The big problem for the Romney campaign — aside from the fact that the nominee comes across as a less sensitive, more entitled Thurston Howell III– is that Willard had to take extreme positions throughout the primary to secure the nomination, and he daren’t pivot to the center now for fear the rabid wingnut base will eat him alive.
The solution? Define extremism down:
I guess that makes Dana Loesch the new Peggy Noonan, with golden showers for the dead fantasies replacing magical Jesus dolphins. Personally, I think it’s an improvement: All wingnut pundits have the same goal; the cruder set is commendably transparent, at least.
Speaking of transparent extremists, Governor He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named has declared that, Supreme Court rulings be damned, there are no laws from a Democratic administration that a Republican is bound to respect:
“We’re not going to implement Obamacare in Florida,” Scott told Fox News anchor Greta Van Susteren late Friday night. “We’re not going to expand Medicaid because we’re going to do the right thing. We’re not going to do the exchange.”
Three million-plus uninsured Floridians? Fuck them. Free market, bitches!
Scott amassed the fortune necessary to buy the governorship with the $72 million that had fallen into his sofa cushions after his company defrauded Medicare to the tune of $1.7 billion dollars. Segregated access to healthcare works just fine for Scott, so if he has to stand in front of the healthcare edifice door to deny entry to a poor person, so be it.
“In the name of the greatest for-profit healthcare corporations that have ever trod this earth, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of ObamaCare, and I say segregated access to healthcare now, segregated access to healthcare tomorrow, segregated access to healthcare forever.”
I need a drink. Anyone got a cocktail recipe to share?
[X-posted at Rumproast]
BGinCHI
One part bourbon, one part vodka, one part gin, one part rum.
Drink.
Shake.
Fall down.
VICTORY!
Wag
Muddle 2 slices of cucumber in a highball glass. Fill with ice, add Hendricks gin, top with tonic
It is by far the most refreshing gin and tonic you’ll ever have.
Valdivia
Since we are talking about Romney and needing a drink:
This made my blood run cold. If I could max out every month to Obama and his Super Pac I would. How can Dems who are millionaires not give and give and give. What the hell is keeping them in the sidelines. Can someone explain, aside from the ‘oh so unseemly to try and compete with money.
BGinCHI
I thought the exchange would be operated by the feds if the state refused (or couldn’t handle it).
I hope that’s the case. Floridians can just bypass their asshole state government fun as it is by ex convicts.
beltane
Based on the FB postings of usually apolitical friends, it looks like Romney’s “as much education as you can afford” comment really struck a nerve-and not in a good way.
At least Thurston Howell, III wasn’t an asshole.
gnomedad
I think these guys are dying to provoke some sort of “fascist” Federal intervention.
Evolving Deep Southerner
A great hot-weather drink I’ve written about here before:
In a tall glass of ice, two ounces of vodka, two or three splashes of Angostura bitters, and club soda.
I asked for suggestions of a name here before, and since it’s a Bearded Lady with club soda instead of ginger ale, it was dubbed the Shaven Lady by commenters here.
Works for me. And it’s working for me now.
EDS +1
jwb
Rupert Murdoch is getting bitchy about Romneybot 2.0.
Valdivia
@BGinCHI:
just the idea makes me a little giddy.
Since I went to Italy I have been on a Campari kick. I know it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but as a bitter it is a great mixer.
My fave this day is the bicileta: campari, prosseco, mix and enjoy. Refreshing.
If not you can have campari, gin and a touch of vermouth. Negroni. Really great too.
@Evolving Deep Southerner: if you like the bitter taste try one of these :)
Keith
The Toshtini – Empty half a bottle of the most expensive bottled water you can find, and refill that half with tap water. Shake, and pour into a martini glass at room temperature; garnish with a lemon slice. Enjoy!
Scratch
The rightwing media is a huge problem because of how much they fucking lie, over and over and over again. No wonder we’ve ended up with a unrepentant liar like Mitt Romney the nominee of the Republicans.
It’s amazing how the rightwing lies infects the public consciousness. I’m a type 1 diabetic and a member of a forum for diabetics. You would think that many of us on that board would be happy that Obamacare has been upheld. Instead, in one thread that has come up about it, we already have a number of US citizens squawking rightwing lies about how awful it’s going to be. I’m doing my best to discredit those lies so that those who are on the fence will not be misinformed.
