Polls And Post-Mortems

The latest NBC News poll on healthcare shows that Obama's town halls failed to turn the tide of public opinion:

WASHINGTON - Two weeks since raucous congressional town-hall meetings on health care became a national story — and days after President Barack Obama began holding his own town halls — Americans remain skeptical about White House plans to overhaul the nation’s health system, according to a new NBC News poll.

A plurality believes Obama’s health plan would worsen the quality of health care, a result that is virtually unchanged from last month’s NBC/Wall Street Journal poll. What’s more, only four in 10 approve of the president’s handling of the issue, which also is unchanged from July.

Howard Fineman tells us what went wrong, other than the predictable perfidy of Evil Republicans and their big business paymasters:

Murky campaign promises
...The president is for “reform,” which says… nothing.

Orszag’s fantasy
Every president wants to reconcile frugality and generosity, and there is always an ambitious and clever aide willing to tell him it can be done. In Obama’s White House it is Budget Director Peter Orszag, who confidently told Obama that carefully administered universal health coverage would save the government money in the long run.

...Focusing on the have-nots
...the White House all along should have been focusing on the fears of the 85 percent who have insurance, not on the 15 percent who do not.

Jonah Goldberg has his view - "if you actually wanted Obama-care to pass, casting a majority of Americans as being stooges of racist goons may not be the best way to go."

He left out greedy and stupid.

Comments

[Extraneus]

Too much extra space on that tea party sign? [click to purchase]

[PeterUK]

"In Obama’s White House it is Budget Director Peter Orszag, who confidently told Obama that carefully administered universal health coverage would save the government money in the long run."

Amazing,that is exactly what the founders of Britain's NHS thought. It didn't and it won't.

[Cecil Turner]

On the self-parody watch, Josh Marshall suddenly discovers political violence, and blames it on the usual suspects (H/T Insty):

Let's be honest with ourselves: the American right has a deep-seated problem with political violence. It's deep-seated; it's recurrent and it's real. And it endangers the country. It just makes sense to say something the first time they hit the sauce and not wait for things to get really out of hand.

Coming from the cheerleader for the guy who's bestest buddies with the unrepentant domestic terrorist, I'd call that just a bit rich. Okay, maybe more than a bit.

[Extraneus]

From the WaPo, Debate's Path Caught Obama by Surprise:

"I don't understand why the left of the left has decided that this is their Waterloo," said a senior White House adviser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "We've gotten to this point where health care on the left is determined by the breadth of the public option. I don't understand how that has become the measure of whether what we achieve is health-care reform."

"It's a mystifying thing," he added. "We're forgetting why we are in this."

...

One Democratic strategist involved in coordinating the pro-reform message among many like-minded groups said the Republican response was predictable.

"We were always concerned about leading with our glass jaw," he said. "We felt we probably shouldn't make health-care reform be about this because it falls so easily into the socialized medicine, big-government theme."

[Captain Hate]

Yeah Josh, when I was "being honest" with myself, I thought of all those members of the right like Lee Harvey Oswald; oh wait, he was a fucking commie. Alright some other assassin like Sirhan Sirhan; d'oh, he was a verminous pali, one of the left's favorite "victims". Let's see, all of Ayers and Dohrn's nutjob Weatherthing scum along with their ilk in the SLA and Black Panthers were all violent lefty nutjobs.

What was the point you were trying to make, Josh?

[Extraneus]

If they pass this thing on a reconciliation or other go-it-alone strategy, they'd better steer clear of geezers with knitting needles or golf clubs.

[hrtshpdbox]

What was the point you were trying to make, Josh?

Well, James Earl Ray was a twisted righty, wasn't he? I mean, that's what his diary, conveniently found on some train tracks a few days after his arrest, indicated...

And Oswald's affiliation is forever up in the air for true believers, isn't it? Any day now the pictures of him dining with J. Edgar Hoover, Carlos Marcello, and Judith Exner will surface, I swear it!

