Category: Barack Obama

AIG Exec Anastasia Kelly Won’t Work for No $500,000 a Year

Posted on by TL

Anastasia Kelly, AIG’s vice chair, is quitting because of the $500,000 pay cap. She talked with Rep. Dennsi Kucinich at a May 2009 hearing as then AIG CEO Edward Liddy watched. I would have loved to hear what Kucinich had to say to her.

From NPR:

When it became clear that the Obama Administration meant business in terms of slapping pay caps on top execs at financial institutions whose very survival was due to massive taxpayer help, chief executives at financial institutions warned that they would have trouble either attracting or keeping their talent.

They weren’t kidding in the case of Anastasia Kelly at AIG. The AIG vice chair has informed her employer that she’s out of there because of the pay caps.

NPR’s Tim Robbins reported for the network’s newscast, "The company says she is leaving for what it calls "good reason", then states that reason as the pay cap. Kelly will get a reported $3.8-million severance package."

Good riddance to her.

Read more here at NPR.

Is Orly Taitz Issuing Call to Arms Against President Obama?

Posted on by TL

Is birther Orly Taitz calling for a call to arms against President Obama?

Taitz has long ago pulled the fabricated Barack Obama birth certificate she once posted on her website. Her anger knows no bounds, however.

From her blog:

What is the real intention of this Kenyan, Indonesian communist usurper? Is it to provide security for us or to destroy our security? Judge for yourself.

Seeing targeted destruction of our economy, our security, dissipation of American jobs, massive corruption in the Government, Congress Department of Justice and Judiciary, it might be time to start rallies and protests using our second amendment right to bare arms and organise in militias.

"Kenyan, Indonesian communist usurper?" Really, Orly? And what exactly is meant by "protests using our second amendment right to bare arms and organise in militias?" Is Taitz calling for armed attacks against the President of the United States?

Taitz might indeed wish this was Kenya, which has had its share of armed military coups. Of course, in parts of Kenya, they burn witches.

This, however, is the United States of America, and Taitz has had a very, very bad year.

Christmas Day Terror Suspect Charged

Posted on by TL

From WTAE Pittsburgh:

The Justice Department has charged the alleged Christmas Day terrorist with attempting to destroy an airplane.

The Justice Department said 23-year-old Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab had a device containing a high explosive attached to his body. The government says that as the flight neared Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Friday, Abdulmutallab set off the device, but it sparked a fire instead of an explosion.

According to an affidavit filed in federal court in Detroit, a preliminary analysis of the device shows that it contained PETN, also known as pentaerythritol.

The government alleges that Abdulmutallab told passengers that his stomach was upset, then pulled a blanket over himself. Passengers then heard popping noises.

He allegedly claimed to have been instructed by al-Qaida to detonate the plane over U.S. soil.

Imagine using the justice system to prosecute alleged terrorists! Send him to Guantanamo without a trial and throw away the key!

Maybe not. Perhaps this still is America, with justice for all.

Change Has Come to America: Health Insurance Reform About to Happen

Posted on by TL

All news from Democrats and the White House is positive. It looks like reform of our for-profit health insurance system is about to happen. Is the reform on the table perfect? No. None of the sides are perfectly content with the changes, including Democrats, Blue Dog Democrats, and the Party of No.

But it’s about to happen. I don’t like to make predictions. This time, I’m assured by positive words out of Washington today.

From Yahoo! News:

From the White House to Capitol Hill, Democrats on Tuesday confidently predicted Senate passage of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul after the bill cleared its second 60-vote test and the time was set for a final tally.

Coming to the Senate floor in the middle of the afternoon, Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced an agreement to vote on final passage at 8 a.m. Thursday, Christmas Eve. It would mark the 25th consecutive day of Senate debate on health care.

“The finish line is in sight,” Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said at a news conference with other Senate leaders and cheering supporters. “We’re not the first to attempt such reforms but we will be the first to succeed.”

At the White House, spokesman Robert Gibbs declared: “Health care reform is not a matter of if. Health care reform is now a matter of when.”

Obama said the Senate legislation accomplishes 95 percent of what he wanted on health care. “Every single criteria for reform I put forward is in this bill,” the president said in an interview with The Washington Post.

Senate Democrats remained behind their compromise bill over steadfast Republican opposition. A motion to shut off debate and move to a vote on a package of changes by Reid passed 60-39.

