“I’m just amazed that the Republicans are worried that we can’t pay for insuring an additional 10 million children. They sure don’t care about finding $200 billion to fight the illegal War in Iraq.
“”President Bush’s statements about children’s health shouldn’t be taken any more seriously than his lies about the War in Iraq. The truth is that that Bush just likes to blow things up – in Iraq, in the United States, and in Congress.
After Rep. Pete Stark made his harsh statements against the Republicans and Bush over the SCHIP veto, the right wingers are trying to change the subject again by feigning outrage against him. Stark also didn’t fall for the MoveOn ad outrage also. Good for him. CNN ran a small clip of him all morning. Here’s CNN’s poll. 88% say he shouldn’t apologize. What say you?
via emailer:
“The wingnutosphere, Drudge, John Boehner, Roy Blunt, Jeb Hensarling, the RNC, and the NRCC, on the other hand, have issued statements criticizing Congressman Stark. Republicans believe that creating a controversy around these marks will help deflect attention from their opposition to health care for children.”
In response to Republican attacks, Congressman Stark recently issued this follow-up statement:
“I have nothing but respect for our brave men and women in uniform and wish them the very best,” said Stark. “But I respect neither the Commander-in-Chief who keeps them in harms way nor the chickenhawks in Congress who vote to deny children health care.”
I was having problems with the coding from the new Poll software and C&L’s webmaster Jamie deleted this text because of the code problems. Here’s the full text.
“I’m just amazed that the Republicans are worried that we can’t pay for insuring an additional 10 million children. They sure don’t care about finding $200 billion to fight the illegal War in Iraq.
“Where are you going to get that money? You’re going to tell us lies like you’re telling us today? Is that how you’re going to fund the war? You don’t have money to fund the war or children.
“But you’re going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the President’s amusement.
“This bill would provide health care for 10 million children and unlike the President’s own kids, these children can’t see a doctor or receive necessary care.
“Six million are insured through the Children’s Health Insurance Program and they’ll do better in school and in life.
“In California, the President’s veto will cause the legislature to draw up emergency regulations to cut some 800,000 children off the rolls in California and create a waiting list. I hope my California Republican colleagues will understand that if they don’t vote to override this veto, they are destroying health care for many of our children in California.
“In his previous job as an actor, our Governor used to play make believe and blow things up. Well, the President and Republicans in Congress are playing make believe today with children’s lives.
“They claim we can’t afford health care and say the bill will socialize Medicine. Tell that to Orrin Hatch, Chuck Grassley, and Ted Stevens, those socialists on the other side of this Capitol! The truth is that the Children’s Health Insurance Program enables states to cover children primarily through private health care plans.
“President Bush’s statements about children’s health shouldn’t be taken any more seriously than his lies about the War in Iraq. The truth is that that Bush just likes to blow things up – in Iraq, in the United States, and in Congress.
“I urge my colleagues to vote to override his veto. America’s children need and deserve health care despite the President’s desire to deny it to them.”
4 Trackbacks To “Right Wing goes bonkers over Rep. Pete Stark’s comments: Take the C&L Poll“
Rush = good
Hannity = good
Graeme Frost = Bad
Moveon = Bad
An I getting it yet?
No Pete Stark should not appologize to the president, what should happen is the rest of congress and the senate should back him up and say “Pete you are 100% correct and the Bush Crime Family needs to be stopped”
About time I hear someone speak passionately and from the heart about the Truth. ABOUT TIME.
I’m sick of the mealy mouthed “I’m troubled” or “I find it troubling” shit. Start Speaking.
it was great, right along with dodd holding up the new fisa bill.
The Bush Crime Family needs to be tried, convicted, and impeached from Office. The whole lot of them.
I don’t think so. It might now have been the best way to put it but on the other hand can you really deny we all feel the same way? What has the average person gained from the war besides some dead children and more arabs wanting to kill them than ever before.
I have a crying towel if they don’t like it.
When are we going to start calling republicans a bunch of soft skinned cry babies?
