It's called 'Triage'. Letting those not expected to survive die off, and focusing on saving those with a chance.

Obviously, it's desperation time for the Democrats. The problem for them is that the Republicans also get to redirect their funds to competitive races.

Dahly-1755482 "How Chabot, the long time incumbent Republican who voted lock step with the ruinous GOP financial legislation during the Bush years,"

Which legislation was that? I understood that it was Clinton that signed the deregulation bills that led to the financial collapse. I'm not aware of any significant financial regulations that were signed by Bush.

Oh no Leslie,

America really needs more people like you in order to make things better. Yes Leslie, we need people who resort to name calling at the drop of a hat. We need people who will call others brainwashed morons, stupid asses, ignorant, greedy, etc., then turn right around and in the next breath ask for God's forgiveness.

Just kind of warms your heart doesn't it?

careful Leslie your obvious bigotry is showing, a wise man once told me that in a debateif you have to resort to name calling to make your point then you have not only lost the argument but also any credibility you may have had going in. besides the obvious fact that it is simply childish.

The GOP vision of a government is where like Tenn. firefighters would stand and watch the house burn down because the owner could not pay the annual fee. Everyone fends for themselves is the GOP's future for America. Voting for GOP this Nov and we can repeat the 8 years of Bush and Cheney. Someone mentioned this and it is worth repeating - Blaming the Democrats for the recession and then vote for GOP and tea-bagger this Nov is like blaming firemen for the cause of a fire and then hand the gasoline can to the arsonist.

Actually Casylius,

Standing and watching a house burn to the ground, because the owner did not pay his fire dues, that is much, much more of a UNION MENTALITY !

Nice spin there though..........I always love how libbies try to tell the world what the GOP vision is when they haven't a clue as to what there OWN VISION might be !

Tell us, How many Dems are running on Obamacare ? How many are running on Cap and Tax ?? How many truly support our government's lawsuit against one of its own states....the proud State of Arizona ???

Media is crazy

Sorry, but, I call them as I see them! Where I come from calling someone a bigot is also referred to as name calling. I had a few more adjectives I wanted to use to describe the republican/teaparty, but they weren't as nice as the ones I used. Maybe I will use them the next time. Have a nice day!

Jim041424: Actually, the firemen standing there watching because the citizen didn't pay his dues is more of a LIBERTARIAN mentality. Vote in Rand Paul and the likes and we'll have this repeating all over the country.

Dems are running on the Health Care Bill. Those that are smart. And it's still more popular than repealing it. Cap and Trade is a Republican "market-based" idea that they used to eliminate Acid Rain during the "Bush the father" years. See 1990's Clean Air Act. You don't know Republican policy either, do you?

Only when it was attempted by a Democratic legislature did this current crop of Repugnants decide they would flip-flop on it, like they have almost everything else they once supported.

Arizona, while being a border state, does not supersede the authority of the Federal Government when it comes to Immigration. Period.

I know it's fun rant, Jim, but get yourself some learnin' first!

Just my thoughts

Thanks for the complliment! You are absolutely correct, the world does need more peole like me to stand up and tell the truth. I noticed how quick you were to use your passive, agressive sarcasm at the drop of a hat.

I only used my first amendment rights. The same ones the republican/teaparty are always espousing when their hateful rhetoric is brought to their attention.

I admit that my description of republican/teaparty wasn't nice, however, the truth is not alwalys nice. In my opinion that is just who they are. And may GOD forgive me, this is just who I am in all of my imperfections!

Leslie, I don't personally know any Tea Party members, but I thank God for their voices. You're typical of what we see from the Democrats these days. Hate and name calling replaces honest rebuttal. I voted for Obama and I'm still kicking myself in the okole for doing so. His polices have done nothing for me as of this moment and I worry very much for the future of my grandchildren and theirs based on the future costs of his policies.

Leslie1943: Don't let them back you down. You are right. And with the tone the Teabaggers set, you hardly have to worry about being nice.

The only issue I have with what you've said is the whole "hope you win and then we'll see" thing. The country is messed up enough without a bunch of idiots who despise the whole concept of government being elected. Wait... did I just describe Republicans? :-)

At any rate, the Tea Party is such a small group (granted, with a big media presence) that we have little to fear from them, as long as people come out to vote...

Lanikai Ron: To say that Democrats are the ones name-calling is to turn a totally blind eye to the Tea Party almost entirely. Hate and name calling? That's Tea Party territory, my friend.

As for you being upset because Obama's policies have done nothing for you... I can only assume you make lots and lots of money, more than the 95% of us that got tax breaks from Obama's policies... or you don't drive on roads or bridges being rebuilt with Stimulous dollars, or you don't enjoy being out of a soup line...

Obama may not have personally handed you a bunch of stuff that you like, but you benefit from the policies that have been passed, even if you aren't aware of them.

Lanikai Ron,

Look around and introduce yourself! Their rhetoric should be easily recognizable to you. They all sound just like you, Fox News,republican, teaparty, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, etc.

I thank God for their voices, too. I hope the whole world hears them and sees them as they really are. It makes me extremely excited every time They open their mouth to take their foot out so they can make their voices heard!

If you think you are worried now, you ain't seen nothing yet. If your friends, the republican/teaparty/taliban gain control in November, you'll have a lot more than your future to worry about. you can also worry a lot more about your present. Better get your foot and ahole ready just in case. If your party takes control come November, I see a whole bunch of ahole kicking in your future.

Bush signed almost no financial reform legislation, except for the bankruptcy reform. He did request reform of the mortgage finance system about 20 times from 2003 - 2008. There were a number of bills too do so, but only one finally made it to the floor in 2006 and failed 42 Republicans for and 47 Democrats and 12 republicans against it.

The Reform bill you speak of was passed by 90-8 in the Senate and 343-86 in the house and "reluctantly' signed by Bill Clinton in November 1999. It was written by the house/senate conference committee. The Republicans insisted on repealing the part of Glass-Steagall that kept Citi from merging three large mortgage companies together. The Democrats were the ones who insisted on strengthening the non-discrimination and privacy clauses clauses for home owners. This included eliminiating down payments, adding low or no income requirments for borrowers, and many many more wrong things to do.

The mega borrower, created and entity "to big to have fail". That is a problem, but the bigger problem was the lending to people, who could not pass previously already low traditional loan requirements. The latter created the toxic loans, the previous and others, purchased the loans from Freddi, Fannie, and the truely private mortgage companies.

What America needs is smaller government, reigned in/smart spending and the rights of the individual taxpayer over the rights of those who don't pay taxes and live off the blood sweat and tears of those who do.

The problem with this idea is that there's always someone out there who pays more taxes than you do, and if you use government services, such as roads, etc., then from their perspective, you can be the one claimed to be a parasite.

Instead of this unkind sentiment, it is far wiser (and decent) to realize that unemployment programs, etc., are to the benefit of society as a whole. They provide a safety net for people who are down on their luck. I do not mind paying part of my "blood sweat and tears" to assure that it will be there for me, too, should I ever need it.

leslie, regarding your post refering to republicans you state:
".....I hope your kind win the November election. ...........

I'm with you. As an independent, I too hope the repuplicans can oust at least some of the nymphomaniacal-spending socialists from congress.

The Republicans thank you for your campaign help.

Very good, jimmy, you have learned very well from the Pathological-Liar-in-Chief. Your comment:
"Obama may not have personally handed you a bunch of stuff that you like, but you benefit from the policies that have been passed, even if you aren't aware of them."

So typical, selling a pipe dream but since nothing can be shown saying "you aren't aware of them". LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Uhhhhhhhhhhhh, no, no one is aware of them since nothing of any benefit exists.

Leslie, I already told you I don't know any Tea Partiers. Nor do I watch Glenn Beck or Rush Limbau. And I can't say that I would vote for Sarah Palin, although she could do absolutely no worse than the misguided child President that is in the White House now.

Jimmy Hankins, Our racist President continues to cruise the country dividing this country's citizens like no other in the last 50-years.

Leslie and Jimmy, you folks are going to be bitterly disappointed this November. Unlike you, I try to vote for the best availble leader that runs as opposed to down party lines, so don't start crying to me about the Tea Party and Republicans. You folks are on the Progresive Democrat Lunatic Fringe along with your hero Obama. Dream on folks while the majority of our citizens take back this country from the misguided.

Don't forget about the millions of American's who feed off of big corporations in the form of great benefits and pay and profits that support 401k's everywhere, in a world economic climate that makes billions pray for a "lousy job" with a large corporation. Too many in America is simply SPOILED and totally un-appreciative, and that's sad.

