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The House passed their healthcare bill by 220-215, which is appalling on dozens of levels. But still more sickening and reprehensible was the final pre-vote speech made to reluctant Democrats by Barack Obama.
In order to encourage the (few) conscientious Democrats to vote against the will of their constituents, the president said “sacrifice is not casting a vote that might lose an election for you; it is the sacrifice that someone makes when they wear the uniform of this country and that unfortunately a number of people made this week.”
Yes, the president used the dead and wounded of the brutal Fort Hood massacre to push his own self-serving political agenda. The dead who are not yet buried...the wounded who have only begun their long, painful road to recovery.
Mr Obama, these deaths were not "unfortunate." The victims weren't simply unlucky - they were gunned down by a radical, fundamentalist Muslim who praised suicide bombers online and shouted "Allahu Akbar!" as he executed our unarmed service men and women.
But the president continues to defend the man who committed the murders, saying he doesn't want to "jump to the conclusion" that ideology had anything to do with the shootings. But it's abundantly clear; our troops died because of Major Hasan's beliefs...and their deaths were then used by the president to advance his own beliefs.
Mr Obama, you are a disgrace to your office. And invoking the dead of Fort Hood at this time and in this way is an obscenity beyond words.
Here's a list of all the Blue Dogs who voted FOR the bill.
ReplyDeleteGo to http://thejimmyzshowblog.blogspot.com
Lest we forget that "President" Obama knew instantly, before he had all of the facts, that the police "acted stupidly" when they arrested his friend
ReplyDeleteThis man is a complete disgrace and words cannot begin to describe my utter disdain for him and his entire administration
Its definitely beyond words that our country is going to be destroyed by these immoral, indecent people in the White House. This country should DO something about this....fix their mistake of voting these creeps in....gather around the White House and not leave until they actually do the will of the people!
ReplyDeleteAnd while they are at it, we really should think long and hard about how much of the Muslim religion we are allowing into our country and into our military and politics...because its been proven over and over and OVER again that it as a religion is completely anti-American and anti-freedom, and as such, it is undeserving of the American right of the freedom of religion.
I should add though that its been all but proven that Obama is sympathetic to Muslims, if not a Muslim himself...so I suppose my above paragraph won't be considered anytime soon...
ReplyDeletePer JimmyZ's post, we need to pay attention to who voted for this mess and remember them at election time.
ReplyDeletePer DanM, it is unbelievably hypocritical of Obama to have declared the police "stupid" in the Gates case (and then state that there's a history of police mistreatment of Blacks)...but to now say that WE (the great unwashed) musn't "jump to conclusions" when a militant Muslim attacks our troops to undercut ongoing war efforts.
Suzy, you bring up valid questions. Are all Muslims terrorists? Of course not. But in the interest of political correctness, must we blind ourselves to the possibility that some radical strains of Islam are fundamentally and dangerously anti-American?
It is additionally insulting that the president treats us as if we, as a nation, are a stupid mob which will hunt down Muslims and burn mosques if Major Hasan's murder spree is linked to his Islamic beliefs. But it was Muslim mobs who killed people after they were offended by editorial cartoons of Muhammed. By contrast, following the horrific jihaddi attacks of 9/11, Americans committed no violence or persecution...and subsequently elected their first president with Muslim roots.
It is clear that we are a great country...but that we have "leaders" who don't believe it, with Barack Obama being foremost in that sad number.
I just pray the Senate can keep their heads screwed on straight and keep this bill away from the President's desk...indefinitely.
ReplyDeleteThis is an absolute disgrace. This man is a low life scum, not even worthy to work as a janitor in a public school and he's the president? Makes my stomach churn.
ReplyDeleteStilton love your cartoons, but I think you are jumping to conclusions on the Ft. Hood incident.
ReplyDeleteIf Major Hasan was given Lariam before going out to Iraq he could have had a psychotic reaction to it. There is plenty of case history out there:
http://www.refusingtokill.net/disability/va_warns_doctors_about_lariam.htm
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/03/army_lariam_032209w/
There is nothing in his history that shows that he wanted to kill anybody because he was a Muslim. If Major Hasan was a white christian do you think you would be jumping to conclusions?
For example:Timothy McVeigh was a Christian and that didn't stop him from killing 168 (men, women, and children) in addition to injuring 450 others. Did Jesus make him kill everybody?
Anonymous, I appreciate the measured way you make your case, and you've got some good points here. I don't want to jump to conclusions...but at the same time, I don't want to be blind to what seems overwhelming evidence.
ReplyDeleteCould Hasan have had a psychotic reaction to a drug? It's possible...but why, then, was he giving things away to neighbors, passing out Korans, and engaging in good-natured joshing at the convenience store the morning of the massacre? The fact that he was giving everything away shows that his attack was pre-planned - not a sudden "snap." Yet his actions in the days immediately preceding the attack did not indicate paranoia, aggression, or hostility to people who encountered him. So pharmaceutically induced psychosis seems unlikely.
