Playing him like a Grand Piano

                  

That old turtle Mitch McConnell has played Chuck Schumer like a grand piano.

What started 15 years ago, now ends - with a decisive victory for the old turtle. Turtle, known for patience and the long game has become apropos. 

McConnell ends the fight against Charles Schumer - a fight Chuck started by rallying the first-ever partisan filibuster of a judicial nominee to the D.C. Circuit Court - Miguel Estrada. Before, the Senate’s “advise and consent” role was vigorously deployed with fierce partisan tensions but ultimately settled with simple up-or-down majority votes. Little did Chuck know that he had set in motion a series of events that would upturn the filibuster option.

Granted, that happened when Harry Reid played the 'nuclear option' when the Democrats controlled the Senate. Republicans blocked all of Obama's judicial nominees. To be fair, it's because the Democrats had blocked most of Bush's nominees. But as with most Democrat politicians, the unintended consequences weren't discussed, thought through, or cared about when Reid hit the button to do away with the long-standing rules.

Now, today, it looks like Schumer is going to attempt the first ever filibuster of a Supreme Court nominee, and when he's defeated - it'll open the door wide open for the next Supreme Court nominee to walk right in on a 49-51 vote.

And more importantly, is that these same rules will apply to the next one... after Gorsuch.

No Confidence

In a new poll [Washington Post] , "Nearly three-quarters of Americans polled said they have little or no confidence in Washington to repair the economy. Confidence is down 21 percentage points from October 2010 and is less than half its 2002 levels. Roughly four in 10 have no confidence at all in the federal government when it comes to dealing with the economy, the poll indicates." So, what? The other 25% in the poll thinks the government will get help from Jesus to fix everything? Or is that only Governor Rick Santorum?

Remember, polls aren't accurate and aren't news. They're only an attempt to see which way the wind is blowing. Right now, that wind is hot and swirling.

Who's this good for? No one. It surly isn't good for Mr. Obama - but I don't think he really wants the job anyway. I wouldn't. And at this point in the game, he can't blame Bush anymore... at least, it's a pretty weak sauce to campaign on for re-election. And the Congressional Democrats should be taken out on a rail -- by the faithful Democrats who elected them! They've turned out to be so completely ineffectual I'm wondering if they are keeping their jobs just for the good health care? And the Republicans aren't any better. I see them getting the Senate in the next election -- but after they are seen as limp and open up new trade routes to create loopholes for corporation donors who use the chance to export more jobs and get a tax break because of it -- the Democrats will be running back in. I see sweeps in the next couple elections. Anger and reactionary sweep back to the other team. Teeter-Totter Ballot Boxes.

And how am I coming to that conclusion -- I look to the past to forecast the future. 2006 - Nancy and Harry come in to neuter Bush. 2008, Democrats sweep and take it all - rack up a huge bill with Stimulus One Slush Fund for Re-election and ObamaCare, and piss off so many people, you birth the Tea Party and get a hard swing to the right with the John Boehner House, and damn near lost the Senate. 2012 -- The Republicans can put anyone up against Mr. Obama right now. The Jimmy Carter comparison whispers aren't coming from the GOP - they're coming from Mr. Obama's biggest supporters!

Let me add a question that is swirling around the internet - "You come home from work and find there has been a sewer backup and you have sewage up to your ceilings. What do you do……raise the ceilings, or pump out the crap?"

They're all crap - and they need to go. All of them! Here's the solution -- You get rid of YOUR incumbent, and I'll get rid of mine. And the bonus is, if you're a Democrat or Republican you can still vote with your heart by voting in something only the AARP crowd does: Vote in the Primary.

They Punted, again.

Republicans and Democrats 'amazingly' pulled a last-minute deal out of their gigantic theatrical hat to prevent a government shutdown. A stopgap bill will keep the government open until next Thursday, at which point congress will vote on a budget agreement to cover the rest of fiscal 2011. Yes. They punted. Again. Remember, this homework assignment was due from the LAST CONGRESS, and has been kicked around, and is still being kicked around in this awful game of political football.

According to a joint statement released by House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the agreement “will cut $78.5 billion [Please note, this is only 2% of the federal budget] below the president’s 2011 budget proposal.” Furthermore, Planned Parenthood funding will remain in tact, but is expected to be voted on separately as part of the deal, along with health care reform repeal.

President Obama spoke before the Washington Monument, calling the cuts “painful,” but also praising them as historic. Well? Which one is it? Is it a turd in the hall or cake?

With the “dry run” over, all eyes now turn to the main event: Raising the debt ceiling. That'll be much more fun, and a lot less talked about.

The big loser here? The main stream media - what with their countdown clocks and the dripping with anticipation of a government shutdown. I have 18 pages of links to "The terrible effects on ____ if the government shuts down!" They must have the worst blue balls right now.

The winner? Mr. Speaker - he's won against the President, and Reid, and played to his Tea Party fringe base. What a hero.

Sunday Comics: Week in Review

We made it to the end of this week...
Here's where we cover somethings missed, or ignored and tell it with cartoons.
First off - It snowed in Europe. You'd think they'd never seen the stuff. But getting snow in Italy is kind of like getting snow in Florida. Planes, trains and autos across Euro-Land have been stuck in a snow drift.
Speaking of snow drifts - The Bears/Vikings game sure has been funny already. Bears are afraid of playing on a hockey rink - especially after last week. Vikings are afraid of showing up. Peterson and Favre are out or questionable - seems hardly fair. If I were a Viking's fan - I'd be super pissed because there will be no liquor allowed at the college venue.

What caused the Metro Dome to 'pop'?
And speaking of football...
And back to why Santa uses his antiquated sleigh -
And missed the part where he didn't want to deal with the TSA.

Meanwhile, Harry Reid had been holding on to a huge pile of crap that he didn't want to show off until after the election - and is trying to ram it down America's throat. The OmniBus (Pork II) didn't make it, and he had John Stewart make it look like the Republicans were the ones being dicks by not giving 9/11 First Responders their aid package. That's Harry Reid who put the legislation in the order to be voted upon. Pure Politics.
And as far as what the Congress - specifically Reid's Lame Duck Senate and Pelosi's Lame Duck House - WITH the dirty Republicans - are leaving coal in the kid's stockings. And that's only if we're lucky. It seems NO ONE is paying any attention to the European Union falling apart... which should be a stark warning of our own imminent collapse...
Which is setting up a very interesting year
Drink up, Happy.

