Wingnuts on Parade
There is all kinds of wingnutiness out there today and from both chambers of Congress, none the less. We begin with Orrin Hatch, the Republican Senator from Utah warning about the grave dangers of health care reform.
The healthcare reform proposals before Congress threaten the existence of the two-party system, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) alleged Monday morning.
Hatch asserted that the health bills, which he believes represent a "step-by-step approach to socialized medicine," will lead to Americans’ dependence on Democrats for their health and other issues.
"And if they get there, of course, you’re going to have a very rough time having a two-party system in this country, because almost everybody’s going to say, ‘All we ever were, all we ever are, all we ever hope to be depends on the Democratic Party,’ " Hatch said during an interview with the conservative CNSNews.com.
"That’s their goal," Hatch added. "That’s what keeps Democrats in power."
That’s right. Health care reform will destroy the two-party political system in America. Well, I submit that the Rethugs have already done a fine job in that regard. According to the last NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, of those surveyed only 20 percent self-identified as Rethugs. It set a new low record for Rethugs. (Think Whig Party.)
Meanwhile, in other related news, Rep. Virgina Fox (R-NC) took it much further than her colleague in the Senate warning that health care reform was a greater threat to American freedom than “any terrorist right now in any country.”
Everywhere I go in my district, people tell me they are frightened. … I share that fear, and I believe they should be fearful. And I believe the greatest fear that we all should have to our freedom comes from this room — this very room — and what may happen later this week in terms of a tax increase bill masquerading as a health care bill. I believe we have more to fear from the potential of that bill passing than we do from any terrorist right now in any country.
So, there you have it. You’ve been duly warned of the great threats Democrats are hell bent on inflicting upon our great nation and its peoples. Oh, and if you’d like to watch Ms. Foxx’s rant, Think Progress has the video.
Humor, but no spine
Since Harry Reid doesn’t have a spine, we’ll have to settle for humor.
NYT Characterizes CIA Leak Case as ‘Distraction’
I understood outing a CIA agent as being tantamount to treason. At minimum, it is a felony. But the New York Times doesn’t see it that way. It’s merely a “distraction.”
The Wilson leak was an embarrassing distraction for President Bush and Mr. Cheney, whose role in the episode has remained a mystery that critics hoped would be clarified with the release of F.B.I. interview materials.
It sounds like the piece was authored by Alberto “Quaint” Gonzlaes.
CT Overwhelmingly Supports Public Option
Hey Joe Lieberman, you know that threat you made yesterday to filibuster the public option? Well, your constituents are smarter than you are. They favor the public option 68 – 21. And among independents they support the public option 73 – 15. Why do you hate your constituents, Senator Lieberman?
Top Crapper
Don Millard @OTOOLEFAN:
If Karl Rove merely tweeted “Just took a crap,” he’d tag it with #TCOT. Top Crapper On Twitter.
Health Insurance Industry Sticking It To Business
Oh, so now the health insurance industry to ensure its outrageous profits are going to stick it to the business community and business leaders are howling. I guess they are.
Any kind of government-run health insurance program would lead to higher costs for employers, corporate executives representing a big-business group said Wednesday.
The Business Roundtable, an alliance of corporate CEOs, criticized the public option in a conference call with reporters as congressional Democratic leaders intensified their push to include a government plan in their healthcare reform bills.
[...]
The Business Roundtable’s chief argument against the public option is that a government plan would offer lower payments to medical providers who, in turn, would raise the rates they charge for patients enrolled in employer-sponsored health insurance plans.
“It won’t contain costs. It will just shift them to the private payers,” Castellani said. “The state opt-out provision does nothing to blunt that impact.
Chuck Hagel to Join Obama Administration
Via First Read:
Former GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel will be at the White House event this afternoon where he’ll be named by the president as co-chair of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board.
[...] Hagel will be charged with “overseeing the work of the intelligence agencies for the president and unvestigating [sic] violations of the law” by folks in this community.
Sources confirm this account in the trade pub, Foreign Policy.
According to THEIR report, Hagel will be charged with “overseeing the work of the intelligence agencies for the president and unvestigating violations of the law” by folks in this community.
Wingnuts Gone Wild
Frank Gaffney declares the North American Union (a la European Union) is real. OK then.
Michelle Malkin hates kids and spends her day trying to kill the effort to host the 2016 Olympics in the U.S.
Glenn Beck dons his Pharisee hat.
Brian Darling at Red State thinks he is a Constitutional scholar and an expert on Bill of Attainder. Instead, he proves he is a moron.
John Hinderaker wants Liz Cheney to run for president. So does The New York Times.
Dana Perino really, really believes Republicans have super duper ideas that the American public is just going to love.
Mike Huckabee manages to contain his inner terrorist and promotes dumping the United Nations, lock, stock, and barrel, into the East River.
There, that ought to be a good start.
