Category Archives: Nancy Pelosi

Health care reconciliation, Obama Reid Pelosi, Sham summit, 51 votes in Senate, Emergency Tele town Hall TONIGHT, Washington DC Thursday

Health care reconciliation, Obama Reid Pelosi

From Americans for Prosperity, February 23, 2010.

It was bad enough when President Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid tried to pass their health care takeover through vote-buying, closed-door meetings, and strong-arm tactics.  But what they’re doing now is even worse…
 
Right now, Obama, Pelosi and Reid are working to ram their Washington takeover through Congress – without a real vote – using a parliamentary trick called “reconciliation.”
 
Democrats are hosting a sham “summit” this Thursday to “re-package” their failed plan before they attempt to force it through using “reconciliation.”  The result of their dishonest maneuver:  only 51 votes will be needed in the Senate instead of the 60 required by the long-established rule of law.
 
Working with grassroots allies, Americans for Prosperity has a plan to defeat this threat:
 
1. Please join us for an Emergency Tele-town Hall TONIGHT at 7:30PM Eastern to discuss this threat and our strategy to defeat it.  Dial (888)886-6603, Ext. # 14152.  Your direct involvement and input is critical to our success.  There’s no charge to you for joining this call.
 
2. If you can make it to Washington this Thursday, please stand with us as we protest right outside the gates of the DC mansion where Obama, Pelosi and Reid are hosting their sham “summit.”  We’ll meet at 9:30AM outside the Blair House (across from the Pennsylvania Avenue side of the White House ) to greet members of Congress as they arrive.  Then, we’ll hold our own Patients’ Summit at the J.W. Marriott on Pennsylvania Avenue, just a couple blocks away.  We’ll provide lunch and we’ll be joined by great speakers including Congressmen Tom Price and John Shadegg, Colin Hanna from Let Freedom Ring, and others.  (Let me know you’ll be there by CLICKING HERE.)
 
3. Just know that this Thursday beginning bright and early I’m asking you to call, email and if possible visit the district office of your Senators and House member to tell them they better not use the dishonest procedure called “reconciliation” to force through their big government health care takeover.  And, please forward this information to your friends.  CLICK HERE
 
If you can’t be there in Washington, you can still participate.  Just log onto www.AmericansForProsperity.org to view our LIVE web-cast starting at 11:30AM.
 
I know this is a lot to throw at you with short notice.  But you and I have worked too hard to give up now and let the Left force this agenda through Congress with a legislative trick.  The American people have already rejected a government takeover of our health care, time and time again.  Let’s make it clear that we’re not falling for the Left’s slick advertising campaigns – and that those who support them or stand aside while they subvert democracy will pay a huge price.
 
Thanks for all you do – now let’s win this fight.
 
Sincerely,

Tim

Charles Krauthammer, What Scott Brown’s win means for the Democrats, January 22, 2010, Obama ABC interview, Democrats delusional, Obama and Democrats blame Bush, Obama blames insurance companies

From the Washington Post, January 22, 2010, Charles Krauthammer.

“What Scott Brown’s win means for the Democrats”

“On Jan. 14, five days before the Massachusetts special election, President Obama was in full bring-it-on mode as he rallied House Democrats behind his health-care reform. “If Republicans want to campaign against what we’ve done by standing up for the status quo and for insurance companies over American families and businesses, that is a fight I want to have.”
The bravado lasted three days. When Obama campaigned in Boston on Jan. 17 for Obamacare supporter Martha Coakley, not once did he mention the health-care bill. When your candidate is sinking, you don’t throw her a millstone.

After Coakley’s defeat, Obama pretended that the real cause was a generalized anger and frustration “not just because of what’s happened in the last year or two years, but what’s happened over the last eight years.”

Let’s get this straight: The antipathy to George W. Bush is so enduring and powerful that . . . it just elected a Republican senator in Massachusetts? Why, the man is omnipotent.

