It is done.

They did it.

It came down to a vote straight along party lines: 60-40 (which further underscores the importance of every political race – big and small; it also shows how important - and long – President Barack Obama’s coattails were in the last election). In short, we are now on the road to Nationalized Health Care.

According to the New York Times, “The vote was 60 to 40 — a tally that is expected to be repeated four times as further procedural hurdles are cleared in the days ahead, and then once more in a dramatic, if predictable, finale tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve.”

The battle raged in the nation’s Capitol as forces of light and darkness worked far into the night on the most significant health care/insurance reform bill to ever make its way through Congress.


Burning the midnight oil...

Just months ago, Republicans swore that this would be Obama’s Waterloo. Now, with the weather outside the Capitol building cold and snowy and the GOP in the Capitol but unable to do anything with it, it seems more like the Republicans’ own version of the French invasion of Russia of 1812.

Napoleon couldn't do anything in another important capitol, either...

It was all made possible because Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) threw in with his fellow Dems, promising his filibuster-breaking vote in exchange for some big money for his state. According the Washington Post: ‘Nelson secured full federal funding for his state to expand Medicaid coverage to all individuals below 133 percent of the federal poverty level. Other states must pay a small portion of the additional cost. He won concessions for qualifying nonprofit insurers and for Medigap providers from a new insurance tax. He also was able to roll back cuts to health savings accounts.” (h/t:reason.com)

“Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) declared, ‘This process is not legislation. This process is corruption,’ referring to the last-minute flurry of dealmaking that enabled Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and the White House to lock in the 60 votes needed to approve the legislation.”(h/t:sfgate.com)

The man of the moment: Ben Nelson...

This, of course, means an Obama signing party in the not-too-distant future as well as a host of additional questions and/or problems. Some things to consider:

Be careful what you wish for, pt. 1: “Poor Barack Obama. All he wanted for Christmas was a health-care reform bill -- and all he got was a lousy insurance industry bailout that few can love.”

Be careful what you wish for, pt. 2: Is the Democrats’ likely “paper-thin” margin of victory actually a Pyrrhic victory? (And the conservative pundits aren’t the only ones who feel this way.) Plenty of “progressives” are hopping mad about the final version and blame Obama for it. Over at Newsweek, Robert Samuelson goes so far to say, “Barack Obama's quest for historic health care legislation has turned into a parody of leadership.”

Pyrrhus...

“According to the American Medical Association’s National Health Insurer Report Card for 2008, the government’s health plan, Medicare, denied medical claims at nearly double the average for private insurers.”

Nelson wasn’t the only one who was bought-off. That old, principled socialist from Vermont – Sen. Bernie Sanders – got a payout, too. He didn’t get the Single Payer system he dreamed of but he did get some other favors.

Megan McArdle points out in her blog over at The Atlantic: “No bill this large has ever before passed on a straight party-line vote, or even anything close to a straight party-line vote. No bill this unpopular has ever before passed on a straight party-line vote. We're in a new political world.”

As is true in many legislative efforts, there’s a lot of back scratching going on in D.C. right now. Votes are being traded for favors…and the favors are many.

If it really is a win, then who loses? (The GOP is hoping this bill is the straw that breaks the senior senator from Nevada’s back. Even his hometown paper is poking at him.)

Add Nelson: Some big names in Nebraska are none too pleased.

Well if Joe says so: According to the most well-spoken Vice President since Dan Quayle, the health care, er, insurance reform bill is something that “represents the culmination of a struggle begun by Theodore Roosevelt nearly a century ago to make health care reform a reality.” Forgive me if I’m being nit-picky here, but I thought I heard the president back in his speech a few months ago say the effort started about 50-plus years ago. I’ve heard everyone from Harry Truman (Dems, of course) credited with trying to move this effort along.

