afram1's Comments (255)

“No sir, the problems in the so-called "black community" needs to be solved by ALL AMERICANS, because all of those people in the so-called "black community" are AMERICANS.

By your continued unwillingness to do ANYTHING that helps provide solutions, you look to shuffle the problem on "them," which makes it easier for you to blame "them" if their solutions doesn't meet the benchmarks that YOU set. Makes it easier to demerit an entire ethnicity.

You are not being honest. You are being oversensitive to Mr. Perry's blog.

My goodness, what does *any* black person have to do "satisfy" your skepticism? I am honestly curious.”

“People who choose to be Saltines just can't seem to help themselves these days...”

“Not a bad idea, Arianna...it's up to the people to use the things that they can do and RESIST.”

“This income will be redistributed so that those who cannot afford will be able to afford. Hardworking people unable to get insurance will now be able to get it.

That's right - I am not running from the word because I am scared of being called "Socialist!' INCOME REDISTRIBUTION via taxes. A SOCIAL CONTRACT.

I am going to flip it now -- if YOU don't like it, move to China or Russia or Dubai and see if you will be allowed to keep "more of your money."

It is your party's craven greed, selfishness and spending foolishness from 2000-2008 that pushed this country into being more open about redistributive programs.”

“What. A. Surprise.

NOT.”

“Oh yeah...and I am REALLY annoyed with the Huff Post editor that came up with the lead-in link to this article.

It might as well say, "Westen: Obama ain't isht".”

“Man, as jacked up as this process has been...to say that an effort to enact some sort of health care (insurance) reform just somehow developed itself is just not so.

Decry his so-called "lack of leadership" on this if you will, but no one else got things this far...not even the Clintons. President O's leadership style did not alienate the congressmen at the start, which would have killed any effort before it had the chance to get started. He did JUST ENOUGH to move the process along...I just say that this reveals: (1) the ridiculousness of the made-up Senate "60 vote" rule, which CONSERVATIVE SENATORS cooked up to slow majority legislation, made so due to relaxed filibuster rules; (2) the mendacity of the majority Democratic leadership to go along with it as if it made sense; and (3), the growing intractability and corruption of the Senate rules -- it turns legislation completely to an ego-driven, "Pay to Play" game.

It is a disservice to the American people in a time of economic and social crisis.”

“This made up "60 votes" rule is going to make it damn hard to govern, damn hard to pass useful legislation, regardless of party affiliations.

A polarized government makes it that much worse. Legislation will never be able to be a good as it could be (and in many cases NEEDS to be!) because votes 50-59 will look to extract some sort of extra special deal and vote #60 will commit out-and-out ransom (read: Nebraska and Ben Nelson).

The system is inefficient and is increasingly becoming intractably corrupt. Those cats better self-correct, or they will drive the nation to do the correcting for them...woe to those who choose to be on the wrong side of history.”

“That statement is utterly insane.

See? See the level of debate?

This watered-down, near-ineffectual piece of legislation barely worth signing (in my opinion) is considered tyranny by this detractor!

You've got cats talking about Psalms 109:8 and "watering trees of liberty" around centrist leadership! Are you kidding me?”

“Frankly Senator, I would like to believe you, but it will require you taking up reconciliation for either a massive Medicare expansion or the institution of a REAL public option, and have your 50 votes already whipped and ready to go.

Better have your staffers working on the language right now, ready to be announced one minute after President O signs the Health Care bill.”

“There are more than a few in this thread who are working as agent provocateurs on the internet, working to take the frustration with President O and try to fan it up into a voter's revolt.

I am frustrated with the President myself. Professor Westen has been quite blunt, but his assessments appear to be accurate.

I will not contribute to the rhetoric of "he's a terrible leader, I TOLD YOU SO, blah blah blah," because I am neither a Republican nor a bitter PUMA. Most of you all forget that whoever would be sitting in the president's seat had an unenviable job to reverse the dangerous direction that this country was heading.

For all of the knocks about how terrible the health care bill is, no one has gotten the country this close -- not Teddy Roosevelt, not FDR, not Truman, not LBJ, not the valiant lifetime efforts of Edward Kennedy, not even Hillary and Bill Clinton.

