The Garlic

Another Sloganeer President

2009-12-16T23:00:00.001-05:00

Hope You Can Believe In ...

Change You Can Believe In ...

Considering how the Healthcare Reform initiative has been going, we're, pretty much, down to hoping (and I mean serious, "Please-God-I'll-Never-Do-That-Again" hope) that things will change

Rather then dig in their heels, fight for a comprehensive Healthcare Reform Bill, that includes a real Public Option, and/or a universal Medicare component, the Democrats rallied last night, to go out an "sell it", being, selling their complete collapse in caving in to Senator Losersman, and the other PartyofNoican Wannabees (Nelson, Byah, et all).

Senator Tom Harkin was on the Rachel Maddow show, talking real estate, offering, we're not getting a mansion, but rather a nice, modest house that we can build additions on.

Perhaps, but extremely difficult, considering the landlord (e.g. The Health Insurance Industry Complex) is going to be bleeding us dry, aided by the provision in the Senate Bill that will be forcing us to buy Health Insurance Industry Complex premiums

Howard Dean, who knows a thing-or-two about Healthcare, is calling for the Senate Bill to be killed.

Others, say, no, the bill is still a good bill (Nate Silver and Ezra Klein)

Greg Sargent has a good post on how this argument is shaping up, the battle lines being drawn for whatever is left to fight over.

There is a growing voice emerging, that our Hero President is not much more that all hat, and no cattle.

And, a nice big Corporate Hat he be wearing, at that.

Look over the past few months, the absolutely ridiculousness, in the Healthcare Debate.

Death Panels and Socialism dominated the conversation, the headlines, the cable news talking heads.

Where were the Democrats, the leadership, the White House?

Holding the White House, a majority in Congress, and, with polls show a majority of Americans wanting real, solid Healthcare Reform, how is it we are at the point of where we are it?

John Aravosis, at AmericaBlog, has a great perspective on where the answer may lie;

The GOP had at most 55 Senators during Bush's presidency

And look at what George Bush was able to accomplish in the Congress with fewer Senators than the Democrats have today:

- John Ashcroft nomination
- Iraq war resolution
- Repeated Iraq funding resolutions
- 2001 & 2003 tax cuts
- Patriot Act
- Alito
- John Roberts
- Medicare Part D

[snip]

It's not about the votes, people. It's about leadership. The current occupant of the White House doesn't like to fight, and the leadership in Congress has never been as good at their jobs, at marshaling their own party, as the Republicans were when they were in the majority. The President is supposed to rally the country, effectively putting pressure on opposition members of Congress to sit down and shut up. And the congressional leadership is supposed to rally its members to hold the line, and get the 51 votes necessary for passing legislation in a climate where the minority is too afraid to use the filibuster. When you have a President who is constitutionally, or intellectually, unable to stand for anything, and a congressional leadership that, rather than disciplining its own members and forging ahead with its own agenda, cedes legislative authority to a president who refuses to lead, you have a recipe for exactly what happened last night. Weakness, chaos, and failure.

And, this, from Taylor Marsh;

Pres. Obama doesn't care. It's a win or bust for him, with the health care train now careening towards an end of the year crash.

First Obama let the August recess come and go without a bill. Getting bested by Sarah Palin's "death panels" squeal came next. The finale of getting beat by Joe Lieberman having operatic overtones, given Joe's recent history with progressives in Connecticut. Mr. Obama doesn't care about the deatails as long as he can say he beat seven presidents who failed that came before him. He's betting history won't remember the minutia; it will simply be written that it was Barack Obama who got it done.

And, with the "selling" of what a great deal it is, comes the fabrications;

President Obama Tells Bald-Faced Lie About Health Care Reform Cost Control

This statement is 100% false–and Obama knows that. This bill does not contain anywhere near most ideas for controlling health care costs. This bill does not even contain most of the cost-reducing ideas that were part of Obama’s health care plan during last year’s presidential campaign.

What makes his lie so unbelievable is that Obama’s administration is right now fighting against one of the biggest cost control ideas that the president previously claimed to support. His administration is working to kill Dorgan’s drug re-importation amendment.

