tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post7185343819618568239..comments2023-12-20T04:18:41.617-06:00Comments on The Hunting of the Snark: That's Our Megan!Susan of Texashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00076915322771385454noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-41861461743141623672010-09-18T05:03:53.969-05:002010-09-18T05:03:53.969-05:00"I'm not primarily concerned with the loc..."I'm not primarily concerned with the lock down."<br /><br />It is purely by coincidence that she starts by placing an indirect, unsourced (and erroneous) story about a lock down IN THE FECKIN' LEDE.Smut Clydehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09409476490132867809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-47380115493982282922010-09-18T02:39:31.728-05:002010-09-18T02:39:31.728-05:00I think there is a "truthiness" element ...I think there is a "truthiness" element to McArdle's post and it is this -- because of health care reform, for the first time in American history the American government is telling health insurers what to do, and the insurers hate it and so do corporate apologists like McArdle. This is what she is really complaining about.Cathie from Canadahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11418899090537597360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-568694776319163072010-09-18T00:58:22.207-05:002010-09-18T00:58:22.207-05:00Hmm. Somehow I missed the fact that Nony Nony alre...Hmm. Somehow I missed the fact that Nony Nony already pointed this out... <br /><br />What he/she said!Mr Furioushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03781439243585972721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-54587423562259840612010-09-18T00:56:32.920-05:002010-09-18T00:56:32.920-05:00My insurance company canceled my previous policy b...<i>My insurance company canceled my previous policy because it didn't meet Obamacare standards and the new policy was twice the monthly cost. That's not their fault. It's Obama's and Congress's fault. </i><br /><br />I think it's telling that the very first comment displays exactly the type of behavior Sebelius and HHS are reacting to. elladeon's policy was canceled and (or?) the rates doubled "because of Obama and Congress?" I suppose that's what the insurer told you?<br /><br />None of the provisions have taken effect yet, so clearly the insurance company is jacking your rates for some OTHER reason and blaming it on Obamacare.Mr Furioushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03781439243585972721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-20825450681351654752010-09-17T17:54:59.465-05:002010-09-17T17:54:59.465-05:00In case anyone is still reading this thread: I'...In case anyone is still reading this thread: I'm halfway though Krugman and Wells (Mrs. K)'s piece in the new NY Review of Books, and I thinks in my brain, "THIS is how you write about economics. It's clear, it's methodical, it has a minimum of biz school jargon." <br /><br />It need hardly be said that one can write this way regardless of one's politics, however adolescent.<br /><br />I have half a mind to go over to McMegan's place and tell her to read it. As soon as I find the other half, that's what I'll do. Think it'll help?Mr. Wonderfulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-55823698540068450652010-09-17T16:37:41.101-05:002010-09-17T16:37:41.101-05:00Thanks, Tom. And I loved your use of the words &qu...Thanks, Tom. And I loved your use of the words "case study"-that's exactly how I think of McArdle.Susan of Texashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00076915322771385454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-78925712672114997852010-09-17T13:23:24.199-05:002010-09-17T13:23:24.199-05:00I too,am outraged by the Sebelius letter because, ...I too,am <i>outraged by the Sebelius letter</i> because, well, her name is so damn hard to spell. Also, too, I confuse her with the composer.<br /><br />With every McMegan paycheck The Atlantic digs itself deeper into the hole of irrelevancy.<br /><br />-trollhattanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-46650207521824481502010-09-17T12:43:59.560-05:002010-09-17T12:43:59.560-05:00Absolutely great stuff, from which I stole to post...Absolutely great stuff, from which I stole to post my bit, which I only wrote (as you covered all the ground) mostly because of a great quote from Andrew Bacevich I've been wanting to use since I first glimpsed it and heard it scream "McArdle!" in my earlTom Levensonhttp://inversesquare.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-79080671152006937742010-09-17T11:55:40.077-05:002010-09-17T11:55:40.077-05:00it is disturbing that the actions of the folks beh...<i>it is disturbing that the actions of the folks behind ObamaCare© make claims of a gag order credible</i><br /><br />Ooh, it's another fine example of "what does it say about [innocent person or group] that I thought them capable of [action they didn't commit]."tigrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00685093476177441655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-13732793943863774902010-09-17T10:28:31.360-05:002010-09-17T10:28:31.360-05:00Susan of Texas:
