Paul Ryan's Minimum Knowledge

By Jeff Simpson

GOP Golden boy, and self proclaimed policy wonk Paul Ryan (R-Wall St.) was asked a simple question recently and completely fumbled the answer:

Thank Goodness his staffer knew that it is a measly $7.25/hr .

Hard to fault Ryan though, he does not deal with such piddly amounts of money.  We know that he likes $350 bottles of wine  and has expensive tastes.   After being embarrassed by his lack of knowledge, he then went on to try and redeem himself.

Q: The minimum wage in other parts of the country is fourteen, fifteen dollars. I don't see huge differential in employment in places that have raised their minimum wage to places that haven't.
RYAN: Our poverty rates are among the lowest in the country.

Sure, if by lowest you mean “tied for 18th with Washington state by percentage of population as of 2014.” And one study at the University of Wisconsin last year found that the state's poverty rate grew by 20 percent between 2010 and 2014, to its highest level in 30 years. Also, the gap in poverty rates between whites and blacks is 49th worst in the nation. So clearly Ryan is either not paying attention or lying through his teeth.

If you want to discuss these issues with Ryan, your chance is coming up.  He is hosting a fundraiser with John "the cryer" Boehner.  Boehner is making a rare appearance off the golf course.  Of course the fact it is a tailgate with lots of alcohol available sure helps.  

It is the perfect time for the man of the people, who grew up in Janesville, to really hang out and mingle with the people who he represents.    \

All you need is it be available on Sunday September 24th, to go to Lambeau Field and watch the Packers take on the Cincinnati Bengals and Tailgate with these two former Speakers(no word if Denny Hastert will be making an appearance).  

I forgot one detail, you also need $10,000!  

The Donald's Groupies

By Jeff Simpson 

And other stories from the post apocalyptic election America.  Everything you think you know, you just don't.   

Scott Walker had this to say at The Donald's thank you tour(not the private fundraiser he was really here for(that we know of anyway)).

Walker joked how he, Ryan and Priebus all grew up in southern Wisconsin and that when people ask him what was in the water, "I tell 'em it’s beer."

We know that Scott Walker loves his beer, so that is not surprising but it was just last July when Scott told us this:

Plainfield, Iowa — Before Scott Walker stood on a national stage, he crawled beneath the wooden pews and white steeple of First Baptist Church.
His father preached and his mother ran the Sunday school in this Iowa farm town too small to have a stoplight. Growing up in the parsonage next door — in the shadow of the church — Walker learned his first lessons in faith, politics and living a life on public display.

And he also "grew up" in Colorado:

When he was 2, he gave his first speech at the church in Colorado Springs, Colo., where his father worked, telling the parishioners: "May God bless you this Christmas with joy that never ends."

I guess when you can believe that an elf actually can be a world class dentist and that "bumbles bounce" you ccan expand your mind even more to believe that story.

I get that people can move around, but it is very convenient that he can grow up in so many places as long as its convenient. It is almost like he stands for nothing.

Next there is The Donald. Who finally, after several cancellations, came to West Allis for a private fundraiser(he isnt making enough money off the election apparently), and was able to fit in a stop on his "thank you" tour. A few thousand people showed up to yell one last time "put Hillary in prison", before she becomes nothing more than the answer to a trivia question(who was the candidate that actually lost to the guy who said he can start kissing any woman he feels like and grab them by the pu$$y?). Personally, I am hoping when that question comes up in a couple years I have a hard time remembering it!

In his address to the few thousand screaming white people(whiter than the blizzard of a day before), he took his chance to humiliate Paul Ryan once again!

“He’s like a fine wine: Every day that goes by I get to appreciate his genius more and more,” Trump said, before adding: “Now if he ever goes against me I’m not going to say that.”

Paul Ryan is like table wine, he will continue serving him while he is useful, but the minute he is no longer needed he will be tossed aside like day old bread!!   

I am assuming that Paul Ryan (R-Wall St.) is smart enough to pick up on exactly what The Donald said.   

Tip O' Neil and Sam Rayburn, are turning over in their graves watching the current Speaker of the House be the house elf, of a non politician reality TV "star". Maybe John Boehner can sneak in sometime and hand Paul Ryan one of The Donald's argyles.   

