Max Baucus and white house want to prove to us that they are not in the pockets of the Insurance industry. Here it is:

A report commissioned by America's Health Insurance Plans alleging that the Senate Finance Committee legislation would cause health care costs to go up faster than under the current system.

According to Chucky Todd this report is a surprise To Baucus and the white house. Yeah right! If anything the timing of this report makes it sound like the brain child of the white house. They want to use it to brow beat public option advocates.

Mr. President prove to us that you have a backbone. We are sick and tired of your teleprompter speeches. Act Now!!

A U.S. military spokesman says three American troops have been killed in two blasts in southern Afghanistan.

Navy Chief Petty Officer Brian Naranjo says the attacks happened on Saturday.

Southern Afghanistan is the center of the Taliban-led insurgency, which has made a violent comeback since its initial defeat in the U.S.-led invasion.

Thousands of U.S. Marines and British troops are conducting anti-Taliban operations in the region ahead of this month's presidential elections.

Separately, a French soldier was killed and two others were wounded during a clash with insurgents north of Kabul, the French military said in a statement.

According to CBS news three more soldiers died in explosions in Afghanistan. I was very critical of Bush's war in Iraq and I am going to be equally critical of Obama's macho adventure in Afghanistan. While he vacations in Martha's vineyard with his family young soldiers are dying in Afghanistan. I hope that "Hope" and "Change" are not just words to get elected.

Why should Americans die in Afghanistan? Pakistani ISI created Taliban. The last time I checked Pakistan is Afghanistan's neighbor. Pakistan has a huge army so why don't they fight? Are we outsourcing our troops? Are we supposed keep quiet because Obama is a Democrat? What happened to all the people that protested Iraq War?

Britian has proved beyond any doubt that terrorism could be handled as a law and order situation. If Scotland yard and MI5 could handle the domestic terrorist situation why should our boys fight  and die in Afghanistan?

Obama should not continue Bush's war is Afghanistan. We are not Republicans let us not behave like them. Do you remember the way Repugs supported Bush's Iraq adventure? Wake up and smell the Coffee.    

 

Philosophically I disagree most of the time with CNBC on many of their right wing stances but the way Gibbs handled Santelli was downright stupid.

Gibbs said in his news briefing:

I've watched Mr. Santelli on cable the past 24 hours or so. I'm not entirely sure where Mr. Santelli lives or in what house he lives but the American people are struggling every day to meet their mortgages, stay in their jobs, pay their bills, send their kids to school," Gibbs said. "I think we left a few months ago the adage that if it was good for a derivatives trader that it was good for Main Street. I think the verdict is in on that," the press secretary said, poking directly at the cable journalist, who reports from the trading floor at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Gibbs insisted Santelli was misinformed when he said Obama's program would amount to a transfer of money from prudent taxpayers to those who had taken reckless risks.

I am a trader by profession and watch most of the financial news about the markets (on CNBC, Bloomberg and FBN). Anyone who has watched Santelli knows that he is not stupid or misinformed. He has claimed many times on air that he subscribes to Ayn Randian philosophy. He was also against bank bailouts.

Gibbs could have simply said that the WH simply disagrees philosophically with Santelli and CNBC. He could have added that Obama administration is not "Ayn Randian". I think there is a much deeper problem with this administration. They want every one to agree with them and are afraid to state clearly disagreements over policy.  This is taking bipartisanship to a stupid level.

I am posting this in response to the outrage expressed against the imposition of Sharia law in Pakistan. I would like to point out that Shari laws are more common than you think.

Indian civil law is complex, with each religion having its own specific laws which they adhere to. In most states, registering of marriages and divorces is not compulsory. There are separate laws governing Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and followers of other religions. The exception to this rule is in the state of Goa, where a Portuguese uniform civil code is in place, in which all religions have a common law regarding marriages, divorces and adoption. ........................................ ........................................ ........................................ ........................................ ........................................ ......
Hindu Law As far as Hindus are concerned there is a specific branch of law known as Hindu Law. Though the attempt made by the first parliament after independence did not succeed in bringing forth a Hindu Code comprising the entire field of Hindu family law, laws could be enacted touching upon all the major areas affecting family life among Hindus in India.[citation needed] [edit]Muslim law Indian Muslims' personal status laws are largely based on Sharia. The development of the law is largely on the basis of judicial precedents. The contribution of Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer in the matter of interpretation of the statutory as well as personal law is significant. [edit]Christian Law As for Christians, there is a distinct branch of law known as Christian Law which is mostly based on specific statutes. Christian law of Succession and Divorce in India have undergone changes in recent years. The Indian Divorce (Amendment) Act of 2001 has brought in considerable changes in the grounds available for divorce. By now Christian law in India has emerged as a separate branch of law. It covers the entire spectrum of family law so far as it concerns Christians in India. Christian law, to a great extent is based on English law but there are laws that originated on the strength of customary practices and precedents. Christian family law has now distinct sub branches like laws on marriage, divorce, restitution, judicial separation, succession, adoption, guardianship, maintenance, custody of minor children and relevance of canon law and all that regulates familial relationship.

I personally hate the idea that they have separate family laws for each of the religious group. Regardless of what we think every sovereign country has right to have its own set of laws.  We have many draconian laws on the books in this country.

http://india.smashits.com/wikipedia/Law_in_India

Most people here are in total denial and do not want to face facts.  It is fantastic that Bush is gone and it is equally fantastic that McCain got crushed but those facts do not make Obama a progressive.

Let us look at the issues and his positions:

He is for extraordinary rendition.If I may jog your memory
Sen. Obama Promised to Support Repealing PATRIOT Act, then Voted to Extend it.

He is against Gay and Lesbian marriages.

Rick Warren is his buddy "wink wink nod nod"

Do you remember Donnie McClurkin in SC?

His plans for faith based initiative are indistinguishable from those of Bush's.

Rhetoric on NAFTA that we heard in Ohio last year was just that.

Commerce secretary pick Judd Gregg scores 0% on AFL-CIO union issues.

His fiscal brain trust consists of "Banker bailing" Geithner and Summers.

He has picked Gen James Jones who could have been McCain's pick to head the NSC.  He had no problem selecting "Anne Oakley" to be the SOS. Perhaps in the end she would turn out to be lot more "progressive" than him.

He prefers  "blue dog" Kathleen Sebelius over  progressive "Howard Dean".

He thinks Time Kaine is a great replacement for Dean.

If he barks like a "Blue Dog" he is a blue dog.

Thank God we did not elect McCain.

Today Obama and teflon Tim announced the executive salary cap. It is nothing more than a slap on the wrist. Larry Kudlow and CNBC trolls are very happy because they know it only applies to a handful of executives.

I am very unhappy to say that the administration is taking advantage of the fact that the public lacks the knowledge of the financial markets.

Today's announcement is nothing more than a white wash to pacify the public and has no teeth.

Obama has made the wall street and their lackeys very happy with his announcement.  

It all depends upon the definition of extraordinary help from U.S. taxpayers. According to Washington Post:

But the new rules do not limit compensation at any of the more than 300 banks that have received government aid so far, because the restrictions are not retroactive. Furthermore, even if the new rules had applied retroactively, it appears that only three companies would have been subjected to the mandatory restrictions: AIG, Citigroup and Bank of America. The mandatory standards would apply solely to companies that receive assistance beyond what is generally available to other companies. Senior executives at all three companies would have been forced to take pay cuts, because compensation packages are well in excess of the $500,000 standard.

It does not include all the institutions getting the TARP money.

Dean would be a great pick for HHS secretary. I think he is more qualified and better suited to head HHS than Daschle. In fact Dean has more experience than any one in Obama cabinet.

The argument for Howard Dean as Secretary of Health and Human Services is quite straightforward. He's a medical doctor, and has more executive experience than anyone else in Congress or the White House. In his six terms as Governor of Vermont he paid off the state's public debt, expanded health insurance for children, lowered taxes, signed civil unions into law, and delivered a balanced budget every year. And of course as Chairman of the DNC he implemented the 50-state strategy that gave Obama the foundation for victory.

The only reason Dean wasn't tapped for HHS outright? Rahm Emmanuel, who bitterly opposed the 50-state strategy that brought his new boss to victory. As I mentioned earlier, Dean's name was excluded from consideration quite early on, citing Dean's "partisan background" and lack of congressional experience. That argument is total nonsense - and applies far more to Daschle than it does to Dean anyway.

It's time to acknowledge that Howard Dean is the right choice for HHS.

She was also the only NY Senator that voted against Wall Street bailouts.

In her acceptance speech, Gillibrand said: "I will advocate for marriage equality."
President Obama lauded the choice, saying Paterson had made a "wonderful choice."
"During her career, Kirsten has been a strong voice for transparency and reform in government and shares the belief that government should be open, accessible and work for all of our citizens," Obama said in a statement.

........................................ ........

The New York gay rights lobby Empire State Pride Agenda is confident Gillibrand is an advocate for gay rights. Friday, the group released a statement congratulating Gillibrand.
"Finally, the great state of New York has a U.S. Senator who supports marriage equality for same-sex couples," Alan Van Capelle, the group's executive director said. "Kirsten Gillibrand also supports the full repeal of the federal DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) law, repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT, the military's gay ban) and passage of legislation outlawing discrimination against transgender people."

I do not agree with Gillibrand's on all the issues but unlike Caroline "YOU KNOW" Kennedy we have real winner in Kirsten Gillibrand. I have no doubt she would deliver us progressive Democrats the empire state in 2010.