Video- President Obama Town Hall in Quincy Illinois, 4/28/2010

Live Streaming Video- President Obama Speaking at a Town Hall Meeting in Ottumwa, Iowa

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Tom Coburn Defends Pelosi from Fox News Attacks

Oh oh, doesn't Coburn know that Fox is the GOP's new boss? Countdown until primetime mea culpa on Hannity.... Via Taegan-

At an Oklahoma town hall meeting, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) defended Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi against character attacks from Fox News, reports Capitol News Connection.

While discussing his policy disagreements with Pelosi, Coburn said "she's a nice lady," which brought hisses and hoots from the crowd.

Said Coburn: "Come on now. She is nice -- how many of you all have met her? She's a nice person. Just because somebody disagrees with you doesn't mean they're not a good person... So don't catch yourself being biased by Fox News that somebody is no good. The people in Washington are good. They just don't know what they don't know."

Complete Video- President Obama Town Hall in Ohio 3/15/10

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

President Obama makes 5th trip to Ohio today

I'll have the live feed of this up later on.

Washington (CNN) – President Obama heads back to Ohio Monday, his fifth trip to the state since assuming the presidency over a year ago.

In a further push for congressional passage of his health care overhaul, the president is scheduled to deliver an address on health insurance in Strongsville, outside of Cleveland.

VIDEO: Meg Whitman's Fake Town Hall

By GottaLaff

Oooooh, billionaire Meg was bust. ed:

Meg Whitman stages fake town hall in Orange County on March 10, 2010.

She's in Orange County, for godsake. That's about as friendly an audience as she could have. Not unlike being surrounded by eager puppies after you've bathed in Essence of Snausage.

H/t: LTPF2010 (Level the Playing Field)

Videos- Complete President Obama at Pennsylvania Town Hall, Greeting BCS Champions Alabama

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Video- Behind the Scenes of Presidential Advance

I love behind the scenes stuff like this.

Full Video- President Obama Holds a Town Hall in New Hampshire 2/2/10

Liveblog: President Obama speaks about job creation in Tampa, Florida

By GottaLaff

Liveblogging what I can. Wow, huge rock star screams and applause:

These are difficult, challenging times.

Irresponsibility left Americans struggling.

Joe and I took office in the middle of this raging storm. We took office because of [this]. We won't rest until we rebuild... till middle class has its legs underneath it again.

Nobody wants to help the banking sector, especially because they created this mess... but we had to.

Now markets have stabilized, the economy is growing again, the worst of the storm has passed, but the devastation remains.

Job creation has to be our #1 priority in 2010.

Refers to SOTU speech.... tax credits, 30 billion to small businesses, etc.

It's important to repave our roads, rebuild bridges, but we want to look deep into the 21st century: High speed rail... funded by Recovery Act.

I'm gonna come down here and ride it. [huge applause]

Tax breaks for companies that hire in U.S.

As we were sworn in, we lost hundreds of thousands of jobs, so before we could even put Recovery Act in place, we had lost jobs.

So we had to lay a new foundation, address middle class struggles. We didn't take office to take easy road... but to solve problems that had been nagging at us for decades. Solve them for next generation, get the tough stuff done.

I make no apology for trying to fix stuff that's hard. [been getting huge applause throughout speech]

The easiest way to keep poll numbers high is to say/do nothing that offends anybody. Just wave, smile... [laughter] The minute you actually start doing something, someone will disagree with you.

But that's what I promised! I said I wouldn't just tell you what you wanna hear, but what you NEED to hear. None of this is new. There's nothing that we didn't talk about during campaign!

We will now start fighting for your future, no matter how long it takes to get it done. [again, huge applause]

I have to mention, I love you in the media, but last week, I went to Ohio, saying what I said now. They got all worked up: Is he changing his message, getting more populist, a strategy to boost this that, the other, something new? I have to do a little rewind here about how we ran our grassroots campaign. I got some news of my own here, I've been fighting for people my entire life!

[HUGE applause... again]

I remember coming to Tampa 2 weeks before election, I said, quote, "Change never comes without a fight." That was true then, it's true now.

Fight for education, affordable college... So we proposed that grads should only pay 10% of income to pay back student loans... [applause, screams]... and...

We'll forgive debt after 20 years, but after 10 if you choose public service job... teacher, cop... we don't wanna discourage you from that because of the cost of college. Michelle and I have been there. Took 15 to pay mine off, 10 for Michelle.

Nobody should go broke if they wanna go to college. [HUGE APPLAUSE, SCREAMS]

Clean energy economy, solar, wind, cutting edge car batteries: Lead clean air revolution, then lead global economy. China, Germany want those jobs, going after them hard. We're not gonna stop fighting to give Americans fair shake.

First bill I signed was equal pay for equal work for women... Lily Ledbetter Act. [applause]

Men, you should've been standing up clapping for that because most families need 2 paychecks, not one, to get by.

I signed Credit Card Bill of Rights to protect you... fighting for tough consumer protection agency.
[applause] We need a strong financial sector... Many working in banks doing great service, but we need Wall St. rules so they don't take our economy over the side. That's common sense, nothing radical about that. BANKS should want it, creates stability.

And YES, we won't stop fighting for health care reform. [HUGE APPLAUSE, STANDING O] Fight big insurance. [listing the usual hcr policies] It's the right thing to do, and btw, if you're serious about REDUCING OUR DEFICIT/DEBT, you must reform health care system. How can you say you don't want gov't control and then fight hcr to reduce deficits? Those aren't my numbers.

We must rein in deficits. PayGo... Pay as you go. Simple. Sorta how you live. Start a new program? Then end an old one that pays for it. Cut taxes? You gotta fill the revenue. So it's honest accounting that's needed.

Health care: One more word... The longer it takes, the process, complicated.. the uglier it looked. Doesn't help when Big Insur spends $ against it... So you ask, what's in it for me? I take my share of blame for not explaining clearly. But it won't go away. I won't walk away from you, and Congress shouldn't either. I HOPE WE CAN GET SOME REPUBS TO JOIN DEMS WHO UNDERSTAND URGENCY OF THE PROBLEM. [huge applause]

On every issue, my door remains open to good ideas from both parties. I want the Rs working with us to solve problems. Not to score points. I DON'T want gridlock on issue after issue. Don't want attitude "if Obama loses we win". That can't be a platform. [applause] Even if we disagree, we should be rootin' for each other, solving problems... so that you lose I win may work short time, but not worthy of you, doesn't work for these times.

Overcome politics, do what is hard. We've come thru tough year, a new year is here... opportunities are here for the taking.

Everyone roll up your sleeves. Yes we can, we don't back down, we don't quit. I've never been more hopeful for our future. I am confident.

Q and A:

Q: Middle East... got people shouting... Israel question... (phone rang, missed some)

A: The M.E. is an issue that's plagued region for centuries. Israel is one of our strongest allies [applause]. A democracy... shares links w/ us in all sorts of ways. I will never waver from insuring their security, helping them do same. We're seeking a two state solution in which Israel and Pal's can live side by side in peace and security, but both sides will have to compromise.

First step: Pal's must renounce violence and accept Israel... Israel has to ... [phone, sorry]..

Q: High speed rail: When?

A: Biden should answer this. Generally: 1. Investing in infrastructure is twofer. Creates jobs immediately and lays foundation for vibrant econ. in future. But it's expensive. We're still repairing old stuff. Hoping to figure out ways to take some of politics out of it, meaning... a lot of decisions based on who has most powerful Congress member. Better to base more on what are the engineering plans to make project go fwd... Transparency... engineers, planners involved in process so we can get regional planning. 2. If we're investing in it, we must look fwd. not back. High speed rail is fast, smooth... why don't we have those? Partly because we're a big country, and we love our cars. We don't like gas prices, but love our cars. Even IF we have to increase prod. on oil and natural gas, because can't get clean energy up and running fast enough, but we must get started NOW decreasing our use. So, high speed rail allows us an option... take the train. Good for economy of region, plus lifestyle w/ less traffic. People get to work faster, less aggravated.

Biden: Think of highway system in '50s. Built where there was heavies traffic to get most use. So Transportation Dept. picked Orlando because you were most ready, most advanced. Same as CA, planned, ready to go. Both Repub governors, so not chosen for politics. Highest density, plus requests coming from states. We're also funding planning efforts. Plus a portion for taking RRs to go higher speed, which takes cars off highway. Taking existing corridors that will make a difference on congestion. We'll then build it out.

Obama: Biden has overseen Recov. Act. You have not seen scandal in this HUGE endeavor. You can go on WH website and look at every project that has been awarded a Recov. Act grant.

