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You are here: Home / Politics / Yes We Did / Our Newest F*cking Co-blogger

Our Newest F*cking Co-blogger

by Tim F|  March 23, 20101:19 pm| 166 Comments

This post is in: Yes We Did

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Joe Biden.

Heh.

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Previous Post: « ACORN correction
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Reader Interactions

166Comments

  1. 1.

    mr. whipple

    March 23, 2010 at 1:21 pm

    Indeed it is!

  2. 2.

    geg6

    March 23, 2010 at 1:21 pm

    Love me some Joey B. Love him.

    My dear departed mother had the hots for him for years.

  3. 3.

    PeakVT

    March 23, 2010 at 1:21 pm

    America, fuck yeah!

  4. 4.

    gbear

    March 23, 2010 at 1:22 pm

    That’s our Joe!

  5. 5.

    soonergrunt

    March 23, 2010 at 1:22 pm

    Apropos of nothing (I always wanted to say that. Wonder what it means) the GOS notes that the DSCC has James Carville raising money for Blanche Lincoln.

    So, no money for the DSCC then.

  6. 6.

    Comrade javafascist

    March 23, 2010 at 1:22 pm

    You know what this government needs? More Biden! (And cowbell.)

  7. 7.

    dmsilev

    March 23, 2010 at 1:23 pm

    Rhetorical question: Will the inevitable pearl-clutchers on the right remember that Dick Cheney told Pat Leahy to go fuck himself?

    -dms

  8. 8.

    Joseph Nobles

    March 23, 2010 at 1:23 pm

    I just realized that the Republicans sound like petulant children issuing warnings and protestations from the time out chair. Here’s one more thing they can get all lathered up over. Perpetual outrage is thirsty work, isn’t it?

  9. 9.

    Warren Terra

    March 23, 2010 at 1:23 pm

    This is a great fncking post!

    Also worth noting, and relevant to health care if not to Biden, a brief post at Whiskey Fire, really more of a tweet than a post, which I reproduce in its entirety:

    Busy with Life right now, but allow me to observe that back in the day wingnuts thought it Hysterical Alarmism to be annoyed at the gutting of habeas corpus, but right now they’re totally losing their shit (and they have a lot of shit) over the expansion of access to healthcare.
    Actually, there is not a lot more to be said, come to think of it.

  10. 10.

    mr. whipple

    March 23, 2010 at 1:23 pm

    Yes we fucking can!

  11. 11.

    Susan Kitchens

    March 23, 2010 at 1:24 pm

    It took about three plays before I heard it.

    Worth reading: An open letter to conservatives. Mebbe it’s time to do one of those viral emails, peeps.

  12. 12.

    Liz

    March 23, 2010 at 1:24 pm

    I watched the whole thing and missed it! God love Joe.

  13. 13.

    Very Reverend Crimson Fire of Compassion

    March 23, 2010 at 1:25 pm

    Fuckin’ A!, Mr. Vice President. Fuckin’ A!

  14. 14.

    NameRequired

    March 23, 2010 at 1:25 pm

    Biiideeen Biideeen tu tu ru tutu just biden just biden biden biden….

  15. 15.

    Zifnab

    March 23, 2010 at 1:25 pm

    Dick Cheney does not approve!

  16. 16.

    Tim F.

    March 23, 2010 at 1:25 pm

    @dmsilev: The will accuse liberals of being hypocrites for taking offense when Cheney said it.

  17. 17.

    Glenn

    March 23, 2010 at 1:26 pm

    I want him in the presiding chair of the Senate for the reconciliation debate so he can tell the Repubs they are out of fucking order. I’d pay good money to see that.

  18. 18.

    Camchuck

    March 23, 2010 at 1:26 pm

    Joe the F-bomber!!

    Good rundown of HCR changes and when they become effective:

    Link
    pdf

  19. 19.

    eric

    March 23, 2010 at 1:27 pm

    Here is the oddity: people want their politicians to be less scripted and more “authentic” and then get their collective panties in a bunch when someone is unquestionably being unscripted and expressing an honest feeling. I have had some policy differences with the former senator from MBNA, but I have always enjoyed the freshness he brings to the table.

  20. 20.

    eemom

    March 23, 2010 at 1:27 pm

    I love Joe. He’s so fucking goofy.

  21. 21.

    Warren Terra

    March 23, 2010 at 1:29 pm

    Also, I’m not really Aware Of All Internet Traditions, so I may get the phrasing wrong, but does this mean that Joe Biden Set Us Up The F-Bomb?

  22. 22.

    AxelFoley

    March 23, 2010 at 1:30 pm

    That MY Vice President right there, ya’ll!

  23. 23.

    SGEW

    March 23, 2010 at 1:31 pm

    I’m disappointed in Joe, a little, actually.

    He should have said that this is “literally” a big fucking deal.

    I mean, really, Joe. You’ve got a character to uphold.

  24. 24.

    joes527

    March 23, 2010 at 1:31 pm

    @dmsilev:

    Will the inevitable pearl-clutchers on the right remember that Dick Cheney told Pat Leahy to go fuck himself?

    And he didn’t say it as a personal side comment that got picked up by a live mike. He said it on the senate floor.

    I don’t understand why folks call Joe a gaffe machine. It is like the whole Obama teleprompter thing. Absolutely no basis in fact, so it is the received wisdom that it is true.

    Joe is the man. He was expressing an honest sentiment in a personal comment. No harm, no foul. Anyone who says otherwise can fuck off.

