“The real battle in Washington is seldom between conservatives and liberals or the right and the left or “red America” and “blue America.” It is nearly always a more local contest, over which politicians will enjoy the privilege of representing the interests of the rich.”

– by Luke Mitchell in the Atlantic, via Violet Socks.

As HP likes to say, “Vote ALL the Bums Out!”

Oh, and that’s a pretty big frickin’ cupcake obama’s getting for Christmas:

"Forty-six percent (46%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -21 That’s the lowest Approval Index rating yet recorded for this President (see trends)."

"Forty-six percent (46%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -21 That’s the lowest Approval Index rating yet recorded for this President (see trends)."

Watch the Great Health Insurance Giveaway debate live HERE. (The debate centers on how MUCH of our money we’ll be forced (by the IR freakin’ S) to fork over to the Senators’ corporate paymasters.) As Riverdaughter asks, is there NO WOMAN SENATOR out there who will stand up and say NO MORE!? Any ideas on which Senator we can try to persuade??

Couldn’t resist shamelessly stealing this idea for a graphic from Joe Cannon:

kill-bill

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{ 107 comments… read them below or add one }

1

murphy 12.22.09 at 10:19 am

I honestly ADORE southern accents. Anyone with a southern accent automatically earns 10 likability points in my book. But wth is UP with Jeff Sessions (R., Alabama)????

ewww.

meanwhile John Kyl has a very nice voice. still a jackass. but a jackass with a good voice.

2

Susie1945 12.22.09 at 10:49 am

Mornin’ PUMAs –

Hi Murphy – actually they are ALL jackasses – every single frickin’ one of them –

Did you catch Reid with his big plea by way of Rodney King – can’t we all just get along? – hell no – bunch of assholes in Washington are slippin’ it to us again – why do we continually bitch about the other guy/gal and say but our guy/gal is okay & then we just keep electing the same ratbastards over and over and over again – nobody in Washington gives a rat’s ass about US – the people who pay for those assholes who are supposed to representing us and looking out for OUR interest and not their own –

I’m with HP – vote all the bastards out – let’s adopt the song from the Spooky Men & make it ours

Also – poor bambi & family – isn’t going to Hawaii for Christmas just in case he’s needed for health care bill – fuck ‘em – fraud bastard just keeps spending money on his wants – those presidential perks are just so damm good aren’t they? Can we impeach all the assholes yet?

Bah humbug – no Christmas spirit here…………….

3

BigCatLover 12.22.09 at 10:59 am

Well Landrieu is not that woman to tell them to stop. I watched her on Washington Journal this morning and she’s smirking like a demented cat. It’s spooky, like they are all on some mind altering drug. She was called some not very nice names by the callers, but she just smiled and claimed she just fought for a provision that Bobby Jindal wanted in the healthcare bill. I will post a link when c-span puts it up this morning.

I have just the opposite reaction to southern accents – they give me the creeps. Too many years of watching first the southern racist dems, then the southern phony religious right republicans. It’s a shame but I think ‘liar’ when I hear that southern drawl.

4

Cape Hatteras 12.22.09 at 11:18 am

-21 % ? I figured -20% was the lowest physically possible Hooverbama could go .
He has hit rock bottom and started to dig …or drill. Drill baby drill! :)

5

scarlet 12.22.09 at 11:21 am

Economists see no need for more stimulus

Msnbc.com panel expects sluggish growth, high unemployment for 2010

No more stimulus, please, we’re capitalists.

That’s the view, at least, of the majority of economists surveyed in msnbc.com’s year-end roundtable. Though unemployment will remain stubbornly high, and the economic recovery sluggish in 2010, the government doesn’t need to provide another round of stimulus spending to keep the economy afloat, they say.
more here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34452363/ns/business-personal_finance/

Obama says he has unemployed relatives
December 22, 2009

WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama says he and the first lady have relatives who are unemployed and suffering because of the economic crisis, but he’s confident that 2010 will be a better year for the American people.

During an interview on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, Obama said being part of the African-American community means that no matter how well you do, there is likely someone in your family who is hurting.

Obama says his first priority this year was stabilizing the economy, which is slowly starting to grow again.

Still, the president says a full recovery is not coming as fast as he would like, particularly in the area of job growth. The country’s unemployment rate stands at 10. percenthttp://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/12/22/obama_says_he_has_unemployed_relatives/

6

Cape Hatteras 12.22.09 at 11:25 am

7

CJK 12.22.09 at 11:46 am

I’m really beginning to think BO and his sycophantic supporters (i.e. Reid, Pelosi, Dodd, Frank, Schumer, Ben Nelson, Landrieu, Lincoln, McCaskill, Boxer, et all.) have a huge learning disability. Rasmussen now has BO at -21 approval index rating. That’s six points, SIX POINTS, below the rating for Sunday, just two days ago. Have BO and his Congressional sycophants (psychopants is what I call them) not noticed that this severe, sharp, dramatic, drastic nosedive in BO’s rating has coincided with the most recent (most heinous) push to pass the piece of crap healthcare bill by Christmas??? Have they not noticed??? Do they not care??? Have they so firmly protected/funded ACORN that all these slimeballs are so sure they can fraudulently win re-election that they don’t need to care??? Or, are they all simply learning impaired, or simply delusional??? THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SAY ‘NO’ TO THIS BILL!!! What part of ‘no’ do BO and Congress not understand??? I think it’s time for every citizen who cares about saving this country to consider activist means to stop this bullshit. POTUS and Congress were elected to work for us, dammit! They all seem to have forgotten this! -21, -21, -21, -21 and falllllllliiiiiinnnnggg… Six points down from Sunday, SIX POINTS DOWN FROM SUNDAY…coincides with push to pass POS hc bill…

8

scarlet 12.22.09 at 11:53 am

Exclusive: Rep. Parker Griffith switches to GOP

POLITICO has learned that Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, will announce today that he’s switching parties to become a Republican.

According to two senior GOP aides familiar with the decision, the announcement will take place this afternoon in Griffith’s district in northern Alabama.

Griffith’s party switch comes on the eve of a pivotal congressional health care vote and will send a jolt through a Democratic House Caucus that has already been unnerved by the recent retirements of a handful of members who, like Griffith, hail from districts that offer prime pickup opportunities for the GOP in 2010.

The switch represents a coup for the House Republican leadership, which had been courting Griffith since he publicly criticized the Democratic leadership in the wake of raucous town halls during the summer.

Griffith, who captured the seat in a close 2008 open seat contest, will become the first Republican to hold the historically Democratic, Huntsville-based district. A radiation oncologist who founded a cancer treatment center, Griffith plans to blast the Democratic health care bill as a prime reason for his decision to switch parties—and is expected to cite his medical background as his authority on the subject.

more here:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30896.html

9

CJK 12.22.09 at 12:00 pm

I posted comment #7 before reading hillbuzz today. They agree it’s time for activism and further explain why/how.

http://hillbuzz.org/2009/12/22/question-of-the-day-what-can-you-do-to-drive-the-liberals-from-congress-like-snakes-from-ireland/

I agree: Time to drive the serpents out of U.S. government!