[hrtshpdbox]

If they pass this thing on a reconciliation or other go-it-alone strategy, they'd better steer clear of geezers with knitting needles or golf clubs.
They could run, but they'd have nowhere to hid come election day. The "go it alone" strategy to cobble together 51 Dem reconciliation votes makes no sense at all. First it assumes that Senators will tolerate being browbeat by Rahm. Then it assumes that any sort of compromise will find the more liberal and conservative Dems willing to stake their reputations and re-election prospects on it. With the GOP shouting "you own it" until Nov '10, by which time no bill (even a good one) would have had time to display it's merits. "Go it alone" is desperation.

[Captain Hate]

Well, James Earl Ray was a twisted righty, wasn't he?

Maybe not; didn't MLK's delusional family declare that he wasn't the murderer despite his previous confession? That they reached that conclusion without Geraldo's help is a mystery though...

[Original MikeS]

Just a few months ago Obama was telling us what was bad about government. He mentioned hyper-partisanship, deficit spending, inefficient ineffective government, dealing with lobbyists, divisiveness, etc.
Now that he is in office he is showing us.

[Appalled]

Seeing Cecil's post, I did a quick search of the TPM site to see if Josh had anything to say about the Black Panthers controversy, and the dismissal of the charges. Because, one does need to worry about the idological cousin with the inappropriate firearms problem.

There's not one word.

'Nuff said.

[Jane]

If they pass this thing on a reconciliation or other go-it-alone strategy, they'd better steer clear of geezers with knitting needles or golf clubs

If they pass it at all someone better be prepared to file a constitutional challenge to get us to the election. It's not slated to begin until 2013 anyway - but a lot of people don't think the COngress or President have the right to do this.

People seem to think Obama wouldn't dare pass something on a party line vote, or he will settle for something small. He just doesn't strike me as that rational.

[gmax]

It aint up to Obama or Rahm, and there are plenty of Democrats scared crapless but the strong outpouring of rage at them for even acting like they were going to fiddle with their healthcare just to try another grand social experiment like forced school busing. And its not like there aren't a whole bunch of countries to look at and see that the scheme works in fits and starts or not at all.

I hope they do more than bluff. That will cement the landslide. The effort will fail, and cause a whole bunch more Democrats to lose their seats. I win twice. Pass the popcorn.

[Jack is Back!]

The 64K question:

Why would a charismatic guy like Obama, with close to 70% approval when he took office, let a Congress led by Pelosi and Reid with a 20 to 25% approval rating, write both his stimulus plan and health care reform. I mean isn't this supposed to be the most intelligent, politically savvy administration ever with an OMB guy who says reform will save lots of money in the long run. Why? Why would they commit political suicide by giving Congress the free rein on this issue. Where is Obama's plan and is this how he saves his skin by coming up with his own plan and telling Congress to throw out the other trash? Why?

Because he reads Matt on the front page of the Daily Telly, that's why! LUN

[Pofarmer]

People seem to think Obama wouldn't dare pass something on a party line vote, or he will settle for something small. He just doesn't strike me as that rational.

I agree Jane, too committed and too far left. The thing that I've noticed about leftists, is that they are just SURE that everyone agrees with them, and really confounded when they find out they don't. I think Obama will be the same way.

[the bishop]

You know they cooked the books on that poll, 41/29/22 registration split and it was still a disaster, clearly they've moved
from Three Mile Island to Chernobyl in the full meltdown

[jean]

POFARMER the e-mail I sent you got kicked back

[gmax]

Its an NBC poll, so of course they cooked the books. Its the liberal way. And then they stand there and scratch their head wondering why Fox is showing enormous viewership growth when they are stagnant and declining. Fox even surpassed CBS in viewers last week for at least a portion of the time.

[Jane]

Jim DeMint is having a virtual Town Hall tomorrow nite at 6:00 PM. LUN. He's been on of the rational people in this debate so I thought people might be interested.