And the Democrats are delusional: Scott Brown won by running against Obama, not Bush. He won by brilliantly nationalizing the race, running hard against the Obama agenda, most notably Obamacare. Killing it was his No. 1 campaign promise.

Bull’s-eye. An astonishing 56 percent of Massachusetts voters, according to a Rasmussen poll, called health care their top issue. In a Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates poll, 78 percent of Brown voters said their vote was intended to stop Obamacare. Only a quarter of all voters in the Rasmussen poll cited the economy as their top issue, nicely refuting the Democratic view that Massachusetts was just the usual anti-incumbent resentment you expect in bad economic times.”

“The reason both wings of American liberalism — congressional and mainstream media — were so surprised at the force of anti-Democratic sentiment is that they’d spent Obama’s first year either ignoring or disdaining the clear early signs of resistance: the tea-party movement of the spring and the town-hall meetings of the summer. With characteristic condescension, they contemptuously dismissed the protests as the mere excrescences of a redneck, retrograde, probably racist rabble.”

“Democrats must so rationalize, otherwise they must take democracy seriously, and ask themselves: If the people really don’t want it, could they possibly have a point?

“If you lose Massachusetts and that’s not a wake-up call,” said moderate — and sentient — Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana, “there’s no hope of waking up.””

Read more:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/21/AR2010012103500.html

 

Obama ABC George Stephanopoulos interview, Obama blames Bush for MA senate loss

Thanks to commenter Patriot Dreamer

Nancy Pelosi, Not Enough Votes to Pass Senate Health Bill in House, January 21, 2010, Fox News report, Republican Scott Brown, MA US Senate seat

From Fox News, January 21, 2010.

“Pelosi: Not Enough Votes to Pass Senate Health Bill in House”

“WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday she does not have the votes to pass the Senate’s version of a health insurance bill that is now in severe jeopardy of being scrapped.

Just days ago, that was the most viable option for keeping alive President Obama’s top domestic priority, but with the election of Republican Scott Brown to the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts, the fragile coalition of Democrats has broken apart as lawmakers bicker over which portions of the $900 billion, 10-year Senate bill they will and won’t accept.

Emerging from a closed-door meeting with her caucus, the House speaker vented frustration with the massive version of the legislation.

“In its present form without any changes I don’t think it’s possible to pass the Senate bill in the House,” said Pelosi, D-Calif. “I don’t see the votes for it at this time.”

Among the issues that House lawmakers are unwilling to accept is the 40 percent excise tax on high-value insurance plans that unions earned an exemption from until 2018 after major backlash toward the Democratic-led Congress.”

Read more:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/01/21/pelosi-votes-pass-senate-health-house/

Boston Craigslist ad, Stop the Tea Baggers, Grassroots Campaigns, Left wing Democrats insult Americans, Obama campaigns, NPR, Learn to speak Tea bag, Glenn Beck and other talking heads

The Democrat party has done a good job of revealing their real agenda. From ramming an unwanted Health Care Bill down our throats to insults from Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and others. Recently NPR, an increasingly liberal radio outlet, insulted millions of concerned Americans and then acknowledging the insult, refused to apologize.
NPR insults concerned Americans

 
“Learn To Speak Tea Bag.”
“But what happens when the so-called “humor” crosses the line? It’s one thing to make fun of someone, but trying to discredit an entire movement of frustrated Americans and doing it with taxpayer money is something entirely different. How much longer are we going to continue to fund left-wing propaganda with OUR money? Just look at the NPR web site for their latest “humor” directed at the hundreds of thousands of “Tea Party” activists across the country.”
NPR, Learn To Speak Tea Bag

NPR admits Tea Bag animation doesn’t fit with NPR values, but gives no apology.

 
NPR Ombudsman, Alicia C. Shepard
“That said, there are problems with the Tea Bag animation. Chief among them is it doesn’t fit with NPR values, one of which is a belief in civility and civil discourse.
No apology from NPR
““There will be no apology and Fiore’s cartoon is staying up,”  said Ellen Weiss, senior vice president for news.”
No apology from NPR for insulting average Americans

The “Tea Bagger” insult from NPR was no fluke or anomaly.