10

CJK 12.22.09 at 12:02 pm

scarlet 12.22.09 at 11:53 am

Thanks for that encouraging news, Scarlet! Now, if we could just get a few D SENATORS to switch to GOP or independent, we could stop this POS healthcare bill before Friday!!!

11

scarlet 12.22.09 at 12:03 pm

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, responded Tuesday to widespread criticism that Democrats only garnered the 60 votes needed to defeat Republican stalling tactics on the health reform bill by catering to self-interest, saying Democrats are focusing on the big picture; “trying to cross a demarcation line.”

Harkin dismissed deals dubbed vote-buying by GOP senators as “small stuff” that distracted Americans from the primary focus of the overhaul bill.

“We have to keep our eyes on what we’re trying to do here. We’re trying to cross a demarcation line,” Harkin told “Early Show” co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez. “On one side is health care as a privilege, on the other side is health care as a right. With these votes, with the vote that we’ll take before Christmas, we will cross that line finally and say that health care is a right of all Americans.”

Asked by Rodriguez whether that meant he would still support the bill if all the bonuses for Iowa were stripped out of it, Harkin responded without hesitation: “Absolutely. Without a doubt.”

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/12/22/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry6009356.shtml

12

CJK 12.22.09 at 12:10 pm

scarlet 12.22.09 at 12:03 pm

Just curious. Did Rodriguez happen to ask Harkin — who so pompously claims that the Ds are saying ‘health care is a right of all Americans’ — why then the Ds are so intent on depriving women and senior citizens of that right in the bill they’re pushing to pass in the Senate by Christmas? Do Ds not believe women and senior citizens have the same right to health care as all other American citizens? Are the lives of women and senior citizens worth less to the Ds? The Ds bill clearly says so by depriving women and senior citizens of their rights to privacy in healthcare decisions that should take place solely between them and their doctors. What kind of D Christmas present is that for women and senior citizens?!

13

Shadowfax 12.22.09 at 12:20 pm

…….*……..
….-21 -21….
..-21 -21 -21..
-21 -21 -21 -21
-21-21-21-21-21
…..#####…..
……###……

-21 -21 -21 -21 -21 -21 -21 -21
Take that you FRAUD!!!!!!!

14

CJK 12.22.09 at 12:29 pm

http://legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2009/12/representative-democracy-thrown-away-in.html

LegalInsurrection discusses the provision in the Senate POS hc bill that would prevent Congress from changing it. This flies in the face of the U.S. Constitution! Congress cannot make a law that prevents itself from making future law! Good freakin’ grief! Are all these psychopants Ds smoking the same shit that BO smokes???!!Q!

15

Puma-SF 12.22.09 at 12:30 pm

Oh crap, Grassley grosses me out. We should go after every single woman who voted for this bill and we should send out a press release saying so.

Here’s some news from HillaryIs44:

Audacity Dooms Dims
It is amazing how much of our Obama analysis (since April 19, 2007) now is no longer considered outré but rather conventional wisdom.

The past is prologue. From our first month of publication we noted that Obama cared more for the Rezkos of his world than for his own middle class and poor constituents. The Obama health care scam is Rezko healthcare.
“But fear not” say Obama and his Obama Dimocrats, “the stupid voters will never catch on.”

We are not being harsh. That indeed is the Obama Dimocrat strategy – that voters will forget and be bamboozled in the coming year. The Wall Street Journal details how “Democrats Pin 2010 Hopes on Bill”:

http://www.hillaryis44.org/2009/12/22/obamas-rezko-healthcare-arrogant-audacity-dooms-dims/

16

CJK 12.22.09 at 12:36 pm

http://edgeoforever.wordpress.com/2009/12/22/captioning-contest-take-a-shot-please/

Notyoursweetie has a great photo caption contest. The photo (an actual WH PR photo) is rather priceless in and of itself.


PUMA-SF — I agree about going against every woman member of Congress who voted for this POS hc bill and sending out a release saying so. How can any woman claim to support the rights of women and vote for a bill so diametrically opposed to those rights? IMO, we should go against every member of Congress who voted for the bill, not just the women. IMO, a vote for this bill is a vote against democracy and the Constitution. The majority of Americans in every major poll say ‘no’ to this bill, in fact say ‘no’ to taking any action re health care right now in the worst economy since the Great Depression. What part of ‘no’ do BO and Congress not understand?!

17

Rancho 12.22.09 at 12:39 pm

Re. Rasmussen poll, thought the following very interesting . . .
(in particular, percentage of men disapproving vs. WOMEN) I don’t get it!
and
the jump in numbers, they conclude, directly correlates with the 60th vote for H.C. bill
—————————————-
Fifty-three percent (53%) of men Strongly Disapprove along with 39% of women. Most African-American voters (58%) Strongly Approve while most white voters (53%) Strongly Disapprove.
Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans Strongly Disapprove as do 52% of unaffiliated voters. Forty-seven percent (47%) of Democrats Strongly Approve.
For the second straight day, the update shows the highest level of Strong Disapproval yet recorded for this President. That negative rating had never topped 42% before yesterday. However, it has risen dramatically since the Senate found 60 votes to move forward with the proposed health care reform legislation. Most voters (55%) oppose the health care legislation and senior citizens are even more likely than younger voters to dislike the plan.

————–
(((Pumas))), I wish you all a terrific holiday season/Merry Christmas! (Haven’t had any time to visit with you all or even lurk. Many personal needs to attend to . . .I finally have time to start Christmas shopping and errands today. Hope to BBL

18

CJK 12.22.09 at 12:41 pm

P.S. Put Tom Harkin toward the top of the list of psychopantic Ds we must oppose for his pompous remark that the POS hc bill says the Ds are saying ‘health care is a right of all Americans.’ What about women and senior citizens you jerk? Harkin’s a self-aggrandizing hypocrite, just like BO and all his zombied-out, delusional followers.

19

Rancho 12.22.09 at 12:41 pm

20

CJK 12.22.09 at 12:45 pm

Rancho 12.22.09 at 12:39 pm

Thanks for the additional info Rancho! Great to see you! Good luck with the shopping, etc. Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to you and your family/friends!

Gotta go. BBL…

21

HP Boston 12.22.09 at 12:48 pm

Most voters (55%) oppose the health care legislation and senior citizens are even more likely than younger voters to dislike the plan.
—————
Most to all senior citizens VOTE!! Younger voters not so much.

VOTE THE FUCKTARDS OUT!

22

simofish 12.22.09 at 12:48 pm

I am FUCKING PISSED (and I told the Mrs. I wouldn’t be swearing on the blogs anymore – I will confess later) !!!!!!!

scarlet writes — During an interview on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, Obama said being part of the African-American community means that no matter how well you do, there is likely someone in your family who is hurting.
__________
WHAT THE FUCK ?? THERE GOES THE G-D DAMN RACE CARD AGAIN. OH, ONLY AA’s hurt ……….BECAUSE THEY ARE BLACK.

