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|NEXT STORY »

Stewart: So Much for 60 Votes

Daily Show rips Democrats for public option failure.

By Kevin Spak| Posted Oct 1, 09 10:20 AM CDT|

(Newser) – When Democrats took over Congress in 2006, they did… well, basically nothing. But all that was supposed to change when they got their unstoppable 60-vote "super majority," right? Jon Stewart sure thought so. “They’d be like a bear with chainsaws instead of paws!” he cried. So why did two attempts to get a public option out of the Senate Finance Committee fail?

“A bear with chainsaws for paws can’t get a bill out of the finance committee?” the Daily Show host marveled. Declaring Republican arguments “nonsense,” he concluded, “Democrats couldn’t get laid in a house whose sole purpose is to have consequence and disease-free sex with legislators on finance committees.”

[Images (2)]

[Videos (1)]

[Quotes (1)]

A snarky graphic is seen in this Daily Show screenshot.

In this Oct. 8, 2008, file photo, host Jon Stewart gestures during a taping of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)

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Jon Stewart rips the Democrats for poor use of a Super Majority. (Comedy Central)

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They’re countering your arguments with nonsense and crushing you! - Jon Stewart

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11.23.09

Books Are Bad for You

11.20.09

The Health-Care Wars Have Just Begun

29 comments

VIEWING:

Yourself
Oct 1, 09 10:27 AM CDT

cause they keep pandering to the minority for some unknown f-ing reason. Harry Reid needs to go, he's far from a "LEADER" and he's far from being the true voice of majority. Reply

+15

IN RESPONSE:

bewilderbeast
Oct 21, 09 6:33 AM CDT

The f-ing reasons are lobbyists, contributions and earmarks. And wanting to stay in office much more than wanting to actually, y'know, serve.

| 0 minutes ago

Mia
Oct 1, 09 10:30 AM CDT

They do need to grow some balls. Reply

+12

| 0 minutes ago

dax
Oct 1, 09 10:32 AM CDT

'Battered spouse' syndrome after two decades of being pummeled by the Right's enforcers. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Derni
Oct 1, 09 10:33 AM CDT

Great commentary!!! The democrats are their own worst eneemy-If they don't get a health plan and one with a public option they're in serious trouble-so damned if they do..(maybe) and definitely damned if they Don't..After seeing the plan all Congreesman and womane have on the HIll -all Americans should be up in arms that they don't have basic care and a public option..after seeing trhe report yesterday and nolting that they would not talk with reporters regarding the health plan---secrecy is alive on the Hill.. I hope our plan costs us only $503 a year and we have the great care they do..when is middle America going to wake up and stop with..well they deserve it ..etc comments..YOU Elected them..you deserve what they have or better..the don't deserve all they have..wake up America>>> claim what you deserve..YOU SHOULD HAVE HEALTH CARE..and you have people in WA DC saying no due to cist..look at the money we pay for them on a yearly basis to the Navy Doctors for care..do you get it America..do we need to dumb it down? Get angry at the fact that they don't want you to have basic carfe and look at what you pay for them to get care..checkout the report on ABC internet news under Health..it was on national news last night Reply

+15

IN RESPONSE:

skeptik
Oct 1, 09 11:38 AM CDT

A hundred thumbs up to you Derni, if I could!

IN RESPONSE:

Fondue
Oct 1, 09 9:18 PM CDT

I would go with that plan Derni. If we paid $503/yr to the federal government plan, with 138 million taxpayers in '08, they would collect $69.4 billion to help pay for it. That's only $42/month folks. Most people pay twice that for their cellphone.

| 0 minutes ago

Adapt-Overcome
Oct 1, 09 10:44 AM CDT

BECAUSE PEOPLE FORGET THAT THE PHONY "BLUE DOGS" ARE ACTUALLY REPUBLICANS. They tend to vote more to the right than the left or center. So, there is not "real" 60 Dems. Reply

+13

IN RESPONSE:

JaneMP
Oct 1, 09 10:52 AM CDT

I just called the Democratic Senate Campaign Com to which I've donated for years and told them I will not do so anymore because I refuse to support Buachus, Nelson, Lincoln, etc. So WHY does the Democratic party continue to support he blue dogs? Yes, I know--it gives us a majority but that doesn't do much good it we have to fight them over everything.

IN RESPONSE:

northeast
Oct 1, 09 11:24 AM CDT

No, it's good to be a big-tent party, and those votes could really help the Dems in the future. Your problem is that you have absolutely no real leaders. You need a real whip to force those 60 votes together, but the best the Dems could come up with is Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.

| 0 minutes ago

divetrader
Oct 1, 09 10:45 AM CDT

The Dems are Toothless and Clawless. In reality, the Repubs probably outway the Dems because the Blue Dogs are simply Republicans in disguise. Lets get rid of them and Rahm Emmanuel. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Bryanw55
Oct 1, 09 6:45 PM CDT

fuckyeah divetrader!