  25. 25.

    Prof. K&G

    March 23, 2010 at 1:32 pm

    @Camchuck: Your article, as many other things have, mentions “Free preventative services.” The bill doesn’t provide a definition – does anyone know what this entails? Does it, for instance, cover things like annual check-ups, OB/GYN visits, vaccinations, etc.? Having a $0 co-pay on these would be a fucking big deal.

  26. 26.

    dmsilev

    March 23, 2010 at 1:32 pm

    @Tim F.: I’m sure they will. I just took a look at RedState, and the current front-page post is indeed Moe Lane clutching his pearls and looking around for a fainting couch. Only two comments so far, neither pointing out the Cheney analogy, but I’m sure it’s coming.

    -dms

  27. 27.

    Leelee for Obama

    March 23, 2010 at 1:33 pm

    It is a big f’in deal, and I think a lot of other “Regular Joes” will look at this and say, “He may just be a real person, not some stuffed shirt with a problem telling it like it is.” If this is the kind of gaffe that Joe Biden keeps making, the Dems may just get back ALL of the Reagan Democrats. As I remember it, most of them think this way. eh?

    Also, I think the most fun in store for us is watching Mittens Romney try to take no credit for the Massachusetts health care law, and run as fast as his Guccis will carry him away from it. Or maybe he runs in FLIP-FLOPS>

  28. 28.

    Bob K

    March 23, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    Is this what journalism in the 21st century is reduced to?:

    This just in: Nancy Pelosi calls John Boehner a poopy-head!

    They really ARE fairly unbalanced aren’t they?

  29. 29.

    Tenzil Kem

    March 23, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    If Joe Biden did not exist, we would have to invent him.

  30. 30.

    freelancer

    March 23, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    @SGEW:

    The Naval Observatory is literally his oyster.

    Gibbs’ tweet: “And yes, Mr. Vice President, you’re right…”

  31. 31.

    General Egali Tarian Stuck

    March 23, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    Joe is a guy in love with the sound of his own voice. And since I love the sound of his voice, and always have, it’s literally ok by me.

  32. 32.

    MikeJ

    March 23, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    @joes527:

    I don’t understand why folks call Joe a gaffe machine.

    I read it on the internet that Al Gore invented.

  33. 33.

    MoeLarryAndJesus

    March 23, 2010 at 1:35 pm

    This is a great fucking day to be a fucking American.

  34. 34.

    ChrisZ

    March 23, 2010 at 1:35 pm

    I can’t even hear it in that clip. Do I need to get my hearing checked, or do I just need to leave work so I can play it louder?

  35. 35.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    March 23, 2010 at 1:35 pm

    When will the FCC fine somebody?

    Oh yeah, that was Dubya’s FCC.

    Good ole Joe.

  36. 36.

    Joshua Norton

    March 23, 2010 at 1:35 pm

    Yay! ! Death Panels for everyone! I’d like something in mahogany or cherry.

  37. 37.

    Martin

    March 23, 2010 at 1:35 pm

    Heh. He should instruct the FCC to fine every network that didn’t censor it out.

  38. 38.

    james hare

    March 23, 2010 at 1:36 pm

    @SGEW:
    So full of win, I do not even know where to begin…
    LITERALLY

  39. 39.

    Violet

    March 23, 2010 at 1:36 pm

    MSNBC had the camera angle from the front. It’s really obvious from that angle.

    Love me some Joe Biden! Fuck yeah, it’s a big fucking deal!

  40. 40.

    Camchuck

    March 23, 2010 at 1:37 pm

    @Susan Kitchens:
    Whoever wrote that letter should be hosting MTP. Great stuff, thanks for sharing.

  41. 41.

    Leelee for Obama

    March 23, 2010 at 1:37 pm

    @Prof. K&G: It is my understanding that annual check-ups and tests are what is meant here. And yes, it is a big f’in deal. That little episode can run close to 1500 bucks as I understand it, so even with good coverage, a co-pay can make it unaffordable, especially if you have a high deductible. Not having any insurance for most of my life, I’m only telling you what I’ve heard. It ain’t first hand experience.

  42. 42.

    PTirebiter

    March 23, 2010 at 1:38 pm

    What can I say? I fucking love the guy, and not just because I’ve got the exact same fucking hairline!

  43. 43.

    beltane

    March 23, 2010 at 1:39 pm

    Joe can blog here any time he wants. What a happy f-king day this has been.

  44. 44.

    JasonF

    March 23, 2010 at 1:39 pm

    If you liked Biden’s comment, you’ll love Robert Gibbs’s reaction to it:

    http://twitter.com/PressSec/statuses/10933796367

  45. 45.

    me

    March 23, 2010 at 1:40 pm

    @Warren Terra: That would be set up us the f-bomb.

  46. 46.

    demo woman

    March 23, 2010 at 1:40 pm

    Unfortunately, the MSM will make this a bigger deal than calling John Lewis a ni..er.

  47. 47.

    jacy

    March 23, 2010 at 1:41 pm

    Speaking as someone who curses liberally and unapologetically, you go, Joe!

    And the talking heads are always blathering on about who they’d like to have a beer with, I’d like to have a fucking beer with Joe Biden.

  48. 48.

    Martin

    March 23, 2010 at 1:42 pm

    @joes527: Actually, the FCC distinguished the difference between the forms. As Biden used it, its an intensifying adjective and since it doesn’t refer to sex they say it’s actually ok to use on TV. As Cheney used it, its a vulgar term and would be censored.

