The bad news is that Senator Ben Nelson is not up for reelection until 2012.
The good news is that today, December 19, 2009, is the day we got clarity on the Obama-Pelosi-Reid effort to steal medical care and call it “reform.”
I hope that Ben enjoys his final two years in the Senate.
OK, that’s not quite right. Since it was Ben Nelson of Nebraska that finally got Harry Reid his desperately needed 60th vote for socialized medicine, I hope 1) that the next two year are unpleasant for Sen. Nelson and 2) that he loses in 2012 by a landslide.
I’m still not being entirely candid. Nelson is a pathetic pawn in this game. He’s history and I hope he has plans for a new day job. He’ll need ‘em.
The really bad news is that the American people are just about to find that their medical care got a whole lot worse and a whole lot more expensive and cumbersome.
Why? Because, as Senator Mitch McConnell put it, “This bill is a monstrosity. This is not renaming the post office. Make no mistake — this bill will reshape our nation and our lives.”
And how.
Many of the organs broadcasting the news tell you how “jubilant” the Democrats are at finally squeaking out this paper-thin victory on Obama’s number one legislative priority.
I predict their jubilation will be short lived. Why? My friend Bill Kristol touched on one element when he noted that the triumph might well be a Pyrrhic victory, that is, one that comes “with devastating cost to the victor.”
A cautious man, Bill put a question mark after the phrase “Pyrrhic victory.” I can see his reasoning. After all, we don’t know that Obama’s support will continue to disintegrate. Having instituted this new program of income redistribution, it’s by no means clear that it will be undone.
Still, I think there are grounds for suggesting that an exclamation point rather than a question mark should have been place after the phrase “Pyrrhic victory.”
I’d like to believe you are right, but everything I read on conservative blogs that tout this line suggests they are way to overconfident about backlash.
It will take years before the truly horrible effects of this legislation become obvious to the average, never-pays-attention-to-politics voters. By that time, the details and history will be so muddled that they will likely just take it as “that’s life.”
England, after all, was once a free country, too, in the main and with a proud populace. Now, it’s a pure Nanny State.
I hope I’m wrong, but it hasn’t happened yet when it came to predicting American culture.
1st: I’m sure Roger meant Sen McConnell, not (Gov) Daniels.
2d: It will take a while before America understands what’s happened. As the realization takes hold, we need candidates to remind the electorate that THEY (THE VOTERS)DID THIS. That this is not a game show, that you cannot change the channel if you don’t like the show; and that alleviating boredom is not a viable longterm strategy.
I recall a column by Robert Kuttner some years ago explaining the political fundamentals of the issue. Attach the middle classes to welfare state dependency and resistance to further expansion will be decisively undermined. The roadblock to insolvency will be cleared away. Onward to the abyss!
“He’s history and I hope he has plans for a new day job.”
Ben Nelson probably will not run in 2012. And don’t worry about him. Nelson will most assuredly be well compensated for his betrayal. There are likely a lot of goodies tacitly, if not even explicitly, promised to him for his vote. Nelson will also probably spend most of his time in Washington, DC. His constituents might never get a chance to speak to him again. Why should Nelson care what the citizens of Nebraska think or desire? He sure didn’t give a damn this time around.
Mark Steyn believes it may already be too late to save the country. Conservatives could win back both houses of Congress—and it might not make one bit of difference. The leftists may have reshaped the United States to the point that they will remain in control regardless of what happens in the elections! They will also continue to appoint more left-wing judges who will provide them with even more power. There is an outside chance there will not be any elections in 2010. The narcissist Obama could claim the country is experiencing a crisis requiring a Mussolini like dictator. We are indeed living in a very dangerous era. Never before have we witnessed a domestic bill being pushed by politicians that the majority of likely voters do not want passed! This is entirely unprecedented event in American history.
Mitch McConnell called the bill a monstrosity, I believe. You wrote “Mitch Daniels.”
By the way, you wouldn’t happen to be related to Christopher Kimball of America’s Test Kitchen, would you? ( http://www.americastestkitchentv.com/meetthecast.asp )
Thanks to Comments 2 & 5 fr pointing out my scribal error: I had written “Mitch Daniels” when I meant “Mitch McConnell.” Now fixed.
Mitch McConnell is a Nebish hermaphrodite who is a traitor to his country for the lackluster defense put up by the Nelson Rockefeller GOP.
Roger, you stil don’t appreciate the gravity of the times, either.
It’s over. Crawl under a rock for the next 70 years (Soviet life).
PS: it’s not a democracy, it’s a mobocracy of four generations of dumbed down adolescents.