Q: My brothers are in and out of jail, drugs, and can't get jobs. So they go back to what they're used to... Is there anything to get them into the system to get hired, get self esteem up, so they don't go back to sell drugs? We need to teach them a trade.

A: Same patterns in rural and city areas. So, a couple of thing have to happen: 1. Make sure our very young children get a healthy start in life, get support to stay on a straight path of success in school. [applause] Single best anti-poverty program is (early) education. We get in trouble for trying to shake up lower performing schools. We can give them $, but that won't matter if we don't reform how they're learning... best teaching methods, parent involvement... It would have been easier to work w/ your brother had he had all this... [paraphrased] Folks w/ no jail record are looking for jobs, so it's harder for him. But... 2. If we can't break cycle, then we're just churning folks thru system. So, some Cong. people have promoted Second Chance Act that link ex offenders w/ opps. and skills, get some work experience, and then certify that they're ready for workplace, then encourage private sector companies to hire. Not well funded enough. But ends up wise for taxpayers, because prisoners cost us $.

Q: I'm frustrated because I can create 500 jobs but banks won't give me loan. I know you care, you're trying, and appreciate the 30 billion dollar pledge, but lending to us is not the answer. Why can't govt., SBA, make loans available directly to us?

A: We have increased loans... But it's not enough. You still want a loan. But it's not like we haven't thought of that. Even SBA loans are run by not them, but they work w/ local banks to process loan, SBA underwrites loan. So SBA doesn't have the infrastructure to go everywhere to process loans directly, the staff to do it. If SBA took over all of that, it would be a HUGE bureaucracy, it would take too long, and you'd wonder why big agency can't run everything? So we took the $30 billion and made it available, encourage small banks to give those loans to you. I am absolutely sympathetic to you, I hear it everywhere. So we'll use SBA as one tool, the $32 billion will help, but most loans will come to private sector. We have to get private sector to think differently. The bottom fell out. Also, we're encouraging... getting regulators, indep. ones, to take a closer look at the policies, too. We can't do that directly.

I'm done in. This is all you get.

NOPE: A gay rights question gets this answer:

A basic principle in our Constitution says if you follow the rules, you should be treated the same, regardless of who you are. That applies to gay/lesbian couples. So at federal level, we're trying to make sure partnerships are recognized for purposes of benefits...

We actually have an opp. to pass law that's in Congress right now... for federal workers. Some companies have done same. We need to take a leadership role to make sure people are treated the same.

VIDEO: President Obama in Allentown, PA on strengthening the economy

By GottaLaff

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

If you missed it this morning, my liveblog is here (including Q and A), and above is the video of his opening remarks.

Taking the Lid Off of the Tea Party Movement, One Family Finds 'It's Just Hate'

By GottaLaff

Jennifer and daughter Kylee

I have posted several times about my Twitter pal Midge Hough and her husband Dan. They suffered the devastating loss of their daughter-in-law Jen and her baby as a result of the failure of our abysmal health care system.

Now, in your Daily Dose of BuzzFlash, we have a very touching piece written by one of their best, Meg White:

But when Midge told the story to the people gathered at the town hall meeting, she was jeered, mocked and laughed at. They didn't believe her, or didn't care.[...]

Jenny spent the next 55 days on a respirator. She suffered through a heart attack, two collapsed lungs, partial paralysis, and the delivery of a stillborn daughter. Yet she still fought to survive, trying to talk and smile and get better. She died on Aug. 26, 2009.

Telling this story of horrifying loss was hard enough for Midge, but she was mostly astonished by the group's total lack of compassion:

"How they could not know I was devastated, I'll never know." [...]

Even after a local paper verified the Jenny's story, she hounded the Houghs with hateful e-mails and insisted that their story was an "isolated incident" that shouldn't have any bearing on the healthcare debate.

Midge said she "tried to appeal to her in those ugly, ugly e-mails."

"Could she understand that we were grieving?" Midge recalled asking in one e-mail exchange with Wojtowicz. "She laughed in the e-mail. She said she didn't think they were hard enough on me" at the Lipinski town hall meeting. [...]

Though these fringe tea party activists are using Jenny's story to promote themselves, it doesn't make the Houghs second-guess their decision to bring attention to them. They say they're glad that they can show "people on the fence" about healthcare just how "radical" and "unhinged" the tea party groups can be.

