1
yet they drag their feet

2 The CEO if Starbucks, who was a proponent of Obamacare, has not come out against it. Or at least admits its a shipload word that it was sold as,

3
the GOP gets timid even if 25% of the Noisy Minority^tm is opposed to them on an issue.

4 I won fuckers

//Ogabe


We won asshole

//TeaParty

5 We needed to pass it to find out what was in it, but it turns out, what was in it was worse than expected.

No, it was just as bad as I expected because one, socialized healthcare sucks, and two, they were too afraid to even allow people to see it and debate it. The democrats are anti-democracy pieces of shit.

6 37% of Americans is a mandate for Obama.

ooooooooooh, mandate......Obama.........     oh my goodness, I think I've just wet my panties again.

7 If you like your doctor, I can keep your doctor.

8 Ace: "But we have to be more forward leaning on this. This is no radical move. This is mainstream and popular."

You sound uppity.

9 Give us a break, will ya? We're busy being timid on Libya...

10 Obamacare nutted on my drapes.

11 5 We needed to pass it to find out what was in it, but it turns out, what was in it was worse than expected.

So what IS in it?

12

We still want to tar and feather Ben Nelson here in Nebraska.

Tarnishing our beloved football team with the shameful phrase "Cornhusker Kickback" is something Nebraskans will NEVER forget or forgive!

13 If you like your fucked-up mess in the Middle East, you can keep...

14 I guess people knew wh at is in it after all, eh Nancy?

15 Lemmiwinks: "So what IS in it?"

A fuckton of rancid sausage.

16 Just a thought....wonder how Moochelle's mom is covered? 

17

THIS IS GIVING ME AN ALL CAPS MOMMENT

Just fucking get rid of this piece of SHIT!

What the fuck is the hold up?

18
btw, I guess the Census data is complete because MA is already discussing how they'll re-district the congressional districts.

MA is losing a seat, which is nice. How about your states?

19 Just remember those 400,000 jobs that were created immediately!!

_{*tries to move forehead*}

20 Hence my constant refrain that the GOP leadership at the top and much of the rank and file are cowards or even worse, that they actually want bigger government. There is no other explanation when such a large majority wants it repealed. The current crop has no chance in hell to tackle entitlements and our serious problems. Whether it is cowardice or ideology about the size of Government, they will not do it.

21 18 PA is losing a seat. I hear tell they (the state dems) are actually hoping to have it be in Philly, rather than lose Murtha's district. hopefully that will not fly

22 Don't worry! I'll save all with an Executive Order granting waivers to all 50 states when I'm Presentdent!

23
isn't Murtha's district kinda purple?

24 Hey Rocks! That's my line.

25

What's the problem tea baggers, I kept my physician!

26

Romney is turning it into a campaign promise.

We should not have to wait that long but it's a smart move on his part none the less.

27 cui bono at 18 - Can they get rid of the Barney's seat? Actually they don't have to eliminate the district, the last time they reset the boundaries they had to gerrymander the heck out of it to get his home town into the district. (Not that the MA state government is going to try and get rid of him.)

28 Reps. Issa and Walsh have penned a bill addressing implementation of ObamaCare:

H.R. 1185

29 24. yeah maybe I have it backwards. Either way, whatever the Inky wants (as far as which district should go), I want the opposite

30 Yesterday RoadRunner had a poll up that was put on main page early in AM (I link it in THC yesterday).  I found it at 8:30AM and here were the results in just a few early hours:
....
Road Runner has a 'Has your opinion of Obama's health care reform changed in the last year?' poll up.

 Go, Take the poll.

over 15,500 votes and 63% say, 'No, I've never supported it'
....

Wish I could find out the final results of that poll.

31 Max Power: "...What the fuck is the hold up?"

Whoa there, sparky. We first have to reduce the continuing resolution by three fiddy. That'll show everyone how serious we are!

32 Ace, Something in yesterday's post Overnight Open Thread - Boring Edition threw off the format of the Blog when viewed in Safari.

33 If you base the projected success of Zerocare on the success of the rest of the Zero Administration programs, you gotta figure repeal is guaranteed. Man, I sure hope Zero fails.

34 Chris, under Obamacare, you can keep......   ummm...  you can keep your......  uhhhhh.... Under Obama.......   *oh my....did it suddenly get hot in here??

Excuse me, Chris, but I need to step away for a few moments and....  ummm...  excuse me please.....

35 btw, I guess the Census data is complete because MA is already discussing how they'll re-district the congressional districts.

MA is losing a seat, which is nice. How about your states?

Posted by: cui bono, soothsayer? at March 23, 2011 01:23 PM (uFokq)

I'm sure that here in MD the scumbag corrupt donkeys will figure out a way to break it off in the ass of the 2 remaining GOP congressman like they did in 2000.

