How Economics Got Sexier Than History

Interesting read today on Ezra Klein's blog about how economists have become more prominent than historians. Most people can pick out Alan Greenspan or even Paul Krugman, or maybe one of those really good expert economists like Sean Hannity or Neil Cavuto. But has anybody ever heard of David Donald or John Y. Simon? Probably not.

Not to get too lost in Klein's post, I happen to think he's wrong. He concludes that economists do the prediction thing and people like that stuff thus making them more popular. Okay maybe he's not wrong, I just disagree. I tend to agree with one of the historians mentioned in his post that says the study of history has moved too much in the direction of studying identity, gender and other social issues. Politics gets left to political science and economics gets left to economists and historians would rather write books about victimizations. That's my stance at least.

I know from first hand experience that someone like me who studied political history was frowned upon by the graduate history department. Unless I studied and wrote about a bottom up history that told the story of how people were oppressed by government, I really didn't stand a chance. Often times political history was called DWM history for dead white male history. It really was a long two and a half years for me. Whatever the case, historians make predictions all the time, maybe more than economists, especially when talking about current events. What historians have quit doing is writing about the positive and relating it to today.

Drilling Issue

I have a reasonably good understanding of energy policy, or the lack thereof. Also I have a similar understanding of congressional/presidential politics after having written a master's thesis on the subject which you can read in chapter 3 of this book right here. Nonetheless, it's not like it takes any real understanding of political theory to figure out what's going on with the president's decision to open the offshore to drilling. It's called positioning.

Knowing it will take years to see the benefit from offshore drilling, yet it still being the quickest method to get more oil into the markets-- though maybe not the most economical-- the president has taken the opposition's trump card of drill baby drill off the table. It could be for a number of reasons too. Maybe for a deal on a climate bill. But probably more for maneuvering for an energy policy. But one thing the president is not doing is he is not doing this to get Republican votes. He hasn't needed Republican votes for anything. Nor is his inner circle naive enough to think Republicans will magically come around this time. That's probably not going to happen.

What has happened is Republicans have their drilling. I for one am glad they do. Now it's time for substance and for planning for the future. Unfortunately, removing one GOP catch phrase from the debate will only result in them coming up with something more galling like 'Obama is going to use the new oil to help sponsor his terrorist pals.' That's the world we live and the mental capacity of the minority party. But this move by the president is a classic case of positioning himself for the upcoming debate.

Drill Barry Drill

One of the quickest ways to relieve costs at the pump and eventually our dependence on terrorist-supporting foreign oil is to drill at home. The president's announcement this morning that he will allow drilling off the coast of Virginia and elsewhere should not come as a surprise. In 2008 he stated he was willing to consider a compromise on the drilling issue. He also stated that drilling doesn't bring an immediate relief, which is very true. It will take years to get the reserves located off the coast of VA to our fueling stations. The alternative very well might be to do nothing and that is something we cannot afford.

Strings will come attached to this deal I can guarantee that. Increased drilling exploration along with a national energy policy that alleviates our addiction to oil energy is paramount. I don't think you can do one without the other; at least I hope we don't do one without the other. Will it garner any Republican support? Very doubtful.

*Update:

Quick email from a friend:

Not sure how to take your drill barry drill post this morning. How can you support more drilling and still call yourself a progressive? Don't you think this only exasperates the problem? We aren't just addicted to foreign oil but oil. This is just another move by a president that seems intent on pleasing Republicans more than the people who elected him. Please tell me there's something Obama can do that you disagree with.

A few points and then I have to get to some meetings.

I've always supported more drilling. Long before Obama came onto the national scene. One of my earliest posts on the subject I link to above. I don't see any other way to get more oil into the market other than increased drilling. Sadly, oil is what we are addicted to. We have done nothing to break our addiction. And let me be clear about this. This is something the Clinton administration failed at. He cut many deals with many oilmen and the auto industry to ensure that the next generation would consume more oil than the last. This is a progressive failure all around. So what do we do?

We open up more drilling and we also enforce a national energy policy that moves us away from oil energy. It will take time. Decades to be exact. But we have to start now. In the meantime, allowing gas prices to go through the roof only slows economic growth, which is something we cannot afford. Get more oil into the markets and prepare ourselves for a future that thrives on alternative energy sources. It's not impossible. Those who would rather see a national collapse based on high gas prices are no different than Republicans who have been cheering for Obama to fail. We either get through this or we don't. But wishing for an economic collapse that would engulf the whole world is an epic disaster never witnessed before. I would much prefer drilling guided by a policy that plans for the future.

Deep Thought

When is Obama gonna come take my guns away?

Tea Bagger Leaders Want To Do Away With Social Security

This has got to put tea baggers in a hard spot. No pun intended. It seems leaders of the tea bagger movement want to abolish a very popular government welfare program that many of its Freedom Fighting members gladly partake in, Social Security.

What will they do?

I've always found it rather odd to gladly take from one government program with one hand and hold up a sign decrying Big Government with the other. It takes walking a fine line to be able to pull it off and appear sane. If any group could pull this off and appear as completely rationale it would be people who are protesting a tax rate that hasn't changed one penny.

I'm not saying people can't be against social programs. I'm just saying people who benefit from social programs really shouldn't be complaining about government doing something to help others that are also in need. Their cause would be much more heeded, say, if their Freedom Fighting members weren't receiving many different forms of government benefits. For instance, if a bunch of millionaires who worked very hard to get where they are were marching in the street crying about expanding government to people less fortunate than them, it would make much more sense. I still wouldn't support them but I could at least understand their movement. But people marching to abolish Social Security on their way home from cashing their disability check is deranged.

Getting To the Source

Zeroing in what is behind the tea bagger confusion of many of today's issues and topics is a reasonable reaction to why the health care debate went the way it did.

I personally believe the media has a responsibility to report issues as factual items and not merely as what one side says about the other. For example, reporting what the GOP or Dems say about Issue A is not objective journalism. Reporting what the two parties may say about Issue A while including the non-spin of party politics is. Democrats bear a large brunt of the blame as well. They too get their talking points out there as fast as anyone. But reporting talking points is not journalism. That is simply making the MSM a carrier pigeon for political parties.

