Democrashield.com


34,000
November 24, 2009, 4:47 PM
Filed under: Government, International, Progressives, Terrorism | Tags: , , , ,

That’s how many additional troops President Obama will send to Afghanistan over the next year:

President Barack Obama met Monday evening with his national security team to finalize a plan to dispatch some 34,000 additional U.S. troops over the next year to what he’s called “a war of necessity” in Afghanistan, U.S. officials told McClatchy.

Obama is expected to announce his long-awaited decision on Dec. 1, followed by meetings on Capitol Hill aimed at winning congressional support amid opposition by some Democrats who are worried about the strain on the U.S. Treasury and whether Afghanistan has become a quagmire, the officials said.

[...]

As it now stands, the plan calls for the deployment over a nine-month period beginning in March of three Army brigades from the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky., and the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y., and a Marine brigade from Camp Lejeune, N.C., for as many as 23,000 additional combat and support troops.

In addition, a 7,000-strong division headquarters would be sent to take command of U.S.-led NATO forces in southern Afghanistan — to which the U.S. has long been committed — and 4,000 U.S. military trainers would be dispatched to help accelerate an expansion of the Afghan army and police.

[...]

The administration’s plan contains “off-ramps,” points starting next June at which Obama could decide to continue the flow of troops, halt the deployments and adopt a more limited strategy or “begin looking very quickly at exiting” the country, depending on political and military progress, one defense official said.

“We have to start showing progress within six months on the political side or military side or that’s it,” the U.S. defense official said.

It’s “not just how we get people there, but what’s the strategy for getting them out,” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday.

Leave a Comment


Attention Media: Sarah Palin Isn’t Popular (UPDATED)
November 23, 2009, 4:09 PM
Filed under: Conservatives, Media, Polls, Progressives | Tags: , , , , , , ,

According to CBS:

Just 23 percent of those surveyed in a new CBS News poll have a favorable view of the former Alaska governor. That matches her favorable rating in July, when Palin announced she was resigning from her job as governor.

Thirty-eight percent, meanwhile, have an unfavorable view of Palin — also roughly matching her July rating. Another 37 percent say they are undecided or haven’t heard enough, despite the spotlight on Palin in recent days tied to the imminent publication of her memoir, “Going Rogue.”

[...]

Among independents, Palin has a net negative rating, with 21 percent viewing her favorably and 36 percent viewing her unfavorably.

[Emphasis mine]

Even if you go by Pollster’s aggregate, which is slightly more favorable to Palin, it still means that only about a third of the country sees her favorably.

That’s downright abysmal for a well-known national politician.  For comparison, President Obama’s favorable rating is 55% , his unfavorable is 38%. Secretary of State Clinton is at 59% to 36%. Heck, even Mike Huckabee clocks in at 39% to 28%.

Look, the so-called Palin phenomenon is very easy to explain–she’s extraordinarily well-liked by a very small group of people. Yes, she can get a lot of those people to turn out, but in the end she’s still only pulling from somewhere between 1/3rd to 1/4th of the population.

Just something to keep in mind when discussing America’s favorite quitbull with lipstick.

UPDATE: And be sure not to do what this article does–conflate favorability with job approval. There’s a huge difference between liking someone and liking the job they’re doing; the two metrics really aren’t interchangeable.

Leave a Comment


Profile In Courage: Sen. Michael Bennett (D-CO)
November 22, 2009, 5:49 PM
Filed under: 2010 Election, Government, Health Care, Progressives, Senate | Tags: , , , , , ,

Freshman Senator Michael Bennett says he’s willing to lose his seat if it means passing health care reform:

Honestly, it’s shocking how often people claim that some Democrats just can’t support reform because then they might lose re-election.

That’s the justification a lot of conservative Democrats are giving for opposing health care reform, and everyone accepts it. But why? Why is a politician losing their seat considered to be the most unacceptable outcome here?

