JShankel's Comments (2904)

“Making light of and sexualizing this situation? Why don't you try to blame it on your political opponents and go for the trifecta?”

“And in case you didn't grasp this, I wasn't debating numbers. I was commenting on the sudden love of polling and the principle that the Senate should do whatever Gallup indicates, now that Republicans aren't in charge.

When Republicans WERE in charge, we were all treated to an ongoing colloquium on representative democracy and how the will of the voter is totally irrelevant to governance once representatives are elected.”

“Project much? I haven't quoted any numbers and I make no claim as to where the public is on this.

The only poll that matters was conducted last November.”

“Right on, oldngrumpy.

Also keep in mind that the way poll questions are asked has a huge impact.

Many, many progressives oppose the bill as constructed because it doesn't do enough or because they want single payer.

So the results we get lump in single-payer progressives with teabagging conservatives as "opposed."

I'd like to see a poll asking whether the Democrats or Republicans should prevail in the current debate. Those numbers I'd like to see.”

“Right. Premiums will go up by 20%-30%. As opposed to the 110% that the health insurance industry says will happen even if we DON'T do health care reform.

So, will health care reform increase our premiums by 30%? Or decrease them by 80%?

This is the problem with all this selective analysis that both sides are engaged in. Everyone grabs one number and waves it around. "Premiums will go up by X%!" "Medicare will save $X billion!" without any mention of other impacts.

What matters is the net impact. If your health care premiums go up but your taxes go down by more, is that a good deal or a bad one?

If cars get more expensive but gas is cheaper, is that good or bad?

If I say the budget deficit is going to go up 15% next year, is that good or bad? The answer is, you can't know unless I tell you how revenues are going to be affected.

"If we could get $500 billion in savings from Medicare, I would think that the government would have done it already."

Because the government is so efficient and good at saving money on its own? I got a few $500 hammers going cheap...”

“Oh, and the CBO also says this reform will save us in excess of $100 billion a year.

Oh, right, I forgot, those are just unreliable "fuzzy" numbers. The CBO is only trustworthy when they say what we want them to.”

“I'll have to remember the sanctification of polling for the next time conservatives are in charge. I seem to recall something about strong leaders not "listening to the polls."”

“You mean the military?”

“Obviously, that's what I was getting at.

Just like evolution deniers who avail themselves of modern medicine.”

“I'm not hosting a theology seminar here. We have a tax code in this country that defines religion for purposes of tax exemption.

It's arguable whether any institution should be recognized under that standard, but the Catholic church has certainly voided their exemption status by their continued illegal political interventions and their rape of children.”

“That and a 9-iron.”

“Indeed we have. Saving lives as opposed to having funerals for 100-cell blastocysts.

And if you're so worried about throwing them in the dumpster, maybe you should work to outlaw fertility treatments instead of life-saving research.

Why outlaw research on cells that already exist and are never (despite what you read in your pop up medical book from the Heritage Foundation) going to become babies?

Why not outlaw the practice that creates these cells in the first place if you're so worried about preserving the dignity of human life?”

“There's some of that change we can believe in.

Thank you!

And don't worry. Everyone who opposes stem cell research will be welcome to just let their macular degeneration progress naturally, the way Jesus wants.

We admire your dedication to principle! The rest of us heathens will just have to console ourselves with not losing our vision as we age.”

“Only if it's shut down for religious reasons. You can still shut down a crime organization no matter what they call themselves.

And conspiring to cover up the rape of children and transporting anyone or anything across state lines even once in so doing is instant RICO.

It's been tried once or twice, not with much luck, but there are a lot of bites left on the apple.”

“"It was about cursing God but it's also about claiming to be Christian"

That'd be some trick, considering that Christ wasn't born for another 2,000-4,000 years.”

“Yeah, try raping children in the mob and see how long you last.”

“Or, behind door number two, moved to a fresh parish in a poor community filled with fresh younglings to rape.

Guess which ended up happening?

Oh, and it's not "philander­ing." It's "child rape."”

“Yeah, and Charles Manson used to say he was in everybody's children, too.

If the Church is in me, I'm going start sending them a rent bill. I don't like squatters.”

“Revoke. Revoke. Revoke. Revoke.

And charge back taxes.

Because no legitimate religion does this kind of thing. For decades.”

“Yeah, just like Col. Sanders gives a red, hot damn for chickens.

Where exactly have these people been for the bast 75 or so years? The "banking system really cares about the welfare of the American people" boat sailed way back in FDR's first administration.

Probably before that.

The only thing these guys will understand is cold steel. You got enough laws? Good, start enforcing them. You need more laws? Go right ahead and pass them.

But cut it the frak out with all this "gee it would be nice if you guys would stop being scorpions.­"

They're scorpions, okay? And they are going to rock you like a hurricane and so if you wake up finding yourself all rocked in a manner that is not inconsistent with the manner in which one might find oneself rocked by a hurricane, you know who did it.

Scorpions.”

“"We do not get to second guess them, unless we are willing to take their place. "

Well, let's not go overboard. Police activity must be subject to both internal and civilian review and they are bound by law.

There's just no reason to believe this is anything but a good shoot.”

“Yes, it would have been, if he had complied.”

“Tell you what, next time we'll have the cops give you call and you can come on down and conduct your interview, David Frost.”

“as is murder OF cops”

“Okay, I've got another one:

Grassley has been living off the public tit? What? He's been crashing on Lieberman's couch?

Thank you, I'll be here all week.”