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The New York Times: “President Obama’s nominee to run Medicare and Medicaid, Dr. Donald M. Berwick, is a man with a mission, a preacher and a teacher who has been showing hospitals how they can save lives and money by zealously adhering to clinical protocols for the treatment of patients. Hospital executives who have worked with Dr. Berwick describe him as a visionary, inspiring leader. But a battle has erupted over his nomination, suggesting that Dr. Berwick faces a long uphill struggle to win Senate confirmation.”
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Unrelated, but:
JoAnnaSmith no longer needs to explain what all Palin would do to handle all the crisis I asked about yesterday and last week. Palin has given us the 'scoop' on it all herself.
She would........are you ready for some magic, kids?..............PRAY over it!
How could we have all been so remiss, and not voted for her and John whats-his-name, that Maverick/NOT Maverick guy??
Drive,
Sarah may be on to something. If she (or anyone even remotely like her philosophically) ends up winning major office, I will start praying for America non-stop!
Yeah, the right wing wants to make sure that the government does not have enough competent people in place to provide oversight and ensure the smooth operation of the gears of government. Since the Republicans are no longer in control and cannot appoint the likes of Brownie to head FEMA and the current crop of incompetents at the MMS, they will just play the chicken s&*t game of anonymously blocking a nomination. If you can't appoint your own incompetents, stall and make sure those that are actively working for the good of the people cannot put people in place that are actually capable of doing the job.
Yeah, the GOBP is well positioned to take over control of both houses. Um, yeah...
Wow 90-0 to finally confirm a judge who should never have been held up except that the party of sore losers doesn't want to do anything but obstruct for petty partisan political games. About time to end these idiotic holds from just one lowlife disgruntled Senator.
GOOD!!!! No more cowardice! No more hiding!
Anyone delaying Berwick's confirmation must be confronted with the World Health Organization's statistics as to where we stand in terms of life expectancy and infant mortality. In 2008, life expectancy in the UK was 80; in the US, it was 78. Neonatal mortality in 2008 was 3 per 1,000 births in the UK, while it was 4 per 1,000 in the US. What makes that even more remarkable is that the UK includes Scotland, a country seemingly hell-bent on self-destruction! I would submit that we have some things to learn and Berwick might make one helluva teacher!
The amazing thing about all the obstructionism that has been going on in the Senate since they rewrote the rule on filibustering in name only, never had to be allowed. Reid could have changed the rules at the beginning of Obama's term, but didn't anticipate the unprecedented use of delaying tactics.
You can't help asking what the republican point was in holding up this nomination in the first place, for that matter all the others as well. There is no point except out of control obstructionism. We need nominees approved and everyone, whether a dem or repub appointee, to be given an up or down vote. Period. Senator Harry Reid should force a filibuster on every single nominee from assistants to directors. Show the public what the GOP is doing.
I won't get a chance to comment on McChrystal until later but in my view, this general IS the problem. This is not the first time he made disparaging remarks and then apologized. McChrystal fired one of his staff for the Rolling Stone article but did it not occur to him that he should have read it first. He blames the staffer for his own doing. McChrystal is Joe Barton in a uniform, apologies won't cut it. His behavior this time was nothing short of insubordination and he should be relieved of command. Pres Obama accepted the apology the first time but he should fire this general this time. His comments hurt his troops. McChrystal doesn't like being challenged and I think Pres Obama challenges and asks tough questions about Afghanistan--Gates has said so. Face it, military people like McChrystal always think they can win any war but reality tells us that is not true. For those who might think I'm defending Pres Obama, I would have had the same opinion had McChrystal made comments like this about any president.
90-0 would indicate that pretty much all Senators regardless of party were in agreement that anonymous "holds" are unacceptable. If you're going to put a hold on someone's nomination, put your name on it, regardless of whether you're a Republican or a Democrat doing the "hold".
Next step, insist that the press name any congressional or senatorial aide (or Congressperson or Senator, or WH aide) that speaks anonymously to the press because "they aren't authorized to speak to a specific issue". Yeah, that end the anonymous background, but it also eliminates leaks, and quite frankly, I dislike the "unknown source", what's his or her agenda, and whom should it be attributed to.
Elected officials, those holding elective office, should be accountable for their actions and inactions. we have every right to know who in the Senate wants to hold something up and how they are accomplishing that. As to the press and anonymous sources, you would undermine the value of a free press if sources' identities had to be revealed. Sources wouldn't talk to the press if the information they tried to disseminate became muddied up by an issue as to who was dispensing the information. The "Leak" is a live by the sword die by the sword proposition, you decry its existence while putting it to use. Suffice it to say that the leaker is aware that the press knows their identity and can betray them if the source is giving them bad information.
What about Valerie Plame (sp?) wouldn't you have wanted to know who was leaking the information about her? Seems like confidential sources would be okay in a news story (i.e. Watergate) but not okay for information that is not authorized, and is just not for "attribution".
So when Democrats secretly hold up nominations we should get their names also.........It doesn't bother me one way or the other. POLITICIANS are going to do whatever is in THEIR best interest anyway.
This has been going on forever by both parties. I bet McCaskill has done her share of it too. She is about as fake as that permanent smile she portrays when she appears on T.V.
Yes democrats too, dumbass. Was I not clear enough for you Texans?
Does the term Pompous A$$ mean anything to you?
Listen you two ignoramouses,
I wasn't directing the comment at anyone in particular. It was a generalized statement DUMBAZZEZ.
I could call you something worse, but I'll refrain.
Gee ITM,
Why so sensitive? I mean, its not like you have a long and well-established propensity to engage in provocative statements or anything. Why do you think they might have jumped to that conclusion?
It amazes me how thin the skin is of those who spew the most venom and hate speech. What's the matter ITM, you can dish it but that extensive military training of yours did not teach you how to take it? I thought that was what Basic was for. To break you down to the core and then infuse every molecule of your body with military training and tradition. Maybe you need to go back for a refresher course.