Just how cowardly are some of these politicians that they would rather keep our broken health care system–a system that results in at least 45,000 unnecessary deaths a year–in order to keep their jobs? Health care reform is, without hyperbole, an issue of life or death–people are dying because of our broken health care system.

And yet, reform is teetering on the brink because some conservadems can’t stand the thought of losing their seats–as if any of them would struggle to make ends meet in the private sector.

That’s why people like Sen. Bennett are worthy of praise–they’re willing to do what’s best for the American people, even if it costs them their job. Real health care reform is worth losing a handful of seats; I only wish there were more politicians willing to put the American people ahead of their own careers.

Leave a Comment


1 Day Left To Vote For Me
November 21, 2009, 8:19 PM
Filed under: 2009 Election, Breaking, Meta, Polls, Progressives | Tags: , , , , ,

The 2009 Weblog Awards

Best Blog – Best Liberal Blog – Best Political Blog – Best Large Blog

Democrashield has been nominated for the 2009 Weblog Awards. Please take a moment to second our nominations by clicking on the links above, then clicking on the green plus button next to our name. Voting ends on Sunday, so get your last licks in!

[I'm going to keep this at the top for a while; you can find new posts below.]

Comments Off


BREAKING: GOP Health Care Filibuster Thwarted (UPDATED)
November 21, 2009, 8:17 PM
Filed under: Breaking, Conservatives, Government, Health Care, Progressives, Senate | Tags: , , , , , , ,

On a 60-39 party-line vote, Senate Democrats overcame the GOP’s filibuster of health care reform.

Now the bill will be brought to the floor for consideration. After that, the Democrats will need to marshal another 60 votes to end debate, and then 51 votes for passage.

Still trying to figure out who the 1 non-voting Republican was…

UPDATE: TPM says it was Ohio Senator George Voinovich, who previously announced that he will not run for re-election in 2010 and will therefore retire in early 2011.

Leave a Comment


BREAKING: Health Care Reform To Proceed In The Senate
November 21, 2009, 2:50 PM
Filed under: Breaking, Conservatives, Government, Health Care, Senate | Tags: , , , , , , , ,

It looks like Senate health care reform is a go.

All 4 of the conservative holdouts have announced that they will vote to begin debate.

A few weeks ago, Sen. Lieberman indicated his willingness to filibuster the bill but said he would vote to allow debate.

Yesterday, Nebraska’s Ben Nelson said he too would vote to bring the bill up for consideration.

Earlier today, Louisiana’s Mary Landrieu agreed. And just a few moments ago, Arkansas’ Blanche Lincoln jumped onboard.

So now the Democrats have the 60 votes they need to clear the first procedural hurdle on health care reform.

Of course, they have to overcome another 60-vote hurdle in order to end debate, and then they’ll need 51 votes for passage, and then there’ the matter of the conference report…

But hey, it’s a start. And maybe when health care reform is all said and done, some intrepid Senators can get to work on loosening some of those archaic Senate rules…

1 Comment


Barack Obama: Positively Reaganesque
November 21, 2009, 1:41 PM
Filed under: Conservatives, IOKIYAR, Polls, Progressives, Right-Wing Noise Machine | Tags: , , , , ,

At least in regards to approval ratings:

As Political Wire notes:

Putting news of President Obama’s approval rate dipping below 50% in perspective, USA Today runs an excellent interactive chart plotting presidential approval rates since 1945.

When comparing various presidents to each other, as of right now, President Obama most closely tracks Ronald Reagan.

[Emphasis mine]

Just something to keep in mind whenever conservatives start crowing about President Obama’s approval ratings.

1 Comment


Right-Wing Insanity
November 20, 2009, 2:50 PM
Filed under: 2008 Election, Conservatives, Government, Polls, Progressives, Right-Wing Noise Machine | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

This is just crazy:

The new national poll from Public Policy Polling (D) has an astonishing number about paranoia among the GOP base: Republicans do not think President Obama actually won the 2008 election — instead, ACORN stole it.

[...]

