June Havoc Dies at 97

NY Times: June Havoc, who first appeared on vaudeville stages when she was 2 as Baby June and went on to a successful stage and film acting career — but saw her real-life accomplishments overshadowed by the fictionalized portrayal of her in the 1959 musical “Gypsy” — died on Sunday. She was believed to be 97 and lived in Stamford, Conn.

The death was confirmed by her caregiver, Tana Sibilio.

In “Gypsy” — whose book, by Arthur Laurents, was based on a memoir by her sister, the stripper Gypsy Rose Lee — the adorable, pampered June (now known as Dainty June, having outgrown the baby billing) quits show business to elope with one of the boys in her act and is never heard from again. In real life, not long after her sister rose to burlesque fame in the 1930s, June established a solid career on Broadway and in Hollywood films.

Alan Grayson Fighting Back

A liberal pit bull AND a sense of humor! But seriously, there's something about supporting Grayson that's a little exciting knowing that the likes of Sarah Palin and the Michael Steele led RNC are gunning for him. Donate here.

Adding... Watching that video took me back to nightmares of the Bush years. I didn't remember how much of a revulsion I had to the former president to the point that even an impersonator brought it back.

Quote of the Week

If Obama’s first legislative priority had been immigration or financial reform or climate change, we would have seen the same trajectory. The conjunction of a black president and a female speaker of the House — topped off by a wise Latina on the Supreme Court and a powerful gay Congressional committee chairman — would sow fears of disenfranchisement among a dwindling and threatened minority in the country no matter what policies were in play. It’s not happenstance that Frank, Lewis and Cleaver — none of them major Democratic players in the health care push — received a major share of last weekend’s abuse. When you hear demonstrators chant the slogan “Take our country back!,” these are the people they want to take the country back from.

~ Frank Rich, March 28th, 2010 New York Times Op-Ed

I Lost My Religion Years Ago

This is why.

Must Reads

Russell King: An Open Letter to Conservatives

The Rude Pundit: Sore Losers Don't Even Know When They've Lost and In Brief: Catholic Molestation and Republican Tantrums: Two Rude What-If's

Chez Pazienza: Welcome to the Real World

Ricardo Alonso-Zalvidar: Republicans Were For Obama's Health Insurance Rule Before They Were Against It

Civility My Ass - GOP Condones Violence

Now we know where they stand.  The Party of No says they don't condone the violence but refuse to sign a joint letter with Democrats saying so.

The Republican National Committee has rejected a proposal from its Democratic counterpart to sign a joint “civility” statement, POLITICO has learned.

Various members of the DNC — including Chairman Tim Kaine, Executive Director Jen O’Malley Dillon and Communications Director Brad Woodhouse — contacted their respective RNC counterparts this week in hopes of getting RNC Chairman Michael Steele to co-sign a document with Kaine that, in part, called for “elected officials of both parties to set an example of the civility we want to see in our citizenry.”

“We also call on all Americans to respect differences of opinion, to refrain from inappropriate forms of intimidation, to reject violence and vandalism, and to scale back rhetoric that might reasonably be misinterpreted by those prone to such behavior,” read the proposed joint statement, which came at the end of a week which saw acts of vandalism and threats of violence directed at members of Congress from both parties, but mostly aimed at Democrats who voted “yes” on the health care bill.

Republicans see the statement as an attempt to force them to either reject the statement — allowing Democrats to say the RNC finds the incidents acceptable — or to sign on to something that the DNC would later wield against them.

Yes, they're afraid that the Democrats would wield a civility agreement against them.  Jeez...

Read more at Politico.

President Obama's Weekly Address - March 27, 2010

Two Major Reforms on Health Care & Higher Ed

"Moran" Quote of the Day

“The Democratic majority decided, well look, while we’re at it, let’s have another Washington takeover,” said Senator Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee and a former federal education secretary. “Let’s take over the federal student loan program.”

Yes. Lamar Alexander said it. He bemoaned a government takeover of the FEDERAL student loan program.  ...You really can't make this shit up.

There Is No Equivalency

Eric Cantor is a douchebag of epic proportions.

While criticizing Democrats who've been the targets of vandalism, assault and domestic terrorism claiming they are "dangerously fanning the flames by suggesting that these incidents be used as a political weapon," simply for acknowledging they happened, said douchebag politicized the bullet that was shot into his window. There's only one problem: the bullet wasn't shot into his window.

Richmond police say the bullet that hit a window of Republican Virginia Congressman Eric Cantor's office had been randomly fired skyward.

...In a news release, Richmond police said that the bullet had been fired into the air early Tuesday. It hit the front window of a building that houses Cantor's campaign office as it fell to back earth at a sharp angle.

