Sunday, August 09, 2009

A Congress Gone Renegade

"Damn the torpedos! Full speed ahead!" ~ Admiral David Glasgow Farragut

This post started in the previous post's comment thread.

Every poll taken, From Rasmussen, Zogby, NPR, AOL, Facebook, Wall Street Journal/NBC News, The Washington Post, Gallup, Pew, and countless others, has shown overwhelming opposition to Obama's plan.

And yet, the Democrat Legislators continue to ignore the will of their own constituents. One Lawmaker, (I forgot which one) said she is even more resolved to pass Obama's health care legislation than before as a result of so much vocal opposition exhibited at the various town hall meetings across the country.

Others are simply refusing to hold or attend any more Town Hall meetings during the August recess. They don't want to be unduly influenced to change their minds, apparently.

These Democrat legislators are blatant in their refusal to listen to the people and do the jobs they were elected to do.

This reminds me of the lynch mobs in the old western movies. When the victim of the mob expressed displeasure at being hanged without benefit of a fair trial, they were usually told,

"You're going to get a fair trial, followed by a first class hangin'!"

19 comments:

LL said...

The DNC and power brokers who support the ultra leftist cause (now in power in Washington) have threatened Congress to pass-it-or-else. So you have to ask yourself when any legislature ever (collectively) had much spine.

There is a socialist agenda and they have two years to get the ball rolling before another election. They have to ram as much as possible through and grab as much power as possible before there is a balance restored to government.

Most Rev. Gregori said...

If this Health Care Reform bill gets passed by Congress over the objections of the majority of Americans, then we should call a nationwide strike from all jobs (with the exception of health care, police and fire), take to the streets in mass protests for as long as it takes, and shut the Government down so that they cannot raise the money to fund this piece of crap.

Jim said...

"Every poll taken, From Rasmussen, Zogby, NPR, AOL, Facebook, Wall Street Journal/NBC News, The Washington Post, Gallup, Pew, and countless others, has shown overwhelming opposition to Obama's plan.
"

No, they are opposed to what the liars are telling them is in it. Once they learn the truth about it, they will come around because as I've pointed out before 72% of Americans want a public option. That is why the mobs are at the townhall meetings-to keep people from hearing from their congressional reps what is actually in the bill.

Mark said...

Dems: We're going to listen to your concerns and then, vote against your wishes anyway!

Joe said...

Jim: How can you say, "to keep people from hearing from their congressional reps what is actually in the bill?"

We can read any one of the "various" versions of the bill for ourselves and we know what they are proposing.

We don't need them to tell us what is in them, we need them to address our concerns, which they absolutely refuse to do.

For instance, when asked why a provision for the government to fund abortions, their usual tactic is to change the subject or state that the bill does not provide for that...which it actually does.

Without arguing whether it should be a part of the bill, I believe the reps should at least have the decency to address the issue honestly.

I like honesty...don't you?

Mark said...

Jim, you are a moron. Americans already have a public option. It's called insurance. What Obama wants to do is take away our options. He said it with his own mouth, and I posted the video a while back that shows him saying it. So now we know who the real liars are.

You are a liar, too. You say you don't agree with all Obama's policies yet you have never met an Obama policy you didn't love.

Lone Ranger said...

Denial is just fascinating to watch, isn't it?

Jim said...

"We can read any one of the "various" versions of the bill for ourselves and we know what they are proposing."

Obviously you don't because you continue to spout stuff that isn't in any of the bills.

OR I have asked in the previous post for you to state your specific objection and none of you do. All I get is that it is unconstitutional, which I have demonstrated at least twice is not true.

"For instance, when asked why a provision for the government to fund abortions,"

Most private health insurers cover abortions. Why shouldn't a publicly-administered policy provide the same coverage. The "public option" means government administered, like Medicare. Public option is NOT free-taxpayer funded health insurance. Most people insured by the public option would be buying and paying for it themselves. Why shouldn't they get coverage equivalent to a private insurer?

Jim said...

"Americans already have a public option. It's called insurance."

Mark, this is a moronic statement. No further comment needed.

"What Obama wants to do is take away our options." The video is not presented in its full context. Obama has stated OVER and OVER and OVER again that if you like your current health insurance you keep it. That's called choice.

"You are a liar, too. You say you don't agree with all Obama's policies yet you have never met an Obama policy you didn't love."

This is doubly moronic. You wouldn't know a lie if it bit you on the butt. I've met several Obama policies I don't like and I've stated them on this blog.

I think Obama should screw the notion of bi-partisanship. For the Republicans, it doesn't exist. I'm quite positive he could totally give up on a public option AND co-ops and keeping insurers from denying coverage and he'd STILL only get one or two Republican votes in the end.

I want to end DADT now. I want out of Iraq and Afghanistan now. I wanted a bigger stimulus package with a much smaller tax cut component.

How 'bout them apples?

Jim said...

Speaking of Messiahs, on behalf of all of you, this weekend I made the Haj to the tomb of your beloved Ronnie. I visited the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley. It was a beautiful place and an interesting tour for only 12 bucks including walking through the last Air Force 1. I'm not particularly thrilled about it, but the man's signature is on my college diploma, that man who flipped off the student body of my school. Oh well, those were the good old days.

As you drive up to and from the Library, lamp posts have banners of each president. I noticed that after 200 days, they still haven't been able to bring themselves to admit that Barack Obama is now the president. The last banner is for George W. Bush, 2001-. I thought the caretakers did a nice job of the Library and grounds, but that last slight soured it a bit.

