When discussing President Barack Obama’s attempts to incorporate Republican ideas into his health care proposal, Rep. Paul Brown, R-Ga., said, “…Snookie from the Jersey Shore, has more substance than President Obama’s offer.”
After the Summit — The main lesson to draw from Thursday’s health care forum is that differences between Democrats and Republicans are too profound to be bridged. That means that it is up to the Democrats to fix the country’s dysfunctional and hugely costly health care system. Here is a basic fact: If the House Democrats voted tomorrow to approve the Senate bill, health care reform would become the law of the land. Reconciliation is a last resort. But Republicans and Democrats have both used it for major bills in the past. The president wisely refused to tie his hands, when confronted on Thursday. –New York Times Editorial
Prof. Obama walks tall and carries a big paddle: The Republicans kept their crazies — the Bachmanns, the You LIEs! — locked up in the closet, with a few exceptions. One, Oklahoma Senator, Dr. Tom Coburn — who to be fair, performed much better than I expected. He had a very good grasp of doctor-patient issues vis-à-vis healthcare reform. Coburn has been a practicing physician for many years, so I expect nothing less from him.
Good for him, he left the looney-tune portion of his brain in Tulsa,Oklahoma.
Senator Lamar Alexander, in the opening statement, delivered a disciplined message, but veered off into “tea-bagging” mode — and was caught lying — red handed. Obama called him out on the spot. Strangely, Lamar kept on insisting that he was right.
A wide spectrum of the SANE media and fact-checkers agree that Senator Alexander lied.
John McCain smirked like a Cheshire cat all day. And why not, Obama slam-dunked him in 2008, anyway — and for good measure, rebuked him sharply…when McCain complained about a lack of transparency from the Obama administration in its pursuit of a health care plan and backroom deals.
“We’re not campaigning anymore. The election’s over,” responded a clearly irritated Obama.
“I’m reminded of that every day,” McCain shot back, adding that “the American people care about what we did and how we did it.”
Said Obama: “We can have a debate about process or we can have a debate about how we’re actually going to help the American people at this point. And I think that’s — the latter debate is the one that they care about a little bit more.” [SEE VIDEO BELOW]
The rest of the Republicans came in loaded with their usual childish “Frank Luntz Talking Points” — “Lets start over!” … “Lets scrap the bill!” … “Lets take a step by step approach!” … “Lets take a clean sheet of paper!” … “We ought to start over!” … “Seniors are gonna die!” ….”One sixth of the economy will die!” … “This will bankrupt our country” … “This is a dangerous experiment” ….
I whole load of “synchronized crap” with no concrete solutions for the problem at hand, and absolutely no attempt at any form bipartisanship — despite president Obama’s constant prodding.
Obama controlled the microphone and the clock, and he used both skillfully to limit the Republicans’ time, to rebut their arguments and to always have the last word.
After seven and a half hours of deliberations, Obama concluded the talk-fest with the bleak assessment that accord between Democrats and Republicans may not be possible. He rejected Republican preferences for starting over, discussing the issue much longer or taking a step-by-step solution.
Obama said he is not sure that Democrats can “bridge the gap” with the GOP to reach a compromise on the plan, and he strongly suggested that Democrats will try to pass a sweeping overhaul without GOP support by using controversial Senate budget rules that would disallow filibusters.
Then, he said, this fall’s elections would write the verdict on who was right.
Obama has exhausted all his options.
FUCK THE STUPID Republicans!
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Dana Milbank Writes: It’s a safe bet that no minds were changed in that room Thursday, and it’s not entirely clear that Obama was even trying to forge a compromise. Though advertised as a consensus-building opportunity, the summit served more as a moment for the president to tell Republicans, with the cameras rolling, why they’re wrong and he’s right.
The forum matched his lawyerly skills — and, less flatteringly, his tendency to act like the smartest guy in the room. Prof. Obama ventured deep into the weeds of health-care policy to contest Republican claims, and, for one day at least, he regained control of the fractious student body that is the Congress.
The 40 lawmakers and administration officials, seated in squeaky chairs around the square, were to speak only when called on. After each talked, Obama would determine whether the speaker’s point was a “legitimate argument.”
While each of them had to call him “Mr. President,” Obama, often waving an index finger, made sure to refer to each of them by their first name: “Thank you, Lamar. . . . We’re going to have Nancy and Harry. . . . John, are you going to make the presentation yourself?”