At least Paul Ryan is not alone.  His good friend Scott Walker has joined him on the kept politician list! 

During the presidential primary, Trump had mocked Walker, saying he was the one who drove Walker out of the 2016 presidential race and "sent him packing like a little boy."

On Tuesday, he praised Walker's toughness and leadership.   

But wait there is more.  

Donald Trump plans on appointing Ol' Governor Good Hair to be head of the Department of Energy, which at one point, Rick Perry (R-Glasses) wanted to eliminate if only he could remember its name.  

Looks like now, the taxpayers of the US will have to invest in some sort of GPS system so Rick Perry can find his way to work.

Finally, for now, there is the incomparable and unintelligible Sheriff David "vacation" Clarke.   

Trump and his campaign used the "rope-a-dope strategy" on the "fake news network," Clarke said, calling out several national media organizations by name as he accused them of trying to "sabotage and undermine" the president-elect.
"We’re going to have to do a lot more heavy lifting to help Donald Trump and Mike Pence push back against this subversive movement," Clarke told the crowd. "Do you have the pitchforks and torches ready?"

First time in history, the people in power have called for "pitchforks and torches", but no one ever accused Dave of being intelligent or understanding history.  

It is going to be a long two years and the Wisconsin far right extremists are going to be right in the middle of the tropical storm Donald.   

Buckle up!   

Bizarro World - Day 2

By Jeff Simpson 

Here we go again, straight down the rabbit hole.   In today's beware of locust news.

This person has put out an ad questioning Hillary's health(doing Beloit College proud):

Here is the ad the "super" PAC put out:

Continuing in Bizarro world Ms. Hendricks has all of a sudden taken an interest in emails, since she was the one who gave a million dollars to Governor Scott Walker to escape justice for his illegal email server.  

The Bizarro world extends beyond just Wisconsin....Don King introduced Don Trump last night(H/T @nicholsuprising):



But Wait there is more:

The original orange man, influence peddler and former Speaker of the House, was just hired to the Squire Patton Boggs law firm that is also one of the most powerful lobbying firms in Washington DC(h/t @lhfang). All of which is fine, except that Mr. Boehner is not a lawyer and he promises he will not be lobbying.

John A. Boehner, the former speaker of the House who left Congress and his leadership post last year, is joining Squire Patton Boggs, a Washington-based law firm long known for its lobbying work.
However, Mr. Boehner, who served as speaker for four years and as a Republican representative from Ohio for 24 years, will not lobby in his new role at the law firm. Instead, he will serve “as a strategic adviser to clients” in the United States and abroad on global business development, according to the firm’s announcement.
Mr. Boehner, 66, who is not a lawyer and ran a small business in Ohiobefore his election to Congress, left the speakership at a time of conflicts with conservative members of his own party, who criticized his legislative deal making and called him a sellout.
His negotiating skills will be put to use in his new job, where he will have “the opportunity to engage with leaders in business and government throughout the world and help them work through the challenges they face, as part of a world-class team,” he said in his statement.

 I hope this is the last one of these ,,,,but somehow I doubt it.

Scott Walker and Beelzebub

By Jeff Simpson


The quote of the day comes from former Speaker of the House John Boehner.  The orange man lets it fly when asked about Ted Cruz.

Asked about the 2016 presidential candidate at a forum hosted by Stanford in Government (SIG) and the Stanford Speakers Bureau, Boehner drew laughter for making a face of disgust, according to the Stanford Daily.

"Lucifer in the flesh," Boehner said, according to the paper. "I have Democrat friends and Republican friends. I get along with almost everyone, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life."

He added that he would vote for Donald Trump in a general election if he becomes the Republican nominee but that he would not vote for Cruz.

If there is anything that shows how extreme and out of touch the WISGOP is with not only Wisconsin but the rest of America also, by the fact that the hate talkers and most electeds got together, collaborated and pushed Ted Cruz to victory in the WI primary.

