Counter on Facebook: Americans Against Teabags

I can't stand the hypocricy.

Where were the Tea Party Conservatives when george W. completely erased the budget surplus he inherited from Bill Clinton?

He first went on a drunken spending spree in healthcare (Medicare Part D), which was funded ENTIRELY by deficit spending and cost over a trillion dollars. Of course, the new healthcare working its way through is deficit neutral, AND costs less.

Then there is the giant welfare state W. had in Iraq. We left money in giant pallets that disappeared. We spent hundreds of billions building roads, bridges, schools, etc. But now that Obama wants to spend a fraction of that amount to build our OWN crumbling infrastructure, the teabags are screaming socialism. Nice.

The tax giveaways to Big Oil, Bill Polluters, and the super wealthy? All fine and dandy in GOP land. Helping people save thier jobs, homes, and retirement? That calls for massive protests in DC baby. (And the Metro better be up and running for that protest--not that we support public transportation).

PS--the bailouts you teabaggers hate? Started by W. And he demanded NO transparency as to what was to be done with the money. Thankfully, by then even the cowards in Congress had enough rolling over and put in a very little oversight--(sadly, that was as much standing up as we saw during the dark years).

I invite you to join the group. I think it's good to let people know there is an opposition to something that is really so stupid and silly.

Americans Against Teabags

Conservatives!! Stop the Lies & Hypocrisy on Health Care Reform!

This started as a comment to a GOPer but I decided to make it a post. First off, STOP LYING!

YOU WILL NOT GO TO JAIL if you don't have health insurance!

My God, how desperate are you?

There will be no death panels, no pulling the plug on grandma, and rest assured that there is nothing in this bill that will destroy the all powerful insurance companies--trust me, you conservatives have ensured that their interests are well protected.

And to the GOPers who say that they don't believe in government interference or higher deficit spending...let me school you.

The Medicare Part D Plan, which gave subsidies to drug companies for seniors, (but won't allow the government to negotiate lower drug prices for seniors--genius), is the largest government interference in decades...orchestrated entirely by REPUBLICANS!!

It cost $1.2 TRILLION, not the $848 billion cost of the Senate bill.. and unlike the Senate bill working it's way through, the Medicare Part D Bush bill was funded ENTIRELY THROUGH DEFICIT SPENDING!!

The House and Senate HCR bill are both deficit-neutral--a requirement from Obama. The nonpartisan CBO actually says they both SAVE money. Unlike the Bush bill, where not only was it thrown onto the deficit... Bush officials threatened to fire Medicare's chief actuary if he shared honest cost estimates with Congress!

The hypocrisy is sickening. They don't give a damn about government interference or deficit spending. They also didn't give a damn about seniors...they did this to get their votes. But the GOP doesn't care if there is a health care crisis. The uninsured probably won't vote GOP...so screw them!

The GOP does not want a bill that will save lives because they don't want anything perceived as a Democratic victory. They will stop at nothing, even delaying funding for our troops, in order to kill this because their own sad politics are more important to them than their constituents.

Ask them, what is their answer to health care insurance premiums RISING 10% every single year? Answer: Screw 'em...as long as we can say we screwed Obama.

Your GOP at work.

How to Negotiate Like a Democrat

When someone like Harry Reid is a major Dem "leader", you know we are in trouble:




I remember being told in 2004 by Senate Dems that they were utterly helpless to stop the GOP jugernaut of 55 Senators when they steamrolled us with god-awful legislation, like the bankruptcy bill written by the credit-card companies.

Dems kept offering amendments to that bill:
--give soldiers a break from bankruptcy serving overseas. DENIED.
--give people a break who are bankrupt because they had no medical insurance and had high hospital bills. DENIED!

The bill passed just the way Bush and the GOP wanted it. They negotiated--by saying my way or the highway. And as expected, our guys caved.

GET US IN OFFICE! The Dems cried. Things would be different!

So we did. We put into office a Dem prez, a supermajority in the House, and a "fillibuster-proof" Senate. NEVER will we have this majority again--but it apparently isn't enough to get any of our signature legislation passed.

It didn't have to be this way...

Reid could have broken the healthcare reform bill in two.

Reid could have at least threatened Reconciliation.

Reid could have at least threatened nuking the fillibuster to 55 votes. (67 to amend rules, but 51 to start fresh).

What did we have to fear? Retaliation? Really? Would the mean GOP "slow down" the Senate? What would that look like? Put the jobs creation bill up...let them try to stop it...just what the F*&K are you so damn afraid of?

Give 'em Hell Harry, my ass!

Paula Dockery Is Our Joke

I watched her speech announcing her campaign. It's pretty tough to mount a campaign when the only thing you are known for is being hell-ben on killing a popular project like SunRail. But you know her campaign is in trouble when she spent her whole speech railing against unethical political practices--only to thank our local corrupt gadfly Doug Guetzloe for getting her into the race.

Thankfully, SunRail passed. Her opposition to SunRail, this time, was that it didn't go where people wanted, like "DisneyWord" or the "airport". Yeah. Because THAT is where Central Floridians want to go. Let's face facts: she attacks SunRail because Jeb Bush overturned the amendment that approved the high-speed rail project and instead supported SunRail, and that cost her husband millions.

Not much of a campaign slogan, but what else has the Florida GOP got going on these days.

Seminole Democrat Endorses Paul Partyka Over Suzanne Kosmas FL-24

If Paul Partyka was in Congress instead of Suzanne Kosmas, we would have had one more critical vote for health care reform.

The bill that passed the House was not perfect...nor could it be. There are things that I hated about it, such as the Stupak amendment. However, as a Democrat, I never would have allowed opponents to kill the bill and defeat not only our best, but our only chance at reform. If that had happened, healthcare reform would have died. Again. And this time, it would have been permanent. With a Democratic supermajority in the House and Senate, and a Democratic president in the White House, if we couldn't get reform passed now...we never would have.

But had Suzanne Kosmas gotten her way, the very same person who rode into office on the coattails of Barack Obama campaigning on healthcare reform, the bill would have been defeated.

That means millions more would be denied insurance because of a pre-existing condition. Millions more would be without any type of health insurance for their families because of job loss or rescission. And millions more would die.

I asked Paul Partyka what he would have done. He told me that he believes in Heathcare Reform and would have voted to move the bill to the Senate "to continue the process and not slow it down". On the other hand, the Democrats that worked hard to elect Kosmas watched in amazement at her betrayal of our signature issue by joining Republicans in voting to defeat reform.

I wrote to Kosmas and she emailed me back to tell me the bill doesn't do "enough" to rein in costs (so...best to do nothing??) and that her decision was based on conscience. Absolute Malarkey.

According to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, this is what the bill would do for Florida 24 residents:

• Improve employer-based coverage for 463,000 residents.
• Provide credits to help pay for coverage for up to 176,000 households.
• Improve Medicare for 122,000 beneficiaries, including closing the prescription drug donut hole for 11,700 seniors.
• Allow 21,000 small businesses to obtain affordable health care coverage and provide tax credits to help reduce health insurance costs for up to 19,800 small businesses.
• Provide coverage for 92,000 uninsured residents.
• Protect up to 1,400 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs.
• Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and health care providers by $12 million.

What does she present to say it costs too much? NOTHING. However, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office says the Democratic bill with a strong public option SAVES tons of money.

Again, we need a better Democrat. Not a Creigh Deeds Democrat.

We need Paul Partyka.

It isn't just that he is a real Democrat that will fight for healthcare reform. He has an amazing American success story involving a tough immigrant upbringing with a displaced family to achieving the American Dream through hard work and education. I knew Paul Partyka as mayor when I lived in Winter Springs. Winter Springs is a very conservative city in the most conservative county in Florida, yet Partyka served two terms here as mayor, and then served as an official with the Seminole Democrats. He is currently the president of the Oviedo-Winter Springs Regional Chamber of Commerce. He is also currently a managing partner at a commericial real estate firm.

More importantly, he is a Democrat with true Democratic principles. Most importantly, he is a Democrat who can win.

Suzanne Kosmas cannot. The Obama Democrats who worked tirelessly to put her in office will not be there for her in 2010. The independents will not vote for someone who doesn't stand for something. And the GOP she tried to appease with her vote? They will go for the real conservative in the race, thank you very much.

This is what primaries are for. I handily endorse Paul P. Partyka for Congressional District 24, and urge my fellow Democrats to do the same.

Crist and Sen. LeMieux Go After Corruption..Don't Need to Look Far..

Corruption is synonymous with Miami, yet finally Crist has called for a statewide grand jury to examine political corruption. Senator and Seat Warmer George Lemieux has chimed in and decried the "culture of corruption" in South Florida.

