To say we don't need healthcare reform is quite insane!
15 years ago no one had to pay a dime towards their health-care ins, there wasn't any deductibles and no pre-existing bs.
Now, Most people are paying half of their Healthcare, then add in deductibles along with pre-existing Bs.
What will happen in another 15 years? No health-care being paid by your employer, major increases in your deductibles and almost everything will be called a pre-existing issue.
To cry out that this would be Nationing healthcare, wake-up we already have it, medi-care medi-caid, va care and most states have some type of chip care for kids.
We already have death-panels, the moment the ins companies denied your treatment, they are letting you die.
Here's just one -example of why we need reform.
Let's say a person who has no money after being laid-off after working 20 years for a company after desperately paying his or her regular bill, then they go to the hospital for a minor issue like the flu,which would only cost maybe 65.00 at the doctor office if they had the money.
They wait two or three hours and finally the doctor see them and gives them a prescription.
His or she then gets a bill for 800.00 for going to the hospital, why such a major differnce?
Now, lets say a person can't afford their meds for a heart condition, which cost 400.00 a month. so they don't take it and they end up in the hospital for a $300,000.00 heart operation and is then given the pills to save his or her heart,which will be paid by the Govt.
At a rate of nearly 800.00 to 1,200 a month for health-care is way to much for the avg family to afford,especially when you factor in the deductibles,worst yet when they say it's a pre-existing issue.
It's gotten so bad, that if a person was working and got laid off from job A and his heart or diabetes was being paid for and was documented, then his or she gets another job with ins coverage, the new ins company now,gets to say that's a pre-existing problem.
How in the hell can that be allowed,if we use our come sense, now, not to mention 80% of all diseases are pre-existing until they ravish your body.
I could go on and on with a zillion example of why we need health-care reform.
Right now, all these people are screaming at the hometown debates on both sides of the issue without actually reading one of the four health-care proposal or trying to have a real debate to discuss and bring forth the best ideas because they are to busy hearing their own agenda instead, sadly.
To shout and scream, long before the final proposal is presented is naive and ignorant.
So please stop spouting talking points and offer idea's and wait for actually health-care bill to be presented, rather then hollering like an idiot, because we all know, the avg person or politician hasn't read the one that passed in the house one committee completely, which is over 1,300 pages.
Copy & paste to friend: (Click inside box; Ctrl + C to copy; Ctrl + V to paste)
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read more blogs!
Blogs by edthepoet:
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Wolf36
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Sep 8 @ 11:10AM
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To shout and scream, long before the final proposal is presented is naive and ignorant.
Ed, the reason people have become so frightened by this issue, is because there has been a lack of substantive details and explanation from the adminstration. The President basically left it up to congress to come up with a plan. He should have presented his plan in the beginning and spelled out what he was looking for. This would have at the least gave both parties a starting point. Also, the public would have had a chance to follow the issue and develope informed opinions.
Like you said, they're are at least 4 proposals I'm aware of and that's just way to confusing for the public to figure out. What people can't understand, they're going to fear. I have yet to hear anyone from the adminstration actually detail how much it would cost an individual, if the public option was pushed through. At some point in this debate, real numbers have to be presented and dealt with.
Wolf
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donato
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Sep 8 @ 11:40AM
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Ed..I don't think anyone is saying that we don't need health care reform..The first problem is as Wolf already stated.. There is no clear plan laid out for us to annalize.It's like giving the government a blank check and for what ????
The serious problem with this administration for me is that we already have Social Government run plans now and they are all broke or in trouble going forward...Medicare..Medicaid and Social Security...And they want to add another without fixing what we already have set up and working ???? 
If they were all made $$$ solvent and Medicare broadened so that it was made available to everyone..It would be up and running sooner and make a hell of a lot more sense to me 
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edthepoet
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Sep 8 @ 11:44AM
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Hi, wolf, I do agree with your line of thinking, Obama should have presented a plan to both the House and the Senate.
Though, most bills are truly formed in the House and the Senate in most cases.
