"These are all fabrications that have been put out there in order to discourage people from meeting what I consider to be a core ethical and moral obligation, and that is to look out for each other," he said.

Rahm Emanuel isn't going to like that. Within a matter of hours he'll meet with Obama, speak with Obama and set him right.

No public option, certainly no single-payer, no expanded Medicare but maybe, just maybe, we can talk about co-ops.

Next thing you know we'll all being discussing the attributes of the Grange system where we can monitor our health along with our crop production. And why not--we might as well reach back into the 19th century for solutions since few of our "leaders" are capable of enacting obvious 21st century solutions.

I live in Ohio and called Boehner's office just an hour ago.

"Why does Boehner think that a government run or sponsored health plan will automatically put bureaucrats in charge of patient care?" I asked. "Boehner and every member of Congress has government health care and also access to socialized medicine, the real socialized medicine, because each member can go to one of the VA hospitals at any time for care. Who is making Boehner's health care decisions?"

Stoned silence on the line. "Are you there?" "Yes, I'm here," the young man answered. "Again, I want to know who is making Boehner's health care decisions, as he gets government sponsored health care." "I don't know," he answered. "You don't know? You don't know if Boehner makes his own health care decisions? You make an assumption about which you don't know? Don't you think that if the health care options Congress has were inadequate, they would vote themselves better care?"

"You're the only one who has asked, and I don't know."

"You're lying, sir. You are young liar. How does that make you feel, working for a lying Congressman?"

Then he hung up.

It's time for the Obama administration and Democratic congressional members to quit trying to play nice with Republicans. Republicans want to do one thing: prevent Democrats from accomplishing anything positive for the average American. They aren't ever going to vote for any Democratic initiative on health care reform or anything else.

The Republicans falsely claim that the only solution to runaway healthcare costs and dwindling health insurance coverage is to let private health industry corporations solve the problem. Bullshit. Not only are they the ones responsible for creating the problems, but, as far as I know, there is no law that has prevented them from instituting any reforms they see fit to on their own. Which, of course, they haven't done and won't do without being forced to by the government. Where would the obscene profits and executive bonuses be in doing that?

The Fox News watching retards on the right piss and moan about having to pay taxes and being oppressed by Big, Bad Government. Those same idiots are being gouged for far more by private corporations (who deliver way less in terms of value for the money) than they ever pay in taxes. And corporations oppress and control their miserable lives in more ways than government could conceivably do. At least with government, these yahoos can make asses out of themselves at public events held by their elected representatives. What opportunity do they have to do that with their health insurance provider? Exactly none.

Just Say IT! Just say it plain out. These people LIED! They are lying! They are LIARS! They should be held accountable for their lies.

And KEEP SAYING IT! Again and again. No "false witness". No "fabrications". No "bogus charges". No "myths". No "misunderstandings". Hit the hammer on the nail and keep on hitting it.

Just "LIES". LIES, LIES, AND MORE LIES.

And come down HARD on their so-called Christian values. Where are the Republicans "I am my brother's keeper?", their so-called "good works", their so-called "good samaritan" values?

If things were reversed, and Democrats were doing this shit, you can bet the Republicans would be screaming it loud from treetops and the media would be in a storm over it.

The Republicans are lying and it's as plain as day. All it needs is for people to stop allowing them to do so.

They have the zeal of a reformed whores in church.

I've used the phrase "bearing false witness" too when describing some of the religious fundamentalists putting out lies. A lot of the people buying the swill believe it because it's coming from outwardly religious people. Sometimes it takes the religious code words to get through.

More, more, more!

Look, if Obama is actually serious about healthcare reform, then he had better stop this "signaling" pussyfooting nonsense and directly, forcefully, unequivocally advocate it.

I'm not going to waste any time trying to divine esoteric, mystic messages.

Nice conversation with Boehner's office, f/t, but you overplayed your hand. At least, the way you wrote it, it sounded like the young man was actually thinking about the issue. Then you called him a liar and he could justify hanging up on the liberal wing nut, and retreat to the comfort of ideology. Too bad, you had a young conservative actually stopping to think, and you blew it.

Or so it seemed to be on reading your post.

I think it may be to little to late.

I just noticed the results of a poll posted on Yahoo's front page. Between 50-54% of the subjects polled were in lock-step believing the lies of the right- death panels, blah, blah, blah. These are Bad Americans! Like the boorish woman at Barney Frank's town hall meeting with the Obama-with-Hitler mustache picture. They really have nothing constructive to say. There is enough information out there rebutting the lying propaganda (chillingly reminiscent of what the real Nazis used in their seizure of power) of the healthcare opponents, that it astounds me that 54 percent of the public is so out of touch. Just like the fellow in North Carolina who snarled to Rep. Inglis, "Keep your Government hands off MY Medicare!" Really well-informed, aren't you, grandpa?