Author: Buck Banks

Why Senators Should Not Be Allowed to Twitter

Buck Banks

Because it makes them sound even less eloquent than usual.

NBC political editor Chuck Todd offered this in his “first Read” column this morning.

[President] Obama devoted his Saturday radio address — even while he was overseas — to the topic of health care. “All across America, our families are making hard choices when it comes to health care,” he said. “Now, it’s time for Washington to make the right ones. It’s time to deliver.”

However, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R), the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee took offense to Obama’s radio address. “Pres Obama you got nerve while u sightseeing in Paris to tell us ‘time to deliver’ on health care. We still on skedul/even workinWKEND,” he said via Twitter, later adding: “Pres Obama while u sightseeing in Paris u said ‘time to delivr on healthcare’ When you are a ‘hammer’ u think evrything is NAIL I’m no NAIL.”

Call me persnickety, but somehow that just don’t sound, er, senatorial ….

Quote du Jour

Buck Banks

We need to be aware of the creation of a fearful population, and fearful lawmakers, being led to believe that big government is the answer, to bail out the private sector, because then government gets to get in there and control it. And mark my words, this is going to be next, I fear, bail out next debt-ridden states. Then government gets to get in there and control the people.

— Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R), quoted on CNN, criticizing the Obama administration’s economic policies.

Pensito Flu Update: Seasonal Vaccine No Protection in Japan

Buck Banks

From ProMed:

As of Friday, 29 May 2009, a total of 367 confirmed cases of human infection with a novel influenza A (H1N1) virus had been reported to Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW). Preliminary outbreak investigation report from National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan has provided important data on the effectiveness of pre-seasonal vaccination on the new strain.

They investigated 43 confirmed cases reported from Kobe City. Their median age was 17 years, which ranged from 5 to 44 years. Among them, 42 reported having had pre-seasonal vaccination for 2008-09 season and the coverage was 52.4 percent. According to MHLW’s estimates, the coverage of influenza vaccine among Japanese population was 53.7 percent for those aged less than 13 years, 23.1 percent for those 13 to 64 years, and 58.8 percent for those over 64 years during the 2008-09 season. Taking account of the population age structure, 27.9 percent of Japanese people ages 5 to 44 years are estimated to have been vaccinated for seasonal influenza virus. That indicates that vaccine coverage among confirmed cases is no less than that of the population average.

It is too early to reach a conclusion about a possible negative effect, yet it is already obvious that pre-seasonal vaccine for 2008-09 season has no
protective effect on disease from the novel influenza A (H1N1) strain among the Japanese population. This finding should be valuable information for
public health policy makers preparing for coming winter season.

Quote du Jour

Buck Banks

This is something we discussed several times in the Oval Office, how to manage this transition between Leno and Conan. And I think he’s up to the task. But I just want him to know that there is not going to be any bailout coming out from Washington if he screws it up.

— President Barack Obama, in an interview with NBC News, referring to Conan O’Brien’s succession this week of the former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno

Poll: Deficit Cutting Up, Health Care Reform Down

Buck Banks

From the latest Rasmussen poll:

Support for health care reform has slipped slightly as more voters think President Obama should work harder on his promise to cut the federal deficit in half in the next four years.

Thirty-six percent (36 percent) of U.S. voters say cutting the deficit is the most important of the four priorities the president cited in a speech to Congress in February, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. That’s up from 32 percent in March.

At the same time, 24 percent rate health care reform as the most important of Obama’s priorities, down from 29 percent in the earlier survey.

But a growing number of voters (63 percent) — up from 54 percent in March — also see cutting the deficit in half as the goal the president is least likely to achieve.

Just after the president’s speech, 42 percent named deficit reduction as the top priority while 24 percent said health care.

Charlie on Hurricane Preparedness

Buck Banks

Yesterday was Opening Day of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season. To mark the day, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist offered up this video in which he’s certainly looking tanned and, dare we say it, senatorial.

Let’s see, canned goods, batteries, radio, cellphone — yep, I s’pose I’m ready for a “safe hurricane season,” Charlie. Thanks!

My favorite part is the Web site floridadisaster.org, which I find ironic on many levels.

Why Republicans Resist Sotomayor

Buck Banks

A new Gallup poll sheds light on why the Republican Party is so resistant to President Obama’s nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court:

The survey said only 11 percent of Republicans are Hispanics or blacks or members of other races. More than six in 10 are white conservatives and the rest whites with other ideological leanings. That compares with 36 percent of Democrats who are Hispanics or non-white and 27 percent of independents.

The Republicans would do well to ignore their innate racism (party chair Michael Steele excepted) and listen instead to the will of the American voters as uncovered by a recent Quinnipiac poll:

American voters approve of President Obama’s pick of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court by a 54 percent to 24 percent margin, with 22 percent still undecided. Democrats support the nomination by 81 percent to 3 percent and independent voters by 50 percent to 26 percent, while Republicans oppose it 46 percent to 26 percent. Men approve of the nomination 48 percent to 31 percent while women approve 59 percent to 18 percent.

Quote du Jour

Buck Banks

I know President Bush and Vice President Cheney talk with regularity. I know the former president appreciates Dick’s forthright defense of the administration’s polices. And I know Vice President Cheney understands the special role that the former president occupies.

— Karl Rove, quoted by Politico, suggesting former President Bush is supportive of former Vice President Cheney speaking out against President Obama