[pagar]

The thing that I've noticed about leftists, is that they are just SURE that everyone agrees with them, and really confounded when they find out they don't

Gateway Pundit: "Barney Frank wants to know" "What's the matter with you all"

http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/08/barney-frank-to-town-hall-constituents.html

[Pofarmer]

Hey jean

Try again

missourichad at agristar dot net

[Pofarmer]

It's funny. You're hearing how the "protesters" are being rowdy, and disrespectfull, and all that. What it looks like, is these Congressmen simply don't want to answer honest questions. The "rowdiness" normally starts after a Congressman has a breakdown. We need better Representatives in Congress.

[Pofarmer]

From an Obama posting at the Daily Kos. Also via Gateway Pundit.

According to the storyline that drives many advocacy groups and Democratic activists - a storyline often reflected in comments on this blog - we are up against a sharply partisan, radically conservative, take-no-prisoners Republican party. They have beaten us twice by energizing their base with red meat rhetoric and single-minded devotion and discipline to their agenda. In order to beat them, it is necessary for Democrats to get some backbone, give as good as they get, brook no compromise, drive out Democrats who are interested in “appeasing” the right wing, and enforce a more clearly progressive agenda.

The country, finally knowing what we stand for and seeing a sharp contrast, will rally to our side and thereby usher in a new progressive era.

Our President is a Moron.

[Extraneus]

Sarah Palin moves on to another topic at facebook: the $2B offshore-drilling payoff to Brazil's Petrobras.

Buy American is a wonderful slogan, but you can't say in one breath that you want to strengthen our economy and stimulate it, and then in another ship our much-needed dollars to a nation desperate to drill while depriving us of the same opportunity.

[Ranger]

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/08/19/the-irony-of-reconciliation/>Ed Morrissey makes a good point about what might happen if the Dems try to push Obamacare through with reconciliation. One of the things the Rs could do is stop unanimous for a lot of procedural things that are normally skipped to speed things up. One of them is the reading of the bills before moveing them along.

Now, the Dems could say that was "obstruction." But given that oen of the things that is really getting under peoples skins right now is the fact that these guys never even read the bills before they vote, I don't think the public is going to get angry at Republicans for forcing the bills being read on the floor.

[the bishop]

Actually the 52% had no clue what he stood for, because the media wouldn't bother to investigate, how this 'clean and articulate'
Senator, would make common cause with those who would deride the sacrifices of our fighting men and women, and slander our allies

[bgates]

clearly they've moved from Three Mile Island to Chernobyl

TMI was not that big a deal. It required multiple screwups to reach the point of exposing everyone in the area to the equivalent of one chest x-ray's worth of radiation. If "The China Syndrome" hadn't come out the week before, the accident wouldn't have had nearly the same impact.

There were 2 nuclear reactors at TMI, and the other one is still in use. If you ever fly into Harrisburg you go almost directly over it. The decision to have a commercial airline landing path, a nuclear reactor, and the state capitol all in a 7 mile line may be questionable, but it should tell you something about how safe the state thinks the place is.

[Pofarmer]

Why in the world would we be giving 2 BILLION to Petrobras? Wasn't the left all in a twitter about "subsidizing"(ie giving tax breaks as an incentive for exploration) the U.S. oil companies?

[Extraneus]

Well, Po, some circumstantial evidence from Gateway Pundit:

FYI: Barack Obama's top supporter George Soros is heavily invested in Brazilian oil- Petrobras. Soros made a major purchase last week before the news broke that the US would invest in the Brazilian oil company.

[bgates]

Ed Morrissey makes a good point about what might happen if the Dems try to push Obamacare through with reconciliation.

I hope Repubs on the Hill have picked up somebody who knows how to describe parliamentary procedure. The last time that came up, our guys proudly proclaimed they were in favor of something called "the nuclear option". Now it sounds like they're gearing up to tell the public they're opposed to "reconciliation". Tone deaf.

