Parker Griffith's Cynical Shift to the GOP

His switch won't matter. He would not have voted for the bill anyway. Better he comes out of the closet and at least be honest about being a "republican" than pretend while back-stabbing his constituents.



Now they know what he is they can go about replacing him with someone they might be able to trust.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

What Next in the Battle for Health Care Reform?

This one line, if it comes to pass, is the key:



"Make health care a RIGHT for every American."



Once established, rights tend to stay.



Once it is a "right" you cannot leave access to any right to a private corporation. Companies do not confer rights, they only sell products and services.



Once it is a "right" you cannot be denied that right based on your financial status.



Once it is an accepted "right" the only means to assure access is via a single payer tax supported universal health system.



Let's push for a right then drag the rest along kicking and screaming if we must.



Our foot is in the door.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Senate Health Care Bill: Leave No Special Interest Behind

When "turncoat Joe said, "The agreement we reached reflects the best thinking of both sides," you will note he did not identify those two sides. One side is Congress and the other was the health care insurance lobby.



We citizens had no side in this debate. I think it is time we bought our own congressmen back. You can by going here.... funny! Wish it would really work.



http://www.thingsithinkabout.info/buypoliticians.html
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Franken: Dems Unified Behind 'Historic' Health Reform Legislation

"A mandate... There is an exemption for folks who can prove they can't afford to buy insurance."



Since there is a fine or penalty for NOT buying insurance the burden of proof MUST lie on the government to prove you can't afford to pay, not on the consumer to prove it. This would go along with our constitutional right to due process when the government tries to levy a fine or other penalty. Just another can of worms such as has become typical of Congress these days.



"No person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law."



This "mandate" will also run afoul of our legal rights in contracts or agreements. What if I were to propose an amendment to a health plan contract and the insurance company refuses? Today I have the right to refuse to sign if we don't reach a mutual agreement. That is the basis of contract law. This "mandate" would seem to cripple citizens rights to negotiate contracts or refuse to sign one that does not meet their desires or needs. Forcing anyone to sign a contract to pay for services when the right to negotiate that contract is prohibited faces some interesting court challenges.



I suspect they just don't care because they have been bought and paid for by big insurance. Want to buy your own politician just for laughs? http://thingsithinkabout.info/buypoliticians.html
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

GOP Objects To Putting Health Care Amendments Online

Won't happen because it would stand in the way of their "power" but I believe that with the internet is should be mandated that EVERY bill be posted and open for public comments before it can be voted on in Congress.



Each voter should be able to post a comment using their voter registration number so they get one comment only. Those comments would be sent to their representatives based on their voting districts so those reps know what their own constituents think. Those comments should also be available for other viewers to see minus personal identifying information.



After the comment period is over the individual reps should then be required to post their response to their own constituents with regards to their intended vote and why.



Let the world know what Congress is proposing and what the people really think about it.



I see a future where an elected representative becomes pointless and where, because of technology, "We the People" can actually propose and vote on the laws we must live under.



( We need to fix a sad education system first of course )
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Baucus Debacle Shows Why Democrats Have to Stop Trying to Woo Republican Lawmakers

I am a Democrat...and you are right. In America it is not about the party but who pays who to do their bidding.



Max Baucus is a prime example of a Democrat on big insurance payroll. Corruption is universal in Congress but the voters keep sending the same pirates back year after year.



I was a Republican at one time but got sick of their methods of lies and distortions and win at any cost mentality. They are too willing to throw morals, ethics and truth out the window to win. I also became angry at their use of Christians to do their dirty work, much of which was very much against anything approaching "christian values". They use the church and ignorance as a political tool.



We get what we deserve because of our own ignorance and laziness. "We have met the enemy and it is us" and we are doomed to repeat the cycle as long as we insist on sending the same garbage back to the dump on Capitol Hill.
About Max Baucus
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Top Five Reasons the Baucus Bill Is Really, Really Bad

Baucus is trying his best to sell us out and make insurance companies richer than before.



"required" to buy insurance? I can't afford it now. His plan says that "affordable" plans can cost me ( age 63 ) five times more than average just because I am older. I also have a pre-existing condition. By law they can not refuse my insurance.­..provided I can afford the premium. By making it so expensive I can't buy it at all puts me in the position of (a) doing without care as is the case now, and (b) paying a government fine because I don't have enough money.



If I qualify for a subsidy from the government to pay for a premium that is inflated 5 times, that means the insurance company is getting paid for by the taxpayers including the insurance company profit.



Talk about sweet deal for insurance companies. Government is made to guarantee them new customers and must pay for them if we cannot.



How very American of him to sell us all out for cash.



He makes me ashamed to be a Democrat...
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

News Corp Should Fire Glenn Beck

One only has to view any number of the Fox talking heads to see a clear pattern of bias and distortion.



I filed a complaint with the FCC and asked the FBI to investigate Beck to see if his remarks could be considered an "incite" to violence which is a federal crime. No word on that yet.



Beck is an example of but not the entire problem with Fox. I could accept his stupid and racist remarks with a grain of salt if they would remove that ever-present "FOX NEWS" log and replaced it with something that made it clear to viewers that those are NOT news programs but personal opinion shows intended for entertainment and more specifically, a notation that the remarks are not endorsed by the Fox Network.



It precisely because the network claims to be "News" and has as a motton, "Fair and Balanced" that the words uttered by the likes of Beck, Hannity, O'Reilly et.al are unacceptable. They are not broadcasting "news" !



( I tried to post to Facebook but it is not working...keeps being delayed by Google -Analytics and times out. )
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Want to Work 112 Days a Year? Run For Congress

You know with certainty that these special interest get what they want from the members they "buy". If you spent millions and received nothing in return would you keep spending year after year? Of course not.



As citizens we don't get to vote for any lobbyist, we vote for a person we hope will posses the ethics and morals to represent our best interests...but that is not what we get. We are always out voted by whoever has the most cash and in relation to health care this results in 22,000 dead Americans a year on average. More deaths than 9/11, Iraq and Afghanistan and WWII ! Lives traded away by Congress in exchange for cash to run for office just so they can provide these favors to their friends.