Mark said...

Jim, "The "public option" means government administered, like Medicare."

Then why doesn't Obama just say "Government administered"? Why is he playing word games? I'll tell you why:

Because he knows Americans will balk at more government control of private enterprise. And we should. Government control of private enterprise is Marxism.

"I have asked in the previous post for you to state your specific objection and none of you do. All I get is that it is unconstitutional, which I have demonstrated at least twice is not true."

You have not demonstrated that at all. The Constitution is clear. You are not.

"No, they are opposed to what the liars are telling them is in it. Once they learn the truth about it, they will come around because as I've pointed out before 72% of Americans want a public option. That is why the mobs are at the townhall meetings-to keep people from hearing from their congressional reps what is actually in the bill."

The Citizens are at the meetings to hear from their so-called representatives about the bill, but their so-called representatives won't give them answers.

Perhaps you need to look up the meaning of "option". The word implies a voluntary choice. If one chooses any kind of health insurance over Obama's "option" they should have that right, but Obama wants to remove that voluntary choice. Furthermore, if one doesn't want to have insurance at all, that also is his right. Obama doesn't want to leave that choice in the hands of the people, either.

"Public option is NOT free-taxpayer funded health insurance. Most people insured by the public option would be buying and paying for it themselves. Why shouldn't they get coverage equivalent to a private insurer?"

Why should they be compelled, against their will, to buy insurance? That is not giving anyone an option, Jim.

Now, this is a good one:

"The video is not presented in its full context. Obama has stated OVER and OVER and OVER again that if you like your current health insurance you keep it. That's called choice."

Obama has lied OVER and OVER, and OVER again. Remember, Jim, lying is what politicians, even inexperienced politicians like Obama do. He, due to his inexperience, just doesn't lie as convincingly. He plans to eliminate private insurance companies and has said so.

And finally, so now you admit, you want an even bigger Marxist state than Obama has yet created. Instead of reporting "fishy" e-mails to the WhiteHouse, you should be reported to the CIA for Treason.

How about them apples?

Mark said...

I just discovered the quote at the end, "You're going to get a fair trial, followed by a first class hanging" is from "Silverado" and it was Brain Dennehy's line.

The photo is from "The Oxbow Incident" which is among my 5 favorite westerns.

Jim said...

Quinnipiac: 62 percent support "public option."

Washington Post/ABC News: 54 percent support a "government-run plan."

Time: 56 percent favor a "government-sponsored" option.

NY Times/CBS News: 66 percent favor a "government administered" plan.

McClatchy: 52 percent say "it is necessary to create a public health insurance plan."

McClatchy: 52 percent say "it is necessary to create a public health insurance plan."

Joe said...

Jimbo: Are you related to the late George Carlin? He once did a sports cast in which he gave "last night's scores: 52-75; 48-76; and 102-103."

As anybody who knows anything about statistical analysis knows, you have to give the "when asked about" part of the questions or they have no meaning.

The phrasing of the questions, the context of the questions and the substance of the questions must be known in order to give meaning to the responses to the question.

Typical ploy.

Cameron said...

"Obama has stated OVER and OVER and OVER again that if you like your current health insurance you keep it. That's called choice."

The problem with this statement is that the public option will make it more cost effective for many employers to drop their private insurance plans. Meaning you don't have the option to keep your current health insurance even if you like it.

Cameron said...

Whoops, one more note in that vein.

The other problem with that quote are the numerous speeches the president and others have given explaining quite well how a public option is simply the first step to getting rid of private insurance completely.

So to tout what the president is repeating now while completely ignoring the mountains of other context-giving quotes is disingenuous.

Cameron said...

So now on to the "it's just like Medicare, and Medicare is awesome" line of reasoning...

First, Medicare is running out of money. So instead of solving that problem we're going to add to it? Doesn't make sense.

Second, Medicare still leaves you with 20% of the bill. Most seniors who can afford it buy a supplemental private insurance to help pay for what Medicare doesn't. Much the same thing occurs in Canada.

Third, Medicare pays really really low amounts to health care providers. This argument takes some context to understand. Forgive me if everyone already knows this.

A hospital sets a price for services. It then contracts with insurance companies for a reduced price. Well, Medicare also contracts for reduced prices. But their prices are significantly lower than private insurance's are. Which is all well and good except that many hospitals don't make any profit on Medicare patients. So to make up for it they raise prices for everyone else.

With a public option, this Medicare price increase effect will be even greater. Eventually, as the president says, the public option will drive out private insurance completely. And when that happens you've killed the golden goose.

Jim said...

Joe-bo, you forgot the partial score: 15.

I'm sure each and every one of the polls was purposely slanted to misrepresent your "truth."

"the public option will make it more cost effective for many employers to drop their private insurance plans."

You mean health plans offered by the government might be less expensive if they don't have to pay their CEOs $102,000 an hour?

Cameron said...

Government health care plans will be cheaper (at least initially, and that only counts the direct cost) than our current plans because gov't plans don't pay enough for health care providers to make any money. Those that take Medicare now lose money on every patient they see. Who do think is making up those losses? Me and you. Our costs go up in order to subsidize the "cheaper" gov't program. Unfortunately, the reform being debated now will kill the golden goose that is subsidizing gov't health care.