ThinkFast: August 4, 2009
ThinkFast: August 4, 2009
Former President Bill Clinton is in North Korea to secure the freedom of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, two U.S. journalists who were recently sentenced to 12 years in jail. He is “the highest-profile American to visit since his secretary of state, Madeleine Albright, went in 2000.” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that the Obama administration would have no public comment to avoid jeopardizing the trip’s success.
Last month, the Obama administration filed a “friend of the court brief” in the Supreme Court that defended the state secrets privilege, saying it is “grounded in the Constitution.” The filing “raised eyebrows and suspicions among liberals already disappointed that the Obama administration has not rejected a number of legal doctrines associated with the Bush administration.”
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the commander of troops in Afghanistan, has reportedly “suggested a dramatic increase in troops — 4 to 6 brigades during 2010. That’s equivalent to anywhere from 12,000 to 27,000 additional troops deployed to Afghanistan next year.” The increase is in addition “to the more than 20,000 troops already approved by President Obama.”
The White House has launched a “behind-the-scenes offensive” to save the cash-for-clunkers program. But Democratic leaders are hesitant because “they don’t want their carefully planned pre-recess voting schedule to fall victim to procedural delays the Republicans may impose to protest the additional cash.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) “wouldn’t say whether he would potentially delay the start of the August recess.”
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said yesterday that Senate Democrats are exploring options to pass a health care reform bill, including budget reconciliation, a parliamentary move that would allow the bill’s passage with a simple majority. Reconciliation is “clearly one of the contingencies on the table,” Schumer said. “We want to get a bipartisan agreement, but if we don’t, it’s not going to stop us from moving forward with health care.”
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner “blasted top U.S. financial regulators” — including Ben Bernanke, Mary Shapiro, and Sheila Bair — “in an expletive-laced critique” for their uneasiness in implementing the Obama administration’s U.S. financial regulation overhaul. U.S. regulators are wary of the plan because of encroachment on the financial services industry’s turf. ”[E]nough is enough,” Geithner charged, saying they had ample time to air their concerns.
Yesterday, Obama marked the implementation of last year’s GI bill — the most extensive educational assistance program for veterans since the original landmark GI Bill in 1944. “We do this not just to meet our moral obligation to those who’ve sacrificed greatly on our behalf and on behalf of the country,” Obama said. “We do it because these men and women must now be prepared to lead our nation in the peaceful pursuit of economic leadership in the 21st century.”
After the New York Times reported of a truce between MSNBC and Fox News, Keith Olbermann did his best last night to prove he’s not letting up on the right-wing network. Olbermann used last night’s “Worst Person” segment to blast Fox chief Rupert Murdoch, Bill O’Reilly, and NYT reporter Brian Stelter, author of the original article.
MSNBC has admitted to erring by not revealing guest host Richard Wolffe’s role as a strategist for a top Washington public affairs firm Public Strategies Inc. The criticism against MSNBC was first leveled by Salon’s Glenn Greenwald. Writing on DailyKos, Keith Olbermann stated, “[U]ntil we can clarify what else [Wolffe] is doing, he will not be appearing with us.”
And finally: Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) is looking for “more than the typical exceptional writing, communication and organizational skills” from her staffers. In a new job posting for a legislative assistant, applicants are required to explain, “what you would do to get on [MTV’s] ‘Real World, D.C.’” Brown-Waite’s spokesperson explained that the congresswoman “values a creative staff, and this is a way that we can attract these types of applicants.” In the past, applicants have discussed other quirky topics such as “how bocce ball changed your life.”
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Happy Birthday, Mr. President!
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August 4th, 2009 at 9:06 amPresident Obama could well be the beneficiary of the current economic climate. It is certainly coming at the right time in terms of his legislative agenda. We still have a long way to go to climb out of the GDumbya recession; however, there has been a lot of good news lately and that can’t hurt.
It’s very amusing that Little Seanie Vanity, et. al., trumpeted the daily declines of the stock market over the past months. Now that they are on the rise that topic is off the table. They are such transparent little twits.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:10 amSen. Chuck Shumer (D-NY) said yesterday that Senate Democrats are exploring options to pass a health care reform bill, including budget reconciliation, a parliamentary move that would allow the bill’s passage with a simple majority.
Just do it.
Republics aren’t going to change their ways anytime soon. Letting them drag this thing around in the mud allows them to influence the public opinion on health care reform.
Sure, they’ll squawk, pout & lie, but they’ll do that anyway, regardless of the issue.
And, as katy notes above, Happy Birthday, Mr. President!
August 4th, 2009 at 9:10 amYesterday, Obama marked the implementation of last year’s GI bill — the most extensive educational assistance program for veterans since the original landmark GI Bill in 1944.
Finally, a President who understands what the phrase ‘honoring veterans’ actually means….