That’s what they are whnn they do this and no one calls them cry baby, crocodile tears.
This plus the Chris Dodd hold are little nuggets to cling to. Shreds of hope, anyways. Something we can all use these days.
Stark for (interim) president!
Impeach Bush, Cheney, and Pelosi.
The truth stings like a motherfucker, don’t it?
Orangutan. @ 3:
Fucking-A, well told! Here in Canada, our politicians preface everything with “I think…” and it positively makes my dick itch.
Contract Rep Stark and tell him not to back down to the spin and hate from the reich-wing!
http://www.house.gov/stark/contact/index.htm
Do you think Pete Stark should apologize?
Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 12:38:08 PM EDT
Did Pete Stark speak for you, or was he over the top? Were his comments were totally outrageous or did you agree wit him but feel the “amused” comment took away from his very true points?
Should he apologize for his words?
Most people calling his office think so.
Did Pete Stark speak for you, or was he over the top? Were his comments were totally outrageous or did you agree wit him but feel the “amused” comment took away from his very true points?
Should he apologize for his words?
Most people calling his office think so.
Listening to progressive talk radio this morning you got the feeling that while some people think that his final words were unfortuate, he should NOT apologize. They reason that the Republicans never apologize for what they say.
What do you think?
Should he apologize or should he only apologize, as Stephanie Miller put it, “when Bush apologizes for the Iraqi war.”
If you don’t feel he should apologize you better email or call him, and let him know, because reports are that a majority of callers feel he should.
WASHINGTON, DC
239 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-5065
202-226-3805 (fax)
FREMONT
39300 Civic Center Dr.
Suite 220
Fremont, CA 94538
510-494-1388
510-494-5852 (fax)
Pete Stark’s email form
There are reports that phones, etc are jammed so keep trying.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/10/19/114259/78
He should make and appointment to meet with Mr. Decider in the Oval Office and once there offer the Loon-in-Chief his hand….
As Junior approaches Stark should wind up and kick the The Colossus of the CodPiece right in the nuts just as hard as he can.
Then while ‘Dubya’ is writhing on the floor in agony Pete should tell him, ‘That hurt does it? Well haul ass over to da emergency room ya vile sack of pus jes like all those kids haveta when they get hurt….’
Apologize? Stark should repeat his little speech once per hour, after he cleans up the syntax.
There’s a new Presidential Poll at DFA, also, that allows voters to pick their top three candidates. (Email required.)
Just what do the Right Wingnuts think Stark should apologize for?
The first two sentences you quote here reflect a truth about the Repubs that Repubs just won’t admit.
The next two sentences are an honest appraisal of a president known for his dishonest and exaggeration.
Republican legislators who voted against S-CHIP owe an apology to all the kids they think should be denied health care.
A.Citizen @ 12:
That was beautiful. I’ll play that little tape in my mind for quite awhile.
Clytemnestra @ 11:
Did so…thanks for the heads up.
The rest of ya….Do It!
I watched this on CSPAN yesterday and was appalled at the fuss the Repubs were making. They even requested that Stark’s words be “taken down.” That attempt failed, but they have succeeded in getting the media to hype this non-story.
Just like the MoveOn affair, they are more interested in talking about ads or extemporaneous comments than they are in resolving issues like SCHIP or WAR!
Visit News Corpse, The Internet’s Chronicle of Media Decay.
When someone says something like that it is coming from their gut and from frustration. I’m surprised more aren’t doing the same thing. They should be. Could he have said it more politely? Of course but he wasn’t feeling polite at the time.
I’m so sick of this, you’ve hurt our feelings with your words, just because someone else states how they feel. Forget the damned hurt feelings and all that shit. Forget apologies and offending people’s soft sensibilities. It’s time to talk about what’s going on and it’s time not to worry if the words aren’t tearoom acceptable.
Hell if I had a dollar for every time this administration has said or done something that upset me, I could afford to get Chris Dodd elected.
The only thing offensive about what he said is that it’s true.
Sure.
AFTER Bush does for the WMD joke.