“The United States is still a democracy, which means that its leaders still, despite everything, depend on the consent of the governed.” Unfortunately, I don’t believe that anymore. It seems stunning that the Democratic party is willing to sail off the cliff for this bill, with less than 40% of the American public supporting it. Think about that, just think about that. Congress is supposed to represent the “Will of the People.” What a joke, what a silly, stinking, joke. Sixty people in the Senate are going to do exactly what they want to do, regardless of what the American people want. And they could give a flying crap if they are thrown out of office. According to them, they will have made “history,” I guess just like the Japanese did at Pearl Harbor or al Qaeda did on 9/11. It will take years to undo this damage, and people like Pelosi, Reid, or Barney Frank could care less if they lost their jobs, as long as they drag this country one step closer to their socialist utopia. And doesn’t anybody out there, anybody, see something wrong in these “MODERATE” democrats saying they are standing for some sort of “principals,” such as Nelson or Mary Landrieu, but then magically change their minds once they receive millions, yes millions, of dollars in payoffs to their state? Landrieu even bragged, “I didn’t change my vote for $100 million, it was $300 million.” Good going, Mary, you really showed them. You’re just as corrupt and as gutless and as big a liar as any man could be. Way to go, Mary. I’m waiting for your award to be given to you from the National Organization for Women (NOW) for standing for your “pricipals.” In any other business, you would go to jail for bribary for acting like this. But for American politicians, this is business as usual. Maybe the Democrats are right. Maybe America’s best days are over. Maybe we ARE no better than France or Spain. Maybe Obama is right that the United States is no more exceptional a country than say, Sudan or Libya. Maybe we SHOULD bow the Saudi Kings or Japanese Emperors, because we sure don’t stand tall anymore. Throw them out of office you say in 2010 and 2012? For what? Just so some other bunch of political hacks can spend even larger sums of money in some more creative ways? The only weapon we have left is the Constitution. The only people who run for office that will ever get my vote will be those people who actually take the Constitution seriously and decide to abide by its original laws. If they don’t swear to me that they will uphold this Constitution, I mean really uphold it (and not just treat it as some cynical joke), then they can just pound salt. Otherwise, we’ll simply be trading one set of big spenders for another. Spineless Republicans may not spend it on healthcare, but they certainly will spend it on some other form of pork for their districts. If we want this country to go broke, if we no longer stand for anything and simply want to be another socialist welfare state, then keep voting the same people into office. If you do NOT want this to happen, then start paying attention to political races and take an active role in who will represnet you. Elections do matter. But it’s up to the American public to DEMAND that our elected representatives actually represent OUR will, and not their own.
Mr. Thomson:
I will repeat a point I just made on another post: We MUST retake the House. If that happens, this crap can be defunded. Zero out the bureaucrats that would run this thing. Render it an empty shell. If Obama wants to veto entire departmental budgets over such things, send him specific bills that fund the truly necessary parts of the budget. It’ll be 1995 all over again, except now the state-controlled media doesn’t have the monopoly that it had back then.
Seems that a lot of Damocrats don’t believe in the health care boondoggle either. They will sell out to the prez for support in their re-election campaigns. All they have to do is look at how Snowe got kicked aside after rolling over on her party. She’s upset, I believe, because after all that sucking up, she didn’t get anything for it.
Posted at the Asheville Tea Party blog: Ben Nelson Got “Free” Medicaid for Life for Nebraska. What did Kay Hagan get for North Carolina? (Updated)
Democrat jihad; They’re committing suicide for their party leaders (mullahs) Pelosi, Reid, Obama.
They are fully aware of their actions, but don’t care.
Pyrrhic, indeed.
Bennie Nelson won’t be able to run for the senate in 2012. He will be in prison with five other senators and Gov Blago of Illinois for solicitation of bribes.
http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/archives/6254
During the HillaryCare debate in 1993, Senator Phil Gramm said that if the bill passed, within 10 years, people would be hunting Democrats with dogs. When this monstrosity passes, it may not take half that long.
Democrat Senators and Congressmen coming home for Christmas recess after passing ObamaCare should be met by citizens carrying hanging and burning effigies, tar and feathers, and pitchforks. No violence, but making it very clear there is NO more business as usual.
The implementation of this attack on liberty should be met with MASSIVE resistance of every form imaginable. No effort should be spared in stopping the beast Our tax system relies on voluntary compliance. Our political system on the consent of the governed.
Never has something so sweeping or controversial been enacted without significant bipartisan support.
There is no more consent to be given to this regime.
The Democrats have made a fatal mistake in their bill. They have us paying for it for four years before it kicks in; backwards from what they should have done.
Threats of/or Violence:
Surest way to provide the
excuse for Martial Law, or
at least skipping the 2010
turnover elections.
The CongressCritters should be
shunned, not hung; Get the word
out, so that their constituents,
their friends, even their families,
greet them with the same question:
“What have you done to us ?”
The Democrats power play has been backfiring since April as the Tea Parties grow; however, the arrogant puds keep ignoring the will of the people. What will be the result in 2010? A political shockwave is going to shatter the Democrat Party when a vast majority of its members up for reelection loses their seats in the House & Senate. President Obama will be a fetal position on election night with his hands to his ears in disbelief (or he will be out with Michelle Obama not watching election returns, same thing). Expect the Tea Parties to grow exponentially if ObamaCare becomes law. ObamaCare will die one way or another. The Democrats just want to sacrifice themselves first out of their sheer arrogance.