I guess, that's not an addition to the house that we want to put on just yet.

That is, if we intended to build the house in the first place.

Along with the Aravosis post, another Must-Read, is Glenn Greenwald today.

He hits on the "leadership" thing, well, actually, he clubs it, with a Ruthian swing;

White House as helpless victim on health care

As was painfully predictable all along, the final bill will not have any form of public option, nor will it include the wildly popular expansion of Medicare coverage. Obama supporters are eager to depict the White House as nothing more than a helpless victim in all of this -- the President so deeply wanted a more progressive bill but was sadly thwarted in his noble efforts by those inhumane, corrupt Congressional "centrists." Right. The evidence was overwhelming from the start that the White House was not only indifferent, but opposed, to the provisions most important to progressives. The administration is getting the bill which they, more or less, wanted from the start -- the one that is a huge boon to the health insurance and pharmaceutical industry. And kudos to Russ Feingold for saying so:

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), among the most vocal supporters of the public option, said it would be unfair to blame Lieberman for its apparent demise. Feingold said that responsibility ultimately rests with President Barack Obama and he could have insisted on a higher standard for the legislation.

"This bill appears to be legislation that the president wanted in the first place, so I don’t think focusing it on Lieberman really hits the truth," said Feingold. "I think they could have been higher. I certainly think a stronger bill would have been better in every respect."

Let's repeat that: "This bill appears to be legislation that the president wanted in the first place." Indeed it does. There are rational, practical reasons why that might be so. If you're interested in preserving and expanding political power, then, all other things being equal, it's better to have the pharmaceutical and health insurance industry on your side than opposed to you. Or perhaps they calculated from the start that this was the best bill they could get. The wisdom of that rationale can be debated, but depicting Obama as the impotent progressive victim here of recalcitrant, corrupt centrists is really too much to bear.

You want a "dream house"?

You'll have to settle for renting the DVD of 'Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House'.

Don't worry though, President Hope-and-Change can put some fire in his butt, when he wants to;

Guest Post: $38 Billion Tax Break Granted to Citigroup to Help Improve the TARP Results

The Citigroup folks should be able to afford those mandated Healtcare premiums, without much difficulty.

Just win baby, just win ...

Bonus Riffs

Will Bunch - Attytood: The lethal cynicism of Joe Lieberman

Jane Hamsher: Sign Letter to Susan B. Komen Foundation: Donations Shouldn’t Go To Hadassah Lieberman

Steve Benen: LIFE AND DEATH...

John Cole: So What Exactly Does the HCR Bill Do?

Greg Sargent: Congressional Dems Start Pinning Blame For Health Care Fiasco On Obama

Rachel Slajda: The White House v. Howard Dean

Jed Lewison: Sanders not voting for bill unless it improves

David Dayen: With Public Option Removed, Public, Labor Groups Sour On Bill

And In This Corner ...

2009-12-16T22:45:00.002-05:00

Rather then have an endless "Bonus Riffs" to the above post, we separated these off.

It isn't exactly Ali-Frazier, or, even Alexis Arguello-Aaron Pryor, but there be some bloggers putting up their dukes.

In the preliminary;

Nate Silver: 20 Questions for Bill Killers

Jon Walker: Answering Nate Silver’s 20 Questions On Killing The Senate Bill

For the main event ... And, let's get ready to rumble!

Kos: Strip the mandate, and put GOP on the spot

Ezra Klein: The importance of the individual mandate

More rounds to come, no doubt ...

Costco Hearts Palin

2009-12-16T22:30:00.001-05:00

We have stayed away from the Mommy Moose Book Tour, so far, however, a story today caught our attention.

And, it wasn't the part of The Wasilla Whiz Kid running out on the bill, but, rather, the shopping experience of one, Helen Rappaport, a Utah Democrat;

Rolly: Check from Palin in the mail?

Rappaport stopped at the Salt Lake City Costco to do some shopping, unaware that Palin was scheduled to be there for a book signing.

So Rappaport, after noticing the parking lot full of cars, was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to maneuver her shopping cart through the store with hardly anybody in the aisles. She also got a prescription filled with no wait.

