That of course would be far left moonbat representative from Los Angeles, Diane Watson. I have written in the past about Watson’s far out, radical leftist views so there will be no sadness in watching her fade off into the sunset. Could it be another radical leftist Democrat can see the writing on the wall? November 2010 is coming fast, and the rats are scattering!
Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.) will announce her retirement Thursday at a 10 a.m. press conference at her Los Angeles office, several Democratic sources told POLITICO.
Watson, serving in her fourth full term, won a special election to her Los Angeles-area seat in June 2001 after the death of former Rep. Julian Dixon.
The 76-year-old Democrat’s future has been the subject of considerable recent speculation, with state Assemblywoman Karen Bass often mentioned as preparing to wage a bid for Watson’s 33rd District seat — possibly with Watson’s support
One might assume given her past comments about Che Guevara and Fidel Castro that she may just decide to spend her sunset years in the great land of Cuba.
Humana Inc, one of the nations largest healthcare insurers is the new target of the United States Government employing political intimidation and hardball tactics on the private company in response to a letter they sent out to their customers enrolled in the Medicare Advantage program about looming changes coming their way through the new health care reform bill, currently being brokered by Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT). This is amazing by even Obama administration standards to go after a private company voicing its opposition to the Presidents plan. From WSJ.
Earlier this month, Humana sent a one-page letter to its customers enrolled in its Medicare Advantage plans, which offer private options to Medicare beneficiaries. Humana noted that, because of spending cuts proposed by Democrats, “millions of seniors and disabled individuals could lose many of the important benefits and services that make Medicare Advantage health plans so valuable.” The Kentucky-based company also urged its customers to contact their Representatives. Pretty tame stuff, as these things go.
Mr. Baucus took it as a declaration of war. He complained to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal health-care agency, which on Friday duly ordered Humana to cease and desist. CMS claimed the mailer was “misleading and confusing” and told the company it has opened an official probe as to whether the mailer violated laws about how the insurers that manage Advantage plans are allowed to communicate with their customers, as well as other federal statutes.
“Please be advised that we take this matter very seriously and, based upon the findings our investigation, will pursue compliance and enforcement actions,” CMS concluded, ominously. Humana could be fined or booted from Medicare Advantage altogether.
Ah yes, nothing like the government vendetta against a private company, who one might consider the expert on the subject of health insurance reform. Now I am sure all of the haters out there will tell us that the only reason Humana would dare send that type of letter out is because they are the big greedy corporation ready to kill off any and every person on their rolls if it can save them a dollar, its the typical scare tactic from marxist progressives. But check out the facts here, they can after all be stubborn things.
In fact, the Baucus draft legislation slashes $123 billion over the next decade from Medicare Advantage, which Democrats hate despite the fact that almost one-fourth of beneficiaries have chosen it over traditional fee-for-service Medicare. One reason seniors like it is because private insurers focus on quality and preventive care and try to manage benefits, as opposed to simply paying bills.
A new study from America’s Health Insurance Plans, the industry trade group, finds that seniors on Advantage in California spent 30% fewer days in hospitals over fee-for-service patients, based on federal data. Democrats say that insurers are “overpaid,” but the cuts—as Humana correctly noted—mean that seniors may lose this coverage.
Mr. Baucus doesn’t want seniors to be educated about these facts, and obviously he’s willing to use his enormous power to punish any private company that doesn’t affirm his, well, creative version of reality. Nearly half of Humana’s yearly revenue comes from Medicare Advantage, and the insurer says that it is complying in full with the CMS investigation. Yesterday, the agency also barred all Advantage insurers from providing similar information to their beneficiaries.
Where are the Republicans in Congress standing up to this sort of over the top tyrannical behavior on the part of Baucus and the CMS. This is clearly part of their overarching strategy of intimidation and stifling of dissent in this country. We have watched it happen with all of the brushing aside of the teaparty movements, the outcry at the townhalls this past summer and every other opposing view of the Presidents healthcare proposal. It seems that once again, powerful Congressman are being allowed to run amock, while their colleagues stand idly by and watch. If Humana broke the law in their communique to their customers, then so be it, prosecute them. But the writing is on the wall here that the plan is to spin around some vague interpretation of a law and make an example.
It is sickening behavior on the part of the Obama administration. It does however fit the character of this Chicago-thugocracy that currently resides in the White House. Its a non-violent crackdown on the part of the United States Government to silence dissent. Its un-Constitutional and needs to be called out. I am sure we won’t see it on the DNC’s Call em Out website though.
