- BARNEY FRANK IS TERRIFIED: Fun idea for today: if you live in Barney Frank’s district, it’s apparently very easy to call him up and chat today. It sounds like he’s really going out of his way to try and kill any health care reform now, which is odd, since there are still viable options on the table and JESUS ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO WALK AWAY FROM IT NOW? It’s probably that he’s scared shitless (at least temporarily) about being another national Democratic figure whose fate rests in the hands of Massachusetts voters, who pick candidates based on how closely they can guess Roger Clemens’ ERA in 1986, after the All-Star break, with runners in scoring position. [TPM]
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{ 62 comments }
2.73
Barney needs to sack up.
[re=498155]Come here a minute[/re]: You are the new President, hooray!
about being another national Democratic figure whose fate rests in the hands of Massachusetts voters, who pick candidates based on how closely they can guess Roger Clemens’ ERA in 1986, after the All-Star break, with runners in scoring position.
Trick question, because the answer is “Rogah Clemens is a fahkin’ cawk who played fah the Yankees, so fahk him and his motha.”
(Yes, that’s my horrible text-based Boston accent. Whatever, you get the point.)
Something something, because it’s a center-right country, something.
From Lanny Davis, via Balloon-Juice:
“The Democrats have a simple message on health care that has still not really gotten through: If our bill passes, you never have to worry about getting, or losing, health insurance for the rest of your life. How is it that so few people have heard that message?”
Actually, well put. So why didn’t anyone say it until now?
At least Barney was nice enough to sell out the gheyz before he sold out the rest of us on health care. Equality for All.
Apparently Barney is lost on Brown’s happy trail. Find your way out Barney! Go past the two shriveled balls through grundel valley. You better hurry because if no HRC in 2010 then say goodbye to the dems in 2010 and 2012.
Once again the Dumbocraps lose to everything.
[re=498165]qwerty42[/re]: More to the point, why isn’t the fucking Democratic caucus getting that message?
So, Minnesota’s off the hook for that Lizard People ballot, right? Because we ultimately did elect Al Franken, who has his shit together. Dumbassachusetts, on the other hand…
Wow. Just wow.
Today we are all ball-less wonders
Ha ha, Barney thinks if he listens to his “constituents” (people who live in his district) his real constituents (Citi and BofA) will allow him to live. Sometimes democracy is damed inconvenient.
[re=498165]qwerty42[/re]: But I did hear that! I heard it every time Obama spoke! I heard it in every goddamn Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi and really ANY supporters’ bland PR statement for the past year!
It’s just a matter of anger at gov’t and misinformation. There were absolutely messaging problems. But I keep reading upset people saying “The White House never said x y or z, those IDIOTS!” They did say those things, and people “heard” them, but it didn’t work.
I don’t spare the White House blame on this, but too much of the criticism leveled at it for the last six months has been so imprecise. USE THE BULLY PULPIT! PLAY HARDBALL! SHOW SOME BACKBONE! GET THE MESSAGE OUT! RALLY THE BASE! It’s not that the White House hasn’t “heard” these catchy lines.
[re=498165]qwerty42[/re]: So wait, a hairy teabag is the new Senator from Massachusetts, Lanny Davis is saying reasonable things and Barney Frank has pussed out? This is either one hell of an opposite day or that 2012 shit is true.
TPM reader AH has balls of titanium; Barney Frank: balls of Jell-O.
He’s a major part of the problem. When he’s not blowing the banking lobby, he’s folding on everything that requires a spine. It’s an affliction that seems to be epidemic among Democrats.
[re=498168]SayItWithWookies[/re]: Given Barney’s body by hostess, you’d think he’d be interested in securing health care for life. If he thinks teabaggers are going to let congresscritters keep their hifalutin’ benefits, he’s crazy.
[re=498176]Jim Newell[/re]: Too bad that there’s not an institution out there whose job it is to clear up any misinformation out there.
Is the “Most Balls in the Face” baseball joke already taken by the teabaggers? Just when we could have used it too.
I figure Coakley knows more about baseball stats than Barney (and I know–she lost because she didn’t know who dickhead Curt Schilling played for)…the gayz tend to not like ball games unless they’re between a pair of legs.
Barney Frank has bigger problems than health care reform. He’s got Dodd-esque problems, being wholly owned and operated by the banks and whatnot.