But I think that all contributors here at this site should keep an eye on forums they might participate in and any discussions that come up about Obamacare. We need to be a voice that can fight those lies.
Ash Can
Center-right? Who the fuck are they trying to kid, anyway?
Breitbart Cocktail:
Pour gin in glass of your choice
Replace cap on gin bottle and hit yourself in the head with it
Repeat hitting yourself for as long as it takes to either lose consciousness or regain sanity
Valdivia
@Ash Can:
ha ha ha. So perfect.
Speaking of gin. Anyone here been lucky enough to try Caorunn or Sacred?
Joey Maloney
@BGinCHI: That’s correct, the Feds will set up the exchange if a state doesn’t. But (thanks to Thursday’s decision) that state can refuse the funds for Medicaid expansion. And I’m sure they’ll come up with plenty of other legal, quasi-legal, and/or extralegal ways to throw sand in the gears and make sure that the non-wealthy get the unnecessary pain, destitution, and premature death we so richly deserve.
smintheus
Red State Cocktail
Two parts salty tears, brought to a boil and simmered until concentrated; one part spittle-flecked bitters; tablespoon of bile; dash of extract of fauxrage. Garnish with catnip. Serve with chilling death threats.
Mudge
I believe the exchanges are distinct from the Medicaid funding. Exchanges are for folks to buy insurance and if the state does not set them up, the feds can. Medicaid is for those who cannot afford insurance and involves a block grant to the states. It is functionally no different than the existing Medicaid program, except it covers more people (a new definition of who qualifies). There is no ideological basis for denying it if the state already has a Medicaid program (all do), unless they lie and try to convolve Medicaid with the other ACA provisions. Thus, the Republican governors are all lying. Surprise! It is 100% federally funded the first few years, so it also costs the states nothing.
Roger Moore
Cocktail, schmocktail. Just have a beer.
scav
Romney Campaign: Drudge, Breitbart, Leading rise of Center Right Media?
Makes me wonder if they’re considering the Bat Boy! or Space Alien! or Yeti-Baby! as running mate.
Mnemosyne
@Valdivia:
I remember just enough of my college Italian to know it’s a “bicicletta.” I have no idea why the cocktail is named after a bicycle, but there it is.
smintheus
@beltane:
Fixed that for you.
Joey Maloney
BTW, just as an anecdote the country I’m currently living in offers universal coverage through an awkward, jerry-rigged mixture of public and private companies. As a resident foreigner I’m allowed to buy in to the system. Total cost to me (a fiftyish male with hypertension) for all routine and emergency medical care, including prescriptions, wellness, and unlimited doctor visits: about $700 a year.
So it can be done.
texascowgirl
@Valdivia: This still scares the shit out of me. Seriously, where the fuck are our millionaires and billionaires? The Obama campaign never had a month like that back in 2008. It’s one thing to be out raised by superpacs, but to be out raised by the Romney campaign itself is pretty damn problematic. That means money in the air and on the ground. This is the only thing that gives me s doom and gloom feeling about the election.
Mnemosyne
Also, too, all right-thinking people know that the best hot-weather cocktail is a nice tall mojito. When we decided to have our wedding in July in Southern California six years ago, we knew that was the only one that would do.
(And we were right — it ended up being 108 degrees in Pasadena the day of our wedding.)
MattF
One part Scotch.
Sly
@Valdivia:
Money usually is fungible, and destroying public education takes precedence over political contributions for the jet-setters at the Aspen Ideas Festival.
gogol's wife
@jwb:
That’s hilarious! Did he get pointers from Bristol Palin?
SFAW
Re: Ash Can’s Breibart cocklesstail
or until you stop screeching “Behave yourself!” [BONK]
“Behave yourself!” [BONK]
“Behave yourself!” [BONK]
“Behave yourself!” [BONK]
“Ow, shit, cut that out!”
Valdivia
@Mnemosyne:
hhis–using the spanish spelling. :)
It is called a bicycle because old men who used to drink it would take their bicycle home and drive in a zigzag line and crash (at least that is what a bartender told me)
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
Gin and soda, with a dash of pomegranate liqueur, garnished with mint. Refreshing with a bit of color. Unnamed because I made it up one very hot evening.
