Displaying 18,091 To 18,120 Of 19,504 Comments Bravo Cher! I too feel a bit demoralized but as a member of Demoralized Anonymous, I know that the next step is Acceptance. I do remain frustrated with those Dems who are addicted to total gratification and go off on Obama when they’re going through withdrawals. As they teach in D.A., the first step is admitting you have a problem. If such Dems were to consider what things were like during 8 years of Bush or what things would be like today under McCain/Palin, perhaps they wouldn’t be jonesing so badly for full gratification. Though I am a recovering Demoralized Dem, I remain unhappy that the Dems and Pres. Obama were not better prepared strategically to win this big time. There are those that say, “What an accomplishment to get any kind of HC bill signed!” I am not as impressed with this because the 2008 election was all about this, the public came out powerfully to say, “It’s time for HC Reform now!”. I instead find this as under-delivering in an environment when the public, at least those who use teabags to make tea, have been and continue to be hugely behind insurance and financial reforms. So, though demoralization is a social disease, it can be cured by a shot in the arm of open discussion with friends and colleagues about the way forward. » Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2009 @ 9:59 am Hey all, due to some discussion below about this, I’ve just added instructions on how to use our fancy blockquotes like this: PlanetPOV has fancy blockquotes! And how to make a word or words in your post into links as appears in the next sentence. Click here to go to the FAQ and scroll down to the new section titled, “How do I insert Links and Quotes in my posts and comments?” » Posted By AdLib On December 19, 2009 @ 5:44 pm I would propose a different perspective. To me, it seems like a bargain with the devil. The Devil (i.e. Insurance Corporations) offers, “I will cover 30 million of your uninsured and all you have to do is give me your soul.” That “soul” being our financial slavery to Insurance Corporations and they will then have the U.S. government as its “minion” to enforce this on everyone who lives in America. It reminds me of Bush’s tax cuts, where the wealthiest received millions and the average person got $400 or something and thought, “Cool!” Yes, there are people who need health insurance today who can’t afford it and should have it today. That’s not in dispute among true progressives whether they favor or oppose the current bill. The difficult issue is in trying to look ahead and imagine where all of us will be in ten years if this passes with terms similar to how they are now. According to the provisions as they’ve been described, insurance companies can raise their rates at will. The bill won’t kick in for a number of years, by then they could have doubled the rates from today and all this financial assistance could be absorbed with all of us, including many of those 30 million, facing premiums we still can’t afford. This could be a bait and switch by the insurance companies, they have shown how clever they are to get around regulations and the intent of laws, without strong regulation, could the benefits to many Americans from this bill just be conceptual or temporary? And if the provision stands that allows them to cross state lines to sell insurance and they can all set up shop in Texas or another state that has the most Insurer friendly/consumer unfriendly provisions and oversight, no matter what state you live in, you will have no recourse and will have to abide by how Texas protects insurers. This is what you do to make a big steal. Offer the mark something they can’t refuse in exchange for something huge they would never otherwise give you…then steal back what you gave them. I am not as confident as others that the insurance companies will play by the rules or at least the intent of the rules. That’s my concern, that these insidious insurance companies are already calculating on how they can widdle away at the benefits Americans would be given by this bill. I do not think that the bill that would come out of conference with the House will be much changed from the Senate version, out of fear Lieberman or Nelson will jump ship and scuttle the whole thing. So, my bet is that what the Senate bill is will pretty much be what the final bill is. If it passes, I will at least take comfort in the near term that people who need insurance desperately are going to get it and Obama and the Dems in Congress will chalk up a win while the GOP retreats back in its coffin to wait for the next full moon. I will however be very concerned about our future. » Posted By AdLib On December 19, 2009 @ 12:11 pm Friday Music Thread – Mood Enhancers Just find the videos on youtube and edit your post to replace the mtv links. » Posted By AdLib On December 18, 2009 @ 4:35 pm Friday Night at the Planet 12-18-09 Two things, first, the Friday Music thread is up so feel free to post your music videos there. The theme for tonight is Mood Enhancers, which songs match your different moods or do you use to put you in a desired mood. Second, I won’t be able to so Nellie will be hosting Vox Populi tonight, cheers to Nellie. Thanks for showing Nellie the same fantastic respect you’ve all shown me as Moderator! Have fun! » Posted By AdLib On December 18, 2009 @ 3:20 pm typo-knig, I think it is great to be thinking of a way to make a statement about Americans not having their voices truly heard. Why don’t you post an article on this and invite the members here for their feedback and suggestions? » Posted By AdLib On December 21, 2009 @ 5:59 pm I’ve just added it as our first listing in our new Reference Links page, under Archive. Thanks! » Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2009 @ 5:54 pm As many have said, if this started out as “Medicare for All” and negotiated down to “Medicare for Some”, that would have made a hell of a lot more sense. Instead, Pres. Obama kicked off the whole thing by letting it be known that he didn’t need a Public Option in it. Big mistake, strategically. » Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2009 @ 12:46 pm LOL! Well, we do need to preserve our precious bodily fluids. » Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2009 @ 12:03 pm Wow, love it and want to see it! I’m going to create a new Category and Page for Reference Info and we’ll use it to link to pages of data like this. Please do email it to me too! » Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2009 @ 12:02 pm My pleasure Choicelady and thanks for the props! Once I discovered that even reconciliation is a tough road to hoe since Committee Chairmen like Baucus and other Blue Dogs would have to sign on, it seems that this is the only viable alternative to allowing the 60 vote threshold corrupt every good bill. I would like to