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New York, 4:21 PM
Sat Dec 5
40 posts in the last 24 hours

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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of limber limber
    12/04/09

    In reply to Obama Compares the Insurance Industry to a Bunch of Thieving Gypsies
    I genuinely did not think that "gypped" was that bad, I say it all the time. Yeek.

    "Gyppo", on the other hand, I knew all along was dead wrong.
     Reply
    limber was starred limber was unstarred
    Image of Novaload Novaload
    12/04/09

    In reply to Obama Compares the Insurance Industry to a Bunch of Thieving Gypsies
    So, the insurance companies are the rip-offs but Big Pharma--who have been inside the White House since late February/March--they're ok. They're NOT rip-offs and we're therefore not going to regulate their 4,000% profits or anything like that.
    Things I thought he was that he's turning out not to be:
    Eloquent
    Hardworking
    Intelligent
    Independent
    Different
    Friend to Middle and Lower class
    Transparent
    Responsible
    Decisive...
     Reply
    Novaload was starred Novaload was unstarred
    Image of SurlyDuck SurlyDuck
    12/04/09

    @Novaload: As someone who works in medical research I am growing tired of hearing all of the attacks on Big Pharma lately. The overhead for drug development is HUGE. Society has a lot to benefit from new therapeutics being introduced to the market, but the amount of financial risk these companies must take in order to conduct proper clinical trials that meet FDA standards is unprecedented in any other industry. If we cut out half of the bureaucracy we have at the FDA and adopted a more European system for drug approval, then Big Pharma wouldn't have to charge exorbitant amounts for new drugs. But then we'd have more disasters like Vioxx. It's an unfortunate Catch 22.
     Reply
    Novaload promoted this comment SurlyDuck was starred SurlyDuck was unstarred
    Image of The Defeatery The Defeatery
    12/04/09

    @Novaload: Worst acrostic ever.
     Reply
    The Defeatery was starred The Defeatery was unstarred
    Image of Novaload Novaload
    12/04/09

    @The Defeatery: Indeed. I never even thought of that.
     Reply
    Novaload was starred Novaload was unstarred
    Image of Novaload Novaload
    12/04/09

    @SurlyDuck: Yes, to some extent, but these are the same people who are pricing drugs out of anyone but the richest people's reach. I work with drug companies too, in several areas. They get tax write-offs for development costs, too. They are in it for the patent and the bucks.
     Reply
    Novaload was starred Novaload was unstarred
    Image of Trai_Dep Trai_Dep
    12:22 PM

    @SurlyDuck: Err, except over 70% of their cutting edge research is trying to figure out baldness treatments, schwing firmness enhancements and lusher eyelashes.
    Meanwhile vaccines The Third World Poors get are ignored because, while they'll save millions of lives, they can only be sold for pennies.
    Whoops.
     Reply
    Trai_Dep was starred Trai_Dep was unstarred
    Image of BaconForTheSoul BaconForTheSoul
    12:44 PM

    @Novaload: I'm glad they're in it for the bucks. Instead of not being in it at all.

    The insurance system is set up in such a way right now that the consumer is getting plowed.

    But that doesn't mean we should be against people making money, which is basically the incentive for nearly everything you have, including that suave computer you type your comments out on.
     Reply
    Novaload approved this comment BaconForTheSoul was starred BaconForTheSoul was unstarred
    Image of Novaload Novaload
    02:50 PM

    @BaconForTheSoul: The question is, how much profit is enough?
     Reply
    Novaload was starred Novaload was unstarred
    Image of Perhaps Not Perhaps Not
    12/04/09

    In reply to Obama Compares the Insurance Industry to a Bunch of Thieving Gypsies
    As a half breed, the president should have some sympathy for gypsies, tramps and thieves. Bet he wishes he could turn back time.
     Reply
    Perhaps Not was starred Perhaps Not was unstarred
    Image of ambitious ambitious
    12/04/09

    @Perhaps Not: Yeah, but he believes in life after gaffes. So it's okay.
     Reply
    ambitious was starred ambitious was unstarred
    Image of Lysergic Asset Lysergic Asset
    12:41 PM

    @Perhaps Not: I can't believe I'm the only one here who got the Cher reference... and I'm neither gay nor male.
     Reply
    Lysergic Asset was starred Lysergic Asset was unstarred
    Image of Botswana Meat Commission FC Botswana Meat Commission FC
    12/04/09

    In reply to Obama Compares the Insurance Industry to a Bunch of Thieving Gypsies
    I just can't get worked up about Gypsy defamation.

