Cardin offers weird idea of competition, regulation in town hall
posted at 12:15 pm on August 13, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Weird, as in Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) apparently understands neither competition nor regulation. Cardin tried to defend his support for ObamaCare at his third town-hall forum yesterday, but as The Hill reports, he’s not making much headway. He’s not making much sense, either:
Cardin remained nonplussed throughout the forum, even as constituents sometimes screamed at him, drowning out his explanations. The senator stayed an extra 15 minutes and took several extra questions, but appeared to win over few listeners.
Most of the 23 questions from the audience were hostile, with questioners most angered over the cost of health reform, the role of the government, whether illegal immigrants would be offered insurance and whether tort reform would be included. …
Cardin repeatedly stressed that differences over health reform can be distilled into basic differences over the role of the government and whether the private insurance industry should be allowed to operate without regulation or competition.
Er, what? The health-insurance industry is already heavily regulated. Federal and state governments impose mandates for eligibility, coverage, and accessibility on medical insurers, as well as financial requirements for solvency to ensure that consumers get their bills paid when needed. Some of this regulation is necessary, and some of it creates the very problems that ObamaCare advocates highlight — such as the blocking of interstate commerce in insurance coverage, which would boost competition and drive prices down.
Even worse, Cardin hasn’t got a clue as to what competition means. Health insurers already face competition within their own markets. Anyone who has worked in a human-resources office knows that insurers conduct expensive marketing campaigns to woo employers into offering their plans as an option for employees. For those who are self-employed, the market has a number of insurance providers vying for business, although allowing insurers to compete across state lines would give consumers a much broader range of choices.
Government does not provide competition; it provides regulation. The private market provides competition. Cardin somehow casts the entire private market as some sort of monopoly, when in truth what lack of choice exists in this market springs from already-extant government action. When government “competes” with a private industry, it destroys it through the hiding of administrative costs and subsidies that protect waste and inefficiencies.
The basic difference isn’t between those who want competition and those who want deregulation, which by the way are not mutually-exclusive positions anyway. It’s between those who think the Post Office and the DMV make good models for health-care delivery, and the rest of the country who have experienced the efficiency of the Post Office and the DMV.
Update: Jazz Shaw points out that the reporter uses “nonplussed” when he should have used “stoic.” Nonplussed means perplexed or bewildered, not calm and collected. However, it’s clear that the concepts of competition and regulation have Cardin nonplussed.
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A Senator that does not understand competition, how markets work or the limits of federal government power.
This explains so much.
myrenovations on August 13, 2009 at 12:19 PM
i feel dirty…
moonbatkiller on August 13, 2009 at 12:20 PM
It seems like the attendees at these townhalls know more about this bill and what it means than Congress. They should be ashamed.
becki51758 on August 13, 2009 at 12:20 PM
This is the bum that Michael Steele lost to. What does that say about Steele? He even tried to pretend he was a Democrat to win.
LevStrauss on August 13, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Once the health insurance industry “monopoly” is broken, look for Barack “Chavez” Obama to propose breaking up the energy industry “monopoly.”
Cicero43 on August 13, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Is there something IN the water in D.C. or Maryland?
I have to ask because the people seem to be degenerating to weirdness.
upinak on August 13, 2009 at 12:21 PM
These people clearly don’t know what they are doing.
And making policy is THE EASY PART.
Those of us who have been on the execution end of the health care policy Congress makes, know full well that Congress does not know what they are doing.
Congress does what Democrat special interests tell them to do. It’s the special interest lobbbyists who write the legislation.
And the special interests only care about their pet issues. They don’t understand how anything else affects the system as it is or as it will be.
NoDonkey on August 13, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Buyers Remorse is rampant. He won’t be there long.
upinak on August 13, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Perhaps that is part of the problem. When do you suppose the last time was when Cardin or any member of the political class was in line at the post office or DMV? When was the last time they went grocery shopping? They have a staff of government-paid employees to make their lives very comfortable, perhaps too comfortable. They have become disassociated with their constituencies. The filthy liar’s scheme to steal healthcare is a result of such a detachment from reality.
highhopes on August 13, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Sounds very familiar. Only that other dude isn’t a senator anymore.
Kelligan on August 13, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Once again a Dem shows how clueless he is. The problem may be that too many politicians have spent their adult lives in politics and not in business. They come to believe that government is the answer to every problem. In healthcare, government is most of the problem.
