Phoenix Woman

Blue Dog Mike Ross benefits a great deal from the current state of health care in this country. But what about the people who he’s supposed to represent? According to a new report from the Main Street Alliance, the people in Ross’ state of Arkansas aren’t benefitting very much from the way things are.

So much of DC politicking over the last few years has been centered around the idea that if Democrats actually act like Democrats, they’ll lose their seats “just like they did in 1994″. Guess what? It’s not 1994, chronologically, culturally or demographically.

Here’s Michael Steele, lying about how the public option will allegedly cost Americans so much more than what we have now. Here’s Michele Bachmann, undercutting Steele with what to her and her insurance-company buddies is a scaaaary idea: That the public option will be much cheaper that what we have now — so much so that it, in finest Law of the Marketplace fashion, drives the inferior private insurers out of business. Geezo peezo, Republicans! Can’t you keep your health care lies straight?

While perusing Blue Dog health care hater John Barrow’s website, I noticed that he says he wants your feedback on health care. Give it to him — ask him why he opposes HR 3200, which won’t add a dime to the deficit, will cover 97% of the uninsured, and which will provide a $6 billion surplus!

“Breaking” a Democratic president is much, much more important to Jim DeMint and his fellow Republicans than your lives, your health, your fortunes, and/or your sacred honor.

The standard line of defense used by persons sticking up for the Blue Dogs is that they’re not corrupt or money-driven or anything like that, but are simply voting the way their constituents want them to vote. Let’s put this to the test by looking at their stance on the public option.

As Christy points out, Republican and insurance-lobby whinings about “rationing” and “more choices” sound particularly silly when you realize that health care already is being rationed by a system that makes it impossible for anyone but the rich to take full advantage of the choices it provides.

Courtesy of The UpTake comes the video from whence this still shot in the corner was taken. It’s a picture of Al Franken’s signed election certificate. The spikey signature is Governor Tim Pawlenty’s; the big blue Sharpie marker signature is Secretary of State Mark Ritchie’s. Lovely, isn’t it? I just had to share it with you.

Here it is, folks — the moment we’ve been waiting for since last friggin’ November: Norm Coleman concedes the election contest to Al Franken.

It’s not out of the question formNorm Coleman to choose to ask Alito to issue a stay to keep Al Franken’s election certificate from being signed. But as Hasen noted a few weeks ago, actually getting a stay is unlikely. And considering that Norm’s legal fees for this case alone are around $145,000 a week, the NRSC may figure their money is better spent on protecting vulnerable GOP senators in next year’s elections.