Ace of Spades HQ

February 02, 2010

Lawrence O'Donnell: Health Care Is Deader Than Julius Caesar
— Ace

I think this is right. But I don't know the limits of what is possible -- and what the Democrats, with their handpicked parliamentarian, will decide is now possible -- in the Senate.

People like O'Donnell and Chris Matthews have a reason to push this idea: They believe the Democratic Party is headed towards catastrophe and are trying to stop this.

On the other hand, though, a lot of other Democrats are transfixed by a notion that passing some sort of bill is their least-bad option at this point.

Here are the advantages of passing one of the most unpopular bills in history:

1) They appease the nutroots, which, as usual, views this purely as a partisan spectator sport, and just want a win, or, rather, just want the despised "Rethuglikkkans" to lose. Although most of them are unhappy with the bill, they are even more unhappy that that the "Repukes" might win out on this.

2) Even though the bill is unpopular, passing it ends, to a large degree, the debate. The debate is killing Democrats. Every day they are talking about health care is a day they are losing independents and energizing the right -- and depressing the nutroots left, too, because the nutroots left kinda hates the bill almost as much as we do. Passing something -- anything -- would at least, to some extent, put the question in the past rather than the here-and-now.

There is an aphorism I always mention: It is easier to beg forgiveness than to secure permission. And it's true -- presenting someone with a fait accompli and then asking for forgiveness after the fact does work a bit better than trying to convince that person to agree to something he doesn't want. Not much better, but better.

Health care would continue to be an issue, as Republicans attempt to repeal it or restrict it by amendments every week, but it wouldn't be as big an issue. And Democrats want this issue to go away. Just go away. And I think some of them believe it's better to take the hit on it in one burst than continue the drip-drip-drip.

3) Democrats have built for themselves the ultimate wedge issue. This splits liberals and independents, and Democrats need both. They can either play to the liberals, or play to the independents, but not both, and they can't win without both.

So, confronted with this unwinnable situation, who do they play to? The liberal base. Why? Because the liberal base donates money to them, while independents mainly just vote. They are going to lose one bloc of votes or the other, but what they don't want to lose is their precious fatcat donations from Hollywood celebrities.

Besides, independents are always blowing one way or the other, and I am guessing have much shorter memories than partisans. Partisans like the nutroots -- or, frankly, like me and you -- never forget.

Now, that's why I fear these lunatics might actually go ahead and detonate the bomb they've created.

So I take some comfort in hyperpartisan hack Lawrence O'Donnell's insistence that this is all kabuki. All a dumb-show for the DUmmies.

Lawrence OÂ’Donnell, the Democratic Senate Finance Committee staff director during the Â’93-Â’94 health care debate, said weÂ’re now witnessing reformÂ’s death throes Â– and Democrats know it. The party will not be able to pass another reform bill through the Senate, period.
Â“Pelosi said that, Â‘We donÂ’t have the votes for passing the Senate billÂ’ and that should have just ended it. Any discussion of another scenario is juvenile,Â” he said. Â“ItÂ’s ridiculous.Â”
Democrats knew they lost reform with the Massachusetts election and some of them like Rep. Barney Frank essentially said so. Â“The first reaction to the Massachusetts election was the honest reaction,Â” OÂ’Donnell said. Frank later walked back his comments.
But since Election Night, he said, Democrats have moved into Â“full bluff mode.Â”
Â“WeÂ’re absolutely in full fake cheerleading mode. I think Nancy Pelosi has absolutely no moves left. I think she knows that now. I think Harry Reid knows that. And thatÂ’s why they donÂ’t bring it up,Â” he said. Â“They had a Senate leadership press conference (Thursday) and it was as if (reporters) were asking about World War IÂ” when they asked about reform.
OÂ’Donnell attributes the theatrics to the need to deal with a liberal base that will go bonkers if Democrats quit on reform. And the cue cards are nothing new. He pointed to Democratic Sen. Chuck SchumerÂ’s statements during the fall that the Senate would pass the public option even though Â“heÂ’s smart enough to know they were never going to get it.Â”
Â“No one who went on television was free to say anything realistic,Â” he said.

