The Watering Hole, Thursday, June 28th, 2012: Decisions, Decisions

Posted on by

On this, the day on which the Supreme Court is supposed to announce their decision regarding the individual mandate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), I offer first a few articles from Wednesday’s Washington Post:

In the first article, John Boehner issues a typical lugubrious pronoucement, and Eric Cantor chimes in, too:

“We’ve made it pretty clear and I’ll make it clear one more time: If the court does not strike down the entire law, the House will move to repeal what’s left of it,” House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) told reporters Wednesday morning. “‘Obamacare’ is driving up the cost of health care and making it harder for small businesses to hire new workers.”

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) added that the health law “was a mistake. We would like to see the kind of health care that will allow patients to make decisions, not bureaucrats here in Washington.”
[Yes, the kind of health care that will allow patients to make decisions, like whether they should get that needed prescription, or buy food. Patients, not bureaucrats, can make their own decisions unless the patient is a pregnant woman.]

“As we know, this bill has also presented big problems for our employers,” Cantor added. “Small businessmen and women are having a difficult time keeping the lights on, much less hiring new people. ‘Obamacare’ just makes it more difficult because it makes it more expensive for these business people to create jobs.”

[Then what was keeping those business people from creating jobs in the Bush years, before "Obamacare"?]

As I commented on an excellent article at our local online newspaper, the Southeast-Brewster Patch, “And does Speaker Boehner not see that the two are connected? Does he have any explanation as to WHY healthcare costs continue to rise? Do the Republicans who want to repeal the PPACA – and yes, some say “repeal and replace” – have any concrete solutions to the rising healthcare costs?”

Perhaps some of my questions were answered by this paragraph in the same WP article:

“Beyond their general comments, neither Boehner nor Cantor provided specifics on their path forward, waiting until the court rules before spelling out any further plans. But Republican aides have said in recent weeks that the House is unlikely to vote on any significant health-care-related legislation before the November elections — other than efforts to repeal the entire law if the high court doesn’t — preferring instead to keep focused on more overt attempts to boost job creation, strip away federal regulations and renew various tax cuts.”

[De-regulation, and tax cuts for the corporations - yeah, how'd that work out for Bush? Sigh]

I’ll leave you with two more articles from WP, one infuriating, one informative.

Possibly by the time you finish reading this post, the SCROTUS/SCREWEDUS (thanks, RUC) will have announced their decision. Hopefully, we won’t have to see a repeat of this:

Justice Antonin Scalia

UPDATE: The SCOTUS has decided that the Individual Mandate is Constitutional, read the text of the decision here.

This is our daily open thread — have at it!

About these ads

322 thoughts on “The Watering Hole, Thursday, June 28th, 2012: Decisions, Decisions”

  3. According to MSNBC, this is a huge victory for Obama.

    The best thing will be Romney out there pissing and moaning about everyone having access to affordable health care.

    • Indeed. In a sense this a punt. They strike it down under the provisions that Obama was arguing… and thus gives a victory to the Conservatives.

      In the other sense it upholds the essence of the entire thing so the Democrats get a victory out of this too.

  5. Roberts has joined the left wing of the Court that declared the mandate constitutional.

  6. They’ve struck down the Medicaid expansion… I’m guessing that was in part to the Feds requiring States to do something…

    • I think it was a penalty for the states. Something like if they didn’t do XYZ, then their Medicaid money is withheld or reduced.

      I still think Medicare for all is an easier solution. If the repiggies were smart, thye’d start pushing for Medicare for all RIGHT NOW. Spin it so that this whole health care reform was their idea alone, and they are here to save us.

      They won’t do that, of course.

  8. Fox is all excited about how they’ve struck down the Medicaid expansion. I’ll summarize what Megyn Kelly just said: “Nanny-nanny-boo-boo.”

  10. Fox is now going with a quote from Obama in 2009 saying this isn’t a tax increase. They just can not help themselves when it comes to hatred for this president.

  11. Hemmer is deflated that Roberts would side with (and he said this with contempt) “the left wing” of this court.

    • The thing is that right now, I’m not able to afford health insurance at any price. I can’t afford to pay the tax either, so it’s a good thing they won’t come after me for that (I hope).

      I’d rather have some sort of health coverage. I’m one of those left behind in this health care reform, I guess.

  13. RNC Chairman Reince Preibus responded on Twitter to the ruling: “Just elect Romney. We need [full repeal].”

    *snort*

  15. in a weird way, this brings Obama back to his position in the primaries, when he opposed a mandate and Clinton supported one.

  16. From TPM:

    Justice Anthony Kennedy, reading from the dissenting opinion, says: ”In our view, the entire Act before us is invalid in its entirety,” according to SCOTUSblog.

    Kennedy joins Justices Antonin Scalia, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas in the dissent. The law was upheld 5-4.

    That is a very sharp divide in the court.

