Into The Valley Of Death Rode The 218 Plus/Minus

Nancy Pelosi is committed to PelosiCare:

WASHINGTON – House Democrats are scrambling to secure enough support to pass President Barack Obama's historic health overhaul initiative, working to soothe last-minute concerns from rank-and-file Democrats ahead of a make-or-break vote.

...Obama was set to make a personal appeal to the Democratic rank and file in a visit Friday to Capitol Hill. That was called off late Thursday after the shootings at Fort Hood, Texas, and rescheduled for Saturday.

Hmm - I am sure there are some Dem Senators hoping the chalice is taken from them this weekend, but are they making phone calls? 

HOLD YOUR HORSES: House Majority leader Steny Hoyer is not exactly riding to the sound of guns:

WASHINGTON - House Democrats acknowledged they don't yet have the votes to pass a sweeping overhaul of the nation's health care system, and signaled they may push back the vote until Sunday or early next week.

Saturday, Sunday, someday... How about never?  I bet "Never" works for plenty of skittish Dems.

MORE:  In the aftermath of "You lie!", Obama pretended to oppose inclusion of illegal immigrants in his reforms.  Now he has a problem:

The illegal immigration issue is emerging as the biggest threat to passing healthcare reform in the House.

Congressional Hispanics have threatened to vote against the bill because of a last-minute threat from within the Democratic Caucus to bolster the House bill’s immigration restrictions to match those included in the Senate Finance bill.

And they’re also fighting President Barack Obama, the original sponsor of the language prohibiting illegal immigrants from accessing the public health insurance exchange.

...But CHC members, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the group’s message was clear: Drop your insistence on preventing illegal immigrants from accessing the public exchange, even if their only option is to pay for insurance plans entirely out of their own pockets.

This is all about escorting the camel into the tent.  The first step will be to set the precedent that illegal immigrants are eligible to participate on the exchanges; eventually, a friendlier Congress or a friendly court will decide that if it is acceptable for some illegal immigrants to participate, the absence of mere filthy lucre should not bar to others.

Comments

[clarice]

Love the title of the thread.

[Ranger]

Hmmmm... Unemployment jumping up to 10.2% won't help much either.

So, how long will Nancy hold the vote open to get to 218? I betting its a record breaker.

[MTF]

I agree: the title says it all. The other day I foolishly said the Dems wouldn't "double down on disaster", after the election results warned them, and try to ram through DemocratCare. Why would anyone do something so stupid? Jonah Goldberg says, "Because they are delusional":

The other day I was on a public radio show (Warren Olney's "To the Point") with David Sirota, a progressive columnist. He was making the case that the only smart thing for Obama to do is to concentrate on "fixing the economy" because economic concerns are what's driving voter discontent. For Sirota, and it seems a lot of other progressives, this means pushing ahead with health-care reform and another stimulus bill.

I didn't get a chance to respond to this, but since I keep hearing this argument elsewhere, I'll say it hear: This is bat-guano crazy.

[Jim Ryan]

We in South Central VA are going to make Rep Tom Perriello a one-termer next November.

Hey, Tom, maybe you should form a law firm. I hear Creigh Deeds is also going to be looking for work. "Deeds and Perriello." Or perhaps "Perriello and Deeds"?

[Ranger]

Yes, the left has convinced themselves that the reason they got hammered in 94 was failing to deliver on ClintonCare in 93. They really, honestly do believe it. The fact that ClintonCare scard the hell out of a lot of "moderates" who though they had voted for a "new Democrat" in 92 only to get threatened with nationalized healthcare had nothing to do with it at all.

Pelosi thinks she can ram through this bill, lose 20-25 Blue Dogs next year, and get an even more compliant majority out of it. She is as delusional as they get.

[clarice]

(1)She's in a safe district and doesn't care
(2)She'll either be majority or minority leader --it doesn't matter much to her as she'll blame the fall on Obama if it occurs and not on her leadership
(3)She's already poromising all kinds of jobs to the blue dogs if they lose and all kinds of hell if they defy her.
(4)She's batshit crazy and power mad.

