You can view this video right here by getting the latest version of Flash Player!

DOWNLOADS: (1023)

PLAYS: (1364)

The AFL-CIO's Richard Trumka talks to Alison Stewart about their new ad on health care reform. Trumka was asked if the rumors were true that Raum Emanuel put pressure the union not to run the ad. He said they were not true and that is not the way the Obama administration operates.

From the AFL-CIO Blog-Real Health Care Reform or Bust:

The health care reform legislation approved yesterday by the Senate Finance Committee is “deeply flawed.” In full-page ads in the Washington Post, Politico and other dailies, union leaders say that comprehensive health care reform that brings down costs, improves quality and guarantees coverage for all “is closer than ever.”

But we aren’t there yet. The Senate Finance Committee bill is deeply flawed.

Not only does the Finance Committee’s bill tax workers’ health care benefits, it does not include a public health insurance option. This summer, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) approved health care reform legislation that includes a public option and does not tax workers’ health care benefits. Senate negotiators are now trying to merge the two bills into a finished product for a vote by the full Senate.

The ad spells out the unions’ “bottom line” for a final health care reform bill.

•A public health plan is essential for reform.

•Health care reform has to ease cost burden on individuals and families, not worsen it.

•Employers have to pay a fair share of costs.

•Health care can’t be paid for by a new tax on middle-class benefits.

As the ad points out, a public option would lower premiums for everyone, reduce the cost of health care reform by $100 billion and set up competition to break the stranglehold of a handful of big insurance companies that have made 96 percent of metropolitan markets uncompetitive.

Continue reading...

You can view this video right here by getting the latest version of Flash Player!

DOWNLOADS: (52)

PLAYS: (163)

From State of the Union, National Security Advisor Ret. Gen. James Jones responds to McCain's criticism that he is playing politics with the decisions being made on troop levels in Afghanistan.

KING: But you know you have some critics. Having seen general McChrystal made his case publicly, having spoken to General Petraeus, having been to the region, some Republicans including Senator John McCain say that you, sir, and others in the White House are playing politics with this decision. I want you to listen to Senator McCain.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCAIN: It's well known, it's broadcast all over television, that there are individuals, including the vice president of the United States, now, unfortunately, the national security adviser, the chief political adviser to the president, Mr. Rahm Emanuel, who don't want to alienate the left base of the Democrat Party.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Is that a factor in the White House, rising Democratic opposition to sending more troops to Afghanistan? Do you, sir, say, "Mr. President, no more troops because of politics," as Senator McCain says?

JONES: Senator McCain knows me very well. I worked for Senator McCain when he was a captain. I've known him for many, many years, and he knows that I don't play politics with national -- I don't play politics, and I certainly don't play it with national security, and neither does anyone else I know. The lives of our young men and women are on the line.

This is -- the strategy does not belong to any political party, and I can assure you that the president of the United States is not playing to any political base. And I take exception to that remark.

You can view this video right here by getting the latest version of Flash Player!

DOWNLOADS: (148)

PLAYS: (2708)

Keith's Special Comment on support for the public option, August 19, 2009. As Keith notes, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Let me take a moment here to help the advisor understand with a quick comment. There are two health crises in this country right now, Mr. Advisor. The obvious one -- 46 million uninsured; not merely a crisis but a blight on our standing as a civilized nation and a reflection not of the unparalleled generosity of our people but of the few, the powerful, and the greedy who manipulate so much of this nation.

But I guess the second health care crisis would not be as urgent as burning as shameful as obvious if you've been in government with government supplied care for years or decades. The insured of this nation are also getting hosed. Premiums jump annually or even more often. Deductibles continue to rise. Reimbursements continue to drop.

The insurance companies steer you to the doctors with whom they have deals. Many of the best doctors won't take insurance of any kind anymore. Rationing exists today-rationing decided by influence and cash.

And the Senate Finance Committee is currently considering another kind of reform that would let the insurance companies rape their customers at nearly twice the current percentage.

This is not waterloo, Mr. Advisor-closer to Armageddon. Get your head out of the district and back into the country where as a wiser fellow just said the other day from the presidential seal, "We are being held hostage by the insurance companies."

As for how the White House plans to respond to the mess it has created, possibly with more of the same, on the one hand, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel seeming to indicate to "The New York Times" that Democrats now see little chance of Republican cooperation on health care reform.

On the other, White House Press Secretary Gibbs is still insisting in today's briefing that bipartisanship is the only way forward, that there is no Plan B.

Continue reading »

You can view this video right here by getting the latest version of Flash Player!

DOWNLOADS: (101)

PLAYS: (276)

Digby took note of this segment on Hardball, and I agree with her assessment about what it would mean for the President if he lost some Blue Dog Democrats in the mid-term election.

I would love to hear anyone tell me why I shouldn't be cheering for that outcome.

Cook said it would "reflect on" the president, but from my perspective it would reflect well on him. And if it happens because he rammed through meaningful health care reform instead of some watered down bucket of warm spit and the administration managed to get unemployment down, I think he will very likely have Morning in America in 2012.

To hell with Rahm and his appease the Blue Dogs at all costs strategy. What good is it if the president fails in 2012? If Cook is right and the Dems maintain their majority while losing a bunch of these reactionary wingnuts, I couldn't be happier. And the Democrat should be happy too because it means they can pass successful legislation for a change.

It wouldn't break my heart either. These Blue Dogs and Liebercrats do nothing but vote against the President anyway, and they give the media an excuse to bring them on to undermine the progressives in the party.

h/t The Polical Carnival and LandlineTV.

Obama and his crew set up a meeting with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to discuss a nuclear deal. Obamtourage is not endorsed by Mark Wahlberg.

Cast:
Marcus Wright -- Barack Obama
Ben Rodgers -- Joe Biden
Doug Mand -- Rahm Emanuel
Craig Rowin -- Turtle
Jen Bartels -- Hillary Clinton
Justin Brown -- Hillary's assistant
Gil Ozeri -- Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Lucia Aniello - Mahmoud's assistant
Nicole Shabtai - Office Girl 1
Janette Johnson - Office Girl 2
Sunita Deshpande - Office Girl 3
Marcia Mitchell - Office Girl 4
Samantha Gurewitz - Office Girl 5

Crew:
Directed by Paul Briganti
Director of Photography -- Cory Dross
Idea by Jennifer Statsky
Script by Saj Pothiawala
Set Designer: Elaine Haswell
Set Photographer: Glenn Boozan
PA Coordinator: Jared Neumark
AC/Grip: Marcos Herrera
PA: Mike Schroeder
PA: Andrew Ford