This Stroke goes out to Rep. Gabby Giffords, my Congressperson.
Gabby fought for expansion of health care to children from families with low incomes through SCHIP. Americans United For Change recognized her stand on the issue and cut a radio ad supporting her because she has been targeted by the insurance industry as a result of her stand.
Here’s the ad: Play Cover_Giffords_Approval.mp3
Gabby also did the right thing on a recent vote on ratcheting back the counterproductive embargo on Cuba. Rep. Rangel’s amendment was defeated with a surprise showing of strength by the U.S.-Cuba Democracy PAC, but Gabby voted on the right side of the issue, proving she’s ready to bring common sense and the power of trade back to our dysfunctional relationship with Cuba. Despite the fact that she was one of 22 freshmen Democrats who received donations from the U.S.-Cuba Democracy PAC, she was one of a mere handful of those Representatives that voted for Rangel’s amendment and against the position of the PAC. Still, the measure was defeated and 17 of those freshmen Democrats did exactly what the PAC wanted. The system is clearly broken, but Gabby swam against the tide of special interest influence on this one.
Today’s Rap is on Jon Kyl and John Shadegg, as well as Raul Grijalva and Gabby Giffords.
The recent kerfluffle over MoveOn.org’s ‘Betray Us’ ad really made clear how full of shit some GOP politicians are, and how spineless some of our Democrats can be.
The Republicans declared war on MoveOn and demanded that Democrats repudiate the ad and return any MoveOn donations. These Republicans of delicate sensibility are full of crap because they really don’t give a rat’s ass about what might be said about General Petraeus, they are just looking for a way to bash Democrats, portray us as fringe and rude, and throw a wedge between elected Democrats and their base. And I can prove it. I don’t hear any criticism of Admiral William Fallon, Petraeus’ former CENTCOM commander, from the Republicans, despite Fallon calling Petraeus "an ass-kissing little chickenshit." They obviously don’t care about slurs on the General’s honor, they only care where they come from and what use they might be put to.
In this case, they were used to good effect because it scared some Democrats into making more or less spineless disavowals. Gabby, without even seeing the damn ad, she said it was improper, and that she disavowed it. Wow. Talk about folding before the cards are even on the table. Gabby, you need to keep your cool under fire better than this. When they are coming at you with a long knives, it is not considered a sound strategy to throw up your hands and scream, "Don’t hurt me!" We expect you to stand up for Democrats’ right to political expression, even if you don’t agree with what we might say. You don’t get to decide what is proper or improper. You are our Representative, not our mother.
By comparison to Giffords, Grijalva comes of as positively gutsy. In a phone interview from Washington, Grijalva said: "I think we
should have stuck to the facts. I do not disagree with the fact that
the general is carrying out the party line, but it took away from the
debate." He added, "I’m not as offended by it as other people." He at least affirmed the underlying truth of the ad; that Petraeus is carrying the Administration’s water, not looking out for what is best for American national security. Petraeus even admitted in his testimony that he had not actually considered whether Iraq is enhancing or harming our national security – which might just be a weasely way of saying he really believes it is harming us and just can’t say so because of politics.
The bottom line is that there is no benefit to Democrats from bashing MoveOn or disavowing anything they do, and a considerable downside. MoveOn has raised millions for Democratic candidates and causes. Millions of Democrats are members of MoveOn. By acquiescing to Republican demands to drag MoveOn out back of the woodshed, Democratic officeholders are simply setting themselves up to look like money-grubbing hypocrites. If they denounce MoveOn, but then keep their money, and/or take more money from them in the future, they provide Republicans with a free and easy shot. If the Republicans succeed at so easily separating Democrats from a pipeline of grassroots cash, all the better. There is simply is no winning position once you’ve given in to the threat that you must throw your ally, MoveOn, under the bus for political crimes against the GOP’s twisted and hypocritical notions of political honor. Consider the nefarious rat fucking they get up to, and then tell me if they really have the moral stature to come over all offended by a political ad?
No, Democrats need to stand up for each other and not allow GOP operatives to throw down challenges like this. Gabby, Grijalva and every Democrat who failed to take a stand and tell Republicans to get stuffed richly deserve a Rap.
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I receive MoveOn’s emails and I can tell you that they are currently polling their membership on whether or not to run primary challenges in the districts of incumbents they view as weak on ending the Iraq war. This means vulnerable reps like Giffords could be taken out by a more left-leaning candidate who would then lose in the general election (esp. in a district like CD 8, with its military bases and GOP majority.) MoveOn is NOT the Democratic party, and it may wind up hurting Democrats as well as its own goals of a saner Iraq policy, depending on what how its membership votes.
