Congratulations America

[Michelle]

Naturally. They obviously know America better than those who live here.

As for the Americans that fall for made up statistics...sheep get sheared. Enjoy.

I know for a fact that there are quite a few homeless that refuse any help or jobs. Lots of people in town have offered, including us, almost always with a resounding no. They won't stay in shelters because they can't drink or do drugs and have to be in a certain time every night.

If they aren't getting any help it's mostly their own fault and not the fault of all of the different organizations that are available to them, which my city has an abundance of.

[Michelle]

Bush did give us 8 years to formulate a fairly good opinion of him. In 8 years we will have a better understanding of Obama and if he pulls a "Bush" I'll be right here saying so.

You can have whatever opinion you want of him or Obama. I was talking about bigots that project that opinion on all Americans.

[Tiggs]

You're wrong. Did you see where I said people don't die in the streets because they have no insurance? People actually believe that. It's not true, yet I hear assorted European folks imply that all the time. Hell, I criticize America too, but not with out-right lies and fabrication.

You'll have to blame the American Mainstream Media for giving them that impression, then.

For example, the USA Today article that reports the findings from the Institute of Medicine's report that "More than 18,000 adults in the USA die each year because they are uninsured and can't get proper health care", or the CNN reports that tell them that 36,377 cancer patients will die without insurance each year. The LA Times tells them that 89 Million Americans are not fully insured during any given year, and that half of all US Bankruptcies involve medical bills - Three quarters of whom had insurance when they initially became Ill.

[Ufo Believer]

Well, we can finnaly go back to trusting the President, once President-Elect Obama gets in the White House, again.

[The Silver Thong]

Yes, he is just my employee. Not just mine though, he is the employee of the American people. When I said "He is my employee" I was speaking as an American citizen, not as Iamsson. So, although all public servants are my employees, they are not just my employee and as employees of the American people they have a duty to carry out their duties even if I personally disagree with them. Nice try ST.

See, you're falling into the same trap all those others did. Although I do not yet make $250K, I hope to make $250K at some point in the future. Additionally, according to Biden the number was more like $120K which I'm a little closer to. Stop thinking about how you are not affected so it's OK, because at some point you will be affected and it will be too late. We should all be raging whenever the government tells us what they plan to do with our money whether they are Republicans, Democrats, or whatever! It's our money!

Obama is less your employee than most Americans as I bet my bottom dollar you voted MCcain. He is the people's employee and you are the minority If you don't like your new employee maybe you should switch up the hiring process

Ok your country is in a crisis and you whine over a few hundred bucks a year ok maybe a couple of thousand. You should feel obligated to step forward and say yes lets try and fix this and if I have to suffer some minor inconvenience it's for the common good of the people. I don't see you doing that at all...

My city alone (the Mayor) just proposed a 25% increase in property tax's how's that. Compaired to the rest of the first world American's pay some of the lowest tax's. Hard to feel your pain IamsSon.

[Michelle]

Well, we can finnaly go back to trusting the President, once President-Elect Obama gets in the White House, again.

Exactly what has he done to gain your trust?

[Ufo Believer]

What he says he'll do to the economy. And anyway don't you think that President-Elect Obama will be better instead of McCain?

[Ufo Believer]

I'm sure that we'll be better off with President-Elect Obama, if you compare President Bush to 4 years ago.

Edited November 7, 2008 by Ufo Believer

[The Silver Thong]

Exactly what has he done to gain your trust?

Thats exactly why judging him now befor he even takes the office is just silly yet I see alot of it hmmm. I will give him sometime behind the desk befor I call him out.

[Michelle]

What he SAYS he'll do to the economy. And anyway don't you think that President-Elect Obama will be better instead of McCain?

He hasn't DONE anything. What makes you think he's not like every other politician and is lying?

McCain has nothing to do with it.

[Michelle]

Thats exactly why judging him now befor he even takes the office is just silly yet I see alot of it hmmm. I will give him sometime behind the desk befor I call him out.

As will I.

[Sweetpumper]

You'll have to blame the American Mainstream Media for giving them that impression, then.

The American mainstream media is to blame, absolutely. They will report anything that helps their agenda, true or false.