General Stuck
It has always been the case, even during Clinton, that republicans don’t really think that liberals and democrats are much more than 3/5ths American citizens. But it is really reaching some extreme levels, as in the notion expressed, that one Judas republican fallen apostle of their supreme court okayed Obamacare, rather than acknowledge there were 4 liberals justices with an equal vote.
And now that the wingnuts are coming down from the hit of acid fed them by several winger pundits like Krauthammer and Will, that this loss was really a win, see (human excrement John Yoo) Peak Wingnut has at least become visible. The lies and arrogance are dialed up to rock and roll, from Rick Scott taking his wingnut ball and going home, to other frothers just not accepting the decision from their own right wing court.
As the human excrement was saying, for once being right about something, the Roberts decision in all likelyhood has defined and expanded the pathways to future New Deal legislation, as well as strengthened long passed ones like SS and Medicare that were funded by taxes, with novel things like the requirement to purchase something the government wants you to buy, is clearly a tax, and clearly enumerated constitutionality.
Scott is hamhandedly firing the first shot at the virtual second FT Sumter. Today he openly called for rebellion at the state level, via non participation by refusing to follow duly passed and stamped for approval by the highest court as the law of the land.
Wingnuts can flail about tax and spend liberals all they want, and they want. This late after a law is passed, I doubt that will have much resonance with anyone but the GOP base. Obama will have to address this head on, and continue to hammer the truth, that if this is a tax according to the supremes, then it is one only to be collected from those that don’t have insurance, and don’t want to pay for insurance. AND that the mandate does not affect the 80 percent now with policies, ONE IOTA.
It is always easy to demagogue something that hasn’t happened yet, but if we survive this election, then the IM kicks in, folks will see the truth of the matter.
It is a minor glitch, and I don’t think, and never have that Americans hold on to anger of tax hikes very long after they are levied. They didn’t with Clinton, and they won’t now. Even with the novel IM, one off. And if the wingers get utterly OCD about it, they also highlight the fact that Romney passed a similar law as governor, and they also ignore at their peril, the only possible way they can win. And that is a laser bean focus on the economy, and a republican plan to fix that. With as we know, using the same game plan as George W Bush. sorry for long comment
gogol's wife
I wish one of the voices of reason on here would come in and reassure me about Obama’s fundraising. I’m sorry, I give, but I just can’t compete with Sheldon Adelson. The flurry of frantic e-mails I got from them yesterday was very unnerving.
I think it’s another effect of Citizens United that the average citizen feels like not giving because it’s like a drop of water in the ocean.
gogol's wife
Jim Backus was so charming, it’s really not fair to compare him to Romney.
BGinCHI
@Valdivia: I like Campari and Cynar too.
With club soda or even tonic.
Lots of people making their own bitters these days. Anyone here doing that?
Balloon Juice Bitters has a nice ring to it.
Handy
Cocktail?
Try two Valiums and a shot of Wild Turkey.
That’ll fix almost anything.
scav
Speaking of an Oncoming Storm, OT Chicago people might want to give a peek at the radar. Still way out past DeKalb but it’s been getting bigger. As for the dollar storm, all I can offer in hope (sic) is that I don’t think these congenitally selfish big players would be throwing their precious around so freely and visibly unless they were actually worried.
BGinCHI
@scav: I rode early this morning, so bring the rain!!
aimai
I’ve recently started making a Mocktail with a cardamom flavored simple syrup, or just throwing powdered cardamom into blood orange juice when I’m feeling lazy, sparkling water, pomegrante or cranberry juice, lime and then whatever. When we are drinking it mixed we are using Cava instead of Prosecco because some nice wine merchant told me that the bubbles in Cava stood up to the fruit juice better than Prosecco.
aimai
Raven
@scav: I assume you are talking about DeKalb Illinois and not De KAB country, GA?
OOO, big one!
scav
@BGinCHI: Exactly, there’s hope on the horizon.
Betty Cracker
@scav: Not unless they want to lose Florida for sure. Bat Boy is less popular down here than chlamydia.
gnomedad
Hey, happy Canada Day to our Canuckistan community!
scav
@Raven: I personally wouldn’t want to pay the fare for a storm to ride in a KAB from GA to IL, but it’s only June, check again in August and I might be scanning the horizon that far away.
