And so we see how money has taken over this country.  Americans would never bother to research the truth.  We've already seen that.  Companies get stronger and larger and richer and the middle class American vanishes.

I can't wait until my company starts outspending your company so we get the tax breaks and other goodies and you get the shaft.

The Trial Lawyers and Trade Unions better get out their checkbooks and write the DNC some checks TODAY.

Let's see- the Trial Lawyers gave almost $200 MILLION to the DNC in 2008. Better give them $250M right away in case the law changes.

Gotta' run, I think I hear an ambulance!

Hillary the Movie: 2.5 stars. Funny to watch,  especially the lamp throwing scenes. Pee Wee Herman as Bill though seemed a little mis-cast. But Paris Hilton as Hillary was right on the mark.

Why shouldn;t overpaid executives be able to spend their shareholders money buying off politicians? Sounds like the American way, spend someone elses money to push your agenda.

FR--The conservative backers of the "Hillary: The Movie" documentary argued today that the laws are a violation of free speech, and at least five justices appeared today to agree.
------------------------

I am watching this closely.

To Answer other comments:

To:
Learning Good
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The Democratic Party isn't split. We have some wolves in sheep clothen that rode the coattail of the President to get elected into office as Conservative Democrats. But the Part isn't split.

Did you learn that the there are trillions already being spent on the Medicare Advantage program that the Republican "Majority" Senate and House passed under The Bush Administration, purpertrated by the lie that Thomas Scully (in charge of Medicare under the Bush administration)told and threaten those that worked for him with termination if they revealed the truth?

Is Medicare rationed? I don't think it is. You haven't learned anything...stop watching Fox Noise to get your crazy ass talking points.
----------------------------------

Chris – IL
Yes Chris, like the doo doo brain that I just answered.

Anita, this is news to me.  How did these people die? And why was it because of
Palin? Thanks (
--------------
Under Governor Palin’s tenure, on December 19, 2008, the state stepped in and took over the Mary Conrad Center, an Anchorage nursing home, when the state determined that there was “‘immediate danger to the health, safety or welfare’ of its residents.”

So, with this clear record of support and care for Alaska’s seniors by Governor Palin, what is the current criticism about? According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, prior to Governor Palin’s election in November 2006, in April of 2006, in an effort to control rapidly increasing costs for home health care providers, known as the PCA program, Governor Frank Murkowski’s administration implemented a screening process for Alaska Medicaid eligible persons by using a Level of Care assessment (LOC).

The LOC assessment was designed for persons who would otherwise require hospitalization or nursing home care and was intended to help weed out fraud and abuse
By definition, many of these people were ill, elderly or disabled and thus in need of personal care attendants to assist them. Only registered nurse assessors were allowed to evaluate consumers to determine if they qualified for PCA care.

The job of assessing consumers was contracted out, but the State of Alaska DHHS determined that the hired contractor had too much backlog. Notably, under federal Medicaid strictures, the State could not get another private business to bid on the contract. So the State was forced to take over the job in November 2007.

However, the State DHHS was unable to eliminate the backlog using its own staff, and the backlog then grew. The Federal DHHS temporarily suspended new admissions to the PCA program pending audit compliance to handle the backlog of existing cases and come up with a plan to speed the assessment process. The suspension has been lifted as of August 12.

Further, Gov. Palin’s FY 2009 budget clearly showed her analysis of the issue as of December 2007, and described both the problem and the solution long before the federal government got involved. The backlog issue was discussed and a plan proposed for improvement

While waiting for the bureaucratic process to go into effect, approximately 200 seniors died. Palin has some damned nerve to talk about socialized government. She was a socialist when she was Governor.

What I could never figure out is how laws like McCain-Feingold restricted corporations from making contributions, but allowed unions to contribute as much as they wanted. We see the result, an all Democratic controlled government.

New Independent-say what?

How much media coverage was given to the two Army Recruiters who were shot in Arkansas by a radical Islamist?  Oh, that would be, almost none.  Ask ten people about it; see how many know about it.