"If my hurting accomplishes that, I'm OK with it," Midge said. [...]

Even before Jenny got sick, the Houghs were working to get her covered.

"We tried everything," Midge said, but no insurance company would cover Jenny's prenatal care. "She had a preexisting condition: pregnancy." [...]

She tells Jenny's story not only to bring attention to the suffering, but to remind people how easily they could find themselves in her shoes.

"It hits you when you'd never expect it," Midge said. "It could happen to anyone."

Much more here. Please read Meg's entire piece.

My previous posts on Midge and Dan's touching and infuriating story:

VIDEO: Tea baggers heckle family mourning loss of mother/unborn child

VIDEOS: Our flawed health care system failed a young mother and her unborn child

VIDEOS: The deadly results of our abysmal health care system

Liveblog: Obama speaks about economy in Allentown, PA

By GottaLaff

I came in late, but here you go... liveblogging:

Jobs report is best we've seen since 2007.

Economy is growing, but companies still worried about hiring.

Amercians can't wait, and we won't wait... we need to do everything we can right now to get our friends, neighbors back to work.

So, yesterday we had a jobs forum. We talked about investments in clean energy, making America a global leader in renewable technology. Make homes energy efficient... Rebuilding infrastructure of our economy. I'll speak more about this on Tuesday.

But we need to do more to manage our way through this crisis. Communities were struggling even when economy was doing well. The recession is not a new challenge, it's a permanent one, a decade or more.

We must face up to our challenges. That's why I've taken on our broken health care system. [big applause]

That's why we're taking on our education system. [applause]

And upgrading community colleges, just like this one. [applause]

I'm committed to bringing down the deficit.

We have to do all this, because for decades gov't. avoided doing what was right rather than what was easy.

I didn't run for president to sweep problems under the rug with the next election in mind. I want to [fix things] right now. [huge applause]

Bottom line: I know times are tough. Members of our family are out of work. Only a few years ago, we were still paying off our student loans. Michelle and I aren't that far away from that. I won't rest till things are better. You may not agree with my decisions, but I'll always tell you the truth about them.

I will always be there right with you in the thick of that fight.

3 Questions:

Q: I appreciate your trying to stimulate economy. In college, we're studying criminology. Check out legalizing prostitution, gambling, drugs, non violent crime to stimulate economy? [laughter]

A: I appreciate the boldness of your question. That will not be my job strategy. [laughter] First, you're supposed to question conventional wisdom in college, so you're doing what you're supposed to be doin'. [laughter] Truth is, transitions in our economy means manufacture will never be as high as it was in the fifties. We're competing overseas, plus now it takes fewer people because of technology. There will be a shift in our economy. But advanced manufacturing based on infrastructure and green tech are still enormous.

We have old infrastructure and new. Smart grid for example. Our old electricity network is not efficient, it leaks. We need to create a new efficient grid, save 10-20% ... We should corner wind tech, battery and solar tech. But, to take advantage of this new future, we have to invest now. Infrastructure bank is one idea... leverage private sector $$ along side public sector. Prioritize needs.

Clean energy is a triple win: Invest now, change HOW we do business for oil independence, econ, we can clean up our environment, put people to work right now, and these jobs can't be shipped out, will be done here.

2 other components: From day I started, it was all about jobs, but attention spans are short, people have questioned this. Health care is part of where we want to take our economy. We're not diverting attention, it's part of it [paraphrased]. [applause] So us being able to control HC costs, allow businesses to pool with other businesses, have leverage against Big Insurance, that's part of our jobs growth.

Last pt: Education. In Asia, we talked about trade, exports. I want to send goods from U.S. out there [applause]. There are opportunities to export without spending a lot of money. If we increase just 5%, opening up new markets, we'll create new jobs. We will have to work just as hard, we can't take for granted that we have strongest economy, we need to work smart to create jobs of the future.

Q: What will you do to loosen up $ for small businesses? Credit is a priority... Manufacturing is changing... the credit markets... Our concern is will the banks be there with us, and we don't feel they will. We need support.

A: Financial sector... When we came in, before we came in, the Lehman's crash. The banks, the hedge funds, the whole financial system had leveraged so much.... They were lending like crazy even though they knew the loans made no sense. No money down for mortgages, interest only mortgages... that was just the housing sector. They were giving loans to unqualified buyers, and chopping up the loans into securities. The securities would sell for what they weren't worth. A lot of funny business going on in Wall St, and govt. wasn't regulating.

