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Home > Opinion > Mike Luckovich > Archives > 2007 > June > 27 > Entry

Critical condition

By Mike Luckovich | Wednesday, June 27, 2007, 05:45 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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By Scooter

June 27, 2007 8:11 AM | Link to this

I think all people should go spend a minimum of 80 hours in the emergency room of Grady Memorial Hospital and see if that helps assuage their idealism.

Grady is wonderful at stabilizing trauma victims but the standard care is lacking and a visit to the emergency room would illustrate how irresponsible people exploit a service that is “free”. People come in for the silliest things when they know the government (someone else) will foot the bill. I have seen people come in because their eyebrows hurt and patients like that prevent doctors from attending to patients who really need help. The saying “if it’s free give me two of them” applies to medical care also. Of course politicians won’t admit this while they are selling another responsibility grab to the dumb-masses, but it will be yet another massive expense , like medicare, welfair, social security – man those entitlement programs are expensive but we sure do love them.

Politicians love the power that goes along with irresponsibility and dependence – drip, drip, drip.

By Former Employee

June 27, 2007 8:33 AM | Link to this

Luckovich - I agree with you whole heartedly about Grady Health System. People don’t realize the type of cases that walk into the emergency room. People come there for simple colds and flu, dental problems, etc. They treat Grady’s emergency room as if it’s a primary care physician’s office. I worked there for 4 years and I know first hand what it’s like…but more importantly, I know the importance of a Grady staying in business. I will share with you that if they don’t start at the top of getting rid of the Chief Nursing Officer, her sidekick VP, the head of the legal department and also the VP of Human Resources and bring in some fresh blood…Grady will never change. These people continue to feed the culture that has helped bring Grady to the terrible state it’s in. Mr. Story, I hope you are reading this…I know what I’m talking about. I worked with one of your top people. You need to clean house..starting with your VPs and bring some people in who are not stealing from the system and assisting in continuing the negative culture there. I can tell you now…one of your Chief officers is never at work (always on personal assignment) but continues to be paid hefty by the system. People are afraid to speak up about it. You have top people who are just milking the system.

By Lost in Billing

June 27, 2007 8:38 AM | Link to this

I went to the Grady emergency room in 2001, and I have been trying to clear up an incorrect bill ever since then. Nobody returns my phone calls. The person in charge of my case must have about 300 hours of vacation, because that’s the excuse I keep getting as to why nobody can do anything. Can you say mismanagement?

By DebbieDoRight

June 27, 2007 8:48 AM | Link to this

Good toon. Skipper Grady in itself is just a portion of the whole health care fiasco. The people who come in “because their eyebrows hurt” have nowhere else to go. They can’t afford regular insurance, so they don’t get preventative care, but they know if they show up at ANY hospital’s emergency room, they know that, by law, they must be seen.

By Funny morons®

June 27, 2007 8:50 AM | Link to this

The other day I posted about Cheney exempting himself from an executive order on the handling of classified materials. Paul posted some info about EO’s which, I must admit, I didn’t know much about. Since then I’ve looked into EO’s a little bit.

To rationalize the decision, Dick Cheney and the White House want people to believe that the Vice President is not part of the executive branch of government. No one, anywhere, is buying it.

The other day, Cheney’s lawyers rolled out Absurd Rationalization #2:

—-Vice President Cheney’s office offered its first public written explanation yesterday for its refusal to comply with an executive order regulating the handling of classified material, arguing that the order makes clear that the vice president is not subject to the oversight system it creates for federal agencies.

In a letter to Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), Cheney Chief of Staff David S. Addington wrote that the order treats the vice president the same as the president and distinguishes them both from “agencies” subject to the oversight provisions of the executive order.

Addington did not cite specific language in the executive order supporting this view, and a Cheney spokeswoman could not point to such language last night.—-

This need not be complicated. Sec. 6.1(b) of the executive order explicitly states that it applies to any “‘Executive agency…any ‘Military department’…and any other entity within the executive branch that comes into the possession of classified information.” Read that part again… “ANY OTHER ENTITY WITHIN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH THAT COMES INTO POSSESSION OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION”.

To exempt Cheney, the White House has to argue that he either a) doesn’t have access to classified information; or b) is not an entity within the executive branch. Those are the only two options.

Addington tried to create a new option, insisting that the EO had a provision that doesn’t exist. Maybe it was written in disappearing ink? Maybe you need special 3-D glasses to read these hidden provisions?

Cheney is so busted over this matter.

By Scooter

June 27, 2007 9:08 AM | Link to this

Debbie Do Right… whatever.

I understand the social dynamics created by the entitlement (1) and victim hood (2) mentality. Those social traits are only amplified when political correctness (3) protects individuals from constructive criticism (4). I have never supported 1, 2, or 3, but; am a strong supporter of number 4.

By @@

June 27, 2007 9:15 AM | Link to this

So what we have here ml is a tax-funded medical facility overseen by a bunch of ego-maniacal board of directors who are guilty of mismanagement.

I’m curious….what’s the solution to save THIS sinking ship?

Grady is definitely worth saving, but how do you ask taxpayers to relinquish additional funding at the risk of further mismanagement?

and Getalife, don’t throw out the example of “our road system” being tax-funded. It’s a bad example when it takes 9 guys to dig one hole. I guess the 8 who are standing around watching are all government “supervisors”?

By Ellen

June 27, 2007 9:18 AM | Link to this

Ask supermodel Nikki Taylor, who was injured in a car accident, if she’s happy Grady was available to her! And she’s not an “entitlement” case.

What are the other top trauma center in this state?

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 9:19 AM | Link to this

Funny moron - I was hoping you would show up yesterday, I had something that I posted just for you. I’ll post it again.

THE VICE PRESIDENT’S EFFORTS TO AVOID OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY Rep. Henry A. Waxman Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Because Cheney is so crafted in the ways of all things Washington, he can slip around certain things like laws because that’s what you do if you are a serpent from the devil.

By Mrs. Godzilla

June 27, 2007 9:21 AM | Link to this

If Cheney is not part of the executive branch…..can we finally get the minutes from the energy policy meetings?

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 9:24 AM | Link to this

Grady is kind of like the Iraq War, lots of mismanagement, and people (upper management) milking the system to get rich. While in the meantime, the people who really need the services are getting left behind.

There is also the trash that come in just for the drugs and doctors excuses not to work or to document ailments so they can try and get on disability.

Grady is worth saving, but like the Iraq War, they don’t need an open ending check. They need to be held accountable for what they do and clean up their mess.

By getalife

June 27, 2007 9:25 AM | Link to this

Watching Leno last night, Moore told the story of the origin of HMO’s.

He was not interested in health care until his Rove like aide told him of a scam for less heath care and incresed profits. He loved the idea.

It was one of the worst Presidents like w, Nixon.

It will take a Dem President to fix health care.

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 9:25 AM | Link to this

Good morning Mrs. G, AND, if he’s not part of the executive branch, he no longer gets the executive privledges.

By Easytothrowstones

June 27, 2007 9:29 AM | Link to this

Dear Mike,

I wish all I had to do was point out the obvious or criticize others.

The hard work is coming up with solutions. Why don’t you try to envision possible answers and draw them alongside?

By Paul

June 27, 2007 9:33 AM | Link to this

Funny Morons

I believe I wrote yesterday this affair would be over if the Pres simply amended the EO. I regularly shake my head at the tortuous path this administration takes in doing or explaining things - it’s like that kid Billy in the Sunday Family Circus comics who wants to get from A to B and instead wanders through every other letter of the alphabet.

There were a couple of commentators on one of the Sunday shows - from prestigious law schools - who said this was a matter, on a larger scope, worthy of judicial settlement, that in past cases the decision had always (not mostly, always) gone to the Executive. So perhaps they’re treating this as not a single EO issue but as another method to distinguish the authority and responsibility of the Executive from the Legislative.

It’s rather simple: what is the authority of the Executive and the Legislative in reference to Executive Orders? Given they’re not called “Legislative Orders” I think it’s pretty clear.

But I still wish Congress, rather that taking the “gee, what issue can we seize upon now to go after Darth Cheney and the Administration” approach would at least give the appearance of completing something substantive. Minimum wage was a good start. And if they can’t get any real legislation passed (I know, I know, Reps will block, etc) then I’ll go to the default position: Pelosi and Reid could, by fiat, stop the earmarks, overspending, impose real ethics reform, get rid of the cronyism of paying spouses and kids to “work” for them, shut out the lobbyists, etc. etc.

But that doesn’t make for very good theater.

By Ms. Indigent

June 27, 2007 9:33 AM | Link to this

If Grady closes, than the residents of North Fulton will be footing the bill for my emergency room visit because that is where I will be headed. The hospitals on the perimeter will be more crowded and cost will soar, but hey who needs Grady anyways.

By Jim's a Cherry Picker

June 27, 2007 9:37 AM | Link to this

Getalife,

Your 9:25 comment is about as blind as the bushies that post their mindless drivel on Wooten’s blog.

Democrats are bought and paid for just like the GOP’ers. They bow to the money all the same. They’re politicians. That’s how they think.

There’s no reason at all to think that anyone from either party can get anything of substance done in a system that relies on corporate contributions to fund elections. Federal, state or local, it doesn’t matter.

By Mrs. Godzilla

June 27, 2007 9:37 AM | Link to this

Have you seen this?

Defunding Cheney???? What ticks me off, is that Rahm likes this idea (it IS clever) but won’t back impeachment.

By Paul

June 27, 2007 9:41 AM | Link to this

Easytothrowstones

‘Cause by doing a political cartoon criticizing something you may cause half the readers to smile and the other half to grit their teeth.

So if you propose a solution, you’re addressing half who even think it’s a problem, and of that half, you’re going to alienate nearly everybody, because as this blog shows, everybody has a better way of doing it than the other guy.

So now, instead of ticking off half, you’ve ticked off nearly everyone, and that doesn’t sell newspapers.

Money and/or power. It always gets back to money and power -

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 9:45 AM | Link to this

Good morning Paul. Heard this morning that Ed Gillespie (?sp) is going to join the ranks at the White House. I didn’t catch exactly what he’ll be doing, have you heard this? Is he going to replace Bartlett? Yeah, that’s just what Bush needs, another lobbyist lapdog to do his bidding.

Also, what’s your take on the “Family Jewels”? Interestig stuff. Don’t worry, I’m not to get all liberal about this and start proclaiming that those documents proove the CIA is corrupt, but Tom Blanton (?) who is the National Security Archivist was almost wetting his pants last night on CNN with such excitement. It was kind of funny to watch.

So much news, so little time today.

By @@

June 27, 2007 9:46 AM | Link to this

It appears as though the majority of people here are more interested in impeachment for Cheney than they are in offering solutions to save Grady.

It’s rather odd to me when so many of you claim to possess compassion for the poor and underprivileged.

Grady is critical (no pun intended) on so many levels.

Maybe we can cure the problem with cheese grits.

Over and out!

By Funny morons®

June 27, 2007 9:52 AM | Link to this

Bosch - Thanks for that link!

