But that's the Republican mantra, Seeking Sanity.

Romney and the GNOP want to ELIMINATE:

Medicare

Social Security

Medicaid

Birth Control

Path to Citizenship for foreigners

Romney would also like to eliminate public schools, but he hasn't quite figured out how he can do that yet. But give him time.

Romney and the GNOP have aligned against Women, seniors, minorities and anyone earning less than $250,000 a year. Should be an easy win for them {Snark Off}

Medicare is a wonderful example of low-cost effective government-run program, that Republicans have hated.

The typical Republican't talking point is to introduce market mechanism into Medicare, making it a voucher program...so that vultures such as Romney and banksters from Wall Street can make more obscene profits and throw your mama under the train.

"He plans to turn Medicare into a voucher program.

Come on Granny - get in line to grab your GROUPON while you're dining on Fancy Feast!

Willard has fully embraced Ryan's "marvelous" budget plan with both arms in a tight embrace...

I wondered how long it would take for President Obama to make sure seniors know what Romney has in store for them

Just wait until AARP gets on the train...

Let's get this party started... shall we?

Republicans have acted as if the rest of us are idiots, when they talk about how the 'perfect' market can perform magic for medicare, when we have been suffering from the Great Recession, when former Enron employees have lived in their fearful deprived life, when new revelations show that JP Morgan lost billions of dollars in predatory banking.

What an unbelievable campaign event the president just finished.

Tremendous tremendous amount of outpouring of love shown by these folks for their president. If you haven't seen his speech, please do.

It was fantastic!

When corporations run programs, they want to make sure they earn profits, often resorting to predatory practices, remember Enron, JP Morgan, WorldCom?

This emphasis on profits raises costs on the programs corporations run. The cost will sooner or later be paid by consumers.

Then, there is the X-factor of market going up and down, unpredictable.

That's the problem with Republican plan for medicare - Republicans want to give medicare program to corporations - market mechanism and a voucher program, and all the BS (Bad System).

What an unbelievable campaign event the president just finished.

Wasn't it! AMAZING?

Republicans are interested in one thing and one thing only - money. This is what Romney is running on. He doesn't care about the lies he spews, he doesn't care who has health insurance, educations or jobs. And he doesn't care how unhinged the right has become. The Republican Party are all one now.

He doesn't even care about the voter suppression going on all around us. He is now one of them.

I was so happy to see the warm welcome President Obama received today. He's getting warm welcomes everywhere he goes. He should. He has worked hard for us.

The Romneys evidently don't work at all.

President Obama is a genuine good man, that much we are very sure of. That is why he got that warm reception and all the affection.

On the contrary, Romney is an unknown, to say the least. Romney is aloof, seeming like a person with something terrible to hide, such as bullying a gay classmate with hair-raising haircutting.

Poor ol' Spanky.

If a liberal says something good about Obama they are "idol worshipping" in his opinion.

When a con says something good about Mitt what is the difference? {other than a lie}

Obama has more love for his fellow Americans than Romney ever had or ever will. Romney is the epitomy of the republican party: "I've got mine, you figure out a way to get your's without hampering mine".

Romney was 65 in March.

My husband will be 65 in October. It is MANDATORY: two or 4 months

before, your 65th birthday you sign up for MEDICARE.

It becomes effective the month you turn 65.

Wonder how it is working for Romney?

Liberals want to liberate you (or restore your LIBERTY/freedom) from the mess that cons (conservatives) have put you in. Examples include - FDR during Great Depression, Obama during Great Recession, Clinton during Bush Recession (doh! Obviously all the Bushes do best is causing recessions.)

donna426, You are either delusional or a typical con liar.

Why don't you give all of us a few examples of what there is in the Affordable Healthcare Act that would kill anyone? Can't come up with that many? Okay, how about one?

Now if you want to talk about a politician who's thought process could lead to the death of others let's look no further than Romney. By taking away Medicare and other services that seniors have, some people actually could not afford to receive the care they desperately need and that actually could lead to death.

You and others like you need to clean up your sick minds. For a bunch of people who are supposed to be bible worshipping conservatives, you show no kindness toward your fellow man. Instead of having the book in a closet somewhere in your abode, try reading the thing.

Read up on CRC Health Group, which was taken over in a leveraged buyout by Bain Capital when Romney was at the helm.

If you want to know what Romney can do for free-market healthcare, you need look no further. Former staffers and patients at CRC-owned facilities experienced a serious decrease in quality of care after Bain took over. "It was all about the money, not the patients" said one former employee.

Bain's acquisition was viewed as a great success story by investors, because of course Romney and Bain "turned it around" and increased profits. But the people who worked there and the patients who were treated there have a somewhat different view...

hey fat guy,

It's obvious by now that cutting taxes for the rich did not create jobs and the war in Iraq was a huge unnecessary burden on the US tax payer. There’s a huge chunk of the national debt right there.

From 2000 to 2007, the United States lost one in five (3.5 million) middle-class jobs. A majority of the new jobs created in the United States under Bush pay extremely low wages at less than $18,000 a year, usually without benefits. This is with corporate profits at an all time high since 1960. The 2005 CBO data show that changes in law enacted since January 2001 increased the deficit by $539 billion in 2005. In the absence of such legislation, the nation would have a surplus that year. In 2010, when all the Bush tax cuts were finally phased in, a staggering 52.5 percent of the benefits went to the richest 5 percent of taxpayers.

President Bush and his supporters argued that high-income tax cuts would benefit everybody because they would unleash investment that would spark widespread economic prosperity.

Never happened.

What about the endless sloganeering against "regulations" by the Republican Party? Republicans like to call regulations "job killing". I admit the phrase is heart breaking and disparagingly clever, but the fact of the matter is that regulations create jobs and ultimately support the general welfare of all the people of our country.

Look at it this way: If you have Social Security, Medicare, the right to vote, the right to an education, a clean park or a lake near you or an FDIC insured place to put your money. If you were given a disability check or a wheel chair ramp into the store you buy your food, if you like safe bridges, clean drinking water, clean air and a nontoxic environment, if you feel safe when you fly, or eat out, or give your child a toy, then it's time you give liberals and "regulations" the credit they deserve.

See the bigger picture here is that the Romney campaign and Republicans in general, have no policy positions to offer other than that of the tired rhetoric that, "tax cuts and deregulation" are the answer to the problems with our economy.

Romney's problem is he can't talk about his business or political career because his hard core Republican voting base will realize he is responsible for things they despise. The mandate for insurance and the off-shoring of jobs are all part of Romney's past.

Romney is in a bit of a pickle

Romney told Americans to look at his experience at Bain as proof of him being better on the economy. That turned out to be a bad idea. Now he wants Obama to apologize for using the Bain off shoring of jobs against him? Please, if the shoe was on the other foot, do you really think that would happen? No.

Question for Mitt "Let Detroit Fail" Romney:

How is a giving tax cut to a Wall Streeter who peddles exotic financial derivatives and stashing the moneys in tax havens creating jobs for America?

Medicare can be saved if adjusted but no one wants to recognize the fact that it needs adjusted in the first place due no action on budgets, runaway spending by Federal governement, and pretty much incompetitence in the Senate leadership for the past three in half years. No Balanced Budget Amendment passed even though put in Harry Reids lap so Medicare suffers for it. It will not be as bad as advertized though. It is the same with Social Security. ALL politicians are to blame for this. In Obama's words, "There is enough blame to go around." We Americans are in a hell hole of an economic crisis because of BIG GOVERNMENT policies and lack of urgency or maybe lack of caring from both parties.

Push Grammy down the stairs Mitt?

With Romney you gotta think Edward G. Robinson at the end of Soylent Green.

Is that Beethoven's 6th I hear?

President Obama talking about THIS is important. The people of Florida ARE LISTENING. I overheard a heated conversation about this tonight when myself and my two elderly Aunts were out to dinner in a Ocala Florida restaurant. We were laughing about it, because one elderly gentleman was spouting OFF ABOUT JOBS WE NEED JOBS, and the other Senior was saying "The Republicans have yet to come up with a JOBS PLAN, and if Romney gets elected it will directly EFFECT OUR MEDICARE"..........Shut the Romney FAN right up.