Well, hope to see you next week. We're either ramping up for a really busy week - or total slack. See you 'round the 26th.

Don't Ask, Still

Defense Bill With 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Repeal Falls Short in Senate

The Senate has turned down the attempt to move to final debate and votes on a defense bill that would repeal "don't ask, don't tell." The vote was 57-40, three short of the 60 needed.

Senator Harry Reid, called a key procedural vote on repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy despite having failed to reach agreement with Republicans to proceed.

Republicans have indicated that without an agreement about the number of amendments and the timing of the debate, they would vote against moving forward to vote on the legislation.

Mr. Reid conceded that that the failure to reach an agreement could doom the effort to repeal the policy, which has been a key priority for Mr. Obama and gay activists.

Problems with Obama-care

I love the word Obamacare -- you know the Democrats came up with that first, because it ever so slightly sounds like Obama Cares. He doesn't. Neither do his cronies in the House and Senate.

Folks are (finally) taking a second look at that nonsense that whipped up the Tea Parties in to existence in the first place... here's some take aways to have at your next wine tasting party to, you know, play devil's advocate.

- The bill does not decrease health care costs for the government. That's why Democrats were ordered not to say that anymore on the campaign stumps. According to Medicare's actuary, it will increase costs. The same is likely to happen for privately funded health care. Surprise. Not free.

-Elective abortions are covered, contrary to promises that it wouldn't, but these will likely be tied up for years in litigation, and in the end may not survive the court challenge. And that's a good use of everyone's time and money, isn't it?

The bill does not allow employees or most small businesses to keep the coverage they have and like. As 69 percent of employees, 80 percent of small businesses, and 64 percent of large businesses will be forced to change coverage, probably to more expensive plans.

- Get ready for an increase insurance premiums -- in some places, it already has. Insurers, suddenly forced to cover clients' children until age 26, have little choice but to raise premiums, and they attribute to mandates of 1 to 9 percent increase. Mr. Obama's only method of preventing massive rate increases so far has been to threaten insurers. And Pelosi's on point as that attack dog.

-Seasonal employers -- especially the ski and amusement park industries -- to pay huge fines, cut hours, or lay off employees.

- States are forced to guarantee not only payment but also treatment for indigent Medicaid patients. With many doctors now refusing to take Medicaid (because they lose money doing so), cash-strapped states could be sued and ordered to increase reimbursement rates beyond their means. Ooops. Wonder why the 10th Amendment is being brought up?

- Huge nonmedical tax compliance burdens are placed on small business. It will require them to mail IRS 1099 tax forms to every vendor from whom they make purchases of more than $600 in a year, with duplicate forms going to the Internal Revenue Service. Like so much else in the 2,500-page bill, our senators and representatives were apparently unaware of this when they passed the measure. Oh, is that a problem?

- The IRS is ordered to confiscate part or all of your tax refund if you do not purchase a qualified insurance plan. The bill funds 16,000 new IRS agents to make sure Americans stay in line. This is what tea people, and everyone should be complaining about - this IS the expansion of government, and not in a 'I'm here to help' kind of way

If you don't know why people are upset, or wonder why the Democrats are scared stupid of the November 2nd referendum on their job to 'fix everything the Republicans broke' - print this handy guide out. Email it to your friend the journalist, and see if they can defend it as well as they did before it passed.

Don't Ask, Do Not Pass Go.

Military Spending Bill Is Stalled by Procedural Vote in Senate

The Senate voted against taking up a major military bill that includes a provision allowing the repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell policy" regarding gay soldiers.

To be clear, no one is a winner here. You're a jerk if you vote for it, and a jerk if you don't. And the boys in harm's way are being told they aren't going to get their paychecks while the Senate plays politics.

Senate Republicans blocked debate of the bill -- the huge, annual authorization of military programs -- after the majority leader, Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, said he would attach a number of the Democrats' election-year priorities to it and also move to limit the amendments to be offered by Republicans. That's the bi-partisanship Mr. Obama was talking about for the last two years, right?

The vote was 56 to 43.

Wait, doesn't Harry have 59 votes? He can't even keep his own party in line?

Congress has approved the annual Pentagon authorization bill for 48 consecutive years. Lets pause and reflect on THAT for a moment, can we? Remember when Ike warned of the Industrial Military Complex? Yeah - that's kind of what he was talking about. 48 years in a row, eh?

It seems likely that the measure will be brought up again after the election in the relatively calmer -- if somewhat unpredictable -- atmosphere of a lame duck session. You know, when fewer people are paying attention or playing politics with what would otherwise be a procedural vote.

Maybe we should be asking larger questions - like why that sucker has been passed 48 years in a row - with no question. Maybe why we've spent 10 trillion dollars since WWII being the world's police man. We don't seem to want the job anymore, and you'd think our military contractors would make more money selling goods and services if there were more customers, like Japan and Germany?

In the meantime, playing a game of political cat and also cat isn't really playing nice, now is it? No matter what Lady GaGa says.

She Knocks Reid In Her Obituary

Charlotte McCourt passed away this week at the age of 84 after a long illness. But it is not too late for Charlotte to ttell everyone exactly how she feels.

An excerpt from her obituary, placed in the Las Vegas Review Journal Tuesday, reads:

“We believe that Mom would say she was mortified to have taken a large role in the election of Harry Reid to U.S. Congress. Let the record show Charlotte was displeased with his work. Please, in lieu of flowers, vote for another more worthy candidate.”

As John Smith of the Review Journal points out, this kind of thing makes an impact, not because McCourt "was a political player or business powerbroker, but precisely because she was neither of those things. She was a homemaker, proud mother and grand mother and wife of 67 years to Patrick McCourt."

I thought using the death of a loved one for political grandstanding was considered bad form? Well, not anymore. Looks like the obituary section of the paper (what's a paper) is the new political battleground. And note, if you better write your own obit before your kids do - because if you were a terrible parent, they'll tell the world you worked on the Nixon campaign, or Carter, depending which one ruins your reputation more. If I hated my parents, I'd say they worked on the Nixon and Carter campaigns. If I really wanted to punish them, I'd say they were LaRouche supporters.