    They're just not that warm and cuddly a people.
     Reply
    Botswana Meat Commission FC was starred Botswana Meat Commission FC was unstarred
    Image of Mediahohoho Mediahohoho
    12/04/09

    In reply to Obama Compares the Insurance Industry to a Bunch of Thieving Gypsies
    I think he meant gypped as in, the insurance companies will steal your children if you don't keep up with your premiums.
     Reply
    Mediahohoho was starred Mediahohoho was unstarred
    Image of nozer nozer
    12/04/09

    @Mediahohoho: Or play the tambourine all night in a caravan next to your house.
     Reply
    Mediahohoho promoted this comment nozer was starred nozer was unstarred
    Image of Lysergic Asset Lysergic Asset
    12/04/09

    In reply to Obama Compares the Insurance Industry to a Bunch of Thieving Gypsies
    How oppressed are these gypsies, really? And what are they going to do, put a curse on the President so that no matter what he eats, he just keeps getting thinner?
     Reply
    Lysergic Asset was starred Lysergic Asset was unstarred
    Image of eleusiswalks eleusiswalks
    12/04/09

    @Lysergic Asset: Pretty oppressed, frankly. Like, among the most maligned and mistreated ethnic groups in the world.
     Reply
    Little Green Frog (Wise Latina) promoted this comment eleusiswalks was starred eleusiswalks was unstarred
    Image of Novaload Novaload
    12/04/09

    @Lysergic Asset: Ask what the Nazis did to them.
     Reply
    Novaload was starred Novaload was unstarred
    Image of Lysergic Asset Lysergic Asset
    12/04/09

    @eleusiswalks: Forgive my lame attempt at a Richard Bachman/ Stephen King joke.
     Reply
    Lysergic Asset was starred Lysergic Asset was unstarred
    Image of Lysergic Asset Lysergic Asset
    12/04/09

    @Novaload: See my reply to eleusiswalks... that was clearly not one of my optimal snarks.
     Reply
    Lysergic Asset was starred Lysergic Asset was unstarred
    Image of Novaload Novaload
    12/04/09

    @Lysergic Asset: Sorry! My snark radar was impaired today. I think someone put a curse on me!
     Reply
    Novaload was starred Novaload was unstarred
    Image of Lysergic Asset Lysergic Asset
    12/04/09

    @Novaload: Sometimes we walk a very fine line between seriousness, satire and snark around here... me perhaps being a bit more irreverent than many.
     Reply
    Lysergic Asset was starred Lysergic Asset was unstarred
    Image of robinlevine robinlevine
    04:31 AM

    @Lysergic Asset: Pretty fucking oppressed. Come to the Czech Republic where Roma children are sent to "special" schools, Neo-nazis burn down Roma housing communities and "ethnic" Czechs refuse to hire the roma. Or visit Lety, the former Roma labor camp that now pays respect and honor to the people who suffered at the hands of Nazis in the form of a...pig farm. Discrimination against the Roma is a huge problem in Europe, and thought it may not translate to US, it doesn't make the word gypsy or it's derivatives any less offensive.
     Reply
    Lysergic Asset approved this comment robinlevine was starred robinlevine was unstarred
    Image of eleusiswalks eleusiswalks
    06:41 AM

    @Lysergic Asset: Oh fuck, it was a Thinner joke, wasn't it. Well, I was tired. We will call this a mutual failure.
     Reply
    eleusiswalks was starred eleusiswalks was unstarred
    Image of Lysergic Asset Lysergic Asset
    10:03 AM

    @eleusiswalks: Not mutual failure... mutual delayed success. Thank you!
     Reply
    Lysergic Asset was starred Lysergic Asset was unstarred
    Image of Lysergic Asset Lysergic Asset
    10:08 AM

    @robinlevine: It was a joke... joke... joke... bad joke... bad joke... bad joke... (which, apparently, only one person got, anyways).

    I will never joke about oppression in any form ever again.
     Reply
    Lysergic Asset was starred Lysergic Asset was unstarred
    Image of BaconCat BaconCat
    12/04/09

    In reply to Obama Compares the Insurance Industry to a Bunch of Thieving Gypsies
    I don't know if it's a slur, all i know is the last time i asked my insurance company if a needed surgery was covered, they said they wouldn't tell me until I passed silver over their palm.
     Reply
    BaconCat was starred BaconCat was unstarred
    Image of sanyucat sanyucat
    12/04/09

    In reply to Obama Compares the Insurance Industry to a Bunch of Thieving Gypsies
    . . . and Grandma!
     Reply
    sanyucat was starred sanyucat was unstarred
    Image of HenryLovesFonzie HenryLovesFonzie
    12/04/09

    In reply to Obama Compares the Insurance Industry to a Bunch of Thieving Gypsies
    As crazy as all these Right-wingers may be, they're crafty as well. News outlets will now focus on Obama's "gaffe" and likely report little to nothing on the topic of the speech.
     Reply
    HenryLovesFonzie was starred HenryLovesFonzie was unstarred
    Image of sanyucat sanyucat
    12/04/09

    @HenryLovesFonzie: The word "gaffe" is actually an offensive term once used to deride gay Luftwaffe pilots during the Blitz. Fuck you, slur-face.
     Reply
    sanyucat was starred sanyucat was unstarred
    Image of miss_msry miss_msry
    12/04/09

    In reply to Obama Compares the Insurance Industry to a Bunch of Thieving Gypsies
    Most of the "Gypsies" in the US are called Travelers (not truly Roma; more like pale trash), so it would be proper to say the insurance companies have "Travelered" us.
     Reply
    miss_msry was starred miss_msry was unstarred
    Image of Altaira Altaira
    12/04/09

    @miss_msry: I thought Travelers were Irish "Gypsies?"

