Adoration of the Magi, Peter Paul Reubens
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Monday Open Thread86 comments to Monday Open ThreadLeave a Reply |
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Copyright © 2012 threedonia.com - All Rights Reserved |
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Monday Open Thread86 comments to Monday Open ThreadLeave a Reply |
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Copyright © 2012 threedonia.com - All Rights Reserved |
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Just got off my shift on OurGOP (that’s why you see so much early morning activity from me). I thought from this passage Orthodoxy appropriate:
A Way Out of the Healthcare Mess
Not a bad plan, as plans go, David, but how do you implement it?
I don’t think anyone likes the Senate or House plans. They are the results of many compromises as it passed through the sausage grinder of government. Howard Dean and Michael Steele hate it. Quite a feat! If a Senator put your plan forth what do you think it would look like after a month of running through that sausage factory?
Not a bad plan, as plans go, David, but how do you implement it?
Assume there is enough political will to do something about this crap sandwich, but not enough to repeal it. This is the “something” that allows you to kill it, without having to face a potentially monstrous process of repeal.
David,
I just went back and re-read it. To my eyes it just looks like a way to make insuring the uninsured more affordable. That’s great, and it’s undoubtedly better than what is being legislated now, but how does your process undo what’s being legislated now?
Assuming somthing like the current House and Senate bills passes this week how does your plan help a future Congress kill the Health Care law then in place?
And, if we can’t even get Congress to enact tax cuts for business whenever we have high unemployment (although tax breaks ALWAYS result in lower unemployment), why do you believe legislators are more likely to see the light when it comes to tax breaks for insurance companies? Won’t Democratic Congresspersons point to high insurance executive pay and claim that tax breaks wouldn’t be necessary if they didn’t make such extravagant salaries? I know it’s a false argument, but that doesn’t stop them from using it now and class warfare seems to be a very effective strategy for the Democrats.
Assuming somthing like the current House and Senate bills passes this week how does your plan help a future Congress kill the Health Care law then in place?
By ending dependency on government programs, you end the primary justification for their existence (not the real primary reason, but the justification). By erasing the cost of mandates, you nullify the Dems strategy of pricing consumers out of the market and running the insurance companies into the ground. Instead of trying to destroy the prison, you just slyly unlock all the doors.
This plan assumes that the voters will run the current pack of Congresscritters out on a rail and put in a a new group that will fulfill their promises, at least for a while. If that doesn’t happen, then any effort, in any form, to kill this legislation plan at the congressional level is doomed to failure.
But if they do point to high tax breaks, I just point out that the poor and elderly are getting free insurance. “We’re making the insurance companies work for the people!”
And you probably package it with tax breaks for the middle class as well, just so it doesn’t look like executives are the only ones getting them.
O.K., I went back and read it a 3rd time. Granted, I have been hitting the egg nog pretty hard the past week, but doesn’t it boil down to this? Offer insurance providers refundable tax credits…
Who offers the tax credits? I assume that’s Congress, right? How does that jibe with this? By ending dependency on government programs, you end the primary justification for their existence
Isn’t that circular logic? Aren’t you saying the way to demonstrate to Congress that taxes aren’t needed to support a law they’ve enacted is dependent on Congress eliminating the tax?
Aren’t you saying the way to demonstrate to Congress that taxes aren’t needed to support a law they’ve enacted is dependent on Congress eliminating the tax?
Huh? I’m not talking about demonstrating anything to Congress. The Dem-controlled Congress knows perfectly well that they don’t need a program or taxes for actual reform, but that isn’t their goal, is it? Stage 4, “dependency,” relies upon Dems arguing for/lying about the need of a government program, because of dependents on the program. The harder fight is to repeal those programs, but an alternate strategy is to make those programs irrelevant. It nullifies their talking points and allows for an exit from the dependency loop.
In other words, it does two things: it flanks around entitlement bulwark and it reshapes the narrative by answering the Left’s typical hobby horses. It also goes further by satisfying the dependent voting bloc. They don’t want to loose their benefits and they won’t.
Let me give an example.
You have the elderly on Medicare, but many of them don’t want to be there. However, they can’t leave Medicare, as they’re too old to re-enter the workforce and paid out the nose for SS and Medicare while they were working, so it’s left no money for retirement. They’re trapped. But under this arrangement, they can leave Medicare and will in a fairly predicable course.
You have the welfare leeches, who want something for nothing. Who cares where it comes from?
Then you have the working poor who are also trapped in the government hole. They also have the option of leaving.
