Political Punch

I thought she said she didn't belong to the Wassilla Assembly of God??? Its listed on the right toward the bottom.

Ryan, The idea that Hillary supporters wont support Obama sure was true in August - but you re right - it looks completely different now. Last week, someone (I'd take a wild guess and say the McCain campaign) tried to start a political meme that women were for Sarah Palin. Posts showed up on every site, always from new posters, always with the same language, and always devoid of data. Sarah Palin. according to every single poll has the lowest approval rating of any of the candidates. The only women who appear to support her are solid Republicans who would have voted for McCain no matter who his VP was. It was a bad gamble - and a terrible choice. It makes you wonder who John McCain would appoint if her were ever elected. If he picks a VP on the role of a dice, how would he appoint cabinent members> supreme court justices? Nominte for head of the CIA?

Maybe she should doodle smething from Joe Vorge or from the Mugee the witch-hunter. "American schools are full of witchcraft and sorcery."

MORE INFO ON AIP - TODD PALIN'S ANTI-AMERICAN SECESSIONIST GROUP

AIP's founder Joe Vogler's greatest moment of glory was to be his 1993 appearance before the United Nations to denounce United States "tyranny" before the entire world and to demand Alaska's freedom. The Alaska secessionist had persuaded the government of Iran to sponsor his anti-American harangue...

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday the solution to the Middle East crisis is to destroy Israel.
So much for Palin's tough talk on Iran. Her friends in the AIP were clearly collaborating with Iran. Her husband was clearly a member of this fringe party for seven years. And Sarah Palin herself clearly supported them, praising their "good work" and asking God to "bless them" only this year.

HILLARY SUPPORTER FOR McCAIN/PALIN
Posted by: hanna | Oct 7, 2008 6:12:17 PM
==================================

don't embarass Hillary

"it will be young and stupid voters who have no perspective on life and are being supported by mommy and daddy still. They should not be allowed to vote until 21, and I will work for that after this election is over."

Hear that young voters?

Right wingers want to take away your rights.

Something guaranteed by the 26th Amendment to the US Constitution.

Why do you hate the Constitution of the United States hanna?

There are still going to be probably about 7 million Hillary supporters THAT WILL NOT SUPPORT OBAMA. That being said they are spread throughout the country and not just in the 7 states that determine this election.
THIS ELECTION RESULT WILL NOT BE MALE/FEMALE, BLACK/WHITE......it will be young and stupid voters who have no perspective on life and are being supported by mommy and daddy still. They should not be allowed to vote until 21, and I will work for that after this election is over. Must be 21 to vote, unless you are serving this country or employed full time.
THE YOUNG AND STUPID KOOK AID DRINKERS WILL ELECT THE ROCK STAR DUDE INTO OFFICE. Sad statement about our country.
HILLARY SUPPORTER FOR McCAIN/PALIN

Sarah Palin....the real deal, real Middle American, ready to represent ME in the WH. I trust her completely. OBAMA AND TRUST ARE TWO WORDS THAT I COULD NEVER PUT TOGETHER.
NEVER OBAMA.
McCAIN/PALIN ALL THE WAY!

Perhaps you never took basic economics.

The goal of taxes is to maximize revenues while minimizng loss of transactions.

When you tax something like sports, you cripple demand and destroy economies. When you tax something inelastic, people hurt less and they benefit more.

Shortly after John McCain’s announcement that Palin would be his running mate, several polls a showed a strong swing of white women toward McCain. An ABC News/Washington Post poll conducted immediately after the Republican convention showed a 20-percent swing among white women toward McCain. White women went from supporting Barack Obama 50-42 percent to supporting McCain 53-41 percent, a swing that helped McCain close a six percent gap in the poll in only a week.

But Obama has since regained his lead with white women in most polls.

And Obama now leads among all women voters “despite all the talk of disaffected Hillary Clinton voters and the fact that Sarah Palin might pull some women voters from the Republican ticket to the Democratic ticket,” Carroll said.

The shift back toward Obama reflects that “the gender gap is not about the gender of the candidate, it’s about the issues,” said Debbie Walsh, CAWP’s director.

If it weren't for Bill Ayers there probably would not be any Barack Obama in politics.

Was Barack Obama selected and groomed by Ayers (and others in Ayers circle) to be their inside man in political office?

