Login HereWatch until the end -- Rep. Joe Knollenberg's Chief Of Staff, Trent Wisecup, thinks people who disagree with him are unAmerican...
Conservative wingnut Trent Wisecup, a political activist and former NRO writer turned chief of staff for Michigan Republican Joe Knollenberg, shows us just what prolonged exposure to the kool-aid can do to rot your brain. In Trent's world, if you disagree with his viewpoint you are unAmerican. That includes wanting health coverage for at risk kids.
Guess more than 70% of Americans disagree with you there, Trent. Nice going with pulling a nutter on camera, though, makes for some good teevee. Great "constituent services" you have there, Rep. Knollenberg: nice to see you respect the opinions of those you are elected to serve. Not.
And, by the way, you still failed to answer the questions on SCHIP. Nice way to put the Republican party and George Bush above all of your constituents, sir.
Please keep those calls and FAXes and other contacts on SCHIP going today. Your call could make all the difference.
(Table on the costs of Iraq versus children's health care via FactCheck.org.)
Share This 
Spotlight
Zed! and down w/tedb!
ha
3?
kdh22 @ 1
Is that on topic?
kdh — That’s enough on the ted thing. People are entitled to their opinions — soemtimes there is a lot of off-topic chatter in the threads and we get a lot of complaining e-mail about it at times.
We have enough shit to do without turning on each other about thread discussions — and I really don’t have time to babysit the threads today. Can we please try and concentrate on what needs to be done instead of nitpicking at each other?
raven @ 4
hanging head in shame…NOT
Hello again, Christy!
Christy Hardin Smith @ 5
yeah sure Christy
When I saw this today, I thought it needed a heading such as:
“The Face of American Fascism” or
“460 Thousand Americans Died in WWII to Protect Us from this”
kdh — thanks. Appreciate it. I’m dealing with twenty phone calls at once, and I just don’t have time to deal with an inter-comment catfight today. Really appreciate it.
WRT Judy Biggert (R-IL) you can call, fax or email and try to appeal to her sense of decency as a mother and grandmother, but don’t expect her to flip. Biggert, Roskam and Weller are solid Rs with no reason to stray. FWIW.
Christy, if my rep (Lamar Smith R-TX) didn’t appear on that list on the last post does that mean he is hopeless or does that mean that he has changed his mind? I was thinking I would print out that chart and send it to his office, unless he has cried uncle already.
kdh22 @ 1
Take it easy on Ted. He just hasn’t come to appreciate the currents under the surface of the lake. They might seem to wander, but often lead to places that people feel passionate about.
Another republican off his meds!!!
Christy:
Did you see Toby Wollin’s comment and question, EPU’d from last thread? (Any thoughts?)
Toby Wollin @ 53
I had a similar experience calling Jim Ramstad’s (R-MN-03) office a few weeks ago.
Gnome at 12 — It just means that he’s not on the likely flipping target list. But it doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be contacted. Every single Rep. should get a call — including the ones who voted for this the last time around. We shouldn’t take any vote for granted on this…
Good Morning Christy…..
just cruising the TeeVee and saw Ron Paul[not a supporter] on CSpan2 talking about budget, he said that the figure is $1 Trillion/year on spending in overseas with bases in 100’s of countries and defense spending.
How many children could be covered if one base was closed down?
Biodun — We have readers from pretty much everywhere in the country. A lot of whom read and take action but don’t comment. So the short answer is as follows: call your own Representatives and Senators, whether they are on the list or not. Tell them to vote for SCHIP.
Honestly, I think that we can call any elected representative from any state on the SCHIP issue. This vote affects all children in every state who are or may become eligible. This is not a vote that stops at state borders. It is all or not all.
corey @ 14
And another signal from Wingnuttia wrt how far they are from even considering coverage for the whole country, not just kids.
Keep calling!
I thought this video was particularly creepy in its intensity of hatred. And the “you are an activist” being spat out at the guy with the camera, when Trent has his own history of being on on the other side of the aisle was just laughable….and creepily telling about his mindset.
Thanks. I think I will send it to his local office, but more importantly, to the newspaper - the San Antonio Express News. Now for a nitpicky question: What is the time period of the column that lists kids covered? A year?
