Video: And now, a few words from Bob Menendez about the scourge of prostitution in the Caribbean

posted at 5:21 pm on February 7, 2013 by Allahpundit

Via BuzzFeed, it’s not really a scandal until it’s a sex scandal, right? Menendez has gotten brutal coverage lately over his alleged influence peddling on behalf of Salomon Melgen, but oddly I think he’s kinda sorta benefiting from the fact that the prostitution allegations are out there but haven’t been proved (yet). If the most viscerally sleazy charge against him hasn’t been nailed down, maybe he gets a small benefit of the doubt from constituents on the other Melgen accusations that he otherwise wouldn’t get. Or, absent the lurid sexual angle, maybe most people just aren’t paying attention. Asking low-information voters to follow a complicated story about a senator intervening on behalf of a friend accused of overbilling Medicare is asking a lot; the fact that insider trading by congressmen was perfectly legal until last year is proof enough of how hard it is for the average joe to distinguish what’s criminally crooked in Washington from what’s acceptably crooked according to Beltway (and, er, New Jersey) norms. But a senator taking sex trips to the Dominican Republic? Involving hookers? Who are supposedly underaged? That’s your wake-up call, America. Watch this and file it away mentally, just in case the other shoe is soon to drop.

Exit question: Will it drop? Read Erik Wemple’s post at WaPo for a skeptical take.

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The voices raised against age rating and other policies tend not to be the most credible. They are, first, conservatives who simply see this as another wedge against Obama and his new policy.

Don’t blame conservatives just because you were too stupid to see what was right in front of you, Ben. Notice how just about everything we warned about Obama has come to pass? It wasn’t because we were looking for wedge issues. It’s because we knew he’d be a sh-tty President whose policies would harm the very people he claimed to be looking out for.

Doughboy on February 12, 2013 at 2:07 PM

the health-care overhaul known as ObamaCare, are calculated to screw his most passionate supporters and to transfer wealth to his worst enemies.

I’m tempted towards schadenfreude, but it screws us all.

As for him not noticing it earlier, he is/was a willfully ignorant 0bama fluffing moron.

cozmo on February 12, 2013 at 2:08 PM

If I didn’t have young kids, I’d find this funny.
They didn’t vote.

These bozos did. And I expect them to STFU.

Jabberwock on February 12, 2013 at 2:08 PM

Hmm. I’m getting older. Maybe it’s not such a bad thing.
Ok, that was a joke! (/s) But the youth did vote overwhelmingly for it. Is it some kind of poetic justice that they get screwed?

anotherJoe on February 12, 2013 at 2:10 PM

And they’re even watering down the booze we’ll need to self-medicate ourselves during the next 20+ years of Democrat New Normal. Hey, is drinking standing water out of oak stumps covered by ObamaCare?

JeremiahJohnson on February 12, 2013 at 2:13 PM

The new format for these “I woke up and realized Obama’s plan kind of sucks” pieces by lib journalists all seem to include the “but republicans aren’t hip, so, meh” qualifier.

BKeyser on February 12, 2013 at 2:13 PM

The voices raised against age rating and other policies tend not to be the most credible. They are, first, conservatives who simply see this as another wedge against Obama and his new policy.

Let me put this as nicely as I can, Ben.

F you.

Purple Fury on February 12, 2013 at 2:16 PM

The trouble with not listening to someone who is older and wiser is that often they are telling you something you need to know but don’t want to hear.

They can blame it on “the Republicans were only looking for a wedge issue” all they want. It wasn’t true then and isn’t true now.

There was NEVER any possible way, short of repealing Math, that this was ever going to work.

They were told. But they wanted free birth control and abortions.

But those things were never, ever, going to be free.

Lily on February 12, 2013 at 2:18 PM

If I didn’t have young kids, I’d find this funny.
They didn’t vote.

These bozos did. And I expect them to STFU.

Jabberwock on February 12, 2013 at 2:08 PM

My kids are teenagers. I’ve made sure they know who is responsible.

