It’s a bit morbid. We want Snowden brought to justice, not killed! At least, not before the trial for treason – after which, I believe the penalty is death…
Don’t support death penalty, but he certainly needs to be brought to trial. I was just listening to an NPR news story on how they found the journals of Nelson Mandela, musings that let to the court case and made him the icon he is. And trying to understand how anyone, ever, could compare Mandela with Snowden. Have people become so distanced from life, with social media taking over the world, that they have no respect for history, and cannot understand what true greatness means? It’s unbelievable.
I can’t believe anyone has the gall to compare lying Snowden to a man who is respected around the world for his suffering on behalf of his country and inspiration to his fellow prisoners! As for the death penalty, I’m a strong opponent of the death penalty, but I believe the death penalty is the punishment for treason, isn’t it?
You may be right. Did a little searching and this seemed to be the best/easiest answer to spot. So in countries where there is death penalty, that may be the punishment, but heavy fines/jail could be levied instead as well… http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100307142457AApdHaY
I’m beginning to think that the only person whom we’ll ever see accused of treason will be President Obama, by the traitors themselves (i.e GOP, emoprogs, tea party crazies, presidential candidates)! So frustrating…
Holy freaking shit. Rand Paul accepted donations from Stormfront and scumbags in the media don’t think he’s a racist? I checked Stromfront out and they are an unabashed white supremacist group. OMG. His social media director goes by the name “Southern Avenger” and is a confirmed white supremacist whose writings want a secession of the South, degrades Black people, etc. This is beyond scary. Rand Paul is one step away from donning the hood and robes of the KKK.
Rand Paul pals around with and accepts money from Stormfront, but he’s not racist. Don’t be ridiculous.
“What’s so odd and interesting about Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s threats to eliminate the filibuster on executive-branch nominees is that the… majority is considering rules changes precisely because there’s nothing more the minority can obstruct that they really, really care about.”
“These aren’t usual times in the Senate. So far as Reid is concerned, Republicans have already killed pretty much everything else the Democrats might want to do. When he’s been confronted with the argument that Republicans might bring everything to a stop if Democrats change the rules, I’m told Reid’s reply is sharp: ‘And that would be different how?'”
Jay Z brings it every fucking time! This is what Kanye West’s ‘Yeezus’ aspired to be but failed to achieve. Morning, afternoon, night, Jigga is on his A+ game.
I am here for Jay Z any day anytime because he does not disappoint. He leaves everything on the floor. Magna Carta Holy Grail is going to be a sick album. It’s already Platinum.
All he cares a out is keeping the Speaker job!
From a republican pov doing nothing is great.
Until it comes to default if the nations bills, that’s where they want another sequester.
There’s no doubt about that, rchakras. I don’t know why anyone continues to call him Speaker because he doesn’t function as one. He should be renamed ‘door stop,’ because all he does is close the door to progress on any issue. You could get a large stone to do his job and not have to pay it a salary or provide healthcare and pension.
Senate Republicans arguing manipulating Reud about the nuclear option.
It was incredible to watch, begging Reid not to use it, bartling with him, and just playing the victim.
It was annoying…
So, they come back from caucus meetings at 2:15 we will see if Harry has been manipulated or is he going to use the nuclear option?
They’re scared to death of this thing, literally!
This is interesting!
🙂
Senators Wicker and Corker came across as begging and ready to cry for Senator Reid not to do it. I have never seen anything on the floor like it. It is interesting.
But McConnell says it’s the ‘fringe’ that wants the nuclear option, and it will ‘kill the Senate.”
Do you believe these guys? They have mastered the Karl Rove trick of accusing their opponent of what they themselves do.
We should start a list. No. 1: Boehner saying ACA is a ‘burden on struggling middle class families.” No access to affordable or available health care is a burden on middle class families, you miserable weasel. Bankruptcy and losing your home or job because of a cancer diagnosis is the ‘burden’, you heartless dumbass.
“With Tropical Storm Chantal headed for South Florida with landfall likely Saturday, Florida Gov. Rick Scott is sounding alarm bells about the impact of National Guard furloughs on state storm preparations. “The problem is you’re losing training time, you’re losing preparation time,” Scott said during a radio interview in Jacksonville. “When will the National Guard make the decision that we stop the furloughs? Right after the hurricane hits?”
And half of FL believes this b.s. I’ll get flamed for this, but Dem’s really need to be better as messaging, so that nonsense lies like this are easily recognized as lies by at least 75% of the American people.
Yes you have a point, but 1/2 the dang people ARE stupid and want to believe this crap. As evidenced by the almost 1/2 who voted for Romney, and the other hugely disappointing millions who sat on the duff and did not vote at all and won’t vote again either.
How hard is it to miss the fact that all the flippin republicans are trying to turn off government spending. Come on fess up- people are really STUPID is the problem.
LOL! That’s just so wrong. If I had my mouth already for some yummy ice creamy, chocolatey goodness, I wouldn’t want vegetables on a stick either! There’s a time and a place for everything. When when it’s being handed to out the side of a multi-colored truck with circus music playing, it BETTER be some freakin’ ice cream! Got it buddy?!! 😀
I hear ya Dudette, but it makes me sad that these children don’t like vegetables, especially the overweight kids. However, the children that went for the apple warmed my heart. My job is to help people eat healthier and live healthier lifestyles. I’m not perfect, and I do indulge, but their obvious disappointment (and what’s with the cursing in front of a toddler??) just makes me realize that we’ll have a whole new generation of obese adults, and a LONG way to go.
Just my $.02.
It was cool how they gave them free ice cream after.
At an open-air flea market outside McAllen, Texas (BEESTX), near the Mexican border, shoppers can buy a goat and get their car windows tinted. Tables with handwritten signs touting Viagra (MDPSVIAG) are stocked with herbal remedies promising to burn fat and boost breast size. You can also find pills to end a pregnancy.