My two elderly Aunts, are voting Democratic, because they are BOTH on SS and Medicare, and it is all they have..........If it was changed to a voucher program they KNOW they would both be in HUGE financial trouble........... Really happy to see Obama bringing forth this line of talking points, they are VERY IMPORTANT in Florida.

Do you see the large crowd Obama draws?

Clapping and cheering for him.

Obama 2012

There is no "there" with Romney, just as there is no "there" there with the entire GOP. Just stop and listen to them. They talk about nothing except throwing out the "real American" or "socialist" or "commie" code words. It's all they have.

I never forgot the story told to me by a co-worker. There was some sort of fundraiser for Romney; he was running for MA governor. And when it was over, everybody agreed on one thing. There was nothing behind Romney's eyes. He was just blank. No substance or character.

That is not who we want as our president. Look @ what he is doing with this tax issue. He has so little regard for us that he doesn't feel the need to be up front. Instead he is blaming the Democrats, accusing them of the possibility of making an issue out of his tax returns. Is he serious? His own son called for the president's birth certificate.

When a person or a party cares only about money, there is very little else they can contribute for a better society.

For the money isn't for our nation, it is for themselves.

So they have no answers except to throw out our president, who has a quite different point of view. He is a threat to them, the aristocrats. People like our president are always a threat to them, and have been for centuries.

They care not for the sick, the elderly, the poor nor the working and middle classes. It used to be that they didn't care for the poor or the minorities. But they have gotten beyond greedy.

Now they care for no one but themselves.

That is why whenever Romney gives a speech he gets such a huge backlash because he doesn't offer anything concrete. Don't people understand? There is no "there" there. He's incapable of saying anything of substance.

That goes for most of the Republicans. They are only answerable to their money handlers and aren't interested in jobs or educations or anything of substance.

They have been bought. A long long time ago.

As Barney Frank said, there is a real meaness to Romney.

It's true.

Rom Nut dosn't have to worry about Medicare This is off the subject some what BUT THIS IS WHY

Americans have every right to assume that Mittens is hiding something
embarrassing or illegal. Republicans urge Romney to release more tax
returns while wondering what secrets he’s trying to keep. And the campaign’s attempt to explain how and when Romney left Bain Capital — he’s supposed to have “retired retroactively” at some unspecified date — has become an instant punch line and joke.

Romney has made a totally unreasonable claim: Romney denied any responsibility for outsourcing and job cuts at companies Bain owned or controlled after he left to run the Winter Olympics in 1999.

This is an absurd position to take. Romney has boasted of his prowess at creating jobs by pointing to successful companies in which Bain invested, such as Staples. But much of this growth took place after 1999. Romney was trying to take credit for post-departure successes but not for failures. Bain Capital’s purpose wasn’t to create jobs anyway; it was to create wealth for Mittens.

He then tried to insist on another ridiculous proposition, which is that he left Bain suddenly and completely in 1999. THIS CANNOT POSSIBLY BE TRUE. Romney was Bain Capital — chairman, chief executive and sole stockholder. There is no way he could have disentangled himself from the firm so abruptly. As late as 2002, Bain’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission list Romney as chairman, chief executive and
sole stockholder.

If you look at Romney’s signature on those documents and listen to what he’s been saying you have to conclude that either he lied to the SEC or he’s lying now.

Flip Flop has spent the better part of a decade running for president. Did it never occur to him that if he ever won the nomination, there would come a time when he was under pressure to release multiple years’ worth of tax returns? Did he think everyone would forget that it was his own father, George Romney, who set the modern standard for financial disclosure? Did he not recall that when he was being considered for the vice presidential nod four years ago, he furnished tax returns spanning more than two decades to John McCain’s campaign? And McCain didn’t pick him WHY?

Clearly he knew the subject would come up. The only reasonable conclusion
to draw is that Romney believes that while stonewalling on his taxes may cost him some support, releasing them would cost him more.

If Romney is trying to hide something, what is it? Could there have been more offshore accounts? Might Romney have made some kind of
profitable —bet against the U.S. economy? Did he lie on his taxes? – A felony. Did he lie to the SEC? - A felony

There should be an immediate investigation into Romney by the IRS and SEC

Gee I miss George W. Bush

Really? So you like unfunded wars started on lies and squandering of a budget surplus? Bush was a guy that rogered you and all of us for eight years. Despite what FOX tells you, he's the reason we're still not out of this mess yet. But you dumba$$es want to put a carbon copy of him in the White House again? Not gonna happen. People are smarter than you think. Romney = loser.

ido Was your head exploding from fake outrage as you were typing post. Why the fake anger? Look out the sky is falling and your right underneath it.

"Look Florida, Romney's plan will cut your medicare, but my plan will cause your money to be worthless in five years. Take your pick, do you want me to give you steak now and nothing later, or continue with Romney to eat hot dogs and hamburgers with a chance to eat steak again? Take your pick."

----Obama

Haaa HHaaaaa You didn't build that!!!!!!

art, what 500 billion would you be refering to? Can't seem to ferret it out.

Witchrunner, I call B.S.

Jeffery,

art, what 500 billion would you be refering to? Can't seem to ferret it out.

Art is talking about the 500B that POSOTUS cut medicare in order to pay for "Part Of" "OBAMA CARE"

Look it up.

Lib'dToDeath

Most of you idiots fail to realize that the audience he is speaking to would not even be affected by the Ryan plan.

This is part of the Republican plan to retain the senior voting block. They only intend to screw those who have not yet reached Medicare age. Why would responsible Americans vote for a bunch of politicians who want to make the lives of future generations worse? Apparently they expect all voters to act as they do ...... selfishly.

As an moderate independent I'm about tired of the GOP insulting my intelligence.

Does Romney not realize that his presidential campaign started when he sought nomination for the GOP? Dem's might not of kept up but independents have been watching the entire GoP primary. We saw the infighting, the "I'm more conservative then you" battles. Did he just expect us to forget everything we saw prior to his "new" message during the general election?

While I'm not a liberal they currently have my vote this election, unless Romney can do a major about face and become a moderate, something that the Republicans hate and would of lost him the nomination. You can't be an ultra conservative for the primary and a moderate conservative for the general election, doesn't work and comes of fake as hell.

It's times like these that I wish Olympia Snow would of run, she would of had my vote.

ROGLMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!

It's times like these that I wish Olympia Snow would of run, she would of had my vote.

Yet, your not a liberal? That's funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

God Bless you President Obama for being my President, and therefore Ruler, Master, and Overlord of all those Republicans and Teabaggers for the Next four (yes! 4) very Long years.

So Mitt Romney, what are you really Hiding in your "Lost Books of the Mormon Bible" Tax-Returns? Lies and more lies? Location of your Hidden Swiss Bank accounts? Those Slush-Funds where you Laundry all your ill-gotten income through your phony Cayman Island shell companies? Maybe proof-positive of shady financial dealings with some Middle-East-Terrorist-Groups? Are we getting warm?

The above is why this once proud Republican is encouraging all my Republican friends, Ron Paul supporters, and all you Undecided voters to Vote a straight Democratic ticket come this November 2012.

It'll be Fun plus it's the Right thing to do. Let's send Mitt Romney and his Republicans back to the "Dung Heap of History" where they rightfully belong.

ps. Is this a Great post, or what?

SeekingSaintly: Plans are fluid and always changing, however, as I understand Romney's present plan it will not have any effect on those presently receiving Social Security or Medicare. This is an Obama scare tactic -- "you are going to be stripped of your benefits" No one presently getting benefits will have to pay $0.01 more. I believe Romney's proposal, like Ryan's is prospective and will affect only those below a certain age. Under Ryan, I believe that was age 55. I admit that I don't know what Romney's cut off age is bu it is probably the same.

Obama -- tell the truth and First Read print the story accurately. It is quite apparent that you have used careful phraseology designed to give those over 65 the wrong impression. Try to present the news clearly and forget the deception.

Yet, your not a liberal? That's funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Umm ... you may have missed the train ... buy Olympia Snow as a moderate Republican who often mediated and acted as a diplomat between the two parties. She easily won every one of her reelection campaigns. This is a very loved and respected women in Maine, a small swing state. She left the GOP due to the excessive bickering, black balling and unwillingness to compromise.