While going through the check-out lane, again with no wait, she told the clerk she forgot to get some grape tomatoes, which she loves, so she would be right back.

That's when the bells went off.

The clerk told her they had no tomatoes that day.

No tomatoes? At Costco?

As she was leaving, she noticed a man with a store manager's name tag and asked him why they had no tomatoes. He informed her the store did have tomatoes, but they were taken off the shelves for a few hours.

It turns out that Palin had been pelted with a tomato at an earlier stop on her book tour and the management at the Costco was determined it wouldn't happen here.

The manager told an employee to go into the storage area and get Rappaport some tomatoes, which he gave her for free.

So, because of Palin, Rappaport not only got to shop with no lines, she got free tomatoes.

Hmmm ... I wonder what Costco would do if Tiger Woods visits the store?

Remove all the single woman?

Bonus Links

Wonkette: GOOD THING THEY DON'T SELL EGGS OR PIES - Costco Removes Tomatoes In Anticipation Of Palin Visit

TBogg: Queen of Alaska has no time for your mindless “blow dry?” gotcha questions

Ron Chusid: Save The Tomatos–Stop Palin

GottaLaff - Palin: Tomato-less in Salt Lake City

Jillian Rayfield: Salt Lake City Costco Removes Tomatoes Ahead Of Palin Event

This Date ... On The Garlic

2009-12-16T22:15:00.001-05:00

16 December 2008... On The Garlic

Cue The Pinhead ... Operation Proposition Penguin About To Launch

16 December 2007... On The Garlic

And, In The Double-Take Department ...

Bill Moyers Talks with MSNBC Host Keith Olbermann

This Date ... On The Garlic

2009-12-15T18:30:00.001-05:00

December 2008... On The Garlic

Our Ignorant Dolt of the Week ... Karl Rove!

He Should Have Just Thrown His Shoes

15 December 2007... On The Garlic

Editor's Note - Still Dealing With The SNOW!

15 December 2006... On The Garlic

Breaking News! President’s Personal Resolutions Will Determine Iraq Strategy; Bush Launches New White House “Resolution” Group; Targeting Jan. 1 To Begin Changes; Plans Own 100-Hours; From Dealing With Iraq Jar, To Losing Weight, Says “New Strategies Will Come From Me”

15 December 2005... On The Garlic

White House To Extend President's Speaking Tour ...May Venture Delivering Addresses Before 'Regular Folk"; Next Four Speeches To Tout "Historic Vote Count"

President Stays Firm On Call For War But Admits Intel Errors

Top Ten Cloves: Things White House Is Worried About Over Outcome Of Iraq Elections

This Date ... On The Garlic

2009-12-14T22:00:00.001-05:00

14 December 2008... On The Garlic

"Son of A Dog!"

Christian the Lion

"Never sell your Madoff"

Top Ten Cloves: Things About Steven Wright Being Inducted Into Boston Comedy Hall of Fame

14 December 2007... On The Garlic

Editor's Note - Technical Difficulties - Namely, 11-Inches of Snow!

14 December 2005

O'Reilly Gears Up Next War; Says Will Battle To Save "Little Christmas"

Top Ten Cloves: Things Overheard At Hewlett Packard's Wall Street Analyst Meeting Yesterday

Obama's Nobel Prize? ... I'm With Will Bunch ...

2009-12-13T21:00:00.001-05:00

Much was made of President Obama's Nobel Prize speech last week, the World Wide Web was abuzz, with mostly pro reviews (See Glenn Greenwald's post - "The strange consensus on Obama's Nobel address")

And, let's face, it was Bizzareville, having a sitting president, who is conducting two wars, escalating one of them, up there, accepting a Peace Prize, for Peace that he hasn't actually accomplished (Yeah, I know, wait a few years, for after the escalation in Flintstonevilleastan).

Of all the megabytes and pixels, bloviating on it, there was one that stood out, cut to the chase, nailed it - Will Bunch, on his Attytood Blog;

Maybe U.S. presidents shouldn't get peace prizes

Hey, I didn't say which president. You know what? I hate to say it, but sitting American presidents are never a good choice for the Nobel Peace Prize, period. Since 1901, the honor has been bestowed on three White House occupants.