Bazaars like this have become home to a black market where women too poor to afford an abortion at a clinic or deterred by state mandates such as a 24-hour waiting period can buy drugs to induce a miscarriage on their own, a dozen area residents and doctors said in interviews.
Hundreds of miles north in Austin, the capital, lawmakers may inadvertently increase this illegal trade. Rules set to pass as soon as this week might result in the closing of most, if not all, abortion facilities in the state. If the law — promoted as a way to improve women’s health — makes legal abortion unavailable in Texas, more women may turn to markets such as the one near McAllen and risk their lives.
I was horrified. I like to get a tweet out when you provide links so we spread the word. This was a particularly illuminating example of the results of Republican heartlessness.
Greg Nash
Boehner: House to vote next week on delaying ObamaCare mandates
Russell Berman – 07/11/13 11:42 AM ET
“It would be unfair to protect big business from ObamaCare but not individuals and families,” said Boehner.…
Keeping the caucus together by going after obamacare again!
Hi, UT – Loved all the funny tweets at the top! Only change I’d make would be to insert the word “liberal” somewhere in your header (kidding)! Because liberals are the ones with the sense of humor!
If God doesn’t stop tweeting, I think I may get carpal tunnel syndrome, retweeting. The TweetOfGod is Great!
Going to catch up with all the unfunny “conservative” movements in the country, now …
Senate Dems ward off GOP efforts to thwart ObamaCare rollout
Elise Viebeck
07/11/13 12:58 PM ET
The health appropriations bill that advanced Thursday provides more than $5 billion for overseeing healthcare reform. …
And Rubio is saying no funding government unless defunding Obama are is in there.
They’re afraid of obamacare, I really think they’re going to shut the government down to stop obamacare.
He better blame the republicans.
That’s all I have to say.
Jovie – it’s not for the President to blame Republicans. It’s for Americans to blame Republicans and stop voting them into office. They’re not going away. President Obama only has 3.5 more years in office, but the Republicans are not going to stop attacking Americans and the middle class specifically. If people don’t wake up and start taking responsibility for giving them power to begin with, then things are not going to improve.
The President is doing his job. We need to do ours.
Agree 100%. IMO, people just don’t get it. Republicans DON’T CARE. I know that’s hard for caring people to accept. But Republicans have shown time and time again they don’t care. They don’t care how they are perceived now. And they don’t care how history will judge them. Boehner doesn’t care if history will show him to be the worst Speaker – evah. These people have a few goals, it seems to me. Destroy President Obama and with him as many Democrats as possible; keep the money flowing into their pockets and the pockets of their donors; and destroy the government as we know it – shrink it down to a size small enough that it can be drowned in the average person’s bathtub ala Norquist’s greatest desire.
I also think they want to cow people to a degree that they are either too disgusted by the toxic environment, or make them think they are powerless. And then make them permanently afraid for their jobs, their health, their safety, their opportunities, their “future millionaire status”, so that they will do anything to prevent their neighbor from having something they don’t have. It’s the only thing that seems to explain people voting against their interests, even in the face of facts that the GOP have no interest in helping the average Joe. In fact, the GOP despise the average Joe.
Why is is a ‘burden’ for ‘struggling families’ to have access to affordable, available health care? And why aren’t there knee-jerk responses asking Republicans how they intend to deliver affordable, available health care to the millions of Americans who go without?
This afternoon I have called Alexander’s and Corker’s office. I was very assertive and downright livid. Told the aide I fully support Sen. Reid using the nuclear option……said it was way, way, way past time to break the filibuster. Also used the tweet I saw here: Americans want our democracy back. I said that 2 or 3 times. In the Corker call, I mentioned (again……I’ve done it a number of times when calling his office) that I know Sen. Corker was part of the Jan. 20, 2009 inauguration insurgency and said that as far as I am concerned, that borders on treason. Kept repeating that we want our democracy back. Said lots of others things too. 🙂 🙂
Mountain Girl, did you see Senator Corker almost crying on the floor pleading with Senator Reid not to use the nuclear option? You might have almost felt sorry for him.
No, I didn’t, Bill. I did read it here which reminded me to call Corker. I had called Alexander’s office early afternoon, then got busy doing stuff. When I did a quick check of TOD and saw that, I immediately called Corker. btw, I also called Reid’s office to let him know I fully support this move.
she NEEDS to run for president in 2016. she’s one of president obama’s most vocal and loyal supporters, and the perfect person to carry the torch. and she can get crowds fired up like he does too!
no idea. her age is one reason why i want to her to run this time though, even though she seems much younger. it’s amazing what she’s been able to generate in just a few years when no one even knew about her until president obama brought her into the national spotlight, much like john kerry did for him. she was rough at politicking at first, but my god, she’s amazing at it now, especially debates, so she’s an incredibly quick learner. in 2016, america will need her more than ever to continue the work of president obama to make sure it doesn’t slide back to the failed policies of the past.
but as usual, 2014 needs to be the focus right now and getting the gavel back into pelosi’s hands.
Amen, 57. Thanks for the tweet. Nothing anyone said in the past matters. The Republicans have done nothing but abuse the filibuster and made the Senate dysfunctional. Time to change that intolerable situation. I would like the filibuster rule changed for ALL legislation. There is no earthly reason why a vote of 52 to 48 for reducing student loans means the bill is killed. That’s insanity. We need to go back to a common sense Congress.
I have a good friend who works hard, plays by the rules. She has always had decent health insurance, although she complains. I guess it’s all about your frame of reference.
But here’s what’s wrong with health care in America: When she has a sinus infection, her doctor orders an MRI. Every single sinus infection.
She probably pulled a muscle in her side cleaning her bathroom walls. It still hurts after three weeks when she turns, so she went to the doctor. The doctor is pretty sure it’s muscular, but she is going for an ultrasound of the gallbladder and liver.
She’s also clinically obese, as is her husband who has diabetes. I’m talking people in their mid-40’s. They eat like shit, they eat out almost all the time (with their two teen-aged daughters). It’s fries, cheese, fatty hamburgers, grocery shopping means buying ice cream and cookies. And then multiple visits to doctors to get pills or procedures for their ailments.