I hope he's right.

Posted by: Ace at 09:12 AM | Comments (89)
Post contains 812 words, total size 5 kb.

1 Creepy liar!

Posted by: nickless at February 02, 2010 09:13 AM (MMC8r)

2 Hey, who ate my comment?

Posted by: nickless at February 02, 2010 09:15 AM (MMC8r)

3 Oh, there it is.

Posted by: nickless at February 02, 2010 09:15 AM (MMC8r)

I don't care whether it's deader than Julius Caesar or deader than Kelsey's Nuts---so long as it's dead, dead, dead.

Posted by: Corncob Supporter at February 02, 2010 09:16 AM (ktYjH)

5 O'Donnell is right. The polling data is just arriving at NBC News HQ in NYC. The results are staggering.

What is Kos talking about? Kos is promoting his new book "American Taliban".

What about Ezra Klein? Ezra is describing Paul Ryan's alternative budget proposal for FY2010 as "violent", but Ryan balances the budget THIS YEAR.

What about Glutius Maximus? Well it is a quasi group sex blog so I don't know who the hell is posting at any given time.

Posted by: WTFCI at February 02, 2010 09:17 AM (+zo63)

6 Scott Brown's certification is still being held up. Why?

Posted by: Truman North at February 02, 2010 09:18 AM (e8YaH)

7 Wow, that's dead.

Posted by: Elvis at February 02, 2010 09:18 AM (Q1lie)

ACE,

Ask King George how that thought process works out for really bad ideas. that type of thinking is what causes revolutions and rebellions on a grand scale and it is the reason the government is on that path at the moment

Posted by: unseen at February 02, 2010 09:18 AM (aVGmX)

9 WTFCI-- is that a genuine tip on the NBC polling data? Did I miss this, or do you have advance word?

Posted by: ace at February 02, 2010 09:19 AM (jlvw3)

I just hope we never see Zombie Julius Caesar anytime soon.

Posted by: madtechie at February 02, 2010 09:19 AM (WaFdb)

11 Et tu, Lawrence?

Posted by: lorien1973 at February 02, 2010 09:22 AM (IhQuA)

12 Keep poking that chicken Democrats.

Posted by: Al at February 02, 2010 09:22 AM (0lyUI)

13 Wow, that's dead.

she's not only merely dead
she's really most sincerely dead.

Posted by: Munchkin Coroner at February 02, 2010 09:22 AM (mR7mk)

14 "Deader than Julius Caesar" - Isn't that one of Sean Connery's lines from "The Untouchables"? A movie about the demise of a Chicago crime syndicate. Very appropriate to the present day methinks...

Posted by: Nighthawk at February 02, 2010 09:23 AM (OtQXp)

15 >>>"Deader than Julius Caesar" - Isn't that one of Sean Connery's lines from "The Untouchables"? yes, I think so, that's where I got it. I think. I know I was thinking sean connery as Malone. I know he says something like that.

Posted by: ace at February 02, 2010 09:24 AM (jlvw3)

16 F**cking Retards

Posted by: Rahm at February 02, 2010 09:24 AM (zqzYV)

Hey look over here *jumps up and down * we've got tea partiers or soemthing. Look at how they're dividing Rethugligans. Don't pay attention to the trainwreck Decmocrats, for the love of all things holy, don't do it.

Birthers, teabaggers, Nazis, obstructionists, Louisiana Wiretapgate, come on, listen to us!!

Posted by: ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, PBS, MSNBO, etc etc. at February 02, 2010 09:25 AM (U2ntX)

18 he also says something like "i'll have you hangin' higher than [haymer]" or something, never got the name of the guy who had been hanged high.

Posted by: ace at February 02, 2010 09:25 AM (jlvw3)

19 ace@16

Neat how the unconscious mind works...

Posted by: Nighthawk at February 02, 2010 09:26 AM (OtQXp)

20 Â“No one who went on television was free to say anything realistic,Â” he said.

