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Today's top news:
*** "The U.S. economy grew at a 1.6 percent annual rate in the second quarter, less than previously calculated, as companies reined in inventories and the trade deficit widened," Business Week writes.
*** The investigations cometh, if Republicans take back the House. Politico: "If President Barack Obama needed any more incentive to go all out for Democrats this fall, here it is: Republicans are planning a wave of committee investigations targeting the White House and Democratic allies if they win back the majority. Everything from the microscopic – the New Black Panther party – to the massive –- think bailouts – is on the GOP to-do list."
*** The latest in the still-undecided Joe Miller vs. Lisa Murkowski GOP Senate primary: "The Alaska Division of Elections said Thursday that it has more than 20,000 absentee and questioned ballots left to process from Tuesday's primary election. Most are expected to be Republican primary ballots that will decide the too-close-to-call race," the Anchorage Daily News reports. "The state has received back 11,266 absentee ballots so far out of over 16,000 requested. The ballots had to be postmarked by Tuesday's election but can come in as much as 15 days afterward. There are also 658 early votes not yet counted and 8,972 questioned ballots."
On today's political radar:
*** At 10:00 am ET, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen is delivering a speech at the National Press Club, where he describe the choice between Democratic governance and the GOP's. "Van Hollen's remarks will focus on Republican Leader John Boehner's speech earlier this week outlining House Republicans' destructive agenda and the Tea Party pushing Republican to the extreme right," a DCCC spokesman tells First Read. "Van Hollen will also highlight the DCCC's National Day of Action where volunteers will knock more than 200,000 neighbors doors this Saturday."
*** Relatedly, the Democratic National Committee has released a Web video highlighting the GOP's conservative nominees. The video is entitled: "GOP Tea Party: These People Could be in Charge."
*** At 11:00 am ET, a group of progressives and women's organizations are hosting a conference call to demand that President Obama fire former GOP Sen. Alan Simpson as co-chair of the president's deficit reduction commission -- after controversial comments Simpson made in talking about Social Security.
Looking at the midterm races:
*** A new Las Vegas Review-Journal/Mason-Dixon poll shows Harry Reid at 45% and Sharron Angle at 44%. The more interesting news from the poll: "Two-thirds of voters who say they back Sharron Angle wish another Republican had won the nomination... And 58 percent of [undecided] voters say they wish Reid hadn't won the Democratic nomination, suggesting a majority of Nevadans are unhappy with their choices."
*** "Two days after he lost the Republican nomination for governor, [Bill] McCollum still refuses to support winner Rick Scott, and continues to raise questions about his former rival's character," the Miami Herald writes about the lingering bad blood after Tuesday's GOP gubernatorial primary in Florida.
Leave a Comment:
Just one more piece of news today:
ThinkProgress: Former President Jimmy Carter, on a private trip to North Korea, successfully won the release of Aijalon Gomes, an American who was imprisoned in the totalitarian country for illegal entry. Gomes is expected to be returned to his home in Boston, Massachusetts by Friday.
I saw that! Quick- someone yell "peanut" or "Billy Beer' or "Iran Hostages' or SOMETHING!! How about "Teddy killed that girl"? "Bill Clinton got some"? "Obama's a Mulsim"- ANYTHING to get our minds off a nugget of good news.....
Good point drive-by,
Actually, Habitat for Humanity is a wonderful program too.
Unfortunately, it is probably the largest home builder and will be more needed now than ever before.
Tommorow 'Real American's"(whatever that means) will complete thier "JOURNEY TO BECCA". Graduation Ceremonys & Certificates of Ignorance will be handed out from Beck U. There will also be a Baptism at the National Mall for anyone attending, to cleanse themselves of Rational thought.
Will Christain Democrats be asked to Pray For Rain to Spoil the Festivitys? I Seriously doubt it !
Maybe President Obama, with his SocialIST,CommunIST government,will have Federal Marshalls in place for a Mass Arrest, since President Obama is takeing our Rights Away. Have then Bused to the most Liberal States in America & Force them to join a Union!
Naw, he aint gonna do nuttin like that. He's gonna Allow this Show of Ignorance, for the World( especially UnReal Americans) to see ! Lets hope that All major news agencys show this "Train of Thought", that wants thier Power back. I suspect, Dick Armey had the Buses repainted, shortly after HCR madness failed, with Real Americans "Journey to Becca" in mind.
Will Beck U. bus in Real American TShirt vendor's also ?
As Ron White says: You can't Fix STUPID
No need for Cartoon watcher's to get up early Saturday morning, All the LooneyTunes, will be in D.C. "LIVE"!
IR, get outta Town early today,settle in on the Porch & watch the Festivitys from afar.
You Betcha!
I was just listening to the Rush Limbaugh Show and they tried to frame President Carter's visit as a failure because he didnt meet with Kim Ji IL. They never mentioned the release of our countryman from bonds eventhough that was President Carter's mission. This is what's wrong with the opposition today, they will not celebrate sucess unless it deemed as a failure of the left. I'd rather our national goals be met and our nation succeeds than any political party.
"To be absolutely certain about something, one must know everything or nothing about it." Voltaire
I believe its normally the latter.
ucg -
As I understand it, Kim Jong Il wasn't even in the country, he was making a "surprise" trip to China, no doubt so he could "save face" on this one. Of course, if Carter HAD met with him, Rush would have simply switched scripts to his "We shouldn't be negotiating with terrorists!" rant.
And I'll go with your interpretation on Voltaire.
Actually, I believe the relentless attacks on ex POTUS carter stem from his disastrous presidency which was an unmitigated fiasco of stagflation and American humiliation at the hands of the Iranians.
He can build all the houses he wants, and monitor all the elections in the banana republics, but he will always be seen as an oafish waste of 4 years.
"attacks on ex POTUS carter stem from his disastrous presidency"
I voted for Carter's reelection because he DIDN'T invade Iran and get the hostages killed. Having seen what happened when Bush invaded Iraq, I'd say Carter made the right decision.
Also, Carter specifically warned us of the dangers of relying on foreign oil. He advocated practicing energy conservation - oh, a dirty word to Americans back then. President Carter was very precient, if only we had followed his path. PS The economy stagnated during Carter's administration as the result of eight years of Republican rule. He still contributed less to the federal deficit than Ronald Reagan, Bush SR, Clinton and Bush JR, (the deficit champ)
PS If you wonder what a true conservative in office would look like, the Carter presidency just about embodied the ideals Republicans say they are for but never enact.
