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.
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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
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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