How many mentions did Van Jones, 9/11truther, get from the main stream media?  Almost none-until he resigned.  If he had been a birther in a republican administration, it would have led every news cycle.

Spare me the moaning about how the corporations will bend the news cycle.  Thanks to the internet, people can do their own research.

I can't wait until my company starts outspending your company so we get the tax breaks and other goodies and you get the shaft.
My companys richer than your company (Sent Wednesday, September 09, 2009 12:40 PM)
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Is your company a medical malpractice law firm or a product liability law firm?

Trial Lawyers- the second largest PAC to the DNC.

THE RESULTS OF TODAY'S 'ASSOCIATED PRESS-GfK OBAMA POLL' ARE AS FOLLOWS:  (1.) OBAMA JOB DISAPPROVAL IS UP 7% TO 49%; (2.) OBAMA DISAPPROVAL IN HANDLING HEALTHCARE IS UP 9% TO 52%; (3.) 49% DISAPPROVE OF PROPOSED HEALTHCARE BILLS OF CONGRESS COMPARED TO ONLY 34% TO FAVOR THEM; (4.) OVERWHELMING MAJORITY SAY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT ANY HEALTHCARE LEGISLATION HAVE REPUBLICAN SUPPORT; (5.) 52% DISAPPROVE OF HIS HANDLING OF THE ECONOMY & TAXES; and, (6.) 56% DISAPPROVE OF HIS HANDLING OF THE DEFICIT! === *** WITH NUMBERS LIKE THESE  ... OBAMA CANNOT GOVERN EFFECTIVELY. ***

And so we can see that corporations will spend their stimulas on advertising. And we can see how politicians will suck-up to various huge corporations.

This is kind of like Obie already does to GE and NBC.
Put their big guys in political office.

This is a mistake and I'd like to know how Sotomayor voted. This has been fixed all along. Bet me.

mmmm. Let's guess which 5? Until one of those righties on the court drops dead or drops out, we're stuck with an ultra conservative majority. Of course, if they want to unlock the cauldrons full of nasty cash, so be it. Dems will just have to learn to live with constant lunacy from the wealthier right. (well maybe not wealthier, but certainly more inclined to spend their cash on lies and smears, as they have already shown us so garishly with Swiftboat...)

Palin's op ed? Unless she was locked alone in a room without windows and no internet or phone, I don't buy for ONE minute that she wrote that herself. And I would check her undies on the way in to make sure she wasn't pulling a Sandy Berger!!

Our President will do great tonight, we can always count on him. And while I do hope for a public option, I can live without it as long as there are very strict rules for insurance companies so they can't go on screwing small businesses and the public that can't get insurance for whatever reason.

Have you noticed all the rightie trolls today are complaining about Obama being in campaign mode? Almost all of them mention it in their posts. Must have been by directive of his lowness, Mr. Limbo or that worst person in the universe, Mr. insHannity!! Do you people have ONE original thought? I'm sure you do, so let's hear it. We don't mind having you on here dissing the USA and the Presidency, believing in free speech and all, but just regurgitating the stuff you hear on whitewing radio is tedious for those of us who enjoy reading the posts!

Here are the 3 Audiences Obama's Speech should target tonight.

1)  Dumb
2)  Dumber
3)  Dumbest

It also come with a Civics Lession on how Major Bills are passed. Barbara - Fort Lauderdale, FL (Sent Wednesday, September 09, 2009 12:20 PM)
----------------------------------------------------

That would be a waste of breath...they'll all be watch Beck and Hannity as usual

If they uphold the decision that would make all movies made in hollywood with a political agenda subject to the same rules ruining TV, If they strike it down it will mean political message movie marathons each election season ruining TV. Looks like a bad day for TV and a good day for rich people one way or the other.