Besides which, that would preclude them from being democrats.

Posted by: taylork at February 02, 2010 09:26 AM (4jZ56)

I hope he's right.

Yeah, for the first time in my adult life, I'm proud of Lawrence O'Donnell.

Posted by: runningrn at February 02, 2010 09:27 AM (CfmlF)

22 ace@19,

"Hang higher than Hayman (sp)"- that's a reference to the Old Testament.

Posted by: Nighthawk at February 02, 2010 09:27 AM (OtQXp)

23 It's at least as dead as Freddy Krueger.

Posted by: Girl Standing Over Freddy Krueger at February 02, 2010 09:28 AM (mVg9K)

24 How does this help my children?

Posted by: Michelle Obama at February 02, 2010 09:28 AM (CfmlF)

25 There is an aphorism I always mention: It is easier to beg forgiveness than to secure permission. And it's true -- presenting someone with a fait accompli and then asking for forgiveness after the fact does work a bit better than trying to convince that person to agree to something he doesn't want. Not much better, but better.

Ace, begging for forgiveness is based on the premise that the offendee has no idea what's going until the offender has arrived at fait accompli. We don't have that case here. Hasn't polling already indicated that more than 60% of the public doesn't like this craptastic bill?

If we really think that this is all kabuki then we need to let our Republican congresscritters know to keep this bill in the forefront through amendments, if no other reason than to keep the Democrats dancing.

Posted by: David in San Diego at February 02, 2010 09:28 AM (GF+6V)

26 Send... more..paramedics.

Posted by: Barack"Return of the Living Healthcare" Obama at February 02, 2010 09:28 AM (qyHMz)

27 I hope he's right.

He's always been so accurate and reliable before.

cough cough MO whitey tapes

Posted by: Beto at February 02, 2010 09:29 AM (+CLh/)

28 I want it dead, and I want it to take the 'effing commies who came up with it with it.

Posted by: maddogg at February 02, 2010 09:29 AM (OlN4e)

29
When's the last time Lawrence O'Donnel has been right about anything?

Posted by: This is Timmy in the well at February 02, 2010 09:29 AM (jVldi)

30 I think the whole exchange is in the interrogation scene that ends when Malone blows the dead guy's brains out to get the accountant to talk.

Good thing Eric Holder wasn't around to see that...

Posted by: Nighthawk at February 02, 2010 09:29 AM (OtQXp)

31
Beto, you bastard!

_{Beto the Elder Bastard?}

Posted by: This is Timmy in the well at February 02, 2010 09:30 AM (jVldi)

32 How does this help my fat-ass children?

FIFY

Posted by: Michelle O at February 02, 2010 09:30 AM (mR7mk)

I think the headline might be more apt: "Health Care deader than Fidel Castro."

While he may in fact be dead, no one can prove it and his spirit lives on.

Posted by: Gravity Dick at February 02, 2010 09:31 AM (U0oFg)

34 I think "the bus" is drooling over the prospect of crushing the political life out of the unmitigated incompetent fool that is Eric Holder.

Posted by: maddogg at February 02, 2010 09:31 AM (OlN4e)

35 Cloture-cloture.

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at February 02, 2010 09:32 AM (w4rJE)

36
Incidentally, isn't it funny how it's okay for Obama to re-form, i.e., gut, Ted Kennedy's No Child Left Behind?

Posted by: This is Timmy in the well at February 02, 2010 09:32 AM (jVldi)

37 It's dead, people. Don't worry. And to prove it I will now walk slowly over it's grave... Aarrrgh! Oh, just a crow...

Posted by: runninrebel at February 02, 2010 09:32 AM (i3PJU)

O/T but related to how health care dollars are spent/wasted in a fraudulent venture "in the name of science" via Hotair):

LOS ANGELES, California, January 29, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) California's Institute for Regenerative Medicine came into being five years ago, fueled by a conviction that the Bush administration's restriction on embryo-destructive research in the National Institutes of Health was stifling the progress of science.