THAT IS FUCKING BULLSHIT !!!!!! ALL PEOPLE ARE HURTING – NOTHING TO DO WITH COLOR — YOU RATBASTARD
_________________
Switching topics. Now that the “Dems” are passing the health care bill — there won’t be another chance. This is it. They keep saying we have to pass this — it’s been 30 / 40 years in the making. Really? THIS IS THE CRAP YOU WANT TO GIVE US? JUST SO YOU CAN SAY YOU WON??

Morning Puma’s

23

HP Boston 12.22.09 at 1:10 pm

simofish 12.22.09 at 12:48 pm

Please explain to the MRS. that to vent with profanities is to keep you and I from murder….it is necessary!
Hey and I used to like Tiger Woody but now with my disappointment in him and my intense hate for Obie I am in the ranks of racist. But that’s okay.

24

Puma-SF 12.22.09 at 1:39 pm

25

sistermoon3 12.22.09 at 1:42 pm

26

Shadowfax 12.22.09 at 1:47 pm

I used to think that no president could be worse than George W Pet Goat Bush, I was wrong.

27

DancesWithPumas 12.22.09 at 1:47 pm

If you find yourself feeling too happy today, watch this video presentation.
I watched it with the sound off and it still made me feel ill with anger.
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/politics/2008-election-overview/?ref=politics

28

Shadowfax 12.22.09 at 1:50 pm

If you find yourself feeling too happy today…
———
Not a chance, I feel like crap with a cold and I sure as heck am not happy with the scamming and required bending over, going on in DC. I can’t handle anything more depressing, thanks anyway.

I fell like Simofish, but not happy enough to cuss.

29

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 1:58 pm

((((PUMA’s))))

Happy -21 Day!

Thanks for the cupcakes. :grin:

30

theamericanway 12.22.09 at 1:58 pm

Now Arianna is decrying the lobbyists in an email of solicitation. The core of her message is:
After an inspiring presidential campaign that promised to take on the special interests,the lobbyists flexed their muscles (and their wallets) and showed who really runs the show in Washington, D.C. — making it clear that big money campaign contributions play a definitive role in stalling or killing long overdue reforms.

Exerting their pull over politicians who respond to the highest bidder, corporate special interests carried the day on health insurance reform, financial reform, “cramdown” foreclosure laws, and credit card interest rates. And every time they won, the American people lost.

This is why it is absolutely critical that we seize this moment to reform our political system before it is too late.

Please consider making a secure, tax-deductible contribution to Public Campaign so we can help Congress focus on the issues at hand. Do it before December 31st and your gift will be DOUBLED!
—————-
Wow.

31

HP Boston 12.22.09 at 1:59 pm

Shadowfax 12.22.09 at 1:47 pm

I used to think that no president could be worse than George W Pet Goat Bush, I was wrong.

————————
Yup jokes on us huh…looks like it is happening again. We will be so angry at obieNOknobie we will vote for the next assholepuppet they design and buy next!

32

Shadowfax 12.22.09 at 2:05 pm

We will be so angry at obieNOknobie we will vote for the next assholepuppet they design and buy next!
——–
Hopefully the stupid obots have learned a lesson about voting for someone that has no experience and no record to check up on.

Working as a community organizer and voting present, is just what we got…a male that thinks he is king and is a toad, mole and all.

33

Puma-SF 12.22.09 at 2:05 pm

HP: Exactly, that is the rub. Now, because of this moron we’ll be stuck with Republican leadership for a long time to come. We could have had 16 years of Democrats in the White House but no. They had to shove this idiot down our throats.

34

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 2:07 pm

Republicans are wimping out!!

Looks like the Reps are going to cave and let the final Senate vote on HC occur earlier in the day on Christmas Eve.

I’ve read that in a number of articles this morning. Here’s just one.
_____________________________________________

Storms in Midwest could move chamber to earlier vote on healthcare

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is urging Republicans to allow the chamber to pass healthcare reform on Wednesday, citing approaching ice storms in the Midwest as the latest reason.

“We hope to be able to complete it tomorrow, certainly with ice storms coming to the Midwest we hope that we can finish tomorrow and not have to be here Christmas Eve,” Reid said at a news conference.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) indicated his side may be open to a time agreement that allows the Senate vote earlier on Christmas Eve, but he needs every GOP senator to agree.
—————snip

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/73343-storms-in-midwest-could-move-republicans-to-allow-earlier-vote-on-healthcare
_______________________________

VOTE ALL THE BUMS OUT!!!

35

HP Boston 12.22.09 at 2:29 pm

Puma-SF 12.22.09 at 2:05 pm
It matters not who we vote for the money talks….
Corporates and Pharma…The Military Industrial Complexs all rule…the Dems get billions to do the dirty work…The Repubs get billions to shutthefuckup. The switcherroo comes in 2012. The Dems turn again they did so well last time!

36

HP Boston 12.22.09 at 2:31 pm

Republicans are wimping out!!

Merry fucking Xmas to the creeps in government, hope the ice slips them up and broken hips all around!

37

sistermoon3 12.22.09 at 2:40 pm

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/12/22/pakistan.harsh.justice/index.html

once again, while many say oh no we shouldnt waterboard anyone that killed 3000 in the usa, look what they do in other countries, and we aint talking terrorist, good lord, who thinks this shit up

38

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 2:42 pm

A little glimmer of chance… (I am not going to use the “H” word)
——————–
Health Care Bill Could Face String of Legal Challenges

Organizations and lawmakers opposed to the health care reform package are getting their legal briefs in a bunch, threatening to challenge the constitutionality of the sweeping overhaul should it make its way to President Obama’s desk.

Two key issues seem to be attracting the bulk of the legal threats: a mandate for individuals to purchase health insurance and the special treatment that states like Nebraska are getting in the bill.
—————-snip

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/22/health-care-face-string-legal-challenges/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%253A+foxnews%252Fpolitics+%2528FOXNews.com+-+Politics%2529
_________________________________

Article was long so didn’t post all of it…

39

HP Boston 12.22.09 at 2:49 pm

The Repubs get billions to shutthefuckup.

Goofs just a lot of rocking the boat…they are all lined up..all bought and paid for…no 30 day return policy….no
exchanges no returns.
Vote the fuckers out we need a new store!

40

sistermoon3 12.22.09 at 2:53 pm

#goofsman, this is not constitutionally right, they are forcing people to buy a product in private sector, now what a damned deal

41

sistermoon3 12.22.09 at 2:53 pm

#goofsman, this is not constitutionally right, they are forcing people to buy a product in private sector, now what a damned deal

42

sistermoon3 12.22.09 at 2:54 pm

congress, you services are no longer needed this year, go home
drink some eggnog and shut the hell up, that’s the best christmas gift you can give anyone

43

sistermoon3 12.22.09 at 2:54 pm

congress, you services are no longer needed this year, go home
drink some eggnog and shut the hell up, that’s the best christmas gift you can give anyone

44

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 2:56 pm

HP Boston,

#39 – Yup, we have to get rid of them all and start over!!

