Graywolf48's Comments (2342)

“I think Matthews is drunk on his own ego.”

“Thank you! I don't like Matthews and never have, to me he's just unwatchable. Besides, he tries to give legitimacy to Pat Buchanan. IMO Matthews is not a Democrat, mature or otherwise.”

“Yes, and these health care insurers donations will be made very public and used to show Obama has sold out the progressives, the young and the minorities who will be saddled with mandatory insurance premiums for junk policies or IRS fines if the don't buy the insurance for profit crap products. The man has antagonized his base, turned off a lot of independents and may find himself with a primary challenger in 2012. Rahm Emanuel will destroy his Presidency.”

“Good post! I agree.”

“Yeah, but then you have to wash the sheets.”

“Wow, even our most liberal Senators voted to block a filibuster and allow an up or down vote on legislation they personally find objectionable. Billions for death and destruction, but nothing for lifesaving medicines or health care. Our government's priorities are very clear, aren't they? Perhaps we should attach all meaningful social legislation to defense spending bills? On the really big defense bills attach health care reform with a public option and cost controls, repeal DADT, DOMA, and pass ENDA that way, along with job creation bills to repair our infrastructure and repair our power grid, pass environmental and conservation legislation by attaching it to big must pass defense bills. Then we can accuse anyone who opposes these bills as being against the troops and weak on terrorism. Yeah, maybe that's the ticket, start attaching amendments to big defense bills to break the filibusters and allow up or down 50+1 votes to pass needed legislation.”

“The American people are dumb, but not totally brain dead, yet. To accept a bill that would require us to buy private insurance without any real cost controls is in itself insane. Who can really afford it? To be forced to pay a private, for PROFIT insurer several thousand dollars a year, plus deductibles and co-pays is just not acceptable to the majority of Americans. Without cost controls, a public option or Medicare buy-in or a combination of all three, there is no reform, just a gift to the health care CEO's and their stockholders. I also want their exemption from anti-trust laws revoked. Otherwise, leave things as they are and work to expand Medicare for all by any means possible.”

“Boycott or no boycott we're stuck with Lieberman until 2012. There is nothing the people of Connecticut can do at this point. There is no provision for recalling or un-electing a duly elected US Senator. Whether he's an Independent, a Democrat or a Republican, barring his death, resignation or indictment on criminal charges, Lieberman is pretty much untouchable. Comes 2012 and if he loses re-election, he'll simply move on to a high paying job with his insurance company supporters or become a lobbyist. Really, for Lieberman, it's all win/win and he can make us a lot more miserable than we can make him. He truly is "independent" and really doesn't give a damn what the people think, especially Democrats and progressives.”

“I blame most of this on President Obama and his tepid leadership. He's also to blame for keeping this viper in the Democratic caucus. He will pay dearly for that error because Lieberman will help the GOP and Blue Dogs destroy what's left of Obama's agenda and perhaps his Presidency, while Rahm Emanuel covers Lieberman's back. The President has lost a lot of his political capital and has nothing to show for it.”

“Wow, what a predicament. The Democrats have proven once again that they cannot govern. The Republicans prove time and time again that they govern badly, very badly. That puts the average American between a rock and a hard place, doesn't it? Our system is broken. The question is can anyone fix it? Does anyone want to fix it? How much longer can our republic survive with this dysfunctional form of leadership?”

“The Republicans don't worry about filibuster when they're in power, they usually have more than enough Blue Dog Democrats ready to support them, or they go to reconciliation where only 51 votes are needed or the President (if he's a Republican) makes opposed appointments during Congressional recesses. Besides, how many times did the Republicans completely lock out Democrats from negotiations on important bills, use parliamentary tricks to usurp them or threaten the "nuclear option"? Requiring 60 votes to pass legislation is ridiculous, and the GOP has notoriously invoked the filibuster much more than the Democrats. Maybe it is time to change the rules.”

“Obama has been right of center since day one because that's what Rahm Emanuel and the other DLC adherents have convinced him that's what the country wants. Obama needs to move left of center or he'll lose his base and maybe his re-election.”

“He has discussed strategy on many occasions, the problem is that Obamna refuses to listen to anyone except Rahm Emanuel and former Clinton/Bush cronies. As head of the DNC, Dean really helped (more than anyone else IMHO) to get Obama and the Democratic majority elected. His thanks? Nada. No position offered in the administration and attacks by the WH on Dr. Dean's criticism of the health care bill o' crap, while Lieberman and Baucus and traitors in the Democratic caucus are appeased at every step. The progressives have given up almost everything of value in this bill in the name of "compromise". What have Liebermen, Baucus and company contributed?”

