DISQUS

Ric Locke · 3 months ago

How remarkable.

It never fails to amaze when people who are free with the derogations "wingnutz" and "bedwetters" need a clean pair of skivvies every time they discover that ZOMG!!! THERE'S A POLITICAL OPPOSITION TO OUR INFALLIBLE PROPOSALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY ALLOWED TO SAY THAT!!!!!!!!! IN PUBLIC!!!!!!1111ELEVENTY!111!!

Regards,
Ric

Karoli · 3 months ago

Ric,

I reported the facts. As I stated above, if one so strongly believes in their reasons for opposing, why not say so without subterfuge? The answer seems clear to me. It appears to me that by coming around the campaign finance and disclosure laws, swiftboats can launch at will. Sort of like gossips around a water cooler, passing on "I heards" that can neither be proven nor disproven.

It does not speak well to the integrity of the positions argued. With that said, it's never stopped anyone before, and I doubt it will now. It really means having to hunt through pages of meaningless, anonymous Google results to dig down at the truth.

Ric Locke · 3 months ago

Pfui. In the first place, all the "campaign finance reforms" constitute an attempt to keep water in a fishnet. So long as we have something resembling free speech, attempts to suppress political opinions will continue to be made and continue to work. Of course, since your and your fellows' definition of "free speech" includes the caveat "unless we don't like it" -- vide "hate speech" -- that argument falls flat, doesn't it?

In the second place, the examples of Sarah Palin and Joe the Plumber -- and the original Swift Boat Veterans for Truth -- illustrate clearly the value of keeping a personal low profile when expressing opinions that don't meet the standards of TRVTH you and your fellows maintain. When one can confidently expect a 24/7 barrage of calumny and obloquy for saying such things, it well behooves one to seek a bit of cover.

It always seems remarkable to me that, in regard to the original controversy, everyone Left and Right misses the point: There are something like two hundred people on the planet who can claim to be "Swift Boat Veterans". Of those, a tiny minority -- either three or five, I forget -- stood up for John Kerry. Of the remainder, all of those willing to speak out at all were either willing or eager to denounce him as unworthy of the Presidency.

Your very use of the term "swiftboating" echoes the unrelenting screams and insults the expression of that opinion generated, confirming the definition of the term as "uttering truths the Democrats don't want heard." Other people wishing to utter truths Democrats would prefer left hidden will naturally seek some protection.

Regards,
Ric

disgustedbyyourblog · 3 months ago

Well Said Ric.

MBinDC · 3 months ago

There could be some good info here, but you start off sloppy - LLCs are Limited Liability *Company*s. And they don't "incorporate". If you're missing (important, for structural and disclosure reasons) details like that, I'm not apt to trust the other things you're saying.

Karoli · 3 months ago

thank you for the correction. I've edited the text to properly reflect those details which are important ones. I would note that I did link to the original source documents which would have clarified that error immediately.

dotlizard · 3 months ago

So, if "anyone" can play, does this mean I can start up a news portal and aggregate a bunch of shadowy left-wing propagandists, people who are fed up and wish to fight fire with a flamethrower? Sure, most of the big BIG money is on the other wing, but with shrewd management of resources, and someone with the ability to leverage existing technology on a budget to create a robust content delivery system ... what (other than the noble but perhaps ill-advised notion of taking the high road) would stand in the way?

Not saying I'm advocating such a thing. I'm just ... sayin'.

Karoli · 3 months ago

Well, that's true. But in thinking about how the left funds its initiatives compared to the right, I imagine there will be far more possibilities for utilization by the right. Just sayin'. :)

dotlizard · 3 months ago

It's all about ingenuity, resourcefulness, doing more with less. Working smarter, not with obscene amounts of money.

I know that sinking to their level (even if it's very frugal & clever & with the best intentions) is bad and wrong and all. But how many times in the past has that led to disaster, and is it maybe time to toss a little batshit right back at 'em?

As a wise man once said, "But we're never gonna survive unless, we get a little crazy." Just sayin; :)

disgustedbyyourblog · 3 months ago

Wow, I never knew the left to be so concerned with integrity and 'taking the high road'. If it wasn't for this blog, I would be misinformed. Take ACORN for example. We all knew the reason for its existance, Obama's ties to it and his support of it. We were aware of how it was used to bilk money from the government. As a matter of fact, two young kids exposed it for what it is on ACORN's own turf.

The right uses its own money to support its ideology, the left thinks all Americans should pay its way. And then. . . . the left continues to berate and browbeat those who earn their own money and pay their own way as well as the majority of taxes, etc, etc.

Same old tired arguments. Same old sad results. I'm just ... sayin' too.

mrbeck2009 · 3 months ago

You can't possibly be as stupid as your post indicates.. could you? Try some critical thinking of your own sometime instead of barfing up the usual right wing talking points.

Karoli · 3 months ago

The attacks on ACORN have always been an effort toward voter disenfranchisement, and ACORN has absolutely nothing to do with what I'm discussing here. If opposition is such a high value, I fail to understand why those in opposition wouldn't want to own what they believe.

Of course, we both know the answer to that. When one is smearing someone else, they'd like to appear to be more than one, because it plays better when there are many saying the same thing.