[re=498176]Jim Newell[/re]: The problem all along was that the Dems bought into the fallacy that they needed 60 votes. Really, from that point on it was just a question of when they’d fail, not a question of if. All the messaging in the world couldn’t solve that particular Harry Reid & Co. fuckup. It’s actually something of a miracle that they got as close as they did.
[re=498176]Jim Newell[/re]: I heard it, but never quite so concisely. It should have been shouted. Add to that the grotesque sausage making theater the public was treated to the past few months. That message was lost in the chaos. The depressing “relieved” message from TPM captures a lot.
[re=498178]bitchincamaro[/re]: I can understand Frank hating the tax rebate to pay for catastrophic care insurance for anyone with no insurance at all. The stench of that idea has made me nauseous since Walnuts! first suggested it. What I hate is the edge of panic in Barney’s voice. You want to know what pisses off the American public more than anything? It’s this indecision on the part of people we ELECTED TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS. Seriously, sack the fuck up, Barney.
[re=498197]qwerty42[/re]: The Dems don’t have “message solidarity.” Think back to the John Roberts and Sam Alito hearings. How many times did you hear a Republican say “up or down vote”?? The answer: every fucking time they were on TV or radio. Literally, every time. The RNC said “say whatever you want, but use the phrase “up or down vote” five times per appearance.” When was the last time you heard a Dem sad “up or down vote” re. healthcare? Exactly.
First they came for the incompetent Democratic candidate for Teddy’s Mass Senate seat. And I said nothing, because I was not an incompetent Democratic candidate for Teddy’s Mass Senate seat.
Then they came for the fat, completely corrupt, morally degenerate Democratic incumbent of the Fourth Congressional District, Mass. And I said nothing, because I was not an incompetent . . . .
:::SniffSniff:::
Can you SMELL that? It’s the smell of FREEDOM ON THE MARCH!!!!
(Or maybe it’s just the smell of stale Lipton teabags. Whatever.]
[re=498176]Jim Newell[/re]: It clearly isn’t Obama’s “fault”. The blame must fall on the failed leadership of the majorities of both houses of congress.
Plus whoever thought for one second that bipartisanship meant anything other than letting the minorty rule.
[re=498176]Jim Newell[/re]: Yes they did Jim. But – and it’s a but bigger than J-Lo’s – the Dems have no counter to the still-in-place wingnut lie machine. Say what you want about the nutters, but when they disagree they are stubborn and fierce in rebuttal (as it were). The Dem still do not control the message, because they act like reason & logic will get it done. Right now ‘it’s the economy stupid.’
[re=498201]Neilist[/re]: shut up..
Is this the circular firing squad I’ve been hearing about?
[re=498176]Jim Newell[/re]: In all seriousness, the problem is that once you start unpacking the mistakes, you have to answer questions like whether or not it is possible to communicate effectively at all (let alone, communicate a coherent class-conscious message) in a corporate-owned media environment—including one conglomerate that has become an untethered propaganda machine. Or whether it is possible to communicate broad messages to various non-traditional media sources whose readership is fairly ideologically homogenous and which function to a greater or lesser degree as echo chambers rather than marketplaces of ideas.
And, speaking from personal experience, that shit is a bummer. Being a communication scholar and a political junkie is like being an astronomer who likes astrology performed by David Brooks as he condescends to you.
[re=498200]Dave J.[/re]: [re=498205]Historysnuff[/re]: This is true; they can stay on point better. It is frustrating because the point is often deceptive or an outright lie, but they keep repeating it (well, in McCain’s case of repeating the one-way ticket nonsense, I think it is just senility). But the others certainly seem to believe the silly stuff they spout.
Jesus tittyfucking christ you people are delusional. Your health care plan sucks/sucked ass and that’s why you’re getting your heads handed to you in this debate.
[re=498200]Dave J.[/re]: And another thing, how many times in 2001-08 did you hear the phrase “Bush administration spokesmen fanned out across the talkshows today to repeat the administration’s talking about [whatever]…”? Does Obama have spokesmen? Probably not, if they don’t a message. Also, where is Joe Biden when BHO needs an attack dog? I could go on, but I have to gouge my eyes out.
This country makes my eyes rain.