Then you have the rest of the electorate, who are nominally supportive of reform, but tend to buy the dependency argument. Now it can be answered.
David,
The dirty little secret about health care is that most all of us who are fortunate to make it into our 60′s will get more medical care then we have “earned.” Have you ever talked to anyone in their late 60′s, 70′s or 80′s about health? The majority of people that age are obsessed about the subject. Most of their conversations center on it. Which one of their friends has what ailment; prescription drugs, hospitals, doctors, treatments… Most of them want Medicare and free or discounted drugs and supplemental Medicare insurance and they want to live in assisted living centers without depleting their life savings… They are scared, informed and they want their share. They believe they paid into all these government programs, and, quite frankly, they do not seem to care if they steal from their children and grandchildren to maintain a quality of life. They have no faith in the Government. They have lived long enough to know the Government will abuse any funds it receives, so they do not concern themselves with whether their healthcare is being financed through their children’s taxes. The Government promised them their Social Security payments would be held for them, yet they were consumed decades before they retired. They just want to make sure they get theirs.
I don’t even know what you mean by “paid out the nose for SS and Medicare…no money for retirement.” I doubt if 10% of Americans could quote you the amount taken from their pay to fund those benefits, and I wouldn’t be surprised if more than 50% are not even aware it’s deducted from their gross pay. In all actuality, it isn’t a huge sum. It certainly doesn’t impact my ability to save for retirement, or buy health insurance.
My parents were very blue collar and I would say less than 20% of their friends have not saved adequately for retirement. If Social Security and Medicare went away tomorrow more than 80% of their blue collar, lower middle class to middle class, retired friends could all afford food, shelter, medical insurance and prescription medications. They are not trapped. Yet, if a Congressman voted to take any of those things from them they would storm the Captial with pitchforks. There is a reason politicians call Social Security “the third rail” of politics. Well, after this week you can lump healthcare in that bucket.
“You have the working poor who are also trapped in the government hole.” Again, have you talked to many of these folks? For the vast majority of “working poor” it is a temporary situation while they work their ways up the ladder. I forget the exact numbers, but it’s less than 20% of people are at poverty level for more than a few years, and many are simply young late teens and 20 somethings just starting out. Less than half of these folks have any clue where any government assistance comes from, or who pays for it. It’s “The Government.” Most people at or below the poverty level don’t feel trapped by the government. They see the government as a sugar daddy who helps them get things they need; food, shelter, and now, insurance. Again, “third rail.”
Look at how good the Democratic machine is at getting folks out to vote. I can just picture the busloads of folks they’ll cart to the Capital to protest when some Republican Senator starts talking about messing with their healthcare. Yes, yes, I know, your system gets them the same benefits, blah, blah, blah. Well, you nailed it yourself in your own piece. How do they get this stuff through? Fear. What will they use to keep folks from eliminating the government’s role once it’s enacted? Fear.
And don’t be so naive about what this will mean to Congress. Now Congressmen and women will be able to get a government cancer treatment center in their district, or a drug manufacturer, or… Once they get a foot in the door and their mitts on 16% of our economy do you believe our legislators are going to be able to resist turning that 16% into big, fat pieces of pork they can use as a cudgel to wield power?
We are toast.
I don’t have the statistic at hand, but more than 50% of lifetime health benefits are paid out in the final two years of life. In other words, if a man lives to be 80 years old, and you calculate all of the money spent on doctors, hospitals, medicines… the total for the first 78 years is less than the cost of the final 2. Again, it’s a dirty little secret, but most of our old people are gettting more health care than they’ve paid for and most of our elderly are scared to death (pun intended) they won’t get their share of the largesse.
All valid points, but I answer with your own.
They just want to make sure they get theirs.
That’s the point, isn’t it?
How do they get this stuff through? Fear. What will they use to keep folks from eliminating the government’s role once it’s enacted? Fear.
“Keep it. You’ll even get an upgrade.” That’s the whole point. The tactic is completely answerable, where other reform plans would leave their sponsors stammering. That’s the whole point of the plan (other than economic feasibility). That’s what it specifically addresses. So, let them bus in the protesters, but the narrative can be reshaped.
Now, if you believe that this isn’t sufficient for those tactics, then fine, but that’s your opinion. The fact remains that their objections are answered with this plan. That’s all. In reality, we can’t know if this or any other tactic will work until its tried, but this hasn’t been tried.
