Healthcare Update from Left, the Summitt & Mother Jones

Originally Published "State of the Nation" by Brandon Jones at Desk of Brian.com: http://sites.google.com/site/thedeskofbrian/state-of-the-nation/healthcareupdatefromleftthesummittmotherjones

"Still, my take is that the summit was basically a draw, but with a slight edge to the Republicans. They didn't have to win, after all. They just had to seem non-insane, and for the most part they did. What's more, Obama missed a chance to provide a punchy, 60-second sales pitch for the Democratic plan." - Kevin Drum, liberal website "Mother Jones"¹

 

To the leftist supporters of Obamacare and the Democrats aligned for the government takeover of one-sixth of our economy, Republicans are just simple obstructionists.

 

Right-wing talking heads will tout the successes of Paul Ryan while the left heard: "The Republicans simply don’t want to pass comprehensive health-care reform." (EJ Dionne at the Washington Post)

 

Let me credit "Mother Jones" for providing such a great synopsis of the left-wing healthcare reformers.

 

Paul Krugman:

 

"So what did we learn from the summit? What I took away was the arrogance that the success of things like the death-panel smear has obviously engendered in Republican politicians. At this point they obviously believe that they can blandly make utterly misleading assertions, saying things that can be easily refuted, and pay no price. And they may well be right."

The belief that government controlling healthcare is a viable option cannot be refuted to Krugman, Dionne, Drum, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid or Barack Obama.

25% -- yes, only 25% of Americans wants this reform to be passed. Compared to 75% that supported President Obama's effort one year ago, 50% of the population have come to the same conclusion -- no.

 

Don't reform healthcare like this.

 

Many surveyed agree to scrap the bill, start over, incorporate the "small bill" conservative reformation suggestions, but DO NOT pass the Senate or the House bills.

 

If there was truth and validity to the claims of lies and falsehoods by the Republicans, then the Obama administration wouldn't be pressing Congress to add portability, state line and TORT language to the bills.

 

But hey, those are facts and they don't taste good.

 

Paul Ryan leads the Republicans to victory with the answered fact: the real cost is $2.3 trillion.

 

Paying for it appears to be a problem the Democrats will ignore for now.

 

 

1. http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/02/healthcare-summit-wrapup-iii



Cartoon from Biggovernment.com: http://biggovernment.com/sgor/2009/11/24/tuesday-funnies-no-support-edition/

Analyzing "Why are Liberals so Condescending?" by Gerard Alexander

Originally post at Desk of Brian: State of the Nation by Brandon Jones

Before I get to the article by Alexander, let me confirm that outrageous onslaught from those on the left. Time and time again my point made or attempted to discuss was always under some sort of attack.

 

"But American liberals, to a degree far surpassing conservatives, appear committed to the proposition that their views are correct, self-evident, and based on fact and reason, while conservative positions are not just wrong but illegitimate, ideological and unworthy of serious consideration."

 

Alexander's statement totally summarizes much of those on the left. This is particularly intense for former Democrats like myself as any position of dissent is always attributed to brainwashing emulating FOX news or a right-wing talking head.

 

Alexander's Washington Post column quotes President Obama:

 

"We were so busy just getting stuff done . . . that I think we lost some of that sense of speaking directly to the American people about what their core values are."

 

The American people just don't understand or have succumb to the latest rant by Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh.

 

Alexander describes it as: "The benighted public is either uncomprehending or deliberately misinformed (by conservatives)."

 

He then sites "Lionel Trilling's 1950 remark that conservatives do not "express themselves in ideas but only in action or in irritable mental gestures which seek to resemble ideas."

 

Most liberals hold the 1950s-1960s as an age free of biased journalism untainted by the evil shepards of FOX News and talk radio.

 

But Trilling's comment articulates the marginalizing attitude that dissenters are crazy, paranoid or simply irrational.

 

Alexander perfectly tackles another condescending tone that I've hard: "...it was all part of the conspiracy to support conservative candidates for their nefarious, self-serving ends."

 

Bush lover, Obama hater, Beck doesn't even believe what he's preaching and any opposition is just the marching orders of the right -- heard it all.

 

The article quotes NY Times writer Paul Krugman:

 

"What do these people really believe? I mean, they're not stupid -- life would be a lot easier if they were. So they know they're not telling the truth. But they obviously believe that their dishonesty serves a higher truth. . . . The question is, what is that higher truth?"

 

Just like the President, we just don't understand. However, unlike the President (who feels another speech just might work) Krugman just labels us all liars and phonies.

 

Alexander hits on the race card as well and all I'll add is that I've been called (and those on the right) KKKonservative.

 

Diving headlong into political discussions and debates thickens the skin rather quickly. My favorite nickname, which I will gladly wear as a badge of honor, was and is: Brainwashed spewer of bile and filth.

 

 

 

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/04/AR2010020403698_2.html?sid=ST2010020403858