Carter also suffered with the previous 8yr Rethuglican failures. Funny how it keeps working out that way, Reagan 8yrs, Bush 4yrs and Dubya 8yrs(near depression, no job growth etc) = 20yrs high deficits, Clinton 8yrs and balanced budget and massive job growth, Obama 1.5 yrs and to early to call.
Just to add to Amy B.'s post:
President Carter was able to get the leaders of the free world to send a letter to Libyan President Qaddafi that told him to stop supporting terrorists or risk being totally isolated. And by totally, it was TOTAL. No flights allowed in or out, no food shipments, no oil, no anything. Period. Guess what, terrorist attacks that were not by internal dissidents (e.g. Red Brigade, The Jackel, etc.) stopped.
Before President Carter sent in the troops to rescue the hostages, he tried every diplomatic channel he could. The reason the rescue mission did not work was because of the military. At that time in our history, the different services did not cooperate or play well together (I know, that was when I was in the military . . . IO, IO, it's off to sea I go . . . anybody? anyone?). President Carter wanted to use just the Marines and Navy but the Air Force and Army insisted they should also be involved. Did Carter blame them? No he took full responsibility on national TV.
History will, indeed, be very kind to President Carter. The man was a good president and is a very good man, a true leader.
I would have sworn that the Lockerbie bombing was after Jimmy Carter stopped all non-domestic terrorist attacks and Libya was at peace with the world.
Better check your dates again, Richard.
Lockerbie Bombing: December 21, 1988
Jimmy Carter President: January, 1977 through January, 1981.
Honestly, Matthew, I had never heard of what you said. Did Jimmy Carter accomplish this AFTER his presidency? With an unofficial letter?
You gave no dates for these events, so I assumed it happened while he was president.
Gosh, Matthew, you really have me confused.
Trust me on this Matthew... it doesn't TAKE much to confuse Dick...
Perhaps a Joe Miller victory over Murkowski won't be such a bad thing in the end. It appears he may even be too radically conservative for Alaska's electorate.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/akmuckraker/palin-backed-joe-miller-p_b_694693.html
Anyone believing anything from huffpo is moron.
Maybe you should have called this "Second Thoughts"! ;o)
Pat - I saw that too. Very little fanfare. You know, I have to admit that as a lifelong Democrat, I didn't vote for Carter either time - in hindsight, it was just one of those gut instinct calls - I voted for Gerald Ford the first time and for John Anderson the second time - my token protest against the constraints of the two-party system. I'm still not sure his presidency wasn't without a number of faults. But I'll say this - he's without a doubt the best "former" President we've ever had. I hope history judges him not just as a President, but as a man.
JoAnne, they can only lie about him so much. Their goal has always been to hold Ronald Reagan up as "The One" which meant tearing President Carter down at every opportunity. I have liked Mr. Carter from day one and no one will ever change my opinion of him. He's my favorite Democrat. I thought he represented this country well as to what a President should be. Be honest, be sincere. Plus he was very very smart. He just didn't get along with the northeast libs, including Ted Kennedy, who did President Carter a huge disservice by running against him in 1980. I worked a little for Carter in 1976 when hardly no one had heard of him. I had met him outside a train station on the Boston Common after work very early in 1976. He was standing there all alone on a very cold misty day, telling people he was Jimmy Carter and that he was running for President. I thought to myself at the time - he's not going anywhere. But the image of him standing there, all alone, shaking hands with everybody with that warm smile stayed with me for a long long time.
Ditto as to Jimmy Carter. They vilified him, Pat, but he rose above it. As Bill Clinton has also done. In time, President Obama will do so, as well.
The real question is:
Why do the North Koreans release the man to a private citizen, but ignore the President and his administration/state department? Even Kim's absence was carefully orchestrated to deliver a message.
As usual, the North Koreans use a situation to present a big "screw you" to the United States, then couch it in other talk about resuming negotiations on nukes and all kinds of other good will. Look for another round of extortion sometime soon.
Richard,
Why do the North Koreans release the man to a private citizen, but ignore the President and his administration/state department? Even Kim's absence was carefully orchestrated to deliver a message.
Errrr, Richard
Maybe it's because both the Presidents Obama and Carter won Nobel Prizes. Are you privy as a private citizen to know just what role the President's administration played?
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was absent in from a parade celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of North Korea too. it speculated his Kim Jong il is sick. Kim's absence is because his son is running the show now.
Bevy:
Do you really think that if Obama could put such a desirable feather in his cap, he would willingly sacrifice it to Jimmy Carter?
As for Kimmy Jong. Word is that his son was with him on the train to China. Carter was met by the North Korean equivalent of Joe Biden.
That's the nature of diplomatic matters. If it's a great thing you want to shout it from the mountain top, if it's not such a good thing you'd like to sneak it through in the dead of night. So you negotiate to a point that everyone's willing to meet. Plus the cultural differences of who's losing face and such.
Let's all take a moment this weekend to remember the (5) year Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the fact that after all this time... the city & it's residents are still no where near being fully recovered.
I have a sneaking suspicion that five years from now we'll be saying the same thing about the residents of the Gulf!
I agree Feisty. They're certainly in my thoughts.
Feisty;
Agreed.
You're a peach, kid.
Try 20 years, Feisty. Like Exxon Valdez.
So, why do all of you support Obama's deliberate destruction of so many of their jobs.
Obama ignored the members of Salazar's select committee that stated shutting down deep water production was a greater risk to life and the environment than leaving it in production. He lied and ordered the moratorium anyway. A federal judge rules against it and Obama files 27,000 pages of appeal that reveals that Bromwich advised Obama that the moratorium would cost 23,000 jobs.
Obama said that it would not effect shallow drilling. But, Obama changed the rules and permitting and has cut approvals over 90%!
The experts tell Obama it is more dangerous to the environment and lives to shut it down, Obama shuts it down. Bromwich tells Obama it will cost 23,000 jobs, Obama doesn't care and shuts it down.
Yea, we will be talking about it in 5 years. More importantly, in 2012 too.