By getalife

June 27, 2007 9:53 AM | Link to this

Jim’s a cherry picker,

You are correct.I should say it will take a Dem President who serves the people.

Here is some of my drivel I posted at Wootens:

“Get a clue people, we are not represented in federal government. It will be the States that legislate illegal immigration.

No taxation without representation. We should not pay federal taxes. Corporations are represented not the people.

The federal government is broken so why fund a broken a system?”

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this

@@, And why don’t YOU come up with a solution other than criticizing others and then running away?

You are just irked because we are slamming on your man Cheney. Don’t take it personally.

I think several people have given solutions, one being to get rid of the upper management and start over. Hire people in top management who aren’t crooks, set up better reporting mechanisms to show accountability, install a board of directors who will actually oversee the operations of the hospital — just for starters.

There, is that better for you @@? But, you won’t even see this because you are too busy relaxing in your pool (which I must admit makes me jealous).

By rushncap

June 27, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this

@@ — the 2 are not mutually exclusive. I believe this country can multitask: fix a hospital AND throw out of office one of the worst things to happen to our government in over a century. In fact, I’m pretty sure most people can even chew gum at the same time.

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 9:55 AM | Link to this

Funny moron, Your welcome. Interesting, huh? Illegal? Don’t know. Unethical? hell yes.

By Paul

June 27, 2007 9:56 AM | Link to this

Bosch

I haven’t heard much on what Gillespie will do. Interestingly, he’s partnered with a guy who worked for Gore. They’re like defense attorneys, in my mind. Passion about policy or forwarding an agenda? Nope -

Regarding the CIA documents - much of it has been circulating through back channels as rumor, speculation, etc for a long time. Not surprising - especially given the context of the times (I’m pretty big on looking at events from that perspective as an aid to understanding). The danger I see in this is there will be a cry from some, even though many of these events took place decades ago, for “reform” and “oversight.” It’s happened in the past - look at the greatly reduced effectiveness after the Church hearings and the changes wrought by Stansfield Turner. Gotta keep in mind why we have a CIA - there are ways to have them help us achieve our foreign national policy objectives while maintaining domestic lawful procedures (read: stay out of domestic).

You’re right - a busy day. I’ll likely be scarce today - working ahead for time off next week.

Cheers -

By The Watcher

June 27, 2007 9:57 AM | Link to this

@@

Thanks for your creative solutions to the Grady problem too!

Says so much about , what was that silly phrase? Oh, yes, compassionate conservatism.

By Elizabeth

June 27, 2007 10:01 AM | Link to this

Ask supermodel Nikki Taylor, who was critically injured in a car accident, if she’s happy Grady came to her aid.

Where would you like to be hospitalized if you were critically injured in a car accident?

By getalife

June 27, 2007 10:04 AM | Link to this

@@,

Must be having hot flashes.

Geez.

By Paul

June 27, 2007 10:05 AM | Link to this

Bosch

Saw this when I posted the response, had to comment. :)

re Grady you wrote:

[[one being to get rid of the upper management and start over. Hire people in top management who aren’t crooks, set up better reporting mechanisms to show accountability]]

Lotsa folks did just that with the 2006 elections. So far it looks pretty much like trading “A” for “B” with not much change in accountability, etc etc as I wrote in the last paragraph at 9:33

This Democratic Congress isn’t doing any favors for the Democratic nominee for 2008. It’ll lead many to ask “If that’s all that changes with a Democratic Congress, why should we think much fundamental will change with a Democratic President? They just seem to talk a good line and make promises but they really seem to be out for number one.”

By Elizabeth

June 27, 2007 10:06 AM | Link to this

Ask supermodel Nikki Taylor, who was critically injured in a car accident, if she’s happy Grady came to her aid.

Where would you like to be hospitalized if you were critically injured in a car accident?

By Elizabeth

June 27, 2007 10:10 AM | Link to this

Ask supermodel Nikki Taylor, who was critically injured in a car accident, if she’s happy Grady came to her aid.

Where would you like to be hospitalized if you were critically injured in a car accident?

By GaLiberal

June 27, 2007 10:12 AM | Link to this

Blog hours: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. If the comment box isn’t there, it’s after hours so DON’T post. thank you

If the comment box isn’t here after hours, then how can I post since I have to enter it into the comment box? Again, more stupidity from the AJC staff. No wonder the AJC is a standing joke.

By IN THE NEWS

June 27, 2007 10:16 AM | Link to this

The Top 10 Conservative Idiots, No. 296

By mom3boys

June 27, 2007 10:19 AM | Link to this

For level 1 trauma, Grady is the place. However, like most county hospitals, it becomes the primary care physician for the uninsured. I worked at Gwinnett for a few years and I begged for the job of “common sense dispenser” at the entrance (they aren’t interested in that type of role). I saw children with mild fevers (no one thought to give them tylenol), broken teeth, chicken pox, and flu symptoms..but the kicker was the girl who broke her finger nail under the acrylic…it just really hurt. Good grief…who would have thought common sense was so uncommon???

By getalife

June 27, 2007 10:20 AM | Link to this

Paul,

Oversight.

Did you have this with the gop?

No.

By IN THE NEWS

June 27, 2007 10:20 AM | Link to this

BREAKING

Dems force Cheney flip-flop on secret docs

By Paul

June 27, 2007 10:24 AM | Link to this

getalife

And given the lack of action on earmarks, lobbyists, cronyism etc etc with the new Congress it doesn’t look like there’s much oversight of themselves with the new Congress, either.

Nader’s gonna run -

By AmVet

June 27, 2007 10:28 AM | Link to this

@@, be forewarned, If you don’t want to see more Cheney’s a bum opinions, don’t read on.

Funny Morons. You’re just being a nattering nabob of negativity!

Ah, good old Spiro Agnew.

Not until Dick Cheney was anointed has this nation seen such a crazed individual in the quasi-Executive branch! Nor one more sneaky and vile. And none apparently who is more dangerous with a loaded shotgun! (OK, that’s a cheap shot. Bad AmVet! Bad!)

As almost everyone can now see, this 12 year old “Republican revolution” is in it’s last throes. And rightfully so, IMHO, as the reasons are many. I thought it destined to fail from the very early days. As it was obvious that the entire concept desperately hinged on trying to co-opt the word, but not the philosophy or practices, of conservatism.

And to this day, the last of these hangers-on still insist that Ronald Reagan was brilliant as the father of this new and improved “conservatism”.

But there is one little problem with this romanticized recollection of Ronnie’s administration. There is precious little that was actually conservative about it.

In this country there has always been, and there will always be, a very strong political component of liberalism. I don’t see that ever changing. It is one of the reasons that this nation has far surpassed any other in the world.

And on a related matter, much like the word neo-con has been used to mock the fallacies and blunders of the far-right, some lately are trying to do use the word “progressive” pejoratively against the left.

But it just doesn’t work. As liberalism IS progressive, for better AND worse. Think JFK, as in John Kennedy vs. JFK, as in John Kerry. And conversely, neo-conservatism is clearly reactionary - extreme rightism in politics that opposes political or social change. Attempts at outlawing abortions, banning gay marriages and becoming dangerously cozy with Christian demagogues are examples that come to mind.

Or in other words, an entrenched mentality to gloss over the mistakes of the past, and just keep trying slightly updated versions of the same failed policies. And this is especially the case as evidenced by the growing similarities between Iraq and Viet Nam.

There is hope though. January 20, 2009.

One more gem from Spiro:

“The lessons of the past are ignored and

By getalife

June 27, 2007 10:32 AM | Link to this

Paul,

Are you blind?

Speaking of drivel.

Geez, oversight for the WH criminals.

I am shocked cheney caved.

By silver

June 27, 2007 10:33 AM | Link to this

During the Clinton administration, Grady faced a similar crisis. The Feds came thru with 100 million dollars to compensate Grady for caring for the uninsured and others who could not pay. The hospital board choose to spend most of that 100 million dollars building the grand marble and granite lobby, imho the better to steer the contracts to their family, friends, and co conspiritors. When questioned on the cosmetic approach to medicine, the board said that - even the poor deserve nice surroundings. Now years later, that same board choose to offer lucrative buy outs to essential staff. The staff took the money, and stayed on the job at their old bloated salaries because there was no one to replace them. Do not ask me to bail out the liars, thieves, and idiots on the hospital board of directors. They should all be arrested and interrogated using the gittmo tatics.

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 10:34 AM | Link to this

Midori, I’m surprised she didn’t as Elizabeth Edwards how her chemo treatments were going. The harpy speaks for herself.

By AmVet

June 27, 2007 10:39 AM | Link to this

Here’s that quote from Agnew that perfectly sums up the reactionary mindset:

“The lessons of the past are ignored and obliterated in a contemporary antagonism known as the generation gap.”

Which lessons indeed Mr. Vice President? Which lessons?

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 10:39 AM | Link to this

silver, “Do not ask me to bail out the liars, thieves, and idiots on the hospital board of directors. They should all be arrested and interrogated using the gittmo tatics.”

I agree.

By Paul

June 27, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this

getalife

[[Are you blind?]] Only when Fred Thompson’s wife is on tv and my wife’s in the room.

Congress will always try to expand oversight of the Presidency. Even a Democratic Congress with Hillary as Pres will do the same.

But who does the “oversight” of Congress? The voters? So we vote in a Democratic Congress who say they’ll clean up the playpen and they don’t. Gotta keep bypassing normal appropriations and backdoor earmarks to the special interests. No oversight, nothing changes -

Haven’t been up on the news this morning so haven’t seen much about Cheney.

Nader’s gonna run -

By getalife

June 27, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this

Midori,

It is getting played on MSNBC today.

Looks like she stuck the wooden dagger in Mann’s black heart.

By Bong Hits 4 Jesus

June 27, 2007 10:45 AM | Link to this

Paul wake up! You keep trying to create this great dissatisfaction that Americans have with Democrats.

The mood of the country is hardly great for both sides, but it is the Republicans who still will be paying at election time.

Every major poll bears this out, the American public is favoring the generic Democrat candidate for Congress by huge numbers, 49% to 33%!

For example, the average American is looking for a sensible answer to immigration. Far right Republicans then claim its the crazy talk radio bluster Americans really want. Its not!

A vast majority of Americans now want the Iraq conflict to end. Now.

We want Stem Cell research. We want a Real energy plan. We want the poor to have food and receive medical care.

If Republicans rely on the fantasy that Americans are fed up with Democrats and will vote them out in ‘08, they will lose the election badly.

By @@

June 27, 2007 10:47 AM | Link to this

Bosch:

(((You are just irked because we are slamming on your man Cheney. Don’t take it personally.)))

You’ve got to be kidding! Dick Cheney can weather any storm that you guys can throw his way. I know this fact is a source of great frustration for you, but it IS a fact.

(((I think several people have given solutions, one being to get rid of the upper management and start over. Hire people in top management who aren’t crooks, set up better reporting mechanisms to show accountability, install a board of directors who will actually oversee the operations of the hospital — just for starters.)))

Well Bosch, ^^^ that was the original plan that failed to work. Have you got another?????

