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Joe Lieberman responds to questions about money paid to his wife Hadassah by the Susan B. Komen “Race for the Cure”:
“My wife is a private citizen in a movement that is looking for a cure for breast cancer and educating women about what they should do to protect themselves from breast cancer. This is an age in which people stop debating you on the merits and go after you or your family for personal reasons. its just deeply offensive to me. I can take anything people want to throw at me, and I can take it with equanimity and trade it and give it back and deal with the merits, but I’m deeply offended by anyone who would draw my wife into it, particularly when they’re not telling the truth.”
If Hadassah Lieberman wants to volunteer to educate women about breast cancer, I think that’s great. But she has no special qualifications for this–nothing that Komen should be paying her for–and I seriously doubt people think that’s what they’re raising money for when they “race for the cure.” And, if Senator Lieberman is “deeply offended” by the suggestion that his wife is a lobbyist, one has to wonder what he did for all those years when she was working for the biggest lobbying firms in Washington DC.
Money paid to spouses is one of the primary ways that campaign finance laws are skirted, and the natural question should be, “is this money being paid because of someone’s special abilities, or is it just a pass-through to avoid detection by the FEC?” It’s a question that has legitimately been asked about members of both parties, including John Doolittle, Evan Bayh, Tom DeLay, Chris Dodd, and Tom Daschle. If Senator Lieberman would like to talk about the “merits,” he should explain what his wife has done to merit $328,000 in speaking fees in one year rather than trying to obscure the issue with his theatrical brand of “outrage.”
Joe Lieberman is going to jam through the PhRMA deal that the White House negotiated. It will be of tremendous financial benefit to the pharmaceutical companies and achieve the objectives of the lobbying shops who have paid his wife. Responsible journalists should be asking serious questions about this connection.
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Wait, that much? To speak on behalf of a movement looking for a cure for breast cancer?
No matter what my status might be in life, I would feel like a scum taking that from a charity.
I take it she’s not volunteering her time to the cause. The funneling of money intimation is pretty strong stuff. Hope that can be backed up.
Jane–you had me all the way to “Responsible journalists should be asking serious questions.” Then I realized that you were being snarky and ironic. For the Lamestream media, you don’t even need a fully-fingered hand to count those folks.
Ahh Jane…looks like you found the soft underbelly of this scum…GJ
Bless you Jane for keeping the pressure on!
I hate Scarecrow’s conclusion- to accept the bad crap for the sake of the 30 million uninsured – though I know of no data that says they’d be insured any time soon under either of the bills. I want justice and I want God’s proclamation on Joe and all the Reps and the Dems who have destroyed justice and mercy for the helpless now. I am so sickened by it all. Can’t deal with any of it anymore but I praise God that FDL is staying in and keeping on the heat.
There are no responsible journalists in the “Mainstream,” jane. They’re all whores.
Meanwhile as egregious as Holy Joe may be ( pond scum is after all useful) he’s a distraction from the real problem — Barry himself.
He never wanted Health care Reform. This whole dog and pony show has been a P.R. campaigned designed to distract attention from the fact that he’s giving the Insurance Mafia an enormous giveaway. This has been scremaingly obvious for some time.
Now I know why they charge “volunteers” $2300 to walk in their 3-day.
If you don’t have the cash, they don’t want your support.
Minor typo near the end of third paragraph. (my bold) Should be “she”.
Jane
I wrote a thread over on Dailykos regarding this very topic & urging people to sign your petition. I was stunned by one poster who accused you & me of being anti-semitic … that’s all they had … you know, when there is no facts to oppose – accuse the “messenger” of being _____
Keep up the good work Jane!
BTW: Link to my Kos post: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/15/814429/-Hadassah-Lieberman-ANTI-American-who-Must-Reap-What-She-Has-Sown.
Name of poster who had no class: princessglitterboots
I am kinda late to this thread, but WHOA! there is a WHOLE lot of info on Nancy Goodman Brinker,Susan G. Komen’s sister,who established the foundation.
This is a MUST read for the political connections involved -amazing!
The Marketing of Breast Cancer | | AlterNetSep 16, 2002 … The Komen Foundation, creator of the 110-city Race for the Cure, is tied up in private interests that run counter to its charity-driven …
http://www.alternet.org/story/14014/ – Cached – Similar
NOTE: Ms. Hamsher, keep shining that spotlight.
This plays into one of Lieberman’s strengths, his unlimited capacity for sanctimony. The man can whine the way Michael Jordan could play basketball.
What we are seeing with race for the cure is another aspect of the veal pen where any organization no matter how good the cause gets shaken down and expects to be shaken down by the powers that be if they are to have any access (not necessarily effective access) to anyone in Washington.
Sorry Jane, it’s been a bad last few days for us embattled folks.. BOTH Leiberwocky’s should be sent home..no shoes…shunned publicly, humiliated and be made to look to the public exactly like what they really are – money-hungry slobs who don’t give a single crap what happens to anyone except themselves!!
Once the bribe money stops, they wake up..Once it gets switched back on and they can keep sending some for settlements, they’re fine….
These people are slim and should be exposed as the losers they really are.
Well said, o sister, my Sister Jane, that’s what I’m on about! I’ve been saying the same thing all morning.
We’re getting jacked by carefully scripted myths, our bogus holy wars and the 60-vote hurdle being among the most glaring. No one should be taking anything these myth-making bastards say at face value.
One great advantage the propagandists enjoy over us is the successful dumbing-down and conditioning accomplished over the last 5 or 6 decades of deliberate efforts to jack public opinion. The Pentagon calls them “strategic domestic disinformation campaigns.” AKA “battlefield psy-ops.”
Speaking of jacking electorates with carefully scripted myths, most Americans believe in the myth of the two-party system as our only viable means of governance.
As we all know, it’s nowhere in the Constitution. IMO, it’s a perfect example of “regulatory capture.” And who controls the backstage deals? Let’s remember that Obama kept Lieberman as Homeland Security chair, over strenuous objections.
Who’s in charge here? Our out-of-control-by-design national security state. When the gov’t makes secret deals with drug lords and enforces them with violent acts by as many mercenaries as soldiers, what’s that make that country?
It makes us a narco-terrorist police state. All the rest is window-dressing. This obscene Obama/Lieberman charade being foisted on us as “reform” should be the dead give away. Scarecrow’s diagnosis: “Extortion for a protection racket”, is right.
No wonder it’s said, it’s always darkest just before dawn. My hope is that their imperial overreach will be their undoing, same as it’s ever been. Still, some sort of coup de grace may be necessary. It may fall to any one of us to deliver the metaphorical stroke that sets us free.
That assumes, though, that as they begin to tip, we’re there to recognize our chance and, acting from within, finally assert our self-sovereignty over these usurping bastards.
$328,000? Seems like a lot in just one year. Or is that a multi-year total?
My Concern does not lie in the republican party and Joe smoe obstructing the bill, I am more concerned about the cowards our progressive senators are!
Obama and the blue dogs are getting exactly what they want, no public option and a water downed bill written by the insurance company that force the middle to low income people to shell out their last couple of dollars to the Obama supported insurance companies.!
Dont be fooled folks, Obama is getting exactly what he wants and our concerns should be focused on the cowards we have leading the progressive movement in the senate and the softball questions our msnbc talk show hosts are feeding them!
Removal of the chairmanship of Homeland Security is too mild a punishment for Joe Lieberman, sanctimonious master of perfidy. But do it. He has long been a lost cause. And is there no Republican who can see what is right and have the guts to do right? Shameful.
homer http://www.altara.blogspot.com
I think you nailed it. They’re paying to bask in the (fetid) glow of politicians… and nothing more.
Thanks for the link.
Pretty hilarious stuff, old Short Ride whining about hardball politics.
Hey Joe, Kiss My Ass.
poor little elfin Haddasah,has the time to donate but not tbe will WITHOUT the big bux
Tyden magazine claimed that international media and the White House had published inaccurate information about Hadassah Lieberman’s family history.
Just another otherwise worthy cause that I will NOT be donating money to. Until that banshee is removed as their spokesass, not a dime.
Thanks so much for posting this link. The final paragraphs are metaphorical for the fix the passion for money has driven us. There just has to be a whole better way of doing life, living together and for each other.
He shouldn’t explain a damn thing about what his wife does.
