Feisty, you must get up @ 4AM every day & go immediately to the web. You are ALWAYS the first to comment. But keep up the good work. I usually agree with your comments!

Take it off the table. No one care about 5 helmut heads who really should be republicans. They are only serving the Barons in the Health Care Industry; not the people.

BTW: the rest of the nation is supposed to suffer for the few constituents they have in comparison to the whole of America??? Get Serious.

Republicans need to end their pursuit of "Starve the Beast" and work with Democrats to find some real answers, instead of trying to end entitlements.

Yes, the Ryan Medicare (voucher) plan should be off the table. Instead of touching Medicare, we should be looking at reducing troops in Afghanistan, making big business pay their share of taxes, increasing the tax rate to big business, reducing the size of the military budget. That would solve some of our deficit issues.

The point to remember is "Don't mess with my Medicare, or the Medicare for those under age 55.

w "drove us into a ditch", barry driving us out (letting republicans sit in the back).

Now hes apparently hitting some “bumps in the road”

Can someone please tell his majesty its speed bumps, as the cliff is approaching?

who the H hired this guy?

Feisty, I got in trouble for posting the satire about Borovitz' "Medicare to be Replaced with ‘Kevouchers’." I was told to hang out with you (and Bev) for posting that "garbage." I said that I already do and I find you 2 ladies interesting. Got mass a$$ chewed off after that comment. You 2 are famous and hated! I am so jealous!!!!

Some people don't like satire - I guess not all enjoy a little laugh!

Hi bayllie - you mean this Groupon satire?

Now why didn't I think of this? lol

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) – Presenting what he called a revolutionary plan to slash the nation’s mountain of debt, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) today proposed eliminating the Social Security program in its entirety and replacing it with Groupons.

“Instead of waiting each month for a check from Social Security, America’s elderly will receive valuable Groupons for everything they need, from Ramen noodles to cat food to caskets,” Mr. Ryan said in an appearance on Fox News.

Adding that Groupons would also help provide for elders’ medical needs, the congressman illustrated his point by holding up a Groupon offering 30 percent off on open-heart surgery in Cincinnati.

Moving on from Social Security, Mr. Ryan also proposed replacing Medicare with a new program in which seniors are shot at by Predator drones.

Additionally, Mr. Ryan said, in his new budget so-called “friends with benefits” would lose their benefits.

“If they’re really friends, they should be satisfied if the evening ends with a voucher,” he said.

Speaker of the House John Boehner, appearing alongside Rep. Ryan, offered these words of praise for the Wisconsin congressman: “Preachers like Harold Camping go around predicting the end of the world, but it’s guys like Paul Ryan who do the hard work of making it happen.”

You 2 are famous and hated! I am so jealous!!!!

Only goes to show we scare the cr@p out of the right! ;o)

You're welcome to hang with us anytime GF!

bayllie

I was told to hang out with you (and Bev) for posting that "garbage." I said that I already do and I find you 2 ladies interesting. Got mass a$$ chewed off after that comment. You 2 are famous and hated! I am so jealous!!!!

Keep up the good work. I love it when the righties are green with envy and turn red because I know they can't use their gray matter.

Some people don't like satire - I guess not all enjoy a little laugh!

Don't worry those suckers ought to be used to getting a good lickin by now. Kick their butts with your humor.

with NY 26 down, absolutely, this is off the table. in super bowl finals, you got to play your best player. we need it on the field, yes on the field for 2012 election. put on your rugged studded boots guys for ryan budget is in play (i already see it on this blug)come 2012. whistle please.

Feisty, no Groupon was great but he came out with another one. I love this guy so much I post him everywhere. He also has Palin and the Paul revere comment.

Paul Ryan Vows to Continue Kevorkian’s Work

Medicare to be Replaced with ‘Kevouchers’

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) – In a somber Congressional ceremony, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) eulogized the late Dr. Jack Kevorkian today, vowing to “honor his legacy by continuing his good work.”

“Dr. Kevorkian tried to ease the transition of seniors into the great beyond,” an emotional Rep. Ryan told his colleagues in the House of Representatives. “Here in Congress, we have the opportunity – one might even say the obligation – to continue Kevorkian’s work on a grander scale.”

As a first step to memorialize the work of Dr. Kevorkian, Rep. Ryan said that his new budget plan would replace Medicare with a system of so-called “Kevouchers” that could be redeemed for cyanide pills, nooses and bullets.

In other political news, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) suffered another setback today, in the form of these harsh words of criticism from former President Bill Clinton: “In my day, we’d show it to ‘em in person.”

The avalanche of ridicule suffered by Rep. Weiner in recent days finally drew some pushback from a member of the congressman’s staff.

“It is time for all of these babyish ‘wiener’ jokes to stop,” said new Weiner spokesman Hugh G. Rection.

Elsewhere, a new study shows that when you talk on your cell phone everyone around you can hear every f$%ing word you’re saying.

http://www.borowitzreport.com/

Only goes to show we scare the cr@p out of the right! ;o)

You're welcome to hang with us anytime GF!

Thank you and I already read all your stuff!

Beverly in Chicago

bayllie

Keep up the good work. I love it when the righties are green with envy and turn red because I know they can't use their gray matter.

I also got in trouble for not stating that this "garbage" is satire. I forget that some people require "The contents may be hot" warning on their coffee cups.

Oh My - you all are catching all the new Weiner photos, right?

First Read, the very next posting will be about the fine congressman from NY? Personally I love the "Pussy" pictures. Bad gay porn, sure, but pure comedy gold.

Oh and First Read, please make sure to get a money quote from Debbie Wasserman Schultz. She is the spokes hole. She did come out last week with pure drivel in response. Now she gets to back up her man Weiner.

GO Anthony. You are the absolute best lying dirtbag politician of the last three days. Way to extend your own personal humiliation into a lifetime.

@ bayllie - Thanks for sharing! I hadn't seen that one! I too love Borowitz's fiery brand of satire! ;o)

"The contents may be hot" warning on their coffee cups.

LMAO! Or 'caution' water is wet'?

Link, Spanky? I haven't heard this yet.

Never mind. I'm seeing it. Well, what did I tell you?

But judging from some of the things you talk about, why does it bother YOU?