[Rob Crawford]

Seeing Cecil's post, I did a quick search of the TPM site to see if Josh had anything to say about the Black Panthers controversy, and the dismissal of the charges. Because, one does need to worry about the idological cousin with the inappropriate firearms problem.

There's not one word.

I believe I said it on this site just the other day -- the left has a bizarre blind spot that prevents it from seeing any violence from their own ranks or from those to the left of themselves.

If Marshall wants to talk about political violence, how about the LA riots? Cincinnati in 2001? Since the '60s, the left has rushed to turn every instance of a race riot into a political opportunity and have largely succeeded.

[Rob Crawford]

The thing that I've noticed about leftists, is that they are just SURE that everyone agrees with them, and really confounded enraged when they find out they don't.

FTFY

[the bishop]

I was being metaphorical, bgates, TMI was more like the "small reactor leak on the detention level", next time I put quotes around the whole thing. Then again with nearly 10% unemployment, who would think they would have trouble passing a new government mandate sight unseen.

[Pofarmer]

Then again with nearly 10% unemployment, who would think they would have trouble passing a new government mandate sight unseen.

Don't forget the nearly TWO TRILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT.

With a deficit that ginormous, why would anyone even consider govt run healthcare? I man, the govt deficit is going to be larger than tax intake this year, more than likley. That's staggering.

[Rob Crawford]

What it looks like, is these Congressmen simply don't want to answer honest questions. The "rowdiness" normally starts after a Congressman has a breakdown. We need better Representatives in Congress.

The elected person is a figurehead. Their jobs are to shake hands, raise money, make speeches, and make the votes. The actual decisions are made by their staffs; they write the bills submitted in the Congresscritter's name, they decide how to vote, etc.

When voters ask a Congresscritter about specifics in the bill, they're asking someone who has never had any reason to know any details about any bill for the entire course of their careers. The Congresscritter, caught by their ignorance and unwilling to admit that one of the Great Unwashed might be better informed, gets pissed, lashes out, and that's what we're seeing.

We don't just need better representatives, we need to flush the whole system so that we actually have representative legislators, rather than figurehead representatives fronting for career legislators.

[Rob Crawford]

Why in the world would we be giving 2 BILLION to Petrobras?

Isn't their President Lulu a Chavez devotee?

[clarice]

"What was the point you were trying to make, Josh?"

It seems to me for decades the left has successfully scared the middle with tales of right wing racism and violence and we shouldn't expect them to easily give up a heretofore winning strategy wven if the media picture has so changed that everyone with a computer knows how wrong and one-sided that storyline is.

[Jane]

You're hearing how the "protesters" are being rowdy, and disrespectfull, and all that.

I'm embracing that meme. AS far as I'm concerned the more press the better. Show the pictures of Townhalls populated by people over 50 and try and push the idea that rowdyness is a bad thing.

The opposition is laughable. We are against this bill and we want you to know it.

[Pofarmer]

We don't just need better representatives, we need to flush the whole system so that we actually have representative legislators, rather than figurehead representatives fronting for career legislators.

Oh, absolutely, bug bomb the whole thing.

[JWB]

"Too much extra space on that tea party sign?"

Just add "It's time to water the tree of Liberty with blood !!!!"

And carry your assault weapon to the next townhall.

Let's threaten violence since nothing else gets attention.

[pagar]

We're also giving a bunch of nuclear help to the UAE:

Obama Approves Nuclear Energy Program for UAE

The Obama Administration is trying to make sure everyone in the world has energy, except the US. IMO,It almost seems as if they are determined to make sure we have none.

[the bishop]

Lula is somewhat in the middle, between the Chavez ALBA bloc, (Morales, Correa,
Kirschner)and more direct foes like Uribe and Garcia. But he was willing to blame
"Blue eyed bankers" for the financial crisis, who keep underwriting their debt, going back to the time that Conrad was writing Nostromo, at the turn of the last century, or even farther back as if you Ferguson's history of the Rothschilds.

