Make Stuff Up Faster, Time Is Running Short!

Ezra Klein resorts to fan fantasy and fiction to defend the ObamaCare mandate in what may (fingers crossed!) be its final hours.

He offers two examples of "mandates" implemented by the founding fathers. The first was a requirement that men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five equip themselves properly for deployment in the local militia.  Obviously, that is not an exercise of the Commerce Clause.

The second example is a "mandate" to buy "hospital insurance" with the caveat that "mandate" means "payroll tax" and "hospital insurance" means "Federally funded and sponsored hospitals".

The current fantasy, as presented by Einer Elhauge, a professor at Harvard Law, and excerpted by Ezra:

In 1790, the very first Congress—which incidentally included 20 framers—passed a law that included a mandate: namely, a requirement that ship owners buy medical insurance for their seamen. This law was then signed by another framer: President George Washington. That’s right, the father of our country had no difficulty imposing a health insurance mandate.[...]

Six years later, in 1798, Congress addressed the problem that the employer mandate to buy medical insurance for seamen covered drugs and physician services but not hospital stays. And you know what this Congress, with five framers serving in it, did? It enacted a federal law requiring the seamen to buy hospital insurance for themselves. That’s right, Congress enacted an individual mandate requiring the purchase of health insurance. And this act was signed by another founder, President John Adams.

Uh huh.  Here is the text of the act.  It is a payroll tax with the proceeds paid to the government (not private hospitals or insurers). The funds are to be used by the government to build and/or pay for hospitals to care for sailors. (The boat owner is responsible for all record-keeping and payments, although he is authorized to retain the amounts from his sailor's pay.)

Gosh, if Obama had wanted to fund ObamaCare with a payroll tax, would that have been Constitutional?  It would have been like... like... like Medicare!

Of course, Obama had promised not to actually raise taxes on anyone earning less than $250,000, so that road was closed. And any citizen determined to avoid that payroll "mandate" could simply stop working.

It's fun that libs are dusting off their history, but they really need to find some analogous analogies.

FROM CENTURIES AGO:

Wth July, 1798.

CHAP. [94.] An act for the relief of sick and disabled seamen.

 Be it enacted, Sfc. That from and after the first day of September next, the master or ownerof every ship or vessel of the United States, arriving from a foreign port into any port of theUnited States, shall, before such ship or vessel shall be admitted to an entry, render to thecollector a true account of the number of seamen that shall have been employed on board such vessel since she was last entered at any port in the United States, and shall pay, to the saidcollector, at the rate of twenty cents per month for every seaman so employed ; which sum he ishereby authorized to retain out of the wages of such seamen.

...

§ 3. That it shall be the duty of the several collectors to make a quarterly return of the sumscollected by them, respectively, by virtue of this act, to the secretary of the treasury ; and thepresident of the United States is hereby authorized, out of the same, to provide for the temporaryrelief and maintenance of sick, or disabled seamen, in the hospitals or other proper institutions now established in the several ports of the United States, or in ports where no such institutions exist, then in such other manner as he shall direct: Provided, that the moneys collected in anyone district, shall be expended within the same...

Incredibly, the act does not run on for another two thousand pages. Five paragraphs in all, actually.

Comments

[MarkO]

I was born a poor black child.

[Frau Eichhoernchen]

Would you buy a used car from this fellow who was born in 1984 and helped kill the last shred of respect journalists might have had?

[narciso]

It was a floorwax, instead of a desert topping, good to know.

[Frau Eichhoernchen]

(Things changed when you got your horse instead of a mule, MarkO.)

[narciso]

With all the evidence, they still draw the wrong lesson;

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v34/n13/david-bromwich/diary

[Jack is Back!]

The more this guy writes the more stupid he becomes. Write more, much more, Ezra!

[MarkO]

LOL, Frau, but then I found my special purpose.

[Neo]

Navin, I'd love you if you were the color of a baboon's ass.

[maryrose]

Narciso:
Actually it is a dessert topping forbidden by Moochelle's New Food Rules that apply to everyone except her and her erstwhile hubby,today eating at a fast food restaurant.
I am soo pleased that Justice Roberts is preparing for a smackdown of Obammy and his so called Care package Popcorn for everyone!.