And don’t be so naive about what this will mean to Congress…
Who says I’m being naive. This plan is DOA if there aren’t enough Concresscritters will to keep their campaign promises. I already know and have said so.
Rufus, you’re going around in circles a bit here and you’re missing things I’ve said (or maybe I didn’t explain them properly).
Yes, David, I do believe it is not sufficient for their tactics. My own parents, very conservative people, who hate the Government would storm the Capital with pitchforks if someone hinted at changing any of their benefits.
David, if untouched Social Security is going to collapse within our lifetimes. This is not opinion, it is fact. George W. Bush knew this and made it the stated goal of his second term to develop a fix. Fixing Social Security is kind-of like stopping an asteroid from strking the planet. The earlier you attack the problem the less effort it takes. Well, look at what the Democrats and media did to Bush the second he said the words “social” and “security” in the same sentence. It didn’t matter that he had a better plan. It didn’t matter folks would have more control of their futures, get better benefits, pay less. I don’t mean this as a joke; it is the 3rd rail. It cannot be touched. Health care will become the same thing. Unless it’s legislation that expands it or increases benefits no politician will ever bring it up.
Look at the Department of Education. Since Education was federalized by Jimmy Carter the cost has increased and the quality has decreased by any standard you care to use to measure it. Yet the department just keeps growing. Spending just keeps going up.
David, I do not believe it is sufficient because I know of no point in Congressional history when a major government program was done away with, or diminished. I asked you for an example. I’m still waiting. I can give you 100 examples of Congress enacting a federal program and that program expanding beyond original estimates. Can you give me 1 example of the opposite happening? If not, why would I believe this can work?
Your unbridled optimism is impressive. I wish I held your view that we’ll have some future, enlightened Congress clever enough to use tax incentives in the manner you outline, but 200+ years of history leads me to believe otherwise.
Can you cite one example when a government program enacted by one Congress was diminished or eliminated by another? Can you cite one example of a tax enacted by Congress that was diminished or repealed by another? Even if Congress saw the benefit of your tax break they wouldn’t let go of the additional tax that the bill allows them to collect from those of us who have insurance. The bastards would do both.
In your world, David, Congress keeps all our Social Security payments in a lockbox, awaiting our retirement, all legislators uphold their oath to defend the Constitution and, well I’ll spare our readers the punchline of my “check is in the mail” comparative analogy. If this passes we are toast. Plain and simple. Look at the history of Social Security; Welfare; Federal Income Tax; the Department of Education; the Department of Housing and Urban Development. David, we are screwed. If Congress votes in favor of this bill this week and President Obama signs it our only hope is a legal battle where the Supreme Court strikes it down.
Don’t make me laugh. There is no “way out”.
Really, it would save me a great deal of time and money if I killed myself today.
I think there is still hope Jake but it is going to take some nasty drag out fighting and resistance by the states and also insurance carriers digging in their heels and saying no. It will definitely require people with a backbone but I like to think those people still exist.
This nation was born by defying the impossible. Like Robin Hood, are birthright is being stolen and our land placed under the boot of tyranny. Robin against Prince John. Arthur against the Saxons. Washington against the Redcoats. Churchill against the Nazis. Lost causes are the ones most worth fighting for.
I should say our birthright. Jeez, you would think I could avoid that simple mistake…
All spelling errors are forgiven. David you need to hurry and finish your deathray, I figure it will be a great bit of leverage for the coming struggle.
“God had written, not so much a poem, but rather a play; a play he had planned as perfect, but which had necessarily been left to human actors and stage-managers, who had since made a great mess of it.” Very appropriate, today – unfortunately.
So,folks,how large does loom the fraudulent seating of that weasel Al Franken over Norm Coleman? And,oh,what happened with the turncoat Jim Webb,the mealy mouthed Marine,whom some of you were booming not so long ago? He spat in the face of Virginia and bowed down to Harry Reid.At least roundheels like Mary Landrieu and Ben Nelson got well paid for their prostitution!
I think Webb is an ex-Marine and not a former Marine. What good is service when you f*&k the country later?
Wasn’t Murtha a Marine?
Scott go to NRO and complain to them. Don’t shoot the messenger. That’d
what a leftist does. I am kind of tired of conservatives attacking each other.
instead of whining about someone being wrong about something how’s about
calling Webbs office and give him the business? He was a maverick once and
that’s what I was banking on. Same guy who wanted to keep women
out of the Naval Academy and quit over it. We still have a chance to kill
this piece of crap. So kill your pessimism and attack. We do not hunker down
or retreat. Vowarts immer vorwarts. I’d rather die on my feet than live
on my knees.
