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The Charleston Daily Mail reports on Blankenship's appearance on WOWK's wingnutty "Decision Makers" program:
CHARLESTON, W.Va.--Massey CEO Don Blankenship said in a weekend TV interview that "evil people" have ascended the ranks of power in the United States and implied Sen. Jay Rockefeller was among them.
In an appearance on the WBOY and WOWK show "Decision Makers," Blankenship was asked about the impact of Rockefeller's comments that Massey was a "rogue" operator.
Rockefeller, D-W.Va., was being critical of Massey and Blankenship following the explosion last month at the company's Upper Big Branch mine that killed 29.
In the past, Rockefeller has gone out of his way to regurgitate the War on CoalTM hysteria and attack the Obama administration's environmental protection efforts.
It appears it did little good for him.
A mild defense of the EPA got Rep. Rahall's face printed on Massey-distributed "Nick Joe is anti-coal" signs. Accurately stating the case on mine safety has made Rockefeller fall out of favor with Blankenship.
It's time for Rockefeller and other officials to realize Blankenship will never be satisified with anything less than 100% obedience. The constant attempts to pander to him are just embarrassing.
That Republicans are now attempting to block all Congressional hearings could be their unified push back at the looming possibility of the public option being introduced.
The polls are certainly showing that since the bill's signing, more and more Americans either like the bill as passed, or else wish the reform did more.
In all of the joy and confusion leading up to the passage of the Senate version, most Dem Obamacare watchers probably thought that Congress stripped the public option out because it somehow lowered the bill's overall chances of passing. Actually, it now appears that all they really need to do is simply put it to an up-or-down vote in the senate to get it passed.
Since 45 senators have already publicly declared support of its passage, which of the remaining Dems would hold out? And even if the option did fail, it certainly wouldn't kill the chances of bill's passage altogether, would it?
BECAUSE THE BILL HAS ALREADY PASSED, HASN'T IT?
The more times HCR bounces back to the House from the Senate during reconciliation, the more people will learn what's actually in the bill. So naturally the more they'll begin to realize they like what's in it.
Except for that nasty lack of cost containment. Thanks to the right-leaning Senate Finance committee, it has the same insurance giveaway loophole as Massachussetts' universal HCR system.
Its just too bad that the media and many progressive websites have been so silent about its virtues. Particularly regarding the CBO score that a strong public option would reduce the deficit at least 500 million bucks, and that other prestigious institutions have valued the measure worth as much as a cool trillion in deficit reduction.
It is notable that the senator who sponsored the strong public option in finance committee markup flatly refused to sign any statement that he'd vote for the measure in the reconciliation process, claiming that to do so would be "too partisan", and has cautioned to "never let the perfect be the enemy of the good". Rockefeller also inexplicably failed to mention that a strong public option would reduce the deficit to the finance markup committee.
On June 25th, 2009, Health Care for America Now put on a huge rally in Washington, DC, Health Care '09-Health Care Can't Wait. Over 10,000 people from all across America attended to show support for the public health insurance plan known as the Public Option. Sorry folks, Oprah was a no show.
Over 200 people from West Virginia attended, including folks from the Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO, WV Citizen Action Group,WV National Association of Social Workers, WV Nurses Association, religious organizations, social activists, and even Del. Dale Martin joined in on the fun.
Actress Edie Falco of "The Sopranos" and "Nurse Jackie" fame and former Vermont governor Dr. Howard Dean addressed the crowd. People lacking health care or being victimized by the health insurance industry spoke as well, giving people a glimpse into their real life health care nightmares.
The whole point of the rally was to raise public sentiment towards the Public Option in health care reform through the media. However, on that day, two horrific things happened: the King of Pop and one of Charlie's Angels died. Needless to write, the health care rally didn't get as much attention as the two pop icons' deaths did. Not that we're mad or anything.
After the rally, folks met with their Congressional reps. West Virginians met with reps from Rahall and Mollohan's offices (both were busy), plus were given an audience with Sen. Rockefeller.
The Public Option was pushed big time by unions and organizations all across the state. Rallies and town halls (with some booing from our FOX News loving Tea Party friends)were held with great success, despite what negative stories some media outlets ran. WV-CAG, along with its State HCAN coalition partners, petitioned for the Public Option as well, collecting thousands of signatures.
