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On speaking to power, or, when sanity's gone, there's always satire

So everybody’s hearing the news, right? There is a tentative debt ceiling deal, and this Administration and Congressional Democrats seem to have won everything they wanted: Republicans get to have multiple “we don’t approve” votes before 2012 on raising the debt ceiling, there won’t be any new revenue, there’s going to be another “hostage-taking” event around Christmastime, for many Democrats the issue of the Ryan Budget and the dismantling of Medicare is likely off the table for the 2012 electoral cycle, and the Administration seems to have figured out a way to not involve itself in shaping the way that entitlement reform will work out.

All in all, it’s some pretty slick negotiating, and I’m sure this Administration and Democratic Congressional leaders must be very proud. Even on bad days, however, you gotta have some fun, and that’s why I’m encouraging everyone to take a minute today to say #thanksalot.

There have been many unlikely things that have happened this past month or so: some of them appearing as legislation, some of them appearing in the form of Republicans who set new records for running away from the words they used to get elected—and some of them appearing in the markets, where, believe it or not, many Europeans finds themselves wishing for our economic situation right about now.

There are even improbable sports stories: our frequently hapless Seattle Seahawks, the only team to ever make the NFL Playoffs with a losing record, are today preparing to knock the Chicago Bears out of their bid to play in the Super Bowl, having crushed the defending holders of the Lombardi Trophy just last week before the 12th Man in Seattle.

But as improbable as all that is, the one thing I never thought I would see is Barack Obama getting into a political argument with himself over Social Security—and then losing the argument.

Even more improbably, it looks like there’s just about a week left for him to come to a decision...and it looks like you’re going to have to help him make up his mind.

I wrote to Senator Kay Hagan today and will be following up with a call on Monday regarding the Healthcare Reform that Congress is currently screwing up debating. I thought I would be another BlueNC member to share my letter with you all in case it helps you to gather your thoughts or give you some new ideas as to what to say to the Senator when YOU write and call her.

Dear Senator Hagan,

I am writing today to give you my thoughts on the ongoing discussion about Healthcare Reform and the opportunity to attempt to level the playing field for the people of North Carolina.

This letter came from Shelley Pereda Camp. She gave permission to republish it here:

I am the mother of a 12 year old autistic child in Asheville. She was diagnosed with PDD-NOS at the age of 1-1/2 and then diagnosed with autism with MMR tendancies at the age of 4 1/2. At 4-1/2, my almost catatonic, she only spoke 25 words, was still in diapers and was a danger to herself and those around her. You would never know this about her if you met her today but this would not have been possible without community support services, OT, PT, Speech and Medicaid.

Atlas has shrugged. The Masters of the Universe have screwed up so badly that even with their massively disproportionate power and influence they can't hide their failure. The Ponzi scheme is over and the financial industry is so badly busted that they can't even manage to take possession of many of the homes they foreclosed on.

You have been directly injured by what these people have done, and what they continue to do. I'm really tempted to name names and go through the list of suffering- suffice to say that by my count two thirds of the active contributors to BlueNC have had their lives (and livelihoods) directly affected.

Some photos from Al Swanstrom's canvass yesterday:

Monkeyfister blogs from Memphis, TN, and he's been writing about the massive storms that hit the southeast Tuesday night:

LINK: "Bigassed tornado just 4-5 miles north of me. I HATE this shit. Sirens blaring constantly.

Very little scares me. THIS terrifies me.

UPDATE: 6:24PM. A tornado has touched down on top of the Hickory Ridge Mall in Northeast Memphis. Reports are saying the damage was VERY heavy. Plenty of people inside. Multiple injuries being reported."
[...]
"UPDATE 7:11PM-- Sears building hit with people inside. Debris from that hit spread miles away. A Sharp manufacturing plant was flattened. Reports of injuries. Every time a reporter gets to a scene, the newscaster asks, "Has Memphis Police or Firefighters set up any sort of Command Post anywhere?" The reports are always "NO,"
[...]
"UPDATE 7:30pm: A Taco Bell was flattened with people inside. Search is on for survivors. US Marshal's have been activated and are on the way to the area to assist.

The next wave of storms is producing baseball-sized hail, and tornadoes, and is about a 1/2 hour away.

I made this petition to call upon Bush to sign SCHIP. I can't imagine him not doing this, but them again both Dole and Burr were comfortable voting against NC children, and the White House probably told them to.

He's certainly threatening to veto:
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/

Please sign the petition.

http://ncdp.org/petition_schip

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