Democratic Leader Laughs at Idea That House Members Would Actually Read Health-Care Bill Before Voting On It …
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday that the health-care reform bill now pending in Congress would garner very few votes if lawmakers actually had to read the entire bill before voting on it.
“If every member pledged to not vote for it if they hadn’t read it in its entirety, I think we would have very few votes,” Hoyer told CNSNews.com at his regular weekly news conference.
Hoyer was responding to a question from CNSNews.com on whether he supported a pledge that asks members of the Congress to read the entire bill before voting on it and also make the full text of the bill available to the public for 72 hours before a vote.
In fact, Hoyer found the idea of the pledge humorous, laughing as he responded to the question. “I’m laughing because a) I don’t know how long this bill is going to be, but it’s going to be a very long bill,” he said.
I’d say “send in the clowns”, but don’t bother, they are already there.
(h/t Michelle Malkin)
Comment by B Moe on 7/8 @ 7:20 pm #
Congress critters have devolved to the point all they do is campaign and public relations.
They don’t write bills.
They don’t debate them.
They don’t read them.
They just make speeches spinning pr as directed by their handlers then vote the same.
Then resume making fund raising speeches.
Comment by Darleen on 7/8 @ 7:25 pm #
gads, B Moe, I want to run around and circles an scream
this is NOT how the Founding Fathers viewed how the House was supposed to run.
It was SUPPOSED to be the “citizen representative” chamber … one took two years away from “normal life” and served (kinda like jury duty) helped craft, pass/oppose, clearly written, easy to understand bills, then went home to regular life.
If congresscritters cannot read the bills they are voting on, then they are more than useless, they are negligent and irresponsible and a whole lot of adjectives I am refraining of saying right now.
Comment by Pablo on 7/8 @ 7:27 pm #
Is Michael Jackson still dead?
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/8 @ 7:28 pm #
So much for judging the proposed legislation on it’s merits…
I guess, “Obama said it, I believe it, and that settles it!”, is good enough for Hoyer and the other Dems…
Oh and by the way, he is a world class putz, who goldbricked at University of Maryland so he could get tuition remission and a free education in the 70’s.
He was glad-handing at a polling place in the early 80’s, and gave me askance looks as he strode towards me to press the flesh and ask for my vote; on guard probably due to the large Mondale/Ferraro sign that I had painted the international “not” symbol on, prominently displayed in the back window of my car…
He came over and said, I’m asking for your vote today…
To which I said, Sir, you couldn’t pay me for it…
Of course, in the People’s Republic of Maryland he has enjoyed essentially a lifelong appointment…
But the standard issue Democrat dishonesty is strong with this one…
Comment by B Moe on 7/8 @ 7:30 pm #
Seriously, does any one know who wrote this thing?
Comment by Darleen on 7/8 @ 7:35 pm #
B Moe
What makes you think it is even completed yet?
Comment by Mr. B on 7/8 @ 7:35 pm #
Cartooning 101
Use photoshop to flip the cartoon horizonaly so that the word balloons can be read from left to right.
Comment by Pablo on 7/8 @ 7:36 pm #
Who cares? IT’S AN EMERGENCY!!!! Our economy depends on another 16 million people having health coverage, whether they want it or not.
Comment by happyfeet on 7/8 @ 7:36 pm #
these people are contemptible and they don’t care how bad they make our once-great little country suck and at some point neither will we
Comment by happyfeet on 7/8 @ 7:38 pm #
is that blonde hoochie Steny’s or does she belong to the dazed-looking pink man?
Comment by happyfeet on 7/8 @ 7:39 pm #
the pink man looks like he wants to butter Barack Obama’s muffins bad
Comment by guinsPen on 7/8 @ 7:39 pm #
Composition 101
O!
Comment by Pablo on 7/8 @ 7:41 pm #
‘feets, you’re not supposed to make fun of people when they’re worshiping.
Comment by serr8d on 7/8 @ 7:42 pm #
I’m recalling with fondness Newt’s original term limits proposals. No matter what arguments one might muster against ‘em, the positives have to outweigh what we’re seeing now. Career politicians who gerrymander themselves into near-impossible-to-challenge districts and from those, laugh in our faces. That’s a constitutional amendment we really needed.
Comment by B Moe on 7/8 @ 7:56 pm #
Also recall how once all those challengers became incumbents that was the first thing to go out the window.
Comment by ginsewa on 7/8 @ 8:22 pm #
Hell, they’re not even writing them before voting on them now. I saw where there’s a fucking place-holder in that cap-and-trade abortion.
World-class bunch of douchebags, these Democrats.
Comment by Joe on 7/8 @ 8:23 pm #
We are so fucked.
Comment by meya on 7/8 @ 8:25 pm #
“Then resume making fund raising speeches.”
And don’t even try to reform campaign finance!
“It was SUPPOSED to be the “citizen representative” chamber … one took two years away from “normal life” and served (kinda like jury duty) helped craft, pass/oppose, clearly written, easy to understand bills, then went home to regular life.”
It is heartwarming to hold a quaint and pastoral view of our founders. I don’t quite get that idea from reading federalist 53. Including this passage:
“A few of the members, as happens in all such assemblies, will possess superior talents; will, by frequent reelections, become members of long standing; will be thoroughly masters of the public business, and perhaps not unwilling to avail themselves of those advantages. The greater the proportion of new members, and the less the information of the bulk of the members the more apt will they be to fall into the snares that may be laid for them. This remark is no less applicable to the relation which will subsist between the House of Representatives and the Senate.”
Comment by Joe on 7/8 @ 8:27 pm #
Then again, you can get support from the strangest places…actually not that strange. The old mendouchous racist just realized Cap and Trade means “Deliverance” Treatment for West Virgina.
Comment by Joe on 7/8 @ 8:30 pm #
Obama is starting to lose his base.
Comment by MarkJ on 7/8 @ 8:30 pm #
“I’d say “send in the clowns”, but don’t bother, they are already there.”
This is an insult….to REAL clowns. After all, real clowns actually have talent and intelligence, and work very hard at what they do, unlike, oh say, Steny Hoyer.
Comment by JD on 7/8 @ 8:39 pm #
Steny – Go fuck yourself with a fucking fuckity swordfish, you fucking fucker.
Comment by Barbula on 7/8 @ 8:44 pm #
I suppose something should be said about the cavalier betrayal of the sacrifices of our founding Fathers by an ignorant, self-serving blah blah blah – who the hell really cares anymore?
MJ’s body is dead, but his brain lives – IT LIVES!
Comment by Joe on 7/8 @ 8:56 pm #
We need to exploit those Democrats who see the coming fuckstorm.
Comment by Barbula on 7/8 @ 8:56 pm #
Mr Reed, it’s pleasing to see another Murlaner here – myself a recent refugee after 40 years in the Prince George wasteland.
Comment by JD on 7/8 @ 8:59 pm #
Were I a Republican campaign person-type, I would fucking hammer the Dems, no matter where they are running, on their practice of voting on bills that have not been read, and in some cases, not even written. It is a disgusting practice, and one that is very easily understood by those that are not as well-versed politically. It is breath-taking, and the fucking socialist fuckity fuckers need to be taken to task for this crap.
