This bill, which has gone through five Congressional committees and been passed by both chambers, is a single vote from the finish line. Literally - this thing could be done tomorrow, chalked up as a success, and out of the headlines a week from now.This is the major policy goal that progressives have been seeking for something like 100 years (there was a major health care reform effort in the 1930s!). It will cover 30 million sick and poor Americans, save all of us from fear of losing coverage due to loss of job or rescission, and begin the much-needed reforms of the delivery system (e.g. doctor & pharmaceutical reimbursement) needed to save this country from eventually being 
bankrupted by health care costs. And it will do all of this while reducing the deficit.- Elijah Cummings (MD-07)
- Donna Edwards (MD-04)
- Frank Kratovil (MD-1)
- Bill Pascrell (NJ-08)
- Donald Payne (NJ-10)
- Albio Sires (NJ-13)
Then call some of the other representatives on the fence (a good list is at the bottom of this post) and tell them to pass the Senate's bill.
If they fail to pass this, my Representative and Senators (all three of whom are Democrats) will lose my votes forever. Because I don't vote for pussies. Period. And I'm going to make sure they know it before they make their decision.
UPDATE: It might be worth calling your Senators, too, and telling them to pass the amendments to the Senate bill via reconciliation.
What kind of fucking Jackal are you? Call them and ask them? Fuck that noise. I'm gonna dress Boogers McRib up as Donna Edwards (my rep) kidnap the bitch and he's gonna vote in the affirmative.
ReplyDeleteI cut and pasted this post and sent it to my rep, happy Head? You were BCCd.
ReplyDeleteI was going to correct "ask" to "tell" but then I realized I already did that.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the email, though it's much more effective to call. The kidnapping plan works, too.
You're a picky mother fucker aren't you?
ReplyDeleteJust called Rick Boucher (my Rep), Mark Warner & Jim Webb (my Senators), Larry Kissell and Heath Shuler (yes, that Heath Shuler), for whom I volunteered in 2006. It took like 15 minutes. Call on your lunch break!
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of work, how much ESPN time is that going to take away?
ReplyDeleteMan, I forgot how much Shuler sucked...3rd overall pick. Fucker held out and then signed for nearly 20 mil. Only 22 starts with an 8-14 record. 15 tds vs 33 picks. Hope for your sake Head, that he is a better politician than ball player.
ReplyDeleteshote sleeves, I've been wanting to hear your thoughts on this. Are you behind this bill?
ReplyDeleteTXXX, I'm not sure who you are (though I would guess Tico). Send me your address and I'll send you the phone number for your Representative and Senator and write some text of exactly what to say. With all of that in hand, you might be able to get all three calls done in a single commercial break.
ReplyDeletecalling senators is for sucks.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you have to do all day? Didn't you lose your job or something? Do it fuckhead.
ReplyDeleteBarbara Mikulski (MD) is at 202-224-4654.
Ben Cardin (MD) is at 202-224-4524.
Elijah Cummings (MD-7), who represents most of HoCo & Baltimore, is at 202-225-4741.
Donna Edwards (MD-4), who represents Silver Spring and whatnot, is at 202-225-8699.
No, Head, seriously.
ReplyDeleteI live in D.C., Fuckhead.
I *almost* addressed this in my previous comment, but figured I'd wait until you said it. Seriously, if you don't have a Congressman to call, you need to either (a) call a few people on that list of key Reps that I posted earlier or (b) just call everyone that represents your parents using their address. Not normally something I'd advocate, but it's not like you have representatives to call...
ReplyDeleteThe problem is I don't know where I stand in this issue. My biggest problem is the Goverment's lack of financial restraint. We keep spending money we don't have, we are in the middle of a big recession, waging 2 wars and increasing our national debt.
ReplyDeleteFirst cut, then spend.
1. This bill reduces the deficit both in the near term, because it raises enough money to cover its expenditures, and in the long term, because it begins to bend the health care cost curve that is driving so much of the deficit. Don't take my word for it; take the CBO's.
ReplyDelete2. This is not the time to be worried about government deficits (well, not as much anyway) should really be counter-cyclical with respect to the economy (i.e., they should be greatest during recessions). This is because recessions occur when everyone - people and businesses - want cash at the same time. If the federal government, the largest spender of all, follows this trend by trying to cut back on spending at the same time, it only exacerbates the problem: there's less money flowing around, so everyone gets poorer. More discussion of this in this earlier Den post.
I know the budget deficit is scary, but frankly that's why Bush should have been running surpluses, rather than record deficits, while the economy was growing.
After writing this, I happened upon a really good take on this from The Economist. Money quote:
ReplyDelete"The reason to be scared about America's long-term deficit outlook is because of health-care costs. If America does not get health-care cost inflation under control, Medicare and Medicaid will bankrupt the government. But an attempt to reform the health-care sector (one that proposed $500 billion in Medicare cuts and a cap on the employer health insurance tax exclusion) has all but destroyed Barack Obama's presidency. So he is instead going to announce an inconsequential discretionary spending freeze and hope it gets him enough political traction to give health-care reform another go. Let's hope it works."
i.e. America's government/economy are the world's biggest joke and you, Tico, me and everyone else who does exactly what the fuck they're told, pay taxes then die, are the punch line. That's why I say call your congress people, call them one and all and tell them to keep fucking that chicken, because no matter how this thing unfolds, we'll still be fucked. Thanks for caring though, Head, you're heart's in the right place. But for the Den's smartest jackal, you sure are naive.
ReplyDeleteBoogers McRib = the ninja in Lincolns cabinet that was like "abolish slavery? how can we do that? sounds impossible. Better just keep fucking that chicken and not even try...."
ReplyDeleteHoly shit SS went the "BMR slavery" route. Awesome.
ReplyDeleteDid I mention that we're one vote from taking a big first step toward fixing all this shit?
"BMR slavery" = "BMR ♥ slavery". Fucking HTML.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhich is to say, Tico, that Mark Warner matters (as does Jim Webb), so fucking call the guy!
ReplyDeleteMark Warner is at 1-877-676-2759 (hit 2 to talk to someone). House Democrats want the Senate to agree to amend the Senate bill before they'll pass it. So tell him to support using reconciliation to pass a bill amending the Senate bill.
Jim Webb is at 202-224-4024 (hit 2 to talk to someone). Same as Warner. And while you're on the phone with him, you might as well tell him to stop obstructing cap and trade and EPA regulation of greenhouse gases.
'twas poor taste, jackal brethren. My bust.
ReplyDeletewhoa whoa whoa. I did NOT say BMR LOVED slavery. I said he was the gutless ninja that said it was too hard to abolish. That is what I meant and I think that was clear. That said... he probably does love slavery.
ReplyDeleteHow about this weather we're having? Whew. It's weathery.
ReplyDeleteMan I can't believe I missed an offensive comment. What a cruel world we live in.
ReplyDelete