New START, 9/11 Health Bill Clear the Senate

When the faux-enraged teabaggers slide into their chairs next year, they’ll find little or nothing to bash the president over.
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I’m chuffed, too. I may not like everything he did, but this should have happened a long time ago.
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Teabaggers: Forget “waterloo”. Do your jobs. Now you have an example to go by.
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These GOPers deserve kudos for showing a willingness to help contribute to the solution side of the equation…

Um, “Chuck Scumer”?!? Is ‘tols’ a word, too?

Thanks Sen. Cornyn and Hutchison. Whatever they do out on the left coasts we dont care because our state standing tough against the sell outs to the gays and the unilater appeasers giving up our vital nuclear defense protection is the reason Texas is growing faster than lib states. Great morals and the quality of life is excellent here!

I’m so proud of our senate and feel even more pride towards the republicans who worked with democrats in good faith on serious and brilliant legislation.

Congratulations! Job well done. God Bless America. Our government works when serious and rational minds find common ground.

I’m just so proud of my government today. All of them.

*hugs!*

Thank you.

Obama victory? I beg to differ. Not Obama, not Russia, not USA. The world.

Oh, it is an American victory though. I feel so proud of my government. It was a bipartition treaty no doubt. With the most serious and respected republican minds, past presidents and heads of our military operations supporting it. It is such a good and historic day, not only for America but for the world. Indeed. But American leaders, true leaders of both stripes, helped make it happen.

I’m so proud today of my government.

Cheers to all of you!

“Great morals and the quality of life is excellent here!”

HA, ha! Well, with George Carlin no longer among us, I guess we are in need of another great humorist who cuts through the BS.

I would have never thought 3 weeks ago that START and DADT would have passed the Senate. Even with the Dream Act going down, thanks to the GOP, will give Obama and the Dems a club to beat them with the Hispanic voters in 2012.

So we can only blow up the world, what 300 times instead of 301?

The quality of education in Texas? Apparently not so hot. Keep up the good work.

Yeah, the cap is meaningless in terms of destructive potential; START’s not really about Russia and US arsenals though. Inspections are important, but the treaty is really trying to send a message to other nuclear powers not to grow, non-nuclear powers that nukes are no longer the currency of international power.

Trying & Failing. Nukes will always be currency.
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We’re reducing our arsenal, but we’re modernizing it. We can’t actually get rid of it. And we are saying that our arsenal is too important to destroy completely.
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I can’t see how that would prevent others from wanting nukes, especially when this won’t convince Iran or North Korea to stop; in fact, those two countries are a stronger argument for having nukes than the U.S. destroying its entire arsenal would be to not have them.
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That said, improved relations with Russia are a good thing. As is less tension between Europe & Russia in general. This won’t do a whole lot, but it will do something.
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The final glimmer of hope? I guess there will be less nukes floating around when either the U.S. or Russia finally collapses. And no, this isn’t some prediction that that will happen any time soon, but what’s the longest a empire or country has managed to stay whole in the history of the world?

Nuclear weapons prove that there is an upper limit on how much an aggressive posture can accomplish. After all, once you’ve destroyed the entire planet, there’s not too much more you can do. This still doesn’t stop people from acting as if such things matter, especially when there’s plenty of good money left to be made ‘upgrading’ our existing arsenal.

We’ve maxed out strength. There’s still speed, agility, stealth, and defense. We decided to go for the kill anything method, as opposed to the “I can’t be killed, method.”
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But I’m sure something will render nukes less effective. The question is whether it removes them from the equation, makes them ineffective, or just does the job better.

I don’t think the start treaty is insignificant by any means in regards to nuclear disarmament. Both Russia and the US are going to disarm 1/3 of our arsenal. Most those nuclear war heads being from the 1950′s. They are old and not as stable as maybe America would like to believe. Disarming them is impotent. Same with Russia. They want those old unstable warheads in their earth removed as well. Not only do both of us get to disarm the old crappy warheads we also get to rebuild important relations. I’m not sure why i’m the only hearing it, but the message I’m getting is that Both the US and Russia don’t want to be dragged in a nuclear war between Israel and Iran. Both Countries are teaming up and sending that message pretty load and clear.

I read in one of your textbooks that slavery was just keeping black people off the streets. Want me to toss you a laptop?

