Do you agree with President Obama's healthcare proposal?

No, I do not.

Before the economy melted down, the "third rail of politics" was the social security problem (you know, the baby boomers were/are retiring and there is not enough money/taxes coming in to pay for it-), and we still have not solved that looming problem, yet, somehow we can afford socialized healthcare for everyone? It doesn't add up. It's fuzzy Washington math that will ultimately destroy the economy, and our nation.

It doesn't mater what the CEO's make. It is up to the board of directors for each company to decide the value of their leaders. It is none of the governments business to control the private industry. If a company can't afford to pay a CEO, then they can fire them.

President Obama's proposal is more radical than what Americans know. He has repeatedly said he wants a public (socialized) option. His desire is not to insure everyone, it is to solidify his voting base.

If he wanted to insure the uninsured, then a simple specific plan, like WIC, would have taken care of those.

The healthcare plan needs:

no public option

portability across state lines

tort reform

less government involvement

more state involvement

no illegal immigrant benefits

protection of medicare

To do any less is immoral and un-American!

Go meat!

Medicare is indeed socialized medicine. And it is the most effective and efficient health care delivery system we have in this country. The right-wing, neo-cons will say "I have medicare, leave it alone. I just don't want anyone else to have it." A typical right-wing, neo-con, republiCON malady.

Speaking from a generation that probably won't see a dime of social security (because it will be gone) something has to be done. I believe in the President's plan and hope it will get the shot it deserves. The naysayers need to do the research on it: talk to someone who doesn't have insurance but isn't on federal aid...see how they feel, or, even scarier...check out the health care structures of other countries.

Something has to be done to help with health insurance for all....... whether it is socialized medicine or not. The VA system is very good and could be copied and improved upon. For those who say do not change anything, get your head out of the ground, things will be changing whether your a Democrat or Republican, The old saying about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, the methods to achieve these goals will not and cannot stay the same no matter how much we want them to.

Many problems lie before us in health care reform, the biggest, is how to keep as many hands in the health care money pot as there are now. Every day I learn of other relatively unknown people/businesses who make big dollars off just a segment of it, and some would probably disappear under say, a VA, type system.

Keep in mind that no perfect fix for health care will come over night or over maybe even a decade, so get ready for the long haul.

PS "VA" = Veterans Administration(health care)

notgreenenative:

If you, your son, and your daughter are against the public option, then don't take it. Remain with your status quo.

You admitt you know nothing about the proposed health care plan, but you and yours are against it. I think I know what you are against, but we won't go there.

Democratic President F. D. Roosevelt brought us social security. Republicans opposed it. Democratic President L. B. Johnson brought us medicare. Republicans opposed it, but now they do no want it changed in any, way, shape, or form.

Plus, I personally have yet to meet the republican that turned down their social security and medicare benefits. You may be the first, but I doubt it.

Change can be a very good thing. Our health care system today is not perfect; and, it will not be perfect tomorrow. Why would anyone be against making health care better for everyone. Whoops, I forgot, we still have republiCONS.

Globe&Anchor: No one has said they are against change they are against not knowing what the cost of that change is going to be. You did not answer the questions by notgreenative you just assumed they were against the President because of his race...SHAME ON YOU!!!! The Democratic party can not even say for sure they want to fully back the President on this issue; so do not knock the Republicans for standing up for something else. The President is not talking about changing healthcare as it is billed right now he is talking about changing who is going to pay for the public option. Which right now our President and the ones backing him are talking about reducing benifits and money from the people already on Medicare and Social Security; that is not helping anyone. If the President can come up with a plan to insure every American and not take away from some to give to others then I am sure he will have everyones backing. Until it is not going to be a set in stone acceptance. I hope something can be done to offer affordable healthcare to everyone. However I do not think this can happen without involement from the insurance and drug companies that have the biggest part of the healthcare pie. It can not be on the backs of those recieving benefits now.

winke56:

Now you are talking. Instead of saying "I'm against it". Say, lets all work together and find a health care program that we can afford that will benefit everybody.

And don't throw race into the issue. Where and when did anyone, especially me, mention race? Do you have a guilty conscience? SHAME ON YOU!

I am not even sure I will back the plan. I have not seen the plan and have no idea what the final bill will look like. Neither do you, or anyone else.

Give the people who are trying credit. And more

important, give the do nothing neo-cons all your wrath for accepting an unacceptable situation.

notgreenenative:

"Forced to pay into it"? Not hardly, the self-employed and civil service employees are just two of many groups that are not "forced to pay into it". Every American has the choice of where and how they make a living.

When the final bill has been achieved then we will know what to criticize. Until then, it is speculation and you are criticizing something other than the health care bill.

"I were not able to answer any of my questions". Well now, that is a problem without a solution.

notgreenenative: There is an excellent page on the White House website site that addresses your questions in detail: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq

If you can put your skepticism aside for a moment and review the information, you may have a better understanding of the plan. I know that "cost" is the largest concern with lots of people, but honestly, can it possibly cost more than a trip to the emergency room without insurance? I have very good insurance that I don't pay a dime for and I still had to pay $1700 for a trip to the ER. How is this right? How is it that medical directors of health insurance companies are constantly rewarded and promoted for denying the most claims? Situations like this make me think the current system is corrupt and just wrong...even more so than our political system. Now THAT is scary.