[snip]

The world needs uncompromising fighters for real peace and for meaningful justice -- people like a Martin Luther King -- who can go to Oslo and remind the world of what we must eternally strive to make it. Such worthy Nobel recepients are truth-tellers, and people they are telling that truth to are the world's kings and potentates and, yes, the American president -- a job that is engineered for compromise, and disappointments. If the world is to become a better place, we need more people who risk jail, risk pain, and risk death -- people like Dr. King or Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi -- have done, for the eternal ideals of peace that are uncompromising. The Nobel Peace Prize can be a valuable tool to remind us who these people are, and that you are going to find them in the streets, not in the White House.

Now, that, certainly, is something hopeful we can believe in.

Yet More Reasons The Survey Says Goldman Sucks!

2009-12-13T20:45:00.004-05:00

Well, now we have a clue, on why Goldman Sach's Brian Griffith was so hawkish for achieving greater prosperity and opportunity.

Goldman Fueled AIG Gambles ... Wall Street Titan's Role Shown in Journal Analysis; Firm Says Problems Hidden

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. played a bigger role than has been publicly disclosed in fueling the mortgage bets that nearly felled American International Group Inc.

Goldman was one of 16 banks paid off when the U.S. government last year spent billions closing out soured trades that AIG made with the financial firms.

A Wall Street Journal analysis of AIG's trades, which were on pools of mortgage debt, shows that Goldman was a key player in many of them, even the ones involving other banks.

Barry Ritholtz suggests there's some action needed;

Any Congress people — Bernie Sanders maybe? Perhaps Senators Schumer or Dodd might forget all of the Finance driven campaign contributions they have gotten over the years and come up with a plan. I would imagine Alan Grayson is one of the few Freshman Congresmen who can think of a way to clawback some of the ill gotten booty Goldman grabbed from Treasury.

Read the entire article, our computer doesn't have the font "Profound Creepiness".

In the meantime, we'll trot out Richard Dawson, for a hearty call out;

"Survey Says ... Goldman Sucks!"

Bonus Links

NYT Editorial: Goldman’s Non-Apology

Igor Volsky - Goldman Sachs Report: Watered Down Senate Bill Would Lead To ‘Bull Case Scenario’ For Insurance Industry

Greg Gordon | McClatchy Newspapers: Goldman takes on new role: taking away people's homes

Newt's New Contract - Buying An Ignorant Dolt Title!

2009-12-13T20:30:00.002-05:00

You think they would learn.

Even when we are away from the desk, buried up to our eyeballs with the situation on the Homefront, they can't, no matter how hard they try, sneak past the Ignorant Dolt detector.

It's on, 24/7/365 and no one (deserving), escapes it, as it starts chirping way, like a Geiger Counter at Los Alamos, the second one of them pops up.

This weekend, we need to FedEx the Ignorant Dolt Crown and Sceptre to the former Speaker of the House, the man that put out a Contract On America, Newt Gingrich.

Gingrich’s New Contract With America: ‘Our Commitment Should Be Simple…We’re Repealing’ Health Care

Gingrich reiterated his call for all Republicans to commit to repealing any form of a health care bill that Democrats might pass before the 2010 elections:

GINGRICH: If the left manages to drive through a bill which is opposed by 65 percent of the country on health care, our commitment should be simple — when we get a majority, we’re repealing the whole thing. (applause)

And I want every Democrat who is about to sacrifice their seat for socialized medicine to understand: after you lose your seat, you’re going to lose the socialized medicine too.

I mean, with the job the Democrats are doing at gutting any meaningful Healthcare Reform, it be Newt's workin' up a sweat over nothin', just throwing some chum in the water, for the Flying Monkeys and Teabaggers.

As to "when we get a majority" thing, I wouldn't be holding your breath there, Newt (Heaven Forbid, you pass out, and have to undergo some of that "Socialist" medical treatment, something Bob Cesca was wondering).

And, help us out there, will ya, Newt?

When you go parading on the Faux News programs, wear the Ignorant Dolt Crown, give us a plug.