"She is the spokes hole."

Yer all class, lady.

SPANKY,

Just like your clueless congress teapublicants, irrelevant issues are what makes you guys day. thou without no sin, it's Anthony's business and his alone. nobody cares.

Talk of the season, ryan's budget, do you have any susggestions?

Mostly AM for the sheer entertainment value. The fact that a married politician would send dick pics to many, many lovely co-eds is not at all surprising.

The fact that nearly the entire media tried to shove it under the rug and that Debbie WS, et al. tried to play it off as a "personal matter" is not surprising. When will they figure out that they can't hold back the tide?

But man, for such a "smart" guy he sure screwed to pooch on handling it. You know the lying, the non-responses, the righteous indignation.

What say you AM - time for the Weiner to go away? Can't wait for his next press conference. I'm guessing he'll have to come out with something before noon. Either way, much more fun that the economic DOOM and GLOOM.

And while on that topic - what is Obama's next move on the economy? Can't wait for that either.

Anytime Andrew Brietbart is involved in some scandal - I feel the need to take a shower!

Feisty,

@ bayllie - Thanks for sharing! I hadn't seen that one! I too love Borowitz's fiery brand of satire! ;o)

Anyone who comes up with “Kevouchers” or Groupons for Medicare vouchers is funny!

LMAO! Or 'caution' water is wet'?

And anyone who just by reading the piece does not know it's satire needs a colonic (that's for you Roy).

And anyone who just by reading the piece does not know it's satire needs a colonic (that's for you Roy

It's a well documented fact that Tea Baggers do have a quirky sense of humor - just look at the crap they write! ;o))

Weiner's gone by tomorrow. He can't survive this. And I disagree with those who say it's purely a private matter. He met these women through his position as a Congressman, he has thoroughly embarrassed his wife, and he has displayed exceptionally bad judgment. Just because our standards have lowered so much generally doesn't mean that we can't hold our Congresspersons to something better.

All the gains from the NY-26 election have just been frittered away.

Now, if David Vitter would just take the hint.

Spanky-

Oh My - you all are catching all the new Weiner photos, right?

I bet you are enjoying them. What is it about some freakish photos that turns you on?

GO Anthony. You are the absolute best lying dirtbag politician of the last three days. Way to extend your own personal humiliation into a lifetime.

Have seen that grimy Breibart lately? He is as afraid of a razor as a a goat's ass is to a butcher knife.

Medicare is in trouble. It cannot be off the table. It desperately needs repair. Unfortunately, the Ryan plan is to repair, what the Bubonic Plague is to good health.

The Ryan Plan - all right troops, put this fact in your quiver - will re-open the so-called donut hole. When Republicans say the Ryan Plan has absolutely no effect on those who are now seniors - they are lying. I know, hard to believe, Republicans lying and all.

Spanky: I see you've got that blue-nose Puritan thing going on, or is it just plain voyeurism? Who cares about what the Congressman does in his off-time? Just FYI, Ms. Schultz is right, it IS a personal matter. What is it about you guys always trying to get into other people's bedrooms?

Drive By - Wow, first comment on this fine Monday and already you are calling me a "lady" which I can only presume is your weak attempt to insult. That's 1. just stupid, 2. indicative of the rough times you had last week, and C. better I suppose than you calling me gay like you used to do. So all in all - way to go big guy!

Puis - I have suggested a very simple budget plan many times - spend 10% less than total revenue for the year. They take $2.6 Trillion, they get to spend $2.6 trillion - 10%. Pay off some damn debt, or heaven forbid save it for a rainy day/next give away/next war.

And Am - I kinda think you are right, or at least he should be gone. But dude had no compunction lying at first, then spinning hard, which indicates he is a total political whore.

Sorry Puis - it is not his business. He is a Congressman who has now been shown to have lied about being hacked. Bonus question - when are Yfrog and/or Twitter going to sue him for harming their brands?

Just so we are all crystal clear Bev. - your position is that this is all Breitbart's fault, and Weiner has no responsibility/involvement, right?

You are personally totally comfortable with a 46 year old married congressman sending out multiple dick pic to multiple women, then lying about it when he is caught.

Bev? Really, that's when you come down? How, interesting.

Did I say Interesting? I meant amusing.

Feisty,

It's a well documented fact that Tea Baggers do have a quirky sense of humor - just look at the crap they write! ;o))

we should not be surprised. This is a "party" led by a person who not only says "Revere warned British" instead of "Revere warns of British" but, when pointed out, denies making the mistake (who cares what those historians say!).

On a lighter note, Fox News uses a picture of Tina Fey instead of Sarah Palin (ON PURPOSE)! These people just can't get their crap together!!!

Spanky, who cares? or are you Mrs Weiner? you say spend 10% less revenue .......so what do you cut?

David Walker:

Just FYI, Ms. Schultz is right, it IS a personal matter. What is it about you guys always trying to get into other people's bedrooms?

I usually agree with you right down the line, David, but I respectfully have to disagree here. Those women followed Weiner solely because he is a Congressman; he had no other access to them. He said he would not quit Twitter because that's how he does business. Those things alone bring his behavior out of the "private" category. I'm no prude, believe me, and if you don't, you should watch what rolls by on my dashboard at tumblr every day, but this isn't about that. I'm extremely disappointed every time this happens, as much for the unnecessary distraction it creates as for the judgment issues it raises.

And in this case, it's doubly bad because it appears he may actually have been set up because of his pursuit of Clarence Thomas, among other things. Leaving himself open to attack in such a stupid way will now potentially impact on high-stakes national politics -- health care reform -- not to mention the mayoralty of New York.

Kind of hard to take the moral high ground when your pants are around your ankles.

AM: Weiner's gone by tomorrow. He can't survive this.

I'm certain Anthony could get a prime time gig on CNN. Maybe team up with Eliot Spitzer, have Liberal-Point, More-Liberal-Counterpoint show. They could do some shows on "Women-Empowerment" or something. Ed Schultz could host.

JoAnna:

They could do some shows on "Women-Empowerment" or something. Ed Schultz could host.

LoLoLoLoLoLoL Didn't I say stop making me laugh?

And on MSNBC right now is a report about the Breitbart connection -- which Breitbart is now admitting.

