Freedom Fighters Run and Hide on Vote to End Government Health Care

Not a single freedom fighting Republican voted for amendment to end government run health care. Yes it's worth repeating, not a single person who had been calling Obama's health care reform effort socialism, voted to end an actual socialist health care system, medicare.

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

If Republicans were really against government health care, the first thing they would do is vote away the very plan they receive and then do away with Medicare and Medicaid. But they aren't against government-run anything, as evidenced by the last 8 years of total government expansion under Republican rule. They just want to be able to walk around with boners talking about small government and how they are freedom fighters. A pathetic bunch rotten to their very core.

Nothing to Cheer About

All polls show Obama's numbers sliding back down from rock star status. Typical numbers after 7 months in office. As giddy as this makes Republicans, what's getting little attention are GOP numbers are as unpopular as ever.

Greg Sargent takes note:

* Only 28% view the GOP favorably, the lowest since at least 2005.

* A huge majority wants major changes to the health care system, and a plurality says Obama is reforming health care at “the right pace.” The public wants change now, meaning voters will probably extract a major price if it doesn’t get done.

* Voters blame Republicans, and not Obama, for obstructionism: Fifty nine percent say Obama is working with the GOP on health care reform, versus only 33% who say Republicans are working with the president.

* Fifty five percent says Obama has the right ideas for health care reform, versus only 26% — barely more than one-fourth — who say the GOP does.

I suppose if you're a Republican and you get to use a made up index to judge everyone else, then the above numbers are only excellent news for the GOP. It always is!

GDP

This is sort of good news. Economy shrank at 1% in 2Q. Things are slowly getting better. But we're still in delicate territory. More stimulus spending needs to kick in and consumer confidence needs a jump as well.

And Then They Drank Beer

As you can see JB made the summit. Here's what they drank.

POTUS: Bud Light
VPOTUS: Bucklers
Gates: Sam Adams Light
Crowley: Blue Moon

Terrible choice for the Prez I will say. JB I'm very impressed with, good choice. Gates has changed my whole outlook on him. He's went from an angry black man to a sophisticated American patriot. And Crowley, did he have an orange with it too?

Egos

I know it must be hard for Republicans to grasp since they once ruled the entire world by virtue of their Revolution!, but there comes a time when reality must set in.

Rep. Mike Enzi (R-WY) pens a letter to Democratic leadership demanding his secret health care reform deals be kept in place throughout the bill's many journeys. Sorry Mr. Enzi, but there's a reason why it's called minority.

Banana-Eating Jungle Monkey

What is this country coming to when you can't even call a black man a "banana-eating jungle monkey" and mean it not in a racist way?

Beer Summit

I'm a Miller Lite man myself. But I do find President Obama's choice of Budweiser to be good as well. Much better than Bud Light. Why in the world the president inviting people over for a beer is worth the hysterical media portrayal it's getting is beyond me. If they were doing Jager Bombs then I could kinda see a story in there. Idiots.

Rasmussen Answers

Kent's got me on this one. I don't know how I'll survive. He used a poll other than Rasmussen to prove the Republican Party was not the most unpopular organization in America. NPR's latest has the GOP one point ahead on their generic ballot. I'm proud of him.

Then mind boggling I know, he uses Gallup to show Obama is at an all time low. Yes 53% proves Obama is unpopular. Too bad it's double what George Bush was but that's ancient history now. What's interesting is if you go through his archives there isn't one single post about Bush's gutter approvals. Quite the contrary really. He uses Bush's historically low approvals to prove he was a true leader. Kent's same but messed up logic doesn't apply to Obama, however.

Anyway, Eric Kleefield spoke to Scott Rasmussen about his new Presidential Index that Kent loves to use to prove Obama is unpopular, and he defended it by saying it measures the intensity of feeling. So Rasmussen even admits it's not a gauge of overall approval just feelings of intensity. In the Republican Fantasy World that's how President Obama's job approval gets measured, by feelings of intensity and not the historical yes or no. Too bad for Kent he already admitted that he "disagrees with polling methodology that pretends we need two different categories of approval." Uhhhh that's my point Kent.

*Update:

One of the reasons why it's inaccurate to create a brand new method at which to measure President Obama is because it gives wingers like Kent reason to believe a false reality. For instance, here's Kent explaining why he stood behind the Presidential Index (before he discredited it that is):

I'm taking the strongly approve number as the primary gauge of Obama's full approval and comparing it with Bush's overall approval ratings according to the WaPo link I cited yesterday.

Bush left office with an overall 33% approval rating, one point higher than Obama's current strong approval number.

The real world just doesn't work that way. In the Fantasy World, Rasmussen creates a brand new measurement for Obama, which gives off the appearance he's unpopular, and Kent-- amongst others I'm sure-- gladly admit they apply two different standards. If we used the Index to measure George Bush his would be -50. But we can't do that because like Kent says, Bush gets to use his overall approval. All Rasmussen has done is give wing nuts, the same people who constantly push conspiracy theories to discredit the President of the United States, a graph to link to. These are brilliant people I'm telling ya.

Moving Forward

Plenty are reporting a deal was struck this afternoon between Henry Waxman and the Blue Dogs. Both sides made concessions totaling about $100 billion in cuts from the reform effort. The "public option" remained intact. Here are some of the changes.

• Exemption from penalty for businesses making $500,000 or less
• Public option rates tied to Health and Human Services secretary rather than Medicare
• State can conduct co-ops but must have public option
• Lower rate by 1% for subsidization of reimbursement rate
  

It's a livable plan that should pass both chambers. Steven Benen hits it on the head with this: "the only thing standing between the status quo and a reform plan that's been sought after since the days of Truman is a Senate with a 60-seat Democratic majority." That's actually a pretty scary thought.

Encouraging (*Update)

I can't express enough how encouraging it is to see some top Republicans squashing down on the birther movement that was about to take over their Party. This is a big step for the GOP. Actually, it's the first step we've seen in quite some time that is moving the Party away from the right wing. I'm really glad to see it. Still a long way to go but some positive early signs.

*Update:

Encouraging until you see that things have changed very little. Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) says "what I don't know is why the president can't produce a birth certificate. I don't know anybody else that can't produce one. And I think that that's a legitimate question -- no health records, no birth certificate."

Blue Dogs = Blue Balls

The biggest issue with the Blue Dog Democrats is their self return to fiscal conservatism. These people voted for 8 years with George W. Bush. How can they possibly claim to care about fiscal responsibility? But it goes a little further than that. The media, too, portrays them as the fiscal sanity of the Democratic Party.

The conservative Blue Dogs argue that the health care bill will cost too much without fixing the ailing health care system.