Here's a great example of how political parties control media coverage and subvert national debates simply because the media fails to separate talking points from journalism.

A recent Harris Poll found the following:

67% of Republicans believe President Obama is a socialist.
57% believe he is a Muslim
45% believe he is a domestic enemy
42% believe he is a racist

There's more findings at their website, but these numbers largely answer how we got where we are today.

Where do Republicans get their beliefs that Obama is a socialist? The most watched media outlet in the world routinely has its hosts and guests call him that. Where would Republicans learn to believe such an untrue thing like the president is a Muslim? Well, Fox News is no stranger to repeating such tripe. How is it possible such a large number of Republicans believe the President of the United States is an actual enemy of the country? Those very words are repeated daily by Fox News and other Republican talking heads that get serious airtime on their outlets. The polls findings are directly related to media failing to decipher political talking points from issues causing propaganda to be trusted by huge crowds of people.

There's no doubt Republicans get their news from Fox News. It's also the very place that is shamefully and dishonestly helping to spread lies, fear, anger and hostility toward the American government. But the poll sheds more than just light on Republican news sources. The public as a whole is eerily similar to Republican beliefs, most of which are just not true. This leads to mass confusion like the people mentioned in the posts below who think that their very own government assistance programs are dissimilar to the one they are now opposing and one that would largely benefit them as well.

Walking With God, right into a titty bar

Superior moral values is exactly what comes to mind when I think of the GOP.

Allison Meyers, director of the RNC's "Young Eagles" program, was terminated yesterday after reports that the RNC reimbursed a donor for a nearly $2K expense at the Voyeur nightclub in West Hollywood.

A CA GOP consultant, Erik Brown, was reimbursed for the expense after a Young Eagles event in Beverly Hills. A CA blog reported that an RNC staffer's credit card was declined at the club, so Brown grudgingly put the expense on his own card.

GOP Still Pushing Death Panels

Yeah I have no idea why tea baggers and others are confused about health care reform. Blame the media I suppose, but why not blame the very source the media keeps referencing?

Super Crazy Michelle Bachmann this past weekend:

"That's the death panels. And of course, the Democrats go crazy when you talk about death panels. But when you have a senior citizen who is told, no, you can't have an MRI; no, you can't have a CT scan; no, you're not getting a hip replacement; no, you're not getting the bypass, what is that? What is that, when you're told no?"

*Update:

Just to show you what lies the right wing and Michelle Bachmann are capable of, she also told the crowd that there is no proof that tea baggers spit on or yelled the n-word at Black lawmakers last week. I understand Fox News didn't air the footage but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. You are a crazy loon Michelle.

They Aren't Misled, They're Dumb and the GOP Prefers It This Way

This is my point exactly.

Two different profiles of two very stupid tea baggers.

Via WaPo-- 57-year old tea bagger and former militiaman Mike Vanderboegh of Alabama, incites violence on his blog against Democratic lawmakers for passing health care reform.

Key passage that should have been the headline:

"Vanderboegh said he once worked as a warehouse manager but now lives on government disability checks."

Via The Times-- Diana Reimer 67 from Pennsylvania, a legend in the Republican PAC and tea bagger financier, FreedomWorks, says she's on a mission to stop HCR and that time is not on her side. She quit her job to join the tea baggers, or what she describes as her "calling."

Key passage that should have been the headline:

"She and others who receive government benefits like Medicare and Social Security said they paid into those programs, so they are getting what they deserve."

This is not merely a case of being misinformed. This is strictly a case of being dumb. We just had a solid year of a GOP misinformation campaign against HCR precisely to keep people dumb. It is their only hope. Misinformed would be if these people didn't realize they were receiving government benefits, but clearly they realize it-- they gladly tell the press they are. Dumb is lacking the natural characteristic to realize they make no sense at all.

The GOP did not line up opposition against Democratic reform efforts with a plan of their own. Instead we had a year of "death panels," socialist takeovers, a sudden and fake return to what they call fiscal sanity and the predictable fear of Big Government inefficiency controlling our lives, all brought to us by the Republican Party. The closest thing they had to a plan of their own was a very ineffective amendment introduced by John Boehner while their senate caucus preferred to do nothing at all. Their plan all along was to organize tea bagger protests instead of offering valid alternatives to what they labeled as destroying America as we know it. Their best shot at not only governance but also reclaiming power is to keep people as dumb as possible.

When I say tea baggers don't have a clue as to what they are protesting, I'm being as honest as possible. They really have no clue. Most are on welfare, disability, Social Security, unemployment or some other government social program and are simply mad a Republican is not still in the White House. They are no more against government programs than Republicans are against tripling the national debt. The dumber Republicans can keep them, the better the GOP looks. That's why I would love to see a poll that measures what percent of tea baggers are on some form of government assistance. It has to be close to 20%. What would be so wrong with asking a question that burns to the core of their very movement???

Final Four

Looking back over my bracket, I see that I was destroyed. But I did correctly pick two of the four Final Four teams, Duke and West Virginia. Seeing Kansas and Kentucky go down has to be the highlight of the year so far.

Getting Caught Up

I was away this morning attending various meetings and answering questions on a panel for the Illinois Fair Map Amendment. From what I can tell, it was a slow news weekend only if you consider a right wing Christian tea bagging militia getting busted, the President making a surprise visit to war torn Afghanistan, and a left wing nut job getting arrested for posting a video on YouTube where he threatens to kill Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) as a slow last few days. It's just your every day crazy America.

Quickies- Sweet 16 Edition

• The Fold Blog will be spending the weekend in St. Louis watching the NCAA Sweet 16.
  

• All accounts suggest the bullet found in Rep. Eric Cantor's office was a case of random gunfire. It seems someone shot a gun into the air and it came back to earth on Cantor's office. Slightly different than what Cantor led people to believe yesterday.

• David Frum is out at AEI for what appears to be backlash over calling HCR the GOP's Waterloo. And we wonder why Republicans don't break ranks???
  

