Because It's Not Cheney And It's Not Evil Oil Executives

Andrew Malcolm of the LA Times notes that Obama and Biden are having the same sort of secret meetings that gave proper progressives fits when it was Dick Cheney meeting with oil company execs.  But this time it is health care oriented, so no worries from the usual howlers on the left.  [But the day was young!  See the Update.]

The still sort-of new Barack Obama Democratic administration has again adopted yet another policy straight out of the administration of his much-criticized Republican predecessor George W. Bush.

Obama administration officials have rejected a watchdog group's request for a list of healthcare industry executives who've been meeting secretly in the White House with Obama staffers to discuss pending healthcare changes being drafted there and in Congress.

According to the Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington, which is suspicious of the influence of health industry lobbyists and company officers, it received a letter from the Secret Service citing an Obama Justice Dept. directive and denying access to visitor logs under the "presidential communications privilege."

Sound familiar?

No, We the People still don't get to watch the sausage being made.  I hope people weren't seriously expecting change.

UPDATE:  Memorandum puts the LA Times story and blog post near the top, so we see kvetching from Greg Sargent, Alex Koppelman of Salon, Marcy Wheeler,  David Kurtz of TPM, and no doubt others.  Well, good for them.

Comments

[Extraneus]

A perfect example of the creeping grip of tyranny was illustrated at the Ben Cardin town hall meeting, where a p-o'd regular guy asked a question.

"Senator Cardin, I want to know are you going to tell me an individual...that I have to buy health care or else you're going to fine me $2,500 every year I don't get it?"

...

Cardin responded by asking Broadus what would happen if he became sick, broke a bone, had a car accident and ended up in an emergency room.

"You don't pay. You are part of the population that shifts its costs over to a person who does pay, and they're paying for you," Cardin said.

Now this guy never asked the government to commit to treating him for free if he got hurt. That was their decision, not his. Yet, this decision is used as the justification to remove more of his liberty.

If the government wanted to provide an incentive for uninsured people who can afford to get insurance, they could simply pass a law stating that nobody gets free medical care. Gov't could provide insurance to the poor, and everyone else is on their own.

Which approach would the Founding Fathers prefer? Which would Karl Marx prefer?

[clarice]

Actually, a closer analogymight be Hillary and her health care task force.

[boris]

"You don't pay. You are part of the population that shifts its costs over to a person who does pay, and they're paying for you,"

And the problem with that is the government isn't geting their cut like they will under ObamaDeathCare.

The people who have the good (but expensive) coverage now will still be providing care for those currently uninsured, but the government will get a nice big cut of it and more control over everybody's business. The people who have the good (but expensive) coverage now will pay even more for mismanaged care that is nowhere near as good as what they have now.

[Dorothy Jane]

I have a relative who works for Mayo. The spouse of said relative is a very vocal Obama supporter. He used to Twitter all the Obama bile all Obama supporters blathered before the election and the ode to Obama he wrote on inauguration day would make you physically ill. But now, what now? CRICKETS CHIRPING. Days without Twitter. On Facebook, all sorts of nothingness about skiing, and biking, and summer at the cabin (they have two homes, lucky them) but nothing more about O. I still think he is as devoted as ever, just not as willing to blather as loudly as before. Perhaps he doesn't want management at Mayo to notice? He does not want to criticize the hand that feeds him? I would LOVE to know what he thought of the Mayo Official position. HMMM.

[Semanticleo]

Karen Tumulty says;

" One close Obama ally predicted to me: "He's going to become increasingly specific — and increasingly persistent — about the things he does and doesn't want" in the health care bill. This afternoon found the President knee-deep in negotations with the conservative Democrats known as "Blue Dogs," who have been slowing down Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman's efforts to get a bill through his panel. And as a result, the President and the conservative Democrats are making common cause on one cost-containment measure that both would like to see added to the House bill.

In a conference call with a group of reporters after the session, Obama Budget Director Peter Orszag said that the White House and the Blue Dogs agree that the "biggest missing piece" of the House bill is a proposal — similar to one championed in the Senate by Democrat Jay Rockefeller — to take the job of setting Medicare reimbursement rates out of the hands of Congress, and turn it over to an independent agency that presumably would have more expertise — and more insulation from political pressure. (You can read our earlier discussion of it — and Orszag's argument for it — here.) The idea has also won words of praise from the Mayo Clinic on the very blog where it criticized the House bill yesterday. And Obama's engagement may be bringing the Blue Dogs aboard."