I wondered when the other shoe would drop, revealing the proverbial feet of clay.

Ron Indiana

The same people who complain about unions, don't like the cost of medicare, or medicaid, or the thought of universal health care or the fact that people depend on SS when they retire. But they don't support unions. The good American companies and owners that bargain in good faith with their employee's pay decant wages and provide health benefits and real pension plans. The people that spent their careers working under decent collective bargaining agreements are not the ones sucking up social services. Why should everybody that has health insurance subsidize Wal-Mart employees, who don't have health benefits, and aren't paid enough to provide themselves with any. Not to mention a phony matching 401K for a retirement plan, they don't have anything to put in so they never have to match anything. The company deserves to make a good profit, but labor should get a fair slice of the pie they produce, I am not against profits I am all for profits, and I want an equitable share. Don't kid yourself the truth is when you support union busting, and the right to work for less and less and less laws, give huge tax breaks to extremely profitable companies paid for by labor (GE paid no taxes but everybody that works there does), then the government winds up subsidizing the private sector. Because these are the people who have nothing the minute they stop working, and immediately need social services. This has been going on since Reagen and except for a brief respite during the Clinton administration middle class purchasing power has been in decline. I'm no economist but what the hell else can possibly happen when you support the company paying less of its profits to its employees and simultaneously less of its profits to the government in form of taxes. For those of you waiting for this trickle down theory (fantasy) to kick in and make you better off, give it up, it is impossible, you tell me how business keeping all the profits and the workers paying all the bills makes you better off. I tell you what lets go on a treasure hunt, and when we find treasure I am going to keep all of it, and you are going to pay the all the expenses. How many times do we have to do that to make you rich.

Easy Puis - across the board. Everything cuts as a percentage of the particular program's budget so that all expenditures equally $2.6 trillion - 10%.

Gonna hurt, but necessary or the whole system goes down, which would be far worse.

Solvency is pretty simple. It's the politics that are not.

JSA1 - good one. I would totally tune in for a nightly discussion of woman power hosted by Spitzer's Weiner.

JoAnnaSmith1

There's absolutely nothing wrong in that..........except in your purity eyes.

Brietbart "admitting?" He got the photos from the ladies.

OR did he admit he took the Weiner dick pics? Now that'd really be something.

JoAnnaSmith1

I'm certain Anthony could get a prime time gig on CNN. Maybe team up with Eliot Spitzer, have Liberal-Point, More-Liberal-Counterpoint show. They could do some shows on "Women-Empowerment" or something. Ed Schultz could host.

You can add all the people you mentioned and they still will not add up to the bigotry of Limbaugh's pinkie. Or Beck's or O'Reilley's or Hannity's....

Hey bayllie - have you seen this one on Bible Spice? LMAO!

MONTICELLO (The Borowitz Report) – Visiting Thomas Jefferson’s historic home, Monticello, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today paid tribute to the nation’s third President, telling an audience of supporters, “We must never forget the wisdom of Jefferson, and his wife, Weezy.”

Gov. Palin said that “at a time of our history when the American people needed leadership, it was Jefferson who said the immortal words, ‘We’re movin’ on up.’”

The former Alaska Governor, criticized in recent days over her grasp of American history, used the Monticello speech to demonstrate her knowledge of the country’s founding fathers.

“Let us have the ingenuity of Benjamin Franklin, who invented the electric chair,” she said.

“Let us have the honesty of George Washington, who told his father that he chopped down a cherry tree because it was blocking his view of Russia,” she added. “And let us have Washington’s perseverance, which he demonstrated during that harsh winter at Sweet Valley High.”

But she saved her most fulsome praise for her favorite American
hero, Paul Revere: “In his famous cry, ‘One if by land, two if by sea,’ Paul Revere proved that you don’t have to know how to count higher than two to be a great American.”

At the end of her speech in Monticello, Gov. Palin said that she was looking forward to the next stop on her bus tour, Philadelphia, “the home of the Taco Bell.”

JAS1 -

Sure, and Arnold Schwarzenegger can have a cameo role :)

SPANKY

good to know everything is on board. my simple way to solvency.

1 reverse bush tax cut

2 end all wars

3 raise tax on the rich

4 close all tax loopholes

do all these and we're back in 10yrs.

Spanky are you going to look at pics of Anthony's package and spank-it all day. Shouldn't you take your little bro-mance to a dating site.

xx

VS: Sure, and Arnold Schwarzenegger can have a cameo role :)

There is no end to the fun they could have on that show.

JoAnna:

There is no end to the fun they could have on that show.

Oh, I don't know. This is starting to get weird. Schwarzenegger is a deal breaker for me.

I might rather read a book. Depending on the book.

Spanky:

Brietbart "admitting?" He got the photos from the ladies.

And how do you suppose that happened? I just meant he was admitting his involvement in the whole "affair," just like everyone suspected. That does, of course, raise larger questions. All along I figured that Weiner knew there were other pictures out there. But how did Breitbart know about this? Was he in on it right from the start? Why did the women go to Breitbart?

Consider this: What about the possibility that these women engaged in some sort of entrapment scheme regarding Weiner? That doesn't excuse Weiner, by the way -- au contraire -- but Breitbart's involvement has to be satisfactorily explained.

Or maybe I should just go read more about this. See you later.

Anna Molly:

I can't find a complete story on Weiner's story. I see lots of "alleged", "conspiracy", "hacked", etc., but no definitive proof that he is behind all this.

It looks like this to me. He must have taken the picture of himself. That's entirely possible, although from what little I know, it's rather generic. However, if HE took the pic, he would know. He may have sent the picture via twitter. (Confession time: I have no idea how twitter works. I haven't even sent a text message on my cell phone. Hey, it's dark in this cave.)

If you are right - and if you have a link, I'll jump right on it. (I do know how that stuff works.....barely.) If you are correct, I would agree with you on two points. First, he has lied. I simply cannot tolerate that in a politician - or anyone for that matter. Trust is a very big thing for me. The other point is his total absence of good judgment. I believe the twitter venue is a public-type forum. What the hell was he thinking? As far as the sex angle, I really don't care. I would have offered him the same advice as I would have offered Bill Clinton. Just say, "That's none of your business."