[NK]

Klein and Elhauge? either they are a pair of morons or shameless liars. That 1798 Law was manuifestly based on the General Welfare and Tax clause of Article I of the US Const.-- NOTHING whatever to do with the Commerce Clause. The Lefties are free to pass Single Payer paid for by income tax receipts based on the General Welfare Clause and the 16th Amendment. They didn't, because they can't. What a pair of frauds these 2 cocksuckers are. here's the text of the General Welfare and Tax Clause from Article I:

"The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States" That taxing and spending power has been broadly interpreted by the SCOTUS. Obama and the Congress have the power to implement Single Payer. THEY DON'T HAVE THE VOTES. For that reason alone Obamacare should be repealed by the SCOTUS.

[narciso]

Now, one might say, well at least those are baby steps on the part of Bromwich, sort of like the staged transition to lion taming through banking,

[Neo]

Life is for the living
Takers never giving

Suspicion takes the place of trust
My love is turning into lust
If you get on the wrong side of me you better run for cover

I've had enough of bein' trodden on
My passive days are gonna be long gone
If you slap one cheek, well, I ain't gonna turn the other

Life is for the living
Takers never giving

Fooling no one but ourselves
Good is dying

Here comes the end
Here comes the end of the world

[Soylent Red]

That picture of Ezra Klein...

Has there ever been a person in the history of mankind who is in such desperate need of a beating about the face, neck and head? What a d-bag. How does anyone take Ferris Bueller Jr. seriously?

Anyway, I was consulting the writings of our Founders and discovered this little nugget that I think pertains:

When the language of liberty becomes, in subsequent generations, unclear, or a detriment to the educated and wealthy determining and acting on the behalf of the benighted throngs, the requisite action becomes clear. Men of reason will take their cues, and endeavor to form policy, based on the linguistic interpretations of 20- and 30-year olds, uniquely endowed with the wisdom necessary to govern those who, in their ignorance, will not live in fashionable neighborhoods and wear ironic hats. Because in the future, the writings and policies we have set forth will be, like, 100 years old or something.

Stuff Jefferson Said, Volume XXV

[Wheels within wooden shoes within wheels.]

Heh, Sullivan re-instated @ Univ. of Virginia and rse is on it at Watts Up. L!ink U!nder N!ame.
==============

[maryrose]

Bammy's biggest cheerleaders taking a pass on the convention. McCaskill and Tester are no-shows in North Carolina.
Manchin has to go back to his rifle commercial on Obammycare and to pretending he doesn't know el presidente Obama.

[Neo]

Ezra Klein and other love songs

LUN

[GMax]

Please tell me oh wise Double Douche, when does this become a trend and a foreshadowing? Is it just a fleshwound? LOL:

WASHINGTON—Augusta U.S. Rep. John Barrow will skip the Democratic National Convention in September, adding to a growing list of Democrats distancing themselves from the national party's major quadrennial get-together.

Barrow spokesman Richard Carbo said Tuesday that Barrow is not going to Charlotte because he is "planning a number of events throughout [the] district during that time."

Well it is a long distance from Atlanta to Charlotte so this is certainly understandable...

[daddy]

Well if Obamacare does get overturned, Aaron Sorkin can just create an HBO Show where in an alternate history the Administrations Solicitor General does a great job of explaining the Constitutionality of ObamaCare and the opponent Lawyer's just come off as doofus's.

Sort of like this: The Newsroom isn't set in an alternate world in which the universe innately favors liberals. Instead it's set in an alternate version of the past, in which liberals were smarter and won all the arguments that they ended up losing here.

[daddy]

"Bammy's biggest cheerleaders taking a pass on the convention. McCaskill and Tester are no-shows in North Carolina."

There has got to be a Political Ad here:

If the President's policies are so disliked that his biggest supporters, Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri, and Governor Ray Manchin of West Virginia, etc are embarrassed of going to the Democratic Convention or of campaigning with the President, why should anyone give their vote to Obama?

[narciso]

Yes, that's true, daddy, except some gambits like the idiot special session, were premiered
on the West Wing, and actually succeeded in real life, which goes to show you how Murkowski and co, are dummerer than even Sorkin's worst GOP manques.

[AliceH]

I knew I'd seen this analogy before (via a commenter on some 2011 NRO post).

Forbes Commenter vicaap attempts to explain where this diverges from ARA, but the author will have none of it.

[Rick Ballard]

GMax,

I read it a bit differently - the Chicago politburo has made it known all funds collected are to be used for excavating and filling the moat around Fortress Obama. Those residing outside of the Fortress are wished all the best in their future endeavors in the private sector.

The Pinhead Troika is tearing the Democrat Party to shreds in an absolutely vain effort to prop up a complete failure. The ACME Express just keeps on... not exactly rolling cause the wheels are gone.... how is the forward motion of a sledge being dragged by unwilling slaves best described?

