The attacks on the WH for ducking C-Span keep coming. Jack Cafferty appears to have expunged all the Kool-Aid he swilled in 2008. Though there is no reason to suddenly trust the noxious gasbag, his broadside is welcome:
The Widow Gibbs is having a particularly hard time with this issue, falling back on "We covered this yesterday.", which is, of course, a lie. The question was avoided yesterday, as it was today.
The similarity in vibe between the Bush Cheney push for war with Iraq and the Obama Pelosi Reid demand for a health care bill that the majority oppose is striking. The main difference being that before we invaded Iraq only half the nation opposed the war. In the case of health care "reform" well over half oppose. The level of arrogance is astounding even by D.C. standards. In trying to get a handle on it I keep coming up empty. The bill must be a payoff of extraordinary magnitude. Much of the Democratic leadership is acting like kamikaze pilots, willing to give their political lives for a bill next to no one wants. And they're willing to do it in secret - throwing the middle finger just before they self-immolate. The mindless belligerence is a sight to behold.
And the Lord our God Obama said unto the 2 Houses of the Congress:
Be hopeful in joy, Joyful in hope, hopefully join me in joyfully passing hope for health insurers everywhere. Can we? Yes! For I shall be with you even after I've chucked you under the bus.... In spirit only though, as I don't want to get all smudgy.... so sayeth me...the Lord. Now let us all reflect on me and my greatness as we have a few snacks.
Then the multitude did dance and sing and eat Ritz Crackers in the shape of The Lord's head and ears. They were entertained into the night. Reid did tell tales of insulting businessmen in his state and later played an armpit fart version of Viva Las Vegas. As the morning wind whistled through the gaps in Pelosi's reconstructed face, all knew it was time to take the public option goat to K Street and stone it to death. And this they did. For the Lord Obama had told them secretly:
Give to K Street what is K Street's. For K Street did touch my G spot.
Afterward, the Lord Obama did go out back for a smoketh.
I must admit to a certain fascination with Pelosi's political suicide. Obama's self inflicted wound after releasing the torture memos is minor relative to Pelosi's repeated pot shots at her own feet.
She keeps making her predicament worse. Given the life of most D.C. dramas is about 2 news cycles it is a wonder to watch Pelosi continue to make her deceit more apparent. After railing against water boarding when the memos were released, she was caught when it became clear she knew all along. Now a sane politician would shut up for a few weeks and let the noise die down. Instead Pelosi, who has no support nationally, has challenged the CIA openly.
What an odd choice. Odd because she must know by now that her handlers in the Obi White House will fight tooth and nail against a congressional investigation. For which she should be grateful. I find it hard to fathom she feels a moral calling to push for an investigation. She has never demonstrated any moral fiber. Besides the GOP would put her on trial in any investigation.
Yet, there she was yesterday calling the CIA a bunch of liars. Coming close to "I did not have sex with that woman" and "I am not a crook." in the raw boldness of her lie. "I am saying that the CIA was misleading the Congress and at the same time the administration was misleading the Congress on weapons of mass destruction,"
Nice conflation, Nance, the former and the latter being entirely different issues.
Even if I studiously avoid "black helicopter" talk, (Which I don't. I find many conspiracy theories interesting. ) one of the institutions I would hesitate to take on in D. C. is the CIA. Even Chicago Slim threw together a pep rally at Langley to make amends after the memos came out. Whatever else I may think about torture, rendition, and what ever else has been going on, I know we need the CIA and would hesitate mightily before lambasting the whole organization.
Either she has convinced herself that she knew nothing of the water boarding and feels she must defend her reputation or she has what amounts to a political death wish.
It is sobering to consider that the top four constitutional officers in the land have remarkably weak egos. Obama, Biden, and Pelosi's connection to facts is often whimsical - at best. Reid (the 4th in line for the presidency) may usually live in reality but he is such a pushover he is largely irrelevant. It isn't until we get down to position 5 - SOS Clinton - that we find a person with a reality based personality and the skill and experience to make that match matter.
I am seriously. Go read Cine's post on healthcare. In the previous post I said Obi Wan's head fakes about the wars was the most duplicitous aspect of his campaign. The health care train wreck currently unfolding in D.C. is surely the most sickening Obama event post 1/20/09.
