His final wish
Edward Kennedy's last act of political gamesmanship
His final wish
Dick Polman, Inquirer National Political Columnist
We interrupt this vacation...
It's bad manners to speak ill of the newly deceased, and it's probably rude to intrude on Kennedy hagiography in a time of mourning. But here goes:
Edward Kennedy's last wish was a masterly bit of political gamesmanship. Well aware that his infirmity or death might deprive the Democrats of a crucial vote for health care reform this autumn on the Senate floor, he proposed last week that the Massachusetts legislature shelve the current state law (which requires that a vacancy be filled via a time-consuming special election), and replace it with a new state law (which would allow the current Democratic governor to instantly fill the vacancy by appointing a new Democratic senator).
Yet it was just a few years ago when Massachusetts Democratic lawmakers passed the special-election law. They did this in order to ensure that the Republican governor, Mitt Romney, would not appoint a Republican to replace Democratic senator John Kerry, in the event that Kerry won the 2004 presidential election. The law at the time allowed the sitting governor to quickly fill a vacancy via appointment, and the Democrats knew the law would work against them, so they changed it. Kennedy's last wish was that they basically change the law back, because this time it's the special-election provision that could work against them (by keeping the seat open for five months until special election day, thus thwarting the Senate Democrats' hopes of maximizing their floor votes for health care reform).
Dare we sniff a whiff of hypocrisy in all this? I don't intend to disrespect Kennedy's long and mostly admirable service to the nation by pointing out that these kinds of Bay State maneuvers have long characterized the Kennedy clan's power politicking. Indeed, Ted Kennedy never would have become a senator without the family's trademark gamesmanship. I'll tell you a couple of true stories:
In January 1961, JFK vacated his Senate seat and moved to the White House. The family patriarch, old Joe Kennedy, decided that the seat should go to young Ted. The problem was, Ted was not yet 30 years old, the legally minimum age for a senator. So the Kennedys prevailed upon the sitting Democratic governor to appoint somebody who would compliantly warm the JFK's old seat until Ted turned 30 in 1962 (under the rules at that time, a special election would be held that year.) And the Kennedys found the perfect person: an ex-pol named Benjamin Smith, who just so happened to be JFK's old Harvard classmate. Smith did the gig, and Ted won the special election at age 30.
None of that would have been possible, however, had JFK not won the Senate seat in 1952, by knocking off popular Republican incumbent Henry Cabot Lodge. JFK achieved this in part because he got some strong editorial assistance from The Boston Post, an influential newspaper of that era. The Post was expected to endorse Lodge, and Bostonians were stunned when it announced for Kennedy. Why did this happen? Because Joe Kennedy opened his checkbook and bestowed upon The Boston Post a personal "loan" totaling half a million dollars. News of the "loan" surfaced quickly, and Joe Kennedy denied that it had any influence on The Post's endorsement.
Yeah, sure. JFK himself knew better. Years later, while looking back at his '52 race, he remarked to journalist Fletcher Knebel, "You know, we had to buy that f-----g newspaper, or I'd have been licked."
The word now is that the Massachusetts legislature appears unlikely to change the law again. Perhaps it might be deemed rude to deny a dying man his last wish, and there is tragedy in the realization that Kennedy didn't live to vote on the fruits of his work on health care. But it would be wrong to again change the special election law for one party's short-tem advantage.
Comments (171)
Forgot to mention that the change in 2004 was also at the behest of Ted....so the hypocrisy grows even larger.— tom - wilmington, de- diddy..dude, to previous blog...I was not comparing the Black Panthers to the CIA. I was comparing the DOJ making a political decision to not prosecute the Black Panthers (overriding decisions of career prosecutors) to the DOJ making a political decision to go after CIA agents (overriding decisions of career prosecutors who previously reviewed the same reports). I thought political decisions were not supposed to be made in the DOJ? Isn't that what all you libs were yelling about before the age of Obama?— tom - wilmington, de
- And this disgraceful human will get a full Catholic funeral... talk about hypocrisy. This guy will get eulogized by the biggest baby killer ever to be elected president, a likely choice if you ask me. It's a shame Kennedy's mother didn't believe in abortion. People who want annulments have to jump through more hoops than this. Sorry, but the church should deny him a catholic funeral. The only consolation is that he will be judged by the Ultimate Judge even as he gets a heroe's sendoff in this country. Proves that the Kennedys own the Archdiocese of Boston. God help us all.— patp
- stupid...also to last blog...the Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 did not balance the budget, it raised taxes. The first budget that produced a surplus was written in 1998 by the Newt Gingrich led House and came after some taxes (i.e. capital gains) were actually cut. Even more interesting is that Bush ran deficits and had the wars off budget...but off budget receipts actually outpaced off budgtet spending from 2003 to 2006. This lays to rest that the wars actually increased the overall deficit and debt...at least according to the historical tables of the US Budget...here is the link, flip ahead to page 26...http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy08/pdf/hist.pdf— tom - wilmington, de
- We really are an aristocratic society. The wealthy and well connected like the Kennedy family use their status for their own personal game. They arrogantly put themselves up on a pedestal as the servant to the poor and downtroden while lining their pockets and taxing those who work and redistributing to those who do not. We will all pay through the nose for government healthcare. Sure Europe has universal healthcare and they also have $ 8 a gallon gas, 70% tax rates, and a much lower standard of living. It is going to get to the point where a middle class family like mine will not be able to afford the American dream. I'll have healthcare, a few thousand a month in social security and little else. But people like the Kennedy's and the Obama's will always have gold plated toilet paper holders.
- still...you did it again...the complete sentence from my post..""Investigators are looking into allegations that laws protecting classified information were breached when three lawyers showed their clients the photographs, the sources said. The lawyers were apparently attempting to identify CIA officers and contractors involved in the agency's interrogation of al-Qaeda suspects in facilities outside the United States, where the agency employed harsh techniques." The classified information is the identity of the CIA covert operatives, just as it was when Plame was supposedly identified. What about that do you not understand? To your other comment...I never said anything about a roll of the dice. However, given Obama has repeatedly said he wants a single payer system; given the fact that Ezekiel Emmanuel has written extensively about rationing/denying care and providing treatment based not on need but also on costs and overall benefit to the community; given how the NICE works in the UK in denying care based on QALY's and costs, I am very suspicious of anything not written in the bill that is open to interpretation. Sure, it does not specifically say a lot of things...but all the pieces fit together. Besides, I believe much of this bill will eventually be struck as unconstitutional since I do not believe it is in the authority of the government to MANDATE any citizen purchase anything. Even enrollment in Medicare is voluntary.— tom - wilmington, de
- Then Chappaquiddick happened, and the closest he would ever come to the presidency was a 1980 protest challenge against incumbent Jimmy Carter. Questions still swirl around Kennedy's conduct that night, when he drove a car off a bridge and a female passenger drowned. That and his expulsion from Harvard for cheating on a test would have ended most political careers, but Kennedy had the family name to propel him into a 47-year tenure in the Senate. Kennedy subsequently "placed" his son Patrick into a House seat from Rhode Island. Patrick is a very appealing person, but his serial problems with drugs and alcohol -- crises that continue -- should have disqualified him for this kind of responsibility.
- pdiddy- continued from yesterday's blog.... I don't think Holder will get a conviction. But here is what I do know. The accused CIA agents will be outed and rather than appearing on the cover of Vanity Fair Magazine they and their families will spend every night worrying about reprisals Al Qaeda. The moral at the CIA will deteriorate to such a level that virtually no intelligence will be gathered. Leon Pannetta will resign, this topic will divide our country, our country will suscetable to another 9-11 style attack. Please read about the information gathered from the interrogation of Khaleid Sheik Mohammed.
Comment removed.- I have rarely -- even here -- read such hate-filled rants. Perhaps all you so-called Christians should reflect upon Jesus's admonition to love your neighbor as yourself. I hope God grants you the grace that you have so viciously withheld from someone who was recently taken away from the family who loves him. As much as I loathed George Bush, I can't imagine using such a forum to trash him during his memorials.— NigeltheMastiff
- Nigelthemastiff- Can you tell me what Obama means by these words?............"We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded." ...... Barack Obama, July 2nd 2009
- Nigelthemastiff- As a Quaker do you ever pray for the the woman who died at chapequidick?...........Mary Jo Kopechne (July 26, 1940 – July 18, 1969) was an American teacher, secretary and political campaign specialist who died in an accident on Chappaquiddick Island while a passenger in a car being driven by United States Senator Ted Kennedy.
