Political Wire:
Ezra Klein: “Passing legislation, it turns out, is a long and ugly process. God, is it ugly. The compromises, both with powerful special interests and decisive senators. The trimming of ambitions and the budget gimmicks and the worship of Congressional Budget Office scores. By the end, you’re passing a compromise of a deal of a negotiation of a concession… It’s not pretty, and it doesn’t necessarily feel like winning is supposed to feel…”
Ugly? Yes.
Because the so-called progressives like Klein wouldn’t fight like cats and dogs to get what’s right for most of us passed.
Who put such a naif at such a high level of political commentary?
HEALTHY HOLIDAY RECIPES AND TIPS
Role of Addiction Cannot Be Ignored in Obesity Epidemic
New Pathway Discovered That May Prevent Tissue Damage Resulting from Inflammation
Brain Controls Formation of Bone, Researchers Find
Plus lots more.
From the Liberal Democratic Party, via email:
How bad is the bill?
• Forces you to pay up to 8% of your income to private insurance corporations — whether you want to or not
• If you refuse to buy the insurance, you’ll have to pay penalties of up to 2% of your annual income to the IRS
• After being forced to pay thousands in premiums for junk insurance, you can still be on the hook for up to $11,900 a year in out-of-pocket medical expenses.
• Massive restriction on a woman’s right to choose, designed to trigger a challenge to Roe v. Wade in the Supreme Court
• Paid for by taxes on the middle class insurance plan you have right now through your employer, causing them (employers) to cut back benefits and increase co-pays
• Many of the taxes to pay for the bill start now (at passage of the bill), but most Americans won’t see any benefits — like an end to discrimination against those with preexisting conditions — until 2014 when the program begins.
• Allows insurance companies to charge people who are older 300% more than others
• Grants monopolies to to drug companies that will keep generic versions of expensive biotech drugs from ever coming to market.
• No reimportation of prescription drugs, which would save consumers $100 billion over 10 years (this huge unfair cost is borne by seniors under Medicare Part D right now).
• The cost of medical care will continue to rise, and insurance premiums for a family of 4 will rise an average of $1000 a year — meaning in 10 years, you family’s insurance premium will be $10,000 more annually than it is right now.
Politico:
House Dems: We won’t roll over
House Democrats insisted Tuesday they have no plans to roll over for the Senate in upcoming negotiations on a health reform bill, even as they acknowledged it would be all but impossible to reinsert a public insurance option or force the so-called millionaire’s tax on the Senate.
Aren’t they rolling over when they say these things will be all but impossible?
Please. They really do think we’re stupid.
As Swine Flu Wanes, So Does Public’s Fear
The Poor Face Greater Health Burden Than Smokers or the Obese
Study Redefines Placebo Effect as Part of Effective Treatment
Is vinegar good for the arteries?
Plus lots more.
And fix it.
Paul Krugman:
[O]n health care, I don’t see how [Obama] could have gotten much more…
But … the important thing to bear in mind is that this isn’t about him; and, equally important, it isn’t about you. If you’ve fallen out of love with a politician, well, so what? You should just keep working for the things you believe in.
I hate to disagree with you, Prof. Krugman, I have a lot of respect for you and your work.
One of the main reasons I supported Hillary Clinton over Obama was that she had already been fired in the crucible of the right-wing hate machine. She has fought for us “little people” all her life, and I was convinced that she would slough off their attacks on her and do what she thought was right. I still think she would have gotten much more for us than Obama.
But we’ll never know what she would have done, because a vicious campaign of lies about her and many irregularities in the primaries kept her from being nominated.
The refusal to blame Obama for the theft of the primary or for this health care bill will only stifle the self examination that Democrats will have to do to have any hope of making the party leaders responsive to the voters.
Just as the refusal to investigate the laws obviously broken by the Bush administration will keep Americans from demanding reforms there.
Paul Krugman:
A Dangerous Dysfunction
[T]here were filibusters in the past — most notably by segregationists trying to block civil rights legislation. But the modern system, in which the minority party uses the threat of a filibuster to block every bill it doesn’t like, is a recent creation…
Nobody should meddle lightly with long-established parliamentary procedure. But our current situation is unprecedented: America is caught between severe problems that must be addressed and a minority party determined to block action on every front. Doing nothing is not an option — not unless you want the nation to sit motionless, with an effectively paralyzed government, waiting for financial, environmental and fiscal crises to strike.
The Democrats didn’t have the courage to use the filibuster when they were in the minority.
The filibuster only benefits conservatives.
Get rid of it.
Now, go hide in a corner.
E.J. Dionne:
Progressives: Don’t Scream, Organize
For progressives, the question on the health care battle going forward is not whether they have a right to be angry but whether they can direct their fury toward constructive ends.
They did organize, E.J. They organized behind a guy who had no intention of giving them anything they wanted.
Lotta good THAT did.
