Jake Tapper’s on top of the news again, reporting on the new start up of the old campaign staff. Yes, folks, in the wake of the much misinterpreted and desperately spun MA special election loss, David Plouffe… Obama campaign manger and mastermind of the Greek columns staging… is back on the payroll. If you thought Obama or the DNC accurately “heard” the message of the MA voters, you thought wrong.
Oh yes, Obama got in front of the cameras to announce a hold on the proceedings until Scott Brown gets seated. He said all the words to give the impression that he suddenly became astute to the nation’s wishes… but then he sent his henchman, Rahm’bo, behind the scenes to solicit Pelosi on the feasibility of passing the Senate bill as written. Whoops… no go there.
As a master of media manipulation, Obama refocused the headlines… this time on a front line assault on the banks. But I have no doubts the back rooms were busy with a new tact on the old agenda…. how to repackage the box of manure called healthcare for public consumption.
Enter the old campaign face – David Plouffe – specifically setting up camp with the DNC for new and improved spin.
“Plouffe is one of the smartest guys in the business, he has the full trust of the President and his team, and we appreciate any and all help he can give us,” White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer said. “This is a very challenging political environment and you want all the best players on the field.”
In the wake of the loss of the Massachusetts Senate seat — the first time a Republican has been elected to represent the Bay State since 1972, when President Obama was 11 — the president has ordered a review of the Democratic Party’s entire political operation.In addition to the return of top aides such as Plouffe, other mid-level operatives from the 2008 Obama campaign who helped bring candidate Obama victories in Iowa and in Feb. 5 “Super Tuesday” primary states, will be enlisted to work on campaigns to keep expected Democratic losses to a minimum, aides said.
My guess is we can assume this will fall into the “jobs created” math for this POTUS. For indeed, they are assuring the current operatives they are not being replaced, but “augmented”.
Tapper’s crackerjack news bulletin hits the media waves today, and already Plouffe is busy earning his keep with his first op-ed in WaPo today.
With few exceptions, the first off-year election in a new president’s term has led to big gains for the minority party — this was true for Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. After two election cycles in which Democrats won most of the close races and almost all of the big ones, Democrats have much more fragile turf to defend this year than usual. Add to that a historic economic crisis, stubborn unemployment and the pain that both have inflicted on millions of Americans, and you have a recipe for a white-knuckled ride for many of our candidates.
But not if Democrats do what the American people sent them to Washington to do.
In 2006 and 2008, voters sent an unmistakable message: We want decisive change. This was not just a change of political parties. Instead of a government that works for the entitled and special interests, a government that looks out for Wall Street, they wanted a government that works better for them, a government that plays the role it should to help foster the security of the middle class.
~~~[Mata musing: talking points headlines of op-ed below] — Pass a meaningful health insurance reform package without delay.
— We need to show that we not just are focused on jobs but also create them.
— Make sure voters understand what the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act did for the economy.
— Don’t accept any lectures on spending.
— “Change” is not just about policies.
— Run great campaigns.
— No bed-wetting.
Let’s remember why we won in 2008 and deliver on what we promised. If Democrats will show the country we can lead when it’s hard, we may not have perfect election results, but November will be nothing like the nightmare that talking heads have forecast.
My my… sounds like a more succinct version of the Dem talking points, post Brown, that I mentioned in my post, The Rise and Fall of BHO a few days ago. And typical Plouffe style, it’s dumbed down for the masses for maximum effect.
Despite the MA election results, neither Obama, nor the Dem Congress, is willing to let the House/Senate attempts at “remaking” healthcare go without a serious battle. Even one that is simmering below the media radar. So topping the list is the favored spin supporting the status quo … you know, the one that says MA voters are just beside themselves with fury that the Dems didn’t pass national healthcare by the special election date, or it’s a misunderstood policy victim.
Now what feeble brained amoeba could buy that argument with a straight face? (assuming, of course, a feeble brained amoeba has a face at all….).
As Plouffe’s “drive ’em home” #1 talking point on health care summarizes:
Only if the plan becomes law will the American people see that all the scary things Sarah Palin and others have predicted — such as the so-called death panels — were baseless. We own the bill and the health-care votes. We need to get some of the upside. (P.S.: Health care is a jobs creator.)