This is a Republican I'm speaking about, not a Democrat.

Now her seats up for grabs and Mainers hate extremists and radicals. Your not going to get an ultra conservative Republican elected in Maine (both Representatives are moderate Democrats). The governor was a fluke who got elected mostly due to this reputation and is now having to deal with the fact that his fellow Mainers do not like extremest rhetoric.

So thanks to the GOP's excessive hate, there will most likely be a moderate Democrat elected to one of Maine's senate seats, something that doesn't happen often. There have only been three Democrat senators in the past 50 years.

So tell me again how exactly I'm a "liberal"? I'm definitely not a "conservative", and I guess in your "with me or against me" world that makes me the enemy.

That is why Obama will win again this fall. Not due to some great public speaking (although he is good at that) or some amazing ability. No he'll win because the GOP has alienated every moderate independent voter. We are the ones who decide elections. Liberals / Democrats vote for Democrats, Conservatives / Republicans vote for Republicans. Its the independents who swing the election one way or the other. Thanks for demonizing us.

More information to prove my point.

As it looks now, it seems the race is between the Democratic Candidate Cynthia Dill and the Independent Moderate Angus King. The GOP is a distant third in that race. And seeing as King tends to side with Democrats on many (but not all) issues, he will most likely win. So the GOP just lost 1 guaranteed seat and the Dem's gained a seat half the time.

And just to demonstrate how sure Snowe's reelection would of been.

1994 Snowe 60.24% votes
2000 Snowe 68.94% votes
2006 Snowe 74.41% votes

Are you seeing a pattern here. That is how guaranteed her reelection would of been.

The other Senator, Sue Collins is also a Moderate Republican, who like Snowe tends to try to compromise and take a middle ground. She's just slightly more conservative then Snowe but not much.

1996 49.2% votes

2002 58.4% votes

2008 61.5% votes

And I predict that should she decide to go for reelection that she'll easily win the 2014 election.

Yes we like moderates.

Here is another one thrown at you.

http://www.kjonline.com/news/snowe-voices-political-frustrations-in-letter_2012-07-19.html

Voicing some of the frustrations behind her decision to retire, Snowe wrote a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, asking them to "return the Senate to its historic role as the world's greatest deliberative body."

Procedure and process always have been key to the functioning of the Senate, Snowe wrote; but she said recent departures from those normal processes are thwarting the body's ability "to respond to the most profound issues that will dictate the future course of our nation."

"We have an obligation to the American people to demonstrate that we have the capacity to solve these problems at this transcendent time," Snowe wrote. "To do less would be a grave disservice to those who have entrusted us with the public good."

No partisan bickering, no political rhetoric, no political maneuvering. Just telling both party leaders to get their sh!t straight because their failing to do their jobs.

losing ground! new plan lets scare the seniors.

Pigotry..."Medicare is a wonderful example of low-cost effective government-run program, that Republicans have hated."

ROFLMAO!!!!! Please go to an official government web site and find the exact number of how many tens of TRILLIONS of dollars Medicare has in UNFUNDED liability.

(You lose all credibility when you write something that is patently false.)

This may be good politics for Obama, but it's bad for the country.

People need to wake up to our fiscal realities. Even using Obama's own budget projections, Medicare is projected to run around a $6 Trillion deficit in the next 10 years - and it gets worse after that. This is not even remotely sustainable. If we keep with the current course, Medicare will end as we know it because we won't be able to pay for it.

If Dems don't like the Ryan plan, that's fine...but they need to propose a realistic alternative. Until they do, the only real plan out there with any political support is Ryan's.

After yesterday's vote in the senate, it is perfectly clear which side is attempting to promote job growth and which side is attempting to block it. 42 Republican senators voted against forwarding a bill that would eliminate tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas and instead, reward companies that bring jobs back to America with a 20% tax break. It is astounding to me that we are even having this discussion, never mind that elected officials voted to block this measure. Republicans say it is all about jobs, but they vote very differently. I am disturbed by the behavior of republicans as they continually attempt to stall recovery at the expense of the middle class in hopes that if they delay progress long enough, perhaps they can regain power. Yesterday's vote should clear this up in any doubter's mind. Republicans are obstructionists. They have clearly stated their number one priority and it is not jobs, jobs, jobs. It is not the economic recovery. It is not the middle class. It is to harm America and blame Obama. How any real American would want to reward this behavior is beyond me. I simply do not understand how the GOP base finds this behavior acceptable. The bill was paid for and would have encouraged in-sourcing. I guess with Willard Romney's history of outsourcing and his refusal to discuss the matter (in fact he pretends it never happened), I should not be surprised. However, I had hoped that this bill just made too much sense to ignore it's merits. Kentucky McConnell stated that his party would not vote to forward the bill without amendments (riders) such as a repeal of the affordable care act. I am very disturbed that this behavior continues even as America is very much aware of past obstructionism. Please do not reward this behavior with your vote. My 5 year old would not get away with these tactics, elected officials should not either.

This is simply too damn funny ! Obama is attacking Romney for what he says Republicans will do, while leaving the door WIDE OPEN for Romney to counter by pointing out what Obama has recently DONE .... GUTTING $500 BILLION FROM MEDICARE !!!!!!!!!!!

LOL ! Are you a shameful hypocrite there Mr. President ? Can you tell the truth ... for a change ??

This president is amazing. He has looked the american people in the eye for the last 3+ years and lied directly to their face. Taxes will not go up on the middle class. You can keep your doctor if you like your plan. And so on.

And now he wants to say Romney will hurt Medicare for seniors. But isn't it ObamaCare itself that CUTS $500 BILLION from Medicare? Isn't it Romney that says we should NOT cut $500 Billion and let's make Medicare more efficient?

For all you Obama supporters I get it - You voted for Obama in 2008 to show you were not a racist. But in 2012 you need to vote AGAINST Obama to show you are not an idiot.

President Obama claims that Gov Romney's Medicare plan will "end Medicare as we know it." Doesn't the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) already plan to end Medicare as we know it. So the real choice is Obamacare vs. a Romney alternative. Polls show that Obamacare is unpopular in Florida. Good luck Pres Obama.

Hypocrisy Defined: All the Libs on this thread and elsewhere demonize the Republicans for wanting to fix Medicare to make is solvent. A noble cause.

Barack Obama and his big government control freak Dems come along and GUT Medicare by $500 BILLION DOLLARS to partially pay for (along with HUGE tax increases) their health care boondoggle (which fixes nothing) and the response from the Libs...... wait for it.......... crickets.

Hypocrisy defined.

Feisty: Put down the martinis and, if you can still read, do so, you might learn something including linguistics.

ObumaDoNOTcare is the biggest tax in world History...FACT!!!

No one can afford it.

OMG=== Obama MUST go!!!

Rather than guess what Romney's plans are, the President still owes the public an in depth explanation of what his plan is. The President promised to go over the health care bill, "line by line" with my congressman and that all proceedings would be broadcast on CSPAN. Does anyone know when the broadcasts are scheduled to begin?

When the campaign of a sitting president is "I suck but don't vote for the other guy because he sucks more" you know it is over. When a sitting president cannot look you in the eye and tell you what he has done, what it has accomplished (nothing), and what his plan is for the next 4 years then he is totally useless.

Of course many of us saw how useless he was from the beginning but now it is very clear to anybody with the IQ at least 10 points above a turnip.

But I get it: I understand that many of you voted for Obama in 2008 to prove you were not a racist. But in 2012 you need to vote AGAINST Obama to prove you are not an idiot.

It's amazing how many on the right believe the obvious lies. It's amazing how anybody in this country with enough education to read can support the present average republican. I realize this post is substance-free, but I am just depressed about the lack of clear thinking in America these days.

Hey Old Fat Guy,

Just remember that under the republican plan, your condition (fat, not stupidity) will be considered self induced. Therefore you will not be eligible for coverage, no matter how much you are willing to pay!

And ObamaCare will kill you and bankrupt your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

theotherguy: It appears that you pay too much attention to words and not enough attention to what is actually being done. Yes, Snowe gave that speech. But, look at her actual record. Hardly conservative.