I am a big supporter of solutions on a local level. Once I saw that there was going to be no discussion regarding Grady, I went off to do research on successful programs around the country. THAT’S how I learn, which is the reason I originally visited this site. Over the years, the ability to learn anything here has diminished considerably. It’s why I don’t visit as frequently.

The only thing I’ve learned from the liberals here is that you don’t welcome opinions that differ from yours and that you DON”T LIKE Andy.

I found an article regarding a successful program established in Florida.

Some initiatives answer health-care needs Collier ‘point of light’ operates on $10 fee, no tax funds

Wasn’t Florida governed by conservative Jeb Bush until recently? Why yes, I believe it was.

NOW I’m out to the pool Bosch. No need for you to be jealous. It’s a wasted emotion as are:

GUILT, ANGER, FRUSTRATION, REGRET and PITY. There’s probably a bunch more. Maybe you want to promote them and maybe some here would like to adopt them. It won’t be me though, cause I’m out till later.

By getalife

June 27, 2007 10:52 AM | Link to this

Paul,

Some are posting earmarks on their web sites, some will never post their earmarks until forced by law.

Some Dems try, some want to hide their earmarks but all the gop do not want earmarks to see the light of day.

The gop does even bother to hide their agenda.

My point was oversight for the WH when the gop rubber stamped everything.

With the Dems victory in 06, those days are over.

By Paul

June 27, 2007 11:00 AM | Link to this

Bong Hits

Great moniker after reading the post - :)

I’m not trying to create anything. It’s just my impression. Public, including lots of Reps, had had it in 06 and voted in Dems. My point is it pretty much looks like trading A for B. Same spending, same cronyism, same nest feathering.

You’re right - public mood is really sour. Satisfaction with Congress is down to 14%. Even Rep Congress wasn’t that low. That’s not to say the Dem Congress is worse - only that the public wanted change, they didn’t get it like they wanted, so now the Dem Congress is in the doghouse. Or outhouse. Take your pick.

I agree with a lot of what you wrote about what Americans want (uh, they can have all the stem cell research they want. Just not, under certain circumstances, paid for with tax dollars). But Congress seems to be more interested in political upmanship with a lame duck Presidency than with addressing the problems.

That’s why I keep with the “Nader’s gonna run” thing. Right now Reps can point at Dems and say “Foul” and Dems do the same with Reps. Along comes a smart guy who says “you both are” AND says “here’s some concrete items that are best for the country. Dems, particularly Hillary, may get real ugly and dirty to take him out like they did last time around. That’ll look REAL good to a lot of voters. Dems morph to Cheney tactics. Gotta love it.

Nader’s gonna run -

By Paul

June 27, 2007 11:05 AM | Link to this

getalife 10:52

Fair enough. And it’s one reason the GOP took the hits in ‘06.

I’d like ALL earmarks ended. Done. Finis.

Nader’s the only one with the guts to take on military spending. Reps equate “Patriotism” with “defense” spending. Dems follow along.

Yeah, I’m really gonna love ‘08!

Now I gotta work. Or I could just do this, miss a check and ask my Congressman for an earmark?

Later -

By Jim's a Cherry Picker

June 27, 2007 11:10 AM | Link to this

Getalife,

Didn’t mean to flame you back there.

I’m just down on most forms of partisanship at the moment.

By rushncap

June 27, 2007 11:13 AM | Link to this

Why do neocons on this board continuously promise to “leave” yet almost none of them ever do?

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 11:13 AM | Link to this

Look everybody! @@ found ONE article on the Internet about a successful hospital program in Florida! You know, in FLORIDA where Jeb Bush was governor! Hoorah!!!

@@, You call that research? You and Buy Danish must have taken the same research class. That is called being able to use a search engine to find an article to fit your agenda.

You think just because you find one article on the Internet, that makes you suddenly a hospital re-organization expert. Sad.

So instead you criticize actual ideas, saying, “that was the original plan.” Tell me, do you have any ORIGINAL ideas of YOUR own? Or are you going to copy and paste the ones from your ONE article?

By getalife

June 27, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this

Jim’s a cherry picker,

I understand.

I think government reform is needed and Obama has addressed this issue.

By getalife

June 27, 2007 11:26 AM | Link to this

rushncap,

I have no idea why they play that silly game.

Its weird.

Folks, @@ is a big cheney lover so she is coming to realize he is evil.

Give her time to digest this reality. It has to be hard to support the worst American on the planet and then see his evil.

She thinks he is good looking too.

Nuff said.

Geez.

By AmVet

June 27, 2007 11:33 AM | Link to this

Paul. please cease and desist with the Nader’s gonna run line!

You’re killin’ me man!

When you first posted that I scrambled around some news sites and found that. alas, you’re just joshin’ us!

And to me that’s a tad cruel!

Ralph was on Wolf Blitzer’s show last week and was as you point out crystal clear on the problems in Washington and some solutions.

And even though the guy is 73 years old, you can still see that the fire is still in the belly. And this country may FINALLY be ready to wake up and see how the Dems and Reps have really screwed the pooch.

I have proudly voted for Nader in the past two Presidential elections. If elected would he make some mistakes? Certainly. Some big ones? Perhaps. But he is the only legitimate candidate in my lifetime to have the courage and integrity to try and change the corrupt and incompetent status quo in Washington. And isn’t that what the American people really want?

By Analchord

June 27, 2007 11:37 AM | Link to this

Nationalized Healthcare could save Grady. Lets subsidize Grady. Lets just pay those bills out of Sonny Perdue’s white-collar tax crimes, (which was proven seven ways to sunday, but nobody did anything to prosecute that obese pirate).

I know 4 a fact that I could scrape Grady’s future from the bottom of all those porkbarrels that our entire state legislature has snuck past voters.

The miracle of the five porkbarrels.

One day Analchord came to a triage. There were too many sick people for the supplies available. He ordered his entourage to pass out the five porkbarrels they found to all the doctors treating the sick. “But there’s not nearly enough”, they protested.

Analchord had patience if nothing else: “Who was the one who invented the bottomless beer can hat?”

“you did”, came the desultory rejoinder.

“alright, then”

So the five porkbarrels went out to the emergency room doctors treating the hoards of disenfranchised sick people.

Then something incredible occured. Everytime a scalpel was needed, a nurse simply had to reach into the pork barrel and VOILA one appeared in her hand. Sutures, needles, drugs, thermometers…you name it.

“But how?” asked the entourage.

“Go and find the governor and the legislature and see how”.

So the entourage went to the capital building and saw that the entire legislative body and the governor were broke, being forced to live off the salary they get as public servants.

And there was wailing and gnashing of tooth, (it IS a red state, you know)

By Dusty

June 27, 2007 11:43 AM | Link to this

Luckovich tackles Grady! That, at least, is better than degrading the president ad nauseum.

Grady is a great hospital and a lighthouse in the healthcare field. It is a life saver for the poor, the terribly injured, the burned, the sick and the dying. It is a training center for young doctors who encounter and learn about almost every health problem known. It is now a center for a discussion of it’s financial problems.

Have any of you noticed the increasing cost of EVERYTHING related to healthcare? How the cost of even the smallest instrument, supply, equipment, pharmaceuticals, medical professionals has increased? All of that has hit Grady as well as other problems.

I have worked at two of Grady’s outpatient clinics. Many of their patients needed real medical help. A few did not.

I would not presume to say that I know what to do about Grady’s problems. I would suggest that the Georgia Board of Health, the AMA and all doctors of Georgia get together with financial experts from large corporations and, once again, aim for better management in all areas.

If I may enlarge on my view of Grady as a lighthouse, please don’t cut off the lights because the “lamps” need cleaning. Too many people will be on the “rocks”.

PS—Excuse all the metaphors. I’m loaded today.

Also, Cheney has done nothing illegal or unethical. Democrats would have already “dug” it up if he had. They keep trying, wasting their time as usual.

By theBiscuit

June 27, 2007 11:43 AM | Link to this

A Dem president to fix healthcare? HA.. The reason Grady is in this state, and you have to dig deeper, is because its “customers” don’t pay. People need to start taking responsibility for themselves and their families. The fact of the matter is the majority of people who can’t “AFFORD” healthcare are people who can afford an $80 month cellphone bill, digital cable, a $400 car payment. PRIORITIES!

By Former conservative

June 27, 2007 11:47 AM | Link to this

All these people who want Grady to close are going to be in for the shock of their life if Grady closes its doors. Say goodbye to your nice, private healthcare.

You have no idea how devastating that would be to metro Atlanta healthcare.

By Source Please

June 27, 2007 11:47 AM | Link to this

the Biscuit

can you site any source for this statement?

“The fact of the matter is the majority of people who can’t “AFFORD” healthcare are people who can afford an $80 month cellphone bill, digital cable, a $400 car payment.”

If not it will be considered simply ranting.

By raisedanidiot

June 27, 2007 11:48 AM | Link to this

Good morning all…sitting here siping my donald duck orange juice…also flabergasted that our vice dick caved and reflecting on a comment amvet made earlier about the comparison between Agnew and Cheney (chainie)…while going through some old life magazines the other day that I’m putting on ebay I happened on Oct.16 1970 issue which has a fabulous article on old Spiro himself (and by the way people back then thought Spiro was good looking too…pic of lady in crowd holding a sign saying: “Spiro is Sexy”..ha ha ha)And yes…the comparisons are many, but one Spiro characteristic Chainey has been so adept in adopting is the “those who aren’t for us are agin’ us philosophy”…An Agnew spokesman is quoted as saying…”We’re not saying it, says one staff man, “but from now on, no Republican can expect support in 1972 if he goes against the President on the big issues.” That’s what “radiclibs” do.” He goes on to “out” Senator Goodell (rep.senator seeking reelction) as a “radiclib”. Wonder what ol’ Chainey and cronies will do now that their fellow rats are jumping ship like its on fire…

By AskU

June 27, 2007 11:58 AM | Link to this

Mike, you’re a bleeding heart liberal. Will you keep your mouth shut when the chronic case of chapped lips is turned away from Grady? not as long as his lips can suck a dollar out of the government you won’t.

By rushncap

June 27, 2007 12:05 PM | Link to this

Apparently Dusty is “loaded today”. That would explain so much….

By Dusty

June 27, 2007 12:17 PM | Link to this

rushncap,12:05

Better to be “loaded” than empty, my friend. You echo a shallow mind at every turn.

By raisedanidiot

June 27, 2007 12:29 PM | Link to this

Yall leave Dusty alone…some rats jump ship…others get sloshed

By Betty

June 27, 2007 12:36 PM | Link to this

Buy Danish is by far the best poster here. She offers opinion on a wide variety of topics and issues. Few others can match her cunning wit. Up close and personal? You betcha! Match, game, set.

Un-friggen-believable

Buy Danish, we gotch your back.

By Sri

June 27, 2007 12:41 PM | Link to this

Hello Mike,

I am a big fan of Jim Wooten — basically, I disagree with you and your points-of-view. However, this has got to be one of your best cartoons/illustrations. While you and I might disgree as to why Grady is where it is today and what needs to be done to resuscitate it, what we DO agree on is the sad state of affairs there. A picture is worth more than a thousand words. Good job!!