August 4th, 2009 at 9:13 amDr. Hussein, You won’t hear about the up-tick in Obama’s numbers. In fact, you won’t hear about the latest Gallup poll at all. Republicans lead in only FIVE states. FIVE. Although the Democrats are hardly liked, the Republicans are losing ground in every demograpghic except the South. The ‘Birther’ movement is hurting the GOP. Oh sure, the Southern racists love this kind of red-meat, but younger people and Independants are disgusted. Add the fact the Repugs are voting against Sotomoyer and the Hispanic vote is long gone. Not to mention women. Good luck GOP. Oh, you might gain some ground in 2010. But the Homophobia and Xenophobia and Sexism will spell doom for decades to come.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:14 amGeithner to regulators: ‘Stop your (expletive) turf wars’
Just thought I’d provide an alternative link since you have to be a subscriber for the WSJ story.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:14 amI have been posting about how Ben Bernanke is not doing things helpful to his reappointment as Fed chief. Well, that pattern continues.
I don’t think I am the only one seeing this. On Morning Joe they had someone beating the drum for Bernanke citing his scholarly standing. It is not his background but his performance that matters and he has performed in a belated manner constantly. We need a visionary in that position with a knowledge of history. Bernanke has had a problem with that vision thing much like George H. W. Bush. He needs to be sweep out.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:18 amYesterday, Obama marked the implementation of last year’s GI bill — the most extensive educational assistance program for veterans since the original landmark GI Bill in 1944.
______________________________________________________________
One of the things President Obama pointed out when talking about the GI Bill was how it contributed to the strongest middle class we ever had.
He said that after the war, almost half of university students were veterans who had returned from fighting in WWII. The GI Bill gave us an educated workforce who became the “backbone” (his term) of a robust middle class in the 1950’s. And our economy prospered during that decade.
Conservatives in general long to return to the 1950’s, and I think it’s not just because men were men and women and non-whites “knew their place” — I think it also has to do with the economic growth we experienced during that time.
A healthy economy is one where the most people participate. And it’s the middle class who are the essential participants. So why do conservatives long for the days when we prospered, but are doing their level best to kill off the middle class today?
We need the GI Bill for our veterans. We need meaningful health care reform so the middle class doesn’t keep getting wiped out by medical bills. And we need more jobs and vocational training programs so our middle class can be productive.
Why are conservatives against these things?
August 4th, 2009 at 9:19 amReconciliation is “clearly one of the contingencies on the table,” Schumer said. “We want to get a bipartisan agreement, but if we don’t, it’s not going to stop us from moving forward with health care.”
About god damn time!!!
August 4th, 2009 at 9:22 amHappy Birthday and Best Wishes to the the 44th President of the United States of America,
August 4th, 2009 at 9:25 amThe Honorable Barack Hussein Obama.
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
I am still nervous about the upcoming health-care legislative package (whatever that may be in the end), but I am feeling much better now that Senator Schumer of New York has come out swinging.
It sounds like he is mighty pissed with Baucus and the Blue Dogs. Something good may come out of this drama regarding the public option. I am a bit more hopeful, but I remain cautious.
By the way, Lou Dobbs is a moron.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:27 amWhy is it still being reported that there was a “truce” between Faux and MSNBC? Keith thoroughly debunked that last night and in fact named the reporter who wrote the story as the third worst person in the world.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:29 amThank you Keith!
Keith Olbermann exposed John Thune as “pro-choice” (who knew?) last night on his Special Comment because of this statement of Thune’s:
We can accomplish health care reform while keeping patients and their doctors in charge, not bureaucrats and politicians.
Keith went on to rip the so-called ‘Blue Dogs’:
We don’t need to call the Democrats holding this up Blue Dogs. That one word “Dogs” is perfectly sufficient. But let me speak to them collectively, anyway.I warn you all. You were not elected to create a Democratic majority. You were elected to restore this country. You were not elected to serve the corporations and the trusts who the government has enabled for the last eight years.
You were elected to serve the people. And if you fail to pass or support this legislation, the full wrath of the progressive and the moderate movements in this country will come down on your heads. Explain yourselves not to me, but to them. They elected you, and in the blink of an eye, they will replace you.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:30 amdon’t worry backedup, your title of “most partisan ignoramus” is still intact
I’m sure the lessened coverage of the illegal invasion of Iraq has more to do with the fact that we are pulling out of Iraq than your partisan motives
August 4th, 2009 at 9:31 amFirst off, Happy Birthday to PRESIDENT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA!
Second, I patiently await the tea-baggin’ birthers to denounce his b-day!
August 4th, 2009 at 9:31 amKeith Olbermann ripped the blue dogs and republican’ts a brand new bunghole last night!!! His special comment was just what they needed. No vaseline! The worst person in the world segment was minor in comparison to Olbermann’s special comment!
August 4th, 2009 at 9:32 amHappy birthday to President Obama
And happy birthday to me (Thursday): http://bbqbiker.blogspot.com/2009/07/birthday-ride-for-tommy.html
August 4th, 2009 at 9:33 amYou were elected to serve the people. And if you fail to pass or support this legislation, the full wrath of the progressive and the moderate movements in this country will come down on your heads. Explain yourselves not to me, but to them. They elected you, and in the blink of an eye, they will replace you.
Yeah, they’re shaking in their booties on K Street.
By relatively ignoring those things now, it makes it seem that the past intense interest in war stories here, was more opposition to Bush – than opposition to war.
