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    Scott Brown Can We Do It?

    Posted by Richard on Thursday, January 14, 2010 @ 09:15 AM  

    Generally we Americans have fallen into a state of apathy toward our government. Our vote really doesn't make any difference. The politicians don't listen to us. There is nothing we can do about it so why bother. Just ignore the situation, nothing will ever change. Sound familiar? Well, now you do have an opportunity as an individual to change this directly. You have an opportunity to make a difference.

    Scott Brown may be the one last remaining hope to kill the health care abomination. He is running in the Massachutes special senatorial election to replace Ted Kennedy. If elected he has promised to be the 41st vote, which will kill the democrat super majority. In a hugely democrat state, polls show he is within striking distance and closing. If you have ever considered making a political donation, now is the time. The election is Jan 19th so please do it today. They take credit cards. Here is a real chance to make a difference. Think of it as an investment in your country. What you donate now will be a drop in the bucket to what we will all pay if health care passes and this financial nonsense continues another year.
    To put this in perspective, up until yesterday, I had never donated to a candidate in my life. On the other hand if you think government knows best and should be all things to all people, or it's not worth the effort, then no further action is required. As always it is a choice and all choices have their consequences.

    Google Scott Brown senate race for more info

    1
    Reply by Dave on January 14, 2010 @ 12:23 PM

    I googled Scott Brown senate race, but didn't learn much. Very popular with independents, apparently narrowing the gap with the democrat (though the polls are WIDELY disparate, depending on who paid for them) and apparently opposed to the health care bill. I don't realy care whether the current politician from Massachusetts calls himself a Republican or a Democrat, but your enthusiasm for him seems to be centered only on the health care bill. I am reminded of the nurse's union that e-mails me to vote for candidate x because he/she supports the union. What about foreign policy, the environment, fiscal policy, human rights and the dozens of other issues we face? I once voted for Reagan, even though I knew he would be a disaster for the environment, because I felt he would be the best for the country as a whole. Is this guy the best choice overall, or would you support him just because he opposes the health care bill?

    I don't think anyone knows even what has been proposed in the health care bill, much less what a final version (with another thousand pages) will hold. How then do you decide that it is an abomination (assuming by that you mean a worse abomination than the current abominable system)? Could they do a better job with actual reduction of health care costs? Absolutely. Is there any queston that a bill which requires 2000 pages such that no one will read it is a piece of crap? Not in my mind. But is it a worse piece of crap than what we have now? The present system is bankrupting the country. Known. Guaranteed. Do we stay on a ship known to be sinking, or take a chance on a cold, wet, miserable life boat? And if the life boat starts to sink, maybe we have to go into the water with life jackets. And if we still don't make it to shore, we drown in the end. But we had a chance and lived longer than going down with the ship. We may not be going in the best direction, but at least we're moving. And if this bill proves to be a disaster, then maybe we'll have enough momentum left to try something else. To do nothing is to die.

    Dave


    2
    Reply by Richard on January 15, 2010 @ 06:41 PM
    (A reply to comment #1)

    Well at least we have a forum of 2 which pretty sums up my apathy evaluation. I really don't know a lot about Scott Brown. He can be from the Binka Binka party for all I care. How he fits with the rest of the senators is not all that important to me or to the rest of the country, basically one of 100 senators. What does matter is stopping a bill which has virtually nothing to do with health care and everything to do with bigger govt, incredible spending and more control over our lives.

    • This bill will still leaves millions uninsured which was the original justification
    • It does nothing about tort reform
    • It does not allow insurance companies to compete across state lines
    • It does not even start until 2013 and then phases in over several years
    • Of course, the taxes will begin immediately to start building funding
    • We pay for 10 years and get benefits for 6 or 7 and this they call deficit neutral?? Anybody wonder about the second 10 years?
    • The public option which was the centerpiece of Obama's plan was scrapped in the senate.
    • The latest deal with the unions is to delay the 40% surtax on their Cadillac health plans until 2018, but of course if you're not in the union you pay now.
    • The forecast is for trillions, and when have you ever heard of a govt program coming in under cost?
    • Last but not least the polls show that only 36% of the people are for this bill, but hey, what do the people have to do with it anyway? We the govt elite know what's best for you

