I honestly thought this election would be about jobs and the economy. I thought we’d all moved along and all lived in the year 2012. I thought all Americans knew that our nation’s laws cannot simply point to the teachings of a church or evoke God’s will but must be based on principles that are accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all.
Uh, no. One way to incrase profts is to reduce costs, which include labor costs. I think we of a certain age still have not grasped the international scope of commerce, and hew to the idea (quaint as it may seem) that new jobs mean jobs in the U.S . While we know what has happened here, by and large I am, and believe most of us are, ignorant of job creation (or lack thereof) internationally. Thus, it is possible that jobs are being crated, just not where we need/want them to be.
And I miss the days when American business people seemed to take pride in more than profits. I really do long for the days of George Bailey and drag my feet in moving into the new global economy.
I truly believe this is wisdom: “Take away my people, but leave my factories and soon grass will grow on the factory floors……Take away my factories, but leave my people and soon we will have a new and better factory.” — Andrew Carnagie
Increasing profits for whom? There is increasing profits for the short term and then there is increasing the potential for your fellow Americans to make your country stronger.
Sad to say – short term profits take center stage way too many times.
But what do these people care about their country – they’ve got their profits and to Hell with the other guy.
It sounds like the republicans in Congress won’t be holding our economy hostage this time. Good for them! If stories of extending the payroll tax cuts, unemployment benefits and the ‘doc fix’ are true, working Americans will continue to have a tax break through the end of this year, those still unemployed will have a safety net for a while longer and doctors who treat Medicare patients will get paid. They’ll still be protecting the most wealthy, but at least a small amount of help will go to others!
I hope our economy is strong enough that by year’s end all Bush2 tax cuts can expire as scheduled!
Don’t count those Bush tax cuts off yet. I think that is where the biggest fight will come from these Republicans – especially if they lose the White House and the House.
Those remaining CONS will be foaming at the mouth to ‘get’ Obama and I predict they will be keep up their current routine of JUST SAY HELL NO…to everything but more tax cuts for their real puppet masters – the 1%
Mapping the Effects of the ACA’s Health Insurance Coverage Expansions The Affordable Care Act includes several provisions that allow many individuals across the U.S. to be eligible for Medicaid or for federal tax credits to subsidize the cost of insurance. The analysis below and zip code tool estimate the share of the population in geographic areas across the U.S. who had family income up to four times the poverty level in 2010 and were either uninsured or buying coverage on their own.
Starting in 2014, most people who are uninsured or buying individual insurance with incomes up to four times the poverty level ($92,200 for a family of four and $44,680 for a single person in 2012) will be eligible for expanded coverage through Medicaid or tax credits to subsidize the cost of private insurance.
Who Benefits from the Affordable Care Act Coverage Expansions?
I heard a discussion panel yesterday on NPR talking about how Obamacare needs to go because it is government heatlth care.
Uh, look around …..government health care is everywhere. So, if Obamacare goes – then so should Medicare and Medicaid – IMHO. But we all know Medicare is not going anywhere because those people vote.
The fastest growing population is 85 yrs and over. Think about that for a minute. Alot of our health care dollars are going for that group – but yet not one Republican wants to pay taxes or create jobs.
So where in the Hell are we going to get the money to pay for this fastest growing population?
Another factor – just why is this age group the fastest growing? Because of Medicare – that’s why. These are the people who routinely get health care and their medications – so they are living longer.
Isn’t it a shame we did not get Medicare for all – so that working families with kids could get routine health care and their medications?
P.S. – Just once, I would like to hear a Republican admit that Obamacare is based on what their own party – the Grand Old Party – was advocating a few years ago?
After all parts of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act take effect it will be as Social Security and Medicare are today — a part of American’s lives. Our country will have healthier citizens who will contribute to our country’s progress. These aren’t giveaways and that will be proven over the next few years.
All those old coots will be gone and forgotten. Things are looking up! đŸ™‚
I have a friend whose 20 year old son works part time and does not have health insurance. He has a chronic condition and his mother hates Obama because ‘that man will fine my son if he does not buy insurance’.