The fact is American voters were duped in 2008 – at least the ones who actually voted for Obama were. Many of those “independent” voters thought he’d be a version of Clinton, instead of proving to be more like Castro. But elections, such as they might be from here forward, will be largely irrelevant. Once the Obama administration legalizes the illegal immigrants already here, and include an instant “chain migration” provision allowing for their families to join them at once, you will have Democrats in the majority in perpetuity. They’ll be so busy catering to this influx of new constituents that Conservatism, as it was known up to now, will be largely squeezed into oblivion. No tea parties, phone calls, faxes, emails, town hall meetings or anything else has stopped these current administration officials from basically gutting the Constitutional America of the Founders. They are bent on becoming the new version of King George 3rd. Once the new voting block is in place (and immigration WILL pass), the lest vestige of America will be gone, replaced by “AmeriKa”.
I am angry over the lack of respect for the American people that these government officials have had. But these paper pushing yahoos can pass whatever bill they want, because there is no way in HELL that they can enforce it without the support of the American people. If this bill does indeed get passed there will be a reckoning.
re: 4 &18, there will not be any cancellations of the elections in 2010. That would be the surest way for Congress to meet the business end of the 2nd Amendment. And they’re not going to declare martial law either–that would require the consent of a military that isn’t especially keen on this group of rulers. We have a Secret Service that has twice in the last month or so let people literally walk in off the street into the White House and shake hands with the POTUS. That isn’t a mistake, it’s the Secret Service simply not caring about their mission anymore. The chances of the US military taking orders from this same bunch to turn their guns against Americans are about nil.
So that said, the issue you’re both missing about 2010 is the sheer hubris of these people. They’ll have the elections because they don’t believe they can lose even if everyone hates them. Since they think they know better than everyone else, in their delusion they are convinced that just telling us they’re looking after our best interest will be enough to win. That, and ACORN getting out the dead and fictional vote and corrupt counting in democratic districts. And besides that, they have now seen they can do whatever they want without the slightest consequences, so it doesn’t matter if they lose an election, they’ll still figure out how to control everything with less votes, by bribing weak spined Republicans, etc.
The message they got this summer was the American people are all bark and no bite, so they fear nothing. They can take people yelling at them–narcissists that they are, they still think they’re the cat’s meow even if their constituency hates them. In the absence of the American people lacking the will to do anything besides peacefully protest and yell and call and write letters, they’ll just keep on with business as usual because business as usual is just soft totalitarianism. I mean why declare martial law on people who aren’t going to do a thing about you no matter how much you steal from them and abuse them?
What remains to be seen is how long the American public pulls the turning the other cheek business, because we don’t have a lot of cheek left to turn…
The history that’s made is ignoring the will of the American people? More than 60% of the American people opposed the Iraq war in 2006. Back to the history books you illiterate doosh.
I’m not advocating violence, but if the attempt was made to implement martial law or suspend election, then we will have a full blow revolution on our hands. The revolution was fought over less than what is going on right now. And who will implement martial law ? You think the military will support Obama/Reid/Pelosi ? I think not.
I think it’s a good thing that Obama got his wish. Now he has no excuses whatsoever. “Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad”. And Obama is surely mad these days.
Read more on my blog…
http://hyphenatedamericans.blogspot.com/2009/12/never-let-good-crisis-go-to-waste.html
Somehow they will spin it to be Bush’s fault…wait and see!!!
I believe that the Democrat Party will suffer in 2010 no matter the outcome of health-care reform, and I’m worried that they think it too. As most parties do when they start losing political capital, the Democrats are looking to solidify their base by passing increasingly liberal policies.
The idea of health care reform will always be popular (who doesn’t want better health care). Opposition to this should be centered around the specifics. This is where the epiphany that capitalism provides the best product for the least amount of money is born.
Pelaut, lead, follow or get out of the way! We don’t have time to be feeling sorry for ourselves. It’s not over yet! Quit giving up before the final round. Sure the fix is in, but we’re Americans; we will fight to the bitter end to defend our liberty. Who knows? Maybe a miracle will happen. God knows we need one.
As long as the government uses our money to bribe themselves, we Americans will never ever have another democracy.
Those that voted to be cool and historic need to be thanked on a daily basis.
Hint: Chavez started the same way as Obama: Chavez stealing the first election(J Carter blessing), Obama steals first election( Acorn and voter fraud ( blessed by US MSM)
Chavez dissolves the congress, Obama bribes the congress.
Etc etc. After 11 years Chavez still remains. 2020 is coming for Obama.
Thank those that were to cool to vote with facts. Thank them everyday.
Never have I seen both elected branches of the federal government at war against their own citizens. What a collection of creeps, blackguards, blockheads, traitors, whores, thieves, boot-lickers, and penny-ante tyrants.
I look at this legislation from an economic perspective and leave the medical and ethical to others.
