The Water Cooler is written by Washington Times staffers.
By Kerry Picket — Published August 2, 2009 Comments
This video montage is that of various democrats and their allies discussing their support for a single-payer health care system. Naked Emperor News brings together various clips from different periods, including a 2007 clip of then Senator Obama speaking to an SEIU Healthcare Forum: "My commitment is to make sure that we have universal healthcare for all Americans by the end of my first term as President." He later said in the same clip: "But I don't think we're going to be able to eliminate employer coverage immediately. There's going to be potentially some transition process. I can envision a decade out or 15 years out or 20 years out." In 2003, he told an AFL-CIO audience: "I happen to be a proponent of a single payer health care plan." Barney Frank(D-Mass.) and Jan Schakowsky,(D-Il.) show their slips as well in this montage, where their support for a single payer ...
by Kerry Picket — Published July 31, 2009 Comments
Mr. Obama may think it is leadership to be out in front of the pack, but it is those who take charge and responsibility of life's situations who are the real leaders. The picture here is an image that was captured after the now famous White House beer summit. This is a classic photo, especially since, the White House put it on their own blog. Are they proud of the fact that Sgt. James Crowley is the only individual showing any class whatsoever, by helping Professor Gates down the stairs. Apparently, the Harvard professor's "good friend" President Obama walks out in front clueless to the circumstances going on behind him.
by Kerry Picket — Published July 31, 2009 Comments
Politicians on the hill usually look forward to summer recess, but for those lawmakers favoring healthcare reform, angry constituents are waiting for their Senators and Congressmen at scheduled town halls all over the nation. Real Clear Politics captured the latest town hall healthcare reform outrage coming from senior citizens at Senator Feinstein's Los Angeles office. (click on the video image below). Police were called in later to remove the rowdy crowd of seniors. The elderly are rightfully concerned that their Medicare coverage could very well be on the chopping block as a result of the Democratic health care plan. Being on Medicare these days gives seniors little choice in their healthcare, and the thought of losing the little they get from the government is not a pleasant prospect . The Heritage Foundation's Conn Carroll wrote: "Under the current system, more and more seniors are discovering that it is becoming harder ...
by Kerry Picket — Published July 30, 2009 Comments
The Department of Justice recently dropped the conviction of Jerry Jackson member of the “New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense” (NBPP). The Washington Times has covered the Black Panther reversal at the Department of Justice revealing, "Associate Attorney General Thomas J. Perelli, No.3 official in the Obama Justice Department, was consulted and ultimately approved a decision in May to reverse course and drop a civil complaint accusing three members of the New Black Panther Party of intimidating voters in Philadelphia during November's election, according to interviews." It all began when Mr. Jackson stood outside a Philadelphia polling area with Malik Zulu Shabazz and another New Black Panther member during the 2008 presidential election. They later faced charges for intimidating voters on November 4th, 2008. Appointed to be a poll watcher in 2008 for the Democratic Party and the Obama campaign, Mr. Jackson is also an elected member of Philadelphia's 14th Ward Democratic Committee. The NBPP ...
by Kerry Picket — Published July 30, 2009 Comments
In this video, Congressman Paul Ryan, (R-Wi), tore down the myths of government-run health care and the rhetoric that goes along with it. MSNBC hosts Carlos Watson and Katrina vanden Heuvel get more than they bargain for when Mr. Ryan debates both of them on the government-run public option. Check out the video below. (h/t hot air's allahpundit)
by Kerry Picket — Published July 29, 2009 Comments
Apparently, MSNBC's Chris Matthews could not wait for the audio(courtesy Real Clear Politics) release of the 911 call made by Harvard employee Lucia Whalen. If he did, he would have discovered she never inserted the race of the individuals she was describing during her conversation with the 911 dispatcher, while she reported what she thought was a burglary in progress. Her call led to the arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates. However, Mr. Matthews and his guest Michael Eric Dyson decided to attack Ms. Whalen instead on a July 21st Hardball segment. Below is a transcript: MATTHEWS: Clarence Page is a friend of ours, always here, pal of mine going way back— PAGE: Way back. MATTHEWS: Chicago Tribune columnist. There still are newspapers! And Michael Eric Dyson is a professor at one of the great universities in the world, Georgetown, sir! Thank you. DYSON: Thank you, my friend. MATTHEWS: So, we don’t—we ...
by Kerry Picket — Published July 29, 2009 Comments
Embedded video from CNN Video Charging an individual with racism is potent politics, and when the President of the United States refuses to admit he has made a mistake, being at the wrong place at the wrong time can be a life changer. President Obama's response to Chicago journalist Lynn Sweet not only was a torpedo aimed at Sergeant James Crowley but also the then anonymous 911 caller who thought she was doing someone else a favor, Professor Henry Louis Gates, a favor. She was hit with some flying pieces of metal as well that evening. Mr. Obama's response to the Gates arrest question was more than likely to result in collateral damage: "I don't know all the facts. What's been reported, though, is that the guy forgot his keys, jimmied his way to get into the house; there was a report called in to the police station ...
