Dylan Ratigan Calls Out Family Research Council's Ruse for Lying About Stupak Amendment
By Heather Wednesday Nov 11, 2009 10:00am
Here's something you don't see every day. One of these talking heads stopped in their tracks for lying on the air. MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan calls out The Family Research Council's Cathy Ruse (what a name for a spokesperson, huh?) for lying about what affect the Stupak amendment would have on private insurance if passed.
After noting that The Family Research Council called the Stupak amendment a “huge victory for women", Ratigan asked her this:
Ratigan: Cathy, what was the victory?
Ruse: Well the victory is that the question is elective abortion and who should be forced to pay for those, the individual or the government. Before the Stupak amendment passed, Americans would be forced to pay for other people’s elective abortions.
Ratigan: That’s not true.
Ruse: It is true, under both the public option plan and…
Ratigan: No, that’s not true…
Ruse: …and under the federal subsidies…absolutely true. That’s why…
Ratigan: The objection was to the use of the exchange. I’ll have this debate but you have to operate in the factual reality which is you’re saying that all the private insurance being sold on a publicly established exchange cannot fund elective abortion, and that is not federal dollars paying for abortion—that federal dollars paying for an exchange upon which private insurance is sold where elective abortions are provided.
Ruse: The Stupak amendment did two things. It prohibits federal funding for covering elective abortions, but it allows private insurance to carry coverage of elective abortions so long as no federal tax dollars are involved. And let me just…
Ratigan: Cathy, you’re not dealing with—you can’t—just coming on television and lying is not journalism, nor is it actually beneficial to the country. Let’s talk about what we’re discussing which is the establishment of an exchange upon which private insurance that we bought and sold establishes federal dollars. Nancy you were going to say?
Keenan: Yeah listen, we know that about 80-85% of private insurance companies today privately cover abortion care, and what the Stupak amendment does, is basically means that women will not be able to purchase insurance coverage that covers abortions with their own money, with their own money in this new healthcare system. That’s the reality of the Stupak amendment and it is outrageous that they are saying that this is good for women or that this is somehow the status quo. This goes far beyond the status quo.
Maybe Tony Perkins should get himself someone else go to up against Dylan Ratigan if his group wants to continue to try to spread misinformation about what the Stupak amendment does, although I don’t think Perkins himself would have faired much better against Ratigan. Both Ratigan and Keenan go on to point out what the real purpose of the amendment is, which is to prevent private insurance from paying for any abortions, get Roe v Wade overturned and to derail health care reform.
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Kudos to Ratigan. This is truly stunning, in an age when journalism is largely relegated to the task of simply reporting the various claims made by one side or the other, regardless of reality.
More journalists should, like Ratigan, take some responsibility and not allow these hacks to throw out blatant lies cloaked as "debate."
Had a great segment on CNN letting anti health care reform guests get away with making a bunch of unsubstantiated claims with the anchors ending segments with their usual "We'll have to leave it there". Stewart and crew juxtaposed their negligence with the anti HCR's with CNN making it a point to fact check an SNL skit. It was masterful.
link to that? it sounds really good.
can someone from here look for that and put it up perhaps?
Brilliant Daily Show segment and epic fail for CNN.
"But... but... denying baby murder will force women to be more acceptable to my personal religious tenants, an that makes Baby Jesus happy!"
I understand this is a very touchy subject. Personally, I don't like abortions, but it is ultimately not my decision or business. I cannot imagine how denying availability can be a victory to anyone or anything but the conservative Christian right. I also know that there are cases where it is a necessity, and denying availability in those times is downright dangerous. I would love to see abortion rates go down, and the only way to really make that happen without the danger of restricting access is to improve education. Yes, education, the anathema to the FRC and their parent American Family Association. It's easy for them to rile up fear and push legislation. If people were to become educated, they could implode in a generation.
I also LOATHE the FRC, and enjoy any of their talking heads getting smacked around. Ahh... happy thoughts for the rest of the day! :)
Why can't the Blitzer's, the King's and the Cooper's call people out. This why CNN is on the bottom of the ratings.