Right now America has the chance to pass serious reforms in health care. The Public Option might be dead at the moment, but it may very well pop back up after this legislation passes, or even better, Single Payer (Medicare for All) might become the new IT-word in health care reform. Who knows?
It is important West Virginians contact their House reps ASAP and tell them to support the current health care legislation before them.
Sen. Rockefeller Addresses West Virginia Constituents
I just heard today that a member of my extended family had another application for health insurance denied because of a pre-existing condition. This pre-existing condition is something she's had since birth--in fact, the best available scientific evidence suggests she inherited it from a parent, who also has this rare condition.
The denial letter from the insurance company helpfully suggested looking for a state program for coverage. In her case, she's a young adult who is potentially eligible for a state program but only if she goes for at least half a year un-covered by any insurance whatsoever. Meanwhile, she's at risk of major expenses if anything catastrophic happens.
Here's a young adult going to school part time who is falling between the cracks of any available health insurance plan. She's had health insurance her entire life and now that her COBRA coverage has run out she's joining the ranks of the uninsured.
For the conservatives and libertarians reading this who say "the market is the answer"--what we have here is a total market failure--no one will sell her insurance at any price. My relative's story is a hardly exceptional. There are people dying every day for lack of health care coverage.
How can it be that the wealthiest society that has ever existed on this planet is failing so badly to provide for the basic needs of its citizens?
Health care insurance reform can't happen quickly enough.
Keep at it, Sens. Byrd and Rockefeller, Reps. Mollohan and Rahall. We're counting on you to get health care reform passed this month.
The Senate approved $140 billion in extended tax breaks and unemployment benefits on Wednesday in a largely partisan vote.
The bill was approved on a 62-36 vote, with six Republicans joining most Democrats in backing it.
Senate Democrats are calling the measure a jobs bill, though it includes tax breaks extended by Congress on a near-annual basis as well as a fix to Medicare payments for doctors that lawmakers also have previously extended.
It's the second package of legislation that Senate Democrats have labeled as a jobs bill this year, joining a $15 billion measure approved by the Senate last week.
GOP Sens. Kit Bond (Mo.), Susan Collins (Maine), Olympia Snowe (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), David Vitter (La.) and George Voinovich (Ohio) voted for the bill.
We're a long way off from an economic recovery that puts everyone back to work who wants to work.
Thank you for continuing to provide relief to those who need it in this time of great need.
CA_Berkeley_WV in the comments of One Citizen's post:
I watched the Senate Finance and Health Committee markups live blogging most of it before that big check for Soros arrived I bought new pajamas and a case of Cheetos.
I watched the voting patters of West Virginia native Sen. Tom Carper D-DE, MR Ducks Sen. Blanche Lincoln D-AR, very serious Sen. Jeff Bingaman D-NM and budget scold Sen. Kent Conrad D-ND.
Did you watch all the HELP and all the Finance markups to come to this conclusion? Do you know what amendments were defeated? Rockefeller offered his, made his pitch, and then acknowled that it would be defeated. So did Sen. Wyden D-OR. Sen. Schumer D-NY did not have much luck either, and he may end up the next majority leader.
Would the general public know as much as we do about rescission without the Commerce Committee hearing Sen. Rockefeller held that took testimony from Wendell Potter, whistleblower? Around midnight that last night another thought this was a great Rockefeller quote:
Children from CHIP shouldn't have to go to the exchange, where "insurance companies would...have them for lunch."
Statements in the press are often directed to other members and are the best window we have on consensus building. How a bill gets cobbled together is ugly. Sen. Wyden certainly was not happy with the concessions given between 11:30PM and midnight to Sen. Rockefeller the last night. I know Conrad's legislative director. He got the concessions he wanted. You can't manufacture votes.
Public Option cannot be introduced into the sidecar. It will not stand a Byrd Rule and a point of order. Parliamentarian Emeritus Robert Dove cannot remember being overruled by the chair alone on one of these. This whip got to 51 last fall, John Tester D-MT last one counted. Waiving the Byrd Rule is a 60 vote lift. CBO score on the sidecar today. House vote next week.
States can setup single payer under the Senate bill, so some focus should shift. Congress is not doing this this term, but the long term effort is worth it. Intimating that Rockefeller benefited from stock trades during the markup by linking to Page Not Found Error 404 as a bludgeon, unwisely wielded at this time.
reflecting subsidies provided through insurance exchanges, increased net outlays for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and tax credits for small employers
That is what Rockefeller traded. Add that to Sen. Sanders I-CT community health clinics and I am not ready to cut off my nose to spite my aching toe.