    My husband's family is part Roma, but they are Polish and filled with self-hate about it so it is never really discussed.
     Reply
    miss_msry promoted this comment Altaira was starred Altaira was unstarred
    Image of miss_msry miss_msry
    12/04/09

    @Altaira:

    This is probably the US branch of the Irish clan.

    Google and "60 Minutes" are our friends. [www.gypsyloresociety.org]
     Reply
    miss_msry was starred miss_msry was unstarred
    Image of Mediahohoho Mediahohoho
    12/04/09

    In reply to Obama Compares the Insurance Industry to a Bunch of Thieving Gypsies
    Totally should have used "wasped."
     Reply
    Mediahohoho was starred Mediahohoho was unstarred
    Image of AndPreciousLittleofThat AndPreciousLittleofThat
    12/04/09

    In reply to Obama Compares the Insurance Industry to a Bunch of Thieving Gypsies
    Ah, false moral outrage. How long has it been since we last saw you in the political arena?

    On a related note, my tries-to-be-PC sister spent a full hour last Christmas trying to convince me that the shortened form of the word for those metal climbing clips everyone in Colorado wears, called (cara)"biners," was in fact a horrible slur against Hispanics.

    I tried to explain the idea of "context," but didn't get very far. Sigh.
     Reply
    AndPreciousLittleofThat was starred AndPreciousLittleofThat was unstarred
    Image of Smitros Smitros
    12/04/09

    @AndPreciousLittleofThat: Having grown up in a town now about 33 percent Mexican, and not having learned of mountaineering gear until recently, I feel a little funny saying "carabiner" myself.
     Reply
    Smitros was starred Smitros was unstarred
    Image of lostarchitect lostarchitect
    12/04/09

    In reply to Obama Compares the Insurance Industry to a Bunch of Thieving Gypsies
    I actually said this all the time growing up, and did not know until my late teens that it was a slur. I try not to, but still say it now and again because it's just wedged into a corner of my brain somewhere. As such, I can't really get all up in arms about someone saying the same thing.
     Reply
    lostarchitect was starred lostarchitect was unstarred
    Image of iplaudius iplaudius
    12/04/09

    In reply to Obama Compares the Insurance Industry to a Bunch of Thieving Gypsies
    It is a well known fact that muslins and gypsies do not get along.
     Reply
    iplaudius was starred iplaudius was unstarred
    Image of lumpishere lumpishere
    12/04/09

    @iplaudius: A rivalry whose bitter history is equaled only by that of the chiffons and the basques
     Reply
    iplaudius promoted this comment lumpishere was starred lumpishere was unstarred
    Image of Peter Feld Peter Feld
    11/24/09

    In reply to Obama: Fundamentals of the Economy Are Still Strong
    Here is the problem with this post, and the whole line of thinking. Yes, "fundamentals of the economy" "cost" McCain the election, in the sense that political journalists always seek a single event (like Dukakis in the tank) that can explain a complex process. Many other things happened that week: McCain "declared a crisis" and suspended his campaign. He tried to duck the debate. He ducked Letterman and was exposed and skewered. They all added up to one thing: he had no clue how to cope with a fresh crisis, exactly the sort of thing a president has to do. And yes, he was unable to express real empathy or show he understood the dimensions of the crisis.

    But! His comment wasn't "thoughtless." It was intended to be confidence-boosting. America is tough, we'll get through this, our fundamental assets - hard-working Americans, know-how, etc. - are still strong. He allowed it to be played as a gaffe, that was his mistake (because he really didn't "get it"). And yes, Obama hung it around his neck like a flaming tire. But a more skillful politician wouldn't have reacted with the above-referenced weeklong meltdown (also including a hastily staged White House meeting including Obama, arranged to save face for McCain, where he had nothing to say).

    And to tell the truth, Obama has some of the same problem, connecting with average people and showing empathy for their distress, like Bill Clinton did, but that was not a factor during the campaign because contrasted with McCain, Obama looked like the one you'd want to have in charge: cool, calm and collected. But that doesn't make it a major gaffe when, for confidence-building reasons, he makes the case that our underlying economy is strong - even though he did demagogue the hapless McCain over a similarly aimed comment.

    The biggest factor in the economy right now is consumer confidence, which depends on people expecting the future to be better than the past (as has been on the rise) so they will spend over the holidays, and that is what Obama is hoping to encourage. Sheesh, when he talked about the gravity of the crisis after he was elected, everyone said he was scaring everyone and spooking the stock market.
     Reply
    Peter Feld was starred Peter Feld was unstarred
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