The Ridiculous Health Care Summit

[maxiep]

Is there anything more worthless than politicians talking about a real issue in front of a camera? I have no idea why President Obama complains; not only was he given massive majorities in the House and for a good while a filibuster-proof Senate, but he was given a feckless opposition. The Republicans don't have the stones to call Obama and the Democrats out for this shitpile of a bill.

Here's a live blog with an accompanying video: http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2010/02/24/cato-experts-live-blogging-health-care-summit/

 

[maxiep]

Jesus H., President Obama is playing fucking judge and jury. He let Hoyer and Baucus ramble on like Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, but has now cut off two Republicans when they begin to demonstrate why this bill won't make anything better.

At some point, the Republicans just need to walk out.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Did anyone expect 'change' or 'fairness'?

 

[maxiep]

Did anyone expect 'change' or 'fairness'?

But there's not even the appearance of if. Worse yet, the opponents of this bill aren't even calling "bullshit". When did the Executive Branch become royalty? The last I checked it was equal with the Legislative and the Judicial. We revolted over the idea of having a King acting against the interest of his people 234 years ago; we may need another.

 

[maxiep]

The policy wonk in me would go down on Rep. Paul Ryan.

 

[maxiep]

Ah, we get to the crux of the problem. President Obama bought shitty auto insurance out of law school that didn't cover him every way he wanted. Ergo, all insurance is evil.

IIRC, he was a Harvard Law School graduate. Couldn't he read and understand his policy? I think the problem is him, not the insurance company.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

The whole thing is a joke.

 

[maxiep]

The feed stopped from the WH. Here's the one from C-SPAN: http://www.c-span.org/Topics/Health-Care-Insurance-Reform-Legislation-Town-Hall.aspx

 

[maxiep]

Okay, he's finally come clean on his position. He doesn't believe catastrophic health care insurance is insurance. He thinks people should pay more to have full health care insurance so you don't pay much out of pocket.

The overwhelming concern of taxpayers is that: a) health insurance is too expensive; and b) they're afraid of a health care incident bankrupting them. Catastrophic health insurance is dramatically cheaper than comprehensive insurance and keeps people from having a health care incident from bankrupting them. In other words, what he states his goals are for his bill aren't something he really wants to accomplish.

This is about control, not coverage. And that position is Un-American. As I was reminded by a Canadian, My Body, My Choice.

 

[maxiep]

So far the debate has gone like this:

President Obama: I'm dictating what is and isn't a good argument.

Faceless Republican: These are areas where the bill sucks.

President Obama: We're running out of time and we have a lot to cover, besides a faceless Democrat wants to speak.

Faceless Democrat: I'm going to drone on about individual sob stories and try not to talk about the bill.

 

[TradeNurkicNow]

So far the debate has gone like this:

President Obama: I'm dictating what is and isn't a good argument.

Faceless Republican: These are areas where the bill sucks.

President Obama: We're running out of time and we have a lot to cover, besides a faceless Democrat wants to speak.

Faceless Democrat: I'm going to drone on about individual sob stories and try not to talk about the bill.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

awesome

 

[Eastoff]

I don't know guys, I don't think I can finish first and I really don't want to eat the cracker/bisquit in this circle jerk.

 

[Minstrel]

So how did the health care summit go? Good?

 

[jlprk]

When did the Executive Branch become royalty? The last I checked it was equal with the Legislative and the Judicial. We revolted over the idea of having a King acting against the interest of his people 234 years ago; we may need another.

How odd, he is leading them to consensus like a leader does. Why doesn't he try Bush's royal method--open dozens of torture centers to get everyone to "agree."

It just ended on C-Span 3, on one of the anonymous high-numbered channels. The programmers have kept it off of C-Spans 1 and 2, which are among the mainstream channels. That way no one will see it.

 

[maxiep]

How odd, he is leading them to consensus like a leader does. Why doesn't he try Bush's royal method--open dozens of torture centers to get everyone to "agree."

It just ended on C-Span 3, on one of the anonymous high-numbered channels. The programmers have kept it off of C-Spans 1 and 2, which are among the mainstream channels. That way no one will see it.

