This is really annoying to me, as one of Sen. Reid's constituents. I just got The Reid Report (his e-newsletter) maybe two days ago talking all about how important health care is and how he's dedicated to revamping the system. Thanks, Harry, for making me feel like a chump.
@LindsayC: dissertations are overrated.: So is the electoral choice pretty much him or a total wingnut? I mean, his career's kind of a Catch-22 for the Dems, right?
Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid made the following statement this morning on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery.
"Our health care system is not healthy. Americans’ physical health and America’s fiscal health are at stake. And not acting is not an option."
@BearDownCBears:The problem is that having him in his position means good things for Nevada. We are definitely in a Catch-22 in that regard. And I do think that he has the best interest of his constituents in mind (most of the time). I'm actually pro-Reid. I just find it annoying given that he's made so many statements about the importance of health care reform. He'll be hearing from me.
@LindsayC: dissertations are overrated.: I think this just speaks to a paradox in American politics, wherein a party's increase in market share can hurt the integrity of its national agenda. It's not really a structural thing, because if New Yorkers populated every blue state there would be little conflict in terms of the prevailing liberal philosophy. But especially for Democrats, diversity in political agendas state-to-state is dangerous. For that reason, industry-heavy or agricultural states are party-poopers for a lot of legislation.
To paraphrase Woody Allen, the Democratic agenda is like a shark: if it doesn't keep moving, it dies. Conservatives, on the other hand, supposedly love government inaction, so whether they're rolling back programs or causing liberal legislation to seize up (resulting in inaction), they win.
What I'm trying to say is, let's feed Harry Reid to a shark.
While I'm with you guys re: hating on Harry Reid, I want to take a second to point out that when Republican constituents have conversations like this, we call them the party of exclusion and blame them for close-mindedness and demanding a very narrow, prescribed set of votes and actions from their elected officials. Reid's lame and all - I agree. But some of the wording in this thread sounds like the comments Bill O'Reilly puts on his show to reveal the voice of "real america," or what we call "crazy republicans."
Harry has some nerve to do this the DAY after Obama said this needs to be done ASAP. I say NO VACATION for these bums until healthcare reformed is passed.
@DuckDuckGoose: THANK YOU! the rest of the country is lucky to get a few days off in this economy, but the Congress is going to take a month off instead of, you know, doing their damn jobs! sorry if that interferes with their beach plans. gah!
@pantsless economist...access RESTORED: But it's NOT untouchable. They schedule it, they can adjust it. Some Congress members have called for cancelling or shortening it but so far, no dice. Take a week to recharge and get back to work.
@DuckDuckGoose: Right, that's what I meant. Pelosi was talking about extending it too, but I don't think that's going to happen now that the Senate isn't voting.
Can someone tell me how Reid's undermining and postponing will affect the chances of the legislation going through in the fall? In other words, is health care reform totally fucked now? Or might it still come to fruition?
@Penny_Esq: Conventional wisdom holds that it hurts the chances because opponents will have time to organize and to pressure Congress to defeat or gut the bill.
Personally I would hope that the vaunted Obama campaign apparatus can mount a counteroffensive that will push the program into reality.
@DuckDuckGoose: I think I might need someone to talk me down, a la Rachel Maddow. Everyone seems to be handwringing over Obama losing too much political capital to push reform through; I want someone to tell me why that's not actually the case. Because it's not, right? Hope? Yes we can?
@Penny_Esq: I think O is playing the long game, playing nice and giving the GOP enough rope to hang themselves with. I think the game changes entirely when this bill fails, if it does. He's a Chicago politician and Rahm Emmanuel is his chief. I believe that both of them probably know how to put the screws to people when it counts,yes? And the GOP will need some accomplishments to point to in the midterms lest they lose even more seats, so I am betting on a few defections.
And let's be honest, this bill is too watered-down for most of us anyway. So a new one would be no great loss. This is a big change being pushed in a town that changed slowly, if at all. IMO, it is not this apocalyptic thing that healthcare reform is not happening overnight. It's business as usual. It is O's big campaign promise, I have no doubt it will happen. Just not this very second.
Can we get rid of Reid now please? He SUCKS at his job, and SUCKS as a Democrat. Spineless doesn't even begin to describe him. I hope one day the Senate will be filled with true progressives on my side.
@GTCosita: He must know where all the bodies are buried, because that's the only way I can think of that he keeps his position in the Democratic Party.
Why would I buy a candy bar that a.) implies that my chocolate-eating is something sinful and shameful that I shouldn't do, and b.) is made to be low fat, low-cal, etc - if I'm going to eat chocolate, I'm going to eat real chocolate, duh.
Also, ingesting that much mica cannot be good for my feminine, pink, delicate lady-intestines.
It was another Payday and I was tired of Mr. Goodbar.
