Yes. One in five Americans believes the untrue but persistent myth that President Obama is a 'secret Muslim'. And because it's "let's be stupid because Congress is on recess and we like jumping over a cliff" month, the story actually gets some traction, because it was reported by the ever-vigilant Washington Post.

That the question was polled at all lends legitimacy to it. That it was reported simply offers the cynical and the stupid cover to believe what is just simply not true, not relevant, and not an issue.

Among those who say Obama is a Muslim, 60 percent say they learned about his religion from the media, suggesting that their opinions are fueled by misinformation.

That could possibly be the understatement of the century, and we're only ten years in. The very lethal combination of Fox News, talk radio, and a timid press with no stomach to actually speak truth without some form of "balance" is whipping up a toxic bacteria which has the potential to resist any cure.

When do we stand up and say "enough"? I loved this:

Palin could post a new amendment on Twitter: "Our God is red hot; your God ain’t doodley squat."

Yeah, just what we need. Palin cheerleading for God with her faithful sidekick Sharron Angle.

Via digby, Will Bunch paints a grim picture of just how dangerous this slippery slope is:

Continue reading »

While two million people have run out of unemployment benefits, the Senate Republicans are insisting they're just protecting us from deficit spending by obstructing another extension. They weren't worried about deficit spending when Bush wanted massive tax cuts, and they weren't worried when Bush started two wars. But while 25 million people are unemployed with many of them clinging to their unemployment checks just to survive, Republicans are playing partisan games.

Will one brave Republican stand up for those hit hardest by this recession?

Congress is poised for another partisan showdown over extending unemployment insurance, as concerns about the growing budget deficit have complicated the path forward for an otherwise popular program.

On its first day back in session following a two-week recess, the Senate is scheduled to vote Monday on whether to end debate on a measure extending jobless benefits, subsidies for the COBRA health insurance program and federal flood insurance through May 5. Democrats will need at least one Republican supporter to get the 60 votes necessary to proceed.

The Senate failed to agree on the bill in late March, after Republicans rejected an attempt to expedite the measure's passage. Because of the impasse, beginning April 5 more than 200,000 unemployed people who had already exhausted their states' jobless benefits could not apply for additional benefits from the federal program, according to estimates by the National Employment Law Project, a liberal advocacy group.

Each party has been eager to blame the other for the cutoff.

Democrats point out that they easily moved an extension through the House and were primed to do the same in the Senate before Republicans, led by Sen. Tom Coburn (Okla.), stood in the way.

"The fact is, an extension to help American families was passed unanimously in the House before it was blocked by a handful of Senate Republicans," said Nadeam Elshami, a spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). "The only point some Senate Republicans have succeeded in making is that they are out of touch with the harsh reality that some families all across America are facing today."

Republicans respond that they're not opposed to extending unemployment benefits but want to offset the $9 billion cost with spending cuts elsewhere.

"We both want to extend unemployment benefits," said Sen. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), the GOP's No. 3 leader. "The Democrats want to do it by adding to the debt. Republicans don't want to add to the debt."

Have the Democrats finally realized how to act like winners? (Or, as Bill Maher just put it, use their recently-descended testicles.) Good to know they're not going to curl into the fetal position for a change:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi wants House Democrats to go on offense during the critical two-week recess that begins this weekend.

Members returning to their districts should tout the new healthcare law’s benefits to their constituents, according to the “recess packet” issued by Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) office this week and obtained by The Hill.

“With the passage of health insurance reform, this District Work Period is a critical time to go on offense,” the memo states.

Members should “convey the immediate benefits of health reform to your constituents (such as better prescription drug benefits for seniors, tax credits for small businesses and prohibiting insurance companies from canceling your policy if you get sick),” the memo said.

[...] Pelosi’s advice to members illustrates that she and other Democratic leaders believe they can capitalize on healthcare to rally before the fall.

The message in the memo wasn’t limited to healthcare.

Lawmakers also should also “demonstrate the work of this Congress to create jobs and strengthen the economy,” and “publicize the benefits of the $800 billion in tax cuts this Congress has enacted” through last year’s $787 billion stimulus package, according to the memo.

Yep, here we go again. Party before country, temper tantrums before the country's business:

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) promised that he'd be the next Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) if he had to be. And last night, he made good on his threat.

