Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

Anyone who sent a request for book signatures before yesterday, please send again to cqtrailmix@verizon.net. My Outlook folder failed me, lost the first batch. Be sure to include your snail mail address, and any names or message you'd like with the signatures.

speaking of book signings, here's something posted from last thread:

had to take a double take when i saw a banner ad on the guardian for the new book "going rouge sarah palin an american nightmare" and it looks just like her book. bet the lawsuits are flooding in.
here's a video blurb on it from that ad

http://orbooks.com/

corey, get a copy of the knockoff and see if she'll sign it when she comes to your neck of the woods.

craig, watch out, the gopers might do a knock off on your book and call it "lessen up, mr. president"

Jamie
Putting a face to the Pulaski name. It was Kucinich from Cleveland who introduced the resolution. That city has/had marvelous ethnic neighborhoods full of Central European immigrants.
http://www.dcist.com/attachments/dcist_lindsaygibson/2007_0305_pulaski.jpg

And, Jamie, thanks for the amplification on the role of the Chamber in the scheme of things.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/11/forget-bipartisan-health-refor.html#comment-269796

Bowmanc
Oops,missed your comment last night and your probably not around?I've just been paying attention,that's all..All I ever hear from Republicans is PRIVATE when it comes to healthcare!! Scare everyone with BIG GOVERNMENT takeover of healthcare!! From what I read and hear this bill coming out of the Congress is a big boon for private Insurance,so IMO Conservative Republican's should love it!!But in reality they don't because they don't want Obama or the Dem's to succeed at anything other than fighting all the wars they have started...All over the place, i was simply giving an example that we live under many mandates in this country,think about it...

photo: "snake in the house"

had they not said house, joe lie'man would come to mind.

http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/

http://www.perrspectives.com/blog/archives/001661.htm

"Gingrich and Perry Tout Texas Health Care Mess"

"Everything, they say, is bigger in the Texas. So it is with the failure of the health care system. Leading the nation with a jaw-dropping 25% of its residents uninsured, Texas ranked 46th in the Commonwealth Fund's 2009 scorecard of state health care performance. All of which makes today's op-ed by Newt Gingrich and Governor Rick Perry touting the mess in Texas all the more puzzling.

Just two days after the CBO dismissed a House Republican plan that would barely dent the rolls of the uninsured, Perry and Gingrich blasted Democratic health care reform in a Washington Post screed titled, "Let States Lead the Way." Besides dredging up Newt's worn out 1990's vintage talking points on unfunded mandates, the duo insist it is the Lone Star State which should be at the front of that vanguard:

Texas, for example, has adopted approaches to controlling health-care costs while improving choice, advancing quality of care and expanding coverage. Consider the successful 2003 tort reform. Fewer frivolous lawsuits have attracted record numbers of doctors to the state as medical malpractice insurance premiums dropped by half. Christus Health, a large Catholic nonprofit system with a significant presence in Texas, spent about $100 million on liability defense payments in 2003. Last year, Christus spent $2.3 million on such payments. Much of that savings has gone into expanding health-care services in low-income neighborhoods.

As the Post's Erza Klein asks, "how's that working out?"

The answer, of course, is quite poorly. While from 2007 to 2009 Texas nudged its way from a horrific 48th to a merely miserable 46th in the Commonwealth Fund rankings, the health care system there remains an ongoing calamity for its residents. Among the poster children for the failure of red state health care, Perry's state brought up the rear across the five indicators measured. When it comes to health care access and equity, Texas is dead last."

We're from Texas. We don't need no damned insurance.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-11-06/the-democrats-midterm-nightmare/?cid=hp:mainpromo3

"Almost nobody in the real world (let alone in the chattering class) has focused on the 2013 dilemma. Yet the political implications are striking. Say the stars align and Obama is able to sign major health reform into law before he gives his State of the Union address in late January. What happens next? 2010 comes and goes. 2012 comes and goes. And then millions of Americans who lack secure health coverage start to get it, in Obama’s second term. A recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that most Americans think they’ll see tangible results from any health reform in the next year or so. This expectations gap is a looming disaster for Democrats."