After all:
- It was Ayers that in 1995 had "a coffee" in his house to introduce Obama as the new person running for office in Chicago politics.
- Prior to that it was Ayers who personally selected Obama to oversee the distribution of grants in Chicago of a $100,000,000 Annenberg Project (Ayers was also on the board of directors).
- Later between 2000 and 2002, Ayers helped select Obama for the Wood Fund of Chicago. Ayers had been on the Board of Directors since 1999.
Ayers put Obama on those boards so Obama could use the money and power to purchase influence, be very visible and make a name for himself in Chicago.

Again, without Ayers there would be no Obama.

----------

The question is, how early did Obama know Ayers?
They were both in New York in the mid-1980s. Ayers lived not far from Obama. Both were going to school and/or working in NY.
When Obama leaves NY where does he go?
Chicago. Ayer's home town.
Obama had never been to or had any connections in Chicago. Of all the cities in America to live Obama chooses the home town of Bill Ayers?
------------

Did Ayers (and associates) help arrange for Obama to get into Harvard in late 1988?

In mid-1988, Obama traveled for the first time to Europe for three weeks and then for five weeks in Kenya, where he met many of his Kenyan relatives for the first time.
Obama started Harvard in late 1988.
How could Obama pay for all the travel to Europe and Africa plus tuition and living expenses at Harvard? All on the salary of a Community Organizer?
Who was sponsoring Obama? Ayers and associates?
------------------
How far back does the connection between Obama and Ayers really go?
Was Barack Obama selected and groomed by Ayers (and others in Ayers circle) to be their inside man in political office?

"Lynn Forester de Rothschild"

You mean the same lady who called Obama elitist for his statements on people she characterized as "rednecks"?

You're treating her as the voice of authority on PUMA?

ROFLMAO!

According to Gallup, Obama currently enjoys 86% support from Democrats. McCain enjoys 88% support from Republicans.

Lynn Forester de Rothschild mentions the Pumas in a Pennsylvania newspaper:

“One organization – PUMA, which stands for PEOPLE United MEANS ACTIONy – has more than 5 million members across the country, she said. Jamie Brazil, a longtime friend of the Clintons and the Rodham family, is serving as national director of Citizens for McCain. Brazil accompanied de Rothschild on her Scranton visit.”

“Barack Obama has never had the mandate of Democrats,” she said. “And Howard Dean and Nancy Pelosi ignored the 18 million people that voted for Hillary Clinton. They can’t be surprised at the 5 million to 7 million Clinton supporters who are now supporting McCain.”

Sarah Palin is slightly full of herself, ya think??? The McCain's are rich and have no clue how the rest of us live from paycheck to paycheck. They own 7 houses??? Isn't that nice? And to think that there are still people who think they can buy their groceries and pay their mortgage just on their right-winged principles. If you think the economy is bad now, it can only get worse if McCain is elected. Take the Palin blinders off.

I question the patriotism of both Sarah and Todd Palin. It's no secret that Alaskan's have no respect for those of us who live in the ‘lower 48‘. But the part that really troubles me is the association and membership that both Sarah and Todd have in the Alaska Independent Party which calls for Alaska to secede from the United States.

AIP founder, Joe Vogler has made the following comments regarding seceding and the United States in general: "The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government," and “I won't be buried under their damn flag,"

Sarah and Todd Palin have never repudiated or distanced themselves from those statements.

Why do we bother talking about Sarah Palin? She is ignorant, coarse and an embarrassment, especially to modern women.

Is McCain and Palin's plans is to have clan meetings? McCain and Palin didn't say a word about what was say. Is this where McCain and Palin want to take this nation? And just WHO is Palin?

Howdy DO

I think Obama is going to try and get universal healthcare by getting costs down first...

the entire primaries that's what he talked about ...cost.... and universality out of that cost.

(besides children...they are a priority obviously)

it was the biggest disagreement that i took away from all the times I saw them really between he and Hillary...

she focused on the universality bringing down costs similar to E. Edwards but he kept talking about cost.

I wish that everyone got to see him answer questions on this...

it was the issue that made me want to support him.

it was the issue where he sounded more middle of the road and practical than Hillary.

but yet determined to reform the healthcare before it broke us with baby boomer retirement.

southern_conservative...not a history major I see...Clinton was not impeached, he served 8 years duhhhhhhhh.
Read much?

Obama/Biden '08

"Woody just blew my mind by advocating single payer."