• Net Neutrality may be over?

• A new poll on tea baggers is out and it looks interesting. 77% say they are Republican, a majority claim to be women, 88% are white, and they love them some Sarah Palin. I'm still waiting on a poll that breaks down tea bagger employment. My guess is 20% or so are either paid by tax dollars, are on some sort of government assistance such as Medicare, unemployment benefits or disability. I would love to see a poll that gets to the heart of their so-called movement.

Go For It

In Iowa City, Iowa today speaking to a crowd of supporters President Obama told Republicans itching for a repeal of his health care reform to "go for it!" "If they want to have that fight, we can have it!," stated the president.

I think he's more than capable of living up to this taunt. The best approach for Democrats is to encourage Republicans to attempt a repeal. Yesterday I dared them to. Josh Marshall said the threat of repeal is already there, now run with it. It seems the president agrees.

Meanwhile, Republicans are too busy labeling Democratic lawmaker's districts with rifle cross hairs and telling tea baggers to "reload" to worry about what they'll do after they launch their revolution and take away access to health care for 32 million people.

*Update:

Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) says the president's comment telling the GOP to "go for it" was inappropriate. I suppose it's perfectly acceptable to call the president a socialist tyrant and place rifle scopes over a map of Democratic congressional districts, but don't dare talk back to the big bad macho GOP. What a bunch of cry babies.

The Rise of Public Opinion

I'm glad to see the importance of public opinion has returned to mainstream media and the American government. I thought the majority party governed at its will despite polling. Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't we have a Constitutional republic not a parliamentarian democracy.

I almost long for the days when the executive administration via national elections had the final say when it came to public opinion. Like when George Bush in 2005 responding to a question about why nobody in his administration had been held accountable for the lies that led to the Iraq War: "We had an accountability moment, and that’s called the 2004 elections."

Or when Dick Cheney blatantly told ABC News that public opinion did not matter when the president deems the policy necessary.

I sure miss those days. I guess things really have changed.

[Editor's note: Now remember, we are not to bring any of the past up because if we do, we only demonstrate our feckless ability to move on. We're just supposed to forget any of it ever happened and start now with recording history for future events and track records. Wheeee!]

Josh Marshall Rant

I've been a loyal reader of Talking Points Memo since '04-'05. Josh is one of the main reasons I started blogging. His posts are succinct and about as on-target as anything on the net. Occasionally Marshall will evade his sensible skills and paint a picture as clearly and emphatically as possible. This is one of those cherished times:

Make the arguments on substance. Not about how the bill filing wasn't filled out with a No. 2 pencil or whatever other nonsense. They may not realize this: but the Republicans can't run on how bad Reform is going to be for the Dems politically. That's very meta, to put it mildly. You can't be so transparently cynical with your riffs that they don't even make sense on their own terms. They need to run on repeal. So, enough. The terms of the 2010 election are set. Stop puffing and threatening, shut up and bring it on.

That is about as harsh and snark as Marshall will get. He has no use for the sloppy blog posts you will see here and on about 99% of the internet. Eventually, there comes a time when you just have to say "own it." I've been well past that time. I'm glad to see Josh is too.

Marshall also hits on something I was saying yesterday. Are Republicans really going to run on repealing health care to children? Are they really going to make the midterm elections about repealing a federal law that prevents insurance companies from dropping you because you got sick? Marshall says we're past that. They aren't hinting at it, they've already said numerous times that's what they will do. So let's do this. Quit with your self righteous threats of killing babies and socialist takeovers and own it. I dare you to.

Relishing for 1913

It has been a terrific Republican day for Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX). This just might qualify him for the most bona fide Republican day in the history of world crazy as a loon Republicanism.

First things first, he introduces a resolution endorsing an Israeli military strike on Iran. For people who don't chest thump war, that would be enough to qualify for some serious crazy talk. Or in the GOP, that's enough to catapult him into a leadership position and possibly on a national ticket in the near future.

But Louie doesn't stop there. And why should he when he's on a roll like that?

He actually one ups himself by declaring the direct democratic election of U.S. senators via free and fair elections is the cause of an unbalanced federal power grab that has led us to such things as health care reform.

Ever since the safeguard of State legislatures electing U.S. Senators was removed by the 17th Amendment in 1913, there has been no check or balance on the Federal power grab for the last 97 years. Article V requires a minimum of 34 states to request a Convention which in this case, would be an Amendment Convention for only ONE amendment

Yep, way back when, when senators were not elected by the people this country was a better place. For 97 years now, we've been at the tyranny of federal power because only a few elite office holders are competent enough to be able to decide for us who will represent us. Seems kind of fitting too that in 1913 women couldn't vote which is what Republican John Derbyshire suggested we go back to, and Jim Crow ruled the South which is exactly what Republicans proposed we go back to at CPAC. It really does all run together now.

It pains me to say this but I've been wrong all along. I've been referring to Republicans as having 18th and 19th century ideas. To be precise, they have pre-1913 ideas. There's a huge difference there, give or take a lynching/democratic election or two.

11:45AM President to Sign Bill

You can watch it live right here.

JOIN THE LIVE CHAT

VISIT WHITEHOUSE.GOV

*Update:

It's now law.

What Are They Going to Repeal?

For all the talk of repeal by the GOP, I find it hard to believe that a campaign agenda built around stripping health care away from millions of children, reopening a doughnut hole to make senior's prescriptions more expensive, re-instituting an open ended policy that allows insurance companies to effectively deny coverage because of pre-existing conditions and ending a ban on lifetime caps is going to resonate all that well with the public.

Not to sound too naive, I know Republicans won't run their campaigns by saying "vote for me and I'll take your kid's health care away." Instead they'll take their usual fiscal conservatism route and say that legislation that reduces the deficit more than any bill in history is simply not affordable. Yes I know that makes no sense either, but that's what they'll do. The party that took the largest surplus in history and turned it into the largest deficit in history; that also enacted the largest expansion of Medicare since its inception; that also has never once objected to spending trillions of dollars on endless war and capital projects in foreign countries will assume total ownership of fiscal responsibility and the media will play right along. That, and of course, they will talk about small government and state's rights. It's almost as if the Civil War never happened-- not to mention the entire presidency 0f George W. Bush.

