Those who drive on local pavement be warned: I obtained a motorcycle endorsement on my driver's license yesterday. I had previously passed the driving portion in a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course, which I recommend for new and experienced operators, took the written and vision tests at the DMV. So, now I can venture out of the confines of my neighborhood.
Word Watch: "race," as in political campaign, another bit of tired journalese, no doubt meant to save space in headlines. As mentioned before, the campaigns are anything but races. "Grind" would be more appropriate.
No LTE's today, just "Finish the Thought" offerings, headlined by forum alumna Deb Phillips.
Finish the Thought
Saturday, we asked readers to complete the sentence: "The alternative to 'Obamacare' is …"
"... freedom. It's the freedom to establish a health care safety net for the needy — without damaging the entire health care system of the nation and surrendering substantial control of our lives to the federal government. Repealing Obamacare is absolutely necessary if we value both our health care and our freedom."
DEB PHILLIPS
"For my wife and me 'The alternative to Obamacare' is to go backward. Comparing our eight-month costs for 2011 versus 2012 (two typical years), the totals for RXs, medical help and medical premiums are $6,913 versus $3,976.
"We are both on Medicare Advantage. I want to go forward and see our cost continue downward as we move further into our mature years."
DANIEL C. STRAKA
"… Medicare without the phrase '65 and over.' In other words, Medicare for everyone. Of course, it's not that simple, and many of the changes that are required are in the Affordable Care Act. Principle requirements include: removal of waste and fraud, insurance companies taking only reasonable profits, and, yes, universal participation. This is a huge and complex undertaking, and there will likely need to be adjustments. To get those adjustments done we can do without: a party bent on obstruction and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi."
RON LOWRY
"… a nation that does not care about the health of its citizens. If the Affordable Care Act is repealed, medical bills will continue to be the major cause of personal bankruptcy in America."
CHARLES E. WILSON
"... no care. (We don't know what the GOP's replacement of Obamacare will be yet. They didn't have the guts to spell it out.)"
BOON T. LEE
"... a more fiscally responsible plan for everyone."
WILLIAM SAMS
"… economic survival. Tort reform to remove the legal noose from around the neck of our health care system. Open the state borders where health insurance is concerned (just like auto insurance, life insurance, etc.) to foster competition, which always drives costs down. Streamline federal regulations (reduce them) in order to broaden the playing field for private insurance providers, which again fosters competition, driving down costs. Obamacare exacerbates — and doubles down on — every one of these 'pre-existing' economic conditions that are a cancer to our health-care system's fiscal reality."
WES PATTERSON
"The alternative to the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (it is not 'Obamacare'; President Obama will not be your doctor) is ...
- Personal and portable insurance. Take the employers out of the insurance-providing business for their employees. In our post-industrial society, the reasons for employer-sponsored health benefits are obsolete. This would also eliminate the need for government programs like COBRA and the huge tax exclusion for employer-provided insurance.
- Automatic sign-up with an option to drop insurance. Procrastination alone will keep most people in the system.
- Tax relief or credit instead of a tax penalty (use a carrot instead of a stick) for the purchase of private health insurance.
- Lack of insurance should ding your credit report (use a stick here instead of a carrot).
- To cut medical costs; tort reform, expand the use of non-physician providers, more preventive health programs, family-doctor-coordinated care."
KAM BENFIELD
"… a death sentence for older Americans, a lack of heath care for working men and women, and a repudiation of Christian values."
MICHAEL NEWMAN
"… I will never again have health-insurance coverage."
LAUREN WHITAKER
"… ignores 'there but for the grace of God go I.' "
ROBYN MIXON
Omigod! Moto Stab is unleashed, soon to be racing through downtown terrorizing we poor pedestrians. As if we don't have enough of a problem dealing with every day motorists who seem to think that driving a car is a minor part of a routine that involves eating breakfast, applying makeup, reading the paper, chatting and texting on smart phones and many other non-motorist functions.
ReplyDeleteOne of my friends recently said "The pedestrian sign says go, so why are we still standing on the sidewalk?"