[clarice]

I bet the real unemployment figure is more like 17%. In any event the reported figure is the worst in 26 years, and except for date night, campaigning with Indians and rich coastal elites and Wednesday night soirees, the CinC has not even a public image to speak of.

[MTF]

I'm coming around on #4 Clarice, even though I don't want to believe it.

[Danube of Thought]

The fix is in. The 218 votes are in hand.

[Jim Ryan]

Dear Rep. Perriello,

Last November a lot of people decided to pay attention to "polatick's" for a couple of months because Barack Obama looked good in a suit, had an eloquent teleprompter and was black. You got elected.

Next November, those people are going to have long since gone back to their usual sitcom reruns and won't even recognize your name, much less show up at the polls for you. "But why did you only have one term, grandad?" may be a tiresome refrain you'll be subjected to in a couple of decades.

Have a nice day.

[Captain Hate]

I'm coming around on #4 Clarice, even though I don't want to believe it.

#4 is the basis of all of her actions; once you accept that everything makes sense.

[Old Lurker]

"(4)She's batshit crazy and power mad."

Talk about saving the best for last.

Folks should read the WSJ Editorial today about the tax aspects of the health bill. Then go look at that 10.2% unemployment rate today.

"batshit crazy" is such a good phrase.

[Ranger]

Real unemplyment is http://247wallst.com/2009/11/06/charting-the-employment-data-unemployment-at-17-5/>17.5%. That's the highest ever recorded since they started measuring.

If Healthcare passes, it will raise the cost of employment to the point where we will get like France, with roughly 10% structural unemployment.

I don't think that people thought that was the kind of change they were voting for last year.

[Old Lurker]

Here's the LUN to the WSJ editorial I mentioned.

[Old Lurker]

Ranger, don't forget to adjust your structural 10% to account for the average work week of just 33 hours, not 40.

[anduril]

Go to Clusterstock for reaction to the unemployment figures--they weren't just really bad, they were MUCH worse than predictions.

[Extraneus]

"But why did you only have one term, grandad?"

Obama: "Because this is a racist country, honey."

[bunky]

"If you're going to San Francisco..........."

[anduril]

Old Lurker, the opening to the WSJ piece:

All of those twentysomethings who voted for Barack Obama last year are about to experience the change they haven't been waiting for: the return of income tax bracket creep. Buried in Nancy Pelosi's health-care bill is a provision that will partially repeal tax indexing for inflation, meaning that as their earnings rise over a lifetime these youngsters can look forward to paying higher rates even if their income gains aren't real.

[Porchlight]

The fix is in. The 218 votes are in hand.

I have to agree with DoT. I hope it isn't true, I'll be following the action minute-by-minute, but I'm afraid this is probably the case. Just as with the stimulus and cap and trade.

The only thing that *might* alter the picture is 10.2% unemployment in the news.

[clarice]

ahen--per the wsj 17.5%.

[daveinboca]

What clarice said.....

The woman is completely over her head and out of her mind.

And her next recipe will be to add two cups of a GINORMOUS Cap & Trade Tax [VAT?] that Boxer & other asylum inmates want to slap on top of everything to destroy what parts of the economy survive.

And let's not forget signing over our sovereignty to a bunch of pseudo-scientists in Copenhagen who refuse to consider that the Sun has anything to do with Global Warming! It's all those smokestacks in the US Midwest!

Looks like AGW is all socialist word-gas and finding new ways to tax...

[clarice]

Ron Klein abc twitter:
Pelosi now saying vote on hcare in "coming days." As in, not necessarily Saturday. As in, we don't have 218?

[clarice]

Let's hope that the capper was that piss poor performance Dancing with Indians Obama gave yesterday persuaded the hoild outs that the guillotine is just around the corner if they stick with Nancy, Reid and Obama.

[verner]

OT--OK folks, CLarice sweetly provided us with PUK's funeral arrangements. They will have a post funeral meeting of friends at the Nursery on November 12. I spoke with my florist, and he can arrange for a florist there to deliver our flower tribute.