Manuel Zelaya was clearly in violation of the countries constitution by attempting to institute changes in the law that would allow him more than the one-term limit imposed by the law of the land.
In addition, Article 239 specifically states that any president who so much as proposes the permissibility of reelection “shall cease forthwith” in his duties, and Article 4 provides that any “infraction” of the succession rules constitutes treason. The rules are so tight because these are terribly serious issues for Honduras, which lived under decades of military rule.
In response to Zelaya’s backdoor attempt around this article in the Constitution, the military came in and removed Zelaya with cause. Thats the background of the Honduran story. A lawful removal of the President for attempting to subvert the Honduran democracy. The Honduran government took all the steps necessary to do it the right way. They installed an interim President (Roberto Michelletti) and moved on.
The months since have been a shameful look into the mindset of the current administration. Early on, the administration took an extremely uneducated, dangerous approach to the situation, insisting that Zelaya be reinstated because he was democratically elected. Completely ignored was Zelaya’s actions after being democratically elected. Obama and Hillary Clinton began taking the wrong-headed approach of aligning themselves with the likes of Hugo Chavez, Evo Morales, Daniel Ortega and Fidel Castro aka the worst of Latin American tyrants. One would remember that Hugo Chavez was brought to power by democratic election, and remains in power today by the same means that Zelaya was attempting to use. They joined in chorus with these dictators in denouncing Michelletti, stood quietly as the United Nations and other anti-freedom organizations denounced Honduras, and cut off relations with the government of the tiny Central American nation.
In recent weeks, the Obama administration has continued to press forward its anti-democracy agenda in the Western Hemisphere by suspending non-humanitarian aid to the impoverished nation, cutting off most Honduran visas into this country, and stood on the sidelines as they were forced from the United Nations Human Rights Council, by none other than Cuban strongman Fidel Castro. Honduran President Roberto Michelletti stated that he will not be attending the United Nations gathering this week, since he has been unable to get a visa into the United States. You will notice that the victor in the tainted Iranian election was able to get his visa, despite the obvious election fraud and brutal repression of the Iranian people. Libyan dictator Muamar Quadaffi, fresh off the heros welcome he gave to the Lockerbie bomber was able to get his visa. The other tyrants of the world have received visas and unfettered entrance into this country, yet we refuse to give President Michelletti a way to get to the United Nations General Assembly.
After meeting last week with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other U.S. officials, Zelaya warned that time was running out and that if a political solution was not found soon, Honduras would fall into anarchy and chaos.
Once again condemning the June 28 coup in which Zelaya was removed from his home at gunpoint by the military and put on a plane to Costa Rica, Washington cut off all non-humanitarian aid last week and said it would not recognize the results of the Nov. 29 elections under the current circumstances.
The governments of Latin America have also stated that they will not recognize the elections, as has Organization of American States Secretary General José Miguel Insulza and other figures in the international community.
Wouldn’t the upcoming Honduran election be the end of the story? Manuel Zelaya would not be eligible to run for reelection in this race anyhow, so why would the administration not even recognize an election that could put an end to their stupidly crafted policy against freedom and democracy? By the way, that snippet above was from the Havana Times, Castro’s media mouthpiece. Classic.
Wake up America. We are one crisis away from having our own democratically elected lifetime president in Barack Obama. He cannot be stupid enough to not understand what ACTUALLY happened in Honduras. His policy and mindset indicate his willingness to trash constitutional law in favor of power.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick lets the cat out of the bag: President Obama has been pressing behind the scenes for the state to change its Senate succession law back to the way it was in 2004 so the Democrats can regain their filibuster-proof Senate majority. Not surprising, especially given the higher profile taken by other national party leaders, but not exactly the image the White House was going for. But perhaps necessary given their health care ambitions.
Fits the standard operating procedure of the federal government and Obama administration inserting itself into every level of state sovereignty issues. The rules for succession are in place, recently changed to fit the needs of the Democrat party in 2004.
You will remember, shortly before Ted Kennedy died he also wrote a letter to Gov. Deval Patrick asking for a rule change for how they would replace him. It appears Obama now knows how desperate he is in this healthcare debate, that losing one stalwart yes-man vote could be devastating, and wants that yes back in place in short order.
