Let's give 'em something to rant about

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Saturday, November 07, 2009

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By NapaValleyRegister.com politicos

Today's Political Rant

November 7th, 2009

Let's give 'em something to rant about

November 1st, 2009

Kicking off November with new rants

October 26th, 2009

Rant to wrap up October

October 24th, 2009

A weekend to rant about

October 19th, 2009

Here we go a-ranting all week

What politically-themed issue makes you want to scream?

Let everyone know your thoughts by venting here in NapaValleyRegister.com’s weekly Political Rant.

If you have a non-political rant, take that over to the weekly Random Thoughts blog.

Remember, comments have to follow the comment guidelines.

88 comment(s)

kevin wrote on Nov 8, 2009 9:08 AM:

" Congratulations to Mike Thompson.

He promised to vote in favor of the Government taking control of our private health care industry

to implement severe and drastic cuts in Medicare

to increase taxes on middle class families

to drive the defict to levels never seen before.

And he has done what he said (or what Nancy said) he would do... "

Raven wrote on Nov 8, 2009 1:12 PM:

" and cite your evidence in the bill, not the talking points, but in the bill that any of that will take place kevin..... "

alucawanza wrote on Nov 8, 2009 4:51 PM:

" Just received this as part of an email and thought it would bring a smile to everyone.

"I think Congressmen should wear uniforms like NASCAR drivers so we could identify their corporate sponsors." "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 8, 2009 5:32 PM:

" Raven- show us where it does not!

Most of the real damage, if it ever comes to a vote, will be done by the nameless bureaucrats writing the rules.

This is tyranny rearing it's ugly head. But, thankfully most of congress will be replaced and Americans can see some of this damage reversed! "

kevin wrote on Nov 8, 2009 5:57 PM:

" "There are also more than $400 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid; a new $20 billion fee on medical device makers; $13 billion from limiting contributions to flexible spending accounts; sizable penalties paid by individuals and employers who don't obtain coverage; and a mix of other corporate taxes and fees." "

Raven wrote on Nov 8, 2009 9:39 PM:

" hmmm...so reducing the rate of growth is a cut...(wait a sec, isn't that what you have accused Democrats of doing in the past?)

the bill Would result in a net deficit reduction of $104 billion over the 2010-2019 period, according to preliminary estimate by the Congressional Budget Office. The CBO said $1 trillion in new spending would be offset by $426 billion in spending cuts and $739 billiion in new revenues from tax increases and penalties.
— Imposes a 5.4 percent tax on income over $500,000 for a single person or $1 million, for couples filing joint tax returns.
— Imposes a 2.5 percent tax on wholesale sales of medical devices, but exempts retail sales.
— Expands the Medicaid program to those with incomes up to 150 percent of the federal poverty line, or $33,075 for a family for four, expanding eligibility far beyond many states’ current levels.
— Subsidizes coverage for families with incomes up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $88,200 for a family of four.
— Sets up a public insurance option, funded by $2 billion in federal start-up money and then paid for with enrollee premium payments. Opens the public option only to people not enrolled in employer-sponsored insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid.
— Requires some employers who do not offer insurance coverage to their workers to pay a penalty equal to 8 percent of their payroll costs. Exempts firms with annual payrolls below $500,000.
— Requires individuals to either obtain insurance coverage or pay a fee equal to 2.5 percent of their adjusted income above the income tax filing threshold, or the average cost of insurance coverage.
— Sets up a $10 billion reinsurance program for insurance plans which cover early retirees (those between ages 55 and 65). "

Raven wrote on Nov 8, 2009 9:45 PM:

" Re the $20 billion fee on medical device makers....house bill is 1/2 of what the Senate version is asking for...

"sizable penalties paid by individuals and employers who don't obtain coverage..."

just like auto insurance, you don't buy it you get fined....and there will be subsidies for both to help with high cost coverage "

kevin wrote on Nov 8, 2009 10:09 PM:

" Right off the top, people will be hurt by the elimination of the FSA accounts.

For me, that is a tax increase of several thousand dollars per year... "

PlasticPinkFlamingo wrote on Nov 9, 2009 8:01 AM:

" Mandatory health insurance is far different from mandatory auto insurance and is an irrelevant comparison. If you don't have a car you don't have to buy auto insurance. But if you have a life - what's your option? "

Hear ye wrote on Nov 9, 2009 9:09 AM:

" Paranoia Strikes Deep

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/opinion/09krugman.html?_r=2&ref=opinion "

Raven wrote on Nov 9, 2009 10:13 AM:

" FSA accounts are not going to be eliminated kevin...

(from the WSJ 11/2/9)

The big health-care bills in both houses of Congress would put a $2,500 limit on the tax-free accounts people use for things like co-pays and over-the-counter drugs, the Associated Press notes this morning.

As with everything else in the health-care debate, there’s a group — Save Flexible Spending Plans — organized to fight the cuts. The group describes itself as a “grassroots advocacy campaign,” but the AP says that it’s backed by insurers and companies that administer flex spending accounts, among others.

As the WSJ noted a few weeks back, many companies already impose their own caps on how much money workers can set aside in the accounts. And the consulting shop Mercer found that the workers’ average contribution in 2008 was $1,385, well below the proposed cap.

