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1. #101
   On March 18th, 2010 at 10:25 pm, Random63 said:

   There are many ways to fight back. Calling and writing our Congress just doesn’t work anymore. They won’t listen. Pretty soon, our elections won’t work anymore as I think many of us will find out in November.
   There are personal ways to fight back. I would suggest listening to this podcast called, Individual Revolution and Freedom. It’s done by a gentleman named Jack Spirko and gives a pretty good path on how to individually resist this oligarchy in Washington. You can find the podcast at http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/episode-391-individual-reveloution-and-freedom
   Be safe and well all.

2. #102
   On March 18th, 2010 at 10:26 pm, Random63 said:

   Another way to fight is to withdrawal all that you can from your bank. Just keep the minimum you need to pay your bills. Starve the banks and you will starve the government.

3. #103
   On March 18th, 2010 at 11:15 pm, jrgdds said:

   Rep. Bart Gordon (D. TN)
   E-mail Yes vote

   Dear JRG,

   Knowing your interest in health care reform legislation, I wanted to share with you how I plan to vote on the final health care reform package.

   The health care bill being considered by Congress now accomplishes three things: one, it reduces health care costs for families and small businesses; two, it improves access to affordable care, regardless of pre-existing conditions; three, it lowers our budget deficit. That’s why I am supporting it.

   Over the past year, I have been contacted by thousands of Middle Tennesseans with opinions on health care. Because this issue is so important, I have heard from passionate voices on all sides through face-to-face meetings, call-ins, surveys, town halls, calls and letters.

   During that time, I have consistently said I would not support any version of health care reform unless it brings down rising health care costs, improves access to affordable care, and does it all without adding one nickel to the national deficit. I’ve now been presented with a bill that does all three; in fact, this proposal reduces the deficit by $130 billion over the next 10 years and $1.2 trillion in the 10 years after that. Finding solutions to the problems we face has been challenging, but we simply cannot sustain the status quo any longer.

   I’ve heard from many Tennesseans in the past year who are struggling to afford health care. Since 2000, health insurance premiums for the average family have doubled. Too many hard-working families and small businesses are getting priced out of needed health care.

   There is no evidence this trend of escalating costs is moderating. If no reform is passed, the average family premium in Tennessee is expected to increase from $11,550 today to $19,700 in 2019. Hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans who currently have insurance are projected to lose their coverage. Small businesses that have stretched their budgets to cover employees will be forced to either cut care or cut staff. If we do nothing, local hospitals that are already struggling to accommodate uninsured patients through emergency room care and other resources will be stretched to the breaking point; some will likely go bankrupt.

   Drawing from Republican and Democratic ideas, the bill before the House now has the potential to bring about major, commonsense remedies to our system that most all Tennesseans agree are necessary. Under the bill’s reforms, Tennesseans with preexisting conditions like heart disease, diabetes and cancer would be able to purchase insurance from any insurance company in the United States. Young adults would be able to remain on their parents’ policies until they turn 26. Families in financial trouble would receive tax breaks to help them find affordable insurance plans in the private sector. And finally, for the 109,000 seniors in my district, the bill would eliminate the Part D donut hole and extend Medicare’s solvency nine years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

   Growing health care costs are also straining our economy and increasing our national debt. Health care expenditures now account for 20 percent of the federal budget. Without reform, that number is projected to double in the next ten years. The Congressional Budget Office calls current federal spending on health care “the single greatest threat to budget stability.” These costs must be contained if we are to get serious about cutting our national debt. I voted against the House bill in November because that version didn’t do enough to address health care inflation. The Congressional Budget Office now says the current bill will address the problem by reducing the deficit.

   With this bill, we have an opportunity to address a number of inefficiencies that have drained our system and driven costs up artificially. To begin with, we can address the pressing issue of frivolous and expensive malpractice lawsuits, which force doctors and hospitals to practice defensive medicine and put a huge financial burden on the system. That’s why I introduced a measure based on Tennessee’s own successful Certificate of Merit Program, which has already brought down the number of malpractice suits in Tennessee by 60 percent.

   We can attack waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare. We can hold insurance companies accountable and prevent companies from hiking premiums arbitrarily and dropping patients when they get sick. These are the measures I believe are essential to sensible reform, and these are the measures the new bill includes.