Scotty himself gushed over Cruz

 "After eight years of the failed Obama-Clinton Administration, Americans are looking for real leadership and a new direction. Ted Cruz is a principled constitutional conservative who understands that power belongs to the states — and to the people — and not bureaucrats in Washington," Walker said in a statement released as he announced his decision on Sykes' show. "Just like we did in Wisconsin, Ted Cruz is not afraid to challenge the status quo and to stand up against the big government special interests. He is the best-positioned candidate to both win the Republican nomination and defeat Hillary Clinton. That’s why I endorse Ted Cruz for President of the United States."

In citing his reasoning for backing Cruz, Walker said, "I just fundamentally believe that he is a constitutional conservative," in addition to favorably 
comparing Cruz's style and policies as more suitable to the middle of the country. 
"I wanted to make sure I was supporting someone ... I wasn't against someone," said Walker, who said he plans to campaign on behalf of Cruz ahead of the state's primary on April 5. "I want to be for something."

Maybe its the fact that the WISGOP, follow Ted Cruz's policies that they are so uptight, petty and angry,  

Lyin' Ryan: I'm Better Than Boehner

Lyin' Paul Ryan did an interview with CNN and compared himself to his predecessor, John Boehner:

Paul Ryan wants everyone to know he's no John Boehner.

"I think I do it better," the House speaker told CNN during an interview this week, adding that his leadership style is different than his predecessor, whose resignation last year shocked Washington. "Not to knock John, but I spend more time with all of our members on a continual basis."
Ryan, the GOP's vice presidential nominee in 2012, has won over conservatives by trying to showcase a more inclusive leadership style than Boehner. But he's still beset by the same internal divisions that led to Boehner's ouster -- as his party struggles to push through a number of bills on pressing matters, ranging from the Puerto Rico debt crisis to the budget.

Well, yeah, he might be talking to all of these people but he is hardly winning them over.

Ryan's honeymoon as the speaker lasted for only about a month before he got Boehnered by his fellow Republicans started making demands of Ryan in order to get an emergency budget bill passed.

To further exemplify how much of a failure Ryan is at being the great unifier that he promised to be, he failed to get enough votes to pass a budget by April 15, as required by law. Ryan's problem was again the extremists that felt that he didn't do enough to harm poor people, the elderly and the disabled.

In fact, the Teapublicans are so incensed with Ryan that he is going to be primaried this year:

Wisconsin businessman Paul Nehlen announced Tuesday that he is the tea party-allied candidate who is challenging House Speaker Paul D. Ryan in the Republican primary, saying he’s “had it” with the speaker betraying conservatives.

[...]

“Paul Ryan’s embrace of big government spending, his continued support of illegal immigration and imported workers, and his championing of the job-killing trade deal known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership betrays me, this district, and this nation,” he said.

“He’s failed to put America’s security and American jobs first. I’ve had it. We’ve all had it,” said Mr. Nehlen, a successful executive, entrepreneur and inventor who previously donated to Mr. Ryan’s campaigns.

Now one has just got to wonder how in the world is Ryan supposed to find the time to draft his list of demands to agree to become the Republican presidential nominee when he is to busy trying to herd cats.

A more honest comparison between Ryan and Boehner would give Ryan the edge in only the fact that Ryan doesn't have orange skin...yet.

The Pope Unmasks Political Leaders

By Jeff Simpson 

We all know the Pope was in Washington DC yesterday.  

The start of a very interesting visit from a Great Man.   It even got started as cool as possible, when the Pope, who left his Popemobile at home and arrived in a Fiat.

Quite possibly though, the coolest thing the Pope did yesterday was snub a bipartisan coalition of politicians.

We now know why the United States Congress absolutely did not want Pope Francis to come to America. He makes them look like the complete as*holes they are. Obviously, Congress thought Pope Francis would be honored to dine with them, and all their pomp and prestige. They were wrong.

Pope Francis says he didn’t have the time because he already had a date eating with the homeless. In fact, he is not only going to be eating with them, but serving them. The meal will take place at St. Patrick’s Church in Washington, D.C.

Rather than try to write some great prose about this situation, Ring of Fire will simply quote Eric March from the website Upworthy, because he nailed it:

Unlike some of his predecessors, Francis has reminded journalists and world leaders time and time again that the church is for the poor, blasted the global financial system which causes so much poverty in the first place, and called on Catholics across the globe to take action and start lifting up the most vulnerable among them.