I think I'd pay to see that, your mind blowing up, that is. ;-)

Conservativism doesn't have to mean demagoguery. Nor does liberalism for that matter.

The biggest problem with the Swiss system is government controls/limits on salaries for doctors and nurses. That's a tough pill to swallow for conservatives, but all things considered I think it's the best system for our country. The clincher for me is everyone feels some pain (copays for all) and everyone benefits (preventative care for the most needy, fully computerized system, transferrable records, etc.)

Again, it makes too much sense so it will never happen.

"You people ever heard of Congress? Not to mention all the committees & subcommittees. Last time I looked we have a democratic congress."

Yes, since Jan 2007 we have had a Democratic Congress.

The 7 years before that it was a Republican House and 5 1/2 years before a Republican Senate.

With a Republican in the White House the whole time.

John & Cindy McCain care with there 7 houses, 12 cars, and Cindy $300,000 diamon penant she wore at the RNC... they really care! They are so out of touch, greedy, and acting like crazy OLD man, if he is acting like this now, how would he act IF he becomes President. He a stubbard OLD man with a DITSY side kick!

Get out of here an go retire in Arizona

Palin accused Obama of exploiting the health care and Social Security issues to win votes among seniors in Florida.

“Our health-care plan will give millions of middle class Americans access to better health-care coverage without costing you a dime,” she said, saying middle class families would receive a $5,000 tax credit to buy coverage.

How can she say that with a straight face?  Has she not read McCain's health care plan.  It is paid for by taxing employer provided health care plans and cutting funding for Medicare and Medicaid.  And McCain wanted to privatize social security. Thank God that did not happen we would all be in an even bigger world of hurt now that the market is tanking.

McCain, you have been on a US Govt health plan your entire life....but nobody else should have that benefit.

I guess if you cut your finger it's George Bush's fault. You people ever heard of Congress? Not to mention all the committees & subcommittees. Last time I looked we have a democratic congress. Democrats are so quick to blame others for their own problems.

Louis - I don't know. I was opposed to the bailout, opposed to this expensive war and agree that government priorities are just not in sync with the American public. But given the circumstances, McCain's healthcare plan is simply more realistic than Obama's idea for universal health care (honestly, if I thought it would work and if I thought the timing was right, I'd support the idea for universal healthcare too - I just don't think now's the time)

southern_conservative

the way things are going in this country.... it really doesn't matter.........the bad times are here, and, they won't be fixed for a very long time...

souther conservative

again

the whole dems want to be taken care of...

no dems want to not have the trashing of our country healthcare standing economy

that we have seen over the past 8 years.

Don't worry democrats. Obama will take care of you. You will never again have to take personal responsiblity.

and Woody

Obama talks about administrative costs ad nauseum

so you are wrong.

he gets it

Mccain doesn't.

because in mccain's defense he's never had to

and he never will have to.

"We should scrap Medicare, Medicaid and employer based health care and use the Swiss plan as our model. The Swiss by nature are more conservative than liberal yet successfully nationalized their health care system.

The odds of all this happening here are about 1,000,000 to 1 because it's a radioactive political subject and it makes too much sense."

Woody just blew my mind by advocating single payer.

I think I may be speechless.

Bishop it sounds like you are one of the baby boomers.

and if you are in the healthcare field

you have to know that Hospitals as it is (wasteful or not)

are getting subsidized not only from our government but by a team of professionals raising charitable funds...

and as more and more people are losing coverage...you should realize that those costs are getting passed on to everyone.

you should also realize when Obama says "universality" but also says it is about "cost" and that universality may help but unlike other dems he says it is not the answer to reducing costs...

he is right.

He also talks about his awareness of bureaucracy causing more problems...

He gets this...better than any candidate I have ever heard talk about it. (and I saw them all in NH)

McCain couldn't show you what an insurance application looked like...

never mind how difficult it is to resolve the numbers from yuor household budget with those...

he is not a numbers guy

because he has never had to be.

and it shows.

with the economy...baby boomers...the billing issues and red tape out of control... that the malpractice issue needs to be addressed along with a free market way to address pharmaceuticals.

ignore the spin

this time vote for the smart guy.

not the soundbite team

whose policies are the same ones that brought us...HERE.

"It's not true that people would be forced to drop their employer's health care - they could keep it if they want."

Sure they could keep it and pay the taxes on their health benefits.