This Date ... On The Garlic

2009-12-13T20:15:00.001-05:00

13 December 2008... On The Garlic

Yet Another Reason We Called Him 'Stumblin' and Bumblin'

Well ... Coming Close Only Counts In Horseshoes ...

13 December 2007... On The Garlic

Top Ten Cloves: Reasons Mitchell Baseball Steroid Investigation Is Unlike CIA Torture Tapes Case

Garlic Coverage of Baseball Steroid Scandal

13 December 2006... On The Garlic

Retro Garlic - The Iraq Jar

13 December 2005... On The Garlic

Iraq Pulls Late Switch On Voters; Will Follow Red Sox And Have Two Presidents

Top Ten Cloves: What Saudi Prince Gets For Giving Harvard $20-Million

This Date ... On The Garlic

2009-12-12T22:30:00.001-05:00

12 December 2008... On The Garlic

He's Even - Already - Screwing Up His Retirement!

It's A Rummy World, After All ...

Coffee Wars?

12 December 2007... On The Garlic

Retro Garlic ... We Told You So!

12 December 2006... On The Garlic

Chopped Garlic - An Obit Of Note - Georgia Gibbs

Top Ten Cloves: Reasons Why Saudi Arabian Ambassador Suddenly Resigned His Post

12 December 2005... On The Garlic

White House, GOP Deny Obama Charge; Call For "Intelligent Ownership" Alternatives

Top Ten Cloves: Ways Wikipedia Plans To Beef up Security for Entries

This Date ... On The Garlic

2009-12-11T21:45:00.002-05:00

11 December 2008... On The Garlic

Top Ten Cloves: Tricky Things About Attempting To Sell A Senate Seat

11 December 2007... On The Garlic

Well, That Wasn't Much Of A Wait ...

Top Ten Cloves: Other Surprising Things White House Press Secretary Dana Perino Doesn't Know

11 December 2006... On The Garlic

Garlic Special - New Bush Theme Song - Nature Bush

Retro Garlic: Life Imitating The Garlic

This Date ... On The Garlic

2009-12-10T23:15:00.001-05:00

10 December 2008... On The Garlic

Libby's Hope

Only 10?

10 December 2007... On The Garlic

All I Want For Christmas Is My Presidential Pardon

Romney Speech: Where's Leonard Pinth Garnell When You Really Need Him?

Along With Shooting Innocent Civilians, We've, Apparently, Outsourced Rape, As Well

10 December 2006... On The Garlic

Weekend Special - Sautéed Cloves

Retro Garlic: Anybody Check The Freezer For Any Loose Ballots?

Any Of These ISG Guys Happen To Have A Wife That Works Undercover At The CIA? ... The Results - The Garlic Week Poll

10 December 2005... On The Garlic

Weekend Special - Sautéed Cloves

This Date ... On The Garlic

2009-12-09T17:30:00.002-05:00

9 December 2008... On The Garlic

A Safety Valve, Dressed In Jay Leno's Time Slot

The Wide Stance Stands

If You're A Disneyland Freak, Here's The Nuts-and-Bolts

2008 Weblog Award Update

9 December 2007... On The Garlic

Good Post Alert: Edward Copeland's "Is Dubya the Iranian Candidate?"

Editor's Note: Still Making Our Way To That Light At The End of The Tunnel

9 December 2005... On The Garlic

With Rumsfeld Saying He's Staying, Appointment May Hinge On Cheney Indictment For Last Political Hoorah; DNC, Dean, Gore Livid: Must Fill VP Position Retroactively Or Face Default On Top Of Loss

Top Ten Cloves: Reasons Chris Rock Won't Be Hosting The Oscars This Year

Big Deal!

2009-12-08T19:00:00.002-05:00

Well bust my buttons, there's big doings on the Journalism front today;

POLITICO named to Pulitzer Board

Columbia University announced Monday that POLITICO Executive Editor Jim VandeHei has been elected to the Pulitzer Prize Board.

VandeHei , who co-founded POLITICO in early 2007, becomes the first member of the Pulitzer Board from a primarily online news outlet. The print edition of POLITICO is distributed daily in Washington when Congress is in session.

