Wednesday Stuff

RIP Gore Vidal – he said things that, at times, made people uncomfortable because he forced us to think, as he did in this clip from 1968; would that we had more like him (I would say that he at least hinted at bits and pieces of what was then the future, but which has come to pass in terms of in-vitro fertilization, using food for fuel such as ethanol, etc.)…

…and yes, it’s baaack…

#15, Jean Schmidt
#16, Phil Gingrey
#17, David Schweikert
#18, Virginia Foxx
#19, Pete Sessions
#20, Charlie Dent
#21, Cathy McMorris Rodgers
#22, Chris Smith
#23, Todd Akin
#24, Buck McKeon
#25, Kristi Noem
#26, Hal Rogers
#27, Lou Barletta (Two bonus selections: Boren and Ross)
#28, Paul Broun
#29, Mary Bono Mack
#30, David Dreier
#31, Marsha Blackburn (including backgrounder)

…and that brings us to #14 on our list of U.S. House Repugs opposed to health care reform, and that would be Cliff Stearns of Florida.

As noted here, Stearns defended oil industry subsidies (along with every other U.S. House Repug, to my knowledge), said that we supposedly can’t compete with China on green energy, and he also said that women who undergo abortions should face criminal charges (peachy). And did I mention that he’s a “birther” too?

Stearns is particularly bad, though, because, at one time, he sponsored the “Consumer Choice Health Security Act” in the 1990’s (here), which was the first time in recent history that Congress had proposed the individual mandate (though he did get some "push-back" from a constituent here). So, you would think that he would be a voice of sanity on health care reform, wouldn’t you?.

Well, you would be wrong, as noted here. And K.O. got the goods on Stearns here (how sad, though funny also)…

Update 8/16/12: It's a shame you can't see my sad face (here :-).

…and it looks like “The Colonel” isn’t above trying to “get on the down-low” for some new bidness (in response to this…I guess it was inevitable – removing my tongue from my cheek)…

KFC Loves Gays with John Goodman from John Goodman      

…and Jerry Garcia would have been 70 today (among other things, he was one of the finest pedal steel guitar players who ever lived).