The final 60-vote hurdle, limiting debate on the bill itself, is expected to be cleared Wednesday afternoon, setting up the Thursday morning-before-Christmas vote on the legislation, which at that point will need only a simple majority to pass.

Do you know what it means if the bill only passes with a simple majority?

It means it passes. It’s done.

The Almighty Left (and I include myself in that call, for all the times I lashed out) needs to stop whining about this bill and thank the President, thank Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, thank Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, thank them all. This will be the largest overhaul of our health care system in several lifetimes.

I was listening to Ed Schultz this afternoon whining about the health care reform bill, calling it a “Republican bill.”

Nonsense, Ed.  That’s just silly.  Stop it all ready.  This bill means reform.  This bill represents what happens when the Left, the Right and the Middle sit down to talk.  Congress is working again.  Congress is learning how to be a deliberative body again.  That in itself is call for celebration.

Think of it: no more exclusions from coverage for pre-existing conditions. That alone is worth our thanks.

Remember, thank President Obama. Those of us on the Left need to remember that governing is different from the poetry of the campaign. Governing is tedious. Governing means compromise. Governing means setting policy. Governing means changing direction slowly sometimes, like an ocean tanker. The geek in me remembers the early episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, when Captain Picard would command, “All stop!” And the helm would reply, “Answering all stop!”

And we would wait for a moment while the Enterprise stopped.

It didn’t happen instantaneously. Nothing that big stops that quickly.

Change has come to America, but America is a big ship. Change, lasting and true change, takes time.

Passage of this bill will be huge. We should all be happy.

Obama Will Win: Why and How His Critics from the Left and Right Will be Proven Wrong

Posted on by TL

Wise words from Frank Schaeffer.

I love Crazy for God. I intend to read Patience with God: Faith for People Who Don’t Like Religion (or Atheism).

I like Frank.

From The Brad Blog:

Before he’d served even one year President Obama lost the support of the easily distracted Left and engendered the white hot rage of the hate-filled Right. But some of us, from all walks of life and ideological backgrounds — including this white, straight, 57-year-old, former religious Rightwing agitator, now progressive writer and (given my background as the son of a famous evangelical leader) this unlikely Obama supporter — are sticking with our President. Why? Because he is succeeding.

We faithful Obama supporters still trust our initial impression of him as a great, good and uniquely qualified man to lead us.

Obama’s steady supporters will be proven right. Obama’s critics will be remembered as easily panicked and prematurely discouraged at best and shriveled hate mongers at worst…

Read the rest of the commentary here.

Krugman: Pass the Health Insurance Reform Bill

Posted on by TL

First, do no harm.

That’s Hippocrates. Not Joe Lieberman.

So, to the United States Senate, I say, "Do no harm!" Pass the current bill before you.

From Paul Krugman at the NYTimes:

A message to progressives: By all means, hang Senator Joe Lieberman in effigy. Declare that you’re disappointed in and/or disgusted with President Obama. Demand a change in Senate rules that, combined with the Republican strategy of total obstructionism, are in the process of making America ungovernable.

But meanwhile, pass the health care bill.

Yes, the filibuster-imposed need to get votes from “centrist” senators has led to a bill that falls a long way short of ideal. Worse, some of those senators seem motivated largely by a desire to protect the interests of insurance companies — with the possible exception of Mr. Lieberman, who seems motivated by sheer spite.

But let’s all take a deep breath, and consider just how much good this bill would do, if passed — and how much better it would be than anything that seemed possible just a few years ago. With all its flaws, the Senate health bill would be the biggest expansion of the social safety net since Medicare, greatly improving the lives of millions. Getting this bill would be much, much better than watching health care reform fail.

Pass the bill. Make it so. Do it. Do it, now.

Pass the most monumental health insurance reform in the history of the United States of America. Make history.

Do it. Now.

Like a Kid in a Candy Story, Blago’s Attorney Says Interviewing Obama Would Be ‘Awesome’

Posted on by TL

Honestly, it sounds like Rod Blagojevich has hired attorneys with less judgement than he has.

From CBS 2 Chicago:

One of Rod Blagojevich’s attorneys said Wednesday it was possible the defense could call President Obama to take the witness stand if the corruption charges against the former governor go to trial, but added that it wasn’t clear that doing so would be necessary.

Defense attorney Samuel E. Adam said following a hearing in the case that it would be "an awesome experience in any career" to question Obama, who is not accused of any wrongdoing but did answer questions from federal investigators.

Blagojevich is charged with scheming to sell or trade Obama’s former U.S. Senate seat, campaign fundraising abuses and other offenses. He has denied wrongdoing.