We still control the vote if we pay attention...we can impose term limits by not reelecting the same greedy bozos over and over. If we continue to ignore the facts and keep the same people in DC then all I can say is that we have the government we deserve.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Senate Finance Committee Dropping Dem Health Goals: AP

Sen. Max Baucus is well known to be a shill for the health care industry. Just check out his campaign donations from them. Perhaps he as decided that killing the public option ( and killing more Americans in the process ) is more than off-set by the huge donations he gets.



He set a price on our heads and the health lobby paid it.



Is his committee's real plan to completely kill reform by refusing to include the one prime goal of reform?



A public option is the prime measure by which reform will be judged. Anything less will be just another hand out to private insurance companies and more funerals for those who could not afford the price of admission to health care. But the likes of Sen. Baucus have only one goal...stay in office at all cost even if it means your sick child must die.



He collected over $11 million with much coming from the private insurance industry.



http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?cycle=2010&cid=N00004643&type=I
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Media's Treatment of Palin's Outrageous "Death Panel" Claims

Where is the FCC in all of this when they ignore out right lies broadcast by so-called news media?



Is there no truth in news any more?



As to Palin...she is a two-faced you-know-what because just a while back on TV she said words to the effect, "...to honor our soldiers can't we all just agree to stop making things up."



How soon she forgot...then promptly started making things up.



The fact that the media did not call her on that outright lie says a lot about how far our journalism has fallen in recent years. Is there a station you can still trust? I have not found it.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Is Health Care Reform About to Go the Way of No Child Left Behind?

I just posted an email to the White House web site siting your opening statement about turning away from public option etc. I stated in clear terms that I would resign from the Democratic party if they blow it, knowing there will never be another opportunity in my life time. The right may win and the 50 million uninsured Americans they hate so much will remain without help in time of medical crisis.



I am becoming more and more ashamed of this country by the day. I find it atrocious that even as we are required to pay taxes to provide health care to Congress, federal workers, military etc, we are not considered good enough to access that same care we are forced to provide to those who work for us!



We all know why of course. Money. A very tiny segment of our society is earning huge profits by selling insurance and they have a vested interest to avoid insuring anyone who might actually get sick. They have the financial resources it takes to buy as many members of Congress it takes to get their way. We don't get to vote for any of those people yet they have stronger representation in DC than do the actual citizens who vote.



I pay taxes to provide for a fire department to put out fires ( government monopoly=socalism?) I have to pay taxes to protect the health of Congress.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

New Rule: Smart President ≠ Smart Country

Man you are soooooo right and it makes me so mad on so many levels.



1st is the fact that I pay taxes for an education system that turns out so many stupid people...but that may be part of the plan!



2nd is that these same stupid people can run for office and don't have to pass a test, unlike a city garbage collector.... but then Congress just makes the garbage and they don't have to cart it away.



3rd is, how can you even argue with a stupid person? It is much like arguing with a teenager which, by the way, we should allow to become members of congress while they still know everything...and they already love to argue.



4th is how stupid the media has become. I really don't think all the talking heads are really that stupid, just bought and paid for so they will say anything.



5th is how people can think it OK to pay taxes to protect their property ( fire and police ) but balk at paying a tax to protect their own lives while paying to provide government health care for Congress.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Republicans Lying to Old People About Euthanasia, Robots

Why can't a citizen without any health care, one who needs reform, sue the party and the press for defamation and out right lying when it could cause me physical harm if it causes a failure to pass?



Why can't the families of the 18-22,000 people estimated to die each year due to lack of health care access sue those who knowingly lie in public to scare people away?



Why is it ok to lie, cheat and steal from American's in order to remain in office and stash billions in private profits at the expense of citizen's lives and health?



Do ethics and morals mean nothing to politicians and American corporations any more?



What have we become at the hands of politicians?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The "Bipartisan Compromise" Scam

I scream all the time. Problem is I don't count because I don't have a million dollars to donate each day.



http://www.jacksonville.com/community/cc/pkruger/stories/072709/072709105718.shtml



I just now faxes my second letter of this week to both of my senators. I can't understand any reluctance on their part because neither of them is running for reelection next term. I guess that won't deter them from collecting promises of donations to their replacements, however.



I received an email from the new kid on the block asking for support in his Senate bid. I replied that first I want to see a written promise and guarantee that he won't take special interest money or allow a lobbyist to place their interest ahead or ours.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Good Medicine: Why Not for Everyone?

The right's use of "Christian" principles is as a tool, not a philosophy or belief for them.



How many times have the right fought to place the ten commandments at courts and state houses then proceed to violate those same commandments by executing people. I have read those commandments and I did not see any small print or disclaimers after the words, "Thou Shalt not Kill"



I invite you to view the hypocricy directly by viewing the GOP's own web site and what they say about abortion, which they tout as being so file and anti-Christian where they support abortion.



"Because the family is our basic unit of society, we fully support parental rights to consent to medical treatment for their children including mental health treatment, drug treatment, alcohol treatment, and treatment involving pregnancy, contraceptives, and abortion."



http://www.gop.com/2008Platform/HealthCare.htm#1



They cling to what they can use to achieve their goals regardless of the moral or ethical consequences. They say what is calculated to produce the result they seek. It is only about getting what they want. And yes...this applies to almost all politicians regardless of political party.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Good Medicine: Why Not for Everyone?

Spoken like a true lobbyist for corporate greed. Do you have children? Do you really equate their lives and health with you car and your cloths? It sounds like it to me. Bad parent !!



Who do you count on to put out a fire if your house burns? A taxpayer funded government agency. Who do you count on to catch the criminal that broke into your house? A taxpayer funded agent of your government. Why do you think it is ok for government to save your home from fire and your property from theft but not your life from a disease or accident?



Would you rather be asked for your insurance or cash when you call the fire or police departments? This is the situation health care access is in today and lack of access is killing 18,000 people a year according to a report given to Congress way back in 2002.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Breaking Our Addiction to Prison

At the expense of being politically correct for the sake of re-election, politicians need to do what they have always known is the right thing to do...decriminalize recreational drugs. Not because they are good for you, but because the criminal approach to a public health problem does not work and causes more harm than the drugs themselves.