My response was to look both left and right, even though Cherry Street is one-way, because some VIP may be coming our way, totally unaware of what is going on around them.
If that isn't enough to scare you to death, consider this. A few weeks ago, an old friend, knowing that I used to be a motorcycle person, offered me a ridiculously great deal on a classic Harley. Truly tempting.
Having become aware of that offer, another friend mentioned that he would practically give me his Motoguzzi California bike from the early 2000s era, one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever made.
Do you really want that to happen? I don't think so. Maybe we can get yet another endorsement on Stab's license that will keep him out of downtown and at the same time find someone to talk me into remaining a pedestrian.
If we cannot do that, downtown could become the most dangerous place on earth. Vroom!
Fear not, it will be a while before Moto Stab inflicts his mount upon downtown pedestrians, as the motorcycle and I continue to get to know each other, putt-putting around my suburban haunts (and I have little time to ride the machine). And, when I go downtown, it is almost always with Susan, and it will be a while before I will be competent to carry a passsenger.
DeleteAs for your possible purchase, OT, you ain't getting any younger, and you can always sell the thing.
Be careful.
DeleteOne of my old friends just 'had' to have a Harley before he got too old to ride it. Now, he's flat on his back in his bedroom because he had an accident.
The transformation of Stab continues! Perhaps we should have had before and after pictures taken. I'm still seeing a ponytail (even if purchased) and Birkenstocks in the future along with a Fu Manchu 'stache :)
DeleteMy hair remains short, and face clean-shaven. I don't have have Birks, but Susan persuaded me to buy some toe-protecting Crocs at the beach. No mustache for me, also; I look my age as it is.
DeleteStab, has a Very nice cruiser. :) If I could still feel my feet, I would have broken it in good for him.
ReplyDeleteLeftovers: It's never good news when someone gets robbed or someone gets shot. It's better when the police shoot the perp than vice versa, but it's never good news.
ReplyDeleteCorrect:
DeleteNo man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
John Donne (ca 1610)
Hi Bob! That cruiser actually came from the same dealership where the robber was killed.
DeleteI am sure the detective took no glee in doing what he had to do. I don't, either.
Kevin Powell, the owner of the dealership, even expressed regret that anyone had to die and said that the family of the dead robber was in his mind.
DeleteThere are still a few decent humans out there.
It's too bad you aren't one of them Rush.
DeleteThe reason I'm happy is because I read all too often about innocent people getting killed by these thugs. People like Rush have worked hard to keep guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens, and only in the hands of violent criminals.
It's good that sanity has overruled the insane for a change.
And the National Weather Service is reporting this morning that a remnant of Isaac may spark a new tropical system in the Gulf of Mexico. It would be named Nadine.
ReplyDelete"Nadine"...channeling Chuck Berry?
DeleteStab...gettcher motor runnin', head out on the highway, lookin' for adventure....
ReplyDeleteWow! WW mentions two of the best songs ever back to back.
DeleteBach is jealous...he wishes he had thought to write them both.
The late JS Bach would be gratified to know that at least "Bouree" was covered by Jethro Tull in the late 1960s. It took an Englishman.
DeleteJethro Tull, what a great band. Loved the flute of Ian Anderson. Another one I liked a lot was Traffic, especially the song John Barleycorn Must Die.
DeleteTruly.
DeleteMany contemporary musicians have been influenced by Bach, including the one and only Chuck Berry.
DeleteI was fortunate enough to see him play in a huge roadhouse near Chatanooga once. He finished a song and said "Somebody told me that I was influenced by Bach. I said 'Who's that?'" Then he started playing a bit of the Goldberg Variations, which suddenly became the intro to Johnnie B. Goode. Wow!
And of course everybody has stolen from Chuck...the Beach Boys alone swiped one whole song and parts of many others.
;) Dotnet, we have some goat kids for sale. My favorite is the little black and white male with blue eyes.
ReplyDeleteHe sounds cute. After seeing the weather forecast for Saturday, I'm quite tempted. Unfortunately, I don't have a fence and I'm not sure of my ability to teach goats about the concept of a property line within a short amount of time.