Comment by meya on 7/8 @ 9:01 pm #
“Were I a Republican campaign person-type, I would fucking hammer the Dems, no matter where they are running, on their practice of voting on bills that have not been read, and in some cases, not even written. It is a disgusting practice, and one that is very easily understood by those that are not as well-versed politically”
It may be something worth trying, but I suspect it is a bipartisan practice.
Comment by JD on 7/8 @ 9:02 pm #
I suspect that your head is so far up your ass that you had to make eyeholes where your nipples are, meya.
Comment by JD on 7/8 @ 9:08 pm #
If it was a bipartisan practice, I am quite certain that the Dems and their in-kind contributors in the MSM would have squealed like a stuck pig. That, and the fact that they have not made that charge suggests that it is not a bipartisan problem, but a dirty little socialist habit.
Comment by JD on 7/8 @ 9:09 pm #
In short, meya, go jump on Steny’s swordfish when he is done with it.
Comment by B Moe on 7/8 @ 9:15 pm #
Since I am pretty sure you know the meaning to the word few, I am going to have to agree with JD that you are just being intentionally obstinate and dishonest again, meya.
Its sad, because I think you have the chops to actually participate here, if you weren’t so pathologically dishonest.
Comment by geoffb on 7/8 @ 9:29 pm #
After having played Santa for so many, many years they have come to believe they are that which they have acted. So now they each, in their heart of hearts, hear the words whispered, “He knows son, he always knows”, and they believe it true of themselves. But it is not.
Comment by meya on 7/8 @ 9:29 pm #
“If it was a bipartisan practice, I am quite certain that the Dems and their in-kind contributors in the MSM would have squealed like a stuck pig.”
Why is that? bills would pass a republican house and a dem senate and nobody reads the entire damn things.
Take a look at the bills that passed the 108th congress, when Hastert was speaker of the house:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/statutes/108/bills.html
and
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/statutes/108-2/bills.html
And try to guess how many of those were read by the majority.
Or look at the other congresses.
“Since I am pretty sure you know the meaning to the word few, I am going to have to agree with JD that you are just being intentionally obstinate and dishonest again, meya.”
hey certainly weren’t so intending to have limited time representatives that they would term limit them. If you go and read federalist 53, you’ll notice that this was in part an argument against having so many new and inexperienced members. Quite a bit of it is devoted to how they want the members to have experience. I mean, you HAVE read federalist 53, right?
Comment by B Moe on 7/8 @ 9:38 pm #
The primary argument against term limits as I recall was denying the voters their say, which I agreed with for many years. The current state of technology, and laws exploiting such, I feel has tilted the field too heavily in incumbents favor.
I have read all of the Federalist several times but I don’t have a copy handy just now, but an argument implies there were two sides. I feel this is a case where a balance of experience and new blood is desirable, as did many of the founders.
Comment by JD on 7/8 @ 9:38 pm #
No, we are not going to do your work for you, meya. The fact is, that not only are people not given the chance to read the bills, they could not read the bill in their entirety as they have not even been written, or are being passed in shell form with future language to be inserted. It is fucking dishonest and you are fucking dishonest for defending it.
Comment by Big D on 7/8 @ 9:45 pm #
“If every member pledged to not vote for it if they hadn’t read it in its entirety, I think we would have very few votes,” Hoyer told CNSNews.com at his regular weekly news conference.
Precisely! And that would be bad why?
If I had my druthers, there would be a constitutional amendment limiting congressional sessions to 90 days per year. Here in Texas the legislature meets for 90 days every other year. I honestly believe that is why we are not nearly as f****d up as some other states. The legislators simply don’t have the time.
Barring all of that, requiring that all representatives and Senators read the bills before voting will certainly slow things down. That would be a feature not a bug.
Comment by meya on 7/8 @ 9:53 pm #
“I have read all of the Federalist several times but I don’t have a copy handy just now, but an argument implies there were two sides”
They’re on the Internet. But that is an interesting line: that the federalist papers argued one thing implies there was an opposite view too among the founders.
“The fact is, that not only are people not given the chance to read the bills, they could not read the bill in their entirety as they have not even been written, or are being passed in shell form with future language to be inserted.”
See I think that shell part is a better, and different argument. Eventually, though, what will happen is bills go to the senate, and then whatever passes there will get modified in conference, so they’ll eventually have another vote. That would eventually cure the legal arguments against the bill not passing in final form, because the conference version will then be the final form.
Comment by meya on 7/8 @ 9:55 pm #
“Barring all of that, requiring that all representatives and Senators read the bills before voting will certainly slow things down. That would be a feature not a bug.”
There’s a separation of power argument here too. Congress would then have more incentive to delegate power to the other branches.
Comment by Big D on 7/8 @ 10:01 pm #
There’s a separation of power argument here too. Congress would then have more incentive to delegate power to the other branches
Delegate which powers, meya?
Comment by Big D on 7/8 @ 10:03 pm #
To clarify, meya, how does requiring members of Congress to actually read what they are voting on present a separation of powers issue?
Comment by Big D on 7/8 @ 10:08 pm #
Take a look at this compilation of the committees and sub-committees. Tel me they don’t have too much time on their hands. Maybe time to get back to their constitutionally mandated responsibilities?
Comment by B Moe on 7/8 @ 10:08 pm #
No. The implication was that the Federalist Papers often presented both sides of the argument in their discussion.
Comment by Big D on 7/8 @ 10:09 pm #
Tel or tell, whatever it takes.
Comment by meya on 7/8 @ 10:10 pm #
“Delegate which powers, meya?”
The powers it is granted, like regulating interstate commerce, or the use of the spending power. Hampering the ability of one branch to control the others will have separation of powers consequences.
Lets say congress is concerned about trusts. It could take a long time to create long anti-trust legislation, or it could pass something simple which hands it over to courts to debate over. That’s essentially what they did. Now they’d have more incentive to do this. Similarly they’d have more incentive to just give some instructions to the executive branch for making policy, rather than make it in legislation.
Comment by JD on 7/8 @ 10:12 pm #
This is a perfect example of why meya is such a fucking fascist douchebag.
Comment by B Moe on 7/8 @ 10:13 pm #
And that would be worse than what they are doing now, delegating the responsibility to an anonymous, unaccountable gang of bureaucrats and lobbyists to write out in the dark?
Comment by Big D on 7/8 @ 10:14 pm #
Meya,
You miss my point. Their taking more time to create any legislation is a feature.
As far as interstate commerce, that has been stretched beyond any recognition. The way that clause is now interpreted, there is not a damn thing that the federal government cannot regulate. I daresay that was not the intention.
Comment by Big D on 7/8 @ 10:17 pm #
JD,
I meant to respond the other day, but belated congrats on the 76. Must have been a great day!
Comment by JD on 7/8 @ 10:20 pm #
Thank you, Big D. It was.
Comment by JD on 7/8 @ 10:23 pm #
I think meya needs to have that rectal-cranial inversion reversed.
Comment by Big D on 7/8 @ 10:31 pm #
I know what you mean. They won’t take more time. They’ll just create legislation which leaves less instruction for the other branches.
Don’t get too far out in front on this one, meya. There is no way to to defend voting on a piece of legislation that has not been completed at the time of the vote. They are voting on a concept, but the final version, which may differ significantly, carries the force of law.
Also I think the committee structure is a time saver, not waster.
Sorry, no sale. A congress limited by time constraints would have to prioritize. Take a second look at that list and tell me that they are saving time.