  49. 49.

    RSR

    March 23, 2010 at 1:42 pm

    Mr. President, Imma let you finish, but this signing is a big fucking deal.

  50. 50.

    zmulls

    March 23, 2010 at 1:42 pm

    “gaffe machine” is the conventional Washington Wisdom (Dana Milbank, etc.).

    He’s a real person, a regular guy. During the campaign my wife suddenly discovered things about him, like his taking office while mourning his first wife and a son, that I had known for years.

    Anyone who scoffs at him ought to read the Biden chapters in “What It Takes” — I came out of that book with a hell of a lot of respect for the guy. (That book will make you think hard about Bush 41, Dole, Gephardt and Hart as well).

  51. 51.

    jeffreyw

    March 23, 2010 at 1:42 pm

    Looks like a good place to drop this scene from “The Wire”.

  52. 52.

    Morbo

    March 23, 2010 at 1:43 pm

    Damn, I’m disappointed. I was hoping the F-bomb was in his introduction, as in “Barack Fucking Obama.”

  53. 53.

    Citizen_X

    March 23, 2010 at 1:43 pm

    I demand this be the headline on Huffpo: “A BIG FUCKING DEAL”

  54. 54.

    some guy

    March 23, 2010 at 1:45 pm

    I’m surprised I haven’t seen this linked to more:

    http://healthreform.kff.org/SubsidyCalculator.aspx

    I just found it via teh google yesterday while trying to explain to friend making $20,000 a year w/o insurance how the bill affects her. She’s 20 years old so she will be mandated to buy insurance at a cost to her, after subsidy, of about $1200. She was not happy.

    In addition, I couldn’t tell her (because I didn’t know) what kind of deductible or co-pay limits are in place, if any. What good is insurance if she can’t afford to use it because she can’t make the co-pay or pay the deductible. Can anyone help explain this to me, or link me to a site that does?

  55. 55.

    Butch

    March 23, 2010 at 1:47 pm

    This is one of the very few blogs where I read the comments. I’m remembering why I enjoy these comments so much.

  56. 56.

    freelancer

    March 23, 2010 at 1:48 pm

    @Susan Kitchens:

    Wow, he’s got more overkill links than Glenzilla. Impressive.

  57. 57.

    Jenn

    March 23, 2010 at 1:49 pm

    Yeah, Joe! I loved it the other day, when Joe was standing behind Obama as he gave his speech on the House passing health care, and Joe was blinking back tears — I pointed it out to my mom, and we shared a collective “awww.”

    On a happy note, I’m visiting some very conservative friends/family, and while a bit skeptical of the health bill, they’re very hopeful that it’ll do good, and they are absolutely appalled at the behavior of so many of these tea-partiers. I have to admit, though, I’m not going to visit one of my friends, since they’ve been full-on wingnut for ages now — she’d manage to not say anything offensive, but her asshat of a husband takes almost every opportunity he can find.

  58. 58.

    ChrisZ

    March 23, 2010 at 1:49 pm

    @Susan Kitchens:

    That letter is fucking awesome.

  59. 59.

    geg6

    March 23, 2010 at 1:49 pm

    Okay, I fucking LOVE this pic:

    http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/3/23/849699/-Historic-Bill-Signing-II

  60. 60.

    gbear

    March 23, 2010 at 1:50 pm

    @SGEW:

    He should have said that this is “literally” a big fucking deal.

    or: “Ladies and Gentlemen, this is literally a big fucking deal!

  61. 61.

    Annie

    March 23, 2010 at 1:50 pm

    This is a fucking good threat….

    Go Joe. You are the man…

  62. 62.

    PaulW

    March 23, 2010 at 1:51 pm

    Did the Impeach Biden movement just get a shot in the arm?

  63. 63.

    jamie

    March 23, 2010 at 1:51 pm

    Somewhat random, but folks might enjoy this.

    http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MzkzOTdjNDNkYTYzNjMyZWMyM2VlYjQ3NWEzYjFhNDk=

    The short version is that he writes a very succinct description of what he’s doing in his own post, and replaces ‘conservative’ with ‘liberal’.

    I know, news at 11, but my point is that he appears to have managed to boil his book’s narrative down to one paragraph. Is it too much to hope that he’s summarized himself out of a job, or at least will now have to find a new schtick?

  64. 64.

    Annie

    March 23, 2010 at 1:51 pm

    Oh fuck….Meant to say that this is a fucking good thread.

    Can’t fucking edit from my computer at work…..

  65. 65.

    Pangloss

    March 23, 2010 at 1:53 pm

    @Susan Kitchens: No fair, you’re using reality and logic, which have an unfair….

    Oh, you know the rest.

  66. 66.

    SGEW

    March 23, 2010 at 1:55 pm

    In case anyone forgot this gem:

    “This is bullshit, this is malarkey.”
    – Senator Joe Biden on President Bush’s comments to the Israeli Knesset, May, 2008.

    I literally adore Joe Biden’s “gaffes.” Also, bonus points for “malarkey,” too.

  67. 67.

    General Egali Tarian Stuck

    March 23, 2010 at 1:55 pm

    The war in the Senate is scheduled to commence in fifteen minutes. Ought to be a hoot.

  68. 68.

    Sentient Puddle

    March 23, 2010 at 1:56 pm

    I fucking approve of this thread.

  69. 69.

