Where Did Peace of Mind Go?

Tags

airport security, Bristol Palin, Bush tax cuts, dressing recipe, Earmarks, health care reform, John S. McCain, teabaggers, terrorism

I’ll tell you where it goes when you think you have lost your very best ever dressing recipe! I was fussin’ and fumin’ and generally expletive deleted from one end of the house to the other.

You see, I’ve spent hours creating all these recipe folders. As I paged through every single one to no effect, I realized I hadn’t made hardly any of these things anyway.

Thankfully, I found the recipe reproduced here, under a search for turkey dressing, about the 6th blog post. Phew!

So, I’m going to rethink my whole enterprise of recipe keeping. Frankly you might be bored since I plan to do every essential recipe here where I can’t lose it!

***

Well, a parent can be proud. Last night, I was in my office meditating (reading old Martha Stewart mags looking for, what else–recipes) when there was a knock at the door. “Come in,” I chirped.

There stood the Contrarian, beckoning me.  “You gotta see Brandy on the front porch,” he grinned.

I looked questioning, but nothing further was coming forth. I dutifully arose and headed to the front window to look across at the porch.

There stood the girlie. Eyes bright and shiny as a pups, her tail wagging furiously. In her mouth? A rather substantial rooster pheasant. She never moved, just stood in all her pride and glory, waiting to have her pic snapped with her prize.

I opened the door, praised her efforts, and nodded sadly as her eyes asked “may I bring it in please?” Great job girlie. Enjoy your triumph.

Bear was nonchalant as he wandered about the house. “Good job in helping Brandy, Bear,” I offered. He ignored the whole thing, whether out of embarrassment or generally pissiness that it was her and not him. He went out later, but walking by with no look to her catch. She watched over it for some time, finally the cold set into her bones and she labored up the steps and went to bed.

Such is life in the meadow.

***

You know, we are a nation of whiners. We want everything but want to pay for none of it. It’s who we are. Today we are all supposed to line up behind a silly idiot who went ballistic at having a pat down at the airport. “Don’t touch my junk man!” Yeah, and if somebody’s crotch explodes and plane goes down, what will we be hearing then? Shaddup and go find some other way to get to Paris or Madrid you idiot. Like anybody wants to ogle or fondle your very ordinary body. Sheesh, get a life.

***

I did, I thought, a decent smack down of the creepy old man, McCain. But it was nothing, I mean NOTHING like the super embarrass-the-hell-out-of John Sidney, that Jon Stewart did. If you missed it, please do yourself a huge favor and watch it here. Jon and a number of his crew simply eviscerated and excoriated McCain. It was beautiful. No doubt John Sidney is buying new TV’s today, having put his foot through all he owned.

***

We hear that Bristol Palin keeps winning despite the fact that she is at the bottom of the judges board every week for the last six or so. I wonder if DWTS’s realizes that it has single-handedly orchestrated its own cancellation. At best it was barely a competition, but at least some good dancing occurring in the last six weeks or so. Now it’s a silly joke of Palin mama grizzly voters who keep the two-left-footed Bristol on despite her embarrassing performances. So we hear. We stopped watching week two.

***

It’s all over the news. Newly elected Restooplican, Andy Harris, a doctor, started right off complaining when he found out his government health care wouldn’t start until February. This after campaigning vociferously against the new health care law, vowing to repeal it, and stating again and again that government had no business in health care. Yeah, whine much? Andy, hands wringing, worries about what he will do without health care for 28 days! You poor slob.

***

I imagine that Mitch McConnell and John Boehner meet after hours to share a drink and sob in each other’s martini. What has gone wrong here? All the sudden they are dancing to the tune of the know-nothing teabuggers. Earmarks? Yes? Earmarks, No! It’s fun to watch ain’t it?

***

To me, it’s quite simple. The GOPer’s claim that we have to keep the Bush-tax-cuts in order to generate jobs. Okay.

The key word is KEEP. We have had the Bush Tax cuts for how many years now. And what happened to the economy? And what happened to the jobs?

It’s really that simple isn’t it?