Look at it this way. You are aware that conservatives want a balanced budget and pay down the debt. Liberals want to spend as much as they can. For the last 3 years we've had record deficits because the libs don't want to reduce spending. So, tell me where is there compromise on the part of the dems.? Snowe's idea of compromise is to agree with the dems. Well, we know that the dems idea of compromise is for everyone to agree with them. Why aren't you raving mad about the dems not willing to compromise and bring the deficit under control? Let me tell you in case you don't know. You aren't really an independent. You are a liberal. That's obvious because you only get upset with one side for not willing to compromise. There's no way you can be independent or a moderate if you aren't really pissed at the dems. Obama's plan to solve all problems is to tax those who make more than $250,000. The fact is that doing that won't make a dent in the deficit. You do realize, don't you, that if everyone who pays income taxes pays twice as much as they do now, that the deficit will continue to increase. That's why the cure is cutting spending. Ironically, cutting spending just happens to spend the power of the politicians to control people. Something the dems aren't willing to do.

And thus the real problem reveals itself.

Current Republicans are extremists only. Only the most conservative extremes are allowed in, everyone else is "the devil".

A moderate is someone who isn't extreme, they may follow some aspects of an ideology but do not adhere to all of that ideology. Thus Olympia Snow is a moderate conservative, following many conservative ideas but not all of them. This also makes her a centrist and an ideal person to act as a bridge between parties. Negotiating and compromising to create legislation that is both conservative and liberal. That is the ideal that our country was founded upon.

Just goes to show who hasn't taken civics class, or has since forgotten it. So wrapped up in ideological fanaticism that they've forgotten that anything extreme tends to be bad. Extreme conservatism is bad, extreme liberalism is bad, what you want is a middle group that has parts of both and is thus balanced.

Also remember, Republicans always vote for Republicans, Democrats always vote for Democrats.

I'm a moderate independent any my vote's up for grabs. So far Obama has it but I'm not loyal to any party nor do I follow a political ideology. This means that the GOP actually has a chance of getting my vote, if they can convince me it's in the best interests of my state / nation.

The conservatices on this thread have done a horrible job defining their points, if anything they've pushed me further into the Obama camp by displaying raw ignorance and intolerance. Who wants to vote for the people who call you names and demonize you?

So head up, if your actually serious about your cause behind McCain, then you better learn to talk sensible without political rhetoric. Without slander or calling people names, without insulting people. And definitely without using BS invented facts, those may work amongst your own crowd (liberal / conservative alike) who believe them because they want to. Amongst independents they severely harm your credibility and make you look like a fanatical fool.

By definition, Adler, if you are a "senior"- you'd never be affected by any change in Medicare. The proposal was to make changes to those under the age of 55.

It really should not surprise you that Obama is lying through his teeth about this- this is a man, after all, who lied about his own dying mother's health care coverage- even lied about hearing her argue with her healthcare insurer. Besides the fact that it never happened, he never made it to the hospital she was in before she died.

I guess it's like his jobs council excuse- he was just "too busy".

It really should not surprise you that Obama is lying through his teeth about this

No blo - if you think O is lying, Just read Ryan's plan. Mitten's thinks its marvelous.

Obama/Biden 2012

I guess it's like his jobs council excuse- he was just "too busy".

Like Snookie-Joe getting her jollies today, demeaning people who have to punch a time clock!

Take a break Donna - you're irrational hatred grows tiresome day after day!

PS: Coming from someone who has earned the title as the #1 bull@!$%# artist on FR - you have really deserved a break today!

How can anyone believe that Republicans today are still attacking Medicare, a wonderful program run by government? Republicans have always ignored the overwhelming public support for Medicare. Then you know GOP (gross old Pig) means nonsense. Sometimes you have to wonder why common sense is so hard to triumph here in the US - just look at Pee Potty and their fake outrage.

EVERYONE'S hatred is tiresome here. People, we can disagree WITHOUT being hateful, personall; can we try that?

Hmmm . . . trying to figure out what part of "That particular line of attack is directed at middle-aged voters who will be eligible for Medicare in the next couple of decades" in reference to the $6,400 increase did you miss in the article Ms. no joe?

Or are you claiming that statement is a lie also? If so, can you provide sources? I'd like to see them.

@ Buergermeister

So you never plan to be a senior?

Hey Buergermeister

Your Candidate RomNut is a possibly FELON see my post above

And Old Flip Flop isn't going to the White House Flip Flop may be going-to the BIG HOUSE where this Traitor and Thief belongs

EVERYONE'S hatred is tiresome here. People, we can disagree WITHOUT being hateful, personall; can we try that?

NO! Not until the selfish, me only, teabaggers get over the fact that a man of different skin color and background was elected the 44th President of the United States, is not a "hater" of freedom, or the Constitution, does have the best interest of the nation and it's people in mind, and is trying to move this country forward, then maybe i'll back off. The right is the one who started this and I guess they expected us to be 60's flower children with no will to fight back. They were dead wrong on that one. Being able to disagree without insults would be nice, but everyone knows where nice guys finish.

Hey Tonybeeerm- If you get a chance to borrow the book "A world Tranformed"from your local library you will see why George Bush Sr didn't go into Iraq after Sadam. after he went and tried to take over Kuwait. He states in his co-wrote book after he left office that there would be a heavy civilian death toll, it would be a city ground war and we would lose alot of our military people, the heavy cost to the U.S, it would hurt our standing in the world community and much more. Then years later his son George Bush along with Dick Cheney (who supports Mitt Romney) goes in and attacks the country of Iraq for no reason. Dad Bush had more reason to attack Iraq than his son.

why should the government give money to seniors for medical coverage but not others?

Feisty: Have you been tipping again?

Thanks Adler for letting the younger generation know you could care less how much debt you strap them with, just so you don't get your little world upset.

kraussk

EVERYONE'S hatred is tiresome here. People, we can disagree WITHOUT being hateful, personall; can we try that?

Thanks for at least trying to make this a productive discussion...:-)

If I could only succeed at one thing in life it would be to get people to actually listen to others with different opinions. I'm not saying they need to agree, but it would be great if they would listen and try to understand alternative viewpoints and their underlying intent.

I've got far right and far left friends, and from what I can tell, most people want the same thing - safety and security for family and friends first, and then helping those in need. The right/left have significantly different views on how people are motivated, and therefore their approaches to helping others are often significantly different - but that should not minimize the fact that they are both trying to help others.

Get your answers on the new ACA healthcare from the Government website and not from Lies made up from rt wingers to scare you.

The website is www.healthcare.org

Another website that can help you is the AARP website. WWW.AARP.com

Where is Romneys health care plan? He wants to kill Robamney care and replace it with????????Nothing.

Romney supports the failed Ryan Plan which the catholic church denounces because of the way the Ryan plans hurts the middle class and poor.

Romneys health care plan..."Let them die" Shouted out during repub nominations debates. Romney and friends say "Let them die"

Vote President Obama/Biden 2012

Obama took $500,000,000 out of the Social Security Trust to seed Obamacare. The money is gone.

It has been unbelieveably simple for President Obama to spend but not tax, just run up the debt by trillions. Obama holds tight to his "idea" to stick millionaires with a tax increase. Everybody thinks it would be great to have millionaires pay for everybody. Americans actually believe this is the answer even though there are only enough millionaires to make about a 1% dent in the spending that is going on.

The reality is that in order to afford everything politicians propose to buy, every single worker needs to pay more than double what they have been paying in taxes, and this includes all 128 million working age Americans with jobs. Additionally, the 78,000,000 working age Americans currently not participating need to find employment and pitch in.

Any President needs to assist with jobs.

This is the wiki entry on IPAB or as some like to call it, the "death panel". Whether that is appropriate or not you should make up your own mind but you can start with this:

The Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB, is a fifteen-member United States Government agency created in 2010 by sections 3403 and 10320 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which has the explicit task of achieving specified savings in Medicare without affecting coverage or quality.^[1] Under previous and current law, changes to Medicare payment rates and program rules are recommended by MedPAC but require an act of Congress to take effect. The new system grants IPAB the authority to make changes to the Medicare program with the Congress being given the power to overrule the agency's decisions through supermajority vote.

