TRONN Open Thread For 8/27/09

The Rational Online News network, blessings to you with the news and rational opinion you just have to be given, and not be denied at all. Let's begin, shall we:

TPM continues its tribute coverage of Ted Kennedy


Steve Benen has a terrific post, of many usually at the Washington Monthly, that exposes the hypocrites talking about how Obama is going to be adding to deficit, when not only he said he isn't with this health care bill, but exposes those who didn't say the same when this was happening:

Just six years ago, Karl Rove thought he could lock up that "permanent Republican majority" by adding a prescription drug benefit to Medicare. Seniors -- at least the one who didn't get caught in the dreaded "donut hole" -- would be so impressed they'd vote GOP forever. All Republican policymakers had to do was approve a poorly-written bill that expanded government involvement in health care while adding trillions of dollars to long-term debt.

It has a certain relevance to the ongoing policy debate of the day.

Matt Yglesias does good service by reminding us of the 2003 Senate vote on Medicare Part D, the budget-busting prescription drugs for seniors bill that passed the Senate 54-44, even though it wasn't paid for (it adds trillions to the deficit over time). Here's the vote: it is interesting to note that the two Gang of Six members who are the most prominent naysayers and budget hawks on the Senate Finance Committee now, Chuck Grassley and Mike Enzi, voted for the bill. As did assorted other noisy conservatives like Sam Brownback, John Cornyn and John Kyl. What irresponsible spendthrifts!

Republicans who actually are deficit hawks -- John McCain (usually) and Lindsey Graham, for example -- voted against it. Many Democrats -- Ted Kennedy, Russ Feingold, Hillary Clinton -- also voted against it, mostly because they didn't think it provided sufficient coverage (and let the drug companies off the hook).

But the headline remain grousers like Grassley, who oppose the alleged expense of the Obama plan now (even though the President has vowed not to sign a bill that isn't, more or less, paid for). It should be noted that Max Baucus -- who has also made non-stop noises about fiscal responsibility -- voted for it, too.

Media Matters as always, deals with the Comedy Network.


TWI's Daphne Eviatar talks about Cheney's CIA cherry-picking.....More like apple picking, if that makes sense to you (it doesn't to me actually).

Eviatar also has this piece about the Obama Administration's rendition moves coming back to possibly haunt them.

Always filled with many gems, two pieces to highlight from Think Progress in TRONN: ABC's clown reporting health care shill John Stossel and the Pentagon is profiling reporters.....which is filling stunning stuff .

Duncan Black

I've been thinking about the wingnut freakout about 9/11 being a national service day. Aside from general reflexive opposition to anything Obama says and anger that their day of rage has been repurposed, what they're really angry about is that it isn't all about them. Because they were the bravest and most noble of citizens on that day and since, and they deserve some recognition!

A rational all start team of Greenwald, Hamsher, and Moulitsas have a good time slamming Jon Chait's late to the party routine today about Democratic centrists hurting the party much MUCH MUCH more than those blogging ideologues.

Just giving a deserved shoutout to Owillis because he deserves it. This comic about the public option is awesome (click on to enlarge):


Digby:

Edward Kennedy wanted all Americans to have access to the kind of health care he had and to make sure everyone had a safety net in place that allowed them to take the kind of risks necessary to become a millionaire if that's what they wanted to do. His conservative enemies, on the other hand, want to keep Americans enslaved by the wealthy, in jobs they loathe, scared to make any moves for fear that they will lose everything, including their lives, if they do. It's the essence of the difference between liberals and conservatives regardless of their personal place in the class structure.

And TPM's 100 Seconds for the day:

TRONN never stops of course. Visits those great websites apart of "The Rational Online News Network."

But for now, for TRONN Open Thread today, that is all.