Comments on: Keep Talking http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/ Exposing the ugly truths about the Bush Administration. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:44:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1.3 by: The Supreme Irony of Life ... http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-317046 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:32:21 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-317046 <strong>The Sad, Sad State of Our Discourse</strong> CNN sympathizes, not with the Frost family, but with the radical right The Sad, Sad State of Our Discourse

CNN sympathizes, not with the Frost family, but with the radical right

]]> by: Think Progress » CNN Pins Blame On Democrats For Right-Wing Smear Of 12-Year Old Boy http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-317006 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 14:25:47 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-317006 [...] The CNN report disturbingly suggests that Democrats are to be faulted for daring to a put a human face on the SCHIP program &#8212; a health care program for kids. Mahablog offers this explanation: In other words, it&#8217;s the Dems fault that the Frost family is being ripped to shreds by the Right? This is like saying &#8220;it&#8217;s your fault if you lead your cow into a river full of piranha.&#8221; Yes, righties are behaving like a school of piranha, and the Dems should have known this would happen. [...] […] The CNN report disturbingly suggests that Democrats are to be faulted for daring to a put a human face on the SCHIP program — a health care program for kids. Mahablog offers this explanation: In other words, it’s the Dems fault that the Frost family is being ripped to shreds by the Right? This is like saying “it’s your fault if you lead your cow into a river full of piranha.” Yes, righties are behaving like a school of piranha, and the Dems should have known this would happen. […]

]]> by: maha http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316309 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 03:12:12 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316309 There are rumors someone in McConnell's office planted the original Freep post that kicked this nonsense off. There are rumors someone in McConnell’s office planted the original Freep post that kicked this nonsense off.

]]> by: erinyes http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316210 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 01:07:02 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316210 Yeah Baby! And rumor has it that Mitch has been a naughty, naughty boy. This is going to get VERY interesting. Yeah Baby! And rumor has it that Mitch has been a naughty, naughty boy.
This is going to get VERY interesting.

]]> by: Bonnie http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316196 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:42:18 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316196 Keith Olbermann is reporting that many of the talking points came from Mitch McConnell's office. Keith Olbermann is reporting that many of the talking points came from Mitch McConnell’s office.

]]> by: Larkspur http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316195 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:42:08 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316195 I've often thought that if I suddenly came up with a bazillion dollars, one of the foundations I'd set up would be called something like "First Last &#38; Security", the sole purpose of which would be to provide quick funds to people who can probably pay rent each month, but who can't put together enough money to actually move into a place. It wouldn't be dramatic, but that's the point. The cash heads off the drama. It helps people back from the brink. They get their apartment, and can continue to go to work and participate in the normal activities of the community: they buy things, they go to PTA meetings, they have an address from which to send resumes to try to get better jobs. Blah blah blah. That's pretty much how the Frosts are being helped. They stay in their house, they don't have to spend down what income they have, so they can continue to buy stuff and pay sales tax, and educate their children so that hopefully the children can eventually join the rest of us. This is so logical, so sensible, so financially sound. Only the most venomous, blood-thirsty, hate-filled of people can behave the way the freepers and Malkin and O'Reilly et al., positing the complete opposite in such a vicious attack. Hey, good. Rachel Maddow just called the whole phenomenon a freakshow on Olbermann. How appropriate. I’ve often thought that if I suddenly came up with a bazillion dollars, one of the foundations I’d set up would be called something like “First Last & Security”, the sole purpose of which would be to provide quick funds to people who can probably pay rent each month, but who can’t put together enough money to actually move into a place. It wouldn’t be dramatic, but that’s the point. The cash heads off the drama. It helps people back from the brink. They get their apartment, and can continue to go to work and participate in the normal activities of the community: they buy things, they go to PTA meetings, they have an address from which to send resumes to try to get better jobs. Blah blah blah.

That’s pretty much how the Frosts are being helped. They stay in their house, they don’t have to spend down what income they have, so they can continue to buy stuff and pay sales tax, and educate their children so that hopefully the children can eventually join the rest of us.

This is so logical, so sensible, so financially sound. Only the most venomous, blood-thirsty, hate-filled of people can behave the way the freepers and Malkin and O’Reilly et al., positing the complete opposite in such a vicious attack.

Hey, good. Rachel Maddow just called the whole phenomenon a freakshow on Olbermann. How appropriate.

]]> by: Donna http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316194 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:27:53 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316194 Too, too funny. Ezra Klein has unearthed Malkin on her own problem getting health coverage. http://ezraklein.typepad.com/blog/2007/10/guess-the-autho.html Too, too funny. Ezra Klein has unearthed Malkin on her own problem getting health coverage.
http://ezraklein.typepad.com/blog/2007/10/guess-the-autho.html

]]> by: Marshall http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316193 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:16:20 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316193 People who stand up to the attack dogs stand up for freedom. People who do not, don't. We need a lot more people willing to do this. People who stand up to the attack dogs stand up for freedom.

People who do not, don’t.

We need a lot more people willing to do this.