Really, Bob? You have thrown in all kinds of numbers and 'he was told by' statements but no sources to verify those numbers or the statements.
Souces, please.
So Now the Obama Administration is Thinking for Extending the Bush Tax cuts for Everyone.. Man this really has to piss all you liberals off.. I mean from your point of view it is Obvious that he is gonna Add......... What was that Number?... 3.1 Trillion dollars to the National Debt............ Hahahah. the talking point E-mails you guys have been getting from your Liberal Friends have now blown up in your Face if He actually Does it..
As for me. I hope he does Extend the Bush Tax cuts for Everyone . It is the right thing to do..
Well Bob, it's good to see that the Right is backing off the ridiculous 350,000 jobs number that they were circulating only a couple of weeks ago, but this lower number isn't happening either. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/us/25drill.html?_r=3
If you have HBO watch If the Lord willing and the creek don't rise! It's a documentary on New Orleans and its Recovery from Katrina.
"I have a sneaking suspicion that five years from now we'll be saying the same thing about the residents of the Gulf!"
So, you are admitting Barry is going to do just about as good a job on the Gulf situation as Brownie did on Katrina??
FR lefy liberals all together now, "You're doin' a heck of a job, Barry"
Fiesty,
Let's all take a moment this weekend to remember the (5) year Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the fact that after all this time... the city & it's residents are still no where near being fully recovered.
I have a sneaking suspicion that five years from now we'll be saying the same thing about the residents of the Gulf.
Thanks for bring this up. It fits right into a narrative Tea Baggers need to study. Rachel Maddow is one of the most compassionate, analytical, commentator we have on MSNBC. Of course we have others. We can't put Morning Joke, and Pat Buchanan in that category. It's also another reason I consider MSNBC to be Fair and Balanced unlike FOX Noise. Fox noise spends it's entire day bashing the President. If they have a person from the left on they stack the the deck 2-3 people vs One. They drown their voices out, turn the left's microphones off and will go to a break; just to prevent the guest on the left from giving their point of view.
Anyhow I tried to prove to Candice in Bartlett how minorities have not had their hands out and want to be self reliant; despite the systems attempt to keep us down people want a hand up. They also want the ones digging the hole and standing on the shoulders to get off of it.
Fuks Noise and Tea Baggers would scream about this. However, they will be soon a part of this if the greedy land developers and Big corporations have their way. People do work and are not asking for a hand out just equality. I say "HELL NAh" to Tea Baggers and those who lobby for big businnesses to diminish a people's livelihood.
Rachel Maddow was down in New Orleans for the Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina talking to Tracie Washington, President of the Louisiana Justice Institute.
They had three schools working before Katrina now they have one. There are more people in the area than they have space. Basic fundamental social structures in this country evaporated after hurricane Katrina. If you worked you could survive then. However, if social structures are destructed such as roads and buses by greedy developers and corporations your merger wages will not get people to work who want to work.
How much would one wager this is not just happening in Louisana as Feisty says, It's going to happen all over, especially if John Bohner's CODE ORANGE and the repubs have their way. Transportation, roads, health care, housing, education is the MASTER PLAN to downsizing so people poor and middle class would be able to come back.. What do rich land developers and corporations care; they're busy partying on their yatchs and lavish lifestyles.
Notice in this video how the hospital is now in the jail. This all by design. Hint, Hint: Republicans just don't don't give a good - got- Daymmmn.
GOP candidate in NY gubernatorial primary calls for prison dorms for welfare recipients.
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/22/gop-ny-prison/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/38874622#38874511
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/38874622#38874622
Yea , Rachel is wearing the hell of that shirt.
When is it on? Since you have HBO you must have seen Gasland? If that's not a WAKE UP call...
Thanks for sharing Bev! Oh and don't bother with Candice in Bartlett - last week she was proclaiming that she knew someone was illegal - based on her 'feelings'!!!
Now ain't that 'special'?? LMAO!
You're welcome, Fiesty
Oh and don't bother with Candice in Bartlett - last week she was proclaiming that she knew someone was illegal - based on her 'feelings'!!!
Now ain't that 'special'?? LMAO!
Yes, that is. I've had a lot of patients like her and Glenn Beck who are special. One guy thinks since the doc put a screw in his ankle the Obama administration is following him. It's hard to keep a poker face when you have treat people like that. we just wait until conference time and then Laugh our you know off.
You see these are the kind of people Beck and the Right set; off not to mention the cab driver.
I saw Gasland; it is definitely Cheney-ese. He has killed so many people here and in Iraq with his faulty elecrticty.
You know yesterday on the Sponge Joe show he was making fun of the trip and Carter, today that phony dope of nope GOBPer did not even mention it.
Besides the obstruction and the deliberate attempt to deligitimize this POTUS the only idea they have is to launch stupid investigations, typical reichwing dopes of nope plans for America, makes you want to puke.
Today Mark Halperin kept saying the POTUS should address the mosque issue, and he kept saying the POTUS is the one that stirred this up, what a FRIGGING IDIOT. He and the rest at the table made no mention of the fact that the Fix news GOBP media arm has been spewing the hate for 3 weeks. Hey Mark if you don't know then just STFU. They were also on the SS thing, it is not going to happen despite the reichwing lies.
Jomamma:
The whole group on MSNBC Joe show have seen better days. Halperin is an idiot. Joe never admits he is wrong unless he feels it will get him some brownie points. The others have all seen better days and they are just hanging around for a paycheck.
Yesterday on the Moron Joe program for the first hour they all bashed and made fun of President Carter. They laughed themselves silly and kept it up until I wanted to put my fist through the TV(I didn't). Today Moron Joe kept saying that President Obama should go to a mosque, how about this, President Obama will visit a mosque the same day Joe visits the gravesite of his former mistress. The entire show is disgusting.
Sponge Joe - I like it. And the ding dong kept saying the President was scared to go to a mosque because of the atmosphere. I think ole Joe just likes to hear himself talk. He's an idiot. I'm surprised our televisions do not burst into flames when we put him on :) The only purpose that show serves is to reinforce my unwavering belief in President Obama (not that I needed any). Now, if only the Democrats would quit running scared from the Republicans.
Here's to the residents of NOLA - live long and prosper!!!!!!!