If this were more than a political ploy, and an ugly one, Jane Hamsher would ask that Hadassah Lieberman explain the actions of Hadassah Lieberman.
She’s capable of speaking for herself.
But that’s not the agenda here. It’s get at the Senator through his wife.
The same stuff that, without evidence, is said to be the tactic of Mrs. Lieberman’s employers.
yup….im even boycotting the color pink………and all their cheap chinese crap too
What gets me is that everyone is amazed that Obama’s numbers have dropped so. Where’s the secret? The people who supported him for president expected Health Care Reform, not some more of the same old, same old GOP brand aid to the health industries.
And, yes, the remaining corpse, should it ever come to a vote, would help out some folks. But, did we travel so far for so little?
People are saying that unless something gets passed, the Democrats are in big trouuble in 2010 and 2012.
Well, here’s a news flash for you!
THE DEMOCRATS HAVE LOST THEIR BASE!!!
Try winning without us knocking on doors, making phone calls, writing checks and walking on down the street to the polls.
Nancy G. Brinker, Susan Komen’s sister was named Ambassador to Hungary by GW Bush, in 2001, right after 911.
(Hadassah Lieberman’s father was held in a slave labor camp in Hungary during WWII,according to a statement made by Lieberman at the Holocaust Memorial a couple of years ago.)
Brinker is from Dallas,Texas and was also the White House Chief of Protocol until recently. Her husband and she were HUGE donors to Republican politics. Her husband owns restaurant chains including Steak and Ale.
Nancy Brinker’s Hungarian art collection was on display in Boston up until Dec. 11,just last week.
PLEASE read the ALternet article.
the problem is, too many of Lieberman’s senatorial peers – even those to his left – actually like the snitfaced little traitor/troll. I don’t see any credible demands for accountability coming out the current leadership, and it’s unlikely, I think, that he will run again. How do we hold the guy accountable?
What’s she ever really done other than be a Senators wife?
This worm is incapable of outrage whether attacks on his wife were the cause or anything else. Given that, efforts to attack him and his wife should be redoubled. To the extent that this worm is capable of feeling uncomfortable the airing of his wife’s unseemly and unjustified scavenging for money will do just fine.
This woman apparently will not reveal her salary from this charitable group. Why not? Point one.
If she is not fulfilling her mission as an advocate for breast cancer patients why is she in the group at all? More to the point, if she is acting to frustrate the aims of the group why is she not being denounced by this group rather than being compensated?
There is no question this woman’s husband has acted st the behest of insurers and drug makers to make cancer cure more expensive and access to care for cancer patients more limited. She herself has acted on behalf of these same interests.
Her position with this charitable group requires her to promote the interests of cancer patients, which would require her to denounce both her work as a lobbyist and the positions her husband is actively taking to harm the well being of cancer patients. If she is incapable of doing this then she is remiss in her role and should be fired.
Not only is she not enhancing the chances for breast cancer cure but she is actively working against it. This alone would be reason enough for her removal. The fact that she is shown to be groveling for money and that this discomfits her husband is just icing on the cake.
You are more than welcome.
they…DONT CARE if they lose…it seems
Journalists in the MSM?? Shirley you jest. There are no “journalists” currently working in the MSM. Plenty of hacks, mounds of PR people, but real live journalists? They are very few and far between. The corporations that own the MSM do not want them because they might actually find something to write about other than Tiger or party crashers. We are living in the age of ignorance, where a 30 sec piece is considered an in depth report, where a 750 word story is all that you need to know about the health care bill, where rethugs are the guests of choice on all the talking head gab fests, where nuance does not exist but whoever yells the loudest wins. Where ignorance is king. It is sad but true, americans are the most ignorant polity among the 1st world countries. Where progressives make fun of fns lies but fail to realize that millions of sheeple buy every word that faux spews puts out. Lies rule and they could very possibly make the difference in 2010 where dems stay home and the sheeple are raised to a fever pitch by beck, hamidy and others and then go out and vote the authoritarians back into power.
Wow…politicians using charities as a cash cow; I’m stunned. Funny how its cool to steal from charities until it those theives steal from you.
1. Her expertise is her draw. How much money would they receive from having any of you speak on their behalf?
2. How many years has she been speaking? Why no
manufacturedoutrage until Joe doesn’t participate with the progressive cash grab?This is a clear example of the lack of principles progressives have. Go ahead and steal from charities as long as you vote the progressive way. There is “manufactured outrage” here but it isn’t coming from Joe. Regardless, he just wanted attention just like you folks…and he got his way with his tantrum just like you did with yours.
No doubt Sarah Palin was the ghost writer behind Joe’s truly heartfelt bromides above.
One day it will be exposed that eratz, oh so predictable, public reactions like this are all being written by the same man. Some guy in an office in Mumbai, India where politicians outsource the manufacturing of stick figure cliches.
Did this really all begin with the Founding Fathers? Would they even remotely recognize Joe Lieberman’s Washington as that which they set in motion?
What a clown Joe is. What a circus Washington has become.
Joe Lieberman’s crime is the aching sameness he shares with so many other psuedo democrats in Congress.
___________________________________
Aside to Mr. Lieberman,
You are bought and paid for, Joe. You are a disgrace to the memory of our Founding Fathers.
Along with Hadassah, live with it.
These speaking fees are all for her charity work? 365 days in a year lets say a $1,000 speaking fee plus cash for travel time and lodging does anyone know if that is included in the speaking fee or separate?
Next question just when does she find the time to see Joe?
“Hadassah has also worked for the lobbying company, APCO Associates, that had many pharmaceutical and healthcare corporations among its clients, as well as for major drug companies such as Pfizer. In March 2005, Hadassah was hired by Hill & Knowlton as “senior counselor” in the firm’s “health care and pharmaceuticals practice.” ”
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadassah_Lieberman
btw, that’s the same Hill & Knowlton that sent the daughter of the Kuwaiti Ambassador to the US to pretend to be a Kuwaiti “refugee” and claiming to have seen Iraqi soldiers dumping Kuwaiti babies out of incubators during looting so they could drum up support for Gulf War I.
That’s some quality company the Leiberman’s are keeping.
As much as I detest Lieberman, I believe the REAL PROBLEM here is the president. His complete lack of leadership on real reform has been an eye-opener for me. I realize now that I had no idea who I voted for in 2008. I could not be more disappointed in Obama. Is he not a strong enough personality to be an effective leader or is it simply that his campaign rhetoric was just a bunch of lies???
How naive are you? Or am I being too generous by suggesting you’re not being disingenuous? Do you not know what the term “conflict of interest” means? Stop being silly and trying to make this about Jane Hamsher. This is about a politician using his position to make money for himself and his family. Are you so addled that you don’t understand the concept?
You’re right, we progressives haven’t complained one bit about Joe Lieberman until now. LOL are you high?
I think Lieberman’s outrageous, hypocritical schizophrenia as to his priorities is summed up perfectly in this article excerpt:
Lieberman supports national health care, in other countries
December 14, 2009
Phoenix Acting ExaminerTony Vicich
Now onto the problem with Joe Lieberman. Lieberman is one of the US Senates strongest voices for Israel, and Israel has for all intents and purposes a socialized national health care system. Joe Lieberman was, and is one of the Senates strongest proponents on the Iraq War and our occupation of that country. In their 2005 constitution, which we wrote, health care is guaranteed!
Two countries with socialized medicine. Two countries that without US support would not exist. Two countries that Joe Lieberman supports. You can only come to one conclusion. Lieberman cares more about the citizens of Iraq and Israel than he does you and me
Linky to follow.
NOTE: Type Health Care in Israel into your search engine. VERY informative.
Troll Bingo still down. Guess we’ll have to be satisfied with scrolling.
What a shock that a Republican-at-heart would respond to charges he cannot defend against logically by playing the False Outrage card.
I notice you weren’t around defending Byron Dorgan’s wife when I asked the same questions of her:
http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/05/byron-dorgans-wife-lobbied-against-cramdown/
Why the passionate 24 hour defense in our comments section of Hadassah and not Kimberly Dorgan?
Don’t waste your breath. These trolls are like petulant children who will say whatever they think will hit a nerve and when you easily refute their points, they don’t even acknowledge it, they’ve already moved on, probing for another nerve to take a whack at.