That has to be a joke. Never did they flinch to spend a trillion dollars fighting endless war. Never did they flinch to vote for 8 straight unbalanced deficit budgets. Why pretend they now all of a sudden care about costs and fixing things? Their concerns are arbitrary and have no track record of evidence to support. Just call them on it. And while we're at it, tell them their publicly financed health care plan will cease to exist unless they vote to extend the benefit to others.

Really, let's get this straight: Fiscal conservatives are people who have a socialized public health care plan, voted for 8 straight deficit-laden budgets, helped run up the largest deficit in the world, and raise their families entirely on tax payer money. C'mon this is insane people. Call them on it!!

*Update:

More complete fabrications from the MSM:

A group of fiscally conservative House Democrats announced Wednesday they reached a deal with the chamber's Democratic leaders on a health care reform bill.

Ross and the Blue Dogs had threatened to derail the bill in the Energy and Commerce Committee because of concerns that it costs too much and failed to address systemic problems in the nation's ailing health care industry.

No they aren't. There is nothing fiscally conservative about them. It is a complete fabrication of the truth to suggest Blue Dogs have the least bit of concern for fiscal matters, at least there is nothing in their past record that would suggest they do.

How can you label people who voted with George Bush 99% of the time, and cared not one bit about costs or paying for things for 8 years, as a "fiscal conservative?" You can't! At least not honestly you can't. What does that make the many Democrats who did not vote with George Bush, opposed his deficit-filled budgets and actually supported spending a trillion dollars here at home instead of on Glorious War? According to the very serious MSM they are tax and spend liberals. This has to be an episode of the Twilight Zone.

Health Care Update

I've been reading all over that the senate health care reform version does not contain the "public option." Any so-called reform that does not include the "public option" will be useless, in my view. It's no wonder the Senate's version omits this since Sen. Max Baucus, who chairs the committee, has received more money from health and insurance industry lobbyists than any other member of Congress. "In the past six years, nearly one-fourth of every dime raised by Baucus and his political action committee has come from groups and individuals associated with drug companies, insurers, hospitals, medical supply firms, health service companies and other health professionals. Funny how all that works out."

As we know the House version does contain the "public option." The hope is in the reconciliation process it will be returned to the Senate. As long as insurance companies and powerful health professionals have their money involved in this process, there remains the chance that business as usual will win out and we'll have a watered down version of useless mumble jumble we all have grown accustomed to from Washington. It's a wonderful Democratic Party we have running things.

*Update:

My man Paul Krugman backs me up and cautions his "people in the know" better be right.

**Update:

President Obama again publicly announced his support for the "public option." Also debunks right wing garbage about it being a government-run health system.

GOP Takes Peak of Reality

• Republicans present vote unanimously for the Hawaii resolution recognizing it as the birthplace of President Obama.


• The State of Hawaii once again declares Obama birth certificate real.

Quite a day for temperance and progressivism. Will this put a stop to the wacko's exhorting great influence in the Republican Party? I'm doubtful actually. But very glad to see them at least attempting to enter the reality based community.

Wing Nuts On the Spot

The official stance of the Republican Party is that President Obama is illegitimate because he was born in Kenya or some other communist Muslim place. They have no time for issues that are pressing for our country such as budget discipline, two ongoing wars, or health care reform. They instead want to focus everyone on their conspiracy theories.

In light of such complete ignorance, Dem Rep. Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii will introduce a measure that commemorates the 50th anniversary of Hawaii’s statehood and describes it as Obama's birthplace. Oh what will the right wing nutjobs do?


*Update:

Well the nuttiest right wing nutjob of them all Michelle Bachmann blocks the Obama birthplace resolution from coming to the floor. That's how scared and how in control the wingers are of the GOP. What if a Democrat blocked a resolution honoring Texas and calling it the home of the greatest president ever George Bush? Couldn't imagine what the Great Patriots of the Republican Party and the media would have done then.

Nope. Bachmann's motion was a procedural move to end debate and bring the measure to a roll call vote later in the evening. Once it hit the floor, it passed 378-0. All known Republican birthers voted in favor of the resolution.

GOP Unreality

Our daily dose of just how right wing and mentally deficient the Republican Party is.

• Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) compares President Obama to Fidel Castro's communist takeover of Cuba.
  
  
• Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), yes the same Jim Inhofe that urged Sen. Ensign to pay off his hooker mistress, gives credo to the idiotic birther movement by claiming they do "have a point" and that he doesn't encourage them to stop any time soon.

Could you imagine how the media would be covering this if a sitting Member of Congress had compared George W. Bush to a dictator or had thrown his/her support behind a wacko group designed for questioning the legitimacy of his presidency? Great political party y'all have. I just can't figure out why you're no longer in power.

*Update:

The Leader of the GOP, pill-popping drug addict Rush Limbaugh isn't about to let anyone one-up him. Claims Americans were tricked into voting for "torture," "tyranny," and "dictatorship." Let this soak in now. George W. Bush a member of a presidential dynasty, had a state-sanctioned policy of torture and randomly invaded foreign countries just for the smell of it-- I don't know how much closer to "torture," "tyranny," and "dictatorship" America had ever been.

Freedom Fighting Victims

One of the important and fraudulent aspects of the modern Republican Party and to a lesser extent "conservatives" is that they truly believe themselves to be Freedom Fighters. They really believe they are on the front lines of battle waging war against those trying to destroy our country. Equally important is their belief that they are victims of a steel-fisted majority Party. They are treated unfairly in large part because they are Freedom Fighters forced to live in a world where they are not in charge. This is known as being a Perpetual Victim.

Watching the saga unfold around David McKalip as he gallantly leads his charge against the government takeover of health care (public option isn't government takeover by the way) for forwarding on a picture of the president dressed as an African witch doctor, it's easy to see from reading his email exchanges that he truly sees himself as both a Freedom Fighter and a victim.

McKalip to some fellow Tea Baggers:

I have had a very hard day. When you stand up and fight effectively for freedom and to protect the rights of patients from control by the government and insurance companies - you develop powerful enemies.

Yes he's a Freedom Fighter. Says so himself.

Tea Bagger to McKalip:

I realize why you have apologized and respect your decision to do so. Yet, I want you to know that you never offended Obama. My guess he has never seen the picture in question and more than likely never will. What has happened is that you, my friend are a victim. You like millions of us across this great country of both parties saw something that was humorous to you and you passed it along to your like minded friends.

Yes he's a victim. A Freedom Fighting Perpetual Victim. What has this country come to when you can't even forward along a picture of the our first black president in his original African witch doctor garb and then judged as not to be taken seriously as you lead your charge against his policies?