    Bulworth

    March 23, 2010 at 1:57 pm

    @Joseph Nobles: Heh, indeed.

  70. 70.

    Mean Dean

    March 23, 2010 at 1:57 pm

    Following in the footsteps of the Square Deal, the New Deal and the Fair Deal… I am proud to be a supporter of the Big Fucking Deal!

  71. 71.

    licensed to kill time

    March 23, 2010 at 1:58 pm

    I’ve listened 3 times and still can’t hear it over the applause, but I’ll take everybody’s word for it. And Joe Biden seems like a guy I’d like to have a beer or six with :)

    ETA : Mean Dean, brilliant! The Big Fucking Deal it shall henceforth be known!

  72. 72.

    SGEW

    March 23, 2010 at 1:58 pm

    Har! Via TPM:

    “This Is A Big Fucking Deal” t-shirts now on sale.

  73. 73.

    GeeYourHairSmellsTerrific

    March 23, 2010 at 1:59 pm

    I fucking <3 Joe Biden

  74. 74.

    scav

    March 23, 2010 at 1:59 pm

    @Mean Dean: hear hear!

  75. 75.

    IndyLib

    March 23, 2010 at 2:00 pm

    There are some fast movers on the interons!

    This is a Big Fucking Deal t-shirts for sale already.

    h/t TPM

    grrrr-arrrggghhh, beaten to the punch by SGEW

  76. 76.

    KDP

    March 23, 2010 at 2:00 pm

    @Susan Kitchens: I posted this to my Facebook page this morning.

  77. 77.

    RSR

    March 23, 2010 at 2:00 pm

    Anyone remember the animation with the whole crew cruisin’ in a jeep?

    http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w171/I-AM-J3ST3R/Misc/demo_party.gif

  78. 78.

    Mnemosyne

    March 23, 2010 at 2:01 pm

    @some guy:

    I just found it via teh google yesterday while trying to explain to friend making $20,000 a year w/o insurance how the bill affects her. She’s 20 years old so she will be mandated to buy insurance at a cost to her, after subsidy, of about $1200. She was not happy.

    Did you check to see if she falls within 155% of poverty level and now qualifies for Medicaid?

  79. 79.

    Violet

    March 23, 2010 at 2:03 pm

    @Mean Dean:

    Following in the footsteps of the Square Deal, the New Deal and the Fair Deal… I am proud to be a supporter of the Big Fucking Deal!

    Awesome!

  80. 80.

    Mnemosyne

    March 23, 2010 at 2:03 pm

    And as I’ve said before, I love Crazy Uncle Joe because he says what everyone is thinking but isn’t supposed to say.

  81. 81.

    gbear

    March 23, 2010 at 2:04 pm

    @PaulW: Fucking no.

  82. 82.

    Comrade Mary

    March 23, 2010 at 2:04 pm

    @Mnemosyne: I tried the calculator and it says 20k = 185% of poverty level.

    How onerous is $100/month for someone earning 20k a year? What do her other expenses look like?

  83. 83.

    henrythefifth

    March 23, 2010 at 2:05 pm

    That letter reminded me of this:

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/9/18/783895/-The-Teabagger-Socialist-Free-Purity-Pledge

  84. 84.

    Comrade Luke

    March 23, 2010 at 2:05 pm

    Get your Big F*ing Deal t-shirts now!

    That was FAST.

  85. 85.

    Leelee for Obama

    March 23, 2010 at 2:05 pm

    @Mean Dean: If only things had loosened up enough for this to be true! Love it!

    @licensed to kill time: I don’t drink much these days, but I often wish I could be involved in an incident that would require a “beer summit” with Barack and Joe, and the First Lady, who does rock). I would probably get so hammered, they’d have me arrested! They definitely couldn’t let me drive home!

  86. 86.

    Mnemosyne

    March 23, 2010 at 2:06 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    I can’t edit (grr) so I’ll just say that it’s possible she now qualifies for Medicaid since the poverty level for a single person is $10,830, but I am not good with math.

  87. 87.

    Betsy

    March 23, 2010 at 2:06 pm

    @Mean Dean:

    Following in the footsteps of the Square Deal, the New Deal and the Fair Deal… I am proud to be a supporter of the Big Fucking Deal!

    Seconded. I think “The Big Fucking Deal” should be a new tag.

  88. 88.

    Bulworth

    March 23, 2010 at 2:07 pm

    I wonder if Joe’s been reading The Rude Pundit?

  89. 89.

    Cris

    March 23, 2010 at 2:07 pm

    How’d that asterisk get in the post title? Is this Pam’s House Blend?

  90. 90.

    Martin

    March 23, 2010 at 2:07 pm

    @General Egali Tarian Stuck:

    The war armageddon in the Senate is scheduled to commence in fifteen minutes.

    Let’s not sell ourselves short here. We’re not just taking down America, we’re destroying all of humanity.

  91. 91.

    zmulls

    March 23, 2010 at 2:08 pm

    $20,000 is about 185% of poverty level

    http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidEligibility/Downloads/POV10Combo.pdf

    There are a lot of factors. The individual mandate doesn’t kick in for four years, right? I’m not sure what governs the new subsidies.

    The salient point is that Health Insurance doesn’t work if the young and healthy don’t pay in. Part of the debate has been that if young and healthy people opt out (“Hey, I’m young and healthy, what do I need with health insurance”) then all you get in the pool are old and sick people, so it becomes very expensive. And yes, I expect the young and healthy to see this as an unfair imposition (until they are older and need the coverage). Much as today’s younger generation is paying for Social Security….