They get the nod, primarily, for being at the forefront of "new media."

New Media?

Let's see ... A bunch of former newspaper guys go out and launch a website, then, essentially, milk their former contacts for gossip and, Presto-Chango, it's "New Media"

From Greg Sargent;

As I’ve noted before, there are two Politicos. There’s the good Politico, which offers big-picture, reported pieces that genuinely change the conversation, and boasts bloggers who break news, offer regular insights, and use Web-based journalistic techniques better than other “non-ideological” outlets do. The not-so-good Politico feshitizes Drudge and lunges for the catty gossip that will reverberate inside the Beltway bubble, and unabashedly sees these things as virtues.

The question is whether Politico’s Web-journalism techniques, in and of themselves, are really that innovative. Their main innovation seems like it consists in marrying widely-used Web-based techniques with self-styled “non-ideological” journalism. In an ironic twist, the very fact that Politico strives so hard for a non-ideological posture is probably why they’ve been selected as the first online news org to grace the Pulitzer board.

One thing, for sure, Politico's Mike Allen is in for a big payday, and may need a U-Haul next awards date, for he surely will dominate the Pulitzer categories of "Sucking-Up To The PartyofNoicans" and "Sucking-Off Matt Sludge" ...

Hands down.

Bonus Links

Julie Weiner: Person Responsible For The POLITICO Will Decide The Best Writing And Reporting, Now

Mike Allen Forgets To Add Himself To The List

The Politico's DNA ... The Other Iraq ... And He's a Bible-Thumper Now ... Around The Garlic Patch

This Date ... On The Garlic

2009-12-08T18:45:00.001-05:00

8 December 2008... On The Garlic

Stop The Bailouts! ... Nicole Wallace Has Something Much Better!

All The Bricks Fit To Leverage

Greed Has A Name ...

8 December 2006... On The Garlic

Top Ten Cloves: Things Overheard At The National Christmas Tree Lighting

8 December 2005... On The Garlic

Bush Team Miffed 'Podcast" Wins Word-Of-Year; Cites Media Lockout of Good News

Top Ten Cloves: Things Worse Than Ann Coulter Being Unable To Finish Her Speech At College

This Date ... On The Garlic

2009-12-07T21:45:00.001-05:00

7 December 2008... On The Garlic

Our Ignorant Dolt of the Week ... Rick Warren!

Rich on Ruben: "The Citi may never sleep, but he snored ..."

"A date which will live in infamy ..."

7 December 2007... On The Garlic

Top Ten Cloves: Disappointing Things Left Out of Mitt Romney's Mormon Speech Yesterday

7 December 2005... On The Garlic

Bush Cites Progress In Rebranding Iraq As Terror Center; WHIG Relieved As President Dismisses Critics and Media; Goes Retro To Tie In Pearl Harbor

Top Ten Cloves: Ramifications For Ford Motor Co. Dropping Advertising In Gay Publications

Our Newest Ignorant Dolt - Aetna CEO Ron Williams

2009-12-06T23:00:00.004-05:00

Boy, they must think that, just because we've been distracted, away from the desk, that they can sneak through, with some terribly profound, incredibly awesome Ignorant Doltness, and we wouldn't notice.

With the entire country lit up in a conflagration over Healthcare Reform, the reams and truckloads of examples on how the Enormo Healthcare companies are ripping us off, throwing out our policies, denying coverage, up pops Aetna CEO Ron Williams.

Aetna Forcing 600,000-Plus To Lose Coverage In Effort To Raise Profits

In a third-quarter earnings conference call in late October, officials at Aetna announced that in an effort to improve on a less-than-anticipated profit margin in 2009, they would be raising prices on their consumers in 2010. The insurance giant predicted that the company would subsequently lose between 300,000 and 350,000 members next year from its national account as well as another 300,000 from smaller group accounts.

"The pricing we put in place for 2009 turned out to not really be what we needed to achieve the results and margins that we had historically been delivering," said chairman and CEO Ron Williams. "We view 2010 as a repositioning year, a year that does not fully reflect the earnings potential of our business. Our pricing actions should have a noticeable effect beginning in the first quarter of 2010, with additional financial impact realized during the remaining three quarters of the year."