Don't Mess With a Wounded Dog

Harry Reid isn't letting threats of a lawsuit stop him -- he' sticking with his Web campaign against "the real Sharron Angle." After the Angle campaign sent the Reid camp a cease-and-desist letter last week demanding that they take down their reposting of Angle's old campaign website, the Reid camp has now made just a few modifications and put it right back up.

After she won Nevada's Republican Senate primary, Angle's campaign took down most of its website, and later replaced it with a relaunched (and somewhat toned down) version. But the Reid campaign saved the old version, and put up a website called "The Real Sharron Angle," reproducing the old content. Then on Friday, the Angle campaign sent them a cease-and-desist letter, alleging violation of copyrights for Reid having reposted Angle's old campaign literature.

The Angle campaign also claimed that by leaving fill-in boxes for e-mail addresses intact, the Reid campaign was in a position to gain contact information of Angle's supporters who were deceived into thinking this was actually her site. Angle spokesman Jerry Stacy said in a press release: "Make no mistake, the Reid campaign was forced to take this site down because they were breaking several laws and trying to deceive the voters."

The Reid campaign did initially take down the site, seemingly obeying the cease-and-desist, and rerouted users to one of their other anti-Angle sites. But now they're put it right back up, simply removing the sign-up fields, some formatting and other identifying marks. From the Reid campaign's press release:

Out of an abundance of caution, the Reid campaign decided to temporarily remove the website in question while we investigated their allegations. Well, the phony legal threats and the feigned indignation are over - and we're not going to let Sharron Angle retroactively censor Sharron Angle. The original website, including Angle in her own words on her dangerous and extreme agenda, has been re-launched at: www.TheRealSharronAngle.com.

Just to be clear to Sharron Angle and her handlers, it's called free speech and it's nearly absolute under the First Amendment. (We know, these "big Constitutional issues" are tough for you - like when you said separation of Church & State was "unconstitutional" exactly one week ago.)

"The question is: what will Sharron Angle do now to hide her extreme views on killing Social Security and eliminating the Department of Education from Nevada voters? Perhaps she's checking to see if there are any Second Amendment remedies," said Jon Summers, spokesman for the Reid campaign.

Here's a screen grab of the site:

The Week In Review - Sunday Comics

Yesterday there was a protest against oil in Washington DC and also "hands across the sands" which was a bunch of white people holding hands on their beach front property. Many of them had green hard hats on, which meant they wanted 'clean' energy. Of note, were the green hard hats which were made of plastic. Which is made of petroleum. Goddamn it people.

And why does America need 20 million barrels of oil A DAY?
Yeah, it's a joke about the sweatshop that made the iPhone 4, but the reality is that it's our waiting-in-line attitude and cult-ish worship of the newest and shiniest new gadget rolled out on top of the pile of pointless consumerism and one-up-manship of the Joneses. But on the bright side, this lifestyle is completely unsustainable. Just ask everyone looking for employment.

That recovery is going great! Right?! I mean, every country in the world is following Mr. Obama's advice and driving their countries into crippling debt and dependence? What? they're not? They're standing up to him? Oh, Greece scared the living crap out of everyone? Really?

And as the G8 gets around to condemning North Korea for continuing to fight the Korean War, with a mildly worded letter, the good old fashioned protesting in Toronto is being led by Tyler Durden... no, really.

No. I mean, really. That's not shopped.

What a week. See you next time.

Blago Trial on Illinois: Over By Dere

It was day one of the corruption trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich started today. The U.S District Judge James B. Zagel is hiding the identities of jurors from the public and the press until a verdict is reached.

Star witnesses are to (probably) include his wife Patti, Tony Rezko, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Jessie Jackson, Jessie Jackson Jr., Rham Emanuel, and a host of who's-who of the Illinois Democratic Machine - all except for Mr. Obama, who got a hall pass from Zagel earlier.

Outside the courthouse, the former governor on his arrival angered the U.S. Marshal Service by stopping to hug spectators. He previously had been told to walk straight into the building.

"God bless, you governor," one man yelled, prompting Blagojevich to pull him into a bear hug.

The ex- governor smiled broadly as he entered the building in a dark blue suit.
"I feel great," he said.
He gave a quick "hey" to the media line.

Patti Blagojevich, dressed in black-and-white coat with a black skirt, stopped before heading upstairs to address the news media and thank the people who have stood by the family during the past 18 months.

"The well wishes, e-mails and rosaries left on our doorstep...have helped us through a rough time. But today is a good day because today begins the process of clearing my husband's name," she said.

"I know my husband is an honest man and I know that he is not guilty."

The 24-count indictment against Blagojevich and his brother, Robert, who ran his campaign fund, charges them with trading favors for campaign contributions. The centerpiece of the trial promises to be the accusation that the then-governor offered the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama to the highest bidder in the fall of 2008.



If convicted, Blagojevich faces up to 415 years in prison and fines totaling $6 million.

In the meantime, this trial will pull back the giant rock over the dirt that is Illinois politics and show all the grubs and centipedes running around in the darkness.

Now is the one chance for everyone in Illinois to look at the process in which they are governed - and this shall be perhaps their last chance to decide to make a change in that process.

Tea Party Might Save Harry Reid?

Marc Thiessen of the Washington Post seems to think that the Tea Party people in Harry Reid's backyard last weekend might actually save that dirty somofabich's job.

It probably didn't help that lead cheerleader was Sarah Palin, who shouted, "You're fired!" over and over.

Reid is one of the most vulnerable Democrats this fall. He's the Senator Harrison Roberts played by Dick Smothers in Scorsese's Casino. No, really!

And a Rasmussen poll found that 56 percent of Nevadans oppose Obamacare (51 percent strongly), while just 41 percent support it (and just 24 percent strongly). Just 20 percent of Nevada voters view the Senate majority leader favorably, while 48 percent view him unfavorably. And both of the leading Republican candidates -- former Nevada state senator and GOP chairwoman Sue Lowden, and Las Vegas businessman and Danny Tarkanian, a former UNLV basketball star -- have crossed the 50 percent threshold and have opened up double-digit leads over Reid.

Obama has even flown in a couple two, three times to support his lap dog running the Senate... which means certain doom for Harry.

