Health care. Say the words and they naturally incite deep-seeded emotions. Whether through personal experience or those of loved ones, we have all had some interaction with the system. So, it should be no surprise that when large, sweeping change to the American healthcare system is on the table, both positive and negative feelings will erupt, including hope, fear, and hate.
With so much apparently at stake, members of Congress have headed back to their constituents to explain the contents of the bill and hear about their hopes and fears of the plan. Unfortunately, meaningful dialogue has been impeded by an organized “shouting down” of congressional Democrats at these town hall-style meetings. While I am all for protesting and public displays of dissent, meaningful debate is clearly not the intent of these groups (Note: I use the term “groups” here, not “mobs”, which I feel is being inaccurately used as a Democratic talking point to build support for the healthcare bill) and it’s unfortunate questions can’t be answered in the forum. These individuals come to the meetings with the impression that they know all they need to know about the proposed reforms. Principally, they believe this bill will result in a single-payer system and ultimately, is just more big government intrusion into the lives of citizens.
But who’s informing and organizing these groups? Clearly, this can’t be a random gathering of concerned citizens, right? Last night, Chris Matthews had on a representative from FreedomWorks, the principal group behind these shouting-sessions:
With 100 senators, 435 house representatives, and literally thousands of congressional and Executive branch staffers running around Washington, it’s nearly impossible to keep straight who’s who and who they “pal around with” (thank you, Mrs. Palin).
Fortunately, the folks at WhoRunsGov.com have removed the guess-work from this process and introduced a valuable resource that “offers a unique look at the world of Washington through its key players and personalities. It’s your window into how deals get made and policy is shaped in the new Obama administration that is remaking the nation’s capital.” Continue reading
It only took a few hours after Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner announced his troubled-asset bank relief plan for House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Virginia) to label it “fundamentally flawed” and a “shell game that hides the true cost of the program from the taxpayers that will be asked to pay for it.”
While the country’s economy struggles and attempts to “right the ship” have been met with heavy partisan politics, it appears Geithner’s “bank plan” is not sitting well with every Democrat on Capitol Hill either. Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman of California criticized the plan for rescuing banks while neglecting taxpayers. This is a common refrain that’s beginning to sound like a broken record: Why are we “bailing out” banks that got us into this mess?! Trust me, I’ve asked myself this many times.
Although Senator John McCain failed in his valiant attempt at removing the earmarks (9,000! — Okay, that’s excessive) from the omnibus spending bill (Note: Nine Republicans voted against his amendment), he did succeed in adding another porkiest projects list to Twitter. If McCain keeps up this torrid pace, The National Hustle will be offering him a guest posting opportunity by Friday.
Here is the list from today, in reverse order to maintain the integrity of suspense:
10. $285,000 for the Discovery Center of Idaho in Boise, ID
9. $209,000 to improve blueberry production and efficiency in GA
8. $47,500 to remodel and expand a playground in Ottawa, IL
I follow several public officials and political analysts on Twitter, perhaps none more entertaining than Senator John McCain. While he has admitted he gets a little help from staffers, the fact that he has embraced such social media is both surprising and uplifting.
One of McCain’s most recent threads is his best Letterman impression, which offers Top 10 Lists of the “Porkiest Projects” in the 2009 omnibus spending bill. Here is his list from 2/27 [Note: This list has not been edited by the NH in any fashion]:
$1.7 million for pig odor research in Iowa
$2 million “for the promotion of astronomy” in Hawaii – because nothing says new jobs for average Americans like investing in astronomy
$332,000 for the design and construction of a school sidewalk in Franklin, Texas – not enough $ for schools in the stimulus?
$2.1 million for the Center for Grape Genetics in New York – quick peel me a grape.Continue reading
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