So on the blue and red bar chart ^ looks like about a tie for '08 for donations to Reps and donations to Dems from the pharma companies. Also notice it's the highest year yet for donations to the Dems, so what are you complaining about? What's your point here Palindari?

Either way, as everyone knows your taxes will still go up. You pay $425 now and you can shop around for healthcare that fits your needs. With socialized health care, you'll pay $425 for your family, plus $$ to pay for the free loaders free healthcare, plus some extra $$$$ for the new government dept salaries that would need to be set up to manage the socialize health care. Are you understanding this yet?
You say you're just getting by now with paying $425 a month.
You'll pay even more, don't you understand?
Home foreclosures are 1 out of 16 home now, I heard on MSNBC this week.
That's the highest ever in a long time. If home owners have to part with even more of their paychecks to pay for socialized healthcare, the foreclosure rate will rise even higher.

Socialism is the transitional stage between Free Market Capital Democracy and Communism.

Barak Hussein Obama will not have my vote.

 

WOW. It’s AMAZING to see the ignorant and aged conceptualizations and ideals that SOME Americans still manifest to such a degree in 2008. It is one thing to hold an opinion over another, but to dismiss it as a one-sided debate or a black and white issue, in which one system is ultimately virtuous and the other devoid of any value...WOW! They still make ppl like you??...no one can afford to be so SIMPLE in analysis in these times. LOGICALLY, something that persists in flourishing economies across the globe- more so than it does not- with acclaim and support, must have some virtues; my point here is that, in general, if anything survives in a free system, as PUBLIC HEATH CARE does in many of the world’s great DEMOCRACIES, than it cannot be without its virtues; for it has continuously been the choice of the FREE PPL who have experienced it.
This is a basic assumption of free market capitalism, democracy or any system that subjects all things to competition; The greatest will ultimately prevail until it ceases to be the most attractive option.
If you are going to maintain an opinion, it should be informed, rational, and unemotionally derived. It should not be fueled by propaganda, rhetoric or ideological cleavages from a 1/4 century ago. Contrary to what American presidents attempt to make the world think, SOCIALISM is NOT COMMUNISM, and is not the antithesis to liberal-democracy (-or what I believe was mistakenly referred to as capitalism, which is simply a system of economic arrangement with virtually no implications for a system of political organization). It (Socialism) is rather the ubiquitous and most prevalent system of political organization found in the modern world and is the common foundation of most developed and undeveloped nations including YOUR OWN. It is not a system with a centrally-planned economy or an authoritarian state, but rather a fusion between the ideals of a liberalist-democracy and communism, in which a welfare state compliments a free-market system (ie. capitalism) and is aimed at redistribution, to aid in the shortcomings of capitalism in regards to the equal distribution of goods and economic malfunction.
This is not the simplified version you will get at dictionary.com and these other UN-ACADEMIC websites some of you seem to get your education from. This is the understanding that anyone will get as they study political science in a University and come to understand the term as it was intended to be used. It is John Maynard Keynes, NOT Karl Marx or Lenin. The world’s Socialist states very in their merger between public and private funding but the fact is, that any country with a combination of the 2 is Socialist. It may have been theorized as a transitional arrangement in the 19th century (-BECAUSE it is a fusion of the two-), but if your education stopped then, then…well….WOW! You would be hard-pressed to convince anyone that the UK, US, Canada, Japan or the other 60% of the world is in transition to communism.
If you think that the present US does not have a welfare state, which sometimes subsidizes, and provides some degree of social services (ie. welfare) and economic control, with wage standards and labour legislation and taxation, then you are less than informed. It does! And many things are already PARTLY publicly funded (ie. a lot of infrastructure development) just as some are advocating that health care become PARTLY publicly funded. You may disagree with that, and you may be right too; but too demonize the notion because it goes so much against American right-winged rhetoric is foolish. If you embrace propaganda so much, maybe YOU should move to Cuba. And if you are too blind to see that it’s just that- propaganda, than you have my pity.
The world forgave you when you reelected Bush…it was emotional and perhaps you were confused.
Nobody will be sympathetic, empathetic or merciful if you fail in your judgment as an electorate again- WHATEVER YOUR DECISION IS.
Regards to you fine people.
P.S. In case it wasn't clear, the same general principle applies to most issues raised here...ie. gun control etc.

 

All I have to say to the Canadians (and my "ethnicity" is 25% French Canadian) is stay out of this debate as it does not concern you or your future in Canada. I guess the Canadain government is more a Socialist gov't than a Republic, and we all know misery loves company. So keep giving 40+% of your paycheck to your taxes and mind your business.

 

Haha yes, well, as taxed as I might be, I'm still driving an Audi, just like you, and saving for med school while I'm at it. And yeah, I'll be a Canadian doctor... although I could go to USA and make 300% the money, but I won't.