- Does anyone really doubt that every Republican politician would do exactly the same as the Democrats did in 2004 and are trying to do now? This is a good example of how the Democrats tie one hand behind their backs in fighting the unprincipled opposition - now, in order to avoid looking like hypocrites, they have to leave the seat open until long after health care reform is voted up or down. What Republican would ever worry for a microsecond about being a flagrant, flaming hypocrite?— yoda
- Yoda- No worries you can join Obama's Civilian National Security Force. I think that means you get to stand behind me at the ballot box with a 2x4 making sure I pull the " D ' lever.
- SMike, I'd have to read the whole document to see what he was talking about. Could be a number of things. As for Mary Jo Kopechne, of course I pray for her. And I can't imagine her family's pain of losing her. We are all God's children -- not just conservatives, not just liberals, not just Christians or Muslims. ALL of us. If we tried to put ourselves in others' shoes more often, perhaps we'd see more of the complexities of life. Who among us hasn't made mistakes or done something we regret. Fortunately, most of us haven't been involved in another's death. But to me, the death of innocent Afghans is just as tragic as the death of Mary Jo K. was. And those involved are just as much complex creatures as you or I. Kennedy did finally straighten out his life. Neither you nor I knows how haunted he was by that night. Therein lies much of my problem with extremism -- everything is so black or white. You're either with me or you are evil. It drives me crazy!!!— NigeltheMastiff
- Nigelthemastiff- I understand where you are coming from but my problem is Kennedy was a man who drove his car into the water, ran home, went to sleep, lied to investigaters, and Mary Jo Kepechne was left to drown. I just can't stand to see this man put up on a pedestal.
- SMike, yes it was horrible. It was wrong. Again, none of us was there. Whether he left her to drown, I don't know, and neither do you. The fact that he went home and didn't report it immediately is repugnant. He was no doubt drunk and scared. But what you don't take into account is that people, if they work hard at it, can and do change. I might judge him very harshly and have trouble forgiving him if Mary Jo were my daughter. But you don't know either individual. And frankly, I don't think either of us has been appointed as judge, especially of morality. I suspect you would be much more forgiving if he had been a conservative. And don't tell me conservatives wouldn't act like that. We've had a parade of several years of repulsive behavior from all kinds of politicians.— NigeltheMastiff
- SMike, yes it was horrible. It was wrong. Again, none of us was there. Whether he left her to drown, I don't know, and neither do you. The fact that he went home and didn't report it immediately is repugnant. He was no doubt drunk and scared. But what you don't take into account is that people, if they work hard at it, can and do change. I might judge him very harshly and have trouble forgiving him if Mary Jo were my daughter. But you don't know either individual. And frankly, I don't think either of us has been appointed as judge, especially of morality. I suspect you would be much more forgiving if he had been a conservative. And don't tell me conservatives wouldn't act like that. We've had a parade of several years of repulsive behavior from all kinds of politicians.— NigeltheMastiff
- Sorry. I hit the Enter button twice.— NigeltheMastiff
- Nigelthemastiff- you said " SMike, yes it was horrible. It was wrong. Again, none of us was there. Whether he left her to drown, I don't know, and neither do you. " Well lets just stay he didn't hang around long enough to find out.
- the one-car mishap was Teddy Kennedy's fault, of course, no one disputes that. And his actions that followed – not summoning emergency personnel who might have saved her life, the cover-up of the facts, not even reporting the accident until the following morning – likely would have landed a man without political connections in prison.
- And perhaps he should have been in prison for involuntary manslaughter. I agree that people with power often don't endure the same justice system that those without it do. Those who are poor are often profiled and convicted on not enough proof. My questions to you are the following. Do you believe that people can feel remorse? Do you believe that people can change? And do you believe in forgiveness? If not, do you freeze people in time and not allow them in your own mind to evolve? Are you a member of a Christian church, or are you not a believer?— NigeltheMastiff
- Nigelthemastiff- I just don't think he should have been a US Senator with an incident like Chappaquidick on his resume. sorry I won't be putting this character up on a pedestal. Not going to happen.
- "A few weeks ago, Eric Holder saw nothing wrong with Black Panthers using billy clubs to intimidate voters. Today, he thinks intimidating terrorists with cigars is a crime." HotAir.com
- Mike, I'm not suggesting you put him on a pedestal, but he has done some good for the poor, your differences with his philosophy aside. And you didn't answer my questions.— NigeltheMastiff
- And what is this about the Black Panthers? I've been so busy at work, I've only scanned the papers -- and I have multiple ones to look at given my job (PR, advertising and marketing). I must have missed this story. Can you give me a couple of links?— NigeltheMastiff
- Nigelthemastiff- I am for low taxes, fiscal responsibility, and national defense. Forgiving? sure, I can forgive a lot. Leaving the scene of an accident with the passengers life in question and not reporting it for 12 hours is not forgiveable. How in the world do you figure Ted Kennedy helped the poor. Welfare? That did more to keep people in poverty.
- Minimum wage, for one. But we will never agree. And I don't think you can accept that people can atone and try to be better people.— NigeltheMastiff
- Comment removed.
- Did anybody else notice how many "comment removed" there were in the previous blog posts? Seems like someone is really policing the comments in Polman's absence.— tom - wilmington, de
- Comment removed.
- nigel...here is a link for you on the New black Panther voter intimidation story...http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/gop-holder-battle-over-new-black-panthers-2009-07-12.html— tom - wilmington, de
- Nigel...as Alexander Pope said in "An Essay on Criticism"..."To err is human, to forgive devine". Although Kennedy may have done a lot of good in his life, does that equate to his implication in the taking of a human life? How do you equate the value of a life against the value of good deeds? This is going on right now in Philly with the signing of Michael Vick...where many view his actions as reprehensible and unforgivable while others say he deserves another chance. Some see Vick as being remorseful while others do not. Likewise Ted Kennedy...while he may have done many good works and helped a lot of people less fortunate than himself...did he ever really show remorse for his past actions? Is remorse a necessary ingredient in giving someone forgiveness? And how can you tell is someone is truly sincere in showing remorse rather than "just doing it for the cameras".— tom - wilmington, de
- Comment removed.
- Wow. I actually agree with Polman in his last sentence. I cannot believe it....am I becoming a liberal? Is tonight a full moon?— tom - wilmington, de
- Comment removed.
- NIGEL: I told Swede not to hide behind excuses, and bash the guy who just died. To not pretend to be something he isn't. Let him bash away to his heart's content. I just hope I'm never at the mercy of said heart.— Talvenada
- Tom, all good questions. Which is why we shouldn't be in the judgment business. Who knows what is in another's heart? At least Kennedy did some good in the world. He also perpetrated some bad. Forgiveness is difficult at the best of times. And much more so if you're the wronged party. I have trouble with Michael Vick, but I do think he has this opportunity to prove that he can also do good. I hope he does. Life is a continuum. None of us -- if we're lucky -- just stagnates at one positon in our lives. We grow and change and learn and hopefully become better. That was my only point. On another subject, I don't know what to think about this Black Panther thing. There seem to be varying stories. I'd certainly like to hear from more eye witnesses. If Holder is ignoring wrongdoing, he's wrong himself. But it's hard to tell from the report from the link you provided.— NigeltheMastiff
- TOM: You have a much better chance of becoming a Neo-Con.— Talvenada
- jwad: "condoning the release of convicted libyan terrorists" - good luck backing that up.— still_independent
- I agree that the clowns who were involved in the usual Philly election day nonsense should have been prosecuted (probably arrested on election day) but going after this as an 'intimidation' issue is a complete waste of time and money. This ward is something like 98% black and mostly poor. There was no republican base there to intimidate. This was showboating by a few crack (pots or heads) pick one. The DOJ decision to drop it is politically stupid and financially sound. The decision to dig into torture is also a political mistake but it won't fly and will fade into the sunset soon.— JimR
- janan- what do you want me to respond to? Kennedy was the poster child for term limits. Leaving someone to drown in a car isn't conduct worthy of being a US Senator. Sorry, that is my opinion. But quite frankly I do not attend church. I vote for the libertarian or Republican candidate based on low taxes, national defense, and fiscal responsibility . I believe the best way to help everyone in society is to take less of their earnings . We are 7 months into this liberal experiment and unemployment is going up, deficits are now predicted to be 2 trillion more than was predicted just months earlier, and we are already taxed every which way under the sun. You want government run healthcare then you'll get 70% of your wages conviscated to pay for it. Liberalism is the worst thing for a poor person.
- Here is what universal healthcare will get us. More Debt and higher taxes. In the end everyone will have healthcare but we'll be living in tenement slums cause all our earnings will go to the government. Rich liberal elitists will still live like kings.