The poll asked this question: “Do you think that Barack Obama legitimately won the Presidential election last year, or do you think that ACORN stole it for him?” The overall top-line is legitimately won 62%, ACORN stole it 26%.

Among Republicans, however, only 27% say Obama actually won the race, with 52% — an outright majority — saying that ACORN stole it, and 21% are undecided. Among McCain voters, the breakdown is 31%-49%-20%. By comparison, independents weigh in at 72%-18%-10%, and Democrats are 86%-9%-4%.

[Emphasis mine]

You read that right–a majority of Republicans believe Barack Obama did not legitimately win the 2008 election. They believe that, instead, the community organizing group ACORN stole it for him. Nearly twice as many Republicans believe the election was stolen than believe Obama legitimately won.

Remember, Obama won 2008 in a landslide–he won 53% to 46%, 365 electoral votes to McCain’s 173. For ACORN to have stolen the election, they would have had to manufacture more than 9.5 million votes–Obama’s national margin of victory. ACORN would have had to flip FL, OH, IN, NC, VA, NM, and IA from Republican to Democratic (those being the closest blue states which, combined, gave Obama an electoral vote majority).

I know the right is trying to make ACORN out into some kind of all-powerful left-wing boogeyman, but they’re just a community organizing group, and not a particularly well-funded one at that.

ACORN has received slightly more than $50 million in federal funds in the past 15 years, which averages out to slightly more than $66,000 per state per year–certainly not enough to build a national apparatus capable of stealing 9.5 million votes and 7 swing states.

Maybe this poll is horribly inaccurate, but if it isn’t than the GOP has gone off the deep end. Perhaps this kind of unhinged, off-the-wall craziness is why only 20% of Americans identify themselves as Republican.

Leave a Comment


Should Conservatives Hate Reagan?
November 19, 2009, 2:36 PM
Filed under: Conservatives, Economics, Government, IOKIYAR, Progressives, Right-Wing Noise Machine | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

All of the right-wing attacks on President Obama’s spending make me wonder–why don’t conservatives hate Ronald Reagan?

Reagan’s recession lasted 16 months (July 1981 until November 1982); our most recent recession lasted 21 months (December 2007 until September 2009).

During Reagan’s recession, unemployment peaked at 10.8%; during the recent recession unemployment peaked at 10.2% (but since unemployment is a lagging indicator it’s still expected to rise).

During Reagan’s recession, unemployment rose 3.6%; during the recent recession, unemployment rose 5.3%.

And Reagan’s recession did not come with a massive financial meltdown that necessitated a huge bailout in order to stave off total financial collapse.

So, by most worthwhile measures, our recent recession was both worse and longer than the Reagan recession.

With that in mind, remember that conservatives are attacking the Obama administration’s spending (even though a major cause of our deficits, the $700 bn bank bailout, was enacted under Bush) and are criticizing President Obama for allegedly doubling the debt.

But, over the course of his Presidency, Ronald Reagan tripled the debt:

(more…)

1 Comment


BREAKING: Senate Health Care Bill Revealed
November 18, 2009, 8:55 PM
Filed under: Breaking, Economics, Government, Health Care, Progressives, Rights, Senate | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tonight, the Senate Democratic leadership revealed their version of the health care reform bill.

The Congressional Budget Office has already scored the legislation. Their findings:

  • It will cost $849 bn over the first decade.
  • It will reduce the deficit by $127 bn in the first decade and by $650 bn in the following decade.

Here are more details about the bill:

  • It contains the public option with a state-by-state opt-out provision.
  • It establishes health insurance exchanges.
  • It rejects the anti-choice Stupak amendment by stipulating that at least one plan in the health insurance exchange must offer abortion coverage and one plan must not.
  • It authorizes the HHS Secretary to audit those plans to ensure federal funds are not being used for abortion.
  • It taxes ‘Cadillac’ insurance plans but gives exceptions to high cost-of-living states and to workers in high-risk jobs, such as coal miners.
  • It will cover 94% of Americans, including 31 million of the currently-uninsured.
  • It achieves nearly $1 trillion in cost savings within the health care system.