[JWB]

From NPR

" Medical fraud takes several forms. Most commonly, criminals get a list of patients’ names, then create fictitious doctors. They send bills to Medicare or Medicaid or health insurers for services supposedly rendered to these patients. By the time the payers figure out that the doctors they’re paying are fictitious and no service was ever rendered, the criminals have closed up shop and moved on.

Another popular form of health care fraud is the “rent-a-patient” scheme. Recruiters find people with health insurance willing to get care they don’t need, in exchange for cash or cosmetic surgery. Several years ago, insurers and the FBI said they had cracked a big case. People from 47 states were paid to come to California to receive unneeded care, including colonoscopies and surgery for sweaty palms. The doctors who performed the work reportedly charged insurers a total of $1 billion."

I suppose the libertarian Republicans would say it’s just a small price to pay for our free market system. And of course, if the government started taking a closer look at the crooks who illegally rip off the system, they might also have to deal with the crooks who rip off the system quite legally--the price-gouging insurance and pharmaceutical companies and their ilk.

[bgates]

JWB, Obama at his most disingenuous couldn't convince his most starry-eyed young supporter that his administration would be half as transparent as your pathetic attempt to get real, decent, thoughtful conservatives to act like the boogeymen Josh Marshall uses to scare you.

[JWB]

"real, decent, thoughtful conservatives to act like the boogeymen"

Well then it should be a simple matter to repudiate these assholes. But you won't. I wonder why.

[bgates]

Well then it should be a simple matter to repudiate these assholes.

Ok. You're an asshole.

[MTF]

Don't forget, those of us against ObamaCare are also "treasonous". Congressman Eric Massa says so.

[JWB]

. "You're an asshole"

That's what I'm talkin' about. You call them boogeymen, when you really think they're right on. But even THAT doesn't make you reflect.

[Ranger]

Hey, I thought it was totaly against the rules to question someone's patriotism?

[bgates]

the libertarian Republicans would say it’s just a small price to pay for our free market system.

We might ask what Medicare fraud has to do with a free market. If we were feeling especially difficult, we may even ask what Medicare has to do with a free market.

[the bishop]

"Morning Ralph" that troll just reminds me of that WArner Brothers cartoon, with the
sheepdog and the wolf. Putting out medicare fraud as an argument for the single payer, that's specially weak. A nearly unlimited
pot of tax payer money, will not prompt
public corruption,

On another note, those folks who were concerned about the P.& O,/Dubai ports deal, well that really showed um, huh.

[bgates]

"You're an asshole"
That's what I'm talkin' about.

Glad we're in agreement on that. You're the only one who's threatened violence - as opposed to the handful of people lawfully carrying weapons who have been in the news lately - which means you're the only asshole in this discussion.

[clarice]

JWB--Why do you assume that expanding government programs will reducE the amount of fraud NPR describes occurs in the already existing programs?Don't you suppose a crackdown on medicare and medicaid fraud is the solution?

[jorod]

In as little as six months, Washington has gone from Brother Love's Travelin' Salvation Show to Hotel California. Why are they trying to rush through legislation that no one knows what it says or means to individiuals like you and me?

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Let's threaten violence since nothing else gets attention.

Hi, Moby. When's the next album?

[Rob Crawford]

Well then it should be a simple matter to repudiate these assholes. But you won't. I wonder why.

1) None of them have threatened violence. Simply carrying is not a threat.

2) None of them have actually carried INTO a town hall.

3) None of them have broken the law. (I'd bet they have a better understanding of the local gun laws than most of the local police.)

If any of these people threaten violence -- brandish their guns or make verbal threats of using them -- then they deserve whatever punishment the law holds for them. Until then, well, just consider them the equivalent of the CPUSA members that pop up at every left-wing march.

[JWB]

The threat of violence is the message. That is clear by the silent approval of the 'decent, law abiding' conservatives.

It's in their genetic code.

[JWB]

Excuses, excuses

[Charlie (Colorado)]

While we're repudiatin', how about the Black Panthers carrying weapons in 2000?

"[T]he media reaction was markedly different nine years ago when a group of Black Panthers marched on the Texas Republican Party’s state convention on June 2000 brandishing AK-47s. Indeed, that incident itself was chalked up as then-Gov. Bush’s fault by none other than then-MSNBC "Equal Time" co-host Paul Begala."

[Pofarmer]

Well then it should be a simple matter to repudiate these assholes

Repudiate who, your strawman?

BTW, I've got one of those evil black rifles needing to be sighted in.

[Rob Crawford]

The threat of violence is the message. That is clear by the silent approval of the 'decent, law abiding' conservatives.

What threat? I've not heard of any of the open-carry advocates making threats.

Now, I don't think they're doing the brightest thing in the world, but they're not chucking cement on buses full of political delegates or planting pipe bombs.

It's in their genetic code.

Racist.

[Pofarmer]

Hey, I thought it was totaly against the rules to question someone's patriotism?

Hillary said that dissent is the highest form of Patriotism. I remember the screeching distinctly.

[Neo]

This was mentioned in the past, but some were proud to do nothing (go to 0:54)

[clarice]

What allele is that conservative genetic code located on JWB?

[Pofarmer]

Maybe someone should point out to JWB that medicare sets the rates they pay, not the insurance companies? Oh, wait, I just did.

[bgates]

It's in their genetic code.

One of the great things about government health care will be the research into identifying genes correlated with undesirable political sentiments.

[Rob Crawford]

While we're repudiatin', how about the Black Panthers carrying weapons in 2000?

And, if anyone misses the difference -- the NBPP thug pictured in that story is holding his weapon in his hands. At my firing range that would be considered a safety violation during a cease fire. In contrast, the open-carry advocates have had their weapons appropriately stowed -- holstered or slung as appropriate.

That (as I understand it, local laws will vary) is the difference between "carrying" and "brandishing". The NBPP thug was brandishing, and likely -- even in Texas -- breaking the law.

[JWB]

"What allele"

You know what an allele is? You must watch CSI.

[Chimpy Nuts]

reconciliation, PAYGO, and the Byrd Rule

can someone splain all this?

[Neo]

Republican Congressman Spencer Bachus told the Tuscaloosa News: “Social Security could face default within two years."

The date that Social Security outlays exceed revenues has moved up due to the recession. It was supposed to be 2017.

For years, Progressives have been telling us that this date was meaningless because there is a file full of T-bills in West Virginia which were the IOUs the government has been issuing in lieu of spending the “excess” Social Security revenue as part of the budget.

Well surprise .. surprise .. the date is not meaningless.

This was mentioned in the past, but some were proud to do nothing (go to 0:54)

[bgates]

You know what an allele is? You must watch CSI.

You know what an asshole is? You must have a mirror.

[Ignatz]

JWB=Cleo

[JWB]

"the research into identifying genes correlated with undesirable political sentiments."

No, only the sub-humans who feel it is no threat when someone carries an assault weapon to a public event.

[Cecil Turner]

I suppose the libertarian Republicans would say it’s just a small price to pay for our free market system.

Medicare fraud is a "free market" problem? Dude, you've got a serious case of brain blockage that's mixing your Marx and Engels. More to the point, it epitomizes the inefficiencies inherent in a large government program that spends your tax dollars without giving a crap whether any service was provided or not (cuz it ain't their money). So let's expand the system and make it 4x as large, and see how much money it can spend!?

The threat of violence is the message.

Yeah, open carry is all about violence. And SEIU thugs beating up protesters is all about free speech. Self-parody much?

[JWB]

"Yeah, open carry is all about violence"

The 'implied' threat of violence, which you support, poster boy for redemptive self-awareness.

[PeterUK]

"The threat of violence is the message. That is clear by the silent approval of the 'decent, law abiding' conservatives.

It's in their genetic code."

That is racism!

[Original MikeS]

But even THAT doesn't make you reflect.

JWB,
What you don't understand is most of us thought just like you when we were eleven or twelve years old.