“I wonder, who's named as "Father" on Christ's birth certificate? Maybe Orly Taitz can check that out for us?”

“Well said.”

“One of the best articles I've read in quite some time, and right on the money. We are a nation of dummies, readily manipulated every day by Madison Avenue mind benders. Yes, the medium is the message and corporate America learned well the power of propaganda and persuasion.”

“You have no idea of what you are talking about. Obama was a supporter of single payer and campaigned on that issue. Here's a link to the video of his address before the AFL/CIO in 2003:

www.breitbart.tv/obama-in-03-id-like-to-see-a-single-payer-health-care-plan/

I've been reading some of your posts and you really appear clueless as to what is in this bill. Dr. Dean is right, scrap it and expand Medicare through reconciliation.”

“Fire Howard Dean from what job? He holds no position with this administration. He's just telling the truth as a citizen that knows more about health care than Obama and his minions and the administration thinks he's giving them hell. Dr. Dean is right, reconciliation will produce better results than this bogus bill.”

“Now is the time for civil disobedience. So far the "Teabaggers" are the folks taking to the streets and getting the attention. Until the progressives start turning up the heat, turning off the money tap, taking to the streets, running primary opposition candidates and putting some real fear into the Democratic herd, this is the best we'll get. The Teabaggers for the most part are nuts, but they sure have the GOP's attention because they are fired up and will turn out in numbers large and small. Success favors the bold.”

“You and me both! Obama is the first presidential candidate I've ever worked for, contributed cash to and really hoped would be different, and I'm no youngster! He's become a colossal disappointment. Never again.”

“Has Rahm Emanuel really been successful at anything? He's the recruiter of most if not all the "Blue Dogs". He openly opposed Dean's 50 State Strategy when Dean headed the DNC. Dean worked hard to get a Congressional Majority and Obama in the WH, something Emanuel failed miserably at doing. Emanuel's a "centrist, Blue Dog, DINO" who is from the Bill Clinton school of "triangulation" and obfuscation. Emanuel has convinced Obama he can screw the party's progressive base because "they have no where else to go". Well, he might be surprised when that young, minority progressive base stays home. All those young grass roots, net roots supporters that Dean turned out and Obama courted for votes then betrayed may just turn into frustrated, cynical voters who stay home because "one party's as bad as the other" and in the end "all politician's are liars". Obama is not a "fierce advocate" for anything but appeasement. The GOP is right, HCR may just trun out to be Obama's Waterloo. But it's a defeat of his own making.”

“Dean represents the progressive side of the Democratic Party, or what Dean has called the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party. Dean is more in line with FDR, Kennedy and Johnson while Obama admires Reagan (perhaps he himself is really a "Reagan Democrat" at heart?) Obama has surrounded himself with Bush holdovers and old Clintonista's, the right of center wing of the Democratic Party. Rahm cost the Democratic Party seats while Dean and his 50 State Strategy helped turn some Red States Blue or at least purple. Once the votes were counted, Dean was counted out with not even a thank you. There's very little room in the Obama WH for liberal or progressive voices. You can judge that by the people with whom he surrounds himself. Dean has called Obama on his failure and helped throw ice water on the WH/Democratic Congress spin of this lousy bill. Obama is willing to bend over backwards for Lieberman, Snowe, Baucus and Lincoln but refuses to meet with the House Progressives and tells the progressive base to back off. I trust Dean, Obama, not any more.”

“A lot changed in a week. Without a strong public option or Medicare buy-in this bill is nothing more than a give away to the health care companies. I trust Dr. Dean a lot more than I'll ever trust Lieberman, Rahm Emanuel or Obama.”

“It's really not Reid as much as it is Rahm Emanuel and Obama. Remember, Reid and the Dems wanted to dump Joe after his vile campaign against Obama and the party in '08, but Obama and Rahmbo saved Lieberman's butt. This is his payback. This will hurt Obama and the Democrats a lot more than it will ever hurt Lieberman.”

“The President is trying to "shame bankers into better behavior" which is just laughable, since it has been shown time and time again these bankers have no shame, or morals. Obama sat before this cabal of money changers and asked them "please, oh pretty please with sugar on it, please start lending money again and helping me out here." I image the bankers after the meeting laughing all the way to, you guessed it, the bank.

This President has no guts in dealing with Lieberman, or the Pentagon, or the GOP or the bankers. He sure does talk a good game though.”