Few years back, we had delightful neighbors--a young family able to have a stay-at-home mom because husband was a well-employed engineer at DuPont.

Deciding to move his career forward, they sold their house and moved to Texas accepting a job with Enron.

A month later they were sitting on a Texas street; detritus in the wake of Enron's Texas-sized collapse.

I can only guess what his health insurance looked like at that point.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/11/book-tv.html#comment-269826

Flatus,
Ha,Perry wants Texas to secede from the US anyways,what a dope..

since the gopers are being so simon pure re making sure aliens don't get health care due to economic impact, maybe they also would be open to a ban on importing and hiring foreign labor (legal or illegal) in order to make available jobs for u.s. citizens and help off-set unemployment costs and burdens on the economy. and maybe a bill to wipe out tax benefits for companies using overseas labor. hey repugs, isn't "america first" your battlecry?

I came to own some Enron shares because they took over one of the utilities I owned--I think it was Portland General Electric.

I looked at the portfolio of companies Enron owned. It included some British utilities. It was at that point I dumped the stock--because, what in the dickens would Enron know about running British utilities?

http://trueslant.com/level/2009/11/07/house-gop-helpfully-points-out-that-tax-evaders-got-to-jail-in-america-pelosi-congress-health-care-reform/

This ones for you,Bowmanc..

"House GOP helpfully points out that tax evaders go to jail in America"

"Actually, the plan here is to make sure that more Americans get health care coverage. The jailing part of it is already built into our code of laws. As a society, we’ve already agreed that tax cheats, i.e. people who don’t pay their taxes, pay fines and in some instances go to jail.

Now there’s room for discussion here. Should we have an insurance mandate? Should that mandate be enforced by levying a tax against those who refuse to abide by it? That’s a useful debate that we’re not having here. Rep. Camp’s ready-for-Rush quote jumps from not buying health insurance to going to jail. It takes a lot of command and control over one’s ability to suspend disbelief, and gag reflex, to not debate the mandate and tax part of it."

hey repugs, isn't "america first" your battlecry?

Ha Pat,
It is unless it stands in the way of profits...

link to kucinich and conyers letter calling off single payer vote plans. is this for real? something about this sounds fishy.
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/11/kucinich_calls_off_plans--for.html

Tony, in most states automobile owners can choose to self-insure their vehicles. But, if they choose to do so, they must pay the state enough money to keep the people of the state from holding the bag should the self-insurer have an accident. They're better off just buying real insurance.

Healthcare should work the same way under the nonsense-options that are now proposed.

anybody know if the anti-trust language is in the house bill or is that an amendment to be offered?

http://www.slate.com/id/2234862/

woman can fight too.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/11/book-tv.html#comment-269834

Pat, I think they're being pragmatic in an effort to keep single-payer alive:

"The bill presented tomorrow will not be HR676. While we are happy to relinquish authorship of a single payer bill to any member who can do better, we do not want a weak bill brought forward in a hostile climate to unwittingly accomplish what would be interpreted as a defeat for single payer.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/11/book-tv.html#comment-269835

Flatus,
Agreed! Makes so much sense...

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/11/book-tv.html#comment-269837

"If women can defend Fort Hood, they can defend America."

What a nonsense argument for putting women into infantry units.

It's like saying snow plows saved NYC from being paralyzed in the last blizzard. Therefore, we should buy snow plows for Miami.

There are cogent arguments for having women in combat units; one police officer's bravery isn't one of them.

max, thanks for linking that slate article. ironic that the guy was brought down by a female, a critter he couldn't allow himself even to be seen with in a picture.

flatus, see your point. both the one about kucinich and the one about the slate argument.

"We're from Texas. We don't need no damned insurance."

LMAO@Flatus

Flatus, I think the article talks about more than Ft. Hood. I'm not so sure about the restriction on female air force combat pilots though I'm not suggesting changing the bar on physical requirements. Military would be wise t change restrictions on gays.