- tom : what don't you understand? Did you read the statute? To be convicted ala the Plame investigation, you have to KNOW the status of the employees are covert (the vast majority of CIA employees are overt, and many were subcontractors not even covered by the act), and the disclosure must be done with the intent of hampering the future collection of intelligence. That's why no one was ever going to get charged in the Plame affair (although like this, there could be charges of releasing classified material). While I don't like them taking the pictures, once again, I won't substitute MY morality for legality... As far as the healthcare bill, again, you can't expect everyone to have answers to your continual, paranoid hypothetical what-if scenarios. We all can (and will) comment on what's in the bills currently being debated. As for the rest of it, please put the aluminum foil "healthcare bill helmet" back on your head, stop listening to the whispering liberal voices, and stick to something that anyone could have an answer to... As to the budget stuff, what's off budget revenue other than surpluses in social security and medicare? I hope you're not giving Bush credit for those... Finally, you are correct to ask if there must be a full moon. I agree with you (assuming what I've read is accurate) with your comments on both the Black Panther thing AND Kennedy. Wow. Makes it lifetime 4 for 1,256.— still_independent
- Still Independent- If you were a covert CIA operative who got outed would you want you face on the cover of Vanity Fair Magazine?
- janann...you have a lot of guts challenging my belief system when I never passed judgement on Kennedy or anyone else. I would question your belief in the Church of Kennedy....is that the same one where he and Chris Dodd practice "waitress sandwiches" at La Brassiere? I have no idea what type of Catholic Kennedy was...but it is said that Angelo Bruno attended church every Sunday, and Joey Merlino gave out turkeys every Thanksgiving and toys to poor children every Christmas. I guess they are good Catholics as well in your book. I neither blast Kennedy for what happened when he was younger nor give him a pass for what he did in his later years. A person's life is the sum of his/her years, and each action is just a snapshot in time.— tom - wilmington, de
- still_independent....I guess you consider the CIA operatives who took part in the Enhanced Interrogations, who captured and questioned the terrorist, whose names are redacted in all the released reports, to not be covert operatives...whereas a woman who works in the office at Langley and volunteers her husband for an overseas diplomatic mission meets the definition. Yeah...I see your logic.— tom - wilmington, de
- At the risk of sounding like I'm proscelitizing (sp?), I'll just quote a Quaker belief -- there is that of God in everyone. We are all complex, contradictory people. We all exhibit good and bad traits. We all have strengths and weaknesses. We'd be better off if we could recognize that. Even those with whom we disagree may be very good people. If we could only embrace that belief, we might get along better and understand that those with whom we disagree still are very good people. I have the perfect example. As some of you know, I live in Georgia. One of our representatives is Phil Gingrey. I have met him, and really believe that he is a very sincere and genuinely nice person. Still, I would never vote for him, as I disagree with all of his positions (as you would expcet, he's a typical Southernconservative— NigeltheMastiff
- At the risk of sounding like I'm proscelitizing (sp?), I'll just quote a Quaker belief -- there is that of God in everyone. We are all complex, contradictory people. We all exhibit good and bad traits. We all have strengths and weaknesses. We'd all be better off if we could recognize that. Even those with whom we disagree may be very good people. I have the perfect example. As some of you know, I live in Georgia. One of our representatives is Phil Gingrey. I have met him, and really believe that he is a very sincere and genuinely nice person. Still, I would never vote for him, as I disagree with all of his positions (as you would expect, he's a typical Southern conservative). So he's a good person. He's not evil, just someone I disagree with. People with different opinions aren't inherently evil. But people who believe that -- and I think they're becoming the majority -- are making compromise impossible. They are dividing us beyond repair. It's truly tragic.— NigeltheMastiff
- janann, your rant sure doesn't show any Catholic practice. There's no need to trash everyone else here. Kennedy gets a Church burial because as far as the local parish is concerned, he was a member in good standing with no reason to deny that accomodation to him. Even the mob gets that much.— JimR
- Comment removed.
- smike...you and I are now fellow travelers.— JimR
- janann, I sure didn't mean to insinuate that Kennedy wasn't entitled to a Catholic burial.........Tom, there's a full moon somewhere.— JimR
- janan- Ted Kennedy is going to get a proper burial and a Catholic ceremony. I certainly don't have any problem with it. My only point is that this is not the man that you should put up on a pedastal as the example of the best liberalism has to offer. I have a problem getting past the facts of July 1969 where Mary Jo Kepechne was left to drown. The true test of charactor is not when you are on top of the mountain but when you are in the valley. Teddy ran home, went to bed, and hoped it was all a bad dream.
- Jim R- Welcome....... LOL
- Nigelthemastiff- You said Kennedy did a favor to the poor with minimum wage? Even in this bad econonmy the market wage is around $ 9 an hour. Politicians raise the minimum wage that step to the podium to gather their engrandaising without realizing the free market far outpaced that dopey threshold long ago. Even the illegals who do the jobs that American's wont do make over $ 7.25 per hour. The field beyone my house this summer looked like the Alamo.
- The talking points coming out of the White House these days are harder to follow than a Jessica Simpson autobiography. First, there was the moral imperative that it wanted to move forward with universal health care to cover the 46 million uninsured. This number is misleading. Many of the uninsured are offered insurance and don't take it, and millions are illegal aliens. More troubling is the fact that the former director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) says that 43% have the means to buy insurance but don't. CBO projections among the uninsured in 2009: 18% will be eligible for but not enrolled in Medicaid, and 30% will be offered, but will decline, coverage from an employer, leaving the electorate questioning a full overhaul. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2009/08/27/2009-08-27_president_obamas_arrogance_is_killing_his_health_care_plan.html#ixzz0PRiD0kRN
- The guy was the biggest hypocrite d-bag in the history of mankind. Thanks for noting his a-hole douchiness. D-bag's drunken driving, leaving Mary Jo for dead and not seeking help for her (evidence shows she died over tens of minutes), making his way home, getting consultation from his political and other friends that night, his not going to police until after his car and she were found - repulsive. He should have spent life in jail. And then he says he works for poor people - how about you sell of a compound or two and give it to the poor, or make a compound a homeless shelter?? No, because he was a POS lying hypocrite killer - no doubt he's doing a rotisserie chicken slow roast in hell..— FAGLEhater
- Kennedy certainly seemed to be a complex person, but I'm not sure how much of his change occured because of the Kopechne accident. Wasn't he pretty much of a mess during the Bush 41 years? It seemed that it was his current wife that straightened him out. Therefore, something that should have caused him to greatly alter his life didn't seem to resonate at all with him (at least not by his response). His weakness makes him similar to Bush 43 in how he skated through life in his 30's & 40's as a son of privilege.— yobill626
- Comment removed.
- The succession for Ted Kennedy's seat will happen in late January by election. Appointing someone to serve until then is NOT scrapping the law. Obviously there is a tinge of politics in the proposed amendment to the new law - but Kennedy is correct - Massachusetts should not go without representation for those months. And for those sanctimonious perfect people talking about Kennedy and Mary Jo - what should have been done to Mrs Bush when she killed her boyfriend ???— ModerateMarge
- ModerateMarge: Could you enlighten us as to when Mrs Bush killed her boyfriend? I hadn't heard of that.— ModerateMike
- you are a bore with a chip on your shoulder - and quite impressed with yourself.....do you think he ever apologized for voting for george bush, twice?— chasing history
- Chasing history- why would I apologize? Back when Bush was president the unemployment rate was 5% and the deficts where 1/4 of what they are now. Under the Obama reginme unemployment is going up, not down. The deficit this year alone is 1.6 trillion and the CBO now predicts the deficit to ballon another 9 trillion under the Obama regime. I think there are a lot of people who regret voting for this man and had wished they had taken the time to inform themselves on his policies.