A majority of Americans want a single payer federally mandated health care system. A majority of Americans are being ignored by their "representatives". No shock there. One of Pelosi's minions even had the temerity to say "make us" put single payer on the table. What followed was a fax shitstorm in Madam Perma-Smile's office. But what is really galling are the words "make us". As if the majority of Americans are unruly teens who must act up to force mommy and daddy in Congress to interrupt their key party with the big money insurance pimps who they service with their mouths and our cash. We shouldn't have to "make them" do anything. They work for us...for God's sake.
Anyway, Cine breaks it all down with a style and skill I envy. With the added bonus of the tag she uses for Pelosi: Nasty Pancakes.
Dee Lish Us.
My God, I wish I'd come up with that slice of perfection.
I intended to post a few thoughts on Arlen Spector this morning but after sleeping on it I realize that I don't give a sh*t about Arlen Spector. In saving his ass he ruined his honor (laughable, I know) and has rewritten the first line of his biography to include not one, but two inanities: switching parties at the age of 742, and the magic bullet theory.
Onward!
The spirited debate in the comment section of yesterday's Lunch Break post was unexpected and inspiring. Along with 59% of the American people, I stand firmly with the Single Payer contingent. (Of course, all views are welcome in the comment section.)
I hope everyone contacts their "representatives" (HA!) and insists that single payer be put on the agenda. An easy way to contact Pelosi is linked in Cine's great post on the issue here. She also links the pro single payer sites and sets out the next steps. This fight has been going on since Truman was POTUS - and if you want it done beleive me when I say: this is -THE LAST CHANCE. You can take that to the bank - provided yours is still open.
Listen, little children, this is how the New EARTH began and the new Land called Obamamerica was borneth.
And so it came to pass in those days that the Lord spent his days in the Oval, handing out DVDs and macaroni sculptures of himself to visiting dignitaries. For The Lord knew he was all knowing and perfect, so the Lord solved all the problems of the earth at once.
On day one the Lord Obama said: Let there be more money. And he did printeth more money. And the Lord went out back to Smoketh a Camel light and said I am good. Oh so good.
On the second day the Lord Obama said: Let my friends and allies populate the land. And more money was printeth for the Lord's friends called ACORN, Fannie, and Freddie. And the Lord smoketh a Tareyton out back, pleased with his amazing skills as a leader.
On the Third DAY: The Lord said let all the people have health care and all the school they wanteth. Even the dumb ones, especially the dumb ones. And the Lord did printeth more money. And went out back for to smoketh a Virginia Slims Menthol and spend some quality time looking into small hand mirrors David Axelrod and Clair McCaskill held up for him.
On the Fourth Day the Lord did rest, for three days in a row was the most he'd ever worked. And the Lord did desire a rally for the people to loveth him. So he ordered one to be staged. Then wenteth to see The Pelosi,who washed his feet with her tears. Which were fake, as her tear ducts were sealed shut from all the botox.
The Pelosi then said: "Lord what about the banks? Have you a plan?"
And the Lord rose, stubbed out his Lucky Strike no filter and said, "Listen little Pelosi and you shall learn. Give to Cesar Milan what is Cesar Chavez's. For the meek shall inherit the dearth. We the people have been waiting too long to change the one we have been waiting for, which is me, so answer the door and stop waiting for if you really thought you were the one you were waiting for you are a fucking idiot. The only fear we have to hope for is fearful hope. Change rhymes with strange. Listen and you shall knock. Knock and you shall hear. Hear and you shall listen. I'd rather fight than switch. Race doesn't matter, except sometime when it does. Therefore our banking system will say YES WE CAN!"
And the lord did sit.
The pelosi did weep for joy again. For the Lord did speaketh as one who knows. And she washed his feet with the last of Harry Reid's hair and soothed the Lord's face with moist towelettes from the Air Force jets she commandeered.
Wow. The coolest thing happened. President Obama "tagged" me with his 25 Things About Me on Facebook!
How cool am I? I "Poked" him to ask if I could post his 25 things here. I did not hear back. He's so busy stimulating us, and putting a B-ball court in the "WH"! But I am sure it is okay with him. Since he's so smart and nice. So here goes:
From FACEBOOK
25 Things About Me
by Barrack H. Obama.
