tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post7112133050437265198..comments2024-03-29T05:03:05.347+02:00Comments on Dispatches from Vilnius: Health Care Bill PassesJames Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-28081831844283358902010-03-31T08:15:57.601+03:002010-03-31T08:15:57.601+03:00It takes effort to actually look such news items u...It takes effort to actually look such news items up. Something Fox and their devoted following both lack.James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-91881809097764918842010-03-31T07:40:40.668+03:002010-03-31T07:40:40.668+03:00Delusional right wingers believe Congress cannot m...Delusional right wingers believe Congress cannot make laws which mandate private health care or other means of reform. Too bad they don't read American history like we do. Otherwise, they would know President Adams signed into law a private insurance mandate in 1798:<br /><br /><br />http://rootswire.org/content/john-adams-signed-health-insurance-mandate-law-1798<br /><br /><br /><br />As Tripplerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16568801152695491482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-4640218017156755702010-03-30T06:22:42.184+03:002010-03-30T06:22:42.184+03:00From Judt: "Inequality is corrosive. It rot...From Judt: "Inequality is corrosive. It rots societies from within. The impact of material differences takes a while to show up: but in due course competition for status and goods increases; people feel a growing sense of superiority (or inferiority) based on their possessions; prejudice towards those on the lower ranks of the social ladder hardens; crime spikes and the pathologies of avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-12878656728277808952010-03-30T05:31:19.101+03:002010-03-30T05:31:19.101+03:00My jubilation at passage and signing is only tempe...My jubilation at passage and signing is only tempered by the wish that it hadn't been "necessary" to throw women, esp. poor women, under the bus with his executive order re absolutely no fed. funds for abortions. <br /><br />Putting game face on...wishing I hadn't had so much practice...NYT Perduhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05799504399477460783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-11841140428493199772010-03-29T17:57:29.391+03:002010-03-29T17:57:29.391+03:00Yes, I think he honestly believed he could do it. ...Yes, I think he honestly believed he could do it. There's something almost above it all about him. <br /><br />But he inherited an economy on the brink of destruction, some very disaffected people with some bad cases of not-so latent racism, and Glenn Beck. I don't think he has any choice but to play hardball if he wants to get anything done.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-6105285657745950052010-03-29T17:45:47.667+03:002010-03-29T17:45:47.667+03:00My feeling is that Obama felt obligated to try to ...My feeling is that Obama felt obligated to try to include the Republicans, given his campaign rhetoric, but seeing that the Republicans have no desire to be part of the current government, he now is playing hardball.James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-37880134303636187902010-03-29T15:51:35.245+03:002010-03-29T15:51:35.245+03:00Yes, I hope this is the beginning of the beginning...Yes, I hope this is the beginning of the beginning!<br /><br />I think he may be seeing his presidency with a little more clarity now. And, from the looks of it lately, he may have kept the country from falling off a financial cliff, so he may have a little more time on his hands.<br /><br />Now if he would just end the occupation of the Middle East, we could all live happily ever after.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-6477658116301735032010-03-29T15:02:32.026+03:002010-03-29T15:02:32.026+03:00You have to love the recess appointments Obama has...You have to love the recess appointments Obama has made, <br /><br />http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/27/obamas-recess-appointment_n_515978.html<br /><br />adding insult to injury as far as the Republicans are concerned. It is going to be a rough recess for the GOP'ers.James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-69380021040999761602010-03-27T10:11:02.370+02:002010-03-27T10:11:02.370+02:00I suppose there are a lot of folks out there who w...I suppose there are a lot of folks out there who would love nothing more than to pick up these houses at rock bottom prices ;)James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-27560215497038846322010-03-27T03:41:56.002+02:002010-03-27T03:41:56.002+02:00Nice to know that I'm not the only one who thi...Nice to know that I'm not the only one who thinks that. Reading the comments at the Times today you would think that this is the end of democracy and the free world as we know it. And yet when you read the particulars, it appears to be a modest proposal. And appears to help those neighborhoods where there are multiple foreclosures as much as the individual homeowner.