He jumps on these turds with both feet regularly..and I do adore that kind of journalism so early in the a.m.
...this health insurance "exchange"? (sounds like a way to launder money.)
(off to google I go)
You know Antis are lying when their lips are moving.
Congratulations, Mr. Ratigan and Ms. Keenan for not allowing Cathy Ruse to foul the airwaves with rw talking points. The air smells better already.
Ratigan and Shuster are both the type of journalists we need more of. Good on MSNBC for having them on the air.
Why do anti-abortion ads and health "insurance" ads keep showing up on this site along with other right-wing ads? Doesn't mix well with a blog like this.
I think taking $$ from these folks who could spend it elsewhere is a sign of freedom of speech and smart tactics.
They're spending money on this site, not where it would do them any good.
I say it's a win-win.
Go Ratigan.
This amendment is nothing more than an attempt to derail health care reform and the Religious Right setting up to win back seats in 2010.
Stupak is a dominionist as are all the guys living at the C-Street house. The other day a story was posted on here stating the Stupak amendment was what Catholic Bishops wanted. This ia a gross interpretation because the Stupak amendment is the work of people like the Family Research Council. You know, the people who brought us the Value Voters Summit.
American Family Association, Focus on the Family Action, American Values and the Heritage Foundation are all co-sponsors of the summit.
The Heritage Foundation’s first-time involvement is significant. The organization has been known mainly for emphasizing low taxes, reduced spending on social services, minimal government regulation and aggressive foreign policy, not engaging in the “culture war.” It is considered one of Washington’s most influential right-wing think tanks, and its decision to link arms with Religious Right groups could herald the beginning of a new partnership that will significantly boost the power and strength of the theocratic right.
The main policy goals of these organizations include an end to legal abortion, opposing same-sex marriage and other advances in civil rights for gays and a rollback of court decisions upholding church-state separation.
seems to me that the ultimate goal of all these right-wing Xian 'foundations' and 'associations' is to create a land of milk and honey populated ONLY by White, Male jeebus freaks!!
Years ago, my brother asked me what Watchtower and Awakwe! pamphlets were. I explained it to him. We then went through, and lo and behold, it was about 90% white christians ministering to non-whites. I must give them credit and over the past 10 years they have become very diverse. At the time, though, I explained about the mansions in heaven, and the fact that people would be needed to clean those mansions.
(Yes, that was sarcasm. I hope this doesn't get banned.)
because casting their philosophy without using Christ to cover their war mongering, war profiteering, and just plain greedy asses would easily reveal them for what they are. The Fundies are the perfect foils for this as they want nothing more than to push their agendas down the throats of everyone. If they truly believe in their dogma, why don't they renounce all earthly things and live like Jesus did--as a poor person? The Neocons found the perfect dupes for their need for constant war in the Fundies who believe they can manipulate Christ into coming back to this God-forsaken planet. If they are not the ultimate control freaks of the universe, I cannot imagine who else it could be.
Meet the Dominionists -- biblical literalists who believe God has called them to take over the U.S. government. As the far-right wing of the evangelical movement, Dominionists are pressing an agenda that makes Newt Gingrich's Contract With America look like the Communist Manifesto. They want to rewrite schoolbooks to reflect a Christian version of American history, pack the nation's courts with judges who follow Old Testament law, post the Ten Commandments in every courthouse and make it a felony for gay men to have sex and women to have abortions. Their ultimate goal is to plant the seeds of a "faith-based" government that will endure far longer than Bush's presidency -- all the way until Jesus comes back.
Now, we see the Dominionists have been successful in recruiting Democrats into "The Family." The leader of this group has been quoted as saying their aim is "Jesus plus nothing". Men who understand how power should be wielded and people need to be directed to the cause.
Rep. Bart Stupak D-MI
Rep. Ike Skelton D-MO
Rep. Mike McIntyre D-NC
Rep. John Tanner D-TN
Rep. Lincoln Davis D-TN
Rep. Dan Boren D-OK
Rep. Heath Shuler D-NC
*All of these members need to be voted out of office. They are far more dangerous to our government and the Democratic Party than the Blue Dogs. Don't think they don't share Democratic closed meetings information with their Republican C-Street pals.
