changing climate which very well do us all in.
At a time when courage is called for, political expediency wins the day.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:25 amkaty,
I think that’s Howard Koh. Obama’s nominee US Assistant Secretary for Health.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:10 pmthanks zooey…
TP – how ’bout this:
Although Senate Republicans continue to block dozens of key Obama nominees, such as Howard Koh, the nominee for US Assistant Secretary for Health pictured here/above, the President has no plans to give them recess appointments.
or SOMEthing…
June 18th, 2009 at 12:24 pmBob Dole? The same Bob Dole who blocked health care reform in 1993 because Bill Kristol told him that if it passed the Democrats would hold the White House? Who cares what he thinks – betraying the people for his personal political gain disqualifies him.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:28 pmLast night, the Senate passed by unanimous consent a bill that would prevent the release of controversial photos of alleged U.S. abuse of prisoners and detainees.
If they were released the word alleged would likely no longer be applicable.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:32 pmLast night, the Senate passed by unanimous consent a bill that would prevent the release of controversial photos of alleged U.S. abuse of prisoners and detainees.
It’s really hard to have hope for america when the dems cave so spinelessly. They voted to cover up an investigation into torture, essentially.
Obama too. No recess appointments? How does he ever expect to get anything done? We’re running out of time. The earth is being slowly destroyed, and pretty soon it will be too late. This is life and death, people! Throw politeness and bipartisanship out the window. These f@ckers need to be dealt with NOW!
June 18th, 2009 at 1:39 pmThank you.. bu adama yar oluyorum
Sesli Chat
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:12 amSesli Sohbet
Sesli Chat
Sesli Sohbet
Seslikent
SesliChat
SesliSohbet
ne bizim mesj att?k yawwss adama yar oluyorum yazm?s?m herif yanl?? anlayacak :D:D: zuhaa
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:13 am