[daddy]

Narciso,

That link at 08:00 is the one I heard part of on Rush, so it wasn't the Novocain!

Dog Time.

[daddy]

Oops.

Meant to link this Adam Corolla piece earlier.

Simply an intelligent observation of Hollywood that I am pretty certain we are all fairly well aware of.

Adam Carolla: Liberal Hollywood puts conservatives on ‘list of people who need to be put in their place’

[Jane]

I'm a little spooked by everyone (even on TV) assuming the mandate will be overturned. I feel like it is bad luck to talk about it.

Okay, so I won't. Carry on.

[Ignatz]

--That’s right, Congress enacted an individual mandate requiring the purchase of health insurance. And this act was signed by another founder, President John Adams.--

Isn't that interesting.
Ol' Johnny Adams also signed the Alien and Sedition Acts which were used to jail several upstart smartass journalists.
Maybe Ezra isn't as far off the mark as we might think.

[Danube of Thought]

David Bernstein at Volokh lays the wood to James Fallows, with a h/t to Insty:

Fallows:

"'A Bloomberg poll of 21 constitutional scholars found that 19 of them believe the individual mandate is constitutional, but only eight said they expected the Supreme Court to rule that way. The headline nicely conveys the reality of the current Court: “Obama Health Law Seen Valid, Scholars Expect Rejection.'

"'How would you characterize a legal system that knowledgeable observers assume will not follow the law and instead will advance a particular party-faction agenda?'

Bloomberg:

"It’s a dubious but familiar proposition that the Constitution means whatever the Supreme Court says it means. But I’ve never before heard that the Constitution means whatever 19 of 21 constitutional law professors say it means! And given the views of the average constitutional law professor, thank God for that!

"H/t: Instapundit"

[Danube of Thought]

"Bloomberg" should be *Bernstein*

[GMax]

OhOH speaghetti Os. Is it now time to panic Double Douche?

The chief Democratic House head counter, Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, declined to tell reporters how many defections he expected, but acknowledged that some in his party would consider heeding the NRA’s call for a “yes” vote.

A BIPARTISAN CONTEMPT VOTE? Can we get Obama to do the Nixon thing where he says " You wont have Barack Obama to kick around anymore."

[Ignatz]

--In 1790, the very first Congress—which incidentally included 20 framers—passed a law that included a mandate:--

I also should add that I find his whole article very confusing since he's talking about stuff that happened like, way over a hundred years ago.

[Danube of Thought]

By the way, the great Randy Barnett at Volokh also salutes Charles Lane's piece on Obamacare, the Court and the New Deal.

[AliceH]

Actually, I think this article from Feb 2011 by Avik Roy (in response to the one I previously linked) was the one I was remembering.

[NK]

I am still furious about the disgrace that is e klein. What an effin putz. No effin word from his effin keyboard should ever be taken seriously. He s an effin joke and he 's butt ugly. Andy sullivan wouldn t bugger him with hellen thomas' .....

[AliceH]

Oh! Addendum to the Avik Roy article:

UPDATE: E-mailer Jon Daniels dug up this 1821 letter from U.S. Treasury Secretary William Crawford, who notes that the Seamen’s fund rapidly went bankrupt, as seamen took advantage of its unlimited benefits relative to its “trifling” premiums. The government had to bail out the fund with “large sums of the public money” and apply severe restrictions to the fund’s use:

It appears by the records of this office, that for some years subsequent to the passing of the law, the fund arising from the tax in question, was fully adequate to satisfy the humane intentions of Congress; but when in consequence of a departure from the rules transcribed, seamen labouring under incurable disorders, and consequently entitled to relief as paupers, under municipal regulations, were admitted into the Marine hospitals, the receipts became inadequate to the expenditures, and in some of the Ports, large sums of the public money have been applied to make good the deficiency, without any legal authority.

HAHAHAHA!

[Ignatz]

Sounds like the ideal Dem program AlicH.

[C.R.]

Alice,
How absolutely priceless!

[sailor]

I'm with Jane. I don't necessarily think ObamaCare will be overturned.

[narciso]

Just to show you, how far the rage virus has spread;

http://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2012/06/today-in-the-transformation-of-the-party-of-lincoln-to-the-party-of-calhoun

[Clarice]

Randy Barnett persuaded me early on--while it was generally believed Obamacare would pass muster--that it was unconstitutional.