It's dem bone-chewing Blue Dogs. Just as regressive and self-serving as the New Whigs. Time will tell about the 'secret' meetings, Maguire. I suspect the motives are a little different, but you go with yer failed pessimism. It's worked so well in the past.

[Ranger]

http://jammiewearingfool.blogspot.com/2009/07/youre-going-to-destroy-my-presidency.html>This is making the rounds now. Apparently, when DeMint said this would be Barry's Waterloo, he was just channeling Barry. Before Barry said "Its not about me" he told the Blue Dog Dems "going to destroy my presidency."

Nope, not about him at all.

And for someone who is clearly hanging a huge amount of his political capital on something, he seems very, very disengaged from the actual details of the proposal.

If the Rs want to really get under Barry's skin, they should start calling this Pelosicare, since Barry is so hands off with it.

[verner]

Sorry, this health care reform garbage is DOA. The stimulus showed what liars they are (we must pass it now!!! Sounds like somebody trying to sell you storm windows in a telemarketing call...) and with record breaking LOWS, people are waking up to the scam that is "global warming."

People do not want to see their premiums tripled, wait in lines, or see their 80 year old mother denied chemo just so that a bunch of illegals and 15 million healthy twentysomethings can get a government plan.

Sorry, but the marxist socialists have overreached. They've grabbed too much and showed their hands.

[clarice]

On Drudge I saw pic of Rahm..The Won must be screaming 24/7 at his staff..

In Cal the gov who claims he's for Obamacare, just drastically cut funds for healthcare.

They are reeling 000keep up the pressure.

[Dorothy Jane]

"Currently 90% of all Americans are covered by insurance. Obama's vaunted plan will cover, theoretically, another 7%."

Something I read somewhere - NRO I think...

[Semanticleo]

Absolutely nothing wrong with Obama meeting secretly in the White House with his big donors and having them dictate legislation to him.

Saves him the trouble of having to figure out what's in the bills he's demanding Congress immediately pass.

[Sarah]

Cardin responded by asking Broadus what would happen if he became sick, broke a bone, had a car accident and ended up in an emergency room.

"You don't pay. You are part of the population that shifts its costs over to a person who does pay, and they're paying for you," Cardin said.

Who is to say that you don't pay your medical bill? That is the assumption that anyone who does not have insurance will not pay their medical bill. There are several responsible people out there who actually DO pay for services rendered.

[Magnificent Bastard]

I see no difference between Bush and Obama, except that Obama is bipedal, and seems to take some interest in the welfare of the Nation. Oh, and Obama has some intrinsic
curiosity, and doesn't go to bed at 6 pm.

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

--Posted by: Magnificent Bastard--

Poor cleo; unnerved by his doppelganger into renewed sock puppetry.

[GMax]

...seems to take some interest in the welfare of the Nation 16 year old tush. Oh, and Obama has some intrinsic rampant
curiosity narcissism, and doesn't go to bed at 6 pm New York for a date on my tab more than once a month.

Fixed it for ya!

[Jane]

So I barely listened but Nancy Pelosi dragged some woman in front of the cameras to tell the press that she had cancer, had insurance, almost went bankrupt but didn't, but it would have been less stressful if she could have relied on the government to take care of her.

[Magnificent Bastard]

Leave my Obamywamy alone,I worship him body and soul.Especially bodily.

[clarice]

Govt by anecdote for people who watch The View and Oprah. I'm all for reinstituting a literacy requirement for voting.

[Magnificent Bastard]

" I'm all for reinstituting a literacy requirement for voting."

Absolutely,look at the rubbish I write,yet they will let me vote when I reach puberty.

[pagar]

if she could have relied on the government to take care of her.

Has anyone asked the 40 plus million inconvenient children, that have died since the government decided it was OK to abort them, about replying on the government to take care of them?

[pagar]

replying should be relying in my 12:43pm post.

[Sue]

if she could have relied on the government to take care of her.

The government? The government? The government has NOTHING. It is TAXPAYER money that would take care of her. I want everyone to quit using the term government and start calling it what it is. My tax dollars would have alleviated the woman's stress while causing mine to go through the roof!

