What a novel thought...

Below is an article written by Sam Stein, a political blogger.  You can read the original posting here.  I am not going to expound on what this article expresses until you read it for yourself.  I will let you draw your own conclusions and my comments will follow.  However, I will highlight my favorite parts of it, so you can easily predict what is currently pissing me off. (HINT: RED = BAD )

Sebelius: Health Care Lawsuits Being Pursued For GOP Career Advancement

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius accused Republican state attorneys general on Tuesday of launching health-care-related lawsuits as a means of advancing their own political careers.

In a speech before the National Press Club, Sebelius insisted that the health care bill passed by Congress two weeks ago stands on “solid constitutional ground” despite challenges that its individual mandate violates legal restraints on the federal government. Those challenges, the HHS Secretary added, are just thinly-veiled efforts to gain political traction.

“I think that the vast majority of lawsuits have been filed by Attorneys General in states where they have also some interest in higher office,” said Sebelius, in what is one of the more direct pushbacks against the lawsuits to date. “I’m going to let the lawyers go debate the situation. [But] we are confident that the legal standing of the law is solid and that this has more to do with politics than policy.”

As it stands now, 14 state attorneys general have announced that they will sue the federal government over health care legislation. Thirteen of them are Republicans and the one Democrat of the bunch — Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell — is reported to have been pressed into action by the state’s governor, Republican Bobby Jindal.

Democratic attorneys general, by contrast, have essentially scoffed at the efforts — calling them a waste of taxpayer money and time that are undoubtedly doomed for failure.

“Most constitutional scholars looking at this issue say it is absolutely clear that these lawsuits will not be successful,” Kentucky AG Jack Conway told the Huffington Post last week. “While it may make for good Tea Party politics for [Republican Senatorial candidate] Rand Paul and Sarah Palin, it makes for really lousy lawsuits. And I’m not going to waste the taxpayer resources of the people of Kentucky on political stunts.”

Just how partisan has the issue of health-care-related lawsuits become? On Monday, Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson (a Democrat) dismissed pleas from the state’s Republican leadership (notably Gov. Tim Pawlenty) to pursue a lawsuit against the bill, insisting the legislation is on firm legal ground. In response, the governor’s office pledged to pursue a lawsuit regardless.

“We appreciate Attorney General Swanson considering this matter and her recognition of the Governor’s ability to participate in this litigation in his capacity as governor,” read a statement from Pawlenty’s Deputy Chief of Staff Brian McClung. “Governor Pawlenty believes the federal government is overreaching by subjecting citizens to a fine if they do not comply with a mandate to buy a good or service. Governor Pawlenty intends to participate in this litigation.”

Does that make you wanna puke or what?

Suing the government to ensure reelection?  Pressuring State Attorney Generals to file suits EVEN when they say that is is frivolous?  If I was a republican, WHICH I WILL SAY PROUDLY I AM NOT,  this would infuriate me to no end.  It is a sad bastardization of a system that uses the misconceptions and fears of an uneducated voting mass to fuel political careers.  VOMIT.  As this partisan political maneuvering continues, it frustrates me to no end that this is coming from the party that FOUGHT to keep an admitted torturer free from prosecution and claims “COUNTRY FIRST.”

I know that the conservative “basis” for opposing healthcare is purely financial and the cost is an overwhelming amount of money the American people have to pay.  BUT, Please allow me to pose this question:

What better use of tax dollars can you think of other than ensuring that 30 million more CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY have access to health care?

I know those more conservative republican class oriented among you hatethe fact that that poor people and non-white people are citizens of this country and are entitled to every freedom that you currently enjoy (except the tax breaks on high income levels and not being the target of racism or bigotry).  So, Why not just say it?  Why not just put out a proclamation that reads:

WE HATE THE POOR AND ALL NON-WHITE MINORITIES AND WILL ACTIVELY BLOCK ANY MEASURE TO AID, HELP, OR BETTER THEIR LIVES IN THIS UNITED STATES.

I mean your group and it’s sub groups do all they can to ensure that the class structure is highly regimented already.  Why not just come out and say it.  I mean the evidence is there.  In 2006, you b

I know this picture pisses you off!

locked raising the minimum wage , a wage that at this time haden’t been changed for the previous 9 years, by putting a little nugget in the bill that would exempt from taxation all estates worth as much as $5 million — or $10 million for a married couple.  WOW!  You gave the poor $2.25 more an hour and exempted the rich from taxes on their estates.  Amazing.

Maybe I should dispel some myths about the poor and hopefully show you why they deserve our taxes more than you or me.  Brace your selves, the truth hurts:

Myth #1. The poor are poor because they are lazy. This is the biggest myth of all. The typical “poor” person in America works 40 or more hours a week. He also spends countless hours commuting to and from work . The jobs they typically have are among the most physically demanding there are.  Manual Labor etc.

Myth #2. The poor are poor because they are irresponsible with their money. It is true that most poor people have what is known as “bad credit.” But what is one to do when your monthly expenses constantly outpace your income. I’ve heard Republicans complain that if poor people would stop spending their money unnecessarily and put some away they wouldn’t be so poor. Poor people pay their bills until there isn’t anything left. They agonize every single month over what to pay and what not to pay. There’s no “what do we do with the left over money” because there isn’t any.  I would be interested to see if more self described Democrats or Republicans file bankruptcy.

Myth #3. The poor are subsidized by welfare. Wrong, most people who are counted as “poor” don’t get any public assistance at all because they don’t qualify. Those who do mostly receive some kind of food assistance, but only of they are severely disabled or have children. And the vast majority of those people work full time at jobs like police officers, firefighters, assistant teachers, and members of the U.S. military. I personally believe that welfare does not subsidize the poor; it subsidizes the employers who refuse to pay a fair wage.

AND IN CONCLUSION:

I will leave you with a parting note, this is an “editorial” from my local newspaper.  It speaks for itself. Please note the comment and B. Delvoe’s spelling prowess.

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Where’s AG Hood?
3/26/2010

GOOD JOBE AMERICA, GOOD JOBE