People haven't stop to think. It isn't about Obama, its about us and how we treat our fellow citizens.  
providence ri

=====================

Two things. One, it is all about Obama. Who else has been out front on the Health Care debate this year? No one. No Pelosi, no Reid, no Hoyer, no Durbin. None. It's all about Obama. Second, the US outspends every other country in the world on it's social saftey net programs. Everyone of them. US citizens also contribute the most in charity then any other country in the world, both for its people, and people in other countries. So don't waltz in here saying the US does not treat it's people well. It cares very much.

Rerun after rerun.  Did you see the MSN home page under, "Money?"..All the crooks than got bounced last year before the Big "Bang" Bailout are now back for seconds at the table.  And all you hear from the righteous right is the term, "Socialist!"

Here's a term for you, "Scumbags!"  Only bright spot -unemployment is so high (still) and the economy is so low (still) there almost isn't any money left to scam.  There sure isn't any middle class left.  I know, I know, blame that on Obama, too.  Let's see, how do you spell O-b-a-m-a?  W-a-l-l S-t-r-e-e-t
C-a-p-i-t-a-l-i-s-t-s?

There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in the Constitution that gives corporations Citizenship

The tool used to do this, the 14th Amendment, has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with corporations

It was passed to address the results of slavery

Corporations were 'given citizenship' during the 'Gilded Age', a time of corruption and birbery

No Nation has ever given Corposration Citizenship

So much for 'Strict construction' of the Constitution
'Strict construction' is a fraud used to deny people their rights

Whew… the right wing whack jobs are out in FULL FORCE here today @ FR!

If you think they’re off the wall now… just wait for tomorrow after the Presidents speech!  Already the teleprompter crap is running rampant with the party of stale male & pale!

Democrats have you had your WHINE FLU shot today? (shout out to Rick, KY the 'good' guy ;0)!

It's time fo term limits...

Anita, Alabama: The Democratic Party isn't split.

Lets see. 270 some Democrats in the House, and not enough votes for any health care bill to get the 218 needed to pass. That looks like a split to most people. 58 Democrats+A_Socialist+A_Indie in the Senate, and not 50 votes, let alone 60 votes for Obama's health care plan.

That's called being split.

I thought Obama said he was a uniter? He hasn't united anything yet.

'...Money doesn't talk, it swears...'

Bob Dylan

Especially Corporate money

What is the justification for 'Corporate Citizenship' ???



Pete Williams:

In what other country are Corporations Citizens ?

Does FR know ??

Obie said job loss was minimal last month ... still it rose from 9.4% to 9.7% ... here's the problem.

Many companies are telling their employees that they will give them 2 to 6 weeks off without pay and they can keep their jobs. It means that their salaries will drop a certain percentage, and this may become the norm in the future.

So, in actuality, jobs may not be lost but monies made ARE. Obie doesn't want to report on that and either does the media.

Insideous? You bet. Interesting that the libs seem to freely accept socialism and have NOT taken Obie to task for appointed a communist (Van Jones) to public office. The media also ignored it.

Oh, great, just what we need, more freedom for companies like big insurance to campaign against anything that might be good for the people.  More latitude for companies and unions to spend money.  Since when is a movie considered a campaign ad instead of entertainment?  More ways to divide and add to the polarization.  More propaganda for voters to try to sort through to find truth.  I'm for free speech but there must be boundaries on what is considered an ad versus a movie, and for campaign contributions.  

Totalitarianism, here we come.

Linda Toomey.  The US also outspends every other country on private health care with poorer outcomes.  Only in America do we entrust our health care to private insurance companies whose goal is profit, and shareholder profits on the stock market.  Every other civilized country recognized after WW2 that health care was an obligation to its people, that it is a right and not a privilege, that the health of a nation affects its economic health as well.  We're about 60 years behind.  

I know a few think-tanks that have complained. I lean to the Right politically, yet let's have both the left and right provide information to the voters, and let the voters filter out whether it's BS.

"Free speech" is not speech that you agree with. True Free Speech should challenge us. Let me hear the arguments from the left, and I'll shoot them down.

