Vanjones.net

Something obviously needs to shake up our dysfunctional political system. What if the Progressives broke off from the Democrats and the Tea Party broke off from the Republicans?

We have a great President, who fulfill dreams millions.What they did it ,not only to President ,to damage Republican Party,harm people . Damage to economy to our reputation.Harm National Security. What I see October 13 in the front the White House. As the ex US Army Soldier and combat disable US Veteran,this is not acceptable for any circumstances. Total damage for us Republican ( bigotry,racism ) . I feel in the moment they start burn a cross in the front White House.Shame. No wining here. We all lose as the American to let to those lunatics who keep US Citizens as the hostage doit this. From October 1 to the end shout down,as the President Reagan Republican I back up President Obama. Send the letter to chairmen NRC and others . How much this circus will be cost us in the future. Shame. Will be consequence: loss majority in house, senate and another presidency. They simply can stand our President is black. Before he take oat, they say: " we do everything so he not accomplish nothing". As the ex freedom fighter,when I fight for freedom my people from soviet communist occupation....This is happen in America ????? Nasty dreams bring old demons back. I stay republican because President Reagan was in the office when we start Solidarity Union in Poland 1980. Fact is Republican Party live me. Need the bring responsible people no lunatic and maniac like Cruz and plenty others. Why Tea Party not give to us a fever and live Republican Party. What they do :they only damage President Reagan legacy and our reputation in the frond the word.

Hi Van, awesome job! I just sent this comment to CNN and sending to you also, hoping to hear the question asked! "Why did the Republican faction wait until hours before a debt ceiling deadline to rebel against Obamacare??" This isn't a new policy. It's been out there since President Obama's first term!! This was so irresponsible! Why hasn't this question been posed to these Tea Party members? Why haven't any of the Health Care Reform FACTS that have been in place been discussed? Examples: Previously uninsured adult children up to age 26 that, since 2010, can now be added to their parents' health insurance policies. The fact that prior to Health Care Reform, health insurance premiums were rising around 30% per year, greatly hurting employers as well as individuals. And, I actually heard one Republican make the comment last night that no one except 'pre-existing condition' people will benefit, then dismissing that entire group of people - thousands of seriously ill people who can finally qualify for health and RX coverage as of 2014 and may be saved from dying! Finally, how much did this 'bullying' tactic cost our economy? I cannot bear to think of the cost! The Tea Party faction is nothing more than KKK-wantabe bullies. Good ole boys. SHAME! Thanks, Van!

Hello Van: I enjoy watching 'Crossfire' on CNN! I watched the debate with Ted Cruz and you had the chance to very fairly nail him. I specialize in professional debate and I know how to use people's quotes against them or other like minded people which is why my arguments always stick. There was a perfect answer when Ted Cruz asked this question: "Let me just ask you a question, which is if you voted to fund the men and women in the active military, why are Democrats blocking funding the V.A.? Do our veterans not deserve the same treatment that our active-military do?" Believe it or not, it was Bill O'Reilly who exposed the partisanship behind what Cruz was asking right to his face in an interview mocking him and laughing at him! Bill O'Reilly correctly exposed Cruz's partisan piecemeal approach to defund Obamacare when he said to Cruz (and this is the direct answer to his question that he asked above): "You know you're on The Factor tonight, that is a clever way of saying we will fund everything but Obamacare because that is what you wanted to do in the first place... so its kind of a back door deal Senator, I admire the strategy but I know what you are doing" from 6:27 to 6:47 into this O'Reilly Factor video: http://video.foxnews.com/v/2711275198001/united-states-government-shutdown/ October 1, 2013 United States government shutdown (08:46) Talking Points 10/1 and then Bill O'Reilly interview with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). I wish I could have given you that video because you would have seriously embarrassed Cruz by using Bill O'Reilly to directly answer his question and shut him down on that point! I always win debates against the Tea Party because you cannot lose when you directly quote the people who you are debating or like minded people on common sense issues that poll in our favor. I have much more material like the video above and I would like to give it to you if I can. I know several people who you would know if you contact me who will verify that I am telling you the truth. Please feel free to contact me anytime if I can do anything to help you on a volunteer basis! Sincerely, Mitch Dworkin, M.Ed. Political Analyst and Consultant Dallas, Texas E Mail: [email protected] Cell: 469-556-7026 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mitch.dworkin?ref=tn_tnmn

Dr. Taitz told fellow Republicans to hand tough and not move an inch after Saturday's meeting with the White House and House leaders. The other replies agreed for Republicans to hold firm and not agree to either open government or agree to pass the debt ceiling, which would certainly near us to default if not have us fully in default. I submitted this reply: You would “hang tough?!” as you put it, even at a cost of the entire global economy facing catastrophe? Can you even imagine such a thing, or are you so blinded by hate that you refuse to listen to world leaders and financial experts? Please consider an option, true negotiation, within acceptable standards. For one, I will not use terms such as “gun to head” or hostage, at the risk of infuriating the other side. But why not try this, Both sides agree to negotiate now and two of the terms of the negotiation, agreed to by both sides is that 1. The gov’t will reopen and 2. The debt ceiling will be agreed to. 3. Some modification for both Affordable Care Act, such as repeal of Medical Device Tax and some other concession, perhaps something linked to chain CPI. 4. Perhaps even consider another act of entitlement cut which both sides can live with if it will make the deal work. Get all this done by Monday and let both sides claim a win but more importantly proclaim a win for America. my videos on this matter from earlier this week can be seen here, www.artasbusiness.blogspot.com. I met Van a few years ago at either the Green Conference or some national conference on Green businesses. He laughed when he saw my business card, The Bald Eco (no longer in business). We hugged. Thanks,