Too many politicians of both parties do not understand free markets and capitalism.
capitalistdoc on August 13, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Jeezus. Maybe this a**clown will learn how competition works next time he’s up for re-election. Oh wait, he’s from Maryland. Nevermind.
Keef Overbite on August 13, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Speaking of competition, I wonder how many jobs will be saved/created when the insurance companies are forced out of business.
Lily on August 13, 2009 at 12:23 PM
The only reason why Cardin is a Senator is that Maryland is a deep blue state that will always vote for Dem no matter what his competency level is. People here might not have agree with Sarbanes, but at least he wasn’t an idiot. It sucks that Maryland is going to stuck with this guy for another 20 years.
Lance Murdock on August 13, 2009 at 12:24 PM
nonplussed = A state of perplexity, confusion, or bewilderment.
Do you suppose this is actually what the writer meant to say or did someone misplace his dictionary?
mchristian on August 13, 2009 at 12:24 PM
Ed, liberals see X industry as a cabal. They see secret meetings on how to collectively rip off their customers.
X = Insurance companies, Gas companies, The phone company (They see it all as one big company), etc etc
- The Cat
MirCat on August 13, 2009 at 12:24 PM
There is no intelligence test to run for Congress. The voters need to deal with this problem.
d1carter on August 13, 2009 at 12:24 PM
Ironic isn’t it that the Senators and Congresscritters are the ones fiercely opposed to competition – their own. It’s all about maintaining power and anything that can be done to undercut their political rivals, they will do (case in point is our current POtuS). Once they have that coveted (I) next to their name, it’s all about setting up an uneven playing field for their ‘competitors’.
gatorboy on August 13, 2009 at 12:25 PM
When you have a state that is 30% African-American that votes 100% Democratic, its kind of hard run Coburn’s here.
Lance Murdock on August 13, 2009 at 12:26 PM
I heard a couple of clips from him yesterday, where he made real boners and the audience of course booed. I think he said the obama has already done a lot to improve healthcare.
Blake on August 13, 2009 at 12:28 PM
It is apparent that Cardin is not the only legislator that is “knowledge deficient” in this category…….
Seven Percent Solution on August 13, 2009 at 12:28 PM
Cardin doesn’t have a brain in his head. I watched him debate Steele and couldn’t believe how dumb this guy is.
tommuck on August 13, 2009 at 12:28 PM
When a congressional job becomes a career, this problem occurs. If you spend years in DC, surrounded by lobbyists, leeches, and socialist media, you lose touch with the real world.
Hiya Ciska on August 13, 2009 at 12:28 PM
I have been stressing this point, and the absolutely unbelievable un-Constitutionality of the administration’s insane idea that government has the power, and needs, to “provide competition” to the private sector, since the very beginning of this whole fiasco.
This idea is so insane that anyone who claims it is just too friggin’ stupid to hold any position of responsibility. This includes the whole of the Washington junta. They are all crazy morons and do not understand the structure or function of our nation well enough to be trusted in positions in our government.
As to the whole Post Office comparison, which goes further to illustrate the insanity and stupidity of the people in our government, the US federal government is actually charged with running the post office, as the Constitution clearly instructs Congress, “To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;”.
The only question that every supporter of this un-American health care/insurance debacle should be forced to answer is exactly what clauses in the Constitution they think gives Congress the power to open up companies in order to “provide competition” to the private sector. If they can’t cite any Constitutional clause, then they should be run out of government (hopefully shipped to Costa Rica, where they love morons who don’t respect Constitutions) because they pose the most dire and serious threat to this nation that we have ever faced.
progressoverpeace on August 13, 2009 at 12:28 PM
Ben Cardin used to be my Rep. He was a total milqutoast. He was in there for years. Running for Senator with a D behind your name is the only reason he won. His opponent could have been Ronald Reagan and he would have still won. The wierdness of the good folks in MD is that most of them work for the government. Local, State, and Federal. Government workers are totally in the tank for Democrats, else their jobs might go away. Big government and all that. The folks in Hagerstown are a little more able to see that Big Government isn’t the answer.
Michael Steel didn’t stand a chance.