Hey, I wish everyone could have such thorough medical care. If there is something wrong with her gallbladder or liver, I hope they find the problem and treat it. But millions of Americans can’t get any health care, can’t afford what should be even a simple doctor’s visit, while expensive tests are ordered all the time for this family. We squander our health resources and then blame the people without access to those resources.
I also question if doctors know how to diagnose and examine like they used to. Everything has to be quantified on a test. Do doctors even know how to determine muscular pain from gallbladder problems? Do we still practice the art of medicine?
My primary doctor is my asthma doctor, because frankly without insurance, I pay for everything out of pocket and can’t afford a whole slew of doctors. He treats my high blood pressure, does blood work. He likes treating me because he says it reminds him that he’s still an internist. If there are other issues, of course, he recommends specialists. But damn, if being overweight contributes or causes my problems, he addresses the weight. If pain gets in the way of me exercising, there are lots of alternatives to expensive tests and treatments. We exhaust all of those common sense remedies before we discuss anything more drastic. In some ways, I take better care of myself to avoid problems because I can’t afford a $3,000 trip to the ER if I have an asthma attack. I control my asthma.
It’s rather appalling that so many Americans are unwilling to take the least bit of responsibility for proactive health.
57, that’s why the ACA puts such emphasis on preventive care and avoiding unnecessary and expensive tests, which are done because 1) they’re supposed to lessen the threat of malpractice if someone has something and the doctor didn’t find it; and 2) doctors know insurance companies will pay, so there’s no reason to economize. ObamaCare puts the emphasis on preventing illnesses through regular checkups. That’s one of the reasons it’s expected to save so much on health care.
There is so much wonderful stuff in ACA. Sure, the bare bones of it are not what we would have liked. It’s not what PBO would have liked, for God’s sake. And the problem wasn’t Republicans, it was the DINO’s who kept the bill from being better than it is.
That being said, preventive, proactive care and a change to healthy living as opposed to crisis management health care. The success of lowering re-admits has been phenomenal, and doctors are saying so, out loud. YOu want Federal money, get your act together.
It is not ‘evil’ to marshall medical resources effectively. We squander on those who can afford it, and deny care to those who need it. Also, because there have been no regulations on spending of health care in this country, we are subsidizing the rest of the world and corporate profits. All other countries negotiate prices and those savings are used to provide across the board health care. It’s insane in this country.
My goddaughter is a surgeon; and she says if med school was paid for like it is almost everywhere else, we’d have many more and better doctors who are willing to make a good living, but don’t have to make decisions to become plastic surgeons or dermatologists to pay off their loans. We are limiting the talent pool. And why shouldn’t we invest in doctors, and then expect some years of service back from them? In clinics that are “not profitable” but vital to the health of their communities?
Oh wait. That’s evil ‘communism’. Because my friend, God bless her, should get MRI’s for every sinus infection when millions go without basic asthma meds. It’s disgusting.
LH, I think Kilgore is wrong. The president hasn’t been strict on border patrol to “appease” Republicans, he’s done what he thinks is right. This is another attempt to undermine the president by suggesting he does what’s expedient, rather than what’s right. I’m not buying it.
Of course, Marketwatch is giving credit to Bernanke leaving the bailout for the rich alone… I’m not convinced that this Quantitative Easing is helping anyone except the bankers and investors. How are ordinary people being helped by the Federal Reserve continuing to prop up these crooks? Why aren’t private industry putting that money back into the economy by way of increased wages, faster hiring, investment in infrastructure?
That’s the reason for today’s gains. Wall St. is no longer invested – pardon the pun – in the health of the American economy, thanks to deregulation and no consequences for their actions (Elizabeth Warren is working on that, God bless her. With John McCain, of all people).
They don’t care where they get their profit. If the middle class moves to China and leaves the U.S. an economic wasteland, that’s fine. Wall St. used to have to abide by common sense rules, as did pension plans and other investments. There were compelling reasons and regulations that stabilized the economy. There was a slow, steady conservative growth sector (remember ‘blue chip stocks?) as opposed to the whole shebang being like the Wild West. Insurance companies could only invest in safe, conservative investments, as did pension plans, etc.
Regulation is what gives us ‘certainty’. This ‘lack of certainty’ that is yet another Republican lie is caused by lack of regulation. We’re practically back to the early 1800’s when there was a bank crash of the economy every dozen years or so. This roller coaster needs to be reined in.
Well, he collaborated. He was perfectly comfortable with that trajectory. There is a difference between PBO who is trying to cobble together reasonable governance and Clinton, who was just fine with privatization on steroids, no enforcement of anti-trust and the God-awful Gramm bill that he collaborated on that directly led to this disaster. I hear he’s recently taken a little credit for his part in that calamity. Another sign that Hillary’s running.
I know how different times were 20 years ago. America was looking for a more business-friendly Democrat. I know that. But Clinton is really comfortable in that niche. He believes it. He also stood at a point in history when he could have undone a lot of Reagan damage and he doubled down instead.
And frankly, Dem’s were asleep. They were waiting for the next Bobby Kennedy to ride in on a white horse. They never believed that the chipping away of abortion and women’s rights, deregulation, privatization of vital segments of the government were going to amount to anything. We laughed at the fringe, as the fringe got bigger and bigger and Gingrich declared an entirely new all-out war on Democrats and Democratic presidents. And we still didn’t take it seriously. We still thought there was an objective line of sanity that would not be crossed. Hey, we STILL hear Dem’s do nothing but laugh at teh Crazy instead of taking seriously how effective Republicans have been.
Republicans were effective because Dem’s stopped fighting. We coasted after Roe v. Wade and the Civil Rights Act, even though Republicans began chipping away almost instantly. We got complacent. Republicans only remade political discourse because we let them.