Hating Bush? You say that like it’s a bad thing. I would shit in his dead mouth…
August 4th, 2009 at 9:33 amSorry, I’ve been apolitical this past week (even in the hotbed political arena of Washington D.C.) to enjoy time with the family.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:34 amWhen did b-cup become the regulator of what TP can and cannot post?
misscoleopteramolly says:
Why are conservatives against these things?
Let me take a shot at that, missmolly.
1. Democrats cannot be right on any issue.
2. Personal wealth far outweighs public well being.
3. Most never served their Country, but see ‘value’ in military-industrial activities.
4. Health care reform sustains & prolongs the lives of those they oppose.
5. Many think by supporting corporate citizenship over personal citizenship they will magically become wealthy.
6. Many are inherently racist. Being Republic gives them ‘cover’.
7. Middle class folks are ‘beneath their concerns’.
8. New ideas are always bad ideas.
9. Political outcomes should support their religious views.
10. Morals & ethics only apply when convenient or profitable.
Feel free to add to the list.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:35 amWas glad to see Keith O come back from vacation kicking the tail ends of Murdoch, O’Reily and the Blue Dog Democrats ( or just plain Dogs as he stated ).
Good to see he wasn’t party to any alleged corporate “cease fire”.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:36 amIf the Olberman “Special Comment” last night is what happens when Keith turns his attention to the REAL problems, rather than dancing an elaborate public polka with that ass-clown, O’Reilly, then there is something good coming out of the CorpoRat inteference…
August 4th, 2009 at 9:36 amThe “birther” base of the repiggie party is a bit off their game after their shaman
Karl Rove debunked their “authentic” Kenyan birth certificate, which Rove himself has claimed to be a fraud.
Indeed, fully one-quarter of the “birther” crowd could not even spell the word “fraud,” let alone define it.
The “birthers” remain a very dangerous force for our Republic, in spite of all evidence to the contrary of their bizarre claims.
By the way, Lou Dobbs is a moron.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:36 am“the Obama administration filed a “friend of the court brief” in the Supreme Court that defended the state secrets privilege, saying it is “grounded in the Constitution.”
Really? i don’t remember reading about the right to spy on your citzenry,lie about it, and then declare it a “state secret” in the constitution. is that the super-secret amendment jefferson wrote in invisible ink?
August 4th, 2009 at 9:36 amDr. Hussein Matt says:
“Where are the teabaggers now that Obama’s approval rating is back UP to 56% and on the rise?!??”
Well matt, i would assume watchpoop is sitting in the corner licking the area where his balls used to be before we castrated him.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:38 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
backup says:
An objective observer would admit that those stories have faded from the headlines here and have been replaced by stories highlighting conservative racism and criticisms of Fox News.
You’ve been hanging around long enough that it should be no real surprise to learn that Think Progress is a partisan blog. During the primaries, a lot of us were bothered by TP’s unwillingness to criticize (for example) Hillary’s campaign comments and behavior. Since the election, you will have seen very little here directly critical of the administration, except in the comments. That’s unlikely to change soon.
And that’s the way it is.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:41 amWhy are conservatives against these things?
Because the only “conservatives” given a voice nowdays are “social conservatives” ie. “evangelical christians.” They hold the belief that if you are rich and powerful, it is because God chose you to be rich and powerful. The “chosen” can do no wrong, all is forgiven because they are “chosen.” “Unchurched” and all who disagree with evangelical christians can do no right, because they are not “chosen.”
We don’t know it, but there is an underground behind-the-scenes theological war going on in America right now. The evangelical christians are using classic Machiavellian tactics to push the United States towards their ideal theocratic state and then use its military to impose their brand of christianity upon the rest of the world.
Their followers fervently believe they are doing God’s/Christ’s work. Their belief system allows them to murder those who do not believe the way they do because they are upholding the Will of God.
These are the people arming themselves to the teeth because their leadership is saying Obama will take away their guns. These are the people who belive the “birther” story, and are convinced Obama is not the legitimate president of the United States. These are the people who believe Obama is turning America into a Socialist country, without knowing that socialism is an economic system designed to help the working class.
These are the people to whom the phrases insurrection and secession are a call to action – violent action.
Those people who are shouting out and disrupting town hall meetings are pawns. They are being manipulated and used to further the agenda of “the chosen.” And they do so willingly, because it is what “God” wants them to do.