Deep Thought

Erin Andrews should be a permanent member of Dancing With the Stars.

Some Immediate Effects of HCR

Here are some reasonably positive effects that will kick in within a year thanks to the president's health care overhaul. Note: these are effects The Fold Blog feels to be genuine reform that will help people within a short amount of time.

1. You may remain on your parent's insurance policy until your 27th birthday. Gotta admit that would have been nice when I finished my bachelors and had to move back home and couldn't even afford to go to the dentist.
2. No more rescission or denial of coverage. This is huge. If you get sick, or have been sick in the past you can't lose your coverage.
3. Free preventive care for everyone.
4. Small business tax credits to firms that choose to offer coverage, up to 35% of premiums paid.
5. Immediate increase in funding for Community Health Centers. My hometown has one. It also has 18% unemployment. There may not be a better mechanism for true health care reform than this one.
6. Insurance companies will be more regulated. They will have to post online their balance sheets, their executive salaries and their benefits packages. People will become better informed while shopping for insurance coverage. And insurance companies will have to compete like never before to attract customers.

There are more measures that take effect soon enough but these are some of the most productive. This is by no means a perfect scenario for health care reform. The inclusion of a public option, or the opening up of Medicare to everyone would have been better. But there is enough in the legislation to call it reform. If it's this or nothing. I'll gladly take this.

Tax Refunds Are Up

According to the IRS, tax refunds have jumped about 10% from last year thanks in large part to President Obama's stimulus package.

Through March 12, the average tax refund was a record $3,036, up $266 from the same period a year earlier, Shulman said in a statement.

"The Recovery Act is a major factor behind these larger, record refunds," Shulman said. "About half of all Americans haven't filed their taxes yet, so we urge them to look carefully at these Recovery provisions." Some 69 million individual tax returns were filed through March 13, according to the IRS.

The Recovery Act provided a tax credit of $400 for workers, or $800 for married couples. Most workers who have taxes withheld from their paychecks received the credit through an adjustment in their withholding. But those who didn't receive the full credit through withholding will receive the balance in their refunds.

Since $266 isn't a large amount of money, many people don't notice the difference. This also leads people to forget President Obama cut taxes for 95% of Americans. The $787 billion stimulus package contained $288 billion in tax cuts. That's where the extra $266 is coming from.

I don't think any of us would argue that George Bush also cut taxes. When he did, people who qualified received rebate checks in the mail. Whereas Obama's tax cuts simply added about $20 to your paycheck. Mailing people an actual check from the Treasury is a great way to visually remind people that you have cut taxes. Lowering payroll taxes is another way, just much less noticeable and easily forgotten.

Showing Their True Colors

How is this stuff even possible in 2010.

Republican Tea Bagger protesters, at an event entirely organized by the GOP, yelled "nigger" at Democratic Rep. John Lewis as he walked close by.

There's no reason for that. Yes I'm sure it's some crazy idiot in the crowd being stupid. But their whole movement is based on such sentiment. Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) sums it up best: “I think a lot of those people today demonstrated that this is not about health care…it is about trying to extend a basic fundamental right to people who are less powerful.”

Actually it's encouraged:

On Twitter, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) wrote that he was "grateful for the thousands of patriots who are storming the Capitol today protesting government healthcare and defending freedom."

Patriots?? Only a Southerner would call people who yell "nigger" at a Civil Rights hero a patriot. Good God, is there really not a sane one in the bunch?

Considering a House Republican yelled "baby killer" at Democrat Bart Stupak while he gave a speech on the floor, there really isn't any difference between the elected crazy and the non-elected crazy. With people like this in positions of authority, it's a miracle this country has come as far as it has. In a way I'm glad Republicans are around so we can all see just how far we still have to go.

When can we start this over?

Blog Updates

Gotta admit, I paid zero attention to the vote this weekend. I was engulfed in college basketball and witnessed maybe one of the best weekend's in tourney history. That and twins can keep you busy.

Historic Legislation Heading to President's Desk

A sweeping bill overhauling the U.S. medical system goes to President Obama's desk on Monday to be signed into law. House passes senate bill 219-212. Reconciliation passes 220-211.

7 Years of Freedom

Keeping with our observance of the beginning of 7 years of the war in Iraq, we bring you yet more quotes that steadily guided this Glorious War.

"As you know, you go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time." —Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, responding to a U.S. soldier serving in Iraq who asked him why troops had to dig through scrap metal to armor vehicles, Dec. 8, 2004-- In other words, it's all Clinton's fault.

"F**k Saddam, we're taking him out." –President Bush to three U.S. Senators in March 2002, a full year before the Iraq invasion-- And we sure smoked him out.

"We found the weapons of mass destruction." –President Bush, in an interview with Polish television, May 29, 2003-- But I thought we invaded to spread democracy?

"It's a slam-dunk case!" –CIA Director George Tenet, discussing WMD and the case for war during a meeting in the Oval Office, Dec. 21, 2002-- He was a Clinton holdover, so of course it's all Clinton's fault.

The all time best:

"CHENEY: My own judgment based on my time as secretary of Defense, and having operated in this area in the past, I'm confident that our troops will be successful, and I think it'll go relatively quickly, but we can't... // SCHIEFFER: Weeks? // CHENEY: ...we can't count on that. // SCHIEFFER: Months? // CHENEY: Weeks rather than months" December 2002-- This is week 366!!

Stewart Becks Beck

Maybe the single funniest thing I've ever seen.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Conservative Libertarian
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Reform

Just think, Glenn Beck is one of the leading right wing "thinkers" of our day. Millions of people truly believe he is not an entertainer but a Great Patriotic American Freedom Fighting on the front lines. This is a very sick country we live in.

Health Care, Health Care, Health Care

The bill is online. 72-hour promise means the vote comes Sunday.