Note, the President is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Sam Adams sounds like he’s had a few too many beers.

True Health Care Reform: No For-Profit Health Insurance Companies

Posted on by TL

Some health care reform ramblings.

The Republicans are crying about having to read a 2,000 page bill. Locally, Republican Isaac Hayes, challenging Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. for Congress, has lamented Jackson’s support of health care reform. In a strange move, on his campaign blog, Hayes reproduces a press release from Jackson’s Web page where Jackson calls the passage of the House health care reform bill, “A monumental and historic step forward.” The press release is quite inspirational:

“A MONUMENTAL AND HISTORIC STEP FORWARD”

Jackson votes for landmark health care overhaul legislation

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. voted today in strong support of legislation to overhaul the nation’s health care system — the Affordable Health Care for America Act. He called passage of the bill “a monumental, historic step forward.”

“For nearly 100 years, politicians of all stripes and in both parties have attempted to bring comprehensive reform to our nation’s health care system. Now, a century later, we — at long last — are delivering on the promise of making quality, affordable health care available to all Americans.

“This is change we can believe in, progress we can count on and a right we should all enjoy.

“This landmark bill reinforces the promise of our founding documents. It renews the meaning of our creed and reflects the enduring, eternal truth that We all are created equal and endowed with certain unalienable Rights. We should all have health care.

“In passing this bill, we begin a new era in America. Gone will be the days when citizens go untreated, becoming sicker and sicker because they can’t afford to see the doctor or get medicine. Gone will be the days when they can’t get coverage because of a previous illness or condition. Gone will be the days when Americans are at risk of falling into poverty or going to an early grave because health care was delayed, dropped or denied.”

“We are a better nation than that,” Jackson said.

“We can cure the sick. We can help those in need. We each can pursue our own paths and yet still be our brother’s keeper. That’s at the heart of this reform. That’s at the heart of America.

“This health care reform bill builds on what works and fixes what’s broken. It provides more security and stability to those who have health insurance and expands access to affordable, quality coverage to those who don’t. It does this in a way that allows the American people to see the doctor they want, for the health care they need, in a revamped system that is more efficient, less costly and of higher quality.

“This reform is urgent. It is indisputable. It forms a more perfect Union.”

I would not be quoting my opponent on my Web site, especially when my opponent is as erudite as Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.

Hayes deserves to lose.

Here’s a start on proper health care reform: Congress must make for-profit health care insurance companies illegal. If you want to sell bowling balls for profit, go for it. If you want to do health insurance for profit, forget it.

That would be a start.

Dr. No: Joe Lieberman Loves Campaign Cash More Than Human Lives

Posted on by TL

From the Ron Reagan show on Air America Radio:

Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman has finally realized his life’s goal of becoming America’s foremost exemplar of hypocrisy and moral cowardice… and did I forget to mention dishonesty and small-minded spite? Let’s throw those in the mix as well.

A quick review: three months ago, Lieberman sat down with the Connecticut Post and reiterated his long-standing position that a Medicare buy-in should be available for people 55 to 64 years old

Again, this is something Lieberman has been saying for years: it was central to his health care platform when he was Al Gore’s running mate in 2000 and it was been his position ever since. That is, it was his position until it became part of the Senate’s proposed health care legislation. At that point, the guy who’d made a Medicare buy-in the centerpiece of his health care reform philosophy suddenly morphed into Dr. No.

On CBS last weekend, in one brief outpouring of nausea-inducing self-interest, Lieberman managed to betray assurances he had reportedly given to the Senate leadership and a number of his Senate colleagues; contradict his own oft-stated position; and, just for good measure, attempt to mislead the country about the fiscal consequences of a Medicare buy-in. Contrary to what Lieberman is currently pretending to believe, a buy-in would not, according to the Congressional Budget Office, drive up the deficit.

What’s going on here? Having heard no better explanation, I currently subscribe to what has become the conventional wisdom about the Senate’s selfish pain-in-the-ass-in-chief: Lieberman is still piqued at Democrats for not only abandoning him (for the Democratic candidate) during his near-loss in his 2006 reelection race in Connecticut, but for not backing him as the candidate of choice for the Democratic Presidential nomination back in 2004. Anyone who witnessed his cozy “debate” with Dick Cheney in 2000 will have no trouble imagining why Democrats picked someone else as their standard-bearer.

Lieberman loves campaign cash more than human lives.

Read more here.