So he criticizes Democrats for publicizing the acts of violence... while publicizing his own event, which turned out not to be a direct act upon his office.

There is no equivalency to this incident and shattering windows with rocks. There is no equivalency to this incident and being spat upon. There is no equivalency to this incident and deliberately cutting someone's gas line whose address you got from a right wing blog.

If Cantor gets death threats in his Virginia district because he's Jewish, it's a different matter than getting death threats because you voted to give more Americans access to health care. Those are two very different scenarios.

But douchebags wouldn't know that. Or won't acknowledge it.

Adding... Perhaps Eric Cantor should look into stricter gun laws that would prevent incidents like his accidental bullet through a window to occur. What do you think are the chances?

You Know You're In Trouble When...

...you lose the support of one of your party's most recognizable, ardent supporters.

Sarah Palin's gun sight-riddled campaign map is so militant that it's even lost her the support of "The View" co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck, who called Palin's behavior "despicable."

This is coming from someone who campaigned for Palin. It's only going to get more bizarre as we go on.

What Does This Picture Say To You?

My take: Fuck you, Mitt. Fuck you, Karl. Write your fantasies. I'm the fucking POTUS!

Anthony Weiner Targeted

Breaking news from MSNBC reports that Rep. Anthony Weiner's Queens, New York office was targeted.

David Shuster: "Law enforcement officials say a package with white  powder was sent to Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner's Queen[s] office.  One source says a preliminary reviews shows a letter in part complaining about the health care legislation. New York's Police Department and an FBI spokesman are only confirming that they are responding to the scene."


Adding... And yet, Eric Cantor continues to be a dick, blaming the Democrats and accusing them of politicizing the issue.  Please show me where angry rhetoric by Democratic political leaders akin to "You lie!" or "Baby killer!" has been used to raise campaign money.

The Party of No Continues

[Vice President Joe Biden] said Republicans were dishonest about their interest in health care. "The ace we have in our pocket is the Republican party. The Republicans concluded that their success lies in our failure."

He claimed that he knows of at least seven senators who want to vote with Democrats but were instructed by the party not to. "The American people are smart. They smell a rat. They know there was nothing about trying to get a better bill."

Senate GOP Forces New House Vote

And there you have it. Senate Republicans were able to sneak in two provisions that change the reconciliation bill enough to have to send it back to the house for yet another vote. Luckily, it seems that it won't make much difference.

In the wee hours of Thursday morning, Senate Parliamentarian Alan Frumin ruled that two minor provisions of the health care reconciliation bill violated the so-called Byrd rule, and must be stricken. That has altered the language of the legislation and will the House to vote on the package one more time.

One of the provisions is meant to prevent Pell grant reductions (the reconciliation bill also deals with student loan reform). The other strike came against obsolete language. Both changes are incidental to the overall package, though, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to have no problem passing the bill again with the same coalition of 220 members who passed it for the first time on Sunday.

House members have been told to stay in town for a reconciliation revote, in the event that the Senate adopts the bill with a few changes. The Senate adjourned after 2 this morning, without having taken a final vote. They'll reconvene this morning at 9:45 to resume consideration.

Of course all of this is really moot and for some reason, the GOP thinks delaying the inevitable seems like a smart tactic. Stopping work at 2pm? Forcing committees to reconvene at a later time midstream? Proposing ridiculous amendments like Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn's "No Viagra for Sex Offenders" in order to force Democrats into a tough vote.

If Coburn is so adamant about this, why doesn't he introduce it as a stand alone bill?  Let's see if he does after the GOP plan to derail the reconciliation vote fails.  Then we can all call him and ask why he hasn't followed up with his Viagra bill?

Robert Culp Dies at 79

NY Times: Robert Culp, who teamed with Bill Cosby as a secret agent in the hit 1960s television series “I Spy” and starred as one of the sexually adventurous title characters in the 1969 film “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,” died on Wednesday in Los Angeles. He was 79.

His agent, Hillard Elkins, said that Mr. Culp apparently died of a heart attack after collapsing outside his home.

Later in his career Mr. Culp had a recurring role as Ray Romano’s father-in-law in the sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” but he may be best remembered for his role in NBC’s “I Spy” as part of an easygoing, wisecracking interracial team that was a first for network television and the inspiration for later black and white buddy films.

Senator John Barrasso Is A Dick

BARRASSO: "What a coincidence! In Utah, a member from Utah who voted for the bill, he was against it and then he was for it. And what a coincidence, his brother just got named to be a federal judge. How do you make those decisions?"

Eat crow, motherfucker. Eat. Crow.

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., tried to call a Utah congressman on Tuesday to apologize after falsely claiming on national cable news that the lawmaker voted for the federal health care reform bill after his brother was appointed a federal judge.

