The Whole Delivery

Well the news of the last 15 hours is dominating. A lot of people hate the terrible timing of this, obviously. Now to be fair, I feel Maddow jumped a little too hard on Jared Bernstein last night , making her opinions being felt instead of having Bernstein tell the whole info and then delivering her perspective, especially on the "across the board freeze" issue. But I leave it to the terrific Bill McBride to say this clear: This is an important issue, but I'd rather wait to address the deficit until after we see clear signs of a recovery. Why even cater to the Evan Bayhs and Judd Greggs of the world? Just why?

What to expect for today and tomorrow's holidays: The Cinema for Sherlock Holmes and It's Complicated. (Let's not even go there on "Alvin and the Chipmunks") The music thread, with more good and sappy Christmas music. The Sports Thread with a preview of five NBA games on Christmas (talk about overkill). Also, the key NFL game between the Chargers and the Titans. The Titans, with their slim playoff hopes, must win here. And holiday cartoons galore. The best holiday commercial of the year: The best holiday commercial by the way ever: More to come today, please stay tuned

Joan McCarter's piece from yesterday clearly identifies the main problem with the current Senate bill that looks to be coming out of that "cooling center for democracy ." Bottom line, Americans are still going to be forced to buy insurance that for too many people will be unaffordable. As long as that's the case, and until there's a true alternative public option that provides people real choice, the insurance companies shouldn't get that one thing in the legislation they want: the mandate. In that entire post, it highlights the good parts of what is in the Senate bill, but also how still severly flawed and inadequate it is. The thing that is sticking out the most besides the lack of affordable coverage guaranteed (which there really isn't any at all in its current form) is this excise tax tax on families, a campaign policy that John McCain was ripped big time for in regards to how nutty and absurd it really was . The harm this bill will do thanks to the

And ugly: Visit msnbc.com for breaking news , world news , and news about the economy And besides the obvious news at Dean that has been the news of the day, notice how Savannah Guthrie just did her middle of the road stenography at Obama slamming progressives that makes our media the failure that it is today to the nation. It sure is getting personal on this, and there are many more ugly things you will see as this crap bill continues to unfold.

Seriously, why even go on air, say that he is wrong on this, and yet, not voice disapproval to Reid giving him all that he wanted : Demoralizing the base, and giving those on the "rational" Right who don't know what to be angry with even more angry and scream erroneously "look what liberal policies have brought forth." Disaster unfolding in front of our facades.

The guys that loves giving the downtrodden in this country a royal middle finger has put the bill (and real reform) in jeopardy . But let' see if anybody will go to Lieberman and tell him, like aids are saying behind the scenes about Byron Dorgan, " It's all about you, isn't it ?" And will the White House finally step in here and put Lieberman in his place? I highly doubt that, to be honest with you. King Lie is at it again, but the process is to blame for allowing him to get headlines and have the power to piss off a lot of people as he has done. Could have put him is his place, but Obama and Reid didn't want to do because.......they just didn't want to do it.

The point of the speech that really focused on the whole theme on whether his acceptance was totally awkward is the focus on escalation in Afghanistan (while drawing down in Iraq, so it won't be forgotten there). make this statement mindful of what Martin Luther King said in this same ceremony years ago –- “Violence never brings permanent peace. It solves no social problem: it merely creates new and more complicated ones.” As someone who stands here as a direct consequence of Dr. King’s life’s work, I am living testimony to the moral force of non-violence. I know there is nothing weak — nothing passive — nothing naïve — in the creed and lives of Gandhi and King. But as a head of state sworn to protect and defend my nation, I cannot be guided by their examples alone. I face the world as it is, and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people. For make no mistake: evil does exist in the world. A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler’s armies. Negotiati

Well, the answer to that question is, we don't know where we stand. Questions about what was actually sent to the CBO last night from many respected sources has been plenty. Howard Dean likes it, but maybe because it was an idea of his while he campaigned for the Presidency in 2004 Dean, who previously chaired the Democratic National Committee, said Medicare expansion "makes a lot of sense because you don't have to reinvent another bureaucracy to do it." Still, it is an idea that, implemented correctly, will not make the insurance companies happy. But a key factor that has been overlooked here, and a sign of real change in the system, is this tidbit : "The deal reached Tuesday puts even more requirements on insurers by requiring that 90 percent of premium dollars be spent on medical benefits, as opposed to administrative costs, officials said." Joe Lie still isn't happy with the possibility of even a trigger public option , but he is generally happy w

So many times throughout the year, the "death of the public option" phrase has been royally debunked and pushed back vociferously. Activists and the American people have refused to let true meaningful reform for the current broken system we have wither away in front of their eyes. The insurance companies have for too long had the power and the freedom to continue their immoral behavior of pushing up premiums to extraordinary highs and racking in profits off the back of their unaffordable coverage. Those painful realities have lead to a majority of the nation to believe that a government insurance option will be a needed alternative to turning around a real stain on our nation's psyche. Now once again, that government insurance option. which has been weakened the moment Medicare rates became negotiable in the House, is in serious jeopardy of being eliminated from us all. The new plan of Medicare expansion is looking to be the replacement for any progressive happiness in t

Photo from AFP As host nation of the important climate change talks in Copenhagen, you would expect the sense of urgency to be high from Denmark. And in day one of the conference, that urgency was prevalent, and then some. From the Danes lead political figure "The world is depositing hope with you for a short while in the history of mankind," Lars Lokke Rasmussen, the Danish prime minister told delegates who are seeking to agree the first United Nations climate pact in 12 years. Rasmussen said: "By the end, we must be able to deliver back to the world what was granted us here today: hope for a better future. "The time for formal statements is over ... Copenhagen will only be a success if it delivers significant and immediate action." Significant and immediate action will only suffice here. But even if that is produced from these crucial meetings, then odds of stopping the melting seem grim .

Instead of Luda this week, the selection form pioneer hip hop group De La Soul's "Saturday." Obama's weekly message: Charles Blow with one of the realest write ups this week called " Black in The Age of Obama ." Her stupidity and spitefulness have no end..... ...But remember, she's got that TV propaganda job and all from the Administration she criticizes! Yipee! And just to let CNN know again.......Desiree Rogers situation isn't like Karl Rove and Hariett Miers .

Photo from AP It truly will be comical to see what their rebuttal to Obama's job summit will look like Former House Speaker and potential 2012 Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has announced he is launching a "Real Jobs Summit." The first stop is in Ohio, a potential swing state with an unemployment rate of 10.5 percent. Gingrich said he seeks to spur entrepreneurship and small businesses by lowering taxes, interest rates and debt. Gingrich's summit is taking place in Cincinnati today and moves to Jackson, Mississippi tomorrow. The organization sponsoring the tour, American Solutions, promises additional Real Jobs Forums through 2010. Really, Gingrich's summit should be called a "Stay Unemployed summit" instead.

Esclation.....basically it.

This story from Al Jazeera signifies how this day really hits the soul :

Ludacris - saturday oooh! oooh! by LilQ Those Catholic priest have it good over there in Ireland . The king of making electric chairs is in China. Maxim says that these are 100 of the funniest jokes . I'll let you be the judge of that. This idiot . And since this is an open thread, let's just keep the ball moving.

Photo from Al Jazeera When someone still brags about the United States being the beacon of democracy and transparent government, it would behoove you to point them to the latest example of that belief being a very questionable one (and that's being nice about it). Today over in London , a public inquiry is being conducted by the British population into why on Earth their country was a protagonist in the misery that is the Iraq War. With how the "we must look forward" phrase continues to go in circulations in Washington D.C., our version of what is going on in the UK capital probably won't be taking place at all. One-time senior officials from the foreign and defence ministries will outline Britain's policy towards Baghdad in early 2000, as the five-member committee investigates what lessons can be learned from the US-led war. John Chilcot, the inquiry chairman and a former civil servant, said he was confident of producing a "full and insightful" account

Josh Marshall presents a point of justified lament about how watered down the current public options have been : Now, there are many people who look at this and say that the bill(s) under discussion are so anemic that they're maybe not worth fighting for at all. And that's certainly a legitimate opinion. But I think there's another question. Considering how down to the wire this is, is it really worth holding up everything else contained in the bill when the point of contention, the public option, is as measly as it is? It really is concerning, with how the non-negotiated rates for a public option in the House was effectively lost from the get go, how the quality of reform in this bill isn't strong as it should be. It's hard to continue getting excited over the public option when its effectiveness is being abated it seems with every passing second. From those non-negotiated rates to the start of (at least) opt-out public option ( 2013 at the earliest?), you can fee

Igor Volsky compares both the Senate bill written last night and the House bill passed . He also compares the merged Senate bill with the piece of crap and corporate giveaway of the Senate Finance Bill. Still a lot more people uninsured with the merged opt-out bill in the Senate than what should be. Shouldn't 94% be 100%? You would think so, huh? The people at FDL sure don't like it one bit. From Ms.Hamsher : Yet in the midst of quibbling about $90 billion a year for health care, the President just signed a one year $680 billion defense spending bill , which does not include the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This represents a serious problem with the priorities of those in government. And Slinker : Those are the provisions that were removed from the public option in the Senate HELP bill. The CBO also estimated that the public option in the Senate merged bill will only have 3 million customers at best, because of the opt-out provision which many erroneously support

But watch those skits that could make nutty conservatives mad !

Since It's Saturday: Saturday (Oooh! Ooooh!) - Ludacris Big day obviously in the House today, as a health care bill with the public option, through with negotiated rates through, is being voted on today. No question on whether it will pass or not, but the real question centers on abortion and whether the Sputur Amendment , which is a slap to the fact to woman, will be voted down or not. Meanwhile, here's Obama's weekly message: