March 22, 2012

NYC Letter: Today's Big Stupid -- Nancy Pelosi V

Day 1,153 of CHOPE

She's back. It's as if she lives in The Big Stupid.

PELOSI: HEALTHCARE LAW GUARANTEES
'LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS'

March 21, 2012 (The Hill) - Speaking on the House floor, Pelosi called on her colleagues to remember "what our founders put forth in our founding documents, which is life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And that is exactly what the Affordable Care Act helps to guarantee."

... Pelosi's comments stand in stark contrast to how many conservatives see the healthcare law — as a government overreach that intrudes on individuals' rights to libery, in particular the mandate that people buy health insurance.

Pelosi explained that the law gives people the flexibility they need to pursue these goals, since it makes it easier for them to switch jobs in order to pursue their career or family goals:

A healthier life, the liberty to pursue happiness, free of the constraints that lack of healthcare might provide to a family. If you want to be photographer, a writer, an artist, a musician, you can do so. If you what to start a business, if you want to change jobs, under the Affordable Care Act, you have that liberty to pursue your happiness.

Before Obamacare people started businesses, changed jobs, became photographers, writers, artists, and musicians, but after Obamacare people can now do these very same things! [Double-take.] Hey! Wait a minute!

And so that is why I'm so pleased that this week we can celebrate the two-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act.

Ahem. Not everybody will be celebrating.

OBAMA WON'T MARK ANNIVERSARY
OF HEALTH CARE LAW

March 21, 2012 (Politico) - While Friday marks the two-year anniversary of the signing of President Obama's signature health care law, the president has no plans to celebrate the occasion.

"I don’t anticipate a presidential marking of an anniversary that only those who toil inside the Beltway focus on," Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters on Air Force One Wednesday. "What this President is focused on and what his administration is focused on with regards to the Affordable Care Act is the implementation of the Affordable Care Act."

In not celebrating the two-year anniversary, Mr. Obama finally garners majority support.

CHOPE.

Life. Liberty. Entitlement happiness.

Posted by Damian at March 22, 2012 03:15 AM
Comments

"Before Obamacare people started businesses, changed jobs, became photographers, writers, artists, and musicians, but after Obamacare people can now do these very same things." Ah but they were not happy then. Now they are happy. I think or perhaps I missed Nancy Pollution's point, if she has one. And they don't have to pay for anything. Or something like that. I think I'm a bit lost here...

Posted by: TheOldMan at March 22, 2012 09:25 PM

Back in 1776, an unreported conversation of the Declaration of Independence drafting committee.

JEFFERSON: OK. What have we got? {Reading.] Certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, liberty, and the pursuit of, of what?

LIVINGSTON: Hhmmm. How about recreational fishing? Every man should have the right to fish to please himself and provide.

SHERMAN: I'm partial to ice hockey. The pursuit of ice hockey. It is sport for all and bestows heated enjoyment on the community.

JEFFERSON: I dunno.

FRANKLIN: Something more practical? What say you to the pursuit of remedy for bunions, a common bane on all humanity.

SHERMAN: What about chilblains. I am sorely vexed by chilblains.

LIVINGSTON: Methinks this new republic should famously declare for the easement of the gout.

JEFFERSON: Gentlemen, we are all in our separate appeals talking about health care. A republic founded on disbursement from the public purse of free health care to its citizenry.

FRANKLIN: Or with more precision, insurance reform to achieve such ends.

LIVINGSTON: Such a grand entitlement will be costly.

FRANKLIN: Health is wealth.

JEFFERSON: Like all government charity, a tax will be levied.

SHERMAN: Such a tax would undermine our grievance against the king!

FRANKLIN: Then let us put the responsibility on the citizen and mandate he purchase the government charity himself or pay an equivalent penalty.

JEFFERSON: What say you, Adams?

ADAMS: I'd be eternally happy if you would conclude these inanities so that I might go home and pursue Mrs. Adams.

FRANKLIN: Ever the randy patriot.

SHERMAN: To the hunt!

JEFFERSON: Then we are all agreed. Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Mr. Adam's happiness? [Adds the third term. Raucous laughter.] Let's see if that old goat Harrison allows this to pass into perpetuity.

LIVINGSTON: [Thoughtfully.] Perhaps we should also declare for relief of the private citizen's burdensome purchase of prophylactic lambskins.

FRANKLIN: Carroll and Fitz-Simmons will have none of that.

SHERMAN: [Muttered outrage.] Damn papist progenitors!

FRANKLIN: [Spies the open door.] What has become of Adams?

SHERMAN: He has shot the bolt.

[Raucous laughter.]

DGB

Posted by: Damian at March 25, 2012 02:49 PM