Maybe they should clean their own house first.

Miami Herald:

In the past decade, Rothstein -- a Broward lawyer who allegedly bilked investors over bogus legal settlements -- helped steer about $2 million in campaign contributions to political causes, committees and candidates, including Gov. Charlie Crist.

Scott Rothstein seemed to have an endless supply of money, and no one bothered to ask how he got it...including the new champions of anti-corruption.

LeMieux acknowledged he ``didn't understand how he [Rothstein] made all his money.''

The article explains that Scott Rothstein is more than a fundraiser, he is a close friend of both Crist and LeMieux. Rothstein attended LeMieux's swearing-in ceremony in September. He attended Crist's wedding reception--and Crist attended his. Ironically, Crist appointed Rothstein to a judicial nominating panel in Broward. (He was removed this week.)

But all is good when the corruption is benefiting you, I suppose:

``You don't look at someone who's generous and just criticize,'' said LeMieux, who also ran Crist's governor's campaign before taking the job with Crist.

Crist Rejects $444 million In Unemployment Help--Raises Taxes On Small Business

Thanks Charlie! Governor flip-flop, who is desperately trying to show conservatives he is one of them, joined with the Republican legislature and rejected $444 million from the stimulus for unemployment help. All because Charlie appeared with Obama and was given such a hard time about it by his right-wing buddies.

Oh, it gets better.

Because he and the GOP legislature rejected that needed money, the state announced that unemployment taxes on small businesses across the state are going up as much as 983%. You read that right...983%. That is how much small businesses are forced to pay since that idiot and his friends didn't take $444 million in stimulus dollars offered.

That is the largest tax increase in our State's history--coming from a "staunchly conservative" Legislature and State Executive, and at the worst possible time. High unemployment taxes on small business are the last thing our state needs when we are trying to encourage them to create jobs. What conservative principle is this again?

8 Million Children Have NO Health Care Insurance...

So what are the opponents of Health Care Reform offering to solve this crisis?

Sorry, Obama Was Wrong to Bow. So Was Reagan.

As an Obama fan, I can say that he did "royally" screw up. American citizens should never bow to royalty. We are always expected to bend over backwards to not offend other cultures, WHICH I DON'T MIND! After all, we are American. It is who we are. It is one reason the world looks up to us.

We don't have many of our own customs...we are still a young country and very heterogeneous. But one of our very few customs stems from our founding belief that ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.

We never bow, we never courtsey.

We don't dip Old Glory either in ceremonies, but you get the drift.

It is entirely respectful for a subject of a monarch to bow, even if the monarch is a figurehead. A British national courtsies to her Queen or a Japaneese citizen bows to his emperor. But Americans do not have, nor recognize, monarchs. That is why it is appropriate to shake hands and smile, but never bow. Other countries should realize that as Americans, we don't believe in monarchs.

Yes, Obama was wrong. But all of these conservatives yelling foul are the same idiots who dismissed Ronald Reagan NOT ONLY BOWING but also BEING KNIGHTED BY THE QUEEN. This is not only wrong, but illegal.

Article 1, Section 9 of the Constitution says: "No title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."

Be consistent, hypocrites.

Fox News Caught With Pants Down...Again

Suzanne Kosmas-D, FL-24, Just Lost Her Seat

Suzanne replaced Tom Feeney, the most corrupt, GOP Abramoff scandal-ridden politician in the House: and we were all so excited.

But yesterday, Suzanne said this was a "conscience" decision and that she voted NO because it wouldn't help rein in the costs of helath care. Yes, Suzanne, doing nothing and allowing insurance companies to have free reign is much better.

What irritates me the most is that this woman campaigned on health care reform. I guess she just wanted to ride the Obama's coattails.

Screw you.

The GOP is very happy about this...of course, Suzanne, they aren't going to vote for you. They will have their OWN conservative to run, thank you very much.

Independents overwhelmingly favor this bill with the public option...not sure why they would go for you next year either.

So that leaves the Democrats. YOUR BASE. The people who would actually campaign, donate money, work the phones, and VOTE. And you just pissed them off.

Here was my message to her:

Subject: Your disappointing vote on healthcare reform

Message Text: Mz. Kosmas, Why in God's name are you supporting the GOP effort to block desperately needed Healthcare Reform? We will never have this large a Dem majority and will never again get this chance. Let me be clear...if Democrats fail to deliver on reform that was promised, WE WILL STAY HOME next election. Appealing to conservatives is foolish..they will NOT vote for you! Independents want the public option, and won't reward you for doing nothing. THAT leaves your base. People like me who work for the Seminole Democrats, knock on doors, raise money, and work tirelessly to elect solid Democrats. What is the point if you are going to align with the GOP to shoot down signature legislation?!? If this bill comes back after conference, please rethink your decision, or you will have many loyal Dems like me rethinking ours.

Contact Kosmas with your own message: https://forms.house.gov/kosmas/webforms/contact.html

Local Business Attacks Health Care Reform

The veternarian clinic on Broadway in Oviedo has a sign up that says "Vote NO on Healthcare".

Brilliant. A Tea Party Veternarian. And apparently one stupid enough to think the best way to get his message to a representative is to advertise on a run-down sign in front of a dive.

To be perfectly clear, THOUSANDS of people here in Central Florida don't have insurance. They either don't have jobs, have crappy jobs that don't cover their expenses (although I know that can't be you, Mr. Tea Party Vet.), or have a pre-existing condition.

That means that their condition goes untreated until it gets so bad that they have to go to the emergency room and pray to get seen within 10 hours (which will afford them some time to figure out how to pay the inevitable bill).

That is, until you turn the magic age of 65. (DKos member Hunter put it best... 63 or 64? Socialism. 65? Oh, that's fine then.)

Someone who is this dispassionate about people should probably not be operating on your animal.

Seminole Democrat's Election Endorsements 2009

Longwood Commissioner District 1: Bob Cortez. He's the challenger, and Holt hasn't done much.

Longwood Commissioner District 5: No endorsement.

Oviedo Mayor: Mary Lou Andrews. Darryl Lopez is a right-wing libertarian. We need less of those in Central Florida.

Oviedo Councilman Group 1: Judith Smith. She is the only African-American in any of the races this year. We need more of those in Central Florida--especially Oviedo.

Not to mention, if elected, she would be the first African-American to be elected in Oviedo's 84 year history.

Remember to vote tomorrow...Nov. 3rd.

Ask One Question of a Fox News Supporter

From zenbassoon:

I've been having some discussions on FB about Fox News and the WH calling them out for what they are. They're all in a high dudgeon about the matter. I've been trying to get them to shut up about it, and I've found a strategy that, while not quite shutting them up, gets them to do some actual research.

My first approach is to tell them to put their money where their mouth is. I tell them I will give them a dollar--up to a set amount--for each POSITIVE story about President Obama they can find on Fox. And I mean positive about him PERSONALLY, such as "Obama has done this good thing" or "Obama has a success with that thing" and so on. That usually gets crickets for quite a while. I did have one friend gamely try it, but he only found stories about mainly the House or Democratic policies that were neutral at best. Not one mentioned Obama. He also asked me to find negative stories about Obama on the so-called "liberal media" I had 6 from CNN in the span of about 2 minutes.

My second approach is when they start spouting off about "taking away our freedoms", or the "socialist marxist agenda". I calmly ask them for specific freedoms that have been taken away, of talked about being taken away by Obama. Crickets. I also ask them for specifics about this "agenda". The only thing I've heard? Tha Anita Dunn joke. That's it. When they bring up the banks, or GM, I say specific socialist language and plan, please. Crickets. When they bring up health care, I bring up the VA. Well-but-yeah-our soldiers-freedom-but-no-does not compute-

But what really chafes their willies is when they start spouting the "important stories of the day covered by Fox and not covered by anyone else" bit. I calmly say that those stories are not newsworthy. I've had heads explode from that one. Although I had one just the other day who was moaning about how no one covered the 9/12 teabag fest and I gave them Rick Sanchez. THAT shut him up about that.

So in the end, my friends, although I do have a tendency to have my Lib-dar up at times and fume in righteous indignation, by calmly asking for the specifics of their attacks, by asking for the evidence, you may turn some of your wingnut friends into something less wingnutty, a wingnut with a grain of salt...

My next task? Some of these wingnut FB friends have started with anti-Muslim, "They're all Jihadists out to kill everybody" talk. THAT I'll need help with.