They don’t realize it, but the evangelical christians are the church spewing forth abominations John spoke of in Revelations.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:41 amI hope the Senate leadership already has a clean version of a progressive healthcare reform bill ready to go. After the recess when it becomes apparent that the Blue Dogs and Republicans are still hoping to tank true reform AND a comprehensive public option, reconciliation will be the obvious course of action. The versions of the bill that are floating about currently are packed with concessions to the Repubs and Blue Dogs in the interests of health industry corporations and are, in their current states unacceptable. These corporate owned lawmakers will not vote for a bill that offers any true change, that is clear. They have shown their utter unwillingness to true bi-partisanship and therefore any concessions made to them need to be stripped clean from the bill. We’ve seen it all too often…they stick changes in the bill, strip out meaningful legislation, vote against it, then crow to their constituents (in this case healthcare industry corps.) aboout all the shit that they were able to strip from the bill. This needs to stop and can only be done through the reconciliation process and a clean bill. COME OUT SWINGING CHUCK! Also Happy Birthday President Obama! I’ll have a cigarette as a toast to you when I catch a break later.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:43 ambackedup is ignoring the fact that many liberals supported going into Afghanistan and are happy that Obama has re-focused on taking out Al Queada instead of wasting time in Iraq
But that would be far too nuanced for a binary thinking ignorant coward like backedup to understand
Bush took his eye off the ball to invade Iraq for profit, exposing how little he cared about protecting America and showing his true allegiance to the defense industry and oil industry.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:46 amblotchdog, I’ve missed you and your non debates.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:48 amBUH-BYE!
cleanup on aisle 33 – something messed the rug again
August 4th, 2009 at 9:48 amGee, b-cup, it’s almost like the Obama administration is responding to a situation gone bad in Afghanistan after Bush decided that getting Saddam was more important than finishing the job he started there.
But that can’t be… after all, TPers can’t be aware of the universal wisdom, both military and political, that conditions in Afghanistan are worse now than than they were a year ago, can they? No… it must be that we’re all just partisan hacks.
Good thing you’re here to set us straight.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:49 amwatchppo,
August 4th, 2009 at 9:49 ami would gladly pay an increase in taxes for universal healthcare as oppossed to paying higher taxes for a war of choice in the mideast. oh, that’s right, that clusterfcuk was off the books for eight years so no one was paying.
Dr.Hussein Matt @ post #1:
56% believe that America is heading towards Socialism, and approve?
/snark.
(Hear that little popping sound? That was the tea baggin’ birther ditto heads lone braincell misfiring out of confusion. Heh.)
August 4th, 2009 at 9:51 amblotchdog,
August 4th, 2009 at 9:52 amBUH-BYE!!!
watchpoop went down in flames in a hurry.
Not a lot of flames, mind you — there wasn’t much substance there to burn.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:53 amAu contraire, ralph.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:55 amI believe that blotchdog, full of hot 02 and methane, probably burned quite nicely.
Probably still burning.
Watchpoop drops his daily turd on the thread, speculating that we’re all being duped by our President.
Watchpoop, we were duped by our President for eight long years.
We know what that looks like. You’re not even close to truth.
Don’t you have a Playboy laying around to cuddle up with?
August 4th, 2009 at 9:55 amok, watchpuppy, if Universal Health Care is so bad, please list all the countries that used to have UHC and then abandoned it because it was so bad
what, not a single one?!?!?!
wow, you must be completely wrong…..again
August 4th, 2009 at 9:59 amUniversal Heath-care looks great in theory but just like communism and socialism it doesn’t work very well in practice.
Obviously Heath-care doesn’t work, that’s why he passed on before The Dark Knight was released.
Do you have anything to say about health-care? Apart from the GOP’s standard psychotic ravings about vaccines being made of “dead baby juice and monkey kidneys”?
August 4th, 2009 at 9:59 amApparently watchpoop thinks that the system we have now works very well “in practice”.
Right-wingers: defenders of the status quo., whether they admit it or not.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:59 ambackup – I think we can all agree that Obama inherited quite a mess in the Middle East!
Do you agree that it’s too bad he couldn’t just pull everyone out the day he was inaugurated?
Perhaps you don’t think that shifting resources from the wildly destructive detour in Iraq to Afghanistan, considering that violence there is at an all-time high, is a good thing? Or is it that you want the troops to leave? Which is it?!
August 4th, 2009 at 10:02 amwatchpoop says:
“Universal Heath-care looks great in theory but just like communism and socialism it doesn’t work very well in practice.”
hey stupid, then answer this riddle: if universal healthcare is such a bad thing, a) then why hasn’t a single nation which has it gotten rid of it and b) why nations which have universal healthcare have higher standards of living than the united states?
August 4th, 2009 at 10:02 amVideo: Obama IN HIS OWN WORDS saying His Health Care Plan will ELIMINATE private insurance
Thanks for the link to the video. Obama’s Universal Health Care is what about 70% of the country wants. We’re tired of our health insurance premiums going to line the pockets of fat-cat CEO’s and Corporate lobbyists instead of going towards providing us with needed benefits.
We’re tired of having our health insurance cancelled the moment we get sick. We’re tired of having to work in a job we hate because if we leave, we lose our health insurance. We’re tired of having some insurance beauraucrat tell our doctors what proceedures and treatments we can and cannot have.
We’re tired of having our doctors being offered bonuses to drop sick patients. We’re tired of having “provider networks” that limit our choice of doctors, hospitals, clinics, etc. We’re tired of having our insurance company unilaterally decide it isn’t going to cover particular drugs anymore.
And we’re tired of people like you, who stick up for a corporate system that has been sticking it to the working class.
Did I miss anything?
August 4th, 2009 at 10:02 amUh-oh.
Almost everyone’s post has been voted down by 1.