IN RESPONSE:

SilenceDogood
Oct 1, 09 7:56 PM CDT

You may not realize it yet, but the blue dogs are really the core of America.

| 0 minutes ago

Doctor_Zaius
Oct 1, 09 10:46 AM CDT

This is much ado about nothing. The senate finance committee, packed with blue dogs, was going to vote this down no matter what. It was inevitable. Now there are several more bills floating around in the senate, each of which has a public option. In addition to this the bill that will eventually come out of the house will also have a public option. Where the 60 votes will come in handy is that even though a few blue dogs will vote against the ultimate bill, they won’t filibuster it and they only need 51 votes to pass it. Watch and see. Reply

+11

IN RESPONSE:

Reader64481089
Oct 1, 09 11:12 AM CDT

Out of all this I see 1: Republicans loosing even further considering 65% - 75% of the public want the public option and I see Blue Dogs heading with Republicans to retirement and perhaps an Independent party can take up the slack as Democrats are also lagging in many areas wanted addressed by a majority of Americans

IN RESPONSE:

skeptik
Oct 1, 09 11:43 AM CDT

I hope you are right, Dr Z. It is so frustrating to watch the partisan charades being played out in DC.

IN RESPONSE:

SilenceDogood
Oct 1, 09 7:59 PM CDT

That would a wise thing to do, the consequences could be significant.

| 0 minutes ago

Nelstorm
Oct 1, 09 10:56 AM CDT

60 Politicians can't agree on anything. They're going to have to get a least a few republican votes. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

WiteOut
Oct 1, 09 11:00 AM CDT

I have heard everything from the phony blue dogs to lobbyist as excuses for why things aren't being pushed through... Really isn't it that the party can't come together, and as people, they are just as susceptible to corruption as republicans? Reply

| 0 minutes ago

DJM420
Oct 1, 09 11:49 AM CDT

all of the above is pretty much true. its really hard to disagree with much, if anything at all. thx for summing it up people. (not being sarcastic for once) Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Mad
Oct 1, 09 11:57 AM CDT

The old adage is still true today: The Democrats are a party of no good ideas for America - the republicans are a party of many ideas, all bad for America. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Forderon
Oct 1, 09 1:44 PM CDT

Is that really an adage? I thought it would be more like this: the Democrats have many noble ideas but can never hold hands to for fight for them because they're timid and unconfrontational by nature. The Republicans have many faux-noble ideas but they have the organization and the audacity to ram them through regardless of how wrong they are or how much the public opposes it.

IN RESPONSE:

bewilderbeast
Oct 21, 09 6:37 AM CDT

Like Mad said.

| 0 minutes ago

LiberalJesus
Oct 1, 09 12:49 PM CDT

This is what makes being a progressive great. We have the intestinal fortitude to rail against our own party and not pretend all is well in the land of Oz. When was the last time you ever saw anyone on the right call out their party for all the insanity that passes as constructive ideas? I love it when Stewart or Maddow or Olbermann calls out the gutless spineless Democrats in the Senate. You wont ever see the likes from the Hannitys and Becks et al...unless of course that particular gop member takes a rational moderate and reasonable view..then they become the "enemy" of the kwazy konservative movement. At least in our party when Baucus or Nelson stray like wayward goats we still claim them and only hope we can convince them of their error in judgement. And if worse come to worse we elect to vote them out. That is how a democracy works....at least on this side of the world known as sanity. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Carpediem4U
Oct 1, 09 4:24 PM CDT

i wonder why the trolls are not attacking you for attacking your own party or offering kudos for attacking your own party? i got a feeling when they read a post like this LJ it sends their brains into panic mode as they cant decide how to respond. do we complain because that are not supporting their party or do we shout them down because we cant or wont come down on our own party???? such a quandry for these poor souls. talk about throwin a monkey wrench into the works.

IN RESPONSE:

Bryanw55
Oct 1, 09 6:55 PM CDT

Actually Carpediem4u, it is because we just don't have the suckup mentality of my country or my party right or wrong within us. Many of us care more about the results and call a spade a spade, instead of calling reading my pet goat to third graders while knowing America was under attack or withdrawing all troops from Saudi Arabia within a month of 9/11 under bin ladens demand leadership qualities. We don't worship our leaders no matter what they do, we try to force them to do the right thing and call them to the carpet when they are wrong. Thanks for asking!

| 0 minutes ago

Spudsy
Oct 1, 09 6:23 PM CDT

The Dems have always been experts at shooting themselves in the foot. I wish there was a third party option that wasn't nuts. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

bewilderbeast
Oct 21, 09 6:40 AM CDT

A third party would have its problems, too. What you need to do is vote the issues, not the party. Stay independent and insist your representative does too (call him out when he just follows party line).

| 0 minutes ago

Szi
Oct 27, 09 8:28 AM CDT

I have a question (not sure if this is the place for it). I've noticed that when it comes to the U.S. healthcare discussion, the term "socialist" is bandied about relatively frequently (usually with negative connotation). When I read articles on the government bailouts to financial institutions, I have yet to see the term "socialist / socialism" used. Anyone know why that is? They appear to me to be suspiciously similar, so maybe I'm missing out on some key details. Help me out? Reply

| 0 minutes ago

View all 29 comments »

entertainment • television • Comedy Central • Senate Finance Committee • Jon Stewart • The Daily Show • health care reform • public option

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Stewart: So Much for 60 Votes