The payroll taxes, income tax increases and insurance mandates will hurt business and lead to the destruction of jobs. That’s fairly obvious.
The entitlement addition means likely deficit increases in the years we start paying for it. Again fairly obvious.
Not seen. EXTREMELY important. A lot of this is backend loaded and will not be fully realized until beyond 2020. What we have seen with the creep of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid will be seen even more dramatically with this legislation IMO.
I hope people will look at the latter carefully. It will hit the youngest of us the most.
If this abomination passes, I urge you to join me in going on strike.
Don’t break any laws, just refrain from generating taxable income, to the extent you can.
Business owners, lay off every Obama voter you can.
This may be a bit incidental, considering the size of the wave that may be coming, but we are in a poor position to withhold taxes in this country. The reason we have such an admirable percentage of willing payment compliance is that we never see the money in the first place. Sure, some people pay their own taxes, but employees have the funds withheld from their paychecks and sent straight to the IRS. By April 15th of each year, we file tax returns that amount to a petition for the government to return part of it. If we’re lucky. Is there a way around this? I don’t know of one. I don’t think it’s possible to get out from under tax withholding. Has anyone ever tried refusing to complete a W-2?
#23. Alice Nolin:
The history that’s made is ignoring the will of the American people? More than 60% of the American people opposed the Iraq war in 2006. Back to the history books you illiterate doosh.
Alice, that’s not true.
As repulsive as Nelson is, at least he managed to get something for his state in the end. Same for Mary Landrieu. I’m in Iowa. Harkin, our worthless excuse for a Democrat senator, got us bupkis.
Thanks a load, Tom.
The fundamental problem is Imperial Washington. It’s not about left or right, Democrat or Republican, it’s that huge piles of money are hoovered up to Washington by a federal government allowed to grow vastly beyond the limited enumerated powers intended by the Founders.
I believe even liberal states like New York can be persuaded to reclaim their rightful authority when it is pointed out that it is THEIR money being taken. I found it ironic that the New York legislature was desperately trying to cover a $3bn shortfall, which was only 10 times the “inducement” offered to Sen. Landreau for her vote. New York, California, Michigan and the other broke blue states would actually have a lot of money if they could keep it in their own kleptocrats’ hands rather than having to hand it over to the DC kleptocrats (for a while, anyway, but that’s an issue for later).
There is no way we are going to get our country back without conflict. The best route I know is civil disobedience on the part of the states: Imagine if the state legislatures passed a law that the federal payroll taxes withheld were to be sent to the state treasurer, who would then forward the portion to the feds appropriate to their enumerated powers. The federal government would shortly become starved of money. Bill is right – few in the Armed Forces would move against their fellow citizens. In fact, I would expect the states, with their new-found wealth, to greatly expand their state militias (National Guard) from the ranks of the current military.
The Congress is corrupt. They don’t even try to hide their corruption anymore. They have gone mad, spending money we don’t have, and borrowing money that can never be repaid, in the apparent belief that this money will buy the votes to sustain them in power.
For the first time in my life, I am wondering if government of the people will survive in America. I fear that misgovernment by the left will wreck the economy to the point where a strongman will emerge, and be followed in the interests of economic stability.
What is clear is that we are going to be permanently weakened by what’s going on. We are going to be like the Russians – diminished in our ability to make a difference on the world stage, but still powerful because of our weaponry.
God help us.
Alice neglects to mention that the Congress, both parties, voted for the war repeatedly. Had the Democrats opposed it, as Republicans oppose this bill, it would not have happened. The left has its own version of history circulating in its head.
There is an assumption that payback will come with the next election. How can we be sure that there will be an election. Rules apply only when all parties agree to abide by them. When the party in charge decides to change or ignore the rules, the game changes. The Constitution only applies if Obama allows it. If he doesn’t he just suspends it. Yes he can.
#34 Jackson
She knows it to be true because 60% of everyone in her 6th grade class was against the war!
Oh please Mr.Kimball…. you conservatives took it lying down when Social Security became law.. you bended over when Medicare passed.. you have “adapted” to living in a country where its core founding principles have been seriously eroded with the dawn of the 20th century.
And now all of a sudden, we are supposed to believe that this health care bill alone is suddenly going to shock people into “action”? what exactly would that action be ? Voting for Republicans who paved the way for this monster Democrat majority?
Its no longer a question whether this country is doomed. Its just a question of how fast.
The United States may have a lot of enemies abroad wishing to do it harm but none are more insidious than the socialists within.
Given that Democrats are entrenched in the bi-coastal states and long term demographics are favoring them in the Mountain West, i feel very bad for the conservatives who have to live through this nightmare.
All i can say is – thank God, I was born Indian and have the choice of going back home.
Good luck, conservatives/libertarians – you need lots of it.
My parents left an extremely poor country, India, to come to the US, at a time when it was much harder to do so than today.
I never thought the huge superiority of life in America over life in India would compress and even vanish.
But hey, I still have a lot of first cousins in India, so I am making plans to move there.
