President Obama caught in a hot mic moment with Russia over missiles.
The Supreme Court hears the arguments for and against Obamacare today. (Upset I used that term? Read this from Steve Benen.)
The perils of delegate math.
Life under austerity, part 319.
Vice President Cheney is recovering from a heart transplant.
An Iraqi woman is beaten to death in Southern California.
The Pope visits Cuba today.
James Cameron (yup, that one) is back on the surface after making the deepest solo dive ever.
Helicopter parents ruin an Easter Egg hunt.
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I love watching your show!
The United States Supreme Court has lost all credibility as a rational, moderate, impartial body. The court has become a haven for right-wing zealotry and extremism, a place overrun by conservative thugs that inject partisanship and politics into every decision. This behavior is atrocious, like something out of a third-world country where important government or judicial figures can be bought off. Every conservative on the court needs to recuse themselves from this case due to their deep political ties to the Republicans fighting against health care. http://www.sunstateactivist.org
Don't be too quick to judge TA. The court may strike the whole program! Remember conservatives now have the Tea Party, they don't have to continue to support that liberal GOP Party anymore!
Freedom, Freedom, Freedom had been the battle cry of Tyrants, Tyrants, Tyrants.
Liberty, Liberty, Liberty can be lost to those shouting Freedom, Freedom, Freedom.
Underneath the rubble cries democracy, democracy, democracy, who fights for us?
Marines, do not fight against democracy one day, and then ask Tyrants to yield freedom and liberty the next, Marines do know the difference.
I propose a new acronym for the GOP: Republicans, the party of YOYO (you're on your own).
I like it, Tex! What a concept, freedom! Kinda like what you have in Texas! We have all seen what damage Obama has done by trying to "take care" of everybody! I'm ready for a little freedom!
The Republicans are hoping for a repeal of the ACA and hoping to use Paul Ryan's plan to remove Medicare and replace it with a voucher system so that finally they can have America as they like it best. Careless.
Yes the Republicans feel that a Careless America would be a perfect society in keeping with the tradition of Careless Conservatism, and intend that making America Careless will be the main position in the party platform going into 2012. Soon Carelessness will be synonymous with the term Republican.
Vote Republican in 2012, It's Careless!
What they want is for their elite to rule and for the rest of us to be stupid, young, compliant and to die off once we reproduce...in other words; chattel.
It's called freedom Vox & Carol, personal freedom! What a concept, you ought to consider it!
I propose for the Paul Ryan Healthcare be implemented first for the member of the house, senate, and have it as an opt-in (lets call it..."Deficit Reduction Patriot Act") for the Tea Party member and their immediate family.
See who and how many will opt-in to it and how that works for the next 4 years or so....if it turns out to be successful and their family don't end up killing them, then maybe we put it back to be voted in the house.
It's called freedom, personal freedom! What a concept, you ought to consider it!
Freedom to rob the public treasury of trillions of taxpayer dollars. Every right-winger will tell any lie to grab stolen cash. They call it "freedom".
Freedom means to tell everyone else what to do. Every Republican is a moral elitist, racist, misogynist, blasphemer, and Satanist.
Republicans have stolen $15.5 trillion from the American public, the greatest theft in the history of mankind. Then they lecture everyone else on "morals". What a contemptible, hypocritical bunch.
When someone is in the grip of economic duress due to medical costs that in any modern society would have been amortized over the entire population they are not free.
When someone cannot get the medical help they need to get work, so they have no means to support themselves, they are not free.
When someone's entire life depends on the whims of a capricious private industry that has a history of sketchy behavior they are not free.
When they are treated differently by health providers because of color, gender or age they are not free.
When Medical costs knock people into the lower class, and trap them there, in a place where they literally have fewer options, which is the definition of freedom, they are not free.
I am sick of the fair weather libertarians who only apply libertarian principles to taxes and social welfare programs. I don't see huge republican libertarian uprising for the TSA, the patriot act and the host of privacy issues that have emerged recently, including SOPA and PIPA.
These people don't believe in Libertarianism, they don't apply its principles to every situation, instead they hate liberals, they hate progressives, they hate the President, and when you ask them why they hate them:
They don't say "it's because I'm following the right wing conservative echo chamber that only exists as a way to make money off of middle class anxiety and frustration,"
They don't say, "I was uneasy of Obama and the democrats, so when these programs told me "why" I should be uneasy of Obama and the democrats, I listened to them despite the fact that I don't understand the underlying principles."
