The Polarizing of America: Rep. Michele Bachmann wins Iowa Straw Poll

by darthfader 172 Replies latest social current

• 

  BizzyBee

  New Chapter, there seems to be a dual-personality at work here! Makes me think of the old Marx brothers routine, Groucho asking a question and then running around to the other side of the table to answer it. LOL!

  As to the thread topic: it is very interesting that Bachmann is now the front runner. This is a candidate from the extreme religious right - i.e., her platform has been more about social issues than fiscal - anti-homosexual, -choice, etc., - she is a 'tea-vangelist.' Yet, she won the straw poll over (slightly) more moderate candidates like Romney, Pawlenty, Huntsman.

  It engenders the specter of a candidate who has already been directly destructive to the US - (S & P downgrade), but who has no substantive ideas to help the US economy. She seems to be of the Republican school of thought that if the US just gets right with Godly principles, the economics will fall into place. This is frightening.
• 

  NewChapter

  Okay Glander, so your health care solution is again to attack democrats. Good plan. No wait---my mistake. That was no plan at all. Next solution, attack me personally as grim and self righteous for being concerned about the health care crisis. Oh wait, that's just more of the attack on democrats.

  So I actually asked for a bipartisan discussion---and I got the same old from you. Carry on.
• 

  Sam Whiskey

  I'm NOT and expert on the subject of healthcare but here would be my healthcare plan;

  (a) Close off the southern borders to stop the illegal flow of aliens.

  (b) Stop providing Illegal aliens free heathcare by stopping the flow at the border.

  (c) Elderly at 65 and older and Infirm (those not physically capable of paying for their healthcare) are exempt from paying healthcare, it's completely free, paid for by the government.

  (d) Everyone under their birthdate of age 65 pays for healthcare by:

  (a) Insurance premiums as we currently have them.

  (b) If you don't have health insurance, you still receive healthcare but you are liable for the bill. You can pay the bill outright by writing a check or by paying it off in community service at a rate equivelent to $25.00 per hour of service to your community. You are compelled to perform community service until your bill is paid. There are no free rides.

  (c) This applies to having children as well. If you bear a child, you, not the state are responsible for full payment to the facility at which you bore the child. If you cannot afford to pay the bill, do not engage in sexual activity with sperm donors. If you cannot pay the bill at the time of birth, you will perform community service at the rate $25.00 per hour until the bill is paid in full. Note: Everyone that has a child and is compelled to pay for the birthing of that child will understand the concept of "birth control" and will refrain from enaging "sperm donors".

  Are you the getting the idea yet? YOU are responsible for your own bills, same as you would be if you bought a car or had credit card balances.

  Discuss.....
• 

  darth frosty

  Terry = We can compare Oxes for strength and size, color and form all we want, but, that wheel is a circle and nothing will change it.

  We are fooled if we think politics is about politicians. It isn't. It is the SYSTEM.

  Effort doesn't count.

  Integrity doesn't count.

  The SYSTEM is self-sustaining. It is rigged.

  I concur
• 

  SixofNine

  And that's what your attempting to have a lucid conversation with, New Chapter.

  I recommend you give up, because you will not get a straight answer that involves realism and math out of these people.
• 

  Sam Whiskey

  The system is rigged??? Maybe I'm rigged to the system, and it works for me.....!

  How do you explain this? http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/214435/1/Stock-Markets-and-Foreign-Exchange
• 

  SixofNine

  But you're right, we should tone back the sexuality themed jokes, but it's not easy when you don't have your own repression therapist like John Stewart does:

  http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-july-13-2011/comedy-repression-therapy
• 

  BizzyBee

  (c) Elderly at 65 and older and Infirm (those not physically capable of paying for their healthcare) are exempt from paying healthcare, it's completely free, paid for by the government.

  (d) Everyone under their birthdate of age 65 pays for healthcare by:

  (a) Insurance premiums as we currently have them.

  (b) If you don't have health insurance, you still receive healthcare but you are liable for the bill. You can pay the bill outright by writing a check or by paying it off in community service at a rate equivelent to $25.00 per hour of service to your community. You are compelled to perform community service until your bill is paid. There are no free rides.

  I think many a deserving citizen would fall through the cracks in your system. You'd better have a provision for dealing with that.
• 

  NewChapter

  Sam, much of your plan is similiar to the most recent reform. Everyone is responsible for paying for their premiums. Everyone responsible for their health care with some exceptions. Here are some finer points that need to be addressed.

  What about pre-existing conditions? In today's market, insurance companies will not cover people with pec's. I'm one of those people. Now I am still able to purchase my group coverage through COBRA, however in 3 months that will be over. See i'm responsible. But I would also like to point out that my health care premiums cost more than my house, more than my car, more than my groceries--but I pay it cuz I need it. On top of that, I also have to cover costs my health insurance does not cover. There are months when I pay out a full 50% of my income. This is not sustainable, which brings me to another finer point---what about low income people that can't afford the premium? I am just one person, but family coverage would be a great deal more expensive. I know from my brother, that to cover one of his employees with a wife over 55 costs over $1000 a month.

  Since people can responsibly keep their rent down, watch their utilities, budget their groceries, drive older cars and still be responsible, what about the parent that can't afford $700 to over $1000 to cover the family?

  Community service--how will this money be transferred to the providers? Will the bill be paid in tax money in exchange for services? Who's tax money. Local community service benefits local government---but how would this translate into federal community service? Each state, city etc. is responsible for their own maintenance. So community service works well for local fines---I'm not sure how to apply that to a federal level though. My assumption is that it would take jobs from private contractors who would otherwise provide the service at market rates, and then force the government to pay the medical bill out of tax dollars. Yet there may be a way to make this work---those are just some of those fine details that need addressing.

  We are discussing now.

  NC
• 

  NewChapter

  But you're right, we should tone back the sexuality themed jokes, but it's not easy when you don't have your own repression therapist like John Stewart does:

  Six. I lOVED that bit. Trust me it's very hard for me at times also. In a comedy context, I will still laugh. In a political context it will continue to bother me. Bachmann's husband cracks me up, and I don't even need narration to make it funny. Like I said, I'm not without a sense of humor. I think context bothers me more than anything.