Ray LaHood: Why Republicans should support health care reform

By GottaLaff

Look who's going to be the next one to get attacked by his own party.

None other than Ray LaHood, former Republican congressman from Illinois, secretary of transportation in the Obama administration:

If I were still a member of Congress, I would proudly vote for the bill that President Barack Obama is championing and I would urge my colleagues to do the same, not because I don't believe in fiscal discipline, but because I do.

We do not need to look that far down the road to see the pain that failure to pass health care reform will cause. Americans of every background, class, race and political persuasion are suffering.

What?!

How?

Why?

When?

Why I....

Traitor!

The bill that will be voted on will reduce the deficit by about $1 trillion over the next two decades, and will reduce waste, fraud and abuse in the health care system. It will slow the rate of growth in health care costs and put America back on the path toward fiscal sustainability.

Wackydoodle!

The bill will give families and small business owners greater control over their own health care.

Terrorist!

While the ultimate vote on health care may not be bipartisan, the ultimate bill certainly is.

Socialist!

I also feel compelled to remind my former colleagues that contrary to what many people have been saying, the bill explicitly prevents federal dollars from being used to fund abortion.

Double-dealing, two-timing turncoat!

Go ahead, Michele Bachmann, I dare you.

H/t: VNDNBRG

McCain slapped with ethics complaint over robo-calls

By GottaLaff

UPDATE- Here is the audio:

Can't see the audio player? Click here.

H/t: Shaun Dakin, founder of the National Political Do Not Call Registry, who said he had never heard of a robocall quite like McCain's.

"I can't really remember a committee that had used the voice of a sitting representative in order to drive grassroots activism around a specific issue," he told Huff Post.

Original post:

He and his former running mate have a lot more in common than we thought: Ethics complaints. Couldn't happen to a crankier robo-caller:

A Washington political watchdog group has filed an ethics complaint with the Senate over robo-calls Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) made, urging voters to pressure their senators into supporting a McCain-led amendment to the Senate health care bill.

I do believe he's old enough to know better. Your thoughts?

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, filed the complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee on Wednesday, saying the Arizona senator and former presidential candidate violated Senate ethics rule 38, which prohibits senators from using political money to fund official Senate business.

CREW says when McCain used money from the National Republican Senatorial Committee to fund the robo-calls, he broke rule 38.

Goodness, I hope he can repair it.

"By urging voters to call their senators to urge them to support his motion, Sen. McCain was engaged in grassroots lobbying," CREW said in a statement.

Now if that's not an oxymoron, I don't know what is. However, juxtaposing the word "lobbying" with the name "J Sid" is not exactly a stretch.

Of course, Lobbyson McCrankyPants predictably retorted with the obvious:

In an interview with the Arizona Republic on Wednesday, McCain "laughed off CREW's complaint," describing the non-profit organization as "a far-left group."

CREW, ACORN, they're all alike. Just one big happy commie Marxist fascist socialist family.

VIDEO: Dennis Rodman drops F-Bomb on Fox news

By GottaLaff



Droppin' the Fox Bomb on ClusterFox:

Memo to television news producers: you book Dennis Rodman, you may hear from the FCC. Appearing on Fox News' "Your World," an animated Dennis Rodman, discussing the troubles of Tiger Woods, lets loose a certain gerund to describe (we think) attorney Gloria Allred. Fox News

Where's the outrage, ClusterFox viewers? And how much will the fine be?

I didn't think so.

Sarah Palin accused of attempted bribery

By GottaLaff

Ohhh say it ain't so Sarah the Quitter. Yet another charge claim? What is that, 20 now?

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, who left office in disgrace July 26th under a cloud of ethics charges, is now being accused of a federal claim of attemped bribery. See federal claim (PDF 52 kb)

To clarify a previous complaint, the motion also accuses Palin of a violation of Alaska's constitution.

From the motion to amend:

"2.Plaintiffs wish to add a very serious federal claim of attempted bribery and other violations of similar federal and state statutes under supplemental jurisdiction....

....offering state funds and support of legislation to third parties in exchange for them convincing Plaintiffs to drop this lawsuit in federal or state court."

Oh my. Big fat federal claims. Bribery. This can't end well. Tisk, tisk.

Sarah the Quitter better watch her step or next thing she knows, she may have to go before a death panel.

(click on image to enlarge)

H/t: Cody, cbn2

Risky Tweeting

By GottaLaff

Now if only Sarah the Quitter start tweeting again...

We've seen many politicians get themselves in trouble using government email accounts, but now we're seeing those who get in trouble using Twitter.

