ThinkFast: November 10, 2009
ThinkFast: November 10, 2009
President Obama will be at Fort Hood today, speaking at a memorial service for the men and women who died in last week’s shooting. Around “3,000 spectators, as well as the families of the 12 soldiers and one civilian killed, are expected to attend.” Vice President Biden will be at Fort Lewis, WA to “speak at the memorial ceremony for seven Stryker brigade soldiers” who were killed in Afghanistan two weeks ago.
Ft. Hood shooter Maj. Nidal M. Hasan gave a presentation on Islam in 2007 to mental health staff members, in which he said “it’s getting harder and harder for Muslims in the service to morally justify being in a military that seems constantly engaged against fellow Muslims.” Hasan also reportedly corresponded with a radical cleric in Yemen.
President Obama said yesterday that “Congress needs to change abortion-related language in the health care bill passed by the House.” “I laid out a very simple principle, which is this is a health care bill, not an abortion bill,” Obama told ABC News. “And we’re not looking to change what is the principle that has been in place for a very long time, which is federal dollars are not used to subsidize abortions.”
In a recent interview, RNC Chairman Michael Steele said that white Republicans are afraid of him. “I mean I’ve been in the room and they’ve been scared of me,” he said, “I’m like, ‘I’m on your side.’” Steele has previously claimed he would reach out to black voters by offering them fried chicken and potato salad.
In a 13-page strategy memo circulated to his colleagues, House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) says Republicans need to hammer “Pelosi Health Care” over the upcoming recess. Pence instructs his members how to talk about “Speaker Pelosi’s 1,990 page bill.”
Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) will unveil his Senate Banking Committee’s draft legislation on financial regulation reform today. Dodd is expected to call for centralizing bank supervision into one agency, a proposal that is at odds with the administration.
The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. border arrests declined dramatically this year. Border apprehensions dropped to 555,041 in fiscal year 2009, down from 723,825 in fiscal year 2008.
President Obama will send Special Envoy Stephen W. Bosworth to North Korea for “the first direct talks with the government there in more than a year.” Bosworth will “focus solely on resuming the six-nation talks to end North Korea’s nuclear program.”
Former President Bill Clinton will attend the Senate Democrats’ weekly luncheon today to address the caucus about health care reform. In a notice that went out to the caucus, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) “requested that all Democratic Senators attend” Clinton’s “presentation on Health Care.”
And finally: Not even his son’s wedding could keep Rep. Steve King (R-IA) from Saturday’s vote on health care legislation. King said that his family fully supported his decision. “As I said, the best thing that I could give them would be to preserve the freedom that I was born into and be able to pass that along to any children that they will be blessed with,” explained King.
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The DOW closed at a 52-week high yesterday! America is Winning!!! The Stimulus is Working!
And, the teabaggers are furious that America is succeeding.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:03 amIn a recent interview, RNC Chairman Michael Steele said that white Republicans are afraid of him. “I mean I’ve been in the room and they’ve been scared of me,” he said,
No surprise here. Ignoramuses are always afraid of what they don’t know and what they don’t want to know.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:03 am:facepalm:
You’re kidding me, right? Atta boy, Mike – keep playing to those racial stereotypes. The racist Rethugs will love you for that. I’m surprised he didn’t say he’d bring the watermelon.
What an utter freaking tool.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:04 am“As I said, the best thing that I could give them would be to preserve the freedom that I was born into and be able to pass that along to any children that they will be blessed with,” explained King.
Unless the health insurance companies decide that their children are “too fat”, in which case screw them.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:04 amStay Classy!!! Teabagging before family!
November 10th, 2009 at 9:05 amThis is due to the economy and is not a success story with law enforcement.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:07 amThe King was able to vote “no” to two things at once. Long live the King (preferably in the middle of a corn field somewhere in Iowa, away from decent folks).
November 10th, 2009 at 9:08 amIn a recent interview, RNC Chairman Michael Steele said that white Republicans are afraid of him. “I mean I’ve been in the room and they’ve been scared of me,” he said,
so you are saying that 99.2% or your party is scared of you.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:10 amor is it that they are not scared just waiting.
Youngest son Jeff, 30, and wife Lindsay took their vows in August — when Congress was in recess and the father of the groom could count on being present.
So wtf, man?
November 10th, 2009 at 9:15 amWell of course they are afraid of you, Mr. Steele.
When you have a bunch of Archie Bunker mentalities ruling your party, that’s bound to happen.
Just be thankful you weren’t in an elevator! They’d be clutching their man purses and wallets like no tomorrow.
Oh, and stop stereotyping the typical black citizen.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:16 amIt’s not funny.