But after years of fruitless work, the Institute has now quietly diverted funds from embryonic stem cell research (ESCr) to adult stem cell research - which has already produced dozens of treatments and all-out cures for maladies ranging from spinal cord injury, to Alzheimer's, to type I diabetes.

The California government - which is again teetering on the brink of bankruptcy - in 2004 passed the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, or Proposition 71. The initiative pumped $3 billion into research seeking some medical use for stem cells harvested from human embryos, which are killed in the process.

But an editorial in the Los Angeles-based Investor's Business Daily magazine January 12 pointed out the abysmal failure of the state's massive investment in research that has procured no effective treatments to date.

"Five years after a budget-busting $3 billion was allocated to embryonic stem cell research, there have been no cures, no therapies and little progress," notes the IBD editors.

"ESCR has failed to deliver and backers of Prop 71 are admitting failure."

Posted by: Michelle Obama at February 02, 2010 09:32 AM (CfmlF)

39 is that a genuine tip on the NBC polling data?

No, but Lawrence O'Donnell doesn't sneeze without GE's general counsel's approval. If he's dogging Pelosicare, Reidcare, and Obamacare then GE got word from their blue chip sponsors(ADM, Boeing, Cargill and the regular band of flyover country players that are actually the largest recipients of Uncle Sam's redistribution efforts) to pull the plug.

Remember Obama's so called caucus of Senate supporters: Dole, Daschle, Baker? They added Obama to their mix when he joined the Senate. He took almost all of Daschle's staff as his own. Daschle was supposed to be the HHS.

The flyover lobby wanted this bill, but they know the only chance they have to get it now is to somehow convince the Democrats to kill their party to pass it.

Rahm's out today with a great distraction as well. He goes and describes the caucus that is going to bitch forever about the failure on HCR as "liberal retards".

Posted by: WTFCI at February 02, 2010 09:32 AM (+zo63)

40 You would figure with a budget of almost 4 trillion everyone would get a unicorn and healthcare but alas.

Posted by: Mr. Pink at February 02, 2010 09:33 AM (qyHMz)

41 BUT 14,000 PEOPLE A DAY ARE DYING

Posted by: Dumb Lib Who's No Longer Saying This at February 02, 2010 09:34 AM (mVg9K)

42 nighthawk-- it wasn't unconscious. I was trying for the connery line. Just not sure if I got it right. Thanks for putting me some knowledge on Hayman. Never really understood that line.

Posted by: ace at February 02, 2010 09:34 AM (jlvw3)

43 37
Incidentally, isn't it funny how it's okay for Obama to re-form, i.e., gut, Ted Kennedy's No Child Left Behind?

Teh Bamster has absolute moral authority that allows him a get out of jail card for pissing on Teddy's grave--he's an Halfrican America Democrat.

Posted by: Michelle Obama at February 02, 2010 09:34 AM (CfmlF)

44 Hope I can still die honorably in a VA hosp. or will I be sent to a incinerator when I'm done in about 20 years?

Posted by: 'Nam Grunt at February 02, 2010 09:34 AM (oC1jk)

45 I give it until March 15. Then we'll know. Anyone here need a Gaul bladder?

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at February 02, 2010 09:34 AM (w4rJE)

46 @Michelle Obama

Hey wicked lady! The Cali ESCR funding saved my job. Sure, my last gig was chair of the CA Dem party, but I was termed out to the unemployment line.

Posted by: Art Torres at February 02, 2010 09:34 AM (+zo63)

47 Oops, keep doing that! Sorry sock!

Posted by: runningrn at February 02, 2010 09:34 AM (CfmlF)

I'll believe it is dead when the conservatives control both houses of congress. Note that is "conservatives" which is a small subset of the Republican Party.

Like a bad dream, as long as there are a significant number of communists in the congress this POS will never go away.

Posted by: Vic at February 02, 2010 09:35 AM (QrA9E)

Re health care: The Dems are Hans Gruber in his final scene in Die Hard. Falling to [his] their death, they'll try to maniacally shoot back. They figure what else do they have to lose.