He’s also spoken out forcefully against economic inequality.

Including some of the worst, most exploitative labor practices in the world, which create conditions that allow hardship and desperation to thrive.

Blowing off John Boehner and Nancy Pelosi to serve the homeless is pretty much the kind of badassery we’ve come to expect from this pope when it comes to speaking up for the world’s most hard-up.

One noticeable thing that seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle is that none of the politicians offered to join Pope Francis and help serve the homeless.   Apparently helping them become homeless is all our politicians can handle.  

Luckily, we at CogDis were able to check the calendars and realize why the leaders in Congress were too busy to join the Pope yesterday for lunch.

*  Nancy Pelosi was to busy trying to get the Trans Pacific Partnership fast tracked.  
*  Harry Reid had to work on making sure we do not raise the minimum wage.
*  John Boehner was going to spend the day trying to figure out how to end the peace treaty with Iran.
*  Mitch McConnell was too embarrassed since he has blocked to many jobs bills and helped add to our homeless veteran problem throughout his career.  

* Bonus Calendar Check:  Wisconsin's own Super Catholic, Paul Ryan would have been there to help but he is not running for Vice President anymore and he is way too busy planning his anti poverty conference to worry about the homeless.  

I imagine the conversation going like this:

McConell;  Your Holiness would you like us to take you to lunch?  We have an expense account. 
Boehner:  As long as you don'd mind if I smoke.
Pope Francis:   Sorry I have plans to head to the church and feed the homeless. We could use some help.  
Pelosi:  Yea, ummm, well, ummm, I have to wash my hair.
Reid;  O sorry I have to take this call(exits left). 
Boehner/McConell:  Dont look at us.  

Immigration Reform - The Time Is Now

Ohh boy, I think this is John Boehner really outdoing himself. Earlier this week, he made possibly the LAMEST excuse for not pushing forward on immigration reform. In his delusional mind, since Pres. Obama isn't "trustworthy" in his words, Boehner can't see why the GOP should push to enact any legislation on this issue. Yes. The president who has, all along, been following current immigration laws by deporting people in droves, can't be trusted to follow new legislation. And congress wonders why people find zits and getting fired from their job more likeable.

Something that always leaves me confused is the outright hatred people have for our nation's immigrants. Unless you're Native American, you have no room to complain. It's thanks to them that we are here in America today. Of course, it needs mentioning that the right-wing push back to immigration is due to a few reasons, the main of which is Hispanic immigrants. Republicans are afraid of Hispanic immigrants because of their tendency to vote Democrat (because people don't usually vote against their own interests.) And if the unbelievable backlash against the America the Beautiful Coke ad is any indication, the racist, hateful and ignorant condemnation for those seeking to come here, isn't going to ebb any time soon.

To understand this issue, and really politics in general, it helps to make it personal. Think of where you family came from. Every immigration story has real faces, real people. Anti-immigrant sentiment is nothing new. My husband's family is Polish and Dutch. My family hails from Ireland, Norway, Poland and Ukraine. When my great-great-great grandfather Patrick Murray took his first steps on American soil, he was probably greeted by one of these signs:

But you'll steal St. Patrick's Day and turn it into an excuse to capitalize on stereotypes of the Irish.

But he rose above the hatred and xenophobia and worked hard all his life to provide for his family. And that's what all immigrants are doing. People are immigrating to the United States for a reason. Patrick's story isn't unusual. Millions of people who've come here have faced the same adversity. Here in the US, they can provide themselves and their families with better  opportunities. Everyone wanting to come to the United States to gain citizenship should have that right. If you want a better future, our borders should be waiting with welcome arms. Immigrants pay taxes (i.e. pay for corporate tax cuts and big oil subsidies) buy goods and services (stimulate the economy) and add to the melting pot that is our uniquely American culture.

So in thinking about this topic, I came up with a few of my own suggestions for immigration reform. Some of them you can do on your own.

