Caribou Ken Sues the Feds!
By Shannyn Moore
My dear Alaskans, sadly Caribou Barbie has been replaced with Caribou Ken.
Tuesday, Governor Sean Parnell and Attorney General Dan Sullivan announced plans to sue the federal government over health care reform.
Every GOP/Republican dog whistle was blown during the press conference. Parnell was partisan, pathetic and pure pander. Governor Parnell had a personal feeling the health care bill was unconstitutional and had the department of law look it over. “This is not about health care. It’s a battle for freedom.” He stated the federal government “is taking our freedoms”.
He had no choice; the government could decide to mandate we “all buy gym memberships to fight obesity” or force us to buy GM cars. He claimed to protect “liberty interests”. Huh? He won’t “trade freedom for health care”. Really? Easy to say when you have state paid health insurance for you and your family.
My favorite bite of this Parnell word salad? “It’s time for us to breathe again, and deeply, of this American air rather than labor like colonists for an individual mandate.” Oh, good, Palin’s speech writer has a back-up job.
Parnell equated himself to the founding fathers fighting for freedom, but in July, 1798, Congress passed, and President John Adams signed “An Act for the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen” into law. It authorized the creation of a marine hospital service, and mandated privately employed sailors to purchase health care insurance. Its passage created America’s first payroll tax. Ship owners were required to deduct 20 cents from each sailor’s monthly salary and provide proof of those receipts to the service, which in turn provided ailing sailors hospital care. A 100 dollar fine was levied on any violating owner, or ship’s captain for failure to comply. Using the Production Worker Compensation Calculator the translation to 2009 would be an imposed fine of $72,600. Ouch! Seems worse than a public flogging.
Perhaps Attorney General Dan Sullivan could amend Alaska’s lawsuit to conform to the 1798 precedent. Does Sean Parnell think Presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison didn’t know the limits of the Constitution? This law of mandated insurance was from the same Congress and President who signed unanimously the Treaty of Tripoli June 7, 1797. Article 11 stated, “As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion…”
OMG, our founding fathers mandated insurance AND said we weren’t founded on the Christian religion? This is getting awkward. This may be an indicator that Parnell and Sarah Palin could have been US History study partners.
Well, 1798 was a long time ago. In 1993, Sean Parnell was a state representative. I have looked high and low for his outrage and response to a Republican bill co-sponsored by Senator Ted Stevens. In November, 1993, Sen. John Chafee, R-R.I., introduced what was considered to be one of the main Republican health overhaul proposals: “A bill to provide comprehensive reform of the health care system of the United States” that MANDATED HEALTH INSURANCE. So, Uncle Ted Stevens and the Republican party were trying to take away our freedoms? Well, where were you, Sean? Why didn’t you speak up then? Oh, wait. You weren’t running for governor.
In October of 2007, Sean Parnell endorsed to Governor Mitt Romney. “I am supporting Governor Romney because his record shows that he can improve America.” Wow, is the mandated health care that Romney ushered in during his governorship of Massachusetts “improving America?” Parnell went on, “Additionally, he earned respect by keeping government spending under control as Governor of Massachusetts.” What? How could Parnell support a man who killed the “liberty interests” of his own citizens?
Quite a day for the “Wish-I-Were-an-ELECTED Governor” Parnell. He basically called the founding fathers “unconstitutional”; accused Senator Ted Stevens and company of “taking away our freedoms” in 1993, and must now be horrified he endorsed candidate Romney after Romney implemented legislation that enslaved the fine folks of Massachusetts! What would Parnell say about the Bush Administration spending almost a billion dollars to implement universal heath care…in Iraq?
Senator Mark Begich (D) added an amendment to the recently enacted federal health care reform bill allowing states to provide grants to medical providers who treat Medicare patients. State Representatives Les Gara, (D) and Lindsey Holmes, (D) joined State Senator Hollis French (D) in a letter urging Governor Parnell to act quickly to help more Alaskans have access to Medicare.
Crickets.
Sean Parnell’s solution to making health care accessible to Alaskans? Another task force.
He had a much better option than a lawsuit. He had the option to be a leader.
The health care bill signed by President Obama last month gave governors a way out. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) included an amendment titled “Empowering States to be Innovative.” Translation? If you don’t like the federal bill, INVENT YOUR OWN! Yep! Ta-da! Not only that, but the shiny, new state plan DOESN’T HAVE TO HAVE A MANDATE!
Senator Wyden told Sam Stein, “Why would you just say you are going to sue everybody, when this bill gives you the authority and the legal counsel is on record as saying you can do it without an individual mandate?” Good question. Why would you waste money suing instead of coming up with a solution for the citizens of your state?
Did Attorney General Dan Sullivan bother to even Google the health care bill?
[photo of Sean Parnell at the Anchorage Governor's picnic 2009 themudflats.net]
Cross posted on the Huffington Post.
Our AG in Florida is a leader of that pathetic pack of tax-dollar-wasting obstructionist fools. Welcome to the club, with my sympathies. What a bunch of morans! We have Important Work That Must Be Done and all they’ve got is, “Hell, NO!” Pathetic…
Chin up. We’ve got Vitamin D, which has improved our vision and our energy. We’re onto them. We can and do make a difference.
Wishing all y’all a pleasant and productive Wednesday, eh? (See Flaming Pants post comment 89 for “eh?” disclaimer)
Our Ag in Wisconsin is fighting it also when we can opt out because we have the plans in place and already working for health care for citizens of Wisconsin. Very few fall thru the cracks and yet this republican AG wants to waste money on something like this.IMO it is all about following the party line no matter the cost or if it is right or wrong
I apologize to you all most humbly that the AG of my state, FL, is at the forefront of this nonsense. I deeply regret that he felt he had to do it only because he thinks it will boost his chances of becoming governor rather than for any concern about what the people of the state of Florida actually want.
I further regret that I have not written to him to express my firm desire to be able to “Opt In” to a Federal Health Care System and outrage at the thought of spending badly needed state money on what I believe is a ‘frivolous’ lawsuit.
I promise, I will, after getting some grading done. End of semester is coming up and I am swamped!
AG Bill M’s chief rival is the spunky Alex Sink. She’s been the CFO in the Crist administration and is a pretty sharp cookie. The CFO surely is in a great position to say “what a waste of money that is, all for your political pandering, Bill”. And I hope she does.
Good morning from KS! We are expecting heavy rains (4 to 4.5 inches) starting on Thursday going into Friday with more this weekend, so are aiming to enjoy the outdoors today. Kansas used to be an inland ocean, so it will feel as if we are heading that way again.
AKM, I want to personally thank you for your scholarship and fortitude. I hope others follow your lead.
That you are exposing ignorance of those who keep shouting “freedom, freedom” is a public service of the highest order because these folks are flim-flam artists who use key hot button words and phrases to rile up their base and confuse the even more clueless. Whether politicians such as Parnell are doing this intentionally or because they are truly uneducated about the basic facts of our nation’s founding is unclear.
If they continue to flaunt themselves with the same code words, then we will all know they are doing it intentionally and can be classified as the liars and opportunists they are. You have set before them the facts. They ignore them at their peril. Intelligent, caring people will not let them continue to lie to get their way.
Governor Parnell, you are in need of an education. Please read and learn. Please listen and learn. You are making a fool out of yourself and bringing disgrace to your state.
AKM, you are one of my heros. I wish we had someone of your caliber blogging here. I hope Alaskans know treasured you are by the rest of the country. Keep up the good work. Thank you.
Signing off from soon to be soggy, soggy Kansas.
Thanks, KS, but credit to this article goes to Shannyn Moore.
I’ll try to figure out the best way of making that clear to readers, because I know everyone is used to me being the only voice here. It shows authorship on the front page, and then in the article waaay at the bottom. But neither one really stands out.
And I agree about Shannyn. This is a great piece, and important.
I noticed right away that some articles were written by others and I agree this one is one of many that needs to be seen by many more than those of us that read and post here.
Is there some kind of contest amongst Republican state leaders to take the looniest action possible? My home state of VA is certainly making a strong showing, but Arizona lept to the fron this week. Looks like Parnell is gunning for the trophy too.
What I want to know is why the Party of No thinks it will get anywhere pandering to the most rabid wing of their tiny 20% party?
Maybe b/c our corporate (whore) media keeps giving air time to the idiot Teabaggers and yammering on about GNoP voters being “more motivated to go to the polls in November” than Democratic ones? SO WHAT???? 75% of 20% is still WAY less than 50% of 80%.
*leapt to the front
(my typing is about as good as Sean Parnell’s knowledge of history, apparently)
It is inconceivable to me how anybody could be against the HCB. 8 years ago we lived in the US. We decided to sponsor some children through CCF. When we went to their website we were astound that the US is one of the regions CCF sponsored kids in. So we picked children living in Texas. We left the US in 2004.
A week after Obama signed the HCB, we got a letter that one of our sponsored boys and family is leaving the Avance Project. They are doing too good to qualify and they were going to put another little boy in his place.
After seeing the republican revolt in the US, I saw myself forced to call CCF and change the arrangement. We are keeping our current children in Texas until they grow out or leave the program but we are no longer replacing them with children from the US.
I know sponsoring children should never be about politics. But America is one of the richest
countries in the world and I am still bewildered by the reactions of some Americans and it’s republican representatives about the passage of the health care bill.
I would rather give our money to children living in a society that is too poor to look after them, instead of a society that believes looking after them is either an invasion of privacy or socialism.
I will chip in to a fund to buy Caribou Ken a bumpit for his comb-over. That way he will be even more like his annointer and political hero. Honestly, I thought my state had problems. You 49th’ers have my sympathy.
My state is in the mess too. The governor had to bribe/threaten the AG with loss of staff to get him to file a suit.
WOW. How about making it better Republicans? Geesh. What a concept that two parties get together and work thing out for the good of all. Do the republicans really think that not working with the Dems that this will somehow make things better one day when they get into office. The divide will be huge. Sure people don’t want health care because they will never get sick. If most people should have to carry insurance we should be mad at the people who want to be irresponsible. Telling people that they don’t need insurance is like telling a person don’t worry you are going to live forever and don’t worry- “we are sure you will die without disease or pain.” Pay now or pay later. Holly cow.
Can those that want insurance countersue?
I keep hearing all of these states want to sue but who is out there protecting those people who don’t not have insurance and this would benefit them. Look, I have insurance and ofcourse I am worried about what that means for me. However, I think that health care is needed as a basic human right. And I would like to think that reform should be priority for both parties. This just baffles me.
Ah, jeez…
Barbie and Ken , Alaska style, rely on this year’s marketing hype and expect us to forget what they were wearing a few years ago…
Good job,AKM.
I am really, really embarrassed…
Been trying to pay attention to bylines since ‘the change’
Great job, Shannyn!
At a time when most states are having budget troubles, the only thing to do is spend money on frivolous lawsuits. Makes about as much sense as cutting taxes during a war.
Exactly.
(Hey, Mr$ Paylin, that would be Sarcasm, eh?)
Oy, vey!
I certainly hope that you can prevent him from getting re-elected! I sincerely hope that.
Thank goodness for Barbie and Ken, Skipper, who will be graduating from college this year, will be able to remain on their insurance for several more years – due to Pres. Obama’s Health Care Bill.
Enough is enough. The gauntlet must fall in Alaska, and those who support health care must in no uncertain terms speak in favor of it. Thank you for the article.
A brief history of another age when rich people used state’s right to inflame and control the populace:
Prior to the outbreak of the civil war, the cotton trade in the south was booming. Cheap labor in the form of slaves was driving the working class land owner into poverty. The British textile mills wanted cotton for their cloths, and the market was very competitive. Wealthy land owners using slaves could put out greater quantities for a better price. Smaller farms with no or few slaves could not, and the middle class in the south suffered. Before the war broke out, many farmers had begun to sense this inequity in the market, and some of the southern leadership had begun to question the fairness of slavery in the “free market” of the day. Some historians have made the argument, and I agree, that a political solution to the slavery issue was underway, but the landed wealthy in the south understood this and took action to curtail those efforts to find a peaceful solution. Sound familiar? What is terribly sad about that period of history, is that hundred of thousand southerners whose livelihood had been negatively impacted by the depressed job market created by slavery, marched to their deaths in defense of those landowners, cotton gin barons, and speculators who professed to be the guardians of southern principles. Ultimately, much of what was admirable about the south, was laid to waste in defense of a principle that was based on greed.
I have no doubts whatsoever, that a group of wealthy individuals, seeing a threat to their so called financial empires (the ability to thrive and flourish on the hard work of others and the money they generate in the labor, insurance and investment markets), seek to once again uphold the principle of “profit at all cost”, and go to any lengths to fan the flames of war to defend it. How sad it is, that once again, those who suffer the most under these principles, choose to defend those who would abuse such loyalty. Those who have abused our economic system care very little for those beneath them, and if they can convince them to fight their war for them, so much the better.