***

Mike Taibbi has a super article (really an excerpt from his new book) at AlterNet. If the terms “moron” “grifter class” “dingbats” and Palin and Bachmann in the same sentence, make you all giddy, then do go over and read!

***

And we are off to dinner prep.

On the stove today: Taco casserole with fresh salsa, sour creme, and avocado. Enjoy!

Related Articles

• McCain, Who Battled Earmarks, Watches Others Ban Them (thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com)
• House Republican wants his government-subsidized health care now (washingtonmonthly.com)
• “Sarah Palin Beams With Pride After Watching Daughter Bristol On Dancing With The Stars” and related posts (x17online.com)
• Bristol Palin is a precious little snowflake! (popbytes.com)
• New GOP Rep Andy Harris Wants To Take Away Your Health Care, Bitches About Not Getting His (oliverwillis.com)

Channeling the Ghost of Annie Oakley

Tags

Book Reviews, Christ, Congress, Good Friday, health care reform, life in the meadow, Obama, Roman Catholic Church, stupid sayings, teabaggers, The Contrarian

My world is a bit upside down today. The Contrarian has disappeared and been replaced by a strange man who wants to cook my dinner and cook Easter dinner besides. More of a convenient excuse to avoid the church possibly, but hard to turn down in any event. So, I’m at some odds this day, wandering around without “things” to do regarding the main meal of the day.

Sure, I did some wash, and made a carrot cake for tomorrow (the Contrarian has his limits you know). He is making some deviled eggs, and well, perhaps a good deal of the rest is secret at this point. I’m essentially banned from my own kitchen.

~~

I’ve been reading blogs and otherwise just thinking. I ran across this and thought it was quite neat. It purports to be the most twittered tweet of the week:

Obama’s not a brown-skinned anti-war socialist who gives away free healthcare.

You’re thinking of Jesus.

It made me smile.

~~

I’m hot on the trail of a new book to review. Haven’t done any in a while. Delivery was tough given our winter woes, but that is past and it’s time to get back into serious stuff. MacCulloch has written a huge tome on Christianity. He’s the author of the Reformation, another tome I”m presently reading. But I must say, I’m learning a heck of a lot, so I’m ready to give his 1,000+ pager a try.

~~

Going to Good Friday services is always a bit of a gamble with me. Never know how I’m going to feel about it. I usually feel some sadness, some horror at my paltry efforts in the face of so great a sacrifice, and not a little shake of confusion. I can’t explain it well, but I always feel a bit lost.

~~

The Episcopal Cafe has an amazing letter by Rev. Marie Fortune, which outlines what she would tell Pope Benedict about the scandal  should he be interested. Follow the link and read, for it’s well worth it.

One thing I believe in totally, is blaming the media for a witch hunt is exactly the wrong approach. You’d think they would get that.

~~

If you don’t already, catch Dr. James McGrath’s blog, Exploring our Matrix. He scored second in the blog popularity wars. It’s a great blog, and I get lots of good food for thought from it. He also is busy on Facebook where I usually catch up with his posts.

~~

The Wild Reed, has a lovely excerpt from Andrew Harvey’s book, Son of Man: The Mystical Path to Christ.

Frankly, I could recommend a lot of poetry, but it’s impossible to choose among so many entries. The times do inspire great thoughts no doubt, and I’m in awe as always at how talented so many of my blogging friends are. Do stop by Tim’s Straight-Friendly today as well. His reflections are so beautiful that I’m urging him to collect them for publication. What a lovely inspirational book they would make.

~~

Hate to do this to a Democrat but hey, stupid is stupid. Georgia enters the fray as a new contestant in the weekly show–My Congressman is Stupider than Yours! I have a sneakin’ suspicion they could well win out this week with this one.

It seems that Hank Johnson (D-Ga) weighed in on a discussion of adding more folks to the island of Guam as the Pacific fleet is increasing its presence. It seems that this worries the congressman who is afraid that the the addition of 8000 more people might be one or two too many and cause the island to capsize and drown all the inhabitants.