Great news, except that asphalt contractor, Jon Scott Ashjian, has joined the race under the banner of the Tea Party of Nevada -- and a recent Las Vegas Review-Journal poll found that in a three-way showdown with a Tea Party candidate in the mix, Reid could pull off a narrow victory.

Thanks, but no thanks should be the reply... especially since Jon has 99 problems, and a woman ain't one. First off, the Tea Party doesn't recognize him as a real candidate, and even label him as a 'false flag,' or an imposter created by Reid as a ringer. (I wouldn't put it past Reid, except I don't know if he's that clever.)

Ashjian was not invited to appear at Saturday's Tea Party rally in Searchlight. But he was invited to appear last Friday in federal district court to defend himself against a lawsuit challenging his candidacy and claiming that he was not a member of the Tea Party of Nevada when he filed for the election on March 1. Ashjian failed to appear in court. Judge Todd Russell said he would give Ashjian "one more chance to show up," but if he refused the judge said he would be inclined to grant the motion to remove him from the ballot. And to add to Ashjian's troubles, the Clark County district attorney's office announced Friday that it would seek an arrest warrant for him Monday on felony theft and bad check charges. Ooooopppss.

Harry Reid had better contribute to Ashjian's legal fund. The Tea Party has targeted Reid, and having Ashjian on the ballot may be Reid's only hope of survival this November.

Special Healthcare Report

Healthcare
Well, they flushed it, and it went down. With it passed, no political group will have the will or courage to go back, so we will go forward to the eventual fiscal collapse Unless China wants to give us a couple more Trillion? Unlikely.

I have to credit the stress the Democrats were under. Let’s see, if I hold out I might sell my vote for more, but if they get to 216, I’ll get nothing…. Oh, the challenge. And they had to work on a Sunday?! How quaint. Maybe they got double time for their efforts?

Reid promises to add public option to health care ‘in the coming months’
http://commonamericanjournal.com/?p=11985
In a letter to two of his more progressive colleagues in the Senate — Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Bernie Sanders of Vermont — the Nevada Democrat implicitly apologized for his inability to get a government-run insurance plan into the final piece of health care legislation and promised to keep working to get the policy into law… “Nevertheless, like you, I remain committed to pursuing the public option. While I believe that the legislation we are considering does much to provide affordable coverage to millions of Americans and curb insurance company abuses, I also believe that the public option would provide additional competition to make insurance even more affordable. As we have discussed, I will work to ensure that we are able to vote on the public option in the coming months.” That was all that Bernie Sanders needed to hear — or rather, all the thin political cover that Bernie Sanders needed — to drop his bid to add a public option to the reconciliation bill. But here’s a fun footnote from HuffPo: “The search now is for a vehicle outside health care reform to get a public plan into law. The same institutional hurdles that killed the provision in the previous go-rounds — mainly that there aren’t 60 supportive senators to break a filibuster — remain. But aides on the Hill are already looking to future reconciliation vehicles to which they can attach the public plan, which would, in turn, allow for it to pass via an up-or-down vote.”

216 in reach: House Dems have the votes to pass Healthcare reform bill
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/88173-house-dems-have-the-votes-to-pass-healthcare-reform-bill
Excerpt: House Democratic leaders have the votes to overhaul the nation's healthcare system.There are 35 Democrats who are planning to vote no and two undecided Democrats -- Reps. Bobby Rush (Ill.) and Loretta Sanchez (Calif.) -- according to The Hill's whip list. If every member votes, Democrats can have 37 defections and still clear the bill. The abortion deal struck by the White House and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) with Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) put Democrats over the top. That compromise moved a handful of Democrats from the "no" column into the "yes" category.

The Take: Historic win or not, Democrats could pay a price
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/20/AR2010032003349.html?wpisrc=nl_headline
Excerpt: The lengthy and rancorous debate has inflicted considerable damage on the president and his party. It helped spark the grass-roots "tea party" movement and generated angry town hall meetings last summer that led to some opponents painting Obama as a socialist and a communist for advocating a greater government role in the health-care industry. The issue now is whether final passage of the legislation -- Senate leaders say they will take up the reconciliation bill this week -- will cause more harm or begin a turnaround in the Democrats' fortunes heading toward the November midterm elections. This is not how the struggle over health care was supposed to unfold. When the president decided last year to push for comprehensive reform, there appeared to be the best opportunity in a generation to ensure that nearly all Americans have access to health insurance. There also seemed to be a consensus among business, labor and health-industry groups that government help was needed to rein in the escalating costs of health care.

So, what’s in the bill?
http://www.resistnet.com/video/video/show?id=2600775:Video:2096105&xgs=1&xg_source=msg_share_video

There will be blood!
http://townhall.com/columnists/JosephCPhillips/2010/03/21/there_will_be_blood!
Excerpt: I’m not crazy about congressional Democrats right now. As I write this, Congressional Democrats are engaged in a furious partisan battle to pass their idea of healthcare reform. Alas it is an idea the majority of Americans do not share. It is in fact an idea that the majority of congressmen do not share, which is why President Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are twisting arms, bribing, cajoling and threatening all manner of mischief in order to eek out a majority vote – or non vote -- on a bill the people have made clear they do not want. They may succeed. I am not all that enamored of Congressional Republicans either. It is painful indeed to listen to the feigned outrage of so many Republicans who spent years in office redefining the meaning of concepts like “limited Government,” and “fiscal conservative”. Surely they must realize that their inept stewardship over so many years not only opened the door for the leftist now in power, but also rolled out the red carpet for them….If there is to be a second revolution then let it begin here and now! Let the political bloodbath begin in November followed closely by more bloodletting in 2012. No one will be safe. Neither a “D” nor an “R” following a name will be sufficient protection from the people’s blade! There is no time like now to begin the winnowing process; and there is no better reason than to dismantle a government that can’t be trusted to keep its part of the bargain.

Democrats Have Painted Themselves into a Corner
http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/03/democrats_have_painted_themsel.html
Excerpt: Democrats have painted themselves into an ugly corner with their Health Care Reform Bill (HCR). The Obama administration has managed to take what has been a standard Democratic vote-getting ploy -- promise government largesse to core constituencies and let the rest of the country pay for it -- and screw it up so badly that regardless of whether HCR passes or fails, Democrats will suffer heavy losses in the midterm election. Problem is, it's not just Democrats in the corner; they've got the whole country held hostage with them.