The point is many people will not be able to afford this tax increase and will have to drop their employer healthcare plan to lower their tax liability.

After my tax credit from McCain I will have to pay between $300 & $400 more in taxes.

That's for the same plan I have right now.

What's that you say? I could shop around?

I am a single healthy person.

On the market, I could get bare bones coverage(no scripts, larger copays etc) for about $2500 a year.

So for a single healthy person, I'll break even cost wise but have a much less comprehensive plan.

That scan looks like the half-baked musings usually found in a middle-school History notebook.

WISE UP AMERICANS!!

To McCain, Palin and the Republicans you are all just TERRORISTS AND COMMUNISTS if you do not hold the same beliefs that they do...

Look out if they get elected, as the only thing they will shake-up in Washington if they get elected is your rights!!!

Welcome to a Republican administration that will be even more secretive and evil that Bush/Cheney could have ever hoped to be...

Welcome to the Palin/McCain NEOCON POLICE STATE!!! Where you will be branded a communist and a terrorist if you do not agree with their right wing-nut evangelical views!!!

Vote for smart, educated and inclusive leaders this time! Vote for OBAMA/BIDEN '08!!!!

Please you "Joe Six-Pack" people, let's not elect the DUMMIES AGAIN!!!!

omg: the difference is that Hilary Clinton is a *****! And she's married to an impeached president that you people wanted to put back in the White House.

"Taxpayer" - ha, ha, ha. Jake you are too sly for throwing that one down.

Not only is Sarah Palin a habitual liar, we also know she is the ultimate TAX DODGER!!! Oh, $40K+ in allowances for her kids and husband's travel and she didn't pay a dime in taxes? Plus another $17K in allowances for staying in her own home - and no taxes? And another several thousand in bogus deductions?

Oh, say it aint so Sarah!!!! Sarah, you better get the number of Cindy McCain's lawyer, the felony fixer. And you better make it quick, doggone it!

As if McCain's campaign hasn't been proven pitiful enough, every tax professional pointed this tax dodge out from a mile away; except, of course, for the three blind mice that are advising McCain on economics and vetting all his staff and appointments.

Even the WSJ went after Palin on this. Here's what their tax pros said:

"The Palins did not report as income some $43,000 that the State of Alaska paid the Governor as an “allowance” for her husband and children’s travel. Can they do that? No, most likely not."

The Palins deducted $9,000 on their 2007 return, claiming it was a loss from Mr. Palin’s snow machine racing activity. Can they do that? Most likely not, but more info could make the deduction o.k. If any of the above issues goes against the Palins they then risk getting hit with the section 6662 penalty for “negligence or disregard of rules or regulations.” "

Lying, Tax Dodging Sarah, it's time you pay up the $20K+ in taxes and penalties you owe America!

Ryan:

"Does any Republican here think that people should have their healthcare benefits taxed as income as John McCain proposes?"

I'm not a Republican but I am a conservative so I'll give it a shot. The answer is an emphatic "No"! However, both health care plans stink because they fail to address the heart of the problem: administrative costs.

We should scrap Medicare, Medicaid and employer based health care and use the Swiss plan as our model. The Swiss by nature are more conservative than liberal yet successfully nationalized their health care system.

The odds of all this happening here are about 1,000,000 to 1 because it's a radioactive political subject and it makes too much sense.

howdy, why is it no one says we can't afford a trillion dollar war or an 800 billion dollar bail out but health care, whoa nellie, that is too expensive! That is crap. we can afford it, we chose to have 47+ million people out of health care and another 100 million with inadequate health care because there is profit in it.

Tonya - WalMart only charges $4 for all generic drugs - they advertise it pretty aggressively.

jhw539 - I'm not sure how you're defining universal healthcare, but no, we do not have it in this country. Millions of people go without basic medical care because they don't have insurance and can't afford to pay a doctor. And yes, people DO in fact die because of it (not to mention the lack of preventative care that leads to many deaths). As for people dying in the streets - every now and again, there's a horrific story of people dying in hospital emergency rooms. ~~ And $20 antibiotics for kids?? where are you buying your antibiotics? The last antibiotic I bought was $4! You need to look for a cheaper pharmacy.

Well since they have been saying the same thing about health care since I left home and I am now a grandmother and in the healthfield I say Health care is DOA and the insurance and the DR.

And...let's not forget Tony Rezko, who is going to be talking like crazy for a more lenient deal. Can't wait! "Birds of a Feather."