Deep Thought: I wonder how many Republicans are going to complain about scheduling health care vote on the day we are supposed to reserve for the Lord?

*Update:

That didn't take long.

Steve King (R-IA) — speaking with Fox News host Glenn Beck on his radio show this morning — said the timing of the vote is unholy. He warned that Democrats intend to “take away the liberty that we have right from God” on “the Sabbath, during Lent.” Beck agreed, calling the Sunday vote an “affront to God,” and something “our founders would have never” done “[o]ut of respect for God”

The Founding Fathers could have cared less about Sunday or for that matter about Jesus-centric Christianity. Treaty of Tripoli, Article 11:

As the Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Musselmen; and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."

And here's one of our greatest Founding Father's thoughts on not only the focus of Sunday but the main facet of Christianity:

"I almost shudder at the thought of alluding to the most fatal example of the abuses of grief which the history of mankind has preserved -- the Cross. Consider what calamities that engine of grief has produced!-- John Adams in a letter to Thomas Jefferson

And Benjamin Franklin, maybe the greatest Founding Father, didn't even believe in Jesus:

As to Jesus of Nazareth, my Opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the System of Morals and his Religion...has received various corrupting Changes, and I have, with most of the present dissenters in England, some doubts as to his Divinity; tho' it is a question I do not dogmatize upon, having never studied it, and think it needless to busy myself with it now, when I expect soon an opportunity of knowing the Truth with less trouble."

Deep Thought

I'm not sure I can any longer support President Obama given his pick of Kansas to win it all. I can't fathom another Kansas championship.

Another CBO Score

Early indications are the CBO is about to release its score of the Senate bill with fixes. Unofficially, CBO has the bill at $940 billion for ten years. In addition;

• Reduces the deficit by $130 billion over first ten years
• Reduces the deficit by $1.2 trillion over the next ten years
• Provides 32 million Americans with health care coverage
• Reduces annual growth in Medicare expenditures by 1.4 percentage points per year, extending Medicare's solvency by at least 9 years

Not bad if I do say so myself. Still cheaper than Iraq, spends American money on Americans, tremendously reduces the deficit and eases some pain on Medicare. I still would love a public option, or opening up Medicare to everyone. But at this point I would settle for a warm glass of shut the hell up.

*Update:

I've read in a number of different places this morning the very predictable, routine reaction from Republicans about the latest CBO score. As we all know, they are complaining the deficit reduction in the bill isn't enough. This is total psychosis by Republicans.

This bill alone would be the largest deficit reducing bill in history. It's more than anyone has ever done. In stark contrast, the only health care related legislative victory the GOP can claim credit for is the huge prescription drug expansion to Medicare that doesn't even begin to offset costs or reduce the deficit. It simply adds half a trillion dollars to the deficit without ever producing a dollar to pay for it. Really, though, Republicans have never done anything to reduce the deficit. What they do have a track record of is taking the largest surplus in history and turning it into the largest deficit in history. Listening to them complain now about not doing enough to reduce the deficit they created is retarded. Lending them any credence to the claim of fiscal responsibility takes a general act of stupidity coincided with an aversion to reality.

Another Incumbent Repub Calls for Revolution to Overthrow the Government

Republican Rep. Steven King of Iowa as boisterously as possible called for a Revolution! similar to the 1989 Czech Velvet Revolution that overthrew Soviet rule.

"I look back 20 years ago in the square in Prague... when tens of thousands showed up there and they shook their keys peacefully and they took over their country and they achieved their freedom back again," he said. "If you can keep coming to this city, fill up the congressional offices across the country but jam this city. If you can get on your cell phones, and get on your Blackberries and your email, and ask people to keep coming to this town. Storm this city, fill up Washington D.C., jam this capital so they can't move. And if tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of you show up, we will win. We will defeat this bill and you will have your liberty back."

Afterward he told Sam Stein at Huffington Post that the situation in America is very similar to the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia.

"Oh yeah, it is very, very close," King replied. "It is the nationalization of our liberty and the federal government taking our liberty over. So there are a lot of similarities there."

Unbelievable, it truly is. It's really hard to believe there are people this dumb in such high offices in America. Just as a quick history lesson for non-Fox News viewers, the American government is a democratically elected government. It is the most free and fair representative body in the world. In 1989 Czechoslovakia was not a democracy. It was a Soviet satellite controlled entirely by a non-elected one party system. There are absolutely no similarities between America and 1989 Czechoslovakia. Rep. King is grossly distorting history, reality and freedom everywhere.

It's bad enough that a current member of congress is comparing the Obama administration to the Soviet Union and calling for its overthrow, but just as another quick lesson in reality it's worth looking at the "square in Prague" today. The Czech Republic enjoys a single payer health care system very similar to what proponents of HCR want for America.

Healthcare (including dental treatment) is free to all citizens in the Czech Republic. It is provided through compulsory contributions to a state approved insurance fund.

[...]

Every citizen, with the exception of designated vulnerable groups, must make mandatory contributions to an approved Czech health insurance company.

[...]

The Czech healthcare service is decentralised and operates more like a private medical insurance system. They pay their contributions directly to their health insurance company who in turn pay the treatment providers directly, so there is no need for a reimbursement service.

There almost couldn't be a better example of what an American "public option" would look like. I say we take Rep. Steven King up on his Revolution! What a crazy bunch of people.

Deep Thought

I think it's about the worst way ever for house Dems to use deem and pass for HCR. Why not pass the senate version and then tack on the fixes with reconciliation afterward? That makes much more sense to me. But I'm by no means an expert in parli pro. I honestly can't think of any reason that it makes sense, politically or procedurally, via deem and pass. Maybe that's why I'm no longer a staffer though.

The Fold Making Headway

It's a long shot, but it may be possible progressive blogs are starting to catch on to my griping about allowing the GOP to label the tea baggers as a separate group/party. From Talking Points Memo this morning:

Tea partiers, Republicans, and Republicans masquerading as tea partiers are rallying against health care reform this morning on Capitol Hill at an event they're billing as "Code Red."

