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August 19th, 2009
05:59 AM ET
What’s on Tap – Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) (L) argues with a man following a town hall meeting August 18, 2009 at the Dartmouth Council on Aging in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)
Here are the big stories on the agenda today:
- Democrats say they're ready to take drastic measures, considering a "go it alone" strategy on health care reform. Do they have the votes to make it happen? And fed up with all the town hall hostility, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts) gave it back to the crowd yesterday. Let’s just say he lived up to his last name.
- Hurricane Bill is now a major storm – a category four with winds about 135 miles an hour.
Rob Marciano is here to tell us whether it will be a hit, or a miss. - Don't call it a comeback. General Motors is upping production, calling some employees back to work, and delaying plant shutdowns. So has the cash for clunkers program been a shot in the arm?
- Michael jackson's doctor – the man who was there when he died – the man at the center of the manslaughter investigation is speaking out for the first time and making his case in a YouTube video. Hear why Dr. Conrad Murray fears for his own life.
- The Good Wife. Carol Costello explores why women with cheating husbands have become "stars." And Jenny Sanford is the latest. Would you Google your husband’s mistress and
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I’m in fo@alexwagnerer this week. Tonight, Parkland shooting victim Joaquin “Guac” Oliver@manueloliver00olivertwitter.com/i/web/status/1…OipufrPzfg
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Paul, I believe the report today was regarding an open carry law in bars and restaurants In Tennessee, not a CCW law. Any law allowing you to walk into a bar with a weapon concealed or not is crazy. Owners of bars and restaurants in Tennessee, are considering not posting any signs for fear of losing their customers.
Jenny Stanford a star? I think not. She'll go back to him. she likes the money and the prestige.
Ernest, if you will check you will learn that anyone who has a CCW cannot carry it if they have been drinking, period - that's ANY alcohol. If you will do some serious research, you will find that the Texas CC putg commoon sense in their law on the heels of a mass shooting at a restaurant where a woman watched as her mother was murdered - and the woman had to leave her LEGAL handgun in her vehicle because that was the law. For restaurant owners this question: if you post no guns allowed where a CCW law exists, are you now prepared to make sure all your customers are escorted/protected when they walk to their car in a parking lot that may or not be the hunting grounds for some punk with a gun who wants the customer's car, money and would take a life? The TN restarant association needs to consider that some trial lawyer is licking his chops over this issue and question.
WHY TO GO !
This is typical self obsessed, self righteous Barney Frank behavior now isn't it – not getting his way he has to lash out – amazingly we have seen this before when the House and Senate were debating the Stimulus, TARP and TALF – Really Barney? You were one of the people that actually helped get the banking system into the problems we now face and then got all childish during the "hearings" and now he shows his immaturity again. This is not the type of leadership we need at this time; children wanting total control.
I’m not at all surprised the Democratic majority has deiced to ‘go it alone.’ In the end the outrageous spending in the Health Care Reform bill would never be accepted by the republicans, who want this country to stay out of debt. The bill is ludicrous, it would result in a government health care plan with 46 million customers; in effect the government would be the largest insurance company and could dominate the market. They could adjust prices however they saw fit and other insurance companies would have to reduce coverage or raise costs in order to stay in the market.
The democrats need to ‘go it alone’, because by midterms they won’t have such a majority. Many of these Democrat senators and congressmen won by the skin of their teeth and now they have shown their true colors and Americans won’t stand of it.
These town hall protestors are heroes. They see the government running afoul under Presidents Obama’s administration and decided to take a stand. They are NOT being lead by lies, as many in this blog have accused them of. They are NOT being coerced by the republican leadership. They are standing up for what they believe in; it’s time for American politicians to listen.
I’d also be remised if I didn’t point out that when a pro-democrat speaks up they are a ‘protester’ if they are pro-Republican they are’ extremists,’ I love the double standard CNN, bravo. You’ve proven that once again, ratings are better than unbiased reporting; I would congratulate you if you didn’t make me sick.
JO, please if your going to dispute a fact bring a fact.. Aside from every credible economist the C.B.O. disputed with actual numbers based on actual facts that the house bill 3200 on it;s own merits will add to an already out of controll debt. Take the time and look it up.. I would love to help every American first than every one in America but cost effectively. JO I have no idea of your life-style but as for me, my family and my friends live with in a budget.. One day I will have a summer-home but I know I wont have it without carefully planning and managing my budget. Printing money is not cost effective....
Also wanted to let ya know Joe the Plumber is now on the AM radio waves on WSPD in Toledo. This guy is a joke.
The Republicans will never vote for reform, it does not matter what changes are made it, they are just trying to stall. The Republican party is owned, controlled and financed by big corperations and big insurance.
Allowing someone to carry a gun into a bar, is like allowing people to drive drunk. You should not be allowed to do it. The reason is obvious to me. If in 1970, the National Guard at Kent State could not act responsibly, with there weapons, how do you think a drunk a__ hick be able to act responsibly.
If bill dont turn soon enough he may hit hot dog island [coney island] .
Why give a restaurteur free publicity for opposing a new to Tennessee law that has been had negligible problems in 24 other states?
your misplaced anti gun bias is exposed for its inherent disingeuousness.
bill
Orlando
I am retired and on limited income, and have health insurance. I am looking forward to the public option in President Obama's Health Care Reform, even if it would cost me extra taxes. The reason I feel this way is the fact that most young people over 25 yrs old and still without a job health care are without insurance, and if they need it they will be in huge trouble. This country of the milk and honey for many, has failed in this arena, and it is time to catch up with the rest of the civilized and reformed countries of the world. If you have Health Care insurance and you oppose the public option that President Obama is proposing you are one selfish SOB. Remember what goes around will come around, and you could be next.
Mr. Frank scares me to death. Looking at his stance on many issues including the much needed F-22 and watching how he treats the people in the town hall meetings tells me it's time for him to go. I am afraid there will MANY democrats joining the ranks of the unemployed after the next election.
Re TN Law about guns in bars - the guests interviewed failed to mention that a person who has a carry permit cannot have ANY alcohol if they are in a restaurant or bar that serves alcohol. To do so would be a violation and result in the loss of the CCW permit. There's greater risk of a handgun being stolen from a vehicle when the permitee has to secure the weapon in their vehicle while having a meal in a bar. A permitee cannot under any circumstances have alcohol in their system if they are carrying. Period.
Your question about whether or not guns should be allowed in restaurants and bars misses the mark. Just because something is legal, carrying a concealed weapon, for instance, doesn't mean it has to be allowed.
Any bar or restaurant can turn away a person carrying a concealed weapon, legally or not. It is the establishments right to do so.
This story is making a mountain out of a molehill.
YES to Public option! NO to crazy right wing nuts!
Obama the people's president for eight years!
Guns bars and jealous boyfriends and husbands draw your own conclusion on this brilliant idea.
When CNN reports the stats from the NBC poll showing how many are misinformed by right wing propaganda you own it to the public to show that there are no death panels, no coverage for illegals, no gov't take over, no cuts in Medicare, etc. Instead you just show the poll results and never address the truth. You are supporting lies and fear tactics by not presenting the truth.
It's about time. The majority of the people at those town meetings causing trouble don't know why they're saying no to health care reform or a government option.
They are repeating almost verbatem what they are hearing certain news personalities say. The other day in my shop, a woman came in complaining about "Obama and his health care...he's going to dictate what we have to do blah blah." She actually dropped the N word. I was getting ready to politely tell her I couldn't help her and ask her to leave when she said "I have great insurance and don't want to lose it...I have VA and Medicare!!!" See my point?
Eliz W. Thank you for locating my head, but now that I have I would like to give you a bit of insight.. It is no longer Health Care Reform, that was last week.. This week it is Health Insurance Reform..Next week it will be Health National Compasion Reform. Either way if someone could tell me honestly how we could pay for this I will be on board. again Eliz thank you for your concern of who I need to follow but I will follow fact and logic as well as common sense, apparently we will not be on the same path..
Republican friend of mine is going bankrupt paying for his wife's medical bills. The upscale retiree from Aventura Florida, now calls me saying that he wants 'Obama's Public Option'.
That after shooting darts at me after his daily diet of FOXNEWS and Rush Limbaugh.
Being an Independent I don't gloat, but tell him to perhaps call his congress person, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck to make it know that Black and Brown people aren't the only folks that are going to need this Public Healthcare Option.
Mean while, I'm laughing my butt off, but at least my freind has half a brain and when reality set in he started to engage it. It may take guys like him telling his story, probably to CNN and MSNBC, since FOXNEWS won't air the truth if it's against their platform, to finally get the greater American fabric to understand what this Public Option will do for all Americans, not just some minority segment.
60% of America is still White Anglo, who do you think will benefit from the Public Option the most?
Eliminate all the illegals cutting into the services designed for Americans and shut down fraud, waste and abuse by the insurance companies and that program will fly easily enough without taxing the middle class or maybe even some of those in the upper economic strata.
Barnie Frank created the realestate buble and subsequently brought the american economy to its knees with his social re engineering of the mortgage market. I sure don't want to listen to him, when he wants to add $1 Trillion to the deficit. Moreover, there is no telling of how much money, his President's marshal plan to africa is offering. This marshal plan will only feed corruption that is already endemic there.