It's no wonder he and I both like Lane's article. He's one of those unfortunately too rareCon Law professors who thinks and writes in his native language and not some mandarinate incomprehensible b.s.

[narciso]

Another bit of prescience from nearly four years ago;

http://freebeacon.com/the-bear-at-the-door/

[NK]

Sailor jane.
No one knows what SCOTUS will do but it is clear that the mandate is unconstitutional. Do roberts and kennedy have the onions to do the right thing? We find out thurs

[Frau Eichhoernchen]

"...since he's talking about stuff that happened like, way over a hundred years ago."
And that's gazillionty in squirrel years.

Actually, Ezra would not even qualify for an interview with the Little Lebowski Urban Achievers. Ezra and Eli Pariser believe their own hype.

[Danube of Thought]

Is there no one in Ezra Klein's life--an editor, say--who can look at shit like that in advance and tell him "no, Ezra, no! You can't publish this! You'll look like an idiot!"

[Frau Eichhoernchen]

Alice, what a great find.

And congratulations on the extension of your employment. Whew!

[GMax]

You'll look like an idiot!"

Has that ever stopped KaKa? Double Douche? The Pitzer Poofessor?

I think we will find a mutant gene is responsible for liberalism...

[narciso]

Well the joke is on us, these morons are like the apes banging on the monolith

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2012/06/26/court_says_clean_air_act_includes_epa_ability_to_regulate_green_house_gases

[Porchlight]

To be fair, I don't think Manchin could ever have fairly been described as one of Obama's biggest supporters.

McCaskill is another story. She was quite the cheerleader for the first year or so.

[Soylent Red]

Ezra and Eli Pariser believe their own hype.
I have to lament a world that has never popped these kind of people's bubbles.

Wouldn't it be nice to round up all of the insufferable pukes, put them on an island with Meghan McCain and other females of her ilk (the ones who are strictly dickly) and see what sort of self-absorbed mongoloids they would produce?

Then we could nuke the island. Think of it as skimming the insects off the gene pool.

[narciso]

It doesn't matter what they say, but what they do,

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/02/liar-joe-manchin-votes-for-obamacare-his-second-month-in-office/

McCaskill, who displayed ignorance or mendacity, pick one, with Katrina, came in as part of the ESC scam,

[Porchlight]

It doesn't matter what they say, but what they do

I agree it's the vote that matters most. Just saying Manchin has always kept his distance from Obama somewhat and has never been a big booster.

[Porchlight]

the ones who are strictly dickly

Oh, goodness. I had been trying to forget that little turn of phrase.

[Jane]

Oh I think it will be overturned. I just am spooked by everyone assuming it is a done deal.

[Comanche Voter]

What can you say about Ezra? Maybe that boy is not too smart?

[GMax]

That We Ask America poll in Va that everyone wanted to dismiss cuz they were off on the margin in Wisconsin? It appears the COO of the pollster begs to differ:

Gregg Durham, COO of We Ask America, asking me to present their case for accuracy in their polling, which I’m happy to do:

The American Research Group (americanresearchgroup.com) tracked us as the most accurate pollster in the nation for the GOP presidential primaries. It’s easy to find on their website.
We were the only pollster in the nation to get the Nebraska Senate race right…and we were less than a .5% off the final spread (again, the American Research Group verifies that accomplishment).
We were one of the few pollsters who accurately predicted the win by Mark Critz (D) over Tim Burns (R) in Pennsylvania’s 12th District after John Murtha died.
We predicted the final total for Rahm Emanuel in the Chicago Mayoral Primary within .4%.

[bgates]

Related Obama Defenses:

* Today Republicans oppose sending American guns into a foreign country without the consent of that nation's government but they didn't mind when Bush invaded Iraq ooh burn.

* Today Republicans think we should improve trade with Canada but they admire James Madison who invaded Canada ooh inconsistency.

* Modern Republicans complain when the government in the person of Barack Obama improves the legal status of hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens but once Republicans backed the 14th Amendment which is basically the same thing and if you like one but not the other the only explanation is racism.

[narciso]

Well Emmanuel was the sane candidate in that race, as for Pennsylvania 12th, the Mayans may have been right all along.

[Rick Ballard]

Porchlight,

The Dems are going to count the dough spent in Ohio and Virginia against Brown and Kaine's "account" (battlegrounds) while McCaskill (Missouri) and Tester (Montana) are well outside of Fortress Obama. Some of the money wasted in Florida will be counted against Nelson and some of the money wasted in Pennsylvania will be counted against Casey. I'm a little curious as to how Klobuchar and Stabenow will fare wrt funding by the DSSC.