By The Peoples for a Nuked Amerika' Century~!

June 27, 2007 12:41 PM | Link to this

-=-

I remember going to Grady when I broke my foot and waiting in their hallways as gunshot victims were wheeled past me. I waited there for 6 hours before someone got to me. I watched doctors and nurses busting their arses in attempting to save lives.

Meanwhile a group of greedy men decide on policy while writing themselves fat checks to take on vacation. Pencil pushers one and all that have never lifted a finger to save a single life themselves. However I’m sure they have good ties with Drug companies and their (ahem) fringe benefits.

Sadly the pencil pushers will watch as Grady dies and these vultures will move on to other feeding grounds. But the death of Grady will cost far far more as other hospitals take on the extra load. Poor Emory, Poor Dekalb Medical center. It’s like dominos. They will have to soak up the damage done from the loss of Grady

And it’s not just in Atlanta, it is in every major city like the recent events with the emergency room death in California.

It’s a symptom of this administration’s failed medical and health policys as Pharmacuetical firms and Insurance companies control our national healthcare systems as one big business rather than healers. And it will get worse. Michael Moore’s “Sicko” is right on the money! and thats why we are in a mess because instead of healing - it’s about the money!

Heaven forbid we have a mass casualty situation in Atlanta like 9-11. If Grady is not there - even you may pay the cost with YOUR own life as hospitals are overwhelmed.

Dear Dusty and @@

Cheney does not care about this country or you! he does not care about the future generations. He does not care abut the future of the world he only cares about making himself and his cronies more money and more power!:

Remember Klamuth!

Thomas/PNAC

By getalife

June 27, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this

“Cheney Undercuts Environmental Regulations For Business Benefits… Whitman Resigned EPA Post Over His Insistence On Easing Air Pollution Controls…Major “Pet Peeve” Was Yellowstone Snowmobile Ban…Pushed For Yucca Mountain To Be Nuclear Dumping Ground”

cheney hates the enviroment.

Geez.

By getalife

June 27, 2007 12:46 PM | Link to this

Betty,

We get it, you are in love with BD.

Get a room.

Geez.

By Dusty

June 27, 2007 12:49 PM | Link to this

raiseanidiot 12:29,

hmmmm don’t believe I quite get your picture here. “rats” as in DemocRATS??

Oh well, I think thee doth eat too much shrimp and grits with tobasco. That causes deterioration of the gray matter not to mention the stomach lining. Just ask Bosch (if he has recovered from his hangover headache of yesterday).

By AmVet

June 27, 2007 1:02 PM | Link to this

Yer with us or agin us.

Agnew lives! And Cheney is proof!

No room for nuance or shades of grey. It sells better to the sheeple to label and pigeon hole everybody and everything, including themselves! And it’s much easier than using the old coconut. AND it generally requires no real integrity.

Yur a gawldang librul, aint ya boy?!

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 1:05 PM | Link to this

Hello Dusty, Yes, I’ve recovered quite well, thank you for your concern. Seriously, don’t mock the cheesy shrimp grits delicacy. You don’t know what your missing if you haven’t tried it. It’s like the crazy Laura Mallory trying to ban Harry Potter even though she hasn’t read the books!

Are you allergic to shellfish? Do you like shrimp? Try it, unless your allergic or don’t like shrimp, I think you’ll like it!

Tabasco sauce doesn’t cause a deterioration of brain cells, Absolut vodka, however, does. You have me on that.

By silver

June 27, 2007 1:07 PM | Link to this

I believe we have already established the defacto point that Dick Cheney is a sht eating dog, a hump backed freak, and yes and eater of dead babies, mostly arab babies, mostly, imho. So why would @@ be in love with such a disgusting creature? Perchance the creature is the best she could ever hope for, given her obvious impairments?

By The Watcher

June 27, 2007 1:11 PM | Link to this

Did Luckodull finally get taken away by the guys in the white suits?

By Paul

June 27, 2007 1:17 PM | Link to this

AmVet

I’m gonna make your day -

Link: Nader may run in 2008

“Asked to describe Clinton, … Nader said: “Flatters, panders, coasting, front-runner, looking for a coronation, not taking on the huge waste in the military budget as a member of the Armed Services commission, never going after the corporate crimes against pensions, against workers. … She has no political fortitude.”

“Obama “has capacity … whether he gets specific in his proposals, that’s what a lot of people are waiting for,” Nader said. “He hasn’t shown that much political fortitude … in his two years in the Senate.”

“And of Edwards, Nader said, “I like the way he’s emphasizing the poverty in the country, the sinking of the middle class.” But he said Edwards, who met today with high tech executives in the Bay Area, is “not very good on foreign relations. He doesn’t challenge the military budget. He should go after things like abuses of the Patriot Act against the civil liberties of the American people.”

“(Nader) has been highly critical of Democrats in Congress, saying they haven’t held Bush accountable or done enough to stop the Iraq War. He has urged progressives to form a “Pelosi Watch” group and planned a visit to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco office to underscore his opposition to the war.”

By Dusty

June 27, 2007 1:18 PM | Link to this

Poor ol’ nuked Thomas/PNAC 12:41,

Still searching the bushes and scanning the sky for something on Cheney. Still sobbing ‘cause he can’t find anything illegal or unethical to pin on him. Boohoo….

So Thomas then says “Cheney does not care about this country”. NO?? He has served most of his adult life in government roles. And if you don’t think that is important, forget all the people who have “run” this country from its beginning.

The people elect officials, just as Cheney was elected on the Republican ticket. Many of us know how intelligent and respectable this man is. But that is not observed by people who value those in government only by political party.

Quit pushing the Democratic “party line” into absurdity.

By In other words

June 27, 2007 1:19 PM | Link to this

Also, Cheney has done next to nothing legal or ethical. Neo-cons would have already “trumped” it up if he had. They keep trying, wasting their time as usual.

By getalife

June 27, 2007 1:22 PM | Link to this

Just heard on CNN, Senate committee subpoena WH and cheney’s office on domestic spying.

By Paul

June 27, 2007 1:24 PM | Link to this

Bosch — Dusty

If you don’t have access to fresh shrimp (the shrimp in the counter display at most supermarkets is just defrosted shrimp from the freezer case) and have to use frozen, get a bag with NO tripolyphosphate on the ingredients label. Most are processed with TP. The kind to watch for say just “shrimp and water.” TP is what causes some reactions in people - also gives shrimp an iodine taste.

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 1:24 PM | Link to this

Dusty, Yesterday, I gave you a long list of unethical actions committed by Cheney. If you want to deny those happened, then go ahead, keep your head in the sand.

Also, Cheney gave up his chief of staff as a scape goat. If he doesn’t care about Libby, he sure as hell doesn’t care about you.

By getalife

June 27, 2007 1:29 PM | Link to this

Dusty,

cheney was chosen to pick a VP and he picked himself.

He knew w is an idiot and he could ruin the country.

How do you know he did not commit a crime when everything is secret?

We have oversight now, so maybe they will expose his secrets.

Geez.

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 1:33 PM | Link to this

Paul, Yes, I have to be very careful when buying shrimp, the other Bosch is allergic to red food dyes and also allergic to many food additives in shellfish. I have to rinse and rinse it just to make sure — causes a reaction very similar to what happens to Eddie Murphy in the Nutty Professor — face swells up like a toad — throat closes up — pretty scary stuff. We have to keep an Epi-Pen around all the time just in case.

By The Peoples for a Nuked Amerika' Century~!

June 27, 2007 1:35 PM | Link to this

-=-

Why Gee Dusty -

I didn’t know Cheney’s position at Haliburton was government!

So Haliburton is the government — Gawrsh Mickey — yah lerrn sumfin’ new every day!

NeoCon worship - - yah gotta love it —- In Cheney we Trust!

By Former conservative

June 27, 2007 1:35 PM | Link to this

Here’a link to a book I’m reading about this our president and his administration:

http://amazon.com/o/ASIN/0897335503/ref=s9asintitle1-1966p/002-8316865-1586447?pfrdm=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pfrds=center-1&pfrdr=1YBSTWNGWE38NBEYGZ5B&pfrdt=101&pfrdp=288448401&pfrdi=507846

Democrats AND Republicans, after reading, should be DISGUSTED with this administration.

By raisedanidiot

June 27, 2007 1:37 PM | Link to this

Hey guys..is there such a thing as a double impeachment? sorry to be off the wall..just dreaming again.

By Robert

June 27, 2007 1:37 PM | Link to this

All you people talking about Cheney…READ THE TITLE OF THIS BLOG AND SHUT THE HELL UP!!! This blog is supposed to be about Grady, not Cheney. Grady hospital is a perfect example of how some people will take advantage of “free” services while those that actually pay are charged so much to make up for the freeloaders that they go broke.

By rushncap

June 27, 2007 1:39 PM | Link to this

The first and fourth branches of our government has been subpoenaed to produce warrantless wiretap information. I guarantee you that Dick, since he has absolutely nothing to hide and has done everything by the letter of the law, will fight this one tooth and nail.

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 1:46 PM | Link to this

Former Conservative, You forgot Independents (like me) :-) I’ve been disgusted for a really llllllooooonnnnngggggg time.

Hey, and what about the Libertarians, Socialists, Communists, members of the Green Party, little old ladies from Pasadena (sorry, just had to throw that in). I think all of those people should be disgusted with our administration too, but alas, dammit, some of them just aren’t. There’s still about 30% of the people out there who can get fooled ALL the time!

Robert, chill out. We all know that about Grady, the problem is, nobody here is a hospital management experts (unless, of course, somebody IS, then I stand corrected), so gee, I don’t know how to fix it, but yes, it needs to be fixed, and NOT with my tax money until the crooks and thieves that run that place are arrested and tortured (like what silver said earlier).

By getalife

June 27, 2007 1:49 PM | Link to this

I wonder how much money CHENEY will spend on lawyers like Fielding to hide his secrets?

The gop should replace CHENEY with a candidate, when they replace CHENEY’S batteries.

We practice free speech here ROBERT.

By The law

June 27, 2007 1:50 PM | Link to this

If Cheney is not part of the executive branch, then he should not have access to executive information and documentation. Anyone who has given him such is in direct violation of the law and must be brought to justice. It would also be illegal for Cheney to possess it and all parties involved could be considered traitors and brought up on espionage charges.

By raisedanidiot

June 27, 2007 1:53 PM | Link to this

Bosch for President!

By The Peoples for a Nuked Amerika' Century~!

June 27, 2007 1:54 PM | Link to this

Hey Robert -

Here yah Go —

Cheney’s Healthcare Policy

And the Cheney/Bush healthcare policy’s affect Grady directly!

Oh and here is some Grady news from a few days ago.

Betcha the administrators and board members won’t get laid off! Betcha most of them are Repugs too! Meanwhile common middleclass workers get the boot!

Oh and Robert!

What rule says we only have to talk about the toon on this blog and not the days events?