1. I am President of the United States. And you are not.
2. I am half black and half white. And half baked! (lol)
3. No one has ever seen my real birth certificate.
4. My Grandma raised me. She was a typical white lady.
5. Recently, I forced the country to spend billions of our grand children's money.
6. Some people think I am a socialist. Some think I'm a corporate stooge. But I know I'm just me! Sheesh.
7. Some of my friends forget to pay their taxes sometimes and this makes me sad when the press finds out.
8. Some days I have to answer like 8 questions...in a row!
9. I will be President for 4 years. Maybe 8! Maybe 12! Maybe for life!
10. I went to Columbia but no one is allowed to see my school records. And no one really remembers me there. Oh well.
11. Once, when I was a young man, I spent months in Pakistan. Shh. That's a secret, too.
12. Speaking of Pakistan: Since I became President over 100 people have been killed by drones in Pakistan!
13. Speaking of drones: Have you ever been stuck on a plane with Joe Biden?
14. George Soros had nothing to do with my election or the bank runs late last year. I swear.
15. I think Facebook is cool! And I have a show on Youtube every Saturday.
16. Fox News is mean to me! But MSNBC is so nice.
17. Late at night I look at myself in the mirror.
18. My father made John Kennedy meet my mother in Selma and a civil rights march made them fall in love. Or something like that.
19. I used to watch "24" until they started having a woman President. Come on. Like THAT'S ever going to happen!?!
20. People think I am going to get all the troops out of Iraq. RATFLMFAO!
21. Admit it, I had you at "hello."
22. I was a community organizer, just like Jesus.
23. I have a Grammy, just like Milli Vanilli.
24. I think the Speaker Of The House is in love with me. I am seriously. She's a crazy lady.
Finally:
25. I don't care what Soros says: I'm the boss of me!
In political terms, when Obama ordered Gitmo closed in his first week he took control of the "war on terror" from George W Bush. BHO's odd order to close the base in a year, while not taking into account the disposition of the remaining prisoners put him front and center. Was it an act of courage or a sign of weakness? The answer depends on one's views and events that have yet to unfold - and may never unfold.
But it is Obama's problem now. He owns it.
Tonight the clock begins ticking for Obama on the economy. When the Senate passes the stimulus bill - it will be official.
It is Obama's economy now.
Fair or not - the ramping up of expectations will commence shortly.
With my admittedly limited understanding, I simply do not see this bill working. It is the anti-Goldilocks bill. Not big enough to help quickly, not small enough to avoid rupturing our currency. It is not just right. It is JUST, and perfectly, WRONG.
That's my guess anyway. When BHO made the weird and lazy decision to let Pelosi write the House version he set in motion the final, messy bill. It was a true display of weakness on his part. There was no reason for him to cede turf to Pelosi. Obama was elected despite Pelosi. He owes her nothing. A real leader would have laid out priorities and demanded them. It isn't called the bully pulpit for nothing.
I can't help wonder if White House aids are cringing with every report of "Obama's first big win." Every time this is repeated to millions - the economy becomes Obama's and his alone.
I am out tonight- but there is a spring in my step after today. There is so much to look forward to. How much fun is in store for the next 1,460 odd days??? Pull up a chair. Grab the popcorn - awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay we goooooooo!
Before the clip at the bottom I have a few thoughts. If you are not in the mood to read - Please skip the thoughts and view the clip.
A. Pelosi is a disaster as Speaker of the House. I would say she is the Worst Speaker Ever - but I don't know the history of the House well enough.
Suffice it to say:Pelosi sucks.
Remarkably she used her time on the floor BEFORE the vote to hammer at and blame the entire financial mess on Bush and the GOP. I don't care about the content of what she said in this case. I heard it and did not disagree entirely. That's not the point. To throw this verbal bomb BEFORE the vote was:
1. Proof she's a moron. 2. An attempt to make sure the bill failed. 3. Both
Any GOPs that may have been on the fence voted No after her eruption. So much for a new era in politics.
B. The clip below exemplifies my disgust and sadness about the Democrats. From what I can tell so far most of the blame for the Freddie/Fannie debacle belongs to the Dems. They are the "something for nothing" Party now (with the perfect nominee to carry this banner forward.)