Will Governor Patrick cherry-pick some new executive power to change the rule again? If Obama has his way he will. Disgusting.
An uncharacteristically emotional Nancy Pelosi is warning Republicans — and other groups getting whipped up over the health care debate — not to incite unstable supporters who might repeat acts of violence that struck San Francisco in the 1970s.
A top Pelosi aide later confirmed reporters’ suggestions that her statement was a reference to the City Hall murder of gay rights activist Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone in November 1978 — an earth-shattering experience for Bay Area Democrats like the speaker.
Pelosi stumbled when asked about Rep. Joe Wilson’s “You lie!” outburst and its impact on civility in the House, momentarily overcome by emotion.
“I think we all have to take action and responsibility for our words — we are a free country and this balance between freedom and safety is one that we, um, have to carefully balance,” said Pelosi, who made no direct mention of Republicans.
A House leadership aide later told me that Democrats have become increasingly concerned by the ratcheting up of rhetoric on both sides — and particularly alarmed by the recent hanging in effigy of Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-Md.) by a tea party activist on the Eastern Shore.
“I have concerns about some of the language that is being used because I saw this myself in the late ’70s in San Francisco, this king of rhetoric. … It created a climate in which violence took place. … I wish we would all curb our enthusiasm in some of the statements and understand that some of the ears that it is falling on are not as balanced as the person making the statements may assume.”
Ironic that right after Nancy Pelosi asserted the non-existent swastikas at the townhall meetings, all of a sudden, they actually did start popping up. Obviously I do not know who is responsible for this graffiti, whether it be an opponent of healthcare, or a proponent of healthcare but this is irresponsible and needs not to happen. Pelosi and her ilk want to silence the dissent by demonizing the dissenters, and if it was one of those dissenters who vandalized Rep. Scotts office, then you have just validated her inane argument. The conversation going on in America about healthcare is good, as long as it remains civil and legal. The beating in St. Louis last week, and this crime this week are not constructive.
This woman is something special, thats for sure. Wait..the video of her statement is even better, you can see the crocodile tears she chokes back, check this out.
As if Madam Speaker herself is not actually using the inflammatory rhetoric that may set someone off towards violence, lets check out what Comrade Obama had to say in his speech to the joint session of Congress last week.
“I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it’s better politics to kill this plan than improve it… If you misrepresent what’s in the plan, we will call you out.”
President Obama
We will call you out eh? That sounds like schoolyard trash talk to me, not the words of a statesmen trying to unite his country around a common cause. By the way, that quote was pulled off the Democrat party’s new website which would be the callout page of Democrat.org.
Ms. Pelosi, put away your fake tears. As long as you continue to insult, demonize, diminish, and inflame regular Americans who disagree on policy, it seems you will have to live with the fear of reliving 70’s era San Francisco, which ironically enough was in the throes of a culture war at the time, very similar to what is happening in our great country right now. Weird, I know.
A real conservative speaks out against Obama, odd that 30 years ago this man would be arguing against exactly the things that President Obama is trying to stuff down our collective national throats. President Reagan had it right then, and its still right today. Enjoy. (h/t Mike L)
It has been a whirlwind news cycle the last few days as video after video has been coming out exposing the corrupt underbelly of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).
Andrew Breitbart and his new website BigGovernment.com has been absolutely destroying ACORN, and for his opening act he started releasing the videos and stories from Hannah Giles and James O’keefe as they sought to expose ACORN for who they really are, and contacted Breitbart to get the word out. And what a massive success they have been. They have travelled to Baltimore, Washington DC, New York City, San Bernadino and most recently San Diego playing the same act as a pimp and a prostitute looking for housing. Clearly, the ACORN employees were well versed in manipulating the system, even if it meant aiding and abetting criminal behavior. Things got really good in San Bernadino California, where the Tresa Kaelke (ACORN employee) admitted on camera to killing her husband, effectively illustrating her street cred to the “hooker” Giles and her “pimp” O’Keefe. Sean Hannity got the scoop tonight on the newest video to come out, which happened in San Diego. Take a look at the interview with Breitbart and Giles, along with the newest damning video evidence.
Its simply amazing. Even though to look at them, it would seem there would be no way they could pull off the act, they apparently have convinced ACORN employees across the country, even so much as to get a solicitation from the San Diego representative.
This recent scam, which was attempted in San Diego, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia to name a few places, had failed for months before the results we’ve all recently seen. -Bertha Lewis, Chief Organizer, ACORN
Sorry Bertha, it doesn’t look like they failed. It looks like ACORN has been exposed.