- ModerateMike, that story of Laura Bush has been out there for a while. I believe she has even discussed it. She was in an automobile accident and the person in the other car was killed. I think maybe she ran a stop sign or something, but I can't remember the details. And there's another person who made a mistake, but isn't a bad person. We are all flawed. And those of you who choose to fester with hatred and anger are poisoning yourselves.— NigeltheMastiff
- Baby killer? Wah Wah Wah. Seriously pro life folks, when you start caring about all the people that are currently already living then maybe someone will give credence to your anti-abortion campaigns. But the truth is that you care nothing about the homeless and destitute, you've been brainwashed by corrupt churches (some that protect and hide pedophiles) to believe that every baby should be born. So, please explain exactly how every baby would be cared for, financially supported, and raised when we already have hundreds of thousands of children in foster care and orphanages around the world? Get a real campaign, care for the living first you hypocrites.— rightwingsheeple
- swedesboromike : please be consistent. Do you care about budget deficit or addition to debt? Or does addition to debt only matter for Clinton, but budget deficit for Bush? It may be coincidence, but Bush has far more off-budget spending that Clinton, and you choose to always reference them that way.— still_independent
- tom: "I guess you consider the CIA operatives who took part in the Enhanced Interrogations, who captured and questioned the terrorist, whose names are redacted in all the released reports, to not be covert operatives" - guess what? It doesn't matter what I think. As I've said several times, Tom, I'm not self-aggrandizing enough to think that what I view as moral, "logical", or anything else overrides the law. To get convicted under that statute, the fact that they were covert has to be KNOWN, not suspected. You can't point to memos that were released years after the fact with names redacted (which could be redacted for simple privacy reasons, no different than some victims' names in police reports)as proof. Secondly, according to what you posted, some were subcontractors, and wouldn't be covered under the act. Finally, you continually use classified and covert interchangeably. An OVERT employee's working on a given job can be classified, it doesn't make them a covert employee. In years past, I worked for a large company that did some work for the DOD and MDA. The fact that I worked on certain projects was classified. Not just the work, but the fact that I worked on it. (There was no point to that, and the project has since been made public, but it was what it was). Did this make me a covert employee of my company? No. ... I have no idea what those employee's statuses were. Neither do you. I don't even agree with the attorneys getting the pictures or releasing them. I just object to your instinctive "but what about Plame" reaction. It's NOT the same. or may not be. We don't know.— still_independent
- Comment removed.
- I think yoda is 100% correct. Republican and Hypocrite? Same thing.— rightwingsheeple
- Don't be stupid, Polman. The "short term advantage" may be effective healthcare reform. Since the GOP shows that it has no bottom when it comes to deception & disinformation, this small adjustment to a law is both necessary to honor the man who long worked for effective reform! IT IS NOT THE SAME AS THE GOP'S INCREASINGLY ABHORRENT PRACTICES OF SUBVERTING DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES PURELY FOR THE MISUSE OF POLITICAL POWER.— Simone
- still...your rationale is hilarious. Weren't you one of those posting about how people should have gone to jail for the Plame incident....when maybe nobody knew she was covert and no classified information was involved? Weren't you one of those posting about how Rove, Cheney, et al should rot in jail for releasing her name? The lawyers know these agents whose photos they take are covert since they were denied access to them, denied their names and denied their availability to be deposed. That is why the John Adams Project followed agents to their homes, took their pictures and showed them to the detainees...in an effort to identify them and release their names to the public. I know you are not this naive....it must be that you believe no good standing Democrat or liberal would stoop to such a level. Do you really need things to be spelled out in black and white? Funny how you inferred things constantly during the previous administration...and now change your tune.— tom - wilmington, de
- Why can't Congress offer to the people the same plan they and federal workers enjoy? I guess what's good for the goose is not good for the gander:) ***...the FEHBP offers about 300 different private health care plans, including five government-wide, fee-for-service plans and many regional health maintenance organization (HMO) plans, plus high-deductible, tax-advantaged plans. All plans cover hospital, surgical and physician services, and mental health services, prescription drugs and "catastrophic" coverage against very large medical expenses. There are no waiting periods for coverage when new employees are hired, and there are no exclusions for preexisting conditions. The FEHBP negotiates contracts annually with all insurance companies who wish to participate. There is plenty of competition for the business; FEHBP is the largest employer-sponsored health plan in the U.S. Those who don’t like their coverage may switch to another plan during a yearly "open season" period. To help with the choices, FEHBP conducts an annual "satisfaction survey" of each plan with more than 500 members and publishes the results. Like other large employers, the government pays a large share of the cost of coverage. On average, the government pays 72 percent of the premiums for its workers, up to a maximum of 75 percent depending on the policy chosen. For example, the popular Blue Cross and Blue Shield standard fee-for-service family plan carries a total premium of $1,120.47 per month, of which the beneficiary pays $356.59. Washington, D.C.-based employees who prefer an HMO option might choose the Kaiser standard family plan. It carries a total premium of $629.46 per month, of which the employee pays only $157.36.***— NEPhilly
- Cindy Sheehan is at Martha's Vineyard protesting the war in Afghanistan. I wonder why she wasn't on Hardball this week?— tom - wilmington, de
- Agree Dick - it would be very wrong to change this law. While it is sad to see Ted pass, it is time for this country to stop romanticizing this family and bending the rules to accomodate their whims, drunken car crashes, etc.— ChahlieM
- rightwingsheeple: "But the truth is that you care nothing about the homeless and destitute, you've been brainwashed by corrupt churches... " Give it a rest, eh? What a load of garbage!!! Many pro life believers work to take care of homeless, newborn, infirmed, and just down-on-luck. Using your logic, we just dispose of the unwanted. We can then get rid of the old, the sickly, the "non-contributers', those with the wrong religion....wait, I think that's been tried before.— JimR
- CHANGE THE LAW. RESPECT THE HARD WORK KENNEDY DID ON OUR BEHALF. I FELT SAFER KNOWING HE WAS IN THE SENATE SUPPORTING MY INTERESTS IN EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, SOCIAL AND GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS. RENAME his healthcare bill the Kennedy Bill and pass universal healthcare so every American has a safety net and the ability to change jobs without being held hostage to health coverage. Improve the business climate by removing the burden of insurance from employers. It will create more jobs. I thank him for caring about the working man. All you stupid, narrow minded bigots should put your money where your mouth is and work to make the world a better place. It IS the "Christian" thing to do.— Fishtown
- ***Sixteen months ago, Arthur C. Brooks, a professor at Syracuse University, published "Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism." The surprise is that liberals are markedly less charitable than conservatives. If many conservatives are liberals who have been mugged by reality, Brooks, a registered independent, is, as a reviewer of his book said, a social scientist who has been mugged by data. They include these findings: • Although liberal families' incomes average 6 percent higher than those of conservative families, conservative-headed households give, on average, 30 percent more to charity than the average liberal-headed household ($1,600 per year vs. $1,227). • Conservatives also donate more time and give more blood. • Residents of the states that voted for John Kerry in 2004 gave smaller percentages of their incomes to charity than did residents of states that voted for George Bush. • Bush carried 24 of the 25 states where charitable giving was above average. • In the 10 reddest states, in which Bush got more than 60 percent majorities, the average percentage of personal income donated to charity was 3.5. Residents of the bluest states, which gave Bush less than 40 percent, donated just 1.9 percent. • People who reject the idea that "government has a responsibility to reduce income inequality" give an average of four times more than people who accept that proposition.*** And the Obama's and Biden's are two of the biggest non-givers:)— NEPhilly
- Poor Charlie Rangel...from today's New York Post..."Rep. Charles Rangel failed to report as much as $1.3 million in outside income -- including up to $1 million for a Harlem building sale -- on financial-disclosure forms he filed between 2002 and 2006, according to newly amended records. The documents also show the embattled chairman of the Ways and Means Committee -- who is being probed by the House Ethics Committee -- failed to reveal a staggering $3 million in various business transactions over the same period.....In 2004, for instance, Rangel reported earning between $4,000 and $10,000 in outside earnings on top of his $158,100 congressional salary. But the amended filings show that after the sale of a property on West 132nd Street, his outside income that year was somewhere between $118,000 and $1.04 million." And this is the same guy who pushed for the surtax on incomes over $350K as part of the health care bill. No wonder he is for higher taxes...he fails to pay them by not reporting his income? I am sure it was just an oversight...not reporting as much as $1 million....that is so easy to miss. Let's see...Geithner, Daschle, Rangel, how many others? has more problems...from today's New York Post.."— tom - wilmington, de
- ***While conservatives tend to regard giving as a personal rather than governmental responsibility, some liberals consider private charity a retrograde phenomenon -- a poor palliative for an inadequate welfare state and a distraction from achieving adequacy by force, by increasing taxes. Ralph Nader, running for president in 2000, said: "A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity." Brooks, however, warns: "If support for a policy that does not exist . . . substitutes for private charity, the needy are left worse off than before. It is one of the bitterest ironies of liberal politics today that political opinions are apparently taking the place of help for others." In 2000, brows were furrowed in perplexity because Vice President Al Gore's charitable contributions, as a percentage of his income, were below the national average: He gave 0.2 percent of his family income, one-seventh of the average for donating households. But Gore "gave at the office." By using public office to give other people's money to government programs, he was being charitable, as liberals increasingly, and conveniently, understand that word.*** http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/26/AR2008032602916.html— NEPhilly
- No JimR you give it a rest. Many of us are tired of people with religious agendas trying to cram them down our throats. A woman's decision is in no way your business or the business of any anti-abortionist. BTW, In no place did I ever talk about disposing of anyone, those are your words. As usual, folks like you have no answers, just more hyperbole. And please, we all know that there is no mass movement by pro lifers to run out and help the poor and destitute. Save us the enlightened words fella. I know some very hardcore pro-lifers and they care nothing about anything else other than stopping abortions because they believe that's what some imaginary figure wants. That's the norm, not the few folks that do help out people in need. Most people pontificate from their couches about their conservative ideals. Please tell me when the rush will be on to take in all of the unwanted children already in the world? I'll wait.... Now, if you actually knew how to read AND comprehend, you would have gotten my point. Instead you decided to make up something else and attribute it to me.— rightwingsheeple
- Comment removed.