They don't say, "I'm was indoctrinated by socializing factors and a need to bond with those who were already against Obama and the Democrats, and I figured that if they were so angry and scared that it was because they had good reason to be, and it wasn't just because they had just lost a major election and were sulking and whining like losers."
No, They say they are being Libertarian, they have just now discovered Libertarianism. They are Tax-Dodgers, they are Anarchists, they are Goths, they are Hipsters, they are objectivists they are all of the cliche counterculturalists who think society is optional and think that being against "the mainstream" makes them clever and edgy and of course Free.
"I'm doing this for my freedom, I'm supporting the oppression of the lower classes for my freedom."
I'm not impressed.
C'mon Covah, Obama is the one spreading the wealth to all his buddies (tsars, "green" company owners, etc). What right-winger is taking cash? Stop the mindless name calling -
How can you tell everyone else what to do with smaller government?
Thanks for the great example of baseless liberal blanket insults, Covah!
How have the Republicans stolen $15.5 Trillion from the American people? Just askin'
Hey Vox (4.5), your paragraphs-
1-2 exhibit freedom to be irresponsible.
3-4 demonstrate injustice
5 – shows life is not fair
Who said I hate liberals, just because I (may or may not be) a libertarian? (par 6-7)
From there on you are demonstrating whinning and does not merit response. Suffice it to say that TPers want freedom, including freedom to fail. I don’t want government to protect me, or anyone else, from life! Governments have gone broke trying:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTY3klgl_KY
for an example.
TPers want freedom from government, but don't take away their Medicare.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/get-your-goddamn-governme_b_252326.html
Troll elsewhere, I swear to god I am not in the mood for nonsense today. I have things to deal with in my own life that I have to prioritize over trying to explain politics, philosophy and economics to random strangers on the internet.
If you want a platform where you can pick a fight with one of those "clueless liberals," than pick another thread.
If you're not interested in honestly learning anything or expressing coherent ideas than pick someone else, because it's neither fun nor productive for me to try to teach civics to someone who is only trying to be argumentative.
If you think in slogans, if you think in over-simplistic, childish definitions of "freedom" and "socialism" and "government." Then deal with someone else.
Because I am honestly too busy to deal with your insanity.
Thanks Vox, your right we are both too busy and set in our politics to spend time in mindless debate. Please be aware there are many conservatives out here that are just as fervent in their views as you are in yours. Good night and God bless!
Freedom, Freedom, Freedom had been the battle cry of Tyrants, Tyrants, Tyrants.
Liberty, Liberty, Liberty can be lost to those shouting Freedom, Freedom, Freedom.
Underneath the rubble cries democracy, democracy, democracy, who fights for us?
Marines, do not fight against democracy one day, and then ask Tyrants to yield freedom and liberty the next, Marines do know the difference.
Well said, @Vox.
I love Vox!
What always amazes me is the failure to recognize the unadulterated blatant hypocrisy spewed out by the Republican leaders by the Republican base and fellow leadership.
They hate "Obamacare" because of its' government intrusion and cost but,
The Heritage Foundation, their favorite hard core right wing foundation spent years and years writing the legislation and Romney was the first to pass it.
It is an economic boon to their corporate health care donors.
It saves us billions as tax payers as compared to the emergency room health care model we've been using.
Their plan to take away our freedom of choice with regard to women's health issues really is government intrusion and I haven't heard a single health care company or business anywhere, in any state or any company say they were going to lower a single fee, co-pay, or premium if women's heath care in any shape was dropped so the argument that forcing companies to pay for expensive health costs is "un-American" or whatever simply doesn't hold water.
Additionally, once again the states that are passing legislation requiring women to view films of other women having abortions or to have very expensive procedures like ultrasounds are once again both extreme intrusions by the government and very expensive for both the insured and the insurer as well as UNNECESSARY. Not to mention imposing one groups religious/moralistic views upon the whole of the rest of society.
The sheer hypocrisy alone on these remarkably in your face public issues and the failure to acknowledge the lack of freedom, fairness and intelligence that Americans generally love shows the serious problems of corruption and denial within our political, judicial and journalistic communities.
I do however give the journalists at MSNBC a great deal of credit, as well as the producers for having the integrity and bravery for being the one real corporate network to actually start addressing some of these issues truthfully. I only wish more coverage would be given to true Independents like Bernie Sanders from Vermont. True Patriots and actual adults like him are really concerned with what the majority want and with actually addressing the issues and solving problems that confront this nation.
