The Health Care Summit

the Republicans have been absolutely recalcitrant in this process, but the Dems are no bargain, either
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No public option, no discussion of single-payer. It’s not like rank and file Dems are getting their dream bill and sticking it to the right, here.
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You’re right, of course, that the GOP has put all its chips on obstructionism, and doesn’t care that this bill is what the GOP favored a few years ago, and won’t vote for anything no matter what. As Time reported…
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So, right there in the Cabinet Room, the President put a proposal on the table, according to two people who were present. Obama said he was willing to curb malpractice awards, a move long sought by the Republicans and certain to bring strong opposition from the trial lawyers who fund the Democratic Party.

What, he wanted to know, did the Republicans have to offer in return? Nothing, it turned out. Republicans were unprepared to make any concessions, if they had any to make.

Not bad, Joe. I think you prettty well nailed it.

And in other news the sky is blue, grass is green and water is wet.

Elvis,
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IMHO, the Dems sat down with themselves early in the process and negotiated away their “dream bill” – before the R’s even entered the room.
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After they entered the room, they negotiated away more and got nada in return.

If you were listening to NPR this morning, you would have heard a lot of laughing and yucking it up because it was so long and boring. And really, he called them by first names and they had to call him Mr. President…

Adam Sorensen noted above – It was seven hours and 60,000 words. (But who’s counting?) More of the same.

I think you managed to find the truth of it. I listened to almost all of it – had to miss some because of a work issue, but I thought it should be taken seriously. Obama kept saying ok, but what can we agree on. Oh, here is this point that you want – that seems not to far from our point, can we work this out?

I think it should have been smaller with fewer attendees, so everyone could have their little moment to preen and then might, might be forced to actually discuss the merits.

It did show that the Republicans weren’t serious. As you said, they simply do not want any sort of bill to pass.

It was a clear demonstration of the difference between Democrats and Republicans. Republicans really aren’t troubled by the uninsured or people excluded because of pre-existing conditions or outrageous prices for insurance.

Republicans think it is just fine to pay for junk health insurance that doesn’t actually cover anything. They are more worried about Government requiring a minimum base line of necessary insurance requirements.

It is a difference most of us already knew. Democrats actually care about how the screwed up health care system hurts people and Republicans really don’t.

Republicans are the party of social darwinism.

The irony that they also consider themselves “real Christians” at the same time is quite bizarre since so much of their political philosophy seems directly contrary to what Jesus preached. Oh well, we know logic and consistency isn’t their strong point.

Republicans are the party of social darwinism.
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More like “financial darwinism” – the “social” part is just an added “feature”…

…the Dems are no bargain, either.

We already have a Republican bill in front of us. What more concession from the Dems do people expect?

http://hotair.com/archives/2010/02/26/obamateurism-of-the-day-218/
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jeez, i cant believe why everyone thinks this guy’s so smart . . . .

who would put collision on a crappy car?

If it is the duty of our elected officials to represent the will of the people, is it not the Republicans who are doing a better job of that?

WHAT??
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The American people want our elected officials to accomplish nothing and have no ideas worth bringing up?

SHHHH1 That is one point the left really doesn’t want out.

The idea that the Republicans are determined to say no to any health reform proposition, at this point, is so obviously based in fact, they may have to set aside a new empirical discipline, just to study it. That fact, ought to make the decision making process much easier for Democrats, since bipartisanship is not really an option.

If you keep searching for the bipartisanship pony, after months and months of coming up empty, people might start thinking there is something wrong with you, if you continue done the same dead end path.

The Democrats only choice, and history is already witness to it, is to go it alone.

Oh, wait, Bunning did have a position.
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In response to a request for him to remove the “hold” to a move to extend employment benefits, he said, “Tough sh!t.”
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Never knew the “will of the prople” was to “go screw themselves”…

I didn’t know the will of the people was ‘dick around on this for another year at minimum or go screw off Mr. Obama’
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No, it’s disingenuous at best and completely untrue at worst to claim that. Any middle school student could see that.

The American people are not opposed to health care reform. But they are adamantly opposed to this bill, just like the Republicans.

Bipartisan negotiations are now negotiations between the various factions and wings of the Democratic Party (and the two Independents in the Senate). Moderate/Conservative Democrats & standard/liberal Democrats.

I wasn’t quite sure what to call the Dems in the middle of the Democratic Party.

kristiia,
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I’ve got a couple of choice names I’d like to call them…
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Stu would call them “3rd Way Democrats” or “Corpocrats”.

If you have basic cable like me sans CSPAN 3, and did not watch it on the internet, you might not have even known that there were any Democrats at the meeting not named Obama. Until cutting away during Marsha Blackburn’s speech about 5 hours in, CNN only cut away for “analysis” during the Democrats speaking sections.

Lots of that “analysis” consisted of people like Ben Stein telling us how “condescending” Democrats are, John King telling us how “polarizing” Democrats are, and Maria Borger telling us that Republicans are “folksy” and Dems are “partisan.

If you got sick of that, you could go over to MSNBC and listen to the opinion of Armstrong Williams, whose claim to fame is he took bribes from the Bush Dept. of Education.

Lieberdems.

When I consider that Obama has made a major shift in his approach to the GOP, and that he pretty much publicly told McCain to STFU, I’ve found a glimmer of encouragement
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“If you got sick of that, you could go over to MSNBC and listen to the opinion of Armstrong Williams, whose claim to fame is he took bribes from the Bush Dept. of Education.”
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Except for his other (and Steele’s) mutual claim to fame:
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They are the towels that dittoheads use to salve their (and their Prophet’s) souls against perceived bigotry…
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Ahhhh. The smell of reconciliation in the morning…

oboe14 – You do not speak for the American people. Although this bill does not do enough to address the growing cost of health care, it is a start and it can be amended.

the Dems sat down with themselves early in the process and negotiated away their “dream bill”

No, they negotiated away a bill that would have gone a long way to solving the health care crisis, and some of them got their “dream bill”.

Well, it had one significant effect. More than one teevee program put together – and repeatedly ran – a clip of the Repubs repeating “start over,” “clean sheet of paper” and “step by step” to the point of ridicule. If this was political theater the GOP participants were effectively typecast as obstructionist slugs.

“, you might not have even known that there were any Democrats at the meeting not named Obama.”
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Yeah, I was thinking the same thing as I read Joe’s post. Obama had a tough job yesterday trying to keep everyone focused, trying to get each side to accidentally agree on some small part of each others’ ideas, and knock down the misinformation. As an added bonus he also had to deal with McCain’s tantrum about the election.
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I think the only thing that yesterday accomplished is that each side’s views on HCR were made clear to the public. The Dems want to provide as many people as possible with a higher quality minimum standard of insurance at a lower price than is currently available to us and they believe that it’s a moral obligation to do so. The Republicans would be willing to try to promote those things IF it costs very little and the government’s involvement in the health care industry is reduced as a result. They feel these goals are admirable but they feel no urgency to accomplish them.
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Given that the Republicans want to start from square one despite the fact that the plan has plenty of their ideas and parts of it were altered to satisfy their desires, one can only come to the conclusion that they are not interested in this reform or they just don’t want to give Obama and the Dems a win OR both. It’s silly to keep acknowledging them as though they’re a part of this process. Pass the parts you can in the full Senate and use reconciliation for the rest.
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As an aside, I have to say that McCain came of really badly in that first exchange with Obama. He has nothing but contempt for Obama and barely makes an effort to hide it. If he can complain that Obama is still blaming Bush a year later, can we complain that he’s still bitching about the election he lost a year later?

Is that why 68% of Americans believe that the GOP is most responsible for the gridlock?
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Who woulda thunk…

“But the obvious truth here is that the Republicans do not want any sort of health care bill to pass at all because they do not want to hand President Obama a victory.”

Always liked you, Joe. You have that Beltway ability to get to the heart of a story – about, oh, 14 months after the average American citizen.

What’s next? Your international expose on Avigdor Lieberman’s “top secret” loyalty oath proposal?

Or your late-breaking exclusive on how Papa Norm and Mama Midge handed they keys and space bars at Commentary to their way, way, way offspring, John P. Normanson?

I await your next hot news story with baited (garlic) breath.

pafro,

Actually, that’s Avigdor Lieberdems.

You won’t find ‘em in The New York Times, Washington Post, TIME, or Newsweek.

Instead, check out Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post, and/or The Forward.

The guardians of our public discourse are often bored by policy details. I mean, this wasn’t about some critical issue facing the nation such as John Edwards’ mistress.

But if the Republicans are determined to obstruct everything all the time, why would the Democrats offer more compromises? The existing bills are the compromise bills. The Republicans already oppose most of the Republican ideas on health care reform, most of which are already in the bills.

Seriously, “bipartisan” does not mean “Republicans tack perpetually to the right and Democrats try to keep up.”

Ownership of Legislation: make our congressmen own the health care bills

I have been following the debate on the health care overhaul and I am confident that there would be a good strategy to pass all legislation and to make the government more effective.

Why have many congressmen resisted to the health care overhaul bill?

Majority of them do not own the bill. The president and few people drafted it and forced others to accept it. On Thursday, the president also resisted to other people ideas that he does not own. I think human by nature as they like to have some kind of ownership.

Lack of performance evaluation is also a big problem for making the government cost-effective. It does not matter much if elective officials do or do not work effectively as they rely on their money and party to win election.

What does it mean ownership?

Make people own what they work for and ownership has been an effective management tool in many business organizations. For example, if all senators and house representatives are to own the health care bill, they will take their responsibility to pass it for American people. Otherwise, those who voted for her or him would vote them out in the next election. Why don’t we do politics in that fashion?

How can they own the bill and pass it?

Let our congress men and women draft their own terms based on the ideas of the people whom they represent and then they seek support from their colleagues. If any single legislature gets 60 votes of approval from the senate and 217 from the house, put it to the bill. By doing so, the president as the CEO empowers his team and builds a stronger teamwork environment.

Moreover, making ownership will erase the party line as they have to compete for good ideas to prove to the people whom voted for them that they are working for them.

Ownership is also a barometer to evaluate individual performance. In the current system, people cannot weigh who is or is not working effectively.

Finally, ownership which is the norm in many other organizations will eliminate government bureaucracy and give American people the power to evaluate their elected officials not the money.

I do not think Republicans try to obstruct the bill. Evident, they support the jobs bill.

I think it would be a good ideas to start it over point by point. Any points with 60 and 217 votes will go to the comprehensive bill.

Give all congressmen and women to prove that they are effective in term of owning the bill.

It’s like Charlie Brown looking at Lucy with the football and thinking, “Maybe this time I can actually kick it.”

The notion that this monstrous bill is “bad” and can be fixed later is naive at best. They will pile one nightmare on top of the other.

Like it or not the only sensible approach is to “fix” one piece at a time. Demos aren’t interested in that they are interesting in having a victory.

Stuck?

Oboe: Being a representative means more than doing the will of the people. Sometimes you have to make a morally correct but unpopular stance.
Civil Rights Act
A number of Senators voted for the Civil Rights Act knowing, as Lyndon Johnson said, it would lose the south to the Democrats for generations.
If the will of the people was to not allow oboe14 any health care, would that be ok?

Root cause analysis
Although I have been following the health care bill, I haven’t known why we have to overhaul the system. This would be the case in many other people’s minds as the current bill is vague and ambiguous.

In order to make it clear and to get more support from American public, the president or his budget office should come up with a spreadsheet to detail the cost structure of the existing health care system. From there, we can find out where is the cause of skyrocketing premium? Which needs to reform? And so on for the future. Outline these and put it online for the people to contribute.

Example of Switzerland: The study cited the following annual costs: $200 billion for obesity, $191 billion for smoking, $210 billion for administrative (billings) actions that do not contribute to any health outcome, $91 billion for medical errors, $210 billion for “over” testing. (Fee income for doctors, avoidance of lawsuits — tort reform needed?) The top two preventable costs are lifestyle choices costing us nearly $400 billion a year! $210 billion for administrative costs explains why we should not take the single payer option off of the table (or at least regional payer systems as structured in Canada). See here: http://www.boomnc.com/archive/2009_09/articles_greg_200909.html

Where do we should do? How can we do it? The bill would be absolutely transparent. A point by point comparison between the current health care system and the proposed reform with estimation of cost effective savings will guide the public to make their mind. Rally around the bill; Vote out those who against the bill; and much more.

Please think about this! I am sure it will change the way Washing ton works now.

oboe14,

You say the American people are opposed to the bill. However, when questioned about the individual components of the bill, the vast majority is supported by the American public. There are two things which people are opposed to, one of them is legitimate, the other is specious. People are opposed to the sweetheart deal a number of senators got for their home state. This makes sense. However, people are opposed to spectulations the Repubicans have made about the bill. The Republicans are guessing about what would happen if the bill passed and when they polled the general public and these, of course, the American people were opposed. The problem is the Republican polling presented these positions as fact, when they are really spectulative. They are guessing bad things will happen, and the American people are opposed to bad things. Surprise! Surprise! What the Republicans are being successful is at being loud and getting their misinformation into the main stream media.

Tomorrow, Joe Klein will declare that the defeat of Obama’s Al Qaeda Civil Rights Act by the pro-America community (aka Republicans) is, in fact, a victory for Obama! http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2010/02/025690.php

I guess Klein saw a different healthcare summit than I did, I saw the Republicans call Obama out on his lies and deception. Fake numbers. Double counting dollars etc. Congressman Ryan exposed the entire fraud and no Democrat could defend.

Like the blind men trying to determine what animal the elephant might be, Klein concludes that Obama was unflappable and really schooled the GOP.

From the parts of the elephant I touched, I saw a frustrated, angry president out of touch with the facts, and whining and threatening at the end that he would do what he wanted anyway and “that’s what elections are for”– to repeat his tasteless and uncivil reminder to “John” (“Senator McCain” to the rest of us, “Barrack”) — that the campaign is over and he won.

More importantly than this drivel about Obama schooling the recalcitrant obstructionists, this poor strategy of holding a bipartisan summit gave the Republicans a first-time opportunity to show the voters that they cared about health care, understood the issues in detail, and had solid, established, and prudent plans that have been around, though ignored by the Democrats, for quite some time.

“Joe”, if I may, you will have to do a lot better than reciting how wonderful, intelligent, dominant, perhaps lordly, Obama was, if you are to have any hope of changing even one of the less-gifted-than-yourself and rather Plebian middle-class know-nothing voters you have been trying so hard to show the light.

While I do not think Obama’s sole objective was to make the Republicans look like the obstructionjst-party-of-no so that the fretful moderate Democratic congressmen could go home, talk to their constituents and read the polls which would all say how masterful the President was, come back, and vote for reconciliation… No. I think there should be more to the chess game than that, since, in fact, those conversations back home are more likely to reflect all recent polls and further distance the President’s plan from voter sympathies.

Honestly, though, perhaps that’s all he’s got. In that case I agree with the President that the voters, in this case those moderate house members that currently prevent Blinky from having the votes for reconciliation, will in fact determine the results. That’s what we have elections for. None of these are likely to sign up for Kamikaze duty for the big government health plan.

I am looking forward to your articles following up post the reconciliation vote, assuming the Democratic leadership have the nerve to receive the public humiliation of another loss.

G

Although I have been following the health care bill, I haven’t known why we have to overhaul the system.

tngus,

Money and Macroeconomics.

Health insurance rates continue to skyrocket around the country.

The United States last year spent $2.5 trillion – 17 percent of its gross domestic product – on health care. Both the total dollar amount and GDP percentage were records. Those numbers will only continue to rise.

If health costs continue to increase at their current rate, the U.S. is projected to spend:

$3.02 trillion – 17.3 percent of the GDP – in 2013;

$3.68 trillion – 18.1 percent of the GDP – in 2016;

$4.203 trillion – 18.9 percent of the GDP – in 2018; and,

$4.482 trillion – 19.3 percent of the GDP – in 2019.

That’s the math.

Attribute the increases to demographics as the Baby Boomers reach retirement age, to the publicly traded firms that face endless calls to increase stock values, and, well, to a fair amount of greed on the part of some of the providers and even some of the patients in the system. (Greed is a great word to get people all upset….chuckle)

Hey, that’s capitalism. Not perfect. Never was. Caveat emptor. Wouldn’t want it any other way.

So the answer, right now at least, is to make health insurance mandatory. Increase the pool of recipients to include the young and health who normally do not buy such insurance. Subsidize, based on income, their health insurance costs. For example, we currently have some of our fellow U.S. citizens grossing $30,000 a year – about $22,000 to $24,000 net depending on the state – and paying $1,000 a month or $12,000 a year for health insurance. That’s not a feasible economic means by which to live, allocating 50 percent of one’s pay for health care and the remaining 50 percent for a roof, food, heat and hot water, telephone, etc.

The proposed package would give health insurance and drug companies a fresh flood of revenue. The doctors would get a new crop of healthy patients. The emergency rooms, theoretically, could return to being used for, well, medical emergencies and not routine care. The patients would get medical care – primarily through routine visits to their general practitioner – and greater prevention services.

I’ve simplified things a great deal. Not to the level of Betsy McCaughey Ross or John Boehner. I try to deal in facts and avoid the Goldilocks View of Medical Care and Legislation.

Make no mistake: this proposal will not solve the entire problem. The actual costs of health care will need to be addressed in the future. We will need to ask ourselves questions like:

How much of an annual salary should be devoted to health care and insurance costs? Five percent? Eight? 10? 12?

Should these costs be on a sliding scale much like the income tax? The wealthy, Rush Limbaugh and Tiger Woods, Oprah Winfrey and Ann Coulter, would pay more. The 98 percent of us who do NOT make $250,000 a year or more would pay less, based upon gross or net income (and there is a BIG difference).

Will our nation’s caring for the Baby Boomers bring about medical breakthroughs in efficiency, treatment, and sustainability that can help bend this cost curve and still encourage individuals to pursue careers in medicine and businesses to develop new drugs and methods of delivery?

It’s not impossible. That’s not a word with much historical value in this country.

Hey, on 7 December 1941, we lost a good chunk of our Navy. Less than four years later, we had eliminated Hitler and crippled Japan. The Soviets got Sputnik in the air first, but we made it to the moon. Hell, Regis Philbin went from a clown who couldn’t play the Poconos offseason to a multimillionaire celebrity.

In America, anything is possible. We just have to scrap all the petty bickering and solve the damn problem. One small step at a time.

And we don’t even need Kathy Lee or Kelly.

If that’s what the PROGRESSIVES call unflappable I can see why they actually THINK they will be still in power after November.. must be the good drugs they do..

Unflappable as the mosquito that passes gas.

That deaf, dumb, blind kid sure plays a mean pinball…. Poor Joe – idol worship does not become you. You confuse unflappable, well-informed with narcissistic nescience. Hail Obama, the new pinball wizard

Unflappable? What the hell were you watching? And explain to me again how Republican Senators 40/60 and 178 representatives obstruct anything?

Hey Joe…..you need new glasses or better hearing aids or something. But no worries, your idiocy…and others’ is why I no longer subscribe to your stupid magazine. Poor Mr. Luce.

3 words:

WATERLOO!

Yup. That’s the same meeting I saw. Klein has a peculiar view of things — maybe the result of incorrect lens prescription? — which is one reason we stopped getting TIME mag several years ago.

If he thought Obama was unflappable, did he miss the spurts of arrogance, the many incidents of rudeness, and the seeming lack of knowing what was even in the bill? I’m calling it ignorance rather than lying, but I could be wrong!

Is there anything more embarrassing to watch than someone trying to act chummy (“No, John.” “I disagree, Carl”) when he should have called the senators by title in this kind of setting?

All in all, the Republicans came across as adults with facts, while Obama looked unprepared and uncomfortable being in a situation that he couldn’t entirely control — not that he didn’t make every effort to cut people off when their challenges were impossible for him to counter. And of course, the lack of teleprompters….

Who started the rumor that he was so bright? I see little evidence of it when someone else hasn’t written the script.

Wow! What a shock. Klein thinks Obama came out on top (even though he didn’t watch the summit) and was well informed and unflappable to boot.

The Obama lovers posting here are laughable. How can there be any kind of gridlock when the president’s party has total control of both chambers of Congress? Isn’t Obama the post-partisan guy? Isn’t he the yes we can and change you can believe in cool dude that uses a blackberry? What about changing the way things are done in D.C.? What happened to those heady days of the 2008 campaign?

Here’s the reality that all you left wing nuts don’t want to hear. Ready? Medicare and Medicaid are bankrupt. Both are government run and both are rampant with waste and fraud. Why add 30 million new people to medicaid when the program is dysfunctional and bloated and sinking America to debt ridden hell? Do you people care? I think not. All that matters is that government take care over everybody and to hell with who pays and to hell with the financial stability of the country.

klein, the nicest thing I can say about you is at least you are a sincere bigot. I look forward to reading your obituary as you serve no useful purpose on Earth. By the way, I hope your death is painful and humiliating.

Yeah, Porkulus came out well ahead alright! What a joke!! And true to form, Klein, the little lapdog, praises his master waiting for the dog biscuit to be thrown his way thanking him for the never ending goo fest! And true to form, the loopy libs are on here patting the little puppy on his head while gleefully asking one another how many bowls of fruit loops are they going to have.
Your bias is appalling! And, if the Dems had any balls they would have passed this heinous bill months ago! But since they don’t they blame others for the always failed character flaws! Well, guess what? Your shenanigans are over with! The country has awoken and your precious little gems in DC are going to be thrown out on their boorish bask sides come November! Then, it’s going to be hilarious reading your silly little comments that the mean ole GOP did it to us!!!
Liberalism is mental disorder

Amazing. President Obama did not give ANYTHING.

Klein say’s the R’s should agree to 2500 pages of health take over in exchange for a promise of tort reform is a fair deal?

Name the ten things he agreed to remove from the big government bill. OK, five, three, one?

Repub’s were also too nice. Each speaker should have said: Nice to see you Mr. President, we haven’t spoken on health care since our last meeting April 2009.

Second thing they should have asked is if this can be pushed through with 51 votes then all past legislation can be rescinded with 51 votes.

Some kind of Bi-Partisanship, political theatre to cover raming it through.

Wow! So this is where all the left wingers hang out. It is amazing how the liberals think. Basically you all look for government to fix all your problems, even in the face of a majority of Americans saying they don’t want the government taking over health you people don’t really care because you just want more and more government.
But what I don’t understand is how you think the government replacing health insurance companies is going to lower costs. Do you really think a government agency can run an entire industry more effeciently? Really!
How about letting people in New York buy policies in Iowa. Insurance costs in Iowa are 1/5 what they are in New York. And why do you liberals think health insurance is higher in New York? Come on libs, think hard now. You know it’s because New York has MORE government involvement in New York health insurance.

Read more: http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2010/02/26/the-health-care-summit/#ixzz0gh4Lehce

Wow. Just what summit were you watching Joe?

Seemed to me, a non-stop soliloquy from your Messiah, who petulantly, and repeatedly cut off opposing remarks, labeling them as talking points when, in fact, they were quite salient points which got at the crux of the (bad) bill.

Oh, and by the way, when did Time Magazine become Mother Jones?

There is a difference between being against health care reform and being against this bill. There are some basic ways to modify the system that should be put in place before attempting a complete overhaul. And these can be done in separate bills.
1) Portability of insurance from job to job.
2) Significant Tort Reform. Repeat – significant.
3) Crossing statelinet to buy your insurance.
4) No disqualifying based on pre-existing conditions, but pooling of high risk individuals.
5) Consider tax credits for the truly poor.

None of these would bankrupt the country.

I don’t know which is more boring and wasteful:

The summit as boringly led by nobama or any commentary by Joe Decline!

I gave up reading time years ago!

Joe
I love the fact that you embrace the fact that you are an insider hack and write in the language of the inside the beltway losers who are partly responsible for making a mess of this country. The people have been speaking for months and have displayed the most remarkable example of voters’ remorse in history, and yet somehow you have crafted this blog post with complete ignorance of what has been going on from coast to coast.

With cheerleaders like you it is no wonder that the mainstream media is dead. Guys like you have killed it. It is a great thing to see how in less than a year Time and other outdated media outlets are choking on it, and new media outlets like MSNBC get lower ratings than old Billy Mays’ info-mercials. What is even better is that Democrats have lost their grip and Obama has been revealed as a fraud.

Keep up the good work. Surely if you were on the Titanic you would have been waltzing to the music rather than looking for a lifeboat.

Had you actually WATCHED the event, you would not have written this nonsense.

On second thought, actually watching the event probably would not have changed your opinion, since you are obviously immune to the facts and indifferent to reality.

The GOP ate Obama’s lunch, and savored the Democrat’s dessert.

Can you say “Paul Ryan?”

I encourage you to follow your fantasy. I can’t wait until the November elections, when I’ll look forward to reading your spin on that wonderful event!

Use the Force, Luke. But in the meantime, I suggest you enter a 12-point program. You’re in denial (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

Warmest regards.

From Joe Klein’s own admission he missed watching the summit live. He drank the Blue Kool-Aid distributed by the OFA and throwing up its contents on these pages. How a (once reputable and readable) publication such as TIME can stomach such drivel spit out by Joe Klein and paying him for it, I cant understand. This was never intended to be about bi-partisanship Joe, just showboating for the cameras for 7+ hours. The Republicans did publish their plan, BHO and the rest of the Dem leadership could have read it and countered with some helpful suggestions and compromises. But no, its all about what the WH wants done, which poll after poll even ones published by Time indicated the public does not care about socialized healthcare. Even the Dem Reps and Sen are unsure about supporting this measure.
Well Joe keep drinking the Kool-Aid and puke out more on these pages. Your assessment is laughable at best! Shame on you!!

Shame on you indeed, Mr. Klein. I am not familiar with you but I assume, since you are associated with Time, a respected agency, that you are respected. When someone like you reports untruths, individuals that don’t bother to second source, may spread them. You are a dangerous man. You are undermining our republic. I would thank you to remain quiet in your ignorance.

What laser targeted analyis by Joe Klein. “Reading between the lines” of the echo chamber media doesnt count as getting informed first hand, Mr. Klein. But I’m sure you got your meme approved by Journo-List first, and mailed in the above fluff.
Time mag has a quality control issue. It’s propaganda is so weak these days.

I found the President very un-presidential and annoyed. If only the Congress would start over and trash the 2000 plus page piece of crap and begin anew, that is true bipartisanship. Why not begin with things we all can agree on (and there are some things) and then proceed step by step? Why does it have to be all or nothing? Healthcare is NOT the most pressing issue facing our country. The President is wasting any remaining political credibility he has left. If Congress passes this bill, we are doomed as a country in more ways than one.

Enough is enough, I must ask: you do enjoy these verbal blowjobs you give the President, don’t you? Come on Joe, you can admit it.

Blah blah blah WOW! blah blah blah WOW! STARS IN MY EYES! WOW! blah blah blah!

(my recap and translation of Kliens article)

Get a shiver up your leg everytime The President speaks? You and what’s his name with the show on MSNBSNORE that no one watches.

Time magazine you are on the wrong side of history again.

They have therapy for that….

More lame syncophancy does not effective reporting make….The President is floundering and so is the political process.

As a LIFE LONG Kennedy Democrat I am ashamed of my party AND as the son of a Republican I respected in life I am sickened…at both parties inabilty to function AT ALL. But that the press now is so ineffective is worrisome.

And now I can add another syncophantic article by Klein to that score….

Man up and do something.

NO ONE came to learn or compromise or do much of anything at the silly dog and pony show and that is obvious and partisan comments do not advance the process AT ALL.

Just another article celebrating nothing much.

Better to rule in hell than serve in heaven?

And LOTS of equally silly positive comments by those who are whistling past the graveyard…..

This may see the end of the two party system if this ineffective and foolish path is continued….syncophancy does not help someone realize they are ineffective…..

Tell the truth boys and girls or you will trash what is left of this sad and sorry two party system. Both parties are ineffective, bloated and foolish.

I wondered where all the libs go to express themselves.
Too bad you don’t read more. The majority of Americans want healthcare reform but they definitely don’t want THIS healthcare reform. And don’t tell me this isn’t true. How many more elections do you want to see and how many polls do you want to read to know this?
I love it that the Republicans are obstructing this bill. Somebody has to stop this trainwreck before we destroy our economy.
Folks, if you’ve ever run a business, you usually try to understand the problem and then fix it. That’s first. You don’t jettison the entire healthcare system which for tens of millions of Americans is just fine, for 50, no wait, 40, no wait again, no really, about 10 million people who actually need help. Help the 10 million people first, then address other key components of the healthcare reform where it’s truly needed.
Ultimately, I ask you this. If Social Security is basically bankrupt and so is Medicare and for that matter, the US Postal Service, oh and don’t forget Amtrak, why in God’s name would you think that letting the government get involved in running approximately 17% of our economy be a good thing.? You folks are smoking something.

Dear Sir- With all respect, this is plain and simple, a bad bill. I am An American first over a party ID. This bill lacks so much, and cost so very much. Why not start over and use ideas from both parties and the medical professions who are on the front line and forget party ID and do something good for Americans. Just to pass something for the sake of saving face, is so self centered and produces a government nightmare. Do you really want to be talking to a government regulator who does not care about you or your doctor. I always am amazed when I go to get my car tags or the post office to mail a package and see what my government at work provides. Lets settle down and think responsibly. Please!!! Look guys we all will be sick one day,REALLY, and you want the best care, not average care for your loved ones.

Hey Joe – They say love is blind, but come on….B.O. and the D’s were looking for a life-line for their sinking legislation and the R’s didn’t give them one….THANK GOD! This Prez is a disaster without a teleprompter.

By the way, the rest of your liberal buddies on MSNBC, CNN, etc…were bemoaning B.O. and the D’s lack-luster performance so get the skinny from them.

Bottom line: if this legislation were any good we’d already have Obamacare right now. It was the Dems (so called Blue Dogs) in the house and Senate that held this thing up. You had the 60, but even with that there bribes and special deals that were needed to get this debacle to a senate vote. Now we have this healthcare show so the D’s can throw their hands-up and say “we tried”….bend-over America, here comes reconciliation.

Klein, you’re such a moron. Maybe you say such incredibly stupid things because you hope to get a call from FOX (where there’s actually an audience), so you can be the opposing view… Nah…, no one would buy your crap. Obama was diminished and looked like some semi-slick college debate team captain. Not POTUS!!! Only a complete fool would walk away from watching the health debate and think Obama won the argument on any level. The Republicans were the only adults in the room. For God’s sake, the Libs all looked and sounded like aliens! Has there ever been a more embarrassing group of politicians??? Can’t wait to one day hear that Time is being downgraded to a ‘monthly’ worthless magazine. Hey, they could think of themselves being ‘greener’ saving all those trees! Klein… you and Bill Maher need to get together. Maybe you should date? After all, you’re the same size…small.

seriously dude. you need to stop worshiping the ground the Obama walks on. He was just a man during his campaign as well as in office. He is not going to solve all our problems. America as a country is going to.

My only question is if he was all about this bipartisanship good will, where was it when the dems had complete control of Congress? He is only pushing for this because he doesnt have a completely clear path to passing his bill.

Also, he has no right to be criticizing the republicans for political grand standing. He is as guilt of it as the rest of them. Personally, I think the Democrats and the Republicans has done a equally good job of screwing this country up. So I dont trust either of them cause all they really care about is power grabbing.

The bill is 2000 + pages. I guess if the Democrats built an automobile that was way too expensive for the American public, you would be upset and call the republicans the no party because the Dem’s were willing to put a GPS system in and the that was one of their ideas. Ok here we have trillion $ bill 2000 pages of it, oh yea vote for it and we will put your 3 page idea in there..lol Of course they did not bend, the bill is bad

well its quite obvious you are a liberal mr. klein.i saw it differently.your hero obama was testy and very arrogant.the republicans were actually proposing great ideas and all obama would do is cut them off.when they called him on something he would accuse them of talking points.but the dems could speak without interruption.of course im just an average american who actually loves liberty so what do i know.sadly mr klein you are very out of touch with the american people. the majority of the american people do not want this piece of garbage called a health bill.

Hey Joe–pass the pipe…

from reading all of the comments posted here, the majority of those posting seem to be drinking the blue KoolAid. so for those of you that lean to the left, it is plain and simple: the current bill, all 2000+ pages of it, contain little or no reform, has too much pork, and COSTS all of us over $1 Trillion. it would be better to scrap the current version of the senate bill and start over. it would be worth waiting and crafting a better bill from scratch if it contained these fundamental ideas: lower cost, (we all want insurance bills that cost less, not more), interstate competition (open up the health insurance market to all 50 states, not just the one you live in), transportability (being able to take your insurance from one job to another, one state to another), allowing pre-existing conditions (we should not be excluded if we have something wrong with us before hand), tort reform (limiting frivolous lawsuits and excessive payments), and finally, no pork (we should not have stuff in the bill that has nothing to do with health care or reform especially if it is in there to get votes). why do we need to hurry ? let’s make this count, and do it right, the first time. and btw, i am an independent !

Wow. Joe really saw what he wanted to see, didn’t he? By the way, the President was anything but unflappable, and he came across as condescending, arrogant, irritated, and yes, a nose-picker.

As he said, “That’s what elections are for,” and if this thing is shoved down the throat of America, those words will haunt him and the rest of the Democrats come November.

Let me hear you defend the parts that payoff Dem’s for their vote, Louisiana, Nebraska, oh and the Unions got a special deal behind closed doors. To the tune of 60 Billion? defend that. And I am an Independent, and also criticize the republicans for a lot of things, but this is not one of them

The only thing more predictable than the outcome of this “summit” is your report on it. You didn’t watch or listen to it but you know that Obama came out ahead and that the Republicans had nothing interesting to say. You demostrate exactly why nobody reads Time anymore. They too know exactly what you and the rest of your colleagues are going to say before they even open the magazine.

Its obvious that you didn’t watch, because if you did you would of seen the Republicans offering up very good and solid ideas in a well spoken, respectful and knowledgable way. They ruffled your unflappable guy on many occasions. He looked very much the man child president that he is. He criticized everyone for using their talking points while it was he who stuck to the worn out party lines. He pretended to listen to the ‘right’, but in the end showed he had no interest, screw you, we’re going to force it down America’s throat asap. Tell me, what is the rush?

Shame on Time for allowing a reporter to write an article about an event he didn’t even attend or watch for himself. This is no better than gossip column fare. This is exactly why the mainstream media is dying and being replaced with the alternate media by the American people.

Yes, Joe, shame on you.

The MSM proves once again that the American Press is not worthy of its Constitutionally protected status.

The country is broke from runaway spending and entitlements. This whole argument to increase government and government spending is retarded. Keep spending and the dollar crisis comes and these authoritarian idiots start rewriting all the rules to make oligarchical collectivism a way of life. 1984 style. What a joke. There is no win here, there is only loss, and washington is pressing the gas to end America. We compete with India and China and runaway health care entitlements will end our ability to compete at all. All business will flow away. Americans, you might want a job and some health care than free garbage health care and employment checks.

Stunning blind worship! Klein must hang on every inane word that comes out of the Prez’ mouth.

7 hours of stonewalling for a bill that asks us for a decade’s worth of money we don’t have to pay for four years of government expansion we don’t want.

That is not unflappable; that is hubris.

It almost looks like you wrote this backwards,
When last I checked, and big in my state right now, the Republicans are standing shoulder to shoulder with Iran’s religious right.
- Marriage=one man and one woman
- One nation under one god
- Tribal Laws rule (states law)
- No chewing Kat, a naturally growing bush in that region…it makes people laugh and enjoy life
- No abortion
Yup…pretty much the same as the Republicans here.

Obama is condescending, truculent and insolent.

The healthcare bill is unconstitutional period ::

http://supreme.justia.com/us/268/5/case.html

U.S. Supreme Court
Linder v. United States, 268 U.S. 5 (1925)
Linder v. United States
No. 183
Submitted March 9, 1925
Decided April 13, 1925
268 U.S. 5

CERTIORARI TO THE CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
Syllabus

1. Any provision of an act of Congress ostensibly enacted under power granted by the Constitution, not naturally and reasonably adapted to the effective exercise of such power but solely to the achievement of something plainly within the power reserved to the states, is invalid and cannot be enforced. P. 268 U. S. 17.

2. Direct control of medical practice in the states is obviously beyond the power of Congress. P. 268 U. S. 18.

3. Incidental regulation of such practice by Congress through a taxing act, like the Narcotic Law, cannot extend to matters plainly inappropriate and unnecessary to reasonable enforcement of a revenue measure. P. 268 U. S. 18.

You must live in different world than the rest of us Klein.
There are no winners between the Dems and Reps, the American people win when these clowns listen to the People. Finally, the American people heard the Republican ideas that you lame stream media types refuse to objectively report on.

I was beginning to believe I watched the wrong summit yesterday, but then there were some comments showing up from people that saw the same thing I did. Barry got his nose rubbed in the dirt yesterday and by Joe’s account the time given was even. Well Joe you should have watched it for yourself because it wasn’t even close. Every time the Republicans started telling the truth he would cut them off and tell the to get back on his agenda. He didn’t want the Republicans to bring new ideas he just wanted them to cave in and agree to his bill. He and the liberals are a joke and we are going to have the last laugh in November. Between the republicans, independents and the tea party we are going to clean you liberal’s clock.

The first line of Klein’s piece (“Shame on me. I was elsewhere yesterday and missed the health care summit.”) says it all. Anyone familiar with his work (as I was, a former long-time subscriber to Time) can tell you that what will follow is an uninformed, sycophantic, boot-licking paean to all things Obama.

“Unflappable?” Only the foolish or the dishonest could have deemed Obama “unflappable” after his snippy (and often factually-challenged, not “well-informed”) exchanges with McCain and Alexander and others. And the look of heartburn on the Presidential visage after getting skewered by Paul Ryan was priceless. That lopsided exchange with a “clever” Republican clearly “got the President’s goat.” All in all, the Timekeeper-in-Chief looked decidedly un-Presidential and very much diminished.

What Klein–and the President’s handlers–misunderstand is that having the President talk at lot is not necessarily a good thing. The more America has to hear the condescending, lecturing, holier and smarter-than-thou tone of Obama, the less we like him. Only Jimmy Carter in recent memory has had a similar effect. Next time you should actually watch the events you comment on, Joe–that way, you wouldn’t need to “read between the lines” on Drudge. But then, that assumes you intend to do something other than carry water for the Administration.

Read more: http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2010/02/26/the-health-care-summit/#add-your-comment#ixzz0gh9VfWG0

Joe, here’s an old adage that seems to be your personal moniker.

Better to shut up and let people think your idiot than open your mouth and remove all doubt. Joe proves he is an idiot once more.

Am I the only one who thought it the essence of arrogance and condescension when the president said in that odious lecturing tone of his, “Look John, the election is over…” Someone should have said, ‘Yes Mr president, it is LONG over! Have you taken the pulse of the polls lately? A year makes a heckuva difference. I going to be bold and say that a fair percentage of people are beginning to think that this guy is an empty suit and he is bad news. Bad news because he is intransigent, does not listen, and if he is backed into a corner, will resort to ideology over values at every turn.

Someone needs to explain to me how being able to cross state lines will save significant money. The reason health insurance is so much more expensive in New York than Iowa, is that health care costs so much more in New York. From what I understand health insurance premiums are based on zip code of residence and the strength of the negotiated rates the insurance company has with the providers in the area. So,if you buy a policy from Iowa you will either get an insurance carrier that has no relationships with providers in New York and which would likely cost more than a New York based insurance company or a large national carrier that already has a rating structure in place that rates New York residents more expensively than Iowa residents.

Don’t get me wrong, I am 100% against this healthcare bill, but this talking point from the right continues to bother me.

Give me a break already! You admit you didn’t watch it. Then say you got your info from the NYT! Perhaps you would just swallow their KoolAid….but not me.
And don’t give me the standard liberal line that repubs only get their news from Fox! I listen to NPR and the MSM. I watched the infomercial Obama put on. All I saw was a clear attempt by Obama and friends to be arrogant and condesending toward any issue raised by a repub. I guess you and your band of merrymen in liberal land only listen to what you want to hear. AMERICANS…We The People…ARE FED UP WITH THIS SHAM THAT OBAMA, PELOSI AND REID ARE RHAMMING THROUGH!!! Polls are clear about this! It is unconstitutional, going back to rulings in 1925. So cry about repubs all you want….the USSC will overturn this and the dems will look like the criminals in the end game.

and yet, here you are reading this.
is that the norm for you.
Hold your breath and then peek between your fingers to see if anybody is watching…
oops.
Nobody.
Well, I might as well stop watching you, too.
Mr. Klein has some great stuff to read.
I seem to be spending too much time listening to grumblers and cynics.

How totally irresponsible can both you and your editor be. You should be ashamed of yourself reporting on something you didn’t even take the time to see.

Had you actually an ounce of journalistic integrity and done your research I could at least respect your opinion even if it might be contrary to mine. What you’ve proved with this is that you would rather jump on bullet points and the caravan of people that have like beliefs without actually considering that an opposing side might have viable ideas. You decided the outcome of this event even before it happened.

That’s right lets destroy the whole healthcare system to make sure we insure 30 million people. That makes sense. It is a total attempt to redistribute the wealth in this country and make us more like Canada and liberal Europe. Canada has 30 million people with 1 million waiting to see their primary MD and another 1 million waiting to see a specialist. That is the kind of healthcare I want. When someone with liver failure has a transplant in the US, they are much sicker than they are in England but our much sicker patient has a significantly high survival rate then your government run healthcare system. The American people have spoken, they do not want government run socialized dumbed down medicine. That is a fact.

Let me get this straight. You didn’t see it but you’re assuming based in an habitual reaction to someone who did. Are you a journalist or a true believer?

Yeah Joe, shame on you. You write about the summit but didn’t even watch it. Par for the course. After that brave disclosure you go on to write 500 words on something you didn’t bother to watch. Since you have no creditbilty anyway, I guess you didn’t lose anything.

LOL, You would think if someone was going to write an article on the summit they would at least have watched it. But then again, you would assume if he was not smart enough to keep that a secret, how smart is he anyway..But this is Time magazine. A comic book

Joe, just received this week’s edition of Time, all 12 pages, hopefully our last one. We have not paid our renewal for months but your superiors keep sending it anyway so I keep recycling. Just my way of pointing out your and Time’s utter irrelevance in our Brave New World. You and my all-time favorite MSNBC’s geniuses need to find a superior mouthpiece for your combined masterminds. (I note “The New Pravda” is looking for exciting fresh new talent!)

No, Joe didn’t see a different summit than you did–he admits right off the bat that he didn’t actually watch it, but of course he feels perfectly qualified to tell us all how it went and what it means. Like Obama and the Democrats, who claimed to have come ready to listen, but had already made plans for reconciliation and ended by threatening the Republicans that they could get on board or go fly a kite, Joe came with his own pre-determined opinion as to the outcome. No need to listen to the actual specifics of the summit. He’s content to let his left-wing buddies fill him in, and assume he knows how Obama did. Too bad the Republicans didn’t just take the day off–no one on the left was going to bother to listen or seriously consider any of their ideas and specifics–of which there were plenty.

SOOO SICK of all of you smarmy, snotty libs assuming you know what’s best for the citizens of this country, who after all are just a bunch of ingnorant, racist rubes. Funny, when I attend Tea Parties, I see quotes from the Constitution and our founding fathers, not racist bunk. What part of WE CANNOT AFFORD another major entitlement when the ones we have are broke, our country has $67 TRILLION of entitlemet liabilities stretching into the future, and that we will soon have to devote 100% of GDP just to pay the interest on our
national debt do you all not get??? This bill will not bring down the cost of health care, the Dems can’t pass it amongst themselves, it’s loaded with special interest deals, and it will gut Medicare just as the baby boomers enter retirement. And, small detail, every poll shows the American people DO NOT WANT IT. Duh. Start over and do it right!