Say What?

Did Williams really think that would go unnoticed?

Oh man ... We gotta get some signs printed ... Just hand them pre-printed directions ...

Ignorant Dolt Hall, right down here, Mr. Williams! ... Just pick any empty seat ...

Jim Moss, over on Firedoglake took note of Williams' shoe-store-in-mouth act;

Very impressive, Aetna! Not once in that quote did your CEO make reference to sick people, or people who might die from lack of coverage, or people who will go bankrupt trying to afford higher premiums. In fact, Mr. Williams didn’t let the concept of people and their pesky needs interfere at all with his important considerations of "business," "pricing," "results," "margins," "earnings potential," or "financial impact." No danger here of health insurance becoming something more than profit-seeking.

That there is still a debate, still an argument is beyond astounding.

The CEO of one of the largest Healthcare Insurers publically states that sick people are not on the agenda, just "results and margins."

If we called for Mister Wizard to help us, he probably wouldn't hear it, being busy vomiting, sick to his stomach

John Avarosis, on AmericaBlog has the right idea;

At the very least, the health care reform legislation should be amended so that it goes into effect immediately, rather than in four years - that way this kind of abuse can be stopped now.

We can only hope, Aetna CEO Ron Williams, that in 2010, you don't lose your mojo, and continue showing off your gigantic Ignorant Doltness, that you have "historically been delivering."

"Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into."

2009-12-06T22:50:00.002-05:00

Well, Well, Well ... Isn't this special ...

A couple of PartyonNoicans (Tom Coburn and Diaper David Vitter) thought they would be slick, sneak a bill in there that would shame the Democrats and save the day for the PartyofNoicans.

You could almost here the Mighty Mouse music playing in their heads.

Ah, but as the old adage goes, "Oh! what a tangled web we weave, when first we practise to deceive!"

Sen. Sherrod Brown joins Republicans in demanding that Congress go on 'public option,' too

Whenever Democrats talk about their proposed federally backed insurance plan, or public option, in the ongoing health-care debate, critics pipe up. If you think this public option is so great, they say, why don't you demand that all members of Congress go on it, too?

Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown says that's a fine idea. And this morning, he forced his way onto a Republican amendment saying as much, becoming a co-sponsor of a Republican protest measure that would require Congress to go on the public option if it passes.

Fact is, Republicans pushing the amendment are using it as a form of rotten eggs to hurl at their opponents. But Brown, a key sponsor of the public option legislation, likes those eggs.

[snip]

Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma didn't seem to be in a hurry to bring on Brown as a co-sponsor. Coburn had Republican co-sponsors, but Brown's office says the Ohio Democrat never could get a commitment to be added, despite nine calls from his staff to Coburn's staff over the last week.

So this morning, Brown stood on the Senate floor and forced the matter. He asked for unanimous consent to be added as a co-sponsor to the amendment. This procedure is usually reserved for issues of little controversy because it bypasses a roll-call vote.

But wait, there's more!

Sen. Sen. Franken Becomes A Cosponsor Of Vitter/Coburn Amendment

Hmmm Coburn and Vitter ...

What's that other old adage ... Something to do with doing something to a free lunch?

Keep obstructing there, boys ...

We need all the help we can get ...

Bonus Links

John Nichols: Sherrod Brown Shames Republicans Who Wanted to Shame Democrats

Digby: Beautiful

Transitions

2009-12-06T22:40:00.001-05:00

Good Evening Garlic Fans

Yes, we're popping up for air, this evening, with a few words about our extended absence.

It has been an extremely cumbersome time, here on the homefront, the past week (and more), as the Aunt (soon to be 97-years-old) we have been caretaker to has taken another downturn.

When we last appeared, she had been admitted to the hospital, but only held overnight, as she had been experiencing an increase in her dementia, as well as experiencing a small TIA episode.

She was released from the hospital last Sunday, and, in truth, should not have been.

Overnight, either from the dementia, or, the drugs given to her in the hospital, she lost her ability to stand up, and walk, which, as you can quite imagine, it was a heavy-duty task attending to her, without her walking, and still, heavily, in her dementia cloud.