Please continue to report on phone calls in the comments, gang. Really appreciate all the work on this!
Yeah, let’s make those phone calls.
BTW, anyone want to help find the accompanying text for this powerpoint on the defense budget?
I’m looking for powerpoints on military spending for a public access cable tv show about spending priorities in the US.
Question on the chart of cost of war vs children covered — is the number of children covered in the far right column the number of children that could be covered under SCHIP for one year for the amt of money listed?
Those sick fucks withhold money meant to save a kid so they can kill a troop and an Iraqi with it.
You could barely SCRIPT something more perverted than that.
Remember the anti drug commercial “This is your brain…(shows egg)…this is your brain on drugs…(shows egg frying in pan).”
Maybe it needs to be updated. Perhaps an egg in a lava lamp of Koolaid. I dunno.
Either way, it’s just sick.
Great chart, CHS! Thanks.
PB,the source, factcheck.org, doesn’t have this chart, so I am still waiting to find out what the time period is before I act. Unlike our dear leader, I prefer to have my facts correct before I broadcast them.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 21
Keep the exposure coming…I’ve been thinking this for years but to follow up on your post yesterday, CHS, it is disturbing to be validated. That is: the Ultimate Sin is to Side with a Democrat.
Never mind the facts rooted in reality that you might save many, many lives by Siding with a Democrat. No, the withering criticism from fellow conservatives is just too fatal to go forward with the life affirming action.
More exposure on that, please. Thanks!
Christy Hardin Smith @ 21
well, i wonder if we shouldn’t cut them some slack? the complaint that was made was that the activists had been protesting at knollenberg’s home.
now, i don’t think there is anything wrong with protesting at a rep’s home (disclaimer - so long as it is protesting and not harassing, and so so long as the behavior is not threatening in anyway,…. and all the stuff i’ve said before)…. but for those of you who’ve been saying that protesting at someone’s home is just horrible and not to be done - well, is it fair to complain when it seems to piss off knollenberg and his staff?
i understand that there are differing opinions on this topic… but whatever position we take, shouldn’t our position be the same for every representative (pelosi or knollenberg)?
Interesting call to Knollenberg’s Farmington office - claims this fellow from MoveOn is showing up in Trent’s yard, Knollenberg’s porch, “stalking” was the term used - claims staff is afraid of the MoveOn fellow and what he might be capable of. I assume if must mimic my fear of Bush and Cheney and what they’re capable of. Then said Knollenberg was willing to negotiate a new deal on SCHIP but that the current bill was too expansive - bill would cover people making $80,000/ year, would add 61 cents tax to a pack of cigarettes, was too expansive, he was “afraid” if this passed employers would drop their employee’s children, saying “just put them on SCHIP, let the government pay for it”…The person on the phone also claimed that Knollenberg had fought Bush on many issues (I’ve never heard of any), pointing to the tariffs on steel deal, and in response to my statement that I viewed Joe as a hard righty who always towed the party line, she said Joe was very moderate (in what life?). She claimed comparing the cost of Iraq to the cost of SCHIP was apples to oranges but did not explain WHY that would be so. She asked if I was for universal health care and when I affirmed I was, well, that just seemed to explain everything to her. Lots of kool aid drinking in Joe’s camp.
“In Trent’s world, if you disagree with his viewpoint you are unAmerican.”
Let’s see now - to paraphrase the first of The Four Questions from Passover:
What makes Trent any different from any other member of the GOP?”
mmmm, nothing. If you disagreed with Bush and Cheney after 9/11, you were something approaching a traitor (don’t recall the specific charge - “aiding the enemy”? “Aiding Terrorism”?). The on-going threat and club that is held over the Senate and Congress is merely another permutation of that - vote with the Administration or a) We will call you “soft of terror” or b) The “Base” will destroy you.
When are Congress People going to start recognizing that they do have a responsibility to not only represent the four wingnut phone callers that they get in one of their offices, but the rest of the people in their district also? When are Congress People going to start recognizing that, especially in terms of their committee assignments, they DO have a responsibility to represent the rest of the American People? And start taking phone calls and emails and letters from the rest of us as well?