From a Boston Craigslist ad posted January 8, 2010.

“Stop the Tea- Baggers! Direct a Progressive Campaign Office
Date: 2010-01-08, 7:38PM EST
Reply to: see below
WHOSE AGENDA WILL WIN IN 2010? YOU DECIDE.
Change takes work. After the 2008 Election, we know what’s possible when millions of people commit themselves to creating the world they want to see – but we also know that one election is only the beginning. Across the country, the struggle for human rights, marriage equality, and reproductive rights continues. To counter the hysteria and lies of Glenn Beck and other talking heads, progressives need to get organized and get activated – and we don’t have a moment to lose!!


 
We’re hiring Directors to run 32 Canvass Offices across the United States.
Qualified candidates are:

Committed to and motivated by progressive politics and social change.
Leaders, with the ability to think strategically and motivate a team.
Goal-oriented, excellent communicators, team players.
Experience in hiring, training and supervising staff or volunteers is preferred. Previous field or canvassing experience is a plus.
Job Description:

Recruitment: Build a team of 15-50 canvassers by recruiting from within the local community and developing your strongest staff into leadership positions within the office and in the field.

Canvassing: Get on the Frontlines of some of the most crucial campaigns of our time! Work on the ground bringing progressive change to America!

Hours: 80-100 hours/week


 
Locations:
Grassroots Campaigns is immediately hiring in Boston as well as the following locations: CA, CO, DC, IL, MA, MN, NY, OH, OR, PA, TX, WA.”

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/npo/1543898173.html

Citizen Wells comments

Notice the insult:

“Stop the Tea- Baggers”

Orwellian spin:

“To counter the hysteria and lies of Glenn Beck and other talking heads”

From the Grassroots Campaigns website

“Grassroots Campaigns (GCI) is an independent organization that does strategic consulting, fundraising, and field organizing for good causes and candidates. We specialize in building and running face-to-face outreach operations in neighborhoods and in high-traffic public venues to build support for groups, issues, and campaigns.
GCI was founded in December of 2003, and by April of 2004 had opened offices in 40 cities throughout the country. By July 2004, we had over 2,000 staff knocking on doors and talking to voters on behalf of the Democratic National Committee. With continued work on behalf of MoveOn PAC in October, we added a volunteer force of 50,000 individuals canvassing their neighborhoods in 17 of the most hotly contested swing states of the 2004 Presidential Election. Since 2004, we’ve continued to partner with groups and campaigns to advance good issues, raise money for progressive causes, help take back Congress, and build activism at the grassroots level.”

“Since its founding in December of 2003, GCI has partnered with a wide variety of groups and campaigns. We’re best known for working with MoveOn Political Action to pioneer innovative get out the vote strategies in the 2004, 2006 and 2008 elections, as well as raising millions of dollars in small donor contributions for the Democratic National Committee.”

“In the two years leading up to the 2008 election, GCI staff worked to organize MoveOn’s most active members into nearly 200 Councils nationwide. These Councils tool a lead role in MoveOn’s massive election recruitment effort to boost the Obama Campaign. Councils organized canvasses, held call parties to recruit volunteers in battleground states and volunteered directly with the Obama Campaign. Councils working with GCI staff took an especially leading roll in enabling the call party program, which culminated in over 7,480 house parties where volunteers made 2.14 million calls, recruiting over 90,000 volunteers for Obama in swing states.”

http://grassrootscampaigns.com

It is obvious from the above that Grassroots Campaigns is closely affiliated with the Democrat party and exhibits the same disdain for hard working, concerned Americans. The Craigslist ad reveals a priority for the Boston area.