So many good points here, 57! There’s a fallacy that Republicans are good for business. They’re not. They may deliver short term profits, but they don’t look at the long view. They never have. Their business models only work by destroying the foundations upon which they rely. The Industrial War Complex (or whatever it’s called). The destruction of the middle class. The pursuit of emerging markets and the need to drive US wages lower in order to attract the growing middle classes of those emerging economies as consumers. The exploit of the housing market. The destruction of the planet by seeking fossil fuels. It’s all short term – the long term damage is not worth it, and it’s definitely not good for business or the country – or humanity.
Republicans don’t know the first thing about sound business strategy.
Unfortunately, they are masters of political strategy. I wish Democratic leadership would learn a little from them. Besides it should be a lot easier – we tell the truth.
How much more would 401ks be helped if the stock market profits were based on actual strength of the economy, and not just on how well the profiteers’ pockets were being lined? The 401K line seems to be another story being farmed out to people to keep people quiet and happy. They wouldn’t need propping up by the Fed if companies were legitimately operating like a real economy – investment and growth.
Jovie, that’s a big plus. As a retiree, I saw with deep dismay my retirement savings sink in the mud during the recession. Now they’re making a healthy recovery, which gives me peace of mind. Not to say they won’t take a downward turn again, but that’s the state of play for the moment.
Because for the first time in American history, the government is not investing in stimulating the economy. ACA should have been able to employ thousands. Our crumbling bridges, roads, water mains, energy grids – never in our history has the government not invested in those projects. Until John McCain unleashed Sarah Palin on us and we ushered in an entire Republican Congress full of Palins – who are stupid and heartless and now powerful. It’s disgusting.
Houses are selling like hotcakes in the Chgo area. My daughter and son in law just experienced the frenzied market. They would make an appt. to see a property on the weekend and by then it was already “under contract” or had multiple offers. They lost out on at least 12 homes they were interested in by listings selling almost immediately. They finally found out about one that was going to be listed and went to look at it immediately, were the first ones to see it, liked it and made a full price offer and still got in a bidding war with 3 other parties. They got the house for over list but it was quite an experience. And—–even tho we all yelled, “NO! Don’t!”, they bought before they sold their condo—-yikes!—–but luckily they just got a decent offer at about the last minute—-before they were going to try to rent it. However—-and there always is a however—–the buyers had a 45 pound dog named Junior (love the name)—a 10 yr. old lab/basset rescue—–and homeowners assoc. rules only allow dogs 25 lbs. or less. So my daughter wrote up this great appeal to the board, with docile, sweet photos of Junior, and a testimony from a vet that she has used Jr. in her training classes as well behaved dog—–plus other desirable details about buyers etc.——and I don’t know why I’m blabbing on about this——but she just got notice that they are going to allow Junior to move in! Yay! And Whew! All that to make a point about the hot housing mkt. in Chgoland.
The Daily Edge @TheDailyEdge 1h
Stocks soar as investors realize Republicans now so focused on restricting #reproductivefreedom they have no time to sabotage the economy
Retweeted by Jeff Gauvin
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The Obama Diary 
😀 Good tweets, painfully true.
The Onion has made an offer to Edward Snowden as well. I don’t think he’ll take it.
http://www.theonion.com/articles/the-onion-offers-a-swift-painless-death-to-edward,33071/
It’s a bit morbid. We want Snowden brought to justice, not killed! At least, not before the trial for treason – after which, I believe the penalty is death…
Don’t support death penalty, but he certainly needs to be brought to trial. I was just listening to an NPR news story on how they found the journals of Nelson Mandela, musings that let to the court case and made him the icon he is. And trying to understand how anyone, ever, could compare Mandela with Snowden. Have people become so distanced from life, with social media taking over the world, that they have no respect for history, and cannot understand what true greatness means? It’s unbelievable.
I can’t believe anyone has the gall to compare lying Snowden to a man who is respected around the world for his suffering on behalf of his country and inspiration to his fellow prisoners! As for the death penalty, I’m a strong opponent of the death penalty, but I believe the death penalty is the punishment for treason, isn’t it?
You may be right. Did a little searching and this seemed to be the best/easiest answer to spot. So in countries where there is death penalty, that may be the punishment, but heavy fines/jail could be levied instead as well… http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100307142457AApdHaY
Thanks for the research, rchakras! 🙂
🙂 I was curious about it as well!
According to someone who knows (??), Snowden cannot be charged with treason. (This was done June 25/2013)
http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/06/25/why-edward-snowden-cannot-be-a-traitor/
I’m beginning to think that the only person whom we’ll ever see accused of treason will be President Obama, by the traitors themselves (i.e GOP, emoprogs, tea party crazies, presidential candidates)! So frustrating…
According to the video – even PBO couldn’t be thus charged; the circumstances re war are not applicable.
Since when does logic or reality enter into the tea party equation… 😕
Good laughs for a rainy afternoon.
Holy freaking shit. Rand Paul accepted donations from Stormfront and scumbags in the media don’t think he’s a racist? I checked Stromfront out and they are an unabashed white supremacist group. OMG. His social media director goes by the name “Southern Avenger” and is a confirmed white supremacist whose writings want a secession of the South, degrades Black people, etc. This is beyond scary. Rand Paul is one step away from donning the hood and robes of the KKK.
Even RW press turning on him…
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2013/07/11/republicans_have_little_leverage_to_block_nuclear_option.html
“What’s so odd and interesting about Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s threats to eliminate the filibuster on executive-branch nominees is that the… majority is considering rules changes precisely because there’s nothing more the minority can obstruct that they really, really care about.”
“These aren’t usual times in the Senate. So far as Reid is concerned, Republicans have already killed pretty much everything else the Democrats might want to do. When he’s been confronted with the argument that Republicans might bring everything to a stop if Democrats change the rules, I’m told Reid’s reply is sharp: ‘And that would be different how?'”
about 1:20 minute mark….#magnacartaholygrail …..so awesome!
Warning Explicit lyrics….