Now for the Slaughter
http://patriotpost.us/opinion/peggy-noonan/2010/03/20/now-for-the-slaughter/
Excerpt: Excuse me, but it is embarrassing — really, embarrassing to our country — that the president of the United States has again put off a state visit to Australia and Indonesia because he's having trouble passing a piece of domestic legislation he's been promising for a year will be passed next week. What an air of chaos this signals to the world. And to do this to Australia of all countries, a nation that has always had America's back and been America's friend. How bush league, how undisciplined, how kid's stuff.

The Real Score Starts To Emerge
http://maggiesfarm.anotherdotcom.com/archives/13917-The-Real-Score-Starts-To-Emerge.html
Excerpt: The Democrats are exultant over the preliminary CBO score (preliminary because even the Congressional Budget Office hasn’t had time to examine whether it jives with the previous Senate bill) issued this morning. The score (costing) is on the Democrats’ reconciliation adjustments to the Senate ObamaCare bill that it remains under $1-trillion in spending and that together with added revenues will further reduce the deficit. There’s increasing amazement at this bald-faced assertion. The real score will be seen this weekend in the Democrats' trickery vote and the consequences they face next November. The Republican leadership is still trying to decipher the fine print, but are quickly getting to the bottom line. Senator McConnell issued a press release saying: “They get there with even higher taxes and deeper Medicare cuts than the first Senate bill.

More cuts loom as state faces $295m in red ink
MassHealth, other services blamed for drain on coffers
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/03/19/more_cuts_loom_as_state_faces_295m_in_red_ink/
Meanwhile, how’s State Government Healthcare working out for the folks in Massachusetts? Excerpt: Massachusetts is potentially facing a new budget gap of up to $295 million this year, a grim forecast that state officials said could spell yet another round of painful cuts before the fiscal year ends in June. Patrick administration officials blamed the gap on rising demand for the joint state and federal health care program for low-income residents known as MassHealth, increasing demand for homeless shelters, and on below-projected revenue from state fees and federal aid.

CBO to Ryan on real costs of the Healthcare bill
http://www.house.gov/budget_republicans/press/2007/pr20100319letter.pdf

cutn'pasted from my source, The Old Jarhead

Sunday Comics: Week in Review

The week that was. And some story about naked men in the shower -
Former U.S. Rep. Eric Massa, D-N.Y., who resigned the other day amid allegations he sexually harassed male staffers, told a tale of a naked Rahm.

"Let me tell you a story about Rahm Emanuel," Massa said on a recent radio program, talking about taking a shower in the Congressional Gym.

"I'm sitting there showering, naked as a jaybird, and here comes Rahm Emanuel not even with a towel wrapped around his tush, poking his finger in my chest, yelling at me because I wasn't going to vote for the president's budget. Do you know how awkward it is to have a political argument with a naked man?"

Isn't that how the Greeks did it?

Speaking of...

The New Middle Class

NY is trying to tax salt now...

Mrs. Pelosi, the Mad Hatter.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington 2010.

Iraqi Democracy is advancing.

The Texas School board is rewriting Science and History texts.

The Toyota problem persists - even though there have been some serious hoaxes. Mr. Obama is planning on ramming the Health Care debate through... seems like the thirteenth time I've written that. Israel has given the giant finger to the US and the Palestinians by building a subdivision, and Lady Ga Ga has a new video! Oh, and no one seems to be talking about the earthquake in Chile anymore.

See you all next week folks.

Give the Villain his Check

President Obama and his fellow Democrats kicked off their newest campaign to vilify insurance companies in the final attempt to pull off their extremely unpopular healthcare-whathaveyou.

The Republicans, meanwhile, stood on the curb to point out that those very same insurance companies would get huge checks from the government if health reform is enacted. Wha? No way!

“(Health Insurers) will keep on doing this for as long as they can get away with it. This is no secret,” the president said. “They're telling their investors this – ‘We are in the money. We are going to keep on making big profits even though a lot of folks are going to be put under hardship,’” the President told supporters at a rally in Pennsylvania.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, meanwhile, wrote to insurance company executives demanding that they justify premium hikes.

Neither bothered to note that the Senate health reform bill, which is the basis for Democrats' last chance at comprehensive reform, would give the insurance companies millions of new customers required by law to buy health insurance. It would also require insurers to cover everyone, regardless of age, gender or pre-existing condition.

To pay for the new insurance requirements the government would give to people money to buy insurance - $336 billion over the next ten years. That money, ultimately, would have to go to... insurance companies. Not individuals. But the folks they're vilifying in public, and handing checks to behind their backs.

Folks without employer-sponsored insurance who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid and less than about $88,000 for a family of four, would get tax credits to help them buy insurance on the open market. But the payment of the tax credits would be made directly to insurance companies. See page 37 here of the Senate Finance Committee's exhaustive explanation.

Now, remember when candidate Obama criticized a proposal by Sen. John McCain because it would send government help for people to buy insurance directly to insurance companies? Yeah. And when Hillary had the exact same plan? Yeah. This is that same plan.

“But the new tax credit [For Health Insurance] he’s proposing? That wouldn’t go to You. It would go directly to your Insurance Company – Not Your bank account," said Candidate Obama in October.

And yet that’s exactly what Democrats' proposal would do and why so many would prefer public insurance option to compete with the private market. Supporting the Senate bill will be tough for many liberal Democrats in the House.

To the Republicans’ (and Obama’s on the campaign trail) point about the payments going directly to insurance companies, remember that people with employer-sponsored insurance or current federal medical benefits do not usually get a separate check to buy insurance either. They pay premiums directly to the insurance company and so does their employer. The Senate proposal would create a similar relationship between people who don't have employer-based insurance and the government.

So why do Insurance companies, if they're set to receive more than $330 billion in government subsidies to insure people without insurance now oppose the Senate bill?

"Health plans proposed more than a year ago robust insurance market reforms and new consumer protections to guarantee coverage for pre-existing conditions. Much more needs to be done in the current legislation to address the skyrocketing cost of medical care, which is making health care coverage unaffordable for working families and small businesses," said Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman from America's Health Insurance Plans, in a statement today.