Consequences... stuff was bogus, no value beneath loans, could have been a complete collapse. We stepped in to avoid meltdown into Great Depression... successfully. The interventions were cheaper and more effective than we predicted. EVeryone thought bank bailout was 700 billion... most will be paid back w/ interest. We've already made 10s of billions to pay off deficits. We've successfully stabilized... but:

Problem: Now banks have swung in opposite direction, not giving credit to credit worthy businesses. We're telling them, the tax payers cleaned up for you, you now should be there for community. [applause].

What we're hoping is to push them to get right balance. Give loans on fair terms, and govt might sometimes help.

I hope to meet w/ bankers again before end of year to tell them You have a responsibility now, to help make sure Main St. gets loans it needs. I'm optimistic that next year, credit will flow more smoothly.

Question: Investments on Wall St... enough safeguards?

A: No. Congress works incredibly hard, but moves... well, deliberately [laughter]. It takes time to get things done. The Senate in particular because of rules. You need 60 votes for everything, now the opposition evokes filibuster for everything. Financial reg. reform was a top priority. We've gone thru a whole series of committees... now Senate has to pass its version, just like health care bill. The public thinks, What are these folks doing? Each committee has hearings, everyone has to talk, have amendments. Then bills get merged... Sometimes gives you a headache, but that's democracy. It's not easy to get anything done, but it keeps us stable. But frustrating.

We've put out specific financial reforms. We have big companies, too big to fail... if you're that big, you better have a whole bunch of safeguards so we don't have to bail you out [applause]

The other part: A consumer watchdog with actual teeth. We want it to be more effective. We want mechanisms so, if a big bank or insurance company is in trouble, there's a way to quarantine them so they don't infect rest of system.

If we get package past, we'll have this in place. But... a lot of banks and financial systems are fighting this. You're seeing bonus payments coming out, forgetting we yanked them out of the fire. So it's important to get regulation done, hopefully early next year. Banks are pushing back, with ads... untrue ones. Same as health care ads... big ads saying there's govt takeover. No, we're making sure you're not getting gypped by insurance companies! [applause]

One more question by student: Army veteran... Vet. Admin.... I've called them a lot about GI Bill, but haven't gotten any benefits yet. They're often busy, have to call back. Can you call them up and ask them to get more people to work with them? [big applause]

A: We will get your name... you went straight to the top here, [laughs, applause] I suspect someone will be calling you in about 2 seconds. [laughter]

We will whip the VA into shape, we have a solemn obligation to look after our vets when they come home. Post 9/11 GI Bill a good example of it. Old GI Bill built our middle class. Training, upgrading skills is vital to our future. We've increased the budget for VA by 11%, largest in 30 years, we're increasing again this year.

Shinseki will upgrade old systems. You shouldn't have to call, you should be able to get online. So you're telling me we haven't upgraded. Growing demand, and we'll get it in good place by the time I'm through in Washington. And I promise you'll be getting a return phone call.

Countdown to JANUARY 15, 2010

By GottaLaff

I'm still feeling a little foggy from meds today (slipped disks, had them for a long time, but they act up now and then), so if I miss anything or make any obvious errors, feel free to correct me in comments. Consider that my Disclaimer-O'-The-Day.

That said, here is information I promised to share from this Facebook entry:

Description:

AMERICANS NEED TO MARCH ON WASHINGTON IN NUMBERS HERETOFORE UNSEEN TO DEMONSTRATE OUR SUPPORT FOR THE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES WE STILL BELIEVE IN AND WANT TO SEE OUR PRESIDENT & REPRESENTATIVES FIGHT FOR.

We're now on twitter: http://twitter.com/March4Change and, we have an email address for those who are so inclined:

March4Change@gmail.com
____

IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE -THIS FRIDAY - PLEASE EMAIL THE FOLLOWING SHOWS/ORGS WITH THE FOLLOWING SUBJECT LINE

"March for Change We Still Believe In - Jan 15th, 2010"

and language to this effect:

On January 15th, 2010, Americans will gather, peacably, on the DC Mall to show our continued support for the progressive agenda our POTUS campaigned on. We voted for President Obama b/c we hoped for more from our government: more compassion, more diplomacy, more honesty, more protection, and more equality.