Obama, Christmas day terrorist attack, Gitmo terrorists released, Michelle Malkin, CIA knew of The Nigerian, Obama opposition to Iraq war, Obama insults military, Obama Middle East money ties

In preparation for quoting another great article by Michelle Malkin, I wanted to point out that Malkin was in the forefront of researching and writing about Barack Obama before most people knew anything about him. I quickly assembled this search engine combination with this result.

2007 michelle malkin obama

Michelle Malkin » Obama: Soldier deaths = “Wasted” livesBy Michelle Malkin • February 12, 2007 04:39 PM. Sen. Barack Obama’s nutroots are showing. RedStateLady has the video of Obama arguing that each and every …
michellemalkin.com/2007/02/12/obama-soldier-deaths-wasted-lives/ –

This article is interesting because it reveals several important aspects about Obama’s motivation and attitude.

1. Disrespect for soldiers and the military.
2. Obama pandering to the far left, his core support.
3. The hidden motivation. Obama had monetary ties to many with deep, suspicious ties to the Middle East. This will be explored futher in an upcoming article.

From Michelle Malkin ,  February 12, 2007.

“Obama: Soldier deaths = “Wasted” lives”

“Sen. Barack Obama’s nutroots are showing. RedStateLady has the video of Obama arguing that each and every member of the military who volunteered to serve and died in Iraq wasted his/her life:”

“Of course he thinks their lives were wasted. Everyone on the anti-war side does; that’s one of the reasons they want to end the war. But they can’t say that because it dishonors the dead so they’re forced into rhetorical pretzels like the one Pelosi tied herself into a few weeks ago with Diane Sawyer. Army Lawyer summed up her position at the time thusly: “They didn’t die for nothing, they died for something stupid.””

“I could go on, but it would be a waste of breath trying to get Sen. Obama to acknowledge the existence of countless soldiers and their families who reject his patronizing, infantilizing, and insulting view of all American troops as dupes/victims who have squandered their lives.”

Read more:

http://michellemalkin.com/2007/02/12/obama-soldier-deaths-wasted-lives/

We were all warned, long before I and others opened our eyes to the background and agenda of Barack Obama, the handwriting was on the wall.

From Michelle Malkin,  December 30, 2009.

“Yemen, Gitmo, and jihadi revolving doors”

“My column today spotlights Yemen’s dangerous catch-and-release program for terrorists — and ours. But before you read it, please inform yourselves of this sad passing: American sailor/U.S.S. Cole bombing survivor Johan Gokool died in Florida yesterday. He lost a leg in the attack and suffered severe PTSD. Gokool was 31. R.I.P. and never forget.”

“Bleeding hearts and jihadi revolving doors”

“Sen. Joe Lieberman was right to sound the alarm about Yemen in the wake of the Undy-Bomber’s Christmas Day terror attack over American skies. But he was wrong to call it “tomorrow’s war.” The Yemen-based jihadist network has been at war with us for years – since before the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions, since before 9/11, and well before our current commander-in-chief had begun his vaunted work as a community organizer.
The bleeding-heart ostriches of the Left are blaming (who else?) cowboy George W. Bush for radicalizing poor, oppressed Yemenis. But the killer fruits of botched bomber Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab’s loom have nothing to do with poverty, social injustice, Western imperialism, or Bush Derangement Syndrome. The fundamentalist Muslim is the privileged son of a Nigerian public official. He lived a “gilded life,” as the Independent of London described it, studying engineering at one of Britain’s most prestigious universities before training for terror in Yemen.”

“America, unfortunately, is hardly in a position to criticize Yemen’s jihadi revolving door. ABC News reported this week that two of the four jihadi leaders behind the Christmas Day terror plot were released from Gitmo during the Bush administration in November 2007. (What a quandary for Bush-bashers who have stubbornly denied that Gitmo recidivism threatens our national security.) The freed detainees were shipped off to terror-friendly Saudi Arabia, where they underwent “art therapy rehabilitation” – the ultimate bloody brainchild of the jihadi-as-victim mindset.”