Difference Between GOP "Plan" and Dems Plan

DSCC has a clever ad playing off the Mac vs. PC ads:

Empty Chair Charlie Takes Off 2 1/2 Months Annually

Charlie Crist ran hard against the Democratic candidate for Florida governor, Jim Davis, just three years ago. He kept running stupid ads showing an empty chair, because Jim Davis missed some votes the year he was out campaigning. It was disingenuous, because Jim's record was stellar until that year---it's hard to campaign as a member of the state legislature and make every vote.

Given Charlie's schedule today, one wonders why he ran so hard for a job he clearly doesn't want:

Since campaigning three years ago on a promise to work hard for Floridians, Gov. Charlie Crist has scheduled the equivalent of almost 10 weeks off annually.

A Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times review of Crist's official daily schedule is a telling indication of how he mixes governing, campaigning for U.S. Senate and taking enough personal time to, in his own words, "recharge."

On 81 regular work days, Crist had no events scheduled or took off personal time. On 129 other occasions, the schedule shows Crist worked half days - just a brief phone call sometimes - equal to at least 64.5 more days off, the Herald/Times found.

The most notable change in his schedule lately: Crist is phoning it in more often in meetings with staff. He also is spending more time away from the Capitol, holding news conferences in South Florida, Tampa Bay and Central Florida - big television markets where he has "after-hours'' fundraisers.

We have an unprecedented economic crisis, foreclosure crisis, and insurance crisis for which we need leadership and a governor who isn't afraid of hard work. What we have is a clearly disinterested opportunist who is desperate to leave before his term ends so nothing will hurt his pursuit for higher office.

Hopfully, we'll do better next time.

Bigot refused to marry interracial couple: My phone call to him

This has got to stop:

Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, says it is his experience that most interracial marriages do not last long....

A Louisiana justice of the peace said he refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple out of concern for any children the couple might have. Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, says it is his experience that most interracial marriages do not last long...

"I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way," Bardwell told the Associated Press on Thursday. "I have piles and piles of black friends. They come to my home, I marry them, they use my bathroom. I treat them just like everyone else."

Wow, he lets black people use his bathroom...

This justice of the peace refused to marry a couple, one of several he has refused because they were mixed races. Never mind that the Supreme Court struck this practice down back in the 60s with Loving v. Virginia.

Of course, the MSM is not picking this story up either. As a happily married man with a gorgeous black wife, I tend to take this personally.

Several blogs posted where he could be reached, (including a reader here), so I decided to call. Now, I don't believe in calling someone to harrass, calling late, or anything like that. I just felt that someone should educate the poor man and let him know that the amount of pigmentation in the skin is not a good predictor of marriage. It's ridiculous at this day and age people still believe this...but it's disturbing it's from a Justice of the Peace. (Even if it's Louisiana).

His wife answered and I asked to speak to Keith. I could tell that she thought I was someone who knew him and tried to get him but he was unavailable. She asked if she could take a message. I told her to please let her husband know that I have been married to a beautiful black woman for almost two decades and have several well-adjusted, great children. She didn't quite know what to say, her tone changed a bit, and she said allright. I thanked her and hung up.

We were both polite, and she seemed like a nice lady. But her husband is a bigot.

30 GOP Senators Think Rape is Okay

Not an exaggeration...Al Franken introduced a bill to ensure this never happens again. 30 Republicans voted against it. There is no reason, no excuse.

Why does no one know about this? Why aren't the Democrats running ads? Why do we have to rely on motivated progressives?

Why is the GOP still considered a legitimate party?

In 2005, Jamie Leigh Jones was an employee for a private contractor in Iraq. She was drugged and brutally raped by her co-workers.

When she reported the crime to her employer, she was imprisoned in a shipping container. Given no food, water, or medical treatment. 24 hours later, US Embassy agents rescued her.

Her employer destroyed evidence so that she could not file criminal charges. They claimed that the contract she signed with them meant that she couldn't even take them to civil court.

In 2009, the Senate voted to not fund companies which force their employees to forfeit their rights to sue for sexual assault or harassment.

Thirty Senators voted against this amendment. All of them republican.

List of Reasons Why Obama Deserves Nobel Peace Prize

Nobel Committee: "For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman"

Of course conservatives don't think he deserves the Nobel, they can't even bring themselves to admit that he's a citizen. They cheer when our nation loses an international event if it means that Obama might look good. Obama Derangement Syndrome causes fits of rage and lapse of reason.

Yes, there are plenty of things that Obama has left to do...but in 9 short months he has single-handedly repaired our reputation in the world, completely overhauled our disasterous unilateral foreign policy, has refocused our commitment to diplomacy which has started to pay off, was the first president to reach out to the Muslim world on their territory, and tackled race relations in this nation to name just a few...


A fellow blogger made a list in just 45 minutes. This list is far from complete, but gives more than enough reasons for why President Obama deserves the Nobel Peace Prize:

3/18/8 – Obama caught world-wide attention for his moving speech on race relations

7/24/8 - Obama lays the foundation for a new era of international relations and began inspiring renewed hope in American leadership during his campaign speech in Berlin

11/6/8 – Obama’s victory was hailed as a promise of hope for the world.

12/1/8 – Obama began plans to restore U.N. ambassador to cabinet rank.

1/22/9 - Appointed a Special Envoy for Middle East peace

1/22/9 – Ordered the closing of Guantanamo Bay

1/22/9 – Ordered comprehensive review of detention policies

1/22/9 – Prohibited use of torture

1/22/9 - Signed an executive order to close CIA secret prisons

1/23/9 – Lifted “Global Gag Rule” on international health groups

1/26/9 – Began to address climate change by increasing fuel standards for automobiles

1/26/9 – Appointed Special Envoy for Climate Change

1/27/9 - Signs Lily Ledbetter “Fair Pay” Act

2/1/9 – Expanded healthcare for children by signing SCHIP

2/5/9 - Again addressed energy conservation by increasing standards for appliances.

2/24/9 – Directed almost $1 billion for prevention and wellness to improve America’s health

2/25/9 - Initiated international efforts to reduce mercury emissions worldwide

2/27/9 – Committed to responsibly ending the war in Iraq

4/1/9 – Agreed to negotiation of a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia.

4/1/9 – Enhanced U.S. – China relations

4/2/9 - Led global response to the economic crisis through the G20, obtaining commitments of $1.1 trillion to safeguard the world’s most vulnerable economies

4/4/9 - Renewed dialog with NATO and other key allies

4/5/9 – Announced new strategy to responsible address international nuclear proliferation

4/13/9 – Began easing tension with Cuba through new policy stance

4/17/9 - Secured $5 billion in aid commitments "to bolster [Pakistan's] economy and help it fight terror and Islamic radicalism"

4/22/9 - Developed the renewable energy projects on the waters of our Outer Continental Shelf that produce electricity from wind, wave, and ocean currents.

5/8/9 – Proposed International Affairs budget that included funds to create a civilian response corps -- teams of civilian experts in rule of law, policing, transitional governance, economics, engineering, and other areas critical to helping rebuild war-torn societies; Provide $40 million for a "stabilization bridge fund," which would provide rapid response funds for the State Department to help with an international crisis situation.

6/4/9 - Gave historic address to the Muslim World in Cairo - "American is not at war with Islam" Foreign affairs experts insist that Obama's engagement with the Muslim world has been remarkable. "He has been able to dramatically change America's image in that region"

8/4/9 - Used DIPLOMACY to free 2 American journalists from a North Korea prison

9/18/9 - De-escalation of nuclear tension through repurposing of missile defense prompting Russia to withdraw its missile plan.

And from Racheal Maddow:

Mr. Obama has bolstered this country’s global standing by renouncing torture, this time with credibility; by pledging to close the prison camp at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba; by rejoining the effort to combat climate change and to rid the world of nuclear weapons; by recommitting himself to ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and by offering to engage Iran while also insisting that it abandon its nuclear ambitions

.

Her brilliant video points out not just conservative hypocrisy, but the list of past winners who fight for change who everyone thought deserved to win....even if they haven't always been successful in their pursuits.


Obama, so far, has been. It took Bush 8 years to destroy our economy, kill thoousands of our men and women and commit death and destruction based on lies, shred our constitution, alienate the majority of our own citizens by ignoring our most fundamental values, and make our nation a pariah in the world.

It has only taken Obama 9 months to reverse this. He didn't ask for or seek this award, but he deserves it.

Insurance CEO makes $57,000...an hour

Living the dream....

Only in America...

The real story of yesterday's defeat...

When Bush was fucking up our country for 8 years,
when he was shredding the Constitution with illegal MASSIVE wiretaps on ordinary Americans,
when he was breaking every treaty we had with every country,
when he turned his back on our forefathers and condoned, even promoted, torture,
when he spent nearly a trillion dollars in a made-up war with Iraq, the bulk of which went to corrupt cronies or was just lost,
when he turned our glorious nation into a pariah state,

we were told by the GOP wingnuts that any dissent at all amounted to treason...

we were told we must want the terrorists to win...

we were told that we hated America.