Most gerrymandered districts in the US.

36

Romney is turning it into a campaign promise.

We should not have to wait that long but it's a smart move on his part none the less.

Posted by: Roadking at March 23, 2011 01:26 PM (gdzvN)

Screw Romney.  He's promise to quit spending money on his hair if he thought it would garner him some support!

37
The ho's in my district kept their doctor's, so you republican's need to just sit down and SFUT TUFS UFST STFU!

38 Meanwhile, Republicans don't want to defund the damned thing.  God, I never thought I'd say this, and I've always thought people who said these kinds of things were crazy, but:

RAND PAUL FOR PRESIDENT 2012 - Let's start erring on the side of too much freedom.

39
Barney Frank is very unlikely to go. In MA they are reshaping the districts entirely, I think. But Frank will be safe; and he's probably gonna retire in two or four more years, anyway.

Or die. Who knows.

40
Or die. Who knows.

Posted by: cui bono, soothsayer? at March 23, 2011 01:29 PM (uFokq)

Barney will be buried face down so his friends can remember the good times!

41 Ace, Something in yesterday's post Overnight Open Thread - Boring Edition threw off the format of the Blog when viewed in Safari.

Posted by: USA at March 23, 2011 01:28 PM (YZISw)

Until I updated to FF4, the format was screwed for me too.  It was very w*i*d*e and

        d

        e

        e

         p.

I thought about asking if pixy had used elongz.

42 H.R. 1185, new legislation before the House:

WASHINGTON. D.C. – Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (OGR), and Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL), a member of the OGR Subcommittee on Health Care, today announced the introduction of the Constitutional Protection Act – legislation that will delay the regulatory and administrative implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act until federal court challenges to its Constitutionality are resolved.

43 O/T:  Rush just said they were evacuating the Eiffel Tower.

44 wonder how Moochelle's mom is covered?
With a burqa, one must assume.

It's beginning to look like the light-bulb ban; even if they repeal it, the plant and the people are gone, nobody wants into the business, and we have to buy from China no matter. My esteemed physician, ex-USAF and AAL also a lawyer, left practice within months of the election. Our last independent local hospital is in final talks to merge into The Network. About a third of this year's graduates of our (3rd tier) medical school will even stay in the same state, and none of them will be popping by to check how I'm doing. The damage is done. 

It should come as no surprise to any hopped-up sophomore with a stolen car, Dad's revolver and a nude erection just how much damage you can do at 2 AM Saturday in an all-night session. Which is how we got this.

45 You know who this hurts?

46

18

PA is losing a seat. I hear tell they (the state dems) are actually hoping to have it be in Philly, rather than lose Murtha's district.

hopefully that will not fly

 

They are going to merge PA-4(my district) with PA-12(murtha's old district)

With pieces going to neighboring district.

It would be a pretty fair deal. It would make it close to 50-50 Democrat to Republican in terms of voting paterns, not registration

47

Barney will be buried face down so his friends can remember the good times!

And also so that he can see where he is going.

48 15 Lemmiwinks: "So what IS in it?"

A fuckton of rancid sausage.

Nancy is to America what Monty Hall was to "Let's Make A Deal".

Nancy Pelosi Hall:  You can keep your existing health care....Or you can risk it all on what is behind door #3.

Fucktard Liberals:  we're going to risk it and take what's behind that door

[crowd applause]

[door opens]

Nancy Pelosi Hall:  OH NO! it's a donkey

[wah...wah...wah...waaaaaaaaaaaaah]

49 Here's the thing - Republicans want to show that they have acceptable temperament and stuff. You know, so you don't make the "Independents" all butt hurt. So they can be electable. As long as they get rewarded for this no or half-measure bullshit they will keep doing it.

50 Buffalobob: "Am I missing something? Isn't a plot to destroy the US economy a crime?"

I'd like to introduce you to Charlie Gibson. He'll be taking questions.

51 51 Here's the thing - Republicans want to show that they have acceptable temperament and stuff. You know, so you don't make the "Independents" all butt hurt. So they can be electable.


As long as they get rewarded for this no or half-measure bullshit they will keep doing it.

Did you read either link to the new legislation?

52 Hey, don't worry because there is another tax set to kick in January 2013, the new 3.8% unearned income tax for Medicare. If you sell your house and end up with a profit that puts your taxable income over $250,000, you get to help Win The Future. Yes, it includes capital gains from real estate. Only disbursements from retirement funds are excluded. Income Tax on Unearned Income: Beginning in 2013, there will be an additional 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on unearned income for those taxpayers earning more than $250,000 and filing a joint tax return ($200,000 for single filers).