Still, some people do set aside more than $2,500 — and the cap on contributions could raise $13 billion in new taxes over the next decade, the AP says.

http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2009/11/02/another-health-care-bill-detail-cap-on-flex-spending-accounts/ "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 9, 2009 5:25 PM:

" Raven-

you forgot the best aspects of the bill.

Non-participation 1st offense $25,000 fine and\or 1 year in jail.

Second offense $250,000 fine and 5 years in prison.

It is called indentured servitude and is illegal under the 13 Amendment. But that is correcdt, the Democrats don't believe in the Constitution. to them it is flexible for the definition they choose.

That is okay, it will die an ugly death in the Senate! "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 9, 2009 5:32 PM:

" The sad part is these pages shpould be filled with outrage. better than 55% of the American people do not want government forced health care. It is tyranny plane and simple.

it is about government control only and not health. Our tax money will be used to fund union retirements, health care for 12-20 million people who should not be here anyway, and finally the disintegration of the quality of health care Americans have become acustomed.

It is a sad day in America. It will be sadder for the Democrats next year! "

Raven wrote on Nov 9, 2009 8:56 PM:

" freeport...involuntary servitude? Haven't heard that one since it was trued by draft evaders.

Don't get your insurance, and let the rest of the taxpayers pay for your health care...(kind of shoots your protestations of the lack of personal responsibility by others)

Try your involuntary servitude defense...see how far it goes, been tried by criminal defendants for decades and hasn't worked yet. "

kevin wrote on Nov 10, 2009 6:31 AM:

" Unfortunately, raven has a valid point, FP.

While obviously a violation of our Constitutional Rights (and sending the Founding Fathers spinning in their graves), the Supreme Court was basically neutered by FDR and it shows no signs of growing a new pair.

To go back to following the Constitution (as it was intended) would mean overturning many (if not most) laws enacted since FDR. That's why Congress always asks nominees over and over if they agree with the idea of"precidence". And they always agree... "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 10, 2009 7:33 AM:

" Raven-

Congratulations on your Law degree and keen insight into the law. IS has been used very successfully to prosecute human traffickers for years. Especially here in the bay area with Asian prostitutes in the South Bay to Indian ones in Berkeley.

Besides, the House Bill leaves 20 million without insurance. Do you really think Nancy and Harry are ready to prosecute 20 million people, let alone incarcerate them???? "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 10, 2009 7:41 AM:

" Nothing personal Raven, you do seem like a nice guy\gal, but I will not be purchasing government insurance anytime in the next decade to support you or anyone else.

I would prefer to be a fugative, than be taxed and forced to pay $15,000 per year to such a corrupt government. I am an American who values Freedom and Liberty. I will not submit to such tyranny and be forced into a dysfunctional government system.

To quote Barry, "FedEx and UPS are doing just fine. It is the Post Office that is messed up". "

cab e-girl wrote on Nov 10, 2009 8:25 AM:

" Extremely troubling.....

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/11/09/taking_liberties/entry5595506.shtml?tag=mncol;txt "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 10, 2009 8:29 AM:

" Kevin-

So I should just give up my freedom and liberty? Raven condems me for not wanting his insurance, but he has been paying for 20 million illegals without complaint. double standard.

No thank you. I will follow G.S. Patton's philosophy to keep my Freedom and Liberty, "Attack, Attack, Attack!". I will fight this in the Senate.

Unlike and Raven and his ilk, freedom and liberty me more to me than government tyranny! "

kevin wrote on Nov 10, 2009 6:42 PM:

" Here's something we can ALL agree with:

"D.C. sniper executed in Virginia"

It is a good thing... "

Hear Ye wrote on Nov 11, 2009 12:51 AM:

" Thanks for your tremendous sacrifice for your country, now get lost.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/11/10/vif2.dont.ask.dont.tell/index.html

Yet another example about a tired and dated policy that costs us all in many ways. "

krusty wrote on Nov 11, 2009 5:06 AM:

" No, we can't all agree on the death penalty, Kevin. Certainly what Muhammad did was terrible, but I don't believe the terrible crimes commited by a person are justification for the taking of their life. Personally, the whole idea of government putting someone to death seems archaic to me. "

Raven wrote on Nov 11, 2009 9:40 AM:

" so now all the ills of the word are FDR's fault, kevin.....?...amazing, btw, tell us how "the Supreme Court was basically neutered by FDR " his proposal for adding two justices was discarded and the majority of current justices were appoint by GOP presidents...

freeport, not condemning you for not wanting health care coverage.....but for wanting to avoid the consequences of your choice .... and since I have health care coverage explain how you are paying for mine....

and the house bill would cover 96 percent of the US.....better than either the GOP bill or the Senate version....would I like universal-yes...but being a pragmatist, I will settle for 96 percent...politics is the art of the possible

"Unlike and Raven and his ilk, freedom and liberty me more to me than government tyranny...."

Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel- Samuel johnson

Me and my ilk will struggle one freeport. "

diehard4ever wrote on Nov 11, 2009 12:29 PM:

" krusty-
He killed himself when he pulled the trigger. He made a decision when he killed those people, and that decision ended his life. Government simply finished the job. He is now in the hands of God (no matter what religion he is, they all have a God), and God shall judge him Himself and punish him eternally as He sees fit. Did you ever see that forward about the Marine and the Aethiest (sp?) professor? "

Raven wrote on Nov 11, 2009 7:33 PM:

" so what is it with the GOP candidates this year, first whitman, the fiorina and now this gentleman...

