Top 10 of 2009

So, fin d'annee - time for lists.

Lists are a great way to crank out content.  You can just throw unrelated shit together, stick numbers at the head of them and voila - content.  And really, end of year is the best time to do this, it's a total excuse to be  do a post while putting as small an amount of effort in as possible - and that sounds to me like a winnah!  But in an effort to expand the scope of the carp don't-give-a-shit-ness of the List post, I'm going one step further.  You see, usually no unifying theme is really needed, BUT you do need to pretend because the list has to be the top 10 somethings.  Well fuck that noise.  D-KW on the cutting edge of lazy-ass bloggerating presents the following:

The Top 10 of 2009

10.  Something or other.
9.  Yeah, well Fuck You!
8.  PENIS.
7.  Hey remember that time back in early spring when that guy did that thing and everyone was like "Whoah."  Good Times.
6.  Hey remember that time back in early summer when that guy did that thing and everyone was like "Whoah." Good Times.

5.  Hey remember that time back in early fall when that guy did that thing and everyone was like "Whoah." Good Times.

4.  Doing your mom.
3.  PENIS.
2.  Good Times.
1.  PENIS.

Senate Bill Passes - What Now?

Conventional wisdom states that the House has to roll over during reconcilliation.  Because, hey look - the Senate only just barely managed their supermajority cloture vote at 60-39 - and even the slightest little thing can cause Lieberman or Nelson to shut it all down.

Just a reminder, the House bill passed 220-215 with two D's voting Nay because the bill wasn't progressive enough.  Maybe the Senate bill will find some support amongst the Blue Dogs, but a united Progressive caucus ought to be able to bring some pressure to the table.  A progressive stand from the Administration could make the difference.  Then again, a corporatist stand from the Administration - which is all we've seen so far - tips the scales the other way.

So then, what now?  The "we got your back" approach to strengthen the resolve of progressives ain't gonna help - Kucinich doesn't need that kind of reassurance.  Okay maybe if you're in NY-29 you can let Eric Massa know that you support him saying F.U. to the Senate.  Polling shows that the public agrees that the Senate bill is garbage.

No, what's needed isn't a good defense, but a strong offense.  That's why I still like what Jane Hamsher is doing, despite how distastefully foul it seems.

In the weeks ahead, there'll be all sorts of players pushing the bill back and forth and while the good side may seem like the underdogs, the final bill isn't written yet and every little bit to sap at the folks pushing for the insurance industry will help.

P.S.  Here's my dream scenario - progressives manage to get the House Public Option into the Conference Report, a handful of senators proclaim that they are now supporting the filibuster because of it, and Harry Reid finally grows a pair and tells them that procedural filibuster is off the table, and they're going to have to actually fucking read phone books or whatever until they give up.  Yeah, I know - not going to happen, but that there is my Christmas wish.

But that's okay because I'm only interested in motivating partisans and winning debate points.

UPDATE:  Nate Silver says that I'm wrong because The stock market's reaction to the declining prospects for the public option, however, should not be conflated with its reaction to the anticipated passage of the the public option-less reform proposal currently before the Senate. shut up that's why.

via D.A.

It really is fortunate that he's always on the side of angels because even Nate Silver can be a stupid fucking moron. 

For example Mr. 538 - remember Question 3 of 20?

3. Where is the evidence that the plan, as constructed, would substantially increase insurance industry profit margins, particularly when it is funded in part via a tax on insurers?

I checked in with a source that is really very good at reading the tea leaves.

As of 11 AM Eastern time, stocks for the six largest publicly-traded health insurance companies have risen by an average 4.49 percent, as weighted by their market capitalization.

Stock prices? What's that got to do with a Senate bill designed to optimized Health Insurance gouging?

Favorable developments for health care reform have been met with decreases in the prices of these stocks, and unfavorable developments with improved valuations.

Normally at this point I'd go into your rationalizations as to why this doesn't mean the Senate bill shouldn't have two or three shit sandwiches added to its score but I wouldn't want to accuse you of picking and choosing evidence and spinning it to support your arguments. After all when you make mistakes, "they're honest ones" and it's just anybody who disagrees with you that's being a dishonest hack.

P.S. FUCK YOU NATE SILVER.

It's phrased to imply...

Although others may be falling over themselves to apologize to you (okay, me too) - let me take this opportunity to thank you for another beautiful turn of phrase.

ADDED: Now, I see that the problem was that I had a tag for his name and I misspelled it. That brought an obscenity... and a connection to a commenter who took a racial point of view. What a jerk.

Wow Ann, that's phrased to imply that it's rude to pick on your horribly bad reednigs komprayhenshuns.  It's phrased to imply that Ta-Nahoweveryouuspellit is a big meanie for pickin' on teh illiterate.  Okay, you got a point.  Coates should be ashamed for kicking at someone as mentally handicapped as you.

Ann Apology

Ann Althouse,

This is just to say,
I have done your mother
On the icebox
Just before having
Breakfast.

Forgive me,
I know you keep food under where we coupled
Frozen dinners
So cold.

Wangchuck 3:16

For Pere Ubu

Jesus: For God so loved the world -

Nicodemus: Hey Big J, know who else God loved? Yo momma!