“His Momma done raised a dummy! Dummy!”(Sanford and Son)

-=-

By Dusty

June 27, 2007 1:56 PM | Link to this

Bosch 1:05

Allergic to shrimp? Crustaceans of the gods? No indeed. Love them. Just don’t mix them up with my goodly grits. Each deserves its own special place on my palate, not together.

My parents retired to the coast. I ate trout just caught, shrimp just hand round-netted, and deviled crab from crabby creature I had nabbed out of the river myself.

Perhaps your home was/is one of those delightful river places. If you are near Beaufort, stop by the National Cemetery and put a flower on my father’s (and mother’s) grave. My father was a doctor who served overseas in wartime. I’m always proud of that, not to mention that he was a most beloved father.

Anyway, here’s to grits and shrimp, SEPARATELY !!!!

By Grady

June 27, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this

I grady Think grady That grady Cheney grady should grady resign grady. What grady Do grady You grady Think grady Robert grady?

By Former conservative

June 27, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this

Bosch, I apologize for not mentioning other political parties.

Any thoughts on the employees of Grady? Where will they go? I highly doubt there is enough room in metro Atlanta to accomodate such a job loss. So, there’s another economic and healthcare impact: the employees will file for unemployment, they will likely have no insurance and will become a group of people who have to go to other metro hospitals for care.

By Buy Danish

June 27, 2007 2:04 PM | Link to this

Midori,

Thanks for the link to Ann Coulter receiving a (SURPISE!) phone call on Hardball from Mrs. Indignant Edwards.

More proof that Pretty Boy Edwards is a wuss and needs his mommy, err, wife to defend him because he’s too much of a coward to make the phone call himself.

Maybe Cathleen Willey, or perhaps one of the women whose cell phone conversations she had tapped and listened in on, could (SURPISE!) call Hillary the Harridan in the event she appears on Hardball for some softballs.

Or maybe we could have Amanda Marcotte debate Ann Coulter about “God Bags”.

We could just call it a test of the Fairness Doctrine.

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 2:09 PM | Link to this

Former Conservative, That’s okay, you know, I am running for President, I have to be fair about these things.

They aren’t going to close Grady, I think everyone knows that would be a disaster of epic proportions. Well, I say everyone knows that, but then again, every time I assume something, there’s always someone out there who surprises me. Go figure.

I like what mother3boys said earlier, they need to have a “gatekeeper” type person out front as people come in. If you are there for a cold, painful eyebrow, or hangnail, or some fake injury to score some Lorcet, Oxycotin, or Xanax, or some trashy idiot who just wants a doctor’s excuse to get out of going to work the next day, so they can say, “Go away!” This is an EMERGENCY ROOM!!!!!!!

There are institutions called Health Departments in most counties, am I right? Don’t they have doctors and can they not see patients? I know that every vaccine my children received came from the Health Department. My pediatrician didn’t store them in his office, he said it wasn’t cost effective for him and sent me over there where they cost about $5/shot as opposed to $100/shot.

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 2:11 PM | Link to this

Dusty, I love Beauford, SC, great town. Tell me, I have to know, do you mix your cornbread and beans together? Or, do you enjoy them separately on the plate? Just curious.

By Former conservative

June 27, 2007 2:15 PM | Link to this

Bosch, I totally agree that gatekeeper is needed for those types of situations.

By the way, a division of the Fulton Co. Health Dept. is ACROSS the street from Grady’s front entrance. You walk right out of Grady cross the one way street that is only used for the MARTA bus and there you are on their steps.

By Midori

June 27, 2007 2:15 PM | Link to this

Buy Danish,

I know of your penchant for pasty white men who are cowardly, lying, war mongering chicken hawk jerks, therefore, I can understand your problem with John Edwards.

I don’t understand your problem with Mrs. Edwards, as if my dead child were ridiculed by that skank Coulter, I wouldn’t think twice about confronting her either.

Nor would I need my husband’s permission or blessings to do so.

By raisedanidiot

June 27, 2007 2:18 PM | Link to this

Seriously guys…I want to know if its possible to impeach both offices at once..you know…killing two birds with one gun, I mean stone type thing.

By rushncap

June 27, 2007 2:18 PM | Link to this

Muff — at least Mrs. Edwards got someone to marry and love her. All Coulter has to come home to is a puddle (ocean?) of her own bile and hatred. Wonder if she cries herself to sleep every night. Wonder if she debates whether selling her soul and her humanity was worth it. I bet she does.

By Dusty

June 27, 2007 2:19 PM | Link to this

OK OK OK

I still go for “INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY”. That goes for citizen Cheney also.

You may not “like” what Cheney does, You may “think” that it is wrong. You may “suspect” it isn’t correct. You may “guess” that it was tainted. You may “investigate” only on suspicion.

BUT YOU CANNOT FIND ANYTHING UNETHICAL OR ILLEGAL TO PROVE YOUR POINT about Cheney. You are only trying to prove Democratic propaganda points, those produced to demean President Bush. Witch hunts do not serve this country well.

By Midori

June 27, 2007 2:29 PM | Link to this

Rushncap,

I now understand why conservative women all deplore oral sex.

Their mouths are so big, their men have to resort to alternate orifices — preferably that of an adolescent boy — in order to get gratification.

By raisedanidiot

June 27, 2007 2:30 PM | Link to this

dusty…witch hunts? Are you serious? Impeaching a president for getting blown is o.k., but investigating illegal wiretapping and cia leaks is a witch hunt?! Get over yourself, sweetie!

By The Watcher

June 27, 2007 2:33 PM | Link to this

Demean the President? Ops too late!

Ha ha HA ho Ho

Giggle chortle Tee hee

Besides it’s the Veep who’s demean one.

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 2:58 PM | Link to this

Former Conservative, I don’t live in Fulton County, or metro Atlanta for that matter, couldn’t stand the traffic, yuck!

Okay, well, it seems to me a no-brainer that “gatekeepers” along with security personnel if needed could send people across the street, I mean, does that sound completely silly? What do you think? I mean, we are talking about HEALTH DEPARTMENTS here. I realize that Health Depts. are only open M-F 8-5, at least the one here is, but since there is such a demand, couldn’t they, oh, I don’t know, keep it open longer? Maybe have weekend hours too? Anybody with an opinion on that? Anybody, anybody?

By Goldie

June 27, 2007 2:58 PM | Link to this

{{The reason Grady is in this state, and you have to dig deeper, is because its “customers” don’t pay. People need to start taking responsibility for themselves and their families.}}

And to follow your logic, Biscuit— all those poor children who need treatment will just have to suffer for choosing to be born to their poor parents… serves those kids right, yes?

Your post is so typical of a compassionate conservative.

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 3:05 PM | Link to this

You know Goldie, I bet the Biscuit doesn’t believe in abortion either, or maybe just those no good poor people who shouldn’t be having babies they can’t afford should be able to have abortions, but not God-fearing people who have sex responsibly.

By Dusty

June 27, 2007 3:11 PM | Link to this

Hmmm let’s see….

raisedanidiot,

there is a difference between lying under oath(Clinton’s legal problem) and guessing that something under the Patriot Act during wartime “might” be illegal. Get your excuses in order.

Watcher,

The big “D” before Democratic politicians these days stands for nothing more than (D)emean the President.

That is pretty sad when he was elected twice twice by the citizens of the USA. It is OK to speak your objections but Democrats are undermining the country with witch hunts and the public knows it. It is time for Democrats to join the USA and act like they are all for it instead of pulling off paltry punches at windmills while doing nothing else.

Bosch,

Beans? We like green beans. Sometimes we eat red beans and rice. Chili with cornbread is a favorite but nobody mixes them together. What??? Soggy bread? No way. (We do eat Taco Bell’s fare sometimes but I only eat the crispy tacos.)Still…..NO shrimp & grits!!!

Bye now…..must leave…

By rushncap

June 27, 2007 3:21 PM | Link to this

Dusters — the Congress is getting around to proving that what Cheney did was illegal. Democrats have been in power only a few months, and already Cheney’s right-hand man is about to rot in jail. They’ll get around to your fantasy lover boy Dick in due time. They have just subpoenaed his office, for instance. Of course he’s still innocent. He’s not been charged with anything yet. But don’t worry — Congress is starting to try to rip away that man’s bunker of secrecy. Considering that the vast majority of the population (with the exception of a few brain-dead neocon puppets like yourself) abhors the man, I’d say Congress has a decent shot at exposing at least a small part of his lies and machinations.

By Goldie

June 27, 2007 3:21 PM | Link to this

Bosch @ 3:05— correct you are. And we all know that the only women who may need abortions are those who are unmarried and choose to engage in carnal activities. Married women who don’t engage in illicit affairs don’t have unwanted pregnancies, correct? Or is it just that married women should be willing to carry all their fetuses to term, regardless of the number of children they may already have? I get all confused about how that anti-choice argument goes really…

By The Watcher

June 27, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this

Dusty,

The the R after the Presidents name must stand for Reprobate.

Republican reprobates really require reams of review and reproach prior to restraint at the reformatory!

By Ditzty

June 27, 2007 3:46 PM | Link to this

What do you mean an ex VP staffer is going to jail?

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 3:51 PM | Link to this

Goldie, Yeah, me too. Married women, of course, NEVER get pregnant by surprise. NEVER, would married women (who are on birth control)who are in graduate school full time, who work part time and have two children under the age of five already, and the only source of full-time income in the family is with DFACS who won’t pay for maternity coverage, and this full-time income is so low that the family qualifies for Medicaid, because DFACS workers are incredibly overworked and underpaid.

Oh no, that kind of thing NEVER happens! :-)

By @@

June 27, 2007 3:53 PM | Link to this

Bosch:

(((Look everybody! @@ found ONE article on the Internet about a successful hospital program in Florida! You know, in FLORIDA where Jeb Bush was governor! Hoorah!!!)))

and you stand firm on the “tried and failed” plan put forth by government. Like RW often says…if government can provide solutions, why has the problem of healthcare persisted for some 25+ years. It’s only gotten worse with the encouragement and support of irresponsible behavior.

As the numbers of those able to afford healthcare diminish, the number of those who expect the government’s help increase. The math won’t support the future recipients of government funded healthcare. We’ll all end up in need of government support, and at a cost in quality. You liberals constantly rail against government incompetence but want it to take care of people when they’re most vulnerable?

So you don’t really have a solution, but the path of least resistance is to let government do the work? Government employees fall under civil service protections, and have never been motivated to operate efficiently allowing all sorts of abuse and negligence.

Now, you’ve got a problem, because them that “have” work hard to get it, and turning it over to a tried and failed government solution doesn’t work. It’s not so much about the individuals in need as it is about the incompetence of government.

The article I referred you to earlier is better than anything you’ve offered here. PRIVATE support and funding; I’ve seen it work. The greatest investment any organization can make is towards a professional fundraiser. Those people more often than not are passionate about the cause, and less passionate about the pay. They are not above soliciting contributions from corporation who often times are eager to help in exchange for recognition which benefits their business.

Networking, networking, networking can get things done without the government.

Check out what the CAGW (Citizens Against Government Waste) have to say about the government’s healthcare programs.

