Like I said, the Indians are leaving the reservation.
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoMND...layer_embedded

Can't blame this on "Fix News".

Chas

I don't know why the AARP folks are spooked.

I know know one who complains about Medicare.

Frankly? I'm delighted to see the protests, the uproar, the indignation.
I'm proud to see seniors fighting mad... and fighting back.

I was under the distinct impression that AARP was supposed to represent the interests of seniors to the government, not the interests of the government to seniors.

These protesters are all planted by the GOP, they have an active campaign going on for their supporters to pack town hall meetings and other events. Couple that with all of Dr. No's lies about the trillion dollar cost - that is over ten years, so about 140 billion a year. There will be savings to offset that cost as things get rolling. Or the offer to cover end care counselling - he says it is government euthanasia. Or the idea that government is going to take over everything with the public insurance company - I will hereby bet $100 that the public plan is dead in the water, not that it was not a good idea.

I am also saying here that the GOP is flat out spreading lies and fighting dirty, but then what else could I expect.

Tell me why you feel the old should be worried. Medicare is generally accepted as a great plan and I know of no seniors who are not thrilled to have it.
I know the old are worried because of Fox and the GOP, but rationally, why should they be if Medicare is such a success?

Son at 78 I am not worried in the least 'cause if they do screw it up I can always head for the Great White North.:D

Rob, since you're now an American would you have to go through the same BS to return as a Canadian citizen?

I hope you can understand why FOLKS (Obambam's word) would expect to voice their opinion merrylander. The situation either affects them or their families. You are very Pro Canada in your posts...yet no one has taken you to task for your loyalty to Canada's health care. OR if you are not happy with our American way of life to return to your country.
I am so glad you are an American... and more so because you choose to be here. Others have no choice.
I met another Canadian today who came to the states to receive cancer treatment she was given less than a year to live and the waiting list would take her beyond her limit. Injustice happens. And when it concerns the health and welfare of a human being...we should all be ashamed and disgusted.

The problem most people have understanding is...we seniors want to have the care we choose to extend our lives...not have an evaluator make a decision for us. Whether you believe what you read or see by the talking heads...is immaterial. Free speech and the right to assemble is our right.

If you thing this interaction is a set up...you're wrong! They have the Ba**s to do what young citizens should be doing to protect them.
I feel if we could just KNOW the true facts about this plan...and set aside party politics we could be more clear headed. But...the reps don't even know the full jist of the more than 1,000 pages themselves. ;)

EXACTLY! Not only don't they know what is in the pages but they feel the need to "hurry up and pass it" before it's time has passed.

What is the large rush? We've been this long, how 'bout we take our time in going over just who's going to do what, to who, for how long, and finally payed for by who? I'm sure there should be a whom in there somewhere :D

The rush is the political process. The longer it can be delayed the greater the chances it will not be passed. That is just how it is with this political system. Party first, country second.
It's very sad that it has come to this.

Good grief, surely you don't really believe that.

The Teabaggers, and the people who are showing up at these town halls are no more GOP "plants" than the people who voted Obama into office are Democratic "plants". I won't go so far as to say that the SEIU? thugs aren't "plants".

These are everyday slobs, perhaps not like you or I, who are attempting to voice their concerns.

I don't go to things like this, for two reasons. One, I ain't into group therapy, and two...if some goon were to grab me by the throat, they's a better than even chance he's gonna be eating a Gerber, or have a cocked S&W under his chin.

Discretion is the better part of valor, and I make a point out of not putting myself in a position where my truly evil temper comes into play.

Just best for everybody.

Chas

The GOP is determined to defeat any form of health care reform that will hurt the insurance companies and are going to any length to stop it. Do I believe it? Hell yes.

I read once that 60% on the people in politics had, or will, work for an insurance company. Don't forget that the insurance lobby butters both sides of the bread.

Now I'm not saying that I disagree with you...what I'm saying is that whatever comes out of congress is going to benefit the insurance industry first.

Did you ever read your insurance policy? You will find out that the party best protected by your policy is the insurance company itself.

A pox on all of the bastards, they all want to make me puke.

Case in point. After State Farm lost 30% of my mutual funds, they sent me a newsletter. In this newsletter, the told me that "even professional investors have lost a lot of money in todays market".

When I read this, I came to the conclusion that they had just told me that they were a bunch of idiots. After further reflection, I realized that they had just told me that "I" was the idiot.

Chas

Why should they be worried? Rationing care comes to mind. So do cuts to Medicare, possible elimination of Medicare Advantage programs, exorbitant premium hikes, higher co-pays. And these are just off the top of my head.

In short, any changes for the worse to a program that works fair at best.

And in case you're wondering why I'm concerned, it's because I've got a pair of retired parents here in their 70's who are both angry as hell and worried sick about all this, and nothing I say calms them down. They're fairly satisfied with what they have now and want zero changes, and frankly, I can't say as I blame them. I wouldn't either.

They nor I have yet to read or hear about any aspect of health care reform that will directly benefit seniors.

Have I looked at the bill? Yes. It's so filled with rubbish, doublespeak, and deliberately arcane language it's not funny. In order to adequately translate it to standard English, one would need the entire code of U.S. law at hand to see which paragraphs and sentences have words struck out, added, changed, or altered. I'm not a lawyer. That bill should be written in plain English.

This health care reform plan is a joke. All the government ought to do is cover those who can't pay for insurance, help those who can pay according to their income, make sure no one is refused coverage for pre-existing conditions, and keep premiums reasonable.