Everyone is "stupid" except you right-wing, neo-cons that have not had an original thought in the last 50 years.

You naysayers do what you have to do, fight change, argue against progress, it matters not. We will improve health care with or without you

and hopefully it will be sooner, not later. But, rest assured, it will get done.

Less than 2% of Americans will be effected by a public option health care plan. Two percent, yet you right-wing, neo-cons behave as though it is a

catastrophic overhaul of the American health care system. Nothing could be further from the truth, but right-wing, neo-cons have never been interested in the truth. They are self-indulgent

and interested in everything but the truth.

This is a nasty healthcare reform bill.

It is 2,000 pages long and includes over $ ONE TRILLION of new spending. It still includes a life usefulness scale (1 teenager =18 84 year olds)when decideing who gets the government paid treatments. It also cuts medicare by $500 Billion dollars. It still covers illegal immigrants. It still includes a government, public option.

If you divide the over $1,000,000,000,000.00 in the bill by the 500,000,000 words, then we (all Americans, children and grandchildren) are paying $2.2 million per word!!!!!

This government is ridiculous, laughable and ready to be unemployed in 2010 and 2012!

This is not change we believe in.

Call, write and e-mail Bayh, Lugar, Ellsworth, and any other legislator that you can and tell them that you are not willing to re-elect anyone that votes on this abuse of power and money grab.

Our Constitution is being shredded before our eyes and we are not going to take it any more!

Sorry. The bill was just under 500,000 words. I guess I got a little carried away with all the zeros in this bill.

Cow Rancher:

You continue to try to scare people by saying the Consitution is being "shredded." This is disingenuous at best. As I assume you are painfully aware the Supreme Court has not declared that any spending by the Federal Government is beyond their constitutional powers in over 70 years. Congress has broad powers to tax and spend for the country's general welfare.

This is clear because we have Federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

I assume your response will be that the Supreme Court doesn't know what they are talking about and are responsible for much damage to the Constitution themselves. However, I think we have established in the past that we both have great respect for the Constitution. The brilliance of the Constitution is the seperation of powers to the three branches of our government and the checks and balances in place between them. Congress gets to make the laws, the President gets to enforce the laws, and the Judiciary gets to hear challenges on the laws and determine if they are Constitutional among other things. So, long story short, you keep arguing that it is unconstitutional for the federal government to do what the Democrats are proposing in regards to healthcare, but you are wrong. The system the Constitution itself put into place has upheld spending and taxing in this regard for many years.

There are many reasons to come down on either side of this, but the Constitutionality of the proposed reforms are not one of them. I have no problem with you advocating at the top of your lungs why you are opposed to this bill, but please don't try to scare people into believing the proposed reforms are bad because they are unconstitutional. This is poor form.

Onetime,

You interpret the Constitution as a "living" document and a document that can be disregarded when times get tough.

The Constitution was written to LIMIT government and give the power to the people and the states.

The Constitution is not a "living " document but a strict guideline for our country to follow.

You are the perfect example of a liberal and I am the perfect example of a conservative.

My "form" is not for you to judge. I ask that you read the bill, consider the exponential growth of our deficit the past year and ask yourself if this is what the writers of the Constitution intended.

It is not.

This country must understand that there are consequences to our actions.

Can you imagine a country led by someone that has no experience in business, a leader of the house who is a radical liberal(progressive-:-)) from San Francisco, and a leader of the Senate that is as clueless as Harry Reid?

Andy Stern, leader of the SEIU (ACORN and Working Families)has stayed at the White House 22 times already. There is no doubt who is running this country. Quite frankly , this group doesn't care about your healthcare, they even voted not to be covered by the same plan that we have to buy. They care about power and money for their own.

Onetime, I won't just tell you the proposed reforms are bad just because they are un-Constitutional, I'll tell you they are bad because they minimize the American spirit of rewards for hard work, honesty, and treating our senior citizens and soldiers with respect.

If you would like to come across as an informed interpreter of what the writers of the Constitution thought, then consider James Madisons' comments about your over-interpreted and abused "welfare" clause in the pre-amble.

Please read the whole Constituition and it's ammendments.

I appreciate your comments and understand the road that we have ahead to get America back.

Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Wright, Stern, Acorn, SEIU, Al Gore, Edward Markey (cap and trade bill), Al Franken, George Clooney, TARP, Healthcare takeover, Trial Lawyers, etc...NOW THAT IS SCAREY!

Globe&Anchor:

You are so transparent! Also,I see you are still resorting to the infantile practice of name-calling. Is it really that much fun? Let me try it! "I would rather be a RepubliCON than a DUMMYcrat." WOW that was fun! I feel better! LOL

Kudos, Evolouie!

I just looked up your "new term" "fractally wrong".

Funny thing is, is that the definition is the same one that I use for most Liberals... particularly the "half truths" part that I have pointed out a few times on these blog pages. And what did I get for it? I was called "mean and rude". Evlouie uses it and gets "kudos"...

Well, that was weird... kind of like "Ground Hog Day" :D

Really? Kudos Evilouie? Are you two married and the only two folks out there that want to turn over your healthcare and country to these corrupt folks?