Fast forward to yesterday, October 2, 2009. The media is trying its best to spin the story that Rio's win is Obama's embarrassment. Some, like FAUX News, are even trying to spin this as Obama's fault...even though a hundred speeches to Copenhagen wouldn't have changed the result.

The pundits are saying we should want to try to put this day behind us.

I say just the opposite.

We should use this day to beat their smug heads in. Because that is the day that the rethugs showed their true colors.

It is the first day they OPENLY cheered for America's defeat.

I have read blog posts on experiences that were similar to mine--people at a McDonald's I was at (which plays FAUXNEWS) cheered and high-fived when the announcement came that we lost. The contrast between them and the Americans in Chicago weeping on screen was priceless...I wish I had brought a camera.

America lost. Not Obama. Not Chicago. That was OUR loss. Chicago was just the city selected by the USOC. It represented us. Just as Rio's loss would have been Brazil's. It was OUR loss.

Roland Martin said it best:

So, to all the critics happy about us losing the 2016 games, turn in your flag lapel pins and stop boasting of being so patriotic. When an American city loses, like New York did in the the last go-round, we all lose. And all you critics are on the same level as the America haters all across the world.

Here's the real deal. Any success President Obama has will showcase how miserably Bush and the republicans goverened while they were in power for the past several years.

Screw if it hurts the country. Screw if it kills people.
If our job outlook doesn't improve--that's fantastic!

If Rush's "phony soldiers" are killed in Afghanistan...even better! It's Obama's war now!

If Americans by the millions continue to lose their health insurance and are forced to watch their loved ones die while KNOWING there are procedures out there...screw em!

A terrorist attack validating Cheney...that would be the BESTEST EVER!

America fails...HaHaHaHa (Actual quote from Erik E. from Redstate).

America failing isn't just the hope of these bastards, THEY ARE COUNTING ON IT for their survival and their return to power. Because they know if, God forbid, the Democrats actually find the spine to carry out their solutions to the past 8 years of GOP problems that are currently drowning this nation...then they will never get to return to power again.

Given the choice between America's future and their survival, they have chosen survival... at any cost.

If we had a 24-hour network like the GOP does, this would be the story--not how Chicago's loss is somehow a referendum on Obama.

But unlike the storyline we are being fed from the mainstream media, this should not bee seen as an "embarrassment" that we want to shy away from. It is a validation of who these bastards really are and what their agenda really is.

Let's make sure October 2, 2009 is a day that we won't let them forget...

Finally, Support for the GOP Health Care "Plan"

This says it all:

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) - Congressional Republicans received key backing today for their health care plan, picking up support from the National Association of Undertakers.

Democrats Deserve To Lose

I remember those dark years of 2002-2006. The GOP got everything they wanted, and the Democrats were helpless to stop them. Giant tax cuts for the wealthy and Big Oil, revision of our bankruptcy laws WRITTEN BY THE CREDIT CARD COMPANIES that prevented you from declaring bankruptcy even if it was due to OBSCENE medical bills or costs incurred from serving your country overseas, giant spending bills that only helped crony corporations screwing us in Iraq, and so on and so forth.

The Democrats could do nothing. They whined and cried that the GOP had such a huge majority in the House and 55 seats in the Senate. The GOP perfected their 50+1. We couldn't stop them. IF ONLY we had a slight majority.

Americans were fed up. In 2006, the Democrats retook the House. Mild reforms were passed, like the minimum wage, but the country was thrilled that we weren't being completely screwed by the GOP anymore. And America was patient with the Democrats because the Democrats whined...if only we were a little bigger, and if ONLY we didn't have BUSH in the White House to veto everything. THEN things could get done.

IF ONLY...

Americans were so fed up, that in 2008 we got everything we could want. A DEMOCRATIC president. A SUPERMAJORITY! FILLIBUSTER-PROOF 60! UNSTOPPABLE, we were told. NOW we could really get things to change...

Except, no.

No government negotiated drug prices, no timeline for Iraq, no environmental reform, no energy bill.

No public option. (Maybe in reconciliation, but I won't hold my breath).

Democrats, what the fuck.

What the hell is the point? What was that giant mandate for? WHY are you so spineless and stupid?

YOU WILL NEVER IN OUR LIFETIME HAVE THIS MANY DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS!

YOU WILL NEVER HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY AGAIN!

Start acting like a majority and pass the damn reforms you were put in office to do!

America elected you so you could put DEMOCRATIC solutions to these REPUBLICAN screw-ups! Not allow Republicans, who just want to get back in power, to stop all reforms and all bills. They haven't conceded anything, yet you have conceded everything in a futile effort to be "bi-partisan". That only works if the other side is interested in working with YOU! They are not! They are not interested in fixing any of their mess! They just want YOU to lose!!

Now I hear some Senators saying they won't vote for anything unless the GOP is on board. Well, f me.... Now we are told that we can't do anything with a supermajority and control of both the executive and legislative.

Folks, we could have 99 Senate seats and all the House seats, and we still wouldn't pass anything...because they would cower in fear of the lone GOP Senator.

Don't expect us to bust our tails or give our hard earned dollars to help next cycle. You will lose seats, but not because of GOP ideas or GOP resurgence, it will be because Democrats and Independents have just given up on you.

Take it away, Stewart....

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Democratic Super Majority
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Ron Paul Interview

F*&k Polankski!!

From CNN:

Woody Allen, Pedro Almodovar and Martin Scorsese have "demanded the immediate release" of fellow filmmaker Roman Polanski, who was arrested in Switzerland on a U.S. arrest warrant related to a 1977 child sex charge.


A supporter displays a "free Polanski" tag on his shirt during the Zurich Film Festival.

They were among 138 people in the film industry who signed a petition against the arrest.

The sick bastard drugged and raped a 13-year child. I don't give a damn about his so-called "talent". I hope he dies.

And by the way, no surprise Woody Allen supports him. That pervert molested his own adopted child.

These peoople are monsters. Nothing less. I have no sympathy.

Fight for Our Health Insurance Executives

The real victims of Obama's insidious plan to provide health care for all Americans:

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

Story About Our New Senator

The following post is by mujr:

For our newly appointed senator, George LeMieux, who replaced Mel Martinez. I believe he retired due to the stress of controversial mail from his constituents recently, and the pressure to actually work for them.

Replacement Republican senator George LeMeiux, sent his obligatory email to my mailbox, introducing himself appointed by Governor Charlie Crist, who couldn’t have made a better choice. This man is for the Republican right wing, family values, status quo, etc. His introduction in that email was bland, touching on a few talking points and had a box to “respond” to his web page.
And I wrote:

“We need a public option. I don't care about the big health care insurers.
They are for profit making and denying much needed care for the people they
service. If you cannot see what they have done thus far to innocent,
gullible and trusting subscribers, you need to get on it. Florida Blue
Cross Blue Shield has offered a catastrophic policy to me that would cost $370.00
a month, covers nothing except catastrophic illness. A huge deductible with
a list of items on your past medical history that would not be covered for 7 years,” and etc. I did use the words, “claptrap” and Republican Talking Points further along.

When I got to the “send” button, there appeared the usual “crazy” letters and numbers to be deciphered. Having tried 3 or four times without success, I went directly to his brand new web page to post my comment. I noticed that there were several welcoming letters by the teabaggers, birthers, and family values crowd. There was a “post a comment here” and so I pasted my original comment into that open feed and guess what?

It was rejected by a pop up on my screen that informed me that my email was inappropriate. Should I be surprised? How did they even know? So much for where our new Senator from the GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA stands.

Why don't the rest of us democrats, progressives and independents in Florida " Welcome " him with an email, too?

356 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON DC 20510
DC Phone: 202-224-3041
E-mail: info@lemieux.senate.gov

Seminoles...Call your representative for HC reform TODAY

A representative from Suzanne Kosmas's office confirms that anti-health insurance reform zealots are flooding the Congresswoman's offices with calls.

THEY NEED TO HEAR FROM PRO-HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM SUPPORTERS.

Please take a moment to call or email Rep. Kosmas -- or whomever your Representative -- and tell him/her to support President Obama's plan that includes a public option!

Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas (202) 225-2706
Congresswoman Corrine Brown (202) 225-0123
Congressman John Mica (202) 225-4035
Congressman Alan Grayson (202) 225-2176

Senator Bill Nelson (202) 224-5274
Senator George LeMieux (202) 224-3041

White House comment line (202) 456-1111

PS: Here's a simple way to explain why America DESPERATELY needs health care reform using the back of a napkin.