Members Already Have Public Health Care

Continuing my little health care debate with Lisa, who for some reason has closed comments on her blog (I'm assuming she's busy with life and doesn't have the time to respond, which is fair enough), there's an item that quickly jumps out at me as smokey:

4) The members of Congress and the President must commit to ditching their own private health care plan they receive through the federal government. If they expect us to buy into the idea of the public option, they must be willing to switch to the same plan for themselves and for their families.

I've read the same argument by Republicans a number of times. Sure if the "public option" is going to be so great then why not Members of Congress be forced to use it, right? THEY ALREADY DO. They already have public insurance. Members of Congress already enjoy the finest tax payer funded health care program in the world. It is truly a socialist system. Instead of arguing that Members should be forced into a system they already belong, why not tie their very own health care system to the passage of a health care reform bill that includes the "public option" for other people as well? Portraying the argument that Members of Congress don't want the "public option" for them is totally disingenuous. They already have it. It's paid for by me and you. If it's good enough for them why not us?

Always a Special Walk

While Fox News and the right wing debate President Obama being a militant black man or simply just an undocumented illegal who is unpopular and a socialist Nazi, I'm going to continue documenting the Republican Walk With God.

Yesterday Tennessee State Senator Paul Stanely admitted to having sex with a 22 year old intern. Again, I will highlight, I don't care who's doing what. The problem arises when Holier Than Thou Republicans demand everyone else live a certain way while they pretend to be on a special walk with God. As TPM Muckraker makes note, check out his website. It's nothing but a tribute to God, church and family. There's nothing Godly or family oriented about Stanely, however. It's a clear case of a Walk With God.

They Aren't Military

I reprint this coming from a family of police officers. Their work is definitely hard and not for everyone. And they certainly don't deal with people who have everything going right in their lives, but their work isn't so much that it trumps everything else going on. There are a lot of lousy cops out there. The vast majority of them, however, are upstanding people who want nothing in return and do their job very well. There's also a lot of lousy politicians, bloggers and preachers. At the end of the day it all equals out. So I too think JS hits police power versus necessity right on the head.

Police work is not that dangerous compared to, say, driving a cab. Firefighters have a far more physically dangerous job. However, cops have a heroic job: much harder in so many ways than firefighting. Firefighters are almost never in a morally ambiguous zone and almost always are in the business of making people feel good. Cops handle humans at their worst.

This distinction matters. When cops stress the (low) physical danger of their job, they're setting themselves up to be military. That's no good for the country. Large cities probably need a SWAT team, but that is not the model for most police work. Collateral damage is simply not acceptable for police. It also leads to police cowardice. A lot of civilian damage is justified by the military concept: "force protection." Highly-armed and highly-trained cops use a lot more violence against citizens than a court would deem acceptable if one citizen used it against another.

Cops do not stress the (high) psychological danger of their job, because that makes them social workers with guns, able to handle difficult people with aplomb and an absolute minimum of violence, either threatened or applied. And that's what they should be.

So don't play into fascist stereotypes of manly danger. Police work is hard, dirty, and noble. But it is not particularly dangerous. And it shouldn't be viewed that way.

Stupidly It Was

I have no idea why anyone would complain about being a black man in America when our black president gets treated like this.

*Update:

Led by convicted drug dealer Rush Limbaugh, the Republican Party is now claiming white people are under assault by a black president. Not only is Obama a socialist Nazi but he's also a black militant. Yes it's so hard being a white person in America. Republicans are indeed perpetual victims. Everything they say and do requires them being victimized in some form or fashion.

Deep Thought

I wonder what would happen to a sitting Democratic Member of Congress had he called President Bush a socialist Nazi and compared him to world dictators while also stating that we need to "break him," to ensure the survival of freedom?

GOP To Stick With No Alternative Health Care Bill

Imagine that. The Republican Party says it won't submit an alternative to Democratic health care reform. They would rather call the president a Nazi socialist illegal alien than actually do their job.

Roy Blunt (R-MO):

“Our bill is never going to get to the floor, so why confuse the focus? We clearly have principles; we could have language, but why start diverting attention from this really bad piece of work they’ve got to whatever we’re offering right now?”

That's because you don't have a bill Mr. Blunt. What you have is a cult full of conspiracy theories and a paranoia that crusty old white men are being victimized.

(h/t GS)

*Update:

Greg Sargent is reporting Blunt has clarified his statement. Now says GOP might offer alternative bill. Says they are waiting to see how Democrats will proceed first. Also refers to GOP's four-page bullet point outline as their "plan." Of course a bullet point outline that doesn't contain one single cost projection is neither a "plan" nor a bill. They would rather stick with their conspiracy theories apparently.

Highlights

Just some highlights from what I missed yesterday.

Barack Obush Update

President Obama sort of changes his tune and releases a list of health care industry executives that have visited the White House. Earlier yesterday the White House mimicked the Bush administration and claimed them as secret. In all fairness, the Obama administration did not release the visitor logs but a separate list. It's really not the same thing as the actual logs. But it is a step better than we ever got from the Bushies.

It's Really Over

I don't have a problem with people disagreeing. In fact, I firmly believe there should be a healthy opposition party in this country. Doing so requires actual ideas and the coherent formulation of debates on issues. This crap like Republican Senator Jim DeMint is doing must stop. Saying "we have to stop his [Obama's] politics" is fine. I'm okay with that. That's what opposition parties do. But saying the President of the United States is a socialist and that the health care debate is a "real showdown between socialism and freedom," or that the current administration is a Nazi regime while comparing our president to former and current dictators is beyond ridiculous.

Moreover, DeMint's behavior has nothing to do at all with opposition politics. It's a derangement with the fact his party is no longer in power. Calling the president a socialist or a Nazi is not an alternative plan to stop his policies. A numberless budget is not an alternative to the president's. A four page bullet point health care outline is not an alternative plan. Quit with the Freedom Fighting talk and formulate an actual alternative plan and move this country forward. Or just give up cause what you're doing now is not politics nor sane.

Really what the Republican Party is now doing isn't even legitimate opposition. They're going around saying the president is not a citizen, has a fake birth certificate and is a socialist Nazi that wants to destroy America. That's not an opposition party. That's a cult.

Barack Obush

Back in December I did a post on some of the inherited powers Barack Obama could and would assume once being sworn in. These were just simple items of vested power given to him by George Bush.

One I neglected to add to the list is the power to decline access to White House visitor log books. George Bush claimed such documents were "presidential records" and secret. This was to avoid turning over proof of numerous visits by Jack Abramoff. Yesterday Barack Obush did it to deny access to records documenting visits by health care executives. You can hate the game but don't hate the player.