...U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson’s brother Scott was recently nominated by the Obama administration to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

However, Jim Matheson, a Democrat, voted “no” during all three House votes on Democratic health care reform bills this session: the House bill in November, as well as both the Senate bill and the reconciliation bill Sunday.

Dick.

Tea Party Terrorists

ter·ror·ism  [ter-uh-riz-uhm]

1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.

Yes. Terrorists. That's what you call those who use violence and threats to intimidate a sect with whom you ideologically disagree to the point of sending death threats in the form of phone calls, faxes, breaking windows, using racial and homophobic epithets and spitting on elected officials.

Are they Republicans? Are they Tea Party "patriots"? Perhaps, because at the very least we know that the perpetrators of these domestic acts of terrorism aren't Democrats. And anyone who thinks that this is some kind of plot by "Democratic operatives" to shift the blame away from the fringe groups in opposition of health care reform, and the Democratic Party in general is just as opportunistic and manipulative as Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh, or insane as the perpetrators themselves.

We know the perpetrators aren't Democrats. Not with lunatics like teabagger Mike Vanderboegh advocating the breaking of windows as an intimidation tactic in order to avoid defending themselves "at the muzzle of a rifle." Not with idiots like a local Virginia Tea Party leader named Nigel Coleman, who chalked up a cut gas line at the home of the brother of a US Congressman as "collateral damage." Not with inciters like Michele Bachmann wanting people "armed and dangerous" or Sarah Palin asking people to "reload" on her Twitter feed and forwarding them to her Facebook page, complete with rifle scope targets keyed in on political swing state elections.

Vandalism - broken windows at Democratic Congressional offices.

Cut gas lines.

"Reload."

Rifle scope targets.

When did inciting violence become "the American way"? When did inciting violence become a GOP tactic? My guess is January 20th, 2009.

I Loves Me Some Alan Grayson

Florida Congressman Alan Grayson was interviewed this morning by New York Daily News reporter and radio talk show host Errol Louis and revealed that an official tea party member is challenging him for his seat this November.

Sarah Palin had targeted Grayson in her recent appearance for America's first Tea Party candidate, Peg Dunmire, raising half a million dollars for her, but it didn't take long for Grayson to respond in kind.

...In response to Palin's attack on Rep Grayson, Grayson actually complimented Palin. Grayson praised Palin for having a hand large enough to fit Grayson's entire name on it. He thanked Palin for alleviating the growing shortage of platitudes in Central Florida. Grayson added that Palin deserved credit for getting through the entire hour-long program without quitting. Grayson also said that Palin really had mastered Palin's imitation of Tina Fey imitating Palin. Grayson observed that Palin is the most-intelligent leader that the Republican Party has produced since George W. Bush.

... "I look forward to an honest debate with Governor Palin on the issues, in the unlikely event that she ever learns anything about them," Grayson added...

Here's more from Grayson during an interview with Rick Sanchez.



Is Grayson over the top? Maybe. But you have to fight fire with fire, and I have to say, it's kind of fun to see a Democratic politician dish out as much as the Republicans shovel in. You can donate to Grayson's campaign here.

And People Wonder Why Newpapers Are Failing

The New York Daily News commemorates the historic health care legislation signed by President Obama yesterday with this front page:

McCain Wants To Take His Ball and Go Home...

...and gets bitchslapped by Harry Reid.

“For someone who campaigned on ‘Country First’ and claims to take great pride in bipartisanship, it’s absolutely bizarre for Senator McCain to tell the American people he is going to take his ball and go home until the next election. He must be living in some parallel universe because the fact is, with very few exceptions, we’ve gotten very little cooperation from Senate Republicans in recent years.

“At a time when our economy is suffering and we’re fighting two wars, the American people need Senator McCain and his fellow Republicans to start working with us to confront the challenges facing our country—not reiterating their constant opposition to helping working families when they need it most.”

It seems the Maverick is still upset about losing the 2008 election and doesn't want to work anymore until what? He gets his way? Luckily for the country, there are 99 other Senators available to work.

The "Republicans Are Crazy" Poll

Poll results like this make me wonder how literally 35% of the population of this country manage to survive throughout the day without sticking a pencil in their eye, walking into an open manhole cover, or getting hit by a speeding train.

●67% of Republicans (and 40 percent of Americans overall) believe that Obama is a socialist.

●57% of Republicans (32 percent overall) believe that Obama is a Muslim

●45% of Republicans (25 percent overall) agree with the Birthers in their belief that Obama was "not born in the United States and so is not eligible to be president"

●38% of Republicans (20 percent overall) say that Obama is "doing many of the things that Hitler did"

●24% of Republicans (14 percent overall) say that Obama "may be the Antichrist."