Webb just assured he won’t get re-relected.
Here is a provision that will be hitting my company very hard from the steaming pile of excrement that is the health care legislation. Any company with 50 or more employees who does not pay 100% of their employee’s insurance premium will have a $750 fine per employee. So my company which pays 85% of premiums and has roughly 150 employees under insurance will be coughing up an additional $112,500 that could have been going to oh I don’t know…raises, advertising, and other useless things.
Should we be grabbing our muskets yet?
Fat the whuck?! Is that really in there?!?!
It is indeed. Also the fine for not having coverage is I believe $94 until 2014 even though the pre-existing denial waiver kicks in for 2010. It all but assures what Rich predicted of people dropping coverage until they need it will actually occur. There is a palpable sense of panic not only in the insurance world but in the medical community at large this morning. The market has barely existed in healthcare for 40+ years but now there is no sign of it and we instead have a communist system funded at the point of a gun by private companies. It’s an unprecedented abuse of authority.
Let’s hope that panic in the insurance world evolves into action against this garbage.
So, along with the elderly and the unborn, this bill will be killing jobs, too. BRILLIANT!
The bulk of the bills provisions are not due to kick in until after the 2014 elections which goes in line with Howard Dean’s long professed strategy of figuring they could have the entire progressive (regressive) agenda in place and irreversible by 2016.
Everyone dogpiled on me a while back for wanting to see Avatar before I passed judgement on it, so I figured you might be interested in reading my review over at my site http://www.republibot.com/ (2nd story from the top). I posted this here on Sunday, but being a sunday, I’m not sure if anyone saw it, and the various comments that were posted afterwards were kind of unfathomable and I have no idea if they were related to mine or not.
So, whatever: here it is. If you’re interested, if you’re not, fine. I won’t mention it again.
90+% of our readers come to Threedonia because it is unfathomable! It’s not a bug, it’s a feature.
Perhaps the new Threedonian tag line should be: “Get lost… in Threedonia.”
Sorry, every now and then, the copywriter in me takes over.
OK, ‘bot, I read it. Like the movie, as I understand it, it’s quite long. Apparently you liked the movie all in all, and are a little conflicted about that.
I found this strange:
“…if Aliens were attempting to strip-mine earth – no one would have a problem with the story (Indeed, it’s the premise of “V”), and reversing that story – a film in which *we’re* the bad guys is actually an interesting aspect, one seldom done, but well-worth exploring.”
“We” as the bad guys is seldom done? Seems to me it’s hard to find a story done in my adult lifetime where we’re *not* presented as the bad guys.
I too read it, I agree with Lars’ nit and I have a question about your plot synopsis.
*warning, this may conain spoilers although the guy writing it has not seen the movie*
When the main guy gets lost and is found by the Pocahontas alien who wants to kill him, why does she want to kill him? Isn’t the purpose of putting the guy in the DNA clone’d avatar to allow him to mix and mingle with the locals undetected? You write that the locals are peacable and only fight when provoked. So, why, when she meets a member of her own species, would she murder him in cold-blood?
I have no plans to see the movie, but the two objections that resonate most with me are these:
1. Isn’t it a little hypocritical to use the most technology-heavy film in history to deliver the message that technology is evil? (Popular Science)
2. When are we going to stop making movies about noble, conflicted white people who save people of other colors? Can’t the non-whites have some heroes of their own soon?
Regarding #2, Rudyard Kipling couldn’t have said it better, Lars.
Remember: This is the guy who wrote Titanic.
And all that that implies…
It’s nothing personal, R3. It’s Avatar-related, so I have no interest whatsoever.
I won’t waste any money on the movie. Nothing I’ve heard interests me in the least. May go see Disney’s “Princess and the Frog” though.
Stephanie,what exactly did I say that you disagree with?
Webb did a Hamlet routine,and some people here were fooled…I don’t read NRO,and apparently I don’t need to,since they are a pack of dupes.
Scott you really need to ask? One of the guys reported an NRO artical
and others took some hope. You chose to make astink over what
was said.
Stephanie,don’t you remember how Webb insulted the POTUS after George Bush asked after his son who was deployed in Iraq? This jackass’ claim to fame is that he beat Ollie North in a boxing match
Yet against all evidence some people believed
O.K., I am rather detached from popular culture. Who is this Murphy woman who died yesterday and what was the cause of death? I heard a rumor she was recently ridiculed on SNL. Is that true? Does that have anything to do with her death? Enquiring minds want to know.