Speaking of retreads and Joe Show appearances- Pat Buchanan turns up on Hannity's radio program yesterday. Birds of a feather, I guess....
Nice to see the Democrats taking a page out of the repugnant one's dirty political playbook by using fear and smear tactics to scare voters straight about the Tea Bagging America Haters. About time Democrats start fighting back against the corrupt christian fanatic scum who are destroying our Secular Democracy with their outright racist lies.
Sad that tomorrow the most degenerate scum of America will gather at the Lincoln Memorial to be bamboozled by Mormon Moron Glenn Beck and his I Have a Scheme Screech. Fuehrer Beck is really going off the wall thinking he's the second coming of jesus who will perform some kind of miracle. I hope all those attending hold their breaths waiting for that false miracle to happen. All Mormon Moron Beck is doing is using his racist hatred against Blacks, Browns and Muslims to scare stupid old white people into voting to lower his already too low taxes and to sell them overpriced gold coins from GoldSwine.
Hey Eric, nice to see you here again....hope all is well.
Same here Eric!
Eric,,
The name of the Rally is Restoring HONOR.. from your post it looks like it is something you could use some touching up on.. ..
Eric... Fuehrer Beck? Heard of Godwin's law? Look it up. Yeah, that's egg on your face. (check for salmonella)
Steve, there is nothing honest about that fermenting reichwing drooling bigoted phony POS, he is the most dangerous man in America. Here is the book we have been waiting for, this is from MMFA.
The Backlash is in bookstores next Tuesday.
According to Harper Collins:
You can pre-order your copy of The Backlash today at Amazon (Hardcover / Kindle), Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Borders, Indie Bound, Powell's Books, or Tattered Cover Book Store. If you have the iBooks app for your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch, you can pre-order The Backlash for those
Jomama72
We understand you hate Glen Beck. all you do is spew Hatred on these boards. Day in and Day out.
You also would be a Great Candidate to head on over to the Restoring Honor Rally, perhaps you may learn some Honor.
Steve-505729
Is that why this multi millionaire is funding the rally himself? Is that in the small print its says the monies collected are to pay for this function and the remainder are to go to the families. For someone making millions from Faux News, you think he'd be able to pay for this shin dig don't you. Or is this some big scam to get people to buy gold from that company he shills for?
As if the possibility of John Boehner becoming Speaker of the House isn't enough to scare the crap out of you, instead of doing any LEGISLATIVE business, they will spend their time investigating the New Black Panther Party (all three of them); investigating the bailouts. Well, hell, they were there, what is there to investigate. Maybe they will investigate themselves. Would that be a proper expenditure of taxpayer money or a photo op? It sounds like all they want to do is make the President look bad. Little do they know, by doing that, they make the country look bad and makes us all look like buffoons. The more they talk, the more ridiculous they sound. I still refuse to believe they will take back control - they may get more seats, but not control. Heaven help us all if they do.
Joi G;
I saw that this AM. Instead of doing the people's work asthey were elected to do the house is going to go on witch hunts. Could somebody tell me how that is going to creat jobs, reduce the deficit, etc.???
They better be careful on those hearings, they may just open a can of worms that will come back and bite them as well.
Joi G and US Navy,
Black Panthers?, what is there to investigate?, witch hunts?
Try health care reform. Try investigations into the true cost of HCR, investigations into the true impact on business and the economy, investigations into the true impact on delivery of health services.
Then maybe we can understand as Nancy said "what's in it".
Can of worms US Navy? You betcha.
LOL. How many different Investigations have the democrats had.. in my opinion they investigated everyone and everything . Except the people and organization they should have Started with. the ones they have been ignoring .. the ones that they and their friends Run.. Thats right ..
Fannie and Freddie.. Cant wait to see what comes out of those..
Bob, with all due respect, why investigate a bill that has been passed? If that's the case, any controversial bill should be investigated. To me, that makes no sense and is a waste of time and resources. And if they do not read the bills (Dems and Repubs) then shame on them. That is what they get paid for.
Joi:
Don't ask them such hard questions, they have no answers. When they can't get their way by filibusters they move to repeal baby repeal and when that does not work they want to tie up congress with investigations. It is all designed with one purpose in mind only. To try and stop President Obama from helping the middle class. If they can tie up congress with this crap they cannot vote ob bills. Get the method to their madness??
Heres'what I fail to understand; Congress has some dismally low ratings (ok, that part I understand...).
The REPUBLICAN component has the LOWEST ratings of either party. There is much talk about REPUBLICANS taking over a lot of seats in the house and senate.
How does this make any sense to anyone??
It's because democrats suck at running the country.
But, according to those polls, they don't suck as bad as the Repubs. Now, try again, and try to make sense....
Joi,
Read 2,400+ pages? Even if they did, what would it tell them - that they were creating 150 new agencies/committees, etc. that have yet to create the rules and regulations, implementations, etc.?
For example Joi, do care anything about breast cancer? Do you care about the second leading cause of death among women? Obama's recess appointment, Berwick and his advisory board by a 12-1 vote recommend removing Avastin, the world's leading cancer drug, from Medicare and Medicaid, not because of its efficacy, but because of its cost.
Think that may be one reason to look into what has been / will be done to America?
America has the best and longest cancer survival rates in the world.
What happens when Avastin, the best selling cancer drug in the world, is removed for the treatment of colon cancer, kidney cancer, brain cancer.....because it cost to much?
Think America is ready for that?
Thanks for your comments, Joi.
BTW - How do like that answer US Navy?
Geez, Bob. Again with the spouting of disproven or selective facts.
I listen to NPR all of the time and they did a very comprehensive story on Avastin. Yes, the drug was removed partly for it's cost but also, and more importantly, the fact THAT IT HAD NO EFFICACY and THE SIDE EFFECTS MORE THAN OUTWEIGHED THE BENEFITS. In other words, it wasn't worth paying even a single penny for it.
Goodness, if you're going to keep spouting 'facts' at least you can spout real facts and/or provide sources. Still waiting on your sources for those numbers you spouted on the oil drilling moratorium . . . but I'm not holding my breath waiting for them.
Matthew,
Wow. A guy that listens to NPR says the best selling cancer drug in the world has no efficacy! A radio show knows more about cancer treatment than all the oncology doctors around the world prescribing Avastin?