BetseyRoss on August 13, 2009 at 12:29 PM
When is it going to be noticed that black people vote for people because of the color of their skin much more than whites do?
wildcat84 on August 13, 2009 at 12:29 PM
Just take one of Barack’s magic pills and you’ll feel better. Now is that the red pill or the blue pill?
TooTall on August 13, 2009 at 12:29 PM
Why don’t they just come out of the closet and call themselves what they are: Senators Against Captialism or maybe Senators Against the American People! (SAAP)
Christian Conservative on August 13, 2009 at 12:30 PM
The blue pill called Spenol.
myrenovations on August 13, 2009 at 12:30 PM
There’s no intelligence test for voters either
AsianGirlInTights on August 13, 2009 at 12:31 PM
That’s what they’ve been pushing for the last couple of weeks, I’ve heard it from Demratic congressmen, and seen it in the comments on the blogs (must have gone out in a talking points memo). For anyone with a clue about what a monopoly is, and what competition is, it’s just laughable to claim insurance companies have a monopoly. I suppose grocery stores have a monopoly on food sales, and retail stores have a monopoly on clothing sales. Surely they don’t believe most Americans are really that ignorant? God, I hope that we really aren’t that ignorant. Scary thought.
mbs on August 13, 2009 at 12:31 PM
I have a question.
For years liberals were crying that Walmart, the big evil monolithic corporation was wiping out main street wherever they go. It was believed to be unfair competition because small business couldn’t compete against Walmarts financing and logistics.
But then they claim the government has to come in and “compete” against private insurance? They have limitless financing, the ability to make and change the rules,and no profit margin or taxes.And this is different from Walmart because…..?
ThatMan on August 13, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Until people realize that identity politics hurt the nation more than help it, so I think never.
Lance Murdock on August 13, 2009 at 12:33 PM
That’s not true. Blacks don’t vote for skin color. Their problem is that they vote in a nearly monolithic block, without any thought, and always for whoever the Dems say. Blacks are, essentially, out of the equation except that it is known that they will always vote 90% for the dem, whoever the candidate is and no matter what the candidate wants. They also don’t seem to care, as a group, about the consequences in any way, whatsoever.
The only variation in the black vote is turnout. But the black vote, itself, is always totally predictable.
progressoverpeace on August 13, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Why Michael Steele isn’t holding a RNC town hall meeting is beyond me.
SouthernGent on August 13, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Nor blog commenters, but we don’t represent thousands of people in Congress.
d1carter on August 13, 2009 at 12:38 PM
This is what happens when you mindlessly repeat the talking points. Can you say Anchorman?
Linnea on August 13, 2009 at 12:38 PM
If you include millions of Americans sweating pounds off worrying about what this moron and the Dems may end up doing fiscally to this nation, he may be right.
On the other hand, stock in anxiety and depression pills have gone through the roof.
/
Rovin on August 13, 2009 at 12:38 PM
This is the bum that Michael Steele lost to. What does that say about Steele? He even tried to pretend he was a Democrat to win.
LevStrauss on August 13, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Considering that Maryland voted for Carter in 1980, Steele should be lucky he got as close as he did. Especially in a brutal election year like ’06 was.
You gotta learn to back off sometimes, LevStrauss.
BradSchwartze on August 13, 2009 at 12:39 PM
Hey, they had Connie Morella in the House for years and years…
ReaganRoxx on August 13, 2009 at 12:39 PM
Since when is it the job of Senators to convince his constituents to support something HE wants but THEY don’t want?
Who works for whom?
Daggett on August 13, 2009 at 12:40 PM
Isn’t that kind of racist, to look at it that way?
AsianGirlInTights on August 13, 2009 at 12:40 PM
There are a LOT of liberals using the word “competition” to sell this anti-competitive plan. Cardin isn’t the only one. Lloyd Doggett has been trying to sell that idea to his constituency in Texas, and I’ve heard it from a lot of other Democrats.
They keep using that word. I do not think it means what they think it means.
Caiwyn on August 13, 2009 at 12:40 PM
In MD, cause he lost to Cardin. Let the people reap what the sow.
WashJeff on August 13, 2009 at 12:40 PM
I’m sorry, were you referring to Cardin or Barry the Clown….?
JoeinTX on August 13, 2009 at 12:40 PM
Why Michael Steele isn’t holding a RNC town hall meeting is beyond me.
SouthernGent on August 13, 2009 at 12:37 PM
He’s properly getting out of the way. He might screw it up, you know. Then again, he’s a convenient pinata, isn’t he?