   In November, I said I hoped the Senate and House could work out the difference and produce a bill I could support – one that takes responsible steps to make health care more affordable for our economy and for our families and small businesses. If I and each of my 534 colleagues in Congress had been able to write our own health reform packages, we would be looking at 535 different bills today. In the end, the question I’m faced with is this: will this reform be better for Middle Tennessee than the status quo? I think it will. That’s why I believe passing meaningful health care reform is essential and why I have made my decision to help ensure health care is affordable for Middle Tennesseans today and for generations to come.

   Stay in touch,
   BART GORDON
   Member of Congress

4. #104
   On March 19th, 2010 at 2:14 am, Ignatius Reilly said:

   Is anybody looking at the very optimistic vote analysis by Michael Barone that MM tagged onto the end of her commentary???

   Barone is a serious pro at this sort of thing, unlike many of the careless hacks who are bandying around their glum opinions. Barone’s analysis, as it appears on the Examiner’s website, is very detailed. And it is timestamped 5:21 p.m. Thursday so should be very current.

   But an hour and half later the Fox All-Stars were all but calling this thing. The estimable Dr. Krauthammer was especially outspoken in accepting defeat. This annoys me a lot. Everybody respects Dr. K but he is not a Capitol Hill nose counter and he should be more reserved in his opinions. Of course, he was speaking with the official Fox numbers in hand, which looked very bad. But, frankly, I have a lot more confidence in a detailed breakdown that comes along with the reputation of somebody like Barone than I do something put together by some anonymous desk man at Fox.

   To net it out, no one knows what the outcome will be. But the endgame depends very much on perceptions. Fox has no darn business indulging in a lot of highly negative speculation when we most need folks to make a last 72-hour push.

5. #105
   On March 19th, 2010 at 2:28 am, mattm said:

   I just caught Howard Dean say “I don’t think people like to be told what to do in their personal lives, but this is this is not a gov’t takeover of health care. That’s just a plain lie. They were told to say that by a GOP Spinmeister. And I hope we win this. And I hope the Republicans learn the American people respect the truth instead of making stuff every 5 mins because Spinmeaistes tell you to do it that way.” This was on Rachel Maddow’s show on PMSNBC. I didn’t catch the original question.

6. #106
   On March 19th, 2010 at 2:31 am, mattm said:

   Howard Dean added…”If this thing passes, which I think it will by a narrow margin. …. Ten days from now, the polls will show the majority of people are supportive.

7. #107
   On March 19th, 2010 at 2:44 am, frontierguy said:

   I unfortunately think this monstrosity of a bill will pass, but I think it will be tied up in the courts for a long, long time. That is the only thing giving me hope, cause it sho ain’t the Obama, Pelosi, Reid trifecta of horror.

8. #108
   On March 19th, 2010 at 7:47 am, kilroyshere said:

   America’s bankruptcy papers are in the Dems hands.

   ___‹^›__‹(•¿•)›__‹^›___

9. #109
   On March 19th, 2010 at 7:48 am, Hannibal said:

   #140 On March 19th, 2010 at 2:28 am, mattm said:

   ….And I hope the Republicans learn the American people respect the truth instead of making stuff every 5 mins because Spinmeaistes tell you to do it that way.” This was on Rachel Maddow’s show on PMSNBC. I didn’t catch the original question.

   I think Maddow’s original question was,”Did it look like Dennis Kucinich’s fly was down when he came down the steps of Air Force One?”

10. #110
    On March 19th, 2010 at 7:55 am, pabarge said:

    Bill O’Reilly said last night that the Dems had decided not to use the Slaughter Solution.

    WTF?

11. #111
    On March 19th, 2010 at 8:02 am, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    I think Maddow’s original question was,”Did it look like Dennis Kucinich’s fly was down when he came down the steps of Air Force One?”

    Bingo!

12. #112
    On March 19th, 2010 at 8:21 am, Ignatius Reilly said:

    Bill O’Reilly said last night that the Dems had decided not to use the Slaughter Solution.

    But Bill O’Reilly doesn’t know his a$$ from first base. He does, however, feel the need to puff himself up with bold assertions. Occasionally, he is correct, but it is pure happenstance.