THE FALLOUT
And boy has there ever been some fallout. Shortly after the release of the Baltimore video, Senator Johans (R-NE) added an ammendment to HR3288 which is the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010. Senate ammendment 2355 cut funding to ACORN, and was passed in overwhelming fashion, 83-7. Believe it or not, yes there were 7 who voted to continue funding ACORN. They are as follows:
NAYs —7
Burris (D-IL)
Casey (D-PA)
Durbin (D-IL)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Leahy (D-VT)
Sanders (I-VT)
Whitehouse (D-RI
I know that I am not surprised by this list. Burris and Durbin jump out at me though, as likely being deeply connected with this organization, as they hail from the very center of government corruption in America, the great state of Illinois.
The latest ACORN expose, in which a conservative producer and his partner got two ACORN employees to give him advice on running his prostitution business and evading taxes with their underage Latin American prostitutes (really) has dealt the organization a final blow as far as the Obama administration is concerned: The Census has chosen to stop working with the group, with Census Director Robert Groves writing ACORN President Maude Hurd that public “concern” about the group has become “a distraction from our mission” and that recent events — an apparent reference to the expose — has “added to worsening negative perceptions of ACORN.”.
Conspicuously absent in this whole process has been the mainstream media. This expose from Giles and O’Keefe has exposed ACORN for who they really are (1 or 2 times coincidence, 5 is a pattern, sorry ACORN), but it has also exposed the inept main stream media for who they really are as well. They have been all but silent, other than MSNBC and CNN blasting these radical conservative 20-somethings who are on a witch hunt, following the right-wing obsession with ACORN. Actually MSM, they are doing your job…real investigative journalism. Check out the piece MSNBC put out, including an interview with ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis. Tell me after watching this there isn’t some sort of leftist bias and radical agenda from this news organization. Its so thick in this segment, it cannot be missed.
Classic MSNBC…I was actually waiting for Rachel Madcow or Keith Olbermann to rush the stage and start up with one of their inane right-wing demonizing rants. One can dream I suppose.
I will end with this. We should all lift these two patriots up in our prayers, as the media and this organization has threatened them with lawsuits and other smears, and I’m sure its just a matter of time before more serious threats are levied in their directions. With a little creativity, they have accomplished what millions of decent Americans were hoping for, which is effectively bring down the largest “social justice” aka socialist community organizations in the country. Their website uses this social and economic justice double speak in its “ABOUT” section. Too bad the American public is awake now to what that term actually means.
It will be interesting to see more of the fallout in the coming days and weeks. Potential Congressional investigations into lawmakers ties with this group would be appropriate, and let us not forget that the Obama administration and campaigns have been intricately involved with ACORN. It was after all his first job out of college! Already the White House has thrown ACORN under the bus, by attempting to distance itself from the group. But the American public already knows better than that. Its their typical modus operandi to sell out their friends when times get tough.
This has truly been a shock and awe campaign unleashed by the grassroots in America against corruption.
Here is a letter to the editor published in the Detroit Free Press today. It about says it all.
Thank goodness for Mitch Albom! Without him I’d have never known I was a racist.
Here, I thought that I disagreed with the president’s policies because he nationalized some of the largest corporations in America (e.g. numerous banks, GM, Chrysler etc).
I thought that I disagreed with him because he has quadrupled the national debt and because he now wants to take over nearly 10% more of the US economy under the guise of fixing healthcare.
I thought that watching co-workers getting laid off by the dozen, and seeing my friends and neighbors lose their jobs as federal unemployment reaches 10% was reason enough to disagree with the President. Now I know better.
Thanks to reading Mitch’s Sept. 13 column (”Yell at Obama a new low but not the last”), I now know that the reason I disagree with the president is that I’m actually a racist.
At first this news made me feel bad, but then Mitch pointed out that it wasn’t really my fault; it’s the fault of talk radio and cable TV (I should have known that I’m not bright enough to form my own opinions).
I now know that only Mitch’s talk radio show should be considered palatable.
Thanks again, Mitch, for straightening me out on this!
This concerned citizen from Michigan (apparently a racist, he now knows it lol) wrote this in response to Mitch Alboms column published on September 13 in the Free Press where he arrogantly declared that disagreement with policy and ideology actually have nothing to do with policy and ideology. It stems from a deeper need to use the “N” word for a black President, and since we can’t do that, we can use the more socially acceptable terms such as anarchist, socialist, communist etc.