[jaylemurph]

I know for a fact that there are quite a few homeless that refuse any help or jobs. Lots of people in town have offered, including us, almost always with a resounding no. They won't stay in shelters because they can't drink or do drugs and have to be in a certain time every night.

If they aren't getting any help it's mostly their own fault and not the fault of all of the different organizations that are available to them, which my city has an abundance of.

Here I was thinking Reagan was dead...

--Jaylemurph

[Michelle]

Here I was thinking Reagan was dead...

--Jaylemurph

If only you had a real opinion instead of just a shallow criticism.

[eqgumby]

You'll have to blame the American Mainstream Media for giving them that impression, then.

For example, the USA Today article that reports the findings from the Institute of Medicine's report that "More than 18,000 adults in the USA die each year because they are uninsured and can't get proper health care", or the CNN reports that tell them that 36,377 cancer patients will die without insurance each year. The LA Times tells them that 89 Million Americans are not fully insured during any given year, and that half of all US Bankruptcies involve medical bills - Three quarters of whom had insurance when they initially became Ill.

I do. They are skewed statistics. You want to blame someone? Blame the insurance companies who make record profits each year. Then tell me who these "un-insured" are, and why they are un-insured. Then tell me what medical they DID get, despite not having health care. You know, my own relatives count as "un-insured", because they get their care through the state, because Mom can't get off the pipe, and "Daddy" can't get a job because he can't pass a drug test. I feel sorry for the kids, not the pigs that churn them out. Maybe you should analyze the statistics, and investigate who these un-insured are.

I'm not rich, I'm not "elite", and my family has NEVER been un-insured. And I have NEVER met a person that was ill and put on the streets to die because they have no insurance, and THAT is what these people want you to believe.

The government can't manage the health-care system they already control. You want that for the rest of the country?

The only people I feel bad for, are the self-employed that pay insane premiums for garbage insurance. The system is wrong, and that's thanks to insurance companies that make BILLIONS every year. Regulate them.

[Jonny Wonny]

Oo Oo, anyone else sense deja vu?

[Michelle]

The only people I feel bad for, are the self-employed that pay insane premiums for garbage insurance. The system is wrong, and that's thanks to insurance companies that make BILLIONS every year. Regulate them.

Thank you, that would be us.

Thankfully, our cut-rate insurance has been very good in the last year and a half during my sudden illness.

[Ufo Believer]

Yes, President-Elect Obama hasn't done anything...yet. So, do you really think we were better off 4 yrs. ago with George Bush? Just wanting an opinion.

[Michelle]

Yes, President-Elect Obama hasn't done anything...yet. So, do you really think we were better off 4 yrs. ago with George Bush? Just wanting an opinion.

If the only way for you to be satisfied in a conversation about Obama is to say someone else is worse then I will say it...no, I don't think it was better four years ago with Bush. Do I think it will be any better with Obama...no.

[KyrusRose]

I do. They are skewed statistics. You want to blame someone? Blame the insurance companies who make record profits each year. Then tell me who these "un-insured" are, and why they are un-insured. Then tell me what medical they DID get, despite not having health care. You know, my own relatives count as "un-insured", because they get their care through the state, because Mom can't get off the pipe, and "Daddy" can't get a job because he can't pass a drug test. I feel sorry for the kids, not the pigs that churn them out. Maybe you should analyze the statistics, and investigate who these un-insured are.

I'm not rich, I'm not "elite", and my family has NEVER been un-insured. And I have NEVER met a person that was ill and put on the streets to die because they have no insurance, and THAT is what these people want you to believe.

The government can't manage the health-care system they already control. You want that for the rest of the country?

The only people I feel bad for, are the self-employed that pay insane premiums for garbage insurance. The system is wrong, and that's thanks to insurance companies that make BILLIONS every year. Regulate them.