[fdcol63]

" ... if she could have relied on the government to take care of her ..."

TRANSLATION: She wants those few of us who pay taxes to pay for her care.

[Jane]

Well yeah...

Except I think she got care, and got cured. It was just too stressful for her. (Well as I said, I was barely listening)

[Appalled]

Leo:

It's good Obama is fighting to shape his initiative right now. Is it possible he will let us all see the final package before he stampedes Congress into voting on it?

All we get from Obama, now, is the need for action on this bill. Yet, many of the bill's provisions aren't effective for five years.

We were told that the Stimulus Bill was a special case -- it had to be rushed or the economy would plunge. Given that very little money from the bill has been spent, that seems to have been untrue.

So why rush now? And why the faux urgency?

[Appalled]

And, since I am trying to get a dialogue going here, could all the fake Leo's that have been showing up lately please just use their real names?

[Frau Atomkraft]

It's funny that GWB was called a frat boy and he was in bed by 9 p.m. The Won parties nightly, spending the America's wealth on cocktail parties, music evenings, and date nights while her citizens are losing jobs, pensions, and heart.

[noone of consequence]

Obama is bipedal, and seems to take some interest in the welfare of the Nation.

You forgot to capitalize the 'T' in 'The Nation'.

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

--And, since I am trying to get a dialogue going here,--

Is Appalled an alias for Sisyphus?

--could all the fake Leo's that have been showing up lately please just use their real names?--

Please don't. You are proving the best innoculation yet for that microbe. A veritable prophylaxis for the unwanted Semen.

[Neo]

A Spanish Catalan newspaper is reporting that Honduran authorities have seized computers found in the Presidential Palace belonging to deposed president Mel Zelaya. Taking a page right out of the leftist dictator's handbook, these computers, according to the news report, contained the official and certified results of the illegal constitutional referendum Zelaya wanted to conduct that never took place. The results of this fraudulent vote was tilted heavily in Zelaya's favor, ensuring he could go ahead and illegally change the constitution so he could remain in power for as long as he wanted to. ACORN, I'm sure, is taking notes.

... strange how that Venezuelan technology works.

And then today ...

Honduran officials are investigating allegations that President Manuel Zelaya and his chief of staff stole millions of dollars from the central bank before the military ousted Mr. Zelaya last month, according to a senior Honduran official, government documents and other evidence.

A security video from the Central Bank of Honduras made available to The Washington Times shows officials entering the bank June 24 and withdrawing large amounts of Honduran currency. The money was driven to the office of Mr. Zelaya's chief of staff, Enrique Flores Lanza, according to depositions by three witnesses to Honduran prosecutors.

Government documents and testimony by the three say that about $2.2 million was taken.

[matt]

The "czar" system bypasses all of the institutional checks as well as between the various departments and cabinet level agencies, and yet there has not been a word on their secret meetings and influence in the major media.

On Honduras, I wrote up the latest until this little gem last night. LUN

[PeterUK]

Growing more like each other as time goes by.
Hillary promises to extend US defence shield to Middle Eastern countries if Iran develops the bomb.

I thought Obama was going to change the world?

[Semanticleo]

Real name? What is it with you wingerz bugging me just like Ronald Raygun violating my privacy when he wasn't putting us into deficits as far as the eye can see. I'm here to diminish support for Palin by ridiculing you for being in her corner, just another one of Axelrod's brilliant schemes he entrusted with me.

[PeterUK]

Matt,
Wrong language.The Czars are rightly known as Reichsfuhrers.

[Semanticleo]

"I'm here to diminish support for Palin by ridiculing you for being in her corner, just another one of Axelrod's brilliant schemes he entrusted with me."

After he picked me up in a bar. Those red shoes are hot.

[Captain Hate]

Matt Lauer gets sand in his thong LUN.

[Semanticleo]

You ignorant rednecks don't understand that putting together a healthcare reform plan that gets 80 votes and is bipartisan and actually does something for the uninsured would really annoy me and my friends at Daily Kos. We voted for socialism and by Obama we are going to get it, even if by one vote and even if we have to buy off every Blue Dog in Congress.

[ben]

"and seems to take some interest in the welfare of the Nation."

You mean he is very interested in a welfare nation.

[Appalled]

Ignatz:

What can I say, I LIKE pushing that rock up the hill...

