Senate Republican leaders have sent letters warning six professional sports leagues not to provide the Obama administration any assistance in promoting Obamacare.
The letters, dated June 27, warn the chiefs of the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, Professional Golf Association and NASCAR that partnering with the administration to publicize the benefits of the health care law would damage their reputations.
“Given the divisiveness and persistent unpopularity of this bill, it is difficult to understand why an organization like yours would risk damaging its inclusive and apolitical brand by lending its name to its promotion,” wrote Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Minority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX).
The letters come days after Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said she’s spoken with the NFL about potentially partnering to let people know the benefits of the Affordable Care Act ahead of the implementation of its major components. (She said there was no deal yet.) The Republican senators rattled off a slew of conservative arguments against the law, stressing polls that signal its unpopularity with the public.
The letter also suggests the Obama administration could be threatening the pro sports leagues to extract support for Obamacare:
"We have long been concerned by the Obama Administration’s record of using the threat of policy retaliation to solicit support for its policies or to silence its critics. Should the administration or its allies suggest that there will be any policy consequence for your decision not to participate in their outreach efforts, we urge you to resist any such pressure and to contact us immediately so that we may conduct appropriate oversight."
I am almost without words here.
It is vitally important to get the word out about the benefits of the Affordable Care Act to those who desperately need to know, and having it promoted by teams from the NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLB is a stroke of genius.
And clearly the GOP knows this, and are now actually attempting to bully these teams into refusing to help.
I literally to not have a word in my vocabulary which adequately describes my disgust with this putrid pod of pompous pissants!
NASCAR will probably obey the Republican letter.
ReplyDeleteIf the GOP honestly thinks die hard fans will stop watching their sports teams due to ACA, they are truly out of their collective minds.
ReplyDeleteO/T...
ReplyDeleteWhat the WHAT!! Just watched Baldy babbling on Fake News with some no neck chick and all I can say is.....
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
She was in the SHADOWS the entire time! She looked like a man with a giant wig wearing a pink housecoat!
Why...how....WTF happened? Did a light blow out right before the broadcast and Baldy was like O'Really..."FUCK IT...FUCK IT...WE DO IT LIVE!...so the Toad shrugged his girly shoulders and said..."whatever you say Juicy" and this is the result!
ROFLMAO!
Damnyum Baldy! You really pissed Roger the Hut off! He's repo'ing your lights and shit!
It was like watching "The Invisible Man" and I felt like we were waiting for pieces of Baldy to start to disappear and all that was going to be left was her glasses and her necklace! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
MORE of THIS....this is hysterical!
Link...http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Zq_OBkpEd74
I watched a couple minutes, with no volume, of course.
DeleteGood Lord. {blinks}
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ0M7omRM-I
DeleteShe brought her Belmonts but forgot about the lighting. HD does her no favors...
I laughed!
DeleteFelt good!
Darkness is falling (we hope).
"... and all that was going to be left was her glasses and her necklace!"
Delete... and her hideous "Cheshire Cat" smirk.
Like someone on another site said: maybe, she's in the "witless" protection program.
DeleteOh, the "witless protection program" is a gem!
DeleteI can think of a word: treasonous.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm sure the NFL is really intimidated by turkey neck.
ReplyDelete"Given the divisiveness and persistent unpopularity of the bill....." (Mitch McConnell)
ReplyDeleteUm, Senator...The Affordable Care Act is not a "bill," it's a freaking LAW, passed by both the House and the Senate whether you like it or not. It's time that you recognized that and started to help implement it.
If "persistent unpopularity" is a correct characterization of public sentiment, why hasn't there been a deafening outcry from the vast majority of the American people during the 38 times your brain dead colleagues in the House have voted to repeal it. You would think people would be in the streets blocking traffic with pitchforks and burning torches.
But they're not. Because sir, it is a lie to call it "persistently unpopular." However, that it a catchy phrase and I would urge your opponent in next year's Senate race to use it against YOU. That would be the truth.
A Fan From Chicago
The "persistent unpopularity" has only come from the GOP and they are a vanishing species.
DeleteBeaglemom
But it IS persistently unpopular...
