AP Poll: Many think health overhaul should do more - Yahoo! News: "A new AP poll finds that Americans who think the law should have done more outnumber those who think the government should stay out of health care by 2-to-1."
I have to mute the t.v. during commercials these days or I end of shouting at the screen during the political ads. Empty buzz words and meaningless jargon from the Republicon candidates who know there are folks out there whose votes are triggered solely by 'freedom', 'stop big government', 'out-of-control spending', etc. Who doesn't like those concepts? One of the ads targeting Michael Bennet (I'm looking at you, Ken Buck) is a shrill pack of lies. Let's review:
Obama didn't have anything to do with bailing out the banks. That happened in October of 2008, voted in by a Republicon Congress.
"Raised our taxes": the old 'tax and spend Democrats' saw always works. If you are one of the 95% of Americans making less than $250,000 a year, your taxes went down. Did you not do your own taxes last year? Remember the 'Making Work Pay' credit? If congress lets the Bush Tax Cut for the Rich expire next year, people making over $250,000 will go back to paying 39% instead of 36%. Obama wants to keep the cut for those of us working stiffs that don't pay diamond dog collars for our pocket Americans with that sweet, tax-free income.
"Failed stimulus": um, how? It wasn't big enough, I'll grant you that, but it provided last year's tax cut (you did review your 2009 taxes, right?) and it cut my COBRA insurance from $475.00 a month to about $180. It is also giving emergency assistance to people whose unemployment has run out.
Other sound bites and notions:
"Repeal Obamacare": Why? Granted, it's not single payer or universal coverage, but at least the health insurance companies can't deny you for pre-existing conditions. And by 2014 we should have a health exchange you can chose to pay into for coverage, making the health insurance companies have to offer competitive rates. Like, you know, healthy competition in a free market? For an industry that is currently the only one not subject to anti-trust laws?
"I don't want my tax dollars for health care for some deadbeat". So paying higher and higher premiums for your health insurance to cover those people has escaped your notice?
"Nobody in this country goes without health care - just go to the E.R.". See higher premiums, above. And really, you think if someone with a lump in their breast goes to the E.R. to get it checked out then gets free treatment for breast cancer?
Throw in sound bites against illegal immigration, abortion and gay marriage and you've got the standard winning combination. In the meantime, they hope you won't notice that the REpublicons are right now trying to take away Social Security and make you work until you're 70. If you an older worker laid off because you were an older worker and you are having a hard time finding work because you are older, many opportunities to work in the next 20 years will present themselves as you get even older. Huh? Privatize Social Security? Give that money to the Banksters that ruined the economy and are still in the process of cutting themselves large bonuses and patting themselves on the back? We can't afford it? Repeal the Bush Tax Cut for the Rich and get back some of that 34 billion dollars missing from the treasury in the last nine years. Oh, or stop the wars and military spending. The U.S. spends four times as much as any other nation on defense and instead of keeping us safe (a silly concept, anyway) we throw money at military contractors providing materials our own Generals have said they don't want or need.
I didn't make it to the Chile Festival yesterday, so let's have a few other photos of Pwello;
 |
| By the Riverwalk |
 |
| Affordable Gutters - now with Politicians! |
 |
| And cats, of course. Gracie insists on keeping her dignity by never allowing a decent photo of herself. |
No comments:
Post a Comment