How great is it that these far-left libs go back to blame Bush when they have no positive things to report one year after this administration has been elected?

How many years will you blame President Bush for your woes? How about thanking God for his protection during and after the 911 attacks? How about thanking GWB for gas prices a dollar lower than we have now (oh, that's right, we are supposed to blame Bush and Chaney when prices go up, but ignore them when they go down.)

Thanks for showing us the depth of your sources by using the liberally biased Wiki for your reference.

I am sad that you are so pesimistic about America.

I believe in Americans and our founding documents. You don't and want to change them whenever it's convenient.

You would think since you have all of your cronies running everything (record unemployment, a $10 trillion deficit, 30 something czars running in circles and defending their past, proposed socialized medicine, cap and trade theft of income of jobs, record teenager unemployment-58%, a media that loves your cause, etc...) that you could at least admit that this is a great country founded by brave Christian patriots. It is full of hard-working , God-fearing people who would protect your right to free speech, with our 2nd ammendment protected firearms, even while disagreeing with you.

I also like how you admit that we the people, have inherent power over the government (not the Constitution). Who did we inherit it from? Let me guess, since you don't believe in God, then we must have inherited it from the British.

Give us a break and at least say something positive about your cause instead of blaming past presidents. After all, it was your other guy, Clinton, that had all the staff remove the W's from all the White house computers. What a class act. Now there is a president we can talk about.

The healthcare bill is a 2,000 page joke that will control 1/6 of our country's GDP and will put a federal hook in the side of each person in this country.

Call your congressmen, and others now and tell them to vote no until they get it right!

someone said that gas prices are higher now than they were when bush was in office, were you high on something when gas prices were at $4.00 a gallon???????? That didn't happen on obama's watch it happened on your savior president bush's watch.

Evilouie?? Really? LOL. How low can you go?

oh and all Bush and obama are is somebodies puppets, so dont be to pi$%ed at them, look at the idiots that are claiming he is the messiah, and childrens school singing chants to him and now our homeland security has taken on boyscouts to train (give me a break) who should you be ticked with the muslim decent man or the people that are embracing all this crap? Our founding forefathers and what they wrote of our constitution has been done away with people, you need to wake up.

WE ARE ABOUT TO LOSE OUR FREEDOM

I'm sorry, that was an unfortunate typo.

Here's a prediction for you. Once the "urgent" healthcare crisis is addressed and passed by these short-termed congressmen, then there will be another "urgent" crisis. Just like the TARP was so urgent no-one could read it in one day.

The next one is "global Warming and the cap-and-trade bill".

Notice how when the far left liberals get their number found out and everyone knows their scheme, they change the name to a euphamism. (Examples; liberal=now equals "progressive", global warming=now equals "climate change", created jobs= now equals saved or created, healthcare reform= now equals health insurance reform), etc...

There will be a house vote tomorrow or Saturday (after the Republicans are dismissed). It is so important that you call your representative today to tell them to vote no to health insurance reform until they get it right. This will be the largest grab of freedom in our nations history unless people pick up the phone and call.

Here is a link for all of their phone numbers. Please do it for your grandchildren's sake!

https://ssl.capwiz.com/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt?action=myreps_form

Cow rancher,

You put the "fan" in fanatical....

Seems like all of the folks quoted here with their photos are probably on government health care. Okay, so you all don't like what the house and senate are proposing, what do you suggest? Just leave it alone until the medicare system is bankrupt in 10 or 15 years and then none of us will have healthcare.

You are exactly right. I am a fanatic about preserving our Christian nation, Constitution, belief in the American workers, farmers, teachers, soldiers, firemen and all who work to to keep us free.

I don't know why we don't just let the government run everything.

They have done such a great job at ripping off the Medicare Trust Fund, the Social Security Trust Fund, the highway trust fund. They have run the postal service into the ground. They have taken control of the housing market, the automobile industry, the education system, the banking system and energy production.

Today, they voted behind closed doors to pass the cap and trade bill in Senate committee once the Rebublicans left the room.

This group of thugs wants to control your healthcare now.

As soon as they get that, they will control every last bit of freedom that Americans have (the freedom to manage our own bodies).

We will retain our right to keep and bear arms to defend ourselves.

Yeah, I'm a fanatic because I believe we can do better than this.

Let's vote these folks out and recind their socialist spending sprees.

cow rancher,

I'll give you one thing; you're persistent.

Why do you constantly bash the current administration's disregard for the Constitution, but yet we heard nothing during the Bush junta and their total shredding of the document?

It's senseless and hypocritical, but unsurprising.

An educated Christian such as yourself should know better. Jesus would not be proud of your actions.

Touche' Garth

I, and others, were equally critical of Constitutional inequalities during each presidents' term. It is just so overwhelming to experience so many politicians ignoring the document after taking a pledge to uphold it.

I hardly think you are qualified to judge anyone through Jesus' eyes. I am accountable for my thoughts, beliefs and actions to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

You, and everyone else is accountable as well (even if they don't believe in Him).

I try to stare down evil and witness as much as possible, whether it is on this blog, in person or in absentia. Whom are you witnessing for?