see a focused push by Progressives and organizations to push for this and assure Senators that they would have huge support for doing so. » Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2009 @ 11:59 am Better get in some target practice then. I’d recommend a photo of certain senator from CT for inspiration. » Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2009 @ 11:54 am Hi FlyingLotus! I feel so dirty! And I’ve taken 5 showers just today. For me, having to kiss his jowly ass is the most disgusting. And he holds so much power because of this bullshit filibuster rule. Take that off the table and he’s back to being the nothing that he is. » Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2009 @ 11:51 am It is a fait d’accompli. Any big change to the Senate Bill and Nelson and Lieberman kill it or walk to extort something else. Bastards. » Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2009 @ 11:16 am It’s too late for it to really help on this bill, it should’ve been invoked when Lieberman threatened them. However, moving forward, they could add the Public Option as a separate bill next year and disarming the filibuster would allow them to amend this bill. And a carbon tax, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, abortion restrictions, etc. could go through the most productive Senate in our history. Do they want to be champions of the people or are they too focused on being the losers of elections who need to have the filibuster available to them then? Winners or losers, what do they want to focus on being? » Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2009 @ 11:14 am Thanks bito. Frankly, I think that way of thinking is seen as archaic now, I don’t think we can return Repubs or Blue Dogs to thinking about anything other than getting re-elected and undermining those they see as their enemies. I think we just have to accept that we have termites permanently embedded in the walls of the Senate and cut around them so they don’t have the power to do more damage. Kill the filibuster and let majority rule, that’s at least a good start to restoring the Senate to its role. » Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2009 @ 11:09 am Got it, responding shortly! » Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2009 @ 11:04 am The purpose it served in the past as an occasional exception in rare circumstances is no longer the case. It is obsolete, a horseless carriage in the middle of the freeway slowing down all traffic to a crawl. It needs to be taken off the road and put in a museum. » Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2009 @ 10:26 am Follow the link I referenced in my post, it goes into all of that. Yes, it would require 67 to change the rules and that will never happen. But as described above, it’s not necessary to change the rules to shut down filibusters. It would create a precedent that of course the Repubs would employ to excess if they were to regain power. But so what? They vote like the Borg, with one hive mind and they use reconciliation to get what they want done anyway so the end result won’t be much different with regards to them on many key issues…but it would make a huge difference for The Dems. » Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2009 @ 10:20 am Killing the filibuster would at least moderate the already undemocratic structure of The Senate. As you say, states with less than 500,000 citizens have an equal voice to states with 32,000,000 citizens. How is that fair or democratic? Yes, states have different interests that may conflict but isn’t a democracy about protecting the rights of all but deferring to majority rule? If wishes could come true, I’d wish to have the Senate restructured like the House, providing only one Senator to each state as the minimum and redistribute the remaining ones among states according to population. It will never happen so getting rid of the filibuster would remove a second layer of anti-democracy on top of the basic one. And, the way things are now, so much could be accomplished, The Dems would win the support of the majority of Americans for decades to come. » Posted By AdLib On December 20, 2009 @ 10:14 am Excellent post! I’d just add that Lieberman and his wife have been puppets of the Insurance industry for a long time, dating back well before he lost the Dem primary in 2006. So truly, he is behaving consistently in being an enemy of the American people and an ally of insurance corporations. » Posted By AdLib On December 18, 2009 @ 10:40 am Religious Right Holds “Prayercast” To Stop Health Care Bill I remember you from HP, wonderful to see you here. » Posted By AdLib On December 18, 2009 @ 10:23 am What happened was Nixon’s campaign which began the process of cleaving the GOP to the Religious Right. Once the religious extremists got a whiff of political influence, they were addicted and only wanted more and more. I would think if Jesus came back today, he would end up being crucified by those claiming to be the most extreme and passionate Christians. » Posted By AdLib On December 18, 2009 @ 10:23 am I have and I found life under the Bush Presidency too damn close. Watching clips from that Prayercast, I did take some comfort in having Obama in the White House and these lunatics being shut out. During the Bush admin, many of these wackos had regular teleconferences, meetings and input with them. And people scratch their heads how America went off a cliff? » Posted By AdLib On December 18, 2009 @ 10:15 am Heh! 2 for 2! Loved it! » Posted By AdLib On December 18, 2009 @ 6:13 am LOL! Brilliant WTS! » Posted By AdLib On December 18, 2009 @ 6:11 am BTW, what search phrase did you use for it to come up on the first page? Very cool! » Posted By AdLib On December 17, 2009 @ 10:14 pm Congrats on a terrific and successful post! Looking forward to the follow up one you mentioned too! Way to go! » Posted By AdLib On December 17, 2009 @ 10:10 pm God is clearly a Republican. All that fire and brimstone, being a vengeful god and creating Adam and Eve with Joe Lieberman coiling and hissing in the Tree of Knowledge. Of course, if Jesus returned today, he would be a free market capitalist Republican. I can already see him going to Wall Street and brunching with the moneychangers. And when seeing poor people complaining about not having health care, I can see him smiling benevolently and saying, “At least you don’t have a government takeover of health care!” » Posted By AdLib On December 17, 2009 @ 8:52 pm Heh! Saw that on KO, her t-shirt said that and she was wearing a McCain sun visor that with his name blacked out. What a piece of work! No matter how upset some Dems get with Obama, if she gets the GOP nom in 2012, Obama will win by an enormous majority. » Posted By AdLib On December 17, 2009 @ 8:47 pmComments Posted By AdLib
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