Rachel Maddow explained what she thought "The Family" meant: promoting American power worldwide, unfettered capitalism, no unions, no programs to help poor people - All with this idea that godly powerful rich men should get as many riches and resources personally and they should just privately help everyone else.
And good for the rest of us. "I'll have this debate but it has to be within the realm of the facts." I may faint.
Maybe she was thinking about her talking point fax. Either way it's good to see someone from FRC get smacked.
...for people to talk about Ratigan in the same breath as Olbermann and Maddow. He really seems to be fighting for the truth, and fighting hard. More confrontational and less patient than Maddow, more aggressive and less sanctimonious as Olbermann.
I don't know who Dylan is or his past, but this is the second vid I've seen of him putting his finger in the eye of paid to lie whore,(FRC having no shortage of virulent sluts) and I could watch it all day long... I wonder if my TV still works...CEO, citizens,eyes,open
See how EASY it is to call them out? You just need to expand the ol' vocabulary by a few words and utter them without your mouths on their genitals.
I hate these people so much words can't describe it. Lying, cheating, no moral values, the inability to see past 1950, nor the want to do so. They all suck. Family values my ass. Good to see someone finally calling them what they are, f-ing liars.
"just coming on television and lying is not journalism, nor is it actually beneficial to the country"
Wow.
If the moderators on TV infotainment shows were to use that line everywhere that it's appropriate, we'd be hearing it dozens, if not hundreds of times a day.
The Straw Man Argument technique is a favorite rhetorical device of those who really have no argument. That's because it is both simple and effective.
-misrepresent your opponent's position in the most odious terms/language possible
-attack the fictitious 'straw man' you've created, ignoring what your opponent really represents.
What's really needed is an e-mail bomb linking to this post, DEMANDING that CNN and MSNBC tell Blitzer, Tweety etc. to either start doing this more or think about seeking new work. They shouldn't be drawing journalists' salaries if they're not willing to do the work of journalists.
As a journalist, I'm sure they are drawing far more than I. Their salaries are closer to celebrity pay.
..to CNN's and MSNBC's personnel departments?
Position applied for: Wolf Blitzer's
Qualifications: More than he's ever shown.
Will work weekends. Can relocate. Willing to grow a beard if required.
and be willing to go overseas to get the "real story" as well...
Is there any reason everyone on this clip keeps repeating "elective" abortion? Does the Stupak amendment make a distinction between medically necessary and "elective" or something? Or did everyone just pick up the FRC dimwit's language.
As bad as Stupak is, I would hope it would make an exception for medically necessary abortions. I could just imagine a motor vehicle accident victim being sent a separate bill for removing her dead fetus - "Uh, yeah, your insurance doesn't cover removal of 'products of conception' so here's your bill for $700. Oh, and sorry for your loss."
Something tells me that Ms. Ruse has never been a member of the reality-based community.
It prolly does make an exception for medically necessary abortions.
The term "elective" is fine. Its definitely not "medically necessary", even though how "necessary" it actually is may be different.
I'm gonna start TVO'ing his show. I want to see more of this.
For an MSM'er to call wingnuts on the carpet and not let them spread the propaganda, I'm impressed. He strikes me as a bit to Keyensian, but in this MSM, we'll take it.
And don't you love it when a wingnut get's boxed in by the facts, they resort to making blanket statements about what the country wants. STFU.
Priceless.
has been lying for so long, she no longer recognizes or is capable of speaking the truth.
He will not back-down, there's no anger or vitriol, he just wants to deal with the truth. He does this to anyone who comes on and tries to lie or obfuscate, he's not having it.
I don't know how much it would cost, but say mailing two coat hangers a day, one to a Senator, one to a Congressman..... within a few weeks the Hill would be fanny deep in the alternative to Roe V Wade.... just
a thought.
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