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when Obama proposed a health care bill taken directly from the research of the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank - indeed, a health care bill identical to Mitt Romney's plan enacted in Massachusetts, and well to the right of that proposed by Nixon in the early 1970s - the Republican caucus, one and all, supported him enthusiastically.
Your memory is off slightly. It was the Democrats who lined up in support of that plan. Even stranger, they present its Republican pedigree as an endorsement, and simultaneously a sign that the Republican side is unreasonable. Nancy Pelosi said, "Don't trust the insurance companies," then voted to make everyone pay all they could afford to those very same companies and trust them with their lives. Supporters of that plan have convinced themselves that they're much smarter than the majority, who oppose it, and I think it must take some special kind of intelligence to believe in it, because I can't understand how that makes any sense.
But here's the thing: no matter how badly things might go with Democrats, the Republicans campaign on being even worse, as in an Alice-in-Wonderland reverse auction. It is an auction, in a way, where the lobbyists (what FDR used to call "special interests") are bidding against the public interest, and power goes to the highest bidder.
The tragedy that has befallen this nation is that, even with all that, Obama beats the alternative. And that is seriously bad news.
Exactly. The country's in terrible shape, and the guy running against Obama just outright insults 47% of the population. I mean, how fucking stupid do you have to be?
And the same rhetoric goes on year after year..............Dems fault, no Reps fault. All of these overpaid, talk a lot, do nothing politicians are to blame. The arguments are so tired and stale at this point. These people have no shame that we are actually paying their salaries.
APOCALYPSEFUCK is Shostakovich says
A tax cut will fix everything.
I don't think that goes far enough. We also need to increase corporate tax shelters, and give government backed incentives for higher executive pay.
Eventually it will trickle down.
The tragedy that has befallen this nation is that, even with all that, Obama beats the alternative. And that is seriously bad news.
Exactly. The country's in terrible shape, and the guy running against Obama just outright insults 47% of the population. I mean, how fucking stupid do you have to be?
Yep, the Republicans could have won that election easily if they had a clue.
And Obama outright insults the other 47%.... so isn't it standoff then???
Uhh... no.
It's a civil war in Syria, it isn't our war. If US gets involved, it won't be over the murders, it'll be over some tangible financial benefits.
You know how it goes, if pension funds don't earn their 6%+ we go to war.
No one has yet proven if nerve gas was used. And no one has proved by whom, if it indeed has been used.
The last time a similar story like this ran, the UN said it was the rebels who used the gas.
Maybe we should keep the US corporate profit enforcement division (US military) out of this and mind our own business?
Let the UN handle it; that's what it's for.
It may be time to rev up the false flag anthrax attacks in the USA again.
Exactly. The country's in terrible shape, and the guy running against Obama just outright insults 47% of the population. I mean, how fucking stupid do you have to be?
And Obama outright insults the other 47%.... so isn't it standoff then???
So the swing voters are only the 6% who are not "insulted?"
the opposition is just as bad, if not worse than the government.
There were two strands to the opposition, at least in the early days. The secular opposition included professional military officers and they wanted to ally with the U.S. against the government which is backed by Russia; there were some calls to arm them, and the issue was considered, but it's probably much too late for that now. Instead, the country became a magnet for al Qaeda, and much of the opposition consists now of Islamist fanatics who would kill Americans too if they got the chance. It might minimize harm to arrange asylum somewhere for the secular opposition, and let the government deal with the religious fanatics. Attacking the government with drones and missiles, and arming the religious fanatics, would be more likely to increase risk than to reduce it.
All of these overpaid, talk a lot, do nothing politicians are to blame
Politician's aren't the problem, We The People are the problem.
Nobody here understands anything about anything.
It's bullshit all the way down in this country.
then voting to make everyone pay all they could afford to those very same companies
PPACA limits insurance burdens to 2-10% of income for middle-class:
[Now, if they just raise taxes to give us the subsidy, it's not a real cost savings.]
Plus of course the House Dem bill had the public option, allowing consumers to buy insurance directly from the gov't, like we now do with student loans.
that they're much smarter than the majority, who oppose it,
"36 percent of Americans want Congress to expand or keep the health care law while 39 percent want Congress to repeal it "
More than half that 39% can't find their ass with a map.