Ruh roh. It looks like the previous Administration was more bi-partisan than this one.

http://keithhennessey.com/2010/02/23/bipartisan-successes/

 

[Eastoff]

Ruh roh. It looks like the previous Administration was more bi-partisan than this one.

http://keithhennessey.com/2010/02/23/bipartisan-successes/

you mean the dems were willing to give in more to republicans than republicans are willing to given in to dems?

 

[barfo]

you mean the dems were willing to give in more to republicans than republicans are willing to given in to dems?

No, no, the author anticipated that suggestion, and has thoroughly discredited it with this devastating argument:

I assume that some on the Left will say the Republican minority is now far more unified, partisan, and obstinate than the Democratic minority ever was. I think this is silly. Whatever you think of Republicans, they’re not that unified. I’m reminded of the organized crime boss in the movie Sneakers: “Hah. Don’t kid yourself. It’s not that organized.”

So, you see, the Republicans are not unified, partisan and obstinate.

Just partisan and obstinate, I guess.

barfo

 

[ABM]

Just partisan and obstinate, I guess.

barfo

Gee, and why do Pelosi and Reed come to mind, as well?

 

[Shapecity]

I like how Obama handled McCain.

 

[mook]

This thing seemed a no-win situation for Republicans. If they didn't show up, they'd appear obstinate and callous. By showing up they got to let Obama look very presidential and like a leader on this issue. Once again, he didn't come across as the socialist wingnut as he's always portrayed by the right.

I know it's supposed to be a post-racial society and everything, and it's not the point at all, but the most powerful visual that stuck with me from the few minutes I saw was a large group of really powerful white people in a big meeting organized by a black guy. (Kind of like most NFL teams, only the exact opposite.)

I wonder if there's some poor African American kid living in some project somewhere whose mom will make him watch it. Pretty cool to think about if you throw all the policy issues aside for just a minute.

 

[jlprk]

you mean the dems were willing to give in more to republicans than republicans are willing to given in to dems?

One of the first comments after the article says--

Trying to be bipartisan with Republicans is much harder than with Democrats. This article proves that Bush era Democrats were bipartisan with Republicans, not that Republicans were bipartisan with Democrats. Otherwise the Democrats would have been that era's Party of No.

 

[maxiep]

One of the first comments after the article says--

Trying to be bipartisan with Republicans is much harder than with Democrats. This article proves that Bush era Democrats were bipartisan with Republicans, not that Republicans were bipartisan with Democrats. Otherwise the Democrats would have been that era's Party of No.

George W. Bush worked with Ted Kennedy. Name a major bill where Barack Obama co-sponsored legislation with a conservative member of the Republican caucus.

 

[barfo]

George W. Bush worked with Ted Kennedy. Name a major bill where Barack Obama co-sponsored legislation with a conservative member of the Republican caucus.

Is Obama even able to co-sponsor legislation as the President?

More to the point, Kennedy felt Bush screwed him on NCLB and regretted working with him. Hardly a high-water mark for bipartisanship.

barfo

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Is Obama even able to co-sponsor legislation as the President?

Well, he was a senator for six years--I imagine he had ample opportunity to sponsor bills during that span.

 

[barfo]

Well, he was a senator for six years--I imagine he had ample opportunity to sponsor bills during that span.

I don't think he served his full 6 year term - he got out after 4 years for good behavior.

But another Republican senator takes it for granted that Obama has earned his bipartisan spurs. Gordon Smith (OR), who is running for re-election, is running an ad in which he basks in Obama's post-partisan glow.

"Who says Gordon Smith helped lead the fight for better gas mileage and a cleaner environment?" the commercial says. "Barack Obama. He joined with Gordon and broke through a 20-year deadlock to pass new laws, which increased gas mileage for automobiles. Gov. Ted Kologoski praised their bipartisan partnership."

barfo

 

[Minstrel]

But another Republican senator takes it for granted that Obama has earned his bipartisan spurs. Gordon Smith (OR), who is running for re-election, is running an ad in which he basks in Obama's post-partisan glow.

"Who says Gordon Smith helped lead the fight for better gas mileage and a cleaner environment?" the commercial says. "Barack Obama. He joined with Gordon and broke through a 20-year deadlock to pass new laws, which increased gas mileage for automobiles. Gov. Ted Kologoski praised their bipartisan partnership."

Nice try. Find a non-RINO whom Obama has worked with.

A non-RINO is someone who would never help advance Obama's socialist agenda.

 

[jlprk]

The killer whale?