53 It's not mainstream and popular with the Republican leadership.  As Dan said, they actually want bigger government.  Leadership is playing the role of the lesser demons in this opera.  Their job is deceive us peons into thinking they are on our side while they are truly serving their communist masters in DC.

54 Maybe if we move the death panels to one of the back rooms someone would buy this dump.

55 Seriously, I'm thinking that the GOP should have mass hearing and vision tests and maybe their voice boxes too as they see blind, deaf and dumb when it comes to the wishes of the American people.

56 Seriously, I'm thinking that the GOP should have mass hearing and vision tests and maybe their voice boxes too as they see blind, deaf and dumb when it comes to the wishes of the American people.
Posted by: curious at March 23, 2011 01:42 PM

It's a virus they caught from the dems.

57
You folks are worried about health care when there is no need for concern.  We will tell you when it's time to worry.  Everything is hunky-dory!

58 Shouldn't we be prepared to sacrifice healthcare in a time of war? Let's give full priority to the Pres'ent's whimsical military adventures. (Yeah, that might backfire somewhere, but should get his attention)

59
Barney Frank sickens me, as I'm sure he sickens you, too. I don't even like thinking about him.

Remember after the election Frank ungraciously reprimanded Sean Bielat and the Republicans during his victory speech? He was disappointed in the Republican's 'vituperation.'

vituperation:
verbal abuse or castigation; violent denunciation or condemnation.

So here he is, being a douche bag and ranting about the 'bigot' Republicans.

60

Someone may have already posted this, apologies if so. I'm jumping right in here...

Of course NOTHING is off limits when trying to sell this shit sandwich.

61 36 "I'm sure that here in MD the scumbag corrupt donkeys will figure out a way to break it off in the ass of the 2 remaining GOP congressman like they did in 2000." MD-2 is always a good poster child for gerrymandering. I'm sure they'll find a way to add more random land and D-voters to MD-6. Bartlett doesn't have too much time left in him.

62 Don't worry...Enlightened doctors like me will decide if that treatment is medically necessary cost effective...We will also decide that people like Ted Kennedy get the best possible treatment available, which will no longer be obtainable by lowly people such as the rabble that populates this blog...

63 The defunding/repeal/balanced budget bill of O'care needs to be at least 3400 pages long, as it seems that the longer the bill the more deperately we need it,  so it can be passed quickly. "We can find out what's in it later."

64
whoa whoa, how about this?

The House Republicans introduce a bill for an Obama War Tax. After all, the Democrats like raising taxes to pay for unjust and pointless wars, right?

65 "It's not mainstream and popular with the Republican leadership..."

D.C. has the best Co-Opt School in the nation. Besides, changing the curriculum would be too much work and actually runs counter to our profession. We grow government. It's what we do. It's all we do.

66 Did you read either link to the new legislation? Posted by: Somebody at March 23, 2011 01:37 PM (UO6+e) Let me know when the GOP leadership is on board with it. And, talk about half measures - "postpone until Constitutional issues are resolved?" Please. Just defund the damn thing. It isn't like Issa's bill is going to pass in the Senate, so go for the whole dang thing. Basically this bill says if the courts say okay, have at it! Screw that. The courts are stacked against us. Look at what they did in Wisconsin. That bill gives them an out. Pubs are pussies. Jim DeMint? Pussy. A friend on FB was raging that DeMint was singlehandedly stopping net neutrality. Would that it were true. The bill he introduced said that the FCC could only implement Net Neutrality rules if they could justify them with consumer choice studies. The point here is that the FCC does not have the statutory authority to regulate the internet AT ALL. And net neutrality was never even voted on so it isn't a law, and the FCC couldn't do it anyway. But DeMint's bill gives them the authority to do so if they can "justify it." Like bureaucrats cannot then spend budget on some academic to write a paper that says that whatever the FCC wants to do is okay. If your issue is that they shouldn't be doing it at all, then don't write a bill that says it is okay to do if you jump through a hoop, thinking they won't jump through the hoop. At that point we aren't arguing about what they are, just haggling over the price. STUPID PARTY. That's how we got here.

67 This Obamacare whole thing stinks. How will we ever get examined?

68 MD-2 is always a good poster child for gerrymandering.

I'm sure they'll find a way to add more random land and D-voters to MD-6. Bartlett doesn't have too much time left in him.

Posted by: Doc at March 23, 2011 01:50 PM (Ai494)

I think they will gerrymander Andy Harris' neighborhood back into MD-2 and keep the 4-1 D to R membership so Harris will have to move or run against that fat turd Ruppersburger.

