What would the week be without the GOP attacking the Dems for missed opportunities, foibles and political faux pas? Clearly, the “Betray Us” (discounted) ad run by Moveon.org sucked up political oxygen on Capital Hill. And the New York Times now says "it was a mistake to discount the ad!" What? How convenient for this bonfire fuel and bombshell idea cum laude. As I said before, it's GOP over Dems when it comes to machinations and spitting out unstoppable spin. Moveon.org’s Pariser should have saved the money and themselves much grief by securing solid endorsements for a candidate or hosted a hot party, hot debate, or something, but an expensive (discounted) ad…please, you can do better than that.
In case you missed the Democratic debate on health care here is a link with a summary and the positions six of the candidates are putting forth. Heloise pointed out in her debate article that not one candidate, nor the host, Judy Woodruff, raised the question of whether or not illegal immigrants were a part of the universal health care equation. In an interview with George Stephanopoulos Sunday morning, Hillary said, without missing a beat: “They are not included in my health care plan.” And if you look at her plan, there is no way that they could be based on everyone having to be a registered user or already have some type of plan, where available.
However, I wanted to suggest, as another senator already has, that the tax code be used to get everyone into the system. But that will not exclude illegal aliens, because by law they can pay into and collect social security and live here or in Mexico. Explicitly, they are not a part of the system, but implicitly they are. They will get de facto health care inclusion; believe me. Just as their children enjoy free and legal participation in the education process, even to the exclusion of some American citizens, not to mention lifetime anchor-baby status. So, I wouldn’t shed any tears for illegal aliens just yet on this issue.
Article comments
1 - bliffle
The republicans are trying to use this "General Betray us" noise as a red herring to distract from their own failures, but they may have overplayed their hand since it could result in a discussion of the quality of the US Military General Officer staff. Most people would like to believe that the top officers are a noble bunch, but IMO we have had a pretty poor bunch of self-centered bumblers for a very long time. And the military system shows very few signs of being able to fix it's own problems.
Personally, I am no more willing to grant saint status to a General Officer than I am to any other politician.
2 - Clavos
"...but IMO we have had a pretty poor bunch of self-centered bumblers for a very long time."
Agreed.
Going all the way back to Macarthur, and continuing with Westmoreland.
3 - Andy Marsh
Where's MCH with his list of medals for Petreaus??? Figured as much! Apparently, only when it suits HIS argument.
4 - Clavos
He's out on a street corner challenging passers-by to a boxing match.
Or maybe studying for his GED.
5 - dee
What # general was this? Because Americans have the attention span of children they have forgot that Bush kept replacing generals until he found one who would push his plan to stay in Iraq until he is out of office. I for one believe the ten or so before General Betray us who said clearly that this was not a war that could be won militarily. We have "surged" before, so this is hardly a new strategy and the children should be mad at Bush not Moveon, Bush is the one who pushed this guy into the political realm. As usual the dumb Americans get it wrong and blame the wrong person.
6 - bliffle
"War Is A Racket" claimed Gen. Smedley Butler.
7 - bliffle
"...attempted murder charges for a schoolyard fight involving six young black men and a white student."
There's a bit more to it than that.
But the question I have is: does Jena usually handle schoolyard fights like this? Do they always file murder charges? Have they ever, in the past?
8 - bliffle
"“The War” the other war, by Ken Burns also burnt up the hot list of searches.... Some flak has been created because he left out one little detail: Mexican-Americans who fought and died in the war. "
Isn't this a little egregious? Are we now going to see a special addendum on the contributions of Norwegian-Americans, and then the contribution of Yugoslavian-Americans? Perhaps Canadian-Americans?
9 - JustOneMan
gee how come Jesse Jerk-off and Al "Tawana Brawley" Sharton werent marching to save those poor deprived Italian boys in Howard Beach???
JOM
10 - Michael J. West
To be sure, Ken had a mea culpa moment, and after a little soul searching did a little editing of his PBS epic to post-haste include Hispanics and Native Americans.
No he didn't. He allowed short documentary pieces on Native Americans and Mexican Americans to be broadcast on PBS immediately preceding his own documentary. He didn't edit his epic at all.
11 - JustOneMan
Why didnt PBS demand "short documentary pieces" aka "historical revisionism and special treatment" for other groups...
Italian Americans
Irish Americans
Polish Americans
German Americans
Gay Americans
Lesbian Americans
Transgendered Americans
Mixed Race Americans
White Male Americans
White Female Americans
More proof that political correctness is out of control...
JOM
12 - bliffle
I'm looking forward to that Canadian-american segment. I mean, after all, for a moment we can let canucks pretend that they're real americans, just like we did with blacks in WW2.
We can take it back afterwards. There's historical precedent.
13 - 5
Not only is there almost no coverage in the corporate media of black violent crimes against white people, but in high profile cases they proffer the black criminals as 'real victims'.
To illustrate the bias, imagine if the facts were reversed - if a gang of six white kids led by someone with four previous convictions for violent-crime had attacked a lone black student, kicking and stomping him into unconsciousness. As far as the corporate media are concerned, they would be interviewing the black victim on every TV talk show across the land, discussing his fear, his pain, his suffering. They would be interviewing his crying relatives and friends. They would not be voicing any fear that the white attackers would be treated too harshly, or even that they would be treated at all.
No one knows who hung up those nooses, but clearly 'white racists' lost out the most from it.
14 - Les Slater
"No one knows who hung up those nooses, but clearly 'white racists' lost out the most from it."
What a piece of racist shit!
15 - Heloise
Update from "The Statesman" Austin paper:
Ken Burns added some 30 minutes to his film. That's still editing, not merely an afterthought or an after ran. He added it, but Mexicans were not satisfied because it was not in the original and it was not very long to boot.
"Many carried signs that read "Racism by Omission" and "We Were There." Several speakers called the 28 minutes of footage of two Latino veterans added to the 16-hour movie after concerns were raised "unacceptable."
"My son should not have to stand in a rally to learn" about the contributions Hispanics made to the war, said Austin City Council Member Mike Martinez, whose grandfather fought in World War II. "He should be able to see it on TV like any other kid."
"More than 500,000 Hispanics fought in the war, and Hispanics have earned more Medals of Honor than any other ethnic group, said League of United Latin American Citizens national President Rosa Rosales." Statesman
16 - Zedd
Heloise,
You write like a gossip columnist.
On the Jena thing. I am offended by the use of the tag "Jena Six" as in the Little Rock Nine. Hardly!!! One of the biggest deterrents to African Americans getting their message out is the tendency to OVERSTATE. What should have happened is a loud and continuous admonition of those boys for their brutal conduct. We have all sorts of crime and disorder in the inner city. Making martyrs out of this lot is the wrong thing to do. What the focus should have been is the system around this entire situation. That should have been bull horned so that all Americans understand what racism is. What the theatrics do is fog the issue and water down the serious nature of our issues with race.
Just as many White Americans went nuts with Reagan or 911 and reacted ignorantly with a lot of unrelated hype, many Black people get distracted on the emotions and end up dummying down the real issues and end up looking like dummies (major flush). Thankfully, those actions don't end up with hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis.
17 - Heloise
Zedd, thanks, I think for the funny comment. Yes, JFK was known for his love of the journalist tendency to gossip. I got it bad what can I say? You are right in your observation. Is that why columnists and ad writers are imitating me? They are also imitating black people. Messy, and drama are words that black folks love to say and use, and now everyone is saying and writing it. Never saw that before.
We are dramatic and given to exaggeration and hyperbole. I agree.
More later
Heloise