The Cool Before The Storm

Very good closing argument for HCR on The New Republic.

http://www.tnr.com/blog/the-treatment/closing-arguments

The signature programs of these eras, Social Security and Medicare, work because they address a vulnerability we all share. Everybody is at risk of getting old; and everybody is at risk of misfortune, physical and financial, when that happens. To protect against that misfortune–to insure against that misfortune–all of us contribute. We all give, in the form of financial contributions; and we all get, in the form of financial security. Together, quite literally, we are stronger than when we are apart.

The conservatives protesting on the Capitol lawn Saturday see things differently. Health care reform isn’t about contributing money for the sake of their own security; it’s about having their money taken for the sake of somebody else’s security. When they hear stories of people left bankrupt or sick because of uninsurance, they are more likely to see a lack of personal responsibility and virtue than a lack of good fortune. As my colleague Jonathan Chait has observed, theirs is an extreme version of a view common (although surely not universal) on the right: That individuals can fend for themselves, as long as they are responsible and as long as the government gets out of the way.

There’s obviously a balance to be struck between these two world views. But, broadly speaking, conservative ideas about responsibility and vulnerability have dominated political discussion for most of the last four decades. That will change on Sunday, if health care reform passes. The bill before Congress may be flawed. And the process that produced it may be severely flawed. But it is, nevertheless, an expression of the idea that we–as as society–are not prepared to let people continue to suffer such dire consequences just because they

Stupak signs ON

Listen to this…apparently some of the Libs here are talking obou the Deem n Pass procedure was a complete feign from Pelosi and the gang. They say she/they cooked up the threat to use it weeks ago and had a whip leak it. (those last 3 words sound dirty) This was done apparently to fake the Right into putting their ire and fury over that procedure and not on the pie filling of the bill. so the commercials you see on tv about Dems using this procedure was just to drain the Riht’s coffers on a procedure they weren’t ever going to use! The Right got fucking PLAYED! Never considered that….

Okay…first let say I broke down and bought a Churro from a vendor. I also learned that this treat is a funny play on a burro’s tail. Weird…delicious!
also, excuse any typos etc…hard to type, eat a churro and give as many Righties ‘flat tires’ as I walk….accidentally of course…Heee
This is interesting though…the protesters LOOK like a there are a lot of them BUT there are many groups of people here that have nothing to do with them and I think that is plumping their footprint…
Just passed a prayer group calling this Obamageddon.
I will not send them to their maker no metter how much id like to. Oh they’re thick in front of the National historyMuseum…OH….Now I understand….evolution thing maybe?….fucking nutjobs…But…here they are.

They showed earlier on the morning shows only 35 members of Congress voted against SS. Many Republicans voted for Medicare, only 130 something voted against it. The Republicans used this as an argument that this was a more liberal bill. You can argue because of the exclusions this bill was close to the SS compromise but no way is this bill more liberal than SS. The fact is the GOP took a hard right turn. They will do everything they can to destroy any progress in this country. My main point is this bill would be more liberal if the GOP was not so obstinate because even though only Dems will vote for it the opposition party still influenced the limits on the legislation. That said this will be an amazing achievement in the current political climate that everyone should recognize.

Well, I did it. Friday night Vox lit a fire in me and I made a decision. After talking to everyone here and seeing the madness that was taking place in front of the Captital with the spitting and hate and BS,…I filled up the RAV4 and hit the road. At the moment I’m standing in front of the Holiday Inn (free WiFi) about 4 blocks from the crowds in DC. There is a gathering of Hispanics and Latinos all around the Mall with some of the best smelling food I’ve ever smelled. Lots of tents and stalls out in front of the Smithsonian castle where I came in on the metro.

There are assholes everywhere and I’m doing my best not to slap the shit out of some of these protesters. I’m going to go out in a minute and try to find supporters of the bill and hang with them. It was probably stupid of me to drive here, but I felt compelled to be a part of this. I will try to find WiFi spots as I go and check in every so often. Talk soon….