*Remember that scene in the movie "Defiance", when the milkman brought the army back to the forest to capture the Jews? After which Liev Shrieber's character, Zeus, tells his brother, Tuvia, (Daniel Craig) "you should have killed the milkman."
That would be my advise to his O ness: he should "kill" the damn "milkman".
I see him channeling his inner FDR and trying to pass New Deal like programs. I understand that, and I support it. I love the large expansion of the federal government, because like FDR, I don't trust big business. I wasn't doing cart wheels over the stimulus package because I didn't think the government spent enough. I happen to think the government is the people, and we have more control over it--the government-- than we do a bunch of stock holders and corporate honchos who are watching the bottom line. The clowns on the right who would do away with the government would be wise to reconsider. They should try to remember what big business unchecked has done to this country and the mess that they have left us in. With all due respect to Gordon Gekko; the only time "greed is good" is when you are in a nice Jamaican or Italian restaurant.
Obama's problem is that he keeps playing nice to people who will never be nice to him. Compromise? (And please, no comments about how brilliant he is and how he is two moves ahead of everyone else on the chess board, and blah blah blah. Chess can be a long fucking game. Maybe he should be playing checkers, instead.) Reach across the aisle? (Watch that shoulder there O man, you are going to dislocate it with all that reaching.) Why? His opponents say that he is using the crises the frat boy created to push through his own agenda. Yeah, so what? I say he isn't pushing hard enough. Strike early and hard is what he should have done; don't give them time to regroup and counter with political pressure of their own. That's how you should be doing it O man, put your foot on their necks. If you have to go down to 50% approval ratings in the polls, go. You only need 51% to be reelected president.
"The bill opens the door and invites the entrance into the political field of a power so vast, so powerful as to threaten the integrity of our institutions and to pull the pillars of the temple down upon the heads of our descendants."
That was a congressman from New York standing on his soap box against social security when FDR was trying to get it passed.
"Isn't this socialism?"
That was a congressman from Oklahoma to Frances Perkins, Roosevelt's secretary of Labor.
Sounds familiar? It should; because it's the same type of rhetoric we are getting now from the right. Roosevelt had his fireside chats. That was cool in the mid 1930's, when there was no Internet, no 24 hour cable news cycle, and no conservative talk radio, 24/7, to stir up the rabid masses. The only thing his O ness should be doing by the fireside is burning republican amendments to the health care reform bill. Look how congress carried on when FDR was trying to get social security passed? And now, in retrospect, I am sure that we can all agree that social security ain't such a bad thing after all. I am guessing that 74 years from now, if things go as they should, A-merry-cans will be looking at health insurance reform in the same way: How could we have even fought this for so long? Sometimes time has a way of making idiots out of some of us who are blinded by ideology.
"A few timid people, who fear progress, will try to give you new and strange names for what we are doing,".... "Sometimes they will call it 'fascism,' sometimes 'communism,' sometimes 'regimentation,' sometimes 'socialism.' But, in so doing, they are trying to make very complex and theoretical something that is really very simple and very practical. ... I believe that what we are doing today is a necessary fulfillment of what Americans have always been doing -- a fulfillment of old and tested American ideals. ... We remain, as John Marshall said a century ago, 'emphatically and truly, a government of the people.' "
Way to kill the milk man FDR. I am afraid that it might be too late for my boy to do the same. The army has already surrounded the forest.
*Pic courtesy of Wikipedia.
57 comments:
I love the large expansion of the federal government, because like FDR, I don't trust big business.
But the federal government you trust? The folks who brought us the Tuskegee Experiment, COINTELPRO, high-rise housing projects and those levees in New Orleans?
Broaden your vision beyond the U.S. past, Field, for a glimpse of what happens when the state dominates the economic life of a nation.
The only thing worse than government in the economy is allowing big business to run unchecked. Is it flawed sure, but it still answers to the public and it's flaws can be exposed and checked, unlike business.
Well I hope it's not to late. Hopeful this manufactured objection will calm down so the country can move on.