Equally critical?

Laughable.

I'm witnessing for myself whom I am accountable.

Don't take things so seriously, man. Feed the cows. Enjoy doing what you do. Relax.

Everything will be fine.

It sounds like your check system is the same one Congress and the President uses.

It's hard to relax when my family's income is being redistributed at such a rapid pace.

Have you ever added up the taxes that you pay.

Our family's taxes are now over 56% of gross income. If the new healthcare reform passes, then we will be giving over 61%. That means that I have to work from January to August to pay the government black hole. Then I can send my children to college, pay bills and save for retirement.

How hard is it to understand that America is tired of this "legal" justification to taking their earnings?

cow rancher:

You are without question the most negative individual that reads the GCDW. Do you ever have anything positive to say about your neighbors, your community, or your country?

You are not the only Greene County, Indiana, and USA citizen that pays taxes, but you must be the only one that does not drive on city, county, state or Federal highways. You would never allow your children to attend a PUBLIC school. You obviously have never needed police or fire protection. Public utilities (electric, gas, water, sewer) are out of the question. Postal service, libraries, legal services, etc., etc., etc., are government entities that you steadfastly refuse to be utilized for your benefit every day of your life.

I doubt it, but someone or something out there must meet with your approval. If that is the case, share it with us, just once, it won't hurt

too much or too long.

Just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't make them negative.

I am POSITIVE that we are over-taxed, aren't you?

By the way, I believe we have the best neighbors, county, state and country. I just hate to see it slipping into the abyss of liberal, tax and spend socialism.

I have said before and I'll say it again, if it is in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, then it should be paid with federal taxes. If it is not, then it should be decided by each state. The 10th ammendment makes that clear doesn't it?

If you need me to itemize the list in the Constitution, then I will. For now, I will assume that you can read it.

It's getting dark and the cows are hungry.

The spending in the past by both the Republicans and the Democrats was deplorable.

To say the democrats are more frugal is hysterical.

Nothing compares to the past 10 months of our country's history. This democratically controlled house, senate and presidency are acting like they have carte blanche and a brand new checkbook without limits.

Since some on here enjoy copy and pasting others comments, I found one from Politico that sums it up.

"On the practical side, Obama has spent more money on new programs in nine months than Bill Clinton did in eight years, pushing the annual deficit to $1.4 trillion. This leaves little room for big spending initiatives."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29471.html

Well, this is exciting!

The lefty libs are STILL blaming G.W.Bush for their woes (when will Obama be in charge?).

The deficit is hitting a record $1.4 trillion this month.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601074&sid=aWXDnpFProiY

Congress must now vote to enlarge the deficit to keep America running (the last time this happened was in 1995 under Clinton)or the government will close. (we could only hope)

Pelosi's house has approved the new healthcare bill to be debated by the senate. You better have health insurance or you are going to jail.

Reid has his cronies locking out any opposition from the Senate version until it is ammended.

The "overnight" TARP bill that was so urgent to pass still has $200 billion uncommitted. How about not spending it!

The Clunker program spent over $3 billion to save under $300 million in gas.

The Washington tea party only had a couple of people present. If you want to see a time-lapsed photo from you tube then google it.

The Cap and Trade bill will impose monetary punishment to a free people just for existing and surviving.

The often-bowing (he bowed again today to another foreign leader without reciprication) presidential apologist has said he will go along with the Copenhagen Accord (thereby enabling other countries to keep our taxes for our use of energy.)

The omnipotent lefty libs have now, with Obamas command, ordered five terrorists (including the planner of the 9-11 attacks) to stand trial in CIVILIAN court in New York instead of a military court. This ought to be pleasant for those of us who knew people who were killed in the attacks.

Oh and the stimulus bill!!! I am stimulated, are you?

The spending of both parties is inexcusable.

I just have never heard anyone so eager to defend paying taxes and wasting money so voraciously. I guess you are on the recieving end of the wealth spreading and not on the paying end.

I guess we should have waited to have children. Another great incentive for unwed parents to have kids.

At the same time, the death tax,

increases for those who actually produced income in their lives.

Nice.

On a side note about this healthcare bill; I have spoken to a cardiologist from Bloomington who is ready to move to the Carribbean to start a new practice for those who need heart care now. He has purchased a building and has some other doctors joining him if this bill passes.

Just a view of things to come....

You seem to be laughing a lot lately. :-)

estate tax= death tax (didn't you know this existed?)

I was using an euphamism like:

job creation=jobs saved or created

healthcare reform=health insurance reform

community organizer=ACORN and it's crooked associates

job growth at a 23 year high (10.2)= job creation

war on terror= overseas contingency operation

killing= harvest

abortion= pro-choice (except for the baby)

practicing medicine with freedom= tax haven

I have some more if you are still laughing.

Here is a web link to IRS.gov so you can research the tax that you say doesn't exist.

A little research goes a long way.

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=108143,00.html

Peoples opinions are a great thing, it really shows originality. So glad these google jockeys are here to tell everyone how smart they aren't.

LOL! I'm with ya Dtown. But occasionally the debates between those 2 are really, really good.

And sometimes its just like watching ping-pong.

dtown,

Thank you for your opinion and deep research on the subject of whether Obama's healthcare plan is agreeable.

