For Dems only.

[Balta1701]

Same deal in the Onlys.  The GOP thread posts would probably have steam coming out of my ears.  And they should, that's what the thread is for.

Heck, yesterday I posted a response to the GOP only thread here, because my post count in their thread is 0 and I intend to keep it that way, whether or not they can't figure out long division in their posts.

[FlaSoxxJim]

So how is this for hubris. . .

 

Frist is threatening to change the structure of the Senate Intelligence Committee if Rockefeller can actually come up with enough votes to pass the motion to investigate the illegal domestic spying program. The change would eliminate the nonpartison oversight the Committee now enjoys and turn it into a GOP-controlled vehicle that can choose to turn a blind eye to the abuses of the program.

 

Frist:

I am increasingly concerned that the Senate Intelligence Committee is unable to its critically important oversight and threat assessment responsibilities due to stifling partisanship that is exhibited by repeated calls by Democrats on the Committee to conduct politically-motivated investigations. . . .

 

I would propose that we meet with Senators Roberts and Rockefeller as soon as possible. The Committee was established and structured to reflect the Senate's desire for bipartisanship, and to the maximum extent possible, nonpartisan oversight of our nation's intelligence activities. If attempts to use the committee's charter for political purposes exist, we may have to simply acknowledge that nonpartisan oversight, while a worthy aspiration, is simply not possible. If we are unable to reach agreement, I believe we must consider other options to improve the Committee's oversight capabilities, to include restructuring the Committee so that it is organized and operated like most Senate Committees.

[Balta1701]

Linky

 

Hindu priests, who take care of the Gandhi memorial, have conducted a purification ceremony at the shrine so as to cleanse it after it was scoured by Bush's sniffer-dogs.

 

The priests fetched water from the Ganges for the ceremony.

 

Bush had visited the memorial on Thursday during his three-day visit to India. The site, where Gandhi was cremated, is considered sacred and it is mandatory for all visitors to remove their shoes before entering the premises.

 

The dogs, flown in from the US, were part of the intense security for the president, but the Hindu priests believed they tainted the site.

 

Letting dogs into the memorial also drew sharp protests from Hindu politicians and Gandhi's great grandson Tushar Gandhi, who called the incident a "national shame."

[FlaSoxxJim]

A bit of 'this day in history' levity and truth from DKos Cheers and Jeers this morning"

 

1978 Hustler publisher Larry Flynt shot & crippled by a sniper in Georgia. Funny world, when a loathsome pornographer has done more for my First Amendment rights than most of my elected officials. Here's to you, Larry. Just wash that glass when you're through with it. Please.

[Balta1701]

So Josh Marshall has lately been following a story which looks like the first effort in a new policy of violating military regulations by having uniformed military officers make appearances at Republican Campaign events.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Pentagon, Homeland Dept., and the Coast Guard objected to UAE port deal, concerns promptly ignored.

 

At least three security agencies raised objections to a takeover by a United Arab Emirates state-owned company of the operations of six major U.S. ports.

 

Congressional sources said the Defense Department, Homeland Security Department and Coast Guard expressed objections during the review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States of the state-owned Dubai Ports World, which bought the British-owned Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. P&O has managed port operations in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, Miami, Philadelphia and New Orleans.

 

"All of the rules were bent on this one," a congressional source said. "We had a major security review managed by political appointees."

 

But most of the objections were not recorded in the proceedings of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the sources said. They said the objections remained off the record for "technical reasons." Later, the heads of some of the agencies denied that their representatives raised concerns.

 

"During this review process there were no issues raised by any agency within DoD, including our U.S. Transportation Command, and that is significant because that was a special review measure we'd put in place to ensure that any military transportation security issue would be identified," Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Feb. 28

 

Full Story:

http://www.insightmag.com/Media/MediaManager/ports.htm

[Balta1701]

I'd just like to say...anyone who ever says that America has the greatest health care system in the world has never dealt with America's health care system.

 

That is all.

[Rex Kickass]

I have dealt with the French and German health care systems. I'd take my bloated bill with good treatment over six weeks in the hospital for a broken arm anyday.

[FlaSoxxJim]

I have dealt with the French and German health care systems. I'd take my bloated bill with good treatment over six weeks in the hospital for a broken arm anyday.

Ach, try staring at $5,000 worth of pediatric vision therapy that would have been covered by Blue Cross a year ago but isn't now. Tht's the bloated bill I'm trying to contend with.

[Rex Kickass]

I watched one of the best hospitals in Germany give up on my Grandfather because he didn't want to eat.

[kapkomet]

I'd just like to say...anyone who ever says that America has the greatest health care system in the world has never dealt with America's health care system.

 

That is all.

 

 

Ach, try staring at $5,000 worth of pediatric vision therapy that would have been covered by Blue Cross a year ago but isn't now.  Tht's the bloated bill I'm trying to contend with.

Why, what happened?

[FlaSoxxJim]

Why, what happened?