Because although I understand the whole constituent thing, I’m pretty tired these folks claiming that they don’t have to listen to anyone NOT in their district when it comes to stuff that involves their committee assignments.
What a chart!
Trent Wisecup is scary! “you want Iran to win?” what a nut!
My view is that the the Congressman was not taking the questions seriously, but the cameraman was in his face while he was talking to other people, too. I think they were both being unresponsive to each other.
As far as the chief of staff is concerned, he’s obviously paid to snarl at dissidents and keep them out of the Congresman’e photo ops.
Just sounds like a dysfunctional family all around to me.
Does Trent say, in the above video, “Do you want IRAN to win”?
I think this person made a mistake by going to the Congressperson’s home. I strongly believe in a zone of privacy around people in their personal lives, including their children and their homes. This goes for the 12 year old in Baltimore, Pelosi, and this Congressperson. Everybody. If we cross this line, believe me the wingers will be happy to strike back.
liberal elite @ 35
Sure, but did you catch him saying “it’s a Democratic plan” and waving his hand dismissively. Ultimate Sin!
If you’re a dem, you’re unamerican. I think dysfunction needs to be exposed to be cured. otherwise, enabling and denial continue.
egregious @ 37
thanks egr.
while i disagree (respectfully) with your position on this, i do, very much, appreciate that you think the same rules (whatever they are) ought to apply to everyone.
we can argue about what those rules ought to be (and i’m not just referring to legal rules here)… but i think our bottom line ought to be that whatever rules we have for judging people’s actions - we apply our rules consistently.
thanks again.
Who’s bullying who? As old as Joe is, Trent looks like he will probably have a future with Blackwater.
Called Amy Klobuchar’s (D-MN) office. She ’s a strong supporter of SCHIP and will vote to override the veto.
Coleman: ditto–will vote to override veto.
egregious @ 37
Don’t forget DitchMitch! ;)
While I was also disappointed to learn that this citizen visited the home, still…the Congressman’s views and attitudes were revealed. And his staff handled it a little less graciously than, say, the Collins’ people?
I have mixed feelings about the private home issue. Todays elected officials do everything they can to avoid talking to their constituency. the conversation is non existent until maybe election time. JMHO.
do-si-do @ 38
I wish the cameraman would have pointed out that this was not a “Democratic” plan. It has bi-partisan support. Sen. Grassley - R-IA was a co-sponsor of the current legislation.
do-si-do @ 38
Very true & agreed. This guy needs to sit down at a presentation by Howard Dean for an afternoon and let some reasoning infiltrate his terrorized mind. rtsp://video.c-span.org/archive/c08/c08_101107_dean2.rm
IrishJim, good point. I can’t second guess a soldier in the trenches though. I would have been reduced to a puddle and have PTSD from the blast coming back the other direction. I’m surprised the guy kept cool and let Hannibal reveal himself.
BTW here’s some more insight on the GOP response to citizens’ concerns.
Hopper as GOP whip
Keep the phone calls coming!
Protesting at the Congressman’s home could be criticized, but how scary could he be. Obviously “in your face Trent” wasn’t scared of him.
Republicans.. The party with a Big Trent…practicing Trent warfare.
I’ve called batty Bachmann’s office twice. Both staffers very polite. They both asked my name & address. Hopefully, that doesn’t mean my call doesn’t count because I am not in her district. The 1st time I said it was inconceivable that this country has uninsured children. The 2nd time I said I was worried about our local hospitals struggling financially when patients are uninsured.
Geez…just watched the video…Where does he get this idea that if you are for children and against the war; you hate America, love Iran and want Iran to “win”, and even weirder, love Toyota and hate GM.
His threatening posturing is really disturbing. He is clearly a very unhappy, off balance character.
His anger appears to have chemically poisoned his mind it seems.
Moon @ 46
i wouldn’t criticize it… but, egr and some others here would. we’ve found there is a diversity of opinions here on this one.
I just called the two Kansas senators. Pat Roberts will vote to override the veto.