He argued that health insurers should not be targeted by the President and their profits are lower by margin than other sectors in the health industry. But the President needs a villain, and you can't make Doctors and Nurses be the bad guys - that just doesn't work. And you need to find pond scum that polls worse than Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reed - which, on last count, I think Used Car Salesmen were polling at a 2 to 1 favorable rating over Congress - so Insurance Companies it is.

"For every dollar spent on health care in America, less than one penny goes towards health plan profits. The focus needs to be on the other 99 cents," he said.

Why not more sensible solutions - like HSA Accounts for everyone? Too complicated and Bush tried that. So, no way a sensible solution is going to be coming around the track anytime soon.

Bi-Partisan Checkers

I finally had my Eureka moment with the game of politics.

Why are Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Mr. Obama running around slapping each other like Larry, Curly and Moe trying to tar a roof? They have/had their super majority. They own everything they touch. They can/could do - just about anything they want. Even new amendments to the Constitution. But why are they stuck in the mud of this ridiculous idea of bi-partisanship for their efforts?

Then it finally hit me. They can't take the hit. They're the Three Stooges, but with no pain threshold.

Let me explain. IF they were to get even one Republican to stand with them, they're no longer responsible. They're no longer culpable to the train wreck that they caused. Let's say Cap n' Trade creates the sucking drain of the economy to fill options trader's coffers - just like the Republicans say it will - if there's even one Republican breaking ranks, they own it too. All of them.

Just like the War on Terror, the Patriot Act, Stimulus I, AIG Bailout Part I, and, well - heck - pretty much everything the Republican Congress passed, right? But guess what? The Republicans GOT the Democrats to vote along with it. It pretty much went like this...

"What? You're not going to vote for this? That's un-American of you."

And then folks like John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and Barrack Obama ran to the voting button and voted for everything that was put in front of them. That's right Senator Obama voted to keep funding the wars. Those dirty sneaky Republicans tricked 'em good. But the Democrats are just as guilty as the Republicans. That's one of the main reasons Dick Cheney hasn't been hauled out of the critical care unit to be slapped with investigations into war crimes. Because with the slightest scratching of that itch, the Democrats would be under the microscope too.

The constant drum beat of it's got to be "'bi-partisan' or we're not doing it" has finally been decoded. They're not taking the hit without the Republican't-s getting their fair share.

The Republicans have been doing their job. Obstructionists folding their hands saying 'no.' They don't have to propose anything or say anything other than 'no'... it's been working for them so far, and it'll probably give them both houses back in November.

After all this - now they're talking about going for it. They're going to use Reconciliation. On their own. And now they own Healthcare. What's scary about it is, they are willing to lose elections to get this through now. The bill - whatever bill has been formally proposed - Let's look at the President's new one he tossed out before the big 'summit' - is STILL unpopular with the left and right, and doesn't control costs - as it's been sold. No one likes it. Why are they going through with this?

Look at what it DOES do, it increases the reach of the Federal Government. In size, scope and hunger. Hunger? Wha? Oh, yeah. New Taxes. A whole PILE of new taxes, fees and new non-exemptions. The following are from the newest proposal:

1. Individual Mandate Tax. For those who don’t purchase health insurance, this income tax surcharge continues to exist in this plan.

2. Employer Mandate Tax. On businesses with 50+ employees that do not offer health care, and at least one employee qualifies for a tax credit, $750/employee. This will cause many small businesses to stop growing once they reach 49 employees.

3. Excise Tax on Health Insurance Plans. Beginning in 2018, 40% tax (the percentage may be wrong) on plans costing $10,200/$27,500. Is indexed to CPI. It is unclear whether exemptions in the Senate version have been continued in this proposal.

4. Health Insurance would be reported on W-2s. Another mandate that increases costs for business. The White House release states that loopholes will be closed which implies this remains in the new proposal.

5. “Medicine Cabinet Tax.” Limitation on HSAs, FSAs, and MSAs to purchase non-prescription medication except insulin. Note that this is also in the House healthcare bill. This is definitely in the new proposal.

6. HSA Withdrawal Tax Increased. The tax would increase to 20% from 10%. This is also in the House legislation. This is definitely in the proposal.

7. FSAs uncapped.

8. 1099 Reporting for corporations. Requires businesses to send 1099-MISCs to corporations. This is another cost for businesses. This will begin in 2011.

9. Tax on Charitable Hospitals. This excise tax of $50,000 per hospital impacts hospitals that don’t meet new Department of Health and Human Services regulations. It’s unclear whether this is in the new proposal.

10. Tax on Drug Companies. The size and timing of the tax is unclear. Older versions had this at a percentage of earnings.

11. Tax on Medical Device Manufacturers. This tax is in the bill, but the size and timing of the tax is not clear. It is also based on earnings.

12. Tax on Health Insurers. This tax is definitely in the bill, but the new size and timing of the tax is unclear. It was a 6.7 - 10 billion dollar tax based on percentage of premiums collected - Ever wonder why the Insurance Industry was spending Millions on lobbyists? So they don't get clobbered for Billions.

13. Elimination of tax deduction for employer provided retirement prescription drug coverage. It is unclear whether this tax is in the measure.

14. Increase of percentage of AGI required to deduct medical expenses from 7.5% to 10%. Few can deduct medical expenses today; fewer will be able to deduct them tomorrow. It is unclear whether this tax is in the proposal.

15. Compensation Limitation for Health Insurance Executives. If you work in that industry, you will be limited to a salary of $500,000. There’s no mention of this in the measure. However, given the Obama Administration’s stance on various pay-related measures, it’s likely included.

16. New Hospital Insurance Tax. “The Act will include an additional 0.9 percentage point Hospital Insurance tax for households with incomes exceeding $200,000 for singles and $250,000 for married couples filing jointly.” I remember then-candidate Obama stating that if you made under $250,000, he wouldn’t increase your taxes?

17. New Unearned Income Tax. “[The Act] would add a 2.9 percent tax for households with incomes exceeding $200,000 for singles and $250,000 for married couples filing jointly to unearned income including interest, dividends, annuities, royalties and rents (excluding income from active participation in S corporations).” —it means if you go to Harry Reid's district and win your taxes will go up based on your winnings, not your gambling net income.

