[RitaAnn]

Ed Schultz talks to Congressman Dennis Kucinich about the public option in the ongoing debate on health care reform. Kucinich says Obama needs to go back to the drawing board with a single payer not for profit. Democrats need to listen to the people about their experiences with insurance companies. We need to be talking about that.

Youtube Video -> Original Video

[ZoWie]

I think the Death Panels was one of those Overton window operations where the unthinkable ("they'll come for Grandma") was flogged through the noise machine to shift the debate on what actually has any chance of becoming policy. They have been incredibly successful at this. The left does this too ("US Out Of North America!," etc). The left lacks the echo machine to get it out. We could have done a lot with ALL

[ZoWie]

I think the Death Panels was one of those Overton window operations where the unthinkable ("they'll come for Grandma") was flogged through the noise machine to shift the debate on actual policy to the right.

The idea is you come with the wildest idea you can think up, and when everyone goes WTF you "settle" for the idea that's still pretty far from the original policy aims. The left is good at this. "ALL TROOPS OUT OF EVERYWHERE NOW!!!!!" Actually I'd settle for a phased withdrawal over a couple of years, followed by a huge re-commitment of resources to health care and medical research. Without the harder position, though, that would sound too radical for most people.

The left can't get the echo machine in gear, though. The blogs and a few radio shows are there, but it lacks the top layer of 50 kW stations that can thunder with the seeming voice of God, and make newspapers think there's something to your rantings. See, it's all psywar. If that's how we're going to get our media, than we need to match the 20 years of careful work (with bottomless pockets) done by the other side.

Yes, there's that media thing again.

[ZoWie]

I think the Death Panels was one of those Overton window operations where the unthinkable ("they'll come for Grandma") was flogged through the noise machine to shift the debate on actual policy to the right.

The idea is you come with the wildest idea you can think up, and when everyone goes WTF you "settle" for the idea that's still pretty far from the original policy aims. The left is good at this. "ALL TROOPS OUT OF EVERYWHERE NOW!!!!!" Actually I'd settle for a phased withdrawal over a couple of years, followed by a huge re-commitment of resources to health care and medical research. Without the harder position, though, that would sound too radical for most people.

The left can't get the echo machine in gear, though. The blogs and a few radio shows are there, but it lacks the top layer of 50 kW stations that can thunder with the seeming voice of God, and make newspapers think there's something to your rantings. See, it's all psywar. If that's how we're going to get our media, than we need to match the 20 years of careful work (with bottomless pockets) done by the other side.

Yes, there's that media thing again.

[RitaAnn]

Sen. Rockerfeller says he supports a bill with the public option and so far he has not heard an good alternative to it.

Youtube Video -> Original Video

[RitaAnn]

Liz Cheney has made Ed's "Psycho Talk" segment and has jumped on the Obama indoctrinating our kids bandwagon. She says it's "unhealthy" for kids to sing songs with Obama's name in it. Then Ed talks about kids singing about Bush and their survival of hurricane Katrina. Right wingers didn't have a problem with that.

Youtube Video -> Original Video

[RitaAnn]

Ed talks to Congressman Grayson about his recent remarks saying that republican's healthcare plan includes "die quickly" and "dont' get sick." Grayson has received a lot of right wing backlash about his character, but there's nothing in his back ground to suggest that he broke the law or acted unethically. Grayson is going to continue to go on the offensive and demand the republicans get on board and stop dragging their heels. "We need democrats with guts!"

Youtube Video -> Original Video

[RitaAnn]

"The GOP crazy train is off the rails!" Ed talks to Max Blumenthal, author of "Republican Gomorrah." Max says the republican party has been taken over by the religious right and anti-government militia types. It's made up of people who "can't stand individual freedom and the pressures of democracy." Proof of this is the choice of Sarah Palin as VP. Whoever becomes the republican leader will have to pander to the crazies. The consultants who warn against them will be weeded out of the party.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/33216451#33216451

[RitaAnn]

Ed talks about the big baby that was denied health care coverage by Rocky Mountain Health. The couple who went public, the Langes, talk about their case and baby Alex will now get coverage.