When Joe Klein says that Obama came out on top in the health-care summit, we learn all we need to know about why nobody pays any attention any more to anything Joe Klein says. “Swampland” doesn’t just describe Joe’s blog–it describes his brain.

Joe:

“But the obvious truth here is that the Republicans do not want any sort of health care bill to pass at all because they do not want to hand President Obama a victory. Shame on them.”

Isn’t this precisely what the demoRATS did to W when he and the Republicans tried to revamp our Social Security system a few years back ?. Remember how cowardly the demoRATS behaved in successfully denying, as a cohesive group, any attempt to mess with THAT other system that needed, and still sorely needs an overhaul?.

Can’t believe you have the nerve to posit that this is all done to deny your president a “V”, when you were totally silent and complicit then in supporting precisely these kind of shenanigans by your fellow demoRATS.

Grow up will you ?….., or find some other line of work, you seemed tired already, and boring….

Some of you folks here are absolutely morons. Why the f**k do you think the most liberal state in the union voted for a Republican whose main campaign pledge was to vote against Obama’s health care plan. If you think the people of this country really want health care NOW, you should be the poster boy for why abortion should be legal!

What the hell was Joe smoking while watching obama’s performance???

All hail King Obama! Damn the will of the people!

This is hysterical, sort of like reading Pravda except Pravda has more “journalistic integrity” than our current day “SLIME” magazine, a liberal propaganda rag posing as journalism.

The description of the “summit” is exactly the opposite of what happened. The man-boy “president” got all “wee-wee-ed up” several times and acted like a petulant horse’s *ss or in this case a donkey’s keester.

Wow. The early comments on this article are so gushy, like Klein’s article, for Obama that I thought a time machine had taken us back to 2008. Either Klein himself was writing the comments, or indeed, there are still a few people out there who can’t allow reality to interrupt their fantasy lives.

Thank goodness, the grown-ups got home from work and are able to counteract the spin – with the truth.

…gee, I was wondering if I had gotten caught in some sort of liberal Hades or bizarre bed wetter parallel universe until I realized that this was the Time/CNN blog, home to the whining, liberal bed wetter.

Obama fritters his time away with a plan that the majority of Americans either don’t want at all or would like to see scrapped and the process started all over again. Is he politically tone deaf or what? Sure, some people like some parts, but to make some real progress, we could easily fix what we already have.

But after all is said and done, it’s the economy, stupid. We slide into oblivion and He does little to stop it. If we are all broke, no one can afford anything, including health care.

As a Republican I am not real happy with them either. McCain was sounding conservative, but it is after all an election year for him.

The entire Govt. is corrupt and it is likely that we cannot recover from the present economic malaise. So, let’s talk health care, while our economy disintegrates, the dollar devalues to zero and we are all scratching for nuts and berries in the woods.

Think it can’t happen? I don’t think we can stop it from happening….so let’s talk health care…and football, let’s talk football….and let’s debate Tiger Woods next move….might as well.

Did you ever get the feeling that we’re already dead, we just haven’t realized it yet?

I can’t believe this guy thought Obama “came out well ahead of the Republicans”. Of, course he didn’t watch it. Obama came across as an arrogant lost soul without a tele-prompter. He was obviously angry that he and the Dems were not prepared and the Republicans laid down sound responses. Guess that’s why he writes for Time//CNN. Obama is leading us into bankruptcy in the name of Socialism. Wake up Liberals!

NewsBusters — TIME’s Joe Klein: ‘Unflappable’ Obama Wins Day at Health Care Summit
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/ken-shepherd/2010/02/26/times-joe-klein-unflappable-obama-wins-day-health-care-summit
—
Hot Air: Luntz focus group says “start over” on health care
http://hotair.com/archives/2010/02/26/luntz-focus-group-says-start-over-on-health-care/

NewsBusters — Gergen On Healthcare Summit: GOP Had Its Best Day In Years
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/02/26/gergen-healthcare-summit-gop-had-its-best-day-years

Touché

I think Lincoln (founder of the “Party of No,”) said that.

Joe – you didn’t watch it and your conclusions are based on reading the tea leaves of third party sources – not what they said but certain implications you divine.

Frankly, all you prove is that you are an idiot not worth taking seriously and any publication that pays you or supports your work is vacuous.

I know that you are sure that you are brilliant and know everything. Bask in the glow of your smug self-centered arrogance. You are so stupid you cannot even see your foolishness.

Once you tell the average american that the employer contribution to their healthcare now counts as taxable income and they no longer get the tax break for their contribution. No one will support it.

What you saw a “unflappable” I saw as arrogant condescension. As far as the Republicans not caring about people I think they care a hell of a lot more about the next generation than the Dems do. The Prez’s plan does NOT insure everyone so apparently by some people’s standards they don’t “care” about people either. A massive realignment of the health care system as an “entitlement” SHOULD send shivers down the spine of any THINKING individual. There is not one person anywhere that can give a credible prediction of cost or where this will take us. What ANY person can truthfully predict is that any massive government program that gets started can not be stopped or substantially changed no matter how unsustainable it is. There are NO people denied care now, What we need are smaller changes with more emphasis on personal responsibility.

Its because of Time’s and particularly Klein’s blatant Obama worshiping that I finally gave up my subscription to Time.
It is not just that the GOP is playing obstructionist because they do not want Obama to get the credit but it is also the Democrats & Obama that do not want to include any of the Republican proposals because they do not want to share any of the credits with the republicans. But of course, Klein fail to see and report it. Just another rabid, biased Obama sycophant.

Joe Klein is no investigative reporter, The Health Care Summit was a boon doggal… Obama talks out of both sides of his face. The Democrates are in control in the house and senate. The Republicans are out numbered. The Democrates are there on problem. And Joe Klein, you look great wearing your wifes sun dresses, but you need to show a little more cleavage….Can I call you Joe………

Joe, you obviously didn’t watch the broadcast of the meeting. President Obama was rude, petulant, and arrogant. Whenever Republicans were talking he was talking to aides, looking away, or interrupting to try to steer the show back in his direction. He was extremely rude and condescending to John McCain and especially to Eric Cantor. When Cantor tried to read some of the passages from the Senate bill with which the Republicans have a problem, the President interrupted and finally declared that it was time to “go to lunch.”

The Republicans scored some points when they noted that as a country we just simply cannot afford the Dems’ huge and costly plan. The point I heard was that we haven’t tried tort reform, we haven’t tried allowing folks to purchase insurance across State lines; why not try those things, as they cost the Treasury and the taxpayers absolutely nothing. But the Dems are so tied into the trial lawyers that tort reform is out of the question.

This was nothing more than just a show. So what was the real purpose of it? So that people like you would write that “the Dems tried, but couldn’t get the ‘obstructionist’ Republicans to deal. Therefore, regrettably the Dems must resort to reconciliation. Alas, they don’t want to, but the Republicans have left them no choice.”

That’s what we’re going to hear now, right Joe?

What I would like for you and every other “Progressive-Socialist” to answer is; what gives the government the right to confiscate what I have worked very hard for and use it to pay for someone else’s health care? Where does the Constitution give the government the right to steal from me and give to someone else? If you’re going to cite the “general welfare” clause, then I would ask you what is the limit then? But I guess we just have to trust them, right Joe? About like we’ve trusted them to be good stewards of the public treasury?

Klein everyone knows you are Obamas favorite butt boy. I am surprised you can even type when you are constantly bent over with your hands grasping your ankles.

Good analogy! Sort of like if the Dims designed an Eniac computer, and the GOP said it was wasteful and inefficient.

Sometimes “no” IS the better option.

The demoncrats and the man child obama showed their true colors…. they car enothing about bipartisanship…. please i hope you dems do rahm health care down the throats of us AMERICANS…. will be the best thing to ever happen to the TEA PARTY and the REPUBLICAN PARTY … I am looking forward to sending dingy harry back to nevada in 2010…. by the way time why dont you get your head out of the man child obamas ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mr. Klein,

Of course you did not have to see the summit event to declare Obama “the winner”. You have been, and will always be a shill for the Democrats. Your objectivity as a journalist is a sham. Fact of the matter is your pal Obama has bungled this health care initiative from the start. At this point it makes no difference, The Dems do not have the votes to get this turkey to the table. It is history.

I agree with Hillary, “Obama is vague, weak and windy”.

You sir, are irrelevant

what were you watching, Joe?

Isn’t it interesting to note how the Liberal-Socialist comments on this article were mostly made during the early part of the day and the more conservative comments were made during the evening? That’s because the conservative folks were the ones out working during the day, while the Libs were home playing with their computers and probably living off of the fruits of someone else’s labors.

I thought this President was just inexperienced. Then I watched this so called “Health Care Summit”. Now I see he is actually arrogant and incompetent. Whenever a Republican spoke you could tell by his expression he could not possibly care less what they had to say. This was nothing more than an Obama photo op. Finally, the long awaited 2nd term of Jimmy Carter. Enjoy your one term. Then you can go off like Jimmuh Carter and build houses or something else to make sure people remember you.

And just for the record, I did vote for Obama. Sure wish we had the recall option. Maybe he’ll do something illegal and we can impeach him. No, wait, Biden? Let’s just ride it out.

I watched . . . The Democrats looked straight ahead and didn’t even give the Republicans the courtesy to make eye contact while they spoke . . . President Obama acted like the was irritated as hell – there were times that I actually thought the veins in his neck were going to explode . . . It was not fair for him to have equal time with the Dems and the Repubs. It would have been okay, if he were this sort of “leader of all citizens not just those who agree with me” president, but he is not that kind of president. He only represents liberals . . . the rest of us – well, we don’t deserve to exist in his view, much less have someone speak on our behalf. The Republicans were speaking on my behalf.

As usual, Klein has no clue and Time magazine’s point-of-view is worthless. How did I get to this website anyway, oh yeah, Drudge . . . headin’ back over there.

What is wrong with Klein? The entire proceeding was televised. There is a
record. Together, the president and democrats had MORE THAN twice as much
time than the republicans. In fact, even if
you were somehow to accept Obama’s statement that he’s the president so he
doesn’t count (and I cannot begin to tell
you how much I wish that were true!), the democrats still had more time!

It’s one thing to be an elitist radical idealog,
it’s quite another to lie in the teeth of the evidence. Clearly, he takes his cues from
his ‘beloved leader.’

Wow!! Someone opened the Trollgate…
.
What happened? Did RedState pass out a work assignment?

Wow, how’s the Kool-aide, Klein? The word ‘sycophant’ comes to mind, but I’m afraid that understates your adoration of Obama by quite a bit.

Who let loose the new influx of right wing crazies?
Does the name Joe Klein show up on some freeper site and the minions (morons) are turned loose?

afguy . . . the Conservatives got off of work – that’s all.

Roll over and go back to sleep.

You cost taxpayers less money when you are asleep.

Thank you for reminding me why I no longer subscribe or buy Time magazine.

Joe Klein thinks Obama won the day with his usual “unflappable” self? What a complete, two-bit, pathetic moron he is. Here are some other winners according to the vapid and vacuous mind of Mr. Klein: The Phillies beat the Yankees in the World Series. The Colts beat the Saints. And he thinks the Lakers lost last year’s NBA title. Ole Joe’s also a body language and facial expression expert. He saw the “unflappable” Obama’s head tilted upward in a haughty manner when Lamar Alexander undressed the wee little pissant professor. He saw Obama resting his empty little pinhead in his hands as he arrogantly ignored the overwhelming facts heaped upon him by the much wiser and experienced Republican leaders in attendance. Joe viewed Obama’s evil eyes popping out of his head as Republican after Republican exposed him for the lying, disingenous, aristocratic wannabe “Prince Valium” that he hopes to someday be. Mr. Klein is such a brilliant judge of demeanor and countenance that it’s almost horrifying. Here are a few other of Joe Klein’s facial tic prognastications: Joe thought that Adolph Hitler had an open, warm, genial, and sympathetic demeanor. He thought Saddam Hussein exuded a nuturing, caring, Zen-like quality. He thought Attila the Hun projected a jovial, cantankerous, impish side, which led to “Hun’s” many epic practical jokes. And lastly, Joe once implied that Osama Bin Laden had perhaps the “cutest” smile in the Islamic world.

Wow. I’m astounded at how misinformed Obama supporters are. Take a few minutes and stop slurping up the talking points the president is laying down. What you don’t quite understand is that there is a real difference in how conservatives view the role of gov’t in peoples lives. There are a 1000 ways to fix healthcare without having gov’t take it over. The Republicans are attempting to offer those ideas, but are being ignored.
My take on the summit was that Obama was very condescending to the Republicans. He dismissed thier ideas.
My take on reconcilliation, it has never been used to pass something of this magnitude. Just ask Robert Byrd, he’ll tell you he thinks it’s a huge mistake.
Remember, if the precedent is set on reconciliation, when (this fall) the Republicans regain control of the Senate, you can say bye bye to ever seeing a filibuster again.

He probably just came off his afternoon high.

Maybe if Joel stopped swooning, he would have noticed that Obama talked over the Republicans, was short tempered and did not even attempt to have a even exchange with he and the democrats having 75% of the time. Either he has forgotten, or just doesn’t care, that the Republicans have citizens they represent. Since even a recent CNN poll had roughly 69% of the people opposed to this legislation, being the party of no is in agreement with the people of the nation.

Whenever facts were raised, Obama was short tempered and inaccurate at best. It was a poor display for any sitting president.

Bottom line is they are claiming to fix something that is not broken – no one is denied health care in the US – go to any emergency room any time and see all those who get care for free. All paid for by federal grants, etc.

Many democrats have stated …we will hold our nose but vote for this anyway because we need the image of passing legistation to show we have the power… They know it is flawed, but they are voting for the politics and not for the people.

Wake up and vote for term limits; back to gentlemen representation and away from career politicians!

Socialized medicine at any cost – an objective that, fortunately, will not be reached. Healthcare reform is a good idea – socialized medicine is not, Joe. The Republicans addressed reform, while the Dems addressed their need to pass their 2700 page legislation. Any changes will require 60 votes – why the summit? To convince Republicans to go along? Obama, the bully, was not very presidential.

This clown has the arrogance to write about an event that he admits he didn’t watch, and gives his own (strained) interpretation on the hearsay of other parties (who may or may not have watched), whose own interpretation is highly suspect.

Who is the bigger dolt? This columnist or anyone who would read his column?

Answer: The publisher, who loses ads and readers alike because the content is suitable only for wrapping fish, lining litter boxes or lighting fires.

OMG – afguy has seriously been posting since 10:40 A.M. – He was the second post. He seriously does not have a job!

Thanks Joe, for a great article. Saw from many angles (‘cept Fux Noose) and can saw most definitely that you summed it up quite well. So well that a bunch of mindless minions have “Swamped” the blog. Shows the the minions are in crisis mode and you’re right, Obama was his usual brilliant, composed self.

Where am I?

I don’t know, Joe, who is crazier, you are Obama. You actually believe what you wrote, don’t you?!

It’s ALL a bunch of garbage, especially this little gem:
“As in, YES, I’ll vote for the bill if you throw in malpractice and pay for it with the money you get from limiting deductability. That is what happens in a negotiation. That is what is supposed to happen in a democracy.”

Really, Joe, is that how easy it is? The dems “throw in malpractice” and then the country is supposed to take it up the a** with all the other nonsense in the bill? That’s what you call a democratic negotiation? What planet are you from? That’s not democracy, that’s a dictatorship. The dems are simply saying “our way or no way”!

How dare you suggest that this is in any way democratic, that this “summit” was in any way a negotiation? It was Obama’s dog and pony show and it was a joke.

The summit was merely Obama’s vehicle to scold and lecture the Republicans and the American people. He made no effort to evaluate and consider Republican ideas. This was just a show, a symbolic gesture which was supposed to communicate and illustrate his “commitment” to bipartisanship and transparency, a la Soviet Union-style. But Barry, you can’t just talk the talk, you must walk the walk! Actions speak louder than words. Surely I could think of and cite many more proverbs which demonstrate the vacancy and shallowness of your meaningless rhetoric. I will, however, spare you the obvious.

Barry was “unflappable”? He was continuously irritated, he just wanted to get through the day because long ago he already decided, against the will of the American people, what he was going to do: force his ideology on us like a dictator! Obama’s actions speak for themselves. It does not take a genius to figure out that Barry has a Napoleon complex.

There is good news, though. The American people are not stupid. Sooner or later even the moronic democrats will learn this. At the very latest they will learn when they suddenly find themselves among the rest of the unemployed Americans in November. And yesterday’s summit may very well facilitate or at least light the fire, culminating in their dismissals. It was, after all, an embarrassingly dismal performance by the democrats. The American people know this to be true.

“But the obvious truth here is that the Republicans do not want any sort of health care bill to pass at all because they do not want to hand President Obama a victory.”

The Republicans DO NOT WANT THIS COUNTRY DESTROYED! What don’t you understand about that? They would like nothing better than to support something which would help our country. This is not a high school popularity contest, Joe. This is about doing what is right, something that will work.

The real shame is that the democrats, Obama and you are hopelessly lost in your distorted idealism, your twisted view of reality. What will it take for you to all wake up, to get a grip on the truth?

Democrats, you’re like a junkie who doesn’t know he needs help, doesn’t want help, is happy in his putrid stench. And after you wake up in a dumpster you come running to us, wondering where it all went wrong, wondering why we never told you you were destroying yourself. You didn’t want to listen!

Senjam, is engrish your second language? I hope you include yourself in the mindless count.

Joe,
You are HORRIBLE at reading between the lines. The main stream media is not showing clips of yesterday’s meeting OR declaring Obama the winner. (Reading between those lines Joe…the Republicans ran rings around him.) They got under his skin…in a big way. ha! ha! Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan, John McCain nailed him again and again. Obama had the audacity to say that Eric Cantor was using the bill as a prop. Just because he had the GIGANTIC thing sitting there in front of him. What… are you not allowed to bring the bill…that you’re discussing…to the meeting you’re discussing it at? (not if it’s over 2000 pages long and makes the dems. look like a bunch of raving, power grabbing idiots) I guess the Dr. coats Obama put on all the little Drs. that he invited to the White House many months ago…weren’t props? ha! ha! You’re a joke Joe and so was Obama and the dems. at the meeting yesterday. Better go back and check between those lines again…you missed a BUNCH of important info. The American people saw an angry, arrogant President yesterday. Better go buy a casket for the “health care bill”…it’s dead…I think I hear “Taps” playing….

Joe, you must not have been paying attention to anything dealing with health care for the last 12 months. I am an Independent and vote accordingly and the republicans have not been allowed to include ANYTHING that could have legitimately gotten included in any of the dems bills. If you honestly believe what you wrote then I will have to alter my opinion of your intelligence. Say it ain’t so joe !

The President acted arrogant and talked down to the repubs on numerous occasions and truth be known, behaved more like a community organizer trying to act important than someone we should all feel proud of.

He can’t negotiate, arbitrate, deliberate or orchestrate, but he sure can manipulate and that is not something to be proud of.

You start by making two comments:
#1. You did not watch the summit
#2. Obama was the winner.
That is the best description of why the main stream media is in the tank.

Parts of the summit were very entertaining. I especially liked the part where the President complained about his minimum liability insurance on his beat up old car that didn’t cover repairs when he got rear-ended. Just goes to show how well he understands how things work for us regular folks.

Also, those of you who keep insisting that the republicans are the ones stopping this “health care bill” from passing….do you know who is in control of the house and senate for over a year now? Get a clue! A few of the democrats are smart enough not to go along with Obama, Reid and Pelosi and vote for this power grab. THAT’S how it’s being stopped.
The Republicans don’t have the votes to stop ANYTHING. It’s been said again and again…but some of you morons insist on blaming the repubs. for this. I’m surprised you’re not still blaming Bush. ha! ha!

That’s right up there with I don’t have all the details but I’m sure the police overreacted.

Joe, times up! Sorry pal, you have to extract your nose from Barry’s stinky brown starfish! Keith, you’re up, Rachel you’re on deck! No, Rachel, it’s NOT OK to pretend it’s Michelle’s sphincter. Joey, don’t trip on Rachel’s flannel shirt or work boots on the way out!

Nicely said. Not to bad for a “Minion”.

This is no better than some idiot reviewing a movie that he didn’t see. Time/CNN have gone to hell.

Let me get this straight. All of the Democrats’ proposals for so-called health (care | insurance) reform require stockholder-owned insurance companies to provide “affordable insurance coverage” to people who currently have diseases, disabilities, and illnesses — such as asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure?

My wife has all five of those conditions and more. I have diabetes, heart disease, and prostate cancer. What we can “afford” to pay in insurance premiums might go as high as $500 a month. I’ll go overboard a bit and say we could afford $3333.33 a month, $39,999.96 a year, rounded off: $40,000.

Off the top of my head, and in round numbers, four hospital stays for my wife in 2009 cost $180,000, $100,000, $300,000, and $30,000. That’s over $600,000, and doesn’t include five stays in nursing homes, chemotherapy, more than forty radiation treatments for me, numerous primary care physician and specialist visits, or prescription drugs. . . .

Oh, or anything for the ten additional times she was hospitalized: once each in January, February, and March; three times each in April and May; and an August stay bookended by the $100,000 and $300,000 stays above. Lowballing costs not previously shown, let’s say those additional hospitalizations cost $300,000. That would make total medical expenses for the year ~$900,000. That’s probably on the low side, but we’ll use it for illustrative purposes. We’ll say anything above that was covered with co-pays.

Medical expenses of $900,000 vs. $40,000 in premiums. That leaves a shortfall of $860,000 to be paid by the insurance company. That is, the insurance company stands to lose $860,000 by having us as customers. How many customers like us can an insurance company absorb and stay in business? If the insurance company’s not going to take the loss, where does the $860,000 shortfall come from? Other customers’ premiums or other taxpayers’ money? Do the hospital and the doctors take the loss? Let’s say the doctors and hospitals charged twice as much as should have been charged. That would leave only a $410,000 shortfall. Great.

You can say the scenario is bogus or that it’s unrealistic. Regardless, it’s for real. Yes, both my wife and I are over 65 years old, but under 70. Such situations may be more common for geezers and geezerettes, but they definitely occur with younger people. The point remains the same: For-profit insurance companies are going to be forced to take on people who really are uninsurable, given any common sense meaning of uninsurable. Who’s going to pay the difference between what they pay in premiums and what the insurance companies pay out on their behalf?

Is it possible that one of the objectives of the Democrats pushing “reform” is to bankrupt private insurers? If it happens, should we write it off to the Law of Unintended Consequences?

I have an idea: Let’s require every senator and every representative and all their staffs to invest all the money they have in hospitals, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical and medical supply companies. Then let’s see how good an idea they think their proposed “reforms” are.

You must me joking. The same tired argument “Republicans don’t care and therefore are evil” this hackneyed argument is why you Demos are losing this fight. Middle America is alot smarter than you think and they know a secret. There is NO way to pay for this Big Government boondoggle without taxing the stuffing out of everybody and killing the economy. Big Government never works and never will work and the sooner you neosocialists get this the better off we will all be.

Derek,
NOT SURE if you actually watched the summit. But OBAMA actually credited the republicans for having many of their ideas in the Senate bill.

How could the “PARTY OF NO” have so much input into something they could care less about ??

Democrats are not interested ONE IOTA in healthcare reform. They are succumbing to the pressures of the unions.

How else could they possibly justify that some Americans (non-union) will be paying a tax on health insurance they carry and others (union members) will be exempt.

This right here is the deal breaker!

If it is good for the country then it has to be fair to all and equal in cost. Obviously the lower income people would need assistance.

Lastly, OBAMA made great mainstream media fun of McCain with his campaign quip – HA HA – but here is my issue with it.

McCain’s statement which drew the WRATH OF OBAMA – was Florida’s 800,000 medicare recipents were going to be excluded from cost increases while Arizona’s 330,000 would not. He simple stated that Americans want reform and they want it to be fair not based on geographical location -

Then Obama hit him with “were not campaining anymore John” funny stuff to be sure great to get on TV -

But is begs the question –

Is Obama the President for all Americans or not ??

spob.. Would u at least care to admit that Obama is smarter than Boner or W or Palin or Cheney or Mittens or Cantor?
.
The easy part is to allege that Obama is not smart. The hard part is to prove that the various Repug alternatives are smarter than Obama.
.
I admit Obama is no Einstein. But I was pretty impressed that he was able to explain every part of the 2,400 page bill in simple language and also remember all of CBO’s numbers quite accurately.. Now imagine President Palin doing just that!! She can’t even remember the names of newspapers she allegedly reads every day.
.
What Americans definitely DON’T NEED is another President like Dubya “The Decider”, who “palm” reads and has her fingers on the “nukiler” button.

Crazy Town, United States of Neocons

Would you like to extend your stay here good sir?

The polls overwhelmingly reflect disapproval of the current care bill on the table. So is 55% of the country obstructionists also? The passionately disagree with it in principle. They are really pissed about the back-room deals, i.e. Louisiana Purchase, Cornhusker Kickback, Special Florida Seniors deal. If the plan was so great, why did they need to bribe these Senators? Why is this plan not good enough for our President and Congress?
The folks are really mad about all those millions and millions of stimulus dollars that created the phantom jobs.
And they’re livid about a former GM executive making $3,000/hour after tax dollars were used to bail them out.
They’re mad about friends of the State, i.e. Citicorp, Goldman Sachs being rewarded for poor performance.
And they have very recently spoken clearly in Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
No, the republicans are not obstructionists and neither is a majority of the country. They simply and respectfully disagree.

No, what happened is that the normal people who read a variety of websites and news organizations came across this article this morning, hence the level-headed comments acknowledging Obama’s intelligence. Then Drudge posted it, and all you nutcases who get 100% of your news from Fox, Rush, Beck, and Drudge found it, and we see that’s when the blind hatred comments started pouring in. You all have the exact same thoughts and theme’s in your posts because you are all brainwashed by the same news cycle and talking points.

Why is this two-bit hack still allowed to pretend that he’s a journalist?

Democrats love to hate the insurance companies because they don’t give everyone what they want whenever they want it. What they are forgetting is that paying insurance is essentially paying someone else to take on your risk. If you are a high risk person, it’s going to cost you alot for someone to take that risk. That’s not cruel, evil, profit mongering or any other of the many descriptors that democrats use describe insurance companies. It’s business. And in pushing this bill, the Democrats have shown themselves for what they are, anti-business, anti-job anti-growth. They are a scary bunch who truly do not understand what makes this country work.
November cannot come soon enough. Goodbye Harry Reid, good bye Barbary Boxer, goodbye all the other useless democrats who should never have been sent there in the first place.

Mr. Klein, the only thing I see consistent with the truth here is your first sentence. I’m democrat who as a forensic accountant actually understands the disaster this bill would create. I saw embarrassment, vague generalities in this parochial school assembly type carnival. Great article for someone who didn’t actually see this in real-time. How do I get a job like that? I registered specifically to respond to such astounding intellectual capabilities. Pffft.

Tina

No, I believe I’ll crawl back into my isolationist paleoconservative shell. This contrived and repetitious petulance is making my head hurt.

I love how all the Drudgies came over here and are just flabbergasted that they’re not only seeing an article that has something positive to say about Obama, but has positive views of him in the comments section. You see, when you wake up to Fox and friends, ONLY read the articles on Drudgereport while at work, keep a window of Drudge open on your computer all day just waiting for some breaking story that proves Obama is a secret Muslim Communist, then listen to Rush during your lunch break, then come home after work and watch your Tivo’d episode of Glenn Beck, then a little Bret Baier for your ‘Hard News,’ and then turn on Hannity while going to sleep….then you literally will NEVER read a single positive, unbiased perspective of the facts about Obama and instead you read nothing but hatred and negative spin where all of there ‘news’ and opinions that they consume follow a very consistent theme. So when they read an article like this and see people commenting on Obama in a positive manner, their whole world is turned upside down. I understand your outrage on a psychological level, Drudgies.

It’s funny, when President Bush wanted to reform Social Security in the middle of his term, public opinion was against it and the Dems used that to shut down any talk of Social Security reform. The media never conveyed the idea that Democrats were being “obstructionists” or there was “gridlock” in Washington, D.C. (By the way, there is increasing evidence SS is going broke with no solution on the table.) “Gridlock” only seems to exist when the political left is stopped from implementing its agenda. There is this unwritten assumption in the press that anything Democrats want is right and must be pursued at all cost. Polls show the vast majority of the country’s population is happy with the healthcare system and wants no part of the healthcare plans on the table. Yet, Democrats are pursuing an agenda that would essentially rip the system as we know it to shreds in favor of who knows what. The details are sketchy at best and the cost estimate is guaranteed to be understated, as is every federal boondoggle ever employed. One thing that appears reasonable to assume. We will all pay more for less coverage. Death rates from cancer and heart disease are higher than the U.S. in virtually all countries that practice socialized medicine; there is indeed rationing of services in these countries. Yet, facts mean nothing to Democrats. To them, socialized medicine must be enacted, period. And even the logical and cogent arguments that were put forth by many of the Republicans yesterday fall on deaf ears. Obama was arrogant and haughty, as he often is, and his admonishment of Senator McCain was out of bounds, especially since the Senator made a very good point. What kind of healthcare bill that purports to be the great equalizer in providing health coverage to all people actually contains provisions that clearly give some people an advantage over others based on geography or union membership? There is no defense for this, and yet liberals still defend it.

Too bad I’m having fun. It’s like watching ants fight a war with each other.

If you didn’t see it, why even write a colum about who won or lost? David Gergen said it was the best day for the Republicans in years. Yeah, that David Gergen. You need to *watch it* from start to finish then tell us what you think.

You should really look into that brevity concept. You’re not clever enough to be attempting these sorts of comments… sort of like Joel himself.

Unflappable must mean arrogant and desperate in your dictionary. The American People do not want Obama Care. Yes they want health care reform, not new taxes and more government regulation. Mr. Obama wants more people covered but wants to pay for it with more taxes and reductions in medicare coverage. The mainstream American has been forced to learn in this extended recession that you cannot keep buying things on credit without the ability to pay for them. Obama thinks the answer is to continue to incur more debt and make paying for it someone elses problem after he leaves. Those someone elses are us, our children and our grand children.

As a financial person in the health services arena, I can promise you that there are many many opportunities to reform health care by simultaneously wringing cost out of the system and by improving its quality and efficiency. Doing these things is the way to insure the uninsured without raising taxes or increasing the deficit. It is known fact that the government bureacracy is not capable of this.
Competition is the only hope as well as support for new technology and legal privacy protection for electronic medical records.

Furthermore, an inventory of the waste and inefficiencies not only permitted but created by current government healthcare reimbursement programs is critical to save these programs. The regulations promulgated by CMS and Medicaid create inefficiencies, not only in processing but also in clinical care. These raise costs for all heath care insurers and consumers as the costs of these inefficiencies that the government won’t pay for are merely shifted to the private sector.

Both the Democrats and Republicans will have to turn their backs on the large health care lobbies, i.e, pharma, insurers, etc… to solve these problems. When lobbyists succeed in taking options off the table the workable solutions are diminished and the costs savings must then be obtained from other participants in the health care system. These other participants in turn fight any progress. If we cannot get past the lobbies we wil not get reform.

The one conundrum that will be most difficult to face is how to insure those with pre existing conditions. It does not work in the commercial insurance market if these people have not been continuously insured, since many people if permitted to will not purchase insurance until they quote “need it.” Moreover, this ability provides no economic incentive to engage in healthy lifestyle and seek preventative care. As a result, in time the risk pool of the health insurers becomes primarlily those people who “need it.” There is as a result no risk sharing. On the other hand the constitutionality of requiring citizens to purchase health insurance is very questionable.

The prognosis for solving these very complex issues that cannot be solved unless political considerations are removed from the negotiations is grim. Removing political considerations is something, that our governments is incapable of. Hence, open and free competition is our best bet. Set minimum insurance requirments. Review policies for adequacy. Reduce barriers to entry across state lines. Eliminate pricing differences for group and individual coverage. Standardize claims procedures across all carriers and government programs. This will result in time in smaller number of large insurers who will have purchasing power with pharma, providers, etc…and lower administrative costs.

Blah, blah, blah FOX News is the Devil. Drudge report this Drudge report that. Here’s an idea, why not actually deal with the hear of what was discussed at that meeting, which is what most of those opposed to the bills are doing. Instead, you apply the typical left wing ad hominem attacks that are meaningless.

Too close to home Tampaine?? It’s okay. There’s a lot of people in your boat

What is interesting is that many of the big pharmaceutical companies are actually on board with the healthcare bills on the table. Ordinarily, liberals would be trumpeting this as a red flag that something is wrong. Clearly, they do not trust “big pharma”. Yet, somehow it is deemed acceptable in this instance. Why is that? Why is there no concern as to the overwhelming support of pharmaceutical manufacturers in this charade?

Tampaine? Is that another attempt at wit? Your humor is either way too sophisticated for me, or you’re even dimmer than your original post betrayed. Seriously, leave this stuff to the pros.

jacobgpaul, you too can now extract your rather generous hook nose from Barry O’s crusty sphincter. Eddie Schultz, you’re up! Chris “Tingly Legs” Matthews, you’re on deck! Keith, put down that picture of mamma, quit sniffing her bloomers, and for goodness sake pull up your pants – that’s disgusting!

There’s nothing wrong with Fox News…I watch it all the time. It’s just that when you only get your news from Fox Drudge and Talk radio, you get a warped perspective with little to no insight to other perspectives.

Regarding Health Care, what is ONE Rebuplican idea besides tort reform, opening state lines(a good idea), and cutting fraud(another good idea)?? Their ideas address like 15% of the problems with health care. And how is this bill expanding government except for adding some necessary regulations on a very corrupt industry. He’s CUTTING the crap out of Medicare. Single payer is gone. This is essentially a Republican bill, but a Repub vote for it will validate Obama in a small way, and we all know that that’s just not an option!!!

You chastise others for group thought, yet you really haven’t said anything that is new or original.

Sorry, tOmpaine. No wit there. Just a little mispelling buddy.

Wow Joe – if you were any less professional you’d be paying for the privelege of writing. What sheer stupidity and audacity to issue an opinion devoid of any factual references on a summit that you admittedly did not even watch. Why don’t you find something meaningful to do with your life?

I agree with most of this but one thing I don’t understand is the insistance that being able to buy insurance across state lines will bring any signifcant savings.

A company that sells insurance in another state with either not have any contracts in place with providers in your state and thus not be able to provide competitive insurance or if they have contracts in place they will be already be selling in your state and have a price structure in place based on your zip code, age, sex & health status.

Can someone please explain?

Joe Klein is the most shamless Obama suck in the Obama sychophant press.

TIME you remain an embarrassment to honorable journalism.

We keep hearing about fixing the health care system. The truth is that they are trying to fix the HEALTH INSURANCE system.

Now, as for fixing the health care system, why do we never hear one word about over priced doctors and over priced medical research and over prices perscriptions?

Huh? Anyone wanna answer that?

My doctor get $50 for a 5-10 minute office call. What the hell?

No matter how many billions the feds give the research labs they rarely make huge progress. What the hell?

No matter how much you pay for perscriptions they still have side effects like nerve disorders, nausea, irreversible organ damage and death if you happen to be one of the unlucky users. What the hell?

Why do we need to find a better way to pay for health care instead of finding a way to stop gouging the health insurance industry?

What is your obsession with Fox and Drudge? How is it that these small-minded, blindly partisan morons are able to so consume you and thwart every policy you support?

This Klein guy is a joke! I can see why Time’s ratings are in the toilet. I just canceled my subscription.

jacobgpaul – “what is ONE Rebuplican idea besides tort reform, opening state lines(a good idea), and cutting fraud(another good idea)??”

Your tone is quite obvious, you are minimizing any idea right out of the gate.

I have a simple solution for you: If you think doctors make too much money, then why don’t you go to school for eight years and become one of them? Then, you can charge whatever you want.

Why do drugs have side effects? Um, because life is not perfect and anything we put in our bodies is going to have an impact–sometimes good and bad. If we were all God, we wouldn’t need drugs at all–and that’s essentially what you’re asking for.

Oh, I don’t question the entertainment value of this thread. But as a conservative commentator who comes to the Swamp to actually exchange ideas and engage in a vibrant, honest, and civil discussion with the community, I find these new arrivals with their obnoxiously concocted responses to be nothing more than effete automatons. Enjoy.

No obsession Tom, it’s just that every time an article is linked to Drudge, the comment sections explode with the SAME hateful comments and the SAME talking points time after time, often conspiratorial, all of which I hear on Fox and Rush and Beck.

Unfortunately, texasdav, as bad as Joey Klein is, he’s not in the top 10. Try Margaret Carlson, Richard Wolfe, Howard Kleinman, Clarence Page, Jonathon Capehart, Ezra Klein, Maureen Dowd, Joan Walsh, Glenn Grunwald, Paul Krugman, and Thomas Friedman on for size. Jews….they make me giggle….

Your perspective is interesting to say the least. You claim that if the Republicans actually wanted to deal with this issue, they might have gotten some major concessions from the President, but they are in no position to demand concessions – the Democrats control the White House and both houses of Congress (and until very recently had a filibuster-proof super majority in the Senate). I thought the purpose of this summit was to engage the Republicans in a bi-partisan fashion and bring them into the debate. Yet the President and the Democrats dominated the speaking time as if they could care less what the Republicans really had to say and only wanted to convince them that they were right. Everyone feared the Republicans would hijack this summit to score political points yet pundits like you are very quick to declare that the President came out “well ahead” of the Republicans and was “unflappable” while the Republicans said “nothing interesting or clever”. If that wasn’t the purpose of the summit why are you keeping political score? I find it interesting that you consider malpractice reform a “major concession”. A great deal of lip service has been paid to controlling costs, yet malpractice reform has never been considered in the Democrat-controlled debate process. If the Democrats were serious about controlling costs wouldn’t they attack rising cost pressures from every angle? Personally I think this summit was simply a public relations move for the White house and Congress. They don’t need the Republicans to pass healthcare reform and my guess is they will get a bill passed with budget reconciliation. It would just look better to the general public if the bill had the appearance of bi-partisan support. It would also provide some political cover for Democrats if the bill does little to reform healthcare and control costs. Perhaps the final bill should include language like “healthcare premium increases that were prevented or slowed”.

This healthcare bill is so bad. It can’t even pass with the Dems control of every branch of government.

Joe Klien did not have to watch the health care summit to know how President Obama presented himself. All one needed to know is what President Obama’s natural ability is. A Community Organizer. That is what he still is and will forever be. He is unqualified to be a president. As a Community Organizer, well, that is a role that fits him. His agenda is to get his way, for himself to honor himself with his accomplishments. This was on full display for his entire appearance.

I’m sure as a Community Organizer, Obama may have done some good in giving people the false sense of empowerment. That is again what he attempted to do in the summit.

In the end Obama will simply ignore his critics and do what ever it is he intended to do anyway. After all he’s just a Community Organizer who’s purpose is to spend other peoples money and take the credit as a hero.

That’s not quite as bad as the $1,000 an ER doc charged my insurance for 15 minutes of his time to tell me that he had no idea why I was having chest pains and that I should go see a cardiologist.

It seems to me that we have two problems, access and cost. The Democratic proposals are solving problem of access for the 5%-15% of us with that problem by making that cost issue that the rest of us are dealing with worse.

Joe, since it’s obvious they don’t pay you for your journalism skills, why do they pay you?

Had you actually watched even for a few brief moments, you would’ve noticed the following:

The President WAS his usual self (meaning another disappointing performance). Your statement, “The Republican … were never able to get the President’s goat” is only true if you ignore the following:

a) the President ears were flapping like a flag in a hurricane (with the obvious steam flying off them) from his having to endure listening to the cogent points made by the Republicans; and,

b) The President had an appointment with his dentist this morning to get caps for his teeth. They were ground to the gum line from his having to endure listening to the cogent points made by the Republicans (you can actually see this happening, if you watch it).

You belie your impartiality (or expose your bias) when you say, “… and the networks turned to other programming” as evidence of the President coming out on top. If it were even a draw, these networks would’ve stayed with it until the janitors were through.

Your statement, “… the President was his usual, unflappable, well-informed self” couldn’t possibly be correct. We dealt with the unflappable aspect with “a” and “b,” above. And well informed? His aides chewed off his ears between comments (damn it Joe, just watch it), either correcting his prior “faux pas” or providing the next sound bite (because he clearly didn’t know what was in his Bill or what he was talking about). Luckily, most American can see and read, so they’ll eventually figure out the truth.

You then add, “I remain convinced that if the Republicans actually wanted to deal with this issue, they might have gotten some major concessions from the President.” Obviously, you ignore the fact that the President wasn’t willing to “drop” anything from his plan, only “consider” Republican ideas (listen to his words when he says this); yeah, that’s concessions.

Stated in the form of an extreme analogy, so that you’ll understand: if my (health) plan is to rape your sister, will you agree to my (health) plan if I let you pick her dress out or continue to oppose it?

We know your answer. Shame on you for not going along with my plan, Joe.

Dear Jeebus,

Tell dad to start the Rapture early and clear out all the christian trolls so that we can get some sh!t done in DC. There’s a ten spot in it for you if you do it now.

Your friend in you,
sacredh

No, I like all of those ideas and agree with them. But that’s literally all I hear suggested by the right. Fixing 3 of probably 100 issues isn’t going to do anything. If you’re going to wine about the Dems plan, come up with a better alternative. And don’t call this plan Gov’t Run Healthcare, because it is far from it.

Joe, you had it right in the second sentence. You “missed the healthcare summit.” The president looked rather petulant and only embarrassed himself. His frustration was most evident while he was being schooled by Congressman Paul Ryan…now that man is impressive.

Only a 10? I burn 10,000 notes for my grand parents in Hell. Though I’m not quite sure what the conversion is for Hell money to mere mortal money.

How about Barry O’Boogie drawing an analogy between the national healthcare debate, and his experience filing an auto insurance claim with Acme Insurance company on the south side of Chicago when he snapped a curb feeler 30 years ago….too fkn funny….

How about Barry O’Boogie drawing an analogy between the national healthcare debate, and his experience filing an auto insurance claim with Acme Insurance company on the south side of Chicago when he snapped a curb feeler on his 1974 Eldorado thirty years ago….too fkn funny….

You’re right, Joe. You were elsewhere. Perhaps in the midst of a cranial-anal insertion? It’s amazed me for some time to hear the “post-game” analyses of debates and other political “rendezvous,” such as yesterday’s summit, that pundits such as you pontificate. It’s simply beyond comprehension to hear the condescending, dismissive attitude with which the President addressed all members of the “opposition” and then to read how “unflappable,” some would probably even say “bipartisan,” that Mr. Obama was. I’m frankly sick of all the unethical, unscrupulous politicians, their “do as I say, not as I do” attitudes, and the ignorant naivete of the American populace. I choose NOT to believe everything that Matt Drudge reports, Bill O’Reilly editorializes, or Glenn Beck prophesies. However, perhaps you should not pigeon-hole your beliefs simply as a counter to anything that Drudge reports. View something for yourself before you defecate a half-cocked idea out to the naive masses. Perhaps if you had seen any of the summit, you’d have taken away the fact that most of the Republicans there had a pretty novel idea: why don’t we start with what we (from both sides) actually agree on? For me, the day was enlightening. The Democrats appear to me to be the primary stumbling block to improving the healthcare of Americans. George W Bush was demonized for being a “with me or against me” President. Are not Obama and the Democrats behaving identically with the healthcare debate? “It’s either all or nothing,” as they push us blindly toward the cliff.

If the right-wingers are evil as your tone seems to imply, then Rapture have the opposite of your intended effect. Or are you trying to imply that your particular goals are evil and that you need the righteous Republicans removed from congress so that your evil goals may be reached?

In any case your reasoning seems off.

So a good idea is taxing employer contributions to healthcare as income?

What this bill does for me and my family is cost me a lot more, and most likely degrade my standard/responsiveness of service. Obama already made clear that second and third tests are unnecessary.