If you think big corporation profits are too big, then by all means stop supporting them by way of getting rid of your 2 cars, 2 mortgages, 4 cell phones, 200 channels on the TV, college fund accounts, theater nights, trips to the bahamas, air conditioning, and visits to a modern hospital and quality doctors. That'll show them.

Don't forget the trade unions either! They take their cut off the top in the form of union dues and then spend it on candidates of their liking which may not be yours. I know this as a fact. I quit my teacher's union in 1976 over this.

ya know astonished even worse then that, i was blackballed at my local by the business agent because i refused to put out yard signs for Al Gore in the 2000 election. this man literally took away my bread and butter because i disagreed with his political beliefs. I lost all respect for the union at that point and have since opened my own company and will never hire a union hand or another union shop for any sub work. i now pride myself in hiring qualified non union contractors that have higher quality and lower prices.

media is crazy, Not all unions are bad, Ronald Reagan was the President of the Screen Actors Guild. Not all politicians are bad either, just the extreme ones. Apparently enough people in America feel that the Teapublicans are too extreme, that's why Sarah Palin took the time, just today, to deny that they are. If she didn't think that the majority of voters were convinced of that, then she wouldn't say anything about it.................wouldn't have to. I reject her extreme views, just as I would reject extreme left wing views from any Union Boss. Moral of the story.............don't lump people together unless they prove to you they deserve it.

frag - we have to "lump all together" ... either union is in effect in a given workplace or it's not. We can't say "That union has a bunch of great, hard working americans in it, so let's support that union as it's bosses corrupt and indirectly/directly drives countless jobs out of the nation".

I don't have a problem with union (most) members, but unions in general and how they have served to do irrepairable harm to many industries here?? Yes, I do have a problem with unions. How can I say, union bosses, you suck and should vacate, union workers, you're ok and can stick around. Copperhead snakes are a problem not because of their body, but because of their head, so, they are a problem to be dealt with none the less.

STexan: You make a ridiculous statement: "unions in general and how that have served to do irrepairable harm to many industries here."

Seriously?

Ever hear of child labor laws? 40 hour work week? Minimum wage? OSHA?

Why do you take the side of the corporation?

Unions have done much to benefit the American worker. They're not perfect, but they are certainly not ruinous to our nation!

Media is crazy,

Those lower paid non union workers you are so proud of employing sounds a lot like undocumented workers to me. Just saying!!!!!

I would also like to hear the other side of why you were deprived of "your bread and butter" I will bet it is a lot more than what you are telling.

Unions had their time and their place and we owe much to them. We owe a lot to the advent of the steam train in the 1800's but we don't see the need to keep them around.

There are a few trade segments where know/fixed unionized costs into the short-term future are a plus. But when one worker will work for $30 hour and is happy, and a union worker "commands" $50 hour for the same work, and of that, much is siphoned off to support liberal candidates who choose to make labor costs to corporations as high as possible ... what good can come of that in the long term.

Unions support liberal candidates, liberal candidates support un-sustainable government programs/costs, liberal candidates push for MORE unionized power, more unionized power leads us closer to socialism ... to me it's a no-brainer. And don't get me started on the teachers union and the amount of slow, gradual destruction they are doing to our kids, all the while wanting more pay, more time off, and more benefits.

One business/labor rule that applies to most experienced blue-collar to mid management personell ... the more you pay (base pay/salary), the less productivity you get.

STexan, that is a ridiculous argument. One only has to look at how workers are treated throughout the world by giant powerful corporations to see that Unions are not only important, but vital to American prosperity.

This isn't a race to the bottom. Think about what you are really saying.

Jimmy apparently you didn't hear what happened at GM about a month or two. The union contract was due to expire. Since The union leadership was part of the board now as part owners, they found themselves going to the union meeting to tell them the types of things the corporate leadership had been saying for years. The membership invited the union leadership to leave the union Hall.

Don't lump all the unions as bad, not all are. many are quite good. In Know some builders unions that get real upset when a contractor tries to insert an inferior product on a job.

I would be one of the first in the street to protest any law to outlaw the right to form a Union. Sometimes they are necessary.

The problem today is that National Unions are as out of touch with the members as the politicians are out of touch with the people and have been for sometime.