18. Blue Cross Tax. There is a tax deduction available today for Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies; this tax deduction will vanish if they don’t spend 85% (or more) of premiums on clinical services. There’s no mention of this in the proposal. However, it was in both the House and Senate Democratic proposals and I expect it’s in this one, too.

19. Tax on Indoor Tanning. A new 10% excise tax on indoor tanning salons. This made it in the new proposal.

20. Paper Production and Cellulosic Biofuels. “[Close] the loophole that allows certain byproducts of paper production to be eligible for the cellulosic biofuels producer credit.” This new tax provision is in the measure. This is a tax.

21. Strengthen Economic Substance Rules. “[Help] prevent tax shelters by clarifying the definition of when activities have true “economic substance” beyond evading taxes.” While the details aren’t listed, it’s clear that this provision will strengthen the economic substance rules. This will increase costs for complex transactions. One would assume that it will have a negative impact on already weakened economic activity.

51 Votes, and the Democrats are going to make you eat it. They'll all be long gone by then, probably all becoming lobbyists to try to get rid of this thing - that they created. Or I can imagine worse, as consultants for Insurance companies teaching them where they left the loopholes. You'll still be emptying your pockets. And with worse healthcare than you had when this all started.

Special Healthcare Retort

Pelosi dropped her 'plan' (that looks a little bit like Harry Reid's) next door today. Looks like she has been doing some copy'n'pasting over there?

So, all this talk that if you like what you have, you can keep it - that was just talk. You're going to be charged for the privilege to keep what you have.

There's no portability, and there's no new competition - meaning I can't buy my insurance out-of-state.

And where's the Tort reform? If we're going to contain costs, I don't care who's paying for it - if you don't reel in the cost of malpractice, fraud, and court costs - it does NOTHING to contain costs. Wasn't that one of the highly vaulted selling points? Well, costs will continue to raise over inflation without change in this area.

And they're still going to try to put a "Public Option" in there. But they're trying to trick everyone by eliminating Medicare and Medicaid - but it doesn't matter - the costs still are absorbed by the hospitals and the physicians who then pass it on to the paying customers -- those folks who actually have insurance.

So what's going to happen? This will pass - and very quickly everyone will drop or be dropped by their private insurers as everyone runs to the government 'option' which will be the only option at the end of the run. When that happens, the costs will be all over the place, and no one will be happy.

And right now, no one is happy. The folks who think health care is a natural right will be pissed that this bill doesn't go long enough. The Rush Limbaugh fans think the system is just super the way it is.

As for me, I think it's a START - there needs to be more talking and working together, which are two things that Nancy and Harry don't do well with anyone, including their own party. But this thing is a dud and should be swept out the door along with those two ding-a-lings.

Politician Reform Movement

Our politicians have failed.

If you still believe that the Democrats and the Republicans are actually separate forces that represent their local constituencies you have fallen victim to their largest and most successful lie that they've ever perpetrated. It's so successful, that it's been going on for the last 233 years.

The idea that the government is here to help seems to be gaining some pretty serious traction lately.

The government is here to save us from the Great Recession, Carbon Dioxide, Swine Flu, and the Evil Satanic Insurance Companies... to name a couple off the top of my head. Don't even get me started on Katrina - but that's so last Administration.

Let's look at that track record of our gang in there now with a tiny bit of focus- First, the Great Stimulus. No one knows where the stimulus money is or if it's worked, or if anyone ever had any actual money for non-existent 'shovel ready' projects - or if it's just going straight in to bankrupt State government coffers that are empty because they spent like there was no tomorrow. What's the plan? Let's print more money. The Chinese will buy it, right? Not working? Well, we have to do a second stimulus plan - just to be sure. And we better give the Fed more power with less oversight while we're at it.

In the meantime, they've made the previous Bush deficit spending look like pocket change. There are two active wars on, there are US troops deployed in more than 150 ^[1] countries around the world, with more than 369,000 of its 1,379,551^[2] active-duty troops serving outside the United States and its territories. But the President canceled the F-22 Raptor because 'it cost too much.' He had to force the Congress to stop funding it. Wow. That's great work. It's like taking one deck chair off the Love Boat and to pick up some more speed. Way to stand up to military-industrial complex, you guys.

In saving us from the great evil of Carbon Dioxide - which you and I expel after we inhale oxygen - they're going to give us Cap & Trade -- which will add about $200 to your monthly budget. Since the Democrats have never heard of Milton Friedman, they don't know that if you tax a business then those taxes will roll off the evil corporation's back and onto their consumers. Look for increased gasoline, electricity, and natural gas prices in your utility bills. Also the price of you groceries and beer will increase as the prices reflect off the producers increased bill for utilities go up as well. Perhaps we'll see the end of 'cheap food'? I only wish I could afford to smoke, because I wouldn't be hungry anymore.

Not that it matters, Cap & Trade doesn't actually reduce carbon emissions - it only creates another commodities market and a way to shuffle the carbon emissions around. Everyone keeps on polluting. No matter, as long as Congressional buddies are making some money, right?

Oh, but they're going to protect us from Swine Flu! Just yesterday Janet Napolitano said that when school restarts in two weeks, Swine Flu is going to wipe us all out. Well that's a bummer. I guess that's their 'ultimate solution' to social security and unemployment, eh? Never mind the fact that as of right now, Global Swine Flu deaths have reached a staggering 1,100. That makes this pandemic more than 1/3rd as deadly as the 9/11 attacks! Watch out! Let's declare war on swine flu!

If you need to see more examples of your elected officials in action... The Government takes a couple grand of your money and gives it to your neighbor to buy a new car. The neighbor, declares program "successful" and "wildly popular." Welcome to the basics of Cash for Clunkers. Then, Congress runs out of money - without having even written one check. The computers crash. There's mounds and mounds of red tape. No one knows what's going to happen to the cars once they're brought in - and if they end up in the junk yard, the junk yard will be flooded with parts making their business model fall apart and need a Cash for Junk bail out. Yeah, that's our government in action.

My Soap Box Full of Solutions.

I've decided to get off my rump ass to stop bitchin' and start sayin'. In other words, to offer some solutions.

If the current government is going to wreck the health care and insurance industries without taking into account that a majority don't want the government to interfere with 19% of the GDP -- let's start talking about some real solutions... and we can do that by fixing our government. More importantly, Congressional Politician Reform.