Mr. D on February 12, 2013 at 2:19 PM

Suckers!

rbj on February 12, 2013 at 2:21 PM

Suckit, indoctrinated liberal youts.
A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you’ve got.

rayra on February 12, 2013 at 2:22 PM

Welllllllllllcome to Socialism. Enjoy your stay.

kim roy on February 12, 2013 at 2:23 PM

Suckers indeed. They all thought they were going to get almost free health care and their student loans were going to be forgiven. Wonder how’ll they’ll vote next time?

major dad on February 12, 2013 at 2:25 PM

Bet you don’t see any of the young and healthy complain…plus they would all vote for Obama again.

albill on February 12, 2013 at 2:27 PM

Suckers indeed. They all thought they were going to get almost free health care and their student loans were going to be forgiven. Wonder how’ll they’ll vote next time?

major dad on February 12, 2013 at 2:25 PM

Since they’ll be 4 yrs. older and without decent employment maybe they’ll apply common sense and logic along with some much needed critical thinking, however, since O and his crew are hitting High Schools, they’ll be a new crop of American Idol voters.

CoffeeLover on February 12, 2013 at 2:29 PM

I’m sure many fans of this debacle won’t believe the truth until the bill come due. By then, though, it will be so far along that the system will be impossible to dismantle, like how the mobilizations in Europe right before WWI had progressed to the point that war was inevitable though the leaders didn’t really want one.

I’m still going to enjoy the tears of liberals when this whole mess they wanted finally kicks them in the head.

Liam on February 12, 2013 at 2:32 PM

Bet you don’t see any of the young and healthy complain…plus they would all vote for Obama again.

albill on February 12, 2013 at 2:27 PM

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/01/08/Obama-Voters-Furious-About-Tax-Hikes

@CZebari22 Damn the taxes killed me. I should have voted Romney

@crushonchrissy I’m starting to regret voting for Obama.

@gekka_88 I have a friend who voted for Obama publicly complaining about the new #SS tax raise. I would just like to say: You did this to yourself.

@VAisforlovas But really how am I ever supposed to pay off my student loans if my already small paycheck keeps getting smaller? Help a sister out, Obama

One comment on the liberal site DemocraticUnderground.com. whined:

What happened that my Social Security withholding’s in my paycheck just went up? My paycheck just went down by an amount that I don’t feel comfortable with. I guarantee this decrease is gonna’ hurt me more than the increase in income taxes will hurt those making over 400 grand. What happened?”

Another comment, by “DemocratToTheEnd” was, “My boyfriend has had a lot of expenses and is feeling squeezed right now, and having his paycheck shrink really didn’t help.”

“Nancy Thongkham” gave a measured response to the new taxes she would have to pay: “F***ing Obama! F*** you! This taking out more taxes s*** better f***ing help me out!! Very upset to see my paycheck less today!”

Complain yes.

Sadly you are right, they will still vote Democrat because they are incapable of seeing the world as it really is.

sharrukin on February 12, 2013 at 2:35 PM

Drew over at Ace of Spades has an alternate view:

http://minx.cc/?post=337462

ObamaCare will end up heavily taxing the middle class and the rich to fund “health care” for the poor and the increasing amounts of people who can’t afford rising cost health care.

gwelf on February 12, 2013 at 2:38 PM

From virtually every possible angle, Obama is helping to diminish the prospects for today’s younger generation.

Newsflash: the Progressive ideology sounds great in the classroom but it does not work in real life over an extended period of time.

visions on February 12, 2013 at 2:48 PM

Firstly, to my fellow conservatives of age, with children or planning on having children: I feel your pain and hopefully this trainwreck can be reversed.

To all those that indeed were under the mistaken assumptions that:
Health care would be free under Obama
Your take home pay would be better under Obama
Your gas prices would go down under Obama
Unemployment would go down to pre recession levels under Obama
The world would love you again under Obama
Progressive little ponyland ( hat tip RWM) would be a new permanent state because of Obama.

I’ve got two words for you….

HA. HA.

can_con on February 12, 2013 at 2:49 PM

Own it kiddies

cmsinaz on February 12, 2013 at 2:50 PM

I hate Obaamacare (yes, baa) as much as I hate, hate, yes HATE Liberals. It isn’t the individual mandate that I so loathe as much as the federal government mandating our coverage, i.e. the minimum benefits we all MUST purchase regardless of need.