45

Puma-SF 12.22.09 at 3:01 pm

46

CJK 12.22.09 at 3:06 pm

http://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=b79b1356-9b27-749f-d210-39abc312e868

I agree, sistermoon #25. A vote for the trainwreck Obamacare bill is a vote against the U.S. Constitution and democracy. Unconstitutional at its very core, it’s aimed precisely at depriving every American citizen (particularly women and seniors) of their so-far Constitutionally guaranteed right to privacy by placing a monstrous, mindless, number-crunching government bureaucracy between Americans and their doctors in healthcare matters, perhaps the most personal and delicate decisions any human being must make.

Also, I think other D Senators should consider doing what formerly D House member Griffith did, and switch parties (to R or Ind) BEFORE the planned vote on Christmas Eve on this trainwreck Obamacare bill.

The majority of Americans have said ‘no’ to this bill in every major poll. The majority of Americans have said ‘no’ to taking any action on healthcare at all during this worst economy since the Great Depression. That’s why BO’s approval index is at -21 — a six point drop since Sunday, just two days ago, a huge drop coinciding with the Senate push to pass this trainwreck Obamacare bill. What part of ‘no’ do BO and his Congressional sycophants not understand? IMO, all Senators (or House members ultimately) voting for this trainwreck Obamacare bill are like lemmings blindly following one another right off a cliff to certain political death.

47

CJK 12.22.09 at 3:10 pm

P.S. IMO, if the Senate Rs push for an earlier vote just to get it over with (not for substantive reasons such as declaring the bill unconstitutional, etc.) then they as well as the Ds should be sent a flood of mail, email, faxes, phone calls telling them they’re all fired and do not need to bother returning to Capitol Hill after the holiday break!

48

Puma-SF 12.22.09 at 3:27 pm

49

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 3:29 pm

I’m giving up being pissed off and aggravated about the HC bill or any other legislation. It’s counter productive and not healthy. The fix is in and paid for. The fix wasn’t only pork and special favors in the HC bill it was also this…
——————————–
Health Interests Spend $600 Million to Sway Congress
Dec. 22 (Bloomberg) — More than $600 million has been spent so far this year trying to influence U.S. lawmakers working to overhaul the health-care system, reports show.

The health industry spent $396 million through Sept. 30, more than anyone else and up 9 percent over the same period a year ago, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington-based research group.

Those numbers don’t include spending on lobbying by insurers such as the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and its member companies, which spent $16.7 million in the first nine months of 2009, compared with $16.2 million in all of 2008.

“The health care industry has a full-court press on members of Congress,” said Representative Dennis Kucinich, an Ohio Democrat.
———–snip
Full article link
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aFLbcmeDoBbk
________________________

I’m just going to do my little part on working to get the incumbents voted out, women voted in and ERA passed.

50

Puma-SF 12.22.09 at 3:29 pm

Feinstein replied to my email:

Thank you for writing to me to express your concerns about healthcare reform. I appreciate the time you took to write to me, and I welcome this opportunity to convey my opinions on how we should reform our health care system.

I support reforming our healthcare system. The key is to find a healthcare plan that will provide coverage to the millions of uninsured Americans and keep premium costs affordable, while not adding to our nation’s ever-growing federal deficit problem. My colleagues in the Senate and I have been working to balance these competing needs as we debate the bill currently on the Senate floor — the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” — but there is no question that it is a difficult challenge.
There are several key provisions that I believe should be part of any healthcare reform legislation. First, it should prohibit coverage denial based on preexisting conditions. The bill pending before the Senate accomplishes this central goal. Second, it is absolutely essential that the bill reduce healthcare premium costs. Between 2000 and 2007, combined profits for 10 of the country’s largest publically traded insurance companies rose 428 percent. The bill includes several provisions to keep costs lower, including the establishment of competitive insurance exchanges and providing subsidies for Americans that can’t afford coverage on their own, Third, the bill must address the growth of entitlement spending, which makes up 56 percent of all federal dollars spent in 2009. President Obama has stated that any health reform approved by Congress must slow the growth of entitlements in order to reduce our nation’s debt and budget deficit — and I strongly agree.

This legislation is not radical, it is incremental. Some important changes that will occur immediately and others will be phased in. Once the bill is approved, uninsured individuals with a pre-existing condition will have immediate access to insurance. All group health plans and individual plans would be required to immediately provide coverage for preventative services. And the legislation would shrink the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap by $500, and begin a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs and biologics for Medicare beneficiaries.

Among the incremental changes, beginning in 2011, primary care physicians and general surgeons would receive a 10 percent bonus in Medicare payments. Beginning in 2013, the public option would be a choice available for purchase by individuals without employer provided coverage and to small businesses. The public option will provide choice, competition, and stability of affordable, high quality coverage throughout the United States. States would have the ability to opt out of offering the public option in the small market exchange that is being created. As these health reforms take place, Congress will be able to assess and adjust the programs to improve healthcare for all Americans.

Any Senate health reform bill must improve California’s complex health care system, and please know that I am working hard with my colleagues to make health care affordable for all Americans, without adding to the federal deficit.

Again, thank you for contacting me. If you should have any further comments or questions, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841. Best regards.

51

DancesWithPumas 12.22.09 at 3:33 pm

Did someone say MINUS TWENTY ONE?

Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahaahaha!
One term loser.

By the way, what’s happening with the group that was organizing a march on Washington?
Which reminds me, whatever happened to the project to get Murphy on Greta?
Which reminds me, has anyone looked into working the polls in 2010?
Which reminds me…

52

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 3:33 pm

Breaking news from Reuters…

No freakin’ surprise…

U.S. Senate sets health vote for Christmas Eve

WASHINGTON, Dec 22 (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate will vote on passage of its version of a sweeping healthcare overhaul at 8 a.m. EST (1300 GMT) on Christmas Eve on Thursday, Senate leaders said on Tuesday.

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid and Republican leader Mitch McConnell worked out an agreement to move the vote, which had been tentatively scheduled for the night of Christmas Eve, to allow senators and staff to head home for the holiday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSWBT01344020091222

53

DancesWithPumas 12.22.09 at 3:44 pm

once again, while many say oh no we shouldnt waterboard anyone that killed 3000 in the usa, look what they do in other countries, and we aint talking terrorist, good lord, who thinks this shit up
——————
That’s JUSTICE! The woman who was left for dead who refused to marry the mutant was strangled and her ears and nose were cut off. She survived. I think it’s righteous that the same sentence was handed to the barbarian and his cohort and I wouldn’t mind at all seeing the same eye for an eye form of justice applied int the US, especially for repeat offenders. Rape a child or woman, have your weinie sliced off one sliver at a time. Kill someone, you die, shot someone, you get shot, steal… have your non-daominant hand cut off, steal again, have your dominant hand cut off. Shotgun your wife’s sister’s head off… your head gets blown off. Simple. Equal. Just.