I would be a moron to support it.

Mr klein,

What a bone headed looser you are. I watched it most of the time and the dumbass pres had his ass handed to him-a,errr,ohhh.errrr,uhhh,ummm,let me be perfectly clear. He had his clock cleaned but his head is slightly smaller that his ears to realize it.

You gotta be kidding me?! This is easily one of the dumbest takes I’ve seen on the net or news. Klein, you really, honestly feel that, when given the facts, the president seemed “unflappable”? Paul Ryan gave him the straight thunder about the very destruction this misguided bill would do and the president had nothing, nothing!!!

Honestly, how deep is the president’s rectum that all the media could fit in there together?! Unbelievable…

Joe, if the dems won then why were they so down in the mouth afterwards??
Even smiling Nancy couldn’t force one. And it was difficult to determine that Harry was jubilant. Right Joe????

Joe: you wrote that “I remain convinced that if the Republicans actually wanted to deal with this issue, they might have gotten some major concessions from the President–malpractice reform, for sure….” Why do the Republicans have to secure a major concession like malpractice reform on behalf of American citizens?

Forget the Republicans, why aren’t prudent reforms such as medical malpractice reform limiting, not actual damages but, punitive damages and interstate competition included in the bills by the Democrats? And can anyone, Democrat or Republican, make a credible case as to why a country, with effectively bankrupt social welfare programs, should pass another social welfare program, especially one involving an additional trillion dollar deficit in the near term?

This is especially disconcerting because of the Democrat/Republican defacto policy of open borders, which not surprisingly attracts non-citizens to America to utilize taxpayer provided healthcare in our tax-exempt hospitals. Where is the money to continue to pay for such “free” healthcare and the additional health care benefits which will be provided to non-citizens, including illegal immigrants, by this “reform”? Joe, can you loan the money to the government to pay for these programs since the Chinese are backing out? With respect to spending and war waging, President Obama is simply President W. Bush squared.

I can imagine how Joe Klein tries to suduce women. “Yeah baby, check my article I just posted on the internet. I totally delivered the facts while tossing Obama’s salad. Look at all these people in the comments who call me on my bullshi…I mean greatness. What? Oh it’s opposite day, so when they say I suck, they mean I’m great. Unless they say I’m sucking on Obama’s ballsack, that doesn’t count in opposite day. Hey, where you going?”

No, what happened is that the normal people who read a variety of websites and news organizations came across this article this morning, hence the level-headed comments acknowledging Obama’s intelligence. Then Drudge posted it, and all you nutcases who get 100% of your news from Fox, Rush, Beck, and Drudge found it, and we see that’s when the blind hatred comments started pouring in. You all have the exact same thoughts and theme’s in your posts because you are all brainwashed by the same news cycle and talking points.

You must be kidding, liberals don’t get up in the morning, unless it’s welfare pay day.

Only in America could someone like Joe Klein, whose profile says he is a political columnist and author of six books, admit he did not actually watch the healthcare summit but still feels qualified to comment on it by culling information from internet sources. Generally, I do not approve of ad hominem attacks but gosh, Joe, are you kidding? You got all your information second-hand by following links on The Drudge Report! You’re like those people in old TV commercials who say “I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV”, only in your case it’s “I’m not a journalist, but I play one on the blogosphere.”

It’s nice that you still support the President despite his falling approval rating and the unmasking of his lies and broken campaign promises. Loyalty is a wonderful social virtue and a sign that someone in your past imbued you with at least some positive values. Unfortunately, this piece of writing shows evidence of a serious deficit in integrity. Kids turning in a paper to a high school class couldn’t get away with drawing a sweeping conclusion based upon second-hand internet sources.

I am not a veteran political commentator and author of six books, but I know the difference between brown shoe polish and bovine excreta. If Obama “won” yesterday the way that the leftwing media is saying, why didn’t we see a spike in his approval rating today? Here is a link to my own blog on the President’s approval rating, based upon the Rasmussen numbers reported today. http://patrioticmobster.wordpress.com/2010/02/26/approval-ratings-not-what-obama-was-expecting/

Giocon, why should employer provided health insurance be tax free while insurance bought on the open market is not? It is something of value that you are receiving as income from your employer. This fact has contributed to the expansion health insurance the evolve to include coverage for routine care. This is a contributing factor as to why health care costs have risen at the rate that they have. People are always more willing to spend “other people’s money” more than there own.

In fact, studies have shown that moving to a “high deductible health plan”, which is really an old style major medical plan, lowers utilization without significantly reducing the health the enrollees. In other words, when people have to spend their own money, they waste less and take care of the things that really matter.

Dear Mr. Klein -

I think that the most honest words you penned in your editorial were your first three words: “Shame on me.” You are so blatantly biased toward President Obama and his liberal policies that it would be a shame if you actually listened to the more than 70% of the American people who do not want the “health reform” that President Obama is wanting to foist on them.

But I would hope that you might have at least a little intellectual integrity as a journalist and speak truth. But I guess that’s just a little too much to ask from the editor of Time Magazine.

It’s not rocke science. More competition means lower prices, economics 101.

My God, from Mr. Klein on down this list of comments I weep for my country that there are so many close-minded hypnotized demo-drones who could understand a cogent argument if it flattened them like a steam roller. For the love of God please wake up and make an attempt the engage the majority of Americans who do not want Socialisim and Communisim to win in our country….. Grow up!

FHMADVOCAT

What you see as people agreeing upon, one point here, one point there, is a pretty simplistic way of looking at things. There are so many other parts that poison this bill, which in turn makes the bill as a whole unacceptable to the majority of people. If I made brownies and put in chocolate chips, nuts flour, vanilla, leaves, dog crap, twigs and swamp water, you wouldn’t want anything to do with the brownies. Well, while most people like the chocolate chip portions of the bill, and the nuts, most don’t want to eat dogsh*t so they can eat a brownie. That is where the overwhelming opposition is coming from. And, like it or not, that is what was meant as a balance of power. Having one party control it all, like we see now, only leads to bad things for a great number of people. So, instead of trying to villify anything conservative as being hateful toward our fellow man, why not truly take a look at what so many are actually opposed to. That is where the real party of no lies. Within an administration that says “No, we won’t be listening to your desires.” The power of the President is supposed to be derived from governing at the will of the people, on their behalf, not arrogantly shoving through what he feels is best, and that many of his party don’t want to support.

Sorry to dumb it down for you with the brownies, but I wanted to be sure it was on a level even a Harvard Law Graduate could understand.

Is it true that Joe wrote this 3 days before the summit?
I could have told you 3 days ahead of time what Joe’s take would be.

I worry for our county when I see the deep worship many have for the teleprompter whiz. They don’t even ask “what flavor kool-aid”?

Perhaps the reason that the Republicans are opposed to working with the Democrats on anything is that lately, what a Democrats proposal of bipartisanship is, is having the Republicans get on board with everything the Democrats want, and maybe a scrap will be thrown in in return. Otherwise, the Democrats will push forward against the will of a great majority of the country. 200 years ago, we would have seen pitchforks and torches to throw this scum out. It’s just unfortunate that by the time it WILL, not can but will, be done, it may be too late to reverse the damage done. The only thing apparent to me is that Democrats don’t seem to be too good at math, or simply don’t care and put down whatever number they feel like. Pay as you go is a big joke when there won’t be enough revenue to pay for this monstrosity.

Joe DeKlein is exactly why so many people have stopped reading so-called “news” magazines like Time.

Obama may have won but who cares. I thought however the Republicans came off very well in the summit. Bottom line is we can’t afford this crazy 3K page bill. We do need to start over. We would be better off giving every 1 of the 30 million uninsured a mastercard for their healthcare and not take over the healthcare system by the government.
Remember the bill if it is passed may give everyone health care but does not guarantee them access to a Doctor. Frankly there are not enough primary care providers to treat them they will still end up in emergency rooms all over the country. This will effectively ration healthcare the same way it is done in Canada.It will take months to get heart surgery or an MRI because you have to be referred to the specialist by a primary care provider.
The first thing they have to do is incentivise students to go into primary care right now that is a shrinking population and even with PAs and Nurse Practicioners will not be enough to treat our aging population.
The bill doesn’t address the supply of providers which has to be done before you give all of them health care cards.
Besides the actual proposed coverage for all the 30 million doesn’t even start for 5-6 years when people find this out they will be very upset.
This plan coupled with the failing Medicare system will bankrupt the country and no one will end up with adequate healthcare.

Joe Klein’s refusal to report and acknowledge the cogent arguments provided by Republican legislators who attended the summit earlier this week who provided sound arguments opposing Obama’s recent regurgitation of the House and Senate bills health care bills opposed by a vast majority of American voters speaks volumes. He completely failed to report or acknowledge the structural defects in the proposed legislation discussed in detail at the summit this week showing Klein is truly out to lunch or “in the tank” on the health care issue.

Readers who want to truly educate themselves can read articles written by journalists who have critical thinking skills as opposed to a political agenda and can save themselves a lot of wasted time by ignoring Joe Klein and Time Magazine.

Read the American Thinker, for example: http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/02/let_free_enterprise_take_over.html

“Congress is too cowardly to take on entitlement reform, too fiscally irresponsible to make health care pay-as-you-go, too arrogant to allow health care consumers freedom of choice, too impotent to take on the insurance companies, too bought-and-paid-for to take on unions and trial lawyers, and too dishonest to level with the American people about the true cost of this abomination Congress proposes to enact.”

“Bernie Madoff is in jail for doing exactly what the government has done with Medicare: funding payouts to seniors with revenue collected from new people coming into the system. The Congressional health care proposals fund Medicare recipients by mandating young people buy health insurance at between two and three times the actuarial cost.”

POTUS should have had a facilitator at this meeting.
Rep Paul Ryan destroyed the Dems argument that this bill will not add to this country’s deficit. It . will and good ole POTUS was speechless.

We need to fix this problem but not in the manner that is proposed.

The American people will not be fooled. We have one tool at our disposal-our vote. We will use this tool to ensure the correct fix is applied and that it is one which will not burden our children.

The author of this article in my humble opinion is an idiot.

Yeah Joe, real good politicking there. First off, you admit to “assuming.” Then you encourage “reading between the lines.” Why are you demanding anyone up there on Capital Hill compromise? Don’t you understand that the GOP is “assuming” that the DNC is making up it statistics with this bill? Surely you can understand, thus, that the DNC is “reading between the lines” in figuring out that the GOP does not have real concerns, but simply wants to obstruct?

Unlike you, I did get to watch a couple hours of this extremely boring exchange as it took place. Like it or not, the DNC is in the driver seat on this bill. By the way, the President did not bring the bill and lay it out in front of all; rather, Eric Cantor did and was berated by the president for doing so. I finally turned the channel for one reason: there were countless opportunities for the DNC side to flat ask the GOP: If we changed the wording in the bill to your liking on this particular matter, would we have a deal? Rather, the DNC came back time and time again with, “We’re not that far apart.” It was absolutely disgusting. In fact, being in auto sales, I can tell you that the worst used car salesman I have ever seen could have done a better job than any of these hacks did today!

Really. I’m serious. The DNC does not need the GOP to get a bill through to the President, we all know that. True, it is a seller’s market for the DNC, but you can raise the price of tea all you want, if the buyer has no money to buy it, then price does not matter. That’s what you’re dealing with in the GOP. That being the case, if you truly want the GOP on board, you have to lower the price, even if that means giving the GOP a cup of tea for free. The DNC is not doing that so the DNC is going to have to drink all the tea themselves … whether it tastes good or not.

If the DNC truly believes they have the answer, then roll with it and stop pandering to the GOP. If the GOP is truly wrong and stupid, then take full credit and pass it without them.

The reality is we know why the DNC wants the GOP on board for this deal: down the road fingers are going to point at someone.

I was also upset by the absolute arrogance of both Dems and POTUS berating Lamar Alexander about a point he made that the CBO said premiums will go up. POTUS said Lamar needed to get his facts straight well Alexander was the one who was right. POTUS is a lot like Clinton he can tell an absolute falsehood like it is the gospel truth. Then act indignant when anyone dares to challenge his absolute lie.

Hey Markstev,

I want a blu-ray player, and the only way that I can think of to get the price down is to require that everybody in America buy one, or be fined and/or jailed. Then, I can get my blu-ray at a good price. Pretty stupid idea? Could there be a better solution to my blu-ray problem? Oh, then there could be a better alternative to health reform. The Federal Government has done more to increase the cost of health care than all other entities combined. But you want to turn health care over to them. Forget about the Constitutionality of requiring people to obtain a contract with and pay money for a service through mandating it through law. Auto insurance, its a choice. There are a few states that don’t require it, but there is no state that requires you to buy a car. It is a choice to buy a car and only then in, not every state, would you need to purchase insurance. I guess we don’t need to pay attention to things like the Constitution or personal freedoms and liberties do we?

Oh no, “all the Drudgies” came over! Have you ever actually LOOKED at the Drudge Report? It’s simply a clearinghouse of links to a wide, wide variety of news websites…..including this one! It does very little actual “reporting”, but rather, functions as a conduit to news. It is neither liberal nor conservative. You should really check it out sometime before criticizing it or its readers.

Joe,

- We all know no matter what Obama says, you still want to have his baby.

He can lie
- about the cost
- TORT Reform
- National Competition
- payoffs to Democrats

… gotta hope the kid doesn’t look like either of you

Republicans really aren’t troubled by the uninsured or people excluded because of pre-existing conditions or outrageous prices for insurance.

Read more: http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2010/02/26/the-health-care-summit/#ixzz0giD7xHUs

Thats total BS everyone is concerned about coverage I care for indigent patients each and every day. I just don’t want to see another government solution that takes over the system. They should be able to write a bill in under 100 pages thet everyone can read and understand. The Dems do not own the compassion issue I assure you.

I had an entirely different take on the so-called summit. In some ways it reminded me of the Soviet show trials wherein innocents were hailed before the court and if they confessed to crimes that they did not commit, then their families would be spared and allowed to vacation year-round in Siberia. Noticeably, Joe Klein is in the tank for OhBummer and the OhBummer Wrecking Crew, and under the OhBummer’s table Doin’ The Lewinsky. OhBummer advises the dissident Republicans and libertaritans and independents to “do some soul-searching.” That is an unwise suggestion for OhBummer to make. It were better that Our Lord and Savior shut that hole in his face. If his critics did any soul-searching, OhBummer would be all soles and elbows sprinting for far horizons while his critics gave chase with a stout rope.

osamaspajamas …

The only way anyone could come to the conclusion that Klein is in the bag for Obama is if that person “ASSUMES” such by “READING BETWEEN THE LINES.”

Seriously, Mr. Klein, I’m really disappointed that you not only admit assuming and reading between lines, but you encourage others to do so. Maybe what Washington needs is for both sides of the aisle to do what one side has been doing: taking what the other says at face value. How many times have we heard a Dem get up and say, “What the GOP really means to say is …” Really? How about taking them exactly at their word? Ironically, when a Dem says something racist, however, Dems “admit” they “meant” to say something else.

Finally, just wanted a take on what’s between the following lines …
___________________
___________________

… just assume what you want.

Great article Joe. This week, after 40 years of subscribing to Time I cancelled my subscription.
It is no longer a news magazine, Hopefully I will
still have access to ancient editions of Time, when
it WAS a news magazine, whilst waiting in longer lines in my doctor’s office.

ricky2k9:

Be a hero, produce empirical data proving that B O is smart, like SAT scores or maybe a college transcript or two, even a high school transcript. For extra credit provide a certified copy of a birth certificate (no a ‘certification of live birth’ is not the same).

Begone ignorant birther…..you people are absolutely pathetic. Perhaps you can prove that he is a citizen of another country? No? You may resume licking Orly Taitz’s boots now……..

Perhaps what is being overlooked is that (sorry for sounding like a conspiracy theorist her but) if you link everything together, the libs are going after a new world order, or at least a new order here in this country to begin with. Taking over health care, which leads to being able to regulate and control our citizens on an order never before imagined unless you were Stalin. Add that to the Cap and Trade, which results in regulating and controlling our citizens even further. Look at the world looking to move to a global currency and replacing the dollar as the currency de facto. Proposed legislation to broaden the power of the White House, not even the ruse of including Congress, to take emergency control of both public and private networks in case of national security or a “cyber attack.” That is controlling our communication, which countries such as China and Iran have effectively done when peoples civil and human rights are being abused and they want to cut off who they see as dissidents from becoming martyrs to others. New moves in education policy, indoctrinating future generations to their beliefs, especially in higher learning institutions. The list goes on, and while a single element doesn’t look too damaging, the whole looks disastrous and very deliberate. They are keeping your attention on one issue while they secretly push others.

finally, this says it all…..you really are a moron!!

louisiana Purchase, Cornhusker kickback, Connecticut, Montana, Florida, North Dakota, South Dakota back room deals. This is the worst vote buying I have ever seen.

The American people overwhemingly do not want this government takeover of health care. Teddy Kennedy’s seat went to a republican and the dems still don’t seem to get it .

Reconciliation is not going to matter because the house won’t have the votes to pass it no matter how much
coolade Pelosi drinks. The bill is packed with abortion funding which cannot be slipped through in the middle of the night.

It’s almost election time and the house dems know that on an issue like this that they will be sent packing if they go against their constituents.

OMG…Joe…you must not have misunderstood the directions on that Obama Kool Aid package It is obvious you overdosed….and are hallucinating. I think you will be much better if in the future…you believe none of what you read and only half of what you see.

OMG…Joe…you must have misunderstood the directions on that Obama Kool Aid package. It is obvious that you overdosed….and are hallucinating. I think you will be much better if in the future…you believe none of what you read and only half of what you see.

“Perhaps the reason that the Republicans are opposed to working with the Democrats on anything is that lately, what a Democrats proposal of bipartisanship is, is having the Republicans get on board with everything the Democrats want, and maybe a scrap will be thrown in in return. Otherwise, the Democrats will push forward against the will of a great majority of the country.”
..
Really? The fact is that these Repubs have demonstrated again and again that they don’t give a damn about health care. Furthermore, the Senate bill is nearly a copy of a Republican proposal from 1993!
..
http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Graphics/2010/022310-Bill-comparison.aspx
..
Many Republican ideas are included within the current bill and somehow that’s not enough. Obama offers up tort reform and asks what the Repubs will be willing to compromise on and the answer, nothing. Not one thing. This utterly refutes your blather about getting “on board with everything the Democrats want.”

It is indeed amazing how President Obama lies with such a straight face . . . He does it with such ease that it is frightening. I wonder if he knows he is lying or worse . . . he doesn’t know he is lying!

This man scares the Hell out of me. Will we make it three more years ?

. . . and then Time magazine has their own nontruth ninny. Joe is not president so he can fabricate all he wants . . . no big deal. No one reads Time anymore.

Heaven help us with Obama the liar though – absolutely frightening.

Wow…another unbiased report from left wing liberal Joe Klein. You just know it’s going to up Times subscription sales tomorrow…in the famous words of another left wing unbiased reporter…it makes my leg tingle.

Mr Klein, why do you and the Democrats try to label the Republicans as obstructionist. The Dems did not need the Republicans to pass this bill which is ‘so imperative in saving the American people’. I remind you that the Dems could not pass the bill with their super majority; but of course they had to pass the blame to the Republicans.

One problem with the current debate is that both sides have fundamentally different philosophical views on healthcare. What you and Mr. Obama are trying to do is to ask the Republicans to come over to your fundamental position which holds healthcare as a right; hence Mr. Obama & the Dems are not willing to start over but take a bill which they have crafted almost exclusively and foist it on the Republicans in the name of ‘bipartisanship’.

The Democrat position of declaring “everything” as a right is that it perversely uses the constitution to arrogate to the federal government increasingly more areas of our lives under the guise of protecting our rights.

The Republican view is that health care is not a ‘right’ to be enforced by the government. Indeed, it is a perverse notion that a right is something which, in order for me to enjoy it, someone else (the wealthy or whomever) has to pay for it.

Further, the track record of government to manage these entitlement programs has been dismal; to wit, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid etc. The federal government is like an abusive husband who beats up his spouse and comes back and says I will do better next time.

Obama came across as arrogant to me. He looked annoyed that he’s not getting his way. SNAP, he just changed into another person after he won the election. I don’t see him practicing that spirit of cooperation & compromise w/ people who disagree w/ him that he emphasized when he was campaigning. It’s politics as usual in D.C. I was hoping for a big change ~ I haven’t seen it yet.

The current 3000 page healthcare proposal is morbidly obese.

Q: How do you eat an elephant?
A: One bite at a time.

Obama wants all or nothing; take what we’re trying to shove down America’s throat (even though they don’t want it) or be labeled as obstructionists. The whole summit was setup to put a “face on gridlock”, and to provide the left with ammo so that they can Rahm the bill through using the nuclear option (their words used for reconciliation when they’re in the minority). It didn’t work.

If Obama really cared about healthcare, instead of forcing more people onto the govt. nipple before the Dems get thrown out in the next election, he’d break the bill up into smaller pieces and pass what the majority want with the bi-partisan support he pretends to strive for.

http://whitecollargreenspace.blogspot.com/

This could be Obama’s hail Mary.
Here is a major proposal I just shared with GSA, GAO, EPA, Senator Levin’s office and professors at Georgetown and GWU.
The fact that the federal government uses over a billion square feet of office at an efficiency level of only 30% borders on malfeasance from a budget and environmental viewpoint. Someone needs to let the White House know there is a way to pay for the public option.

This proposal would save the Federal government close to $50 billion per year enough to pay for the public option with only an executive order. We should get more congressman to sign on if we can show it is paid for and requires no new taxes or fees. New plan cuts overhead costs & carbon footprint of white collar workers by 50%. We can no longer afford to let all white-collar workers that still have jobs work banker’s hours when we can work two shifts per day in government and private industry and cut our overhead costs in half. This simple paradigm shifts solves three problems: It jumpstarts economy and fights poverty, cuts pollution, reduces budget deficits.
Most office space is very expensive yet white collar workers only us it 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. This amounts to only 30% efficiency which is completely unacceptable in today’s economic and ecological environment.

All you dumbass neosocialists are wrong. You keep speaking as if most americans are for the components of the bill….wrong. Dead wrong. The items that most americans are FOR can be drafted in a piece of legislation 100 pages. Most americans are against the MONSTROSITY that the overwhelming majority of senators and congressman haven’t even read, let alone all you neophyte obama-loving socialists. We are not fools (like you think we are). You can try to tell us this 2000 page behemoth is merely a “baseline” like Obama’s lying mouth spews, but all it takes is an IQ of 60 (less than 2.5 standard deviations from the mean, in other words, mentally challenged people can grasp)….to know that the gargantuan 2000 page document is FAR, FAR more than a “BASELINE”

We in America are ever growing more aware of one persistent, nagging truth: Obama is a liar and a deceiver. this is rational, how else could someone arise from Chicago politics?

Barack spoke for 119 minutes, the other Democrats spoke for 114 minutes and the Republicans spoke for 110 minutes – and in Caracas on the Potomac Commissar Klein calls that equal time.

You are a clever one Joey – “actually, the President, the Congressional Democrats and Republicans each spoke an equal amount” – that certainly fooled me! Have you no shame?

Another Democrat, I should say Social Democrat Herr Goebbels would have been so very proud of you, Time Magazine and it’s editors, nice work!

Joe Klein is a spin-liar. The Democratic Party took 2/3 of the entire allotted time available.

The saddest part of all is that Mr. Klein actually gets paid.

I’m glad there are Joey’s out there like Mr Kline here who work day and night…tirelessly, to prop up Obama in the face of ever growing wide spread discontent for his lying manipulative deceptive presidency. Obama is both political crack and political viagra. For people like good ole’ Joey Klein here, Obama is addictive (like Crack) and orgasmic…(thrills crawling up his leg). Why the mainstream media is in a perpetual Orgy with the failure Barack Obama is beyond me. But you can see from Kleins article about the infallible Obama that he loves the guy. Obama is like a political orgasm to him. He probably was moved to literal tears at innaguration. When people start crying over politicians, its a terrible sign of a braindead populace willing to subjugate themselves to the whim of someone else, giving power. This is how Hitler was elected. People swayed and swooned and fainted at his rallies. “Oh Adolph! Oh Adolph!” the press loved him.

OK, let’s not get caught up in the forest so we can’t see the trees – let’s step back for a moment.
Reform Healthcare? sure, it does need improvement, but
to let Government takeover healthcare? Hmmm… should we turn over 1/6 of our lives to the government? That’s what this is about. It’s not about the Dems having a kind heart. This is about spending 2 trillion$ (which we don’t have) and putting us as as far greater in debt . Collect taxes for 4 years to pretend there are some savings before putting healthcare into effect. This is a shell game worse than Bernie Maddoff’s. Should we follow Congress into a black hole we will never get out of? All Obama cares about is leading the US down a path of Socialism. Once he starts the ball rolling, there will be no turning back. He could care less that he will of course lose his job and take numerous other democrats down with him. Because he will have completed his mission. He will have destroyed America as we know it!

I think everyone is over-complicating this. The dems figured the financial hardship of recession would motivat people to back health care reform. However, the dems (1) under-estimated how much (most) people would prefer simply to slow government spending and (2) under-estimated how much people mistrust government to deliver promises. Yes, the people don’t trust republicans. Rightly so. But what the dems misunderstood is that the people don’t trust dems either. In short, it is the whole government that is untrusted. That is what a 10% congressional approval means.
At this point, the Republicans are simply trying to capitalize on the people’s desire to end the (allegedly) spendy health care. Of course one could say such health-care “spendiness” is an illusion created by faux news. Maybe so, but it is beside the point – the dems aren’t listening to what (most misinformed) people want. Which finally leads to the proposition that sometimes politicians must do unpopular things. True, and that is the same rationale Bush appealed to. How endearing was that?

Let’s see Joe (and the rest of you single minded leftists) – the dems had super majorities in both houses and the white house and they still couldn’t sell their crappy bills to their own party or the American public. But somehow Time and the rest of the liberal media, places the blame on the Republicans. Maybe Joe, there is a problem with the bills put forward.

The only logical reason Joey put this into his article -

“actually, the President, the Congressional Democrats and Republicans each spoke an equal amount” –

is to counter the fact that it was 4 hours for Democrats 2 hours for the Republicans – which is indisputable and of course a disgrace.

He counters this with sophism, which is exactly what Barack engages in most of the time. These people want to run our country with clever half truths!

If you ever decide to face reality (you won’t) and form your opinions on substance, truth and fact it would be interesting to have some dialog.

So… Joe Klein doesn’t know very much… nothing actually… but he has opinions and will be happy to let us know what they are. The most important thing he wants us to know is that Barack Obama is wonderful and Republicans suck.

Time Magazine must pay him a lot of money, but it can afford it because we know that all newspapers and magazines are extremely profitable.

If Obama actually wanted a compromise he would have started over with a new bill. As an American I must demand that my senators stand against this bill and all the back room deals…big pharma, unions, and yes the big bad insurance companies. As a middle of the road income earner I will be forced to spend about 10% of my income on health insurance if this bill passes. Forced to pay or the IRS will come a calling.This is a great bill for the poor…oh but wait, they already have medicaid. This bill really sticks it to middle class Americans, upper middle class Americans and those that depend on social security. I won’t even touch on all the new taxes on health care items that will help push health care costs up. Aren’t we supposed to be trying to lower costs?!! Obama is right about one thing… and the tea leaves will reveal… the elections in 2010 will provide a lot of clarity on where the American people stand on this bill. Next time you may want to actually WATCH the summit. P.S. Obama did NOT look calm, cool or collected. He varied between trying to look very interested in GOP comments to almost throwing tantrums when the GOP wanted to talk about the length, the back room deals or anything else to do with the existing bill. Anything negative brought up about the bill was labeled a “talking point” or prop. Only positive comments were allowed.

Well, it’s clear you didn’t watch the summit. Republicans schooled Democrats who had nothing to offer but made-up sob stories. Obama clearly got agitated and every time a Republican brought up specifics about the bill, he’d cut them off, change the subject, and scowl. Only a fool would try to push this socialist disaster down the throats of the American people, and the result of passage would be a Republican majority in the House, Senate, and in 2012, the Oval Office. And then this bill would be repealed.

So this is what hundreds of wingnut heads exploding sounds like.Priceless.

Joe, on which planet are you living ??

Why planet earth of course.Not planet Wingnuttia .

The spittle is flying tonight!

Initially I thought the brilliant Michael Savage was going a little overboard with his claim that LIBERALISM IS A MENTAL DISORDER.

HOWEVER I always believe in keeping an open mind – - and after many months of observing the totally out of touch selfish behavior and outragious accusations and beliefs of LIBERALS such as maxwelldog – - guess what – - Savage is absolutely right on target!!!

Now there’s someone to look up to.Not.

Exiled: The inmates escaped from the asylum.

sacred: When will it be safe to return?

the bill as is wont pass. Obama wont get a 2nd term. Life will be good again. A few more years and we flush the trash out. Anyone still prasing Obama has a mental illness. I dont care who you are, seek help and get new eyeglasses too.

PS klein is a twat. Obviously sucks off Obama when possible.

@apr I figure if it’s anything like WoW they’ll run out of steam by the weekend.

Nothing like conspicuous presumption. “I love Obama!” translates into something like “Republican Congress” according to all the polls I have read lately.

But be at peace. We have (at least) several (dozen) years before global warming will make all this moot.

What is with you liberals AND YOUR LOVE OF LYING LAWYERS.

You Bush haters CAN YOU IMAGINE IN YOUR WILDEST NIGHTMARES HOW MUCH YOU WOULD HAVE HATED BUSH LECTURE YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY OF YOUR LIVES.

THIS IGNORANT CHICAGO THUG HAS LECTURED US 400 TIMES IN 365 DAYS – AMERICA IS TELLING YOU LEFTIES THAT WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH – SHUT THE ARROGANT MAN UP.

GET THIS PIG OFF OUR STAGE. MILLIONS HAVE MARCHED IN THE STREETS AND YOU TONE DEAF ARROGANT DEMOCRATS ARE STILL TRYING TO RUIN THE BEST HEALTHCARE ON THE PLANET.

WE ARE GOING TO VOTE OUT ALL LEFTWINGNUT SCUM IN NOVEMBER AND EVERY ELECTION AFTER THAT. YOU ARROGANT IDIOTS HAVE HAD YOUR CHANCE AND AMERICA HAS HAD ENOUGH.

YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOUR IGNORANT MESSIAH TO LISTEN ONCE IN AWHILE – TOO BAD HE WON’T, NOW HE IS LAMER THAN CRAZY CARTER.

Clearly, the president is out of his league. He has never had to make a payroll or provide benefits of any kind to employees. He is just wandering around in the wilderness and being led by others who have the same level of experience. What a joke.

“Babe in the woods” is not something I would want the US President described as, but when Obambi does what he does…dang.

I think just about all of you better wake up if you think this huge bill will pay for itself. Is the past history of our country’s handling of other entities stayed under control? Did they spend our SS money? Has the IRS turned into a welfare program? Have any of you even looked at Europe and what they pay in taxes? Do you think gas is high now? Do you think when they find out the money is not there that they are just gonna say ah shucks? No, they are going to take more money from you. The answer is not to let the government control everything. Pass some common sense laws to get cost under control and then slowly come up with ways to pay for health care for the poor that use our expensive emergency care like a doctor’s office. If anyone, Republicans or Democrats believe that this bill will pay for itself I have a bridge I would like to sell you in San Francisco.

Matinva, recently there have been a number of articles on the subject of “cargo cults”. I won’t explain what they are, just do a wiki search. But the point is that Obama thinks that he can create something that looks like a real economy, then snap his fingers and it will work like a real economy… with new businesses and new jobs and new tax revenues. But having no knowledge of the human experience not viewed through a Marxist lens, his inventions don’t work at all. Maybe they just need a divine spark, which he will provide at the right moment. (If he’s not really a Messiah, then we are all in deep trouble.)

Cathy, I am sure the secret service would be very interested to know what you have to say about The President.
.
And.. why don’t you folks go back to reading the Drudge report (I guess thats where you come from. Joe, congrats, your post made the front page on Drudge Report)

Come on guys.. Why don’t you just say that you hate your President because he is black (well, half black actually).
.
Really, its that simple. No need to write a lengthy delusional essay about how communists are taking over the country. Heck, some of your comments are longer than Joe’s blog post !!

Actually responding to jbaustian’s comment …

ROFLMAO when I read the term “cargo cult!” Just read about that the other day and I can assure you there is nothing that better describes the current state of affairs in Washington, D.C. right now!

There is a silver lining to all the “gridlock” in DC right now … everyone is complaining that Congress and the Whitehouse are getting nothing done … I’m celebrating that they are getting nothing done!!!

maverick2k9 …

I don’t have TV so I’ve never seen a picture of President Obama … thus I didn’t know he was black. In fact, I agree with Senator Reid, he kinda sounds white.

Mr Klein, at this point it will probably take a surgical procedure to remove you from the presidents colon as you must have your head so far up the President’s rear that you will surely be confused for a colon polyp at his next physical exam. Mr. Obama lost both his cool and the day. His petty sniping at constuctive comments which exposed the big lie he was trying to sell did not serve him well.

For the president to continue to contend that the current cost of care in the US is a more pressing risk to our economic well being than the exploding national debt he is presiding over proves that he is a free market neophite. The fact that he had to deny being a socialist to CEOs the other day only reinforces the point that all his policy decisions betray him as a true Marxist to the core.

What was meant to be a trap set to make Republicans look like the party of no, instead backfired to reveal the Dems as the out of touch party of spend and tax. In the face of overwhelming opposition they intend to ram this piece of legislative boon doggle through at their own peril 2010 elections cannot come soon enough.

Ahh.. thats a shame. You don’t get to watch the “Fair and Balanced” news on Fox TV.

I meant Fox News. Fox TV is great too, with The Simpsons and Family Guy .. Sarah is annoyed with Fox TV though.

That’s our Joe, just being Joe, as usual.
A column based entirely upon what OTHER Obamatons have to say about the “health care summit?”
Is that honestly the best you have to offer, Joe?
What’s next?
Perhaps you can write a column based upon Bill Maher’s claim made on Larry King’s show about how the American people are “too stupid to understand this,” extending it to a lengthy column explaining how he is right, based upon the opinions of yet MORE liberal elites.
If you had only troubled yourself to watch this, you would have seen a president dominating the talk time, with more than either Republicans or the Democrats, giving well over DOUBLE the time to Democrats vs. Republicans.
When confronted with this, our man-child president replied “Well, I’m the president, so I don’t count my time.”
Oh, then there were the familiar head-tipped-back arrogant poses, the fingers upon the lips, the eyes narrowed in fury, and – how could I have forgotten – insisting upon being addressed by his title of “Mr. President,” while at the same time addressing all Senators and Representatives as “Eric,” “John,” “Lamar,” etc.
Yes, the King was not amused, definitely, especially when Eric Cantor and Paul Ryan handed his backside to him by calmly pointing out the inherent inconsistencies of his proposal.
Then, there was the angry scolding of Cantor for daring to have all 2,400 pages of the Dems bill sitting in front of him, calling it “stagecraft” and “theatrics,” yeah, nothing at all like having a whole platoon of doctors at the capitol wearing their lab coats while Obama speaks, right, Mr. President?
Then, there was the familiar “I won” refrain with McCain, all very disarming, wouldn’t you think?
I can make it easy for you, Joe.
I can tell a person who did not watch this event, just how it went for one side vs. the other.
MSNBC cut out midway through it all (for those watching, coincidentally when the Republicans were really gaining a head of steam) to go back to women’s ice hockey.
In short, the liberal broadcast house organ dropped off their coverage of their beloved president’s big moment!
What does THAT tell you, Joe?

As the wife of a doctor, let me respond to some of your assertions. He/she needs to charge for their time because paying/insured patients are subsidizing the non-paying, Medicaid, and Medicare patients. Medicare and Medicaid reiumburse less than the cost of running a medical office. Think staff, medical supplies, rent, computers, etc. It costs a certain amount per hour to run a medical office (or hospital), and when the reimbursement rates for Medicare/Medicaid don’t come close to meeting these costs, something has to happen to stay in business. Those costs keep rising each year, yet Medicare reiumbursement rates do not.

My husband is a hospital-only doctor in a retirement area (lots of Medicare–he used to have a regular office, but was losing money no matter how many hours he worked, due to poor reimbursement). He is required by law to take any and all patients, so he is not able to cap his practice at a certain percentage of Medicare, Medicaid, or non-insured (think non-paying) patients. He gives away hundreds of thousands of dollars of uncompensated care away every year, but of course, that’s not tax-deductible. He’s evil and rich, and must be punished! At age 56 he still has $174K of medical school loans to pay off. The interest is not tax deductible, since he makes more than $60K a year (of course, those making less aren’t paying $1,200 a month on their loans, are they?).

My husband was particularly entertained by the man who refused to pay his medical bills, saying that he wasn’t going to subsidize my husband’s lifestyle. He was thinking, what, my Toyota Corolla???

Physicians give up years of their lives in training. Most work nights and weekends, miss famiily events, and only take vacations that involve medical education conferences because they’re not generating income when they’re not working. Most physicians can look forward to making less and less as time passes. What other profession has that privilege? My husband works 80 to 100 hours per week. He’s on call, with the beeper going off 15-20 times per night two to three nights per week. He himself is in poor health. I’m so sick of people with no understanding of this life villifying the people who work so hard to help others.

As for drug costs and side effects–our costs in this country are so high largely do to lawsuit liability. Turn on the TV. Every fourth commercial is a lawyer asking if you are anyone you know has been adversely affected by a drug. These lawsuits drive up the cost for all of us, by as much as 30 to 40%. Other countries do not allow this type of practice, and American drug companies bear the cost of developing the drugs (largely). Hence, they pay less. Our politicians are owed by the trial lawyers–hence, higher prices.

Side effects happen. The pharma companies are required to report all side effects. Most of them are only experienced by a small percentage of the population, or the drug would not allowed to be on the market. These drugs help and save the lives of far more people than they harm. Would you rather have no treatments?

The Republicans did very well, particular Coburn who addressed medical fraud. Obama was condescending, rude, and ill-prepared with the facts.
Here’s the deal: there are philosophical differences between “progressives” and “conservatives”.
Like Ayn Rand said, “progressive liberals” view man merely as a sacrificial animal, whose only worth is to exist to serve what is euphemistically called “the common good”. He has no worth in and of himself. His value is in serving others.
On the other hand, “conservatives” believe in individual rights, particularly the ones in the Constitution.
As Glenn Beck said, progressives differ from Marxists like this: Marxists want immediate revolution and progressives want to evolve to it, eating away at the Constitution bit by bit.
Get it? Good.

Ah, comeon, Maverick2k9, can’t you just come out and say that you have nothing else to counter with, so you throw out the “he hates Obama because he’s black” card as a last resort?
No?
Yeah, I figured as much.

Joe Klein is not a very good writer, Or thinker, for that matter. Not that you need to be one at Time.

The comments on this article are too good! Yup, it’s those mean old “wasacally wepubwicans” causing all of the trouble again. Let see if I understand this….Nancy Pelosi has a majority of Democrats in the House where she can pass anything she wants. And up until Scott Brown “stole” Ted Kennedy’s seat in Massachusetts (spelled correctly I might add), Harry Reid had 60 votes in the Senate and could pass anything he wanted. Those “wascally werupbwicans” couldn’t stop a thing! It was the Democrats and their loose collection of special interest groups who could not hold it together. Let’s make sure we get our facts straight, here. And for those of you who think this is such a great bill reforming the health care system in this country, have the guts and the honesty to sit down and read through that 2,000 page monstrosity. If you liberals are so concerned about “fairness” why is it fair for the unions to get special treatment and breaks (while the rest of us have to pay); why is it fair for Mary Landrieu to get $100,000,000 in breaks for Louisiana (while the rest of us pay); why should I have to pay for an abortion (because two people decided to fool around and, oops…. get pregnant)? Oh I forgot Nancy Pelosi said public funding of abortions is not in the bill. Hell, with all of the legalese buried in that monster, nobody knows what’s in it. And if the Dems are so open to those “wascally wepubwicans” why are they so opposed to tort reform (gettting rid of frivolous lawsuits) and opening up competition by allowing insurance companies to compete across state lines? No boys and girls, this is all about a power grab and higher taxes. Joe Klein is a smart guy but his problem is he is blinded by his ideology.

Congressman Ryan basically called Obama’s numbers bogus and made up and Ryan detailed the fraud in the numbers and Obama could not answer. Obama looked like a deer in headlights.

You hit the nail on the head. Great post

maverick2k9, while the the poster was a bit histrionic, using all caps, etc., I saw no threats of bodily harm anywhere in his/her post.
Are you saying that stating your desire to remove a bad politician from office by the customary electoral process constitutes a threat the Secret Service should address?
Really?
If so, I have a pretty good idea of what national leaders YOU admire from history, many dating from the 1930-1940 era.
I wonder whom they might be.

While I agree with you that the Dems are delusional, I am no fan of Savage, not by a stretch.
The man really IS arrogant, unlike Limbaugh, who puts that on as an act to irritate his detractors.
He also constantly demands his oversized ego be stroked by his callers.
Also, he just rants aimlessly, calling the Republicans nothing more than watered down Democrats.
Did anyone with a living neuron in his head honestly believe the Republicans at this summit looked like watered down Dems?
I saw the adults (Republicans) calmly explain to the children (Dems) that they can’t have candy without getting tooth decay, and no amount of screaming and holding their breath until they turned blue was going to change that.

Oh?
You don’t see George Will writing an entire column based completely upon what his buddies told him, do you?
Back to Planet Wingnuttia with you!

Let’s see. I didn’t watch it and read press clippings as well. But unlike Joe, I feel unqualified to report on the proceedings or analyze seven hours of information without any personal first hand experience.

What a worthless article and reporter. Stunningly, 280 people seemed driven to comment on his journalistic vapor. Apparently, the internet reflects both the broad knowledge humanity has gathered, as well as the vacuum that exists between humanity’s ears.

Are you SERIOUS?! You admit that you didn’t watch it, then you ‘read between the lines’, and then you have the gall to spew your opinion about it. Obama looked like a FOOL, he avoided answering questions and took up a large part of the time with is own flowery chatter. The American people have weighed in multiple times…they don’t like this mess. Something needs to be done, we all agree on that, but step back and DO YOUR JOB and LISTEN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. You are not smarter than everyone else. A one sided takeover of 17% of the economy by way of a parliamentary trick is no way to pass important legislation. The Republicans had some good, fiscally sound, effective ideas (I watched it so I know) that the Glorious Leader glossed over and moved past with a quip and his nose turned up. Mr. Klein, you should be ashamed of this piece. Next time try FACTS and INFORMED OPINION MAKING, then get in line with the vast majority of Americans who are against this mess. Sometimes when you order dinner it tastes bad and you have to send it back. I think the same applies here.

Hey Klein…just wondering…do you ever eat at or talk to people at “Joe’s Diner”…or are you terminally committed to the Beltway Brie and Chablis joints?… go outside your comfort zone and talk Joe and Joanne Six-Pack and they will tell you they are scared of losing their jobs(if they haven’t already) and they are frightened that America is losing it for themselves and their kids…they/we understand how debt can be a slave master and too much debt can destroy marriages, families and countries…Obama has no clue why working stiffs are both frightened and pissed at his arrogant “my way or the highway”-”I know better than you people” bankrupting healthcare plan…talk to real people and you might be surprised…we are not stupid…if we just did 3 very doable things we would be way better off: 1) Make the insurance companies take pre-existing conditions IF they want to compete across State lines 2) Tort reform-at least a little bit 3) Make ALL insurance premiums tax deductable…do these things and you will see more people covered and health care costs come down dramatically…either you believe in capitalism i.e.competition and the market or you don’t…I do…and so do the people who eat at “Joe’s Diner”.

