Sunday Morning Talk Show Thread 7 May 2006

Various big media television networks ^ | 7 May 2006 | Various Self-Serving Politicians and Big Media Screaming Faces

[Alas Babylon!]

The Talk Shows

Sunday, May 7th, 2006

Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows:

FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich.; Sens. Joseph Biden, D-Del., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa.; Washington Nationals co-owner Mark Lerner.

MEET THE PRESS (NBC): House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; Bush impersonator Steve Bridges.

FACE THE NATION (CBS): Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

THIS WEEK (ABC): Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.; Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas; Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean; outgoing White House press secretary Scott McClellan.

LATE EDITION (CNN) : Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt; Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan.; Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif.; Iraqi national security adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie; former CIA Deputy Director John McLaughlin.

[kabar]

Sorry, you can't excuse the Republican Senate on the basis of semantics or rhetoric (e.g., my "dominate" versus your "razor thin"). The point is that the Republicans have the majority. Whether it's big dominance or "razor thin" dominance is a distinction without a difference. Dominance = majority = 55 percent.

It is not semantics but a political reality. In the Senate under the current rules, 55 is not enough. You need 60 to be filibuster proof.

The other point is that Republican Senators from Frist on down can't seem to envision an immigration bill without an amnesty attached to it. I mean amnesty as in "path to citizenship". Get a work visa in nearly any other country and see if it provides some automatic "path to citizenship." It won't. Typically they are one to three years, often renewable, but completely distinct from the immigration or citizenship process. This is not rocket science, even for third-wortld countries.

Frist must deal not only with the GOP majority, which includes Collins, Snowe, McCain, Chafee, et.al., but also, the 45 strong Dem opposition, which has the luxury of being united because they want the issue not the bill. Other senators like Sessions have a plan and there are plenty of amendments that will be voted upon.

The big problem confronting Frist is what do about the 12 to 20 million who are already here. None of the proposals on immigration reform are viable unless the borders are sercured first. It is like having a water pipe break in your basement. First you need to turn off the water, then you can deal with water damage.

To assert that there's some overwhelming problem in crafting the solution that GWB prescribed in March 2004 - a 3-year, once-renewable work visa - is just the height of disingenuousness. Any conservative Republican who supports that position is living in intellectual denial.

We already have H1B and H2B visas, which just need to be expanded. Again, what we have is a political kabuki dance in the Senate. It is all about the future Hispanic vote, the largest and fastest growing minority.

When you look at states like California, where according to the 2000 census figures, Mexican-born residents total 3.9 million out of a population of around 34 million, you can understand the political significance of what is happening. In 1990 Mexican born residents were the largest foreign born group in 18 states. In 2000 they now constitute the largest group in 30 states. Add this to fact that 33.1 million or 11.5% of our total population is foreign born, you should be able to understand the political significance of what is happening. The GOP is trying to avoid being labelled as the anti-immigration party by the Dems.

You can't disguise that fact with mere semantics, and Republicans ignore it at their own electoral peril (did you see that 5 of 7 members of the Herndon, VA town council were ousted last week due to last year's controversial and widely-opposed support for a "day laborer center"?)

I live a few miles away from Herndon and am very familiar about what happened. The point is that not every state and every Congressional district is the same. Taking a strong anti-illegal immigrant stance may not work in Southern California or Florida. Each GOP and Dem must judge the mood and predeliction of their constituents. Both parties are trying to take both sides of the issue and appeal to everyone. Their stance depends on what audience they are talking to.

[LADY J]

"This is for the RX program. Part D Medicare does not choose the doctor. I choose a doctor if I would need one. There seems to be some confusion on your neighbor's part."

Thanks for the info. I'll talk to them and see what's up with their understanding of Humana.

[kabar]

OK it comes out of our taxes but I am quite happy to do that for my senior citizens and what they have done for my country...The younger generation are different and have far more disposable income.

Are you advocating changing the rules once the younger generation is eligible to start collecting the benefits at age 60?