54

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 3:48 pm

Dances,

I’ve looked into working the polls. Will start the process in Jan.

Also, Women of 2010. We will hit the ground running in Jan. Which by the way we still need a few more volunteers. We have a couple of states left that need to be covered, these are states that have yet to back the ERA. Let’s work on getting this passed.

http://pumapac.org/forums/women-2010-project/

This is the open blog forum. Any Puma can post here with info relating to state elections.

Please send email to the action center with your blog name. Put Women of 2010 in the subject line and well get you set up.

55

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 3:50 pm

:oops: well = we’ll

56

CJK 12.22.09 at 3:51 pm

http://gretawire.blogs.foxnews.com/give-us-our-money-back/?action=late-new

The DCCC wants Griffith to give their money back because he switched from D to R! Could BO and his Obamacrats be afraid of some sort of mass defection at such a crucial time? LOL! :twisted: :twisted:

Perhaps Griffith should tell the DCCC he’ll be using any leftover funds he may have from the Dem coffers to help out the many middle class American citizens who can’t afford but will be required to buy (or face huge fines and/or prison)specific types of private insurance under the Obamacare bill.

BTW, I think everyone, especially women and seniors, who may have contributed to any D in the recent past should demand their money back ASAP!

57

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 3:58 pm

Slipping in another vote not related to HC, while everyone is focused on HC Bill, the Senate will also vote to increase federal debt limit.
———————

Senate Sets Christmas Eve Vote on Debt Limit

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate on Tuesday scheduled a Christmas Eve vote on final congressional approval to a two-month increase in the federal debt limit.

The measure, earlier approved by the House of Representatives, would provide a $290 billion hike in the debt limit, which is now at $12.1 trillion.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/12/22/us/politics/politics-us-usa-debtlimit.html

58

CJK 12.22.09 at 3:58 pm

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 3:48 pm

Goofs, you’re wonderful. Thanks for all you do. Whatever you need done re helping get ERA passed, I will do. Just let me know via email. Problems with all those ‘whatever happened to’ great activist ideas is 1) they depend too much on the involvement/influence/skills of specific others who can only decide for themselves whether they will or will not/can or cannot participate, and 2) too many nay sayers and obstacle makers.

59

michelina 12.22.09 at 4:08 pm

Hi (((Goofmom)))—no I haven’t forgotten,

sorry I haven’t been talking, been home
real sick with the SWINE FLU—yes it’s REAL
and I got vaccinated. On my second anti-biotics–

It sucked !!

Will be available when time comes for 2010—–

60

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 4:10 pm

CJK,

Nope, I’m not wonderful, I’m just one of many, many people that are pissed off and tired of women being sold out at every turn. The only way it’s going to get fixed is to actively do something.

So, I’m stating loud and clear, I’m not going to sit on the side lines and complain about what the As*holes in DC are doing anymore. I’m willing to invest my time and energies to doing something positive to fix it.

61

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 4:13 pm

michelina,

I know you haven’t forgotten. I know nobody on the team has forgotten.

Holiday’s and colds and flu go together. You just focus on getting better, so we can ROOOOOOOOOAR.

:)

62

CJK 12.22.09 at 4:19 pm

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 4:10 pm

I’ll help in whatever way I can re ERA and electing pro-women women candidates, goofs. (Actually, I believe posting comments on this blog is an additional way to help, and do not consider it merely ‘sitting on the sidelines and complaining.’ I believe there are many in the public spotlight who pay very close attention to the info and opinions being shared here.)

63

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 4:25 pm

CJK,

I wasn’t directing my comments to anyone other than myself. Just saying what I’m going to do. So hope no one took it the wrong way.

64

CJK 12.22.09 at 4:32 pm

Goofs, I don’t think anyone took your comment the wrong way. I was just stating my two-bit perspective.

——–

Here’s an interesting exchange that took place on the Senate floor today, from gretawire. As more and more ‘sweetheart’ deals are cut for various D Senators (and ultimately House members too), it’s pretty clear that Obamacare would be a legal boondoggle for decades. (Note: McCain apparently is referring to Bill Nelson of Florida, not Ben Nelson of Nebraska, though Nebraska Ben and his Cornhusker Compromise is just as culpable, IMO):

“Notes from FNC colleague…about an exchange between Senators McCain and Baucus:

From: Majchrowitz, Mike

Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2009 4:14 PM

Subject: McCain to Baucus, ‘Me Too’

Interesting exchange on the Senate floor as Senator McCain (R-AZ) made some sport of Senator Baucus (D-MT) by asking him for the same side deals that were cut for other members. Here is a part of it.

3:46:35 McCain (R-AZ):my question to the Senator from Montana is this: would the Senator from Montana be willing to have the same provision that Senator Nelson, according to these reports, inserted a grandfather clause that would allow Floridians to reserve their price in the Medicare Advantage program. would he accept a statement right now that that same provision apply to every state in America? i ask unanimous consent that the same provision that was put in for the state of Florida by senator nelson that would apply to every state in America.

Baucus, M. (D-MT):mr. president, reserving the right to object, i think it would be highly imprudent for me to not object, so i will object to that. but i want to also point out that on average uncle sam pays 90%. 90% of the Medicaid payments for this expansion population after the year 2016.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER:objection is heard.

McCain (R-AZ):i think the fact that the objection is heard resolves the case. those are comforting words on the part of the senator from Montana. the fact is there are special deals for special people.

Mike Majchrowitz

Fox News Radio”

65

snowtigerredux 12.22.09 at 4:32 pm

Minus 21 hehe. :)
If you think obots are whacked here you should try debating a euro-trash one. Omg. They make obots look well not..I was going to first say rational then not as screwy. Then I remembered who I was talking about.
Anyway the euro trash are crazier than shithouse rat.
Smile PUMAs. ;) It aint over till Pelosi’s face cracks.
I think the dropping poll numbers will have an effect.

66

BigCatLover 12.22.09 at 4:54 pm

Puma-SF 12.22.09 at 3:29 pm

Feinstein replied to my email:

That’s the most detail I’ve heard about the hc bill in the Senate since debate started. Sounds really good doesn’t it, but they’ve already dropped the public option so why is Feinstein touting it as an option for the currently uncovered?

67

DancesWithPumas 12.22.09 at 4:59 pm

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 3:48 pm
Dances,
I’ve looked into working the polls. Will start the process in Jan.
————–
Will be looking into working the polls too.
Let me know if there’s anything I can do to assist with the next step of your team… in terms of formatting and sharing organized info on the blog.

68

DancesWithPumas 12.22.09 at 5:03 pm

Goofsmom #60
Agreed. This is a great, and necessary, place to vent, but voting people out is only one piece of the potential solution (if they count our votes, that is), but I believe there is lots more of ground to be covered before election day than just waiting to vote out the creeps.

