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Russell Shaw

Russell Shaw

Posted: September 25, 2007 01:14 PM

Sad But True Dept.: Plenty of Money for Blackwater But Not For Seniors, Uninsured Kids


OK, let me get this straight.

"We" have an Administration that lets Blackwater USA, a GOP-linked private contractor with apparently thuggish tendencies, draw Billions out of the U.S. Treasury to provide protection for American diplomats and civilians- most of whom would not have been there if we didn't invade the nation that attacked us on 9/11 and didn't have WMD.

And, some would charge, kicks the shit (or worse) of Iraqis who do barely more than give them a dirty look.

At the same time, "we" have an Administration headed by a President who is threatening to:

Make cuts to Social Security in the name of financial prudence.
Veto a bill that would fund health insurance for as many as 10 million uninsured kids by raising taxes on tobacco.

Almost beyond belief but tell that to Daniel E. Smith, vice president of the American Cancer Society. Yesterday Smith said: "The choice is simple: Are you for kids? Are you for tobacco companies? Mr. President and Congress, we hope you side with the kids."

Well, for all his talk about "family values," Bush seems to care more about supporting well-connected private contractors in Iraq rather than making lives better for millions of our most vulnerable citizens.

Vulnerable citizens, young and old.

 
 
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03:05 PM on 09/25/2007
No one can honestly be shocked that the bush administration comes down on the side of big money as opposed to kids and seniors. After all, kids and most seniors don't or can't afford to give bribes... I mean, donations, to bush and the GOP, while the corporations can and do give them tons of money. After seven years of this morally corrupt administration in power, I am not even surprised at how brazen bush is about it. I am surprised, however, that the bill actually has some support with Republicans. Maybe there's hope for this country after all.
02:42 PM on 09/25/2007
When you have the media carrying the water 24/7 for the repubs, no other point of view can came out that the people can understand or debate. This morning on c-span's wash journ the head (Levitt) of H&H spew all the admin's concerns on why they don't want to add more children to the SCHIPP program. This program had been co-sponsored by a repub and dem, and is up for renewal, passed both houses with overwhelming support. Now Bush wants to veto because it will cover too many kids. Kids who parents work two jobs each but jobs that don't provide enough coverage for the kids.
Mr Levitt said repeatedly that it is an ideological difference that's in play. Bush thinks that it's one step towards government takeover of health care which is socialize medical, and they can't let that happen. They have to let the 'free markets' handle it like the Medicare part D.
02:34 PM on 09/25/2007
The argument I keep hearing against this bill is that it would apply to families who make enough money to be able to buy their own health insurance. Hey, we can't have that. That's not fair. Why, that would be like giving tax breaks to the wealthiest income bracket.
01:55 PM on 09/25/2007
Is this a surprise to anyone? If you even paid 1/2 percent attention to current events, this is the Rovian Reward for voting Republican in 2000 and 2004. This is a bunch of the saddest excuses for Americans that heve ever shown up in Washington DC, bar none. You want to succeed in business withour really trying? Join the Young Republicans in College, move on to a political apprenticeship in Bumfuck, Anywhere, do your time as a polished lackey and gofer, and sit back while the goodness comes in buckets.
The mind blowing thread here? Most of America either doesn't give a fuck or are just too plain stupid to recognize a nasty diaper when they see it.
The Current Administrations mantra for the 21st Century: Fuck You if you're not a Republican bigwig or one of our Corporate Sponsors.
Oh yeah, and the world is ours.
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01:38 PM on 09/25/2007
You don't get it yet, do you?

THIS is the "privatizaton" so lauded by the Republicans since Reagan.

THIS is the "pride and joy" of
Lindsay Graham
Joe Lieberman
Steny Hoyer
BLUE DOGS
DLC
and all the other WAR HOGS.

All the Senate and House have to do is PULL THE PLUG ON THE ATM MACHINE that's hardwired into the Pentagon.

ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS CHANGE PRIORITIES.
If they don't - they will pay dearly.
01:37 PM on 09/25/2007
It's really quite simple.

Blackwater and tobacco companies can make political contributions.

Kids can't.

Next question.
02:09 PM on 09/25/2007
Sad but true...
01:35 PM on 09/25/2007
One more piece of evidence that Congress is being poorly managed by the current Dem "leadership". My morning paper had a story about a bill that just made it out of Conference Committee, passed both houses, and is being sent to Bush to veto. The promised veto is because of a number of billions of dollars of pork in a public works bill on water projects (dams, levees, etc.).

The timing on this bill is such that it is moving through the pipeline ahead of SCHIP, and it seems to me that having them move in this order takes some focus off of the impending SCHIP veto. As his second veto on "budgetary" grounds, it seems like Bush gets a little bit of cover that he would not receive if the bigger veto were just out there all by itself.

What I read is that dams will override, and kids will not, and I wonder if that makes Congress look like politics as usual, and Bush look principled.
03:41 PM on 09/25/2007
Oh come on!

Potsmuggler???????

The Dems have the goods on these Neo-Conquerors and their cohorts. The LAW takes time.

Blackwater and THOUSANDS like them are needed because Rumsfeld cut back on ARMOR and TANKS and tried to build a,,, Nintendo,,,, army.

Without Blackwater, who would protect Cheney when they goat us all into rioting in the streets, claim authority to declare Martial Law and suspend the tatters of the Constitution.

My plan?

VOTE!

VOTE as if our nation depended on it.
VOTE for the world our children SHOULD HAVE.
VOTE for people who do NOT need private armies.
VOTE for folks that LOVE America.
VOTE for democracy and the RULE of LAW!
VOTE for people who are ashamed of TORTURE.
VOTE for people that do NOT hide under the bed.
VOTE for people that want the world to LIVE.
VOTE for folks that do not fear our Courts.
VOTE for people that honor Judges.

VOTE for American principles, ideals, free speech, liberty, privacy, self-determination and freedom of worship.

VOTE!

Just my opinion

All the best

Knute (Neo-LIB)