The IPAB is a group of 15 bureaucrats appointed by the president and approved by congress. What really bothers me is that their decisions can only be overcome by a super majority vote in congress. That is sixty votes in the senate and whatever over half of the house would be at the time and we hear about how that rule sucks from our liberal friends all the time.

Like I said, check it out for yourself. BTW, with Obamacare say goodbye to medicare as we now know it.

Cue video of man pushing grandma over the clif in her wheelchair. Only this time make the man look like Obama instead of Paul Ryan.

Rick: You forget that Obama"s puppet, Harry Reid, can prevent any bill from getting to the Senate floor for a vote as they have been doing all along. We have a dictatorship -- not a Democracy. What's the Congress good for? What happened to our Constitution?

People, have you ever heard that where there is smoke there usually is fire. I haven't done the research but I am willing to say that we must have the most corrupt government in American history. There are so many reasons that this man should not be the President of this country. None of our congressman or senators or even the supreme court will launch a investigation as to Obama's citizenship. Why is this even in question, this was supposed to be proved before he was qualified to run for President. His college records are sealed, his social security number is in question and his place of birth has not been proved. People, when you go to get your drivers license or enroll in school or attend college you have to show your birth certificate. I ask you, why is this information on Obama sealed or covered up. I say again every person in this nations government that has the authority to instigate a investigation into Obama's legimacy to hold the highest office in the United States and does not do so is or has been corrupted into not doing so. They do not deserve to be re-elected and every one of them should be impeached or fired, and if they do not do something about this they are traitors to the United States by knowingly allowing a unqualified person to be in this office.

Please tell me people aren't listening to all of these lies Obama continuously spews...and the liberal media won't call him out!!! If you are going to fear anything...you should fear four more years of this liar!

scott-579755

You start out wrong from the first sentence on. Money was taken or reduced from Medicare, not Social Security. You see, there is no money to take from Social Security, because the only thing in the trust fund are government IOUs adding up to trillions. The cash has been taken out by both parties to fund other things and replaced with government bonds. Now that we are broke in every other way, it would suit some to end Social Secruity by claiming it is broke. It is only broke if we do not honor the Government securities, which, BTW, would get China awfully upset since they hold almost trillion dollars worth of our paper.

The actual reason for ending Social Security and Medicare and other programs we like and use, is because Privarizing them, as we are doing with prisons and other things, will put way more money in the pockets of those already rich. The same goes for Social Security. Ending it puts trillions of our money in banks for them to gamble with. My ass squeezes shut when I think that might happen.

When we think about such things we must realize our government is corrupt. I believe the Right is far more wicked than the Left but they are both pretty much bought and sold.

The GOP would love to privatize medicare, look at the growth potential to make money off the baby boomers. Making money at all costs even if that means milking it out of people on their death bed.

Fact! Conservaturds feel everything should be privatized.

You conserve-a-tard animals--wise up, and keep your greedy and filthy paws off the Medicare. Watch your sick and twisted Glenn-Beck political porn all you want--just don't involve the rest of us. Get help.

Hello Mr President! Sorry to intrude upon your leftist lib and socialist inspired dream world, but Obamacare will hurt and cost us a lot more! As a military retiree, I say thank God for Tri-Care. It has been a God send for me and my wife. Fortunately, it is still sacrosanct thanks to Admiral Mike Mullen's (former Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff) efforts, who told Obama's minions that they could not touch it. They are like a flock of circling wolves foaming at the mouth to get their hands on it!

Chad: Fact-Leftist liberals think they should be entitled to everything for free and own everything! As the saying goes, want to irritate a liberal? Work for a living, be successful and happy!

Obama lies,,, Romney tries

. society stagnates when independent productive achievers are socially demonized and even punished for their accomplishments... Society's most productive citizens refuse to be exploited by increasing taxation and government regulations and go on strike by disappearing [and dropping out of everyday society]."

Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin repudiated his U.S. citizenship right before Facebook's much anticipated IPO this month. While Saverin had already been living in Singapore, dropping his U.S. citizenship allowed him to escape millions of dollars in capital gains taxes that his higher-valued Facebook shares would eventually trigger.

.

Government numbers, according to Bloomberg, show "a record 1,780 gave up their U.S. passports last year compared with 235 in 2008."

…NObama 2012!!!!!!

Ed-NavDoc funny that you think all liberals are not working. I currently own two companies.

What kind of society makes money from peoples poor health?

A Republican society!!!

Chad, if you had bothered to read my post, you have noted that I specifically stated "leftist" liberals. Most liberals I really don't have a problem with. By the way, I am not a Republican so if a barb was intended, it does not mean anything. My apologies if you were offended.

I did read it. Fifty-five is NOT a senior. This proposal would affect NO ONE over that age.

Until when? 2020?

I will take this slowly-

If you are 54 today, and the changes to Medicare were implemented, you would have 11 years- which brings us to 2023- to plan for any extra expense over and above what your Medicare voucher could purchase.

If you are 55 or older today, and the changes were implemented- NOTHING CHANGES FOR YOU.

Now, if the changes are not implemented, things change for EVERYBODY-with really no option to plan- because Medicare is going BROKE. Busted. Flat. Out of gas. Up the creek sans paddle.

Obama telling people over the age of 65 that this plan would impact them is a LIE. A falsehood. Not the truth.

Get it now? Well, actually, you understood it before- but, you are an Obama supporter, so whatever he says, you repeat.

Too bad parrots get to vote.

no jo: I keep thinking there has to be an empathetic human being lurking inside you somewhere.

But you really are just a disagreeable, mean spirited person.

I feel very sorry for you.

But you really are just a disagreeable, mean spirited person.

NDD,

You are giving Snookie waaay too much credit for being human! This broad has to plug herself in every night!

Karma - really is a bitch!

So you are going to believe Romney who is worth about Two Hundred and Forty Seven Million Dollars that people fifty five and over won't have to worry? I have a bridge in Brooklyn I would like to sell you people. Romney and Ryan leading this country would send us over the Cliff in a Year if not less. That Voucher system he talks about wouldn't even buy you an Office visit for a year. And No insurance company would touch it without Enormous Co pays. Get real folks, It has to be Obama again for president.

She owes Amy an apology.

What kind of a person gets his jollies scaring little old ladies and men for political advantage?

Probably the same guy that said it would come "in the form of a mushroom cloud", No Jo.

Enjoying that Union-negotiated teacher's pension there, babe?

I will take this slowly-

No blo -

This of course is only campaign rhetoric. Who knows what Mitten's has in store for us if he gets elected. That's the part that scares me!

Oh, what the hell! He's not going to be elected any, so there's no reason to argue the issue anyway.....

Obama/Biden 2012

Uh, GOP? Do yourself a favor and ignore the Mouse. I will explain this to you once- and once only-

I taught for five years and decided to go back to school for advanced degrees. Couple with that the fact that I was too young to vote for Carter, and you get that

A. I'm not even entitled to a pension;and

B. even if I were, which I'm not, I'm too young to collect one.

Get it now?

Get it now?

Golly gee NoJo,.....you sure talk old. Repeat after me,...."Get off my laaaaaawn!"

Man are you gettin' grumpy!!

That's right,....you are the old dame who sponges off her husband.

Now I know what you do for your pension.

I'm dialed in now. :o)

No jo, Medicare is fixable the way it is. If they can keep various "companies" from trying to milk as much out of it as they can on bogus claims, it would also help.

No one has mentioned that if it was left up to the insurance companies, voucher or no voucher, they wouldn't touch most seniors with the proverbial ten foot pole. We are too old and too expensive to care for or keep alive. They would not sell us insurance. And if forced to insure seniors the premiums would be outragiously expensive.. unless also forced to charge less. If the figure is anywhere near the $6700 more per year...each??.... this senior and many like me are priced out of the market. All the preparations you mention won't change the fact that the money just isn't there..Medicare is a blessing, and isn't free either. But we are covered and they don't kick us out the minute we need a proceedure. I figure that our health costs , insurance, including gap, prescription drug and medications already consume a quarter of our monthly income. And we are way better off than many! Vouchers on the open market ain't gonna cut it!!

Have an idea, let us taxpayers fix the congress/senate pensions and health insurance to make it more like what they want to give us. Their upkeep has gotten way too expensive and the cost have gotten out of hand. We can't afford them anymore.