    So your friend may be correct that she, in a few years, will have to pay for health insurance, and will need to plan ahead…..

  92. 92.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    March 23, 2010 at 2:08 pm

    @PaulW:

    Only if it involves blow jobs.

  93. 93.

    General Egali Tarian Stuck

    March 23, 2010 at 2:09 pm

    @Martin: tru dat. my bad

  94. 94.

    gogol's wife

    March 23, 2010 at 2:09 pm

    I love the intonation with which he says it. I’m sure the NYTimes will call it a gaffe. Nu ikh v pizdu.

  95. 95.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    March 23, 2010 at 2:09 pm

    The DFHs got their BFD at last.

  96. 96.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    March 23, 2010 at 2:09 pm

    @geg6: @100

    It could be called “Palin, party of four”.

  97. 97.

    PTirebiter

    March 23, 2010 at 2:10 pm

    @Morbo: Jesus, now I’ve got bits of German potato salad on my keyboard. It was worth it.

  98. 98.

    Lisa

    March 23, 2010 at 2:10 pm

    LMFAO @ #36!!!

    Win.

    (I want mahogany).

  99. 99.

    Martin

    March 23, 2010 at 2:11 pm

    @Comrade Mary: Well, everything would feel pretty onerous to me if I only earned $20K.

  100. 100.

    Tom Hilton

    March 23, 2010 at 2:11 pm

    @some guy:
    Thing One: she can now get coverage through her parents, if that’s an option.

    Thing Two: if she is convinced that she doesn’t need health insurance right now (which I gather is currently the case), the penalty is pretty minimal.

    Thing Three: less than $100/month for health insurance is an amazing bargain compared to what it would cost now.

  101. 101.

    geg6

    March 23, 2010 at 2:11 pm

    I don’t know about you guys, but I heartily endorse La Palin’s newest project:

    http://thinkprogress.org/2010/03/23/palin-third-party/

  102. 102.

    gogol's wife

    March 23, 2010 at 2:13 pm

    @RSR:

    Thanks! I love that and haven’t seen it in a while!

  103. 103.

    Lisa

    March 23, 2010 at 2:14 pm

    @#55 Butch:

    Me too. I love the comments here as much as (sometimes more than) the actual blog entries.

  104. 104.

    mak

    March 23, 2010 at 2:14 pm

    WTF? So the VP said ‘f***ing.’ Big fucking deal.

  105. 105.

    licensed to kill time

    March 23, 2010 at 2:14 pm

    @Leelee for Obama: Kegger at the White House! Another round for Leelee and me!

    (Ok, now I’m imagining beer pong on the East lawn ;-)

  106. 106.

    tavella

    March 23, 2010 at 2:15 pm

    I just found it via teh google yesterday while trying to explain to friend making $20,000 a year w/o insurance how the bill affects her. She’s 20 years old so she will be mandated to buy insurance at a cost to her, after subsidy, of about $1200. She was not happy.

    Unfortunately, that’s the group that is going to get screwed the hardest. Needs insurance the least, has the least money, and gets the least subsidy (since their insurance is comparatively cheap.)

    It’s not *unfair*, since they are essentially counting on being a free rider if they are seriously hurt, since the emergency room can’t turn them down, but it’s not going to be popular.

  107. 107.

    Violet

    March 23, 2010 at 2:15 pm

    @some guy:

    I just found it via teh google yesterday while trying to explain to friend making $20,000 a year w/o insurance how the bill affects her. She’s 20 years old so she will be mandated to buy insurance at a cost to her, after subsidy, of about $1200. She was not happy.

    Does she work for a small business that will receive tax breaks for offering health insurance to its employees? She might start receiving health insurance through her job and not have to pay for it out of pocket. Even so, she’ll have to pay something for it, through fewer pay increases or payroll contributions. It’s not totally free.

    She could choose to go without and then just pay a fine. That’s another option. The requirement to buy doesn’t kick in for another few years though, right?

    Is she happy that she will have health insurance available to her at a reasonable cost? She can get annual checkups and not have to pay a co-pay and be covered in case something bad happens – accident or illness. That’s a good thing for her. You can’t predict the unexpected.

    I bought my own health insurance when I was 26. It was the barest bones insurance – just catastrophic coverage – and it cost me a couple thousand a year. If she gets real insurance for that cost, she’s not doing too bad, really.

  108. 108.

    Andy

    March 23, 2010 at 2:16 pm

    @joes527:

    I don’t understand why folks call Joe a gaffe machine.

    He is a gaffe machine. John McCain is a maverick, and Ronald Reagan reduced the size of the federal government. Too, also.

  109. 109.

    geg6

    March 23, 2010 at 2:17 pm

    @Tom Hilton:

    And, honestly, if this person still lives with her parents (which we don’t know), $20,000 is plenty of income to pay for it if that is the case. And you’re right in that a 20 year old can stay on mom and dad’s insurance for another 6 years.

  110. 110.

    YellowJournalism

    March 23, 2010 at 2:18 pm

    @dmsilev:

    Will the inevitable pearl-clutchers on the right remember that Dick Cheney told Pat Leahy to go fuck himself?

    In regard to Cheney: Better to be “fucking” than “Fuck you”.

  111. 111.

    geg6

    March 23, 2010 at 2:19 pm

    @tavella:

    Unfortunately, that’s the group that is going to get screwed the hardest

    Yup. So screwed that they can stay on mom and dad’s insurance for another 6 years. That really, really sucks for them.