I'm thinking that whatever passes won't be enough to even be considered reform. I'll continue to call and write my representatives but it's not looking good. Democrats could really stand to learn a lesson in hammering a message, whether right or wrong, from the Repulicans. Who plays fair in politics?!!! Just get it done and worry about the rest later.
Then there's the matter that businesses are the only things that create wealth. The government does not create wealth.
It just dawned on me after reading this post and the comments, that I could have used Nick Asford and Valerie Simpson's "Found a Cure" for my post to a video that will help take care of all the anxieties progressives feel about health care reform. Someone smarter than me, linked to a cure by someone even smarter than the two of us: Found A Cure
Y'all see Barney Frank's comeback at the town hall meeting to the ignorant beyotch who tried comparing Obama's health care policy to Nazism? Twas classic. Of course, FOX News thought the comparison was not inappropriate, and Frank was out of line for dismissing it.
Check it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zi8I1rvguY
Where did I read that Michael Steele told Obama to go for it on health care, he's got the votes anyway?
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/21/steele-pass-the-bill/
I'm with you, field. It's a tipping point for a change (keeping my fingers crossed on legalization, too, LOL).
If you have to go down to 50% approval ratings in the polls, go. You only need 51% to be reelected president.
Damn straight. That's why President Obama should get this thing done ASAP.
"The government does not create wealth."
The government paves the road (literally) for business to create wealth (for a few) usually at the expense of the many. We have had several decades of this trickle down bullshit. How's that working out for for most people? Not so good.
The right wing has literally brought us to the edge of ruin. The Republican Party should be in jail, not calling the shots of anything. They are a rump party of extremists, radicals, and domestic terrorists. They are completely rotten to the core with corporate cash in hand (Democrats are only about 25-30 percent bought off). Best of all, they are now irrelevant.
Obama would be wise to call a joint session of Congress, look at the Republican side of the aisle and tell them to kiss the Black half of his ass. His approval rating would shoot through the roof.
I hope it's not too late for Obama to get his agenda through. Of course, Democrats have a propensity to shoot themselves in the foot. They seem to be uncomfortable and very clumsy in a winning position.
Trying to appeal to the heart and generosity of the GOP is like trying to kiss a cobra with love.
But the federal government you trust? The folks who brought us the Tuskegee Experiment, COINTELPRO, high-rise housing projects and those levees in New Orleans?
And the federal gov, brought the Civil Rights act. You think the private sector could have done that? Who do you think were the driving force behind Anglo/American slavery in the first place? Planters and big business men of the times. Who had to outlaw the slave trade? Government did it. Who outlawed slavery itself? The government again.
Where would the private sector be with all that corporate welfare? Where would the banking system be without their bailouts? Where would the Big Three be? Where would the multi-billion dollar defense industry be? And on, and on, and on...
"Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration."
Abraham Lincoln
I'm not left or right, but I support natural law. There is no easy fix to our healthcare system which is flawed at best.
And even though Barack is doing the right thing, it's amazing how we are seeing the true colors come out of the right wing. Limbaugh, Beck and Hannity should just admit they are a racist-they just don't like a brother in office.
Hasn't this always been the issue though with the country's racial divide. I.E... the south loses the civil war, the feds put the smack down on them (the reconstruction act) and the states kick back with Slave codes and Jim Crow? Racial tension has always been centered around federalism. If you do the research, history proves it.
field,
You bring up some mighty good points.
However, if the year of campaigning didn't bring out the field negro in his O-ness (as you call him), this shit won't either. People said some CRAZY things during the election. How quickly we forget! And he came out with ONE speech on race. I thought it was a bad ass speech.
Look, he can't do what FDR did because he isn't White. And FDR didn't have to deal with White Americans thinking that the New Deal was about Negroes getting work. FDR didn't like Black people anymore than the previous presidents. And the country didn't have to question that. PLEASE read my blog about when White America started equating government intervention with Black people getting free shit. That is what is behing this debate. Being that the POTUS is Black? Oh, negro please! White people are losing their minds! Glenn Beck said that the health care plan was really about REPARATIONS! And you think that the POTUS can just tell people to kiss his Black ass? This negro is doing some CLASSIC tight rope walking.
