The Whirlpool

Congressman Brian Baird votes with the Party of "No!"

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:33:00 +0000

As promised, Democratic Congressman Brian Baird (Vancouver-WA), voted No on the Healthcare reform bill, HR 3962.

While this bill was supported by organizations such as the AMA, AARP, American Cancer Society, and Consumers Union, Baird saw fit to join with Republicans in saying "No!" to reform.

Fortunately, 219 Democrats and 1 Republican, Cao of Louisianna, voted Yes and passed this historic piece of legislation. I suspect it will pass the Senate and then Congressman Baird will see the light and vote for the Conference Bill.

Chickenhawk Tom Tancredo cuts and runs

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:40:00 +0000

This yahoo ran for President and he runs off The Ed Show when Markos Moulitsas exposes his chickenhawk background.

Who is opposed to the filibuster?

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:25:00 +0000

"[People] are fed up -- frustrated and fed up and angry about the way in which our government does not work, about the way in which we come down here and get into a lot of political games and seem to -- partisan tugs of war and forget why we're here, which is to serve the American people. And I think the filibuster has become not only in reality an obstacle to accomplishment here, but it also a symbol of a lot that ails Washington today."

"The whole process of individual senators being able to hold up legislation, which in a sense is an extension of the filibuster because the hold has been understood in one way to be a threat to filibuster -- it's just unfair."

Give up?

Yep. It's Joe.

Huffington Post

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:34:00 +0000

Democrats Risk Electoral Disaster If They Drop the Public Option

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:12:00 +0000

By Robert Parry, Consortium News.

Indeed, if the Democrats abandon the public option for the sake of passing a bill like the one that came out of the Senate Finance Committee, they may be courting electoral disaster once voters grasp that they will have to wait years for the law to be implemented and then that it could lead to higher costs for much the same unpopular private insurance plans.

The public option offers the only means for a reform to be quickly implemented and to demonstrate a beneficial effect for the people by 2010 and 2012. It has the potential for reducing costs, especially for small businesses and individuals who are now being soaked by private insurers or denied coverage.

After assessing the five pieces of legislation that have cleared different committees of Congress, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office found that the nation would get the most savings on health-care costs from a public option tied to Medicare rates. Such a version, which is included in two of the House bills, would save an estimated $110 billion over 10 years.

If the Democrats bend to the demands of the industry and the Republicans, Obama and congressional Democrats could find themselves in several years explaining how they enacted “reforms” that bully moderate-income Americans into buying over-priced health insurance, fatten the industry’s profits and fail to achieve any meaningful cost controls.

Such an outcome could be catastrophic to the Democratic Party’s future and to the concept of progressive governance. Yet, some members of the Senate Democratic leadership appear to heading in that direction, wanting to portray pushing through some bill – even one without a public option – as a victory.

The whole article

Daniel Beaty "Knock Knock"

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:19:00 +0000

Bob Dole tells Republicans to knock it off.

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:09:00 +0000

Former Kansas Sen. Bob Dole says "there will be a signing ceremony" for a health care reform bill either late this year or early next.

But the former presidential candidate says he isn't sure what the bill will say.

Dole, 86, spoke with reporters after an hour-long speech at a health care reform summit sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City.

And he repeatedly blamed "partisanship" for the failure to produce a bill so far.

"Sometimes people fight you just to fight you," he said. "They don't want Reagan to get it, they don't want Obama to get it, so we've got to kill it...

"Health care is one of those things...Now we've got to do something."
More...

Sen. Max Baucus earns his healthcare industry contributions

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:37:00 +0000

Joan Walsh
Salon.com

On “The Ed Show” Monday night I said Montana Sen. Max Baucus had to decide whether he represented Montana or the insurance industry. Tuesday he made his choice, voting against both public option amendments to the health care reform bill in the Senate Finance Committee.

All the Democrats who voted against the public option should be ashamed, but Baucus most of all. The Senate Finance Committee chair’s reasoning was bizarre. According to Salon’s Mike Madden, whose coverage today was terrific, Baucus admitted “the public option would help hold insurance companies' feet to the fire,” then added, “But my first job is to get this bill across the finish line."

No, Sen. Baucus. Your first job is voting for what will work to extend health care to more Americans and reduce costs. (And Harry Reid, you might want to have a little talk with your boy from Montana, since it’s my understanding the Senate Majority Leader is in charge of getting the bill across the finish line.)

So let’s get this straight: Baucus admits the public option would “hold insurance companies’ feet to the fire,” but he voted against it? Is there any clearer evidence that Baucus is in the pocket of the health insurance industry? Between 2003 and 2008, according to the Washington Post, Baucus took $3 million from the health and insurance sectors, 20 percent of his total contributions. And he collected half of that money in just the last two years, as the committee he chaired began holding hearings on health care reform.

More...

Amazing Sand Animation

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:05:00 +0000

I dare you not to be moved.

h/t Blue Gal

Carl Sagan - A Glorious Dawn

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 21:49:00 +0000

h/t Chubbs

Kirk "the Boy Toy" Cameron at it again

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:10:00 +0000

We're Number 37! HooRah!!

