House Progressives tell Blue Dogs: No Deal

82 Progressive Representatives sent a letter to Rep. Henry Waxman and Speaker Nancy Pelosi stating the latest cave to the Blue Dogs is unacceptable. They plan to kill the deal negotiated between Waxman and the Blue Cross Dems. Good.

I am so disappointed in the craven Blue Cross Dems that I could scream. In fact, I fired off a piece of my mind to them the other night (letter below), so they better consider themselves warned when I see them at Jackson Day. I can't wait to see and meet the Big Dog Bill Clinton, but Cooper, Gordon, Tanner and Davis, all are going to hear it from me, unless they act in the interest of the people, and not the insurance companies. If I were them, I would much rather stay in session all of August, then face the wrath of the Tennessee Democrats at Jackson Day. These little cowardly shills better get with the program and fully support the public option.
Here is the letter from the House Progressives

July 31, 2009
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi The Honorable Henry Waxman
Speaker Chairman

U.S. House of Representatives House Committee on
Energy and Commerce

H-232, The Capitol 2125
Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Charles Rangel The Honorable George Miller

Chair Chair

House Committee on Ways and Means House Committee on
Education and Labor

1102 Longworth House Office Building 2181 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC
20515

Dear Madame Speaker, Chairman Waxman, Chairman Rangel, and Chairman Miller:

We write to voice our opposition to the negotiated health care reform agreement under consideration in the Energy and Commerce Committee.

We regard the agreement reached by Chairman Waxman and several Blue Dog members of the Committee as fundamentally unacceptable. This agreement is not a step forward toward a good health care bill, but a large step backwards. Any bill that does not provide, at a minimum, for a public option with reimbursement rates based on Medicare rates - not negotiated rates - is unacceptable. It would ensure higher costs for the public plan, and would do nothing to achieve the goal of "keeping insurance companies honest," and their rates down.

To offset the increased costs incurred by adopting the provisions advocated by the Blue Dog members of the Committee, the agreement would reduce subsidies to low- and middle-income families, requiring them to pay a larger portion of their income for insurance premiums, and would impose an unfunded mandate on the states to pay for what were to have been Federal costs.

In short, this agreement will result in the public, both as insurance purchasers and as taxpayers, paying ever higher rates to insurance companies.

We simply cannot vote for such a proposal.

Sincerely,

My letter. Feel free to send one yourself here is the address: BlueDog@mail.house.gov
Dear Blue Dogs:

My family and I need health care. We need the public option because we all have serious pre-existing conditions; and, since we need and will always need healthcare, we are uninsurable. It doesn't make sense to me. It doesn't seem fair. Does this make sense to you? You probably don't care. You all have good health care. You listen and are bought by the greedy insurance companies, but the insurance companies can't vote, constituents do that. Millions of Americans are like me, we need you to act for us.

I live in Tennessee. 4 of the 5 Democratic Congressional folks are blue dogs. We gave the TNDP $$$$$ earlier this year; therefore, we have free passes to see President Clinton at the Jackson Day event. But that also means we will be seeing you who sold us out (Cooper, Gordon, Davis, and Tanner) I don't think I can be in the same room as you. The stakes are too important for me, I doubt I will be able to contain my seething anger. Remember though, 2010, you blue dog Dems are going to be gerrymandered out of your office. I won't send a dime, lift a finger to write a note, or even help you one iota. Your "Waterloo' is 2010. Good luck with that. You are on your own.

Sincerely,
Sandy XXXXX
Signal Mountain, Tennessee


Perhaps, I should have been kinder and gentler with the Blue Dogs, naahh... I have done that countless times over the years. This isn't the first time I ever contacted them, especially Rep. Lincoln Davis. I have pleaded with them to stop FISA, stop the war, stop the Military Commissions Act, on and on...to no avail. We now have a Democratic President, House and Senate, it is time to stop being kind to these so-called Dems who sabotage popular and needed health care reform. They have government health care, so why not us? It is time to demand they act like Democrats.

