Healthcare on Fox News Sunday

Fox News Sunday today provided a study in contrasts between the Democrats and the Republicans.

The topic was O's healthcare bill. The first segment had Senators Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ). Typically, Kyl gave straight-forward answers to Mike Wallace's questions. Menendez, on the other hand, evaded answering directly preferring instead to monopolize the microphone and attack Kyl and the GOP. It's not surprising Menendez should act this way he having the morally weaker hand.

The second segment had Paul Ryan (R, WI-1st), the well-spoken ranking member on the House budget committee. Wallace characterized Ryan as the one Republican President Obama didn't want to mess with, someone who knows as much about the issue as he does.

Ryan made it very clear to everyone that was listening that relying on the CBO's costing of the current healthcare bill can be very misleading:

…the CBO has to score the legislation that's put in front of them. And the legislation that's been put in front of them is full of smoke, mirrors and gimmicks.

The Fox News panel predicted passage of the bill will fail. And, it will fail to pass if there are enough Democrats left that will do the morally responsible thing. We shall soon see.

The verdict is in: AIG bailout is a loser

AIG posts $8.9 bn loss,   warns of more aid

We've heard the warnings on bailouts.   Now the verdict is in:

The insurer said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that without additional government support, "in the future there could exist substantial doubt about AIG's ability to continue as a going concern."

Bailouts don't work.   It didn't work for the airlines.   It didn't work for Chrysler.   Now we see it didn't work for AIG.

AIG is suggesting more taxpayer money is needed.   Our Congress better not take the bait.   If they do, they can be certain the voters will be taking names...

The latest screed from Consumers Union

Evidently the Consumers Union—a nonprofit organization—is using their tax status to push the Progressive's agenda:



Minerva Novoa
Minerva signs off
Minerva Novoa,
Advocacy Web Administrator

Dear Howard,

Consumer confidence just hit an all-time low. Yet Wall Street bonuses climbed 17% last year, and financial industry profits may reach $55 billion – nearly three-times the previous record!

The financial industry is more out-of-whack than ever, continuing to reward those who gamble with our hard-earned money. Meanwhile, promised reforms designed to bring back personal responsibility, fair play and common sense are sidelined in Congress – and political opponents think you won’t notice, or won’t care!

It’s time Washington stops listening to the banks and listens to you. The Senate is putting together a financial reform bill, and the banks’ top brass know their big bonuses are at stake. Make sure your Senators know their responsibility to voters is at stake – tell them to support real Wall Street reform now!

First impression

On the healthcare summit:  Watching O's body language during Senator Lamar Alexander's opening statement, it wasn't hard to notice how Obama kept his chin up high.  This is the same pose Muammar al-Khdafi maintained in public.

Then, when Senator Alexander segued into a review of this nation's founding principles, O put his head in his hands as though he was just so put off.  And, he probably was as,  being a Progressive,  he considers the Constitution a museum piece of no importance for today.  And, he may have had the off-putting thought of him arguing against the founding principles;  something Progressives try to keep out of public view.

Then there were the statements by Pelosi and Reid.  Both tried the ploy of holding up the plight of some poor person in their district as though the whole nation is in the same fix.  Of course, it never occurred to either of them that these hardship cases are easily remedied through a means-tested voucher system at far less cost than the monstrosity they are proposing to inflict on the country.

Or,  maybe the thought did cross their minds but they chose to ignore it.

And,  as players holding weak hands are wont to do,  Reid included a personal shot at Senator Alexander.

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The summit has concluded with the President conceding the Republicans made a few good points.  So now the onus is on the Democrat leaders to sit down with the other side and negotiate in good faith.  Let's see if Reid and The Nancy are up to the task.