Comment by thor on 7/8 @ 10:41 pm #
Things they make you say “huh?”
Comment by thor on 7/8 @ 10:42 pm #
they = that
Comment by Big D on 7/8 @ 10:52 pm #
Q; So, Mr. Jefferson, knowing what you know now, is there anything you would change?
A: I would not have included the words “General welfare.”
Comment by Big D on 7/8 @ 10:54 pm #
My condolences on the loss of your mother, thor. We lost my mother in law to breast cancer 3 years ago. It is a terrible disease to say the least. My best to you and yours.
Comment by thor on 7/8 @ 11:02 pm #
House members carry water for their campaign donors, that’s what they do, most especially Republicans.
When a bill leaves the Rules Committee it is called a rule not a bill. The Rules Committee is supposed to give members three days to read a rule and debate it before it goes for a vote but the three day period can be waived in case of an emergency. Virtually every rule that was sent to the floor for a vote was flagged as an emergency rule during the Bush era. Rethuglidums strangled the House, meaning all rules were voted on mere hours after leaving committee. Nobody read shit, nor could they under the rethuglidum plan.
Drier, DeLay, et al, devised the rethuglidum five-year no-debate emergency plan. Shocked you don’t know this, Darleen, shocked, I tell ya.
Tom DeLay is/was such good conservative, a man of moral values, believes in God too!
Comment by thor on 7/8 @ 11:04 pm #
Thanks.
Comment by meya on 7/8 @ 11:09 pm #
“They are voting on a concept, but the final version, which may differ significantly, carries the force of law.”
What carries the force of law is what passes both houses and the president signs. The house will have to vote on this again, as the senate won’t be passing the same thing.
If they have to read bills, they’ll just make the final, completed bills which are just concepts. Instead of, for example, coming up with a complicated cap and trade mechanism, they’ll just instruct the executive branch to create one.
“A congress limited by time constraints would have to prioritize. Take a second look at that list and tell me that they are saving time.”
They’re saving time by having people specialize and use committee staffs. This way drafting happens in specialized commmittees. So does killing bills, by the way.
Comment by dicentra on 7/8 @ 11:10 pm #
If I had my druthers, I’d make them limit all bills to 50 pages. If they can’t get it done in that length, they shouldn’t be doing it at all.
I’d also limit all appropriations bills to packages of $100 million each. They could wheel and deal as to what went into each package, but they couldn’t exceed $100 million per package.
Then the budget would be appropriated a chunk at a time, and it would be easier for the president to veto this but not that. A line-item veto would violate separation of powers, but smaller chunks of appropriations wouldn’t.
I’ll be over here holding my breath.
Comment by dicentra on 7/8 @ 11:20 pm #
They’re saving time by having people specialize and use committee staffs. This way drafting happens in specialized committees. So does killing bills, by the way.
And those staffs are helpfully filled by special-interest hacks, who helpfully write the legislation that the critters rubber-stamp.
Let’s give them a hand!
Comment by maggie katzen on 7/8 @ 11:22 pm #
don’t forget the public servants that get to go ramble to all those committees as well. THEY’RE CREATING JOBS, DICENTRA! why do you hate jobs?
Comment by SBP on 7/8 @ 11:26 pm #
If I had my druthers, I’d make them limit all bills to 50 pages. If they can’t get it done in that length, they shouldn’t be doing it at all.
If I had my druthers, we’d go back to the Icelandic Alþingi model under which a skald (called the lögsögumaður) had to stand up and recite all the laws from memory once a year.
Comment by Sammy on 7/9 @ 1:11 am #
I think the problem with this has something to do with glass houses.
Comment by Finbar McGoolihy on 7/9 @ 2:26 am #
I think the problem with this has something to do with glass houses.
Sammy’s as comfortable with his low IQ as he is with manmeat tickling his poop shoot. Yay dummies! Yay squeakholes! Yay Sammy!
Comment by royf on 7/9 @ 4:22 am #
Geez Sammy just because you don’t realize how stupid you are doesn’t mean other people can’t see it, but hey that puts you on the same level as a freaking idiot who thinks passing laws without reading them is doing this Countries business.
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 4:38 am #
From Joe’s link in #20:
“The split reflects two major challenges facing the Democrats: Record budget deficits that make additional spending much tougher to pass and a 26-year-high unemployment rate of 9.5 percent that is expected to rise to double digits.”
Which would mean that the unemploymnet rate hasn’t been this high since Ronald Reagan’s policys started to kick in, after the Carter years of the locust.
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 4:42 am #
” Congress would then have more incentive to delegate power to the other branches.”
That’s like a joke, right?
Right?
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 4:45 am #
Comment by thor on 7/8 @ 10:41 pm #
Things that make you say thor is a liar.
Comment by Danger on 7/9 @ 4:56 am #
N. O’Brain,
Are you up early or late where you are. Most of the time I’m out of sync with the others here. Being 8 time zones away makes for rather lonely commentary.
Regards
Comment by Rusty on 7/9 @ 4:57 am #
Shorter maya. It’s a democrat congress and they can do whatever they want.
Comment by Akatsukami on 7/9 @ 5:18 am #
Somewhere — possibly on DailyPundit — I read the idea that a few moles among the Hill rats could do considerable damage to the Obamist cabal and the fascist Democrats by slipping language favorable to the conservative cause into these unread monster bills, which would then be duly voted into law by sheeplike Congresscritters.
Of course, this idea is highly immoral and I would never openly advocate such a thing.
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 5:19 am #
Comment by Danger on 7/9 @ 4:56 am #
Normal rise and shine time for me.
But normally without the back spasms.
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 5:20 am #
Ah, yes, Iowahawk…..
California, RIP:
“Fans Flock to Mourn California, 1849-2009
LOS ANGELES – Millions of fans from around the globe gathered along Sunset Boulevard to pay final respects to California today, as a slow moving funeral procession transported the eccentric superstar state’s remains to its final resting place in a Winchell’s Donuts dumpster in Van Nuys. The self-proclaimed ‘King of Pop Culture’ died last week at 160, in what coroners ruled an accidental case of financial autoerotic asphyxiation. The death sent shock waves across the world and sparked an outpouring of grief by rabid fans.
“I don’t care what the tabloids and the Wall Street Journal say,” said a weeping Illinois. “I still love you, Cali!”"
http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2009/07/fans-flock-to-mourn-california-18492009.html
Comment by Carin on 7/9 @ 5:21 am #
I get up early too, Danger, but since they’re is usually no one here I don’t comment much.
Comment by Carin on 7/9 @ 5:24 am #
You know, with California and New York both in deep shit … one has to wonder what could have possibly gone wrong? I mean, Michigan should be understandable. But that California … with all it has to offer?
One has to wonder if – perhaps – all those socialists policies simply can’t work? Related.
I’ve been saying it for years.
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 5:38 am #
“You know, with California and New York both in deep shit … one has to wonder what could have possibly gone wrong?”
Democrats.
Comment by B Moe on 7/9 @ 6:06 am #
They used to call those committees state legislatures, I think. That system worked pretty good, too.
Comment by alppuccino on 7/9 @ 6:15 am #
pitchfork time
Comment by Mr. Pink on 7/9 @ 6:39 am #
So wait meya, thor, and sammy are actually defending this? Oh that really should not surprise me.