So, what think of all of you? I'm thinking bunches of red roses with a nice card. I'll pitch in enough to buy a dozen, and the rest can contribute whatever you like.

Just send me a facebook e-mail and let me know. And I think we should try and get this done today.

[Porchlight]

Beware of false flags...I distinctly remember a Friday morning rumor that they didn't have the votes for cap and trade, either. These people are sneaks and cons to the core.

[centralcal]

Porchlight - exactly! Steny is even putting out info that they don"t yet have the votes. Hhhmmm.

[Captain Hate]

O/T: Since we're talking about grifters and economic illiterates here, why not include LUN for the latest Anglican exercise in lunacy. Is there any doubt that Rowan Williams has an impending date with Satan?

[Tom Bowler]

Porchlight, 10.2% unemployment *might* alter the picture, but here's how Obama's media reports it: New jobless claims drop to 512K, lowest since January. And doesn't this speak to the wonderful job our Messiah is doing? Fabulous job. Our media is right there with the spin for him. Of course, you have to ask, after dropping this many jobs is there anybody left to fire.

Clarice has got it: Batshit crazy and power mad. Unfortunately it isn't just Pelosi. There is nothing the Democrats do that isn't aimed at extending their own power. And now they seem to think, Pelosi in particular, that this takeover is going to make the voters -- you know, the stupid nasty teabaggers -- irrelevant.

Democrats plan to control medical care and decide who is the more deserving of it. They'll control the media and decide who is a journalist and who isn't. Mustn't permit the expression of heretical thought so close to an election. They'll control how much we exhale in the name of saving the planet from CO2. Batshit crazy and power mad.

[clarice]

Oh, I don't know about ALL Dems. Let's pretend I'm a blue dog--say Evan Bayh or even a newly elected congressperson..My district is reeling from unemployment even though we got tone of stimulus money to give raises to all out community organizers and the folks who put up the WPA type shovel signs crediting Obama. My phone is ringing off the hook with people pissed about losing more jobs to crap and trade so fat Gore can get richer flying from GW meetings to hie Board of Director meetings and scared witless by everything they read about the Obamacare behemoth. Do I stick with Nancy,Harry and Barack down the road to the gallows or cover my own ass.
Surely, we don't need the late, great, much beloved Mr. PUK to figure out what this scamster would do.

[Rick Ballard]

OL,

If you would like to jot down some numbers - the YoY drop in hours worked works out to an economic loss equivalent to 2.063 million jobs. Before that is tossed in, I'd subtract the 824K jobs that will show up in the benchmark revision in February. Subtracting both figures from the employment number brings the "real" U3 rate to 12.07% and moves the U6 17.5% rate up so close to 20% that it would be legitimate to talk about 20% unemployment being the current norm for the Obama Democrat economy. I firmly believe that the Obama Democrats can easily surpass the current norm and that they will do so quite quickly.

The spike in productivity gains indicates that businesses are hitting the "having a job is your bonus, now shut up and get back to work" point - and that workers are understanding the lesson. Rail and container traffic continue to indicate that although the bottom may be in sight, we aren't quite there yet.

[Porchlight]

here's how Obama's media reports it: New jobless claims drop to 512K, lowest since January.

Sickening. Every time I think the media might be starting to wake up to this fraud, they prove me wrong.

[centralcal]

verner - I am at work and can't find your PUK Facebook link. Could you keep as a LUN for a few days, Please?

[MTF]

Unemployment is the worst of social problems, it's universally bad, and that makes it the worst of political problems. If people can't find jobs the Democrats should be very afraid, and they should abandon all these crazy spending programs and tax increases pronto. For the good of the country if not for themselves.

[Ranger]

Sickening. Every time I think the media might be starting to wake up to this fraud, they prove me wrong.

Posted by: Porchlight | November 06, 2009 at 12:43 PM

Yes, but it is getting to the point where people simply tune the media out. Media manipulation of this type only works when people can't see reality directly themselves. It is much easier to sell a good enconomy as a bad one. People will think to themselves: 'well, I'm ok, but it sounds like a lot of people are hurting.' It is much harder to sell a bad economy as a good one. People say: 'Hmmmm... those numbers say things are getting better, but I have friends still out of work and there aren't any new jobs around here.'