Yep, that’s right. Don’t know what else to say about it, but I’m swearing off Georgia grown peaches this year just in case. I suggest detours around the state also. And before you think it was an April Fools shenanigan–there is a UTube link to prove it.

~~

And, well, you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t hope for a little of this:

It never takes long to find another chuckle in the teabagger repertoire does it? Seems our mayor has a bit of brushing up to do on his English spelling? Perhaps Chester is the village idiot?

How Long Lord, How Long?

Tags

GOP, health care reform, insurrection, racism, repeal, right wing extremism, teabaggers, violence

Throughout the scriptures, the psalmist’s words ring out–“how long Lord, how long?” And we wonder too.

Not, this is not a Good Friday message, but the Psalmist’s lament rings so true to those of us who can but shake our collective heads at the insanity that is the political realm today.

As Armageddon has not occurred, the sky has not collapsed upon us, all manner of natural disaster has not struck, nor are booted storm troopers at our door so far, we watch in utter fascination as the party of NO continues down a path of determined lie and deception.

Since the passage of the health care reform bill, the chant has gone from “kill the bill” to “repeal it,” and literally dozens of Rethugian hooligans are joined in lockstep behind Turd blossom and a cadre of similar “leadership” all claiming that if you will only vote for them, they will repeal this vile, evil, and communistic legislation.

Except, that it is all a huge lie and they know it. Yet, they have learned that lies work, at least in the short term, and frankly most all politicians can look no further than their next election, and as long as the truth won’t will out by then, the lie is golden.

David Frum, who has been drummed from the “party of No” for suggesting that Reuglicans were the big losers in the health care law, was on The Colbert Report last night, and had some interesting math to relate. (There are plenty of other pundits and strategists who acknowledge the correctness of his addition by the way.)

According to Frum and others, it is simply mathematically impossible for the GOP to repeal the new law, no matter how many seats they win in November. In fact, if they win all of them, it changes nothing. They might be able to pass a repeal bill, but of course the President will not sign it, and guess what? They don’t have the numbers to override a veto, period, end of story.

And, of course, they know this. And yet, they are now campaigning on virtually nothing else but a promise to repeal the law. Why?

Because it works to their benefit with the only group they can count on–those who are a bit too lazy, too soft in the head, a bit too uneducated, and a bit too racist/sexist/ethnically challenged. Their rhetoric is music to the ears of the great but dull working class, those with not the mental acumen nor the desire to actually know the facts. It is music to the ears of perhaps most of these lame brains who in actuality have other axes to grind such as racism, homophobic overdrive, and a barely concealed fear that real equality will leave them at the bottom of the heap.

The air is filled with bombast, and everything that has the imprimatur of “government” is now dangerous and suspect. Teabaggers and libertarians now argue that census information is a nefarious intrusion by Obama, designed to learn the hidden weaknesses of the opposition. I ask, where were they ten years ago or twenty? They filled out those census forms with nary a quibble then didn’t they?

We see them for what they are, married to an ugly agenda of hatred, fear, and selfish personal interest. And that is why, it seems impossible that actual truth will out. For truth is not what this is about. We can talk about all the ethically amiss Rethugs who deliberately spew these lies, as pursuing an unconscionable program that can result in serious violence against innocents. Yet, it is also fair to say, that for most of the sign toting, expletive deleted crazies, the lies only serve to gild the lily as it were. These folks are hell-bent on forcing their worldview on us no matter truth known or offered to them.

That is in a nutshell why they are dangerous. Like the crazy “Christian” militia group arrested in Michigan, many of the rest are willing to take ultimate steps to shove their values and beliefs down the collective throat of America, like it or not. They were the chanters in the 1960’s–“America-Love it or Leave it,” translated as, accept America as we control it, or get the hell out.

So, while much of the babble of the right wing wonkies is laughable, don’t turn your back. They don’t uphold the 2nd Amendment for nothin’ folks. Take them at their word. Next time, they may well bring guns. But I have to wonder, how long are we to suffer this insanity? How long Lord?

