News Roundup - Hour 1
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-03-26/news-roundup-hour-1
President Barack Obama's signature on the health insurance reform bill at the White House, March 23, 2010. The President signed the bill with 22 different pens.
President Obama signs historic health care legislation but Senate Republicans force another House vote. The Pentagon plans to ease enforcement of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." And the administration renews its call for financial reform regulations. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.
Guests
Naftali Bendavid
national correspondent, Wall Street Journal; author of "The Thumpin': How Rahm Emanuel and the Democrats Learned to be Ruthless and Ended the Republican Revolution."
Susan Page
Washington bureau chief for USA Today.
Christopher Rowland
Washington bureau chief, The Boston Globe.
Comments
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I've been listening to your show ever since I lived in the US for two years, and I really appreciate the intelligent and civil discussions taking place! Your show (rather than Meet the Press) is a true National Treasure!
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A recent Harris poll indicated that a whopping 24 % of Republicans think that "Obama may be the Anti-Christ". In my opinion this is the direct result of the US main stream media giving air time and undue credibility to extremists, as if they represent the "other view" and as if their viewpoints are as worthy as those of social progressives. The media should let the Republicans execute this course of action, i.e. marginalize themselves to oblivion, rather than allow them to turn the public discourse to a complete circus.
I am very grateful a universal health care bill was passed and I have a very low opinion of the Republicans who tried every way to stop it for their own political reasons. However, when considering the anger against Obama, I think back to my own anger against George Bush who started an unnecessary war in our names. Because Bush strongly identified himself as a Christian, I wondered at the time whether he was the anti-Christ. The difference back then was that the Democrats did not stand as a block in opposition to the stupidity of our invasion of Iraq but were cowed by Cheney and Rove into supporting a war they (and many Republicans) knew was wrong. Peggy Kruse, St. Louis
Bart Stupak has claimed to have received threatening calls after his vote on the Senate Health Care Reform bill. He has publicized the calls from his answering machine. Yet, before the vote, when he was standing up against the bill because it allowed for federal spending on abortion, he said he was receiving phone calls then. So, many calls late at night that his wife had to turn the answering machine off. Yet, when the calls were from the left, he didn't publicize those calls. Why the attention to calls from opponents to the Health Care Bill but not to calls from the left when they were angry with Stupak and others who claimed to be opponents to the bill?
I am very disturbed that once again this year we have heard profoundly offensive language yelled at, first the President and now Congressman Stupak while they were speaking in the House. I am a college student and so haven't been closely following the news for more than the past four years or so, but never before this year have I heard tell of this sort of conduct. It recalls the kind of behavior that parliament in the United Kingdom is notorious for and I would hate to see it become acceptable in the United States to opt for reactionary insult slinging instead of thoughtful, respectful, civil debate. I feel the Republican party should be embarrassed to be setting such an undemocratic and unprofessional precedent.
Yesterday Missouri legislators almost came to blows on the floor with children in the gallery. Whether the issue is some specific legislative issue in America, condominiums in Israel or allowing non-Muslims to breath air in Riyadh, over reaction is in the air. Hyperbolic sarcasm has taken over American english. A readiness to be insulted and the assumption of justification for what used to be considered abominable behavior is in fact 'the problem'. Health care passage is not the issue. We are way past wistful longing for civility. Our stuggle is to get a foot hold on being human.
It's not social conservatives that are upset by current federal policy it's fiscal conservatives. I'm a social liberal but I support the tea party position. Government spending is unsupportable will bankrupt the country.
nmrobin06, You obviously weren't pating attention to the various committee meetings during the Bush Administration. When the Armed Services committee and other committees had hearings about the Iraq War, Code Pink activists often disrupted the proceedings. Or, was that okay because thier opinion was "right"?
I think the flying of the Gadsden Flag over the balcony of the South Carolina Capital Building by Republican members of Congress, further illustrate just how the members of the Republican party feels about this government...
The amount of uproar from the Republican Party about this bill seems so extreme. They have stirred up all kinds of VERY negative reactions. Even though some of the aspects of the bill they do agree with.
I am wondering if it is because acceptance of this bill by the general public would spell doom for them in November. It seems to be strictly a political manuever... What is your comment on this?
Thank you
The amount of uproar from the Republican Party about this bill seems so extreme. They have stirred up all kinds of VERY negative reactions. Even though some of the aspects of the bill they do agree with.
I am wondering if it is because acceptance of this bill by the general public would spell doom for them in November. It seems to be strictly a political manuever... What is your comment on this?
Thank you
The Republicans remind me of the Sunnis in Iraq. After the war they were shocked, simply shocked, to find out they were actually in a minority. Nows the Republicans have manufactured a fantasy that the entire country, with the exceptions of the President and Democratic Congress, is against the Health Care Reform bill. The poll that I saw before the vote was 48-45 which was actually within the margin of error. That 48% figure probably also included those who want reform, but thought the bill didn't go far enough. I suspect now the poll numbers will reverse as people take a breath and look at all the good ideas that are actually in the law. If the Republicans think they can make political hay out of opposition to a law that curbs insurance company abuses, I think they are delusional. People may love having health insurance, but they don't love their insurance company.