Consider 600,000+ Americans per year dead because of tobacco and alcohol. They are legal and taxed. While some drugs are certainly more dangerous than others, Pot has been proven to be far less harmful than either tobacco or alcohol. Instead we lock people up rather than taxing it and providing a public health response in for form of addition treatment as we already do for booze and tobacco.



Imagine the positive impact on our revenues. More tax dollars, less wasted on jails, prisons, courts and enforcement etc. This puts the cost of additions on those who are addicted instead of on the taxpayers. Prison does not treat addiction, it makes it worse and we pay more and more. California is starting to wake up to the plus side...what's wrong with the rest of us?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

New Rule: Not Everything in America Has to Make a Profit

Ok...lets go with PainTrain one more step towards his ideas.



* How much should you have to pay before the Fire Department will douse your burning home?

* How much do you want to pay to exit your drive way onto a public road?

* How much is too much to pay the police by credit card before they agree to respond to your burglar alarm?

* Should you have to pony up cash to save your child who was taken to the ER after an auto accident and told to hurry up because he/she will die soon if you don't pay first.



How many things do you expect to receive without there being a profit involved? You expect to have the fire put out without profit, so why should you not expect to have your child's life saved when illness or injury appears suddenly. In Florida alone an average of 6 working age people die each day due to lack of health care.



Who will you sacrifice next to protect private profits?
About Bill Maher
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

New Rule: Not Everything in America Has to Make a Profit

On the cost of the HC Bill. One trillion dollars over ten years. Whoopee.



Didn't we just hand out that much in less than one year to Wall street?



If we can afford to "sponsor" those who crashed our economy why can we afford to spend 1/10 that amount to help American Citizens who foot the bill for the bailout?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

New Rule: Not Everything in America Has to Make a Profit

PainTrain you miss the point entirely. It is fine for a doctor and a nurse etc. to make a profit providing health care. Insurance companies do not provide health care to anyone. The act as gate keepers to stand between you and your doctor in exchange for a 30% cut of the fees.



Bill's point seems to be that certain things we need should not be contingent on how much money you have. If the fire department operated that way your house would burn down while you fought your way through the flames to find your insurance documents. The police would not even bother to respond to any burglary because you should have insurance to pay for the loss and their time is too valuable to be bothered with protecting your property. If you are too poor for insurance then you probably don't have anything worth replacing...right?
About Bill Maher
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

New Rule: Not Everything in America Has to Make a Profit

Health Care and Profit. Let the doctors make a profit...they actually provide care. But the insurance companies provide nothing but added expense and stand between you and the doctors.



I have no problem with them existing provided I can get care without being required to do business with them. In France as many as 80% of their citizens buy some added private insurance as a matter of choice to gain some extra "perks" It is not expensive because their insurance companies know they sell a luxury add-on and that the real emergencies are going to be covered by their national plan anyway.



US Insurance companies will survive by creating these same add-on packages for those who want them. As long as we can have access without stuffing their pockets for the privilege of seeing my doctor, then let them scrap for nickels and dimes from someone else with money to burn.



Let my pay for my care either through an added tax or by paying a premium to a public plan that is not stuffed with corporate profits.



BTW Bill Maher I know you have insurance and can afford it but I would love to know how much you have to pay in premiums each month for health care.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

New Rule: Not Everything in America Has to Make a Profit

On the news for profit...this could be fixed easier than most problems with some courage from the FCC. Licenses are granted based in part on public service. FCC should rule that part of the agreement to obtain a broadcast license is a certain number of hours for news without any commercials or ads allowed.



News should be a public service without profit as a condition of receiving a license. If you want to broadcast full time news, go the PBS route and let donations pay for your employees.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The House Health Reform Bill: How Good Is It?

At least "something" is happening after 60 years of empty promises. This may take more than a single pass through Congress before we get what we need and deserve...a system of universal care that has placed nations like France, England, Canada and most western democracies well above the poor ranking the US has in terms of quality care. ( we rank only 37th despite having the most costly care )



Many in Congress waste our time worrying about the private for-profit health insurance business. Keep in mind that 30% of your premiums are for profits not for health care...you pay 30% more so some CEO can buy a nice mansion and a new yacht or private jet.



14,000 Americans lose insurance each day in America (http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/02/17/14000-coverage/) for several reasons. (1) Companies closing (2) Companies dropping coverage due to high cost (3) Insurance companies refusing to provide policies because someone actually needed care that was expensive.



Congress's obligation is to the American people not to the wealthy insurance corporations. A truly universal plan will cost money...but consider that the tax increase to pay for it will be far less than you would have to pay for an insurance premium that nearly a third of which goes into private pockets.



Give me the tax and the care...screw insurance companies who presently get to decide who gets to live or die based on financial status.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Keeping the Spotlight on Lobbying Outrages and Economic Hard Times

In addition to writing congress I am also posting and emailing to spread this information.



I did not get to elect a lobbyist to represent my interests...why should they have more "pull" than the voters?



http://www.joethevoter.org/whistle-blower-in-congress.html
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Keeping the Spotlight on Lobbying Outrages and Economic Hard Times

If this does not make you sick be glad you don't have health care. If it does make you sick call Congress, not your doctor.



This interview is posted on OpEd news and was also the subject of testimony in Congress recently. It is with a former health care executive who became a whistleblower about how big health screws the insured and makes insurance impossible for others.



Read the whole interview online:

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Health-Insurance-Whistlebl-by-Rob-Kall-090707-638.html
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

LobbyBlog

Lot of information to swallow but I am certain I really won't learn much more.



(a) Money is more important to politicians than America's citizens.

(b) Special Interest Groups run Congress.

(c) We don't get to vote for any special interest group.

(d) "We the People" no longer are represented in Washington.



Time to kick them all out and try our luck with some new people. If they fail the first term, kick them out and try again until they finally work for us again.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

If You Don't Want the Public Option, Get the Hell Out of the Way

I need a new hip. Standing and walking gets more painful each week.



I have waited for almost 10 years here in the US and may have a few more to go before I am "old" enough to qualify for medicare before I even have a line to wait in.



Give me an 8 week wait any day..( hell I'll wait 8 months! ). I am tired of waiting for Congress because I may become totally disabled before I can get a hip replacement.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Progressives Push Against Drug War: Will Dems Listen?