The good news is, all my white-American friends will have to come to India often for medical tourism purposes, so they will be visiting me without me having to do anything.
See ya in Bangalore!!
Mr. Kimball:
The United States is still a democracy, which means that its leaders still, despite everything, depend on the consent of the governed. and
# 39 CWA
There is an assumption that payback will come with the next election. How can we be sure that there will be an election. Rules apply only when all parties agree to abide by them. When the party in charge decides to change or ignore the rules, the game changes. The Constitution only applies if Obama allows it. If he doesn’t he just suspends it. Yes he can.
With all due respect to Mr. Kimball, the level of arrogance, the anomalous behavior since January [when is the last time that you have seen an entire party of politicians deliberately insult their constituents, and then continue to do it repeatedly?], and the abandonment of the rule of law [Thugs in the service of the Democrats beating people on the streets and threatening them at the polling places and getting a legal pass from Democrat officials. Add to this the dog that did not bark. When constituents are being beaten outside Town Halls, not one Democrat Congressman says a word decrying political violence against "his" people. Dead silence = approval.]; it means that they do not fear facing their voters any longer. It may be pure hubris, but not everyone is that bloody stupid. Out of hundreds of Democrats in Congress, some of which are in shaky districts; absent some real strong proof that they are immune, some will try to save their own skins.
No, I don’t fear a military coup by the administration. The military people I know or am related to, if they are thinking about politics, are reflecting on the Oath. I do not totally rule out an election cancellation, if and only if, a sufficient “national emergency” can be presented to cause a “temporary” postponement. There are two scenarios that do cause me concern. We have decades of voter and voter registration fraud by groups in service to the Democrats. They may believe that they have the election already stolen. Keep in mind that there will be no major media inquisition about election results, because outside of the few outlets like PJM; the media take their orders from the White House. The other option is the Zelayo option. If you remember, he had the vote totals already stored on his computers for release for the election to make him dictator. Same response by the media.
In short, the legitimacy and existence of future elections in this country are now reasonably subject to skepticism. And the concept of “consent of the governed” in the United States may be as applicable now as the Asian concept of the Mandate of Heaven. When we are governed by unconfirmed Czars operating at will, when laws ranging from commercial law to the US Civil Rights Act are ignored at will, and when our society is being reshaped by a small cabal of Democrats who write bills that no one has read before voting for them, and they are voted though on party line votes in the middle of the night; how much consent is involved?
Subotai Bahadur
It looks like the folks (mostly all who have commented) are really upset with the Senate and the House. Whatever happened to representation by those who represent us. I have written to my two senators forever, and all I got was boiler plate return emails. What do you expect? I live in California and both of my senators are democrats. I do believe they think this government health care is the best thing since sliced bread. Now we wonder where to move to, to escape these people in D.C. Obviously they never lived in a country that has government run health care. We have, and it is an abomination. I wrote to everyone I thought would listen, to no avail.
My fear is that after the shabby treatment of the Tea Party protesters by the “powers that be” on both sides of the aisle, many citizens will just quit in frustration. Personally, I’m frustrated and discouraged. The stunning disregard of what the people want by the House and Senate is disheartening.
Since when is Congress allowed to set up special circumstances for one state over another. Making a deal ad infinitum to pay Nebraska’s MediAide will put other surrounding states at a distinct disadvantage. Why aren’t their senators and citizens screaming about this nifty deal? What is to prevent those states from offering bus tickets out of their state straight to Nebraska as a financial imperative to keep their budgets from busting? Just curious as to why these states are not leading the tax revolt.
“Alice, that’s not true.”
Jackson, she knows it. Now you know the meaning of the term “lying liberal.”
After this “historic” betrayal of the American people and the revolutionary patriots who built this once great nation by the sweat of their brow and who fought against such arrogance and usurpation of powers, I think something more than mere ballots is in order here … or do cattle pretending to be Americans think that would be a little “extreme”?
Welcome to AmeriKa and its welfare plantation … land of the most loathesome cowards since the Quislings! Bow down to your fascist overlords and for Gaia’s sake, just try to get along and don’t rock the boat! After all, the nanny state knows best.
In the words of the computer voice intoning the official salutation in the movie THX-1138, “ALL HAIL THE STATE!” Get used to it if we don’t substantively act soon against those arrogant cowards who find solace in socialist humanism. Pathetic!
Paying for this requires, among other things, massive decreases in Medicare payments to physicians. Since we break even on Medicare in my practice, we will stop taking it as soon as it goes down (and try to make do on the private insurance that is left next year). Every doctor I know is planning the same thing. Medicaid also.
So, they will have an immediate problem, and the only way to surmount it will be to wrest from me the toil of my brow for less than it costs me to provide – at the point of a gun. (a legislative and regulatory gun, but still…) I may be providing care for people who pay cash only, set my prices low, and sit it out. We are already taking steps to ratchet down the lifestyle.
This is America?
Unease, disgruntlement, protest, tea parties, civil disobedience, going galt, growing non-compliance, tax evasion, bankruptcy, repudiation, rebellion, next regime???.