1. Make the process so much easier.
2. Don't bog people down with years of paperwork.
3. Don't bog people down with thousands and thousands of dollars worth of paperwork FEES.
4. Amnesty is critical. If people are already here and paying into the system, they're as American as anyone else.
5. Stop being a racist dick. Let's get real - GOP opposition to immigration reform comes from the skin color of many people wanting to come here.
6. End the belief that immigrants are 'welfare queens' who are mooching off the system.
7."Tough border security" is code for America puffing up its chest. It doesn't work. It obviously doesn't keep people from crossing the border. And building a wall? Huh. Let's remember how well that worked out the last time a country built a wall.
8. The children of immigrants, all 11 million, need to have fair access to education.
9. Stop getting your undies in a wad over whether or not people can speak English the second they get here. They'll learn. How many other languages do you speak? None? Okay. Than hush.
10. This is one of the most important. STOP CALLING PEOPLE ILLEGAL. No one is illegal. It's a cruel and inhumane term. I hate it.

The Center for American Progress has an extremely informative fact and statistics sheet on America's current immigration laws and numbers that you can access here. Contact your senators and congressperson and urge them to keep fighting for fair, humane immigration reform. Don't let John Boehner win on this issue.

So, next time you want to go tell your new neighbors from a different country how much you wish they'd go back, remember, they aren't stealing your jobs or your tax dollars. The people doing that are  multimillion dollar corporations. Where's the legislative reform for THAT?

Just Bad Governance

VoteVets.org gets it right!

Government Shutdown

BY Jeff Simpson

Rachel Maddow breaks down the Government Shutdown in detail


Some takeways;

1.  There has been NO significant legislation passed since Boehner/Cantor/Ryan have taken over the house!

2.
Maddow also mocked Rep. John Culberson (R-TX), who invoked the 9/11 rallying cry, “Let’s roll,” during a gleeful meeting with party mates about pushing for a delay on the Affordable Care Act.
“Let’s roll – let’s bring the U.S. government to its knees,” Maddow said sarcastically. “Just like on 9/11. Except the other way.”

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Coffee Can Health Care - Ch. 4

 

By Jeff Simpson

Tim Alsip, from Portland Oregon needed help, and he had no where to go to get it.   See Mr. Alsip has a  history of mental illness, addiction and dental problems(anyone who has ever had a toothache knows how terrible this can be).


Now turn quickly to Washington DC, where Paul Ryan, Eric Cantor and John Boehner are in the midst of a five week paid vacation.   Before they left for their FIVE week paid vacation, they took up the very important business of voting to repeal Obamacare for the FORTIETH time!    Of course, Paul Ryan (R-Wall St.) had to check in with his bosses before he took his paid vacation, but that is another blog!

 

Now we switch back to Portland, Oregon.  While the republicans in Congress, have made their sole priority, making sure President Obama has no successes, Mr, Alsip was in too much pain and in need of so much help, that he had no where to turn.  So he turned, in desperation, to a crime.

He decided to rob a bank!   

On Friday morning, 50-year-old Alsip walked into a Portland-area Bank of America and calmly handed the teller a note: “This is a hold up. Give me a dollar.” Alsip then took his single dollar bill and sat quietly in the lobby, waiting for police to arrive. According to The Oregonian, he has a history of mental illness, addiction, and dental problems that seem to have gone untreated. Sacrificing his freedom was the price Alsip felt he had to pay to receive medical care.

Alsip is currently homeless and has no past criminal record in the state. He was arrested without incident and charged with second-degree robbery and bail set at $250,000.

 Things are so bad, in the real world, that an American, desperate for health care and homeless had no where to turn but to crime.  Luckily, for the people of Portland, Mr. Alsip's desperation, couple with mental illness, did not decide to arm himself with 6000 rounds.

 

Instead he choose to get help the only way he knew how.  Now the man who asked peacefully for $1, will be sitting in a jail cell with a $250,000 bail.   Hopefully he gets the medical help he so desperately needs, then they drop the charges.   

However, when will people ever learn?  Steal $1 go to jail, "lose" $80,000,000 and you get elected Governor.   