Coburn is blocking unanimous consent on extension of unemployment benefits, just as Bunning did a few weeks ago. Only this time, Coburn's not alone -- the Republican caucus has joined with Coburn, promising to block billions in unemployment benefits just as the Senate is set to leave on a two-week recess.

Due to the timing of the blockade, benefits could expire on April 5, a situation that would not be remedied for a week while the Senate is out of town. Senators will return from their Easter break on April 12.

When Bunning blocked the benefits extension in early March, government programs funded by the money -- which includes everything from construction work, unemployment payments and doctor's fees -- were only shut down for a matter of hours. This time, with the expiration coming on April 5 while the Senate is in recess, the shutdown could last for days.

Coburn and the Republicans are making the same argument this time that Bunning made back on March 1: if Democrats want to extend the benefits, they need to find a way to pay for them. On the Senate floor, Coburn said he was blocking the benefits on behalf that old political standby, the average Joe.

From Working America, an AFL-CIO blog, the news that we need to start pounding our elected officials NOW for an unemployment benefits extension:

Thanks to George Wentworth of the National Employment Law Project for answering reader questions about unemployment insurance.

(1) Question from Main Street blogger Mitchell Hirsch:

Thank you so much for taking time to answer reader questions and providing such clarity to what can be a confusing mass of information on unemployment insurance.

It has been reported that the Senate may take up a bill including a likely 3-month UI/COBRA extension late this week or next. If they do, and it passes, the House would still need to act on it or go to a conference with the Senate on the two bills - a time-consuming process with time running out.

Wouldn’t the House need to act to pass an extension again, then, by Feb 19 - and wouldn’t that require them to stay in session for at least part of next week despite the Presidents Day Recess? With millions of unemployed workers and their families facing the end of their benefits, shouldn’t Congress stay in session until they get a UI/COBRA extension done?

Thanks for taking the time, and for your expertise as well.

Answer: Thank you for your question which brings us up to date on events of the last 24 hours. It is our understanding that the new Senate jobs bill will include provisions reauthorizing the EUC program, federal funding of EB, the $25 supplement (FAC) and the 65% COBRA subsidy through May 31, 2010. This is one month less than the House jobs bill which extended these same provisions through June 30, 2010.

You are correct that these provisions will have to be reconciled but it is still too early to tell exactly how this will play out procedurally. (It is possible that the Senate could pass a stand-alone extension sooner than the entire jobs bill.) However, on your larger point, I absolutely agree that it is imperative that Congress act to reauthorize these unemployment insurance (UI) extensions and COBRA subsidies before leaving town. As NELP and state UI program administrators have been saying for weeks, if reauthorization is not passed by February 19th, states are legally bound to start phasing out the existing programs. This will create unnecessary hardship and confusion for unemployed workers and their families. This is why unemployed workers should immediately let their elected representatives know that it is critical to enact the unemployment insurance and COBRA provisions of the jobs bill before the February recess.

From what I hear, it looks like both unemployment and COBRA extensions will happen, but probably not in time. Even if they make it retroactive, it may delay payment for weeks. That will cause a real hardship to many struggling Americans.

The Republicans and Blue Dogs are trying to hold up this bill, apparently over aid to states dealing with Medicaid.

The real reason? Because they can.

It boils down to the same old amoral game of chicken and the problem, as always, is in the Senate.

Will he or won't he? Everyone's waiting to see what President Obama will say in tomorrow night's speech. Will he draw a line in the sand over the public option? Despite the president's rousing speech yesterday, this article makes it seem doubtful.

Here's the problem in a nutshell: President Obama is looking for "something he can call a public option," not an actual public option. He wants a political compromise above an actual solution - an approach which may work on some issues, but is ill-suited to the magnitude of this health care crisis:

Amid fresh signs that the White House is preparing to back a scaled-down health care overhaul that would only include a public insurance option as a fallback plan, several House liberals told Roll Call that they could support such a bill depending on how it was structured.

The “trigger” approach has been considered a deal-killer by liberals on and off Capitol Hill, and the willingness of some Congressional Progressive Caucus members to entertain it reflects a recognition that a bruising August recess has imperiled prospects for reform and redrawn expectations for what is possible.