We are approaching the old Eastern European situation. They pretend to tell the truth and we pretend to believe them. That didn't end well for the party in power there, and it won't end well for the party in power here either.

[Captain Hate]

RING RING

“Hey Nancy, it’s me. Look, you don’t really intend to go ahead with that vote thing tomorrow, do you? I mean it’s bad enough that I stepped in it yesterday with that shout-out to Chief WTF, ya know; but then to have that double digit unemployment figure dropped on me today is only gonna give enhanced credibility to those teabaggers and Fox News types. And this coming after that damn Cousin Pookie let me down, this hasn’t exactly been my best week. You pass that socialized medicine thing tomorrow and even Carville is gonna be frying my bony ass on multiple fronts…

Yes I’m sure you’re getting attacks from the left in your district; where else would they come from? But what are they gonna do, run that Sheehan bitch against you again; my press toadies have that idiot so marginalized that even your constituents wouldn’t know who she was. So give some bullshit explanation to the press (it doesn’t even have to be convincing; look what we’re dealing with) like you and Harry have talked and you want to tweak it a bit more so that it doesn’t blatantly contradict everything I said when I was just winging it in those town halls and pressers, ok Dumbellina? Or else I’ll have to send Rahm over there with some convincing that would persuade even your mafia old man. I mean you didn't believe that garbage I tossed out about being willing to only be a one-term president over this, did you?

What’s that? Yeah I’m somewhat familiar with your district. Yeah I’ve heard about the Folsom Street Fair; how’d they like my hard action against don’t ask don’t tell? No I’ve never been there before; what would make you think that? Pictures? With Larry Sinclair? How can you believe somebody like Charles Johnson; that guy makes me look masculine on a bicycle. Oh shit, that goddamn Zombietime.

Ok, have your vote; knock yourself out, bitch!” SLAM

Where’s my pack of Kools. Would somebody get me a pack of Kools dammit!!!

[clarice]

HEH

Ranger beat me to it again. I was going to say that from first hand knowledge behind the old Iron Curtain I can say that once the press mis-reports stuff enough, readers just assume the opposite of whatever they report.

"Farmers surpass Five Year Plan with bumper wheat crop," reads the headlines. Lines form to hoard flour.

[anduril]

Cap'n Hate: 100% equities for a pension fund! That's hilarious for people who were constantly belly aching about capitalism. Why not just go to Vegas?

[Captain Hate]

100% equities for a pension fund!

I don't think the term "fiduciary responsibility" is part of the litany.

[Ann]

cc:

Here is the link: Our Beloved Bocking

[anduril]

Gotta love the title, Duck This Quackery: Unemployment tops 10%. Let's wreck health care! at WSJ's Best of the Web. But get a load of this comment from John Cassidy in the New Yorker:

Both in terms of the political calculus of the Democratic Party, and in terms of making the United States a more equitable society, expanding health-care coverage now and worrying later about its long-term consequences is an eminently defensible strategy. Putting on my amateur historian's cap, I might even claim that some subterfuge is historically necessary to get great reforms enacted.

That, by the way, is Mickey Kaus' view of it, too, so we can assume that it's fairly widely shared among liberals. As Taranto summarizes:

So, to sum up, in the name of an abstraction ("making the United States a more equitable society") and because it fits their "political calculus," Obama and Nancy Pelosi are planning to impose upon the country a massively expensive burden that can never be lifted. And they're lying to us about it ("some subterfuge is historically necessary").

[anduril]

From the same source, this is cute:

Bushism of the Day, or Is Our Children Being?

"I know that in the past people are concerned, 'Are we going to have our young people being taught to the test?' That's the last thing we want."--President Obama, Nov. 4

[Captain Hate]

That's great, anduril; you now have a member of the press saying it's their job to hide truth for power. I don't know if even Orwell's imagination could've anticipated that; but it probably did.

