What a damn day THIS turned out to be. There's nothing like having car difficulties, having to scrounge up money to pay for repairs (probably around $400), and having to find another car to drive to get to pesky work & stuff. 'Tis the season to be *&^%$#@! Oh well...on with today's diary & a much - needed respite from my transportation & money ilks.
One of today's "this day in history" items is yet another reminder of why I'm so gosh - darned proud {insert heavy dose of snark here} to live where I live. On this day in 1958, The anti-Communist John Birch Society was formed in Indianapolis.
On the lighter & more fun side of the equation, on this date last year, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested after prosecutors said he was caught on wiretaps scheming to sell Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat for cash or a plum job for himself in the new administration. Wasn't that fun? Man, I can't wait until his trial begins because the fun will begin anew! ;D
And, there are a couple of birthdays today that are "linked" & are a much - needed reminder that sometimes - SOMETIMES - the good guys win. Kirk Douglas is 93 today; Dalton Trumbo was born on this date in 1905. What's the connection? It's the blacklist & Spartacus.
Let's Countdown.
#5 "Public Optional" AKA "Left Wanting" - With Keith’s introductions, I guess we all know how he feels about what’s brewing in the Senate. Well, I was never optimistic about what would happen in the Senate; I’m holding out a sliver of hope that House leadership in the conference committee will stick to their guns, or the remaining actual true "progressives" who want REAL health care reform will stick to their guns & send this possible stinky turd sandwich back to the kitchen from whence it came. But, nothing has been scored yet by the CBO concerning last night’s public option demise (if it has been killed), and nothing is on the Senate floor yet. So, I’ll withhold my few remaining slings & arrows until those events occur. It’s hard getting conflicting information from people I actually trust about all this stuff; it’s damn confusing for me, and I’ve kept up with all this! *&^%$#@! Some details of what the CBO is scoring are emerging. The Medicare expansion would begin by 2011 – ugh, not in time for mid – term elections. Great... Anyone choosing to buy into Medicare would not be subsidized for it. It sounds like the dreaded trigger is going to rear its ugly rear. Well, that’s just sparkin’ fantastic. Like I’ve said so many times, the health insurance lawyers & lobbyists will make sure the trigger never gets pulled. So, say adieu to actual choice & competition which suddenly seem to be thoroughly UnAmerican qualities. Some good news is there also might be something in the works to require health insurance companies to use 90 cents of every dollar they earn on actual health care – not bonuses, salaries, advertising, etc. Now, if someone somewhere can make THAT stick & actually keep an eye on them, that might be an OK deal! Some health insurance industry folk are already crowing about winning. President Obama expressed his pleasure with last night’s developments. MoveOn.org? Well, not so much... Joementum is still saying he’ll vote no because he doesn’t even want a trigger. OK, why the spark are we even dealing with "people" like him?! Our Senate is going to compromise lives away! Senator Sanders thinks a Medicare buy – in would be better than a weak public option. What if you’re not 55 yet? Senator Conrad said a Medicare buy – in wouldn’t be a "deal breaker" for him. Senator Feingold is undecided. Rep. Anthony Weiner is all over what’s coming out! Senators Landrieu & Lincoln are still fence – sitters, too. The memo being used by the GOP in the Senate now, in an actual slight change of pace, is calling the Senate HCR bill a "jobs killer." That was the talking point spewed by Senators Grassley, Kyl, & Cornhole today. Here’s Ezra Klein! A strong public option could’ve saved over $100 billion. "Centrists" don’t want subsidies to increase the cost of the bill. Mr. Klein thinks the health insurance industry claiming "victory" is a bit overblown because they don’t have that much effect on the overall economy. Uh, I don’t know about that – if I interpreted what he said correctly. Mr. Klein thinks a Medicare buy – in will have a larger role in getting insurance companies to control their costs. Ezra Klein has no problem with mandates because he thinks they’ll make insurance more affordable. He is, however, anti – trigger. Rep. Lynn Woolsey is one of the chairs of the "progressive" caucus & is hinting they will vote against any bill that doesn’t appear to increase competition. She’s not on board with a possible OPM scenario like the choices Congress critters & other federal employees get because it would be an exchange within a currently existing exchange. Well, that sounds damn confusing! $hit! Even THEIR premiums went up 8% since last year – damn! Rep. Woolsey was stunned by the support from Rep. Weiner & Howard Dean. Hells’ bells...see why I’m sparkin’ confused?!