Youtube Video -> Original Video

[RitaAnn]

Ed interviews Congressman Alan Grayson about the White House and their criticism of FOX. "The republicans operate by vilifying their enemies and nothing else...and distract from the issues. The republican party is on it's way to becoming the party of nobody."

Youtube Video -> Original Video

[RitaAnn]

Ed interviews Robert Greenwald of Brave New Films. They discuss the recent statements from Obama saying the WH is going to treat FOX like a right wing channel and not a legitimate news organization. "It's great that the White House is calling them out" says Greenwald. He thinks it will be harder for the other news organizations to play follow-the-leader.

Youtube Video -> Original Video

[RitaAnn]

Ed talks to Alan Grayson about the health care reform bill that has passed congress. Ed suggests the bill doesn't go far enough as far as coverage, but Grayson says its a step in the right direction and that it will cover people without health care and no one will be denied coverage.

Youtube Video -> Original Video

[RitaAnn]

Alan Grayson says that we need to end the war in Afghanistan. He makes an interesting point that our young grade school kids don't know of a time when we weren't at war. "It's time to end the wars that have cost us 3 trillion dollars and come close to wrecking the economy."

Youtube Video -> Original Video

[RitaAnn]

Bush took us into war into two countries based on lies. Bush and Cheney should have been impeached for this. Ed talked to Dennis Kucinich about Obama's plan to send more troops into Afghanistan.

"It's regrettable, we don't have the money to do this..and it will undermine our role in the world and create further instability."

Youtube Video -> Original Video

[ZoWie]

Obama's now a saint because he said he'd have a timetable to get out. Didn't Nixon have a secret plan to get out? Wasn't the bombing and regionalization of the war that increased the ultimate casualty count tenfold and left several areas permanently uninhabitable so we could get out? Wasn't the whole thing that when (corrupt and thoroughly infiltrated) South Viet Nam stood up, we'd stand down?

Sorry, folks, that's president-speak. Won't get fooled again, and again, and again........

[RitaAnn]

Ed interviewed Robert Reich about the public option. The current senate healthcare bill doesn't even contain anti-trust laws and consumers will be forced to buy into monopolies. A public option is the only way to keep insurance companies honest.

Youtube Video -> Original Video

[RitaAnn]

The minions at Rupert Murdoch's empire are saying that joblessness is a result of the minimum wage. It must be lowered!

Youtube Video -> Original Video

[RitaAnn]

Ed talks about how Obama's base thinks he's a sell-out. Months ago Obama said that we should have a public option, now he's standing in front of Sen. Baucus, one of the biggest takers of health insurance money.

"The Democrats just don't know how to get tough enough...your base is leaving you."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/34454146#34454146

[RitaAnn]

Democratic Rep. Eric Massa of New York comes out swinging against Cheney and all the other republicans who trash the Obama administration for the exact same things they did during their tenure.

"I am sick and tired of the former vice president of the United States taking shots not only at this administration, for problems he was largely and personally responsible for, but by an extension at those of us who served in the military and bring that experience," Massa said on MSNBC's The Ed Show.

"This man suffers from a horrible case of political Tourette's [syndrome], and it's about time that we stand up and kick right back because I'm sick and tired of him kicking us in our shins," Massa said.

***

"It makes no difference what we do, this man suffers from political diarrhea of the mouth, and unless we stand up and call it as it is he's going to keep on getting away with it," Massa said.

***

In a direct challenge to Cheney, Massa added: "I want Dick Cheney to come debate me, anywhere, anytime, anyhow -- and let's see how he stands up to the truth."

The New York Democrat also lashed out at Sen. Jim DeMint as "personally responsible for placing you, the traveling American public at risk" by "placing a hold on the nominee of the director of the Transportation Security Agency."

"People like Jim DeMint and people like Dick Cheney need to go away so we can solve the problems they've created," Massa said.

link with video

[ZoWie]

News Corp is overreaching in taking on Time-Warner. This is epic stuff. I suspect Rupe will blink first.