]]> by: ironranger http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316189 Wed, 10 Oct 2007 23:57:44 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316189 The Malkinites &#38; most of the commenters on their sites must have been raised in families with much different values than most of the people I know. This is a new low even for them. It's pretty revealing &#38; revolting that we don't see well-known republicans rushing to denounce this behavior, not that they ever do. It occurred to me that some of their loyal readers' lives are similar to how the Frost family fared before the accident but somehow they don't seem to be able to imagine they will ever hit a patch of black ice. I just realized that Malkin reminds me of the very, very angry Clarence Thomas. The Malkinites & most of the commenters on their sites must have been raised in families with much different values than most of the people I know. This is a new low even for them. It’s pretty revealing & revolting that we don’t see well-known republicans rushing to denounce this behavior, not that they ever do.
It occurred to me that some of their loyal readers’ lives are similar to how the Frost family fared before the accident but somehow they don’t seem to be able to imagine they will ever hit a patch of black ice.
I just realized that Malkin reminds me of the very, very angry Clarence Thomas.

]]> by: Longhairedweirdo http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316164 Wed, 10 Oct 2007 22:45:58 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/10/10/keep-talking/#comment-316164 Jay: Context. The claim is that the Democrats highlighted a child, because they *knew* the attack dogs would attack, and then the Democrats could complain about the attack dogs! What a cheap trick! It's like... like labeling your meal worms as "meal worms" because your sister won't trust your label! And then hiding them in your room because you *know* she snoops in your room! She's sure to open a canister of meal worms then! The attack dogs had another choice. They could have *answered* the nasty questions they started asking. No, Mr. Frost does not run his own business; it went under. No, the house is not worth $450k, it's actually worth $260k. Yes, the Frosts have salable assets, and Graeme addressed that: the CHIPs programs are so parents in that situation don't *have* to sell everything they own (he actually only mentioned houses and cars) to be able to afford insurance. Yes, it *is* likely that the Frosts couldn't get cheap insurance with two special-needs kids. Yes, they have kids in schools with high tuition, but they are paying $500 total for those schools. They could have learned these things before attacking. They chose not too. I'll admit, I can understand people wanting to complain that today (or maybe "someday in the future") the Frosts could have $420,000 in assets, but are getting some help from the government. But again, that's the point of the programs... to keep people from having to face decisions like that. Me, I approve of this kind of program. Do you? Hey, you don't have to. It's a free country. But rather than answer questions, folks merely asked, made nasty insinuations, and went on the attack. And now we have a complaint that they were tricked by the dirty Democrats, who *knew* they'd attack, so that the Democrats could complain about their attacking a kid. Here it is again, just so it's clear: <i>Her second point is just as important, just as a terrorist will hide behind an innocent man, woman or child and shoot or launch rockets knowing that the innocents would get caught in the line of fire when one fired back at them, the Democrats held this child in front of them, hid like cowards behind him, knowing that when the family got caught in the line of fire, they could use that to distract from the issue of a badly written bill.</i> The Democrats knew the family would get caught in the line of fire. But there didn't have to be anyone "firing" if folks dug for actual facts, rather than using speculation. Jay:

Context.

The claim is that the Democrats highlighted a child, because they *knew* the attack dogs would attack, and then the Democrats could complain about the attack dogs!

What a cheap trick! It’s like… like labeling your meal worms as “meal worms” because your sister won’t trust your label! And then hiding them in your room because you *know* she snoops in your room! She’s sure to open a canister of meal worms then!

The attack dogs had another choice. They could have *answered* the nasty questions they started asking. No, Mr. Frost does not run his own business; it went under. No, the house is not worth $450k, it’s actually worth $260k. Yes, the Frosts have salable assets, and Graeme addressed that: the CHIPs programs are so parents in that situation don’t *have* to sell everything they own (he actually only mentioned houses and cars) to be able to afford insurance. Yes, it *is* likely that the Frosts couldn’t get cheap insurance with two special-needs kids. Yes, they have kids in schools with high tuition, but they are paying $500 total for those schools.

They could have learned these things before attacking. They chose not too.

I’ll admit, I can understand people wanting to complain that today (or maybe “someday in the future”) the Frosts could have $420,000 in assets, but are getting some help from the government. But again, that’s the point of the programs… to keep people from having to face decisions like that. Me, I approve of this kind of program.

Do you? Hey, you don’t have to. It’s a free country. But rather than answer questions, folks merely asked, made nasty insinuations, and went on the attack.

And now we have a complaint that they were tricked by the dirty Democrats, who *knew* they’d attack, so that the Democrats could complain about their attacking a kid.

Here it is again, just so it’s clear:
Her second point is just as important, just as a terrorist will hide behind an innocent man, woman or child and shoot or launch rockets knowing that the innocents would get caught in the line of fire when one fired back at them, the Democrats held this child in front of them, hid like cowards behind him, knowing that when the family got caught in the line of fire, they could use that to distract from the issue of a badly written bill.

The Democrats knew the family would get caught in the line of fire. But there didn’t have to be anyone “firing” if folks dug for actual facts, rather than using speculation.

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