In the mid 90's UAW members at one plant started to form a Union to deal with their national union as they were shut out of the negotiation process. 90% of them crossed the lines and went back to work. The National finally backed down and allowed the locals to be involved in the negotiations.

When everything was settled, the secretaries of this Union joined a union themselves. They were immediately fired and replaced. As laws prohibit interference of the internal workings of the union nothing was done. The secretaries had no recourse.

A small casting plant (150 employees) was told to strike, because the owner said the company didn't make enough to provide a $3 an hour raise over 3 years. $1 dollar a year. The owner sold everything he owned and paid off the companies outstanding debts. He then helped the employees set up a co-op and sold the company to the employees for 1 dollar. The Union walked away after seeing the books. The Employees voted a $2 dollar an hour pay cut in order to get a line of credit to keep the operation running. The former owner volunteers 4 to 8 hours a week to help them keep going by dealing with customers.

The point is the unions are out of touch with realities. A union should also look out for the companies as well as the employees. No company, No members.

Notice since unions became share holders in the Major Airlines there have been many less strikes the last couple decades. Notice Airline employees are forced into concessions every time you look around. It's kind of like the company is negotiating with the company for your well being. They are. You Lose.

STexan & Omega, Keep up the good fight, but remember your arguing with idiots.

CAH, The fact we/I pay taxes should give me protection from those who believe with all their heart that my hard earned money is theirs. We all have the same rights as per the "Bill of Rights." It just that to many people profit and benefit from others and not their own efforts. And you have no idea what my net worth or income may be; fool.

Dahly

And just which one of the rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights, entitles you to benefit from my labor? Which one guarantees the homeless a home if they don't work, which one guarantees someone a welfare check? None of them. I have no beef with paying reasonable taxes for the necessary functions of government, but what is happening now is plain old robbery. Not only is the government steeling our money for programs they have no right to provide, but they are steeling our children's futures by running up massive debt.

And your right winged Repub party is filling up on donations from the fascist groups in America.

You people are soo out of touch with reality.

hey auntie - cbrown might have a point. look at who showed up at the 'oneneation' rally, and then check the rally website for names of sponsors. the cp-usa is right up there.

Surely right! There were more Communists and Socialists as well as thier propaganda at the 10-2 rally put on by the Dems for the Dems than anything bad at a Tea Party rally. Also a lack of American flags...

LibsareHypocrits , pretty fast and loose with the accusations today aren't we?

Now that the world is almost full..............(just a little room left at the top and the bottom), it seems that isolationism is making a comeback. Unfortunately, all the major businesses of the world are now global. There's no turning back; so waving your flag and pretending that America is some kind of giant island on the Earth is not going to wash. We are just one of a family of nations that will depend on each other more and more for the ever dwindeling supply of natural resources. Seek and you shall find. If you are looking for enemies, you will find them; if you look for friends, you will find them. Take care if your fellow Americans, they are not your enemy.............only the extreme left and right are, for they would willingly kill each other, and you, if you get in their way.

Mr Brown, you are ludicrous.

cbrowninohio: You're comment is amusing.

What's not amusing is what's actually happening in this election with groups like the "US" Chamber of Commerce and Crossroads GPS getting funding from foreign companies trying the influence American elections, and who knows how many millions are being poured in? They don't have to say, thanks to the Right-dominated Supreme Court.

Your idea is silly, but foreign money in US elections is actually happening.

Glad you brought that up...just how desperate is Obammy to attack the US Chamber of Commerce ????? Not only that, but even the ultra left wing NY Times says that there are no facts ...this is a wild accusation thrown out by Obama with nothing to back it up...it is disgraceful...it is repugnant....it is Chicago thug politics at its worst...it is vintage Obama.

Did you see David Axelrod on Face the Nation ? Bob Schieffer (another knee jerk Liberal) asked him if he had any proof for the President's charges ...Axelrod's answer "Do you have any proof it's not true ?"

Even Schieffer was stunned at that Liberal ignorance. So according to Axelrod anyone could just accuse President Obama of smoking crack cocaine and then ask him to prove it's not true...oh, wait...according to his biography he did smoke crack...and the way he's talking these days it sounds like he still does...

Look. osamaobama. from your handle we can tell immediately that you are not to be taken seriously, and sure enough, you prove it with your post.

