KOEB Meeting: 12/16/09 -- HCR Special Comment Edition

[Patsy Stone]

:hi:, y'all!

Here's the dKos link to his diary: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/12/16/815434/-Special-Comment:-Not-Health,-Not-Care,-Not-Reform

[SharonRB]

1. Hi, there

:hi:

[Berry Cool]

2. Wow, I can't keep up with you guys.

:hi:

[Patsy Stone]

5. I was actually in time to be early.

That's a first in a long time. :hi:

[Patsy Stone]

6. Sha-ron!

:hi: Happy Hannukah!

[SharonRB]

12. Same to you!

We all loved your card -- thanks!

[RevCheesehead]

16. Hi Sharon!

I brought dinner tonight, if you're interested:

[RevCheesehead]

3. Bernie is my hero!

And so is Howard and Russ!! :applause:

And after tonight, probably Keith, too. :)

:hi: Hi everyone!

[Patsy Stone]

7. Howdy, darlin'

:hi:

[RevCheesehead]

14. Hey, Pats!

I've made homemade spinach lasagna. Even Oreo likes it.... want some?

:hi:

[Berry Cool]

10. Hi to you, Rev.

They are all my heroes. :hi:

Right now, Sherrod Brown is in my personal doghouse. I never thought I'd say that, but it's true. I think he's going for what's politically expedient, now, rather than what is any good.

If there was ever a time we needed a Special Comment, it's now. Go, Boss Hijack Keith. Step up to the plate and hit it over the scoreboard for us. In fact, smash the scoreboard. Right now, a scoreboard is not what we need. We need a WIN.

[RevCheesehead]

15. We also need to stay healthy.

Have some lasagna:

[Berry Cool]

38. Thank you.

It's yummy. :9

[WolverineDG]

4. Evening all!

Man it was fun watching Barack's FB messages get increasingly terse as folks told them exactly what they think about calling their senators to pass this piece of shit bill. :evilgrin:

dg

[Patsy Stone]

8. It didn't even occur to me

to read FB to keep up with this mess. :hi:

[WolverineDG]

26. He's on one of my feeds

and every time I checked it, there was a new message begging folks to call their senators to support the bill. Most of the responses? Varying degrees of "Fuck off." :rofl: So the last message that I saw was a sermon about not letting "individual differences" get in the way of the bill & to please call your senators. To which people still kept posting various degress of "fuck off."

dg

[Patsy Stone]

30. LOL!

Too funny. They've really stepped in it this time. Wonder how it's all gonna end? :popcorn:

[WolverineDG]

39. I was fine until the public option/Medicare extension went bye-bye

now I'm all "FOAD, assholes. When are the corporations going to have to lose something so *I* can get insurance?" I'm tired of always being on the giving end. Would be nice to get something for my tax dollars besides the bill.

dg

[Patsy Stone]

52. In a perfect world

there would be no for-profit insurance companies. Affordability and regulation is the most important part, I agree. I have no idea what the answer is, but I'll bet that Reid will never use reconciliation as Dean suggested. :mad:

The one thing I can't get past is how not passing this would enable more Dems to get elected in 2010 and that would enable us to take this back up in two years or so. That makes zero sense.

[RevCheesehead]

19. Pardon my ignorance, but what is FB?

It ain't football. Oh shit, it's facebook, isn't it?

:hi:

Eat up - it's good for you:

[WolverineDG]

42. Yup, Facebook

:loveya:

dg

[Botany]

9. pissed off rant

The Medical Profit Protection Bill so far:


* NO single payer
*NO public option
*NO expansion of Medicare coverage
*NO cost controls
*NO re-importation of drugs
*NO negotiating for lower drug prices
*Capped coverage for expensive care
*Mandatory purchasing of private insurance (with fines if you don't give money to the very companies that have caused all the deaths, debt,
and paid for the teabaggers and Dick Army's bull crap.)

This bill codifies and increases the profits made by insurance, big pharma, and HMOs

[RevCheesehead]

13. And what, exactly does it do for us?

No sarcasm - I'm really asking, 'cuz I don't know. :shrug:

:hi:

[Botany]

17. It does cover some of the uninsured and stops pre-existing conditions ....

.... a little ...... outside of that it will make the for profit health care industry
even more powerful and richer.

The idea that we need to pass this bill now and fix it up latter is pure madness.

