Countdown: Rahm said, "Give Lieberman what he wants. We don't need the Medicare buy-in."

[Nikki Stone1]

:wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

[Sebastian Doyle]

1. Piece of shit Rahm's piece of shit brother is trying to DESTROY Medicare

Why the hell would he want anyone else to buy into it?

[kenny blankenship]

23. And so's his brother.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

52. So are you saying Rahm is calling the shots here and not his boss? I don't think so. Obama will sign

the shittiest bill as long as there is a bill.

[Teaser]

2. Rahm's priority is any deal getting done

that's always been obvious.

[Nikki Stone1]

3. How much have the insurance companies given to Rahm over the years?

That's all that I can see explaining this.

[chill_wind]

44. He's not in the Top 20 that I see, but here are some that are:

2008 Cycle


McCain, John (R) $2,451,306
Obama, Barack (D) $2,314,070
Clinton, Hillary (D-NY) $1,216,240
Dodd, Chris (D-CT) $857,006
McConnell, Mitch (R-KY) $400,583
Coleman, Norm (R-MN) $396,379
Rangel, Charles B (D-NY) $370,090
Kanjorski, Paul E (D-PA) $346,048
Chambliss, Saxby (R-GA) $344,736
Sununu, John E (R-NH) $303,804
Cornyn, John (R-TX) $287,569
Dole, Elizabeth (R-NC) $284,662
Baucus, Max (D-MT) $281,350
Pomeroy, Earl (D-ND) $277,675
Cantor, Eric (R-VA) $254,100
Bean, Melissa (D-IL) $253,308
Crowley, Joseph (D-NY) $234,868
Smith, Gordon H (R-OR) $232,650

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/summary.php?ind=F09&recipdetail=M&sortorder=U&cycle=2008

2010 so far..

Schumer, Charles E (D-NY $188,100
Dodd, Chris (D-CT) $137,250
Grassley, Chuck (R-IA) $125,450
Kanjorski, Paul E (D-PA)$124,200
Bean, Melissa (D-IL) $123,550
Frank, Barney (D-MA) $119,599
Lincoln, Blanche (D-AR) $112,550
Pomeroy, Earl (D-ND) $110,650
Reid, Harry (D-NV) $106,500
Cantor, Eric (R-VA) $102,950
Bennett, Robert F (R-UT) $96,900
Boehner, John (R-OH) $92,650
Kind, Ron (D-WI) $92,050
Rangel, Charles B (D-NY) $91,800
Neal, Richard E (D-MA) $89,050
Royce, Ed (R-CA) $84,800
Bayh, Evan (D-IN) $84,100
Burr, Richard (R-NC) $81,700
Gillibrand, Kirsten (D-NY) $79,600
Crapo, Mike (R-ID) $77,650
Boehner, John (R-OH) $225,025
Collins, Susan M (R-ME) $215,700

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/summary.php?ind=F09&recipdetail=M&sortorder=U&cycle=2010

ALL Cycles

McCain, John (R-AZ) $2,919,753
Obama, Barack (D) $2,492,352
Dodd, Chris (D-CT) $2,292,096
Clinton, Hillary (D-NY) $1,894,715
Pomeroy, Earl (D-ND) $1,860,506
Johnson, Nancy L (R-CT) $1,612,499
Rangel, Charles B (D-NY)$1,442,835
Kerry, John (D-MA) $1,396,617
Santorum, Rick (R-PA) $1,267,850
Nelson, Ben (D-NE) $1,258,299
Baucus, Max (D-MT) $1,191,163
Schumer, Charles E (D-NY)$1,130,500
Specter, Arlen (D-PA) $1,066,755
Lieberman, Joe (I-CT) $1,037,652
Grassley, Chuck (R-IA) $983,674
Neal, Richard E (D-MA) $974,031
McConnell, Mitch (R-KY) $953,557
Boehner, John (R-OH) $939,656
DeWine, Mike (R-OH) $923,163
Kanjorski, Paul E (D-PA) $884,936

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/summary.php?ind=F09&recipdetail=M&sortorder=U&cycle=All

[Nikki Stone1]

47. No. 1 and 2: McCain, John (R-AZ) $2,919,753; Obama, Barack (D) $2,492,352

We were screwed no matter what happened with the 08 election.

:grr:

[chill_wind]

48. Makes Gold Sachs $$ look like chump change.

:-(

[laughingliberal]

9. Not exactly. Any deal that won't piss off the insurance catels,yes nt

[Teaser]

46. no I honestly think he just chooses what he sees as

the path of least resistance at any moment.

[laughingliberal]

4. According to Rahm, we don't need anything except all those insurance corporation

campaign donations going to Democrats. And he's working to make sure they get them! Doesn't he think he needs to spend more time with his family, yet?

[timeforpeace]

5. Very telling. All they need is something titled "Health Care reform" and now they are admitting it.

[mtowngman]

19. Exactly, the over riding view of party leadership after a closed door session was

that they should "...forge ahead with some legislation, even if it was not all that they wanted."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/health/policy/15health.html?_r=1&src=twt&twt=nytimes

[xultar]

6. Ban Countdown as a source in LBN.

[tosh]

7. Well, he'd better tell them to strip the mandate, too!

((but I know THAT's not gonna happen))

:grr:

Ed. - so angry I can't type

[Justitia]

18. Amen! This is now just a giant gift to ins. companies that we will be forced to give them.

I am beyond disgusted.

[Lorien]

31. I know. It was easier to be pissed when the other side was screwing us over

betrayal is very hard to swallow after eight long years of BushCo.

[rateyes]

8. Boy, oh, boy! Rahm, Bernanke, Holder, Geithner...

Obama sure knows how to pick 'em! :hide:

[laughingliberal]

10. You left out Summers nt

[rateyes]

13. And, several others, I'm sure. nt

[EFerrari]

39. Gates, Petraeus, McChrystal. It's an embarrassment of embarrassment.

[WhiteTara]

59. one of them was Monsanto Vilsack

he is among the most despicable.

[Kansas Wyatt]

32. He's playing Multidimensional Chess

Unfortunately the American People need him to play the Checkers game he's getting his ass kicked in, and forget about the friendly multidimensional chess game with the Wall Street cronies he surrounded himself with.

[tonysam]

35. Arne, Arne, Arne. THE WORST. n/t

[burning rain]

11. Get rid of the 60 rule in favor of simple majority.

Dems need to go for the :nuke: option.

[Lorien]

17. Worked for BushCo.

seems like some people don't WANT to win.

[Andy823]

12. I heard that also

If it's true the Rahm needs to go also. I think the biggest problem president Obama has are the people around him giving him advice! He needs to clean house and get some people in as advisors who aren't bought and paid for by wall street, and the big corporations. The health care bill has already been watered down, and letting Lieberman have his way is insane! I support my president, but I don't like who he has surrounded himself with as advisors. It's time for president Obama to start kicking some people out on the streets and doing what is right for the people of this country instead of the rich CEO's who have bought off congress, and it seems the presidents advisors!

[Mimosa]

16. Oh, so Obama's been fooled?

The president is the president. The buck stops on his desk. HE hired Emanuel and the other schmucks!

[Lorien]

20. Rahm was the first person he hired

that says a lot right there.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

54. And with that choice, I knew we were Had.

[Marr]

24. I'm sorry, but that's silly.

I was just about to post the same sentiment, with a big "sarcasm" tag attached.

Obama *picked* these people. They work for him, and they represent his policies and ideas. It's amazing to me that people can be so willing to let Obama off the hook and blame his handiwork on whipping boys like Rahm Emmanuelle.

[laughingliberal]

41. He has every ability to get rid of those who are not furthering his agenda. They serve at the

pleasure of the President.

My email to the White House today (AKA today's attempt to piss in the wind)

As things stand now, it appears the country has, without the knowledge of any of its citizens, become a dictatorship under the rule of Joe Lieberman. I am seriously disturbed to see one man, who most of this country did not vote for, holding health care reform hostage. It is equally disturbing to read in recent news reports that your Chief of Staff has ordered the Leader of the Senate, a man I did vote for, to cave in to the dictatorial demands of Senator Lieberman who seems intent on stripping the Senate bill of any provisions which might, possibly, in any way, now or at any time in the future help an average American citizen obtain health care or interfere, in even the smallest way with one penny of the insurance corporations' policies. It has occurred to me that the lack of will to stand up to the ruthless demands of this one Senator could indicate an agreement with his position while continuing to give the appearance of working for the people abused and impoverished by the health insurance corporations. I hope that is not the case but will find it difficult not to believe this until I hear of someone in your administration standing up to Senator Lieberman and Rahm Emanuel spends some much needed time with his family.

[Individualist]

26. You're trying to defend the indefensible

Obama was well aware that he was surrounding himself with DLCers and Bush holdovers as soon as he was elected.

[groundloop]

27. I don't like this one bit

I'm kind of wondering if we're just seeing the white house facing political reality, that the longer the Senate waits the worse the bill will be that emerges. Plus we have to remember that this isn't the end of the road. There's one more shot, when the House and Senate bills are merged. I'm not one bit thrilled with this, but I lay the blame for this squarely on the shoulders of lying Joe and a few of his cohorts.

[amborin]

14. not surprising: Rahm has already harmed workers:

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7206505>

[Justitia]

15. Fucking Rahm & Lieberman - killing ALL progress for years & years!

I loathe those fucking assholes. :mad: :nuke:

[sufrommich]

55. Lieberman is responsible for his own idiotic stance. Rahm works

for Obama, to imagine he is acting on his own without the OK of the president in naive at best.

[MUAD_DIB]

21. Did I dream the whole thing? I thought that the Dems won last year.

What is the problem with our leadership?

[bdamomma]

29. they do not know how to lead.

[corpseratemedia]

22. this is a rahm deus ex machina with liebermann

to get rid of anything but the wealthfare mandate

..and as i wrote and edited earlier, its got his (rahm/dlc) slime all over it

lieberman has no conscience, but apparently rahm has -0

what a sick shell game for the public, it's not even played well..why bother, the actors suck

[upi402]

25. no surprise n/t

[LiberalFighter]

28. Maybe Rahm and Blagojevich can share a prison cell.

[rucky]

43. He appears to be for sale. n/t

[waiting for hope]

30. This is so stupid -

Who is Lieberman? God? Have on earth did he become the one with all the power ... :wtf: is right, I think Lieberman is just the window dressing.

[chill_wind]

33. Tomorrow there will be MORE official denials

and you damn well will believe them. Oh and we are banning K.O too.

[Nikki Stone1]

34. Banning KO? What?

:wtf:

[chill_wind]

36. light sarcasm. Left off the taggie re; Keith. But I will expect the denials

in force tomorrow re: Rahm.

edit for clarity.

[Nikki Stone1]

37. Oh, OK.

You had me for a minute there.

[chill_wind]

40. Sorry. I've had my hands full with people hatin' my TPM cites

today that went against the official WH denials regarding deal-making. That strong impulse to outright shoot the messenger or story sources when people get angry at mere unpleasant possibilities has increased a lot over this last year, seems. :-(

I'm glad you posted this.

[Nikki Stone1]

45. Well, no one has shot me for this yet, but you are right about the desire to do so.

TPM? God forbid you should be informed!

[David Zephyr]

38. Ahem...Rahm works directly for Barack Obama.

It's just that very few here have the heart to say so.

[Nikki Stone1]

50. And Obama works for.....

?

[rucky]

42. HE doesn't need the buy-in. n/t

[Nikki Stone1]

49. I think this is a sign that the DLC and GOP are going "privatize" Medicare as well.

I know that Medicare is the largest program, dwarfing Social Security. They want it off the books.

[corpseratemedia]

51. if they actually do this

the democratic party is finished



we've been conned, big time..but at least we know it before they pull this next trick

[Nikki Stone1]

57. It's not finished. All it has to do is "reinvent itself" once all this is a fait accompli

They'll find another Obama to speak well and pull people in.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

53. Rahm-Obama..... Rahm is working for Obama and it's Obama doing this. Obama's

actions are once again speaking louder than his eloquent words.

[Vinca]

56. Right. Rahm doesn't need the Medicare buy in. He's not only

a fucking rich guy, he's got taxpayer-funded, primo health care. To hell with the citizens.

[Hidden Stillness]

58. If Lieberman Hadn't Killed Things, Obama-Emanuel Would Have Anyway

People are going to have to start facing what the whole general pattern is here, and stop breaking it up in your mind to convince yourself that Obama either "couldn't possibly know about any of this" (like it is "secret"--but we all know), or that Obama "is being threatened," (as Obama jauntily struts around laughing and joking with people, okay)--naive and ignorant. This is just the latest example of what is being done to the Democratic Party after its takeover by Republican lobbyist "D"LC. Did you think they were going to stop at just running their own candidates and sabotaging liberals and populists?

Emanuel comes from the world of Wall St. financial brokerages and corporate investment--the only group helped by Hooverbama, and proposed, when Bush was still "President," a commercializing of Social Security by putting it on the stock market, managed by corporate brokers. Emanuel, Geithner, Summers, and all the rest, are Obama employees, have been in controversies and Obama stood up and told people to stop criticizing, so there is no way to pretend that they are "at odds" or "different"; and Obama has shown this tendency all along--praising Reagan, saying "I believe in the free market," not caring about unemployment, meeting only with corporate executives; on and on and on. They were weakening the health bill--killing single payer immediately--all along. Now I hear that the assholes are going to cut corporate taxes, under the guise of "small business" the way they always do, again! Unemployment is over 22% in Michigan and other places, there is no Social Security cost of living increase for those who need it; what clues do you think you don't have?

Obama=Rahm Emanuel. Is that clear enough? This siuation is much worse, and harder to solve, than people think. It is not all Lieberman's fault--it is Obama-Emanuel's. If Lieberman had pulled a stunt like this and so much else, on FDR or Johnson, Lieberman would have been cut off of everything by now. Lieberman is being used as a convenient target by people (Hooverbama Admin.) who are just as bad, and agree with it.