Delete...among the Republicans in Congress who owe their corporate masters complete and undying loyalty. And who want to destroy any tiny shred of accomplishment that this President may possibly get credit for.
They ceased working for the American people years ago.
If I draw McConnell as he appears in this post, I think I can go to art school.
ReplyDeleteTHAT was funny!
DeleteSo McConnell is,warning sports leagues to beware and report intimidation in advertising the ACA, while threatening and intimidating them himself? All I can say is, this law must be awesome if the goobers are so afraid of it taking effect.
ReplyDeleteI just visited the Fox website, to see if Palin's appearance of today was posted. (It wasn't.)
ReplyDeleteWhile there, I answered their daily poll, commemorating the first anniversary of Obamacare's support by the Supreme Court.
Question: Has Obamacare changed your health care?:
about a third of respondents said "yes" -- although whether that was a positive or negative "yes" is unknown.
Everyone else said either "no," "I don't know" or "too early to tell."
So even Fox folks, who one would think would be up in arms about it, seem uninformed or uncertain about the law's effect on them. Thus, McConnell's
assertion that it is a divisive and unpopular "bill" is hogwash.
It's divisive because the GOP LOST, both in the legislative branch and the judicial branch, and they can't stop whining about it.That makes all three branches of government supporting the new LAW. Not a bill, Mitch. It's settled law.
And threatening political reprisals -- and, who knows?, actions on future sports access to broadcasting, via the FCC, or other punitive legislative action, is, indeed, treasonous, as 9:52 has written.
That McConnell did this publicly, a game of chicken with professional sports, is breathtaking. But it's nice to know he supports transparency in government. What the private threats have been, we may never know.
Here's what they're afraid of: Romneycare, in Massachusetts, has been basically a success. The fear of poor and working poor residents has been alleviated -- there is medical care for them, at a low cost. It may not be fancy care, but it's there. Especially for children and for catastrophic coverage, it's essential.
When people don't have to worry about what might happen to them -- bankruptcy if they go to a doctor, unknown consequences if they don't --
millions more people will be happy, and grateful. The playing field in healthcare is more level.
The Republicans should be very afraid when all the people who couldn't get coverage because of pre-existing conditions, or who have children in their 20s now covered, or who now have expanded health coverage for their small children -- when all these people see what Obamacare will do for them, or for their family, or for their friends, they'll thank the Democrats for this peace of mind. For a long time to come.
The white working vote that, it's reported, the GOP thinks it can ride to victory on in the future, will look at what the Republicans have given them, and what Obamacare has delivered, and they'll go with the folks who brought them vital help.
Happy, grateful and more willing to tell an abusive/unfair boss to eff off without fear of losing their healthcare, which is what they are afraid of.
DeleteWell said Evelyn !!
ReplyDeleteIt's the law, turtle face. You don't have a professional franchise in your state, so STFU. It's funny how these low-bred motherfuckers didn't mind using every franchise, major or minor, in sports in this country to help with their 2002 and 2006 mid-terms and the 2004 and 08 elections by bombarding everyone with their bumper sticker slogan for domestic and foreign policy. Don't you remember? "We support our troops."
ReplyDeleteThose are the biggest fucking hypocrites alive today, those assholes in the GOP in the Senate, and many in the House as well. I'd love for some physically challenged kid who couldn't be insured before bc of pre-existing conditions to punch turtle face in the fucking throat. Maybe he'll shut up then.
I think the healthcare paid by taxpayers for these deadbeats in office should be repealed. Why do we get sadled with that cost for millionaires? Let them pay for their own healthcare. We obviously do not pay for dental care, look a Mitch's teeth!! McCain has horrible teeth also, too.
ReplyDeleteOh, GinaM -- I finally went to youtube to see Mizz Palin's oration. Interesting to know that she's basically been relegated to radio interviews and the ever-popular middle-of-the-day Saturday appearances, when the rest of the world is at Home Depot, a swimming pool, or watching Little League games.You're no longer ready for prime time, Sarah. It would appear that Fox doesn't want you to appear when they actually have viewers.