[JM Hanes]

I only wish I thought Pelosi were batshit crazy. #1 is all she really needs. Her constituents share her agenda, so her tenure is never at risk. She knows it doesn't matter how stupid, or how divorced from reality, she looks when she opens her mouth in public, because the sausage is being manufactured behind closed doors and strong armed into legal existence on the floor. If she looks crazy, it's because it takes lies and spin, now matter how preposterous, to avoid talking about what she's really doing.

There's serious method in the madness. Pelosi and Waxman et al are willing to gut any bill (See: Cap and Trade), as long as they can get the votes to put the infrastructure they need in place. Everything else can be fixed later. Shoot, they already started the fixing with 42 pages of "last minute" amendments to the initial bill itself. There will be more, incrementally attached to any legislation, related or not, which looks likely pass. They laid foundations across the board in the Stimulus Bill, and they're just trying to add another course of building blocks before the 2010 elections -- or Obama -- make it any harder.

With her own seat secure, Pelosi can afford to look way down the road. Seeing some of those troublesome Dem moderates go down along the way might even look like a feature, not a bug. Discipline can often be as powerful a tool as numbers.

[Extraneus]

“Hey Nancy, it’s me."

Heh.

[clarice]

jmh, Call me a cockeyed optimist, but I'm beginning to feel she's overplayed her hand.

[Porchlight]

That is the view of even liberals who consider themselves "sensible" (meaning they don't buy the WH snow job on the costs). Universal health care is an intrinsic good, therefore we should shoulder the burden no matter what the cost, and if it requires some sleight of hand to pass it, that's forgivable, because as we all know it's an intrinsic good. Ends, means, etc.

How do you argue with that kind of thinking?

[Jim Ryan]

REP. T PERRIELLO: Nancy? It's Tom Perriello.

PELOSI: Tom...Perriello....

REP. T PERRIELLO: VA Fifth District?

PELOSI: Right. Can't picture the face but know the district! [CHUCKLES] What is it, Ferrugio?

REP T PERRIELLO: It's Perriello. Nancy, I'm scared. After Cap n' Trade my constituents pelted me with rocks and garbage. If I have to vote for this...this...

PELOSI: [RATTLES A SMALL METALLIC BOX WITH MARBLES IN IT] Hear that, Bordello? That's my lock box. You know what's in it. Check your trousers for what's missing if you can't remember.

REP T PERRIELLO: [VOICE UP A REGISTER] But I'm finished if I have to vote for this! The GOP swept us out 60-40 last Tuesday, and my wife says if I end up a one-termer...

PELOSI: Tell you what I'll do. I'll give you that rec center in Danville. And the medical marijuana dispensery in Charlottesville.

REP T PERRIELLO: But I -

PELOSI: I can get Steny to campaign for you next summer. Maybe. But that's it. You're voting for this thing. Or I'm cracking these marbles with a hammer. IYKWIMAITYD.

REP T PERRIELLO: But Nancy! I...Hello?...Hello?

[Captain Hate]

LOL JR

[anduril]

Here's how Kaus puts it:

P.S.: I'm still for health care reform, of course, even if the accounting that scores it as deficit-neutral proves to be a fantasy. We make the mess now. We make it work and pay for it later. Stuff the beast! If it turns out that to get the reform passed Dems have to resort to a shell game--using phony peas--well, just keep it between us, OK?

Masterful question beggery going on there: we're supposed to count on the government to make something work! As in, where's my swine flu vaccine? And don't ask me to explain how a liberal reconciles this with democracy--but they're not ashamed to say this stuff in public.

As for opponents, here's how New York Times reporter David Herszenhorn characterized the demonstrators yesterday:

It's a generally older crowd, many in their 50s and 60s, predominantly, white, and many self-identified as Christians. They are fiercely conservative and deeply skeptical of the government, many of them adamantly opposed to abortion rights. . .

That's a lightly coded message to kindred spirits of Herszenhorn, telling them: these are really bad people and you needn't listen to anything they say.

[Hyperbole be thy name.]