The premise of his argument is tied to the Rep. Joe Wilson story, which of course we have all heard by now the two words heard ’round the world. YOU LIE! An amazing sentence, a tiny sentence, but a sentence that apparently is not to be used in the Congress of the United States of America. Certainly not during the middle of a speech that was in fact laced with half-truths, deception, and vagueries. Yes, we know that in the bill it says that your not to be able to get the public option if you are an illegal resident. But the following paragraphs and pages leave loopholes so large that a Mack truck could drive through it. No coverage for illegals, but absolutely no check system in place to acheive that statement. In essence, a half-truth or as my mother told me as a child. A LIE.
For his lack of decorum in the joint session of Congress, Rep. Wilson did in fact apologize to the President. He acknowledged that he was in error by interrupting his speech (frankly, I disagree…if cheers from Dems are ok, why is dissent not ok?). The President accepted his apology, effectively ending the story right? No, not even close. The silliness has only just begun. Fundraising for Wilsons upcoming election opponent spiked to amazing levels, as he was demonized by the DailyKos kooks, and the faux intellectualism of many lefty reporters. He was a racist, he didn’t disagree with Obama’s statement…he hated the fact that a black man delivered it. Its ludicrous. Race baiters across the country have apparently united to form a wall of separation around this President, to make sure he does not encounter any policy disagreements. After all, it only means your racist right?
So, in its typical useless form, the House undertook the unprecedented step of passing a resolution of disapproval for Rep. Wilsons behavior. It has never been done. It was a monumental waste of time.
The 240-179 vote on the resolution of disapproval reflected the sharp partisan divide over the issue. Democrats insisted that the South Carolina Republican take responsibility for what they said was a serious breach of decorum. Republicans characterized the vote as a political stunt.
Wilson himself would not back down on his position that he owed the House no apology. Surrounded by Republican supporters, Wilson said Obama had “graciously accepted my apology and the issue is over.”
Thank God for journalists like Megyn Kelly, who have been blessed with a measure of common sense and decency.
Wait, but Wilson isn’t the only racist in town. Over a million protesters took to Pennsylvania Avenue marching to the Capitol to put our racism on display for the world…I mean, everyone saw the pictures of the Patriots in their white hoods right? No..you didn’t. But the attempt to marginalize and demonize the outpouring of anger over government (if you were there, you would know that the majority of anger was aimed at the Congress, not the President).
Racism is a weak argument. You cannot debate the merits, you can’t defend the Presidents indefensable policy. His mindset, his history, his associations, and his actions in the office of the President of the United States are admittedly progressive, which is merely double speak for socialist. Wait, according to Mitch Albom, that statement must be my inner racist coming out again. Ridiculous. Debate the facts.
The GOP has shown its weakness in the face of a radical left agenda, thankfully grassroots conservative voters across the country are wide awake to what is happening with the agenda being driven by President Obama. Sadly, the GOP is behind the curve at every turn. Here are a few examples from tonight….
First, the Republican response to a combative, yet eloquent delivery of a radical socialist agenda…while the content of the speech is decent, the delivery and charisma is enough to put you to sleep.
Ok wake up people!! Dr. Charles Boustany is done putting you to sleep.
House Democratic Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) called Wilson’s outburst “embarrassing,” while McCain said it was “totally disrespectful” and that there was “no place for it in that setting or any other.”
McCain said Wilson “should apologize for it immediately.”
Shortly thereafter, the hero of the night for conservatives across the country, and really across the world (the rest of the world does not want to see us descend into socialism) digressed into a lame apology for his conduct within the chamber. See, what I don’t understand is you said it, you meant it, why apologize for it? The constant cheering, hooting and hollering in favor or in dissent is appropriate, why not his little outburst?
“This evening I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the President’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill. While I disagree with the President’s statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the President for this lack of civility.”
Oh yes, speaking of John McCain. This would be the same guy that at the very mention of his name, and one of his ideas just fell all over himself with glee as we winked, waved and gave Obama the thumbs up. Sickening. These guys really don’t have a clue as to what is happening to the country they grew up in. Falling for flowery words is not the way to govern and legislate. It’s time to clear that chamber of all the ineptness that fills it.