[Porchlight]

Interesting, Rick. I still can't believe we now have four polls (maybe more?) showing Michigan as competitive or Romney leading. It seems as if it's for real.

I think the last PA poll had Obama only up 5.

[narciso]

So, they assume an +8 Democratic advantage, because. .. look squirrel;

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/26/12423422-nbcwsj-poll-obama-romney-remain-in-dead-heat?lite

[GMax]

60 seats in the Senate grows ever more possible. Please pray that the Democrats keep up this act, they should hear that you want them to say it more, say it louder and say it with passion over and over again. With drum lines.

[GMax]

Michigan has a Republican Governor, A Republican House, A Republican Senate and a majority of the US House delegation being Republicans. And daily folks look for ways to escape the nightmare that is Detroit. And Kwame and his mom cant just manufacture votes out of thin air and graveyards any more. Reagan carried it too right after an incompetent liberal had held the office.

[DrJ]

Nora Ephron has passed at 71. Leukemia.

[GMax]

Over the River Jordan

Swing low sweet chariot...

[narciso]

Really, is that your final answer;

http://www.therightscoop.com/steny-hoyer-brian-terry-didnt-die-because-of-fast-furious-he-died-because-of-violent-criminal-behavior/

[GMax]

Any one got a u tube version of Eric Clapton doing an instrumental version of Swing low Sweet Chariot? I am told it exists...

[Caro]

This is probably the wrong thread, but I heard the Rush podcast and the blog daddy referred to is Sultan Knish, in the LUN.

Frau! So glad to have you back.

[Porchlight]

GMax,

What puzzles me is that Obama is +9 in NH according to the latest poll there. WTH, I figured that would be one of the first states to fall. I still think it will eventually.

[narciso]

Just so there is no misunderstanding

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/303998/hezbollah-joins-white-house-congratulating-egypts-muslim-brotherhood-president-elect-a#comment-bar

[East Bay Jay]

I liked Doogie Howser better when he was a doctor.

[Carol Herman]

The best outcome for Obama is for the Supreme's to toss out the Federal Government dictating to 50 states "that people must buy insurance!"

Yes. It hurts Pelosi. But it gives all the other deomocratic congress critters the ability to run for their seats, saying "she's not the House Speaker. The guy with the suntan "is."

And? If Roberts has the majority, he doesn't owe the others any favors. And, he can write the opinion.

If I'm wrong? Oh, it's gonna get interesting to see how such a mandate would be enforced. Will we be receiving phone calls asking us if we have insurance?

So, no. ObamaCare has been dead for a long time.

Paying for insurance? Not so dead. Obama won't lose any of his voters over this. (And, yes. He stands a chance of winning. Because look whom the GOP "picked."

[glasater]

Ezra K is coming up on Greta in our time zone -- Pacific.

[narciso]

Mayb e this in the LUN

[glasater]

Yes, welcome to freedom Frau. Soon we can discuss an apple I've found that tastes like a grape:-)

[narciso]

Or this,

http://www.last.fm/music/Eric+Clapton/_/Swing+Low+Sweet+Chariot

[GMax]

No Porch NH is not + 9 for Zero. I did not see the poll, but its either rigged or an outlier tail event. NFW.

[GMax]

Thanks Narc a reggae version of Swing Low, I think I can cross the Jordan thinking I have now heard the song every way possible.

I think the Etta James soulful edition is still the best.

[Melinda Romanoff]

DrJ-

That's just too saddening right now.

[Danube of Thought]

The most encouraging development for me in the 2+ years since Obamacare was signed into law is that its constitutionality has gone from something that only weirdos would question to something that is very seriously discussed in polite company.

Recalling the New Deal experience, remember that the Lochner Court, very early on, was only acting in accordance with received wisdom. Within three years those same Justices had begun to put their stamp of approval on the whole FDR agenda. What had changed?

Well, the Court hadn't changed, and the constitution hadn't changed. All that had changed was the electorate, as manifested in the 1934 off-years (think 2010), and in 1936 ("as Maine goes, so goes Vermont"). The old saw that the Supreme Court can read the election returns should very much be kept in mind today. And it can also read the polls.

The New Deal Court ended up upholding a number of federal enactments that were clearly unconstitutional under then-existing precedents, but were wildly popular. The law here is manifestly unpopular, and is not really supported by precedent. I like our chances.

[Jane]

Glas,

Ezra wasn't on Greta here.