DeleteWith Wordly out of town, the LTE's will be late to the Forum. I don't have online access via my laptop at my place, and may not bother to get it back up and running, since I will be moving soon. Yes, I have cable, the NFL season is starting. So, my Internet access at home is limited to my iPhone, which permits me to create a daily post, but is too limited to allow me to post the LTE's, thus a delay until I go over to Susan's or to work.
ReplyDeleteThere are plenty of issues to cover without needing prompting from Wes, Deb, Boon, Dr. Cutri, et al.
I'll handle the topics Stab. Don't worry about that.
DeleteGOP strategist and CNN pundit Alex Castellanos said that Clinton's speech tilted the scale. "Tonight when everybody leaves, lock the door. You don't have to come back tomorrow. This convention is done. This will be the moment that probably re-elected Barack Obama," he said.
ReplyDeleteBoy, I thought some of these fat liberals were going to have a heart attack last night when they were jumping around.
ReplyDeleteFew liberals realize that Bill Clinton's economic fame came as a result of a Republican congress.
That little shennanigan the Democrats pulled regarding omitting God from their platform is going to come back to haunt them, I think.
DeleteThrow in the 'gay marriage' debacle, and the Democrats are going to have more issues to deal with than just the poor economy.
For some reason, I cannot reply directly to posts on this computer. To OT's comment re Willard's speech, I find it contradictory that the party that accuses its opponent of "a war on women" highlights a sexual predator, and paid tribute to another one in the late person of Teddy Kennedy.
ReplyDeleteWhether Willard's speech increases President Obama's reelection probability remains to be seen, though given the malleability of the electorate, it did nothing to hurt it, I think. It may have energized some in favor of President Obama, but remember, there are lot of us who energize in the opposite direction when the Clintons are involved.
Democrats are generally sleazy people. They say one thing, yet do another.
DeleteJust look at Anthony Weiner. He had the gaul to post a photo of his appendage on he internet, yet he's part of the Democratic Party that supposdly has respect for women.
Bill Clinton was supposed to eating pizza, yet he was running around on his wife.
Johnny Edwards, while his wife was dying of cancer, he was making babies with another woman all the while running for president of the U.S. as a Democrat.
And the list goes on and on!
and the list goes on and on with Republicans too. One thing they all have in common, republican and democrat. Old white heterosexuals.
DeleteDon't set me up Bob. You know I can hit it out of the park.
DeleteThat was before I repaired the fences.
DeleteWhen there are lots of people who are underemployed or unemployed, the pleasant memories of a roaring economy and virtually full employment tend to drown out any memories of certain loutish behavior. People often take a "boys will be boys" attitude in overlooking transgressions when recognizing tremendous success.
Delete'SNAP' your fingers and you get free food. 46 million Americans enjoy getting 'free' food from the government, why can't everybody get 'SNAP' benefits, if Obama is going to provide 'free' healthcare for all?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/
I can't wait until he starts giving out free Cadillacs. Oh brother.
DeleteRCP poll....Romeny and Obama in dead heat. Romney takes 3 point lead in Ohio.
DeleteThings are a changin....! Maybe these are not the 'changes' Obama was banking on.
Obama's new budget has a $1 trillion dollar deficit. Thanks a lot!
DeleteYou can't spell Romney without an M-O-N-E-Y
DeleteRomney is just a bit too close to Moroni for me, Moroni>Romoni>Romni>Romney
DeletePerhaps that's why he only talks about his vision for the future in "quiet rooms."
Delete
ReplyDeleteBill Clinton: 'So here's another job score. President Obama: plus 4.5 million, congressional Republicans: zero.'
In January 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 106.8 million Americans in paid jobs. In July of this year, the figure came in at 111.3 million. That's a gain of 4.5 million. The problem: President Obama was sworn in to office in January 2009. On his first day in office, the private payroll count stood at 111 million. So if Obama is to take full responsibility for all his time in office, his administration has only created a net of 300,000 jobs
-------
This is the same nonsense that our resident NW has been saying for quite some time. Clinton and our NW are both wrong.
