Buffalo Boy's Blog
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Big Eddie Talking Repuke Fear Tactics
Its a shame that Repukes have been reduced to fear tactics to persuade the small group they have left the Tea Baggers or partiers what ever the hell is left of the GOP, but that is all they have. They refuse to work with President Obama even with the extraordinary effort Obama has put into including them what few ideas they have come up with on healthcare.
All the Repukes from Limbaugh on down to Michael Steele and John Boner....I mean Boehner....or is it Boner....what ever, have left is scare tactics, calling healthcare reform socialist without really referring to the real definition of socialism and just making it sound so scary, or telling people how the president is running up debt when in reality it was George W. Bush who got us where we are, Obama is using a spend as you go philosophy which worked to get us surpluses under Clinton.
Its pathetic and now we are going it alone. The Democrats are going to get healthcare passed with reconciliation and the Repukes can scare and fear monger all they want but in the end when the legislation goes through and is implemented the American people will realize how much this reform is needed. Especially when people are seeing their rates increasing but upwards of 30-40%.
Check out the Big Red Head Ed Scultz talk about the Repukes scare tactics:
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Category: Politics
Republican Douchebag
Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer of South Carolina (figures, he works with the Gov. Scumbag Mark Sanford) says that if we show him the schools for the highest rate of free or reduced school lunches he will show you the lowest test scores....NO SHIT! This scares the crap out of me as someone with a masters degree in special education I think I would have ran up to his microphone and punched him in the forehead. His idea is to "stop feeding the animals and they will stop breeding". Referring to those kids who get free and reduced school lunches. It has nothing to do with the school lunches moron, it has everything to do with the fact that kids who grow up in poor socio-economic districts have poor home environments and less chance to succeed because of those poor home environments that are not conducive to discipline or ability to do their school work. Its all about environment in which these kids go home to. They can't afford school lunches, most can't afford their own lunches thus the need for free and reduced lunches at school otherwise these kids wouldn't eat! Ever see a kid with an empty stomach? Think those test scores are low now just wait! I hope the backlash at this guy boots his ass out of office. It shows what repukes are all about. Checkout the clip from the douchebag: Here is a jab back from one of my favorite talk show hosts The Randi Rhodes Show: Here is my solution to poverty, starve all the republicans maybe they will leave and go to another country to ruin.And the Repukes like to call Obama a dictator? This is the ultimate in dictatorship, keep the poor suffering so they can't fight back. Thats a dictator. If you sqaush the poor and middle class, only the wealthy survive. Repukes no longer can call Obama a Fascist.Speech for the Base
I was approaching the State of the Union speech tonight by Obama as the beginning of the end or a new beginning depending on how he addressed the issues that have the majority of his base to say the least nervous.
To put it simply Obama hit on the points he needed to, to keep me listening and supporting him for at least a few more months. He caught my attention again even if despite numerous well aimed and intentional shots across the bow at the repukes he failed to gain theirs.
After that speech though how can anyone in this country right now democrat or repuke deny that this president is willing to A) fight for middle class and the poor in this country B) willing to fight for what he ran on and C) Willing to work with both parties.
It was only a speech and if Obama learned anything maybe he has learned that he can't lead by delegating as much as he thought. His plans addressed in the speech included monthly meetings with leadership in both parties...how many presidents have done that? Our last president surely didn't.
We may not be getting the healthcare bill that we wanted but he hinted that congress should not give up..was he insisting that they continue to try to get a public option into the bill or to work with passing what the senate is passing down? One thing we did get is that he doesn't care that its an election year he wants it passed.
Plain and simple the president demanded action from both sides on big issues despite an election year, insinuating that they are not there to be re-elected but to lead and to get things done, not sit there and wait for failure just because you have an ideological difference.
The ball has been thrown to the republicans, if they work with it and attempt to get things done the rest of the year maybe they save face, if not the American people have got to be pretty damn obtuse not to realize that if the do nothing crap the republicans have been doing so far in Obama's tenure should not be tolerated.