Rubber Meets the Road

The Super Tough Macho Republicans, as we know, are totally against President Obama's stimulus spending he signed into law a little over 5 months ago. They've called it everything from failure, to socialism to fascism and the always on the tip of their tongues "fiscally irresponsible." For a while a few Republican governors were grandstanding that they were not going to accept the funding. Super Moral Crusaders like Mark Sanford, Bobby Jindal and Sarah Palin to name a few played it out as long as they could but eventually caved.

So what do Republicans do when that stimulus money actually hits their constituents and starts having some positive effects? They grandstand around their districts and pretend that it's all because of them.

• Republican Governor Bobby Jindal traveled to Anacoco, Louisiana to present a jumbo-sized check to residents of Vernon Parish. He even had his very own name printed on the check to give off the appearance the money was coming from him. Way to go you Warrior Tough Guy!

• Though Republican Congressman Mike Pence didn't personally take credit for the stimulus funds in his state (at least not yet he hasn't) the Evansville Courier reports more than 2,400 people are now at work on stimulus construction projects all across Indiana with hopes of more on the way. Pence is known for his publicly harsh criticisms of the stimulus.
  

In a response to Greg Sargent at The Plum Line, Pence's office chose to focus on his new found avocation of "fiscal responsibility in Washington" instead of addressing the stimulus directly. This from a guy who voted lockstep with George W. Bush. Somehow fiscal responsibility doesn't come to mind when actually looking at Pence's record.

Maybe it's just me but wouldn't someone who truly opposed these funds not go around handing out giant sized checks and smiling on teevee?

Props Where Due

One of the best comments ever on my blog.

"And you're telling me to grow up? You have testicles, 'tea bagging,' 'Faux News,' Teletubbies and a photo of Bush eating a cat on your blog. Very adult."

Love it!

Second Gayest Thing I Ever Saw

Republicans unveil their second attempt at appealing to younger voters.

Ta Da....



Please keep making more of these, please! Yes, really, we're laughing at you.

Keeping Tabs With the Fiscal Conservatives (2 Updates)

Back in '05-'06 I predicted just as soon as the Republicans were out of power they would return to their fiscal conservatism and small government selves again. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that Republicans were merely publicity whores in regards to their so-called "core principles." They could talk it all day but did nothing even vaguely familiar to such when they were in power.

The health care debate is Exhibit A of their hypocrisy.

The very people who voted for every single one of George Bush's budgets, who also thought it would be perfectly fine, if not sane, to wage two ongoing endless wars without the funds to pay for it, who couldn't vote quick enough for Bush's Medicare/Part D and who slashed $1 trillion of revenue from the federal budget, are now all of sudden worried about fiscal matters They truly are a sick lot.

The point of the matter is this: included in the Democratic bill to reform health care is a means to pay for it. It's right there in English for all the world to see. Not one single item ever of George Bush's ever included the means of funding to cover its cost. Not the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, not Medicare/Part D, nothing about where the lost revenue would be made up from Bush's tax cuts, none of it ever contained language outlining how we would pay. But now that they aren't in power anymore, Republicans want everyone to believe once again that they truly care about fiscal responsibility. If they really want to know how it's going to be paid for, read the bill. Or better yet, just shut up.

*Update:

Astonishingly Fox News too has found a new concern for fiscal matters in Washington. Running all kinds of stories today on deficits and lawmakers who now also care about fiscal responsibility but the best is this one about Blue Dog Democrats.

The Blue Dogs are moderate to conservative Democrats who represent historically Republican turf. They advocate low taxes and restraint in government spending, and the Blue Dog Coalition is particularly spooked about the trillion dollar price tag of the president's health care proposal and a ballooning of the federal deficit by $236 billion. They dislike tax increases which would soak the rich and feel that Democratic leaders are racing to okay a bill by the August recess.

But they all voted for the Bush agenda that created 8 solid years of budget deficits, reckless spending and tax cuts for the wealthy that doubled the national debt. That doesn't sound like supporting a "restraint in government spending" or being "spooked" by price tags and deficits does it? How can Fox News or anyone possibly claim Blue Dog Democrats are fiscally responsible/conservative or even care about deficits? Yes, Democrats are to blame as well. Yet in the Republican Fantasy World these Democrats get a pass from the last 8 years of total fiscal irresponsibility.

Let's get this straight. Vote in unison with George Bush, double the national debt, run 8 consecutive budget deficits, turn the largest surplus in history into the largest deficit in history and you get labeled as being a fiscal conservative the believes in "restraint on government spending" with concerns about deficits. Make any sense?

**Update:

In another sign of the return of fiscal conservatism Kent at Right From Left, is worried too about federal spending. What's got him so concerned is the national debt. Going through his archives I can't find a single time or even a smidgen of a sentence expressing the least bit of concern for when George Bush more than doubled the national debt. It's almost as if he never cared once about fiscal matters then. Even in this post he calls the Bush administration merely "wasteful." I'd have to say 8 solid years of budget deficits, more than doubling the national debt and turning the largest surplus in history into the largest deficit in history is slightly more than "wasteful." But hey it's good to see Kent has once again returned to his "true core principles."

Oh, I almost forgot. Kent already stated that he's not a fiscal conservative. That would indeed mean his new found concern for fiscal matters is entirely au courant.

Send Them Here

Gotta see this. This is the mayor of my town going live on Fox Chicago explaining why he's all for sending Gitmo detainees to the federal pen in our town. The federal penitentiary located here was the #1 super max facility in the country until about 3 years ago when they opened the one Colorado. When asked if he's concerned about the prisoners staying in the area if they are released Butler states:

“I cannot imagine that they would care to stay here. We don’t have any camels and there isn’t any sand. So, I’m sure that if they were released they wouldn’t be coming here to this community. They’d be going some place else.”

The lady's face is priceless.



He's been mayor since 1964. One of the longest serving mayors in the nation. And he's absolutely right. I work with the former warden from when it was a super max and he said the Marion facility could handle Gitmo detainees with no problems.

Ideas Are Dangerous

For a while now I've wondered why Republicans have to stoop to the level of calling whoever might have different ideas than them un-American or a socialist or out to destroy our country. Calling someone a socialist is the same thing as calling someone un-American. There's no difference in the implied meaning of making someone an enemy rather than just someone with a different point of view. During the 2008 campaign it wasn't that Obama was the opposition candidate to the incumbent Party, rather he was a socialist, terrorist supporting Muslim with ulterior motives that must be stopped and even killed.

Then today it finally dawned on me it's because Republicans really have no care about policy. Policy to them is something "liberals" do. Republicans are Revolutionaries! that defend America from policy. The only policy they care about is one that wages endless war. If it's not invading other countries, then Republicans have to turn their attention to attacking whoever is proposing something other than endless war.

