dagblog - Comments for "A Progressive Tea Party Isn't the Answer"

Next? Really? You believe you

erica20 — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:04:00 +0000

In reply to I quoted you. Sorry you

Next? Really?

You believe you got me with "I know you are, but what am I?"

Yeah, sure ya did, fella. Pure genius, that was.

Carry on.

I quoted you. Sorry you

Ethanator — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:34:08 +0000

In reply to Dude, I know about the jobs

I quoted you. Sorry you don't like what you wrote.

Next!

Dude, I know about the jobs

erica20 — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:23:43 +0000

In reply to "I was thinking more about

Dude, I know about the jobs bill. So does Dan K.

Now you're just putting words in my mouth, removing thoughts from my head, and being quite an ass about it in the process. I do not like it when people tell me what I meant.

Thanks for your time, but I'm now going to take my crabbed perspective and go do something else for awhile.

"I was thinking more about

Ethanator — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:40:43 +0000

In reply to Geez, one word??? Tough crowd

"I was thinking more about awareness in the sense of political or intellectual expertise.."

So, in other words, my interpretation was right; only an uninformed moron, excuse me, someone without the requisite "political expertise" could support Obama. And, pray tell, what "political expertise" has your friend Dan displayed through this discussion?

"...Right now, the debate about our nation's direction is being waged by the tea party, the corporations, a few comedians and Occupy Wall Street. It's too important for the president and his party to get a pass for stepping away."

Apparently you missed it, but the president recently proposed a fairly sweeping jobs bill that even critics of his from the left such as Paul Krugman supported. However, as with everything else this president has proposed, it was met with lockstep opposition from Republicans, and tepid support from a small bloc of Democrats (and that opposition wasn't due to the bill not being liberal enough, BTW).

The fact that you were unaware of this says much more about the fragmentation of our media and peoples' tendency to surround themselves with sources that reinforce their own crabbed perspective. But, even though you are unaware of it, the president Obama makes the points you wish to see him make constantly.

Maybe it's your own political awareness that could use some improvement.

You wrote: His signature

tmccarthy0 — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:01:23 +0000

In reply to First, Erica, thanks for the

You wrote:

His signature “progressive” legislative achievement is now raising insurance rates

This is a untruth.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health/some-health-insurance-prem...

Last month, insurer Aetna received approval from Connecticut regulators of its request to reduce premiums on individual policies by an average 10 percent, starting in September. Yes, you read that right: reduce the premium. The decrease, which affects some 15,000 consumers, will save those policyholders $259 annually, on average.

“I think it’s the shape of things to come,” Timothy Jost, a law professor at Washington and Lee University and a consumer representative to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, says of Aetna’s move.

Then there is this:

In 2010, Aetna’s individual policies had a medical loss ratio of 54.3 percent, according to the Connecticut Insurance Department’s document approving the rate decrease. Aetna attributes the low MLR to people who signed up for coverage but didn’t use it. “In the case of 2010, we saw lower utilization than we expected across the board,” says [Aetna Spokesman Mohit] Ghose.

http://www.catalog.state.ct.us/cid/portalApps/images/reports/005193684.pdf

This of course is because insurance companies are mandated to use 80% of premiums for health care costs.

Medicare advantage costs dropped this year because of ACA regulations.

http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/10/04/gvsb1004.htm

Then of course there was the Case of BCBS in California refunding 167 million dollars to policy holders.

http://www.baycitizen.org/environmental-health/story/blue-shield-will-re...

You are wrong and the regulations are working and costs are coming down.

The respect or time you give

PeraclesPlease — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 07:37:35 +0000

In reply to This is, of course, complete

The respect or time you give them depends on who it is.

If someone comes in to throw stinkbombs and leaves, well, they shouldn't be treated with much respect or much time.

If someone's going to stick around for the dialog, no matter how heated, well God speed John Glenn.

I do think there will be professional bloggers trying to get a meme to go viral, and while that doesn't discard their opinion (they might even agree with their work), it's not exactly an honest approach, and it's hard holding a dialog with a one-way messaging machine.

Now, whether Mr. M.D. Politics is such a hire, we don't know.

But on the other hand, from perusing some of his other blogs, his motif of "never criticize Obama" matches TMcCarthy. His listing of all the picayune "scores" of the Obama Administration matches Brew. His joyous bashing of Glenn Greenwald matches A-Man. So perhaps if we did a Turing test to see what's in that pseudonym box, we'd find a composite of one selection of Dagbloggers.

Probably the bigger question is whether Mr. Politics intends on sticking around for a conversation, or just wants a place for easy cross-posting. So far he seems to be engaged, so have at it. Someone else to disagree with, Whoopeee!!!!

Geez, one word??? Tough crowd

Erica — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 07:02:53 +0000

In reply to Well, I interpreted your

Geez, one word??? Tough crowd tonight. :-) I was thinking more about awareness in the sense of political or intellectual expertise, I guess--much more general than saying that only somebody being paid to write nice things about Obama could support him. However, I'm frustrated (along with dan) that obama seems like he'd rather choke himself to death with a sock than give voice to some pretty obvious ideas about what it means to be an American in this century. I know he's pulled off some good legislation, difficult times, etc. But the idea that greed should trump enlightened self interest (I.e. Shitty is the New American Fair) is a threat to the nation IMHO, and for the C in C not to deal with it in a resounding way--well, it makes me worry that we could lose the whole thing here, and by that I don't just mean the election. Right now, the debate about our nation's direction is being waged by the tea party, the corporations, a few comedians and Occupy Wall Street. It's too important for the president and his party to get a pass for stepping away. I still think dan's personal attack was out of line, but I do share his fruatration...

I knew there was some

kgb999 — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 06:27:13 +0000

In reply to I have won the Dayly Day Line

I *knew* there was some reason you kept winning!!!!!

But the real question is how much award MONEY have you been socking up ... it's a material world, after all.

I legend has it - if you play

kgb999 — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 06:20:12 +0000

In reply to Quinn is a friend of mine

I legend has it - if you play this one backwards at just the right speed, the Q will appear and you can compel him do a special trick.

Especially if the political

Erica — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 06:11:17 +0000

In reply to All right, all right. But

Especially if the political movie has George Clooney in it. I must say I'm with Ramona here--I admire the more subtle approach and personal attacks make me uncomfortable in general. That said, I do remember an exchange--a long time ago and far away--between two posters, that grew so out of hand that it transcended the usual "don't run with scissors" tos rules. It was like being in the world's most dangerous Japanese steakhouse, with knives flying in all directions and two guys screaming at each other, but eventually you realized that there was a theme if not an actual plan, and everybody would make it to the dessert course as long as nobody let the drunks at the table grab the knives.