Linda Featheringill
And that, ladies and gentleman, is how I truly believe that we came to experience 9/11. The incoming Republicans decided to ignore/reverse everything the outgoing Democrats had done and to ignore any residuals in the bureaucratic network that sounded like anything the last Democrat had said/done.
Since the Clinton administration had treated Al Queda as an organization of interest for some time, the Bush administration naturally ignored it. Voila!
Are we learning? Or not?
Valdivia
@texascowgirl:
@Sly:
the money thing is for me the big open question. I give and give but I ain’t going to get to the maxed out level right away.
Valdivia
@BGinCHI:
Cynar is under-appreciated I think. Love drinking it.
scav
@Valdivia: Cynar, is that the one with the artichoke on it? I kept nearly buying it back in the days I actually had money.
texascowgirl
@gogol’s wife: Yeah, I’m not reassured either. I really am surprised about the lack of alarm over this. Obama can win if he is outspent 2 to 1, maybe 3 to 1. But down ticket Democrats can’t and Obama can’t once you get passed the 3 to 1 ratio. Small donors like me and you won’t cut it. Now is the time for George Soros to actually be what the right has accused him of being all those years. The President is smart and our side is on the ropes financially. There will be $9 million spent to slime the ACA in the next week alone. This money situation is bad. I’ve never worried about the GOP winning on ideas, but they can lie and with this kind of money spread those lies in way that Democrats can’t compete with. If there is someone who can talk me down I welcome it.
jwb
@Linda Featheringill: Signs are that the goopers are doubling down on stupid. On the other hand, my usually reliable tea party neighbor has yet to plant a ginormous sign in his yard condemning SCOTUS or threatening secession as he usually does after such events, so who knows how this is actually playing or what the rubes are making of it.
smintheus
@Valdivia: It will make a big difference to how the campaign plays out if it is general election rather than primary donations that Romney’s picking up. Romney’s own advertising has been far behind Obama’s, presumably because he spent so much of his primary fundraising trying to win the primary. Obama can probably dump on him all summer with his unspent primary funding.
Patricia Kayden
1. If President Obama is re-elected, the federal government can step in if states refuse to implement the exchanges.
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrM6IBwgIv8&w=420&h=315%5D
There are many Floridians who may have something to say about Scott’s rightwingery. Would love to see some demonstrations by those who know the ACA is good for regular folks.
BGinCHI
@scav: Looks like it’s going south. IN needs the rain. Let’s be generous.
Fluke bucket
@Scratch: I am with you 100% on this. A lot of the nuts here in the south are linking to a Neal Boortz piece about exactly what to expect with the ACA coming. I have not had the stomach to read it but I hoped Kay might see it and put up a hell of a response that I could link to on my Facebook page. Y’all keep giving
me the ammo and by god I will salute and charge up the hill.
Donut
Ingredients:
* Three ounces McAllan 12 (or, god bless you, 18, 25 or 30)
* One Old Fashined-style drinking glad
Directions:
1. Fill glass half way with Scotch.
2. Drink.
Repeat as necessary.
BGinCHI
@aimai: That’s right. Smaller bubbles equals better.
Valdivia
@scav:
yes the one with artichoke. it has a luscious taste to it not present in Campari.
Ash Can
@scav: Thanks for the heads-up!
Linnaeus
Presbyterian: In a Collins glass, pour one part Scotch over 2-3 ice cubes, add 2-4 parts ginger ale (you can substitute club soda for half of the ginger ale). Quite nice.
jwb
@gogol’s wife: You got frantic emails yesterday, because it was the end of a reporting period and I think they’d really like to outraise Romney since the ACA ruling. I expect Obama’s fundraising numbers to be fine with respect to Romney himself. It’s the SuperPacs and other races I’m concerned about.
Ben Cisco
For a guy who’s part of the moneyed class, Romney’s prowess at excavation is…impressive.
Southern Comfort Chiller:
Chill.
Pour.
Sip.
Corner Stone
So, while we’re at least partially sober enough to discuss the ACA – I’m having a battle with a wingnut who keeps telling me all his small business friends are going to be put out of business by the ACA.