    • Ohhhhh, the repiggies made a big deal about two of them being inside the SCROTUS for the decision, and then they’d come out immediately to speak at the microphones. Wonder what happened to that? ;)

        • I just heard the Boner canceled his comments scheduled for today. He’s having a good cry instead — he’s been practicing spiking the ball all week.

    • House Speaker Boehner Issues Statement on the Supreme Court’s Healthcare Ruling

      “The president’s healthcare law is hurting our economy by driving up health costs and making it harder for small businesses to hire. Today’s ruling underscores the urgency of repealing this harmful law in its entirety.

      “What Americans want is a common-sense, step-by-step approach to healthcare reform that will protect Americans’ access to the care they need, from the doctor they choose, at a lower cost.

      “Republicans stand ready to work with a president who will listen to the people and will not repeat the mistakes that gave our country Obamacare.”

        • Yes. For everyone. For every man, woman, child, for every person on these shores whether citizen or alien, legal or illegal. Health first is a whole lot cheaper than illness, contagion, and death first. Easy to pay for: no more wars, cut the military budget by 90%, increase tax rates on corporate profits and on millionaires. No more Romney’s who make 25 million a year and pay a massive 14% tax rate. NO MAS! Fifty percent, not a penny less, ever!

  19. Now the repiggies are going to be forced to conduct their contempt vote against Holder in full daylight.

    Nail, meet coffin.

  20. Tweet of the Day (so far):

    “benshapiro ‏@benshapiro
    This is the greatest destruction of individual liberty since Dred Scott. This is the end of America as we know it. No exaggeration.”

    – No exaggeration at all. Upholding slavery vs giving more people basic healthcare

    • Yet he’s okay with Marburry vs Madison when the Supreme Court granted ITSELF powers that aren’t in the constitution?

      • Syndicated columnist, bestselling author, Harvard Law grad, Breitbart.com Editor-At-Large, Freedom Center Shillman Journalism Fellow.

        ‘Nuff said.

  21. I dunno, the ACA is still a flawed and poor substitute for what many in the country need and insurance companies are still in the middle of it… sociopaths do not make good doctors.

    The decision of the week for me was the refusal to hear the Montana challenge to Citizens United – that snuck by very quietly, the media paid little attention to it.

  22. Ok here I am. To give it to you in a nutshell, my mom is very sick with Leukemia and all hell was breaking loose, because my sister picked this time for a family feud. I can’t go to my mom’s place regularly because my older son was hospitalized with a severe depression (much better now) and is still, of course, fairly vulnerable, so he needs a stable situation. My sis, however wants it to be us and us alone to take care of mom and all, my brother, too, refuse to accept outside care by a nurse. Even though I am prepared to pay for that.

    So happy to be back

    • Glad to have you back, EV, although I’m sorry about everything you’re having to go through.

      i’m sorry, but your sister and brother are being ridiculous.

      • Oh they are, but they have found a way to fight over something else, that’ll keep their minds off things :roll:

    • Glad that you are back and okay. Sorry to hear about the family troubles. Hope your son gets better. Brothers and sisters can be troubling during times of illness. Everyone is afraid and some have a more difficult time handling their fear.

      • Cats, thanks, I do think that is mostly it. My sister and brother and me have never been really close, always resentful and fighting. So in this dire situation it is too much to expect this to change.

    • Good to hear from you EV. I’m sorry about your mom. In caring for my mom during her last years I often had to choose between her needs and my son’s. My son came first and had my mother not been out of her mind that is exactly the priority she would have advised me to adopt. I hope your family finds peace.

      • Thanks outstanding. Yes, that’s what we’d tell our kids, too and whenever my mom is stable she says that’s the way it should go. But she cannot bring herself to accept outside and my siblings don’t help me trying to convince her for her own good. Sigh.

    • So sorry to hear about your mom and feuding with family. Very stressful. I hope you are taking care of yourself.

      • Thanks ll, I try to and I have very helpful supportive people around. You all included.

    • EV, don’t give in on getting outside care – I KNOW how horrible it is to have to personally provide a mother’s nursing care. You HAVE to have outside help or you’ll all go crazy.

      • I so agree. I keep up the fight, but my brother’s starry eyed comment “She has the best care there is. She has her family” summarizes my siblings’ stand perfectly. Mind, he’s not there even, the bulk of care is done by my sister. There is absolutely no way around getting help for my sister’s and my mother’s sake. Still, they refuse.

        • I was wondering if your brother was all that involved. Afterall, I didn’t even know you had a brother until today. I think you should brace yourself for any blame that will be thrown out there for “not helping.” :(

          • That is already the case. But I can deal with that. I have 25 years of experience, ever since my father passed away.

  23. Wow, the wingnuts are just devouring Roberts and eviscerating Bush for nominating him.

    Fickled.

      • Marco Rubio was on the Daily Show the other evening. His statements made it perfectly clear that the Republicans want it all their way and no other way. They are like 2 year olds with temper tantrums.