I say we should investigate what is his true agenda. Is it the well being and equality of americans, or he wants americans to be equal to the third world country, by bankrupting this country
To Markp – Fact: Unchecked, healthcare will bankrupt this country. At 17% of GDP, we're already seeing the effects. Saying NO and obstructing a process to fix this serious issue is the kind of tactics that got the Republicans booted. Given that their tactics haven't changed, 2010 will only see more Democratic wins. If the Republicans have a solution to reduce the current burden of healthcare on this economy, no one will mock it. Bring real ideas that can work. The free market hasn't worked.
You go Barney. It's about time someone in Congress fought back against the ignorant, bigoted individuals at these meetings whose only purpose is to shut down discussion. You want to ask questions at the meetings fine, but when you're disruptive to the point that no one else can ask questions, it's downright un-american.
It is clear that most of the people who are against Health Insurance Reform are basing their decisions on lies. The industry floated the lies through Fox News, Limbaugh and Palin. Once they were out there, the uneducated jumped on board and now believe that they are true. It is no wonder they are against Reform if they truly believe this nonsense. It's like the old people screaming "keep the government out of my Medicare". These people are clueless.
I almost hope that the whole Reform blows up at this point. Let these morons find out that the insurance industry is going to gut them like fish until there is nothing left. They won't get it until they have to file for bankruptcy again and they lose their trailer and bass boat. It's too bad that we can't give them their tax, SS and Medicare money back and tell them they are on their own. No police, fire, water, roads... Just like it was when the Constitution was signed.
Given the blabber from Republicans, it almost appears like they want to get rid of all government run healthcare including Medicare, Medicaid, VA, and Champus. It seems to me Americans, particlualry the elderly and veterans, should fear the Republicans, not the Democrats.
Stick to your guns Democrats. The Repubs aren't going to vote for HCR anyway. They just want to obstruct the Democrats any way they can. Look at their leadership, i.e. Mcconnell, cantor, boehner. They either have to fish or cut bait. They will not do neither. No Ba$$s.
markp, we know where your head is, right up there where the sun don't shine. Be careful who you FOLLOW!!!!, because as they say, "bs" have a tendency to slide down hilll, either join in or get out of the way.
Good for Barney! It's about time someone laid it on the line to these screaming Harridans and Morons who wouldn't know either civility or rationality if they found it in their soup. Just Sayin....
Watching John Roberts laugh as Barny Frank mocks his constituents puts into perspective why no one can trust this liberal biased so called "news station".. Fact: health-care reform will bankrupt this country.. Mocking the American people, Anwering phone calls while the American people are asking questions and going on book signing tours is not answering how we will pay for this entitlement program. Personaly I can't wait for the 2010 elections to watch and see if John Roberts and the liberal "news stations"coherts have that same smug smile on there face...
I think you should report who contributes to the republicans campaigns and how this is the real force behind the opposition to healthcare reform. People need to know how much influence the drug companies and insurance companies are making policy in this country instead of abiding by it. That is the real sad part to this whole debate. The truth is never told.
Democrats govern baby govern. Govern to win. The Republicans never cared when they passed the biggest piece of government intrusion....the Patriot Act. No one protested. The Republicans never cared when Pres. Bush LIED about Iraq, or spending our money...but they GOVERNED. Lets govern for the good of the people. Don't get me wrong, Pres. Bush passed some legislation that I liked (Believe it or not No Child Left Behind). No, the Republicans are being down right hateful, and they need to be exposed as such. Until some intelligent Repubicans who do not talk down to people return (such as Reagan, Buckley, etc), I will not EVER vote Republican again.
–I am part of that educated black vote that Republicans will be losing in the future.
The Republican were never sincere about reforming Health Care. They added over sixty amendments to the bill and then refused to vote for their own amendments.
SEE FOR YOURSELF http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz5AmhI9g7o
I f the Democrats want to do it alone, they should get rid of all the noise and simply allow the American people, if they wish, to buy into Medicare. They would pay a monthly fee like we do with the HMOs, it would be revenue neutral and maybe this would enable us to have some real reform. SIMPLE.
Take the message from the guys who've been carrying guns to the meetings...Stick to your guns and do whatever you need to do to get the change we need. The Republicans have shown their colors, muddied and fading!
The politics of fear are the only thing the Republicans know other than saying "NO" and offering no solutions. If they are unwilling to offer real facts and solutions, the Democrats should go forward with heath care reform on their own for the good of the country. In a country where the CEO of Humana Health Insurance makes over 100 million a year, yet policy holders are denied coverage of certain lifesaving procedures, it is clearly time for a change.
In one word, yes!