- NEPhilly, I think you're being pretty unfair. I know that you read this and all, but I know many liberals who either give time or money or both to charitable causes. Of course, I'm running the red most months, so I don't have much money to give, but I do have some time, which I give freely. I know that my best friend down here would probably classify herself as a conservative (though she's a social liberal). She does give to a number of charities. She and her husband are leaders in this town, and among the wealthiest. Generalities are fine for databases, I guess, but not for real people, who are driven by a wide range of motivations.— NigeltheMastiff
- The ironic thing about conservatives and their stance that universal healthcare is socialism is that a large population of them probably also make good use of sending their kids to public school, which is socialism at its best. My parents paid for me to go to private school yet still had to pay school taxes for others. Why don't all of the anti-socialists out there immediately take their kids out of public school and buck up for private education? If you want to stop socialism, then start with yourself.— rightwingsheeple
- Nobody condoned the release of a terrorist. More right-wing nonsense. I for the life of me cannot figure out how these people can sleep at night or look at themselves in the mirror knowing that they lie through their teeth everyday, love to hate, and perpetually use fear as a tool. That's why you know there really isn't an all loving god because if there was one, people like that wouldn't exist.— rightwingsheeple
- nigel, I was answering a post about how conservatives/GOP are heartless sob's (paraphrased, of course) and liberal/dems are so thoughtful and caring about the poor! You personally aside, this study proved that dems (who make more $$ per household than conservatives) are caring and giving when giving other people's money through the govt. as witnessed by the Obama/Biden/Gore's charitble record! They are not poor people (like you and me) and could give more personally to charity (even if they just gave the national average), but choose not to because they support govt. policy that does the caring/giving for them.— NEPhilly
- I know that's what you meant, NEPhil. It's just that I have been around Quaker organizations for many years and they give tremendous amounts of aid, both in financial and human terms, around the world. I'd venture to say that most (not all) Quakers in the Philadelphia area are some form of liberal. I'm not disputing what you read, just that my experience has been very different. The Quakers I have known in the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting have been a wonderful inspiration and role model to me. (Sorry if I bristled. But it's difficult not to feel defensive about some things.)— NigeltheMastiff
- jwad: I ask again, what is "while condoning the release of convicted libyan terrorists" based upon?— still_independent
- Comment removed.
- Still, you're right. No one condoned the release of that prisoner. In fact, Obama denounced it.— NigeltheMastiff
- right, i agree about the public schools (not about conservatives using them more, I would like to see that study:) and know you would support school vouchers for tax paying citizens (like your parents) who send their kids to private schools! Too bad your party and President disagree with you on that point. Pres. Obama sends his girls to private school in Wash DC (as i assume most in the govt. do), yet their classmates are going to have their vouchers taken away and forced to go back to public school (which most parents try to avoid)! Also the President did not condone the release of the Lockerbie bomber and in fact condemned it. There are a lot of things to get on this President about that are true, no need to make things up as it decreases the opposition's (ours) credibility:) Although, it was the liberal govt. in Britain that signed a lucrative oil deal at the same time as signing the PTA (prisoner transfer agreement)!— NEPhilly
- tom: no, I was clamboring for action in the Plame COVERUP. While I think orchestrating attacks against private citizens (something which you and others continually claim this administration does) is unethical, it doesn't make it illegal. They looked at the Plame thing, realized that it's virtually impossible to convict someone under that statute, and that was it. Lying to investigators is, however, illegal. And from the relevant statute "knowing that the information disclosed so identifies such individual and that the United States is taking affirmative measures to conceal such individual’s classified intelligence relationship to the United States, ". Again, they must KNOW that they are covert employees. Not infer, not assume, not even reasonably assume. It's not naivete. It's the law. As I wrote earlier, it's virtually impossible to get a conviction under this statute (which doesn't cover subcontractors, btw) unless the person basically states "here are the names of covert employees". You still continue to confuse classified with covert. There is a reason that the article you pasted from stated that they were investigating them for the leak of classified information. Why am I continuing to get the stronger and stronger impression that you are respectful of the law - when you agree with it. ... All that being said, I agree with you w/ regards to Rangel. He should be censured, or whatever they do. However, nothing you posted implied he didn't pay the taxes. He didn't disclose the income on his congressional disclosure forms. If he didn't report the income to the IRS, he should be prosecuted. I didn't read anything that indicated that this was the case.— still_independent
If Obama's socialized medicine had been in place already, Ted Kennedy would have died a year ago. This is the message that everyone should acknowledge in the Obamacare KennedyCare propaganda effort from the left.— Mr. Smith- Comment removed.
- Posted again for emphasis:) ***Although liberal families' incomes average 6 percent higher than those of conservative families, conservative-headed households give, on average, 30 percent more to charity than the average liberal-headed household ($1,600 per year vs. $1,227). • Conservatives also donate more time and give more blood. • Residents of the states that voted for John Kerry in 2004 gave smaller percentages of their incomes to charity than did residents of states that voted for George Bush.***— NEPhilly
- NEPhilly : I'd be curious as to the breakdown of non-religious charitable giving. In general, the more religious tend to be more conservative (or vice-versa). I'm sure that the percentage of those who, for example, tend to tithe, slants heavily to conservative. Let's be honest, while many (actually most) churches do wonderful things for the poor, hungry, etc., I'd have to assume that much of the money goes to the institution itself (do churches have to file the same documentation as charities?). Basically, I would like to see the breakdown of charitable giving to what I'll call "secular" charities - food banks, ACS, etc. My guess is that the breakdown in those areas is pretty even.— still_independent
- rightwingsheeple, I took your writing to the next level - I never quoted you. Unwanted children are disposable, then so are the rest. I too am tired of fanatics ramming ideas and ideals down my throat but your generalizations are bitter and untrue. You know poeple who don't care and I know people who do. That makes us even. Setting social policy about 'the unwanted' and the right to dispose of them is very much my business and the business of society in general. It's an imperfect world and I will live with the need for difficult decisions regarding bringing children into the world but 1M+ abortions a year becomes retroactive birth control and is just a disguise for irresponsible behavior.— JimR
- All this going on, and yet the CBO estimated that unemployment next year will "average" 10.2%. This translates into 2.3 million more people being unemployed next year than are currently unemployed. Add this to the chairman of the Atlanta Fed saying the true unemployment rate is currently 16% (counting those people whose benefits expired and stopped looking for work) and you have great things being done by the stimulus bill. So, I wonder how that hope and change is working for those people so far?— tom - wilmington, de
- More statism coming down the road...of course, I am just paranoid...from CNET news..."Internet companies and civil liberties groups were alarmed this spring when a U.S. Senate bill proposed handing the White House the power to disconnect private-sector computers from the Internet. They're not much happier about a revised version that aides to Sen. Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, have spent months drafting behind closed doors. CNET News has obtained a copy of the 55-page draft of S.773 (excerpt), which still appears to permit the president to seize temporary control of private-sector networks during a so-called cybersecurity emergency. The new version would allow the president to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" relating to "non-governmental" computer networks and do what's necessary to respond to the threat. Other sections of the proposal include a federal certification program for "cybersecurity professionals," and a requirement that certain computer systems and networks in the private sector be managed by people who have been awarded that license." So now the government can seize computer networks when they declare a "cyberemergency". I wonder what constitues a "cyberemergency"?— tom - wilmington, de
- Tom: "I thought political decisions were not supposed to be made in the DOJ? Isn't that what all you libs were yelling about before the age of Obama?" No, the DOJ is supposed to make decisions as a matter of upholding the law. I know that may come as a shock after 8 years of Gonzalez, Yoo, Bybee and other creeps under Bush, but it's true.— p-diddy
- still, you are of course correct about the religious giving (and they do good work w/the poor and 3rd world countries) and I am going to look for a breakdown of giving to secular vs. nonsecular charities:) Also, you have to agree Obama/Biden/Gore's history of giving to charities is abysmal given their economic status (to whom much is given, much is expected?) and when middle class people like you and me end up giving more it is not right! ***Brooks demonstrates a correlation between charitable behavior and "the values that lie beneath" liberal and conservative labels. Two influences on charitable behavior are religion and attitudes about the proper role of government. The single biggest predictor of someone's altruism, Willett says, is religion. It increasingly correlates with conservative political affiliations because, as Brooks's book says, "the percentage of self-described Democrats who say they have 'no religion' has more than quadrupled since the early 1970s." America is largely divided between religious givers and secular nongivers, and the former are disproportionately conservative. One demonstration that religion is a strong determinant of charitable behavior is that the least charitable cohort is a relatively small one -- secular conservatives.***http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/26/AR2008032602916.html— NEPhilly