    • I think Kennedy and Roberts flipped a coin in the back room as to who was going to take the hit? I’ll bet Kenedy told Roberts: “Man, I just cannot take anymore death threats from the RWNJ’s. Can you take one for the team?” ;-)

    • That’s $7 Billion more than that mere $2 Billion that thye said wasn’t a problem.

  26. Boehner sez: ““What Americans want is a common-sense, step-by-step approach to healthcare reform that will protect Americans’ access to the care they need, from the doctor they choose, at a lower cost.”

    But the Republicans don’t want to give Americans what Boehner describes. The Rs want the “free market” to take care of it all, and if Americans can’t afford healthcare, they just have to tighten their belts, make themselves some bootstraps by which to pull themselves up, and use the ER for their healthcare!

  27. I confess to being stunned by the SCOTUS ruling and am eagerly looking forward to a Right Wing meltdown. There was a prescient comment made this week (Plum Line?) noting that Scalia had been bitchier than usual of late and speculating that something really important had not gone his way–as in ACA ruling.

    And speaking of Scalia, this tweet from the Far Right Catholic Fuckwad:

    • I heard someone else say something to that effect about Scalia’s over the top bitchiness about Obama and immigration, so I’m not all that surprised about today’s ruling.

      Scalia ought to resign. I’m a jerk, too. :lol:

  28. Facebook status update from “Politics with Jarred and Dave”:

    I am in Amsterdam, and I just wanted to let you know that they are cheering our Supreme Court here in The Netherlands. I’ve been to about 7 or 8 pubs today so far to gauge reaction, and at each pub I was bought a beer, slapped on the back, and told something akin to about fucking time mate! They are proud of Obama, and of our Supreme Court, if not a bit curious as to what took us so long to get this far. We have definite European support, if The Netherlands is any indicator of the political temperature here in Europe! Hey trolls, does this mean The Netherlands is a communist country too?

    America will someday be a grown up nation. I hope I live to see it.

    • Having European Support will only solidify the RWNJs opinion that Obama is a European Socialist.

    • Years ago, I hoped I, too, would live to see the nation grow up, become the special place that was once under construction. Then in 1968 RFK was murdered, Nixon was elected, and my aging process began immediately to pick up a full head of steam. Then came Reagan, a pair of Bushes, and now the possibility of an adherent to the philosophy of Moroni has popped up. So, therefore, today my last remaining hope is that I don’t have to live long enough to watch the country’s total collapse. I’m not optimistic that that sole remaining hope will be realized, though. Been feeling better of late than anyone of my age deserves.

      Maybe a bottle of good Scotch will work … I’ll keep you posted if and when the next Social Security raise makes purchase of same possible!

  29. I’m reading SO much blather from the Right it’s just amazing. I honestly cannot believe this many Americans are retarded and think this way.

    • Keep in mind that all that blather is coming from individuals who have nothing else to do with their lives than post online. I’m not saying that there aren’t any enormous number of ignorant citizens regurgitating all the crap they have been fed, but the commenters don’t represent a very large population.

      I did have a co-worker yapping at FB about “repealing Obamacare” a few days ago; I felt compelled to remind her that it’s easy for her to say because she’s got one of the sweetest health plans imaginable because of her employer. “Yeah, but rates are going up because of Obamacare!” And again, I reminded her that she’s paying zero into the system because of her union contract.

  30. The real win here may be that the Court has also validated its own reputation.

  31. “… What Congress is not free to do is to penalize States that choose not to participate in that new program by taking away their existing Medicaid funding.”

    I think the key word here is “existing”. The states already receive Medicaid funding and the court states that the current funding cannot be tied into any ACA Medicaid funding. That’s what it sounds like to me. Perhaps our lawyer Critter could explain this better.

  33. My understanding Cats is that under the ACA Medicaid is to be expanded to reach more people. States that refuse to expand cannot be forced by the feds, by withholding current funding, to comply.

  35. Is it just me, or does anyone else think Romney just delivered the kiss of death to his presidential campaign?

      • It wasn’t so much the same old trot out of lies, it was his body language. He looked like a whipped dog.

        It warmed my heart. ;)

      • It’s too soon for it to be online, but it was so short, I expect that it will be shown on MSNBC throughout the day.

          • It costs a bazillion dollars, raises taxes, blah blah blah, some weirdness about pre-existing conditions, and he’ll repeal it on day one of his presidency. It was a real face plant IMHO.

            • He might need to read the constitution (for the first time)… the president doesn’t have the unilateral power to repeal a law enacted by Congress, signed into law, and upheld by the Supreme Court.

            • Oh yeah, he blathered on about people losing the coverage they already have (lie), it’s “bad policy,” Obamacare adds to the deficit, kills jobs, and puts the government between you and your doctor. Gee, the insurance companies will be upset about losing their spot, right?

              Defeat the Liberal agenda! :lol:

        • I don’t have TV so I couldn’t hear what he had to say. HuffPo has a headline without further details that stated that Romney would repeal health care.