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-8007278444247645462010-03-26T22:05:20.783+02:002010-03-26T22:05:20.783+02:00Only their fault in that these first time home buy...Only their fault in that these first time home buyers fell for the low rates, not knowing they would have to face balloon payments and of course not knowing their homes would depreciate 50% shortly there after. It was like buying a new car. <br /><br />Anyway, it makes more sense to renegotiate mortgages than it does to foreclose and then sell these houses on the auction block for a fraction of James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-84947440462272693802010-03-26T15:50:07.157+02:002010-03-26T15:50:07.157+02:00It almost feels like a log jam has broken, and tha...It almost feels like a log jam has broken, and that the river is beginning to run free again. <br /><br />Now they are talking about helping homeowners in over their heads. I know it's their own faults in many ways, but like the banks they are too big to fail. Everyone loses if they all go under.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-56642950651396491212010-03-26T08:41:10.682+02:002010-03-26T08:41:10.682+02:00So glad the Senate didn't hedge on the follow-...So glad the Senate didn't hedge on the follow-up bill anymore than it did. The Dems only lost 3 Senators on the vote.James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-74231999066097711652010-03-25T22:09:27.285+02:002010-03-25T22:09:27.285+02:00legislatorlegislatorRickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01343768762996537750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-78695187195754418302010-03-25T22:08:53.740+02:002010-03-25T22:08:53.740+02:00Here in Georgia some numbskull legislater has file...Here in Georgia some numbskull legislater has filed impeachment papers on the state's Attorney General, Thurbert Baker. Not only is Baker black, he's also a Democrat. Why impeachment? Because he won't file a law suit opposing the the health care law.Rickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01343768762996537750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-8300450134116447402010-03-25T20:25:40.923+02:002010-03-25T20:25:40.923+02:00They're doing it...
Senate Passes Reconciliat...They're doing it...<br /><br />Senate Passes Reconciliation Bill, 56-43avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-58253966480564999832010-03-25T17:29:44.618+02:002010-03-25T17:29:44.618+02:00I was just thinking that Obama could learn a few t...I was just thinking that Obama could learn a few things from TR, and may be compared to him in the end, when I read in Maureen Dowd's column that he's reading The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. <br /><br />We may have even happier days ahead yet!avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-79696938926337147482010-03-24T09:41:39.769+02:002010-03-24T09:41:39.769+02:00Looks like a very good piece on health care in Ame...Looks like a very good piece on health care in America. Thanks, av!James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-44328696526558339242010-03-24T02:38:39.207+02:002010-03-24T02:38:39.207+02:00This may be a little more than others are interest...This may be a little more than others are interested in, but just in case:<br /><br />http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447696/avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-35521367541533247612010-03-24T02:33:30.594+02:002010-03-24T02:33:30.594+02:00Thanks for the link.
This should be an interesti...Thanks for the link. <br /><br />This should be an interesting six months. I'm glued to the news again.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-86366376369958153382010-03-23T22:11:12.013+02:002010-03-23T22:11:12.013+02:00Good piece from Salon,
http://www.salon.com/news/...Good piece from Salon,<br /><br />http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/joe_conason/2010/03/22/frum/index.html<br /><br />with excellent links to Frum and health care surveys conducted recently.James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-5280178167728465412010-03-23T16:56:06.263+02:002010-03-23T16:56:06.263+02:00The irony of it all is that Teddy Roosevelt, a Rep...The irony of it all is that Teddy Roosevelt, a Republican, was the first President to promote national health insurance. It gives you a pretty good idea how far this political party has drifted from its ideological center.James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-50683642599303129072010-03-23T14:42:36.736+02:002010-03-23T14:42:36.736+02:00One thing that I found very disturbing watching th...One thing that I found very disturbing watching the news last night was the almost mob-like quality of the crowds that taunted Congress.<br /><br />I'm in DC and have seen some of the protests, but fortunately not the tea baggers. I had a meeting on Sunday afternoon or would have been at the Capitol.<br /><br />I did join in a demonstration of hispanic workers for awhile. But then I had to avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-52737734650907864552010-03-23T14:38:23.957+02:002010-03-23T14:38:23.957+02:00Now if everyone can just stay healthy 'til 201...Now if everyone can just stay healthy 'til 2014...<br /><br />Or in my case, stay a student.....avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-8200456055355968792010-03-23T12:49:57.166+02:002010-03-23T12:49:57.166+02:00Bob Herbert's Op/Ed in this morning's New ...Bob Herbert's Op/Ed in this morning's New York Times says it all. The Party of No is a disgrace. Not one House member crossed the aisle, while 37 Democrats did. I have no problem with Democrats not voting for the bill. That not even one Republican broke with the party speaks volumes, as they say.Rickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01343768762996537750noreply@blogger.com