The staffer in Brownback’s office said that she didn’t think he would vote to override. She was saying that it would benefit people of 75,000 dollar incomes. I asked her to look at the cost of health insurance, the effect of preconditions on the cost of health care, and the cost of health care for unemployed. Then I asked,”With all the waste in govt, why couldn’t the family values candidate see a way to fund health care for children?”
I may have missed the answer. How are people getting around the “Are you my constituent?” question without lying?
Just an FYI, the video is from my friends over at Blogging for Michigan.
NZ Expat, now in KS @ 51
i tell the truth.
Re: video:
Just how does one combat that kind of Repug anger and hatred and bile?
Next time some right-winger of military service age asks the question: “Do you want Iran to win?” ask him why he’s not serving in Iraq … why aren’t ALL able-bodied Americans in Iraq?
If ALL able-bodied men were in Iraq, wouldn’t we have a better chance of “winning?”
Tell him to enlist or STFU.
Biodun @ 54
with calmness and persistence - no backing down and not responding in kind.
not an easy thing to do.
CaptCT @ 55
How about, “Win what?” We aren’t at war with them.
Maybe we should all chip in and send Trent a tee shirt: My anger management program really pisses me off!
I made my phone call (easy duty) to Tom Lantos’ office. Of course he is for SCHIP. But his staffer is concerned too that it isn’t a “slam dunk” to override the veto.
He also says they are getting way more about the Armenian genocide resolution. Both calls of congratulation from the Armenian community and calls saying WWIII will be on Lantos’ head.
My way around not being a constituent….
“I’m calling on behalf of the children of Arizona who needs Rep xxx to overturn the veto on SCHIP. Please help me make sure that Arizona insures its children by voting for SCHIP. Thank you”
CHS:
Don’t you understand that it’s part of our pioneer spirit of self-reliance to go without health insurance? We Americans know how to adapt, endure and improvise. Like the Donner party.
A couple of quick points when you are calling a congress person from another district. Remind the staffer that even though you may not live currently in the district, it is quite likely that you have family and/or friends that do. And you talk to them frequently. This is especially helpful if like me, you’ve lived in a dozen or more places in the last twenty years. And have family living all over the country.
As far as the video and Super Trent, I would have to ask him which is the USA made vehicle, the Toyota made in Georgetown, KY or San Antonio, TX or the Ford made in Hermosillo, Mexico? Seems to me the Toyota is more of an American made vehicle in this instance as the jobs and benefits to the economy are for more than just a few families in Grosse Pointe, MI.
selise @ 56
Folks like this seem to want their opponents to get loud, get red in the face, and do outrageous things. It makes their own behavior seem appropriate.
Calmness and persistence, on the other hand, serves to demonstrate just how far around the bend they’ve gone. At that point, they’ve got one of two choices — go further around the bend, and dare you to follow, or back down and get a little calmer themselves.
NZ Expat, now in KS @ 51
I’m no one’s constituent, if you know what I mean, and when I make calls I’m usually not asked, especially if my spiel is any good. I usually volunteer the information, though.
Might be an issue of semantics. Wisecup might say the protestor is un-American (can’t remember him saying that, but he might have. Actually, I think what he says is worse, that the protestor isn’t a CITIZEN. I think that has grater ramifications. It’s one thing to dismiss a political opponent as being against America when he or she disagrees with what you believe is in the nations’ best interests. But to say someone isn’t even a CITIZEN? You got proof? Is he paying taxes? Does he own a home? Does he VOTE? How chilling is it that this dillhole believes that those who would disagree with him aren’t just un-American, but not actually an American citizen?
For what its worth department, Mon. 15 Oct.
Several days ago as we were sitting out at lunch a guy most people respect said something to the effect of there not being any thing left of Social Security by the time he gets there.
That’s kind of an anti-social way of looking at it, was heard then, and everybody laughed, but then went silent for a few, thinking, humm.
Peterr @ 62
True fascist in the camera. Arrogant P.O.S.
slappy magoo @ 64
As I recall, the requirement for being a citizen (vs. becoming a naturalized citizen) of the United States is: Persons born in the U.S. or born to U.S. citizens in foreign countries, are automatically citizens of the United States.