          • Here’s House’s link for watching MSNBC. I bet it will be on Rachel and Ed tonight. I’ll keep an eye out for the video.

          • I bought a new flatscreen tv last fall, which is one of the reasons I do not watch any news coverage at all–I can’t afford to replace it after I punch it into the wall.

            And, honestly, I put HuffPo in the same category these days.

  36. 8:02 AM – Today
    Justice Roberts, ‘Coward’?
    CorbinHiar @ CorbinHiar : The Wikipedia entry on Justice Roberts now reads he is a “coward.” http://t.co/2fBG6w9Q Via @Gilshefler.

  40. QOTD:

    “Roberts peered into the abyss of a world in which he and his colleagues are little more than Senators with lifetime appointments, and he recoiled. The long-term war over the shape of the state goes on, but the crisis of legitimacy has been averted. I have rarely felt so relieved.” — Jonathan Chait.

  41. What a great day for our country! No, it’s not perfect, but it’s an acknowledgement that government has a role to play in providing access to health care to everyone. I don’t want to live in a country where people have to die because they can’t pay for their medical care.

      • Well if you watch South Park the tops of their heads are disconnected form the rest of their bodies, eh – when they talk you can see right through their heads, eh? ….. seriously, we’re supposed to be worried about the Mexicans? There is something funny in the water up there… I tell ya, eh?

    • Hello. This is dycker. How may I help you?

      Oh yes, we have assholes. Remember, our government is run by a Conservative Stepford Husband.

      When it comes to hockey, we certainly have assholes. Never, ever go see a minor hockey game. The players parents can be extreme assholes. Then we have the ‘mature’ assholes who think fighting is such an integral part of the game that there is no way in hell they would accept the game without it.

      • Ah yes, Dictator-for-life Stephen Harper forgot about him – don’t like parliament’s decision, f***ing dissolve that sucker….. yes he’s an asshole.

        • Not to mention other Harper decisions such as not allowing government scientists to talk about their findings without passing it by Harper’s minions. He’s got a majority now so he thinks he is the Dictator-for-life.

    • Team Mitt must not have gotten the memo about dropping the ‘REPLACE’ part of that plan.

      • Obama is always one step ahead of team Romney because Romney just repeats everything that Obama has already heard coming from the right. Republicans are usually good at “showing their hand”. I would love to play poker with them.

    • Thank you for the link. Romney does not come off as a strong leader. He speaks like Bob Dole… boring. His response sounds like it was written by the Koch Brothers. It should be labeled: Koch Brothers response as delivered by Romney.”

      • Speaking of Koch brothers… just heard that they just purchased an $8.2 Billion ad buy in battleground states against this health care ruling…..

        • What new information will they provide? Won’t it just be the same old, same old teabagger rantings? The thing is, there are parts of the health care bill already in effect and if people get rebate checks in August, they might not be as easily swayed by the Koch Brothers and their anti-American ads.

          • Nothing will convince those helped by the ACA that it is a bad thing and nothing will convince the Teabaggers that it is a good thing, so perhaps you are correct and it won’t matter that much except to incite the people that already watch Fox News.

  45. Coming in late, but a good day for America. Roberts finally lives up to his confirmation process. Once. Hoorah.

    • I think he was worried about how the court looks. I don’t think he has been enlightened. He is still the corporate shill that he was hired to be.

      • That’s because the decision supports a bill which is itself not that damaging, if at all, to the corporations. The sociopaths are still making decisions about people’s lives for profit…. Roberts didn’t lose much by his decision and by talking about it as a tax, Boner can put away his hanky and start playing that card as the next summer of debt-ceiling douchebaggery gets underway again.

  46. Romney looks very lost in a way. He seems out of his depth all along in this whole campaign. He looks like did or does count on being a shoo-in just because people hate Obama and the economy is bad. Now it looks like he thoroughly misunderstood the situation and is now at a loss what to do. And there is no fight in him. He is a manager, not a fighter.

    • Romney doesn’t show leadership strengths. He looks weak and unsure of himself. Romney is like a talking doll. Pull the string and out comes pre-programmed words. Once again, Obama demonstrated that he is a strong leader. He told the courts to take on this health care fight because he was ready and he got Osama bin Laudan.

    • My favorite comment thus far, from an outraged right wing nut on WaPo’s site:
      “If I owned a business I’d shut it down tomorrow!”
      I wonder if this non-business involves plumbing?

    • No government program that provides a social safety net has ever been voted down. Obamacare is here to stay, right along with Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid. Rebate checks are coming in August AND seniors are paying less for their medication. People won’t recognize the “tax” that Roberts pointed to because it hasn’t happened yet and won’t happen until 2014, long after the 2012 election. Obama is very smart.

  48. Does Romney’s pledge to repeal Obamacare on Day One mean that the SCOTUS might pull another Bush v. Gore in order for him to do it?

    • Romney has virtually no only argument in defense of his own almost identical law in Massachusetts. And so the GOP candidate will be running against his own record in his own state on no rational grounds whatever. And against a Chief Justice appointed by George W. Bush.

      Perfect.

  49. I read this yesterday. Will Wilkinson totally nailed it:

    “Roberts, writing for the majority, will offer a hyper-casuistical decision that discovers in standing commerce clause precedent principled grounds for ruling in an insurance mandate while ruling out congress’ power to mandate purchase of any goods and services that don’t begin with an “i” and end with an “e”, and aren’t ice or iodine. To brighten the dashed hopes of conservatives, the “Why there can never be a broccoli mandate” section of Roberts’ decision will on the whole narrow Congress’ commerce-clause regulatory powers. However, in their very great relief, and schadenfreude over bitter conservative disappointment, liberals will largely miss the minor revolution contained in Roberts’ sly scholasticism.”

    http://bigthink.com/the-moral-sciences-club/scotus-obamacare-prediction

    • Wow, only thing he got wrong was the commerce clause basis, Roberts stuck a small knife in Obama’s back aswell with the ‘tax’ basis.

      Hey CNN – you should give this guy a job and fire your whole SCOTUS team.

  50. Here’s a GREAT read about Scalia and this decision:

    “There’s something quite odd in my view about the Scalia opinion in the back. It’s not a Scalia rant by and large; in fact it reads at the outset rather majestically, like he’s delivering the opinion of the court. Even more strangely, it refers repeatedly to the “Ginsburg dissent,” but Ginsburg is in the majority on most issues. What’s all this about? Were the tables turned midway? Did Roberts first sign on to Scalia’s opinion and then bail on him? Is that what Ginsburg was ribbing Scalia over in her ACS remarks? I suspect there is an amazing an untold backroom story behind this decision. It may be a while before we learn it. But the sense I have is that Scalia had the votes to take a sledgehammer to ACA, and then lost Roberts. Was it Scalia’s overreaching and his overheated rhetoric that did him in? This may make an excellent Supreme Court mystery. But it points in the end to the complicated and rather ornery personality of Nino Scalia as a real burden for the court’s conservatives.”

    • Maybe the conservatives will ‘encourage’ Nino to retire. Oh wait, there’s a black Democrat in the White House so they can only wait and see what happens in November. If Obama is re-elected, which I believe he will be, then the conservatives will just have to bite the bullet and live with their pain.

  51. This is fun and worth reading: http://tinyurl.com/6ux4ls5

    The best part is the meltdown in the comments. A favorite:

    The CONSTITUTION IS DEAD,,,, it took the romans 900 years to reach the point amerika has reached in just over 200 years,,,,,, if interested google the communist manifesto ,,,, we are now under communism,,,, kruschev was right, we were taken over with out firing a shot.

    So the Visigoths were commies? Rome had universal health care? What am I missing?

    • From your link, Rush’s own meltdown. I think the conservatives should all leave if they feel the country is dead.

      Rush Limbaugh Melts Down At Obamacare Supreme Court Decision – Business Insider

      “Between the Arizona and Obamacare decisions, America is a very different concept than it was just a week ago,” Limbaugh said. “In the United States of America, you either purchase what central authorities tell you to purchase or they will punish you with taxes. In America, states are not allowed to fully protect their citizens from the slow-motion invasion across their borders.”

      • Funny. Before today’s decision Lushbo was claiming the ruling on SB 1070 was a victory for the Reichwhiners. But, now that the SCOTUS did something he doesn’t like, he has to condemn all of their decisions. Not that his brain-dead worshipers will even notice the change. As long as Lushbo is raving they don’t even notice the content.

        • Frankly, I’d like to see a swap: Republicans for Mexican nationals (legal or illegal, no worries). Open the borders in both directions with the only proviso being that for every Mexican that becomes a US citizen, one Republican has to renounce and relocate elsewhere. Offshore, south of the border, whatever. Elsewhere. Forever.

          That way we’d have a chance as a nation again, both politically and “cosmetically.” Plus, I happen to have a lot of respect for those of Spanish surname. My SIL and her family, my older adopted daughter, and a LOT of friends are all … well, you know. Very good people. As opposed to most Republicans I know.

          Anyway, that’s my IODT (idea of the day — don’t get any ideas about playing with it!) :grin:

      • The reason that Rush is upset is because HIS taxes will increase. As for individuals making less than $200,000/yr, there will be no tax increase. That rich tub of lard known as Limbaugh just can’t have enough. The really sad part about Rush is that he is afraid to leave his house which makes him a prisoner in his own home.

    • I was just going to ask if Limbaugh’s head exploded today and my god, it did. Guess Becky will be throwing things and writing on his chalk board on his pay for view Internet show.

      • It was hard to find (he’s almost completely faded into obscurity)… but Becky is mad at George Bush and this destroys Bush’s legacy. Legacy as what exactly?