Orange County businessman Damon Dunn -- a wealthy former NFL player who has never run for statewide office -- formally kicked off his campaign for California Secretary of State today with some big GOP backing. But here's the twist: even as he seeks the job of chief state elections officer, Dunn told the Chronicle today that he has only voted once in his lifetime -- in May 2009.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=51442&tsp=1#ixzz0Wc2LHDQJ "

pharper wrote on Nov 11, 2009 9:45 PM:

" You said it yourself - GOD makes the ultimate punishment, not us (if you believe in that). What, you think your power is equal to God's? You think you are qualified by an all-powerful God who claims to make the ultimate judgment to kill another human being? You want a government with the power to kill its own people? That sure doesn't sound like you!

And by the way, diehard: here's the e-mail I got:

"A fireman steps back from the rubble of a house that has just collapsed
and killed two members of his engine company and three children who were
trapped inside by the fire. With tears in his eyes, he laments out loud,
"There is no living god who could allow this. If there is a god let him
strike me down right here right now, too."

After several moments, a disheveled man in a a beard and Islamic prayer
robe steps forward and strikes the fireman down, knocking him unconscious.

"Allah was busy, so he sent me," the man says.

Now who are you rooting for? "

antipc wrote on Nov 12, 2009 7:10 AM:

" The future of America if we continue to follow green policies.

Cuba rations energy.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N11371755.htm "

krusty wrote on Nov 12, 2009 9:37 AM:

" Diehard, you can technically end his life by letting him spend the rest of it in prison. Why does a government agency have to strap him down and inject him with poison for us to consider justice served?

I believe no one has a right to take another persons life, so I'm certainly not condoning anything Muhammad did, I simply don't understand the 'eye for an eye' mentality we use. I don't believe government should play God.

Everyone is different, but personally I would not feel better after watching someone, who killed a close family member of mine, put to death in this way. I'm sure I would have a lot of hatred for a person were I in that same situation, and there may be a time shortly after the incident that I wished they were no longer living, but I would not feel that the only solution to my anger was the death of this person. "

PlasticPinkFlamingo wrote on Nov 12, 2009 11:16 AM:

" Many of today's ills can be traced back to FDR's brushing aside the Constitution when it served his purposes. As his presidency gets more examination we find that he was not the hero that so many thought.

He threatened to pack the Supremes with FOUR more justices that danced to his tune and the Supremes backed down. If we had 3000 words instead of 300 here, it would not be enough to discuss the problems that FDR gave us.

The idea that we should accept $1.2 trillion more in government spending to cover 96% of the population is ludicrous. The next thing you'll want is another trillion to cover the remaining 4%. It's called the 'camel's nose in the tent' strategy that the Democrat left practices so well. They will accept a law that doesn't do everything they want because they know it will be easy to 'reform' it later on. That is why this socialistic takeover of health care must be stopped. There are better ways to resolve problems than getting the federal government involved. If you are truly looking to lower health care costs (and good health care is expensive no matter how you look at it), government meddling is not going to be the answer.

If what you're really looking for is the socialist solution, which is to have everyone taxed more, then you will want government control that points its guns at its citizens. Don't begin to think all this can be paid for by the rich - you can put all the rich people upside down on the clothesline until all their money falls out of their pockets and it will not begin to cover the cost of the left's utopian health care bureaucracy. "

Kizzie wrote on Nov 12, 2009 11:20 AM:

" Well, here is another piece of great legislation submitted by our dimwitted state representatives to congress. What next?

Emergency Influenza Containment Act

The purpose of this Act is to ensure that American workers are able to follow, without financial harm, the recommendations of their employer and public health authorities to stay home when they have symptoms of a contagious disease that may put co-workers, customers, or the public at risk.

An employer who directs an employee to leave work or not to come in to work because the employer believes the employee has symptoms of a contagious illness, or has been in close contact with an individual who has symptoms of a contagious illness, shall provide paid sick leave to the employee for each workday (or portion thereof) the employee complies with such direction, up to a maximum of 5 workdays per 12-month period.

So the reasoning is that since a sick employee has to follow his employer's orders, (not to infect his entire workforce) the employer should have to shoulder the financial burden of an employee getting sick? Add this to the proposed mandatory health coverage costs and soon it will not be worth being in business anymore. "

antipc wrote on Nov 12, 2009 12:28 PM:

" Is the white house thinking about triggering inflation? Paying down the deficit with printed money?!?

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/12/white-house-considers-using-tarp-cut-deficit/ "

Raven wrote on Nov 12, 2009 2:27 PM:

" ummm..antipc, maybe deflation is a bigger worry....the inflation rate for the US in Sept was a -1.3 percent "

dellasumbrella wrote on Nov 12, 2009 2:41 PM:

" "So the reasoning is that since a sick employee has to follow his employer's orders, (not to infect his entire workforce) the employer should have to shoulder the financial burden of an employee getting sick?"