Yes, there's mush confusion going on at this moment, but, it's most due to both parties wanting to pass on talking points, rather then talking in true and real details.
The public at large shouldn't be so naive to be suckered into this, hence why everyone is yelling at each other without reading the one that has passed through the committee or any of the other three proposals. That's being ignorant.
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edthepoet
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Sep 8 @ 11:50AM
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Hi, Donato, there are plenty of people yelling and shouting we don't need health-care reform.
Now, I do agree we all should wait and see what the actually final bill said, then start the debate, rather then debate over something that isn't actually in it's final draft.
Yes, we should examine this or any bill put before the Senate or the House, not just the the health-care reform bill.
I also think we should reform SS, medi-caid and medi-care as well for the reason you mention and others you didn't.
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Mission_Impossible139
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Sep 8 @ 11:53AM
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The health care corporations have a MASSIVE campaign to spread lies and misinformation. They are spending millions a day to counter any reform at all. Why you ask? Because they are in this business to make massive amounts of money. No matter what happens, a healthy America is a good America. American made products will cease to exist, eventually, if good reform is not passed. Every other industrialized nation in the world has a single payer system that is working. Nothing is perfect but with oversight, good design and reform, America could once again be a leader in the world. But, we need healthy Americans to do the job.
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thenewguy295
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Sep 8 @ 12:01PM
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If you'll notice my blog, which is posted right after this one, I ask for specifics and while it hasn't been up too long so far not one person has commented. That speaks volumes, I don't think most people really know.
My concern is basically the same as Wolf's and Donato's, we don't know what it is they are going to do. We are allowing some of the least competent managers in history to invent something which they get to determine the scope, coverage and the cost and they don't have to pay for it or be held accountable. At least as far as history shows us they have been held to account for social security, welfare, medicare, medicaid, Freddy mac, Fannie mae, the world's financial system and thousands of other expensive gov't programs that they've "managed".
Personally, in my opinion, if they covered the big things like emergency visits, cancer treatment, heart attacks, anything else life threatening or life altering and prescriptions above $50 or so a month and let us pay for our annual physicals and other relatively inexpensive treatments and they could do it without taxing us an arm and a leg I might be able to get behind it.
But it's the government and that ain't gonna happen.
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edthepoet
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Sep 8 @ 12:03PM
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Hi Mission,
Your 100% right about why certain health-care companies are spending millions to stop it in any way they can.
You know, they aren't being honest because how can anyone make a decision on something that doesn't actually exist at this point.
Yes, the American public must be diligent about searching for the facts on this issue, rather then listen to the talking points on either side.
Another major reason for wanting reform is because medical bills are the number one reason why people file for bankruptcy.
Imagine working 40 years and having a small saving and your house paid off and one single operation forces you to go bankrupted, you lose your house, your saving and your dignity after working so hard all those years.
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SweetNapaGuy
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Sep 8 @ 12:07PM
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Over in the forums, there's a thread about a man who claims he was brutally beaten by "union thugs" at a healthcare townhall meeting. A video link was provided, showing that, in the eight seconds of the supposed assault, he fell. Maybe he was pushed, maybe he was pulled by the "union thug" who was already on the ground, maybe he just fell. The main thing is, during the eight-second clip, he was down for maybe three seconds.
A longer video clip is then shown, where he was back up off the ground, walking around, waving his arm at the cops. Seems perfectly alright.
At least, up until the right-wing rally, where he's confined to a wheelchair, supposedly heavily sedated because of "significant injuries" (face, shoulder, back, knee, and so on; note that in the video, there's no damage to his face, he's not limping, and he's able to move his arms without trouble). He's "unable to speak," but his lawyer read off a prepared statement.
Oh, and because he's unemployed and has no health insurance, he's now accepting donations to pay off his "medical bills"... But heaven help anyone who tries to give healthcare to anyone else who might need it, who isn't apparently faking their injuries...
(Oh, he's also filed a lawsuit against the union. Because falling to the ground on top of another guy is so damaging...)