Comment by LTC John on 7/9 @ 6:43 am #
Maybe I should adopt Hoyerian tactics here at work:
Boss: “Did you read that GL policy and decide if we have to cover that distributor in that benzene exposure lawsuit?”
Me: “No, I didn’t read it, I think we should defend them anyways, because it seems like the right thing to do!”
Boss: “You are fired.”
Ok, maybe not…
Comment by Salt Lick on 7/9 @ 6:46 am #
The next thing is signing confessions that haven’t been completely written.
Comment by alppuccino on 7/9 @ 6:48 am #
And yet these geezers still insist on reading their medicine bottles. If one pill is good Steny, wouldn’t 20 be better?
Comment by Carin on 7/9 @ 6:49 am #
Pink, you are shocked why?
Comment by Eben on 7/9 @ 6:52 am #
You have to be fairly stupid to actually think these bills are drafted in a location other than a lobbyist’s back office.
Comment by Danger on 7/9 @ 6:58 am #
“But normally without the back spasms.”
Brain, (easier to type that N.O’Brain and a more accurate label)
I get relief by doing parallel bar dips with a weight belt attached. After 3-4 reps with 25-45lbs I get some pretty good adjustment pops.
“I get up early too, Danger, but since they’re is usually no one here I don’t comment much.”
Carin,
Well you could help me clean up the mess that Thor seems to leave every night;)
Start with your body weight keep your head up and try to get a deep stretch, usually the pop comes on the first or second rep.
Comment by alppuccino on 7/9 @ 6:59 am #
You have to be fairly stupid to actually think these bills are drafted in a location other than a lobbyist’s back office.
Uhh…Eben? I’m sure you’re thinking of the last 8 years. Now I believe the bills are seared onto stone tablets at Golgotha.
Comment by Carin on 7/9 @ 7:00 am #
I try not to touch thor’s messes. BTDT.
Comment by Danger on 7/9 @ 7:03 am #
oops,
Sentence number seven above should have been before sentence number four
Comment by B Moe on 7/9 @ 7:09 am #
Sometimes I really hate young people.
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 7:14 am #
Coming from the corrupt corporate side you really should know why your boy, Tom DeLay, devised his no-read plan. A corporation need not go about bribing a dizzying number of House members since, under rethuglidums, House bills are essentially re-written by the Rules Committee. Corporations, like the one you work for, under the DeLay no-read plan, simply needed to bribe those few who sit on that committee, and the Speaker, and the RNC. Bribe dollar efficiency!
Continue your irony-rich pink tutu outrage dance; a dance where the entertainment value is driven not by quality of step but by its strangeness and timeless preciousness, like the director’s cut of Caligula.
Sorry to interrupt.
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 7:15 am #
Danger,
Nice tip for the ol’ back; I’ll have to try that next time mine is out of whack…
I’m surprised all the sawbones never recommended that!
Take it easy
Comment by Danger on 7/9 @ 7:17 am #
“Sometimes I really hate young people.”
I should probably read more and write less but everyone here has been very tolerant, despite my tendancies to shoot then aim.
I am drinking milk though and one of these days…;)
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 7:19 am #
al,
I think your #87 is an effin’ riot!
Comment by Danger on 7/9 @ 7:21 am #
Bob,
I found the relief by accident, but it sort of works like the traction devices many chiroprators use these days.
Comment by Eben on 7/9 @ 7:21 am #
Will thor ever give up the zoo monkey act, ie throwing shite at the glass hoping some of it sticks? Only a weak mind, or an indefensible position, responds with “Yeah, but your team does it too!” when confronted with criticism.
I mean, is that the best you can come up with, Dems are just as bad as Repubs, so there?
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 7:23 am #
Repubs are worse, far worse, knock-knock.
Comment by Carin on 7/9 @ 7:24 am #
Well, with argument like that … we’re doomed. DOOMED I SAY.
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 7:24 am #
thor,
Would you care to provide any links for your references to Delay’s alleged congressional antics?
Just asking because I did a quick search and can’t find anything on it; nor do I recall it either, and I pay pretty close attention to the machinations in the polit-o-spehere-regardless of who is in control…
You see, I’m pretty objective like that…
And another funny thing, silly me, I usually want what is best for our country…
But I’ll entertain any evidence you may have of Delay acting in the manner of Mr. Hoyer…
Lemme know somethin’, Hoss…
Comment by Mr. Pink on 7/9 @ 7:24 am #
Thor’s rants sound like my own when I was 9.
“MOMMY but Timmy did it tooooooo!!!!!”
Comment by Carin on 7/9 @ 7:25 am #
I can’t wait to see the DNC ads.
“Yea … we didn’t read the 1300 pages of the cap and trade, but Republicans are worse!”
Comment by Carin on 7/9 @ 7:26 am #
Bob, Thor doesn’t have time to do your work for you. You just must take his word for it.
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 7:27 am #
Danger,
Really it sounds better than traction because it is a dynamic system. Kind of like the difference between exercise machines and free weights…
Comment by Carin on 7/9 @ 7:28 am #
Hey, I have a question.
Does anyone know anyone who’s found a job recently? I mean, I know plenty of folks who are out of work … but I don’t really know anyone who just got hired.
You know, because of the stimulus bill.
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 7:32 am #
knock-knock?
Isn’t that what Elian Gonzales’ relatives heard just prior to the Feds kicking their door in..?
I don’t wanna get my arse up on my shoulders so early in the morning, but I’ll point out that this was the first use of military units in a civilian law-enforcement operation involving predominantly US citizens; i’m referring to the electronic warfare equipment used to black-out all of the cell phone communication prior to the home invasion…
An act perpatrated by the last, “Most ethical administratin-EVAH!”; of course I speak of Billy Jeff Clinton…
But I digress…
Excuse me for that y’all…
Comment by alppuccino on 7/9 @ 7:33 am #
al,
I think your #87 is an effin’ riot!
That’s what I go for Bob. But you couldn’t bold anything in that statement? What’s up?
Comment by Salt Lick on 7/9 @ 7:34 am #
“Republicans are worse!”…Does anyone know anyone who’s found a job recently?
The unemployment rate for blacks is at 14.9 percent, compared to 9.4 percent for all Americans.
Enrollment in the major U.S. antihunger program, food stamps, grew by 1.2 million people in two months and stands at a record 33.8 million people, the government said on Wednesday.
Poor people are collateral damage in Obama’s war against capitalism. He’s never felt their pain.
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 7:35 am #
al,
I fear that my HTML-FU has been weak lately; I can’t seem to control it, so I just leave it in the holster…
GREAT COMMENT THOUGH ALL THE SAME!
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 7:36 am #
You can look it up on your own. I believe it was the 108th and 109th Congresses. That you don’t know that Tom DeLay changed the precedent by which bills with emergency waivers went through the House is no secret. Fox News probably didn’t care to highlight the nuance, but it reaised many eyebrows elsewhere.
I’ll be honest, my brother used to be on the staff of the honorable Lee Hamilton, so he’s one of those imaginary evil people dicentra swings her angry e-fists at. He used to give me fantastic play-by-plays on the inner workings of the House that only people who are addicted to C-Span would care about.
DeLay, emergency waiver on rules, Google away.
Comment by Eben on 7/9 @ 7:36 am #
The psychological vacuity of that statement speaks volumes of the author.