Lieberman supports national health care, in other countries – 18 hours ago
Lieberman is one of the US Senates strongest voices for Israel, and Israel has for all intents and purposes a socialized national health care system. …Examiner.com – 4 related articles »
Is there a link to the speaking fees figure?
That is significant, because critics of this effort have pointed to the supposed “$1000″ she’s being paid, calling her “essentially a volunteer,” and saying, well, she used to be a lobbyist but she isn’t now, so that’s irrelevant.
The little kicker here for me is that she has never had any particular qualifications that I can find for her jobs except being a direct connec tion to a powerful congressman. If she were Haddasah Lebowitz, with a CPA hubby in a small practice in Hartford, say, she would never have had these jobs.
I don’t see this as “going after family,” – it would be if Lieberman’s wife were either a stay-at-home mom of whom nothing was ever heard, or if she had a completely independent career, say like Sherrod Brown’s wife, a journalist long before he entered politics, or even Cherie Blair, a barrister with cases unrelated to her husband’s political career.
This is not that case.
Hadassah only wears respectable Republican cloth coats. And they’re keeping Checkers (their cute pet name for the $328,000)!
Most senators’ families are operating comparable scams. What good is power and privilege if your kin can’t also wallow in the money trough?
Actually this subject has been brought up before, all the way back at least to Joe’s primary contest in 2006; it has long been a subject for criticism. Do a little research before you start throwing stones.
Ha ha. That’s funny. We’ve been writing about Hadassah’s lobbyist ties, and the lack of transparency about them, since 2006:
http://firedoglake.com/2006/07/13/your-daily-ned-2/
The reason Komen hasn’t been mentioned before is because it only turned up on Joe’s 2008 Senate Finance disclosure forms.
Joe’s “deeply offended” by what is being said about his wife’s efforts to educate “women about what they should do to protect themselves from breast cancer”?
That’s rich.
Hey, Hadassah. Why don’t you educate your husband about what he can do to protect women from breast cancer?
Ah, nice definition of a troll. Someone asked for one in another troll-infested thread a few days ago.
Heh,
This was addet to her wiki bio in the last 30 minutes.
Could it have been an FDL member?
Remember, “politicians are corrupt” is a cliche so safe and acceptable that you can use it in a children’s cartoon…
… UNTIL you attack a politician currently on the Right-Wing Authoritarian Defense List. THEN it’s the height of outrageous disrespect for you to dare to say anything bad about those selfless public servants!
Examples: “Betray-us?”, “Lipstick on a Pig”, “Ashamed to be from Texas”…
So saying Obama wants to destroy America on a daily basis is just dandy… but suggesting, for example, that the Bush Administration knew that the WMD charge against Saddam was bogus? That’s just beyond the pale!
Next question how much does she get paid to give a speech room and board included? How does her fee stack against others with similar qualifications but are not politicians wives?
How does her speaking fee stack up to celebrities especially the celebrities the charity uses at fundraisers?
It sure would raise eyebrows if Hadassa gets more to talk than Neil Patrick Harris or Christine Brinkley.
The Celebrity obsessed Media would eat this story up. We must learn to use the media bring them what they desire celebrities and what they are good at endlessly repeating a scandal:)
Sorry, all the responsible journalists are rehearsing the part they will play at the White House Correspondence Dinner.
There, the only connections they’ll crave are the ones that put them on a first name basis with the politicians they are supposed to be distancing themselves from so they cannot be accused of being lapdogs.
Stephen Colbert nailed this disgusting fake jouranlism there a couple of years ago. It didn’t go over all too well with all these celebrity reporters, however.
Good. It wasn’t supposed to.
I haven’t read your other attack.
As I’ve said, I have no love or respect for the Senator.
I’ve a good deal of respect for you, and I offer my churlish dissent because I think that you’re going too far and using a tactic that’s corrosive and unethical.
If you have something more than a suspicion, publish it.
If not, accept that Hadassah Lieberman is doing something decent, and stop calling for her to be purged.
Like Madoff, Liebermann couldn’t have become such a superstar of sleaze without inside support.
Every scandal ultimately reveals many who knew all along but remained silent because they too profited in some way.
Remember it was Reid and Schumer worked behind the scenes to get Joe back in power. The DSCC war chest’s involvment might give you a hint of Joe’s real value to the party.
To this day Obama’s chronic public support vastly empower anything Reid or Lieberman does on HCR to the detriment of most other Dems.
Until now, Obama chose not to intervene and in fact supported Reid’s flailing attemts to get a great bill to the floor. Obama stayed silent while Harry delayed and the bill was gutted more and more every day.
Only now, when Harry and Joe have the bill they personally want – has Obama and Rahm Emanuel stepped in -to demand that Lieberman and Reid have their bill, their way.
Joe was just a rabid tick on the back of life. But it was Barack Obama and Harry Reid who deliberately and for personal gains, allowed him to destroy the very heart of the Democratic party.
There have been few people in history that have done what you have Jane. I wish you the best, and I thank you and Christy. I have been watching the site since day 2 or so. You never wavered as you brought facts to light that have changed a lot of people’s lives. But now we know for certain that our fears were valid. We know that it isn’t just a few of our government that are breaking the law. We know it is almost all of them. For all of our voices, not one has stood up today to say they will stop organized crime from taking over our country. Not one senator has forced the issue. There is no talk about filibuster except from republicans, and that only if the giveaway isn’t complete.
The coup is over, the black puppet named hope has been shaved, organized crime is popping the champagne corks, and the people are the last natural resource to be used. The only question left is whether the people are burned for their fat content to make heat, or rendered for pet food.
Exactly,
Plus they are conceding a republican party victory by forcing the low to moderate income middle class to by expensive health care insurance when these people do not have two dimes to rub together at the end of the month!
For heaven’s sake, read the link before you characterize it (“attack?”).
You objected to only starting to go after her now – the date of the previous post refutes that claim. In other words, Jane and FDL are perfectly consistent.
I hadn’t thought of you as a troll before, but this is rather trollish behavior.
It’s funny, I think back to when I was a youngin’ and the whole country could safely and comfortably throw hateful stereotypes at the Soviet Union. Remember the “IS NEXT… SVIMVEAR! VERY NICE!” Wendy’s ad? There was this weird, tribalist cultish thing going on where “US > USSR” was just this bias we all accepted. It wasn’t mean or disrespectful to crap on the Soviets’ culture, because it was just accepted that it WAS worse than ours.
It seems like that same dynamic is at play amongst Right-Wing Authoritarians when they show up on progressive blog comment boards to troll. I mean, why would anyone show up at a party for just long enough to knock over some bottles and then leave, unless they really believed that their act of sabotage was in some larger way contributing to things?
In other words, as sick as it sounds, these people think that showing up here and throwing chaff into the air somehow makes a positive difference, because they’re so convinced that we are “THE ENEMY”. We, being outside their tribal circle, are Them and not Us, and therefore the same societal rules of respect and compassion just don’t apply to us.
I blame evolution. The tribalist instinct developed in us as a survival tool, and now we can’t get rid of it, even though it’s been strangling the Enlightenment in its crib for 200+ years.
Jane,
Outstanding job on MSNBC last night!
Fyi, Matthew Spieler at The Faster Times responded in a post: Responding to Firedoglake’s Criticism of TFT: We’re Not GOP Trolls – We Swear! To be fair to him, this response was more thoughtful. I left a comment over there as a response. Hope it’s ok.
One advantage Whack-A-Troll has over Whack-A-Mole is that there is a troll popping out of every hole so it is impossible to miss. Disadvantage is that unlike their intellectual superiors (moles), trolls enjoy getting whacked.
How is it out of bounds to accuse someone of taking a bribe?
To All the New Voices,
Welcome to the Lake. We have few rules here.
(I’m hoping someone else will post the “guidelines”.)
Looking forward to smart, thoughtful comments. *g*
LOL – I do recall those Soviet “fashion show” ads.
Ironic isn’t it, that today some of the highest paid international models are Russian. (You should take a look at Russian Vogue some time to get a glimpse of excessive consumption.) Okay, amusing but OT.
I think you speak for all or most of us, my radio and tv stations will be changing today and I will just go on with my life realizing the republican and democratic party are one in the same now.
Cancer is a great metaphor for Lieberman.