Actually, if you bother to read the NY Times article instead of parroting what you hear from Right-wing pundits, you'll see that they said the opposite of what you are representing here, that there are serious questions about their funding in this free-for-all election.

It is backed up by the facts, something you are proving not to be familiar with. The "US" Chamber of Commerce absolutely does receive money from foreign corporations into their general fund from which they fund political attack ads against the left. That is fact and is not even being denied by the Chamber! They say they "have a system" but money is fungible (I'll wait while you look that word up) and so money that would have gone for administration and money that goes to political attack ads gets mixed up.

I'll make it real simple for you: Let's say you have a bucket with some water in it, and you want to use some of that water to pour over your "victory garden". You know where that water came from, because you put it in there. But now you accept water from a foreign company hoping to harvest from your garden. Now, it is illegal to use that water on your garden, but now all the water is mixed up, and you can't tell where the water came from, but you sure have a lot more water!

This is what they're doing, plain and simple.

You can try to obfuscate things, but foreign money is funding attack ads and attempting to sway American elections. You should be standing up for Democracy and fighting this. Instead, you're fighting me.

Idiot.

Let Obama tell us who gave him a lot of his money? He's never accounted for it. What hypocrits Democrats can be. I wonder how many dirty tricks they have up their sleeves for election day. We have to be careful. I don't trust them. We trust that our ballots will be counted fairly, but I don't trust them. If they are soundly defeated, as I hope they will be, watch for their hate rhetoric to get even worse. Just hoping they would peacefully and quietly go away is, no doubt, too much too hope for.

So they are throwing one of their own under the bus. Sounds about right. I hope they have to throw most of them under the bus. Obama 52 days of golf and 600 days of campaigning. Can't get enough of that adoration.

Hey Jimmy

The AFL-CIO also takes in foreign contributions along with many other Democratic organizations. It's a 2 way street. No one has a monopoly in this area. Ask Bill Clinton. He got caught and had to return the money.

Outsider contributions shouldn't be allowed in either party.

It's easy to shuffle the money to make it look right.

Both parties do it. The trick is to accuse the other guy first to deflect attention from yourself.

Gimmicks

Illinois applies all lottery funds to education. It's all legal. What they do is allocate how much their going to spend on education then deduct what they expect to gain from the lottery. Putting the difference back in the general fund. In truth there isn't any additional money added to education. But it sold people on making the lottery legal. It's a shell game.

Another Example: We want to raise your property taxes/or (Sales taxes) by 50 cents per hundred dollars assessment for (Name your Poison), but we're only going to collect half. The other half is for latter only if absolutely necessary. Guess what. Five minutes to 24 hours latter it becomes absolutely necessary. I've seen this 5 or 6 times in the last 20 years. People fall for it every time...

....pbis.......of course Blanche Lincoln and Ben Nelson are democrats, just not as far left as you would like. What is your problem with independent thinkers ?

Yes, Pbis and then they really need to change their name to the Socialist Party. There was a time when the Democrat Party had independent conservatives. No more.

Astonished, yes, and there was also a time when Republicans were sane and had ideas to offer. No more

pbis

There are some Democrats who are not Democrats like Ben Nelson and Blanche Lincoln. Money should be pulled from those people and put into races where we need real Democrats. If it were possible, money should go to strategic governor races in California, PA, and OH.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

I think your Communist Party used all the contributions in Russia and China this year, Comrade..the American Democrat Party is a branch of the Communist Party....same goals..

osamaobama: See, this is what I'm talking about.

Even if someone gets past your ridiculous handle, you say things like this that are just silly.

If you're so pro-America, why not fight against the actual foreign influence in our elections: "US" Chamber of Commerce taking foreign money to fund political attack ads!?

Didn't happen. New York Times says it didn't happen. Sheafer, if I spelled it right, said it was a lame excuse by the administration. It did not happen.

I want to say something about the Democratic Party. I remember when they began to let every radical group around hang on to their apron strings. Slowly but surely the radical groups took over and what was once a great party is now a dysfunctional party of radical groups. They offer nothing that helps the American people. When you go out to make promises to every radical group and have to pay them back because of campaign promises, then you have hurt those in America who are the mainstream. If I could group all the radicals together they probably would not alone make enough to carry the vote. So when the Democratic party sold out to them and had them clinging and whining their rights, they lost their party. It is gone and will most likely never return as it once was. So those Democrats who are not socialist and radicals have to start a new party and let the radicals stay with the Old Democratic Party. The price to pay for selling out to radical groups.