And Obama said our care would be left to our own doctors. Now we have to rely on NPR for treatment protocols.
Hold your breath while I research the rebuttal.
About the sources.
I believe I first read about the 7 experts from the the National Academy of Engineering saying their report was manipulated on Powerline around the first week of June. There were many subsequent and confirming articles about it giving the experts names and quotes. Most of my comments derive from RCP, RCW, WSJ, National Review, Investors Business Daily, etc. articles and opinions. It is all there. I believe Malkin has piece about the destruction of jobs as well as numerous other articles / opinions the last few months.
Last time I'm doing your homework you. Get an opinion and be able to argue on your own.
Bob, someone who uses Powerline as source has no business dissing NPR as "biased". Emperor, you have no clothes.
Besides, Bob, you still have not given any specific sources. If it's "all there", where are the links? You are the one spouting the 'facts' and it is not my job to prove you are wrong, it is your job to prove you are correct.
Nice try, trying to push off your responsibility onto me but it ain't gonna work.
Still waiting on those links for your drilling moratorium rant.
Bob -
I can't speak for anyone else, but I'll bet I care a lot more about breast cancer than most people, because I had it - conincidentally enough, my first surgery was 13 years ago tomorrow. I also work in market research in the pharmaceutical industry, primarily cancer drugs, and while Avastin - like many of the newer oncology treatments - initially showed a lot of promise, now that more long-term data is available, physicians are constantly weighing the risk/benefit ratio of these treatments, most of which actually extend survival for no more than weeks or a few months at best, and do little or nothing to improve the quality of the patient's life in the meantime - in fact, the side effects can often be worse.
But you don't have to believe me. You mentioned the FDA advisory board recommending by a 12-1 vote removing it from Medicare and Medicaid due to cost. A quick search found this from the Washington Post, among other sources:
"An FDA advisory committee voted 12 to 1 on July 20 to withdraw Avastin's authorization for advanced breast cancer based on two new studies that the advisers concluded had not shown that the drug extends life. Not only that, the committee concluded that the studies indicated the drug slowed tumor growth for even less time -- perhaps as little as about a month. "The vast majority opinion of the committee was that the drug was not doing very much, and what it was doing was more than offset by the negative," said Wyndham Wilson of the National Cancer Institute, who chaired the committee. Avastin can cause a variety of potentially serious side effects, including blood clots, bleeding and heart failure. "In our best judgment, we did not feel this drug was safe to give relative to its benefits," Wilson said.
The recommendation has been praised by many cancer experts and by advocates for breast cancer patients.
"The FDA should never have approved Avastin for breast cancer to begin with," said Fran Visco of the National Breast Cancer Coalition. "We don't see evidence of benefit, but we do see evidence of harm."
Those are the opinions of the National Cancer Institute and the National Breat Cancer Coalition, not some "recess Obama appointee". And note, neither of them mention any financial aspects.
Look, cancer treatment is a very personal and agonizing decision. But as someone who may need to make those decisions again at any time, I at least like to have ALL of the facts available to me.
JoAnne in PA,
Thank you for sharing that very personal story to show Bob just how wrong he is (voted). It was not necessary as the FDA information you provided would have been enough . . . well, maybe should have been enough would be the more correct expression . . . but your story gave that much more impact.
Hmm, Bob seems to have gone quiet. I wonder why?
Still waiting for those drilling moratorium links, Bob.
John,
The pathetic thing about you guys is that you don't ever argue the point, you obfuscate, try to redirect the argument, marginalze any source, etc. (Sorry about just marginalizing you.)
So, was there anything that I stated that was untrue. Did those guy's on Powerline say anything that was untrue, any sources John? Did Obama's people not acknowledge the issue and weakly try to reframe it from the misrepresentation it was? Did Obama later not reference the experts? Powerline wasn't the only source. You should know all this.
So, what do want to talk about John?
What part of that would you like to argue? Any logicical complaints?
What about the above? Do you want to argue this?
How about we argue the relevent point to my comment?
How about we argue Obama's recess appointment of the one man death panel, Dr. Donald Berwick. Obama could have appointed him, gone through the process and if he didn't make it, appointment him during the August recess. No, Obama had to do a recess appointment before anyone could even ask him a question. How's that for working with the Republicans, transparency blah-blah, John. The man that said:
A sensible SOCIAL DECISION, not a MEDICAL DECISION! Do you think people would like at least like hear that discussion, John?
Obama said that we could keep our insurance, but didn't tell us it would almost take a miracle to keep it with the way the deck is being stacked. Obama said we keep our doctors, it would be between us and our doctor. He didn't mention Dr. One Man Death Panel taking away the best selling cancer drug in the world!
Got anything John?
Matthew - Any time. I'm not as knowledgeable as many people on here are when it comes to things like the economy, but since my immediate family includes four people who beat cancer (me, my Mom, my brother, and my sister-in-law), one who died of it (my Dad) and one who's currently battling it (my step-father, who, by the way, I think is actually taking Avastin for lung cancer), it's one of the few subjects I consider myself an expert on!
Have a great weekend and thanks!
P.S. - Bob, just saw your comment. "Best-selling" just means it makes a lot of money for the pharmaceutical company that makes it. It doesn't make it work any better.
JoAnne,
Sorry to hear about your past ordeal and I sincerely hope it will remain in the past, although I know you and those that love you, will probably always live with the fear of it returning.
I appreciate your feed back on the efficacy issue. Is there a consensus?
The main issue I have is the way the whole HCR has been handled and in particular, the way Berwick was put in power. When you circumvent the process, it obviously raises red flags to many. If Avastin is truly not a rational alternative, so be it. But I still believe my comments to John are pertinent, especially the quote of Dr. Berwick. Do you want your next issue to be a social decision, or a medical decision?
You would like to have ALL the facts available to you the next time you have to make a decision. I pray you do not have to make that decision JoAnne, but if you, I just want you to have all the available options too.
Good luck JoAnne, and thank you very much for your comments.
JoAnne,
I have had a lot of distractions and just reread the comments. The "you guys" comment in my reply to John were directed at John and Matthew, not you. I had not seen your comment due to an interruption in the middle of my comments to John.