  112. 112.

    Violet

    March 23, 2010 at 2:19 pm

    @Tom Hilton:

    Thing One: she can now get coverage through her parents, if that’s an option.

    Yeah, that’s a good point and one I forgot. This is key for keeping the younger folks happy. If they can stay on their parents’ health insurance policies, it doesn’t seem like such a big imposition.

  113. 113.

    Montysano

    March 23, 2010 at 2:21 pm

    Bless his fucking heart……

    Joe B. is as real as it gets in DC. His off-the-cuff remarks when Ted Kennedy died were incredibly moving….. literally.

  114. 114.

    Jules

    March 23, 2010 at 2:21 pm

    Joe Biden is fucking awesome!

  115. 115.

    Dork

    March 23, 2010 at 2:21 pm

    Anyone gone over to see what the Firebaggers are bitching about? Has Hamsher moved herself to Costa Rica yet?

  116. 116.

    Tim I

    March 23, 2010 at 2:25 pm

    I blame Rahm Emmanuel for this. He invented the f-word, didn’t he?

  117. 117.

    Randy P

    March 23, 2010 at 2:26 pm

    @Mnemosyne:
    I’d be really happy if the premiums I pay on behalf of my daughter went down from $161 per month (no coverage for any reproductive care. None.) to $100 per month (and including reproductive care).

    And she’ll be too old to be covered on my insurance by a month or two when that provision kicks in.

    Yeah, I’m THAT old.

  118. 118.

    Jules

    March 23, 2010 at 2:27 pm

    @tavella:

    It’s not unfair, since they are essentially counting on being a free rider if they are seriously hurt, since the emergency room can’t turn them down, but it’s not going to be popular.

    Not unfair at all and I can’t understand why conservatives are so upset about making all these “free loaders” pay their fair share so that when fate steps in an fucks them the rest of us don’t end up paying for it.

  119. 119.

    Bill E Pilgrim

    March 23, 2010 at 2:29 pm

    “I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a big fucking deal for the American people. Let us all here assembled constitute ourselves prophets of a new order of competence and of courage. This is more than a political campaign; it is a call to arms. Give me your help, not to win votes alone, but to win in this crusade to restore America to its own people.”

    Okay, I edited a little.

  120. 120.

    Ailuridae

    March 23, 2010 at 2:29 pm

    @Jules:

    Because its good politics. FFS, the Heritage Foundation came up with the fucking idea of the individual mandate.

  121. 121.

    jibeaux

    March 23, 2010 at 2:30 pm

    @some guy:

    According to the WaPo calculator here, I got results of:

    tax credits to ensure you do not spend more than $800 to $1260 on premiums [I don’t know why there’s a range here, maybe depending on your taxable income after deductions?] Your maximum out-of-pocket costs for deductibles and co-payments would be capped at 15% of the total cost.

    That doesn’t sound so bad. I think people should keep in mind that if they pay for insurance they don’t use, to be glad that they’re healthy.

    EDIT: calculator is here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/what-health-bill-means-for-you/?nav=most_emailed

  122. 122.

    PaulW

    March 23, 2010 at 2:31 pm

    @mak:

    WTF? So the VP said ‘f***ing.’ Big fucking deal

    But it IS a big fucking deal! You’re not supposed to say fucking when you’re a Democrat! Only fucking Republicans get to use that word! IMPEACH BIDEN! IMPEACH BIDEN!

  123. 123.

    scav

    March 23, 2010 at 2:32 pm

    @Bill E Pilgrim: Bravo.

    And for the support of this fucking Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of We Got This, we mutually pledge to each other our fucking Lives, our fucking Fortunes, and our fucking Honor.

  124. 124.

    carlos the dwarf

    March 23, 2010 at 2:34 pm

    @Violet:

    I think we have ourselves a new tag, or at least a lexicon entry.

  125. 125.

    MikeJ

    March 23, 2010 at 2:35 pm

    I was quite disappointed that Joe didn’t step up to the lectern, both arms outstretched and present the Republicans with a grand double birdie.

  126. 126.

    arguingwithsignposts

    March 23, 2010 at 2:37 pm

    @jibeaux:
    This is a good question re: “annual income.” Is that “gross income,” or your income according to your tax return, which gets adjusted down usually. If she’s making $20,000/yr. total before taxes, her income tax form would probably give a much lower number (assuming she’s not a dependent on someone else’s form).

    IANACPA, and I don’t know the precise language of the bill that addresses this.

  127. 127.

    some guy

    March 23, 2010 at 2:40 pm

    @Comrade Mary:

    Sadly ironic, but due to a bunch of medical issues she had previously, she’s now pretty deep in debt and having her wages garnished, so $20k/yr isn’t anywhere near what she actually takes home.

    But, yeah, $100 actually a pretty good deal thanks to gov’t picking up more than half the tab… IF she can afford the co-pays and deductibles. Otherwise she’ll just be paying for insurance she never uses.

    The mandate and exchanges don’t start up for a few years so we’ll see how it all pans out, I guess.

  128. 128.

    some guy

    March 23, 2010 at 2:42 pm

    @jibeaux:

    That WaPo calculator is much easier to understand than the Kaiser one. Thanks.

  129. 129.

    LD50

    March 23, 2010 at 2:43 pm

    @eemom: My feelings EXACTLY.

  130. 130.