13. #113
    On March 19th, 2010 at 8:41 am, jamesgreenidge said:

    More Goodies from Obama the “Candyman” (1960′s usage) coming!

    Remember those goodies waiting in the wings Nancy promised once ObamaCare has passed? Keystone for the 2nd Obama term WILL be Nationalized Free Public Housing. No apartment building “projects, but houses with lawns and backyards — just like many of you all sweated out to earn. Great message to youth. Why work??

    Too bad more people just couldn’t hold their noses back when!

    James Greenidge
    Queens New York

14. #114
    On March 19th, 2010 at 8:58 am, NJ-Aviator said:

    How the hell did they squeeze in Nationalizing Student loans into this bill? What the hell was wrong with banks and credit unions making those loans? Why do the taxpayers have to be on the hook for yet another massive pile of debt? That a lot of will be defaulted on.

    Every time we turn around this bastard has another socialist surprise up his sleeve.

15. #115
    On March 19th, 2010 at 8:58 am, stillontheroad said:

    Can you hear that sound DemoRats? That slightly audible roaring sound that is a constant rumble in your ears? That is the sound of inevitability you traitorous turd worms. And that sound is a harbinger of your demise come November. Get used to riding on a rail.

16. #116
    On March 19th, 2010 at 9:08 am, NJ-Aviator said:

    On March 18th, 2010 at 11:15 pm, jrgdds said:

    Rep. Bart Gordon (D. TN)
    E-mail Yes vote

    Dear JRG,

    Knowing your interest in health care reform legislation, I wanted to share with you how I plan to vote on the final health care reform package.

    The health care bill being considered by Congress now accomplishes three things: one, it reduces health care costs for families and small businesses; two, it improves access to affordable care, regardless of pre-existing conditions; three, it lowers our budget deficit. That’s why I am supporting it.

    Does this moron who represents Tennessee actually BELIEVE that? This sounds like all Dems need to vote is the cover of some b&^&*@it report.

    It won’t lower healthcare costs…. it raises them.

    It won’t make health care more accessible. It will make health care harder to get for everyone. 30% of doctors say they will consider leaving the profession if this passes. Then roll in Walgreens and others dropping out of medicaid plans for newcomers? It’s going to get very difficult. We’ll be just like the UK.

    It won’t lower the deficit. The CBO report is based on a bunch of crap they were fed.

    This dipsh&^ from Tenn needs a new line of work if A) He believes what he saids, or B) He knows this is BS and voting for it anyway because of the deal Tennessee got from Obama.

    America’s pure hatred for these people is growing at a rapid pace.

17. #117
    On March 19th, 2010 at 9:34 am, nail49 said:

    On Fox last night Charles Krauthammer made a good point.

    To wit, the HealthCr@p Bill is allegedly going to lower the deficit by $138B in the first decade. He then noted that the federal deficit in February was $221B.

    So, this monstrosity of a bill is going to save less than the gubmint’s deficit spending in just the first 18 days of last month?!?!

    http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2010/03/us-federal-budget-deficit-february-record.html

18. #118
    On March 19th, 2010 at 9:59 am, cabrerski said:

    On March 19th, 2010 at 8:58 am, stillontheroad said:
    Can you hear that sound DemoRats?

    I am hoping that it is the sound of tar bubbling at a slow boil, the sound of feathers rustling, the sound of rope being tied into nooses, the sounds of rounds being chambered…or at least, the sounds of the majority getting their ballots ready for November.

19. #119
    On March 19th, 2010 at 9:19 pm, Jim M. said:

    The Slaughter Rule?

    coup d’é·tat   /ˌku deɪˈtɑ; Fr. ku deɪˈta/ Show Spelled[koo dey-tah; Fr. koo dey-ta] Show IPA
    –noun,pluralcoups d’é·tat  /ˌku deɪˈtɑz; Fr. ku deɪˈta/ Show Spelled[koo dey-tahz; Fr. koo dey-ta] Show IPA.
    a sudden and decisive action in politics, esp. one resulting in a change of government illegally or by force.

    Is ignoring the Constitution to subvert the rules in order to pass the unpassable not a takeover?

    We have seen all manner of coups throughout history, from violent bloody power plays to bloodless ones. But this appears to be a new version -a coups of cowards. Perpetrated by those who wish to remain anonomyous while using their new found power to defy the will of the voters.