So, you don’t need to pay taxes, own property, vote, or anything else. All you have to do is be born here or be born to parents who are US Citizens. That is why you can have children who are US citizens.
To become naturalized, however, you need to be at least 18 years old, in addition to other requirements.
Biodun @ 54
Turn the other cheek.
Buying into the anger and fear only makes you turn on the ones who are actually on your side.
I’ve seen it here many times. When the going gets tough, people tend to get cranky with those around them.
Of course I understand that this seems idealogical. It is.
Why, I guess, they say You always hurt the ones you love. They are the safe ones.
As I said in the previous thread, Peterson’s (PA-05) office gave me the brush-off - though his staffer did listen politely as I urged the Congressman to vote to override.
Carney (PA-10 and my Critter) is showing some signs of intelligence. Staffer at his local office told me he is very, very supportive of SCHIP and intends to vote to override.
Peterr @ 62
kinda depends on if you’re going for de-escalation or political jujitsu.
slappy magoo @ 64:
What he said was: “You’re not a citizen. You’re a political hack!”
Which really doesn’t make sense. As if the two are mutually exclusive.
selise — You know howI feel about going to someone’s home — it’s just not something that I’m comfortable with personally. For me, the part of the video that got really creepy was the “do you want Iran to win?” and the “you aren’t a citizen, you are an activist.” That was just plain weird.
Biodun @ 71
Well, it does look as if Ol’ Trent is quite familiar with what a political hack looks like. Seems as if he prol’ly sees one every time he looks in the mirror. Assuming he actually casts a reflection…
Christy Hardin Smith @ 72
Same here. And we’ve heard it before, when Turd Blossom told Sheryl Crow that he didn’t “work for you, but for the American people…”
demi @ 68
Smile at them and say “You really should reduce your daily dosage of V*agra”
Christy Hardin Smith @ 72
i thought the whole thing was creepy. we aren’t just governed by idiots - we’re governed by people who are seriously weird (in a not good way).
Wow, look at Trent, with all that controlled rage, being the perfect shill for the “Wider Stance Party”. All this goon had going for him were five insane repug talking points that have been spewed by all the little automatons who cannot think for themselves. What always amazes me, is the projection… The cameraman was making valid points, you could see Trent ratcheting up the talking points. Trent, Have a nice day…
Christy Hardin Smith @ 72
Yeah, the Iran point was what caught my attention.
OT: Amusingly predictable juxtaposition of MSNBC headlines:
“FEELING SQEEZED: Many middle-class families say they’re working harder for less”
Under that:
“Why money doesn’t buy happiness”.
I’m feeling less squeezed now, thanks.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/
James Joyce @ 75
Yeah. And your comment made me smile, but in a oh that’s so passive-aggresive guilty kind of way.
But, I hear ya.
Posted this a zillion times but I’ll do it again.
http://www.kff.org/medicaid/schipresources.cfm
- and -
http://www.kff.org/cproot-imag....._brief.gif
If you look at the second link and listen to the stuff being said about how this bill strays from the original intention (and I voted for SCHIP when it was first put in place 10 years ago, they’ll tell ya), it’s nonsense. You’ll see that coverage of adults is being restricted under this bi-partisan compromise. Pregnant women. I don’t want to get into the debate about when life begins but how can the people who say life begins at conception vote against this bill because “it covers adults” when that coverage is prenatal care? If any body gives you the load about this bill not being about kids and it coverts adults, ask them if they’re counting pregnant women among the “covered adults”? (Prediction: They are)
brendan @ 79
I was just somewhat surprised to see that TradMed was actually reporting that everything may NOT be going super swimmingly for all.
Crude oil (Cushing spot) is trading at $85.25. The ostensible reason for this is concern over a Turkish attack on Iraqi Kurdistan resulting in a disruption in oil supplies. The truth is that even if the Turks crossed the border the impact on the flow of oil would be minimal. In the last 6 months, there has been a lot of money (from hedge funds and others after the subprime fiasco) entering into oil markets. It is causing a general bid up in prices by people who don’t understand the market that well (and apparently don’t care to know about it).
This is part of a larger bid up of prices in commodities generally.
A longer term adjustment in oil prices (~$15)occurred earlier in the summer due to the falling value of the dollar.
