I just saw this. I thought I was through for the day, but this must not pass.
Let me preface the post by saying that the Democratic leadership is disgraceful in its complete disrespect for the American people, and why individuals like Nancy Pelosi have any support at all except from the sinister, the the dim, and those with internal head injuries, I cannot fathom.
To wit:
1. Here was Pelosi’s refutation of Prof. Gruber’s smoking gun remarks (the link is to a video):
“I don’t know who he is. He didn’t help write our bill”
2. Here was what she said in 2009:
“We’re not finished getting all of our reports back from CBO, but we’ll have a side by side to compare. But our bill brings down rates. I don’t know if you have seen Jonathan Gruber of MIT’s analysis of what the comparison is to the status quo versus what will happen in our bill for those who seek insurance within the exchange. And our bill takes down those costs, even some now, and much less preventing the upward spiral. So again, we’re confident about what we set out to do in the bill: middle class affordability, security for our seniors, and accountability to our children.”
3. Here is how her spokesperson responded to the flaming discrepancy:
“She said she doesn’t ‘know who he is,’ not that she’s never heard of him.”
According to the Washington Post, Pelosi only meant that she doesn’t know him personally. Sure, that makes sense. Like when people ask me about Jesus Christ, Babe Ruth, George Washington, George Clooney, Soupy Sales, Tito, Jimmy Durante, Eddie Bressoud, John Locke, Michael Crichton, Walter Hunt, Walt Kelly, Gene Kelly, Eugene O’Neill, Shaquille O’Neall, Kobi Bryant, Kelly Gruber, Chester A. Arthur, Arthur Godfrey, Godfrey Cambridge, John Dillinger, Sachem, Satchmo, Mo Vaughn, Vaughn Meader, Vaughn Monroe, Monroe Friedman, James Monroe, Jesse James, Bill James, Billy the Kid, Captain Kidd, Captain Kangaroo, Steve Irwin, Irwin Corey, Corey Feldman, Marty Feldman, Martin Van Buren, Van Johnson, Arte Johnson, Dan Rowan, or Rowan Atkinson, all of whom I have never met, I’ll always say “I don’t know who he is,”
when I DO!
The woman is a blight on the political system, an ethics corruptor, and a vile influence whose presence and power in the leadership of the Democratic Party should call into question its values and competence. She is a walking, talking insult to the Republic.
San Francisco must be so proud.
___________________
Pointer and Facts: Washington Post
Ethics Alarms 
Better answer for Pelosi:
“Well, everyone knows that I didn’t know what was in that bill. I have been grubered!”
Still not ethical but closer to the truth.
This woman is so,so,so hideously awful in every way. Having her in the government is like knowing there is a rapid rat loose in the house. How can anyone tolerate her? ARRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
It could be worse. Can you imagine Debbie Wasserman Schultz as minority leader? Or Cynthia McKinney?
Heck, Biden might be worse too… but was never in the house I believe.
New game: name the worst possible democrat previously or now in the house to be minority leader.
That one’s easy, Phlinn. Nancy Pelosi.
I honestly don’t think it could be worse.
I could picture Cynthia McKinney accusing anyone who questioned her about lying about Obamacare of racism. I think that would have been worse. It’s a tough call though really.
Ummm…she has vineyards and gives great parties? As for the “common people”, I don’t think they have had anyone else to pick from, have they? She hasn’t had to be honest or even make sense in years.
Above is my reply as to any people put up with Pelosi.
Because her district is made up of mostly far left loons who don’t care about corruption and fully support the ends justify the means. I never like to generalize but 10 elections, no serious challengers and hasn’t had to do a candidate debate since the 80s? She is there until she doesn’t want to be or dies.
Every time I see a picture of her, hear her voice or read something she has said I have to reflect on just how dumb voters are…..although Gruber and the administration were unethical in getting Obama care passed they weren’t wrong on how stupid voters can be, she is proof of that.
It’s all in the choices. America doesn’t have a whole lot of politicians that we can look at and go: “Yeah, I genuinely like this person, I think this person is generally ethical, honest, and productive.” The question is, who ran against her?
I can’t remember anyone ever running against Pelosi. I think Cindy Sheehan ran against her at one point.
That is part of the problem, to run against one of these elite progressives is nearly suicidal for any serious candidate it goes beyond their districts being mostly as bat shit crazy as they are, the far left progressives are aggressive and illogical, it is not about competing ideas but utter personal destruction of those who would oppose their ideas. Hell even Cindy Sheehan who rises to her level of crazy was hammered when she was going to try and unseat her.
And Cindy came in second, ahead of the Republican.