Murmurings From the Walls

Tags

Barack Obama, employment, GOP, health care reform, Iowa, Republicans, right wing extremists, same-sex marriage

Note to self: when night dreaming (wakefully contemplating the day past) and an idea for a blog post comes along, write it down. You will surely forget it by morning. And I did. So this ain’t it.

I’ve checked my mailbox, both snail and e, and so far, no letter from the President. He does contact me from time to time you know, asking for my help. I do the best I can.  But, sure that the letter is most likely just “lost in the mail” which means its not lost at all, but IN THE MAIL. . . I thought it best to give my advice right away, so there would be no delay. Time is running short.

The Reuglicans are promising that the American (right wing barely humans)  public will rise up in November and silly slap the prez for his arrogance in actually taking care of people and their health. Well, not so fast there partner. I’m thinking a new sheriff is in Dodge and the old rules may not apply.

I got to thinking about this as I thought about what happened in my own dear state of Iowa over the same-sex marriage brouhaha that occurred last year. There were all manner of threats of throw the bums out, repeal, replace, reproach all those deemed responsible. Much of it is was silly, and illegal frankly.

The truth is there is really only one way to alter the decision in Iowa and that is by constitutional amendment. And realistically, nobody sees that as likely, and even if it is, it wouldn’t get to a vote anytime before 2013. Now that is nearly four long years since the case was decided. And guess what? Time matters.

Time is the enemy of those who have a burning issue, no matter what it is. As we have pointed out before, Merikans have a very short attention span. The rabid crazies? No, they eat breath and sleep their issue, but they are a tiny gnat in a tornado. The majority of citizenry is on to other things–vacation spots, 401K outlays, summer soccer school, and what movie to watch tonight.

Moreover, the wackos promised utterly dire consequences from the same-sex decision. The state would be overrun by swishy girly men and crass talkin’ lesbos, all here to recruit, take up residence, and otherwise transform Iowa into a paradise of gayness, all part, mind you, of the international gay agenda, which any self-respecting homophobe can tell you all about, if’in you ask politely.

So as time goes on and nothing awful happens, meaning the doorbell isn’t ringing off the door frame requesting your children be given up to the only real lifestyle that matters, and as the time for planting violets approaches, the argument grows thin. I mean, explain to me Mr/Mrs/Ms wacko exactly why I need to drop everything, expend millions, all to prevent that nice couple that lives three blocks over from marrying?

Same thing with the Health care reform law. Time will prove out that nothing much has changed insofar as those things one holds near and dear–one’s sacrosanct possession of one’s private insurance (for them that has it of course). No tax increases, no ticket for your next checkup in 2012 as the first available date, no refusal to treat your asthma–you smoked away your lungs, tough titty buster–breathe as best you can.

While I’d like there to be a few more months to let this sink in, I think that a good deal of the fear and confusion will be decidedly forgotten come November.

So, Barack, my man, let me tell you what you really need to do. Everything and anything to produce jobs. I just told you that these people have short attention spans. And doing without that new WII game is getting tiresome. People want jobs, so they can buy things. They do need jobs to pay the bills and feed their kids too of course. So listen up and dag gum it find some jobs.

I propose that you start tons of public works. It wouldn’t be permanent employment, but they won’t grump, they will be happy to have the dough in hand.

Oh and a couple of times a month, travel to some nice niche of Merika, preferably where there is some purple mountain majesty, or oceans white with foam. Give a rousing speech ‘splainin’ all this Washington stuff, and take lots of pics. They love the keepsakes.

I’m thinking that the Dems will be doin’ just fine if you do that. Who was that other party? I think I’ve forgotten their name already. . . Re. . .something, GO. . .let me remember? All I recall is that they campaigned on NO and pretty much didn’t play nicely with others. And you remember what your 3rd grade teacher said about THAT don’t you?  But on the up side, they will be forever immortalized in the dictionary, under two words, irrelevant and cypher.