Yeah, 'fiercely', 'deeply', and 'adamantly'. This is journalism?
========================

[anduril]

actually the code is: white, christian, conservative.

[Jim Ryan]

Can any of you lawyers tell me what's involved with not cooperating with this thing? Suppose someone were willing to go to jail. Is there likely to be any liberty-minded foundation ready to take on such a client's legal representation?

[bgates]

you now have a member of the press saying it's their job to hide truth for power

You mean Kaus? He said that a couple weeks ago, in the course of arguing that Fox was clearly an arm of the Republican party. (His "argument" was that he probably wouldn't publish a big scoop that would hurt a Democrat on the eve of an election, and if such a noble soul as himself would have doubts, obviously Fox would do the Republicans' bidding, because after all they're practically an arm of the Republican party.)

[Old Lurker]

Rick's: "The spike in productivity gains indicates that businesses are hitting the "having a job is your bonus, now shut up and get back to work" point."

That for sure. But also every human that can be replaced by machines is being replaced, and every job that can be done overseas will be too. To twist the old phrase about buying a pig in a poke...who in their right mind would hire an American worker without knowing the real cost and duration of that obligation. It took Germany and France a generation to send their best and brightest off shore in recognition to the lifetime obligation that accompanies every timecard.

"Batshit Crazy" as C said.

[Extraneus]

I believe today that my conduct is in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator.

-- Adolf Hitler

So what if they have to break a few eggs, tell a few lies, screw a few people, as long as their cause is just?

[Rick Ballard]

OL,

If you put the situation in terms of MoveOn ownership of the Democrat Party then the actions of the Commie Caucus are definitely not crazy. The Blue Dogs are expendable and they know it. The problem facing the Commie Caucus is that they have nothing to offer the Blue Dogs that justifies political suicide. The Blue Dogs understand the value of a promise from either Pelosi or the Commie in Chief.

The progs destroy everything they control - I don't see why the Democrat Party shouldn't suffer the common fate.

[Tom Bowler]

I only wish I thought Pelosi were batshit crazy. #1 is all she really needs.

Pelosi is an historic figure now. She's big, and she plans to be bigger. She sees health care reform as her legacy, and she's determined to have it at any cost. Well, not her cost, of course -- ours.

Seeing Taranto's headline about Norma Desmond made me think not of Obama, but of Pelosi: "We won!" she exclaimed. Maybe she's not batshit crazy, but she's a fabulous pinch hitter while we wait for the real deal to come along.

[Porchlight]

Rick's: "The spike in productivity gains indicates that businesses are hitting the "having a job is your bonus, now shut up and get back to work" point."

That's certainly what's going on in my organization and frankly I don't have a problem with it, since I'm glad to still have my job.

[Jim Ryan]

Plus, will my kids understand why daddy is in jail? And why the Supreme Court said daddy had to go to jail?

"But we had insurance, Daddy. Why did the mean man send you to jail for not buying the insurance he wanted you to buy?"

[clarice]

Did he say that , begates. Then he's wrong. It was fox that broke the story about Bush' DWI on the night of the election.

[bunky]

The ultimate practical threat would be to a person's credit rating if they did not partcipate in Marxist Care. (because of some kind of civil judgment against them?)

[MTF]

Porchlight, that's whats happened in our business too. And I, among many, are also very happy to have a job.

[bgates]

Good memory, Clarice. Stephen Spruiell pointed out the same thing. I thought it was more interesting that Kaus basically admitted he was projecting his own deep partisanship onto Fox.

[anduril]

Interesting commentary: Today's Jobs Report Confirms Small Businesses Are Getting Destroyed. And everyone knows that without small businesses creating jobs unemployment will stay high indefinitely. These are Democratic policies at work. I was at my local auto repair shop today and the owner said he sees Obama waging a war on working Americans. But bailing out the big money contributors on Wall Street and in the unions.

[clarice]

We all ought to hang around more at auto repair shops, etc. Those folks know what they're talking about.

In other news a major NYC law firm withdrew a job offer to a Harvard law grad who admitted to burning down a memorial to the 9/11 victims.