“Hundreds of Yemeni detainees at Gitmo abandoned the benefit of the doubt years ago. Yet, Attorney General Eric Holder’s law firm, Covington and Burling, has provided dozens of them pro bono legal representation and sob-story media relations campaigns. True to form, former Covington and Burling lawyer Mark Falkoff dedicated a book of Gitmo detainee poetry to his Yemeni suspected terrorist “friends inside the wire.” And the White House is rolling out the red carpet to bring them to U.S. soil for civilian trials.
At a time when we should be disabling the jihadi revolving door, its rotating shaft is spinning out of control.”

Read more:

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/12/30/yemen-gitmo-and-jihadi-revolving-doors/

I would like to personally thank Michelle Malkin for all of her hard work.

Parker Griffith announcement, Switches parties, Griffith Republican, Griffith leaves Democrat party, Health care bill bad for doctors

Representative Parker Griffith of Alabama announces his switch from the Democrat to Republican party.

Parker Griffith did not just vote against the Health care bill and other harmful legislation, he sent a strong signal that the Democrat party is not good for this country.

From CBS News blog, December 22, 2009.

“Parker Griffith, Democratic Representative, Switches Parties to GOP”

“Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, announced Tuesday that he is switching parties to become a Republican.

“I believe our nation is at a crossroads and I can no longer align myself with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country, hurts our economy, and drives us further and further into debt,” Griffith, 67, said at a press conference at his home, according to the Associated Press.

Some aren’t surprised by Griffith’s switch. He has voted against all major Democratic initiatives this year, including the stimulus, cap and trade and health care bills.

He’s also spoken out against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying that he would not vote for her to be speaker again.”

“A radiation oncologist, Griffith cited the Democrats’ health care plans as a reason for his switch. He was one of 39 Democrats to vote against the bill in the House last month.

“I want to make it perfectly clear that this bill is bad for our doctors,” he said at the press conference, according to the AP. “It’s bad for our patients. It’s bad for the young men and women who are considering going into the health care field.”

“The success of Republicans in the off-year elections last month also appears to be a reason for his decision to switch parties. Griffith told Politico then that he wanted to be called an independent Blue Dog, not a Democrat. “I should be nervous,” he added.”

“When a Member of Congress decides to leave a 258 seat majority to join a deep minority, it is a sure sign that the majority party has become completely disconnected from seniors, young workers, and families in America,” Cantor said in a statement. “We welcome Parker Griffith to the Republican Conference, and will continue to stand and fight against the damaging agenda of this Administration working in tandem with the Pelosi/Reid run Congress.”

“Parker Griffith is a dedicated public servant who has consistently put the best interests of his constituents first, and it is in that spirit that Republicans welcome him,” Boehner added. “With today’s decision, Congressman Griffith has added his voice to the growing chorus of Americans who have had it with Democrats’ wrong-headed policies and lack of leadership.””

Read more:

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/12/22/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry6009974.shtml

Senator Ben Nelson Nebraska, STOP the Health Care Bill before Christmas rally, December 22, 2009, Senator Ben Nelson’s Office, Stubborn_Facts, Harry Reid unconstitutional bribes

Just in from Stubborn_Facts at Grassroots in Nebraska, December 22, 2009.

Grassroots in Nebraska
 
Stubborn_Fact-
sStubborn_Facts has invited you to the event ‘STOP the Health Care Bill Before Christmas! Rally’ on Grassroots in Nebraska!
 REMINDER!! RALLY TONIGHT AT 6PM + DON’T FORGET TO BOMBARD BEN ALL WEEK!
An interactive parking garage map of downtown has been added to the site!

 Time: December 22, 2009 from 6pm to 7:30pm
Location: Senator Ben Nelson’s Office
Organized By: Stubborn_Facts
Event Description:
NOTE ADDED 12/20 @7:00AM RALLY IS STILL ON!

For much more detail, visit THIS POST on the Grassroots in Nebraska website.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid is pushing for a vote on health care before Christmas.

