pithy's Comments (144)

“Palin epitomizes the one and only genuis of the Republican Party - the ability to sum it down - as in "Defeatocrats: " Cut and Run" Tax and Spend".

So now we know the entire strategy of the 2010 and 2012 races - "Commonsense."

Our reply is just as simple - if every Dem would get on board.

The word we need, repeated ad infinitum is only - Nonsense.”

“A sobering analysis - not from me. A poster here quoted Voltaire " If you can convince them of absurdities, you can get them to carry out atrocities..."”

“I am peripherally in the "news" business as a freelance features writer and I can tell you that Democrats just DON'T GET IT. Above-the-fold coverage in a newspaper has nothing to do with the validity of the story or its importance - it has to do with the "art" (photograph, video) that accompanies it.

Once there was a huge debate going on in our town about a $12-million-dollar recycling plant being funded by taxpayers. The day the vote was due, I covered a story about girl scouts making bird houses.

I got a particularly good photo of one young girl concentrating on her bird house, and wrote the lame story that went with it.

The story was featured on B-1, front page, above the fold on the local section - only because the "art" was arresting. The recycling vote - which effected thousands of voters, was buried on B-6, the Obit page - because there was no art go go with it.

The Congressman who made all the news last week with the "Die Quickly" sign- understands how the media works.

If it bleeds, it leads- or if it marches, with Hitler signs, or carries guns, or acts insane, it
WILL GET COVERED - and all your reasoned debates will be left by the roadside.

Regrettably, the GOP has always recognized this, with short, pithy summations of policy, like "cut and run, " tax and spend" "Obamacare." Until the Dems get in this game, we are screw#d.”

“Why can't people like Bill run for Congress? He and Jon Stewart could be co-presidents.

I am so deathly sick of our inertia - but I'm old. I flipped cop cars in the 70s, marched and protested - where is our youth?

We need the draft back, to energize the YouTube gang - if they had to buck it up and go off to war, I guarantee this insanity would stop.”

“An independent caller on C-Span said it best this morning.

"For the future of our country," he said, "I'm more worried about the neocons than I am about the Taliban."”

“Mike and the Mechianics: "Every generation blames the one before...."

And you've done WHAT to change the political dialogue, political landscape?

I, at least, tunred over some cop cars - and got the freaking WAR in Vietnam STOPPED -
and, again - you've done What?”

“Very interesting, especially considering your stance on Health Care, Mr. Blue Dog!

I watched your town hall on C-Span at Moss Point - you sounded like you have a few beers now & then with best friends John Boehner & Mitch O'Connell.

Soooo - the home insurance industry has learned the game from the health care boys, yes?
And this surprises you?

Readers, we have some very dumb-clucks on the Hill, don't we?”

“Many fine JAG offierces and other officials resigned rather than carry out the brutal tactics sanctioned by Cheney, Adddington, Yoo, Rumsfield, Condi, Tenet and GWB.

Sorry, sir - those who worked on "the dark side" need to be brought into the sunlight - AGAIN - and stopped from repeating these travesties.

How do we possibly save ourselves from the terrorists by becomming terrorists? We may, indeed "win" the war - but we will have lost ourselves.”

“Pooling insurance across state lines - as well as Tort reform - are both STATE issues - they simply cannot be in a FEDERAL bill. States choose what insurance companies can offer products for sale- that's why some states only have two or three carriers, while other states offer a wider range.

Yes, they are good ideas - but each state has to address the situation - and if somehow, the issue got into a Federal bill, I can hear the Republicans scream now about "following the constitution" and "states rights."

Obama is trying to set up a "marketplace" where you can pick and choose, as do the members of Congress - who, by the way, typically pay about $400/month in premiums.”

“A USA Today reporter on C-Span Thursday said she had been to 4 Town Halls and her associate went to 4 other Town Halls as part of an article - they asked "dozens and dozens" of people if they had voted for Obama - the reporter said not ONE person out of 8 Town Halls indicated they'd voted for Obama.
Dems? Nah”

“Ironic that this took place in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania!

Isn't the gov't supposed to "provide for the common welfare..."

I'd guess staying alive qualified.

I also don't get their "rationing" nonsense - insurance clerks all over the country
get BONUSES for rationing what they'll cover and what they won't.”

“I voted for Obama, love that he's our prez, but have been increasingly frustrated that he doesn't seem to have a big enough set of . . to confront the many inane issues hurled at him by both the MSM and the right-wing nut jobs.

That said, check out the interesting discussion on this issue that aired last night on Charlie Rose - puts a different slant on Obama's softening of his stance.”

“I'm feeling pretty hopeless about this country - and am experiencing some stirrings of radical thinking. I'm wondering why none of us is out in the streets about the wheelbarrows full of our cash going to banks. I'm thinking about saying the heck with paying on my Citibank credit card, and two others that just raised my rates for no reason other than "they could."

I'm depressed about how gutless I think Obama is - and I voted for him, and cried with joy when he made it. But he has yet to stand up to ANYBODY, really, that could make a positive difference in the lives of most of us. It's all placating and negotiating - why? - the Dems could stride forward and make some important changes - but no, they're being weenies as usual.