    LD50

    March 23, 2010 at 2:45 pm

    Watch it on CSPAN, it’s a lot easier to see/hear there.

  131. 131.

    Jim C.

    March 23, 2010 at 2:46 pm

    God bless him. That’s our little Joey. :)

  132. 132.

    some guy

    March 23, 2010 at 2:47 pm

    @Tom Hilton:

    Can a child still get coverage through their parents if the child is not living with the parent?

    Is it cheaper to piggyback (for lack of a better word) on a parent’s insurance policy than to buy one’s own individual coverage?

    (Sorry for all the questions. I’m a single person who gets insurance through my employer so I have no experience with that kind of thing.)

  133. 133.

    Ash Can

    March 23, 2010 at 2:50 pm

    I’d like to have a fucking beer with Joe Biden.

    I can imagine a bunch of us BJers all sitting down to a brewski or two with Joe. After about four hours, the saloon would be jammed to the rafters with Congressional Dems and WH staff, because everyone will have heard by then that that’s where the party is.

  134. 134.

    Martin

    March 23, 2010 at 2:52 pm

    @some guy: So, had this kicked in sooner, she might actually be better off? Might want to point that out to her. Doesn’t make her situation any better, but she sounds like a pretty good case for why this bill is a good move.

  135. 135.

    Napoleon

    March 23, 2010 at 2:53 pm

    T-Shirts already available:

    http://www.zazzle.com/hcr_big_fing_deal_tshirt-235071564353624757

  136. 136.

    Socraticsilence

    March 23, 2010 at 2:53 pm

    Joe’s America’s loopy uncle- not the creepy one, but the one who fought in the war, is a reasonably succuessful salesman, and talks about “broads” he’s character and since we know that on paper (what he writes and argues for) he’s smart its even better.

  137. 137.

    suzanne

    March 23, 2010 at 2:53 pm

    Best. Vice-Prez. EVAR.

  138. 138.

    some guy

    March 23, 2010 at 3:01 pm

    @Violet:

    Does she work for a small business that will receive tax breaks for offering health insurance to its employees? She might start receiving health insurance through her job and not have to pay for it out of pocket. Even so, she’ll have to pay something for it, through fewer pay increases or payroll contributions. It’s not totally free.

    They either don’t offer insurance where she works or it’s one of those Wal-Mart type plans that no regular employee could ever actually afford.

    Does the health care reform bill really do much to incentive businesses to offer their employees a real insurance option? I remember hearing about a per employee fine for not offering insurance, but it was pretty small at the time.

    Is she happy that she will have health insurance available to her at a reasonable cost? She can get annual checkups and not have to pay a co-pay and be covered in case something bad happens – accident or illness. That’s a good thing for her. You can’t predict the unexpected.

    I think pointing out the benefits like free preventative care will make it more palatable.

    (Of course, if the co-pay / deductible is going to be 15% of cost for other, non-preventative stuff, I can’t see her being any more able to really pay for major treatments than she is now as an uninsured person.)

    Another poster up above mentioned that a mandate is not fundamentally unfair. In fact, it is a basic necessity to make any sort of universal insurance scheme solvent. But I imagine it’ll be hard for young people to embrace what amounts to a new tax in the name of living up to their end of the social contract.

  139. 139.

    some guy

    March 23, 2010 at 3:05 pm

    @Martin:

    That’s a pretty good point. I will definitely mention that.

  140. 140.

    Susan Kitchens

    March 23, 2010 at 3:06 pm

    @KDP:
    Hmmm. are we friends and don’t know it? I think I saw a link to it from another facebook friend. Or maybe more than one person linked to it in facebook.

    I’m thinking that a little copy and paste formatted text with links, change it all to COMIC SANS (ZOMG ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ) is in order, and then let it fly out into the internets and see where it goes.

  141. 141.

    kay

    March 23, 2010 at 3:11 pm

    The mandate begins in 2013 but the penalty doesn’t begin until 2014, at which time she’ll pay 750 in tax penalty. It won’t make sense for her to purchase insurance (if she’s still convinced 100 dollars a month is too much) until the penalty = or exceeds the premium cost.

    I think she’s really got plenty of time to fret about this. I think a 20 year old has bigger three-years-out worries, quite frankly.

  142. 142.

    BruceFromOhio

    March 23, 2010 at 3:12 pm

    @soonergrunt: This.

    The DCCC and the DSCC have both got the big kiss off during their last call-a-thons, “Take me off your list, don’t call me again, I give all my donations to DEMOCRATIC candidates through ActBlue.” And the endless junk mail goes in the recycling bin.

    Fucking arrogant pricks. I’ll climb down off my high horse to give to Sen. Sherrod Browns’ PAC, and maybe Rep. Betty Suttons’ PAC (OH-13), but that’s it – everything else goes to The BJ ActBlue Thermometer Committee, or other ActBlue money bombs as they arise.

    Grrrrrrr.

  143. 143.

    Waynski

    March 23, 2010 at 3:17 pm

    @zmulls: (That book will make you think hard about Bush 41, Dole, Gephardt and Hart as well).

    This. I read What it Takes a few years ago and it really humanizes the candidates. The pieces on Dole’s recovery were particularly brutal and moving. I never voted for him, but I always repected him after reading that.

  144. 144.

    Sentient Puddle

    March 23, 2010 at 3:25 pm

    @kay:

    The mandate begins in 2013 but the penalty doesn’t begin until 2014, at which time she’ll pay 750 in tax penalty.