Howdy do!:"jhw539 - I'm not sure how you're defining universal healthcare,"

Sorry, I thought putting it in caps would help you notice the definition I am using: "NO ONE DIES IN THE STREET UNABLE TO GET HEALTHCARE." You can expand that to no one is walking around with bone sticking out of their arm because they can't get healthcare, or a festering wound because they can't get healthcare (OK, you might argue the lack of mental healthcare may result in such conditions, but that's a stretch).

"As for people dying in the streets - every now and again, there's a horrific story of people dying in hospital emergency rooms."

As there are in countries with good universal healthcare, such as France, Canada, or even Britian. Universal healthcare does little to address local pockets of malfeasance.

" ~~ And $20 antibiotics for kids?? where are you buying your antibiotics? The last antibiotic I bought was $4! You need to look for a cheaper pharmacy."
Antibiotics are not cheap in the US - even a basic one like Amoxicillian will run you $10, and I was factoring in a few bucks for a nurse to take a temperature and write a script. But that does not impact my argument in any way:
1. The US governments are paying for universal healthcare.
2. The type of universal healthcare they are paying for is very expensive and provides very poor care for the dollar.

Chris Burkmenn

from your post...

I take it you would vote for the old farah fawcett poster too.

Palin may as well be Peter Sellers riding a missile.

jhw539 - I'm not sure how you're defining universal healthcare, but no, we do not have it in this country. Millions of people go without basic medical care because they don't have insurance and can't afford to pay a doctor. And yes, people DO in fact die because of it (not to mention the lack of preventative care that leads to many deaths). As for people dying in the streets - every now and again, there's a horrific story of people dying in hospital emergency rooms. ~~ And $20 antibiotics for kids?? where are you buying your antibiotics? The last antibiotic I bought was $4! You need to look for a cheaper pharmacy.

LOL, republicans are actually defending forcing people to pay taxes on their health care benefits as fair!

The same Republicans who scream about asking someone making $250K+ a year to pay 4% more in taxes want everyone with employer health benefits to pay taxes on them and call that fair.

Wow....You all are drinking some serious h8trade. I think she is awesome, and I cannot wait to see her as Vice President.

You Rock!

Bishop

do you get what is about to happen with baby boomers?

if healthcare isn't on it's way to being resolved in the next 4 years

this past three weeks will be nothing compared to what it will be like when we "meetyou there 4 years from now when you say healthcare will still be DOA"

energy crisis and healthcare HAVE to be the priorities

and mccain's plan is wrong...dead wrong.

If elected, Obama's cabinet: Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, Pfleger, Louis Farrakhan, Fannie Mae CEO, Freddie Mac CEO.,ACORN exec.

Howdy Do! The last antibiotic I bought was $4! You need to look for a cheaper pharmacy.
Glad you posted! Please share your pharmacy sources. I would like to switch immediately for my medications to your pharmacy. While your at it, send your list of doctors too, because I pay $45 per visit or more and that's with my insurance coverage.

Meet me here in four or eight years and Health care will still be DOA

Howdy Do!: "a more free market would force insurance companies and hospitals to be more competitive."

All the reputable economists I've seen don't quite concur with your assessment. What it would do is make insurance companies be more competitive for HEALTHY people. Anyone who actually has a health problem, who currently gets covered via an employer's insurance pool, will flat out not be able to buy insurance. And, just like auto insurance for high risk drivers in many states, the government will have to provide them coverage.

Due to the chronic nature of many health ailments and magnitude of costs they can incur, insurance companies will be in a race to exclude anyone who may actually need them.

Have high cholesterol and a grandfather who died of heart disease? Mom had breast cancer? Worked in a coal mine for a few years? Live within a 4 mile radius of a trash incinerator? Well, no private health insurance, from anyone, at any price, for you. The private market is about optimizing the profit from providing health insurance, and that is indisputably done by optimizing their methods of excluding anyone who needs it.

Bishop[

Healthcare can't be DOA

if we don't reign in healthcare somehow ...whether it be buy focusing in on cost, prevention and universality

our country will go down the tubes.

Obama knows we have priorities on cost

Billing costing more than the actual healthcare.

a lack of family practice docs and nurses and a problem with retention

a malpractice insurance redundancy issue that is getting passed on to all of us.

and pharmaceutical sales and marketing that is still too infiltrated in the system...