I'm so glad you called Senator Rafael Eduardo Cruz out for being delusional because he so obviously is and that's what makes him dangerous as well. My husband and I sat in the booth next to Senator Cruz at a Houston CPK a few weeks ago and not even one of the "millions of Americans" he's constantly referring to who are "demanding the end of Obamacare" approached him all evening! Not one! I wish the press would focus a bit more on his family history because I believe it is tied to his current scorched earth approach. According to the Dallas Morning News he has publicly bragged about how his father was "throwing Molotov cocktails and blowing up buildings" as a teenage communist revolutionary in Cuba. Isn't that parallel to what Rafael Jr is attempting to do to our political order? Seriously, Senator Cruz really and truly IS the foreign born son of a communist revolutionary! And that's a fact.

I can't believe we are still having these conversations about healthcare for all. Obamacare is a step in the right direction. Every time I see Ted Cruz on television, I can't help but shake my head. He claims that Obamacare is hurting the middle class and the insurance industry. He blames Obamacare for reduction in work hours for middle class workers. He blames Obamacare for everything that is wrong in the US. First of all, if the insurance industry is hurting, it's done it to itself. After years and years of gorging workers into paying high premiums for little service, they deserve to be hurting now; just as its customers have for years. Reduction in work hours for middle class? Erm.....how bout the economy bottoming out and wall street doing what it wants after being de-regulated by the Republican Party? Maybe Sen. Cruz wants to blame outsourcing on Obamacare. I'm a front line healthcare worker that has worked on both sides of the border. Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Hilary Clinton had healthcare nearly fixed back when her husband was in office, but thanks to Bob Dole and the Republican Party calling it "socialized medicine" and putting a scare into the general population that the US was headed for a communistic state, the whole thing was crushed. It's not communistic at all. Its universal for all in the country. When I work with my patients, it doesn't matter if they have insurance or not. We are all covered under our universal healthcare plan. I'm not chased and getting constant memos about making sure patients are charged. My attention is totally focused on patient care.....not money. Wanna talk cost???? When I was in the states, about a third of my paycheck went to taxes and insurance premiums. I had an ill child and had to fight with the insurance company for everything he needed. Here, I'm still paying about a third of my paycheck in taxes, but whatever healthcare I need, I've had without any problem. Mental healthcare is covered. I can't say we've had any mass shootings up here. The US gov't and all Americans have to change their outlook on healthcare overall. Its not a business, it shouldn't be a money maker and its can't be just for the wealthy or those impoverished. The middle class is the engine of the US economy and deserve affordable healthcare that provides services all members need. Sen. Cruz, stop the fanatical crying. You're a junior senator trying to make a name for himself and has not shared anything with any basis or intelligence that could be considered productive. To him and the rest of the Tea Party, its about big business and making more money, not about the regular, working class families.

Would love to discuss issues with Van on my blog radio show or on some other venue. I disagree with you on many issues and can do a much better job of explaining why you are wrong than Sara. And I can be polite while doing it. Please contact me via e-mail. MBA Finance, U. of Chicago; MS, Taxation, Golden Gate Univ.; Undergrad in Economics at Stanford. Long career in Finance and Taxation with a number of years based in London and Tokyo. CEO of educational software company; Taught International Finance in China; taught English in Poland. Author of "Stop the Insanity Target 2014." Currently host blog radio show "Books and Politics." and help my brother in Mortgage Modification business where we have saved more than 300 families from foreclosure. I'm a 21st Century Libertarian which means I'm more flexible and understanding of the current world environment than traditional Libertarians. Would love to explain why you are wrong!

Obama can't negotiate under threat of default or shutdown because it sets (continues?) the precedence (that he sanctioned in the first place by negotiated on the debt limit last time?) that the minority can use hostage tactics to gain policy concessions. This is a unique moment where he has tremendous leverage that he must use. Instead of trying to win the current game, shift the stakes. What if he offers to negotiate on some portions of Obamacare (med device tax, maybe a 6 mo extension for individual mandate) IN RETURN for legislation that prohibits the hostage taking tactic from happening in the future. They would have to get creative but it would mean something that legislatively prohibits de or under funding an existing law as part of a CR and either elimination of the debt ceiling, since congress passes budgets that cause the debt in the first place or specific executive power to raise the debt limit. I'm not a budget policy expert so I'm not sure exactly how to craft the legislation but in concept, give a little on Obamacare to give Boehner a face saving move in exchange for a functional government. As a social liberal and fiscal centrist, and general Obama supporter, I would love to see part of his legacy be a return to a functional government.