BradSchwartze on August 13, 2009 at 12:42 PM
It’s like the Special Olympics.
Joe Caps on August 13, 2009 at 12:44 PM
Another clown in the Obama Circus
faraway on August 13, 2009 at 12:44 PM
It’s a fact. Live with it.
progressoverpeace on August 13, 2009 at 12:44 PM
That’s why my two brothers could be Senator’s and nobody would know the difference.
Jerome Horwitz on August 13, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Yeah until the Maryland legislator gerrymander her out of office.
Side note, I like Morella, she did a lot of good work for MoCo. But lets be honest, about 90% of HA commentators here would consider arch RINO number one if she was in office now.
Lance Murdock on August 13, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Obama’s Traveling Circus.
The Greatest Show on Earth.
faraway on August 13, 2009 at 12:46 PM
Yes, they actually do. The water system in DC was built many decades ago, and there are miles of lead pipe in the system. The lead has been leaching into the water for a long time.
Neurological Effects
Peripheral neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy, in its most common form, causes pain and numbness in your hands and feet. The pain typically is described as tingling or burning, while the loss of sensation often is compared to the feeling of wearing a thin stocking or glove. Chris Matthews, anyone?
Fatigue / Irritability
Irritability is an excessive response to stimuli. Pelosi see’s Nazi’s everywhere?
Impaired concentration
Difficulty with concentration is a symptom that can arise from both physical and psychological or emotional problems. Concentration symptoms may or may not be associated with memory symptoms such as forgetfulness. Physical medical conditions that affect concentration include Lyme disease, whiplash, and various others. Psychological conditions that may impair concentration include depression, certain anxiety disorders, and stress. Sleep disorders such as insomnia or sleep apnea can also impair concentration ability. Losing sleep at night knowing the plan you’re selling is a bag of crap?
Hearing loss
Congress is hard of hearing? Really?
Seizures
Banks, Insurance companies, GM and Chrysler. Need I say more?
Encephalopathy
The hallmark of encephalopathy is an altered mental state. Depending on the type and severity of encephalopathy, common neurological symptoms are loss of cognitive function, subtle personality changes, inability to concentrate, lethargy, and depressed consciousness. Other neurological signs may include myoclonus (involuntary twitching of a muscle or group of muscles), asterixis (abrupt loss of muscle tone, quickly restored), nystagmus (rapid, involuntary eye movement), tremor, seizures, jactitation (restless picking at things characteristic of severe infection), and respiratory abnormalities such as Cheyne-Stokes respiration (cyclic waxing and waning of tidal volume), apneustic respirations, and post-hypercapnic apnea
Yeah…I think it’s lead poisoning.
BobMbx on August 13, 2009 at 12:47 PM
My ex-boyfriend is African American and he voted for McCain, and so did his Dad. You shouldn’t paint with such a broad brush.
AsianGirlInTights on August 13, 2009 at 12:47 PM
Yeah, much like Hurt’s character in Broadcast News.
BuckeyeSam on August 13, 2009 at 12:47 PM
Who was the last non Democrat endorsed by the NAA(L)CP, or by the usual race hustlers, Sharpton and Jackson?
/crickets
wildcat84 on August 13, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Townhall meetings shed light on the cockroaches.
tessa on August 13, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Sounds more like a Senate job description than a criticism.
BobMbx on August 13, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Good for him, he has his own mind.
But he was outnumbered 10-1.
wildcat84 on August 13, 2009 at 12:49 PM
Uncle Toms, right?
BobMbx on August 13, 2009 at 12:50 PM
One thing these town hall meet ups with these congressional clunkers is really how light weight is their reason, how shallow their thought, and how incomplete is their analysis.
Critical thinkers these congressional clunkers are not.
They are really laughable up against real people. It is only through the mirage of their WDC walled city politburo, and the adulating press, do they look powerful. It’s as if George Orwell’s 1984 was right all along. Newspeak is all they have.
tarpon on August 13, 2009 at 12:51 PM
It’s called describing aggregate behavior. If you don’t understand the difference between the aggregate behavior of a group and the behavior of each and every individual, then you really shouldn’t be arguing about anything.
progressoverpeace on August 13, 2009 at 12:54 PM
There is an old saying that when your only tool is a hammer all your problems start to look like nails. As all Ben Cardin knows how to do is enlarge the federal government, when the problem is not enough competition his answer is more government. In other words, his answer would be more governemnt no matter what the subject was.