And this observation from Israel on Iran:

http://debka.com/headline.php?hid=6361

Iran also completed tests on a new silkworm that can now hit Tel Aviv. Saudi armor going into Yemen as the Middle East awaits the US response to Iran and declaration of US policy in Afghanistan

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_recovered_van

"Van stolen 35 years ago in Wash. state recovered"

I hope they find the hippie who originally owned it.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/11/book-tv.html#comment-269844

The Silkworm is one of the world's easiest missiles to shoot down. Minimal incremental threat because of them.

Israel will do what needs doing in protecting its existence and its people.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/11/book-tv.html#comment-269841

Patsi, after seeing Rice and Jarret on TV lately, I'm SO glad there is a Hillary. Pelosi, Sebelious, Boxer etc......equality for women does not mean they rise to the level of contempt we have for male leadership.

Despite Dems touting women, there are so many unknows who would stand taller than most Democratic women in the lime light today. Where are they? We know of one, but I was not pleased to see Hillary's apparel in Pakistan after we all fantasized about her meetings with Muslim leaders. On this count, kudos to Sakorzy for calling out "some Muslim customs" for what they really are. Even KCG yesterday advanced the notion girls schools would be safe upon our retreat from Afghanistan. Perhaps women can lead us back to what we know LIberal Democracy stands for. Real equality for women, free speech. "opportunity" for all so the playing field of merit is fair. Tony knows my real thoughts on gay marriage though I spun a tricksters arguement here.....

Back to the Middle East--our Liberal timidity in the face of Islam is rather sad this inequality insitutionalized is the greatest crime going on in the world. The fact that Ahmadinejad's spiritual leader approaved the use of rape to force confessions (rape and sodomy of both men and women) bothers me to no end. I wish I could drop the bastard in Chelsea NYC and let the Lesbians here have a shot at him. Then we can see what woman can do in combat. Hell hath no fury like women scorned....

Okay, a bit extreme for this morning, but hearing Rice proclaim gains in the world (just polls mind you) does not speak truth or even scratch the surface of reality. I hope women hold women to the fire and make them speak truth. Coming from men, the call rings hollow.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/11/book-tv.html#comment-269846

True Flatus but one can overwhelm a defense. I mention these news items more to show that when Israel acts we won't be surprised. More than a hundred tons were indicted two days ago bound for Hizb'Allah. Syria and even Turkey transport illegal weapons. Today Saudis hit Yemeni strongholds where Iran is supporting insurgency. NK and Iran seek to leapfrog towards nuclear ballistic missiles and have no problem supplying AQ and the Taliban.

Did you see the new cost figures on the JSF? The gains made by ending the Raptor are aready almost gone. We have a manned space flight program near death and cuts to missile defense as a few programs we have spent a lot on were reaching operational tests.

Instead of examining the rality of the situation, media fixates on the Goldstone Report, has Palestinian PR go on shows like the Daily Show and lobbies Congress to curtail the Material Support Bill as guns blaze in Detroit. It seems the Press is hell bent on vilifying Israel as serious news is shoved to the back pages --news that portends of bad things to come.

I keep thinking of that South Park episode, where everyone stuck their head in the sand.....lol.

Now the gop argument is --if you have health insurance you need to protect your medical care because inviting everyone to have coverage will dilute your care.....

The GOP the party of the selfish.

The arguments about cost from the GOP are equally stupid.

And Max as usual you take an argument and twist it to fit some odd notion of your own.

Will they or won't they? A real Satuday Night Fever

House Dem. Leaders gamble....

House Dem. leaders cave to anti-abortion Dems pressure by granting them a vote on an amendment that would bar insurers from covering abortion under the exchanges... hope that this will be enough to get them to 218 votes.

Pelosi has a 17 vote buffer to work with. At least
23 Dems. have come out against the bill & there may be another 20 dems. in the 'lean no' category.

Pres. Obama will push the undecideds when he
addresses the caucus at 11:30 a.m. today.

Not one of the 177 House Reps. are expected to vote
for the bill.

http://www.politico.com/politicopulse/

And you can add Rep. Anthony Weiner to the list of
those backing off any push for single payer.

Weiner said: 'I didn't want the legacy of single-payer to be that it jeopardized passage of healthcare reform
this year.'