TO: no joe, no bo, nj who wrote:

"I will take this slowly-

If you are 54 today, and the changes to Medicare were implemented, you would have 11 years- which brings us to 2023- to plan for any extra expense over and above what your Medicare voucher could purchase."

Voucher? Why don't you take that voucher and ..... you know where!

Rather than guess what Romney's plans are, the President still owes the public an in depth explanation of what his plan is. The President promised to go over the health care bill, "line by line" with my congressman and that all proceedings would be broadcast on CSPAN. Does anyone know when the broadcasts are scheduled to begin?

American Girl @3.14: Sounds like you are agreeing with my numerous comments that Obama is an out right liar when he tells seniors on SS and Medicare that they will have to pay an additional $6,400.00 a year under Romney's plan. Nothing will come into effect for 10 years and effect no one over 55.

You agree that Romney's plan will have no effect (not on penny) on senior citizens and that Obama's statements to the contrary are lies.

Did somebody give you a shot of truth serum?

In was hoping for a prompt reply from American Girl but it's now !:15 a.m. and she must still be out.

American Girl: When you recover I would appreciate response to #3.16. Your great knowledge and your ability to twist words is always enlightening. Keep up with the slogan "Obama, Go. Go, We Don't Care if Your a Liar". It fits him. Does it fit you as well ? I want to see if you flip.

FACT

Medicare in Florida and elsewhere would suffer the greatest under Obama care. Hundreds of billions of dollars would be taken from Medicare. Romney has absolutely no plans to attack Medicare. Romney plan is to enhance Medicare. Possibly remove any Copay's and eliminate supplemental insurance.

Fact: Why can't we get a reply from American Girl. She loves to shoot off her mouth so where is she? Out with Feisty for a wet breakfast?

Ho jo, you really make it simple. Those under 55 are the ones who will be screwed over royally by the Ryan budget. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever anyone under 55 should vote for Romney as that will be a vote against their best interest and very much for the bottom line of insurance companies.

MK1: Read my comments. Never have I supported either "presumptive" candidate or any medical plan. All I have said is that Obama is an outright liar. SS cannot survive as it is. Romney's plan gives us 10 years to work it out. Obama's plan is to patch it, tax increase by tax increase, as the Trust Fund has been squandered. Those under 55 are getting screwed right now. They will never get back what they paid into SS. The Trust Fund (the annuity concept) is gone. Every cent those people pay goes into the general fund. Most under 55 never expect SS to survive long enough for them to see it (that is incorrect but not far off). If those under 55 want more tax they can have it. Buying a private annuity makes more sense.

easy (numbers) you do know that Feisty was being satirical, right? She is a proud liberal, and is not for the Ryan budget.

But you are ok with the democrats taking it away.

Newday: I believe you are confusing "satirical" with "ignorance" and "stupidity". Anyone can say anything and then say "I was only joking" or maybe "I was drunk - sorry". If you look like a duck.....

Gil you're calling Feisty a duck? A donkey, maybe, but not a duck.

Tarzan, the want to save these programs for our kids. And no way can more taxes on millionaires save these things.

It's called a balanced approach. Raise revenue some and cut spending. We can start the spending cuts first with defense spending. We spend more on defense than most of the industrialized world put together.

Looks like the republicans have overplayed their hand on taxes. The democrats can take a page from the republicans playbook and let all the bush tax cuts expire. The republicans will have to make a deal on the democrats terms when that happens.

Do you really think Democrats will be willing to lose all the votes they would by letting all Bush tax cuts expire ? The highest % went to lower brackets .

Obama can NOT run on his sorry record!!

[I]f you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from." That is what Barack Obama said when he accepted his party's presidential nomination in 2008. Four years later, it reads like a prophetic description of his re-election campaign.
See story in washingtonexaminer.com

VOTER SUPPRESSION LAWS TARGET ELDERLY,THE YOUNG VOTERS, AND THE POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS.

Republicon leaders stated years ago That they don't want everybody to vote. The less the turn out is, the greater chance repubs have of winning. ALEC is an organization of leaders of corporations that meet with republican politicians to put together laws that they can get repubs to pass favoring corporations and the rich Republicans. Voter suppression laws were created in the ALEC group and passed out to republicans to get passed in every state. WHY?

These voter suppression laws target the eledely, the young in colleges etc, and the poor. WHY?

1.Repubs are trying to privatize Social Security and Medicare and the Post Office for big profits. Elderly have been protecting these great programs and voting to protect these programs with their votes. Repubs don't want elderly to vote.

2. Repubs don't want the young to vote because most of them vote democratic party. When going to school college people will have to drive to great distance IF they have a car and many don't have drivers license etc.

3. Repubs don't want the poor to vote as repubs Ryan plan cuts food stamps and social programs that help middle class and poor. Ryan plan gives more bigger tax breaks to Romney rich and makes middle class and poor pay for them.

Karl Rove set the plan in motion saying if he can get rid of 1% in each of all states of these voting people, the vote will swing for republicons.

THERE IS NO VOTER FRAUD. Voter suppression laws do not solve any voting problems. Voter suppression law on ballot in MN would stop soldiers overseas from voting as bill requires id to be present when vote is actually accepted and counted. MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BE SPENT TO FIX NOTHING EXCEPT STOPPING MILLIONS FROM VOTING.

Vote Obama/Biden 2012 Don't let republicons take away you right to vote.

Our current system is the worst in the world based on how much we spend. 18% of GDP for 30th+ infant mortality. How is that working out?

Most Obese industrialized nation on earth, but no universal health care. That is a ticking time bomb

The unbiased experts at the OMB said that PPACA would actually reduce the deficit. Now that said, there are probably a thousand programs at all levels of government that could stand a review and improvement.

Why not do that instead of trying to reinvent the wheel and leave over 30 million AMericans uninsured while it's being done? Why not make viable and realistic suggestions for changes instead of mantra-chanting "repeal and replace."

I agree we need to address costs. People need to start taking better care of their health, stop insisting on drugs and tests that they do not need, folks need to be less sue happy so so many unnecessary tests can be cut out that are done for liability. This will go a long way to cutting costs.

I don't see much sense in promising universal heath care when there is no way to pay for it anyway.

President Obama and Harry Reid want to do nothing about reforming Medicare. Continue as we have and it goes bankrupt, then what? I am sure this is a better plan than anything anyone else from the other side of the aisle can come up with to fix the funding problem. I say we take 55% of all politicians salary and 55% of all campaign contributions from all candidates to pay for the shortfall. Their salary and campaign contributions are the American people's money anyway. We can call it the 55-Care Tax not a penalty because we care, should work just fine.

The Republicans have introduced several bills that address the problems of the health care system but Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid have blocked them, and the President even refused to meet with the Congressmen who wrote the bills.

HR4019 covered pre-existing conditions.

HR 3218 gives tax credits equal to the amount they pay for health insurance. (Therefore buys the insurance for them) and a refundable tax credit to reimburse out of pocket expenses.

HR896 Medical Justice Act - tort reform --- I realize the parties are split on this one, but really, some sort of tort reform would reduce costs.

HR 2355 broadens the market place to give consumers more choice, and allows for portability (which ties into keeping plans if you like them, and counters pre-existing conditions).

They aren't trying to reinvent the wheel. They are trying to make it simpler, less costly while solving the same problems the monstrosity of PPACA tries to solve.

Matthew - I wanted to respond to you from last night.

In at least one prior post you said that President Obama should release his college papers and that Gov. Romney should release his taxes. Are you backing off now for both or just Romney?

Actually I was just answering True Patriots questions- explaining the why behind the tax return issue from the conservative point of view. I still believe both should release and then we might move on. Although I don't think we'd really move on....there'd always be more demanded. I hold my position that there are so many other important and pertinent issues to address.

Yep Candy, they sure did introduce bills. Remember that time they were FOR the Heritage Foundation plan for health care from 1989?

You know the one that your President ushered through?

I can see why you love those Republicans, Candy, all hypocrisy all the time.

Hi, Newday. Everything good with you? Can you do much horseback riding in this awful heat? Hope you and your ponies are staying cool.

Just saying, the Republicans are accused of having no alternative plans - for healthcare or jobs - when in reality there's Republican bills all over the place....but, sadly, mostly in Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi's desk drawers.