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 7:37 am #
Carin,
My bad; I forgot the ground rules…
And the only people getting jobs due to the stimulus seem to be government workers; at least those are the jobs they crow about saving to date…
Of course, that’s all we needed; more government minions…
There here to help us, you know…
Comment by Eben on 7/9 @ 7:39 am #
That you can’t prove it is no surprise either. Combine that with the unprovable super secret, insider knowledge that only thor can verify and what we have is vapor.
Comment by alppuccino on 7/9 @ 7:40 am #
That’s the old Bob!!
Comment by alppuccino on 7/9 @ 7:41 am #
I know this guy lost his job recently. Don’t think the Stimularatti will be coming to his aid anytime soon
Comment by Danger on 7/9 @ 7:42 am #
Bob,
Yeah, the tricky part is getting the speed of the rep down to maximize the stretch without causing an injury. Best to go slow initially and speed up gradually.
The weights help keep the body aligned vertically and improve the stretch as well.
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 7:42 am #
Sorry thor,
I googled many different permutations and got nothing…
Since no eeeeevol perpetrated by RethugliKKKanz seems to disappear down the MSM memory hole, I’m stumped…
Comment by Matt on 7/9 @ 7:42 am #
Ok let me see if I follow the logic.
“Republicans are much worse” so
“We’ll act just like them”…
That makes a helluva lotta sense.
Comment by B Moe on 7/9 @ 7:43 am #
Not seeing it thor, and the 109th Congress was when DeLay was getting indicted and stepped down. How is that case coming, by the way?
Also, Lee Hamilton was during Clinton’s term, you should pick somebody more current for that story to fly.
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 7:44 am #
Outside of tactical firsts, Janet Reno made the right call with Elian. He belonged to his father, of course he did, and his father lived in Cuba, the proud island nation. Your misplaced hatred for Cuba and the honest hard-working Cuban people be damned.
When you rage that Brazil and/or Saudi Arabia has denied access rights of an American parent to their American child/citizen understand that’s why we have to follow the rules else we’ll be just like them, them as in those countries who care nothing of parental rights.
We don’t keep our ethics only when it’s convenient, we’re America.
Comment by Eben on 7/9 @ 7:47 am #
And now, when the previous trolling efforts have failed, a dodge and a quick change of subject.
obvious troll is obvious
Comment by serr8d on 7/9 @ 7:52 am #
thor, you’re repeatedly an obnoxious ass. Wipe off, fool.
Comment by B Moe on 7/9 @ 7:52 am #
He belonged to Fidel. If you are going to preach the party line, get it right asshole.
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 7:54 am #
So you’re implying after six years on Hamilton’s staff that my brother suddenly forgot how the House works? One of your lamer attempts there, buddy.
As I posted before long ago, my brother still gets an occasional phone call from both Barney Frank and Dick Armey. D.C. isn’t quite the ideological equivalent of Custer’s last stand that Fox News makes it out to be. Persons of all political stripes say hello to each other and their kids play on the same soccer teams, just like the real world.
Comment by Carin on 7/9 @ 7:56 am #
Your misplaced hatred for Cuba and the honest hard-working Cuban people be damned.
Nice strawman.
Comment by Mr. Pink on 7/9 @ 7:59 am #
From the link on 120. Have no clue about the veracity of the source but it is mentioning what thor is saying. Even if true the article does not mention voting on bills that have not even been written yet that is entirely a new thing.
Drafting final legislation for a floor vote routinely is taken over by the
House leadership.
In years past, legislation that finally got onto the floor for a final vote had usually worked its way
through a series of committee hearings and negotiations. Today, however, the House Republican
leadership of DeLay and House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) have drastically revised the text
of bills coming out of other committees, often late in the evening and without peer review. Under
House rules, at least 48 hours are supposed to lapse before final floor action on any bills that
come out of committee, including those re-written by DeLay and Hastert. This time rule can be
bypassed, however, if bills are declared “emergency” measures. In 2003, 57 percent of all bills
were declared by the House Rules Committee as “emergency” measures, allowing them to be
3
considered with as little as 30 minutes prior notice.6 On many of these bills, most members of
Congress had no idea what they were voting for or against.
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 8:00 am #
I don’t Rage! about any of the things you mentioned thor. And I have no problems with Cuba, save for the way Fidel brutally siezed and maintains his power, even though Raoul is technically in charge now…
And I believe the boy, Elian, would have enjoyed a better life here with his relatives, something his mother sacrificed her life for in an effort to attain that for him…
Anyway, it was a digression from the topic at hand, so Janet Reno aside…
I still haven’t been able to find evidence for the Tu Quoque assertion you made…
I wish you knew more about the particular bill, or act, that Delay used to pull such a parlimentary shenanigan; it would sure help clear all this up.
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 8:01 am #
It’s quite apparent you’re proud of your photobucket account, but I never click on your links.
You’re a total fuckin’ idiot. That’s why.
Comment by JD on 7/9 @ 8:01 am #
Thor is engaging in a public asspull while running away with the goalposts.
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 8:09 am #
Mr. Pink,
Where did you see that link? I’d like to check it out a bit further, and maybe see the bills in question…
Just as Adams defended the british soldiers that committed the “Boston Massacre”, we should be willing to give thor props if he is right; especially since I couldn’t recall this factoid and generally pay attention to such things…
Thanks for pointing it out…
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 8:11 am #
What do you want me to do, spoon feed you? Look up HR 3893 of the 109th Congress, the Gasoline For America’s Security Act. There’s a precious piece of legislation rammed through under guise of emergency by Joe Barton.
The best place for Elian Gonzales was with his father, and no American could replace his father, not now, not ever. Got it. I know how hard it is for a r-winger to distill the core logic of parental rights, seeing how it was just a few years back when Rick Perry of Texas ordered hundreds of children to be ripped from their mothers arms so that the State might better care for them. Lost in ideological illusions is what many r-wingers are. Sad.
Comment by B Moe on 7/9 @ 8:14 am #
Do you know what happens to boys when they turn 12 in Cuba, asswipe? If you don’t you need to shut the fuck up. If you do, then once again I must pray for karma to deliver you the hell on earth you deserve.
Comment by Eben on 7/9 @ 8:14 am #
He doesn’t have goalposts, he has a handful of monkey shite that he throws at the wall.
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 8:16 am #
Poor baby got the vapors.
Comment by Mr. Pink on 7/9 @ 8:17 am #
What happens to boys in Cuba at the age of 12 anyway?
Comment by SBP on 7/9 @ 8:19 am #
Ah, yes. Cuba, a veritable earthly paradise, it is.
‘Cause, you know, people are always eager to leave paradise and voyage into the open sea on rafts they’ve made out of trash bags stuffed with styrofoam peanuts.
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 8:20 am #
Are they circumcised?
Viva la Revolucion!
Comment by Eben on 7/9 @ 8:20 am #
More monkey shite.
2/10
Comment by maggie katzen on 7/9 @ 8:21 am #
aw yeah! it’s the only way to travel!
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 8:23 am #
http://www.theocracywatch.org/gov_repub_abuse_to_oct7_05.htm
Rage!
Comment by Ric Locke on 7/9 @ 8:24 am #
As meya mentioned earlier, the Federalist Papers are on line.