How do we pay for all this? Stop the unnecessary bailouts and stop King George's unnecessary war.

/rant

Well, you're ahead of me, I have no idea as to what health care reform is.

As far as King George's war, it's over. It WAS won at one time.

Now it's King Obama's war in Afghanistan. When was the last time anyone ever won a war in Afghanistan?

Personally, I don't think it much matters. We're gonna be slugging it out in the Middle East for a long time. If Shrub hadn't have done it, someone else would have been forced to.

Chas

I find this a sad post, seriously. Medicare is regarded as a tremendous success by all, yes even the radical right. For you parents to be scared of national health care being that they already have experience with Medicare is very upsetting and frankly an unconscionable situation that the republicans have caused.
I don't know what is wrong with this party but it just needs to go away and let a new mainstream one raise up from the ashes.
Between the rise of the "christen right", the Palin morons and this protect big business at all costs approach the republican party has become a blight on this great country, not an alternative.
I hope you guys run Palin in 2012 and the party collapses.

I remember John McCain near the end of the election facing a scared voter who said, "I'm scared of Barack Obama... he's an Arab terrorist..."

McCain responded "No, no ma'am. He's a decent family man with whom I happen to have some disagreements." “I want EVERYONE to be respectful, and lets make sure we are."
A woman later said that she was afraid to raise her child in a world where Obama was president, and McCain replied, "Well, I don't want him to be president, either. I wouldn't be running if I did. But, you don't have to be scared to have him be President of the United States."

McCain knew he had allowed his campaign to sell irrational fear and he was embarrassed and ashamed. It was the old John McCain.
The same disgusting crap is taking place today.
The Rove inspire modern GOP needs to be disbanded. It is just plain old bad for sociaty.

I think it matters tremendously. Had we not gone to war against a "contained" country we would not have been in such bad economic shape and the money we spent could have been for national health care instead of for Exxon.

As to Afghanistan, we should have prosecuted this war with all our strength and not allowed the terrorists to keep a foothall there. Both wars were executed in an inept manner that did not put or safety first.

While many may regard it as a success, I'll bet the doctors facing 21% cuts in payment won't for long. Also according to this article the whole thing will be insolvent by 2017. That sound successful to me, kind of like the clunker program is.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124212734686110365.html

Medicare has been around since FDR with very few complains.
The sky is not falling no matter what the irresponsible right and their puppets say.

Don't you read that article and think, "Hell we better get health care COSTS under control?"

No because the writer of it was not selling that perspective.

Medicare will be around longer than anyone thinks, it has a very simple plan, everytime there is a COLA adjustment to SS they increase the Part B premium to take it all.

Oil greases the wheels of modern society. It's a necessity, without it, we're going to see an economic collapse that likes you can't imagine. At least at this time.

IMO, tha war protected ARAMCO more that Exxon. Besides, who owns Exxon? Lots of folks, they have part of their retirements tied up there. Buy some stock, you can be an "Oil Man" just like Shrub and Cheney.

Do you really think that Shrub, his Pa, and Cheney are out driving down a dirt road in a 3/4 ton International, looking for a spot to set up their wildcat rig? They're simply investors, just like millions of folks.

As to war...it's a little more complicated than changing a light bulb. Was going to war necessary? Hell if I know...but doing nothing wasn't working.

Shrub had no good choices, a point that I'm sure that you disagree with me on.

Chas

No I do agree that Bush boy had no good choices.
But I still don't understand why given the poor choices he had, he had to go out and lauch a war that is longer than WW II:confused:

It's the nature of war after the atom was split. Had he fought it like WWII, I have a feeling that "Mother Earth" would resemble a grapefruit what's been shot with a .30-06.

Actually, the war in Iraq went according to plans, if not easier than planned. It was the guerrilla conflict that caused the problems. Guerrilla conflicts, by their nature, are much more difficult. You want to shoot the "bad" guys, and support the "good" guys. Every time you shoot a "good" guy, you create ten more "bad" guys. And they don't wear white hats and black hats so that you can tell them apart.

"Gray Ghosts of the Confederacy, Guerrilla Warfare in the West 1861-1865" by Richard Brownlee is an interesting read, and one which gives a certain amount of insight into guerrilla warfare. IMHO, a recommend read.

Chas

Yes they do. But you and I seem to be the only seasoned citizens who know that. I guess you have to be there to know how it works. ;)

We had no reason to be in Iraq to start, also gorilla warfare is war, how can you say "Iraq went according to plans"???????
The plan was to be out and have them loving us years ago.
I think you may want to rephrase that statement.

The plan was not to be "out". The plan was to station our troops next to Iran, and Saudi Arabia, where we could apply pressure on the Islamic extremists, and the governments which allowed them to flourish.

We still have troops in Germany, Japan, and North Korea. Hell, we still have troops in the Philliphines.

Our troops ousted Saddam, and defeated the Iraq military in what, app 30 days?
That part went very well. I will admit, I don't think that Bush, or his advisors, were prepared for the intensity of the insurgent campaign which followed. Apparently, Gen. Petraeus was.

As I said, war does not equate with changing a light bulb.

Chas

" defeated the Iraq military in what, app 30 days?"
Yes, that PART of the war was ok.
The occupation was not done well and there was still no positive reason to go in the first place.

Seasoned citizens, I like it, has a certain cachet.

Better than a lame duck...eh? :D