The situation turned again, very early Monday morning, though in a better mental mood, less dementia, she experienced two additional TIA's in a short span of time, so it was off to the hospital again, and she was admitted, for the second time in two days.

A long talk with her primary doctor (who has been tremendous throughout our journey) that she may be entering her final phase of life and, certainly, more and more incidents are happening, the dementia has been increasing throughout the year, and due to her age, and overall condition, she is not a candidate for surgeries, or major, invasive treatments.

The decision was made to move her into a Rehab/Nursing Home facility (one that we had her in just a little over six-weeks ago).

As you can appreciate, I had more than a full-plate to deal with, and jumping on the computer to post was well down the list.

It is, likely, to be erratic this week, as more tasks regarding the above are already lined up, however, we will endeavor to attempt to put our glove on, and get in the game.

Many thanks to those who passed along good wishes, and vibes, as well as those who visit and read The Garlic regularly, or in passing.

This Date ... On The Garlic

2009-12-06T22:30:00.001-05:00

6 December 2008... On The Garlic

Compared To What

Is Keith Olbermann Reading The Garlic?

6 December 2007... On The Garlic

Minced Garlic - New Keith Olbermann Special Comment - Bush: Pathological liar or idiot-in-chief? ...Or, "I Could Be Lying About The NIE Report On My Spare Time"

Editor's Note: There's Light At The End of The Tunnel

6 December 2006... On The Garlic

Breaking News! ISG Offers New Option For Bush Legacy; Baker Group Recommends New Reality Show For Iraq Solution; Hybrid of “Lost Meets Extreme Makeover”; Winner Gets To Replace Maliki And Run Country

6 December 2005... On The Garlic

Cheney Backs DeLay At Fundraiser, Despite Upheld Charges

Top Ten Cloves: Things That Were Different With The White House Christmas Party Yesterday

This Date ... On The Garlic

2009-12-05T13:30:00.001-05:00

5 December 2008... On The Garlic

Top Ten Cloves: Ways NFL Will Tweak Rules In Wake of Plaxico Burress Shooting

5 December 2006... On The Garlic

Breaking News! Iraq Study Group Report Likely To Be Ignored; President Putting New Policy Suggestions In “Iraq Jar”; Rarely Pays Attention To It; First Lady “Always Harping” Aides Say; Rumsfeld Memo Completely “By Chance”, Luck Of The Draw

Retro Bolton II ... Our Man At The U.N. Slinks Off Into The Sunset

5 December 2005... On The Garlic

McCain Says Abducted and Grilled By Cheney; Won't Budge On Torture Ban

News In Brief - Rumsfeld Blames Contractor, If Media Plant Stories True, But Defends Outsourcing Program

Top Ten Cloves: Things Overheard During Oprah's Visit To The Letterman Show

This Date ... On The Garlic

2009-12-04T21:15:00.001-05:00

4 December 2008... On The Garlic

"The Hell With You ... I'll Run Over Another Homeless Person, Too!"

The Clothes Horse Rides Again!

The Christmas Ornament That Roared

"Prop 8 - The Musical"

Aberrations

4 December 2006... On The Garlic

Top Ten Cloves: Other Ways NBC Thought About Announcing They Were Calling Iraq A Civil War

This Date ... On The Garlic

2009-12-03T21:45:00.001-05:00

3 December 2007... On The Garlic

Editor's Note - Posting Delayed

3 December 2006... On The Garlic

Weekend Special - Sautéed Cloves

It's Getting To The Point Of Being Beyond Scary ... The Results - The Garlic's Weekly Poll

3 December 2005... On The Garlic

Weekend Special - Sautéed Cloves

This Date ... On The Garlic

2009-12-02T11:45:00.001-05:00

2 December 2008... On The Garlic

Meet The Freakshow Defender

Coal In These Stockings!

TPMCafe Special Feature ... House of Saddam: Behind the Movie

2 December 2005... On The Garlic

Paid News Scandal Widens; CIA Said To Run Network Of "Blue Hole" Newspapers

Top Ten Cloves: Other Things Bill Richardson Has Taken Off His Biography