For me, Blue Cross just decided to revisit what procedures are allowable claims, and they decided the procedures my daughter requires are not allowable anymore.

 

The bean counters, rather than the doctors, are deciding what is a necessary procedure. But when you see my daughter struggling to read because she has one eye not playing nice with the other and inverting letters, etc., you know damn well that she has a medical need. So we're shelling out about half my wife's takehome pay for 14 weeks to get her the treatment she needs because Blue Cross considers it elective therapy now.

[Balta1701]

Why, what happened?

Let me just say it's been a baaaaad day, and I'm going to leave it at that.

[kapkomet]

For me, Blue Cross just decided to revisit what procedures are allowable claims, and they decided the procedures my daughter requires are not allowable anymore.

 

The bean counters, rather than the doctors, are deciding what is a necessary procedure.  But when you see my daughter struggling to read because she has one eye not playing nice with the other and inverting letters, etc., you know damn well that she has a medical need.  So we're shelling out about half my wife's takehome pay for 14 weeks to get her the treatment she needs because Blue Cross considers it elective therapy now.

The reason I asked is because sometimes you can get them to review based on medical necessity if they changed the policy during/before the end of the treatments.

 

And Balta, sorry dude. Hope things get better.

Edited March 7, 2006 by kapkomet

[FlaSoxxJim]

The reason I asked is because sometimes you can get them to review based on medical necessity if they changed the policy during/before the end of the treatments.

 

And Balta, sorry dude.  Hope things get better.

Yeah, we're keeping all the bills and plan on going through the submit/denied/appeal tango with the insurance. We shall see.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Trying soooo hard not to be cynical about all of this.

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Republicans on Tuesday agreed to expand oversight of    President George W. Bush's domestic spying program but rejected Democratic pressure for a broad inquiry into eavesdropping on U.S. citizens.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060308/pl_nm/...avesdropping_dc

 

Kap and others repeatedly said, 'let's wait and see after we get to the bottom of all of this.' Reasonable enough advice, if Congress ever had any inclination to actually get to the bottom of any of it.

 

happy thoughts. . . happy thoughts. . .

[kapkomet]

Trying soooo hard not to be cynical about all of this.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060308/pl_nm/...avesdropping_dc

 

Kap and others repeatedly said, 'let's wait and see after we get to the bottom of all of this.'  Reasonable enough advice, if Congress ever had any inclination to actually get to the bottom of any of it.

 

happy thoughts. . . happy thoughts. . .

Congress needs to ask the right questions. For sure. But, Congress doesn't set the policy for these items in wartime. That's the only thing. So where's the balance?

[Balta1701]

Congress needs to ask the right questions.  For sure.  But, Congress doesn't set the policy for these items in wartime.  That's the only thing.  So where's the balance?

Congress clearly has the legal right to pass laws setting policy during wartime. The War Powers act immediately comes to mind. As does McCain's recent Torture ban that we won't be following.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Congress needs to ask the right questions.  For sure.  But, Congress doesn't set the policy for these items in wartime.  That's the only thing.  So where's the balance?

After the fact like this, I'd say the only recourse for balance is an inquiry to see if the actions square with the authority reasonably understood to be vested in the executive. Not trying now to "fix FISA" to allow the program to continue without addressing its legality/constitutionality at the time it was authorized.

[Balta1701]

After the fact like this, I'd say the only recourse for balance is an inquiry to see if the actions square with the authority reasonably understood to be vested in the executive.  Not trying now to "fix FISA" to allow the program to continue without addressing its legality/constitutionality at the time it was authorized.

Well, the one good bit of news you do have is that there are still several court challenges focused on the program. Who knows where they'll go. The Brooklyn Bridge blowtorch guy has filed to have his charges dismissed based on any evidence that was obtained through that program, and there are a couple of other larger challenges out there. But then again, if they won't inform Congress...who knows how they'll treat the courts, and it's certain to take years and a supreme court challenge just to get information out of the Administration, let alone actually deciding any cases.

[Balance]

Congress needs to ask the right questions.  For sure.  But, Congress doesn't set the policy for these items in wartime.  That's the only thing.  So where's the balance?

Right here.

 

There they go, moving the goalposts again.

 

(And kap, don't even think of making a clever retort. You're in the Dem thread now.)

Edited March 8, 2006 by Balance

[FlaSoxxJim]

(And kap, don't even think of making a clever retort.  You're in the Dem thread now.) 

You make it sound like there's never been any clever here in the Dem thread . . .

[kapkomet]

BTW, Flaxx, that is a hysterical avatar.

[FlaSoxxJim]

BTW, Flaxx, that is a hysterical avatar. 

Thanks, I filched it from some lefty-anarchist-moonbat-wiccan-tofu-dolphinsafe blog or another. . .

 

[Balance]

You make it sound like there's never been any clever here in the Dem thread . . .   

True. That's not what I meant, but that's how it reads.

 

Crap.