If somebody went on too long, Obama cautioned the lawmaker to be “more disciplined.” When Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) spoke about Medicare cuts, Obama cut him off. “I don’t mean to interrupt,” he said, but “if every speaker, at least on one side, is going through every provision and saying what they don’t like, it’s going to be hard for us to see if we can arrive at some agreements.”
After several such moments, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) spoke up. “Republicans have used 24 minutes; the Democrats, 52 minutes,” he said.
Obama made McConnell look small in his chair. “You’re right, there was an imbalance on the opening statements,” he said, “because I’m the president.” [ READ MORE ]
Joe Conason: Propaganda meets professor at the health summit — The Republicans brought standard propaganda to Blair House — where the president confronted them with basic facts [ READ MORE ]
Conservatives say Obama “lowered himself” with participation in health summit “beneath” his office — Several conservative commentators have attacked Obama by claiming he “lowered himself” and diminished the office of the President by appearing at the bipartisan health care summit. [ READ MORE ] [ LIMBAUGH ON UNINSURED: LET THEM EAT...APPLESAUCE? ]
Ingraham on O’Reilly: Obama “lowered himself” by playing moderator at health care summit
Hannity pushes Reagan anti-”socialized medicine” clip, ignores that Reagan was criticizing Medicare
Father Morris pushes “federal funding for abortion” falsehood to suggest Obama is untrustworthy
Palin on tea party movement: “I believe that I’m a part of that”
Anti-immigrant racist and THIEF, J.D. Hayworth, is breathing hard up John McCain’s ass, going by the most recent polling, while another THIEF, border-minuteman, gangster-racist Chris Simcox, also set to compete in the same Arizona Republican Senatorial primary, is siphoning away a small but significant chunk of potential votes from McCain.
This development has prompted the “Maverick” to become an even bigger LIAR — in an embarrassing effort to quench the bloody-thirst of the racist tea-bagging Republican primary voters, in Arizona. The fact that he drove the Republican party into a ditch, in 2008, losing decisively to Obama, just makes things worse for McSAME.
“Conservative political icon Sarah Palin plans to attend the Feb. 14 Daytona 500.
The former governor of Alaska and 2008 running mate of Republican candidate John McCain requested credentials to attend the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock-car race.
Palin, who is booked to speak at the annual Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce dinner on Feb. 15, will arrive a day early to attend the 200-lap race at Daytona International Speedway.” GODWIN KELLY/Motorsports Editor
The Fox News network has an anti-African American bias, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and their regular guests consistently demonize Barack Obama and other prominent black politicians. It’s not surprising that according to the Nielsen ratings very few blacks tune in to Fox News.
Sarah Palin is trying to solidify her base, and what better way to reach her supporters and sycophants than by becoming a commentator for Fox News?
The demographics of Fox News and NASCAR are identical: Overwhelmingly white teabaggers, Rednecks, pro-gun nuts, pro-lifers, homophobes and assorted riff-raff.
Sara Palin gravitates towards institutions that marginalize blacks and other minorities. Palin would make a great Grand Wizard for the Klu Klux Klan, but she’s a terrible choice to be President of the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural United States of America.
Newly hired Sarah Palin has been busy making the rounds, “familiarizing” herself with the Top Goons at Fox “News,” America’s number one LYING CHANNEL — The Anti-Obama, Propaganda and Race-Baiting Headquarters for Republican America.
The other night she met with fellow ‘Middle-Schooler‘ Glenn Beck, during which Palin talked about ‘Founding Mothers,‘ eternal ramifications, and John McCain.
Glenn Beck criticized John McCain as a “progressive” who “was for the bank bailouts,” and also criticized those who call for windfall profit taxes on oil companies but ignore the Federal Reserve’s “record profits.” In fact, both Beck and Palin have previously expressed support for the 2009 Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), and Palin, while Alaska governor, increased taxes on oil companies operating in Alaska. [ READ MORE ]
Last night she met with Sean KLANnity, the sickest mother-fucker on TV — and Sarah promptly and confidently declared: Harry Reid is “driving a bus that is headed towards a train wreck,” ….and also stuck like glue to her thoroughly debunked “death panel” falsehood.
Letterman on Sarah Palin’s First Day at Fox
Palin still defending thoroughly debunked “death panel” falsehood
In Palin interview, Beck criticizes bank bailouts and oil company tax hikes — but Palin supported both
Just like her newspaper preference: Palin says her “favorite” founder is “all of them” before eventually citing Washington