Your insight is exactly why we stupid people are debating. At least Evoluie bothers to look up some data before he responds or comments. I also appreciate him admitting there is a death tax right after he emphatically denied the tax existed (twice). It reminds me of the president who said, "I had no sexual relations with that woman", right before he was impeached for committing perjury for lying about the same acts to the Grand Jury.

18,431 estates were taxed twice on the same money that was earned. How is that fair? Don't you hope to be wealthy enough to pass on possessions to your family. By the way, when the Bush tax cuts expire next year, then many more will be added to your list.

This is a discussion whether you and your family need the government to think for you and spend your money or allow the people to think for themselves and control their own money.

Don't you want to control your own future and give the chance of prosperity to your children?

By your comments, it is easy to deduce that you are a follower and would be very happy just doing what the government tells you what to do.

Now, stop smoking, see the doctor that you're given, pay over half of your income in taxes, don't drive a car that gets less than 35 miles a gallon, stop eating fast food (especially the un-saturated fats), teach your children to not obey authority, don't trust anyone other than yourself (especially God), and just do whatever Obama's advisors tell you to do (I really don't think he has much of a clue but is just following the Alinsky model and methods that the czars instuct him to follow.)

There is nothing proud about being a bleacher bum, but I'm sure you can defend it...after all you already have one fan!

OK

Rebuttal in order of your comments , starting with comprehension in reading...

1. you're wrong

2. you're wrong (for the third time)

3. you're right! :-)

4. you're wrong

5. you're wrong

6. you're wrong (now we're at the IRS link comment, just to keep you on track)

7. you're wrong

8. Huh?

Agree with Obama's healthcare proposal? Absolutely NOT! I work hard EVERYDAY so that my family and myself receive the health insurance we need. So, let me get this straight, now I get to work even harder so that everyone else gets health insurance? Great! Before I had a job that provided us with health insurance, I took out a private plan in order to keep coverage. Was it expensive? Absolutely! We had to sacrifice a few things in life to do it, but isn't that part of it? Why must everything be handed to people?

I believe in making changes, but a complete overhaul that grants everyone the "right" to insurance is not the answer. Wake up people! Our country did not get here with a bunch of lazy bums, our founding fathers WORKED for what we have. Yeah the economy stinks, but there ARE jobs out there, I promise you.

I happen to be one of those 15% that doesn't have insurance. I am a single mom who has worked for the last 13 years. Not everyone that doesn't have insurance wants it given to them. I work full time and make just enough to be over the income limit for state coverage, but not enough to buy my own insurance. I have paid for all of my healthcare including back surgery at the age of 21. There are exceptions to every rule. Don't lump every one who doesn't have insurance together.

If she is HAPPY with being in the percentage withOUT health insurance???

Really??? You think its possible???

And the "democrat" healthcare proposal??

I'm curious, James30096, where is your information coming from?

James 30096

I am not happy about not having insurance. It took me 4 years to pay off my surgery, I am in no way shape or form rich. I agree that there are problems with our healthcare system, but I'm not going to sit and around and expect other people to take care of me. I don't think the government taking over is the answer. I think there needs to be reform across the board for our entire healthcare system. My point is that there are people out there who are caught in the middle. They just can't afford to pay for health insurance to visit the doctor once or twice a year. I don't agree with mandatory insurance, but I do think there should be an option for people who are trying to do the right thing.

Yeh, both of you.

Here is a quote from the Washington Times today. "It's a massive increase in government, as shown by this bill," Mr. Ensign told a reporter off the floor later, spreading his arms wide as if to encompass the stack of papers that comes in at more than a foot tall and, according to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, weighs in at more than 20 pounds.

The bill contains the word "tax" 511 times and includes 18 tax hikes, according to Americans for Tax Reform, a conservative lobby group. It uses the word "require" more than 1,000 times, the word "shall" more than 3,500 times, and talks about studies required by the bill 150 times."

The taxes and Medicare cuts will start in 40 days but the benefits atart in 2014. Urgent taxes yet no desire to really cause effective change to healthcare. Abortion is not good healthcare.

Well, I guess we won't be hearing how no one has had time to read it since they have had time to count how many times the words, tax, require, and shall are in the bill.

My cows accept your apology. :-)

not from greene county:

I think you can't have it both ways. If you are going to blame President Bush for high gas prices, then you should give him credit when the prices are low (we both know he had nothing to do with either).

In the same vain (or is it vane), I would like to give President Obama credit for spending $3.5 trillion in his first year (a new record almost doubling GWB's $1.8 trillion in his first year). Don't blame inflation. They both spent too much.

I also want to thank POTUS for record gold prices today! This means the world is very confident that chaos is the rule instead of the exception. That is what you get when you withhold troops from a war when, 120 days ago, our general and our soldiers needed them.....instability...indecisiveness...incompetence...The three big I's of Obama. It's all about him and his downtrodden (not most democrats, independents and republicans and especially not the libertarians).

I also want to thank Brad Ellsworth, Barron Hill and Evan Bayh (his one vote, alone, could have stopped this ridiculous healthcare bill)for there leadership to cut Medicare by $500 billion. Their support for government paid (our money) abortion is on the record and will be remembered in 2010.