Just so I’m clear on what I think the provisions do, can someone tell me what changes for a company with under 50 employees, and maybe what happens when they hit that 50 number? Or a good link would be great.
texascowgirl
@Corner Stone: Go the Kaiser Foundation’s Website. They have a great summary of the law as well as a timeline for implementation.
http://www.kff.org/healthreform/8061.cfm
Corner Stone
As for cocktails, let’s keep it simple. In a tall glass put a few ice cubes. Pour 4 to 6 oz of your favorite cocktail tequila over the ice. Fill with Sprite then squeeze a wedge of lime on top. Refreshing and not too sweet if you get the balance right.
Judas Escargot, Acerbic Prophet of the Mighty Potato God
@Linda Featheringill:
This never gets enough mention, IMO.
The GWB admin had warning, but the mindset since 1997 or so had been that Bin Laden was a Clinton boogeyman, never really more than a Wag-the-Dog distraction. So the warnings weren’t taken seriously.
In other words, GWB &co were cognitively incapable of dealing with the threat. And it was excessive, ‘create your own reality’ politicization of every damned thing that rendered them that way. Yet did this mindset correct after 9/11? Hardly, it only got worse and worse. Because the mindset is also cognitively incapable of adapting to external realities.
It’s not enough to beat the GOP in the next few elections. The GOP, as a political party, must be extinguished, as a lesson to all future political parties: There are limits… and if you do not respect them, your party will go the way of the Whigs and the GOP.
We have a long, hard game ahead of us.
Jay C
And for pleasant summer imbibing:
Jay C’s 3-2-1 Margarita:
3 parts tequila
2 parts lemon-lime mix (preferably unsweetened)
1 part half Triple Sec/half Rose’s Lime Juice
Mix well, serve over ice. 3-2-1 – Liftoff!
Corner Stone
@texascowgirl: That’s a pretty good link, thanks. ISTM that a business with 50 full time employees would pretty much be guaranteed to be assessed a penalty. The summary states if they have at least one full time employee qualifying for a premium credit, then the company must pay either $3000 or $2000 (depending) per employee, not counting the first 30.
And since you can qualify for a premium credit if you’re all the way up to 400% of the federal poverty line then it would seem to me just about every business that has 50 or more full time employees is going to be assessed.
PeakVT
Hope the Obama camp has some spin ready if that $100M number turns out to be true. Hitting a big round number will have our stupid media in a lather for days.
Betty Cracker
@Corner Stone: I make a similar drink with Squirt rather than Sprite. A friend says that’s a popular drink in Mexico. I thought it sounded gross until tried it. It’s actually quite good.
gogol's wife
All these cocktail recipes are making me sad. I can’t drink anything but wine or water any more. Everything else, alcoholic or nonalcoholic, makes me sick.
Rhoda
There is nothing we can do about the Citzens’ United cash this election season. Democrats are going to be outspent. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll get beat.
Democrats need enough cash at the end when people are paying attention and they need a clear message. They have both right now. That’s why the party committees have been reserving so much time in advance; they get a cheaper rate and it’s when they’ll need their money. The Obama campaign took the time during the Republican primaries to invest on boots on the ground and we saw that in WI where it’s clear POTUS voters went with Walker. Obama voters were at the polls and they just didn’t go w/Barrett because the recall didn’t legitimize itself in the minds of voters.
So, I have hope in the ground game and in the fact that POTUS and Democrats will have enough money at the end to be heard even if they’re outspent.
Gov. Brown is a great example of how a great message can win against a shitload of money. It also helps to have crappy opponents which POTUS does and hopefully the tea party guys will fall apart.
There’s just no point in worrying over things outside our control; and the billionaires and millionaires funding superpacs (liberal or conservative) are beyond our control. Joining OFA and working for the campaign; it’s in our hands and it makes a difference.
gogol's wife
@Rhoda:
Thanks for that.
baldheadeddork
My favorite summer cocktail:
1 can of frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed. Mix with one can of decent vodka (Absolut or better) in sealed quart container. Add frozen strawberries or raspberries if you want. Store in refrigerator.
