The Party of...

I was about to write about the "Party of No," morphing into the "Party of Slow," in regard to their whining and crying about being rushed to confirm Judge Sonya, but then there's the "Party of Jello," as in the continuing saga of the party in search of(?) a spine: The Democrats and their lack of a stand on health care.

I give Ed Schultze credit for his introductory rant and rave to open his radio show yesterday. I've been pissed in the past at Ed for being a Bush-Toady like Obama water carrier. I will never forgive Obama for helping to pass the Freedom Is Superfluous Act, and I get sicker by the day as Obama continues to further trash the Constitution, in grand Bush fashion, by helping to whitewash Bush's torture regime. Ed gave Obama a free pass in the first case, and a couple of weeks ago, I called him on the carpet for continuing to do so.

Apparently I wasn't the only one pissed at Ed; yesterday he knocked it out of the park. In a nutshell: Grow a pair Dems. You're the MAJORITY. Act like it. Do what you were elected to do. If the refuckyoucans want to obstruct, make them go all the way. Make them filibuster. And not just for one night. Make them show their true colors. Act like you represent the American people for once.

I know Ed feels in part that there's no point in trashing Obama, since the refucks are already all too ready, willing, able and happy to do so. But we're not Refucks. We're better than them. We have principles. Unlike them, we'd rather DO good, than look good. We'd rather DO right than appear right. Or at least that's how I believe it should be.

I don't know where you can go to hear his rant, but it's got to be out there in a podcast or some such thing. It's well worth a listen.

Put that in line with Thom Hartmann today. A little more calm and subdued, but no less urgent: Call your Senators and Representative and let them know your preference for a single payer healthcare option. I did so, and I'll write up the results in the morning. I was NOT totally pleased.

You know, If you're not insured through your employer, and you need a coronary bypass or some such procedure, assuming you don't plan to roll over and die, you have three options:

1) Spend the rest of your life in debt
2) Go bankrupt*
3) Commit a crime and go to prison where health care is provided.

*Oooopppsss.... can't do that any more. Not since our Obama's vice preznit got together with Bill Frist to take care of the Frist family's Hospital Corporation of America through "reform." They left us the prison option. And homelessness. So sweet of them. So... My calls...

First I called Jim McDermott. Good old Bagdad Jim. (and I use that as a term of endearment) According to his aid, he's been in favor of Single payer since... I forget the year. 93...?

Next up was Patty Murray. She's in favor of the "public option." According to her aid, she can't/won't back single payer because there isn't the backing necessary to pass it. 'scusa me... The way something gets the backing it needs to pass is by people backing it. It gets lonely out there in the lead sometimes. You're not a rookie Ms Murray. This is your third term. Lead. Secondly, the public option is a compromise position. You don't start the negotiations at the compromise. That's where you end up. You start by shooting for the moon.

And finally, Maria Cantwell: No position as yet. WTF? ?...but as she's a member of the Senate finance committee..." The Committee chaired by Max Baucus? Yes. Who didn't include anyone representing single payer insurance to the hearings on reform? Yes. The one who had defenders of single payer insurance arrested? Uhhhhh... Has she voiced an opinion, issued a statement on those arrests? Uhhhhh...

and she has no opinion. Way to go Ms Maria. I really wish we could get rid of you.