Interesting take on a nuclear Iran:

“The primary advantage of a nuclear Iran and a rising Shi’ite state would be the instability it engenders in today’s predominantly Sunni- and Wahhabi-controlled Middle East. That is not a bad thing as both America and Europe have precious little to show for their engagement of Saudi Arabia and neighboring kingdoms in the nine years since 9/11 and the West’s attempts to curtail al-Qaeda. Instead, the rise of Iran could well promote the kind of reforms that have thus far been eschewed by Arab kingdoms, and in turn create the conditions for greater stability over the long run.”

- Chan Akya

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/LL18Ak02.html

“Both [c]ountries are teaming up and sending that message pretty load and clear”
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Freud is so proud of your slip.

Can I be churly scuffed?
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Do you think all of this could’ve gotten done had the Dems controlled the House after Nov. 2? I think there would’ve been no incentive to get real work done. What the LD Congress has put together, the GOP can’t tear asunder. Try as they might.

“Whatever they do out on the left coasts we dont care because our state standing tough against the sell outs to the gays and the unilater appeasers giving up our vital nuclear defense protection is the reason Texas is growing faster than lib states. Great morals and the quality of life is excellent here!”
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As someone who taught junior college composition for years, thanks for the rather horrid flashback.

If that was enough to give you horrid flashbacks, then Palin must give you perpetual PTSD.

Well, there are some lingering effects from the election, but I’ve managed to avoid her spoken-word performances since. Helps that she’s not on my telly. And, of course, I’ve perfected the art of avoiding Time.com’s Daily Palin (i.e. their bread & butter). Any title with proper nouns starting with S or P and I lurch blindly past.

lol@nflfoghorn. Funny.

But really, It has been a worry that Iran might start a nuclear war with Israel and Russia would side with Iran when Israel fired nuclear war heads in retaliation. (They are next door neighbors and do a lot of business triad with each other) Or, that Israel would start a war with Iran that could escalate into a nuclear war and America is close ally with Israel and we could get pulled in. The fear is that both America and Russia could get manipulated into a nuclear war with each other. i think both America and Russia are making a stand that they will not be teamed up against each other by the political manipulations of other countries. I think America and Russia are being the grown ups and uniting on that front.
I think the Start treaty is a lot more important and meaningful than what many people grasp.

But then, I’m an intuitive type. I’m also from Texas and think tilliswynette might be retarded.

In any case,

This one is for Obama. Merry Christmas, Mr. President.

“As someone who taught junior college composition for years, thanks for the rather horrid flashback.”
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That’s pretty funny/mean on at least two levels.

If one would rather read the treaty rather than read what people say about it…
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http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/140035.pdf

Whatever they do out on the left coasts we dont care because our state standing tough against the sell outs to the gays and the unilater appeasers giving up our vital nuclear defense protection is the reason Texas is growing faster than lib states.
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Lol! Has anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do more like?

Till,
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If Texas texts weren’t so skewed you might know this: you lost the Civil War.
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Texas was ready to go to War to help make GWB a fresh “wartime president” on time for the 2004 election supposedly due to NYC and DC – both who never liked Bush at all – in for 9/11 and built on lies. When your Texas man wanted to go, he dragged New York, Boston, Chicago and California with him.
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We think it is dumb that gays have to lie all of the time to stay in the Army as they have since 1916 (the policy was unclear before 1916 so, George Washington, Robert E Lee and all of your favorites before 1916 had gays serving under them) think that cutting down our incredibly expensive nuclear arsenal one for one with Russia and taking care of people who are dying due to working at ground zero is worth the money. So, this time the US drags Texas and all right wingers who disagree with us.
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It’s called a Federal democracy, not to mistaken with a confederacy.

“Disarming them is impotent.”
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But, in this case, impotence will be a good thing…

By toeing the line of GOP’s tax cuts, Obama gains GOP’s support for the ratification of START.

What a wonderful political trade? But is that really what the Dems want?
(btt1943)

No, but most dems concede it was the best they could get for the time being. The tax cuts are only for 2 years and I think Obama will be elected again after this flurry of great leadership. About 85% of his campaign promises have been passed and kept in the last two years. On average a president is lucky to be able to keep and pass 50%. Obama success is rather stunning. It is only the hard core left that believe Obama promised the public option, which he never did, ect. Obama made a very bold move by letting the republicans have their tax cuts for the rich for a couple more years, Once the republicans could give that “win” to their masters they were willing to help pass very serious and important legislation. Obama is one hell of a poker player. Hillary would have conceded to the tax cuts too. So democrats lost nothing with Obama, and have gained some rather important legislative victories.

