Un-sung hero: Rep. Anh “Joseph” Cao (La-2) (Update)

Kudos to an honorable man. Thank you!
As always,
BB
(Update) Sen. Cao, the lone Republican vote for the house HealthCare Reform Bill.

The Possible Dream
Excerpt:
He's relating how, as a Jesuit seminarian in the slums of Mexico nearly 20 years ago, he experienced a crisis of faith. He was dispirited by how God could let such human misery exist, he says and then stops himself.

And
It didn't hurt, as Wagner puts it, that in the 2nd District's areas outside New Orleans, where there were more Republicans and conservatives, (Rep.) Jefferson was "just a little less popular than [serial killer] Jeffrey Dahmer."
Final tally: Cao 33,122 votes, Jefferson 31,296.

And
Mayor C. Ray Nagin, who is black, once said he wanted to keep the Big Easy "chocolate" after Katrina. In an interview in City Hall recently, he described Cao's election as a "stroke of luck and brilliance." He acknowledges that there is a "feeling of loss" among the city's black residents that Cao defeated Jefferson. "But if he delivers on post-Katrina things -- really delivers -- I think he could be tough to beat," Nagin says.
Read more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/29/AR2008122902590.html?hpid=topnews

Hat tip to: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/11/8/802021/-Whodat-A-shout-out-to-Joseph-Cao

HCR: The bill, the lies, the hypotheticals

I have read the summary of the HealthCare Reform Bill. Since I blog about it, I feel I have to know exactly what is in it. By having read it, it makes it easier to identify fraudulent reports from other sources.

Already there is much lying on the floor of the chambers regarding the bill and I suspect even after the law is passed, we will continue to get an avalanche of lies and mostly hypotheticals. I’ll just sit back, smiling and say to myself in all confidence, “You lie!” even calling a hypothetical a lie just to be contrary eventhough I would not be able to prove it.

My Favorite part: SUMMARY OF THE MODIFICATION IN PART B - TEXT OF THE AMENDMENT 
The revision modifies the biofuel tax credit provision in the manager’s amendment.  Second, it would authorize HHS grants to assist in acquiring or developing medical schools in areas in need of medical professionals.  The recipient would have to prove it has substantial non-federal funds to develop the medical school.  It authorizes $100 million a year for five years.  Third, it would modify provisions relating to FTC enforcement authority in patent settlement cases.  Finally, it authorizes HHS to establish a demonstration program to make incentive payments for public health workers to work in areas with health professional shortages.  The revision would authorize such sums as are necessary for five years.  
H.R. 3962 - Affordable Health Care for Act
And
H.R. 3961 - Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009
http://rules.house.gov/SpecialRules_details.aspx?NewsID=4498

Hat tip, http://mcjoan.dailykos.com/
As always,
BB

Sen. John Boehner: A spoonful of sugar.. (Update)

I say to Sen. John Boehner, a vague idea regarding the difference between The Constitution of the United States and The Preamble to the Declaration of Independence is total ignorance.

This afternoon during the Michelle Bachman HealthCare Rally, it was down right irritating hearing Sen. Boehner speaking from the steps of the Capital to the small gathering of TeaBaggers wherein it was blatantly clear he does not know the difference between the Constitution and the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence.

Mr. Boehner is the Republican Senate Leader and there is no telling how long he has been so confused. There is no telling how long he has voted on bills with his disorientation or had what he believed to be meaningful arguments on the senate floor with such a deeply flawed perception of the Constitution.

In my opinion, both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are two of the cornerstones of a politicians’ trade and discipline. They are the “ABC’s” of his trade, the bed-rock of his decisions, the ground-zero upon which to build consensus, his Hammer and Sycle, if you will. When I was growing up and when a person made such a glaring mistake as did Sen. Boehner, we would say, “You are in the right church but sitting in the wrong pew.” I am outraged this man is considered a competent lawmaker and it is very, very serious. Sen. John Boehner is a dangerously confused Senator regarding American history as he harbors “…a vague idea”.
As always,
BB
P.S. Rep. Todd Aikens (Mis.-2) can not accurately recite The Pledge Of Allegiance to the Flag”. These are the people who were chiding Pres. Obama for not wearing a flag pin. Yet another classic example of the Obama Derangement Syndrome; amateurs trying to act grown-up and intelligent. Sad.