69 This Obamacare whole thing stinks. How will we ever get examined?

Posted by: Hillary and Andrea's Muffs at March 23, 2011 01:54 PM (GYnvw)

Gyn-view? Nicely chosen hash.

70 Off Sock!

71
redistricting

This is why we were so fortunate to do extraordinarily well in the state elections last November.

72 I say "until 2013" but of course you know I have in mind full repeal in January 2013. Only if we can turn every state into a Laboratory for Democracy™, and force their citizens to pay into a Balkanized socialized medicine plan. Don't be a hater.

73

Umm.... OK, but assuming we commit to defunding Obamacare (a worthy goal), how exactly do we go about it with the Dems controlling the Senate and the White House?

I'm not sure what you're suggesting, Ace- that Republicans push a bill in the House (that has no chance of getting signed) to defund it as a political publicity stunt / manuever? 

For all the (often legitimate) complaints that the GOP is being too weak, it needs to be remembered that we're pretty limited in what we can do while the Dems control the Senate and White House.

74

For all the (often legitimate) complaints that the GOP is being too weak, it needs to be remembered that we're pretty limited in what we can do while the Dems control the Senate and White House.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at March 23, 2011 01:59 PM (SY2Kh)

Their ability to repeal it is one thing but ALL spending bills must originate in the House.  DEFUND THIS PIECE OF SHIT!

75
Mitt's going down for his ill conceived RomneyCare that has bankrupted Massachusetts and because of his dyed hair and cooties.

76 Hey Ohioans,

We are under a tornado watch.  The predicted them in central ohio based on the guess that it would be 55 degrees today.  It is now over 70 and the local weather guy said we need to take this watch seriously.  In all my years watching him, I have never heard him say this.  He even told news anchor that he 'called his family'.  Said this was the 1st time he ever had to do that for a watch.

77

Gilbert Gottfried is an insensitive boob!

78 68 Let me know when the GOP leadership is on board with it.

It's been said that Boehner is tired of all the shouting and wants to pass more ObamaCare defunding bills soon. Some aides have also been going through the ObamaCare bill to identify each bit of mandatory spending. Doesn't matter whether the top 3 agree with it or not; they want to silence some complaints and will thus bring these bills to the floor.

79
Yea Bill, I head the bitch has left San Salvador, and is returning to Washington to fuck up the rest of the week.  If he were only a Joo, I could tell him a thing or two.

80 What time, momma??

81

For all the (often legitimate) complaints that the GOP is being too weak, it needs to be remembered that we're pretty limited in what we can do while the Dems control the Senate and White House.

Posted by: Hollowpoint at March 23, 2011 01:59 PM (SY2Kh)

Ace covered that I thought. The house could refuse to pass any bill that funds Obamacare. Let the senate and the president decide if it's worth shutting down the government over.

82 75--you don't have to run the whole shebang to defund--although the GOP will sell you that and all kinds of other bullshit if you will hand them more power. The GOP has the House. They have what they need to defund.

83 Do you guys seriously think we'll ever manage to repeal Obastardcare? Really? It's the law of the land. Parts may be altered or slightly defunded, but a full repeal? By the Stupid Party? They can't even cut funding for CPB and NPR successfully. It's here to stay, and Steyn was right. Once enacted it fundamentally changes the relation of citizen to state. Hellcare will become the ultimate lobbyist and rent-seeking cash cow. Until MontyDoom™ hits, of course.

84 84 75--you don't have to run the whole shebang to defund--although the GOP will sell you that and all kinds of other bullshit if you will hand them more power. The GOP has the House. They have what they need to defund.

You can defund portions of it in the budget but that still won't address the mandatory ObamaCare spending. Just one catch to the budget solution-- the budget has to be passed by both houses and signed for it to take effect. Or is there another option?

85 Hollowpoint@75,

Defund via the Continuing Resolution. It's the only leverage the GOP has unless and until the GOP gets supermajority seating. If the government is "shut down" because Obama won't accept the cuts, then live with it. The GOP should be prepping the argument battlefield now WRT the real consequences of a "shutdown" before they act so the MFM doesn't get to escort the lie around the world before the truth wakes up. As it is, the leadership isn't making much of an argument on anything other than waiting out Obama's term.

86 Look at how well border security polls and how poorly any form of amnesty does.  Republicans politicians are stupid.

87 The local idiots on the Fox affiliate had a puff story about how a family in Scottsdale is benefiting from Obamacare because their kids have expensive medical conditions and now there is no cap on benefits. I wonder if they'll get interviewed ten years from now when the benefits which by then will come from government (do a search for "FCCCER") are instead rationed and no new advances have been developed because of perverse incentives.