You say there's nothing in his history that shows he wanted to kill anybody because he was Muslim, yet someone with his name (admittedly it could have been someone else) posted praise for suicide bombers on a radical Islamic website, opining that taking such an action was akin to a soldier throwing himself on a grenade to save his brothers in arms. There is ample evidence that Hasan had repeatedly voiced feelings that the "War on Terror" was really a "War on Islam." Put these things together, and it certainly seems plausible that Hasan would see the killing of troops who were about to ship out as a way to sacrifice himself while saving other Muslims.
Add to this his shouts of "Allahu Akbar" as he attacked. If Timothy McVeigh was screaming "I'm killing for Jesus!" before he detonated his bomb, then yeah - I'd pretty much think his faith had an influence in his actions.
That does not mean I'd condemn Christianity, and I don't condemn Islam. The question in Hasan's case, though, is whether religious beliefs - however misguided - played a role, and the preponderance of evidence from Fort Hood is that it did.
The facts will eventually be learned (although we can wonder if they'll be released...) and it behooves us all to withhold ultimate judgement until then. At the same time, we should "connect the dots" when and where we find them or suffer the consequences.
None of which changes the primary thrust of today's cartoon and commentary; that Obama was way, way out of line to invoke the dead and wounded to push his healthcare agenda.
I agree that people died... I would like to know why.
ReplyDeleteI almost had to take Larium for a SE asia deployment, but many friends warned me off from it. Luckily my assignment got cleared for a 1st world country so it was not necessary. Really spooky stories from people who have taken it about the knife edge personality switches where you go from normal to pyscho in less than a second.
If Hasan had a psychotic reaction and he was a christian I am sure he would have said "God blesss" before going into it. Not saying that this is the case, but it is a possibility and I lwant to wait and see all the facts. Either way many people died or were injured, that fact still does not change.
The problem is if it was the Larium that caused it there is no way the Army is going to admit to it. They have given that to too many soldiers, many with bad side effects, that for so long they just have written off as the soldier's problem and not the Larium. Same old story the ones that are fighting these wars to help the corporations always get dumped for the benefit of the corporations....
As you know I am not a fan of Obama, but I don't think taking every pot shot helps make the case either. I don't think Obama made reference to the dead because he thought it helped the healthcare proposal, rather it was also voted on during the same session to recognize those at Ft. Hood and I believe that was all that he was doing.
Keep up the great cartoons!
I love Joe !
ReplyDeleteKey Senator will block House health bill
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/politics/key_senator_will_block_house_health_VuXIxBSi7MzsbErw7Rq4BJ
Lieberman Refuses to Ignore the Obvious
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/rubin/158932
He's not just a disgrace to his office, he's a disgrace to America!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, again I appreciate the civil discourse - and I can't really take exception to your thoughts (although, as I previously said, the pattern of Hasan's behavior indicates both planning and lack of psychosis). But I'm certainly no expert, and I'll be anxiously awaiting a definitive answer about what happened.
ReplyDeleteI'll simply disagree about Obama's intent in invoking the dead to push healthcare. From my reading of his statements (and the impression of those there), that was exactly what his intent was. But again, that's my opinion - and in case it isn't clear to everyone, that's what Hope n' Change is all about - my opinions (buttressed with links and facts as much as possible). And it is my great pleasure to hear and discuss the opinions of my readers!
Philip, I agree that Joe Lieberman is great...except for the period when he was running with Al Gore. The man suddenly turned into a complete ethical whore, but I was glad to see that when the election was over he returned to an honor and decency that was rare in his party. Which is why he eventually left the Democratic party.
ReplyDeleteHe's not just a disgrace to his office, he's a disgrace to America!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more, Drjim. But who elected this man ? Nobody can't say today "we didn't know". I'm sorry to say this, but people got what they voted for.
This is just the Obama we've warned about. I'm not surprise at all.
Agreed, Stilt. Gore didn't show his real face in that time. Joe Lieberman is a decent man. The Democrats already did their worst to Lieberman and he hasn’t flinched. He has solid integrity on following what he believes to be correct.
ReplyDeleteJoe's major contributors are insurance and healthcare related firms. He is not depend upon the Dems for campaign funds but relies on these outside firms so the Dems have no control.He will also be reelected easily in Conn.
He won't fall for the tricks in the senate.
Hope n' Change...
ReplyDeleteAn American president will skip events marking the end of a struggle to which we, as a nation — under presidents of both parties — devoted blood and treasure for 50 years.
For Barack Obama, 1989 is just another far-away year — and the Democratic party of such men as Harry S. Truman and JFK has never seemed more distant.
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YzIzYWM4MWRmNTE1NzQ4MGY5ODE0MGRjMmIwYjdmMmQ=