Weddings

I have to go tomorrow to one in Birmingham. Wonder if it will be like this one? I just love this.

David Gregory shills for Mark Sanford

NBC needs to remove Gregory from Meet The Press. David Gregory was NBC's White House Press Correspondent during the Bush years, so that should tell you something. Journalists like NYT's Maureen Dowd lost their White House pass status, while gay, male prostitutes with no experience were part of the WHPC. Guess that is why Gregory fit in so well during that time. Here is the email sent to Gov. Sanford's staff in order to get him on Meet the Press:


In case you can't read the email, here it is in larger font:

Look, you guys have a lot of pitches.. I get it and I know this is a tough situation... Let me say just this is a place to have a wider conversation with some context about not just the personal but also the future for him and the party... This situation only exacerbates the issue of how the GOP recovers when another national leader suffers a setback like this. So coming on Meet the Press allows you to frame the conversation how you really want to... and then move on. You can see you have done your interview and then move on. Consider it.

Big Blue over at the Big Orange sent an email to David Gregory concerning his so-called journalism. Here is Gregory's response:

Thanks for the email. I wasn't promising a friendly forum. I was offering a fair forum to discuss his problems. I meant my forum allows him to have the time to discuss the situation in a fullsome way, to say what he wants and move on. I appreciate your sensitivity on this. It's a fair question to ask. I have never pulled punches in an interview.

Thanks.

David.
David Gregory
Moderator, Meet the Press
NBC News

So he offered to discuss the situation in a fulsome way. Heh. First, Gregory misspelled fulsome. Secondly, fulsome according to Webster's means:

1. offensive to good taste, esp. as being excessive; overdone or gross: fulsome praise that embarrassed her deeply; fulsome décor.
2. disgusting; sickening; repulsive: a table heaped with fulsome mounds of greasy foods.
3. excessively or insincerely lavish: fulsome admiration.
4. encompassing all aspects; comprehensive: a fulsome survey of the political situation in Central America.
5. abundant or copious.

Great, so we can expect more pandering from David Gregory. Message to everyone: don't even bother turning on Meet the Press. Do the Sunday NYT crossword or fix breakfast, but don't even turn on NBC. This is ridiculous. Remember last year, David Gregory rapping with Karl Rove at the Correspondence Dinner? I felt ashamed just watching it. David Gregory has no integrity and he can't dance.

The Ballad of the Governor Quitter

Another great job from the Hockey Momma for Obama and the Moose. They make an adorable couple. Everyone let's sing... I feel quitty, oh so quitty...

Yes! The Dems Health Care Bill has a Public Option

Oh Thank Goodness! We are heading in the right direction. Today, House Democrats introduced a new Health Care Bill. I will provide updates as more information emerges from this huge pdf file. For now, here is the link for the Public Option. This is great news for the many of us with pre-existing conditions. From the insidious diseases to the insignificant, you will be covered. Let's fight for this.

Here we go:

PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION:

OVERVIEW

Available is the new Health Insurance Exchange along with all of the private health insurance plans available.

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD

Requires the public option to meet the same benefit requirements and comply with the same insurance market reforms as private plans.

Establish the public option’s premiums for the local market areas that are designated by the Exchange, just as other insurers do.

Individuals with affordability credits can choose among the private carriers and the public option.

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

Public option must be financially self-sustaining, as private plans are.

Public option will need to build start-up costs and contingency funds into its rates and adjust premiums annually in order to assure its financial viability, as private plans do.

INNOVATION AND COST CONTAINMENT

Promote primary care, encourage coordinated care and shared accountability, and improve quality.

Institute new payment structures and incentives to promote these critical reforms.

PROVIDER PAYMENTS AND PARTICIPATION

Initially utilizes rates similar to those used in Medicare with greater flexibility to vary payments.

Allow immediate integration of delivery reforms also contained in the bill.

Provider participation is voluntary – Medicare providers are presumed to be participating unless they opt out.

Just so you know

the truth about tinfoil hats. Please watch, then tell everyone (you trust, that is) with this news: they don't work and the government is behind this. Must watch.