[Seattle Conservative]

ROFLMAO!!

[Seattle Conservative]

Sometimes she acts/talks like she's already had a frontal lobotomy

[snugs]

There seems like there are too any suppositions here to be the real reason.

It always amazes me that the press has to always assume there is some scandal instead of either something prearranged or someone feeling it is the time to go for personal reasons.

[OldFriend]

Given the failure of some pension plans and benefits programs there is no other alternative at this time. We have family members who did not sign up because their pension and benefits are secure. Ultimately they will not be a cost to the taxpayer.

Many other people have no choice and I don't see how we turn our backs on them for past failures.

The dems ran things for 40 years and they created the entitlement mentality that is the bane of many folks' existence.

[samantha]

Contrary to what a lot of people are reporting, I believe that Porter Goss was put there not just because he lobbied for the job,but because they needed someone that could unceremoniously and without fanfare or emotion weed out the leaker's, and the anti American liberal Democrat troublemakers there. Mission accomplished and he can go home at 67 years old and live a comfortable life. I could be wrong,he is a popular guy in Florida and is well known especially now,but he is a God fearing man and I believe he just wants to retire and that he will not throw his hat in the ring for US Senate.

[OldFriend]

So I see, you are the resident Ambien expert!

[Seattle Conservative]

That is true. It seems the Prez put a lot of faith and trust in Tenet - perhaps more than he should have and/or for as long as he should have.

[OldFriend]

Arlen is only important when he's attacking the President.

[Seattle Conservative]

LOLOLOL!

[OldFriend]

So now you want the government to guarantee a job for life. Guarantee a salary deemed adequate by your standard.

Any other demands?

If people didn't abuse their health insurance the rates would come down.

If some employees spent more time on their job rather than on the internet maybe they would earn more compensation.

[alnick]

Great googly moogly, did she really use the description ethical challenges?

Yep. To the best of my memory, she kind of stuttered about a few individual (and she stressed the word "individual") ethically challenged members of the minority party when Timmy cornered her about Jefferson in LA and another one (I forget his name for the moment).

One thing for these Democrats: They have an unending supply of sheer gall.

[OldFriend]

Oh, poor baby. Not responsible for her actions. Kind of like patches and oh yes, kind of like moouusseeeeeouuuuuuiiiii, his daddy was mean too.

[snugs]

Yes providing something is done to whole NHS system. At present many people simply cannot afford private healthcare because of the amount they pay in tax and national insurance.

I am certain many people would switch to some form of private health care if they got a reduction in their national insurance.

I am at the lower end of tax deduction/earning and about a third of my wages goes on direct tax and insurance so at present I could not afford to pay health insurance.

[Seattle Conservative]

It appears the prescription drug program, impeachment, and the min wage, and no more tax cuts for the rich, failed or no energy policy are going to be some of the new DNC talking points. Not only did Nanc bring it up, there's a Dim strategist on FNC right now just screeching, lying and bloviating that:

the Americans are feeling pain
Rich are getting richer
Poor is getting poorer
Republicans set bar very low for impeachment and that didn't hurt them in that election cycle
Minimum wage hasn't been waged in X years
Pres drug plan is a failure and it tied congress's hands w being able to negotiate - - plan benefits drug companies

[generationfixit]

"Yep. To the best of my memory, she kind of stuttered about a few individual".......

Kind of stuttered? Dude she was a stammering moron.......oh that was mean.....uh.....sorry...ya..see..uhh...well... it's..not like I...uh meant that it was....uh...more that...uh the Republicans....uh they uh....made me say it....no I won't scrap the NSA progam....uh just run it more....uh ....legally.....uh sorry.....whew is it hot in here?...uh did you say speaker of the house...uhh.....

[defconw]

Arlen is a useful idiot. Mostly I want to choke him, but he comes through often when no one else can. Like the Judges for the Supreme Court.

[OldFriend]

Hard to understand why Arlen did his best for the Judges.

He is, and has always been, out only for himself.