I have had enough of being told that our government has grown too big. The Bush administration and the Republican Congress (federal and state) whittled down those parts of our government that watched over our best interest. The Kings of Cotton in their modern day guises have run rough shod through Wall Street for too long. The Obama Administration has been working feverishly to rebuild and restructure a badly damaged system of civil service. If you don’t believe me, look up the raw numbers for the actual sizes of the individual Departments in our government (Government Accounting Office GOA). Read Thomas Frank’s, the Wrecking Crew, to understand how this practice of dismembering the regulatory arm of government was devised and executed by those Kings of Cotton.
The politicians who seek to manipulate the public, who dance the dance of double speak between Capital Hill and the rallies for Tea Baggers keep shouting to whomever will listen that MOST Americans do not support health care reform. Those of us who DO support health insurance / health care reform must speak up now, as loudly and as coherently as possible. Our leaders fought a grueling 72 plus hour battle on the floors of Congress to secure for us a way to reform our health care. We cannot let them down. We must make our physical, electronic and paper presence known. We cannot wait until we hear a shot such as rang out on a cold afternoon in the harbor around Fort Sumter. We cannot allow this all out bashing of the federal government to continue unchallenged. We must be willing to say that we support our governments attempt to make reform a reality.
Alaskans – I know you have been manning the phones, sending the emails and doing your utmost, but I implore you to dig even deeper, reach out to the moderates, and be willing to speak out whenever it is reasonable to do so. I know it is not often comfortable. The progressive movement in Alaska has come so far in such a short time, but we must advance farther. Governor Parnell must be told by all those who can, that we do not want him or the state’s Attorney General to fight the federal government’s implementation of the Health Care bill. This is not a question of state rights, but of corporate rights, and the right of corporations to dominate Alaskan politics. When the oil is gone, when the fishing plays out in the Bering, when the timber has been harvested, those corporations will leave as surely as the they have come and gone in other cities, states and countries.
I love this state, my country, and all the people who dwell within my six degrees. I see how hard we work, and know how difficult it can be to have a political voice when you pull two shifts, and take care of a family. It will be worth it if we dig deep.
Jeanette…nicely said. lovely post…..the Alaskan pups are on the ball and on their case.
What a beautiful post; thank you!
And Shannon, your post that we’re all responding to is absolute dynamite.
sure is. it is a goody Shannyn.
Ass-hats. Both of them.
From healthreform.gov:
Under reform in Alaska:
* 120,000 residents who do not currently have insurance and 27,000 residents who have nongroup insurance could get affordable coverage through the health insurance exchange.
* 52,600 residents could qualify for premium tax credits to help them purchase health coverage.
* 59,400 seniors would receive free preventive services.
* 10,600 seniors would have their brand-name drug costs in the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole” halved.
* 8,600 small businesses could be helped by a small business tax credit to make premiums more affordable.
Here in CA our AG is a Dem and Arnold is not really a Thuglican – but all Dems and Indies need to make sure progressive candidates are kept in or put in office if only to force the message to the baggers that their ideas are dangerous and stupid. I don’t even know who is running in CA for AG but will make sure no dreaded R gets in because in these tough times the last thing I want my taxes spent on is a lawsuit for something desperately needed. I cannot understand how anyone can spout these lies and not get called out on it — problem compounded by lack of journalistic courage by network news.
Parnell thinks this is the first time the federal government has mandated economic activity? (from Daily News story). Hasn’t he heard of Social Security? I think mandated payment into Social Security is economic activity. What about OSHA? Demanding that employers install safety equipment. Sounds economic to me. Or go back to the depression era laws. Farmers were told how much wheat they could grow.
When men who are..brittle..for whatever assorted reasons..(and getting there usually takes quite a bit of time..like laying-down..the strata ‘of pains inflicted’..seen in cliff edges)..they do an unusual thing..according to the people who happen to ..take notice of them..in ..That Phase. In the number of years they have been alive..they have suffered a perception of ‘hurts/refusals/lack of personal-prof. progress’..at a level..Their egos demand..hunger for. The world around them..has not ..fed them..with the dainty-delights..they drempt of..as younger..much younger men. Now..they raise the mental towel..in the sauna..and gaze at what might..lie there..and bitterness..Grows..only bitterness. This ..phase..hits all men who were coozened by too many females..in their ..Early years..and now..the reality.. is beyond their ability..to cope. These actions are like a male-fury..grabbing a swim team swimmers suit’ (you all know the approved name..