I don't think I need anymore proof of such careless attention to policy than the GOP's numberless budget they submitted as an actual alternative to President Obama's or the opposition health care plan that is a total of 4 pages long and has not one single cost projection. These are their plans for America. We're supposed to just trust them and not question them.

If I must come up with more proof, take Chairman Keyes Steele for instance. He says he doesn't do policy. But calling the President of the United States a socialist is something he has no qualms about.

Sanford Keeps Walk With God at Forefront

If everything in my past was a total fake and my most recent and all to fittingly hidden actions resulted in lifting the veil revealing that I never once embarked on a path to follow God's Word or ever followed the principles of small government and fiscal conservatism, the last thing I would want to do is keep up the same charade to once again prove that I'm now a changed man.

Disgraced Governor of South Carolina Mark Sanford just can't seem to fully acknowledge God had nothing to do with him cheating on his wife and defrauding the people he publicly swore before God and persons to faithfully execute the office of governor. Leave behind your self-righteous Holy talk and just admit it was all a front so you could have multiple affairs on your wife and defraud tax payers all the while portraying yourself as a Holy God Walking small government fiscal conservative. Just admit it.

But he can't. Instead he writes an op-ed for The State where he mentions God 4 different times, gives Bible quotes and says this incident has made him a stronger person and hopefully a better leader. My question is leader of what?

Rewriting History To Fit Their Fantasy World

Because we are all somehow forced to abide by the Republican Fantasy World, it's worth mentioning one more time that it was George Bush and the Republicans who created the largest deficit ever, the very one we are dealing with today. It takes a special kind of stupidity to proclaim that it was Barack Obama who is responsible for the fiscal chaos that governed the last 8 years.

MICHAEL STEELE: They love going back to George Bush and his deficit that was inherited. Great. I’ll take George Bush’s deficit right now of a trillion dollars over the 10 trillion dollars that this administration has created in just six months.

Like I said, it's really a special kind of stupidity that rules the Republican Fantasy World. It's not that Alan Keyes Michael Steele is confused, he really believes what he says. He really believes all George Bush and the Republicans did was create a $1 trillion deficit, actually "inherited" it. In reality, he created a $10 trillion deficit, the largest in human history.

It's quite revealing really when you stop and think about it. Keyes Steele goes on Fox News unabated and gets to spout some of the biggest lies ever told allowing the rest of the Fox News Republican lineup to send it on down the line as pure fact. Anyone who questions them is only showing anger and hatred. There's no more perfect example of just how immoral and disgusting the GOP is.

Cronkite

Walter Cronkite dead at 92. Only heard stories about the guy. Way too young to have seen him in action. I did get to speak to him on the phone one time. I was working in Sen. Simon's office and Cronkite called to tell Paul that he would not be able to read one of his manuscripts. Quite an honor actually. Something I'll never forget.

Health Care Updates

Democratic health care bill passes out of committee with three Dems siding with Republicans in almost party-line vote.

Meanwhile in the Senate, 6 centrist Dems and Repubs call for a slowdown on health care reform.

Still no word yet as to why it's okay for Republican Members of Congress to have a tax payer funded health care system but no one else. Tying this bill to their health care plan would really demonstrate the GOP's love of tax payer money. There's really no reason to allow them to travel all over the country and appear on numerous television stations proclaiming their fake conservative principles of small government. It's really getting ridiculous. There's no single group of people who enjoy socialized medicine more than Republicans.

AMA Endorses Dem Health Care Plan

American Medical Association has endorsed Democratic health reform including the "public option." Rather remarkable turn of events. I would say this is icing on the cake.

*Update:

Just to be fair, in case anyone is wondering what the GOP has proposed as an alternative to the Democratic plan, you can read their full 4 page report here. It's mostly bullet points without any analysis and contains not one single cost projection so it's a quick read. It does, however, contain one or two more numbers than their numberless budget from back in March.

Nobody Asked

This week we've been treated to some real dandies from the very Serious and Mainstream Republican Party. First there was hipster doofus Sarah Palin writing in an op-ed for the very liberal and unserious WaPo that President Obama's cap and trade bill would destroy our country. Never mind the fact that Palin supported capping carbon emissions while running for vice president. That was a very long time ago (6 months) and we can't possibly hold her accountable for something that happened in ancient history.

Today we have genius boy Karl Rove telling us that President Obama has failed and he is lowering expectations to deceive the public about his economic policies. Having served as senior political advisor to President Bush, Rove knows a thing or two about failed presidencies and moving goalposts to lower expectations. We are still fighting a war in Iraq more than 6 years after being told by the Bush administration that it would be over in a matter of weeks. Lest we forget it was the Bush administration that created the financial disaster President Obama inherited-- largely caused by the GOP's thirst for endless war and disastrous budgets. Again, ancient history so my bad.

You can't fix 8 years of Republican George Bush rule in 6 months. It's not possible. But giving the people responsible for the last 8 years a voice to criticize our current president is so important to the media now that they can't figure out whose voice to print first. Imagine if criticism of Bush and Republicans was allowed during the run up to the invasion of Iraq or even in the half-decade since how much better shape our country would be in.

We're All Progressives Now

When you're a Republican you never lose. It's just that simple. In 2006, after losing control of the entire Congress, Republicans claimed the Democratic Blue Wave was actually a victory for conservatism.

After losing winning the 2008 presidential elections, Republicans tripped over themselves to claim yet another victory for their "movement." Here, here, here, and here just to keep the conversation moving. Losing control of the entire government in two years time meant the GOP was as popular as ever and their "movement" was spreading like wildfire.

Today we have right wing thinker and scholar Bill Kristol stating "conservatives" should really call themselves "progressives" since they are actually more forward looking. There you have it. Conservatism is the new progressivism. Any questions?

Senator Franken

This is definitely something I would do if I were a senator. Maybe that's why I like having him in the senate.

More Sanford-Media Emails Released

The State gets its fingers on more emails....

It's one thing for someone like Eric Erickson of redstate.com to offer to expunge the Sanford story and affair but quite another for say someone from ABC News to do it. Erickson would be the first to tell you that he's Republican and his main goal is to advance their agenda and principles. I don't think he's ever made a distinction otherwise. He has a personal stake in seeing the Sanford ordeal just disappear. Not ABC or any other media outlet. It's quite telling just how far mainstream media went in not reporting Sanford and his various scandals.

More striking about all this is that if the MSM and right wing sites like Erickson's were successful at hiding the story, Republicans would still be calling Sanford an important conservative voice for their agenda. It wasn't until after Sanford knew the jig was up did he admit that he was anything but a moral values, fiscal conservative, God-fearing Republican. Just worth keeping in mind.