Above all, I want to thank God and my Lord Jesus Christ for giving me "the peace that passes all understanding" during these tumultuous and reprehensible days. May our children have amnesia about how this government thought of their freedom.

Happy Thanksgiving all!

I'm thankful for the hypocrites who continue to provide me with humor on this website.

I'm thankful for those soldiers and sailors who continue to fight wars not of their chosing. I do my best every single day to support them, and I still don't feel like it's enough given their daily sacrifices.

Ever wonder how much health care and school funding could be provided with the dollars spent in Iraq? The numbers are out there, and they're astonishing. Sickening really. Of course you folks don't understand it because it doesn't fall in line with your spoon-fed FoxNews dogma.

Cut and paste arguments taken out of context and tailored perfectly to fit your gripe du jour is straight out of the neo-con playbook. Rush Limbaugh and Karl Rove would be so proud.

Unabashedly slamming this administration's ridiculous spending while being a Bush apologist and shifting the blame to his predecessor and/or successor when it's convenient for your fiscal argument? Really? You proudly continue to stoop to this level? Crushing Obama and his cronies for their disregard of the Constitution while standing behind the Bush regime and the Patriot Act? Shame on you. You truly do not know of what you speak, and your hypocrisy knows no bounds.

You sheep are just as bad as the folks you claim to despise. The fact that you refuse to see or believe that is quite remarkable, but not surprising.

And, again, for that I am truly thankful. Because it's hilarious, and I require frequent comic relief.

May God bless each of your families this holiday season, and please be safe.

evoluie,

You need some new material. Please refrain from copy and pasting. We've talked about this before.

Most farmers (if not all farmers) would prefer an open market verses subsidies. If the government would get out of our way and allow the American farmer to compete, straight up, with the world, we would no doubt continue to feed the world at a record pace.

Also, if you are going to throw out numbers, then please include your units (i.e per year, per inception , etc.) and your source. To do otherwise is decieving. Here is my source for the following data

http://farm.ewg.org/farm/summary.php

$13.4 billion in 2006 to 1.4 million farmers. Twelve year's total is $177 billion. Too much and definitely socialistic. Free market is the only way to reward those who think and work harder.

If it weren't for farmers, your food would be a significant budget item for your family and your beloved food stamp program would be non-existent.

You better not badmouth farmers with your mouth full of food.

P.S. This president and his minions have spent a record $3,500,000,000,000.00, that's $3.5 TRILLION just THIS YEAR. It kind of makes farm subsidies look like an item on the dollar menu at McDonalds.

I can't wait for them to try and run healthcare...I bet it will be a bargain.

Jimmy42,

Really?

Is this the best you can do?

Perhaps you would rather me quote your New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Move On .org, or maybe you should tell us all which sources are allowed in your world.

Maybe we should all just read Rahm Emanuels talking points posted on the White House website or White House TV.

Then you wouldn't have to think or have to deal with the meddlesome facts brought up by your opposition.

I tend to quote sources that present facts...you may continue to quote sources (oh , I forgot, you don't use sources...you just spew) that present fiction.

Are you sure you had a computer issue and not a thinking issue?

On that note, I officially declare this blog dead. Let's hope this healthcare plan doesn't pass or we will be in the same condition.

Let's hope this healthcare package doesn't pass or we will be in worse shape rather than in the same condition. On another note, Mr. Obama claims that the cost of living hasn't increased therefore he will not be increasing Medicare benefits for the next two years but I'd have to ask him when is the last time he went grocery shopping or bought medicine, a home, a car or gas for his car. Rental prices have gone up considerably for the same or in some cases even worse housing conditions. Many mobile homes in Linton alone look as if they should be condemned and yet they are rented out at the cost of 400 dollars and up a month and most of the time paid for by hud and aren't fit to live in. Rental houses aren't any better. I know by experience when my family looked for a place to rent last year and most two bedroom places wanted at least 450 a month and a deposit to match when the conditions of the places were disgusting. I told more than one landlord that he must think I've got stupid across my forehead if he thinks I would pay him almost one thousand dollars to move into his dump and make the necessary livable repairs for him so my family could have a decent place to live when it is his job to make sure his rentals are decent and reasonably efficient for living in considering the costs of rent. And what is more unbelievable to me is the housing authority will pay these landlords for families to live in these places apparently because they are lived in. My family does not receive help from hud (housing authority) but when I drive by these homes I can see families live in them so I assume hud does pay the rent or the family pays it on their own, either way back to my original statement these places do not look livable and as I said when my own family looked for a place we looked at many that should have been condemned not rented out.

Anyway, might have gone a little off topic there but Mr. Obama isn't fooling anyone into thinking that the cost of living hasn't increased in the past year and if anyone does believe him on that, they need their head examined in my opinion.

And his so called health care plan isn't going to help matters as far as the cost of living is concerned. I do think Americans need healthcare and I believe that the government needs to focus more on bringing healthcare costs down in the area of doctors visits, medical equipment costs, hospital costs both inpatient and outpatient and the tests that hospitals run on patients and especially bring down the cost of drugs, etc...