Getalife:

You can’t deny that Cheney is “hot” right now. ;-)

By raisedanidiot

June 27, 2007 3:59 PM | Link to this

looks like dusty caught the next tumbleweed out of town, but I’ll say this anyway…one of the reasons Clinton was never convicted of lying (about having consensual sex) is that a handful of reprobates I mean republicans realized that the line of questioning was stupid and should have never been allowed in the first place. I’m not typically a clinton defender, he did many things wrong, but at least he was respected as a world leader and didn’t engage us in an illegal war.

By TruthHurts

June 27, 2007 4:03 PM | Link to this

Our community needs a hospital to provide the services that Grady offers. People will continue to need the care that Grady is supposed to provide regardless of whether Grady remains open. Unfortunately, Grady has been incompetently managed for decades. This incompetent management encouraged complacency and lax care among the staff. Rather than address the problems or do some honest soul-searching, Grady and its Emory partner tried to hide the systemic weaknesses and punished those physicians who spoke out about the shortcuts Grady took and the substandard care that Grady provided. And over time Grady has gotten worse, not better. I often review medical records of people who received negligent medical care at Grady or who lost a family member due to the callous attitudes of Grady employees. It’s not just sad; it’s disgusting. And it all starts from the incompetent politicos who run Grady and set such poor standards.

RIP Grady.

By Former conservative

June 27, 2007 4:05 PM | Link to this

Dusty, I suggest you read “George W. Bush vs. the Constitution” and maybe you will change your mind on this administration. I doubt you will, but maybe you should research a little more (not on Republican websites).

In the latest Newsweek poll, only 26% approve of the president’s overall job performance. What do those 26% see that I don’t? Delusions.

By Analchord

June 27, 2007 4:07 PM | Link to this

@@ will need healthcare soon enough. We need not make anymore of her in death than she was in life, just remember her as someone who saw sickness and tried to perpetuate it, who saw suffering and misery, and used it to blog hate speak about healthcare, and who saw the bird flu and wrote a poem about why something landed in her eye.

Some right wing sociopaths see healthcare as it is and say, ” Die”, @@ sees Healthcare as it could be and said, “Die alot”.

By George W. Bush

June 27, 2007 4:08 PM | Link to this

raisedanidiot,

Why do you make excuses for Clinton? You must have a thing for perverts. Also, if the war was illegal then I would be brought up on charges numbnuts!

Don’t hate me ‘cause I’m smart.

By Seeker

June 27, 2007 4:09 PM | Link to this

HOT

NOT HOT

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 4:10 PM | Link to this

“The article I referred you to earlier is better than anything you’ve offered here. PRIVATE support and funding; I’ve seen it work. The greatest investment any organization can make is towards a professional fundraiser. Those people more often than not are passionate about the cause, and less passionate about the pay. They are not above soliciting contributions from corporation who often times are eager to help in exchange for recognition which benefits their business.”

Oh @@, that is absolutely the funniest thing I’ve seen here EVER! I mean ever! That statement ALONE is solid proof that you have absolute NO idea what you are talking about that you simply make stuff up.

You think that is what will get Grady out of this mess? Networking and professional fundraising? And gee, that won’t create any underhandedness under the table and back room deals will it?

Oh stop it, my side is splitting open because I’m laughing so hard right now. Oh goodness.

What kind of private funding successes have you seen personally? A gardening project through your Junior Service League? A donation to the Boys and Girls Club from your Tupperware group?

So now you are an expert at hospital management. Unbelieveable. You neos really make me laugh when your “research” consists of a googled article you found and you somehow think that prooves your point.

But seriously, handing Grady over to private foundations and private donors will not work. Too many hands in the pot, and too many agendas to deal with. That would be 1000 worse than the mess they are in now.

By Bosch

June 27, 2007 4:13 PM | Link to this

Gotta run for now — must feed the masses.

Later!

By George W. Bush

June 27, 2007 4:14 PM | Link to this

Former Conservative,

Those 26% and Dusty have what is called vision. It takes vision to see the light at the end of a dark tunnel. Liberals don’t have any vision, all they can see is what’s in front of their noses.

By GodHatesTrash

June 27, 2007 4:15 PM | Link to this

If Grady is closed, more rednecks will die sooner.

How is that a bad thing?

By raisedanidiot

June 27, 2007 4:17 PM | Link to this

all in good time, georgie porgie…all in good time ;)

By Seeker

June 27, 2007 4:19 PM | Link to this

If we privatize Grady…

will that work as well as it did at

Walter Reed?

Look at what privatization has done for our elections!

By Lord Chaos

June 27, 2007 4:19 PM | Link to this

GodHatesTrash,

If Grady is closed, every segment of lower income Atlanta will die sooner.

By Barbara Bush

June 27, 2007 4:23 PM | Link to this

Vision?

Hell, hand me another highball and I’ll tell you about vision.

If I had any damn vision, I would have demanded George 41 use the blasted condom.

Now, hurry up with that highball, I have to go golfing while they bury my baby daughter.

By Former conservative

June 27, 2007 4:24 PM | Link to this

Who got us in this dark tunnel? Republicans. That vision has made us weaker. Congrats.

I believe our economy was stable, our budget was balanced, foreign relations were much better, and we were not in an unjustified war with Clinton in office.

Stop with the “vision” propaganda…it’s sickening.

By George W. Bush

June 27, 2007 4:28 PM | Link to this

I have neither the time nor the patience to answer any of you idiots’ response. I can’t wait until there is stability in that region so all of you can kiss off!

By Paul

June 27, 2007 4:29 PM | Link to this

rushncap

Let’s accept for a moment the VP did something illegal. Not a difference of opinion, but illegal. I don’t know what that could be, but let’s stipulate, nevertheless.

Does anyone really think anything would be brought to a conclusion before Jan ‘09? Seems to me Congress is on a fishing expedition to bring to light events that are history - not ongoing - for which they hope to find something “wrong.”

There are only so many days in a month to get work done. Especially when Pelosi had Congress in session only 9 days in Feb. The later months aren’t much better. So much for the promises of a 40-hour week.

I’d rather they went back to the campaign promises and work those. Then, when the Dems win in ‘08, the new Pres/VP can just release the documents then, can’t they? And if anything’s illegal, go after Cheney then.

But my refrain. No theater in that. No cover for backtracking on the campaign promises.

Nader’s gonna make both sides look bad -

By Barbara Bush

June 27, 2007 4:31 PM | Link to this

Lil George

why not try holding your breath till that happens!

By @@

June 27, 2007 4:33 PM | Link to this

Bosch:

I wasn’t talking about handing Grady over to private foundations and donors, although it has proven very successful in the case of The Shephard Center (sp?) and Shephard’s Pathways. All privately funded with supplemental grants.

The private non-profit school where I work used to operate on a shoestring budget. We had to provide makeshift apparatus to assist some of our physically disabled children. Most of our students attend on scholarships funded through private donations. The buildings from where we operated were deplorable and limited in space.

Hire one fundraiser passionate about the special needs of children; invite CEOs to observe our hard work and efforts, let them see the children’s efforts, and voila….we received enough donations to construct a new building, complete with the latest equipment, at a cost of well over $1M. The land was donated, a nearby medical facility works with us and our kids parents to provide healthcare at a reduced cost. If they can’t provide the services, they contact physicians who will.

That same fundraiser is experienced in writing applications for grants. Until that lady came on board, the staff operated without benefits of any kind, including a lunch break. We now have volunteers who will allow us 30 minutes to take a breather and eat a quick lunch.

We were so engrossed in the process of offering services, we couldn’t find the time to see alternatives.

Laugh if you will Bosch, I’m still waiting for your solution.

We’ve never lost a contributor due to our success, we’ve only gained additional ones. We’re talking Fortune 500 companies Bosch, they’re nothing to laugh at.

By George W. Bush

June 27, 2007 4:35 PM | Link to this

Paul,

Cheney did nothing illegal. That accusation is as a result of overzealous, not to mention jealous, liberals who want to make something out of nothing. You can tell by the idiot liberals on this blog that they’re not playing with a full deck.

By Claire

June 27, 2007 4:41 PM | Link to this

I usually don’t post to this or any other AJC blog, I noticed that the liberal participation makes the conversation rather shallow in informative content, but this caught my eye-

By The Peoples for a Nuked Amerika’ Century~!@12:41 It’s a symptom of this administration’s failed medical and health policys as Pharmacuetical firms and Insurance companies control our national healthcare systems as one big business rather than healers.

Aren’t the Democrats in charge of Congress now, and with that, the ones in charge of federal spending?

Are you expecting Bush step in and do the Democrat’s job for them?

And aren’t the failures of Grady a preview of what we can expect should you liberals ever get government funded universal health care?

Isn’t this also a clinical study of the overwhelming burden that illegal immigration places on our government institutions, which the majority Democrats voted in favor of?

Just a couple of observations.

By Former conservative

June 27, 2007 4:41 PM | Link to this

George W. Bush, you actually sound like our very own president!

Peace in Iraq, please! Wasn’t “Mission Accomplished” utter in 2003? Four years and thousands of lives later we are still there with worsening conditions.

I really do not understand how they have brainwashed you all!

By Depleted Uranium R Us

June 27, 2007 4:42 PM | Link to this

Warning GRAPHIC

[Gulf War Syndrome in Iraqi Children] (http://www.xs4all.nl/~stgvisie/VISIE/extremedeformities.html)

May God have mercy on our souls.

By George W. Bush

June 27, 2007 4:44 PM | Link to this

To the loser impersonating my mother:

Get lost tramp! I know that you’re some pansy liberal who watches too much comedy central! I am here to defend myself on this blog, not to play games!

By Barbara Bush

June 27, 2007 4:48 PM | Link to this

To the loser impersonating my son…

Oh that is you!

Got cocaine?

By George W. Bush

June 27, 2007 4:48 PM | Link to this

Former conservative,

Where’s Saddam Hussein right now? Where’s the biggest threat in the middle east right now? We still have work to do, of course, but anything that is worth doing is worth waiting for. Come back to where you belong.

By raisedanidiot

June 27, 2007 4:52 PM | Link to this

fyi …you can see coulter/edwards phone debate on John Edwards for Pres. site…I gotta tell ya boys, if coulter wasn’t such a stark raving lunatic, she’d be hot…I think a good lesbian could turn her around

By ?

June 27, 2007 4:54 PM | Link to this

This blog has stooped to a new low.

By Barbara Bush

June 27, 2007 4:54 PM | Link to this

The biggest threat to Middle East is in the white house, that boy of mine ran every business he had into the ground. Sheeeit!

Hurry up with that Martini!

By getalife

June 27, 2007 5:03 PM | Link to this

My goodmess, the gop are cutting and running from this immigration bill faster than w and cheney cut and run from accountability.

Geez.

By George W. Bush

June 27, 2007 5:04 PM | Link to this

I think its important for everyone on this blog to know that I feel your pain. Sure, a lot of people have died, but look at what we are accomplishing. Years from now, your children will be able to vacation and worship in the middle east without the fear of being killed. Have patience.