I told her that under Obamacare – their son could be put her on her husband’s health insurance at his job until he was 26 (I think that is correct?) She gave me a look like she had just heard that fact. I told her to check into it and if she was really that upset about everything – then that is one way to get her son covered.
BTW – this son had just been hospitalized twice and with no insurance and a part time job – who paid that bill?
Unless she is not leveling with me – and this son is on Medicaid or something else – then she only needs to do some research into Obamacare and she would see that her husband’s health insurance would cover their son that needs insurance.
Between you, me and the fencepost – I think this son is on some sort of government assistance – but a ‘good’ Republican is not supposed to say those types of things outloud.
The person in my life I get all the wacky emails from is the wife of a cousin. These two are both in their late 40s and both are completely disabled so get monthly checks from the federal government. Both are disabled due to mental / emotional ailments and are physically strong but can’t function among people — in fact, could be dangerous if not medicated or were pushed beyond their limits. So they both spend a good chunk of their time watching Fox News, hating President Obama, and spreading lies and propaganda.
They are good Mericans who have done it all by themselves, no help from anyone (that’s what they say anyway)! They tell everyone they know about all the ways President Obama is a Socialist (and other words they don’t know the meanings of) who gives away their hard-earned money. I’ve never seen either of them earn a day’s pay and I question what taxes they pay. But they’re oblivious — honestly can’t see reality. Guess that’s further proof of their disabilities?
So I understand what you’re saying about this friend and her grown son. Or more accurately I understand there are people like her in our world. I don’t think it’s actually possible to understand how they look themselves in the mirror without acknowledging the facts of their own lives.
When I worked for neurologists about 10 years ago, part of my job was to provide medical records to go with the paperwork the doctor completed for his patients to get disability.
It was so frustrating because we had patients with MS, Cerebral Palsy, Alzheimers (in their 50’s ) and other neurological diseases that would sometimes come back as being denied for disability.
But yet the patients who were morbidly obese and had diagnosis of depression – always got disability approved the first time!
One of the doctors got to the point where he would simply tell the obese patient – if you lost weight, stopped sitting at home and watching t.v., get out and take a walk, volunteer to help somewhere and just get out and participate in life – your depression and your obesity problem would probably go away.
It was frustrating – very frustrating.
On a personal note – when going through my chemo treatments – I got to the point where my blood cell count was so low that my body could no longer endure the toxic chemo. I was so fatigued that I could not even lift the fork to my mouth at supper one night. Now that is being tired….
I was working part time up until that point in my treatment. My oncologist encouraged me to find out if I would qualify for disability (because, I suspect the oncologist was not all that convinced that I was going to make it through chemo treatment – let alone the additional surgery that I was facing at that time).
Anway – I did consult an attorney whose practice is only disability cases. I was told – upfront – that all cancer cases are denied at first because Social Security thinks that alot of those patients will end up dying in a few months, so they are saving some money.
Well – I did not even attempt to get disability because of the hassle. But I was one of the lucky ones – my husband was still working and we still had good health insurance.
But my brother’s oncologist must have known how to word his disability paperwork – because he got his disability approved rather quickly. But, then again, my brother had the prognosis of terminal cancer – my prognosis was listed as fair/guarded.
That might have made the difference – or maybe different regions of the country handle their cases differently?
I don’t know about that but I do know that if I had put on about 300 lbs of more weight and then went to the right doctor for meds because I was ‘depressed’, I would probably have been on disabilty on the first attempt.
So, your cousins – if they are in the late 40’s – something is going on……
Santorum looks poised to topple Romney – LMAO. Just imagine how it must feel to be worth $250 million of personal fortune and then have millions of campaign funds at your disposal and you STILL get beat by Beaver Cleaver in the sweater vest?
Hey, fnord, I’m a republican and I not only respect but love (literally, as I was married to one) women, especially strong, intelligent and independent ones, to whom I am attracted much as iron filings are to a magnet. Sigh – my life might have been simpler if my attraction was to airheads; but then, I might have ended it all long ago had that been the case. đŸ˜‰
You’re right, 6176! Of course there are republicans who respect women. I am guilty of making a gross exaggeration. I too am a registered republican. I live in Kansas and like to participate in elections where there are choices. I found choices at the primary level to be on the republican ticket in this state.