This was my favorite part of the speech:
"From the day I took office, I have been told that addressing our larger challenges is too ambitious — that such efforts would be too contentious, that our political system is too gridlocked and that we should just put things on hold for awhile.
For those who make these claims, I have one simple question:
How long should we wait? How long should America put its future on hold?
You see, Washington has been telling us to wait for decades, even as the problems have grown worse. Meanwhile, China's not waiting to revamp its economy; Germany's not waiting; India's not waiting. These nations aren't standing still. These nations aren't playing for second place. They're putting more emphasis on math and science. They're rebuilding their infrastructure. They are making serious investments in clean energy because they want those jobs.
Well I do not accept second place for the United States of America. As hard as it may be, as uncomfortable and contentious as the debates may be, it's time to get serious about fixing the problems that are hampering our growth.
One place to start is serious financial reform. Look, I am not interested in punishing banks, I'm interested in protecting our economy. A strong, healthy financial market makes it possible for businesses to access credit and create new jobs. It channels the savings of families into investments that raise incomes. But that can only happen if we guard against the same recklessness that nearly brought down our entire economy.
We need to make sure consumers and middle class families have the information they need to make financial decisions. We can't allow financial institutions, including those that take your deposits, to take risks that threaten the whole economy.
The House has already passed financial reform with many of these changes. And the lobbyists are already trying to kill it. Well, we cannot let them win this fight. And if the bill that ends up on my desk does not meet the test of real reform, I will send it back."
Its time for the stalemate in Washington to end. That was the message tonight. Republicans/conservatives know damn well that they have sat back and done nothing but criticize everything from day one, from the closing of Gitmo to the choice of the first families dog.
They are the first to criticize but the last to come up with solutions. The president expects more. He mentioned leading instead of short term politics:
"Just saying no to everything may be good short-term politics, but it's not leadership. We were sent here to serve our citizens, not our ambitions."
Why can't our elected officials have some pride in what they do? Lead, both democrats and republicans were elected to serve the people of this country not sit on their hands to spite the party in power.
Im excited again, the democratic base should be excited, now its in the republicans hands. I doubt they will follow on this, I doubt they will change and if they don't....the American people need to remember and in November remember this speech, remember the fact that the republican party in this country is the very reason why the president didn't get more done.
The United Corporations of America
That is exactly what the United States have become today. This country has taken a huge step toward becoming a fascist nation, not because of Barack Obama as most repukes would have you think but because of a 5-4 ruling by the US Supreme Court that will allow corporations both non-profit and for profit to spend unlimited sums of money on federal elections.
This is huge. This is giving corporations the green light to buy elections taking away the voice of the average citizen and putting the power into the truly wealthy. Who will a senator or congressman regardless of party listen to? The big Wall Street bank providing millions for their campaign or the average middle class American donating $20.
Decisions will be made based on who has donated the most cash not on what is best for the American people. Folks this is called Fascism. The definition of which is:
"is a political ideology that seeks to combine radical and authoritarian nationalism with a corporatist economic system, and which is usually considered to be on the far right of the traditional left-right political spectrum."
Republicans and conservatives who I know read this blog, read that sentence.....FAR RIGHT as in the opposite of democrat/liberal. You have all been accusing Barack Obama of something he is not.
The ones who voted for this on the Supreme Court were all conservative judges who still hold the majority. The ruling essentially says corporations have the right to spend money on elections based on free speech. Speech cannot be applied to a corporation or a church can it? Freedom of speech refers to individuals rights.
Barack Obama and the democrats are obviously firing back against this ruling and they obviously need to react this is going to hurt democrats more who are a peoples party, where as republicans align themselves more with the obscenely wealthy and coorporatist elite.
John McCain and Russ Feingold who make an odd Republican/Democrat pairing had a bill that would have limited what coorporations could donate to campaigns and this got basically shot down. It was a bill that would have had bipartisan support.
So today was not a good day, The people of this country just had their voices taken away and republicans like these two were happy about it:
"Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) said the ruling “takes us one step closer to the Founding Fathers’ vision of free speech, a vision that is cherished by all Americans and one Congress has a responsibility to protect.”