If he did engage in this incredibly stupid behavior, I feel terrible for his wife. He has publicly humiliated her.

Finally, I like the Congressman's fire brand style, and I generally agree with his political views. I'm truly hoping that Breitbart or some other vicious hack is behind this.

ok they want it taken off the table, fine, but where is a plan, any plan, their plan? crickets chirping. show us something!

'Ryancare' is not the solution. Throwing the baby out with the bath water is Uncaring and stupid! Do all of these social programs need review and revision,YES! So do tax cuts for Billionaires,so do subsidies to BIG Oil, so does Corporate Welfare,so do all those TAX loop holes for the CHOSEN FEW! This fiscal problem needs to be attacked from both sides;Revenue Collection and Spending...This seens to be common sense to all but regressive Republicans...

What good is an Empire, if the citizens of said Empire, get NO benefits from it???

Feisty, yes I did. I get the e-mails at work (oh, no my secret is out) every time he come out with something new.

Palin says she would like to continue her bus tour in England. I wonder if she knows that the Alaska Bridge to Nowhere does not reach to Europe (or does it exist).

I also like the one titled: In Desperation Move, GOP Seeks New Candidates on Craigslist. How appropriate.

@ Spanky - A Red Herring is a fallacy in which an irrelevant topic is presented in order to divert attention from the original issue.

Like the GOP/TP, where is the "laser focus" on the economy, jobs, and balancing the budget? No, you'd rather waste BTUs on abortion, or union-busting, or silly scandals.

RE: Weiner - Rachel Maddow showed how easy it is to make it appear as if a photo was sent from someones Twitter account. It is also easy to Photoshop photos. Weiner did not lie about the possibility of photos of himself. He only said he did not send it. As for the photo being him, he jokes about it because it is a complimentary photo (if you get my drift).

Just as Coburn should be investigated along with Ensign, Breitbart is due for criminalcharges in relation to Weiner. Since James O'Keefe was sued, we haven heard much about him. Breitbart needs to be taught a hard lesson for being the douche-bag that he is.

Idj - "What good is an Empire, if the citizens of said Empire, get NO benefits from it???" Yes, it's called the social contract. Actually this is part of limited government philosophy as well, but Teapublicans ignore this.

David: After reading what I could find, I'm still of the opinion that the original Twitter photo was a hack, and probably done for political purposes, but even that's not clear. The photo could very well have been Weiner. Clearly Weiner believes this, and given the photos that Breitbart released today, it seems more and more likely that it was. I wondered about that at the time, and then figured that Weiner knew someone had the original photo, and maybe others, and was just waiting to see what was going to happen next.

Here's my question, though: How likely is it that someone just happened to pull this kind of creepy prank on a Congressman who also just happened to have an ongoing consensual relationship with another young woman in which they were exchanging on line apparently a lot of very intimate photos?

I don't think that makes it any more likely that Weiner posted the Twitter photo, but the coincidence does make me think that someone knew there was more stuff out there before the original Twitter post occurred. That would be somewhat contrary to the version of events that's currently being forwarded and would suggest a much deeper and more sinister purpose in the original hack, not to mention a larger conspiracy of some kind. I certainly don't trust Breitbart.

Nevertheless, I think Weiner's toast, based on his own faulty judgment that left him open to this, and like you, I'm sad.

the ryan plan changes things for people who are now under 55, for any one older nothing changes. people under 55 will have more control and power over their plan. like that or not, its an attempt to deal with the problem, if we dont change things now, medicare will fail, and no one will enjoy it. what is the democrat plan to deal with this impending problem? i have herd none, even when the question is asked. the democrats have no plan. in fact 500 billion was removed from medicare to pay for obama care. what planet do these democrats running the show live on? was it too much lsd back in the day? this is not about right or left. this is about an underfunded and looted promise that must be kept. how are we to ensure the survival of medicare? is obamacare not going to fix this with the MASSIVE spending it requires? who is going to pay for all of this? do those people get a choice? good run on medicare, the country has become a @!$%# hole in 2 years. you wont get 4 more.

More about the social contract, and another article today ranking countries -- Canada ranks as one of the "happiest nations" while the US doesn't make the list at all. We both started about the same time, we're very similar, so where did we diverge? It wouldn't and shouldn't be too difficult for the US to be more like Canada. We just need to shut down the right-wing social engineering minority in our country, and there's no time like the present. Obama/Biden -2012!

RE: Weiner - Are any of these women filing complaints? This may be immoral but no illegal. Vitter soliciting prostitutes was illegal, yet he remains in office. No, I'm tired of Republicans scandals outstripping Dems 10 to 1, yet the Dem (who are never holier than thou, including Edwards) always pays the price. No, just as people voted for Clinton again, I would vote for Weiner. We need to put an end to the propaganda artists like Briebart, and we need to put an end to the double standards.

joe -2768962 - The reason you think the Dems have no plan is because you only tune into Faux Noise (FOX) and Hate Radio (Savage & Limbaugh). Try more credible sources for news.

The Dems have accomplished a great deal, especially since 2008, and especially in view of non-stop GOP/TP obstructionism. Aside from President Obama's bipartisan commission, President Obama's proposal in reply to Ryan Hoods arse-backward plan to rob from the poor to give to the rich, and The People's Budget, as Pelosi said, the Dem's plan for Medicare is "Medicare."

In listening to panel discussions with top economists, this was said: Medicare is not the cause of sky-rocketing health care costs. Medicare is the answer, because Medicare could and should be used to negotiate costs including prescription drugs. Why does the right-wing social engineering minority have a problem with this?

The Dem's plan is to shore-up and improve trust funds and entitlements. The Dem's plan is to do this with a balanced approach that is fair and does not ask only the poor, middle class, and elderly (the least among us) to make the sacrifices.

In the meantime, please name any other legislation by the GOP/TP other than the Ryan-Insurance Lobbyist plan? And by the way, tell us how abolishing programs is a plan? Or how doing the same things will bring different results?

Puleeze, we all know it is the Republicans who are clueless and have no ideas or plans.

Yes Feisty, take Ryan’s plan right off the table. Let’s use the Obama plan for Medicare which is to do absolutely nothing. Wait, that isn’t exactly true since Obama requires that Medicare funding be stripped of
half a trillion dollars to dump into his healthcare abomination.

If anyone doesn’t like Ryan’s plan, present a viable alternative. I’m certain reasonable people
will listen.

I love reading about the Dem's plans which are mired in fantasy generalizations designed only to appeal to those gullible people incapable of thinking for themselves.

Still waiting for a democratic Medicare plan...still waiting...still waiting.

Or, we can keep the status quo, watch the system implode, and do a version of the Ryan plan with lesser benefits when it does because the Chinese won't fund us anymore.

What's that plan again...?

For all of you and especially the liberals. What exactly is your plan? Please tell us. I would honestly like to see a liberal plan to fix medicare other than scaring the crap out of americans. Do any of you really understand that Medicare is going bankrupt? Do any of you read the news and understand that Medicare insolvency was moved up one more year and four more years for SSI? The dems plan is to scare the crap out of everyone and wait until it is too late, just like the mortgage crisis. The dems like frank, waters, etc just a few months before the implosion were still stating that there was no problem. When Bush sent his people to capital hill to testify in front of congress, the dems time after time stated there was no problem and did NOTHING!!!! What was the result? Collapse!!! Now the dems are doing the same exact thing. Scaring and telling us there is no problem and refusing to do anything about it. You may not like Ryan's plan and it may not be perfect, but at least someone has the guts to do something now instead of waiting until it is too late. Keep in mind that no one currently on or over the age of 55 will have their Medicare changed. For all of you asking, I am 49 and will be affected by the changes, which need to be done. The dems other plan is just to raise taxes. When will liberals and democrats understand that you can only tax so much? Were a bunch of spoiled brats that have been handed all these entitlements and now have no way to pay for them. Medicare and this year SSI will be paying out more than taking in. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that sooner or later, the bank account becomes empty. Again, I would love to see the liberals and dems propose how to fix the problem, other than raising taxes. Would any one of you stand up, have a back bone and tell all of us your fix?

Eric:

Republicans need to end their pursuit of "Starve the Beast" and work with Democrats to find some real answers, instead of trying to end entitlements.

Democrats need to end their pursuit of "Feed the Beast" and work with Republicans to find some real answers, instead of trying to increase entitlements.

Both sides are not working together. That is one of the reasons we don't get very far. Wisconsin tried to do what the Democrats did in Washington (pushing through reforms), but like what happened to the Democrats during the past election, the same happened to the Republicans in Wisconsin. It is time to find a middle of the road and stick to it or we will lose this country. Then Fiesty and friends won't have the time or the funds to sit on their computers all day. Her husband must work for Woodward to be able to afford the time or she is on Gov't support. Ain't so?

Dennis, Columbus, Ohio
your poll is based on n=800 people?

baylie,

And your point is ????

Most polls are 800 to 1200 people.

800 out of 300,000,000 is my point. If I call 800 random people in Mass or California, is that poll credible for you? Or if I want different results I call 800 people in AZ or TX is that credible?

baylie,

“Selected atrandom, apportioned geographically based on past turnout.” With a sampling error
of +/- 3.5% which if you understand sampling and statists is an acceptable number for polling.

Dennis,

I'm sorry if I came across a little harsh. I mean no disrespect and I am not disputing that 800-1200 is acceptable but unless you disclosed that in your post, people assume that the number much greater.

I've pointed it out to the "opposition" so I feel obligated to point it out to those who I agree with. That's all.

baylie,

Thanks – I see that you read the link and I would expect that anyone who wants a better understanding of the data, questions asked, sampling technique, etc. would follow the link and read the report. If I didn’t publish a link I should expect many questions.

Dennis, Columbus, Ohio

baylie,

Thanks – I see that you read the link and I would expect that anyone who wants a better understanding of the data,

You have too much faith in some people, Dennis;) Again, did not mean to come on so strong. I meant it as a discussion but I forget that the written word sometimes can "sound" different than a spoken word.

I enjoy reading your posts. Have a great day!

Dennis, when will people like you understand why insurance companies deny preexisting conditions? The same reason that healthcare costs will be a lot higher for the honest people that pay in to the system. I am not saying there are not cases that should not be denied. Here is what will happen to obamas and the dems healthcare with preexisting conditions not being denied. Let's say you are 22 years old, a decent job, middle class. You decide that you will pay the few hundred dollars in penalties and not pay the premiums for getting healthcare. Let's say years down the road when you reach about 50, you get a catastrophic illness that will take tens or hundreds of thousand in dollars to cure. After 28 years of paying a few hundred dollars a year, you now walk in to the insurance office and say "I want your best plan, no deductibles, no copays". They have to be covered. Who pays for years of not paying the premiums? You and I, the honest people. If you can't see this happening, it is very sad and closed eyed.

Mark-384387

Dennis, when will people like you understand why insurance companies deny preexisting conditions?

I wonder how quickly you would change sides if you or your child developed this darn pre-existing condition and was sentenced to death by the insurance company so that you would not cut into their profits (that CEO might want another Rolex!).

Most insurance claims are paid for by your employer.

Insurance companies only keep track of the billings and payments for said companies.

An individual company with about 350 employees can expect to pay out of pocket over a million dollars to doctors, hospitals, dentists and Chiropractors each year. This comes directly out of their profits and can result in loses for the year.

I think people get a little confused about insurance companies and what they actually do.

Sens. Nelson, Cardin, Brown, McCaskill, andTester write to Biden . . . .

So what exactly is Senators Nelson, Cardin, Brown, McCaskill and Tester's plan to reduce the deficit and reform Medicare? Maybe instead of writing letters about what they do/do_not want to talk about, they should focus their higher level of intelligence on fixing the problems of the country. And what do Senators Nelson, Cardin, Brown, McCaskill and Tester care about what Biden thinks? At last look, the Senate was a separate and equal branch of the government, those five can do anything they want.

"So what exactly is Senators Nelson, Cardin, Brown, McCaskill and Tester's plan to reduce the deficit..."

I'll tell you what it is not:

It is NOT taking from the needy while allowing the wealthy to keep their loopholes/write-offs/deductions/lower (W's) tax rates/perks/"double dipping"/ tax free "record quarterly profits"/no-bid government contracts, etc., etc., etc.

