Obama White House, In 1990s Mode...

I just finished reading the Frank Rich piece in the New York Times.

This piece is disturbing, it talks about these crazies walking around with guns slinging on them, but he takes the ridiculousness of Barack Obama and his constant niceness towards the very Republicans that have stabbed him repeatedly in the back.

Again, if there is a teachable moment here for being nice to someone who continues to stab you, let me know, because I just don't get it.

Even now the radicals are taking a nonviolent toll on the Obama presidency. Obama complains, not without reason, that the news media, led by cable television, exaggerate the ruckus at health care events. But why does he exaggerate the legitimacy and clout of opposition members of Congress who, whether through silence or outright endorsement, are surrendering to the nuts? Even Charles Grassley, the supposedly adult Iowa Republican who is the Senate point man for his party on health care, has now capitulated to the armed fringe by publicly parroting their “pull the plug on grandma” fear-mongering.

Well, with staff like Rahm Emanuel and Jim Messina, no wonder Barack Obama is where he is at.

Let's talk about them for a minute.

I am from Chicago, understand the "fuck you get out of my way", mentality of a Rahm Emanuel. He was a young gun, rising star with the Clinton Administration and from there this is the problem. Emanuel is still STUCK on the 90s and how Democrats were then. He has not come to realize the change, power and progress we Democrats have made. That is the real issue here.

Barack Obama is listening to a Chief of Staff that is on the 90s, Clinton Adminstration mode. That worked in the 90s, but this is 2009 and not only has this country voted for a black man to be POTUS, but we voted for CHANGE, PROGRESS. The shit that Emanuel is doing in the White House is disastrous. You don't have the President of the United States continue to compliment, praise the very Republicans that are tearing him down in the national press and on television, DAILY. What the fuck kind of shit is this? Again, this is 2009 not 1993. For the Chief of Staff to the President of the United States repeatedly having him go out there and praise the very persons who are determined to undermind him at every turn is looney and I am being nice.

Emanuel like Clinton never respected or cared about the left, it is true, though Clinton learned a hard lesson from the primaries about the POWER of the left. So, if Emanuel don't care about the left and how WE put Obama in the White House, it is not a shock that he gave the left the big finger of "FUCK YOU". In return, Emanuel got the pressure from the left like he never saw in his life while working for Clinton. But he remains on the course of "loving the Republicans and working for any bill that have their stamp of approval, though the Democrats have 60 in the senate and majority in the house, it really does not matter, getting that stamp of approval from the Republicans in the senate is the major goal". Can I type, "Go blow yourself Rahm?"

Jim Messina worked for Senator Max Baucus and it does not take a rocket scientist to put 2+2 together and come out with a 4. He is the point man for the "bipartanship lovey-dovey bill" and he is the one saying, we are almost close and he is the one telling Rahm and the President that we MUST HAVE A BIPARTISAN BILL, that it will look good for the President and country. Yes, a bipartianship bill would look good, but this White House must have forgotten that we are negotiating on strength not weakness. We, won the White House and Congress, not the Republicans, but we have to listen to the Gang of Six to get a health care bill passed? From Robert Reich:

Last night, the so-called "gang of six" -- three Republican and three Democratic senators on the Senate Finance Committee -- met by conference call and, according to Senator Max Baucus, the committee's chair, reaffirmed their commitment "toward a bipartisan health-care reform bill" (read: less coverage and no public insurance option). The Washington Post reports that the senators shared tales from their home states, where some have been besieged by protesters angry about a potential government takeover of the nation's health care system.

It's come down to these six senators. The House has reported a bill as has another Senate committee, but all eyes are fixed on Senate Finance -- and on these three Dems and three Republicans, in particular. But who, exactly, anointed these six to decide the fate of the nation's health care?

It is these folks in the White House that Obama is listening to. Sure, a health care bill will pass, but will it mean anything? Does it matter that we must have Republicans who have repeatedly dissed President Obama on board? Don't these White House folks get it? The Republicans are not going to vote ANYTHING Obama. Yet, we continue to see our President yuckin' up to these Republicans, though we are the power in Washington, D.C. Are the Democrats that dumb? Apparently, the ones in the White House are because we just don't matter:

Obama's brain trust has decided the base doesn't matter. Rahm Emanuel, Jim Messina (and probably Jim Margolis) have focused on the false promise of bipartisanship, which has required scaling back what we were led to believe was Obama's agenda. They're obviously the smartest people in the world and think the rest of us are stupid and wouldn't notice. But, we have. The numbers speak for themselves. Many of us in the base aren't happy.

I am one of those on the left that raised over 12K for the Obama Campaign under the grassroots fundraiser, I am one of those who knocked on hundreds of doors for the Obama Campaign, I am one of those who was swinging a big stick over here EARLY at Daily Kos for the Obama Campaign, I am one of those who worked across state lines for the Obama Campaign, and I am one of those who are PISSED at the Obama Administration.

I am one of millions who took a chance on change, not this weak milquetoast performance that I am witnessing out of the White House.

This is 2009, not 1993 and millions voted for change, not this tap dance we are witnessing from the White House. Change also means bringing forward THINKING along, not this 1990s shit we are witnessing from Rahm and Friends.

I am a Democrat and will vote Democrat, but the Obama Administration got voted in by millions who never voted before, millions who were cynical in the process, millions who left the Republican Party to vote for Obama, millions of independents who voted for Obama. And ALL these millions knew Obama's position and wanted CHANGE. Obama Adminstration, what are you afraid of? If this White House can not get it together, why should the millions that voted for you, vote for you again?

Yes, I am pissed. And yes, Obama White House, get it together....

P.S. Guess where Rahm is on vacation?

Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, is fishing in Montana.

And this is coincidence?

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

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President Obama's Weekly Address, August 22, 2009 (Video and Transcript)

Myths and Morality in Health Insurance Reform

President Obama debunks the myths around health reform, and discusses the public option proposal in which many of them are rooted. But he focuses his address on the stark moral and historical turning point at which we find ourselves.


download .mp3 |download .mp4 (123 MB) | read the transcript | Vimeo

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In case you missed it: President Obama Gives Ramadan Message (Video)

President Obama extends his best wishes to Muslims around the world during Ramadan.



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Martha's Vineyard is bracing for the Obamas (Video)

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South Carolina should be sick of his shyte!!

Governor Mark Sanford is a totally flawed man, not only has his wife bounced but his scandal of using tax payers monies continues to grow on a daily basis. For whatever it is worth, he should resign, at this point he is not doing the state any good and is a continual joke. But that thing called "power" will get you every time.