[PeterUK]

"You know what an asshole is? You must have a mirror."

This troll hasn't a bridge to hide under,nor even a pot to piss in,thus it lives up its own arse.

[JWB]

"That is racism!"

I can see your point, since almost all of you are WHITE.

[Jane]

Ok. You're an asshole.

BGates,

LOL ! It's great to have you back!

[bgates]

No, only the sub-humans

The difference between Nazis and progressives:

The Nazis killed millions of people.

Progressives will only target "the sub-humans". "Untermensch", if you will.

[JWB]

"What you don't understand is most of us thought just like you when we were eleven or twelve years old."

Losing the power of reflection, at an increasingly early age; Conservatism.

[PeterUK]

JWB,
I am reporting you for hate speech.

[Cecil Turner]

The 'implied' threat of violence . . .

The "inferred" threat of violence from a bunch of hyperventilating pantywaist leftists who think the second amendment only applies to the National Guard.

[PeterUK]

"No, only the sub-humans who feel it is no threat when someone carries an assault weapon to a public event."

Ah there it blows,Die Untermenschen.Does take a lefty long to get round to it.

[ensi]

Reminder from reality:

More people attended Obama's inauguration than all August town halls combined.

Health care reform will pass this October as Democrats have super-majorities in both houses thanks to kicking ass the last two elections.

Al Franken is going to vote for it!

[JWB]

"The "inferred" threat of violence"

Which you support and applaud, poster boy.

[Pofarmer]

I can see your point, since almost all of you are WHITE.

And you know this becausseee?

[Rob Crawford]

No, only the sub-humans who feel it is no threat when someone carries an assault weapon to a public event.

So people who assess threats differently than you do are "sub-human"? Or are we "sub-human" for not objecting to law-abiding people exercising their Constitutional rights?

[Jane]

OT: Hey guys we need to have an approximate count for the Meet Clarice luncheon on Thursday Sept 10th in DC. Can you email me at fwdaj@livedot com, if you are planning to attend. Or you can post here, and I'll try to be attentive.

Thanks

[Joanne Calvagna]

Matt just got an instapundit link! Excellent article. Congratulations. Lurker Joanne

[JWB]

"And you know this becausseee?"

Today, only 2% of all GOP voters are Latino. Only 1% of Republicans are Black. Barely 15% of GOP voters are under 35.

MOSTLY white. 97% that is. What percentage are Rednecks? Harder to figure, but I would guess it's a LARGE number.

[PeterUK]

"I can see your point, since almost all of you are WHITE.

And you know this becausseee?"

Septic has a "Prejudometer" which measures the amount of prejudons emitted by each post.
It's in that little box screwed to the side of his head.

[bgates]

More people attended Obama's inauguration than all August town halls combined.

That's because Obama was willing to throw an enormous party for himself during the worst economic downturn since the Depression, but most of his Congressional cronies are scared of being in the same room with voters.

Health care reform will pass this October

That's what they said about August.

poster boy

Who you callin' "boy", cracka?

[Pofarmer]

"Yeah, open carry is all about violence"

The 'implied' threat of violence, which you support, poster boy for redemptive self-awareness.

Open carry is about notification that you can and will defend yourself. Nothing more, nothing less.

[bgates]

Harder to figure

Wearing your closed-toed, "non-counting" shoes, eh?

[Cecil Turner]

Which you support and applaud, poster boy.

Jeez, Cleo, even you are usually bright enough to figure out that things in your mind (e.g., your inferences) are beyond anyone else's control. Besides, I don't "support and applaud" your paranoia . . . I actually wish you'd get some help.

[ensi]

Once health care passes-she'll be able to get it-at your expense!

[ensi]

Meanwhile-which one of you JOM girls attended Barney Frank's town hall last night?

[Chimpy Nuts]

97% of trolls are white, live in basements, and are prone to making up stories like having imaginary sons in Iraq

when we're done swatting Cleo can someone read my link above about reconsiliation etc and splain it to me?