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@ B Roll -
Call me a Pollyanna, then, but I thought that, just maybe, that was the kind of change that the Obama campaign was talking about.
mstaggerlee
My friend was convicted of kidnapping the trespasser. He took the man's hunting guns and told him to stay put while he called the sheriff. The man ran to the neighbors and called the sheriff as well, saying that he had been kidnapped and escaped. The sheriff came and arrested the property owner.
It is obvious that although this Dr. Lott claims to be an economist, he seems to lack a basic knowledge of the relationship between production and price. In an article I quoted from Business Week a couple of weeks ago, 50 percent of the price inflation that adds to the cost of health care that patients are charged is from new infrastructure, new equipment (much of it of questionable worth), and training. This has to be paid for, and it is being paid for (eventually) by patients in a prorated fashion. This is true of all products and services purchased by consumers. If anyone is engaging in false numbers, it is Lott and the Fox News crowd.
Here's a better link to send out because you can get right to typing in your zip code to find senators' phone numbers.
http://advocacy.barackobama.com/healthcare/campaigns/9/call_scripts/25/c...
mstaggerlee
If you look at the history of U.S foreign policy, I think you'll find that it is based on exploitation and geopolitical advantage for the purpose of advancing the economic interests of U.S. corporations. We've overthrown dictatorships and democracies alike if they impeded the interests of our elite economic and political classes. I wish it was different, but it isn't.
Did everyone get this link to pass far and wide. President Obama's website is well-organized, with links to the numbers of each states' senators. Apparently, ts Dday or Dweek for phone calls to the Senate.
I know many of us disagree about whether to support this first plan, but even though it isn't what we fought for, its better than the alternative, so I will support it.
http://advocacy.barackobama.com/healthcare/campaigns/9/call_scripts/25/c...
@DRichards -
"Kidnapped" guns??!! Fascinating!
I'd like to read the statute that gives a tresspasser's firearm more rights than the owner of the tresspassed property.
Things Only a Republican Could Believe:
Parents who don't want their children to pray in school are Anti-American
zealots -- parents who don't want their children to listen to a speech by
the President of the United States telling them to work hard and get good
grades are noble patriots.
Peacefully demonstrating against the country starting an international war
is treason -- showing up with automatic weapons to protest healthcare reform
is democracy at its finest.
Any government official with a desk job should have every action scrutinized
-- any government official with a badge and a gun should never be questioned
or disrespected. At all. Ever.
Questioning the legitimacy of an election because the "winner" was selected
by the Supreme Court is sour grapes -- questioning the legitimacy of an
election because the winner (by the largest number of votes in American
history) is really a Kenyan born Muslim despite all evidence to the contrary
is being a vigilant American.
Lying about a blowjob is an impeachable offense -- lying about a war is no
big deal, really.
Investigating a shady land deal involving the First Lady is a matter of
National Identity -- investigating the use of torture at the direction of
the Executive Branch is a partisan witch hunt.
Executing Japanese officers for waterboarding prisoners during WWII shows
that we have the moral high-ground on human rights -- waterboarding
prisoners of our shows that we have the moral high-ground on human rights.
Sitting two rows in front of Jane Fonda in a 1970 anti-war rally is an
OUTRAGE! Shaking Saddam's hand in 1983...meh, not so much.
Anyone who questions the president during a time of war is giving aide and
comfort to the enemy and should be deported...unless the president in
question has a (D) next to their name in which case you should undermine
them at every turn even if you have to routinely make shit up to do it.
Socialism, Marxism, Communism and Fascism are all interchangeable words that
mean pretty much the same thing.
Anyone who abuses drugs should be locked up indefinitely...unless they are a
popular Republican radio host in which case they need your prayers as they
recover from the illness of addiction.
Health Insurance companies have your best interests in mind and anyone who
thinks otherwise is trying to turn America into the Godless heathen nation
of Sweden where EVERYONE in the country dies (eventually).
Obama is an atheist communist muslim who attended a radical christian
church.
Believing that human activity could impact the global environment is crazy
talk -- believing that an invisible man in the sky personally told George
Bush to invade Iraq to fulfill Biblical prophecy is logically sound.
The verdict is still out on evolution -- but Jesus Christ returning in our
lifetimes is a pretty much a given.
The media are unquestionably biased against Republicans -- Talk Radio, The
Washington Times, The Weekly Standard, The Wall Street Journal, Rightwing
Blogs, Fox News and NewsCorp are not part of the media.
The government should have no part in regulating multi-national corporations
as they make decisions that impact the lives of millions of people --
government should regulate individuals by determining who they can marry,
what kind of intercourse they can have, what they can smoke, how to manage
their pregnancy and how to proceed with end of life decisions.
Communicating with hostile nations is a stab in the back to our great nation
-- Reagan communicating with the USSR during the Cold War was Political
Genius.
Iran is a mortal threat to our nation and anyone who attempts to talk to
them is traitorous scum -- selling weapons to Iran and then funneling the
money to start wars in South America is clearly in our National interest.
George Bush kept the nation safe after 9-11 (NOTE: the Anthrax attacks, the
DC Sniper and Hurricane Katrina don't count. Also, the fact that 9-11
happened on his watch despite receiving a security briefing specifically
warning of the attack doesn't count either.)
Social Security, Meidcare, public schooling, public libraries, fire
departments, police departments and the US Military are as American as Apple
Pie -- universal healthcare is ZOMGDEATHPANELSOCIALISM!!