**So YES, it is rather NUTS to try to do a rally on 12/22 in <32 degree weather…in the evening.**

BUT…if there is ANY chance we can impact this bill, it really comes down to US in Nebraska –

Senator Ben Nelson, by all accounts is the KEY vote on this bill and has voiced his unwillingness to vote for it in its present form, including federal funding for abortion.

Sen. David Vitter (LA) an executive member of the Senate Republican Steering Committee, advised on a 12/17 conference call with grassroots organizers from several states that some large, visible rally in Nebraska with media attention may well have some impact on Senator Nelson. He is already under a lot of pressure.

He also said if we could get national media attention that would be very helpful.

The other organizers on the call offered their support by way of encouraging whoever could possibly come from their states, spreading the word, gathering national media contact information they have, and by donating money for us to run an ad campaign about the rally (see below).

Chris Comeaux from Tea Party of Louisiana has made plans to travel to Lincoln to help on Monday and Tuesday. I have heard from a couple of other organizers that they are trying to work things out so they can come also.

PLEASE – DRESS WARMLY!!

We already have….
Lights
Sound system
Gary!

So we need YOU and for you to drag as many people along as you can – and could use HELP, especially in getting the word out, and participating in flyer distribution we are arranging.

IF you want to help, leave a comment below.

If you need sign ideas, see this POST.

Facebook event
NOTICE
For this limited purpose we ARE trying to raise money to run ads on TV, radio, and print on Monday and Tuesday. There is a donate button on the Grassroots in Nebraska website for this purpose.
Once this event is over, the button will come down.

See more details and RSVP on Grassroots in Nebraska:
http://netcot.ning.com/events/event/show?id=2776060%3AEvent%3A9986&xgi=4jZ0mQbLf1CHZU&xg_source=msg_invite_event

Ben Nelson, Grassroots in Nebraska, December 22, 2009, Keep the pressure on Senator Nelson, Vote no, Health Care Bill, Harry Reid bribes

From Grassroots in Nebraska, December 22, 2009.

A message to all members of Grassroots in Nebraska
Bombard Ben Nelson

Let’s keep the pressure on Senator Nelson through Wednesday!

Besides the rally scheduled for Tuesday (see below), we need people to call, fax, email and make personal visits to his offices. Apparently, there has been a very orchestrated effort by groups who are in favor of the bill to bombard him.

YES you will have difficulty getting through but please keep trying.
If there is anytime when we are going to exert effort in the way it is NOW.

IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN COORDINATING AN ONGOING PRESENCE DURING BUSINESS HOURS (INCLUDING A PICKET LINE WITH SIGNS) AT THE LINCOLN OFFICE, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT AND WE WILL GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU

Contact information:

Senator Ben Nelson

Website http://bennelson.senate.gov/ (includes Email contact form)

Omaha
7602 Pacific St.
Ste 205
Omaha, NE 68114
Tel: (402) 391-3411
Fax: (402) 391-4725

Lincoln
440 North 8th Street
Suite 120
Lincoln, NE 68508
Tel: (402) 441-4600
Fax: (402) 476-8753

Washington, D.C.
720 Hart Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-6551
Fax: (202) 228-0012

Scottsbluff
Tel: (308) 631-7614

Kearney
Tel: (308) 293-5818

South Sioux City
Tel: (402) 209-3595

This event is posted on Facebook

Tuesday’s Rally Event on…
PLEASE NOTICE FLYERS ATTACHED IF YOU HAVE TIME TODAY – PLEASE PASS SOME OUT
PLEASE Dress warmly for this evening!
Bring signs. Check out the Signs and Slogans tab on the website if you need more ideas.