..and then lodging a semi-baked potato..where there is no pocket..and ..rushing out to pose..to ‘display’..in a vain attempt..at gaining..something..Anything..to ..fill that emptyness…
I think I, like many others, had a tiny glimmer of hope that Sean P. would be able to govern at least adequately after the debacle of Scarah. But alas, the mediocrity of his governorship is proving to us that he is the same old nuttiness just wrapped in a different package – not as outlandishly sleazy and boldly stupid, but nevertheless inept and uncaring. I think Sean Parnell is just another republican toady to the current fractured republican party. They seem to be like a pinball machine set on permanent TILT. Start writing those letters, e-mails, calls; whatever it takes to let our sentiments known. It truly is making my head pound!
Great response! Nicely put!
Time to throw out the Palin trash. She sure picked a bunch of dumb thugs to be in her administration. .
i believe she running a shadow government up there. she is still de facto governor in Alaska. i also believe she is encouraging her godawful base to consider making Alaska home. it is a blasted shame.
I wish her base would leave TX
bubbles you may be right and who knows who she has training up in her compound
Great picture of him. Should go in the dictionary next to: “s%*t eating grin”.
bwahahahah. snap!
The word that came to my mind was ‘smarmy’.
Well GM just repaid the TARP money they received – 5 years in advance – so that stupid talking point about a Govt. owned car company is FINIS! idiots.
they did? wow…that’s good news.
I heard somewhere that that does not include the fact that the government now owns 51% of the stock though. If this is true, then we do have some ownership of that company. Of course, they can always buy that stock back.
61%. GM isn’t out of the woods yet, by any stretch of the imagination, but this repayment suggests that the foliage might be getting marginally thinner.
I have been a non-partisan voter for over thirty years, but the antics of the Republicans, have had me actually sign-up and donate to the Democratic Party. (I have always had progressive beliefs of community and global concerns, tempered with being fiscally responsible.) Palin and Parnell are embarassments. Dumb and dumber. Sad, but true…
On another note – I read somewhere that Frank Bailey is testifying in the TN court. Unfortunately, he is testifying for the prosecution in the case of the Senator’s son who hacked Palin’s email. The jury is “star-struck” and will be able to see Mrs. Palin when she testifies. I hope the defense has a good card up their sleeve.
I’ve never liked the Democrats, but the behaviors of the ignorant and mean Republicans and Tea Baggers is so out of whack that I may actually _become_ a Democrat just to oppose the idiocy.
welcome and good for you.
What bubbles said…
and also, too, DH Happy’s granddaddy (a dairy, tomato, and tobacco farmer) told him early on, “Never vote for a Republican; they only care about the rich. Democrats are for the working people.”
I realize where you are coming from. I probably have a few years on you. But in 1969 I was attending a GOP gathering, one of many which I pretty much had to do in those days due employment, when I looked around and asked myself “what in the hell am I doing here, these people hate people”?
Now in my 70s, I realize that I made a correct decision at that point. As a result, I feel so much better about my life and the way I regard my fellow man/woman as a result.
My Jesus moment, Eh?
This lawsuit will be interesting to watch. Well, at least for us history nerds.
The claim is based on the idea that the commerce clause of the constitution does not reach far enough to allow government to mandate an activity that is not already in existence.
If the argument is successful with the Supremes, the worst that will happen is that congress will have to re-visit the consequences of not purchasing insurance, and use tax credits to entice people to buy. Meanwhile, cash-strapped states will spend unnecessary dollars on a lawsuit designed by posturing blowhards.
I suspect that by the time this reaches the Supremes, most people will have coverage and will be OK with the new system.
I guess their going to take all that extra government money they get from the Federal government to sue the Federal government. Yep sounds like a republican plan well thought out. Not only is Alaska one of the biggest welfare states in the union but they all seem to forget that mandated insurance was the republican contribution to the Health Care Bill and an idea that was around in the 1990′s when Clinton tried to pass Health Care. Their denseness is appalling.
It’s the physics, stupid.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I just heard you say that you’re afraid that your children will not have the freedom and prosperity that you enjoy. Listen carefully: there is no chance that your children will enjoy the freedom and prosperity that you have enjoyed. We (I am guessing we’re peers) have borrowed against their futures and not only money. Increased law and regulation is absolutely inevitable with a growing population and shrinking resources. Scarcity, chaos, and restriction are absolutely inevitable.