I guess if employees don't have paid sick days, and they need to work to support themselves and a family, they'll work whether well or ill. Sounds like good work ethic to me. Maybe if the employer provided sick leave to begin with....It's really in the employer's best interests, whether the worker has H1N1 or a broken leg or a common cold. Workers do better when they can heal themselves. "

Kizzie wrote on Nov 12, 2009 3:07 PM:

" All well and good della, and employers that provide benefits to their workers will attract and keep better employees, but why does the government have to get involved and mandate benefits?

My guess is you have no idea what is in an employers best interest. "

Kizzie wrote on Nov 12, 2009 3:10 PM:

" And if you will re- read the first paragraph, it is the co-worker, customer and public that will benefit. Why should only the employer pay for the sick time? "

Raven wrote on Nov 12, 2009 4:25 PM:

" so a new database lets you see what hospitals charge people w/o insurance for common procedures....the info is based on what is reported to the state

The Queen charges $23,971 for what is described as chest pain, St Helena $21,027....statewide average is $19,895.

http://www.sacbee.com/1098/story/2317472.html

kizzie, why do you assume it would cost an employer less to keep an ailing worker on the job, infecting both co-workers and customers? Isn't a healthy work force more productive and therefore of more value to the employer? "

kevin wrote on Nov 12, 2009 6:22 PM:

" Gee, raven maybe it's because people will ABUSE the system and call in sick when they AREN'T.

(If you're reading this boss, it's just a comment. I really was sick last week. Cough, cough...) "

antipc wrote on Nov 12, 2009 6:50 PM:

" ummmm raven, the key word there was trigger. Or maybe you haven't read that gold reserves are dwindling. But then again expecting a liberal to understand economics is a big reach. "

alucawanza wrote on Nov 12, 2009 7:07 PM:

" The employer could get sick too.

But you're concerned about the government getting involved, right? It's an emergency act to prevent the spread of H1N1. Measures are always taken by government when there is a threat of a pandemic for public safety. Does it have an expiration date?

I wouldn't want to go into your business and be helped by someone who has a contagious disease that could result in a catastrophic epidemic for my family. There's no more vaccine out there for a while. Many are at risk.
I promise not to come to your business if I'm ill! "

Raven wrote on Nov 12, 2009 10:54 PM:

" hmmm.....and again, do you think it will be more productive to have sick employees at work, infecting each other and the customers, do you really think

and kevin, why do you assume that everyone will abuse it as you say you have...most people, given the chance, do tend to do the right thing.

antipc...that was what was said last year when you were howling about the TARP funds and the Feds bailout...inflation will run rampant....did it happen?...and you do know we haven't been on the gold standard for decades now, since Nixon removed a fixed preice for gold in 71.

But assume we were - " The total amount of gold that has ever been mined has been estimated at around 142,000 metric tons. Assuming a gold price of US$1,000 per ounce, or $32,500 per kilogram, the total value of all the gold ever mined would be around $4.5 trillion. This is less than the value of circulating money in the U.S. alone, where more than $8.3 trillion is in circulation or in deposit. Therefore, a return to the gold standard, if also combined with a mandated end to fractional reserve banking, (Fractional-reserve banking is the banking practice in which banks keep only a fraction of their deposits in reserve (as cash and other highly liquid assets) and lend out the remainder, while maintaining the simultaneous obligation to redeem all these deposits upon demand. Fractional reserve banking necessarily occurs when banks lend out any fraction of the funds received from deposit accounts. This practice is universal in modern banking) would result in a significant increase in the current value of gold, which may limit its use in current applications." (wiki)

now you were saying about dwindling gold reserves? "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 13, 2009 8:19 AM:

" My favorite are all the people wearing masks. Unless you spend the money, good money, the masks will not protect anyone from a virus. "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 13, 2009 8:27 AM:

" Kizzie is correct. Those added costs will be directly passed onto the customers. That will be price increases from every employer.

Except under the health care bill when private insurance companies have increased costs, they are excluded from raising the cost of coverage. the Government has set them up with a poison pill to swallow. "

Raven wrote on Nov 13, 2009 8:49 AM:

" Yes, direct democracy is sooo much better for us..

A proposed California ballot initiative would require the state's public schools to offer Christmas music during what anti-Christmas subversives refer to as the holiday season. The initiative reads, in part: "Each public elementary and secondary school shall provide opportunities to its pupils for listening to or performing Christmas music at an appropriate time of year."

Is this something that really needs to be on the ballot? "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 13, 2009 9:00 AM:

" Alexander Hamilton1788 — Federalist No. 33
Category: Tyranny

If the federal government should overpass the just bounds of its authority and make a tyrannical use of its powers, the people, whose creature it is, must appeal to the standard they have formed, and take such measures to redress the injury done to the Constitution as the exigency may suggest and prudence justify.

Reference: The Federalist "

Kizzie wrote on Nov 13, 2009 9:49 AM:

" Alu and Raven: you are misinterpreting what I am saying. Sick employees should stay home, but why should the employer pay for something beyond his control? If society wants employees to have sick time, let them and the employee pay for it through yet another payroll deduction paid into a pool that the government can pay from. (We know how well they manage their trust funds)

Forcing employers to pay sick time is a stealth tax. Another government mandated benefit paid for by small business and, yes Freeport, the cost will be passed on.

And don't forget, the employee does have some responsibility in all this. They should be setting something aside for emergencies. "

Kizzie wrote on Nov 13, 2009 9:57 AM:

" Alu - The bill would expire in two years.