Remember that line… we’re apt to hear the increased tie between “jobs” and “healthcare” coming up big time. Less overt will be that “trust us, it’s really gonna work” bit.
Since I’m going to ignore the other BS talking points and focus mainly on healthcare here, let’s examine what the Dems persistently refuse to accept. And that is the spectrum of those opposed to this plan are as wide as the political spectrum itself. In this case, you have those on the far left just as unhappy with the propositions as you have with the far right. Despite the origin, the meaning of “no” still means “NO!”
The Brown win was, bar none, a testament to the less favored discussion on O’healthcare opposition… it’s infringement on the 10th Amendment and states’ rights. The MA voters want to kill national healthcare because they have their own… for good or bad… and don’t feel the need to pay for the rest of the states who haven’t found their own solutions.
This reality may chagrin a few conservatives who may wish to believe the blue state of MA suddenly found their “inner Joe Lieberman”, as the new phrase goes. But it doesn’t change the nation’s opinion…. there is no lack of reasons for why many oppose this diabolical monstrosity the Dem Congress has attempted to bring to life. Some because it is not a single-payer right out of the legislative gate, others because we see the financial drain on a nation’s wallet while doing nothing to curb medical costs to the patient. But the least discussed reason is the bastard step-child…. the unmitigated intrusion into what has been seen as overreaching economic expansion into the states fiscal responsibilities to their denizens.
States’ rights was the founding reason for the Cornhusker payola. Nebraska’s Nelson was saying that if you are going to rape the states, Nebraska can’t afford the contraception. What was possibly the most offensive about Nelson’s dirty deal was that he was okay with the rape… he just wanted to be recompensated for the act (which, it can be said, puts it into a totally different category altogether).
If you still reject this reason for a “nay” vote, you may want to consider that Louisiana is floating a bill to make O’national health care illegal in LA. California, despite it’s economic woes, is ready to pile on and follow MA suit by reviving a bill for CA single payer. This follows the same states’ rights pattern that Florida had when they introduced a bill amending the state’s Constitution last July, prohibiting the Feds from intruding on State territory.
Out of the norm extremist states, you think? Quite the contrary. The Tenth Amendment Center website tracks such legislation. And according to their website, 17 states have introduced legislation (still waiting in the process wings) to effectively nullify any federal healthcare. Four of them had failed legislative attempts: NM, MI, ND and WY. Arizona’s legislation has successfully passed one chamber as of this post.
The point here is that “no means no!”… despite the reasons. If we junk the current path, we may be able to find a bipartisan path that encompasses major issues like states rights and medical costs without giving the whole enchilada to Congress and the feds.
However, with the reappearance of Plouffe, the campaign stager, it’s more evident than ever that Obama and Dems have heard the nation… and will simply find a way to make the unpalatable… palatable.
Vietnam era Navy wife, indy/conservative, and an official California escapee now residing as a red speck in the sea of Oregon blue.
Like a selfish and stubborn child, the “Great One” cannot be convinced, even when he gets a good spanking, that his behavior is not acceptable to the others in his house. Obama is a true offspring of the New Left. Self centered, self absorbed and totally devoted to the rigid “trueness” of his own beliefs. Put simply, He ain’t gonna’ change, period.
It’s all Taqiyya
Has nobody figured it out yet? Obama is Muslim.
@John Cooper: Amen. His agenda is set and he’s been paid to bring down the USA. That explains pretty well why there’s no reasoning with the Left. They may have a few surprises in store though….everyone I know who did vote for him is finished with him (and all those people who wouldn’t talk to me are now trying to be friendly).
His little tantrum yesterday was laughable…as Rove pointed out on Fox.
I don’t understand. Since we’re going to see how good the bill is after it’s passed, why not just show it to us now? Most of the opposition will melt away. As smart as President Krishna is, I’m amazed he didn’t think of this.
Hitler said that ‘If I go down, you will go down with me” That was the state of mind of that lunatic murderer once he realised that he was loosing the war.
The same rethoric being used by our current President. Moreover, he hires a propaganda nobody thinking he can put Obamacare on the table again? These marxists good for nothing live in lala land and cannot understand the reality of the people in America.
Americans don’t want Obamacare now or ever.
Americans believe that the Supreme Court ruling on McCain-Feingold was correct, it was not court activism!
Americans don’t want a bank fee because they will be paying for it.