I respect your opinion and appreciate the exchange. Hopefully the other guys and I can learn from your example.
Well bob, Avandia was taken off the market because it didn't work, not for the reasons you mentioned, and there wouldn't be a need for recess appointments if Republicans would stop putting holds on them by the dozens and debate them in public like real adults.
Unfortunately almost no one in politics (including the media) is really about debating ANYTHING on merit these days. "Spin" has risen to such a level that it's what most of us would call "lies." The facts themselves are frequently in question as a result. It'd be hard enough if we could just debate the approach, but debating the facts makes it darned near impossible to get anything done--and a lot of times I suspect both sides like it that way.
1) Avastin, not Avandia, has not been taken off the market. Berwick is trying and will remove it from Medicare and Medicaid. The "rich", not the poor, will still have it. The ones with private insurance will still have it, the poor without private insurance will not have it.
2) It is the best selling cancer drug in the world. JoAnne says best-selling just means it makes a lot of money for the pharmaceutical company. No, best-selling means oncologist around the world prescribe it more than other cancer drug in the world. JoAnne's post cited two recent studies that questioned how much tumor growth was slowed -"perhaps as a little as a month". Perhaps? I've read it is more like two years. Can you say perhaps? Sure. Can you find cases and cite those cases that it extended only one month? Sure. You can also say that life was extended, perhaps by as much as 34 months. Did the Washington Post say that? No. What about the types of tumors, size of tumors, when they were found, other contributing issues, what about by side by side trials? To categorically say the best-selling drug in the world doesn't work is fatuous/absurd.
3) Absurd. What other drug was removed from the list. Avastin is the worst? The best-selling drug in the world is the least effective drug in the world? That's like saying the best-selling car in the world is the worst car in the world? Absurd! Even if the best-selling drug in the world is no better than the others, why remove it, if not except for the cost, especially since Avastin is expensive.
4) HCR in Biden's words is "a big fkkking deal", the biggest deal in our life times. And yet we the people, through our elected representatives, don't even get to ask Berwick ONE "Fkkking" Question! All because President Transparency is too gutless to expose Berwick to the lawful, Constitutional process of a confirmation hearing. As pointed out earlier, Obama could have had the hearing and still done a recess appointment. Berwick would still be where he is, but Obama flagrantly manipulated and circumvented honest, Constitutional rights and provisions. How can you not see that John?
How can we trust Obama when he flagrantly does things like this. How can we trust Obama when he puts together a committee of experts and then manipulates their opinion on shutting down off shore drilling. How can we trust Obama when we puts together a committee to study the reasons for the Deepwater disaster and not ONE of them is an engineer! They are all environmentalist!
The EPA is getting ready to ban all traditional ammunition, (it contains lead. other materials are illegal / classified as armor piercing) probably on Nov. 1 of this year! To heck with the Constitution, screw Congress and the will of the people - Obama will get his anti-2nd Amendment agenda through with EPA fiat!
You wonder, you question why people don't trust Obama about some new study regarding Avastin?
Once again leaders of other country's want to deal with Former Dem Presidents,Ummm,chew on that awhile baggers.They don't want no Bush or any other Repub chest pounding and using it for political gain.have to agree with jomama about the coffee clutch crowd on the moron Joke show,does one lump have strings attached to the puppets or are they some new wireless dummies.Moron J just keeps flapping his gums with his righty talking points,the guy is so far out of it,are there drug tests given to Pundits,or are they just a bunch of Talking heads paid to spew Stir sticks morning rants?
Republicans are planning a wave of committee investigations targeting the White House and Democratic allies if they win back the majority.
After 8 years of secrecy, no-bid contracts awarded to companies so closely aligned witht the VP and war, they want to "investigate". Figures.
Well, I guess we see what their game plan is. I hope they are asked about this on all the weekend shows. I beginning to think that the economy is going to show strong recovery in the first quarter of 2011, that the Republicans know this and thats why they are pulling out all the stops to take back the majority. That way, they can claim ownership of the recovery, spend the next 2 - 4 years running investigations and not doing anything constructive. Of course people like nbnj, joannasmith, mixedbagger and the like will love it.
I hate to keep posting this but I know it will come up again. The reichwing dopes of nope GOBP'ers are stupid so you have to keep repeating the truth to beat down their lies. Who's going to the Beckapalooza "I have a scheme rally"..lol.
Myth: Social Security is going broke.
Reality: There is no Social Security crisis.By 2023, Social Security will have a $4.3 trillion surplus (yes, trillion with a 'T'). It can pay out all scheduled benefits for the next quarter-century with no changes whatsoever.1 After 2037, it'll still be able to pay out 75% of scheduled benefits--and again, that's without any changes. The program started preparing for the Baby Boomers retirement decades ago.2 Anyone who insists Social Security is broke probably wants to break it themselves.
Myth: We have to raise the retirement age because people are living longer.
Reality: This is a red-herring to trick you into agreeing to benefit cuts. Retirees are living about the same amount of time as they were in the 1930s. The reason average life expectancy is higher is mostly because many fewer people die as children than did 70 years ago.3 What's more, what gains there have been are distributed very unevenly--since 1972, life expectancy increased by 6.5 years for workers in the top half of the income brackets, but by less than 2 years for those in the bottom half.4 But those intent on cutting Social Security love this argument because raising the retirement age is the same as an across-the-board benefit cut.
Myth: Benefit cuts are the only way to fix Social Security.
Reality: Social Security doesn't need to be fixed. But if we want to strengthen it, here's a better way: Make the rich pay their fair share. If the very rich paid taxes on all of their income, Social Security would be sustainable for decades to come.5 Right now, high earners only pay Social Security taxes on the first $106,000 of their income.6 But conservatives insist benefit cuts are the only way because they want to protect the super-rich from paying their fair share.
Myth: The Social Security Trust Fund has been raided and is full of IOUs
Reality: Not even close to true.The Social Security Trust Fund isn't full of IOUs, it's full of U.S. Treasury Bonds. And those bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.7 The reason Social Security holds only treasury bonds is the same reason many Americans do: The federal government has never missed a single interest payment on its debts. President Bush wanted to put Social Security funds in the stock market--which would have been disastrous--but luckily, he failed. So the trillions of dollars in the Social Security Trust Fund, which are separate from the regular budget, are as safe as can be.
