So.  What is a Republican to do?

Launch a fruitless counter-offensive, that will be hindered by the fact that, over time, Americans are becoming more knowledgeable about the subject of health care?

Launch their own campaign to pass an important bill in some other policy area of their choosing?

Join in health care talks, so at least when the bill passes they can try to claim they were involved, and not simply obstructing?

Keep quiet on policy issues, meanwhile starting their campaigns for re-election back in their home states and districts?

No. No. No. Definitely not.

They’ll do what they have found so effective in the past…they’ll try to distract.

AFGHANISTAN: After a brief hiatus, former Vice President Dick Cheney has again emerged…to question President Obama’s “war credentials” and to claim that we are “less safe,” despite all reports and studies to the contrary.  In his latest effort to both criticize and distract, Cheney accused the president of “dithering” and of hurting the troops while helping the enemy: “Make no mistake. Signals of indecision out of Washington hurt our allies and embolden our adversaries.“  Perhaps the former veep is simply unfamiliar and uncomfortable with gathering information from generals and experts, in an attempt to make good decisions based on a thorough understanding of the situation, instead of making quick decisions based only on gut feelings and prayer.  Who better to respond to Cheney’s claims than National Security Network Senior Adviser Gen. Paul Eaton (Ret.): “The record is clear: Dick Cheney and the Bush administration were incompetent war fighters. They ignored Afghanistan for 7 years with a crude approach to counter-insurgency warfare best illustrated by: 1. Deny it.  2.  Ignore it. 3. Bomb it. While our intelligence agencies called the region the greatest threat to America, the Bush White House under-resourced our military efforts, shifted attention to Iraq, and failed to bring to justice the masterminds of September 11.  The only time Cheney and his cabal of foreign policy ‘experts’ have anything to say is when they feel compelled to protect this failed legacy. While President Obama is tasked with cleaning up the considerable mess they left behind, they continue to defend torture or rewrite a legacy of indifference on Afghanistan. Simply put, Mr. Cheney sees history throughout extremely myopic and partisan eyes.“  Cheney’s statements also resulted in a rather entertaining exchange between MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell and Joe Scarborough:

THE ECONOMY: When they’re not claiming that the stimulus has failed, while simultaneously taking credit for its successes (latest example in a growing trend here, courtesy of Senator Richard Burr (R-N.C.)), Republicans are either criticizing Obama for failing to impose strict new regulations on banks and Wall Street…or they are criticizing Obama’s efforts to impose strict new regulations on banks and Wall Street.  Representative Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) has proposed an amendment to the House Financial Services Committee’s new Consumer Protection bill…that would allow federal bank regulators (who many have claimed are a bit too friendly with the Wall Street institutions) to “veto” any of the protections in the bill if they thought the protections might threaten the “safety and soundness” of the financial institutions.  Translated into normal people-speak: Hensarling thinks that risky schemes, if they provide a bank/institution’s a lot of money, should be allowed…customer protection be damned.  Hensarling said: “The safety and soundness of the system, taxpayer protection, ought to trump the ability to ban financial products. And let’s face it, I understand the chairman said that this new CFPA would not have the ability to set goals, but if you control the product mix, if you can ban products, if you can modify their terms, of what some have estimated could be as much as 10 to 15 percent of our economy, then yes, I conclude you can adversely impact the safety and soundness of these institutions.”  Again…this distraction is not likely to be successful: the American people are less likely to support a legislator saying we ought to protect banks’ ability to make profit at our expense…and more likely to support a president who is about to bail out small businesses, and to restrict the salaries and compensation of bailed-out CEO’s.