We are in the middle of testing Adam Smith’s proposition that there is a great deal of ruin in a country. What happens if the government–municipal,state,federal–goes bankrupt before the sclerotic effects of the health care usurpation take hold?
Here’s what will happen:
- ObamaCare becomes law.
- Republicans regain control of Congress in 2010, but do not get a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.
- Obama squeaks through re-election in 2012.
- Between threats of filibusters and vetos, ObamaCare goes into effect largely unchanged.
- ObamaCare destroys the American medical system. Long lines, Death Panels, and high prices ensue.
- Democrats spend the next 40 years profitably blaming Republicans for the ObamaCare mess and successfully brand any attempt to reform it as, “killing women and children”.
- Each Democrat Congress and Administration elected through 2050 expand benefits and increase costs – again, blaming the Republicans for the “mess they inherited”.
- In 2050 advances in medical technology, which would have happened by 2030 except the country was too broke to pay for them before this, make the whole argument moot.
The optimistic scenario is that the government is completely ignoring the will of the people either because they are completely delusional, or because they overestimate the ability of their supporters to fix the elections. In either of those scenarios, they believe they will win reelection, perhaps even expanding their majorities, only to be completely stunned on election night.
A less optimistic scenario is that they know they’re about to get massacred at the polls and want to live it up while they still can. “Let us eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.”
The worst case scenario involving only their usurpations are canceled or blatantly stolen elections. Were that to happen, we kill them. Their office ceases to be legitimate when they stay past their terms, so if they refuse to leave, we brake in and force them from office at gunpoint. If they still resist, we kill them.
There should be 60 people hanging from street lights around the Mall.
Mark today, December 20 2009, as the day America began its slow, inexorable decline toward social, financial and political mediocrity. The demographic, educational and social handwriting is on that well-known wall. Gird your loins and fight this travesty like your Minuteman heritage demands. Our children and grandchildren deserve no less.
Look next for the repeal of the 22nd amendment.
55. How? They’ll never get the Republican votes. Without either veto-proof majorities in both chambers of Congress or control of 33 state legislatures, they have no means to even initiate a partisan amendment like that.
I agree with some of the other commenters, you are too optimistic that the voters will remember or understand or care enough to punish amny of these congressmen.
As for Nelson, why single him out just because he’s the 60th?
EVERY ONE WHO VOTES FOR CLOTURE SHOULD SUFFER A LONG AGONIZING ILLNESS THAT DESTROYS THEIR FAMILY.
EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE WHO VOTED FOR PELOSI’S BILL, THE SAME.
EVERYONE ON THE EVENTUAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE WHO VOTES TO REPORT OUT ANYTHING, THE SAME.
ANYONE IN CONGRESS WHO SUPPORTS THE FINAL BILL IN ANY WAY OR FORM, THE SAME.
AND IF THERE’S A HELL, THEY SHOULD SPEND ETERNITY THERE.
AS SHOULD EVERYONE IN THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE LEADERS OF GROUPS LIKE AARP THAT SUPPORTED IT. AND ALL THE CONGRESSIONAL STAFF WHO HAD ANY PART IN IT.
PREFERRABLY THEIR ILLNESS SHOULD BE SOMETHING FOR WHICH THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A TREATMENT BUT FOR THE FACT THAT THEIR PROGRAM DESTROYED MEDICAL INNOVATION. Not that they would know, but still, that would be proper justice.
EVERY ONE. IN HELL. FOREVER.
It’s not enough but it’s a start.
OK, I said it.
So Nelson only got $45 million. I guess next to Landreau that makes him a CHEAP whore.
#20
“The fact is American voters were duped in 2008 – at least the ones who actually voted for Obama were. Many of those “independent” voters thought he’d be a version of Clinton, instead of proving to be more like Castro. But elections, such as they might be from here forward, will be largely irrelevant. Once the Obama administration legalizes the illegal immigrants already here, and include an instant “chain migration” provision allowing for their families to join them at once, you will have Democrats in the majority in perpetuity. They’ll be so busy catering to this influx of new constituents that Conservatism, as it was known up to now, will be largely squeezed into oblivion. No tea parties, phone calls, faxes, emails, town hall meetings or anything else has stopped these current administration officials from basically gutting the Constitutional America of the Founders. They are bent on becoming the new version of King George 3rd. Once the new voting block is in place (and immigration WILL pass), the lest vestige of America will be gone, replaced by “AmeriKa”.
This is exactly what I fear will happen. That, along with ACORN working to steal the election. So, what can we do about this before it happens?? Are we just going to roll over and let them ruin our country? Who has some practical ideas for us? If there is truly something we can do, let us band together and get busy! Who’s ready to join up?
What can we do when the my elected senators (IL) won’t listen to the MAJORITY of their constituents?
They go forward with the POS bill on a Saturday, meaning they could vote on it at 1AM monday, and we know dang well ain’t nobody is going to have time to read and understand 2100 pages. This is our government? Of the people? For the people?