That leads me to another point, that I really don't think you can get your head around. American health care costs more. Do you get that? To get your arm cast, it's gonna cost more in USA than in Canada. Why? Because it's run like a business.
Whether it's casting an arm, or open heart surgery, much more money changes hands in USA than in Canada. Doctors are making MUCH more money in USA... so where does that money come from? You're paying for it, in one way or another. Is this too complicated to understand?

And no, I'm not going to stay out of this argument because I'm Canadian. I don't care where I'm from, I'll argue ignorance until the day I die. This issue isn't black and white, like you're making it seem. You don't understand socialist health care, this much is obvious... the frustrating thing is you're asking me to leave, because you don't even want to understand it. That's scary. You're so brainwashed by the "pro-USA" propaganda that you've stopped asking questions. You're regurgitating what you've been fed all your life... and it's scary that people do that.

 

If your ethnicity is 25% French Canadian than you're just as far removed from your culture and heritage as you are from common sense and logic.
Due to your aggressive foreign politics, and the broad differences in foreign policy (-incl. NAFTA trade policy, of which we are a direct partner-) advocated by the two candidates, this election is the entire world's concern. That is why the world is watching, genius.

...not worth dignifying with another retort you're incapable of understanding. You obviously are illogical and irrational.

Its a shame to see someone as pathetic as yourself, today...You degrade the very nation you're so patriotic about, when you mislead (equally ignorant foreigners) to believe that ALL other Americans could possibly be as foolish as you're ACTING. You need to travel abroad so that the foreigners who have come to hate the stereotypical American you personify can show you all about "misery". I hear Canada is nice this time of year....lol.

Unfortunately, we see all too many of you like this. ** To all other sensible, remarkable and mature Americans you have my condolences for this clown's sad display.

 

Bogie.....dont trip. These frogs definately don't understand life here in the US and they never will.

 

Well I'm born and bread American - served in the Army and have seen other countries on Uncle Sam's dime. And this I can say with all sincerity.

We're spoiled. We take things for granted that in other countries are a luxury.

Driving your Audi for example. Owning a car is not an unalienable right like most of us feel it it - turn 16 - get your license - buy a ride. This is not the case in most of Europe.

Traveling across this country from state to state freely jumping borders. Not so in most with carrying papers or travel vouchers.

We live in one of the most interesting times, gentlemen. But it you have ever studied history all nations fall from grace. It will simply be America's turn eventually.

Controlling unions. Inflated healthcare costs. Rampant violent crime. etc

We're a bloated nation. We're not the lean and mean moralistic machine we once was (or maybe never have been). America's never been perfect. But the ideals that the founding fathers set forth were some pretty damn solid ones and I, as one proud American, can say I support them 110%.

Either way - Obama or McCain - come less 7 weeks time - history will be made and it will be interesting if we unite or divide even more into the "red and blue" state of mind.

For love them or hate them - if we don't start working together - America will fail as the great democracy that she has been bred to be.

The preamble of our sacred Constitution reads:

We the People, of the United States of America, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our prosperity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United Stated of America.

As Americans we cannot forget this. Socialized medicine aside. We need to stop acting like this is some sort of competition - winner-take-all - sort of thing. Every presidential race pundits like Limbaugh and O'Reilly - loons like Nader and Coultier - predict that America will end unless their candidate wins.

Well, gentleman, this last one has put us in a downward spiral that no one can deny. And whoever wins come November - I'll stand behind and hope they know how to surround themselves with the best and brightest this country has to offer. For the last greedy bunch has damn near demolish the finances of our nation and weaken the forces that defend it for more.

It's going to be an interesting next 7 weeks and an even longer 4 yrs afterward...

God bless, America. God bless us all...

 

...applause once again... it's not about winning or losing... it's about the greater good of the human species worldwide. regardless of what happens in this election, the world will be in for a huge turn of events within the next 30 years if not a huge drop in popluation due to a rise in mortality. Which end will come? That's a toss-up, but regardless of what happens, unless The Disclosure Project is adopted and implemented by every government, especially our own, we're all counting down the days regardless... 2029 is a close call on april 13th.... 2036 will be an impact... let's hope NASA or a European counterpart can figure out a way to change that asteroid's orbit. research it... NASA already has a project in motion working on this problem with hopes that our technology will catch up in time to prevent a mass extinction. Even the Discovery Channel has done a documentary on the situation. Keep that in mind. Would you rather your kids grow up (and die) in a more peaceful world with less money and less problems...or the opposite... what's more money, without a planet to spend it on...

 

^ Doesn't make sence, with technology comes polution , crime , so on and so on , the planet will keep getting trashed and people will continue to go on with their lives.....wishfull thinking though !!!

 

I will vote Obama I will not stand for another 4 yrs of republicans... Look what happenned to lehman brothers the economy is a mess thanks to bush...... I wish i never voted for Bush 4 yrs ago but u know wha it would have not mattered, I doubt obama will win, but i will still vote Obama Baby