Myth: Social Security adds to the deficit
Reality: It's not just wrong -- it's impossible! By law, Social Security funds are separate from the budget, and it must pay its own way. That means that Social Security can't add one penny to the deficit.1
Sources:
1."To Deficit Hawks: We the People Know Best on Social Security" New Deal 2.0, June 14, 2010
http://www.newdeal20.org/2010/06/14/to-defict-hawks-we-the-people-know-best-on-social-security-12290/
2. "The Straight Facts on Social Security" Economic Opportunity Institute, September 2009
http://www.eoionline.org/retirement_security/fact_sheets/StraightFactsSocialSecurity-Sep09.pdf
3. "Social Security and the Age of Retirement"Center for Economic and Policy Research, June 2010
http://www.cepr.net/index.php/publications/reports/social-security-and-the-age-of-retirement/
4. "More on raising the retirement age" Ezra Klein, Washington Post, July 8, 2010
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/07/more_on_raising_the_retirement.html
5. "Social Security is sustainable" Economic and Policy Institute, May 27, 2010
http://www.epi.org/analysis_and_opinion/entry/social_security_is_sustainable/
6. "Maximum wage contribution and the amount for a credit in 2010." Social Security Administration, April 23, 2010
http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/240
7. "Trust Fund FAQs" Social Security Administration, February 18, 2010
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/ProgData/fundFAQ.html
8. "To Deficit Hawks: We the People Know Best on Social Security" New Deal 2.0, June 14, 2010
http://www.newdeal20.org/2010/06/14/to-defict-hawks-we-the-people-know-best-on-social-security-12290/
Hey, if repeating lies enough to the point that people start believing it, maybe it will work with the truth. We can only hope. Keep it up.
It's an open blog Frank. If you'd like to dispute any of the points that jomama has effectively backed up with supporting links you're free to do so.
Otherwise you're just talking.
Why should anyone waste their energy when liberals cannot admit that they have really effed up this time?
I'm just happy to see that Social Security is OTAY!
I think Reagan was the last president to save it and apparently it worked.
Umm, John, FrankH was backing jomama72's post. FrankH is one of the good guys as are you.
Thanks for watching my back on that one Matthew but I probably could have made my post a little clearer.
Sorry Frank, I interpreted that as saying that jomama was lying. We certainly have plenty of posters who just cast aspersions and run off without backing their position. Witness post 11.3.
And I thought I was depressed before..... get it together people!!!!
Talk about Sharron Angle all you like...but this most recent poll still shows Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid with significantly higher negatives than Ms Angle. Fully 52% of those polled expressed disapproval of Reid; 43% disapproved of Angle.
Reid has indeed managed to push up Angle's negatives...but that hasn't made Nevadans like him any better, has it?
I have an idea- Maybe Sharon needs to talk to a reporter or two instead of running away (like Palin used to do so often), so she can tell everyone her ideas and positions. You know- talk herself up a little. What possible harm could that cause??
Are you kidding me? A Tea Bagger talking to that evil, nasty, lefty, hit-and-run media?
Inconceivable!
First Read:""Two-thirds of voters who say they back Sharron Angle wish another Republican had won the nomination... And 58 percent of [undecided] voters say they wish Reid hadn't won the Democratic nomination, suggesting a majority of Nevadans are unhappy with their choices."
So.....did anything even remotely approaching "the majority of Nevadans" actually take ten minutes to go out and vote on Primary Day? Then they have no one but themselves to blame.....
Mixed Bag
Your talking about a woman who has said she wants to do away w/ Social Security & Medicare, wants more deregulation, wants to get rid of th Dept. of Education and Energy. Wants to bury nuclear waste in the Nevada desert after the people of Nevada said no. She RNC scrub her website because it show just how far wacked out she is.
Yes the people of Nevada don't like Harry Reid, but these are their choices. They have made their bed, and now they have to sleep in it.
As a Republican, I have no problem with Sharron Angle becoming a senator.
If Patty Murray can be lead and shepherded through her career by the good ol' boys, Angle can be just as effective.
Isnt that the Truth Richard,,
if we are lucky we will Get rid of Patty Murky this time around.. and then Maria Cantvotewell next.
Think Progress: The Muslim cab driver who was stabbed earlier this week in a likely hate crime met with Mayor Michael Bloomberg yesterday, telling the mayor that despite the hateful incident, he is still proud of New York and its multicultural tolerance. While he said he is haunted by the incident, the driver — Ahmed Sharif — told Bloomberg that he still believes “this is the city actually [for] all colors, races, religion, everyone“:
Sharif’s stabbing comes in the midst of the ugly and emotional debate taking place in NYC over the proposed Park 51 Islamic community center near the site of Ground Zero. Asked during a press conference with Sharif if he believed the attack was related to the mosque debate, Bloomberg said he wasn’t sure. Appearing on the Daily Show later that day, Bloomberg scorned the hateful tone of the opposition to the mosque, saying, “This is plain and simple people trying to stir up things to get publicity and trying to polarize people so that they can get some votes.” Still, he defended the opposition’s right to speak out, saying free speech is “what’s great about America.”
____________
I have yet to meet one single person who blames all New Yorkers for this stabbing. Not one. Yet on the other hand, some are blaming all Muslims for September 11th, by being against this community center. And if you notice, it is the white people creating all this hate. Not the Muslims. Not the African Americans. Not the Asians. Not the Mexicans.
Just the white people. White supposed Christians. White supposed Christian men. As usual. Nice going Dick Armey and the Koch Family. Nice going.
What the world needs now,
Is love, sweet love,
It's the only thing that there's just too little of.
What the world needs now,
Is love, sweet love,
No, not just for some but for everyone.
Lord, we don't need another mountain,
There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb,
There are oceans and rivers enough to cross,
Enough to last 'til the end of time...
hey, Pat, not to burst your bubble, but the criminal in that case belongs to a leftwing organization that SUPPORTS building the mosque.
The criminal, himself, supports building the mosque.
The cabdriver, from written reports, does not.
Just for you, no jo,
It's not a mosque, it is a community center with prayer rooms. Prayer rooms just like they have at the Pentagon. It is on private land and over 60 Muslims (not including the hijackers) died in the twin towers.
