I happened to have tuned into Hardball two nights ago. This is a very rare experience for me (I was really waiting to see Olbermann's show), as I avoid Hardball like the plague, realizing a few years ago that every minute I am forced to look at Chris Matthews and his typically braindead guests is a minute I become more despondent about the apocalyptic state of journalism, politics, America and, really, the universe. This episode was no exception.
For the three minutes I tuned in, I caught right-wing lobotomy case Michael Smerconish stumbling through the latest Republican talking point against universal health care. Here's what he said:
[Voters] are very nervous about what's going to come out of this debate concerning national health care. And, Chris, if I have heard once in the last couple of days, I have heard it 50 times, if they can't get cash for clunkers straight, what in the world are they going to do with my national health insurance?
Um...let me get this straight: This right-wing lobotomy case is appearing on television insisting Americans don't want a health care system that's like the cash for clunkers program -- a program that has been so wildly successful and popular that the public is demanding it be expanded. Really? I mean...really?
Look, it's arguably a smart conservative tactic to try to liken a universal health care program to the DMV -- it's dishonest, of course, but at least that tactic tries to link universal health care to something people generally hate.
But it's decidedly moronic for conservatives to believe that they will derail a proposed universal health care system by likening it to a program whose only problem (if you can call it that) is that the public loves it far more than anyone expected.
Indeed, this is the stupidest Republican talking point I've heard in a very long time -- and maybe ever. As I said, only a lobotomy case like Smerconish would think this kind of idiocy is helping his cause. And only a lobotomy case like Chris Matthews wouldn't bother to make that very simple point.
Teh stupid...it burns.