It is long past time if you ask me. It is also long past time that politicians start thinking about what's best for American rather than what's best for them.



It is a social and health issue, not a criminal issue. Whoever came up with the idea that prison is a suitable treatment method for drug addiction should have their collective heads examined.



Aside from the cost savings in emptying prisons of those incarcerated for drug abuse or possession, imagine the new cash flow from taxing recreational drugs...we already to it for alcohol and tobacco anyway despite the death toll.



Read my article on the subject...then tell Congress to wake up.



http://joethevoter.org/economy/15-stupidcongress/26-legalizepot.html
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Time for President Obama to Throw Down Against the Corrupt and Spineless

I just sent this email to the Democratic Party.



Bob Cesca ` Huffington Post said..."If President Obama is truly serious about changing the way Washington operates, he'd begin to aggressively hector the entourage of lawmakers that I've not-so-affectionately nicknamed the "Coalition of the Corrupt and Spineless" (COCS) -- the Democratic Senators who have very obviously been bought off by the healthcare lobby, along with other almost-as-awful Democrats whose cowardice is only matched by their weakness of will."



We have a democrat in the White House and a majority in both houses of Congress. If we fail to obtain health care reform this time we can ONLY blame Democrats and Republicans will not hesitate to point out our impotence come next election.



If we fail with your guys in power it is time to



(a) remove them from office and

(b) resign from the Democratic party.



What's it going to be this time?



Paul
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

150 Years for Madoff?

I just wish we could lock up a few members of Congress, at least for a few weeks. Had they been paying attention to America rather than to their big money lobby friends, people like Madoff may not have been able to pull these schemes off in the first place.



I never get the option to vote for a lobbyist, yet they seem to be pulling all the strings. Seems like both a conflict of interests and a betrayal of their oath of office...where is their punishment?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

NAFTA And The Drug Cartels: "A Deal Made In Narco Heaven" -- Exclusive Excerpt and Live Chat at 3pm EST

Isn't it time to legalize recreational drugs, collect taxes, reduce prison populations and stop yet another failed war? Drugs, like alcohol and tobacco, should be treated as a public health matter, not a criminal one. Locking someone up is not drug treatment...and we can't afford it any longer.



http://joethevoter.org/economy/15-stupidcongress/26-legalizepot.html
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Political Stakes in the Battle for Health Care

Please read my article. It won't fit here.



Nearly every issue that prevents citizens from obtaining needed care is related to the insurance industry, not to those providing care. This is the reason we have such a poor system in terms of delivering the care to those who need it. Congress, Republicans in particular, seem perfectly willing to trade off the health needs of 50 million Americans in order to continue support for huge profits for the insurance giants.



http://joethevoter.org/health-care-shame.html
About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Political Stakes in the Battle for Health Care

I just published an article that echos others thoughts. It is not "care" that is the issue, it is Congress protecting a golden goose in the insurance companies who stand in the way of delivering care.



Please read...I welcome comments.



http://joethevoter.org/health-care-shame.html
About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Lobbyists on a Roll: Gutting Reform on Banking, Energy, and Health Care

Type in URL.



http://www.jacksonville.com/community/cc/pkruger/stories/062509/06250933120.shtml
About Transparency
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Lobbyists on a Roll: Gutting Reform on Banking, Energy, and Health Care

I got busy...have you?



http://www.jacksonville.com/community/cc/pkruger/stories/052209/052209125837.shtml



Also pending http://opednews.com and sent via fax to Senator Nelson and Martinez.



Call - Fax - Write YOUR representatives. You have no cause to complain if you do nothing!
About Transparency
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

"Childrens Tooth Fairy Foundation"

The Biggest Problem With U.S. Health Care -- And How To Fix It!

So why do the Republican's who constantly support "no change" as reform feel the need to tell us how "Great" our health care system is?



Q: Why should the wealthiest nation have some of the worst ratings?

A: Our system is designed for profit not for care.



If there were a rating by nation ordered by how profitable health care is, I am sure we would be at the top of that list.



/
About Wellness
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

A Strong Public Option

Last night at a Chamber after hours I cornered the "most Republican" member in our group. So much so he has photos in his office of himself along side Bush and Condi Rice. I specifically asked his opinion on the proposed health car reforms. He said: ( approximate quote here as I did not take notes )



"I am blessed to make enough to pay my premiums which are about $2,800 per month but most people can't afford that. Many people don't even earn that each month. We must have a public option for those who don't have the money" he went on to say, "today only those with the money have choice"



Remember these words are from a die-hard REPUBLICAN which proves not all of them have their head in 100 year old sand. Some understand the crisis...it just seems we can't elect any of those to Congress.



We need and want change but those with a financial stake will fight to preserve their profit structure and those people donate to political campaigns. We all ( Dems and Republicans ) have to write our representatives and DEMAND they do what is right for health care, not what is profitable for health insurance companies. Hospitals and Doctors don't care who pays them !
About Health
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Death at the Holocaust Museum and the Degradation of the American Dialogue

Re: "their party had been hijacked by racists and religious fanatics who derided education and achievement as "elitist."



Republicans fear the education of America for obvious reasons...they have nothing of value to offer anyone with education unless that person is among the top wealthy few percent. The days are gone when Republicans can dupe people into voting for them by lying and cheating their way into office.



People are learning who Republicans really represent...big corporations. They don't "represent" Christians...they use them for their own ends. The don't represent the working class...they use them as well...then try to stand in the way of health care, pay raises and having a voice of their own.
About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Health Insurance Mafia Deserves a Good Screwing

Ditto on most of this. I am self employed with no care. Premiums would bankrupt me.



At 63 and with a bad hip to boot I have no employment options to get a job with health care. I can't do much because of my hip and I can't afford a new hip to enable me to work more. Catch 22 created by greed.



I have heard all the nastiness from republicans about public health care but have yet to hear how they plan to assure 46 million Americans without coverage will be covered under any private plan.