No U-Turns, Follow the Map

Tags

basketball, blogs, Books, Contrarian, crafting, health care reform, Hollywood, life in the meadow, March Madness, pedophilia, right wing, Roman Catholic Church, Sandra Bullock, snow, spring

Oh, excuse me. Don’t mind me. I’m just dribbling. A little idea here, a little factoid there. Nothing much to alert the press about. Surely no need to take to the bomb shelter. Just the sleepy weekend fare.

The Contrarian is cooking today. “Stay out of the kitchen, woman–I’m in charge!” Okay, as I creep away, hiding behind a computer. Forewarned is forearmed. Naw. Actually he produces a great meal sometimes, and an edible one at all times. It’s safe to continue.

We got a couple of inches of snow last night. I did not explode in expletives however. I took it in “stride” as my new found peace dictates. I’m embracing the beauty, smiling at the bright blue sky, and recalling the three fat robins perched outside the bedroom window on the lilac bushes. “Agnes, I said we should wait a week. Now we have to get all wet in this mess!”

We are up to our eyeballs in March Madness. It’s the year of the upset. They predicted there wouldn’t be any or darn few. They were wrong. So were  those folks who created the brackets this year. So wrong. Being right, means four one’s end up in the final four. Not this year. Prince charming is gonna have his choice of Cinderellas this year.

The Roman Catholic church continues to grapple for a hold on sanity as it spirals into hell for it’s treatment of pedophile priests. The cover up seems to still be uncovering and it’s dirtying more and more of the higher ups. It’s sad, pathetic, horrific. The harm that they have done is so far reaching as to be nearly incalculable. All Christendom is tainted. I cannot not imagine how this was reconciled as somehow being Christ-like by offending clergy and superiors.

The health care reform bill seems poised to pass amidst all the hoopla. Everyone is counting heads, trying to maintain the suspense. There is no end to the lies and silly walks the opposition seems ready to pull. Now it’s some vast mean offense against God to vote on Sunday. I think Jesus actually spoke to that–the sabbath being created for man and not man for the sabbath? Something like that. But Monday should be interesting. If it passes (as I suspect it will), we shall wait and see if the earth still spins on Monday, or if it is burnt to a cinder by Satan’s minions. Cast your bets.

Sandra Bullock, after making all kinds of speeches about her wonderful husband, Jesse James (the name should have alerted the girl no?), has left him for his years long infidelity. Some people care, and I wonder why. I mean as a human, I am sad she is sad, but beyond that? Doesn’t cross my radar. Yet, we, the great egalitarian society (so we protest against clear evidence to the contrary) continue to place people on pedestals and expect them not to be like “us.” Go figure that one out.

I’ve bogged down in my knitting, which always happens. Remember, I am not addicted to any craft–no passion. So, after a few weeks, I get tired of purling and knitting and yarn overing and all that. I’m poised to return to crochet, some lacy edgings that I can sew together for a spring shawl? I’ll get a quarter or so done, before that wanes too. It’s me, and I’ve come to accept it. Somehow, they all get done, over time.

I’m about to finish a book on Christian women in the fourth century. It’s not as good as I expected. Next on the agenda is a tome on the Reformation. It’s a subject I’m woefully not well versed in. I’m interested in reading some Camus and some Philo as well. I’m itching for a trip to the bookstore next week, if the weather allows it.

I’ve spent some hours this morning reading blogs. It’s so refreshing to do. I learn a lot, am uplifted. I laugh, I nod in agreement, and once or twice, I yelped in horror. Thanks Randal, I really really needed that pic seared into my skull! I try always to spend some time with cheeseburger and hotdog pics. They always make me happy. Jan always has words of wisdom. Madpriest takes us to task on things we should be taken to task for. Dave reminds us of things that fully sensory folks take for granted. Blisterina takes awesome photos that just make the spirit soar. I could go on, but you probably read them all too, and more than me.

So, have yourselves a pleasant Saturday. Remember to take some time to have fun, relax and stop to smell a rose or two along the way.