C. Since many of the DEMs defending Fannie/Freddie corruption in the clip are Black I expect to called a racist. Whatever. blah blah blah. The word has been rendered meaningless by the Obama campaign. These Reps are idiots. Idiots come in all colors.
D. I resent 700 billion (or whatever it is now) of tax payer money being spent to salvage the damage idiots on all levels did to the system. Saving this monster from eating its own is not worth our money or effort. Let the chips fall. We need to start living within in our means.
I guess you could say that today I am glad Pelosi is so bad at her job.
The Obama phenomenon is the result of a country in despair. He is not bringing hope - he has capitalized on a deep fear and anger at the loss of an idea we had about what this country was supposed to be.
If Obama had a track record and ANY proven leadership skills beyond gaming the system, I might be able to get on board. He does not.
If Obama had not said almost the exact opposite of what his campaign has lead people to believe he believes - I might be able to get on board.
If Obama had not railed against lobbyists while taking boat loads of cash from the exact same GOP bundlers as Bush- I might get on board.
But he has done nothing that speaks to any kind of internal integrity. The writer of the article linked uses the word "fibs" - but why stand on ceremony - he's a liar. The most grievous lies being FISA and the Iraq nonsense he spews. Read what Obama has actually said about Iraq in the last 6 months then ask a POD what Obama plans to do about the war. THERE IS NO CONNECTION - to reality or anything else.
Martin says in the end he will vote for Obama because he fears McCain more. I cannot agree. I see no reason to believe McCain is worse. The reverse is true: I see evidence that McCain is the better choice.
He actually exists for starters.
A year later I have no idea who Obama is or what he truly cares about- beyond his own self promotion. One day he seems to be the product of his Communist mentors in ACORN and the next he's grabbing GOP talking points and begging Wall Street for cash. One day he just can't dump Wright and I am told "I just don't understand black churches" then....suddenly...Wright gets the boot. I guess I understand black churches now...or not...who the hell knows? In February he's going to take the brave progressive stance and filibuster FISA. In June he votes for FISA. He believes in public financing...until it won't work for him. He votes for a Cheney lead energy bill - then condemns it - and by proxy himself for voting for it.
Who the hell is this guy?
Imagine these kind of back flips occurring in the realm of a marriage. We all know these marriages. I love my husband...but he's a scoundrel...but I love him...but he cheats...but I love him....Same principle. The difference is, of course, flibbertigibbet friends are not usually in charge of the Executive Branch. Given what I know about McCain he gets a C minus in my book. Given what we know about Obama - and what his willy nilly, gooey, flip flops demonstrate every day now - he gets an F. No. I don't think Obama is, at least, better than McCain. He's not.
"Hope" is a canard, a sedative, a bromide for the beaten down and the foolish. Our great leaders of the past never gave us "hope" alone. They gave us faith -in ourselves and in our country. Obama inspires no faith.
JFK: Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country. BHO: If everyone would just inflate their tires we would not need to drill.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the four horsemen of the Democratic party's apocalypse: Barry, Nancy, Howard, and Donna. Give them a hand! Enjoy the buffet! They'll be here all week!
The destruction of the Democratic Party is complete.
This campaign, endless as it is, has had a positive effect on me.
I have, indeed, CHANGED.
It has taught me that I will no longer judge a candidate by the letter at the end of his name but on the content of his character. (Thank you Dr. King)
Having been lambasted for not being a Democrat because I cannot support Senator Obama I am no longer a Democrat. I believe we call that a self fufulling prophecy. I wonder how many other people feel the same way?
I have tremendous respect for Senator Brownback. I disagree with most of what he believes in but I still respect him for the courage of his convictions. And, please, check facts before you start yelling because Senator Brownback and Senator Obama wrote an op-ed together on Darfur.
I worked for Senator Larry Pressler from South Dakota. He was the one who turned down the money in Abscam. He was scary smart, a bit of an absent minded professor, and a very nice man. About half of his staff in Washington were Democrats.
I like Lindsey Graham. Once again, I don't agree with him but I respect his service to our country.
I don't care for Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi.
I still love Bill Bradley, and not just because he was going to introduce me to Bruce Springsteen. I still admire Jimmy Carter. They disagree with me on who should be the nominee but I can see past that because they are more than that.