On January 15th, 2010, we will stand in opposition to the voices of fear, ignorance, and hate that have, thus far, garnered virtually all the attention of the main stream media and skewed the debate over issues that are far to important to ALL Americans. We've written and phoned our Representatives in the House and Senate. We've remained a diligent, anonymous, but silent majority. Now, is the time for America to see our faces and hear our voices.

info@rainbowpush.org

vfped@veteransforpeace.net

http://www.now.org/chapters/fl.html

rachel@msnbc.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30031533

Countdown@msnbc.com

firedoglake@gmail.com

--If you live in any State within a day's drive of DC - PLEASE DO YOUR UTMOST TO DISSEMINATE INFO & RALLY SUPPORT FOR THIS UNDERTAKING!

--LOCAL EFFORTS - If you'd like to participate by organizing something within your own community, PLEASE DO SO!!! Use the same techniques that have brought you to this group - only on a local level. Once you numbers grow, contact the local media with a press release a week or two prior to Jan 15th. We'd rather see you in DC but we understand if it's too far or costly for some to travel. BTW - organize carpools or pool resources to charter buses, rent minivans, pay for gas.

--A member suggested that those of us who will be in DC wear something to represent those who are unable to attend (e.g. a pin or flower or what have you). GREAT IDEA!

I suggest we ALSO wear something that demonstrates our solidarity with the POTUS and with one another so . . . . break out and dust off your "old" Obama gear to show support for him BUT ALSO wear an armband (any suggestions besides an armband?) to signify our solidarity with one another.

Midge Hough [Laffy Note: My posts about her can be found here, here and here] lost her daughter-in-law, Jenny, and unborn grandson due, in part, to lack of health care insurance. Midge contacted me yesterday and expressed her support for our effort. [...] Please watch the grievous inhumanity she suffered at the hands of those who oppose the health care reform our country so desperately needs.
____________________________________

I understand that letters to congress and phone calls work. Been there, am doing that. But in today's political environment, perception and image (TV to be precise) are everything. When's the last time you tuned into your nightly news of choice to see a story about the millions of letters Americans have sent to our reps demanding serious healthcare reform? But I'll bet a months salary that you've seen stories re groups of sorely, uninformed, Tea Baggers in the last couple of weeks. And, whether we like it or not, these images drive the news stories and the national discourse on issues like Healthcare, the Environment, Energy, Education, and so on.

We need to show our numbers, our vigor, and our commitment to REAL, SUBSTANTIVE, AND FUNDAMENTAL (not incremental) CHANGE in a way that will capture the national media's attention and call attention to our discontent. This astroturf, right-wing, TeaBag movement has been successful in creating the misperception that "Millions" of Americans are fed up with Gov't (specifically Obama). THE REALITY, however, is that many more of us voted for our President because we hoped for more from our government. More compassion, more diplomacy, more honesty, more protection, and more equality.

If a conservative, Dick Armey lead and Glenn Beck fueled, astro-turf, movement can conjure up 50,000 to "protest" in DC, how many more democrats, could a true grassroots movement deliver to DC in a show of support for the policies our candidate campaigned on?

I KNOW WE HAVE IT IN US AND THE APPARATUS FOR ORGANIZING AND COORDINATING SUCH AN EVENT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE. IF YOU FEEL THIS A WORTHY CAUSE LET IT BE KNOWN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY ACROSS THE COUNTRY - THAT ON JANUARY 15, 2010, THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S INAUGURATION, AMERICANS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WILL DESCEND ON WASHINGTON DC IN THE STRONGEST SHOW OF SUPPORT EVER FOR A SITTING PRESIDENT & THE POLICIES WE SENT HIM TO FIGHT FOR.

--------------------

WHAT WE FOUGHT FOR & WHAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN

I'm urging everyone (and I'm doing it here in SWFL) to contact friends, organizations (e.g. democrat clubs - those at local Institutions of higher learning, local federal congressional reps, local chapter of ORGANIZING FOR AMERICA, MOVEON, NOW, GLAAD, AFL-CIO, NAACP, RAINBOW PUSH COALITION, NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK, VETERANS FOR PEACE, THE ED SHOW, OLBERMAN, MADDOW, Air America, etc) locally, regionally, or even nationally, please feel free to share the idea of the March for Change We Still Believe In.

We are, all of us individually, sparks in this and together we can create bonfires all over the country. Take the baton, run with it, pass it on, and keep us all posted!