- Here is an interesting nugget as well:) ***In his book, Mr. Brooks examines giving among the poor. When looking at households with equivalent income, the working poor give three times as much as welfare recipients. Mr. Brooks writes that the very act of receiving welfare may make recipients more liberal — and hence less likely to give. But other differences between the working poor and those on welfare may explain the giving gap, says Paul G. Schervish, director of the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College. Research shows that welfare recipients are less involved in their communities than the working poor. "What causes giving is associations," he says. "The people on welfare may be more isolated in terms of their networks." As he builds his statistical case, Mr. Brooks occasionally unleashes free-market rhetoric. He calls giving as "a bucket with no leaks" — meaning that it helps both the giver and the receiver — and at times seems to argue that all government spending on social programs is suspect, given its potential to "crowd out" private giving.*** http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1759256/posts— NEPhilly
- Besides, the Black Panthers are small fish. The fact that you would compare this to our own government torturing people is silly. You're mistaken if you think is about some liberal Bush vendetta. It needs to be done. I don't understand people who say "Can't we just put this behind us?" We put it behind us by making sure it doesn't happen anymore - and that means prosecuting the people who tortured.— p-diddy
- still, to your question! ***Q. But aren’t they just giving to religious charities and houses of worship? A. These enormous differences are not a simple artifact of religious people giving to their churches. Religious people are more charitable with secular causes, too. For example, in 2000, religious people were 10 percentage points more likely than secularists to give money to explicitly nonreligious charities, and 21 points more likely to volunteer. The value of the average religious household’s gifts to nonreligious charities was 14 percent higher than that of the average secular household, even after correcting for income differences. Religious people were also far more likely than secularists to give in informal, nonreligious ways. For example, in 2000, people belonging to religious congregations gave 46 percent more money to family and friends than people who did not belong. In 2002, religious people were far more likely to donate blood than secularists, to give food or money to a homeless person, and even to return change mistakenly given them by a cashier (which I have done and is more trouble than it is worth:).*** http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=736&print=1— NEPhilly
- The Laura Bush car crash death has been out there for years. It is time to acknowledge the fact that NEITHER party has morality or imorality locked up for them alone. I have tried to see just what the GOP plan is for health care. All have found suggests to me that they are the party of NO and that's it. That does nothing for this country. There are many upgrades to our health care delivery that will have to be made in the coming years because frankly we are drowning and if our medicine was so good what are we NOT first in infant mortality etc ???? GOPers while carping on the deficits have yet to take Bush 43 to task for his off budget spending and Iraq money pit debacle which is why this country is in this mess.— ModerateMarge
- The Laura Bush car crash death has been out there for years. It is time to acknowledge the fact that NEITHER party has morality or imorality locked up for them alone. I have tried to see just what the GOP plan is for health care. All have found suggests to me that they are the party of NO and that's it. That does nothing for this country. There are many upgrades to our health care delivery that will have to be made in the coming years because frankly we are drowning and if our medicine was so good what are we NOT first in infant mortality etc ???? GOPers while carping on the deficits have yet to take Bush 43 to task for his off budget spending and Iraq money pit debacle which is why this country is in this mess.— ModerateMarge
- ***Q. Are Americans more or less charitable than citizens of other countries? A. No developed country approaches American giving. For example, in 1995 (the most recent year for which data are available), Americans gave, per capita, three and a half times as much to causes and charities as the French, seven times as much as the Germans, and 14 times as much as the Italians. Similarly, in 1998, Americans were 15 percent more likely to volunteer their time than the Dutch, 21 percent more likely than the Swiss, and 32 percent more likely than the Germans. These differences are not attributable to demographic characteristics such as education, income, age, sex, or marital status. On the contrary, if we look at two people who are identical in all these ways except that one is European and the other American, the probability is still far lower that the European will volunteer than the American.***— NEPhilly
- Hagiography? In whose mind, the Kennedys? I like that word almost as good as hubris when describing the Kennedys.— junethe4th
- ***Q. How much do Americans give? Is the amount we give going up? A. In 2006, Americans gave about $295 billion to charity. This was up 4.2 percent over 2005 levels, and charitable giving has generally risen faster than the growth of the American economy for more than half a century. Correcting for inflation and population changes, GDP per person in America has risen over the past 50 years by about 150 percent, while charitable giving per person has risen by about 190 percent. That is, the average American family has gotten much richer in real terms over the past half century, and charitable giving has more than kept pace with this trend.***— NEPhilly
- Last one. ***Q. Are Americans more or less charitable than citizens of other countries? A. No developed country approaches American giving. For example, in 1995 (the most recent year for which data are available), Americans gave, per capita, three and a half times as much to causes and charities as the French, seven times as much as the Germans, and 14 times as much as the Italians. Similarly, in 1998, Americans were 15 percent more likely to volunteer their time than the Dutch, 21 percent more likely than the Swiss, and 32 percent more likely than the Germans. These differences are not attributable to demographic characteristics such as education, income, age, sex, or marital status. On the contrary, if we look at two people who are identical in all these ways except that one is European and the other American, the probability is still far lower that the European will volunteer than the American.***— NEPhilly
- marge, at least Laura Bush had the sense not to run away from her accident! As for GWB off budget spending for Iraq, this President has spent all the Iraq money and then some in one nonstimulus package and that amount of money over 8 years could not cause the economic meltdown we face! Look at the lib'dems in congress as a direct cause of this economic meltdown and no further:)— NEPhilly
- Mr. Polman, The brief history you describe about the Kennedy family and their moves in Politics (documented very well by others) has been known for years. To some I am sure, this makes the Senator have the air of a criminal who would be very capable /willing of doing things for his own interests. Since when did politics not infuse the will in politicians to "flip-flop" or "play" sides or tug the strings of the ultimate game of brinksmanship (war)for their own (party) needs? Hypocrisy runs rampant in Politics because Life is not so linear and people (community) in the digital media age have only just begun to open their eyes to the globe around them. Kennedy knew he was going to die soon and on his principles and ego he stood to the end. He wanted Health Care (as a champion), but knew he had to play politics to get it. This decision on his death bed was all about politics and power. A classic politician to the end. ;)— PoliticiansTV
- ModerateMarge: How do figure there is a parallel between the car crash Laura Bush had and the Chappequidick incident? I thought as a moderate you would have more of brain. Hey anyway since we're both moderates and have similar user names would you be up for a cup of coffee sometime?— ModerateMike
- In a separate report, the Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers, found that consumer confidence fell to 65.7 in August, its lowest level in four months. The deficit will now be 2 trillion more according to the CBO. Unemployment is rising. An August is now the deadliest month ever in our war in Afghanistan. Nice job Barack
- "please be consistent. Do you care about budget deficit or addition to debt? Or does addition to debt only matter for Clinton, but budget deficit for Bush? It may be coincidence, but Bush has far more off-budget spending that Clinton, and you choose to always reference them that way." FROM STILL INDEPENDENT. Its both the deficit and the debt. I can't believe you are actually asking that question. To be fair every president runs up the debt. They all promise things that we cannot pay for. Bush was one of the worst from the standpoint of fiscal responsibity. He was a big liberal with his prescription drug plan, aid to Africa, education bill, and creation of the office of Homeland Security. Obama is setting world records with reckless spending. It is insane how much this man wants to increase our debt. We should be ending spending and reducing spending not finding new things to spend money on.
- I'm just wondering if Obama really has his eye on the ball. There is story out today that " Banks deemed to big to fail have grown bigger". We are doomed to repeat history again if we allow this happen. Perhaps anti trust rules need to be enforced to prevent another meltdown from happening. There is a role for government. Sound governence, common sense governence, low cost regulation government.
- moderatemike, you are too funny:)— NEPhilly
- NEPhilly: Glad you enjoyed that. My liberal brother in law does the same thing " ModerateMarge " does. He clams to be an independent or a moderate then proceeds to regurgitate the index card talking points from the DNC with remarkable accuracy.— ModerateMike
swedesboromike 05:15 PM, He's talking about the Peace Corp and Ameri-Corp - diplomacy through volunteering. Going out and actually meeting our global neighbors face to face. Swede "Bro" - If you were a fish you would be easy to catch. Have a great weekend!- Swede Bro - if you are not on the FOX Murdoch payroll your missing an opportunity.