Yes, and as we all remember, when he was sworn into office, the economy was losing 750,000 jobs per month and the GDP shrank 9% instead of the 4% that was the initial un-revised number. Once the stimulus kicked in, we started creating jobs and had 29 months straight of job creation, slow yes, but while private sector jobs are being created, public sector jobs have been lost because of all the cuts. With the advances in technology replacing people, recoveries will never be the same.
DeleteAnd of course, starting in 2010, there was ZERO help coming from Congress. I see where China is using stimulus creating jobs by approving 25 new Subway projects.
DeleteStarting in 2011. The new Congress was sent to stop Obama. Not get along with him.
DeleteAnd stop, they did. So since 2011, you can't blame Obama policy since none were put into effect and The Executive Branch cannot spend what the legislative branch does not give. Actually you could say since 02/04/2010 when Scott Brown was sworn in and there was no longer a super majority in the Senate. Some 490 filibusters later, how can one blame policies that did not get through? And Fed policy is not subject to approval by Executive or Legislative Branches.
DeleteThe Democrats haven't passed a budget in years. They're inept Bob.
DeleteEven if Romney is elected, I don't see anything changing. It will still take a super majority in the Senate to get anything passed which I don't see happening. There are no senators I can see who have the ability to build coalitions from both sides in order to get important legislation passed. Most are too afraid to have the dreaded "compromise" labeled upon them to inflame the true believers on either side.
DeleteAt least we won't have Obama circumventing the Constitution through Executive Orders.
Delete"and the list goes on and on with Republicans too. One thing they all have in common, republican and democrat. Old white heterosexuals."
ReplyDeleteVery true, but the Dems place the predators in a pantheon while blathering about "war on women."
That's exactly why we need more women in office. And with Clinton having a 69% approval rating now, dem ain't all democrats.
DeleteIt seems like there is more of a war on white, heterosexual, Christian, males than anyone else to me.
DeleteEverybody seems to think we should just grab our ankles and take it.
lol, very few can even see their ankles these days much less grab 'em.
DeleteYou forget I go for five miles a day, Bob. I go in the morning now. It's cooler.
DeleteIf you weren't sick, I'll bet you could hang with me, unlike that fat slob Rush.
No, I remember, but I was referring to the the overall group. Yes, I used to ride my mountain bike UP Town Mountain Road in Asheville. Of course it was a lot faster and more fun riding down.
DeleteGood afternoon folks!
ReplyDeleteSum it up: The first thought that pops into me head is why "The alternative" as opposed to "An alternative" or "Some alternatives". There are many different alternatives to ACA, not just one. Mr. Lowry and Mr. Benfield are the only ones who presented any ideas, although the Medicare for all has been put out there before. Wes parrots ideas like a good True Believer should. To be fair, the economics of healthcare is a very complicated subject, so it may be a bit much to ask such a question to the general public. I will say that the more posts I read from Mr. Benfield, the more I become impressed by his insight.
To compare the all out Republican assault on women's rights with a few sexual dalliances is a joke.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm not sure that predator is the correct term. We know that JFK's interns competed with each other to sleep with him. That is likely the case with Teddy and Clinton as well. Women are strongly attracted to wealthy and/or powerful charismatic men...probably a little jealousy operating here.
And these women were not children...all adult women.
That being said, the whole idea of these speeches is to motivate the voters. Bill Clinton is the most popular president since FDR and the best speaker since JFK...the party would have to be stupid not to welcome him. People who spend a lot of time worrying about Clinton's sex life. or anyone else's, are mostly hard core Republicans, so this was a risk free move.
The speech was a huge success.
Huge success? For whom? Hardcore Democrats? Yes.
DeleteWill it change voters' votes? No. I think it's starting to sink in. Four more years of Obama would be disastrous.
You would have to be pathetically dumb not to realize that Obama has been an ineffectual president.
DeleteWomen have all kinds of discriminatory laws that protect them, are you kidding?
DeleteHow many hundreds of thousands of men have died in wars while women were protected at home?