What happened to "indivisible?"
by Wandering mind
Excerpt:
Well, if you listen to the person who led the pledge of allegiance, Representative Todd Aken (R. MO), (starting at about five minutes in at this link,
you will notice that he skips the word "indivisible."  You can hear people in the crowd getting it right (i.e. some in the crowd can be heard saying "indivisible" but Aken just skipped right over it.
Read more at:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/11/6/801158/-What-happened-to-indivisible


(Update)
Film Clip
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/11/14/804565/-Mixing-Up-the-Constitution-and-the-DeclarationIts-Just-Not-Cool-Anymore

Hat tip to Oshio. I could not find clip when originally wrote post.
Mixing Up the Constitution and the Declaration - It's Just Not Cool Anymore
by Qshio
Read more at:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/11/14/804565/-Mixing-Up-the-Constitution-and-the-DeclarationIts-Just-Not-Cool-Anymore

Mid-term elections 2oo9: Tortoises and Hares (Update)

In my opinion, mid-term elections are about State’s Rights. The focuses are different than elections embracing all fifty states united in goals and aspirations. One has local Main Street orientations and the other has massive political tentacles embracing national to continental issues; two different cans of worms, if you will, as different as comparing apples and oranges or old fashioned (1940's?) boys and girls. (Smile)

I am hearing persistent allegations these current mid-term elections are reflecting upon national and global issues confronting Pres. Obama with a strong bonding to the executing of his job: In other words, electing a local candidate based on the President’s job performance.

If that were the case, I would posit this 2009 mid-term election analogous to Aesop’s fable “The Tortoise and the Hare” with Pres. Obama characterized as the hare who does not get cocky or arrogant regarding his goals with history recording other things he is doing along the way on his journey as the hare lie sleeping. The Civil Right’s song, “keep your eyes on the prize, hold on” comes to mind.

The Tortoise and the Hare is a fable attributed to Aesop. The story concerns a hare who ridicules a slow-moving tortoise. In response, the tortoise challenges his swift mocker to a race. The hare soon leaves the tortoise far behind and, confident of winning, he decides to take a nap midway through the course. When he awakes, however, he finds that his competitor, crawling slowly but steadily, has already won the race.

Motivational post:

What Obama Is Up Against
Monday 02 November 2009
Excerpt:
We Americans harbor a quaint belief that a new president takes charge of a government that eagerly awaits his next command. Like an orchestra conductor or perhaps a football coach, he can inspire or bludgeon and get what he wants. But that's not how things work at the top, especially where "national security" is concerned. The Pentagon and CIA are powerful and independent fiefdoms characterized by entrenched agendas and constant intrigue. They are full of lifers, who see an elected president largely as an annoyance, and have ways of dealing with those who won't come to heel.

And

Obama seems to understand his narrow range of movement, and to be carefully picking his fights. He retained many of Bush's top military brass, and even Bush's Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who himself had served as a CIA director for Bush's father. He has trod very carefully with the spy agency, and has declined to aggressively investigate Bush administration wrongdoing on torture and wiretapping. Obama's campaign rhetoric about disengaging from Iraq seems a long time ago, and the war in Afghanistan is taking on the hues of permanency.

And

The old boys' network is very much in place, and it is hard at work to force Obama's hand, a la Vietnam. Witness the leaking of Gen. Stanley McChrystal's supposedly "confidential report" calling for escalation in Afghanistan. The leak was, not surprisingly, to the reliable Bob Woodward.