Out of curiosity I called Blue Cross. I told them I have no money to pay for insurance but needed a hip replacement to enable me to walk and work again. They don't offer anything unless you have cash...they suggest you inquire about a government program and even provided phone numbers to medicare etc. ( Curious that the company who is paying for ads to block government programs have their numbers and refer those without money to seek government programs )



I'll take an "inefficient" government plan over one I can never afford.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Why We Must Reform Our Criminal Justice System

It first has to start with Mr. Citizen. Politicians write laws they see as popular and good for votes. As long as the vocal voters say they want "tough on crime" the politicians will respond then hold their hand out for your contribution and votes while pointing at the shiny new prison YOU just paid for.



Politicians are not educators they are responders. They fail to point out or even care that tough laws are not necessarily smart laws. We need to be SMART on crime to be effective and this means more focus on prevention and rehabilitation than on seeing how many we can cram in a cell like so many clowns in a phone booth. That increases the problem and does not contribute to public safety.



Probably 1/3 or more of our prison beds are filled with people who should never have gone there in the first place. Now they don't produce, they consume. When they come out no one wants to hire them and they can't pay for rent or food so go back to crime. What do we expect when we keep doing the same stupid things over and over? That is a classic definition of insanity...if it does not work the first few times...STOP DOING IT !
About Mexico's Drug War
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Why We Must Reform Our Criminal Justice System

It is long past time for this to take place. These are problems caused by legislation both national and at the state level...it is time those who created the problem fixed it.



Also to blame: Media who sensationalize rare crimes to the point politicians feel pressure to pass even more strict laws that do nothing to protect citizens. Prime example are sex offender laws that were spawned by sensational but rare crimes. These do not provide for the public safety and may actually have the opposite effect.



"War on Drugs" is causing more harm than the drugs do. It is because of our antiquated notions about drug abuse that we allow huge sums of cash to flow to gangs and to terrorists rather than to our treasury. Legalize drugs then treat them as they should be treated...a public health issue. This stops much of the prison growth, eliminates drug related crime and cripples gangs and cartels. It also halts many dollars destined to fund terrorists with our own money.



http://joethevoter.org/economy/15-stupidcongress/26-legalizepot.html for more on this.
About Mexico's Drug War
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Wall Street Pay Caps Are a Terrible Idea

After setting aside the anger we have when bail out funds paid huge bonuses, I agree that the government has no business regulating pay of CEOs. That said, such things as excessive pay and bonuses should be part of considerations in such things as mergers, anti-trust, and other governmental concerns, as part of a test of a company's management of its financial resouces.



If a company is moving toward bankruptcy based on faulty management practices, you must consider the wages paid to those who make bad decisions. One must assume you are paying big bucks to qualified people who won't ruin your business.



How many raises will you give to an assembly line worker who constantly breaks his tools and damages your products? How big will his bonus be when you finally do let him go? You need to ask the same questions regarding your CEOs.
About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Fixing Health Care Does Not Require a "Bi-Partisan" Bill -- It <i>Does</i> Require a Public Health Insurance Option

Private insurance will compete...they will find out how to do so when they no longer have a free ride to dictate terms as they now do. Think they can't compete with government? Ask UPS and FedEx how they are doing against the Post Office. UPS just turned 100 this year.



People with the money will pay for the types of services they want despite having a government package available. Insurance companies are not in the business to provide care to patients, they are in the business of providing profits to shareholders. That means high premiums and low pay-outs so they have an incentive to with hold care to save money ( profits ). That is why it costs so much for care. Insurance dictates cost of care by controlling what they will pay and those costs have profit for shareholders built in. A government program does not need to build in profits for shareholders or CEOs.



No private insurance company has any plan to offer free care to those 49 million Americans with no protection at all...they suggest you look for a government program ( which they are against ) !!!
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Bible's Vindication of Obama's Middle East Strategy

People seem to want to treat the people of Israel as if they were different nations on the same land. Palestinians ARE Israelis by nationality ! What is different is their religion, not their lands. The lands they jointly occupy were carved out by the UN to favor the Jewish who held that area to be their promised land with little consideration of those who's families had lived there since ancient times. Neither is new to the area, nor is the conflict between Jews and Muslims.



Each have vary different religious views they have problems living side by side. Each assumes their faith is the "correct" one. The Jews control everything and don't want their citizens of non-jewish faith to have anything approaching equality in their own nation.



Take a look at Northern Ireland and the continuing conflict, some times bloody, taking place between two Christian faiths. Al Quada uses "faith" to justify mass murder in the name of "God".



As long as religions exist and are allowed to dictate the law and behavior of nations and people of power, there will be conflicts.



The best we can hope for is a long quiet cease fire...kind of like we have had in Korea since M*A*S*H left the air.
About Obama's Mideast Trip
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

GOP: Defending the Little Guy from Corporations Since a Couple Days Ago

Don't forget PRO BIG HEALTH COMPANIES ! They are now on a tirade to block health care reforms that would finally assure than all Americans could have some form of coverage.



That's a Republican for you...make sure to protect the profits of yet another huge corporate interest. Remember United Health Care? Their CEO personally took one dollar of every 700 people spend on their insurance premiums. How does that kind of greed turn to care for anyone other than CEO's



Go ahead...call Blue Cross and tell them about your lack of money and a pre-existing condition and ask for them to insure you and fix your health problem. Yea right. There is no Republican plan that would provide any care at all for the poor who cannot afford it.
About Green Energy
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Cheney's War Against Obama

Hmmm! I am on OUR side. Do you remember that little document Bush used to wipe with...we call it the Constitution.



We send soldiers to die to protect it so Bush can ignore it? No one is "sticking up" for terrorists. This is about sticking up for our own Constitution. If we don't honor it ourselves how can we suggest anyone else should do so including people we ask to die to protect it.



Don't let the "right" keep you brainwashed into thinking our Constitution should be a "part time" document to use only when convenient.



This [Gitmo] is a problem Bush and conservatives made...not Obama or liberals...or is your memory really that short?
About Foreign Policy
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Cheney's War Against Obama

He [Cheney] is the wizzard...saying:



"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain"



It is all a distraction to try to get people to stop looking at his own past deeds.
About Foreign Policy
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Reform in the Age of Plastic

I have not read the bill but I hope that some of the protections re. fees etc. also protect debit card users. I have eliminate all of my credit cards. It is still safer to use a debit card rather than to carry cash so I am still a user of "plastic" money.