“This is a way to get a bill,” Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) said. “I believe it’s worth listening to because I want legislation that is going to, in some shape or form, expand coverage and bring down the cost of health care.”

Boy, that's a far cry from what we heard a year ago, isn't it? Because we're not all that interested in Massachusetts-style mandates that not only aren't worth anything to people whose budgets are already stretched too thin, it imposes an additional burden for the privilege. And it sounds like the progressive caucus is starting to crack.

Liberals stressed that the shift does not amount to an abandonment of their commitment to a “robust” public insurance option. They said they would only support a trigger if that approach guaranteed the same access, quality and affordability.

“I don’t want to give the impression that I’m so flexible that I’m willing to compromise away meaningful reform,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) said. “But there may be a variety of ways of getting there than the one I originally formulated in my mind.”

The development could open a path forward for the White House, which has so far been vexed by the threat of a liberal rebellion in the House if it backs off a far-reaching public insurance option or a revolt by Senate moderates if it insists on one.

In advance of a make-or-break address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, President Barack Obama took the temperature of leading House liberals on a Friday conference call. Leaders of the Progressive Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus sat in on the call and reiterated their support for a strong public insurance option, Progressive Caucus Co-Chairwoman Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) said. Obama did not make any definitive statements and asked for a follow-up meeting today or Wednesday.

“It sounded like he was trying to figure out how he could get something he could call a public option, regardless of what it is,” one staffer familiar with the call said.

White House officials have been exploring the possibility of a trigger in negotiations with Republican moderate Sen. Olympia Snowe (Maine), a member of the gang of six on the Senate Finance Committee that has been struggling to forge a bipartisan agreement.

"When I say jump, you say, 'How high?'"

That would be Chuck "Don't Let Them Pull the Plug on Grandma" Grassley. Why does Obama want Republican approval so badly? Protective cover for the watered-down version he promised Big Pharma and the insurance companies?

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The lead Republican senator in bipartisan health care negotiations said Tuesday that he urged President Obama this month to make clear he would accept a bill without a government-funded public insurance option.

"I told the president then that he needed to make public whether or not he could sign a bill that didn't have a public option in it," Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa said on Radio Iowa. "He didn't have to take a position against a public option, but would he sign a bill that wouldn't have a public option in it, and I thought a statement from him would be very helpful."

Grassley and the five other bipartisan negotiators met with the president on August 6 to discuss their efforts toward a health care bill that can pass the Senate Finance Committee in September, when Congress returns from its August recess.

On Saturday, Obama said the "public option, whether we have it or we don't have it, is not the entirety of health care reform."

Then on Sunday, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said a public option is "not an essential element" of overhauling the health care system.

Why is President Obama so much more concerned with what Republicans want? It's a mystery!

Grover, since you've always been such a kind and caring (translation: really creepy) American, I thought I'd help you out by further explaining your new talking points on health-care reform:

Over the August recess, Congressmen will be holding townhalls on health care. There’s likely to be a lot of spin and doubletalk from very nervous Democrat members. We’ve assembled a dictionary to help you wade through the rhetoric and understand the real impact of healthcare “reform.”

No discrimination for pre-existing conditions: \prē-ēx-sisting con-df-shun\

One can wait until one gets sick to sign up for coverage, and thereby game the system, costing the rest of us.

Also: n. trick, fraud, ploy

Also: v. cheat, dupe, fleece

Hey, hon, I know you know better than this. We all know the insurance companies have been using harmless conditions like teen acne as an excuse to deny coverage to a 50-year-old. Shame on you, Grover!

No exorbitant out-of-pocket expenses, deductibles or co-pays: \per-sŭn-al ex-pen-sĕs\

You can’t have a health savings account (HSA) even if you

want to keep one. If you want to save money on your premium

by having a high deductible, the government won’t let you

Also: v. coerce, coercion, coerced

Grover, I know HSAs are an element of Republican faith (see Golden Rule) but believe it or not, we have actual studies (done by people who aren't employed by conservative think tanks, so they might be true!) showing people delay needed care because of high deductibles and co-pays - leading to more complicated, serious illness. Not that you care.