Read more of intriguing article at:
http://www.truthout.org/11020910
Fighting for the dignity of my Ancestors,
God bless Bill Gates, WPFW, C-SPAN and the spirits of the unborn for the help,
BB
(UPDATE)
David Axelrod was on the Andrea Mitchell Show this afternoon and this is my interpretation how he answered her question regarding what he learned from the voters in the NY-23 district. He acknowledged a Democrat won a Congressional seat for the first time in over one hundred fifty years. He said a Democrat has not won that district since the time of Gen. Grant.

Mid-term campaigns are supposed to be on local issues, I interpreted him as saying, and when you try to run on national issues or engage a speaker identified with national issues, you lose.

I conclude what he was saying and it comes down to this Black expression: “With all due respect, man, I ain’t talking ‘bout your Mama. I’m talking ‘bout you!”

Afghanistan And The Magic Poppy Seed (Updates)

Alexander the Great brought a magic poppy seed to the Afghanistan people as a gift of good will. Alexander told them “Take this gift. It will give you eternal wealth.” and the graceful people thanked him with song and dance.

Years later, the British, who were broke, tried to take away from the good people of Afghanistan the magic poppy seed to sell and the Villagers beat them up proudly announcing, “No, no, no by my chiny chin chin. Go home and get your own poppy seed!” and the British went home to face their bill collectors telling them, “Yes, we have no money today!” (Boo-hoo!)

Some years later, the Russians, who were also broke said, “I know! We can take the magic poppy seed from the Afghanistans. It will be a piece of cake” they smirked. So they went to Afghanistan and said, “If you don’t give us the magic poppy seed, we will take it from you!” and the Villagers beat them up and this time, crying in thundering and massive waves of protest, “No, no, no by my chiny chin chin. Go home and get your own poppy seed!” and the Russians went home to face their bill collectors confessing, “Yes, we have no money today!” (Sob)

Bye and bye, now America, who was going broke said, “Dammit! We gotta get us some more money from somewhere!” And Dick Cheney said, “I know! We can take the magic poppy seed from the Afghanistans and sell it. It will be a slam dunk and we will do it by any means necessary!” So Dick Cheney sent his “boys” over to Afghanistan who demanded, “You jerks, if you don’t give us your magic poppy seed, we will kick your ass and take it from you!” and the Villagers shouted back, “No, no, no by my chiny chin chin. Go home and get your own poppy seed!” and the boys from Dick Cheney said, “Aw, shit! Can’t we at least share?” “Hell no!” replied the Villagers. “You think we stupid, huh, you think we crazy or something? Best you go home before we kick your ass! Scoot! Go ‘way!”

But Dick Cheney’s boys did not go home right away. As a matter of fact, they stayed and stayed trying everything they could think of to either steal the magic poppy seed from the good people of Afghanistan or at least be part owner of it and lo and behold, the Villagers, true to their threats, did kick their asses and it was only then did the Americans go home.

Too late. They went home to sit in a now darkened and somber White House because all the electricity and gas had been turned off. The bills could not be paid. They had stayed too long in Afghanistan and poverty worsened in America. People got sick and died for lack of health care. Schools and libraries were closed and people were hungry. Little children went into the streets with begging bowls. Some people tried to sell suspiciously looking tea they said was made from old family recipes. Nobody had any money.

One dark night, everybody in the White House fearfully listened as footsteps of the butcher, the baker and the War Rifle Maker came meanly up the driveway casting large, eery shadows on the White House. Armed with pitch forks and torches, they demanded their money. "Bills are not paid, From all the money you made, Give us our due, Or we will get you!" they chanted. Inside the White House, all were worried who would be asked to open the door and what would they say. So it was Barack who slowly opened the door to tell them Bush and Cheney no longer lived there but they will be paid. Somehow.
The End
As always,
BB

(Updates)
1. (Afghanistan and a certain pipeline)
Surprised not to see this on here yet Updated
by James Paton Walsh
Excerpt:
Murray alleged that in the late 1990s the Uzbek ambassador to the US met with then-Texas Governor George W. Bush to discuss a pipeline for the region, and out of that meeting came agreements that would see Texas-based gain the rights to Uzbekistan's natural gas deposits, while oil company Unocal worked on developing the Trans-Afghanistan pipeline.
"The consultant who was organizing this for Unocal was a certain Mr. Karzai, who is now president of Afghanistan," Murray noted.
Read more at:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/11/5/800740/-Surprised-not-to-see-this-on-here-yet-Updated

And
2. Opium, Rape and the American Way
By Chris Hedges
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20091102_opium_rape_and_the_american_way/

Tell me again, what party does he represent?