88 2012 will be like taking candy from my daughters. The Republicans want to take away everyone's new rights to medical insurance, and meanwhile the hyper-left is whining about my brave warrior stance in Libya. It makes me look like the perfect centrist. Krauthammer will swallow it and so will Mike Allen and of course the major networks will continue to tongue-polish my boots. It's good to be the King.

89 I think a lot of people expected the GOP to defund it. I think a lot of people will be annoyed that they aren't. Some of us are more like this: Curiously enough, the only thing that went through the mind of the bowl of petunias as it fell was Oh no, not again. Many people have speculated that if we knew exactly why the bowl of petunias had thought that we would know a lot more about the nature of the Universe than we do now.

90 Gilbert Gottfried is an insensitive boob!
Posted by: The Duck at March 23, 2011 02:03 PM (ZHsNw)

Dude, seriously?

91 A continuing resolution does not equal de-funding. It's leverage against the Dems in forcing them to shutdown the government, but it neither causes de-funding nor would it necessarily lead to de-funding.

92 This probably helps Mitt Romney.

OK.  Probably not.

93
The Story Behind the Buns!

94 Color me unsurprised Republican legislators, senators and congress members alike, aren't strongly pushing for Obamacare repeal. More than anything, GOP leadership wants to embrace the middle, thinking if they are perceived as center-right moderates, not too hot and not too cold, then independents will judge them just right and gravitate their way come election day. They also think any attack on health care will alienate elderly voters. GOP leadership is going about this the wrong way. Instead of desperately chasing the middle, they should be bringing the middle to us, attracting undecided voters on the strength of our platform and the logic of our positions. And I don't know whether an attempt to repeal Obamacare will alienate old folks dependent on Medicare and Social Security, but the GOP needs to risk it. Surely that most politically informed voting bloc understands concepts such as 'bankruptcy' and 'unsustainable'. And by the way, Grandma, when the government starts rationing health care services and deciding who gets that expensive, life-saving operation, where exactly do you think you'll be on the list? The facts are on our side. No liberal can stand against a well-informed conservative in fair and open debate. The problem is one of broadly based communication. The socialist weasels now controlling the Democratic Party could give a damn about facts, but they are very much aware of the importance of effective messaging.

95 But we have to be more forward leaning on this. This is no radical move. This is mainstream and popular.

Unless you're talking about the people that Republican politicians most care about: the Media.  Then it's not popular at all.  Opposing ObamaCare to the Media is basically saying "Liberalism is wrong."  They'll savage any pol who suggests such a thing.

96
Gilbert Gottfried is an insensitive boob!
Posted by: The Duck at March 23, 2011 02:03 PM (ZHsNw)

Dude, seriously?

Posted by: The Chicken at March 23, 2011 02:16 PM (ay6+/)

Good to see you Chicken........fapfapfap. 

97 Ace covered that I thought. The house could refuse to pass any bill that funds Obamacare. Let the senate and the president decide if it's worth shutting down the government over.

Sure, but I don't think that a budget proposal from the House that includes a de-funding of Obamacare has any chance of passing, shutdown or not.  No way are they going to concede defeat on what they consider their signature accomplishment.

Given how the Dems seem to be itching for a shutdown that they intend to pin on Republicans, I believe they would go the shutdown route while screaming about the inflexibility of House Republicans. 

Even with Obamacare being unpopular, I'm not sure that's a political fight we can win.  If we had the House and Senate, then we might be able to lay the blame at Obama's feet, but we don't.

98 I don't realistically see Boehner getting Obama to overturn ObamaCare. Boehner couldn't win a shutdown even if he was handed talking points on a platter, for one thing; for another, Obama is not going to sign a bill overturning his most popular piece of legislation. We can still try, but it isn't going to happen. If Obama frankly cared about what we think, he would already have pushed for a repeal. Instead, he's just focusing on waivers for his buddies.

99 HP - you know how you can be sure not to lose? Don't fight. You won't win, either, though. That remains the problem. We get the gubmint we deserve. So as long as smart military blogs (amog others) are urging moderation on the part of the GOP as the way to win, they are going to go moderate - as in in only half as bad as the other guys. What did we learn from the 2010 elections? Not a thing, apparently.

100 I love my job. I'm always right. (Politico)- President Obama defended his Nobel Peace Prize on Tuesday, saying that Americans “don’t see any contradiction” in him ordering an attack on Libya to make sure “people aren’t butchered because of a dictator who wants to cling to power.” “When I received that award, I specifically said there was an irony because I was already dealing with two wars,” Obama said in an interview with CNN from El Salvador. “So I am accustomed to this contradiction of being both a commander-in-chief but also someone who aspires to peace.”

101 The leadership debated for 3 months before that gave their permission for entitlement reform, and they're still nervous about losing their seats over that. What happens if they shutdown the government over the repeal of ObamaCare and the polls turn against them? Cantor, McCarthy, and their appropriator buddies will most certainly bail.