My husband tells me that you referred to the alleged spitting by tea party activists. That's been shown to be false, as even Rep. Cleaver admits that it was just inadvertent saliva from a man who was yelling--the old Say it, don't spray it. There is also a $10,000 reward for anyone who can supply audio or video of anyone yelling racist epithets, and since the congressmen were recording their own video, they should be able to supply proof if it really happened. We'll see.
The Democrats are asking the Republicans to apologize for alleged violent acts, for whom the perpetrators are unknown. In the meantime, when are the Democrats going to apologize for this partial list:
--the violent college protesters who recently burned and vandalized.
--the violent Pittsburgh protesters who burned and vandalized
--the attempt on the life of Republican Eddie Adams
--the regular death threats to Republicans
--the SEIU men who beat up a black man at a health care townhall and called him the n-word
--the moveon.org man who bit off a tea partier's finger.
--the AFL-CIO protesters who broke into Bush campaign offices across the country and vandalized and injured campaign workers in 2004
--the daily death threats to President Bush.
--the people who were convicted of trying to bomb the RNC convention
--the people who burned down the Texas Governor's mansion
--the people who torched Sarah Palin's church
--the people who set fire to the George W Bush museum in Midland, TX
--the people who physically attacked delegates to the 2008 RNC convention
And this is just a partial list of recent events
I'm tired of the double-standard.
How is that Rush Limbaugh can make very thinly veiled threats against US elected Representatives and Senators and still have his FCC license? Especially since violence has resulted from his rhetoric and those of his ilk?
If his name was Muhammad or Abdulah, wouldn't Homeland security have him in custody already?
Here's an image that warms the cockles of my heart -- fiction though it be:
The Federal agents show up at Limbaugh's door and say, "We are really sorry about this, but remember those rules that your good buddy, George W, put in place? Well, you broke them, so you have to come with us. You might might want to pack some summer clothes because Guantanamo Bay is warm all year around.
I am amazed and appalled that our elected officials can no longer concentrate on their jobs due to the fact that the NON ELECTED lobbiests and their benefactors want their particular interests plowed through at any cost. This country has deteriorated thanks to Ronald Reagan beginning with the dismantling of the Fairness Doctrine and continuing with the attempted dismantiling of government in whole. He left office with a huge deficit which his predecessor, Bush 1 continued to build. Then Clinton came in and had to clean up 12 years of REPUBLICAN shenanigans. Then we were blessed with the ANTI CHRIST Karl Rove, whom I truly believe no one on this planet would miss and anyone who purchases his book needs to have his head checked, and we were treated to a stolen election resulting in the WORST president in history according to every poll that I read and the mental midget BUSH 2 managed to get us into 2 wars that he refused to pay for and he managed to raid the treasury and give it all to his billionaire friends. So now we have a quasi Fascist government that the Democrats are trying to wrestle back out of the hands of Corporate America and the CorporoFascists are spending BILLIONS to try and keep all their POWER. They have given their marching orders to THEIR elected OFFICIALS, the REPUBLICAN party, and obviously the REPUBLICANS are listening to their bosses.
In closing I would like to say to Rush Limbaugh. Remember when you vowed, yes vowed that if Health Care Reform passed in this Country, you would move to Costa Rica? Well let's just see if you are a man of your word, or if you are what every intelligent person in the United States knows you are, a big, fat, LIAR.
I have never been so disqusted with a group of people as I am with the Republican party. These people are so selfish and creedy that they refuse to give the American people the must basic of need. They are so dishonest when they say, they had no say in the process, when the democrates tried for a year to get them involved and ask them to put their own proposal so they can compare and negotiate but they refused. The Republicans did not want to do something intellegent like educated adults would do, all the Republicans were interested in was to be disruptive. But as we now, know there was no working with the Republicans because they had made a pack to refuse any kind of negotiation or proposal. I think they should be ashame of themselves for the way they are behaving. I can imagine anyone wanting to vote for people like this to represent this country. I feel embarrassed to say that I am an American with this kind of government representation. The truth is that the majority of Americans do want health care reform.
I am catholic, although I would say I have issues with the church. Why the church would allow this is beyond me. Jesus himself said, "Give unto Caeser that which is Caesars." I think in this case it would be the laws protecting children could be considered "the goverments territory" and the law of the land should apply.
It is not the first time this has happened. I' am very disappointed in your panel. I get the impression they are ill prepared and more interested in echoing party line talking point than in offering real analysis on the issues presented to them. I'm am surprise to find that more times than not you -Diana- allow them to get away with these platitudes and offer no follow up inquiries. I listen to your show every day for 2 hours hoping this would improve, yet it doesn't. BTW I am not affiliated to any political party. I consider myself a moderate pragmatist, and I expect intelligent in-debt analysis from you and your panelist when addressing any particular issue. As was obvious in both your 10 and 11 am shows today, you and your panelist seems to have other interest. At eleven I was pleased to hear a caller called you and your panelist out on that very issue of skirting around the issues with platitudes. Please respect and honor our intelligence. Thanks.