I think where this current political climate the healthcare bill is headed towards reconciliation where instead of 60 votes in the Senate is needed to pass you only need 51. I think this is partly the due to the health of Kennedy and Byrd and the whatever Blue Dog decides to vote against the bill, which is sad in itself. But with a bill that goes through reconciliation, only items related to the Federal Budget are allowed in it and it has to be budget-neutral in 5 years instead of the 10 years that everyone is going by cost wise. Bascially your getting a severly watered down heathcare bill that really only good for 5 years. Also what the GOP might do is filibuster, have the entire bill read on the floor (over 1000 pages), essentially try to slow down the bill's progress to a crawl. We're already have folks losing their patience that Obama hasn't sealed the deal public relations wise so could you imagine the liberal whining if that happens lol. This is why I think the White House is still pushing bipartanship vs reconciliation.
But on the other hand the Republicans used reconciliation to pass Bush's tax cuts and its like they're having a another case of amnesia cause they're already equating Obama's threat of using reconciliation "an act of violence" against the GOP. Sen Judge Gregg (R-NH) compared the threat to "running over the minority (party), putting their feet in cement and dumping them into the Chicago River". Unbelieveable that a sitting US Senator would say something so vividly vile and this guy was Obama's second choice for Secretary of Commerce!! Why the republicans get away with telling lies like this and the death panel is beyond me but I think that liberals are going to have do more that sit back and think they were cool because they voted for a black man to be president and hope magically he'd fix all the screw ups over the last 8 years in 9 months. Start calling these nuts out like Barney Frank did.
@Eurasian Sensation I thought was great what Barney Frank did to that town hall nut and he and others like him should start attacking these heathcare lies head-on. But could you imagine if President Obama did what Barney Frank did? The last time he spoke from the heart was when Professor Gates was arrested and he correctly stated that the Cambridge Police Dept acted stupidly in arresting him and it was more push back from liberals than it was consevatives. Some of them are just getting over the Wanda Skyes jokes from WH Press Dinner lol. "She wished Rush would die, that's bad. Even though he says vile things about Obama he's just an entertainer" Anyway let Frank and folks of his ilk take on these heathcare lies.
And the federal gov, brought the Civil Rights act. You think the private sector could have done that? Who do you think were the driving force behind Anglo/American slavery in the first place? Planters and big business men of the times. Who had to outlaw the slave trade? Government did it. Who outlawed slavery itself? The government again.<<<
The government established, among other agencies, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, to oversee workplace safety, the Food and Drug Administration to ensure that the public is not being given contaminated food and bad medicine (read Upton Sinclair's The Jungle to get a feel of what it was like before the government stepped in and regulated the meatpacking industry) and the Department of Transportation, which oversees the federal highway system, air, railroad, and maritime and other transportation administration functions.
I think that leaders should make strong statements on what it is they are for, and win or lose do what is in the best interests of people. President Obama needs to have his troops deliver the true message on health care. Even if that means using C-span and PBS. We don't need a bill that simply has enough votes to pass. If the opposition do nothing party votes are good health care bill down, we can vote there butts out.
Peace
"Also what the GOP might do is filibuster..."
I wish they would try to do this to a bill with a strong public option. They would be absolute toast in 2010. Look, the corporate whore media (who are conglomerated with the very insurance companies that are at the root of this problem) along with the Republicans are spinning like crazy but remain on the wrong side of public opinion this issue. If the Blue (Cross Blue Shield) Dogs weren't whored out to the insurance companies too we'd have this bill passed a long time ago. And therein lies the problem. Obama should have tackled campaign finance reform FIRST, then the other stuff would have been easy.
"But could you imagine if President Obama did what Barney Frank did?"
He'd have a 90 percent approval rating. I don't buy the argument that he has to walk on eggshells. A lot of people are sick of him not having a backbone lately. Remember that he smacked around Crazy Ole McCain in the debates and he came away just fine from that.
One more sidetrack this week, the Presidents vacation at Martha's Vineyard. One article had to mention that the house rented, cost $35,000 a week. You know that will be to much for the Palinites.