So, yeah! Rock on Obama! Have some shaved ice for me, Mr. Bad Ass President. Well done.

Not only to him but to our government this last week. It worked. I’m so proud of them all.

Cheers!

lilaland, I appreciate your point of view.

The fear is that both America and Russia could get manipulated into a nuclear war with each other. i think both America and Russia are making a stand that they will not be teamed up against each other by the political manipulations of other countries.
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Thanks lilaland. Cooperation between the two countries is good, no doubt. I’m concerned, however, that this cooperation is not all good.
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The START treaty is mostly symbolic,which is fine, and it won’t curtail either nation’s potential power. For instance, no nuclear submarines will be retired, rather our subs will have “4 of its 24 launchers removed” (link). Similar reductions are planned. Again, fine symbolically, but not much has changed.
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However, that’s my smaller concern. This seems a prelude to Russian / NATO cooperation on a new missile defense system in Europe (I’ll follow with a link), designed, of course, to stop Iranian nuclear missiles. This system will never protect against ballistic missile attack and “counters” non-existent weapons. To me, it is a waste of money, unnecessarily belligerent toward Iran and will only serve to justify NATO’s existence (and budget). I worry that the Pentagon is leading Obama astray, again. Does this change your opinion?

(I’ll follow with a link)
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An interview with Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov discussing, among other things, the proposed European missile defense system:
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http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,725231,00.html

It is only the hard core left that believe Obama promised the public option, which he never did…
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Not true:
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– In the 2008 Obama-Biden health care plan on the campaign’s website, candidate Obama promised that “any American will have the opportunity to enroll in [a] new public plan.” [2008]
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– During a speech at the American Medical Association, President Obama told thousands of doctors that one of the plans included in the new health insurance exchanges “needs to be a public option that will give people a broader range of choices and inject competition into the health care market.” [6/15/09]
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– While speaking to the nation during his weekly address, the President said that “any plan” he signs “must include…a public option.” [7/17/09]
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– During a conference call with progressive bloggers, the President said he continues “to believe that a robust public option would be the best way to go.” [7/20/09]
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– Obama told NBC’s David Gregory that a public option “should be a part of this [health care bill],” while rebuking claims that the plan was “dead.” [9/20/09]
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– In response to a questionnaire from the Washington Post, then-candidate Obama said, “My plan builds on and improves our current insurance system, which most Americans continue to rely upon, and creates a new public health plan for those currently without coverage.”
- link
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The hard core left has nothing to do with it. Voting Americans that read Obama’s campaign website and listened to debates and speeches were led to believe that he (and the Dems) would focus on a handful of crucial topics: end the wars; cut defense spending; lower the cost of health care, improve quality of care and increase competition with a public option; invest in jobs programs; re-impose robust banking regulation. This is the very reason many of us voted. We are still waiting.
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All of those promises were either ignored, not achieved, or compromised to ineffectiveness. Frankly, it doesn’t appear he and the Dem majority really tried. The recent “important legislative victories” are considerably less important than what I list above- to me at least, and I voted for the man.

President Obama has pledged $85 million to modernize the existing U.S. nuclear arsenal.
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I don’t think this is accurate. See here:
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President Obama promised Thursday to spend $80 billion over 10 years to maintain and modernize the nation’s nuclear arsenal, a commitment that could help win Republican support for his new arms control treaty with Russia.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/us/politics/14treaty.html?_r=1&ref=world

Thanks JC.
I think we missed a golden opportunity when Iran was included in the “Axis of Evil”. At that time, Iran was cooperating with the US providing logistic and intelligence support against al Qaeda (US diplomats thought it was a breakthrough and would lead to normalized relations). In fact, Iran’s leadership held a national moment of silence following the attacks of 911 and issued fatwas condemning terror and terror groups (and nuclear weapons). Iran is one of the most modern, democratic and pro-western countries in the region. They could have been a powerful ally in the War on Terror and a calming force in Afghanistan. They’ve offered to recognize Israel and accept the “two state solution”, pressure Hamas and Hizbollah to renounce violence and act as political groups only, to aid us in Iraq and Afghanistan, “full transparency” of their civilian nuclear energy program.. in exchange for our dropping sanctions and helping them with their internal terror groups (often referred to as the “Grand Bargain” -link). So yes, they offered pretty much everything we say we want to achieve via sanctions. Unfortunately, the neocons had already targeted them for regime change and Obama has not changed tactics. Maybe it’s not too late.

For anyone interested:
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Top Things you Think You Know about Iran that are not True