Very useful and informative!
>> Jimmy Thursday, August 6, 2009 4:51 PM

All so tell people that your AARP is lining up with Bahama medical plan and asking all members to support this bad plan, please let the AARP members not to support this triable plan that t your own AARP would try to kill its members. Hillard Watson a member of AARP that is bad we need to change AARP now.
>> Hillard Watson Thursday, August 6, 2009 4:58 PM

This is so true--the government says one thing, but means another. Another example: 'save or create jobs' really means 'unemployment rate skyrockets while stimulus package does nothing.' Also, just got word that Obama is taking his helicopter to fly to Mclean, VA to campaign Deeds. Mclean is approximately 20 minutes driving from DC. Thanks for using my tax dollars to waste gas, pollute the environment, and further prove that you are a hypocrite.
>> Bill Thursday, August 6, 2009 5:19 PM

I am truly amazed as to how stupid we are as a voting populace. I was taught by my Government since childhood to believe that Socialism was the enemy. Now I am told to embrace it by the very people we put in authority over us. I guess we ARE a nation of whiners because that is all we are doing about it....whining! The answer is simple. QUIT VOTING THESE SAME DAMN PEOPLE INTO OFFICE OVER AND OVER AGAIN. My god we do not have to wait until the next election we just need to gather enough signatures to vote them out NOW. I used to think you couldn't find a better poster boy for electoral indifference than Josef Stalin until I saw what this nation just did to itself. Comrades of the Democratic (Socialist) left unite, for victory is in hand.
>> Lost Youth Friday, August 7, 2009 1:06 AM

SOCIALISM: Every year all countries are ranked based on standard of living, health care quality for cost, and happiness. Guess what? Sweden, Norway, Finland, Switzerland are all socialist countries, and they all rank high in all three of those ranks. I'm not making this up you can search the internet yourself for them. Can you tell me how it is excusable that the most powerful and rich country in the world can't top those lists? Socialism is what we need. Some very well done socialism. PS - Government run health plan will be signed and I will happily switch and to keep my premiums low, because I'm tired seeing them go up every year but the insurance CEOs making millions, and paying millions to advertise. That is a waste of money.
>> Max Friday, August 7, 2009 11:31 AM

First, I am 100% against the current health care "reform" being rammed through Congress. However, 2 of the Translations above ignore the fact that there are problems with our current system in regards to pre-existing conditions and dropping of coverage. I have a friend who was dropped and cannot get coverage from any company in our area. So it's not just in Helen Hunt movies, Ryan, it happens to real Americans. To deny that there are problems in the current system is just as bad as what the Dems are doing.
>> Moni Monday, August 10, 2009 12:32 PM

@Max - If you know so much about how the health care market is wasting their money on CEOs and advertising, feel free to enter the market. If you're right, you should be able to save us the money without any government intervention and still make money yourself. If you're wrong, you've just been wasting our time with the above.
>> Corry Monday, August 10, 2009 1:31 PM

@Moni Could you elaborate on your criticism of the "pre-existing conditions" point? If your friend is looking for cheap insurance after having developed a condition, then this illustrates the point. It isn't "insurance" if you buy it after the event you are insuring against.
>> Corry Monday, August 10, 2009 1:39 PM

What are you people smoking?
>> Prentice Adler Tuesday, August 11, 2009 8:33 AM

Wow... you guys are real nut jobs, huh?
>> S12 Tuesday, August 11, 2009 9:10 AM

You know what's great Prentice Adler and S12, you are quick to judge, but do not try to explain why you believe this is wrong. typical.
>> matt Tuesday, August 11, 2009 10:04 AM

You're right Matt, but every time I try to have a meaningful dialog on any of these political subjects, I find that I'm up against arguments that would only hold water if the moon were made of cheese. I would like to understand the point of view that these people have. In order to do this I propose you submit a list of the books you have read in the last 40+ years and I'll read them. I read about 30 nonfiction books a year and many respectable articles in english and other languages. I've traveled in 4 continents and made many friends that also don't understand the logic and selfishness of the fascist arguments and methods that have grown since the Republican party lost the White House.
>> Prentice Adler Tuesday, August 11, 2009 1:02 PM