When you’re ready to serve, shake base and mix with three parts club soda (or to taste) over crushed ice. Garnish with fresh fruit.
Very refreshing and a stone assassin when it comes to killing your productivity.
Valdivia
@PeakVT:
Last month Obama came in with $60 million and Romney got 75 (though a lot was to the RNC where you max out at 35000 not 2500). But that big 100 million number is a warning to us. I don’t care how much they may be saving for the end, if Obama is around 70 this month and they made 100 it’s going to be no end about the money prowess of Romney.
Baud
@Rhoda:
Right on!
Valdivia
I should add that I am clearly in freak out mode but @Rhoda: makes the very good case for not doing so.
Baud
@Valdivia:
He does have money prowess. No point in ignoring it. He has nothing else though.
andy
Yep. Cynar. Fill a highball glass with ice, 2 glugs Cynar, fill the rest of the way with club soda, garnish with lime wedges. Love that dry bittersweet thing Cynar has!
And fuck guys like Scott with rusty crankshafts and no lube. Fuckers need to learn to give as good as they get.
Valdivia
@Baud:
Indeed. There may be, in his case, a little too much of that. Reinforces his image as Mr Moneybags. I do worry though. Must get drinking early see if it passes! :)
suzanne
My favorite summer cocktail is the basil mojito. Just like a mojito, but with basil leaves. Hence the name. Could throw some strawberries in there for good measure.
And I don’t think anyone has ever topped the piña colada, before or since it’s invention.
One of my very religious friends, who is probably in the middle of her own Cole-esque evolution of her politics, said to me the other day, “God save us from Mitt Romney”. Considering that she’s an Army wife from a deeply evangelical family (but is very familiar with the LDS Church and isn’t freaked out by it), it seems that he’s damaging his brand among his most loyal constituencies. I ave me a happy.
dsc
If only the teahadists recognized the real despotism of a FIAT decree. (sigh)
Ask ’em to explain socialism and commmunism and fascism sometime–it’s truly torture to listen to them.
a variation on Victor’s Potion that we LOVE:
one part vodka
two parts compari
one part soft white wine (we leave this out a lot)
three parts grapefruit juice (Simply Grapefruit is the bomb)
Limes to taste (when we make this, we make a quart, so we quarter two whole limes)
lots of ice
and a couple sprigs of mint (if you like that sort of thing)
wow! dry, tart with a back taste that lingers softly on the tongue
If
catclub
@BGinCHI: The xchange will be operated that way. The real question is the medicaid expansion.
Guys like Scott and Jindal are saying they are going to turn it down. A lot of hospitals and healthcare providers will be working to convince them they should take it. It means NEW federal money and NEW jobs.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@catclub: Oh, but what are new jobs and new federal dollars when measured against wingnut cred?
Baud
@catclub:
Everyone’s calculus changes after Obama is re-elected. Nothing they say now means anything.
catclub
@a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q): A point worth noting, but hospital admins actually have to run something, not just wear tricorn hats. And they (I hope) will not put up with the GOP sabotage when it is their profits that are under threat.
Yutsano
Speaking of assholes…
catclub
You know, it burns me even more now that a) nobody has actually come up with an argument showing that mandate is not a tax and the decision was therefore in error.
and B) The dissenters still voted to overturn the entire law, hence implying that they think it is not a tax and therefore unconstitutional. But where in their dissent do they ever make this case?
The fact of the ruling has overshadowed the fact that no-one has argued, “no it is not a tax”. NOBODY has done that.
Frankensteinbeck
@catclub:
Because it’s a tax. Nobody wanted to talk about it being a tax when it was passed, but yes, it’s a tax. It was meant to be a tax. It was meant to be a tax because, as Roberts pointed out, even the pathetic commerce clause arguments someone might make about a legal mandate wither to ash if it’s a tax credit/penalty. It is completely constitutional and half the tax code is based on similar credits/penalties.
Haydnseek
Yeah, I have a “recipe.” Buy a bottle of Jameson. Select a glass that doesn’t leak. Pour the desired amount of this ambrosial nectar into said glass. Add a small splash of the purest water you can obtain. Repeat as necessary.
Janet Strange
never mind
catclub
@Frankensteinbeck: That ‘nobody’ included both sides. For lots of reasons.