by Kerry Picket — Published July 27, 2009 Comments
Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky talked about the high costs of health care today. In particular, Mr. McConnell pointed out how malpractice lawsuits affect how expensive healthcare can become. Dr. Orrin Devinsky, NYU Langone Medical Center neurologist and researcher agrees with Senator McConnell. Dr. Devinsky told the Washington Times,: "By some calculations forty-five to well over fifty percent of the money paid for malpractice actually goes to lawyers and administrators not to the patients. The large percentage of malpractice suits when reviewed independently of doctors and lawyers are felt not to be justified and many people who are wronged don't ever get malpractice reimbursement. And that's just the cost of malpractice directly. There is the indirect costs of doctors ordering more tests to cover themselves. Hospitals doing things to cover themselves against the potential for liability, and those add tremendously to the medical costs. I think there are ...
by Kerry Picket — Published July 27, 2009 Comments
Hotairpundit.blogspot.com posted a 1996 video of Henry Louis Gates going off on what he calls "Racist White Institutions." In the video he slams both Justice Clarence Thomas and then Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich(R-Ga.)
by Kerry Picket — Published July 24, 2009 Comments
Update at the bottom - Gates accuses Crowley of fabricating police report The Henry Louis Gates controversy with the Cambridge police is not the first time the Harvard professor has made racially based remarks. During a Q & A with Greg Hicks at the University of Washington School of Law on January 16, 2009, Professor Gates discussed the idea of having an African American family in the White House and said the following: GATES:But I think more importantly, to me, is seeing a normal black family, a superior black family, but a normal organic nuclear family, with two little black girls running around the White House, that is a paradigm shift. I think that even the thickest, dumbest white person will understand that we are in a new world. And they'll begin to see black people in a different way, subliminally. But I don't think it's going to... Greg and I ...
by Kerry Picket — Published July 24, 2009 Comments
Where there is a race controversy there is Al Sharpton. In this case, Rev. Sharpton's niece and radio sidekick, Brittany, has taken the Henry Louis Gates-Sgt.James Crowley controversy to another level. Radio Equalizer Brian Maloney picked up the audio and transcript below of Ms. Sharpton blaming the woman who called the Cambridge police after spotting two unidentified men (one of whom was Gates) breaking into Professor Gates's home. It should be pointed out Professor Gates's house was previously broken into. < BRITTANY SHARPTON (44:24): What I was also wondering is what should be the repercussions for this lady that reportedly you know called and thought someone was breaking in. If he’s lived here for so many years, I’m sure she knew that, even if she didn’t... (Guest David A Wilson interrupts) DAVID A WILSON: Well maybe she didn’t know. It just one of those sort of things where it’s difficult. Yeah, ...
by Kerry Picket — Published July 23, 2009 Comments
July 23 08:46 PM UPDATE: Real Clear Politics Video: President Obama defended his comment about the Henry Louis Gates arrest last night saying to ABC's Terry Moran, "I think that I have extraordinary respect for the difficulties of the job that police officers do," the president told Moran. "And my suspicion is that words were exchanged between the police officer and Mr. Gates and that everybody should have just settled down and cooler heads should have prevailed. That's my suspicion. Jul 23 01:25 PM -AP UPDATE: The White House has responded to clarify the President's remarks from last night on the Henry Louis Gates arrest: "The White House tried Thursday to calm a hubbub over President Barack Obama's comments about a white police officer's arrest of a black scholar near Boston, saying Obama was not calling the officer "stupid." Spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters that Obama felt that when it was clear that Harvard scholar Louis Gates Jr. was ...
by Kerry Picket — Published July 22, 2009 Comments
President Obama glazed over some facts tonight at his press conference. A minor point concerning the president's tendency to blame the Republican party for the country's current circumstances was reported by the Associated Press. OBAMA: "You haven't seen me out there blaming the Republicans." THE FACTS: Obama did so in his opening statement, saying, "I've heard that one Republican strategist told his party that even though they may want to compromise, it's better politics to 'go for the kill.' Another Republican senator said that defeating health reform is about 'breaking' me." It should be noted The Hill reported President Obama also blamed the GOP yesterday for stalling the healthcare bill. "President Obama sharply criticized Republicans on Tuesday for following a 'familiar script' to 'block healthcare reform.'" The president, seeking to prod the Democratic-controlled Congress to show significant progress on healthcare reform before the August recess, directed blame at the GOP for the stalled ...
by Kerry Picket — Published July 21, 2009 Comments
Cass Sunstein, President Obama's nominee for "regulatory czar," looked like he would sail through a confirmation process, but Fox News is reporting Republican Texas Senator John Cornyn has put a "hold" on Mr. Sunstein's confirmation. According to Fox New.com: "Sen. Cornyn finds numerous aspects of Mr. Sunstein's record troubling, specifically the fact that he wants to establish legal 'rights' for livestock, wildlife and pets, which would enable animals to file lawsuits in American courts," the Republican's spokesman, Kevin McLaughlin, said in a statement to FOXNews.com. Cornyn's hold on Sunstein comes just as Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., last week lifted his own hold on the nominee, whom Obama tapped in April to become the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Budget and Management. The choice of Mr.Sunstein as a regulatory czar has startled first amendment activists, as he has condoned government intervention as a ...
by Kerry Picket — Published July 21, 2009 Comments
During a healthcare forum on Monday, Congressman Russ Carnahan, (D- MO.), was mocked by an audience member who asked, "If it's so good why doesn't Congress have to be on it?"(h/t Real Clear Politics) Perhaps Mr. Carnahan should look closely at Resolution 615 which would require members of Congress who vote for a government healthcare option to enroll themselves and their families into the same government healthcare plan. d
