Today's "What makes me steaming mad" moment

By GottaLaff

Brought to you by Greg Sargent:

Dems are making Cheney relevant by letting him drive the debate.

Here's what he's referencing.

CNN Poll: Specifics in stimulus popular while overall plan is not

Messaging, messaging, messaging. G-damn the D's are stupid.

Washington(CNN) - Although the overall stimulus bill is unpopular, most of its basic provisions are favored by a large majority of Americans, according to a new national poll.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Friday morning indicates that 80 percent of the public favors government spending on roads and bridges, and 83 percent approves of aid to unemployed workers. Seven in 10 support the idea of spending some of that stimulus money on tax cuts, and 62 percent think it's a good idea to increase spending on mass transit projects.

Then why is the stimulus bill so unpopular?

"Because, as we have seen throughout the week, there is much skepticism that the bill is wasteful, full of politically-motivated projects, and has benefitted fat cats at the expense of ordinary Americans," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "The positive aspects of the stimulus bill, such as infrastructure improvements and tax cuts, seem to have taken a back seat to those negatives."

Dems Helping The GOP's Recruiting Pitch

Keep on acting like a bunch of old ladies picking out the sacristy's curtains and you'll get what you (not us) deserve. Via Taegan-

First Read makes a good point noting that today's Gallup poll showing Republicans leading Democrats in the congressional ballot "couldn't have come at a better time for the GOP, as they put the final sale on prospective candidates for the House, in particular. There are many House GOP leaders who would truly like to make a run at the majority in 2010, but they need more quality candidates in more races. A poll like this is a boost to their sales pitch."

The Democratic Party just doesn't get it

If they think they can stumble around with half assed talking points on health care reform and then offer up to the screeching talk show monkeys stuff like this? Doomed, seriously doomed. The monkeys are already working on Obama hates women and Obama sells access, do we really need to give them fresh shit? Someone needs to shove some message discipline down their throats.

Americans willing to fund healthcare reform: poll

I get literally weary of wondering why the hell our side sucks so damn bad. Killer CBO score for the public option and now this. Not a peep in the media.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most Americans would pay higher taxes to fund healthcare reforms that provide the best quality of care, but only a minority expects Washington to deliver it, according to a survey released on Wednesday.

The telephone survey of 3,003 U.S. adults conducted by Thomson Reuters found 63 percent willing to pay for healthcare reform, though most also said they are happy with their own doctors, insurance plans and out-of-pocket costs.

However, only 35 percent of those surveyed said President Barack Obama's reform agenda and the debate in Congress will lead to better health service, while 41 percent said they would expect it to lead to lower costs.

"There's skepticism that the government can deliver value," said Gary Perkins, chief research officer for Thomson Reuters' healthcare and science research business. Thomson Reuters is the parent company of global news agency Reuters.

"But underlying this is a fairly strong belief that people are entitled to the best healthcare," Perkins added. "This is a value statement: that people are entitled not just to good but to the best healthcare. And people are willing to pay for it."

(snip)

The survey period also followed a summer of rancorous debate in Washington and angry exchanges between healthcare reform advocates and adversaries at political town hall meetings across the country.

The survey showed that 76 percent of those polled believe Americans deserve the best healthcare. But only 43 percent said they actually receive it.

Hoyer opens door to dropping public option

By GottaLaff

UPDATE: I just called, and I got right through. The guy who answered was wonderful.

1705 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone - (202) 225-4131
Fax - (202) 225-4300
E-mail Congressman Hoyer

H/t: Dr. President

Dems, it's time you learn how to unite and get what you want... for once. GodI'mdisgusted:

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer on Friday left the door open to moving a health reform package without a public insurance option prized by liberals.

Hoyer’s remarks were in contrast to statements Thursday by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who told a San Francisco audience that a public option must be included to win the votes necessary to pass healthcare reform in the House.

Hoyer (D-Md.) emphasized his support for a public option in a teleconference call with reporters, but also said he wants to ensure Congress sends a bill to the president.

A meaningless bill?

Hoyer has long been seen as a voice for centrist Blue Dog Democrats, who have reservations about the public option. [...]

But not including the option could provide problems for Democratic leaders in the House. Sixty members of the party’s liberal wing have signed a letter stating that they won’t support a bill that does not include a public option, and some Democrats have said that underestimates opposition from the left. [...]

Hoyer was cool to suggestions that a healthcare bill be scaled down to improve its chances of passage, a suggested floated by Republicans and a third member of the Democratic House leadership, Majority Whip James Clyburn (S.C.). [...]

But he said if a bill is broke into segments, there’s a risk that key ingredients to drive down costs would be left aside. “If you leave behind reforms that are going to bring down costs, you haven’t dealt with the problem,” he said.

VIDEO: HHS Secretary Sebelius Says Public Option Not Essential

By GottaLaff



Not liking this tone of the Sunday talkers today. First Conrad, now Sebelius:

"A day after President Obama appeared to suggest that his administration might be open to health care reform legislation that does not include a public health insurance option," CNN reports HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius "left the door open to accepting nonprofit health insurance co-ops, a proposal that has gained traction in bipartisan negotiations in the Senate Finance Committee."

Said Sebelius: " A public option is not an essential element."

I'm with Howard Dean. Not including a public option is not an option.

Officials: Family planning money may be dropped from stimulus

Spinelss crap weasels. The only thing that could maybe make them look like less of idiotic surrender monkeys is if they give on this, and then cram the rest of the stimulus bill up the R's tuchus. Extra bonusy joy? The CBO zombie meme rears it's head... again.

WASHINGTON – House Democrats are likely to jettison family planning funds for the low-income from an $825 billion economic stimulus bill, officials said late Monday, following a personal appeal from President Barack Obama at a time the administration is courting Republican critics of the legislation.

Several officials said a final decision was expected on Tuesday, coinciding with Obama's scheduled visit to the Capitol for separate meetings with House and Senate Republicans.

(snip)

Under the provision, states no longer would be required to obtain federal permission to offer family planning services — including contraceptives — under Medicaid, the health program for the low-income.

Democrats considered the politically-potent change as congressional budget experts estimated it would take slightly longer for the overall legislation to achieve an impact on the economy than the administration projects.

The Congressional Budget Office said the economy would feel the effects of almost two-thirds of the money over the next year and a half. The administration claims 75 percent of the funding would be absorbed in that period of time, and Obama has pledged that the bill he signs will meet that target and either save or create up to 4 million jobs.

There are other views on this (some reflected in comments by our illustrious and learned commenters), and since I'm scrambling for time, use this as my much more articulate and well thought out than I would make defense, or even this.