One dirty trick ( I have not been the target of this myself ) is for a bank to allow a debit to exceed the balance in your account then charge your account $35 to cover the purchase even if the overage amounts to a few cents. On top of that some banks then charge your account a fee as much as $5 a day for every day your account is over drawn. If a husband and wife each have a card on the same account it is not uncommon for them to use the card without knowing the other has just reached a limit. Then since they may not get a pay check for a week or two, they find that an over the limit of a dollar will wind up costing them a large chunk of their pay check !



A friend of mine banked at Merchantile Bank who allowed a charge to exceed balance by 69 cents. An over draft fee of $35.00 plus 5 days at $5 per day while waiting for a pay check to deposit resuluted in a $60 fee.
About Economy
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Words Designed to Kill Health Care Reform

I wrote my republican Senator Mel Martinez. Since it is too long to post here I posted it on the Jacksonville Times. Here is a link. I encourage everyone to write something to their congressman.



http://www.jacksonville.com/community/cc/pkruger/stories/051909/051909120648.shtml
About Health
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Will Congress Back Bibi Or Obama?

RIGHT does not equal peace. It equals only cash for their military industrial complex owners.



Peace does not profit them so they are afraid of it. Profits outweigh human lives or the future of the world with them.



This is the reason people finally opened their eyes to vote for Obama.



it has been a long time since any politician has told the truth and tried to keep their campaign promises. That sets the bar too high for most career politicians and they don't like the idea of having to live up to such a high standards.



They live well in the status quo
About Israel
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Ending the War on Drugs: The Moment is Now

Your kids are your responsibility until they are no longer kids. What are YOU doing to prevent them from using drugs. In fact the war on drugs made drugs more available to kids in the first place. Without the illegal trade there is no pusher on the playground seeking his next customer to support his habit.



I am tired of parents wanting anyone but themselves to take care of their kids.



On the subject of "dying" pot has never been shown to have killed anyone while tobacco kills half a million a year and alcohol about 140,000 a year not counting drunk driving. Drug crimes kill but the key work there is "crime" not the drugs. Over doses most often occur because of bad drugs, HIV etc. from dirty needles. Many more from prescription drugs kids steal from their own parents.



While drugs are illegal, treatment is problematic. Legal drugs reduce the number of drug users and provide for open and non-stigmatizing rehab alternatives that don't cause employment and social problems later.
About Eric Holder
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

That Didn't Take Long: Insurance Industry Breaks Promise To President Obama

Many people don't qualify for these programs until they reach 65. I am presently 63 and without any coverage. In Florida a single person cannot apply for medicare. Only those with minor children are eligible. Remember each state set's their own rules. The only thing available to me is a local clinic with a sliding fee scale for minor stuff.



I have had arthritis in my left hip for a number of years. I can barely walk and can't stand for more than a few minutes. I need a new hip but without insurance my only option is to continue to let my hip deteriorate further until I am 65 and hope that medicare will fix it. It will then be a more radical surgery than if it could have been done several years ago.



In the mean time I don't have the ability to do the work I used to do as an electrician. My income is much lower than it could be. Universal health care would have helped me obtain a hip, work for several more years and pay more taxes while building up more social security. Instead I have to rely on what I can earn working from home. I earn so little I had to take early social security and after deductions am not paying any income taxes at all.



Instead of universal care you can send me all the web design work you can find. http://www.stuffdone.com 10% goes to charity.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

That Didn't Take Long: Insurance Industry Breaks Promise To President Obama

This is where universal health care takes over. People with no coverage can't get preventative care and can't walk in for non-emergencies unless they have insurance or cash. Instead they wait until it becomes a far more costly emergency because that is the only option remaining for the uninsured.



Then the taxpayer picks up the tab. Better to have universal care so the taxpayer's tab can be reduced by covering preventative care and routine checkups etc. before they become emergencies. This is truly where the saying an "ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" applies. Doesn't it make more sense to pay $100 for a checkup and $30 for medication than to pay $5,000 for a trip to the emergency room later?



We are being stupid by placing barriers to better health only to have to pay the higher costs of failed health care later.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

That Didn't Take Long: Insurance Industry Breaks Promise To President Obama

Congress needs to "man up" and stand up to these greedy SOB's once and for all. Their only excuse not to is so they can pocket campaign money. If your reps refuse to stand up to them, you know they must have a hidden agenda that does not include your best interest. Start writing letters...lots of them.



First step...re-do the last medicare bill and remove any limitations we placed on our selves to permit again, negotiated costs of prescription drugs. The VA gets the same medications for less because they are not prohibited from negotiating a better price. Let's face it. That bill was written by the health care industry to further their own interests over those of American Citizens. Congress was all to happy to accept "campaign contributions" in exchange for passing the bill.



This is why I believe that any one in Congress that lets a lobby tell him/her what to vote or how to write bills is taking campaign cash for special favors.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Ending the War on Drugs: The Moment is Now

Can we say "De ja vous" all over again? Does anyone remember prohibition when the "do gooders" wanted to save us all from demon rum? Enter ATF's war against the mobs who really got started as a result of Prohibition. We seem to be a nation that never learns our lesson.



There are many reasons ( http://joethevoter.org/economy/15-stupidcongress/26-legalizepot.html ) that I believe, as do many in law enforcement and even judges, that we must decriminalize all recreational drugs and treat their use as a public health matter, not a criminal justice one.



Money aside, many have gone on record saying the "War on Drugs" causes far more damage than the drugs would. And yes, a "War on Drugs" is a war against American citizens...who gets raided and sent to prison? Our own citizens.



Congress has played dumb long enough...no excuses remain to a drastic alteration of these failed policies.
About Eric Holder
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Corruption Is Dangerous to Your Health

Got the flu? Get appointments to see your elected officials. Then go see the bankers and stock brokers. Be sure to NOT cover your mouth when you sneeze. Shake lots of hands.



Perhaps mother nature will help us get rid of these greedy ba$#@d's



We need to get rid of most of our elected officials. Democrats can be bough and sold just as fast as a Republican.