It’s not appropriate.
And it’s not acceptable.
Your cohorts and minions may find it humorous, but the majority of us don’t!
Let’s see how the rightists will spin the President attending a memorial service for the Ft. Hood victims as “political pandering” or “insincere” or “anti-American”. You KNOW it’s bound to happen; the question is…who says it first? My guess is Limbaugh, though Beck could beat him to the punch. Unless he’s still feeling a little “off” from the appendectomy.
It’s becoming more and more obvious that while Hasan may have held deep religious convictions, religion wasn’t the sole motive in the attack. To listen to schmucks like Lieberman or Bryan Fisher at the AFA, you’d think he had a brain implant that allowed him to be remotely controlled by al-Qaeda to commit acts of carnage against America. Basic Manchurian Candidate stuff. The Cold War never ended. We just replaced “Commie” with “Muslim”.
The Stupak amendment could be the downfall of the healthcare bill. If it’s removed from the bill, Nelson will filibuster. Lieberman already swore a filibuster. Reconciliation is the only way to pass it. If it’s in the bill, the bill dies. Ardently pro-choice Dems will bolt. How do you weigh a provision that essentially overturns Roe v. Wade with the fact that failure to pass a bill (particularly over the issue of abortion) will become the impetus for an election year meltdown? The GOP/Teabaggers might have the momentum to re-take the House if it comes to that. Unlikely, but possible.
Poor Mikey. Always injecting race into the conversation.
It figures that the GOP sees Pence as a leader. The same man who, in the midst of some of the worst fighting of the conflict, said a heavily armed walk through a Baghdad market was like a summer flea market in Indiana. It’s that kind of logic that defines the party. Ignore all around you, craft your own reality, and viciously attack anything and everything that is contrary to said reality.
Steve King, skipping his own son’s wedding. Some more of those Republican family values for you. Well, I give him credit for not trying to convince his son to get married in the House chamber and incorporate it into a speech against healthcare. Shadegg used an infant granddaughter (not his) as a political prop; King surely could’ve used his son’s wedding as one, too.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:17 amLMAO! Micheal Steele does it again. He’s the gift that keeps giving.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:17 amMichael Steele really lives in his own little world. Michael their not scared of you, you are their token black guy, so they can say they are a party of color. Michael, come back to the real world.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:19 amMichael Steele don’t give up your day job because your stand-up comedy routine isn’t that good.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:19 amLemme get this straight — Steele WANTS to be the cartoon stereotype of a black man that whites invented?
While generations of African-Americans have fought to eradicate the stereotypes, we have this one guy who’s pushing the fried chicken imagery, and now he’s actually PRESENTING himself as a scary black man.
It just boggles the mind…
November 10th, 2009 at 9:20 amI wonder if anyone is tracking how many people went back to Mexico or further south. Our school enrollment is way down, and we just don’t see day workers anymore here in SoCal.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:20 ammiss molly, check the skull size.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:22 amIf anything, Miceal Steele is damaging the chance of bring in African Americans. His web site was nothing short of insulting. He seems to think that by stereotyping blacks he can somehow communicate with them. That “What Up” site was just awful.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:26 amI mean really, if the repugs aren’t use to their only token by now, it means they don’t like steeley damn. He’s is dumber than teabags. His Ruckus-ness prevents him from seeing his problem.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:26 amTime for Democrats to go “tea party” on the repugs when they’re out trying to savage the health care bill–give them their OWN treatment and harassment!
November 10th, 2009 at 9:30 amMike Pence must hate ordinary Americans. He is so self righteous and arrogant.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:31 amThe Cold War never ended. We just replaced “Commie” with “Muslim”.
Without a common enemy you cannot have Nationalism.
Without Nationalism you cannot have wars.
Without wars you cannot oppress your own people.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:31 amI suggest you guys watch Steven Colbert’s ‘Micheal Steele Rap’. It’s friggin hysterical.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:32 amMichael Steele embodies all the qualities of a smarmy, low life politician—skin color has nothing to do with it.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:33 amIn a 13-page strategy memo circulated to his colleagues, House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) says Republicans need to hammer “Pelosi Health Care” over the upcoming recess. Pence instructs his members how to talk about “Speaker Pelosi’s 1,990 page bill.”
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Lemme guess — this “strategy” memo is going to be extremely light on the actual content of the bill, and extremely heavy on buzzwords and catch-phrases the GOP hope will stick. Such as turning the name “Pelosi” into a pejorative. And harping on the “1,990 page bill”. I bet the memo instructs Republicans to use the word “freedom” a lot, too.