Medical expenses are another example Mr. Obama to the rise in cost of living that you claim hasn't risen. You seem to speak out both sides of your mouth in my opinion.

Heck; everyone in GC 'IS' psychopathic!

Read these words by some founding fathers and then decide if the healthcare takeover is constitutional or morally right:

"Our safety, our liberty, depends upon preserving the Constitution of the United States as our fathers made it inviolate. The people of the United States are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts - not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution."

-- Abraham Lincoln

"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen."

-- Samuel Adams

"The issue today is the same as it has been throughout all history,

whether man shall be allowed to govern himself or be ruled by a small elite."

-- Thomas Jefferson

Evan Bayh, Brad Ellsworth and Barron Hill will join their fellow "elite" in the unemployment line for voting for this ridiculous absconding of our freedom.

I read the words carefully and for the life of me can't figure out what they have to do with healthcare. If you would be kind enough to put the quotes in their original context for me and then explain to me how they relate to healthcare, I would certainly appreciate it. Happy New Year!

Here's the context for you:

This whole administration and self-righteous congress have done so many unconstitutional acts that I thought it would be good to remind the liberals and conservatives what our country is based on.

Bailout

Stimulus

Healthcare

Czars

No border security (Napolitano-a joke)

Lack of European defense shield (let's encourage the Iranians!)

A beer summit but no invitation to Republicans to work on the healthcare bill. Nice.

War against FOX news (lol)...oh and Afghanistan.

EPA, the ultimate whiping stick

Oh no, climate change!!!!! (lol)

Nobel Prize for the anti-Bush crowd (more lol)

Granted, the last few are just plain ridiculus and have little to do with the Constitution but I thought that our founding fathers would be amazed that America has slipped to these record lows (morally, constitutionally and fiscally).

Good ridance 2009 and good bye congressional Benedict Arnolds. It's time to listen to your constituency.

Cow Rancher; you have made it very clear. but some will never get it, they went to school one time, drank the KOOL AID, got intoxicated, and fell in the vat. turning on the light only blinds them.

God will have to help them, as he knows we on earth have tried our best. God Bless America and the Republic for which she stands. Amen.

Where are we now?

The Senate and House bills have to be reconciled and then go back for a vote in the Senate and House. Right now, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are talking with each other about how to reconcile the differences between the two bills. We are hearing that there may not be a formal conference committee, because of all the procedural hurdles to appoint conferees, including likely Republican opposition and various time-consuming matters pertaining to congressional rules and procedures.

There could be some sort of "informal" conference committee, bypassing congressional rules, where a few Senate and House Democrats literally write a new bill (taking pieces from each of the House and Senate passed bills). Both chambers of Congress would have to approve the new bill. By and far the quickest way to the President's desk is for the House of Representatives to simply pass the Senate-passed bill. That would avoid a conference committee altogether. But there is a lot of push - back from House liberals (including Reps. Rangel, Waxman, Miller, and so forth).

Your cost for the Senate bill - lots of Christmas gifts under their tree!

Here is what the Obama Administration gave away to get the bill passed - this is your money and it was not listed as part of the cost of the Senate bill! And, we thought those Senators were standing up for what they believed in. Here is what they got!

This is adapted from a Dana Milbank column in The Washington Post:

The Louisiana Purchase: $100 million in extra Medicaid money for the Bayou State, requested by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.).

The Cornhusker Kickback: $100 million in extra Medicaid money, this time for Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.).

Omaha Prime Cuts: Nebraska's Nelson won a "carve out" provision that would reduce fees for Mutual of Omaha and other Nebraska insurers.

Con: $100 million meant for a medical center in Connecticut for Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.)

Gator Aid: Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Flo.) secured a grandfather clause will allow Floridians to preserve their pricey Medicare Advantage program from cuts imposed in the other states.

Handout Montana: Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) secured Medicare coverage for anybody exposed to asbestos - as long as they worked in a mine in Libby, Montana.

Iowa Pork: Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) won more Medicare money for low-volume hospitals of the sort commonly found in Iowa.

Dakota Payoff: Sens. Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad, both North Dakota Democrats, will enjoy a provision bringing higher Medicare payments to hospitals and doctors in "frontier counties" of states such as - let's see here - North Dakota!

Hawaii Aloha: Hawaii, with two Democratic Senators, will get richer payments to hospitals that treat many uninsured people.

Wolverine Bonanza: Michigan, home of two other Democrats, will earn higher Medicare payments and some reduced fees for Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

What socialism means in Vermont: Sen. Bernie Sanders is getting larger Medicaid payments for his state (neighboring Massachusetts will get some, too).

I question Just how much is the price tag for all of this? What States are Paying more and getting less? and We the taxpayers know who is footing this "FREE HEALTH CARE" package. as We foot the Bill for congressional Health, Welfare, and their own No Loss Retirement Plan all courtesy of Tommy Taxpayer.

Check and see how many Illegal immigrants and legal Immigrants are getting free healthcare then you'll see where the problem is.I am an American and have worked all my life with Health Insurance and I will owe the hospitals the rest of my life just because I got sick,then take that and ruin My credit so I am Not able to buy things anymore without high interest.Who's paying for them to get healthcare.???WE ARE ,Good ole taxpayers.Let Me ask for relief and restore and see what happens.