According to CNN, Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) -- who also happens to be a Navy Reservist -- sent several messages using Twitter while on active duty.

"Two questions are raised about these tweets. The first is whether or not Kirk revealed his location when he should not have ('Loose lips sink ships') and the second is whether or not his Twitter account goes against military regulations that state military members are not allowed to update or revise any 'Web sites created before entry on active duty.'"

Loose Tweets sink seats.

VIDEO-- Levi Johnston: The Palins are "lying"

By GottaLaff

Welcome back to "As the Stomach Turns", brought to you by Whitewash Soap. Got dirty laundry? Try Whitewash Soap! Get some today! It may not be effective, but who knows? After repeated usage, it could work! It sure did for BushCo... or did it....? What the heck, it sure is worth a try! And now, back to our program:

When we last left the Team Palin, Shooty McMouthOff was super ultra huffy-puffy indignant, harshly and very publicly slapping Levi Johnston upside the head for discussing details of his and Bristol's sex life on Tyra Banks' Very Revelatory Tee Vee Couch-O'-Horrors. Er, the sex life wasn't on The Couch, that took place elsewhere. The details were, see, and... Never mind.

Today's "Stomach" episode: "The Family Feud", in which young Levi claims that his family is not white trash:



Stay tuned for next week's episode of "As the Stomach Turns," in which we find Shooty McMouthOff preaching abstinence, claiming that Bristol's pregnancy, as well as all five of her own, were the result of immaculate conception. See you then!

Inauguration Day cell hell

By GottaLaff

I'll be here in California watching it all on the Tee Vee Machine. Those of you who make it to the Obama inauguration, feel free to report on this report:

The cell systems around the National Mall will be overloaded if the expected record crowds actually materialize, according to a spokesman for CTIA, the association representing wireless carriers. All those phone calls, texts, picture and video messages will hit a log jam.

"It'll be like everyone leaving the beach at the same time after the Fourth of July," said Joe Farren. "All roads will come to a standstill." [...]

Sprint and Verizon are two wireless carriers in the D.C.-metro area spending millions of dollars to add capacity to their cell sites ahead of Obama's inauguration.

To handle the increased traffic, Sprint is planning to deploy resources usually reserved for hurricanes: COWs and COLTs.

The acronyms stand for Cell On Wheels and Cell On Light Truck. The vehicles use satellite and microwave technology and act as mobile cell towers. They are typically deployed to disaster sites when towers get knocked out.

For the inauguration, Sprint says it will increase calling capacity. A COLT will be able to handle about 1,500 extra callers, though only 60 calls can go through simultaneously.

On Tuesday, Sprint technicians added 30 percent more capacity to one site on top of the World Health Organization building in downtown Washington.

A major security concern for the event is the crush of first responders, dignitaries and police who depend on their mobile phones. [...] Sprint says there is no need to panic -- calls and messages will still go through, eventually. A spokesman recommended that revelers text rather than call, because texts use less data and will get through quicker. Another alternative is to use pay phones or other land lines.

Wait. There are still pay phones?

Arizona neck and neck

By GottaLaff

Via Ambinder, an e-mail forwarded from an Arizonan to Obama supporters:

I had to write you to share some news you may not have heard.

The Arizona Republic is now reporting that a series of new polls show us "neck and neck" with John McCain in Arizona. According to the Republic, Senator McCain is "struggling in his own backyard."

Arizona is his home state. He should have a comfortable lead with voters who've known him for nearly three decades. That says all you need to know about the strength of Barack's message and the grassroots movement we've built.

With Election Day just 5 days away, this surge of support for Barack couldn't come at a better time. But we have to act immediately to take advantage.

Sign up right now to join our grassroots effort. Help turn out voters any time between now and Election Day, November 4th.

In response to the news, John McCain is now blanketing Arizona -- his own home state -- with negative and misleading "robocalls" to voters.

It's a desperate move, but we need to respond and keep our momentum going. If enough of you take the time to get involved and do your part, we could pull a real upset.
The way to do that is to talk to Arizonans face to face, and let them know the importance of their vote in this election. But we've only got 5 days left to do it.

Supporters like you have put us within striking distance. Now it's time to pull off what no one expected.

Sign up and join in the final push to make history in this election:

http://az.barackobama.com/AZvol

We've got a real chance now, but we can't do this without you.

Thanks,

Jon

Jon Carson
National Field Director
Obama for America

Could this be why the media is pushing the "buyers' remorse" and "race tightening" headlines? Pshyeah! Without a close race, there would be excitement, no cliffhanger, no ratings.

It's all about the bottom line. And Gramm-pa's bottom is certainly on the line.