Obamacare will save billions? How, sedwinmers? Think about it! This country is broke and you are advocating more spending? Really? I agree the unnecessary mandated procedures to get an abortion is ridiculous and contradicts conservative philosophy.
Let's just take a moment and than God for the Tea Party! Finally someone who cares about our country, the big 2 parties don't seem to! Let's just hope the Ryan plan is passed!
The non-partisan CBO estimates that repealing the Affordable Care Act would increase federal budget deficits by over $200B:
"...the direct spending and revenue effects of enacting H.R. 2 would cause a net increase in federal budget deficits of $210 billion over the 2012-2021 period. By comparison, last March CBO and JCT estimated that enacting PPACA and the health-related provisions of the Reconciliation Act would reduce federal deficits by $124 billion over the 2010-2019 period. The difference between the two estimates for the 10-year projection periods is primarily attributable to the different time periods they cover. Over the eight years that are common to the two analyses (2012-2019), enactment of PPACA and the health-related provisions of the Reconciliation Act was projected last March to reduce federal deficits by $132 billion, whereas the repeal of that legislation is projected now to increase deficits by $119 billion."
http://www.cbo.gov/publication/25142
Don't feed the troll, folks.
Just wanted to add a little non-partisan evidence to the discussion, @Lynn.
Thank you MightbeLib. Did you see that Capt America? Everyone agrees the CBO is bi-partisan. Both parties use their figures because of their bi-partisanship. As opposed to say a media outlet like say Fox who is notorious for giving false facts.
You may ask how this can be so? I already alluded to part of it above. Millions of Americans are uninsured and if they get sick or injured what happens? They go to the emergency room and we pay for that with our tax money. This is literally the most expensive system in the world. It is extraordinarily expensive. The new system makes everyone personally responsible and requires them to get their own insurance removing the burden from the taxpayer. Insurance is a very efficient system in general. Even our corrupt capitalistic insurance companies which mis-manage funds are still somewhat efficient. The problem is their overhead and huge fees/executive salaries and built-in/expected profit margins make them more inefficient than they need to be, but still this is a problem for private industry not the government.
Please stop listening to what idiots claim on the boob tube and think for yourself. If people are buying their own private insurance how will that affect the governmental budget? Remember single payer wasn't passed or even proposed. Just like there weren't death panels or the numerous other false claims. It's time to recognize that those on the right mis-represent facts frequently to scare people into voting for them.
Every single Republican candidate is proposing the exact same proposals that Bush/Cheney did. We are still in the recession caused by those policies. Don't vote for people that want to take us back down that ruinous road.
Obamacare will save billions? Think about it! This country is broke and you are advocating more spending? Really?
Really.
Why not let tens of millions of Americans suffer and die without medical care so the rich can save another few trillion in taxes? What's the problem?
Of course the fact that the rich LOSE more that they gain with tax cuts is beyond comprehension. But since it IS a fact, it shows more is going on here. Tax cuts that bankrupt the treasury are a means to an end, the end being civil unrest and a fascist coup. There is zero evidence that tax cuts create anything but debt yet Republicans still advocate them. It's not hard to figure out why.
Watched your show all the time, saw you on Meet the Press yesterday, plan to get your book sounds interesting. ALEC must be a hot topic these days, Paul Krugman has an op ed in NYT today about it. Think you need to investigate it. Thanks Rachel
Freedom to be told what to believe, freedom to watch your job go overseas, freedom to have our military fight for the oil companies, freedom to have science replaced with Biblical fiction, freedom to have the government in our bedrooms, freedom to hate anyone different in any way, freedom to have our vote made as difficult as possible, and freedom to watch the few take more; yep land of the few, home of the rich!
Guys, conservatives want less government and more personal freedom!
nomore...: we've had enough of being told what to believe, the government running investment overseas, our military fighting for oil companies, being told what to teach, government in our bedrooms, hate (directly from the white house and its staff), voter cheating, and yes-golden parachutes for Obama's Ivy League Buddies!
Let's just go with less government and that will solve all that!
mightbe...: the CBO has lost a lot of credibility lately, revising most of the projections on the costs of Obamacare, etc. Are you really saying starting another handout will save money? Really? How? C'mon guys, start thinkin'
Conservatives have just proposed that women's free choices for health care products be taken away from them by the government (over 1100 pieces of legislation nationwide). They claim employers shouldn't have to pay for these products but women are paying fees, co-payments and premiums for them.
Conservatives have just passed legislation requiring women to view other women having abortions and/or to have extremely expensive, unnecessary ultrasound procedures before having an abortion. Funny how in this case the Republicans aren't concerned about employer costs even though ultrasounds are MUCH more expensive than birth control and COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY.
Conservatives have just passed legislation requiring creationism to be taught in Science classes.
Conservatives are passing legislation preventing citizens from voting citing voter fraud despite the fact that there is .0001% voter fraud but refuse to address election fraud including electronic voting machine fraud and ballot miscounting by political operatives which is an actual problem.
The hypocrisy by and failure to actually notice that everything conservatives claim they despise is exactly what they are given on a silver platter by the people they actually vote for. Orwellian man, Orwellian.
Conservatives want less government and more personal freedom!
That is because conservatives are criminals. They want less government restriction of crime and more personal freedom to commit crime.
Conservatives want MORE government and LESS personal freedom in sexual matters, which shows their prurient minds in action.
Let's just go with less government and that will solve all that!
How about less government in the form of no massive handouts to the rich? Seems big government is just fine when they are cutting taxes and running up trillions in debt. Republicans love big government when it hands $15.5 trillion to the rich.
Hey sedwinmers, I'm glad we are not paying for those "services," but I agree with you about the:
Remember I am a conservative, and don't appreciate mandated procedures! I also don't like the government telling teachers what to teach, that should be a local community's option! I don't agree with you stats involving voter fraud, I think showing ID is reasonable and would cut out a lot of cheating that isn't caught.
Remember Orwellian is big government and government intrusion into personal lives!
Covan stop the baseless blanket accusations ("conservatives are criminals, massive handouts to the rich, cutting taxes and running up trillions in debt, (handing) $15.5 trillion to the rich(that is the Debt, just in case your are wondering)").
Just because you do not agree with their conclusions does not discredit the CBO, @Capt. In fact, the most recent (March 2012) CBO report states:
"CBO and JCT now estimate that the insurance coverage provisions of the ACA will have a net cost of just under $1.1 trillion over the 2012–2021 period—about $50 billion less than the agencies’ March 2011 estimate for that 10-year period..." (emphasis added)
and
"CBO and JCT have previously estimated that the ACA will, on net, reduce budget deficits over the 2012–2021 period; that estimate of the overall budgetary impact of the ACA has not been updated."
http://cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/03-13-Coverage%20Estimates.pdf
Capt America
You realise that the original Captain America was a Soldier not a Marine
http://marvel.com/universe/Captain_America_(Steve_Rogers)
And having a voucher with which to buy health insurance isn't freedom. It's idiocy. Health insurance is vary more affordable in a large pool than an indeivual trying to afford it on her or his won. Anyone with half a brain can figure that one out.
I explain "CaptAm" on my vine, MariaBlumberg. The government should only provide catastrophic care to stop families from going broke in an accident or illness. Obamacare is patterned after the failed European healthcare system that is bankrupting the larger countries.
Mightbe: the CBO has revised its estimates on Obamacare costs, etc. Stats are always easy to manipulate!
Revision by the CBO has indicated the costs of the ACA are less than originally estimated. What is your effing point, @capt? You are scared of referencing facts or objective evidence, because they do not support your rant. I am surprised that one so obviously fluent with the keyboard lacks the ability to actually research their talking points. Stop imitating those that feed you, boy, and join the ranks of the adults.
It's obvious that the current plan may not be actuarially sound and/or is less than perfect. But, that doesn't mean the lofty but prudent idea of expanding health-care access to every citizen should be torpedoed. Perhaps, it's time for the politicians to step aside and consult with this nation's excellent risk- and business-management minds to fix the problem. It can be fixed- but, not by one person or political party acting alone. And, we should all stop pretending like we don't know this. If we can do all the things that's made this nation great, before, surely we can do this. Other political entities, national and international, have already accomplished this. And, in my opinion, it's simply past time for us to consult the "grown-ups" in the room about it and move on to other isues which remain in limbo.
Today I came to work and had an email on my desk from my republican co-worker. It is from a "Meet the Press" that aired07 Sept. 2008 where Senator Obama was asked about his stance on the American Flag. Senator Obama is quoted in the email as saying things like "The anthem itself conveys a war-like message. You know, the bombs bursting in air and all that sort of thing." "The National Anthem should be swapped for something less parochial and less bellicose. I like the song 'I'd like to teach the world to sing'. If that were our anthem, then, I might salute it. In my opinion, we should consider reinventing our National Anthem as well as redesign our Flag to better offer our enemies hope and love. It's my intention, if elected, to disarm American to the level of acceptance to our Middle Ease Brethren. If we, as a Nation of warring people, conduct ourselves like the nations of Islam, were peace prevails --- perhaps a state or period of mutual accord could exist between our governments...."
When I become President, I will seek a pact of agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity, and a freedom from disquieting oppressive thoughts. We as a Nation, have placed upon the nations of Islam, an unfair injustice which is why my wife disrespects the Flag and she and I have attended several flag burning ceremonies in the past".
"Of course now, I have found myself about to become the President of the United States and I have put my hatred aside. I will use my power to bring change to this Nation, and offer the people a new path. My wife and i look forward to becoming our Country's First black Family. Indeed, Change is about to overwhelm the United States of America."
I have printed it word for word from the email. Does anyone remember this interview? This guy comes up with crazy things all the time (once he told me that President Oboma stands in front of a orange rug when he addresses the Nation instead of the flag)
Google is your friend. That is an e-mail hoax.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/stance.asp
You beat me to it, Tricia. I remember when that claptrap was making the rounds.
President Obama: This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility.
Two things on this comment:
1. It seems he is assuming he is going to win the next election. Odds are he will but....
2. This seems to confirm the standard practice of politicians - don't do anything controversial or risky in an election year that may put your job (re-election) at risk. I do not blame the POTUS because they all do this. Check your polling to see if it will hurt your ongoing employment regardless of the merits of the issue. Ah, politics...
Sure. They all do it. Why do you think the keystone decision was pushed to 2013? Certain parts of Obamacare wont kick in until 2014?
It's nice to have someone like Captain America (self appointed ) to tell us how wrong the rest of us are and how right he thinks he is. A narrow view of the world and other peoples trials and tribulations make this country exactly what it is today a haeartless bunch of thugs praying on people that cannot protect themselves .. The worst part is they confess christianity,,,,,,, Pathetic just pathetic ......
Regulations on business coincided with the economic, health and environmental damage unregulated business was committing without consequences. So big business practices led to regulation. Who should have freedom to indiscriminately harm society. Certainly there are times when regulations go to far ie. airport searches, but being cautious is much more sane than blindly racing ahead in the name of profit. I hear freedom used a lot but the responsibility that accompanies that freedom seems to only apply to those whose prospects are dimmed by the minority wanting freedom to loot the country and the planet.
americans helpings americans what a novel idea I do under stand that the gop tea baggers belive that corperations are people to . Corperations that send jobs out of this country and than take tax credits for doing this while sick and hurt americans clog the ERs just to get the very minimum care posible should suffer because the teabaggers want to stop americans from helping americans while thier corperpoeple build up outher countrys economys does the word unamerican sound right
Iran and Ronald Reagan's pack against a president running for reelection.
Every serious defense or peace treaty since 1900 has been fodder for elections, with every sitting ssenators wanting credit for success or failure.
The United States security has been for-sale by the U.S.Senate, and the history is full of consequences, perpetual war, perpetual enemies and perpetual elections.
We need to turn it around on them, I just ordered 10 bumperstickers from makestickers:
OBAMACARE OR
GOPDON'TCARE
OBAMA 2012
Thanks for the Monday tune-up ! We're looking forward to the show tonight !
Love reading the comments, you've got some smart folks in your corner !
We'll be in NY this week, we've got a busy schedule ~ it's great to be connected via Facebook - that way I won't miss anything !
Thanks !
It'll be interesting to see how the Supreme Court decides on Obamacare. I suspect that the reactionary right will be very disappointed. They're counting on it's defeat for the 2012 elections.
It is nice to have at least one news station that tells the truth and also tells both sides of the story.. I also love the Rachal Maddow show, the most hinest news this side of the Daily show
You're right Alva, there's a lot riding on the Supreme Court's decision on Obamacare. Isn't this fun!
Thanks nelson, got to go watch Bill O'Reiley, and get the fair and balanced news! Goodnight guys, and God Bless!
Freedom, Freedom, Freedom had been the battle cry of Tyrants, Tyrants, Tyrants.
Liberty, Liberty, Liberty can be lost to those shouting Freedom, Freedom, Freedom.
Underneath the rubble cries democracy, democracy, democracy, who fights for us?
Marines, do not fight against democracy one day, and then ask Tyrants to yield freedom and liberty the next, Marines do know the difference.
Thanks Rich! That's why I am a conservative, as are most of my comrades in arms! Veterans make a difference, as in the "Battle of Athens."
We must always stay vigilant when government seems to get too powerful!
What a horrible and disgusting story about the Iraqi woman in So.Cal.!