Scoring Affordable Health Bill

Reading through some of the highlights on the House's version of health care reform, I must say that I am somewhat pleased with something from the Halls of Congress for the first time in a long time. It's not a perfect bill but it does hit all the main reform points that I think are necessary for any true reform.

• A "public option" for those who don't have health insurance.
• Guaranteed solid benefits for everybody, with caps on out-of-pocket spending.
• Regulation of insurers, including requirements that insurers provide insurance to people with pre-existing conditions without higher rates.
• A mandate that everyone assume some responsibility of payment.

I'm still hesitant on some of the proposals like payment reform and how a surcharge on the wealthiest will pay for the plan. I'd score the overall bill with B (slightly above average).

-- CBO already scored the bill and projects it will cost $1.04 trillion over 10 years and cover 97% of Americans. Keep in mind that's cheaper than what the war in Iraq has already cost in 6 years.

-- The House plans to move forward tomorrow with markups and amendments scheduled for Thursday.

Really the only thing I would like to see added in the amendment process is one that ties Republican Members of Congress' health care coverage to the passage of this one. We'll see then how much they are really against government-funded health care.

Health Care: It's Time

On the day the House presented its version of health care reform with a "public option" I see Lisa at Organized Chaos has somewhat responded to our quaint discussion from a few days ago about this very issue.

On competition in health care:

I don’t oppose competition. I oppose a competition in which the deck is stacked in favor of the government’s entry. I also dispute the notion that the post office is a brilliant example of how government competition could improve the service or quality of health care. UPS and FedEx pushed the USPS to improve its services, not the other way around. And BTW, the USPS is still inferior to both.

I’m still confused as to how people who label themselves as supporting capitalism/competition could be against increased competition for health insurance providers because government would be involved.

The only way the deck would be stacked in favor of the government is if private providers can’t compete, and if they can’t compete capitalism tells us they will fall. Nor did I say the postal service was a brilliant example of how government competition could improve health care. I said the postal service was an excellent example of a government service not shutting down private business. If UPS and FedEx pushed the USPS to improve, isn’t that still competition? If private industry forces the government to do better than I’m all for it. And likewise, if public industry forces private industry to shape up then it’s still a good thing. It’s called competition.

All this goes without mentioning that people will not have to leave their current providers. Myself, for instance, will stay with my current provider and so will millions of others. The only way people will switch providers is if the government is able to offer better services for less money. Those who don’t have insurance coverage through their employers will have the option of being covered by the “public option,” which is great news for the + 40 million people who don’t currently have health coverage. Republicans in Congress currently enjoy this very system of health coverage. If they are so against it, they should pen a bill that would strip them of their socialist medicine as well. They won't do that as we all know, so they really should be forced to explain how they can support public coverage for them but no one else.

15 Minutes Are Up

Who in their right mind would print anything Sarah Palin has to say? Oh wait, the very liberal media known as the Washington Post gladly does.

The only topic Palin can actually claim expertise on is transfer credit at American universities. Unless she's writing an op-ed on how to transfer to six different colleges and still manage to graduate from one, there's really no reason to ever print anything she says, certainly not something about climate and economic policy.

*Update:

As dumb and void as ever. Think Progress discovers Sarah Palin supported capping carbon emissions while running for vice president. Keep in mind, though, that anything prior to Jan. 2009 is ancient history and it's never to be brought up again. If you do, you're only demonstrating anger and hatred for America.

Doesn't this qualify as being for it before she was against it?

Just Like Yesterday

Liz Cheney, daughter (not the gay one) of Super Tough Guy Dick Cheney, says those who oppose her father's administration-- ultimately those who oppose Republican Rule-- are "angry" and "un-American."



Actually, what would be un-American is to insist that a presidential administration can't be held to the Constitution, which is exactly what the Bushies have said since 2001. The world is so relieved these people aren't in power anymore.

God Help Us All

John McCain, the de facto figurehead leader of the Republican Party, says Sarah Palin's resignation doesn't mean she quit.

“I don’t think she quit. I don’t know there was a quote, promise.”

How in the world is being elected as governor not a promise to the voters? And since when is resigning your post when you're halfway finished with a job not quitting? Only in the Republican Fantasy World can any of this be true. In their world, a world where George Bush was popular and Iraq had something to do with 9/11, quitters are fighters and actual quitting is only when you cross your heart and stick a needle in your eye.

Different Standards Still Apply

With Friday's revelation that former veep Dick Cheney gave very direct orders to the CIA to conceal from Congress a massive government surveillance program, it again highlights the total hypocrisy from Republicans concerning federal power when they are in office. Below I wrote about presidential appointment of "czars" and Republicans crying like little babies when Obama does it. Today we have Republicans shrugging shoulders at this newest revelation of very extreme power grabs by the Bush administration.

Here's Senator Kyl (R-AZ) saying that if it's a top secret program then it's okay to hide it from Congress. I couldn't imagine if it was Barack Obama hiding top secret spying programs from Congress what Sen. Kyl would be saying. Obama publicly and openly appoints people to run certain policy directives and Repubs claim he's trying to avoid Congressional oversight and using it as a power grab. But the Bushies can intentionally hide from Congress a massive spying program and Repubs shrug their shoulders.

It's the same no matter the subject. When Democrats commit acts of immorality it proves they are unfit and should be removed from office. When Republicans do the exact same thing they merely pray to God and give Bible quotes as to why they don't have to resign. When Bush appoints more "czars" then any president in history, it's perfectly normal. When Obama does it, it's proof he's a socialist dictator. When Republicans are in power there isn't anything they can do that should be criticized.

It's all so redundantly stupid but the real point in all of this is that Congress has oversight of the CIA. Even if it's a "top secret" program, Congress has OVERSIGHT. It doesn't matter what Sen. Kyl may think, the president or vice president cannot order it concealed from Congress. That's the whole point.

Deep Thought

It's not surprising, in a Sadistically Republican sort of way, to see Fox News, Mike Huckabee, Karl Rove and other Republicans complain about President Obama appointing people to head up new policy directions or better known as "czars" in today's 24/7 news media world. After all, no one appointed more czars than President Bush. Yet none of that matters to Republicans now. All that matters is when Obama does it, it's a power grab designed to expand federal power and avoid oversight. George Bush doing it means nothing and anyone that brings up the ancient history of the Bush presidency is only demonstrating anger and hatred. Wheeeee!

Quickies

It's going to be a busy weekend around here and I might not have time to post very much. I wanted to get out a couple items real quick while they were still fresh on my mind. First, we've begun our Republican Walk With God page. It can be viewed here. This page will help track the many Holy walks with God Republicans enjoy. Walks such as the one Christian Conservative and Republican U.S. Senator John Ensign is currently taking. Or the stroll Holy Man Mark Sanford in South Carolina is taking are just some of the many blessed walks that will be highlighted.