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Kentuck
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Sep 8 @ 12:30PM
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People:
We should have a national health reform and yes the poor, out of work and even the illegals need a source of medical help. One reason for this, all plagues start in the slums and spread out. If you look back, HIV is suppose to have started in Africa, The chicken flu in a small village in China and the swine flu in a small pig farm in Mexico.
NOTE: If you do not stop it in its origin--it will spread to all for dieases are not prediguse, bigot or target a certain race--it goes after any one it can get.
The problem with this administration's health care is the talk show people--fox media, cnn, rush etc. Also republicans playing politicts with your life. Then there are the people that refuse to read but listen to the loud mouths at town meetings. This was and is the pupose of the town meetings, but they have been destroyed by Insurance companies and dumb asses.
there is not such a thing as death squads--everyone needs to chat with their doctor about what to do when they become terminial ill. I though it was one of the toughest quest to answer when it came to-do you want us to restart your monther's hear or keep her on life support--you should make these decisions.
Government control---government will not control your health care but negoiate a better plan with the insurance companies as your company does.
Now if they do not pass this bill, then I suggest that all cost that companies, firms, government etc pay for their employee's health care be passed on to the employee as taxable income.
Regulate--the health insurance companies so as they offer the same plan to everyone.
Or Make health insurance like getting car, life, or home owner's insurance.
Since people do not want the health insurance--do away with the department of health, diease and drugs control. Legalize all drugs--let these pot heads OD and get rid of them. Allow people to buy their medicine from anywhere.
Make the drug companies be the soul provider of vacines and othe protective service that the GOVERNMENT provides.
For the gun totters at the town hall meetings---guns will not kill dieases
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Hooks
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Sep 8 @ 2:20PM
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Gomer Pyle always said, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me! People are higly skeptical of anything that the Obama administration is doing since having the Stimulus Package pushed through so quickly. Granted we need to move on some issues as quickly as possible, but with him telling them to approve this in 3 weeks, just reeks of impropriety! Most of our elected officials can not sit down read, and comprehend all of it in that amount of time. I'm all for healthcare reform, but don't try and force a pig in a poke down my throat! Do most of you know this plan was something that he had already proposed to government several years ago at the cost of $2 to $3 trillion? It was rejected as not being a viable plan. Stick with what we have until time is taken to work all the details out, and come up with a viable plan! 
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ttomtarr
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Sep 8 @ 3:11PM
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Ed, there is a simple answer.
Americans pay two and a half times, per capita, more for health care than any other country in the world, yet rank twelveth for care received.
If we limit health care costs to the level of most of Europe, we could cover two and a half times as many people for the same total expenditure. Becuase there are not that many un-covered people, we could cover everyone, and have a reduction in expenditures to boot.
But, to do it we must do two things:
Tort reform to end expensive "defensive treatment", giving unnecessary treatment to avoid lawsuits.
And lobby reform, to break the hold of the AMA, for profit hospitals, drug companies, and insurance companies on our health care. It is not a coincidence that the AMA is the highest dollar lobbyist, and gets 2.5 times what other countries doctors get, and that the others are not far behind in lobby dollars..
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POPO
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Sep 9 @ 10:17AM
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Right now, all these people are screaming at the hometown debates on both sides of the issue without actually reading one of the four health-care proposal or trying to have a real debate to discuss and bring forth the best ideas because they are to busy hearing their own agenda instead, sadly.
To shout and scream, long before the final proposal is presented is naive and ignorant.
So please stop spouting talking points and offer idea's and wait for actually health-care bill to be presented, rather then hollering like an idiot, because we all know, the avg person or politician hasn't read the one that passed in the house one committee completely, which is over 1,300 pages.
Many of the people at the town hall meetings not only have read the bill "HR-3200" (the one you say doesn't exist, it's the bill Obama was trying to get signed before congress went on break) but brought copied pages of this bill to the town hall meetings. To say these people are ignorant and acting like idiots, is idiotic naive and just plain stupid. They have read the bill, many of those speakers (the representitives) didn't, yet their trying to defend HR-3200 without knowing themselves what is said in the bill.