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/poll-louisiana-gopers-unsure-if-katrina-response-was
The economy tanked in 2001 under Bush. The housing bubble obscured the bad fundamentals for a few years, but that just made things worse. There hasn't been a good economy since the Clinton administration.
Of course, Obama did follow the same doomed-to-fail economic policy of propping up housing prices and thus strangling the economy. So he's no saint either.
Obama did follow the same doomed-to-fail economic policy of propping up housing prices and thus strangling the economy.
How did he do that? Are you talking about the first-time buyer tax credit?
Agree with you about the shitty economy ever since 2001.
If the Russians believe that this is a false flag, watch out. America needs to quit being led around by it's dick, the CIA.
So that would make the NSA it's balls, the TSA its taint?
How did he do that?
Keeping interest rates low, debasing the currency, bailing out the too-big-to-fail banks while letting their competition (small banks) go under, failing to enforce all the anti-fraud laws the banks broke, and all out punishing responsible renters and savers, the very people who are necessary to finally fix the housing market and allow everyone to move and move on with their lives.
Keeping interest rates low, debasing the currency
Isn't that Ben Bernanke's domain? I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just wondering.
bailing out the too-big-to-fail banks while letting their competition (small banks) go under, failing to enforce all the anti-fraud laws the banks broke
Agree, that was insane. We're basically a plutocracy run by the CEOs in Big Finance.
If the U.S. had debt laws like Dubai, we'd see houses parked hap-haphazardly at the airport.
Isn't that Ben Bernanke's domain? I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just wondering.
Technically, but monetary policy ultimately stems from the White House and Congress.
More than half that 39%....
don't even live in Louisiana, let alone show up in your irrelevant poll of LA Republicans who are unsure about the federal response to Hurricane Katrina (when Barack Obama was a U.S. Senator, not President). Gallup also found majority opposition to Obamacare.
if they just raise taxes to give us the subsidy, it's not a real cost savings.
Exactly. It's only more revenue for the patronage networks, and more federal power that can be further monetized.
Isn't that Ben Bernanke's domain?
Ben Bernanke was re-appointed by President Obama. Also the endless "helping homeowners" (actually banks) programs began or continued in the current administration - HAMP, MHA - in addition to continuing the pre-existing programs (FHA, Federal Home Loan Banks, MID). (In the medical sector, these would be called "pre-existing conditions," with the same goal of extending them as lucratively as possible.)
Recently the President proposed winding down Fannie and Freddie and making sure there won't be more bailouts. I hope he succeeds in doing that, which would reduce the risk of another collapse. Most of these problems began before President Obama arrived, so the issue has been "extend and pretend," shoring up a collapse with deficit spending and low interest rates. I hope he will solve the underlying problems, but as with healthcare, it's a tough job: most of the system is run by the people who make $ off the problems and want them to continue, and the Republicans tempt them with proposals that are even worse for everyone else.
but as with healthcare, it's a tough job: most of the system is run by the people who make $ off the problems and want them to continue.
Chris Rock: "Ain't no money in a cure. They're still mad about all the money they lost on polio!"
And Obama outright insults the other 47%.... so isn't it standoff then???
Um, no he didn't. What the fuck are you talking about? Also, 100 minus 47 is not 47.
[Now, if they just raise taxes to give us the subsidy, it's not a real cost savings.]
Depends who's getting taxed. The law taxes big business as well as conspicuous consumption, but not the middle class or the poor.
If the Russians believe that this is a false flag, watch out.
Watch out for what? What will happen, Gary? They send in their "aircraft carrier"?
The tape was doctored, asshole.
Same as 911....
I mean, how fucking stupid do you have to be?
We need more wars!
Increasing profits for the Military Industrial Complex is good for our economy.
APO: "Why do you hate success?"
It all depends upon if they believe that Syria is crucial to their national interest.
So, what happens if they really-really believe that Syria is crucial? Come on Gary, spill the beans already.
They will first stop the UN from asking for an inspection of the areas where the gas was allegedly used.
That's it? How scary.
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