Did you say they’ll take your guns? Let me break it to you gently by saying: it won’t be just you. Legal gun ownership is the very least of the freedoms that will disappear. I have guns. I hunt. But that argument will disappear when the game does. Scarcity will trump game laws when game is gone. (Here in Kodiak it will last a bit longer than most places.) Reducing violence will trump freedom.
I think you said you resent taxes. Get used to it. Our taxes will rise as our governments become more unable to provide the services and protection we expect them to. It won’t be their fault. It will be impossible. The military budget will increase over time as border issues become more and more desperate. Border issues will be nothing compared to resource issues.
Do you despair? Before you do, consider that there are other paths we can take. But that requires some change. Anger and self-pity is easier for some. Our children will suffer together.
What fantasy world do you live in, by the way?
I can’t totally disagree with your analysis of our childrens future, or their children, because I’m also aware of our natural nutrient resource limitations. Such vital resources necissary to provide the main ingrediants for our fertilizers, which is the tesouce that allows us to provide the type of crop yields we currently have, are limited. Such nutrients such as Phosphorous and Potasium are two of the top three main nutrients in fertilizers that are limited. They are also basic elements they can not be created. We may have a 100 year supply, but population growth and need will ultimately determend how long our supply lasts.
I also can’t disagree with you that our borders will have see increased pressure from the outside. But I don’t necissarily agree that our military budgets will increase because of it. Technology advancements and what we currently spend for overseas in our defense budget, could be pulled back and utilized stateside were it is more vitally needed.
Gun ownership and governmental restrictions through increase regulation will not necissarily threaten society, but instead make it a safer society for all to survive for as long as long as resources last.
Chaos will not be a problem, but the natural result and remedey of a collapsing society that can no longer support a its full population on its available resources.
Nature provides examples everyday, as to what happens in a stressed society that can no longer provide for all its individuals. Thomas Multhus in “The Essay on a Principle of Population” released in 1826, created a blue print for us that descibes how a stressed populations adjusts to its limitations, whether its a wild animal population, or humans. Look at a starving Africa country if you want to see in the future.
It may sound tragic, but life is precious and in order for it to exist, it must satisfy it needs or perish.
Time to kick this G NO P male Palin clone to the curb…
The Supremes will not declare it unconstitutional. If they do so, they will have to declare Social Security and Medicare unconstitutional as well as there is a Federal mandate to “purchase” these social “insurance policies”.
It makes you wonder with the recent rulings. I am hoping that you are correct.
They just might…I don’t think that they think all that rationally…they just want to win!
That’s a good point. I don’t think this is a well thought out move based on legal merits. It looks more like a Hail Mary pass to me.
Sorry, I meant a Federal mandation to purchase these policies.
Good thing you corrected that – beat me to it!
LOL
there also too.
Since they are opposed to government involvement in healthcare, does that mean they would support legalizing marijuana so people could medicate themselves?
i sincerely hope so
I wonder what former Governor Wally Hickel thinks about all this Parnell posturing.
In an April 17th commentary in the ADN, he (Wally) gives President Obama a pat on the back.
http://www.adn.com/2010/04/17/1230120/dobrynin-a-source-of-warmth-during.html
Although I am slowing down at age 90, some of the deep beliefs that motivated my years in public life still inspire me. Two landmark events took place this month with regard to one of those beliefs — that Russia and America will one day work together to build a better world.
On April 6 President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a treaty to reduce the arsenals of nuclear weapons in both countries…
The problem with the mandate is that we are forced to give our money to private insurance companies. We need a public option.
Thanks for the history lessons this morning.
Does Parnell seriously think the health care / health insurance system could have continued on as it was? I can think of several small employers as well as plenty of individuals who can attest to the fact that reform was needed. Maybe what we got wasn’t exactly what we had in mind, but I can’t shake the thought that rolling up the sleeves and working on amendments to improve it is a better plan than wasting time, money, and energy trying to get back to what we had, when we know that wasn’t working.
Those are great links, AKM. Thanks for posting them. They really should put to rest the whole arguement that we are a Christian nation and were founded as such. Many of the founding fathers were Christians, but what people fail to forget now is that they worked diligently to protect everyone’s choice.
Sorry to hear that your gov and Carribou Ken have joined the Washington state AG in that insanity to spend our tax dollars on a silly law suit. At least Gov. Gregoire isn’t supportive of it. I thought that when the first law suit was filed and was shown to be worthless that maybe some of the states that hadn’t taken that foolish step would be smart enough to not go there. Apparently not.
