birdog1960

Thought you might have read same old bills lee Atwater link. Not broad enough for you?

Um, no. It's necessary but not sufficient.

"it's the demographics, stupid" should be the new mantra. how that isn't being seen is beyond me.

ibid. from a purely pragmatic repub stance, see the post above.

the problem here is an inability to communicate. my strategy wins presidential elections. yours doesn't. one needs to win national elections to effect change.

i think the best response to powell's comments (for the country as a whole) would be acknowledgement by the party of at least a problem with perception and a restrained but genuine mea culpa and apology. worse would be an insincere one. what we get is what we expect: a refusal to even see a problem. wow. that's one of the most cynical, disgraceful things i've recently read...

and cuomo was called out for it in, among other places, the huffpost.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/10/hillary-supporter-cuomo-o_n_80914.html? did we see anything similar in the national review about palin? are we likely to?carney was referring to himself and we all know what he looks like. powell made the comment on meet the press that these phrases mean nothing to most non blacks but mean much to blacks. i don't think carney was insulted by his own gaffe.re lazy: the interviewer ( i believe, andrea mitchell) gave sunnunu an opportunity to "take it back". i'm confident he discerned her meaning and the implication. he answered something like "whatever". re powell's stance on the issues in #19, if it's ok for you to hold some of these positions and call yourself a republican ( or would you reject that label?), why shouldn't it be ok for powell? are you saying he's lying? for what purpose? if he wants to declare himself a dem, there would likely be no objections even though it's likely many of his beliefs wouldn't be fully in line with the dem platform either.

the difference is that kennedy was deeply offended (per this report). and it wasn't said publicly. if it were, ya think rank and file dems would have taken it in silently? but besides powell's complaints, how much republican uproar arose to palin's shuck and jive comment?

and that's the point. much has changed in the party since 96. who is in a better position to judge hostility directed at him; this writer or powell himself? and ya'll don't seem to think he should have a place at the repub table. perhaps the hostility is real?

then why not directly prove my conjecture incorrect?

is that because he has changed or because the party has? i know more than a few ex republicans (yes, i was one) who no longer recognize the party that they once belonged to.

the thread began with an accurate paraphrase of a prominent, moderate republican. he seems somewhat disillusioned and dissatisfied with some aspects of the party while confirming his continued membership. the point of the thread was to get a reading on everyday republicans opinions on the need for change in such matters. i've got a good reading on yours and 3rd's. thanks.

so you're saying the demographic make up, in regards to racial and socioeconomic diversity, is the same in both parties?

dems have the bigger tent right now (and in the forseeable future). all you had to do was look at convention attendees to confirm that. there is intolerance in some factions of the dem party but to equate overall tolerance for different cultures, socioeconomic groups and races between the two parties is ridiculous.

sio i'm guessing you'd rather have palin as a republican spokesman than powell? the first step to solving a problem is acknowledging one...if you're any indication of the republican rank and file then we won't be seeing a repub prez for a long time. the "dark vein of intolerance" is therefore, only a manifestation of powell's thin skin or a figment of his imagination?

when asked if he was still a republican on "meet the press" yesterday, powell criticized the party for it's inclusion of ex governers using terms like "shuck and jive" and "lazy" to criticize the president. seemed pretty unhappy about it and echoed the need for change if the party is to ever win another national election. anybody hear him? comments? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/13/colin-powell-gop_n_2467768.html

$35 a ticket is why i'm thinking it over (i'm cheap!). for bluegrass, that's pretty steep but del is a legend.

brewery tasting room, local band tonight. steep canyon rangers and black lillies next saturday. been listening to black lillies on pandora and get more impressed the more i listen. mulling over del mcourey and an all star bluegrass concert at the end of the month.

one of my favorite shows. i thought the first episode was pretty good but not one of the best. i don't live that far from harlan (and there are several mining towns that look just like harlan does in the show's intro) so some of the characters seem vaguely familiar (cariacatures, of course and greatly over generalized). love the music. they played "you'll never leave harlan alive" one episode which really captures the coal mining life in the area. if you like the show, have a listen.

clearly schefter was correct. now, are the bills? i sue hope so but even if they are, why do they always have to look for a diamond in the rough? why can't they just pick up a high grade, certified diamond? there's only so many don beebes and andre reeds. not seeing a great change in philosophy here but i hope, as much as anyone, that he's the real deal.

despite the right's protestations, obamacare has begun to address this. i encourage wellness visits for all my medicare patients. included in the requirements to be reimbursed under the aca for this visit is a discussion on advance directives. if i get even a few patients to document their wishes for do not resuscitate status, i've likely saved many medicare dollars and much suffering. but the repubs demonized this requirement (http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/12/end_of_life_care_resuscitated.html )as a part of the death panel. i wish they'd put their mouths where there money is. at least the dems are taking baby steps in this regard.

i'm not so sure. it's going to come to a real battle of the generations. younger folks are already realizing that their gonna get less than they paid for when it comes their time to retire. older folks are mostly getting more than they paid into. i think americans, in general, think you should get what you pay for with a safety net for the helpless (provided that doesn't take too much away from "me" or anybody like me). we are rapidly approaching that tipping point. that's where all the blowback on obamacare comes from. the ironic thing is, that's the first step towards some limits (especially the expert panel, defining appropriate care).

you sell it by selling it. you define ordinary care and require out of pocket payment for extraordinary care. it's the american way. but you'll hear plenty of bitching about who makes those definitions. eventually, however, it has to happen.

i don't like pda's either. reminds me of a kid in high school who always found the most public places to make out. wasn't like everyone didn't know he was getting plenty with the prettiest girls. he just had to remind everyone frequently. at our 25th reunion there he was, in the restaurant parking lot doing it in public view with a divorcee. bizarre and pathetic really. but, i must admit, most of us in high school would've liked to have been in his shoes, just more privately. sort of the real life "jack and dianne" story. as far as same sex pda, i must admit, i have a visceral repulsion. it's not cognizant or intentional. i'm certain it's conditioned but isn't likely to change. even on media, i turn my head or change the station, a tactic i recommend to rob.

as i said, concierge medicine predates obamacare. conceirge docs usually have a patient panel of about 300 patients. regular docs about 10x that. if everyone had concierge practices we'd need 10x more docs. wanna outlaw concierge practices cuz that's the only solution? fine by me... and this differential to access to care happens regardless of the law or guidelines.. remember when the goldman sachs guys got swine flu shots when only kids and the pregnant were supposed to? as far as i know trhere was no investigation or punishment.