They should all join "Tagged" where you can buy and sell people as pets !
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Empathy for the Devil

More...



I recall reading a supreme court case that said, in effect, that "...it is perfectly legal to execute an innocent person provided he had a fair trial..."



This is a decision without empathy. The courts denied an appeal that could have provided actual evidence of innocence simply because the appeal was filed 24 hours too late due to a clerical error. A man who was very likely innocent was executed in N.Carolina. There is strong evidence pointing to the actual killer but the state has closed the case and refuses to examine the evidence because it would show them to be wrong and to have executed an innocent person AND allowed the person who likely is a killer, go free.



This is where the court MUST be able to use empathy and look to what is just, not just what is "constitutional".
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Empathy for the Devil

We have run into a catch22 road block of sorts. While one can argue that justice should be blind to emotion when the court is called upon to decide the validity of law, we have a Congress writing bad laws.



In our system of checks and balances we separate the writing of laws from the judgment and that leads to laws written with no empathy and people complaining to the courts who are supposed to respond without empathy.



How do you resolve what even the courts admit are bad laws even if they are "constitutional"? Lawmakers don't regulate themselves. They respond to "situations" with emotion and that results in knee jerk laws based on "empathy/emotion" then people expect the courts to avoid empathy?



No...the courts are there to moderate the justice process and to do so without empathy puts them in the position of remaining silent in the face of a gross injustice if they see it.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Why Are Bankers Still Being Treated As Beltway Royalty?

Banks have no morals. Apparently neither do Senators who even allow those blood sucking lobbyist's in their offices. People need to be outraged. Remember the outcry last November for "Change"?



We need yet another outcry today. We need to tell Congress to ban lobbyist's from their offices if the industry they represent has taken bail out money. Congress was not elected to represent the best interest of banks...they were elected to represent the best interests of individual citizens like you and me.



Here is a link to the letter I am faxing to my Senators...I hope you will fax or write your own Senators to express your outrage. After all, what did YOU get out of the stimulus bills?



http://joethevoter.org/bank-lobby-buys-senate.html
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Obama's Big 100 Days Accomplishment: Arlen Specter's Defection

Democrats just recovered what Lieberman stole when he moved to the right. Now when Coleman stops his stupid law tricks and let's Franken take his seat, things will move along. Perhaps it was Coleman's refusal to accept defeat that helped him make the switch.



At any rate the switch started during the election. Powell and other Repubicans endorsed Obama. They saw the hand writing on the wall. People were wising up to having been manipulated and lied to by the right to garner votes.



American are getting smarter with time and are learning who their real friends in power might be. It sure has never been the Republicans, unless you are among the top few percent of wealthy Americans.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

What if Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Had Died?

This demonstrates a typical and unacceptable trait that seems embedded in the right-wing psyche in America. Right or wrong does not matter to them...they are stuck in the thinking that only the results matter.



This is one reason we are stuck in two wars. It did not matter to the republican administration if they were right or not...only that they expected a certain result, morals be damned.



It is one reason we are in the economic crisis we have. It did not matter if what people did was right or wrong but how much money they could make.



Change now means we have to not only know right from wrong as a nation, but we have to act accordingly.
About War Crimes
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

420: Thoughts on Pot vs. Alcohol from a Former Police Chief

As a former cop myself...Id much rather have to "chase" a pot smoker than a drunk!



I have written and encourage legalization, not just of pot, but of all recreational drugs for many of the same reasons, crime, bad quality etc. but also for the tax revenue and cost of drug enforcement and prisons.



I also mention legalization of hemp which is banned though not even a drug.



http://joethevoter.org/economy/15-stupidcongress.html



I welcome your input here as well.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Five Strands of Conservatism: Why the GOP is Unraveling

Republicans need a make over of staggering proportions. Basically if they wish to survive as a party they need to dump certain aspects of their structure starting with religion. While this nation was built by Christians, they, themselves, recognized that freedom must include a restriction on any particular religion having power inside of government. It is fine for people to have their religion, it is very NOT COOL to assume that your brand of religion should in any way, be made into the "official" government version of religion. Keep religion out of politics ! That is like going to bed with the devil.



Republicans have to lose the image and the fact of siding with the wealthy corporate side of America. They are obligated to represent all of their constituents equally, not based on the size of their bank accounts...and they represent PEOPLE not companies. Their present policies have encouraged the loss of American jobs over seas.



In their current condition, they are not relevant to anyone with a sense of common good.
About GOP
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Threats of Secession and Other Recent Republican Rhetoric

Republicans are running scared and trying to recapture something best left to die. After eight years the nation learned that their brand of government has not worked. Trickle down has only trickled up. Tax breaks for the rich resulted in more wealth in fewer hands but has not resulted in more jobs. If anything it has accelerated the movement of jobs overseas.



Now they try to play a scare card that does not exist, inciting unrest over higher taxes even as most Americans get a tax cut. This amounts to the rich complaining about not getting richer as fast as in the past while ignoring the needs of 90% of our citizens.



People will soon realize that republicans are not currently the "every man's" party, they are the party of the rich and will do anything they can to help their wealthy patrons hold onto power.



It is time the average American gets a piece of the pie.
About Tax Day Tea Parties
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Why the Democrats Are Losing Ground As Obama Is Gaining It

As a Democrat I think there are other issues at work here. For one thing the current congress is still full of some of the same democrats who bear responsibility for handing Bush many of his ill-conceived powers.



They need to publicly atone for their bad judgment and promise America to do all they can to undo bad laws of the past 8 years.



Second...the DNC needs to spend some money on Madison Avenue. Hire some of the best marketing and branding people they can find and follow their advice.



Politics has two phases...the get elected phase and the get to work phase. Marketing is where it is at in the first phase and must continue alongside the second phase.



Part of Obama's appeal is that he is always marketing himself and his plans. Most in congress drop out of public view until it is time to ask for votes again. A big mistake.
About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Debate Over Online News: It's the Consumer, Stupid

AP does get fees for news..that's their business and no one says otherwise.



Their beef is with others using their content without permission, specifically search engines etc. who index sites for content.