As disappointing as this news is, I suppose it was inevitable. Parnell is truly, as Rep. Young put it, “Captain Zero”. He has no constituency and has no positions. Its likely Palin picked Parnell as Governor Lite because his lack of substance posed no conceivable threat to her need for total adulation. Now Ken wants to be elected Governor, so where can he go to find a constituency? He could have taken the bold road by throwing off the restraints of partisanship, reaching across the aisle, and establishing himself as a statesman cleaning up after the pinheads of the Palin term (oops) …years (oops)…year. But no, that would take leadership. He’s earned once again the Captain Zero moniker and decided to try to pick up the reins of the wingnut faction. His problem is that in Alaska, he has lots of competition in that corner.
Palin didn’t pick Parnell. Gov. and Lt. Gov candidates run in their own primaries and get paired by default for the General Election. That’s why Parnell is, apparently, not so happy about current Lt. Gov. candidates for this year’s election…
As with so much of the protesting with this party of NO! and HELL NO! how they THINK people will respond to their actions may just come back to bite them in the long run. Especially when folks realize that it is corporate interests that they’ve been tea partying for, against their own…duped again. I say, give them enough rope…let the veils fall….and see who is behind the curtain…could be amusing if it weren’t such a waste of state money, and will still leave us with sinking hopes for any real change…I would like to see the mandate to buy private insurance gone, and a single payer system in place…so maybe in some backward way, we’ll get there.
This whole thing just makes me want to scream.
I want to start my letter:
Dear Governor Sean Parnell,
Are you INSANE?………………………
But that might not be very productive.
The fact that he could have opted out and come up with something better just makes it so much more ludicrous.
I read a letter to the editor the other day where the writer was going off on “Obamacare” and how we were now going to see our insurance premiums go up by 40%. I was screaming at the newspaper (so now I have probably gone insane) about how they have doubled several times under the current system (my deductibles doubled last year as well as prescription costs) and I am in a fairly large pool. I wonder how many of these people are living on Mars? They just don’t get it. I understand the way the mandate is supposed to work but I also know that it was put there to appease the insurance lobbyists (it was the only way they could get the thing passed in the first place). Now all that the Repubs can do is rile up the right wing screaming about “freedoms”. Do they think that all of us are stupid? I too would rather have a single payor system. But I am sure that the big insurance and big pharma people would make what we are seeing now look like a day at the fair. It is just so depressing that so many of our fellow citizens have bought into the corporate lie and yet they think they are fighting it.
Of the Sullivan/Parnell team, which one is Parnell, Bevis or Butthead?
Making Alaska worse.
See what happens when this type of polity is exercised in other places.
http://www.sullivan-county.com/
Please don’t ruin Alaska.
The AG in TX joined in the lawsuit.–and Gov Goodhair Perry isn’t worried about healthcare ’cause he has “torpedoes in the water.”. Yee Haw! What is under that hair???
“It’s time for us to breathe again, and deeply, of this American air rather than labor like colonists for an individual mandate.”
It seems to me that the “individual mandate” for many Americans nowadays is to labor for the cost of health care under a flawed libertarian regime.
I say stop “show me the money” and start saying “show me the change”
At least one of the Supremes has said he didn’t see anything unconstitutional about the healthcare bill. So good luck to the states. I guess they’re so flush they can afford to throw money away on a frivolous lawsuit.
If it’s helps any of these Republican Governors get defeated in their next election, more power to them.
Schwarzenegger has already said he’s not suing, but he’d termed out anyway.
In addition to Terpsichore appology, I would also like to add my appologize for the State of Florida, that our Attorney General starting this highly partisian lawsuit that will cost not just the citizens of Florida, but also any other states who politians fell the need to push the Republican Party’s agenda ahead of the well being of its citizens.
I would also like to appologize for bringing our male counterpart of Sarah Palin, Marco Rubio, onto the political scene in advance. Hopefully, our very capable and in the past very popular and moderate Republican Govenor Crist, will decide to go Independent and run against Rubio so we don’t bring Rubio’s far right wing politics to the Senate.
In addition, if anyone would like to help Gov. Crist by donating to his political campaign, I know it would be very welcomed since his campaign fund is conciderably below that of Rubio’s. I’m a Democrat but I have always seen Crist as doing what was best for the State, and not necessarily for the party. For that reason, he has many Democrat supporters.