Jay Z brings it every fucking time! This is what Kanye West’s ‘Yeezus’ aspired to be but failed to achieve. Morning, afternoon, night, Jigga is on his A+ game.
I am here for Jay Z any day anytime because he does not disappoint. He leaves everything on the floor. Magna Carta Holy Grail is going to be a sick album. It’s already Platinum.
Here’s full album before it gets taken down UT
Here’s a not-funny tweet from me this morning to GOP:
and one r.e. filibuster:
Feel so disgusted by the whole thing.
He must realize that, but he does not seem to care.
All he cares a out is keeping the Speaker job!
From a republican pov doing nothing is great.
Until it comes to default if the nations bills, that’s where they want another sequester.
There’s no doubt about that, rchakras. I don’t know why anyone continues to call him Speaker because he doesn’t function as one. He should be renamed ‘door stop,’ because all he does is close the door to progress on any issue. You could get a large stone to do his job and not have to pay it a salary or provide healthcare and pension.
http://www.nationalmemo.com/5-ways-the-anti-choice-movement-increases-abortions-and-endangers-families/
Closing clinics
Fighting the birth control mandate
Intimidating patients and clinic owners
Spreading misinformation
Calling opponents “murderers” or “child killers”
Okay, where the heck have I been? How did I miss this?
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/07/11/justin-bieber-tweets-apology-to-former-president-for-saying-fck-bill-clinton/
Senate Republicans arguing manipulating Reud about the nuclear option.
It was incredible to watch, begging Reid not to use it, bartling with him, and just playing the victim.
It was annoying…
So, they come back from caucus meetings at 2:15 we will see if Harry has been manipulated or is he going to use the nuclear option?
They’re scared to death of this thing, literally!
This is interesting!
🙂
Senators Wicker and Corker came across as begging and ready to cry for Senator Reid not to do it. I have never seen anything on the floor like it. It is interesting.
Yup! To bad people didn’t see it!
But you gotta watch this gavel in right now!
Here is bill Nelson speaking!
But McConnell says it’s the ‘fringe’ that wants the nuclear option, and it will ‘kill the Senate.”
Do you believe these guys? They have mastered the Karl Rove trick of accusing their opponent of what they themselves do.
We should start a list. No. 1: Boehner saying ACA is a ‘burden on struggling middle class families.” No access to affordable or available health care is a burden on middle class families, you miserable weasel. Bankruptcy and losing your home or job because of a cancer diagnosis is the ‘burden’, you heartless dumbass.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/07/11/kilmeade-makes-toddler-cry-on-live-tv-by-smashing-his-face-with-a-basketball/
I like to drive these “news” outfits crazy.
Effing Rick Scott!!!!!!!!
“With Tropical Storm Chantal headed for South Florida with landfall likely Saturday, Florida Gov. Rick Scott is sounding alarm bells about the impact of National Guard furloughs on state storm preparations. “The problem is you’re losing training time, you’re losing preparation time,” Scott said during a radio interview in Jacksonville. “When will the National Guard make the decision that we stop the furloughs? Right after the hurricane hits?”
Yeah, right, Bozo Scott. The National Guard decided on the furloughs, just to harm the people of Florida.
Does this guy even have a brain to occupy all that empty space in his head?
And half of FL believes this b.s. I’ll get flamed for this, but Dem’s really need to be better as messaging, so that nonsense lies like this are easily recognized as lies by at least 75% of the American people.
Yes you have a point, but 1/2 the dang people ARE stupid and want to believe this crap. As evidenced by the almost 1/2 who voted for Romney, and the other hugely disappointing millions who sat on the duff and did not vote at all and won’t vote again either.
How hard is it to miss the fact that all the flippin republicans are trying to turn off government spending. Come on fess up- people are really STUPID is the problem.
Bozo needs to call the Florida Republican Senators and House members to do something.
LOL! That’s just so wrong. If I had my mouth already for some yummy ice creamy, chocolatey goodness, I wouldn’t want vegetables on a stick either! There’s a time and a place for everything. When when it’s being handed to out the side of a multi-colored truck with circus music playing, it BETTER be some freakin’ ice cream! Got it buddy?!! 😀
I hear ya Dudette, but it makes me sad that these children don’t like vegetables, especially the overweight kids. However, the children that went for the apple warmed my heart. My job is to help people eat healthier and live healthier lifestyles. I’m not perfect, and I do indulge, but their obvious disappointment (and what’s with the cursing in front of a toddler??) just makes me realize that we’ll have a whole new generation of obese adults, and a LONG way to go.
Just my $.02.
It was cool how they gave them free ice cream after.
Another byproduct of their short sighted ignorance of facts.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-11/flea-market-abortions-thrive-as-texas-may-close-clinics.html
At an open-air flea market outside McAllen, Texas (BEESTX), near the Mexican border, shoppers can buy a goat and get their car windows tinted. Tables with handwritten signs touting Viagra (MDPSVIAG) are stocked with herbal remedies promising to burn fat and boost breast size. You can also find pills to end a pregnancy.
Bazaars like this have become home to a black market where women too poor to afford an abortion at a clinic or deterred by state mandates such as a 24-hour waiting period can buy drugs to induce a miscarriage on their own, a dozen area residents and doctors said in interviews.
Hundreds of miles north in Austin, the capital, lawmakers may inadvertently increase this illegal trade. Rules set to pass as soon as this week might result in the closing of most, if not all, abortion facilities in the state. If the law — promoted as a way to improve women’s health — makes legal abortion unavailable in Texas, more women may turn to markets such as the one near McAllen and risk their lives.
They aren’t pro- life…they are anti women.
Thank you, 57:) This is disgusting to me.
I was horrified. I like to get a tweet out when you provide links so we spread the word. This was a particularly illuminating example of the results of Republican heartlessness.
Much appreciated:)
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/home-foreclosures-lowest-over-six-years-6C10604262
Greg Nash
Boehner: House to vote next week on delaying ObamaCare mandates
Russell Berman – 07/11/13 11:42 AM ET
“It would be unfair to protect big business from ObamaCare but not individuals and families,” said Boehner.…
Keeping the caucus together by going after obamacare again!