TJ Pickett (Sent Wednesday, September 09, 2009 12:43 PM)

So is your argument that Republicans are incompetent?  or that Democrats are clever?

A Voice from Michigan (Sent Wednesday, September 09, 2009 12:53 PM)

not so fast, sparky - they have commenced taking it from each other now.  Damn the deregulation and all - that still hasn't been fixed.

While waiting for the bureaucratic process to go into effect, approximately 200 seniors died.
Anita, Birmingham, Alabama

It would be close to 700 under the proposed Obama/democrat health care ineptness bill.

Uniter In Chief (Sent Wednesday, September 09, 2009 12:58 PM)

Uh, no,...that was "W" that claimed to be the uniter.  And in a sense he was, he United the rest of the world to hate Americans, no matter where we roam.

Democrats have you had your WHINE FLU shot today?
Feisty Redhead Roselle,
........................................................
Only if you watch Olbermann, Maddow and Matthews.  Not to mention all the crying going on by you libs, nothing like a good hearty laugh at your expense of course.

Wow look what money bought us for a Prez this time.  I think they should be tightening and limiting what some of the companies can spend. Too often, good candidates have to drop out early because of the money factor.

Jody, You are so wrong. The French , Swiss , Germans and many other health care systems are run by private entities. Not the Governament. Don't lump Canada and Britain who have bankrupt government health care with the one that are working with private companies. Typical lib. Using the left wing extremists talking points instead of the facts. Or perhaps you are just telling a lie. Either way, you have proved your ignorence.

"Free speech" is not speech that you agree with. True Free Speech should challenge us. Let me hear the arguments from the left, and I'll shoot them down.
Cicero (Sent Wednesday, September 09, 2009 1:15 PM)
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
If you don’t care for MoveOn.org just wait.

I truly believe if all the laws on the books restricting corporate political campaign advertising are struck down that this, more than anything else, will be the finishing nail in the coffin of this experiment in democracy.

Clara. And BOBO has united Americans to hate each other. He is now the most polarizing figure in American history.

Told you so (First Thoughts).  Let me predict the vote:  

In favor of de-regulating the ads: Scalia, Thomas, Alito, Roberts, and Kennedy.  You know, the five justices who make up the wacky "liberal" majority.

Against:  Stevens, Ginsberg, Breyer, and Sotomayor.  You know, the oppressed "conservative" minority.  

After this, anyone who continues to believe that this Court is "liberal," has been drinking WAY too much kool-aid.  

'Strict construction' is a fraud used to deny people their rights
MSierra, SF (Sent Wednesday, September 09, 2009 12:54 PM)
---------------------------------------------------
And it is also used to circumvent the legislative process and invent rights, like a constitutional right to an abortion.

You gotta go watch the trailers, its hill-arious!
These righties are one note players alright ... "she's the closest thing to European style socialism we have", "she is against all we hold dear", "she's a mystery as a candidate" ... oh boy!

BTW, nice Epic Fail right wing ... didn't think a black guy could be nominee didya?

Obie said job loss was minimal last month ... still it rose from 9.4% to 9.7% ... here's the problem.

Many companies are telling their employees that they will give them 2 to 6 weeks off without pay and they can keep their jobs. It means that their salaries will drop a certain percentage, and this may become the norm in the future.

So, in actuality, jobs may not be lost but monies made ARE. Obie doesn't want to report on that and either does the media.

Insideous? You bet. Interesting that the libs seem to freely accept socialism and have NOT taken Obie to task for appointed a communist (Van Jones) to public office. The media also ignored it.
------

Two things. One, it is all about Obama. Who else has been out front on the Health Care debate this year? No one. No Pelosi, no Reid, no Hoyer, no Durbin. None. It's all about Obama. Second, the US outspends every other country in the world on it's social saftey net programs. Everyone of them. US citizens also contribute the most in charity then any other country in the world, both for its people, and people in other countries. So don't waltz in here saying the US does not treat it's people well. It cares very much.
-----
Twilight Zone music playing in background ....