The Heritage Foundation? Plans are designed, reviewed - some are implemented. Some are pitched. Especially when it's discovered the plan wasn't that viable. You see, not all plans are good plans.

How about the plan presented by the Repubs in 1992? I understand it was was shelved by the Democrats so President Clinton could pass a legacy plan of his own. And we all know how President Clinton's plan wound up. Politics and lost opportunity, huh?

It appears we've been trying to fix Healthcare for a long, long time. Still looks like a bit of a mess to me.

I was looking at HIPPA. Do you know it was a Republican bill? I have to say HIPPA is complicated, didn't accomplish what is was supposed to, and wound up being costly. Republicans, as it turns out, write some awful laws too.

There's hypocrisy, Newday. That's for sure. There's honesty too, don't you think?

Stay cool!

Candice:

HR 4019 allowed for insurers to make exceptions for coverage of pre-existing conditions as long as they did it for the whole group. That's in direct conflict with the idea that everyone can get coverage even with pre-existing conditions.

HR 3218 established "Individual Membership Associations" that, while not being allowed to discriminated based on pre-existing conditions, allowed an insurer to select which group of people they wanted to offer insurance to. This creates a de facto price out as those groups with more folks with pre-existing conditions would receive less opportunity (through less selection) for affordable health care. It created these "high risk pools" and then required the government to subsidize th additional cost.

HR 896 hasn't made it out of committee. This is not a stall by Reid or Pelosi as the Republicans control the committee and it hasn't gotten to the Senate.

HR 2355 (111th) is the "Making Opportunities Via Efficient and More Effective National Transportation Act of 2009" introduced by Rep. Richardson (CA-D). It died in committee.

All bills were researched at www .govtrack.us

Hi, Matthew.

My apologies - It's not HR 2355 but HR 3217 The Health Care Choice Act, introduced by John Shedagg (AZ-R). I don't know what happened to it....it's been brought up several times in several years under several HR numbers.

My point is the Republicans have brought up bills, even voted on some, but are stalled, too.

Your research contradicts the information I have. (See.....you have to look at several sources to find the truth! Thanks for your research). :-)

Matthew, your post at 7.2 mentions the unbiased experts at OMB said that PPACA would actually reduce the deficient. You do know that the OMB works for the President, in fact the people in charge of OMB at actually appointed by the President, and one of their main jobs is to prepare the President's FY Federal Budget. I would not call them unbiased. You might be talking about the CBO, but they have even changed their minds about any deficient reduction because of the PPACA.

As far as cutting other programs, I agree and have been saying for months that all federal agencies should be audited and their budgets reduced or the agency terminated. A good place to start would be with the GAO reports which as identified billions in waste, fraud and duplication. I am not for raising taxes on anyone until the government starting cutting spending. I don't want to hear raise taxes and we will reduce spending, Reagan got fooled by that and so did Bush 1.

Another agency that needs to be looked a closely is the GSA. There are hundreds of federal buildings sitting vacant and some in disrepair that could be sold bringing in hundreds of millions. Also if sold to private investors they would then be added to the tax rolls for that state and local community instead of being tax exempt. But that's a whole different topic. Have a good evening.

sfcret - I absolutely agree that unused federal buildings, if there are no immediate plans for using them, should be sold at ot near market value (none of this $1 stuff) for exactly the reason you said. Added to the tax roles.

Being capital inventory, the funds should be used to offset purchases of any other capital invenry OR go directly to debt payment. It would be wrong to use this one time "gain" for operational expenses as those are reocurring.

Candice - H.R. 3217 (111th): Health Care Choice Act of 2009 introduced by Rep. Shedagg (R-AZ) on July 14, 2009 died in committee. Not a delay byRep. Pelosi or Sen. Reid as the Republicans control the committee and the bill never made it out to the House floor for a vote. (source: govtrack.us )

Costing 6 grand more a year isn't the answer, that is for sure! If I had to pay 6 grand more a year, which by the way is almost 33% of my yearly income (I'm disabled) would just about guarantee my murder! I would have a choice, medication or shelter & food. The medications that keep me alive would be the first thing that I would have to do without. I wouldn't last long without my heart medication, that is a guaranteed death sentence!

Nice picture from your double-wide there Dawn!

Even Forbes says that's false Dawn.

(source: http: //www .forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2010/09/25/does-obamacare-really-cut-medicare-benefits-to-senior-citizens/)

GOPisextinct, if personal insults are the best cmments you can handle, you welfare libbies are definiteoly toast this election.

Your comment is a very interesting one. If the system stinks now why blame The President? If you think about it the republicans have never tried to fix the problem with health care. You should be thanking the republicans for nothing they were against it from the start.

Laser Focus on Jobs was an obama promise... that he, of course, broke.

The jobs problem is complex and can't be easily solved, but our current president only seems to do things that hurt and nothing to help.

And did the Republicans break their 2010 election campaign promise about jobs too or is this a single-sided blame?

Senate teapublicans just filibustered the "Bring Jobs Home" bill.

So much for the teapublican focus on - jobs...jobs....jobs....

If Romney has ideas how to create jobs then why didn't he come fourth over the last 3 years and offer suggestions to President Obama when he asked people to come forward. Why is he waiting until now to run for president to say I have all these ideas. In the meantime people wanted to work.

Michael - typical liberal blaming someone else. Obama is the president not Romney - hopefully he will be in 2013. Obama has not met with his jobs council in over 6 months but found time to do 100 fundraisers. Where are his priorities??? How can all of you defend that? The only job he is interested in is his own. I won't even get into lying to the seniors and scaring them about Medicare. It isn't sustainable but he will keep lying to them as he will lie to anyone to get re-elected.

Since the republicans won in 2010 their laser focus has been aimed at womens private parts not jobs, jobs jobs.

7/19/12...REPUBLICONS BLOCK REMOVING TAX BREAKS FOR COMPANIES TAKING JOBS OVERSEAS. Well...there they go again. Yes republicons obstructed removing those tax breaks from companies like Romney and Bain create when they outsource jobs overseas. WHY DO REPUBLICONS HATE AMERICANS WHO WANT TO KEEP OUR JOBS IN AMERICA? Romney and repubs are greedy, they want more jobs overseas to destroy the economy, just to make Obama a one term president.

Who has to pay for outsourcing tax breaks to Romney and Friends...YOU DO !

Vote Obama/Biden 2012...stop Romney from outsourcing our jobs!

Don't bother with Black dog rants on health care. Black Dog must have slept through the George Bush years. 6-14-12 Gallop poll 68% of all Americans blame Bush for the economy mess.

Go straight to the government website for CORRECT answers on health care. www.healthcare.org

Got proof to back up that statement about Harvard? If so, I'd liketo see your sources.

I don't know about Harvard, but it has been proven it goes back to his autobiography written many years ago that was a pack of lies.

the sources are in obama school records...just release them and we'll see who telling the truth.....what's ' he' hiding???

Don - http:// truthorfiction.com/rumors/o/obama-lies.htm talks about the email that went out detailing the statements. Some are valid comments, some are simply and deliberately misinterpreting.

Bobama, the President's college transcripts are probably hiding that he was the true CEO of Bain from 1999 until 2002 and forged Gov. Romney's signatures on the SEC filings.

Or maybe that he took Newt's political science course and got an "A" in it, before that silly ethics thing . . .

Perhaps it is hiding that he and Justice Thomas once shared a a couple of beers

Oh I know!! It's hiding that he once dated Ellen DeGeneres while they were both taking English Lit. (He doesn't want to embarass her in front of Portia de Rossi)

Gees man, He graduated Magna cum laude, I think that should say something about his grades. (In case you don't know what Magna cum laude means, that means he did very well in school)

Now, what is Romney hiding that he won't release his tax returns? Gets down right testy when asked these days. Must be something big since he won't even listen to fellow Republicans telling him he should. Then there is that Burmuda/Caymen thing. When he ran against Kennedy he said that blind trusts were just a ruse, that the client could tell the trustee what to do.

Jeanne, my comments were meant to be taken in fun and to create an exagerrated example. They were a response to Bobama who's position on the President is very clear and has nothing to do with his grades.

Personally I find the college records talk to be basically the same BS as the birther talk.