Semantic-me-faux:

I'm really curious what he justification for haste is, which is why I addressesd the real Leo. You just get in the way. Your punishment -- a PBS telethon fraturing 24 hours of Laurence Welk re-runs and a pint of warm bitter.

[PeterUK]

Handing out punishment Appalled? You the JOM Gauleiter?

[Neo]

The recession is over, but ..
you go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing’s replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, [and the Obama administration,] and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. So it’s not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.

[Jane]

Cap'n

At this point I'll declare DeMint a national treasure.

[Appalled]

Nah, I'm Sysyphus, and I got this rock I got to move...Somebody else has to dish out the punishment...But, Semantic-me-faux can start his punishment now at the LUN....

[PeterUK]

"You are going to destroy MY presidency.

Ah,Diddums!

[bad]

DumbAss don't need no help destroying his presidency. He doin fine on his own.

[Captain Hate]

Jane, I've been waiting for somebody other than Sarah to show some backbone and to act like they haven't had the gelding shears applied and it just hasn't happened until DeMint. After his "Yes; next question" dodge on Bammy's plan being socialist, I'm honestly afraid for that idiot Steele to open his stupid pie-hole.

[Captain Hate]

Btw, as a former resident of Maryland, I'd like to apologize to everybody for not disposing of Ben Cardin on my way out.

[ben]

"which is why I addressed the real Leo"

There is no real Leo, Appalled. "Leo" is a brainwashed semi-robotic entity that depending on what button is pushed immediately gives the standard liberal talking point that was previously stored. "Leo" has been cloned and thousands can be found online issuing the same predictable and hackneyed responses for every issue. 90% of the contents can be condensed into "Obama good, Republicans bad", except for the non-updated version which is still stuck on "Obama good, Bush bad".

[Extraneus]

Who is to say that you don't pay your medical bill? That is the assumption that anyone who does not have insurance will not pay their medical bill. There are several responsible people out there who actually DO pay for services rendered.

Great point, Sarah. It was an insult for Cardin to accuse the questioner of being a deadbeat just because he didn't have insurance. It's quite likely that he pays his medical bills just fine.

[Captain Hate]

I always assumed word processing software that went on auto-spew after it was hit by a really lethal virus.

[bad]

I know several people who opted not to have insurance, had emergency surgeries and several day stays in the hospital.

All of these people arranged for payment and paid off their bills ahead of time.

Unfortunately, I don't know what their current health insurance status is. I'd like to know.

[verner]

What I think is fabulous is that President Mystery Meat (aka Barak Hussein Obama) is making all the old democrat talking points totally obsolete.

For example--take Ronald Reagan's legendary deficits. Obama has knocked the deficit spending record out ot the ballpark in just 6 months!!

And now we have secret White House meetings to add to illegal wiretaps and an imperialist war in Afghanistan. And we still have troops in Iraq!!! Whoopeee...

[bad]

If you haven't seen confirmation of "kill grandma" check the LUN

[Porchlight]

Sort of OT,

A college student "organizing for healthcare" approached me today with a petition. There was a little Obama logo header on it. I told her to buzz off, politely of course, and so did my ultra-lib coworker (who says her policy is never to sign anything no matter what or who it's for).

She didn't look like she had too many signatures.

[verner]

All this talk about blue dog democrats is so amusing as well. If this socialist "health care" garbage passes, they'll be dead dog democrats, and they know it.

[ben]

Dead dog democrats

I wish that were true, but in reality Obama will be offering a lot of money and influence and incentives to buy their votes.....he cannot afford to lose so he will be willing, as usual, to spend what it takes to win. I am having trouble believing a lot of the blue dogs will not sell out.

[bad]

Don't forget Thuggish Threats, ben. Give credit where credit is due....

[Extraneus]

I agree that the Blue Dogs will fold, and I think he'll get some sort of bill he tout as call "health care reform," even if none of his pet issues are in it.

[Jane]

The latest from Neil Cavuto. If Americans don't subscribe to health care they must pay a fine. If Illegal aliens don't subscribe, they get no fine.

[bad]

If Illegal aliens don't subscribe, they get no fine.

Is that because they will be deported instead? snark, snark, snark.....

[matt]

the graveyard voters in Chicago weren't enough to pad Obama's numbers? Now they're going for the Martian vote? Gonna have to put on aluminum foil helmet and see what HQ has to say.....