Be sure to check out the YOUTUBE Video for the rally. Rally Video


This ad MAY run sometime today on radio or TV – with the situation on a short tether and so fluid, nailing pre-rally ads down has been a challenge.
If this ad doesn’t run, we will place ads for Wednesday that are generally aimed at Nelson’s decision.
Visit Grassroots in Nebraska at: http://netcot.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

Parker Griffith Republican congressman, Griffith switches to GOP, Alabama representative Griffith at odds with Democrat Party, Health care bill, Huntsville AL district

From Politico, December 22, 2009.

“Rep. Parker Griffith switches to GOP”

“POLITICO learns Rep. Parker Griffith will announce today that he’s switching parties to become a Republican.”

“POLITICO has learned that Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, will announce today that he’s switching parties to become a Republican.
According to two senior GOP aides familiar with the decision, the announcement will take place this afternoon in Griffith’s district in northern Alabama.
Griffith’s party switch comes on the eve of a pivotal congressional health care vote and will send a jolt through a Democratic House Caucus that has already been unnerved by the recent retirements of a handful of members who, like Griffith, hail from districts that offer prime pickup opportunities for the GOP in 2010.
The switch represents a coup for the House Republican leadership, which had been courting Griffith since he publicly criticized the Democratic leadership in the wake of raucous town halls during the summer.
Griffith, who captured the seat in a close 2008 open seat contest, will become the first Republican to hold the historically Democratic, Huntsville-based district. A radiation oncologist who founded a cancer treatment center, Griffith plans to blast the Democratic health care bill as a prime reason for his decision to switch parties—and is expected to cite his medical background as his authority on the subject.”

“Signs of Griffith’s dissatisfaction with his party began to surface publicly during the summer recess, when he received an earful of criticism from constituents.
In August — one month after Republicans picked up his former state legislative seat in a special election — Griffith told a local newspaper that he wouldn’t vote for Nancy Pelosi to remain as House Speaker because she’s too divisive. He joked that if she didn’t like it, he’d provide her with a gift certificate to a mental health center.
He added that if the Democratic leadership wouldn’t commit to working in a more bipartisan manner, “perhaps we should look at altering that.””

Read more:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30896.html

Thanks to commenter Patriot Dreamer.

Senate cloture vote, December 21, 2009, 1:00 AM ET, Harry Reid, Ben Nelson, $470 billion Medicare cuts, $548 billion in new taxes next year

Jeff Schreiber does a great job over at America’s Right. Here is a great article about the rape of America that just took place while most of us were sleeping. Thanks Jeff.

“Is This For Real?

It’s 11:15 p.m. on a Sunday night. I’m in a king-size hotel room bed in Athens, GA with a snoozing wife and a three-year-old who is still singing “he sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake” despite the long, fun-filled day she had. It’s late. And, yet, on one side of my sister-in-law’s fancy MacBook Pro is a live stream from the floor of the United States Senate.

It’s 11:15 p.m. on a Sunday night. And Florida Sen. Bill Nelson is speaking, right now, on the floor about the Senate’s health care reform bill, which will be voted on in a little less than two hours from now. He’s talking about how private insurance companies will be forced to spend 85 cents out of every dollar on patient health care costs. Where, may I ask, does our federal government have the authority to mandate the capital structure of private companies? Where?

Why else would the lights even be on in the Capitol building unless our government is up to no good? This is legislation which will not even come into effect until 2014, two years after the next presidential election, and yet the Democrats feel it so essential to work through the night as the last weekend before Christmas comes to a close?

Most of America is fast asleep. Most of the people whom these senators represent, even if they wanted to pay attention, are sawing logs (probably not literally, though I’m sure there are a strange few) and catching winks in advance of a working Monday tomorrow. These people have no business whatsoever working right now. It might be different if they were burning the midnight oil in an attempt to save the nation with legislation that would have an immediate impact, but they are not — instead, they’re planning the destruction of our economy and health care system through legislation which will not take effect (other than the spending aspect of it) for another four years. If this is a great bill, if it is so necessary, and if the 60 percent or so of Americans who vigorously oppose it just don’t have their facts straight, then they should be debating it during the day, when most of America is awake and attentive.