Fred 2 on August 13, 2009 at 12:55 PM
American Power tracked-back with, “Tough Time for Democrats”:
http://americanpowerblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/tough-time-for-democrats.html
Donald Douglas on August 13, 2009 at 12:57 PM
I’m trying to argue, just pointing out you shouldn’t paint everyone with a broad brush. You said African Americans are a monolithic block, I disagree.
AsianGirlInTights on August 13, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Here’s the only way a public option would be fair competition with private insurance.
1) It has to be funded entirely by the premiums charged to people who adopt the plan. It can’t receive extra funding from the general fund. No, only the people who are actually in the plan pay for it.
2) It can’t run at a deficit. If it’s expenditures exceed its income it has to either: a) raise its premiums or b) go out of business. No other option.
Think Cardin favors that kind of competition? No, didnt’ think so.
PackerBronco on August 13, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Cardin is 65 years hold, and has never held a private-sector job in his pathetic little life.
While Cardin was still in law school, his uncle handed him his first “elected” office.
I would say there ought to be a law about that. But who would pass or enforce it?
logis on August 13, 2009 at 1:03 PM
While this comment is spot-on, a real problem is that there is no test for the voters. A portion of the electorate (and it seems it is growing) is interested in what X politician can provide for me. Our nation is looking around for which candidate will whore himself out the most to garner votes and stay in power. Obama came to my town and promised us a new HIGH SCHOOL. No one wants a new high school here…we want JOBS to reverse 18% unemployment, not a 4th High School.
search4truth on August 13, 2009 at 1:03 PM
farright on August 13, 2009 at 1:03 PM
Using Cardin’s logic, the govt would have to own a car company in order to provide competition in the auto industry.
Oh wait …
MarkTheGreat on August 13, 2009 at 1:05 PM
Which is why he lost.
MarkTheGreat on August 13, 2009 at 1:06 PM
Freedom is Slavery
War is Peace
Truth is Lie
Regulation is Competition
Tax Hike is a Tax Cut
We have always been at war with Oceana.
Holger on August 13, 2009 at 1:07 PM
When I say “argue”, I mean it in a good way. An argument is just a debate.
Speaking of aggregates is not “paint[ing] everyone”. It is addressing the group and its characteristics.
Look at what I actually wrote: “nearly monolithic block,”. Anyone with sense would consider absolutely consistent voting over 85% as a nearly monolithic block. It is just a fact.
And, frankly, with the numbers for the black vote, if I had said “monolithic block”, that would have been accurate too.
But you have to understand the difference between addressing the group and addressing individuals. Otherwise, it is impossible for you to make sense of anything.
progressoverpeace on August 13, 2009 at 1:07 PM
MD gave up the parcel of land that would eventually become the District of Columbia. If we could also relieve ourselves of the whole lot of counties along the I-95 corridor b/w the Capitol Beltway and Baltimore, MD would be a Red State! Cardin won where he had to in MD, just like Gov O’Malley did (and Glendening back in 1994 and 1998). Not sure how Erlich pulled off the win in 2002 — vs a member of the Kennedy family no less!
Don’t hold your breath on that!
DOOF on August 13, 2009 at 1:08 PM
ding ding ding
cmsinaz on August 13, 2009 at 1:08 PM
= I’m not trying to argue
AsianGirlInTights on August 13, 2009 at 1:10 PM
What part of monolithic don’t you get. If 90% of any group always do the same thing it’s monolithic. Being able to come up with 2 exceptions does not invalidate the overall observation.
dpierson on August 13, 2009 at 1:10 PM
My postman is a pretty good guy. Will I be able to get his approval on expensive medical procedures? Will that approval be a long form or post card?
SKYFOX on August 13, 2009 at 1:10 PM
HOw did mike Steele lose to this chump? embarrassing….
james23 on August 13, 2009 at 1:10 PM
hmmmm
faraway on August 13, 2009 at 1:11 PM
And they’re losing in a major way to us proletarians and “mobsters”, too…..
dmh0667 on August 13, 2009 at 1:12 PM
And the price of tea in China is?