Is it that the GOP base is really this stupid, or does the GOP leadership just think the base is really this stupid?
November 10th, 2009 at 9:34 amThe GOP/Teabaggers might have the momentum to re-take the House if it comes to that. Unlikely, but possible.
If they do, count on them impeaching President Obama, and using the power of the purse to block every thing his administration wants to do.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:34 amIn a recent interview, RNC Chairman Michael Steele said that white Republicans are afraid of him.
All Republicans are afraid of Michael Steele?
November 10th, 2009 at 9:38 am“RNC Chairman Michael Steele said that white Republicans are afraid of him.”
In other words, 99.8% of republicans.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:39 amIn a word, yes.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:39 amEnnuiDivine says:
Let’s see how the rightists will spin the President attending a memorial service for the Ft. Hood victims as “political pandering” or “insincere” or “anti-American”. You KNOW it’s bound to happen; the question is…who says it first? My guess is Limbaugh, though Beck could beat him to the punch. Unless he’s still feeling a little “off” from the appendectomy.
I better not! How dare they say anything when NYC and NO were left in ruins because of chimpy’s phony photops and scare tactics.Two of many of his legacies and souvenirs.
teabaggers should just STFU!
We just barely saved the US, ain’t no way are we turning back or allowing the repugs a continuation of their failed practices, policies and dogma.
Viva USA!
November 10th, 2009 at 9:41 amIn REAL news:
Too Big To Fail – Too Big To Exist
President Bush and Ben Bernanke told us we needed to bail out Wall Street because we could not allow big financial institutions and insurance giants to fail because if they failed it would have led to the collapse of the U.S. and global economies.
Today, most of the huge financial institutions still standing have become even bigger — so big that the four largest banks in America (JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup) now issue one out of every two mortgages; two out of three credit cards; and hold $4 out of every $10 in bank deposits in the entire country.
If any of these financial institutions were to get into major trouble again, taxpayers would be on the hook for another massive bailout. We cannot let that happen. We need to do exactly what Teddy Roosevelt did back in the trust-busting days and break up these big banks.
That is why I introduced legislation that would give the secretary of the Treasury 90 days to identify every single financial institution and insurance company in this country that is too big to fail and to break up those institutions within one year.
LINK
November 10th, 2009 at 9:42 amIn reference to kings comments – I hear the same mantra over and over, but never hear any details on what “freedoms” are lost – so, in all honesty, I have to ask…what “freedoms” are being lost by reforming health care?
The freedom to be dropped by your insurance provider if you become sick?
The freedom to be forced to pay increased premiums for reduced services?
The freedom to be rejected by insurance providers because of pre-existing conditions?
Have I missed any? I honestly don’t understand what “freedoms” they’re concerned about losing? Can anyone clue me in?
November 10th, 2009 at 9:43 amThe fact that the ‘Tea-Baggers’ are forming their own Party in Florida is a great boon to the Democrats. The Repugs are eating their own. This is Poetic Justice. The GOP courted these loons, and now it bit them on their ass. Oh, Karma! How I love you.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:43 ammuslims need to think bigger. like christians. then you can invade whole countries and kill scores of “people”. but they’re not really people are they, because they’re not “christian”.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:44 am“RNC Chairman Michael Steele said that white Republicans are afraid of him.”
If they are, it’s not likely because of your skin color, Mr. Steele.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:44 amMore likely they are afraid of what stupid sputterance will next come out of your mouth.
The DOW closed at a 52-week high yesterday! America is Winning!!! The Stimulus is Working!
Unfortunately, the Dow is no longer a valid measure of the health of our economy. While the stimulus is putting people to work, companies are continuing to trim their workforce, especially through eliminating the more senior employees.
Until our country reestablishes a manufacturing base, our economy is illusory.
While I’m all for free trade, we should insist that companies that do business with the U.S. pay at least the equivalent of the U.S. minimum wage, abide by U.S. labor and anti-child labor laws or more stringent local standards, and adhere to U.S. or more stringent local environmental protections.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:44 amHave I missed any? I honestly don’t understand what “freedoms” they’re concerned about losing? Can anyone clue me in?
The freedom to go to a medical provider of your insurance company’s choice;
November 10th, 2009 at 9:54 amThe freedom to have necessary medical procedures denied by your insurance company;
The freedom to be stuck in a job because you can’t afford to lose your family’s health insurance;
The freedom to file bankruptcy due to medical expenses not covered by your health insurance;
The freedom to choose between food and medicine;
The freedom to go to the emergency room because they have to treat you, even if you can’t afford it; and
The freedom to get sick and die.