69

DancesWithPumas 12.22.09 at 5:13 pm

“Problems with all those ‘whatever happened to’ great activist ideas is 1) they depend too much on the involvement/influence/skills of specific others who can only decide for themselves whether they will or will not/can or cannot participate, and 2) too many nay sayers and obstacle makers.”
——
It only take One.
One to share her/his idea and gather and organize the people who gravitate to and support the idea. I know you were interested in forming a women’s poltical party but mentioned that you had pitched the idea but “were shot down”. Seems to me, if you believe in your idea, you wouldn’t stop solely because ten or so Pumas didn’t respond to it. Note: I think the reason you didnt get much of a positive response is because the idea had been tossed around and for a variety of reasons, most concluded that a different approach would be more effective at this time. But, I don’t understand why, since you had energy for the concept, you didnt visit other blogs, or create your own, with that purpose in mind.

Critical feedback, devil’s advocates are valuable when tossing ideas around. That’s just another perspective on “naysayers” and “obstacle makers”.

I think it’s helpful when one picks up the ball and begins to run with it rather than expect others to do it for them. This is not necessarily a criticism of you personally.

70

CJK 12.22.09 at 5:21 pm

http://hillbuzz.org/2009/12/22/ray-stevens-comes-back-from-the-dead-to-fight-healthcare-rationing/

“Fascists’ greatest natural enemy is ridicule.”

I love those hillbuzz guys. Always the right touch at the right time.

71

CJK 12.22.09 at 5:26 pm

Here’s a link to a good recent summary re the Walpin firing for anyone interested. Thanks.
http://maggiesnotebook.blogspot.com/2009/11/gerald-walpin-documents-white-house.html

72

CJK 12.22.09 at 5:28 pm

P.S. As I mentioned, goofs, anything you want done re helping get ERA ratified, helping pro-women women get elected, just let me know via email. I’m more than happy to help you. Thanks.

73

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 5:30 pm

Dances,

#67 – Thank you for the offer of help. :grin: You may regret it at some point. ;)

#68 – Agreed. Especially if we want to have women candidates survive the primary elections so we can vote for them in the general elections.

Getting any women candidates on the final ballot is going to take work all year. First is identifying them. Not all of them are going to be big names, like in CA, not all of them will have their parties support. Not an easy job, but it’s not impossible either. :grin:

74

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 5:31 pm

Thank you CJK… :)

75

BigCatLover 12.22.09 at 5:33 pm

I promised earlier to post a link to Mary Landrieu’s interview on Washington Journal this morning. She begins at about 1 hour and 34 minutes into the program. She gets some pretty strong criticism from the show’s callers.
http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2009/12/22/WJE/R/27614/Tuesday+December+22.aspx

76

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 5:35 pm

#73 – Continued…

Forgot this part.

Also if we want ERA to get ratified while we are at it, we also have to look at the candidates running for the individual State offices. These are the people that will work on getting ERA ratified for that state. Not the Federal congressional seats.

The Federal Congressional seats we will be working on to get more women in office, period.

77

BigCatLover 12.22.09 at 5:39 pm

By the way, Landrieu says mandated hc bill is not unconstitutional under the commerce clause. See Washington Journal video.

78

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 6:11 pm

BBL… Gotta take a break… (((Pumas)))

79

BigCatLover 12.22.09 at 7:07 pm

Dems working on ‘improving’ the candidate nominating process led by ‘yikes’, James Clyburn.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/12/05/democrats-consider-new-presidential-nominating-process/

One comment following the article:

Gabe Polson December 5th, 2009 9:06 pm ET

I’m a Democrat and I am ashamed of how my party nominates it’s candidate. It’s stupid and backwards. Explain to me why Texas has a caucus and a primary on the same day. How is that fair. A caucus is chaotic and unfair. The average democrat can’t attend a meeting from 6pm to 8pm on a work and school night. Only the few get to be heard. It does not reflect the will of the people at all. How can we claim to be the party of “Count all the Votes” and then tell the candidate with the most votes that SHE is not the nominee. The people vote. Delegates have outlived their purpose. We did a huge disservice to this country in 2008. I voted for Obama in the end but I believe Hillary was the actual nominee. We told the rest of the world to live to one standard but we will live to our own. Time will tell.

80

CJK 12.22.09 at 9:27 pm

81

FLBarbara 12.22.09 at 9:31 pm

MSNBC host Ed Schultz relayed to listeners how he observed ‘Morning Joe’ Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski take feedback directly from the White House during their program last week.

http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/2009/12/msnbc-libtalker-morning-joe-team-takes.html

82

CJK 12.22.09 at 9:52 pm

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/12/kristol_it_could_still_go_down.asp

I think Bill Kristol might be onto something here, but I wonder whether the POS hc bill could actually go down sooner rather than later.

83

RememberNovember 12.22.09 at 10:20 pm

Ha CJK – you following me? :lol: Took me half an hour to type this!

I don’t usually look at this site:

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/

But a couple of items caught my attention. Sorry if you have discussed above.

!.

[POLITICO has learned that Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, will announce today that he’s switching parties to become a Republican.]

2.

[Monday, December 21, 2009
Reid Bill Says Future Congresses Cannot Repeal Parts of Reid Bill

Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) pointed out some rather astounding language in the Senate health care bill during floor remarks tonight. First, he noted that there are a number of changes to Senate rules in the bill--and it's supposed to take a 2/3 vote to change the rules. And then he pointed out that the Reid bill declares on page 1020 that the Independent Medicare Advisory Board cannot be repealed by future Congresses:]

—————————————————————————————————-

This is outrageous. If you remember the Independent Medicare Advisory Board (IMAB) is the so-called ‘death panel’ that some have called it. It’s something that a lot of seniors (in particular) are really concerned about. And now Reid has sneaked in language that says it can never be repealed?? I have heard the same has been done for Nelson’s Nebraska deal. What a slimy bunch of crooks! That’s why they don’t want us to read the ******* Bill. What else is in there for perpetuity?

I’m with you Goofs. I will be there for Women 2010 and the ERA BUT I am also going to work against those that need to be VOTED OUT of the House and Senate. That is as long as I have the energy.

And while I am angry, what is Senator Feinstein doing sending emails (to Puma-SF) containing out of date information, as pointed out by BigCat Lover. The public option is OUT – hmmmm – or is it?

CA Pumas _ you are going to have to convince me that Pelosi, Boxer and Feinstein deserve to stay in their positions – even if they are women – OMG what a painful year this has been.

84

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 10:28 pm

(((RemNov)))

Yep, yep, and yep. Pelosi, Boxer and Feinstein fall into the Incumbent catagory so out they go…. :twisted:

85

RememberNovember 12.22.09 at 10:32 pm

Hmmm – they are pushing this HC stuff right now before Christmas because they hope we would all be too busy to notice this crap – but guess what – minus twenty one? WE are watching – the people are angry – they are tired of following the money trail to figure out what is going on in this administration – they are sick and tired at the lack of integrity in Washington – they are tired of hearing the talking points being spouted by Dem pundits who do not understand what he or she is asserting – they are not all “right wing fringe, tea ba****s, members of the Aryan…” – they are Democrats, Independents, Republicans – they are the American people and if the Dems don’t get their ostrich heads out of the sand they will be toast. Now I have to go and lower my blood pressure, :lol:

86

RememberNovember 12.22.09 at 10:35 pm

Nice to see you (((Goofs))) – just seeing your name helps the BP to go down, May be back later :lol:

87

Casper Cat 12.22.09 at 10:45 pm

RememberNovember…. Great to see you! :wink: Oh, Ya…. Not voting for those Demoshits…. Never… already working on Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina… :smile: take a look… this should help your blood pressure go down…. I am sooooooo happy for her….. :wink: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP5K1y3CTj4&feature=related Did I mention she is #1 in UK and in America….. :wink:

88

RememberNovember 12.22.09 at 10:53 pm

Casper Cat – great to see you too! :lol: Was on my way out when I realized that I should have pointed out that it was Senator Whitehouse (Dem – RI) who said “foes of health care bill are birthers, right wing militias, aryan groups”. He and the party line are so out to lunch!

http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/watercooler/2009/dec/20/sen-whitehouse-foes-health-care-bill-are-birthers-/

LOVE Susan Boyle – thanks for the link – that was one good thing that happened for a woman this year, eh?

89

CJK 12.22.09 at 10:54 pm

RememberNovember 12.22.09 at 10:20 pm

Hiya RemVem! Always great to see you here! Yup, the ‘sweetheart deals’ being handed out only to certain states to buy the hc votes of those states’ D Senators, and the weird ‘perpetuity’ sneakaround by Reid are absolutely reprehensible, and probably unconstitutional. How can it not be unconstitutional for the federal government to exempt select states forever from a law that applies to all other states? Or, how can it not be unconstitutional for Congress to pass a law that forbids any future Congress from changing that law? Thank goodness they didn’t try to pull that crap with Prohibition, which was ultimately repealed! Some Senators are calling for an investigation into the constitutionality of the bill. Senators need to hear from us on that. Also, I agree with you re Boxer, Feinstein and Pelosi. How can any woman claiming to support women’s rights vote for this hc bill, which deprives women of their so-far Constitutionally guaranteed right to privacy? I’m with goofs: Vote out all incumbents, especially those who’ve ignored and sold out the American people in voting for this POS hc bill!

90

CJK 12.22.09 at 11:22 pm

Sarah Palin’s Facebook notes:

“Midnight Votes, Backroom Deals, and a Death Panel
Today at 7:52pm
Last weekend while you were preparing for the holidays with your family, Harry Reid’s Senate was making shady backroom deals to ram through the Democrat health care take-over. The Senate ended debate on this bill without even reading it. That and midnight weekend votes seem to be standard operating procedures in D.C. No one is certain of what’s in the bill, but Senator Jim DeMint spotted one shocking revelation regarding the section in the bill describing the Independent Medicare Advisory Board (now called the Independent Payment Advisory Board), which is a panel of bureaucrats charged with cutting health care costs on the backs of patients – also known as rationing. Apparently Reid and friends have changed the rules of the Senate so that the section of the bill dealing with this board can’t be repealed or amended without a 2/3 supermajority vote. Senator DeMint said:

“This is a rule change. It’s a pretty big deal. We will be passing a new law and at the same time creating a senate rule that makes it out of order to amend or even repeal the law. I’m not even sure that it’s constitutional, but if it is, it most certainly is a senate rule. I don’t see why the majority party wouldn’t put this in every bill. If you like your law, you most certainly would want it to have force for future senates. I mean, we want to bind future congresses. This goes to the fundamental purpose of senate rules: to prevent a tyrannical majority from trampling the rights of the minority or of future congresses.”

In other words, Democrats are protecting this rationing “death panel” from future change with a procedural hurdle. You have to ask why they’re so concerned about protecting this particular provision. Could it be because bureaucratic rationing is one important way Democrats want to “bend the cost curve” and keep health care spending down?

The Congressional Budget Office seems to think that such rationing has something to do with cost. In a letter to Harry Reid last week, CBO Director Douglas Elmendorf noted (with a number of caveats) that the bill’s calculations call for a reduction in Medicare’s spending rate by about 2 percent in the next two decades, but then he writes the kicker:

“It is unclear whether such a reduction in the growth rate could be achieved, and if so, whether it would be accomplished through greater efficiencies in the delivery of health care or would reduce access to care or diminish the quality of care.”

Though Nancy Pelosi and friends have tried to call “death panels” the “lie of the year,” this type of rationing – what the CBO calls “reduc[ed] access to care” and “diminish[ed] quality of care” – is precisely what I meant when I used that metaphor.

This health care bill is one of the most far-reaching and expensive expansions of the role of government into our lives. We’re talking about putting one-seventh of our economy under the government’s thumb. We’re also talking about something as intimate to our personal well-being as medical care.

This bill is so unpopular that people on the right and the left hate it. So why go through with it? The Senate is planning to vote on this on Christmas Eve. Why the rush? Though we will begin paying for this bill immediately, we will see no benefits for years. (That’s the trick that allowed the CBO to state that the bill won’t grow the deficit for the next ten years.)

The administration’s promises of transparency and bipartisanship have been broken one by one. This entire process has been defined by midnight votes on weekends, closed-door meetings with industry lobbyists, and payoffs to politicians willing to sell their principles for sweetheart deals. Is it any wonder that Americans are so disillusioned with their leaders in Washington?

This is about politics, not health care. Americans don’t want this bill. Americans don’t like this bill. Washington has stopped listening to us. But we’re paying attention, and 2010 is coming.”

91

goofsmom 12.22.09 at 11:40 pm

FYI for all Pumas interested about who is running against Pelosi… I am posting to Women of 2010 also… :)

District 8:
Nancy Pelosi (D)* – (House Speaker’s Site) – (DCCC Political Site)
Summer Shields (D) – LaRouche Activist
John Dennis (R) – Ron Paul Campaign Activist
Dana Walsh (R) – Interior Designer, GOP Activist & ’08 Nominee
Cindy Sheehan (Independent) – Anti-War Activist, Mother of US Soldier Killed in Iraq & ’08 Candidate

http://www.politics1.com/ca.htm

If you go to the link, scroll down page to Dist. 8. There are links there to each one of the candidates.

92

Puma-SF 12.23.09 at 12:13 am

michelina 12.22.09 at 4:08 pm

Man, that sucks. I hope you’re feeling better soon.