I don’t see any one of the candidates for the republican nominee for president of the U. S., and too few republican members of the U. S. Congress doing anything to advance the cause of women, or to respect all FDA approved contraception methods as basic health care for women.
I don’t respect candidates who spend an inordinate amount of time and energy on attempts to overturn laws that give women access to safe reproductive choices. In fact, I take that quite personally and feel like they are attacking my rights.
According to Santorum – the gas prices is what caused the Recession – not the housing bubble bursting.
While gas prices is a major factor in the economy – the other factors such as housing bubble and the overall economic collapse on Wall Street due to the incompetence of those fat cats running the place – did not help.
But not to worry – according to Santorum, Obama is to blame…
I just heard on Lawrence O’Donnell’s show tonight that the Mormon Church performed a proxy baptism on President Obama’s mother the day after Obama secured the Democratic nomination.
Where the helll was I when all this was coming out? I had no idea the Mormons did this kind of crap……
And now the issue of these proxy baptissm comes full circle and is being a factor in Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential nomination campaign?
I watched O’Donnell’s show tonight because he had Elie Wiesel on there talking about the 1995 Agreement the Jews made with the Mormon over those holocaust victims that the Mormon Church proxy baptized.
Aftert Elie Wiesel was on – then Lawrence O’Donnell had the researcher (some woman Helen Radkey?) that has been doing this kind of research for holocaust victims and she was the one that found Elie Wiesel’s name being submitted. WTH…..this man is still living??
I know I am beating a dead horse about this issue – but this is all so bizarre to me.
I do agree with Elie Wiesel when he said tonight that Mitt Romney should address this proxy baptism issue since he is a running for the GOP nomination for president. Romney should have the cajones to stand up and say what he thinks about his church performing these rituals against people’s wishes – or even sometimes without the families even knowing about it.
What does that say about Romney’s views if he became president? If his church tells him to do something – will he do it simply because some damn church leader told him to do it?
I said this yesterday – religion is some screwed up shit…..
Wow – for professing to be such a tough guy on tort reform – I guess that does not apply when the potential lawsuit windfall is coming into your own wife’s pockets.
It seems to me that everything ‘religion’ is involved with has to do with control.
If one believes in hocus pocus and blindly follows that is good. Also, this should be the way everyone else believes. If you interpret differently, you’re just wrong and you’re going to hell. THE ALMIGHTY made humans capable of most everything except critically thinking about religion. Religion is just to be followed on faith, no questions asked, no votes taken, critical thinking skills are not welcome. Someone will tell you which religion is THE ONE, so sit down and shut up. What to do when several someones tell you which is THE ONE RELIGION and they’re all different? Just don’t ask that question, you’re not allowed to think!
If you believe the truth will be made known to you! Different truths have already been made known to the many believers! The Supreme Leader of Iran and Santorum can both tell you a thing or three about what is the truth!
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
I honestly thought this election would be about jobs and the economy. I thought we’d all moved along and all lived in the year 2012. I thought all Americans knew that our nation’s laws cannot simply point to the teachings of a church or evoke God’s will but must be based on principles that are accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all.
I was wrong.
Corporate profits are at a 50 year high. If it was true that the rich and the business owners were job creators we’d be swimming in jobs today!
Uh, no. One way to incrase profts is to reduce costs, which include labor costs. I think we of a certain age still have not grasped the international scope of commerce, and hew to the idea (quaint as it may seem) that new jobs mean jobs in the U.S . While we know what has happened here, by and large I am, and believe most of us are, ignorant of job creation (or lack thereof) internationally. Thus, it is possible that jobs are being crated, just not where we need/want them to be.
I’ve missed you and your wisdom.
And I miss the days when American business people seemed to take pride in more than profits. I really do long for the days of George Bailey and drag my feet in moving into the new global economy.
I truly believe this is wisdom: “Take away my people, but leave my factories and soon grass will grow on the factory floors……Take away my factories, but leave my people and soon we will have a new and better factory.” — Andrew Carnagie
Increasing profits for whom? There is increasing profits for the short term and then there is increasing the potential for your fellow Americans to make your country stronger.