[bad]

Well, to be fair anduril, small business can't funnel the funds to Obama like Goldman Sucks can....

[narciso]

You have to give those geniuses at the RNC points, in the LUN

[bad]

Good grief, Clarice. WTH is going on at Harvard? I used to think they taught useless pap there but it appears to be destructive crap instead.

[Jim Ryan]

New NY-23 Cong breaks promise to oppose bill, now supports it. (via Ace and Treacher)

You can't. Make. That. Stuff. Up.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Attack in NHS hospital ‘every three minutes’

Someone is attacked in an NHS hospital in England every three minutes as doctors describe A&E departments as ‘war zones’, official figures show.

[clarice]

I'm sure he didn't learn to burn memorials at HLS. I think a lot of "smart" people are really stupid.And I don't know how we measure for that at admission.

[anduril]

bad, I have a lot of respect for small business guys. I haven't had time to read this blog (The 25 Billion Dollar Secret: The NY Fed, Goldman & The AIG Cover-Up) closely yet, but the whole situation makes me ill. I'm quite sure this administration will go down as the most corrupt ever.

[clarice]

bgates:"Good memory, Clarice"

Good for things like that. For things like turning off the range, not so good.

[Danube of Thought]

Some Dem. from Maryland--Kratovil?--just announced he'll vote no, for fiscal reasons.

NRO Corner has a tantalizing Twitter: "Source: Pelosicare hemorrhaging support." Pretty slender reed, but I'll take anything we can get. Wouldn't it be an extraordinary day if this thing went down in the House?

[Danube of Thought]

Here it is:

"'After months of thoroughly reviewing legislative proposals and speaking with constituents and stakeholders, I am not satisfied that this b'll before us is a sustainable solution," Kratovil said in a statement released by his office. 'While I applaud the efforts to improve this bill, I still am concerned that this bill does not do enough to bend the long-term cost curve and that it lacks adequate provisions to reduce the deficit and protect small businesses.'"

P.S.--The guy was hung in effigy by healthcare protesters on July 28. Democracy in action.

[verner]

"Good for things like that. For things like turning off the range, not so good."

Thank God! I'm glad to know it's not just me!

[Tro de bums out.]

That's an appalling link, anduril.
===================

[centralcal]

DOT: From a new blog at NRO (Doctor Doctor) comes the following:

"A senior House Republican tells NRO that Speaker Pelosi now is only ten votes away from 218."

[DebinNC]

I think one or more of these folks who betray their constituents and vote for PelosiCare may become targets - literal not figurative. The issue is so personal and the Dem plan is so destructive, I don't think some of those who vote to please Pelosi will only be held accountable in the voting booth. At a minimum, "You can't go home again" will take on new meaning.

[clarice]

"Wouldn't it be an extraordinary day if this thing went down in the House?"

It wou'd be easier than tarring and feathering the entire gang. And then we could relax a bit and watch Obama shrink to Twiggy size and Michelle expand to Oprah dimensions.

[centralcal]

LOL, Clarice. That seems to be happening, regardless.

[Extraneus]

I had Hannity on for a few minutes earlier and he was saying something about 60 Democrats coming out against the bill, but that they only need to twist the arms of 29 of these 60 to pass it. I looked around but I haven't seen that anywhere.

[Rick Ballard]

Extraneous,

The Dems hold 259 seats. If they are really only 10 short then the number would be 49 currently opposed. I don't trust a word which passes Hoyer's lying lips so Hannity could be right. If it's really 20 rather than 10 then they won't make it this weekend.

[Captain Hate]

LOL, Clarice. That seems to be happening, regardless

Yeah, you'd need a micrometer to tell the difference.

[clarice]

Let's hope that yesterday's performance opened even more eyes and the suburban muddle realizes there are worse things than bans on partial birth abortions. ..you know, things like their impoverishment and early death.

[bad]

O/T but Instapundit linked to more "saved or created" jobs.

Seems some of the jobs were totally created....on the reporting forms.