        Glenn Beck On Health Care Decision: The GOP Are ‘Full of Crap’ ‘Cowards’ And ‘This Destroys Bush’s Legacy’ | Mediaite

        BURGUIERE: This destroys Bush’s legacy amongst conservatives.
        BECK: Oh, it’s done. Done. How are you feeling, Mr. Bush? You know, I’ve gotten some heat for saying George Bush was a progressive. Screw you. George Bush was a progressive. He was a progressive. Progressive light. He wasn’t as bad as Barack Obama. He was a progressive. Admit it. And if you don’t admit that you have a problem, you’re never going to be able to cure it.

      • This was sent from a sisters-in-law mother:

        Dear God,

        I know that I don’t talk to you that much,
        but this year you have taken away:
        my favorite visionary Steve Jobs,
        my favorite author Ray Bradbury,
        my favorite children’s author Maurice Sendak,
        my favorite American Bandstand guy Dick Clark,
        my favorite hairdresser Vidal Sassoon,
        my favorite Monkee Davy Jones,
        my favorite 60 Minutes guy Mike Wallace,
        and my favorite singer Whitney Houston.

        I just wanted to let you know
        that my favorite radio announcer is Rush Limbaugh.

        Amen.

  52. It’s all about the broccoli…

    The ‘Broccoli Horrible’: Obama Loses The Broccoli Battle, But Wins The War

    Ginsburg tried to explain some of the ways in which broccoli (or a car) are different from health care:

    Although an individual might buy a car or a crown of broccoli one day, there is no certainty she will ever do so. And if she eventually wants a car or has a craving for broccoli, she will be obliged to pay at the counter before receiving the vehicle or nourishment. She will get no free ride or food, at the expense of another consumer forced to pay an inflated price.

    • Clever framing manuever.
      The use of the feminine instead of gender neutral.

  53. Rand Paul is in the denial stage…

    Rand Paul on health care ruling: ‘Obamacare’ is still unconstitutional – POLITICO.com

    “Just because a couple people on the Supreme Court declare something to be ‘constitutional’ does not make it so. The whole thing remains unconstitutional,” the freshman lawmaker said in a statement. “While the court may have erroneously come to the conclusion that the law is allowable, it certainly does nothing to make this mandate or government takeover of our health care right.”

    • There’s a lot of that going around: just because the Supreme Court says it’s constitutional doesn’t mean it is! We all know it’s not! I confess I fully expected to spend the next few (many) days reading nothing but smug and depressing comments from the Right, especially the trolls. They weren’t any more prepared for this than I was, although they have latched on to the “Obama lied and now we have the hugest tax increase in the history of the world!”

    • I didn’t know that a medical degree made one a constitutional scholar also.

  54. Too much traffic to read through everything so forgive me if this has been covered.

    I just love the way the Reichwhiners have turned on Roberts. But, perhaps the best part, is the feigned surprise by the media. Apparently they keep forgetting that Reichwhiners save their greatest outrage for their own who fail to uphold the GOP no matter what.

    http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/06/28/508295/conservative-republicans-turn-on-former-hero-chief-justice-john-roberts/

  56. Just for giggles… saw this on facebook. It was a tweet by Michael Signorile.
    “Conservatives planning on leaving US, but can’t find wealthy western democracy without universal health care.”

  58. How is somebody with my short attention span supposed to read over 200 comments. Anybody have a synopsis of the day here?

  59. I haven’t had time to catch up on all the news but it does seem the consensus from the Right on today’s decision is…”Our butts hurt.”

  61. Did anybody see Nancy Pelosi spank their butts at hearing regarding contempt for Holder? Of course all those whiny babies did was cry louder.

  66. OT – I started reading “Me the People – one man’s selfless quest to rewrite the Constitution” by Kevin Bleyer. It’s great satire.

    Now back to the regularly scheduled program.

  69. The House of Representatives has voted to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress by a vote of 255-67. One Democrat voted present. 17 Democrats voted for the resolution, while two Republicans voted against it.

    17 disloyal assholes.

  70. Apparently, contempt for Congress is a crime which means I need to hire a lawyer.

    • Wait. I have contempt for Congress…especially a Republican led Congress.

  73. Received an email today which ably sums up my sentiments in re the completely bogus attitude and agenda of Congress viz wildfires and environmental destruction relative to their enduring love affair with fossil fuel industries and assorted/associated billionaires. It reads as follows, with a simple ‘take action’ link embedded. Takes only a few seconds.

    Dear Friends,

    It’s been incredibly sad to watch wildfire after wildfire ravaging much of the western United States this week. It will take years to recover from the damage.

    But the wildfires have also been incredibly infuriating. Over the last two years, Congress has voted to cut federal funding for preventing and putting out wildfires by $512 million, but has maintained over $10 billion a year in fossil fuel subsidies. Instead of funding climate solutions or vital public programs, our tax-dollars are giving the fossil fuel industry a performance bonus for wrecking the climate.

    And now we’re seeing the impacts: the snowpack in Colorado this June 1 was only 2 percent of normal, and bark beetle infestations have turned forests into tinderboxes. Last week, temperatures in Denver soared to 104 degrees, one of the thousands of warm temperature records broken this year — and scientists recently announced that 2012 had the warmest spring ever recorded in the United States.

    It gets worse: scientists predict that in the western United States the number of acres burned by wildfires will double by late this century if temperatures keep increasing at their current rate. That’s not a future we can leave for our children.

    Our campaign to take on the fossil fuel industry is gaining momentum: over a million people have now signed petitions calling for an end to these outrageous industry handouts. Now, we need to keep turning up the heat on our politicians to do the right thing.

    Let’s tell Congress that it’s time to end fossil fuel subsidies — and stop funding climate disasters like the fires now ravaging the west: http://www.350.org/fires

    This week’s wildfires clearly show what’s at stake in this fight. Please forward this email (or share the link above) so that your friends and family can also connect the dots between wildfires, climate change, and how the fossil fuel industry is helping cause the crisis.

    Many thanks,

    Jamie

    • The 30′s gave us the Dust Bowl. The Teens give us a firestorm. When the clouds of ash (like the dust clouds) reach Manhattan and DC, someone might figure out something is wrong.

      • Don’t bet on it this time…Oh the democrats might figure it out but the republicans will be too busy obstructing, playing political theater, while representing their financial and corporate overlords.

        • I hope fracking destroys Cheney’s fishing streams…. but then he’ll just move on to the next one….

    • America currently has 11 carrier groups in the Navy. Each carrier flight group consists of Two Strike Fighter (VFA) Squadrons with 12-14 F/A-18F Super Hornets;
      Two Strike Fighter (VFA) Squadrons of 10-12 F/A-18C Hornets, with one of these often provided by a U.S. Marine Corps Fighter Attack (VMFA) Squadron;
      One Electronic Attack (VAQ) Squadron of 4-6 EA-6B Prowlers or EA-18G Growlers;
      One Carrier Airborne Early Warning (VAW) Squadron of 4-6 E-2C Hawkeyes;
      A detachment from a Fleet Logistics Support (VRC) Squadron Detachment of 2 C-2 Greyhounds;
      One Helicopter Antisubmarine (HS) Squadron of 6-8 SH-60F & HH-60H Seahawks or Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC) Squadron of 5-6 MH-60S Seahawks;
      One Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) Squadron of 5 MH-60R Seahawks.

      Our current civilian firefighting air capacity is 9 planes for the entire US. Not sure how many helos but too damn few.

      • Add in a LA class fast attack boat.
        We’re on fire in VA too, though not like out west. We have one helicopter working the fire, capacity = 90 gal.

      • Its amazing. We spend billions of dollars to have 11 carrier groups stocked with all sorts of planes on the possibility that someday we might need them yet we can’t spend a few million for firefighting aircraft for the US when we know we will need them, every year. Granted it will only be for a few months and it might vary from year to year but it makes more sense for America to spend a few million on us than many billions on airplanes we haven’t seriously used in decades.

        • The Air Force brought in a pair of C-130′s the other day to help fight the Waldo Canyon wildfire in Colorado Springs. They were sent to Pueblo for loading, then returned to air drop slurry on the fire. Of course, the US Air Force Academy is in Colorado Springs and was considered to be in danger — even evacuated, at least for a time, so it’s hardly surprising that the military actually came by to help fight the fire. But overall, ‘tools’ such as aircraft and helicopters are woefully rare, even when compared with a few years ago. Penny pinching has its costs.

          Of course, all we’re talking about losing are mass acreages of National Forests plus homes in small towns and/or subdivisions, ranches, wildlife habitat, private and commercial properties, scenic pastorales, etc. Nothing important, iow, not when it comes to money which is FAR better spent on shit like carrier groups, wars in countries most people have only recently learned to spell (and still can’t locate on a map). Oh, and can’t forget the billions in tax credits to the fossil fuel industry and its billionaires. First things first, always. Screw the little people, the bears and trees, birds, canyons, mountains, etc. They ain’t got no money, ergo they ain’t got no worth, no power. Worthless expenses is all any of that shit is, you know.

          Trying to sound like a Republican isn’t all that tricky. Not all that pleasant, either. Of course, living in a dying country isn’t exactly a scenario from which dreams are made, but hey, reality is reality. And how sad that notion is proving to be.

  74. It’s quite obvious now that the Supreme Court justices are nothing but a bunch of Marxist, socialist, commie, pinko bastards… ;)

    Now about that Citizens United decision.

    • Elect Democrats in November and we can start the Constitutional amendment that defines and limits campaign contributions. There needs to be a clause that removes the “people” definition from corporation.

    • Even in this decision, I read an interesting opinion (which I now can’t find – sorry), that suggested that Roberts still nudged things to the right with this decision. They clearly reined in Congressional power under the Commerce Clause, which many scholars (including Obama) thought would cover this law. That part of this will have implications for years to come.

  76. Why is it that the democrats always seem so stunned by the actions of the republicans? Haven’t they learned anything over the past few years? They are driven by their hatred for President Obama and their quest for power, to win at any cost. There’s only one way to fight a bully, democrats.

    And now for my ‘is my tin foil hat on crooked’ segment:

    The Bush administration, Fast & Furious, October Surprise, NRA, GOP, illegal arms sales by government agencies, Iran/Contra…what do these things make me think about and ponder with tin foil hat sitting tightly on my head?

    Would it really be too far out there to think that its possible that someone with connections not only to the ATF, but also with the border patrol, NRA and the GOP could have actually planted this alleged traced and sold weapon next to the body of the fallen ATF agent? For future fall out against Obama months before an election??? .

    • It wouldn’t surprise me. I hope that the media give more attention to the true story. The Republicans have thrown up a strawman with their charges against Holder. They are protecting their sponsors, the NRA. The truth always finds a way of coming to the surface and it would be great if the truth gets full coverage in September and October, right before the election.

    • As I understand it the ATF tried to run it as a sting but couldn’t find anyone to prosecute. They didn’t have to plant any guns, they actually did go to Mexico because no prosecutor in AZ would go after anyone.

      • The ATF didn’t sell any guns. They were targeting people that were purchasing large number of guns that were re-selling the guns to drug lords. They couldn’t get any prosecutors to file charges against these gun buyers because of the loosey-goosey gun laws in Arizona.

    • ip, with all of the other overt activities that the right wingers have been involved in over the last few years, your theory about covert activities isn’t too far-fetched.

    • I don’t think the weapon they found was used in the murder. Funny how they don’t talk about that any more.

  78. With all that happened today, the most (temporarily) relieved man in the US is Jamie Dimon. It’s rare that you can lose at least $9 billion and no one seems to notice.

    • Come on, he only lost an additional 7 billion or so. But his timing is pretty good.

  79. OutstandingInMyField: The corn fields were too wet for the pickers who were sitting around waiting for the sun to do its job. I had blackened chicken for dinner instead.

    • That’s a shame, both the revised dinner plans and the loss of wages for the pickers.

      • The sun got hot by 11 AM and since the grower supplies local supermarkets I’m certain they picked corn, maybe until sunset.

    • Heh…. Glad you stopped by…. I have a question for you fro last night: Did you really bitch slap Michael Reagan?

        • Yes I did in 1963 at the Yellowstone Lodge. I was, amongst other college students working there for the summer. My memory says he was working on the other side of Old Faithful at the Inn. Anyway, short story, he insulted my lady, and would’nt leave her alone. I invited him to meet me on the back dock behind the lodge kitchen. To his credit he showed up, and I told him to knock it off, to which he gave me a smartass reply that furthur insulted Alix, and I slapped him hard, and he scurried off. I never again resorted to violence. Before I left Old Faithful and the park I did perform a felonious act that may still be active as it was a federal offense. But it was great and my parents witnessed it, but not knowing I was involved. Anyway try to get that one out of me. ;)

          • The statute of limitations has probably run… :D

            BTW, thank you for bitch slapping Michael Reagan in my most favorite spot in the world. I love it even more now.

            • Yes it is a special place. Tell me, if you traveled hundreds of miles, on your once a year vacation, putting up with the kids screaming “are we there yet?”, hot, tired of dodging people and fauna, all for the reward of seeing one of nature’s most spectacular displays, getting to Old Faithful just after it blew, and had to wait another 58 minutes before it spewed again, hungry children, a downtroden wife wondering if being married to you was worth it, but wait you did, rationalizing to your family why the wait was worth it, and Teddy Roosevelt was a supreme human being for protecting these lands for all Americans to see, and feel proud of, and the moment once again presented itself, she’s getting ready to blow, and then…wait for it…she, Old Faithful blew PINK water.

            • I’d love Old Faithful no matter what color she blew. :)

              And I’ve never had a wife, and my men were old enough to know if they piss and moaned, they’d get the “icky mama face ™,” but I do worship at the altar of Teddy Roosevelt for creating and protecting our national parks. Just imagine if he hadn’t…

            • Believe me, it was my pleasure, even more so when I discovered years ago what an asshole he grew up to be, or continued to be.

  82. I keep randomly flipping over to Fox. Excluding the times when it’s a commercial, every time I flip it over, withing 15 seconds I hear the word tax.

  83. QOTD IV:

    “Let’s talk about [US Supreme Court Chief Justice John] Roberts. I’m going to tell you something that you’re not going to hear anywhere else, that you must pay attention to. It’s well known that Roberts, unfortunately for him, has suffered from epileptic seizures. Therefore he has been on medication. Therefore neurologists will tell you that medication used for seizure disorders, such as epilepsy, can introduce mental slowing, forgetfulness and other cognitive problems. And if you look at Roberts’ writings you can see the cognitive disassociation in what he is saying,” – rightwing radio host, Michael Savage.

    GOP cannibalism continues….

Comments are closed.