Many of the people asking the questions are more informed then those trying to peddel it, many members of both houses have said they didn't read the bill, including Charlie Rangel who laughed and said he didn't read the bill, it would take two lawyers and days to read and understand the bill, yet he is pushing to have the bill passed. That's what informed Americans are up in arms over and concerned with.
Obama himself has went on camera several times saying whats in or not in the bill and he has been absolutely wrong.
So please stop spouting talking points and offer idea's and wait for actually health-care bill to be presented, rather then hollering like an idiot, because we all know, the avg person or politician hasn't read the one that passed in the house one committee completely, which is over 1,300 pages.
These "Talking Points" that are being spouted, Are Facts Written in the Bill....The only Idiots hollering are the un-informed idiots trying to defend what they do not understand nor have read. (Congress and their Useful Idiots that follow like Sheep).
The so called average person are the ones agreeing with this Stupidity, they are un-informed and chant "Yes We Can" with no idea what that actually means? or "Change We Can Believe In" with no explaination of what the change is? The "Informed Americans" who reject this government take over of yet another industry, are the same Americans you bash and call names. Wasn't it your president who said" Get in their faces and Argue with them"? Wasn't it your president who said, " I will not sign any bill, until I have read it word for word line by line" wasn't it your president who said" I will not sign any bill until it's been posted for (5) days for all Americans to see and read" wasn't it your president who said "His administration would be Transparent" wasn't it your president who said "Don't judge me on my words alone, but rather who I surround myself with"?
It's not the Americans standing up for America that concern me, It's those who think they think they know what is being said or written to be passed as law, yet know nothing, nor can actually explain what's in the documents. HR-3200 was and is the Bill Obama and the Democratic Congress is trying to inact and put into law.
The problem isn't Republicans, Right Wingers, Conservatives, Fox News, Rush, Hannity, Glen Beck and so on. Congress has the majority of the vote, they can pass anything they want to, they don't need Republican support..  Obama's biggest problem is many Democrats are beginning to see the damage HR-3200 will cause if passed. His approval ratings are now at 42% he was at 63% just a few months ago 
So please, Stop with the kicking of those who are informed, and calling them ignorant, Ignorance, means not knowing! you see how dumb that is to say that?  Those who do understand and are informed and agree with it are Stupid, you see the difference?  
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edthepoet
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Sep 9 @ 10:59AM
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Popo,
Your just a die hard rep, who still hasn't accept that Obama and the dems kicked the reps butt because of how horrible they did when they had total control.
Your so wrong that many people have read one of the propose bill, maybe at best 1%,
most are just trying to make this whole thing more confusing by yelling and not actually debating the issue so that the best idea's come forward.
The talking points aren't facts, there's no death panel like the idiot Sarah palin says.
Now, I do agree many politicians haven't read it fully either which is frightening, I mean on both sides.
There's no doubt, that we need ind reform for the many reasons I stated and one's I didn't.
The rep party is using fears tactic's to stop any ins reform from going through.
Obama could have just ignored the rep and pushed it through, but He didn't he want rep input and votes on this most important issue. What have the rep done, nothing but, say no to anything Obama has said.
Hell, they were against Obama speech yesterday, what in the hell is wrong with what he said in his speech.
Look, everyone knows that the rep party has a high percentage of racist people in it.
Here's the proof, when LBj signed the civil right act in 1964, he said at the time, I just turn the south rep and that's exactly what happen.
Your probably one of those people who defend people bringing a gun to a health-care reform rally is a good idea.
If, you actually read my blog properly, I wasn't siding with either side.
I could give a rat ass who comes up with the best idea, but just saying no to anything and everything is wrong as saying yes to anything and everything.
Now, anybody who think Rush is good for this country, can't really be taken seriously.
He and other are praying this country fail,which is sickening.
See, your part of the problem, You already made up your mind about health-care reform. The HR-3200 is only one of four or five reform proposals out there.
I am only asking people to wait for the final bill, then read it and then say yes or no to it, not instill fear into people long before we actually have the only one bill being voted on.