The anti-injunction
act would mean (in my understanding) it cannot come up until there is harm – which would be 2015 at the earliest. Apparently, Obama did not want that uncertainty for three more years. (Although, how much uncertainty would there be if everyone was already calling it a tax?)
Corner Stone
@Janet Strange:
That kind of begs the question for the winger then – If an employer currently doesn’t offer any plan then they’ll pay the fine instead of negotiating for premiums. Is that accurate?
FatChickinLA
Rum Runner Cocktail
Tall glass filled with ice
1 and half ounces dark spiced rum,
half ounce Malibu rum or any coconut rum,
fill rest of glass with cranberry juice and a splash of pineapple juice. Enjoy
Haydnseek
@MattF: Well played sir. Well played.
Quincy
The Medicaid expansion kicks in in 2014 right? Isn’t that when Scott’s up for reelection? We’ll just see if he sticks to his guns, or is simply mouthing off now for the base. If the Fla Dems can’t use that to take the governorship against Mr 30% approval, they’re hopeless.
Bex
@Yutsano: I love how one of the commenters calls him Yertle.
Joseph Nobles
A Ruby Navel:
1 part vodka
.5 part peach schnapps
Ruby red grapefruit juice (unsweetened)
In a pinch, regular grapefruit juice and a drop or two of grenadine for color only will sub well for the ruby red juice. It’s basically a Fuzzy Navel, but not as gaggy sweet.
Mayur
La Rosita
1 1/2 oz blanco tequila
1/2 oz dry vermouth
1/2 oz sweet vermouth
1/2 oz Campari
Stir with cracked ice, strain, serve up.
An Americano is nice too: equal parts Campari and sweet vermouth over ice topped with soda, orange wedge.
Yes, some of us do make bitters. ;)
Ralph Spoilsport
fk it. Keep a big bottle of cheap vodka in a cool closet at room temp, hit as needed, feel burn, cross fingers.
kay
Betty Cracker, this post title is hysterical.
I caught myself using “slippery slope” in a politics-related conversation recently and I thought: “Jesus. This is how I TALK now?”
Not Sure
@beltane: That’s because Thurston Howell III was intended to be the chariacture of an out of touch 1%er, not the real thing.
Oh, and let Rick Scott refuse to implement the ACA. When Florida’s health premium rates go through the roof in relation to the rest of the country, and industry, who is on the hook for providing coverage, flees the state in droves, he’ll have plenty of ‘splainin to do.
Not Sure
@Rhoda: Plus, I always observed that it takes a lot more money and resources to sell bullshit than it does to sell the truth. For one thing, you usually have to fabricate the bullshit, where the truth is already out there in the public domain. Good bullshit, on the other hand, costs money. Lots of money.
And then you have to actually sell the bullshit. Most people have seen and heard enough bullshit to recognize it when they see/hear it, so selling them more of it requires repeat applications, oftentimes an order of magnitude greater than that requires to sell the truth, which usually doesn’t require much selling at all.
Of course, if the bullshit sellers are successful in selling their bullshit, much scrubbing is required to get rid of the smell.
Bago
Still a little bit “there” after the wonkette meetup last night. Nothing like being stuck between a weejee and a bigskullf***ingdog.
El Cid
Given that CNN is viewed by righties as near Communist and NPR / PBS as ultra-Maoist, it makes sense that Breitbart et al are seen as “Center Right”.
It’d be interesting, though, for such righties to clarify who the right wing extreme would be.
TenguPhule
Ovens, lots and lots of ovens.
John Casey
@Joey Maloney: Really, there’s nothing that can be done to save Florida from itself, until and unless the voters of Florida stop electing Republican thieves.
Rome Again
We have a local news woman on our classic rock station on weekday mornings here in Phoenix. She uses Breitbart and Drudge as sources over the airwaves, along with Washington Times and CNS (Conservative News Service).
The unhinged right seems to think this is just fine for citing information. Makes me want to scream every time.
bob h
Romney biggest, and probably inescapable problem is his campaign’s negative, carping, whingeing, kvetching tone, which Americans will tire of soon.
AA+ Bonds
Compare this whitepaper to the Republican agenda in your state this last year
I know for one that in North Carolina, it aligns on more than one point