For the past year at the most I have been lamenting the fact television stations do not identify guest as in the past.

In the past, a guest’s name would flash on the screen and I would be able to not only write down his name but to also make appropriate associations with his name regarding the subject matter. The person’s name would also have his title or some other identifying wording. Not any longer.

The space reserved for identifying the guest has now been taken over by recipes for chili and information regarding the latest missing white girl (Smile) added to other information that has begun to crowd the television screen. As a matter of fact, one is lucky if one can secure the name of the guest at all before the commentator goes onto the next subject and the next mystery guest.

So it was during the last election cycle the media did not appropriately identify the party of the candidates they were talking about. If the candidate won or lost, you were at a lost as to his party affiliation. Consequently I feel my patience will be very short come election night Tuesday, November 3rd if the media continues this practice. I am not sure why the media has decided to do this to the viewing public and I have my usual conspiratorial theories. My theories keep me happy and contented until I hear differently. That is, until I hear something that makes an equal amount of sense to me as to why the practice continues. I register my complaints as a citizen owner of the airways.
As always,
BB
P.S. I will continue avoiding any show that feels Pat Buchanan and Chuck Todd have anything worthwhile listening to.
P.P.S. Hilary Clinton is really making a name for herself in diplomatic circles. Many of us dare not even under breath whisper, “I told you so!”

Lord, please forgive me…..

for being so wrong-headed about journalist Eugene Robinson. I did not know he writes so well. I do not get the chance to read any of his writings due to the fact I have not read the Washington Post in almost fifty years nor have I seen his articles referenced on the few sites I frequent. I know about his winning a Pulitzer Prize and all from Rachel but I thought, well, you know, I thought……..never mind! Amen.
As always,
BB

Afghan Poppy Trade Blurs All the Lines
Posted on Oct 29, 2009
By Eugene Robinson
Excerpt:
On Monday, three U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents—Forrest Leamon, Chad Michael and Michael Weston, all from the Washington area—were killed in a helicopter crash in western Afghanistan. U.S. officials have released few details about the incident. The Times of London reported that the aircraft was shot down following a raid on the compound of a prominent Afghan drug lord.
Read more at:
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20091029_afghan_drug_war_is_as_senseless_as_the_rest_of_it/

Do good and evil have to co-exist?

I strongly suggest the line of demarcation would not be within purview of any of the gods nor mortals. I would ascribe my suggestion to the Chinese *Yin and Yang theories with its equivalency in every society.

I posit “Heaven on Earth” comes closest to fruition by accepting co-existence of the two entities due to the fact, and in my opinion, there are tremendous cosmic energies fueling both sides.
This is one of the reason I think ‘States Rights’ and ‘Opt-Out’ are the best way to go with the HealthCare Reform Bill facilitating what we call ‘good and evil’ to have their inevitable entrances on stage under cosmic sunlights. In this age of computers, the performance would be mesmerizing at minimum levels. Kudos to slinkerwink for a charming and inspiring diary.

You Know What's Really Scary?
by slinkerwink
Excerpt from comment:
There are always powerful forces against (4+ / 0-)
the forces of good, but I have to believe that good eventually triumphs. It just requires hard work and constant vigilance from us :-)
I work full-time with the FDL team on health reform thanks to your donations.
by slinkerwink on Sat Oct 31, 2009 at 09:24:09 PM PDT
Read more at:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/10/31/799275/-You-Know-Whats-Really-Scary-

As always,
BB
P.S. To me, Dr. Abullah Abdullah of Afghanistan has features and mannerism like our own Dr. Alan Keyes.
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yang