Universality helps...but by reducing bureaucracy not increasing it.

the free market and deregulation of the healthcare industry makes a handful of hospitals better but overall it will shrink the market not increase it...

when as it is the overhead of the uninsured and the lack of charitable donation reductions we are about to see are going to make things VERY BAD...

and as more people are uninsured or have higher premiums...and not getting early detection and prevention

the costs are going to sky rocket

and that does not take into consideration the aging baby boom population

so everyone needs to get their heads out of their butts

energy and healthcare are the hurdles and keys to our future.

MccainPalin the worst ticket we have ever seen in our nation.

McCain's $5000 for healthcare, would be paid for from Medicare and Medicaid changes to improve the programs and eliminate fraud. One place they could start is that when hospitals bill Medicare, they charge double or triple what they charge the average insurance company. If you use the $5000 to offset the charges on the average $12,000 per year healthcare policy on your employer based coverage you will be taxed on the amount over $5000, but for most people this is a savings over what they are paying out of pocket today. It makes the tax system fairer because for contractors and others without any subsidized healthcare, they are paying taxes on every dime, and then having to use the after tax money to buy a $12,000 per year policy.

jhw539 - I'm not sure how you're defining universal healthcare, but no, we do not have it in this country. Millions of people go without basic medical care because they don't have insurance and can't afford to pay a doctor. And yes, people DO in fact die because of it (not to mention the lack of preventative care that leads to many deaths). As for people dying in the streets - every now and again, there's a horrific story of people dying in hospital emergency rooms. ~~ And $20 antibiotics for kids?? where are you buying your antibiotics? The last antibiotic I bought was $4! You need to look for a cheaper pharmacy.

I see in that a woman who wanted to make a difference.

jhw539 - I'm not sure how you're defining universal healthcare, but no, we do not have it in this country. Millions of people go without basic medical care because they don't have insurance and can't afford to pay a doctor. And yes, people DO in fact die because of it (not to mention the lack of preventative care that leads to many deaths). As for people dying in the streets - every now and again, there's a horrific story of people dying in hospital emergency rooms. ~~ And $20 antibiotics for kids?? where are you buying your antibiotics? The last antibiotic I bought was $4! You need to look for a cheaper pharmacy.

Rachel have you been listening to pundits instead of reading transcripts of the debate. Find one coherent sentence after "Can I call you Joe?"

jhw539 - I'm not sure how you're defining universal healthcare, but no, we do not have it in this country. Millions of people go without basic medical care because they don't have insurance and can't afford to pay a doctor. And yes, people DO in fact die because of it (not to mention the lack of preventative care that leads to many deaths). As for people dying in the streets - every now and again, there's a horrific story of people dying in hospital emergency rooms. ~~ And $20 antibiotics for kids?? where are you buying your antibiotics? The last antibiotic I bought was $4! You need to look for a cheaper pharmacy.

Thinking - the part of the equation that you are missing is that a freer, more competitive market would result in lower prices. Right now, your employer decided what features you need in your health insurance based on the health issues faced by all your coworkers. You might need a more basic plan, you might need a more complex one. The bottom line is you would chose what you need, not your employer. Yes, you'd still pay your share, but chances are, that premium would be much lower.
----------------------------------
Your assumption that premiums will go down makes no sense. All you've said is if you take less health care coverage, then your cost could go down. And that is even a guess at best.

In your "free market" theory you fail to recognize that companies buying large group policies are able to negotiate better rates because they are buying in volume. As individuals, you will not have that leverage. You will be at the mercy of the insurance companies and on your own.

The point is that for the same coverage, under McCain's plan, costs to individuals will go up. And there is no assurances in his plan that one will even be able to get insurance.

McCain himself admited when questioned that many seniors, and those with pre-existing conditions, will lose coverage completely because insurance companies will see them as high risk.His response was, "Well, we'll need to consider that."

So to pay more deductables, have less coverage, and pay more for a policy is a good thing for some reason?

To bad you can't find doodles from Obama it would be nice to see any thing from his days as a sen in the state of ILL.

And Health care is DOA for both party's more lies

Howdy DO

are you just not that well read

do you understand that hospitals really can't get "more competitive" unless they trash our care.

Hospitals are subsidized as it is...including charitable donations that are drying up because of the rest of the Bush Mccain policies

this debate is a joke.