Hi, UT – Loved all the funny tweets at the top! Only change I’d make would be to insert the word “liberal” somewhere in your header (kidding)! Because liberals are the ones with the sense of humor!
If God doesn’t stop tweeting, I think I may get carpal tunnel syndrome, retweeting. The TweetOfGod is Great!
Going to catch up with all the unfunny “conservative” movements in the country, now …
I thought about you once I saw that.
I also found out That Leonard Nimoy was Paris on Mission Impossible? I didn’t know that until yesterday.
7-Year-Old Receives Reply From NASA After Writing About His Dreams to Be an Astronaut & Go to Mars
http://laughingsquid.com/7-year-old-receives-reply-from-nasa-after-writing-about-his-dreams-to-be-an-astronaut-go-to-mars/
Senate Dems ward off GOP efforts to thwart ObamaCare rollout
Elise Viebeck
07/11/13 12:58 PM ET
The health appropriations bill that advanced Thursday provides more than $5 billion for overseeing healthcare reform. …
And Rubio is saying no funding government unless defunding Obama are is in there.
They’re afraid of obamacare, I really think they’re going to shut the government down to stop obamacare.
He better blame the republicans.
That’s all I have to say.
Jovie – it’s not for the President to blame Republicans. It’s for Americans to blame Republicans and stop voting them into office. They’re not going away. President Obama only has 3.5 more years in office, but the Republicans are not going to stop attacking Americans and the middle class specifically. If people don’t wake up and start taking responsibility for giving them power to begin with, then things are not going to improve.
The President is doing his job. We need to do ours.
Agree 100%. IMO, people just don’t get it. Republicans DON’T CARE. I know that’s hard for caring people to accept. But Republicans have shown time and time again they don’t care. They don’t care how they are perceived now. And they don’t care how history will judge them. Boehner doesn’t care if history will show him to be the worst Speaker – evah. These people have a few goals, it seems to me. Destroy President Obama and with him as many Democrats as possible; keep the money flowing into their pockets and the pockets of their donors; and destroy the government as we know it – shrink it down to a size small enough that it can be drowned in the average person’s bathtub ala Norquist’s greatest desire.
I also think they want to cow people to a degree that they are either too disgusted by the toxic environment, or make them think they are powerless. And then make them permanently afraid for their jobs, their health, their safety, their opportunities, their “future millionaire status”, so that they will do anything to prevent their neighbor from having something they don’t have. It’s the only thing that seems to explain people voting against their interests, even in the face of facts that the GOP have no interest in helping the average Joe. In fact, the GOP despise the average Joe.
Why is is a ‘burden’ for ‘struggling families’ to have access to affordable, available health care? And why aren’t there knee-jerk responses asking Republicans how they intend to deliver affordable, available health care to the millions of Americans who go without?
Very good questions. Too bad we don’t have a media that can ask these questions to the responsible parties.
Apparently it’s all up to us via twitter, LTE’s, etc. Journalism is dead in America.
For Liberal Librarian:
~~~~ 😕 ~~~~
Forgot to add, I’m peeking in to see what you all are up to.
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/fracking-energy-exploration-connected-earthquakes-say-studies-6C10604071
It wasn’t just Dana Bash…..every reporter at the presser made the same snarky remark on Twitter JB
If I see any more from Dana (who really bugs me), I’ll mention maybe cut back on the sugar intake.
Where are their adult brains? It’s all surreal, LP!
Her and Luke Russert are like pseudo GOP spokesman…it’s pathetic.
Tim’s “legacy” is the neighborhood kid none of the other kids pick to be on their team … unfortunately. All Luke has is the surname.
https://twitter.com/LOLGOP/status/355402767256403968
This afternoon I have called Alexander’s and Corker’s office. I was very assertive and downright livid. Told the aide I fully support Sen. Reid using the nuclear option……said it was way, way, way past time to break the filibuster. Also used the tweet I saw here: Americans want our democracy back. I said that 2 or 3 times. In the Corker call, I mentioned (again……I’ve done it a number of times when calling his office) that I know Sen. Corker was part of the Jan. 20, 2009 inauguration insurgency and said that as far as I am concerned, that borders on treason. Kept repeating that we want our democracy back. Said lots of others things too. 🙂 🙂
Mountain Girl, did you see Senator Corker almost crying on the floor pleading with Senator Reid not to use the nuclear option? You might have almost felt sorry for him.
“might have” and “almost” being the key words there.
Exactly.
No, I didn’t, Bill. I did read it here which reminded me to call Corker. I had called Alexander’s office early afternoon, then got busy doing stuff. When I did a quick check of TOD and saw that, I immediately called Corker. btw, I also called Reid’s office to let him know I fully support this move.
Well done!
Brilliant – reality is very different from the world the GOP inhabit. Progress right in front of us!
https://twitter.com/FlowerInFaith/status/355409449176932352
oops. fixed the typo. First tweet is deleted.
she NEEDS to run for president in 2016. she’s one of president obama’s most vocal and loyal supporters, and the perfect person to carry the torch. and she can get crowds fired up like he does too!
I don’t relish a primary fight between Hillary and Warren. But Warren is fresh and passionate. I’d fight for her.
Do you think she would consider it? She is 64 years of age now. 2016 might be her only opportunity.
no idea. her age is one reason why i want to her to run this time though, even though she seems much younger. it’s amazing what she’s been able to generate in just a few years when no one even knew about her until president obama brought her into the national spotlight, much like john kerry did for him. she was rough at politicking at first, but my god, she’s amazing at it now, especially debates, so she’s an incredibly quick learner. in 2016, america will need her more than ever to continue the work of president obama to make sure it doesn’t slide back to the failed policies of the past.
but as usual, 2014 needs to be the focus right now and getting the gavel back into pelosi’s hands.
Cornyn used a prop during his whining…..