Muslim? Hitler? ANTICHRIST?! SERIOUSLY?! This is what happens when you become insulated and watch nothing but Fox News and listen to no one but Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.

GOP Attorneys General File Suits Against Health Care Law

Breaking News from MSNBC: Thirteen Republican attorneys general are filing lawsuits against the individual mandate. This is going to get interesting.

The lawsuit — which names the U.S. departments of Health and Human Services, Treasury and Labor — was filed immediately after the president's signing ceremony Tuesday. Attorneys general from Florida, South Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, Michigan, Utah, Pennsylvania, Alabama, South Dakota, Louisiana, Idaho, Washington and Colorado are joining in. Other GOP attorneys general may join the lawsuit later or sue separately.

The issue at the heart of the lawsuit is the constitutionality of the so-called "individual mandate," which requires most Americans to have an insurance plan or else pay a federal penalty.

HISTORY

President Obama signed major health care legislation into law on Tuesday.

Keith's Baaa-aaaack!

After being away for three weeks due to the death of his father, Keith Olbermann was back with a vengeance with a special comment on the Republican's Party's failure to stop health care and their suicide run if they continue to appeal to the fringiest of the fringe.

Welcome back, Keith.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Neugebauer Latest Inductee Into The Joe "YOU LIE" Wilson Hall of Shame

“Last night was the climax of weeks and months of debate on a health care bill that my constituents fear and do not support. In the heat and emotion of the debate, I exclaimed the phrase ‘it's a baby killer' in reference to the agreement reached by the Democratic leadership. While I remain heartbroken over the passage of this bill and the tragic consequences it will have for the unborn, I deeply regret that my actions were mistakenly interpreted as a direct reference to Congressman Stupak himself.

“I have apologized to Mr. Stupak and also apologize to my colleagues for the manner in which I expressed my disappointment about the bill. The House Chamber is a place of decorum and respect. The timing and tone of my comment last night was inappropriate.”

~ Texas Republican Congressman Randy Neugebauer on his "baby killer" outburst.

Stay classy, Republicans.

The First Amendment Does Not Apply...

...when threatening the life of the President of the United States. Morans.

Via Gawker:

"Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits for conveyance in the mail or for a delivery from any post office or by any letter carrier any letter, paper, writing, print, missive, or document containing any threat to take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States, the President-elect, the Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President of the United States, or the Vice President-elect, or knowingly and willfully otherwise makes any such threat against the President, President-elect, Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President, or Vice President-elect, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both."

Who's Waterloo?

Much was made, and rightly so, of Senator Jim DeMint's comment about the failure of health care reform as President Obama's Waterloo. They wanted to "break him," proving that the defeat of the administration was first and foremost on the minds of the GOP, and not about the welfare of the American people.

Well, someone on their side happens to disagree. Just as the failure of health care reform may have been Obama's Waterloo, the passage of it may signal the Republican Party's own demise.

Conservatives and Republicans today suffered their most crushing legislative defeat since the 1960s.

It’s hard to exaggerate the magnitude of the disaster. Conservatives may cheer themselves that they’ll compensate for today’s expected vote with a big win in the November 2010 elections. [...]

No illusions please: This bill will not be repealed. Even if Republicans scored a 1994 style landslide in November, how many votes could we muster to re-open the “doughnut hole” and charge seniors more for prescription drugs? How many votes to re-allow insurers to rescind policies when they discover a pre-existing condition? How many votes to banish 25 year olds from their parents’ insurance coverage? And even if the votes were there – would President Obama sign such a repeal?

We followed the most radical voices in the party and the movement, and they led us to abject and irreversible defeat. [...]

So today’s defeat for free-market economics and Republican values is a huge win for the conservative entertainment industry. Their listeners and viewers will now be even more enraged, even more frustrated, even more disappointed in everybody except the responsibility-free talkers on television and radio. For them, it’s mission accomplished. For the cause they purport to represent, it’s Waterloo all right: ours.

Boehner and McConnell bet 'NO' and lost. Instead of being part of the process, they put their hopes on fringiest of the fringe and a Tea Party revolt, preferring to let Michele Bachmann and Steve King lead. They delayed for a year and it still passed.

And as David Frum notes, the only winners here are Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Fox News.

(H/T HuffPo)

Get Off My Lawn!

There was a crazy, old coot on Good Morning America today who used to be a "maverick," or at least a self proclaimed one.

Once again forgetting that the 2008 election is over, just as he forgot how many houses he owns, Republican Senator and former failed presidential candidate John McCain shook his fist at the clouds during his interview.