Speaking of wingnuts
selise @ 53
And just point out that you have been honest about THAT, and that, in addition, you aren’t a paid professional lobbyist…that you are likely just like thousands of Constituents in that Representatives district.
tw3k @ 78
Yeah, the Iran thing and did he really accuse Camera guy of being a lobbyist for tobacco???
And in-between calls, some words of the wise from Paul Krugman:
Ital in citation.
That second link @ 81 is not gonna work. Here it is. Sorry.
http://www.kff.org/medicaid/upload/7701.pdf
selise @ 76
It is the essense of what anyone who was thought not to support “Hitler” was charged with in Germany, before they where either hauled off the labour camps or shot….. The look in his “eyes” was pure hate an evil and contempt for the man asking polical questions they could not control on thier terms or answer!!
Fresh thread, for everyone. FISA update for you…
Speaking of wingnuts:
Giuliani fielded an interest questioning Sunday.
WASHINGTON (CNN) – Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani often stresses his ability to protect America from terrorist threats, but what about from enemies beyond this planet?
Campaigning in Exeter, New Hampshire Sunday, the New York Republican was asked by a young questioner what he would do if aliens attacked the United States, according to the Associated Press.
“Of all the things that can happen in this world, we’ll be prepared for that. Yes we will,” Giuliani said, noting that he had never fielded a question about potential attacks from outer space before.
“We’ll be prepared for anything that happens,” he added.
I’d like to throw some more nuts onto the fire, if I may.
Howabout roasting all the Fox neo-nuts who’ve come out to insult and degrade the merits and value of the Nobel Peace prize itself when Gore wins it, but keeps their gaseous mouths shut when the U.S. wins three more Nobel awards in economics, science and medicine.
On Fox New Sunday Britt Hume, Charles Krauthammer, Bill Crystal and even Nora from NPR joined in bashing the Nobel.
Krauthammer, speaking more like a skinhead, likened previous winners of the Peace prize, like Mother Theresa and Jimmy Carter, to nothing more than criminals.
The rest called Nobel a Democratic partisan institution.
Fox finally speaks the truth:
Neither science nor medicine, not economics or peace, and definately not global warming are of any value or concern to the Republican party.
That’s the biggest un-patriotic F#*@ You America! I’ve ever seen!
And that, should be the next MOVE-ON full f$#@ing page ad!
I don’t know who the guy with the camera is, but if he’s been doing this awhile—and is an activist concerned about issues—I would’ve thought he’d have better comebacks. Like Irish Jim @ 43 said, the SCHIP bill is bipartisan.
Yes, the Wisecup guy (what a name!) was belligerent, but I found the video embarrassing to watch. The toneless repeating of the one question “When are you going to end the war, Joe?” was haranguing, and the exchange between Wisecup and the cameraman was all “Yes you are” and “No I’m not”—street corner stuff. Not befitting a U.S. Representative’s Chief of Staff, but no shining moment for our guy either. Seven years into this nightmare, and a political activist can’t come up with better rejoinders than “I gave her an ice cream cone”?
Biodun @ 71
Seems the Senator doesn’t recognize the First Amendment
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom…to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The Framers respected “activism”.
Sorry, I haven’t read all the posts so this may have been covered. I just want to add my 2 cents.
On the topic of protesting at a congress critters house. I have to side with those who say it’s OK. And my reasons for saying this are because these congress critters refuse to listen to what the majority (apparently according to most polls) of americans want. The remark from Pelosi about “they are activists, we are leaders” just floored me. She is not in congress to lead. She is in congress to serve. Yes, her opinions count for something, but she was elected to serve the people of her district. If she is not going to do that, if she is not going to even make herself available to hear the concerns of the people of her district, then the people have a right to protest at her home.
When these congress critters decided that they knew better than the people they served, they lost all their rights to privacy. When they start to actually do the will of the people, then they can have their privacy back.
OK. I’m done with my rant. I know there are those here who disagree with that, and I can understand. Privacy is very important to me also. But as I said in another thread once, if the congress critters don’t like their privacy being invaded all they have to do is do their damn job.
cinnamonape @ 94