Give the man credit, he's usually not this consistent.
Ed Schultz is so much more than host of his own MSNBC show and king of the anthill known as liberal radio. Schultz is also an expert on health care, to the extent that he can confidently dismiss as "garbage" when anyone complains about waivers from the health bill. Here's Schultz doing just that on Tuesday as he ends a two-minute exchange with a better-informed caller by hanging up on him (audio) --
[Second audio clip after page break]
CALLER: Three things. It's good that this is being re-evaluated because it was passed under a bunch of distortions and, in fact, lies. You know, Obama promoted that it was supposed to reduce health care premiums by $2,500 a year. A Nov. 30, 2009 CBO report indicated that that was not true. It was actually going to increase health premiums by $2,100 a year. When they promoted the bill, they said there's absolutely no taxes in it. They refused to call the $2,000 payment a tax. They said it was a penalty. However, it was a lie from the start because when they went into court, immediately when they went into court, they started talking about it and saying it was a tax. So either they were lying when they promoted it or they were lying in court.
Third, if it was such a good program, they're now finding that it's going to bankrupt a lot of companies. McDonald's got a waiver, Jack in the Box got a waiver, lot of universities got a waiver. Interestingly enough, some state and local unions are getting waivers from this program. So, you know, maybe it will get changed, maybe it won't. It's also erroneous to say that simply because the Senate and Obama aren't going to approve it, therefore the Republicans are just political theater. Does that mean everything that the Democrats tried but knew that the Republicans were going to stop is just political theater and ...?
SCHULTZ: Well, I don't know, Jim. What, do you think those record number of filibusters, was that political theater? I mean, you are the most part-, you're, I mean, do you care about saving lives?
CALLER: I guess you don't care about raising the three, answering the three points ...
SCHULTZ: I don't care about raising the taxes on rich people at all!
CALLER: I didn't say that ...
SCHULTZ: ... and I think that corporations can pay more when it comes to health insurance. You're exactly right! This is not going to break small businesses, as we will talk about tonight on "The Ed Show" with example in the first block of the show.
CALLER: What about my first three points?
SCHULTZ: The fact of the matter is, if you want liars, you don't have to look any further than the Republicans. Is the Congressional Budget Office, are those numbers faulty, are they wrong, are they way off base? Because the Republicans say they're totally wrong!
CALLER: What about my first three points?
SCHULTZ: No, what about my point? I'm using Republican talking points against you and facts. The fact of the matter is, they say ...
CALLER: Why don't you use what I said instead of ...
SCHULTZ: No, no, no! Because you're wrong!
CALLER: Well, how am I wrong?
SCHULTZ: There are no waivers out there! Where do you come up with this garbage?!
CALLER: Boston Globe.
SCHULTZ: See you, Jim, (hangs up) you don't know. The Boston Globe's damn near outta business!
Twenty-four hours later, Schultz's expertise on Obamacare had broadened beyond its already impressive reach (audio) --
CALLER: I'm a fan of "The Ed Show," even if I don't agree with a lot of the things you have to say. But my question to you, Ed, is, and I have many questions but I'm going to get to solely one today, I imagine. You've criticized the Republicans for calling this insurance health care law a job-killing bill, but my question to you is, why has the White House granted out over 200 waivers to these businesses and unions if they didn't think it was going to affect these people's businesses?
SCHULTZ: Because they never put universal health care at the table and that's a bone right back to 'em. That's all that is.
The number of, uh, bones reaching 222 at last count. Such epochal legislation, yet waiving it constitutes nothing more than "a bone" -- and this from a vocal proponent.