Recalcitrant…. 1. resisting authority or control; not obedient or compliant; refractory. 2. hard to deal with, manage, or operate.

And pray tell…. why should the Republicans just lay down and vote for things that the people just don’t want? Would you?

We the People do want health care reform but we DO NOT WANT something that is going to make matters worse! What is being proposed to fix it will only build on the pyramid scheme that has gotten government health care into this mess. AND WE ARE SMART ENOUGH TO SEE IT!

We are sick and tired of being ignored and told that we are too stupid to understand it and that after we get this we will like it. Just like we were sold hope, change, tarp bail outs, and that job losses wouldn’t go above 8%.

Sorry… but we don’t buy it, we will oppose it and we will vote those out of office who support it in the form that it is now. IF YOU CAN’T UNDERSTAND THAT then you are the one that is being “recalcitrant”.

And by the way… it’s “by the people, for the people” not “over the people, on the people”. (You might want to pass that on to Harry and Nancy before they try to serve those re-fried beans for desert.)

We simply do not like the “spinach” that is being served and will not eat it even if we have to go “hungry” till we can get a burger in November. So when the Dems decide to quit trying to shove it down our throats and serve up some meat and potatoes we will be right there at the table.

In the mean time… shame on you Joe for your slap down of our voices! The Republicans are not the party of no….. We are!

10,000 comedians out of work Joe…..

I think Joe is trying to poke us with a stick.

Joe is explaining exactly what the purpose of the summit was; to have Obama “win”, and not to reach across the isle.

Let’s compare Barry to whom you think is the lowest common dedomitator in the Republician party; Sarah Palin.

Sarah knows that there are 50 states, not 57. She knows how to pronounce; “corpsman”. She doesn’t know how to get $14T in debt. She can speak for an hour with just three words written on her hand, and she’s not an affirmative action graduate.

That being said, do you want to try again Joe?

Pretty shoddy journalism, if you can call it that – basing a win on equal talking time, jumping to conclusions, reading between the lines. Convinced that the Republicans could have gotten concessions if they had been interested in solving the problem – why? Republicans have made numerous counteroffers on health care change, but they are fundamentally different from Obama’s. Does anyone at Time even care what slop you write?

Well said about rights.
I get tired of all these entitlement freak politicians declaring yet ANOTHER “right” at the drop of a hat.
True rights are enumerated in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Rights are insoluble and granted by our Creator.
Most importantly, rights do not cost anyone else a dime.
Our right to free speech, the right to defend ourselves with arms, the right to religion, etc., NONE of them requires taxes, property confiscation, or infringing on others’ freedoms.
I say we have enough rights already, and we most certainly do not need faux “rights” that are in fact disguised power grabs.

I don’t know what summit you guys were watching? Obama spoke for half the time and the repubs and the demos split the balance.

The dems told tear jerking stories and the repubs tried to bring up facts regarding the hc bill but were cut off by obama.

It was like obama was sean hannity and the repubs were the demos on his show. Bring up a valid issue and you get interupted by the host (obama).

I don’t understand why obama even speaks to the repubs? The dems have all the votes they need without the repubs.

Unfortunately the citizens almost always loose when either party is in power.

Here is why you need insurance:

Lack of carrying proper insurance is common due to the costs of monthly premiums. However, our society has become a 2 class system of have and have-nots with regards to insurance. For those who cannot afford the monthly premium, they rely on the government and others to assist them when they need help. They do without certain privileges and run the risk of causing greater harm to themselves and their loved ones by deferring proper care and medication.

Gravity Gardener
http://gravitygarden.com/why-we-need-insurance/

Joe, Americans are smart, Americans are engaged, and Americans are not blind to what Obama is doing. There is a far bigger world out there than the Kool-Aid drinking readership of this rag. The whole damn thing is indeed one big Ponzi scheme. What I really want to know is …. who is Obama’s puppet master?

Joe is not living in the real world but simply preaching to his choir to keep his job like Kieth O does every night. Chris Mathews did not see it quiet the same way or at least his guests did not after the hockey game ended… Republicans came prepared with facts and the dems only had sob story after sob story to try and make America feel bad – facts vs. emotion… again…

Bravo!!!!!!

Some of these comments are bogus. Deals were made, bargains were struck between Democrats! Democrats who couldn’t agree on their own bill with a super majority.

This blaming of the Republicans is a red herring. The president and the Democrats totally mismanaged the process and basically ignored their constituents by constantly telling the public they knew better.

My senators, Dick Durbin and Roland Burris, refused to have town hall meetings because they didn’t want to face the public and explain the bill. They treated us with contempt, sending anyone who objected to the process with condescending e-mail responses.

Burris will be gone soon and hope Durbin should follow.

You nailed it better than I.

a comment on ‘this rag’ (and it is a rag) – in the doctor’s waiting room I picked up a recent paper copy – wow, it is so thin these days, guess they are saving printing costs while their readership plummets and no one is willing to pay to advertise between it’s thin covers…

What planet do you live on, Klein? I watched about half of the “summit”, while I was able to stay awake, and all I saw was the same old arrogant, narcissistic charlatan I’ve been seeing for the past two years. The Republicans came well prepared, made, scored many points, and when they got too close to the truth were cut off by “der fuhrer” saying they were using “talking points”. All the while, democrats trotted out sob story after sob story because they knew they had nothing new to offer, and needed to hide the substance of their monstrosity of a bill as much as possible. Bottom line, the meeting was nothing but a carefully orchestrated kabuki dance on the part of Obama and the democrats, which Obama himself proved in the last two minutes of the marathon session when he said, in effect, okay, I can check this one off my list now, and now it’s back to business as usual — my way. There is no other alternative.

blank,
Outstanding real world explanation of how it is to be a doctor!
When did it become OK to deride what has traditionally been one of the most respected vocations of all?
Oh, I know, when the liberal moonbats started demonizing doctors, for (no surprise) earning high incomes.
Yeah, that money just jumps into their pockets, as if by magic.
Hell, doctors do not:
1) Attend at least eight years of higher education
2) Serve in residency as basically a slave for several years
3) Owe school loans somewhere north of $500K
4) Wrestle with the federal government’s ponzi scheme underpaying Medicare and Medicaid
5) Save lives on a daily basis
6) Relieve suffering with their expertise
7) Extend lives by decades at a time
8) Get constantly run down by morons such as sofabubba

One word for you, sofabubba, if you think doctors are such a bad sort, why don’t YOU go through all they do to become one yourself, so you can experience what they do firsthand?
Oh, wait, I should have mentioned, you won’t be able to do that, since you don’t have the discipline or even a fraction of the intelligence to pull it off.
My bust!

I did watch the entire health care summit. The Republicans did a fantastic job in bringing alternative ideas to the table. Waxman espoused 5 year plans, Obama stated that we deserved care ‘each according to our means’, and the democrats could only bring ‘sob stories’. Obama consistently cut off the Republicans from speaking, and allowed the Democrats ramble on about nonsense. Obama called the Senate bill a ‘prop’. He proved himself to be the unwilling to listen to the Republican ideas. Any idea put forth by the Republicans he shut them up and immediately had a democrat begin to speak. He at one point stated it was a ‘us (democrats) vs. you all (republicans). Joe Klein you had no business writing this article. Obama’s final words in the summit was if the Republicans don’t sign on to the senate bill (the prop) he will consider and encourage the reconciliation process.

Mr Klein admits in the 1st paragraph that he did not personaly see this event and then hold forth as though he did have 1st hand knowledge. This is ingnorant by defination and disqualifies all that he has to say.

Man, talking a bout looking through rose colored glasses. Obama, “Obama came out well ahead of the Republicans”?

Mr Klein, you are an idiot! First of all this “bipartisen” summit was a joke. Obama selected two thirds of the people and republicians one third. What a cool move. Then he spoke for 1/3 of the time like he was the surpreme ruler. This guy was completely diagnosed from the beginning by many. He is a Narcissist.
For him to tell anyone how to run anything is a joke. He has never been anythin but a racial agitator. He has never really worked, ran a business, or been a manager of any kind. All he is interested in is destroying our great country. If he can do that then everyone will have lost everything they have so we can all be equal, except for him and his czars.
For Obama to preach to anyone is so far beyond the pale.

Yep, senjam, you’re right.
Obama took the Republicans to the cleaners…in Bizarro World.
Good lord!

Hellooooo – who needs the repubs? Can’t we just whip our own into voting for this and be done with it? I mean, we DO have the majorities!!! What is stopping us?

No, that is not “the way a democracy works.” Our system should protect minority rights while insuring majority rule.Here we have 2700 pages of socialist garbage that THE MAJORITY of Americans clearly oppose philosophically and practically and, in your vision of the ideal “democratic process,” we are to embrace the garbage after adding a few Republican tweaks. Then Democracy has been fulfilled.

That is like a woman agreeing to marry a wife-beater if he commits to two-weeks of family vacation in Hawaii each year and agrees to buy her roses every Valentines day. After all, that’s the way compromise works, right?

MR. KLEIN,

I AM SURE YOU CALL YOURSELF A JOURNALIST, HOWEVER YOUR LACK OF JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY AND OBJECTIVITY HAS MADE YOU INTO A “JOURNALISTIC BUTT BOY”. IT IS NO WONDER THAT CNN AND TIME ARE GASPING FOR AIR.

Shame on you, Joe! Why bother posting impressions of the Summit if you didn’t bother to watch?

Your perception is that the President was unflappable? Perhaps condescending and arrogant would be better choices to describe him yesterday.

Actually, the Republicans presented themselves well , emphasizing the unsustainable costs of the proposed program and the burden it would place on American families. They also did a great job of pointing out the fundamental unfairness of the various quid pro quos contained in the bill, benefiting particular states to the exclusion of others.

The President’s flippant response to John McCain’s legitimate concern regarding special interest benefits was rude and completely inappropriate! Mr. Obama’s behavior was highly partisan and did not dignify the Nation’s highest office!

As Shakespeare said, “Brevity is the soul of wit.”
Nicely said, and quite concise.

You are right,Americans are smart, Americans are engaged, and Americans are not blind.You,on the other hand,not so much.

The conduct of the Democrats during the Healthcare summit rings a death knell on their majority in November. Mark my words, Harry Reid, gone in November 2010. Nancy Pelosi, gone as House Speaker. If the GOP doesn’t regain majority in the house the Democrats will throw Pelosi over board for running them off a cliff. The big question is concerning the mandate for everyone to purchase healthcare insurance. Virginia is passing legislation, as are 20+ other states, that prohibits mandating individuals to purchase healthcare. If these laws are passed in those states (mostly red states) how is the Federal government going to fund these sweeping healthcare requirements? The 10th amendment of the constitution states that the federal government cannot force state laws unless it’s in the constitution. I can see the AG’s on almost half of the states in the union suing the federal government.

Hey Joey-boy, do all of us a favor and get off of your knees, wipe Obama’s “manhood” off of your chin and try to write a serious, unbiased article!
You are such a hack! This piece of crap that you wrote is the reason you are not taken seriously as a PROFESSIONAL jourmalist. Except maybe by the far-left, American-hating idiots that you represent.

The march of the right wing retards.Do any of you have an original thought.All you do is regurgitate the same spoonfed crap from planet Wingnuttia.

When will it be acknowledged that the Dem leaders don’t have the full support of their own party? Like a stubborn child they continue to blame the Republicans when truly the fact is the Dems have literally wasted millions of our hard earned dollars monopolizing the establishment of this “bill” and still can’t pass something as the majority. And now they want the Republicans to bow to their creation while being constantly insulted. I say vote and vote now and show the American people who truly speaks for us. Maybe “they” will pass this thing but then the “bill” will finally be in our hands and Democracy will do what it does best. By the way, if you don’t like Democracy… the door is easy to find.

The large number of left wing anti-American pro Marxist pro-Obama posts here are indicative of how Time and CNN and their readers / viewers feel about freedom, liberty, and the US Constitution.
This “useful idiot” Joe Klein ( joe Little) has done nothing more than write an undisguised unapologetic propaganda piece.
He begins honestly enough, He didn’t watch it. Why then does he continue to write? The next part is an outright lie. Dems had twice as much time as Republicans.
The Republicans had done their homework. They had physicians testify and they showed that they had numerous plans and programs clear and ready for implementation, contrary to the false claims (lies) that the Dems have been spouting ( GIbbs, et al).
Obama was on the dfefensive, inarticulate, and attempted to squash any and all reasonable Republican proposals and suggestions, especially when they pointed out the ugly truth about the Dem bills and proposals. Obama was petulant, immature, arrogant, rude. Dems seemed to think that sob story anecdotes would convince the public that they should relinquish the freedom and one sixth of their economy (and probably control of their govt forever) to the socialist Democrats.
It isn’t about health care Joe. It is about Democrats power and control. Health Care is a good vehicle for rendering more of our Constitution and economy ineffective.

Well, one would think that the vaunted Joe Klein could at least trouble himself to actually sit down and watch Obama’s big moment before writing a column about it, don’t you think?
You don’t have to be a conservative who dislikes Obama to see that there is something inherently laughable about a columnist who writes his column based entirely upon what his fellow liberals told him and speculation.
Yes, it’s an opinion column, and I know the difference, but aren’t there even BASIC requirements to stating said opinion?

It’s to bad liberal always must resort to name calling because they have no facts to back them up.

Spoken like a true left wing Marxist. Adult, intelligent, and convincing.

You would think after reading 250 posts of crap they would be embarrassed with their political comrades on the extreme right.But no,they just keep coming,like cockroaches.

Mistrel,if I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard that same lame crap from the likes of you,I’d be rich.

I’ve never been able to find anyone who actually thinks Joe Klien is the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I am a little surprised at how lacking in arithmetic skills he is to say each side spoke an equal amount of time. Oh, I know he divided the time into three (3) parts. The fact is, Obama is a Democrat, and the important figures are the 257 minutes for those blindly following the Socialist Health Care Agenda vs the 111 minutes for those opposed to it. 257 does not equal 111, no matter how you try to slice it up.

Nice try, Joe, but there really are only two (2) sides to this debate…..not three (3). I know you will distort your reporting in anyway possible to give the Dems the upper hand, but only moronic Libs and Socialist can be fooled by your slight-of-hand tricks.

Have you been paying attention to all the talk about how the Media has it’s head so far up Obama’s anal orifice they are clearly biased reporters? Maybe you could check in with Dan Rather for an update on that story. But this article is just one more which clearly demonstrates how the liberal bias actually works in the media.

Let’s see…the Dems owned the White House, the House of Reps, and the Senate with major filibuster proof margins and couldn’t push this monstrosity through? They arrogantly refused to allow any input from the Republicans and physically locked them out at times, flipped them off because they were sure they could bribe their way to victory with the Cornhusker Kickback, the LA Purchase, the FL Favors and they still couldn’t make it happen. Now they want to blame the Rep? What a joke. The Dems, ole Charlie Rangel’s party, is dumber than a bag of hammers if they believe the public buys that. Can’t wait until November to watch the tsunami. (For you Dems who were educated in your public school system, a tsunami is a large destructive wave.)

And you are such an independent Joe Klein, aren’t you? I’m fascinated by people who consider this abomination of a president to be intelligent. Let’s see, he says corpppps, and he akses people things.
The arrogance that he showed in this phony meeting will be played over and over in the run up to the election. Then again, everything he says can be used against him. There will be a “tsunami” of Republicans voted in this November, and he will be a lame duck in his first and only term.
All you putrid progressives should move to Europe. It’s much more to your liking.

I often wonder what people like Joe Kline are watching when I read this ridiculous article. He wasn’t watching the 7 hours of thaetre, theatre that the Dems have already admitted was just a prop. Obama never expected this, and at times you can see just how mad he got because the Republicans were taking him to the wood shed. It doesn’t matter, his approvals are at 44% now and sinking. Congress is at 10% and, believe it or not, sinking.
And for all you leftists out there, the public is strongly against this health care debacle, and that number grows every day because every day the public learns even more about it. How the hell can someone be in favor of a healthcare bill that says you GO TO PRISON if you refuse to purchase it? You think people are in favor of that? Or that it funds abortion with tax payer money? WAKEUP! There’s a multitude of things in this monster people do not want. So, you people are simply in denial. And as far as I’m concerned, that’s a good thing! Come November, you’re going to experience a political massacre.

The Republicans have been giving Obama their proposals all along but Obama has been saying they have nothing to offer. Now, he’s simply lying about it! He’s a liar! This meeting opened up a lot of eyes becase people were unaware of what the Republicans were proposing, until now that is. The public is in favor of them too, all of them! The idea the Republicans are obstructionist is irrelevant because the libs had a super majority. The people know it. This meeting was nothing more than an attempt to manufacture an excuse to use the nuclear option.
They’re already saying it. The Republicans won’t agree with anything in this bill so we have no choice but to use the nuclear option. So, I say, go ahead, we dare you to use it!

And to the Joe Kline’s of the world, keep thinking you’re smarter than everyone else. (That’s really funny when you think about it. Seriously, Kline? Kline is smarter than mostly all of us? Him? lol) Arrogance will be your undoing!

westender3, I’ll guess we’ll have to wait and see won’t we? I’d be interested in what you will have to say 3 November, 2010 when the people make their statement. I have a feeling that you will be greatly disappointed like you probably were with the Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts’ (yes they voted in a Republican) election results. We’ll see you then?

Here is where our thoughts originate…. The Constitution and Bill of Rights… you know, the documents that give you the freedom to speak as you do, even babble.

One question: If this plan is sooo great why won’t they put themselves and their family members into it?

I’m upset. how come no one mentions the important things. The unions and Andy Stern weren’t even brought up during the summit, why?! Priorities need to be set: 1) favors for unions 2) repeal ‘dont ask dont tell (or is it dont ax dont tell?) so our corpeszmen and women don’t get their feelings hurt whilst wielding our deadly armaments 3)come up with ideas so his fat daughters don’t get any more gi-normous than they already are. 4)sanctions against the country of Indonesia for ‘dissing’ his statue. 5) caress Michelle’s lovely arms. 6) how to make the himalayan glaciers melt more quickly(blowing presidental hot air over them might help) 7) ban Jesse Jackson from handling sharp cutting tools, or at least keep him away from the presidential crotch 8)get rep.Mcdermott to pass the healthcare bill in the dead of night under a cloak of invisibility 9)force toyota execs to refer to the prius as a ‘chevy’. Getting these things accomplished won’t be easy. None of this addresses the other huge problem. The presidential nose-pick that has run rampant on youtube. How come Pelosi didn’t offer him a corner of her straight jacket so he wouldn’t have to ‘tunnel’ for it? another team failure

socialism/communism has failed. Soviet communism failed. Historical fact. Socialism in American has been tried several times in American several times in our history. It failed every time. People starved and died. Canada medical socialism is failing. British socialized medicine is failing (read UK Telegraph). Wake up and most importantly grow up. Free market system works. 6% of the Americans buy their own insurance. If we free up the market so they can buy their insurance nation wide to find lower rate insurance they would benefit greatly. This does not need a complete overhaul of the greatest healthcare system of the world. Of the those who don’t have insurance – this would aide to find insurance as well. Again, this would not require a complete government overhaul of the healthcare system or a massive government takeover. Sometimes simple solutions are better.

By the way, if you took all the profits of the insurance companies it would only cover the uninsured for two days.

This administration has created a permanent stimulus for their friends in this bill but little for the average American other than higher debt. They could cover preexisting conditions and fill some other gaps for a fourth of the cost of this garbage. Unfortunately, they may not be able to line the pockets of the friends of Pelosi, Reid and Emanuel if they did.

Obama does not put on a very credible dog and pony show. It is all political theater and does not address real problems that can be solved.

Better yet Mr. DeKline…. why don’t you stick your fingers in your ears, hold your eyes tightly shut, stomp your feet and yell “I’m not listening, I’m not listening, Barrack Hussein Obama mmm mmm mmm!”?

It’s apparent to the biggest part of people who posted here see you in that light.

Get a clue dude. It’s not Dems vs Repubs. It’s elected officials vs We the People! Repubs are just listening to us a little more right now. They sort of get it… unlike the Obamatwits that refuse to read and understand what is right in front of their eyes.

On second thought… “Under estimating your opponent”… maybe that’s a good thing, the more arrogant and ignorant they are, the better we are able to spot them when the midterm election hunting season gets into full swing.

Joe Klien a not surprising article on the health summit.
vas u der sharlie? apparently not. I guess it’s not unusual
for “journalists” to give opinions. What amazes me is that Joe seems to have the answers to the health care issues, and if only the Republicans would give in to Obama all would be fine. Shame on you Joe, you know that every argument has two sides, yours, mine and the right side, Oh wait, that’s three sides. Is the issue Health care or is the issue Power grab? Why are the Dems putting their political careers on the line to promote this
partisan Health care bill? Most of them don’t give the proverbial rats ass for the poor. Johnson declared war on poverty many years ago and it hasn’t been won yet. There must be something wrong in the approach, but in the long run the answer is rather simple…….it’s Bush’s fault.

Anyone who believes that all are entitled to health insurance are free to pay for everyone else. Nowhere in the founding of this country was anyone guaranteed anything other than Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. The government on both the state and federal levels have taken too much on themselves as support for everyone’s well being. Why stop at healthcare? Let’s go to food, clothing, housing, vacations, and on and on. I am not insensitive to helping (Key word helping) those less fortunate. I volunteer time and give of my own money as do many other Americans. I am tired of being taxed to give my gains to others to “even” things. Life isn’t even and that is the way it is. If life is so bad here, people can choose to live anywhere else. They don’t, in fact many want to come here to live. So stop the nonsense and let’s get back to why and for what this country was founded.

Yea, a regular frickin genius… Let’s see, 57 states, axing questions, Cinco de quatro, Bavarian as a language, attempting to walk through a window at the Whitehouse thinking it’s a door… The list could go on and on and on and on. Yea, he’s a genius, just like the geniuses that voted for him… I guess that will be their little secret…

You’ve got to be freaking kidding! What do people like this author hope to gain by perpetrating lies and myths in print? How could it be in anyone’s interest (except for the Democrat socialist elite) to prop up a health care bill that is opposed by the vast majority of the public and is so blatantly destructive?

The author is lying about the health care summit charade as well. The Democrats got shalaqued even though they were in charge. The Republicans articulated the flaws of the bill (in that it is unconstitutional, wasteful, deceptive, and destructive) and the lies of Obama and his socialist minions.

The truth that this health bill will leave American fools lying and dying in their own excrement as they are left to die as government-employed health care workers sacrifice them to the god of government regulation and cost cutting… the same thing that happens in the UK and everywhere else government health care is tried.

The health care bill is nothing more than a power grab by a tyrant and a corrupt, immoral, elitist Democrat party.

For their part, the Democrats could only read collaborated and isolated sob stories from a few supposed constituents, as if we’re supposed to screw our entire country just because some woman is wearing her sister’s dentures.

And how about the Obama fraud himself? He says that the bill itself is irrelevant. The process is irrelevant. The fact that he lies saying the bill will cut costs is irrelevant… What his idiot supporters don’t realize is that he considers THEM to be irrelevant. That’s why he wants to screw them by destroying the country. He doesn’t care about THEM except he wants them to keep blindly voting for HIM.

Democrats have no credibility. If their plan was so great, they would willingly subscribe themselves to it to show solidarity with the people they claim to be concerned about. No way! We the people count for nothing but to produce and pay taxes to the elitist political ruling class.

As one of the self-proclaimed “smart people, ” Klein still doesn’t get it, providing a clue to the profound, myopic idiocy that infects the liberal left.

56% of the American people (probably more) now recognize that government is a threat to personal liberty. And yet the Obama cabal and its media shills cling to the notion that Americans must sacrifice a “little” freedom for a larger collective payback…just like the rest of the “civilized” world; that the concept of “the consent of the governed” is hopelessly passe in these progressive times.

The fact remains that the debate has never been about evil insurance companies, greedy doctors, or hate-mongering talk radio. The issue is NOT about the Health Reform red herring.

It is about the preservation of individual liberty by free-thinking, free-acting American citizens, who ultimately define their own best interests.

Republican obstructionism? Let’s just say that America’s cultural DNA doesn’t permit compromise or capitulation when those God-given, Constitutionally-guaranteed liberties are under threat. Ever.

Well at least there is some truth in advertising. Joe Klein prefaced his comments about the summit by saying he had not even watched it. This makes his comments, well, almost useless, but hey, I am sure there must be a stong need to voice an opinion no matter what the circumstances.

I like the satire in Joe’s writing. The president showed just how adolescent he is. When called on a promise he made during his election campaign he retorted “We are not campaigning now…” So he showed that anything he says in a campaign is bunk. Stick to his position.. Well one thing you can’t negotiate with is stupid. Finally,
What the president’s bill is is nothing but bad. Everywhere similar things have been tried the result has been cost growth, reduction in the general health of the nation that tried it and government intrusion into the lives of the citizens. These are all things our country was founded to obviate. What the president tried was to get the republicans to say yes to anything. It is similar to one going in to a car lot and the salesman trying to sell them a goat. The salesman knows that if he can get them to say yes to any question he opens the door to selling them something they didn’t want and don’t need. An immature approach from a really stupid man-child president who has the practiced look of a teenage know-it-all. He can keep his goat. We don’t need it.

This program is not slated to start until 20??. You will start paying immediately. The funds will be used as another slush fund as Social Security was.
Wake up and smell the roses……it’s gonna cost you.

The king of embellishment has struck again. It was pretty much an even outcome with the republicans holding their own. The Democrats had a two to one edge on talking their points with a plethora of whining from THEIR constituents stories of heartbreak. Prez Obama still looks like the proverbial bull in the china shop, charging ahead to eventually reek havoc on a fragile economy at this time in our history.

I picked up on that very thing; who in their right mind would pay for collision on an “old clunker”? Only people who don’t have any financial sense at all would do something like that. Hmmm. Maybe that’s why our country is still in the economic crisis we’re in – and DON’T BLAME BUSH! Nobama ran for the position knowing full well what was in store for him. His deathcare plan will only exasperate matters. He needs to scrap his old clunker of the bill and begin in open transparent fashion with Dems and Repubs, and build this correctly piece by piece (with NO EARMARKS).

HEADLINE – BBC to Make Drastic Cuts – same thing at Joe’s rag, lib lies aren’t selling…

The only hope for the Untied States to continue to thrive is for us to turn to socialized system of healthcare. Only a government takeover and a mandatory public option can keep us out of bankruptcy. The republicans fear this because then they will no longer be able to make money from the misery of others.

You didn’t watch the HC summit yet you feel qualified to write an entire article based on “tea leaves” and “reading between the lines” and come to the conclusion that Republicans had nothing to say?!

Holy cats! One could not ask for a more perfect illustration of the methodology of the mindless minions who voted for Obama.

I did watch the summit – all of it. Let me give you a first-hand account: Obama was petulant and boorish. Disgraceful behavior for a President of the United States. Walking to the summit he stated he was going to listen, which turned out to be another of his all too predictable lies. He didn’t listen. He lectured. He rudely cut off every Republican who had a cogent, fact based argument while letting Dems nonsensically prattle on and on about how they got a sad letter from “someone”.

Like some uber-liberal Frankenstein, Obama is a radicalized hybrid of the worst of Carter and Clinton, infused with a dangerous dose of Chicago thuggery, set loose on the freedom loving citizens of the United States.

The election of Obama has turned out to be a tragic civics lesson for every “hope and change” pie-in-the-sky idealist who foolishly voted for him.

I wonder how Obama would respond when his rights, under the Constitution, are in jeopardy. Oh wait, He is The President, Is he above it all and not responsible for what happens to the rest of us. Obama has yet to reveal his empathy for the common man, instead be swayed to the ill-informed masses that cray the loudest.

Why not watch the actual summit and form your own opinion?

“Clever” comments add nothing to the discussion, they only prove the depths of your ignorance. Have you not been paying attention to the maniacal attempt your fellow
travelers have been engaging in to pass their so called
health care bill? They have attempted every trick they
could muster to ram it through and after a year they have still failed. Does the will if the American public mean so little to your liberal buddies? A majority don’t want the Health care being proposed. I know you don’t care what the majority want but they do care. If Obama doesn’t care
about the will of the people can you not see where that will ultimately lead?

It is articles like this that are written by so called reporters / journalist, that help expose people like Joe Klein for what they really are : educated beyond their intelligence.

Joe Klein should not be allowed near a keyboard, let alone allowed to try and pass off his propaganda as newsworthy and then being paid for it.

Just say no Joe, just say no !!!

jmho

Joe- Is this really serious? I mean second hand reporting? Opinions based on assumptions? You missed the Health Care Summit but read about it (now I assume) where you will get some friendly feedback like the Times or how networks went back to regular programming. Maybe the msm networks didn’t want the public to see what was beginning to happen. Obama was not unflapable. Actually, he got a pissy little look on his face every time he was rebutted with the facts. You could see a look of pure contempt when his statements were challanged by anyone (and there were a lot of them) who did a better job at preparing for this than he did. And whenever he was called out for doing the opposite of his promises, and he was exposed as the manipulating opportunist that he is…well he got mad. Quiet, but mad.
Joe you need to look at the video of Paul Ryan who politely and respectfully sliced, diced and exposed the dirty secrets of this bill and the President’s “revisions”. You should look at Obama’s disgraceful, unpresidential attitude with John McCain when McCain called him out on the inside deals in the bill. McCain was gracious and Obama was not. McCain should have exposed the President for what he is all about by reminding Obama of his comments regarding how angry Americans were, and rightfully so, with all of the backroom deals for special interests and the purchase of congressional votes of support….only to make a shady backroom deal himself, THE VERY NEXT DAY, behind closed doors at the Whitehouse with the big unions, exempting their members, but not the rest of us from the tax on cadillac health plans. Probably a lot of stuff you don’t want to hear, but if you care about healthcare and costs, you should.
So, how do I get a big time job like yours? I read Drudge regularly…Maybe I could blog about the affairs of state as well and collect a big paycheck for opining on someone else’s reporting. But seriously Joe. Go back and watch some of the videos. There is a mountain of video evedence building on our prez as he gets himself in unscripted situations without his teleprompters and we can all get some glimpses of the real narcissist behind the carefully marketed and controlled public persona of President Obama. Most people didn’t know who this guy was in 2008 so they voted for him. 2012 is going to be a very interesting year. That is of course if he opts to run for re-election.

Oh, gosh. I wish I’d seen your post before I posted mine. Well said!

We don’t trust the house of thieves known as the Congress of the United States of America when it comes to spending and ths is the fundamental problem with Health Care Reform legislation.

Let the President and Congress first come up with legislation that gets costs under control, then we can expand health care.

This doesn’t have to take long, since the ideas have been thoroughly discussed between legislators. That’s not the problem. The problem is the Democrats want a massive restructuring of a system that works for most people and we don’t trust these giant brains to take such sweeping action and that trust is solidly based on past and current performance.

By the way Joe, you didn’t have to say you didn’t watch the discussion. That’s obvious from your conclusions.

This is a quote from another reader regarding the situation we are faced with:
Someone has it all figured out.

“The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the presidency.

It will be easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president.

The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails them. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince.

The republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president.”

What IS indeed scary is that this comment applies to this magazine Joe Klein and the readers of this rag!!!

Joe:

You must have been drinking too much koolaid with your Slime Magazine buddies. He got his butt handed to him and looked like a buffoon! He is the most arrogant, least qualified person ever to disgrace the office! Have another sip.

Joe, you have to deaf and blind to come to that conclusion…just ain’t so.

Buck: It’s one of my regular news sites I go to on a daily basis. I realize it’s an aggregator of links. However, Drudge only posts the story’s and perspectives that fit into his narrative of the news, i.e., negative news about the economy(while there’s plenty of stories out there that suggest the economy is getting better), NEVER any articles that show Republicans in a negative light, etc. etc. If you read Drudge in the morning, you can easily determine what the top 4-5 stories will be on Fox that day, and what Rush will discuss that afternoon. It’s a simplified cycle of news that all fits the same themes and narratives. I was guilty of this for about a year, and then it dawned on me that there’s a lot more to the news than this narrow view. For example, did you know that 65% of Americans are for a Public Option? I didn’t either until a few months ago when I decided to expand my sources of news. That poll has NEVER been mentioned on Fox or Drudge….because it contradicts their narrative that everyone wants a simple and small fix to Healthcare with limited government. That’s just a small example.

Huh. It would appear that Mr. Klein watched a different version of the “summit” than I did. I saw an Obama who was anything BUT “unflappable”. I saw an angry, sarcastic, and rude man who was stunned that his little play was not quite the show that he expected. He couldn’t answer directly any questions or challenges on the actual bill, but rather would chastise the Republicans for even asking. Accusing Cantor of bringing the 2400 page bill as a “prop” was ludicrous. Bringing relevant documents to refer to is simply smart in any situation such as this. It angered Obama because he appears to have not read it himself. He was incorrect on so many points. If this was to have been a truly “bi-partisan” meeting, there should have been a completely neutral moderator, as opposed to Obama, who of course didn’t count his time because “I am the President”. This doubled the time allowed for Democrats v that of the Republicans. “Bi-partisan” has evidently been redefined so as to mean “Change your views and beliefs to match ours – period – or be called obstructionist.
I for one am living for the day this administration calls the moving van company.

The americans won!
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The majority of America does not want healthcare shoved down their throat.
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The republicans stood strong and presented ideas that would work and not bankrupt the country.
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The best solution is to give the 30 million uninsured a million dollars apiece. That way they can pay for their own health care and it would only cost 30 million. How simple is that?
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I can’t wait for midterm elections! This is going to be a rout! Ha ha ha ha ha ha !

I am the minister to a large congregation and it has broken my heart to see so many people turn away from the Lord and embrace the evil that the current makeup of the republican party has made their own. Redemption through prayer is their only hope. They are worshipping money and have turned away from the wisdom of the Bible. It is not too late, but you must repent NOW!

He and the rest of the dems in the rooms showed that they know virtually nothing that is in the proposed bill. Slaughter slaughtered herself re: wearing dead sister’s false teeth; BS – Medicaid would have covered a set before (and after) her sister died. BHO showed us to be the manchild many had thought; he was a petulant brat. We don’t need props??!! His health bill is a prop??!! If government takes over healthcare coverage and healthcare, costs will not go down – look at MA.

Ah, the brilliant, unflappable Obama — when in doubt assert your superiority (I am the President! You lost!) and insult the opposition. (Actually reading the bill is showing off, isn’t it? And using a logical argument — that’s just a talking point, isn’t it?
So Dems vote to put lipstick on your pig.

And allow the government to fund abortions.

“The best solution is to give the 30 million uninsured a million dollars apiece. That way they can pay for their own health care and it would only cost 30 million. How simple is that?”
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Simple-minded doesn’t even begin to describe you and your “solution.” How does that do anything to provide care for people and slow the growth of the cost curve? How does that help the newly uninsured? You are obviously another troll from Drudge. Feel free to resume your stupidity in 3….2…..1………duh.

Liberals are a disgrace. The people have spoken and want health care reform and not a health care system over-run by our government. They have the Presidency and major majorities in both the Senate and House and have spent 9 months trying to fix their own party. The Left Wing has hijacked this party. Out with Pelosi and Reid!
All this rhetoric from Klein is the same Left Wing non-sense. No surprises in anything this guy writes anymore. He, like the Dems, have lost all credability with the American people.

Obama’s disgraceful behavior in lashing out at John McCain (“… the election is over”) spoke volumes about Obama. He knows the majority of Americans have no faith or trust in him and he attacked McCain to compensate for his own insecurities about his failed job performance as President.

Abortion is a sin and will be punished. Taking a human life is stealing from the Lord. ALL children are sacred.

He and the rest of the dems in the rooms showed that they know virtually nothing that is in the proposed bill. Slaughter slaughtered herself re: wearing dead sister’s false teeth; BS – Medicaid would have covered a set before (and after) her sister died. BHO showed us to be the manchild many had thought; he was a petulant brat. We don’t need props??!! His health bill is a prop??!! If government takes over healthcare coverage and healthcare, costs will not go down – look at MA.

You are a poor misguided soul that only seeks to sup at the trough that is provided by the government’s largess through the distribution of other’s efforts. Does it make us feel good that we heelp others – yes, on our term, and not have someone reach into our pockets to show to give to other misguided souls such as yourself. You are the one that needs redemption.

Single payer, government controlled health care advocates may find Obama’s economic council’s June 2, 2009 assessment of the two existing “public opitions,” Medicare and Medicaid interesting. On page 14, they describe each as underpaying excellence and value and using the savings to reward preventable failure for decades. It is these perverted policies that have inspired a cutlure of failure in the nation’s health care delivery system. Since each “public option” pays less than provider costs, the losses are shifted to bills paid by private insurer premiums adding 10-30 percent to premiums in “public option” subsidies falsely giving the perception the “public option” is more efficient than private insurers. A single payer system without these private insurer subsidies will need to increase taxes or restrict benefits like they presently do with Medicare and Medicaid.

Very few health care systems have transcended perverse central government policies to pursue a culture of excellence. One is Intermountain Health Systems whose fees are 33% less than the national average in a city with above average costs of living. We also know from the 1999 Institute of Medicine report that 46,000 to 98,000 hospital patients die annually from preventable deaths caused by the preventable errors Medicare and Medicaid reward. The low range data of 46,000 came from Intermountain’s region, the 98,000 from New York where costs are higher. So we know with the right incentives, health care professionals can achieve high quality at substantially less costs!

Government can not achieve the most efficient delivery of quality, universal, integrated care, only health care professionals that are inspired daily to pursue excellence. Daily, the inside the Beltway crowd demonstrate they do not have the foundation to pursue excellence. The power of Congress can not even assure DC can plow snow effectively nor even assure excellence in area health care facilities. We should not be surprised that the White House and Congress remain as clueless as parents whose decades of reward/punishment tactics create a juvenile deliquents but blame everyone but themselves. Want high quality, low costs care that private insurers can insure for less premium cost, then government needs to become a facilitator in reversing incentives to paying for excellence and penalizing failure inspiring the pursuit of excellence on a daily basis. In other words, it’s the culture, stupid and as long as Democrats and Obama ignore this fact they are just tripling down on more stupid.

skylarkva, you have it nailed. Couldn’t say it better myself. The man (and I use that term loosely here) is nothing more than a neighborhood bully and a spoiled brat.

I suggest you pray for the entire country – that is what a REAL minister of a large congregation would do , , ,

One of you neosocialist explain one simple thing for me please, (this is not a trick question) Where in the constitution (considering you have ever read it) does it entitle the Government to take money from one class of people and give it to anyone else to raise their class?

You may think me a conservative,redneck, christian(born again, not the works kind) gun owner, not a malitia member yet, and just a rube from the country, and you would be right.

Alex, I’ld like Group Quotes for $600.

OK, “Shame on me. I was elsewhere yesterday and missed the health care summit.

All the facts aren’t in, but the Cambridge Police acted stupidly.

My daughters are really getting fat, even though I had the help put in a garden, behind the White House.”

“Alex, what do liberals say while they think of how smart they are?”

“Yes, you’ve added $600 to your total.”

We help others on the Lord’s terms, not our own. It is vanity and hubris to even think that we as mortals have the right to decide what is right and wrong. The Bible clearly tells us the path that we must follow. I will pray for your soul.

Central Planning vs the Free Market. Economy-killing entitlement plan vs cost containment. Left vs right.

The Democrats, under the ghastly leadership of Obama, Reid and Pelosi, are ignoring the cost drivers and focusing on the wealth redistribution involved in health care.

Early in the summit, Obama had an exchange with Lamar Alexander regarding premiums. Alexander said they would go UP under this bill, Obama said they would go down. Obama arrogantly stated that he had the facts straight. FactCheck says “Well, the CBO analysis does say, flatly, that “the average premium per person covered (including dependents) for new nongroup policies would be about 10 percent to 13 percent higher in 2016 than the average premium for nongroup coverage in that same year under current law.”

Obama’s retort is that 53% would be “subsidized” and thus enjoy lower premiums. GET IT? Obama’s wealth redistribution scam that the 53% who pay no Federal income tax will get theirs on the backs of the 47% who have to carry everybody. Obama is so comfortable putting another multi-trillion dollar entitlement package on the backs of the shrinking producer-base, that he doesn’t even calculate the effect on them.

The Democrats are such liars when they call this deficit neutral. Pay higher taxes for 10 years and provide 6 years of benefits. When costs explode, as they predictably will (Medicare cost 15 times more than Congress estimated it would), the program will be massively hemmorhaging in year 11 onwards.

Health care is expensive and it will always be expensive. You simpletons who fall for the Democrat lie that you can make health care affordable by making the rich pay for it are going to kill this country. There is no free ride. Tax the rich to death, and you kill the economy. It’s that simple.

The Republicans are right when they say all reform begins with malpractice reform, and chasing waste and fraud. If we can get over the hurdle of requiring everyone to have a policy, that large pool would allow pre-existing conditions to be covered, otherwise it’s not possible. The obvious corrupt ties between the trial lawyers, the unions and the Democrats make real reform unlikely.

In closing, get past the emotional arguments and come back to reality. It’s not what we want, but what we need and can afford. We are dead as a country if we break the backs of the producers in pursuit of Socialist Utopia.

Joe,
“Unflappable”? “Well-informed?” Aren’t you a little embarrassed for the president? A few minutes of this show made it clear he needs a teleprompter. The man stammered and stuttered frequently in his inability to respond. (What would Putin do to this guy one-on-one?)

Republicans came with language from the bill which disturbed them, and the “well-informed” president dismissed the bill itself as a “prop”. When John McCain reminded the president that he had promised transparency, and an end to business as usual, and had utterly failed to do so in producing this bill, the “unflappable” Obama basically told McCain to shut up.

The man was juvenile and insincere about bipartisanship, and the summit showed it live. Your cover for him here does you no credit, and won’t wash.

In a world where results matter– a free market world, Obama would have been relieved as pitchman for the health bill after this performance.

Joe, what the heck were you watching? Obama’s greatest hits! The guy was arrogant, condesending and even petulant at times. At least temper your partisanship and try to appear objective please.

Where exactly have the “people” spoken? Perhaps in a recent Newsweek poll:
..
7. Now please think about the proposals I just described to you. ALL of these proposals are included in Barack
Obama’s health care reform plan. Having heard these details, what is your OVERALL opinion of Obama’s plan –
do you favor it or oppose it?

…………………………….Favor………Oppose………DK
CURRENT TOTAL…48……………..43……………9 =100
..
http://www.newsweek.com/media/84/1001_ftop_v2.pdf
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More than 60% of Americans want reform to be passed. The majority of Americans support the proposals in the bill. I think the real problem is that you Drudge idiots can neither read nor comprehend.

Yeah sure Joe.
Quit blaming Republicans.
The Taxocrats control BOTH Houses.
It’s Democrats that have halted ObamaCare.

Thus Far:

ObamaCare = FAIL
Close Gitmo = FAIL
Cap & Trade = FAIL
Iran Diplomacy = FAIL

And these failures are with BOTH Houses of Congress!

sacredh, if my pastor was as sanctimonious and pompous as you are, I would find another church.

A perfect example why Time, the New York Times, etc. are going out of business. Airhead America Radio went bankrupt (twice) because people don’t like listening to stupid people.

How DARE you resort to slander to one who has served the Lord for his entire life! You are a minion of Satan and will be judged for your sins. I spread the word every day and have tried my best to save wayward souls such as yours. After we have given up this mortal life I am sure that yours is not a face that I will see in Heaven. I will still pray for you!

This is why Klein and Time have become so irrelevant. No sound writer who watched the Obama Heath-care “Lecture to Republicans” would reach this biased conclusion. Further, no sound news publication would print it. If Time get’s any smaller, its pages will be in negative numbers!

Now to the truth; Obama thought he was pulling a fast-one on the Repubs; I don’t think he realized that giving guys like Ryan, Cantor and team, an open forum to show what they’ve got could back-fire, it did. Further, neither Obama nor any of the other Democrats said anything quotable (other than stuff about gallstones, ache and some dead woman’s false teeth); that was funny (and dumb).