That's Not The Aurora Borealis

If you see a bright orange glow in the Northwoods of Wisconsin this week, it's not the Aurora Borealis.  It's more likely the dayglo of John "The Crying Man" Boehner:

“Struggling” Sean Duffy is using his vacation from Congress to today welcome Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) to Hayward for an exclusive fundraising dinner. In advance of the $5,000-a-plate affair, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate released the following statement:

"“Struggling” Sean Duffy’s repeated votes against the interests of working families in Congress are deplorable enough. Bringing the Speaker of the House to Northern Wisconsin to rake in $5,000 campaign checks from the uber-wealthy when he should be hosting public events where the hard working middle class families who pay his salary can voice their concerns just adds insult to injury.
“Sean Duffy may think he “struggles” on his measly annual salary of $174,000, but the 98% of his constituents who make less than that every year not only can’t afford a ticket to tonight’s dinner – they can’t afford Duffy’s votes against the middle class."

According to U.S. Census data, the median household income in Wisconsin's 7th Congressional district is $45,868, the unemployment rate is 8% and more than 70,000 residents lack healthcare coverage, including 11,500 children.

In what I am sure is not a coincidence, Scott Walker is suddenly on vacation in an undisclosed location this week - although with all the cross country campaigning he's been doing for the past two years, I'm not sure how anyone can tell.

In what is also assuredly pure coincidence, there was seen a caravan escorted by three state troopers going north today on Hwy 51:

The Wisconsin State Patrol says it has provided three cars as security to help escort a government dignitary traveling in northern Wisconsin on Wednesday.

“We are involved with U.S. Capitol Police,” said Lt. Steve Krueger of the State Patrol's Wausau office.

He declined further comment, referring questions to Capitol Police in Washington, D.C.

A person who saw the caravan on state Highway 51 north of Merrill described it as a motor home, black sports utility vehicles and State Trooper cars.

I'd bet my bottom dollar that Walker was at the event.  You don't think he's going to pass up being near all that money and a chance to kiss the Orange Man's butt while he's running for president, do you?

 I also bet that many of the people at this little soiree wasn't from the state either.  I just wonder if they all wore name tags saying, "Hello, my name is ALEC."

What I can tell you is I would be mighty upset if they wanted me to drop $5,000 a plate and they were giving out these photos:

Paul Ryan's, Love/Hate Relationship With Obamacare!

By Jeff Simpson

We all know that Paul Ryan hates Obamacare, he has voted to overturn it some 345362 times so far this year.  Hey for $174,000/yr + Cadillac benefits you have to do something with your day.  Paul Ryan, along with his mentor John Boehner sent a letter to the President asking for updated costs!

House Speaker John Boehner, meanwhile, called on the administration Tuesday to grant individuals a reprieve from the healthcare law's coverage requirement — just like the White House did last week for larger employers.

In a letter to the president Tuesday, the Ohio Republican and 10 other GOP leaders said  "we also believe American families need the same relief."

The Republicans gave the president until July 16 to come up with answers as to why he chose not to delay the mandate for individuals, who will face a fine if they do not have health insurance by Jan. 1.

The letter frames a new Republican argument against the law, one that could gain traction in next year's congressional elections.

Yes Paul Ryan(R- Wall St.) wants President Obama to tell him the "truth" on Obamacare numbers.  The problem is we are not sure.  With people like Paul Ryan(R-hypocrisy) continually writing him OTHER letters asking for more Obamacare money!   

 

You won’t believe what The Nation magazine obtained through a Freedom of Information Act Inquiry: a list of 17 Republicans who secretly pursued Obamacare’s medicaid expansion dollars while hypocritically slamming the law in public, as well as all of their letters begging for the funds from the big, bad federal government.
Every single one of the Republican congresspeople listed below, including master hypocrite Paul Ryan, have voted over 30 times to repeal the law while privately begging for its funding from the federal government.

Letter can be read here:

In a 2010 letter [pdf] signed by Paul Ryan and obtained The Nation through a Freedom of Information Act request, the GOP's VP nominee — a major opponent of President Obama's healthcare reform — asked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to use Affordable Care Act dollars to fund a new health center in his district.

"The proposed new facility," Ryan wrote in his recommendation letter, "will serve both the preventative and comprehensive primary healthcare needs of thousands of new patients of all ages who are currently without healthcare."