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/66721-pelosi-no-house-vote-on-single-payer-plan

1805 Lewis & Clark 1st sight Pacific Ocean

I bought Craig's book. Now I just have to find the time to read it.

It's so hard to stop watching Fox News 24/7.

They have the BEST coverage whenever there's a "crazed gunman" massacre.

Gov Good Hair as Mz Molly Ivins called Perry is a total failure as a GOP Gov in TX. He used to be a Dem but could not get elected as a Dem so he did the politically expedient thing and became a Gooper. Kay Bailey Hutchinson will be the next Gov of Tx.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/11/book-tv.html#comment-269853

It's an especially good book because Lard is mentioned by name.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/11/book-tv.html#comment-269854

Doots, I don't know if she was a good governor, but Ann Richards sure was feisty.

I'm sending another contribution to, his name escapes me, Imus' friend.

"1805 Lewis & Clark 1st sight Pacific Ocean"

meriwether to william: it's not the destination, but the journey

flatus, kinky.

announced up-coming event:

"Meet Kinky Friedman and let him acquaint you with inspirational characters from his youth. Kinky Friedman will read from and sign his new book, Heroes of a Texas Childhood, and answer questions from the audience at Fletcher’s Books on November 13.
Fletcher’s Books is located at 945 N. Main St. in Salado, TX"

http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/events/

In the middle of one of my "What is wrong with these people?" moments, I keep wondering how any Republican can look in a mirror and know that in virtually every single country in the western world not one citizen ever worries for a minute about how they will afford their health care. If they are injured or ill, they will be cared for. It simply isn't one of the worries for themselves or their families.

In this country millions of our fellow citizens lose their jobs, homes, health, and frequently lives because of Republican opposition.

How in the hell can they live with themselves?

jamie....i dont know but i've heard that they're in a close alliance with God......

Turn to CSPAN if you haven't. I could kiss Dingell on his expansive forehead.

god ono sideboards.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pih1hVdflnQ

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/11/book-tv.html#comment-269860

Flatus,

In that case I hope God starts wielding some of his lightening bolt perogatives because the Reps seem to be taking over his decision making functions in the matter of who lives and who dies.

Flatus,

Gov Ann IMO was a great Gov. Kinky Friedman is Imus's friend. I think he is a better comedian than he would be as a Gov. But that is just me. I don't think he or any other Dem can get elected in Texas any time soon. If that is the case then Kay Bailey Hutchinson is the best we can do for now.

Dooty

The Governorship of Texas is so weak that the person who holds it is more show pony than work horse. The only way they get anything done is to get their folks into the legislature.

I think Kinky would make a great Show Pony and if that got more libertarians, ecologists and pet lovers into the legislature, more power to him.

E-mailed to me. No link. I typed every word on it.

Afghans Have Serious Doubts About US Escalation
After Eight Plus Years of Occupation, Few Relish Massive Troop Increase

Though top officials in the Afghan and US governments continue to treat the massive escalation of the seemingly endless war as simply a matter of course, there is increasing skepticism among war-weary Afghan civilians.

“Americans are saying that with their planes they can see an egg 18 kilometers away, so why can’t they see the Taliban,” asked one Afghan pharmacist, wondering what exactly the US had accomplished in the past eight years of the conflict.

It is clear even among the most optimistic officials that the war is going poorly, and after President Obama nearly doubled the American presence in March, things only got worse.

For Gen. Stanley McChrystal, this was seen as a good reason to launch an unprecedentedly large second escalation, and he is seeking upwards of 80,000 additional troops, which would more than double the US force for the second time this year.

Throwing ever more troops at the conflict has concerned some US policy makers, but it has terrified Afghanistan’s populace, which had to cope with a record civilian death toll after the much smaller March escalation. The population was already getting sick of what has become nearly a decade of occupation, and if the US sees fit to double down yet again, it will push more of them into open revolt.

Most of them are already convinced that it is high time to negotiate with the Taliban, to try to spare the country yet more years of fighting, and while officials continue to give lip service to that strategy the US has repeatedly expressed concerns that the war isn’t going well enough for them to be in a bargaining position to get what they want out of the Taliban. If that was true this spring, it is doubly true today.