Good evening, West Virginia Blue readers. This is your open thread to discuss all things Hill-related. Use this thread to praise or bash Congresscritters, share a juicy tip, ask questions, offer critiques and suggestions, or post manifestos.
Good afternoon, West Virginia Blue readers. This is your afternoon open thread to discuss all things Hill-related. Use this thread to praise or bash Congresscritters, share a juicy tip, ask questions, offer critiques and suggestions, or post manifestos.
Some of the Hill news that's fit to blog is over the fold...
Paging Senator Rockefeller. Senator Jay Rockefeller to the illegally bugged white courtesy phone, please.
No one - except, you know, us dirty hillbilly bloggers and pretty much everyone else - could have predictedthis:
The FBI illegally collected more than 2,000 U.S. telephone call records between 2002 and 2006 by invoking terrorism emergencies that did not exist or simply persuading phone companies to provide records, according to internal bureau memos and interviews.
...
E-mails obtained by The Washington Post detail how counterterrorism officials inside FBI headquarters did not follow their own procedures that were put in place to protect civil liberties. The stream of urgent requests for phone records also overwhelmed the FBI communications analysis unit with work that ultimately was not connected to imminent threats.
A Justice Department inspector general's report due out this month is expected to conclude that the FBI frequently violated the law with its emergency requests, bureau officials confirmed.
But I'm sure it was all in emergency circumstances when there was no time to apply for legal warrants to do this, right?
FBI general counsel Valerie Caproni said in an interview Monday that the FBI technically violated the Electronic Communications Privacy Act when agents invoked nonexistent emergencies to collect records.
"We should have stopped those requests from being made that way," she said. The after-the-fact approvals were a "good-hearted but not well-thought-out" solution to put phone carriers at ease, she said. In true emergencies, Caproni said, agents always had the legal right to get phone records, and lawyers have now concluded there was no need for the after-the-fact approval process. "What this turned out to be was a self-inflicted wound," she said.
The story goes on to say the agents were working "under stress" to stop terrorist attacks. The problems with that kind of rationalizing are that it allows for lazy investigators to take unnecessary shortcuts and those who do not safeguard liberties in the name of security are surely to not have or deserve either.
Don't worry about Rockefeller getting shafted for the purpose of "cutting the federal budget", fellow citizens. When Harry X-Mas gets to passing out the porkponies under the upcoming Cap and Trade bill, Senator Rockefeller (Coalocrat-WV) will have learned to dig in his heels and "bargain" us all a lump of coal in the form of even more subsidies for coal operators and call it his "Green Jobs Initiative". Ignoring the fact that mining more coal means poisoning more of his constituents.
Isn't it time we officially outlaw the nickname "Mountain State" (due to the love of flattening our mountains by coal operators who run things here) and revert to the age old "Panhandle State" tag to accurately reflect how our politicians let the coal companies panhandle ALL of the federal subsidies? Not to mention how our politicians in turn panhandle from the operators.
But you don't have to take my word for it. It isn't any wonder since Manchin's Stimulus Package website fails to take advantage of, or even mentions the "Green Jobs Act" portion of the Stim package. In contrast our neighboring state of Virginia publicly notes outright that the stimulus package included $3.95 billion for training and employment services-including $750 million for research and job training projects in "green jobs," health care, and other high-demand and emerging occupations.
I say we rename our WVU sports teams "The Mighty Panhandlers".
Mountaineer fans should venture below the fold to see why I'm suggesting that they substitute sooty black in place of the traditional blue and instead of the rich gold that adorns their arena heroes, why blood red would be more fitting tribute to the people who live here.
In the past 50 years, there have been 8 different men who have served as Governor of West Virginia. In summary:
* Joe Manchin - Democrat 2005-present
* Bob Wise - Democrat 2001-2005
* Cecil H. Underwood - Republic 1997-2001
* Gaston Caperton - Democrat 1989-1997
* Arch A. Moore, Jr. - Republic 1985-1989
* John D. Rockefeller IV - Democrat 1977-1985
* Arch A. Moore, Jr. - Republic 1969-1977
* William Wallace Barron - Democrat 1961-1965
* Cecil H. Underwood - Republic 1957-1961
* Hulett C. Smith - Democratic 1965-1969
It is instructive to consider what they did before they became Governor, as well as what they did afterward.