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:35:00 +0000

The Truth Behind the Public Option

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:15:00 +0000

"What the Hell Did Van Jones Say?" or "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished!"

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:20:00 +0000

Van Jones resigned from his mid-level environmental advisor role at the White House. He signed a birther petition and called Republicans some naughty words. He talks about white pollution being dumped in minority areas. And, he commented about white students shooting up schools.

His comments about white students have been touted as horrible racisim. Plenty of the faithful on Sarah Palin's Facebook Page were up-in-arms over them. You can watch the video here.

But, first read the transcript of the comments and forget it's a black man talking... forget Glenn "paints with poop" Beck got mad because Jones was instrumental in the Color of Change campaign that started the advertiser stampede.

If you read it, his comments kind of sound like a pitch to not ignore the problems and serious issues of young white males. I don't think he says there are no issues amongst minority youth, or to stop the programs helping minority youth.

Really bad commie bullshit here, huh?

Check it out:

Our young white males are suffering in this society, .. profoundly. Profoundly! And nobody is saying a word about it.

We’ll criminalize the black student; criminalize the black child, the Latino child. We’ll have this whole discussion are they animals? Are they not animals? Should we abuse them? Should we help them? Blah blah blah. And that young white boy is sitting there suffering.

You've never seen a Columbine done by a black child. Never. They always say, we can't believe it happened here, we can't believe it was these suburban white kids. It's only them!

Now, a black kid might shoot another black kid. He's not going to shoot up the whole school. My cousin's up in here, I ain't going to shoot the whole school, I might hit my cousin. I'm going to shoot you, though.

But these young white men will be in so much pain and so isolated, so (INAUDIBLE), they'll shoot up the entire school. Where is the concern? Where is the love? Where is the compassion for these young men?

Is it me? What do you think?

Judge orders restoration of services to elderly and disabled adults

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 06:34:00 +0000

The Washington State Legislature went through a grueling session a few months ago. A several billion dollar shortfall necessitated drastic decisions. The Democratic Govenor, Democratic Senate, and Democratic House chose mostly deep cuts in services and no tax increases to solve the problem. There were many disappointed citizens. Even the Republican Party of No! was not happy in the end. But, many recipients of services and their families were devistated.

On Friday, a Judge ordered some services to be reinstated.

Here's the story:

By Christine Clarridge Seattle Times staff reporter

A U.S. District Court judge has ordered that the state restore Adult Day Health services to elderly and disabled people, at least temporarily.

District Court Judge Richard A. Jones issued an injunction to restore the benefits received by about 950 Washington adults who were cut off from nursing and therapy services as a result of statewide budget cuts to the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).

Citing extraordinary budget pressures, the state Legislature earlier this year cut funding for Adult Day Health, which provided social and medical therapy to vulnerable adults living at home or in community-residential services.

The cuts went into effect on July 1.

According to Louise Ryan, a spokeswoman for Washington State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, however, the state violated federal Medicaid and due-process law by failing to give clients proper notice or seek replacement services for those affected.

"The sudden loss of skilled services has been devastating for many of these very frail and vulnerable people," Ryan said.

Ryan said that people who had lost their services should contact their Adult Day Health provider immediately.

The lawsuit was initially filed on behalf of 27 adults who had been cut off from the adult day-care services, but the judge certified the case as a class-action lawsuit.

DSHS has defended the cuts, saying that in these tough economic times the needs of vulnerable people must be weighed against those who have equal or greater needs.

In a written order released on Friday, Judge Jones said the injunction was temporary and the state could seek to make the cuts again once it gives recipients proper notice.

"The court also understands that certain budgetary decisions must be made that may adversely impact certain classes of our citizenry," Jones wrote. "The court will not, however, countenance such decisions when their implementation violates fundamental due-process rights. The record is clear that DSHS's termination actions did not comport with due process."

According to the ruling, DSHS must reinstate Adult Day Health benefits to all the adults who previously had been receiving benefits until the department is able to make meaningful reassessments of individual needs, issue timely notices of a reduction or termination in services and give information about alternative community-based support services.

The injunction is one of several that have been granted in response to the state's effort to cut services to vulnerable individuals.

In June, a U.S. District Court judge in Tacoma issued an injunction preventing the state from cutting the number of hours of in-home care provided to families who care for their special-needs children at home.

"I don't care what Right Wing supersitious Americans want to say..."

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:45:00 +0000

Senator Ted Kennedy - RIP

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:36:00 +0000

Sky Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:40:00 +0000

Great stuff from Patton Oswalt. NSFW

Orly Taitz Comedy - MSNBC Mash-up

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 07:23:00 +0000

Stash was watching the original appearance on MSNBC and can attest it was a real hoot. The video has been pulled, but bits and pieces can be found here from The Young Turks.

more Orly Taitz foolishness

Tom Ridge, "They made me do it!"