FN,
Your friend is in the know.
"Then there's the matter that businesses are the only things that create wealth. The government does not create wealth."
Yeah I know. I was outside the Bentley delership the other day and you should have seen the line outside the door. And do you know where I can find a good butler? They are so hard to come by these days, what with all the demand and all. *eyes rolling* Yep, all this wealth in A-merry-ca. Thank god for big business.
"One more sidetrack this week, the Presidents vacation at Martha's Vineyard. One article had to mention that the house rented, cost $35,000 a week. You know that will be to much for the Palinites.
FN,
Your friend is in the know."
Hathor, always keep am eye on the field's scoops. I may be just a field Negro, but I know some people. ;)
Field, you trust the Feds because you're lucky enouggh not to depend on them.
Hell, even their Cash For Clunkers has crashed, because the dealers had to pay the $4.5k out of their pockets, depending on the reimbursments from the government. It ain't happening. They can't, or won't, tell you where that 780 billion dollars in "stimulus" money went to.
I'll tell you where....it's to increase the Fed government.
If you trust these jack-offs, you're not as smart as I thought.
Obama's problem is that he tries to appease too many folk. The other problem is the corruption in federal government, hell, even foreign countries can purchase representation that is supposed to yours. Democrats and Republicans are paid for by the same entities, so when Obama does not follow orders they are able to put shit in the mix.
Obama knew what time it was and how folks were feeling when he ran for president. He made promises such as bills being written in English, bills being put on the internet so the people can read them before they were voted upon, etc. People expected a lot from him. Like his word was bond (we know its not, like Rev. Wright said, he's a politician).
What I saw was the media stating over and over again how he was signing bills WITHOUT READING them and WITHOUT people seeing the bills posted on the net. You see how busy his handlers kept him with photo ops, magazine covers etc. But when it came down to covering his ass and doing the job of the people, he f**d up.
And don't think folks don't see his personnel choices (the most crooked bunch of mfs I've ever seen). People see that. He made up the czar jobs for payback for campaign contributions. People see we are in three wars when he stated he would get us out. He gave away the treasury to the same folks who bet AGAINST the American economy, I could go on and on.
One of his latest appointments was for a lobbyist of Monsanto to hold a signficant position in the FDA! (And Monsanto poisoned an entire black community in Georgia -- another Tuskegee Experiment). WTF is Obama talking about health reform when he's hiring POS like that? FOR WHO?
There are five health care reform bills out now (two in congress and three in the Senate). Which bill is Obama for? Some of the bills are not completely written yet, but people have to question certain parts in these bills IF THEY ARE NOT CLEARLY WRITTEN and NOT POSTED. Are real patients being talked to or just the drug companies and insurance companies and connected doctors?
trickster, you're not bad off. Obama even said he was ready to sign a "Health Reform" bill, that he admitted he hadn't eve READ him self! Mr. Transparency.
He might be for "Hope & Change", but I ain't seeing nothing yet, myself.
Don't blame it on the Republicans.......of course, they won't follow his lead. That's why we have two parties. We NEED three, or more. Democrats are killing his plans. Because of their constituents. And THAT'S they way it's supposed to work.
@A Person Of Interest - I think the point of Field's post is that when it comes to fundamental change and the implementation of programs to improve the lives of American people is the Government that leads the way. Private indusrty usual has to be brought along kicking and screaming. The latest example is with healthcare because if the insurance and pharm industries really cared about reforming their industries, they would of sincerely approached the Govt with reform plan that would knocked their socks off. But they didn't and instead are fighting this healthcare bill tooth and nail to keep the status quo much like factories fought against the Govt trying to raise the age limit and number of hours worked a day in their factories during the industrial revolution. I don't Field has blind faith in the Govt, no one really does to be honest, but don't make things sound so simplistic.
Oh btw while some folks may not like that President Obama hasn't fixed every screw up that Bush did over the last 8 years by Labor Day (lol @ me) and your ready to call it a day and pray for a 3rd party or something, you can call Obama what you want but I think its dishonest to call him weak. For all the whining and gashing done by the liberals, he's gotten futher with this Healthcare bill than Bill Clinton ever did, remember. But I guess since he is relying on his intellect and calm demenor (sp?) that's a sign of weakness cause he not out there yelling and screaming. He not perfect (civil liberties come to mind) but he isn't weak either.
