Legalese

A recent decision was made on another series of lawsuits making the crazy claim that since the government and telecommunications companies illegally spied on us, someone somewhere should maybe face a criminal case, jail time, a large fine, a stern talking to, or a stern finger wag because of it. Of course this nonsense was thrown out of court. But we knew this would happen. The rule of law clearly states that those who rule must be protected from the consequences of the law.

But what is of interest is not so much the fact that the case was thrown out of court, but the reason why. We've moved beyond mere "The government did it so it's legal" and "Unless you can get the government or the telcoms to willingly give you information specifying that your were spied on, you can't sue" to merely stating that everyone got fucked over equally, so you should just take it like a man.

He noted that the plaintiffs include most every American connected to the internet or to have used a telephone — meaning the lawsuits boil down to a “general grievance” and are barred. The decision came days after a government audit showed the telecom companies and FBI collaborated for four years, between 2003 and 2007, to violate federal wiretapping laws.

Judge Walker said that the lawsuits, in essence, cannot be brought because they are “citizen suits seeking to employ judicial remedies to punish and bring to heel high-level government officials for the allegedly illegal and unconstitutional warrantless electronic surveillance program or programs now widely, if incompletely, aired in the public forum.”

Unfortunately the government and telcoms just spied on and wiretapped too many goddamn people, otherwise the courts would totally be able to do something. But since these spying thingy-dingys happened to essentially everyone with a phone or internet they get bussed down from Constitutional violations to general grievances. Your concerns are now legally like the buzzing of flies to Lord Vigo the US government.

And where was the Obama Administration on this case? They were busy trying to get it dismissed based on the "state secrets" privilege and arguing that the US government should not be allowed to be sued unless it has given consent, aka "sovereign immunity." Well at least they're vigorously fighting for one principle they hold dear.

So remember, if you think your Constitutional rights have been violated, you totally have legal recourse.... as long as Congress doesn't pass a retroactive law absolving those who have violated your rights, a company and the government wishes to willingly incriminate itself in said rights violation, the government doesn't claim a "state secrets" privilege, and also doesn't claim the rights of a 12th century Prussian monarch. Wonderful.

...and the home of the braaaave.

Who could have foreseen?

And it's over. Just as quickly as Joe Lieberman said he'd block a bill with a Medicare buy in, it came out just as quickly. No public option, no buy-in, and nothing to replace it. Liberal Seantors walking around glum faced talking about how "things could have been worse". Yeah, I guess Joe could have released a biological agent in the caucus meetings. That would have been worse. In the end Democrats completely roll themselves, furiously piss off their base, capitulate to a man who is going to o this again and again out of spite, and made a health care bill measurable worse in a way that will bankrupt people and get them killed. Who could have foreseen that this would ever happen?

Joe Lieberman has forced his will on the Senate Democratic caucus and the nation as a whole. After the party reached a compromise last week to effectively drop the public option in exchange for allowing 55- to 64-year-olds to buy into Medicare, that compromise is now in doubt.

Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, told Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Sunday that he will block any bill that includes the buy-in. As the 60th vote needed to overcome a Republican filibuster, he can do that.

Following a caucus-wide meeting Monday evening, the measure was all but scuttled.

So why did they finally cave now? We can blame Rahm Emanuel if we want, but that misses the point. He was just carrying out the wishes of a White House that thinks any bill is a good bill and that they have to pas it nowonwnow so they can turn the focus to fucking up a jobs bill in 2010. The greater source of blame falls to the institution of the Senate, which, as presently constructed, is almost useless in terms of addressing large problems. Or small problems. But they do a good collegial, old boys network, circle jerk like no one else.

And so we finally move to the voting... unless Lieberman wants more cut out and is willing to leverage his sociopathic indifference to humans against 59 other Senators again. Unless some other Senator sees this as an opportunity to strong-arm their way into attempting to get whatever they want in the bill. That'll only probably happen. So congratulations, we all have to buy insurance now and the only things that were going to provide competition to the groups that everyone seems to agree are the problem are gone. I'm sure that and wishing will lower prices. Remember to get out a vote for Democrats in 2010!

Cheap Blogging Crutch 08.06

Unions To Take On Conservative Groups Health Care Town Halls
You know what's even better than teabaggers and other right wing groups trying to shut down health care town halls and harass lawmakers? Teamsters and trade unionists vowing to "directly engage" hooting conservatives. Directly engage with lead pipes or just brass knuckles? I can't wait for it. "Health care is socialism! Barack Hussein is a Muslim!", "Hey youze! I 'll show yinzs assholes socialism. Shuddafuckup!", then "Gangs of New York" style mob rioting. I think this is the part right here where I'm supposed to sing "God Bless America."

White House Affirms Deal on Drug Cost
Hey, it's the Democrats looking out for you once again on health care. Turns out earlier announcements that the pharmaceutical industry had made a deal with the White House to voluntarily make efforts to save $80 billion (which means there's much, much more than that to actually be saved) had a few unannounced conditions attached. Namely that Congress wouldn't attempt to get them to save one cent more or have government negotiate drug prices. Boy, this all sounds so promising for real health care reform.

Man Offers 40 Goats And 20 Cows For Chelsea Clinton's Hand In Marriage
This was the proposed dowry offered by a Kenyan man to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for her only daughter. Secretary Clinton promised to relay the offer to Chelsea, but tried not to fill the man with to much hope. However Bill was more open to the idea, provided the animals came pre-butchered for storage in his meat freezer and the beef ribs were hickory smoked.