[RevCheesehead]

21. It's not good to be riled up on an empty stomach.

Here, have some:

[Patsy Stone]

27. Disagree

And no one will tell me how not passing this will cause people to vote for more Dems in 2010.

:hi:

[Botany]

33. Passing this bill into law will codify really bad things into law.

Remember about "cleaning up" the problems w/ NAFTA later?

[Patsy Stone]

40. It will also save some lives.

:hi:

[PSzymeczek]

71. But it doesn't limit what they can charge

those of us who are over 50 and have pre-existing conditions.

[Patsy Stone]

23. This is what I get so far:

It enables people who have access to health insurance through their jobs the ability to pay to get insurance in spite of their pre-existing conditions. People within 150% of the poverty level will be able to get subsidies to purchase insurance at a level they can afford, and if I'm not mistaken, people up to age 27 can stay on their parents' policies. For me, personally, if this ends up saving one life, it's been successful.

I do not like the mandate without the PO, but the idea is that people want to buy insurance, so they won't have to pay the fine, they will be able to get the insurance itself. The mandate affects younger people who don't think they need it, and people who live in 8 x 12 shacks in the mountains.

My .02

[WolverineDG]

35. Sorry, but criminalizing people for not putting money in insurance CEOs' pockets is wrong

wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong.

It will make us slaves to the corporations. Sorry, not playing.

dg

[Botany]

37. Speak frankly? .... please don't hate me

"if this ends up saving one life, it's been successful"

Yes, this might very well save more than one life but it will reward the people whose
biz plan has killed hundreds of thousands ..... and more people will continue to
die under this bill because it puts profits over people.

[Patsy Stone]

44. I could never hate you.

Please don't tell me that I'm a corporate shill now. This is a tough thing, but I still don't see how not passing this is a good thing for anyone.

[Berry Cool]

41. We get Hanukkah off.

That's an old SCTV "janitors' strike" joke.

[RevCheesehead]

43. LOL!

Hey, some of us get EVERYTHING off! :)

[GigiMommy]

11. Hi everyone!

I'm pis*** at the Democrats. Why is this SO HARD!!!!!!:grr:

Hello! :hi: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[RevCheesehead]

22. Hi Gigi and Cassie!

:hi: I brought dinner for everyone!

[GigiMommy]

32. Hi Rev and thanks!

:hi: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Botany]

25. Why is this SO HARD?

Because the USA spends 17.6 of it's GDP on health care
in the U.K. and France it is about 7 to 8 % the difference is the money that
is being made by the for profit health care industry (mostly) ... we are talking
billions if not trillions of $s .... you can buy a lot of politicians for that money ...
you can buy a lot of media too.

[GigiMommy]

34. You're SO RIGHT!

:hi: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[ralps]

18. Hi Patsy! Hi Everyone! To Democratic Reps & Senators, You all pass this Crap

Health Insurance bill, IMO You Lose!! :hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo: :grr:

[GigiMommy]

20. Hi Ralps!

:hi: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[ralps]

28. Hi GigiMommy! & Cassie! Hugs to you all!

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo: :hug:

[RevCheesehead]

31. Hi ralps!

Does Crook eat lasagna? I just found out Oreo does! :rofl:

:hi: and :meow:

[ralps]

36. Hi RevCheesehead, Crook & I are doing good & Hi to Oreo, & lil' Keith! How are you all doing?

No He hasn't ever tried it but it sure looks good! & Have you seen this thread? http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=243x41308

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo: :rofl:

[RevCheesehead]

48. Well, Keith is terrified of the furnace.

Every time the blower goes on, he dives for cover. (We had radiating heat in the parsonage). Go figure.

A raisin bran eating kitty? :rofl: That's priceless!

[GigiMommy]

24. Need something to go with the lasagna.

[RevCheesehead]

29. Brilliant!

Thanks! :)

[Berry Cool]

46. Hey kids. Welcome to all.

Keith is testing bats right now.

[ralps]

45. Today's worst person in the world is Dana Perino!! for dissing Obama for him saying

that he didn't want to be too triumphant! :hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo: :rofl:

[SeattleGirl]

47. Hi kiddies!!!

Finally, a little dip in one of the calmer places on DU!

:hi:

And a special comment?