[re=498196]Dave J.[/re]: It really just can’t be emphasized enough that this was the basis for all of this. It effectively turned the senate over to Lieberman, Nelson, Baucus, and Snowe.
Meanwhile, the Obama administration acted as if Congress were a functioning institution, first letting them gut the stimulus package and setting us up for continuing mass unemployment with no end in sight, then letting them raise the shit-stink of corruption and ineptitude to high heaven through all the wrangling and b.s. over health care for the last several months.
I simply cannot believe how fucking incompetent the Democratic leadership is. One year after Hopey was inaugurated, can anyone answer me this: What is the fucking point of voting anymore?
[re=498174]Hooray For Anything[/re]: He who turns and runs away lives to run another day.
[re=498226]Jim Demintia[/re]: I was talking about this with a friend today, and I think part of the problem (if not MOST of the problem) is that Obama and Biden both came from the Senate. Thus, they are prone to treat it with more deference than it deserves, and the Senators are prone to think of the President as either an equal or an inferior (since he was the “junior Senator from Illinois” in the Senate, where seniority matters above all else). That’s the thing w/ Bush and Clinton–they came from executive positions in their home states, and thus were used to talking shit about the legislature and kind of bullying them to get stuff done.
Whoever made the point about how letting the public see all the sausage-making that goes into a bill was a HUGE mistake is completely right. I think that’s what really killed what little enthusiasm remained–the endless procedural votes, the compromises, the endless leaks about such-and-such a Senator might oppose it for reasons X, Y, and Z, the blatant deal making, etc.
wait, was 1986 before the ‘roids?
OK, so it appears that, much as the Repubs have been insisting for the last 60 years or so, the Dems are a bunch of pussies. Seriously, counting on the Dems to accomplish anything would be like heading into battle leading an army of retarded cats.
That being the case, methinks I’ll just convert to the GOP. Let’s see, I got my:
1) pre- and post-frontal lobotomy kit here, check;
2) my concern-for-my-fellow-man removal device;
3) my adoration-for-filthy-filthy-lucre cranial implants
There, that feels better. Oh wait, you mean my new party is still down 18 seats in the Senate and a bajillion in the House. No worries! I can comfort myself in the embrace of various fetishistic sex practices while I wait for the Dems to fuck up what to most rational beings would still be a golden opportunity to accomplish their goals. Dumbass Dems, ball-less to the end.
Bill Maher’s a dick head, but he’s right about everything.
At least Bush got shit done…the wrong shit, but at the end of the day he got it done.
Bill Clinton: “..people would rather be with someone who is strong and wrong than weak and right.”
[re=498209]clientnumber8[/re]: Yeah, wanna jump in the middle of it?
[re=498219]clientnumber8[/re]: Why are you here? Free Republic is thataway.
[re=498238]Dave J.[/re]: I agree with your point when applied to Obama, but come on Biden? He was in the Senate for over three decades! Wasn’t he suppose to be the Administration’s point person to the Upper House? Hell Lyndon Johnson never treated his former colleagues with deference and–sometimes for better and sometimes for worse–he got things done.
I hate to break to everybody but…they don’t even have a health care bill. You don’t think they sold it effectively? That’s because it doesn’t exist except as a range possibilities. As long as it’s still be formulated you can claim any damn thing you like is in there. The reason they couldn’t arrive at an effective piece of legislation (after a year of working on it)is because our leaders (our Senators mostly) are a pack of three dollar whores who didn’t want to sign on “prematurely” for fear of loosing out on the last possible piece of pork they can get their snouts around.
At this point, Democrats need to clean house. You either toe the fucking party line or you raise your own goddamn money and oh, by the way, we’re gonna primary your ass.
A really good place to start would be “Mr Independent” from Connecticut. We need to find a couple of house members who are hittin’ the pipe hard to roll up to the Senate with a blow torch and a pair of pliers and go medieval on his droopy ass. Put Rahm on it, he’ll get it done.
[re=498238]Dave J.[/re]: That’s the thing w/ Bush and Clinton–they came from executive positions in their home states, and thus were used to talking shit about the legislature and kind of bullying them to get stuff done.
I used to think that’s what Rahm was there for. But now it looks like he’s there solely to piss off the people who were Obama’s biggest supporter.
You gotta hand to it to the Rethugs. That have it down to a science.