I went with a movie analogy because it's MSNBC. Trying to do Roger Ebert Matthews proud.

Posted by: laceyunderalls at February 02, 2010 09:35 AM (U2ntX)

50 I hope they pass it and do so while Scott Brown isn't in the chamber. Presto! Instant nationalized campaign: REPEAL THE ILLEGAL ZEROCARE ACT!

Posted by: Fresh Air at February 02, 2010 09:36 AM (tE2Go)

51 "Health care" is not dead. Americans continue to have excellent health care.

"Obamacare" or "Pelosicare" or "Eurodickheadcare" are the ones with the problem.

Posted by: Waterhouse at February 02, 2010 09:36 AM (RwPdb)

Ehh. I've seen worse.

It's only mostly dead.

Posted by: "Miracle" Max Baucus at February 02, 2010 09:36 AM (E0EDC)

53 This pretty much confirms that Larry is always lying, shilling, and spinning. And that's just no way to go through life.

Posted by: runninrebel at February 02, 2010 09:37 AM (i3PJU)

O/T: My Dad has been laid up in the hospital/rehab with a broken leg since January 2, thanks to an encounter with black ice. Unfortunately, he won't be able to bust out and cast a vote(s) in the primaryÂ…being good Ill-annoyins, can one of youse cast a ballot for whoever's running against Kirk (Khan, the Gorn, whoever) and the Polish kid with one of your spares?

Posted by: Big Fat Meanie at February 02, 2010 09:37 AM (w4rJE)

55 This is playing out like some 2nd rate slasher flick where the psycho never really dies. It won't be dead-dead until the books are closed on this fucktardinous session of congress and these blood sucking vampires are hanging upside down in their guano filled caves for a while again.

Posted by: Purple Avenger at February 02, 2010 09:38 AM (P5K9v)

56 Well I busted out the Return of the Living Dead movie analogy so im dubbing myself TW and going home.

Posted by: Mr. Pink at February 02, 2010 09:38 AM (iyHY/)

57 It's as dead as a doornail.

Posted by: Bob Doornail at February 02, 2010 09:39 AM (mVg9K)

58 Good to see that even a hack as partisan as O'Donnell can grasp the obvious... What he cannot get himself to understand is that this is not logical. This is Legislative Jihad... The martyr belts cannot be removed... Harry, Barry and NanÂ’s plan to destroy America is too far down the road to stop... Either the Democrat Caucus quickly flips and destroys them, or they will be destroyedÂ…

Posted by: phreshone at February 02, 2010 09:40 AM (1AnxB)

59 ace@43

Oh, OK - didn't mean to imply anything by the "unconscious" remark, I didn't realize you were trying for Connery.

I'm relieved that you didn't say it was "deader than Elvis" :-).

Posted by: Nighthawk at February 02, 2010 09:40 AM (OtQXp)

60
#32
So thaaaat's what the dog's been on aboout!

Posted by: Beto The Elder at February 02, 2010 09:40 AM (+CLh/)

61 Hey Beto, How are you and the Ma'am doing?

Posted by: 'Nam Grunt at February 02, 2010 09:43 AM (oC1jk)

62 Said it once, I'll say it again: It'll never be completely dead. They came too close to completely give up on it. We have to be vigilant, and we have to take back as many seats as possible.

Posted by: joncelli at February 02, 2010 09:45 AM (RD7QR)

63 Pining for the Fjords.

Posted by: Holger at February 02, 2010 09:47 AM (8NGHm)

64 We're Ok Joe.
Our Lab passed suddenly with cancer. 13&1/2
Bless her heart, she never showed how bad she was hurtin'
She was like a playful pup to the bitter end.
Mrs is grieving hard.

Posted by: Beto The Elder at February 02, 2010 09:47 AM (+CLh/)

65 I think every blog post with the bat shit insane L. Odonnell should include the screen shot of his about to punch Cathy Siepp in the face.

Posted by: joeindc44 at February 02, 2010 09:48 AM (QxSug)

66 Oh, this thing is dead alright because to force this through now means that Obama loses (or doesn't run) in 2012, plain and simple. You can't force through a bill opposed by 60%+ of the population on a purely partisan basis (or worse by 51 votes) and plan to win any elections in the next few cycles, esp. in light of Mass. Maybe that's their plan. But even if individual Dems are willing to walk the plank, the Dem. machine isn't going anywhere which means that it has to be fed. Which being really out of power (like say 35 in the Senate) would do. I'd say that the Dems were willing to go forward with this on the hope that the losses, while serious, wouldn't destroy the machine, I mean, party. Brown's win blew that to hell which is why after months of ramming speed from Obama/Reid/Pelosi we now have the line "it's not a priority right now". It's not a priority b/c they now know that passage under these circumstances will destroy the party and the POTUS. It's really that simple.

Posted by: volfan at February 02, 2010 09:50 AM (Lq6p6)

67 It's as dead as an intern.

Posted by: Gary Condit at February 02, 2010 09:56 AM (pfStM)

68 BTW, does this mean that Queef Olberdouche has, in fact, lost the fight against death?

Posted by: The Q at February 02, 2010 09:57 AM (pfStM)

Listen kids. We've seen this a million times in the movies. The bad guy, monster, creature, etc looks dead after the initial blow. But we all know what happens. Even the AWESOME Die Hard used this trope. Bad guy comes back to life and continues the attack.

In these situations always remember two words:

Double. Tap.

(And preferably make it a head shot).

Do not let up the pressure to kill this legislation until the crows are done feasting on its rotting carcass.

Posted by: TakeFive at February 02, 2010 09:57 AM (/3pxq)

70 I don't mean to fuck a dead chicken here, but it's "Haman", not "Hayman" - from the book of Esther in which Haman was hung from gallows that he himself built.

Posted by: /dev/null at February 02, 2010 10:01 AM (rGcVx)

People like O'Donnell and Chris Matthews have a reason to push this idea: They believe the Democratic Party is headed towards catastrophe and are trying to stop this.

Or they want to lull us into thinking it's dead so they will then stampede it through???

Posted by: Curmudgeon at February 02, 2010 10:05 AM (ujg0T)

72 And to add a new note to the U.S. healthcare debate, Progressive Conservative [yes, they really do have that oxymoronic party name] Premier of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador is going to the U.S. for heart surgery that he, supposedly, can't get in Canada. He also campaigned bitterly against the federal Conservative Party in both recent federal elections.

Posted by: andycanuck at February 02, 2010 10:06 AM (2qU2d)

73 It's as dead as an intern.

Posted by: Gary Condit at February 02, 2010 01:56 PM (pfStM)

In fairness, Condit's sexual affair was murdered by an illegal alien bum!

The Wall Street Journal could not be reached for comment.

Posted by: Curmudgeon at February 02, 2010 10:07 AM (ujg0T)

74 Denial: NO! It's not dead you just need to keep pumping on its heart. Republicans won't win they can't...

ANGER! REPUBLICANS CAN'T HOLD TED'S SEAT. ISN'T THEIR A LAW AGAINST THAT? They are just the PARTY OF NO! They just drummed up partisan fervor. NAZIS! OBSTRUCTIONISTS!

Bargaining. "WeÂ’ll go through the gate. If the gateÂ’s closed, weÂ’ll go over a fence. If the fence is too high, weÂ’ll pole vault in. If that doesnÂ’t work, weÂ’ll parachute in but weÂ’re going to get health care reform passed..."

Looks like we are in for some serious depression and/or suicidal behavior. So I agree, I wouldn't put it past them to try and get this thing through.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose at February 02, 2010 10:08 AM (0q2P7)

75 Once the health care bill passes, the reliably liberal media can start spinning furiously in support of health care "successes". A la this tweet by Slublog.

