Michael,

Wasn't "nice trying", unfortunately. I actually DID have a "why can't you just spit it out?" conversation with my 15 year old a week ago. And judging from your email about your 24 year old, sounds like I've got another decade of that joy to look forward to...

My failed effort at being your Dutch Uncle aside, yeah, I agree with you: there is a lot of unnecessary gamesmanship on display. I've tried to filter most of that out, like claims nutcase Joe Stack being the poster boy for the Tea Party Movement. (I'll grant that point the minute that same stone throwing crowd decides nutcase Amy Bishop symbolizes the progressive Left. For the record, I don't believe either of those distrubed individuals represents a political interest. That said, I still wonder why there is no outcry at how easily Bishop came into possession of a hand gun. Are the rules different for disturbed men versus disturbed women?)

Of all those posting in this thread, I believe I'm the only one who has read through all 2700 pages of the Senate Bill, and the 400 pages of the Reconciliation Act. (If anyone requires proof of my effort, I suggest read the Act and then see if you disagree with my findings.) Frankly, I don't know if anyone else has even read the 200-plus pages that summarize the legislation. So there's a lot of discourse based on hope, intent and expectation about the legislation, but precious little based on deed and actual text. I wouldn't call the subsequent discourse uninformed, but I would assert it is imprecise.

I think it would be useful to look at what we've acheived after 47 pages.

This thread began because Marvel took a swipe at the Tea Party Movement, visually linking them -- "unintentionally, honest!" -- to a storyline about a racist white supremecist terrorist group.

The debate quickly morphed into a effort to PROVE the Tea Partiers ARE indeed racists, by detailing some of the fringe element that are attracted to those protests and happy to pose with their offensive signs, and by also linking the concept that concern regarding Government spending is racist (i.e. You didn't care about money going out the door when the white Texan was in there, did you, racist pig?)

There was a short effort to wedge square peg Joe Stack into the round Tea Party hole, but thankfully that attempt sputtered out.

As Healthcare started to claim the headlines, that debate took center stage on this thread (even prompting a thread name change), and there was a lot of passionate back and forth. Again, much of it based on what people THOUGHT the debate was about (or should be about), what people HOPED the legislation would contain (or should contain).

And now, after all that, we are back to dealing with questions about racism. Full circle. For all our efforts, have we learned something? For all our energy and passion expended, have we achieved anything of value within our tight little group?

Of course, this Democratic Party opposition to Obama isn't "real" is it?  

*******

It's a controversial bill.  No one has said otherwise.  Everyone in Washington has had something to say about it, and certainly much of it has not been positive.  Obama knew going in that he'd have a fight on his hands.  Healthcare, as we've all seen here, is an emotional issue and one that has traditionally been quite contentious when it comes to the legislative process.

But to take a big ol' brush and paint a picture that the Democratic Party, as a whole, is somehow revolting against Obama is pure nonsense.  There is no way this bill would have passed if he wouldn't have had solid support from his party.  Look at the presidents who have failed to push healthcare reform, or had to fight like crazy for other social programs.  Hell, FDR and Johnson didn't have an easy time of it, and LBJ in particular had political capital out the proverbial wazoo. 

It remains to be seen what impact this will have in November.  I suspect that both sides of the aisle will see some backlash.  But squeaky wheel and all that.  Polls indicate that the majority of Americans are actually pleased with the bill's passage. 

Surely, with all of your experience and your political background, you understand that one quote from one democrat doesn't constitute "Democratic Party opposition," right? 

Michael Retour wrote: My career is a big deal and not subject to nonsense.  I worked hard to get where I am.

If that's the case, then why do you seem to be so ashamed/ scared to post something about it? If you worked so hard for it, I'd think you'd be proud to post specifics. Instead, you're behaving exactly opposite.  As mentioned, it's public record, so why the need for all the secrecy? The only one subjecting your career to nonsense is you by being so secretive about it.

" For the survival of this nation Obama has to step down or be impeached"

Seriously. I bet you typed that with a straight face.

Impeached for what exactly?