It’s not a perfect piece of legislation, but considering the circumstances Harry Reid pretty much hit one out of the park here.

I expect the bill to do well–it contains significant health care reform but grants enough concessions to win over conservatives like Ben Nelson and Mary Landrieu. And the fact that it reduces the deficit significantly over the next 20 years should win over the newly-minted deficit hawks like Joe Lieberman (who only seem to care about the debt when a Democrat is in office).

Reid is to file for cloture tomorrow, meaning that this bill could be brought up to a vote as early as Saturday.

Leave a Comment


And Justice For All: Why The KSM Trial Isn’t Unprecedented (UPDATED)
November 18, 2009, 4:53 PM
Filed under: Conservatives, Government, House, IOKIYAR, International, Progressives, Right-Wing Noise Machine, Terrorism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Zacharias Moussaoui is a die-hard, well-trained Al-Qaeda militant. He was slated to be the 20th 9/11 hijacker and was only prevented from taking part in the mass murder of 3,000 innocent people by a chance arrest on immigration charges in August, 2001.

In the wake of 9/11, Moussaoui was charged, tried, found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole by a federal court. Today–and for the rest of his life–Moussaoui resides in the supermax prison facility in Florence, Colorado.

The truth is, a lot of terrorists–domestic and international–have been successfully tried in the United States.  Currently, 355 terrorists reside within the American prison system.

And yet, neither Moussaoui’s trial nor any of the other terror trials caused very much controversy, certainly not as much as the impending trial of 9/11 pl0tter Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

The only major difference between the two trials appears to be who was inhabiting the White House at the time.

The Bush administration put one dangerous 9/11 plotter on trial and caused nearly no outcry from the right; the Obama administration puts another dangerous 9/11 plotter on trial and the right is causing an uproar.

Sadly, I guess even terrorism isn’t off-limits when there are political points to be scored.

But the Moussaoui trial taught us that a dangerous Al-Qaeda terrorist and 9/11 plotter can successfully be put on trial. As the AP wrote:

(more…)

1 Comment


Winner To Loser: Embrace Your Base
November 17, 2009, 6:13 PM
Filed under: 2009 Election, 2010 Election, Conservatives, Government, Governors, Progressives, Right-Wing Noise Machine | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Successful Gubernatorial candidate Tim Kaine gives some retrospective advice to failed Gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds:

Kaine said the key to victory for Democrats in a highly competitive Virginia is recognizing that party members need not be “apologetic” about their affiliation to find success. He noted that about 200,000 more people voted in the Democratic primary for president on a frigid February day in 2008 than cast ballots for Deeds this year, and said McDonnell successfully spooked Deeds by suggesting that Virginians had grown anxious about the Democratic agenda.

“I think the issue of being nervous about the Virginia electorate was overdone and I think Creigh did exactly what the McDonnell campaign hoped he would do, which was distance himself from the president and national issues,” Kaine said.

[Emphasis mine]

The absolute worst thing Democrats can do in 2010 is to abandon their core values.

Democrats lost in 2002 and 2004 because they ran away from their beliefs and tried to act like Republicans. Democrats won in 2006 and 2008 because they embraced  and ran on progressive ideals.

I live in VA and I can tell you that Deeds ran an abysmal campaign–it was something you would expect a Democrat circa 2002 to have run. He ran away from his party, away from progressivism and away from his President; Deeds ran a soft, weak campaign steeped in ideological capitulation.

Embracing your base vs. running away from them makes the difference between winning and losing.

Democrats can’t allow themselves to be cowed by the right. Why do you think conservatives are always concern trolling about Democrats being too liberal? It’s because they want to scare Democrats away from progressivism, because weak Democrats create Republican majorities.

Want proof? Just ask Governor-elect Bob McDonnell. I bet he could tell you all about it.