[Porchlight]

GMax,

I think actually it might have been +8, 51-43. I don't believe it either. But even if rigged, it's hard to believe Romney is ahead there. No polls have shown that yet IIRC.

[GMax]

Porch

He got 54% in NH in 2008. If he is down only 3% in NH, he is doing miraculously well compared to almost all other places. Remember there is no significant black population in NH.

You have to remember that nearly every undecided will choose between staying home or voting against the incumbent.

[DrJ]

Thanks Narc a reggae version of Swing Low

That one is from Clapton's "There's One In Every Crowd." I have it in vinyl; it is an under-appreciated album.

[Porchlight]

Yeah, I don't really think he's going to take the state. I'd just like to see Romney make some headway there. Maybe this refusing to pay for security stuff in Durham will help move the needle.

[glasater]

He wasn't on very long, Jane, and he sure didn't talk about sailors having insurance in the 18th century :-)

He did mention that McCaskill not attending the D's convention was pretty stinging to BOzo.

[Carol Herman]

Here are 85 electoral votes Obama needs to win: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Neveda, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Virginia

Ya gotta remember that McCain LOST! So even if Mitt Romney "holds" all of McCain's states ... PLUS, add in North Carolina, Mitt would still need 64 more electoral college votes to win.

Keep making fun of Obama. But go ahead. Point to any republican that's "more popular right now than McCain." And, as I said, McCain didn't win.

I'm not writing Obama off.

FDR kept winning, while the Great Depression didn't produce ANY likely victories for republicans.

Can an unpopular president win? Truman did. Even though Dewey bought himself a brand new suit to wear for his victory parade. Heck, he even got the victorious headline.

So everybody remembers the day after Truman won. And, he held the newspaper up for a good laugh.

[GMax]

The only difference between you and I is that the poll seems to have created some doubt in you. I think Zero has eroded somewhere between 6-8% of his prior support (so far). He is capable of chasing away more but 44-46% overall is about where the needle is today. The blue prog hells drag his totals up slightly which probably puts NH out of reach. He really has bigger problems than NH in multiple previously safe blue states.

[narciso]

Have they no shame, I'm being rhetorical;

http://hotair.com/archives/2012/06/26/nbcwsj-poll-obama-leads-romney-by-eight-points-in-swing-states/

[narciso]

I think that was Rick Klein, from ABC, glasater, Ezra usually lurks on MSNBC

[Rick Ballard]

glasater,

BOzo is closing ranks through triage. The perimeter has collapsed and all remaining resources will be reserved for final Fortress defense. Unfortunately, the North Carolina bastion went with the perimeter, Wisconsin is beyond salvage and Florida is slipping away.

IOW - The president's campaign is doing fine.

[Danube of Thought]

Carol, you're simply full of shit. No way to know whether the things you predict will or will not occur, but the tortured crap you go through on the way to getting to them is nutball nonsense.

Nytol.

[GMax]

Yeah but ya gotta admit, no one does nutball nonsense better than Herman, year in and year out.

[glasater]

Narciso rescued me once again.

I do get the "Kleins" mixed up and confess I never watch MSNBC - ever - so I really don't have a visual for Ezra. And I never read his articles.

Apologies, Jane.

[Ignatz]

--Soylent Red | June 26, 2012 at 09:23 PM--

Post of the day.
I'd like to call dibs on loading that nuke aboard a Buff.
With Daddy, Cecil and JiB we've got two thirds of a crew.

[Rick Ballard]

"I never watch MSNBC - ever - so I really don't have a visual for Ezra. And I never read his articles."

That makes you a real 99.9999999%er.

[Ignatz]

--I really don't have a visual for Ezra.--

Hope this is close enough; his doppelganger spooning with Harvey Fierstein.
Visual enough for ya? :)

[Neo]

"People are dying, and nobody at CNN cares"

If it were an isolated sting, maybe. But it is at least the third incarnation of a gun-running scheme stretching across two administrations, which means we could be pressing to open Pandora's Box. We do not want to open Pandora's Box, not about this and certainly not about a bunch of other potentially scandalous things the federal government has been involved with.

[Neo]

"If there is muck to rake, rake it"

[Frau Eichhoernchen]

It's good to see you both, Caro and glasater.

[narciso]

Rick, is an often guest on Greta, and he does the horserace stuff, to make up for that image, and the Daily Mail hasn't cooperated lately, in the LUN

[gus]

Who was KILLED in a STING involving the Bush admin??? What guns were sent across the border without being SURVEILLED COMPLETELY, UNDER BUSH??