Looks like we touched a nerve, eh blotchdog?
I’ll say it again.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:03 amCome here with A talking point and DISCUSS it intelligently, then you won’t get done raptured.
Otherwise,
BUH-BYE!!!
Gee, I seem to recall then Senator Obama stressing that the problems in Afghanistan were the result of too few troops due to Bush’s Folly in Iraq. Poor b-cup you’ve been coming here long enough and are pretty on top of the news as compared to most trolls here but sometimes I sense divisiveness coming from you simply for the sake of divisiveness. Before his presidency and on the campaign trail and throughout the elections Obama stressed a need for more troops and a sharper focus in Afghanistan. Seems to me he’s just keeping another campaign promise but feel free to twist the truth as you see fit. It’s what you do. Just don’t forget that if G. Dumbya hadn’t lied us into his war for profit and diverted the bulk of our troops away from our objective, ignoring his old family friend bin Laden, all this would more than likely be behind us. There would also be about 5,000 more Americans still alive, 10’s of thousands would not have been injured, our economy wouldn’t be this far down the shitter, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens would still be alive, Iran would not enjoy the status that they now have without Saddam Hussein around, oil and gas prices would undoubtedly be far lower, we would not be beholden to China for trillions in borrowed money…I could go on but you’ve read it all before.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:05 amBriseadh na Faire says: Did I miss anything?
Just one…Rabid Righties revile reform.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:07 amGee, b-cup, it’s almost like the Obama administration is responding to a situation gone bad in Afghanistan after Bush decided that getting Saddam was more important than finishing the job he started there.
These are the same folks touting Bush’s “surge.”
Bush “surge” in Iraq = good.
Obama “surge” in Afghanistan = bad.
It’s the mind-set I wrote about in #31.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:07 amno problem. we can easily counter that with vote-ups
plus, it adds an additional layer of defeat and humiliation to the trolls, knowing they tried, and failed…..again
August 4th, 2009 at 10:07 ammisscoleopteramolly says: Why are conservatives against these things?
I;m sure you are asking a rhetorical question, but I’ll give it a shot anyway.
Conservatives constantly live in selective imagination-land, (and even more so when they aren’t in power). To be Conservative is to imagine that life is or should be a steady -state condition.
The 1950s APPEAR to be the epitome of the conservative ideal–blind respect for authority, minorities that stayed minorities, plenty of shiny new things to keep the populace amused and fat and incurious.
Of course they choose to forget that the 1950s had their radical and unpleasant aspects too, because of course no society is ever in a steady state.
Rock ‘n roll was considered positively seditious, Korea is simply ignored,many blacks were still treated as sub-human and Government (expanded during WWII) expanded even further in the face of the Communist threat.
It’s worth noting WHEN the GI bill was passed–1944. No one could have voted against it.
Had the bill been proposed AFTER the war, cries of “socialism!” would have been loud and long.
And finally because real conservatives don;t identify with the middle-classes because the middle class represents common aspiration. Conservatives aspirations are for themselves alone—only THEY are supposed to “get ahead” because they believe the few should rule the many.
They reject the idea of a large prosperous middle-class because it diminishes their own desired status—for the few to be significantly ABOVE the majority (which they feel is the natural order of things).
That’s why they abhor minimum wage increases. That’s why polls consistently show that conservatives thought of themselves as “rich” when statistically so many of them were actually middle-class. To be middle-class is to be average, which is anathema to the conservative authoritarian psyche .
This is why even the poorer conservative vote against their own immediate economic interests. They admire the wealthy and powerful and aspire to be like them—figuratively speaking touching the hem of the rich and powerful is supposed to rub off on them.
And because they have that faith, when it fails to be rewarded, they don’t question their faith but find a scapegoat for their ills–like immigrants, blacks, Satan, secularism. They become “victims” of influences and forces over which they believe they have no control. And because they believe in the steady-state model of the world, they can;t adapt, they won’t adapt. That’s why evolution and education is terrifying to them.
Well, that’s enough of that.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:09 amfive bucks says watchpoop is either a)uninsured or b) underinsured and is stupid enough to have been duped by well insured cancervative talk show hosts into believing he’s better off without access to healthcare.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:09 amlol, now watchpuppy is reduced to lying about Canadian and European results
apparently, the citizens of those countries are extremely happy with their health care systems and are getting upset at US right wingers lying about their systems
of course, you’re stupid, so you believe the lies
August 4th, 2009 at 10:10 am” because the safety net that currently exists for the Canadian system here in the United States will be gone.”
what “safety net” are you talking about watchpoop? the one that protects the insurance companies who drop your ass as soon as you have cancer?
August 4th, 2009 at 10:11 amZimzone says:
“Watchpoop, Don’t you have a Playboy laying around to cuddle up with?”
If it does maybe it should read Ana Marie Cox’s column…maybe an old dog CAN learn a new trick!