That's the difference my friend between being inform properly and being ignorant.
Anyone who makes up their mind about something so important to the people and to the country is stupid!
Oh btw, throwing out his approval rating is quite silly, because if what was his chances to win the oval office before he ran, zero, yet he won by a landslide and what was the number one reason for it, hmmm, How GWB and his fellow reps ran the country for eight years.
The reps are the one's to blame for Obama being in office, so I suggest that you accept Him as your president because you are one of many who got him elected.
To believe for one second that we don't need reform shows your ignorant.
Now, stay focus and wait for the final draft before shouting and screaming foul.
If I believe the final draft is wrong, then I will voice my opinion against and write to those who can actually have a say about it.
This isn't about being a dem or rep,it's about providing decent health-care to everyone and making sure people who worked for 40 years at a job don't lose their home and saving because of one single month in the hospital.
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SweetNapaGuy
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Sep 9 @ 10:59AM
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Tort reform to end expensive "defensive treatment", giving unnecessary treatment to avoid lawsuits.
How about, instead, we push the AMA to "defrock" the 5%(-ish) of doctors that are the ones who are the worst? The 5% who account for the vast majority of malpractice suits? The 5% who make the rest of the doctors look so bad?
When Bush was pushing malpractice tort reforms, his "poster boy" for the campaign actually turned out to have one of the worst records in that state. Bush talked about how malpractice insurance was pushing that doctor out of the practice, and all I could think was, "Good." The AMA won't push bad doctors out of practice, they protect the bad with the good.
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POPO
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Sep 9 @ 1:45PM
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Popo,
Your just a die hard rep,
Edward...I have never registered Republican in my life your assumptions, make you look silly and stupid.
Your so wrong that many people have read one of the propose bill, maybe at best 1%,
most are just trying to make this whole thing more confusing Where did you get 1% Edward? another one of your guesses? What's confusing is Obama and the Dems can't make up their mind which bill to send through, it started with HR-3200, the one you don't remember. Now their are (4) bills...  no wonder your confused.
The talking points aren't facts, there's no death panel like the idiot Sarah palin says. If she is an idiot, what does that say about you? She was Governor, you can't even make your blog make sense.
The rep party is using fears tactic's to stop any ins reform from going through. This is an absolute lie.. Democratics, Independents and Conservatives, are reading direct quotes from HR-3200 and asking about it, Obama and his ilks are the ones using fear tactics.
Obama could have just ignored the rep and pushed it through, but He didn't he want rep input and votes on this most important issue. What have the rep done, nothing but, say no to anything Obama has said. Another flat out lie... Obama doesn't have the votes within his own party never has, or he would have pushed it through like he did with the stimulas bill, they have rejected all the republican recommendations. Know your facts... 
Hell, they were against Obama speech yesterday, what in the hell is wrong with what he said in his speech.
Another lie... many teachers and school districts who are democratic were against it and chose not to play his speech, his original speech was scrapped because it's message was political.
Look, everyone knows that the rep party has a high percentage of racist people in it.
Another lie...Democrats play the race card and bring up race not Republicans, if your to stupid to believe this, then you do not know the history of your own party.
Here's the proof, when LBj signed the civil right act in 1964, he said at the time, I just turn the south rep and that's exactly what happen.
Who brought the Civil rights Act to him to sign? It was the Republican party who stood with Martin Luther King jr. who was another Conservative Republican Christian, JFK didn't want to sign it and brother Bobby the then US Attorney, tried his best to silence Martin Luther King jr.
Your probably one of those people who defend people bringing a gun to a health-care reform rally is a good idea. Of course, he was within his legal right, he was also a black conservative showing his equal and Constitutional rights.
Now, anybody who think Rush is good for this country, can't really be taken seriously.
He and other are praying this country fail,which is sickening. Another one of your lies.. Your ignorance far exceeds your intelligence
People want his distructive ideas and policies to fail, not the country, there is a difference Stupid
Continued...
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POPO
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Sep 9 @ 1:46PM
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Continued...