I got my new W-2 and was pleasantly surprised to find that the company only pays $3,800 for their portion of my family plan. I myself contribute only an additional $160/month, up from $120 thanks to Obamacare.

How so low? I have a high deductible ($10k) plan with an HSA. I’ve been in my current company 4 years and have yet to spend over my deductible so have never actually used my insurance. This keeps the price of my policy low.

So what does Obamacare do? Bans these kinds of plans. Why? Because rather than my money being used to subsidize someone else’s coverage, it goes into my HSA account where I get to keep it AND take a tax deduction for it.

The Left are destructive tyrants who are singlemindedly determined to enslave all of us to government.

Screw the dumbass young voters who voted for Obama because he’s “cool” and he “cares” about them. Useful idiots.

Charlemagne on February 12, 2013 at 2:59 PM

Unless the country somehow installs the requirement to maintain the positive balance between federal taxes and federal candy in any form to cast a vote (including retirees, as those who worked have a huge positive balance) and rams this idea up the nine shriveled asses in the ivory tower of the Supreme Court, we are thoroughly and absolutely irreversibly focked.

Archivarix on February 12, 2013 at 2:59 PM

I’m glad for 2 things:

1. I have (for now) a job that provides me with health insurance.

2. I have (for now) many liberal friends who do not.

You voted for it, time to sleep in the bed you made for yourselves.

LukeinNE on February 12, 2013 at 3:01 PM

Fat, drunk and stupid is the new way of no way to go through life, son.

Correct based on Obamanomics.

LoganSix on February 12, 2013 at 3:04 PM

Youngin’s: keep voting Democrat and you’ll keep on getting surprises like OBAMAcare… and gun control…

Elections have consequences… belly up to the bar and drink your medicine…

Khun Joe on February 12, 2013 at 3:05 PM

But Obama was the candidate ‘who cares about people like me’ according to exit polls.

Schmucks.

Not all the young folks of course, but far too many.

lynncgb on February 12, 2013 at 3:08 PM

The young “ain’t seen nothin yet’and there won’t be many slots to go into the military either.

docflash on February 12, 2013 at 3:15 PM

The title to Smith’s column says it all. Don’t bother to read further, the rest of it is a pile.

Point is, the low info youth who voted for Obama are about to ram wallet-first into reality.

Full speed ahead, kids! And have a nice day!

novaculus on February 12, 2013 at 3:15 PM

Obamacare ‘sticks it’ to EVERYBODY….and Liberals will defend this thing to the death simply over partisanship, even though they will even admit it is a P.O.S.!

easyt65 on February 12, 2013 at 3:18 PM

Soooo……

Sandra Fluke will end up subsidizing condoms for middle aged men?

Sweet irony.

MichaelGabriel on February 12, 2013 at 3:19 PM

Obamacare was peddled as a vast improvement on the existing system. Obamacare was going to provide a heath system. The cost of heath care was going to decrease….more people would have high quality insurance and the coverage would be much better for everyone….certainly the government mandated policies would not do things like deny coverage to ….less than healthy people like overweight….people with mental and physical problems and certainly Obamacare would not lessen the standard of medical care….

How is that working out in reality? Insurance premiums are rising not decreasing….(According to the IRS $20,000 for a family of 5.) In California they had “discovered” they do not have enough doctors etc….so they are considering allowing PAs and other less qualified medical people to practice medicine…Just visualize being in a doctors office and finding out the person treating you lets you know they stayed at Holiday Inn Express last night….and if you are overweight….well now they can charge you more and deny you coverage…..all things the Obama crowd would have been howling about if a private insurance carrier had done…

DVPTexFla on February 12, 2013 at 3:31 PM

Two things:

(1) They are getting free birth control. It will just cost them $3,600/year for the privilege. (Welcome to reality where there is no such thing as a free lunch – it was about time they all learned that lesson.)

and

(2) These same low information, college educated voters will flock to the polls in 2016 to vote in another historic election where they elect Hillary Clinton as the first woman president. It will be irresistible I tell you. Until then the Dems will spare no energy in assuring the nation that Republicans hate women and opposing Hillary is proof positive. When she finds a gay Hispanic as her running mate it will be an Election for the Ages [copyright 2013].

in_awe on February 12, 2013 at 3:45 PM

Own it kiddies

cmsinaz on February 12, 2013 at 2:50 PM

I refuse to “own” anything I never possessed or cared to. I have nothing but disgust for the part of my generation responsible. They are the dumbest of dumb and I leave this entirely in their hands. My only remorse comes when I get my paycheck to find half of it missing. I feel sorry for none of them. Just more divide created in this “utopia.”