Why would she sue? On second tho...Susan of Texas:<br />Why would she sue? On second thought, strike that.Jimmy the Sainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17102105262520509843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-58343250905192045122010-09-17T09:45:46.737-05:002010-09-17T09:45:46.737-05:00I very much hope she is never fired. She's so ...I very much hope she is never fired. She's so entertaining! <br /><br />Besides, if they start admitting that their unerring judgement is a little faulty, they lose face/authority. <br /><br />Plus she seems like the type who would sue.Susan of Texashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00076915322771385454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-39448268837825513772010-09-17T09:31:44.229-05:002010-09-17T09:31:44.229-05:00I can't get past the "At" in her pos...I can't get past the "At" in her post title. Does she consider proper word usage to be a collectivist attempt to enslave a free people?Steve M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11963290427258439242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-90113920310873070782010-09-17T09:27:56.244-05:002010-09-17T09:27:56.244-05:00She thinks she is treading water, but in truth, sh...She thinks she is treading water, but in truth, she is drowning in a sea of her own bullshit. It really is past time that this woman is completely discredited and fired from her job. Rumor and innuendo? Check. False statements accomodating her worldview? Check. Actual facts and evidence? Meh, not so much...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-4711903557517211012010-09-17T07:00:16.379-05:002010-09-17T07:00:16.379-05:00But, but, but, it COULDA happened, and that's ...But, but, but, it COULDA happened, and that's all that matters.<br /><br />Interesting that McArdle thinks a letter from Sibelius to the poor, downtrodden health insurance industry -- in which Sibelius is merely <i>doing her job</i> -- <b>unconscionable</b>. <br /><br />Here's something that McArdle wouldn't find unconscionable in a million years:<br />In 2006 UnitedHealth Group's CEO William W. McGuire exercised $1.6 billion in stock options. Sadly, it turned out that a significant portion of those were illegally backdated. (He would have received about a $1.2 billion in stock options without the crime. The unmitigated, boundless greed is just awesome.) So he had to pay a $468 million fine. But then, resigning while still under investigation, he was given a $1.1 billion golden parachute, the largest in the history of corporate America.<br /><br />And aimai, thanks for remembering all the Bush interference in the rights of business to honestly label and market their own products. When they prohibited certain domestic beef producers from performing their own more stringent bacteria tests, the howling from the glibertarians wasn't all that deafening as I recall.R. Porrofattonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-21258888664342297142010-09-17T06:39:35.840-05:002010-09-17T06:39:35.840-05:00I thought of another example, actually even worse ...I thought of another example, actually even worse than the Ari Fleischer argument (which, by the way, in the comment thread at Megan's some poster magically transformed so it wasn't aimed at liberals at all but somehow aimed at fringe righties). What about the K Street Project? That was one in which top Republican officials made it dramatically clear to businesses that they could not hire Democrats as lobbyists, or for any important position, if they wanted to get their lobbying on with the federal government. That was restraint of trade in the most naked sense.<br /><br />I'd also like to point out that utilities and some non profits are legally limited in what they can and can't say--and what they can't and can't use to influence consumers and its clearly well within government rights to remind corporations and such entities of where they are crossing the line. <br /><br />aimaiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-81118205656834701672010-09-17T05:49:25.135-05:002010-09-17T05:49:25.135-05:00Re Kathleen sebelius' letter, the subject of t...Re Kathleen sebelius' letter, the subject of today's McOutrage - <br /><br />No problems with Ari Fleischer telling Americans to watch what they say... but dont dare tell companies that routinely lie to not lie.cynichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02438583188725326668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-24237063546248299982010-09-16T23:54:42.926-05:002010-09-16T23:54:42.926-05:00Strange that Megan only ever does follow-up work o...Strange that Megan only ever does follow-up work on a story when her sources are unidentified 'experts' in the field of being paid by conservative think tanks to agree with her predetermined narrative. It's almost like she's too lazy to pick up her fucking iPhone.