Take a lesson from this Republicans, do not sell out to radicals for their vote, if they get to hanging on to your apron strings as they did the Democrats, you will lose your party just as the Democrats have. Parties to maintain their goals and principals cannot afford to sell out for a few puny votes.

You do realize Nancy Pelosi is not in charge of the Democratic National Committee, right?

I mean, I know you seek to demonize her, but really, I'm sure you could object to something she actually has power over...

You don't see anyone hitting John Boehner over the antics of Michael Steele, do you?

Pelosi met with Dreihaus and made a deal to get his vote, period. I guess the deal provides him with a job once booted out of office.

"In a democracy, the people get the government they deserve", Abraham Lincoln.

YWNM: Um, not every article has to be about those issues. Chill out a little.

It's OK to discuss other things sometimes.

hey jerry,

what's not good about term limits? about capping the growth of gummint spending?

what's wrong with creating an environment where businesses, entrepreneurs, etc can flourish?

oh right - i forgot. for the left it's all about KONTROL---of the individual, of capital, of the means of production, of thought, of conscience...the list is endless.

Jerry ... Jerry ... Jerry

Can we please stop playing the Bush card sometime in the 21st century?

They repubs lost in 2006, the Dems that replaced them were worse. No rule in nature said these jobs are life appointments. We can continue cleaning those that can't read the Constitution in 2012. I can think of one in particular ...

wildweasel: I thought we had an environment for the last 8 years that were supposedly great for businesses, entrepreneurs etc, and we went straight to hell. Those same people pocketed the money and created nothing. But this was the Dems fault??????

Amen, verno.

Jerry, look up the "two Santas" governing philosophy of the Republican party.

They get to give tax breaks to the rich and corporations, pass Medicare Part D without paying for anything (Santa), then, when their mess is being cleaned up by the grown-ups (Democrats), they get to blame the Democrats and appear again as Santa! It's politics. Naked politics.

And it's ruinous for America!

You should have told that to O'Donnell's campaign manager before he/she bought the "I'm not a witch" ad. Talk about wasting money!

Question: If a party abandons a canidate, what would be the solution to keep said person in office?

My opinion at least is to get the vote out from the disenchanted. Get that moderate voter who does not vote because they do not believe they make a difference. It takes a longer process then the thirty seconds it takes to turn off a person for voting, but it should be worked from that angle. If we as participants in the voting process do not do our duties to change this toxic landscape, then we are doomed to continue the current corporate path.

what have the dems accomplished the past (not passed) 2 years? i mean, that have the support of the American people, that is?

NADA

NADA?

That's the best arguement to be generated?

Really?

alex - i think you missed the point of my post.

the (rhetorical) question i asked was, what has the administration done the past 2 years WITH the support of the American people.

the answer is NADA, ie, nothing.

Wildweasel66-358178

Republican/teaparty accomplishments in the past eight years:

Two wars (one, a war of choice based on lies).

Death and destruction (over 4400 americans killed, countless thousands injured and maimed)

Countless hundreds of thousands maimed, injured and killed in the middle east.

Greatest contempt, scorn and ridicule of America from around the globe in American history.

Greatest loss of power, prestige and respect from around the world in American history.

Greatest loss of jobs to other countries in American history.

Greatest collapse of the American economy since the great depression.

Greatest collapse of the middle class in American history.

Greatest embarrassment in American history,George W. Bush, as president.

I could go on and on but I don't have the time. I don't athink the above was approved by the American people

wildweasel66-"What have they done With the support of the American people".

Interesting statement, since the laws were passed by the duly and legally elected representatives of the American people. Oh, you thought that the public was supposed to vote on health care? To my knowledge, there never was a national pebiscite on this question. There were a lot of people who claimed to know what we wanted or were thinking, but they had no proof. Do you think we should pass laws on the basis of a poll taken by Fox News or MSNBC? There's a reason why the Founding Fathers formed a representative government. The general public does not have the time, expertice, or knowledge to make informed governmental decisions; and they are too easily swayed by propaganda. You being my case in point.