There are still more Democrats that I prefer than Republicans, Jack Murtha, Barbara Boxer, Diane Feinstein, John Conyers, Bill Nelson, Debbie Wasserman-Shultz, Barney Frank, Tom Lantos, Tip O'Neill, FDR, Jack Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, Bill Clinton and, of course, Hillary Clinton.
But I will no longer be taken for granted by the Democrat party and I am no longer going to pull the lever for "d" across the board.
Obama is many things - including tacky, mean and small in spirit. Obama has run a campaign I would describe as "Republican." I mean this as a compliment. Campaigns are tough things to pull off and the GOP is markedly better at it than the Democrats. Axlerod can rightfully take his place along side Karl Rove and Lee Atwater. The BHO campaign showed its truest colors Wednesday night. Petty. On Tuesday Clinton humiliated Obama in West Virginia. As they have in the past when the chosen one looks bad, they had some big endorsements in their back pocket to change the subject. Given that me and a zillion other people got a fundraising email from John Edwards 4.7 seconds after his endorsement of BHO was announced we can rightfully assume a deal was made. The onus is on Edwards to prove otherwise. One can assume after Obama loses Kentucky on Tuesday Al Gore will be hitting us up for cash on Wednesday - with an Obama mailing list in hand. Those of us who know Obama is the wrong choice. (It is now beyond dispute, with the evidence parked at news outlets across the land and Patrick Fitzgerald's office.) The answer is simple: If you endorse Obama you get cut off. Cut off from cash, assistance and sympathy. NARAL can fight it's battles from here on out with Obama's children. Apparently, they are the future and the future is grim. Whatever Edwards wants he can go look elsewhere. (I deleted the email after I realized he wanted cash.) Ditto for the rest. Every Democratic loser of the past half century has gotten on the Obama greasy palm express. Frankly, I am sick of hearing that I should be begging SD's to do the right thing. The winning thing. Obama is blackmailing them - pure and simple- promising dough and lining them up to endorse when he needs to overtake a bad news cycle. He is the pollution in the system he speaks against. If the SD's can't see the truth then, frankly, they are in a party I no can longer call my own. The party of the greased palm. Forget it. Nominating someone so supremely unqualified and so easily beaten in the Fall tells me one thing: the SD's don't care about the party. They care about their positions. They care about BHO's money lists. So - no - I will not be emailing any more SD's asking them politely to do the obvious.
The latest news is that there are tapes of Michelle "I am black so you owe me" Obama screeching anti-inclusion hatred at Trinity church. The source for this news is solid and I have no doubt we'll all see it the day after BHO is nominated. Then the autumn will be a Rovian mop up session for McCain. Obama's strategy will be this in 2 words: McCain's age. That's it. I don't want to be in a party populated by so many stupid people. Yet again, the candidate that can win is being shoved aside for the trendy loser. So be it. The only thing that can save the party of FDR and Jefferson now is the removal of 90% of its power structure. Flushing Dean, Pelosi and Brazille and their goons is the only way out.
Until that happens you can call me Ray or you can call me Fay - but don't call me a Democrat.
We have commenters come here and tell us we're not Democrats because we don't support Senator Obama. How bigoted is that? Who are Jim Bob or Norb, et al to decide what a Democrat is or isn't? I thought Liberal meant "in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties or favoring or permitting freedom of action with respect to matters of personal belief or expression." Yet when they come here (and other Clinton friendly blogs) they don't want freedom of action of personal belief. The Obama supporter who made the 1984 ad about Senator Clinton should look in the mirror.
As to our Liberal street cred, perhaps read back to some of our early work when we were delightfully bashing Bush (ah the halcyon days when we were all united) . Or when we had great hopes that a Democratic congress would do something. Nancy Pelosi told us that impeachment was off the table and we began to lose hope. We were promised "change" in 2006 and you can see how well that has gone.
Here's a comment by Jason from a previous post that sums it up:
Where does it say, anywhere, you can't be a true Democrat (or for that matter a Republican, a Libertarian, a Green, or a member of any other party) if you express a desire to vote for someone outside your party. Automatically voting straight party ticket is not the sign of a healthy democracy but more akin to those "free and fair" elections that were occurred in the former Soviet Union and now occur in those Utopian paradises where voters are "gently persuaded" whom to vote for.
A sign of a mature democracy is that you make an informed decision and cast your vote for the person you believe is the most qualified for the position, even if it is a vote against your own party. It is a maturity that allows you to realize your party couldn't find the best there is for the position or even has made a mistake in the choice of its candidate.
Party membership in our society does not mean we have to ascribe 100% to all positions and all of the party. After all, the members of a party have to debate and fight among themselves as to what the party platform will be. We identify with the party that on balance tends to support more of with what we agree than disagree.
This is what I now find lacking in the Democratic Party. The party elites have decided to cram Obama down our throats and tell us their little fringe group is now the whole of the Democratic Party and we are all traitors to the Party if we dare express our opinions to the contrary.
This new vision of the Democratic party is not the party of its former giants, FDR, John and Bobby Kennedy (sorry Ted), who fought for the betterment of American society, but one of powerful elites (that's you Ted, and Pelosi and Reid) who will do anything to perpetuate their grip on power to the expense of the greater good of American society.
The New Democratic party shouldn't even be called Democratic anymore, not with it's calls to stop the electoral process and anoint Obama; calls that started with his first few hundred delegates and "polls" taken by the elites to advance their own end. No, the New Democratic Party is not the party with the ideals of FDR, JFK and Bobby, but of Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov.
John's post on Ted Kennedy got me thinking about the SUPER delegates who support Obama.
I wonder how much of their support is because they believe in his policies and how much is resentment towards the Clinton's.
Donna Brazile - possible the worst campaign manager ever. Is she angry at the Clinton's because she believes it's President Clinton's fault Al Gore didn't become President? (I won't say he lost the election because he didn't.) Is she jealous of the fact that President Clinton had two terms?
Howard Dean-a loser. Unfair to be booted out of the race because of the scream? True enough, but losing Iowa was really the reason he gave up his bid. Does he resent that Senator Clinton lost Iowa and came back? Or is he like Ms. Brazile and is jealous of the only Democrat who won two terms since FDR?
Ted Kennedy - one thing I'll give him is he is not hypocritical enough to suggest that Senator Clinton should abandon her campaign. And as much respect as I have for President Carter he was beatable. Obviously. But Ted Kennedy couldn't do it.
John "Windsurfing Madness" Kerry - TWENTY KNOTS - HOLD MY CALLS! Let the Swiftboaters go unanswered for way to long and then once it had started to fade brought it right back into the spot light. Could not have run a worse campaign from a phone booth in Yankton, South Dakota with no change. Of course he comes out for Obama, they're cut from the same cloth. He must wonder, how did I lose to that schmuck and how did Clinton get to win?
Gary Hart. Nursing old resentments because the super delegates "gave" the nomination to Mondale. In actuality, he had less pledged delegates than Mondale but he had won the last contests so he argued that he had momentum on his side and should be the nominee. Odd, that he would support Obama.
Tom Dashle - blames President Clinton for making him Minority Leader.
Nancy Pelosi. Please vote this woman out. Right now she is the highest ranking woman in Washington. She doesn't want to give that up.
Huffington and Dowd - also don't want another woman to do better than them
Olbermann - who knows? He's lost his mind and his viewers and neither are coming back.
You can blame President Clinton for a lot. I was angry about the blow job because it was wrong and it diminished the good that he did. But the way all of the people above talk about him now you would think he lost, like them.
I'm supporting Senator Clinton, whether she is on the ballot or not. I am not afraid of a strong woman.
Ms. Michaux and Ms. Prigg may be among the "bitter" people Mr. Obama was talking about -- a teacher, Ms. Prigg has no health insurance and says she may lose her house because her salary won't cover the monthly mortgage payments.
But both women said they're sticking with Mrs. Clinton.
"I felt back in the 1990s when the Clintons were in, I lived pretty good, and now my life is going down the tubes, like everyone else's," said Ms. Prigg. "When I met her in Pittsburgh eight years ago, I told her, Hillary, no matter what you run for, anyone who stays with Bill deserves my vote, and she loved it."
"I feel like I AM Hillary Clinton," she said. "Strong women are all Hillary Clinton."
Thank you very much Ms. Prigg, I couldn't say it any better.
