They Have No Merge Files Button

Tags

Election 2012, Foxy Noise, gas prices, GOP, Health care, Mitt Romney, Romneycare, Rush Limbaugh, wacked media

It really helps to understand the GOP to know that they have no MERGE FILES button. In other words, they minds operate like file cabinets and not computers.

While we receive no information and compare it with all the information we have thus far collected, they simply open a new folder, insert, and place in the cabinet, to be pulled forth as “truth” as needed. If it conflicts with something else already in the file cabinet? They will never know. They will never check. It’s not how their brains work.

In Romney World, television and movies are real. At least some of them. At least the ones he watched that convinced him that he could hire somebody to scrub the information highway of any and all contradictory statements made by his very own self.

It’s good that Willard likes to fire people, because he needs to fire that guy. Right away.

In one of those surreal moments, some elderly type lady stood up in some Romney campaign event and literally begged Willard to guarantee and promise, and say assertively, yes or no, “WILL YOU REPEAL OBAMA CARE?”

He answered, “Why wouldn’t I?” and then went on to blather on about how “from the very start, I always said very clearly, that this is what we wanted in Massachusetts, and it in no way meant it was right for anybody else, any state, and certainly not the federal government.”

Except that.

Except that he did say just the opposite. Not once. Not twice. Not three times, but at least four times so far that have been documented. And with video tape. (Expect this to come up in an ad coming to a TV near you!)

Now, some suggest that the GOP must be dumber than a dead fly on the windshield not to have found any of this stuff until now. But others pipe up and suggest that this might well be coming from the Obama camp, dribbled out now and then, just enough to keep the cauldron simmering. I rather like that idea.

Beyond the phenomenal ability of The Willard camp to not know, remember, or think it can be buried, lies a more puzzling issue. It too can be answered by the merge file syndrome. It is the bizarre hatred for “Obamacare” as it is known throughout TeaMob® land.

Of course, much of this comes from Fox Noise and the far-far-far right, which hates these types of programs (medicare, Medicaid, social security, food stamps, welfare, unemployment insurance) anyway. They have labeled universal health care as the first, fifth or last step before we descend into the hellfire of socialism. The fact that any number of countries have socialism in one form or another and their people seem rather happy (happier than Americans generally) is a point never mentioned.

Anyway, as I said, the right wingnuttery brigade has drunk the kool-aid and they are convinced that universal health care is bad, and more bad. While leads me to this post by Ezra Klein about health care in general.

Here are some facts:

1. Republicans like to demand tort reform to “cut down on frivolous lawsuits” which they claim drive up health care costs. FACT: all lawsuits account for less than one-half of one percent of all costs in health care. Moreover, what is frivolous? It is well documented that more mistakes are made by American doctors than those in any other countries.
2. Fact: 21% of all health care costs are eaten up by administrative costs. This is in the private sector. In Medicare, administrative costs amount to 3% of total costs.
3. Doctors make far more in salaries in the US than elsewhere in the world.
4. Based on a value index, the US ranks far down the list, behind Canada, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Brazil, India, and China. This is overall health of its citizens. The idea that we get the best care is simply not true.

Just a few facts.

NOTE: the idea of merge files is from Robert Altemeyer and his book The Authoritarians. He finds this a universal trait pretty much of the fundamentalist mind. They hold a head full of contradictory information that they never allow to confront each other. Frankly, they are unaware of this probably.

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As you might expect, the Foxy Noise Makers are busily trying to attach the rise in gasoline prices to Mr. Obama. Yes, what would you expect. Except that back in 2008, when prices went over $4 a gallon, they were busily trying to remind people that not only was it not Bush/Cheney’s fault, but “”[N]o president has the power to increase or to lower gas prices.“

I guess Foxy should fire the guy who wiped their information highway as well.

¶

I think it runs in the family: Ann Romney says she doesn’t feel wealthy. Awwww, ain’t that special?  Exactly how much would it take Ann, to feel wealthy?

“This is not a political war at all. This is not a cultural war.
This is a spiritual war.”
……………… —US Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum

Oh for a GOP candidate who could keep their mouth shut. So prays Reince *rinsed penis* Priebus . As overheard by The Matrix.

If you think I’m stretching a point, well try running for office in Laurens County South Carolina, where party members must sign a pledge: that among others things claims that they had no premarital sex, will be faithful to their spouse, that your spouse is of the opposite sex, and,.  .  .  . oh who cares what else.

¶

Was it something I said? Can you imagine having to grovel in the hopes of saving your job when you meant every word you said and then some? Welcome to Rush’s world. I’m laughing. I know it’s impolite to chortle at the misfortunes of others, but, God help me, this is a hoot. And, did I mention, deserved? He’s now reduced to pouting, “I’M JUST A RAPPER!”

RUSH: This is all part of the culture deteriorating, because fewer and fewer people and fewer and fewer businesses and fewer and fewer institutions actually have a moral core, or they’re not willing to stand up for their moral core. And you talk about the double standard, one of the greatest illustrations of it is that rappers can practically say anything they want about women, and it’s called art. And they win awards for it. I don’t know about you, I have some television shows that I like, and I TiVo ’em, and the P-word that stands for urinate is common now. Or when you’re ticked off, you are p–. It’s common. The word bitch is common. In sitcoms, in television dramas.

Happy Tuesday.

What’s on the Stove: Vichysoisse and ham and cheese toasted sammies.