<br />I mean, it's rude to lie and consciously misrepresent what others are saying and doing. What if she runs into someone from HHS at a cocktail party, how will she network with them properly. Asses can't kiss themselves. I guess it's a good thing Megan's definition of good manners is "however I behave".bradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06907349163323395529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-79853825535905893152010-09-16T22:18:07.661-05:002010-09-16T22:18:07.661-05:00Classic McMegan. The monster trying to lead the m...Classic McMegan. The monster trying to lead the mob, and hoping they won't notice.<br /><br />Her standards for "lying" and abuse of power are awfully revealing too, huh? If the insurance companies lie and screw over the customers, that's fine with McMegan, but if Sebelius calls them out and warns them to cut out the crap, that's lying and thuggery. <br /><br />Her Republican administration examples aren't analogous and reveal her demagoguery. No one in the administration has threatened to put insurance companies out of business. (Come to think of it, as long as McMegan's playing demagogue on that point, why not make it true? Single payer universal health care!)Batocchiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-80227084297094485352010-09-16T22:14:00.825-05:002010-09-16T22:14:00.825-05:00McMegan
And would you be equally glad if they inte...<i>McMegan<br />And would you be equally glad if they intervened in your line of business?</i><br /><br />"They" already have: the Government uses our taxes to pay for the infrastructure we used 24/7, the safe food we eat, the clean water... well, we know the story, don't we?Kathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03176801494652946278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-63634500825670643062010-09-16T19:03:09.501-05:002010-09-16T19:03:09.501-05:00I'm sure Glenn Beck thinks he's intelligen...I'm sure Glenn Beck thinks he's intelligent and insightful too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-81524116193474601462010-09-16T18:57:21.436-05:002010-09-16T18:57:21.436-05:00I'm just seeing an anonymous report that HHS h...I'm just seeing an anonymous report that HHS has actually begun beheading insurance company CEO's.<br /><br />This is unconscionable.<br /><br />No, I have no information on whether or not the beheadings are happening or whom is being beheaded.<br /><br />What's important is that I'm outraged by a comment from Sebelius from 2 years ago.<br /><br />The question of the beheadings I mentioned earlier are just not important compared to that comment I don't remember.El Cidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08557003419999288851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-91137624711656663152010-09-16T18:52:40.686-05:002010-09-16T18:52:40.686-05:00So writing a sternly worded letter is what constit...So writing a sternly worded letter is what constitutes a "jackbooted thug" these days? It is interesting how closely Megan hews to the Glenn Beck / Sarah Palin style of criticism, for someone who is supposedly above their level.Syznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-10245022119159807532010-09-16T18:42:33.279-05:002010-09-16T18:42:33.279-05:00What's even more disgusting is how many people...What's even more disgusting is how many people "liked" some of the McMegan comments you noted. Talk about a lot of dumb people.Jimmy the Sainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17102105262520509843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-20018434603840223112010-09-16T16:08:48.594-05:002010-09-16T16:08:48.594-05:00That thread is a classic. My older daughter is stu...That thread is a classic. My older daughter is studying logic right now, as part of geometry, and I have a feeling that each one of the individual posts is some massive error, logically speaking. As you scroll down you see people splintering off from the main issue "Megan's original statement, did it have any basis in reality?" to pursue various non issues down the rabbit hole. And they never come back up even as, up on the top line, Megan is forced to recant.<br /><br />aimaiaimaihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03956073425680585780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2222630007427380394.post-90239338805783274242010-09-16T15:11:58.611-05:002010-09-16T15:11:58.611-05:00I'm not sure where she's getting her ideas...I'm not sure where she's getting her ideas but I have noticed that she and P. Suderman have been <a href="http://twitter.com/petersuderman/status/24680852001" rel="nofollow">posting about the same topics</a> around the same time, on occassion. <br /><br />And of course she's been linking to him as well, as if he's some kind of health care or economics expert. Since he has an English degree with a minor in film studies from the University of North Florida he must have educated himself in the subjects.<br /><br />Or he is <a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/09/the_democrats_megan_mcardle_sa.html" rel="nofollow">making it all up as he goes along</a>.Susan of Texashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00076915322771385454noreply@blogger.com