Robinson can’t recall anything quite this nuts. Like everyone else, we can
Gene Robinson claims he can't recall anything from the right wing as crazy as the Obama birth stuff. The Daily Howler obliges to refresh his memory and runs down a greatest hits of the things that we widely held lunatic beliefs against Bubba, Hill-Dawg, and our moon worm riding former VP. No one's accusing Barry of running murder/drug ring....yet.

Staten Island mom settles suit with Little League and coaches over knee injury
Reason #34528940A of why I hate this country. A woman just got $125,000 because she sued the little league after her precious booger eater tore up his knee because he slides into bases like a spaz. Enjoy the money, kid, I hope it makes up for the endless ridicule and abuse you'll suffer from every kid in your district who hears about this.

Paris' Dog House Is Damn Comfortable!!
Reason #34528940B of why I hate this country. Paris Hilton just built a $325,000 300 sq. ft. house....for her dogs. That's right, Paris Hilton has a dog house worth more than your house. And you still think there's a God.

Senate almost done putting screws to us

You should be happy. Max Baucus and the conservatives, moderates, conservatives, and conservatives that are writing the Finance Committee Health Care bill are almost done with their careful negotiations. They've worked through some tough bumps in the road but are almost ready to unveil a compromise plan that will end up gaining about zero Republican votes. Whew! Good thing they did all that bipartisan compromising. The bill claims it will reduce costs and provide coverage without using the a public option, which is the most politically viable option to reduce costs and provide coverage. Good luck with that.

Senate negotiators are inching toward bipartisan agreement on a health-care plan that seeks middle ground on some of the thorniest issues facing Congress, offering the fragile outlines of a legislative consensus even as the political battle over reform intensifies outside Washington.

The emerging Finance Committee bill would shave about $100 billion off the projected trillion-dollar cost of the legislation over the next decade and eventually provide coverage to 94 percent of Americans, according to participants in the talks. It would expand Medicaid, crack down on insurers, abandon the government insurance option that President Obama is seeking and, for the first time, tax health-care benefits under the most generous plans. Backers say the bill would also offer the only concrete plan before Congress for reining in the skyrocketing cost of federal health programs over the long term.

Cuts $100 billion? Why however did they get such a round number? Surely it was through the intelligent and prudent cutting that made the bill better and not grunting, hooting, a desire to look like they did something, and 100 furious footstomps on the ground denoting how many billion they'd like cut out. And I'm sure a overly complex, piecemeal network of member-owned cooperatives negotiating on their own with insurance companies will work just as well as a simple, competitive government insurance option.

It's nice you're also claiming this is the only concrete plan for reigning in health care costs. You know, except for all those other plans that have been passed through committee or suggested. It certainly bodes well for the intelligence and honesty of your efforts when you lie about such minuscule stuff as that. But you should be happy to know that starting from a position of 60 senator strength, the Democrats started off compromising and then took it upon themselves to negotiate further compromises. What did it get them? Well, lots of money from the health care industry. LOTS of money. I can't stress how much money they got. But all their efforts towards "bipartisanship", "compromise" and "centrism", will net Democrats about 3 Republican votes total in the Congress, according to the Vegas over/under. Well done. This was certainly a better option than trying to enforce party loyalty or pushing a bill through the filibuster-proof reconciliation process. Golf claps abounds.

Putin laughs at your puny American economy

"Da, does anyone need...two ticket to show of guns?"

The World Economic Forum in Davos is providing many leaders with a platform to hold up a picture of former President Bush, a map of the US, and scream out "I blame them!" Of course they're pretty much right, but really, do you have to be so mean? But one man decided to take it to another level, as he always does. Russian Prime Minister and shadow President Vladimir Putin descended from his mountain fortress, rode into Davos shirtless on his pet tiger Ekaterina, and caught a assassin's bullet meant for Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao with his bare fucking hands. He then spoke, with a booming voice that echoed through the Swiss Alps.

Mr. Putin was characteristically blunt. He called for the development of multiple, regional reserve currencies in addition to the dollar. "Excessive dependence on a single reserve currency is dangerous for the global economy," Mr. Putin said.

The Russian leader mocked U.S. businessmen who he said had boasted at last year's Davos meeting of the U.S. economy's fundamental strength and "cloudless" prospects. "Today, investment banks, the pride of Wall Street, have virtually ceased to exist," he said.
...
"The entire economic growth system, where one regional center prints money without respite and consumes material wealth, while another regional centre manufactures inexpensive goods … has suffered a major setback," Mr. Putin said.

It's hard for simple newsprint to convey just how Vladimir the Carpathian mocked Wall Street, but pool reports say he used a high pitched voice, scrunched up his face, and took on the affectations of a crippled little girl. He also created a walk to simulate how Wall Street would walk if it were anthropomorphized and pointed out people he thought were bankers in the audience and offered to wrestle them.

But taking the US dollar out of the reserve system, that's a pretty big gauntlet to throw down, and Putin should know, as he wears stainless steel gauntlets to block wayward sword strikes. That would mean a world of shit for the US economy, because if the world no longer accepts dollars as the world reserve currency, then we won't be able to finance our trade or budget deficit, plus US living standards would drop and maybe massive inflation would happen. I believe in economic terms this would be called 'getting F'd in the A'. Thanks George! So be wary America, not only is Vladimir the great, ravisher of Alaska, laughing at your banker boyfriends, he really wants to stick it in and break it off. Such is the life of a global overlord.

Yup