RDE2010 on February 12, 2013 at 3:47 PM

I seldom post here anymore. Today I will chime in with a I am getting very resentful about the boomers being blamed for something we didn’t do. If these young idiots had a brain enough of them would have voted (R) to elect Romney and probably a Senate majority. Why should I feel guilty about ripping off these young idiots?

Don’t fool yourself, as these young fools get older they will continue voting for a free lunch and the cool guy. Maybe we Conservatives could come up with a cool enough candidate to get a second look but with our platform of no free lunches that’s all we are going to get.

Most conservative and centerist commentators have missed the purpose of the Obama program. It isn’t to provide free stuff, it’s to enslave the public with government handouts. Once you are on some sort of dole, you are not getting off. This is the Chicago machine gone national. His goal from the very start has been 20% on pure welfare, 75% working poor and lower middle class all ruled over by a 5% nomklatura/kleptocratic class. He is already there. Welcome to the ghetto.

jerryofva on February 12, 2013 at 3:53 PM

If more younger voters did the math in 2009, 2010, and especially 2012, perhaps they wouldn’t be on the hook for subsidies for older, wealthier Americans

Elections have consequences. The young voters wanted Obama, now they get to live with their decision. Maybe they should quit playing with their iPods and smart phones and get an education and find out what Washington is really doing to them.

TulsAmerican on February 12, 2013 at 4:05 PM

Payback, finally!
Does my heart good to know liberals will suffer the consequence of socialized medicine along with the rest of us.
Hey, enjoy your free birth control!

Belle on February 12, 2013 at 4:24 PM

As I mentioned on another thread:

Prices are going up – big time, because whenever you are not allowed to do proper underwriting the risk increases must be spread to all – this hits the individual and small group markets strongly. In fact, insurance industry experts expect the small group market to evaporate as the exchanges come on line – if they do – and at prices even with subsidy that will be greater than what we see today. Individual policy price spikes due to coverage requirements are also above 20% in most areas with some greater increases also reported.

Those groups which are small will have the greatest volatility.

To McD’s snarky answer – most of the most aggressive single payer models in the world have the worst outcomes – with the UK and Canada being extremely poor. Canada in fact is very quietly allowing private insurance to resurface just as they expect their safety valve US hospitals to become less reliable due to reform.

The only groups correct about PPACA were the employers and their benefit consultants. And their predictions were all negative. Welcome to the evolving two tier health system. I will be fine, but what the poor have to face with medicaid is about to be visited on a greater number of the middle class than anyone realizes.

Drew at Ace is wrong – the young will pay more and the old will pay less more. In reality everyone will pay more. Those with good jobs and wealth will maintain a private plan that though expensive will provide access, speed of treatment, and the best doctors and facilities. The rest will get a public exchange plan or a medicaid expansion plan and will wait a long time to see a doctor – or PA or NP, let alone getting any procedures done in a timely fashion. Think the current Medicaid jungle expanded to grab more of the middle class and new college grads who cannot find full time jobs with benefits because you know who is strangling the recovery.

Liberals are almost always wrong – and they almost always hurt the people they propose to help. Some because they are idealistically stupid, others because they are evil power hungry control freaks who want to continue in their role as a public servant sucking their constituents dry.

Zomcon JEM on February 12, 2013 at 4:39 PM

Ben Smith reports that ObamaCare is actually a wealth-redistribution system in the most regressive manner possible.

Some people take a long time to wake up. The rest never do.

GarandFan on February 12, 2013 at 4:49 PM

Anyone that actually read the bill would have realized it stickes it to the young and healthy.

talkingpoints on February 12, 2013 at 9:59 PM

Count it!

tom daschle concerned on February 13, 2013 at 12:53 PM