People can trick mind to do hated things
An Amino Acid Helps Grow Tooth Enamel
Inhibiting A Cellular Process Makes Mice Leaner
Facial Symmetry May Be Best Beauty Secret
Plus lots more.
Be Careful What You Wish For This Holiday Season
Your Health: Winter can be tough on the body
Diners eat fewer calories when menu lists entrees’ contents
Get Fit Faster with This One Easy Rule
Plus lots more.
Study ranks states with happiest people
Hoping for a Happy Family Holiday? Here’s How
Events: Psychology-themed programs to PBS in January, February
Disordered Eating May Affect 10 to 15 Percent of Women
Plus lots more.
Bloomberg:
Harvard Swaps Are So Toxic Even Summers Won’t Explain
As vanishing credit spurred the government-led rescue of dozens of financial institutions, Harvard was so strapped for cash that it asked [the state of] Massachusetts for fast-track approval to borrow $2.5 billion. Almost $500 million was used within days to exit agreements known as interest-rate swaps that Harvard had entered to finance expansion in Allston, across the Charles River from its main campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The swaps, which assumed that interest rates would rise, proved so toxic that the 373-year-old institution agreed to pay banks a total of almost $1 billion to terminate them. Most of the wrong-way bets were made in 2004, when Lawrence Summers, now President Barack Obama’s economic adviser, led the university…
“For nonprofits, this is going to be written up as a case study of what not to do,” said Mark Williams, a finance professor at Boston University, who specializes in risk management and has studied Harvard’s finances. “Harvard throws itself out as a beacon of what to do in higher learning. Clearly, there have been major missteps.”
Clearly. Mistakes were made.
Don’t you feel great that our economic health is now in Summers’ hands?
Thanks to Stop Me Before I Vote Again.
Marc Rubin:
Are Hillary Clinton supporters murmuring I told you so?
More and more of Obama’s staunchest supporters, the same people who turned a blind eye to Obama’s deep character flaws, lack of experience, and brazen political dishonesty and deceit, are now complaining that he’s not what they thought he was, that this isnt change they can believe in. But it never was in the first place. It was clear to anyone who was paying attention, that “change you can believe in” was nothing but a slogan. Because he never did say what kind of change he had in mind.And if you asked a supporter they couldnt tell you either…
During the primaries,Obama’s selling out promises were rampant. He promised to use public financing if he was the nominee then reneged as soon as became the nominee. He promised to filibuster and vote against the FISA bill if it gave telecoms retroactive immunity then reneged, didnt filibuster and voted for it. And lied, until he couldn’t lie any longer about his relationship with Jeremiah Wright and on sending on his economic advisors to the Canadian embassy to tell them to ignore everything he was saying publicly about NAFTA.
This is the person that liberals and Democrats who supported him are now surprised has sold them out when it was apparent that Obama was probably the most underhanded politician since Richard Nixon. The difference between the two is that Nixon used deceit to get even. Obama used it to get ahead…
So perhaps Hillary Clinton supporters can be excused if they are now saying ” We told you so”. Because they did.
Except that we’re not murmuring, Marc. And we’re not saying. WE’RE SHOUTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dissenting Justice:
Rahm Emanuel Tells Liberals To Kiss His Arse
According to the Wall Street Journal, Rahm Emanuel has “shrugged off” liberal opposition to the Senate healthcare bill. Although one liberal senator (Bernie Sanders of Vermont) says he will not vote for the measure, Emanuel says “[t]here are no liberals left to get.”
Why do they dismiss us? Because we cower. We compromise. We give them the benefit of the doubt. We refuse to create alternatives.
We’re no danger to them, so they don’t have to pay any attention to us at all.
I’m reminded of George Bush’s famous statement to a voter on July 4, 2001: “Who cares what you think?”
Santa Should Get Off His Sleigh and Walk, Says Public Health Doctor
Negative Emotions Outweigh Intent to Exercise at Health Clubs
Self-help on par with therapy for binge-eaters
Fake sugar may alter how the body handles real sugar
Plus lots more.
We really really do.
Sam Stein:
White House Will Try To Pull Health Care Bill Closer To House’s Version
The White House will play an active role in moving health care legislation closer to the House’s version once a bill passes the Senate and goes to conference committee between the two chambers, administration officials said on Thursday. But while much of the progressive community is hoping for a renewed push to expand the government’s role in providing insurance, the president will likely focus on other priorities.
Because you’ve proven time and time again how much you can be trusted.
Mastery of Physical Goals Lessens Depression and Fatigue
Obesity, Inactivity Keeping Heart Health Stats Down
Wide Array of Stores Now Sell High-Calorie Snacks
Ways to Eat Fresh During the Winter
Plus lots more.
Life Expectancy in U.S. Hits New High
U.S. study: 1 in 5 lost health insurance in past year
New Technique Detects Proteins That Make Us Age
For Older Adults, Participating in Social Service Activities Can Improve Brain Functions
Plus lots more.