The 12 Democrats Who Voted NO on Wilson's Admonishment

It was a resolution of disapproval---the absolute WEAKEST motion you can do. IT's not even censure, it's just "disapproval" of Joe Wilson's blantant, abhorrent and racist behavior. (And it is racist...never in its 220 year history has a member of Congress heckled a president while giving an address to that body).

The resolution passed 240-179.

12 Democrats, however, voted NO. Including that little troll Kucinich, no explanation given.

12 Democrats who couldn't even vote for the weakest admonishment for Joe Wilson:

1. Arcuri
2. Delahunt
3. Giffords
4. Hinchey
5. Hodes
6. Kucinich
7. Maffei
8. Massa
9. McDermott
10. Moore
11. Taylor
12. Teague

The full list of every member is here.

Two years ago, when MoveOn.org took out an ad in the New York Times telling the truth about the situation in Iraq, spineless Dems Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi INTRODUCED bills admonishing the group because of GOP demands.

MoveOn is a liberal, partisan organization. They had every right to take out an ad as Rush Limbaugh has to spew venem and lies... such as when he called soldiers who disagreed with him "phony".

But Joe W. is a member of Congress. Representatives are supposed to act like adults and allow a president to give his address without cat-calling. Never did a Democrat scream "Liar" to George W. even when he was spewing so much bullcrap it made me sick. He was the president and entitled to a modicum of respect. Obama can't even get certain representatives to admit he's a citizen.

For that, Wilson is very lucky that Dems are spineless. As an an acting National Guard officer and a member of the Reserve, he could have been court-martialed:

888. ART. 88. CONTEMPT TOWARD OFFICIALS
"Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct."

Wilson embarrassed himself and the body he represents. Yes, he apologized to Obama, but his uncivility is UNPRECEDENTED in Congress and he owes an apology on the House floor. He refused...and 12 people in my own party think that's dandy.

Support Fair Districts

Support www.fairdistricsfloria.org

From Daytona Beach News Journal:

It should be a neutral process. In five states, it is. Independent redistricting commissions draw up boundaries based on population and geography. In a few states, commissions and state legislatures collaborate. In most states, Florida among them, the process is mostly political. The party controlling the state legislature draws up the new map, and usually does so not to reapportion voter populations cohesively but to maximize its electoral advantage for the following 10 years. Gerrymandering by computer models is common. District lines that follow community, city or county contours are not. ...

In Florida, FairDistrictsFlorida.org is leading the drive to put two constitutional amendments on the 2010 ballot. One would forbid the drawing of district lines to protect an incumbent or a political party. Another would require districts to follow geographic and community boundaries. Should the amendments pass, lawmakers would be compelled either to appoint a commission to follow the new rules or to follow them themselves, their gerrymandering impulse neutralized.

With almost 1.5 million petitions in hand, FairDistrictsFlorida has more than twice the necessary signatures (and the Florida Supreme Court's approval) to put the proposals on the ballot. The rest will be up to voters -- as redistricting never has been.

Obama's Health Care Speech: full text and video

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Madame Speaker, Vice President Biden, Members of Congress, and the American people:

When I spoke here last winter, this nation was facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We were losing an average of 700,000 jobs per month. Credit was frozen. And our financial system was on the verge of collapse.
As any American who is still looking for work or a way to pay their bills will tell you, we are by no means out of the woods. A full and vibrant recovery is many months away. And I will not let up until those Americans who seek jobs can find them; until those businesses that seek capital and credit can thrive; until all responsible homeowners can stay in their homes. That is our ultimate goal. But thanks to the bold and decisive action we have taken since January, I can stand here with confidence and say that we have pulled this economy back from the brink.

I want to thank the members of this body for your efforts and your support in these last several months, and especially those who have taken the difficult votes that have put us on a path to recovery. I also want to thank the American people for their patience and resolve during this trying time for our nation.

But we did not come here just to clean up crises. We came to build a future. So tonight, I return to speak to all of you about an issue that is central to that future - and that is the issue of health care.

I am not the first President to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last. It has now been nearly a century since Theodore Roosevelt first called for health care reform. And ever since, nearly every President and Congress, whether Democrat or Republican, has attempted to meet this challenge in some way. A bill for comprehensive health reform was first introduced by John Dingell Sr. in 1943. Sixty-five years later, his son continues to introduce that same bill at the beginning of each session.

Our collective failure to meet this challenge - year after year, decade after decade - has led us to a breaking point. Everyone understands the extraordinary hardships that are placed on the uninsured, who live every day just one accident or illness away from bankruptcy. These are not primarily people on welfare. These are middle-class Americans. Some can't get insurance on the job. Others are self-employed, and can't afford it, since buying insurance on your own costs you three times as much as the coverage you get from your employer. Many other Americans who are willing and able to pay are still denied insurance due to previous illnesses or conditions that insurance companies decide are too risky or expensive to cover.
We are the only advanced democracy on Earth - the only wealthy nation - that allows such hardships for millions of its people. There are now more than thirty million American citizens who cannot get coverage. In just a two year period, one in every three Americans goes without health care coverage at some point. And every day, 14,000 Americans lose their coverage. In other words, it can happen to anyone.
But the problem that plagues the health care system is not just a problem of the uninsured. Those who do have insurance have never had less security and stability than they do today. More and more Americans worry that if you move, lose your job, or change your job, you'll lose your health insurance too. More and more Americans pay their premiums, only to discover that their insurance company has dropped their coverage when they get sick, or won't pay the full cost of care. It happens every day.

One man from Illinois lost his coverage in the middle of chemotherapy because his insurer found that he hadn't reported gallstones that he didn't even know about. They delayed his treatment, and he died because of it. Another woman from Texas was about to get a double mastectomy when her insurance company canceled her policy because she forgot to declare a case of acne. By the time she had her insurance reinstated, her breast cancer more than doubled in size. That is heart-breaking, it is wrong, and no one should be treated that way in the United States of America.
Then there's the problem of rising costs. We spend one-and-a-half times more per person on health care than any other country, but we aren't any healthier for it. This is one of the reasons that insurance premiums have gone up three times faster than wages. It's why so many employers - especially small businesses - are forcing their employees to pay more for insurance, or are dropping their coverage entirely. It's why so many aspiring entrepreneurs cannot afford to open a business in the first place, and why American businesses that compete internationally - like our automakers - are at a huge disadvantage. And it's why those of us with health insurance are also paying a hidden and growing tax for those without it - about $1000 per year that pays for somebody else's emergency room and charitable care.
Finally, our health care system is placing an unsustainable burden on taxpayers. When health care costs grow at the rate they have, it puts greater pressure on programs like Medicare and Medicaid. If we do nothing to slow these skyrocketing costs, we will eventually be spending more on Medicare and Medicaid than every other government program combined. Put simply, our health care problem is our deficit problem. Nothing else even comes close.

These are the facts. Nobody disputes them. We know we must reform this system. The question is how.

There are those on the left who believe that the only way to fix the system is through a single-payer system like Canada's, where we would severely restrict the private insurance market and have the government provide coverage for everyone. On the right, there are those who argue that we should end the employer-based system and leave individuals to buy health insurance on their own.

I have to say that there are arguments to be made for both approaches. But either one would represent a radical shift that would disrupt the health care most people currently have. Since health care represents one-sixth of our economy, I believe it makes more sense to build on what works and fix what doesn't, rather than try to build an entirely new system from scratch. And that is precisely what those of you in Congress have tried to do over the past several months.

During that time, we have seen Washington at its best and its worst.

We have seen many in this chamber work tirelessly for the better part of this year to offer thoughtful ideas about how to achieve reform. Of the five committees asked to develop bills, four have completed their work, and the Senate Finance Committee announced today that it will move forward next week. That has never happened before. Our overall efforts have been supported by an unprecedented coalition of doctors and nurses; hospitals, seniors' groups and even drug companies - many of whom opposed reform in the past. And there is agreement in this chamber on about eighty percent of what needs to be done, putting us closer to the goal of reform than we have ever been.

But what we have also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have toward their own government. Instead of honest debate, we have seen scare tactics. Some have dug into unyielding ideological camps that offer no hope of compromise. Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge. And out of this blizzard of charges and counter-charges, confusion has reigned.

Well the time for bickering is over. The time for games has passed. Now is the season for action. Now is when we must bring the best ideas of both parties together, and show the American people that we can still do what we were sent here to do. Now is the time to deliver on health care.