This rally is being organized by the more establishment side of the tea party movement -- or co-opted side, depending on your point of view. The sponsors include the Tea Party Express, founded by Republican operatives in California, and FreedomWorks, the corporate-funded outfit run by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey. Accordingly, the list of speakers is dominated by elected Republicans, albeit some of the more whacked members of the GOP caucus: Reps. Michele Bachmann, Marsha Blackburn, Joe Wilson, and Phil Gingrey.

That's right, the entire event this week is entirely Republican. There isn't a chance in all of human history Democrats would be able to get away with organizing something like this and not take the credit for it. This is the first time I've seen this extent of grouping the whole lot together from TPM. In the past they relate the two but shy away from fully describing it as Republican. I'm their biggest critic when it comes to failing to make the connection. We welcome the new trend.

Like I said, it's a long shot but it's critical for progressives and Democrats to make the GOP own their crazies. It's the only way to return to some form of basic sanity.

Mission Accomplished + 2,510

With the observance of the beginning of the 7th year of the American invasion of Iraq quickly approaching, The Fold Blog wants to take some time to reflect upon some of the Patriotic comments from those who brought us this wonderful time of year. It's these comments that guided the steady American hand of Glorious War for the past 7 years.

• "My answer is bring 'em on." —President George W. Bush, challenging militants attacking U.S. forces in Iraq, July 2, 2003 -- Good thing it was broughten.

• "My belief is we will, in fact, be greeted as liberators." –Vice President Dick Cheney, "Meet the Press," March 16, 2003 -- That's why we're still there, cause they've been liberated.

My personal favorite:

• "Freedom's untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things." –Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on looting in Iraq after the U.S. invasion, adding "stuff happens," April 11, 2003 -- Over 100,000 dead isn't necessarily untidy, is it?

• "It's hard to conceive that it would take more forces to provide stability in post-Saddam Iraq than it would take to conduct the war itself and to secure the surrender of Saddam’s security forces and his army. Hard to imagine." –Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, testifying before the House Budget Committee prior to the Iraq war, Feb. 27, 2003 -- Very hard to imagine, no one could have predicted that, huh? Good thing he was right.

And who could forget this one:

• "Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed." –President Bush, standing under a "Mission Accomplished" banner on the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier, May 2, 2003 -- The only thing missing that day were the surrender documents.

God Bless America and Viva Bush!

Tea Baggers Busted Using Literature Paid for by GOP

We all should be so shocked by this. After all, the MSM and at times the GOP itself, lead us to believe the Tea Baggers are a spontaneous uprising of concerned citizens that have nothing to do with a political party. That's hardly the case, though.

Not only do Tea Baggers pass out literature and various other items paid for by the GOP, they also get heavily promoted on the Republican media network known also as Fox News. Moreover, they are financed entirely by Republican front groups and other Republican operatives. And most of all, The Daily Caller nails it on the head:

While a number of self-identified Tea Party candidates are running in Republican primaries across the country, there is fear among Republicans that some activists will run as third-party candidates and split the conservative vote, catapulting Democrats into office.

Yep, that's it. Tea Baggers are running all over the country on the Republican ticket. When one of them wins an election, it's the GOP that picks up the seat not the Tea Party. This Tea Bagger crap is a way for Republicans to disown their crazies. That's it. When one of them says something totally stupid like the president was born in Kenya or that we should have literacy tests before people are allowed to vote, all the GOP has to do is claim that's some other political organization and they are absolved. But when one of them wins an election, it's the GOP that gets the spoils.

Here's how Tea Bagger Michael Leahy described the immaculate conception of the GOP material:

Michael Patrick Leahy, an organizer of the Take the Town Halls to Washington project that is bringing Tea Party activists to the capital to lobby Democrats on President Obama’s health-care bill, admitted that the RNC “did provide the signage,” but said he didn’t know the details of the arrangement with Republicans and couldn’t explain how the signs got there. “They just showed up,” he said.

Right out of thin air I'm sure.

The Largest Redistribution of Wealth in History

I watched Karl Rove briefly on Meet the Press yesterday. It was like watching a pathological liar trying to convince everyone of his Fantasy World by smiling on teevee. Among many of his outright distortions of reality, Rove claimed it was never the intention of the occupying force to use Iraqi resources (oil) to finance the war. As evidenced by the plethora of Bush administration officials who suggested oil revenue was a fantastic way to pay for the occupation, it's a gross misrepresentation of history for Rove or anyone to suggest such.

Not only have we wasted hundreds of billions of dollars blowing the country to pieces and then trying to rebuild it, we practically literally burned through billions while we simultaneously chest-thumped Glorious War.

The book also includes numerous demonstrations of the Bush administration's lack of preparation to run Iraq after the March 2003 invasion. In one previously publicized case recounted in "Hard Lessons," Bowen's auditors discovered a cash disbursement of $57.8 million by the CPA to the U.S. comptroller for south-central Iraq. "Pallet upon pallet of hundred-dollar bills" were removed from the CPA vault in Baghdad and driven to the regional office in two unarmored SUVs. There, the local acting comptroller, Robert J. Stein Jr., who later was convicted for money laundering and fraud, had himself photographed with mountains of cash.

Just like we were told the war would be over in a matter of weeks. Just like we were told Iraq had WMD that could escape into the hands of evildoers. Just like we were told Saddam had something to do with 9/11. Just like we were told the insurgency was in its "last throes." Just like we were told questioning this war proved your worth as an American. We were also told this war would pay for itself!

Instead, contrary to everything the Bushies ever told us and are still trying to tell us today, we have officially redistributed almost a trillion dollars of tax payer money to a foreign country with an end result price tag costing $3 trillion. And that's just money that's accounted for. That's enough to pay for 30+ years of the Democratic health care reform proposal-- money spent on our own people, a debate, mind you, that has lasted a thousand times longer than the run up to the invasion of Iraq.

Here they are yet again, the same inept cowardly people telling us once more that events never happened the way they actually happened. They have not an ounce of dignity or courage amongst them. And they are still trusted enough-- actually, giddily encouraged by the MSM-- to go on teevee and distort facts to the point that true war has been reduced to 15 second sound bites.