MP, Valpo.  I know that other countries also have private insurance or a mix, and I don't believe I stated that they are government run.  My point is that the US does not have some form of universal health care or even a recognition that health care should not be a privilege.  Our sytem revolves around profit for insurance companies.  In 1993, private insurance spent 95 cents of every premium dollar on actual health care, today it is 80 cents; we're getting less and paying more.

Clara. And BOBO has united Americans to hate each other. He is now the most polarizing figure in American history.
---
Doesn't know what a Commie is.  Apparently and American either ...

"Free speech" is not speech that you agree with. True Free Speech should challenge us. Let me hear the arguments from the left, and I'll shoot them down. - Cicero

================

Cicero, I agree with you about free speech, but I didn't gather that the argument was about the speech, but about who the right is given to.

My problem in granting corporations that type of right is that that is a political mess.  To me that only leads to the question of does the knife cut both ways?  In other words, if a corporation takes a Republican position on something but a Democrat wins the election, do the Democratic leaders in turn get to basically say to 'no' to the corporation if it finds itself in need of government asistance or is it fair game for that party to pass laws that may target such a corporation?

Such a method strictly give the power of change over to the powerful.  Individuals only have so much money and a vote...corporations have no vote, but vastly more money than individuals do and this direction would set a playing field even more titled than it already is.  

What's next, we're going to make the S&P 500 the new Electorial College?

If they overturn precedent and rule corporations and unions can spend as much money as they want to help or hurt a political candidate, who is to going to be hurt? Us the people, because we will be drowned by all the "Free Speech" from the corpoartions. What is next? Can the government of China spend as much money as it wants in this country to elect a President friendly to China? This is a can of worms. Hope cool heads prevail and they think it through.

And it is also used to circumvent the legislative process and invent rights, like a constitutional right to an abortion.
--
typical right wing relegating womens bodies to "legislative process".  Oh but explain to old people they should have a living will, stay out of my life commie.

New Independent-say what?

How much media coverage was given to the two Army Recruiters who were shot in Arkansas by a radical Islamist?  Oh, that would be, almost none.  Ask ten people about it; see how many know about it.

How many mentions did Van Jones, 9/11truther, get from the main stream media?  Almost none-until he resigned.  If he had been a birther in a republican administration, it would have led every news cycle.

Spare me the moaning about how the corporations will bend the news cycle.  Thanks to the internet, people can do their own research. - no jo, no bo, nj
=======================
Your statement is true, but it's only fulfilled by deisre.  You have a desire to know something more than what you're simply told.   That truth, my friend is most certainly not the norm in this American culture of 'let me devote 30 seconds to decifer what all has happened in the world today and then create a hardened opinion based off of my findings'

'Strict construction' is a fraud used to deny people their rights
MSierra, SF (Sent Wednesday, September 09, 2009 12:54 PM)
---------------------------------------------------
And it is also used to circumvent the legislative process and invent rights, like a constitutional right to an abortion. - St. Eleutherius of Nicomedia

=============================
Or that Roe v. Wade was decided primarily on the Ninth Amendment to the United States Constitution, a part of the Bill of Rights. The Court's decision in this case was that the Ninth Amendment, in stating that "the enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people," protected a person's right to privacy.

Nice poking your nose in and out of the decision between a Patient and their Dr.

Jody, You are so wrong. The French , Swiss , Germans and many other health care systems are run by private entities. Not the Governament. Don't lump Canada and Britain who have bankrupt government health care with the one that are working with private companies. Typical lib. Using the left wing extremists talking points instead of the facts. Or perhaps you are just telling a lie. Either way, you have proved your ignorence.
MB, Valpo (Sent Wednesday, September 09, 2009 1:30 PM)

Actually those European countries you mention have both a public and private option. Their system works well for everyone.

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