August 4th, 2009 at 10:11 amso watchpuppy is completely wrong….yet again
at least he’s consistent
August 4th, 2009 at 10:11 amwatchpuppy likes the idea of a profit-driven bureaucrat being between him and his doctor
August 4th, 2009 at 10:15 amYeah, we don’t want to give up the efficiencies of insurance companies dumping patients who develop conditions that need treatment, nor the quality of denying coverage to those with pre-existing conditions. And we certainly don’t want to disturb the supply chains that ensure all of our insured citizens (not all citizens, of course) can pay top dollar for prescription drugs that Canadians get for a fifth the price.
Ya know, it almost sounds like watchpoop is on the side of the insurance industry.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:15 amwatchpoop, have you ever been out of this country? Have you been to Europe or Canada for that matter? I lived in England for six years, and people there wouldn’t give up their health care for anything like ours, in fact they think were nuts.
I now live in Minnesota and work and know a lot of Canadians, who when they get sick and need a doctor they go home. You are one clueless person, who doesn’t know shit.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:17 amwatchpoop has switched from being stupid and wrong to simple incoherence.
Not sure if it’s an improvement or a devolution.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:19 ambabbledog: You are very naive to believe populations accustomed to a system is a model for how we should change ours.
So you think Americans are too stupid to adapt? That because a system works well in all the other developed countries it can’t possibly work here?
At least you’ve dropped your completely ignorant and incorrect assertion that health care systems are failing elsewhere. I’m getting really tired of having to post links that refute this, over and over. It’s exhausting.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:20 amwatchpuppy can’t win the debate on the merits of his argument, so he resorts to repeating lies about the successes of other countries’ very popular health care systems
watchpuppy only cares about protecting the profits of the insurance companies
August 4th, 2009 at 10:21 amWatchpoop flaunts its stupid… again.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:22 am**eyes rolling**
watchdog says:
You are very naive to believe populations accustomed to a system is a model for
how we should change ours.
______________
Whoa… looking at systems… other countries have in place… is NO WAY to decide what to do?
Huh? WTF???????????????
What are you suggesting? Pulling a health care system out of your Cheney?
Try starting w/ your head… you’ll be better off.
***TRoS walks off muttering to self and shaking head…***
Sweet baby jeebus, that boy is DUMBER than a bag of rocks… somebody must be PAYIN’ him ta come here and embarrass hisself like that.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:22 amgummble-bee-itch says:
I’m getting really tired of having to post links that refute this, over and over. It’s exhausting.
______________
I think you just might have uncovered watchfool’s REAL motive, gummitch… exhaustion.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:24 amShorter watchpoop: “I am STUPID, hear me roar.”
August 4th, 2009 at 10:24 amwatchdog, have you considered the possibility that trolling here day after day isn’t particularly good for you?
Does anyone in your family (either the liberals you mentioned or those closer to your side of the political spectrum) understand the depth of your obsession with TP?
What’s missing in your life?
Is there a better way to get it than by trolling?
August 4th, 2009 at 10:26 amI’m sorry.
Did blotchdog post something?
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
August 4th, 2009 at 10:26 amWatchdog wins when the discussion centers more around him/her than the issues.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:32 amfor ‘watchdog’ – looks like he wasn’t watching out quite enough:
August 4th, 2009 at 10:33 am
That’s one pathetic victory.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:34 ammaybe, if ridicule is his prize
August 4th, 2009 at 10:36 amralph the wonder llama says:
That’s one pathetic victory.
__________
And nonetheless true… and the whole point of WP’s presence here.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:36 amBnF – while I agree with you on this I do think that we need to counteract the lies that are out there regarding health care reform.
Yesterday I was at the cash register of a local establishment and the girl behind the counter AND the customer behind me were both shaking their heads regarding Obama’s plan. I told them both to take what they hear with a large grain of salt because there are so many lies being put out there and left with a heavy heart.
The misinformation campaign appears to be working from what I’ve seen.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:38 amI thought the point of his presence was to show how shallow, vapid, ignorant, and cowardly a right winger has to be.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:38 amwatchdog says
August 4th, 2009 at 10:16 am
You are very naive to believe populations accustomed to a system is a model for how we should change ours.
__________________________________________________________
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
THAT’S your defense? That the citizens of all these countries that have single-payer health care (like the United Kingdom) or public and private plans working side-by-side in the same market (like Switzerland) are SO ACCUSTOMED TO THEIR MISERY that they have been brainwashed into thinking their doomed-to-failure system is great?
You’re really going to go with that?
August 4th, 2009 at 10:38 amThe Republic of Stupidity says:
***TRoS walks off muttering to self and shaking head…***
Sweet baby jeebus, that boy is DUMBER than a bag of rocks… somebody must be PAYIN’ him ta come here and embarrass hisself like that.
Well in watchpoop’s defense it does take a certain amount of intelligence to be embarrassed by one’s actions. /snicker
August 4th, 2009 at 10:38 amwatchdog says: You are very naive to believe populations accustomed to a system is a model for how we should change ours.
So for example the US shouldn’t have adopted the ‘Bill of Rights’ of the Magna Carta?
August 4th, 2009 at 10:43 amAnd when the British for example finally legislated against slavery and actually worked to stamp it out on a global scale, it was a good thing the US didn’t adopt THAT policy?