Sad to say – short term profits take center stage way too many times.
But what do these people care about their country – they’ve got their profits and to Hell with the other guy.
It sounds like the republicans in Congress won’t be holding our economy hostage this time. Good for them! If stories of extending the payroll tax cuts, unemployment benefits and the ‘doc fix’ are true, working Americans will continue to have a tax break through the end of this year, those still unemployed will have a safety net for a while longer and doctors who treat Medicare patients will get paid. They’ll still be protecting the most wealthy, but at least a small amount of help will go to others!
I hope our economy is strong enough that by year’s end all Bush2 tax cuts can expire as scheduled!
Don’t count those Bush tax cuts off yet. I think that is where the biggest fight will come from these Republicans – especially if they lose the White House and the House.
Those remaining CONS will be foaming at the mouth to ‘get’ Obama and I predict they will be keep up their current routine of JUST SAY HELL NO…to everything but more tax cuts for their real puppet masters – the 1%
Mapping the Effects of the ACA’s Health Insurance Coverage Expansions The Affordable Care Act includes several provisions that allow many individuals across the U.S. to be eligible for Medicaid or for federal tax credits to subsidize the cost of insurance. The analysis below and zip code tool estimate the share of the population in geographic areas across the U.S. who had family income up to four times the poverty level in 2010 and were either uninsured or buying coverage on their own.
Starting in 2014, most people who are uninsured or buying individual insurance with incomes up to four times the poverty level ($92,200 for a family of four and $44,680 for a single person in 2012) will be eligible for expanded coverage through Medicaid or tax credits to subsidize the cost of private insurance.
Who Benefits from the Affordable Care Act Coverage Expansions?
http://healthreform.kff.org/Coverage-Expansion-Map.aspx
I heard a discussion panel yesterday on NPR talking about how Obamacare needs to go because it is government heatlth care.
Uh, look around …..government health care is everywhere. So, if Obamacare goes – then so should Medicare and Medicaid – IMHO. But we all know Medicare is not going anywhere because those people vote.
The fastest growing population is 85 yrs and over. Think about that for a minute. Alot of our health care dollars are going for that group – but yet not one Republican wants to pay taxes or create jobs.
So where in the Hell are we going to get the money to pay for this fastest growing population?
Another factor – just why is this age group the fastest growing? Because of Medicare – that’s why. These are the people who routinely get health care and their medications – so they are living longer.
Isn’t it a shame we did not get Medicare for all – so that working families with kids could get routine health care and their medications?
P.S. – Just once, I would like to hear a Republican admit that Obamacare is based on what their own party – the Grand Old Party – was advocating a few years ago?
After all parts of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act take effect it will be as Social Security and Medicare are today — a part of American’s lives. Our country will have healthier citizens who will contribute to our country’s progress. These aren’t giveaways and that will be proven over the next few years.
All those old coots will be gone and forgotten. Things are looking up! đŸ™‚
I have a friend whose 20 year old son works part time and does not have health insurance. He has a chronic condition and his mother hates Obama because ‘that man will fine my son if he does not buy insurance’.
I told her that under Obamacare – their son could be put her on her husband’s health insurance at his job until he was 26 (I think that is correct?) She gave me a look like she had just heard that fact. I told her to check into it and if she was really that upset about everything – then that is one way to get her son covered.
BTW – this son had just been hospitalized twice and with no insurance and a part time job – who paid that bill?
Unless she is not leveling with me – and this son is on Medicaid or something else – then she only needs to do some research into Obamacare and she would see that her husband’s health insurance would cover their son that needs insurance.
Between you, me and the fencepost – I think this son is on some sort of government assistance – but a ‘good’ Republican is not supposed to say those types of things outloud.
The person in my life I get all the wacky emails from is the wife of a cousin. These two are both in their late 40s and both are completely disabled so get monthly checks from the federal government. Both are disabled due to mental / emotional ailments and are physically strong but can’t function among people — in fact, could be dangerous if not medicated or were pushed beyond their limits. So they both spend a good chunk of their time watching Fox News, hating President Obama, and spreading lies and propaganda.