Feel free to go to the Facebook page and add any input you may have.

VIDEOS: The deadly results of our abysmal health care system

By GottaLaff

My Twitter pal, Chi910, aka Midge Hough, is someone who I admire, and who has told her story on several radio shows and Tee Vee shows recently. I've written about her and her family here and here.

Her experiences are worth telling and re-telling. Here are two more videos, one of The Ed Show and one called "Midge Hough's Story - Jen's Memorial Video" that is a must-see.

Watch, then dry your tears and go back and watch the Tea Partiers who thought it was more important to mock Midge than to rectify our abysmal health care system:

For those who question the loss Midge Hough tried to share at Lipinski's Town Hall, please watch the video tribute that was shown at her Memorial Service in September.

The Ed Show, where Midge and her husband Dan discuss the treatment they got when Midge tried to speak at a town hall meeting:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

VIDEO- Countdown's Worst Person: Tea Partier who attacked grieving Hough family

By GottaLaff

Thank you, Keith:



My previous posts about the Hough family are here and here. If that doesn't convince you what bottom feeders these hatriots are, nothing will.

VIDEOS: Our flawed health care system failed a young mother and her unborn child

By GottaLaff

Jennifer and daughter Kylee

Yesterday I posted about a group of despicable Tea Partiers attacking a family at a town hall meeting. Yes, Dan and Midge Hough were mourning the loss of their young daughter-in-law and unborn grandchild, and these insensitive beasts were rolling their eyes, jeering and groaning as Midge tried to express herself.

As it turns out, Midge and I are Twitter pals, and she was kind enough to link me to this piece that she wrote.

Please go read it, I can't do it justice. Then watch this video again:



Here's an excerpt from Midge's post:

In the richest county in the world our daughter in-law died, she died at the age of 24. We will never see her bright eyes again, her infectious smile, hear about her love for the color green, or watch her grow in her life. She didn’t have insurance, is that a crime in America??? Have we lost compassion for those who are less fortunate, and do we now condemn them to die if they can not buy private insurance? We hear about the enormous amounts of money it will cost for a public option but each day Jen was in ICU the cost was over $22,000. You do the math. She may have been alive today had we had a system that looks at everyone equally.

Now here is Midge telling the story in her own words, starting at about 1:39...

"Big Insurance: Sick of It" Rally from Justin Jach on Vimeo.

If every Republican Party of No member/Blue Dog Democrat read this post, do you think it would make a difference?

Sadly, I don't. But it should.

Conclusion: Donations from Big Insurance take priority over human survival... even that of the unborn. So much for the so-called "pro-life" party.

VIDEO: Tea baggers heckle family mourning loss of mother/unborn child

By GottaLaff

Via Windy City Watch, a story that will make you cry, scream, and wonder what in the hell is happening to this country:

If you need any evidence that the tea baggers have no class [...]

Last week while researching claims from a local Tea Party activist, I found myself asking a family for proof that they had lost an unborn grandchild.

The Chicago area family is pro-health care reform and pro-U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski. They attended a town hall meeting, in fact. That proved to be a mistake.

Now go get the nearest box of Kleenex. Trust me:

Their daughter-in-law, Jenny, and an unborn grandchild died recently due in part, they believe, to a lack of health insurance. They said Jenny was not receiving regular prenatal care and ended up in an emergency room with double pneumonia that developed into septic shock. Her baby died in the womb, and Jenny died a few weeks later, leaving behind a husband and a 2-year-old daughter.

Catherina Wojtowicz, of Chicago's Mount Greenwood community, an organizer for a Tea Party splinter group, Chicago Tea Party Patriots, falsely claimed that the Houghs fabricated their story. In an e-mail, she called them operatives of President Barack Obama who "go from event to event and (cry) the same story."

There now. Aren't those Tea Animals compassionate? They really do care so deeply about their country and its citizens. Know what the Houghs got at the town hall meeting? Eye rolls and groans.

Mrs. Hough's daughter-in-law and grandchild were dead as a result of woefully-- deadly-- insufficient health care, and these small-minded, slime-dunked zealots mocked her.

Here is video of the hatriots (Midge Hough speaks at 1:48):

Videos- Complete Obama Town Hall In China

I'll put up the one complete one when it gets up.

Video- President Obama's Opening Remarks At New Orleans Town Hall

Part one above, part two below. They certainly were a feisty crowd. Via News1News.