Ending on a bit of “rosy” news from Reuters: “Revised Senate health bill cuts deficit: CBO: The revised healthcare overhaul in the Senate would cut the federal deficit by $132 billion over 10 years, non-partisan budget analysts said on Saturday. The Congressional Budget Office also said the bill as revised by Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid would have coverage costs of $871 billion over 10 years. Both figures meet President Barack Obama's goal of cutting the deficit and having a total cost of about $900 billion over 10 years. The rosy report card could help the proposal gain support.” Only that much? What terrific news! Just remember to stay well.

What hath Reid wrought?

"Avatar" - a terrific film and a great leap forward in filmmaking

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to catch a sneak peek of “Avatar,” James Cameron’s first feature film since his blockbuster, “Titanic.”

It was eye-opening (and jaw-dropping) for so many reasons. Frankly, I was more than a tad surprised. I had seen trailers for the film and thought it looked as flat as the story seemed. Then, at the preview in Las Vegas (for Autodesk, the design software company that played a significant role in bringing “Avatar” to life), co-producer Jon Landau shared a series of clips – in 3D – that blew the audience away.

While I thought the story still seemed a tad thin, I found the 3D experience – which immerses the viewer in a way no film ever has – breathtaking. It left me wanting more.

And more I got.

I caught a 3D showing of “Avatar” today and I can honestly say it was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever watched (and felt a part of).

I won’t detail the plot or even argue the intent of Cameron’s film (which he wrote and directed). Let me just say that from start to finish, it was One. Big. Wow. What’s more, the story worked. It contained some aspects that seemed very “Cameron-ish,” but aside from a few caricatures here and there, it was exciting and fresh.

As a wise man said, “There is nothing new under the sun,” and perhaps there is nowhere it is truer than Hollywood. So as you watch “Avatar,” you do get the feeling you’ve lived through parts of it before. It had touches of “Dances with Wolves,” “Last of the Mohicans” and a host of anti-colonial movies. Yet Cameron and his team were able to make a film that was familiar yet fantastic (in every sense).

What Cameron has done, besides deliver what will undoubtedly be The Next Big Blockbuster, is to change the way films will/can be made. He created a world that is so beautiful and wondrous an seemingly real that you really do wish you could be there to see it in-person.

There are a number of criteria that make for a successful film: the acting has to be natural; the images memorable; the sound penetrating; and the story engaging. What’s more, a truly great film must cause the viewer to get lost in the picture. In other words, you have to forget you’re watching a movie and feel you’re a part of it.

Cameron’s “Avatar” succeeds on all these levels and more. Most importantly, viewers of his latest film don’t just lose themselves in it – they become one with it.

James Cameron...

Friday's just full of fun...

You tell 'em, Dave...

With my typical objectivity in place, any trace of an agenda swept out the door, and a sense of wonder (and self-satisfaction), I am proud to present the Friday night wrap-up of stories you’ll only find here – unless you go to the site where they were originally published and read them there.



Where’s David Lee Roth (above) when you need him? According to Dear Leader (below), “We are on the precipice”…really? Might as well jump!



This will not end well (so to speak): Iranian forces take over Iraq oil well. (I’m told by a very informed source that this is nothing more than a “paycheck beef.”)

Iranian Cyber Army takes over Twitter with less than 140 characters.

A French court says, “Google this.”

Just what we need: another set of tinpot dictators (aka: murderous thugs) giving us the finger.


I'm not so sure dictators deserve a smile...

Ironic news item of the day? – Madame Speaker Pelosi’s global warming junket cut short…due to snowstorm.


New nickname: the Ice Queen...

That popping sound you hear…I hope it’s not as loud as it looks it’ll be.

First, there was The Bridge to Nowhere. Now we’ve got “The Road to Nowhere.” By the way, where is Nowhere?


The Bridge on the River Kwai was sorta nowhere...

Finally, from the San Francisco Chronicle- “Christian Scientists and prayer coverage: Group wants the new health care bill to include spiritual healing.” I suppose Marvin Gaye supporters will want their brand of healing, too.


Would this would be the single "playa" option...