Joe Manchin, Elected 2004, Re-Elected 2008
Previous offices: Secretary of State (2000), State Senate (1986-96), House of Delegates (1982-86)
Ran for Gov. once before, lost in Dem. Primary (1996)
Bob Wise, Elected 2000
Previous offices: State Senate (1980-1982), US House of Rep. 1982-2000
Post-Gov.: President of the Alliance for Excellent Education,
Cecil H. Underwood, Elected 1956, Re-Elected 1996
Previous offices: House of Delegates (1944-56)
Between terms: defeated for US Senate (1960); defeated for Gov. in 1964, 1968 (primary), and 1976.
Gaston Caperton, Elected 1988, Re-Elected 1992
Previous offices: none.
Post-Gov.: President and CEO of College Board
Arch A. Moore, Jr., Elected 1968, Re-Elected 1972; Re-Elected 1984
Previous offices: House of Delegates (1952); US House of Rep. (1956-1968)
Between terms: Lost Senate race (1978), Lost Gov. race (1980)
Post-Gov.: served 3+ years in federal prison after pleading guilty to five felonies
Jay Rockefeller, Elected 1976, Re-election 1980
Previous offices: House of Delegates (1966); Sec. of State (1968)
Lost Gov. race in 1972
Post-Gov.: US Senate (1984 - present)
Hulett C. Smith, Elected 1964
Previous offices: none
Chairman of W.Va. Democratic Party 1956-1962
Ran for Gov. once before, lost in Dem. Primary (1960)
Post-Gov.: "After leaving office, Smith returned to his insurance agency in Beckley and assumed duties as secretary-treasurer of two area hospitals. In retirement, he became an outspoken advocate for the environment. He later served on the National Council for Revision of State Constitutions, the Judicial Inquiry Commission, and as a director of First Lady Rosalyn Carter's Friendship Force."
William Wallace Barron, Elected 1960
Previous offices: House of Delegates (1950-1953), Attorney General (1956)
Post-Gov.: Served four-year sentence for jury tampering stemming from bribery trial related to his term in Gov.
Here's a summary of what offices each candidate held before their first election to Governor. Their highest held office is listed in bold.
* US Congress: Wise, Moore * Secretary of State: Manchin, Rockefeller * Attorney General: Barron * State Senate: Manchin, Wise
* House of Delegates: Underwood, Manchin, Wise, Rockefeller, Moore, Barron
* None: Caperton, Smith
After their first term as Gov.:
* Rockefeller won many Senate elections
* Underwood and Moore both lost Senate races but returned to the Gov. mansion in non-consecutive terms
* Wise, Caperton and Smith did not run for elected office again.
* Moore and Barron served multi-year jail sentences
Finally, in campaigns since 1976, Wise, Caperton won on their first attempts, but Manchin, Underwood, Moore and Rockefeller all lost in their first race.
It's a rhetorical question. Of course he doesn't. At least not the real Pope.
Now let's ask a real question of our rhetorical Pope (depicted above). Did Rockefeller really believe that his "public option" had even half a chance? Really?
Jay certainly acted all holier-than-thou when he tore apart Dr. Howard Dean for criticizing the Senate bill the other day. Funny, but I never heard Rockefeller get fired up like that during entire time congressional Neocons were staving off the much-needed intelligence oversight of the Bush administration by Rockefeller's panel. Even when Cheney tried foisting the responsibility for torture over onto Congress, Rockefeller never got as upset as he did at Howard Dean.
There's got to be some reason for his outburst. Rockefeller certainly didn't get torqued when Obama abandoned his public option amendment. There is always the strong possibility that Rockefeller's bargaining away of real reforms for giant giveaways to the insurance industry may be connected to how the health industry stocks jumped as an immediate reaction to what his Senate Finance Committee passed. Check it out at this link.
Good afternoon, WVa Blue readers. This is your afternoon open thread to discuss all things Hill-related. Use this thread to praise or bash Congresscritters, share a juicy tip, ask questions, offer critiques and suggestions, or post manifestos.
As always, this is a crosspost from CongressMatters. This is the important news of the day. Okay, maybe only some of it. So if you disagree, go watch CSPAN. Or watch your government in neutral on CSPAN2.
Sen. Rockefeller and Sen. Lieberman spoke back to back on the floor of the Senate just now.
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