See, your part of the problem, You already made up your mind about health-care reform. The HR-3200 is only one of four or five reform proposals out there. Then which one is he asking people to agree with? 1? 2? 3? 4? or 5? The one he wanted Congress to sign was HR-3200, you see how Stupid you look and how your arguement is like water to a drowning man?
That's the difference my friend between being inform properly and being ignorant. Enthrall us with your wisdom is it bill 1-2-3-4-or 5 we should agree with  Obama tried to force Congress to sign bill # 1 HR-3200
Anyone who makes up their mind about something so important to the people and to the country is stupid! No anyone who doesn't read the bill and then signs it is Stupid! Or defends 1 to 5 bills that change daily is a complete idiot, see I know you better then you know your self.. 
yet he won by a landslide 3% is hardly a landslide..
To believe for one second that we don't need reform shows your ignorant. Like he reformed our economy?
Like he reformed our Automotive industry?
Like he reformed Housing?
Like he reformed Un-employment?
Like he's trying to reform corporate American?
you mean that kind of reform?
I'm disappointed Edward... I was hoping for an intelligent response
But I digress...
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edthepoet
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Sep 9 @ 3:48PM
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Dear popo,
How can the President ask the people to agree on something that hasn't happen or is completely finished. He let the House and the Senate come up with the bill, he didn't hand either one a bill to decide on. See, the difference.
Actually tonight, He is supposedly going to make things that he wants in the bill clearer for the public to understand, which I admit he hasn't done so far.
You may not registered as a rep, but two out of your last blogs lean that way, then add all your comment on on anything bashing Obama or the dems.
Your a wolf in sheep clothing my friend.
You say the talking points are facts, please show where in the bill where it says death panel,please.
Please take your afternoon meds please, because you apparently noticed that the south turn rep after the civil right act was passed, I was impressed by you mentioning one person,woohoo for you. Have asked yourself why the sudden change in voting after the civil right act was passed,of course not. Your a hear no evil see no evil kind of person. I am sure your a big time Beck fan, who called the President a racist. How can the Obama be a racist, he's both black and white,geez.
I can believe the rep could elect an idiot like Palin for gov,lol
Hmm, what happen, she didn't even finished out her term as gov, but you wanted her to be the vp, now who look dumb as shit.
I guess you missed all her stupid comments all through the election, not to mention people in her own party think she a dumbass too.
Like, I can see Russia from my house,
"I think on a national level your Department of Law there in the White House would look at some of the things that we've been charged with and automatically throw them out." --Sarah Palin, referring to a department that does not exist while attempting to explain why as president she wouldn't be subjected to the same ethics investigations that compelled her to resign as governor of Alaska, ABC News interview, July 7, 200
"They are also building schools for the Afghan children so that there is hope and opportunity in our neighboring country of Afghanistan." --Sarah Palin, speaking at a fundraiser in San Francisco, Oct. 5, 2008
[T]hey're in charge of the U.S. Senate so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom." --Sarah Palin, getting the vice president's constitutional role wrong after being asked by a third grader what the vice president does, interview with NBC affiliate KUSA in Colorado, Oct. 21, 2008
"I'm the mayor, I can do whatever I want until the courts tell me I can't.'" --Sarah Palin, as quoted by former City Council Member Nick Carney, after he raised objections about the $50,000 she spent renovating the mayor's office without approval of the city council
On Obama, so you have a copy on what he was original speech said, I would love to have you post it. You just got caught in a big lie there.
How whacked out are you, of course Obama wouldn't make the race a black and white issue because this nation has only 12.3% Africans or blacks in this country where as whites represent 75.1. so his game plan would be to attract the white vote in order to win, which he did.
Apparently, I need to teach you that our country uses the electoral college system to elect our President, which was a landslide Obama 365 vs 173 McCain, let's see, in GWb two election he won by a total of 39.
Damn, I am starting to feel sorry for you, so I will stop embarrassing you.
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SweetNapaGuy
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Sep 9 @ 3:59PM
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yet he won by a landslide
3% is hardly a landslide..