Bully for Schumer. I am more optimistic knowing that Schumer and other Dems in the Senate are ready to go to reconciliation on health care. This is the gun to the head of Grassley and the Republicans on Baucus’s committee. They can stall that committee’s work but it won’t stop the Senate from getting a health care bill done. If the bill is done by reconciliation, maybe the insurance companies will realize that all of their dirty tricks are going to be for nothing.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:43 amWell, it makes sense when you think about it.
After all, watchpoop is so accustomed to the misery of being a right-wing troll that he has been brainwashed into thinking that his doomed-to-failure ideology is great.
And since right-wingers are so adept at projection, it follows as day follows night that watchpoop would assume his experience is universal.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:47 amSure. If we had adopted the British anti-slavery policy, we would never have had the Civil War and so would have never been blessed with Ken Burns’ documentary.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:48 amG’morning, most!
May I just say…I love Keith Olbermann?
There. I said it. And I’m glad. GLAD, I tell you!!
August 4th, 2009 at 10:53 amWhite House uses Web against Drudge attack
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Facts-Are-Stubborn-Things/
The three-minute White House video features Linda Douglass, a former network television correspondent and now White House Office of Health Reform communications director, sitting in front of a computer screen showing the Drudge Report Web site. That site carries a series of video clips from another blogger who strings together selected Obama statements on health care to make it appear he wants to eliminate the private health insurance business.
Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov
August 4th, 2009 at 10:53 amNice find, Fred.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:58 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
This is why no one really takes you seriiously cappy. You’re an idiot.
August 4th, 2009 at 11:03 ambackup says:
I support Obama with his handling of the war in Afghanistan. I trust him. I assume he will make the best decisions there, for the U.S. and the world.
You probably could have stopped right there. Obama is doing what he can about the situation.
Now if Obama was to, for example, attack Iran or something awful like that I’m pretty sure you’d see it brought up here!
August 4th, 2009 at 11:12 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
The silence is “odd” only if you’re seeking some toehold for a charge of hypocrisy.
What comment would you like to see? People commented on Bush’s war policy because it was so obviously wrong-headed, and costly for this nation in terms of lives, taxpayer dollars and international prestige and respect.
Obama is doing what he said he would do when he was asking the nation to trust him. Where’s the news?
—–
BTW, b-cup, the “Surge™” seemed to work because of a confluence of factors that had little if anything to do with more troops. Yes, more boots on the ground in key areas was undoubtedly a factor, but so was the “Anbar Awakening” that pre-dated the Surge™, so was the decision to pay warlords not to attack our soldiers and so was the relatively “successful” ethnic cleansing in Baghdad that resulted in much less integration of Sunni and Shi’a in the same neighborhoods.
August 4th, 2009 at 11:22 amUmm… b-cup?
You’re equating the United States Senate remaining silent on CONSENT FOR THE PRESIDENT TO INVADE A NATION THAT HAD NOT ATTACKED US with TPers failing to comment on a blog regarding a continuing war policy that has been understood for months?
I have to hand it to you — you’re really getting bold in the false equivalencies you’re willing to put out there.
Very impressive indeed.
August 4th, 2009 at 11:26 amYou DO realize, b-cup that the words of Robert Byrd that you excerpted came from the days before the Senate voted to authorize the President’s invasion of Iraq, right?
It’s not about an “escalation”. It’s about STARTING A FU(KING WAR.
August 4th, 2009 at 11:27 amralph. your points are good.
I’ll back off on the hypocrisy intimation. And I have no desire to defend the surge.
Obama suggested all along that he was going to shift from Iraq to Afghanistan. He’s right. I think he’s doing the right thing.
He did not start the war in Afghanistan, but he is handling it as best he can. I think under his leadership, it will work.
But, it’s one simple point. We’ve been in many wars. We’ve had escalations. 20,000 troops is a significant escalation that it seems to me, makes sense to consider.
We trust Obama, but should it be blind trust?
Should there be some consideration or discussion evaluating our progress there. The benefits vs. the costs? Do we have an endgame? At least a status assessment.
People look back at Vietnam and wonder why the escalation.
I don’t think Afghanistan is Vietnam. But, will it be an excuse in the future to simply blame increasingly costly escalations solely on this or that administration?
Don’t we have an obligation to stay informed and engaged?
August 4th, 2009 at 11:33 amralph. I concede going over the top, but you get the idea.
August 4th, 2009 at 11:34 amb-cup; since you support and approve troop increases into Afghan, may we count on you to be one of those shipping out to there?
*crickets chirping*
I thought not
August 4th, 2009 at 11:38 amWE always have. You on the other hand don’t seem to know what happened in the past so how can you be informed about what is happening today?
August 4th, 2009 at 11:39 amUncle Ho. I’m assuming you support the President.
We should go together.
August 4th, 2009 at 11:39 amb-cup;
I’ve already been. You’re about 40 years too late.
August 4th, 2009 at 11:43 amI did my bit “for king & country” back in the Nam.
Fred. Let me ask you this.
20,000 more troops. Obviously, it’s an escalation. More soldiers in harm’s way. More soldiers, begs the assumption, increased operations. More operations, more potential for friendly fire accidents, civilian casualties, atrocities, Arab resentment; basically more potential for everything that is bad about war.