I really don’t know how the voters in Pelosi’s district feel about her. I don’t think there is a chance in hell that a Republican can win that district but who knows…the voters might appreciate some other democrats to choose from which they have not had in years.
Reference Cindy Sheehan, 16 percent to her 70 something percent. Not going to happen.
I’m not sure that Sheehan was the right candidate for that district or any district for that matter.
“Bat shit crazy”…I do love that term. San Francisco made it illegal to own gold fish as pets, and they keep electing Nancy Pelosi. What could be a better definition.
Do you remember that movie, “The Rock”, wherein a bunch of force reconnaissance marines were threatening San Fransisco with VX rockets? I have to confess, I wanted to see those rockets fired. Innocent Hollywood fun, right? Make believe. Imagine the scene; The General says “Well boys,I’m bored. We might as well drain this commie swamp”, then you see the rockets’ red glare, Pelosi’s head bursting in mid-air, marines cheering and drinking Miller beer, and the flag waving with the closing notes of The Star-spangled Banner playing. Perfection!
I do remember it. Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage. Good movie. If I’d known then what I know now…..
The sad part of Gruber’s comments is that he is partially correct The irony is that the “stupidity of the American voter” refers only to those that supported the bill. That represents the electorate who vote for candidates such as Pelosi and Reid. Any condescension on Gruber’s or Pelosi’s part is aimed specifically at the voter that thinks there real can be a free lunch.
There was a very vocal group that could understand that all taxes, whether on Cadillac plans or medical devices, are ultimately paid by households. They understood that resources are finite and we cannot support everyone that wants to be supported. Gruber could not be talking about us because we did not buy the Obama care lies they were trying to get us to accept.
One final, but related point. On The Five tonight Bob Beckel touted the fact that 10 million new people are insured under Obama care. I would prefer to know: Of those that are paying premiums out of their own pocket how many of those insured had a claim reimbursed by the carrier. You can be paying premiums to be insured but never be able to meet the deductible. And, relative to the total premiums collected on the ten million what was the payout ratio. We don’t hear of that any more.
I was just about to write you! Glad you found your way back!
I never stopped reading, but another project is keeping me off the streets and out of trouble.
She may have forgotten him. I’m terrible with names.
Jack, I had to look up your name. I know you as “author of Ethics Alarms”, but if someone out of the blue asked me in a week’s time “Hey, do you know Jack Marshall” I’d probably say “Not that I can recall”.
Having said that… I looked it up, as I had need. Pelosi should have too. Had to look up the spelling of her surname and her first name too to write this. As I said, I’m terrible with names.
that’s what’s called “Tempting Fate”
There are worse things than having sane crooks, acting solely in their own best interests, in such a powerful position.
Cynthia McKinney. Sally Kern. Gordon Klingenschmitt. Jesse Jackson.
I have to back Zoe up on this. I wouldn’t criticize any politician for this faux pas. Do you have any idea how many politicians, constituents, lobbyists, etc. they meet every day? And I’m not counting how many “experts” whose names they have to put into speaking points. Please, please, feel free to criticize her on the issues, but not on a “gotcha” moment.
Please. Then explain lie #2, please.
And Laura Grimes didn’t vote for Obama. It’s not a gotcha. The rotten, contemptuous, arrogant, undemocratic, shameless, totalitarian mindset of this fraudulent set of leaders has been exposed; it’s a tipping point, they can feel it, and they are trying every lie and spin in the book. And you’re aiding and abetting!!! Democrats have been as betrayed as anyone else, and they should be as unforgiving…more.
I don’t buy it; no way, no how. She most likely had to interact with this particular guy on a pretty regular basis to put together a heist of this magnitude. Further, there is absolutely no evidence that massive doses of botox causes long-term memory loss. She owns this, lock,stock,and barrel.
Not to mention ““She said she doesn’t ‘know who he is,’ not that she’s never heard of him.” This amateurish attempt at damage control is pretty much an unintentional admission of guilt.
Those are all assumptions.
Dr. Cream, Jeffrey Daumer, Cruella DeVille, Cujo..
1. She was giving a press conference about this matter, among other things. She has staff. She knew. She was lying.
2. She lies a lot. She has no credibility. You do.
3. If statement 1 isn’t a lie, statement 2 is. She DIDN’T mean “I’ve never met him.” She really didn’t know who he was…if your theory is right, which it isn’t.