Yes. But 7% (the ACTUAL amount by which he won) is more of a landslide. Compare that to the 2% by which Bush Jr. won in 2004; the -1% by which Bush Jr. won in 2000; the 9% by which Clinton won in 1996; the 6% by which Clinton won in 1992; and the 8% by which Bush Sr. won in 1992.
So yeah. 7%, compared to most elections, IS a landslide.
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POPO
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Sep 9 @ 4:27PM
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Yes. But 7% (the ACTUAL amount by which he won) is more of a landslide. Compare that to the 2% by which Bush Jr. won in 2004; the -1% by which Bush Jr. won in 2000; the 9% by which Clinton won in 1996; the 6% by which Clinton won in 1992; and the 8% by which Bush Sr. won in 1992.
So yeah. 7%, compared to most elections, IS a landslide.
Let's go with actual numbers from two known sources...your math is way to fuzzy and out right stupid! It helps to actually know what your talking about rather then just making up your liberal CaCa....  Now you know I usually never respond to you...
Obama wins 52pc of popular vote;
November 06, 2008 04:24am
BARACK Obama won the popular vote by a six-point margin of 52 to 46 per cent for vanquished Republican rival John McCain, US networks said today.
Senator Obama earned 62.98 million votes nationwide and Senator McCain, 55.78 million, NBC reported.
The tally according to Fox News was 62.95 million for Senator Obama and 55.75 million for Senator McCain.
That's roughly 144, 000 per state hardly a landslide but then again to you a good time would be being ambidextrous, your math would make it a double date...
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SweetNapaGuy
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Sep 9 @ 4:43PM
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Ah, PoPo. Whenever I need to be reminded of the "devil's deal" the right-wingers made, pandering to the ignorant at the expense of the educated, I only need to see a post by you.
Obama had 52.9% (66.882M) of voters. McCain had 45.7% (58.344M). So technically, Obama won by a 7.2% margin. (The other 1.6% went among the usual mixed bag of third parties.) Bush Jr. WISHED he had had margins that good.
By the way: (66.882M - 58.344M) / 50 = 171,000 per state. Not 144,000. And to dismiss it as insignificant is ridiculous. In the last 20 years, only ONE Republican president has managed to match what Democratic presidents have managed to do with no troubles at all.
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ttomtarr
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Sep 9 @ 4:43PM
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How about, instead, we push the AMA to "defrock" the 5%(-ish) of doctors that are the ones who are the worst? The 5% who account for the vast majority of malpractice suits? The 5% who make the rest of the doctors look so bad?
A very good point! I am glad you agree with me, but there is no reason to limit things to only one improvement. Tort reform could have quick results, but other steps are also neccessary. As I commented, we need to
....to break the hold of the AMA, for profit hospitals, drug companies, and insurance companies on our health care.
I am sure, upon a bit of thought, you will see that "breaking the AMA grip" must include loosening their control of med school admissions, control of expert witnesses in court (defence of the incompetent), and increasing the supply of doctors practicing in the US to decrease their ability to demand payment 2.5 times higher than any other country pays. A number of other benefits will result from breaking their deathgrip on our health care as well.
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edthepoet
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Sep 9 @ 4:45PM
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Wow, your using fox news as a source, what a surprise that is,lol
Popo, Maybe you missed the lesson I just gave you, our presidential election is done by the electoral college system, not by popular vote,duh.
Therefore, 365 to 173 is a landslide.
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edthepoet
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Sep 9 @ 4:51PM
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I do agree that tort reform should be included in this health-care reform, but, not so heavy-handed that it takes away the rights of real victims to sue, but, limits do need to be in placed.
Now, since most in the House and the Senate are lawyers, I can't see that happening in any major way.
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ttomtarr
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Sep 9 @ 4:55PM
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Talk about reform, that electoral college is an outdated relic of the days when HP meant horse power, to ride for days or weeks on horseback, to vote.
With todays instant communications, the college is nothing more than an opportunity for the superdelegates and other shysters to get together in the back rooms, and elect someone other than the person the voters chose.