We noticed the lump for years, but when he endorsed McCain over the Democrat, that was the biopsy coming back positive.
Instead of chemotherapy or surgically removing the cancer, Dr. Obama prescribed leaving the cancer in there and see if it shrinks on its own.
Catching a cancer early is only helpful if you treat it.
Holy Joe is playing dirty pool right now . Why shouldn’t we respond in kind?
Joe’s not looking out for us, he’s looking out for the insurance industry ,which coincidently just happens to be based in Joe’s state
This is war and all is fair in love and war
Just my opinion, but I sure didn’t perceive much outrage from certain political quaters when another man’s wife was LITERALLY exposed ….as a CIA agent.
Repukes and other men’s wives have a hypocritical history,to say the least.
I’m pretty damn offended myself that this piece of shit doesn’t give a rat’s ass that tens of thousands will die without healthcare and who the hell knows how many will be banrupted. I hope he suffers a long, painful, agonizing death filled with screams and nightmares when he finally departs this earth and leaves in his wake a legacy of death for innocent people whose only crime was to get sick.
I can’t take this anymore. Going to take a Xanax and drink some beer.
demi, did you mean, “we have few rules here,” or “we have a few rules here?”
Like, not advocating violence, not indulging in ad hominem attacks on other posters?
Placing the bar out of my reach again, eh?
jane, are we gonna be able to stop the health care bill?
What additional options are available? Are there other organizations linked to either Lieberman that can be leveraged or is a “boycott Connecticut” movement in order?
I just had a great idea for an image that would crystalize the failure to reform health care!
Take the image of Bush standing under the “Mission Accomplished” banner, put Obama and/or Reid in Bush’s place, and change the words to “Mission Botched” or something similar.
I think there would also need to be a caption that refers specifically to health care so that the message is perfectly clear.
Oh, you. I almost, came that close, to asking one recently why they were showing masoginistic (see, I can’t even spell it) behaviour.
Eating the same proganda, are we?
Well, he need not worry about the cost of his chemo ,now,does he?
I wouldn’t boycott Connecticut – from what I’ve read, Connecticut-ians (?) are pretty unhappy with their Holy Joe.
You are a troll. There seem to be a lot about lately. She has no expertise outside of being a lobbyist for BigPharma. She isn’t a physician or a researcher. She isn’t an organizer either.
There are plenty of other people out there with the name recognition to raise money. And on what planet do you live that you think that Hadassah Lieberman is a big draw. What little recognition she does have is from being married to a piece of slime who votes against women and their health issues.
And again you haven’t been here any length of time at all but feel comfortable about making vbast statements about the place. Many of us have been critical of Hadassah’s lobbying for BigPharma for years. You would know this if you weren’t the typical know nothing pissant troll that wanders in with plenty of venom but no facts, arguments, or ability to engage in discussion.
Didn’t finish:
…And without the heart, there is no conscience in Congress -at all..
I was going for We have (very) few rules here.
But, thankyee. :)
Don’t hold back, Hugh!
Mac we would have something or not have something on her if the Senate were a bit more open in their financial reporting. Right now given the limited facts its hard to see how Hadassa rates $328,000 in speaking fees.
I might not know much about cars but if my mechanic wants to charge me $50 for a spark plug I will leave the garage and call him a thief even before I bother to google the story.
All She has to do is open her records if everything is fine we all get embarrassed and say sorry plus the Lake’s cred takes a hit.
If not then we hopefully start pushing for better transparency in politicians financial records which is something I am totally for.
Joe using his wife as a mule to bring in the cash thats shameful us pointing out she is a mule thats the little kid saying the Emperor has no clothes.
Some proof would put it right in bounds.
Demands that the person be fired, without proof, is not really just.
After experiencing the same kind of expenditure of donated collars by the American Diabetes Association, I had this suspicious little voice in my head saying, “If it has ‘American’ as part of its charitable-corporate identity . . . don’t donate.” American Diabetes Association–zilch! American Cancer Society–zilch!” Now it looks like I’ll have to go back to charity navigator and expand my search. When one considers how much ‘fund raising’ monies are turned back into more fund-raising . . . add in the amount that is paid to high-profile speakers . . . and we ‘charitable’ humans come to view ourselves as merely want-to-do-good schmucks! Just got an e-mail indicating that Sarah Palin has been engaged to speak at next year’s AMERICAN Association of Bowling Proprietors (or some such organization).
I still say we need to ratchet up the opposition to the mandate. I think the Administration is too invested to not pass something, we might as well try to at least get the most egregious provision out of it first.
Um, Jan. It’s like back in school when you’re caught with gum. Teacher asks if you have enought for everyone.
Their mission is to hijack threads. Ideally everybody would scroll but unfortunately people often find the bait too tempting to resist.
I read on one of the Seminal threads that Ms. Lieberman just returned from Israel,however no link nor purpose of the journey was provided.
Can I come over?
;)
Well, YOUR bait,ratfood, could prove fatal.
Oh, yeah? Them and what army? I’m feeling the love here.
Sorry for the loose wording.
I don’t think that I objected to going after her “now”.
I objected now because that was the first time I read anything about it.
You raise an interesting point. What we see are the blurred lines between public figures and their spouses. When they wish to blur those lines it’s OK but when we bring up the blurring of them, we are intruding in areas we should not go. This can work both ways. Diane Feinstein is all pro-war because it benefits her military industry husband. Even Bayh’s wife sits on the boards of healthcare companies and gosh, doesn’t Evan happen to reflect those views. Hadassah Lieberman is not different in this regard where the positions of her husband and her own history of lobbying are legitimate to bring up together.
BTW Jane,
I went to an OFA healthcare meeting Sunday, but my Blue Dog’s staffers canceled at the last minute so it ended up being just a small, local gripe session with some attempts to figure out how we’re going to overcome the disillusionment of the Democratic base in 2010 in our already heavily Republican county.
No, the agenda is to ferret out the truth about the relationship between Hadassah Lieberman and the health care industry. Does she or does she not get compensated by it as a lobbyist? End of story. Or should be when your husband can make or break health care legislation in Congress.
Besides, the health care industry has being working over time to “get at” democracy through Joe Lieberman, right?
HOW MANY WOMEN die
who cant afford a mammogram
and
CANT afford TREATMENT IF DIAGNOSED
OH THE SHAME OF GIVING THIS WOMAN 1 precious penny
The sneakier trolls pose as progressives. Had one take over an EW thread last night.
Big hat-tip to David, over at Hullabaloo, for this link to Tom Tomorrow:
http://www.thismodernworld.com/blog/TMW2009-11-04colorlowres.jpg
:o)
Damn, girl. You’re cute. No. Really.
If I didn’t dislike emoticons, I’d put a wink. Not, that kind of wink.
Even though I’ve been a doubter, Jane has been right about the healthcare reform scam all along.
$328,000. That is blood money.
A couple of years ago, I wrote on some blog that Lieberman was the most dangerous man in Congress. That his disgusting wife would do this while her husband is busy carrying out the wishes of the Obama administration is simply despicable.
The three Liebermans (Joe and his two faces, along with his wife) are the vilest of creatures, and the citizens of Connecticut ought to be deeply ashamed for what they’ve done to this country.
God I’m so angry I can’t see straight!
It’s “that” pocket accusal that shows a weakness. Never back down when you are accused and you are addressing with facts, especially about conflict of interest issues.
More serendipity. That’s the one.
That is the real tragedy, there are sufficient resources to solve every problem that could be solved with money… if so much of it were not diverted to line the pockets of the undeserving.
I’ve a hard time figuring how most people are worth the speaking fees that they’re paid, Thinks.
There’re a bunch of folks that make vastly more than $300,000 in a year.
Sports coaches and ex-Presidents draw millions. I think that Reagan once went to Japan for a million or two for a single speech.
Holy Joe Lie is the ultimate troll
Lieberman has been quoted as saying the questioning of his wife’s role in Susan G. Komen for the Cure is based on her being married to him, or “guilt by association.” Well, so is her health — if she weren’t associated with Joe Lieberman, she wouldn’t enjoy the health insurance the government provides for him and his dependents. That means that yes, she is guilty by association. She associates with a man lacking in conscience and compassion, and just as she shares in his health insurance, she shares and parrots his beliefs, his attitudes and his lack of conscience and compassion. She is indeed guilty by association. But how did he get to be so sharp as to see that so clearly? Hermione
See #73.