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I agree that it is a dog and pony show and Kinky would lead the parade. I don't think that he can get the Rs to go along with anything the Dems might want to have happen. Could be wrong but that has not been the case is a long time.

MSNBC is airing a GOOPER newcast and you can see their noses grow as they speak.

LiveTwitter feeds amid today's developments on Capitol Hill, via talkingpointsmemo.com:

Hill Democrats
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/live/hilldemstwitter.php?ref=fpd

Hill Republicans
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/live/hillgoptwitter.php?ref=fpd

LiveTwitter feeds amid today's developments on Capitol Hill, via talkingpointsmemo.com:

Democratic Insiders
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/live/deminsiderstwitter.php?ref=fpd

Republican Insiders
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/live/gopinsiderstwitter.php?ref=fpd

Max,

This guy sounds just like you:

Israel’s Deputy FM Insists Threats to Attack Iran Sincere
Says Iran the Ones Who Are Really Bluffing

Amid speculation that Israel’s threats to attack Iran, which have persisted for years, are just a bluff, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon insisted that the threat of an attack is very real.
Danny Ayalon

“The one who’s bluffing is Iran,” insisting Ayalon, but since Iran isn’t the one who has been threatening to attack Israel’s nuclear program, he wasn’t very clear about what Iran was supposed to be bluffing about.

Ayalon went on to accuse Iran of not being sincere in their negotiation with the P5+1 on a uranium enrichment program. Israeli officials initially slammed the negotiations, but came out eagerly endorsing them after EU diplomats insisted the deal was likely dead.

Iran recently pressed the United Nations Security Council to act against Israel over comments by a former official suggesting the attack could come as soon as Christmas. Since US officials have repeatedly said Israel has every right to launch a unilateral attack against Iran, it is assumed that any attempt for such a measure would be vetoed by them.

Book TV, is great.

What I think; is that there should be no passing of any Health Care right now. The Dems should wait until Pres. Obama gives his state of the union next year. He will be highlighting all of his wonderful achievements..and then.....RAM the sucker through...that is Single Payer, Ram in down the R's thoughts; and live with the consequences..

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/11/book-tv.html#comment-269829

Tony --

It would make more sense for Texas to adopt the attitude of small-fry Delaware which rejected secession in 1861. It was the first State to join the Union and by damn it'll be the last to leave.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Delaware

several months ago I wrote about the passing of my friend Steven Bruton, long time guitar player for Kris Kristofferson. Here is a nice multi-media interview with a very influential musician from the early sixties folk scene. Geoff is the ex of Maria Maldaur and he is fronting a new album called Texas Sheiks. He plays one song and mentions Steven in the interview.

enjoy,

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/popvox/archive/2009/10/14/worth-your-time-geoff-muldaur-headliner-of-the-texas-sheiks.aspx

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/11/book-tv.html#comment-269876

A long time ago I heard a lady Texan (it may have been Molly Ivins or it could have been Ann Richards, one of those two) say Texas wished it had New Hampshire's motto, "Live Free or Die." Listen up, Texas, those little states have some good ideas.

I find it interesting that the last time the unemployment figures were as high as were reported yesterday was when Ronald Reagan was in office and you know how the Repubs think of him.

Give me a frickin break..
Stupak...will now mean stupid ass-hole. (a dollar for the jar)
His amendment will not allow "govenment" dollars for insurance that covers abortion.

What a bunch of jerks

More on Stupid Stupak
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/143708/meet_the_28_%28male%29_anti-choice_dems_who_are_stalling_health_reform?comments=view&cID=1358316&pID=1358276

Kinky's homepage:

http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/

"If women can defend Fort Hood, they can defend America."

They already do.

The suggestion that Iran could sell nukes to alqaeda and the taliban, makes me laugh.

I think they'd have to stop killing each other in Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen before they could sit down and negotiate a nuke sale. And, if Iran will sell nukes to the salafists, they'll sell them to Israel and the US, too.