Rufus,go to the Daily Beast..you will find out more than you want to know
Scott you really need to grow up. Don’t insult WF Buckleys
venerable creation. The man dis more to forward
the Conservative message than all of us combined.
And if you ever actually care to get a clue read the Nightingales Song.
And don’t insult the Corps. That ticked me off. You insulted me and mine.
Scott you really are amazing. Jim Webb is a USNA grad.
He was beaten by Ollie North in a boxing match. Like I said
if you want know anything about Jim Webb read that book.
But stop attacking me and mine. I know far more about
Webb than you ever could. I actually met him and told him
we were right to be in Iraq. You ever met Jim Webb?
Stephanie… knowing Webb doesn’t mean jackshit. The dude voted last night to f*&k the country. No manner of prior service or “blew dawg” whatever will ever wash out that stain. Being a veteran is awesome if that experience is put to good use afterward. It’s not a King’s X against douchebaggery — and any of us is qualified to make that statement. Those who have met Webb obviously didn’t take his full measure.
That’s not an attack it just *IS*. We all make mistakes. I love NRO and NR, but some of there are a little rah-rah — and some are not rah-rah enough — that’s why I like it — they have real debates.
Um Floyd….I met him. Didn’t say I cared for him. This was after his middle finger to W. I made it clear I disagreed with him and he knew it. I also will stand by his maverick persona. The guy really screwed the pooch here but don’t tell me this is a follower kind of guy. He never was before. He never served past his Lieutenancy I believe and having only platoon leader experience sort of makes it difficult for the guy to understand some things change hugely as someone advances in teh ranks. He is actually from what I could divine from his own writing and that book, The Nightingales song that he is a total mess in the head. Should he even be a Senator? No. Prolly not. And I stand by NRO.
My oldest made some Christmas Lego Fun .
He does it all himself with his camera, Photoshop, and Windows movie maker. Eric, the second one is Weird Al, which is why I am posting it for yall.
Very cool and appreciate the Al, Tracy. He’s on the list of RF3D interviewees for 2010. Fingers crossed we’ll get him.
Now THAT would be cool, Eric!
Darn it, the link didn’t work, try this. (and if one of you guys could make it look purty in my previous message, I’d be really grateful)
http://romanstwelvetwelve.blogspot.com/2009/12/reds-christmas-videos.html
Very well done! Extend my amazement to the appropriate offspring of Tracy and Dr. Zoon! I especially like the flaming Christmas tree effect.
What a gorgeous family you have Tracy.
When are you going to have a show on TLC??
Awww thanks Mr Sid. No show for us. We like a bit of privacy to yell at the kids in. We have no desire for fame.
… unless the diaper budget runs out …
[wankette runs in, screaming]
AAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My grading is done; my semester is OVAH!
[wankette runs out, screaming]
Something tells me more than a few Cosmos are a part of your immediate plans.
I think she’s well on her way, Rufus.
Well my Douchebag of the Day award goes to the guy who made this comment on an article from the Telegraph about the idea of “World Government”. If this comment had a “let me be clear”, a few more “uh”s, and some apologizing I’d assume it was written by our president.
Here is a link to the full article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/janetdaley/6845967/Therell-be-nowhere-to-run-from-the-new-world-government.html
“we had better come up with new mechanisms for allowing people to have a say in how they are governed”
Well actually – No. Allowing people a say leads to decisions made by majority vote, fine for trivial stuff like X-factor but not for serious matters like climate change or finance.
Ask the majority if they want under-priced credit and they said yes. Ask them if they want to pay more for cleaner fuel and they say no. Such global problems need evidence based action not democratic guesses.
It is no surprise that the most democratic nations of the USA and Europe are in deep economic crisis due to popular democratic decision-making that resulted in government by the lowest common denominator and near bankruptcy. Drunks in charge of wine cellars seems an apt description. China, not known for its democrat leadership, is now the richest and most powerful country because it can disregard the short-term wishes of its own people for their longer-term benefit.
The legacy national democracies have really peaked and now cause more problems, on a global level, than they can be trusted to cure. Democracy? It’s time to move on…
If this clown likes China so much, I suggest he move there. Oh, yeah, and China isn’t about to sacrifice itself upon the global warming altar – so much for communists helping combat the myth of anthropogenic global warming.
The trouble with Janet Daley and other liberals like her is basing their theories on a lot of false assumptions. She would fit in well with our current “leaders”. They know best because they went to some ivy league schools. Faulty training leads to faulty knowledge and faulty decisions.