TXProgressive says
November 10th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Have I missed any? I honestly don’t understand what “freedoms” they’re concerned about losing? Can anyone clue me in?
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You forgot about the freedom to declare bankruptcy when a catastrophic illness takes everything you have.
And let’s not forget about the people who are locked into bad jobs and/or bad marriages because they would lose their health insurance if they left. I’d love to hear these idiots spin THAT as “freedom”.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:56 am‘Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose’
November 10th, 2009 at 9:58 am-Kris Kristofferson / Me & Bobby McGhee
One of my neighbors here in Florida is an active teabagger and a total nutjob.
He was recently arrested for shooting a neighbor’s cat in his yard.
He was drunk when arrested.
His son is a neo-Nazi who can’t spell “Sieg Heil,” let alone translate it.
November 10th, 2009 at 9:58 amevan@40, Damn, that’s scary. But it is a sign of things to come. MSM and the Repugs gave these guys legimacy. They decided to make them ‘Mainstream’. When in fact, they are a fringe group. Now that these nut-jobs have a voice, they will use it. The Repugs should have demounced them sooner. But they thought they were scoring political points. Isn’t the always the way of the the Repugs? They never think ahead.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:03 amYou ever play Grand Theft Auto: Vice City? There’s an in-game talk radio station that features a discussion with an extremely crooked Repub Congressman, an extremely shallow trust fund liberal, and a secessionist Floridian hick who wants to build a river to flood the state away from the rest of the country.
That about sums it up, yah?
November 10th, 2009 at 10:04 amI should have completely read your post before responding.
EnnuiDivine says:
It’s becoming more and more obvious that while Hasan may have held deep religious convictions, religion wasn’t the sole motive in the attack. To listen to schmucks like Lieberman or Bryan Fisher at the AFA, you’d think he had a brain implant that allowed him to be remotely controlled by al-Qaeda to commit acts of carnage against America. Basic Manchurian Candidate stuff. The Cold War never ended. We just replaced “Commie” with “Muslim”.
What the stinkin repugs don’t understand that most of us would treat the suspect(s) without discrimination. I want him to pay just as a guilty white man would pay. What matters is how he deceived his higher ups.
The Stupak amendment could be the downfall of the healthcare bill. If it’s removed from the bill, Nelson will filibuster. Lieberman already swore a filibuster. Reconciliation is the only way to pass it. If it’s in the bill, the bill dies. Ardently pro-choice Dems will bolt. How do you weigh a provision that essentially overturns Roe v. Wade with the fact that failure to pass a bill (particularly over the issue of abortion) will become the impetus for an election year meltdown? The GOP/Teabaggers might have the momentum to re-take the House if it comes to that. Unlikely, but possible.
Oh really? I don’t cave that easily.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:05 amWho cares what the repugs do? These animals are making up shit to make it seem like it’s in the bill. They know damn well the our money won’t be use to supply abortions. Not only do they want to fling some shit on women’s personal choices, but they don’t want hospitals to furnish them at all. They want to back door Roe v Wade. GMAFB! Do they ever get tired of being stupid? It was said on Keith’s(?) show by his guest, holding up winter recess will get the fire under them. We don’t need them to get onboard we need them to get their stupidass out of the freakin way.
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evangenital says:
One of my neighbors here in Florida is an active teabagger and a total nutjob.
I believe you’ve mentioned this neighbor before – sounds like lots of fun to live near to! Yikes.
My neighbor across the street is a local high-ranking police officer and he blasts Beck in the morning on his radio, out of his open garage, followed by Rush and then off he goes to work with his gun in his holster. He’s a decent fellow but I wonder if he and his fellow officers talk about the rants of the day from the bloviating, windbag, provacateurs. It can’t be a good influence on his decision-making.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:10 ammissmolly, why do repugs use the term freedom when they don’t allow for choice?
November 10th, 2009 at 10:12 amStorm…
November 10th, 2009 at 10:12 amI don’t think anyone will disagree that the Army really dropped the ball on this one.
Please….make the stupid people shut up!!!!!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:14 amWell I see what the radical fringe righties will be obsessed with for awhile!
All Hasan all the time.
It appears that the guy was a lonely, conflicted, idealistic and unhappy man. Throw in the ease of purchasing guns with all that sadness, anxiety and frustration and boom!
They’ll have to keep a good eye on him to keep him alive long enough to be put to death to satisfy all of that bloodlust, right? If they sold tickets to his execution they’d make a fortune.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:20 amP.D. says:
The fact that the ‘Tea-Baggers’ are forming their own Party in Florida is a great boon to the Democrats. The Repugs are eating their own. This is Poetic Justice. The GOP courted these loons, and now it bit them on their ass. Oh, Karma! How I love you.