The other important messages to come from this is we should not rely on faith always test first. Use the scientific method, remember that? If not, here it is, from wiki:

Define the question
Gather information and resources (observe)
Form hypothesis
Perform experiment and collect data
Analyze data
Interpret data and draw conclusions that serve as a starting point for new hypothesis
Publish results
Retest (frequently done by other scientists)

Michelle Obama wore her Talbot's dress in Moscow

and guess what? The dress is on sale right now at Talbot's. I thought about buying it for an upcoming wedding I am going to in Birmingham, but am not real sure about it. Michelle is 5'10 and looks fabulous, I am six inches shorter and am certain it will look like I am wearing a bedspread. Here she is (photo by Getty):


Earlier this year, she wore this same dress with a green sweater on the cover of Essence magazine.

Tiny Tea Parties

Looks like the teabagging movement shriveled up, from Kos Media:


Glad they didn't rain on our 4th of July Parade.

Happy 4th of July

Just returned from the Signal Mountain Parade. Here's some pics from today:

C'est moi.

Buddy and the Mayor (Dad)

Kids and Alaskan Malamute out enjoying the Parade.

Nice couple with their Boston Terrier enjoying the Parade.

Lots of folks are in the Parade.

Perfect automobile for a Parade.

Kids throwing out candy for the little ones.

Hey, it is good to see these two spectators out for the big Parade. Hi Mimi & Papaw.

Wow, it is the Hamilton County Democratic Party. Annie said they received lots of cheers from folks. Way to go, Ham Dems.

Happy 4th Everyone. Hope you enjoyed our little Parade. Now, must go get some barbecue.

Friday News Dump: Wasilly Sarah to Resign

Oh what is this about? I expected the Luv Guv from South Carolina to tender his resignation today, but instead Palin beat him to the draw. Hey, the day isn't over, be nice if we had two Family Values Repub Governors resign in one day.

Wonder what the story is about? All we know is she is stepping down effective at the end of this month. We know she is considering running for office in 2012, but this is a bit presumptive of her to step down this soon. There has to be more from the Wasilla Hillbilly than a 2012 run for President.

Family Values Guv of South Carolina

LOL! Didn't take the Internet long to come up with a good spoof.
Enjoy.

No Fool Like A Weak, Stingy, Old Family Values Fool

Over the weekend, I was feeling a little bummed not because Michael Jackson died, but rather because Jackson's death pushed the top media stories of Sanford and Iran off the front page. Sadly, Iran needs our media coverage and isn't getting any. But Governor Sanford's on his own volition and need to tell all, has brought the shameful story right back up to super-market tabloid status.

Recently, we heard the Guv and First Lady were working on their marriage and he spent time back at home with his kids. It was like a late Father's Day weekend for the Sanfords, but by Monday and Tuesday, Mark was behaving in a passive-aggressive manner towards his wife. This does not bode well for a couple trying to mend things. What it really means is he wants a divorce but doesn't have the guts to tell her or do it, so he purposely sabotages all the so-called work they did on their marriage.

Gov. Mark Sanford's statement that his concubine from Argentina is his "soulmate" and that he is "trying to fall back into love with his wife" was a fine example of a passive aggressive personality. No one, especially the AP, needed to know this information. It was designed to make him look like a love sick victim but instead it came off for what it is: a mean spirited comment. It also takes the onus off of him to beg for a divorce. With this insulting statement Jenny will seek a divorce (or so he hopes).

This type of behavior is hurting the Governor, his family and the people of South Carolina. It also shines another light on the hypocrisy of the GOP. 6 of the 27 South Carolina Conservative Republican Caucus have now called on Sanford to resign. Only 6, heh? That is quite revealing, too. I hope he doesn't resign. I hope he continues to quote the Bible to justify his sins. I hope he continues to act like some hapless soul out of a Gabriel Marquez novel. Sanford is keeping me entertained. Sanford is also showing how selfish, cruel and insincere people who wrap themselves in a cross and a flag really are.