Most of us are conservatives or Libertarians at this site. Neither are synonyms of the GOP.
chemman on August 13, 2009 at 1:13 PM
WOW I feel better now knowing we have a US senator that has NO IDEA how buisness nor the government works!
xler8bmw on August 13, 2009 at 1:13 PM
Specifically, to win in Maryland you have to win in Baltimore, Montgomery County, Prince Georges County and make a good showing in Anne Arundel County. The rest of the state is irrelevant.
highhopes on August 13, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Ok, I see your point.
AsianGirlInTights on August 13, 2009 at 1:17 PM
Even when she was in office she was an arch RINO. Face it, Montgomery County is not GOP friendly.
highhopes on August 13, 2009 at 1:18 PM
Now, if the Republicans would just make a commercial showing some poor schlubs standing in line at the post office or DMV, followed by a comment on health care brought to you by the same people who gave you the DMV and post office, I guarantee you it wold go viral…
rbb on August 13, 2009 at 1:23 PM
More importantly, they should be replaced.
hawksruleva on August 13, 2009 at 1:24 PM
Should that happen, my family is screwed. Without our father’s senior position we couldn’t afford our middle-class life for a month.
Dark-Star on August 13, 2009 at 1:25 PM
People pick on the Post Office a lot, but they stopped receiving Government $$ in 1984 I believe. Although they have borrowed money in the past from the Fed, they must pay it back.
I for one think their service is reasonable and competitive.
BierManVA on August 13, 2009 at 1:28 PM
I’d be interested in what Baldilocks says.
Shambhala on August 13, 2009 at 1:30 PM
The POTUS doesn’t agree with you…he likes UPS and FedEx.
d1carter on August 13, 2009 at 1:36 PM
progressoverpeace is one of our more respected posters and no racist as far as I can tell. I thought you said you’ve been reading this blog for a while?
DarkCurrent on August 13, 2009 at 1:37 PM
Come on, Steele deserves credit for having the balls to even run as a Republican in 2006 and make a decent showing. You should have seen some of the clowns who have run against Paul Sarbanes and Barbara Mikulski. They could run a sack of potatoes as a Democrat in Maryland and it would win.
The national Democratic Party threw millions of extra dollars into this race to defeat Michael Steele. Why do you think that happened? Imagine what would have happened if Steele had won and was in the Senate alongside Barack Obama for the last two years. He would have run rings around Obama and shown him up as the stupid poseur he is. The Democrats were not going to take that chance. They had their Great Black Hope pegged in 2004 and they were not going to let anyone challenge him.
rockmom on August 13, 2009 at 1:44 PM
I’d have to disagree. The people behind the counter seem freindly enough and why shouldn’t they be after you’ve had 20 minutes in line getting to know them before its your turn at the counter. I have a PO Box and routinely get mail for an insurance company with the same box # but in a different zip code (makes me wonder what mail I am missing). Their business model is inefficient and their delivery system is archaic. The filthy liar in the White House was correct when he envisioned state-run healthcare as being just like the USPS.
highhopes on August 13, 2009 at 1:45 PM
As a former Evil Insurance Worker, maybe he can apply for a job at the Cash for Cadavers Health Care Board, seeing he already has plenty of experience making sure that people don’t get the procedures they need.
Lily on August 13, 2009 at 1:46 PM
Better yet, the camera pans down the line of people waiting at what appears to be a post office but when the camera gets up to the front of the line it isn’t your friendly polyester-clad mailperson, it is a doctor with a big old “denied” stamp.
highhopes on August 13, 2009 at 1:48 PM
Thanks, DarkCurrent. I didn’t take AsianGirl’s comment as an accusation, but just a little confusion.
Probably the same thing that I say about the Jewish vote – it is still far too monolithic. I usually describe it as tribal behavior (as Jews are one of the original “tribes”, and remain culturally bound to that, even though people don’t say it too much, anymore). Jews are down to 65-70% leanings, in general, but still go Democrat in that percentage, without thought.
progressoverpeace on August 13, 2009 at 1:49 PM
She beats the hell out of that nonentity van Hollen. What a waste of organic materials that guy is.
He said their voting patterns were predictable. They are. That is necessarily a judgment about groups rather than individuals. A little discernment might help here.
DrSteve on August 13, 2009 at 1:55 PM
Cardin needs to join the unemployment line.
GarandFan on August 13, 2009 at 1:57 PM
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