Bracket Time

Readers from last year will recall March is one of my favorite months. We have the Ides of March, St. Patrick's Day, Spring Equinox and NCAA Basketball! It's also the last month before baseball begins, and I'm really ready for some baseball this year.

Since my team is sitting out this month and who knows when they will return, I still have my all time favorite Duke to cheer on. So, to squash all anticipation, here is my bracket. I'm usually horrible at these things so don't copy it or make any bets based on it. The only thing I do know is as long as Kensucky and Kansuckass don't win it, I'll be happy.

Just in Time For When it Doesn't Matter

Yesterday 178 Freedom Fighting Republican House members swore off earmarks for next fiscal year. Seeing how last year 60% of the top earmark spenders were Republican this should cut the budget deficit in half right? Not so much. Earmarks are a very minute portion of the budget, about 1% if I remember correctly. It will do very little to help a trillion dollar deficit and probably do even less to help political posturing in Washington. This move is also rather meaningless, other than scoring some political points with their base since Republican voters claim earmarks are evil.

That being the case, why didn't they swear them off when they were in power? As a powerless minority they wouldn't get a quarter of what they wanted in the first place. So when they have almost no say in earmarks and are completely powerless Republicans have decided they are fiscally concerned once again. That's a rather disingenuous position to take considering while they were in the majority and had complete control over spending it would have been the opportune time to prove they are bound by their so-called principles. Instead of swearing off earmarks when it would have made a difference, they took earmark spending to an all-time high to nearly $100 billion in their last three years in the majority.

Now that they are out of power we are forced to call them fiscal conservatives because of their great concern for governmental monies. Wait, we had to call them fiscal conservatives even when they were in power too. Perpetually it is ordered Republicans are true budget hawks. Everyone else has to sit in awe.

When Writing History Means Just Making Stuff Up

AUSTIN, Tex. — Even as a panel of educators laid out a vision Wednesday for national standards for public schools, the Texas school board was going in a different direction, holding hearings on changes to its social studies curriculum that would portray conservatives in a more positive light, emphasize the role of Christianity in American history and include Republican political philosophies in textbooks.

As an educator myself and someone who holds a master's degree in American history, I don't necessarily find it all that troubling that Texas largely controls the content of history books for school children. I also don't see anything wrong with their board wanting to highlight conservative achievement. But without stepping out of reality, what is it this board wants to do in order to showcase such conservatism? Hummm...let's see:

Conservatives argue that the proposed curriculum, written by a panel of teachers, emphasizes the accomplishments of liberal politicians — like the New Deal and the Great Society — and gives less importance to efforts by conservatives like President Ronald Reagan to limit the size of government.

Efforts by conservatives to limit the size of government?

Seriously, this is basic 5th grade stuff we are talking about here. Conservatives, not even Reagan, never ever shrunk government. They have never controlled spending. They have never shrunk the deficit. They have never even so much as limited the scope of government into our every day lives. What efforts could they possibly want highlighted in a history book? Bush's tripling of national debt? Or how about this one:

References to Ralph Nader and Ross Perot are proposed to be removed, while Stonewall Jackson, the Confederate general, is to be listed as a role model for effective leadership, and the ideas in Jefferson Davis’s inaugural address are to be laid side by side with Abraham Lincoln’s speeches.

Oh my. Jefferson Davis side by side with Lincoln? It's on the far side of crazy to equate Lincoln with a traitor that waged war against the federal government in order to protect slavery. Why don't they just include some speeches from the KKK and label it as examples in freedom fighting?

I don't have anything against acknowledging conservative influence on this country. But we can't just make stuff up. There is not one example of a conservative administration ever leading an effort to shrink government. And it's nothing short of tragic to include someone who committed high treason against this country along side Lincoln. If you want to include conservative achievement on this country look at Eisenhower. Or even Reagan is fine but to suggest he led an effort to shrink government is historical balderdash.

How about conservative effort at fighting and winning the Cold War? Not neoconservative effort but actual conservative ideology that led presidents Nixon and Reagan to effectively bring an end to the Cold War and ultimately the demise of the Soviet Union. That's a huge accomplishment. There's no reason to have to make anything up on something like that. To include efforts at limiting government would require nothing but lies, however. It's not that hard to come up with conservative leadership to highlight for the future. To me it would be more of an effort to lie about it.

Lack of Coverage

About 12.4 million people descended upon Washington yesterday to march in support of health care reform. This event was equally attended as the Republican Tea Bagger protests. Why didn't Fox News cover it that way??


*Update:

One of the more amazing things about the Republican Tea Bagger protests is the media's total inability to accurately define them as being organized by political action groups (FreedomWorks), and sometimes by the GOP entirely. It's not a big deal and it's not like I expect the MSM to go out of its way to report people were actually being bussed to protests by FreedomWorks and then labeled as some spontaneous grassroots citizen uprising. Fox News rules the media world and they will ensure that angle is never heard.

What's really at the heart of who's organizing what, is not that the media is lazy but that Republicans really have no clue what astroturfing really is.

The fact that the people marching in the streets are holding up pro-reform SEIU signs should visibly tell any sane person what's going on. The difference would be the denial and of course the complete media cover up. Wheeee!

Alan Grayson Is the Man

I really do like Rep. Alan Grayson.

There is nothing wrong with allowing Americans to buy into Medicare with their own money.

The government spent billions of dollars creating a Medicare network of providers that is only open to one-eighth of the population. That’s like saying, ‘Only people 65 and over can use federal highways.’ It is a waste of a very valuable resource and it is not fair. This idea is simple, it makes sense, and it deserves an up-or-down vote,” Congressman Grayson said.

It's like I said in the post below. Tax payers already pay my insurance, what do I care? The only difference is the government allows millions of people to go uninsured simply because they don't have a government job. That's what this is.