ReplyDeleteHilarious: that sing-song voice, that "will of the people and the rule of law" hogwash, and, as you pointed out GinaM, what looked like a single 60-watt lightbulb illuminating the dead branches behind her, against the sickly pea green walls. Our high school film club has higher-quality production values.
Note to Sarah: the "will of the people" has been expressed by more than 2/3rds of the U.S. Senate. And the "rule of law" is what our representatives do for us. You may not agree with what they do, but they've done it as it has been done for 224 years.
Also, that "community organizer" routine is tired as well. That was your mantra FIVE years ago. Barack Obama, our President, and yours, has twice been elected to the highest office in the land by a majority of U.S. voters. He ain't no community organizer anymore.
You sound incredibly stupid to keep harping on that meme. Here's a clue: it's not 2008 anymore. We've all moved on, and so should you.
Political parties as "private?" Please look up the history of parties, Sarah. They have come to dominate the scene, but that hasn't always been the case. Anyone can join either party. A ground swell of sentiment, one way or the other, eventually will produce results within a party.
How do you think Ronald Reagan, who first wanted to be President in 1968, got past that year, and 1976, when he almost got the nomination away from a sitting president, eventually became the Republican nominee in 1980? It took a long time and a lot of work.
Minority voters, who feel excluded by the majority, are free to form their own political parties. Strom Thurmond did that notably in 1948, and may have assured the election of Harry Truman. H. Ross Perot did it in 1992, but did no favors to Geo. H.W. Bush, and allowed Bill Clinton to win with a plurality. So, go drain votes away from the GOP. You'll help insure a Democratic majority for years to come.
Start your own "Freedom Party," as you said you were intrigued by. You're not a libertarian -- you want a theocracy -- and Rand Paul and his pals will kick you down the stairs if you try to latch onto their ambitions. Your complaints are going to go nowhere on the national stage.
Also, just fyi, Sarah, you might dust off the branches and fake stone fireplace behind you -- they look very tired -- and study the effect of your baby-pink top against the green wall, and your pale complexion in a dim-to-dark studio. Also, you might want to hire a real hair stylist. Willow said on tv she wasn't ready for the big time, and she proves that every time you appear in public.
Mitch McConnell really does look like a turtle and I think he thinks like a turtle too. Or maybe that is being unkind to turtles. My apologies to the turtles of the world.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
Friggin' amazing! Wonder if they will actually go along w/this request? I'd start by asking for verification of the poll they are referring to as I doubt there one that is authentic.
ReplyDeleteMcConnell will do anything to obstruct President Obama! I so hope he loses his upcoming race in Kentucky. People need to write to the newspapers in Kentucky and get their letters published about why McConnell should never hold office in Congress again.
It's interesting that the GOP governor of Kentucky has decided to participate with Obamacare to help more Medicaid recipients in the state. I'm sure that McConnell and Rand were spitting nickels, if not quarters, when they heard his decision.
DeleteBeaglemom
I would like to see turtle man say this to Roger Goodell in person. Who cares about some stupid letter written by a burch of sore losers?
ReplyDeleteVirginia Voter
There is NOTHING attractive about this man - either physically or mentally! Vote him out of office Kentucky!!!!
ReplyDeleteyeah, that'll fly really well in the NHL, where have or more of the players are European or Canadian countries where there is national healthcare. Very, very popular national healthcare I might add. where players realize their parents may not have ever let them play hockey were it not for that national healthcare making broken bone $$ worries moot. where players make a habit of flouting rules (see Crawford, Corey, Blackhawks goalie yesterday).
Deletegood luck with that, Yertle.
I think Congress should donate their brains to science. All that traumatic brain injury from banging their noggins against Obamacare, calling for almost 40 votes and passing zero laws would be a gift to science and possibly help humanity.
ReplyDeleteOh, nevermind, there isn't a brain among all of them!
"We have long been concerned by the Obama Administration’s record of using the threat of policy retaliation to solicit support for its policies or to silence its critics".
ReplyDeleteWhen will the excuses for media ask the republicans for examples of the Obama Administration’s record of using the threat of policy retaliation/