    Actually, small correction on the numbers, since I had to look it up for someone else just now. The penalty in 2014 is $95. It ramps up to $750 in 2016, and each year after that, that $750 is multiplied by the cost of living index, rounded down to the nearest $50 increment.

    Or to take off my wonk hat for a second and trim down what I just said: the mandate penalty is phased in.

  145. 145.

    some guy

    March 23, 2010 at 3:27 pm

    I think she’s really got plenty of time to fret about this. I think a 20 year old has bigger three-years-out worries, quite frankly.

    Yeah, she’s not freaking out. We had a discussion about it yesterday and, as someone who is/was generally supportive of the HCR bill, I felt kind of stupid not being able to adequately answer her concerns. So I’m bringing it up here to all you knowledgeable folks. Hopefully, the next time we talk about it I’ll be able to give her some better information.

  146. 146.

    kay

    March 23, 2010 at 3:28 pm

    @Sentient Puddle:

    Thanks. I knew it ramped up, but it I thought it started at 750.

  147. 147.

    San

    March 23, 2010 at 3:31 pm

    @gogol’s wife:
    OMG, never thought I would see that expression in an American political blog :)

  148. 148.

    kay

    March 23, 2010 at 3:32 pm

    @some guy:

    I think it’s a shame her wages are being garnished. That’s brutal for a 20 year old. It’s almost taking advantage of her inexperience.
    Unsecured creditors will deal. She has to make them an offer before it goes to judgment.
    People ignore the notices because they think it’s an inevitable process, but the creditor actually wants payment, and they’ll take 60 – 65% with a repayment plan rather than sue then garnish.
    I think she needs general financial advice. She’s just really young.

  149. 149.

    BruinKid

    March 23, 2010 at 3:40 pm

    @Warren Terra: Win.

  150. 150.

    Ken

    March 23, 2010 at 3:42 pm

    I sent the Veep an email thanking him for expressing, with far more pith & eloquence, my feelings about this reform.

    Love this guy. Go Joe!

  151. 151.

    RedKitten

    March 23, 2010 at 3:42 pm

    Fucking Joe Biden is one seriously awesome motherfucker.

    Plus, while seeing him and Obama up at the podium, smiling, all I could think was, “put those two in a Colgate ad, already!”

  152. 152.

    Mister Colorful Analogy

    March 23, 2010 at 4:22 pm

    @Bulworth:

    I fucking concur. Literally, well fucking said!

    MrCA

  153. 153.

    fraught

    March 23, 2010 at 4:29 pm

    No fucking way. what a fucking disgrace.

  154. 154.

    Da Bomb

    March 23, 2010 at 4:35 pm

    This thread is filled with EPIC FUCKING WIN!

    Fucking A!

  155. 155.

    J. Michael Neal

    March 23, 2010 at 4:45 pm

    Has anyone in the entire history of the Republic enjoyed being Vice President as much as Joe Biden does?

    Cheney, maybe, but in a really creepy way.

  156. 156.

    robertdsc

    March 23, 2010 at 5:08 pm

    <3 the VP and the Prez.

    I was leaving the jury commissioner’s office when Biden introduced Obama. All I could do was smile.

  157. 157.

    rikyrah

    March 23, 2010 at 5:26 pm

    RIDE-OR-DIE Joe rocks.

  158. 158.

    EJ

    March 23, 2010 at 5:52 pm

    I keep thinking of that old Onion headline from Our Dumb Century “HOLY SHIT! MAN WALKS ON FUCKING MOON!”

  159. 159.

    gogol's wife

    March 23, 2010 at 6:09 pm

    @San:

    Appropriate, isn’t it?

  160. 160.

    carolatl

    March 23, 2010 at 6:12 pm

    @geg6: I hadn’t gotten too emotional about all this ’til I saw that pic. It choked me up. Thanks for the link.

  161. 161.

    Desert Rat

    March 23, 2010 at 6:34 pm

    I love Joe Biden. Yep, he occasionally says stupid things, but you know where you stand with him.

    I think he’s one of the few, truly honest men who’ve been in Washington for as long a time as he has.

    I think he was an inspired choice as a Vice President, and he genuinely seems to relish and make the best of the role.

  162. 162.

    WaterGirl

    March 23, 2010 at 6:49 pm

    Joe Biden may have just done for the word f%cking what Rahm did for the word retarded. This will be the f-word heard round the world.

    Edit: shout out to Desert Rat if you are (formerly) Desert Rat Dan from the Obama blog.

  163. 163.

    asiangrrlMN

    March 23, 2010 at 7:25 pm

    I fucking love me some Joey B. Yeah, I have the hots for him (weird, I know, but he so loves women and life), and I would love to have an adult beverage with him. That would be awesome! Even Robin Gibbs agreed: It IS a big fucking deal.

    But, you know. Republican panties aren’t gonna get into a twist all by themselves. Joey B. and Prez. Obama? FUCK YEAH!

  164. 164.

    AhabTRuler

    March 23, 2010 at 7:27 pm

    @jacy:

    I’d like to have a fucking beer with Joe Biden.

    Fuckin’ A.

  165. 165.

    AxelFoley

    March 23, 2010 at 8:03 pm

    This thread is full of fucking win. All of you fucking rock.

    That’s fucking all.

  166. 166.

    andrea

    March 23, 2010 at 8:21 pm

    Looks like a good place to drop this scene from “The Wire”.

    One of the best and funniest TV ever. Fuck yeah!

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