No cost-sharing for preventive care: \prē-ven-tĭv kâr\

An unelected and unaccountable government board of bureaucrats will decide what procedures must be first-dollar, even if you don’t value them

See: arbitrary price inflation

Oh Grover, I know that "bubble" elites like yourself just don't understand: Unelected and unaccountable INSURANCE bureaucrats are making those decisions right now - and people are dying as a result.

No dropping of coverage if you become seriously ill:

\ ĭn-shûr-əns kŭv-ər-ĭj\

This only happens in Helen Hunt movies, but Congress will demagogue it anyway to scare us.

See: global warming hysteria, cap-and-trade

Really, Grover? It only happens in Helen Hunt movies? Are you calling a CIGNA VP a liar? Rescission is a well-known insurance industry practice. You know better.

No gender discrimination: \jen-der dee-scrim-in-a-shun\

You’ll be forced to have your tax dollars pay for abortion and other things you disagree with. You’ll also be forced to purchase a plan which covers abortion on demand for all nine months

See: conscience clause

First of all, Grover, for the past eight years, I've had to pay for all kinds of things I disagree with: A trumped-up war, torture, tax breaks for the top one percent... Normally, I'd say, hey, the other guy won and he gets to do what he wants, but I'm pretty sure your guy stole the election with help from the Supreme Court.

And the part about "abortion on demand"? That's an outright lie, and you know it. At this point, it looks like abortion won't be covered at all. But you just don't care, because you'll push any button that works to keep your corporate overlords from losing this fight.

No annual or lifetime caps on coverage: \kăps\

Congress will tell insurance companies how they have to price their coverage and determine risk

See: arbitrary price inflation

You're right on this one, Grover. No more people denied expensive, life-saving cancer treatment because they were also in a bad car accident 20 years earlier. Boo hoo.

Extended coverage for young adults: \əx-stən-dəd kŭv-ər-ĭj\

1.“Children” up to age 30 will be able to stay on their parents’ insurance at taxpayer expense

2. Inculcating the culture of entitlement and preening a generation of welfare-dependents

See: slackers, mom’s basement

Actually, Grover, you may not know this but there's a major unemployment crisis outside that privileged bubble in which you live. Many of these young adults are so desperate to find work and pay their school loans, they're taking minimum wage jobs with no benefits. It would be nice to know that if they get sick, they won't have to die to impress people like you.

Guaranteed insurance renewal so long as premiums are paid: \gâr-ŭn-tēd ĭn-shûr-əns\

Another red herring that Congress will use to scare people into adopting government medicine

Also: scare tactic

See above for "rescission."

(h/t Down with Tyranny for the graphic.)

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I've been asking members of Congress if they would forego their August recess to make sure health care won't get left behind. Why shouldn't republicans and democrats work instead of taking a holiday? Since I asked President Obama if he should demand that Congress stay in DC to work on health care in August the media has picked it up too and now we're getting statements from Congress saying they would work instead of taking a holiday.

I asked Blue America's Sen. Jeff Merkley (OR) if he would give up the August recess to make sure legislation gets done. Here's his reply:

"I'm committed to passing health care reform and I'm extremely concerned that the window of opportunity is starting to close. Anything that can speed up Senate deliberation is valuable. And if keeping the Senate in session in August can move the bill forward, I'm absolutely committed to being here."

Sen. Merkley is committed to reforming health care and he now joins the list of members who have said they will work in August. Thanks so much Senator.

Senator Wyden

Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Rep. James Clyburn

Sen. Jeff Merkley

Americans United for Change just put out a new ad. The Republican tactic to stall the bill is their idea on how to destroy it. The ad is quite good and falls in line with what I've been saying. To stall the bill is an attempt to kill the bill. Say No to the August Recess if Congress can't get their act together. I've been contacting the Senate for quotes to see if they will forego their vacation to work on health care.

The Republicans claim the health insurance reform debate has been moving at lightning speed.

In fact for 15 years, it’s hardly moved at all.

Now the Republicans say Congress should slow down?

Meanwhile premiums have gone up 3 times faster than wages, health insurance profits have soared and 14,000 Americans lose their health insurance everyday.

Now the Republicans say Congress should slow down?

That’s because when something goes slow enough it’s easy to kill it dead in its tracks.

Tell Congress you want health insurance reform NOW.

Call your representative at (202) 225-3121.

Please donate to Blue America's Campaign For Health Care Choice.

We're working on our next move and will need your help.