Not as stupid as yo uthink: It is NOT taking from the needy while allowing the wealthy to keep their loopholes/write-offs/deductions/lower (W's) tax rates/perks/"double dipping"/ tax free "record quarterly profits"/no-bid government contracts, etc., etc., etc.

So if they're not for those things, just what exactly is the Senate for?

And lets see the Senate pass a bill. When do you think they'll get around to doing so?

JoAnna,

It was the Republicans that came to the conversation with their statement that everything is on the table to fix the debt and deficit problem. And before those words were completely spoken they added that everything except taxes, Then they said that unless taxes were lowered there would be no start to the discussion. Maybe the Senate can pass a bill when the right stops moving the goal posts every chance they get.

" just what exactly is the Senate for? When do you think they'll get around to doing so?"

1. Fairness and relevant solution.

2. Keep watching, it is going to happen.

vwterry: was the Republicans that came to the conversation with their statement that everything is on the table to fix the debt and deficit problem. And before those words were completely spoken they added that everything except taxes,

The Democrats in the Senate can amend the FY2012 budget sent to them by the House in any way they see fit. If they want to add taxes to the mix, they are certainly free to do so.

vwterry: Maybe the Senate can pass a bill when the right stops moving the goal posts every chance they get.

The "Right"? Didn't know the Senate was beholden to the "Right". At last look they Democrats had a solid majority in the Senate.

It's quite clear vw that the Senate doesn't want to backup their tax increase rhetoric with any legislation. To do so would require them to tax not just the "rich" (there just isn't enough of them) but in fact the middle-class, and there are a lot of votes to lose when legislating a middle-class tax hike. So the Senate continues this little game of writing letters, waiting for Biden to come up with something, waiting for the Gang of Six, ehh, Gang of Five to produce something, or maybe Obama might come up with something new seeing his FY2012 was shot down 0-97. The Senate has been known as the Worlds Greatest Deliberative Body. It's turned into a bunch of cowards.

And let's not forget gang that the Senate has a duty to pass a budget every year. It's the law.

So why does Reid continue to ignore the law?

Perhaps because many of the dem senator are also against tax raises. Anyone here really thing McCaskill (?) would even consider raising taxes this year? Now way, no how.

"The Democrats in the Senate can amend the FY2012 budget sent to them by the House in any way they see fit. If they want to add taxes to the mix, they are certainly free to do so."

And I can just hear the screams of "Rammed down our throats" ringing from the obvious who have posted that sentiment for the past 2+ years.

You are correct when you say there are not enough rich to tax to solve the problem but there are not enough cuts to be made that would solve it either. A rational solution will come from compromises that will ultimately result in a combination of both.

I think most REASONABLE people can agree that all tax loopholes need to be closed. I would even go so far as saying the mortgage interest deduction for homes over 1/2 million dollars should be done away with. We do need to do away with Obama's tax cuts for the wealthy for people making over 1 million dollars not 250,000. We probably could cut the defense budget to some extent, close some (not all) of the bases over seas in Germany, Korea and England. There are certainly some bases that could be closed in the U.S. But in return, there must be cuts in medicare and social security. Democrats must agree to cut welfare benefits. Funny most of the people here are so busy claiming that republicans won't compromise, that they overlook the fact that democrats won't compromist either. Everyone must compromise and people have to stop running around screaming "don't touch the entitlements" I would really like to know what the senate plan is.

kr, how if 60 % of your income for paying in to taxes? Is that enough? How much is enough in taxes? Please, I can never get the liberals to state how much is enough in taxes. Just that they need to pay more. Do you know that 47% of Americans pay zero in federal income taxes? That's right, ZERO! Is that a fair share? Do you know that a majority of these people get a federal income tax refund through the earned income tax credit? Who gets hammered? The middle class like myself. I am sick and tired of hearing people say "don't touch it", "raise taxes". Well, I am middle class and am fed up with paying more in taxes so others can benefit. Let's take college. I will have two kids in college this fall. My wife and I make less than $100,000. If you rich, you have the money to pay for college. If you are poor, the government pays for the college. Where do they get the money? From people, like me with taxes. The less fortunate are riding on my dime. My family has to come up with almost $25,000 in money out of our pocket or take loans out to pay for the two kids college. Can any of you say this is fair? The less fortunate should not have any less in loans than what I have to take out. This is part of the reason that college tuition is so high. 20,000 students for 5,000 openings. I pay enough in taxes and am sick and tired of hearing tax more out of liberals and socialists, mouths. I am sick and tired of paying for others to do nothing and benefit off of my money. I am sick and tired of the federal government taking and taking. If you like socialism so well, please go to Europe. Wait!! They are now finding out that their socialist ways of taxing and giving to the lazy is not working and warning us about doing the same thing.

Wow Mark...

" How much is enough in taxes?"

How about we allow everyone to earn a bare living - say $15,000/year for each member of the household - tax free, and tax EVERYTHING above that amount @ 15-18%. Would you fee that is more fair than what we have now? Would you be satisfied with that amount and tax? Would those with the $250,000 + incomes? Probablly not; I can hear the squealing now, "$15,000/year won't pay for my pool maintenance - how do they expect me to live on that?" The unfortunate fact, however, is that there are alot of American citizens (not to even mention aliens living here) who would be very happy to earn $15,000/yr tax free for every member of their home and are willing to work hard to get it. But by your own numbers, 47% are currently BELOW the poverty line! It all amounts to the situation we are in and what we get used to - that is what puts some (like our public servants) "out of touch" with others (who are not so fortunate) and causes dissention among the classes. That is fact.

I believe we would do well to practice the "golden rule" and develop empathy for those not in our immediate social circles; do even better when our government officials do this too.

Of course, that means NO reduction of entitlements, benefits or programs until the playing field is leveled. In other words, get the priorities in order and do not take from those who are least able to afford it UNTIL collecting more from those who can. Pretty simple and more fair in my opinion.

NASASU... I believe we would do well to practice the "golden rule"

You may want to more clearly define "golden rule". The baggers could care less about others; much less "do unto others..." LOL. They are typically religious in nature when it comes to judging others. They draw a line in the sand when it infringes upon their money.