Secondly, if you haven't heard yet about the C-Street group, or The Family as they like to be called, and how this "Christian" group handled the whole Ensign saga, you really should give it a read.

Alright I'm off.

Write Your Medicare Check to Me Then

One of the dumbest arguments from Republicans about President Obama's health care reform is that a "public option" would force private insurers out of business. Absurd as it sounds it's actually their argument. What it would do is force private companies to compete with a public plan. The only way they would close down is if they can't compete, which is the very basis of capitalism. So the big, bad, super-capitalist Republicans are actually arguing that competition (nee: capitalism) will actually shut down private enterprise. It makes no sense. You can't actually call yourself a capitalist and say such things.

On top of that, here we have Congressman Roy Blunt (R-MO) saying that government should have never gotten into the health care business. Amazing really. Roy Blunt is a federal employee who's health care for him and his family is completely paid by tax payer money. His very own health care plan is the government getting into the health care business. If you pay attention to what he's saying, it's that government shouldn't have started medicare and medicaid. Well, then, it's perfectly acceptable for government to have started his health care plan but not a plan that covers other people That's the whole point to every Republican/conservative plan. They aren't against government funded anything. They're against anything that might provide anything they have to other people.

Obama: Recovery Still A Ways Off

I think that might be an understatement from President Obama. Recovery seems to be almost out of sight from where I'm looking. Though job losses have slowed, they are still in unacceptable territory. And the Dow is stagnant. Real growth is still far away. What is truly lagging, though, is stimulus spending. ProPublica reports stimulus spending is almost impossible to track. Recovery.gov, the site responsible for publicly tracking the money and the results, is out of date and worthless thus far.

WaPo graphs stimulus spending to be very slow also.

It's fair to state the American people have given the president breathing room when it comes to the economy. Slowly and surely this economy will become Obama's. The question is how long will that take. My estimation is about another 6 months and we'll see drastic swings in polling showing people are giving ownership to the Obama administration.

I think economic recovery will be a large factor in next year's mid-term elections and there's no doubt election results will be determined by economic results. Infrastructure projects are some of the most important and some of the most visible. These should be a priority for stimulus spending. Secondly, I really want my dang broadband initiative to take hold. There's no reason internet access can't be a utility just like running water and sewer.

Repub Walk With God Is Solid As Ever

Walking With God can be a difficult task. Sometimes the little stroll can get bumpy. For instance, your friend and co-worker, who also Walks With God, wants to end his affair with his buddy's wife but he knows doing it will prompt his mistress to go public. So what do you do? Exactly what any good Republican U.S. Senator would do, you urge him to pay his girly friend millions to shut her up. Then you tell the press that you aren't going to discuss it because in the course of your Walk With God, you merely acted in good faith as a medical doctor and a Deacon. So your friend has his parents pay off his romp sessions. All very clever and Godly if you ask me.

Deep Thought

Until Republicans are accused of murder and investigated three separate times and found to have nothing to do with said allegations, and are accused of embezzling money from a land deal and investigated three separate times one of which was an independent counsel setup by the opposition party and given an unlimited budget and unprecedented subpoena powers, of which the entirety of every investigation including the one setup by Congress found them to have no wrongdoing whatsoever, they really should shut up and quit whining about petty investigations and being Perpetual Victims. They have no idea what it's like to be victims of wingnut conspiracy witch hunts.

Republican Values: Pay Off Your Mistress

The moral values of the Republican Party is such a daunting display of Christian moral solemnness that it makes me realize exactly what the 'gotcha media' really is. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) purportedly urged Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) to pay off a mistress with millions of dollars with whom he admitted having an affair. And to think they Walk With God.

Surely Reality Will Set In?

A must see case of complete Republican conservative self-destruction when it comes to all things politics. SBJ sure does try, but it all would just go away if he would come to terms with the reality of the last 8 years of Republican rule. Their denial is so dejected it almost makes you want to feel sorry for them.

But They Walk With God

The Republican Walk With God just keeps getting closer and closer. George Bush told us that God was on our side in our fight against the evildoers. We're constantly reminded by folks on Redstate.com just how holy Republicans are and how the heathen Democrats are out to destroy our country. We've seen people like James Dobson, Ted Haggard, John Hagee and Pat Robertson to name a few, remind us over and over again that their Walk With God is much holier than anyone else in the world.

Now today we see a Republican Arizona state senator tell us that we should mine for uranium in her home state because the Earth is 6,000 years old and it's been safe thus far. In the Republican Fantasy World it's a sin to admit the Earth is more than 6,000 years old because it would not coincide with the Bible. The funny thing is uranium takes billions of years to create. And it's one of the things scientists use to prove just how old the Earth really is. Don't question their reality, it will only prove how unholy you are.

(h/t Think Progress)

Jeb Bush Informs Us All How Stupid He is

The former Governor of Florida and brother to President George W. Bush and son to President George H. W. Bush tells us what he really thinks:

Barack Obama would not have gotten elected if he'd let us in on his secret plan prior to the election. He would not have gotten elected if he'd said, "My idea is to create a $1.8 trillion deficit for the next fiscal year. My idea is to spend $750 billion [the president's budget estimate puts this figure at $630 billion] over the next ten years on a government-sponsored, government-subsidized health care policy. My idea is to create a massive cap-and-trade system [based on the idea] that CO2 is [a] pollutant and we need to tax it in a massive way to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions."

Jeb also went on to call Obama a "collectivist."

It's all one big conspiracy for Republicans. It's like watching an episode of the X Files. Not only are they Perpetual Victims being ostracized by Democrats but they are also Freedom Fighting Warriros alerting us to Barack Obama's secret plans that he hid to get elected. Big bad Jeb forgets that his very own brother created the $1.8 trillion deficit not Barack Obama. President Obama merely inherited it. And it was his brother that spent more money than any president in history. It was also his brother that "collected" more private industry than any president in history. If Jeb is worried about a "collectivist" president then I'm sure he didn't vote twice for his brother It really should be illegal to be this stupid.

It's All Coming Back to Me Now

It's nice to see Al Franken being seated as a U.S. Senator. Many will recall that I used to work for Sen. Paul Simon, whom then comedian Al Franken portrayed in SNL skits most notably spoofs on the Clarence Thomas hearings. Paul would have loved to seen this day and I'm sure he would have referenced his dear friend the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, the very seat Franken now holds. It's weird how everything ties in together. It was also Sen. Simon who first introduced me to then state senator Barack Obama in 2002, where I would later go work. You were a good man Paul. God you were a good man.