This country has thrown money down a rat hole since the early 20th century. As soon as America changed it's judicial approach to "interpreting precident" from "interpreting the Constitution", then we decided to not follow the constructs of the Constitution. It is a fact that this administration has circumvented the Constituion more than any other administration. Since you are a liberal humanist, I would expect you to not have any desire to follow rules. Also, since I am a Constitutionalist conservative, I expect the Constitution to be interpreted as it is written, literally. In so doing, it is pertinent to read further comments by those who actually wrote the document and were founding fathers.

The general welfare clause does not allow, under it's intended language, to pay for items not listed in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution. The general welfare clause was intended to take care of all people, equally, and not an excuse to redistribute wealth. There was no significant federal tax until the 1930's. It wasn't needed as the government followed the Constitution.

It was not until a liberal slide , especially of the 1930's, that the federal government no longer found itself to be held to account by the Constitution. Therefore, I could argue that all the non-stated spending, not mentioned in our Constitution is a violation of the Constitution. Any other spending should be taken on by the states.

Therefore, it would do me no good to try and mention any un-Constitutional acts to you or any other atheist-humanist, as you don't believe in anything, especially in following rules.

Until you fundamentally change your mindset that a big government is wrong and that we a re accountable for our actions, then there is no basis for debate.

"Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government."

--James Madison

"When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic."

-- Benjamin Franklin

"Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated."

--Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Albert Gallatin, 1817

Our government will begin its' change to accountability in November of this year. The taxpayers have had enough of the entitlement-minded takers.

You are like listening to Micheal on the TV show, the "Office"; lots of words and self-indulging profound statements with no substance behind them.

"Reality is that which doesn't go away if you stop believing in it."

How about the $12 trillion deficit...is that real enough for you?

How about 5 million aborted babies....is that real enough for you?

How about 34 czars...is that real enough for you?

How about spending $3.5 Billion on the "cash for clunkers" to save $150 million dollars of gasoline...is that real enough for you?

How about a stimulus that has spent over $400 billion dollars to create 60,000 jobs (mostly government based) and lose 4 million jobs....is that real enough for you?

How about "there shall be no other gods before me" (ten commandments-in case you haven't read them)....is that real enough for you?

Stop pontificating and start listening. America is going to be a pretty miserable place for you folks the next generation. November 2010 is coming soon.

Now thats entertainment.

Welcome back into the ring, CR & Evolouie.

You are wrong multiple times.

First, I am a Constitutional Independent, not a Republican. To guess that you are offending me by tattling on President Bush is a waste of your breath.

The liberal Republicans are also somewhat guilty as the liberal democrats for the children-sacrificing mess we are in now. However, your pals Pelosi, Reid and Obama win the prize for the most cowardly, voter-ignoring bunch of socialists in American history.

If you would read your Bible, with an open heart, then you would notice that Jesus ushered in the "dispensation of Grace" and ushered out the "dispensation of law". He did, however repeat all of the commandments to follow except following the sabbath. The first day of the week is Sunday, the day of tithing and the day of Jesus' resurrection. That is why Christians worship on Sunday, the Lord's day of rest and worship.

As far as "jobs saved"....what a stupid collection of words. I save my job every day I get up and work. I don't need some buffoon throwing money at me to motivate me or to give me financial security. The Constitution limits that behavior as does a good hard work ethic. Unfortunately your thugs don't care about the Constitution and or American's in general. All they care about is power and money. Comprende?

Once again, I need your source that says that President Bush ran up a deficit of over $10 trillion (92%). Due to your past track record on sources and "just winging it" on blogs is not something that any reader of the GCDW takes seriously.

You, as well as your liberal cronies, can't just say something and expect peoplt to believe you.

You, by experience, are not credible.

Oops, "I've cast pearls before the swine". Sorry.

P.S. Evoluie,

I and many other readers have had enough of your insults on God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

It is easy to feel when someone has approached God's limit of tolerance and I want nothing to do with His judgement.

Therefore, I will excuse myself of your grunts and rants until your repentance is evident.

For everyone else; only 10 months to go until we get to vote against these people. I would rather have a Christian surgeon operating on me than a government sponsored, assigned doctor. Government is no substitute for God.

We've just received word that congressional leadership will not hold formal Conference meetings to resolve the difference between

the House and Senate ObamaCare bills.

They hatched the plan yesterday during a meeting with Obama's team at the White House. As a result, only a select few will work on

the final ObamaCare legislation -- out of public view, free of traditional governing rules, and without a single Republican!

And efforts to open these meetings up to the public have been rebuffed.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded to a C-SPAN

request to televise the reconciliation process by saying, "There has never been a more open process for any legislation," and hinted that keeping the public at bay is the best way to push the legislation through.

"We will do whatever is necessary to pass the bill," Pelosi concluded.

With public opposition to ObamaCare continuing to build, Reid and Pelosi are determined to use whatever political shenanigans they can to pass this bill as quickly as possible.

Do you see any transparency in this regime and what about accountability, was that not the "O"'s campaign promise to everyone in the United States of America...

Cow rancher, In the interest of fairness, you have no right to speak for me or anyone other than yourself.

Carry on...