Look, the Republican party is so out of step that it just needs to go away. Then the Democrats can become the new Republicans: The party of business interests and corporatism. Then we can get a new party to replace the Democrats; A party that would actually represent some progressive interests.
Field:
I agree with you in that Obama should put down his foot. It is not even the GOP, but the blue dog dem he is going to tell to give him a bill with medicare for all or he will not sign it. If he was going to negotiate, then asked for everything to get down to public option.
He lost control of the message. As Congressman Anthony Weiner today on a radio program, the President should give a clear message and his administration along with the dems in the house and senate having the same message. The GOP whether agree or disagree, they will follow the same message, and people will listen. The playbook if you will. We know the American are stupid and does not investigate anyway, so Pres Obama as to keep it simple and plain. It amazes me how the dems who have control of both houses and executive branches fall short because have no backbones or better balls to stand up to the now feckless GOP.
Pres Obama is briiliant, but even brilliant people can have Homer fell asleep moments. He may have in a way say I am the decider to the folk in Congress. I hope everyone knows that there is no bill, but a wish list for healthcare reform. Having a plan to explain to citizens would help.
History Dude:
I can agree with that assessment. I would be surprised when 2010 rolls around if voters decided to independent candidates into office if a healthcare reform bill does not pass, and Obama could be an one term President. However, it has been one strange summer, so we have to see. I looked into my water and did not see anything, so the future is unknown.
We can bitch and moan about what Obama is or is not doing, but if you are not bombarding your Congressional Representative and both Senators with emails, faxes and phone calls, then shut the f*** up and take what you get!
The problem is in the weak and corrupt Democrats that are counting on the Republican hate machine to distract us while they rake in money from the health insurance and drug lobbies. I found out one of my Senators, Dianne Feinstein is on of those who "aren't sure" about a public option. I been sending her emails regular and encouraging all others to do the same. They got to know that if they screw us we are going to ride down on them! They think we are a bunch of little "cell punks" and won't do anything except bend over and say "Yes Daddy".
This is the time to write your damn Congressman! Even if they are Republican, they still get scared when they get a bigger reaction than they expect.
If you are reading this, then your simple ass can get on the "internets" and you can send a damn email to your Senators and Representative. Do It. Now. Right Now. They will get it on Monday.
It seems that the democrats may be finally coming around from there goody two shoes ways and startting to use some tactics like a simple majority to to pass a health care bill. The republicans would use any tactic they could to maximize their power. So why not the democrats? You can't play by the rules all the time. If you have to get down and dirty then get down and dirty in favor of we the people. Then you may attain longevity. If he stands strong then i believe that people will look out for him.
@Hathor $35,000 a week.
Someone here posted a couple of videos about this and the President is paying the portion for himself and his family. The SS etc are coming out of the the gov. Seems reasonable to me.
The video went on about how the Republicans could vacation at their own private residents. They could do so because they are so large. The President's is apparently not securable? Other Presidents that didn't have large estates were apparently loaned or begged lodgings at securable private places.
Are there any Democratic owners of large estates that might offer to the President and his family vacationable digs? How many SS agents and staff does he travel with and would they put up with tents in a mild climate?
Corporate media is going to keep putting up stories about the president in order to reduce his approval ratings. I'm not going to get excited over this. What truly ticks me off is how people our getting close to his town hall meetings with guns. The secret service needs to do a better job of using logistics and x rays to prevent nuts from entering these meetings. Another thing that bothers me is that when the republicans were in power, anybody who disrupted a gathering by shouting or disrupting a hearing were taken out. If the President has to go to friendlier places to get his word out then he should do it. This administration could make better use of the media and better use of security.
Peace
field, your guy IS the milkman.
The Dems need to take lesson from Blogo and wheel grannie out, get a couple of cancer kids, and steelworker with a heart disease before the American public to sell healthcare. Is it cheap theatrics, sure it is but it works.
Malik, I am ahead of you. I sent out some emails last week. We also need to show up at the townhall meetings. I love technology, but we do need to more than just blog and tweet. Sometimes go old fashion showing up and protesting works as TV still does exist.
Under Bush, meetings were screened beforehand. Any dissenters were summarily barred entrance.
I've done both--I've written my congressional representative and my two senators--Russ Feingold and Herbert Kohl, as well as a townhall meeting hosted by US Rep. Gwendolynne Moore.
I am going to write the three of them again to urge them to stand fast and endorse the public option.
I agree field..he pushes the envelope but never enough to open it. Hey he is the President right? And I know that it will be hard but I say screw it! Do YOU O-man just don' take no medical insurance out my damn check bro!
Sincerely,
Go
If Obama does not get the health care plan passed it will be partly "we the people" who voted for him fault, because we're not out there campaigning for it like we did to get him elected. He is up against the GOP, some in his own party, MSM pundits, and Insurance Companies,some businesses, racist, and lobbyist. That's like more than one person ganging on one individual in a fist fight--gangbanging one person. He said in the beginning he needed our help, that he couldn't do it by himself. Why are people so hard-headed and slow to respond to his call for help?
Look like folks as malik said up above would be, "bombarding your Congressional Representative and both Senators with emails, faxes and phone calls." Not only that, they should be exposing the fraud and all the games they pay with people's health to keep them from getting proper care. Insurance companies and believe me it's a lot of this going on with them. Remember President Obama has told the story of his own mother's battle with Insurance companies over health care and that type of thing goes on daily.
Another thing, people should really start shining the light on those up in Congress who have ties to Insurance companies and are being paid by them. There are some doctors that don't want the bill paid because they get kickbacks too. Expose those unneccesary lab test that are quite expensive. It is so much that we could be doing to help expose those who don't want a health care bill passed, until it is no reason why the Insurance Companies and the others that I mentioned aboved should be winning this battle.
Nevertheless, I give them credit, they are doing a good job of convincing folks that a health bill is not needed. What is so cold about it is that they are the ones sticking it to the American people and preventing them from low cost and good health care for all. Do you really think they want to give up their billions?
Let me put it this way, would you let someone who you know without a doubt is trying to steal your husband or wife or male or female companion tell you how to keep them? Basically, that's who Americans are listening to the very same people who don't want them to have healthcare.
Field, check out this article:
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3845
This has the details on the media connections with the insurance and pharma companies:
GE/NBC: Merck, Chubb, Novartis
Disney/ABC: Proctor and Gamble
Time Warner/CNN: AIG, Health Cap, Paratek
Fox/News Corp.: Hybritech, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline
New York Times Co.: First Health Group, Eli Lilly
Washington Post/Newsweek: Markel, Berkshire Hathaway
Tribune Co.: Abbot Labs, Middlebrook
Gannet/USA Today: Chubb
Mostly all of the people that post on this blog are intelligent people, some are scholars. All that brillance can be put to use. Y'all know how to do research, well put that research to use and start digging into the fraud and serious problems with Insurance companies. Don't stop there, research all those up in the Congress who are opposing health care's ties to Insurance Companies and Pharmaceutical companies. Research Corporation and lobbyist who are against it too. When you start shining the light on them, that will wake up some people to why they can't get good health care. President Obama observed it with his dying mother. I've observed from just being older and experiencing it. Yup, it's a lot of fraud going on in the health care industry and it ain't the patients.
People need to be blogging, word of mouth, passing out pamphlets and papers, going door to door, and anything else to get the word out exposing Insurance companies and all of the rest of them that are against health care.
Another thing, these Insurance companies are Corporations, I wonder how many people know that some of them have laid off workers to pay their CEO's bonuses.
Now, Granny is gonna sit her little countrified self back down in my chair in the corner, relax, and hanging her two do not disturb signs on front and back of her chair.
@Ernesto
I don't think anyone needs to read those articles to understand the links media and drug companies have to each other. Just watch the evening news on any one of the big three and you'll see millions of dollars exchanging hands between drug companies and big media.
Almost every commercial is selling a drug. So that's why I don't expect much from the MSM as far as educating the public about health-care reform or any back room deals the Obama admin may have made with drug companies.
It's the run-up to the American war in Iraq all over again media wise.
After heath-care reform fails then the MSM will tell us all the stuff we needed to know while the arguments were going on.
Malik,
Thanks for the call to action. I've been on the e-mailing tip for weeks!
I have bugged Senator Feinstein few times, too,along with Sen. Boxer and my local congressman. They ARE feeling the heat!
It's easier than ordering from Amazon.com,folks!And it does work;
witness how Glenn Beck has not only lost advertisers, but is now currently on a "unscheduled vacation" due to his crazy talk and hate mongering?
The web is a marvelous tool. Use it to get your voices heard!
Ever heard that saying, "It Ain't Over til the Fat Lady Sing." Well, it's not! Even a good fighter can wind up on the ropes in the beginning, until they come out slugging. This is and will be a tough fight because we're up against powerful foes. It's not a fight for the weak and timid, but for those who are strong and of good courage.
Nevertheless, don't throw the towel in yet. I believe in rolling a few sets on them, hit them upside that head, follow with rocking that jaw, and delivering a knockout punch. In other words flooding people with information about the fraud in Insurance companies. Deliver a blow by exposing to the ties with Congressmen, Lobbyist, Doctors who are against it, and MSM. While their still trying to explain it away, make their mouths drop open with real people's stories who have been denied health care, the debt it has caused them, etc. After that show how much Insurance companies are profiting by neglecting and rejecting patients claims and who all stands to gain from not passing a good health care bill and whatever else you can think of to throw at them.
Whatever, you do don't throw in the towel just yet. Stand up and fight.
Co sign with others, malik. I have been e-mailing and calling friends who I happen to have in the elected officials offices here in our area. Granny, I think all of us are preaching to the choir here. I am sure that the folks who come to this blog are engaged.
And co-sign with Monie and others as well. The msm media is all about profits, so who do you think they are in the tank for?
Field:
Yeah, but some act like they ready to throw in the towel when they've doomed the healthcare bill to fail. It ain't over til it's over. That's the way I look at it. I reckon that's just the fighting spirit in me. Believe me I'm a fighter and don't give up easy, nor am I quick to throw in the towel by saying the healthcare bill is failing or will fail. Nope, not I. I believe in slugging it out to the very end. If people want universal health care, they have to fight for it, if they want public option they have to fight for it, if they want single payer, they have to fight for it, and that's just the way it is!
"It's the run-up to the American war in Iraq all over again media wise."
Yes it is, and the sickest thing of all, pun intended, is that we hear all about "the deficit this and the deficit that" when these congress critters are talking about health care yet they NEVER mentioned the deficit when signing off on a trillion dollar war!
I don't want to hear a damn thing about a deficit ever again until these trillion dollar wars are OVER. And of course that means NEVER. If they have a trillion dollars to throw away on a bullshit war and another trillion to bail out Wall Street crooks then they have the money for healthcare.
@Field -- Wow! It's rare that I find myself in 100% agreement on a complex topic such as your post but that was brilliant. Well said all the way. I can't even find a nit to pick.
--j
Re: Maybe it's too late -- It's not too late, yet. I've seen too many come from behind moves in my life to believe that. However, what is fundamental is that Obama take a stand and demand a public option -- a real one not some gimped bill. He's also got a lot of tools at his disposal e.g. he can dry up funding to anyone that opposes him in the party, he can give the word to their donors that if they donate a penny to X congress person or senator he won't sigh anything they want, he can direct big donors to congress people who come on board and are worried about the health donors they'll lose, he can bring anybody's issue to a standstill and so on.
Obama has the power to do a lot more than folks realize but he has to be willing to go "all in" for this and make demands that won't be liked by everyone. But make no mistake about it, HE CAN DO IT.
--j
obama/gwb 2.0 cannot kill the milkman
because he is a clone of the milkman
bush sold his milk in glass bottles
obama sells that same brand of milk in politically new fangled plastic containers
and we are all drowning in their literal milky white waves of fascist and elitist deceptions and lies/illegal wars/bilking of the global poor etc...
"republican" & "democrat" are distinctions wiithout differences...
http://www.rense.com/general70/foolwimp.htm
we must ALL wake up or we will all perish asleep!!!
es:
anyone who has actualy STUDIED the political history of hitler and his nazis would never deny the GLARING similarities to obama and his own nazis and agendas/coddling/worship etc...
see more on PRECISELY how obama is akin to hitler at OUTLOOK:
"DISTINCTIONS, DIFFERENCES, & DENIALS"
http://aliciabanks.blogspot.com
obama/gwb 2.0 is reaching to republikkkans because they are his mentors, pupetteers and friends!!!
Hypocritically, even as Obama brazenly pretends that his own elitism is any less rabid than the elitists who puppet him, he and his family are vacationing at the 20.35 million dollar Blue Heron Farm, owned by wealthy Mississippi Republikkkan William Van Devender. This magnificent farm is located in Chilmark, Massachusetts, the richest city in America. The total cost of this ritzy vacation will make Obama’s legendarily expensive public tab for his romantic evening in New York City look like the average American’s costs for an evening of dollar menu Frankenfood and a dollar DVD, by tragic comparison.
One thing to point out to all of you complaining about what bills the President has or hasn't read but signed into law. NO President, or Member of Congress can read every bill they vote on or sign. Impossible. THat is what staff is for. The staff read the bills carefully, do a summary, usually a written and oral summary, and in some instances prepare a side by side analysis of the various bills, or the final bill vs. the current law, and they make sure the big man or woman is briefed. I know b/c I used to work on the Hill and if my boss had to read everything personally that he voted for he would go cross-eyed. That is also the purpose of the Library of Congress too, they write excellent reports, that most of us cannot get unless we ask our Congressman/woman or Senator for, and provide details on issues and bills that no one person could possibly go through themselves.
Lisa J
This was an email response I received in reply to the idea floating around that the politicians/ representatives should use the same system as they pass for the rest of the country.
""This is a bunch of nonsense. Start with the bottom line, which is the premise of the argument:
“If Congress forces this on the American people, the Congressmen should have to accept the same level of health care for themselves and their families.”
Nothing will be “forced” on the American people. The “Public Option” (in the title of the forwarded email) is just that: an option. Under no plan will anybody be forced to enroll in it.
Right now Congress members and Senators may enroll in the same system that covers all federal employees and retirees, including me. It gives me a big menu of insurance choices: Blue Cross, Aetna, Kaiser, Letter-carriers, GEHA, and many others.
Under Obama’s plan—and all the bills that include a public option—one choice on the menu will be a government-run plan. Nobody will be forced to enroll in it. The whole point is to give people a choice.
Surely Rep. Fleming knows this and is using this as a scare tactic. Also, every article that turns up on Google has the exact same wording. And yet there is no mention of this in the NY and LA Times OR the Wall Street Journal""
I did not know about the Federal system.
Alicia Banks said "Hypocritically, even as Obama brazenly pretends that his own elitism is any less rabid than the elitists who puppet him, he and his family are vacationing at the 20.35 million dollar Blue Heron Farm,"
Someone here posted a couple of video links about this in a prior set of comments, of which I viewed a couple. In one of them, it came out that the President is paying the portion for himself and his family out of his salary. The SS etc are coming out of the the gov. Seems reasonable to me.
The video went on about how other Presidents had vacationed. Several of the Republicans could vacation at their own private residents. They could do so because they are so large. The current President's is apparently not large enough to be secured. Other Presidents that didn't have large estates were apparently loaned or begged lodgings at private places that could be secured.
So it would be nice of some of the rich Obama supporters could offer him and his family a place to stay or they could just stay at the White House for 4 or 8 years. Kinda hard on the kids though.
I completely agree. I'd like to add that a lot more independent thought, as opposed to the pablum served-up by talk radio's leading gasbags, would go a long way toward making this country what it could be. Is it too late for Big O? Nah....
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