He quoted Senator Obama who said something in April of 2005 .about the filibuster
Amen, 57. Thanks for the tweet. Nothing anyone said in the past matters. The Republicans have done nothing but abuse the filibuster and made the Senate dysfunctional. Time to change that intolerable situation. I would like the filibuster rule changed for ALL legislation. There is no earthly reason why a vote of 52 to 48 for reducing student loans means the bill is killed. That’s insanity. We need to go back to a common sense Congress.
Amen back at ya.
I have a good friend who works hard, plays by the rules. She has always had decent health insurance, although she complains. I guess it’s all about your frame of reference.
But here’s what’s wrong with health care in America: When she has a sinus infection, her doctor orders an MRI. Every single sinus infection.
She probably pulled a muscle in her side cleaning her bathroom walls. It still hurts after three weeks when she turns, so she went to the doctor. The doctor is pretty sure it’s muscular, but she is going for an ultrasound of the gallbladder and liver.
She’s also clinically obese, as is her husband who has diabetes. I’m talking people in their mid-40’s. They eat like shit, they eat out almost all the time (with their two teen-aged daughters). It’s fries, cheese, fatty hamburgers, grocery shopping means buying ice cream and cookies. And then multiple visits to doctors to get pills or procedures for their ailments.
Hey, I wish everyone could have such thorough medical care. If there is something wrong with her gallbladder or liver, I hope they find the problem and treat it. But millions of Americans can’t get any health care, can’t afford what should be even a simple doctor’s visit, while expensive tests are ordered all the time for this family. We squander our health resources and then blame the people without access to those resources.
I also question if doctors know how to diagnose and examine like they used to. Everything has to be quantified on a test. Do doctors even know how to determine muscular pain from gallbladder problems? Do we still practice the art of medicine?
My primary doctor is my asthma doctor, because frankly without insurance, I pay for everything out of pocket and can’t afford a whole slew of doctors. He treats my high blood pressure, does blood work. He likes treating me because he says it reminds him that he’s still an internist. If there are other issues, of course, he recommends specialists. But damn, if being overweight contributes or causes my problems, he addresses the weight. If pain gets in the way of me exercising, there are lots of alternatives to expensive tests and treatments. We exhaust all of those common sense remedies before we discuss anything more drastic. In some ways, I take better care of myself to avoid problems because I can’t afford a $3,000 trip to the ER if I have an asthma attack. I control my asthma.
It’s rather appalling that so many Americans are unwilling to take the least bit of responsibility for proactive health.
Wow. Well said!
57, that’s why the ACA puts such emphasis on preventive care and avoiding unnecessary and expensive tests, which are done because 1) they’re supposed to lessen the threat of malpractice if someone has something and the doctor didn’t find it; and 2) doctors know insurance companies will pay, so there’s no reason to economize. ObamaCare puts the emphasis on preventing illnesses through regular checkups. That’s one of the reasons it’s expected to save so much on health care.
There is so much wonderful stuff in ACA. Sure, the bare bones of it are not what we would have liked. It’s not what PBO would have liked, for God’s sake. And the problem wasn’t Republicans, it was the DINO’s who kept the bill from being better than it is.
That being said, preventive, proactive care and a change to healthy living as opposed to crisis management health care. The success of lowering re-admits has been phenomenal, and doctors are saying so, out loud. YOu want Federal money, get your act together.
It is not ‘evil’ to marshall medical resources effectively. We squander on those who can afford it, and deny care to those who need it. Also, because there have been no regulations on spending of health care in this country, we are subsidizing the rest of the world and corporate profits. All other countries negotiate prices and those savings are used to provide across the board health care. It’s insane in this country.
My goddaughter is a surgeon; and she says if med school was paid for like it is almost everywhere else, we’d have many more and better doctors who are willing to make a good living, but don’t have to make decisions to become plastic surgeons or dermatologists to pay off their loans. We are limiting the talent pool. And why shouldn’t we invest in doctors, and then expect some years of service back from them? In clinics that are “not profitable” but vital to the health of their communities?
Oh wait. That’s evil ‘communism’. Because my friend, God bless her, should get MRI’s for every sinus infection when millions go without basic asthma meds. It’s disgusting.
About That “Can’t Trust Obama on Enforcement” Meme
By Ed Kilgore
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2013_07/about_that_cant_trust_obama_on045773.php#
LH, I think Kilgore is wrong. The president hasn’t been strict on border patrol to “appease” Republicans, he’s done what he thinks is right. This is another attempt to undermine the president by suggesting he does what’s expedient, rather than what’s right. I’m not buying it.
Me either, JackieG. Kilgore’s negativity turned me off so I never finished reading the entire article.
My God! Harry is putting on his jock strap now. Bam and damn. The nominations are moving!
🙂 Batter up and balls to the wall! Let’s do this!
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100879524 Breaking Records: Dow and S&P 500 End at All-Time Highs, Nasdaq Logs Best Close Since 2000
Yes! Obama’s Fault!
That Obama! When is he going to start listening to the Republicans and following their lead on how to ruin an economy? 😉
Of course, Marketwatch is giving credit to Bernanke leaving the bailout for the rich alone… I’m not convinced that this Quantitative Easing is helping anyone except the bankers and investors. How are ordinary people being helped by the Federal Reserve continuing to prop up these crooks? Why aren’t private industry putting that money back into the economy by way of increased wages, faster hiring, investment in infrastructure?
That’s the reason for today’s gains. Wall St. is no longer invested – pardon the pun – in the health of the American economy, thanks to deregulation and no consequences for their actions (Elizabeth Warren is working on that, God bless her. With John McCain, of all people).
They don’t care where they get their profit. If the middle class moves to China and leaves the U.S. an economic wasteland, that’s fine. Wall St. used to have to abide by common sense rules, as did pension plans and other investments. There were compelling reasons and regulations that stabilized the economy. There was a slow, steady conservative growth sector (remember ‘blue chip stocks?) as opposed to the whole shebang being like the Wild West. Insurance companies could only invest in safe, conservative investments, as did pension plans, etc.