Munching on the Jawbone of an Ass

Tags

Canada, Dick Cheney, DOJ, gay rights, Harry Reid, hate mongering, health care reform, Liz Cheney, Michael Steele, RNC fundraising, Roy Ashburn, Sarah Palin, teabaggers

Seems like everywhere you look these days, Republicans are bellying up to the table for a snack. And the snack of choice seems to be each other. Yes, as reported here before, they GOP is eating its own. And just when they thought they had the Dems on the run and were looking to sweep the 2010 mid-terms.

First up is the lovely spawn of Dick “the Dick” Cheney. Lizzie, who amazingly, like her dear dad, is able to live without a heart (it is only a rumor that “the Dick” has one–it’s never been confirmed by independent sources), is busy trashing the Justice Department in that adorable McCarthyite kind of way.

In this she shares repugnance with Billy “nobody cares Nerd” Kristol. Both are blowhearting their ways out of Republican hearts and souls with their hateful, and undemocratice remarks about the Justice Department.

Enter, a bunch of upstanding lawyers and politicos from the GOP, who have sent a letter expressing their utter disgust at Lizzie and her brand of bigoted hatred for democratic principles. It’s worth the time to follow the link and read Andrew Sullivan’s excellent report, and excerpts from the letter.

Of even more ravenous appetite are the responsible Republicans who are up in arms at the Michael Steele RNC fundraising plan to “scare” America! Plenty of big name donors are saying no to this bit of nonsense. Civility is dead quite officially now. You can read more about that at Crooks and Liars. Has it only been a bit more than a year since the Rethugs chose Steele to make them look “inclusive”? After let me see, a dozen or so scandals of differing size, one would like to ask the Rethugians, “How’s that workin’ for ya?”

Do follow some of the links at Crooks and Liars. Nicole Belle has done your work for you on this one, and there is plenty of red meat to fill even the most demanding carnivore.

We can report today, that Roy Ashburn, the California  Republican state senator who touts “family values” all the while hanging at gay bars, has come out of the closet. Yep, he confesses, he is gay. No doubt this makes gay men around the globe just excited as heck. (NOT).

The Rethugs newest hypocrit has not voiced yet whether he will now vote for gay rights measures in California or continue to speak out against them. I mean I guess he could be  a self-loathing gay man. That would be sad indeed, but frankly it’s pretty bad to be a two-faced liar. Pick your poison Senator.

Teabaggers, meet George Wallace. We seem to remember somewhere, the phrase, “those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it.” Or words to that effect. Reading around, (not akin to sleeping around I can assure you), I’ve discovered that in primaries, the teabagger candidates are not doing so well. It would seem that they are cutting into the votes that would otherwise go to moderate Republicans, and of course, this ends up helping the Democratic candidate.

Such is in fact happening in Utah to Harry Reid, Democratic Senate Majority Leader. Reid, who has been having an awful time in the polls, is to be given credit that he has stepped up to the plate and continues to push Obama’s agenda, even though it may hurt him at home. But, enter the teabaggers! Their candidate is polling upward, and that means the actual Republican candidate is losing ground.

I can only say,  C O N T I N U E. One can but cross fingers and finger crosses that the same thing will happen to one Johnny Sidney McCain, all around hypocritical unprincipled and thoroughly dishonorable chit.

I figure hypocrisy and irony are words that our Sarah Palin has never heard of. I mean the echo in her head must be huge. She has actually admitted to traveling to Canada in years past for of all things HEALTH CARE! Yep, couldn’t afford that good ole Merika kind, so her and Toddy slipped across the border and got some from Canada.

Given her position today, she called it ironic. I call it hypocrisy Sarah. Plain and simple. Or was that Plain and tall? No, that was a movie. Plainly Sarah you should stick to the children’s table. Ya just ain’t an adult yet sweetie. Leave politics to grownups whydoncha?

Now, that is enough news to make progressive smile wouldn’t you say? I’m grinnin’ and I betcha you are too!

I Don’t Know Whether to Throw in the Towel, or Chew It

Tags

brain, conservatives, far right wing, filibuster, health care reform, Health Care Summit, Jesus, liberals, McCain, Obama, Republicans

Frankly, I haven’t had a lot to say about health care reform for some time. I grew tired. I grew disgusted. I could feel my blood pressure soar at the mere contemplation.