I am not browbeating anyone. I'm simply reporting on an effort to circumvent existing disclosure laws via a scheme that appears to avail itself of loopholes. Will you be as willing to defend it if the left also uses this strategy? I wonder.

disgustedbyyourblog · 3 months ago

"The attacks on ACORN have always been an effort toward voter disenfranchisement, and ACORN has absolutely nothing to do with what I'm discussing here." Karoli, you continue to be an amusing post. I'll bet you believe your own quote above. Also, your staunch defense of the left being full of nothing but integrity and honor make may sad for you. You continue to educate me and help me understand how the left thinks and why Obama and his minions are able to manipulate so easily.

Carry on Karoli. Keep digging and digging and digging to expose the right while ignoring blatant news worthy reported events in our faces everyday on the left.

Still watching to see if it's the ideology that propels you or your earlier quote that I love so much "Get out of my kid’s way and let the big boys forge a realistic pathway for him to work toward his goals." Mamma bear doesn't mention one word about encouraging her son to man up and deal with his illness and pay his way. No, instead he is seen as her gift delivered on her birthday, so therefore, we should pay his medical bills while he plays his drums for her and anyone else he wants to for that matter.

As long as you continue to slam those who pay you and your son's say, you will get push back, like the article you wrote about. You will continue to receive pushback from those who do not agree with your ideals.

And ... you find sympathy from those who agree with you cause thier hands are outstreched while they spit in the face of the hands that feed them.

I'm just ... sayin.

Karoli · 3 months ago

I'm not going to respond to your personal attacks. We either have
discussions on issues or not. I have not attacked you personally. You
may disagree with my outlook and my politics. That's your choice.
Nevertheless, it doesn't warrant any attack from me, nor will one be
forthcoming.

As to my kid, he faces barriers which were not of his creation, nor
are they necessarily surmountable. He has gifts, talents, and
ambition. I do not believe he should be left bankrupt at age 20
because he has the misfortune of being diagnosed with two chronic
conditions which work at cross-purposes with each other when it comes
to management. I believe he should have access to health care and the
necessary medications at a reasonable price. I believe he should be
able to BUY and AFFORD insurance to cover his health needs. As it
stands today, he is forced to purchase the same supplies from the same
pharmacy at twice what he would pay if he were insured and they were
non-formulary (because he would still get the negotiated price).

This is not free enterprise. It places him and others like him in the
position of powerlessness against corporate interests. The only
recourse in a situation like that is government, and it does not
necessarily have to come in the form of assistance. A level playing
field, an opportunity is what's needed here. He is a taxpayer. He
isn't taking public assistance. He is earning his way. As such, he
deserves the same consideration as any other citizen and taxpayer in
this country: the opportunity to obtain health care at a reasonable
price that doesn't discriminate. We do not have such a system today.

ACORN is still a red herring. It will always be a red herring. ACORN
does not provide, price, or insure for health care. Therefore, we can
either remain focused on what I am talking about, or you can have an
ACORN discussion with your friends like Ric who think that name
calling and personal attacks somehow solve problems.

Be well.

disgustedbyyourblog · 3 months ago

"The attacks on ACORN have always been an effort toward voter disenfranchisement, and ACORN has absolutely nothing to do with what I'm discussing here." "ACORN is still a red herring. It will always be a red herring. ACORN does not provide, price, or insure for health care." True, "ACORN does not provide, price, or insure for health care." But ACORN is an excellent example of fraud and abuse in a government funded program, just like Social Security, Medicare, etc. If we get what you are demanding, single payer health insurance through government, we will have no recourse to undo the fraud and abuse that goes on now and even more then. On top of that, Social Security and Medicare are bankrupt, adding another program the size of medical insurance will set this country back in ways that no one will have good health insurance. Better health insurance coverage for all is better provided for through the private sector. I wish you would write a blog about the effects single payer health insurance will have on our economy. This has been done before, the effects have been recorded and they are not good ...
By the way, I'm glad to hear your son is being responsible, I was worried for him based on what you wrote in that previous blog of yours. Again, it seems we want the same outcome, "the opportunity to obtain health care at a reasonable price that doesn't discriminate", but we want to use different means to get there. Also, it does exist now, but if you get your way, and we do get a government single payer solution, you can kiss your dream goodbye.

Karoli · 3 months ago

Single payer has never been on the table. Progressives are out of
their body over the fact that it was excluded before it could be
included. Having an option in the exchange that is a public option is
not single payer. Not at all. As for responsibility, we all want to be
responsible. Without reform, he will not be able to be. His current
rate, if he were insurable, would be around $200/month. Under Baucus'
proposal, that would rise to $1000 month, assuming no rate increases
now or in the future (a silly assumption, we all know better than
that). This is my objection: There is no way a 20-year old college
student (or his parents) can afford that kind of insurance premium for
basic coverage.

Karoli · 3 months ago

Just so we have everything clear here, the government did not fund ACORNs voter registration arm. The only funding went to the branch of ACORN that advised low-income mortgage holders on how to manage their mortgage. That was not the ACORN branch that was 'caught on tape'.

Earthbound · 1 month ago

Great article. I hope you get on Rachel's show, I'm emailing it to her. Please fix the link to the FCC, preferably to lead to the proposals and to the proper site to comment.

Karoli · 1 month ago

Hi Earthbound. I just updated this post with the most recent news. The reason FEC link #2 doesn't work is because they made their decision, and the link now goes to that ruling. The FEC ruling site is an almost-unnavigable labyrinth of embedded frames, making it very easy to break links or not link at all.