Regulation is what gives us ‘certainty’. This ‘lack of certainty’ that is yet another Republican lie is caused by lack of regulation. We’re practically back to the early 1800’s when there was a bank crash of the economy every dozen years or so. This roller coaster needs to be reined in.
Well said, 57! I want to blame Bill Clinton, but the Republicans have been on a deregulation obsession for 40 years.
Well, he collaborated. He was perfectly comfortable with that trajectory. There is a difference between PBO who is trying to cobble together reasonable governance and Clinton, who was just fine with privatization on steroids, no enforcement of anti-trust and the God-awful Gramm bill that he collaborated on that directly led to this disaster. I hear he’s recently taken a little credit for his part in that calamity. Another sign that Hillary’s running.
I know how different times were 20 years ago. America was looking for a more business-friendly Democrat. I know that. But Clinton is really comfortable in that niche. He believes it. He also stood at a point in history when he could have undone a lot of Reagan damage and he doubled down instead.
And frankly, Dem’s were asleep. They were waiting for the next Bobby Kennedy to ride in on a white horse. They never believed that the chipping away of abortion and women’s rights, deregulation, privatization of vital segments of the government were going to amount to anything. We laughed at the fringe, as the fringe got bigger and bigger and Gingrich declared an entirely new all-out war on Democrats and Democratic presidents. And we still didn’t take it seriously. We still thought there was an objective line of sanity that would not be crossed. Hey, we STILL hear Dem’s do nothing but laugh at teh Crazy instead of taking seriously how effective Republicans have been.
Republicans were effective because Dem’s stopped fighting. We coasted after Roe v. Wade and the Civil Rights Act, even though Republicans began chipping away almost instantly. We got complacent. Republicans only remade political discourse because we let them.
So many good points here, 57! There’s a fallacy that Republicans are good for business. They’re not. They may deliver short term profits, but they don’t look at the long view. They never have. Their business models only work by destroying the foundations upon which they rely. The Industrial War Complex (or whatever it’s called). The destruction of the middle class. The pursuit of emerging markets and the need to drive US wages lower in order to attract the growing middle classes of those emerging economies as consumers. The exploit of the housing market. The destruction of the planet by seeking fossil fuels. It’s all short term – the long term damage is not worth it, and it’s definitely not good for business or the country – or humanity.
Republicans don’t know the first thing about sound business strategy.
Amen!
Unfortunately, they are masters of political strategy. I wish Democratic leadership would learn a little from them. Besides it should be a lot easier – we tell the truth.
It’s helping 401ks, and lots of people have collected on highs.
They made money….
How much more would 401ks be helped if the stock market profits were based on actual strength of the economy, and not just on how well the profiteers’ pockets were being lined? The 401K line seems to be another story being farmed out to people to keep people quiet and happy. They wouldn’t need propping up by the Fed if companies were legitimately operating like a real economy – investment and growth.
Jovie, that’s a big plus. As a retiree, I saw with deep dismay my retirement savings sink in the mud during the recession. Now they’re making a healthy recovery, which gives me peace of mind. Not to say they won’t take a downward turn again, but that’s the state of play for the moment.
I’m happy about this, but it came about because the Fed said they’d still stimulate the economy, so Wall St. doesn’t have to.
WHAT?! This is all Obama’s fault!
Because for the first time in American history, the government is not investing in stimulating the economy. ACA should have been able to employ thousands. Our crumbling bridges, roads, water mains, energy grids – never in our history has the government not invested in those projects. Until John McCain unleashed Sarah Palin on us and we ushered in an entire Republican Congress full of Palins – who are stupid and heartless and now powerful. It’s disgusting.
Accused by McConnell of breaking his word, Reid responds by saying he’s not going to point out all the times McConnell has broken his word
GOP only ever want to abuse rules for their sinister gain, and not follow them.
Houses are selling like hotcakes in the Chgo area. My daughter and son in law just experienced the frenzied market. They would make an appt. to see a property on the weekend and by then it was already “under contract” or had multiple offers. They lost out on at least 12 homes they were interested in by listings selling almost immediately. They finally found out about one that was going to be listed and went to look at it immediately, were the first ones to see it, liked it and made a full price offer and still got in a bidding war with 3 other parties. They got the house for over list but it was quite an experience. And—–even tho we all yelled, “NO! Don’t!”, they bought before they sold their condo—-yikes!—–but luckily they just got a decent offer at about the last minute—-before they were going to try to rent it. However—-and there always is a however—–the buyers had a 45 pound dog named Junior (love the name)—a 10 yr. old lab/basset rescue—–and homeowners assoc. rules only allow dogs 25 lbs. or less. So my daughter wrote up this great appeal to the board, with docile, sweet photos of Junior, and a testimony from a vet that she has used Jr. in her training classes as well behaved dog—–plus other desirable details about buyers etc.——and I don’t know why I’m blabbing on about this——but she just got notice that they are going to allow Junior to move in! Yay! And Whew! All that to make a point about the hot housing mkt. in Chgoland.
http://www.nwherald.com/2013/07/10/real-estate-agents-say-multiple-offers-the-new-normal/brigcjs/
Good news deserves to be shared, dotster! Congratulations to your kids!
Wow, that’s one whirlwind story! Congrats to your daughter. The housing market is booming in Chicago.
Always happy to hear good news dotster! I’m happy for your and family!
NO WORDS….
https://twitter.com/BuzzFeedAndrew/status/355424579264593920
LP–Here are my words: McConnell is a smarmy liar; Gohmert is a blithering idiot. Neither one has the credibility of an ant.
could not have said it better Jackie…..
The Daily Edge @TheDailyEdge 1h
Stocks soar as investors realize Republicans now so focused on restricting #reproductivefreedom they have no time to sabotage the economy
Retweeted by Jeff Gauvin
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New post.
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/07/11/news-of-the-day-5/
See?