1. Find an issue which scares independents, Reagan Dems, white people, old people, mouth-breathers, etc. (e.g. unemployment, the deficit, loss of Medicare benefits, muzzies, islamo-terrorist, Mes’kins sneaking across the border to steal our women, Haitian orphans, yada-yada)
2. Say that such will be caused, sustained, worsened by something Obama is promoting (Universal Health Care, preventing climate change, the bank tax, financial regulation, blah-blah-blah).
3. Add that whatever Obama is promoting will also lead to something worse (Universal Health Care will allow homosexual gays to teach kindergarten nude, a bank tax will fund mandatory, late term abortions for suburban pre-teens; a treaty on climate change is to be followed by the institution of death panels for family pets, etc.).
Doesn’t really matter what the “something” is so long as (a) it’s really, really, dumbass preposterous and (b) it can be reduced to a FOX sound-bite.
4. Stoke the anger of independents, Reagan Dems, white people, old people, mouth-breathers, etc. by telling them they are being ignored.
5. Let them feel empowered by organizing Bund rallies and giving them T-shirts.
6. Joe Lieberman.
7. Profit.
Yeah, great advice, Barney… Great advice, Obama… Let’s all us Democrats show even less balls than we have during the last 12 months. That’ll wow the people all right. Less balls is better. Great slogan. Less balls we can believe in, you dumbass motherfuckers!!!
This doesn’t sound like the same Barney Frank who so fearlessly stared down that 20 year old Paultard girl at the town hall meeting.
[re=498270]dijetlo[/re]: Yeah, but I think this is Sen Joe’s last term: he’ll be gone after 2012. The senate behaved so badly on this they are going to have to consider whether they want to be a branch of gov’t or a very exclusive club. Right now, they act as though everything were being carried out at a 19th century pace. the early 19th century. I’m not sure they are even capable of reforming themselves.
As a followup, TPM is reporting that he may support the bill.
i have to point out that j lo’s butt is really quite tailored these days.
b/c if i don’t point that out, i will start banging my head against the wall at the sheer idiocy of this country in the year of our lord — hell pretty much any year of our lord in the past decade.
[re=498219]clientnumber8[/re]: what’s your solution pal? take your 41 senators and 23% approval rating and… cut taxes? i realize i’m metaphorically banging my head against the wall here but you do understand that our current health care system is not sustainable right?
right.
America’s calling LBJ. When it really takes ball-busting to get something done.
[re=498292]S.Luggo[/re]: Soundbite to use at FOX: “There’s a Dark cloud over the WHITE House”.
This is what I heard: Fines and penalties for not having health care, tax on tanning booths but not botox and no death panels. I did not hear free health care for everyone for the rest of their lives. All this from an unamed, unofficial source that asked to remain anonymous. And I was listening.
The whole Masschusetts thing means nothing to me. I am still numb from Batshit Bachmanns’ win.
She gets on national T.V., says some cold Hitler shit and gets elected. I’ve been drunk since then.
[re=498373]the lady MS. Sheila Dixon[/re]: LOL. (Rolling a fattie now).
[re=498373]the lady MS. Sheila Dixon[/re]: Did your source tell you wether the health bill was going to be fascist, socialist, communist fascism, or fascist socialism? I think part of the reason why HCR is having trouble is because nobody can quite make sense of what it’s about and these questions will go along away towards helping the American people understand it
Obama sucks. The only leader who would bring change we can believe in to America is Vladimir Putin.
[re=498373]the lady MS. Sheila Dixon[/re]: If it was up to me we’d have a public option that would send American women to Brazil for ass enhancements and assorted fun stuff. And if it was up to me I’d put all the Tea Baggers in death camps.
Fucking hell. How are people this stupid capable of keeping the whole inhale/exhale breathing thing straight, let alone running the country?
Now Barney is afraid of being reamed?
Dear Barneyanne Frank, please remove the queen-size blanket you are covering your hairy ass cheeks with. You are a fat rat deserting a ship piloted by weak kneed captains that need lessons in tai-kwon-politics. Where are the Democrats Palins & Wackmans?? Amerika obviously embraces wackos..perhaps Gary Coleman in a platinum wig & roller blades stumping for the libs will be our salvation.
[re=498487]libwakman[/re]: A gay guy with no balls. That’s like a despot/pacifist. The worst combination imaginable.
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