“This is a great day for the American people and free speech,” declared Cleta Mitchell, a top Republican election lawyer. She said that through the decision the court “has ripped the duct tape off the mouths of the American people.”
Ripped the duct tapeoff the mouths of the people? Since when do corporations represent the people in this country? If corporations are going to be viewed as people then they should be taxed like the rest of us and they should be punished like the rest of us and they should be allowed to fail from here on out like the rest of us. No more bailouts, no more tax exempt status. You want freedom to buy elections then pay your fair share of the taxes.
Obama and the democrats need to come back with something very forceful to offset this ruling and fast and lets hope that they do it quickly and with more force than they have had on healthcare reform.
The Democrats sound like they are ready to fight it but time will tell:
"President Obama led a chorus of Democrats and public interest groups attacking the decision, saying in a statement that the court “has given a green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics,” and vowing that he will work with congressional leaders “to develop a forceful response.”
“It is a major victory for big oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans,” the president said. “This ruling gives the special interests and their lobbyists even more power in Washington—while undermining the influence of average Americans who make small contributions to support their preferred candidates."
Flush It
This state is a joke. Mark my words, this state hasn't seen its worst days yet. If Governor Patterson keeps up wtih the cuts, fees, taxes and other bad economic decisions hes going to have a state in revolt.
Im a liberal democrat and I can't stand this guy. The bad news got worse yesterday with cuts to daycare assistance, a woman was on the news stating that if her assistance gets cut shes better off going on welfare. Thats the difference this kind of insensitive cut makes in peoples lives.
Why not cut the Thruway Authority and save money there and keep the daycare assistance?
Cuts to education, which in my opinion is one area that you never cut, are going to result in severe budget shortfalls for New York State Schools and probably tough negotiations with teacher unions this summer and mark my words, teachers will not and should not take salary cuts or accept cuts to their New York State Teachers Retirement System.
Teachers work hard for their salaries and are underpaid to begin with. Anyone who tells them they have to take a pay cut because of New York State shortfalls, they should drop the chalk and pick up the picket signs.
Taxes on soft drinks and who the hell knows what else, this bastard needs to go. I might actually vote for a Repuke just to get Patterson out. Okay, maybe not. But why can't he get it? The reason why this state is so hard up is because it is the highest taxed state in the country? Enough is enough, I understand this state is in deep, deep trouble financially, but it wasn't teachers or parents with children needing childcare assistance who put this state where it is financially, it was gross mis-management from both democrat and republicans who have no idea how to manage a budget and are corrupt beyond anyones imagination.
How Did Healthcare Get So Screwed Up?
Scott Brown, the republican candidate who won Ted Kennedy's seat in Massachusetts, didn't win because democrats or liberals changed sides, he won because they stayed home. This had nothing to do with out bad the current healthcare bills are, it had everything to do with the fact that they don't do enough for liberals and democrats and they sent a message by staying home. Independents sent up a big middle finger to Obama and voted for Brown because they figure they won't get healthcare anyway.
So my question is this: Mr. Obama, with just about every independent voter, every liberal and democrat out there at your feet, why did you screw up healthcare? You screwed it by not going for the gusto from the start.
When you go in to negotiate your salary at your job you don't go in to negotiate at your current salary. Thats exactly where we started. Obama should have started with single payer, Medicare for all and that would have had all of us in support.
The proposal for single payer medicare for all is on the Physicians for National Health Program website and its about 8 pages long, not thousands of pages. It would have been simple to explain and would have avoided all the fear mongering by Repukes who did nothing to contribute to whats on the table except bitchfest and teabag anything good out of the bill including the only sign of hope, the public option right out of it.
Mr. Obama, we are pissed off as liberals and democrats, not because we don't believe in you, but we believe you are weak right now. Be strong and go for what we voted you in for, CHANGE!. This wishy washy bipartisan crap has to stop. Where is Howard Dean when we need him? He was on the TV a few weeks ago but geez Mr. Dean get in the President's ear a little and steer him in the right direction.
This mess could have been avoided last February by going all the way on Healthcare. Now its a cluster fuck and we may not get any reform. Have any of you looked at your healthcare premiums lately? They are going up and up and up, where does it stop?
If Obama had been strong on healthcare and started with single payer we'd be energized and probably would have had Joe Liebermans head on a platter and Ted Kennedy's Senate seat would be safe and in the hands of a democrat.
If you start at single payer and negotiate to public option everyone is happy. Maybe we don't get the single payer that we want but its a step in the right direction. Now we have an insurance bill that continues to benefit the private insurance companies and decreases Medicare. Its maddening and I put all the blame on Obama, get some guts man. This was year one, you have three more years to get this done. Anyone who says that healthcare reform is dead needs to be taken out and beaten, its not dead, its just a bad bill, start over and insist on single payer from the get go.
Category: Politics | healthcare
Franken Plays Hardball for Dems
Finally, FINALLY! Someone in the democratic party plays a little hard ball with the repukes. Yes I know Joe Leiberman is technically a democrat but what this move by Al Franken and Senate democrats says is thanks but no thanks Joe.
Seriously, I respect Al Gore a lot, but what ever possessed him to pick this sniveling, little prick like Leiberman back in 2000 as a running mate? Could you imagine if Al Gore had won in 2000, this is really pushing the envelope but, Joe "The Ho" Leiberman could have been a very viable presidential candidate in 2008 and we could be looking at this bought off bag of sleeze running our country.....Yikes.
Yeah thats right Joe shut the hell up, and while your at it, take that crabby old bastard John McCain with you, you can both go cuddle with each other under an Arizona cactus. What did Joe Leiberman expect? The repukes probably under his direction had the Bernie Sander's single payer bill read on the floor on Wednesday just to waste time!!!! Seriously, I know there are republicans/conservatives who read my blog but ask yourselves one thing here, can you name one idea, one constructive idea the republicans have contributed to the healthcare bill? From day one President Obama has bent himself over so far backwards that hes now got his own head firmly entrenched in his ass and has pissed off his entire base just to have the republicans involved in the healthcare bill. Obama ran on single payer, that was what he ran on, but he started negotiating by not even having the single payer bill at the table much to the dismay of those who elected him. He made the first move in negotiating this bill, yet from day one republicans in both the house and the senate have bitch slapped the president and the democrats with lies and obstructionist tactics instead of actually trying to come up with ideas to insert into the bill. As far as I am concerned I applaud Al Franken for providing a little piss and vinegar for the first time on the democratic side and giving the republicans a little of their own medicine. The Repukes continue to be no ideas and all obstructionism. Maybe they should rename the republican party to the Obstructionist party, or the Idealess party, both fit.Category: Politics | healthcare
Merry Christmas Big Pharma/Insurance
Category: News | Politics | healthcare
Miss Piggy: DROP THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE THING
This horrible excuse for a human being needs to go away...every time she opens her mouth she needs another foot to insert into it. She is totally clueless.
Just when you think the birther crap had gone away she brings it up AGAIN. She said that the "public has rightfully made it an issue"... no, a few right wing extremists have made it an issue, the public at large doesn't care because there is no issue with Barack Obama's birth certificate.
If Obama's birth certificate is an issue then we should demand proof that she actually completed grade school.
She also talks about the debt that Obama harnessed the country with even though the Bush administration left Obama with the mess and the initial bailout and record deficits.
It was Bush that never funded the Afghanistan war appropriately and never went after those truly responsible for 9/11.
This woman is a quitter, she quit on the state of Alaska. She then is asked about global warming and the environment....yeah a woman who shoots animals from a helicopter is really concerned about the environment.
Category: Politics
Taliban Out of Afghanistan in 50 Days?
Karl Rove apparently has a different calendar than we do, according to him the Bush Administration had Al Qaeda and the Taliban out of Afghanistan 50 days after 9/11.........when was that again? oh yeah 2001, what year is it now? 2009...how many days are in Karl Rove's years? Why are we still in Afghanistan? This is not like we left and now Obama is having us go back, this was never given the attention when it needed it, instead we went to Iraq which was the WRONG MOVE on Bush's part. Here is Big Ed with more:Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Category: Politics