And if the government wants to get involved, they should tell workers that are sick to stay home. If they want them to get paid, see my previous post. "

Raven wrote on Nov 13, 2009 1:23 PM:

" and how does this exceed the authority, freeport?....the feds already have the authority to set working conditions and such things as minimum wages.

how much do you think a minimum wage worker has available to set aside, kizzie? "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 13, 2009 1:55 PM:

" H1N1 the panic that was.

What about the post office? Does everyone in the post office wear gloves? what is on the handle of that shopping cart you are pushing through the store?
Who last handled the gas pump you are at or opended the door on the building you just entered?

You cannot contain this or any spread of a virus. We do too many things through the course of the day. How many people do you see on a daily basis that do not put their hand to their face when they sneeze or cough?

Mmmm, you would have to have a mechanism for controlling the population to prevent contact at all. Or maybe just a good sized jar of hand sanitizer.... "

Kizzie wrote on Nov 13, 2009 2:53 PM:

" Raven - what does that have to do with who pays for their benefits? "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 13, 2009 3:23 PM:

" Pardon me Raven, I had assumed you had read the enumeration of the Governments Authority under the Constitution. You remember the Constitution?

Unlike your desire to be herded in a system forcing you to pay for health care, I do not not choose to be forced. The current Polit Bureau is exceeding it's authority under the Constitution.

I know this may sound foreign, but the elected politicians work for us, it is our government, not theirs. Their marching orders to take over vehicle manufacturing, financial institutions, and now health care. Mind you not reforming it, but controlling all of it.

The ultimate take over of the American people. When 56% of the country does not want it, and they are trying to force it on us. They have exceeded their authority. Time for regime change! "

Raven wrote on Nov 13, 2009 8:57 PM:

" "And don't forget, the employee does have some responsibility in all this. They should be setting something aside for emergencies."....my question is in response to this, kizzie...

well, ya see, freeport, I read that and the court decisions on how far the Feds can go in regulating the insurance industry ... something I would suggest; your arguments have been tried before and never succeeded - why do you think they suddenly will now? "

alucawanza wrote on Nov 13, 2009 10:29 PM:

" Kizzie
People will come to work ill if they don't have paid sick days. Employees should have paid sick days as part of employee benefits anyway, especially during times of a pandemic. As the leader of your business it is your responsibility to protect the welfare of your clientele. I know that I wouldn't come back a second time if your employee handed me a receipt with a hand she just coughed in. "

dellasumbrella wrote on Nov 14, 2009 10:41 AM:

" "My guess is you have no idea what is in an employers best interest."

Well, Kizzie, I guess you answered your own questino, so I needn't respond.

thanks for saving me the trouble. "

dellasumbrella wrote on Nov 14, 2009 10:50 AM:

" "Gee, raven maybe it's because people will ABUSE the system and call in sick when they AREN'T."

I think the point of the law was, if people go to work (even though sick) and the employer sees that they're sick and sends them home, the employer should pay for their sick leave. In that case, how is the employee abusing the law?

I like the idea of the pool -- except that customers & workers already (1) pay into a pool by paying overhead & profit prices, or (2) often earn less than a living wage (or less than enough to "set aside for cases of emergency"), and have no health insurance to boot. "

dellasumbrella wrote on Nov 14, 2009 10:56 AM:

" "And if the government wants to get involved, they should tell workers that are sick to stay home."

Wow. I wonder what the penalty would be if they went to work against government's orders?

While they're at it, why don't we have government tell employers to provide health insurance to workers.

Oops, that would be socialism, wouldn't it? "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 16, 2009 8:39 AM:

" I see the "Organizing for America" letters of support the nationalization of health care is going strong.

Too bad the letter writers do not fully understand what they are writing about and the consequences that will follow. "

Sandra wrote on Nov 16, 2009 9:33 AM:

" Mark,
You got that right. All short and simply worded so the rest of the ignorant masses can comprehend the propaganda.
Nothing in any of them with anything to ponder over. Nope, just praise for the shepherds who lead the sheep. "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 16, 2009 12:54 PM:

" Sandra-

Absolutely, but I think the proper term is sheeple.

I wonder didi Barry agree to pay the Chinese pollution credits as they had asked? Maybe that is why he bent over so far???? "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 16, 2009 2:44 PM:

" luca-

your comments to Kizzie are disingenuis and hold no weight.

First, it is not the employers responsibility if an employee gets sick. Secondly, based on your comments i doubt you never go to the grocery store and use a grocery cart! Nor do you ever open a door to a public business.

Germs (viruses, bacteria) are everywhere and unless you live in a bubble, cannot escape them. as I have stated before it makes me laugh to see people wearing masks that will not stop a virus, shere panic.

And agian how often do we have pandemics? It would seem to me that completely sealing our boarder would do far more, than employee sick days. With unbridlled illegal entry into our country, diseases we have not seen in decades are coming back due to unchecked health by illegal boarder crossers.