@Prentice Adler | Well personally I prefer to call the "arguments and methods that have grown since the Republican party lost the White House" socialist, but different people call it different things. It's basic logic is that there are two kinds of people - the poor dumb serfs, and the enlightened social planners. The serfs need the social planners to tell them how to live their lives. Frankly, I agree with you that making people live the way social planners want them to live is sort of selfish of the social planners. We should generously let people live their own lives - the free market!
>> Corry Tuesday, August 11, 2009 1:16 PM

Yes , the free market, just like Carnegie , Rockefeller, and Dupont wanted. Did you realize that J.P.Morgan did not want a free market? An unencumbered free market is as dangerous as an unencumbered communist state. When I was in Russia, I realized that socialism is nothing like you think it is and Communism was never practiced the way you think it was.
>> Prentice Adler Tuesday, August 11, 2009 1:26 PM

Prentice, Big Businessmen often fear the free market. They know that the same competitive forces that allowed them to break into the market will turn against them if they cease to produce efficiently. They want regulations to prevent that from happening.
>> Martin Tuesday, August 11, 2009 2:37 PM

Martin, go to the head of the class.
>> prentice Adler Tuesday, August 11, 2009 2:49 PM

Add to Spin Translator: if you wait until you are sick - or any reason - to sign up for ins., you will be penalized. Pg. 167 of HR3200: IRS code changed. Tax imposed = 2.5% of your modified adj gross. Pg. 174 modified adj gross is adj gross plus int. rec’d or accrued WHICH IS EXEMPT FROM TAX. Same applies if you do not carry gov't acceptable coverage. MA residents have been living this nightmare for 3 yrs. Uninsured in 2008 paid up to $912 per person - up to $1,068 for 2009. Penalties enforced as income-tax evasion. National plans are based on the MA plan brought to you by former MA Gov. Mitt Romney and the Heritage Foundation with Ted Kennedy as head cheerleader a/k/a bipartisan.
>> scary stuff Tuesday, August 11, 2009 7:56 PM

More HR3200. If eligible for Medicaid but don't enroll will be AUTO-ENROLLED! What about choice & rights? Ins. exchange will have access to tax returns. For Medicaid, income & age increased to force more into this discriminating, disparaging ins. Think you’ll never be low enough to be on M-list? You might thanks to $ mess! Check out fed Medicaid laws, i.e. estate recovery for people 55 & up (less than 55 in some states). Also eligibility is based on income higher than adj gross, & you’ll be lucky to find a doctor if in M or other subsidized - forget choice or keeping your doctor. Add to penalty info above & fasten seatbelt! Read HR3200 & HELP bills. See what happens to businesses & employees.
>> scary stuff Tuesday, August 11, 2009 8:03 PM

The man from Russia who says "socialism is not what you think it is", is right. The majority of Americans do not know how socialism works. There are certain things all socialist countries have in common, however. They have all failed in a relativly short period of time. They start out as a government by the people, quickly degenerate into a form of oligarchy, then a dictatorship, then collapse with the last strongman ruler. They always come into power at the expense of the freedom and often the lives of those who do not choose to be socialist. There is always a great deal of blood shed before the rulers can be put out of the way. Each country which tries socialism goes through a time of very low standard of living.
>> Dean2009 Wednesday, August 12, 2009 11:11 AM

Dean2009, just so we're on the same page, could you list those countries?
>> Prentice Adler Wednesday, August 12, 2009 12:07 PM

Dean 2009, I see you came up with the same list I did. Remember, trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is Communist, but trade with China and Viet Nam is vital to a spirit of international harmony (and they are also Communist).
>> Prentice Adler Thursday, August 13, 2009 11:20 AM