Americans don’t want KSM to be tried as a civilian in NY. He is a terrorist who killed 3,000 innocent people in America.
Pull yourself together and act like a real President and not like some Che Guevara or Jefe.
Too many Americans are suffering!
Love the post MataHarley. It shows how the nation making a bipartisan effort to fight the Baucus health care bill that had recently passed last month. Just like everyone else, I want to have a reliable health system to fall back on in case something unthinkable happens to me. But my country has plenty of reason to suspect that the Baucus bill lacks the qualities necessary for it to be considered reliable.
Take for example the parts from the finance committees version of the health care bill that both Democrats and Republicans had agreed, through negotiation, would be included on the bill prior to voting. Yet, they weren’t included, even though many people who scrutinized the bill said that the version was fiscally sound. The fact that Baucus didn’t revise his bill to include the provisions makes the absurd and mendacious claims that Republicans just want to kill the bill and not find any common ground a straw man, since this was a violation of the many months of negotiation, and it shows that the Democrats are the ones who care less for finding any common grounds.
This may very well be all about Cloward-Pivens as far as Obama is concerned.
As for the true believers, they actually think they lost MA because the didn’t get HCR rammed through.
When I heard people saying HCR was dead, I was hopeful, but doubtful. This is their dream, their lifelong goal. No setback will stop them from trying short of being voted out of office.
look did any of us think obama can handle no and rejection? come on! this man isn’t clinton. he is desperate and reaching out for the ole what he hopes is tried and true. he hopes and prays it works but it won’t. he is in denial.
does that mean that their pathetic attempts to bring back the dog and pony show from last year will work? Heck NO! i don’t know anyone who wants that jerk in the wh.
now let’s just move on and pick out who else we are kicking out of power who doesn’t give a dang about us. let’s know be concerning with these lying, self involved idiots. let’s get rid of them.
For those who voted for the Marxist, the Bard wrote Sonnet 129 to make you feel even more wretched: although it is a poem that describes the regret felt in the morning after a night of lust, it works well for the voter who cast his vote is a state of passion who realizes he has been deceived; for he who views himself as the seducer, realizes that he is the seduced.
Sonnet 129
Th’ expense of spirit in a waste of shame
Is lust in action; and till action, lust
Is perjured, murd’rous, bloody, full of blame,
Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust,
Enjoyed no sooner but despised straight
Past reason hunted, and no sooer had
Past reason hated as a swallowed bait
On purpose laid to make the taker mad;
Mad in pursuit and in possession so,…
A bliss in proof and proved a very woe,
Before a joy proposed; behind, a dream.
All this the world well knows, yet none knows well
To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell.
Translation:
You waste your soul in pursuit of lust
merely the act of sex in its wildness
And before lust you are guilty of swearing false oaths of love
and it makes you savage, violent, brutal, cruel, someone who can’t be trusted
As soon as lust is over, you regret your actions
Without reason or logic, lust hunts its prey
There is no logic or reason for why you hate yourself for satisfying your lust
Its like a bait that’s laid out to make the swallower mad with desire
The hunt makes you insane and the possession makes you just as insane
Although the act of lust is bliss, it leaves you wretched.
Before you do it it is exciting, but afterwards, it’s a fleeting moment that means nothing.
All this, everyone one knows well, but no one is wise enough to shun lust that leads them to this hell.
I didn’t vote for Odumbo!
But we need O’Bunko-care to fight all those evil special interests…
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Coakley-in-trouble-Pharma-and-HMO-lobbyists-to-the-rescue-81067542.html
…and stuff.
If you believe that, then there’s a great new product you might be interested in buying…
http://arewelumberjacks.blogspot.com/2010/01/encabulator-explained.html
I’ll bet you’ll want to take this survey!
http://therightcafe.blogspot.com/2009/11/second-amendment-means.html
You will probably also be pleased with the result.
ZERO comes up with zeros.
One thing you have to admire about the Dems. They are persistent. If we were as organized and as pushy, we would not only be able to thwart them, but to accomplish a lot of good.
As I told you folks yesterday, the Pied Piper of Chicago is not going to change directions. Quite the contrary. He is now dusting off Plouffe so Plouffe can spin his magic once again. After all, the team (Axelrod, Plouffe, etc) convinced over 50% of American voters that all that hopeychange was based in some mythical substance.
