Kathleen Parker
Dana Milbank
“When we are done here today, we will not have taken any steps to improve the country.” - Rep Joe Wilson
"Wilson’s own wife asked him who the “nut” was who was hollering at the president." - Maureen Dowd
"I guess we'll have folks putting on white hoods and robes again and riding through the countryside intimidating people," - Rep Hank Johnson
"Civilization is a fragile and delicate idea" Kathleen Parker
I can't believe that the flap over the obscure Joe Wilson shouting "You Lie!" during President Obama's speech before Congress is still brewing. congress voted to censure Mr Wilson, who remains unrepentant and cashing in on his inherent racist roots. Even President Jimmy Carter weighed in on the subject: “I live in the South, and I’ve seen the South come a long way and I’ve seen the rest of the country that shared the South’s attitude toward minority groups at that time … and I think it’s bubbled up to the surface,” Carter said, “because of a belief among many white people, not just in the South but around the country, that African-Americans are not qualified to lead this great country.”
I can understand someone from my parent's or grandparent's generation spouting off without a conscience or sense of self awareness, because they were born into a segregated society. It hasn't been that long since people marched for civil rights, and we''re one of the few countries that has tried to give equal rights to all of its citizens. Wait until the tribal based societies get around to writing a Bill of Rights...
We may be marching and protesting, we might be a bit vague as to what we want, but at least we can do it and go home to a safe, warm, fuzzy family. It's not like the government is paranoid and would arrest your children and grandchildren to intimidate you... Welcome back to Iran: "Authorities in Iran have arrested at least seven children and grandchildren of senior clerics in the religious city of Qum and threatened to arrest the son of Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the powerful cleric and a former president, in what appeared to be fresh pressure on religious leaders who sympathize with the opposition.
The political winds in Iran seems to be shifting hourly, with its Supreme Leader coming off as an inefficient schizophrenic, the Kanye West and Serena Williams package rolled into one big Friday Sermon, game goes to Mahmoud...
Iraq'a new national hero, the shoe throwing reporter Muntadhar al Zeidi was finally released from prison, then immediately left the country: "Speaking shortly after leaving jail, Muntadhar al-Zeidi, 30, said he had been tortured while in prison and demanded that Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, apologise for withholding information about his treatment.
Al-Zeidi, whose release had been delayed by a day due to "red tape", said he had been beaten, whipped and been given electric shocks during his first few days in custody."Muntadhar will go to Greece for medical treatment, because he was injected with unknown chemical drugs and he suffers from a continuous headache," Haidar al-Zeidi, his cousin, said."
Looks like he had a lovely stay, guess the prison guards learned a lot from their US trainers.
There was dancing in the street outside of his family house, despite the admonition by the authorities not to celebrate. He remains unrepentant, glad that he threw the shoes, and would do it again but with better aim. I still can't believe this guy was put in jail for throwing shoes, no matter the symbolism. Couldn't they just have voted to censure him, or send him to South Carolina? Something tells me that Muntadher will not be going back to beautiful Iraq anytime soon...
"Today I am free again but my home is still a prison"
late night jokes:
"Been a busy week for President Obama. I notice that he's having Kanye West and Taylor Swift to the White House for a 'root beer summit' this weekend. See, she's only 19. So, it's got to be root beer." --Jay Leno
"Well, people are still talking about last week when President Obama gave his speech on healthcare and that Republican congressman yelled out, 'You lie!' He yelled out, 'You lie!' to the President. So, at least the two sides are talking. You know, and that's good. There's dialogue." --Jay Leno
"Vice President Joe Biden really upset about President Obama being interrupted. He said, 'Hey, that's my job.'" --Jay Leno
"The President spoke about some of the scare tactics that are being used to fight healthcare reform. And I tell you, some of them are pretty scary. Like, have you seen this new commercial where this older couple gets mailed a box from Liberty Medical and it's got Wilford Brimley's head in it? Have you seen that one?" --Jay Leno
"Yet another family values Republican has been caught in a sex scandal. I love this story: This time, California Assemblyman Mike Duvall (the guy is married) was caught on tape bragging having sex with two different lobbyists. A politician having sex with two lobbyists. Now, I'm not a mathematician, but I believe that's a total of 3 whores, right?" --Jay Leno
"And while we were off, the government started this program that gives people money for their old cars. I made $5 billion." --Jay Leno
"Oh, hey, and the University of Wyoming will open the new Dick Cheney Center for International Students. And really, who loves foreigners more than Dick Cheney?" --Jay Leno
"And according to the Wall Street Journal, Wal-Mart will now pay its workers in the United States electronically. I mean, it'll still be in pesos, but electronic." --Jay Leno
"Osama bin Laden has released a new audio recording slamming the President, America, Israel and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Then at the end, when he's really worked up, he yells, 'And Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time!'" --Conan O'Brien
"Of course, you all saw this. This is what I'm talking about. Kayne West at the Video Music Awards. Kayne West interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech. And after he did that, after he was done interrupting her, MTV threw him out of the building. So it's official. MTV has a lower tolerance for bad behavior than the United States Congress." --Conan O'Brien
"President Obama, of course, hard at work, traveling the country, selling his healthcare plan. He's going everywhere. This weekend, in Minnesota, President Obama spoke about healthcare reform, and he warned Americans not to be tricked by scare tactics. Then someone yelled out, 'What do you call sending a black man to Minnesota?'" --Conan O'Brien
"Osama bin Laden released a new 11-minute audio tape, where he calls President Obama powerless in the war in Afghanistan. Well, that was the first six minutes. He gave Taylor Swift the last five to finish her acceptance speech." --Jimmy Fallon
"This Saturday in Washington, over 70,000 people protested because they think President Obama is trying to shove government healthcare down their throats; also known as the 'Serena Williams option.'" --Jimmy Fallon
Death Panels are REAL. We must be aware of the "future" of end-of-life consultation:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQE0vNEcb8k
Baucus's bill did not cover this, but he should've!
The debate over death panels is a lot like the old joke:
ReplyDelete1st person: My mother made me a homosexual...
2nd person: Well, if I giver enough yarn will she make me one too?
It all depends on your perception and definitions. If you believe that such a thing exists, then nobody can talk you out of it. If you believe that your doctor and minister are good people, then counseling about your responsibilities is also a good thing. If you have a positive view about the health care reform, then what it is trying to accomplish is seen in a good light. We are really not debating the health care issue but our underlying attitudes, using phrases from the media for emotional shorthand...
In my view I would agree that there are death panels, they are the committees on the insurance companies that decide if they will pay for a procedure or not, making that decision if you are likely to die or not...