“Tax the rich to death, and you kill the economy. It’s that simple.”
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Time to change your name to stupidityFirst. Your hyperbole has no basis in history. After WWII, the top marginal tax rate was 90-91% and the economy grew at a steady and reasonable pace, the middle class expanded and the upper end of the wage scale was not completely off the charts as it is today. A slightly higher marginal tax rate (look it up) will not “kill the economy.” It only goes to show that you lack any understanding of economics. Typical wing nutter.

Hey Joe,

Let me get this straight – you did not see the summit – you read a few articles – you write about your conclusions based on the reflections of others – and you are to be afforded stature.

Bwaah – no wonder the publication to which you contribute is so skinny.

Can I have your job? I can do that much critical thinking while I’m on the toilet.

You Dems are unbelievable…your own party stopped this bill! You didn’t need any Republicans to get this or any other piece of legislation you wanted. Your own party said NO!. Why? Because the people know its the wrong path.

Wake Up!

Klein is brain dead from all the obama kool-aid he has drunk! Time is a rag that continues to lose readers because of their support for socialism. All of you who think Klein and Time are so great, move to Venezuela, Hugo needs you!!!

“Actually, the President, the Congressional Democrats and the Republicans each spoke an equal amount.” (Joe Klein)

CNN: Democrats spoke 135 minutes; Obama spoke 122; and the Republicans spoke 111 minutes.

Does Joe Klein not know how to count?

Wow.
Which hub of disinformation set their dogs on the Swamp?

Correction, you are the extremist LEFT-WING minister of a large congregation, bent upon forcing a radical takeover of our medical coverage system.
Let me take a wild guess here.
Your associate “minister” is Jeremiah “God Damn America!” Wright, correct?

Mr. Klein didn’t watch; he relied on his own prejudices to form his opinions.

All of these idiots came from the Drudge sewer.
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As someone noted previously: So this is what it sounds like when a giant pile of nutters explode…….

thanks joe for referencing drudge’s comments. as far as i know drudge’s site is nothing but links to newsie stories and other informative sites, even yours(?). where can i find mr drudge’s comments on the matter that you reference?

this from a drudge link re face time. golly, a disparity.

“…By the end of the televised event, Mr. Obama had spoken for 119 minutes – nine minutes more than the 110 minutes consumed by 17 Republicans. The 21 Democratic lawmakers used 114 minutes, giving the president and his supporters a whopping 233 minutes, according to a “talk clock” kept by GOP aides….”

Let’s not resort to the name-calling that our opponents specialize in.

Since when did ignoring the “Will of the People” and irresponsibly only warranting merit towards opinions and proposals offered by the selfish, arrogant, and irresponsible politicians while there continues to be no mention regarding what it is the majority of the American people want. I must be fool then to assume that it appears according to Joe Klein who came up just short of having an orgasm when he offered a quite dishonest assessment regarding Obama’s performance at the summit. As questions were read and posed out of his own bill; in an effort to avoid interpreting legislation he hastily referred to the documents as “props”. Joe I have to ask if you would consider this an example where you described the president’s demeanor and performance as “his usual, unflappable, well-informed self.” The American people have clearly spoken in the polls across our country and communicating their concerns with the economy and the majority is not in favor of passage of Obama’s current healthcare proposal. Did you ever envision a Republican taking over a Kennedy’s senate seat, especially while the debate was continuing to be debated in D.C.? Would you support passage of legislation that directly conflicts with what is expected from a majority of Americans?

The role of government has always been to serve the demands of the people…….right? Or has our political governing system evolved into an institution that dictates legislation they feel acceptable, thereby eradication participating in our governing system is no longer applicable to the average citizen. Does our opinion as a majority no longer matter in regards to proposed legislation???

One party is offering an all you can eat buffet while the other is suggesting something more similar to eating out of the garbage dumpster. Average citizens as me are really suffering and wish Washington would offer something beneficial towards its citizens and that would not include expanding government further, but legislation that has been associated with historical economic periods which have experienced success. Better put your pants in the wash Joe, shows over………..Weak Joe, extremely weak.

Shouldn’t the question be focused towards what a majority of Americans want instead of fulfilling personal political appetites whose initiatives have been poisoned by the inclusion of political ideology?

Wow. Just wow.
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This just confirms my opinion of these far right crackheads. Since they can’t really stop Joe Klein from blogging, they instead send their roaches to clog up intelligent discourse with their inane insults.
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They never back up what they say with just facts, they just bring their “guns” (textually) to the forum in a weak attempt to intimidate and suppress the the expression of Americans who differ from them on issues.
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First Amendment my eye, that’s only for them. If one wants to avail themselves of the first, they threaten with the second!
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What a bunch loozers. Dumber than a warm rock on a windowsill.
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What fodder for psychoanalysts! What glorious gold mines of data for social anthropologists, too…

See the comment above re: CNN’s assessment of the time allotment. Surely they are believable to the left.

That’s right!
Because then, we will have true equality, just as all other nations that have tried out socialism.
Equality in its truest and purest form: we will all be equally miserable
Thanks, Reverend Wright!

Do you notice that they only come out at night?
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Just like roaches…

ROFLMAO

Y’all are too funny. Klein gets a linky from Drudge or Redstate and y’all decide to increase Klein’s page view rate by 1000% with your hyperventilations. In the corporate media world, that’s an incentive to keep doing exact same thing. Nice job, right-wingers!

Oh, and with one small exception, Joe’s spot on with his analysis. Grow up and deal with it.

But the obvious truth here is that the Republicans do not want any sort of health care bill to pass at all because they do not want to hand President Obama a victory.

Not a single one of you can refute this, as it’s been stated as a goal by the GOP leadership…yet another reason why ideologues who don’t believe in government shouldn’t be involved in government.

Get back under your bridge, troll.

“Produce empirical data proving that B O is smart, like SAT scores or maybe a college transcript or two, even a high school transcript.”

Have the records been sealed to hide his ignorance?

Obama never intended to negotiate anything. This is why you never trust Progressives; they can’t negotiate, it’s not in their nature. When did Marx, Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler, Mao or Chavez ever negotiate in good faith? Never! Nor will Obama and his generals, Harry and Nancy.

old floyd:
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Is that the worst you can do?
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I mean, sh!t, why don’t you actually try some refutation once in a while.
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Or is your crack pipe in need of a rock?

Brother Sacredh, pray these people.
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Pray that their government will one day have the compassion and respect for them to provide universal coverage. Pray that a single-payer system will provide excellent care for their loved ones, improve their quality of life, lower infant mortality rates, provide low cost drugs, cover end-of-life counseling, prevent 45K Americans from dying each year due to a lack of coverage, stop the pain of bankruptcies as a result of poor/no coverage, ease the financial burden placed on them by profit-motivated companies and their media henchmen, and bring healthcare in this country in line with the cost and efficiency that the rest of the modern world enjoys.

It is the Democrats who want to fund abortion. Maybe you should stop casting stones and pay attention.

sacredh, jam it!
How does THAT grab you and your extremist left-wing moonbat sensibility?

I’m glad Obama has decided to go for reconciliation, junglecogs.
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Maybe what you should do is go grab your gun and take back America!

Joe, my humble analysis suggests that you outlined this post BEFORE the summit. How did you know what you were going to say BEFORE the event? As if we didn’t know. As if some don’t care if you get a pass for this kind of stuff. T.B.

Joe Klein is a hapless sycophant, and he’s rearranging the deck chairs as we speak.

There is neither a right nor a left when it comes to spreading the Word. There is ONLY the Word! It is not too late for you, but you MUST change your ways. Eternity in the lake of fire is no picnic. It burns as surely as you will.

Wow. Between the last time I looked at this post yesterday and now, somebody left the computer room at the lunatic asylum unlocked.
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This isn’t a discussion of HCR, it’s a breathtaking right wing Obama hatefest. After venting here, I beg you right wingers who mostly want to express hatred for Obama to go back to wherever you came from, because you seriously stifle rational discussion here.

As a man of the colth you should remember that Jesus said we should never complain about the stick in someone else’s eye without frist addressing the beam in your on.

For you to judge all republications as evil and not even consider the evil that exist in the other party as well tells we, well:

That as a dem you support pushing any memtion of our great God from our schools, public displays or any other part of our everyday life!

That you beleive that God is not sickened by the millions upon millions of aborted babies. That Abortion is one of the proudest movements in your partys history and one that they would fight to the last drop of their blood to protect.

That you do not beleive that God is outraged over gay rights! In God’s on words in the Bible it is a sin and abomination, He said hate the sin but we are to love the sinner. Do not judge them but love them but hate their sin! You may not like it or agree but it is what the Bible says.

Repentence sir should start in your own house and you should judge not lest you be judge by a Awesome God who is able to not only kill the body but to kill the soul.

John 3: 16

For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whosoever should beleive in him should perish, but have everlasting life

Hey, northernrebel!
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You know about John Day in Oregon?
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Maybe you should head there, as your kind eagerly await!
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Follow Your Dead Cow!
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oops, I meant “golden calf”…

Have you noticed that those without facts or logic resort to name-calling?

Well53_3, we did it in 1776; let’s hope we aren’t forced to do it again. When despots try to take-over a free country, sometimes you have to defend your God Given Freedoms.

sacredh, you know just how far and hard you can bury all that dripping condescension.
Oh, and you know exactly WHERE to bury it in the bargain!

Is any one shocked that Joe is continually impressed with Obama? Joe probably sleeps with an inflatable Obama each night.

Let us look at some facts. Obama placed the fate of his health bill in the hands of the two hill idiots: Pelosi and Reid.

Obama does the math. He doesn’t need the Republicans. The hill idiots convince him that the Democrats can pass this bill without the Republicans. One year later, the whole thing comes unraveled. The Dims can’t pass the thing even with their majority.

Who to blame? The Republicans.

Joe. You and your stalwart lefties help to create this mess with the empty suit man.

No one expects the least bit of honesty out of you. Proceed with your lies and quibbles for the One.

You are as absurd as obama.

What is wrong with objecting to something bad?

The Democrats, including the President, spoke twice as much as the Republicans and answered none of their questions or objections.

The President claimed tort reform was only “a few billion Dollars,” but he omitted the many billions spent in time and money wasted practicing defensive medicine. There has never been a confirming set of studies on that matter.

Obama wants to crash the economy and make everyone dependent on government. This, and more borrowing, will do it. He thinks he can rule the world! This man is insane!

sacredh, if abortion is a sin and will be punished, what say you about this monstrosity of a Dem health care plan that will force taxpayers to pay for them?
Nothing?
Yeah, I figured as much.

Joe Klein is nothng but a left wing banner carring Obama suck up, just like the rest of Time Magazine. And they wonder why their subscription rates are going into the tank. I don’t think they care.

AT LAST! A true Christian. I knew that there would be a voice of reason among the heathens. My child, you have found the path to righteousness and you will not stray. I can feel the evil in these spawn of Satan and despair had risen it’s ugly head. Thank you son. Thank you.

Another classic example of viewing the world through rose colored liberal glasses mr klein. this excuse for an editorial is the reason so called “news” magazines are failing.

btw maxwelldog the your comment “and yet, here you are reading this”…. the only reason i saw this was because drudge posted it. yes that would be drudge posting mr klein so others who don’t drink the TIME kool-aid can see just how bad mr kleins editorial skills are.

You are the koolaid drinking Obama suck up that can’t spar with facts, so crawl back onto your mama’s tit and shut up.

sacred, I think this is beyond even your help.

diecash1

It is you who miss represent the facts sir! In CNN”s on poll on Thursday, it reported that only 25% of the people support the Dems bill as proposed, almost 75% oppose this bill as written!

True most Americans want some reform but for you to say that a majority support this bill is just simply not true or based on the facts.

America does not want the Government to take over helth period!

A good measure of leadership is effectiveness. Actions over words and style.

Obama has not been able to accomplish even a small fraction of his agenda. Compare it to the hobbled Mr. Bush, pre 9/11. He was able to get “No Child Left Behind” and his tax cuts. And he did this without as strong a majority and with all of the controversy of the 2000 election.

Bush was a more effective President because he gave the country what it wanted. Instead of pushing what they don’t.

Joe’s using “stimulus math”. It’s way too advanced and confusing for mere mortals.

I’ll tell you what I pray for, Pinto… I pray that someday people like you will grow a brain.

“actually, the President, the Congressional Democrats and Republicans each spoke an equal amount”
Joe ,get your facts straight. The Dems spoke for 4 hours, the GOP spoke for 2 hours and the presidnet spoke for 9 minutes LONGER than the GOP combined.

Dude,

You guys would might start to look good if you actually witnessed events about which you write. This is the second Time piece that has been recommended to me in the past two days, and in both cases it has been nothing but narcissistic drivel. The resident president, Bamster, is a spoiled man-child and came off looking *exactly* like that at the meeting. They may pay you to fill a page with wit, but all you put up is nonsense, which is an example of why I do not subscribe.

Love,
Sledge

If it weren’t for Drudge, no one would read this Joe Klein garbage. Who subscribes to Time anymore? Come 2010 you dumbocrap crybabies are going to be killing yourselves. At least one can only hope so.

MALLET-HEAD LIBS OF THE WORLD!! NOW HEAR THIS:

The Republicans don’t dont control the Congress or the Senate. If you want something passed…work harder to buy off/bribe your “blue-dog” dems. They are the one’s preventing health destruction.

Dems are pissed off at the Repubs because they won’t buy into (and then own) this turkey. Grow- a-pair and ram it thru and quit complaining. And live w/ the “sh-t-storm” that follows.

I could tell right from the first paragraph something is skewed in this article. The facts are, time was not equal for the parties to present. From that point on the bias favoring the “say a lot of words, no content” president is the norm for this editor. Did you notice how long it takes for obama to say and construct a sentence without the teleprompter?

“This isn’t a discussion of HCR, it’s a breathtaking right wing Obama hatefest. After venting here, I beg you right wingers who mostly want to express hatred for Obama to go back to wherever you came from, because you seriously stifle rational discussion here.”

Irrational points:

1. the democrats can’t pass dooly squat.
2. the people don’t want this bill.
3. obama is an imcompent leader.

Reading this piece of crap just confirms why this lap-dog troll spends his time on MSNBC licking Keith Obermann’s and Chris Mathew’s cheeks. How embarrassing is it to even write an article about something you did not watch and reach a conclusion that O won the day. Kline thinks the Olymics are coming to Chicago too. O was lost without his telepropter as usual – studder and stammer for 3 hours and wrong as usual about his foolish pork-filled take-over bill. The “John, the campaign is over” comment in response to a perfectly appropriate point about bribes to certain groups or states was this weak man’s robotic response that he was going to throw at McCain at first chance regardless of what McCain said. Obama looked like an idiot making that statement to the point made. Most of the 200-300 loyal Time readers would agree with McCain on that point. Does this Keith Obmermann lap dog actually think the Florida, Lousiana, Union, Nebraska and Conneticut brides (a new hospital for those of you who remain hopelessly uninformed), to name a few, are appropriate and “just part of the process”? Pathetic excuse for journalism.

A post a minute for most of the time. Why have we not seen any of these thoughtful people in any other post than one of Joe’s?
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Way back sometime someone posted a link to newsbusters that mentioned Joe’s article. Guess that was a big link.
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Valiant effort Brother Sacred, but I’m afraid this is even beyond your gifts.

oldfloyd, the veil of EVIL has been pulled over your eyes. The Stupak Ammendment EXPRESSLY FORBIDS ANY federal funding for abortions. Lying is a sin and perpetuating these lies is a sin. I suggest you take a look deep inside of your soul and contemplate salvation. It is never to late to change my child.

You are correct, Kurt.. I didn’t know Klein could write.

Folks, Joe is a proven liar and a sycophant. Google ‘Joe Klein liar” for some interesting reads. What I find interesting is that so many readers of his drivel respond so ‘intellectually’ with elitist phrases and attempts to defend the indefensible. The president’s numbers are dropping. Congress has never been so distrusted and disliked. Every unbiased poll gives voice to the American public screaming “no!”. And yet, the above mentioned gather to attempt to fool, lie, and conspire to force legislation on those they ‘represent’.

We all know where it will end, when, and how. And in the end, Joe Klein will write…”They looked good in defeat.” Elitists will nod their heads in agreement and mutter “yes they did…yes they did”.

Obama is a childish, petulant, ineffective asshole.

NOBODY READS TIME!

Joe thanks for that completely “unbiased” opinion regarding Obama’s performance at the healthcare summit. I expected way more aggressive support from the MSM of how well he and the dems did. That really didn’t happen. Why? Because the truth is the Republicans dismissed several myths (code for false statements made by the dems that the repubs are the party of no who don’t have any ideas regarding health care reform). The republicans proved they have provided options and have been completely dismissed over the last year while the dems had enough votes to pass their own plans without a single republican vote. they did get one republican vote in the house but had a two point margin for passage.Did they get it done? NO. Why? because the dems could not get a consensus on a single bill that both the houe and senate could agree on. Now that they lack 60 votes in the senate, this summit was necessary to restart the process. This is dead on arrival and you know it. The MSM has been very quiet. That alone disproves your analysis. Good try though. Within 40 minutes of the opening, Obama made a comment that CBO shows that premiums would actually decrease under his program. Mitch McConnell took issue with that and stated that under the CBO review premiums would actually increase by 10-13 percent against making no changes at all. Obama was wrong and pushed back . a little time later after receiving and reading a note presented to him he restated his point. Joe, is this one of your examples of Obama’s command of the facts. He was wrong. The dems told nice stories but once again had no grasp of the reality of how their plan would actually lower premiums for anyone. It is clear the brightest person in the room was Paul Ryan. The top 5-6 experts that participated in the summit were republicans. Republicans had all the detail and dems told nice stories. It is unfortunate that most of the people described in the dem stories would need to wait three more years before the benefits they need immediately are available. But the stories were great. Keep drinking the kool aid Joe.

My work is truly laid out for me today. There are more sinners here than in that lions den of sin named Las Vegas. Thankfully my sermon for tomorrow has already been prepared so that I may continue the Lord’s work here.

blue-dude…

welcome to America….u and Obama share the same opinion that it kinda sucks to have constitutionally protected free speech…

Chavez and Castro have it so easy.

Now I remember why I don’t usually read Joe Klein, He is so far left it makes me laugh.

[Actually, when I need a laugh, I guess I should read him]

To formerlyjanms, what do you know except hate? You hate Bush, the Catholic Church, conservatives, and on and on. Hate is all that motivates you. You libs can sit and circle jerk all day exclaiming “Good point!” at each successive climax, so we thank Drudge for letting us watch the fun. We hate such people and ideologies that enslave people such as Marx, Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Castro… Obama. So while you hated Bush and still beat that drum, you should know we have a hate for BO that makes yours look like child’s play. The independents who believed his campaign lies have wised up and left the building, enjoy the next three years of his lame duck presidency. See ya!

Even more Hi-lar-ious! What facts are you talking about, exactly?

Whenever Obama supporters or liberals or whatever the label might be, can not debate intelligently . . . they call names. Just a fact.

It is sad, really.

Ivy_B, my fellow child of God, NOTHING is impossible when the Word of God is involved. NOTHING! These children of darkness are crying out for light. I would be remiss in my duties if I didn’t try to make them see the light. They have sinned for so long that they have confused goodness for evil and evil for goodness. There is always hope. ALWAYS.

It bugs me when articles try to tell me what to think by reporting on what others reported. If you think the tax system is screwed up, think about what will happen when the Federal Government nationalizes the HCS. If we keep trading our liberties for security, we’ll end up with neither.

Thus, refute this, oh truculent and insolent fresh prince of Bill Ayers worshiper..;

The healthcare bill is unconstitutional:

http://supreme.justia.com/us/268/5/case.html

U.S. Supreme Court
Linder v. United States, 268 U.S. 5 (1925)
Linder v. United States
No. 183
Submitted March 9, 1925
Decided April 13, 1925
268 U.S. 5

CERTIORARI TO THE CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
Syllabus

1. Any provision of an act of Congress ostensibly enacted under power granted by the Constitution, not naturally and reasonably adapted to the effective exercise of such power but solely to the achievement of something plainly within the power reserved to the states, is invalid and cannot be enforced. P. 268 U. S. 17.

2. Direct control of medical practice in the states is obviously beyond the power of Congress. P. 268 U. S. 18.

3. Incidental regulation of such practice by Congress through a taxing act, like the Narcotic Law, cannot extend to matters plainly inappropriate and unnecessary to reasonable enforcement of a revenue measure. P. 268 U. S. 18.

Many of the comments assume that Joe Klein is telling the truth when he starts out by reporting that he missed watching the Summit.

C’MON, PEOPLE……HOW COULD ANYONE BE SO GULLIBLE AS TO BELIEVE ANYTHING KLEIN SAYS…..especially coming from someone who is so obviously invested in shilling for this President?

Klein is an Obama spokesman and therefore prides himself on his ability to get away with the most outrageous of falsehoods.

Do not believe for a second that Klein “missed” the Summit. The fact is that Obama failed so miserably that Klein must deny he witnessed it personally.

In another week, Democrats will be saying “what Summit?” as if it was never held in the first place.

typical dribble. where are all the facts in your post? Lots of dribble “Losers” not loozers. Obama without his teleprompter is uh uh uh tough to uh uh uh watch.
Uh uh uum um .

You said it all…well done.

I am amazed at the declaration of the smarts of Mr. President. I do not question his intellect. Shame on anyone who does. He was able to steer the majority of voters to vote for him, even if we were all “Drinking it up” (As quoted in one of his comments after a pre election speech). But let has not been beyond the basic errors that show him to be as flawed as many of his countrymen (notice that he didn’t have the smarts to pronounce corpsemen right).

The mystique of his being a visionary was lost as soon as it became evident that he thought he could get his agenda blasted through the congress. A visionary and a leader would have planned for a more conciliatory approach that would work. A leader had to lead over the victor and and the vanquished, or else we will have what we have now in these United States.

We may have the best ideas Mr. President, and but if we want to push it through the populace, without treating them like adults that they are, and are arrogant enough to call a senior senator with great service history by his first name, then we breed discord, which we can ill afford. Mr Klein, you, in your intellect, seem to offer little towards a discussion. Would you get off your partisan rhetoric and blinders, and make us independents who worked and Voted for Mr. Obama not feel like we have been sold a bill of goods?

Too funny! A parody of this isn’t half as funny!
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You do realize that it’s not some great liberal conspiracy led by Democrats that has taken over, right? It’s big business. If y’all could get rid of your reflexive, inbred hatred that you’ve been taught, maybe we could work together to actually do something about that.

Look, give Joe a break. He knows that the public has awakened to the fact that Obama is simply an arrogant egotistical narcissistic megalomaniac who isn’t qualified to do much of anything. I mean, Joe’s mad! Let’s face it, Obama has proven that anybody can be president (anybody!) But I’ll give Obama credit for one thing; he has taught us all that elections have consequences and I doubt the people will take their duty to vote lightly anymore.

OBAMA BIZZARRO WORLD TRANSLATOR…

“adviser” = Czar
“vision” = Marxism
“racist” = Shut up!
“liberty” = Big government
“we the people” = I the Obama
“investment” = Deficit Spending
“recovery” = 3 Million jobs lost
“bi-partisan” = Shut up and agree
“peace process” = Sellout to the Arabs
“jobs bill” = Billions for banker bonuses
“reproductive care” = Tax funded abortions
“road to recovery” = We’re headin’ for the dumper
“climate change legislation” = Energy tax to buy votes.
“health care reform” = Government takeover and rationing of health care.
“progressive” = I am elite and smart, you are stupid, therefore I will be your master

My fellow Christians, please think about what you are saying. My church is a church of love, hope and forgiveness. We are charged with helping the elderly, the sick and infirm. We are not charged with denying them care because it would mean a few dollars less to be spent on the sins and temptations the material world has to offer. It is the NEXT world that we need to worry about. Put aside your greed for just a moment and think of your souls. That is eternal. That is everlasting.

“Pray that their government…” Where r u from?
It’s not Christian to sell your brother into slavery. It wasn’t single payer health care the fostered the science and technology and care that people all around the world desire. Trading it for the false hope of security in a single payer system will erode the foundation of our success, by God’s grace. But I would guess your good with that.

I wouldn’t trade freedom to chose for cheap drugs, single payer ball and chains, just so foreigners can watch and laugh.

The third biggest employer in the world is Great Britain’s government run health care system (NHS) at 1.3 million. This is behind only Indian Rail and the Chinese Army. If this health care bill passes guess who will jump to the top of that list? And guess who will be beholden to the Dem. Party to keep their jobs? Yeah, this is about health care. At least Great Britain has world class health care to go with its massive NHS.

Notice how I posted a link to support my statement? If you had actually read the link, you would have seen that when people are informed about what is in the bill, they support it.

Isn’t theft by the governemnt a sin?

JUST ONCE I’D LIKE TO SEE SOMEONE TELL “LIL BARRY” SHOVE IT.

HE WAS SOOOOO PISSED WHEN CANTOR PILED UP THE BILL ON HIS DESK SO YOU COULD BARELY SEE HIS FACE. HE HATES TRUTH. HE HATES FACTS. HE LOVES “FEELINGS” AND “APPEARANCES” AND “IMPRESSIONS.”

HE’S A CHILD. I THINK I’LL START CALLING HIM “SKIPPY.”

Amazing to judge who won and lost the debate from the drudge headline and a Times article…it’s probably not worth it to post unless you know what your subject matter is. Further, your analysis is based on a big fallacy of the current administration and the news media that supports it. This fallacy is that the more we get to see of Obama, the more we will like him.

Going into the debate, I had two thoughts: 1. Obama is a cool customer, who can be very persuading. 2. The Republicans have no real plan and are purely obstructing. I came out of the debate realizing that the president is, on the contrary, quite condescending, and has limited ability to see the other side of the argument. He increasingly dismissed republican’s concerns as trivial, and emphasized his version of the facts. The structure of the debate allowed him an open, nearly unchallenged position. With regard to the second point, the Republicans made a strong argument about several points that could be immediately passed into law to help the health care system. This would be true compromise….passing those things that you agree on.

Thanks.

nomarxists, I have some respect for HW Bush; I don’t hate W Bush so much as those he allowed to run his administration; I don’t hate conservatives, just right wingers who call themselves conservative but don’t know what the word means; my views of the Catholic Church are very personal and you wouldn’t even begin to understand it.
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But thanks for apparently noticing my previous comments as well as the most recent.

A year late for this administration. They took the wrong lesson from the Clinton Health quash. They have played the wrong game for the Country by locking doors and marginalizing differing views.
Even worse, the plan is beyond complicated in it’s verbage and length signifying not much except more money on direct deposit to the govnt. and a 2018 tax…outrageous.
Joe, this is not a game. or a bar room arm wrestling match, even though the Democrats conducted it as such. They do not want consensus, and don’t care. A child could see past the adolescent bullying. This was not winning.

Surprise
The R Plan makes far more sense. Paul Ryan is correct. The majority do not want the current dem plan, and by the way, who is this guy?! very impressive intellect, someone who can be trusted.

“…because you seriously stifle rational discussion here.”
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Formerlyjames:
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That is exactly what they want.

I’ve definitely noticed a dearth of facts from all of the Drudge idiots that are posting here………..

Sir:

Have you ever gone beyond sound bytes. Do you know that there is a complete healthcare proposal, and a set of acceptable, and required healthcare bill components. I want healthcare reform as much as anyone who has actual knowledge of the public status of healthcare in this country. It is a shame that our citizens go to third world countries to get quality healthcare from US trained doctors using equiment designed in the US and prescribing medicines that our corporations develop. However, would it be better to have the federal government regulate the private sector, or replace them?

We have seen often that Government employees’ incentive is not performance driven, it is timescale. That is exactly why government should regulate and monitor, and services provided be a system that puts an incentive for performance. If we go to a government controlled economy, it wouldn’t be long before our money isn’t worth the paper it is printed on. Every government controlled economy has seen economic decline, while a government regulated private sector driven economies grow.

Lets keep our eyes on the ball here, without calling everyone not agreeing with our point of view as dimwits or worse.

Really poor journalism by Klein, More of an apologist trying to spin rather than analyze. Klein is a propagandist flunky and if you understand that then you understand his writing.
It’s obvious there were no winners and the losers were the American people, that’s the story.
Leftist socialist need to cling to the view that conservatives are heartless, racist, or ignorant. It’s the only counter arguement they have. All are afraid to read: ARCHTECTS OF RUIN, by P. Schweizer. It connects our present economic failure to the social engineering of the left in a riveting, fact based narrative. Kristiia you are brain washed and are unable to question yourself, a product of liberial Orwellian mind meld.
Respectfully

“But OBAMA actually credited the republicans for having many of their ideas in the Senate bill.
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How could the “PARTY OF NO” have so much input into something they could care less about ??”
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If there is so much in the bill that the party of no agrees with, why can’t Obama get one Republican vote? He can’t even get one of the 3 token moderates, left in the Republican party, to give him a vote in the Senate.
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There must be some other reason why the right is totally boycotting this administration. My guess it is revenge for Bush, even though many Democrats voted for things Bush wanted, that they were not in total agreement with, like funding the Iraq war, for example, a policy that cost more than the proposed health care reform.
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The Democrats have no choice but to use reconciliation, just like Bush did, to get this done.

Yelling over babbling crackheads
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Hey! Sacred!
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Is that you over there?
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I think formerlyjames was right about leaving the computer room open at the asylum, but I think someone left the door open to the insane asylum, too!
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Watch out for that turd!

You have got to be kidding! Bloated out of control costs, abortion coverage, medicare cuts, huge deficits and the Republicans are supposed to roll over for tidbits from the president! If you had actually listened to the summit, maybe you wouldn’t be so ignorant.

Republicans offered a lot of options including lets start over! Your bigoted bias is incredible! Why don’t you talk about something you know about like conceit and arrogance!

“A child could see past the adolescent bullying. This was not winning.”
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Your collective roach-mates have provided an absolutely perfect example, patdetroit. And yes, you are definitely right.
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It isn’t “winning”.
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It’s called whining…

I agree with you Joe !! Who needs to watch the summit anyway – tea leaves and what someone else thinks is the best journalism ever !!! Truth is what you make it – right !!….??

There is no health care crisis in the US. Everyone gets medical treatment whether they have insurance or not. Having the government in control of your health care it about the worst thing that could happen. Who would want a government bureaucrat determine what medical treatments you should get.

Congressman Ryan won the day by scoring about ten unanswered points. Barrack (first names only) failed to respond directly or indirectly to the congressman’s well researched and important issues.

sensley, you are dumber than a warm rock on a windowsill.
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No, willful abortion will not be funded. You are lying, and you know it.
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Medicare cuts are also not happening. You are lying about that too.
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Maybe you should stop listening to Dr. Oz telling you that you can divine your health by looking at your buttsnakes and step into the real world, jacka$$.

Sarah Palin has posted refutations of the Top Five Democrat Health Care Summit Lies here:

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=325582403434

Thank you for pointing out the light to me. I am going to resign from Medicare immediately. I’m sure I’ll be better off paying for my own care.

Ahahahahahahahahahahahah. Stalinists say the dumbest things. No matter what happened Obama won the day. Yeah that’s why Deathcare passed six weeks ago. Oh wait, that didn’t happen. Poor media Stalinists, nothing turning out the way they told us it should. I guess that’s cause we’re all just too dumb to understand how communism will make our lives better. Up yours, Joe. The real dummies are the people who read this rag and actually think it has some relationship to the truth.

Well, for one, you can’t vote anyone off those corporate “death panels”.
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Whatever else HCR has that’s going for it, at least one can vote out those who do the wrong thing with it.
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Our current system is f*cked. Time to fix it.
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And time for you to go to bed…

You idiot! You start your story by admitting that you missed the entire thing and then go on to describe how Obama was unflappable? He acted like a spoiled child! He was incredibly arrogant which by the way is 50% of the reason the people of this country hate him. He spoke endlessly without saying a thing of substance and cut off anyone who came dangerously close to the truth.

The Republicans were the only people in the room that had read the bill and made fools of the so called president. We know that he was the president only because he reminded the country just who he was on several occasions.

Have you ever heard the term “Fluffer” Joe? Are you the stand in Fluffer when Chris Matthews is busy?

You guys crack me up. Your hatred for the Republican party is so bad that you did not even see what happened in 2009. Let me clue you in. The Republicans had zero power to stop anything. So, blaming the Republican party is a joke. But, you have to because you don’t want to irritate any of Obama’s lapdogs. The reason the democrats did not pass the bill is simple. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DO NOT WANT THEM TO PASS THIS BILL. AMERICA CANNOT AFFORD THIS. So, please, shift your anger to the 85% of America that is happy with their current health care situation, and the 65% of America that is scared to death of this country going bankrupt and the party that had the power to do something last year. The priority number 1 should be unemployment and the deficit.

Can you see Russia from your house?

I watched the fascinating, interesting debate [tongue in cheek] as much as I could stand. The Democrats had nothing new. They used the same old play book. They presented sob story after sob story but had no solutions that made sense or that the country could afford. The Republicans had many good sensible ideas and we could afford them as a country. Pelosi, as usual, made no sense. The President came across as an incompetent moderator, much as he is an incompetent President. He hogged the time and the camera.

WHERE ARE THE JOBS????

Liberals always assert others don’t know what they’re talking about. Conservatism is not so hard to understand. Read Jefferson and contrast his ideas to Marx: Don’t take the work of one man and give it to another. Simple.

Christ called on us, not Cesar, to serve the poor.

Wow, 53_3, you know for sure that there are not going to be medicare cuts (while there is a nice large cut in the funding thereof)

Awesome sir. Please help the rest of us unwashed with more details about this bill would you. And while you are at it, did you read the bill, or did you, Mr. Klein, decide to play the field of opinion, and not facts.

Amen…amen!

Few of the posters on this thread appear to be old enough to remember the fanfare of the Great Society. It was going to raise the poor into new lives of hope and dignity. And anyone opposing it was a racist bigot of the KKK!!

It turned out to be a living Hell.

The Projects (another failed monument to the Left) provided daily murders, rapes, and muggings. The “system” forced fathers to leave families, and encouraged young women to have babies as fast as they could, and then neglect or abuse them. And don’t even get me started on the destruction provided by the rampant drug use.

I expect ObamaCare to be similar.

Where those from the Left see smiling children getting free and efficient care from smiling throngs of caring government doctors and nurses, I expect filthy hallways filled with wailing babies and moaning patients praying for anyone to come and recognize they even exist, much less treating them. Just as we are now seeing under similar systems in Britain, Canada, and Cuba, patient care will be circumcised by union rules, strict expenditure rules, and quality of life criteria. And the waiting lines for specialized care will stretch into the months or years, long enough for most to die before being treated (helping to reduce costs even more).

The Left have a long record of promising Heaven, and delivering Hell. From poverty, to crime, to drugs, and now to health care.

Only the truly gullible would consider risking the lives of their families on a scheme that’s already a proven failure in so many parts of the world.

I really like reading this drivel online. That way we can ridicule it without having to pay anything for it. Priceless. Can you imagine that there are suckers out there who actually pay for this!?!?!?!?!?

#1 Cause of personal bankruptcy, last I checked, was from Health Care costs (it might’ve changed after the housing crisis). A large percentage of them were people who had health insurance but were turned down either because of “pre-existing conditions” or because of “lifetime limits” limiting their ability to get support at the times when they need it most – for the very proceedures and costs that many of us consider the very reason to get health insurance.
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That is a health care crisis.

Hey Joe,
So Barack ‘won” the summit in your COMPLETELY honest and unbiased opinion.
I guess that means that public opinion will do an about face and this monstrosity of a bill will fly through Congress.
Sort of like American Idol and you are Simon.
What planet did you grow up on?
The president made a huge mistake. He turned the creation of this bill over to Crazy Nancy and Uncle Harry and they produced a piece of crap.
Now that his own party has failed to pass the bill, he wants Republicans to pull his you know what out of the wringer.
PS Mr Unflappable seemed kind of PISSED off when he addressed Senator McCain as JOHN.

UNBELIEVABLE! Joe Klien writes an article about how the health care summit went while he admits he didn’t watch it!? Based on Drudge’s reaction and from reading the very trustworthy source the New York Times? He then states that equal time was givin to both parties. Five seconds of research by myself found from CNN that 135 minutes went to the Dems, 122 just by Obama himself, while the Republicans got 111 minutes. This is journalism? Pathetic. Joe should be embarrassed, though I know he won’t be. This is why the “mainstream” is being bypassed by more and more people, I linked to this idiotic article from Drudge.

The Republicans had a consistent message, commensurate with pubilc opinion and events of the past eight months. The Democrats were flummoxed and disorganized. Obama was affable at the beginning and churlish/testy/condescending by the end. He also monopolized the discussion, and made a point of airily dismissing every argument raised by the Republicans. Result: Deeper public estrangement from ‘health care reform’ and another catastrophic political failure for our callow president. On another note, Joe: I’m astonished to see that TIME is still in business, given the trends and the current predicament of Newsweek. When the inevitable happens–this year? next year?–I trust you have alternative sources of income!

Well, Mr. Klein, you admit you didn’t watch the sumit and you probably wrote your opinion of it ahead of time but here’s my challenge to you.

Watch the clip of Rep. Ryan’s analysis of the bill and do some investigative journalism and tell me where the Rep. is wrong.

http://ertwngr.blogspot.com/

“There is no health care crisis in the US. “
..
Quite possibly the dumbest comment of all comments posted by you Drudge trolls. Everyone with any sense will admit that there is a health care crisis in America, even Republicans.
..
“Having the government in control of your health care it about the worst thing that could happen.”
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Tell it to the military and their families, veterans and seniors.
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“Who would want a government bureaucrat determine what medical treatments you should get.”
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Yeah, I much prefer the insurance company “death panels” that exist now.
..
You are seriously too stupid to be believed.

Now 53_3, would you stop sounding like such a rank anti Palin. The guy I voted for pronounced Copse men wrong several times OUT OF THE PROMPTER. So we look idiotic whenever we push on Palin’s ignorance. She was picked for her ability to marginalize Hillary’s appeal to women, no one thought Barak could be nominated. She wasn’t picked for her dexterous knowledge of world affairs. And while we are at it, did you know that Alaska was actually purchased from the Russia in 1867 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Purchase). While the ability of someone to see across the visible horizon across the bearing strait into Russia from Alaska, lets be circumspect in our criticism of politicians’ statements.

I am “D” through and through and I cannot for the life of me figure out how you have come to your conclusions. I watched the summit from get to go and left with the overwhelming feeling that my party is simply drunk with power and driven by blind ego.

WE NEED JOBS NOW. And, my party is h3ll bent on passing an insurance reform bill that will not do a d@mn thing for at least three years.

Meanwhile we passed a 15B jobs bill that will do far too little and we are going to waste the next six weeks trying to convince the public that they really do desire insurance reform more than choclate itself.

I took a two month leave of absence to campaign for Obama and two Representatives in northern Colorado. All three are stuck on insurance and giving away the opportunity to lead our country.

I do not get it and I am finished watching them self implode. I am petrified of the election results in ’10 and angry that I wasted my time in ’08.

53…3: Nope. Still upset about the fall of the USSR?

BTW – 53 plus 3 is still one shy of the number of states your Dear Leader claims he rules.

Why does this “columnist” consistantly outright lie?

Right off the bat he states that the GOP’ers got the same amount of time as the Dems when this very vehicle, CNN, states clearly that the Dems got 135 min. and Obama took 122 leaving the Republicans with 111.

That’s less than 30% or the “summit.”

I guess Kleincompoof is like the President in that his speaking time didn’t count because he’s the boss.

I could go on and on about the errors in this jokers column but what’s the use?

Joe Klein is why they shouldn’t let the patients / inmates run the institution. Joe also liked the way Joe Stalin ran the Politburo.

Here some interesting facts: the National Fire Protection Association, which tracks 911 call volume annually, said fire departments nationwide responded to about 15.7 million total medical aid calls in 2008. Using that data, the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch, said about 20% of the calls are classified as non life-threatening and don’t require a paramedic.
If a person is also given treatment or medication in the ambulance or at the hospital, the cost quickly rises to $1,000, and can hit as much as $5,000.
Now lets assume all 15.7 million people need some
type of medical care and allocate $10,000 for each
911 call on that basis. The total cost would be
$157 billion a year and that’s allowing double
the amount of money for each response. Does
anybody know how the other non-emergency billions of dollars in the healthcare plan will be allocated based on real facts?? One other point to think about is
“can a hurricane of cash can finance a sea of good care”??

I was around when the USSR collapsed. I also was around during most of the cold war, and I know propaganda when I see it.
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I especially liked how FOX handled the 140 on 1 smackdown with the POTUS. And the sudden “greening” that occurred during the 9/12 demonstrations.
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These things tell me something. It is too bad that you are too young and lack completely any knowledge of recent US history…

I don’t know who Joe Klein was watching but I found Obama arrogrant, bored, condescending and haughty. He seemed like he didn’t want to be there. The whole thing was boring. I don’t believe anything was accomplished. Joe Biden looked like he was in a daze and said maybe 10 words.

After 6 hours of lame sob stories and un-presidential bullying such as was witnessed at the Health Care Summit, you should be re-thinking your attachment to the Democrat Party.

Oh, btw, gnagara, did you crib your US 101 notes on your hand?
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Just asking. You aren’t really impressing anyone here, except for your fellow roach mates.
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BTW, happy Thanksgiving, and I hope your Hallowed Ho gets a shot at the presidency!

Joe–You’ve got your head in the sand. BO has got to go. He’s Jimmy Carter on steroids. In Nov., we’ll have radical change and it will be the exit of most of these loons in Congress now.

Have a nice day:))

As he noted, he didn’t watch. These observations are fantasy.

53….3: You’ve learned your propaganda well, all right.

You’ve also got Tina Fey’s SNL act down perfectly, but you don’t know crap about Sarah Palin. I just tossed her name into this to see propagandists like you step in it yet again.

Joe–Your head is in the sand and you have your fingers in your ears.BO has got to GO. Has a Jesse Jackson ring to it, doesn’t it?

This November, I think we’ll see change we can believe in. Dems out maybe for a nice long time.

Keep up the good work, Joe. And don’t forget your cleverest rallying cry: Remember Jimmy Carter.

Have a nice day:)

Shame on YOU, Mr. Klein. Instead of sitting on your pompous post and pontificating about reading between the lines, try paying attention to reality and what actually transpired.

The Dems had absolutely NO INTENTION of making concessions to their bill. The Repubs wanted the Dems to scrap the 2700 page monstrosity that the Prez referred to as a “prop” and start over in a bipartisan manner. BOTH parties want healthcare reform. But the Dems want what they want and aren’t budging. Putting in a provision to set up “discussions” about tort reform at the state level is NOT the same thing as actual tort reform.

Pelosi stated point blank they “CAN’T start over”. Good. Try ramming this malapropism down the throats of the American people. There are going to be a LOT of Dems on the unemployment line next November.