I’m really tired of it, and its going to progress to a revolt against these clowns. They’ll understand who they actually represent when when they’re dragged into the street….
Ha. Truth Fairy, you’re about 97-98 years off. I’d say the days the Federal Reserve was created, Senators became no longer directly accountable to their states, and the 22nd Amendment pretty much made today’s result a matter of When, not If.
Mr.Kimball, when are you and other “traditional” commentators going to get it through your head that the old rules of political accountability no longer apply. Ben Nelson doesn’t care where he’ll be in 2013, obviously it won’t be the Senate–actually, he’ll probably be in charge of standing up the new Health Oversight Agency!
Kimball and his ilk have been fighting reform for generations. Now the scare words are “socialized medicine.” At one time, opponents said reform would lead to “the Prussianization of America.” It’s all in this wonderful capsule history by Jill Lepore:
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2009/12/07/091207taco_talk_lepore
#4, David Thomson says the narcissist 0zero could claim the country is experiencing a crisis requiring a Mussolini-like dictator.
Mussolini-like, like the mobbed-up murtadd-Muslim Mussolini-modeled modified-Marxist mummy’s boy presently pretending to what passes for a “presidency?”
Like that Mussolini-like dictator?
Francesca (59)
“Many of those “independent” voters thought he’d be a version of Clinton …”
There are very, very, few real independents. Most who say they are do so simply to avoid admitting that they’re voting democrat every time they get the chance. It was the so-called “independents” who made sure this crop of socialists took complete control. Claiming to have been duped or not, they still are the deciding factor in making this the socialist nation our “representatives” have just made it. I can’t wait to hear from the “independents” once Cap and Trade is in place. Then the socialist totalitarians the “independents” put in control can tell all those fine “independents” that granny has no right to continue living and that they have to turn their CO2 producing dog over to the climate change enforcement officers to be put to sleep in order to help the planet.
Independent my butt. That’s been a joke for at least twenty years. The only time they stray from the democrat fold is when their own cow has its’ teat in the wringer and as soon as it’s fixed they’re back in the democrat fold no matter what damage it does to the nation as a whole. I hope all the “independents” are the first to have their communities organized by the new czar appointed commissars soon be appointed in order to ensure “local decision making” works smoothly.
have a nice day
#8 Pelaut, you said it.
it’s not a democracy, it’s a mobocracy of four generations of dumbed down adolescents.
Who hear on the television which shapes their thinking that they should have all they want because they “deserve it.”
I’m wondering if there will be anything resembling an real election in 2012. The lemmings may have reached the cliff and gone over.
While I sympathise with all the angry voices in this discussion, I think people are too pessimistic. I still have some hope this can be stopped in the House. But if it does pass and is signed by the President, we should calm down and consider a little history.
The last time Congress got ahead of itself on health reform was the 1988 Medicare Catastrophic Health Coverage act. It was repealed after strong protest from activists:
http://volokh.com/posts/1249677415.shtml
The Town Hall meetings that occurred this summer make me believe that we are going to witness something similar now, especially with the taxes coming into effect years before the benefits.
It is certainly surprising, at least to me, that Congress has not learned from this history. The Catastrophic Act was passed with strong bipartisian support; Obamacare passed House and Senate with barely enough votes to do the job. So if you think the Catastrophic reaction was strong, it’s going to be nothing compared to the public impact of Obamacare.
I’d like you to remember one more thing. I’m hearing a lot of talk about politicians running roughshod on us and ignoring the results of elections. The system is set up in such a way that this is not in the interest of the politicians involved.
Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and all other living ex-Presidents have retained a high profile when they have wanted one. The job tends to be hideously stressful and I think most people who have been Presidents prefer the after-career to actually being in charge. The last smiling President was Ronald Reagan!
The real reason third world dictators will do anything to keep office is that they know they are likely to be murdered or imprisoned by their successors.
We do something different in America, and I think it’s wise. We pay them a generous pension and let them speak to various groups for $50,000+ a pop. They get to keep the bully pulpit to a great extent – Presidents Clinton and Carter are listened to avidly by most, and the only reason George W Bush isn’t is that he appears to be sick of publicity. His role has been taken by Dick Cheney, who gets substantial press without any trouble at all.
So please, if at all possible, don’t talk about an American coup. It’s not going to happen, and we look like ill-informed cranks by suggesting it.
The huge danger to America inherent in this health care bill is all too clear. I’m not trying to minimize that. By focusing on the bill’s problems, we can start serious work to repeal the bill.
Who’s with me?
D
PS I’m starting up a new news web site designed to gather up lots of interesting news links for Tea Party supporters in one place. Please click the link associated with my name, to come visit if you can.
Two countermoves I think need to be considered at this point. Number one, taxpayer strikes. Voluntary and organized work holidays, perhaps beginning at one week per month. This will persuade the Chinese that it is no longer wise to invest in USA until the government is realigned. Number two resistance to the mandates of Obama care. Some courageous people will have to step forward and refuse to participate. There will be arrests. This our future, pray.