The plan I'm announcing tonight would meet three basic goals:

It will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance. It will provide insurance to those who don't. And it will slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our government. It's a plan that asks everyone to take responsibility for meeting this challenge - not just government and insurance companies, but employers and individuals. And it's a plan that incorporates ideas from Senators and Congressmen; from Democrats and Republicans - and yes, from some of my opponents in both the primary and general election.

Here are the details that every American needs to know about this plan:
First, if you are among the hundreds of millions of Americans who already have health insurance through your job, Medicare, Medicaid, or the VA, nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have. Let me repeat this: nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have.
What this plan will do is to make the insurance you have work better for you. Under this plan, it will be against the law for insurance companies to deny you coverage because of a pre-existing condition. As soon as I sign this bill, it will be against the law for insurance companies to drop your coverage when you get sick or water it down when you need it most. They will no longer be able to place some arbitrary cap on the amount of coverage you can receive in a given year or a lifetime. We will place a limit on how much you can be charged for out-of-pocket expenses, because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because they get sick. And insurance companies will be required to cover, with no extra charge, routine checkups and preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies - because there's no reason we shouldn't be catching diseases like breast cancer and colon cancer before they get worse. That makes sense, it saves money, and it saves lives.

That's what Americans who have health insurance can expect from this plan - more security and stability.

Now, if you're one of the tens of millions of Americans who don't currently have health insurance, the second part of this plan will finally offer you quality, affordable choices. If you lose your job or change your job, you will be able to get coverage. If you strike out on your own and start a small business, you will be able to get coverage. We will do this by creating a new insurance exchange - a marketplace where individuals and small businesses will be able to shop for health insurance at competitive prices. Insurance companies will have an incentive to participate in this exchange because it lets them compete for millions of new customers. As one big group, these customers will have greater leverage to bargain with the insurance companies for better prices and quality coverage. This is how large companies and government employees get affordable insurance. It's how everyone in this Congress gets affordable insurance. And it's time to give every American the same opportunity that we've given ourselves.

For those individuals and small businesses who still cannot afford the lower-priced insurance available in the exchange, we will provide tax credits, the size of which will be based on your need. And all insurance companies that want access to this new marketplace will have to abide by the consumer protections I already mentioned. This exchange will take effect in four years, which will give us time to do it right. In the meantime, for those Americans who can't get insurance today because they have pre-existing medical conditions, we will immediately offer low-cost coverage that will protect you against financial ruin if you become seriously ill. This was a good idea when Senator John McCain proposed it in the campaign, it's a good idea now, and we should embrace it.

Now, even if we provide these affordable options, there may be those - particularly the young and healthy - who still want to take the risk and go without coverage. There may still be companies that refuse to do right by their workers. The problem is, such irresponsible behavior costs all the rest of us money. If there are affordable options and people still don't sign up for health insurance, it means we pay for those people's expensive emergency room visits. If some businesses don't provide workers health care, it forces the rest of us to pick up the tab when their workers get sick, and gives those businesses an unfair advantage over their competitors. And unless everybody does their part, many of the insurance reforms we seek - especially requiring insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions - just can't be achieved.

That's why under my plan, individuals will be required to carry basic health insurance - just as most states require you to carry auto insurance. Likewise, businesses will be required to either offer their workers health care, or chip in to help cover the cost of their workers. There will be a hardship waiver for those individuals who still cannot afford coverage, and 95% of all small businesses, because of their size and narrow profit margin, would be exempt from these requirements. But we cannot have large businesses and individuals who can afford coverage game the system by avoiding responsibility to themselves or their employees. Improving our health care system only works if everybody does their part.
While there remain some significant details to be ironed out, I believe a broad consensus exists for the aspects of the plan I just outlined: consumer protections for those with insurance, an exchange that allows individuals and small businesses to purchase affordable coverage, and a requirement that people who can afford insurance get insurance.

And I have no doubt that these reforms would greatly benefit Americans from all walks of life, as well as the economy as a whole. Still, given all the misinformation that's been spread over the past few months, I realize that many Americans have grown nervous about reform. So tonight I'd like to address some of the key controversies that are still out there.

Some of people's concerns have grown out of bogus claims spread by those whose only agenda is to kill reform at any cost. The best example is the claim, made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but prominent politicians, that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens. Such a charge would be laughable if it weren't so cynical and irresponsible. It is a lie, plain and simple.

There are also those who claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false - the reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally. And one more misunderstanding I want to clear up - under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place.

My health care proposal has also been attacked by some who oppose reform as a "government takeover" of the entire health care system. As proof, critics point to a provision in our plan that allows the uninsured and small businesses to choose a publicly-sponsored insurance option, administered by the government just like Medicaid or Medicare.

So let me set the record straight. My guiding principle is, and always has been, that consumers do better when there is choice and competition. Unfortunately, in 34 states, 75% of the insurance market is controlled by five or fewer companies. In Alabama, almost 90% is controlled by just one company. Without competition, the price of insurance goes up and the quality goes down. And it makes it easier for insurance companies to treat their customers badly - by cherry-picking the healthiest individuals and trying to drop the sickest; by overcharging small businesses who have no leverage; and by jacking up rates.

Insurance executives don't do this because they are bad people. They do it because it's profitable. As one former insurance executive testified before Congress, insurance companies are not only encouraged to find reasons to drop the seriously ill; they are rewarded for it. All of this is in service of meeting what this former executive called "Wall Street's relentless profit expectations."

Now, I have no interest in putting insurance companies out of business. They provide a legitimate service, and employ a lot of our friends and neighbors. I just want to hold them accountable. The insurance reforms that I've already mentioned would do just that. But an additional step we can take to keep insurance companies honest is by making a not-for-profit public option available in the insurance exchange. Let me be clear - it would only be an option for those who don't have insurance. No one would be forced to choose it, and it would not impact those of you who already have insurance. In fact, based on Congressional Budget Office estimates, we believe that less than 5% of Americans would sign up.

Despite all this, the insurance companies and their allies don't like this idea. They argue that these private companies can't fairly compete with the government. And they'd be right if taxpayers were subsidizing this public insurance option. But they won't be. I have insisted that like any private insurance company, the public insurance option would have to be self-sufficient and rely on the premiums it collects. But by avoiding some of the overhead that gets eaten up at private companies by profits, excessive administrative costs and executive salaries, it could provide a good deal for consumers. It would also keep pressure on private insurers to keep their policies affordable and treat their customers better, the same way public colleges and universities provide additional choice and competition to students without in any way inhibiting a vibrant system of private colleges and universities.

It's worth noting that a strong majority of Americans still favor a public insurance option of the sort I've proposed tonight. But its impact shouldn't be exaggerated - by the left, the right, or the media. It is only one part of my plan, and should not be used as a handy excuse for the usual Washington ideological battles. To my progressive friends, I would remind you that for decades, the driving idea behind reform has been to end insurance company abuses and make coverage affordable for those without it. The public option is only a means to that end - and we should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal. And to my Republican friends, I say that rather than making wild claims about a government takeover of health care, we should work together to address any legitimate concerns you may have.

For example, some have suggested that that the public option go into effect only in those markets where insurance companies are not providing affordable policies. Others propose a co-op or another non-profit entity to administer the plan. These are all constructive ideas worth exploring. But I will not back down on the basic principle that if Americans can't find affordable coverage, we will provide you with a choice. And I will make sure that no government bureaucrat or insurance company bureaucrat gets between you and the care that you need.

Finally, let me discuss an issue that is a great concern to me, to members of this chamber, and to the public - and that is how we pay for this plan.

Here's what you need to know. First, I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits - either now or in the future. Period. And to prove that I'm serious, there will be a provision in this plan that requires us to come forward with more spending cuts if the savings we promised don't materialize. Part of the reason I faced a trillion dollar deficit when I walked in the door of the White House is because too many initiatives over the last decade were not paid for - from the Iraq War to tax breaks for the wealthy. I will not make that same mistake with health care.

Second, we've estimated that most of this plan can be paid for by finding savings within the existing health care system - a system that is currently full of waste and abuse. Right now, too much of the hard-earned savings and tax dollars we spend on health care doesn't make us healthier. That's not my judgment - it's the judgment of medical professionals across this country. And this is also true when it comes to Medicare and Medicaid.

In fact, I want to speak directly to America's seniors for a moment, because Medicare is another issue that's been subjected to demagoguery and distortion during the course of this debate.

More than four decades ago, this nation stood up for the principle that after a lifetime of hard work, our seniors should not be left to struggle with a pile of medical bills in their later years. That is how Medicare was born. And it remains a sacred trust that must be passed down from one generation to the next. That is why not a dollar of the Medicare trust fund will be used to pay for this plan.
The only thing this plan would eliminate is the hundreds of billions of dollars in waste and fraud, as well as unwarranted subsidies in Medicare that go to insurance companies - subsidies that do everything to pad their profits and nothing to improve your care. And we will also create an independent commission of doctors and medical experts charged with identifying more waste in the years ahead.