Mr. Klein—Wow you are really out there….Obama looked mad all through the summit….He was shook…..He is all talk – no results—- Next to Jimmy Carter, he will go down in history as the most inept President ever….Wiothout his tele-prompters, he cannot function…

Joe Klein must be commenting on a different “summit” than the one lasting seven plus hours and televised for all interested observers to see and hear. Much to their chagrin, and that of their media sycophants, democrat legislators and their inept orchestrators were compelled to allow their Republican counterparts a forum from which to display their compelling mastery of the facts of the healthcare debate. Can there be any question about the superiority of the presentation capability and gravity of Lamar Alexander compared to, say, lightweight Nancy Pelosi? Alexander also respectfully bested President Obama with his true grasp of facts in the face of the latter’s positive and dismissive assertion of the correctness of his false information. Obama accused Republicans of deliberately misstating facts when, in truth, he was repeatedly guilty of making statements which were, upon scrutiny, determined to be less than factual. Obama, whose only experience in the real world has been as a law school lecturor unaccustomed to having his presentation interrupted by questions or facts, a “Present-voting” representative who became Senator with the help of a woman with a grudge against her former husband and as a companion to his drug-dealing uncle in Hawaii, did nothing to burnish his image with his obvious irritation in the face of having facts on display which give the lie to his propositions. Obama’s arrogance was on display in his kindergarten-like and gratuitous declaration to Senator McCain that the “election is over.” His equally childish pique at the presence of the 2400 plus page democrat goody grab bag in front of Representative Cantor was another example of his inability to grasp the real gravity of the situation. Supposedly the purpose of the “summit” was to explore ways to come together on the construction of a meaningful national health care program. The 2400 page monstrosity is central to the debate. How unusual for the subject document to be at hand for consultation. It has also been pointed out that several democrats had also brought copies of the same manuscript along to the meeting. In his rush to score points, no matter how petty and wrong-headed, Obama neglected to examine his surroundings thus further exposing
the depth of his immaturity.

As for Joe Klein and his fellow-travelers, they ought to be able to get some coupons online to apply toward the purchase of Pampers to deal with their problem.

Amen…I could not have said it better…..BO is a reall inept individual and a do nothing President…..Thank God this will his last term…

My wife is on medicare.
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And believe me, knowing the subject intimately, the current system is totally screwed.
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The only thing I’ve seen from your side of the aisle are these three things:
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Don’t do anything. (sorta like “starting over”, but just not going beyond that, which would suit you just fine!)
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Cuts, cuts, cuts.
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“Waterloo”
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And the fact that you, in response to my charge of lying on the part of senslessly, you chimed in changing the status of a Medicare cut from senslessly’s “is” to a “could”.
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Thank you for the confirmation that the statement was, and is, a lie.
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Far as I’m concerned, you’re just a shill for the HCIC’s. Propaganda is not what you should be participating in. That is truly un-American.

I am going to stay up all night writing a new sermon about the evil that I have seen here today. I shall deliver it to the faithful in my congregation on the Sabbath. It does not surpise me in the least that the sinners are slowing down with their hate filled rants. They are undoubtedly preparing for a night of drunken debauchery and filthy sex. I challenge all of the sinners here that tonight when they are engaged in their sinful, sweating, grunting, abominable sex to think of me and what I have said here today. The Lord may forgive, but he does NOT forget!

Joe–Next time try and reporting on something you actually know something about. But I have to give props to your salient honesty. Most of your colleagues never admit to making it up.

What did the other guy always used to say? Oh, yea. Courage. He was from Texas wasn’t he?

Here you are, jay10940.
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One of many memorable tidbits.
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BTW, you havn’t refuted anything I said about FOX and propaganda, did you?
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Perhaps because I’m right…
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Joe Biden knows 10 words? I’m shocked!

You must be joking….Of course the Republicans dont what a bill that will raise everyone’s taxes and re-distribute money from those who have work ethic to those who want to sit at home on the dole….There is nothing wrong with the present system of health—the do-not-work crowd gets free hospitalization thanks to us who still are fortunate to have a job. How can you beat that deal? Take away BO’s tele-prompters and you get how he acted (childish) in the Summit meeting…He is lost without people giving him notes, writing his speeches, and telling him what to say……
SHOW ME WHAT YOU DO OBAMA—NOT WHAT YOU SAY…

Well said——This guy will go down in the history books as either the worst or 2nd worst President that ever existed…..Jimmy Carter, of course, still has that honor…

May the Lord God our Savior toast their hearts on a stick over an open campfire!
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Of course, that would involve a microscope, tweezers, and a very, very thin stick…

NEWSFLASH: “Journalist” misses entire 7 hours of Obamacare debate. Declares Obama victor. Full story at 11.

What a complete joke. I’m sure his source was Tingly Chris Matthews. Alexander, Cantor, Ryan, and company embarrassed the president (the same president who couldn’t pass a bill with 60 votes in the Senate…is that not the very definition of impotence?).

What all you Liberals (oh, forgive me…you now like to be called Progressives) fail to point out is that you have a Super Majority and you still cant get that mess passed.

That alone should tell you something…nobody wants ObozoCare!

There is nothing more to say than this…The VAST majority of the American public does not want health care reform as it is currently being presented. it’s been polled to death time after time to the exact same conclusion. i’m not sure if the administration is listening or they just don’t care. it must be the latter. democrats are so disappointed with the american people for not seeing the “awesomeness” of what they are trying to do. they cant stand it because they really think they know better. and how good could this bill really be if they have to bribe a good portion of their OWN party to get it done. absolutely laughable.

By the way, God has a Dog…
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http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpegMod/PIA06166_modest.jpg

I find it incredibly laughable and ironic to see a libtard gripe about “Drudge idiots” and their “dearth of facts” when said “idiots” point out the complete lack of facts from the sycophantic Joe Klein, who wrote this entire column based on HEARSAY.
Thanks for the laughs, libtards.

Diecash, interesting survey but the plan they describe leaves out the massive cuts to Medicare and the fact the individual premiums for the unsubsidized population will go up 10-15% (CBO Estimate) more than without healthcare reform.

The whole world is wrong.
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FOX is right!
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What could be simpler?!?!?!

Well written and correct.

BTW, you right wing roaches:
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Did you know that collectively, you aren’t even as smart as just one warm rock on a windowsill?
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Just thought I’d toss that in…

“Render unto Caesar all that which is Caesar’s. Render unto the Lord all that which is the Lord’s.”

Jam it, “Minister” Wright.

Say a Prayer for BO tommorrow…he certainly needs it Reverend…….This man is leading our great country “down the path” ….. I would hope that our great country doe not get invaded while he is President. We will all be in trouble. Say a lot of prayers for B O please…

sacredh, you know what you can do with all your mock “concern” for all us heathens.
You can drive that all the way up your old tan track.

Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll

Saturday, February 27, 2010

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll

“The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Saturday shows that 22% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-three percent (43%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -21. That matches the lowest Approval Index rating yet recorded for President Obama.

The only other time the Approval Index was this low came in late December as the U.S. Senate prepared to approve its version of health care reform. Most voters continue to oppose the proposed health care plan.”

53_3: I do not know if you are mocking me because of my religious beliefs and my work of trying to save souls, but joking about their black hearts is the work of the DEVIL. Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives and we MUST be on guard every minute of every day.
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Evil waits for an opportunity to claim another soul and I have seen more souls lost here today than I can bear. I have been ridiculed, mocked, insulted and cursed by the worshippers of Mammon here today and I rest assured that I shall spend eternity in the bosom of my Lord. Too many here will be doing backstrokes in the lake of fire and shall scream out their torment every second of every day for all time to come.

@Diecash1 – I think we can agree that WWII was an extraordinary threat to our existence. 94% war-time tax on income over $200,000 was used to fund our national security and eventual victory in WWII. $200,000 was probably equivalent of $2 mil in today’s dollars.

World war is a much different situation than people wanting free or subsidized health care. I don’t disagree that prices are high, but the Democrat plan to shift the costs to the “rich” and tell everyone else that prices went down is disengenuous. The Democrats don’t touch the trial laywers and thus no malpractice reform. The unions still have a $60 billion tax break that everyone else has to pay for.

There are simply not enough “rich” people to pull this off. Do the math. The sledgehammer of tax increases will quickly move down to the middle class once costs explode (the CBO can’t even accurately forecast the actually costs – all we know is that the Democrats are taxing for 10 years to provide only 6 years of benefits). This will be followed quickly by rationed care, or the death of the insurance companies. Price controls do not work – you cannot on one hand mandate the services a company provides and on the other control the prices they can charge. Unlike the government, insurance companies cannot run at a loss.

If we could tax our way to prosperity, we would already be there. The top 10% pay 70% of all Federal taxes. The bottom 50% pay nothing. The lack of economic activity and job growth is a result of business uncertainty over the Democrat’s planned mandates and tax increases. If this 3000 page health care bill, containing hundreds of mandates and dozens of tax increases, is passed, we will be in much worse shape in 10 years than if we simply focused on cost-containment first.

Stand up to the Unions. Stand up to the Trial Lawyers. Stand up to the Illegals. Stop attacking those you expect to carry the burden for everyone. Explain to the people that quality health care is expensive, and costs will only come down so much. Make everyone responsible for their own families. Offering to subsidize 53% of America is sheer pandering and utterly unsustainable. Everyone must share the pain, not just a few.

All decisions have consequences, but those consequences are not always positive. Do not let Obama fool you into believing this plan will have only positive effects. Central planning and control by Big Government is doomed to failure. There is a far greater chance of this destroying the system, raising costs, and reducing the quality of care currently enjoyed by the majority of Americans.

Klein – are you really that far up inside Obama’s rectum?

sacredh, you don’t fool me with all your talk.
Allow me to point out that true love for your fellow man comes from voluntary charity given cheerfully, NOT at the point of a gun from the government FORCING us to pay for it with higher taxes and regulations.
Put that in your sanctimonious pipe and smoke it.

Only one set of facts here:
Barry is a (D) so dems had twice the time as the (R) folks to speak. Next – unflapable…. you’re dreaming. BHO the afirmative action hire for POTUS is a disgrace to his party. He is in danger of making POTUS 39 look “good”. I have been a liberal my entire life and only this chicago-thug could make re-think my beliefs.
I am now offically an independent.

Golly, thanks for telling me you libtard!

If this is what passes for an intelligent argument from the left, I guess people on the left aren’t that smart either.

I find it interesting that Joe Klein can write a whole column about the amazing, unflappable performance of Obama at the Health Care theater and at the same time admit that he didn’t watch it; haven’t read this guy before, but this article makes him sound quite shallow intellectually, and like just another Obama tail kisser in the MSM…

I hope some of the new commenters will stick around. Perhaps we can enjoy a civil exchange of thoughts in the upcoming weeks.

No sacred, no mocking, and as the days of our lives pass before us, all of us should realize that not only God, but God’s Dog is out there to help.
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I’m only venturing that God’s Dog is going to have to do one hell hole of a lot of fetching after His Master picks ‘em off…

Don’t lecture me on weak arguments, junior.
I would have made fun of George Will if he had written a column based ENTIRELY upon speculation and what his fellow conservatives thought.
Unfortunately for you, George Will actually writes from firsthand observations, quite unlike the hapless Joe Klein, marking time until his rag “Time” dwindles slowly out of business.

Joe Klein is on crack. He is a die-hard quisling who goes around sniffing the tails of leftist politicians. The “health care summit” was an excellent opportunity to show that the Democrats are nothing but a bunch of disorganized bed wetters. Did you catch the story about the dead lady’s dentures? What a hoot. Then the bed wetters take one of these whomped-up sad stories and generalize the situation to the whole freaking universe!!! I’m sure most of the Democrats were youthful drug abusers just like their incompetent president was. Arrested maturity abounds!

well, your name is zombierocket, you know…
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Just trying to help. I mean, after all the venom your collective roach-mates have spewed here in the dark of the night, you would begrudge me a drop or two myself?

No it actually doesn’t leave out the Medicare cuts of ~$400 billion. Funny too that Repubs are against this but Ryan’s Repub plan proposes $600 Billion in Medicare cuts and then privatizing it to become a voucher system.
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“…..the fact the individual premiums for the unsubsidized population will go up 10-15% (CBO Estimate) more than without healthcare reform.”
..
You also leave out the part where the CBO describes how premiums will likely go up because people will be buying more comprehensive coverage and their costs will go down (for the vast majority) due to subsidies.

and, of course, uh, um, “actuarialsquirt” (one of the most relentlessly weird ways to describe one’s affinity for insurance practices, I must say!), it’s all about Affirmative Action For Disadvantaged Democratic Bloggers.
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Your roachmates have left plenty of pellets, so why shouldn’t we be able to toss one or two your way.
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BTW, may God’s Dog save your…

I am disappointed that no one has attempted answer my question about one of the right-wing talking point; how is allowing insurance companies to sell across state line supposed to save money?
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As I understand the individual market, premiums are based on zip code of residence and the strength of the contracts the insurance company has with the providers in the area. An out-of-state insurance company will have no contracts with local providers and will therefore not be competitive.
….
I may be against this monstroity of a health insurance bill, but that does not mean I am willing to buy all of the arguments from the right without thought.

pintortwo: I fear that these lost souls are beyond hope. They have chosen a path of evil and hate that leads straight to Hell. They will follow the path to eternal damnation and worship false prophets like that modern day Jezebel Sarah Palin. Wickedness can have a beautiful exterior, but the inside is as ugly as sin because it IS sin. My soul has been sorely tried in the past but I have always fallen to my knees and found happiness there. I suggest they do the same.

Progressive* liberals continue to cede American values and liberty in their constant quest for more and more entitlements. The cutting edge of this movement is our public indoctrination schools. They teach our kids a bunch of clap-trap so they will accept it when they become voters. There is no God, praise homosexuals, be politically correct, global warming, embrace illegals, bigger government is the answer to everything. They don’t have time for the three RRRs any more, they are too busy turning out idiots that can’t speak, write or form a cognizant thought. The government is their god.

It is understandable, even human nature that these liberals want more, even if they didn’t earn it, however, it is truly amazing that they are so willing to trade the very future and freedom of their own children in response to progressive* demands, but then, most of them are the product of the same indoctrination schools. So, the beauty of this indoctrination is that when they graduate they have been convinced that they are bright, progressive* and they are the master race (hmmm… where have we heard that before?)

Now the progressive* liberals have voted in a self-important, colossal idiot who has never done anything in his entire worthless life (other than voting present). They know little about this man other than that he is black, eloquent and he promises more of what others have earned, the perfect progressive idol.

*progressive: I am elite and smart, you are stupid, therefore I will be your master

The Obama Deception – Video
http://usataxpayer.org/?0071119896

The Progressive Plan for Your Children
http://usataxpayer.org/?0092081630

Joe Klein’s been having a slobbering love affair with this administration since day one. Why should he be objective when reporting on anything? He never has and never will. After Obama and his cronies in Congress ignored Republicans for a year on health care reform, we now had a photo op Health Care Summit to include Republican leaders. This is something that should have been broadcast on CSPAN as promised but instead we’ve had back room shady deals and no transparency what-so-ever. Obama did not come off as schooling anyone in fact it was the other way around even when Democrats and Obama had a majority of the time to get their point across. We heard one sob story after another that came off as in the “false teeth” testimony laughable if not ridiculous. We’ve been told by Democrats time and time again that Republicans never had anything to offer and then we find out that Obama has considered some of their ideas. No one knows how much all of this is going to cost the American People in the long run and whether they will receive the same quality of health care as they’ve been accustomed to getting. Instead of trying to jam this though, Congress needs to go back to the drawing board and start working on more important issues like the economy and jobs.

What about Steven Anderson?
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I thought God’s name ended with a ‘d’. Not a ‘p’…

What have you posted here that is representative of facts or reasoned debate oldfloyd? All I’ve seen out of you is hateful name calling and whining…………….

Mr. Klein don’t you ever tire of licking Obama’s boot heels? Your steppinfetchit-like commentary much like your insipid commentary on the non-watched cable news shows leaves all begging for mercy. It’s no wonder your magazine is in financial doldrums and your President and the Dem congress in the toilet. The non-summit was pure theatre and Obama was the master of ceremonies of a non-starter as it relates to healthcare. They changed no minds and will ultimately try to push through this stinker of a bill that no one wants. Why don’t you retire you has been pseudo-journalist.

“President was his usual, unflappable, well-informed self”
Geez Joe why don’t you just drop down and Hump His Leg!
From what I saw ‘the one’ lost this argument…but you keep spinning and carrying that water Joe – luckily credibility is like virginity you can only lose it once. Maybe we’ll all get lucky and you’ll be retired along with obumble in 2012.

Hey sacred!
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More souls to save!
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Over here!

53….3: All this proves is that you do a great imitation of Tina Fey.

So Joe… you think the time alotted was even…. I suppose you think Obama was just an unbiased moderator taking a third of the time. Oh that’s right Obama is president so his time didn’t count as being for the medical plan he put forward. Are you a fool or a liberal biased ass? I think maybe you are both.

Why did no one call Obama on it when he said it’s a cost reduction, even though the CBO says premiums will go up 13%, because 53% will be “subsidized”? Where does he think that money is going to come from? The expenses for 47% of Americans will go up at least 13% (CBO), plus the tax increases necessary to carry the other 53%. The Democrats treat the producers in this country like some kind of ATM machine!

I guess in Obamaland, where purple unicorns live, you can ignore economic models that prove the negative relationship between tax levels job growth, and bully 47% of Americans into paying for their own families, and everyone else.

Hey, Joe Biden found the exit all by himself; really, I saw it!

I am holier than thou, and I know what is best for you, and I don’t give a damn what the American People think. This has got to be the Progressive (Dem) mantra, and Obama is no exception to this. They are begging for an uprising for some reason, and I don’t think the American People are going to stop at tar and feathering. To pi$$ off the majority of the population like they have been doing, is suicidal. The only question would be, can we overturn this once Obama is kicked out. Face it: It cost to much and burdens future Americans like my grand kids, It reduces quality of health care (increases mortality rate), It builds waiting lines for heath care (increases mortality rate), It is run by the government (has there been a bigger failure at running any kind of program) It is flat out throwing the baby out with the bath water. It seems as though the Dems are smoking crack and getting advice from the crackheads.

Primary Doctors that take Medicare and Medicaid and even Blue Cross can’t charge anything they want for an office visit. Prices are determined not by what the Doctor wants to charge but what charge is approved by the insurance carrier. Then in the case of Medicare they pay a percentage of the “approved” charge usually 80%. On March 1 this will be in the case of Medicare patients be further reduced by 21%. An average practice overhead now approaches 60% . The government is requiring Doctors to buy Electronic Medical records costing 60-90K per doctor.
They are not paid for all the hours they spend on the phone getting prior authorizations for medications and procedures. They are also not paid for the harrasing phone calls from Liberty medical store types or the scooter store.
With a school debt of 300-500K and facing the hectic primary care environment it is no wonder most are opting for higher paid specialties and we have a lack of primary care doctors.
The poor reimbursment by insurers such as medicare has forced most primary care Doctors to see way too many patients per day than they want but it is the only way to stay in business. Medicare has not had a fee increase to Primary care in 10 years while everything else has gone up and now as I said they are being cut another 21%
Lastly just where does the health planners expect the newly insured 30 million patients to go ? They may have insurance but if this is another poorly paid program most Primary care doctors can’t afford or won’t have room for them. That means these new patients still end up in Emergency Rooms for care.

If Obama did so well with his Health Care Lecture to Rebublicans, shouldn’t he have received a bump rather than another decline in the polls?

That is what happens in a negotiation. That is what is supposed to happen in a democracy

Somebody should tell this idiot that unfortunately we dont live in a democracy. It’s a republic. And the “summit” goosed the ‘Bama. He looked like a condescending ass, like usual

Where did I say that Fox was right? I merely pointed out that only a pathetic president could have his presidency obstructed by a cable news channel and a talk radio host. You folks, including the president, have Fox on the brain.

The blame for the president’s lack of leadership rests squarely on his own shoulders, not Bill O’Reilly’s or Rush Limbaugh’s. Maybe that’s why every single international event has turned into an embarrassment for the Boy Wonder. He can’t even deal with Rush.

Awww, the Progressives are a little testy; they now know we’re on to their little scam.

You and all of these sinners are trying to provoke me but as long as these whores of Babylon spread their false words I shall fight back with TRUTH! Their love of money and hatred of the poor shall not go unchallenged. As long as I remain a minister I shall continue to spread the Word. I shall fight for the oppressed and the meek. I will not lie down in path of evil. My faith is my life and I will put it on the line for what is right.

Oh yes Klein, I thought the President looked incredibly unflappable as he suddenly let down his guard and SNAPPED at nemesis John McCain, who to McCain’s credit coolly laughed it off with his “I’m reminded of that EVERY day Mr President”.

Well, since I won the argument without so much as a single fact from you, I’ll take the Tina Fey award.
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Thanks, and may God’s Dog fetch your lowly soul, after Sacred saves it by spreading His Word…

Joe,
America does not want what Obama is proposing. How can you ignore this? Simple, you are arrogant and believe you know more than the majority of Americans. You and obama refuse to listen to the American people.
For you it, demonstrates one of the reasons you are so unpopular. For Obama, it assures he will not be re-elected.

“Relentlessly weird” I like that. But, it’s “actuarialsquirrel”. And I have no love for insurance practices. I work on the consulting side trying to get costs down for my clients and this healthcare bill won’t do it.
…
And by the way nothing, you said refutes the fact that you original post in no way shows any more intelligence that right-wingers you are insulting.

The only thing that the President of the DEMS confirmed to me was what an arrogant, biased, and pompous jerk he is (sort of like Joe Klein). Elections do matter. The voters will flush the toilet this November and once again two years after that.

Second line of Klein’s blog: “I was elsewhere yesterday and missed the health care summit.” And then goes on to explain how The Anointed One carried the day.

Way to go Time. This may actually be an improvement in Time’s standards. At least he admitted it…. There was a day when a journalist would at least lie about not doing any research. Not old Joe….

Joe’s bibliography: Stuff I Made Up Out of Sheer Laziness and Bias, Volume 2, page 351.

LOL

580 comments thus far on this train wreck of pulp fiction. Maybe Joke Klein wrote it just to up his traffic count.

Do 580 people even read the actual magazine?

The lipstick on the pig, is now a lipstick stain, left by Joe (Klein) on Obama’s ass. To say Obama was “unflappable” (what Mr. President, your campaign promises are null & void?), would be a gross overstatement; and the little ear piece keeps him well-informed, as in any President. Develop a spine, Joe (Klein). Unfortunately, this is what America voted for, so live with what is coming to you. I did my part to stop it (that would be voting). Fortunately, November 2010 is coming to America, from sea to shining sea.

I was suggesting a simple rationalization for your idiocy.
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I apologize for interrupting your worship of the Golden Calf…

If you look, you’ll find that over 90% are drudgebots…

How sad that all of us intelligent people can just start saying fox is right or MSNBC is right. While both are playing to the rank partisans, and the parties are playing to the base that would give them the power to plunder.

We have to look after our national and social interest and work on policies. How about listening to all including CSPAN and making the utterances of people like Mr. Klein less profitable?

Fox is very pro business, they don’t care if it small medium large or internaional. They don’t seem to care where the national wealth went either, as long as it is in the form of corporate earnings.

They defer to the individual responsibility of the greedy. The best solution is Government regulated private sector. And a free and consiencious press and population who’d look at corruption and graft and call it the way it is.

This is the society our founding fathers were looking to.

Will we get it?

I have come to the conclusion that Obama, Reid and Pelosi have determined they have no chance of re-election, and therefore can try to ram this POS home with impunity. The liberal clown posse knows knows this is the Progressive’s last opportunity for generations to ram their socialized medicine through. Since Progressives are closet Communists, killing this bill is good, not bad for liberty and the American Republic.

After November, we can start over in a bi-partisan effort that is not focused first on how to screw 47% of the people to pay for 53% that already pay no Federal taxes.

Yeah all these right wing nuts are bad, it’s so disheartening to hear them castigate our noble president, it’s absolutely depressing. I know 53_3 lets form a suicide pact…you go first.

Why do you tools always leave out NY23 when you talk elections.You don’t speak for America.You only speak for nutjobs like yourself.

Let this madness stop…. Come on 2012………

Let’s see now…. the wacky world of Leftomania all agree that Obama is a genius. Also thrown into the genius category by the lefty’s are the following:
Joe K., Nancy P., Harry R. and the rest of the cast.
…..While the majority of Americans worry that we are on the brink of bankruptcy, the usual suspects listed above decide to lessen our worry by proposing to spend a trillion dollars to FIX healthcare.
…..If this is the mark of genius than i thank god that I am far from being one!

If you can see, your name is truncated, and it’s not particularly worth it than to do more that add something to such a long handle.
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BTW, for all the foul wind blowing, any real rebuttals?
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Oh, btw, “tinyurls” and “facebook” aren’t proof…

So, “unflappable” is the new “arrogant.” Kind of the same Lefty logic as “We’ve got to spend our way out of this recession.” (James Clyburn (D-S.C.), House majority whip)

Say what you want about W (or ANY past President that I can think of), but he never stooped to remind his opponents to “stop talking” or “we won” or “the election’s over.” Obama “The Great Uniter” is not only UNPRESIDENTIAL, but he’s petulant and VERY thin-skinned. Even Republican newbies like Cantor and Ryan made him visually angry with their comments.

And what’s better, starting over and going step-by-step, or this: “What good is reading the bill if it’s a thousand pages and you don’t have two days and two lawyers to find out what it means after you read the bill?” — John Conyers (D-Mich.)

This is how the Democrats regard handling 1/6th of our economy?

This bit of embarrassing Dem “leadership” is exactly why the GOP had upset victories in VA, NJ and MA, and why they’re going to win the House and possibly the Senate in November.

Even with a Dem President and a Dem majority, you people are STILL whining like a bunch of brats. Sorry, but this Conservative revolution is just going to get stronger.

“Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is argument of tyrants. It is the creed of slaves.” — William Pitt in the House of Commons November 18, 1783

I haven’t seen any evidence of genius yet. For all we know, he graduated at the bottom of his class. If he graduated at all.

“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
Jam it, numbnuts.

No, Republicans (conservatives) aren’t opposed to the current plan simply because they don’t want the president to succeed.

It is easy to understand. We don’t want the government getting involved in health care. It would turn it into a mess, just like everything else it touches.

There is no such thing as a free lunch. If health care is a priority in your life, then adjust other segments of your financial situation in order to make it possible for you to afford it. Don’t expect the already overtaxed, hard working folks to fork over more of their income to subsidize the lack of your income.

It always strikes me as odd how some in this great country continue to insist on the government providing them with the basics, when in fact, they should be providing for themselves.

My health care is provided by my employer as a part of my overall compensation. One of the reasons I chose my current profession was the benefits package. On the other hand, my girlfriend (soon to be my wife) is self employed, and pays for her health care out of her pocket every month. It isn’t cheap, but it is a necessity. She could go without it, I suppose, and live in a bigger house, or drive a nicer car. But she doesn’t. She does not expect others to sacrifice their income to make it possible for her to live a more extravagant life style.

The leftists believe that it is perfectly ok to “redistribute” the income of some, to make it easier for others.

That makes me sick.

Are you trying to proposition me? I do not engage in homosexual acts so you will have to try elsewhere. There are some orifices in the human body that are for export only. Mine shall remain clean and pure.

FOX is a propaganda network, plain and simple, no different that Pravda or TASS back in the old cold war days.
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Only a propaganda network would spin the news like the 9/12 demonstration and Obama’s responses on the more recent 140 on 1 smackdown.
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And these guys, flooding JKs blog like roaches in the dark, buy it all, lock stock and barrel.
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I’m thinking that maybe it would be best to hand the keys to the country over to Rush Limbaugh.
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Let’s see if he has the answers…

Certainly the media-enshrined liberals give evidence of mental conditions, but I don’t think liberalism is a mental disorder. I think liberals are the intelligent ones, and conservatives are the wise ones. The problem is that intelligence doesn’t have the wisdom to respect wisdom, and wisdom doesn’t trust intelligence.

This thread is beyond funny! Case in point:
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I am holier than thou, and I know what is best for you, and I don’t give a damn what the American People think. This has got to be the Progressive (Dem) mantra
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This from the right-whingers, who want religion in government, oppose personal choice in personal matters, and refuse to participate in a democratic government. How wonderfully twisted up is that? Or how ’bout this:
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Somebody should tell this idiot that unfortunately we dont live in a democracy. It’s a republic.
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The US is a representative democracy and a constitutional republic. You can whine that “Barack’s takin’ things over”, but you’d be letting Obama Derangement Syndrome replace whatever sense and intellectual honesty you once possessed. Funny and sad.

Klein,

Your kneepads are showing…maybe you know OBummer much better than any of us think….

This kabuki theater is simply another arrogant, boorish, offensive attempt by OBummer to pretend he has a clue what he is doing…

This man(?) has not a single qualification to be President, other than he is half-a-schvartzer. No clue as to foreign policy, domestic policy, no interest in the American public and certainly no respect for the Constitution which he swore an oath to preserve, protect and defend.

This has become, unfortunately, typical of both houses of Congress. These bums do not represent any constituency whatsoever. They represent only themselves. To joke that politics is for ugly rockstars who cannot sing is an insult to ugly rockstars.

You, Klein, are so lame, fawning, and stupid I cannot imagine you’re still working in “journalism…” Your piece here is a remarkable episode of butt smooching, not for a minute accurate, and even for a ki$$ a$$ like you, totally embarrasing.

No wonder Time is losing out, and hopefully will vanish into the same abyss as the NY Times and other pubs whose words are false, whose time has run out, and who we will welcome into the dustbin of garbage.

Hope you’re proud of yourself….toilethead….

Let’s try this. The CBO estimates that health insurance premiums will go up 10-13% if this bill is passed. So, to try to solve the access problem that 5%-15% of the population (depending on whose numbers you believe) has we are going to make the cost issues that all of us are having worse? That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me.

Mr KIein, et al, I am well aware that this is not an original observation but to paraphrase the child in “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” the President hasn’t got anything on! Barack Obama is a fool and so are the Democrats in Congress who continue to beat this dead horse known as “Nationalized Health Care.” The American people have screamed loudly to this pompous “political ruling class” that we don’t want government involvement in health care nor health insurance. However, just like the self-absorbed emperor in Andersen’s fairy tale, Obama feels he can’t back down now though he is actually stripped naked, because he will appear “stupid” if he admits the obvious, just as the emperor was told that only “the stupid and unfit” can’t see his fine new suit. But alas, by continuing this charade, he is showing everyone, even the 54% of the voters who suffered from a bout of political correctness in 2008, just how stupid and unfit he really is.

Obama is an embarassment to this country and a disgrace to the office of the President. He is in over his head along with his incompetent “courtesans” in Congress. His administration and the current legislative leadership is exactly what George Washington was concerned about when he said, “… never for a moment should it [government] be left to irresponsible action.”

In spite of the Socialist/Feminist Propoganda that has been spewed for the past 40 years in public schools and politics, Americans, by and large, are rugged individualists who by birth are Capitalists. We believe the free market place will ultimately deliver goods and services at affordable prices if left free of government intervention. Yes, even health care. Simply examine Medicare and Medicaid payment schedules that reduce the price of medical care below competitive marketplace prices and it becomes clear how this forces “doubling up” on non-entitlement consumers. HMOs and PPOs have only exasperated the situation and “unbridled” trial attorneys and uninformed juries have caused malpractice insurance along with collateral costs of during business to increase exponentially. A total government take over will lower the quality of health care for all of us.

There is more where this comes from. Just ask me. David Alexander, College Station TX

grape_crush…..

Let’s just stick to the facts then.

The OVERWHELMING majority of Americans do not want what the dems are selling with regard to the health care bill.

QUESTIONS?

You sinners glory in the evilness of your words. There is only ONE Word and it most assuredly is not yours. When you stand before the Gates of Heaven do NOT be surprised when you are turned away. Why have you turned your backs on Christian fellowship and concern for the poor? What evil has made you into the loathsome craeatures that you are? It is not too late to change. The Lord will forgive you but you must renounce your evil ways.

I have Heard The Word and the Lord is Our God.

It’s rather difficult for the Republicans to express their views when the President and the dems monopolize the conversation. And what’s with obama calling every congressperson by their first name? I think the senators and representatives earned their titles. Why couldn’t obama show a little respect instead of coming across as a petulant, boorish know it all? What color is the sky in your world, Klein?

I didn’t see it either Joe, but since I’m a blind Democrat I just know that Obama was unflappable. When I listen to
the great one I have a religious experience. I think the messiah has returned to save us all. My knees grow weak
and I get all tingly inside. Obviously the bumbling Republicans had little of substance to contribute since the
Democrats used up all that was worth saying. And the charm and grace of Obama telling McCain that the election was over and he could stop campaigning, a sheer stroke of class and genius. And how subtly he could tell the Republicans they were using talking points and that they should stick to the issues. The issues, of course being what Obama wanted to talk about. Joe, did you get the part

Klein only “nailed it” if you’re in Fantasy Land. (he)…
“conveniently fails to notice Obama’s conspicuous non-rebuttal to Rep. Paul Ryan. It was the Wisconsin congressman who made the most pointed remarks about Obama’s reform proposal. For example:
• “This bill does not control costs (or) reduce deficits. Instead, (it) adds a new health care entitlement when we have no idea how to pay for the entitlements we already have.”
• “The bill has 10 years of tax increases, about half a trillion dollars, with 10 years of Medicare cuts, about half a trillion dollars, to pay for six years of spending. The true 10-year cost (is) $2.3 trillion.”
• “The bill takes $52 billion in higher Social Security tax revenues and counts them as offsets. But that’s really reserved for Social Security. So either we’re double-counting them or we don’t intend on paying those Social Security benefits.”
• “The bill treats Medicare like a piggy bank, (raiding) half a trillion dollars not to shore up Medicare solvency, but to spend on this new government program.”
(http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=522446)

What?

What the h3ll are you talking about?

Moron…

This poor here have a higher standard of living than the middle class in many countries around the world. Housing, food, job training, education…and 50% pay no Federal tax. Go peddle your lies somewhere else.

The Lib-tards always get testy when a grownup wonders into one of “their” sites.

You missed.
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Your talking about premiums going up. They already went up, and benefits in the private market have been cut, not by the government, but by the private sector.
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You’re no longer talking Medicare, whose premiums are the same as last year, and my wifes’ benefits have stayed the same.
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Your side offered nothing. Nothing at all. Premiums in the private sector will go up, and like you yourself admit, accessibility will become worse. The private sector has completely f*cked it up on their own.
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Personally after having seen the rest of the world switch, I think that the public option is the best way to go.
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And I don’t give a flying f about “socialism” or other bugaboos you like to scare each other recreationally with, I want what works, and the GOP has nothing

Joe -
You’d be hilarious if all this was in fact funny, but it’s not. I did watch the summit, your boy didn’t look so unflappable to me. Also if you think that the GOP’s motivation is to keep BO from a victory, you’re a bigger idiot than you let on. WE CAN’T AFFORD HIS SOCIALISM !!!! Get it? Now go write another dumb article.

Okay.
Enuff’s enuff.
The Rev. Wright bit has grown tiresome faster than Ø’s Mr. Cool affectation.

Perhaps if you bold it, italicize it, AND capitalize it, we’ll believe you.
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In the meantime, didn’t I hear something about a poll that makes it clear that 68% of Americans believe that the GOP is the most to blame for the gridlock?
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Of course, in FOXworld, things are different…

Derek: The Democrats have another choice: Legislate one point at a time. Tort reform: perhaps ten pages. Get the parties to agree on that one point, then move on. Allowing insurance companies to sell across state lines: perhaps another ten pages. Get the parties to agree on that one point, enact it into law, then move on. This point-by-point legislative process will allow the “low hanging fruit” to be enacted and allow a serious discussion to occur on the more difficult areas. However, a 2000+ page wonder with everything in it should fail. And, if enacted, should be challenged on constitutional grounds (tenth amendment) and judicially rescinded.

“Enuff’s enuff”
Is it?
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I mean, what about Steven Anderson, Pat Robertson, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, et al?
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Just whose are these prophets?!?!?!

I’ve never actually seen a real circle jerk in action.Me likey.Keep me amused Teabaggers.

I’ve always referred to it as buttsniffing…

Obama and the Democrats were much more successful with the Gates/Crowley beer summit held on the White House lawn last summer. Why? Because there weren’t any microphones present. At least then, Obama gave the impression of reconciliation after he said publicly that the police acted stupidly.

In this case, Obama did not have the protection of silence. The Republicans were finally allowed to speak and in so doing, showed that the charges of being the party of “NO” carried the same validity and weight as the police department having acted stupidly.

In any case, I saw a president who was prone to anger when challenged on the statistics or the facts. I saw a president who had already made up his mind before the summit began.

When Reid, Pelosi, and Obama go to the extreme to fight public opinion and what Americans want, it shows a degree of arrogance that the American public has never seen before.

I do not understand how you people can spout so much foolish tripe. Did you even bother to watch this dog and pony show? Obama was unflappable, well-informed self?!?!?! What debate were you watching…oh wait, Klein didn’t watch it. Just like most of you, he listened to the usual lame stream media lies, and regurgitated them. Obama acted like a petulant child. He showed extreme disrespect by addressing the repubs by their first name, he interrupted when they spoke and in the case of McCain, he insulted him. Not only did he insult McCain, but in doing so, he admitted that he did not keep his campaign promises.
He was not interested in debate, he just wanted to show that their was some common ground and figured that was enough for the repubs to vote for this. The problem was, yes, there are several points to agree upon, BUT, the problem is the overall bill. Ending junk lawsuit,
For those sheeple out their who still believe in their anointed one, there IS a repub bill. It is 219 pages long and is available on the white house site. Where it has been for several weeks. What are its points? Lowering health care premuims, Establishing Universal Access Programs to guarantee access to affordable health care for those with pre-existing conditions, Prevents insurers from unjustly cancelling a policy, Encouraging Small Business Health Plans, Encouraging innovative state programs, Allowing Americans to buy insurance across state lines. Promoting healthier lifestyles. Enhancing Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). and Allowing dependents to remain on their parents’ policies. And guess what, THIS PROPOSAL DOES NOT COST THE TAX PAYERS A SINGLE PENNY!!!

libertyfirst7whatever has the freedom to lie, for sure.
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50% of Americans pay no taxes, my arfing left foot!
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Get the real news from the horses at the sources:
http://www.irs.gov/taxstats/indtaxstats/article/0,,id=129270,00.html

What an amazing parallel universe Joe Klein must live in. Rivers flow with milk and honey and money grows on trees. Obama is the end-all, be-all.
I DID watch the Health Care Summit. Obama was anything but unflappable. Judging by his facial expressions, he was ready to come unglued. His snide, arrogant, dismissive attitude really came into focus. Worst of all, when he opens his mouth, he shows he has no idea how insurance works, much less business, the economy, foreign policy, logic, etc. The list goes on.
If anything, the Health Care Summit strengthened the GOP’s position and showed the public that the Democrats have no business running the country.
Expect change in November.

Joe, Joe, Joe.

Can you stop reading and watching everything through your democrat/liberal colored glasses for just once? Despite his elitist “I’m the President” comment resulting effectively in the democrats having a two to one advantage in microphone time, this was absolutely at best… a stand off. The GOP carefully outlined their differences, and presented numerous ideas. For you to categorically ignore this is laughable.

The vast majority of real independents saw this a clear GOP victory, if for no other reason than Obama and the Dem’s continual and transparent dismissal of those GOP ideas. Hell, even Chris Matthews (not exactly a conservative, right?)… said there was nothing to score.

When Obama (trying to score his own cheap points) by criticizing the young Rep for having the audacity to actually bring a copy of the health care bill to this thing, I wanted to scream at the TV…, “My God, you can’t even bare to look at it yourself!” How telling was that?

When a Rep. would give a statement introducing an idea…. Obama acted as if his hands were over his ears. He refused to even acknowledge it.

And to say people that they can’t afford to WAIST “SEVEN to EIGHT HOURS to work some of these things through”… I spit out my coffee! Really? Really? The biggest take over of the private sector in history, which is going to take eight to ten hours to completely take effect and will affect virtually EVERY AMERICAN from this point forward in history…. and we can’t afford to spend another seven or eight hours?

If this is such a drastic emergency btw, why are you will to slow play it’s enactment and payment plan? If you’re blindly and madly rushing to pass ANYTHING AT ALL with the panic of a jewelry store heist, why aren’t you trying to accelerate it’s enactment?

Joe… and ANY readers on the left… WAKE UP!!!!!! Are you NOT really seeing what is going on here? Do you not know your history? Do you not recognize tyranny when you see it? Do you not see a government take over when you see it? Can you not see Thomas Jefferson screaming from his grave for another revolution?

JOE…. Please Joe…. shake off this trance you are in. Think of why this country was founded… why it continues to exist… and why so many hundreds of thousands of American’s have died to defend it.

WAKE UP!!!!!

We have had to insist that several members of my flock leave our chruch after they exposed themselves as belonging to those traitorous Teabaggers. We strongly suspect that they have ties to the communist party.They have proven themselves again and again to be anti-American. I will NOT permit ANYONE in my church to spout anti-American or communist propaganda while I am serving as the leader of our congregation.

No Joe, Not shame on the Republicans, rather shame on you and the other snake oil salesmen trying to do a cheap dictator’s power grab for a huge part of our economy. This has very little to do with health care, and everything to do with a government takeover of yet more of our lives. Obama and his gang of loons don’t give a rat’s a$$ about health, they simply want to take more power and control of our lives. Look at the recent article on the Times Online regarding the NHS travesty of “caring” for people in the UK.
I didn’t want Hillary care and I certainly don’t want Obamacare. Socialism in medicine fails the same way that it fails in government. Wake up Joe, you’ve been a witless tool for far too long.

Mr. Klein,
Do you make a habit of commenting on news events without having facts? You comments obviously reflect that you did not monitor this Summit, or you are so drug on the Obama kool-aid, that it wouldn’t make any difference. The Republican DID present ideas about health care, which have been and probably, to your delight, will be ignored by the President. President Obama WAS flustered SEVERAL times during the event, acting very disrespectful and arrogant toward Senator McCain and other Republicans that expressed their disagreement regarding the current bill that is a socialistic, governmental takeover of healthcare. Next time, I would suggest that you view a event before you make comments or reach a conclusion as to what happened. And, you might start writing the truth, instead of feeding lies to your Progressive friends.

Have a great day.

Obviously Mr. or Mrs or Ms Grape-crush is under duress or his or her eyesight has failed. My post simply reguarded the manner at which the Dems try to force their will onto the American people. It has nothing to do with religion, only that the dems think they are superior in their thinking and have the right to steal my liberties for what they believe is the greater good. So don’t get in my face about government you condecending piece of crap. I have forgotten more about politics and government than you will ever know.

I”m sorry I wasn’t clear. The CBO estimate is 10-13% on top of increases that all already expected to occur. The simple fact is that this would make things worse for the majority of people.
…
And why is it that you think insurance premiums are going up? The evil insurance companies? If that were the case then medical costs for my self-funded insurance clients would not be going up at the same rate as the fully-insured market. The reason health insurance costs are going up is that health care costs are going up and isn’t really address in any of the Democratic proposals.
…
If you think that insurance companies are making too much money, there is a mechanism already in place, state insurance boards. Insurance companies cannot increase rates willy-nilly, they must be approved by the insurance board in each state. So if it’s a problem, let’s try putting some pressure there instead of creating more federal bureaucracy?

Mr Klein: Thank you for the insightful and thoughtful article. Those of us at my church that take the word of God seriously read your columns and pray that you will continue to expose the hateful members of our society that turn their backs on the poor and unfortunate. Keep up the excellent work,

sacredh, please tell me where you church is, SO I CAN AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS, and warn others. Your ignorance is astounding and disturbing. Have you not heard of seperation of church and state? You are a perfect example of why that is in place.

Daily Kos for dummies.

Mr. Klien,
When you admit that you did not see the meeting and only comment on the comments of others… You diminish your profession. Yes, this is an attack on you! Be shocked if you wish, I do not really care. You carelessly act as if the 10th amendment means nothing and that Tort reform is a side issue of no import. Which further diminishes you not your profession, which has been established as an inch above street walking.
The dems heart sick stories and Barry’s narrative of how the kids were kids, make me sick. Not any appreciable issues were brought forward from the dems and the Repubs did ok.
Get a backbone and do your job!