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford took dozens of undisclosed flights on private planes since taking office in 2003 despite a state law requiring him to report who paid for the travel, an Associated Press investigation has found.

The AP discovered 35 flights Sanford took on private planes that he did not list on state ethics forms or campaign reports. The flights are noted on Sanford's official calendars, obtained by the AP through a Freedom of Information request.

State law requires elected officials to disclose gifts received in a day worth $25 or more and "anything of value" over the course of a year worth at least $200 "if there is reason to believe the donor would not give the thing of value" but for the public official's position.

Sanford, under scrutiny since announcing an affair with an Argentine mistress, didn't report the flights because the trips were paid for by longtime friends or political groups, spokesman Ben Fox said. "That was our standard operating procedure," he said.

However, state ethics officials said Sanford should report all use of private planes, even if friends pick up the tab, just as any other public official is required to do under the law.

Cathy L. Hazelwood, the state Ethics Commission's general counsel, said such flights "need to be disclosed somewhere."

"To the extent friendship is a reason not to report something is fascinating to me," she said. "There is no private Mark Sanford at this point." read more here...

The Governor of South Carolina is just fascinating....

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Big Whoop! Olympia Snowe, "No public option" out of Baucus Committee

One thing needs to be crystal clear here as we are wavering through this health care reform MESS, Senator Max Baucus' Finance Committee is given some juice for whatever reason out of the Obama White House.

Why?

Good question, here is what I think. A very smart colleague dropped this on me and he is correct. Barack Obama must decide which way he will go with this health care legislation. It is either the Baucus/Grassley route or the Pelosi/Dean route.

That is the real question. This is why this debate is heated. As my colleague stated:

The problem, then, is that it's hard to persuade people to get passionate about the President's agenda when we honestly don't know whether his agenda is what Nancy Pelosi wants or what Max Baucus wants.

If he were to come down on the side of Pelosi, you would see his network energized and an outpouring of enthusiasm as people see themselves as having something to accomplish.

But, the lingering possiblity that he really prefers the least ambitious and meaningful proposal possible--BaucusCare--is going to leave a lot of people on the sidelines.

This is what is going on and that is why the "enthusiasm" is not there. Until we know what this bill will look like, read like, do for the American public, there is not much we can do but wait. Yes, OFA is asking folks to get engaged and do phone banking, attend home meetings, etc. But what are we talking about here? Again, what I do know about the bill is that Obama is not pulling the plug on grandma, the public option is not a government run take over and Obama is not Hitler. Other than that, I do not know any specifics about what the final bill will be.

And Olympia Snowe, the Gang of Six on the Baucus Finance Committee, are we really surprised here?

Olympia Snowe admitted to Andrea Mitchell that the Senate Finance Committee is not even considering a public option in their bill and never had it on the table. She said that the skyrocketing costs of health care are paramount to their bill which is why they are ogling co opts.

Read the rest and view the video here

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Speaker Pelosi, No public option, No bill (Video)

Until the White House and President Obama is clear and concise as Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the confusion and miscommunication will continue over the public option. Obama must decide which way he will go, as of yet, we don't know with a complete certainty.



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This Republican Congressman says the Republicans have a health care bill, but where is it? (Video)

From Carlos Watson, MSNBC, Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX)....and again, the American public do not trust the Republican Party on anything that has to deal with health care....

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What is the real message in all the bad polling for Obama?

I have read and gone through many of the polls that have come out lately and in conclusion it is still a muddled message by the public.

The public still likes President Obama, but are concerned and don't understand the message the White House and Democrats are sending on the health care front.

Along with this comes the Republicans, the insurance companies and lobby machines cranking out misconceptions, lies and rancor at town hall meetings. Since the White House has not been pro-active on that front, the GOP has been allowed to paint the health care reform as everything from socialized medicine, to Hitler care. Take your pick on that one.

In the end, the Democrats and Obama are taking a hit in the polling, but the Republicans are not improving at all. The Republicans don't have a message, but is only seen as trying to destroy Obama's message, along with the Democrats. In doing so the Republicans are not gaining any ground. For that, they should worry if the health care legislation pans out a WIN for the Democrats.

When this is all washed out, with a bill and the vote is over, the public will have its say on this. If the public likes what is in the bill and its value for "them", it is a win for the Democrats and a huge loss for the Republicans. If it is the other way around, the Democrats and Obama have a long 2010 and 2012 to play out.

A new poll suggests that Americans' faith in President Barack Obama to make the right decisions for the country is dropping.

Forty-nine percent of people questioned in a ABC/Washington Post survey released Friday say they have a great deal or good amount of confidence in the president's leadership, down 11 points from April. According to the poll, half of all Americans have little or no confidence in Obama's ability to make the right decisions, up ten points from April.

But the survey indicates that a dip in confidence in the president doesn't mean a rise in confidence in Republicans in Congress. Just 20 percent of people questioned say they have a great deal or good amount of faith in Congressional Republicans to make the right decisions, unchanged from April.

"This summer has been the season of discontent with all politicians," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "The ABC/Washington Post poll indicates that Americans don't have confidence in the president or in Congress, and aren't confident about Democrats or Republicans."

According to the poll, 57 percent of Americans approve of the job Obama's doing as president, down two points from July. Four in ten disapprove, up three points from the 37 percent who disapproved of the president's performance in last month's survey by ABC/Washington Post.

Three other national polls released earlier this week, NBC News, Pew Research Center and the Gallup daily tracking poll, all separately indicated a 51 percent approval rating for Obama. read more here....

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Home Sales Rises

Good news for the Obama Administration....

The U.S. housing market is improving quicker than expected, with home resales in July posting the largest monthly increase in at least 10 years, as first-time buyers rushed to take advantage of a tax credit that expires this fall.

The National Association of Realtors said Friday that home sales rose 7.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.24 million in July, from a pace of 4.89 million in June. It was the fourth-straight monthly increase and the highest level of sales since August 2007.

Sales had been expected to rise to an annual pace of 5 million, according to economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters.

"The housing market, with today's strong rise in sales, has decisively turned for the better," said Lawrence Yun, the trade group's chief economist.

Sales of foreclosures and other distressed properties made up about a third of all transactions last month, down from nearly half earlier this year. In places like San Diego and Orlando, buyers are snapping up foreclosed properties at deep discounts, and real estate agents are pressing banks to release more foreclosures onto the market. read more here...