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:46:00 +0000

Tom Ridge, the first head of the 9/11-inspired Department of Homeland Security, wasn't keen on writing a tell-all. But in The Test of Our Times: America Under Siege...and How We Can Be Safe Again, out September 1, Ridge says he wants to shake "public complacency" over security. And to do that, well, he needs to tell all. Especially about the infighting he saw that frustrated his attempts to build a smooth-running department. Among the headlines promoted by publisher Thomas Dunne Books: Ridge was never invited to sit in on National Security Council meetings; was "blindsided" by the FBI in morning Oval Office meetings because the agency withheld critical information from him; found his urgings to block Michael Brown from being named head of the emergency agency blamed for the Hurricane Katrina disaster ignored; and was pushed to raise the security alert on the eve of President Bush's re-election, something he saw as politically motivated and worth resigning over.

Anyone want to pretend to be surprised? - Stash

Sotomayor confirmed: The Party of "NO!" is predictable

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:55:00 +0000

The United States Senate voted to confirm Justice Sonia Sotomayor to the United State Supreme Court.

Senator John McCain joined 30 other Republican Senators to vote against the first Hispanic Justice.

NAYs ---31
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bennett (R-UT)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Grassley (R-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Kyl (R-AZ)
McCain (R-AZ)*
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wicker (R-MS)

* Supposedly, this is the first time John McCain has voted against a Supreme Court nominee... for any President.

Abolish the U.S. Senate

noreply@blogger.com (Gary Murrell's What's Left) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:09:00 +0000

Isn’t time we got rid of that eighteenth century anachronism, the United States Senate?

Supposedly, we Americans believe in the idea of democracy but of course the country is not, strictly speaking, a democracy and the senate is a decidedly anti-democratic institution designed, the cultural critic Richard N. Rosenfeld wrote several years ago, “to prevent the unfettered expression of the people’s will. In fact, the founders of this country were decidedly hostile to democracy and the constitution “was meant to prevent democracy in America” and the senate has always fostered a politics of minority rule “in which our leaders must necessarily pursue their unpopular aims by means of increasingly desperate stratagems of deceit and persuasion.”

Our congressional and executive branches reflect the British system after which they were modeled. The British parliamentary system recognized “the king, Britain’s largest property owner, the hereditary House of Lords (Anglican bishops and titled aristocrats, . . . and a House of Commons (which represented a rising mercantile class of property owners who demands for representation gave rise to” the Glorious Revolution. In our system, the president represents the rule by one (monarchy), the senate represents rule by the few (aristocracy), and the house, the most democratic branch, rule by the many (democracy). The Roman philosopher Polybius, who laid out this division of government, “insisted that each of these forms, unless balanced by the other two, would degenerate into tyranny, oligarchy, or mob rule, respectively.

In Common Sense, Thomas Paine “urged that any American government consist of only one democratically elected legislative chamber, with no aristocratic or kingly branch to veto its decisions.” And in fact, the first government of the United States, the Articles of Confederation adopted just such a system. Unfortunately, the Congress gave each state in the Confederation only one vote in Congress rather than apportion votes by state population. Benjamin Franklin too argued for a one-house legislature which he “likened to ‘putting one horse before a cart and the other behind it, and whipping them both. When the ruling class decided that the Confederation no longer met their interests, they dissolved the Articles of Confederation and replaced them with the Constitution with its rule of one (the president), few (the senate), and many (the House). For Paine and Franklin, wrote Rosenfeld, “two legislative chambers were a prescription for deadlock, and, with the advantage of hindsight, who among us would disagree?”

In the United States today, “U. S. senators from the twenty-six smallest states, representing a mere 18 percent of the nation’s population, hold a majority in the” Senate, and therefore, under the Constitution, regardless of what the President, the House, “or even an overwhelming majority of the” citizens want, “nothing becomes law if those senators object.” “The nine largest states, containing a majority of the American people, are represented by only 18 of the 100 senators in the senate.” Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, New Hampshire, and several other states have only 600,000 or so residents. Each of those states has two senators. California, with 33 million residents, or Washington with 6 million residents each has two senators. Why is it that the 600,000 residents of Alaska have equal votes in the senate as the 33 million residents in California?

Because, as Rosenfeld wrote, the U.S. Constitution was deliberately designed to prevent the unfettered expression of the people’s will.

It’s time to get rid of the senate and institute a one-house, unicameral legislature in the United States.

Washington State's Own: Part of the Lunatic Fringe Base

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:22:00 +0000

Cathy McMorris Rogers is part of the birther conspiracy movement.

Congressman Dave Reichert, on the other hand, can't seem to answer the question. In his defense, it looks like he knows it bullshit, but he just can't bring himself to say it.

Not that it deserves repeating, but Obama was born in the USA.

For the Love of the Game!

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:15:00 +0000

Yeah, this is mostly a political blog and we throw in a few good tunes once in a while, but perfect games don't come around that often. We felt Mark Buerle's deserved a mention (especially since Stash has him on his fantasy team!).

h/t to erin for the top of the 9th:

noreply@blogger.com (Stash) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 06:02:00 +0000

Niagara Falls in Motion from Matthew Wartman on Vimeo.

The music: The Winner Is, by Mychael Danna and DeVotchKa