Seconding M Baker’s apology for Marco Rubio…. He started out fairly moderate, but he’s got Jeb’s cabal behind him now; he drank the whole pitcher of kool-aid. Oy, vey!
but I’m with terpsichore in supporting Alex Sink for Governor. She’s a down-home North Carolina girl and also, too, money smart. Crist has been OK, Jeb was and remains a disaster…I’m ready for a Democratic woman to step up and take charge. Alex is a friend of public education; she gets my time, my efforts, my vote.
I’d love to have a short, smart, financially experienced female governor in Florida.
I haven’t actually compared the resumes, but … does Alex Sink have more experience than our Sarah?
Well, she will by the 19th month of her governorship!!!
Per the Alaska DMV website (http://doa.alaska.gov/dmv/reg/require.htm):
“Alaska law requires that the owner of a vehicle must maintain liability insurance in effect that provides for the following minimum amounts: $50,000 for bodily injury or death of any one person, $100,000 for bodily injury or death for any accident, and $25,000 for property damage. Failure to have liability insurance in effect may result in suspension of a driver’s license. A driver is required to certify that there is a policy in effect, as required by law.”
Does this mean that our Governor will be seeking the immediate repeal of this law now that he has seen the light, or are we to continue “…labor like colonists for an individual mandate”
Inquiring minds want to know.
thanks so much, Shannyn. Your wisdom “embiggens” us all (thanks, Lisa Simpson). Off to Huffpo to read their comments on this.
Remember, Sean Parnell is the same empty-headed asshat who wouldn’t drive a few miles across Anchorage to shake hands with the President of the United States when Obama visited Anchorage.
He thinks snubbing Obama and Obama’s policies will play well in the next election. Sadly, he may be correct — Alaska’s voters trend toward the right wingnut.
It’s a sad and shameful day to be a Alaskan.
Does the governor even realize we have a new state of the art free federal hospital right here in Anchorage, on Tudor road?
That a bran new free federal hospital is set for ribbon cutting out on North Muldoon in May?
That the United States Public Health Service has installed and maintains safe water projects in almost every village off the road system here? And what about all those village health clinics?
GEE I guess it is way more important for sp 2.0, congressman yung ding, and liza whose your daddy M, to pander for votes to right wing nut jobs, that to care about the citizens of Alaska
I remain disgusted and ashamed.
Sean Parnell is no leader.
Belated commentary from California. The thing you have to remember is that Alaska is a tiny state (population-wise), and SP 2.0 is in some ways equivalent to the mayor of a medium-sized city. He can shoot his mouth off, because it really doesn’t matter, viz.,
1. It won’t cost Alaska much; there are idiot governors of much bigger states who will foot most of the bill.
2. The issue is already being futilely pursued. Alaska’s presence or absence on the list of idiot plaintiffs will have no effect on the judicial review.
So SP 2.0′s bleatings are safe — they won’t change anything, and maybe he can win a few votes(?). Just think how much harder he would have to think about it if his position actually MATTERED. If his opposition meant that the benefits of the health care bill (limited as they are) just went “poof”. Not only would he not get re-elected, he’d be lucky to make it to the Canadian border.
He’s doing this crap because he knows it’s pointless (except in terms of scrounging for votes).
Here in Cali, we are not joining the lawsuit for two reasons:
1. Ahnold, despite being much more Republican than he wants to admit, is not an absolute asshole.
2. Ahnold is termed out in more ways than one, since he is indisputably foreign-born, and has taken beaucoup de la merde from the national Republican organization, and — I suspect — is tired of it.
3. Our AG isn’t going to spontaneously join the lawsuit because — oh, the reasons are endless, but perhaps “It’s stupid” will suffice. And the Governator isn’t going to try to compel him to do so because of (1) and (2) above; and also because if he did try, he knows that AG Moonbeam would reduce his arguments to steaming piles of semantic offal.
I digress. SP 2.0′s hooey is irrelevant in the greater scheme of things, but it is relevant in the sense that Captain Zero is trying to troll for votes among the Great Pissed-Off-At-Everything-Including-That-Black-Guy-Pretending-To-Be-President. I suggest ignoring this ploy. Instead, focus on issues where he differs from the GPOAEITBGPTP. You know such differences exist. I’ve seen pictures of SP 2.0, and I spent a year in Alaska and knew quite few folks who would be in GPO…, and they are not the same. You’re unlikely to persuade a GPO… to vote for a progressive, but you might be able to convince him/her to NOT vote for SP 2.0.