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MPwannabe said:You're right JB, as a Canadian I am totally ignorant to what privatized health care is really like.
As someone that has had the bad luck to experience it, I don't recommend it.
MPwannabe said:You're right JB, as a Canadian I am totally ignorant to what privatized health care is really like.
Nostix said:See, this is the problem with American politics.
Both sides talk about what the problem is, and how the other party didn't solve it.
I'd love to see an election won on the basis of an actual idea for a change.
Kirkhill said:Outstanding....
More folks preaching the gospel of calling the customer a moron. It must work. So many intelligent people promoting the tactic. I will definitely incorporate the tactic in my next sales call.
By the way, how many years does Obama need to save the world? I'd like to know so that I can plan accordingly.
Just on the off chance though, does anybody know anybody with a better plan that would get the job done faster? He or she might be a better bet when planning my retirement.
Always good to know that the world is in good hands.
MPwannabe said:You're right JB, as a Canadian I am totally ignorant to what privatized health care is really like. I've always considered health care a necessity, and it criminal that it not be accessible to all people. I'm glad that the US has finally taken the first steps towards a more equal health system. That's just my opinion.
DirtyDog: I criticized the surge of troops into Afghanistan because they were pulled directly from Iraq to be sent right back into another desert, and it contradicted a lot of what Obama talked about in the beginning of his term. Such is politics.
I understand though that from a troop serving overseas, the large influx of US soldiers is welcomed assistance in a dismal area. Take my opinions with a grain of salt, as I'm currently trying to get into the CF and I have no experience with regards to what it is like over there, and I have to guess at things that are common knowledge to all other members on these boards.
canada94 said:I totally agree with you Obama was not given enough time to fix the issues at hand, that where caused by REPUBLICAN'S.
Mike
Quote from: Nostix on Today at 12:19:17
See, this is the problem with American politics.
Both sides talk about what the problem is, and how the other party didn't solve it.
I'd love to see an election won on the basis of an actual idea for a change.
StipulatedThe US economy is a mess. America has lived, collectively, far beyond its means for a very long time, and as for how to fix that, there's no easy answer.
I can't agree to the premise but I accept that that is something that you feel is critical. It is as just a cause as any other.First of all, the ever widening gap between that haves and the have-nots has to be addressed somehow.
Glad to hear it, rich usually means somebody that has the penny that I want/need/deserve.That doesn't mean attacking the rich,
I don't know if it does mean socialism or not. It might. The problem I have is that just as Obama described himself "a blank slate" so is socialism defined. It is all things to all people and in consequence is particularly useless when discussing philosophy.it doesn't mean "socialism", a big ... word
I trust that you enjoyed venting. I enjoy venting from time to time myself. Unfortunately I often find myself having to apologize to the individuals who bore the brunt.a big nasty word that right wingers bandy about as though there is nothing else to consider (which seems to be fuelled by the rhetoric of their contemptible army of talk radio idiots, vapid populist leaders, etc), but
Agreed entirely.somehow making sure that the equality of opportunity (vice outcome) that they talk about so much actually exists
Conflation of perception and reality. But perception is reality for people (everyone) who make decisions based on the "facts" they "perceive".The fact is that it seems less and less of a reality.
I can agree with you that many people perceive the situation that way. I might even agree with their perception.The idea of being able to climb of the social ladder seems remote to more and more people
Another perception that I agree many people share. That one I happen to disagree with. And it comes perilously close to venting for my taste.as conservatives seem (whether deliberately or not) to be pulling up the ladder, and/or sawing the rungs off the bottom.
I'm glad that you believe there is a prescription. It is important to be optimistic when you are young. I too believe there are suitable remedies, unfortunately, in the main, I don't believe that you would accept my choices just as I have difficulty with yours. Just as I had difficulty with the choices made by David Cameron and Nick Clegg even as I agree that choices had to be made. They are smart but wrong (ie they don't please me).How many years and ..... if I find it I'll post it.
Thucydides, did you say that? I am of the opinion that politics is. Just like communicating is, trading is and breathing is. Commerce and exchange happens. Politics happens. Now the rules by which politics is conducted might change for a while but but you can't break politics,or fix politics anymore than you can fix or break breathing. (Although you can stop it but the result is usually rather dire).The thing is - as Thucydides said - politics as usual doesn't work anymore,
True in all things. Why don't you put your ideas into practice in your sphere of influence and if they prove to be beneficial to you then I will adopt them. If however you fail catastrophically then I will be able to darw the necessary conclusions at no risk to my situation.it is only innovation that will work
There's that venting thing again. Very off-putting. And do try not to beat up on your wife that much...And I have no reason or historical precedent to suggest that we can expect that from any sort of conservative movement, particularly not an American one.
canada94 said:I totally agree with you Obama was not given enough time to fix the issues at hand, that where caused by REPUBLICAN'S.