From written reports? Please provide a link.
Your hate is obvious, no jo.
NJ:
Michael Enright was a supporter of NY tea party candidate Greg Ball. (Amazingly enough, somehow the reference to him 'liking' Greg Ball on his Facebook page was subsequently removed after this was discovered , but there are screenshots taken of the original page all over the net.) He had a diary full of anti-muslim rantings. He had a facebook page full of pictures of him holding shotguns and constantly drinking beer. If anything, his association with the organization he volunteered for had solely to do with their resources and ability to get him imbedded into the Afghanistan unit of his high school buddy about whom he was shooting a documentary that -gasp- turns out to be favorable toward the military and the war effort.
Are you seriously going to try to advance the notion that he was a left winger?
And don't forget - NJNB reads that bastion of truth, justice and the american way - The NY Post - owned by the same group that gave $1mil to the republican party and that other entity that promotes fair and balanced reporting..............
and it was just yesterday that NJ said the NY Post reported that the driver and attacker were talking about the Cultural Center........not.......
I love how the lefty libs on here always ask for links from the opposition, but never call out other lefty libs' BS and demand links.
There are none so blind as those who chose not to see.
Lynchmob, we don't have to ask for them because they are usually provided in the posts, as is obvious to the most casual observer, or are provided when asked for.
From the right wing posters? Not so much . . . well, actually, almost never. There are 1 or 2 righties who provide links but not too many. One has to wonder why? Could it be because they have nothing to back up what they say? Why don't they provide them when asked for? Or was that a rhetorical question?
The perp in the taxi cab stabbing was a member of the groups No Joe mentions.
No Joe: Despite being a member, other information pretty much confirms that he's not a left winger and his involvement in the groups had more of a subversive slant.
Aside from all that, he's apparently a very disturbed person, much in the same vein as the Fort Hood shooter or Charles Manson. Mainstream politics has little to do with it.
Hey lynchmob, ol bobbie boy gave a great example of the right never providing links, even when asked to, in #8.11.
He provided no links and then attacked me for not finding the links for him.
I don't know that investigating the bail-outs is a bad idea. It seems to me that if the monies haven't ben paid back yet, there should be some investigation into whether, and when, they will be paid back.
I think that Justice has plenty to answer for, including a record number of waivers given to states that deprive our military of their voting rights. These states have had plenty of time to get their acts together and to get those ballots out-there should be no excuses, no waivers-just maile the ballots to the military!
Hoever, I agree that republicans should not engage in too many investigations. Find out the answers to the important stuff, and leave the rest of it alone.
No joe
Do you actually thing they will investigate anything of merit or will it simply be a witch hunt. Remember when they we're in charge last time and how they drug their feet on investigation. Even now John of Orange still tries to keep any and all investigations out of the public view. So I ask you in all honesty, how can you trust the people their if they don't want you to know whats going on?
lol..what bailouts? The waivers are in the law.
I see the Scumbag Eric is back, slinging his scum and hatred around like a typical left wing loon. It's nice to see Carter do something useful to make up for his lousy presidency. However, the N Koreans could have just sent the idiot back over the border. Or did they just need a hug from a stupid progressive?
How to spot a ditto head:
Use of key words or phrases such as:
Progressive
Chosen one
Enlighten
Academia
Drive By
Tax
Cuts
Entitlement
Professors / teachers are progressives.
Sing praises
Federal bureaucracy
Department of Education
Socialize
European Health Care
Privatize
Education Department
Abolished
Deregulate
Barry
I Hope He FAILS
Death Panels for Grannies
Secret Muslim
Race Baiting
Ideologue
Arrogant
Islamophobic
RINO
You left out:
2nd ammendment
2nd ammendment
2nd ammendment
2nd ammendment
2nd ammendment
and.....
Lamestream.
You also forgot...
Narcissist
Teleprompter
Barrack HUSSEIN Obama
Vacation
Elitist
Mmm, Mmm, Mmm...
And don't forget everyone's favorite: porkulus
And, to kind of steal one from Tommy Smothers:
"God always liked ME best"
also:
Tax cut for the top 2%
9/11
tax cut for the top 2%
9/11
tax cut for the top 2%
9/11
tax cut for the top 2%
OK, Mr Guilianni- why are you posting under the name Paul S, NY NY??
I think Vice-President Biden said it best, Paul: "All he says is a noun, a verb and 9/11." I about fell off my chair when I heard him say that.
Disturbing that the GOP plans to investigate everything IF they win back the House. Michelle Bachman made a similar comment weeks ago saying that the GOP plans to do nothing else except investigate everything. So much for moving the country forward and fixing our problems, so much for creating jobs. Thanks, GOP, the democrats could have investigated Pres Bush and VP Cheney but decided to instead work on passing legislation to help Americans, now it is open season on democrats.
I hope their investigations extend to C Street.
Boehner and Company have been eerily quiet about that subject.
Umm...
It is really a lot of fun to read all the posts from the lefties here congratulating themselves and each other on how smart they are and voting for themselves and each other while the democratic party is quickly unraveling. In November when when the votes are counted how smart will you be?
It won't matter. We will still be patting eachother on the back, and feeling good aobut saving the United States of America from the devastating fiasco known as McCain/Palin.
If we don't accomplish one more thing, that in istelf is worth one hell of a lot.
Gee drive by -
I am glad McCain lost. I lived in AZ for 21 years and couldn't stand him. But the issue isn't them it is that the left is getting hammered because people don't agree with their agenda.
It just amuses me how the love fest with the lefties is ongoing along side the hate for the other side, no matter who is on it.
Breaking in Missouri:
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/6452430-reed4rep
Kirby, you have finally revealed the location of Beckistan, thanks drooler.
Jo -
Careful that spittle doesn't choke the life out of you. I have never watched Beck, but I'll bet you have.
Save that double digit IQ stuff for someone that actually cares what you think.
Jeff-498218 - Just like a rightie, down play anything good that happens with name calling and put downs. Your mommy is calling - run along now.
Why should this worry Obama? If everything was done above board, if no laws were broken, if all of that stimulus money is accounted for and was used for the purposes it was intended for, then let the GOP investigate away. If however, chunks of that $700B+ have disappeared... :|
Better get those Democrat campaign wagons circled!