Appearing on ABC's "Good Morning America," McCain, who was President Barack Obama's GOP rival in the 2008 presidential campaign, said that "outside the Beltway, the American people are very angry. They don't like it, and we're going to repeal this."

McCain... said the GOP "will challenge it every place we can," and said there will be reprisals at the polls, in Congress and in the courts.

Well, maybe the people he chooses to speak to are angry, but my guess is that there are many more who are happy. And how does McMaverick think the current crop of the Party of No is going to repeal the new health care legislation? Does he think President Obama would sign such a repeal?! By the time there is new Republican president (yes, eventually there will be one) whether it be 2012 or 2016 or 2020, millions will be helped by health care reform. Would someone actually vote for a candidate who would make a campaign promise to take their health care away? On the contrary, my guess is is you'll see a future brand of teabaggers holding signs saying "Keep Your Government Hands Off My Obama Care!"

John McCain should instead worry about getting booted out of his job by primary challenger, J.D. Hayworth.

Health Care Bill Passes 219-212

Not one Republican member of the House of Representatives voted for HR3590. Remember that the next time a teabagger cries about not touching their Medicare or some such nonsense about what the founders wanted or intended. Just remind them that "promote the general welfare" is in the Preamble of the Constitution of the United States and what it actually means.

ADDING... Not just Democrats, better Democrats. Below is the list of Democratic House members who voted against the bill.

John Adler (NJ)
Jason Altmire (PA)
Michael Arcuri (NY)
John Barrow (GA)
Marion Berry (AR)
Dan Boren (OK)
Rick Boucher (VA)
Bobby Bright (AL)
Ben Chandler (KY)
Travis Childers (MS)
Artur Davis (AL)
Lincoln Davis (TN)
Chet Edwards (TX)
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD)
Tim Holden (PA)
Larry Kissell (NC)
Frank Kratovil (MD)
Daniel Lipinski (IL)
Stephen Lynch (MA)
Jim Marshall (GA)
Jim Matheson (UT)
Mike McIntyre (NC)
Michael McMahon (NY)
Charlie Melancon (LA)
Walt Minnick (ID)
Glenn Nye (VA)
Collin Peterson (MN)
Mike Ross (AR)
Heath Shuler (NC)
Ike Skelton (MO)
Zach Space (OH)
John Tanner (TN)
Gene Taylor (MS)
Harry Teague (NM)

Barney Frank Responds...

...to gay slurs by Tea Party protesters on Capitol Hill today.

“If this was a movement that I was part of, I’d be doing more than I think the Republicans are, to differentiate myself,” Frank said in an interview with The Hill that afternoon.

“...Any movement in which the intellectual leader is Michele Bachmann is obviously going to be problematic.” 

BOOM! goes the dynamite!

But It's Not About Racism (The Teabagger Edition)

So here's a "real American" (How do I know he's a real American? He's wearing an American flag polo, godammit!) - a "tea party patriot" - a protester against health care reform proudly standing with his signs on the Washington Mall depicting a donkey excreting a Shepard Fairey Obama head, complete with Hitler moustache; his other sign threatening violence if health care reform passes, because, you know, that's how the tea party rolls. And that's how they'll continue to roll until the politicians they support have the courage to stand up to the idiots in the crowd and tell them it's not okay to bring guns to rallies, or depict the President of the United States in a Nazi Schutzstaffel uniform, or spit on civil rights leaders and call them "niggers."

"This afternoon, [Congressman Emanuel Cleaver] was walking into the Capitol to vote, when one protester spat on him.

...This is not the first time the Congressman has been called the "n" word and certainly not the worst assault he has endured in his years fighting for equal rights for all Americans. That being said, he is disappointed that in the 21st century our national discourse has devolved to the point of name calling and spitting. He looks forward to taking a historic vote on health care reform legislation tomorrow, for the residents of the Fifth District of Missouri and for all Americans. He believes deeply that tomorrow's vote is, in fact, a vote for equality and to secure health care as a right for all. Our nation has a history of struggling each time we expand rights. Today's protests are no different, but the Congressman believes this is worth fighting for."

How many people of ethnicity do you see in this photo?



Now I know that painting with a broad brush, especially one dipped in "whites only" paint, does a disservice to misguided members of the Tea Party whose protestorial intentions have nothing to do with race whatsoever, but until they disavow those who walk around with Obama as witch doctor depictions, insist he's an undocumented worker or refuse to believe he's actually an American citizen, they're losing their message to the crazies.

You'd better learn what Socialism, Marxism and Communism are before assuming Glenn Beck is correct in whatever he happens to spew in any particular hour, or else you confirm your status as a moron.

Looking back at that "I didn't vote for the Socialist" sign, I can't help but wonder what the word "socialist" was a substitution for?

UPDATE (10:25pm): Rob Tornoe reports on fellow cartoonist Steve Hill's visit to the Longworth Building in DC today.

Let's Get It Done

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Cartoon of the Day

Must Reads

Rev. Adam Carl: The Perfect Enemy

Dennis Kucinich: Why I'm Voting 'Yes'

Michael Moore: My Congressman, Bart Stupak, Has Neither a Uterus Nor a Brain

Christopher Brauchli: Reading and Writing and 'Rithmetic

Quote of the Day

"My personal position: I don't get to have a position -- I don't have a uterus. If a Senate that was 90% female told me I couldn't have a vasectomy or made it a crime to leave the toilet seat up, I guess I might object."

~ Michael Moore's position on abortion

The Final Push

I wish the President had been more vocal earlier on. Perhaps we'd be looking at a vote for a stronger bill. But this first step is an important one, and while I'm not completely happy with the bill, millions will be helped. How can anyone be against that, despite t being a boondoggle for insurance companies? Millions will be helped, despite the lack of a public option (which isn't dead yet). Millions will be helped. And I have to trust that fixes to the bill/law will be adopted over time, just like Medicare was, just like Social Security was.

This is a good first step.

More like this, please.

President Obama's Weekly Address - March 20, 2010

Time for Action on Financial Reform for the Economy

How Much?!

From The Hill: The comprehensive health reform legislation will cost $940 billion over the next decade, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said Thursday.

The nonpartisan budget office told lawmakers that the health bill set for a vote this weekend would cut the deficit by $130 billion over the next decade, and $1.2 trillion in the second decade of the plan's implementation.

...Wow. This is the part where the GOP calls the CBO a bunch of partisan hacks... that is until they get a set of numbers from the same nonpartisan group more in line with what they think the numbers should show, namely blow the deficit out of the water to the point that we'll be living in grass huts within five years. (AAARRGH! FEAR! RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!)  But that's never going to happen.  Republican "fiscal conservative" heads explode in 5... 4... 3...

Kucinich To Vote 'Yes' on Health Care Bill

Thank you, Dennis.

"This is a defining moment for whether or not we'll have any opportunity to move off square one on the issue of health care. And so even though I don't like the bill, I've made a decision to support it in the hopes that we can move towards a more comprehensive approach once this legislation is done," [Kucinich] said.

Now if only more progressives could see the forest for the trees instead of working with teabaggers in trying to kill the bill.

I like Dennis Kucinich, but before he decided to vote in favor of the bill, I thought he was wrong. As I think progressives are wrong to throw him under the bus after his years of service because of this one vote.

Jane Hamsher: Dennis Kucinich has called a press conference for tomorrow. Howard Fineman is reporting that Kucinich will vote “yes” on health care...

If... he settles for some worthless reassurances that “Obama will work toward it in the future” (which nobody but Lynn Woolsey is dumb enough to actually believe), or a meaningless symbolic vote that achieves little more than 15 minutes of futile grandstanding, good luck to him. A thousand people have donated over $16,000 to Dennis since yesterday to thank him for standing up for what he believes in. We’ll be asking him to return it.

During the presidential campaign, I donated $50 to Dennis Kucinich when he ran with an idea that he could finance his entire campaign with $50 million. He was looking for $50 from one million donors. He didn't get anywhere close. Are you telling me there aren't a million progressives willing to give $50? Or two million to give $25?

And yet Jane Hamsher gets all crazy on this? Wanting money back from the most liberal representative in the House and working with Grover Norquist to kill the health care bill, under some delusion that they'd what? Start over again next month?  Pathetic.

Dennis Kucinich fought hard, but he's smart enough to know that killing this bill will kill any attempt at expanding health care for at least another decade.

ADDING...  Meanwhile, MoveOn.org has already raised $1 million in just a few days to challenge anti-Health Care Democrats in their primaries. I know they're a much larger organization than FDL, but more and more it just makes it look like Hamsher has jumped the shark.

Light Blogging

Sorry for the light blogging these last few days. I'm in the middle of house hunting and all my energies are scattered to the four winds to the point that I can't formulate a thought. I'd jotted down some notes on the subway regarding the "deem and pass" rigamarole when I first heard of it, but as I was doing some research to make sure I wasn't an idiot, I found out I was. So no post. At least not in its current form. I'll try again later, but no promises.

In the meantime, let's dance!

Telephone - Pomplamoose Music

Re-emergence

posted by Armadillo Joe

Hey, Blog-O-Maniacs, been gone a while. Been busy, but the sched is easing up so I hope to resume posting here with some greater frequency. In the meantime, I've been exercising my re-awakening debate skills on some folks on a friend's page at Facebook.

I enjoy reading all the lefty blogs, but rather than join the "fuck, yeah!" tone of most comments sections I'm more and more drawn to engaging on Facebook because I have come to believe that, apart from our calls-to-arms phoning of Congress at key points, we aren't doing much to actually change minds out there. By focusing on each other, we're ignoring the millions who never meet a liberal in their daily lives, and only hear a steady stream of FOX and Limbaugh and Hannity. They never ever have their assumptions challenged. I increasingly think Facebook might be the only place to really do that, since most of us want to keep the family peace and don't engage when cranky Uncle Ray starts talkin' about the uppity niggers and them wimmin-folk having abortions for fun and sport.

But, on Facebook, we have a real audience and not just the person we're locking horns with, but all your common friends and family and all their friends and family. For many of the silent lurking readers, it might be the first time a lib-ruhl wasn't a burned-out 1960's era relic (a Grateful Dead-ender, if you will) or Alan Colmes. Smart, strong and engaged liberals who don't back down are a rarity throughout most of the country and our recent political history is a testament to the extent we've disengaged our fellow Americans, allowing FOX to fill the void. I urge you, all of you, to go out and give them an example and win their respect or, failing that, their silence.

As a re-introductory post, I thought I'd cross-post and get your reactions, to gauge how I did.

This is long, but worth it, I think.

---

Armadillo Joe’s high-school friend - Can we just portray history? Dear God.

Texas Hearing Considers Deeper Conservative Stamp on Textbooks - NYTimes.com www.nytimes.com
The Texas school board held hearings on proposed changes to the state’s social studies curriculum that would portray conservatives in a more positive light.

Thu at 8:12am · Comment · Like · Share

---

Armadillo Joe’s high-school friend
What a bleeped up mess. Feel free. Add some of this. I'm not a Reagan fan, but to not emphasize him in a curriculum is dumb. BUT to no longer use the term American "imperialism"? Seriously people? Or to talk about how the Civil War set up unrealistic expectations? Ah man, I have a raging headache now.
Thu at 8:18am

---

Armadillo Joe
K, the only way these people can support their political agenda is to make up a glorious history chock-full of "facts" to support it. Since reality has a well-known liberal bias, they have to make up their own facts, just like authoritarians always have from the Nazis to the Soviets, and implant them in the unformed minds of the young. Its called indoctrination and its the only way the GOP can hope to have a coherent political party in the coming decades, by cultivating a whole generation of mis-educated nitwits.

Orwell said it best: "Who controls the past, controls the future; who controls the present, controls the past."

This post from one of my favorite bloggers sums up the whole ugly recent history of things very nicely -- http://driftglass.blogspot.com/2005/09/depraved.html
Thu at 9:06am

---

Armadillo Joe’s high-school friend
Aaaahhhh - deep sigh of relief. Missed you!
Thu at 9:42

---

Wingnut Douchebag's wife
I love starting the morning being called a nazi.
Thu at 9:46

---

Armadillo Joe’s high-school friend
You could've chosen the Russkie analogy. I'll admit you and B are on remarkably different sides of the spectrum, but I guarantee he was not intending to call you a murderer.

I think anything history is a difficult world because years away give you different perspective. But I think some of the things they are trying to push through on textbooks here is truly damaging.

More importantly, I missed B because I have a couple other threads with my nut job conservatives.
Thu at 9:58

---

Armadillo Joe’s high-school friend's husband
Erica, didn't you only convert to Judaism after you met Dan? Are you a sleeper agent?!?
Thu at 10:14

---

Armadillo Joe’s high-school friend
Ok, I'm hoping she enjoyed that as much as me. I laughed out loud!
Thu at 10:16

---

Wingnut Douchebag's wife
Nice. You're really gonna hit the fan when you find out i also used to be liberal
Thu at 10:36

---

Armadillo Joe’s high-school friend
Ah shit! Guess my request to get the families together is going to have to be flushed. D is obviously a brainwasher!
Thu at 10:38

---

Armadillo Joe
I wasn't calling anyone a murderer. Nor was I calling anyone a Nazi. Or a Soviet. I was calling them authoritarians and likening their strategy and tactics to those of the Nazis and Soviets. Anyone who signs on for this program of school book purification in Texas is an authoritarian with an agenda, less interested in creating a generation of well-educated citizens able to join in the give-and-take of our participatory democracy than churning out fact-averse robots, making the whole population adhere to their private system of religious and political beliefs. That's authoritarian.
Thu at 11:53am

---

Armadillo Joe’s high-school friend's husband
I'm gonna hit the fan? Are you calling me shit? Freakin' Nazi....
Thu at 12:06pm via Email Reply

---

Wingnut Douchebag
There's really nothing suspect in having kids read Jefferson Davis's inaugeral address...

[***Editor's Note:  Continue reading the fireworks between Armadillo Joe and Wingnut Douchebag here.] 

Must Reads

Mutant Poodle: Dennis Kucinich and the Agent’s Fallacy

Bob Cesca: The Tea Party Is All About Race, Part 2.  Read Part One here.

Linda Greenhouse: Clarence Thomas, Silent but Sure

Rep. Alan Grayson: HR 4789 and The Public Option: The Way Forward

Glenn Greenwald: The Democrats' Scam Becomes More Transparent

Mary Bottari: Progressive Senators Fight for Real Reform

Amitabh Pal: Elections Don’t Justify Iraq War

President Obama's Weekly Address - March 13, 2010

Education for a More Competitive America & Better Future

Harry Reid's Wife In Accident

If you pray, pray for Harry Reid's wife.

AP: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's wife remained hospitalized Friday with serious injuries suffered when a tractor-trailer rear-ended the minivan she and their daughter were riding in on a suburban Virginia interstate, officials said.

Landra Reid, 69, suffered a broken back and neck in Thursday's crash, but her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. Mrs. Reid and their daughter, Lana Barringer, 49, were taken by ambulance to Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Va. The daughter was released Thursday night, hospital spokesman Tony Raker said.

The Palinization of Politics

We've all gotten used to Sarah Palin accusing the media of playing "gotcha journalism" while simultaneously using the press to her advantage until there's some pesky reporter asking questions for which she hasn't written the answer on her hand. Now it looks like others are catching on, but they're not getting away with it.

Former eBay President and CEO and current California Gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman took it to another level when she called a press conference for the publicity but refused to answer questions and actually threw out the press once it became inconvenient.



(H/T Jonathan Turley)

More Like This, Please

Fuck bipartisanship. The GOP isn't voting for the health of the people anyway.

Rather Explains His Watermelon Comment

...in a column at The Huffington Post.

"...I was talking about Obama and health care and I used the analogy of selling watermelons by the side of the road. It's an expression that stretches to my boyhood roots in Southeast Texas, when country highways were lined with stands manned by sellers of all races. Now of course watermelons have become a stereotype for African Americans and so my analogy entered a charged environment. I'm sorry people took offense.

But anyone who knows me personally or knows my professional career would know that race was not on my mind...

...I can understand why someone who just happened upon my comments could take offense or want clarification. But what has caused this comment to "go viral" is the trumpeting of an online and cable echo chamber that claims the banner of news but trades in gossip, gotcha, and innuendo. Furthermore, even for those who brook no prejudice, when everything is condensed to 140 characters or a small YouTube clip, many people who got this "news" did so without any context, just a headline that popped up on their phone or inbox."

Sorry Dan, but this isn't the 60's, you've been on the national scene for 50 years now, and times have changed. I'm not calling you a racist, but was you said was perceived as such, as you well know. Your comment going viral was not the fault of an "online and cable echo chamber." Had you chosen your words more carefully, you wouldn't be explaining yourself.

Still, I can't help but wonder if the "selling watermelons" analogy would have been used had the President been, you know, white.

Eric Massa, WTF?!

I hate to kick a man when he's on the verge of/in the middle of a nervous breakdown, but what the hell is up with Eric Massa? He punched a one-way ticket to Crazytown yesterday with his appearance on Glenn Beck last night (an instant classic) followed up with a Larry King appearance, but refused to go on Countdown being hosted by Lawrence O'Donnell.

But seriously, I feel sorry for the guy. There's something definitely wrong there. His excuses for the past couple of weeks ranged from resigning due to health reasons, to being forced out because he wouldn't automatically vote for whatever the Democrats wanted him to vote for, to re-enacting a shower scene between he and Rahm Emanuel akin to Caged Heat, to "forcing himself out," to taking responsibility for er, "rough housing" with some of his aides. And then confusing his Navy time for a stint with The Village People?

Man, when you outcrazy Glenn Beck on his own show, you've got issues.

Adding... Glenn Beck, hoping to take down the White House and Congress with Massa, got nothing! (...heh.) And then he apologized to his audience for "wasting an hour of their time" at the end of the show. Why bother? He wastes their time every night.

But It's Not About Racism (The Tennessee Hospitality Edition)

"Walt Baker, the prominent CEO of the powerful Tennessee Hospitality Association who was a key figure in gaining approval of the controversial $585 million convention center, sent the kind of "joke" email last night -- comparing First Lady Michelle Obama to Tarzan's Cheeta..."

At least the story has a happy ending. Walt Baker was fired.

(H/T GottaLaff)