They are good Mericans who have done it all by themselves, no help from anyone (that’s what they say anyway)! They tell everyone they know about all the ways President Obama is a Socialist (and other words they don’t know the meanings of) who gives away their hard-earned money. I’ve never seen either of them earn a day’s pay and I question what taxes they pay. But they’re oblivious — honestly can’t see reality. Guess that’s further proof of their disabilities?
So I understand what you’re saying about this friend and her grown son. Or more accurately I understand there are people like her in our world. I don’t think it’s actually possible to understand how they look themselves in the mirror without acknowledging the facts of their own lives.
When I worked for neurologists about 10 years ago, part of my job was to provide medical records to go with the paperwork the doctor completed for his patients to get disability.
It was so frustrating because we had patients with MS, Cerebral Palsy, Alzheimers (in their 50’s ) and other neurological diseases that would sometimes come back as being denied for disability.
But yet the patients who were morbidly obese and had diagnosis of depression – always got disability approved the first time!
One of the doctors got to the point where he would simply tell the obese patient – if you lost weight, stopped sitting at home and watching t.v., get out and take a walk, volunteer to help somewhere and just get out and participate in life – your depression and your obesity problem would probably go away.
It was frustrating – very frustrating.
On a personal note – when going through my chemo treatments – I got to the point where my blood cell count was so low that my body could no longer endure the toxic chemo. I was so fatigued that I could not even lift the fork to my mouth at supper one night. Now that is being tired….
I was working part time up until that point in my treatment. My oncologist encouraged me to find out if I would qualify for disability (because, I suspect the oncologist was not all that convinced that I was going to make it through chemo treatment – let alone the additional surgery that I was facing at that time).
Anway – I did consult an attorney whose practice is only disability cases. I was told – upfront – that all cancer cases are denied at first because Social Security thinks that alot of those patients will end up dying in a few months, so they are saving some money.
Well – I did not even attempt to get disability because of the hassle. But I was one of the lucky ones – my husband was still working and we still had good health insurance.
But my brother’s oncologist must have known how to word his disability paperwork – because he got his disability approved rather quickly. But, then again, my brother had the prognosis of terminal cancer – my prognosis was listed as fair/guarded.
That might have made the difference – or maybe different regions of the country handle their cases differently?
I don’t know about that but I do know that if I had put on about 300 lbs of more weight and then went to the right doctor for meds because I was ‘depressed’, I would probably have been on disabilty on the first attempt.
So, your cousins – if they are in the late 40’s – something is going on……
Santorum looks poised to topple Romney – LMAO. Just imagine how it must feel to be worth $250 million of personal fortune and then have millions of campaign funds at your disposal and you STILL get beat by Beaver Cleaver in the sweater vest?
I still think Mitten$ will prevail. It’s Santorum’s turn to drive the clown car.
And he’s doing it quite well……
Personally, I hope Santorum is the GOP nominee – it looks like Ricky has a problem with women – especially strong, independent women.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2012/0214/Is-Rick-Santorum-facing-a-brewing-women-problem
Which republican respects women? I missed the news that there is one who does!
I thought that also when I read this ….but I guess there are some Republican women who lovingly adore their CON men.
Hey, fnord, I’m a republican and I not only respect but love (literally, as I was married to one) women, especially strong, intelligent and independent ones, to whom I am attracted much as iron filings are to a magnet. Sigh – my life might have been simpler if my attraction was to airheads; but then, I might have ended it all long ago had that been the case. đŸ˜‰
You’re right, 6176! Of course there are republicans who respect women. I am guilty of making a gross exaggeration. I too am a registered republican. I live in Kansas and like to participate in elections where there are choices. I found choices at the primary level to be on the republican ticket in this state.
I don’t see any one of the candidates for the republican nominee for president of the U. S., and too few republican members of the U. S. Congress doing anything to advance the cause of women, or to respect all FDA approved contraception methods as basic health care for women.
I don’t respect candidates who spend an inordinate amount of time and energy on attempts to overturn laws that give women access to safe reproductive choices. In fact, I take that quite personally and feel like they are attacking my rights.