Number 53 talks about legislative terms. One sentence that sticks out, for me:
The writer goes on to suggest that some of that is general knowledge anyone might possess, and other parts can only be learned by serving. The complaint I have at the moment — and one that’s relevant to the post topic — is that I don’t see any of those people with any knowledge whatever of anything beyond the “inside baseball” aspects of the office and/or campaigning. The origin of many of our laws becomes much more clear if you assume that the people who wrote them are too ignorant to pound sand.
Regards,
Ric
Comment by serr8d on 7/9 @ 8:26 am #
@127 Yes, thor, you malignant tumor, my photobucket account is AKA “Dallas News”.
Since you didn’t click, you might recognize the photo bu it’s description: a Clinton-sanctioned Reno-enabled Federal Agent holds a fully-automatic weapon to the heads of Elian and his relatives, who are cowering in a closet, exhibiting an emotion that’s usually classified as fear. Just as you stated in your remark; that’s what America is all about. And it is, under lefty-fascististy regimes, such as we have in place right now.
Comment by Eben on 7/9 @ 8:27 am #
lol, epic fail
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 8:28 am #
lol, epic deny
Comment by Carin on 7/9 @ 8:29 am #
Nice site, Thor.
Comment by maggie katzen on 7/9 @ 8:30 am #
ROVE’S INDICTED!!!!
BWAH HA HA HAaaaaa
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 8:31 am #
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 7:24 am #
thor is a proven liar, Bob.
Good luck, nonetheless.
Comment by Carin on 7/9 @ 8:31 am #
I bet Nishi loves it. And Charles Johnson.
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 8:32 am #
thor,
Holding the vote open is a long standing palimentary device, employed by all parties in the House for years; and it is hardly the same as voting on pivotal pieces of legislation, like Obama-care and Cap-n-trade, unread…
And really, Theocracy Watch? That’s kinda like me citing “Hot Air” or any other right-wing pundits to you…
Or was that somehow meant to be more in my face, since all here are well aware of my status as a God-bothering type of person?
No accusing, just asking…
But thanks for trying to link to something that may have been motivating your thoughts…
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 8:32 am #
“Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 7:36 am #
You can look it up on your own”
What’d I tell you?
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 8:33 am #
You doubted the Dems were correctly protesting the lack of debate and floor time when the Repubs controlled the House, Carin.
And now with the same charge the Repubs have contracted the same raging vapors.
I’m just pointing out reality for those willing to listen.
Comment by Mr. Pink on 7/9 @ 8:33 am #
Thor do you realize that you are pretty much proving the point of Darleens writing on this one? I know you think you are proving some hypocrisy here but you are basically admitting you thought the action was wrong when an R was doing it, but now that a D is doing it you are defending it. How middle of the road moderate that is of you.
Comment by Carin on 7/9 @ 8:33 am #
Hoyer’s got bigger problems.
Hope and change folks!
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 8:34 am #
“Outside of tactical firsts, Janet Reno made the right call with Elian.”
thor licking another dictators ball sweat.
Why am I not suprised?
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 8:35 am #
“He belonged to his father, of course he did, and his father lived in Cuba, the proud
island nationopen air Gualg.TFTFY.
Comment by Carin on 7/9 @ 8:35 am #
Pink responded before I could.
If it was a problem THEN why isn’t it a problem now?
Comment by Mr. Pink on 7/9 @ 8:37 am #
All middle of the road moderate types I know read websites like Theocracy watch. Trust me.
/
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 8:38 am #
“Comment by JD on 7/9 @ 8:01 am #
Thor is engaging in a public asspull while running away with the goalposts.”
While they’re shoved up his ass.
Great trick, that.
Comment by SBP on 7/9 @ 8:40 am #
Hoyer’s got bigger problems.
A couple of kids with a copy of MySQL could knock that out in a few days.
Data entry might be a significant expense (yeah, all that stuff should already be in machine-readable form, but knowing the government, it isn’t), but way should it cost $18 million. Not within two orders of magnitude.
Comment by SBP on 7/9 @ 8:42 am #
“No way should it cost $18 million”, that should say.
Comment by B Moe on 7/9 @ 8:47 am #
Fidel decides what he wants to do with them as far as their education and career is concerned. In most cases, it means being sent to education camps to learn to cut and process sugar cane and tobacco.
Comment by Mr. Pink on 7/9 @ 8:51 am #
162
Oh so it is Cuba’s version of Obama’s mandatory “volunteering” program for high school kids.
Comment by SBP on 7/9 @ 8:53 am #
Off to a hard day of spray-painting student papers red.
Laters…
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 8:55 am #
Look, Bob, I proved it’s not hard to find info on the Republican-devised scheme to limit debate on House bills. DeLay did his “arm breaking” and when he tallied up that he had necessary votes bills shot through without any floor debate. “Mr. Speaker, I ask that we suspend House rules and introduce this emergency legislation in a emergency session.” “Granted.”
Another tactic Republican’s used was introducing suspension bills, for the rules grant a maximum of forty minutes of debate for suspension bills. That “suspension” means suspension of House rules, the disadvantage of a suspension bill is that they require two-thirds majority vote to pass and they can’t be amended.
The crushing of floor debate began in earnest only years ago. Sorry Rethugs, but you own it. I’m not saying it’s right when the Dems do it, but at least understand how this started.
Comment by B Moe on 7/9 @ 8:58 am #
And limiting debate=not debating at all=not knowing what is in the bill=the bill not even being written yet
It’s that new math.
Comment by Eben on 7/9 @ 9:00 am #
Which, in the mind of an idiot, is the exact same thing as voting on an empty piece of paper…
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 9:03 am #
And when an idiot is reduced to claims of voting on empty pieces of paper, you know deep down he’s hurting inside.
Tissue, Eben?
Comment by Danger on 7/9 @ 9:04 am #
From the site Thor linked to:
Satan
If the Religious Right gains dominion over society, we will all have to deal with Satan because he plays such a dominant role in their belief system. Anyone who is not born-again is vulnerable to Satan, for they are lacking the protective shield of Christ. The world is clearly divided into “good” and “evil”, “Christ” and “Satan.” R.J. Rushdoony, the man who is considered the father of Reconstructionism called on his followers to “administer justice upon all disobedience in every area of life where we encounter it. To deny the cultural mandate is to deny Christ and to surrender the world to the devil.” (The Institutes of Biblical Law, 1973)
Dr. Elaine Pagels, professor of History of Religion at Princeton University wrote a book titled The Origins of Satan. She explains in an interview with Ellen Kushner on WGBH, Boston Public Radio, what can happen when a society has a ‘good vs. evil’ world view:
“Every group and tribe has had ways of feeling superior to every other. I mean, every anthropologist knows that, but what’s really different here is that you have a moral view – ‘we are good, and you are evil.’
And what happens then,” Pagels continues, “as was put into the mouth of Jesus in the Gospel of John: whoever kills you will think he’s doing service to God. So that if a conflict between us and them turns into a moral conflict, so we’re God’s people, they are Satan’s people, we can do anything we like with them. I think of that when I hear the term “ethnic cleansing.” It’s like there’s dirt there. You know, it’s a good thing to get rid of dirt.”
Comment by Mr. Pink on 7/9 @ 9:05 am #
How about I hand thor a blank piece of paper and tell him that it has the new law governing his use of gasoline and energy. If he complains then I say well circa 2009 Democrats did it too. According to him that is freakin fantastic.
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 9:08 am #
“Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 9:03 am #
And when an idiot is reduced to claims of voting on empty pieces of paper, you know deep down he’s hurting inside.”