Hell no he shouldn’t apologize. It’s about time someone called it like it is and showed some backbone
pissed off patricia @ 19:
Perfectly put, p.o.p.
I think it would’ve been better if he told the truth about why we’re sending troops over there instead of throwing out a statement like “for the president’s amusement”. Personally, I think Cheney is more amused than Bush. Either way, it doesn’t hit on the real reason we’re over there.
Pete Stark for President!
ALL the rightwingnuts should learn something from this - S T F U !
its about time someone speaks truth to power
As the troops, whom the Republicans support in word only, die in Iraq - as their own children stay behind in the states thinking, “where’s daddy (or mommy?)” - the question has to be asked: are the troops children covered?
…and if their parent is lost, what kind of medical benefits do they receive?
Or are they like the forgotten vets at Walter Reed, where this administration says, “so you suffered a tragic loss, fuck you - we’re making OUR profits.”
Kompassionate Konservatism Kills.
Truth be told, I agree with the spirit behind what it is he said. However, that being said: sorry, I know full well Bush is the worst president the US has every seen, or experienced. But honestly, do I think “Bush likes to blow things up for his own amusement”? Sorry, no, I dont. And that is a very dumb comment, and does serve to undermine the Democratic cause. I think Bush likes to blow thing up for plenty of other reasons- money, chief among them. Stark, and others like him, would do well and be wise to simply stick to the facts: the facts alone are so overhwhelming as to bury Bush on his diastrous presidency. Why let petty nonsense like “he likes to bomb things for his own amusement” enter the argument? It just sounds like petty hatred- and more importantly-it sounds irrational. Again, the facts speak for themselves. Just illuminate them.
Apologize? No. It should be turned into a 60 second commercial and played every 30 minutes on every network.
Max Power, thanks 8-)
I say good for him! I sent him a supportive e-mail thanking him for his courage in standing up to the thugs on the right! We need more people like him!
Is Rahm Emanuel going to vote for the republican resolution condemning him as well?
Why should he apologize?
O.k, he rambled a little, but in the end, he called a spade a spade !
Everytime a Democrat finds their balls, a Republican screams. We’re FINALLY hearing some screaming.
Steve @ 28:
Did it occur to you that that was a pun or play on words? Shrub “blows things up” - i.e., exaggerates - “… in the United States, and in Congress.”
He does, doesn’t he?
Steve @ 28:
Or maybe Stark is in a position to know some things about bush’s personality disorder that you don’t.
Well well… I never thought I’d say it… THERE is a Republican I like…. at least in this case….
Bless Randi Rhodes for passionately defending Stark. No apologies!! And that includes you, Dem leadership!!
Apologize to the president!?! What the hell for? So ole’ Joe-Bob Barton can dish it but he can’t take it? F*ck ‘em.
I was putting on my shoes and flipping thru the news channels before leaving for work, and CNN & MSNBC had coverage of the tornado damage running, but Fox News is trying to stir up bullsht that doesn’t matter. Geez, are we concerned about American lives? Apparently not.
And while we’re at it. We need to start pointing out that while there are kids in this country in families who are among the working poor and just a notch above, our representatives, senators, president, VP, etc., get great and FREE health care - although I do think Congress pays a premium. Still the Cheneys, the Bushs, many, many in this administration have been eating from the public trough for year upon year while denying basic justice to American citizens.
Okay - I’m starting to reallllly ramble……
Hell no!
URGENT MESSAGE
just heard on randi - caller told randi that she had called
Rep. Stark’s office to thank him for his words of truth…
his office appreciated that, but asked that people also
call the dem leadership to tell them the same thing -
seems stark is getting some flak from nancy & co…
1 (800) 828 - 0498
1 (800) 459 - 1887
1 (800) 614 - 2803
1 (866) 340 - 9281
1 (866) 338 - 1015
1 (877) 851 - 6437
My understanding from the Randi Rhodes show is that Dem leadership is giving Stark a hard time, perhaps pressuring him to apologize.
Tell them HELL NO!
Preach, Bro