Most of these diseases will be spread long before the infected party is aware they are sick. Now that Barry will let everyone infected with AIDS enter our country, there will be new concern as the burden on helath care grows. Pray the Democrats fail to pass their disaster! "

alucawanza wrote on Nov 16, 2009 4:31 PM:

" freeport
*I wipe the grocery cart with the cleaning cloth provided by the store. Ever seen a child with its mouth open on the handle?
*I open doors with my coat sleeve. I don't touch bannisters.
*We're having a pandemic right now.
*Blaming the border crossers is really a big stretch, but I know it's your favorite issue.
*What diseases haven't we seen in decades?
*Don't have sex with a foreigner visiting here with AIDS. Then you'll be o.k.
*God isn't interested in the health care reform. He's busy elsewhere...Pray for something important.

Is our Republlican governor visiting Iraq? Whatever for? Who's paying for it? The state is broke, and he's decided the troops need his support? Doesn't he have work to do here? What gives? "

kevin wrote on Nov 16, 2009 5:37 PM:

" As much as I am disappointed by Arnold's less than steller performance as Governor, I do respect and thank him for visiting our troops in Iraq.

Many of those troops are from California, alcuwanza.

Arnold is still a big time celebrity, don't begrude our troops a little R&R... "

alucawanza wrote on Nov 16, 2009 7:24 PM:

" Sorry kevin,
I don't find Arnold entertaining. Would you feel the same if our governor were a Democrat visiting Iraq?
What kind of R&R is planned?
I do see your point though, about him visiting our California troops. If he gives them a moment's joy I'm glad to pay for it. I wish he was giving them a ticket home...

freeport: What does disingenuis mean? "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 17, 2009 8:41 AM:

" The worst is yet to come: Unemployed Americans should hunker down for more job losses
BY Nouriel Roubini
Sunday, November 15th 2009, 4:00 AM

Think the worst is over? Wrong. Conditions in the U.S. labor markets are awful and worsening. While the official unemployment rate is already 10.2% and another 200,000 jobs were lost in October, when you include discouraged workers and partially employed workers the figure is a whopping 17.5%.

While losing 200,000 jobs per month is better than the 700,000 jobs lost in January, current job losses still average more than the per month rate of 150,000 during the last recession.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2009/11/15/2009-11-15_the_worst_is_yet_to_come_unemployed_americans_should_hunker_down_for_more_job_lo.html#ixzz0X8TacZOU "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 17, 2009 8:59 AM:

" disingenuous-

my bad spelling "

dellasumbrella wrote on Nov 17, 2009 10:39 AM:

" "...when you include discouraged workers and partially employed workers the figure is a whopping 17.5%."

Yes, but they stopped including those figures back in the day of Reagan in order to make his unemployment numbers look better.

Want to bring true accounting back? Good. Those numbers never should have been excluded. Now we can look at real figures, just like we can now budget the massive amounts of money being spent on war, which Bush failed to do.

Ain't transparency and accurate reporting great?! "

cab e-girl wrote on Nov 17, 2009 9:37 PM:

" http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/jobs-saved-created-congressional-districts-exist/story?id=9097853 "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 18, 2009 9:20 AM:

" della-

Nice try!

It was Clinton that changed the forumla;
There were 2 critical changes in unemployment reporting in 1994 under Pres. Clinton.
•The first changed the way that “part time unemployment for economic reasons” figures are derived; the second narrowed the definition of “discouraged workers” seeking jobs.
•Both of these changes reduced figures in subsequent unemployment reports. The second change reduced the count of “discouraged workers” by half immediately.
•The “workers” stayed “discouraged,” their government just didn’t recognize them.

http://www.aei.org/docLib/2009%2008%2013%20Gingrich%20Goldsmith%20Aug%2017%20Update.pdf "

dellasumbrella wrote on Nov 18, 2009 2:43 PM:

" Oops, my bad, FP. That's why I don't like to walk around with a loaded gun, ya know?

I was confusing it with Reagan's lumping 1.5 million U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine service personnel in with the civilian workforce in the "employed" category to boost his employment numbers. But I do have to agree with Reagan there. Because service members are, indeed, employed, and they should be counted.

http://www.consumerwarningnetwork.com/2008/08/18/why-you-can%E2%80%99t-believe-government-statistics-part-1-the-real-unemployment-rate/ "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 18, 2009 6:48 PM:

" Della-

I expected a little better from you, rather than a blatant mistatement. Placing blame just to place blame is not a solid tactic when discussing the facts.

I do understand that Reagan, doing so many good things for America, is a target for the left.

But i just wanted to correct error. "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 18, 2009 6:57 PM:

" della-

Thanks for the link, but FoxNews told me that weeks ago.

:) "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 19, 2009 8:18 AM:

" Listening to the radio this morning, it seems the Great Uniter, Barry is not looked on favorably by the World.

The French thinks he a wimp, he has insulted England by returning a Bust of Church hill, gave the queen an Ipod of HIS speeches, has shown weakness by bowing to foreign leaders(Saudis-Japan), have ignored warnings from China and Russia that we are dismantling our economy, and is about to visit Hiroshima\Nagasaki on a second apology tour.

Nothing like a stuffed shirt with no substance or clear foreign policy to turn the world away from us. I see a great depression on the horizon.

The love is wearing off as the mask is being lowered on inexperience! "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 19, 2009 8:22 AM:

" One more thing......trying to tell Israel how to treat the Palestinians, what to do with their settlements, even suggesting the Israelis stop breeding, is a real sign that he does not support democracies.

It is evident that Barry has jimmy Carter disease. he never met a dictator he did not like!