Well said. I would have jumped at the chance to do this even five years ago and I am 59. This point always gets missed. Unfortuantely, it is not that clean an isuee ...The issue is how to fund the current folks in transition unitl the younger folks can take advantage of this.

patHuntingtonNY

they should eliminate all entitlements....with the extra cash in our paychecks from not having to pay payroll taxes, we can use that money to fund even bigger retirement accounts, pay for long term care insurance, and retirement insurance.

and it would be a matter of time before the big insurance companies would start raising premiums so that most cannot afford them...especially those who would be a high risk (read cutting into profit). If you give 100% of power to the private sector, you will find out that with no competition all you are left with is oligarchy.

If the rates were so high that no one could afford the coverage, what benefit would that be to the insurance company? When no one is purchasing the coverage, the insurance company would go out of business or another company would enter the market and cause lower rates.

forrestoak

And the democrats never use fear as a tool to get their way.

.................................................................

You mean like Obamacare, Mediscare, Death Panels, The Job Killing..fill in the blank....Bill, Rationing health care, etc. You mean stuff like that? Ooops, that was the repubs.

The do nothing Dmocrats in Congress are jumping at the chance to do exactly that! ... and then watch our coutnry go down the drain from debt!

Fed up

Our country has been so close to the drain because of all the Republican policies. Why is it anyone would support Ryan`s plan? It would be reneging on a promise that if we paid in we would have this in return. We had to suck it up when the banksters were baled out, and still received their bonus`s because they were promised. We deserve the same. We need to send a message to Washington that they work for all the people not just the rich.

Bearing in mind that $10 Trillion of the $14 Trillion in debt we presently have was incurred by Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43. The $4Trillion Obama incurred was necessary to prevent an economic collapse.... caused by the incompetence of George W. Bush and the republican party.

We could ease that debt considerably by simply bringing tax rates to the levels they were at when Bush took office and pulling our troops out of both Iraq and Afaghanistan.

Heck, we live so much longer now (which is way longer than when all these programs were established) because of medical advances, and the cost of these medical marvels is what is driving the system into bankrupsy! So under the current system, we will likely get back so much more than we actually paid into the system... and those that did not work for living and have been living off the dole for years will continue to get equal benefits for nothing. The issue is that we need to refine the system to bring it back into a financially supporting state. So if that is not the Ryan Plan, what is the plan? What is reasonable? Entitlements are killing our Nation's finanical stability. The endless game of pointing fingers at who did or did not create this mess is a not worth the effort it takes to type your comments. I want solutions and not just giving the government more money! That just allows the government to spend more money instead of living within its budget! Be part of the solution and not part of the problem! Everything has to be on the table!

Life expectancy in America has jumped a whopping 7 years
since Medicare was enacted, from 71 to 78.

Did Medicare have anything to do with that increase? Just asking !

Everyone is aware that medicare isn't free right. Once you retire and start drawing your social security check that your medicare payment is deducted from that check right. Its not like its free or anything.

Janet,

Thanks – People should also understand the Prescription Drug Plans (part D) and supplemental Medical Plans aren’t free either. For many seniors these costs alone, without copays and deductibles, account for 10+% of their monthly SS income.

Barb, what policies? Please elaborate. We have been warned by China, Japan, Europe, our economists to stop spending. We have been warned by Moody's and S & P to stop spending and bring our deficits under control or downgrade our credit rating. The only reason that it has not been so far, is because we are the United States. Any other country would have been downgraded by now. The reason they are cautioning us now, is that there is uncertainty that we can pay the debt and deficit. The continual policies of the dems with spend more and tax more is bankrupting us. If something is not done, 20 years down the road, you will have almost no Medicare, Medicaid, SSI and other entitlements. That is the dems and liberal plans. I hope you and the other liberals are still alive when this happens. You can not wait until a year or so before they go bankrupt before doing anything. That is what happened to the mortgage crisis just a few months after barney frank, maxine waters, and other dems stated that the financial market was sound. Let's do the dems plan and do nothing and then have nothing, then tax more to have nothing.

No Groucho -- you are not missing anything. Smaller government is one of the answers.

Ben-636050

No Groucho -- you are not missing anything. Smaller government is one of the answers.

And the least ranked; Ben!!!

Intersting comment. I think most people would be amazed at how many non-seniors take benefits from the current programs that were originally set up to benefit seniors. This whole area is ripe for review and realignment.

Groucho

I agree with that, so many government agencies need to be combined to make things run more efficiently, but then the crooks that set it up this way won`t be able to pinch off the top so much.

Fed Up Senior-3530222

Intersting comment. I think most people would be amazed at how many non-seniors take benefits from the current programs that were originally set up to benefit seniors. This whole area is ripe for review and realignment.

Um, you're right; that would be mostly the redundancy in billings of unscrupulous, professional shysters who commit fraud.

Wives, elderly, widows, and dependent survivors are entitled to those benefits. The Social Security Act protects both workers and their families from hardship---and this includes wives, husbands, children and ex-spouses

So how, pray tell, would you be so surprised?

Well that would be like universal health care or a single payer system now wouldn't it, wow good idea wonder why nobody ever thought of that.

Beverly,

A person who is 45 dies and his/her spouse is entitled to Medicare or is that not what you are saying? Social Security and Medicare are two different things....unless you are not talking about Medicare.

Doing the same is what will bring down our medicare, medicaid, and SSI, wether people like it or not. Status quo will cause millions of people to be dropped and less fortunate to stay on. For any of you liberals, please explain what you would do? I keep hearing out of people that they had not better touch it. This attitude will cause it to go insolvent. You can not just tax more to keep it.

@Lunchbox -- The response to your statement and question (the silence is deafening) is why the American people will see through and demand solutions rather than rants and raves on what is wrong with proposals. Those who say they know what is not right will not say what is will not be tolerated this go around.

This part of the Ryan Plan will not take place for10 years,can we hold off that long, I don't think so.Start consoladating ,YES.

Ben,

Its amazing, isnt it? Not a single rebuttal. Ridiculous comments such as,"There is plenty on the table, just not Medicare!" Like what? Medicare, Social Security, payments on the debt, and Defense are the single largest chunk of the budget. Everything, INCLUDING, SS and Medicare HAS to be discussed. Id be willing to entertain taxing "rich" people more if the left would actually propose rational and equal cuts across all entitlement programs as well as defense spending.

