This Week in the Mercury
I'll Cry If I Want To
Touring the Election Night Parties: Who's Out, Who's In—and Who's Dancing to November
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Politics The Heart Breaks
Posted by Dan Savage on Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 9:13 AM
NPR tells me that Lindsey Graham's feelings were hurt by the president's speech last night. There were, according to another GOP elected official, "a few thorns on those olive branches." So exquisitely sensitive, these Republicans, so quick to offend. They were probably must hurt when the president said this in front of all the conservative deficit hawks in Congress...
Part of the reason I faced a trillion dollar deficit when I walked in the door of the White House is because too many initiatives over the last decade were not paid for—from the Iraq War to tax breaks for the wealthy.
And this probably smarted....
In 1933, when over half of our seniors could not support themselves and millions had seen their savings wiped away, there were those who argued that Social Security would lead to socialism.
Who were those who argued that Social Security would lead to socialism? Republicans, of course. They said the same thing about Medicare and Medicaid. Rude of the president to point that out—particularly at a time when the GOP is once again attempting to derail a needed reform by arguing that it will lead to socialism. And then there was this:
Some of people's concerns have grown out of bogus claims spread by those whose only agenda is to kill reform at any cost. The best example is the claim, made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but prominent politicians, that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens. Such a charge would be laughable if it weren't so cynical and irresponsible. It is a lie, plain and simple.
How is Sarah Palin supposed to lie effectively about the president and his proposals if he just ups and calls her a liar like that?
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