By Paul

June 27, 2007 5:14 PM | Link to this

getalife

Yup. And neither side has an alternative anywhere close to ready.

Both sides play kick the can down the road.

2008 - vote Anybody But an Incumbent

By Buy Danish

June 27, 2007 5:18 PM | Link to this

Didn’t rushncap and others tell me yesterday that “no one cares about Ann Coulter’s sexuality?”.

Didn’t M&M’s ask how I could possibly conclude that most of the 290,000 results for “Ann Coulter is a lesbian” took us to liberals?

I guess that “Idiot” didn’t get your talking points:

{{{By raisedanidiot

June 27, 2007 4:52 PM | Link to this

fyi …you can see coulter/edwards phone debate on John Edwards for Pres. site…I gotta tell ya boys, if coulter wasn’t such a stark raving lunatic, she’d be hot…I think a good lesbian could turn her around.}}}

Personally , I am saddened that Air America failed. Conservatives like myself like to see the opposition make fools of themselves.

By Appropriation Law

June 27, 2007 5:20 PM | Link to this

Claire, The federal budget is developed two years ahead of current year. Congress has been in office since January 07 and has had nothing to do with current funding. The budget cycle was already in full swing when they came into office, so it will be a while before too much change can be made; there is only a little wiggle room for the next two years and of course Congress can try to put stipulations on the budgets they pass for 08.

By dick cheney

June 27, 2007 5:21 PM | Link to this

George, you know your not supposed to speak until I give you the words. We’ve been over this - now come on, your daddy sent me to take you back to the house. You’ve had your fun, now tell the nice people good bye.

By George W. Bush

June 27, 2007 5:23 PM | Link to this

I look forward to 8 more years of a republican white house. Not sure yet who I’m for, but the ‘08 election is going to be a doozy.

By Any

June 27, 2007 5:31 PM | Link to this

idiot who depends on government is one more idiot who will settle for minimal returns on their investment.

Losers!

By Bumper Sticker

June 27, 2007 5:38 PM | Link to this

{Those 26% and Dusty have what is called vision. It takes vision to see the light at the end of a dark tunnel.}

If it was in a movie, that gem would vie for one of the classic lines of ALL time!

It would certainly be right up there with Lloyd telling Harry in Dumb and Dumber. “We’re in a hole, we’re just gonna have to dig ourselves out.”

Hmmm. Dumb and Dumber? Bush and Cheney? What a coincidence.

By Paul

June 27, 2007 5:40 PM | Link to this

raisedanidiot

Care to guess why Air America failed in a free market, even when provide millions in subsidies by one or two people (not advertisers or listeners)?

And the reasons for the success of conservative talk radio are?

Appropriations Law

True for the FY 07 budget.
To clarify, there’s a lot of timeline overlap with the “back and forth” for the one and two year out budgets

For the next one - FY 2008 - which begins in Oct 2007 - OMB sent Congress the info in Jan 2007 - when the current Congress was seated. March - Sep 2007 is when Congress reviews the Pres budget proposal and writes its own, then appropriates the funds. They may bust the Sep 07 deadline and implement “continuing resolutions” and not take final action for some programs until well into the fiscal year.

The current Congress can make dramatic changes and have a huge impact on the FY 2008 budget.

My prediction: they won’t. They’ll continue funding huge, inefficient and wasteful programs just as they always have. Much of the “planning” is trying to justify additional programs and dollars - not cutting back anything in place.

By raisedanidiot

June 27, 2007 5:41 PM | Link to this

Buy Danish…I’m sorry if I offended your sensitive nature…you obviously have a lesbian hang-up thingy…in the future I’ll reserve my sexual comments to that handsome DEVIL Dick!

By Claire

June 27, 2007 5:41 PM | Link to this

Appropriation Law @ 5:20,

So how did the Democrats manage to load 20 million dollars worth of pork into the Iraq Spending Bill?

Or how did Jack Murtha, Diane Feinstein and William Jefferson, Democrats, fund those defense contractors that they received kickbacks from?

Do the Democrats only fight for the real important things?

Important to their bank accounts that is?

By George W. Bush

June 27, 2007 5:43 PM | Link to this

You people just can’t stand for me to have success. If I found a cure for cancer you all would still whine and complain. Pi$$ off liberals!!!!!

By Bumper Sticker

June 27, 2007 5:46 PM | Link to this

I VERY much care about Ann Coulter’s sexuality!

Firstly, where the hell is it?!!

But! In a strangely anti fat bastard kind of way, I find her to be a very sexy man!

She is a BIT repulsive and anybody in their RIGHT mind wouldn’t do her with andy’s… ah, forget it. You get the idea.

By Bumper Sticker

June 27, 2007 5:49 PM | Link to this

{And the reasons for the success of conservative talk radio are?}

Like pornography, right-wing talk radio is enormously popular.

Apparently a lot of lonely men whack off to it.

By Buy Danish

June 27, 2007 5:53 PM | Link to this

idiot,

It doesn’t “offend my tender sensibilities” you jackass, it merely demonstrates what a bunch of phonies and hypocrites liberals are.

You pander to the “gay rights” movement who are one of your biggest constituencies, but make disparaging comments about homosexuality.

{{{By rushncap June 27, 2007 2:18 PM |

Muff — at least Mrs. Edwards got someone to marry and love her. All Coulter has to come home to is a puddle (ocean?) of her own bile and hatred. Wonder if she cries herself to sleep every night.}}}

Munchkin,

You mean unlike yourself, who goes home to Larry Flynt every night?

By Paul

June 27, 2007 5:56 PM | Link to this

Bumper Sticker 5:49

Thank you for providing, even though you obviously didn’t mean to, a wonderful illustration of why ultraliberals fail on radio.

By George W. Bush

June 27, 2007 5:57 PM | Link to this

Bumper Sticker,

You are probably the worst inbred liberal on this blog. You obviously have no life and therefore you’re critical of others. My suggestion to you is to join a social club or get a hobby so that you can feel like you’re contributing something positive to your pathetic life.

Have a nice day libs, I’m outta here!

By Buy Danish

June 27, 2007 5:57 PM | Link to this

Polly “Bumper Sticker”,

If conservative men “whack off” to talk radio, why are Democrats so eager to get in on the action?

By Paul

June 27, 2007 6:02 PM | Link to this

Buy Danish

This whole ultraleft “demean right-wing authors/columnists” - (illustrated by Ms Coulter) by making comments on their sexuality is the most fascinating thing I’ve witnessed here in a long time.

And what’s more amazing is they can’t recognize the hypocrisy of their writing with their professed “liberal” principles.

Maybe it’s not representative of many on the ultraleft. Just those who post here who can’t elucidate a rational position.

There’s a good straight line for ya’ -

By Bumper Sticker

June 27, 2007 6:15 PM | Link to this

{why are Democrats so eager to get in on the action}

Buy American, I don’t even know any Democrats who give a rat’s patootie about Al Franken or ANY talk radio, for that matter, so I’m not really the right person to ask.

But I believe there are a few zillion Republicans who are always “eager” to get in on the circle jerk.

Are you the pivot man?

By rushncap

June 27, 2007 6:20 PM | Link to this

Paul - I see your point. I disagree with it for several reasons. Number 1 is that this Congress was elected largely because people wanted Bush and Cheney stopped. Iraq war, ethics scandals and dislike of the administration are what got Democrats into power. So crippling Cheney fits into those (maybe implied) campaign promises. Number 2 is that people really do want justice done. Not in several years, but now. I know I do. No one wants Cheney’s pacemaker to fail and have him not answer for what he’s done to this country. There are a lot of people who are justly indignant and want the Congress to uphold their end of the “checks and balances” bargain. Number 3 is that not prosecuting a criminal in office because there are “more pressing needs” is bad precedent. Should we have left Foley in office while we dealt with other issues? This sends a message that criminal misconduct in the nation’s second-highest office is no big deal since we have more pressing needs to attend to. And Number 4 is that people have simply ceased to trust the White House altogether. Normal people. Middle-of-the-road people. I’m not talking about the lunatic right wing fringe here, which sent many a fine representative to this board, I’m talking about the majority of America. They simply don’t trust the executive branch. Plus they think the legislative branch is too weak and scared to do anything about that. I think it’s worth time and effort to try to restore their faith in the system.

By Paul

June 27, 2007 6:21 PM | Link to this

Bumper Sticker

You don’t know of any Democrats who care about talk radio? So all the hoopla over the last couple of days by various Democrats in the Congress and Senate about bringing back the fairness doctrine as a counter to the influence of conservative talk radio is… what?

BTW = Sen Lott’s getting in on it, too. Seems he’s not too happy when the audience turns against one of his causes -

By getalife

June 27, 2007 6:22 PM | Link to this

Paul,

Watching the debate, Reid is using a clay pigeon rule to limit amendments and motions to make the gop whine.

I would say that most Senators still have not read the bill and the amendments they are voting on.

This bill needs to go through the regular procedures and should take months to complete.

w is trying to get it done for his legacy since the rest of it is nothing but failures.

Right now, I give it a 50% chance to pass.

By Bumper Sticker

June 27, 2007 6:22 PM | Link to this

{Thank you for providing, even though you obviously didn’t mean to, a wonderful illustration of why ultraliberals fail on radio.}

Paul, thank you for that explanation.

Come to think of it, I’m having a helluva time trying to figure out why ultaliberals completely dominate television and all other forms of modern culture? And neo-cons are practically non-existent.

Must be a vast and depraved left-wing conspricacy.

By Bumper Sticker

June 27, 2007 6:25 PM | Link to this

{You are probably the worst inbred liberal on this blog.}

Thank Gawd it’s only probably! Otherwise, I’d be worried shrubmeister!

By Analchord

June 27, 2007 6:27 PM | Link to this

Mike must be using a guest cartoonist, or something, OR he’s using cartoons he normally would reject but now he’s got writer’s block or something.

I dont know. Something’s up. Maybe he never was funny, we were just stoned. All of us. For he last twenty years.

But now that we’re clean and sober it’s going to take a lot more than a cute picture to make us laugh.

Mike needs a homerun. Material is hard to find. Perhaps Paris will inspire him if she can get out something memorable on Larry King. The old surviving beatles provided some material last night. That Cirque du soleil show, Love, which uses old beatle songs is still hot.

The CD of Love is pretty great, except there is too much George Harrison on it. Something and Here comes the sun is played too often on oldies radio and should have been left out.

More obscure beatles songs would have worked far, far better.

By rushncap

June 27, 2007 6:30 PM | Link to this

Paul — you’re smarter than that, come on. Leftists may joke that Coulter is gay because it’s offensive to HER, not us. If someone calls a liberal gay (like I think andy does to me once in a while) all we do is shrug our shoulders and say “so?”. But to a stark-raving conservative being called gay is the worst insult in the world. So, amused by that, we do it sometimes.

No Muff, I come home to either my roomie or my girlfriend. If I were the sad, pathetic sack of $#it that Coulter is, I would’ve shot myself a long time ago. It’s too bad she continues to waste perfectly good nutrients on sustaining biological functions in that carcass.

By Former Conservative

June 27, 2007 6:33 PM | Link to this

Rushncap, very well put and I agree 100%!

The majority of Americans want a country they can believe in and I think we have lost that at the hands of the Bush Administration.

By Paul

June 27, 2007 6:38 PM | Link to this

rushncap

Thanks. I wasn’t advocating points so much as wondering out loud.

You make some good points - a tad hyperbolic, maybe, but some good points. Especially the first - your point of going after the VP follows. But I’m not sure the American public’s animosity towards the VP is anywhere near their impatience with Iraq. Wasn’t much of the dropoff in Congress’s approval ratings due to the outrage of the farther Left, out of Iraq now wing? And I rather think many of the “middle” voters who got rid of Reps and put in Dems were as much about solving day-to-day problems, getting Congress working again, not settling political scores.

Your point three - I think we’re a ways away from being able to prove the VP’s a criminal. One reason he stands out is he’s been a heckuva lot more effective in going after what he wants than any of his predecessors. While I disagree strongly with some of those things (marginalizing Sec State Powell, for instance) - the VPs effectiveness in doing so isn’t criminal.

Foley was guilty of criminal conduct, if I recall. Weren’t the pages minors? So far with the VP it’s been policy. The “warrantless” wiretaps/terrorist eavesdropping or whatever Waxman’s after now - he doesn’t have to go through the VP for that info. But it serves Waxman’s agenda to do so.

Number 4 - altogether? Well, they’ve taken on a lot of water and they’re listing badly. But this Immigration Bill shows the aren’t ready to turn the lights out just yet. While I don’t think Pelosi/Reid would like to be characterized as weak, I do think they’ve made some strategic errors that are making them increasingly ineffective.

The American people are running out of patience all the way around. I’m just saying what many perceive as political theater, rather than a threat to the Republic, is seen by many as “business as usual.”

Heck, I saw a poll the other day - it’s truly scary how many adult Americans can’t even identify the VP by name.

Always nice discussing things with ya -

By getalife

June 27, 2007 6:38 PM | Link to this

Willard tortures his dog

Geez.

By Bumper Sticker

June 27, 2007 6:39 PM | Link to this

Analchord, you are treading on seriously thin ice, my man.

Too much George Harrison? Unfathomable!

Actually I haven’t yet heard the CD and yes, those two hits were played to death.

But for my money, one of the very best three album sets of ALL time was All Things Must Pass.

As for the traitorous comic, be patient. King George is bound to do something spectacularly stupid soon.

By Paul

June 27, 2007 6:49 PM | Link to this

getalife

Thx for the update. I think you may be right about the legacy. Ironic that it’ll come in opposition by his core constituency, helped by his political opponents.

Only in Washington -

Bumper Sticker

There was an interesting comment on NPR the other day about why liberals can’t crack talk radio but have eclipsed conservatives on the Internet. His comment was great - this guy was a Democrat, remember - he said many Democrats were much more adapted to “the anarchy of the Internet.” Too bad the host didn’t follow up on it.

rushncap 6:30

Well, I was not aware of that. Don’t think it’s a question of “smarts” - I was looking at the stated principles of Liberalism and was really struck by the quite harsh words and characterizations employed by those attacking Ms Coulter. It just seemed so inconsistent - and harsh. Plus, it was the classic “don’t provide a good counterargument, attack the person” style we so often see.

BTW - I don’t take her seriously. Some here may look for an Adam’s apple - I get too distracted by the dollar signs in her eyes.

I did like your harpy picture, though.

By Buy Danish

June 27, 2007 6:50 PM | Link to this

Polly Bumper Sticker @ 6:15,

I’m not a “man” and I wouldn’t have a clue what a “pivot man” was in any case. Sounds like some sort of basketball terminology, but beyond that I’m in the “don’t ask, don’t tell” camp.

For the record, I mourn the demise of Air America. Unlike the Stalinist Democrats who want to silence the opposition, I love hearing liberals make fools of themselves.

{{{No Muff, I come home to either my roomie or my girlfriend. If I were the sad, pathetic sack of $#it that Coulter is, I would’ve shot myself a long time ago. It’s too bad she continues to waste perfectly good nutrients on sustaining biological functions in that carcass.}}}

Rushncap,

Your “roomie”? Having trouble striking out on your own there, munchkin?

As for your “third grade insult” about Ann Coulter, you have given us another window into your sociopathic mind as you advocate for Eugenics and expose your commie roots all in one sick paragraph.

At least you didn’t give us any more details about how you enjoy poking animals with sticks.

By Paul

June 27, 2007 6:58 PM | Link to this

Bumper Sticker

[[I’m having a helluva time trying to figure out why ultaliberals completely dominate television ]]

Shhh, you’re not supposed to say that. The ultralibs here will be all over your case, telling you to prove tv is liberal, newspapers are liberal, commentators and reporters are by and large liberal. Let alone institutions of higher learning.

Everyone just know (italics) they’re neutral and moderate. We really do know that.

Shhhhhh.

By Buy Danish

June 27, 2007 6:58 PM | Link to this

What Ann Coulter really said, or what you won’t hear broadcast in the MSM.

By Analchord

June 27, 2007 7:00 PM | Link to this

Ann Coulter wishes John Edwards would be killed in a terrorist assassination plot.

I think Ann Coulter is hot. No question, I’d crank her in a new york minute.

I dont wish that she would be killed by an assassin, even though I despise her politics.

The fact that she makes a living with hate speak is not her fault, it’s just an indication of the remarkably resilient buying power of the demographic that populates the vestiges of the lunatic fringe remnants of the Repudlickan Party.

When Ann Coulter emerges as the moderate, compared to rush or hannity, then you know it’s over for the right.

By rushncap

June 27, 2007 7:01 PM | Link to this

Whine us a river, Muff. I never advocated eugenics, you sick little b!tch, just so people don’t start taking your yipping too seriously.

Paul — do you honestly think Coulter deserves any better? I mean, she obviously does not believe 1% of what she’s saying — she’s an intelligent, educated, erm, “person” — so she has simply sold every shred of her humanity for fame and money. That deserves nothing but absolute, total scorn. And there are no points to rebut. She makes no actual points. Nothing at all. She’s the Paris Hilton of politics: known only for being a w******* (metaphorically speaking in this case). I mean, does anyone spend time seriously critiquing Hilton’s album? Same thing with the harpy.

By Paul

June 27, 2007 7:02 PM | Link to this

Buy Danish

Who was it today who observed Ann Coulter went on liberal Chris Mathews MSNBC show, but Mrs. Edward’s candidate husband wouldn’t go on Fox?

At least the lady doesn’t lack guts -

By Sailor

June 27, 2007 7:03 PM | Link to this

“The Sailor said Andi/e, you’re a fine girl…’

Hi folks.

Andi/e’s been busy with me the last few days - we’re involved in war games.

I drop my pants, and s/he tries to blow me away.

By Bumper Sticker

June 27, 2007 7:04 PM | Link to this

{I’m not a “man” and I wouldn’t have a clue what a “pivot man” was in any case. Sounds like some sort of basketball terminology, but beyond that I’m in the “don’t ask, don’t tell” camp.}

Yeah, riiiiiight Buy American, sure. Whatever you say.

But using two different feints and going to that length to say you don’t know the phrase. Very suspicious indeed. Google it. That means open a web browser and type in this URL: www.google.com.

Next you’ll ask me to believe that Ann Coulter’s not a man either and he has no clue what a pivot man is.

Paul, damn those anarchist Democrats using up all of the available bandwidth!

By Bumper Sticker

June 27, 2007 7:11 PM | Link to this

Paul, AmVet said it best - {In this country there has always been, and there will always be, a very strong political component of liberalism. I don’t see that ever changing. It is one of the reasons that this nation has far surpassed any other in the world.}

And as lifelong proud mainly liberal American citizen I don’t buy into the crap from the right trying to demonize the L word and canonize the word conservative.

And I don’t buy into the belief that TV, music, etc. is not liberal.

Thank goodness it is or we might all as well watch Romanian television and listen to Turkish rock and roll!

There’s only so much Hee Haw and Toby Keith a man can take!

By Deport 12 million scumbags

June 27, 2007 7:17 PM | Link to this

Sailor, I believe andy is combining a vacation and doing volunteer work.

Apparently, he took the family to Gitmo because he heard there were openings for volunteers with water boarding experience.

His background check turned up some not so pleasant stuff though and instead he, the missus and the kids had to be content with standing outside the wire and trying to poke the captives with long sticks.

By RW-(the original)

June 27, 2007 7:18 PM | Link to this

Just happened on C-SPAN2 and I’ve got to tell you, Ted Kennedy is certifiably insane.

Oddly he just found merit in the war in Iraq for the first time, but he says Mexicans are swarming over the border to enlist in the military so they can go fight in Afghanistan and Iraq which is why he had to say something nice about the war. I can’t wait until he gets to the part where he claims they just want to fight the fight Americans won’t fight.

He also claims it’s a three year wait for classes in English and those classes cost two to three thousand dollars. He claims that’s an exorbitant burden on them, but also claims they can fork over a five thousand dollar fine without blinking an eyelash.

I’m sorry but all you’ve got to is make an attempt to become functionally capable in a language to do it. I don’t think anyone is insisting that they pass a test in verb conjugation before being allowed into the country.

By Buy Danish

June 27, 2007 7:19 PM | Link to this

Polly Bumper Sticker,

You’ll just have to take my word for it, jackass. But hey, if you’re well- “informed” about “pivot men”, GFY!

I do not want to know what goes on in other people’s bedrooms and I certainly don’t want our children to be force fed the details as part of their mandated “Sex Education”.

By rushncap

June 27, 2007 7:30 PM | Link to this

Paul, “Coulter would go on Hardball but Edwards would not go on Fox” argument is like saying “A prostitute will sleep with that fat bucktoothed guy at the end of the bar for $20 and a lawyer would not”. That’s not an indictment of the lawyer lady. That’s an indictment of the prostitute. Coulter has something to sell, and she’ll w#ore herself out wherever she needs to to get it to sell. Edwards does not need to do that.

By Bumper Sticker

June 27, 2007 7:35 PM | Link to this

{I do not want to know what goes on in other people’s bedrooms and I certainly don’t want our children to be force fed the details as part of their mandated “Sex Education”.}

Conquer your fears Buy American! Blissful ignorance will only get you so far! Speaking of which, do you even know what goes on in your bedroom!

Reminds me of the old PSA, “It’s 10 o’clock. Do you know where Mr. Buy American is?”

And “our children” and “force fed” in the same sentence in this context seems a disturbing misuse of the language, wouldn’t you say?

And good for you on opposing that demon liberal sex education. Barefoot and pregnant is still alive and well in the deep south. Are you doing your part?

By ageof paper

June 28, 2007 8:57 AM | Link to this

THe problem with Grady is the illegals which use the hospital as a local clinic, and the huge amount of people that come in with crim e related injuries. Take those out of the mix and they would be flooded with money. Ship the gang related injuries right to the jail clinics. Notice the media does not mention illegals when talking about the money problems?

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