Posted by: dorkafork at February 02, 2010 10:15 AM (o8YQi)

76 Braaaaaiiiiinnnnssss! Braaaaaaiiiiinnnnnneessssss!!!! Ah, shit, I'm in DC, I'm starving here!

Posted by: Zombie Healthcare Bill at February 02, 2010 10:20 AM (8cihe)

77 Anybody who think this health care overhaul bill is dead, is a complete and total dumbass. And that's a fact.
Nancy Pelosi and her band of clowns are going to try to pass this thing regardless.

Posted by: 8 My Foot at February 02, 2010 10:27 AM (Xol0Q)

" ... it was as if (reporters) were asking about World War I"

I like that line, because health-care reform is as dead as Germany at the end of World War I. So there's nothing to worry about, now or ever.

Posted by: FireHorse at February 02, 2010 10:40 AM (cQyWA)

79 "roman, please" (I have iowahawk on the brain)

Posted by: Trish's iPhone at February 02, 2010 10:57 AM (UIe4w)

80 They are trying to ween the liberal base off the HCR tit

Posted by: Neo at February 02, 2010 11:03 AM (tE8FB)

By the way, I'm old enough to remember but not smart enough to make the connection, so could someone help me out --

Why did the Republicans win so big back in 1994?

Posted by: FireHorse at February 02, 2010 11:10 AM (cQyWA)

82 I really don't feel like having any pie right now.........

Posted by: Barack 'Dreams of my Mandate' Obama at February 02, 2010 11:11 AM (ERJIu)

83 You gotta remember to put one in its BRAIN. Your first shot puts the bill down, then you put one in its BRAIN. Then its dead. Then we go home.

Posted by: tic tac at February 02, 2010 11:16 AM (PD1tk)

84 "It is easier to beg forgiveness than to secure permission"

Rule 7, probie.

[slaps Ace upside the head]

Posted by: Gibbs at February 02, 2010 11:33 AM (HqFA1)

85
Laurence's logic is that Health Care is dead because it would be political suicide for the Democrats to continue to push it and that Pelosi and company just aren't stupid enough to do that.

I don't like arguments that depend upon the assumption that someone like Pelosi isn't stupid enough to do something really stupid.

Posted by: RayJ at February 02, 2010 11:37 AM (YcjCJ)

86 Ted Kennedy dead?

Posted by: Hexenkessel at February 02, 2010 11:43 AM (mI11M)

87 "A weapon, once created, MUST be used. Humans are just wired that way."

Posted by: mojo at February 02, 2010 02:42 PM (D6Uk6)

88 Add me to the ranks of skeptics: When Dem luminaries start saying that wildly unpopular legislation is "dead", smart folks should immediately suspect a trap.

So-called health care "reform" has been touted as such a huge priority by the Dem leadership that they'd lose a lot of face if they were to abandon it. Since losing face is something they strongly want to avoid, I predict they'll do what I call the "standard legislative fallback": Promise undecided senators and reps *anything* to secure their vote, and pass the bill in *any* form.

Example: "You're worried about the bill's provision for federal funding of abortions, Senator? Don't be concerned--we just inserted that provision to win support from the hard Left. When the bill passes, we promise that the congressional leadership will vote against providing any *funds* for this purpose. So...problem solved!"

Another good reason one or two Dem leaders not in congress would be predicting the bill's death is that this will fire up the hard-Left foot-soldiers to work harder, make more calls, donate more money (to Dems) to get the thing passed.

"Don't worry, it's dead" sounds like a trap being laid.

Posted by: sf at February 03, 2010 05:32 AM (xz5dP)

89 I agree with your Blog and I will be back to check it more in the future so please keep up your work. I love your content & the way that you write. It looks like you have been doing this for a while now, how long have you been blogging for?

Posted by: chi flat iron at April 30, 2011 12:02 AM (pqt+L)

Hide Comments | Add Comment | Refresh | Top

Comments are disabled. Post is locked.

115kb generated in CPU 0.1071, elapsed 0.2924 seconds.
64 queries taking 0.2551 seconds, 217 records returned.
Powered by Minx 1.1.6c-pink.