Listen in...

Come Sunday night you'll no doubt be thinking to yourself: "Do I solve the global Climate Change Crisis® (a wholly owned subsidiary of Al Gore, Inc.™) or do I listen to the radio?"

The answer is to - obviously - turn on your radio from 8 – 8:30 p.m. PST and listen to another edition of The John Batchelor Show. As part of the weekly political roundtable, my fellow panelists and I will discuss the events and news of the week. You can listen to the show at KSFO-AM 560 San Francisco/Northern California, WABC-AM 77 NY, WMAL-AM 630 Washington, D.C., and on XM/Sirius Satellite Radio (throughout the known and unknown universe).

If you’re not in one of the listening areas, you can tune-in via any of those stations’ websites. See you on the radio!

A little infighting never hurt anyone, right?

Just another day at DNC headquarters?

Al Franken (D-Minn) shuts down Joe Lieberman (D-Conn). Nothing like a little in-house squabbling, eh?


The esteemed U.S. Senator from Minnesota...




The guy who is taking all the heat these days...

Who was White House spokeshole Robert Gibbs talking about when he said this? – “I don't think any rational person would say killing the bill makes a whole lot of sense at this point." Was it, a.) the GOP leadership; b.) Rush Limbaugh; c.) Dick Cheney; or, d.) the former head of the Democratic National Committee and former Dem presidential candidate Howard Dean…? (If you picked d. Howard Dean, you win.)


The Scream Machine unleashed - again...

I can’t believe those dolts are attacking the president, again! Wait – what?...They’re liberals?
This is interesting – a Democrat lauding George W. Bush’s leadership and decrying his own party’s lack of such...and the U.S. Americans...

What if they held a fight and only one side showed? Well, now they’re fighting...each other.


Here's to the winners...

Men behaving “dumbly”

Today/tonight, we bring you an odd collection of "Man Not At His Finest."

Do not taunt the TV host...

Mr. Twenty-Seven-Percenter: That’s our governor!


That's right - keep smiling. Someone has to...

I’m so glad we spent all that time extending a hand to the mullahs…so they could slap it.

Since reaching out to Iran has worked so spectacularly well, don’t you think we should do the same with North Korea?


Lil' Kim...

I guess it was none of their business(es), either.

There’s one word for these chiselers…but I can’t use it here.

You know that Copenhagen Climate Conference? You know how a bunch of famous people showed up to protest warm weather? You know how they’re all really, really mad about people who drive big cars or live in big houses that spew pollution? You know how Prince Charles went there to lend his support? You know how he flew there in a big, private jet? You know how it has a huge, huge carbon footprint? You know?


The only thing bigger than his teeth? His carbon footprint, naturally...

Add Copenhagen: Al Gore and the Associated Press…busted.

Last add Copenhagen: What does it say when even the Russians are pointing a finger at you?


Busted - again...

Apparently, he wanted to vote on it before he understood it.

Reportedly, there are companies that won’t hire Americans – in America.

How do you spell U.S. Sen. Charles “Chuck” Schumer’s last name? Easy: schmuck.


Schmuck Schumer...

This is what happens when the inmates run the asylum.

Who would have the gall to tell its lawyers not to cooperate with a U.S. Civil Rights Commission investigation? The Department of Justice, that’s who. Wait, what?

Radio heads-up

If wondering what to do with a spare chunk of time tomorrow night (Tues., Dec. 15), here’s a suggestion – turn on your radio (or Internet listening device - thank you, Al Gore!) at 8:50 p.m. PST.


John Batchelor...

I’ll be on The John Batchelor Show, reporting on happenings - political and otherwise - in the west.


All thanks to He Who Invented the Internet™...

You can listen to the show on WABC-AM 77 NYC, WMAL-AM 630 Washington, D.C., and on XM/Sirius Satellite Radio (throughout the universe). If you’re not in one of the listening areas, you can tune-in via those stations’ websites.

See you on the radio!