- journeyhome- Thanks. I was starting to worry that a bunch of peace loving liberals were going to show up on my doorstep with pitchforks in hand. Take it light everyone, it's just a blog. Happy hour starts now!
- Cheney on an all day drunk blasts his friend right in the face with a shotgun and waits 24 hours before calling the police - victims medical records and blood alcohol records sealed. Where was your outrage then Hypocrites?
- "We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded. " BARACK OBAMA..................Huh? OK the quote is taken out of context but " just as well funded" Are you kidding me. We are 11 trillion in debt and this guy wants to spend as much as we do on our military on a civilian national security force? The funding part is in context and it should be cause for concern.
- swede--rich people in "socialist" Europe live very very well, maybe better in many ways than rich people here in the US. Your idea that the welfare state bankrupts everybody is sheer fantasy; you should travel more.— liberal
- Liberals and conservatives fundamentally differ on the implications of compassion for the less fortunate. Let's take Mr Con and Mr Lib, and assume they both have the same amount of compassion. Mr Con wants to help the unfortunate in a way that does not change the social hierarchy--that is, through private charity. Private charity preserves the social distinctions between the high (the giver) and the low (the recipient_. Mr Lib wants to change the system so that social distinctions are reduced--by providing a basic standard of living to everybody. This makes everybody more equal socially. This is a fundamental difference between left and right. Neither view is a priori the "right" one, but it's a matter of taste. Personally, since I myself and my family have benefitted from liberal policies in education financing and other areas, I think I have an obligation to support the continuation of liberal policies. If you're rich and your family was also rich, you'll probably prefer the conservative view.— liberal
- rightwingsheeple 11:04 AM, 08/28/2009 and rightwingsheeple 11:10 AM, 08/28/2009 - Sir you are a statesman - great posts - clearly worded. The Pro-Lifers are the worst of the hypocrites. I would add to your other posts that fear sells and has long been a tool of the insurance industry, you might die, your kids will be fatherless, you might get sick, you might get in a car accident - all fear based sales pitches that work. People are basically paranoid - why else would death panels even have gotten traction. I hope as a global community we get over the "fear factor" if you will - again great posts - if you missed them go back and read them.
- swede--where do you get your idea that Europeans have a "much lower standard of living?" I've lived with European families in similar circumstances to mine and the lifestyle is as good or better than in America. And nobody in the big European countries has to live in the kind of neighborhoods we have in North Philadelphia and elsewhere; even the Arabs in France live in rather nice apartments, although they are p..ed off anyway for whatever reasons. College and professional education is essentially free. The schools are very rigorous and disciplined. Public transportation is clean and goes everywhere every five minutes. Etc. Where do Americans get the idea that these countries are so miserable?— liberal
- lib, exactly! The difference is conservatives think people should do for themselves and be able to rise to the level your hardwork and intelligence can take you & have a sense of accomplishment when you are finished! Liberals think everything should be equal (or close to it) and not dependent on your hard work or intelligence (or yes family connections), etc. They think the govt. has to do everything (from healthcare to retirement to what cars we drive to what energy source we use) for the masses because they are not smart enough to do for themselves & I have a fundamental disagreement with that line of thinking! Have a nice weekend everyone:) Off to 'the shore' to say hi to the hurricane! You are all great Americans:)— NEPhilly
- Just a comment about life in Europe. I have already praised the German healthcare system. Indeed I experienced it. However, I have been both a student and an instructor in the German university system, and let me say that it is a wreck compared to US academia. Germany is slowly implementing policies that would allow more competition between the universities, and this is a good thing. Ultimately I think our higher education is on the path towards some kind of reform since tuition is rising at an unsustainable rate, but this is a secondary matter at this point. In any case, this just goes to show that balance is needed in all things - education, healtchare, all of it. Polman's post also shows that he at least makes the gesture of being balanced, which the staunch conservatives rarely give him credit for.— puttinonthefoil
- Liberal- From what I saw of Europe they have super small little cars, little apartments, and very little available land. We are are a familiy of somewhat modest means but we were able to aford a little McMansion here in the countryside of South Jersey on an acre lot backing up to woods. We have two large vehicles designed to comfortably haul my wife and 3 kids. I would be like a wealthy land barron if I lived in Europe. Here it is commonplace. Honestly , liberal, we have by far the highest standard of living in the world here in America. A concept that the left in this country seems to want to destroy. There is nothing charitable in conviscating money from people and giving it to the causes you support. The sanctimony of liberals is nauseating. They put themselves up on a pedastal as being caring and charitable but really all they are doing is supporting policies that take money from one group and give it to another.
- "This week, after updating the budget to reflect the depth of the recession, the White House conceded its earlier predictions had been wrong. With unemployment now expected to top 10 percent, the government will be forced to spend more on unemployment benefits, food stamps, Medicaid and other safety-net programs. With wages more deeply depressed, tax collections have fallen further than expected. And with the economy likely to rebound more slowly than the White House once thought, those costly conditions will linger for at least the next two years." THE WASHINGTON POST.... THE OBAMA ECONOMY. MUCH LIKE THE JIMMY CARTER ECONOMY. THESE ARE DARK DAYS
- For the second straight week, just one-third (34%) of likely voters believe the United States is heading in the right direction, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. We are really seeing Jimmy Carter part two. Hopefully another Ronald Reagan will emerge out of the trash heep of liberalism. This Obama economy is hurting so many Americans. Hopefully it will teach the electorate a valuable lessons on the nonsense of liberalism.
- The difference between liberals and conservatives is that liberals believe in compassion and the common good, conservatives believe " I have mine the heck with you, and If even if you ask nicely for a crumb, I will call you lazy and shifty, even through my own selfish deeds I take what little you have, I will still turn away from you. And if you ask for healthcare I will call you a socialist and when your debate points hold the truth I will not blink before I tell a lie to distort what you say until I scare the least informed. That's the difference and it is evident the Conservatives have a hole where their souls have curled up and died.— hejira33312
- Comment removed.
- swedesboromike, are you on crack? Europeans have a much lower standard of living? When was the last time you visited? And the reason their gas is so costly is because they don't have any; other imports are equally costly and what they grow and manufacture is cheaper--same as here.— voiceofreason
- Swedes: The previous poster was right about you. You really do need to travel more. The scary stories you tell may be true of someplace like Slovakia or Albania, but most definitely not true of Western Europe. People who live in big cities tend to live in smaller living spaces for obvious reasons.— p-diddy
- Ted waited for 10 hours before he reported his accident to the authorities. Ms. Kopechne laid in the water all that time. He even had breakfast before he reported it. What kind of person could do such a thing, yet the masses want to honor him as a "hero"? Ted was not very compassionate for Ms. Kopechne.— Comrade Noodlehead
- Hejiera33312- Might I sugest you get your hands out of everyone else's wallet and go get a job.
- liberal, if you judge Europe on quality of housing, availability of merchandise, freedom to pick your own job, self-destinty, and equality, then you are wrong. Europe does have a lower standard of living. You do not have a clue.— Comrade Noodlehead
- Europe does have "free" education, "cheap" quality public transportation and "free" health care. (of course taxes are high for all these "free" items). If that is all that matters to you, then Europe is the place for you. Getting a job, having equal right, and having self-destiny is another thing......— Comrade Noodlehead
- pdiddy- sorry, I don't want to be like Eurpoe. What I never see there are nice developments with 4000 square foot housing on acre lots like we have here. We have friends from Holland. The tax rates there are 70%. Sure you've got universal healthcare but most of your money goes to the state. My family has great healthcare and I would kinda like to keep it that way. My obligation is to my family. You try to make yourself out to be this compasionate person by taking money you didn't earn and redistributing it for the causes you support. It's called theivery and there is nothing compassionate about that. My suggestion would be for people to get a job or sell there wares at a flea market, or start a website or a business and quit worrying about digging into other people's pocket. Eventually you'll run out of everybody else's money.
- In other words poverty is relative, and in the U.S. a large 45.9% of the "poor" own their homes, 72.8% have a car and almost 77% have air conditioning, which remains a luxury in most of Western Europe. The average living space for poor American households is 1,200 square feet. In Europe, the average space for all households, not just the poor, is 1,000 square feet. So what is Europe's problem? "The expansion of the public sector into overripe welfare states in large parts of Europe is and remains the best guess as to why our continent cannot measure up to our neighbor in the west," the authors write. In 1999, average EU tax revenues were more than 40% of GDP, and in some countries above 50%, compared with less than 30% for most of the U.S.