If we want to talk about families... Then here's mine. My mother had 2 ovarian cysts and a hernia, couldn't get insurance BEFORE she got sick because she was listed as working part time, even though she worked 60 hours a week, and her job wouldn't cover a cent of it, and she couldn't AFFORD $280 a month for STATE insurance. She looses her job when she can't work because of the pain. We applied for aid and where REFUSED because they wouldn't recognize her medical problems, ended up losing our home and living on the streets for years. My mother was working 2 jobs out of a temp agency and applying for federal aid every 3 weeks. Do you know what its like to sit in a welfare office in clothes you've been wearing for 2 weeks knowing nothing is going to change... while watching the other people sitting in that waiting room in their nice clothes and gold necklaces, talking on their cell phones... and STILL they're going in to get a stack of food stamps and an aid check? The system is SCREWED UP and just because your family got something out of it doesn't mean EVERY family does!! Look past your own nose! Your family is PROOF its screwed up. If they're not working, too high to be bothered, they shouldn't be getting JACK from the government, and yet my mother worked her A** off trying to take care of 2 kids and got nothing! You've just shown us ALL why we need an improvement in the system, thanks for that!

[momentarylapseofreason]

I know for a fact that there are quite a few homeless that refuse any help or jobs. Lots of people in town have offered, including us, almost always with a resounding no. They won't stay in shelters because they can't drink or do drugs and have to be in a certain time every night.

If they aren't getting any help it's mostly their own fault and not the fault of all of the different organizations that are available to them, which my city has an abundance of.

Substance abuse is mostly caused by a chemical imbalance, one of them being depression.

You think these people were kids at one time that thought "oh jeez, I think I want to be an alcoholic bum when I grow up" ?

Only I think they should be forced into rehab & therapy because they affect society negatively as a whole, when they don't get help.

of course some are lazy but most are ill.

[BlindMessiah]

I imagine substance abuse is often caused by depression and escapism.

[Michelle]

Only I think they should be forced into rehab & therapy because they affect society negatively as a whole, when they don't get help.

So you advocate kidnapping or jailing them, which is what forcing someone into rehab would be even if they haven't commited a crime against someone. Illegal substance abuse is a crime but the jails are filled up with violent criminals as it is. You also can't force anyone into therapy any more than you can force them to take medication that has already been prescribed to them.

Edit to clarify.

Edited November 8, 2008 by Michelle

[eqgumby]

Thank you, that would be us.

Thankfully, our cut-rate insurance has been very good in the last year and a half during my sudden illness.

Hey, if you work for a living, even self employed, you need to budget for insurance, basically be your own HR department. I agree, it's not easy, and insurance is a rip-off. I wish you nothing but the best. But my crack-whore relatives can kiss my a$$. They don't deserve a dime of MY money just because they would rather be drunk and sleep in til noon and screw like rabbits while living in a "friends" basement with my poor 3 nieces and nephew. I have little pity for self-imposed poverty.

[eqgumby]

If we want to talk about families... Then here's mine. My mother had 2 ovarian cysts and a hernia, couldn't get insurance BEFORE she got sick because she was listed as working part time, even though she worked 60 hours a week, and her job wouldn't cover a cent of it, and she couldn't AFFORD $280 a month for STATE insurance. She looses her job when she can't work because of the pain. We applied for aid and where REFUSED because they wouldn't recognize her medical problems, ended up losing our home and living on the streets for years. My mother was working 2 jobs out of a temp agency and applying for federal aid every 3 weeks. Do you know what its like to sit in a welfare office in clothes you've been wearing for 2 weeks knowing nothing is going to change... while watching the other people sitting in that waiting room in their nice clothes and gold necklaces, talking on their cell phones... and STILL they're going in to get a stack of food stamps and an aid check? The system is SCREWED UP and just because your family got something out of it doesn't mean EVERY family does!! Look past your own nose! Your family is PROOF its screwed up. If they're not working, too high to be bothered, they shouldn't be getting JACK from the government, and yet my mother worked her A** off trying to take care of 2 kids and got nothing! You've just shown us ALL why we need an improvement in the system, thanks for that!

I won't disagree. It is jacked up. The biggest mistake is throwing more money at it, as well as quoting BS statistics designed to make people think we have people dieing in the streets and OTHER people stepping over them because they don't have insurance. I mean people LITERALLY think this goes on, and it does NOT. Hell, I have a step-mother and father that COME to the US from Canada for health care! Cardiac, triple-bye-pass care, not a hangnail!

No, I don't know what it's like, and I never let it happen. Do you know what it's like to work 2 full time jobs with a ruptured disk just so your family doesn't wind up in the streets? We all have our stories sister, and mine are as valid as yours.