Let me respond to a couple of points that have been made on the other side. You will hear opponents of this amendment say it will give all kinds of rights to terrorist masterminds, such as Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. But that is not true. The irony of the underlying bill as it is written is that someone like Khalid Shaikh Mohammed is going to get basically a full military trial, with all of the bells and whistles. He will have counsel, he will be able to present evidence, and he will be able to rebut the Government’s case. The feeling is that he is guilty of a war crime and to do otherwise might violate some of our agreements under the Geneva Conventions. I think that is good, that we are going to provide him with some procedure and process. I think we will convict him, and I think he will be brought to justice. I think justice will be carried out in his case.
Grassley objects to Health and Human Services Web site
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, says the Obama administration may be illegally using government money to spread “propaganda” about health care reform.
In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Grassley complained about the agency’s Web site.
The site includes a button called “State Your Support for health reform this year.”
The link leads to a form letter calling for reform in which people can leave their name and contact information.
“The use of the official HHS.gov Web site for activities that seem to be nothing more than government propaganda raises serious questions,” he said in the letter..[...]
Grassley warns: “Any possible misuses of appropriated funds by the executive branch to engage in publicity or propaganda in support of an administration priority is a matter that must be taken seriously.” He references House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s argument in 2005 that the use of official funds for similar activities were “underhanded tactics” that “are not worthy of our great democracy.”
An HHS spokesman told Roll Call newspaper that officials look forward to discussing the issue with Senator Grassley.
Lets have a look at what Senator Grassley is speaking of. The pledge to Obama and democrat health care reform at Health Reform.gov (Which is BTW “An official U.S. Government Web site managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services”)
The form letter:
State Your Support
Dear Mr. President,
We strongly support your commitment to comprehensive health reform.
This is not a luxury. The continuing, sharp escalation of health care costs for families, businesses, and government is unsustainable. Reform is imperative.
We believe that health reform must be enacted this year.
Reform is needed to help America’s families struggling with rising costs and those who are losing their insurance. At the same time, real health reform is crucial to keeping American businesses competitive in the world economy and for the country’s long-term economic viability. As our country faces economic challenges, the time for reform is now.
We support health reform that follows these principles:
* Protect families’ financial health
* Assure affordable, quality health coverage for all Americans
* Provide portability of coverage
* Guarantee choice of doctors
* Invest in prevention and wellness
* Improve patient safety and quality of care
* End barriers to coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions
* Reduce long-term growth of health costs for businesses and government
During these extraordinarily challenging times, we need to put aside past differences and address the health and economic crisis. Our shared interest must come before narrow interests so we can achieve a health system that is affordable and provides high quality for all Americans. We will support your budget with its reserve fund dedicated to achieving health care reform in a fiscally responsible manner. Each of us must be prepared to contribute to achieving this fundamental goal.
By signing this statement we affirm our commitment to work with you and our Congressional leaders to enact legislation this year which provides affordable, high quality coverage for all Americans.
Now let’s compare the plans above as posted on Health Reform.gov to Obama’s plan.
Health Care
The President’s Plan
The Administration believes that comprehensive health reform should:
* Reduce long-term growth of health care costs for businesses and government
* Protect families from bankruptcy or debt because of health care costs
* Guarantee choice of doctors and health plans
* Invest in prevention and wellness
* Improve patient safety and quality of care
* Assure affordable, quality health coverage for all Americans
* Maintain coverage when you change or lose your job
* End barriers to coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions
The “State your Support” link urges no one to contact Congress. Instead, it offers citizens the opportunity to tell the President whether they agree with his position. Thus, the “State your Support” link does not violate this aspect of the law, either.
“Instead, it offers citizens the opportunity to tell the President whether they agree with his position.”
This statement in the Sibelius letter appears to be untrue or misleading at best. As I understand it, the site gives the public the option only of “telling” Obama it supports him.
It is also at best an evasion for Sibelius to defend the site on the ground that it doesn’t directly ask the public to lobby Congress. First, of course, they obviously hope and expect it will lead people to lobby Congress, and the site was set up in conjunction with the astro-turfing effort of the Obama political operation which expressly is asking people to call Congress. Second, the obvious goal is to have Obama supporters express their support to the White House, which will then cite the number of supporting replies to Congress. Unless someone is going to suggest Obama is actually doing this to see what the public actually thinks. Who wants to suggest that is what he is doing? Why, then, is the only option to reply with one’s support?
Exactly…
Case in point:
By signing this statement we affirm our commitment to work with you and our Congressional leaders to enact legislation this year which provides affordable, high quality coverage for all Americans.
Keep it up Team Obama you are inspiring less of America with each passing day.
And adding to this outrage, we learned this week that even as they petitioned for taxpayer assistance, Wall Street firms shamefully paid out nearly $20 billion in bonuses for 2008. While I’m committed to doing what it takes to maintain the flow of credit, the American people will not excuse or tolerate such arrogance and greed. The road to recovery demands that we all act responsibly, from Main Street to Washington to Wall Street.
- Barack Obama weekly address Jan 31st, 2009
Wall Street greed was fine and dandy when greedy Wall Street profiteers were using their profits to fund Barack Obama’s presidential run.
It was one year ago that we experienced just such a crisis. As investors and pension-holders watched with dread and dismay, and after a series of emergency meetings often conducted in the dead of the night, several of the world’s largest and oldest financial institutions had fallen, either bankrupt, bought, or bailed out: Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, AIG, Washington Mutual, Wachovia. A week before this began, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had been taken over by the government. Other large firms teetered on the brink of insolvency. Credit markets froze as banks refused to lend not only to families and businesses but to one another. Five trillion dollars of Americans’ household wealth evaporated in the span of just three months.
Unfortunately, there are some in the financial industry who are misreading this moment. Instead of learning the lessons of Lehman and the crisis from which we are still recovering, they are choosing to ignore them. They do so not just at their own peril, but at our nation’s. So I want them to hear my words: We will not go back to the days of reckless behavior and unchecked excess at the heart of this crisis, where too many were motivated only by the appetite for quick kills and bloated bonuses. Those on Wall Street cannot resume taking risks without regard for consequences, and expect that next time, American taxpayers will be there to break their fall.
Conservative girl next door. I am a pissed off red head.
Fear my wrath, or come along for the ride. Choose your side.
Free will, truth and the freedom of speech are my weapons of choice.
"...But if a believer demands that I, as a nonbeliever, observe his taboos in the public domain, he is not asking for my respect, but for my submission. And that is incompatible with a secular democracy."
- Flemming Rose
"lan astaslem"
I will not submit.
I will not surrender.
A Refresher Course...For Those In Denial
"Above all, the devil cannot stand to be mocked" - C.S.Lewis
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