New Access Points, the grant requested by Ryan to pay for the Kenosha Community Health Center's new facility, is paid out using money set aside by Obamacare.

Hard to believe this is the same Wisconsin lawmaker who has vowed to repeal every last provision of Obamacare because "[our rights] come from nature and God," not "the government."

Then again, this is the same Ryan who privately sought stimulus funds while condemning the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in public.

Publicly criticizing government programs while quietly milking them for every penny.  How very Ayn Randian of him! 

 

Republican Bell Ringing

By Jeff Simpson

We told you how the truth came out in Wisconsin and the republicans in Wisconsin are admitting to be being bought and paid for!   Now we know why the republicans are so incompetent on a national level.  They are just doing what they are told!

 In a letter to members of Congress, which was obtained by NBC News, Heritage Action for America, the lobbying arm of the Heritage Foundation (which recently found itself in hot water over the racial IQ theories of the co-author of their widely panned immigration reform study, Jason Richwine, who resigned from the think tank last Friday), urged Republicans on Capitol Hill not to govern, and instead, to focus on the would-be “scandals” plaguing the Obama administration.

Not only that, the Heritage Foundation was very explicit in their directions:  DONT TALK ISSUES!!

In light of the white hot media spotlight on the administration, and to deflect attention from the many policy areas where Republicans don’t quite get along, the letter urges: “it is incumbent upon the House of Representatives to conduct oversight hearings on those actions, but it would be imprudent to do anything that shifts the focus from the Obama administration to the ideological differences within the House Republican Conference.”

It would be imprudent for anyone to know what the republicans stand for, just keep yelling  "Benghazi" and whatever you do do NOT do your jobs!   The worst part is though, the national republicans jumped at their letter like Pavlov's Dogs!

Full Letter Here:

The Honorable John Boehner
Speaker of the House
H-232, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Eric Cantor
House Majority Leader
H-329, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Speaker Boehner and Leader Cantor:
For the first time, the activities of the Obama administration are receiving a sustained public vetting.  Americans’ outrage over Benghazi is amplified by the Internal Revenue Service’s intimidation of conservative grassroots organizations and a cascade of negative headlines.  There is the real sense the Obama administration has been less than forthright with the American people, the press and lawmakers.
Recent events have rightly focused the nation’s attention squarely on the actions of the Obama administration. It is incumbent upon the House of Representatives to conduct oversight hearings on those actions, but it would be imprudent to do anything that shifts the focus from the Obama administration to the ideological differences within the House Republican Conference.
To that end, we urge you to avoid bringing any legislation to the House Floor that could expose or highlight major schisms within the conference.  Legislation such as the Internet sales tax or the FARRM Act which contains nearly $800 billion in food stamp spending, would give the press a reason to shift their attention away from the failures of the Obama administration to write another “circular firing squad” article.
Make no mistake, principled conservatives will still oppose bad policy if it comes to the floor.  Rather than scheduling such legislation for consideration, we urge you to keep the attention focused squarely on the Obama administration.  As the public’s trust in their government continues to erode, it is incumbent upon those of us who support a smaller, less intrusive government to lead.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Needham
Chief Executive Officer
Heritage Action for America

Coffee Can Health Care Ch. 3

By Jeff Simpson


Another chapter in our "coffee can healthcare system" series!  This one is the story of Daniel Seco:

Over the past few months, Dan has been experiencing constant pain in his back. Being a freelance writer for websites such as MLB Trade Rumors & NBA Trade Rumors, Dan has no insurance and decided to deal with the pain on his own. As time grew on, the pain became unbearable, and he was confined to his bed. Even without insurance, Dan knew he had to see a doctor, no matter the cost.
After undergoing a series of tests, Dan's (and our) worst nightmare became true: He was formally diagnosed with cancer on Tuesday, February 26th. Despite not having insurance, Englewood Hospital was willing to accept Dan and he is currently being treated there as we await a final prognosis.
We are currently in the process of finding Dan insurance that will cover his medical costs, but it is difficult to find a company that will cover him with this pre-existing condition. Even when we do find such insurance the medical costs will be exorbitant. We plan on finding Dan the best doctor available, regardless of insurance and the cost. We hope that the doctors at Englewood will be able to treat him, but it is quite possible that we will need to transfer him to a hospital that has more specialized doctors capable of treating Dan's condition.
Given the circumstances, Dan's spirits remain high, and his attitude has not changed one bit (he still pisses my mom off whenever has the opportunity). We hope that he leaves the hospital within the week and begins treatment for his cancer ASAP (whether it be chemotherapy, radiation, or a combo of the two).
Given the history of cancer in our family (our father passed away from cancer at the young age of 45), you can imagine how hard this has been for our entire family.
At this time, we have no idea how much Dan's treatment will actually cost, but we appreciate donations of any size. If you are unable to make a donation, your support can be show in tons of other ways:
-Prayers
-Meals
-Kind words
-Advice
The list goes on...
At this time, please contact me (Kyle) if you have any questions, words of encouragement, or just want to help out. While Dan is perfectly capable of answering texts and his phone, we want him to be as relaxed as possible. I will relay all of your kind words on to him. I can be reached at 201-887-3764 and my email address is kyle.seco@gmail.com.
Thanks for your support,
Kyle & the entire Seco family

While Dan waits for Obamacare to kick in so insurance companies will have to insure him, he lays in a hospital hoping to be able to deal with his pain and live long enough to be treated! 

Our prayers go out to Dan and if you can spare a dime, Dan could sure use it!

Meanwhile, in case you were wondering, while we see a real life example of the benefits of Obamacare(although why it kicks in in 2014 is beyond me), what were the republicans doing to reform our healthcare system?

Voting for the 37th time to REPEAL Obamacare!  Why would they waste taxpayers, time money and energy?  John Boehner lets us know:

The decision to hold a vote to repeal Obamacare -- which has already been done 37 times -- was made by Republican leaders looking to appease freshman GOP lawmakers.

“We’ve got 70 new members who have not had the opportunity to vote on the president’s health care law. Frankly, they’ve been asking for an opportunity to vote on it, and we’re going to give it to them,” House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told reporters last week.

While Boehner acknowledged that the law is unlikely to be repealed, he has vowed "to do everything I can to make sure we don’t wreck the best health care delivery system the world has ever known.”

Of course they are not asking to be put on record as voting for jobs bills, controlling the deficit, fixing our trade gap or even actually reforming healthcare BUT their one priority is to vote against reform that has been reaffirmed by the majority of the American people over and over.  Shows the priorities of the current republican party!

Thanks republicans, when they are not in pain, or praying that the pain they have(and do not have the money to go to the doctor) is not deadly, Daniel Seco(and millions of others like him) appreciates your efforts!  

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Albert Einstein

That Moment...

Too funny:

John and Paul just Screwed the East Coast!

Last night after the fiscal cliff talks and vote, many congressmen were begging John Boehner to then pass Hurricane Sandy Relief!  

Boehner had a heated exchange with Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.), one of the members urging the House Republican leadership to bring up the Sandy legislation, according to fellow Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.). The House adjourned on Tuesday night without passing the $60.4 billion Sandy relief package that the Senate approved last week.

"I was chasing the Speaker all over the House floor last night, trying to talk to him and his staff," King said on CNN on Wednesday morning. "He kept telling me, wait until the vote is over, wait until the fiscal cliff vote is over, everything will be taken care of. And then he was gone. He refused to meet with us. He actually yelled at Congressman LoBiondo, saying, 'I'm not meeting with you people.'"

When you have Peter King considering switching parties, you know are getting too extreme!

Even New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, took time away from yelling at public school teachers, to yell at the republican taliban:

 

“There is only one group to blame for the continued suffering of these innocent victims: the House majority and their Speaker John Boehner (R-OH),” Christie declared. Historically, “disaster relief was something that you didn’t play games with, but now in this current atmosphere everything is a subject of one-upmanship,” he continued. “It is why the American people hate Congress.”

If you can not offer up Paul Ryan a great photo op, then he has no interest in your charity!  Why in 2013 are Paul Ryan, Ron Johnson and Glenn Grothman all trying to make WI look bad? 

How Christian of them!