IMMIGRATION: When in doubt, the GOP loves to fall back on an old standard: xenophobia.  It’s perhaps odd that there are some within the Republican Party (hint: her name rhymes with Lishelle Mockman) claiming that the U.S. Census is some insidious attempt for President Obama to gather all of your precious personal data…and there are other Republicans, like Senator David Vitter (R-LA) and Senator Bob Bennett (R-UT), who now want the Census to ask EVEN MORE questions.  Specifically…they want to add questions regarding citizenship and legal residency status.  Opponents claim that this would dramatically reduce participation in the Census…and that THAT is perhaps the true goal of the amendment’s proponents.  Perhaps the GOP thinks that because Obama has taken few steps to address immigration issues, that the issue is ripe for creating distraction and dissent…they are neglecting, of course, that all polls show that “immigration” is pretty low on a lot of Americans’ lists of “political priority,” and that current studies show that the recession has resulted in fewer and fewer people even trying to come into our country.  It’s also ironic…that the GOP would choose Hispanic Heritage Month, when the media is flooded with positive stories about America’s Latino community and their contributions to our country, as the right time to try to play off of some people’s bigotry towards Hispanics.

RANDOM WINGNUTTERY: Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) thought it wise to insert himself into the merry little war between the White House and FOX News.  For those who’ve not been following this story, it began with a statement from a White House advisor, insisting that FOX News contained no actual “news” and was instead serving as a media outlet for GOP talking points.  This was, of course, an unnecessary point to make, seeing as most people already know this to be true about FOX…and those who don’t, will never accept it as true because they never watch anything EXCEPT FOX.  The gauntlet having been thrown, the debate has resulted in a series of back-and-forth retorts amount to little more that “Yuh-huh!” and “Nuh-uh!“  Anyone with any political savvy or simple good sense would know not to become embroiled in such a fray….enter Senator Alexander.  From the Senate floor, Alexander cautioned the President against forming some sort of “enemies list” containing the names of political opponents, and organizations like FOX News.  Of course…there is absolutely no evidence that the President has any such list, nor that he is intending to formulate such a list…which is why many, such as Nashville journalist and blogger Jeff Woods, did not take long to criticize Alexander’s “advice” to the President.  Instead of rushing to FOX’s defense, Lamar may want to do what the rest of his party is doing…distancing themselves from the network, and other rabidly conservative outlets.  Here’s Lamar’s speech, just for laughs:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y1FU2WGDrM

It’s easy to see why these tactics will prove less effective than in times past:  America’s attention right now is squarely on health care…and the GOP is partly responsible for that. In stirring up the right to believe that the health care issue is a “struggle to save America from communism/fascism/tyranny“…in scaring seniors into believing that “the government is trying to kill you“…in telling recession-weary Americans that regulating/reforming insurance companies will spell “financial doom” for small businesses and families…the Republican Party has convinced the American people of something that Democrats also wished for our citizens to realize:  our nation’s health care system’s problems are INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.  By not listening to the American people, and not realizing that the overwhelming majority of people think health care reform is absolutely necessary and needs to happen RIGHT NOW, Republicans don’t seem to realize that we are locked into this one, particular battle until it is concluded…and little else will draw our attention away.

THE HEALTH CARE REFORM CARNIVAL OF DESPAIR:

• It’s no big surprise that the proposed cuts to Medicare have raised a few eyebrows.  Proponents state that the cuts involve only the elimination of waste, and will not affect the benefits and services provided.  Opponents suggest that this is merely a dishonest feint…and once the cuts are passed, Medicare/Medicaid recipients will suffer the cost of reduced benefits.  While the issue is certainly debatable…the one thing that insurance companies should probably do, is to STAY OUT OF IT.  An investigation has been launched into insurance giant, Humana (known for some controversial behavior in the past)…and the letters that Humana sent to Medicare Advantage policy holders, asking them to contact their representatives and express their disapproval of the cuts.  The letter claim, “millions of seniors and disabled individuals could lose many of the important benefits and services that make Medicare Advantage health plans so valuable.“  While the claim itself is certainly dubious…it also appears to be in clear violation of the laws that restrict the ways that Humana is allowed to communicate with policy holders.  Charges are pending…and may result in serious fines for Humana.
• Speaking of “scare tactic” mailings, a letter sent out by the Senate Republicans (using the vague sounding “U.S. Senate Health Care Task Force” as a “pseudonym”) strays even further into the realm of inaccuracy and impropriety.  The letter claims…that the new system will discriminate against citizens an deny treatment based on the basis of race and age: “Are you concerned that health care rationing could lead to: 23. Denial of treatment in cases where the patient’s prospects are deemed not good?  24. A “lottery” system of determining who will get priority treatment?  25. A “quota” system which would determine who would determine who would get treatment on the basis of race or age?“  It gets worse…the letter also implies that the government will be able to “• Pick who is “eligible” for certain medical procedures? • Pick your doctor for you? • Restrict certain medical procedures on the basis of age? • Put strict price controls on medicine and drugs? • Penalize you for choosing to see a private doctor • Seriously undermine private health care insurers who currently serve tens of millions of Americans?“  So much for debating the bills on their actual merits…
• The Republicans?  Besides adding hundreds of amendments to the “Baucus Bill,” ranging from the counterproductive to the deranged…they have proposed no alternative solutions to the Democrats’ plan(s).  At a recent town hall meeting, Representative Eric Cantor (R-VA) listened to a woman named Patricia Churchill describe a family member who has tumors in her stomach, needs immediate surgery, and has no insurance.  Cantor’s response…was that she should look for an “existing government program“…or charity.  Nice.
• The same Eric Cantor took part in a bipartisan forum on health care with Representative Robert Scott (D-VA), and faced repeated questioning about about how the GOP would plan to reform health care reform in our country, if not through a public option or the Democrats’ other proposals.  The answer: well, the GOP doesn’t really have a “detailed plan“…but Cantor suggested that the Republicans and Democrats should work together where they agree.  Not really changing the image of the “party of NO,” are we, Eric?
• Of course, it’s easiest for the GOP to realize that people aren’t buying the lies and scare tactics anymore…when they are openly laughed at during town halls:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsX2HMSvZkY

• It’s hard to defend the insurance companies, especially when new articles are being run everyday, exposing their varied and  nefarious practices.  Like this one…which details how these companies deny policies to people with “pre-existing conditions.“  Of course, for the insurance companies, “pre-existing conditions” includes acne, hemorrhoids, pregnancy, or being a firefighter or policeman.  Despite all this…the GOP is rushing to the defense of the industry, claiming that Obama and the Democrats are attempting to “muzzle” the insurance giants…because some Democrats (most notably and surprisingly, Senator Max Baucus) have criticized Humana (see item above) for using TAXPAYER-SUBSIDIZED mailings to SCARE SENIORS into opposing reform efforts.  Republicans are claiming that the criticism of Humana is simply part of an effort to keep information from seniors…no, guys…it’s an effort to keep taxpayer money from being spent by an insurance company to send out self-serving MISINFORMATION to seniors.
• File Under D for Duh: Of course, it can’t really be mentioned enough…but the overwhelming majority of people want health care reform and support the public option.  So for the GOP…there are obvious political consequences for running a campaign of opposition, misinformation, and defense of a corrupt industry.  Here’s how the numbers are looking.
• Of course, who but Will Ferrell could such a wonderful job of pointing out exactly how INANE it is to defend unethical behavior on the part of insurance giants:

CLIMATE CHANGE REFORM…THE WATER’S RISING:

• CBS and Politico made a mistake.  They cited a $1761 per household tax that would be associated with a new Climate Bill…the only problem was:  there was no such bill before Congress.  Immediately, the Treasury Department, the Congressional Budget Office, and other groups pointed out this error and both publications retracted the item.  Which of course…prompted Republicans to start citing the number to scare people away from supporting Climate Reform, and near-instantaneously, the right-wing media started using the bogus estimate as well.  Brad Johnson of ThinkProgress, outlined this “disinformation process” as follows:

“STEP ONE: “News” generated by right-wing think tank.

STEP TWO: Right-wing print journalists write “breaking news” story.

STEP THREE: Promoted by Drudge, story repeated endlessly on right-wing blogs, Twitter, and talk radio.

STEP FOUR: Republican politicians, right-wing think tanks, and polluter front groups release statements of shock and outrage.