True Republican Values on Display

Republicans are so serious and believe so heavily in moral values and "traditional conservative principles" that when one of their own violates every moral standard they so insist everyone must live up to, what do they do? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The South Carolina Republican Party voted overwhelmingly to look the other way at Gov. Mark Sanford and his many transgressions. Proof positive Republicans really could care less about moral values or any of their constant stump speeches, unless of course it's a Democrat then that person is unholy and anti-American. There is no reason to ever trust anything they say.

Boners for Values

As deeply ridiculous as Sarah Palin is, it's worth bringing to attention the advancement of her totally fictitious claim that her goal is to look ahead and advance this country along the traditional conservative values of "less government intervention, greater energy independence, stronger national security, and much-needed fiscal restraint."

Her goal may be to do just that, but her assumption that less government intervention, greater energy independence, stronger national security and much needed fiscal restraint has anything to do with traditional conservative values is retarded. We just had in this country 8 years of conservative Republican rule and no where can we find the slightest hint of less government intervention, greater energy independence, stronger national security or any sign of fiscal restraint whatsoever. Any such "values" are totally absent from Republican history. But let's get to what really gives Republicans boners.

In 20 years of solid Republican rule (8 years of Reagan, and 12 years of Bushies) no where is there any track record of any such self-proclaimed "values." Reagan never once shrunk government, led us to greater energy independence, created stronger national security (at least no more so than any other president) and absolutely demonstrated no such ability for fiscal restraint. He did nothing of the sorts of things Republicans claim they "value." In fact, there is no where in their history that suggests they have ever "valued" any of it. It's one big lie. All they want to do is sit back, wear Reagan shirts and have circle jerk Tea Bagger parties.

Any sane person would think that we could find, in the very least, an ounce of their "values" in 20 years of rule. If not, you eventually have to start questioning these people's grasp of reality.

Tea Baggers 2.0

I would be totally remiss if I didn't mention the hugely popular Tea Bagger Party over the weekend. Even though Tea Baggers like to tell us that they are protesting government and not necessarily the President of the United States/Democrats, the reality is they are mad they lost the election in 2008 and have consequently dug themselves deeper into the Republican Fantasy World.

Does this person look like they are protesting "government?"

How 'bout this person?

I'm pretty certain comparing our president to bin Laden is a rather precise protest aimed squarely at one person.

I cannot imagine what Fox News and Republicans would be saying if Democrats used the nation's Birth Day for a day of protest against our president. Oh yeah, they said it was the one day we should focus on anything except what we disagree about. For Republicans, though, their own rules don't apply to them because they are Freedom Fighting Revolutionaries just trying to protect America. Anyone else is still an islamofascistterroristliberalcommie.

Quitter

Hummmmmm.....what else can I say about this that already hasn't been said? I'm so late to it not sure there is anything I can add. Wait, yeah I can. Someone who quits in the middle of their job is just perfect to lead the GOP. Good luck Republicans.

If a Democrat quits they are unpatriotic and not fit for office. A Republican does it and they are Super Patriots battling liberals to take back our country. Officially not an official political party anymore. They are now a group of wing nuts led by the person above. Wheeee!

Gone

Looks like I picked a busy few days to get away and neglect the blog. But I'm back baby!

Public Option Price Tag

CBO evaluates cost of public option and estimates it will cost $611.4 billion over 10 years. Estimations are 97% of Americans will be covered by the plan.

Two weeks ago the CBO released a cost estimation for Sen. Kennedy's health bill. Estimated costs were $1 trillion over 10 years and millions still left without coverage. That bill did not include the public option, however. Nevertheless, Republicans pounded on the report saying it killed any such effort to reform health care. Now that the CBO has scored the public option, will Republicans be so quick to stand by CBO or will they continue to use the report that doesn't even include the public option? Last time I brought it up it didn't even garner a response.

Fox News: Dems Really Only Have 50 Votes

After their freakout yesterday over Al Franken's belated victory in MN, Fox News has now concluded the Dems really don't have a super majority and barely have 50 votes.

For all intents and purposes, Democrats don't truly have 60 votes in the Senate.

With the addition of Franken, they technically have 58. Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., caucus with Democrats but don't define themselves that way.

For all intents and purposes, Fox News, the caretakers of the Republican Fantasy World, is lying. Just like with a majority, a super majority is not judged by how many votes a Party has, but how many members caucus with it. Majority power rests on a simple majority (51). A super majority rests with 3/5 of the vote (60). If we go by Fantasy World logic and conclude that senators who do not always vote with their Party are then stricken from their share of seats, accordingly Republicans only have 32 votes considering the 8 moderates in the Party that voted for SCHIP.

Of course it would be a complete falsehood to state such a prose. Republicans obviously have 40 seats and not 32. Now consider that Fox News, a leading media outlet in America, is pushing a story just as false and inaccurate as me saying Repubs only have 32 votes. That's just how Fair and Balanced Fox News is.

GOP's Walk With God (*Update)

This is just to keep everybody on the same page here.

• Last Friday Mark Sanford said that since King David didn't resign when he had an affair that he wouldn't either.
• Then yesterday he said that it was God's will for him to remain Governor of South Carolina.
• He also admitted in the same AP interview that he had inappropriate contact with other women but that he was doing it to "blow off steam." Also one of his love romps was attended by his "spiritual adviser."

Even when they commit acts of immoral disgust, Republicans are still Holy, God-walking people. Not only are they Revolutionaries!, they are also God-like in their conduct. Don't dare point out their hypocrisy because then you are treating them unfairly.

*Update:

Couple other things to get straight here.

In the AP interview Sanford calls his mistress his "soul mate" and that they are truly in love. His exact words are his affair is a "love story." And here we have PA Republican state senator John Eichelberger stating he opposes same-sex marriage rights because it is "wrong" and will lead to "polygamy." That sounds like something Sanford would be all for. Of course gay marriage won't lead to such scare tactics, but according to their argument against granting equal rights, Republicans' very own lifestyles would be widely accepted and legal.

**Update:

They just can't quit. Their walk with God is extraordinary in its composition that they are actually just walking alone. Joe the Plumber says he talked to God and God told him not to run for office.

Asked if he has plans to run for public office, he replied, “I hope not. You know, I talked to God about that and he was like, ‘No.’”

Every step they take is guided by God. Their adulterous affairs are undertaken with careful understanding that God is with them; they even bring their preachers along to join them. They reference the Bible citing proof they don't have to resign from office. They run and don't run for office with God's permission. It's a special walk with God I'm sure everyone would like to have. But the only way to do it is to be Republican.