Comments Off


Move To The Right, Suffer At The Polls (UPDATED)
November 17, 2009, 3:07 PM
Filed under: 2010 Election, Conservatives, Government, Governors, Health Care, House, Polls, Progressives | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

That’s what we’re learning from Delaware’s 2010 GOP Senate candidate, Mike Castle:

This is one of the more surprising polls I’ve seen recently: Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, son of the vice president, is leading Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.) in a hypothetical 2010 U.S. Senate matchup. The Susquehanna Polling & Research survey has Biden beating Castle by five points. When they polled this race in April, Castle led by 21 points. (This poll was conducted from November 10 to November 15.)

What’s responsible for the Biden surge? He’s grabbed the lead in vote-rich New Castle County, built up a 41-point lead among Democratic voters, and moved to only 5 points behind Castle among independents. According to the pollster, the shift “may be a result of negative publicity [Castle] received in the state after casting a ‘no’ vote for President Obama’s health care reform bill in the U.S. Congress.” Castle, who has thrived as a moderate Republican in an increasingly Democratic state, has been casting more partisan votes–against the stimulus package, for the Stupak amendment–that have been well-reported in Delaware.

[Emphasis mine]

Delaware is a blue state and the home of Vice President Biden, whose former Senate seat Castle is running for.

I know the GOP is all about ideological purity uber alles, but they’re going to remain firmly in the minority unless they can tolerate candidates who sometimes violate the Republican Party orthodoxy.

Then again, if the GOP didn’t learn the lessons of 2006 and 2008–and surrounds themselves with the fantasy of a Republican takeover in 2010–then perhaps they deserve to remain in the minority.

UPDATE: In light of this, I wonder if GOP Rep. Mark Kirk–who is running for President Obama’s former Senate seat in Illinois–is finally going to give up on trying to get Sarah Palin’s blessing. Or is he going to keep alienating most Illinois voters in order to kiss her ring?

Comments Off


President Obama’s Bow & Right-Wing Fauxtrage (UPDATED)
November 16, 2009, 5:16 PM
Filed under: Conservatives, IOKIYAR, International, Progressives, Right-Wing Noise Machine | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again–conservatives really are just looking for any excuse to attack President Obama. Sometimes, the extent to which they’re willing to deny reality is simply stunning.

As part of his ongoing trip to Asia, President Obama met with Japan’s Emperor Akihito. When greeting Akihito, as a gesture of politeness, Obama gave him a bow and a handshake.

Cue the right-wingers, screaming that the President’s polite greeting of a foreign leader was a gesture of weakness (or something like that). Conservatives, puffing out their chests and wrapping their flags more tightly about their shoulders, defiantly declared that “Americans do not bow” and attacked the President’s “subservient” pose.

Here’s a reality check:

(more…)

Comments Off


And Justice For All: 9/11 Suspects To Be Put On Trial, Pt. II
November 16, 2009, 3:24 PM
Filed under: Conservatives, Government, International, Progressives, Right-Wing Noise Machine, Rights, Terrorism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

One of the more idiotic talking points I’ve heard on the Obama administration’s decision to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and several other 9/11 suspects in criminal court is that, by doing so, the administration is somehow granting those individuals rights they otherwise wouldn’t be entitled to.

But it doesn’t take a constitutional scholar to know that constitutional rights are not always reserved only for American citizens.

(more…)

Comments Off


And Justice For All: 9/11 Suspects To Be Put On Trial
November 15, 2009, 7:11 PM
Filed under: Conservatives, Government, International, Progressives, Right-Wing Noise Machine, Rights, Terrorism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Late last week, the Obama administration announced that they were going to put 9/11 plotter Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, along with  several other 9/11 suspects, on trial in New York City.

As they are prone to do whenever the Obama administration does anything, conservatives worked themselves up into a frenzy and began spitting out ridiculous talking points left and right.

(more…)

2 Comments


Does Stupak Have The Votes? (UPDATED)
November 13, 2009, 4:40 PM
Filed under: Conservatives, Government, Health Care, House, Progressives, Rights | Tags: , , , , , ,

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) got the House of Representatives to pass one of the most anti-choice measures in recent history by claiming that he had enough votes to derail health care reform.