Don’t tell him sacredh,he just wants to go all Timothy McVeigh on you and your flock.

robinswebnest, my church represents the real America and real Americans. We are not fooled by the communist activities of the Teabaggers and those who follow them. They are doing the Devil’s work for him. They will pay on Judgement Day. They worship money and have turned to the path of selfishness and greed. They have forsaken the poor and the sick all because of their fixation on wordly possessions and the accumulation of wealth. As they sow, so shall they reap.

westender3, sigh, just like a democrat. First off, I am a lady. Second, I am not a democrat, meaning I would not attack anyone by lie or by deed. Unlike people like you, I prefer to be informed instead of having someone else do my thinking for me. Please keep enjoying the kool-aide.

westender: I would never put my congregation at risk by the dangerously psychopathec Teabaggers and their follower{ of Satan. They/will not rest ujtil they have brought our great nation to it’s knees and then turn over the government to the heads of the godless corporations. Rest assured, we will protmct our nation fvom them.

IF YOU RAHM IT;WE WILL CRAM IT !! WE WILL BLOCK THE CRAMMED SPOT PERMANENTLY WITH A VOTER BOOTH!!! IF YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT AND YOU WANT YOUR VOTE TO BE SOMETHING OTHER THAN USELESS END THIS MADNESS NOW!!! AFTER THE ABJECT FAILURE OF JIMMY CARTER IT TOOK YOU GUYS 16 YEARS TO GET BACK INTO THE WHITE HOUSE AND CONGRESS. YOUR ACTIONS CAUSED RONALD REAGAN TO BECOME ONE OF THE BEST PRESIDENTS EVER BY FOLLOWING SIMPLE CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES!! THIS TIME WHO WILL THAT REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT(PROBABLY SARAH PALIN THE WAY YOU GUYS ARE GOING BTW)BE?? YOUR COMING IMMORAL MINORITY WILL LAST AT LEAST THAT LONG IF NOT LONGER!!!WHEN 16% OF THE POPULATION CALL THEMSELVES LIBERAL AND 40% CALL THEMSELVES INDEPENDENTS,AND 40%CALL THEMSELVES CONSERVATIVE…THAT LEAVES 4% UNDECIDED;AND THE MATH DOESN’T WORK FOR YOU. IF 16% TRY TO FORCE SOMETHING ON THE 80% THAT THEY DON’T WANT,A BACKLASH IS BOUND TO OCCUR! JIMMY CARTER CAUSED A 16 YEAR BACKLASH AGAINST YOU AND BHO IS 5 TIMES WORSE!!! TELL YOUR LEADERS NOT TO MAKE YOU IRRELEVANT AND PUT YOU IN THAT GROUP WE WILL WITCH HUNT OUT OF OUR GOVERNMENT,MEDIA,AND POPULATION!!! FORE WARNED IS FORE ARMED!!!!

sacredh, first You do not represent American’s, real or otherwise. You are arrogant in your beliefs. It is not for you to judge, or did you forget that part of the bible? You should keep your own personal beliefs out of you sermons as they have absolutly no validity. You are one of those liberals who do not pay taxes but have no problem expecting others to pay yours and your pets bills. Charity starts at the home, not the government. As for calling American Tea Party memebers ‘Tea Baggers’, you are insulting people whose taxes pay you and your other charities. Try changing the channel, you might learn something.

I would be nice, considering your response, but I won’t be. Sorry.
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I’m guessing you do have someone thinking for you. His name is Rush Limbaugh, and he is a Golden Calf.
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I think you should seek the Word of Our Lord, particularly those references to misguided worship and, incedentally, you should peruse the Ten Commandments.
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One of those is a clear reference to hatred. Can you reconcile the words of your icon with that of the Word of the Lord Our God?
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Can you?

Sorry,my mistake.

She just wants to go all Tammy McVeigh on you and your flock.Fixed.

Klein, you are such a sycophant.

Yes, the president in many respects performed well.

But, so did his opponents, most notably Senator Alexander and Congressman Ryan.

It was hardly an Obama rout. And, in fact, the president so often betrayed superciliousness, arrogance, impatience, and pique at any pointed criticism.

I especially was put off by his disrespectful use of first names while, of course, expecting to be himself called Mr. President. He betrays a certain desire to be a monarch rather than an elected (temporary) head of state.

And should I and the members of my flock change it to the Fox channel and listen to their lies? No thank you. We’ll get our news from a respectable news oraganization.

I might point out robinswebnest, that the Teabaggers called themselves that!
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Or do disbelieve it because Hannity doesn’t mention it any more?

OHMY HAHAHAHAHAHA, respectable news organizations?!?!?! CNN?!?!? NBC, CBS…et al, sacredh, so sad. I just have one last thing to say to you, there are none so blind as those who will not see. Seems to fit you to a T.

Klein must me on the White House payroll! His interpretation of that meeting is way off base! The GOP offered and has offered a number of different plans but Obama is more intent on playing politics than really solving this issue not to mention being totally out of touch with the American people

TIME: “Klein, where’s you blog on Thursday’s healthcare summit?”

Klein: “Can’t do one. Didn’t see it.”

TIME: “So?”

Klein: “Wouldn’t be professional to write about something I know nothing about.”

(silence … then laughter all around)

Klein: “Just kidding. I wrote it with Rahm Wednesday at the WH. It’ll be up Friday morning.”

what plans, talkingpointsonly?

I have to leave now and visit a sick member of my congregation, but Lord knows, there is enough sickness here to keep me busy for years. May God Bless and heal you.

Excuse me 53_3, no WE did not call ourselves Tea Baggers, no until democrats started coining that insult. What WE did is accept it and make a joke of it, just like you democrats. In other words, its like the old childhood saying of sticks and stones. WE treated the name calling like it deserves, children calling others names. Please grow up, name calling is just way to childish.

Resolution: “Be it resolved that when the President of the United States calls you by your first name, the appointee ‘shall’ return the courtesy and wisely call him also his first name. Decorum and etiquette dictates it.”

And Mr. Klein, at best the discussion was a draw, with the President and his ‘caucus’ talking and filibustering twice as the loyal opposition and drawing upon the emotions of health Insurance woos (recycled teeth?) instead of answering, point by point, Rep Ryan’s valid points as written in this monster piece of legislation

Good intentions does not make a ‘good’ bill.

You know the term “tea bagger” bothers me. I thought that using terms to describe groups of people that they didn’t like was against the rules of political correctness. Maybe that only applies to left-wing groups.

F**k you. Fox is poison. It has rotted your brain.

There is a significant feature to this bill that should raise the suspicion of even the most feeble minded among you. This realization would spare us the time of actually trying to wade through 2400 pages of insurmountable bildgewater. If this is bill is such good way to make healthcare manageable, affordable and fair, then why aren’t our elected officials pledging to switch over to IbamaCare when they lose their jobs?

Yo, Robinswebnest, good for YOU for putting that so-called “pastor” in his place! In the Book it says “Many shall come in my name…” I need add nothing more.

Would that be your right to be stupid or your right to be an a$$?

Gee, I wounder why westender3 see’s the need to bring-up a Gay sex act? May you would do well to be more tolerant of Gays.

I just got an email from the ‘so-called’ pastor sacredh. He told me to ‘F**k you. Fox is poison. It has rotted your brain.’ And this from a pastor?

Joe Klein opens with, “Shame on me. I was elsewhere yesterday and MISSED the health care summit. I’m catching up now, and the tea leaves seem to indicate that Obama came out well ahead of the Republicans.”

Now, why doesn’t it surprise me? Why doesn’t it surprise me that these 2,000 page legislative monstrosities aren’t read by our congressional representatives BEFORE voting?

No need to have personally experiened either what you are writing about or voting on. No need to look at the polls for a feel of what the American people want. Cast aside the tea party movement.

JUST CRAM IT DOWN OUR THROATS.

Well, there goes sacredh, making fun of a Gays and their sex-acts. Must be some church he guides.

Again I will say, why is it that they want to ‘cram’ this bill down our throats? Not to help the public, they want to CONTROL us. The Repubs bill is 219 pages and it DOESN’T COST THE TAXEPAYORS ANYTHING. I am not a democrat or repub, but of the 2….well lets just say that it is a no brainer, GO REPUBS.

Whatever you say, Joe. After all, you are the smartest man on the planet.

The statement above that started this is a lie and you are clearly talking about a projection.
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So six of one is better than half a dozen of the other? That you are now for regulating the free market, until it is time to be against it later? Try selling me something else. Government will still be involved, and insurance commissions in states are fairly weak.
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Rates will go up even more without regulation, and my take on it is that the public option is best.
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We’ve had it here in our state, I was one of the first 3,000 members of the program when it began, so I have no problem with it, and I understand how it works pretty well. It was well managed and very functional.
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I would suggest you keep titillating yourself with recreational fears about commies and socialists and stuff like that.

Want to defeat the healthcare hijacking shceme? Strip the Democrats — denude them of their camouflage.

Now. What this country needs is a truly LIBERAL president and congress! And I forgive the reader for suspecting that this must be some kind of bad joke!

But the Democrats believe in “statism” — not “liberalism.”

They benefit from the imprecise American political terminology —- we say “the government” here in the USA —- rather than “the state.” And that’s a dangerous problem.

Famous brands of statism in recent centuries have been Nazism, socialism, fascism, communism, and welfare statism —- this last is sort of a mix of fascism and socialism.

Liberalism, on the other hand, is a political philosophy of small, cheap government —- it is a constabulary —- and the job of a liberal government is to enforce human rights within its own jurisdiction.

I speak of the inalienable and perfectly-natural and universally-valid human rights of life, liberty, private property, and the pursuit of personal happiness.

The first article of private property is “the self” and all other rights are derivatives of and flow from these cardinal rights.

These rights —-The Rights of Man —- are the gift of nature or of nature’s god —- and they belong to all human beings, everywhere.

Show me a Democrat who subscribes to all of the above, without qualifications or weasel words.

The words “liberal” and “liberalism” were hijacked by the Democrats and socialists and fascists long ago —- and it was the mistake of conservatives and libertarians to let them get away with it.

It is long past time that liberalism be reclaimed, defined, and explained by its rightful owners —- by the champions of freedom, i.e.: not by Democrats.

Well, how about “progressivism?” Whuzzat?! Isn’t that just another statist cancer? It chews you up, piece by piece, in the name of Da Peepul? Eat Da Rich? Moral cannibalism, anyone?

Friends of freedom! Friends of peace-through-strength! And friends of prosperity! Declare yourselves to be “liberals,” then —- and kick over the bloody coffee tables.

Nothing very interesting? Only if you missed Paul Ryan:

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2010/02/025687.php

I’ve yet to see these points rebutted anywhere.

Joel, I also haven’t seen any other prominent analyst characterize the summit as you have, not even CNN (“The folks in the White House just must be kicking themselves right now”). You’ve gone a bit off script, you’re supposed to at least PRETEND to be an objective journalist, lest your sad, skinny little magazine shrink entirely away.

And Joe Klein is a journalist, yawn.

Sorry, meant to type “Joe”.

DERIK
” They ( the republicans )are succumbing to the pressures of the unions.”
What the hell are you talking about ?
The Democratic Party has the unions in their pocket.
The VAST majority of American is totally against this health care bill and Obama an co. are trying to shove it down our throats.
Pushing for the nuclear option will make the Democratic party obsolete for at least a decade.

It’s a nice revison but I remember the birth of the movement. It was a joke all over the internet until the leaders of the movement wised up and corrected it after about two weeks.
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Did Hannity tell you that? Or did he do just like he did during the sudden “greening” that took place during the 9/12 demonstrations.
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You need to stop being blind about it. The way the 140 on 1 smackdown, as handled by FOX, should tell you easily and clearly that your “news” is being manipulated. I thought it was extremely funny and ameturish, in a Pravda sort of way, putting Obama’s responses on squelch while overdubbing with the FOX talking heads take every time he responded.
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If that, to you, is “independent thinking”, you have a more than a simple traffic revision ahead. Just like the fact that you can’t worship at the feet of Beck and Limbaugh without violating one or more of the Ten Commandments.

OhBummer is a boob and a fool for attacking the Republican adherence to economic rationality and constitutional principle.

The Demos think that after they have damaged the healthcare system enough — and profited by the destruction — the rest of us will have no choice but to leave the damage in place. This is rubbish.

And now widely seen for what he is, the president presents a problem for the Democrat-captured media. They pump out his propaganda for him, and like the opinion monitors in Ayn Rand’s novel, “Atlas Shrugged,” they are dodging brickbats and rotten vegetables.

He’s pompous, pampered, and pretentious — a pseudo-intellectual fop. He’s a glorified, smooth-lyin’ dandy, and slicker than Sick Willie Clinton. He’s a dictator-on-the-make, a bloodsucking, predatory humanitarian thug, and a low-down skunk. He lies when he inhales and he lies when he exhales; his oxygen is the falsification of reality.

He declares himself the post-racial leader — and he hides behind his race, daring his critics to put their reputation for fairness at risk.

He pauses to ponder the portent of his propaganda — and it is fakery; he smiles and his mendacity comes shining through. Shake hands with Barak Hushpuppy OhBummer — “The Mistake of ‘08” — and America’s first and last Arab-American president. Now count your fingers.

It is clear that Klein does not work for Fox News and there is no fair and balanced reporting in his article. He clearly is one of those followers of the Pied Piper of Chicago adn whould believe the moon was made fro blue cheese, if Obama said so.

For a guy who didn’t hear the exchange, he drew an awful lot of conclusions that I did not reach. Yes, I watched most of the exchange.

I drew two conclusions. First, the entire event was staged by the Democrats and Obama never had any intention of working things out with the Republicans. Second, was that with one or two exceptions, the Republican response was pathetic, at best. With continued leadership like that presently in power, the Republicans don’t have a snow ball’s chance in hell of beating the Democrats, despite the radical Socialist agenda. If the Republicans don’t change before the election in 2010, America is in bigger trouble than it is now.

BTW, robinswebnest, maybe you should refer your complaints about incivility toward the other four hundred odd right wing posts found here.
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Did Drudge call you in?

Here’s a clip that’s even better…

http://hotair.com/archives/2010/02/25/paul-ryan-to-obama-you-realize-your-bill-is-a-fiscal-disaster-right/

…Obama didn’t have a chance.

May hope is the realization of the reverse of your moniker.
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Pretty transparent, there…

“Obstruction,” Art, is a word used when the bully doesn’t get his way. The healthcare package was the product of the Democrat Party. The few sops thrown in to make it seem the other party had some input were not significant. Not to mention that the bill in its entirety flies in the face of the Tenth Amendment and, without the threat of another “stacked” Supreme Court, ala Roosevelt, would be deemed unconstitutional as it would preempt the powers assigned the states and the people. The Republicans have every right to say “no” to a blatant grab for power and an expansion of the federal government into areas where our Constitution’s authors rightfully feared the federal government might tread.

It is clear that Klein does not work for Fox News and there is no fair and balanced reporting in his article. He clearly is one of the followers of the Pied Piper of Chicago and would believe the moon was made from blue cheese, if Obama said so.

For a guy who didn’t hear the exchange, he drew a lot of conclusions, that I did not reach. Yes, I watched most of the exchange.

I drew two conclusions. First, the entire event was staged by the Democrats and Obama never had any intention of working things out with the Republicans. I think that most people who watched the event, figured that out for themself. Second, was that with one or two exceptions, the Republican response was pathetic, at best. With continued leadership like that presently in power, the Republicans don’t have a snow ball’s chance in hell of beating the Democrats, despite the radical Socialist agenda. If the Republicans don’t change before the election in 2010, America is in bigger trouble than it is now.

Might I daintily suggest that he’s isn’t going to go for the “waterloo” approach and has decided to abandon that particular game.
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Good for him. I always felt it was time to put the tires down your backs…

Westender, are you the only survivor of Jonesville? You are a Kool-Aid drinker and in spite of the fact that you don’t like it all you can do is call people names. People like you should be barred from posting … you’re an imbecile!

Hey I found a Liberal blog!!

Defend Obama at all cost, Idealogy before Country!!

This is the poorest story i ever read, totally wrong,

The world was bored of Obama, they do not care about the our Healthcare debate!

The Republicans were great, even with the unfair time, 5 hours for the dems and 1 hour for Republicans where is that fair? Only in a Lib where they think taking away rights of Americans Citizens and Giving Rghts to Enenmy Combatents is Constitutional.

The whole Healthcare bill is UnConstitutioal.

Obama could not answer any Republican questions, nor compromise!

The Republicans are Protecting our rights, this whole liberal blog of there the party of No or why cant they compromise, I think we should never compromise when our freedom is at stake.

By they way How were the republicans stopping anything?

Oh and by the way Hitler was a Socialist!!
same as Stalin, Marx, Chavez, Mau Solinski

Oh and did not Obama teach the lessons of Solinski?

Hey I found a Liberal blog!!

Defend Obama at all cost, Idealogy before Country!!

This is the poorest story i ever read, totally wrong,

The world was bored of Obama, they do not care about the our Healthcare debate!

The Republicans were great, even with the unfair time, 5 hours for the dems and 1 hour for Republicans where is that fair? Only in a Lib where they think taking away rights of Americans Citizens and Giving Rghts to Enenmy Combatents is Constitutional.

The whole Healthcare bill is UnConstitutioal.

Obama could not answer any Republican questions, nor compromise!

The Republicans are Protecting our rights, this whole liberal blog of there the party of No or why cant they compromise, I think we should never compromise when our freedom is at stake.

By they way How were the republicans stopping anything?

Oh and by the way Hitler was a Socialist!!
same as Stalin, Marx, Chavez, Mau, Solinski

Oh and did not Obama teach the lessons of Solinski?

Lets agree to disagree, that is how I normally treat Useful Idiots

FIRST AND FOREMOST, ANYBODY THAT WOULD GIVE AN EAR TO JOE KLEIN, HAS MORE TROUBLE THAN I CAN ADDRESS. THE GUY IS A LEFT WING SOCIALIST AND PROBABLY PRAYS AT THE ALTAR OF THE “ANOINTED ONE”. THE HEALTHCARE SUMMIT WAS DESIGNED FOR POLITICAL COVERAGE FOR THE DEMOCRATS AND APPEAL FOR BIPARTISANSHIP, SO THEY CAN SAY THEY TRIED, WHEN THEY RAHM IT DOWN THE THROATS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE…YOU JUST WATCH THIS NOVEMBER WHEN THE BLOOD FROM THE SLAUGHTER AT THE POLLS REMOVES THE INCUMBENTS THAT VOTED FOR THIS MONSTROSITY OF A SO CALLED HEALTH CARE BILL THAT IS DESIGNED TO DO NOTHING, BUT TAKE OVER OF 1/6 OF OUR ECONOMY AND MAKE THE DEM’S THE POWER ELITE….EXCEPT THEY WON’T HAVE AJOB, COME NOVEMBER….IF I’M RIGHT, THEN I’M A PROPHET. REPEAT OF 1994. REPUBLICAN’S BETTER GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME, OR IT’S TIME FOR A NEW PARTY…”THE CONSERVATIVE TEA PARTY” MOVEMENT. NUFF SAID.

As Mr. Klein states, he was elsewhere and did not watch the summit. If he had he would have seen that the Republicans are the ‘Party of Know”. Lamar Alexander and Paul Ryan were excellent, thoughtful and forthright as they pointed out their philosophical differences with the current health care bills and then outlined the Republican approach to addressing the problems with healthcare. President Obama was at times bored, petulant, defensive and arrogant, ending the summit by declaring that nothing the Republicans said mattered since he was bound and detemined to ram this monstrosity of misguided regulation down the throats of the American people. The American People no longer worship President Obama; evidently Mr. Klein didn’t let any actual facts get in the way of his ‘reporting’ on the summit or soften his adoration of this president.

Here is a Question to Ask, if this Government run health care is so great How come the Dems are excluding them selves, the unions, and bunch of other liberal groups?

How come Obama only posted 12 pages on line of the 2000 pages? and got mad when the republicans brought the whole bill to summit?

How come they wont talk about it? and also whats the rush?

Wow. Just wow.
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What a nasty bunch of feral canids we have here.
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Anyone get a rabies shot yet?

I made no mention about being afraid of a commie take over of health. I simply stated, that I believe the Democratic health insurance proposal as is will increase overall cost of health insurance more than leaving things as is. I base this on numbers from the CBO, the CMS Office of the Actuary and my own instincts as a health actuary.
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I am glad that you like your public option, but I do find it curious that Massachussets which has a state program fairly close the the federal one being proposed voted in a senator that ran on an anti-healthcare reform platform. Do they know something we don’t?

The Republicans do have a leader the American People.

Also the issue is there are still RINOS in the party!

But they are coming around, and are more energized then ever!!

Just wanted to let you weasels know that the sky is falling, too.

Ok, I need to logoff now. For the most part, the bloggers here show a good grasp of logic and understanding, with, of course the notable exceptions. Like 53_3 (I just figured it out, 53 is his IQ plus or minus 3). Yes, I just pulled a Democrat, I insulted someone. sigh My bad….NOT…LOL
God bless all, take care.

Well said!

All Hail President Barack Hussein Pinnochio Obama!!

The difference between Obama and Pinnochio was Pinnochio Learned NOT to Lie and Obama’s nose does not grow!

It’s sorta weird, being here, all by myself, being surrounded by feral animals snapping and snarling and such.
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Lots of froth and spittle, if you ask me.
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Oh well, at least they come when Drudge calls ‘em. Well trained, even if they do need flea powder, worming, a bath, rabies shots, and a boatload of antipsychotics. Make that two boatloads!
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Can’t have everything, now can we…

Well at least Klien did not get his news from the DNC network on Media matters, move on, Rham Emanuel.

Well, I’m quite sure he meant it in the most loving Christian way, don’t you just know it?
Then, he probably ended with “God damn America! God damn America!”

Usually, when one is hit MOT, denial sets in.
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Interesting, the diversion from the subjects at hand.
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Just like Hannity…

Klein is as disingenuous as they come. His opinions are based on his delusions. Klein incessantly contradicts reality, driven by his deep felt obsession with doing what he can to transcend America to a place where he and his fellow, self-appointed elitist losers can make decisions for the rest of the Citizenry.
To Klein, facts, history, and economic prudence are mere distractions which must be avoided at all times.

Joe Klein is another one those far left radical liberals that have a “thrill going up my leg” type of guy. He should be working for MSLSD, but no! Time Magazine keeps him on the payroll to try convincing everyone who reads his articles that they haven’t a clue what’s going and he’s the brilliant one. Nothing could be further from the truth because a majority of Americans are much smarter than Klein gives them credit for and more educated than Klein himself. The fruitcake doesn’t watch the summit and then proceeds to tell us all how the President in his usual self was unflappable and well-informed and then expects us all to buy into this liberal garbage. For someone who didn’t watch the summit but knows that all parties had equal time just goes to prove that he has no idea what he’s talking about.

Oh, to elaborate:
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See 393.1 and 2

Interesting. While you make unilateral statements on Fox, you think others give out news? I am quite impressed at your castigation of contrary opinion, however, if Fox is opinion, do you think NBC and MSNBC is factual and objective.

News organizations, unfortunately, do not have 100% objective presentation. Quite evident from the clear unchallenged support that Obama got from new channels other than Fox, while calling Mr. Mccain old and out of touch and hurranging Sarah Palin and not even sparing her miinor daughters.

It should have been a sad day for democrats when we got defined as no holds barred defaming of our opposition people, and diminishing them as people instead of getting up and debating their policies. Mr. Klein said in his post that his praise of Mr. Obama’s performance was unsubstantiated by personal observations. however, the supporters of Mr. Obama seem to have felt free to use objections to this overtly one sided partisan report, is vituperative remarks from people who thinks democrats and Bark Obama can do no wrong, amidst strong evidence that such notion has no foundation in reality.

I don’t expect my president to be flawless, i expect him to be a leader of Americans, and not democrats only. This kinda overt Partisanship is not taking us anywhere.

Some “minister,” huh?
When he gets his ass handed to him, his true colors show through clearly.
Pathetic little, pseudo-religious pretender.

Xenophobes:

(We avoid the word “racist” here because of its shrieking emotional tone. We want to think clearly and avoid being deafened by overloaded words.) Xenophobia means fear of strangers, and it is a universal human trait. We like people who are like us, and all groups embrace positive stereotypes of their own race or gender. We – all – typically have negative stereotypes of people who are not like us, and this mental habit is very pronounced in some people. Some White people intensely dislike Blacks, Hispanics, Asians and others. These people tend to vote for and support Conservative candidates because Conservatives can legitimately oppose federal action on principle without having to explain their opposition any further. A Conservative can say that he is opposing federal action on Civil Rights because that power belongs to the various state governments. In fact, he opposes action at any level that enhances the opportunities for Blacks or Hispanics to participate in the nation’s economic, cultural, and political life. If his state’s governor proposed vigorous action in the Civil Rights area, he would oppose that too – but he knows that his governor is not going to make such a proposal.

This is not to say that all Conservatives are intensely xenophobic – which would be an unfair stereotype of Conservatives – but many of them are. Their agenda is the exclusion of non-whites from participation in our society – except as busboys, maids, farm workers, etc.

sacredh, yeah, you get your news from a truly rational source, such as MSNBC, featuring the clown trifecta of Chris “I feel a tingle up my leg” Matthews, or Rachel “Where are my birkenstocks?” MadCow, or the spittle launching Keith Doberman.
Oh, did I forget Ed Schultz?
Easy to forget that fool, since he gets even lower rating than Matthews!

sacredh, “Teabagger?”
Really?
And all this time, the liberals claimed to be such gay-friendly folks.
I guess not.

A voice of sanity in a howling, fetid room full of psychopaths.
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I’m wondering this:
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If we had UHC, maybe most of these people could get treatment instead of having them cavort about at Drudges “Beck” and call.
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As a clear indicator that your contention is correct, might I present the moniker “shankblack” as evidence…

Setting aside the argument on who started using the term, 53_3, are you saying that if someone within a group of people uses a term to refer that group and then later the vast majority of said group decides that they do not like that term, that it’s OK to keep referring to the group by that term. By that logic, the N-word should be a perfectly reasonable word to use, which of course it is not. If this example is a bit too extreme how about the C in NAACP.
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I would to like to also admonish those on the right, who disrespect the president. He is still our president no matter how wrong-headed with think his policies are. Just remember what you felt like when you heard terms like “shrub” to describe our previous president.

funny, because if I don’t agree with you and do things your way, you label me an obstructionist. If you don’t agree with me and do things my way you call yourself progressive.

That’s your party’s problem you think you’re smarter than everyone else. You’re right and everyone else is wrong if they don’t think your way.

This time however you’re labeling and lumping in a majority of the American people who also don’t see things your way and they are smart enough to know what you think of them…

You don’t say publicly (to be replayed over and over again on TV and radio) that you will be transparent and then close the door to opposing views and ideas. Regular, common people can see this, no matter how many times you tell them they can’t!

You can’t say the Republican party blocks everything when you have control of the House, Senate, and Presidency and still can’t get bills passed…

You don’t call one side the “culture of corruption,” when your side does things that are corrupt too…

You don’t use hyperbole to make a point and then do the same things with the same policies by renaming them…

Ironically, all your attempts to fool people with misdirection and rhetoric are very TRANSPARENT…

Your views don’t make you smarter, better, or right—and everyone else wrong because the don’t agree!

Being the SELF PROCLAIMED champions of tolerance you would think you would understand opposing views are just different not wrong…

A very smart man once said something that you should learn from. He thought he could outwit the American people with clever rhetoric. He did for a while and then it caught up with him…

Remember, it DOESN’T really matter what the definition of “is” is. —Right???

As it always is your arrogance and elitism will be your undoing…

—iChef
IrascibleChef.com

jackmurphy131, we do not need your condescension, ignorance, and arrogance. We do not need you to tell us the meaning of words.

What exactly in those two paragraphs of pure drivel of yours, has anything to do with the health reform debate?

I was lucky enough to have the day off and although I thought the summit would be boring, I actually found it quite informative. I think the republicans did much better then the democrats in stating their position. It seemed to me that the president was constantly having to defend his position. In the end I understand now why the republicans are so alarmed. They were desperate to get the president to understand the problems with the bill and why the majority of americans are suspicious with government run health care. Both sides agreed on what the problems were but couldn’t agree on how to fix it. I don’t even see how they are going to get enough democrats to pass this bill. Unless of course they come up with more backroom deals like the ones John McCain talked about.

Joe,
You fit right in with the other mainstream press members who don’t do any actual investigative work (lest they may have a story that doesn’t fit precisely with the other “investigative” non-reporters).

I actually watched the Healthcare Summit fiasco, and was surprised that the Republicans actually mopped the floor up with the Democrats.

Republicans had actual facts, details, background & real financial figures based upon the bill, not heart rending sob stories about borrowed false teeth, and other ridiculous made up foolishness.

The President looked foolish! The Democrats looked foolish.

The Republicans looked prepared and professional.

Joe, as the President has said, “you can put lipstick on a pig”. Your story is a pig!! For lying, and trying to pretend to be a professional, so are you.

Mr. Klein,

Your analysis misrepresents and oversimplifies the views of those of us who are opposed to President Obama’s version of health care reform: “But the obvious truth here is that the Republicans do not want any sort of health care bill to pass at all…” Actually, there are many things about health care we would like to change and have many of the same objectives. However, we diverge on methodology.

The reason you gave explaining us away was adolescent: “…because they do not want to hand President Obama a victory.” The real reason is because we disagree with the direction President Obama is taking reform. If President Obama presented ideas that we felt would accomplish our common objectives, we would support him. Case in point: our support of his handling of Afghanistan.

“Shame on them.” Shame on people who disagree with a President they (and their constituents) feel are taking a big part of our economy in the wrong direction? Bizarrely patronizing.

This blog was not exactly your most perceptive and fair work.

I have one question. Obama wanted to show that many of the ideas in his ‘bill’ are the same as the repubs. Ok, then why don’t they pass what they agree upon and debate the rest at another time? Sounds logical to me.

Someone needs to help poor Joe. They really do.

tewalton

Someone needs to help poor Joe. They really do.

Worried

When one party — the Democrats — is the fountainhead of thoroughly bad ideas — when they embrace the worst that human experience has to offer — when they then crow that THEY have the moral high ground because they are willing – literally – to stick the government’s guns in the faces of those who disobey the commands contained in this healthcare-hijacking scheme — then to it falls to those who will raise a standard to which the wise and the honest will repair.

If I were a Republican and if I opposed OhBummer and the OhBummer Wrecking Crew tooth-and-nail, then I would tattoo the word “NO!” on my forehead in case anyone had any doubts, and I would argue and argue and I would drive OhBummer to the wall and I would defeat him.

I am a libertarian, however, so it goes without saying that I wish OhBummer and his gang ill. And I am worried that the Republicans will begin to crack and start to fall in line with that skunk in the White House and his lying, cheesy, sticky-fingered confederates and cronies in the Congress.

Are you serious? Obama doesn’t give a rat’s patootie about what the American people want. The overwhelming majority of Americans want Obama to work on the economy and jobs. Obama is obsessed with the government taking over our health care. He wants Big Brother to run everything regarding my health care, and that scares the cr@p out of me (which I guess could be good since I suffer from IBS). We don’t want the government telling us what procedures we can and cannot have, what doctor to go to, and we don’t want the government taking away our choice regarding insurance coverage. I agree that we need something for the uninsured or those who cannot afford to pay for their own if their employer doesn’t offer insurance. Deal with them ONLY. Develop a program for those who have no insurance. Leave the rest of us alone. I’m tired of Obama’s intrusive governing style.

So Joe didn’t actually watch the summit, but he did consult some tea leaves, and “Reading between the lines”– of the tea leaves, presumably– Klein concludes that, “…the President, the Congressional Democrats and Republicans each spoke an equal amount,” but Joe, “…can’t find any indications that the Congressional Democrats were actually present at this meeting.”

Furthermore, Joe did some more reading between the lines, and he can tell you that, “you can conclude that the Republicans had nothing very interesting, or clever, to say.” Oh yeah, Joe also tells us that we can conclude that those rascally old Republicans, “…were never able to get the President’s goat,”– assuming they actually wanted it. “And that the President was his usual, unflappable, well-informed self.” Other than this part, where President Obama confessed that after graduating college, he didn’t know the difference between automobile liability and collision insurance, and demonstrated that he still doesn’t know the difference:

So I guess from Joe Klein’s article, one can conclude that if one wants to get their news from a self-confessed ill-informed Obama fluffer, posing as a journalist,Time magazine can’t be beat!

Politics as usual folks. If this bill is so good for the American people and as Max Baucus said during the summit that “We’re very close on the issues” then why wasn’t the bill passed with the Majority control in both houses?
Even after all the bribes for votes…..

Klein, You are a complete idiot and are obviously an Obama boot licker. If you would have watched the time wasteful summit, you would have seen Paul Ryan wipe the floor with your dear President’s so called health insurance reform bill. The American people know this entire deal is a complete scam that has nothing to do with health care reform and more about satisfying King Obamas huge ego so he can try to secure his legacy around the world. But you and he seem to forget that America is a free country and will never be ruled by him, you or the looney progresive movement. Your 15 minutes of fame are over (although I will give yall credit for spending us into oblivion in that short time). Mr. Obama is running your movement over a cliff along with the shameless members of congress all for an acknowledgement in a history book. I am ashamed to call this manchild my President, hell even the Europeans have figured out he is an empty suit that is far worse than Jimmy Carter on his best day. And to think you Mr. Klein praise, admire and defend this manchild and his damaging policies leads me to believe that you ar no more than an empty suit as well. The real tragedy here Mr. Klein is you forgot to mention in your article that not only the republicans do not want this so called health care bill, neither do the american people, shame on you!!!

Honestly, Klein, you are either being deliberately obtuse or you really are blinded by ideology. Either way, the best response to your article is two words, and the first is bull.

You got to be kidding me… you didn’t watch the summit but read the tea leaves from the New York Times and other publications and determined that Obama was unflappable? You probably should just smoke those tea leaves because the anointed one was anything but unflappable and the republicans handed him his breakfast and lunch. Not only did they present clear concerns and suggestions, they tore him and his democrat allies a new flap from which to spew more senseless ideas.

royroidx3 . . . That was an excellent comment. Very well thought out. Nice explanation. Good work.

Obama was clearly rattled by McCain, so he responded with a cheap shot. McCain should have asked him how long he had been waiting to use his cheap shot, but McCain is not very fast on his feet, and he feels the need to be obsequious to powerful Negroes. As a psychopath narcissist, Obama was true to form, ignoring the substance of every comment , including Democrat comments, which by and large had no substance, and immediately returning the focus to ME ME ME. Wow, is he a narcissist. Hard to tell if the trap really worked. Th republicans obviously had the best of every argument and were able to tolerate Obama’s disdain and insults without reacting. The Obamacare debate is becoming less and less about government takeover, and more and more a display of how illegitimate our government and our political system are.

Klein is smoking something. Nobody wants the any Democratic version of Health Care reform ‘Destruction.’ I guess he has Obama brand tone-deafness.
He also misses the Dems problems which are good for America. They’ve had all of government for over a year to get any & everything passed. If any of the earlier stuff worked, it be possible to get a bipartisan reform bill. Republicans weren’t even a factor until Senator 41 should have stopped the Dem’s corrupt HC destruction legislation.
If Health Care was a house, the Dems want level it to replace a dishwasher. Just fix or replace the dishwasher. If somehow it gets passed through illegal means i.e. Nuclear on non-budgetary stuff, we’ll get it repealed before the next budget.
Americans by most polls want reform — we just don’t want this one. And at this point, it’s better to have no fix than this so-called ‘reform.’

For me, it seems like it was a show. They knew they weren’t going to have any compromise on that issue. I really think they need to find a way to sit down again because it seems like they have significant difference on the subject. In the mean time, the american people get caught in the middle of it with no way out.

Looks like Drudge is not only the show prep for all of talk radio and cable news but a resource for the main stream print media as well. How funny.

Of course Klein scores this one for BO. Is anybody really surprised here?

Those not so ideologically and emotionally invested, thought the repubs looked prepared and on point while the prez looked like he didn’t know the specifics of the bill, was caught off guard and came across as angry and patronizing as a result. The Dems used their stock and trade emotional appeals and generalities while not addressing any of the specifics. The repubs were the clear winners but the shills in the media can’t and won’t ever admit it.

The Finemans and Kleins of this world continue to lose street cred because they can’t help their obvious bias and they can’t understand why their numbers continue to slide south. I actually feel sorry for them. They don’t get it.

Great! BHO proved conclusively that he doesn’t know how to behave in bipartisan fashion. It caused him to look un-presidential at the all day summit meeting. He failed to achieve support for his healthcare plan among the unaligned middle voters.

The repubs came off with a big win even though they went in to the meeting with a big disadvantage. They convincingly made the point that a government bureaucracy calling the shots on healthcare is not what the average citizen wants. In a similar manner they made the point that the Obama health care plan would be prohibitively expensive and would result in diminished levels of healthcare for most Americans.

A president truly interested in bipartisanship would have behaved as a gracious host willing to listen rather than being the prime speaker. Instead BHO chose to hold the floor for more time than was given to the repubs collectively. He was backed up by dems who were more interested in sharing little vignettes of people suffering with the current system rather than speaking to cogent ideas. BHO acted petulant and almost childish when a repub challenged him on even minor points. He was quick to interrupt any speaker that showed a knowledge of the issues.

The repubs did not appear to be obstructionists but rather came across as sincere in opposition to a plan that they believe to not be in the best interest of the country. They are the loyal opposition to a congress composed of ideologues who intend to steamroll a plan that does not enjoy widespread support among the electorate.

McCain is quite the sniveling coward. Republicans would do well to retire the old weasel. I will never support anyone who is so cowardly that they can’t stick up for themselves when they are told publicly to STFU.

The last post was a sorry attempt at humor from my son. He was waiting to get on the computer as I left and felt the need to swear before logging me off. I assure you that he will regret his inappropriate language. He will spend every evening for the next two weeks cleaning up and polishing the pews in the church. Again, I apologize for his behavior.

You cannot do business with liberal fascists any more than you could do business with the Soviet Union or North Korea. The GOP is finally wising up to the fact that negotiating with liberal fascists means you give up your core principles in return for vacuous promises of nothingness.

Joe Klein…….I mock your ignorance! Could you
possibly be any more out of touch with real life
America??? November’s election results will shake
up your pitifully biased opinions even further.

There is no honor in your having traded in any
pretension of journalistic integrity….in order for you
to put on your skirt, and lead cheers for the current
administration!! Rah, Rah Joey…..

You have successfully accomplished however, to
cause dozens of Time Magazine subscribers to
cancel subscriptions. A once proud and well
established news source has now become an
afterthought.

I just returned and see the hatred and bile is still being spewed. When will you misguided people realize that the GOP is only using christian people to further their godless agenda. They do not care about the kingdom of heaven. All they care about is power and money. Wake up people and smell the coffee!

Why do I not believe you?
Oh, yeah, all the rest of your pathetic quasi-religious hectoring on here.
My bust!

A once proud and well
established news source has now become an
afterthoughtbirth.

FTFY

great liberal hate rant,

how did you feel when the left wingnut commies WERE LISTING WAYS TO KILL BUSH DAILY?

yeah we hate your facist king BUT I DON’T WANT ONE HAIR ON HIS HEAD HARMED, UNLIKE THE BUSH CRAZIES, I WANT HIM HEALTHY FOR WHEN WE IMPEACH THIS PILE OF MUSLIM KAKA

BARRY IS BUILDING HATE FASTER THAN CRAZY TERRORIST LOVIN CARTER DID, NOW THAT IS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT…………….

THIS ARROGANT ARROGANT VILLAGE IDIOT DOESN’T HAVE THE STONES FOR THIS JOB AND THE WORLD KNOWS IT.

KLEIN WAS AN IMPEACHED FELON BOOT LICKER TOO………BUT OBAMA WIPES THE DEMOCRAT PARTY AND THE MEDIA OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH TAKING KLEIN AND MATTHEWS WITH THEM, THEY CAN TINGLE EACH OTHER’S LEGS……

NOW GET THAT ARROGANT PIG OFF MY TV EVERY DAY – HE IS DISGUSTING………….

Sacredh-I thought your son’s comments were more cogent than yours. Get a life!

Of course you are entitled to believe whatever you wish to believe. I have tried to lead by example but I fear that my son is choosing a path that will lead him straight to Hell…as you have apparently chosen.

This is a Sister of Perpetual Indulgence, right?

“The best solution is to give the 30 million uninsured a million dollars apiece.”
..
BTW, since you obviously are incapable of doing the math, allow me to assist you.
..
30 million x 1 million = 30 Trillion!
..
This has been another episode of math for morons.

I’d like to know what kind of mouthwash Joe Klein uses after he gets finished fellating Obama like he does in this stupid post.

“…liberal fascists…”
..
No such animal. Try again.

I loved your piece. Great job!!

There are more of us than there are of you; we surround you (come November, you’ll get it).

sacredh

GO BACK TO THAT COMMUNIST COUNTRY OR CALIFORNIA WHERE YOU ARE FROM…………YOU COMMIES ALWAYS TELLING US WHAT WE SHOULD WATCH, EAT AND SMOKE. GO AWAY!

YOU SHOULD WATCH FOX SOMETIMES AND FIND OUT THAT GLOBAL WARMING WAS ALL LIES AND YOUR MUSLIM CHILD IS HATED……………..

THE DEMOCRATS HAVE HAD A YEAR WITH A COMPLETE MAJORITY AND AS THE WORLD SEES – THEY ARE IDIOTS. HITLER WOULD BE PROUD OF THIS MUSLIM PIG AND HIS ARROGANCE, JUST PROUD. ALL THE LIBS DO IS WHINE, WHINE WHINE.

YOU COMMIES TRASHING FOX OFLMAO, WE HAVE ONE AND YOU HAVE ABCNBCCBSPBSNPRCNNCNBCMCNBC – HAHAHAHAHA – FOX VIEWERS JUST GOT SICK OF YOUR ANTI-AMERICAN LIES……………………

OBAMA SWOONITES TAKE A PICTURE CAUSE WE ARE GOING TO ELECT YOU OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH,

HISTORICAL LOSSES – COMPLETE HOUSE REMOVAL AND HALF THE SENATE AND ANYONE THAT RUNS AGAINST MUSLIM KA KA WILL WIN IN 12…………..TAKE THAT UP THE HOLE KLEIN……….IT WILL BE SO BAD IT WON’T BE SPINNABLE……………

I have a life. A life that is devoted to the glory of our Lord. I see sheep here that have lost their way. My son made a mistake but he will have much time to contemplate his error and the use of foul language. His collection of heathen music is now in the garbage where it belongs. For the next two weeks he will either be at school, church or in his room.

Soviet judge gives high score to Soviet gymnast. What a surprise!

Wow, another Lefty Loon!

Mr. Klein : No wonder No one longer buys this magazine! It is evident that you continue to reside in planet “Denial” along with the rest of your liberal/progressive friends. And that’s O.K. dear. Worry not. Back here on earth we are all aware of your groups’ situation on that Marxist-welcoming planet and we understand the advantages “Denial” offers all of you. I am sure you will be able to make an even richer existence for you and your brethren when the Congressional population joins your refugee camp next November.
Keep us posted. We are always happy to hear you are maintaining your busy, virtual existences over there.
We sincerely wish you all happy, long and healthy lives (over there),
America the Beautiful (Land of The Free and Home of The Brave)

McCain was right and Obama deserved a “lecture”; of course Obama can lecture us peons; but don’t you dare lecture the Messiah!

There is a key on the left side of your keyboard that says “Caps Lock”. It is apparently stuck. You are a prime example of why “Honor and Obey” is in the marriage vows. You would do well to follow the example of a christian man.

Progressive Fascists would be more accurate (Marx, Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler, Mao, Chavez, Obama, etc.). Maybe Despots would be better.