Anmother lie.
Keep it up, thor.
Comment by Eben on 7/9 @ 9:09 am #
lolwat
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 9:09 am #
Fair enough thor,
I’ll have to look into this more though before I can declare that you’re completely correct about the practice of holding open floor votes, and other parlimentary shenanigans, being some sort of recent Rethugs! innovation…
And speaking of parlimentary shenanigans…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tRQHsXujpo
That’s Senator Jim DeMint asking for an amendment to a bill, one that would include a GAO audit of the Federal Reserve. The Senate Democrats block his amendment stating that violates a particular rule. Then DeMint goes on to question them about a whole list of amendments they’ve added, and Senator Jay Hagan, the Democrat chairing the session, admits amendment by amendment that they too violate the same rule…
But those amendments were added by Democrats, so, you know, they’re OK!
Is this another recent innovation? Or can it’s genesis be traced to Rethugs..?
Be Cool!
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 9:11 am #
Here you go: http://www.chemtrailcentral.com/forum/thread9519.html
It must be hard to focus on a issue when your argument is losing so badly. Try that link, and focus.
I think my work here is done for the morning. R-wingereds are pounded silly once again. Later, gators.
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 9:15 am #
thor,
By the way, if you want to talk about holding the vote open? Seems to me Pelosi et al. did a pretty good job of demonstrating that technique during the Spendulus vote, as well as the recent Cap-n-trade vote…
Still I’ll look into this further and get back to you…
You know I’m a fair man, and if you’re right I’ll be happy to not only admit it it, but to proclaim it widely…
‘Cuz that’s how I roll!
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 9:17 am #
We both know each party is going to use its vote advantage when they have it, Bob, but it was DeLay who so boldly set out to eliminate what he thought was the unnecessary, namely, any friggin’ floor debate.
Like I said before, I repeatedly saw this bitch and cry scenario in junior high. It’s only unfair when the tables are turned. Whatevers!
Comment by Danger on 7/9 @ 9:17 am #
“Pagels continues, “as was put into the mouth of Jesus in the Gospel of John: whoever kills you will think he’s doing service to God.”
Nice site your using their Thor,
I missed that part of John. Which interpretation of the bible do you think she got that from?
Comment by Mr. Pink on 7/9 @ 9:18 am #
Well in thor’s defense this is the same argument Obama uses all the time. “Why Republicans can not complain about my budget or record setting deficits because they racked up some too.” Never minding that he is taking the Republican deficits and multiplying them by four to the tenth power. In this instance thor is comparing arguably WRONG actions by Tom Delay (by his own admission he considers them wrong) on limiting debate and inserting a couple words into the bill the night before voting, to Pelosi not even allowing Republicans in the fuckin room when the bills are made and inserting 300 plus word amendments including so called place holders that are blank or referring to legislation not yet writtin into bills at 3 AM the night before they are voted on. He uses that comparison to justify the actions that he used to consider wrong, tell people that are calling the current actions wrong they can not do so, and then to proclaim he “won” some sort of argument that isn’t even taking place.
The logical fallacies are strong in this group.
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 9:19 am #
See #172
Comment by B Moe on 7/9 @ 9:21 am #
See #172LOOK! BUNNIES!
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 9:22 am #
Chemtrail fucking Central?
You lost it, thor. totally and completely.
What’s next a MIHOP-LIHOP debate between your personalities?
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 9:25 am #
Two wrongs don’t make a right…
The only place two negatives become positive is in multiplicative or divisive mathematical operations…
Or, you know, if the MSM said that it was da trooooooooof!
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 9:28 am #
Chemtrail Central:
“Science & Technology: High-altitude wind machines could power New York City”
“Ecology: INTERESTING CROP CIRCLE ARTICLES”
“Politics: US remains silent over McKinney arrest by Israel”
“New World Order: Big Brother goes cashless on E-470 Colorado”
And the best for last:
“Conspiracy: ARE US PRESIDENTS CLONED?”
You’re a fucking inbred mouth-breathing morn, thor.
Comment by Eben on 7/9 @ 9:32 am #
I say again, only in the mind of an idiot is limiting debate on an actual bill the same as voting on a blank piece of paper, or, as they like to call it, a ‘place holder’.
Which just happens to have the potential of wrecking the economy.
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 9:35 am #
You’re correct, Bob, two wrongs don’t make it right. But the irony of this newly minted r-wingered outrage when it was they who so recently exploited in unprecedented fashion every loophole to quash debate is a little much, no?
I’m a registered independent. I’ve been railing against our two shitty parties for some time. I’m not new to being outraged at the dissolving of our democratic principals in favor of partisanship.
So sorry I refuse to join either of the group-thinkers’ teams!
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 9:39 am #
“So sorry I refuse to join either of the group-thinkers’ teams!”
Says the founder of the “Let’s All Lick Stalin’s Asscrack” Party
Comment by Mr. Pink on 7/9 @ 9:39 am #
“I’m a registered independent. I’ve been railing against our two shitty parties for some time. I’m not new to being outraged at the dissolving of our democratic principals in favor of partisanship.”
Says the asshole who quotes websites like Theocracy watch, defends every action by someone with a D in front of their name, and only comes here to shout obscenities.
“But the irony of this newly minted r-wingered outrage when it was they who so recently exploited in unprecedented fashion every loophole to quash debate is a little much, no?”
Proving my point in 178.
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 9:40 am #
You’re an empty-headed piece of white trash whose ideology is the equivalent of ass cancer to the health of our democracy.
There’s your allotted pee-pee drop of my attention for the day, Sempering ballboy.
Comment by Eben on 7/9 @ 9:45 am #
Those websites that thor has linked to are true bastion’s of independent thought, dontcha know!
Comment by Carin on 7/9 @ 9:47 am #
So sorry I refuse to join either of the group-thinkers’ teams!
Heh. Now THAT is funny.
Comment by geoffb on 7/9 @ 9:57 am #
Lee H. Hamilton is president and director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and is Obama’s Middle East Czar.As architect of Obama’s Middle East policies and head of a center named in honor of our first and so far most progressive/socialist President, the term “honorable” is honorific only. His current Czar position was bought in the usual fashion. The toddling way of life.
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 10:06 am #
Endorsed = bought.
Toddle much with language, geoffb?
Hamilton is widely respected on both sides of the aisle, cry if you must.
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 10:06 am #
“I’m not new to being outraged at the dissolving of our democratic principals in favor of partisanship.”
thor,
I believe that all patriots feel the same way; George Washingon would be aghast at today’s bitter partisan battles. He would only be interested in what was good for the nation. That is what we should ask ourself always, especially in the realm of domestic policy where the choices are more clearly defined than in matters of foreign policy…
I think you give folks here too short a shrift though when you lump them all together as right wingers. Many of them may simply be objecting to Mr. Obama’s policies and their long term effects on the nation, and in doing so stridently may come off as “wingers” to you…
For my part, I am a Republican because I believe that our nation is a republic, not a federal direct democracy, and believe strongly in the ideals of individual freedom, thr right to private property, bith material and ideological, as well as the constitutional principle of state’s rights…
And although I’ve been a Republican all my voting life, I don’t vote straight party line, but choose to weigh the merits of the candidates and their ideas. Nor do I march in ideological lockstep with the party members. And I don’t look the other way nor justify abuses by the elected Republican officials…
I’ve been critical of Booooosh!, and other Congresional Rethugs when I saw fit. I guess in that way you might consider me more of an indepedant…
The bottom line is that I believe in the strict interpretation of our constitution, and zealous adhereance to it’s tenets. I believe in limited government, so as to maximize freedom. Concomitantly, I believe in limited taxation and the minimum necessary regulation, to spur the creation of wealth so that all may achieve tha American dream that they educate themselves for and work hard to achieve…
That’s not my complete “American Creed”, but I don’t want to bore you…
And thanks for addressing the blockquoted text you cited. But I confess that it was more of a general remark to one of Mr. Pink’s citations, and a comment on the whole “Tu Quoque” rhetorical technique…
Man it must be friggin hot these days in Florida, eh? Or are you still in Texas?