President Obama has landed in Wisconsin and Scott Walker will be greeting him at the airport. đŸ™‚
I wonder if Scott Walker will try to pull a publicity stunt like Arizona Gov Jan Brewer did a few weeks ago – remember?
That bony finger pointed in her president’s face.
Imagine the outrage if that had been a Republican president and the bony finger belonged to a Democratic governor.
Here is link to Jan Brewer’s display of total lack of respect….
And how telling that this stunt garnered Jan Brewer another round of media appearances on all the CONS media outlets.
She was the darling of the Tea Set once again…..
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/44/post/arizona-gov-jan-brewer-calls-obama-thin-skinned-after-airport-argument/2012/01/26/gIQAD0o7SQ_blog.html
Amid much talk of gas prices, here’s a place to start in learning the history, the facts —
http://zfacts.com/p/35.html
See the full chart at the link. We’re edging up to the record high prices we paid in 2008. Not there yet, but getting closer.
According to Santorum – the gas prices is what caused the Recession – not the housing bubble bursting.
While gas prices is a major factor in the economy – the other factors such as housing bubble and the overall economic collapse on Wall Street due to the incompetence of those fat cats running the place – did not help.
But not to worry – according to Santorum, Obama is to blame…
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/02/rick-santorum-is-right-gas-prices-caused-the-great-recession/252790/
I just heard on Lawrence O’Donnell’s show tonight that the Mormon Church performed a proxy baptism on President Obama’s mother the day after Obama secured the Democratic nomination.
Where the helll was I when all this was coming out? I had no idea the Mormons did this kind of crap……
And now the issue of these proxy baptissm comes full circle and is being a factor in Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential nomination campaign?
I watched O’Donnell’s show tonight because he had Elie Wiesel on there talking about the 1995 Agreement the Jews made with the Mormon over those holocaust victims that the Mormon Church proxy baptized.
Aftert Elie Wiesel was on – then Lawrence O’Donnell had the researcher (some woman Helen Radkey?) that has been doing this kind of research for holocaust victims and she was the one that found Elie Wiesel’s name being submitted. WTH…..this man is still living??
I know I am beating a dead horse about this issue – but this is all so bizarre to me.
I do agree with Elie Wiesel when he said tonight that Mitt Romney should address this proxy baptism issue since he is a running for the GOP nomination for president. Romney should have the cajones to stand up and say what he thinks about his church performing these rituals against people’s wishes – or even sometimes without the families even knowing about it.
What does that say about Romney’s views if he became president? If his church tells him to do something – will he do it simply because some damn church leader told him to do it?
I said this yesterday – religion is some screwed up shit…..
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-5174534-503544.html
I don’t know about you – but I would be furious to find out this was done to any of my family members.
If anyone wants to be a Mormon – they can choose it while they’re alive. And I sure as Hell don’t want someone else making that choice for me.
But what do I care – if this Mormon Heaven is where these types of folks are going to be – I don’t want to be there…..
Wow – for professing to be such a tough guy on tort reform – I guess that does not apply when the potential lawsuit windfall is coming into your own wife’s pockets.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/15/rick-santorum-wife-sued-doctor-tort-reform_n_1276575.html
More interesting background on Rick Santorum…
The more this guy surges in the GOP polls, the more we will all find out….
Pass the popcorn.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/15/rick-santorum-conservative-pro-life-ronald-reagan_n_1280033.html
It seems to me that everything ‘religion’ is involved with has to do with control.
If one believes in hocus pocus and blindly follows that is good. Also, this should be the way everyone else believes. If you interpret differently, you’re just wrong and you’re going to hell. THE ALMIGHTY made humans capable of most everything except critically thinking about religion. Religion is just to be followed on faith, no questions asked, no votes taken, critical thinking skills are not welcome. Someone will tell you which religion is THE ONE, so sit down and shut up. What to do when several someones tell you which is THE ONE RELIGION and they’re all different? Just don’t ask that question, you’re not allowed to think!
If you believe the truth will be made known to you! Different truths have already been made known to the many believers! The Supreme Leader of Iran and Santorum can both tell you a thing or three about what is the truth!
Amen Sister….Amen. Agreed 100%