Be careful Mike when you say MoveOn.org IS The Democratic Party; it is a 501c-3 TAX EXEMPT ; if you equate The Democratic Party with MOVEON>ORG you are asking for trouble!
Its Time BOTH Parties Stand on there own two feet and STOP Hiding behind 501c-3’s and there tax-exempt Status just to get around the most screwed up campaign Finance Laws I have ever seen put into place by Feingold-McCain and Signed into law by BUSH!
These JERKS also need to GO!
I have exposed GIFFORDS and the AARP selling out Senior Citizens Medicare Advantage Plans(HMO’s) CUTTING there payments by 150 Million to 200 Million Dollars to Fund the S-Chip Program that Insures 6 to 10 million Children of which 33 % are Illegal Mexican Nationals and another 40 % are the Children of Parents who earn between $50,000 and $110,000 dollars a year!
The real number of UNINSURED CHILDREN in the UNITED STATES is more like 3 million!
So we now trash Medicare Advantage HMO’s insuring 70 Million Senior Citizens to Insure 3 Million Children: Yea Sure!!! Mr. Novelli and the EARMARK QUEEN GIFFORDS!!
I wrote personally to the CEO of the AARP and was LIED to by William D. Novelli who sent AARP lobbyists to travel with GIFFORDS last week missrepresenting the AARP and Funding from the AARP to GIFFORDS as a result of EARMARKS and KICKBACKS given and promised by GIFFORDS to the AARP!
The AARP is also in a conflict of Interest saying it represents people 50 and above AARP ( American Association of RETIRED people) since when did the AARP start representing CHILDRENS HEALTHCARE BENEFITS at the EXPENSE of cuts in Medicare Advantage Plans HMO’S to Senior Citizens??!!
If we as a Nation want to insure Illegal’s and SOME Children of Legal U.S. Citizens than lets do it under a plan that does NOT take away money from the Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plans that are working very well in The United States!
Let me point out another LIE Mr. Novelli told to me and his BACKROOM dealing with-out the knowledge of his own Employees or that of Secure Horizons United Healthcare a HMO Medicare Advantage Plan!
My HMO Secure Horizons United Healthcare called me last week telling me the AARP NAME WILL APPEAR ON MY UNITED HEALTHCARE SECURE HORIZONS I.D. CARD AS OF JAN. 1, 2008 unknown to his own employees or that of Secure Horizons Pacific Care.
Mr Novelli writes ;QUOTE: the MERGER with UNITED HEALTHCARE PACIFICARE WILL MAKE THE AARP THE LARGEST INSURER (HMO) IN THE NATION!”
Now you tell me what is WRONG with this Picture??!!!
The AARP is now a HMO MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN working to CUT BENEFITS to MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS while running around with GIFFORDS talking to Senior Citizens in Green Valley, Benson and Tucson saying they are ADVOCATING for Senior Citizens while GIFFORDS is piling up MILLIONS OF DOLLARS in MORE EARMARKS for BOTH THE AARP AND HMO’s saying ” ITS FOR THE CHILDREN!!!
WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP; and I say to GIFFORDS AND THE AARP OVER MY DEAD BODY WILL THIS LIE BECOME LAW or the AARP continue to be GIFFORDS SNIIFING DOG AND PONY SHOW!
Tax Laws are being VIOLATED BY THE AARP reprenting itself as BOTH a Advocacy Group for Senior Citizens as Tax Exempt and a HMO UNITED HEALTHCARE PACIFIC CARE as of Jan. 1, 2008!
The STAR today is just as CONFUSED saying GIFFORDS is working BOTH SIDES but refused to admitt she is SCREWING the SENIOR CITIZENS and the HMO’s!
I WARNED both GIFFORDS and NOVELLI that they are going down a path that will lead to THE DESTRUCTION OF THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS and TRASHING of our Healtcare System in the United States for UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE that is a FAILURE IN EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WHERE IT IS IN EFFECT; as Canadian Citizens must come to The United States RIGHT NOW to get Operations and Treatment that Universal Canadian Healthcare makes Patients waits Years for Operations and Treatment resulting in DEATH instead of Treatment!
Novelli is hiding from all statements at this time and appoligized for NOT informing his Staff to me but I questioned why United Healthcare Pacificare Staff was also NOT informed?!
This Story is NOT over, and I am MAD AS HELL!