102 Rush just read your Ron Johnson/WSJ link Ace.
Maybe........

103 What happens if they shutdown the government over the repeal of ObamaCare and the polls turn against them? Cantor, McCarthy, and their appropriator buddies will most certainly bail. Posted by: Somebody at March 23, 2011 02:33 PM (UO6+e) What happens if the electorate realizes they are a bunch of pussies and the polls turn against them? Polls are FOR them repealing Obamacare. Don't you think NOT doing that is likely to get the polls against them?

104

HP - you know how you can be sure not to lose? Don't fight. You won't win, either, though.

That remains the problem. We get the gubmint we deserve. So as long as smart military blogs (amog others) are urging moderation on the part of the GOP as the way to win, they are going to go moderate - as in in only half as bad as the other guys.

What did we learn from the 2010 elections? Not a thing, apparently.

What we learned from the 2010 elections is that Americans were getting fed up with the Dems, but not so much that they'd take away their control of the Senate.

There's only so much posturing we can do before losing ground politically.  It's not "moderation" to acknowledge the political reality that fighting an extended battle that we're destined to lose isn't a win. 

Being the "party of no" isn't going to win us favor in the long term.  The GOP needs to come up with real accomplishments by way of battles they can win if they're going to convince voters that they should be in charge.

I'd take the incremental route, focusing on specific, unpopular aspects of Obamacare; something that could pass in the Senate.  If Obama vetoes a "bipartisan" bill that passed both the Republican House and Dem Senate, then he can be made to look the asshole.

Rinse, repeat.

105 the budget has to be passed by both houses and signed for it to take effect. Or is there another option?

Posted by: Somebody at March 23, 2011 02:10 PM (UO6+e)

The solution (once we get past this CR bullshit) is to do exactly what Boner promised during the campaign. Break the 2012 budget up into departmental units and pass them in the House one at a time. The Senate and Obama can take that amount or NOTHING.

But that takes balls.

106 105 What happens if the electorate realizes they are a bunch of pussies and the polls turn against them?

Polls are FOR them repealing Obamacare. Don't you think NOT doing that is likely to get the polls against them?

I think the polls are going to turn against them because of this next budget and they'll try to salvage their credibility by attacking the do-ers and appealing to the mushy moderates. Seeing how that group always votes according to feelings and not logic, they just might win that way. As I said, they're thinking mostly about the best way to retain their seats, and a number of those I mentioned still have high approval ratings in their districts because they deliver to/for their constituents.

107

the GOP does not want to repeal Obamacare, they love it, it's more and bigger government and to them that is always a good thing.

and if you think that isn't true then you haven't been watching.

108 That remains the problem. We get the gubmint we deserve.

Posted by: blaster at March 23, 2011 02:26 PM (Fw2Gg)

I hate that phrase, it ain't even close to true. We get the government the people selected by the majority of voters want - given the proclivity of politicians to bullshit continuously, it's not even the government *they* deserve.

Unless you're suggesting there is some magic way the "deserving public" can "make" politicians and bureaucrats behave, or replace them with other people who magically will behave, then what, exactly, are people supposed to do to "fix" the problems?

People try, maybe not hard enough, but I'm pretty damned sure the North Koreans don't "deserve" their government, they just don't know what to do about it and they're scared.

109 107 The solution (once we get past this CR bullshit) is to do exactly what Boner promised during the campaign. Break the 2012 budget up into departmental units and pass them in the House one at a time. The Senate and Obama can take that amount or NOTHING.

But that takes balls.

Who knows whether they will do that. At this point, they are still having some difficulties agreeing on certain aspects of the budget and it will be interesting to see the final product. This consensus document has to please everyone from Jim Jordan & Rand Paul to Hal Rogers & Richard Lugar, and that's just on our side (i.e., they want to pass it). I'm a bit leery over whether Boehner will back Appropriations or Budget (on discretionary) before the final draft, and I'm hoping the answer isn't Appropriations. 

110

@79: "Gilbert Gottfried is an insensitive boob!"

Hey! Hey! Let's not talk about insensitive boobs....or boobs in general, for that matter.

111

HP - you know how you can be sure not to lose? Don't fight. You won't win, either, though.

That remains the problem. We get the gubmint we deserve. So as long as smart military blogs (amog others) are urging moderation on the part of the GOP as the way to win, they are going to go moderate - as in in only half as bad as the other guys.

What did we learn from the 2010 elections? Not a thing, apparently.