4. The statement that she had forgotten him was manifestly unbelievable. She had referred to him online multiple times, and in public statements. I’m a ghost who writes a blog you visit when you’re bored. Have you ever had reason to speak my name? Gruber was trumpeted as the theorist behind several plans, and if Pelosi was competent, she would know a lot about him. She HAS spoke his name, and I bet, not in public, quite recently, as in “will someone please shut that Gruber guy the fuck up?”
5. She followed the “I don’t know who he is” statement with “He didn’t help write our bill.” She doesn’t know who she is, but is capable of making an assertion about him–literally–in the same breath?
6. Watch the video. There is a full minute leading up to that quote where she’s talking about who he is and what he has and hasn’t said. THEN the “I don’t know who he is.” whopper comes out. All of it is in the context of her trying to tell the press “I don’t want to talk about him.”
–Dwayne
Beth says it’s a gotcha, and she “forgot.” Is that even plausible????
They love her ~ her daughters are now involved in politics and will probably succeed her. It’s a lot of fun living here in the land of fruits and nuts.
And remember that other doozy ……She “had no idea” her brother-in-law was VICE PRESIDENT OF SOLYNDRA!!! Are you kidding me? Give me a break.
She is putting Gruber’s playbook to use. I can just hear her think, ‘Ifthe voters are really as dumb as that guy says they are, then I will keep on lying.’.
What’s fascinating about the Gruber video has been how it illuminates the current trend in responding to events, by both the media and the politicians, with talking points. It should have been fairly easy for the media to see the video and report on it. The basic who said what, when, and how does it relate to current events. Instead they had to wait, process the events, talk with one another and the higher up’s in the party, so that they can come up with a narrative about how they will report on it, as did the politicians. Now, three days after the video, it shows up in multiple media sources, and Democratic politicians, with the same basic message, this guy was not important and his statements should be downplayed.
Yes – I agree – very Soviet Union. How far we’ve fallen.
I’m sure San Francisco IS proud of her, Jack. She represents their values perfectly. It can be summed up thusly; “The truth is what I say it is at any given moment”. With that attitude and with the mindless support of a decadent constituency, one can do no wrong.
I am not arguing with you Steven, just pointing out what I pointed out in another forum earlier today:
It’s too easy for partisans (and non-partisans) to lament the overabundance of “stupid voters.” I have used those same two words in this blog, with the same thoughts as you, and they are the same thoughts as so many Democrat Party members now have been caught thinking. (I know you did not *say* “stupid voters,” Steven, but you implied it.)
I say the above to lead in to saying that from here on, I am going to write more cautiously about blaming masses for stupidity. I am going to try to avoid mass-blaming, in my writings. I might not be successful in my avoidance, because, for one thing, my self-limited writings will not necessarily mean I am not actually, still, mass-blaming. But strange things happen when people sense themselves being lumped together as mass-blame-ees. Typically, such blame-ees’ responses have the effect of prolonging, even perpetuating, what they are being blamed for.
For example, I do equate today’s Muslims with World War II’s “good Germans” in the current world war between certain Islamic groups and their chosen enemies. I hold the global masses of Muslims responsible for enabling those groups to prosper (such as they do) and to even exist, much like the good Germans were responsible for enabling the Hitler regime. And you know what? That (holding of masses responsible) is no more “Islamophobic” than, say, recent commenter in this blog, Justin, is “Christian-phobic.” Genocide of all Muslims might eliminate the current Islamic tyrants’ threats and aggression – but only might, and probably not, and probably would only set the stage for more genocides in the future.
Similarly, I will continue to hold responsible those people represented by corrupt elected officials, where those ostensibly represented people are responsible for the election results that empower those officials. Maybe every individual in those masses (of voters and non-voters) truly is stupid, corrupt, perverse, amoral etc. Maybe not. But in any case, every one of them is responsible, whether or not they want to be responsible.
I am particularly through with tolerating the current perverse power structure of the U.S. Congress, where the degree of repeated electability of one Congress member in one district is a key determinant of that member’s leadership position. This country and its people, stupid as many of us may be, deserve better than that. Nancy Pelosi illustrates my point. I do not want the entire country and its legislative processes held hostage and malpracticed, respectively, by the likes of representatives-for-life, whose tenure alone should be a red flag to everyone else that a district so represented is a relative gulag compared to the rest of the society it’s a part of, with its constituents’ interests almost certainly grossly at odds with, rather than in synch with, the interests of the vast majority. If voters are going to be so stupid all over the place, then by all means let’s “spread the wealth” of that stupidity, too, in the ways leaders of Congress are seated.
PS I would have been clearer if I had said “relatively insular” instead of “a relative gulag,” in my last paragraph. As would be a district that is a long-time ghetto, or a long-time community of country clubbers and wealthy urbanites, etc.