I saw Miss Hershey standing behind the Powerhouse on the corner of Clark and Fifth Avenue when I whipped out my Whopper and whispered, "Hey Sweetheart, how'd you like to Crunch on my big hunk for a Million Dollar Bar?"
Well, she immediately went down on my Tootsie Roll, and it was like pure Almond Joy! I couldn't help but grab her delicious Mounds because it was easy to see that this little Twix had the Red Hots. It was all I could do to hold the Snickers and Crackle as my Butterfinger went up her tight little Kit Kat and she started to scream "Oh Henry, Oh Henry!"
Soon she was fondling my Peter Pan and ZagNut and I knew it wouldn't be long before I blew my Milk Duds clear to Mars that gave her a taste of the old Milky Way. She asked me if I was into M&M, but I said, "Hey Chicklet, no kinky stuff." I said, "Look you little Reese's Pieces, don't be a Zero, be a Lifesaver. Why don't you take my Whatchamacallit and slip it up your Bit 'O' Honey?"
(What a piece of Juicy Fruit she was, too!)
She screamed, "Oh Crackerjack, better than the Three Musketeers!" as I rammed my Ding Dong up her Rocky Road and into her Peanut Butter Cup. Well, I was giving it to her Good 'N' Plenty, when all the sudden… my Starburst!
Yeah, as luck would have it, she started to grow Chunky and complained of a Wrigley in her stomach. Sure enough, nine months later, out popped? Baby Ruth!
Business wise, this is a really huge market right now. They are trying to sell the concept of "affordable luxuries." You might not be willing to drop hundreds on shoes anymore, but you might be willing to throw a couple bucks down on a "fancy" chocolate bar. That's the mentality they are working with, anyway.
07/23/09
Also, this:
07/23/09
07/23/09
07/23/09
Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid made the following statement this morning on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery.
"Our health care system is not healthy. Americans’ physical health and America’s fiscal health are at stake. And not acting is not an option."
http://www.reid.senate.gov/newsroom/pr_071409_costofinaction.cfm
Grumblegrumblegrumble
07/23/09
07/23/09
To paraphrase Woody Allen, the Democratic agenda is like a shark: if it doesn't keep moving, it dies. Conservatives, on the other hand, supposedly love government inaction, so whether they're rolling back programs or causing liberal legislation to seize up (resulting in inaction), they win.
What I'm trying to say is, let's feed Harry Reid to a shark.
07/23/09
07/23/09
07/23/09
07/23/09
07/23/09
07/23/09
07/23/09
07/23/09
07/23/09
Democrat
In
Name
Only
Sorry
Ass
Undercover
Republican
07/23/09
07/23/09
07/23/09
Personally I would hope that the vaunted Obama campaign apparatus can mount a counteroffensive that will push the program into reality.
07/23/09
07/23/09
And let's be honest, this bill is too watered-down for most of us anyway. So a new one would be no great loss. This is a big change being pushed in a town that changed slowly, if at all. IMO, it is not this apocalyptic thing that healthcare reform is not happening overnight. It's business as usual. It is O's big campaign promise, I have no doubt it will happen. Just not this very second.
07/23/09
07/23/09
07/23/09
07/23/09
07/23/09
07/23/09
07/23/09
05/18/09
Also good: those not-for-girls- blue-wrapped chocolate bars in London. Or the purple-wrapped ones with raisins...YUM!
05/18/09
Also, ingesting that much mica cannot be good for my feminine, pink, delicate lady-intestines.
05/18/09
I saw Miss Hershey standing behind the Powerhouse on the corner of Clark and Fifth Avenue when I whipped out my Whopper and whispered, "Hey Sweetheart, how'd you like to Crunch on my big hunk for a Million Dollar Bar?"
Well, she immediately went down on my Tootsie Roll, and it was like pure Almond Joy! I couldn't help but grab her delicious Mounds because it was easy to see that this little Twix had the Red Hots. It was all I could do to hold the Snickers and Crackle as my Butterfinger went up her tight little Kit Kat and she started to scream "Oh Henry, Oh Henry!"
Soon she was fondling my Peter Pan and ZagNut and I knew it wouldn't be long before I blew my Milk Duds clear to Mars that gave her a taste of the old Milky Way. She asked me if I was into M&M, but I said, "Hey Chicklet, no kinky stuff." I said, "Look you little Reese's Pieces, don't be a Zero, be a Lifesaver. Why don't you take my Whatchamacallit and slip it up your Bit 'O' Honey?"
(What a piece of Juicy Fruit she was, too!)
She screamed, "Oh Crackerjack, better than the Three Musketeers!" as I rammed my Ding Dong up her Rocky Road and into her Peanut Butter Cup. Well, I was giving it to her Good 'N' Plenty, when all the sudden… my Starburst!
Yeah, as luck would have it, she started to grow Chunky and complained of a Wrigley in her stomach. Sure enough, nine months later, out popped? Baby Ruth!
05/18/09
05/18/09
05/18/09
05/18/09