- Higher GDP per capita allows the average American to spend about $9,700 more on consumption every year than the average European. So Yanks have by far more cars, TVs, computers and other modern goods. "Most Americans have a standard of living which the majority of Europeans will never come anywhere near," the Swedish study says.
- Not everyone wants a Macmansion. Some really love the life of going to the market every day and finding local produce. My best friend lives in England, and she is absolutely disgusted at Americans' greed. Because I live here, I accept that difference is what makes the world go around. I don't think it serves anyone well to insult or belittle the way other people live. You may not want to be a European, but then they don't want to be American, either.— NigeltheMastiff
- The nuns used to tell us in grade school that church was not a home for saints, but a hospital for sinners. I guess we had better nuns than you did, patp.
- The Laura Bush car crash was when she was 17, and she waited around for the police. The Kennedy crash was when he was over 35 and a sitting United States Senator. I see the similarities. Thank you ModerateMarge for your inspiring insight.— tom - wilmington, de
- Ted Kennedy...man of the people...he really had a great career...from HotAir.com "As long as we’re on the subject of humor this morning, what kind of jokes did the late Ted Kennedy like to tell his closest friends? One of Kennedy’s close friends, former editor of Newsweek and New York Times Magazine Ed Klein, tells the Diane Rehm Show that Chappaquiddick jokes were high up on the list "I don’t know if you know this or not, but one of his favorite topics of humor was indeed Chappaquiddick itself. And he would ask people, “have you heard any new jokes about Chappaquiddick?” That is just the most amazing thing. It’s not that he didn’t feel remorse about the death of Mary Jo Kopechne, but that he still always saw the other side of everything and the ridiculous side of things, too." So, I wonder, does this still rate him forgiveness?— tom - wilmington, de
- NIGEL: Don't you understand American superiority, backed by WMD for those who dare not march in lockstep? It sure ain't a Mod or Lib or other inferior POV!!— Talvenada
- Swedes: Alright, let's get down to the brass tax, speaking of "money I didn't earn". What do you do for a living, you f-ing p*ssy? Anybody who posts here 20 times a day like you do, you lazy basterd, must not do much.— p-diddy
- pdiddy- Too much liquor? What is up with the profanity laced post? Thank you for you most wonderful insight. Now go get a job and stop asking for everyone else's money. Run along
- "Overall, 47% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. That matches the lowest total approval yet measured for Obama. Fifty-two percent (52%) now disapprove." From Rasmussen Reports. The sinking poll numbers has to be of concern for the Obama Regime.
- "One day after the Herald reported some surprised Bay State inmates - including murderers and rapists - were cashing in $250 stimulus checks, federal officials revealed the same behind-bars bonus was mailed to nearly 4,000 cons nationwide." Our Federal government is ridiculous. And you want them to run your healthcare? I think there needs to be some accountability on behalf of the Obama regime
- Swedes: That's right, I AM unemployed. It sucks big time. But at least I'm trying - not sitting around posting 19 times in one day and complaining about lazy Europeans. Take a look in the mirror.— p-diddy
- Pdiddy- Hey, I hope you find a job. I know it is tough in the Obama economy. As for my copius posting, it's a recreatiional activity for me. I don't recall calling European's lazy. The content of my posts was basically making the point that yes they have healthcare but do not have the standard of living we have here in America. What I tend to find is that many on the left do want to have an honest discussion on healthcare. They want to demogogue. Which tells me it has got nothing to do with healthcare and everything to do with consolidating as much political power as possible. Have a nice day.
- p-diddy, better get back to regular. That 93 octane is getting to you. Chill man. No need for that level here.— JimR
- smike, you're assuming that 'standard of living' is the same as America's obsession with owning lots of stuff. A number of Euoropean folks (plus a few from other parts of the world) having ben in my home,don't consider my house - free standing, big rooms, trees around it, etc - to be valued. I worked hard for it but they put no value on it at all, and they were all solidly middle and upper middle in their own countries. Their cultures put them in a good standard of living.— JimR
- You know what an honest discussion is? Not pretending like you want to reform healthcare while at the same time blocking any and all attempts to do so for decades. Bush had 8 years in office, and he didn't even mention healthcare reform. Between 1999 and 2008, employer-sponsored health insurance premiums increased six times faster than wages. That's the biggest reason why wages have been stagnant.— p-diddy
- JimR- I think it depends on the person. Broad generalizations that Europeans are not obsessed with owning stuff implies that as Americans we are simplisic, greedy and shallow. The self loathing is ridiculous . We should rejoice in American exceptionalism and not seek to destroy it. The sanctimony of the European continent is riduculous considering they gave us two world wars, nazism, facism, marxism, communism, and the haloquast. Not to mention the trillions we invested so that eastern Europe could be free of tyranny. Now I am going off on a tangent. My point is that we can have state funded healthcare but our standard of living for the 250+ million Americans with health insurance will be drastically reduced. You'll get misery spread equally.
- p diddy- Bush, in true liberal form, enacted a new trillion dollar entitlement called" prescription drug plan . Can we do away with that since you want universal healthcare?
- This link is to a speech given by George W Bush in 2006 on health care and his ideas for reforming it. This is for the benefit for those who say he never had any ideas on the issue. Of course, since he was opposed to any government plan or government insurance, to liberals not wanting either of those is tantamount to not wanting what they call "true reform". Here is the link..http://www.heartland.org/policybot/results/18823/President_Lauds_Benefits_of_Health_Savings_Accounts.html— tom - wilmington, de
- Tom: HSAs exactly the type of pretend solution that I was referring to. Bush was basically saying, "Let solve this health care mess by creating tax-free health care accounts!" It's a tweak. I think we can agree that health care reform requires more than a tweak.— p-diddy
- diddy...hsa's were not all he spoke about in that speech. And frankly, I find HSA's to be a great way to pay for health care with tax savings, especially since they changed the law that the money accumulated each year had to be spent by March of the following year. Now it can build...which allows for people to spend on medical expenses with tax free money. Interesting how Obama does away with HSA's in his health care plans....they keep control in the hands of the patient/consumer.— tom - wilmington, de
- diddy...can you please tell me exactly what Obama's health care ideas are since all we have is the House bill? How much of that is Obama in agreement with compared to what might come out of the Senate? Any information would be most appreciative since Dear Leader has not really led much on this issue.— tom - wilmington, de
- smike, I wasn't trying to making a broad statement. It's just an observation that a lot of folks have a cultural thing about what sets a good standard. By and large, we are a greedy nation - status is valued by what we own. We all fall into it. My parents felt I was a success because I had the biggest house in the family ( so did I) I don't think we're shallow - it's just the system we have for evaluating. Most of Europe has less land mass per country than we do and space is the determiner. As far as healthcare - even the healthcare companies realize that this current system is not sustainable. The costs are escalating way too fast. We will need to come up with something ( besides the government) for us to keep going. I too fear that happening but the health industry better get it's act together soon. And as Tom noted, we don't even know what it is we're looking at. It's a lot of drafts and not much leadership from the White House.— JimR
- hey swedes , I have a job , one of substance, where do you get off assuming someone that has a sense of public compassion not have a job, ohh yeah thats from the play book of the KKK, I mean the republican party.— hejira33312
- hejiera33312- And you've used page 1 again from the DNC playbook. Like I said before if don't anything to add other than accuse those who do not agree with you of being in the KKK then you're at the wrong place.
- The problem with the healthcare debate is the initial assumptions by those who want a government plan are flawed. And the arguments disintigrate from there. There are not 46 million un-insured. Lop off the illegal aliens, those who choose not to buy a policy, those who are qualified for medicaid and the real number is around 10 million. With 11 trillion in debt already on the books the last thing we need is more spending. Advocating policies that will increase taxes is the last thing this country needs. There is nothing charitiable about seizing income from 275 million Americans to give to 10 million.
- @swedesboromike - Actually, that's the very definition of charity, provided the 275mm have much more than the 10mm although I can understand your objection to seizure versus voluntary contributions. During the previous administration wealth was distributed from the 275mm to the 2.75mm (1% of the richest). BTW, the assumption I use about healthcare isn't the 46mm uninsured. It's that the status quo is unsustainable. I believe universal healthcare is the starting place for revamping a broken system.— Phrossty
- tom: "fun" reading. You've espoused at least ten of these. http://www.factcheck.org/2009/08/twenty-six-lies-about-hr-3200/— still_independent
- Tom: Obama's health care ideas? Simple. He wants a public health insurance option.— p-diddy