Our country is $16 trillion in debt and the U.S. has NO BUDGET in his 4th year of office. Since Obama's previous budget proposals have been so unrealistic (not even 1 supporting vote from his own party), it might be pretty damn useful to know if Bam-Bam has ever had a basic course in accounting !

If Obama is as brilliant as you all would like to believe, then why not simply prove it ? What is he hiding ?? Did he receive financial aid by pretending to be a foreign exchange student ??? Did he take courses in radical leftist ideology ????

Jimmy....you know the routine...you make up lies and then Dems debunk the made up nonsense. I just asked Bin Laden the questions you just asked, and he told me to tell you.."Gurgle gurgle blub blub."

Can we really afford having repubs block every bill that would help the economy recover because repubs want to make President Obama a one term president? Hell no.

Repubs take the oath to the office they were elected to , then turn around and pledge allegiance to this clown Norquist like traitors. King Norquist!....Like traitors repubs switch their allegiance to king Norquist.

Repubs block every bill to remove tax breaks for the companies that took jobs overseas.

Repubs block every bill to give tax breaks to companies who bring their companies back to America.

Rebubs block every bill to remove subsidies to big oil when their ceo's all testified they did not need them.

WHY?...because repubs want to take the economy down to try and make President Obama look like he failed. All repubs actions clearly show record obstruction all with their pledge to take the economy down.

Vote Obama/Biden

Obama lies about everything and these libs who can't think for themselves aren't smart enough to catch it! Bunch of idiots!!!!!

Candice, Obamacare did nothing for Medicare as far as I can see except add to the Bush drug program with the expensive donut hole and cut funding to Medicare.

Candice - first thank you for the polite and non-name calling discussion points.

Secondly, Forbes magazine published an excellent article on this subject. They don't seem to believe that PPACA "broke Medicare."

I provided link info at post #9.2.

I remember a lot of discussion during the health care debate over medicare, keeping your kids on your plan till 26, pre existing conditions etc... Then on the other side I heard death panels, killing off insurance companies, runaway costs etc...

It seems a lot of people did not pay attention to the benifits of the affordable care act and instead listened to the Tea Party talking points handed out by the Koch brothers in an attempt to kill the bill.

Any honest discussion regarding Medicare has to begin with the understanding that the Republican party has hated Medicare from the start and fought tooth and nail against it and will kill it along with Social Security the first chance they get. Ryan, Canter, Boehner, and McConnell are lying when they say they want to strengthen the programs.....They want to gut them and leave us with nothing.

Look at what they propose if you want to see what direction republicans will take the country in. Additional tax cuts for the well off like that has worked out so well over the last 12 years. Increased defense spending when we are supposed to be broke but spend more on defense that all the industrialized world put together. Little or no regulation for the environment that we all depend on for life and yet complain about the debt we are passing on to the next generation. I guess it's ok to pass on a toxic planet.

When the republicans realize that more people are not falling for the lying smoke and mirrors B.S. any more and want to sit down to hammer out real solutions for real problems I will be willing to listen.

Candice...you are trying the ol scare and fear republicon trick again I see. The president has been explaining ACA for a long time. The media has failed to report answers, only interested in making a fuss to get reactions.

Skip her scare comment and visit the government website for your health care concerns. The website is www.healthcare.org See simple!

Candice Just to help you not to fear, I just checked to see if you have any monsters under your bed. You have none. I just asked real loud,"Any monsters under her bed?" They answered.."NOPE!

It does not matter where investments are. Medicare taxes only apply to wages anyway and not to investment income. Romney would pay Medicare tax on any US wages.

It does not matter where investments are. Medicare taxes only apply to wages anyway and not to investment income.

Not any more. The Health Care Reform Act has two provisions that go into effect in 2013 and effect higher income tax payers.

-A 0.9% increase in Medicare taxes on earned income above $200,000 (single) and $250,000 (joint).

and

- A 3.8% Medicare tax on investment income if your MAGI exceeds $200K and $250K.

That increases the effective tax rate to 2.35% from 1.45%.

Employers, I believe, also experience an increase in Medicare tax they pay for their employees. This will not be good for job creation or wage increases.

Governor Romney, nor Warren Buffett will be pleased.

Candice,

Thanks for those facts.

it is about time that there is Medicare tax on investment income , not just earned income.

For example Romney's $57,000 a day income probably comes from investments and before the ACA he did not pay a dime in Medicare tax.

These revenues do indeed stengthen Medicare for all.

But you did not say when they would be phased in. I thought most of them would not start until 2014?

Northstar,

My information says these go into effect in 2013.

You have to be skeptical, though, when raising taxes on the wealthy. There's ways to manage, offset and defer earned and even investment income. History shows the wealthy usually find ways to avoid being affected by new tax laws. We'll see how much revenue these taxes actually bring.

I watch most all media and read a great deal and analyze for myself and do notb let myself get brainwashed on MSNBC or its blogs.

The nothing you are referring to is brought to you by your good republican friends in the House and Senate. Most recently filibustering a bill to end tax breaks for firms outsourcing jobs to other countries.

Any republican want to try and explain that one?

You can't possibly be this stu....

Yeah....yeah you can....

why can't you just have a difference of opinion and not call each other names?

Nancy -- I think, in this case, it might be that there was no opinion to start with. I certainly don't remember President Obama saying that he wanted to poison all of our seniors. I'm pretty sure that would have been front-page news.

But you're right; the name calling on both sides is getting old (and we still have a long way to go).

When the campaign of a sitting president is "I suck but don't vote for the other guy because he sucks more" you know it is over. When a sitting president cannot look you in the eye and tell you what he has done, what it has accomplished (nothing), and what his plan is for the next 4 years then he is totally useless.

Of course many of us saw how useless he was from the beginning but now it is very clear to anybody with the IQ at least 10 points above a turnip.

But I get it: I understand that many of you voted for Obama in 2008 to prove you were not a racist. But in 2012 you need to vote AGAINST Obama to prove you are not an idiot.

I've already down-graded my retirement dreams. Now, I just hope to be able to buy a small piece of land in the country. I'll plant a garden and hunt for my food. Maybe install some home-made solar panels.

I'll probably have to join a church or somethhing, however, so that when I die someone knows to come looking for me. At that point I don't think I'd much care what happens to my body, but I'd want to make sure that my dog would be cared for.

.Obama the promise BREAKER!! Equals a LIAR!!! BIG EMBARRASSMENT to the USA!!!

Obama’s promise that his healthcare proposals would “never be purchased with [a] tax increase on middle-class families.” The SUPREME COURT & JUSTICE DEPT say it is a TAX!!! .Attack on the middle Class! Taxation by misrepresentation

…….…NOW Obama wants to invade Syria and Iran!!!

Remember these?
THE OBAMA CHRONICLES:
“I promise 100% transparency in my administration.”.
“I promise NO NEW TAXES on a family making less than $250K a year.”.
“I will allow 5 days of public comment before I sign any bills.”.
“I will remove earmarks from PORK projects before I sign any bill.”.
“I will end Income Tax for seniors making less than $50K a year.”.
"I will bring ALL of our troops home within ONE year."
“I’ll put the Health Care negotiations on CSPAN so everyone can see who is at the table!”.
“I’ll have no lobbyists in my administration."
"I'll close Guantanamo."
"I'll resign if I don't cut the deficit in half by the end of four years."
"I'll unite the people of this great country."

“The TROOPS will be home for CHRISTMAS.” WHY ARE MORE LEAVING EVERYDAY???? AND DYING every day…

NOW Obama invokes Executive Privilege( as a Sen. called it’s use a RUSE!) for Holder on GUN SMUGGLING and killing US Agent Brain Terry!!! That only applies if Obama was part of it!! Obama & Holder should be on trial for giving Machine Guns to the Mexican Drug cartels!!
BETTER KNOWN AS LIES.
Fool me once shame on YOU!
Fool me twice shame on ME!
Vote NOBOZO, . NOBIDEN.............2012!

The President also promised to go over the health care bill, "line by line", with my congressman and of course all proceedings are to be broadcast on CSPAN. Does anyone know when the broadcasts are scheduled to begin?

And if you have a successful business remember that Obama said that you did not do that. The government did it for you.