Time due, way overdue, to junk it.
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RareQuestor
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Sep 9 @ 5:17PM
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Actually the speed of communications was not so much a factor as sectional interests. When this nation was founded, America was a collection of states which were de facto independent republic that only grudgingly accepted federal authority. The smaller states feared being by dominated by the larger states and the electoral college was the compromise designed to soothe such fears. It was intended to bring a measure of equality to the presidential election.
I fully concur that it should be junked. America today is a nation and not a collection of states. We think of ourselves Americans rather than as Virginians, New Yorkers, Californians, etc. We may attach an ethnic identify (African-American, for example), but no one seriously identifies with states anymore. Even Texans will answer "American" when you ask their nationality. It's all very well to allow the states to compete for federal funds, but the Chief Executive should be chosen by the popular will of the people.
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SweetNapaGuy
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Sep 9 @ 5:25PM
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ttomtarr, the electoral college was intended to (1) make sure that it was clear who had won and (2) provide some extra "oomph" to the smaller states. It still serves both of those purposes.
As for backrooms dealings that get electors to change their votes, how often has that happened? Maybe one or two electors in the last fifty years, but it's doubtful it's been enough to change any particular election. Electors are generally required to vote the state's majority. (Excepting two states that split their votes proportionately. Nebraska and I believe Vermont.)
What would be interesting is if states had to commit to split every electoral vote above the first two proportionately. So, for instance, California (with its current 55 votes) would have seen (Obama) 2 + (61% of 53, rounded up)(Obama) 33 + (37% of 53, remainder)(McCain) 20. So McCain would have picked up 20 electoral votes there.
Whereas Texas would have (McCain) 2 + (55% of 32, rounded up)(McCain) 18 + (44% of 32, remainder)(Obama) 14. So Obama would have picked up 14 electoral votes there.
The current system, unfortunately, lets each state pick how they'll award electoral votes. Hence we have presidential elections which boils down to a dozen "battleground" states and 38 states that are pretty much ignored after the primaries.
At least, that's an unworkable idea I've been toying with. (The two parties like the system in place, but would LOVE to see it changed in the other party's backyard...)
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edthepoet
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Sep 9 @ 5:39PM
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I agree we should move away from the electoral college system, I prefer the
Congressional District Method (a.k.a., Maine-Nebraska Method) is an alternative way of distributing electoral votes within a state. In a winner-takes-all system, the winner of the statewide popular vote receives all of that state’s electoral votes. Under the Congressional District Method, the electoral votes are distributed based on the popular vote winner within each of the state’s individual congressional districts; additionally, the statewide popular vote winner receiving two additional electoral votes.
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observed50
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Sep 9 @ 5:40PM
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Dontcha love how a blog meanders all over the place as we try to deal with a blog's point?
I think we should institute Palin's Death Panels (say that scary) as quickly as possible. Then...we should kill all the infirm, and process their bodies for fatty oils (this is the US after all, where 2/3s of us have excess fat - 1Lb=3500 calories!). The oil can then be used as a feedstock for biodiesel.
Rounding up the infirm? Jobs.
Processing their bodies into fatty oil? Jobs.
Processing fatty oil into biodiesel? Jobs.
Sitting on Death Panels (I hope you're sayin this good and scary. Sarah'd want you to be real scary when ya say it!). Jobs.
Transporting the infirm to kill rooms. Jobs.
Transporting the dead infirm to processing plants? Jobs.
Cheaper fuels and less vehicles? More space to spread out.
Less demand on health care resources? Cheaper health care.
Less infirm? Less social contagions.
Less infirm? Fewer poster people for a given disease. Less guilt and wincing.
Less infirm? Less fundraisers for those whose private health care SUCKS THE BIG WAZOO and won't pay for needed surgery, medicine, etc., because of some panel of bureaucrats in private organizations measuring profits against possible lawsuits for inadequate health care coverage.
Palin's got my support! MORE DEATH PANELS!!!
*I said that reaaaallllllly scarrrrrrry!* 
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