Now, Stupak is threatening that there will be “hell to pay” if Congressional leaders remove or significantly alter his amendment in conference, when the House and Senate versions of health care reform will have to be merged and reconciled.

The question is, does Stupak actually have the votes to kill health care reform?

(more…)

3 Comments


RNC: Abortions For Me But Not For Thee (UPDATED)
November 13, 2009, 10:20 AM
Filed under: Conservatives, Health Care, House, IOKIYAR, Scandal | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Surprise surprise, more Republican hypocrisy:

Federal Election Commission Records show the RNC purchases its insurance from Cigna. Two sales agents for the company said that the RNC’s policy covers elective abortion.

Informed of the coverage, RNC spokeswoman Gail Gitcho told POLITICO that the policy pre-dates the tenure of current RNC Chairman Michael Steele.

“The current policy has been in effect since 1991, and we are taking steps to address the issue,” Gitcho said.

[...]

According to several Cigna employees, the insurer offers its customers the opportunity to opt out of abortion coverage — and the RNC did not choose to opt out.

[Emphasis mine]

There is no way this is just an oversight–the RNC’s health plan has been unchanged for 18 years, and at any point during that time they simply could have opted-out of abortion coverage.

(more…)

1 Comment


This Is What A Commander-In-Chief Looks Like
November 12, 2009, 9:39 PM
Filed under: Conservatives, Government, International, Progressives, Right-Wing Noise Machine | Tags: , , , , , ,

The news today is that President Obama rejected all of the Afghanistan War strategies offered to him by his national security advisers, instead insisting that any plan have an endgame and an exit strategy:

President Barack Obama does not plan to accept any of the Afghanistan war options presented by his national security team, pushing instead for revisions to clarify how and when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government, a senior administration official said Wednesday.

[...]

Administration officials said Wednesday that Obama wants to make it clear that the U.S. commitment in Afghanistan is not open-ended. The war is now in its ninth year and is claiming U.S. lives at a record pace as military leaders say the Taliban has the upper hand in many parts of the country.

[...]

Obama’s top military advisers have said they are comfortable with the pace of the process, and senior military officials have pointed out that the president still has time since no additional forces could begin flowing into Afghanistan until early next year.

Now that’s what a commander-in-chief really looks like–he’s consulting his advisers, soliciting a wide range of opinions and options, taking the time to learn the details of the current situation and insisting on a strategy on how to win the war and bring our troops home. President Obama is ensuring that, if more American soldiers have to be sent into harm’s way, they will have goals, strategies to achieve those goals and a firm endpoint to their commitment.

(more…)

Comments Off


About Time: DADT To Be Repealed In 2010
November 12, 2009, 2:48 PM
Filed under: Government, House, Progressives, Rights | Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) intends to repeal the federal ban on gays serving openly in the military as part of the next defense authorization bill, which should come before Congress in the spring/summer of 2010:

Repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell” will likely be included as part of next year’s Department of Defense authorization bill in both chambers of Congress, Congressman Barney Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat, said Wednesday.

“Military issues are always done as part of the overall authorization bill,” Frank said, insisting that this has been the strategy for overturning the policy all along. “’Don’t ask, don’t tell’ was always going to be part of the military authorization.”

Frank said he has been in direct communication with the White House, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office, and other congressional leaders about the strategy for ending the 1993 ban on gays serving openly in the military.

[...]

The Defense Department reauthorization bill would be voted on next spring and summer and would take effect October 1, 2010, according to Frank. But he added that discharges could potentially be stopped by executive order before the law goes into effect.

[Emphasis mine]

(more…)

Comments Off


Blackwater Accused Of Covering Up Murder Using Taxpayer Dollars (UPDATED)
November 11, 2009, 2:19 PM
Filed under: Conservatives, Corruption, Government, International, Iraq, Scandal | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Infamous military contractor Blackwater Worldwide (also known as Blackwater USA and now Xe) has previously been accused of corruption, murder and illegal arms smuggling.