Like I said Rush-you never miss a chance to make a fool of yourself, do you?
Clinton was disbarred over his abusive relationship with a woman/women? We had a criminal investigation for months over his perjury involving a woman, and he was impeached by Congress over the incident.
DeleteAnd Democrats have the 'nerve' to say Republicans have a war on women? Please!
Then throw in these sexual deviants like Weiner and Edwards.
This is all a joke right?
"probably a little jealousy operating here."
DeleteMy guess too. So many of the Clinton haters really want to be him.
Psychology's more your thing OT, but I'd say a lot of WJC's issues come from being the child of an alcoholic, and a narcissist.
And yes, the speech kicked ass. He has a gift for making policy accessible to ordinary people.
Welcome back, Arthur, and congratulations on your status change.
DeleteSorry, I am not jealous of Willard because I cannot be a scumbag like him, not jealous period. There are plenty of reasons to dislike him based on actions, policies, and other character issues.
Aha, the return of Arthur. I am told by those who know that he has captured a job, and a pretty good one at that. All hail, King Arthur.
DeleteAnd there is no question that many Bill Clinton haters are jealous of his charm and intelligence and success with women. He is the prototype for the Type-A male.
I will accept that Stab's denial of jealousy is true...having seen at some point a picture of his soon-to-be bride, I think that he should be out of his mind with joy at having captured her affections...not to mention that what we have heard of her as a teacher and mother tells us that she is one in a million...or perhaps, in today's inflated terminology, one in a billion.
But the business about actions and policies, etc are just so much jabberwock in today's political world.
You like Mitty? A cynical LBO specialist who has made hundreds of millions off of other people's misery while flip flopping like a freshly caught flounder on every moral position imaginable just to get elected President. And maybe the birthers should crank up on the rest of his life. He may have been born in the US, but his wealth, and even his yacht, are maintained on foreign soil, which makes him a major part of our economic problem.
You like Ryan, whose mindless budget cuts will almost certainly bring the economy down for a real crash, and whose social policies would spell tragedy for the American way of life?
I could go on and on, but I won't.
Bill Clinton is the most popular President since FDR. Why? Because he can also be shown to be the best President since FDR. Why? Because he presided over the last period of our history which actually resembled the rest of American history. He doesn't deserve all of the credit for that, but under the rules that have always applied, that is the way that it works. So if you wish to indict him for failed policies, you will have to change the rules of engagement as well.
Since his departure from office, our history has become a chaotic mess of stupid wars and stupid economic policies and just plain stupidness in general.
If I could vote for Bill Clinton in November, I would do it in a flash. But I can't. I will not vote happily at all, but I will certainly not vote for Mr. Flounder.
I may not vote at all. I dislike the union-owned Administration and the obstructionist R's.
DeleteAs for Willard, there were too many secrets that went one way while Chinese money went the other, with sanctification of the bastard following. And Broadrick was not a mere peccadillo. And Willey, well, blame the victim is an old ploy.
Re comments on "Chinese money"
Delete"President Barack Obama came to office during an economic crisis, as he has reminded us a time or two. Those were very tough days, and any fair measure of his record has to take that into account. My home state voted for President Obama. When he talked about change, many people liked the sound of it, especially in Janesville, where we were about to lose a major factory.
A lot of guys I went to high school with worked at that G.M. plant. Right there at that plant, candidate Obama said: “I believe that if our government is there to support you. . . this plant will be here for another hundred years.” That’s what he said in 2008.
Well, as it turned out, that plant didn’t last another year. It is locked up and empty to this day. And that’s how it is in so many towns today, where the recovery that was promised is nowhere in sight."
Paul Ryan, candidate for VP of the US
Even though Ryan has sort of admitted that he lied in this statement, he's sticking to his story, because it's the only story he has. Just another part of the "lie a day" GOP campaign, 2012. Just as that howling pack of GOP wolves did in the late 1990s regarding Clinton's "sellout" to China.
Got proof? Let's see it. Reminds me of earlier remarks about how JFK stole Illinois. Sex, lies and videotape, except videotape is not there.