:woohoo: :woohoo:

[RevCheesehead]

49. Just in time!

Have some supper and pull up a chair!

[SeattleGirl]

51. Hi Rev! Thanks!

Don't mind if I do! :9

[GigiMommy]

56. Hi SG!

:hi: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[SeattleGirl]

57. Gigi!

You're up to 4 froggies now! I'm glad to see that!

Hugs to you and Miss Cassie! :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

:hug:

[Botany]

50. One more pissed off rant

WTF is sexy about sitting in 2 little bathtubs?

Cialis :puke:

[Patsy Stone]

53. I've asked that question

more than once. They even mention the bathtubs in the beginning of the commercial. :eyes:

[ralps]

54. Oops! They showed Harry Reid instead of Ben Nelson!!

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo: :wtf:

[WolverineDG]

55. Keith used the "S" word!

:woohoo: :bounce: :woohoo:

Yes, forcing us to buy this shit or charging us with a crime *IS* SLAVERY!

dg

[Botany]

62. did I ever tell you that you are my Fave?

[Patsy Stone]

58. A righteous rant.

:loveya:, KO!

[GigiMommy]

59. Yes!

:hi: :applause:

[SeattleGirl]

60. Yes it was!

:loveya:

[SeattleGirl]

61. Go Bernie!

Another righteous rant!

[Berry Cool]

64. Keith is right on.

We should not buy what we are forced to buy.

Tea Party, my ass. We should have a Health Insurance Party. Dump the policies in the ocean.

[RevCheesehead]

63. I'll join Keith in the insurance boycott...

and I'll bet class-action lawsuits will declare the bill unconstitutional.

BTW, I loved the old footage of Keith - he was such an innocent young thing.

[Berry Cool]

65. I sure hope so.

And yes, Keith was lovely in that old footage. The only bad thing about him in those days was that he was still smoking. Otherwise, those were the good old days of Keith.

[WolverineDG]

69. I was going to stay "still" smoking

like he's not "smoking" now, but then I went "ohhhhhh, she meant 'smoke smoking' not 'hubba hubba smoking'" :rofl:

dg

[Patsy Stone]

67. Remember when he used to stand all the time?

Man I miss that. While I'm at it, bring back Gidget and the News Quiz!

[Berry Cool]

72. Really! Dark hair...standups...Gidget...the News Quiz...no girlfriend...those were the good old days

Only disadvantages: smoking, and no Special Comments.

Also, his ratings were shit, so we had to constantly worry that MSNBC would replace him with a test pattern.

I do want to add one thing, though: didn't mention it while it was on, but his Worst Persons rant against the New York transit system was a "hear, hear" for me--not from the standpoint that it affects me, but as a fellow transit user in another city. New York is just pulling the same shit all other US cities do when it comes to public transit--finding ways to raise fares/cut routes/make service worse and claiming they have to do so because of "low ridership." Cleveland's system is doing the same and it's all bull. If ridership is so low on some bus routes, how come the buses are packed like sardines? They lie and they create their own vicious cycles by cutting service and increasing fares, then saying that ridership is down so they have to cut service and increase fares more. All it does is make America more and more a country in which public transportation is not regarded as a common good worth paying taxes for, but a fringe service needed only by the poorest of the poor and the most undesirable of the undesirable, rather than democratizing public transportation by making it more appealing to everyone as an alternative to driving.

I value Keith's frustration. At least Cleveland and most other US cities have regarded public transportation as "For Poor/Creepy People Only" for many years, but New York is actually one of the few in which there's no social stigma attached to being a user of public transport and even THEY try to make it as difficult, expensive and problematic as possible, and apparently they always have in some way or other or Keith wouldn't be complaining about how old their issues are.

As one of the few downright wealthy people in this country who actually chooses to still ride subways and buses rather than calling for a car service, and for whom driving himself is not an option, he no doubt keenly feels the sting of using a service that makes its users feel as poor, lowly and unimportant as possible at every opportunity, no matter what their personal situation. It's good to hear him speak up against it, because one seldom hears any pundit on US television arguing for better or more affordable public transit. Most of them couldn't care less, because they never USE public transit.

[GigiMommy]

66. How come these "Christians" aren't up in arms over

war, hunger and homelessness?

[Patsy Stone]

68. Hmmm...

:hi:

[GigiMommy]

70. Hi Patsy!

:hi: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: