Rescisco's Comments (993)

“A Merry Christmas indeed! But let us remember that this is a first step in a journey that is far from over. An imperfect bill is nevertheless an important rung or two up the ladder, but we must keep on climbing. The work goes on....”

“As always, I enjoy the commentary (especially when it comes to the media wars). Today, rather than contributing to the ideological head butting, let me wish everyone on all sides a very Merry Christmas!”

“The biggest political surprise of the decade is that "stupid" has become so popular that it is now an absolute requirement for success in running for public office.”

“So you really don't know how the legislative process works I see. Despicable it is by design and, not coincidentally, it is almost always the Repugs who absolutely disgrace the despicable process even more by distorting the facts and distracting the citizenry in their unending quest to embrace every ignorant prejudice and promote every selfish and greedy design known to human kind.”

“A "hands on approach" after the train has left the station?”

“The lessons of the past 12 months: Hope sucks! Action matters! Delay is the norm! Acceptance of the norm is the enemy of progress! "Change" is dead!”

“GOP trying to claim "reform" mantle? They should start with reforming themselves.”

“Campaigning and governing are two different things. Any consistency between the two is purely coincidental. By the time the legislative process (driven by monied interests) and the partisan hack machines work their magic all good ideas have been rendered impotent and the best of intentions have been defeated by the worst of motives.”

“"Strategists" only "game" a broken system. Transformational change cannot be attained by a strategist. Strategy can be countered and beaten every time. On the other hand, all of the strategists in the world cannot stop a leader with an idea whose time has come. But then we don't really have such a leader or, for that matter, an idea whose time has come. We have monumental challenges, empty notions, monied interests, and strategy bound politicians who play to the ignorant crowd as they accelerate the fear and loathing that leads to political paralysis. It is a time ripe for leadership but condemned to be defined and run by "strategists."”

“I always thought the happiest state was the blissful state of ignorance.”

“"...incognito attempts didn't work..." Now that's priceless!”

“Americans want the public option. The numbers are growing (if the public option and Medicare buy-in are added, 58 percent of people support i.e. a clear majority), yet this majority can't get the time of day from a media obscessed with chasing down teabaggers and "party of no" blowhards.”

“Senator McCain said "I must say that I don't know what's happening here...." These are the first truthful words he has uttered in many years!”

“Another reporter — this one from Der Spiegel — told the senator: “You’re ridiculous.”

He is indeed rediculous! That he is an elected public official may also say something very unflattering about the American people.”

“Sen. Joseph Lieberman is an elected public official. That pretty much indicates the level of public intelligence.”

“"Of course I'm angry about that," he said. "I proposed the original bill on the floor that was the tough one. ... Was I for the Medicare buy-in? Of course I was. ... So what do I do? Do I take my football and run home and sulk and complain?"

No you don't take your football and run home. Apparently, after giving the ball to the insurance industry and surrendering field position to the party of "no" in exchange for nary a single vote, you vote in favor of a bill that (as KO put it) has no "health" no "care" and no "reform" in it. Well here's a "harrumph" for you and a real sickening mess for the nation. Your nonsense is beyond irresponsible! Its insane!”

“Howard Dean has the nasty habit of speaking truthfully, directly, and intelligently. This is why he could never be president!”

“The fundamental problem (and it covers health care, the financial crisis, the economy, the wars) is that President Obama has deferred to the Congress and just about everybody else. He states wonderful principles and general goals (which I largerly support), but proposes nothing. He defers on all details to the Congress, the generals, Wall Street, the bankers, and he has not presented his plan for anything. A passive leadership style that leaves all the details up to others is not what the times require. Asking people to "play nice and get along and do some of the really neat stuff I have in mind" is a poor substitute for a tightly crafted, sharply focused, strategically implemented program designed and promoted by a strong leader who has narrowed the choices and directed the political process toward the achievement of priorities understood by the American people. Likewise, given the nature of the times, it would have been most wise to prioritize the economy and to bluntly say that all else on the domestic agenda will be deferred until we get that moving again. This should have been accompanied with a determined effort to hold everyone (politicians, business, citizens, etc.) accountable for not only for past errors but most importantly for making the sacrifices and efforts required to move forward. All of this might have been a political disaster, but that's pretty much what we have now. I'd take my best shot!”

“Polls confirm that the public is not happy, neither party has an answer, and our choices are slim. One would be foolish to predict anything at the moment. It does nevertheless appear that we have run out of great "leaders" at a moment of great national peril. The only worse option to the present situation however would be to turn control back to the Republicans who, it must be remembered, have created a monumental mess in the service of greed and superstitious fundamentalism. A choice between failure and stupid failure seems to be looming.”

“Having compromised away all of the "reform" and ending up with no Republican votes in the bargain you would think that the accusation of "acting irrationally" might be more accurately aimed at the White House.”

“The accumulated wisdom of ages suggests that failure is inherent in the striving for any ideal. But that's no excuse for looking absolutely pathetic in the process. Rahm is the poster boy for pathetic and, with the help of Congressional leaders in both parties, has perfected art of working hard to be politically clever while accomplishing nothing.”

“The fact of the matter is they have done it to themselves. The American voters will follow their "lead" and do it to themselves by voting Republican in 2010. There seems to be no rational thought or intelligent action on the horizon. Imbecility reigns!”

“Health Care Reform: America's longest running failure!”

“Anything that bothers this man is good for the country!”

“Sen. Joseph Lieberman is perhaps the most stunning example of a man who is driven by the insatiable desire to be noticed but who possesses absolutely nothing that is worthy of note.”