12:06 a.m.

Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander made an excellent point — the reason they’re working now is because Harry Reid dropped a 400-page amendment on Friday, something that has been written and kept under the cover of darkness, and that they want to have it passed as part of the bill before Americans can figure out what’s in it.

I can count on the fingers of one hand when I’ve read 400 pages of anything in one day. One was Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park, which I read in the course of one night as a kid. Another was Bernie Goldberg’s Bias, which may not be 400 pages long, but was finished in the course of a single afternoon. Reading, digesting and researching 400 pages of legislative language in one day is nearly impossible.

Other things Alexander noted:
$470 billion over the next ten years will be cut out of Medicare, and about $1 trillion in total.
$548 billion in new taxes starting next year. So much for reducing joblessness. And the taxes on medical devices will be passed along to consumers, as will the increased regulation on private insurers, which will be passed along in the form of increased premiums. So much for reducing health care costs.

The CBO said that 9 million will lose employer-based insurance. So much for insuring everyone.
Changes the bi-partisan agreement not to federally fund abortion.

A political kamikaze mission toward an unfortunate mistake. Damaging to the Democrats, but worse for our country. Nicely put.”

“12:32 a.m.

Chris Dodd is up. I can’t even look at him, nonetheless listen to him, without getting irreversibly angry. The only time I want to see Christopher Dodd at 12:32 a.m., or frankly at any time of day, is if he’s wearing handcuffs. And not in a Barney Frank kind-of-way, either — I want to see Dodd being led into prison like Bernie Madoff.

More Ted Kennedy stuff. Good grief. If Ted Kennedy were a normal, everyday American in the aftermath of this legislation, he would have been cold and dead long before he passed with the benefit of the best health care that money can buy, the same health care innovation and ingenuity that the Democrats are poised to stifle, discourage and destroy.”

“12:54 a.m.

And, as if to show evidence of nothing good happening in Washington, D.C. at all, Harry Reid is up.

Every ten minutes, he says, another American dies because they don’t have health insurance. Oh, please. We have emergency rooms ready and able to care for illegal immigrants who have no identification, nonetheless insurance. What’s going to happen is that Americans are going to die because Democrats destroyed the American health care system. What’s going to happen is that Americans are going to die while waiting for six months for a biopsy.

I will dance a jig in my new living room next November when Fox News Channel calls the Nevada election for whomever is running against Reid. And then I’ll switch over to MSNBC–just for a moment–to watch them call it. In fact, I will keep champagne on ice to enjoy during his concession speech.

And, gosh darn it, health care is NOT a fundamental right. Freedom is a fundamental right, and what they are doing right now is destroying freedom in the name of the perpetuation of power.”

“1:08 a.m.

Here goes. Cloture on Reid’s amendment, and the vote which sets up a Christmas Eve vote on the destruction of American freedom and prosperity. I mean, seriously? They need to tear these people away from their families, just so Americans from coast to coast will be too busy eating dinner and enjoying their own families to notice?

Bayh is an “aye.” Burris is an “aye.” Byrd has been dusted off and wheeled in; he’s an “aye.” Bob Casey, supposedly a pro-life Democrat, is an “aye” to a bill which federally funds abortions. Susan Collins votes “no.”

Lieberman? Aye.

Lincoln? Aye.

Landrieu? Aye.

Nelson? Aye. Unreal.

Cloture passes by a vote of 60 to 40. At 1:18 a.m. Procedural votes will come at 7:00 a.m. Tuesday and 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The vote for final passage will come at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday night. That’s Christmas Eve. It seems America will be getting a lump of coal in her stocking this year, and from this year on.”

This is a must read and please pass this on:

http://www.americasright.com/2009/12/is-this-for-real.html

Citizen Wells

Next election

Lieberman voted out, Aye.

Lincoln voted out, Aye.

Landrieu voted out, Aye

Reid voted out, Aye!!!!!

Thanks CW commenters.