Politics!

[BoTox]

What?? No they didn't, that's completely false. It was 77-23 in the Senate, and 296-133 in the House. (I just looked it up to make sure I remembered those figures correctly, and yes, I did.) Also, Ron Paul is a Republican.

By everyone, I mean a majority otherwise the LAW would not have passed.

Pelosi and Fienstein voted for it as did Kerry and Clinton!

[jenniebear]

As scary as it is to consider the possibility of having someone in office that wishes to continue the Iraq War I think it would be a terrible mistake to disregard McCain. The Republicans are extremely efficient (especially the religious right) when it comes to organizing for a vote. I didn't think Bush could win the last time around but he did

very true wsdler....i remember that night well...i went from such confidence to such a feeling of defeat......i tried to remember that this is my country and that the people had spoken and it was time to rally behind our president but it was a very difficult challenge to back this man....i think i spent the next year in shock and denial....

[enfant]

By everyone, I mean a majority

Well, sorry, but that's not what "everyone" means. Half the democrats in Congress made the right call (and so did quite a few that weren't in Congress, including Al Gore, Howard Dean, and Barack Obama). I wish to God it had been more than half of them, but half is a lot more than none.

Pelosi and Fienstein voted for it as did Kerry and Clinton!

No, Pelosi didn't. Yes, Kerry and Clinton both did. (And Feinstein, too, though I don't know why you brought her up; she's not in the leadership or running for president. The other senator from California voted against.)

[BriGuy]

Interesting little fact I found out is that Bush inserted a Texas based oil company to "tend" the Iraqi oil fields. Does anyone know how to say Viet Nam in Arabic? Not to mention the ties Bush and his family has to the Saudi's and even the Taliban. Did you folks know that Bush brought the Taliban to Texas to show them around when he was Governor of Texas? This is after the USS Cole bombing, after our State building was bombed by Bin Laden, and after their Leader Bin Laden was considered a wanted terrorist by the US. EVEN MORE INTERESTING than that was the fact that Bush allowed 102 Saudi's and 13 of Bin Laden's family to fly on Sept 13'th.... INTERESTING..... HRM..... Or how about the fact that the bush Administration refuted the risk of terrorism in America by reducing the FBI's budget for anti terrorism.... OR BETTER YET, how about the fact that Bush was given a FBI briefing entitled, "Bin Laden determined to attack on American soil", and he didn't even pay that any attention. After finding this out how can ANYONE support a president who has duped and raped the American public??????????

Interesting read, was only covered by the BBC.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/west_asia/37021.stm

[Baby Bethany]

I agree, most people with money still pay for private health care anyway. In my experience the people that complain about the NHS and call it a flop, have no ideas on what you could replace it with.

Just out of interest, can someone tell me how you guys in the States get health care? Is it that you all have medical insurance? What happens for those that can't afford it?

Our NHS started in 1948 and prior to that you either had to pay for medical care (which was okay for those with money) or rely on a charity (which was okay if you could find a place with one, which was rare) or you simply went without (which is what most working people did) so that meant no health care, drugs, operations, dental care, or eye care for most of the people.

I wouldn't want us to return to those days.

Beth

[BriGuy]

I agree, most people with money still pay for private health care anyway. In my experience the people that complain about the NHS and call it a flop, have no ideas on what you could replace it with.

Just out of interest, can someone tell me how you guys in the States get health care? Is it that you all have medical insurance? What happens for those that can't afford it?

Our NHS started in 1948 and prior to that you either had to pay for medical care (which was okay for those with money) or rely on a charity (which was okay if you could find a place with one, which was rare) or you simply went without (which is what most working people did) so that meant no health care, drugs, operations, dental care, or eye care for most of the people.

I wouldn't want us to return to those days.

Beth

For those who can't afford it pay cash. If they don't have the cash they have to make payments. Its better off if you are and illegal immigrant that way they can't chase after you for the payments. I have heard quite a few heart broken tales of people who fell ill, lost their insurance and lost their homes because they could not afford their health care. If you think you can get away without paying and own a house they will attach a lien to your home so they can take that away from you if you don't pay up.

~Brian

[Baby Bethany]

For those who can't afford it pay cash. If they don't have the cash they have to make payments. Its better off if you are and illegal immigrant that way they can't chase after you for the payments. I have heard quite a few heart broken tales of people who fell ill, lost their insurance and lost their homes because they could not afford their health care. If you think you can get away without paying and own a house they will attach a lien to your home so they can take that away from you if you don't pay up.

~Brian

Now some of you guys may disagree, but that sounds like a pretty crappy system to me. At least with our system everyone pays for it through their taxes, and when you need it you get it at no extra charge. Everyone gets it, and those that don't have any earnings get it free.

That just seems better to me.

Beth

[BoTox]

Now some of you guys may disagree, but that sounds like a pretty crappy system to me. At least with our system everyone pays for it through their taxes, and when you need it you get it at no extra charge. Everyone gets it, and those that don't have any earnings get it free.

That just seems better to me.

Beth

I read somewhere that the good doctors are getting out of the NHS system and going private at an alarming rate and driving up the wait times.

That system is good if you are one of the people that can't pay but it sucks for those that have their own means of support.

[DiaperBoyKR]

My problem is that there is way too much vitriol in the current rhetoric surrounding politics in the United States. I personally don't trust Obama farther than I can spit, but I dont like McCain either, for a variety of reasons. The Constitution has been largely ignored or interpreted to read however those in power want it to read in the last 20 years.

I oppose abortion, but I don't believe that we can overturn Roe v. Wade without triggering a flood of revisitations of other cases.

I support realistic tax reform. Right now under the current tax plan, the "rich" are taxed at ridiculously high levels, but there are enough loopholes that they pay less than they should. The people who are really hurt are the upper middle class who are hit with the high taxation levels, but dont have the money to hire the tax lawyers to find the loopholes for them. I think a reformed tax system, with a few tax rates and a minimal number of exemptions (school loan interest, mortgage interest for your first home, child deduction) would produce an insane amount more money for the government while keeping a larger amount of money in the economy to stimulate growth. The economic multipliers for Investment and private spending are immensely higher than that of government spending. In many cases this would result in the rich paying more than they are now, with the middle class receiving a fairer treatment from the government.

The War in Iraq is a problmatic issue. I dont believe we had the right to invade Iraq. We attacked a sovereign nation without any kind of provocation. Regardless of what one believes about the WMD intel, the fact is that we went into Iraq with the support of the Congress when we went. Congress had just as much access to the original intel on the matter as Bush did. Thats part of their oversight responsibilities. Either way, we're there now. There's problems with whatever we do. If we pull out of Iraq, there WILL be a civil war, no doubt, and that will hurt us economically. With oil prices already as high as they are, it will become even worse. We don't have any business attacking Iran, but Israel may force our hands pretty soon. This is a problem.

Health Care is another issue. Nationalized health care is all good, but the speculation is that it would raise taxes by a larger amount that what most of us are paying for health insurance now. Beth, most folks in the US have health insurance provided through their place of work. Thus the search for good "benefits" when one is looking for a job. Most of those that dont have health insurance are those who are hourly workers or are self-employed. If you dont get health insurance through your company it is often quite costly. Health care if you dont have insurance is ludicrous. I went to the hospital one time for a 10 minute check after a car accident and got a 150 dollar bill in the mail a week later. Most of this has to do with the way our tort laws are set up. With the huge pain and suffering awards that are handed out as a matter of course, malpractice insurance premiums are ludicrously high, and the hospitals often pay those premiums for their doctors. As a result, the hospitals have to recoup the costs somehow, and it shows up in the cost of healthcare. The old joke about the $15 dose of Ibprofen and such.

We need to restore balance and common sense to the world of US politics.....every thing has been blown out of proportion and the attitude has become "If you dont agree with me, you're wrong, and you need to shut up!" That was not the ideal that our country was founded on, and zealots on both sides of the aisle need to get off their high horses and find the compromises that will best serve the people of the country, not their own interests.

[Baby Bethany]

you do know that the average family doctor in the uk is now earning £100k p.a thats like $190-210.000. Only people who might have private doctors are like the queen and the other queen victoria beckham..

That's right, the only way for the average GP to opt out of the NHS would be to work abroad.

Beth

[Baby Bethany]

On another note,

I love the fact that the US Government are saying they will come to Israel's "defence" against Iran. That's a bit like us deciding in 1939 that we would come to Germany's "defence" while they attack Poland.

Sounds like another Suez to me!

Beth

[baby-dandan]

I fully agree with Redneckdiaperboy on this one. I've had this discussion before on the topic that Richard Raunch started. I got angry and said things I sholudn't have, so I won't go there again. These are peoples' opinions and they are entitled to them, whereas if you spoke badly about Saddam or his government when they were in power you'd get the axe!

[Baby Bethany]

I fully agree with Redneckdiaperboy on this one. I've had this discussion before on the topic that Richard Raunch started. I got angry and said things I sholudn't have, so I won't go there again. These are peoples' opinions and they are entitled to them, whereas if you spoke badly about Saddam or his government when they were in power you'd get the axe!

Well if you don't want to go there again what was the point in responding? That said if you agree with Redneck we already know your views;

1) You think there's a Commie hiding in every cupboard.

2) You didn't like Gerald Ford as President.

Nuff said!

[baby-dandan]

That's right!

[Baby Bethany]

That's right!

[misssusan002]

Myself I went with Clinton all the way but since she lost I might go with Obama now. Not really sure. But any thing is better than Bush or McCain

Sue