Reagan accepted $2 million to deliver a speech in Japan immediately after leaving office. In fairness, he also had to throw a baseball, so it was good value for money.
I certainly have no objection to raising the question of improper influence though evasion of the rules concerning donations.
I question targeting specific people and calling for penalties to them without showing more than suspicion.
im hopping MAD
STARTING TO DESPISE PBO
The debate is whether or not wives/husbands of Senators/Representatives should be allowed to receive money from charities or lobbyist groups. The ONLY reason Hadassah Lieberman was singled out is because her husband wasn’t following the ideology of the progressives. Where is the outrage for ALL of the others who continue this practice? Petulant children throw their tantrums when they don’t get their way, not to right the wrongs of injustice. They also resort to name calling.
just go away
we dont give a shit
your buddy LIMPBALLS makes 50,000,000,000.00 bux a year
SOOOOOOOO
I’m not demanding anyone be fired. I’m simply leveling a charge of corruption. When you’re a public servant who’s supposed to make their decisions based upon what’s best for the American people, being bribed to change your decisions is corruption. I don’t care what Mrs. Lieberman does; I just think some light needs to be thrown.
JAN,
I LISTENED YOU FEW MINUTES AGO AT THE ED SHOW. WE ARE SCREWED AND OBAMA IS THE GUY TO BE BLAME. PEOPLE IS TRYING TO SAVE HIM BUT WE KNOW HE IS NOT A LEADER AND NEVER WILL BE. OBAMA IS A BRAND. I REALLY REGRET TO VOTED FOR HIM.
WHAT A WASTE!!!!
Then it’s fair. Two million per pitch is about what Carl Pavano got from the Yankees.
I’ve been there for some time now. Involuntary reaction is to turn away in disgust when he appears on TV. Forced myself to listen to the speech re: his Afghan escalation, what a load of crap…
My buddy?
You indeed sound sad.
In response to one of the comments that someone accussed a blogger of being anti-semitic for disparaging Joe. I am Jewish, and can not stand Lieberman. I was happy when he was selected as vice-presidential candidate in 2000. However, lots has changed since then and he no longer is someone I am proud of in any way, as a Jew, or as a human being. My theory is that he is totally vindictive and acting out of spite, as a result of being shunned by Dems in 2006. Why the Dems are so stupid not to dump Joe, from both the chairmanship(s) and even from the caucus, God only knows. He is totally making a power grab, because he can. Period. He is a shrewd political player (as we are finding out every day), and knows his position, and rather than acting on principle, is acting on his own self-interest.
His being Jewish, does not give him immunity from being accused of being an obstructionist, acting out of vindictiveness, being a pawn of big Insurance, or any other epithets that are true!
do they at least pay you minimum wage for your horse feces?
Really? Do you read this site regularly? Liberals and progressives regularly point out conflicts of interest like this. Lieberman is getting special attention because of the specific role he’s playing in the health care mess.
Seriously, you have two choices about the people in this comment thread: assume they mean well or assume they’re EEEEVIL lib’ruls out to destroy America. Don’t play coy. State your assumptions so we know where we stand.
he makes me ill
I posted about my outrage about Eric Cantor’s wife and her ties to a bank getting a bailout,yesterday.
They both denied knowing about it!
How about a new working thread called Spouse Watch? Full disclosure for ALL parties?
$328,000 IS alot of money, so much so that I doubt it applies EXCLUSIVELY to SGKF speaking engagements. Conflating unrelated facts is hardly responsible journalism, and to me it’s more evidence that maybe Jane should hand this campaign over to someone with a bit more objectivity, if not shelve it completely. I say FDL should step away quietly and completely, and let this go away on its own. This is a dog of an idea that’s bound to blow back.
FWIW:
I found evidence on Sourcewatch of $40,000 in fees for speeches at west Chester University and Jewish organizations, and another FDL poster quoted a $1/yr salary from SGKF.
Also, from wikipedia (I know, I know…): “Lieberman’s community involvement includes serving on the Boards of Directors of Best Friends, Meridian House and the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation; and chairing the Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Ambassadors Ball. She was a member of the U.S. delegation commemorating the liberation of Auschwitz, and has participated in international forums on environmental and socioeconomic issues in Eastern Europe,” ACLI wrote in July 2001.”
So the MS Society is influencing healthcare as well. Are kids in chairs the next target, Jane? Please stop this vendetta, it may make you feel better, but I believe it’s hurting our cause on many, many levels.
get a blog [edited by mod],then get a clue,and then …get a life….or not!
[Modnote: please refrain from ad hominem attacks, thank you.]
Your false concern is duly noted.
or maybe progressives aren’t being sneaky troll at all, rather they are trying to add to the conversation and improve the likelihood of a desirable outcome instead of jumping on an already moving bandwagon?
Thanks for the link. Kind of ties things up in a pretty pink bow. Another “made in Texas,USA” bauble for the masses.
This is an excellent post, Jane. If Alan Grayson becomes president would you be his chief-of-staff ? If you didn’t want to be president, you know…*g*
Don’t sugarcoat it, sadly, what do you really think. :)
Time for me to go breathe some outside air. Keep yer chin up.
the dollar a year she got,was still too much….the little elf is worth zero
France is looking better…..g……good day ratty
Pehjob, I posted this upthread @#10.
This article was written several years ago,and is about the Foundation ITSELF,and there is much to be considered about it’s merits and demerits-irrespective of Ms. Lieberman’s affiliation with it.
PLEASE consider informing yourself of the larger issue:
I am kinda late to this thread, but WHOA! there is a WHOLE lot of info on Nancy Goodman Brinker,Susan G. Komen’s sister,who established the foundation.
This is a MUST read for the political connections involved -amazing!
The Marketing of Breast Cancer | | AlterNetSep 16, 2002 … The Komen Foundation, creator of the 110-city Race for the Cure, is tied up in private interests that run counter to its charity-driven …
http://www.alternet.org/story/14014/ – Cached – Similar
I’m terribly sorry you can’t handle opposing views, and must instead revert t childishness. There seems to be alot of that going on around here.
If you want to try to get me banned, go for it, but it appears that in this case, you’re the one stifling free discussion.
FDL is a key place for intellient debate, and I doubt the mods would side with your shouting down polite commenters. Give it a try, though. It’s getting harder and harder to fight the tidal waves of bloodlust on this site.
Looking into some of the MS fundraising organizations would probably expose a lot of Spousal activity, actually.
There’s big bucks there as well.
Not to ignore the intent of your response to the “Our Cause” troll.
dont ever presume to tell Jane about HER BLOG…….you arent fit to hold her used tissues…….mokay?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092115/
This might actually be the final undoing of Joe Lieberman.
I just posted something about him, too, and with a clip from “State of the Union,” starring Tracy and Hepburn.
thanks for this!…eye opener
Is anyone listening to the garbabe coming out of Alan Graysons mouth on ed shults radio show rite now?
He is voting for the bill no matter what, what a joke this guy has become!
Bought it.
Got it.
Re: Eric Cantor’s wife
Folks, here’s another MUST READ!
It’s a real beauty…and the most ironic statement,imho, is when Cantor himself is quoted as saying about his CPA/Bankster wife…
“Well,it’s not like she’s a lobbyist,or something!”
GOP House Whip’s Wife ‘Didn’t Know’ Her Banking Firm Benefited …Feb 17, 2009 … Banks do not need a bailout as much as a clean out. … Duh, I didn’t know that our board should be involved in a 250 million dollar transaction. …. The bank, Cantor and his wife are going to be sorry …
crooksandliars.com › Blogs › Susie Madrak’s blog – Cached – Similar
Do tell.
Dear President Obama
We’re glad that you are in Copenhagen for the Climate Summit, a pressing problem that needs full attention. We’re also please that you awarded yourself a B+ for your results to date, which include a 30% drop in approval rating.
By this measure, President Bush’s lowest score was about a B, for an approval rate of 18%, and VP Cheney at worst a B-.
It may be best, if you stay in Copenhagen for another three years, and enjoy the Tivoli Gardens, the Danish Heath Care System, and the ambiance of one of the happiest countries in the world. When you return you might then be focused enough to actually make a positive difference.
Your reelection? Probably not going to happen. However, we suggest you put the same amount of energy into your reelection that you’ve put into leading, to build consensus and ask the republicans to vote for you, because we doubt you’ll get many democratic votes, as they will probably have their enthusiasm set to the same grade you awarded yourself, B+, you know, the grade associated with a 30% drop in numbers.
Oh, when you analyze the abysmal result of your performance, please reflect on your campaign “Yes, we can,” and your performance, “And, we won’t”.
Please stay in Copenhagen. By staying there you will do nothing, and we will expect nothing, which is an improvement on your current efforts and the results, “Change you can believe in” and the diabolical nastyness (health care reform = increased taxes or mandates to pay rent for breathing to the rich ) of your results.
Please read The Prince, especially the chapter on change, and note that the advice given does nor really fit your style. Unless I’m mistaken, and there is some evil, dark, (I was going to write black, but that could be misconstrued) twisted meaning to the phrase “Change you can believe in.”
A Raw Story analysis, based on a recent Harvard Medical School study, estimates that 135,000 American citizens and over 6,600 US veterans will die due to a lack of health insurance before current proposed healthcare reform measures would take effect.
Frankly, yes. Big-mouth fucking joke.
I can already hear the comments of those who will rush to defend him: he only cares about getting something because he wants to help people in need.
Bullshit.
Voting in favor of a piece of shit because it will help hundreds of people while it leaves thousands to suffer and die is not courage.
It’s ducking the problem in order to help the Democratic Party leadership save face in the hopes of not losing too many seats in the midterms next year.
They can all go to —-.
Thanks Gitch,
It’s the larger issue I am pursuing on this and other threads, but it’s obvious I’m not getting my points across.
The country wants healthcare reform, and Joe Lieberman should be a mere roadbump in this process, instead he’s now the focus. This is exactly where he wants to be, it is a position of increasing power, and Jane’s attacks on HL and SGKF are playing exatly into his hands. He and his R fellow travelers are experts at this game, they invented it. Jane is tossing them fat, hanging curveballs.
Attacking a breast cancer charity’s high-profile (female) philanthropist, is simply bad public relations. In the case of the Republicans, health insurance lobby, and the MSM it’s like mud-wrestling a pig. They’re more experienced, better equipped, and have fun revelling in the shit they create. It’s a no-win approach for progressives.
Yes, it would definitely be audacious to hope …now that we have come to the sad realization that one cannot substitute a wishbone for a backbone.
To make it short and sweet he said he is voting for the bill whether it has a public option/medicare buy in or not.
He basically cold care less that there is nothing in the bill to keep costs down while forcing people to buy in, as long as a bill is passed and he looks like some kind of hero for all his theatrics on the house floor!
Oh and Ed shultz was serving up soft ball questions and not following up on Graysons answers. Ed talks a big game but has his favorites to say the least.
You really make a newbie feel welcome. Obviously I am new here and was drawn to the site after watching Jane on MSNBC. I am simply providing an observation that the outrage expressed here, rings as hollow as Lieberman’s outrage does. The outrage focuses only on Hadassah and only because her husband doesn’t share all of the progressive agenda. Yes I may be a pissant troll (whatever that is) and I have not read every post since 2006 but that does not mean that I am incapable of spotting false outrage. Why is the outrage of this practice focused on only a handful of wives who are participating in this practice? ONLY because their spouses do not agree with you…seems…what’s the word…oh yeah, manufactured. Pot this is kettle, kettle, pot.
Thank you for your reply.
I suppose that we all filter our perceptions through our own life experience.
As such, I do not perceive Ms. Hamsher’s position as “attack”.
However, demanding accountability and “attacking” are NOT synonymous,imho.
My thoughts exactly.
Manufactured outrage is one of Lieberman’s famous poses. Sanctimonious, smug self-hugging is another one of his poses. Can’t stand that one either.
It’s not like either one of the Liebermans are political virgins. But from the gee!-oh why me?-why are you looking up my skirt?-bullsh*T some naive bystander might think so. IMHO Hadassah is in the Tipper Gore, Lynne Cheney first wives club, plus lobbyist $$$$$ club, plus I think that ostensible current position of hers is kind of public, non?
Jane solicits comments, her moderators monitor them. They’re welcome to quash any thread and ban any commenter.
I have posted here for years because discussions generally stay civil and intelligent. This blog has remained generally impactful because of it’s open-door policy to civil debate. Once that ends, you’ll have your wish, and I won’t come back.
I am one of few dissenters on these SGKF threads, and my words obiously sound like trolling to many. I’m truly sorry about that, since it means I’m letting my emotions get to me exactly as I am denouncing the ineffectiveness of such arguments. I think that the approach is wrong-headed, and doomed to blow up. Does it count as “concern trolling” if it’s truly a concern?
Do you have proof that she’s a philanthropist wrt to Komen? It would appear that the flow of funds is the other way around. From Foundation to Haddasah. If it was the way you assert, we’d already have a statement from all parties to that effect. Do we? Crickets.
That she’s a lobbyist (undeclared) is quite obvious from her various positions at lobbying firms such as APCO and Hill & Knowlton. That’s what people employed at those firms do. And she’s been active on Pharma and health issues. She’s quite relevant and questioning her presence as a global “Hadassador” is perfectly legit, regardless of her husband’s position in the Senate and on the specifics of health care reform.
If you want to say she’s a philanthropist for Chairing the MS Ball, great. I would agree for that event specifically. Usually, chairing such an event puts you on the hook to raise big money actively. But for Komen…where’s your evidence that she’s donating to them…seems that they’re paying for her presence.
If she’s making money for speaking fees, she’s very much a public figure. Doesn’t that kind of go without saying? Why should anyone give a sh*t what she thinks about anything and *pay* to hear her voice other than that she’s married to a Senator? What makes her worth $328k in aggregate for a year’s worth of spouting at conferences or wherever? Can’t have that one both ways.
So you admit you haven’t done the research necessary to confirm your hypothesis that this site only selectively and unfairly criticizes people, yet you continue to assert that your hypothesis is true?
They’re being paid for their names and their connections, at least the ones (like Mrs unHoly Joe) with no expertise in the field.
Some people have enough honesty to admit it, too.
The reason for the outrage is simeple. One Lieberman is denying healthcare to millions and the other is promoting and fundraising for a cure to save lives. It’s a little too much hypocrisy for me to stomach.
The bill as it now reads will not have any benefits until 4 years from now except to have preX covered. If you can’t afford the criminally high cost of premiums for those ages 55-64 and get breast cancer, you die, plain and simple.
Quit yelling!
Why only two choices? Yes NEWBIE here! Jeez, seems to me that prehaps when Jane goes on TV she should not advertise her web site, or at least define what it is; that way you won’t have curious minds visit/comment. I didn’t realize this was a site for the Dems to whine about their leaders. I was interested in the wives/husbands working for lobbyist/charities. I don’t know about the people on this thread but I do know that if we don’t stop these types of practices across the board, both sides of the isle we are all screwed. Whats that make me Clavis?
My contempt for JoLie knows no bounds.
(my poor attempt to recreate a punaise)
As has been said many times (and it is a practice many of us long-timers here have followed)- it is best to read without posting at a new site before commenting.
That goes double for commenting with personal disparagement of the site owner and the posters.
You could get a very good idea of the answers to your questions, or why your assumption of “false outrage” here is so wrong, if you would just be quiet a little while and read.
Read the links provided you.
Respect is not earned by spurning the opportunity to learn, or by jumping in to a community with both feet and mouth open.
I’m not sure what “you thought” FDL was; but you are obviously not interested in learning what it actually is. It isn’t what you thought it should be, apparently, so you feel free to characterize our motivations.
Think.about.it.
Then try coming back and discussing from a position of knowledge. You will then be welcome. Taking a position and defending it well is honored at FDL. That is not, however, what you have been doing today.
“However, demanding accountability and “attacking” are NOT synonymous,imho.”
Agreed. thanks for clarifying that.
Hugh, you sum it up better than I ever could.
Not that I really give a crap about HL, I care about healthcare reform and cancer research. That said, If the $1K/yr salary and $328,000 speaking fee numbers are accurateher time expenditures likely represent opportunity cost, making her philanthropist for SGKF.
If Hadassah’s a philanthropist then Lynn Cheney was a philanthropist definitely when she was involved in the arts (censoring.)
Here in the UK, we now have evidence that MPs, despite their continual whine about “serving the public”, are actually a bunch of pigs snuffling at the publicly funded trough…
I agree 100% – And he should be stripped of his chairmanship NOW, TODAY!
If the dems are worried about loosing his vote who gives a fuck, we already have. The dems in the senate gotta start showing America they have some balls or continue to be viewed as the doormat of the rethuglicons. Americans may not be smart voters (hell, they elect rethugs) but they damn sure don’t vote for obvious chumps and suckers like the dems and the Obama administration are turning out to be.
Let this bastard Lieberman caucus with the rethuglicons – If they’ll have him. Rethugs are smart enough to realize what the dems can’t – This guy is a traitor and will turn on you in a blink. They would rather have him in the dem caucus because he does more for their obstructionism than they ever could.
And the dems can’t just stop the housecleaning with ole Joe – They gotta dump Reid for sucking ole Joe’s sausage thinking he’s gonna get something. He, the dems and the rest of American got it alright, right in the keester…
Which is the field in your reference?
Do you have any idea about the topics on which Hadassah Lieberman bases her paid speeches or on the fees for those speeches?
A question to my fellow Progressives,
If Obama forces us to buy health insurance without a safety net aka the public option, what would make us think he will not force some other type of mandate that helps big business in the future?
Well I hope we can get a serious candidate to run in the 2012 primaries because there is no way I will vote for Obama in 2012 if this bill forces people to buy health care with no public alternative.
Just like in the good old US of A…
I’m with you rob – where do I sign up…
That is just about one of the most insightful and diplomatic posts I have read in a long while.
That should be used as an intro to sign up,imho.
Thank you-and a GREAT reminder to us all,btw, newbies OR oldies.
Incidentally,I never learn anything new when I am doing the posting.
Get this:
Here’s the link:
So, thesis confirmed: Joe Lieberman does what he does out of pure spite.
He is the vindictive little man we’ve long thought he was.
Wow. Thank you, Gitcheegumee. Kind of you to say.
Because there are people willing to pay the price of admission to cover the speaker’s fee, plus whatever overhead and profit the event planner is incurring.
It’s the primary problem with trying to assess value strictly in currency.
With your preaching and self-rightous sanctamony it appears you must be a former rethuglicon faith healing pentacostal tent minister there buddy.
And FYI – I read your lame screed twice before responding just to make sure I got the full grasp of your “intellectualizing”…
@ 179
Lovely example of characterizing people’s motivations without knowing the first thing about them.
And anti-”intellectual”. What a surprise. Wouldn’t want to form opinions based on actual facts, let alone thought.
Thanks. You proved my point so well.
HEY Gitcheegumee and Tejanarusa,
You two get a room already will ya…
I read a story that said that Bill Clinton, in 2007, was paid speaker’s fees of $50 million.
I’ve some trouble with finding that much value in those public talks.
But I don’t suppose that he was paid all that ’cause he’s married to someone important.
Alas, approaches like this will inevitably bump into the tumultuous tempestuosity of human emotional and psychological states.
How we react [viscerally] to stuff we read “in the news” often depends how close or how far we are from it. You know, personally.
Joe Lieberman and the health care debate is no different.
A few months ago my daughter did not have access to health care insurance [I am a vet and...fortunately...have access to the VA]. I would become very angry indeed when confronted with moral monsters, moral hypocrites like Lieberman. His kind were making my daughter’s anxieties soar. It was a lot harder then to hold back.
Now, however, my daughter has a job as college professor and does have good health care insurance. So, I’m still pissed at Lieberman/Emanual Inc. but it’s easier to pull punches.
How about you? How close or how far are you personally from the actual existential consequences of this moral and health care travesty?
I try to cut those who are incensed at this because they will in fact suffer real consequences from this some slack.
Everyone comes at this from a separate and distinct vantage point.
Get a clue AND get a life!
THIS article articulates,in excerpt, exactly the dilemma of Lieberman’s hypocrisy,imho:
Lieberman supports national health care, in other countries
December 14, 2009
Phoenix Acting Examiner
Tony Vicich
Now onto the problem with Joe Lieberman. Lieberman is one of the US Senates strongest voices for Israel, and Israel has for all intents and purposes a socialized national health care system. Joe Lieberman was, and is one of the Senates strongest proponents on the Iraq War and our occupation of that country. In their 2005 constitution, which we wrote, health care is guaranteed!
Two countries with socialized medicine. Two countries that without US support would not exist. Two countries that Joe Lieberman supports. You can only come to one conclusion. Lieberman cares more about the citizens of Iraq and Israel than he does you and me.~~~~~~~~
Lieberman supports national health care, in other countries – 17 hours ago
Lieberman is one of the US Senates strongest voices for Israel, and Israel has for all intents and purposes a socialized national health care system. …Examiner.com – 2 related articles »
Give Joe the gift that keeps on giving – a recurring donation to ACT Blue to support his opponent in the 2012 Democratic primary.
https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/supportactblue?amount=15&recurring=24&refcode=20091215lieberthermmain
Geo…Like you I’m a vet (Vietnam era) with the best public option one could ask for – the VA.
That said, I don’t have a dog in this HCR fight but having my health care issues covered has given me peace of mind beyond my wildest imagination. I will fight tooth and nail to help my fellow Americans get that same peace of mind.
Unlike many libs however, I don’t believe in bringing a Miss Manner’s manual to a knife fight. The rethuglicons in the “Cracker Caucus”, the blue dog dems and all the other obstructionists have to be dealt with using bare knuckles and base ball bats – unfortunately that’s all they understand.
For those among us who get their panties in a knot over playing the necessary hardball all I can say is:
To help get ALL Americans good, affordable health care we gotta kick some butt and not apologize for our harsh tactics or our rhetorical gruffness in getting it – until AFTER we get it of course…
Uh, I’m unemployed and uninsured. Signed up for COBRA last November when I lost my job = when the bill came, I couldn’t come up with the payment.
Congress passed the COBRA subsidy in March: signed up again; did you know that at that point, your bill became due from the date of your unemployment; therefore, the bill with the subsidy now covered 5 full months – and there was no way I could come up with that amount by the due date.
I have several pre-existing conditions; none (that I know of) life-threatening, but one is asthma, and I take 2 to 4 Rx’s for that every month (the higher number in allergy seasons, or when I get bronchitis). One of my meds costs $128.00.
I just turned 60; what do you suppose my chances are of regaining gainful employment? Let alone with health insurance.
How do you suppose I feel about ruining any possible chance of getting medical coverage before the five years after which I’ll be eligible for Medicare?
Mmmm, I may be sounding emotional here.
But, gee, while our visitors seem to disdain education and politeness, I was raised to value both. Trust me, my tongue can be quite sharp. But today, I put some effort into responding calmly. I put some effort into being rational.
Part of that is that in 25 years in the legal world, I learned that insulting your opponent, calling them names, making hostile assertions based on ignorance of your opponent’s position and motives tended to put you in the position of losing. This is not good for your client.
So, while I actually have quite a temper, I learned to negotiate, and educate, in ways less likely to piss off that opponent.
Our visitors today really do need to learn that.
And, while I understand you weren’t really saying to me that I obviously didn’t have a personal dog in this fight, that couldn’t be more wrong.
M-kay?
Nor do I. But the opponent in the knife fight is the Blue Dogs and the Repubs, (and I include the Pres and the leadership in that group on this issue), not my fellow members and friends at Firedoglake.
And, see my post just above, I’ve learned that getting pissed off, yelling, and insulting people, particularly by assuming bad motives or ignorance on their part, is the surest path to losing everything you’re fighting for.
Knowing when to pull out the knife and when to “speak softly” are important skills in this business.
You really know how come up with those really tough, hard-assed replies don’t ya Gitcheegumee. I’m quaking in my boots to think of what the next one’s gonna be. How about “you’re a big poopy pants”, that’ll put me in my place.
Thanks for making my point though – It’s mushsy intellectually-tinged responses from PC liberals that green light the rethuglicons into stomping all over us with their rhetorical intimidation and backroom arm twisting.
@190
I can only hope your aim was more discerning in your military days.