    The whole process involving this bill stinks. The rush, the payoffs, the bribes , the secret meetings. How many times was Obama on tape declaring a new era of transparency? Promises of hearings on C-span. No ear marks, special deals or special interests. Now he wants a special tax on the 50 biggest baddest banks, some how connecting the tax with the TARP money. Some have paid it back in full with interest. Some didn't even take any TARP money, but they should all be taxed cause they are the Fat Cats. The car companies also received TARP money which they will probably never pay back, but there has been no mention of a special tax on them. Oh, that's right I forgot, the unions now own a big part of GM. AIG and Goldman Sachs got billions from TARP, but no tax on them. It really does depend on who you know. And speaking of FAT CATS, remember how a few years back when evil Exxon had the largest profit ever recorded some 45 billion? Congress made all kinds of calls for a windfall profits tax at the time and that was in a good economy. Has anyone heard the same clamor when the Fed just announced a 46.1 billion profit in an abismal economy? This is the highest profit in the history of the world and not a peep. In fact congress doesn't even have the will to audit them, but they sure can go after the baseball steroid issue, now that was critical stuff.

    If you think the current health care system is bankrupting the country then why would you support an administration that spent 700 billion for TARP, 787 billion for a stimulus and is still promoting cap & trade along with 100 billion for global warming and then trillions for health care? The amount of money spent in the last year is staggering. Do you really believe that this bill will bring down the cost of health care?

    So my bottom line is that Scott Brown IS what's best for the country. I don't disagree health care needs reform. To use your analogy, yes the ship may be sinking, but there is a critical difference between bailing and drilling more holes in the bottom to let the water out. In both cases you are taking action. Will you take your chances with bailing or drilling?

    Perhaps with all this detailed debate we are missing the bigger picture. With all of these huge new spending programs, the structure is being put in place to essentially redistribute the wealth. Take from the rich and give to the poor. In my view this is a country of equal opportunity for achievement not equal opportunity to receive a handout.

    PS. For the rest of the bloggers out there please take the time to know the issues. This is your country we are talking about. History is being made here and now. Huge changes are taking place and they will and are affecting you and your children. It is time to take a stand. This is kind of like preventative maintenance. Do the oil change now. You may not be able to afford the new engine later.


    3
    Reply by Dave on January 16, 2010 @ 02:00 PM
    (A reply to comment #2)

    The implications and ramifications of these issues are so vast, I literally don't know where to begin. And maybe I don't need to, maybe that's the whole point. Oh, I agree that what started (or was promoted) as health care reform, quickly emerged as health care insurance reform and has nothing to do with lowering actual health care costs, and I applaud your knowledge of the various facts and figures you bulleted. But like you say, " ... a forum of two ...") and that's in a semi-educated, semi-intelligent, semi-informed family. What about the masses? We rant and tear our hair and reach for the blood pressure medicine, but how many even care? In terms of our rights and freedoms and privacy and the historic philosophy of our founding fathers, the NSA is among the worst and most dangerous organizations in this country. Your son and daughter-in-law work for them. Are J and HD bad people, are they clueless, or is it possible that the paradigm is shifting and WE are the dinosaurs facing extinction? Just because it's not what we want, doesn't mean it's not what the country wants. Maybe we have become the minority.

    To return to the ship analogy, is it better to keep bailing fruitlessly until you are too exhausted to take any further action, or is it better to drill holes and force everybody into the life boat while they still have the strength? And does it matter? I figured Obama was our last hope, but it seems he is just another lying politician, in which case the country as we have known it, growing up, is doomed. What the next version ends up being, who knows? In some ways it will undoubtedly be better and in others it will undoubtedly be worse. It will definitely be different.

    But it won't be a single bill like health care that bankrupts the country. It will be the culmination of 100 years of self-serving politicians leading to the present spending orgy. Think of it this way; if health care is an unmitigated disaster, perhaps there will be enough backlash to get rid of Obama. That should give Glenn Beck something to celebrate (until we see what the replacement is.)