I was disappointed to see a new welfare program pass without any means of paying for it.
Horrified by "txteaparty"'s list of assault and arson committed by the left, I tried to verify at least a few of them and found that they have been effectively debunked. Anyone else who has a little more time might want to do the same and post the results here.
It looks as though "txteaparty" relies on rightwing blogs to confirm prejudices and rumors -- a common misuse of the internet. A number of items on the list went viral but only in "virtual reality"!
Diane - I have been listening to your show for 10 years now and over the past year I have been more and more frustrated at not being represented fairly by your guests regarding this healthcare issue. I want to change the channel because it's not worth the blood pressure elevation. I personally feel that you have helped push the support for the healthcare bill by you comments and althought I respect you, I don't believe that you have actually read the 2700 page bill. I want change in our healthcare system also but I was hoping President Obama would follow through with his promise to actually CHANGE the process not the outcome. Bills are passed all the time in Congress and I believe that his supporters (who are on a steady decline) thought he meant he would change the way they were passed. The non-representation of anyone with a Republican viewpoint for this discussion is very one-sided. It sets a tone that anyone who does not agree with this bill or President Obama's they are either heartless or racist. It really upset me that your show today is helping demonization of my party. You said you were appalled at the the Congressman being spit on before you have any proof that it actually happened. When pressed by an officer to point out the spitter he didn't even know who it was and the camera that was ON HIM did not capture it. All he said was "you just spit on me and randomly pointed into the audience." How quick everyone is to believe these accusations and to FORGET the way the Republican President was treated for 8 YEARS! PRESIDENT OBAMA CAMPAIGNED THAT HE WOULD TRY TO END PARTISAN DEBATE BUT IN THE PAST YEAR HE ONLY MADE IT WORSE! Why are Republicans receiving all of the blame for that!
Naftali Bendavid made the comment about the student loan program that banks made loans to students and took on the risk. This is not correct. Those loans were guaranteed by the federal government, so the risk is passed on to the taxpayers. But the banks could charge interest rates of their own choosing.
The banks are seeing a wonderful cash income disappear and are angry about it (no surprise there). Some loans were directly from the federal government, others, through banks, were backed by the federal government. The banks as NO risk at all.
Thus, taking out "the middle man" frees additional funds for their intended use - education - without additional cost.
Despite "mutual" claims of vandalism, it is interesting to note that the PD report of the damage @ Rep. Cantor's Office notes that the shell landed within inches of the window and evidently came down almost vertically. To the local PD, it was stray fire from a nearby wedding. vs. the brick tossed into Rep. Slaughter's office.
As to the State AGs suit, the Democratic AG of Georgia is currently facing impeachment for NOT filing with the suit by the VA AG, etc.
As to the "meat" of the suits, it's interesting that even the NYTimes has noticed that the law allows individual states to "Opt-Out." That would seem to make the suits moot @ the 1st Court appearance, assuming the Judge isn't as radical as the current "Conservative" part of the Supreme9.
Thanks for a wonderful show, Diane.
It's a darn shame that your comments section is not as well and fairly moderated as Ms. Rehm's marvelous, thought-provoking broadcasts. I refer of course to the startling list of apochrypha from someone calling him/herself 'txteaparty'. Tsk, tsk.
For the record, when Code Pink acted up the democrats didn't stand up and applaud them. Contrast that to how the republicans respond to the teaparty people. The encourage them and then act surprised when something bad happens.
We do not know who committed the three arsons I listed, but the others are actual crimes verified as committed by leftists, as shown on video, or criminal convictions.
Which do you say were debunked? I have links for all of them.
To Janie Smith:
No. Code Pink founder Jodie Evans was one of Obama's biggest bundlers, and she's visited the WH a couple of times since he was elected.
http://biggovernment.com/taylorking/2010/01/08/obama-funder-jodie-evans-...
To jake: Those are all verifiable events that appeared in the news.
Pleas don't defame other commenters without evidence. I fear you are not living up to the standards of this site.
What I said was "When Code Pink acted up Democrates didn't stand there and cheer". This is America, Jodie Evans has a right to donate money where ever she wants to, just like whoever is funding teaparties has a right to pay the flock.
Also Democrats don't claim that every stray bullet fired in Richmond VA was a personal attack like Eric Cantor does, even when he knows the police report disagrees with him. Unless, of course, the Richmond police department is also in on the plot.
While I'm at it, I'm curious what people here think about this behavior:
http://www.zombietime.com/hall_of_shame/
http://www.zombietime.com/zomblog/?p=621
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/10/vile-anti-palin.html
Evans met with Obama staff, in the WH. I don't have access to the WH, but she does.
Cantor also received death threats. Do you approve of that? Do you approve of the threats that Bunning and Bachmann received recently? Do you think its ok that Stupak got threats from the left while he opposed the bill?
How about this violent sexist diatribe on twitter today:
http://patterico.com/2010/03/25/leftist-issues-death-threats-to-palin-an...