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The Ghost of Jack Murtha

From the blog for the syndicated nightly John Batchelor Show.

 

With Republican Support.  

Salena Zito, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tells me that during her conversation with Jack Murtha in late January, the day before Murtha went into the hospital, that Murtha told her the healthcare bill would not work as constructed. That it was necessary to start over and build a much smaller bill.

Murtha said that the only way to do healthcare was to fashion a much smaller bill with Republican support.  Murtha said the way to work together was to follow the model practiced by Speaker Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan thirty years ago.

The ghost of Jack Murtha did not believe in his own leadership or in the path that the Obama administration has chose for reform.  

Reconciliation.

The reconciliation manipulation between the House and the Senate begins immediately and will play out over the next four weeks, until the Easter break.   John Avlon says that the independent voters will hate this game and turn very negative in the polling.

The panels were mixed as to the question if the GOP will tie up the Senate and do no business in protest.  Avlon thinks it unwise.

We all wondered if the Jim Bunning temper tantrum last week was a warning shot or a maverick maneuver by a retiring veteran.

Reconciliation is so arduous, arcane (the rule was written by Robert Byrd in order to suit much smaller pieces of legislation in the budget process) and unpredictable a mode when used for partisan advantage that there is much room for mischief.

No one disputed much that Washington will not transform into a bickering battle on one subject.

Also, the polls will be painful.

Salena Zito tells me that and the young and earnest Jason Altmire (below) of 4th Pennsylvania, a first-term Democrat who defeated Melissa Hart near Pittsburgh in 2008, has put out a pamphlet that features his conservative feelings but does not mention that he is a Democrat.

Also, Selena Zito indicates that Murtha’s 12th CD is leaning heavily toward the GOP even as soon as the May Special Election. 

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  • PA Caucasian

    Shortly after Murtha’s death I was watching MSNBC, one of their news items was that Murtha’s wife would run for his seat. And that it would be the twelfth time that a surviving spouse took over her husband’s congressional seat.

    My first thought was: Doesn’t she have to get elected first?

  • sowsear

    Well, MSNBC has a direct connection The One. He knows all, wins all.

  • sowsear

    Well, MSNBC has a direct connection to The One. He knows all, wins all.

  • Diana L. C.

    My question is this:  If they do pass it, what will it take to overturn it?  What is the process for that?

  • Anonymous

    I honor all Veterans for their service to this country.
    John Murtha did as much self dealing as any PRO from either side which sullys his name imo.  But, in the end it seems he KNEW he needed to BE HONEST.  His backing O to the extent that all D’s did in the end made me very sad.  I used to have such respect.  For him and some others I’ll not mention here. dammmmmmmmmmm them

  • Ladydawnelle

    sorry that guest was me

  • mortuus lark

    You just have to make Obama say: Mxyzptlk in reverse.

  • sowsear

    Here are two of the perpetrators…aren’t they a cute couple?

  • helenk

    OT
    What is going on here? Why would the military need newborn babies DNA?

    http://www.dailytopseven.com/readmore.php?newsid=MTUwOA==

    I respected Murtha untl he called the people he represented racist. The 2008 primary was the worst in my lifetime and people that I had formerly respected showed a side to them that was sickening.

    WOMEN WITH INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE,MEN WHO SUPPORT THEM AND COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS

    PUMAS,BUBBAS,EQUALISTS AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE

  • sowsear

    Supposedly they are building a data base to identify missing children—albeit in the future.

  • Ladydawnelle

    These guys are too cute! Another reason I love Florida. Watch the ending closely!  Verrrry interesting!!

  • My other site

    If Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neal fashioned a healthcare bill that was bipartisan, where is it?

  • My other site

    All Ds did not back Obama in the end.

  • Diana L. C.

    Frau (oder Fraulein) Lark,

    Ihre Antwort meiner Frage ist sehr unlogisch.  Sind Sie wahnsinnig? Bitte, antworten diese Frage auf der chinesischer Sprache.

    Verstehen Sie?  Nicht? Antworten Sie diese Frage:

    Aronge yongou conrongazongyong?

  • Diana L. C.

    Please provide a non-facetious reply for me.  I am seriously asking?

  • mortuus lark

    I am crazy to the crazies and logical to the illogicals.

  • mortuus lark

    I thirty years you will find out that they injected the Taliban prisoners with that and got them to speak English in no time.

  • mortuus lark

    I am crazy to the crazies and logical to the illogicals.

    Boy I didn’t know it was going to make you upset.

    I am going to start trying to learn how is it that people get upset when after they post something unexpected comes up.

  • Diana L. C.

    Aber Sie antworten auf english.  Anworten bittlen auf der chinesisher Sprache.  Meine Frage ist nicht eine wahnsinnig Frage. 

  • mortuus lark

    I am crazy to the crazies and logical to the illogicals.  
     
    Boy I didn’t know it was going to make you upset. 
     
    I am going to start trying to learn how is it that people get upset when after they post something unexpected comes up.

    The small red kidney beans I just took out of the pressure cooker, which have been under pressure 29 minutes don’t seem as hot and flustered as you do.

  • mortuus lark

    I am crazy to the crazies and logical to the illogicals.   
      
    Boy I didn’t know it was going to make you upset.  
      
    I am going to start trying to learn how is it that people get upset when after they post something unexpected comes up.  
     
    The small red kidney beans I just took out of the pressure cooker, which have been under pressure 29 minutes don’t seem as hot and flustered as you do.

  • Ladydawnelle

    ok so I can’t name ONE prominent D Congressperson or Senator who has stood up against him ?
    I’m not talking about present company or other D bloggers or local precint people (which is good still if they are against him)

  • mortuus lark

    Your question was not crazy. Is a good question. I have to say I am sorry that I interpellated you that way. I thought you would get a laugh from that, or at least a sigh. You are going to make me cry for the Chilean people that had their building toppled sideways. I’ve been wanting to do that now for a while.

    If I can recover from this I would just say that your question would fluster your Democrat Congressperson if you asked that to them.
    For now, let me just say Diana – I have to get off this blog.

  • mortuus lark

    Your question was not crazy. Is a good question. I have to say I am sorry that I interpellated you that way. I thought you would get a laugh from that, or at least a sigh. You are going to make me cry for the Chilean people that had their building toppled sideways. I’ve been wanting to do that now for a while. 
     
    If I can recover from this I would just say that your question would fluster your Democrat Congressperson if you asked that to them. 

  • candymarl

    Notice Jack Murtha said follow the model practiced by Tip and Reagan. He never said it was a healthcare bill.

  • John of johnwsmart.com

    I wonder what Obama is going to do. I really do. Even Warren Buffet told him thru an interview to start over. 

    and i do not think reconciliation revulsion will be confined to “polls”. People are going to be livid. It will be more than polling that expresses their views. 

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