If they keep pushing for more unchecked power, then I'm going to push back. Here's some great ideas I've come up with.

1. Volunteers Only. It works pretty well for our military - let's our Congress carry on that same kind of patriotic duty as well. There will be no money for our politicians either. But that's okay, because they're already multimillionaires anyway.

2. Term Limits. And since they're volunteering their time, we sure don't want to keep them locked into the humid atmosphere of Washington D.C. too long. Let's let them leave after they've taken a couple terms in the chair. How about three terms in the House, and two in the Senate. That's IF they really want to stay.... and convince enough people that they did a good enough job to be re-elected. So that'd be a max of six in the House, and 12 years in the Senate. I think that's fair.

3. Freedom of Information. All conversations will be recorded as part of the public record. No more back room deals, or letting the fraternity buddies write the legislation. All phones and cell phones are on 'conference' mode, and all their rooms are wired for sound. We can make it fun too, we can have camera crews follow around all of our elected officials all the time. You know, for a C-Span Survivor/Reality show for the folks back home. Even if no one except staffers from the John Stewart Show watch the raw footage - it'll make catching Larry Craig and the whole State of New Jersey a whole hell of a lot easier. Hey, if they can tape us with warrantless wiretaps - I say, let's do it to them. They're OUR employees after all - all I'm saying is let's keep it fair.

4. Campaigns. All campaigns will be on the very grass root efforts: Personal effort, no checks. If I want to make a sign or a billboard for my favorite candidate - awesome. Canvas the town. Knock on doors. Have a bake sale or a pot-luck. But let's not burden our elected officials with the trouble of having to set up a PAC or a campaign war chest. It's just too darn hard to keep track of what's okay for the campaign and what's okay personal use. Can I use campaign funds for mistresses and hiding dead hookers? Let's remove the gray areas for them. We'll just make our own signs and YouTube videos, okay? We'll just do it all for them. We'll set up some rules so that everyone has submission guidelines... we won't lie or use bad language. We won't be negative. And, hey, since the airwaves are the People's as well - let's mandate that PBS and NPR have to give every candidate some air time, for free and also for some debates. And we won't require it of the dog catcher - but we will for the Federal candidates. And you know, I think that the Networks can choose to not give away our air that we're letting them use. They have to air American Idol everynight, don't you know? Fine, and that's cool. But they either give back our airtime for the elections - or they can pay the American people a penalty through the FCC for NOT giving free airtime to local candidates. It's only fair.

5. Donated stuff not money. Office supplies, temps, and whatnot - if a corporation wants to win favor with bribes or sway one of our employees to vote a particular way - hey, that's really tough for us to stop! But instead of giving our Congresspeople skiing trips, or fancy meals or hookers and blow let's make new rules that will be that corporations can only 'donate' what they make. Oh, and it has to stay in their Congressional office, otherwise it'd be a gift and not a donation. So, if a company makes copy machines, then Senator Franken can use their donated copy machine. If a company sells a search engine, well, then maybe they can get him a computer with their search engine on it. Oil? Well, they can give him oil... but I don't know where he'd put a barrel of oil. Maybe in the closet? Remember, only tangible physical objects can be given to our members of Congress. I think that's only fair.

6. Leadership will be selected not by seniority but by tests. I haven't decided if these tests should be contests of the mind like Jeopardy or of physicality - like the Battle of the Network Stars. I think a combination of both - and aired on television would be quite excellent. At the very least, an essay in the form of op-eds in the New York Times, or a debate that would happen on Meet the Press. Internet voting and text messaging from the people would determine the Speaker of the House and also the President pro tempore of the Senate. "I'll take Constitutional powers for 400, Alex." That'd be geeky awesome. We can have Howard Dean and Paula Abdul advise the audience who would be a better Speaker, but it'll be up to the people to decide. Frankly, at least a minor written test would be better than the system we have now. We can't afford any more Nancy Pelosis or Newt Gingrich types running that House.

7. Simple Congressional Districts. This nonsense of redrawing districts to get pockets of nice people who agree with you, and not having exciting knuckle drag out fist fights for votes is just asinine. We need real debate and real solutions. No more goofing around with these insane Tetris looking districts. Square boxes for congressional districts in every state. Wyoming, you are just making it too easy. West Virginia, I know you're going to be a pain in the ass about this, but these are desperate times.

8. Internet voting for the constituents back home. Ross Perot was on to this idea back in 1991. He said that the Republic is just about technically ready to be a Democracy. Meaning the Internet was just about ready to let the People actually cast votes instead of their Congresspersons. Well, we don't want to take these guys jobs away - no matter how much they don't deserve them. But we can take the burden of all that hard reading and writing of bills that they don't seem to do that well, out of their job description. We'll require that they have to 'sell' the bill to the back home crowd, and allow the folks back home a chance to read the bill and to vote on it electronically to tell their Congressperson EXACTLY how to vote for said issue. No more of this 'I'll scratch your back on this one - and you get me on the next' garbage that's played out every day in the halls of Congress. Now our employees will know how the hicks and the yokels want a bill to be voted on. You blow it, then you have to answer to your bosses.

So, how's that sound to ya, Congressman? How about making that pledge to the American People?

Fixing Healthcare. My Solution.

Oh, here's how you fix health care in America. You force everyone to agree what a finger is worth at a certain age... Have some actuaries put a price tag on it. Then we go down the list of ailments and bad outcomes - coupled with age. You put a dollar amount in that graph. If there is a bad outcome - then that's what the doctor and the malpractice insurance company needs to pay. And that's only to be paid upon actual negligence, not just because you feel like suing. That's called tort reform. The President is against this idea and was booed in front of the AMA last month because he rejected it outright.

If you lower court costs and ridiculous payments for lawyers, then malpractice insurance premiums will fall dramatically. And then the price of healthcare will fall. Dramatically.

You also have to have a system in place to prevent bad doctors from practicing or teaching medicine. How about a three strikes and you're out plan? That sounds good. Kind of catchy. Three really bad outcomes that should have been obvious to a group of peers - and you must surrender your license and find a new profession. Just like the ambulance trailing trial lawyers and the insurance companies making a mint off of the worst doctors who are able to keep killing their patients.

Nah, that's just too easy.