Oh No a Canadian said:What gets me is that they think voting in a few libertarians is going to "fix Washington."
Yet, around here, and in this country, Republican hating is popular sport and it is flippantly treated as a fact that all America's and the world's problems can be blamed on the evil Republicans and Bush.CDN Aviator said:Caused by the Republican administration and the Democrat congress that was in place at the time. There is plenty of blame to go around and spans more than a single administration.
DirtyDog said:Yet, around here, and in this country, Republican hating is popular sport and it is flippantly treated as a fact that all America's and the world's problems can be blamed on the evil Republicans and Bush.
Sixty Seats, nationwide.
The interesting lesson is that the "moderate" Republicans in California were repudiated. In Delaware and Nevada the country club party wing of the Republican party didn't support the conservative women, while the Democrats ran vicious personal attack campaigns. They came close in races that the Democrats considered vital. In California two liberal Republican women didn't stir up much enthusiasm, while the tea party movement was discouraged and even rejected. In Alaska it's still undecided, and won't be for a while: the Country Club Republican leadership didn't support the tea party candidate and allowed one of their ruling class to retain committee assignments. All told, it was an extraordinary election: sixty sets, and the key conservatives won in most cases; and there were informative lessons in the cases where they lost.
One lesson is that the country is appalled at what has happened in the past four years, but not ready to turn to the Republicans in a blind trust. Another is that the mechanics of party structure remain important.
Carly Fiorina ran as "a Republican willing to compromise". She took conservative stands, but she didn't try to rally the conservatives and the tea party. California has a highly professional Democratic machine with a unionized ground game; the only way to defeat it is to turn out the Republican and Independent vote, and that didn't happen. There were local movements against Sanchez in Bob Dornan's old seat, but they weren't good enough. California is a special case, with a long established and well oiled political machine; it won't be turned around easily. The same is true of New York.
Obama is now calling for openness and compromise. We must find common ground. Hardly astonishing: now he is eager to sit down with both parties. A typical and predictable speech. He has learned nothing and forgotten nothing.
The question is, have the Republicans learned anything?
The election has given the Republic another chance, but only a chance. It's time to build on that. We can begin by thinking hard about what "building consensus" means. We know what it means to the President. We know where Carly Fiorina got by making her willingness to compromise a key part of her campaign. Does the Republican leadership?
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Republican tactics:
First, send an Obama-care repeal bill to the Senate. See if any Democrats will vote for it. If not, get them on record. If they will, then Obama must veto it; try to pass it over his veto. Get those who are defending it on record.
Second, refuse any appropriation for enforcing it. Append "provided that no revenues appropriated under this Act shall be used in any way for enforcement of the Health Care Act" to every appropriation for anything else; then just don't initiate or pass any appropriation for its enforcement. Again make the Democrats step up and defend their agenda.
The nation repudiated the Obama agenda last night. The Republicans need to make certain that the next election is also a referendum on that agenda.
The Tea Party needs to think hard about its candidates, understanding that every one of them is going to be subjected to vicious personal attacks designed to make them appear to be flakes or crooks or utter incompetents. The attacks will be unrelenting, and may not be based on anything factual. Candidates need to learn how to deal with la calumna as a campaign strategy. (See the Barber of Seville) and only choose candidates who can shrug that off and stay to message. That's not going to be easy.
The Tea Party can be proud. They hold the balance of power in the United States. It is no mean accomplishment.
And the Republican leadership needs to understand: the Tea Party played by the rules. They ran in primaries, and where they didn't win they still turned out to vote Republican. It is now the turn of the Country Club Republicans to learn how to play to win. The Tea Party holds the balance of power here -- and West Virginia shows there are alternatives to the Republican Party if the Country Club hasn't learned that. It's not an attractive alternative. It is better if the Republicans become a genuine center-right party.
All told it was a great night for the Republic. Not as great as I had hoped it would be, but it will have to do. It's a great start.
DirtyDog said:Yet, around here, and in this country, Republican hating is popular sport and it is flippantly treated as a fact that all America's and the world's problems can be blamed on the evil Republicans and Bush.