Sites with this content need only use common web practice to avoid being indexed. No one can stop someone from manually duplicating something. AP etc. need to make sure those who legally publish their content on web sites include some simple tools to stop Google, Yahoo and all responsible engines from indexing their content. It is simple to do for any average web developer.



The down side is that AP and others want high rankings in search engines. This is a free service to their benefit based on the quality of the content on their site. Block indexing and down goes your rankings. It is a trade off. If you lose rankings you also lose your own ad revenue.



The bottom line is you can cut off the news at the source but you can't stop it from spreading through any non-traditional means...and you don't want to.
About Eric Schmidt
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Debate Over Online News: It's the Consumer, Stupid

To the likes of AP and UPI I say stop winning because you have the means at your disposal to solve your own problems. AP does not need a war...they just need average web programmers.



If you know anything about web design ( Its what I do http://www.stuffdone.com ) you know you can protect content from search engines now. All reputable search engines ( the ones that matter ) follow rules when it comes to indexing content. The owner posts those rules in meta tags and/or a file "robots.txt" in the root directory of their web site. You can instruct search engines NOT to index any thing you want to exclude. I looked and AP has no such restrictions on their site leaving everything fair game for automated search bots.



AP, learn something about meta tags, and search engines. Google "robots.txt"



They can also place that content inside a password protected directory where only authorized (paying?) parties can view it. Search engines can't index that content.



In addition I note many news sites offer to the public an RSS feed of news which is specifically telling the public and other site owners to post their content on web sites. You can't offer a free feed then complain about who is publishing your content when you invite them to take it.



AP is making it's own problems by poor web design practice. Stop crying and fix it.
About Eric Schmidt
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Finding a Home for Toxic Assets: Where is the Final Resting Place?

Don't give the money to the banks...give it to the home owner to be used only to pay the bank off for the toxic mortgage.



1) the Bank gets the money anyway.

2) the toxic mortgage is gone.

3) people keep their homes.



If you are going to hand out billions due to toxic assets why not pass the same dollars through the owners of those assets to pay them off? This helps three ways for the same dollars! How can Congress and Treasury be so stupid unless they are in the pockets of the banks?



Banks are just using the money to buy more banks and no one is being helped in the process except the banks.



They often won't even sell the toxic mortgages when they have offers because they find holding them to be a bargaining chip when begging for money.
About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Have We Reached the Tipping Point on Guns?

Note I am a liberal Democrat and I support gun rights because I support our constitution. The old saying is true, "Guns don't kill people, people kill people"



Humans have found ways to kill each other since there have been people, long before the advent of guns. It is true some people should not have guns. It is also true some people should not drive a car, yet many thousands are killed each year in auto accidents.



People should not drink to excess or smoke tobacco which combined kill more than a half-million Americans a year including "innocent bystanders".



Don't cry about the "objects" that cause these tragedies rather find out why people want to kill other people or themselves in the first place. This is cultural and societal issue not a hard ware issue.



Let's publish a total of all the people who have guns who never shot anyone in order to gain real statistics on the issue. Then consider that EVERY cigarette purchased is intended to be smoked.



How many are killed by eating fatty foods? How many parents feed these fatty foods to their unsuspecting children. Can we ban fat?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Laying People Off -- Tearfully

This has some areas of insensitivity that fail to recognize that an otherwise sound business, doing right by its employees, can be brought down by outside economic forces. These are beyond the control of small businesses.



Only a government can "watch out" for us in an umbrella fashion. When I say "watch out" I don't mean pay us to succeed. I mean keep an eye on what is going on over-all, adjust for problems and regulate to prevent certain kinds of abuse that can have an adverse impact on the over all economy. Don't let corporate greed damage honest enterprise.



I own a small ( very ) business and I don't want or expect government to protect me. But when the surrounding economy proceeds in the dark, an unexpected turn out of my sight and out of my control could take my business under.



All business survive because the economy can support our goods and services. If the people have no money to spend, many businesses, through no fault of their own, have to sacrifice or close.



Only government can monitor the BIG PICTURE. That's all I want of them. Keep us all safe by keeping the over all economy safe, not by letting it fall apart then trying to buy us all out of the hole.

.
About Fashion
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Geithner's Plan Will Tax Main Street to Make Wall Street Richer

I still support Obama. People don't seem to understand how our system works. ( I blame that on today's education system which does a poor job teaching civics, if they teach it at all )



Bush simplified things. He did what ever he darn well pleased and said F&%$ you to Congress and the courts. He got stuff done but not the right stuff and not constitutionally.



Obama is trying to take America back to the system that made us great in the past and can make us great again. But part of this journey may mean us replacing a lot of the good old boys in Congress. Working with the system means a president has to work with congress and so far, we still have a petty, greedy self-centered, partisan congress. It is a system of compromise but when you are trying to form a compromise with a house of fools, you can't always do what you want.



We the People need to keep pressure on, not just Obama but on every member of congress.



No one can get everything they want...we need to try to aim for what we can get from everyone.



Help work toward compromise at http://www.joethevoter.org
About Economy
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Geithner's Plan Will Tax Main Street to Make Wall Street Richer

My cousin is an FBI agent and has a secure job. She has bank approval for money to buy a home. She found one with a for sale sign that is bank owned as a result of a foreclosure.



Here is the rub. The bank that owns the property won't even respond to her offers. It appears that banks that foreclose may not even be interested in selling these to qualified buyers.



Could this be part of the issue if banks are intentionally refusing to sell these houses in order to keep them on their books at inflated values just so they can beg for more bail out money?



Congress needs to attach more stings to the cash. If a bank has an asset they can sell then they MUST sell it. No sitting on foreclosed homes either as a means of real estate speculation or as a means to bloat their bad assets. An asset you have a willing buyer for is not a bad asset.



Is anyone paying any attention ??
About Economy
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Announcing the Launch of the Huffington Post Investigative Fund

SUGGESTED ITEM TO INVESTIGATE:



While speaking with a political candidate, the subject turned to WalMart. I was told of cases where WalMart would not pay state property taxes on the value of their properties. In many cases WalMart had already received a tax break from locals to build. Then when they were called on to pay their property taxes, they have been known to refuse, let the state file suit and hold up the cases in courts for a long time, all while paying NO taxes at all.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost