Senator Pwnage: Franken Calls Thune On His Bullshit of “Facts” (w/ Extras!)

(Cross-posted from The Free Speech Zone)

I can’t tell you how many times a conservative professor has thrown me and other students a statistic and used it as a jumping point to push his views on others citing the statistic he handed out.

They’re facts, it has a chart in it, the numbers show i’m right.

Every time I bring up a point of fact that totally negates the premise of a conservative “intellectual’s” argument I seem to get a “well that may be true but…” or (my favorite that’s used by my current neo-con prof) “that’s not relevant to what we’re talking about, it’s a debate for another day/class”.

That last statement was made when he was discussing alternative ways to fund health care.  He came up with a plan that is so complex (not in understanding but in terms of administration of the plan) that I was trying to see why he brought it up.  It’s always for some ideological reason with these people.  Then I saw that the complexity was in order to cater to private enterprise and it all made sense…but was not necessary nor did his plan cover everyone.

So I raised my hand and asked “what’s wrong with a single-payer health care system that would provide universal health care for all while still allowing private industry to partake in the market like the hybrid system they have in France?”

:::crickets:::

He was flustered (not as much as when he called me on my knowledge of the financial collapse after he admitted he didn’t understand it and I gave a 10 minute explanation that left him stuttering) and replied with “that’s not relevant to what we’re talking about, it’s another debate for another day, another class”.  

They fear facts.  They all do.  

And seeing Franken just sandbag this guy is exactly what needs to be done by every Democrat in the party.  It won’t be done because most Democrats get political contributions from the same companies as their Republican colleagues, but still, this is a great example of how easy it would be for the Dems to duff the GOP in their lying faces.

Paultard Movement Stolen By GOP Are To Report Back For New Mission

Mission Briefings will be given when the Tea Party folk stop their crazy outrage tantrums so that the GOP can harness that energy and the tactics used towards their own political ends:

At the press conference yesterday, Steele unveiled a new, more in-your-face model for GOP activism torn right from the tea party playbook. In addition to the radio ads, Steele announced a new grassroots organizing program on health care that will send Republican activists to six states with the moderate Democratic senators targeted by the Tea Partiers. The goal, Steele said, will be for the GOP to help outraged voters get their message across to the Democrats that he says dismisses the voices heard at the tea parties and the August health care town halls.

Grassroots activism being pushed onto unstable, border-line violent folk in order to scare the shit out of politicians on the other side?

Oh no no no, you will not take that away from me.  That’s a page out of my people’s playbook and i’ll be damned if you try to use it for the right-wing.

Though he reached out to the tea partiers in language familiar to them, inviting them to let the GOP facilitate their protests, Steele also reiterated the difficulty his party has dealing with the growing conservative movement in America.

A right-wing movement out of the control of the tent party used to front for them are called “militants”.  Since I am of that same classification they will be considered fair game in terms of strategic military targets in case of all out war.  Misguided or not, you’ll be dealt with the same if you decide to strike the first blow.

If the GOP can’t control you, the young leftists will.

The Compromise of The Compromise of The Democrats Initial Compromise on Health Care Bill…And Another Compromise on Top of It

Faced with a likely public option-free health care reform bill from the Senate, Hoyer said House Democrats will vote to move the reform process forward without government-run insurance included.

Much as his colleagues in the Senate Democratic leadership did last night, Hoyer said the political reality in the Senate means Democrats have to look past things like the public option to the “guts” of the bill itself.

What “guts” of the bill?  

The part of the bill that says they can’t exactly refuse people who wish to buy health care from private insurers?  Pattin’ yourself on the back for that one?

But Hoyer said Democrats should be proud of what the Senate has accomplished, even if a final reform bill doesn’t include a public option. He said the “core” of the Senate health care bill will extend health care coverage to 30 million uninsured people, which Hoyer said was a victory Reid should be commended for.

Ok, just checking.  So what about those that can’t afford private insurance to begin with?

Ah!  Gotcha, lookin the other way on that one.

Polishing Another Turd For The Democratic Party Trophy Case

The administration has been open about his role in the climate bill as Lieberman, Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) are huddling five times a week on the legislation that will ultimately hit the Senate floor.

A Congressional source described Lieberman as “incredibly engaged” on the issue, and said his position is even arguably “progressive.”

White House climate czar Carol Browner told reporters yesterday that Lieberman is a crucial member of the “interesting bipartisan coalition” crafting the final bill.

The final bill that will be a reduction of emissions at it’s current level rather than the levels in 1990 that every other country goes by.

Another compromise.