It appears there has been some friendly fire here today,thanks to your hair trigger.
You just don’t get it do ya – The good ship “Speaking Softly” sailed a long time ago. Think not? Just look at the piece of shit called HCR we’re left with by “speaking softly” up until now. Hell, the rethuglicons didn’t and guess what – They are gonna win again and 122 Americans are still gonna die every day. Speak softly my ass!
Hope you can “speak softly” when you get your next health insurance premium or worse let loose your heatlh care altogether. Then you’ll see just how effective the goody two-shoes “speak softly” strategy is…
OK, very quickly, because I’m on a work deadline, this is a modification of a comment of mine at Seminal. All my facts are traceable to the links Jane originally supplied; amazing how few people have actually read them and compared what’s known to the rhetoric….
1. Contrary to the language on the FDL home page teaser and the email form page, H. Lieberman is not on salary with SBK.
2. The only evidence that she may be getting paid at all from SBK comes from a line in a Senate disclosure form listing >$1,000 in “consultant fees” for HL from Komen. (I link to the actual form in the comment thread to an earlier Jane post.) This is not in any way conclusive proof that HL is receiving any direct remuneration from the charity. Maybe those are really consultant fees, but no less plausibly, the line in that form could just be a prudent disclosure in case questions ever arise about travel stipends and the like. Celebrity spokesmodels (I count a senator’s spouse as a celebrity) for nonprofit voluntary health agencies very commonly don’t get paid, except in travel perks etc. So Jane’s going out on a limb even in describing HL as a “compensated” spokesperson. We don’t yet know for sure.
3. Even if HL is receiving consulting fees, Komen is likely realizing a large return on investment from the contacts in Hadassah’s scary Rolodex, in which case, she’s not draining funds but amplifying them.
4. She’s not currently flacking for industry. THAT was a conflict and a scandal (even it not technically an ethics violation), given her husband’s role in industry-relevant legislation. But that’s separate from her work with SBK. Same for her lecture agency bucks. That may creep you out; it creeps me out. But it’s distinct from her work with SBK.
5. HL is free to exploit her international and former business contacts to help make rain for a charity. Some of these people may be creepy or evil, like the Netanyahus, with whom she networked during an SBK trip in Israel last month. Sometimes bad people rustle up funds for good causes. Call that a scandal if you want; I don’t.
6. Jane evidently had no major beef with SBK despite its highly compensated Exec Director’s close ties to George Bush — a guy who believes we already have universal health care thanks to our swell emergency rooms. So why is FDL merely targeting Komen’s “global ambassador” because of comparably odious ties? A number of people have linked to some reporting critical of the foundation. Fine. If there’s something objectionable about the charity, target the charity.
In my view, nothing good will come of this effort, even — perhaps especially — if it succeeds.
To tejanarusa and gitcheegumee – AMF for today, sword fight with ya on the flip side, it’s been real…
returning to my point in yesterday’s blog, the whole thing may, yes, be skanky. joe is decidedly a narcissistic attention seeking jerk, but jane assumed a connection based on facts not in evidence — anywhere — and generated a lot of smoke and mirrors and liberal outrage.
but the reality is that this is not investigative in any way. no causal connection between her association with komen and his sorry assed behavior.
this kind of reactiveness only helps sabotage legitimate progressive initiatives because it is, in fact, not real.
and for the record, i want senator joe crucified at the polls for this s***.
The political ties to this foundation were analyzed many years ago,BEFORE ,in a superb Alternet piece. Have you read this?
This is a MUST read for the political connections involved -amazing!
The Marketing of Breast Cancer | | AlterNetSep 16, 2002 … The Komen Foundation, creator of the 110-city Race for the Cure, is tied up in private interests that run counter to its charity-driven …
http://www.alternet.org/story/14014/ – Cached – Similar
LOL.
No, dear, you don’t know how to read. Or don’t bother. (which is what I suspected)
See my 188. I haven’t had health insurance for 12 months now. Because I couldn’t afford the COBRA premiums.
Like I said, try learning the facts before popping off.
“Does it count as “concern trolling” if it’s truly a concern?”
No.
What DOES count is that your pseudo concern premises use the same concern troll language and patterns of deployment that any GOP operative would use.
In one thread yesterday, Mz. Hamsher spent a paragraph or two in great detail explaining the patterns, processes, and used examples of the language from trolls that’s deployed. Hilarious!
Lately there have been so many examples of this that it’s rather obvious when the pattern emerges.
So you are not a progressive, and I don’t really believe you care a rat’s ass about any version of morality or perceived unjust accusations. You are just trying to drag down Mz. Hamsher, FDL, and it’s loyal readers.
Funny, I’ve been at FDL for years now, and I don’t recall ever seeing your name. I won’t miss NOT seeing it, either. Your bridge is lonely. Return to whence you came.
If you’re asking me, the answer is yes, which is why I said if the charity’s problematic, target the charity.
Thanks, just so. Now I’m counting down the minutes to my banning….
Yeah, here in the USA we call them Senators!
Nice to know there’s still a commonality between our countries!
*G*
yeah, i’m pretty sure we’re both headed that way. such is life…
Banned??
Nah.
Hamsher isn’t petty.
1. “…language and patterns of deployment that any GOP operative would use” That’s a pretty humorous assertion given the topic at hand and the methods being used to ostensibly influence JL’s vote.
2. And you’ll have to pardon me for not hanging breathlessly on every word JH types in her own pre-emptive defense. If you’ll provide a link, I’ll read it. Otherwise I’ll assume it’s just more projection.
3. Thanks for letting me know I’m not a progressive, I’m immoral, etc., etc. I really had no idea how truly awful I am.
4. I don’t need or want to see Jane Hamsher torn down, though I do have nothing but disdain for her unquestioning choirmembers, regardless how “loyal” they claim to be. “Yes, Empress those are BEAUTIFUL new clothes!”
5. FWIW, I’ve switched jobs and email accounts several times since 2004 and have taken on new FDL screen names each time. You may recognize my posts by the fact that I’ve never really “cared a rat’s ass” about what a bunch of kool-aid drinking blog groupies and cheerleaaders like you think of me. I prefer to pay attention to people with relevant and interesting perspectives, or at least people who can teach me a thing or two. From your reply above, that wouldn’t include you.
Yes, I just turned 60 too. And I am not able to work. I live on SSDI. But I prefer the VA over medicare.
I understand what you are telling me about constructive [and more effective] dialogues. My own point however focused not so much on reacting vituperativelly towards other posters here but in reacting strongly towards those like Lierberman Inc. in the Congress. To display outraged bitterness towards these men women [men and women who often don't have a clue about what it's like to live as most on Main Street do] is perfectly rational to me. Otherwise you just keep it bottled up inside. And everyone’s situation is different.
What counts though is what you do next. Do you then channel your strong emotions into actual constructive behavior that might help to change the things that made you feel angry in the first place. My own situation here though is complicated by the fact that my disabilities leave me home bound. I make the calls to my Congressional [and state and local] reps, I contribute what I can to ACLU, Amnesty International etc., I write letters to the editor, I share advice with others are able to go out and organize. But my own “for all practical purpose” options are, alas, limited.
So sometimes the exasperation boils over into my own intemperate displays in places like this. Again, each person’s situation is different. And it is often very hard to communicate that to others.
Dog in the fight? Hell, if you didn’t have a dog in this fight you wouldn’t be in here rootin’ for Jane. Right?
After reading poster #9′s comment about what happened when she posted on Daily Kos, I took a gander.
I am not a fan of Daily Kos. I use a different handle there, and have always found the commentors, nasty, rude, intolerant and rather incestuous. Not a very friendly place to engage in discussion, for me…so I rarely go there anymore.
As for me, I am a gay progressive blogger who got disenchanted with Obama quite a while ago. And I, at one time, was an extremely avid supporter.
Now, I plan on leaving the party altogether and only supporting progressive politicians.
But I digress. To see the nasty vicious attacks that were made…not just on the poster, ‘keepemhonest,’ but on Jane Hamsher and this blog (essentially it was referred to as the teabaggers of the left), I am done with them.
Calling them a pack of smug, hysterical a-holes is being too kind.
Let them be Obamapologists and revel in their sanctimony.
They truly make me want to wretch.
Keep up the good work Jane.