Social Security and Medicare are NOT entitlements!!!! People pay in their entire working lives and continue to pay in when they retire. The republicans call them entitlements to give them a negative connotation, to make you think of welfare.

Medicaid and Welfare are entitlements!!!! This all comes from the government.

The democratic plan was medicare for all--it would put more money into the medicare fund, everyone would be covered to some degree and insurance companies would still be in business as there still would be a need for supplemental insurance (since medicare only pays 80%), dental, vision, long term care etc.

Unfortunately the republicans would not go for that and fought and lied for over a year to make sure of it (you know that year it took for healthcare reform to be "shoved down our throats")

Andie,

Please explain to me why the federal government should be in the business of providing health care and retirement money for people? Where exactly in the Constitution is the legislature granted the power to force citizens to pay into this bloated safety net system that is very redundant and inefficient?

ANdie

All citizens are eligible for Medicare whether they have ever worked or not, so it is indeed and entitlement that is partially funded by payroll taxes of the working population. Additionally, if you will do some research you will see that most (if not all) citizens that live to be 80 will use much more $ in medicare benefits than they paid in over their working lives.

Social security is less of an entitlement, because you have to pay in to be eligible, but once you start drawing benefits it is very likely that you will be paid much more in social security payments than was deducted from your payroll checks while you worked. Thus the view of it as an entitlement programs as well.

You are correct that the Democrats said they would put more money into the Medicare fund, they just didn't say where that money was coming from; that my friend is the lack of a plan rather than a plan

The ACA took $500B out of Medicare and said that improvements would be made to the system through the "elimination of fraud and waste", again without details this is not a plan, but rather campaign rhetoric.

dont bet on it. these snakes know how to really play the game, and are just hedging their bets. if you get rid of brown, who is going to go on MSDNC and call the oposition hitler and stalin?

vs two republicans.

Thanks for reminding us that Coburn packed up his crayons and WALKED OUT!

Why didn't another Republican step up? Just asking.

Why didn't another Republican step up? Just asking

Excellent question! Maybe one of the conservatives around here would care to answer...

they had to go hold hearings on why the government is telling Boeing which state it can build another airplane manufacturing plant.

mitch j

1. put people on the dole, enforcing complete dependency\

My 90 yr-old grandmother who worked over 70 years depends on her $800 a month SS check and her Medicare. It's not propaganda, it's reality.

whispering to bayllie:

her money was squandered decades ago, the country is almost bankrupt, there is no money.

So? What's your point, Mitch? Ryan's plan is still dead in the water. It was dead in the water as soon as he introduced it, even more dead when every Republican voted for it like ideoligical robots exclaming it was the only way to save the Union.

What a bunch of bunk. Mitch, they have no plan. They have ideology. I laugh my ass off everytime I hear someone like yourself say "if they don't like the plan, come up with one of your own," as if the Ryan plan was a legitimate starting point. It's not. It's a joke that will never pass congress, much less pass the president's desk.

Here's a plan: How about the Republican/TeaBaggers quit wasting our time and money and get something accomplished, something the American people are in favor of endorsing, instead of this bunk of a bill that the vast majority considers just that, bunk.

Oh and by the way, Mitch, bunk is another way of saying bull@!$%#. As in cow caca.

I can't wait until 2012 election, when the American electorate stands up and says to the Republican/TeaBaggers, "Please, just go away. And take your lies with you."

mitch j

whispering to bayllie:

her money was squandered decades ago, the country is almost bankrupt, there is no money.

So mitch, we pay into the system, let the presidents rob the piggy bank blind and it becomes grandma's problem?

We cannot even talk about the fact that Bush2 finished off whatever was left because the past is the past?

We are supposed to keep givinf tax breaks to the top 2%?

The Social Security Act specifies that the monies in the fund may "be invested in securities backed by the full faith and credit of the Federal government," such as treasury bills, treasury notes, and treasury bonds, as well as special issue bonds. So, essentially, the government can "invest" Social Security funds by lending them to itself, then spending that money on programs not related to Social Security (e.g., defense, foreign aid, education). This has always been the case.

"Medicare does not need to be cut, much less ended. Eradication of fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement by politicians, health plans, medical groups, and special interests would fund medically necessary health care for all Americans."

AGREED!! Demonstration of mismanagement at the pinnacle!

Time to fire those who will not/can not effectively do the job and hire those who can.

Dr. Finney

Thank you for this post, I agree don`t throw medicare out manage it better, as all agencies follow the money trail it usually has the most flaws at the top.

Dr. Finney,

You mention the cost curve being bent by all of the politicians, bureaucrats and physicians. I don't see that you mention insurance companies. Are the insurance companies the bureaucrats to which you refer?

Mitch, cut the crap. "Redistributionists." Mitch you cling to these new slogans as if they were handed down by the Allmighty. They weren't. And frankly, Mitch, you sound like a lock-step ideologue robot when you use a word like "redistributionists." In other words Mitch, folks cease to take you seriously, not unlike Joe The Plumber. He became an old joke.

Try and stay relevant, Mitch.

That is just what the repugnants are doing Mitch.

Barb, the only problem with liberal redistributionists is: when they themselves are finally loaded into the railcar, their recognition of its folly is too late.

Mitcvh, I thought your comment was a joke until I realized you do seem to be serious, if that is the case, you does right disgust me.

Mitch, once again, try and stay relevant.

Robert they don`t need it anyway they know to steal it as soon as they get into office, that is why they can say and do anything they want without worry or shame. They already got theirs, and to heck with you. These knuckleheads are able to lie, cheat, and steal for the rest of their lives without consequences because they make up the rules as they go. Of course they also pardon each-other too. I`m getting angry I gotta go.

surecaseofamnesia - Apparently you know nothing about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints also know as the Mormon Church. They aren't polygamists, don't have a promise of virgins in Heaven. They are conservative Christians that are hard working, decent people who believe in home, family, community. They are well-mannered, well educated, productive members of society and loyal American citizens. You know not of what you post and sound like an ignorant biggot. I'm a democrat, but I hate illiterate and unintelligent attacks on people and religions you know nothing about.