I don't know what happened in the so-called China scandal. Neither do you. The difference is that I don't make any claims to know the truth.
Democrats were 'booing' God.
ReplyDeleteI told you Democrats are sleazy.
"To compare the all out Republican assault on women's rights with a few sexual dalliances is a joke."
ReplyDeleteJuanita Broaddrick
Kathleen Willey
Paula Jones
Mary Jo Kopechne
Dalliances, right? I bet the first three didn't think so, nor the family of the latter.
". . . probably a little jealousy operating here." I have no requirement nor any fantasy of expanding my horizon in that arena. I just marvel that these gits do no wrong in the eyes of the faithful, whether the matter is screwing around, or kanoodling with the KGB, or quid pro quo from China.
I know, and sort of like, Kathleen Willey and many of her family and friends. She was in a very unhappy marriage, yet addicted to the high life, so she thought she would work her sexual magic on Clinton and come out a winner. When he rejected her, she made her little story up. Ask anyone who knows her.
DeleteBroaddick and Jones may or may not be believable, at any rate they amount to two.
The Kopechne matter is a tragedy, but it is just one tragedy, and it certainly has nothing to do with Bill Clinton.
If Ryan/Romney have their way, there will be hundreds of thousand of tragedies for women all across the country, every year. Those of us who lived through the pre-Roe v Wade era know all about that.
So I will vote to forestall any chance that those hundreds of thousands of tragedies will occur. You can vote any way you like.
Small World Department: the lead editorial today excoriates the head of Center Point, Betty Taylor. Met her a few weeks ago, at which time she made a passing reference to our no doubt having read about her in the paper (I had not paid any attention). She will be our next door neighbor in our new neighborhood. Attractive lady she is, and very pleasant, but I have no idea re the paper's stern commentary regarding her job retention.
ReplyDeleteIt does make a difference when you know the people involved. That's why I prefer local politics to national. I'm pretty much in the dark on this Center Point business, just hoping that it will get worked out, because there are a lot of people with serious mental problems who need everyone to rise above politics and do the right thing.
DeleteRe supermajority, discussed above: I am very comfortable with a supermajority, as I do not think things should pass on a 51-49 vote. This keeps some of my pet legislation from being passed, but it prevents the antitheses of my pet legisation from being passed, too.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the centrists needed to build a supermajority are an ineffectual minority, for the most part, as TB's and trained seals dominate both parties. Ideally, this will ease in time, but it will take leadership from the tops of both parties (not forthcoming at the moment, think McConnell and Pelosi) or the formation of a viable centrist third political party.
The latter will require real leaders with courage and principles. Such women and men are scarce in public life at the moment.
I like the supermajority as well, although like you, I find it infuriating when it kills one of my pet projects.
DeleteThe intent was to slow things down, thus forestalling hasty decisions. So far it has worked pretty well.
But the gridlock must be broken if we are to make any headway on the economy and the deficit and the national debt. Whoever wins the White House in November will not have the power to do that. Congress is the problem.
I don't see much of any change coming there this year. And both sides are dug in so deep that the only answer may be a third party. Where will the new leaders come from?
In the past, they have always seemed to appear when needed, from the Founding Fathers to the WW II generation. Maybe there is a new batch fermenting out there at the moment. We better hope so.
We are in complete agreement.
DeleteThere has to be a "tipping point" first. Summer of 2008 should have been it but we gave the drunk another pint to postpone the hangover. Another tipping point will happen and then we deal with it. As a nation we have not been hurt badly enough yet.
DeleteRep. Barney Frank (D) is set to go tonight. I will watch him. He's always good for a chuckle.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the 'Best little Gay Whorehouse in Washington'? Barney's apartment.
Hee Hee...you gotta love it. These Democrats are always up to SOMETHING!
Re dotnet's remark about Benfield: I was impressed by Benfield's comment. I'm not sure that I agree will all (meaning really not sure, not leaning to disagreement), but his proposals are thought provoking, easily the most studied of the responses.
ReplyDelete