In ether case, Be Cool!
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 10:09 am #
And sorry all for my horrific typing skills…
I’ll have to start spell checking these things before i post them!
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 10:14 am #
Tejas.
The sweeping generalities of your “American creed” are weaknesses unto themselves. How do lower taxes create wealth again? Russia has much lower income taxes than our tax rates, and I really don’t see Russia gaining on Denmark in wealth creation lately.
Platitudes, those empty platitudes do defy.
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 10:24 am #
Well thor,
Perhaps the Russian economy is still in shock; going from full on statist to completely globalized in a few short years is a tall order. Especially when most of the potentially profitable former government industries were somehow acquired by reformed apparatchicks turned oligarchal capitalists!
It has been tough going on the Russians though, but in time they’ll get it together. They have a lot of natural resources, and once folks feel they can trust them in a business sense not to drift back to communism and nationalized indistries, then a lot of industries will move there…
Speaking of Russia, JHo has put up a new post concerning them. You might be interested in weighing in on that one…
Adios!
Comment by Sam Hall on 7/9 @ 10:28 am #
How do lower taxes create wealth again?
How to taxes create wealth at all, Rainman?
Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 12:18 pm #
You’re teh ‘toooopid.
Comment by Danger on 7/9 @ 12:30 pm #
“It must be hard to focus on a issue when your argument is losing so badly. Try that link, and focus.
I think my work here is done for the morning. R-wingereds are pounded silly once again. Later, gators.”
Cmon Thor,
Is that site you linked to in #172 part of the dark comedy your into because I am still laughing.
Comment by Old Dad on 7/9 @ 12:50 pm #
Thor,
Taxes, almost by definition, destroy wealth. That’s why most sane people try to avoid them. There are rare exceptions. The key concept is Return On Investment. From a macroeconomic perspective, we ask ourselves where will we get the best return on our hard earned capital, The National Endowment for the Arts, or a 401K? That ones easy. Investments in some programs sometimes do produce a real ROI. For example, investments in space and military technologies have produced substantial returns. But we miss a lot more than we hit.
Of course, there are essential services for which we pay and expect no monetary return, but our out of control government has expanded so far beyond the Founders’ intent that we are merely funding billions upon billions of dollars of low to no return investment. Here’s an anecdote for you. You seem to like them. I was once a small scale Washington lobbyist calling primarily on HEW. We were looking hat in hand for some grant money. Long story short story, one of the grants that we were begging was awarded to a New Mexico project funding an exploration of the special health needs of Navajo lesbians, and no I’m not kidding. Our project promised a better return, but would still have been a waste, and I’m not proud of that.
Bottom line, Adam Smith was right. Markets have a flawed but much better track record for producing wealth than government. That’s why tax cuts (e.g. Kennedy, Reagan, Bush) always produced wealth and as a corrolary, revenue increases for the Feds.
Comment by N. O'Brain on 7/9 @ 12:50 pm #
“Comment by thor on 7/9 @ 12:18 pm #
#
Comment by Sam Hall on 7/9 @ 10:28 am #
How do lower taxes create wealth again?
How to taxes create wealth at all, Rainman?
You’re teh ‘toooopid.”
Says the inbred mouth breating liar.
Comment by B Moe on 7/9 @ 12:56 pm #
Could it be because centuries have grinding oppression have left them listless and apathetic?
Comment by maggie katzen on 7/9 @ 12:58 pm #
no, no, B Moe, it’s the vodka and VD.
Comment by Danger on 7/9 @ 12:58 pm #
“Says the inbred mouth breating liar.”
What I’d like to know is why he hates Bush and Loves Obama if all of the Presidents have been cloned ;-0
Comment by maggie katzen on 7/9 @ 12:58 pm #
which I suppose is a coping mechanism.
Comment by B Moe on 7/9 @ 1:01 pm #
Or too busy servicing dashing American mercenaries.
Comment by B Moe on 7/9 @ 1:02 pm #
Tell us again about how you got that ride in a Russian fighter, thor.
About how you don’t that fine Russian pilot western business philosophy.
Comment by Sam Hall on 7/9 @ 1:08 pm #
You’re teh ‘toooopid.
Didn’t think you could answer, rube.
Do you have the first idea what wealth really is and how it is created? If not, come back when you learn. It shouldn’t be that hard to figure out even for a clod like you.
Comment by JD on 7/9 @ 1:16 pm #
I am still trying to figure out how limiting debate is comparable to voting on bills that do not even have all of the language in them, and not give the throbbing members even a chance to read them. And how taxes create wealth.
Comment by geoffb on 7/9 @ 1:33 pm #
The House by voting on bills that have blanks to be filled in later is simply a beta test of the new ACORN designed voting system to be in place for 2010. We should salute those hardworking, brave souls who are giving so much to make sure the system will be ready and bug free.
Comment by Bob Reed on 7/9 @ 1:37 pm #
geoffb,
Do you mean the ballots to be filled in at a later date? Like in Iran…
Comment by Danger on 7/9 @ 1:47 pm #
“I am still trying to figure out how limiting debate is comparable to voting on bills that do not even have all of the language in them, and not give the throbbing members even a chance to read them. And how taxes create wealth.”
JD,
I am sure theirs an excellent explanation on one of those links Thor was kind enough to provide us. And as soon as I get done with the riveting story of the guy who has caught the NSA tapping his cell phone I am going to find it.
Comment by geoffb on 7/9 @ 3:40 pm #
Yes.
Comment by Old Texas Turkey on 7/9 @ 4:48 pm #
Do you have the first idea what wealth really is and how it is created? If not, come back when you learn. It shouldn’t be that hard to figure out even for a clod like you.
Sam – u didn’t sign up for one of Thor’s seminars on how to buy GM stock at $8 because it was such a steal?
If theres one thing, sorry two things the jagoff knows, its how to turn $100million into $1million in the market and how to bang skanky russian ho-bags.
Comment by Challeron on 7/9 @ 11:09 pm #
Sam Hall: It shouldn’t be that hard to figure out even for a clod like you.
I’ve taught my German Shepherd the basics of Capitalism — he doesn’t get his dinner until he brings me his favorite toy — but that still might be beyond the grasp of some people….
Trackback by Benny on 8/23 @ 8:15 pm #
Benny…
Don’t quite get what it is about your blog post. English not my first language…anyway have a nice Sunday :)…
Trackback by Fabian on 8/27 @ 12:15 pm #
Fabian…
Hey thanks. Just what I need to have to think about. Was looking around for info on Thursday and came across your blog post . Don’t have time to really comment today, will come back later on. Thanks again….