George W Bush is a regular 'ole Texas rancher just like you and me despite
the fact that he was born in Connecticut, attended two Ivy League schools,
bought the Crawford ranch just before running for president, sold it
immediate after leaving office and is terrified of horses.
The two guys at the center of the Watergate and Iran-Contra scandals are
trustworthy voices in discussions of current national policy and should be
taken at face-value.
@ B Roll -
If simple exploitation is our goal, then we are well and truly doomed - and likely damned in the bargain.
If, however, the goal is to establish a stable and reasonably friendly nation as opposed to the failing state thart currently exists there, the Mortenson plan is the best hope.
Re: racism in the United States.
In my experience black people do not get the same quality of legal representation as white people do. Perhaps it's largely an issue of economics. Three years ago a very good friend of mine went to prison for a year. He thought that he was making a "citizens arrest" regarding a trespasser on his property. My friend was charged with kidnapping. I assume he got a light sentence because this was his first offense, as he hadn't had even a speeding ticket in his 60 plus years of life. My friend is black, married to a white person, and lives in rural North Carolina. I was told that the man who was trespassing was the Sheriff's hunting buddy, in a county where my friend's wife says the Clan still rides horseback.
Had my friend been white, I don't think he would have been charged with a felony.
BTW, My friend "kidnapped" the man's guns, and told him to stay put while he called the sheriff.
mstaggerlee
Three Cups of Tea doesn't work when your objective is to exploit the country for economic and geopolitical purposes. That's the difference between Greg Mortenson and the government of this country.
Warre Jaycox,
Insurance is regulated by the states.
Warre Jaycox,
Buying insurance "across state lines" may also have the effect of reducing insurance to the lowest common denominator, or a race to the bottom (worst, cheapest, etc.), in other words.
I wasn't really suggesting anything. Since I can't afford and don't have health insurance, I was unaware insurance companies don't / can't compete over state lines. Why is this and why is suggesting allowing them to do so suggesting a co-op? I'm fuzzy on the co-op issue since, again, I am very much for the public option.
@ Warre Jaycox -
The so-called "insurance co-op" is EXACTLY what you are suggesting! The allegedly mainstream media, however, feels that its masters are MUCH better served by continuing to obfuscate on the issue, so you're NOT gonna hear that morsel of truth on your TV.
I agree with the points made by many here today that a conventional war in Afghanistan is unwinnable. I'm NOT so sure that I agree that this means that the US should simply leave.
The simple fact is that we COULD HAVE "won" in Afghanistan shortly after the Soviets turned tail and left. If we'd taken about HALF (probably less) of the funds that were diverted to help arm the Afghan rebels, and used it to build schools, hospitals, and other humanitarian infrastructure, the whole region would be more stable today.
If we want to see anything that resembles victory in Afghanistan, we need to wage PEACE, not war. Greg Mortensen has been winning Afghani hearts and minds for the better part of a decade. I believe rthat his methods are the only path to peace in the region.
http://www.threecupsoftea.com/
I have a question. I am very much for the Single Payer option (despite knowing that it's not going to happen and having to settle for the Public Option), so I am far from a righty. Wuith that said, I'm curious as to why no one seems to be talking about something the Republicans keep going to over and over (including right after the Presidents barrage of Sunday morning interviews). If competition is a problem, why not allow insurance companies in other states to offer plans to those outside their state? I agree with Thom that health insurance companies should be non-profit, but why haven't the Dem's answered this question?
I guess Irish, Italian, Jewish, Asian, and Latino immigrations to the United States are supposed to be proof that there was no bigotry against people from those groups in this country.
Lurita Doan apparently doesn’t understand what the term “economic necessity” means to your average poor immigrant and what they’ll be willing to suffer in their struggles to survive.
Thom,
You told Lurita Doan that it was good "talking with" her. That was NOT talking with. That was you being TALKED AT, and very boring. She never answered your questions and barely let you speak. That was insulting.
So this is what America has come to.
A former President of this nation speaks from his heart and his mind, and is therefore characterized as "irresponsible".
"Silver Blaze" is the Sherlock Holmes short story in which the dog didn't bark.
There's no denying Obama's race plays a role in protests
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/75694.html
Gerald Socha,
After rereading your posts, I see that my response is much less artful than your original words.
I did want to mention, though, that I have a very small investment with an investment company which just had a shareholder election. Most of the questions on the ballot were proposed by the board of directors and involved taking more power and decisions AWAY from shareholders, including the ability to make those decisions without holding "costly, time-consuming shareholder meetings."
It was appalling to see the blatant bid for more power and control by the board.
Court Strikes Down Regulations Limiting Nonprofits' Campaign Funds
A federal appeals court overturned hard-fought campaign finance reform regulations in a ruling on Friday that will make it easier for independent political groups to raise and spend money to influence elections.
The three-judge panel struck down regulations intended to blunt the power of such organizations, including the controversial Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and MoveOn.org, which drew heavy criticism for spending tens of millions of dollars on aggressive advertisements during the 2004 presidential campaign.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/18/AR200909...
Gerald Socha,
So much of what is wrong with the U.S. I place at the feet of the big corporations. Until we can get them under control (if ever, tho comments by Justice Sotomayor* give me some hope), I think we will continue our ruthless downhill slide to oblivion and ignominy.
*Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission:
http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_...