Obama’s Ohio speech was angry. That is the best you can say for it. He is angry that a navy blue state like Massachussets rejected his agenda. He is angry that those voters didn’t understand that he knows better what is good for him. He said “this is not about me”. Well, yes, Mr. President, it has always been about you, and your policies and agenda. And I am sure the people of Ohio understand that, although you seemed lost in your anger and mistakenly referred to their state as Michigan.
I have heard a number of pundits say Obama will tack to the center now, much as Clinton did in 1994. Wrong. Obama is now going to pull out all the stops to do what ever it takes to get the hallmark of his presidency enacted. Man the torpedos, full steam ahead.
But he does have one little problem; the 10th Amendment. And that is not going to be an easy hurdle to jump because people understand that it doesn’t matter who is picking their pocket (the state or the federal government), they have less money just the same and the attempt to dump a large portion of the cost of Obamacare onto the states will be met with strong resistance.
I present to you the closing statement of Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott in his Jan. 4,2010 letter to Senators Cornyn and Hutchison:
“But because H.R. 3590 will not be reconciled in the open — where it would be subjected to additional constitutional scrutiny–we will continue to monitor this legislation for developments that unlawfully discriminate against the State of Texas or are inconsistant with the U.S. Constitution and the principals of federalism (the 10th Amendment). Additionally, we will continue working with the bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general–including the group recently convened by Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum–that has coalesced to monitor and reveiw the constitutional issues associated with this legislation.”
Abbott says in his letter that there are many unconstititional aspects of the bill, but he specifically addresses the Cornhusker Kickback.
As I told you yesterday, Juan William’s statement that “Americans love entitlements” is reflective of the thinking of the left. They truely believe that Americans want to be taken care of. So it really doesn’t matter that Americans don’t want Obamacare, it only matters that those like Plouffe can convince us that we do.
Obama understand that his entire first term hinges on Obamacare. He has failed in everything he has attempted to do (even getting bitch slapped by tiny Honduras) and he can’t afford to fail on his signature cause.
obama has already failed his signature cause. tick tock, he has run out of time. who knew he would be a lame duck his first year! yeah, he’ll squak and carry on trying out his old games. look for charges of racism coming out soon. the tired and true with him! sure some of the easily manipulated will trot out with their victim schick, but it won’t work this time. cry wolf too many times and then no one cares anymore.
Well, Obama rhetoricked about “bipartisanship” and there ya go: bipartisan support in opposition.
@John Cooper:
And how did you figure this out? And what if he were….
so what?
Obama & his merry band are used car salesmen/women. The Bill does not pass the smell test.
Someone needs to tell them all that the more it gets kicked around the more it stinks and some of them may be unemployed come November if they keep it up. Fresh lipstick on that pig does not make it any more appealing.
There are much more pressing issues at hand like the economy and private sector jobs.
@Old Trooper 2:
“some of them may be unemployed come November”
If they are willing to support something that bad, I wouldn’t want them around after November if they merely change their minds out of dire political expediency. What happens when they feel safe again? They’ll go back to what they know best, screwing the voters who foolishly trusted them.
yonason, You have them pegged. The Constitutional issues alone should have them gun shy on this piece of crap. It may take a SCOTUS ruling to bring these fools and the fool in the oval office to their senses. Constitutional Scholar indeed!
There are 10th Amendment limits to this sort of nonsense. There always have been since the Constitution was ratified. The .gov need their a$$es kicked up around their ears occasionally just to remind them who they work for.
I know you guys don’t like the NYT, but here’s their latest editorial, that sheds a different perspective on this…
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/opinion/26tues1.html?ref=opinion
It’s not really a “different” perspective, Cary. The far left want Obama to push thru unpopular legislation any way possible, including bypassing traditional legislative processes. You will note that the day after Krugman blogged that Obama “wasn’t the one they were waiting for…”, he penned a NYTs column begging him to do just that… ram it thru. Period. This is the standard plea from those who want this bill as law at any cost. And Krugman’s column was four days prior to the NYTs official editorial.
Now, I’m not sure why any American, despite their opinions, want to encourage Congress to ignore the electorate, and do bills in the dark of night via sleazy methods. Today they may do that for a bill you like. But what about tomorrow, when it’s a bill you don’t?