It seems that Sarah Palin may in fact be the only “republican” out there who actually speaks for the people. And she is actually unafraid to take on the Washington power establishment.
Ok, I’ve gotten that out of my system for now…back into the fight to stop the freight train towards socialism.
Open wide America. Your about to have comprehensive healthcare “reform” shoved down your throats, and it will be soon.
The ironic part of it all is that we the people of the United States are supposedly the ones that will benefit from all of this, yet the American people don’t even know what the bill is going to be. Some on Capitol Hill have stated that there is not a new bill, that they are still using HR 3200, yes the monstrosity that started this whole debate, as the framework and possibly even the bill that will be used. Robert Gibbs in fact noted today in his press conference that they are not starting over (apparently nobody listened during the townhalls) and that apparently the President also will not be presenting a bill during his address to a joint session of Congress tommorow night.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Obama will in fact be pressing for the public option, along with the Senates new idea to levy a large tax($3800) on those without insurance. Yes, that would be forcing those without insurance (whether by choice or otherwise) to go on to the public insurance option. Bye bye freedom and free market principles.
President Obama’s newest ally and friend is once again speaking out on his behalf.
Marxist dictator (or as he would contend Democratic torch bearer) Hugo Chavez let the whole world know again that his new best friend in the western hemisphere needs his help, and Obama certainly will get it. From Reuters:
Chavez was in Venice for the world premiere of “South of the Border,” director Oliver Stone’s sympathetic portrait of a leader he says has championed the poor and who has been unfairly demonized by the U.S. media.
“I have no reason to call him (Obama) the devil, and I hope that I am right,” Chavez told reporters in Venice.
“With Obama we can talk, we are almost from the same generation, one can’t deny that Obama is different (from Bush). He’s intelligent, he has good intentions and we have to help him.”
Yes, by the way, that is correct. Chavez was in Venice for the Venice Film Festival for the world premiere of Oliver Stone’s new movie “South of the Border” which highlights Hollywoods love affair with leftist dictators, notably Hugo Chavez. Stone clearly has lost his mind. We will be waiting for the film release that will highlight his takeover of the oil-rich nation, his strong-arm tactics in holding on to power, and for good measure maybe even his close alliance with other like-minded dictators such as Castro, Ahmadinejad and others.
“Filmmaker Oliver Stone should be ashamed of this disgraceful movie. He, along with the likes of actors Danny Glover and Sean Penn, has shown his true colors by cozying up to Venezuela’s communist leader Hugo Chavez and honoring him in this new documentary
“It’s ironic that Stone, as an independent filmmaker, would prop up a dictator who has systematically quashed freedom of expression and freedom of the press in Venezuela.
“Stone recently said he was “rooting for this Bolivian movement.” Everyone is allowed their opinion. But once again, Stone is making up the facts.
“American moviegoers would be wise to ignore Stone’s blatant attempt to highlight his distortion of the facts and Hugo Chavez’s vitriol against the United States.”
Yes, it is ironic Congressman Mack. The dolts in Hollywood can’t seem to understand that the capitalist system under which we operate has given them the lives they so enjoy.
God Bless America and the freedom of speech that she offers these moviemaker morons to produce this type of garbage.
Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.) will announce her retirement Thursday at a 10 a.m. press conference at her Los Angeles office, several Democratic sources told POLITICO.
Where are the Republicans in Congress standing up to this sort of over the top tyrannical behavior on the part of Baucus and the CMS. This is clearly part of their overarching strategy of intimidation and stifling of dissent in this country. We have watched it happen with all of the brushing aside of the teaparty movements, the outcry at the townhalls this past summer and every other opposing view of the Presidents healthcare proposal. It seems that once again, powerful Congressman are being allowed to run amock, while their colleagues stand idly by and watch. If Humana broke the law in their communique to their customers, then so be it, prosecute them. But the writing is on the wall here that the plan is to spin around some vague interpretation of a law and make an example.
The months since have been a shameful look into the mindset of the current administration. Early on, the administration took an extremely uneducated, dangerous approach to the situation, 
Fits the standard operating procedure of the federal government and Obama administration inserting itself into every level of state sovereignty issues. The rules for succession are in place, recently changed to fit the needs of the Democrat party in 2004.
The premise of his argument is tied to the 
Shortly thereafter, the hero of the night for conservatives across the country, and really across the world (the rest of the world does not want to see us descend into socialism) 
President Obama’s newest ally and friend is once again speaking out on his behalf.