    As far as Congress, Goldman Sachs, AIG and the rest, I'll pass in the interests of my digestion. But the Fed turned over a world-record profit to the government from it's bailout activities. Is it possible that at least some of the other spending will produce a return as well? Of course it has also been speculated that the reason the market has recovered so well is that the Fed has been buying stock, so who knows what is real and what is more smoke and mirrors?

    Jack Nicholson in Easy Rider: "This used to be a helluva good country."

    Dave


    4
    Reply by Grateful on January 18, 2010 @ 07:59 AM

    Ok. I can tell you from my viewpoint, it is not so much apathy, and it is downright confusion as to why this all has to be so difficult. It seems to me that we have a huge problem when all of these issues become so complicated. The biggest issue seems to be trust. There does not seem to be any trust in our government. So, get Scott Brown in for the betterment of the Health issue, but what is the downside, 'cause it is expected that there is a downside. What a mess!!!


    5
    Reply by Dave on January 18, 2010 @ 09:44 AM
    (A reply to comment #4)

    A valid point. Which is why credibility is so utterly crucial for a politician. And why it is so utterly devastating when they lie, break promises, and turn out to be untrustworthy. Obama once described himself as "Confidence-builder-in-Chief. But no-one has confidence in a liar. And by now, no one would even trust an honest politician (sic) if indeed one could be found.

    Dave


    6
    Reply by Richard on January 18, 2010 @ 05:15 PM
    (A reply to comment #3)

    I have not been able to find out if the Fed profits went to the government or they kept the 46 billion. The federal reserve is a privately held corp, which is mind boggling in its self, especially since it refuses to be audited. Call me pessimistic, but I suspect the windfall didn't make it to the US treasury.

    Not sure where you get the NSA classification. In this age of terrorism I don't think I want to be without them. As in any large beaurocracy there are going to be people overstepping the law with the ends justifying the means and abuses occuring. Unfortunately there would also be abuses if they were not in place.

    If you have ever watched 24, you see dramatic terrorist situations where thousands of lives may be saved by obtaining info from the bad guy. Jack Bauer, the indestructable agent, has no compunction in doing whatever it takes to get that information regardless of the rules. He only wants results and of course in the show he generally gets them if the bad guys don't kill his source first.

    We all have our rules for other people, but when it's our situation that's in jeopardy it is pretty easy to justify just about anything. The rule of law is necessary and great for the country until its my wife or granddaughter that is being held hostage by some terrorist. That's when the game changes and screw the rules becomes the order of the day.

    At this point, being only slightly younger than T Rex, you may be right the country has shifted so far from the founding fathers vision that we don't remember our history and what made our country great.


    7
    Reply by Richard on January 18, 2010 @ 05:55 PM
    (A reply to comment #4)

    Whoo Hoo our forum numbers just went up 50%. From what I have seen of the complications and the 2500 pg. bill, they are the direct result of adding something into the bill to please each politician. This has become an "all about me " congress. It's not about what is best for the country or even the people. It's what is best for congress. I will write some more in a separate blog, but I think there is now a small chance that Obama may have actually saved our country. He may even become my hero. More to come.


    8
    Reply by Grateful on January 19, 2010 @ 07:12 PM
    (A reply to comment #7)

    Sounds like Scott won...he better have, after missing his son's wedding!


    9
    Reply by Richard on January 19, 2010 @ 11:07 PM
    (A reply to comment #8)

    Scott Brown of MA has two college age daughters. They, and Mrs. Brown, were introduced during his acceptance speech -no mention of any other children.


    10
    Reply by Grateful on January 20, 2010 @ 05:42 AM
    (A reply to comment #9)

    See? You just cannot trust the media to impart the information correctly sometimes. Sheesh!


    11
    Reply by Heatherdawn on January 20, 2010 @ 05:43 AM
    (A reply to comment #10)

    Well, why should the politicians have all the fun of lying, double-talk, and misrepresentation of the facts...?


    12
    Reply by Dave on January 20, 2010 @ 11:21 AM
    (A reply to comment #7)

    I wait with bated breath. The democrats spent billions to get the last health care vote. What all do you think this guy is being offerred at this moment for his role of spoiler? And how long do you think any personal integrity he now has will last?

    Dave



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