So the world's dictators see Barry as a wimp that they can use get things from, maybe even unwitting help attacking our own country! "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 19, 2009 9:42 AM:

" Again, Al Gore uses photoshoped photos to instigate fear and imaginary scenarios for global warming hype.

With Hurricanes At Thirty Year Low, Gore Turns To Photoshop

The King of cap and trade simply airbrushes them in to his new book to create a more scary earth.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/with-hurricanes-at-thirty-year-low-gore-turns-to-photoshop.html "

Hear Ye wrote on Nov 19, 2009 10:26 AM:

" I think we've hit a new low when prison planet becomes a source of news. Alex Jones never met a conspiracy he didn't like. You need to step your game up. "

kevin wrote on Nov 19, 2009 11:24 AM:

" So it's not true, hear ye? Just because you don't like the source doesn't mean it's not true. Should be pretty easy to confirm one way or the other... "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 19, 2009 11:54 AM:

" hear ye- okay!

November 19, 2009
A failed presidency is now unavoidable
Monty Pelerin
The Washington Post: "If there was any significant change during this trip, in fact, it was in the United States' newly conciliatory and sometimes laudatory tone. . . . Obama's trip stood in stark contrast to visits by his predecessors."

The Times stated that Obama was given "less respect than was given presidents Bush or Clinton."

All of the above quotes can be found in this highly recommended post by Seth Leibsohn. He concluded his piece:

"Not a very good first year for America, or the world, under a new leadership that promised a new respect, a new start, and a new way of doing business. It's new alright - it just isn't any good."

We have a failed presidency that cannot be retrieved. The dream cannot be rebuilt because there was never a foundation to begin with. It was all show and no substance. Yes, it created much excitement and (false) hope. But so did Elmer Gantry and James Jones. However, the image was akin to an old Hollywood set, all facade and no depth. Now the winds of reality are slowly and inexorably tearing the facade away.
-AmericabnThinker.com

Barry warns all of us about his polkicies. ""It is important though to recognize if we keep on adding to the debt, even in the midst of this recovery, that at some point, people could lose confidence in the U.S. economy in a way that could actually lead to a double-dip recession," he said.
-Rueters "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 19, 2009 1:01 PM:

" Clinton Administration and DNC Fund Raising in "Chinagate" led to 9/11
-FrontPageMagazine-http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=12894

By the time Gorelick wrote the March 1995 memo that sealed off American intelligence agencies from each other and the outside world, all of the most critical Chinagate investigations by American intelligence agencies were already underway. Some of their findings were damning:

•In an investigation originally instigated by the CIA, the FBI was beginning its search for the source of the leak of W-88 nuclear warhead technology to China among the more than 1,000 people who had access to the secrets. Despite Justice Department stonewalling and the Department’s refusal to seek wiretap authority in 1997, the investigation eventually led to Wen Ho Lee and the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
•The FBI first collected extensive evidence in 1995 linking illegal Democratic Party donations to China, according to the Congressional Record. But Congress and the Director of the CIA didn’t find out about the Justice Department’s failure to act upon that evidence until 1997, safely after the 1996 election.
•According to classified CIA documents leaked to the Washington Times, between 1994 and 1997, the CIA learned that China sold Iran missile technology, a nuclear fission reactor, advanced air-defense radar and chemical agents. The Chinese also provided 5,000 ring magnets to Pakistan, used in producing weapons-grade uranium. The Chinese also provided uranium fuel for India's reactors.

Gorelick never testified before the 9/11 commission, but was a member. So, the findings are not real and the solutions inadequate! "

krusty wrote on Nov 19, 2009 4:17 PM:

" Sarah Palin still manages to waste taxpayer dollars even out of office. How? By promoting her book at an Army base.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091119/ap_en_ce/us_palin_fort_bragg "

Hear Ye wrote on Nov 19, 2009 4:23 PM:

" Congratulations! See now you've moved up to an opinion piece from a real rag. It wasn't that hard was it? "

Raven wrote on Nov 20, 2009 12:27 AM:

" and freeport you want to tell us how this led to 9/11?

and to repeat it again foir you, the same memo was also issued by Bush Attorney general John Ashcroft....as every attorney general and administration has done since the law was enacted after the church hearings in the 70s.

(and weren't some of the people complaining about Obama losing respect of other nations saying it doesn't matter what other nations think of us back in the election cycle? So which is it...do we need their respect or don't we?) "

antipc wrote on Nov 20, 2009 6:48 AM:

" For all those who dismiss criticism of Obama by throwing out the race card, here's a qoute from Jesse Jackson reported on The Hill.

“We even have blacks voting against the healthcare bill from Alabama,” Jackson said at a reception Wednesday night. “You can’t vote against healthcare and call yourself a black man.” "

antipc wrote on Nov 20, 2009 8:00 AM:

" Whoa! If this is the real deal it seems the climate change folks have got some splainin' to do & good ol' Al has been "Gored"

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/11/19/breaking-news-story-hadley-cru-has-apparently-been-hacked-hundreds-of-files-released/ "

cab e-girl wrote on Nov 20, 2009 12:54 PM:

" Jamie Gorelick's legacy- Resided over a $10 Billion Accounting scandal at Fannie Mae only to receive $20 Million. Instrumental in putting communication wall up between the CIA and FBI. She then was in resided over the 9-11 Commission report. RIDICULOUS!
For Raven and those in Rio Linda:
The Wall Street Journal quoted Attorney General Ashcroft on Gorelick's wall:

"In the days before September 11, the wall specifically impeded the investigation into Zacarias Moussaoui, Khalid al-Midhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi. After the FBI arrested Moussaoui, agents became suspicious of his interest in commercial aircraft and sought approval for a criminal warrant to search his computer. The warrant was rejected because FBI officials feared breaching the wall.