Source

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With Republicans like these against health care reform, why are we STILL trying to talk to them? (Video)

Again, I believe that we will have a health care bill, the fight NOW is what will be in the bill. With all this noise going on, the White House continues to attempt to work with Republican Leadership, while the Republicans continues to slap the hand of the White House for any bipartisanship. If there is a teachable moment in all of this, can someone point it out, because I am not seeing it.

In an interview with Fox News' Neil Cavuto, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) affirmed that neither health care reform bill currently in circulation will get any Republican support. "For either the bill that passed the House Committee or the bill that passed the HELP committee in the Senate, I don't think a single Republican in the Senate would support either of those bills," he said confidently. Kyl went on to say that negotiations between Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee have become "very difficult because" of "liberals in both the House and the Senate." Later he suggested, "Let's start over."

Source

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(UPDATE) Betsy McCaughey the creator of the "death panel" red herring on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Video)

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Exclusive - Betsy McCaughey Extended Interview Pt. 1
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Healthcare Protests

Part One

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Exclusive - Betsy McCaughey Extended Interview Pt. 2
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Healthcare Protests

Part Two

UPDATE

Betsy McCaughey loses board seat

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Joe Scarborough smears President Obama as he goes on vacation (Video)

Joe Scarborough of morning joke or joe showed this shameless ad which was PAID for by lobbyists, trashing Obama going on vacation while the health care debate continues.

Can we say President Bush? And his turtle movement on Hurricane Katrina? nuff said.

But again this ad below continues the LIE about public option, while the Obama White House is still LIGHT on the public option. Again, what will it be? We shall know SOON since the Democrats and Obama's poll numbers are dropping like a rock, this due to lack of information from Obama. Remember, many independents voted for him, many Republicans crossed over for him and the category of "public perception" is killing the Democrats and Obama.

For those who think, well if no public option in a health care reform bill won't hurt them in 2010, I think many underestimate how powerful this single issue is to Americans and why they voted for Democrats for change. Keep ignoring this, at your peril Democrats and Obama White House.



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President Obama's fantasy about bipartianship continues and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) continues to stomp on any health care reform message (Video)

Again, President Obama will have to face the fact that these Republicans are not going to vote on SHYTE, as long as his name is attached to it. And Grassley, again continues to throw Obama and the any health care reform, under THE BUS, but Obama continues to cite Chuck Grassley as one Republican really working HARD for health care reform.

Go figure. From Rachel Maddow's Show....

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Senator John Ensign compares his EXTRA MARITAL AFFAIR to President Clinton

How utterly ridiculous is that?

Chasing tail is chasing tail!! Getting your piece on the side, is getting your piece on the side!! When did that change? Because Clinton did it, and he was totally WRONG, it is not ok because your ass got caught and you compare your cheating on your wife to President Clinton's infidelity?

John Ensign was wrong on every level imaginable. He was a hypocrite to his constituency, to Promise Keepers, and to his wife and family. Comparing one's self to another person who was equally wrong, does not make you come out smelling like a bouquet of roses.

Please, Nevada when 2012 rolls around, do get rid of this gas bag of a mockery.

Sen. John Ensign told The Associated Press on Wednesday that his affair with a friend's wife was different from former President Bill Clinton's relationship with a White House intern because he didn't lie about it under oath.

"I haven't done anything legally wrong," the Nevada Republican said.

"President Clinton stood right before the American people and he lied to the American people," Ensign said. "You remember that famous day he lied to the American people, plus the fact I thought he suborned perjury. That's why I voted for the articles of impeachment." read more here....

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Wow, we are becoming like Iran

One thing about the GOP, when they have NOTHING to say it is back to the scare tactic playbook.

As we see them trying to scare us to death on health care, they are now comparing our country to Iran. And this coming from the most conservative mouthpiece in the senate, Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC).

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) appeared on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show today to continue his near daily rants against President Obama. DeMint, who has repeatedly boasted that he will “break” Obama by defeating health care reform, has made a habit of comparing government under Obama to fascism. This time, DeMint told Hewitt that immigrants from Iran tell him that America is going “down the road” to the type of government they had fled from:

DEMINT: And we’ve seen a lot of countries over the years collapse when they’ve gone down the road that we’re going down. Probably the most heart-wrenching experiences I’ve had over the last several days is when naturalized American citizens who have immigrated here from Germany, Iran and other countries, they come up to me and they say why are we doing what so many have fled from? Why don’t Americans see what we’re doing? And I’ve realized that these people who’ve lived under socialist type economies, and totalitarianism, they know where we’re headed if we don’t turn things around.

Listen to this highly intelligent Senator, ,here.

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Congresswoman Maxine Waters calls in on New Orleans (video)

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Cash for Clunkers, Adios on Monday.....

This program got a lot of juice out of it.

The Obama administration will end the popular $3 billion Cash for Clunkers program on Monday, giving car shoppers a few more days to take advantage of big government incentives.

The Transportation Department said Thursday that the government will wind down the program on Monday at 8 p.m. EDT. Car buyers can receive rebates of $3,500 or $4,500 for trading in older vehicles for new, more fuel-efficient models.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the program has been "a lifeline to the automobile industry, jump starting a major sector of the economy and putting people back to work." He said the department was "working toward an orderly wind down of this very popular program."

The White House has touted the program's success in providing a targeted boost to the sluggish economy since its inception in late July. Through Thursday, auto dealers have made deals worth $1.9 billion and the incentives have generated more than 457,000 vehicle sales.

But the administration needed to put a halt to the program to avoid surpassing the $3 billion funding level. Consumers were on pace to exhaust the program's coffers in early September and dealers have complained about long delays in getting reimbursed for the car incentives. read more here...

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New Poll: 77% of Americans support the PUBLIC OPTION

Can the White House now grasp this? In fact read this diary from Daily Kos and the utter frustration many have had from the messaging from this White House, which has been atrocious.

The disconnect is strictly from the D.C. Congress and the American Public. If D.C. Democrats, at this time just FORGET THE REPUBLICANS, can not grasp this and do not pass a public option, then D.C. Democrats and the Obama White House are in trouble for 2010 going forward.

The American public did not vote Democrats and Obama into office for all of THIS. Utter confusion, no message, no bill, side stepping the issue, we did not vote for this.

Democrats and President Obama, GET IT TOGETHER.

More than three out of every four Americans feel it is important to have a "choice" between a government-run health care insurance option and private coverage, according to a public opinion poll released on Thursday.