Leslie, I wish I didn't have to agree with you!

TJefferson-1649275,

Every time you get disgusted and discouraged, think of the alternative. Don't give up now, they're the best we have. Better DCCC than the republican/teaparty party of "no" and obstructionism. Get out and vote and take as many others as you can with you to the polls.

Could we buy you a ONE-WAY plane ticket to another country ? Greece perhaps ??

A liberal in Texas? How refreshing! Do Texas liberals have BBQs too?

Hey Jim..............the first democracy was in Greece!

Hey frag, it's a well-known fact that Republicans have the best BBQ!

I don't agree with their governing philosophy, but I'm willing to set that aside for a great meal before returning to battle! :-)

I'm afraid that the negative aspects of Capitalism are not open for discussion in America. If you suggest any type of Public control, you are a socialist, whatever that means.............oh yeh, it's all of those people who have not turned in their social security card, and have decided to take the money; they are the socialists. Nothing is perfect, that's why even the Teapublicans will vote to keep the Security and Exchange Commission, because without controls, the capitalists would suck us all dry in 5 minutes, and laugh about it on their yachts. Actually, the funny thing about these people who cry socialism at every turn, is that they think they are rich. Very funny.

Note the difference between PUBLIC CONTROL and PUBLIC RUN!!!

Unions = Corruption = Extortion = Waste = Communism

I suggest you learn the meaning of socialism Frag. You'll learn that it's only good in the beginning. Once the government has everyone dependent upon them, that's when the trouble starts. We witnessed it in the USSR and Eastern Europe and we are starting to see the people protesting in the streets of Western Europe now as governments are forced to cut back on the socialist policies it promised and no longer can support for it's citizens. Eventually, the system collapses, but not before the citizens have been pushed to their limits.

Lanaki - Say what you will about SS and Medicare but your parents if they are alive are probably enjoying their rights to it. And you don't have them living with you until they die because they earn enough to live on, and they pay back into the system by spending their money. I don't believe that SS is socialistic at all. It is like a savings account which you have a right to because you paid into it. You are probably in your 40's making close to $100K with a huge mortgage and 2 cars, a couple out of country yearly vacations, and are living the dream. It bugs me that you can't see past your greed. Now, that being said, we need more regulations and more people to investigate the ripoffs that the GOP want to preserve. They got us here. And do the math 20 months compared to 96 months. I'm sick of all you whining that your standard of living is so much different in the past 20 months than in any of the years before that. You know it's not. You got a job? Yeah, you do. You took a vacation this summer? Yeah. Got health insurance. Yeah. It is sad you all are so bigoted against poor people and seniors. They pay more everyday to you the rich than you think. You think they are the parasites? No, think again.

There you liberals go calling anyone that doesn't agree with you a bigot. Both of my 87-year old parents are alive, thank you. I do have a problem with any system that only survives when the government takes more of my money from me to keep it afloat. That's socialism period. I am not rich, but I own my house and a contracting company. I've had two 3-day vacations since I took ownership of this company in 2000. I'm 62-years old. I used to look at the social security system as a retirement benefit. Now I think you have to be nuts to believe that. I can't wait until I see what Obama and the Democrats will do next to bleed money from my business. My employees like me very much thank you. Unlike you, they appreciate what I am going through to keep this company alive and continue to employ them. I'm the only one in my union company that reduced his pay, and that was 2-years ago. I pay for 100% of the cost of my and my employees healh insurance. My company has done that since 1976. I got where I am the old fashioned way by working my okole off. I thank my parents for bringing me up based on "nothing comes free". You could have done the same thing as I, but it would have taken sacrifice and hard work. I had no help at all. No family money. Public high school education. I have done nothing that you could not have done. I don't vote down party lines and I voted for Obama. See, I can make big mistakes too. But mistakes come with the turf and you just move on. Have you figured out where you went wrong?

Lanikai Ron, if your already paying 100% of your employee's health care why are you concerned about HCR since it doesn't affect you or your company?

rc

This was legislation created by your party and unfortunately Clinton did sign it.

So what your saying is that now you're willing to give credit to the Republican Congress for the budget surpluses in the 90's too? Here I thought that was all Billy C?