Mr. Klein : it is evident that you continue to reside in planet “Denial” along with the rest of your liberal/progressive friends. And that’s O.K. dear. Worry not. Back here on earth we are all aware of your groups’ situation on that Marxist-welcoming planet and we understand the advantages “Denial” offers all of you. I am sure you will be able to make an even richer existence for you and your brethren when the Congressional population joins your refugee camp next November.
Keep us posted. We are always happy to hear you are maintaining your busy, virtual existences over there.
We sincerely wish you all a happy, long existence,
America the Beautiful (Land of The Free and Home of The Brave)

You are right that charity begins at home. Help for the needy must be supplied by community organizations. The Federal government has no business getting involved because the act can be co-opted for political gain. The needy become the vehicle for permanent power – all you need to do is make them dependent on the government. Pretty much what the Democrats have done.

Someone else posted this – but it sums it up pretty well:

“Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is argument of tyrants. It is the creed of slaves.” — William Pitt in the House of Commons November 18, 1783

AT LEAST WE DIDN’T LIE LIKE YOU, COME ON YOU PROMISED 3 POSTS AGO TO GO TO CHURCH, PLEASE LEAVE NOW AND DON’T LIE LIKE OBAMA……..GO.

YOU LIBS WHO LOVE YOUR LYING LAWYERS ARE MAKING AMERICA SICK.

WITH YOUR POSTS YOU NEED TO GO TO CHURCH! SOONER OR LATER GOD WILL WASH THOSE COMMUNISTS THOUGHTS RIGHT OUTTA YOUR HEAD,

COME ON, HANDS OFF THE COMPUTER, PUT YOUR COAT ON (HOPE YOU ARE IN NY AND COLD) AND GET YOUR LEFTWINGNUTJOB BODY TO THAT CHURCH AND LISTEN THIS TIME

OKAY, DON’T TELL GOD WHAT OBAMA WANTS, LISTEN TO WHAT GOD WANTS OR MAYBE FROM YOUR POSTS YOU WENT TO THAT OBAMA CHURCH,

GD AMERICA, REMEMBER? GD AMERICA FOR 20 YEARS…………YEAH THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE OUTTA YOUR POSTS, NOW WOULDN’T IT? REVERAND “HATE” WRIGHT……………..

Joe, you are a complete idiot. You didn’t see or listen to it, but are “reading the tea leaves?” You should write this garbage under your real name–”Anonymous.”

“But the obvious truth here is that the Republicans do not want any sort of health care bill to pass at all because they do not want to hand President Obama a victory. Shame on them.”

I found it interesting this writer projected his presupposition of their motives to make his point. Why do people on the Left so often seem do this? I mean, he says his conclusion that are simply spiteful is obvious, yet it is clearly NOT obvious if one were to believe, even a little bit, a fraction of what the republicans said they believed during the conference.

They gave plenty of rational and convincing reasons to be utterly against this Stateist takeover, yet this Mr. Klein was unable to not only understand the sense of what they were saying, but that they were even saying anything at all?! (What is wrong with this guy, and why is he being published??)

So his conclusion that they are all motivated simply as a spiteful child might be, is spitefully childish in itself, and viciously unfair to their efforts.

P.S.
I was quite moved by some of their points. Oh well. The author of this article should listen to Dennis Prager for a while IMO.

sacredh,
Don’t kid yourself.
I will be looking down at you, shaking my head, as Lucifer spears you yet again with his pitchfork.
Come to think of it, I fully expect to watch these leftist nutcases in both houses of Congress and the White House get pitchforked out of town by the good citizens of America.
They will get either that or a nice ride out of town, dangling under a rail, bedecked in tar and feathers!

“But the obvious truth here is that the Republicans do not want any sort of health care bill to pass at all because they do not want to hand President Obama a victory. Shame on them.”

I found it interesting this writer projected his presupposition of their motives to make his point. Why do people on the Left so often seem do this? I mean, he says his conclusion that are simply spiteful is obvious, yet it is clearly NOT obvious if one were to believe, even a little bit, a fraction of what the republicans said they believed during the conference.

They gave plenty of rational and convincing reasons to be utterly against this Stateist takeover, yet this Mr. Klein was unable to not only understand the sense of what they were saying, but that they were even saying anything at all?! (What is wrong with this guy, and why is he being published??)

So his conclusion that they are all motivated simply as a spiteful child might be, is spitefully childish in itself, since viciously unfair to their efforts.

P.S.
I was quite moved by some of their points. Oh well. The author of this article should listen to Dennis Prager for a while IMO.

Ah, catherine1000, the Christian love just flows form every keystroke you make.
.
Some day, at the Judgment, I want you to remember this when you are asked how you could claim to be a Christian yet spew such hatred for everyone that doesn’t agree with you.
.
I’m sure He’s just so proud, and your crown of Eternal life is being readied becuase of your obvious love for your fellow man.
.
Don’t remember the words “American” or “patriotic” being mentioned in any copy of the Bible I read. You are deserving because you act like you should be, not because you “out-hate” everyone else.

Mr. afguy: My wife is currently in the kitchen preparing my dinner. That is her duty. I am kind to her and never beat her even though she has deserved it many times. I would never tolerate such behavior from her. She knows her place and accepts it. As it is written, so shall it be.

Klein, you really come off as obtuse. Obama is the one who’s behind and needed a big score. All the Repubs had to do to stay ahead was play prevent defense, and Obama certainly didn’t score. Why should the Repubs want to throw symbolic air fresheners on top of this pile of legislative garbage anyway?

Since I have heard of the wonderful works of Mrs. sacred before, I know this to be true.

catherine1000,
.
I would NEVER tell you what to smoke, eat or watch. As mr. sacredh stated, according to good Biblical principles, that would be your husband’s role.
.
And you DO realize that the Bible teaches that we are supposed to take care of the poor and unfortunates among us, even to the point of selling what we had? Jesus told the rich young ruler that he had to sell al that he had and follow him to enter the Kingdom.
.
The Old Testament example was to give a tenth of what we make. I’m sure, given your obvious Christian attitude toward others, you are doing that and much more.

Mr. Ivy_B,
.
I hear the same. I also hear that mr. sacred’s mother-in-law is a saint among us, an inspiration and an object of true affection to him, leading him to many great works and memorable sayings.
.
You would do well to emulate him.

Obama, unflappable? My foot! As real solutions, read SOLUTIONS, were given, he resorted to his typical condescending and arrogant mannerisms, often, no not often, almost always cutting off the GOP, which I never once remember him doing to the Dems. He is definitely boorish on every turn. Of course, all Harry Reid, who appears to be nothing more or less than an idiot, couldn’t offer more than one more stupid anecdotal sob story of another Latin American (illegal? who knows), Jesus I believe his name was, and call the real solutions presented as “talking points”. Nancy Pelosi? I don’t think she’s capable of stringing together a coherent sentence in one awake cycle. The great thing is now that it’s on record for all the world to see, it’s going to tank. No, Klein, Obama didn’t win. He’s a set in stone ideologue, and he is not bending. He had, nor has, any intention of conceding, but, we are the people, and he is not going to run over us. He is trying to act like a President, but he can’t get his lines right. He is so far out of his league, but it makes for good fodder for all the world to see. What an amateur.

Mr. afguy: Thank you. I suspect that you are a member of my congregation and I haven’t quite figured out which one you are. You are right. My MIL is a one of a kind. Some of the things I have done, I would only do for her. At times I look at my wife and think that if my wife was more like her that things would be different. Her husband was a fool for committing suicide.

There are so many excellent posts on this thread. The American people are bloggin’ today with heart and soul. Obama has been exposed . . . Klein has been exposed . . .

We are as mad has hell and we are not going to take it anymore!

Stay strong, Republicans! The American people will stand with you against this outrageous 2000+ page health care FARCE.

Time magazine is dead.

Mr. sacredh,
.
I’m the gentleman toward the back on the left, with eyes closed in solemn contemplation of your every devinely inspired word…

Why are we talking about a health care crisis? There is no health care crisis! There is a crisis in a lack of jobs. There is a crisis in a lack of money to fund this insane government. There is a crisis in the lack of principled leaders. It has been said that if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. The failure of Americans to teach their children about this great country and to inculcate within the children an innate sense of pride and sense of belonging about America has led us to this point. We live in and are citizens of the greatest country on the planet because it is based on our Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States. We must stand for the principles our forefathers in this country died for or we’ll fall for the drivel put forth by the fools masquerading as senators and congressmen and women in Washington now. The Federal government has no right to take over health care. Period.

Okk.. Are you dumbass’s finished yet? This is “A blog about politics”..So I repeat, its not a Time Magazine article nor was ever intended to be. Its not even an Op-ed. Are you guys that dumb that you vent all of your collective spleen on a blog post just because it makes the headlines on Drudge report?
.
And since this is just a blog, all that empty threats about cancelling your non-existent Time Mag subscription sounds even lamer.

Ah, and here I thought you were napping during my sermons. Haha. I was thinking that was you all along. I’ll have my wife prepare a pie for you this evening after dinner. I must apologize again for my son’s actions earlier today. I blame it on those hooligans he is running around with. I’ll put a stop to that even if I have to ground him until he graduates. As long as he lives in my house he will act and think like I want him to.

I’m sending the link to this comment thread to my Senators and Representives.

I’m sending the link to this comment thread to my Senators and Representives.
.
skylarkva: Oh, by all means, please do. I’m sure they will be just as “enlightened” as the rest of us would be… just not in the way you intended.

Good call. Obama is at best a rank amateur.

maverick2k9: I seriously doubt if even one of these misguided sinners has a subscription to ANY magazine. There is much ranting and raving but very little actual knowledge of the issues being addressed by President Obama. Like spoiled and contrary children, they do not know what is good for them.

mr. sacredh,
.
Your point is taken. However, I have it on good authority that they DO utilize both magazines and newspapers as emergency “fill-ins” for other paper products when the need arises.
.
So they are not COMPLETELY unaware of their existence.

BS Joe:

Republicans agreeing to sign that bill or even the current Obama-tastrophe is like Obama saying if you give me a dollar, I’ll give you a whole nickel in return…wink,wink. Sure let’s kill our economy and any chance of growth, let’s indebt future generations with ridiculous additional debt, let’s socialize as many industries as we can, and let’s continue to weaken the US internationally in the process…but in return, I’ll give you malpractice reform. Are you kidding me? Why the hell is Flunk-bama and his hinchmen focusing so hard on healthcare? Healthcare is NOT going to fix the economy, promote growth, and add jobs to fix unemployment. He is focusing on the wrong problem. The only reason they are pursuing this is because it is their only chance to secure a huge base on non-tax paying voters that will vote to keep the dems in power in perpetuity…aka moochers!

blockerb, the reason they are focusing on their so called health care reform bill, is that it is something the democrats have been trying to socialize for 30 years. Having a democratic congress and president is their best chance of making it happen. Or, should I say, it was supposed to be their best chance. All I can say is that their are some democrats who know this would be just another mistake made by Obama and company.

What is Time? I think back in the 60′s when I was a DEMOCRAT and a liberal to boot,(fresh out of college) I stopped taking or reading no_Time and NewsWeak because they could never know the truth if it was in their face. This Klien guy seem like a no_Time writer, not a reporter of news.
Time will eventually die away !
(I came on this site by accident)

Bitch-slap rebuttal here: http://morsecodejewelry.blogspot.com/2010/02/this-is-getting-boring.html

I think my sermon for tomorrow is going to be on “Bearing false witness”. I feel that I should take a hot bath after reading all of the hate on here today. The sin is so thick that I can taste it. It is a vile thing. My son is over at the church now cleaning up. I’ll work on my sermon until 10 and then call him to come home. I hope he has the wisdom to accept that his punishment is for his own good. It has always been a disappointment to have only one son and three daughters. Of course I love them all, but my wife shoulders the burden for my sorrow. Goodnight and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Flying so high with his head in the sky… our man on the street, our man of the people, ladies and gentleman, I give you JOE KLEIN!
http://morsecodejewelry.blogspot.com/2010/02/this-is-getting-boring.html

DISAGREE with Joe? Me, too. See my rebuttal here:
http://morsecodejewelry.blogspot.com/2010/02/this-is-getting-boring.html

sacredh, I will pray for your son and wife for them to find the stength to over throw your tyranical yoke. I will even pray for you that you will put aside your hate and come to the side of a loving Lord and not the hateful deceit of the Devil.
That being said, I wish you all a good night and god bless you all.

@sacredh – if you actually have the son you claim, you are in for a rude awakening when he becomes a teenager. I smell rebellion in the air. You need to lighten up.

You are a fine journalist, Mr. Klein, reporting and commenting on an event you didn’t see. I, on the other hand, did watch, and I can tell you that Mr. Obama was as usual indeed mostly unflappable but as usual only very poorly informed. You are correct, however, that the Congressional Democrats put absolutely nothing on the table but a quota of one sob story apiece, many of which defied belief. One person’s trauma is certainly a legitimate reason to completely overhaul a system for everyone. While the Republicans laid out a few ideas and asked to start over (imagine if this meeting had occurred a year ago!), the president’s offer was take the existing Senate bill or leave it; all or nothing! It is Obama’s own party that will deliver him nothing.

Hey, guys,
.
I’m a regular Swampland reader and I just want you to know how funny you’ve been today, especially you, sacred. I really think some of these nuts actually thought you’re a minister!
.
I don’t frequent rightwing blogs so this has been an eye opening experience. I hope this is just the nutty fringe. I fear for the country if it’s not.

.

You obviously have not watched the discussions at the summit. Republicans did everything they could to present their side of the story and to give their plans, but they were often interrupted or put down.
If this was such a win to the Democrats, why has Obama lost a point each day since then on the Rasmussen polls, down to his lowest numbers yet?
The Rasmussen polls are more accurate than nearly all other polls, and they are showing that people fear the government take over of health care and don’t want it. Yes, health care reform is needed, but not the massive take-over of the federal government in the process. The people are serious about wanting smaller government and less spending, and we will see that again in November.

Joe’s a funny guy. Not much of a writer or reporter but a funny guy. Joe didn’t watch it but reads between the lines. This line is pure comedic genius– “the President was his usual, unflappable, well-informed self” That is truly high comedy. i will give him credit though. He was able to get through it without his teleprompter. Like Chris Matthews, Joe needs to go clean the residue from the warm thrill that must keep running up his leg.

All this blathering and people are skirting the issue. There is no money to pay for this. NONE. It’s all pie in the sky BS.

Is that why 68% of Americans believe that the GOP is most responsible for the gridlock?
.
Who woulda thunk…
53_3
February 26, 2010
at 1:10 pm

Read more: http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2010/02/26/the-health-care-summit/#ixzz0gmouNP4k

Majorities in both houses for a year, you get no HC bill. it seems the gridlock is in your own party of progressives.

Unflappable? Giving the glare and the finger held strategically against his face to Paul Ryan as he successfully refuted the falsity on the Democrats’ side that Medicare would not be harmed (half a trillion will be cut from its budget, resulting in rationing) and that the increase in costs will not kill our economy. The in-the-tank Mr. Klein shows his contempt for us all, just as his hero did at the so-called “summit” – which was just another attempt to score off the Republicans, not to honestly engage with them and search for ways to improve access to health care for all Americans. Shame on Klein! Shame on Barry, Harry and Nancy! You can and should do better! Too much is at stake!

Perhaps you should read the Drudge report of the latest
CNN Poll while you are looking at Drudge:
“Fifty-six percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Friday say they think the federal government’s become so large and powerful that it poses an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens. Forty-four percent of those polled disagree.
According to CNN poll numbers released Sunday, Americans overwhelmingly think that the U.S. government is broken – though the public overwhelmingly holds out hope that what’s broken can be fixed.”
Sorry, Obama, however unflappable he is, cannot overcome that.

Oh Oh, there is that uppity Negro guy.

Only a Liberal-Progressive would bother to read this tripe. Joe Klein’s bias eliminates 80% of the total available readership. Why keep him on-board? Oh, I forgot, only the shareholders think the Times should make a profit.

Joe Klein………what a freaking joke! Such a total dumbsh1t! Joe, you need to go back to elementary school and take a remedial course in U.S. history. Maybe you’ll find out how we got to be the most powerful nation on earth. It wasn’t from following your hero Obama’s Socialist/Marxist steal-from-those-who-work-to-give-to-those-who-don’t plan.

Joe Klein….hahahahahahahahahahahahahaah! What a moron!

Joe has been smoking the crack pipe for quite awhile. He better wake up or he will no longer have an audience or a magazine to write in. Students used to get this magazine in the past to read….I fear after they understand what they will be paying for in the future. Time will become a publication of the past….he is moving it along quickly.

That’s right. That uppity Negro puts his feet on the oval office desk and works there in his shirt sleeves. No respect. Needs to be sent out into the fields to do work. Doesn’t deserve to be the house Ni**er. Take back America.

AFGUY, YOU MIGHT NOT DICTATE WHAT I SMOKE DRINK AND DO BUT THE HORRIBLE PIGS YOU ELECT TELL EVERYONE WHAT TO SMOKE DRINK AND DO………..

THIS OBAMA PIG IS ON OUR TV DAILY JUST LIKE HITLER WAS, HE SOLD HIS KOOL-AID TO THE LIBERALS AND HE THINKS IF HE JUST KEEPS ON TALKING AND TALKING AND TALKING THAT HE WILL SELL THE REST OF THE NATION. HE LIED ABOUT EVERYTHING HE WAS, MR. TRANSPARENCY………………….

WE DON’T DRINK COMMIE KOOL-AID. THE LEFTIES OTHER LYING LAWYER, IMPEACHED FELON NEVER SHUT UP EITHER……………

BARRY IS TAKING YOU SORRY DEMOCRATS AND YOUR LAMESTREAM MEDIA OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH………….PLEASE KEEP DEFENDING HIM LIBERALS, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE..

POLLS LOWER FOR THIS CHICAGO THUG THAN EVEN FOR CARTER, OFLMAO –

YOU DEMOCRATS BETTER STRAP IN FOR A DOSE OF THE SAME HATE YOU SPEWED FOR 8 YEARS –

YOU PIGS TAUGHT US EXACTLY HOW TO TREAT A COMMANDER IN CHIEF, NOW QUIT YOUR WHINING………………..

You seriously belief Pelosi will lose her election?

Sorry Joe…..saying it don’t make it so.

I watch the polls everyday. Your boy Obama has consistently dropped in the polls every week since he was elected.

Today’s Real Clear Politics average of all major polls shows his average approval rating at the lowest point since his election.

Slowly, steadily and surely, Americans are understanding that his election was a major, major mistake for our nation.

Joe’s words, like Obama’s lies have no credibility left.

Joe……your words fall flat.

Calie Stephens
Dallas, TX

Recalcitrant…. 1. resisting authority or control; not obedient or compliant; refractory. 2. hard to deal with, manage, or operate.

Repugnant… 1. People who use big words to describe the actions of others when they freely admit that they didn’t see it. 2. A Joe Kline commentary.

Rethink… What Joe should do before he sticks his foot in his mouth in a public forum.

Retraction… What Joe should practice sometimes.

Regurgitate… What I’m going to do now that I have read Joe’s opinion.

Retire… What Joe should do right now.

Klein, as always you libs have it wrong. This is a CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC; not a democracy. If you would simply pick up a basic high school american history book, or a rudimentary civics book and read one every once in a while you would be aware of this fact. Many Repubs are constructionalists, and would say the entire H.C.P. is UNCONSTITUTIONAL…Get it? Conservatives and libertarians DO NOT AGREE PHILOSOPHICALLY, so why would they sign on to this piece of crap you statistist libs have come up with?

Obama could have failed to show up and Klein would have pronounced him the winner.

Did anyone notice how he didn’t have a thing to say in rebuttal to Ryan, just ‘move along folks, nothing to see here!’

And unflappable? I would sayed ‘peeved and condescending’ would be a better description.

20 years down the road when my children are in their early 30s they will realize the massive screwing they are receiving in the name of national healthcare and taxes. Sorry boys. Hope all of you democrats out their with children realize what this is going to do to this great country.

catherine,
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I can’t hear you… perhaps you could yell a little louder??
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The “hate” is already too strong with this one, Master Yoda… no point in trying to keep her from the “Dark Side”.

Unflappable? Come on he was over matched, sounded like Gibbs trying to hold press conference searching for words & stutttering, ih yeah worlds greatest orator, his ego is off the charts bringing up the election. I think Obama being elected is the worst thing for Democrats, trust me you will be writing about it in November. I do not monitor your site, nor do I read your “news magazine” more like Obama scrapbook. I saw the headline on Drudge & had to read. Your article shows you did not watch the summitt. So keep trying to build the President up by putting him on your cover again and again and again. Leave the real news reporting to Foxnews.

My bookmarks seem to be messed up and I’ve logged into DNC.com by accident.

Pardon me.

This is not a done deal yet; nullification/states rights. The states have to accept it, and if a handful of them reject it, it will be bye bye to Obamacare.

AFGUY – YOU SAID “”"Some day, at the Judgment, I want you to remember this when you are asked how you could claim to be a Christian yet spew such hatred for everyone that doesn’t agree with you.”"”"

HAHAHAH WE LEARNED THAT HATRED FROM YOU LEFTIE PIGS, WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ABOUT JUDGEMENT? DO YOU HAVE AMNESIA ABOUT THE HATEFUL LAST 8 YEARS, VICIOUS LEFTWINGNUTS ……..

8 YEARS OF THREATENING THE BUSH AND CHENEY FAMILIES, YOU LAUGHINGLY WANTED BUSH DEAD. AND YOU DARE TALK ABOUT JUDGEMENT AND DOING THE RIGHT THING NOW, OFLMAO

BUT YOU WILL NEVER HEAR ME HATE AS BAD AS THE LEFT………….I DO NOT WANT A HAIR HARMED ON THIS PIG BARRY’S HEAD……………..BUT YOUR LYING PIG WILL RESIGN BEFORE 4 YEARS, HE JUST DOESN’T HAVE THE STONES FOR THE JOB

AFTER TRASHING BUSH YOU THEN PUT IN YOUR BEST PEOPLE, THIS CONGRESS AND BARRY, AND THE WORLD IS LAUGHING THEIR ASSES OFF…………

YOU GUYS ARE DO NOTHING, FELON CLOWNS……………DODD GONE, PERP RANGEL LEAVING, FRANK (GAY PORN RING -UNDERAGE BOYS) COUNTRYWIDE DORGIN, NO TAX GEITNER AND THEN ALL THE CZARS……….CLOWNS AND FELONS

REPLACED THEM WITH THIS BEGINNER CHICAGO THUG, A THUG WHO DOUBLED THE WAR WHILE SELLING YOU LIBS KOOL-AID…………HE LIED TO YOU BOYS ABOUT THE WAR, ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND ABOUT TAXES FOR UNDER $250,000, IN FACT HE HAS LIED ABOUT EVERYTHING…………

YOU ARE SEEING YOUR HATE RETURNED IN 12 MONTHS…………..AND I LOVE YOU GETTING ALL RELIGIOUS ON THE PEOPLE WHO DON’T AGREE WITH YOU, THIS CREEP IN THE WHITE HOUSE IS WHO YOU NEED TO WORRY ABOUT, HIS SOUL, HIS JUDGEMENT DAY, NOT MINE………………

YOU BETTER STRAP IN CAUSE IT IS GOING TO GET MUCH MUCH WORSE…………YOU GUYS WERE PRETTY BAD THE LAST 8 YEARS, PRETTY UGLY…..

AND 8 MILLION MORE PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS SINCE MESSIAH TOOK OVER, 144 BANKS HAVE CLOSED AND HE HAS DOUBLED THE DEBT……………… WE BEG YOU –GET THIS PIG OFF THE TELEVISION FOR A FEW DAYS, OKAY,

HE IS FINDING OUT THAT THE REST OF THE WORLD ISN’T SWOONING WITH HIS TELEPROMPTER LIES ANYMORE,

ONLY HIS FAITHFUL KOOL-AID DRINKERS,

DRINK UP FELLA

zafnatpanea Got it.

I don’t have the faintest idea WHAT Joe Klein may have been watching…if he really watched what happened at all. Obama showed outright anger on several occasions and was arrogant and condescending in the extreme throughout most of this circuso–which was NEVER designed to ask GOP Congressmen and Senators for their input in order to “save” this abomination of a bill. It was intended to show Republicans as obstructionists without any real ideas. It did exactly the opposite. It was the Democrats who seemed petty and small-minded…not the Republicans. They had the facts about the bills right and it seemed to me that Obama didn’t even know what was IN the two Democrat atrocities. What part of “We don’t want this thing…period,” do the Democrats not understand. Frankly, I hope they proceed with their plans to jam this down our throats. Come November, the GOP is going to jam it where the sun doesn’t shine and alot of Democrats are going to feel as if they’ve fallen on their own swords just to “save” the legacy of this narcissistic man and his cronies.

“Reading between the lines, you can conclude that the Republicans had nothing very interesting, or clever, to say (and were never able to get the President’s goat). ”

Ah, the mainstream media– Klein didn’t bother to watch the thing before he reported on it. He got a bit of information from Drudge, and then cooked up the rest based on his groundless predjudices about republicans and his own fantasies about his messiah-president’s performance. Next time, Joe, at least go to YouTube and watch a few clips before telling us what it was all about.

If the subject matter was not so serious this would be a great comedy piece. The writer of this article is claiming that President Obama was unflappable and informed and that the Republicans offered nothing. Well none of that is true. So in a sense, if you write an article on something that you have not seen and claim to be able to know what happened by how other people react, then you are frankly so arrogant that this President is what you deserve. The problem is that I do not deserve to be saddled with this incompetance. President Obama was not ready to deal mainly because he has no clue what is in his own bill. But then when you don’t even bother to witness the event, how would you know? Apparently you don’t care enough to do your job in a manner than would enable you to know the truth. In that case, President Obama is perfect for you. So maybe when he loses you will all go away together? I can only hope.

sacredh posted: “maverick2k9: I seriously doubt if even one of these misguided sinners has a subscription to ANY magazine. There is much ranting and raving but very little actual knowledge of the issues being addressed by President Obama. Like spoiled and contrary children, they do not know what is good for them.”

We may not always know what’s “good for us,” sacredh, but we almost always know what’s NOT good for us and this abomination most assuredly is NOT. And, by the way, don’t you think it pretty presumptuous on your part to deign to TELL us what’s “for our own good?” Who was it that died and made YOU Pope?

Bambi…”a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing…” This guy is an arrogant dolt. The government that turn the White House into Sanford & Sons with his ‘cash for clunkers” debacle (which ran out of money in a week), wants to run 1/6th of our economy? No thanks. They’re too clueless to keep wannabes out of the White House during state dinners, yet they somehow know how to run an auto company (hint: if we didn’t want to own GM cars, what makes Bambi think we wanted to own GM?).

A guy that thinks there are 57 states, and who confuses a breathalyzer with a defibrillator, wants to run our healthcare? No one is buying his straw man arguments. I love how the man who hasn’t stopped campaigning is lecturing John McCanin about the “campaign being over”. Is it November yet?!!

Perhaps Joe missed the first “bipartisan” statement Obama made to the Republican leadership to completely turn down their involvement in any legislation. He was simple and to the point: “I won.” Republicans were irrelevant.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17862.html

At the time, the Joe Kleins of the world were admiring his graceful leadership skills that would usher in 40 years of unbroken Democratic rule. Obama didn’t need the Republicans for one #@$% thing!!!! It was time for revenge and pork.

Now the Joe Kleins of the world are bemoaning the lack of bipartisanship….

Republicans to Obama: “WE ARE WINNING.”

NOVEMBER 2, 2010

The same tired argument “Republicans don’t care and therefore are evil” this hackneyed argument is why you Demos are losing this fight.
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“Demos”? Freeinpa, is that you?

And explain to me again how Republican Senators 40/60 and 178 representatives obstruct anything?
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It’s called “a cloture vote” and those 40 Republicans have forced a record number of them in this Congress.
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You might want to ask an elementary school student who’s taking Civics if you need further explanation.

Jesus Christ, lady, turn off the caps lock and turn on your brain.

Nullification? Seriously? You realize we settled that issue in the Civil War, right? Even Antonin Scalia laughed at that, and he’s as right wing as they come.
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Listen, if you don’t like America, you should move to a tax-free, government-free paradise like Somalia.

Of 10,000 sperm…Joe, you were the quickest? Go home. Got to bed. You have some serious soul searching to do.

I say this in all seriousness — get some psychiatric help.

I have really tried to be objective when commenting on statements made by others here. But I cannot do so today.

Those on the right who seem to jump on the bandwagon when commenting on HCR, are now saying Obama should abide by the majority of Americans who are opposed to this HCR bill. This is bullc**p.

You take those same polls and add in a robust public option to the mix and all of a sudden that same majority of Americans are solidly in favor of HCR

Right wingers are against anything the President opposes. Period. Those on the right say the bill costs too much, and yet, if you add a public option, and as a result get increased competition, premium costs will go down.

The present health care system is going to bankrupt us. It has already begun.

The solutions of the right? More tax breaks for the rich. Less regulations. We all know only too well what trusting the health care industry to regulate themselves has brought us. Premiums so high that no one can afford it. Portability? Sure, then watch health insurance companies immediately move to the state with the least regulations, so they can finish screwing the American people.

The prevailing opinion of those on the right is, that if you get sick and don’t have health insurance, then you must be lazy and don’t deserve health care. Just go somewhere and die quietly.

The only things I have in this bill is that it doesn’t have a public option to increase competition, and it doesn’t go anywhere near enough in controlling costs.

And, finally, our legislative process works through compromise. The right absolutely refuses to compromise. And don’t hand me that bs about how they have not been allowed into the negotiation process. There are over 100 Republican amendments in the bill. The President stated that he might be amenable to even more contributions from the right. But no matter what the dems might offer, the repubs would still be against HCR. It’s an ideological issue. But they are so hypocritical that they will not openly say they are against it for purely ideological reasons.

Liberals, enjoy it while it lasts. Your Utopia of a
European-esque America is collapsing and with it the Euro-mothership.

(And please no zingers, I have lived in/traveled in 5 European Countries).

Reality bites and it will bite hard come Nov 2010.

Just checking to see if the insane right wing has caught its collective breath yet. I see, not. Go check your sweetheart Drudges site for another place to go rant. Give him a kiss between the cheeks and move onto where he directs you robots.

By the way, can you all prove your citizenship? If you don’t know who your momma or daddy is, I am sorry if that may cause embarrassment .

hahahahahaha..
“I was elsewhere yesterday and missed the health care summit. I’m catching up now, and the tea leaves seem to indicate that Obama came out well ahead of the Republicans. ”

I guess that is the reason obama’s raitings has dropped like a rock since he “got the best of the republicans”. meanwhile, everyone else that does not have their heads stuck up the obama’s rear saw and recognized that the hyperbole the liberals have been lying about the laack of republican ideas. Now, the republicans proved they had more than enough to make an impact in HC costs. And from all accounts, aa majority of the republican ideas will lower costs, increasae access and will not cost the tax payers. yet Klien and this worthless rag are all excited about a multi trillion dollar bill that the CBO said will increase premuims and set the groundwork for total government take over of the HC system.

This is the most boring collection of zombies I have encountered to date.

shrugg, I am with the Committee to Reelect President Obama. Can we count on your support?

shrugg, I am with the Committee to Draft Pat Robertson and Sarah Palin for the next fascist ticket. Can we count on your support for that?

Wow. What summit was this guy watching? The President came off as impatient, petulant, and arrogant.
There is no authority in the Constitution for Congress to mandate that an American citizen purchase health insurance. The bribe given Senator Nelson clearly violates Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.
And, really, libs. Isn’t the straw-man Jesus argument getting a bit stale? What, I’m Satan because I don’t want Congress frittering away my money and bankrupting the country? You guys care so much about the uninsured, why don’t you buy them insurance yourselves? No, you all would rather pat yourselves on the back about how caring you are for others by spending other peoples’ money and not your own.

Kevin

I have “heard” you, AFguy, and a few other progressives on here imply that your superior intellect makes it difficult for you to converse with the low-brained conservatives that have infected this blog. So, please use your superior brain to help me with this. Rep Ryan spent 6 minutes explaining how how the Senate bill will raise system costs by trillions over the next 20 years and the gimmicks used in the bill to hide this and/or “steal” money from other programs to “cover this cost. Please use that superior intellect of yours to tell me what errors Ryan made in that assessment and how you plan to pay for this new entitlement, the tens of trillions in unfunded entitlements we have on the books now, and the $14 trillion in debt we currently owe. Any of you other brilliant progressives are welcome to help me out with this too.

can we just tax the happy crazies that wants government HC? that way all the people that are so happy to give away people’s money they would be more than happy to five up their own.

I have “heard” Kevin, AFguy, and a few other progressives on here imply that your superior intellect makes it difficult for you to converse with the low-brained conservatives that have infected this blog. So, please use your superior brain to help me with this. Rep Ryan spent 6 minutes explaining how how the Senate bill will raise system costs by trillions over the next 20 years and the gimmicks used in the bill to hide this and/or “steal” money from other programs to “cover this cost. Please use that superior intellect of yours to tell me what errors Ryan made in that assessment and how you plan to pay for this new entitlement, the tens of trillions in unfunded entitlements we have on the books now, and the $14 trillion in debt we currently owe. Any of you other brilliant progressives are welcome to help me out with this too.

I have “heard” Kevin, AFguy, formerlyjames, and a few other progressives on here imply that your superior intellect makes it difficult for you to converse with the low-brained conservatives that have infected this blog. So, please use your superior brain to help me with this. Rep Ryan spent 6 minutes explaining how how the Senate bill will raise system costs by trillions over the next 20 years and the gimmicks used in the bill to hide this and/or “steal” money from other programs to “cover” this cost. Please use that superior intellect of yours to tell me what errors Ryan made in that assessment and how you plan to pay for this new entitlement, the tens of trillions in unfunded entitlements we have on the books now, and the $14 trillion in debt we currently owe. Any of you other brilliant progressives are welcome to help me out with this too.

don, you have heard of the Constitution? Next step would be to read it and then we might make some progress in growing a brain for you.

jmcbride, you got the low-brained conservatives (not really conservatives, but right wingers) right, the rest is hopeless, as it was for our President to explain to Comrade Ryan. You are also correct in your description of liberals as superior in intellect and brilliant. I am not sure you know what progressive means. Check back with sweet Drudge and ask him. He might even give you a tongue kiss. Good luck with that.

James,

You too, like many of your fellow progressives, appear impressed with your brilliance. Please feel free to use your brilliance to explain where Rep Ryan went wrong in his assessment of the trillions of unfunded costs in the Senate Health Plan. I am sure with your brain power you will be able to straighten me out on this. While you are at it, let me know how we will cover this, plus the tens of trillions of unfunded mandates towards the current social government programs AND the $14 trillion in debt we currently owe. I await the results of your sparkling brain power. I am sure to be dazzled.

James,

I am waiting to be dazzled by your brilliance. Or you can explain a little of our President’s explanation to me, as I must have missed it. I did hear ah, ah, ah…..

I invite all of the Swampland regulars to welcome the crazy fringe brought to you courtesy of Matt Drudge, the indignant gossip queen of the right wing. Welcome to all. Can we interest you in a bridge in Arizona? You seem to be prime bait.

I am still waiting for you to use that superior brain of yours to make one point about where Re Ryan was wrong and where we are going to get the money to pay for the $1.5 trillion in unfunded liability in this program, the $233 billion in unfunded differences in doctors fees, the $4 trillion in current debt, and the $30-40 trillion in unfunded liability in current government programs. Please enlighten me!

OK everybody, I let’s start a chant now..O BA MA, O BA MA, O BA MA. I don’t hear you…

Well, James, since you’re so smart and I’m so dumb, why don’t you read Article 1, section 8 and tell us all how the deal given Nelson (whereby they wouldn’t pay for Medicaid like the rest of us would have to do) does not violate that provision. Please point out where in that document that the United States government is given the authority to mandate that a United States citizen purchase health insurance.
By the by, I already did grow a brain. I used it to obtain a doctorate-level degree and now use it to run my own business and actually think for myself instead of spouting off insults borne out of liberal groupthink like some childish internet tough-guy.
Go on, James. Thrall me with yo’ acumen.

jmcbride, you caught me off guard. I didn’t know that facts and proof were required to post in this thread. I am grasping now. Adjust tax rates? Reduce war expenditures? Eliminate waste in the current health care system? Not sure. How do we pay for all of the rest of the things we need to live? You tell me how it is impossible. I appreciate the thoughtful question and exchange. I am taken aback as I have seen only hateful rants from the right wing here.

As I said before, Ryan may or may not have a point about unfunded liabilities in the Democratic HCR.
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But the fact of the matter is, He does not have ANY ideas of his own on how to fix the HC or on how to reduce the deficit. Unless, of course, you consider his solution of sending you worthless medicare “vouchers” when you retire, a brilliant idea.
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As the party in opposition, Repubs not just have to say “NO”, they need to come up with alternative ideas that make sense.

No, don, your Jesus and Satan arguments are between you and the Almighty… unless it is your position that Jesus really isn’t applicable in your current incarnation of Christianity.
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Perhaps you are one of those who believes that He REALLY wants you to be filthy rich and all of those items in the Bible about the love of money, greed and taking care of the least of us was just a smokescreen, because in our “free market” religion, care for others is just so “yesterday”.
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Hide all you want, don. Rationalize all you want. I’m not the one you’re going to have to convince about your “goodness” when the time comes. I’m sure the Almighty will be impressed by your investment portfolio at the Pearly Gates. He may even take American Express – Platinum Edition.

Use more caps. they really seem to like that.

SACREDH, I AM STILL LEARNING THE ROPES WITH NUTCASES. IT IS ALL A LEARNING EXPERIENCE. NOT USED TO SUCH INSANITY. GOD BLESS YOU DEAR REVEREND. ONE MORE THING…ANYBODY HERE HAVE ANY STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT OBAMA? FACTS ARE NOT REQUIRED, JUST FREE FLOATING ANGER AND ANGST. POST AWAY. THEN GO BACK TO PRECIOUS DRUDGE. I AM GOING NOW. HAD ENOUGH. BLESS US ALL, AND GOD BLESS DRUDGE. WE ALL OWE HIM.

Here’s the joke –
Joey the K is employed spewing brainless drivel to support his blow-up toy of a president while millions are unemployed due in part to the gross incompetence of his savior.
Yes, of course everything is Bush’s fault, but now after a year+ Obama’s promises that he knew how to fix everything seem quite useless. He is nothing more than a Chicago thug politician. I live in Illinois and I know how he slimed his way into state office and then into Congress. He knows absolutely nothing that would help the country. He has never been an executive. He’s never even run a Kool-aid stand, although many of his brain dead followers drink his flavor every day. He almost makes Jimmy Carter look good.
Joe, please pop your head out of your nether region, Obama is a raging, flaming failure. He can’t satisfy the insane left, and he can’t satisfy anyone who is sane. He is completely ineffective, thank God. He has been unable to pass his “welcome to the North American Socialism Fun Park” plans. The good news is that he is driving the democratic party off a cliff at top speed.

Keep drinking the Kool Aid, Joe. Keep believing that your Almighty Savior won the day! You and Barrack will have yet another wake up call in November.

can you be anymore biased? you obviously didn’t watch the debate. obama had his clock cleaned if you will. he sat there as his usual idiological, immature condescending parrot of a self the entire time.

listen to the republican responses. they were well articulated and mature in that they deal with reality. if you really believed half of what you say in this post, you would have compromised with president bush and supported a war that liberated people instead of something that will indebt generations, breach constitutional safeguards and empower incompetent bureaucrats. come on. you call yourself a journalist.

obama’s ideas, that really aren’t his, have been tried over and over and have only resulted in pain and misery. open your eyes and drop the hatred and envy. they will not work now or ever.

ONE MORE QUESTION FOR THE DRUDGE PUNKS. PLEASE ASK HIM IF LINDA TRIPP IS A FAG HAG. JUST CURIOUS. DOESN’T REALLY MATTER. JUST LIKE MOST OF THE COMMENTS HERE.

Spelling error – deductability should be deductibility.

Joe, You are out of touch with reality. Maybe you need to go directly to the source as journalists used to do to make your assessment of the summit. Obama appeared angry, was condescending and patronizing. How “small” of him to constantly repeat in so many words that “I’m the president.”

I know the problem with this man now. He is not a leader, he is a manger. You see manager’s control people by insisting that they be compliant; however, leaders inspire people to bring their own initiative to the table because they know the very best ideas include the ideas of many. Leaders are not threatened by other leaders–managers are. Folks, we do not have a true leader in the White House–we have a little, small manager who does not have a clue what he is doing.

Joe watch the film for yourself. Oh, and by the way, check out what Peggy Noonan said about the summit.

OK. I will give you some hints. Those numbers are REALLY big. The last two years, we have run something approaching a 50% federal budget deficit (meaning we have collected about 1/2 the money we spent). We are broke. We are in no position to commit to trillions of dollars of new social programs.

Did either of you gentlemen, on leaving high school, consider giving some of your time in the military, to give something back to the country, or did each of you, like Dick Cheney, have “other priorities” when the time came?
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Do either of you have any sort of ‘social conscience” or have worked in a position where you had to rely on others for your safety or well-being? You seem a little too smug and self-satisfied to have done so.
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Just remember that there are a number of others sacrificing their comfort and family lives so that both of you can sit here and make self-important asses of yourselves.

The Republicans don’t want Obamacare because it will bankrupt America and because the best and only way to handle the issue is through the private sector! Oh and it just so happens that the American pubic understand that Obama, Pelos, and Reid are trying for a power grab and are overwhelmingly against this plan and the process that the Dems are using to ram this through. Obama came out the loser and the Repubs won BIG!!!

Idea #1. When you have t$14 trillion in current debt and $30-40 trillion in unfunded liability… and you are trillions short of funding the current government every year…. DO NOT COMMIT TO TRILLIONS MORE OF NEW SPENDING. NO NOT COMMIT TO A SPENDING PROGRAM THAT INCREASES GOVERNMENT COSTS.

Idea #2. Put market forces back into the system. Making insurance cover large expenditures. Allow people to show for lower costs. Not everyone can afford a Lexus, Most people should shop for cost effective health care. The government has never increased the efficiency of anything.

You apparently are not brilliant enough to understand how the government will increase efficiency and lower cost. Oh, and cut fraud. Don’t government programs always do that?

Perhaps Sarah Palin could put the health care bill on her hand for all to see.

No!
No!
No!
No!

Are you implying that you are much more brilliant than your typical conservative, tea-party type?

C’mon wingnuts! Push that hit count up to 1000! And keep the hilarity coming, especially with stuff like this:

“…check out what Peggy Noonan said about the summit.”

Yes, because a Republican former speechwriter for Reagan and Bush ’41 and, briefly, campaigner for Bush ’43 is going to be the most unbiased source of thought you’ll find on the pages of the WSJ opinion pages.

Hey! Didja check out what Peggy Noonan said about Sarah Palin?

Democrats come clean on reconciliation:
(Obama, Clinton, Schumer, Reid, Feinstein, Biden, Dodd, Baucus)

http://www.breitbart.tv/obama-dems-in-2005-51-vote-nuclear-option-is-arrogant-power-grab-against-the-founders-intent/

This is what they think, eh?

Cool. Another brilliant Progressive. I must be one of the wingnuts you are talking about. I am confused. But I am sure you can help me out.

Please use that superior brain of yours to make one point about where Rep Ryan was wrong and where we are going to get the money to pay for the $1.5 trillion in unfunded liability in this program, the $233 billion in unfunded differences in doctors fees, the $4 trillion in current debt, and the $30-40 trillion in unfunded liability in current government programs. Please enlighten me! As I see it we are currently broke and can not afford trillions in new liabilities. I must be wrong as i am a wingnut. Please let me know where I missed out.

All I see is ALOT of Time & $$$$ WASTED on a 200 Page Bill that NO one has READ or Understands while MORE and MORE People are OUT of Work and MORE and MORE Business`s are Here today and GONE tomorrow?????????????????