[clarice]

I'm a bit more optimistic than most of you.I think the exonomy cannot possibly improve much in the next few months--and most particularly unemployment will continue to rise. As it does the Dems will be facing more and more opposition and Congress will look after itself first. The public, as ill-informed as they certainly are--nevertheless have caught on and 53% already disapprove of "the plan" although as we know there isn't one even if Obama is insisting it be passed and that he won't sign one with certain provisos (provisos that seem to be in the hidden plans under consideration).

[narciso]

Great AT piece, Clarice, on the Daniel
'The "Independent inspector" from yesterday.

[pagar]

Dead dog democrats

I wish that were true, but in reality Obama will be offering a lot of money and influence and incentives to buy their votes.

Here is what they were selling their souls for on the carp and trade bill, or maybe Rep Clyburn just likes to give his (Course I'm sure it is not his) money away.

Cap & Corruption... Dems Bought Off Bluedogs Night Before Cap-&-Tax Vote

Three House Democratic leaders who were whipping members on the climate change bill gave tens of thousands in campaign cash to party moderates around the time of the 219-212 vote on June 26, according to Federal Election Commission records.

[That's gotta be a criminal act right there.]

Has anyone mentioned the 'Write nothing down' deliberately verbal only negotiations which led to the new, and damaging, mileage standards hammered, and sickled, out among the auto companies, read unions, California, and the guvmint?

[clarice]

narciso, all credit to Steve Gilbert.

[Captain Hate]

What is the title of that AT piece; I was just at the site and couldn't find it.

[narciso]

I LUNed it, I saw it on another blog, so I didn't know if Steve Gilbert was the only source

[DebinNC]

If Obama gets a question tonight about his plan for bringing down the deficit, his answer will be...

"We need a commission"...'cause the buck certainly never stops with him.

[PeterUK]

The Link to the piece by Clarice,

Gangster Government?

[PeterUK]

"We need a commission".

With Commissars.

[Semanticleo]

Appalled;

You are cognizant of the self-awareness shortfall rampant here, so I won't disrespect your request, but I will be careful of what I say in public about Obama.

Suffice it to say, Obama cannot successfully
turn this country around with constant bickering from the self-interested (both sides of the aisle) not to mention the brain trust which heralded his candidacy and assumed his agenda was all theirs. It is said that a government who makes everyone equally unhappy is probably fair-minded and pragmatic. The sense of urgency is at the heart of this. He needs to make hay while the sun shines on his countenance. Some secrecy (while the benefit of the doubt is available) is also necessary because the 24-hour news cycle makes every jot and tittle the subject of scuttlebutt and rumor mongers.

He has to fight the tide of knuckleheads who don't want any change as well as the maroons which require over-night change. Tough task, that. doncha think?

[PeterUK]

"Obama cannot successfully
turn this country around with constant bickering from the self-interested (both sides of the aisle."

You mean those put there by the voters?

"It is said that a government who makes everyone equally unhappy is probably fair-minded and pragmatic".

No it is a Communist government.

" Some secrecy (while the benefit of the doubt is available) is also necessary because the 24-hour news cycle makes every jot and tittle the subject of scuttlebutt and rumor mongers."

Obama promised "transparency"

Hope and Change Comrades.

[boris]

"It is said that a government who makes everyone equally unhappy is probably fair-minded and pragmatic"

Carter managed to make the whole country miserable so that's why he was so "great". Lame.

Still can't figure out why those of us with the "awareness shortfall" don't want no hate spewing nasty trolls trying to make us all equally "unhappy".

GFY

[PeterUK]

"It is said that a government who makes everyone equally unhappy is probably fair-minded and pragmatic"

On that basis, Kim Jung Il is out there as a front runner.

[PeterUK]

boris,
Be interested why the socially aware wanted a half witted parrot to comment.Just look at the bottom of the cage.

[narciso]

What is the urgency as with cap n trade, about a bill that take effect four years from now. Much like the stimulus bill, it had to be passed immediately without review, then they waited a week for it to be signed, Seen any tangible improvements, no, than again the residents of Altgeld Gardens, the supposed beneficiaries of his
and Ayers largesse could say the same thing.

No, he wants to remake this country, into something it has spent almost 250 years moving away from, the kind of land, my family fled, as did the ancestors of many those here. This is the reason for ACORN, and civilian security force, and every element designed to entrench him in power.
To stigmatize any possible opponent, by driving up their financing, driving them to bankruptcy, slandering them and their families. You think this is some kind of game, I assure it's not.

[Semanticleo]

Yes my holy trinity is Obama, Alger Hiss and Henry Wallace. I fantasize about my imaginary son becoming like any of them. That and other things....

[Extraneus]

Great blog at AT, Clarice.

Don't you think the AP could just once google their sources? Or at least figure out bloggers will and expose their bias?

If I was 100 years old, I'd still be motivated to live long enough to see Sarah Palin exact revenge on these scumbags.

[boris]

Not to defend the ignorant troll from Assclownistan that calls itself the "Lion of Semantics" but this is another one of those "negative plus a negative equals a positive" blunders by the trolltard.

It probabaly has been (foolishly) said that fair government makes all sides equally unhappy (if all sides are in fact honestly well intentioned) but leave it to this assclown to get it bass ackwards and not understand the obvious difference.

[boris]

Just call it a "typo" cleo so the "self-awareness" thingy doesn't ruin your day.

[Semanticleo]

boris I just want the wingerz here to be miserable like me. Is that too much to ask?

[Seven or eight lives ago.]

I used to call him rhetoripussy just to diminish the feline.

[PeterUK]

Narciso.
I have been saying for a long time,"The Left Plays For Keeps".The Left is simply not part of the democratic process of give and take.It will always be take.

[PeterUK]

I suspect Leo is her birth sign.

[Captain Hate]

Thanks for the link PUK; the remarkable uncuriosity of AP.

[Magnificent Bastard]

Maybe you children IS learning. That's a short-hair shy of tepid on the response.

I sense abdication is in the wings when
any verve in comments has the shape of round heels on yer street-walkin' shoes.

[PeterUK]

Captain,
Yes,amazing that a Democrat activist should be investigating an ethics complaint by another Democrat concerning a Republican.

[Extraneus]

Others have said it, but the R's really need to be ready for the economy to rebound. That was the bet on the "stimulus" -- that the normal business cycle would naturally result in a recovery, regardless of fiscal or budget policy, which 0bama could then take credit for while simultaneously bribing his friends and allies with $1T of taxpayer debt. No recessions last four years, even with the government betting against the economy.

R's need to look forward to the coming recovery and do what they can now to prepare for that argument.

"The economy should have recovered naturally by now."

"These policies are prolonging the recession. Without them, we'd have already been recovering."

We should be hearing stuff like that, and I'm sure there are better strategists who can come up with better lines that people will understand.

[PeterUK]

"Maybe you children IS learning. That's a short-hair shy of tepid on the response.

I sense abdication is in the wings when
any verve in comments has the shape of round heels on yer street-walkin' shoes."

Nothing of substance to say then Septic?

BTW. They don't have street walking shoes,they have limousines.

[PeterUK]

Extraneus.A small edit.

"The economy would have recovered naturally by now,but for the vast debt incurred by Obama."

"Obama has robbed your Grandchildren".

"America will be in debt for decades".

"Obama Debt",

[Magnificent Bastard]

Stop stealin my words, Magnificent Bastard.

It's bad enough when trollops with borderline personality disorder post in my name,( one PUKe whore is enough) but stealing my style?

That's too New Whiggish.

[Semanticleo]

oops

[PeterUK]

You don't have a style Septic. Just verbal diarrHOrea .

[Captain Hate]

I sense abdication is in the wings when
any verve in comments has the shape of round heels on yer street-walkin' shoes.

I hope that wasn't a sock-puppet; I'd hate to think that somebody with a functioning cortex vomited up that chunk of verbiage, even in jest.

[Semanticleo]

"I'd hate to think that somebody with a functioning cortex vomited up that chunk of verbiage,"

Careful. Envy is one of the seven deadly sins.

[Jane]

Mitch McConell has started a strawman Bingo for the president's big speech.

LUN

[boris]

The only difference is that the cleo is the sock puppet that doesn't know it's a sock puppet. There's no such thing as a fake clown.

[bad]

Nice, Jane!!

[Old Lurker]

Anybody going to watch it?

[Jane]

I am - because I'm playing healthcare bingo - as long as he doesn't go on too long.

Plus I want to see him squirm