 

that made sense... (although i do disagree about the "deserve" part, we don't deserve this government, the people running it have lied and decieved their way to power)

 

What we learned from the 2010 elections is that Americans were getting fed up with the Dems, but not so much that they'd take away their control of the Senate.

There's only so much posturing we can do before losing ground politically.  It's not "moderation" to acknowledge the political reality that fighting an extended battle that we're destined to lose isn't a win. 

Being the "party of no" isn't going to win us favor in the long term.  The GOP needs to come up with real accomplishments by way of battles they can win if they're going to convince voters that they should be in charge.

I'd take the incremental route, focusing on specific, unpopular aspects of Obamacare; something that could pass in the Senate.  If Obama vetoes a "bipartisan" bill that passed both the Republican House and Dem Senate, then he can be made to look the asshole.

Rinse, repeat.

 

that does not. it is only the same tired mantra that has gotten us to where we are.

 

 

 

112 I hate that phrase, it ain't even close to true. We get the government the people selected by the majority of voters want - given the proclivity of politicians to bullshit continuously, it's not even the government *they* deserve. Unless you're suggesting there is some magic way the "deserving public" can "make" politicians and bureaucrats behave, or replace them with other people who magically will behave, then what, exactly, are people supposed to do to "fix" the problems? ----- ------ ----- ----- I think it was Milton Friedman who said that we need to make it so the wrong people are incented to do the right things. That's how we change it - we fix the incentives.

113 110 ...People try, maybe not hard enough, but I'm pretty damned sure the North Koreans don't "deserve" their government, they just don't know what to do about it and they're scared.

The North Koreans don't have a choice as to who they elect. We do, and people have allowed apathy towards the corruption, fraud, etc. to progress to the point that these pols know they can do anything and get away with it. The moral relativism conveyed by the same is practiced by a number of average Americans. You can also look at the make-up of a district and it's usually easy to see how & why said politician got elected. If a district is perfectly fine with a corrupt politician who gives them want they want, they will keep voting for him or her. So most politicians indeed are a reflection of their districts.

114

@110: "Unless you're suggesting there is some magic way the "deserving public" can "make" politicians and bureaucrats behave, or replace them with other people who magically will behave, then what, exactly, are people supposed to do to "fix" the problems?"

If the people feel like playing nice: quit paying taxes; harass them at every turn (in public, in the press, jam their phones, flood their faxes and e-mails, etc.); general strikes; recall petitions where allowed; and/or go Sons of Liberty/Simon Jester and start damaging their property.  If the people don't feel like playing nice: riots; rope/tree; wall/fast-moving lead; neck/blade.

There are options, but we're basically left to choose between ugly and really ugly

115 115 110 ...People try, maybe not hard enough, but I'm pretty damned sure the North Koreans don't "deserve" their government, they just don't know what to do about it and they're scared.

The North Koreans don't have a choice as to who they elect. We do, and people have allowed apathy towards the corruption, fraud, etc. to progress to the point that these pols know they can do anything and get away with it. The moral relativism conveyed by the same is practiced by a number of average Americans. You can also look at the make-up of a district and it's usually easy to see how & why said politician got elected. If a district is perfectly fine with a corrupt politician who gives them want they want, they will keep voting for him or her. So most politicians indeed are a reflection of their districts.

Posted by: Miss'80sBaby at March 23, 2011 03:08 PM (UO6+e)

 

i disagree, most voters have no idea what their elected representatives are doing in their names, behind their backs because the press never exposes it/them, there has been an unwritten deal between the press and the pols since about the beginning of the last century where the press doesn't expose government wrongdoing and the people responsible for it, in return the pols talk to the reporters all they want. (i'm not talking about little stuff like free plane rides or earmark stuff, i'm talking about big things like Social Securtity and Medicaid/Medicare)

you can't hold people responsible for bad judgement when the only info they are getting paints that bad choice in a glowing, raptureous phrases.

116 Somebody: "A continuing resolution does not equal de-funding. It's leverage against the Dems in forcing them to shutdown the government, but it neither causes de-funding nor would it necessarily lead to de-funding."

Sure it is. In the legislation of the CR, you insert explicit language to eliminate any and all ObamaCare subsidies. If Obama/Senate reject the added language, then the CR fails and all funding is halted. Government shutdown... and all because the Democrats insisted yet again on shoving ObamaCare down America's throat while also spending us into oblivion.

117 117 115 110 i disagree, most voters have no idea what their elected representatives are doing in their names, behind their backs because the press never exposes it/them....

Lots of people elect politicians based on promises and they'll keep said pol if they like what they see. You say that you're not talking about the little things, but it's exactly those things that matter to them. If you want a representative or senator who will help bring home the earmarks and has a proven track record of doing so, then you'll keep reelecting them. You think people in Hal Rogers' district don't know he's a "Prince of Pork? They do, it's in some of their papers, and they appreciate his work.