Yeah, instead of one small terrible insignificant club, we will have two miniscule stupid clubs. Small difference.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:21 amI’ve got an anti-social neighbor who has shot crows and threatened cats, dogs and people.
I’m not certain of his politics but he seems a perfect fit for the Teabagger Party.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:23 amHuh…? Was Robertson talking about the fanatical Muslim religion or the fanatical Christian religion? I mean the only differences are the beards, clothes, language, location and God.
I mean seriously both religions contain radicals, extremists and zealots who push their ideology down others throats through intimidation and murder.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:27 amIn a recent interview, RNC Chairman Michael Steele said that white Republicans are afraid of him. “I mean I’ve been in the room and they’ve been scared of me,”
Yes, SteelyMike, we’ve been trying to tell you that for months.
They’re old school racists. They are afraid you’re going to marry their daughters. Or worse, shack up with them.
Those of us who’ve come to know you don’t fear you, we just think you’re an idiot.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:38 amSteele disses his fellow repugs — we’ve been saying for a long time now — The GOP is full of racists, bigots, misogynists, selfish, self-centered, self-promoting, and self-righteous christianists.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:38 amTo those who would have the government forbid a woman to have an abortion – isn’t the other side of the coin that a government could compel a woman to have an abortion?
Women are still second class citizens – their health insurance costs more and her services are more controlled. For example – insurance doesn’t cover birth control, but Viagra is on everyone’s list.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:43 amFor what it’s worth, I’M afraid of Steele, too. I’m afraid of all conservatives that get a voice in the media. Like Pat Robertson . . .
November 10th, 2009 at 10:45 amTo be fair to the Republicans there are plenty of good reasons to be scared of Michael Steele. His leadership position combined with his gross incompetence should give plenty of Republicans pause. Sometimes you don’t get the leader you need, but the leader you deserve.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:03 amSteele will give black voters fried chicken ????
Of course, `this will raise their risk of heart attacks so that they can take advantage of the non-existant public option.
And has he considered that as Blacks have a higher risk of malignant hypertension, stroke, heart attack, etc. already, that his corporate overlords could proclaim blackness as a pre-existing condition ?
November 10th, 2009 at 11:24 am“it’s getting harder and harder for Muslims in the service to morally justify being in a military”
Due to the horrific idea of a coworker going ballistic, and Maj. Hasan doing just that, it is going to be hard to get this idea heard.
But with high-ranking officers, ex-Whitehouse folk, and the cry of the reichwing saying that we are in a war against Islam, what is the obvious result on those in the military who are Muslim ?
November 10th, 2009 at 11:28 amIf morons like Mike Pence would spend one tenth the time he spends spinning on understanding the problems and trying to resolve them, he would not look as stupid as a road rodent.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:34 amI wonder if Hussein will first do what is most important before addressing the troops – getting a shout out to the Native Americans and maybe fist bumping a couple of tribal chiefs.
November 10th, 2009 at 12:13 pmYeah right, Mary…because radical Islam plays no part in violence wrought against Americans anywhere in the world. Planet Lefty is sure a strange place.
November 10th, 2009 at 12:15 pmLiberalSlayer says:
I wonder if Hussein will first do what is most important before addressing the troops – getting a shout out to the Native Americans and maybe fist bumping a couple of tribal chiefs.
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Good point, it’s not like he was doing something really important like reading a child’s book while this country was under attack and Americans were being murdered.
November 10th, 2009 at 12:36 pmYeah right, liberallover…because radical Conservatism plays no part in violence wrought against the Globe and fellow Americans. Planet Righty is sure a strange place.
November 10th, 2009 at 12:38 pmLiberalSlayer says:
I wonder if Hussein will first do what is most important before addressing the troops – getting a shout out to the Native Americans and maybe fist bumping a couple of tribal chiefs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Good point, it’s not like he was doing something important like attending a birthday party for a Senator (R-Az) while this country was experiencing the worst natural disaster in history.
November 10th, 2009 at 12:44 pmLiberalSUCKINGcoward
What a bigoted moronic pile of dogshit you are. Doesnt it make you sad to think how everyone can see right through your insecurity. Your stupidity, your misery. No one will ever like you no one will ever respect you and coming here to parade your ignorance wont change that one bit. Sure its fun to slap you around. I mean you are stupid. Its easy and its always fun to laugh at someone as stupid as you. Doesnt it bother you how much you humiliate yourself here? You are a punkass troll and you will never be anything but stupid and pathetic
November 12th, 2009 at 10:08 am