STEP FIVE: On Fox News, Glenn Beck calls President Obama a liar/socialist/Marxist/communist/fascist/racist.“

FINANCIAL REFORM -- PUTTING A LEASH ON THE BULL:

• Let me get this straight: we are currently in a recession…because companies that were “too big to fail“…did.  And they failed because companies in the arenas of banking, lending, investing, and real estate engaged in wildly speculative (sometimes illegal) behavior and created financial instruments of dubious worth, and proceeded to trade these instruments as if they were Topps baseball cards.  The reason they were able to do this…is because the safeguards and regulations put in place over the years have been gradually whittled away by both Democrats and Republicans attempting to appease their corporate overlords.  So the solution is to put safeguards and regulations back in place, right?  Well of course…predictably, Republicans call this “government interference in the free market.“  What may surprise you…is that some Democrats don’t support the current Financial Reform plan, either.
• Arianna Huffington proposes a unique solution:  the representatives making the critical decisions regarding financial reform…should watch Michael Moore’s new movie.  She argues that one can’t watch the film, seeing the REAL injustices performed by profiteers run amok…seeing the REAL faces of the people who’ve had their lives affected by unfettered greed and amoral business practices…seeing some of the REAL and truly ridiculous steps taken to address the problem…without walking away and saying: “we have to do something REAL about this.“

NATIONAL SECURITY -- GHOSTS OF THE PAST:

• I have criticized the Obama administration for over-utilizing the “state secrets” defense in much the same way as their predecessors.  Well…Obama is doing something about that.  Starting October 1st, new restrictions will go into place, which clearly define when the “state secrets” defense may be used by the government to withhold information from courts of law.  The restrictions are much stricter than in the past…and certainly represent a step towards the increased “transparency” that Obama promised.
• One Step Forward, One Step Back: How come every time I am able to report that Obama is overruling/removing a Bush-era policy…I find out that he is also retaining another?  While claiming that the law should be rewritten to require more in the way of warrants…Obama is pushing Congress to extend the “surveillance” provisions of the Patriot Act, perhaps the most misnamed act in American History, given its circumvention of Constitutional protections, most particularly in the realm of the Rule of Law.  We’ll see: if this allowance is given with strict new subpoena and warrant restrictions…it may bring the idea back into the good graces of some civil libertarians.

GAY RIGHTS -- ARE THEY EVER GOING TO GET ANY?

• Back when Iowa legalized same-sex marriage, I told a few more-than-a-little-surprised friends how I thought it happened.  Iowans may be conservative….but in my experience (I have lots of family there), they are the ultimate pragmatists…they only care about what they KNOW is important (which is mostly determined by what actually affects their lives), and aren’t easily distracted by “sensationalized issues” and “hot-button debates.”  This notion was only reinforced by a recent poll, which shows that on the subject of gay marriage…92% of the people in Iowa say it “doesn’t really affect their lives,” and…that is why most of them don’t oppose gay marriage’s legalization.  If only more people would exercise this kind of “practical rationality.”

CZARS AND ACORN -- CONSPIRACY TIME-WASTERS OF THE MONTH:

• We’ve talked some about the baseless “czar conspiracy,” based on Obama’s use of well-established advisory positions, held by people with little or no policy-making power and authority.  Well…just to show HOW ridiculous the conspiracy theorists really are, an advisor who served under Reagan and Bush Sr. points out that these positions are ENTIRELY legitimate…the Constitution EXPLICITLY permits the President to fill these posts…and this practice is FAR from new.
• In reaction to the recent scandal involving ACORN, the community agency that serves to sign up voters amongst underrepresented and often impoverished constituencies, Obama has declared his support for an investigation…Governor Jindal of Louisiana and Governor Pawlenty have called for all state funding to the agency to be cut (despite the fact that neither state PROVIDES any funding to ACORN)…and a bipartisan bill has been drafted to prevent companies that have been “charged with breaking federal or state election laws, lobbying disclosure laws, campaign finance laws or filing fraudulent paperwork with any federal or state agency” from receiving government funding.  Only one little problem:  the bill as currently worded…would prevent almost all of the military/defense industry from being funded, also.  Ooops…

AFGHANISTAN…WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?

• The Pentagon:  We need more troops or we’ll lose this thing.  The White House:  When can we stop sending troops?  The Pentagon:  As soon as we’ve got the Afghan army and police up to snuff.  The White House:  How long will that take?  If you read Ann Jones’ firsthand account of the state of the Afghan security forces…the answer is clearly “forever.”

That’s it…all caught up from last week.  We’ll be back to our “regular format” starting tomorrow…