What It Boils Down To

It is good to know that my health insurance provider, WellPoint, profited about $4.75 billion last year. My group provider is the State of Illinois. Meaning that some of the multi-billion dollar profit is Illinois tax payer money. That's all fine and dandy when you consider the long run. Me and my family have coverage and millions don't. What's it to me to care?

What's happening is tax payer money is going to a private business to make it filthy rich. Happens all the time right? Again, who cares? Yet the nation allows millions to go uninsured simply because they don't have tax payer funded jobs. Maybe tax payers should start caring.

Rove Fills His Own Void

I have been reading the most fascinating of items about Karl Rove's latest book, Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight.

I think it's impossible for Republicans to do or say anything that doesn't involve portraying themselves as doing some sort of fighting or possessing some sort of extraordinary bravery that is only surpassed by comic book super heroes. Everything they do is a battle, a cosmic struggle for freedom against tyranny. They are the bravest people in the world. They are the last bearers of the Spirit of '76. Every day they wake to a napalm-filled morning where the weak have died and only the strong continue the call of Freedom. The only thing wrong with that is nothing in Karl Rove's life resembles anything to do with real life fighting or courage.

When genius boy had the perfect opportunity to showcase his courageous fighting skills during Vietnam, he sat it out. How so Patriotic of him. The opportunity to do some real life fighting with real consequences led him to flee to Utah to read about political science. He conveniently dropped out of college after congress brought an end to the draft. Of prime fighting age, when his country needed him most, Rove ran and hid. One would think the last thing someone with Rove's past would want to do is talk about courage and bravery and battling enemies. One would be wrong. To actually live a life, much less write a book, that did not mention just how brave and courageous he is, is unthinkable to people like Rove. For they are modern American warriors just as long as they don't have to actually do the fighting and dying part.

Nonetheless, Rove's latest political posturing leads us all to believe that Bush's mistakes were really Rove's. Everything from Iraq to Katrina Rove places himself as the fall guy. Only a brave freedom fighting warrior would so we all shouldn't be surprised. It's a fascinating spin that I'm sure will one day end up in Texas school history books. Viva Bush!

Revisiting Passage of Bush's Medicare Expansion

The other day while watching the bipartisan health care summit at the Blair House, I mentioned Republican hypocrisy concerning passing legislation through reconciliation. Not that there's not enough examples of it, but rather I incorrectly mentioned Bush's trillion dollar expansion of Medicare was passed through Congress via that means. Correctly so, Spinner pointed out that it was not. Interesting enough to point out is that the Medicare Modernization Act was passed with a simple majority vote because Democrats withdrew their filibuster threat and allowed the bill to proceed to an up or down vote.

The comparison here is that if Republicans are so sure HCR is going to be the nail in the coffin for Democrats and will assure them of election day success, then why not allow a vote? Drop the fake garbage about concerns for costs and your new found fiscal stewardship. The legislation is cheaper than Bush's ginormous Medicare expansion and expands medical coverage to 30 million people. If it's such a lose-lose for Democrats, why not let them do it?

You tell me it's the institution, Well, you know You better free your mind instead

ABSOFREAKINLUTELY!!

Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ) introduces legislation that would cut Members of Congress' salaries by 5% and halt their redistribution of wealth yearly cost of living increase.

Now I'll be the first to defend Members against baseless accusations of how they don't work for a living. They actually do put in long hours and grueling weeks. Just because they aren't in session doesn't mean they aren't working. It truly is a 24/7 job. I don't envy their jobs one bit and I realize that most of the time all they do is muck it up for us, but it really is a job.

With that said, there are a lot of perks to the job as well. Campaign funds are mostly slush funds that have very little restrictions for their use. Not to mention that wonderful socialized health care system they enjoy as well. Their pensions are rock solid and their families are well taken care of. It's rare to find a Member that actually understands what it's like to live off $50,000/year mainly because they make nearly 4 times that amount. It's imperative that Congress understands what a recession is all about or at least what 10% unemployment does to a nation. The chances of any of this happening are about as good as the Beatles getting back together.

Any bets on a committee vote?

(h/t Think Progress)

Being Gay vs. Being Gay

California Republican State senator Roy Ashburn admits to being a gay male. While Democratic Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) tries to explain why offering to help your buddy masturbate and inappropriate comments to a male staffer don't necessarily make you gay. Two understandably different causes and outcomes of course.

One day when being gay means we as a society no longer use the Bible as a backdrop in calling for your ultimate destruction, instances where publicly elected officials lie, beg, borrow and steal to cover up their true identity will seem painfully inarticulate.

Deep Thought

Why is MSNBC not in HD??????????

I refuse to watch anything that is not in HD.

Resurrected

Wow what a week. The Fold Blog missed out on a ton of stuff and there's really no point in trying to play catch up on old news. We are going to give ourselves a redo for this week.

Blog Updates II

The Fold Blog took a massive hit this week from something called the flu bug. All hands seem back on deck and maybe tonight or this weekend some life can be breathed back into the blog. Personally, I think the flu was a huge right wing conspiracy from either Spinner or maybe Kent and/or Jaz. There's also a possibility that some crazy right wing Republican nut already infected that lives close by paid a visit to my house just to get my whole family sick. I don't put anything passed 'em. I know their world would be better with me gone. Didn't work this time suckas!

Blog Updates

Apologize for the week that was. My household has been overrun by the flu and it's not been fun. Maybe later today we can get some posts up or at the latest tomorrow. Sorry again but this one was sudden and unavoidable.

Digging Himself Deeper

I have been paying just scant attention to the latest dementia taking hold of John McCain. Mostly it's not even worth writing about because it's so blatantly untrue. Like his insistence that both him and Obama suspended their campaigns in Oct. 2008 to tackle the financial crisis. That's just wishful thinking at best and outright lying at worst. I really think he needs to see a doctor because as the whole world knows, only McCain was stupid enough to try and pull off a gimmick like that.

But his most recent fabrication pales in comparison. He's now trying to say that he didn't know TARP was for Wall Street. He claims he was misled into believing TARP would be used to bailout the housing market.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I wonder if they give tours of the Republican Fantasy World. I wouldn't mind a peek.