Just saw the Victoria Secrets commercial on our 46″ LCD…and I was patently, absolutely wrong in my previous comments a week or so ago…
Heritage Foundation article that explains why the individual mandate is unconstitutional.
David, assuming the week plays out as orchestrated, this is our last, best hope.
The conference also has to occur, with pitfalls there for the Dems.
God, I hope so! Let’s hope the Howard Dean wing of the party can throw a wrench in the works. That would be the best Christmas present ever.
(I feel like Floyd, when he cheered for the Redskins. I’m going to go flay my top two layers of skin off now.)
I find my myself… God help me. GO REDSKINS!!!! I’m going to go shower and go do that confessional thingy.
This more like it… mother effing Redskins…
@ Lars – there’s a little show called “Star Trek” in which we’re always the good guys. Another little show called “Stargate” in which we’re almost always the good guys. In literally every SF movie involving space in the 1930s – 50s, we’re the good guys, and aliens are bad. War of the Worlds – all three versions – the aliens are the bad guys. It’s a really super-common trope, overused, frankly.
@ Rufus – the aliens are aware that the “Sky people” (us) can create bodies like theirs, but without souls. Then the Sky People pop in and out of these bodies in a manner not unlike demonic posession, which tends to freak ‘em out pretty damn bad. So Pocahontas instantly knows this guy is one of the “Demons” because he’s wearing clothes (The aliens are mostly naked), carrying a gun (Which the stone-aged aliens don’t have), and blundering around in the night in the jungle like he’s never been there before.
@ Lars – that’s a very good point. The generally very liberal site IO9 ran an article a couple days ago called “When will white people stop making movies like Avatar?” The gist was that these liberal white guilt movies are actually *more* racist than more normal films. Worth a read.
@ Eric – no offence taken.
I was thinking of movies in general. We may have seen few SF films with this theme (though “Silent Running” comes to mind, and somebody someplace mentioned “Enemy Mine”), but it’s been almost universal in other Hollywood fare since the 70s. It’s hardly an innovation just to flip the meme to a different genre. That’s all I’m sayin’.
Excellent point about the racism. If liberals want to know how to make a show that shows african-americans in a great light, watch “Cosby.” A normal family, with normal problems, less than perfect kids and parents who sometimes fight, trying to get by in the world. The parents are intelligent, witty, and self-supporting. I honestly believe that show is responsible for more african-americans getting College degrees than all the programs LBJ enacted.
No,Stephanie,I never Jim Webb,to my deep regret..USNA la de da
I knew a Marine…my grandfather Cecil Currie,who fought Sandino down in Nicaragua
When did I attack you and yours,Stephanie? Tell me and I will apoligise!
Um my hubby is a marine and he went to the USNA. Read the Nightingales Song if you want Webb, North, McFarland, Poindexter and McCain explained. That book was written by a contemporary of theirs and the guy is a dickhead but its still pretty good for some background knowlegde on all of these guys.
My great uncle, who raised my mom, was a Marine. Fought on Iwo Jima and was wounded there. Got a purple heart. Lost a couple of other relatives to that war, as well. Also lost a cousin in Pearl Harbor. My paternal grandmother’s first husband also served in WWII, alongside Mickey Rooney (apparently as annoying then as he is now). Still have the bayonet that he carried.
I am watching Steven Crowder’s new piece on Detroit.
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/scrowder/2009/12/21/is-this-the-future-of-america-detroit/
The retirement watchdogs for healthcare in my organization have read through the bills, and at least a couple months ago support it. The same goes for AARP. I think they are not looking at the other cause/effect relationships that will undermine what people currently have. There is no way that most everyone’s health care plans won’t get undermined. Health care costs will increase, like V stated, exponentially. Since money doesn’t grow on trees, current plans won’t be able to support it. It’s not possible.
It’s not possible at current levels of care…
My in-laws emigrated to the U.S. from Germany. Around the age of 70 my father-in-law developed prostate cancer. It was diagnosed early, he had surgery and ten years later he is cancer free. My mother-in-law’s brother-in-law, still in Germany, was also diagnosed with prostate cancer around the age of 70. The German system got out an actuarial table and calculated, “Prostate cancer is a slow growing cancer. Odds are you’ll die of something else before this spreads enough to kill you. No treatment.” Ten years later he has prostate cancer in a big way. In the German government system if you are the 10% of the population lucky enough to beat the actuarial tables you get screwed.