He jumped! He jumped!
A few days ago, our Glorious Leader, Barack Hussein Obama has sobered up and made a surprisingly astute observation about his Medical Care bill: From the discussions we had, its clear we are on the precipice of achievement thats eluded Congresses, presidents for generations — an achievement that will touch the lives of nearly every American. For those unclear about the usage of the word precipice – let me remind you that it means either an overhanging or extremely steep mass of rock, such as a crag or the face of a cliff or the brink of a dangerous or disastrous situation.
Read more here:
http://hyphenatedamericans.blogspot.com/2009/12/he-jumped-he-jumped.html
What should conservatives do now?
At this point in time we are all breathlessly watching the amazing spectacle of descent of the Anointed One from the Garden of Eden into the crap-hole of history. What should the American conservatives do to accelerate this fall and make sure that our country gets back on track?
Read more here:
http://hyphenatedamericans.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-should-conservative-do-now.html
Im a believer that each of us has a few defining moments in our lives. Senator Nelson, ostensibly a protector of the unborn, had the chance to be defined as an incorruptible hero for this underrepresented constituency.
He had his defining moment and blew it. He could have stopped a travesty in its tracks (the healthcare bill) and he could have helped save thousands of lives. He will hereafter be defined as the man who sold his reputation for a mess of potage (medicaid funds for Nebraska). Ben Nelson: corruptible and weak. Hardly the stuff one would want as ones epitaph.
God still has the last vote ,if hes interested. Not Ben Nelson or Harry Reid . With the flick of his hand he could alter any reality the Democrats are counting on. Unfortunately Gods will is not clear to us. He sees things much differently .
He may be punishing America for turning our back on him. We deserve our punishment , but not from the folly of Communists disguised as American Democrats. The reward for them must be great, their leader has seen to it that each traitor gets a nice place in His kingdom.
At least Nelson, unlike Judas, still has the opportunity to cancel his covenant with Hell. His vote is needed twice more to pass this bill out of the Senate. If he gets second thoughts between now and Wednesday afternoon, he can still stop this.
70. Charles Tate:
Now why would you promote Americans going against their heritage and nature – to work hard and help each other and build a better future – especially to favor the Chinese communists? Are you a communist? That’s it isn’t it, I knew it! You’re a communistic marxist sympathizing socialist leaning Lenin loving Trotskyite?
Shame on you, you unpatriot!
Quoted from and Linked to at: THESE DAYS
—–
It’s Time To ROC ‘N’ ROLL:
Restore Our Constitution & Restore Our Lost Liberties
Also Quoted from and Linked to at: b
a href=http://www.thecampofthesaints.com/2009.12.20_arch.html#1261409284458 rel=nofollowJUST A REMINDER: BEN NELSON IS A CHEAP WHORE/a/b
You need to understand that, if theyre told to do so by their Masters, Law Enforcement will be glad to make sure the Democrats are not turned out of office. One only need witness the failure to prosecute those black terrorists at the polling place in Philadelphia and the court decision that ACORN has an inalienable right to funding to see where Law Enforcement stands. They bow and scrape before their Masters, and then do whatever theyre told. Just like the fine German police under the Nazis.
And thats without bothering to account for the GOP being willing to run Donkeys-In-Elephant-Suits who are more than willing to go to the same destination as the Democrats, but just want to saunter there a little slower.
#76 Now and Then
NAT is one of my favorite commenters. He should get a Pulitzer Prize. Don’t believe me? Here is one of his best comments yet, from another thread:
“So you read and enjoy poetry AND literature.
peekaboo-ooo-ooo
Dec 19, 2009 – 1:01 pm”
well it is sure better for this country to help itself and its people with access to health care than to be starting a war with some dictator in Iraq and bankrupting the country for oil(according to Greenspan).
80. Fred Beloit:
Thank you, Fredo, for documenting AND archiving my deathless prose. Between you, Chuck Pelto and blotto, you should be able to put together The Compleat Now and Then. Dont waste it. Study it. Learn from it. Share it with friends. Its never too late to evolve.
As for the Pulitzer, that is primarily (though not solely) awarded for work in journalism. In all humility, I cant accept your nomination. In fact, I believe it is you who deserves the nod for your blistering investigative reportage that revealed Scooter Libby is actually rotting away in prison.
Well done! Im sure Fox News will be calling.
We have an ideal opportunity to list the top 100 obsenities in the Senate and House proposals. So many of PJM writers beat around the bush and deal in themes and generalities, left vs right etc etc. The really crappy things of this bill are in the details. Example: How about the Death Panel. Apparently it is still there. Why no focus on this. Jim Demint also brought to light the idea that some provisions in the law state that they cannot be overturned without a super majority vote of the senate. Tell me that is not a bunch of CYA crap.
Come on you brilliant pundits. Give us the details!! The top 100 ugly truths of this frankenstein creation of the democrats.
Tommy Gunn