These steps will ensure that you - America's seniors - get the benefits you've been promised. They will ensure that Medicare is there for future generations. And we can use some of the savings to fill the gap in coverage that forces too many seniors to pay thousands of dollars a year out of their own pocket for prescription drugs. That's what this plan will do for you. So don't pay attention to those scary stories about how your benefits will be cut - especially since some of the same folks who are spreading these tall tales have fought against Medicare in the past, and just this year supported a budget that would have essentially turned Medicare into a privatized voucher program. That will never happen on my watch. I will protect Medicare.

Now, because Medicare is such a big part of the health care system, making the program more efficient can help usher in changes in the way we deliver health care that can reduce costs for everybody. We have long known that some places, like the Intermountain Healthcare in Utah or the Geisinger Health System in rural Pennsylvania, offer high-quality care at costs below average. The commission can help encourage the adoption of these common-sense best practices by doctors and medical professionals throughout the system - everything from reducing hospital infection rates to encouraging better coordination between teams of doctors.
Reducing the waste and inefficiency in Medicare and Medicaid will pay for most of this plan. Much of the rest would be paid for with revenues from the very same drug and insurance companies that stand to benefit from tens of millions of new customers. This reform will charge insurance companies a fee for their most expensive policies, which will encourage them to provide greater value for the money - an idea which has the support of Democratic and Republican experts. And according to these same experts, this modest change could help hold down the cost of health care for all of us in the long-run.

Finally, many in this chamber - particularly on the Republican side of the aisle - have long insisted that reforming our medical malpractice laws can help bring down the cost of health care. I don't believe malpractice reform is a silver bullet, but I have talked to enough doctors to know that defensive medicine may be contributing to unnecessary costs. So I am proposing that we move forward on a range of ideas about how to put patient safety first and let doctors focus on practicing medicine. I know that the Bush Administration considered authorizing demonstration projects in individual states to test these issues. It's a good idea, and I am directing my Secretary of Health and Human Services to move forward on this initiative today.
Add it all up, and the plan I'm proposing will cost around $900 billion over ten years - less than we have spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and less than the tax cuts for the wealthiest few Americans that Congress passed at the beginning of the previous administration. Most of these costs will be paid for with money already being spent - but spent badly - in the existing health care system. The plan will not add to our deficit. The middle-class will realize greater security, not higher taxes. And if we are able to slow the growth of health care costs by just one-tenth of one percent each year, it will actually reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over the long term.

This is the plan I'm proposing. It's a plan that incorporates ideas from many of the people in this room tonight - Democrats and Republicans. And I will continue to seek common ground in the weeks ahead. If you come to me with a serious set of proposals, I will be there to listen. My door is always open.

But know this: I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it's better politics to kill this plan than improve it. I will not stand by while the special interests use the same old tactics to keep things exactly the way they are. If you misrepresent what's in the plan, we will call you out. And I will not accept the status quo as a solution. Not this time. Not now.

Everyone in this room knows what will happen if we do nothing. Our deficit will grow. More families will go bankrupt. More businesses will close. More Americans will lose their coverage when they are sick and need it most. And more will die as a result. We know these things to be true.

That is why we cannot fail. Because there are too many Americans counting on us to succeed - the ones who suffer silently, and the ones who shared their stories with us at town hall meetings, in emails, and in letters.

I received one of those letters a few days ago. It was from our beloved friend and colleague, Ted Kennedy. He had written it back in May, shortly after he was told that his illness was terminal. He asked that it be delivered upon his death.
In it, he spoke about what a happy time his last months were, thanks to the love and support of family and friends, his wife, Vicki, and his children, who are here tonight . And he expressed confidence that this would be the year that health care reform - "that great unfinished business of our society," he called it - would finally pass. He repeated the truth that health care is decisive for our future prosperity, but he also reminded me that "it concerns more than material things." "What we face," he wrote, "is above all a moral issue; at stake are not just the details of policy, but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country."

I've thought about that phrase quite a bit in recent days - the character of our country. One of the unique and wonderful things about America has always been our self-reliance, our rugged individualism, our fierce defense of freedom and our healthy skepticism of government. And figuring out the appropriate size and role of government has always been a source of rigorous and sometimes angry debate.
For some of Ted Kennedy's critics, his brand of liberalism represented an affront to American liberty. In their mind, his passion for universal health care was nothing more than a passion for big government.

But those of us who knew Teddy and worked with him here - people of both parties - know that what drove him was something more. His friend, Orrin Hatch, knows that. They worked together to provide children with health insurance. His friend John McCain knows that. They worked together on a Patient's Bill of Rights. His friend Chuck Grassley knows that. They worked together to provide health care to children with disabilities.

On issues like these, Ted Kennedy's passion was born not of some rigid ideology, but of his own experience. It was the experience of having two children stricken with cancer. He never forgot the sheer terror and helplessness that any parent feels when a child is badly sick; and he was able to imagine what it must be like for those without insurance; what it would be like to have to say to a wife or a child or an aging parent - there is something that could make you better, but I just can't afford it.

That large-heartedness - that concern and regard for the plight of others - is not a partisan feeling. It is not a Republican or a Democratic feeling. It, too, is part of the American character. Our ability to stand in other people's shoes. A recognition that we are all in this together; that when fortune turns against one of us, others are there to lend a helping hand. A belief that in this country, hard work and responsibility should be rewarded by some measure of security and fair play; and an acknowledgement that sometimes government has to step in to help deliver on that promise.

This has always been the history of our progress. In 1933, when over half of our seniors could not support themselves and millions had seen their savings wiped away, there were those who argued that Social Security would lead to socialism. But the men and women of Congress stood fast, and we are all the better for it. In 1965, when some argued that Medicare represented a government takeover of health care, members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans, did not back down. They joined together so that all of us could enter our golden years with some basic peace of mind.

You see, our predecessors understood that government could not, and should not, solve every problem. They understood that there are instances when the gains in security from government action are not worth the added constraints on our freedom. But they also understood that the danger of too much government is matched by the perils of too little; that without the leavening hand of wise policy, markets can crash, monopolies can stifle competition, and the vulnerable can be exploited. And they knew that when any government measure, no matter how carefully crafted or beneficial, is subject to scorn; when any efforts to help people in need are attacked as un-American; when facts and reason are thrown overboard and only timidity passes for wisdom, and we can no longer even engage in a civil conversation with each other over the things that truly matter - that at that point we don't merely lose our capacity to solve big challenges. We lose something essential about ourselves.

What was true then remains true today. I understand how difficult this health care debate has been. I know that many in this country are deeply skeptical that government is looking out for them. I understand that the politically safe move would be to kick the can further down the road - to defer reform one more year, or one more election, or one more term.

But that's not what the moment calls for. That's not what we came here to do. We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it. I still believe we can act even when it's hard. I still believe we can replace acrimony with civility, and gridlock with progress. I still believe we can do great things, and that here and now we will meet history's test.

Because that is who we are. That is our calling. That is our character. Thank you, God Bless You, and may God Bless the United States of America.

Jim Greer Spoke GOP Hate in Public School!

Quicknote: Crossposted today's blog on Dkos and made the Rec List. Go Seminoles!

While we have been focused on the sheer stupidity of equating the president talking about the importance of education to "indoctrinating" children with his "socialist agenda", or the fact that W. and Reagan himself interjected conservative trash when speaking to school children, we now know that local-boy turned Florida GOP chair clown Jim Greer has himself had no qualms about interjecting GOP hate speech while addressing school children:

Snippet from Scott Maxwell:

There once was a political operative who loved to tell crowds he had a simple way of explaining to children the difference between Republicans and Democrats.

"Republicans get up and go to work," he would tell his son. "Democrats get up and go down to the mailbox to get their checks."

This man not only talked to his son about Republican values, he went into public-school classrooms and talked about them as well.

That man is Jim Greer — the same Jim Greer who, as chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, just threw a nationwide hissy fit, claiming that the classroom is no place for politics and Barack Obama's "indoctrination."

One Seminole County mother, Barbara Wells, remembers the day Greer spoke to her son's sixth-grade class. "My son said he made some sort of Hillary Clinton joke," she recalled.

But you know what? Wells didn't pitch a fit.

She didn't call up the local TV station to scream about Republican indoctrination.

Instead, she advised her son: "Whatever you are told in life, remember there are two sides to every story."

In fact, Wells didn't even think much about Greer's foray into her son's classroom until she saw him on TV complaining about Obama.