Well, now you can add bribery to that list:

Top executives at Blackwater Worldwide authorized secret payments of about $1 million to Iraqi officials that were intended to silence their criticism and buy their support after a September 2007 episode in which Blackwater security guards fatally shot 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad, according to former company officials.

(more…)

Comments Off


FL-SEN: The GOP Civil War Rages On
November 10, 2009, 6:14 PM
Filed under: 2009 Election, 2010 Election, Conservatives, Government, Governors, House, Progressives, Senate | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Undaunted by their epic failure in NY-23, conservatives are looking to scozzafava Florida’s 2010 Senate election.

Incumbent Republican Senator Mel Martinez is retiring that year, leaving his seat open. The Democratic candidate will be (in all likelihood) Congressman Kendrick Meek; the GOP primary will be between Governor Charlie Crist and FL House Speaker Marco Rubio.

Even though Gov. Crist is a pretty strong favorite to win both the GOP primary and the general election, the right has decided that  they will do everything they can to keep him from winning the Republican nomination.

(more…)

Comments Off


Honoring The Fallen Of Ft. Hood
November 10, 2009, 3:39 PM
Filed under: Breaking, Government, Terrorism | Tags: , , ,

flag

Chief Warrant Officer Michael Grant Cahill (Ret.), 62, Cameron, TX.

Maj. Libardo Eduardo Caraveo, 52, Woodbridge, VA.

Army Staff Sgt. Justin DeCrow, 32, Plymouth, IN.

Capt. John Gaffaney, 56, San Diego, CA.

Spc. Frederick Greene, 29, Mountain City, TN.

Spc. Jason Dean Hunt, 22, Tipton, OK.

Sgt. Amy Krueger, 29, Kiel, WI.

Pfc. Aaron Thomas Nemelka, 19, West Jordan, UT.

Pfc. Michael Pearson, 22, Bolingbrook, IL.

Capt. Russell Seager, 51, Racine, WI.

Pvt. Francheska Velez, 21, Chicago, IL.

Lt. Col. Juanita L. Warman, 55, Havre De Grace, MD.

Spc. Kham Xiong, 23, St. Paul, MN.

You can read the President’s remarks below the fold.

(more…)

Comments Off


More On The Stupak Amendment
November 9, 2009, 2:05 PM
Filed under: Conservatives, Government, Health Care, House, Progressives, Rights | Tags: , , , , , , ,

Over the weekend, I described the consequences of the Stupak amendment as such:

If the Stupak amendment passes, uninsured women who get health care through the public option will have to pay out-of-pocket to get an abortion. And even if a woman uses her own money to buy an insurance plan from a private company through the exchange, she won’t be able to get a plan that covers abortion.

There’s some dispute, though, as to whether or not that’s accurate. The Wonk Room portrayed the consequences of the Stupak amendment as:

In addition to prohibiting direct government funding for abortion, it also prohibits public money from being spent on any plan that covers abortion even if paid for entirely with private premiums. Therefore, no plan that covers abortion services can operate in the Exchange unless its subscribers can afford to pay 100% of their premiums with no assistance from government “affordability credits.”

In other words, there’s a possibility that insurers will still be able to offer health insurance plans that cover abortion through the exchanges. But, for any woman to purchase one of those plans, she would have to pay for it entirely out-of-pocket.

(more…)

Comments Off


Health Care Reform And The Constitution (UPDATED)
November 8, 2009, 10:01 PM
Filed under: Conservatives, Government, Health Care, Right-Wing Noise Machine | Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I think one of the more creative (though still invalid) right-wing argument against health care reform is that it would be unconstitutional. Which part of the constitution, they ask, allows Congress to establish something like the public option?

Article I, Section VIII. The opening part, to be exact:

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States…

(more…)

Comments Off

previous »
Next Page »