I have said it before and I will say it again: this president is forced to deal wisely with many entrenched (and corrupt) interests, interests that are willing to do ANYTHING to maintain their power and privilege. For all of you that dislikes his management style, it is easy to armchair quarterback about he should do this or this...considering the previous administration gave you NOTHING and worse, I do find it strange that President O is drawing all of your vitriol and heat...”

“Now YOU'RE Out of Pocket.

Spare me your racist charges.

A person can be a pragmatic and make informed decisions. One thing that I frankly understand that a lot of you don't, is that a lot of his current governing style is due to the fact that he HAS TO, if he even wants to MAKE it to a second term.

If you don't have any idea of what I am talking about, you have no idea of what I am talking about.”

“This bill at least attempts to pay for itself, unlike all the other stuff that had to be done (stimulus, war funding, etc.)”

“A progressive won't have a chance in Nebraska.

He is a senator of NEBRASKA. It's going to take a generation of grassroots activism just to make that place purple, much less blue.”

“But a lot of people are subsidized in their coverage...mention THAT as well.”

“And I do not have a problem with that, why do you?

And before you get started -- I pay taxes just like you.”

“Look folks, politics leave you a lot...I mean A LOT, to be cynical about.

Of all of the senators, Al Franken is one of the few that I trust more than others (I do not trust ANY POLITICIAN, or any person mind you, 100 percent)...it is far short from optimal, but there are provisions in this bill that are GOOD, and it is DEFINITELY a step forward.

Again, look...I am a child of the Civil Rights Movement. My ancestors did not gauge progress as an all-or-nothing zero sum game. Fight as hard as you can, and take every step forward that you make.

This is an example of that. Start with something, make it better as you go.”

“Everybody pays relative to their ability to pay, and costs are negotiated to agreed-upon levels amongst the necessary actors.

Bigger pools, spread out risk, lower costs.

If you do not believe in the concept of a Social Contract, that is an ideological gulf that will be highly difficult to bridge. I shun greed. We better start paying more attention to the citizens that need help, rather than just saying "screw you buddy."”

“Re: The Headline:

President O, with all due respect, as the leader of the Democratic Party, you better do a lot more than "try."

For the viability of the Democratic Party itself for the next two decades and any hope you have for a second term, that mandate w/o public option or Medicare buy-in better be dropped and you better find a way to show the middle class that they can have health care at REASONABLE costs relative to their income.

If you don't do that, sir...toast. The Dems are toast.”

“Sorry TSAT,

"Communitocracy" sounds too much like "Communism," so you've lost 50-65% of Americans' ears before you can say word one to them.

I am only half-joking.”

“No...it's not a matter whether what I'm saying will "work," it's whether the actual consequences of not showing up to the polls in 2010 will motivate this administration to get good things done.

That said, I am trying to remember the last progressive president that we had that accomplished a majority of what we wanted when we wanted.”

“I figured I would get that.

What I am saying is that a first down on this issue (watered down HCR) will save lives that would otherwise be lost...a life that might be someone that matters to YOU.

The Democratic Party could be in a very bad spot. If they pass NOTHING, it's going to hurt the President and it will hurt the party. If the Republicans get back in power, we're REALLY in trouble.”

“No.

Don't quit, folks. This fight has only started.

I'm a child of the Civil Rights Movement. To me, y'all are acting like a bunch of white flag surrendering give-up losers. I know that you all are better than that.

Keep fighting for health care folks. This isn't the time to quit.”

“Because they will have subsidized access to care, more than what they had before...otherwise it's the emergency room or the hope that the Free Clinics nonprofit makes it to their town.”

“By killing the bill, you are going to give the Republicans power that they do not deserve to have.

Even a so-called "bad bill" will insure sick and hurting people and save a lot of lives. This bill cannot stay a terrible one...because the American people will make the Democrats PAY in 2010 if the result is flat-out lousy.

The Democratic Party has been pitiful in the effort to keep their coalition together, but it is better than leaving this country to the devices of THEM.”