The problem with becoming really radical is that I did it already, in the 1960s, and I'm tired. Where's our youth? Why aren't they marching, singing, doing sit-ins, rolling cop cars?

I am bummed.”

“Except, of course, day traders and hedge fund managers . . .”

“Does anybody put it together that these Wall Street criminals have created a way to pay themselves THREE times?

First they ran the market up to the edge of the cliff - and most of the smart ones got out with their millions intact.

Then they started collecting on the investment risk insurance that AIG - thanks to US taxpayers - has been paying off - on the few millions they actually did lose.

Now they're poised to re-enter the market they crashed and scarf up stocks at bargain basement prices.

I've never bought a stock in my life, but even I can see the breath-taking expanse of this astonishing heist.

The only thing that will stop it is the start of some highly visible perp walks.”

“Americans are losing their ability to think!

Anybody notice how relentless CNBC is against Obama? And "losers" who got into debt and borrowed too much on credit cards?

Yet the entire WORLD of business can't function unless they are drowning in credit they can get their hands on? The arteries are clogged - no credit available - and so everything ceases to work?

I work for a really small business - we don't need to borrw any money for month to month operations. We tighten our belts when business is lean, streamline the inventory, and keep going.

Why do all these supposed Blue Chip corporations need endless "credit cards" to keep going?

And why doesn't CNBC call THEM losers for a change?”

“After 10 years with CaptialOne, and ONE late payment in all that time, I just got a notice they're upping me from 11.9% to 17.9%. I called and argued - no luck.

I won't accept the increase and will pay off the minor debt at the fixed 11.9%. We should all refuse to accept the unfair increases. Afterall, they're not going to get another dime of my money - and if everybody did that, they'd be as screwed as they're trying to screw us.

This is all because Congress gave them such a long time to make the changes - they're trying to wring every last buck out of us before they have to behave like fellow Americans.”

“The "late implementation date" has allowed credit card companies to begin jacking rates in advance of the rules changes.

I've had a CapitalOne card for 10 years - late ONCE four years ago when we moved. Am nowhere near my credit limit and have never gone over.

Just got an interest bump from 11-percent to 17-percent for no discernable reason. Called and argued with them - got nowhere. I'm not paying 17-percent interest and so closed my account and will pay it off - eventually - at the fixed 11-percent.

Really, I'd like to be able to just write it off to "bad debt" or call the debt an asset, like the corporations do - but we little guys can't get away with anything.”

“"What's a Good Republican to think?"

DO you - actually - think?

Like abpout the utter failure of "trickle down" - not only this time, but the times before like when the sainted Ronny was in?

I definitely know you don't THINK before you SPEAK because now and then, when I want to scrape nails across a blackboard, I tune in to Morning Joe - and you just never STOP talking before you think.

And one more thing - puhlese, Joe - get a different sweat suit.”

“Gillibrand - my congresswoman - is a lightweight who will likely do what she's told.”

“I am hoping the Right Wing keeps it''s heroes yakking - Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh - they have the nasty - the ultra nasty - that Americans are sick to death of.

If they keep blathering their hate-speak, we progressive have a chance.

Go'Bama!”

“The hip of state is an ENORMOUS vessel - you can't do a hair-pin turn without capcizing it.

Give the man a chance!”

“Oh, good grief - can you people just SIMMER down? You sound like impatient children, whining and demanding ice cream before dinner - or you'll throw yourselves on the floor and have a tantrum!

Give the man a chance - he's at least surrounding himself with competency. He's moving forward with organization and speed in the midst of a freakin' cyclone of bad news - could y'all just stop your carping long enough to let him breathe?

Honestly, sometimes I get so frustrated with my party! Obama already has hundreds and hundreds of rabid-dog right wingers after his butt - and an entire television network devoted to his downfall.

Do you want to be lumped in with that group, and give them more fodder for their hate-spewing? Or can you just grow up and be a little patient - not to mention LOYAL!!!!!!!”

“If your generation wants, eventually, to make its way to financial comfort, I'd make a BIG suggestion that you not allow the labor unions to disappear.

Along with the Ponzi scheme of Wall Street so aptly described above is the mantra, repeated so often that many believe it, that labor unions are the bain of capitalism.

Labor unions have pushed for safe working conditions and decent wages. It's no accident that as CEO salaries rose to astronomical heights, many labor unions crumbled to one-tenth their size.

I'm not a union worker, nor have ever been. But the middle class of my generation benefitted by the pressure exerted by the unions to make companies pay a little more than a living wage, so families could prosper.

If unions go away, you will be enslaved.”

“The cable and radio "media" might want to reflect on the downhill slope their trajectory is taking - if screaming and over-talking each other garnered ratings this election, what will be needed next time around?

Americans are already bored with that level of combatancy - seen it, heard it, moving on to C-Span and PBS - or, for a different segment of the population, to a reality show with a little more cleavage.

Will the "media," in their never-ending search for barcolounger slugs unwilling to think, need to mud wrestle each other next? Throw things at each other? Walk off the stage in disgust - oh, wait - already been done on Fox.


Thank god for Bill Moyers, Gwen Ifill, and Jim Leher.”