A new study by SurveyUSA puts support for a public option at a robust 77 percent, one percentage point higher than where it stood in June.

But the numbers tell another story, as well.

Earlier in the week, after pollsters for NBC dropped the word "choice" from their question on a public option, they found that only 43 percent of the public were in favor of "creating a public health care plan administered by the federal government that would compete directly with private health insurance companies."

Opponents of the president's agenda jumped on the findings as evidence that backing for the public option was dropping. Proponents responded by arguing that NBC's tinkering with the language of the question (which it had also done in its July survey) had contributed to the drop in favorability for a public plan.

SurveyUSA's poll, which was commissioned by the progressive group MoveOn.org, a proponent of the public plan, gives credence to those critiques. While arguments about what type of language best describe the public option persist --"choice" is considered a trigger word that everyone naturally supports -- it seems clear that the framing of the provision goes a long way toward determining its popularity.

In asking its question SurveyUSA used the same exact words that NBC/Wall Street Journal had used when conducting its June 2009 survey. That one that found 76 percent approval for the public option: "In any health care proposal, how important do you feel it is to give people a choice of both a public plan administered by the federal government and a private plan for their health insurance--extremely important, quite important, not that important, or not at all important?" read more here...

So, what is all this mumbo-jumbo about from the Democrats? No one should be shocked that they will have to go this alone, without the Republican support.

Again, many hands are wringing, many are waiting and watching for this White House and Democrats to do the right thing.

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This is realistic, but totally sad, Senator Kennedy

Senator Kennedy is asking for the law to be changed and for the Governor to fill his seat in the senate, immediately.

Senator Edward M. Kennedy, in a poignant acknowledgment of his mortality at a critical time in the national health care debate, has privately asked the governor and legislative leaders to change the succession law to guarantee that Massachusetts will not lack a Senate vote when his seat becomes vacant.

In a personal, sometimes wistful letter sent Tuesday to Governor Deval L. Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray, and House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo, Kennedy asks that Patrick be given authority to appoint someone to the seat temporarily before voters choose a new senator in a special election.

Although Kennedy, who is battling brain cancer, does not specifically mention his illness or the health care debate raging in Washington, the implication of his letter is clear: He is trying to make sure that the leading cause in his life, better health coverage for all, advances in the event of his death.

In his letter, which was obtained by the Globe, Kennedy said that he backs the current succession law, enacted in 2004, which gives voters the power to fill a US Senate vacancy. But he said the state and country need two Massachusetts senators.

“I strongly support that law and the principle that the people should elect their senator,’’ Kennedy wrote. “I also believe it is vital for this Commonwealth to have two voices speaking for the needs of its citizens and two votes in the Senate during the approximately five months between a vacancy and an election.’’

Under the 2004 law, if Kennedy were to die or step down, voters would select his successor in a special election to be held within five months of the vacancy. But the law makes no provisions for Massachusetts to be represented in the Senate in the interim. In the meantime, President Obama’s plan to overhaul the nation’s health care system, the fate of which may hinge on one or two votes, could come before Congress.

“I am now writing to you about an issue that concerns me deeply, the continuity of representation for Massachusetts, should a vacancy occur,’’ Kennedy wrote. read more here....

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Did you get your cup of ignorance today? (Video)

Scenes from outside US Congressman Jim Langevin's (D-RI) Town Hall



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Time out for East Wing Rules: First Ladies Doing Vacations Their Way

With the battle of health care going on, it is time to check out what is going on at the OTHER END of the White House. Yeah, I like to keep one eye on Michelle and what she is doing over there, so Maureen keeps us informed and educated on the past First Ladies.

Mamie Eisenhower had no shame in her game going on vacation in the dead of winter. Back in the 1950's longer plane rides made for longer presidential vacations. For 10 days in February 1958, Mamie Eisenhower hung out in Georgia with her husband. On the 23rd of February, the president went on his private plane - Columbine III with the usual assortment of staff and announced the next stop was Phoenix, Arizona where he would lunch with friends at Elizabeth Arden's Maine Chance Farm. The first lady was staying on to soak up the sun in Arizona, and he would be doing a power lunch with pals and turning right around to go back to DC. Even back then, lots of screaming between the press secretary and the press about who was paying for that,.. I was more interested that the works at the Arden beauty farm was $400 a week. Sheesh! In a top flight spa you can do that before you put on the robe.

Now Jackie Kennedy picked exotic places, but this has to be a 1960's thing that had no etiquette precedent in the First Lady Rule Book. What do you wear to ride a camel with your sister in Pakistan? Date line: Karachi, March 25, 1962 the answer is Kitten heels, pearls, hair immaculate that dares the wind, and a designer dress as you sit sidesaddle above a bunch of men leading your walking, humped spit creator. Jackie's vacation trip was at the suggestion of the Ambassador to India, John Kenneth Galbraith. read more here....

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The gig is up

if you are hiding your dollars in Switzerland and not paying taxes, the gig is up!!

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1/2 of the states with the highest uninsured are in the South

And the South is screaming they don't want a public option? When a high portion of their states are uninsured? Please. And of course, their congress critter, MOSTLY Republican, will NEVER want anything to do with actually helping their constituents. These are the same congress critters who are too TIED to the lobbyists checkbooks.

Higher percentages of Texas, New Mexico, and Mississippi residents are without health insurance -- roughly one in four -- than is true for any other states in the U.S. In Massachusetts, where legislation requires all residents to carry health insurance coverage or face a tax penalty, 5.5% are without insurance -- the lowest percentage in the country.

Gallup

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One insurance company enjoys domination of many states

Did you know that in nine states a single insurer covers 70 percent or more of the people? Can you type, MONOPOLY?

As a general rule, the larger, more densely populated states have the most choice — and even the biggest insurer controls only a minority share of the market. According to statistics from the American Medical Association, the leading insurance provider in California covers 24 percent of the population, while in New York the figure is 26 percent and in Florida, 30 percent.

But there are nine states where a single insurer covers 70 percent or more of the people. In Hawaii, one insurer covers 78 percent. In Alabama, it’s 83 percent. And in at least 17 other states one insurer covers at least half the population.

See that map above? See how much control one insurance company has over a state? See how they can jack up or set premiums anyway they like? Ain't that a lot of power? And now do you understand why they are fighting so hard AGAINST the public option? Did you figure it out yet? MONEY. Why stop or change a good thing you got going?

Oh and get this?