Sanctioning this type of behavior by our legislative branch is dangerous.
Ignoring the Electorate has a major consequence attached. Unless the Elected official chooses retirement He / She has the opportunity to get their @ss handed to them at Town Hall Meetings and will be at the mercy of the Voters in the next election. Ask Tom Daschle about that. That is how elections have historically worked.
I have a feeling that the message is becoming abundantly clear on that. There are term limits, 2 years for Congress and 6 years for the Senate then the Voters can either retain their services or kick them to the curb. The same for the temporary resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Neither the Legislative or Executive Branches are immune from those consequences.
A President that acts in poor judgment in either Foreign or Domestic Policy and loses his parties Majority in the Legislative Branch gets a very rude awakening and life just got more complicated. Just losing the Majority in Congress means that some things just won’t get funded. Losing the Majority in the Senate means that Judicial Candidates don’t get confirmed, Treaties don’t get ratified and other unpleasant things can happen. Woodrow Wilson’s League of Nations was doomed for that reason.
There are other examples a’plenty on Elections having consequences. It brings to mind an old quote that I heard over 40 years ago about the Sun not shining on the same dog’s backside every day. Promises about vetoing Earmarks, no Lobbyists in this Administration, Transparency, Legislative Bills posted on the internet and CSPAN coverage of House and Senate sessions can come back to bite. The problem with Liars is that they have to remember the last lie they told and who they told it to.
Nuff Said.
Now, on Reconciliation to ram the Obama Care mischief through.
GOP Strategy: Derail Health Bill Reconciliation Fix With “Free For All” Of Amendments
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/senate-republicans/gop-strategy-derail-health-bill-reconciliation-fix-with-free-for-all-of-amendments/
“If you bring a reconciliation bill to the Senate, it’s a free for all of amendments,” the GOP aide said, cautioning that this was only part of the overall strategy. “There is no way to limit the number of amendments that are voted on. You can’t close debate. Democrats will have to vote on every politically perilous amendment that you can possibly think of.”
“The aide described the planned GOP strategy as a “free for all of amendments,” vowing Dems would face “a mountain of amendments so politically toxic they’ll make the first health debate look like a post office naming.”
**********************************************************
That is a legitimate procedure and process that is both legal and possible and Harry Reid knows it.
Reconciliation as a strategy to pass Obama Care is like Brer Rabbit playing with the Tar Baby.
Not to worry about a filibuster. The Bill either becomes true Reform or no Reconciliation.
@Old Trooper 2:
Whew! jam packed couple of statements you have for us already OT! Thanks a plenty!
One of the many things I detest about Obama, his lying……from the beginning he blatantly lied, he even brought lies from out on the campaign to Pennsylvania Ave.
There was a website, I think it was called ObamaLies,(magine that) keeping track of the lying, they had quite a page full– listed and sourced that I would check in on during the first few months of his coronation.
From the moment he got the keys, he was president of the left, period. His followers were so stoned on him, and as we all know, have spent plenty of time defending, lashing out and attacking the unbelievers. He never had to care about remembering the lies, the riff raff keeping tabs, irrelevant.
You take care of your good self, have a special day!
Missy, I have a couple of hours to kill. I’m waiting on a flight to Qatar for a meeting with some CENTCOM folks that want to chew the fat on some issues. These things are usually pretty boring events but there is a Baskin Robbins ice cream shop there so it won’t be a wasted trip.
Just because I’m kicking up rocks and sand on most days and nights doesn’t mean that I don’t keep current on the mischief and mayhem back home. Although I’ve never soiled myself with politics it is amusing to observe from a safe distance. It would be hilarious if it was not happening to My Country. The big joke for me is Bipartisanship. Maybe in the next Congress or Administration.
Back room deals and arm twisting, tax dollars thrown about like Mardi Gras beads and no thought about how much the next generation of Americans are going to hate Us for allowing it.
Take Care M!
@Old Trooper 2:
Bet you enjoyed that ice cream, another of life’s simple pleasures not available out in the field.
I didn’t make it through the speech last night, g-grandson spent the night the night before, was functioning on four hours of sleep yesterday, definately not Army material.
Judging by the clips I’ve seen this morning, doubt that he has seen the error of his ways, holding out hope that all the squabbling will prevent further damage.