Check out this website. I heard Grayson has sent a letter to Holder to prosecute this woman.

http://www.mycongressmanisnuts.com/

93

DancesWithPumas 12.23.09 at 1:13 am

Plan to Move Guantánamo Detainees Faces a New Delay
By CHARLIE SAVAGE
Rebuffed by skeptical lawmakers when it sought finances to buy an Illinois prison, the Obama administration is unlikely to close the Guantánamo Bay prison until 2011 at the earliest

As a result, officials now believe that they are unlikely to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and transfer its population of terrorism suspects until 2011 at the earliest — a far slower timeline for achieving one of President Obama’s signature national security policies than they had previously hinted.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/23/us/politics/23gitmo.html?_r=1&hp

Seems all his hienie’s ‘signature” policies are nothing but gobbledygook scribbles.

94

DancesWithPumas 12.23.09 at 1:15 am

Latino Leaders Use Churches to Push Census Bid

MIAMI — Fearing that millions of illegal immigrants may not be counted in the 2010 census, Latino leaders are mobilizing a nationwide drive to urge Hispanics to participate in the survey, including an intense push this week in evangelical Christian churches.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/23/us/23latino.html?hp

95

DancesWithPumas 12.23.09 at 1:18 am

Teresa Heinz Says She’s Fighting Breast Cancer

BOSTON (AP) — Teresa Heinz says she is being treated for breast cancer discovered through a mammogram and wants younger women to keep undergoing the tests despite a federal panel’s recent recommendation to reduce their frequency.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/12/23/us/AP-US-Teresa-Heinz-Cancer.html
——————

I’d vote for Teresa Heinz for President.

96

CJK 12.23.09 at 2:54 am

Larry Johnson has an interesting, informative post/video up at NoQuarter. ‘Night PUMAS.

http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/2009/12/22/barack-is-totally-delusional/

97

theamericanway 12.23.09 at 6:48 am

From Greta:
Governor Dave Heineman joins us live. Governor, so will you be asking Senator Ben Nelson to tell the Senate that you guys don’t — Nebraska doesn’t want that $100 million? Are you going to ask him to do that?

GOV. DAVE HEINEMAN, R – NEB.: Well, we’ve already made it clear, Greta, we want all these special deals removed. In fact, this afternoon, our other United States senator, Senator Mike Johanns, introduced an amendment to strip all of the special interest deals from this bill, and the Democrats objected! That is really unfortunate. All these special deals should be removed from the bill.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right, now, you talk about “all these” special deals, and I take it that you mean, like, all the ones to Florida, to Connecticut. What about to your state alone? Are you willing to give up the — are you willing to say, We don’t want the $100 million in our state, Nebraska?

HEINEMAN: Absolutely. Nebraska doesn’t want a special deal. We only want a fair deal. We’re embarrassed by what’s going on. We’re very surprised. Nebraskans are angry and upset about what occurred. And so they need to set this straight.

I’ve also asked Senator Nelson — I’m going to repeat it again tonight. He has a chance tomorrow to vote no on cloture. That would be the best thing for Nebraska, the best thing for America. Send this bill back to committee. Go home for Christmas and think about it and get it right.

VAN SUSTEREN: Is there any chance that he will vote no? Because he certainly has been on the firing line in the past few days with the suggestion that Senator Harry Reid, the majority leader, essentially bought his 60th vote. Is he likely, now that he’s on the firing line, to have a different view of this going into the vote?

HEINEMAN: Probably not, but I’m going to continue to ask him to do it. Nebraskans are asking him. They’re calling him every single day. They’re sending him e-mails. We don’t want him to vote for this bill. He has the chance now. He had the chance a week ago. Vote no. Vote no on cloture, and this bill won’t go forward.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right, one of the interesting aspects is that the senator, used to be a governor, used to be the governor of Nebraska, and when he’s been on this show, he’s been very concerned about the costs, which is why I assume that he was so content, I guess, to get this $100 million to the state to sort of solve your cost issues with the unfunded mandate.

If you send him that letter, so that now you say you don’t want that money, and suddenly Nebraska has that money problem again, will that not have an impact on his vote, do you think? So shouldn’t you get the letter to him by the time of the vote, if you want it to have an effect?

HEINEMAN: Well, I think he already knows exactly where I stand. I’ve been doing interview after interview today. There’s no question that we in Nebraska are against any special deal. None of us want to see an unfunded mandate. This doesn’t take effect, I guess, until 2016 or 2017. But yes, he ought to vote no.

He knows exactly what’s going on. He’s hearing loud and clear from Nebraskans, Senator, don’t do this. We don’t want a special deal. But more importantly, Greta, this deal is bad news for Nebraska and bad news for America. You’ve got the Medicare cuts, you’ve got the tax increases, skyrocketing premiums, the abortion controversy in terms of the funding. Again, bad news for America, bad news for Nebraska. Vote no, Senator Nelson.

VAN SUSTEREN: Has he been doing radio shows back in Nebraska? I mean, how much heat back home is he getting on this?

HEINEMAN: Oh, he’s getting a lot of heat, Greta. He’s been doing radio programs. People are calling in, in opposition. People can’t even get through on phones to call him because so many people are calling, expressing their anger.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,580947,00.html

98

theamericanway 12.23.09 at 7:04 am

cjk #96
great post, great video. Hope it goes viral.

99

gojoyknocks 12.23.09 at 9:03 am

Hey PUMAs, I forced myself to watch the healthcare debate yesterday. Roland, Roland, Roland, I say while shaking my head incredulously.

100

HP Boston 12.23.09 at 9:09 am

Obama rejects criticism on health bill
—————————————-

Unfucking believable

Obie we reject you as president….Barry you are a nutjob!

101

Notyoursweetie 12.23.09 at 9:14 am

102

NikkisMom 12.23.09 at 9:30 am

How ironic – democrats are historically the people who have always been against big corporations, most particularly BIG HEALTH INSURANCE companies. Yet, the democrats are preparing the biggest money giveaway to health insurance and big PHRMA companies in the history of this country.

Wrapping it up and tying it with a nice bow just in time for Christmas.

Politicians shouldn’t piss on us and try to tell us it’s raining.

2010 is coming and we won’t forget. :evil:

103

sistermoon3 12.23.09 at 9:48 am

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,580945,00.html

osama bin ladens family in Iran, wow, he’s probably cowardly hidden there too

104

sistermoon3 12.23.09 at 9:48 am

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,580945,00.html

osama bin ladens family in Iran, wow, he’s probably cowardly hidden there too

105

theamericanway 12.23.09 at 9:53 am

#102 NikkisMom: 2010 is coming and we won’t forget.
Yes!!! Dems took lessons from Repubs, then waited for their chance to sock it to us. Washington scum.
It was not that long ago that they criticized Repubs for LOCKSTEP.

106

HP Boston 12.23.09 at 9:59 am

theamericanway 12.23.09 at 9:53 am

Ya and the Dems pissed and moaned about the majority Repubs..locking them out. The backroom deals…the late night bill amending, the pork the CRIME! All the bullshit has tripled with the Democrats…I wish the Repubs had all jumped off a bridge(a high one with no water under it) so the Dems could copy that too!!!

107

murphy 12.23.09 at 10:02 am

news roundup and health care posted,

take it upstairs!

bring links!

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