Mccain Palin is the WORST ticket we have ever seen in the history of our nation on ALL of these issues.

ugh

and they are unethical to boot.

GoUSA247: If you're just going to post the same thing over and over, at least take the opportunity to do a bit of copy-editting. Or wait for the official McCain talking point; it should be out any minute now.

beck - well, if you saw it on tv, who am I to judge? I guess reading both plans and judging for myself is just silly if the media is willing to let me know what's best for me. Thanks for the tip!

Howdy Do!: "Universal healthcare is a pipe dream and nothing more. "

This is nonsense. WE HAVE UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE - NO ONE DIES IN THE STREET UNABLE TO GET HEALTHCARE. But as has been pointed out by both Republicans and Democrats, we have very inefficient, stupid health care. It is a better investment to give a kid $20 in antibiotics rather than wait for them to show up septic in the ER and run up a 5-digit bill getting better.

WE HAVE UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE NOW, BUT HEALTHCARE BY EMERGENCY ROOM IS INEFFICIENT, EXPENSIVE, AND BARELY EFFECTIVE.

Ryan C - It's not true that people would be forced to drop their employer's health care - they could keep it if they want. That's the beauty of McCain's plan, nobody would be forced to do anything and a more free market would force insurance companies and hospitals to be more competitive. that means lower prices for you and mean AND better service. You wouldn't pay more (heck, you could keep the plan you have now if you're so happy with it), the choice would be yours.

McCain is just proving with the health care debate

that his policies are from someone who has never had to worry about healthcare

has no clue what the issue is

because he never has had to.

He doesn't have to worry about Medicare or Medicaid...

or fiinding coverage

he married his healthcare provider.

This deregulated open market system is someone who speaks for the wealthy and doesn't realize what the rest of America is facing....

just like most of his policy stances...he does not understand the shortage of family practice physicians...and what it is like to not be able to afford healthcare or find health care for that matter.

the worst ticket in the history of our nation.

Thinking - Here is the deal. McCain gives you $5000 for you and your wife to purchase your own Healthcare. Curently you are lucky enough to have healthcare partially funded by your employers. Today you pay $2,171 and your Employer pays $9,030 Total cost $11,204. Now you would pay nothing to healthcare, and your employer would also pay less - $6,201 to the insurer, because the money is going directly to the insurance company to reduce the amount the insurance company bills. Your employer should continue with their plan for coverage, because McCain's plan has no impact to your employer's making arrangements to provide healthcare for employees. The Insurance Company would have an obligation to continue coverage, and if you choose to get your healthcare coverage elsewhere, pre-existing conditions would be covered. Most likely as you get older the premiums will be higher, as they do get higher today as you age. For middle-income folks who have zero benefits from their employer and pay out of pocket $12,000 per year, or for those who can't get healthcare because of cancer 7 years ago or because they had a biopsy or heart check at one point and don't have an employer who provides benefits or healthcare subsidies, McCain's plan is a big improvement. Obama's plan leaves out folks who earn middle incomes and are near retirement age and can't get healthcare from any providers. McCain's plan provides a fairer solution for everyone.

Me again: Ya, not so... Saw an expert on TV on McCains plan... bad... did not recommend it. You will be paying more, really think about it. Common sense...

"The country can't afford it"

The country can't afford it thanks to Republicans blowing a surplus and turning it into massive deficits.

Does any Republican here think that people should have their healthcare benefits taxed as income as John McCain proposes?

Louis, Obama's health care plan is nothing but a campaign promise. The country can't afford it, Congress won't pass it and we are in the midst of a nursing shortage that's expected to worsen each year when it hits crisis point at 2025. Our health care system simply can't be converted until the nursing shortage is addressed, and Obama knows it. Universal healthcare is a pipe dream and nothing more. Obama would do better to look at a more realistic free-market model.

"The bottom line is you would chose what you need, not your employer."

And under McCain if you stay with the employer plan you will be taxed on those benefits as income.

McCain plan will force people to drop their employer coverage and get the most basic health insurance that they can afford while waiting for McCain;s tax credit during filing time, hoping it will offset the outlays one has already made.

The McCain plan = Less health care for more money

yes, for those offended by ed s. remarks about palin

remember the rally MCCAIN had and the question from the audience was
"HOW WE GONNA BEAT THAT *****"
(referring to sen. clinton)

John mccain response: that is just what we are trying to do.