There's no longer any question: Greer is a hypocrite.

Digg-link for this Sentinel story: http://digg.com/politics/Florida_Republican_Chair_politicizes_school_attacks_Obama

TO sum up, in Greer-land:

1. The President of the United States talking to school children about hard work and the importance of staying in school is dangerous and intolerable.

2. GOP chair talking to school children while smearing Democrats and Hillary Clinton, however, is something that every school child needs to hear.

3. Can't understand why more people aren't upset about #1.

What an ass-clown. He has embarrased Seminole County for many years, so the Florida GOP logically decided to promote him. In his short tenure we have him issuing fradulant credit cards and now making an ass of himself for the nation to once again shake its head at what the hell is going with the politicians in my state.

Seminole’s Own Jim Greer Embarrassing Florida—AGAIN

The media has picked up the story of the Florida GOP head going nuts over President Obama’s letter to school principals about a national address on the importance of education. Here is the letter:

Dear Principal:

In a recent interview with student reporter, Damon Weaver, President Obama announced that on September 8 -- the first day of school for many children across America -- he will deliver a national address directly to students on the importance of education. The President will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning. He will also call for a shared responsibility and commitment on the part of students, parents and educators to ensure that every child in every school receives the best education possible so they can compete in the global economy for good jobs and live rewarding and productive lives as American citizens.

The rest is even more generic...stuff about how educaiton is the foundation of our economy, blah, blah, blah. You can read the rest here.

The head of the Florida GOP, from our own county of Seminole no less, was OUTRAGED that this president would dare talk to kids:

As the father of four children, I am absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama's socialist ideology. The idea that school children across our nation will be forced to watch the President justify his plans for government-run health care, banks, and automobile companies, increasing taxes on those who create jobs, and racking up more debt than any other President, is not only infuriating, but goes against beliefs of the majority of Americans, while bypassing American parents through an invasive abuse of power.

While I support educating our children to respect both the office of the American President and the value of community service, I do not support using our children as tools to spread liberal propaganda. The address scheduled for September 8, 2009, does not allow for healthy debate on the President's agenda, but rather obligates the youngest children in our public school system to agree with our President's initiatives or be ostracized by their teachers and classmates.

What a dumbass. Obama talking about the importance of education is liberal propoganda?

Of course, Jim Greer never complained when President W. blatantly used kids to actually push conservative propoganda. In a crowd of school children, W gave an address during an education ceremony where he injected this nugget:

I also believe that part of the reason why New York City did well is because of the No Child Left Behind Act, which raises standards, insists upon accountability in the schools all across our country. The No Child Left Behind Act is working. I say that because the Nation's Report Card says it's working. Scores are improving, in some instances hitting all-time highs. Children across America are learning. The achievement gap that has long punished underprivileged students is beginning to close. And I'm going to spend a little time talking about that today.

By the way, W was wrong. No Child Left Behind is a disaster.

But at least that was somewhat linked to education. Conservative icon Ronald Reagan gave a lenghty speech to four area middle schools and mentioned nothing about working hard and staying in school. His purpose was to push his infamous radical tax cuts for the wealthy.

Can you get any more indoctrinating than that?

But it’s okay if kids are force-fed debunked radical right-wing propoganda. The outrage from the Florida GOp is if THIS president wants to give a motivating speech about staying in school.

Since election night 2000, the Florida GOP has not stopped embarrassing our state. I guess Jim can be expected to keep the timbers burning.

Post this Viral Status on your Facebook Today

No one should die because they cannot afford healthcare. No one should go broke because they get sick, and no one should be tied to a job because of pre-existing condition. If you agree, please post this as your status for the rest of the day.

For the time remaining, please post this on your Facebook and Twitter if you have an account.

Michael Moore is back: Capitalism-A Love Story

He is my favorite director. His film SiCKO was one of the best films ever made and truly helped inspire a desire for change for our con game of a healthcare system. I really liked F 9/11--he showed the world what was wrong with W long before everyone else figured it out tragically. I did not care for Bowling for Columbine, although he made some very good points in the film.

My point is that his films get better and better. One note of corretion: our system is not Capitalism. It's Capitalism for me and you, it's Socialism for the Big Banks, Auto Company execs, and everyone else who is "too big to fail".

I am expecting a lot from this one:

New Viral Video on Health Care

Bumper Sticker Slogan SMACKDOWNS of Healthcare Reform Opponents!

April 13, 2010: WE DID IT!!! Healthcare Reform (well, insurance reform) was passed this year.

The following can be made into bumper stickers, T-shirts, signs for rallies or for your car or whatever. I want healthcare reform, not copyright credit.

Use any of the slogans here and feel free to make them into items at places like makestickers.com or cafepress or www.bumperactive.com.

Here are the top 10:

1. My Other Car is a Health Insurance Payment
2. My Car Has Better Insurance Than I Do
3. My Death Panel is an HMO
4. Underinsured Baby on Board
5. Hate Socialism? Repeal Medicare!!
6. Sanctity of Life should not end at Birth! Support Healthcare Reform!
7. WWJD: Who Would Jesus Deny? (Healthcare Reform Now!)
8. My single prayer is single payer
9. The Public GOPtion: Don't Get Sick
10. GOP: Rest Uninsured America

Here are the rest. By the way, feel free to contribute your own in the Comments section!!

11. Your Health Care Comes Off your Insurance Company’s Bottom Line
12. It’s OK..Congress Has GREAT Insurance
13. I’d Rather Have a Public Option Than Be Dead Right
14. GOP: We won't let your health come between your insurer & his profits!
15. Democrat: A Republican with a Pre-existing Condition

16. Before Jesus healed the leper...did He check his insurance coverage?
17. Public Option: Putting People Before Profit
18. Democrat: A Republican Who Lost His Health Insurance
19. What's Wrong With Expanding Medicare for Those UNDER 65?
20.
ONLY Industrialized Nation without Universal Healthcare? USA
Spends More Than ANY other Nation on Healthcare? USA
WE'RE NUMBER ONE!!
21. We Can't Fix the Economy Until We Fix Health Care!
22. Healthcare Reform...Your Life Depends On It!
23. Jesus didn’t ask for a co-pay
24. All I Wanted Was Real Health Care Reform, and All I Got Was This Lousy Bumper Sticker
25. GOP: Cancer Happens!
26. Coming to a Hospital Near You: Attack of the Wingnuts Socialized Health Scare
27. Put health back in healthcare
28. Life is a pre-existing condition
29. What value does the insurance company add?
30. Doctors prescribe healthcare, insurance companies proscribe healthcare.

31. USA: Third World Country. No Universal Healthcare.
32. Health Insurance Profits Up 400%
33. Kill Healthcare! 30,000 Lobbyists Can’t Be Wrong!
34. Universal Health Care Is a Family Value
35. GOP: Defending Your Right to Higher Dedutibles
36. America’s Healthcare Is Like Shopping for an Ambulance
37. Government run military = #1 Private Health Care = #37
38. Support the Health Care Bill - Or We'll Focus on Passing Strict Gun Control"
39. "Pass Healthcare - Or the Terrorists Win"
40. Public option not public optional.
41.
POTUS+60 Senators+80seat House majority
No public option in health care means there is NO PUBLIC OPTION IN DEMOCRACY!
42. 1.4 Million Bucks A Day - Keeps Healthcare Away
43. "Letting Americans Die For Profit?"
44. "For Profit Healthcare Makes Me Sick"
45. Health Insurance Premiums: its where 7 of your last 10 raises went

46. Take My High Premiums From My Cold, Dead Hands
47. Have You Teabagged For Your Insurance Agent Today
48. You Die, They Profit, and GOP gets Paid. Reform Healthcare Now!
49. One Nation, Underinsured.
50. Republican Healthcare Reform: Be Rich or Die
51. My Boss Bussed Me to the Town Hall, and I Didn't Even Get on You Tube
52. Health care should be a right...not a privilege
53. Single Payer Is Pro-Life
54. Guns Don't Kill People. Spreadsheets Do. Support Healthcare Reform.
55. Take My High Premiums from my Cold Dead Hands.
56. Healthcare is for people, not for profit!
57. When you get healthcare, there is an insurance executive who gets a smaller bonus.
58. There's always the Emergency Room... and Bankruptcy
59. Healthcare from Womb to Tomb!
60. Private health insurance isn't the solution, it's the problem

61. Teacher says every time a claim is denied an adjuster gets his wings
62. Back Off! I have swine flu and can't get meds!
63. Insurance is the problem, not the solution.
64. Insurance + Illness = Bankruptcy: What's wrong with this picture? FIX HEALTHCARE NOW!!
65. There is something that can make you better, but I can't afford it