Some members of the Senate Finance Committee, which is taking a lead on health care legislation, come from states where the insurance market is highly concentrated. The Democratic chairman, Senator Max Baucus, is from Montana, where 75 percent of people are covered by one major insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana. For Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, the figure is 71 percent, by Wellmark. For Senator Olympia Snowe, Republican of Maine, it’s 78 percent, by WellPoint.

“For many Americans, the idea that they have a choice of health plans is about as mythical as unicorns,” said Jacob Hacker, professor of political science at Yale University.

See why some of these so called Leaders in the Senate are nothing but compromised politicians. We can not expect Max Baucus to do the right thing, just as we can not expect Chuck Grassley to be a honest broker for health care. These men are compromised by the lobbyists, they have taken too much of their money, they are OWNED by the checkbook, my friends. OWNED.

And what about those pesky co-ops that Senator Kent Conrad keeps talking about? Do they have a REAL standing chance in this competitive market?

Mr. Potter, the former CIGNA officer, is skeptical.

“Philadelphia, my hometown, is dominated by Independence Blue Cross and Aetna,” he said. As it happens, that’s where CIGNA’s has its headquarters. “But CIGNA has a small presence there,” he said. “The market is largely locked up by the dominant companies.”

And if CIGNA can’t gain a more meaningful base in its own hometown, “a small, non-profit co-op doesn’t stand a chance,” Mr. Potter said. “It’s like a grocery store competing against Wal-Mart.”

Ah, co-ops are nothing but a name, a mirage, a vapor, or nothing. This is why a public option with a government seal is crucial to compete FAIRLY for the American tax payer.

Americans want CHOICE. Choice that members of congress gets, with low premiums and quality care. That is all we want. We are not asking for anything free, we just want to pool our resources so that each and everyone of us can benefit at an affordable rate. Americans can not benefit when you have ONE COMPANY insuring a whole state, what choice is that? That is not choice it is a STRANGLEHOLD, not choice.

Real health care reform is single payer, but we are not asking for that. We are just asking for choice. If congress enjoys the public option and it is good enough for them, why not the rest of America?

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Tom DeLay says to PRIVATIZE Social Security (Video)

Now if you want a talking point with FACT, use this. Since Seniors are terrified of anyone touching their Medicare, can you image how they feel about touching their Social Security?

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New polling shows if there is no public option, forget about health care reform

In all essence this is true.

Without the public option, what is the use? Barack Obama and the Democrats campaigned on change, they campaigned on having a public option just as congress currently enjoys. This has resonated with the public and without a public option, what is the point.

Just 34% of voters nationwide support the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats if the so-called “public option” is removed. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 57% oppose the plan if it doesn't include a government-run health insurance plan to compete with private insurers.

[snip]

Without the public option, just 50% of Democrats support the legislation. That’s down from 69% support measured a week ago. But here the enthusiasm gap is especially strong. A week ago, polling found that 44% of Democrats Strongly favored the reform plan. Without the public option, just 12% of Democrats Strongly support it.

This is the crux. While the public option has not been communicated properly to the public, they believe it is a government run health care program when it is not. The clean up job at this point will have to come from President Obama in explaining what the public option is, while cleaning up all the misunderstanding of the whole health care bill.

Communication is essential.

Poll

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Public Option, "Do or Die" from Rachel Maddow (Video)

AFL-CIO, Richard Trumka is very on point about the Democrats and Republicans.

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Somebody or "bodies" needs to be FIRED at the White House

How in the HELL can the White House not know or understand that the insurance companies, lobbyists and GOP would mount pressure against ANY CHANGE in this country's health care?

After reading this Washington Post article, my only thought somebody or bodies needs to be fired. Truly.

I have to start in the Oval Office, President Obama. He of all people KNOWS and have talked REPEATEDLY that change would be hard, the status quo would resist, that they will say anything or LIE, etc. But then we witness this White House on turtle motion while chaos, misinformation, planted operatives in town hall meetings, continued GOP talking points, death panels, etc., continue to dominate the media and headlines across this country. So, no one should be shocked or surprised that the public actually believe that the health care bill will cover illegal aliens, pay for abortions, the public option is a government take over and it will pull the plug on grandma or "death panels". These misconceptions are killing the White House and the Democrats, how it took so long to finally figure this out is unbelieveable.

Then the constant mis-message of this White House, its surrogates and the Democrats in congress does not help anything either. Message is about cohesiveness, speaking as one, not the muddled crap that we have had to listen to and scratch our heads with the WTF look over the past few weeks. One thing is this, Barack Obama is the head of the Democratic Party, no dispute, so as head he needs to get these folks in LINE.

The GOP or Republicans were never your friend, Obama White House. I will give Obama credit for this, he tried to broker a consensus with the Republicans and got very little or nothing in return. In Obama's trying, the public will remember and as things go down the road, the public will be reminded that the Obama White House tried but it was the Republicans that refused to participate, it was the Republicans that said NO to everything all for political points.

The Obama White House and their shock and awe on the public option tells me one thing, they do not have their hands on the pulse of what is going on out here. That sitting in that bubble, got them what has played out thus far. The left is not going to sit back and say it is cool not to have a public option, not when Barack Obama has campaigned and repeatedly said, "this will keep the insurance companies honest." No, we are not sitting back and listening to any vague White House noise, we want that public option, we want what CONGRESS and the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES have a CHOICE.

Administration officials insisted that they have not shied away from their support for a public option to compete with private insurance companies, an idea they said Obama still prefers to see in a final bill.

But at a time when the president had hoped to be selling middle-class voters on how insurance reforms would benefit them, the White House instead finds itself mired in a Democratic Party feud over an issue it never intended to spotlight.

"I don't understand why the left of the left has decided that this is their Waterloo," said a senior White House adviser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "We've gotten to this point where health care on the left is determined by the breadth of the public option. I don't understand how that has become the measure of whether what we achieve is health-care reform."

"It's a mystifying thing," he added. "We're forgetting why we are in this."

Another top aide expressed chagrin that a single element in the president's sprawling health-care initiative has become a litmus test for whether the administration is serious about the issue.

"It took on a life of its own," he said.

Yes, it took a life of its own. There are too many people out here Obama White House that are depending on you and the Democrats to deliver. We voted for you, worked our asses off for you, dealt with a bunch of crap the past two years, so you should not be surprised or shocked that we are a hardened bunch. We are not playing around here, we want that public option, period. Along with it we want that pre-existing clause to be yanked and removed from all insurances companies language in this country, we want fair and affordable premiums, we want our doctors LISTENED to and not a damn bean counter telling our doctor what treatment WE NEED, we want all of this and Obama White House and D.C. Democrats you better deliver it because you said YOU WOULD.

And after all this playing out for us to see, how the White House did not understand all of this, yes, dammit somebody needs to be fired for this mismanagement of the MESSAGE.


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Democrats alone on health care bill

This is not breaking news, as some may think it is. When the Republicans did not stand with the stimulus bill, did anyone think they would stand for heath care reform? Not when many Republicans take huge money from health and insurance lobbyists.

Finally when you see bad polling numbers, misinformation, confusion, and actual congress members continuing the lies of health care reform, it is time to let these Republicans GO. Forget about catering to those that do not want reform or those DEMOCRATS who are tied to the bootstraps of the insurance lobbyists. The health care debate has become a political football, one the Republicans are using to drive the polling numbers of Barack Obama down.

The Democrats and White House need to explain what the public option is and what it will do for them. Until they can grasp the message, chaos and confusion will continue.

Top Democrats said Tuesday that their go-it-alone view was being shaped by what they saw as Republicans’ purposely strident tone against health care legislation during this month’s Congressional recess, as well as remarks by leading Republicans that current proposals were flawed beyond repair.

Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, said the heated opposition was evidence that Republicans had made a political calculation to draw a line against any health care changes, the latest in a string of major administration proposals that Republicans have opposed.

“The Republican leadership,” Mr. Emanuel said, “has made a strategic decision that defeating President Obama’s health care proposal is more important for their political goals than solving the health insurance problems that Americans face every day.”

The Democratic shift may not make producing a final bill much easier. The party must still reconcile the views of moderate and conservative Democrats worried about the cost and scope of the legislation with those of more liberal lawmakers determined to win a government-run insurance option to compete with private insurers.

On the other hand, such a change could alter the dynamic of talks surrounding health care legislation, and even change the substance of a final bill. With no need to negotiate with Republicans, Democrats might be better able to move more quickly, relying on their large majorities in both houses.

Source

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Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), SNAPS OFF at town hall meeting (Video)

That is how you do it.....



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President Obama and President Mubarak Speak to the Press, August 18, 2009 (Video)

President Barack Obama and President Mubarak of Egypt address the press after meetings at the White House on the prospects of peace in the Middle East. August 18, 2009.



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Heil Hitler at a health care town hall....Is this suppose to be part of the dialouge? (Video)

Only in America....

Conservatives have strenuously denied that there is any anti-Semitism on display by anti-health reform protesters at town hall meetings nationwide — despite all the evidence to the contrary. Last week, Las Vegas radio station KDWN AM720 sponsored a “contentious” town hall, emceed by conservative morning show host Heidi Harris. At the event, local news stations were interviewing an Israeli man who was praising the “fantastic” “national health care” in Israel. During his remarks, a woman yelled out, “Heil Hitler!” The man stopped, became visibly upset, and exclaimed, “Did you hear this? She say to a Jew, ‘Heil Hitler’! Hear? I’m a Jew! You’re telling me, ‘Heil Hitler’? Shame of you!” After he angrily confronts her, the woman mocks him by making a crying sound to imply he is a whining baby. Watch it:

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Ed Schultz just snapped off on Linda Douglass, Communication Director under the Obama White House

What is going on now is frustration.

Sheer frustration of the Obama White House.

I feel it, I saw it on Ed Schultz's face in talking to Linda Douglass.

I do believe that the Obama White House is not dumb to know what is going on and props to the lobbyists and GOP, they have made a dent.

If the dent works, as in changing or eliminating the public option, we lost this one.

It is obvious that the Obama White House have let congress take the direction in the health care bill.

We know that the Republican Party is the minority and in disarry, until now. The lobbyists and insurance groups have partnered with certain factions of the GOP and have made significant strides.

Let's be real here, the communications of any health care plan has been non-existent from the Obama White House. I know it is August, things are slow in August, but you don't let congress go home with the single most important piece of legislation that can make or break you and give the GOP and its operatives a chance to dissimate your legislation.

That is what is happening.

I am not big on polls until it is up to when it matters, but this poll is different. From NBC, what bothers me is that a plurality or close to a majority believe the following about Obama's health care bill:

1) illegal aliens are covered
2) abortion is covered
3) this is government take over
4) death panels

I read the Daily Kos poll and one thing out of it is that I was not comfortable that the unknown/unsure was pretty high on some of those questions.

What has happened is that the Obama White House has not been in constant step with the Democratic Congress on the MESSAGE of the health care plan. It is hard to defend any plan, at this point, when you have 6 to 8 bills floating out there.

Sarah Palin, for all that we don't like about her, had a very small message that resonated and have grabbed the public out there, "death panels". The GOP and their operatives targeted the right group, "seniors", the very group that will NEVER give any INCH on Medicare or Social Security. Muddle the message, make them believe that we have a "death squad" going and you have chaos in the message.

The GOP/Republicans. The Obama White House catered too much to the Republicans. When you have a "so-called" moderate like Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) making inconclusive statements supporting bogus death panels, you got a problem. Along with Senator Max Baucus who is compromised by his taking of large sums of money from insurance lobbyists and Senator Kent Conrad who will just say NO on any public option. It is a problem, unless Obama plans to do a switcheroo, and at this point I don't see it.

Roger Simon of Politico wrote a piece today, Does President Obama have the guts? I put this link here because I happen to hear Simon on Ed Schultz's radio program today and this stuck in my mind, "..this is why so few senators get elected to the presidency, the senate is a life of compromise...." That is Barack Obama. And that is what the battle is about right now, compromise.

The Democrats are all over the place. Forget the Republicans, they are laughing at us right now. Why? Because they pulled an old trick out of their play book and it is working, stirring it with pots of money from the lobbyists against reform and they are laughing at us twist in the wind. Democrats are speaking out, saying what they want, these "conservative/moderates" are out right not with the President and they are getting air time stating this. It is called, "I am not afraid of the President". That is being played out on television.

The media is a culprit it is a slow summer, the GOP insiders are supplying the juice and all of a sudden the cameras on on a bunch of people at town hall meetings and we are seeing small amounts of chaos.

All of this was on Ed Shultz with Linda Douglass. Frustration.

One thing I will write is that Douglass was cooler than a cucumber, she let Ed go and stuck to the talking points of "it is only August, nothing has changed, the Democrats are united."

I am still waiting to actually SEE all the talking points from Douglass come to fruition.

Lastly, the Democrats are negotiating against themselves which is equal to detrimental legislation coming down the pipe.



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Does President Obama have the guts?

The reason I posted this is from hearing and listening to the Ed Schultz Radio Show and Politico's Roger Simon is on it, "...this is why so few senators get elected to the presidency, the senate is a life of compromise...."

That is Barack Obama.

Could Hillary Clinton have been right about Barack Obama?

Could she have been right when she said that he was the candidate of lofty promises —“the skies will open, the light will come down, celestial choirs will be singing and everyone will know we should do the right thing and the world will be perfect” — and not the candidate of real leadership?

In her former life as a presidential candidate, Clinton warned voters that Obama would let them down. She warned them that when the going got tough, he would fold up.

She said it was not just a matter of Obama lacking experience — that was the least of it — but that he lacked the strength, the toughness, the will to get the job done.

In January 2008, at Nashua High School North just before the New Hampshire primary, Clinton said of Obama: “I applaud his incredible ability to make a speech that really leaves people inspired. My point is that when the cameras disappear and you’re there in the Oval Office having to make tough decisions, I believe I am better prepared and ready to lead our country.”

Democratic voters disagreed with her (though she did win New Hampshire), and Obama went on to win both his party’s nomination and the presidency. But Clinton, now his secretary of state, left him with a warning: “You campaign in poetry, but you govern in prose.”

It is prose time for Obama.

And we are now going to see how he governs when it comes to meaningful health care reform. In his heart and in his head he knows what it takes for such reform. He knows that a public option — a government-run health care program like Medicare — has the best chance of competing with the insurance industry. read more here....

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Republican Congressman encourages bringing GUNS to town hall meetings (Video)

Again, if this was George W. Bush does anyone think that the persons would not have been taken away ASAP? The reason they are armed is all about intimidation. This is a racist ploy, this has been done for YEARS in the South. And Matthews is right, eventually someone is going to get hurt but the real question is, "why are people brining a GUN to a town hall meeting? Can someone explain the LOGIC of that to me?"



I guess someone has to be GUNNED DOWN for the other side to RETREAT. And that is a damn shame.

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Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY), "Obama Administration negotiating against themselves", and morning joe is SPEECHLESS (Video)

"....Medicare for all...a single Republican committed to voting for anything?...."

This is from morning joe......Obama Administration, "Are you listening?"

And why is the White House negotiating with Chuck Grassley? Please, again the Republicans are not voting for ANYTHING. And these people are standing up with INSURANCE companies??? and Joe Scarborough continues to be a tool...

Lastly, why are we continuing to PROP UP these insurance companies? President Obama?


Part One


Part Two

MSNBC Video

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Daily Kos polls the "Death Panel" controversy

One thing is clear, Obama Administration needs to clear up the misinformation. The "unsure" number is too high for my take. Also, it is obvious that the government will force seniors to a death panel is bogus and the public is not buying it.

Read it all here

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Obama, Biden raising funds for Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA)

Well, this is going to be a hotly contested senate race on the Democratic side.

Sen. Arlen Specter (D) will welcome President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden to Pennsylvania in the coming months as he looks to build his financial lead in his race for reelection.

The president will attend a Sept. 15 fundraiser for Specter at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, while the vice president will join the new Democrat for an event in Western Pennsylvania later this fall.

Fundraisers for Specter's campaign hope to raise $2.5 million during the event in Philadelphia, according to an e-mail invitation obtained by the Philadelphia Daily News. The event has already raised $600,000, and backers have committed another $700,000 to organizers, wrote David Cohen, executive vice president of Comcast and a major Specter donor.

Obama and Biden both pledged to support Specter after he bolted the Republican Party in late April. Biden, who as a Delaware senator had a close working relationship with his Pennsylvania colleague, had long worked to convince Specter to jump ship.

"We asked the president to help us [by] campaigning with us and doing a fundraiser, and they were gracious enough to say yes," Chris Nicholas, Specter's campaign manager, told The Hill. read more here....

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Howard Dean may be right on how Obama will get the public option (Video)

After watching this, Dean may be right. Now a lot of political talk is going on about dumping the public option and going with co-ops. Finally, maybe, Obama is realizing that the Republicans won't vote for ANYTHING and the Democrats must go it alone. Again, why were we wasting time with them????? Whatever happens, if Obama does not have a public option in the bill, the Democrats are IN MAJOR TROUBLE in 2010. From morning joe....



Transcript @ Daily Kos

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President Obama to speak at Walter Cronkite Memorial

FYI...

The White House says President Barack Obama is among the dignitaries scheduled to speak at a memorial service for the late CBS News anchorman Walter Cronkite next month.

The memorial is set for Sept. 9 at New York's Lincoln Center. A CBS executive — who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plans aren't finalized — says the public will be invited to attend, with ticket arrangements to be announced later. The anchorman once known as "the most trusted man in America" died at age 92 last month.

The speakers list isn't complete, but the executive says Bill Clinton, Katie Couric, Andy Rooney, Buzz Aldrin, Bob Schieffer and Tom Brokaw are expected.

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To Obama, “…how stupid, naive or lame can you be…”

This was from the Ed Shultz radio program, from Ed Schultz on the Obama stance or lack of stance for the public option.

And the way things are swinging now, I concur.

President Barack Obama can play around all day long on the “will he or will he not” game of public option, but it will be the Democrats who lose in 2010.

The Obama White House and Democrats in congress have been horrendous on the message of any health care package. Instead of making congress sit their tails in office for August and hammer out this legislation, congress went home and is getting the wrath of the well oiled lobbyists organizations that is causing chaos at these town hall meetings.

The main obstruction of these disruptions at the town hall meetings is to provide MISINFORMATION and hope that the media will repeat it, and they have in droves. The Obama White House should not have been shocked, stunned or surprised at any of this. Mr. Obama has continued to say that the other side will do anything to disrupt conversations, dialogue of healthcare reform. So, if he knew this why was the White House and Democrats in congress ill prepared for what we have witnessed going on?

Over the weekend there has been a slew of will we, won’t we, can we, could we information from the Obama White House and his surrogates sending out mixed messages all over the place. With all the friends below, it is easy to see how the public option can be totally NIXED from the conversation.



The Obama White House and the Democrats argument should be simple, “Do you know that you are a job away from not having any health insurance for you and your family?” “Are you unemployed? If so, can you afford the $1500.00 a month COBRA payment offered for you and your family?” “Do you know that we already have a public option in place for members of congress and the Federal Government? And why can’t the citizens of this country be offered the same option for lower costs?” “As health care costs continue to rise, do you know it is highly probable that your premiums can double by next year?”

These are the questions that needs to be presented to the public, but the Obama White House and the Congressional Democrats are numb on all the above.

I don’t care how this health care reform or health care insurance reform is crafted; one thing I do know is that it better have a SOLID PUBLIC OPTION. If not, the Democrats are in serious trouble come 2010 and Barack Obama may be going back to Chicago sooner rather than later, as planned.

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Teaching Time: There are three branches of government (Video)

I was reminded this weekend that we have THREE BRANCHES of GOVERNMENT.

Huh?

Yeah, Executive, Legislative, Judiciary!!!



Why is this important?

Because look how President Obama has been handling the health care issue. He has been hands off, meaning he is letting congress craft the bill, meaning he is following the framework of the CONSTITUTION.

For the last eight years, we all know that former President George W. Bush TOLD congress what to do for practically every piece of legislation that came to the Bush White House. In fact, if the congress could not get it together the Bush White House would send in lobbyists to help members actually write the legislation that the Bush White House wanted.

We have gotten too complacent and impatient, me included, in this whole process. President Obama is letting congress do its job. We may not like it, but this is how it is suppose to work. We also have become used to having the White House tell congress what to do and how to do it, as in the Bush Era. From that era we got some bad pieces of legislation turned into law due to the interference of the Bush White House.

I am at a wait and see point of all this. I think, President Obama should not have let congress go on recess until a bill was crafted. Why? Because of all this town hall rancor and noise out there. When you have no bill to defend, what are you actually defending? When you have no specifics of a bill to push? What is the point of any action? In other words, we have nothing of specifics but a bunch of vagueness from a bunch of bills floating around out there.

We need to go back to school here, in fact these videos need to be forwarded and circulated to many who are totally misinformed at how government works. And as far as the health care bill(s)? It is stuck in committee, as shown below:



Lastly, if you want the public option, you must let congress know you want it. One phone call, fax or email is not enough. This needs to be done DAILY, that is call "BRINGING THE HEAT".

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

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Is race a factor? (Video)

CNN's Don Lemon speaks with Tim Wise.....



Tim Wise

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What you don't want to read....

by Nate Silver....

As I've been telling people all week here in Pittsburgh, there's ample reason for Democrats to be worried -- perhaps deeply so -- about 2010. Without major intervening events like 9/11, the party that wins the White House almost always loses seats at the midterm elections -- since World War II, an average of 17 seats in the House after the White House changes parties. Democrats have substantially more seats to defend than Republicans, particularly in the House. They appear to face a significant enthusiasm gap after having dominated virtually all close elections in 2006 and 2008. And the economy and health care are contingencies that could work either way, but which probably present more downside risk to Democrats than upside over the next 12-18 months, particularly if some version of health care reform fails to pass. While the Democrats are not extraordinary likely to lose the House, such an outcome is certainly well within the realm of possibility (I'd put the chance at somewhere between 1-in-4 and 1-in-3). The Senate picture is a bit brighter for them, but they are probably more likely now to lose seats in the chamber than to add to their majority, in spite of the spate of Republican retirements in Ohio, Missouri and other states. In a wave-type election, a net loss of as many as 4-6 seats is conceivable.

With all that said, I would reserve some healthy skepticism for polls that apply aggressive "likely voter" models to elections like the midterms that won't occur for another 16 months. In Pennsylvania, for example, Rasmussen now finds Arlen Specter a 12-point underdog to Pat Toomey among what they define as likely voters. Toomey also leads a more "generic" Democrat, Specter's primary rival Joe Sestak, by 8 points in Rasmussen's polling. By contrast, Research 2000, which in its polling for Daily Kos also uses a likely voter model (but evidently a less aggressive one), puts Specter 5 points ahead of Toomey and Sestak one point ahead of the Republican. These numbers represent big downward shifts for the Democrats, particularly in Specter's case, since Research 2000 last polled the race in May. But obviously, there is a big difference between Specter's -12 number under Rasmussen's likely voter model and his +5 under Research 2000's. read more here....

The only way to win more seats is for the public to continue to reject the Republicans MORE. This is the argument that the Democratic Party must make.

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President Obama's speech in Grand Junction, Colorado, August 15, 2009 (Full Video and Transcript)

The President holds a town hall on health insurance reform at Central High School in Grand Junction, Colorado. August 15, 2009.



Transcript

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Meet the Press, August 16, 2009 (Video and Transcript)

As anger reaches a boiling point at town halls across the country, health care reform takes center stage. We'll take an in-depth look at the debate with some leading voices: Fmr. House Majority Leader Rep. Dick Armey (R-TX), now the head of FreedomWorks, an organizer of protesters at town hall meetings; Sen. Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK), Member of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Fmr. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), an informal adviser to the White House and author of "Critical: What We Can Do About the Health Care Crisis"; & Rachel Maddow, Host of MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show. Plus we'll get perspectives from around the country with Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY); Bruce Josten, Executive Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce; and Gov. Bill Ritter (D-CO).

Take Two with Rachel Maddow

Transcript

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In Case You Missed It: President Obama's town hall meeting in Montana, August 14, 2009 (Full Video and Transcript)

President Obama holds a town hall in Belgrade, Montana on health insurance reform. Before taking questions from the audience, the President discusses how health insurance reform will benefit all Americans because insurance companies will not be allowed to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions.


Vimeo

Transcript

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Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) at it again, public option, "...a wasted effort"

This is what we are up against. People who have taken large amounts of money on the Democratic side, who will do everything to get rid of the public option. While, Senator Conrad has a robust public option, federal employees do, they have many plans to pick and choose from with very low cost to their families. Why the rest of America can not have this is beyond me?

A public health insurance option took more hits Sunday as Sen. Kent Conrad described its pursuit as a “wasted effort” and an administration official said it is not an “essential” part of reform.

Conrad (D-N.D.), who supports setting up health insurance co-operatives with government seed money to compete with private insurers, described the public option as all but a lost cause.

“Look, the fact of the matter is there are not the votes in the U.S. Senate for the public option, there never have been,” Conrad said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace.”

“So to continue to chase that rabbit is, I think, a wasted effort,” Conrad said. read more here....

With Democrats like these, how can any public option have a chance when many in congress are compromised to the likes of the insurance companies?

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