DaveWH, Your question frustrates me in that a large portion of this countries citizens just don't get it. I do pay 100% of my employees healthcare insurance, even though Hawaii state law says I'm only responsible for offering them a plan which the employer must pay 50% of the cost on. It was an easy benefit to offer my employees to pay their share as well.

This federal healthcare legislation will affect me and my company in the same way any federal entitlement program does. This system only creates bigger federal government. By now we should all admit that the federal government cannot provide anything to its citizens cheaper than the private sector. Some would say its a good thing that the feds are creating jobs for more federal employees. Unfortunately, those jobs are typical in that they do nothing to generate income and will only add the burden of taxpayers. It has been said over and over again that this nation needs less government and legislation that would allow me as an employer to shop around for healthcare insurance as opposed to being limited to the few insurers that most states limit us to. We also need Tort reform. Obama and the Democrats touted that this legislation would reduce the deficit, but they are still scrambling to show us how that will happen. For example, yesterday I read an article about a study stating that Tennessee would save 2.7 billion dollars when the legislation goes into full affect in 2014. Later in the article, it says that that 2.7 billion will come from the federal government. So, the citizens of Tennessee will save money, but then they and all of the rest of the country's citizens will cover it by paying federal taxes. It's a shell game and once again the politicians in charge DC, this time the Obama Democrats, are more concerned with getting the legislation in force as opposed to justifying it's cost. The citizens of this nation are slowly waking up to this fraudulent administration.

osamaobama, your handle tells the world you are not to be taken seriously, and your posts prove it. One has to only take a look a polling to see that when the provisions in the health care bill are explained, people overwhelmingly favor it over repealing it. I know that doesn't jibe with your worldview, but it's the truth.

Cap and Trade is absolutely a Republican, free-market solution. This current cap-and-trade is almost identical to the one passed by Bush the father. Stop flaunting your ignorance and learn something!

You want to talk about who wants our country to fail? Do you not remember the Bush administration? Outsourcing America's manufacturing? Giving corporations big tax loopholes and allowing them to move offshore so they don't pay their fare share? Allowing the infrastructure to crumble? The Republican policies of the last 30 years have served to plunge America down a hole straight to 3rd world status. They've destroyed the middle class and have created a class disparity that hasn't been seen in the US since the Great Depression.

How can you support such an obviously, demonstrably destructive path for our country?

Doogal, obviously you've been watching too much Keith Olberman and Chris Matthews. You sound like a broken record. Now, let's review the article at hand and determine why the Democrat won the seat in the last election? Oh, it was because a large portion of the black community came out to vote in "this" election. What does that mean? Well, most of the time they don't vote. Why did they vote in this election? Solely because the man running for office had black skin. Obviously a lot of thought went into those votes!

Sorry Doogy, November is going to be a blood bath and the libs are going to feel the pain. Now run on back and turn on Olberman; I'm sure he can lift your spirits with outright lies and slanderous statements.

What an ignorant sh*t you must be, Sheeple. You would elevate Biden to the presidency? If anything happened to him before he could select a replacement at VP, Pelosi would get the job. Thoughts like that could start a national panic. Obama on his worst day is better than either of those two ~ and better yet than the two of them combined. We are a long, long way from being that desperate.

Dale, I just checked your statement about Tennessee saving billions when healthcare takes affect in 2014. You're right in that the study says Tennessee will save 2.7 billion, but the money Tennessee is saving will come from the Federal Government (Reference knoxvillebiz.com). It's a shell game they're playing. The fact is, Obama and the Dems are still scrambling to show how this legislation will reduce the deficit. Bottom line, although Tennessee will save money, the federal government will need to pay that money out of the pockets of the citizens of the entire country. How many times must the crooked doings of our politicians, supported by the liberal press try to B.S. the citizens of this country?

And your alternative is...?

You may be right that things won't completely change, but if it gets some behavior modification, even for a short period of time, it will save us hundreds of billions of dollars. This government is the best money can buy, and that is not an acceptable form of governance.

Vote out all incumbents and/or bring in a third party to run things, but that has its own risks.

Our government was designed so that EVERY encumbent is not up for re-election every year for a reason. We do need INTELLIGENT and experienced legislators representing us. The characters of those elected should match your expectations which should include intelligence and knowledge about how our government is run.

A Sarah Palin, Christine O'Donnell and Sharron Angle are not what I would consider befitting those basic requirements.

Be CAREFUL what you wish for.