Nothing has changed. The “Summit” turned out as expected. Mitchy McConnell worries that his side only has gotten 13 minutes and the other side 52 minutes so far, and Johnny McCain cannot avoid the temptation to mewl about the lost election but again. In between, the same tired old arguments, most all of them argued, debated, and proven wrong or right a kazillion times already.

So, I’m not wasting your time with arguments, you’ve heard them all before. What I can do is point you toward some useful information. One of these nuggets of truth is a piece from TruthOut written by Professor George Lakoff about how brains work. It’s a fascinating article and really helps one realize why conservatives are as they are and why liberals are as they are.

Basically, we are wasting time talking. The worldview of the average Republican suggests that anything Obama is destructive, thus even pointing out that Democrats are willing to push certain Republican points, Republicans will LOGICALLY flip and now oppose them. They view any action to support this president to be counter productive. They believe that they are doing the right thing in being the party of NO.

In part it depends on how one is raised. Conservative Republicans tend to be brought up in authoritative father dominated families. The world is dangerous, dad protects, children are obedient, and punished physically for failure to comply. Liberal Democrats are tend to be brought up in nurturing supportive families without gender control, where helping family and others is seen as being empathetic and responsible. Both tend to place make these “governing” models onto new institutions such as church, work, and government.

So, you cannot shame a conservative into doing the “right” thing because he doesn’t and will never see it as right. Flipping and flopping are seen as necessary to stop the ruination of America.

Lance Simmens writing at Huff Po, suggests that congress is the new death panel. They clearly and uncategorically deny that health care is a human right, thus they are the ones who are willing to decide who will receive it and who won’t. Let’s don’t go do fast, a step  at a time, and cost governs all. Such is their mindset.

His advice: Democrats must forge ahead, forget the Republicans and pass whatever they can. They will never get help from Republicans who pretty much have dug in their heels. And, their base, is of the same opinion, doesn’t listen to opposition arguments anyway, and want no truck with compromise at all. Witness what has happened to the new Senator from MA who is now being vilified by the ultra right for his voting yes on the jobs bill.

Iowa’s Tom Harkin has re-introduced legislation to end the power of the filibuster. He did so some years ago when his own party was a minority, so he has cred on this issue. Dick Durbin has gone one better, and is enlisting the public’s help in petitioning for the ending of this blocking technique. Follow the link and you will be directed to the website where you can sign a petition to that effect. For those of you in a hurry, go there directly by linking here.

Will Marshall, also writing in Huff Po, sums up the Summit by arguing that at least Republicans have been forced to put forth what they would do.  His conclusions are:

• Republicans do not fundamentally believe that health care is a human right. Their plans would insure about 3 million more people, without explanation of what standards would apply and still leaving 43 millions without care.
• They wish to reduce premiums by using methods mostly of benefit to healthy policy holders. Their solutions favor giving people options that reduce to bare bones their coverage at bigger savings by buying out of state and use of medical savings accounts.
• They have no interest in working with Democrats because their base says just saying NO is fine.

Probably the dust up between John Sydney and the President was the best moment of yesterday’s events. If you want to read a really really scathing comment on Johnny, by all means read Paul Slansky’s piece, again at Huff Po.

Of course one of the most shocking elements of this debate is that so-called strong Christians are lined up behind Republicans on this issue. Somehow they find a Christ who is not “for” health care. Paul Rauchenbush speaks to this issue, and finally admits it is basic selfishness. I agree.

Well, enough I guess. One could go on for hours, reading and linking up to various opinions. My advice: Screw the Rethugs. Get something together, and push it through. Use reconciliation. Ignore the polls. Giving some relief will have a bigger effect than doing nothing. Ignore the Republicans. Ignore the Republicans. Ignore the Republicans. Is that getting through?

And just in case, you think I have nothing else on my mind, I’m getting increasingly disappointed in Canada these days. I think they have done a fairly lousy job all around on the Olympics. I guess I should explain, but I won’t for now. Trust me. You know you can’t don’t you?