As for the press and politicians, I think we sometimes forget that politicians have always been corrupt, but we somehow feel that every politician since the founding of America has been like the Founding Fathers. Politics have always been rough and most people play the game to get something out of it. What has changed is that people are less upset about some breaches in morality because we (1) accept it as part of a politician's make-up and (2) are a less moral society, esp. publicly.

118 118 Sure it is. In the legislation of the CR, you insert explicit language to eliminate any and all ObamaCare subsidies. If Obama/Senate reject the added language, then the CR fails and all funding is halted. Government shutdown... and all because the Democrats insisted yet again on shoving ObamaCare down America's throat while also spending us into oblivion.

That would mean that all riders go into effect the moment the Senate rejects them, which simply isn't the case. You use riders as leverage, but they are not enacted as policy once they've been rejected. The only way that ever occurred was under the line-item veto, which allowed the president could to accept certain riders at his discretion.

Even if you wrote that prohibition into the bill, it still has to be signed into law. My understanding is also that a shutdown freezes government spending at current levels until Congress is back in session. So certain monies aren't being spent, but it isn't the same as a cut.

119 If the polling numbers look bad for it now, just imagine what they will be when people actually come face to face with the death panelists and they decide whether you live or die on the Government Gong Show.

120 If the polling numbers look bad for it now, just imagine what they will be when people actually come face to face with the death panelists and they decide whether you live or die on the Government Gong Show.

Featuring the "Unknown Medic" and "Gene Gene the Abortion Machine"

121 Don't forget folks, due to my investment in high speed rail, people will be able to get to their doctors twice as fast, thus saving countless lives!

122

Miss 80's,

 

I just don't understand why you constantly defend them, when they deserve no defense.

what has the GOP done but enable the Progressives?

... I mean we are where we are (scary broke) and they helped get us here and are currently doing nothing to change that.

123 124 I just don't understand why you constantly defend them, when they deserve no defense.

what has the GOP done but enable the Progressives?

... I mean we are where we are (scary broke) and they helped get us here and are currently doing nothing to change that.

I'll defend 25% of them; a majority of them deserve no defense from me but I will say if they do something right. (It does irk me that things are said that reach a limited audience.) Regardless, a majority of lawmakers I defend are either RSC members or freshmen, the do-ers and not the talkers. Otherwise, you will note that I distrust Boehner and am even more leery of Cantor and McCarthy.

It's also not a crime to say that people get the government that they deserve, because a number of 52%ers are just as wretched as the Obama Administration. Apathy breeds apathy, as history teaches us, and it's hard to turn back the tide once it's taken root. They are but a part of the problem, though.

124 So I don't understand why it is offensive that I defend West, Issa, Ryan, Hensarling, Rubio, Sessions. Inhofe, or that handful of other people actually seem to care about America. They may not always be able to get things done, but at least they have tried. Legislation, education through media, hearings, all those things can serve a purpose when used properly. I also may not always agree with the aforementioned on everything-- sometimes disagree on tactics-- but I still trust them more than I do the others.

125

Johnson continues to impress me.

Hysterical to re-read the delusional screams of the All-caps-brigade at RedState that called him a RINO and were pushing for Westlake.

I can link,btw, if anyone doubts that the RRRRRRIIIIINNOOOO!!!111!! hunters were after him, calling him a "typical party Republican" and even more hilariously saying "we need a common man, not a millionare!" (as if being a successful businessman is bad but being a no-named guy who could only raise $50k in 6 months is electoral genius).

 

However most here know the reputations of the redstaters.

As usual, the delusional nuts were wrong, and Johnson has been a strong defender of conservativism. We got a few really good guys last year into the senate. Rubio. Paul. Johnson. Lee. Toomey. Shame we couldn't get Fiorina and Rossi.

126 Another thing-- mentioning the reality of the situation is not the same as defending someone. If we had the Senate and were still in this same situation, I'd be hammering Boehner & co. much, much harder. But this situation is what it is and I simply don't see how calling it better than it is does anything to help. Every battle is going to be an uphill one, with two fractured parties fighting not only R against D but R against R and D against D. That's part of why we're not hearing a coherent plan. 

127 They think Johnson is a RINO because he's wealthy?

128

#129

Thought he was a RINO because the party voted for him in their state meeting. Haaad to be establishment because of that. That was their "reasoning".

129 Obamacare includes "HITECH" which will subject ya'all to wonderful technology like this (at taxpayer expense in the billions of course):

http://tinyurl.com/cernercrap

It takes an Australian to produce a report on American bullshit.

130 The Story Behind the Buns Free classifieds Free classified Advertising