LUN

[centralcal]

OT - but I am posting this here, because Clarice and others are around. It is from Althouse regarding, of all things, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and this year's nominees.

[centralcal]

Because I miss PUK and because I know Ann will get a hoot out of this when she shows up later, I am linking to something PeterUK would have probably shared with her:

The Lyin, the Witch, and her hideous Wardrobe

[Rocco]

"Batshit Crazy"

And that's why we call her Bela!

[centralcal]

Okay, I promise to stop now, but I found one for bad too:

If it doesn't suck, it's and Owreck

[bad]

Thanks, CC, that was delightful.

[JM Hanes]

clarice:

"jmh, Call me a cockeyed optimist, but I'm beginning to feel she's overplayed her hand."

I'm a hope for the best, expect the worst type -- sort of like seeing the glass half full and half empty.

[clarice]

Calling all IT wizards. I have the latest Internet explorer and it regularly knocks off my toolbar all my google settings--my gmail and auto fill features are particularly missed. If I shut down everything and restart it'll be up for a while--then poof..
Apparently lots of people are having this problem.

[clarice]

Well, I fixed it again but I can't figure out how--PHEH

Anyway--Vote with batshit crazyPelosi and then go home to the We are the Hope we've been waiting for voters and explain this to them:
"Press Releases
PELOSI: Buy a $15,000 Policy or Go to Jail
JCT Confirms Failure to Comply with Democrats’ Mandate Can Lead to 5 Years in Jail
Friday, November 06, 2009

Today, Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee Dave Camp (R-MI) released a letter from the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) confirming that the failure to comply with the individual mandate to buy health insurance contained in the Pelosi health care bill (H.R. 3962, as amended) could land people in jail. The JCT letter makes clear that Americans who do not maintain “acceptable health insurance coverage” and who choose not to pay the bill’s new individual mandate tax (generally 2.5% of income), are subject to numerous civil and criminal penalties, including criminal fines of up to $250,000 and imprisonment of up to five years.

In response to the JCT letter, Camp said: “This is the ultimate example of the Democrats’ command-and-control style of governing – buy what we tell you or go to jail. It is outrageous and it should be stopped immediately.”

Key excerpts from the JCT letter appear below:

“H.R. 3962 provides that an individual (or a husband and wife in the case of a joint return) who does not, at any time during the taxable year, maintain acceptable health insurance coverage for himself or herself and each of his or her qualifying children is subject to an additional tax.” [page 1]

- - - - - - - - - -

“If the government determines that the taxpayer’s unpaid tax liability results from willful behavior, the following penalties could apply…” [page 2]

- - - - - - - - - -

[matt]

pitchforks and torches on the National Mall, anyone? I'll bring the tar and a couple of lightweight aluminum rails.

A couple of the republicans have called for another protest tomorrow.

[Captain Hate]

Use Firefox Clarice.

[centralcal]

Re: Clarice's info . . .

Gawd, I hate these people!

[BelieveWatUwant]

Pelosi doesn't have the numbers. True, she has 258 democrats. And, the republicans have only 177.

But, Sherlock, look at this. There are 68 BLUE DOGS. People that were elected in RED STATES, where republicans got tossed out on their kiesters. This "move" is what gave Pelosi her majority chair.

What just happened? Obama has no coattails! And, you can figure this out, now, easily, because Corzine lost. And, Obama going into New Jersey 5 times didn't secure the win.

What does it take for a parsite to learn a political lesson? You want them to tell you?

Do the math. Deduct the 68 from pelosi's column, and swing it to the republican side. Then look at your new numers. 177 + 68 = 245 gives the NEGATIVE CHARGE to the failures of Obama Care, and other assorted lame ducks trying to float with all their wings clipped.

In case you haven't noticed I've shrunk Pelosi's 'majority' down to 190 warm bodies. Some of whom even see Owens just squeaking into McHugh's seat. (McHugh went to Army. Ft. Hood's an Army installation. Let's see what happens 'next' over there, as well, shall we?)

[clarice]

Capt..I'll just keep patching this until IE and google work this out. It appears lots of people are having this problem.