#4 "Health Clinic for All" - The Kansas City free clinic that we helped fund is going on as we speak; the doors opened at noon. The clinic work begins at 10 tomorrow morning, and it’ll be streamed live on Countdown’s website – which I probably won’t have time to watch much of! PHOOEY! Nicole Lamoureux is in Kansas City. Dental & mental health care has been part of the mix for the Kansas City clinic. Ms. Lamoureux thinks every single Congress critter should go to one of these clinics or a free clinic in their area. Honey, don’t hold your breath on that score.
** There’s a calf in CT with a white patch of fur in the shape of a cross on his little noggin – too cute! There is a statue of President Obama as a young boy in Indonesia. Gretchen Carlson is still all over the climate change emails. TurdBlossom is talking deficits on FAUX News & misremembering his history. John Gibson’s new book claims "the left" was lying but managed to admit the Swiftboaters were full of $hit. **
#3 "Getting Away with Torture" AKA "Tortured Logic" - HEY! I mentioned John Yoo’s case in the diary the other night! Has someone been lurking here? ;D Was this story a front – pager on Daily Kos recently? I don’t remember seeing it, so the inclusion tonight must – JUST MUST HAVE BEEN – from this diary. And, Santa’s not going to give me a lump of coal this year because I’ve been so nice! ;D President Obama’s DOJ is coming to John Yoo’s defense – seriously. Was this AG Holder’s decision or an "underling’s" decision? Did AG Holder have to approve this? This administration doesn’t want to set a precedent of lawyers advising Presidents on national security issues to be subjected to lawsuits or whatever. What if said advising advised something illegal like John Yoo’s did?! OK, this area is one of the few of my HUGE beefs with the Obama administration – their unwillingness to go after the previous administration for their illegal acts. I guess life looks a little different sitting behind that big desk in the Oval Office. Jose Padilla is trying to sue John Yoo. OK, I hate to keep harping on this, but the quote used was from the San Francisco Chronicle; THAT’S WHERE I GOT THE STORY FROM THE OTHER NIGHT! I expect Santa any time now. ;) The Office of Professional Responsibility has been investigating Yoo, but they may only suggest Yoo be disbarred. Well then, so should Jay Baybee & any other lawyer ilk to advised President Bush to torture. Here’s Jonathan Turley; I bet he’s just THRILLED about this. Yea, talk about your timing...President Obama is on his way to Oslo to accept the Nobel Peace prize, and he’s letting previous administrations illegal & horrible actions go without punishment. About the only way I see this circumstance changing is if some huge news comes out of KSM’s trial in New York City that could force President Obama’s or AG Holder’s hand. Our nation prosecuted Nazi judges at Nuremberg for giving similar advice to Hitler. Attorneys can be protected & still follow the law in the event of some sort of political motive behind a prosecution.
WPITW – A FAUX News producer is defending the study used the other morning regarding climate change that added up to 120% of respondents. Lonesome Rhodes continues to shill gold because many of his few remaining advertisers sell gold. A World News tonight reporter tried to make Jon Stewart look like a climate change denier. Sure, we expect that from FAUX, but ABC is an actual news network!
#1 "Sarah Palin: Science Detective" AKA "Weird Versus Science" - We can add climate change denier to St. Sarah from Wasilla’s list of "accomplishments." OK, who green – lit HER to write an OpEd for the Washington Post?! Sure, I wouldn’t be surprised at her showing up in WSJ or some other Pirate Murdoch bird cage liner but the Washington Post? The Woodward & Bernstein Watergate Washington Post??!! Dude, that is just WRONG! If she gets to write an OpEd about climate change in the Post, then I should be able to write one about nuclear physics because I know just as much about THAT subject as she does about climate change! VP Gore had some choice words about Grandma ExGov TurkeyLover’s OpEd. Remind me again what St. Sarah from Wasilla’s science creds are? Oh yea! Her creds are THIS.
We get Chris Hayes tonight, and he agrees with me about the Post’s decision! I better get the cold shower ready for some people here. ;D Grandma ExGov TurkeyLover is really looking to stoke up the nutjobs, ain’t she? First, she plays to the birthers now to the climate change deniers. Alaska is actually experiencing the effects of climate change, which just goes to prove how much she paid attention to that portion of her Governor duties.
HEY! WE DIDN’T GET A TIGER WOODS SEGMENT TONIGHT – YIPPEE!