You’re engaged. What do you think about that?
August 4th, 2009 at 11:46 amUncle Ho. Thank you for your service. I spent 10 years in the military with very limited combat experience in the Bosnian war supporting NATO.
August 4th, 2009 at 11:50 amb-cup, what will it take for you to abandon your right-wing simplistic-think for a more adult, reasoned discourse that relies on something more than obsessive focus?
At times you seem capable of better, but then you have these spells where you hammer something stupid like this even after it’s been patiently explained to you what you are missing.
It’s no wonder so many people here think of you as a troll. Sometimes you really act like one.
August 4th, 2009 at 11:56 amThat if a democrat had been the president that it would never have happened but we have inherited it and must cope with more failings of the right.
We are dealing with it the best we can and we now have an honest broker in the white house for dealing with our problems.
Perfect, no. Honest, yes. Just because we are silent on this does not mean we are not watching and hoping for real solutions. I expect they will be forthcoming with the right out of power as usual. Call me partisan, I am. Your fault.
Your dishonest expectations that we should just walk away are what draws so much disrespect from liberals like me.
You can’t even say you honestly believe that we are currently doing something “illogical” or unnessesary.
As usual, your MO is to try to lump liberals into the same shitty pile as the right. Give it up.
August 4th, 2009 at 11:56 amlogical or necessary…………sorry.
August 4th, 2009 at 11:59 amAlright. ralph and fred. I accept your criticisms of me.
Fair enough.
One point: questioning the war isn’t partisan. and even if I agree with Obama on the war, I think a serious discussion about it (instead of avoiding it) would help ensure a better result.
Maybe I’m off base, when I suggest that the war isn’t really being discussed here. But, no ones commenting about a 20,000 troop increase in this thread. And I haven’t gone back to look, but my impression is that very few threads are now devoted to what’s happening in the Middle East.
I’ll try to split on a positive note. Obama is doing a good job. Whatever motives that were ascribed to Bush and Cheney (profit motives, racism, hawkishness, incompetence, etc) don’t apply to Obama.
It seems he’s doing the best job he can with a difficult situation. And I think most people trust his ability to succeed. I do.
August 4th, 2009 at 12:14 pmgeez, backedup, your agenda is transparent: all you want is to criticize Obama and TP, period.
give it up
August 4th, 2009 at 12:16 pmSo b-cup accepts our criticisms of him, then says exactly the same thing for which he was criticized.
Oy.
August 4th, 2009 at 12:20 pmbackedup, we’re not complaining because you’re here to do it for us. Thanks.
August 4th, 2009 at 1:12 pmOh he’s a sly one that b-cup. I guess the people he hangs with (Republicans) are too stupid to notice his two step around the same tired attack. I guess we can figure he inherited his stupidity and wasn’t dropped on his head.
August 4th, 2009 at 1:16 pmholy crap !!!
calling all ILLINOIS citizens:
Durbin Says He Will ‘Reluctantly’ Support
Health Care Reform Without A Public Option »
http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/08/03/durbin-twitter/
damn.
i thought we were safe.
August 4th, 2009 at 1:25 pmkaty says:
holy crap !!!
calling all ILLINOIS citizens:
Durbin Says He Will ‘Reluctantly’ Support
Health Care Reform Without A Public Option »
A lot of Senators may have to vote for a bill that smells because they need to make concessions to get it done by reconciliation. The Dems need 51 and two senators are out sick so that means some concessions.
August 4th, 2009 at 1:41 pmTeddy would show up even if he were in a coffin.
August 4th, 2009 at 1:50 pmPeople actually watch MSNBC? After reading the TP blogs for a few weeks I now understand why the symbol of the democrat party is a jackass.
August 4th, 2009 at 3:23 pmN. Korean leader reportedly pardons U.S. journalists
(CNN) — North Korean President Kim Jong Il has pardoned and released two U.S. journalists, state-run news agency KCNA said Wednesday.
The announcement came after former U.S. President Clinton met with top North Korean officials in Pyongyang to appeal for their release.
“Clinton expressed words of sincere apology to Kim Jong Il for the hostile acts committed by the two American journalists against the DPRK after illegally intruding into it,” the news agency reported. “Clinton courteously conveyed to Kim Jong Il an earnest request of the U.S. government to leniently pardon them and send them back home from a humanitarian point of view.
“The meetings had candid and in-depth discussions on the pending issues between the DPRK and the U.S. in a sincere atmosphere and reached a consensus of views on seeking a negotiated settlement of them.”
The report said Clinton then conveyed a message from U.S. President Obama “expressing profound thanks for this and reflecting views on ways of improving the relations between the two countries.”
LINK
August 4th, 2009 at 3:39 pmconservative guy says:
People actually watch MSNBC? After reading the TP blogs for a few weeks I now understand why the symbol of the democrat party is a jackass.
Yeah, well the Republican party uses an animal which is known for blindly trampling anything in its way when scared–including its own offspring. Your point?
August 4th, 2009 at 5:00 pm