"When the CIA finally told the FBI that al-Midhar and al-Hazmi were in the country in late August, agents in New York searched for the suspects. But because of the wall, FBI headquarters refused to allow criminal investigators who knew the most about the most recent al Qaeda attack to join the hunt for the suspected terrorists.

"At that time, a frustrated FBI investigator wrote headquarters, quote, 'Whatever has happened to this — someday someone will die — and wall or not — the public will not understand why we were not more effective and throwing every resource we had at certain 'problems.' "

From the Washington Post:

"Gorelick served as Vice Chairman of Fannie Mae for six years and presided over a $10 billion accounting scandal, an ominous harbinger of the firm’s looming troubles. One of the falsified transactions helped FNMA hit earnings targets for 1998, which triggered bonuses for top executives including nearly $800,000 to Gorelick. During this 6 year period, she earned $26 million. (no that is not a typo)"
Can we all just say CORRUPTION? "

a teacher wrote on Nov 20, 2009 1:12 PM:

" " Whoa! If this is the real deal it seems the climate change folks have got some splainin' to do & good ol' Al has been "Gored"

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/11/19/breaking-news-story-hadley-cru-has-apparently-been-hacked-hundreds-of-files-released/ "

Yep, I just read that. Somebody hacked a data base and found found an email that says climate data is being forged...

THAT'S BELIEVABLE... "

freeport56 wrote on Nov 20, 2009 1:31 PM:

" http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100017393/climategate-the-final-nail-in-the-coffin-of-anthropogenic-global-warming/

Climategate: the final nail in the coffin of 'Anthropogenic Global Warming'?
If you own any shares in alternative energy companies I should start dumping them NOW. The conspiracy behind the Anthropogenic Global Warming myth (aka AGW; aka ManBearPig) has been suddenly, brutally and quite deliciously exposed after a hacker broke into the computers at the University of East Anglia’s Climate Research Unit (aka Hadley CRU) and released 61 megabites of confidential files onto the internet. (Hat tip: Watts Up With That)

When you read some of those files – including 1079 emails and 72 documents – you realise just why the boffins at Hadley CRU might have preferred to keep them confidential. As Andrew Bolt puts it, this scandal could well be “the greatest in modern science”. These alleged emails – supposedly exchanged by some of the most prominent scientists pushing AGW theory – suggest:
Conspiracy, collusion in exaggerating warming data, possibly illegal destruction of embarrassing information, organised resistance to disclosure, manipulation of data, private admissions of flaws in their public claims and much more.

Raven, I gave you the link read the article. "

Raven wrote on Nov 20, 2009 5:38 PM:

" yeah powerful stuff from a writer who says this about himself....

James Delingpole is a writer, journalist and broadcaster who is right about everything. He is the author of numerous fantastically entertaining books including Welcome To Obamaland: I've Seen Your Future And It Doesn't Work, How To Be Right, and the Coward series of WWII adventure novels.

yawnnnnn....but did you count the number of alleges he used.....(not to mention a there is big difference between cherry picking data and forging the data) and the assumption that the Hadley Cru data is the only data supporting climate change...

and cab-e-girl.....guess whose administration refused to breach the wall in the case you cite....Bush's...Gorelick wasn't part of the justice department t that time and Ashcfroft's Justice department had signed off the the 'wall' itself....the wall itself has existed since the mid-70s.... "

Raven wrote on Nov 20, 2009 9:19 PM:

" "here ya go...what a surprise it took this long for the feeding on each other to begin..

Tea partiers turn on each other

the tea party movement has become embroiled in internal feuding over philosophy, strategy and money and is at risk of losing its momentum.

The grass-roots activists driving the movement have become increasingly divided on such core questions as whether to focus their efforts on shaping policy debates or elections, work on a local, regional, state or national level or closely align themselves with the Republican Party, POLITICO found in interviews with tea party organizers in Washington and across the country.

and for those partiers who hate community organizers...there is this..

Ned Ryun, president of American Majority, a nonprofit that has conducted organizer-training sessions for many tea party activists,......

and this is fun...

But the groups have also jockeyed — mostly behind the scenes — to take credit for leadership of the movement, which — depending on who’s doing the telling — took its name either as an homage to the 1773 Boston tax revolt that played a major role in sparking the American Revolution or from an acronym standing for “taxed enough already.”

http://tinyurl.com/ykn57e6 "

kevin wrote on Nov 21, 2009 6:44 AM:

" Here's another good one freeport:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,662092,00.html

It is about the scientists and how embarrassed they are that their computer models CAN'T EXPLAIN the last 10 years of NO GLOBAL WARMING.

Yet we are supposed to BELIEVE that those SAME MODELS are accurately predicting events hundreds of years in the future.

Yeah, right.... "

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